The Occupations of Literacy: Occupational Therapy's Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frolek Clark, Gloria

2016-01-01

Nationally, student proficiency in reading and writing is very low and requires ongoing focus from state and local agencies. With almost 25% of occupational therapists working in early intervention and school settings (AOTA, 2015), their role of facilitating literacy (e.g., reading, writing, speaking and listening) is critical. Occupational…

FLAX: Flexible and Open Corpus-Based Language Collections Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Alannah; Wu, Shaoqun; Marín, María José

2015-01-01

In this case study we present innovative work in building open corpus-based language collections by focusing on a description of the opensource multilingual Flexible Language Acquisition (FLAX) language project, which is an ongoing example of open materials development practices for language teaching and learning. We present language-learning…

Linguistic Corpora and Lexicography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meijs, Willem

1996-01-01

Overviews the development of corpus linguistics, reviews the use of corpora in modern lexicography, and presents central issues in ongoing work aimed at broadening the scope of lexicographical use of corpus data. Focuses on how the field has developed in relation to the production of new monolingual English dictionaries by major British…

Ten Years of Mi'gmaq Language Revitalization Work: A Non-Indigenous Applied Linguist Reflects on Building Research Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarkar, Mela

2017-01-01

Language revitalization work at one First Nation in eastern Canada has been ongoing for over two decades. Several approaches have been put in place: core teaching of Mi'gmaq as a primary school subject, language documentation and the creation of an online dictionary, and an Elders' focus group on language, as well other shorter-term projects. In…

Learning To Listen, Talk and Trust: Constructing Collaborations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krasnow, Maris H.

Forming friendships is an ongoing, ever-growing, complex experience. Strategies for building relationships with others are the focus of this paper. The experience of three diverse groups of professionals are followed as they work to develop positive and respectful relationships in the name of collaboration and as they try to understand each…

Professional Learning in Higher Education: Making Good Practice Relevant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Jeannie

2017-01-01

Professionals working in a range of contexts are increasingly expected to engage in ongoing professional learning to maintain their skills and develop their practices. In this paper, I focus on professional learning in Higher Education and challenge the standardisation of professional learning that is becoming prevalent in a number of countries. I…

Online Resource Utilization in a Hybrid Course in Engineering Graphics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiebe, Eric N.; Branoff, Theodore J.; Shreve, Mark A.

2011-01-01

This presentation focuses on an ongoing instructional innovation research and development project centered around the development of a blended, online and face-to-face introductory engineering graphics course. The work presented here is an in-depth analysis of how students make use of the online resources to supplement the instructional support…

Illuminating Common Ground: Script Writing, Fiction and the 7Ws.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rike, Elizabeth K.

1996-01-01

Describes the ongoing work of a teacher whose Summer Institute for Drama/Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee provides training for both theater and classroom teachers. Focuses on her teaching method--improvisational drama--which simultaneously addresses elements common to fiction and script writing, and now contained in the language…

Feminist Community Psychology: The Dynamic Co-Creation of Identities in Multilayered Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angelique, Holly; Mulvey, Anne

2012-01-01

In this special issue, we view the development of feminist community psychology (FCP) as an ongoing project that must be co-created. This is reflected in articles that focus on authors' unique social locations inside and outside organizations in which they work, critical reflections on their multilayered identities, feminist methodological and…

The Bradley Challenge: A Sea Change for Australian Universities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putnam, Thomas; Gill, Judith

2011-01-01

This paper begins with a focus on the problematic nature of one key term in the Bradley Report. "Socioeconomic status," or SES as commonly used, lacks clear definition leading to ongoing debates about its measurement. A working consensus on SES and its measurement is necessary for the report's recommendations to proceed effectively. Next…

Ego Network Analysis of Upper Division Physics Student Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brewe, Eric

2017-01-01

We present the analysis of student networks derived from a survey of upper division physics students. Ego networks focus on the connections that center on one person (the ego). The ego networks in this talk come from a survey that is part of an overall project focused on understanding student retention and persistence. The theory underlying this work is that social and academic integration are essential components to supporting students continued enrollment and ultimately graduation. This work uses network analysis as a way to investigate the role of social and academic interactions in retention and persistence decisions. We focus on student interactions with peers, on mentoring interactions with physics department faculty, and on engagement in physics groups and how they influence persistence. Our results, which are preliminary, will help frame the ongoing research project and identify ways in which departments can support students. This work supported by NSF grant #PHY 1344247.

Educational Planning for Establishing a Health-Promoting Workplace (HPW).

PubMed

Russell, Sally S

2015-01-01

The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) has had an ongoing series of articles related to Healthy Practice Environments. The AMSN website (www.amsn.org) also has a number of articles and documents about initiatives that AMSN has undertaken to promote healthy practice environments in health care settings. This articles will focus on the educational work necessary for nurses who desire to increase the healthiness of their workplace. The work is not easy, but the end result could be one that leaves a lasting legacy for those who work in that environment.

Availability of and Access to Career Development Activities for Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Erik W.; Trainor, Audrey A.; Cakiroglu, Orhan; Swedeen, Beth; Owens, Laura A.

2010-01-01

Equipping youth with and without disabilities for the world of work has been the focus of ongoing legislative and policy initiatives. The authors examined the extent to which career development and vocational activities were available to and accessed by youth with severe disabilities or emotional and behavioral disorders attending 34 urban,…

Context Aware Recommendations in the Course Enrolment Process Based on Curriculum Guidelines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ajanovski, Vangel V.

2013-01-01

This research is a part of an ongoing project for development of an integrated student information system, aiming to incorporate self-adaptivity, personalization and social navigation, both in the overall management of university processes, and throughout the course work. In this paper the focus is on the advancement of the existing course…

The Way We Ask for Money… The Emergence and Institutionalization of Grant Writing Practices in Academia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serrano Velarde, Kathia

2018-01-01

Although existing scholarship offers critical insights into the working mechanisms of project-based research funding, little is known about the actual practice of writing grant proposals. Our study seeks to add a longitudinal dimension to the ongoing debate on the implications of competitive research funding by focusing on the incremental…

Developing Managers: A View from the Non-Profit Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Jan

2004-01-01

This paper is rooted in practitioner experience of working within the non-profit sector. It is both underpinned by Master's level research and built on as part of an on-going sense-making process for the author in terms of her doctoral research. Focusing on a specific part of the sector--local development agencies, explores how personal theories…

A Blueprint for the Future of Curricular Change in America's Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Frederick J.

This article provides an overview of the short- and long-term action that is essential for effective curriculum improvement. It focuses on the ongoing need for schools to develop effective procedures for processing the routine operations of schools, to evaluate personnel, to maintain good salaries and working conditions, to involve staff in…

Underpinning the STEM Agenda through Technological Textiles? An Exploration of Design Technology Teachers' Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Chris; Bell, Dawne

2011-01-01

This paper discusses ongoing research into the role of design and technology education in emerging post industrial economies. Previous work (Hughes et al., 2010) focused on the changing characteristics of textiles technology in modern times and discussed how this could inform a design and technology curriculum related to the needs of a modern…

Factors associated with the effectiveness of continuing education in long-term care.

PubMed

Stolee, Paul; Esbaugh, Jacquelin; Aylward, Sandra; Cathers, Tamzin; Harvey, David P; Hillier, Loretta M; Keat, Nancy; Feightner, John W

2005-06-01

This article examines factors within the long-term-care work environment that impact the effectiveness of continuing education. In Study 1, focus group interviews were conducted with staff and management from urban and rural long-term-care facilities in southwestern Ontario to identify their perceptions of the workplace factors that affect transfer of learning into practice. Thirty-five people were interviewed across six focus groups. In Study 2, a Delphi technique was used to refine our list of factors. Consensus was achieved in two survey rounds involving 30 and 27 participants, respectively. Management support was identified as the most important factor impacting the effectiveness of continuing education. Other factors included resources (staff, funding, space) and the need for ongoing expert support. Organizational support is necessary for continuing education programs to be effective and ongoing expert support is needed to enable and reinforce learning.

Increasing Academic Rigor through Comprehensive, Ongoing Professional Development in Rural Special Education: A Description of the SPLASH Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtade, Ginevra R.; Shipman, Stacy D.; Williams, Rachel

2017-01-01

SPLASH is a 3-year professional development program designed to work with classroom teachers of students with moderate and severe disabilities. The program targets new teachers and employs methods aimed at supporting rural classrooms. The training content focuses on evidence-based practices in English language arts, mathematics, and science, as…

Learntime and Learning Place-Focused Forward-Oriented Design for Learning in Technology-Enhanced Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Susan Y. H.

2016-01-01

This study reports on a teacher's ongoing design activities in a fully online language course when the class was in progress. The aims were, firstly, to provide first-hand experience and insight into a teacher's design work in a real-life, technology-enhanced learning (TEL) classroom; and secondly, to facilitate reflective analysis of the emerging…

Landowner and visitor response to forest landscape restoration: the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Northeast Sands Project

Treesearch

Kristin Floress; Anna Haines; Emily Usher; Paul Gobster; Mike Dockry

2018-01-01

This report is intended to support the ongoing pine barrens restoration on work in the Lakewood-Laona Ranger District on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF). The report provides the results from 2016 surveys and focus groups examining landowner and visitor attitudes toward forest management treatments, communication, and restoration project outcomes; their...

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1989.

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

United States. Bonneville Power Administration. Division of Fish and Wildlife.

1988-11-01

The FY 1989 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Work Plan (Work Plan) presents Bonneville Power Administration's plans for implementing the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) in FY 1989. The Work Plan focuses on individual Action Items found in the 1987 Program for which Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has determined that it has authority and responsibility to implement. Each of the entries in the Work Plan includes objectives, background, and progress to date in achieving those objectives, and a summary of plans for implementation in FY 1989. Most Action Items are implemented through one or moremore » BPA-funded projects. Each Action Item entry is followed by a list of completed, ongoing, and planned projects, along with objectives, results, schedules, and milestones for each project. The FY 1989 Work Plan emphasizes continuation of 113 projects, most of which involve protection, mitigation, or enhancement of anadromous fishery resources. BPA also plans to start 20 new projects in FY 1989. The number of ongoing FY 1988 projects to be continued in FY 1989 and the number of new projects planned to start in FY 1989 are based on current (September 7, 1988) procurement expectations. Several projects presently in BPA's procurement process are expected to be contracted by September 30, 1988, the last day of FY 1988. Although these projects have not yet started, they have been listed in the Work Plan as ongoing FY 1988 projects, based on projected start dates in late September 1988. Throughout the Work Plan, those projects with projected start dates in September 1988 have been noted.« less

Ongoing training of community health workers in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic scoping review of the literature

PubMed Central

O’Donovan, Charles; Kuhn, Isla; Sachs, Sonia Ehrlich

2018-01-01

Objectives Understanding the current landscape of ongoing training for community health workers (CHWs) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is important both for organisations responsible for their training, as well as researchers and policy makers. This scoping review explores this under-researched area by mapping the current delivery implementation and evaluation of ongoing training provision for CHWs in LMICs. Design Systematic scoping review. Data sources MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, Global Health, Web of Science, Scopus, ASSIA, LILACS, BEI and ERIC. Study selection Original studies focusing on the provision of ongoing training for CHWs working in a country defined as low income and middle income according to World Bank Group 2012 classification of economies. Results The scoping review found 35 original studies that met the inclusion criteria. Ongoing training activities for CHWs were described as supervision (n=19), inservice or refresher training (n=13) or a mixture of both (n=3). Although the majority of studies emphasised the importance of providing ongoing training, several studies reported no impact of ongoing training on performance indicators. The majority of ongoing training was delivered inperson; however, four studies reported the use of mobile technologies to support training delivery. The outcomes from ongoing training activities were measured and reported in different ways, including changes in behaviour, attitudes and practice measured in a quantitative manner (n=16), knowledge and skills (n=6), qualitative assessments (n=5) or a mixed methods approach combining one of the aforementioned modalities (n=8). Conclusions This scoping review highlights the diverse range of ongoing training for CHWs in LMICs. Given the expansion of CHW programmes globally, more attention should be given to the design, delivery, monitoring and sustainability of ongoing training from a health systems strengthening perspective. PMID:29705769

Trauma-Focused CBT for Youth who Experience Ongoing Traumas

PubMed Central

Cohen, Judith A.; Mannarino, Anthony P.; Murray, Laura A.

2011-01-01

Many youth experience ongoing trauma exposure, such as domestic or community violence. Clinicians often ask whether evidence-based treatments containing exposure components to reduce learned fear responses to historical trauma are appropriate for these youth. Essentially the question is, if youth are desensitized to their trauma experiences, will this in some way impair their responding to current or ongoing trauma? The paper addresses practical strategies for implementing one evidence-based treatment, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for youth with ongoing traumas. Collaboration with local therapists and families participating in TF-CBT community and international programs elucidated effective strategies for applying TF-CBT with these youth. These strategies included: 1) enhancing safety early in treatment; 2) effectively engaging parents who experience personal ongoing trauma; and 3) during the trauma narrative and processing component focusing on a) increasing parental awareness and acceptance of the extent of the youths’ ongoing trauma experiences; b) addressing youths’ maladaptive cognitions about ongoing traumas; and c) helping youth differentiate between real danger and generalized trauma reminders. Case examples illustrate how to use these strategies in diverse clinical situations. Through these strategies TF-CBT clinicians can effectively improve outcomes for youth experiencing ongoing traumas. PMID:21855140

From Vocational Education to Career Readiness: The Ongoing Work of Linking Education and the Labor Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Shaun M.; Lombardi, Allison R.

2016-01-01

A long-standing debate has been waged over the past century or more about the purpose of education. Is the primary purpose to provide for the general edification of the individual, or must education have a pragmatic application that relates to one's intended role in the workforce? Public education's focus on these ends has evolved over time, often…

STS-87 Day 10 Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

On this tenth day of the STS-87 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Kevin R. Kregel, Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialists Winston E. Scott, Kalpana Chawla, and Takao Doi, and Payload Specialist Leonid K. Kadenyuk receive a call from Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and answer questions from media in Kiev. The conversations focus on Kadenyuk's first flight into space and the work ongoing to support the mission objectives.

Traffic Flow Management and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rios, Joseph Lucio

2014-01-01

This talk will present an overview of Traffic Flow Management (TFM) research at NASA Ames Research Center. Dr. Rios will focus on his work developing a large-scale, parallel approach to solving traffic flow management problems in the national airspace. In support of this talk, Dr. Rios will provide some background on operational aspects of TFM as well a discussion of some of the tools needed to perform such work including a high-fidelity airspace simulator. Current, on-going research related to TFM data services in the national airspace system and general aviation will also be presented.

Overview of Human Factors and Habitability at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Janis; Arch, M.; Kaiser, Mary

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the ongoing work on human factors and habitability in the development of the Constellation Program. The focus of the work is on how equipment, spacecraft design, tools, procedures and nutrition be used to improve the health, safety and efficiency of the crewmembers. There are slides showing the components of the Constellation Program, and the conceptual designs of the Orion Crew module, the lunar lander, (i.e., Altair) the microgravity EVA suit, and the lunar surface EVA suit, the lunar rover, and the lunar surface system infrastructure.

Analysis of Wind Turbine Simulation Models: Assessment of Simplified versus Complete Methodologies: Preprint

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

Honrubia-Escribano, A.; Jimenez-Buendia, F.; Molina-Garcia, A.

This paper presents the current status of simplified wind turbine models used for power system stability analysis. This work is based on the ongoing work being developed in IEC 61400-27. This international standard, for which a technical committee was convened in October 2009, is focused on defining generic (also known as simplified) simulation models for both wind turbines and wind power plants. The results of the paper provide an improved understanding of the usability of generic models to conduct power system simulations.

The emerging mental health strategy of the European Union: a multi-level work-in-progress.

PubMed

Kelly, Brendan D

2008-01-01

Policy-making in the European Union (EU) is a complex process that can appear impenetrable and opaque. This paper examines the ongoing process of mental health policy-making in the EU. In 2005, the Health and Consumer Protectorate Director-General of the European Commission published a Green Paper and launched a consultation process aimed at mental health service-users, advocates, providers, business, social services and governments. While there were varying levels of participation between member states, a range of trans-national, national and infra-national actors made contributions. Based on these consultations, a 'Consultative Platform' was created and made 10 recommendations centered on the principles of partnership; establishing policy competencies; integrating mental health into national policies; involving stakeholders; and protecting human rights. This ongoing process illustrates many features of EU policy-making: (a) the European Commission generates an initiative; (b) policy focuses on EU standardization, with member states remaining central actors in service-delivery; (c) policy focuses on social inclusion; (d) the European Commission coordinates diverse networks of actors; and (e) there is 'multi-level' involvement, with direct interaction between trans-national, national and infra-national actors. An enhanced focus on epidemiological data and 'evidence-based policy' would increase rigor and focus further attention on this relatively neglected policy area.

Attention to change: A multilevel theory on the process of emergent continuous organizational change.

PubMed

Wee, Elijah X M; Taylor, M Susan

2018-01-01

Increasingly, continuous organizational change is viewed as the new reality for organizations and their members. However, this model of organizational change, which is usually characterized by ongoing, cumulative, and substantive change from the bottom up, remains underexplored in the literature. Taking a multilevel approach, the authors develop a theoretical model to explain the mechanisms behind the amplification and accumulation of valuable, ongoing work-unit level changes over time, which then become substantial changes at the organizational level. Drawing on the concept of emergence, they first focus on the cognitive search mechanisms of work-unit members and managers to illustrate how work-unit level routine changes may be amplified to the organization through 2 unique processes: composition and compilation emergence. The authors then discuss the managers' role in creating a sense of coherence and meaning for the accumulation of these emergent changes over time. They conclude this research by discussing the theoretical implications of their model for the existing literature of organizational change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The challenges of a home-based nursing consultation business.

PubMed

Schulmeister, L

1999-03-01

The transition from working in a traditional setting to working at home alone can be challenging for new nurse consultants. Home-based consultants can use a variety of strategies to stay focused and connected, such as having a designated work area, limiting distractions, and networking. Nurse consultants can obtain information about business management from community resources, and computer on-line services offer a means of contacting other small-business owners. Ongoing business evaluations, which include professional accomplishments as well as an examination of income and expenses, help in planning. Home-based nurse consultants can increase the likelihood of business success by setting objectives, working diligently, and networking with others in the business community.

Cradle Enhanced UI Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jentsch, Samuel

2016-01-01

This summer I have been working in the EDI (Exploration, Development, and Integration) office. The primary goal of my office is to facilitate the integration, cooperation, and communication between programs, projects and departments throughout the agency. The majority of my efforts has been focused on Cradle, a requirements management and systems engineering tool. This tool is utilized by teams throughout NASA to plan and track the development of a variety of ongoing projects.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Security Studies Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

that will compel the other rich nations Mixed Iraqi and American operation in western Iraq. Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army/Staff Sgt. Russell L. Klika...Business of the Japanese State: Energy Markets in Comparative and Historical Perspective, won the Ohira Prize. His 1994 book, “Rich Nation, Strong...Initiative, where he oversees research in the design and diffusion of market mechanisms in networks. His ongoing work focuses on the economics and

Advanced development for space robotics with emphasis on fault tolerance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tesar, D.; Chladek, J.; Hooper, R.; Sreevijayan, D.; Kapoor, C.; Geisinger, J.; Meaney, M.; Browning, G.; Rackers, K.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the ongoing work in fault tolerance at the University of Texas at Austin. The paper describes the technical goals the group is striving to achieve and includes a brief description of the individual projects focusing on fault tolerance. The ultimate goal is to develop and test technology applicable to all future missions of NASA (lunar base, Mars exploration, planetary surveillance, space station, etc.).

Ocean Remote Sensing Using Ambient Noise

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

and other adaptive array processing methods. OBJECTIVES Work on this project has focused on noise interferometry – the process by which an...measured at xA and xB. In that context, our objective is to investigate and identify the limitations of noise interferometry for remote sensing...and 6 is ongoing. 1. Demonstration of noise interferometry at 10 km range in a shallow water environment Recently conducted experiments in the

A review of HIV/AIDS system-level interventions

PubMed Central

Bauermeister, José A.; Tross, Susan; Ehrhardt, Anke A.

2010-01-01

The escalating HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide demands that on-going prevention efforts be strengthened, disseminated, and scaled-up. System-level interventions refer to programs aiming to improve the functioning of an agency as well as the delivery of its services to the community. System-level interventions are a promising approach to HIV/AIDS prevention because they focus on (a) improving the agency’s ability to adopt evidence-based HIV prevention and care programs; (b) develop and establish policies and procedures that maximize the sustainability of on-going prevention and care efforts; and (c) improve decision-making processes such as incorporating the needs of communities into their tailored services. We reviewed studies focusing on system-level interventions by searching multiple electronic abstracting indices, including PsycInfo, PubMed, and ProQuest. Twenty-three studies out of 624 peer-reviewed studies (published from January 1985 to February 2007) met study criteria. Most of the studies focused on strengthening agency infrastructure, while other studies included collaborative partnerships and technical assistance programs. Our findings suggest that system-level interventions are promising in strengthening HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts. Based on our findings, we propose recommendations for future work in developing and evaluating system-level interventions. PMID:18369722

Talk and community: The place of reporting in a life sciences laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swieringa, Robert Cecil

This study investigates the routine situated communicative practice within the weekly meetings of a life sciences laboratory. The key, constitutive discourse of "reporting" is examined as an activity in which participants jointly sustain the work community of the laboratory and manage their own work within this community. This study seeks to contribute to studies of small groups by focusing upon the multifunctionality and situated nature of the meeting interactions within this enduring "bona fide" group as participants undertake multiple goals associated with their own progress and with the overlapping contexts of the setting. It also seeks to contribute to investigations of institutional talk and activity by examining "reporting" as interaction with institutional and community consequences for members of the community. This study takes a practice-oriented perspective to investigate the laboratory as a community of practice, focusing upon the "activity" of interaction as the overall unit of analysis. Ethnographic materials (involving observation, interviews, conversations, and activity logs) and discourse analysis techniques (involving audiotaping and transcriptions of meetings) were used to locate and record data within a university entomology laboratory over a two year period. Through triangulation of data, "reporting" is identified as a key discourse activity within the laboratory. As situated communicative practice within the weekly meetings, reporting is found to be compelled discourse through which interactants interactively manage one's ongoing goals and activity while temporally situating that activity within the broader stream of laboratory work. This study provides an example of how engagement in situated discursive activity provides for the coordination of individual lines of progress within the ongoing work of a community.

Ongoing training of community health workers in low-income andmiddle-income countries: a systematic scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

O'Donovan, James; O'Donovan, Charles; Kuhn, Isla; Sachs, Sonia Ehrlich; Winters, Niall

2018-04-28

Understanding the current landscape of ongoing training for community health workers (CHWs) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is important both for organisations responsible for their training, as well as researchers and policy makers. This scoping review explores this under-researched area by mapping the current delivery implementation and evaluation of ongoing training provision for CHWs in LMICs. Systematic scoping review. MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, Global Health, Web of Science, Scopus, ASSIA, LILACS, BEI and ERIC. Original studies focusing on the provision of ongoing training for CHWs working in a country defined as low income and middle income according to World Bank Group 2012 classification of economies. The scoping review found 35 original studies that met the inclusion criteria. Ongoing training activities for CHWs were described as supervision (n=19), inservice or refresher training (n=13) or a mixture of both (n=3). Although the majority of studies emphasised the importance of providing ongoing training, several studies reported no impact of ongoing training on performance indicators. The majority of ongoing training was delivered inperson; however, four studies reported the use of mobile technologies to support training delivery. The outcomes from ongoing training activities were measured and reported in different ways, including changes in behaviour, attitudes and practice measured in a quantitative manner (n=16), knowledge and skills (n=6), qualitative assessments (n=5) or a mixed methods approach combining one of the aforementioned modalities (n=8). This scoping review highlights the diverse range of ongoing training for CHWs in LMICs. Given the expansion of CHW programmes globally, more attention should be given to the design, delivery, monitoring and sustainability of ongoing training from a health systems strengthening perspective. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

ICBP90 Regulation of DNA Methylation, Histone Ubiquitination, and Tumor Suppressor Gene Expression in Breast Cancer Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

compared between wild type and mutant plants via chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Additionally, differences in centromere structure between wild...specific focus on non-CpG contexts. The proposed work is ongoing, and so far the major accomplishments include creation of relevant plant lines...laboratories that study topics related to breast cancer and epigenetics 1. Monthly journal club meetings at the Center for Vertebrate Genomics (CVG) which

A Computational Architecture for Programmable Automation Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Russell H.; Korein, James U.; Maier, Georg E.; Durfee, Lawrence F.

1987-03-01

This short paper describes recent work at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center directed at developing a highly flexible computational architecture for research on sensor-based programmable automation. The system described here has been designed with a focus on dynamic configurability, layered user inter-faces and incorporation of sensor-based real time operations into new commands. It is these features which distinguish it from earlier work. The system is cur-rently being implemented at IBM for research purposes and internal use and is an outgrowth of programmable automation research which has been ongoing since 1972 [e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] .

Revolutionary/Unconventional Aeropropulsion Technology Evaluation through Thermodynamic Work Potential: A Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Concepts Program Research Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mavris, Dimitri; Danner, Travis; Roth, Bryce

2002-01-01

This report is intended as a status report for activities covered May through July 2002 under the auspices of NASA Glenn's Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Concepts (RAC) project. This is the first phase I quarterly report and as such, considerable focus will be given to defining the basic need and motivation driving this research effort. In addition, background research has been ongoing for the past several months and has culminated in considerable information pertaining to the state-of-the-art in work potential analysis methods. This work is described in detail herein. Finally, the proposed analysis approach is described, as are the various ancillary concepts required for its implementation.

Struggling at work--a qualitative study of working Danes with depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Hjarsbech, Pernille U; Nielsen, Maj Britt D; Andersen, Malene Friis; Rugulies, Reiner; Christensen, Ulla

2015-01-01

Little is known on how employees at work with mental health problems experience their work environment. This study explores how a selected sample of Danish employees with depressive symptoms experience the interaction with their work environment and how they respond to and deal with problems at work. From a survey study on work and mental health in Denmark, we invited participants for in-depth interviews. Using grounded theory, we conducted 13 semi structured interviews with employees, at work, experiencing depressive symptoms. Work was pivotal for the informants who were in an on-going process that we conceptualised as struggling at work. Informants struggled with the negative experiences of work that led to emotional, cognitive and somatic symptoms. Relationships with supervisors and colleagues, work load and work pressure and their self-image as a good worker conditioned the struggle. The informants found themselves unable to change their problematic working situation. This gradually led to different strategies to endure work and take care of one-self. These strategies were as follows: tending to symptoms and altering prospects for their future. The consequence of the on-going struggle was that the informants distanced themselves from their work. This study provided insight to the process of struggling at work, which the interviewed employees with depressive symptoms experienced. Behaviour of supervisors is a key element for employees with depressive symptoms struggling at work. Practitioners and other health and rehabilitation practitioners working with people with depressive symptoms and other mental health problems could inquire about supervisor's behaviour and relation between supervisors and employees. Interventions that targets both the individual employee as well as work environment focused interventions at the organisational level could be beneficial for employees with mental health problems as well as the workplaces.

Dealing with prospective memory demands while performing an ongoing task: Shared processing, increased on-task focus, or both?

PubMed

Rummel, Jan; Smeekens, Bridget A; Kane, Michael J

2017-07-01

Prospective memory (PM) is the cognitive ability to remember to fulfill intended action plans at the appropriate future moment. Current theories assume that PM fulfillment draws on attentional processes. Accordingly, pending PM intentions interfere with other ongoing tasks to the extent to which both tasks rely on the same processes. How do people manage the competition between PM and ongoing-task demands? Based on research relating mind wandering and attentional control (Kane & McVay, 2012), we argue that people may not only change the way they process ongoing-task stimuli when given a PM intention, but they may also engage in less off-task thinking than they otherwise would. That is, people focus more strongly on the tasks at hand and dedicate considerable conscious thought to the PM goal. We tested this hypothesis by asking subjects to periodically report on their thoughts during prototypical PM (and control) tasks. Task-unrelated thought rates dropped when participants performed an ongoing task while holding a PM intention versus performing the ongoing task alone (Experiment 1), even when PM demands were minimized (Experiment 2) and more so when PM execution was especially rewarded (Experiment 3). Our findings suggest that PM demands not only elicit a cost to ongoing-task processing, but they also induce a stronger on-task focus and promote conscious thoughts about the PM intention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Developing a Process for Sustained Climate Assessment in the US Southwest Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, B.; Rick, U. K.; McNie, E. C.

2017-12-01

Climate information needs often vary across states, regions, and sectors. While a national assessment provides foundational guidance about the science and impacts of climate change, there is also value in an ongoing climate assessment process with a more targeted regional geographic scale and sectoral focus. Such a process could provide timely and relevant climate information that is sometimes more detailed than what can be included in a national assessment, while also providing a foundation of knowledge and relationships that can be drawn on in larger-scale assessment processes. In the Sustained Climate Assessment in the Southwest project, researchers are investigating opportunities for sustained assessment in the US Southwest National Climate Assessment (NCA) region - an area that consists of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. This work is focused on identifying key elements of an ongoing climate assessment process for the region in collaboration with climate service providers and users, with the goal of connecting providers and users to increase access to information and understanding of climate impacts in decision-making contexts. It is focused on four key sectors that represent a range of existing capacity in the region: water, oceans and coasts, agriculture, and transportation. Recommendations for an ongoing assessment process may vary by sector - a reflection of the capacity and opportunity associated with each. In this presentation, we will share case studies of particularly useful or successful existing assessment activities and identify common characteristics across the case studies. We will also share preliminary recommendations for a regional sustained climate assessment process that draws on the broad existing capacity for climate assessment in the region and complements national-scale assessment processes.

The Dynamic Multiprocess Framework: Evidence from Prospective Memory with Contextual Variability

PubMed Central

Scullin, Michael K.; McDaniel, Mark A.; Shelton, Jill Talley

2013-01-01

The ability to remember to execute delayed intentions is referred to as prospective memory. Previous theoretical and empirical work has focused on isolating whether a particular prospective memory task is supported either by effortful monitoring processes or by cue-driven spontaneous processes. In the present work, we advance the Dynamic Multiprocess Framework, which contends that both monitoring and spontaneous retrieval may be utilized dynamically to support prospective remembering. To capture the dynamic interplay between monitoring and spontaneous retrieval we had participants perform many ongoing tasks and told them that their prospective memory cue may occur in any context. Following either a 20-min or a 12-hr retention interval, the prospective memory cues were presented infrequently across three separate ongoing tasks. The monitoring patterns (measured as ongoing task cost relative to a between-subjects control condition) were consistent and robust across the three contexts. There was no evidence for monitoring prior to the initial prospective memory cue; however, individuals who successfully spontaneously retrieved the prospective memory intention, thereby realizing that prospective memory cues could be expected within that context, subsequently monitored. These data support the Dynamic Multiprocess Framework, which contends that individuals will engage monitoring when prospective memory cues are expected, disengage monitoring when cues are not expected, and that when monitoring is disengaged, a probabilistic spontaneous retrieval mechanism can support prospective remembering. PMID:23916951

Veterans' informal caregivers in the "sandwich generation": a systematic review toward a resilience model.

PubMed

Smith-Osborne, Alexa; Felderhoff, Brandi

2014-01-01

Social work theory advanced the formulation of the construct of the sandwich generation to apply to the emerging generational cohort of caregivers, most often middle-aged women, who were caring for maturing children and aging parents simultaneously. This systematic review extends that focus by synthesizing the literature on sandwich generation caregivers for the general aging population with dementia and for veterans with dementia and polytrauma. It develops potential protective mechanisms based on empirical literature to support an intervention resilience model for social work practitioners. This theoretical model addresses adaptive coping of sandwich- generation families facing ongoing challenges related to caregiving demands.

Kidney transplantation--a 46-year experience from the Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.

PubMed

Friman, S; Nordén, G; Lennerling, A; Fehrman-Ekholm, I; Felldin, M; Hansson, S; Rydberg, L; Holgersson, J; Rizell, M; Kvarnström, N; Gustafsson, B; Gäbel, M; Olausson, M; Mjörnstedt, L

2011-01-01

The limiting factor in organ transplantation is the availability of organs. Ongoing work to improve donation rates both at the public and the organizational level in donating hospitals is essential. We also think that encouragement of live donation is important, and the possibility of ABO incompatible transplantation has increased the number of LD transplantations. The one-year graft survival rate is excellent and focus has shifted towards achieving long-term results to reduce the attrition rate. There is also an increasing interest in studying and working to reduce comorbidities on a long-term basis and thus, improve survival rates and recipient quality of life.

'Nobody knows what's around the corner': the challenges of caring for people with long-term conditions in care homes.

PubMed

Martin, Susan; Martin, Joy

2018-06-02

People living with long-term conditions are increasingly being cared for in care homes. Prognostication in this population is particularly challenging, and outcomes are often uncertain. This case history highlights some of the difficulties encountered when clinicians give a time-bound prognosis. It also illustrates how education programmes with high facilitation and ongoing support for care home staff can sustain practice development and enable staff to become highly skilled in working with uncertainty. Practice development programmes such as those based on the Six Steps to Success Programme for care homes give care home staff a framework within which to regularly review a resident's clinical status and the confidence to have the ongoing conversations that empower residents to contribute to decision making and focus on their own goals for care.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shively, Jay

2017-01-01

Over the past 5 years, the UAS integration into the NAS project has worked to reduce technical barriers to integration. A major focus of this work has been in support of RTCA SC-228. This committee has recently published the first UAS integration minimum performance standards (MOPS). This work has spanned detect and avoid (DAA) as well as command and control comm datalinks. I will discuss DAA efforts with focus on the human systems work. I will discuss how automation was discussed and addressed within this context. ICAO stood up a remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) panel in 2014. They have developed an RPAS manual and are now working to revise existing annexes and standards and recommended practices. The Human In The System (HITS) has worked to infuse human factors guidelines into those documents. I will discuss that effort as well as how ICAO has defined and address autonomy. There is a great deal of interest in the control of multiple vehicles by a single operator. The UAS EXCOM Science and Research Panel (SARP) is holding a workshop on this topic in late June. I will discuss research performed on this topic when I worked for the Army and on-going work within the division and a NATO working group on Human-Autonomy Teaming.

Translational findings from cardiovascular stem cell research.

PubMed

Mazhari, Ramesh; Hare, Joshua M

2012-01-01

The possibility of using stem cells to regenerate damaged myocardium has been actively investigated since the late 1990s. Consistent with the traditional view that the heart is a "postmitotic" organ that possesses minimal capacity for self-repair, much of the preclinical and clinical work has focused exclusively on introducing stem cells into the heart, with the hope of differentiation of these cells into functioning cardiomyocytes. This approach is ongoing and retains promise but to date has yielded inconsistent successes. More recently, it has become widely appreciated that the heart possesses endogenous repair mechanisms that, if adequately stimulated, might regenerate damaged cardiac tissue from in situ cardiac stem cells. Accordingly, much recent work has focused on engaging and enhancing endogenous cardiac repair mechanisms. This article reviews the literature on stem cell-based myocardial regeneration, placing emphasis on the mutually enriching interaction between basic and clinical research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polymer application for separation/filtration of biological active compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tylkowski, B.; Tsibranska, I.

2017-06-01

Membrane technology is an important part of the engineer's toolbox. This is especially true for industries that process food and other products with their primary source from nature. This review is focused on ongoing development work using membrane technologies for concentration and separation of biologically active compounds, such as polyphenols and flavonoids. We provide the readers not only with the last results achieve in this field but also, we deliver detailed information about the membrane types and polymers used for their preparation.

Virtual Archaeodrome for the Archaeological Site from Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angheluţǎ, L. M.; Rǎdvan, R.; Chelmuş, A. I.; Ratoiu, L.; Cortea, I. M.; Ghervase, L.

2017-05-01

This paper presents an ongoing work within a national project regarding the scientific investigation of one of the most important archaeological sites in Romania: Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. Although the project has many objectives, in this paper we will focus on the development work of a virtual archaeodrome for the archaeological park. In this regard several field campaigns were organized using the ART4ART mobile laboratory for in-situ non-invasive scientific data acquisition and an online instrument for data reporting and visualizing is currently under development. This work represents a case study of several archaeological assets comprising chronologically layered historical studies, high resolution 3D digital models, ground penetrating radar survey and airborne imaging: LIDAR, multispectral and aerial photogrammetry.

Working Memory and Consciousness: The Current State of Play

PubMed Central

Persuh, Marjan; LaRock, Eric; Berger, Jacob

2018-01-01

Working memory (WM), an important posit in cognitive science, allows one to temporarily store and manipulate information in the service of ongoing tasks. WM has been traditionally classified as an explicit memory system—that is, as operating on and maintaining only consciously perceived information. Recently, however, several studies have questioned this assumption, purporting to provide evidence for unconscious WM. In this article, we focus on visual working memory (VWM) and critically examine these studies as well as studies of unconscious perception that seem to provide indirect evidence for unconscious WM. Our analysis indicates that current evidence does not support an unconscious WM store, though we offer independent reasons to think that WM may operate on unconsciously perceived information. PMID:29551967

A High-Resolution Merged Wind Dataset for DYNAMO: Progress and Future Plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, Timothy J.; Mecikalski, John; Li, Xuanli; Chronis, Themis; Castillo, Tyler; Hoover, Kacie; Brewer, Alan; Churnside, James; McCarty, Brandi; Hein, Paul;

Technology 2.0: A Commentary on Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps.

PubMed

Jones, Deborah J

2017-11-01

This commentary highlights the importance and promise of the innovative strategies described in the Child Maltreatment special issue on "Technology 2.0: A Focus on the Newest Technological Advances in Child Maltreatment Research." The commentary first highlights the collective advancements reflected in the articles in the special issue, with a primary focus on how the authors' work addresses a general challenge in services research that is perhaps nowhere more problematic than in the field of maltreatment. Next, the commentary extends the discussion of these articles to raise remaining gaps in our knowledge, theory, and methodology, which must be the focus of ongoing research if the true potential of technology as a service delivery vehicle is to be realized. Finally, the commentary concludes with a call for subsequent research which will be inspired by the articles in this special issue.

Neuropsychology of aging, past, present and future: Contributions of Morris Moscovitch.

PubMed

Reuter-Lorenz, Patricia A; Cooke, Katherine A

2016-09-01

In this review we provide a broad overview of major trends in the cognitive neuroscience of aging and illustrate their roots in the pioneering ideas and discoveries of Morris Moscovitch and his close collaborators, especially Gordon Winocur. These trends include an on-going focus on the specific and dissociable contributions of medial temporal and frontal lobe processes to cognitive aging, especially in the memory domain, the role of individual variability stemming from different patterns of underlying neural decline, the possibility of compensatory neural and cognitive influences that alter the expression of neurobiological aging, and the investigation of lifestyle and psychosocial factors that affect plasticity and may contribute to the rate and level of neurocognitive decline. These prescient ideas, evident in the early work of Moscovitch and Winocur, continue to drive on-going research efforts in the cognitive neuroscience of aging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human social neuroendocrinology: Review of the rapid effects of testosterone.

PubMed

Geniole, Shawn N; Carré, Justin M

2018-06-06

It is well documented that testosterone concentrations change rapidly within reproductively relevant contexts (e.g., competition, mate-seeking). It has been argued that such rapid changes in testosterone may serve to adaptively fine-tune ongoing and/or future social behaviour according to one's social environment. In this paper, we review human correlational and experimental evidence suggesting that testosterone fluctuates rapidly in response to competition and mate-seeking cues, and that such acute changes may serve to modulate ongoing and/or future social behaviours (e.g., risk-taking, competitiveness, mate-seeking, and aggression). Some methodological details, which limit interpretation of some of this human work, are also discussed. We conclude with a new integrative model of testosterone secretion and behaviour, the Fitness Model of Testosterone Dynamics. Although we focus primarily on human aggression in this review, but we also highlight research on risk-taking, competitiveness, and mate-seeking behaviour. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Crew Health Care System (CHeCS) Design Research, Documentations, and Evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

CLement, Bethany M.

2011-01-01

The Crew Health Care System (CHeCS) is a group within the Space Life Science Directorate (SLSD) that focuses on the overall health of astronauts by reinforcing the three divisions - the Environmental Maintenance System (EMS), the Countermeasures System (CMS), and the Health Maintenance System (HMS). This internship provided opportunity to gain knowledge, experience, and skills in CHeCS engineering and operations tasks. Various and differing tasks allowed for occasions to work independently, network to get things done, and show leadership abilities. Specific exercises included reviewing hardware certification, operations, and documentation within the ongoing Med Kit Redesign (MKR) project, and learning, writing, and working various common pieces of paperwork used in the engineering and design process. Another project focused on the distribution of various pieces of hardware to off-site research facilities with an interest in space flight health care. The main focus of this internship, though, was on a broad and encompassing understanding of the engineering process as time was spent looking at each individual step in a variety of settings and tasks.

Modern Earthworks and Their Cosmic Embrace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatch, J. G.

2011-06-01

This paper examines the use of sky imagery in a number of modern Earthworks. They range from Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty (1970), Robert Morris' Observatory (1971), Nancy Holt's Sun Tunnels (1973-76), to ongoing manifestations like Charles Ross' Star Axis (1971-present) and James Turrell's Roden Crater Project (1974-present). My interest in discussing these various works is to look at why so many of them have focused on the firmament, what factors contributed to this interest, their specific meaning, what the various sites of these works have offered, and last but not least, their possible relationship to past Earth projects, like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, for example, that have also embraced the sky as their subject.

Behavioral networks as a model for intelligent agents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sliwa, Nancy E.

1990-01-01

On-going work at NASA Langley Research Center in the development and demonstration of a paradigm called behavioral networks as an architecture for intelligent agents is described. This work focuses on the need to identify a methodology for smoothly integrating the characteristics of low-level robotic behavior, including actuation and sensing, with intelligent activities such as planning, scheduling, and learning. This work assumes that all these needs can be met within a single methodology, and attempts to formalize this methodology in a connectionist architecture called behavioral networks. Behavioral networks are networks of task processes arranged in a task decomposition hierarchy. These processes are connected by both command/feedback data flow, and by the forward and reverse propagation of weights which measure the dynamic utility of actions and beliefs.

An innovative program for multihandicapped deaf students using the FSSI.

PubMed

Garner, D; Becker, H; Schur, S; Hammer, E

1991-07-01

Teachers in public schools now have more students with more severe disabilities than they did in the past. Unfortunately, efforts to provide them with a quality education have been hampered by a lack of focused instructional planning. This article describes an innovative program developed for deaf multihandicapped students that has created an integrated focus for instruction. The organizing framework for the program incorporates the Functional Skills Screening Inventory, a domain referenced assessment of living and working skills. This structured approach enables teachers to identify current functional levels, develop meaningful short- and long-term objectives, and monitor student progress throughout their educational programs. It also facilitates long-range planning and evaluation of the instructional program on an ongoing basis.

Material challenges for solar cells in the twenty-first century: directions in emerging technologies.

PubMed

Almosni, Samy; Delamarre, Amaury; Jehl, Zacharie; Suchet, Daniel; Cojocaru, Ludmila; Giteau, Maxime; Behaghel, Benoit; Julian, Anatole; Ibrahim, Camille; Tatry, Léa; Wang, Haibin; Kubo, Takaya; Uchida, Satoshi; Segawa, Hiroshi; Miyashita, Naoya; Tamaki, Ryo; Shoji, Yasushi; Yoshida, Katsuhisa; Ahsan, Nazmul; Watanabe, Kentaro; Inoue, Tomoyuki; Sugiyama, Masakazu; Nakano, Yoshiaki; Hamamura, Tomofumi; Toupance, Thierry; Olivier, Céline; Chambon, Sylvain; Vignau, Laurence; Geffroy, Camille; Cloutet, Eric; Hadziioannou, Georges; Cavassilas, Nicolas; Rale, Pierre; Cattoni, Andrea; Collin, Stéphane; Gibelli, François; Paire, Myriam; Lombez, Laurent; Aureau, Damien; Bouttemy, Muriel; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Okada, Yoshitaka; Guillemoles, Jean-François

2018-01-01

Photovoltaic generation has stepped up within the last decade from outsider status to one of the important contributors of the ongoing energy transition, with about 1.7% of world electricity provided by solar cells. Progress in materials and production processes has played an important part in this development. Yet, there are many challenges before photovoltaics could provide clean, abundant, and cheap energy. Here, we review this research direction, with a focus on the results obtained within a Japan-French cooperation program, NextPV, working on promising solar cell technologies. The cooperation was focused on efficient photovoltaic devices, such as multijunction, ultrathin, intermediate band, and hot-carrier solar cells, and on printable solar cell materials such as colloidal quantum dots.

What Defines the "Kingdom" Fungi?

PubMed

Richards, Thomas A; Leonard, Guy; Wideman, Jeremy G

2017-06-01

The application of environmental DNA techniques and increased genome sequencing of microbial diversity, combined with detailed study of cellular characters, has consistently led to the reexamination of our understanding of the tree of life. This has challenged many of the definitions of taxonomic groups, especially higher taxonomic ranks such as eukaryotic kingdoms. The Fungi is an example of a kingdom which, together with the features that define it and the taxa that are grouped within it, has been in a continual state of flux. In this article we aim to summarize multiple lines of data pertinent to understanding the early evolution and definition of the Fungi. These include ongoing cellular and genomic comparisons that, we will argue, have generally undermined all attempts to identify a synapomorphic trait that defines the Fungi. This article will also summarize ongoing work focusing on taxon discovery, combined with phylogenomic analysis, which has identified novel groups that lie proximate/adjacent to the fungal clade-wherever the boundary that defines the Fungi may be. Our hope is that, by summarizing these data in the form of a discussion, we can illustrate the ongoing efforts to understand what drove the evolutionary diversification of fungi.

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

Jolly, Brian C.; Helmreich, Grant; Cooley, Kevin M.

In support of fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel development, coating development work is ongoing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to produce tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles with both UN kernels and surrogate (uranium-free) kernels. The nitride kernels are used to increase fissile density in these SiC-matrix fuel pellets with details described elsewhere. The surrogate TRISO particles are necessary for separate effects testing and for utilization in the consolidation process development. This report focuses on the fabrication and characterization of surrogate TRISO particles which use 800μm in diameter ZrO 2 microspheres as the kernel.

Implementation of an EPN-TAP Service to Improve Accessibility to the Planetary Science Archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macfarlane, A.; Barabarisi, I.; Docasal, R.; Rios, C.; Saiz, J.; Vallejo, F.; Martinez, S.; Arviset, C.; Besse, S.; Vallat, C.

2017-09-01

The re-engineered PSA has a focus on improved access and search-ability to ESA's planetary science data. In addition to the new web interface released in January 2017, the new PSA supports several common planetary protocols in order to increase the visibility and ways in which the data may be queried and retrieved. Work is on-going to provide an EPN-TAP service covering as wide a range of parameters as possible to facilitate the discovery of scientific data and interoperability of the archive.

The Ongoing Insurgency in Southern Thailand: Trends in Violence, Counterinsurgency Operations, and the Impact of National Politics (Strategic Perspectives, no. 6)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

was quickly confronted by opposition, pro -Thaksin Red Shirt demonstra- tors who brought policymaking and governance to a standstill, culminating in...positive spin on a deteriorating situation in mid- March: “I concede that the violent unrest is increasing but our officials are determined to work to their...analysis of trends in the violence since 2009, looks at the causes of the decline, and then focuses on the policies of the Abhisit government. It con

Ongoing Coverage for Ongoing Care: Access, Utilization, and Out-of-Pocket Spending Among Uninsured Working-Aged Adults with Chronic Health Care Needs

PubMed Central

Rasch, Elizabeth K.; Chan, Leighton

2011-01-01

Objectives. We sought to determine how part-year and full-year gaps in health insurance coverage affected working-aged persons with chronic health care needs. Methods. We conducted multivariate analyses of the 2002–2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to compare access, utilization, and out-of-pocket spending burden among key groups of persons with chronic conditions and disabilities. The results are generalizable to the US community-dwelling population aged 18 to 64 years. Results. Among 92 million adults with chronic conditions, 21% experienced at least 1 month uninsured during the average year (2002–2004). Among the 25 million persons reporting both chronic conditions and disabilities, 23% were uninsured during the average year. These gaps in coverage were associated with significantly higher levels of access problems, lower rates of ambulatory visits and prescription drug use, and higher levels of out-of-pocket spending. Conclusions. Implementation of health care reform must focus not only on the prevention of chronic conditions and the expansion of insurance coverage but also on the long-term stability of the coverage to be offered. PMID:21164090

Challenges of NDE simulation tool validation, optimization, and utilization for composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leckey, Cara A. C.; Seebo, Jeffrey P.; Juarez, Peter

2016-02-01

Rapid, realistic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) simulation tools can aid in inspection optimization and prediction of inspectability for advanced aerospace materials and designs. NDE simulation tools may someday aid in the design and certification of aerospace components; potentially shortening the time from material development to implementation by industry and government. Furthermore, ultrasound modeling and simulation are expected to play a significant future role in validating the capabilities and limitations of guided wave based structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. The current state-of-the-art in ultrasonic NDE/SHM simulation is still far from the goal of rapidly simulating damage detection techniques for large scale, complex geometry composite components/vehicles containing realistic damage types. Ongoing work at NASA Langley Research Center is focused on advanced ultrasonic simulation tool development. This paper discusses challenges of simulation tool validation, optimization, and utilization for composites. Ongoing simulation tool development work is described along with examples of simulation validation and optimization challenges that are more broadly applicable to all NDE simulation tools. The paper will also discuss examples of simulation tool utilization at NASA to develop new damage characterization methods for composites, and associated challenges in experimentally validating those methods.

Report on all ARRA Funded Technical Work

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

None, None

2013-10-05

The main focus of this American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funded project was to design an energy efficient carbon capture and storage (CCS) process using the Recipients membrane system for H{sub 2} separation and CO{sub 2} capture. In the ARRA-funded project, the Recipient accelerated development and scale-up of ongoing hydrogen membrane technology research and development (R&D). Specifically, this project focused on accelerating the current R&D work scope of the base program-funded project, involving lab scale tests, detail design of a 250 lb/day H{sub 2} process development unit (PDU), and scale-up of membrane tube and coating manufacturing. Thismore » project scope included the site selection and a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study of a nominally 4 to 10 ton-per-day (TPD) Pre-Commercial Module (PCM) hydrogen separation membrane system. Process models and techno-economic analysis were updated to include studies on integration of this technology into an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power generation system with CCS.« less

Legitimation dynamics: How SROI could mobilize resources for new constituencies.

PubMed

Cooney, Kate

2017-10-01

The following critical essay on the social return on investment (SROI) methodology is broken into two parts. In the first section, focusing on the categorization dynamics of the SROI, I review a set of methodological and ethical tensions surrounding the SROI, using examples from my own work and other published works using SROI. These tensions include the fact that the project requires standardization to achieve comparability while concurrently offering a flexibility in constructing a narrative of impact that is attractive to users. In the second section, focusing on the legitimation dynamics, I define a narrow scope for where, despite the aforementioned pitfalls, that the SROI can be quite effective in building a rhetorical argument for directing material resources. The essay argues that despite ongoing methodological challenges, the investor lens and market logic undergirding the metric provide a powerful frame for persuasion that can be used to construct worthiness and value creation for constituents not already constructed as such. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mentoring, Women in Engineering and Related Sciences, and MentorNet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dockter, J.; Muller, C.

2003-12-01

Mentoring is a frequently employed strategy for retention of women in engineering and science. The power of mentoring is sometimes poorly understood, and mentoring is not always effectively practiced, however. At its strongest, mentoring is understood as a powerful learning process, which assures the intergenerational transfer of knowledge and "know-how" on an ongoing basis throughout one's life. Mentoring helps make explicit the tacit knowledge of a discipline and its professional culture, which is especially important for underrepresented groups. MentorNet (www.MentorNet.net), the E-Mentoring Network for Women in Engineering and Science, is a nonprofit organization focused on furthering women's progress in scientific and technical fields through the use of a dynamic, technology-supported mentoring program. Since 1998, nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate women studying engineering and related sciences at more than 100 colleges and universities across the U.S., and in several other nations, have been matched in structured, one-on-one, email-based mentoring relationships with male and female scientific and technical professionals working in industry and government. This poster will describe the MentorNet program, and provide findings of annual program evaluations related to outcomes for participants with particular focus on women in the planetary and earth sciences. We also address the development of the partnership of approximately 100 organizations currently involved in MentorNet and the value each gains from its affiliation. MentorNet is an ongoing effort which supports the interests of all organizations and individuals working to advance women in engineering and related sciences.

Commentary on Victoria Todd's paper. Saving the treatment: affect intolerance in a boy, his parents, the mental health community, and his analyst".

PubMed

Malberg, Norka T

2012-01-01

Ms. Todd's paper illustrates both the value of the analytic frame and the relevance of a flexible approach in response to the external reality. In this case, the impingement of the outside environment became an ongoing threat to the analyst's thinking and to the development of a safe and predictable therapeutic relationship. Ms. Todd's narrative of Joey's three-and-a-half-year analysis emphasizes the impact of external interference on the analyst's capacity to experience difficult affects with and for the patient. In addition, it highlights the importance of recognizing and working through one's countertransference resistance. This commentary focuses on Ms. Todd's work with Joey, so I will only refer to her work with his parents and other providers as it is reflected in her analysis.

Developing a Capstone Course within a Health Informatics Program

PubMed Central

Hackbarth, Gary; Cata, Teuta; Cole, Laura

2012-01-01

This article discusses the ongoing development of a health informatics capstone program in a Midwest university from the hiring of a program coordinator to the development of a capstone course, through initial student results. University health informatics programs require a strong academic program to be successful but also require a spirited program coordinator to manage resources and organize an effective capstone course. This is particularly true of health informatics master's programs that support health industry career fields, whereby employers can locate and work with a pool of qualified applicants. The analysis of students’ logs confirms that students’ areas of focus and concern are consistent with course objectives and company work requirements during the work-study portion of the student capstone project. The article further discusses lessons learned and future improvements to be made in the health informatics capstone course. PMID:22783150

Synthesis and Characterization of Modified Phenylethynyl Terminated Polyimides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Alice C.

1998-01-01

As an ongoing effort to develop structural adhesives for high performance aerospace applications, recent work has focused on phenylethynyl terminated imide (PETI) oligomers. The work reported herein involves the synthesis and characterization of a series of phenylethynyl containing oligomers designated LARC (TM) MPEI (Modified Phenylethynyl Terminated Polyimide). These oligomers contain mixtures of linear, branched and star-shaped molecules. The fully imidized polymers exhibited minimum melt viscosity as low as 600 poise at 335 C. Ti/Ti lap shear specimens processed at 288 C under 15 psi showed tensile shear strength of approx. 6000 psi and 5200 psi at ambient and 350 F temperatures, respectively. The chemistry and properties of these new MPEIs are presented and compared to an optimized linear PETI, LaRC(Tm) -PETI-5.

Employee retention: a customer service approach.

PubMed

Gerson, Richard F

2002-01-01

Employee retention is a huge problem. There are staff shortages in radiology because not enough people are entering the profession; too many people are leaving the profession for retirement, higher-paying jobs or jobs with less stress; and there are not enough opportunities for career advancement. Staff shortages are exacerbated by difficulty in retaining people who enter the profession. While much work has been focused on recruitment and getting more people "in the front door," I suggest that the bulk of future efforts be focused on employee retention and "closing the back door." Employee retention must be an ongoing process, not a program. Approaches to employee retention that focus on external things, i.e., things that the company can do to or for the employee, generally are not successful. The truth is that employee retention processes must focus on what the employee gets out of the job. The process must be a benefits-based approach that helps employees answer the question, "What's in it for me?" The retention processes must be ongoing and integrated into the daily culture of the company. The best way to keep your employees is to treat them like customers. Customer service works for external customers. We treat them nicely. We work to satisfy them. We help them achieve their goals. Why not do the same for our employees? If positive customer service policies and practices can satisfy and keep external customers, why not adapt these policies and practices for employees? And, there is a service/satisfaction link between employee retention and higher levels of customer satisfaction. Customers prefer dealing with the same employees over and over again. Employee turnover destroys a customer's confidence in the company. Just like a customer does not want to have to "train and educate" a new provider, they do not want to do the same for your "revolving door" employees. So, the key is to keep employees so they in turn will help you keep your customers. Because the techniques of this process mirror the activities of customer service and customer relationship management, I call the combined process C/ERM for customer/employee relationship management. Both activities must be going on simultaneously to create a loyalty link that ensures customer satisfaction and retention through employee service, satisfaction and retention.

ICU nurses and physicians dialogue regarding patients clinical status and care options—a focus group study

PubMed Central

Kvande, Monica; Lykkeslet, Else; Storli, Sissel Lisa

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Nurses and physicians work side-by-side in the intensive care unit (ICU). Effective exchanges of patient information are essential to safe patient care in the ICU. Nurses often rate nurse-physician communication lower than physicians and report that it is difficult to speak up, that disagreements are not resolved and that their input is not well received. Therefore, this study explored nurses’ dialogue with physicians regarding patients’ clinical status and the prerequisites for effective and accurate exchanges of information. We adopted a qualitative approach, conducting three focus group discussions with five to six nurses and physicians each (14 total). Two themes emerged. The first theme highlighted nurses’ contributions to dialogues with physicians; nurses’ ongoing observations of patients were essential to patient care discussions. The second theme addressed the prerequisites of accurate and effective dialogue regarding care options, comprising three subthemes: nurses’ ability to speak up and present clinical changes, establishment of shared goal and clinical understanding, and open dialogue and willingness to listen to each other. Nurses should understand their essential role in conducting ongoing observations of patients and their right to be included in care-related decision-making processes. Physicians should be willing to listen to and include nurses’ clinical observations and concerns. PMID:28452605

ICU nurses and physicians dialogue regarding patients clinical status and care options-a focus group study.

PubMed

Kvande, Monica; Lykkeslet, Else; Storli, Sissel Lisa

2017-12-01

Nurses and physicians work side-by-side in the intensive care unit (ICU). Effective exchanges of patient information are essential to safe patient care in the ICU. Nurses often rate nurse-physician communication lower than physicians and report that it is difficult to speak up, that disagreements are not resolved and that their input is not well received. Therefore, this study explored nurses' dialogue with physicians regarding patients' clinical status and the prerequisites for effective and accurate exchanges of information. We adopted a qualitative approach, conducting three focus group discussions with five to six nurses and physicians each (14 total). Two themes emerged. The first theme highlighted nurses' contributions to dialogues with physicians; nurses' ongoing observations of patients were essential to patient care discussions. The second theme addressed the prerequisites of accurate and effective dialogue regarding care options, comprising three subthemes: nurses' ability to speak up and present clinical changes, establishment of shared goal and clinical understanding, and open dialogue and willingness to listen to each other. Nurses should understand their essential role in conducting ongoing observations of patients and their right to be included in care-related decision-making processes. Physicians should be willing to listen to and include nurses' clinical observations and concerns.

Material challenges for solar cells in the twenty-first century: directions in emerging technologies

PubMed Central

Delamarre, Amaury; Jehl, Zacharie; Suchet, Daniel; Cojocaru, Ludmila; Giteau, Maxime; Behaghel, Benoit; Julian, Anatole; Ibrahim, Camille; Tatry, Léa; Wang, Haibin; Kubo, Takaya; Uchida, Satoshi; Segawa, Hiroshi; Miyashita, Naoya; Tamaki, Ryo; Shoji, Yasushi; Yoshida, Katsuhisa; Ahsan, Nazmul; Watanabe, Kentaro; Inoue, Tomoyuki; Sugiyama, Masakazu; Nakano, Yoshiaki; Hamamura, Tomofumi; Toupance, Thierry; Olivier, Céline; Chambon, Sylvain; Vignau, Laurence; Geffroy, Camille; Cloutet, Eric; Hadziioannou, Georges; Cavassilas, Nicolas; Rale, Pierre; Cattoni, Andrea; Collin, Stéphane; Gibelli, François; Paire, Myriam; Lombez, Laurent; Aureau, Damien; Bouttemy, Muriel; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Okada, Yoshitaka

2018-01-01

Abstract Photovoltaic generation has stepped up within the last decade from outsider status to one of the important contributors of the ongoing energy transition, with about 1.7% of world electricity provided by solar cells. Progress in materials and production processes has played an important part in this development. Yet, there are many challenges before photovoltaics could provide clean, abundant, and cheap energy. Here, we review this research direction, with a focus on the results obtained within a Japan–French cooperation program, NextPV, working on promising solar cell technologies. The cooperation was focused on efficient photovoltaic devices, such as multijunction, ultrathin, intermediate band, and hot-carrier solar cells, and on printable solar cell materials such as colloidal quantum dots. PMID:29707072

Leader Empowering Behaviours and Work Engagement: The Mediating Role of Structural Empowerment.

PubMed

Cziraki, Karen; Laschinger, Heather

2015-09-01

Reports of poor working conditions persist amid ongoing healthcare restructuring. Simultaneously, nursing shortage threats continue as the nursing population ages. Leadership strategies that create empowering working conditions are likely to retain nurses who are eligible to retire, and attract future nurses to the profession. Several studies have focused on leader behaviours and structural empowerment in recent years and how these impact the work environment and staff engagement. Correlations among leader empowering behaviours, structural empowerment and work engagement have been demonstrated (Laschinger et al. 1999; Peachey 2002); however, there is a gap in the empirical literature as to how leader empowering behaviours influence nurses' work engagement by creating structurally empowering work environments. Kanter's (1977, 1993) structural empowerment theory was used to test this proposition using data from a cross-sectional study of 322 Ontario staff nurses. Mediation analysis revealed that structural empowerment partially mediated the influence of leader empowering behaviours on work engagement. The implications for healthcare managers and leaders are discussed with a view to the recruitment and retention of nursing staff, by fostering greater work engagement. Copyright © 2015 Longwoods Publishing.

10 CFR 51.12 - Application of subpart to ongoing environmental work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Application of subpart to ongoing environmental work. 51.12 Section 51.12 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING AND RELATED REGULATORY FUNCTIONS National Environmental Policy Act...

10 CFR 51.12 - Application of subpart to ongoing environmental work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Application of subpart to ongoing environmental work. 51.12 Section 51.12 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING AND RELATED REGULATORY FUNCTIONS National Environmental Policy Act...

7 CFR 25.403. - Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 25.403. Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES Post-Designation Requirements § 25.403. Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement. (a) Each Empowerment... conditional upon the designation of the community as an Empowerment Zone; and (iv) Documentation of...

7 CFR 25.403. - Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 25.403. Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES Post-Designation Requirements § 25.403. Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement. (a) Each Empowerment... conditional upon the designation of the community as an Empowerment Zone; and (iv) Documentation of...

7 CFR 25.403. - Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 25.403. Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES Post-Designation Requirements § 25.403. Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement. (a) Each Empowerment... conditional upon the designation of the community as an Empowerment Zone; and (iv) Documentation of...

7 CFR 25.403. - Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 25.403. Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture RURAL EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE COMMUNITIES Post-Designation Requirements § 25.403. Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement. (a) Each Empowerment... conditional upon the designation of the community as an Empowerment Zone; and (iv) Documentation of...

NASA Johnson Space Center Usability Testing and Analysis Facility (UTAF) Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, M.

2004-01-01

The Usability Testing and Analysis Facility (UTAF) is part of the Space Human Factors Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The facility provides support to the Office of Biological and Physical Research, the Space Shuttle Program, the International Space Station Program, and other NASA organizations. In addition, there are ongoing collaborative research efforts with external businesses and universities. The UTAF provides human factors analysis, evaluation, and usability testing of crew interfaces for space applications. This includes computer displays and controls, workstation systems, and work environments. The UTAF has a unique mix of capabilities, with a staff experienced in both cognitive human factors and ergonomics. The current areas of focus are: human factors applications in emergency medical care and informatics; control and display technologies for electronic procedures and instructions; voice recognition in noisy environments; crew restraint design for unique microgravity workstations; and refinement of human factors processes. This presentation will provide an overview of ongoing activities, and will address how the projects will evolve to meet new space initiatives.

NASA Johnson Space Center Usability Testing and Analysis Facility (WAF) Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, M.

2004-01-01

The Usability Testing and Analysis Facility (UTAF) is part of the Space Human Factors Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The facility provides support to the Office of Biological and Physical Research, the Space Shuttle Program, the International Space Station Program, and other NASA organizations. In addition, there are ongoing collaborative research efforts with external businesses and universities. The UTAF provides human factors analysis, evaluation, and usability testing of crew interfaces for space applications. This includes computer displays and controls, workstation systems, and work environments. The UTAF has a unique mix of capabilities, with a staff experienced in both cognitive human factors and ergonomics. The current areas of focus are: human factors applications in emergency medical care and informatics; control and display technologies for electronic procedures and instructions; voice recognition in noisy environments; crew restraint design for unique microgravity workstations; and refinement of human factors processes. This presentation will provide an overview of ongoing activities, and will address how the projects will evolve to meet new space initiatives.

ShapeShop: Towards Understanding Deep Learning Representations via Interactive Experimentation.

PubMed

Hohman, Fred; Hodas, Nathan; Chau, Duen Horng

2017-05-01

Deep learning is the driving force behind many recent technologies; however, deep neural networks are often viewed as "black-boxes" due to their internal complexity that is hard to understand. Little research focuses on helping people explore and understand the relationship between a user's data and the learned representations in deep learning models. We present our ongoing work, ShapeShop, an interactive system for visualizing and understanding what semantics a neural network model has learned. Built using standard web technologies, ShapeShop allows users to experiment with and compare deep learning models to help explore the robustness of image classifiers.

The StarBooster System: A Cargo Aircraft for Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Hubert P.; Dula, Arthur M.; McLaughlin, Don; Frassanito, John; Andrews, Jason (Editor)

1999-01-01

Starcraft Boosters has developed a different approach for lowering the cost of access to space. We propose developing a new aircraft that will house an existing expendable rocket stage. This vehicle, termed StarBooster, will be the first stage of a family of launch vehicles. By combining these elements, we believe we can reduce the cost and risk of fielding a new partially reusable launch system. This report summarizes the work performed on the StarBooster concept since the company's inception in 1996. Detailed analyses are on-going and future reports will focus on the maturation of the vehicle and system design.

'Strategic approach' can reveal benefits.

PubMed

Baillie, Jonathan

2011-01-01

Speaking at last October's Healthcare Estates 2010 conference in Manchester, Peter Haggarty, assistant director, Health Facilities Scotland, outlined some of the key steps and priorities for large healthcare providers seeking to establish and implement an effective asset management strategy, focusing particularly on work ongoing in this area in the Scottish public health service. While any radical change to a large healthcare organisation's existing asset management practices could be "challenging", both for the organisation itself, and for its staff, with "sufficient planning, persistence, and support", such changes could, he told delegates, often result in "unanticipated benefits". HEJ editor Jonathan Baillie reports.

The Federal Aviation Administration/Massachusetts Institute of Technology (FAA/MIT) Lincoln Laboratory Doppler weather radar program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, James E.

1988-01-01

The program focuses on providing real-time information on hazardous aviation weather to end users such as air traffic control and pilots. Existing systems will soon be replaced by a Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD), which will be concerned with detecting such hazards as heavy rain and hail, turbulence, low-altitude wind shear, and mesocyclones and tornadoes. Other systems in process are the Central Weather Processor (CWP), and the terminal Doppler weather radar (TDWR). Weather measurements near Memphis are central to ongoing work, especially in the area of microbursts and wind shear.

Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) and other Flow Visualization Developments and Applications at GRC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clem, Michelle; Woike, Mark

2013-01-01

This is a presentation to be given at an internal NASA Advanced Schlieren Working Group Meeting. The presentation will cover the recent developments and applications of flow visualization methods at GRC. The topics being discussed will include the use of Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) in the study of screech and its associated shock spacing as well as in the investigation of broadband shock noise reduction in the Jet-Surface Interaction Tests. In addition, other flow visualiztion methods will be discussed in an on-going study comparing schlieren, shadowgraph, BOS, and focusing schlieren.

Assessing Ongoing Electronic Resource Purchases: Linking Tools to Synchronize Staff Workflows

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Jeffrey D.; Major, Colleen; O'Neal, Nada; Tofanelli, John

2012-01-01

Ongoing electronic resource purchases represent a substantial proportion of collections budgets. Recognizing the necessity of systematic ongoing assessment with full selector engagement, Columbia University Libraries appointed an Electronic Resources Assessment Working Group to promote the inclusion of such resources within our current culture of…

Does difference matter? Diversity and human rights in a hospital workplace.

PubMed

Sulman, Joanne; Kanee, Marylin; Stewart, Paulette; Savage, Diane

2007-01-01

The urban hospital workplace is a dynamic environment that mirrors the cultural and social diversity of the modern city. This paper explores the literature relating to diversity in the workplace and then describes an urban Canadian teaching hospital's comprehensive approach to the promotion of an equitable and inclusive diverse environment. With this goal, four years ago the hospital established an office of Diversity and Human Rights staffed by a social worker. The office provides education, training, policy development and complaints management. The administration also convened a hospital-wide committee to advise on the outcomes, and to plan a process for diversity and human rights organizational change. The committee worked with a social work research consultant to design a qualitative focus group study, currently ongoing, to explore the perspectives of hospital staff. The lessons learned from the process have the potential to increase overall cultural competency of staff that can translate into more sensitive work with patients.

A Simple Case Study of a Grid Performance System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aydt, Ruth; Gunter, Dan; Quesnel, Darcy; Smith, Warren; Taylor, Valerie; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This document presents a simple case study of a Grid performance system based on the Grid Monitoring Architecture (GMA) being developed by the Grid Forum Performance Working Group. It describes how the various system components would interact for a very basic monitoring scenario, and is intended to introduce people to the terminology and concepts presented in greater detail in other Working Group documents. We believe that by focusing on the simple case first, working group members can familiarize themselves with terminology and concepts, and productively join in the ongoing discussions of the group. In addition, prototype implementations of this basic scenario can be built to explore the feasibility of the proposed architecture and to expose possible shortcomings. Once the simple case is understood and agreed upon, complexities can be added incrementally as warranted by cases not addressed in the most basic implementation described here. Following the basic performance monitoring scenario discussion, unresolved issues are introduced for future discussion.

An ongoing multifamily group in a women's shelter.

PubMed

Rhodes, Rosetta M; Zelman, Arthur B

1986-01-01

A mental health clinic's consultation to a spouse abuse center led to formation of an ongoing multifamily group that included all residents of the shelter and their children of all ages. The theoretical framework is outlined and group dynamics are highlighted by case material focused on illustrating specific intervention techniques.

Trauma-Focused CBT for Youth Who Experience Ongoing Traumas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Judith A.; Mannarino, Anthony P.; Murray, Laura K.

2011-01-01

Many youth experience ongoing trauma exposure, such as domestic or community violence. Clinicians often ask whether evidence-based treatments containing exposure components to reduce learned fear responses to historical trauma are appropriate for these youth. Essentially the question is, if youth are desensitized to their trauma experiences, will…

Nondestructive Evaluation for Aerospace Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leckey, Cara; Cramer, Elliott; Perey, Daniel

2015-01-01

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques are important for enabling NASA's missions in space exploration and aeronautics. The expanded and continued use of composite materials for aerospace components and vehicles leads to a need for advanced NDE techniques capable of quantitatively characterizing damage in composites. Quantitative damage detection techniques help to ensure safety, reliability and durability of space and aeronautic vehicles. This presentation will give a broad outline of NASA's range of technical work and an overview of the NDE research performed in the Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch at NASA Langley Research Center. The presentation will focus on ongoing research in the development of NDE techniques for composite materials and structures, including development of automated data processing tools to turn NDE data into quantitative location and sizing results. Composites focused NDE research in the areas of ultrasonics, thermography, X-ray computed tomography, and NDE modeling will be discussed.

The Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation Safeguards and Separations Reprocessing Plant Toolkit

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

McCaskey, Alex; Billings, Jay Jay; de Almeida, Valmor F

2011-08-01

This report details the progress made in the development of the Reprocessing Plant Toolkit (RPTk) for the DOE Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program. RPTk is an ongoing development effort intended to provide users with an extensible, integrated, and scalable software framework for the modeling and simulation of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plants by enabling the insertion and coupling of user-developed physicochemical modules of variable fidelity. The NEAMS Safeguards and Separations IPSC (SafeSeps) and the Enabling Computational Technologies (ECT) supporting program element have partnered to release an initial version of the RPTk with a focus on software usabilitymore » and utility. RPTk implements a data flow architecture that is the source of the system's extensibility and scalability. Data flows through physicochemical modules sequentially, with each module importing data, evolving it, and exporting the updated data to the next downstream module. This is accomplished through various architectural abstractions designed to give RPTk true plug-and-play capabilities. A simple application of this architecture, as well as RPTk data flow and evolution, is demonstrated in Section 6 with an application consisting of two coupled physicochemical modules. The remaining sections describe this ongoing work in full, from system vision and design inception to full implementation. Section 3 describes the relevant software development processes used by the RPTk development team. These processes allow the team to manage system complexity and ensure stakeholder satisfaction. This section also details the work done on the RPTk ``black box'' and ``white box'' models, with a special focus on the separation of concerns between the RPTk user interface and application runtime. Section 4 and 5 discuss that application runtime component in more detail, and describe the dependencies, behavior, and rigorous testing of its constituent components.« less

Inducible Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase as a Therapeutic Target Against Ischemic Stroke

PubMed Central

Khanna, Savita; Briggs, Zachary

2015-01-01

Abstract Significance: Glutamate serves multi-faceted (patho)physiological functions in the central nervous system as the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter and under pathological conditions as a potent neurotoxin. Regarding the latter, elevated extracellular glutamate is known to play a central role in ischemic stroke brain injury. Recent Advances: Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) has emerged as a new therapeutic target in protecting against ischemic stroke injury. Oxygen-sensitive induction of GOT expression and activity during ischemic stroke lowers glutamate levels at the stroke site while sustaining adenosine triphosphate levels in brain. The energy demands of the brain are among the highest of all organs underscoring the need to quickly mobilize alternative carbon skeletons for metabolism in the absence of glucose during ischemic stroke. Recent work builds on the important observation of Hans Krebs that GOT-mediated metabolism of glutamate generates tri-carboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates in brain tissue. Taken together, outcomes suggest GOT may enable the transformative switch of otherwise excitotoxic glutamate into life-sustaining TCA cycle intermediates during ischemic stroke. Critical Issues: Neuroprotective strategies that focus solely on blocking mechanisms of glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity have historically failed in clinical trials. That GOT can enable glutamate to assume the role of a survival factor represents a paradigm shift necessary to develop the overall significance of glutamate in stroke biology. Future Directions: Ongoing efforts are focused to develop the therapeutic significance of GOT in stroke-affected brain. Small molecules that target induction of GOT expression and activity in the ischemic penumbra are the focus of ongoing studies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 22, 175–186. PMID:25343301

The impact of early retirement on perceptions of life at work and at home: qualitative analyses of British civil servants participating in the Whitehall II Retirement Study.

PubMed

Mein, Gill; Ellison, George T H

2006-01-01

This study examined pathways to retirement and the role of circumstances at work and at home (including the introduction of financially-enhanced early retirement schemes) on retirement-related decision-making. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted within 2 years of retirement with 59 British civil servants participating in the Whitehall II Study. Focusing on the experiences of 33 interviewees who spontaneously discussed "early retirement" we identified three pathways to retirement (non-applicants, successful applicants, and unsuccessful applicants for early retirement) each influenced by a range of complementary positive and negative factors at work and at home. The early retirement schemes influenced the balance between these factors in three ways: by encouraging participants to reflect on (and reconsider) existing retirement plans; by offering financial incentives to retire early; and because they were part of the ongoing process of restructuring and downsizing within the Civil Service which was accompanied by a perceived deterioration in conditions at work.

Assisting persons living with HIV/AIDS to return to work: programmatic steps for AIDS service organizations.

PubMed

Brooks, R A; Klosinski, L E

1999-06-01

The objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive picture of the concerns and needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS who are interested in returning to work. To collect information in this new area, a series of focus groups was conducted with a random sample of clients from AIDS Project Los Angeles who were currently unemployed and expressed a desire to return to work. The results indicate a range of concerns among individuals with HIV/AIDS about returning to work, such as a loss of or change in medical benefits, the need for flexibility in employment to address ongoing medical needs, concerns regarding disclosure of their HIV/AIDS status, the possibility of job related discrimination, and the need to address the practical aspects of reentering the labor market after a prolonged absence. The findings suggest a series of action steps for AIDS service organizations and others to address the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS in this new area.

A multidisciplinary TBI inpatient rehabilitation programme for active duty service members as part of a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Braverman, S E; Spector, J; Warden, D L; Wilson, B C; Ellis, T E; Bamdad, M J; Salazar, A M

1999-06-01

To design and describe an effective rehabilitation programme for use in an ongoing trial on the efficacy of multidisciplinary brain injury rehabilitation for moderately head injury military service members. Treatment arm of a randomized control trial. US military tertiary care hospital inpatient rehabilitation programme. Sixty seven active duty military with moderate to severe TBI who were randomized to the treatment arm of the protocol. Eight week rehabilitation programme combining group and individual therapies with an inpatient milieu-oriented neuropsychological focus. Group therapies included fitness, planning and organization, cognitive skills, work skills, medication, and milieu groups, and community re-entry outings. Individual therapy included neuropsychology, work therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language pathology. Successful return to work and return to duty. At 1 year follow-up, 64 patients returned to work (96%) and 66% (44/67) returned to duty. The described rehabilitation programme demonstrates one successful effort to rehabilitate active duty military service members with TBI who have the potential to return to duty.

The relationship between masking and short-term consolidation during recall from visual working memory.

PubMed

Ricker, Timothy J; Sandry, Joshua

2018-04-10

The presentation of a similar but irrelevant stimulus immediately following presentation of a memory item is called masking. Masking is known to reduce performance on working memory tests. This is the type of memory used to hold information in mind for brief periods of time for use in ongoing cognition. Two approaches to understanding masking effects have been proposed in different literatures. Working memory researchers often assume that the reduction in working memory performance after masking is because masking interferes with a transient sensory representation that is needed to complete consolidation into a working memory state. Researchers focused on the attentional blink, a finding that attention cannot be directed to new stimuli during working memory consolidation, have an alternative theory. Attentional blink researchers assume that masking slows the short-term consolidation process, thereby extending the length of the attentional blink. In two experiments, we contrast these two approaches to explaining masking effects and investigate the validity of both hypotheses. Some aspects of both approaches are validated, but neither theoretical perspective alone sufficiently explains the entire pattern of results. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Aspiration, Agency, and the Production of New Selves in a Scottish New Town, c.1947-c.2016.

PubMed

Abrams, Lynn; Hazley, Barry; Wright, Valerie; Kearns, Ade

2018-05-30

Narratives of deindustrialization, urban decline and failing public housing and the negative outcomes associated with these processes dominate accounts of post-war Scotland, bolstering the interpretation of Scottish exceptionalism in a British context. Within these accounts working people appear as victims of powerful and long-term external forces suffering sustained and ongoing deleterious vulnerabilities in terms of employment, health, and housing. This article challenges this picture by focusing on the first Scottish new town which made space for working people's aspiration and new models of the self manifested in new lifestyles and social relations. Drawing on archival data and oral history interviews, we identify how elective relocation fostered and enabled new forms of identity predicated upon new housing, new social relations, and lifestyle opportunities focused on the family and home and elective social networks no longer determined by traditional class and gender expectations. These findings permit an intervention in the historical debates on post-war housing and social change which go beyond the materialistic experience to deeper and affective dimensions of the new town self.

ShapeShop: Towards Understanding Deep Learning Representations via Interactive Experimentation

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

Hohman, Frederick M.; Hodas, Nathan O.; Chau, Duen Horng

Deep learning is the driving force behind many recent technologies; however, deep neural networks are often viewed as “black-boxes” due to their internal complexity that is hard to understand. Little research focuses on helping people explore and understand the relationship between a user’s data and the learned representations in deep learning models. We present our ongoing work, ShapeShop, an interactive system for visualizing and understanding what semantics a neural network model has learned. Built using standard web technologies, ShapeShop allows users to experiment with and compare deep learning models to help explore the robustness of image classifiers.

Proceedings of the Next Generation Exploration Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schingler, Robbie (Editor); Lynch, Kennda

2006-01-01

The Next Generation Exploration Conference (NGEC) brought together the emerging next generation of space leaders over three intensive days of collaboration and planning. The participants extended the ongoing work of national space agencies to draft a common strategic framework for lunar exploration, to include other destinations in the solar system. NGEC is the first conference to bring together emerging leaders to comment on and contribute to these activities. The majority of the three-day conference looked beyond the moon and focused on the "next destination": Asteroids, Cis-Lunar, Earth 3.0, Mars Science and Exploration, Mars Settlement and Society, and Virtual Worlds and Virtual Exploration.

Addiction research centres and the nurturing of creativity. University of Michigan Addiction Research Center (UMARC): development, evolution, and direction.

PubMed

Zucker, Robert A

2010-06-01

A historical summary is provided of the evolution of the University of Michigan Addiction Research Center (UMARC) since its origins in 1988. Begun as an National Institutes of Health (NIH) research center within a Department of Psychiatry and focused solely upon alcohol and aging, early work emphasized treatment efficacy, differential outcome studies and characterization of the neurophysiological and behavioral manifestations of chronic alcoholism. Over the last 15 years, UMARC has extended its research focus along a number of dimensions: its developmental reach has been extended etiologically by studies of risk early in the life span, and by way of work on earlier screening and the development of early, brief treatment interventions. The addiction focus has expanded to include other drugs of abuse. Levels of analysis have also broadened, with work on the molecular genetics and brain neurophysiology underlying addictive processes, on one hand, and examination of the role of the social environment in long-term course of disorder on the other hand. Activities have been facilitated by several research training programs and by collaborative relationships with other universities around the United States and in Poland. Since 2002, a program for research infrastructure development and collaboration has been ongoing, initially with Poland and more recently with Ukraine, Latvia and Slovakia. A blueprint for the future includes expanded characterization of the neurobiology and genetics of addictive processes, the developmental environment, as well as programmatic work to address the public health implications of our ability to identify risk for disorder very early in life.

Training scholars in dissemination and implementation research for cancer prevention and control: a mentored approach.

PubMed

Padek, Margaret; Mir, Nageen; Jacob, Rebekah R; Chambers, David A; Dobbins, Maureen; Emmons, Karen M; Kerner, Jon; Kumanyika, Shiriki; Pfund, Christine; Proctor, Enola K; Stange, Kurt C; Brownson, Ross C

2018-01-22

As the field of D&I (dissemination and implementation) science grows to meet the need for more effective and timely applications of research findings in routine practice, the demand for formalized training programs has increased concurrently. The Mentored Training for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer (MT-DIRC) Program aims to build capacity in the cancer control D&I research workforce, especially among early career researchers. This paper outlines the various components of the program and reports results of systematic evaluations to ascertain its effectiveness. Essential features of the program include selection of early career fellows or more experienced investigators with a focus relevant to cancer control transitioning to a D&I research focus, a 5-day intensive training institute, ongoing peer and senior mentoring, mentored planning and work on a D&I research proposal or project, limited pilot funding, and training and ongoing improvement activities for mentors. The core faculty and staff members of the MT-DIRC program gathered baseline and ongoing evaluation data regarding D&I skill acquisition and mentoring competency through participant surveys and analyzed it by iterative collective reflection. A majority (79%) of fellows are female, assistant professors (55%); 59% are in allied health disciplines, and 48% focus on cancer prevention research. Forty-three D&I research competencies were assessed; all improved from baseline to 6 and 18 months. These effects were apparent across beginner, intermediate, and advanced initial D&I competency levels and across the competency domains. Mentoring competency was rated very highly by the fellows--higher than rated by the mentors themselves. The importance of different mentoring activities, as rated by the fellows, was generally congruent with their satisfaction with the activities, with the exception of relatively greater satisfaction with the degree of emotional support and relatively lower satisfaction for skill building and opportunity initially. These first years of MT-DIRC demonstrated the program's ability to attract, engage, and improve fellows' competencies and skills and implement a multicomponent mentoring program that was well received. This account of the program can serve as a basis for potential replication and evolution of this model in training future D&I science researchers.

Computing protein infrared spectroscopy with quantum chemistry.

PubMed

Besley, Nicholas A

2007-12-15

Quantum chemistry is a field of science that has undergone unprecedented advances in the last 50 years. From the pioneering work of Boys in the 1950s, quantum chemistry has evolved from being regarded as a specialized and esoteric discipline to a widely used tool that underpins much of the current research in chemistry today. This achievement was recognized with the award of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to John Pople and Walter Kohn. As the new millennium unfolds, quantum chemistry stands at the forefront of an exciting new era. Quantitative calculations on systems of the magnitude of proteins are becoming a realistic possibility, an achievement that would have been unimaginable to the early pioneers of quantum chemistry. In this article we will describe ongoing work towards this goal, focusing on the calculation of protein infrared amide bands directly with quantum chemical methods.

The experience of weight management in normal weight adults.

PubMed

Hernandez, Cheri Ann; Hernandez, David A; Wellington, Christine M; Kidd, Art

2016-11-01

No prior research has been done with normal weight persons specific to their experience of weight management. The purpose of this research was to discover the experience of weight management in normal weight individuals. Glaserian grounded theory was used. Qualitative data (focus group) and quantitative data (food diary, study questionnaire, and anthropometric measures) were collected. Weight management was an ongoing process of trying to focus on living (family, work, and social), while maintaining their normal weight targets through five consciously and unconsciously used strategies. Despite maintaining normal weights, the nutritional composition of foods eaten was grossly inadequate. These five strategies can be used to develop new weight management strategies that could be integrated into existing weight management programs, or could be developed into novel weight management interventions. Surprisingly, normal weight individuals require dietary assessment and nutrition education to prevent future negative health consequences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Integrated Knowledge Translation in Intervention Research.

PubMed

Wathen, C Nadine; MacMillan, Harriet L

2018-04-01

There is widespread recognition across the full range of applied research disciplines, including health and social services, about the challenges of integrating scientifically derived research evidence into policy and/or practice decisions. These "disconnects" or "knowledge-practice gaps" between research production and use have spawned a new research field, most commonly known as either "implementation science" or "knowledge translation." The present paper will review key concepts in this area, with a particular focus on "integrated knowledge translation" (IKT)-which focuses on researcher-knowledge user partnership-in the area of mental health and prevention of violence against women and children using case examples from completed and ongoing work. A key distinction is made between the practice of KT (disseminating, communicating, etc.), and the science of KT, i.e., research regarding effective KT approaches. We conclude with a discussion of the relevance of IKT for mental health intervention research with children and adolescents.

Focus on cumulative emissions, global carbon budgets and the implications for climate mitigation targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damon Matthews, H.; Zickfeld, Kirsten; Knutti, Reto; Allen, Myles R.

2018-01-01

The Environmental Research Letters focus issue on ‘Cumulative Emissions, Global Carbon Budgets and the Implications for Climate Mitigation Targets’ was launched in 2015 to highlight the emerging science of the climate response to cumulative emissions, and how this can inform efforts to decrease emissions fast enough to avoid dangerous climate impacts. The 22 research articles published represent a fantastic snapshot of the state-or-the-art in this field, covering both the science and policy aspects of cumulative emissions and carbon budget research. In this Review and Synthesis, we summarize the findings published in this focus issue, outline some suggestions for ongoing research needs, and present our assessment of the implications of this research for ongoing efforts to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

[Adherence to the Ongoing Education Program for family doctors in a southeastern Brazilian state].

PubMed

d'Ávila, Luciana Souza; Assis, Lucília Nunes de; Melo, Marilene Barros de; Brant, Luiz Carlos

2014-02-01

Ongoing Health Education is a strategy for transformation of health practices, though the adherence of professionals is one of the challenges facing its implementation. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the factors associated with adherence of family doctors to the Ongoing Education Program in a southeastern Brazilian state from the perception of supervisors. It is a cross-sectional and quantitative study with the use of online questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test with ongoing correction to determine the association between structure, topics, activities and difficulties of the supervisors working in Ongoing Health Education, difficulties of the physicians in Primary Health Care (PHC) and poor and good adherence to the program. Excellent medical participation was statistically related to the adequacy of physical space (p = 0.001), a multidisciplinary approach (p = 0.035) and epidemiological aspects (p = 0.043). Low adherence was associated with the inadequacy of the physical structure, difficulty understanding the methodology, less time in a supervisory position, multiple workdays, among others. A good adherence to Ongoing Health Education is a possibility for collective reconstruction of the everyday work of physicians in Primary Health Care.

On the road to DSM-V and ICD-11.

PubMed

Kupfer, David J; Regier, Darrel A; Kuhl, Emily A

2008-11-01

Development of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) has been ongoing since 1994, though official release will not occur for another 4 years. Potential revisions are being derived from multiple sources, including building on perceived limitations of DSM-IV; broad-based literature reviews; secondary and primary data analyses; and discussions between global members of the mental health community. The current focus on aligning DSM with the International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11) speaks to the importance of creating a unified text that embraces cross-cutting issues of diagnostics, such as developmental, age-related, and cultural phenomena. International discourse is vital to this process and has been fostered by a National Institutes of Health-sponsored conference series on diagnosis-specific topics. From this series, the DSM-V Task Force developed the following set of revision principals to guide the efforts of the DSM-V Work Groups: grounding recommendations in empirical evidence; maintaining continuity with previous editions of DSM; removing a priori limitations on the amount of changes DSM-V may incur; and maintaining DSM's status as a living document. With work group formation complete, members are currently carrying out the research and revision recommendations proposed during the conference series. Ongoing activities include adding specialized advisors to each work group; completing literature reviews and planning data analyses; and forming study groups to discuss integration of cross-cutting issues (e.g., developmental lifespan factors; formation of diagnostic spectra). The road to DSM-V and ICD-11 has been challenging, but members continue to work diligently in their goal of constructing the most harmonious, scientifically sound, and clinically relevant DSM to date.

The US Navy Coastal Surge and Inundation Prediction System (CSIPS): Making Forecasts Easier

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-14

produced the best results Peak Water Level Percent Error CD Formulation LAWMA , Amerada Pass Freshwater Canal Locks Calcasieu Pass Sabine Pass...Conclusions Ongoing Work 16 Baseline Simulation Results Peak Water Level Percent Error LAWMA , Amerada Pass Freshwater Canal Locks Calcasieu Pass...Conclusions Ongoing Work 20 Sensitivity Studies Waves Run Water Level – Percent Error of Peak HWM MAPE Lawma , Armeda Pass Freshwater

Stochastic Hybrid Systems Modeling and Middleware-enabled DDDAS for Next-generation US Air Force Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-30

experimental evaluations for hosting DDDAS-like applications in public cloud infrastructures . Finally, we report on ongoing work towards using the DDDAS...developed and their experimental evaluations for hosting DDDAS-like applications in public cloud infrastructures . Finally, we report on ongoing work towards...Dynamic resource management, model learning, simulation-based optimizations, cloud infrastructures for DDDAS applications. I. INTRODUCTION Critical cyber

Dealing with Prospective Memory Demands While Performing an Ongoing Task: Shared Processing, Increased On-Task Focus, or Both?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rummel, Jan; Smeekens, Bridget A.; Kane, Michael J.

2017-01-01

Prospective memory (PM) is the cognitive ability to remember to fulfill intended action plans at the appropriate future moment. Current theories assume that PM fulfillment draws on attentional processes. Accordingly, pending PM intentions interfere with other ongoing tasks to the extent to which both tasks rely on the same processes. How do people…

Focusing, Sustaining, and Switching Attention

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-12

selective attention . Aim 2. Effects on non-spatial features. We measured whether selective attention to an ongoing target improves with time when...talk]. Shinn-Cunningham BG (2013). "Spatial hearing in rooms: Effects on selective auditory attention and sound localization," Neuroscience for...hypothesis that room reverberation interferes with selective attention , 2) whether selective attention to an ongoing target improves with time when

DEFLECTION OF A HETEROGENEOUS WIDE-BEAM UNDER UNIFORM PRESSURE LOAD

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

T. V. Holschuh; T. K. Howard; W. R. Marcum

2014-07-01

Oregon State University (OSU) and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are currently collaborating on a test program which entails hydro-mechanical testing of a generic plate type fuel element, or generic test plate assembly (GTPA), for the purpose of qualitatively demonstrating mechanical integrity of uranium-molybdenum monolithic plates as compared to that of uranium aluminum dispersion, and aluminum fuel plates onset by hydraulic forces. This test program supports ongoing work conducted for/by the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) Fuels Development Program. This study’s focus supports the ongoing collaborative effort by detailing the derivation of an analytic solution for deflection of a heterogeneousmore » plate under a uniform, distributed load in order to predict the deflection of test plates in the GTPA. The resulting analytical solutions for three specific boundary condition sets are then presented against several test cases of a homogeneous plate. In all test cases considered, the results for both homogeneous and heterogeneous plates are numerically identical to one another, demonstrating correct derivation of the heterogeneous solution. Two additional problems are presents herein that provide a representative deflection profile for the plates under consideration within the GTPA. Furthermore, qualitative observations are made about the influence of a more-rigid internal fuel-meat region and its influence on the overall deflection profile of a plate. Present work is being directed to experimentally confirm the analytical solution’s results using select materials.« less

Towards a virtual health record for mobile home care of elderly citizens.

PubMed

Koch, Sabine; Hägglund, Maria; Scandurra, Isabella; Moström, Dennis

2004-01-01

Mobile work situations within home care of the elderly require immediate and ubiquitous access to patient-oriented data. The ongoing Swedish research project "Technical support for Mobile CloseCare" focuses on the development and evaluation of work-scenario oriented ICT support for enhanced home care of elderly citizens. The aim of the project is to provide a seamless and consistent information flow between different health care providers and to give intuitive access to information services for the elderly and their relatives. For that purpose, different independent software components are connected through a mobile communication platform. Flexible access to prioritized information for different users in different work situations will be given through a virtual health record. In order to obtain both usable and clinically relevant results, a user centered system development approach is followed. Evaluation of the project results will be based on usability tests and quasi-experimental studies on how system implementation influences quality of care and job- and life satisfaction for care providers, patients and relatives.

Personality Development at Work: Workplace Conditions, Personality Changes, and the Corresponsive Principle.

PubMed

Le, Kimdy; Donnellan, M Brent; Conger, Rand

2014-02-01

Investigations concerning adult personality development have increasingly focused on factors that are associated with apparent personality trait changes. The current study contributes to this literature by replicating and extending previous research concerning personality trait development in young adulthood and perceptions of workplace conditions. Analyses were based on up to 442 individuals who participated in the ongoing Family Transitions Project (e.g., Conger & Conger, 2002). The current analyses included personality trait data from 1994 and 2003, high school grades and socioeconomic status indicators from 1994, and reports about work conditions in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Personality attributes were prospectively associated with work conditions and income. Findings also support the corresponsive principle of personality development (e.g., Roberts, Caspi, & Moffitt, 2003): Traits that were prospectively associated with particular workplace conditions often seemed to be accentuated by those conditions. Personality traits are prospectively associated with perceptions of the workplace. Workplace conditions are also associated with trait development. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Personality Development at Work: Workplace Conditions, Personality Changes, and the Corresponsive Principle

PubMed Central

Le, Kimdy; Donnellan, M. Brent; Conger, Rand

2013-01-01

Objective Investigations concerning adult personality development have increasingly focused on factors that are associated with apparent personality trait changes. The current study contributes to this literature by replicating and extending previous research concerning personality trait development in young adulthood and perceptions of workplace conditions. Method Analyses were based on up to 442 individuals who participated in the ongoing Family Transitions Project (e.g., Conger & Conger, 2002). The current analyses included personality trait data from 1994 and 2003, high-school grades and SES indicators from 1994, and reports about work conditions in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Results Personality attributes were prospectively associated with work conditions and income. Findings also support the corresponsive principle of personality development (e.g. Roberts, Caspi, & Moffitt, 2003): Traits that were prospectively associated with particular workplace conditions often seemed to be accentuated by those conditions. Conclusions Personality traits are prospectively associated with perceptions of the workplace. Workplace conditions are also associated with trait development. PMID:23336723

Work environment stressors, social support, anxiety, and depression among secondary school teachers.

PubMed

Mahan, Pamela L; Mahan, Michael P; Park, Na-Jin; Shelton, Christie; Brown, Kathleen C; Weaver, Michael T

2010-05-01

Work environment stress, a salient health and safety issue for secondary school teachers, school administrators, parents, and students, was examined in 168 teachers from two urban and five suburban high schools. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between ongoing and episodic stressors and anxiety and depression, as well as the extent to which anxiety and depression may be predicted by stressors and coworker and supervisor support. The Ongoing Stressor Scale (OSS) and the Episodic Stressor Scale (ESS), the Coworker and Supervisor Contents of Communication Scales (COCS), the State Anxiety inventory (S-Anxiety), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were used to measure the variables. Ongoing and episodic stressors were significantly and positively associated with anxiety and depression. Ongoing stressors and coworker support were significant in explaining anxiety and depression among secondary school teachers. Coworker support had an inverse relationship to anxiety and depression.

Optimal healthcare delivery to care homes in the UK: a realist evaluation of what supports effective working to improve healthcare outcomes

PubMed Central

Goodman, Claire; Davies, Sue L; Dening, Tom; Gage, Heather; Meyer, Julienne; Schneider, Justine; Bell, Brian; Jordan, Jake; Martin, Finbarr C; Iliffe, Steve; Bowman, Clive; Gladman, John R F; Victor, Christina; Mayrhofer, Andrea; Handley, Melanie; Zubair, Maria

2018-01-01

Abstract Introduction care home residents have high healthcare needs not fully met by prevailing healthcare models. This study explored how healthcare configuration influences resource use. Methods a realist evaluation using qualitative and quantitative data from case studies of three UK health and social care economies selected for differing patterns of healthcare delivery to care homes. Four homes per area (12 in total) were recruited. A total of 239 residents were followed for 12 months to record resource-use. Overall, 181 participants completed 116 interviews and 13 focus groups including residents, relatives, care home staff, community nurses, allied health professionals and General Practitioners. Results context-mechanism-outcome configurations were identified explaining what supported effective working between healthcare services and care home staff: (i) investment in care home-specific work that legitimises and values work with care homes; (ii) relational working which over time builds trust between practitioners; (iii) care which ‘wraps around’ care homes; and (iv) access to specialist care for older people with dementia. Resource use was similar between sites despite differing approaches to healthcare. There was greater utilisation of GP resource where this was specifically commissioned but no difference in costs between sites. Conclusion activities generating opportunities and an interest in healthcare and care home staff working together are integral to optimal healthcare provision in care homes. Outcomes are likely to be better where: focus and activities legitimise ongoing contact between healthcare staff and care homes at an institutional level; link with a wider system of healthcare; and provide access to dementia-specific expertise. PMID:29315370

Can inequality be tamed through boundary work? A qualitative study of health promotion aimed at reducing health inequalities.

PubMed

Pedersen, Pia Vivian; Hjelmar, Ulf; Høybye, Mette Terp; Rod, Morten Hulvej

2017-07-01

This paper examines the organisational dynamics that arise in health promotion aimed at reducing health inequalities. The paper draws on ethnographic fieldwork among public health officers in Danish municipalities and qualitative interviews from an evaluation of health promotion programmes targeting homeless and other marginalised citizens. Analytically, we focus on 'boundary work', i.e. the ways in which social and symbolic boundaries are established, maintained, transgressed and negotiated, both at the administrative level and among frontline professionals. The paper discusses three types of boundary work: (i) demarcating professional domains; (ii) setting the boundaries of the task itself; and (iii) managing administrative boundaries. The main argument is that the production, maintenance and transgression of these three types of boundaries constitute central and time-consuming aspects of the practices of public health professionals, and that boundary work constitutes an important element in professional practices seeking to 'tame a wicked problem', such as social inequalities in health. A cross-cutting feature of the three types of boundary work is the management of the divide between health and social issues, which the professionals seemingly seek to uphold and transgress at the same time. The paper thus contributes to ongoing discussions of intersectoral action to address health inequalities. Furthermore, it extends the scope and application of the concept of boundary work in the sociology of public health by suggesting that the focus in previous research on professional demarcation be broadened in order to capture other types of boundaries that shape, and are shaped by, professional practices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-Boundary Coordination on Forested Landscapes: Investigating Alternatives for Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gass, Rebecca J.; Rickenbach, Mark; Schulte, Lisa A.; Zeuli, Kimberly

2009-01-01

Cross-boundary coordination is a tool for ecosystem management whereby landowners voluntarily coordinate management practices toward economic and/or ecological landscape-scale outcomes (e.g., fiber, invasive species control, habitat). Past research indicates that it may be particularly applicable on landscapes that include small forest landholdings. To explore alternatives by which coordination might occur, we conducted seven focus groups with landowners ( n = 51) who actively manage their forests in southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. Focus group participants were presented with three hypothetical alternatives to coordinate with their neighbors; landowners could self-organize, work with a natural resource professional (i.e., forester), or work with an organization to complete a cross-boundary practice. In this article, we focus on the latter two alternatives and the role of two social theories—principal-agent and cooperation—in explaining landowners’ evaluations of these alternatives. Key findings are that (1) cross-boundary coordination has the potential to alleviate problems between landowners and resource professionals inherent to their typical working relationship, and (2) social relationships are a major factor contributing to landowners’ willingness to participate. We posit that cross-boundary coordination offers a non-economic incentive for landowners to work together as it may reduce the uncertainty associated with hiring a resource professional. At the same time, professionals can provide a bridging function among landowners who are unacquainted. To achieve these outcomes and expand the adoption of cross-boundary coordination, we suggest four guidelines. First, foster dialogue among landowners toward shared cognition and oversight. Second, match landowners’ practices and objectives such that there are clear benefits to all. Third, develop relationships through low risk activities where possible. Fourth, do not expect on-going commitments.

Cross-boundary coordination on forested landscapes: investigating alternatives for implementation.

PubMed

Gass, Rebecca J; Rickenbach, Mark; Schulte, Lisa A; Zeuli, Kimberly

2009-01-01

Cross-boundary coordination is a tool for ecosystem management whereby landowners voluntarily coordinate management practices toward economic and/or ecological landscape-scale outcomes (e.g., fiber, invasive species control, habitat). Past research indicates that it may be particularly applicable on landscapes that include small forest landholdings. To explore alternatives by which coordination might occur, we conducted seven focus groups with landowners (n=51) who actively manage their forests in southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. Focus group participants were presented with three hypothetical alternatives to coordinate with their neighbors; landowners could self-organize, work with a natural resource professional (i.e., forester), or work with an organization to complete a cross-boundary practice. In this article, we focus on the latter two alternatives and the role of two social theories--principal-agent and cooperation--in explaining landowners' evaluations of these alternatives. Key findings are that (1) cross-boundary coordination has the potential to alleviate problems between landowners and resource professionals inherent to their typical working relationship, and (2) social relationships are a major factor contributing to landowners' willingness to participate. We posit that cross-boundary coordination offers a non-economic incentive for landowners to work together as it may reduce the uncertainty associated with hiring a resource professional. At the same time, professionals can provide a bridging function among landowners who are unacquainted. To achieve these outcomes and expand the adoption of cross-boundary coordination, we suggest four guidelines. First, foster dialogue among landowners toward shared cognition and oversight. Second, match landowners' practices and objectives such that there are clear benefits to all. Third, develop relationships through low risk activities where possible. Fourth, do not expect on-going commitments.

Monitoring volcanic threats using ASTER satellite data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duda, K.A.; Wessels, R.; Ramsey, M.; Dehn, J.

2008-01-01

This document summarizes ongoing activities associated with a research project funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) focusing on volcanic change detection through the use of satellite imagery. This work includes systems development as well as improvements in data analysis methods. Participating organizations include the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS), the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Science Team, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) at the USGS Alaska Science Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology (JPL/CalTech), the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. ?? 2007 IEEE.

The Development of the Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Boisseau, Christina L.; Farchione, Todd J.; Fairholme, Christopher P.; Ellard, Kristen K.; Barlow, David H.

2013-01-01

A detailed description of treatment utilizing the Unified Protocol (UP), a transdiagnostic emotion-focused cognitive-behavioral treatment, is presented using a clinical case example treated during the most current phase of an ongoing randomized controlled trial of the UP. The implementation of the UP in its current, modular version is illustrated. A working case conceptualization is presented from the perspective of the UP drawing from theory and research that underlies current transdiagnostic approaches to treatment and consistent with recent dimensional classification proposals (Brown & Barlow, in press). Treatment is illustrated module-by-module describing how the principles of the UP were applied in the presented case. PMID:23997572

Auditing of SNOMED CT's Hierarchical Structure using the National Drug File - Reference Terminology.

PubMed

Zakharchenko, Aleksandr; Geller, James

2015-01-01

With the ongoing development in the field of Medical Informatics, the availability of cross-references and the consistency of coverage between terminologies become critical requirements for clinical decision support. In this paper, we examine the possibility of developing a framework that highlights and exposes hierarchical incompatibilities between different medical terminologies in order to facilitate the process of achieving a sufficient level of consistency between terminologies. For the purpose of this research, we are working with the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine--Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and the National Drug File--Reference Terminology (NDF-RT)--a clinical terminology focused on drugs. For discovery of inconsistencies we built an automated tool.

Chile rural electrification cooperation

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

Flowers, L.

1997-12-01

The author describes a joint program to use renewables for rural electrification projects in Chile. The initial focus was in a limited part of the country, involving wind mapping, pilot project planning, training, and development of methodologies for comparative evaluations of resources. To this point three wind hybrid systems have been installed in one region, as a part of the regional private utility, and three additional projects are being designed. Additional resource assessment and training is ongoing. The author points out the difficulties in working with utilities, the importance of signed documentation, and the need to look at these programsmore » as long term because of the time involved in introducing such new technologies.« less

Optical study of the DAFT/FADA galaxy cluster survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinet, N.; Durret, F.; Clowe, D.; Adami, C.

2013-11-01

DAFT/FADA (Dark energy American French Team) is a large survey of ˜90 high redshift (0.42×10^{14} M_{⊙}) clusters with HST weak lensing oriented data, plus BVRIZJ 4m ground based follow up to compute photometric redshifts. The main goals of this survey are to constrain dark energy parameters using weak lensing tomography and to study a large homogeneous sample of high redshift massive clusters. We will briefly review the latest results of this optical survey, focusing on two ongoing works: the calculation of galaxy luminosity functions from photometric redshift catalogs and the weak lensing analysis of ground based data.

Coming to terms: a case study of hospice collaboration challenges.

PubMed

Pietroburgo, Julie; Bush, Richard

Recent research has focused on the growing phenomenon of mergers, collaborations, and alliances among nonprofit organizations and what makes such arrangements work. Examination of failed collaborative efforts is perhaps just as instructive. This case study examines recent attempts at collaboration between 2 nonprofit hospice organizations. The study finds that despite compelling reasons for and significant commonalities on which to base collaboration, the organizations were initially unable to forge any ongoing and substantive collaborative arrangement because of insurmountable cultural factors and past history. Furthermore, without imminent external pressures to collaborate, these organizations had insufficient motivation to attempt to move beyond their differences. The case also reviews the changed circumstances and factors that later facilitated partnering attempts.

Cyberspace Security Econometrics System (CSES)

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

2012-07-27

Information security continues to evolve in response to disruptive changes with a persistent focus on information-centric controls and a healthy debate about balancing endpoint and network protection, with a goal of improved enterprise/business risk management. Economic uncertainty, intensively collaborative styles of work, virtualization, increased outsourcing and ongoing complance pressures require careful consideration and adaption. The CSES provides a measure (i.e. a quantitative indication) of reliability, performance, and/or safety of a system that accounts for the criticality of each requirement as a function of one or more stakeholders' interests in that requirement. For a given stakeholder, CSES accounts for the variancemore » that may exist among the stakes one attaches to meeting each requirement.« less

Qualitative Research and Consumer Policy: Focus Group Discussions as a Form of Consumer Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heiskanen, Eva; Jarvela, Katja; Pulliainen, Annukka; Saastamoinen, Mika; Timonen, Paivi

2008-01-01

This paper describes our ongoing attempts to involve consumers in innovation and technology policy by means of a national Consumer Panel, using focus group discussions as the primary method of consumer participation. We evaluate our experiences of the usefulness of focus group discussions in this context by considering two examples of studies…

The relationship between healthy work environments and retention of nurses in a hospital setting.

PubMed

Ritter, Desiree

2011-01-01

The purpose of the present paper was to determine the effect a healthy work environment has on the retention of nurses in a hospital setting. There is a nursing shortage that has been ongoing and is expected to continue, resulting in challenges for the healthcare system in the United States. The significance of this issue is the impact the nursing shortage will have on healthcare organizations and patients. The present paper included an extensive review of the current literature. The literature reviewed encompassed scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles. This article focused on nurses, work environments and the impact of the work environments on retention. Important issues that emerged from this analysis were the dangers of an unhealthy environment, the impact a healthy work environment has on patient outcomes and retention, the Magnet link to healthy work environments and the manager's role in creating and sustaining a healthy work environment. The literature provided evidence of the link between healthy work environments and the retention of nurses in a hospital setting. The implications for management are to implement changes now to create a healthy work environment that will recruit and retain nurses to secure their position in the future. © 2010 The Author. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Critical Pedagogy and APA: A Resonant (and Timely) Interdisciplinary Blend.

PubMed

Connolly, Maureen; Harvey, William J

2018-04-12

Critical pedagogy owes much of its emergence, development, and ongoing relevance to the work of Paulo Freire whose legacy remains relevant for a next generation of scholars who seek to explore issues of inclusion, oppression, social justice, and authentic expression. An interdisciplinary dialogue between critical pedagogy and adapted physical activity is timely, appropriate, and should focus on complex profiles of neurodiversity, mental illness, and mental health, with emphasis on pedagogic practices of practitioners in service delivery and teacher educators who prepare them for professional practice. A case-based scenario approach is used to present practitioner and teacher educator practices. Concrete examples are provided for analyzing and understanding deeper issues and challenges related to neurodiversity in a variety of embodied dimensions in educational and activity contexts. We work with Szostak's approach to interdisciplinary research and model an analysis strategy that integrates and applies the methodological features of interdisciplinarity, adapted physical activity, and critical pedagogy.

An investigation into electromagnetic force models: differences in global and local effects demonstrated by selected problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reich, Felix A.; Rickert, Wilhelm; Müller, Wolfgang H.

2018-03-01

This study investigates the implications of various electromagnetic force models in macroscopic situations. There is an ongoing academic discussion which model is "correct," i.e., generally applicable. Often, gedankenexperiments with light waves or photons are used in order to motivate certain models. In this work, three problems with bodies at the macroscopic scale are used for computing theoretical model-dependent predictions. Two aspects are considered, total forces between bodies and local deformations. By comparing with experimental data, insight is gained regarding the applicability of the models. First, the total force between two cylindrical magnets is computed. Then a spherical magnetostriction problem is considered to show different deformation predictions. As a third example focusing on local deformations, a droplet of silicone oil in castor oil is considered, placed in a homogeneous electric field. By using experimental data, some conclusions are drawn and further work is motivated.

The Pulsed High Density Experiment (PHDX) Final Report

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

Slough, John P.; Andreason, Samuel

The purpose of this paper is to present the conclusions that can be drawn from the Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) formation experiments conducted on the Pulsed High Density experiment (PHD) at the University of Washington. The experiment is ongoing. The experimental goal for this first stage of PHD was to generate a stable, high flux (>10 mWb), high energy (>10 KJ) target FRC. Such results would be adequate as a starting point for several later experiments. This work focuses on experimental implementation and the results of the first four month run. Difficulties were encountered due to the initial on-axis plasmamore » ionization source. Flux trapping with this ionization source acting alone was insufficient to accomplish experimental objectives. Additional ionization methods were utilized to overcome this difficulty. A more ideal plasma source layout is suggested and will be explored during a forthcoming work.« less

Silicon Carbide Sensors and Electronics for Harsh Environment Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Laura J.

2007-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor has been studied for electronic and sensing applications in extreme environment (high temperature, extreme vibration, harsh chemical media, and high radiation) that is beyond the capability of conventional semiconductors such as silicon. This is due to its near inert chemistry, superior thermomechanical and electronic properties that include high breakdown voltage and wide bandgap. An overview of SiC sensors and electronics work ongoing at NASA Glenn Research Center (NASA GRC) will be presented. The main focus will be two technologies currently being investigated: 1) harsh environment SiC pressure transducers and 2) high temperature SiC electronics. Work highlighted will include the design, fabrication, and application of SiC sensors and electronics, with recent advancements in state-of-the-art discussed as well. These combined technologies are studied for the goal of developing advanced capabilities for measurement and control of aeropropulsion systems, as well as enhancing tools for exploration systems.

Sex work and sexually transmitted infections in Asia: a biosocial analysis.

PubMed

Tucker, Joseph D; Kaufman, Joan; Bhabha, Jacqueline; Kleinman, Arthur

2011-12-01

The Harvard University Asia Center hosted a symposium in October 2010 focused on sex work and sexually transmitted infections in Asia, engaging a biosocial approach to promote sexual health in this region. Asia has an estimated 151 million cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs; eg, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia) each year, with commercial sex interactions playing a large role in ongoing transmission. Substantial human movement and migration, gender inequalities, and incipient medical and legal systems in many states stymie effective STI control in Asia. The articles in this supplement provide theoretical and empirical pathways to improving the sexual health of those who sell and purchase commercial sex in Asia. The unintended health consequences of various forms of regulating commercial sex are also reviewed, emphasizing the need to carefully consider the medical and public health consequences of new and existing policies and laws.

Sex Work and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Asia: A Biosocial Analysis

PubMed Central

Kaufman, Joan; Bhabha, Jacqueline; Kleinman, Arthur

2011-01-01

The Harvard University Asia Center hosted a symposium in October 2010 focused on sex work and sexually transmitted infections in Asia, engaging a biosocial approach to promote sexual health in this region. Asia has an estimated 151 million cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs; eg, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia) each year, with commercial sex interactions playing a large role in ongoing transmission. Substantial human movement and migration, gender inequalities, and incipient medical and legal systems in many states stymie effective STI control in Asia. The articles in this supplement provide theoretical and empirical pathways to improving the sexual health of those who sell and purchase commercial sex in Asia. The unintended health consequences of various forms of regulating commercial sex are also reviewed, emphasizing the need to carefully consider the medical and public health consequences of new and existing policies and laws. PMID:22043032

A Robust Compositional Architecture for Autonomous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brat, Guillaume; Deney, Ewen; Farrell, Kimberley; Giannakopoulos, Dimitra; Jonsson, Ari; Frank, Jeremy; Bobby, Mark; Carpenter, Todd; Estlin, Tara

2006-01-01

Space exploration applications can benefit greatly from autonomous systems. Great distances, limited communications and high costs make direct operations impossible while mandating operations reliability and efficiency beyond what traditional commanding can provide. Autonomous systems can improve reliability and enhance spacecraft capability significantly. However, there is reluctance to utilizing autonomous systems. In part this is due to general hesitation about new technologies, but a more tangible concern is that of reliability of predictability of autonomous software. In this paper, we describe ongoing work aimed at increasing robustness and predictability of autonomous software, with the ultimate goal of building trust in such systems. The work combines state-of-the-art technologies and capabilities in autonomous systems with advanced validation and synthesis techniques. The focus of this paper is on the autonomous system architecture that has been defined, and on how it enables the application of validation techniques for resulting autonomous systems.

War on fear: Solly Zuckerman and civilian nerve in the Second World War.

PubMed

Burney, Ian

2012-12-01

This article examines the processes through which civilian fear was turned into a practicable investigative object in the inter-war period and the opening stages of the Second World War, and how it was invested with significance at the level of science and of public policy. Its focus is on a single historical actor, Solly Zuckerman, and on his early war work for the Ministry of Home Security-funded Extra Mural Unit based in Oxford's Department of Anatomy (OEMU). It examines the process by which Zuckerman forged a working relationship with fear in the 1930s, and how he translated this work to questions of home front anxiety in his role as an operational research officer. In doing so it demonstrates the persistent work applied to the problem: by highlighting it as an ongoing research project, and suggesting links between seemingly disparate research objects (e.g. the phenomenon of 'blast' exposure as physical and physiological trauma), the article aims to show how civilian 'nerve' emerged from within a highly specific analytical and operational matrix which itself had complex foundations.

War on fear

PubMed Central

Burney, Ian

2012-01-01

This article examines the processes through which civilian fear was turned into a practicable investigative object in the inter-war period and the opening stages of the Second World War, and how it was invested with significance at the level of science and of public policy. Its focus is on a single historical actor, Solly Zuckerman, and on his early war work for the Ministry of Home Security-funded Extra Mural Unit based in Oxford’s Department of Anatomy (OEMU). It examines the process by which Zuckerman forged a working relationship with fear in the 1930s, and how he translated this work to questions of home front anxiety in his role as an operational research officer. In doing so it demonstrates the persistent work applied to the problem: by highlighting it as an ongoing research project, and suggesting links between seemingly disparate research objects (e.g. the phenomenon of ‘blast’ exposure as physical and physiological trauma), the article aims to show how civilian ‘nerve’ emerged from within a highly specific analytical and operational matrix which itself had complex foundations. PMID:23626409

High expression of AID and active class switch recombination might account for a more aggressive disease in unmutated CLL patients: link with an activated microenvironment in CLL disease.

PubMed

Palacios, Florencia; Moreno, Pilar; Morande, Pablo; Abreu, Cecilia; Correa, Agustín; Porro, Valentina; Landoni, Ana Ines; Gabus, Raul; Giordano, Mirta; Dighiero, Guillermo; Pritsch, Otto; Oppezzo, Pablo

2010-06-03

Interaction of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) B cells with tissue microenvironment has been suggested to favor disease progression by promoting malignant B-cell growth. Previous work has shown expression in peripheral blood (PB) of CLL B cells of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) among CLL patients with an unmutated (UM) profile of immunoglobulin genes and with ongoing class switch recombination (CSR) process. Because AID expression results from interaction with activated tissue microenvironment, we speculated whether the small subset with ongoing CSR is responsible for high levels of AID expression and could be derived from this particular microenvironment. In this work, we quantified AID expression and ongoing CSR in PB of 50 CLL patients and characterized the expression of different molecules related to microenvironment interaction. Our results show that among UM patients (1) high AID expression is restricted to the subpopulation of tumoral cells ongoing CSR; (2) this small subset expresses high levels of proliferation, antiapoptotic and progression markers (Ki-67, c-myc, Bcl-2, CD49d, and CCL3/4 chemokines). Overall, this work outlines the importance of a cellular subset in PB of UM CLL patients with a poor clinical outcome, high AID levels, and ongoing CSR, whose presence might be a hallmark of a recent contact with the microenvironment.

The Narrative Arc of TATs: Introduction to the JPA Special Section on Thematic Apperceptive Techniques.

PubMed

Jenkins, Sharon Rae

2017-01-01

The past decade has seen important developments in thematic apperceptive techniques (TATs), with the creation of new card sets having alternate pictures representing different cultures, new scoring systems becoming available, and increasing international communication of these achievements. However, continuing impediments to the development of a validational literature include lingering mistaken assumptions about the nature of story data, ongoing debates about appropriate psychometric evaluation, and continuing questions about how stimuli and scoring systems should be conceptualized and interpreted. Negotiating the publication system can impede some potential authors. Excellent work on TATs with children is not well known in the adult-focused journals. The labor burden of meeting increasingly sophisticated publication standards might be a barrier to assessors focused on clinical practice. Accumulating a focused evidence base is challenging given the diversity of criterion variables for which TATs have been used. Research on TATs by clinicians can span the science-practice gap, but the narrative arc can be a dramatic one. The articles in this special section on TATs represent important conceptual, methodological, and substantive innovations.

Origins of Montessori Programming for Dementia

PubMed Central

Camp, Cameron J.

2011-01-01

The focus of this article is on the evolution of the use of Montessori educational methods as the basis for creating interventions for persons with dementia. The account of this evolution is autobiographical, as the development of Montessori Programming for Dementia (MPD) initially was through the efforts of myself and my research associates. My initial exposure to Maria Montessori’s work came as a result of my involvement with my own children’s education. This exposure influenced ongoing research on development of cognitive interventions for persons with dementia. A brief description of Montessori’s work with children and the educational methods she developed is followed by a description of how this approach can be translated into development of activities for persons with dementia. Assessment tools to document effects of MPD were created, focusing on observational tools to measure engagement and affect during individual and group activities programming for persons with dementia. Examples of the use of MPD by researchers, staff members, and family members are given, as well as examples of how persons with dementia can provide MPD to other persons with dementia or to children. Finally, examples of MPD’s dissemination internationally and future directions for research are presented. PMID:23515663

Origins of Montessori Programming for Dementia.

PubMed

Camp, Cameron J

2010-01-01

The focus of this article is on the evolution of the use of Montessori educational methods as the basis for creating interventions for persons with dementia. The account of this evolution is autobiographical, as the development of Montessori Programming for Dementia (MPD) initially was through the efforts of myself and my research associates. My initial exposure to Maria Montessori's work came as a result of my involvement with my own children's education. This exposure influenced ongoing research on development of cognitive interventions for persons with dementia. A brief description of Montessori's work with children and the educational methods she developed is followed by a description of how this approach can be translated into development of activities for persons with dementia. Assessment tools to document effects of MPD were created, focusing on observational tools to measure engagement and affect during individual and group activities programming for persons with dementia. Examples of the use of MPD by researchers, staff members, and family members are given, as well as examples of how persons with dementia can provide MPD to other persons with dementia or to children. Finally, examples of MPD's dissemination internationally and future directions for research are presented.

Spousal Coping Strategies in the Shadow of Terrorism.

PubMed

Shechory-Bitton, Mally; Cohen-Louck, Keren

2017-11-01

The present study focuses on spousal differences in reaction to ongoing exposure to terror and security threats. Sixty-eight married couples with children living in a region exposed to ongoing security threats were evaluated. All participants completed questionnaires on objective exposure (number of incidents) and subjective exposure (sense of fear) to terrorism and security threats, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and their coping strategies with this ongoing exposure. Mothers reported higher levels of fear and PTSD symptoms, although their objective levels of exposure did not differ from those of their husbands. Similarities were found in coping strategies adopted by mothers and fathers to cope with life in the shadow of terrorism. Both mothers and fathers integrated emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies, with greater use of the latter. These similarities partially contradict research findings suggesting gender differences in coping with exposure to security threats. The results support the need for further research into investigating the role of dyadic coping in the context of prolonged exposure to security threats.

Enhancing Discovery, Search, and Access of NASA Hydrological Data by Leveraging GEOSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teng, William L.

2015-01-01

An ongoing NASA-funded project has removed a longstanding barrier to accessing NASA data (i.e., accessing archived time-step array data as point-time series) for selected variables of the North American and Global Land Data Assimilation Systems (NLDAS and GLDAS, respectively) and other EOSDIS (Earth Observing System Data Information System) data sets (e.g., precipitation, soil moisture). These time series (data rods) are pre-generated. Data rods Web services are accessible through the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System (HIS) and the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) but are not easily discoverable by users of other non-NASA data systems. The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) is a logical mechanism for providing access to the data rods. An ongoing GEOSS Water Services project aims to develop a distributed, global registry of water data, map, and modeling services cataloged using the standards and procedures of the Open Geospatial Consortium and the World Meteorological Organization. The ongoing data rods project has demonstrated the feasibility of leveraging the GEOSS infrastructure to help provide access to time series of model grid information or grids of information over a geographical domain for a particular time interval. A recently-begun, related NASA-funded ACCESS-GEOSS project expands on these prior efforts. Current work is focused on both improving the performance of the generation of on-the-fly (OTF) data rods and the Web interfaces from which users can easily discover, search, and access NASA data.

Work Environment-Related Factors in Obtaining and Maintaining Work in a Competitive Employment Setting for Employees with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Ellenkamp, Joke J H; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Embregts, Petri J C M; Joosen, Margot C W; van Weeghel, Jaap

2016-03-01

People with an intellectual disability value work as a significant part of their lives, and many of them want to participate in regular paid employment.Current estimates show that the number of people with ID who have some form of paid employment are very low, ranging from 9 to 40% across different countries,despite legislations. This review examines papers published in the past 20 years in an attempt to answer the following research question: ‘What work environment-related factors contribute to obtaining or maintaining work in competitive employment for people with an intellectual disability?’ The databases of PubMed, PsycINFO,CINAHL, Embase and Web of Science were searched for relevant papers published between 1993 and 2013. All papers were independently screened by two researchers.Methodological quality of the studies was evaluated, and data on work environment-related factors stimulating employment for people with intellectual disabilities were extracted and grouped into categories. A total of 1932 articles were retrieved. After extensive screening for relevance and quality, 26 articles were included in this review. Four themes/categories with work environment related factors that could influence work participation were distinguished. Five studies were conducted on employers’ decisions and opinions. Eight focused on job content and performance, and eight on workplace interaction and culture. Five studies evaluated support by job coaches. Despite ongoing legislation to promote participation of people with intellectual disabilities in the paid workforce, research in this area is still extremely scarce. In the past 20 years, very few studies have focused on work environment-related factors that can enhance competitive work for people with intellectual disabilities.This review shows that relevant work environment-related factors for obtaining and maintaining work in competitive employment include supporting the employers by paying specific attention to: employer’s decisions, job content, integration and work culture and job coaches.

Preparing and Developing Community College International Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raby, Rosalind Latiner; Valeau, Edward J.

2016-01-01

Leadership training for future senior United States (US) community college leaders is an ongoing focus of US community college education. Leadership training is also a focus of US university international educators. Community college literature has assumed that full-time positions at community colleges devoted to overseeing and implementing…

Physics Education Research at the Upper Division at the University of Maine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, John

2013-04-01

Researchers from the University of Maine Physics Education Research Laboratory are conducting several investigations of the learning and teaching of physics beyond the introductory level. Content topics include intermediate mechanics, electronics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. One focus of our work is the identification and addressing of specific student difficulties with topics such as damped harmonic motion, bipolar junction transistor (BJT) circuits, work, entropy, and the Boltzmann factor. Student understanding and use of the underlying mathematics has been one important emerging theme, including definite integrals, partial derivatives, and linear differential equations. Recent work in mechanics has focused on understanding the interplay of mathematical and physical reasoning when describing damped harmonic motion, including framing and representational issues. In electronics, there has been an ongoing investigation of student understanding of the behavior of basic BJT follower and amplifier circuits as well as related issues of signal and bias. In thermal physics, student understanding of state functions, heat engines and the Carnot cycle, the First and Second Laws of thermodynamics, and the macroscopic and microscopic perspectives on entropy have been investigated. The greater content sophistication in these courses has drawn attention to the specific needs, constraints, and advantages of instructional materials tailored to the upper division. Future directions include more attention to interdisciplinary topics across mathematics, physics, and engineering in particular, as well as metacognition in the laboratory.

Transformative Multiliteracies Pedagogy: School-Based Strategies for Closing the Achievement Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummins, Jim

2009-01-01

Despite ongoing concern about the underachievement of low-income and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, there has been little focus on the kinds of pedagogy required to reverse this underachievement. Pedagogical approaches have been increasingly transmission-oriented, focusing on preparing students for high-stakes testing. Such…

ABA Southern Region Burn disaster plan: the process of creating and experience with the ABA southern region burn disaster plan.

PubMed

Kearns, Randy D; Cairns, Bruce A; Hickerson, William L; Holmes, James H

2014-01-01

The Southern Region of the American Burn Association began to craft a regional plan to address a surge of burn-injured patients after a mass casualty event in 2004. Published in 2006, this plan has been tested through modeling, exercise, and actual events. This article focuses on the process of how the plan was created, how it was tested, and how it interfaces with other ongoing efforts on preparedness. One key to success regarding how people respond to a disaster can be traced to preexisting relationships and collaborations. These activities would include training or working together and building trust long before the crisis. Knowing who you can call and rely on when you need help, within the context of your plan, can be pivotal in successfully managing a disaster. This article describes how a coalition of burn center leaders came together. Their ongoing personal association has facilitated the development of planning activities and has kept the process dynamic. This article also includes several of the building blocks for developing a plan from creation to composition, implementation, and testing. The plan discussed here is an example of linking leadership, relationships, process, and documentation together. On the basis of these experiences, the authors believe these elements are present in other regions. The intent of this work is to share an experience and to offer it as a guide to aid others in their regional burn disaster planning efforts.

The 13th International Workshops on Opportunistic Protists (IWOP13).

PubMed

Calderon, Enrique J; Cushion, Melanie T; Xiao, Lihua; Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob; Matos, Olga; Kaneshiro, Edna S; Weiss, Louis M

2015-01-01

The 13th International Workshops on Opportunistic Protists (IWOP-13) was held November 13-15, 2014 in Seville, Spain. The objectives of the IWOP meetings are to: (1) serve as a forum for exchange of new information among active researchers concerning the basic biology, molecular genetics, immunology, biochemistry, pathogenesis, drug development, therapy, and epidemiology of these immunodeficiency-associated pathogenic eukaryotic microorganisms that are seen in patients with AIDS and; (2) to foster the entry of new and young investigators into these underserved research areas. The IWOP meeting focuses on opportunistic protists; e.g. the free-living amoebae, Pneumocystis, Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, the Microsporidia, and kinetoplastid flagellates. This conference represents the major conference which brings together research groups working on these opportunistic pathogens. Progress has been achieved on understanding the biology of these pathogenic organisms, their involvement in disease causation in both immune deficient and immune competent hosts and is providing important insights into these emerging and reemerging pathogens. A continuing concern of the participants is the ongoing loss of scientific expertise and diversity in this research community. This decline is due to the small size of these research communities and an ongoing lack of understanding by the broader scientific community of the challenges and limitations faced by researchers working on these organisms, which makes these research communities very sensitive to declines in research funding. © 2015 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2015 International Society of Protistologists.

Importance of teamwork, communication and culture on failure-to-rescue in the elderly.

PubMed

Ghaferi, A A; Dimick, J B

2016-01-01

Surgical mortality increases significantly with age. Wide variations in mortality rates across hospitals suggest potential levers for improvement. Failure-to-rescue has been posited as a potential mechanism underlying these differences. A review was undertaken of the literature evaluating surgery, mortality, failure-to-rescue and the elderly. This was followed by a review of ongoing studies and unpublished work aiming to understand better the mechanisms underlying variations in surgical mortality in elderly patients. Multiple hospital macro-system factors, such as nurse staffing, available hospital technology and teaching status, are associated with differences in failure-to-rescue rates. There is emerging literature regarding important micro-system factors associated with failure-to-rescue. These are grouped into three broad categories: hospital resources, attitudes and behaviours. Ongoing work to produce interventions to reduce variations in failure-to-rescue rates include a focus on teamwork, communication and safety culture. Researchers are using novel mixed-methods approaches and theories adapted from organizational studies in high-reliability organizations in an effort to improve the care of elderly surgical patients. Although elderly surgical patients experience failure-to-rescue events at much higher rates than their younger counterparts, patient-level effects do not sufficiently explain these differences. Increased attention to the role of organizational dynamics in hospitals' ability to rescue these high-risk patients will establish high-yield interventions aimed at improving patient safety. © 2015 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

NASA Johnson Space Center Usability Testing and Analysis facility (UTAF) Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban; Holden, Kritina L.

2005-01-01

The Usability Testing and Analysis Facility (UTAF) is part of the Space Human Factors Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The facility performs research for NASA's HumanSystems Integration Program, under the HumanSystems Research and Technology Division. Specifically, the UTAF provides human factors support for space vehicles, including the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle, and the forthcoming Crew Exploration Vehicle. In addition, there are ongoing collaborative research efforts with external corporations and universities. The UTAF provides human factors analysis, evaluation, and usability testing of crew interfaces for space applications. This includes computer displays and controls, workstation systems, and work environments. The UTAF has a unique mix of capabilities, with a staff experienced in both cognitive human factors and ergonomics. The current areas of focus are: human factors applications in emergency medical care and informatics; control and display technologies for electronic procedures and instructions; voice recognition in noisy environments; crew restraint design for unique microgravity workstations; and refinement of human factors processes and requirements. This presentation will provide an overview of ongoing activities, and will address how the UTAF projects will evolve to meet new space initiatives.

When Distraction Holds Relevance: A Prospective Memory Benefit for Older Adults.

PubMed

Lourenço, Joana S; Maylor, Elizabeth A

2015-06-09

Evidence is accumulating to show that age-related increases in susceptibility to distracting information can benefit older more than young adults in several cognitive tasks. Here we focus on prospective memory (i.e., remembering to carry out future intentions) and examine the effect of presenting distracting information that is intention-related as a function of age. Young and older adults performed an ongoing 1-back working memory task to a rapid stream of pictures superimposed with to-be-ignored letter strings. Participants were additionally instructed to respond to target pictures (namely, animals) and, for half of the participants, some strings prior to the targets were intention-related words (i.e., animals). Results showed that presenting intention-related distracting information during the ongoing task was particularly advantageous for target detection in older compared to young adults. Moreover, a prospective memory benefit was observed even for older adults who showed no explicit memory for the target distracter words. We speculate that intention-related distracter information enhanced the accessibility of the prospective memory task and suggest that when distracting information holds relevance to intentions it can serve a compensatory role in prospective remembering in older adults.

Methods of mapping ethnographic data on migration, tourism labor, and health risk in the Dominican Republic.

PubMed

Livingston, Karina; Padilla, Mark; Scott, Derrick; Colón-Burgos, José Félix; Reyes, Armando Matiz; Varas-Díaz, Nelson

This paper focuses on a mixed-method approach to quantifying qualitative data from the results of an ongoing NIDA-funded ethnographic study entitled "Migration, Tourism, and the HIV/Drug-Use Syndemic in the Dominican Republic". This project represents the first large-scale mixed method study to identify social, structural, environmental, and demographic factors that may contribute to ecologies of health vulnerability within the Caribbean tourism zones. Our research has identified deportation history as a critical factor contributing to vulnerability to HIV, drugs, mental health problems, and other health conditions. Therefore, understanding the movements of our participants became a vital aspect of this research. This paper describes how we went about translating 37 interviews into visual geographic representations. These methods help develop possible strategies for confronting HIV/AIDS and problematic substance use by examining the ways that these epidemics are shaped by the realities of people's labor migration and the spaces they inhabit. Our methods for mapping this qualitative data contribute to the ongoing, broadening capabilities of using GIS in social science research. A key contribution of this work is its integration of different methodologies from various disciplines to help better understand complex social problems.

Methods of mapping ethnographic data on migration, tourism labor, and health risk in the Dominican Republic

PubMed Central

Livingston, Karina; Padilla, Mark; Scott, Derrick; Colón-Burgos, José Félix; Reyes, Armando Matiz; Varas-Díaz, Nelson

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on a mixed-method approach to quantifying qualitative data from the results of an ongoing NIDA-funded ethnographic study entitled “Migration, Tourism, and the HIV/Drug-Use Syndemic in the Dominican Republic”. This project represents the first large-scale mixed method study to identify social, structural, environmental, and demographic factors that may contribute to ecologies of health vulnerability within the Caribbean tourism zones. Our research has identified deportation history as a critical factor contributing to vulnerability to HIV, drugs, mental health problems, and other health conditions. Therefore, understanding the movements of our participants became a vital aspect of this research. This paper describes how we went about translating 37 interviews into visual geographic representations. These methods help develop possible strategies for confronting HIV/AIDS and problematic substance use by examining the ways that these epidemics are shaped by the realities of people’s labor migration and the spaces they inhabit. Our methods for mapping this qualitative data contribute to the ongoing, broadening capabilities of using GIS in social science research. A key contribution of this work is its integration of different methodologies from various disciplines to help better understand complex social problems. PMID:27656039

Ebola Virus Training: A Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis.

PubMed

Yeskey, Kevin; Hughes, Joseph; Galluzzo, Betsy; Jaitly, Nina; Remington, James; Weinstock, Deborah; Lee Pearson, Joy; Rosen, Jonathan D

In response to the 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak, the Worker Training Program embarked on an assessment of existing training for those at risk for exposure to the virus. Searches of the recent peer-reviewed literature were conducted for descriptions of relevant training. Federal guidance issued during 2015 was also reviewed. Four stakeholder meetings were conducted with representatives from health care, academia, private industry, and public health to discuss issues associated with ongoing training. Our results revealed few articles about training that provided sufficient detail to serve as models. Training programs struggled to adjust to frequently updated federal guidance. Stakeholders commented that most healthcare training focused solely on infection control, and there was an absence of employee health-related training for non-healthcare providers. Challenges to ongoing training included funding and organizational complacency. Best practices were noted where management and employees planned training cooperatively and where infection control, employee health, and hospital emergency managers worked together on the development of protective guidance. We conclude that sustainable training for infectious disease outbreaks requires annual funding, full support from organizational management, input from all stakeholders, and integration of infection control, emergency management, and employee health when implementing guidance and training.

The book, the stories, the people: an ongoing dialogic narrative inquiry study combining a practice development project. Part 1: the research context.

PubMed

Grant, A; Biley, F C; Leigh-Phippard, H; Walker, H

2012-11-01

This paper, part one of a two paper report, describes key aspects of the research context of an ongoing practice development project, conducted on two UK sites. The paper begins with a discussion of the project's origins within a community of people working in the recovery paradigm, including the contributory strand of the first author's recovery and survivor writing. The discussion then turns to three inter-related areas within which the research component sits and which provide it with philosophical, theoretical and conceptual coherence. Each area will be unpacked and its significance explained. This will provide a platform for discussing the focus, methodology and methods of the research, and related assumptions governing both data collection and analysis. The paper concludes with a research commitment to a mental health nursing practice allied to recovery as narrative healing. Links are made to the second paper which describes the context and specifics of a Writing for Recovery project for users, survivors and carers. This shares with, and builds on, the overall project's research context and its assumptions. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing.

How Brazil outpaced the United States when it came to AIDS: the politics of civic infiltration, reputation, and strategic internationalization.

PubMed

Gómez, Eduardo J

2011-04-01

Using a temporal approach dividing the reform process into two periods, this article explains how both Brazil and the United States were slow to respond to AIDS. However, Brazil eventually outpaced the United States in its response due to international rather than democratic pressures. Since the early 1990s, Brazil's success has been attributed to "strategic internationalization": the concomitant acceptance and rejection of global pressure for institutional change and antiretroviral treatment, respectively. The formation of tripartite partnerships among donors, AIDS officials, and nongovernmental organizations has allowed Brazil to avoid foreign aid dependency, while generating ongoing incentives for influential AIDS officials to incessantly pressure Congress for additional funding. Given the heightened international media attention, concern about Brazil's reputation has contributed to a high level of political commitment. By contrast, the United States' more isolationist relationship with the international community, its focus on leading the global financing of AIDS efforts, and the absence of tripartite partnerships have prevented political leaders from adequately responding to the ongoing urban AIDS crisis. Thus, Brazil shows that strategically working with the international health community for domestic rather than international influence is vital for a sustained and effective response to AIDS.

Financial Management: Education Faces Challenges in Achieving Financial Management Reform. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarmon, Gloria L.

This report provides a fiscal analysis of the Department of Education's 1999 financial audit results. It focuses on the relationship between the audit findings and the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse, and examines the status of an ongoing study of the Department's grantback account. It describes the ongoing accounting problems that have…

Community, Collective or Movement? Evaluating Theoretical Perspectives on Network Building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spitzer, W.

2015-12-01

Since 2007, the New England Aquarium has led a national effort to increase the capacity of informal science venues to effectively communicate about climate change. We are now leading the NSF-funded National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI), partnering with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, FrameWorks Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and National Aquarium, with evaluation conducted by the New Knowledge Organization, Pennsylvania State University, and Ohio State University. NNOCCI enables teams of informal science interpreters across the country to serve as "communication strategists" - beyond merely conveying information they can influence public perceptions, given their high level of commitment, knowledge, public trust, social networks, and visitor contact. We provide in-depth training as well as an alumni network for ongoing learning, implementation support, leadership development, and coalition building. Our goals are to achieve a systemic national impact, embed our work within multiple ongoing regional and national climate change education networks, and leave an enduring legacy. What is the most useful theoretical model for conceptualizing the work of the NNOCCI community? This presentation will examine the pros and cons of three perspectives -- community of practice, collective impact, and social movements. The community of practice approach emphasizes use of common tools, support for practice, social learning, and organic development of leadership. A collective impact model focuses on defining common outcomes, aligning activities toward a common goal, structured collaboration. A social movement emphasizes building group identity and creating a sense of group efficacy. This presentation will address how these models compare in terms of their utility in program planning and evaluation, their fit with the unique characteristics of the NNOCCI community, and their relevance to our program goals.

Have restricted working hours reduced junior doctors' experience of fatigue? A focus group and telephone interview study.

PubMed

Morrow, Gill; Burford, Bryan; Carter, Madeline; Illing, Jan

2014-03-06

To explore the effects of the UK Working Time Regulations (WTR) on trainee doctors' experience of fatigue. Qualitative study involving focus groups and telephone interviews, conducted in Spring 2012 with doctors purposively selected from Foundation and specialty training. Final compliance with a 48 h/week limit had been required for trainee doctors since August 2009. Framework analysis of data. 9 deaneries in all four UK nations; secondary care. 82 doctors: 53 Foundation trainees and 29 specialty trainees. 36 participants were male and 46 female. Specialty trainees were from a wide range of medical and surgical specialties, and psychiatry. Implementation of the WTR, while acknowledged as an improvement to the earlier situation of prolonged excessive hours, has not wholly overcome experience of long working hours and fatigue. Fatigue did not only arise from the hours that were scheduled, but also from an unpredictable mixture of shifts, work intensity (which often resulted in educational tasks being taken home) and inadequate rest. Fatigue was also caused by trainees working beyond their scheduled hours, for reasons such as task completion, accessing additional educational opportunities beyond scheduled hours and staffing shortages. There were also organisational, professional and cultural drivers, such as a sense of responsibility to patients and colleagues and the expectations of seniors. Fatigue was perceived to affect efficiency of skills and judgement, mood and learning capacity. Long-term risks of continued stress and fatigue, for doctors and for the effective delivery of a healthcare service, should not be ignored. Current monitoring processes do not reflect doctors' true working patterns. The effectiveness of the WTR cannot be considered in isolation from the culture and context of the workplace. On-going attention needs to be paid to broader cultural issues, including the relationship between trainees and seniors.

Optimal healthcare delivery to care homes in the UK: a realist evaluation of what supports effective working to improve healthcare outcomes.

PubMed

Gordon, Adam L; Goodman, Claire; Davies, Sue L; Dening, Tom; Gage, Heather; Meyer, Julienne; Schneider, Justine; Bell, Brian; Jordan, Jake; Martin, Finbarr C; Iliffe, Steve; Bowman, Clive; Gladman, John R F; Victor, Christina; Mayrhofer, Andrea; Handley, Melanie; Zubair, Maria

2018-01-05

care home residents have high healthcare needs not fully met by prevailing healthcare models. This study explored how healthcare configuration influences resource use. a realist evaluation using qualitative and quantitative data from case studies of three UK health and social care economies selected for differing patterns of healthcare delivery to care homes. Four homes per area (12 in total) were recruited. A total of 239 residents were followed for 12 months to record resource-use. Overall, 181 participants completed 116 interviews and 13 focus groups including residents, relatives, care home staff, community nurses, allied health professionals and General Practitioners. context-mechanism-outcome configurations were identified explaining what supported effective working between healthcare services and care home staff: (i) investment in care home-specific work that legitimises and values work with care homes; (ii) relational working which over time builds trust between practitioners; (iii) care which 'wraps around' care homes; and (iv) access to specialist care for older people with dementia. Resource use was similar between sites despite differing approaches to healthcare. There was greater utilisation of GP resource where this was specifically commissioned but no difference in costs between sites. activities generating opportunities and an interest in healthcare and care home staff working together are integral to optimal healthcare provision in care homes. Outcomes are likely to be better where: focus and activities legitimise ongoing contact between healthcare staff and care homes at an institutional level; link with a wider system of healthcare; and provide access to dementia-specific expertise. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.

High-Resolution Topomapping of Mars: Life After MER Site Selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirk, R. L.; Howington-Kraus, E.; Hare, T. M.; Soricone, R.; Ross, K.; Weller, L.; Rosiek, M.; Redding, B.; Galuszka, D.; Haldemann, A. F. C.

2004-01-01

In this abstract we describe our ongoing use of high-resolution images from the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera Narrow-Angle subsystem (MGS MOC-NA) to derive quantitative topographic and slope data for the martian surface at 3 - 10-m resolution. Our efforts over the past several years focused on assessment of candidate landing sites for the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) and culminated in the selection of sites in Gusev crater and Meridiani Planum as safe as well as scientifically compelling. As of this writing, MER-A (Spirit) has landed safely in Gusev and we are performing a limited amount of additional mapping near the landing point to support localization of the lander and rover operations planning. The primary focus of our work, however, has been extending our techniques to sample a variety of geologic terrains planetwide to support both a variety of geoscientific studies and planning and data analysis for missions such as Mars Express, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and Phoenix.

Assessment of the U.S. Department of Defense Efforts to Develop an Effective Medical Logistics System within the Afghan National Security Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-14

aggressively to strengthen measures aimed at ensuring a successful ANSF transition. Ongoing actions include: • Working with CURE International and the ANSF...sustainability include the following ongoing actions: • Working with CURE International and the MoD and MoI to complete, promulgate and implement Standards of Care...approximately June-August 2011. In addition, NTM-A/CSTC-A previously awarded an approximately $1.57M contract with the NGO CURE International to

Detecting event-based prospective memory cues occurring within and outside the focus of attention.

PubMed

Hicks, Jason L; Cook, Gabriel I; Marsh, Richard L

2005-01-01

Event-based prospective memory cues are environmental stimuli that are associated with a previously established intention to perform an activity. Such cues traditionally have been placed in materials that receive focal attention during an ongoing activity. This article reports a direct comparison of event-based cues that occurred either within the focus of attention or at the periphery of such attention. When the cue occurred outside focal attention, manipulating that cue changed event-based prospective memory. The identical manipulation had no effect on event-based responding if the cue occurred within focal attention. These results suggest that cue characteristics can compensate for attention being directed away from an aspect of an ongoing task that contains event-based prospective memory.

Lead optimization of 3-carboxyl-4(1H)-quinolones to deliver orally bioavailable antimalarials.

PubMed

Zhang, Yiqun; Clark, Julie A; Connelly, Michele C; Zhu, Fangyi; Min, Jaeki; Guiguemde, W Armand; Pradhan, Anupam; Iyer, Lalitha; Furimsky, Anna; Gow, Jason; Parman, Toufan; El Mazouni, Farah; Phillips, Margaret A; Kyle, Dennis E; Mirsalis, Jon; Guy, R Kiplin

2012-05-10

Malaria is a protozoal parasitic disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas and causes more than 800,000 deaths per year. The continuing emergence of multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum drives the ongoing need for the development of new and effective antimalarial drugs. Our previous work has explored the preliminary structural optimization of 4(1H)-quinolone ester derivatives, a new series of antimalarials related to the endochins. Herein, we report the lead optimization of 4(1H)-quinolones with a focus on improving both antimalarial potency and bioavailability. These studies led to the development of orally efficacious antimalarials including quinolone analogue 20g, a promising candidate for further optimization.

Towards extracting the timelike pion form factor on CLS twoflavour ensembles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erben, Felix; Green, Jeremy; Mohler, Daniel; Wittig, Hartmut

2018-03-01

Results are presented from an ongoing study of the ρ resonance. The focus is on CLS 2-flavour ensembles generated using O(a) improved Wilson fermions with pion masses ranging from 265 to 437 MeV. The energy levels are extracted by solving the GEVP of correlator matrices, created with the distillation approach involving ρ and ππ interpolators. The study is done in the centre-of-mass frame and several moving frames. One aim of this work is to extract the timelike pion form factor after applying the Lüscher formalism. We therefore plan to integrate this study with the existing Mainz programme for the calculation of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the muon g - 2.

Lead Optimization of 3-Carboxyl-4(1H)-Quinolones to Deliver Orally Bioavailable Antimalarials

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yiqun; Clark, Julie A; Connelly, Michele C.; Zhu, Fangyi; Min, Jaeki; Guiguemde, W. Armand; Pradhan, Anupam; Iyer, Lalitha; Furimsky, Anna; Gow, Jason; Parman, Toufan; El Mazouni, Farah; Phillips, Margaret A.; Kyle, Dennis E.; Mirsalis, Jon; Guy, R. Kiplin

2012-01-01

Malaria is a protozoal parasitic disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas and causes more than 800,000 deaths per year. The continuing emergence of multi-drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum drives the ongoing need for the development of new and effective antimalarial drugs. Our previous work has explored the preliminary structural optimization of 4(1H)-quinolone ester derivatives, a new series of antimalarials related to the endochins. Herein, we report the lead optimization of 4(1H)-quinolones with a focus on improving both antimalarial potency and bioavailability. These studies led to the development of orally efficacious antimalarials including quinolone analogue 20g, a promising candidate for further optimization. PMID:22435599

Protein crystallization studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyne, James Evans

1996-01-01

The Structural Biology laboratory at NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center uses x-ray crystallographic techniques to conduct research into the three-dimensional structure of a wide variety of proteins. A major effort in the laboratory involves an ongoing study of human serum albumin (the principal protein in human plasma) and its interaction with various endogenous substances and pharmaceutical agents. Another focus is on antigenic and functional proteins from several pathogenic organisms including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the widespread parasitic genus, Schistosoma. My efforts this summer have been twofold: first, to identify clinically significant drug interactions involving albumin binding displacement and to initiate studies of the three-dimensional structure of albumin complexed with these agents, and secondly, to establish collaborative efforts to extend the lab's work on human pathogens.

FY01 Phytoremediation of Chlorinated Ethenes in Southern Sector Seepline Sediments of SRS

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

Brigmon, R.L.

This treatability study is now in the second year of deployment for the Southern Sector Phytoremediation Project. Phytoremediation is the use of vegetation and associated media to treat contaminated soils, sediments, and groundwater. Phytoremediation is a rapidly developing technology that promises effective and safe cleanup of certain hazardous wastes. This ongoing work addresses the fate of volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) in an experiment that simulates a vegetated seepline supplied with trichloroethylene- (TCE-) and perchloroethylene- (PCE-) contaminated groundwater. The primary objective is to determine how the trees and sediments uptake groundwater TCE and PCE, biodegrade it, and/or transform it. The experimentalmore » focus of this project is the biological removal of VOCs from seepline groundwater and sediments.« less

Conflicts at work--the relationship with workplace factors, work characteristics and self-rated health.

PubMed

Oxenstierna, Gabriel; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Widmark, Maria; Finnholm, Kristina; Stenfors, Cecilia; Elofsson, Stig; Theorell, Töres

2011-01-01

Few studies have considered the work environment in relation to workplace conflicts and those who have been published have included relatively few psychosocial work environment factors. Little research has been published on the consequences of workplace conflicts in terms of employee health. In this study, the statistical relationships between work and workplace characteristics on one hand and conflicts on the other hand are examined. In addition, the relationship between conflicts at work and self-rated health are described. The study population was derived from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) 2006; n=5,141. Among employees at workplaces with more than 20 employees (n=3,341), 1,126 (33.7%) responded that they had been involved in some type of conflict during the two years preceding the survey. Among the work and workplace characteristics studied, the following factors were independently associated with increased likelihood of ongoing conflicts: Conflicting demands, emotional demands, risk of transfer or dismissal, poor promotion prospects, high level of employee influence and good freedom of expression. Factors that decreased the likelihood of ongoing conflicts were: Good resources, good relations with management, good confidence in management, good procedural justice (fairness of decisions) and good social support. After adjustment for socioeconomic conditions the odds ratio for low self-rated health associated with ongoing conflict at work was 2.09 (1.60-2.74). The results provide a good starting point for intervention and prevention work.

Keep your mind off negative things: coping with long-term effects of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

PubMed

Ghodraty-Jabloo, Vida; Alibhai, Shabbir M H; Breunis, Henriette; Puts, Martine T E

2016-05-01

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by sudden onset, intensive treatment, a poor prognosis, and significant relapse risk. Quality of life (QOL) and well-being among AML survivors have been extensively studied during the 6 months of active treatment. However, it is not clear what survivors experience after active treatment. The purpose of our study was to explore how AML survivors describe their longer-term physical and psychosocial well-being and how they cope with these challenges. We conducted a prospective qualitative study and interviewed 19 adult participants (11 had completed treatment, 8 were receiving maintenance chemotherapy). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The grounded theory approach was used for data analysis. A marked improvement in physical health was reported; however, psychosocial well-being was compromised by enduring emotional distress. A range of emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies were reported. Keeping one's mind off negative things through engaging in formal work or informal activities and seeking control were the two most commonly used coping strategies. Seeking social support for reassurance was also common. Problem-focused strategies were frequently described by the ongoing treatment group to manage treatment side effects. Although physical symptoms improved after completion of treatment, psychosocial distress persisted over longer period of time. In addition, essential needs of AML survivors shifted across survivorship as psychological burden gradually displaced physical concerns. The integral role of coping mechanisms in the adaptation process suggests a need for effective and ongoing psychological interventions.

Benefits of the NADE Certification Process: Self-Knowledge, Informed Choices & Programmatic Strength

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greci, Dana

2016-01-01

Research shows that systematic, ongoing program evaluation is needed to adequately assess the effectiveness of developmental programs. Ongoing evaluation provides both (1) validation of programs to educational institutions and legislators; and (2) impetus for program improvement. The author of this article works in the Developmental Education…

Stimulus-specific variability in color working memory with delayed estimation.

PubMed

Bae, Gi-Yeul; Olkkonen, Maria; Allred, Sarah R; Wilson, Colin; Flombaum, Jonathan I

2014-04-08

Working memory for color has been the central focus in an ongoing debate concerning the structure and limits of visual working memory. Within this area, the delayed estimation task has played a key role. An implicit assumption in color working memory research generally, and delayed estimation in particular, is that the fidelity of memory does not depend on color value (and, relatedly, that experimental colors have been sampled homogeneously with respect to discriminability). This assumption is reflected in the common practice of collapsing across trials with different target colors when estimating memory precision and other model parameters. Here we investigated whether or not this assumption is secure. To do so, we conducted delayed estimation experiments following standard practice with a memory load of one. We discovered that different target colors evoked response distributions that differed widely in dispersion and that these stimulus-specific response properties were correlated across observers. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that stimulus-specific responses persist under higher memory loads and that at least part of the specificity arises in perception and is eventually propagated to working memory. Posthoc stimulus measurement revealed that rendered stimuli differed from nominal stimuli in both chromaticity and luminance. We discuss the implications of these deviations for both our results and those from other working memory studies.

The representations of work-life balance in Canadian newspapers.

PubMed

Reece, Katherine T; Davis, Jane A; Polatajko, Helene J

2009-01-01

Work-life balance has become a topic of increasing interest in the media as well as a concern among working Canadians. Since print media discourse can both reflect and shape societal values, cultural norms and ideals of workers in this country, it is important to understand this representation and its potential influence on the occupational engagement and life transitions of Canadian workers. Articles from four major Canadian newspapers published between 2003 and 2005 were used as data sources to examine the media construction of "work-life balance". Thematic analysis of 100 articles was performed using a modified affinity diagramming process. Representations within the Canadian print media conveyed both themes pertaining to the perceived experiences of imbalance and balance, as well as, a process of life balance. Obtaining balance was portrayed as an ongoing process during which an individual negotiates and sacrifices in an attempt to achieve his or her ideal level of balance. Environmental expectations and individual practices and perceptions were conveyed as reasons for the success or derailment of balance. The representations of work-life balance found in the Canadian print media were predominantly of professionals, focused on the demands of work and family, and did not appear to be a broad representation of the multiple realities that all Canadians face.

The Use of the Data-to-Action Framework in the Evaluation of CDC's DELTA FOCUS Program.

PubMed

Armstead, Theresa L; Kearns, Megan; Rambo, Kirsten; Estefan, Lianne Fuino; Dills, Jenny; Rivera, Moira S; El-Beshti, Rasha

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances, Focusing on Outcomes for Communities United with States (DELTA FOCUS) program is a 5-year cooperative agreement (2013-2018) funding 10 state domestic violence coalitions and local coordinated community response teams to engage in primary prevention of intimate partner violence. Grantees' prevention strategies were often developmental and emergent; therefore, CDC's approach to program oversight, administration, and support to grantees required a flexible approach. CDC staff adopted a Data-to-Action Framework for the DELTA FOCUS program evaluation that supported a culture of learning to meet dynamic and unexpected information needs. Briefly, a Data-to-Action Framework involves the collection and use of information in real time for program improvement. Utilizing this framework, the DELTA FOCUS data-to-action process yielded important insights into CDC's ongoing technical assistance, improved program accountability by providing useful materials, and information for internal agency leadership, and helped build a learning community among grantees. CDC and other funders, as decision makers, can promote program improvements that are data-informed by incorporating internal processes supportive of ongoing data collection and review.

Measuring Family System Characteristics in Families Caring for Dementia Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niederehe, George; And Others

This paper describes an ongoing study evaluating families that provide in-home care to elderly relatives wth dementia. Characteristics of the study, which include a focus on progressive senile dementia, use of a clinical approach, longitudinal design, descriptive nature, focus on the dyad of patient and primary caregiver, and use of videotaping…

The AAS Working Group on Accessibility and Disability (WGAD): Year 1 Highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aarnio, Alicia; Monkiewicz, Jacqueline; Murphy, Nicholas Arnold; Nordhaus, Jason; Tuttle, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

The AAS Working Group on Accessibility and Disability (WGAD) was formed in January of 2016 with the express purpose of seeking equity of opportunity and building inclusive practices for disabled astronomers at all career stages. In our first year, the WGAD has been actively developing resources and the online infrastructure for the dissemination of information and engagement with the astronomy community. Our official WGAD website has gone live, and we have used both the access: astronomy google group and blog to discuss specific issues of disability justice and to raise awareness for less-discussed barriers to access. The WGAD has developed relationships and collaboration with AAS inclusion committees (SGMA, CSMA, CSWA) so our work can recognize and address the intersections of identity astronomers occupy. In this presentation, we summarize our year one activities, focusing on our recently developed set of recommendations for journal accessibility to ensure everyone can engage with journal content and navigate the submission process. We will also discuss ongoing and future endeavors: a best practices guide for accessibility to be available via our website, and a site visit program.

Different for girls? Feminism, health information and librarianship.

PubMed

Ilett, Rosie

2002-03-01

This paper focuses on the provision and organization of health information materials in women's health centres in UK and Ireland in the late 20th century Such centres sprung from the work of feminist activists and health workers from the late 1960s onwards, promoting health information and other interventions to counteract women's devalued status within society, and the stereotypes perpetuated by health care and other systems. Centres that developed were (and still are) typically within the voluntary sector, have a strong feminist perspective and are run by lay workers. This paper will draw on research into information provision in these centres, its scope, organization and who provides it. It will argue that this work is of interest to mainstream librarianship, but there are minimal linkages as feminist thinking within librarianship has been unable overall to make common cause with the work of these, and other such agencies, which has inhibited potential developments of mutual benefit. This paper draws on ongoing research into feminism and librarianship, and findings that have been presented in a number of settings.

Using Action Research to prevent work-related illness among rubber farmers in Northeastern Thailand.

PubMed

Sena, Wijitra; Nilvarangkul, Kessarawan; Saranrittichai, Kesinee; Smith, John F; Phajan, Teerasak; Seetangkham, Sansanee

2018-06-10

This research aimed to enhance self-care among rubber farmers for preventing work-related illness. The project used Action Research's four phase iterative process: fact-finding to understand the problems, action planning, action plan implementation, and evaluation and reflection on action plan impacts. Sixty-six participants (46 rubber farmers and 20 community stakeholders) were purposively recruited from two villages in the top 10 rubber producing provinces in Northeastern Thailand. Demographic and work-related illness data were collected in face-to-face structured interviews, Focus group interviews and participant observations were used to collect data in each project phase. Night group meetings were held throughout the research phases. The intervention included training workshops and establishing a community health education team for ongoing farmer support. Results showed improved farmer self-care behaviors and establishment of a community health education team to encourage farmers to care for themselves properly. Community nurses, other health personnel, and the Thai government can build on initiatives like this to strengthen occupational health and safety practices and services policy for rubber farmers. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Acting to gain information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenchein, Stanley J.; Burns, J. Brian; Chapman, David; Kaelbling, Leslie P.; Kahn, Philip; Nishihara, H. Keith; Turk, Matthew

1993-01-01

This report is concerned with agents that act to gain information. In previous work, we developed agent models combining qualitative modeling with real-time control. That work, however, focused primarily on actions that affect physical states of the environment. The current study extends that work by explicitly considering problems of active information-gathering and by exploring specialized aspects of information-gathering in computational perception, learning, and language. In our theoretical investigations, we analyzed agents into their perceptual and action components and identified these with elements of a state-machine model of control. The mathematical properties of each was developed in isolation and interactions were then studied. We considered the complexity dimension and the uncertainty dimension and related these to intelligent-agent design issues. We also explored active information gathering in visual processing. Working within the active vision paradigm, we developed a concept of 'minimal meaningful measurements' suitable for demand-driven vision. We then developed and tested an architecture for ongoing recognition and interpretation of visual information. In the area of information gathering through learning, we explored techniques for coping with combinatorial complexity. We also explored information gathering through explicit linguistic action by considering the nature of conversational rules, coordination, and situated communication behavior.

Chain of care development in Sweden: results of a national study

PubMed Central

Åhgren, Bengt

2003-01-01

Abstract Chains of Care are today an important counterbalance to the ever-increasing fragmentation of Swedish health care, and the ongoing development work has high priority. Improved quality of care is the most important reason for developing Chains of Care. Despite support in the form of goals and activity plans, seven out of ten county councils are uncertain whether they have been quite successful in the development work. Strong departmentalisation of responsibilities between different medical professions and departments, types of responsibilities and power still remaining in the vertical organisation structure, together with limited participation from the local authorities, are some of the most commonly mentioned reasons for the lack of success. Even though there is hesitation regarding the development work up to today, all county councils will continue developing Chains of Care. The main reason is, as was the case with Chain of Care development up to today, to improve quality of care. Although one of the main purposes is to make health care more patient-focused, patients in general seem to have limited impact on the development work. Therefore, the challenge is to design Chains of Care, which regards patients as partners instead of objects. PMID:16896423

Advantages of mixing bioinformatics and visualization approaches for analyzing sRNA-mediated regulatory bacterial networks

PubMed Central

Bourqui, Romain; Benchimol, William; Gaspin, Christine; Sirand-Pugnet, Pascal; Uricaru, Raluca; Dutour, Isabelle

2015-01-01

The revolution in high-throughput sequencing technologies has enabled the acquisition of gigabytes of RNA sequences in many different conditions and has highlighted an unexpected number of small RNAs (sRNAs) in bacteria. Ongoing exploitation of these data enables numerous applications for investigating bacterial transacting sRNA-mediated regulation networks. Focusing on sRNAs that regulate mRNA translation in trans, recent works have noted several sRNA-based regulatory pathways that are essential for key cellular processes. Although the number of known bacterial sRNAs is increasing, the experimental validation of their interactions with mRNA targets remains challenging and involves expensive and time-consuming experimental strategies. Hence, bioinformatics is crucial for selecting and prioritizing candidates before designing any experimental work. However, current software for target prediction produces a prohibitive number of candidates because of the lack of biological knowledge regarding the rules governing sRNA–mRNA interactions. Therefore, there is a real need to develop new approaches to help biologists focus on the most promising predicted sRNA–mRNA interactions. In this perspective, this review aims at presenting the advantages of mixing bioinformatics and visualization approaches for analyzing predicted sRNA-mediated regulatory bacterial networks. PMID:25477348

Advantages of mixing bioinformatics and visualization approaches for analyzing sRNA-mediated regulatory bacterial networks.

PubMed

Thébault, Patricia; Bourqui, Romain; Benchimol, William; Gaspin, Christine; Sirand-Pugnet, Pascal; Uricaru, Raluca; Dutour, Isabelle

2015-09-01

The revolution in high-throughput sequencing technologies has enabled the acquisition of gigabytes of RNA sequences in many different conditions and has highlighted an unexpected number of small RNAs (sRNAs) in bacteria. Ongoing exploitation of these data enables numerous applications for investigating bacterial transacting sRNA-mediated regulation networks. Focusing on sRNAs that regulate mRNA translation in trans, recent works have noted several sRNA-based regulatory pathways that are essential for key cellular processes. Although the number of known bacterial sRNAs is increasing, the experimental validation of their interactions with mRNA targets remains challenging and involves expensive and time-consuming experimental strategies. Hence, bioinformatics is crucial for selecting and prioritizing candidates before designing any experimental work. However, current software for target prediction produces a prohibitive number of candidates because of the lack of biological knowledge regarding the rules governing sRNA-mRNA interactions. Therefore, there is a real need to develop new approaches to help biologists focus on the most promising predicted sRNA-mRNA interactions. In this perspective, this review aims at presenting the advantages of mixing bioinformatics and visualization approaches for analyzing predicted sRNA-mediated regulatory bacterial networks. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

"You've gotta know the community": minority women make recommendations about community-focused health research.

PubMed

Pinto, Rogério M; McKay, Mary M; Escobar, Celeste

2008-01-01

To determine what ethnic and racial minority women recommend as the best approaches to participatory health research in their communities. To achieve this goal, this study focused on HIV prevention research. In 2003, Seven African American and seven Latina women (ages 33 to 52), all members of an HIV Prevention Collaborative Board, participated in individual interviews, lasting about 90 minutes each. Participants discussed their involvement in participatory research, and made recommendations as to how health researchers might better engage their communities. Data were coded independently by two coders following standard procedure for content analysis. Women's voices and expertise can help guide health-related research. This study shows that: (1) participatory HIV prevention research should be founded on trust and commitment, leading to social support; (2) research partners ought to come from diverse backgrounds and be knowledgeable about the community and willing to work on common objectives; and (3) collaborative partnerships ought to portray an image of strength and cohesion, and a clear articulation of the mission around a research project. To develop meaningful health research, researchers need to establish long-term ongoing relationships with community collaborators, including minority women from diverse backgrounds. Researchers ought to take a holistic approach working with communities, and ought to consider their research interests vis-a-vis the community's needs.

How Early Hormones Shape Gender Development

PubMed Central

Berenbaum, Sheri A.; Beltz, Adriene M.

2015-01-01

Many important psychological characteristics show sex differences, and are influenced by sex hormones at different developmental periods. We focus on the role of sex hormones in early development, particularly the differential effects of prenatal androgens on aspects of gender development. Increasing evidence confirms that prenatal androgens have facilitative effects on male-typed activity interests and engagement (including child toy preferences and adult careers), and spatial abilities, but relatively minimal effects on gender identity. Recent emphasis has been directed to the psychological mechanisms underlying these effects (including sex differences in propulsive movement, and androgen effects on interest in people versus things), and neural substrates of androgen effects (including regional brain volumes, and neural responses to mental rotation, sexually arousing stimuli, emotion, and reward). Ongoing and planned work is focused on understanding the ways in which hormones act jointly with the social environment across time to produce varying trajectories of gender development, and clarifying mechanisms by which androgens affect behaviors. Such work will be facilitated by applying lessons from other species, and by expanding methodology. Understanding hormonal influences on gender development enhances knowledge of psychological development generally, and has important implications for basic and applied questions, including sex differences in psychopathology, women’s underrepresentation in science and math, and clinical care of individuals with variations in gender expression. PMID:26688827

The Lancet Countdown: tracking progress on health and climate change.

PubMed

Watts, Nick; Adger, W Neil; Ayeb-Karlsson, Sonja; Bai, Yuqi; Byass, Peter; Campbell-Lendrum, Diarmid; Colbourn, Tim; Cox, Peter; Davies, Michael; Depledge, Michael; Depoux, Anneliese; Dominguez-Salas, Paula; Drummond, Paul; Ekins, Paul; Flahault, Antoine; Grace, Delia; Graham, Hilary; Haines, Andy; Hamilton, Ian; Johnson, Anne; Kelman, Ilan; Kovats, Sari; Liang, Lu; Lott, Melissa; Lowe, Robert; Luo, Yong; Mace, Georgina; Maslin, Mark; Morrissey, Karyn; Murray, Kris; Neville, Tara; Nilsson, Maria; Oreszczyn, Tadj; Parthemore, Christine; Pencheon, David; Robinson, Elizabeth; Schütte, Stefanie; Shumake-Guillemot, Joy; Vineis, Paolo; Wilkinson, Paul; Wheeler, Nicola; Xu, Bing; Yang, Jun; Yin, Yongyuan; Yu, Chaoqing; Gong, Peng; Montgomery, Hugh; Costello, Anthony

2017-03-18

The Lancet Countdown: tracking progress on health and climate change is an international, multidisciplinary research collaboration between academic institutions and practitioners across the world. It follows on from the work of the 2015 Lancet Commission, which concluded that the response to climate change could be "the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century". The Lancet Countdown aims to track the health impacts of climate hazards; health resilience and adaptation; health co-benefits of climate change mitigation; economics and finance; and political and broader engagement. These focus areas form the five thematic working groups of the Lancet Countdown and represent different aspects of the complex association between health and climate change. These thematic groups will provide indicators for a global overview of health and climate change; national case studies highlighting countries leading the way or going against the trend; and engagement with a range of stakeholders. The Lancet Countdown ultimately aims to report annually on a series of indicators across these five working groups. This paper outlines the potential indicators and indicator domains to be tracked by the collaboration, with suggestions on the methodologies and datasets available to achieve this end. The proposed indicator domains require further refinement, and mark the beginning of an ongoing consultation process-from November, 2016 to early 2017-to develop these domains, identify key areas not currently covered, and change indicators where necessary. This collaboration will actively seek to engage with existing monitoring processes, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and WHO's climate and health country profiles. The indicators will also evolve over time through ongoing collaboration with experts and a range of stakeholders, and be dependent on the emergence of new evidence and knowledge. During the course of its work, the Lancet Countdown will adopt a collaborative and iterative process, which aims to complement existing initiatives, welcome engagement with new partners, and be open to developing new research projects on health and climate change. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulations of the hard X-ray pulse intensity distribution at the Linac Coherent Light Source

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

Pardini, Tom; Aquila, Andrew; Boutet, Sebastien

Numerical simulations of the current and future pulse intensity distributions at selected locations along the Far Experimental Hall, the hard X-ray section of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), are provided. Estimates are given for the pulse fluence, energy and size in and out of focus, taking into account effects due to the experimentally measured divergence of the X-ray beam, and measured figure errors of all X-ray optics in the beam path. Out-of-focus results are validated by comparison with experimental data. Previous work is expanded on, providing quantitatively correct predictions of the pulse intensity distribution. Numerical estimates in focus aremore » particularly important given that the latter cannot be measured with direct imaging techniques due to detector damage. Finally, novel numerical estimates of improvements to the pulse intensity distribution expected as part of the on-going upgrade of the LCLS X-ray transport system are provided. As a result, we suggest how the new generation of X-ray optics to be installed would outperform the old one, satisfying the tight requirements imposed by X-ray free-electron laser facilities.« less

Numerical simulations of the hard X-ray pulse intensity distribution at the Linac Coherent Light Source

DOE PAGES

Pardini, Tom; Aquila, Andrew; Boutet, Sebastien; ...

2017-06-15

Numerical simulations of the current and future pulse intensity distributions at selected locations along the Far Experimental Hall, the hard X-ray section of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), are provided. Estimates are given for the pulse fluence, energy and size in and out of focus, taking into account effects due to the experimentally measured divergence of the X-ray beam, and measured figure errors of all X-ray optics in the beam path. Out-of-focus results are validated by comparison with experimental data. Previous work is expanded on, providing quantitatively correct predictions of the pulse intensity distribution. Numerical estimates in focus aremore » particularly important given that the latter cannot be measured with direct imaging techniques due to detector damage. Finally, novel numerical estimates of improvements to the pulse intensity distribution expected as part of the on-going upgrade of the LCLS X-ray transport system are provided. As a result, we suggest how the new generation of X-ray optics to be installed would outperform the old one, satisfying the tight requirements imposed by X-ray free-electron laser facilities.« less

Staff Factors Contributing to Family Satisfaction with Long-Term Dementia Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Law, Katharine; Patterson, Tom G; Muers, Jane

2017-01-01

The aim of the present review was to critically evaluate empirical evidence regarding staff factors that contribute to families' satisfaction with ongoing care provision for their relatives with dementia in long-term care. Four databases were systematically searched using search terms informed by the aim of the present systematic review. The resulting 14 relevant articles comprised both qualitative and quantitative studies. The findings highlighted three broad areas relating to staff factors that appeared to contribute to families' satisfaction with care provision: family related factors, relating to staff interaction with families; staffing related factors, focusing on staffing organization and composition; and client related factors, focusing on staff interaction with clients and the quality of care provided. The findings have important implications for care staff and managers working in such settings regarding staffing organization, staff training, recruitment and retention. Future research directions are discussed. Families want consistent, knowledgeable staff that interact well and respond appropriately to the needs of their relative as well as their own needs as family members. Staff training in such settings should therefore focus not only on staff education but also on the importance of establishing effective relationships with both clients and families.

Land use and habitat conditions across the southwestern Wyoming sagebrush steppe: development impacts, management effectiveness and the distribution of invasive plants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manier, Daniel J.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick; Chong, Geneva; Homer, Collin G.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Schell, Spencer

2011-01-01

For the past several years, USGS has taken a multi-faceted approach to investigating the condition and trends in sagebrush steppe ecosystems. This recent effort builds upon decades of work in semi-arid ecosystems providing a specific, applied focus on the cumulative impacts of expanding human activities across these landscapes. Here, we discuss several on-going projects contributing to these efforts: (1) mapping and monitoring the distribution and condition of shrub steppe communities with local detail at a regional scale, (2) assessing the relationships between specific, land-use features (for example, roads, transmission lines, industrial pads) and invasive plants, including their potential (environmentally defined) distribution across the region, and (3) monitoring the effects of habitat treatments on the ecosystem, including wildlife use and invasive plant abundance. This research is focused on the northern sagebrush steppe, primarily in Wyoming, but also extending into Montana, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. The study area includes a range of sagebrush types (including, Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia nova) and other semi-arid shrubland types (for example, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex gardneri), impacted by extensive interface between steppe ecosystems and industrial energy activities resulting in a revealing multiple-variable analysis. We use a combination of remote sensing (AWiFS (1 Any reference to platforms, data sources, equipment, software, patented or trade-marked methods is for information purposes only. It does not represent endorsement of the U.S.D.I., U.S.G.S. or the authors), Landsat and Quickbird platforms), Geographic Information System (GIS) design and data management, and field-based, replicated sampling to generate multiple scales of data representing the distribution of shrub communities for the habitat inventory. Invasive plant sampling focused on the interaction between human infrastructure and weedy plant distributions in southwestern Wyoming, while also capturing spatial variability associated with growing conditions and management across the region. In a separate but linked study, we also sampled native and invasive composition of recent and historic habitat treatments. Here, we summarize findings of this ongoing work, highlighting patterns and relationships between vegetation (native and invasive), land cover, landform, and land-use patterns in the sagebrush steppe.

Communicable Diseases Prioritized According to Their Public Health Relevance, Sweden, 2013

PubMed Central

Dahl, Viktor; Tegnell, Anders; Wallensten, Anders

2015-01-01

To establish strategic priorities for the Public Health Agency of Sweden we prioritized pathogens according to their public health relevance in Sweden in order to guide resource allocation. We then compared the outcome to ongoing surveillance. We used a modified prioritization method developed at the Robert Koch Institute in Germany. In a Delphi process experts scored pathogens according to ten variables. We ranked the pathogens according to the total score and divided them into four priority groups. We then compared the priority groups to self-reported time spent on surveillance by epidemiologists and ongoing programmes for surveillance through mandatory and/or voluntary notifications and for surveillance of typing results. 106 pathogens were scored. The result of the prioritization process was similar to the outcome of the prioritization in Germany. Common pathogens such as calicivirus and Influenza virus as well as blood-borne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B and C virus, gastro-intestinal infections such as Campylobacter and Salmonella and vector-borne pathogens such as Borrelia were all in the highest priority group. 63% of time spent by epidemiologists on surveillance was spent on pathogens in the highest priority group and all pathogens in the highest priority group, except for Borrelia and varicella-zoster virus, were under surveillance through notifications. Ten pathogens in the highest priority group (Borrelia, calicivirus, Campylobacter, Echinococcus multilocularis, hepatitis C virus, HIV, respiratory syncytial virus, SARS- and MERS coronavirus, tick-borne encephalitis virus and varicella-zoster virus) did not have any surveillance of typing results. We will evaluate the possibilities of surveillance for the pathogens in the highest priority group where we currently do not have any ongoing surveillance and evaluate the need of surveillance for the pathogens from the low priority group where there is ongoing surveillance in order to focus our work on the pathogens with the highest relevance. PMID:26397699

Bridging the Gap: Perspectives on Institutional Archiving of Disciplinary Data (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DiLauro, T.

2013-12-01

Many would agree that there is no single road to becoming a data scientist. To date, the paths are as varied as the resulting skill sets. Many of today's data scientists have been plucked from their domains and asked to 'take one for the team' by turning their focus toward data management, rather than deeper research in the domain in which they trained. But this more domain-driven route is not the only approach. While my own early interactions with data were very domain-focused, my more recent work has been more directed toward infrastructure and processes. This submission will share a perspective developed generally from work on research data management based in the library of a research institution and specifically from three key ongoing activities: - Managing an archive of Data Release 7 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey[1]; - Working with the Johns Hopkins University Data Management Services[2] team and institutional researchers to develop and operate an institutional data archive; and - Working with the Data Conservancy[3] to develop generalized infrastructure to support storage, archiving, preservation, curation, and integration of data across multiple domains. This environment and these roles require a slightly different skill set than those for more traditional -- if there is such a thing -- project- or domain-specific data scientists, while simultaneously providing exposure to those same scientists, their needs, and the motivators that drive them. [1] SDSS DR7 - http://www.sdss.org/dr7/ [2] Johns Hopkins University Data Management Services - https://dmp.data.jhu.edu/ [3] Data Conservancy - http://dataconservancy.org/

Digital mapping in extreme and remote environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, Joel; Bauer, Tobias; Sarlus, Zimer; Zainy, Maher; Brethes, Anais

2017-04-01

During the last few years, Luleå University of Technology has performed a series of research projects in remote areas with extreme climatic conditions using digital mapping technologies. The majority of past and ongoing research projects focus on the arctic regions of the Fennoscandian Shield and Greenland but also on the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt in northern Iraq. Currently, we use the Midland Valley application FieldMove on iPad mini devices with ruggedized casings. As all projects have a strong focus on geological field work, harsh climatic conditions are a challenge not only for the geologists but also for the digital mapping hardware. In the arctic regions especially cold temperatures affect battery lifetime and performance of the screens. But also high temperatures are restricting digital mapping. From experience, a typical temperature range where digital mapping, using iPad tablets, is possible lies between -20 and +40 degrees. Furthermore, the remote character of field areas complicates access but also availability of electricity. By a combination of robust solar chargers and ruggedized batteries we are able to work entirely autarkical. Additionally, we are currently installing a drone system that allows us to map outcrops normally inaccessible because of safety reasons or time deficiency. The produced data will subsequently be taken into our Virtual Reality studio for interpretation and processing. There we will be able to work also with high resolution DEM data from Lidar scanning allowing us to interpret structural features such as post-glacial faults in areas that are otherwise only accessible by helicopter. By combining digital field mapping with drone technique and a Virtual Reality studio we are able to work in hardly accessible areas, improve safety during field work and increase efficiency substantially.

Putting The "Yee-Hah!" In Astronomy Outreach: Professional Development Through The ASP "Sky Rangers" Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manning, Jim; Gurton, S.; Hurst, A.

2010-05-01

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is conducting a NASA-funded professional development program to help increase astronomy education and outreach capacity at national parks, nature centers, and other outdoor and environmental centers--venues that still have a dark night sky as a natural resource and a yen to interpret it for their visitors. Through online workshops and on-site workshops at national parks, the ASP staff, working in conjunction with partners from the National Park Service, National Association for Interpretation, and the Association of Science and Technology Centers, provides materials and training focusing on the sky. Participants become part of ASP's "Astronomy from the Ground Up" informational education community of practice, with ongoing options to hone their new skills. The presenter will report on early progress and lessons learned, as well as future plans, as the ASP and its partners work to help wilderness and nature interpreters put a little more "yee-hah!" in their visitor presentations aimed at the sky.

Professional women "rebalancing" in retirement: Time, relationships, and body.

PubMed

Loe, Meika; Johnston, D Kay

2016-01-01

This is an interview-based study focused on how professional baby boomer women negotiate and narrate postretirement lives. This group came of age in the 1960s and represents a socially privileged segment of the baby boomer generation, a cohort that created new gendered pathways in employment. Today, these retired professional women are attempting to make sense of their multilayered complex and changing realities. In their accounts, the most salient themes are shifting identity, embodiment, and relationships. By using what we call a relational lens, we will show how many aspects of postretirement life, for these professional women, are mediated by changing relationships-relationships to time, work identity, friends and family, and body. Through these individual and relational contexts we see how female professional baby boomer retirees grapple with liberation and loss, autonomy and control, ongoing gendered work, and rebalancing in a new chapter of life. Perhaps most importantly, we see how learning about self in this stage of life, and perhaps across the life course, takes place largely in the context of relationships.

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

Stimpson, Shane G.

Activities to incorporate fuel performance capabilities into the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) are receiving increasing attention. The multiphysics emphasis is expanding as the neutronics (MPACT) and thermal-hydraulics (CTF) packages are becoming more mature. Capturing the finer details of fuel phenomena (swelling, densification, relocation, gap closure, etc.) is the natural next step in the VERA Core Simulator (VERA-CS) development process since these phenomena are currently not directly taken into account. While several codes could be used to accomplish this, the BISON fuel performance code being developed by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is the focus of ongoing work inmore » the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL). Built on INL’s MOOSE framework, BISON uses the finite element method for geometric representation and a Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) scheme to solve systems of partial differential equations for various fuel characteristic relationships. There are several modes of operation in BISON, but, for this work, it uses a 2D azimuthally symmetric (R-Z) smeared-pellet model.« less

A Successful Experiment in Collaboration: U.S. Science Agencies Forge Major Joint IPY Outreach Efforts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, S.; Goldman, J.; West, P.

2008-12-01

The International Polar Year (IPY) provided U.S. agencies involved in polar research with a major outreach challenge: how to portray a unified view of the wealth of federal activity through a communications network dominated by agency-focused channels. To meet this challenge, 16 federal agencies joined together in an ongoing interagency working group, lead by the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs, resulting in a series of successful media and public outreach endeavors. These included a unique interagency U.S. IPY web site (www.ipy.gov) that allowed participating agencies to independently upload relevant information every day; a major IPY kickoff event at the National Academies of Science; and a joint NASA/NSF/USGS televised press conference unveiling a new satellite map of Antarctica. Key to these successes was the interagency working group, which facilitated in-depth and sustained interaction between the agencies in coordinating development of outreach strategies both at the agency and federal level.

Building Capacity in Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships Through a Focus on Process and Multiculturalism.

PubMed

Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Bryant, Angela R; Walker, Deborah J; Blumenthal, Connie; Council, Barbara; Courtney, Dana; Adimora, Ada

2015-01-01

In health research, investigators and funders are emphasizing the importance of collaboration between communities and academic institutions to achieve health equity. Although the principles underlying community-academic partnered research have been well-articulated, the processes by which partnerships integrate these principles when working across cultural differences are not as well described. We present how Project GRACE (Growing, Reaching, Advocating for Change and Empowerment) integrated participatory research principles with the process of building individual and partnership capacity. We worked with Vigorous Interventions In Ongoing Natural Settings (VISIONS) Inc., a process consultant and training organization, to develop a capacity building model. We present the conceptual framework and multicultural process of change (MPOC) that was used to build individual and partnership capacity to address health disparities. The process and capacity building model provides a common language, approach, and toolset to understand differences and the dynamics of inequity. These tools can be used by other partnerships in the conduct of research to achieve health equity.

Crossing Boundaries between School and Work during Apprenticeships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akkerman, Sanne F.; Bakker, Arthur

2012-01-01

In vocational education, there is an ongoing discussion about problems occurring in school-work transitions and in relating school and work-based learning processes. Apprenticeships have been identified as valuable learning and working trajectories for making successful transitions and relations between school and work. However, they have been…

Maintenance of Effort: An Evolving Federal-State Policy Approach to Ensuring College Affordability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, F. King; Harnisch, Thomas; Hurley, Daniel; Moran, Robert

2010-01-01

Congress has recently focused on the complex relationship between federal student aid, states' funding appropriations for higher education, and institutional tuition and fee levels. Fueling this focus is the ongoing cost shit in public higher education, from states to students and families, as well as to the federal government via student aid…

Detecting ongoing intimate partner violence in the emergency department using a simple 4-question screen: the OVAT.

PubMed

Ernst, Amy A; Weiss, Steven J; Cham, Elaine; Hall, Louise; Nick, Todd G

2004-06-01

We wanted to prospectively evaluate the use of a brief screening tool for ongoing intimate partner violence (IPV), the OVAT, and to validate this tool against the present Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA). The design was a prospective survey during randomized 4-hour shifts in an urban emergency department setting. The scale consists of four questions developed based on our previous work. The ISA was compared as the gold standard for detection of present (ongoing) IPV. Of 362 eligible patients presenting during 75 randomized 4-hour shifts, 306 (85%) completed the study. The prevalence of ongoing IPV using the OVAT was 31% (95% CI 26% to 36%). For the ISA, the prevalence was 20% (95% CI 16% to 25%). Compared with the ISA, the sensitivity of the OVAT in detecting ongoing IPV was 86%, specificity 83%, negative predictive value 96%, positive predictive value 56%, with an accuracy of 84%. In conclusion, four brief questions can detect ongoing IPV to aid in identifying the victim.

The Coastal Resilience Index: High School Students Planning for Their Community's Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kastler, J. A.; Dorcik, S.; Sempier, T.; Kimbrell, C.

2017-12-01

Communities in Jackson County, Mississippi sustained heavy damages during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and are expected to experience early effects as sea level rise and increasing episodes of nuisance flooding. Many high school students still remember months-long evacuations and other disruptions to home and family in 2005. Others do not remember or moved here recently. None anticipate their communities are likely to face similar challenges in the future, nor do they have a strong understanding that preparing for such an event is a practical, local career choice for a science major. Through a series of classroom and field lessons, students in two coastal communities learned how and why coastal habitats are changing, and how modeling predicts future impacts. During a culminating experience students learn how to use the Coastal Resilience Index developed by Mississippi Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. Working in teams or three to four students, the students addressed one of twelve scenarios based on real experiences observed by Gulf Coast communities during their post-hurricane assessments. Each team explored its topic using internet resources and conversations with family members, then worked together to brainstorm possible approaches to address the situation described in their scenario. They selected one potential solution for their focus and developed it, ultimately producing a poster of the scenario and their idea of its solution. The teams gathered at the University of Southern Mississippi at the end of the term to present their work, science fair style, to a selection of community leaders from the Climate Community of Practice. Posters were judged and best poster presentations were awarded. This talk will focus on the evaluation results. Existing qualitative observations show differences in awareness and self-efficacy to work productively in this field. Community leaders expressed interest in the solutions offered. Ongoing quantitative evaluations will also be introduced. This is one focus of a multi-dimensional Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience sponsored by NOAA's B-WET Program.

Framework for Processing Citizens Science Data for Applications to NASA Earth Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teng, William; Albayrak, Arif

2017-01-01

Citizen science (or crowdsourcing) has drawn much high-level recent and ongoing interest and support. It is poised to be applied, beyond the by-now fairly familiar use of, e.g., Twitter for natural hazards monitoring, to science research, such as augmenting the validation of NASA earth science mission data. This interest and support is seen in the 2014 National Plan for Civil Earth Observations, the 2015 White House forum on citizen science and crowdsourcing, the ongoing Senate Bill 2013 (Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act of 2015), the recent (August 2016) Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) call for public participation in its newly-established Citizen Science Domain Working Group, and NASA's initiation of a new Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program (along with its first citizen science-focused solicitation for proposals). Over the past several years, we have been exploring the feasibility of extracting from the Twitter data stream useful information for application to NASA precipitation research, with both "passive" and "active" participation by the twitterers. The Twitter database, which recently passed its tenth anniversary, is potentially a rich source of real-time and historical global information for science applications. The time-varying set of "precipitation" tweets can be thought of as an organic network of rain gauges, potentially providing a widespread view of precipitation occurrence. The validation of satellite precipitation estimates is challenging, because many regions lack data or access to data, especially outside of the U.S. and in remote and developing areas. Mining the Twitter stream could augment these validation programs and, potentially, help tune existing algorithms. Our ongoing work, though exploratory, has resulted in key components for processing and managing tweets, including the capabilities to filter the Twitter stream in real time, to extract location information, to filter for exact phrases, and to plot tweet distributions. The key step is to process the "precipitation" tweets to be compatible with satellite-retrieved precipitation data. These key components for processing and managing "precipitation" tweets (and additional ones to be developed) are not limited to precipitation, nor are they limited to the Twitter social medium. Indeed, to maximize the value of our work for NASA earth science programs, these components should be generalized and be part of an overall framework for processing citizen science data for science research. In this paper, we outline such a framework.

District nurses' knowledge development in wound management: ongoing learning without organizational support.

PubMed

Friman, Anne; Wahlberg, Anna Carin; Mattiasson, Anne-Cathrine; Ebbeskog, Britt

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to describe district nurses' (DNs') experiences of their knowledge development in wound management when treating patients with different types of wounds at healthcare centers. In primary healthcare, DNs are mainly responsible for wound management. Previous research has focused on DNs' level of expertise regarding wound management, mostly based on quantitative studies. An unanswered question concerns DNs' knowledge development in wound management. The present study therefore intends to broaden understanding and to provide deeper knowledge in regard to the DNs' experiences of their knowledge development when treating patients with wounds. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Subjects were a purposeful sample of 16 DNs from eight healthcare centers in a metropolitan area in Stockholm, Sweden. The study was conducted with qualitative interviews and qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. The content analysis resulted in three categories and 11 sub-categories. The first category, 'ongoing learning by experience,' was based on experiences of learning alongside clinical practice. The second category 'searching for information,' consisted of various channels for obtaining information. The third category, 'lacking organizational support,' consisted of experiences related to the DNs' work organization, which hindered their development in wound care knowledge. The DNs experienced that they were in a constant state of learning and obtained their wound care knowledge to a great extent through practical work, from their colleagues as well as from various companies. A lack of organizational structures and support from staff management made it difficult for DNs to develop their knowledge and skills in wound management, which can lead to inadequate wound management.

Development and pilot testing of an intervention to promote care engagement and adherence among HIV-positive Kenyan MSM.

PubMed

Graham, Susan M; Micheni, Murugi; Kombo, Bernadette; Van Der Elst, Elisabeth M; Mugo, Peter M; Kivaya, Esther; Aunon, Frances; Kutner, Bryan; Sanders, Eduard J; Simoni, Jane M

2015-12-01

In many African settings, MSM are a stigmatized group whose access to and engagement in HIV care may be challenging. Our aim was to design a targeted, culturally appropriate intervention to promote care engagement and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence for MSM in coastal Kenya, and describe intervention safety, feasibility, and acceptability based upon a small pilot study. Based on qualitative work including in-depth interviews with HIV-positive MSM and focus groups with providers, we developed a tailored intervention and conducted a pilot test to refine intervention materials and procedures. The Shikamana intervention combines modified Next-Step Counseling by trained providers, support from a trained peer navigator, and tailored use of SMS messaging, phone calls, and discrete pill carriers. Providers, including counselors and clinicians, work together with peer navigators as a case management team. Forty HIV-positive MSM aged 19-51 participated in intervention development and testing. Six counselors, three clinical officers, and four MSM peers were trained in intervention procedures. Of 10 ART-naïve participants who enrolled in the pilot, eight completed follow-up with no adverse events reported. One participant was lost to follow-up after 2 months and another failed to initiate ART despite ongoing counseling. No adverse events were reported. Staff feedback and exit interviews rated the intervention as feasible and acceptable. This adherence support intervention tailored for Kenyan MSM was well tolerated, feasible, and acceptable in the pilot phase. A randomized controlled trial of a scaled-up programme to estimate intervention efficacy is ongoing.

Development of user applications for earth resources survey data in urban and regional planning in the Puget Sound area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westerlund, F. V.

1975-01-01

User applications of remote sensing in Washington State are described. The first project created a multi-temporal land use/land cover data base for the environs of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, to serve planning and management operations of the Port of Seattle. The second is an on-going effort to develop a capability within the Puget Sound Governmental Conference, a council of governments (COG), to inventory and monitor land use within its four county jurisdiction. Developmental work has focused on refinement of land use/cover classification systems applicable at this regional scale and various levels of detail in relation to program requirements of the agency. Related research, refinement of manual methods, user training and approaches to technology transfer are discussed.

High resolution wind turbine wake measurements with a scanning lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herges, T. G.; Maniaci, D. C.; Naughton, B. T.; Mikkelsen, T.; Sjöholm, M.

2017-05-01

High-resolution lidar wake measurements are part of an ongoing field campaign being conducted at the Scaled Wind Farm Technology facility by Sandia National Laboratories and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory using a customized scanning lidar from the Technical University of Denmark. One of the primary objectives is to collect experimental data to improve the predictive capability of wind plant computational models to represent the response of the turbine wake to varying inflow conditions and turbine operating states. The present work summarizes the experimental setup and illustrates several wake measurement example cases. The cases focus on demonstrating the impact of the atmospheric conditions on the wake shape and position, and exhibit a sample of the data that has been made public through the Department of Energy Atmosphere to Electrons Data Archive and Portal.

KSC-2014-3658

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-29

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Yves Lamothe of the NASA Technical Management Branch of Ground Systems Development and Operations Program speaks with guests at the Tom Joyner Family Reunion about ongoing work to convert the Kennedy Space Center into a 21st century spaceport. The Tom Joyner Family Reunion is designed to present uplifting programs, entertainment and information about growing, diverse communities. An annual event of the nationally-syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, the many exhibits included NASA's participation focusing on encouraging young people to consider studies and careers in STEM -- science, technology, engineering and math. NASA's Education Division promoted the benefits of math and scientific learning along with career opportunities offered by the space agency. The activities took place at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida, during the Labor Day weekend. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

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

Jansen, F.

The use of integrated PET/MRI systems in clinical applications can best benefit from understanding their technological advances and limitations. The currently available clinical PET/MRI systems have their own characteristics. Thorough analyses of existing technical data and evaluation of necessary performance metrics for quality assurances could be conducted to optimize application-specific PET/MRI protocols. This Symposium will focus on technical advances and limitations of clinical PET/MRI systems, and how this exciting imaging modality can be utilized in applications that can benefit from both PET and MRI. Learning Objectives: To understand the technological advances of clinical PET/MRI systems To correctly identify clinical applicationsmore » that can benefit from PET/MRI To understand ongoing work to further improve the current PET/MRI technology Floris Jansen is a GE Healthcare employee.« less

Economic Measures of Pollination Services: Shortcomings and Future Directions.

PubMed

Breeze, Tom D; Gallai, Nicola; Garibaldi, Lucas A; Li, Xui S

2016-12-01

Over the past 20 years, there has been growing interest in the possible economic impacts of pollination service loss and management. Although the literature area has expanded rapidly, there remains ongoing debate about the usefulness of such exercises. Reviewing the methods and findings of the current body of literature, this review highlights three major trends: (i) estimated benefits are heterogeneous, even when using the same method, due to several often-neglected factors. (ii) The current body of literature focuses heavily on the developed world, neglecting the effects on developing countries. (iii) Very few studies are suitable for informing management and policy. The review highlights the need for fully interdisciplinary work that embeds stakeholders and economic impacts into primary ecological research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Frenkel, G.; Paterson, T.S.; Smith, M.E.

The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) has collected and analyzed information on battle management algorithm technology that is relevant to Battle Management/Command, Control and Communications (BM/C3). This Memorandum Report represents a program plan that will provide the BM/C3 Directorate of the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) with administrative and technical insight into algorithm technology. This program plan focuses on current activity in algorithm development and provides information and analysis to the SDIO to be used in formulating budget requirements for FY 1988 and beyond. Based upon analysis of algorithm requirements and ongoing programs, recommendations have been made for research areasmore » that should be pursued, including both the continuation of current work and the initiation of new tasks. This final report includes all relevant material from interim reports as well as new results.« less

Health disparities: a primer for public health social workers.

PubMed

Keefe, Robert H

2010-05-01

In 2001, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published Healthy People 2010, which identified objectives to guide health promotion and to eliminate health disparities. Since 2001, much research has been published documenting racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. Although progress has been made in eliminating the disparities, ongoing work by public health social workers, researchers, and policy analysts is needed. This paper focuses on racial and ethnic health disparities, why they exist, where they can be found, and some of the key health/medical conditions identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to receive attention. Finally, there is a discussion of what policy, professional and community education, and research can to do to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare.

Software Reuse Methods to Improve Technological Infrastructure for e-Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, James J.; Downs, Robert R.; Mattmann, Chris A.

2011-01-01

Social computing has the potential to contribute to scientific research. Ongoing developments in information and communications technology improve capabilities for enabling scientific research, including research fostered by social computing capabilities. The recent emergence of e-Science practices has demonstrated the benefits from improvements in the technological infrastructure, or cyber-infrastructure, that has been developed to support science. Cloud computing is one example of this e-Science trend. Our own work in the area of software reuse offers methods that can be used to improve new technological development, including cloud computing capabilities, to support scientific research practices. In this paper, we focus on software reuse and its potential to contribute to the development and evaluation of information systems and related services designed to support new capabilities for conducting scientific research.

Overview of Intelligent Power Controller Development for the Deep Space Gateway

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Csank, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

Intelligent, or autonomous, control of a spacecraft is an enabling technology that must be developed for deep space human exploration. NASAs current long term human space platform, the International Space Station, which is in Low Earth Orbit, is in almost continuous communication with ground based mission control. This allows near real-time control of all the vehicle core systems, including power, to be controlled by the ground. As focus shifts from Low Earth Orbit, communication time-lag and communication bandwidth limitations beyond geosynchronous orbit does not permit this type of operation. This presentation contains ongoing work at NASA to develop an architecture for autonomous power control and the vehicle manager which monitors, coordinates, and delegates to all the on-board subsystems to enable autonomous control of the complete spacecraft.

The intersections of culture and power in clinician and interpreter relationships: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Becher, Emily H; Wieling, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

Ongoing racial/ethnic health disparities place increasing emphasis on the importance of interpreters in mental health treatment. Yet there is a limited body of research examining how interpreters and clinicians work together in delivering care. This article used an ethno-culturally informed qualitative procedure to ask interpreters and clinicians about their experiences in cross-language mental health treatment. Seventeen semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 interpreters and 7 clinicians. The interplay of power was experienced differently by interpreters and clinicians as exemplified by 3 categories of meaning: Interpreters speaking out, The relationship matters, and Who has the power? The authors recommend future research focus on the clinician-interpreter relationship as an essential piece of cross-cultural mental health delivery. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Implementing AORN recommended practices for environmental cleaning.

PubMed

Allen, George

2014-05-01

In recent years, researchers have developed an increasing awareness of the role of the environment in the development of health care-associated infections. AORN's "Recommended practices for environmental cleaning" is an evidence-based document that provides specific guidance for cleaning processes, for the selection of appropriate cleaning equipment and supplies, and for ongoing education and quality improvement. This updated recommended practices document has an expanded focus on the need for health care personnel to work collaboratively to accomplish adequately thorough cleanliness in a culture of safety and mutual support. Perioperative nurses, as the primary advocates for patients while they are being cared for in the perioperative setting, should help ensure that a safe, clean environment is reestablished after each surgical procedure. Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementing speed reductions at specific interstate work zones from 65 mph to 35 mph : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

Interstate preservation projects are commonly conducted at night and often require working in close proximity to ongoing traffic. Vehicle speed and speed variability in work zones is inextricably connected to the work zone design and the selected tra...

Sustaining Change in Every Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidemann, Sandra; Chang, Claire; Hewitt, Deb; Menninga, Beth

2007-01-01

Words Work! and Community Action Head Start have been working together for seven years to provide training, consultation, mentoring, and resources to teachers in pilot classrooms as they learned to implement effective early literacy strategies. In its work with teachers, Words Work! developed a culture "where ongoing assessment, reflective…

Assessing the Impact of Ongoing National Terror: Social Workers in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ron, Pnina; Shamai, Michal

2011-01-01

The main goal of this study was to explore the connections between social workers' personal and professional exposure to national terror in Israel and their professional and personal distress experienced due to ongoing terror attacks. Data were collected from 406 social workers from Israel who worked in agencies that provide help to victims of…

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

Rutqvist, Jonny; Blanco Martin, Laura; Mukhopadhyay, Sumit

The modeling efforts in support of the field test planning conducted at LBNL leverage on recent developments of tools for modeling coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes in salt and their effect on brine migration at high temperatures. This work includes development related to, and implementation of, essential capabilities, as well as testing the model against relevant information and published experimental data related to the fate and transport of water. These are modeling capabilities that will be suitable for assisting in the design of field experiment, especially related to multiphase flow processes coupled with mechanical deformations, at high temperature. In this report,more » we first examine previous generic repository modeling results, focusing on the first 20 years to investigate the expected evolution of the different processes that could be monitored in a full-scale heater experiment, and then present new results from ongoing modeling of the Thermal Simulation for Drift Emplacement (TSDE) experiment, a heater experiment on the in-drift emplacement concept at the Asse Mine, Germany, and provide an update on the ongoing model developments for modeling brine migration. LBNL also supported field test planning activities via contributions to and technical review of framework documents and test plans, as well as participation in workshops associated with field test planning.« less

Agricultural lung diseases.

PubMed Central

Kirkhorn, S R; Garry, V F

2000-01-01

Agriculture is considered one of the most hazardous occupations. Organic dusts and toxic gases constitute some of the most common and potentially disabling occupational and environmental hazards. The changing patterns of agriculture have paradoxically contributed to both improved working conditions and increased exposure to respiratory hazards. Animal confinement operations with increasing animal density, particularly swine confinement, have contributed significantly to increased intensity and duration of exposure to indoor air toxins. Ongoing research has implicated bacterial endotoxins, fungal spores, and the inherent toxicity of grain dusts as causes of upper and lower airway inflammation and as immunologic agents in both grain and animal production. Animal confinement gases, particularly ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, have been implicated as additional sources of respiratory irritants. It has become evident that a significant percentage of agricultural workers have clinical symptoms associated with long-term exposure to organic dusts and animal confinement gases. Respiratory diseases and syndromes, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, organic dust toxic syndrome, chronic bronchitis, mucous membrane inflammation syndrome, and asthmalike syndrome, result from ongoing acute and chronic exposures. In this review we focus upon the emerging respiratory health issues in a changing agricultural economic and technologic environment. Environmental and occupational hazards and exposures will be emphasized rather than clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods of prevention, from both engineering controls and personal respiratory perspectives, are also addressed. PMID:10931789

Integrating Social Neuroscience and Social Work: Innovations for Advancing Practice-Based Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matto, Holly C.; Strolin-Goltzman, Jessica

2010-01-01

Throughout the social work profession, there is ongoing interest in building a social science agenda that can address the complex practice-based questions faced by social work professionals today. Methodological innovations and unique funding opportunities have already significantly advanced research on social work practice. Still, there is…

Implementing speed reductions at specific interstate work zones from 65 mph to 35 mph : appendices to final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

Interstate preservation projects are commonly conducted at night and often require working in close proximity to ongoing traffic. Vehicle speed and speed variability in work zones is inextricably connected to the work zone design and the selected tra...

Analytic innovations for air quality modeling

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides an overview of ongoing research activities at the U.S. EPA, focusing on improving long-term emission projections and the development of decision support systems for coordinated environmental, climate and energy planning.

Making Connections: Using Online Discussion Forums to Engage Students in Historical Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blankenship, Whitney

2009-01-01

The ongoing interpretive case study that the author highlights in this article focused on students' use of online discussion forums within a problem-based inquiry classroom. The focus of inquiry during the year centered on two historical questions: What does it mean to be an American? What is America's place in the world? The participants in this…

Increasing competency in the care of homeless patients.

PubMed

Drury, Lin J

2008-04-01

Nurses play a critical role in helping homeless patients make the transition from revolving door hospitalizations or emergency department visits to ongoing care through an outpatient clinic. This column focuses on increasing competency in the care of homeless patients. The next column will focus on a different type of transition-preparing hospitalized patients for discharge and referral to home health care.

Culture Counts: Examining the Effectiveness of a Culturally Focused Empowerment Program for At-Risk Black Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aston, Candice N.

2017-01-01

Traditionally, many of the problems experienced by Black girls were overshadowed by the ongoing crises facing Black Males. Although important, the focus on Blackness and masculinity often implicitly leaves young Black girls on the sidelines and fails to recognize their unique obstacles. Fortunately, there has been a new surge of social concern…

Contemporary Issues of Social Justice: A Focus on Race and Physical Education in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Louis; Clark, Langston

2016-01-01

Ongoing events in the United States show the continual need to address issues of social justice in every social context. Of particular note in this article, the contemporary national focus on race has thrust social justice issues into the forefront of the country's conscious. Although legal segregation has ran its course, schools and many…

Short-Term Professional Learning That Focuses on Beliefs and Practice: Improvements in Preschool Teachers' Ongoing Literacy Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Jacqueline

2017-01-01

An intervention study was conducted with preschool teachers to address their beliefs and practice in the area of language and literacy. A total of 27 preschool teachers, each from different early childcare centers, participated in three 1-day professional learning sessions over the course of 9 months. Learning sessions focused on three different…

Semantic-Web Technology: Applications at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashish, Naveen

2004-01-01

We provide a description of work at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on building system based on semantic-web concepts and technologies. NASA has been one of the early adopters of semantic-web technologies for practical applications. Indeed there are several ongoing 0 endeavors on building semantics based systems for use in diverse NASA domains ranging from collaborative scientific activity to accident and mishap investigation to enterprise search to scientific information gathering and integration to aviation safety decision support We provide a brief overview of many applications and ongoing work with the goal of informing the external community of these NASA endeavors.

What Costs Do Reveal and Moving Beyond the Cost Debate: Reply to Einstein and McDaniel (in press)

PubMed Central

Smith, Rebekah E.

2010-01-01

Einstein et al., (2005) predicted no cost to an ongoing task when a prospective memory task meet certain criteria. Smith et al. (2007) used prospective memory tasks that met these criteria and found a cost to the ongoing task, contrary to Einstein et al.'s prediction. Einstein and McDaniel (in press) correctly note that there are limitations to using ongoing task performance as a measure of the processes that contribute to prospective memory performance, however, the alternatives suggested by Einstein and McDaniel all focus on ongoing task performance and therefore do not move beyond the cost debate. This article describes why the Smith et al. findings are important, provides recommendations for issues to consider when investigating cost, and discusses individual cost measures. Finally, noting the blurry distinction between Einstein and McDaniel's description of the reflexive associative processes and preparatory attentional processes and difficulties in extending the multiprocess view to nonlaboratory tasks, suggestions are made for moving beyond the cost debate. PMID:20852726

Safe and effective speed reductions for freeway work zones phase 2.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

Freeway preservation projects typically require construction workers to conduct their : work in close proximity to ongoing traffic and often reduce traffic flow to a single lane while work is : undertaken in an adjacent lane. Due to the short-term na...

BILATERAL WORKING GROUP - MISSION, WORK PROGRAM, AND STATUS

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) have been working in an ongoing partnership to gain an understanding of each other's approach to the cleanup of chemical contamination in order to protect huma...

7 CFR 25.403. - Ongoing 2-year work plan requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the start of the applicable 2-year period. (c) The 2-year work plan must include the following... Federal, State and local governments, non-profit organizations, foundations, private businesses, and any...

An Epidemiologic Study of Genetic Variation in Hormonal Pathways in Relation to the Effect of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Breast Cancer Risk

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

active learning techniques in Introduction to Epidemiology Ongoing5 W81XWH-06-1-0312 Reding, Kerryn 7 TASK STATUS of FUTURE TASKS Task 3...Apply for and obtain IRB renewal Ongoing task Task 4: Training-related Work (Months 13-36) a. Present research findings on active learning at

Promoting fundamental clinical skills: a competency-based college approach at the University of Washington.

PubMed

Goldstein, Erika A; Maclaren, Carol F; Smith, Sherilyn; Mengert, Terry J; Maestas, Ramoncita R; Foy, Hugh M; Wenrich, Marjorie D; Ramsey, Paul G

2005-05-01

The focus on fundamental clinical skills in undergraduate medical education has declined over the last several decades. Dramatic growth in the number of faculty involved in teaching and increasing clinical and research commitments have contributed to depersonalization and declining individual attention to students. In contrast to the close teaching and mentoring relationship between faculty and students 50 years ago, today's medical students may interact with hundreds of faculty members without the benefit of a focused program of teaching and evaluating clinical skills to form the core of their four-year curriculum. Bedside teaching has also declined, which may negatively affect clinical skills development. In response to these and other concerns, the University of Washington School of Medicine has created an integrated developmental curriculum that emphasizes bedside teaching and role modeling, focuses on enhancing fundamental clinical skills and professionalism, and implements these goals via a new administrative structure, the College system, which consists of a core of clinical teachers who spend substantial time teaching and mentoring medical students. Each medical student is assigned a faculty mentor within a College for the duration of his or her medical school career. Mentors continuously teach and reflect with students on clinical skills development and professionalism and, during the second year, work intensively with them at the bedside. They also provide an ongoing personal faculty contact. Competency domains and benchmarks define skill areas in which deepening, progressive attention is focused throughout medical school. This educational model places primary focus on the student.

Strategic planning as a focus for continuous improvement. A case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oneill, John W.; Gordon-Winkler, Lyn

1992-01-01

What do most of the successful people and organizations in our world have in common? Instead of worrying about the future, they work to create it. They have a plan, or a vision of what they want to accomplish and they focus their efforts on success. Strategic planning has been described as a disciplined, ongoing process to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape what an organization is, what it does, and how it will respond to a changing environment. This case study discussion will evaluate the relationship between strategic planning and Total Quality Management (TQM), or continuous improvement, through the experience of the NASA Johnson Space Center in developing a strategy for the future. That experience clearly illustrates the value of strategic planning in setting the framework and establishing the overall thrust of continuous improvement initiatives. Equally significant, the fundamentals of a quality culture such as strong customer and supplier partnerships, participative involvement, open communications, and ownership were essential in overcoming the challenges inherent in the planning process. A reinforced management commitment to the quality culture was a clear, long-term benefit.

Keeping gay and bisexual men safe: The arena of HIV prevention science and praxis.

PubMed

Green, Adam Isaiah

2016-04-01

Abstract In this article, I draw from an ongoing ethnographic study of HIV prevention for gay, bisexual, and 'men who have sex with men' to develop an institutional analysis of HIV behavioral intervention science and praxis. I approach this analysis through the lens of the social worlds framework, focusing on the institutional arena in which HIV behavioral interventions are devised and executed. Toward this end, I focus on two fundamental points of contention that lie at the heart of the prevention enterprise and put its social organization in high relief: (1) conceptions of health and lifestyle practices and (2) attributions of expertise. These core contentions reveal less the steady advance of normal science than an arena of actors ensconced in boundary work and jurisdictional struggles over how to engineer behavior change and reduce the scale of the HIV epidemic. Their resolution, I argue, has occurred in a historically contingent process determined by the political economy of the US HIV prevention arena and the differential structural location of its social worlds.

Strategic planning as a focus for continuous improvement. A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oneill, John W.; Gordon-Winkler, Lyn

What do most of the successful people and organizations in our world have in common? Instead of worrying about the future, they work to create it. They have a plan, or a vision of what they want to accomplish and they focus their efforts on success. Strategic planning has been described as a disciplined, ongoing process to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape what an organization is, what it does, and how it will respond to a changing environment. This case study discussion will evaluate the relationship between strategic planning and Total Quality Management (TQM), or continuous improvement, through the experience of the NASA Johnson Space Center in developing a strategy for the future. That experience clearly illustrates the value of strategic planning in setting the framework and establishing the overall thrust of continuous improvement initiatives. Equally significant, the fundamentals of a quality culture such as strong customer and supplier partnerships, participative involvement, open communications, and ownership were essential in overcoming the challenges inherent in the planning process. A reinforced management commitment to the quality culture was a clear, long-term benefit.

Using Biophysical Models to Understand the Effect of tDCS on Neurorehabilitation: Searching for Optimal Covariates to Enhance Poststroke Recovery

PubMed Central

Malerba, Paola; Straudi, Sofia; Fregni, Felipe; Bazhenov, Maxim; Basaglia, Nino

2017-01-01

Stroke is a leading cause of worldwide disability, and up to 75% of survivors suffer from some degree of arm paresis. Recently, rehabilitation of stroke patients has focused on recovering motor skills by taking advantage of use-dependent neuroplasticity, where high-repetition of goal-oriented movement is at times combined with non-invasive brain stimulation, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Merging the two approaches is thought to provide outlasting clinical gains, by enhancing synaptic plasticity and motor relearning in the motor cortex primary area. However, this general approach has shown mixed results across the stroke population. In particular, stroke location has been found to correlate with the likelihood of success, which suggests that different patients might require different protocols. Understanding how motor rehabilitation and stimulation interact with ongoing neural dynamics is crucial to optimize rehabilitation strategies, but it requires theoretical and computational models to consider the multiple levels at which this complex phenomenon operate. In this work, we argue that biophysical models of cortical dynamics are uniquely suited to address this problem. Specifically, biophysical models can predict treatment efficacy by introducing explicit variables and dynamics for damaged connections, changes in neural excitability, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, plasticity mechanisms, and repetitive movement, which together can represent brain state, effect of incoming stimulus, and movement-induced activity. In this work, we hypothesize that effects of tDCS depend on ongoing neural activity and that tDCS effects on plasticity may be also related to enhancing inhibitory processes. We propose a model design for each step of this complex system, and highlight strengths and limitations of the different modeling choices within our approach. Our theoretical framework proposes a change in paradigm, where biophysical models can contribute to the future design of novel protocols, in which combined tDCS and motor rehabilitation strategies are tailored to the ongoing dynamics that they interact with, by considering the known biophysical factors recruited by such protocols and their interaction. PMID:28280482

The longevity of lava dome eruptions: analysis of the global DomeHaz database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogburn, S. E.; Wolpert, R.; Calder, E.; Pallister, J. S.; Wright, H. M. N.

2015-12-01

The likely duration of ongoing volcanic eruptions is a topic of great interest to volcanologists, volcano observatories, and communities near volcanoes. Lava dome forming eruptions can last from days to centuries, and can produce violent, difficult-to-forecast activity including vulcanian to plinian explosions and pyroclastic density currents. Periods of active dome extrusion are often interspersed with periods of relative quiescence, during which extrusion may slow or pause altogether, but persistent volcanic unrest continues. This contribution focuses on the durations of these longer-term unrest phases, hereafter eruptions, that include periods of both lava extrusion and quiescence. A new database of lava dome eruptions, DomeHaz, provides characteristics of 228 eruptions at 127 volcanoes; for which 177 have duration information. We find that while 78% of dome-forming eruptions do not continue for more than 5 years, the remainder can be very long-lived. The probability distributions of eruption durations are shown to be heavy-tailed and vary by magma composition. For this reason, eruption durations are modeled with generalized Pareto distributions whose governing parameters depend on each volcano's composition and eruption duration to date. Bayesian predictive distributions and associated uncertainties are presented for the remaining duration of ongoing eruptions of specified composition and duration to date. Forecasts of such natural events will always have large uncertainties, but the ability to quantify such uncertainty is key to effective communication with stakeholders and to mitigation of hazards. Projections are made for the remaining eruption durations of ongoing eruptions, including those at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat and Sinabung, Indonesia. This work provides a quantitative, transferable method and rationale on which to base long-term planning decisions for dome forming volcanoes of different compositions, regardless of the quality of an individual volcano's eruptive record, by leveraging a global database.

Proliferation: Threat and Response

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-11-01

primary agent, the Defense Technology capabilities also contribute to ongoing efforts to Security Administration ( DTSA ). These efforts are focus and...Special Weapons Agency Organization DTSA Defense Technology Security BW Biological Weapons Administration BWC Biological and Toxin Weapons EPCI Enhanced

Update on U.S.EPA Cookstove Research Activities

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation includes background information on EPA's stove research, focuses on cookstove testing for air pollutant emissions and energy efficiency, and briefly describes current research activities. Ongoing activities are highlighted, and EPA contacts are provided.

Leisure Today/Our Environment in Crisis--We Can Change the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeGraaf, Donald G.; And Others

1994-01-01

Six articles discuss how leisure services professionals might respond to the on-going environmental crisis. The articles focus on recycling, ecotourism, environmental education, outdoor experience, and an urban outdoor learning center. (SM)

Out is in

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2018-06-01

With moons holding subsurface oceans, the outer planets are back in focus as the most promising places to find life beyond Earth. In addition to future missions, ongoing data analysis from past missions has an important role to play.

Leaders in School Social Work: Lela B. Costin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Richard J.

1996-01-01

Profiles the accomplishments of a pioneer in school social work research and education. Tells how she balanced home life with professional life. Highlights her ongoing efforts to subsume school social work as a part of child welfare and the mental health of children. (RJM)

BILATERAL WORKING GROUP - MISSION, WORK PROGRAMME AND STATUS (ABSTRACT)

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) have been working in an ongoing partnership to gain an understanding of each other's approach to the cleanup of chemical contamination in order to protect huma...

Using computer software to improve group decision-making.

PubMed

Mockler, R J; Dologite, D G

1991-08-01

This article provides a review of some of the work done in the area of knowledge-based systems for strategic planning. Since 1985, with the founding of the Center for Knowledge-based Systems for Business Management, the project has focused on developing knowledge-based systems (KBS) based on these models. In addition, the project also involves developing a variety of computer and non-computer methods and techniques for assisting both technical and non-technical managers and individuals to do decision modelling and KBS development. This paper presents a summary of one segment of the project: a description of integrative groupware useful in strategic planning. The work described here is part of an ongoing research project. As part of this project, for example, over 200 non-technical and technical business managers, most of them working full-time during the project, developed over 160 KBS prototype systems in conjunction with MBA course in strategic planning and management decision making. Based on replies to a survey of this test group, 28 per cent of the survey respondents reported their KBS were used at work, 21 per cent reportedly received promotions, pay rises or new jobs based on their KBS development work, and 12 per cent reported their work led to participation in other KBS development projects at work. All but two of the survey respondents reported that their work on the KBS development project led to a substantial increase in their job knowledge or performance.

Introduction to the internal fluid mechanics research session

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Brent A.; Povinelli, Louis A.

1990-01-01

Internal fluid mechanics research at LeRC is directed toward an improved understanding of the important flow physics affecting aerospace propulsion systems, and applying this improved understanding to formulate accurate predictive codes. To this end, research is conducted involving detailed experimentation and analysis. The following three papers summarize ongoing work and indicate future emphasis in three major research thrusts: inlets, ducts, and nozzles; turbomachinery; and chemical reacting flows. The underlying goal of the research in each of these areas is to bring internal computational fluid mechanic to a state of practical application for aerospace propulsion systems. Achievement of this goal requires that carefully planned and executed experiments be conducted in order to develop and validate useful codes. It is critical that numerical code development work and experimental work be closely coupled. The insights gained are represented by mathematical models that form the basis for code development. The resultant codes are then tested by comparing them with appropriate experiments in order to ensure their validity and determine their applicable range. The ultimate user community must be a part of this process to assure relevancy of the work and to hasten its practical application. Propulsion systems are characterized by highly complex and dynamic internal flows. Many complex, 3-D flow phenomena may be present, including unsteadiness, shocks, and chemical reactions. By focusing on specific portions of a propulsion system, it is often possible to identify the dominant phenomena that must be understood and modeled for obtaining accurate predictive capability. The three major research thrusts serve as a focus leading to greater understanding of the relevant physics and to an improvement in analytic tools. This in turn will hasten continued advancements in propulsion system performance and capability.

Sustaining Work Participation Across the Life Course.

PubMed

Pransky, Glenn S; Fassier, Jean-Baptise; Besen, Elyssa; Blanck, Peter; Ekberg, Kerstin; Feuerstein, Michael; Munir, Fehmidah

2016-12-01

Introduction Many disability prevention strategies are focused on acute injuries and brief illness episodes, but there will be growing challenges for employers to manage circumstances of recurrent, chronic, or fluctuating symptoms in an aging workforce. The goal of this article is to summarize existing peer-review research in this area, compare this with employer discourse in the grey literature, and recommend future research priorities. Methods The authors participated in a year-long sponsored collaboration that ultimately led to an invited 3-day conference, "Improving Research of Employer Practices to Prevent Disability", held October 14-16, 2015, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA. The collaboration included a topical review of the scientific and industry literature, group discussion to identify key areas and challenges, drafting of initial documents, and feedback from peer researchers and a special panel of experts with employer experience. Results Cancer and mental illness were chosen as examples of chronic or recurring conditions that might challenge conventional workplace return-to-work practices. Workplace problems identified in the literature included fatigue, emotional exhaustion, poor supervisor and co-worker support, stigma, discrimination, and difficulties finding appropriate accommodations. Workplace intervention research is generally lacking, but there is preliminary support for improving workplace self-management strategies, collaborative problem-solving, and providing checklists and other tools for job accommodation, ideas echoed in the literature directed toward employers. Research might be improved by following workers from an earlier stage of developing workplace concerns. Conclusions Future research of work disability should focus on earlier identification of at-risk workers with chronic conditions, the use of more innovative and flexible accommodation strategies matched to specific functional losses, stronger integration of the workplace into on-going rehabilitation efforts, and a better understanding of stigma and other social factors at work.

Interprofessional simulation to improve patient participation in transitional care.

PubMed

Dyrstad, Dagrunn Nåden; Storm, Marianne

2017-06-01

Educating and training healthcare professionals is known to improve the quality of transitional care for older adults. Arranging interprofessional meetings for healthcare professionals might be useful to improve patient participation skills in transitional care. To describe the learning activities used in The Meeting Point programme, focusing on patient participation in transitional care, and assess whether they increase healthcare professionals' awareness of and competencies relating to patient participation in the transitional care of older patients. Data were collected as part of an educational intervention programme, The Meeting Point, including three seminars on 'Patient participation in the transitional care of older patients' and four follow-up meetings. Participants were nurses, care assistants, doctors, physiotherapists, patient coordinators and administrative personnel from hospital, nursing homes and home-based care services. The Meeting Point was organised around four pillars: introduction, teaching session, group work activity and plenary discussion. Qualitative data included log reports, summaries of meetings, notes from group work activities, and reports from participants and from follow-up meetings. Feedback from participants shows that they were satisfied with meeting healthcare professionals from other units of care. A film scenario was perceived relevant for group work activity and useful in focusing participants' attention to patient participation. Follow-up meetings show that some nursing home wards, the emergency department and one medical ward at the hospital continued with ongoing work to improve quality of care. Efforts included implementation of an observational waiting room with comfortable chairs, planning for discharge in hospital admission, a daily patient flow registration system and motivational interviewing during admission to nursing home. The description of the learning activities used at The Meeting Point seminars shows that they were useful to increase awareness of and competencies on patient participation in transitional care. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Returning to work after cancer: know your rights

MedlinePlus

... more smoothly. Set up a meeting with your manager to work out transition issues. Set up ongoing ... in about how things are going. Tell your manager about what types of follow-up appointments you ...

Program Updates - San Antonio River Basin

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page will house updates for this urban waters partnership location. As projects progress, status updates can be posted here to reflect the ongoing work by partners in San Antonio working on the San Antonio River Basin.

Recognition Decisions from Visual Working Memory Are Mediated by Continuous Latent Strengths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricker, Timothy J.; Thiele, Jonathan E.; Swagman, April R.; Rouder, Jeffrey N.

2017-01-01

Making recognition decisions often requires us to reference the contents of working memory, the information available for ongoing cognitive processing. As such, understanding how recognition decisions are made when based on the contents of working memory is of critical importance. In this work we examine whether recognition decisions based on the…

Difficulties encountered in collaborative care: logistics trumps desire.

PubMed

Legault, Frances; Humbert, Jennie; Amos, Stephanie; Hogg, William; Ward, Natalie; Dahrouge, Simone; Ziebell, Laura

2012-01-01

This study examines the development of collaborative relationships between family physicians (FPs) and Anticipatory And Preventative Team Care (APTCare) team members providing care to medically complex patients who have been identified as at-risk for negative health outcomes. We undertook a qualitative study of a primary health care intervention in a family practice. Interviews were held with FPs and ATPCare intervention nurse practitioners (NPs) and pharmacists. Focus groups were conducted and a survey was administered to participating FPs, NPs, and pharmacists. NPs and pharmacists maintained a log recording their tasks and moments of collaboration. Scheduling demands rendered face-to-face collaboration difficult, leaving the team to rely on technological tools to keep in touch. Limited space meant the APTCare team had to work out of a downstairs office, limiting informal interactions with the practitioners on the main level. We demonstrate that the difficulties inherent in collaborative care are independent of the patient population being cared for. Regardless of the patient population and sector of health care, developing collaborative relationships and learning to work collaboratively is difficult and takes time. What many of these teams need is ongoing support and education about how to make these collaborative care practices work.

'It's different from my culture; they're very different': Providing community-based, 'culturally competent' palliative care for South Asian people in the UK.

PubMed

Owens, Alastair; Randhawa, Gurch

2004-09-01

This article investigates the challenges faced by those trying to develop 'culturally competent' palliative care for South Asian cancer patients in Luton, UK. It discusses the findings of a phenomenological study of service providers' attitudes to and experiences of caring for South Asian patients. Ten semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out with a range of staff who work in home and community-based palliative care settings, including nurses, community liaison personnel and representatives of non-statutory organisations. The authors begin by considering how these service providers construct ideas of cultural difference and how these relate to philosophies of palliative care. They then examine attempts to deal with cultural diversity in everyday practice, focusing in particular on the social context of care in the home. The paper considers the ways in which staff attempt to incorporate the cultural needs of patients, family, kin and community. Rather than criticising current working practices, the authors highlight the complexity of delivering culturally competent services from the perspective of those working directly with patients. In doing so, they contribute to ongoing debates about the development of anti-discriminatory practice in health and social care.

The effect of transforming care at the bedside initiative on healthcare teams' work environments.

PubMed

Lavoie-Tremblay, Mélanie; O'Conner, Patricia; Harripaul, Anastasia; Biron, Alain; Ritchie, Judith; Lavigne, Genevieve L; Baillargeon, Sophie; Ringer, Justin; Macgibbon, Brenda; Taylor-Ducharme, Sharon; Sourdif, Jacynthe

2014-02-01

Different initiatives have been implemented in healthcare organizations to improve efficiency, such as transforming care at the bedside (TCAB). However, there are important gaps in understanding the effect of TCAB on healthcare teams' work environments. The specific aim of the study is to describe findings regarding the TCAB initiative effects on healthcare teams' work environments. A pretest and posttest study design was used for this study. The TCAB initiative was implemented in fall 2010 in a university health center in Montreal, Canada. The sample consisted of healthcare workers from four different care units. Statistically significant improvement was observed with the communicating specific information subscale from the measure of processes of care variable, and a significant difference was found between the support from colleagues variable, which was higher at baseline than postprogram. The differences for psychological demand, decisional latitude, and effort-reward were not significant. TCAB is an intervention that allows healthcare teams to implement change to improve patients' and families' outcomes. Ongoing energy should focus on how to improve communication among all members of the team and ensure their support. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Interfacing mathematics and biology: a discussion on training, research, collaboration, and funding.

PubMed

Miller, Laura A; Alben, Silas

2012-11-01

This article summarizes the discussion at a workshop on "Working at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology" at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. The goal of this workshop was to foster an ongoing discussion by the community on how to effectively train students from the biological, physical, engineering, and mathematical sciences to work at the intersection of these fields. One major point of discussion centered on how to be a successful interdisciplinary researcher in terms of where to publish, how to successfully write grants, and how to navigate evaluations for tenure and promotion. An emphasis was placed on the importance of developing strong multidisciplinary collaborations and clearly defining one's career trajectory to the home discipline. Another focus of the discussion was on the training of students and postdoctoral fellows in interdisciplinary work and helping these junior researchers to launch their careers. The group emphasized the need for the development of publicly available resources for biologists to learn basic tools for mathematical modeling and for mathematicians and engineers to see how their fields may be applied to current topics in the life sciences.

Black client, white therapist: working with race in psychoanalytic psychotherapy in South Africa.

PubMed

Knight, Zelda Gillian

2013-02-01

In post-apartheid South Africa we speak about race extensively. It permeates our workplace, weaves a thread through the fabric of our professional and personal lives, as well as our private conversations and public interactions with others. From within psychoanalytic theory, the thread weaves through the unknown content of our racialized unconscious. When there is a focus on race in the South African psychoanalytic context it largely takes the form of the struggle to articulate the complexities of working with difference, as Swartz notes, or the struggle to map out issues of race. Such struggles are not localized in South Africa, but strongly reflect a much broader struggle within the global psychoanalytic community, as mirrored in the expanding focus on race. Although the consulting rooms seem far removed from the ongoing political tensions that have recently emerged in South Africa, psychoanalytic psychotherapy remains a space of meaningful engagement with the other, and where the therapeutic dyad is one of racial difference it permits an encounter with our racialized unconscious. This article seeks to document the experience of my black client and my white response to her racial pain and struggle; in doing so, I describe the racial 'contact' between us and within us that triggers a racialized transference and countertransference dynamic, which contains the space for racial healing for both of us. Copyright © 2013 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

“You’ve Gotta Know the Community”: Minority Women Make Recommendations About Community-Focused Health Research

PubMed Central

Pinto, Rogério M.; McKay, Mary M.; Escobar, Celeste

2009-01-01

Objectives To determine what ethnic and racial minority women recommend as the best approaches to participatory health research in their communities. To achieve this goal, this study focused on HIV prevention research. Methods In 2003, Seven African American and seven Latina women (ages 33 to 52), all members of an HIV Prevention Collaborative Board, participated in individual interviews, lasting about 90 minutes each. Participants discussed their involvement in participatory research, and made recommendations as to how health researchers might better engage their communities. Data were coded independently by two coders following standard procedure for content analysis. Results Women’s voices and expertise can help guide health-related research. This study shows that: (1) participatory HIV prevention research should be founded on trust and commitment, leading to social support; (2) research partners ought to come from diverse backgrounds and be knowledgeable about the community and willing to work on common objectives; and (3) collaborative partnerships ought to portray an image of strength and cohesion, and a clear articulation of the mission around a research project. Implications To develop meaningful health research, researchers need to establish long-term ongoing relationships with community collaborators, including minority women from diverse backgrounds. Researchers ought to take a holistic approach working with communities, and ought to consider their research interests vis-à-vis the community’s needs. PMID:18581694

Achievements and Future Directions of the APFCB Mass Spectrometry Harmonisation Project on Serum Testosterone.

PubMed

Greaves, Ronda F; Ho, Chung S; Hoad, Kirsten E; Joseph, John; McWhinney, Brett; Gill, Janice P; Koal, Therese; Fouracre, Chris; Iu, Heidi P; Cooke, Brian R; Boyder, Conchita; Pham, Hai T; Jolly, Lisa M

2016-05-01

As an outcome of the 2010 Asian Pacific Conference for Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry in Hong Kong, a collaborative working group was formed to promote the harmonisation of mass spectrometry methods. The Mass Spectrometry Harmonisation Working Group resides under the combined auspices of the Asia-Pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (APFCB) and the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB). A decision was made to initially focus attention on serum steroids due to the common interest of members in this area; with the first steroid to assess being testosterone. In principle, full standardisation with traceability should be achievable for all steroids as they are small compounds with defined molecular weight and structure. In order to achieve this we need certified reference materials, reference methods, reference laboratories, reference intervals and external quality assurance programs; each being an important pillar in the process. When all the pillars are present, such as for serum testosterone, it is feasible to fully standardise the liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. In a collaborative process with interested stakeholders, we commenced on a pathway to provide ongoing assessment and seek opportunities for improvement in the LC-MS/MS methods for serum steroids. Here we discuss the outcomes to date and major challenges related to the accurate measurement of serum steroids with a focus on serum testosterone.

Asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other respiratory diseases caused by metalworking fluids.

PubMed

Rosenman, Kenneth D

2009-04-01

To highlight advances in understanding the respiratory disease associated with metal machining, a common work process involving approximately 1.2 million workers in the USA. Recent studies emphasize that work-related asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis continue to be caused by exposure to metalworking fluid. Identification of an individual patient indicates the need for follow-up investigations at the work site to prevent additional disease and/or identify additional effected individuals. Identification of the causal agent for hypersensitivity pneumonitis has centered on microbial contamination of metalworking fluids with a number of studies focusing on Mycobacterium immunogenum. Both asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis occur among workers exposed to metalworking fluid. The incidence of these diseases among such workers is unknown. Outbreaks of these conditions continue to be identified among metal machinists. Whether these are true outbreaks associated with some breakdown in workplace controls or, rather the recognition of ongoing endemic disease that is typically misdiagnosed as pneumonia or common adult onset asthma, needs further evaluation. Further work to elucidate the specific causal agent(s) is necessary to affect effective workplace controls. Treating an identified individual case as an index case with a follow-up workplace investigation will only be possible if practicing physicians interact with public health authorities to report newly diagnosed cases.

The influence of linguistic and cognitive factors on the time course of verb-based implicit causality.

PubMed

Koornneef, Arnout; Dotlačil, Jakub; van den Broek, Paul; Sanders, Ted

2016-01-01

In three eye-tracking experiments the influence of the Dutch causal connective "want" (because) and the working memory capacity of readers on the usage of verb-based implicit causality was examined. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that although a causal connective is not required to activate implicit causality information during reading, effects of implicit causality surfaced more rapidly and were more pronounced when a connective was present in the discourse than when it was absent. In addition, Experiment 3 revealed that-in contrast to previous claims-the activation of implicit causality is not a resource-consuming mental operation. Moreover, readers with higher and lower working memory capacities behaved differently in a dual-task situation. Higher span readers were more likely to use implicit causality when they had all their working memory resources at their disposal. Lower span readers showed the opposite pattern as they were more likely to use the implicit causality cue in the case of an additional working memory load. The results emphasize that both linguistic and cognitive factors mediate the impact of implicit causality on text comprehension. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of the ongoing controversies in the literature-that is, the focusing-integration debate and the debates on the source of implicit causality.

Pipe degradation investigations for optimization of flow-accelerated corrosion inspection location selection

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

Chandra, S.; Habicht, P.; Chexal, B.

1995-12-01

A large amount of piping in a typical nuclear power plant is susceptible to Flow-Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) wall thinning to varying degrees. A typical PAC monitoring program includes the wall thickness measurement of a select number of components in order to judge the structural integrity of entire systems. In order to appropriately allocate resources and maintain an adequate FAC program, it is necessary to optimize the selection of components for inspection by focusing on those components which provide the best indication of system susceptibility to FAC. A better understanding of system FAC predictability and the types of FAC damage encounteredmore » can provide some of the insight needed to better focus and optimize the inspection plan for an upcoming refueling outage. Laboratory examination of FAC damaged components removed from service at Northeast Utilities` (NU) nuclear power plants provides a better understanding of the damage mechanisms involved and contributing causes. Selected results of this ongoing study are presented with specific conclusions which will help NU to better focus inspections and thus optimize the ongoing FAC inspection program.« less

A socio-cognitive strategy to address farmers' tolerance of high risk work: Disrupting the effects of apprenticeship of observation.

PubMed

Mazur, Joan M; Westneat, Susan

2017-02-01

Why do generations of farmers tolerate the high-risk work of agricultural work and resist safe farm practices? This study presents an analysis inspired by empirical data from studies conducted from 1993 to 2012 on the differing effects of farm safety interventions between participants who live or work on farms and those who don't, when both were learning to be farm safety advocates. Both groups show statistically significant gains in knowledge and behavioral change proxy measures. However, non-farm participants' gains consistently outstripped their live/work farm counterparts. Drawing on socio-cultural perspectives, a grounded theory qualitative analysis focused on identifying useful constructs to understand the farmers' resistance to adopt safety practices. Understanding apprenticeships of observation and its relation to experiential learning over time can expose sources of deeply anchored beliefs and how they operate insidiously to promote familiar, albeit unsafe farming practices. The challenge for intervention-prevention programs becomes how to disrupt what has been learned during these apprenticeships of observation and to address what has been obscured during this powerful socialization process. Implications focus on the design and implementation of farm safety prevention and education programs. First, farm safety advocates and prevention researchers need to attend to demographics and explicitly explore the prior experiences and background of safety program participants. Second, farm youth in particular need to explore, explicitly, their own apprenticeships of observations, preferably through the use of new social media and or digital forms of expression, resulting in a story repair process. Third, careful study of the organization of work and farm experiences and practices need to provide the foundations for intervention programs. Finally, it is crucial that farm safety programs understand apprenticeships of observation are generational and ongoing over time, and interventions prevention programs need to be 'in it' for the long haul. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Have restricted working hours reduced junior doctors’ experience of fatigue? A focus group and telephone interview study

PubMed Central

Morrow, Gill; Burford, Bryan; Carter, Madeline; Illing, Jan

2014-01-01

Objective To explore the effects of the UK Working Time Regulations (WTR) on trainee doctors’ experience of fatigue. Design Qualitative study involving focus groups and telephone interviews, conducted in Spring 2012 with doctors purposively selected from Foundation and specialty training. Final compliance with a 48 h/week limit had been required for trainee doctors since August 2009. Framework analysis of data. Setting 9 deaneries in all four UK nations; secondary care. Participants 82 doctors: 53 Foundation trainees and 29 specialty trainees. 36 participants were male and 46 female. Specialty trainees were from a wide range of medical and surgical specialties, and psychiatry. Results Implementation of the WTR, while acknowledged as an improvement to the earlier situation of prolonged excessive hours, has not wholly overcome experience of long working hours and fatigue. Fatigue did not only arise from the hours that were scheduled, but also from an unpredictable mixture of shifts, work intensity (which often resulted in educational tasks being taken home) and inadequate rest. Fatigue was also caused by trainees working beyond their scheduled hours, for reasons such as task completion, accessing additional educational opportunities beyond scheduled hours and staffing shortages. There were also organisational, professional and cultural drivers, such as a sense of responsibility to patients and colleagues and the expectations of seniors. Fatigue was perceived to affect efficiency of skills and judgement, mood and learning capacity. Conclusions Long-term risks of continued stress and fatigue, for doctors and for the effective delivery of a healthcare service, should not be ignored. Current monitoring processes do not reflect doctors’ true working patterns. The effectiveness of the WTR cannot be considered in isolation from the culture and context of the workplace. On-going attention needs to be paid to broader cultural issues, including the relationship between trainees and seniors. PMID:24604482

Gender inequity in the lives of women involved in sex work in Kampala, Uganda

PubMed Central

Mbonye, Martin; Nalukenge, Winifred; Nakamanya, Sarah; Nalusiba, Betty; King, Rachel; Vandepitte, Judith; Seeley, Janet

2012-01-01

Background Gender inequity is manifested in the social and economic burden women carry in relation to men. We investigate women's experiences of gender relations from childhood to adult life and how these may have led to and kept women in sex work. Methods Participants were drawn from an ongoing epidemiological cohort study of women working in high HIV/STI risk environments in Kampala. From over 1000 enrolled women, we selected 101 for a qualitative sub-study. This analysis focuses on 58 women who engaged in sex work either as a main job or as a side job. In-depth life history interviews were conducted to capture points of vulnerability that enhance gender inequity throughout their lives. Results Most participants were young, single parents, poorly educated, who occupied low skilled and poorly paying jobs. All women knew their HIV status and they disclosed this in the interview; 31 were uninfected while 27 said they were infected. Parental neglect in childhood was reported by many. Participants described experiences of violence while growing up sometimes perpetuated by relatives and teachers. Early unwanted pregnancies were common and for many led to leaving school. Some women stated a preference for multiple and short-term money-driven sexual relationships. Needing to earn money for child care was often the main reason for starting and persisting with sex work. Violence perpetrated by clients and the police was commonly reported. Alcohol and drug use was described as a necessary “evil” for courage and warmth, but sometimes this affected clear decision making. Many felt powerless to bargain for and maintain condom use. Leaving sex work was considered but rarely implemented. Conclusions Inequities in gender and power relations reduce economic and social opportunities for better lives among women and increase risky sexual behaviour. Interventions focused on these inequities that also target men are crucial in improving safer practices and reducing risk. PMID:22713353

Gender inequity in the lives of women involved in sex work in Kampala, Uganda.

PubMed

Mbonye, Martin; Nalukenge, Winifred; Nakamanya, Sarah; Nalusiba, Betty; King, Rachel; Vandepitte, Judith; Seeley, Janet

2012-06-14

Gender inequity is manifested in the social and economic burden women carry in relation to men. We investigate women's experiences of gender relations from childhood to adult life and how these may have led to and kept women in sex work. Participants were drawn from an ongoing epidemiological cohort study of women working in high HIV/STI risk environments in Kampala. From over 1000 enrolled women, we selected 101 for a qualitative sub-study. This analysis focuses on 58 women who engaged in sex work either as a main job or as a side job. In-depth life history interviews were conducted to capture points of vulnerability that enhance gender inequity throughout their lives. Most participants were young, single parents, poorly educated, who occupied low skilled and poorly paying jobs. All women knew their HIV status and they disclosed this in the interview; 31 were uninfected while 27 said they were infected. Parental neglect in childhood was reported by many. Participants described experiences of violence while growing up sometimes perpetuated by relatives and teachers. Early unwanted pregnancies were common and for many led to leaving school. Some women stated a preference for multiple and short-term money-driven sexual relationships. Needing to earn money for child care was often the main reason for starting and persisting with sex work. Violence perpetrated by clients and the police was commonly reported. Alcohol and drug use was described as a necessary "evil" for courage and warmth, but sometimes this affected clear decision making. Many felt powerless to bargain for and maintain condom use. Leaving sex work was considered but rarely implemented. Inequities in gender and power relations reduce economic and social opportunities for better lives among women and increase risky sexual behaviour. Interventions focused on these inequities that also target men are crucial in improving safer practices and reducing risk.

Advances in pediatric asthma and atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Foroughi, Shabnam; Thyagarajan, Ananth; Stone, Kelly D

2005-10-01

Allergic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and urticaria are common in general pediatric practice. This review highlights several significant advances in pediatric allergy over the past year, focusing on asthma and atopic dermatitis. With increasing options for the treatment of allergic diseases, much work is now focused on methods for individualizing treatments to a patient's phenotype and genotype. Progress over the past year includes the characterization of effects of regular albuterol use in patients with genetic variations in the beta-adrenergic receptor. Maintenance asthma regimens for children in the first years of life are also an ongoing focus. The relation between upper airway allergic inflammation and asthma has continued to accumulate support and now extends to the middle ear. Environmental influences on asthma and interventions have been described, including environmental controls for asthma and the role of air pollution on lung development in children. Finally, concerns have been raised regarding the use of topical immunomodulators in young children with atopic dermatitis. Progress continues in the care of children with atopic diseases. Attention to treatment with appropriate medications, patient-individualized environmental controls, and extensive education are the keys to successfully treating atopic children. This review highlights several recent advances but is not intended to be a comprehensive review.

Regenerative Medicine and Restoration of Joint Function

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

identify the parameters that generate anatomically shaped bone substitutes of optimal composition and structure with an articulating profile. 2) to develop...strengths. An in vivo study in rabbits to evaluate these materials are ongoing. Task 2. Optimization of SFF Rolling Compaction Parameters : The work is...ongoing related to optimizing SFF rolling compaction parameters to control the density of green samples. We have used CPP powders for these studies

Update on ongoing tank car crashworthiness research : predicted performance and fabrication approach

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-04-22

Research is currently underway to develop strategies for maintaining the structural integrity of railroad tank cars carrying hazardous materials during collisions. This research, sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), has focused on ...

Notification: Municipal Sewer Systems - Consent Decree Progress and Challenges

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OPE-FY14-0045, August 6, 2014. The EPA OIG plans to begin preliminary research on the EPA's ongoing enforcement initiative focused on keeping raw sewage and contaminated stormwater out of our nation's waters.

Proceedings of the Fourth Glacier Bay Science Symposium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piatt, John F.; Gende, Scott M.

2007-01-01

Foreword Glacier Bay was established as a National Monument in 1925, in part to protect its unique character and natural beauty, but also to create a natural laboratory to examine evolution of the glacial landscape. Today, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is still a place of profound natural beauty and dynamic landscapes. It also remains a focal point for scientific research and includes continuing observations begun decades ago of glacial processes and terrestrial ecosystems. In recent years, research has focused on glacial-marine interactions and ecosystem processes that occur below the surface of the bay. In October 2004, Glacier Bay National Park convened the fourth in a series of science symposiums to provide an opportunity for researchers, managers, interpreters, educators, students and the general public to share knowledge about Glacier Bay. The Fourth Glacier Bay Science Symposium was held in Juneau, Alaska, rather than at the Park, reflecting a desire to maximize attendance and communication among a growing and diverse number of stakeholders interested in science in the park. More than 400 people attended the symposium. Participants provided 46 oral presentations and 41 posters covering a wide array of disciplines including geology, glaciology, oceanography, wildlife and fisheries biology, terrestrial and marine ecology, socio-cultural research and management issues. A panel discussion focused on the importance of connectivity in Glacier Bay research, and keynote speakers (Gary Davis and Terry Chapin) spoke of long-term monitoring and ecological processes. These proceedings include 56 papers from the symposium. A summary of the Glacier Bay Science Plan-itself a subject of a meeting during the symposium and the result of ongoing discussions between scientists and resource managers-also is provided. We hope these proceedings illustrate the diversity of completed and ongoing scientific studies, conducted within the Park. To this end, we invited all presenters to submit brief technical summaries of their work, to capture the gist of their study and its main findings without an overload of details and methodology. We also asked authors to include a few words on the management implications of their work to help bridge the gap between scientists and managers in understanding how specific research questions may translate to management practice. Papers in this volume are laid out by subject matter, from terrestrial and freshwater subjects to glacial-marine geology, to the ecology of marine animals and ending with risk assessment, human impacts and science-management considerations. In summary, we hope the proceedings will serve as a useful reference to completed and ongoing studies in Glacier Bay National Park, and thereby provide park enthusiasts, scientists, and managers with a road map of scientific progress.

Responses to concerns about child maltreatment: a qualitative study of GPs in England

PubMed Central

Woodman, Jenny; Gilbert, Ruth; Allister, Janice; Glaser, Danya; Brandon, Marian

2013-01-01

Objectives To provide a rich description of current responses to concerns related to child maltreatment among a sample of English general practitioners (GPs). Design In-depth, face-to-face interviews (November 2010 to September 2011). Participants selected and discussed families who had prompted ‘maltreatment-related concerns’. Thematic analysis of data. Setting 4 general practices in England. Participants 14 GPs, 2 practice nurses and 2 health visitors from practices with at least 1 ‘expert’ GP (expertise in child safeguarding/protection). Results The concerns about neglect and emotional abuse dominated the interviews. GPs described intense and long-term involvement with families with multiple social and medical problems. Narratives were distilled into seven possible actions that GPs took in response to maltreatment-related concerns. These were orientated towards whole families (monitoring and advocating), the parents (coaching) and children (opportune healthcare), and included referral to or working with other services and recording concerns. Facilitators of the seven actions were: trusting relationships between GPs and parents, good working relationships with health visitors and framing the problem/response as ‘medical’. Narratives indicated significant time and energy spent building facilitating relationships with parents with the aim of improving the child's well-being. Conclusions These GPs used core general practice skills for on-going management of families who prompted concerns about neglect and emotional abuse. Policy and research focus should be broadened to include strategies for direct intervention and on-going involvement by GPs, such as using their core skills during consultations and practice systems for monitoring families and encouraging presentation to general practice. Exemplars of current practice, such as those identified in our study, should be evaluated for feasibility and acceptability in representative general practice settings as well as tested for efficacy, safety and cost. The seven actions could form the basis for the ‘lead professional’ role in general practice as proposed in the 2013 version of ‘Working Together ’guidance. PMID:24302506

ïSCOPE: Safer care for older persons (in residential) environments: A study protocol

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The current profile of residents living in Canadian nursing homes includes elder persons with complex physical and social needs. High resident acuity can result in increased staff workload and decreased quality of work life. Aims Safer Care for Older Persons [in residential] Environments is a two year (2010 to 2012) proof-of-principle pilot study conducted in seven nursing homes in western Canada. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the feasibility of engaging front line staff to use quality improvement methods to integrate best practices into resident care. The goals of the study are to improve the quality of work life for staff, in particular healthcare aides, and to improve residents' quality of life. Methods/design The study has parallel research and quality improvement intervention arms. It includes an education and support intervention for direct caregivers to improve the safety and quality of their care delivery. We hypothesize that this intervention will improve not only the care provided to residents but also the quality of work life for healthcare aides. The study employs tools adapted from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Breakthrough Series: Collaborative Model and Canada's Safer Healthcare Now! improvement campaign. Local improvement teams in each nursing home (1 to 2 per facility) are led by healthcare aides (non-regulated caregivers) and focus on the management of specific areas of resident care. Critical elements of the program include local measurement, virtual and face-to-face learning sessions involving change management, quality improvement methods and clinical expertise, ongoing virtual and in person support, and networking. Discussion There are two sustainability challenges in this study: ongoing staff and leadership engagement, and organizational infrastructure. Addressing these challenges will require strategic planning with input from key stakeholders for sustaining quality improvement initiatives in the long-term care sector. PMID:21745382

Social anxiety disorder: A review of environmental risk factors

PubMed Central

Brook, Christina A; Schmidt, Louis A

2008-01-01

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating and chronic illness characterized by persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations, with a relatively high lifetime prevalence of 7% to 13% in the general population. Although the last two decades have witnessed enormous growth in the study of biological and dispositional factors underlying SAD, comparatively little attention has been directed towards environmental factors in SAD, even though there has been much ongoing work in the area. In this paper, we provide a recent review and critique of proposed environmental risk factors for SAD, focusing on traditional as well as some understudied and overlooked environmental risk factors: parenting and family environment, adverse life events, cultural and societal factors, and gender roles. We also discuss the need for research design improvements and considerations for future directions. PMID:18728768

Using evidence-based practice to create a venous access team: the Venous Access Task Force of the Children's Hospital of Denver.

PubMed

MacPhee, Maura

2002-12-01

The following article is an example of evidence-based practice applied to an institutional Quality Improvement (QI) project. QI originated in the 1980s and is best associated with the work of W. Deming (1986). It is also known as Continuous Quality Improvement, because a major principle of this approach is constant improvement of services or products. This improvement process contains other critical components: scientific method, employee participation and teamwork, accountable leadership, appropriate training and ongoing education, and client focus (Demming, 1986). QI has been globally successful and has helped transform American industry, including health care services. The following clinically based project illustrates the application of QI concepts and evidence-based practice to enhance outcomes. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

"Minding the gap": imagination, creativity and human cognition.

PubMed

Pelaprat, Etienne; Cole, Michael

2011-12-01

Inquiry into the nature of mental images is a major topic in psychology where research is focused on the psychological faculties of imagination and creativity. In this paper, we draw on the work of L.S. Vygotsky to develop a cultural-historical approach to the study of imagination as central to human cognitive processes. We characterize imagination as a process of image making that resolves "gaps" arising from biological and cultural-historical constraints, and that enables ongoing time-space coordination necessary for thought and action. After presenting some basic theoretical considerations, we offer a series of examples to illustrate for the reader the diversity of processes of imagination as image making. Applying our arguments to contemporary digital media, we argue that a cultural-historical approach to image formation is important for understanding how imagination and creativity are distinct, yet inter-penetrating processes.

KSC-2014-3648

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-29

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – During the Tom Joyner Family Reunion, Ken Fullwood of Booz-Allen-Hamilton, left, and Yves Lamothe of the NASA Technical Management Branch of the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program talk to guests about ongoing work to convert the Kennedy Space Center into a 21st century spaceport. The Tom Joyner Family Reunion is designed to present uplifting programs, entertainment and information about growing, diverse communities. An annual event of the nationally-syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, the many exhibits included NASA's participation focusing on encouraging young people to consider studies and careers in STEM -- science, technology, engineering and math. NASA's Education Division promoted the benefits of math and scientific learning along with career opportunities offered by the space agency. The activities took place at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida, during the Labor Day weekend. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

Hypersonic Vehicle Propulsion System Control Model Development Roadmap and Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stueber, Thomas J.; Le, Dzu K.; Vrnak, Daniel R.

2009-01-01

The NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program Hypersonic project is directed towards fundamental research for two classes of hypersonic vehicles: highly reliable reusable launch systems (HRRLS) and high-mass Mars entry systems (HMMES). The objective of the hypersonic guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) discipline team is to develop advanced guidance and control algorithms to enable efficient and effective operation of these challenging vehicles. The ongoing work at the NASA Glenn Research Center supports the hypersonic GN&C effort in developing tools to aid the design of advanced control algorithms that specifically address the propulsion system of the HRRLSclass vehicles. These tools are being developed in conjunction with complementary research and development activities in hypersonic propulsion at Glenn and elsewhere. This report is focused on obtaining control-relevant dynamic models of an HRRLS-type hypersonic vehicle propulsion system.

NCRP Program Area Committee 2: Operational Radiation Safety

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

Pryor, Kathryn H.; Goldin, Eric M.

2016-02-29

Program Area Committee 2 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements provides guidance for radiation safety in occupational settings in a variety of industries and activities. The committee completed three reports in recent years covering recommendations for the development and administration of radiation safety programs for smaller educational institutions, requirements for self-assessment programs that improve radiation safety and identify and correct deficiencies, and a comprehensive process for effective investigation of radiological incidents. Ongoing work includes a report on sealed radioactive source controls and oversight of a report on radioactive nanomaterials focusing on gaps within current radiation safety programs.more » Future efforts may deal with operational radiation safety programs in fields such as the safe use of handheld and portable X-Ray fluorescence analyzers, occupational airborne radioactive contamination, unsealed radioactive sources, or industrial accelerators.« less

A Situated Practice of Ethics for Participatory Visual and Digital Methods in Public Health Research and Practice: A Focus on Digital Storytelling

PubMed Central

Hill, Amy L.; Flicker, Sarah

2014-01-01

This article explores ethical considerations related to participatory visual and digital methods for public health research and practice, through the lens of an approach known as “digital storytelling.” We begin by briefly describing the digital storytelling process and its applications to public health research and practice. Next, we explore 6 common challenges: fuzzy boundaries, recruitment and consent to participate, power of shaping, representation and harm, confidentiality, and release of materials. We discuss their complexities and offer some considerations for ethical practice. We hope this article serves as a catalyst for expanded dialogue about the need for high standards of integrity and a situated practice of ethics wherein researchers and practitioners reflexively consider ethical decision-making as part of the ongoing work of public health. PMID:23948015

Contributions of Neutrophils to Resolution of Mucosal Inflammation

PubMed Central

Colgan, Sean P.; Ehrentraut, Stefan F.; Glover, Louise E.; Kominsky, Douglas J.; Campbell, Eric L.

2014-01-01

Neutrophil (PMN) recruitment from the blood stream into surrounding tissues involves a regulated series of events central to acute responses in host defense. Accumulation of PMN within mucosal tissues have historically been considered pathognomonic features of both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. Historically PMNs have been deemed necessary but detrimental when recruited, given the potential for tissue damage that results from a variety of mechanisms. Recent work, however, has altered our preconcieved notions of PMN contributions to inflammatory processes. In particular, significant evidence implicates a central role for the PMN in triggering inflammatory resolution. Such mechanisms involve both metabolic and biochemical crosstalk pathways during the intimate interactions of PMN with other cell types at inflammatory sites. Here, we highlight several recent examples of how PMN coordinate the resolution of ongoing inflammation, with a particular focus on the gastrointestinal mucosa. PMID:22968707

MO-FG-207-03: Maximizing the Utility of Integrated PET/MRI in Clinical Applications

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

Behr, S.

2015-06-15

The use of integrated PET/MRI systems in clinical applications can best benefit from understanding their technological advances and limitations. The currently available clinical PET/MRI systems have their own characteristics. Thorough analyses of existing technical data and evaluation of necessary performance metrics for quality assurances could be conducted to optimize application-specific PET/MRI protocols. This Symposium will focus on technical advances and limitations of clinical PET/MRI systems, and how this exciting imaging modality can be utilized in applications that can benefit from both PET and MRI. Learning Objectives: To understand the technological advances of clinical PET/MRI systems To correctly identify clinical applicationsmore » that can benefit from PET/MRI To understand ongoing work to further improve the current PET/MRI technology Floris Jansen is a GE Healthcare employee.« less

Beta-decay spectroscopy of neutron-rich 84-86Ga isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naqvi, Farheen; Xu, Zhengyu; Werner, Volker; Niikura, Megumi; Nishimura, Shunji; Eurica Collaboration

2013-10-01

The low lying excited states in 84-86 Ge were studied via the beta-gamma spectroscopy of 84-86 Ga nuclei. The study focused on the beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities and the beta-decay lifetimes, relevant for the astrophysical r process path in the region. The neutron-rich Ga isotopes were produced by in-flight fragmentation of 238U beam on a 9Be target. The experiment was performed at the Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (RIBF) at RIKEN, Japan. The BigRIPS spectrometer was utilized to identify and separate the reaction residues and the ions of interest were implanted in a segmented Si detector array called WASABI. Gamma rays emitted after the beta decay were identified by the EURICA array. Results of the ongoing analysis will be presented. Work supported by DOE grant no. DE-FG02-91ER-40609.

A situated practice of ethics for participatory visual and digital methods in public health research and practice: a focus on digital storytelling.

PubMed

Gubrium, Aline C; Hill, Amy L; Flicker, Sarah

2014-09-01

This article explores ethical considerations related to participatory visual and digital methods for public health research and practice, through the lens of an approach known as "digital storytelling." We begin by briefly describing the digital storytelling process and its applications to public health research and practice. Next, we explore 6 common challenges: fuzzy boundaries, recruitment and consent to participate, power of shaping, representation and harm, confidentiality, and release of materials. We discuss their complexities and offer some considerations for ethical practice. We hope this article serves as a catalyst for expanded dialogue about the need for high standards of integrity and a situated practice of ethics wherein researchers and practitioners reflexively consider ethical decision-making as part of the ongoing work of public health.

IOPS advisor: Research in progress on knowledge-intensive methods for irregular operations airline scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borse, John E.; Owens, Christopher C.

1992-01-01

Our research focuses on the problem of recovering from perturbations in large-scale schedules, specifically on the ability of a human-machine partnership to dynamically modify an airline schedule in response to unanticipated disruptions. This task is characterized by massive interdependencies and a large space of possible actions. Our approach is to apply the following: qualitative, knowledge-intensive techniques relying on a memory of stereotypical failures and appropriate recoveries; and quantitative techniques drawn from the Operations Research community's work on scheduling. Our main scientific challenge is to represent schedules, failures, and repairs so as to make both sets of techniques applicable to the same data. This paper outlines ongoing research in which we are cooperating with United Airlines to develop our understanding of the scientific issues underlying the practicalities of dynamic, real-time schedule repair.

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

Thompson, M. C., E-mail: mthompson@trialphaenergy.com; Gota, H.; Putvinski, S.

The C-2U experiment at Tri Alpha Energy studies the evolution of field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas sustained by neutral beam injection. Data on the FRC plasma performance are provided by a comprehensive suite of diagnostics that includes magnetic sensors, interferometry, Thomson scattering, spectroscopy, bolometry, reflectometry, neutral particle analyzers, and fusion product detectors. While many of these diagnostic systems were inherited from the preceding experiment C-2, C-2U has a variety of new and upgraded diagnostic systems: multi-chord far-infrared polarimetry, multiple fast imaging cameras with selectable atomic line filters, proton detector arrays, and 100 channel bolometer units capable of observing multiple regions ofmore » the spectrum simultaneously. In addition, extensive ongoing work focuses on advanced methods of measuring separatrix shape and plasma current profile that will facilitate equilibrium reconstruction and active control of the FRC plasma.« less

Atmospheric Circulation and West Greenland Precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auger, J.; Birkel, S. D.; Maasch, K. A.; Schuenemann, K. C.; Mayewski, P. A.; Osterberg, E. C.; Hawley, R. L.; Marshall, H. P.

2016-12-01

The surface mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet has declined substantially in recent decades across West Greenland with important implications for global sea level and freshwater resources. Here, we investigate changes in heat and moisture delivery to West Greenland through changes in atmospheric circulation in order to gain insight into possible future climate. Particular focus is placed on the role of known climate variability, including the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), in influencing the intensity, frequency, and track of cyclones across the North Atlantic. This study utilizes multiple daily climate reanalysis models (CFSR, ERA-Interim, JRA-55) in addition to observational data. Preliminary results indicate a primary influence from the NAO, with a secondary influence from the low frequency oscillation connected to the AMO. Work is ongoing, and a complete synthesis will be presented at the fall meeting.

MO-FG-207-00: Technological Advances in PET/MR Imaging

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

NONE

2015-06-15

The use of integrated PET/MRI systems in clinical applications can best benefit from understanding their technological advances and limitations. The currently available clinical PET/MRI systems have their own characteristics. Thorough analyses of existing technical data and evaluation of necessary performance metrics for quality assurances could be conducted to optimize application-specific PET/MRI protocols. This Symposium will focus on technical advances and limitations of clinical PET/MRI systems, and how this exciting imaging modality can be utilized in applications that can benefit from both PET and MRI. Learning Objectives: To understand the technological advances of clinical PET/MRI systems To correctly identify clinical applicationsmore » that can benefit from PET/MRI To understand ongoing work to further improve the current PET/MRI technology Floris Jansen is a GE Healthcare employee.« less

Social and structural violence and power relations in mitigating HIV risk of drug-using women in survival sex work.

PubMed

Shannon, Kate; Kerr, Thomas; Allinott, Shari; Chettiar, Jill; Shoveller, Jean; Tyndall, Mark W

2008-02-01

High rates of violence among street-level sex workers have been described across the globe, while in cities across Canada the disappearance and victimization of drug-using women in survival sex work is ongoing. Given the pervasive levels of violence faced by sex workers over the last decades, and extensive harm reduction and HIV prevention efforts operating in Vancouver, Canada, this research aimed to explore the role of social and structural violence and power relations in shaping the HIV risk environment and prevention practices of women in survival sex work. Through a participatory-action research project, a series of focus group discussions were conceptualized and co-facilitated by sex workers, community and research partners with a total of 46 women in early 2006. Based on thematic, content and theoretical analysis, the following key factors were seen to both directly and indirectly mediate women's agency and access to resources, and ability to practice HIV prevention and harm reduction: at the micro-level, boyfriends as pimps and the 'everyday violence' of bad dates; at the meso-level, a lack of safe places to take dates, and adverse impacts of local policing; and at the macro-level, dopesickness and the need to sell sex for drugs. Analysis of the narratives and daily lived experiences of women sex workers highlight the urgent need for a renewed HIV prevention strategy that moves beyond a solely individual-level focus to structural and environmental interventions, including legal reforms, that facilitate 'enabling environments' for HIV prevention.

Healthcare Work and Organizational Interventions to Prevent Work-related Stress in Brindisi, Italy.

PubMed

d'Ettorre, Gabriele; Greco, Mariarita

2015-03-01

Organizational changes that involve healthcare hospital departments and care services of health districts, and ongoing technological innovations and developments in society increasingly expose healthcare workers (HCWs) to work-related stress (WRS). Minimizing occupational exposure to stress requires effective risk stress assessment and management programs. The authors conducted an integrated analysis of stress sentinel indicators, an integrated analysis of objective stress factors of occupational context and content areas, and an integrated analysis between nurses and physicians of hospital departments and care services of health districts in accordance with a multidimensional validated tool developed in Italy by the National Network for the Prevention of Work-Related Psychosocial Disorders. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to detect and analyze in different work settings the level of WRS resulting from organizational changes implemented by hospital healthcare departments and care services of health districts in a sample of their employees. The findings of the study showed that hospital HCWs seemed to incur a medium level risk of WRS that was principally the result of work context factors. The implementation of improvement interventions focused on team development, safety training programs, and adopting an ethics code for HCWs, and it effectively and significantly reduced the level of WRS risk in the workplace. In this study HCW resulted to be exposed to occupational stress factors susceptible to reduction. Stress management programs aimed to improve work context factors associated with occupational stress are required to minimize the impact of WRS on workers.

Working memory performance inversely predicts spontaneous delta and theta-band scaling relations.

PubMed

Euler, Matthew J; Wiltshire, Travis J; Niermeyer, Madison A; Butner, Jonathan E

2016-04-15

Electrophysiological studies have strongly implicated theta-band activity in human working memory processes. Concurrently, work on spontaneous, non-task-related oscillations has revealed the presence of long-range temporal correlations (LRTCs) within sub-bands of the ongoing EEG, and has begun to demonstrate their functional significance. However, few studies have yet assessed the relation of LRTCs (also called scaling relations) to individual differences in cognitive abilities. The present study addressed the intersection of these two literatures by investigating the relation of narrow-band EEG scaling relations to individual differences in working memory ability, with a particular focus on the theta band. Fifty-four healthy adults completed standardized assessments of working memory and separate recordings of their spontaneous, non-task-related EEG. Scaling relations were quantified in each of the five classical EEG frequency bands via the estimation of the Hurst exponent obtained from detrended fluctuation analysis. A multilevel modeling framework was used to characterize the relation of working memory performance to scaling relations as a function of general scalp location in Cartesian space. Overall, results indicated an inverse relationship between both delta and theta scaling relations and working memory ability, which was most prominent at posterior sensors, and was independent of either spatial or individual variability in band-specific power. These findings add to the growing literature demonstrating the relevance of neural LRTCs for understanding brain functioning, and support a construct- and state-dependent view of their functional implications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

76 FR 62804 - Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Entergy Regional State Committee Work Group and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-11

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Entergy Regional State Committee Work Group and Stakeholder Meeting The Federal Energy Regulatory... is part of the Commission's ongoing outreach efforts. Entergy Regional State Committee Work Group and...

An Evaluation of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children in Zambia

PubMed Central

Murray, Laura K; Familiar, Itziar; Skavenski, Stephanie; Jere, Elizabeth; Cohen, Judy; Imasiku, Mwiya; Mayeya, John; Bass, Judith K; Bolton, Paul

2013-01-01

Objectives To monitor and evaluate the feasibility of implementing Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to address trauma and stress-related symptoms in orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Zambia as part of ongoing programming within a non-governmental organization (NGO). Methods As part of ongoing programming, voluntary care-workers administered locally validated assessments to identify children who met criteria for moderate to severe trauma symptomatology. Local lay counselors implemented TF-CBT with identified families, while participating in ongoing supervision. Fifty-eight children and adolescents aged 5–18 completed the TF-CBT treatment, with pre- and post-assessments. Results The mean number of traumas reported by the treatment completers (N=58) was 4.11. Post assessments showed significant reductions in severity of trauma symptoms (p<0.0001), and severity of shame symptoms (p<0.0001). Conclusions Our results suggest that TF-CBT is a feasible treatment option in Zambia for OVC. A decrease in symptoms suggests that a controlled trial is warranted. Implementation factors monitored suggest that it is feasible to integrate and evaluate evidence-based mental health assessments and intervention into programmatic services run by an NGO in low/middle resource countries. Results also support the effectiveness of implementation strategies such as task shifting, and the apprenticeship model of training and supervision. PMID:23768939

Phase Field Modeling of Microstructure Development in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dantzig, Jonathan A.; Goldenfeld, Nigel

2001-01-01

This newly funded project seeks to extend our NASA-sponsored project on modeling of dendritic microstructures to facilitate collaboration between our research group and those of other NASA investigators. In our ongoing program, we have applied advanced computational techniques to study microstructural evolution in dendritic solidification, for both pure isolated dendrites and directionally solidified alloys. This work has enabled us to compute dendritic microstructures using both realistic material parameters and experimentally relevant processing conditions, thus allowing for the first time direct comparison of phase field computations with laboratory observations. This work has been well received by the materials science and physics communities, and has led to several opportunities for collaboration with scientists working on experimental investigations of pattern selection and segregation in solidification. While we have been able to pursue these collaborations to a limited extent, with some important findings, this project focuses specifically on those collaborations. We have two target collaborations: with Prof. Glicksman's group working on the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE), and with Prof. Poirier's group studying directional solidification in Pb-Sb alloys. These two space experiments match well with our two thrusts in modeling, one for pure materials, as in the IDGE, and the other directional solidification. Such collaboration will benefit all of the research groups involved, and will provide for rapid dissemination of the results of our work where it will have significant impact.

Load-Dependent Increases in Delay-Period Alpha-Band Power Track the Gating of Task-Irrelevant Inputs to Working Memory.

PubMed

Heinz, Andrew J; Johnson, Jeffrey S

2017-01-01

Studies exploring the role of neural oscillations in cognition have revealed sustained increases in alpha-band power (ABP) during the delay period of verbal and visual working memory (VWM) tasks. There have been various proposals regarding the functional significance of such increases, including the inhibition of task-irrelevant cortical areas as well as the active retention of information in VWM. The present study examines the role of delay-period ABP in mediating the effects of interference arising from on-going visual processing during a concurrent VWM task. Specifically, we reasoned that, if set-size dependent increases in ABP represent the gating out of on-going task-irrelevant visual inputs, they should be predictive with respect to some modulation in visual evoked potentials resulting from a task-irrelevant delay period probe stimulus. In order to investigate this possibility, we recorded the electroencephalogram while subjects performed a change detection task requiring the retention of two or four novel shapes. On a portion of trials, a novel, task-irrelevant bilateral checkerboard probe was presented mid-way through the delay. Analyses focused on examining correlations between set-size dependent increases in ABP and changes in the magnitude of the P1, N1 and P3a components of the probe-evoked response and how such increases might be related to behavior. Results revealed that increased delay-period ABP was associated with changes in the amplitude of the N1 and P3a event-related potential (ERP) components, and with load-dependent changes in capacity when the probe was presented during the delay. We conclude that load-dependent increases in ABP likely play a role in supporting short-term retention by gating task-irrelevant sensory inputs and suppressing potential sources of disruptive interference.

Load-Dependent Increases in Delay-Period Alpha-Band Power Track the Gating of Task-Irrelevant Inputs to Working Memory

PubMed Central

Heinz, Andrew J.; Johnson, Jeffrey S.

2017-01-01

Studies exploring the role of neural oscillations in cognition have revealed sustained increases in alpha-band power (ABP) during the delay period of verbal and visual working memory (VWM) tasks. There have been various proposals regarding the functional significance of such increases, including the inhibition of task-irrelevant cortical areas as well as the active retention of information in VWM. The present study examines the role of delay-period ABP in mediating the effects of interference arising from on-going visual processing during a concurrent VWM task. Specifically, we reasoned that, if set-size dependent increases in ABP represent the gating out of on-going task-irrelevant visual inputs, they should be predictive with respect to some modulation in visual evoked potentials resulting from a task-irrelevant delay period probe stimulus. In order to investigate this possibility, we recorded the electroencephalogram while subjects performed a change detection task requiring the retention of two or four novel shapes. On a portion of trials, a novel, task-irrelevant bilateral checkerboard probe was presented mid-way through the delay. Analyses focused on examining correlations between set-size dependent increases in ABP and changes in the magnitude of the P1, N1 and P3a components of the probe-evoked response and how such increases might be related to behavior. Results revealed that increased delay-period ABP was associated with changes in the amplitude of the N1 and P3a event-related potential (ERP) components, and with load-dependent changes in capacity when the probe was presented during the delay. We conclude that load-dependent increases in ABP likely play a role in supporting short-term retention by gating task-irrelevant sensory inputs and suppressing potential sources of disruptive interference. PMID:28555099

Differences between Presentation Methods in Working Memory Procedures: A Matter of Working Memory Consolidation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricker, Timothy J.; Cowan, Nelson

2014-01-01

Understanding forgetting from working memory, the memory used in ongoing cognitive processing, is critical to understanding human cognition. In the past decade, a number of conflicting findings have been reported regarding the role of time in forgetting from working memory. This has led to a debate concerning whether longer retention intervals…

The gap between behavioral risk status and willingness to change behavior among healthcare professionals.

PubMed

Kasila, K; Hallman, M; Kautiainen, H; Vanhala, M; Kettunen, T

2018-01-01

This study explored behavioral health risk factors among healthcare professionals and investigated the at-risk persons' satisfaction with their health habits and ongoing change attempts. The study was based on a cross-sectional web-based survey directed at the nurses and physicians ( N = 1233) in Finnish healthcare. Obesity, low physical activity, smoking, and risky alcohol drinking were used as behavioral health risk factors. In all, 70% of the participants had at least one behavioral risk factor, and a significant number of at-risk persons were satisfied with their health habits and had no ongoing change process. Good self-rated health and good self-rated work ability were significantly associated with whether a participant had a behavioral health risk factor. Overall, unhealthy behaviors and a lack of ongoing change attempts were commonly observed among healthcare professionals. Work in healthcare is demanding, and healthy lifestyles can support coping. Thus, healthy lifestyle programs should also be targeted to healthcare professionals.

Integrated nonlinear photonics. Emerging applications and ongoing challenges - A mini review

DOE PAGES

Hendrickson, Scott M.; Foster, Amy C.; Camacho, Ryan M.; ...

2014-11-26

In this paper, we provide a review of recent progress in integrated nonlinear photonics with a focus on emerging applications in all-optical signal processing, ultra-low-power all-optical switching, and quantum information processing.

Near-Source Modeling Updates: Building Downwash & Near-Road

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation describes recent research efforts in near-source model development focusing on building downwash and near-road barriers. The building downwash section summarizes a recent wind tunnel study, ongoing computational fluid dynamics simulations and efforts to improve ...

Snow removal performance metrics : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

This document is the final report for the Clear Roads project entitled Snow Removal Performance Metrics. The project team was led by researchers at Washington State University on behalf of Clear Roads, an ongoing pooled fund research effort focused o...

2013 Summit on Reducing Exposure to Dust from Treated Seed

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Pollinator Summit was part of EPA's ongoing collaboration with stakeholders to manage pesticide risks to bees. Focus: how to protect bees from unintended pesticide exposure, esp. dust in agricultural planting operations using pesticide-coated seeds.

Beyond wilderness: towards an anthropology of infrastructure and the built environment in the Russian North

PubMed Central

Schweitzer, Peter; Povoroznyuk, Olga; Schiesser, Sigrid

2017-01-01

Abstract Public and academic discourses about the Polar regions typically focus on the so-called natural environment. While, these discourses and inquiries continue to be relevant, the current article asks the question how to conceptualize the on-going industrial and infrastructural build-up of the Arctic. Acknowledging that the “built environment” is not an invention of modernity, the article nevertheless focuses on large-scale infrastructural projects of the twentieth century, which marks a watershed of industrial and infrastructural development in the north. Given that the Soviet Union was at the vanguard of these developments, the focus will be on Soviet and Russian large-scale projects. We will be discussing two cases of transportation infrastructure, one of them based on an on-going research project being conducted by the authors along the Baikal–Amur Mainline (BAM) and the other focused on the so-called Northern Sea Route, the marine passage with a long history that has recently been regaining public and academic attention. The concluding section will argue for increased attention to the interactions between humans and the built environment, serving as a kind of programmatic call for more anthropological attention to infrastructure in the Russian north and other polar regions. PMID:29098112

The Emergence and Development of Bioethics in the Uk

PubMed Central

Chadwick, Ruth; Wilson, Duncan

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Bioethics emerged in a specific social and historical context. Its relationship to older traditions in medical ethics and to environmental ethics is an ongoing matter of debate. This article analyses the social, institutional, and economic factors that led to the development of bioethics in the UK in the 1980s, and the course it has taken since. We show how phenomena such as globalisation, the focus on ‘ethical legal and social issues’ and the empirical turn have affected the methods employed, and argue that ongoing controversies about the nature and possibility of ethical expertise will affect its future. PMID:29635295

The Emergence and Development of Bioethics in the Uk.

PubMed

Chadwick, Ruth; Wilson, Duncan

2018-05-01

Bioethics emerged in a specific social and historical context. Its relationship to older traditions in medical ethics and to environmental ethics is an ongoing matter of debate. This article analyses the social, institutional, and economic factors that led to the development of bioethics in the UK in the 1980s, and the course it has taken since. We show how phenomena such as globalisation, the focus on 'ethical legal and social issues' and the empirical turn have affected the methods employed, and argue that ongoing controversies about the nature and possibility of ethical expertise will affect its future.

Development of Gene Therapy for Thalassemia

PubMed Central

Nienhuis, Arthur W.; Persons, Derek A.

2012-01-01

Retroviral vector–mediated gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells provides a potentially curative therapy for severe β-thalassemia. Lentiviral vectors based on human immunodeficiency virus have been developed for this purpose and have been shown to be effective in curing thalassemia in mouse models. One participant in an ongoing clinical trial has achieved transfusion independence after gene transfer into bone marrow stem cells owing, in part, to a genetically modified, dominant clone. Ongoing efforts are focused on improving the efficiency of lentiviral vector–mediated gene transfer into stem cells so that the curative potential of gene transfer can be consistently achieved. PMID:23125203

Building capacity for antiretroviral delivery in South Africa: A qualitative evaluation of the PALSA PLUS nurse training programme

PubMed Central

Stein, J; Lewin, S; Fairall, L; Mayers, P; English, R; Bheekie, A; Bateman, E; Zwarenstein, M

2008-01-01

Background South Africa recently launched a national antiretroviral treatment programme. This has created an urgent need for nurse-training in antiretroviral treatment (ART) delivery. The PALSA PLUS programme provides guidelines and training for primary health care (PHC) nurses in the management of adult lung diseases and HIV/AIDS, including ART. A process evaluation was undertaken to document the training, explore perceptions regarding the value of the training, and compare the PALSA PLUS training approach (used at intervention sites) with the provincial training model. The evaluation was conducted alongside a randomized controlled trial measuring the effects of the PALSA PLUS nurse-training (Trial reference number ISRCTN24820584). Methods Qualitative methods were utilized, including participant observation of training sessions, focus group discussions and interviews. Data were analyzed thematically. Results Nurse uptake of PALSA PLUS training, with regard not only to ART specific components but also lung health, was high. The ongoing on-site training of all PHC nurses, as opposed to the once-off centralized training provided for ART nurses only at non-intervention clinics, enhanced nurses' experience of support for their work by allowing, not only for ongoing experiential learning, supervision and emotional support, but also for the ongoing managerial review of all those infrastructural and system-level changes required to facilitate health provider behaviour change and guideline implementation. The training of all PHC nurses in PALSA PLUS guideline use, as opposed to ART nurses only, was also perceived to better facilitate the integration of AIDS care within the clinic context. Conclusion PALSA PLUS training successfully engaged all PHC nurses in a comprehensive approach to a range of illnesses affecting both HIV positive and negative patients. PHC nurse-training for integrated systems-based interventions should be prioritized on the ART funding agenda. Training for individual provider behaviour change is nonetheless only one aspect of the ongoing system-wide interventions required to effect lasting improvements in patient care in the context of an over-burdened and under-resourced PHC system. PMID:19017394

Quantitative NDE of Composite Structures at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cramer, K. Elliott; Leckey, Cara A. C.; Howell, Patricia A.; Johnston, Patrick H.; Burke, Eric R.; Zalameda, Joseph N.; Winfree, William P.; Seebo, Jeffery P.

2015-01-01

The use of composite materials continues to increase in the aerospace community due to the potential benefits of reduced weight, increased strength, and manufacturability. Ongoing work at NASA involves the use of the large-scale composite structures for spacecraft (payload shrouds, cryotanks, crew modules, etc). NASA is also working to enable the use and certification of composites in aircraft structures through the Advanced Composites Project (ACP). The rapid, in situ characterization of a wide range of the composite materials and structures has become a critical concern for the industry. In many applications it is necessary to monitor changes in these materials over a long time. The quantitative characterization of composite defects such as fiber waviness, reduced bond strength, delamination damage, and microcracking are of particular interest. The research approaches of NASA's Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch include investigation of conventional, guided wave, and phase sensitive ultrasonic methods, infrared thermography and x-ray computed tomography techniques. The use of simulation tools for optimizing and developing these methods is also an active area of research. This paper will focus on current research activities related to large area NDE for rapidly characterizing aerospace composites.

A Recording-Based Method for Auralization of Rotorcraft Flyover Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pera, Nicholas M.; Rizzi, Stephen A.; Krishnamurthy, Siddhartha; Fuller, Christopher R.; Christian, Andrew

2018-01-01

Rotorcraft noise is an active field of study as the sound produced by these vehicles is often found to be annoying. A means to auralize rotorcraft flyover noise is sought to help understand the factors leading to annoyance. Previous work by the authors focused on auralization of rotorcraft fly-in noise, in which a simplification was made that enabled the source noise synthesis to be based on a single emission angle. Here, the goal is to auralize a complete flyover event, so the source noise synthesis must be capable of traversing a range of emission angles. The synthesis uses a source noise definition process that yields periodic and aperiodic (modulation) components at a set of discrete emission angles. In this work, only the periodic components are used for the source noise synthesis for the flyover; the inclusion of modulation components is the subject of ongoing research. Propagation of the synthesized source noise to a ground observer is performed using the NASA Auralization Framework. The method is demonstrated using ground recordings from a flight test of the AS350 helicopter for the source noise definition.

Statistical Projections for Multi-resolution, Multi-dimensional Visual Data Exploration and Analysis

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

Hoa T. Nguyen; Stone, Daithi; E. Wes Bethel

2016-01-01

An ongoing challenge in visual exploration and analysis of large, multi-dimensional datasets is how to present useful, concise information to a user for some specific visualization tasks. Typical approaches to this problem have proposed either reduced-resolution versions of data, or projections of data, or both. These approaches still have some limitations such as consuming high computation or suffering from errors. In this work, we explore the use of a statistical metric as the basis for both projections and reduced-resolution versions of data, with a particular focus on preserving one key trait in data, namely variation. We use two different casemore » studies to explore this idea, one that uses a synthetic dataset, and another that uses a large ensemble collection produced by an atmospheric modeling code to study long-term changes in global precipitation. The primary findings of our work are that in terms of preserving the variation signal inherent in data, that using a statistical measure more faithfully preserves this key characteristic across both multi-dimensional projections and multi-resolution representations than a methodology based upon averaging.« less

Aura Science and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilsenrath, E.; Schoeberl, M.; Douglass, A.; Anderson, J.; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The EOS-Aura Mission is designed to answer three basic questions concerning the Earth's atmosphere: 1) Is ozone recovering as predicted, 2) is air quality getting worse, and 3) how is climate changing? Aura's four instruments work synergistically and are dedicated to answering these questions. These questions relate to NASA Earth Science Enterprise's overall strategic questions, which seek to understand the consequences of climate change for human civilization and determine if these changes can be predicted. NASA supports an ongoing research and analysis program, which is conducted independently and in support of satellite missions. The research program conducts several on-going field campaigns employing aircraft, balloons, and ground based systems. These campaigns have focused on exploring processes in the tropics, high latitudes, and continental outflow to explain the chemistry and transport in the troposphere and stratosphere and how these regions interact. NASA is now studying how the Aura mission and requirements of the research and analysis program might be merged to achieve its strategic goals related to global atmospheric chemistry changes. In addition, NASA field campaign resources will be folded into Aura's validation requirements. Aura validation requires correlative measurements throughout the troposphere and stratosphere under a range of observing and geophysical conditions. Because of the recent launches of Envisat and other smaller international chemistry satellites, the NASA program plans to collaborate with European space agencies in developing a series of campaigns that will provide continuity between those satellites missions and Aura.

Research Roadmap for Tuberculosis Transmission Science: Where Do We Go From Here and How Will We Know When We're There?

PubMed

Auld, Sara C; Kasmar, Anne G; Dowdy, David W; Mathema, Barun; Gandhi, Neel R; Churchyard, Gavin J; Rustomjee, Roxana; Shah, N Sarita

2017-11-03

High rates of tuberculosis transmission are driving the ongoing global tuberculosis epidemic, and there is a pressing need for research focused on understanding and, ultimately, halting transmission. The ongoing tuberculosis-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coepidemic and rising rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis in parts of the world add further urgency to this work. Success in this research will require a concerted, multidisciplinary effort on the part of tuberculosis scientists, clinicians, programs, and funders and must span the research spectrum from biomedical sciences to the social sciences, public health, epidemiology, cost-effectiveness analyses, and operations research. Heterogeneity of tuberculosis disease, both among individual patients and among communities, poses a substantial challenge to efforts to interrupt transmission. As such, it is likely that effective interventions to stop transmission will require a combination of approaches that will vary across different epidemiologic settings. This research roadmap summarizes key gaps in our current understanding of transmission, as laid out in the preceding articles in this series. We also hope that it will be a call to action for the global tuberculosis community to make a sustained commitment to tuberculosis transmission science. Halting transmission today is an essential step on the path to end tuberculosis tomorrow. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Segmentation: Slicing the Urban Pie.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keim, William A.

1981-01-01

Explains market segmentation and defines undifferentiated, concentrated, and differentiated marketing strategies. Describes in detail the marketing planning process at the Metropolitan Community Colleges. Focuses on the development and implementation of an ongoing recruitment program designed for the market segment composed of business employees.…

Tale of the atom tamers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Commissariat, Tushna

2018-03-01

Written and directed by film-maker Mila Aung-Thwin, Let There Be Light: the 100 Year Journey to Fusion tells the story of our ongoing quest for fusion here on Earth, with a prominent focus on the science and the scientists behind ITER.

How to work with insurance companies.

PubMed

Kaufman, Joel M

2015-10-01

Neurologists in all practice settings will benefit from working better with insurance companies and other payers. This article discusses who the insurance companies and others are that practices should work with, why it is important to maintain and develop ongoing relationships, and several strategies that successful practices of all types employ to achieve success.

Analyzing Effective Communication in Mathematics Group Work: The Role of Visual Mediators and Technical Terms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryve, Andreas; Nilsson, Per; Pettersson, Kerstin

2013-01-01

Analyzing and designing productive group work and effective communication constitute ongoing research interests in mathematics education. In this article we contribute to this research by using and developing a newly introduced analytical approach for examining effective communication within group work in mathematics education. By using data from…

Tone Series and the Nature of Working Memory Capacity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Katherine M.; Hardman, Kyle O.; Schachtman, Todd R.; Saults, J. Scott; Glass, Bret A.; Cowan, Nelson

2018-01-01

Recent advances in understanding visual working memory, the limited information held in mind for use in ongoing processing, are extended here to examine auditory working memory development. Research with arrays of visual objects has shown how to distinguish the capacity, in terms of the "number" of objects retained, from the…

Professional Learning through Everyday Work: How Finance Professionals Self-Regulate Their Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Littlejohn, Allison; Milligan, Colin; Fontana, Rosa Pia; Margaryan, Anoush

2016-01-01

Professional learning is a critical component of ongoing improvement and innovation and the adoption of new practices in the workplace. Professional learning is often achieved through learning embedded in everyday work tasks. However, little is known about how professionals self-regulate their learning through regular work activities. This paper…

Becoming-Worker: Vocational Training for Workers in Aged Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Somerville, Margaret

2006-01-01

Women's care work sits on the boundary between unpaid work in the private domain and poorly paid, low-status work in the public sphere. It continues to be a site for the expression of complex, high-level knowledge and skills, and of ongoing gender oppression. The aged-care industry is a particularly salient example of such work. It is a…

Is Social Work Evidence-Based? Does Saying So Make It So? Ongoing Challenges in Integrating Research, Practice and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambrill, Eileen

2016-01-01

The integration of research and practice is of concern in all helping professions. Has social work become an evidence-based profession as some claim? Characteristics of current-day social work are presented that dispute this view, related continuing concerns are suggested, and promising developments (mostly outside social work) are described that…

[In-depth assessment of work-related stress in a major company undergoing restructuring].

PubMed

Magrini, Andrea; Pelagalli, Maria Felicia; Pietroiusti, Antonio; Livigni, Lucilla; Guidi, Stefano; Moscatelli, Maurizia; Mascioli, Marco; D'Orsi, Fulvio; Zolla, Antonella; Bagnara, Sebastiano

2015-07-08

An in-depth assessment of work-related stress was conducted in a major national telecommunications company undergoing major changes. The assessment was made on three homogeneous groups of workers and covered a large representative sample of the corresponding populations. To identify the main sources of stress for the three populations of workers, stimulate a discussion on the possible corrective actions, and assess the impact of the on-going organizational changes on workers' health. The assessment started with an analysis of the objective stress indicators listed in the INAIL (National Insurance Institute for Occupational Diseases and Accidents) Checklist. This was followed by a combination of qualitative and quantitative investigations on work context and tasks and on the subjective perceptions of workers, which were carried out by using: semi-structured interviews with management, field observations of work tasks, focus groups and questionnaires (GHQ-12, HSE Indicator Tool, ad-hoc questionnaire). The assessment allowed identification of the critical areas to be addressed with specific interventions: relationship with the company, work performance, work organization, and equipment. the investigation allowed to identification of specific practical actions (improvement of technological tools; professional development through training courses) as well as strategic actions ( re-establish relationship of trust with the company) so as to mitigate the workers' level of stress. Analysis of the results also showed that the three targeted populations differed in the degree of acceptance and understanding of the organizational changes.

Interior design of the lunar outpost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kennedy, Kriss J.

1990-01-01

This paper is part of an ongoing study on the interior design of a lunar outpost habitat facility. The concept presented represents the work done up to and including August 1989. This concept is part of NASA's ongoing effort to explore alternative options for planet surface systems habitation. Results of a volume analog study to determine the required pressurized volume are presented along with an internal layout of the habitat facility. The concept presented in this paper is a constructible lunar habitat that provides a living and working environment for a crew of 12. It is a 16-m diameter spherical pneumatic structure which contains 2145 cubic meters of volume. Five levels of living and working areas make up the 742 sq m of floor space. A 2-m vertical circulation shaft at the center allows for transfer of crew and equipment.

The NASA/NSERC Student Airborne Research Program Land Focus Group - a Paid Training Program in Multi-Disciplinary STEM Research for Terrestrial Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kefauver, S. C.; Ustin, S.; Davey, S. W.; Furey, B. J.; Gartner, A.; Kurzweil, D.; Siebach, K. L.; Slawsky, L.; Snyder, E.; Trammell, J.; Young, J.; Schaller, E.; Shetter, R. E.

2011-12-01

The Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Suborbital Education and Research Center (NSERC) is a unique six week multidisciplinary paid training program which directly integrates students into the forefront of airborne remote sensing science. Students were briefly trained with one week of lectures and laboratory exercises and then immediately incorporated into ongoing research projects which benefit from access to the DC-8 airborne platform and the MODIS-ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) sensor. Students were split into three major topical categories of Land, Ocean, and Air for the data collection and project portions of the program. This poster details the techniques and structure used for the student integration into ongoing research, professional development, hypothesis building and results as developed by the professor and mentor of the Land focus group. Upon assignment to the Land group, students were issued official research field protocols and split into four field specialty groups with additional specialty reading assignments. In the field each group spent more time in their respective specialty, but also participated in all field techniques through pairings with UC Davis research team members using midday rotations. After the field campaign, each specialty group then gave summary presentations on the techniques, preliminary results, and significance to overall group objectives of their specialty. Then students were required to submit project proposals within the bounds of Land airborne remote sensing science and encouraging, but not requiring the use of the field campaign data. These proposals are then reviewed by the professor and mentor and students are met with one by one to discuss the skills of each student and objectives of the proposed research project. The students then work under the supervision of the mentor and benefit again from professor feedback in a formal practice presentation session. At the end of the six week program, students present to all SARP program focus groups, mentors, professors, and, in addition, NSERC and NASA airborne science and education program directors and personnel.

GeoFrame Walker Lane: Overview, Rationale, and Objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stockli, D. F.

2006-12-01

GeoFrame is an integrative geologic initiative that takes a multi-dimensional view of the building and modification of the North American continent by systematic integration of geologic and geochronometric investigations and the results from unprecedented geophysical imaging as part of the Earthscope Program. The GeoFrame effort envisions these focus site investigations to entail map-scale arrays of passive source seismic receivers and associated active source seismic studies and complementary geophysics in conjunction with geologic-based synthesis and targeted studies. One of these focus sites is the Walker Lane region in eastern California and western Nevada, situated between the Basin and Range province and the unextended Sierra Nevada block. This GeoFrame focus site workshop is particularly timely given the deployment schedule of the USArray "BigFoot" array. The Walker Lane intraplate deformation zone accommodates nearly ~25% of present-day relative motion between the Pacific and North American plates and might represent an incipient plate boundary. It provides a world-class example of the present modification of continental lithosphere by the process of transcurrent faulting and rifting and offers the opportunity to seamlessly integrate surface geology, structural geology, petrology, geo- and thermochronology, and the history of the continental lithosphere with ongoing processes in the Earth's mantle. It affords opportunities to address a number of questions posed within Earthscope such as: mechanisms of strain transfer, the role of lithospheric rheology in strain localization and seismic response, the nature and timescales of transient fault behavior, and the role of magmas and fluids in deforming lithosphere. Implicit in the design and implementation of Earthscope is the recognition that progress on issues such as these requires an integrative geophysical and geological investigation of the Walker Lane. As such, it will open new avenues of collaboration and identify new research needs and opportunities. We anticipate the integration of results and efforts with ongoing Earthscope projects, such as Sierra Nevada efforts of SNEP as well as the NSF Margins Rupturing of Continental Lithosphere (RCL) initiative in the Gulf of California by continuing the work onshore from the Gulf of California to the north into Nevada.

Being a bridge: Swedish antenatal care midwives' encounters with Somali-born women and questions of violence; a qualitative study.

PubMed

Byrskog, Ulrika; Olsson, Pia; Essén, Birgitta; Allvin, Marie-Klingberg

2015-01-16

Violence against women is associated with serious health problems, including adverse maternal and child health. Antenatal care (ANC) midwives are increasingly expected to implement the routine of identifying exposure to violence. An increase of Somali born refugee women in Sweden, their reported adverse childbearing health and possible links to violence pose a challenge to the Swedish maternity health care system. Thus, the aim was to explore ways ANC midwives in Sweden work with Somali born women and the questions of exposure to violence. Qualitative individual interviews with 17 midwives working with Somali-born women in nine ANC clinics in Sweden were analyzed using thematic analysis. The midwives strived to focus on the individual woman beyond ethnicity and cultural differences. In relation to the Somali born women, they navigated between different definitions of violence, ways of handling adversities in life and social contexts, guided by experience based knowledge and collegial support. Seldom was ongoing violence encountered. The Somali-born women's' strengths and contentment were highlighted, however, language skills were considered central for a Somali-born woman's access to rights and support in the Swedish society. Shared language, trustful relationships, patience, and networking were important aspects in the work with violence among Somali-born women. Focus on the individual woman and skills in inter-cultural communication increases possibilities of overcoming social distances. This enhances midwives' ability to identify Somali born woman's resources and needs regarding violence disclosure and support. Although routine use of professional interpretation is implemented, it might not fully provide nuances and social safety needed for violence disclosure. Thus, patience and trusting relationships are fundamental in work with violence among Somali born women. In collaboration with social networks and other health care and social work professions, the midwife can be a bridge and contribute to increased awareness of rights and support for Somali-born women in a new society.

Joining the conversation: newspaper journalists' views on working with researchers.

PubMed

Waddell, Charlotte; Lomas, Jonathan; Lavis, John N; Abelson, Julia; Shepherd, Cody A; Bird-Gayson, Twylla

2005-09-01

For health researchers who seek more research use in policy making to improve health and healthcare, working with the news media may represent an opportunity, given the media's pivotal role in public policy agenda-setting. Much literature on science and health journalism assumes a normative stance, focusing on improving the accuracy of news coverage. In this study, we investigated journalists' perspectives and experiences. We were particularly interested in learning how health researchers could work constructively with journalists as a means to increase research use in policy making. Qualitative methods were used to conduct and analyze interviews with experienced newspaper journalists across Canada, with children's mental health as a content example. In response, study participants emphasized journalistic processes more than the content of news coverage, whether children's mental health or other topics. Instead, they focused on what they thought researchers needed to know about journalists' roles, practices and views on working with researchers. Newspaper journalists balance business and social responsibilities according to their respective roles as editors, columnists and reporters. In practice, journalists must ensure newsworthiness, relevance to readers and access to sources in a context of daily deadlines. As generalists, journalists rely on researchers to be expert interpreters, although they find many researchers unavailable or unable to communicate with public audiences. While journalists are skeptical about such common organizational communications tools as news releases, they welcome the uncommon contributions of those researchers who cultivate relationships and invest time to synthesize and communicate research evidence on an ongoing basis. Some appealed for more researchers to join them in participating in public conversations. We conclude that there are opportunities for policy-oriented health researchers to work constructively with newspaper journalists--by appreciating journalists' perspectives and by taking seriously some of their suggestions for engaging in public conversations--and that such engagement can be a means to increase the use of research evidence in policy making and thereby improve health and healthcare.

Biographical disruption, adjustment and reconstruction of everyday occupations and work participation after mild traumatic brain injury. A focus group study.

PubMed

Sveen, Unni; Søberg, Helene Lundgaard; Østensjø, Sigrid

2016-11-01

To explore traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a biographical disruption and to study the reconstruction of everyday occupations and work participation among individuals with mild TBI. Seven focus groups were conducted with 12 women and 8 men (22-60 years) who had sustained mild TBI and participated in a return-to-work program. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four interrelated themes emerged: disruption of occupational capacity and balance; changes in self-perceptions; experience of time; and occupational adjustment and reconstruction. The meaning of the impairments lies in their impact on the individual's everyday occupations. The abandonment of meaningful daily occupations and the feeling of not recognizing oneself were experienced as threats to the sense of self. Successful integration of the past, present and future was paramount to continuing life activities. The unpredictability of the future seemed to permeate the entire process of adjustment and reconstruction of daily life. Our findings show that the concept of time is important in understanding and supporting the reconstruction of daily life after TBI. The fundamental work of rehabilitation is to ameliorate the disruptions caused by the injury, restoring a sense of personal narrative and supporting the ability to move forward with life. Implications for Rehabilitation Individuals with a protracted recovery after a mild traumatic brain injury must reconstruct a new way of being and acting in the world to achieve biographical continuity. The perceived anxiety regarding changes in self and occupational identity, as well as loss of control over the future, can be attenuated through informational sessions during the hospital stay and at follow-up visits. The significant personal costs of returning to full-time employment too early indicate the need for early and ongoing vocational support in achieving a successful return to work.

Joining the Conversation: Newspaper Journalists’ Views on Working with Researchers

PubMed Central

Waddell, Charlotte; Lomas, Jonathan; Lavis, John N; Abelson, Julia; Shepherd, Cody A; Bird-Gayson, Twylla

2005-01-01

For health researchers who seek more research use in policy making to improve health and healthcare, working with the news media may represent an opportunity, given the media’s pivotal role in public policy agenda-setting. Much literature on science and health journalism assumes a normative stance, focusing on improving the accuracy of news coverage. In this study, we investigated journalists’ perspectives and experiences. We were particularly interested in learning how health researchers could work constructively with journalists as a means to increase research use in policy making. Qualitative methods were used to conduct and analyze interviews with experienced newspaper journalists across Canada, with children’s mental health as a content example. In response, study participants emphasized journalistic processes more than the content of news coverage, whether children’s mental health or other topics. Instead, they focused on what they thought researchers needed to know about journalists’ roles, practices and views on working with researchers. Newspaper journalists balance business and social responsibilities according to their respective roles as editors, columnists and reporters. In practice, journalists must ensure newsworthiness, relevance to readers and access to sources in a context of daily deadlines. As generalists, journalists rely on researchers to be expert interpreters, although they find many researchers unavailable or unable to communicate with public audiences. While journalists are skeptical about such common organizational communications tools as news releases, they welcome the uncommon contributions of those researchers who cultivate relationships and invest time to synthesize and communicate research evidence on an ongoing basis. Some appealed for more researchers to join them in participating in public conversations. We conclude that there are opportunities for policy-oriented health researchers to work constructively with newspaper journalists – by appreciating journalists’ perspectives and by taking seriously some of their suggestions for engaging in public conversations – and that such engagement can be a means to increase the use of research evidence in policy making and thereby improve health and healthcare. PMID:19308107

Long-term ongoing pregnancy rate and mode of conception after a positive and negative post-coital test.

PubMed

Hessel, Marloes; Brandes, Monique; de Bruin, Jan Peter; Bots, Rob S G M; Kremer, Jan A M; Nelen, Willianne L D M; Hamilton, Carl J C M

2014-09-01

Many fertility clinics have decided to abolish the post-coital test. Yet, it is a significant factor in prognostic models that predict the spontaneous pregnancy rate within one year. The aim of this study was to evaluate (1) the long-term outcome of infertile couples with a positive or a negative post-coital test during their fertility work-up and (2) the contribution of the different modes of conception. Retrospective cohort study. Three fertility clinics in the Netherlands, of which two are secondary care training hospitals and is a one tertiary care academic training hospital. 2476 newly referred infertile couples, where a post-coital test was performed in 1624 couples. After basic fertility work-up, couples were treated according to the national treatment protocols. Spontaneous and overall ongoing pregnancy rate. The spontaneous and overall ongoing pregnancy rates after three years were 37.7 and 77.5% after a positive post-coital test compared with 26.9 and 68.8% after a negative test (p < 0.001). Even in couples with severe male factor infertility (total motile sperm count <3) (p = 0.005) and mild male factor infertility (total motile sperm count 3-20) (p < 0.001), there was a significantly higher spontaneous ongoing pregnancy rate, justifying expectant management. After a follow-up of three years a positive post-coital test is still associated with a higher spontaneous and a higher overall ongoing pregnancy rate, even in couples with severe male factor infertility. © 2014 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Clinical microsystems, Part 3. Transformation of two hospitals using microsystem, mesosystem, and macrosystem strategies.

PubMed

Godfrey, Marjorie M; Melin, Craig N; Muething, Stephen E; Batalden, Paul B; Nelson, Eugene C

2008-10-01

Two hospitals-a large, urban academic medical center and a rural, community hospital-have each chosen a similar microsystem-based approach to improvement, customizing the engagement of the micro-, meso-, and macrosystems and the improvement targets on the basis of an understanding of the local context. CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER (CCHMC): Since 2004, strategic changes have been developed to support microsystems and their leaders through (1) ongoing improvement training for all macro-, meso-, and microsystem leaders; (2) financial support for physicians who are serving as co-leaders of clinical microsystems; (3) increased emphasis on aligning academic pursuits with improvement work at the clinical front lines; (4) microsystem leaders' continuous access to unit-level data through the organization's intranet; and (5) encouragement of unit leaders to share outcomes data with families. CDH has moved from near closure to a survival-turnaround focus, significant engagement in quality and finally, a complete reframing of a quality focus in 2004. Since then, it has deployed the clinical microsystems approach in one pilot care unit (West 2, a medical surgery unit), broadened it to two, then six more, and is now spreading it organizationwide. In "2+2 Charters," interdisciplinary teams address two strategic goals set by senior leadership and two goals set by frontline microsystem leaders and staff CCHMC and CDH have had a clear focus on developing alignment, capability, and accountability to fuse together the work at all levels of the hospital, unifying the macrosystem with the mesosystem and microsystem. Their improvement experience suggests tips and actions at all levels of the organization that could be adapted with specific context knowledge by others.

Overcoming the barriers to implementing patient-focused care.

PubMed

McQueen, J

1993-01-01

Potential barriers to implementing PFC sometimes seem enormous. Instead of orienting toward problems associated with implementing PFC, we can eliminate some of the barriers simply by focusing on and pursuing the ideal, "the seamless patient care experience." Fundamentally improving our health care delivery systems is not really a strategic option. It is our responsibility. We must do things better, faster, with more compassion, and at less cost. What evidence will demonstrate that your organization is becoming more patient-focused? Patients will not be inconvenienced because of "how the system works." They will consider your organization "best in class." They will know that the hospital's medical care and services will meet or exceed their expectations. Physicians and staff will feel more highly valued by the organization. Management empowers them by improving the systems they must use, providing ongoing training, and decentralizing the authority they need to deliver excellent medical care and satisfy patients' personal needs. Communication improves vertically and horizontally throughout the organization. The hospital becomes increasingly attractive to employers and HMOs. Reengineered processes result in increases in productivity. Better patient outcomes, at less cost, can be demonstrated. Occupancy rates stabilize or grow, utilization is carefully managed, and improvements in the bottom line strengthen the organization. How do we make these visions a reality? By committing to PFC and getting started right away. Just as "quality" is multidimensional, so must be our operating strategy. Patient-focused care is the model that will redefine the future of health care.

Mythology and evidence-based oncology: An indivisible link.

PubMed

Rathod, Shrinivas; Agarwal, Jai Prakash; Munshi, Anusheel

2016-01-01

Religion has an important role in the birth of medicine and shares a long history. Contradiction has separated spirituality and medicine. For so many years, the spiritual dimension of medicine was seen as unnecessary and inappropriate. However times are changing again and since the last few decades, recent literature and various ongoing studies have focused on unmet spiritual needs of physician and patient. This article focuses on the rejuvenating link between medicine and spirituality.

People with COPD perceive ongoing, structured and socially supportive exercise opportunities to be important for maintaining an active lifestyle following pulmonary rehabilitation: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hogg, Lauren; Grant, Amy; Garrod, Rachel; Fiddler, Helen

2012-01-01

What are the views and perceptions of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) regarding maintaining an active lifestyle following a course of pulmonary rehabilitation? Qualitative study of two focus groups using a grounded theory approach. Sixteen people with COPD who had completed a course of pulmonary rehabilitation. Data from focus groups concurred and five main themes emerged: value of pulmonary rehabilitation, ongoing exercise, professional support, peer social support, and health status. Pulmonary rehabilitation was seen as facilitating greater participation in everyday activity by improving physical ability and confidence to manage breathlessness, and reducing fear about exertional activity. An exercise routine following rehabilitation was perceived as essential for maintaining activity, with participants voicing a need for ongoing, structured and supervised sessions to maintain new found abilities. The exercise facility presented a possible barrier to attendance due to its potential to provoke feelings of embarrassment or intimidation. Professional and peer support were identified as key elements; participants expressed a desire to exercise within a peer group combined with an opportunity for social interaction. Health status relating to COPD symptoms was also identified as negatively impacting on physical activity participation. Confidence or self-efficacy for physical activity emerged as a prominent factor within main themes. The opportunity for structured, ongoing exercise with peer and professional support, in a suitable venue, is perceived as important to people with COPD in facilitating a physically active lifestyle following pulmonary rehabilitation. This desire for such opportunities may be related to individuals' self-efficacy towards physical activity. Copyright © 2012 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by .. All rights reserved.

Workshops and Training | Eliminating Sanitary Sewer ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-04-10

EPA New England is working with partners to develop outreach, workshops and tools to assist those working to prevent sewage overflows and improve the management of water/wastewater systems. We have ongoing efforts on CMOM (Capacity, Management, Operation and Maintenance), Asset Management and energy management.

75 FR 52701 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of Missouri

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-27

... information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is.... Ventilation Limits 5. Ongoing Ventilation Testing and Reporting Requirements 6. Winter Construction Work..., including building enclosure and ventilation projects, implementation of work practice standards, process...

77 FR 23283 - Tribal Consultation Policy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-18

... and Waivers VII. Consultation Process Guidelines VIII. Performance and Accountability IX. Designated..., improving working conditions, and assuring work-related benefits and rights of workers and retirees in the... services. The Department's Women's Bureau (WB) has an ongoing relationship with the United Indians of All...

The silent customers: measuring customer satisfaction in nursing homes.

PubMed

Kleinsorge, I K; Koenig, H F

1991-12-01

Nursing home administrators concerned with customer satisfaction and quality of care need a tool to assess and monitor ongoing satisfaction of nursing home residents and family members. The authors report a preliminary effort to develop such a survey using focus groups.

SMARTE: NEXT STEPS

EPA Science Inventory

SMARTe will be developed in an overlapping phased approach. The first phase began in 2003 and focused on the collection of information and resources and the transfer of this data. This phase is ongoing as information and resources are updated annually. The second phase began in 2...

Data Validation and Sharing in a Large Research Program

EPA Science Inventory

Appropriate data handling practices are important in the support of large research teams with shifting and competing priorities. Determining those best practices is an ongoing effort for the US EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys. We focus on the well understood data ...

Characteristics of Effective Professional Development: A Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunzicker, Jana

2010-01-01

This article summarizes current research on effective professional development and offers a checklist for school leaders to use when designing learning opportunities for teachers. Effective professional development engages teachers in learning opportunities that are supportive, job-embedded, instructionally-focused, collaborative, and ongoing.…

Decisions, Decisions....

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Owen Roberts

1985-01-01

The author reviews systems providing objective guidelines to facilitate ongoing, daily instructional decisions, focusing on those which utilize the sensitive datum and uniform charting procedures of precision teaching. Potential users are warned that the special education teacher must remain a critical and vigilant analyst of the learning process.…

A New U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalak, A. M.; Jackson, R.; Marland, G.; Sabine, C.

2009-05-01

The report "A U.S. carbon cycle science plan" (J. L. Sarmiento and S. C. Wofsy, U.S. Global Change Res. Program, Washington, D. C., 1999) outlined research priorities and promoted coordinated carbon cycle research across federal agencies in the United States for nearly a decade. Building on this framework and subsequent reports (http://www.carboncyclescience.gov/docs.php), a working group comprised of 27 scientists was formed in 2008 under the United States Carbon Cycle Science Program to review the 1999 Science Plan, and to develop an updated strategy for carbon cycle research for the period from 2010 to 2020. This comprehensive review is being conducted with wide input from the research and stakeholder communities. The recommendations of the Carbon Cycle Science Working Group (CCSWG) will go to U.S. agency managers who have collective responsibility for setting national carbon cycle science priorities and for sponsoring much of the carbon cycle research in the United States. This presentation will provide an update on the ongoing planning process, will outline the steps that the CCSWG is undertaking in building consensus towards an updated U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan, and will seek input on the best ways in which to coordinate efforts with ongoing and upcoming research in Canada and Mexico, as well as with ongoing work globally.

Lessons Learned: A Strategic Alliance to Improve Elementary Physical Education in an Urban School District.

PubMed

Thompson, Hannah R; Haguewood, Robin; Tantoco, Nicole; Madsen, Kristine A

2015-01-01

Physical education (PE) can help to achieve important public health goals, but is often under-prioritized and lacking in schools. To detail the actions, impact, and successes of a strategic alliance formed by three collaborating organizations to improve PE in a large California school district. Semistructured interviews with alliance members, principals, and teachers in 20 elementary schools, 3 years after the alliance formation. Interviewees reported district-level increases in priority and funding for PE and attributed improvements to the alliance's collection and dissemination of local data on the status of PE. Common goals, trust, and open communication within the alliance were seen as critical to the alliance's success. However, changes in district- or school-level accountability measures for PE were not reported. This strategic alliance succeeded in promoting district-level priority and funding for PE. Ongoing alliance work will focus on increasing accountability measures for PE, which may take longer to implement.

RN Job Satisfaction and Retention After an Interprofessional Team Intervention.

PubMed

Baik, Dawon; Zierler, Brenda

2018-04-01

Despite continuing interest in interprofessional teamwork to improve nurse outcomes and quality of care, there is little research that focuses on nurse job satisfaction and retention after an interprofessional team intervention. This study explored registered nurse (RN) job satisfaction and retention after a purposeful interprofessional team training and structured interprofessional bedside rounds were implemented. As part of a larger study, in this comparative cross-sectional study, pre- and post-intervention data on RN job satisfaction and turnover rate were collected and analyzed. It was found that RNs had significantly higher job satisfaction after the interprofessional team intervention. The 6-month period turnover rate in the post-intervention period was slightly lower than the 6-month period turnover rate in pre-intervention period; however, the rate was too low to provide statistical evidence. Ongoing coaching and supportive work environments to improve RN outcomes should be considered to enhance quality of care and patient safety in healthcare.

Optical fiber spectroscopy measures perfusion of the brain in a murine Alzheimer's disease model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Hyung Jin; Strickland, Sidney; Krueger, James; Gareau, Daniel

2014-02-01

Optical fiber spectroscopy is a versatile tool for measuring diffuse reflectance and extracting absorption information that can noninvasively quantify the presence of chromophores such as oxyhemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin in tissues. Cerebrovascular abnormalities were widely recognized in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. We analyzed blood volume fraction and level of oxygenated hemoglobin in Tg6799 mice, which are transgenic mice expressing five different familial Alzheimer disease-associated mutations in the human amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 genes. Diffuse reflectance spectra were iteratively fit as weighted sums of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin. Our observations showed slightly hypoxic conditions and significantly increased blood volume in the Alzheimer's mice versus wild type. These results suggest that hyperperfusion of our AD mice may be a compensating mechanism for impaired cerebral vascular function and somehow relevant with early stage of AD patients. Ongoing work focuses on developing a cannula fixture that allows measurement in awake, behaving animals.

Methodology for Evaluating Security Controls Based on Key Performance Indicators and Stakeholder Mission

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

Sheldon, Frederick T; Abercrombie, Robert K; Mili, Ali

2009-01-01

Information security continues to evolve in response to disruptive changes with a persistent focus on information-centric controls and a healthy debate about balancing endpoint and network protection, with a goal of improved enterprise/business risk management. Economic uncertainty, intensively collaborative styles of work, virtualization, increased outsourcing and ongoing compliance pressures require careful consideration and adaptation. This paper proposes a Cyberspace Security Econometrics System (CSES) that provides a measure (i.e., a quantitative indication) of reliability, performance and/or safety of a system that accounts for the criticality of each requirement as a function of one or more stakeholders interests in that requirement. Formore » a given stakeholder, CSES reflects the variance that may exist among the stakes she/he attaches to meeting each requirement. This paper introduces the basis, objectives and capabilities for the CSES including inputs/outputs as well as the structural and mathematical underpinnings.« less

Synopsis of Evaluating Security Controls Based on Key Performance Indicators and Stakeholder Mission Value

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

Abercrombie, Robert K; Sheldon, Frederick T; Mili, Ali

2008-01-01

Information security continues to evolve in response to disruptive changes with a persistent focus on information-centric controls and a healthy debate about balancing endpoint and network protection, with the goal of improved enterprise and business risk management. Economic uncertainty, intensively collaborative work styles, virtualization, increased outsourcing and ongoing compliance pressures require careful consideration and adaptation of a balanced approach. The Cyberspace Security Econometrics System (CSES) provides a measure of reliability, security and safety of a system that accounts for the criticality of each requirement as a function of one or more stakeholders interests in that requirement. For a given stakeholder,more » CSES reflects the variance that may exist among the stakes one attaches to meeting each requirement. This paper summarizes the basis, objectives and capabilities for the CSES including inputs/outputs as well as the structural underpinnings.« less

Evidence for coexisting magnetic order in frustrated three-dimensional honeycomb iridates Li2IrO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breznay, Nicholas; Ruiz, Alejandro; Frano, Alex; Analytis, James

The search for unconventional magnetism has found a fertile hunting ground in 5d iridium oxide (iridate) materials. The competition between coulomb, spin-orbit, and crystal field energy scales in honeycomb iridates leads to a quantum magnetic system with localized spin-1/2 moments communicating through spin-anisotropic Kitaev exchange interactions. Although early and ongoing work has focused on layered two-dimensional honeycomb compounds such as Na2IrO3 and a 4d analog, RuCl3, recently discovered polytypes of Li2IrO3 take on three-dimensional honeycomb structures. Bulk thermodynamic studies, as well as recent resonant x-ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy experiments, have uncovered a rich phase diagram for these three-dimensional honeycomb iridates. Low temperature incommensurate and commensurate magnetic orders can be stabilized by tuning the applied magnetic field, displaying a delicate coexistence that signals highly frustrated magnetism.

Andromeda's dwarf spheroidals and the universal mass profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Michelle; Rich, R. M.; Martin, N.; Ibata, R.; Chapman, S. C.; McConnachie, A. W.; PAndAS

2014-01-01

As the faintest, least massive galaxies we are able to observe, dwarf spheroidal galaxies represent the fundamental galactic unit. Their study in the Milky Way has led to several interesting findings and are helping us to better understand the behaviour of dark matter on the smallest scales. In this talk, I will present work from the ongoing PAndAS spectroscopic follow up survey of Andromeda, focusing on our results for its dwarf galaxy population. I will show that by including the masses measured for these objects in our analysis of the mass profiles of all dwarf galaxies, we are able to demonstrate that the notion of a universal mass profile for these most minute of galaxies is false. I will also identify several interesting objects whose properties defy our expectations, and discuss what these mean for our understanding of the physics governing galactic evolution.

Immigrating to the US: what Brazilian, Latin American and Haitian women have to say about changes to their lifestyle that may be associated with obesity.

PubMed

Tovar, Alison; Must, Aviva; Metayer, Nesly; Gute, David M; Pirie, Alex; Hyatt, Raymond R; Economos, Christina D

2013-04-01

Our goal was to explore the perceived determinants of obesity in Brazilian, Latin American and Haitian women. This is part of an ongoing community-based participatory intervention. Focus groups by immigrant group were conducted and themes extracted. Women expressed differences in beliefs, attitudes, and barriers regarding diet and physical activity in the US versus their home country. Participants thought food in the US is "less natural," there is less time for preparation, and there is more variety. The weather is a barrier to physical activity in the US and work is more physically demanding. Job-related efforts were not considered physical activity. They reported higher levels of stress, less control of their time and less social support in the US. Providing immigrants with appropriate support and education early in the acculturation process has the potential to help prevent obesity.

Win-win-win: collaboration advances critical care practice.

PubMed

Spence, Deb; Fielding, Sandra

2002-10-01

Against a background of increasing interest in education post registration, New Zealand nurses are working to advance their professional practice. Because the acquisition of highly developed clinical capabilities requires a combination of nursing experience and education, collaboration between clinicians and nurse educators is essential. However, the accessibility of relevant educational opportunities has been an ongoing issue for nurses outside the country's main centres. Within the framework of a Master of Health Science, the postgraduate certificate (critical care nursing) developed between Auckland University of Technology and two regional health providers is one such example. Students enrol in science and knowledge papers concurrently then, in the second half of the course, are supported within their practice environment to acquire advanced clinical skills and to analyse, critique and develop practice within their specialty. This paper provides an overview of the structure and pr month, distance education course focused on developing the context of critical care nursing.

Dynamic 3D measurement of modulated radiotherapy: a scintillator-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archambault, Louis; Rilling, Madison; Roy-Pomerleau, Xavier; Thibault, Simon

2017-05-01

With the rise of high-conformity dynamic radiotherapy, such as volumetric modulated arc therapy and robotic radiosurgery, the temporal dimension of dose measurement is becoming increasingly important. It must be possible to tell both ‘where’ and ‘when’ a discrepancy occurs between the plan and its delivery. A 3D scintillation-based dosimetry system could be ideal for such a thorough, end-to-end verification; however, the challenge lies in retrieving the volumetric information of the light-emitting volume. This paper discusses the motivation, from an optics point of view, of using the images acquired with a plenoptic camera, or light field imager, of an irradiated plastic scintillator volume to reconstruct the delivered 3D dose distribution. Current work focuses on the optimization of the optical design as well as the data processing that is involved in the ongoing development of a clinically viable, second generation dosimetry system.

Erotic feelings toward the therapist: a relational perspective.

PubMed

Lotterman, Jenny H

2014-02-01

This article focuses on the relational treatment of a male patient presenting with sexual and erotic feelings toward the therapist. The use of relational psychotherapy allowed us to collaborate in viewing our therapeutic relationship as a microcosm of other relationships throughout the patient's life. In this way, the patient came to understand his fears of being close to women, his discomfort with his sexuality, and how these feelings impacted his ongoing romantic and sexual experiences. Use of the therapist's reactions to the patient, including conscious and unconscious feelings and behaviors, aided in the conceptualization of this case. Working under a relational model was especially helpful when ruptures occurred, allowing the patient and therapist to address these moments and move toward repair. The patient was successful in making use of his sexual feelings to understand his feelings and behaviors across contexts. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early NICER Observations of Magnetars and Young Pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nynka, Melania

2018-01-01

Neutron star Interior Composition ExploreR (NICER) is an X-ray telescope attached to the International Space Station (ISS). Launched in June 2017, it is designed to precisely measure the masses and radii of neutron stars (NS) and probe NS equations of state. But its precision timing capabilities and large effective area uniquely position NICER for the study of magnetars. The NICER Magnetar & Magnetosphere (M&M) science working group focuses on studying highly-magnetized neutron stars, a diverse program that includes magnetars, high-B pulsars, rotation powered pulsars, and isolated neutron stars. Our ongoing campaign has already observed targets such as 4U 0142+61, a magnetar in outburst with coincident NuSTAR and Swift observations, the radio rotation powered Vela pulsar PSR B0833-45, and a transient magnetar XTE J1810-197. I will discuss the goals of the M&M program, spectral and temporal results from the observed targets, and an overview of upcoming observations.

Shifting visions: "delegation" policies and the building of a "rights-based" approach to maternal mortality.

PubMed

Freedman, Lynn P

2002-01-01

"Rights-based" approaches fold human rights principles into the ongoing work of health policy making and programming. The example of delegation of anesthesia provision for emergency obstetric care is used to demonstrate how a rights-based approach, applied to this problem in the context of high-mortality countries, requires decision makers to shift from an individual, ethics-based, clinical perspective to a structural, rights-based, public health perspective. This fluid and context-sensitive approach to human rights also applies at the international level, where the direction of overall maternal mortality reduction strategy is set. By contrasting family planning programs and maternal mortality programs, this commentary argues for choosing the human rights approach that speaks most effectively to the power dynamics underlying the particular health problem being addressed. In the case of maternal death in high-mortality countries, this means a strategic focus on the health care system itself.

The smokescreen of culture: AIDS and the indigenous in Papua, Indonesia.

PubMed

Butt, Leslie; Numbery, Gerdha; Morin, Jake

2002-09-01

In health transition studies on AIDS, government activities typically have been accorded less importance than local cultural practices. Certain social and cultural values, theorists argue, prevent potentially at-risk individuals from taking effective precautions to prevent HIV infection during sexual intercourse. This paper shows how a focus on culture is inadequate to understanding the issue of risk when the AIDS epidemic occurs in a colonial context. A study conducted in 2001 in Papua (West Papua), eastern Indonesia, shows that ongoing colonial relationships between indigenous Papuans and in-migrant Indonesians create inequities in AIDS awareness. Rates of HIV infection in Papua are high, but indigenous Papuans have a low level of awareness. Drawing on a survey of condom use and the sex work industry, this paper shows that government values, and economic conditions, need to be scrutinized as closely as culture in order to provide effective AIDS prevention in Papua.

Application of the Disruption Predictor Feature Developer to developing a machine-portable disruption predictor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, Matthew; Tang, William; Feibush, Eliot

2016-10-01

Plasma disruptions pose a major threat to the operation of tokamaks which confine a large amount of stored energy. In order to effectively mitigate this damage it is necessary to predict an oncoming disruption with sufficient warning time to take mitigative action. Machine learning approaches to this problem have shown promise but require further developments to address (1) the need for machine-portable predictors and (2) the availability of multi-dimensional signal inputs. Here we demonstrate progress in these two areas by applying the Disruption Predictor Feature Developer to data from JET and NSTX, and discuss topics of focus for ongoing work in support of ITER. The author is also supported under the Fulbright U.S. Student Program as a graduate student in the department of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Cell-based Therapy for Acute Organ Injury: Preclinical Evidence and On-going Clinical Trials Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Monsel, Antoine; Zhu, Ying-gang; Gennai, Stephane; Hao, Qi; Liu, Jia; Lee, Jae W.

2014-01-01

Critically ill patients often suffer from multiple organ failures involving lung, kidney, liver or brain. Genomic, proteomic and metabolomic approaches highlight common injury mechanisms leading to acute organ failure. This underlines the need to focus on therapeutic strategies affecting multiple injury pathways. The use of adult stem cells such as mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSC) may represent a promising new therapeutic approach as increasing evidence shows that MSC can exert protective effects following injury through the release of pro-mitotic, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory soluble factors. Furthermore, they can mitigate metabolomic and oxidative stress imbalance. In this work, we review the biological capabilities of MSC and the results of clinical trials using MSC as therapy in acute organ injuries. Although preliminary results are encouraging, more studies concerning safety and efficacy of MSC therapy are needed to determine their optimal clinical use. PMID:25211170

When Task Conflict Becomes Personal: The Impact of Perceived Team Performance.

PubMed

Guenter, Hannes; van Emmerik, Hetty; Schreurs, Bert; Kuypers, Tom; van Iterson, Ad; Notelaers, Guy

2016-10-01

Although potentially beneficial, task conflict may threaten teams because it often leads to relationship conflict. Prior research has identified a set of interpersonal factors (e.g., team communication, team trust) that help attenuate this association. The purpose of this article is to provide an alternative perspective that focuses on the moderating role of performance-related factors (i.e., perceived team performance). Using social identity theory, we build a model that predicts how task conflict associates with growth in relationship conflict and how perceived team performance influences this association. We test a three-wave longitudinal model by means of random coefficient growth modeling, using data from 60 ongoing teams working in a health care organization. Results provide partial support for our hypotheses. Only when perceived team performance is low, do task conflicts relate with growth in relationship conflict. We conclude that perceived team performance seems to enable teams to uncouple task from relationship conflict.

When Task Conflict Becomes Personal

PubMed Central

Guenter, Hannes; van Emmerik, Hetty; Schreurs, Bert; Kuypers, Tom; van Iterson, Ad; Notelaers, Guy

2016-01-01

Although potentially beneficial, task conflict may threaten teams because it often leads to relationship conflict. Prior research has identified a set of interpersonal factors (e.g., team communication, team trust) that help attenuate this association. The purpose of this article is to provide an alternative perspective that focuses on the moderating role of performance-related factors (i.e., perceived team performance). Using social identity theory, we build a model that predicts how task conflict associates with growth in relationship conflict and how perceived team performance influences this association. We test a three-wave longitudinal model by means of random coefficient growth modeling, using data from 60 ongoing teams working in a health care organization. Results provide partial support for our hypotheses. Only when perceived team performance is low, do task conflicts relate with growth in relationship conflict. We conclude that perceived team performance seems to enable teams to uncouple task from relationship conflict. PMID:28190944

GEM detectors development for radiation environment: neutron tests and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernyshova, Maryna; Jednoróg, Sławomir; Malinowski, Karol; Czarski, Tomasz; Ziółkowski, Adam; Bieńkowska, Barbara; Prokopowicz, Rafał; Łaszyńska, Ewa; Kowalska-Strzeciwilk, Ewa; Poźniak, Krzysztof T.; Kasprowicz, Grzegorz; Zabołotny, Wojciech; Wojeński, Andrzej; Krawczyk, Rafał D.; Linczuk, Paweł; Potrykus, Paweł; Bajdel, Barcel

2016-09-01

One of the requests from the ongoing ITER-Like Wall Project is to have diagnostics for Soft X-Ray (SXR) monitoring in tokamak. Such diagnostics should be focused on tungsten emission measurements, as an increased attention is currently paid to tungsten due to a fact that it became a main candidate for the plasma facing material in ITER and future fusion reactor. In addition, such diagnostics should be able to withstand harsh radiation environment at tokamak during its operation. The presented work is related to the development of such diagnostics based on Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) technology. More specifically, an influence of neutron radiation on performance of the GEM detectors is studied both experimentally and through computer simulations. The neutron induced radioactivity (after neutron source exposure) was found to be not pronounced comparing to an impact of other secondary neutron reaction products (during the exposure).

Continuity and change in local immigrant policies in times of austerity.

PubMed

Schiller, Maria; Hackett, Sarah

2018-01-01

European cities are increasingly being recognised for the role they play in devising and implementing their own migration, integration and diversity policies. Yet very little is known about the local dimension of immigrant policymaking in crisis contexts. This introductory piece offers a rationale for analysing city-level immigrant policies in times of crisis and the salience of using crisis as a metaphor for the state of things, and outlines key scholarly works, debates, concepts and theories. It provides a range of historical and contemporary examples and considerations, and introduces an empirical city case study that is published as part of this mini-symposium. It argues that a crisis lens leads to a systematic understanding of local-level immigrant policymaking in recent and contemporary Western Europe. The mini-symposium's focus and findings should be relevant to both on-going academic and policy debates.

MO-FG-207-01: Technological Advances and Challenges: Experience with the First Integrated Whole-Body PET/MRI

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

Laforest, R.

2015-06-15

The use of integrated PET/MRI systems in clinical applications can best benefit from understanding their technological advances and limitations. The currently available clinical PET/MRI systems have their own characteristics. Thorough analyses of existing technical data and evaluation of necessary performance metrics for quality assurances could be conducted to optimize application-specific PET/MRI protocols. This Symposium will focus on technical advances and limitations of clinical PET/MRI systems, and how this exciting imaging modality can be utilized in applications that can benefit from both PET and MRI. Learning Objectives: To understand the technological advances of clinical PET/MRI systems To correctly identify clinical applicationsmore » that can benefit from PET/MRI To understand ongoing work to further improve the current PET/MRI technology Floris Jansen is a GE Healthcare employee.« less

Impact of a complex fluid droplet on wettable and non wettable surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolleddula, Daniel; Aliseda, Alberto

2008-11-01

The impact of liquid droplets is a phenomenon prevalent in many natural and industrial processes. Such events include rain drops, fuel injection, and ink-jet printing. To date, research in atomization and droplet impact has been focused on Newtonian fluids. In the coating of pharmaceutical tablets, the coating solutions contain polymers, surfactants, and large concentrations of insoluble solids in suspension which inherently exhibit non-Newtonian behavior. In this work, we will present ongoing droplet impact experiments using complex rheology fluids under a wide range of Weber and Ohnesorge numbers. Both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces are been studied, and the effect of surface roughness has also been considered. We will describe the limits of bouncing, spreading, and splashing for these complex fluids. We will also discuss quantitative information such as spreading rates and contact angle measurements on wettable and non-wettable surfaces obtained from high speed images.

Strategies to successfully recruit and engage clinical nurses as participants in qualitative clinical research.

PubMed

Coyne, Elisabeth; Grafton, Eileen; Reid, Alayne

2016-12-01

Research conducted in the clinical area promotes the delivery of evidence-based patient care. Involving nurses as participants in research is considered essential to link patient care with evidence-based interventions. However recruitment is influenced by nurses' competing demands and understanding engagement strategies may assist future research. This reflective analysis aimed to understand influencing factors and strategies that support successful recruitment nurses in clinical research. A reflective analysis of research notes and focus group data from research with oncology nurses was completed. This research identified that gaining support from key staff, understanding work constraints and developing a rapport with nurses is important. Establishing clear relevance and benefits of the research and being flexible with research requirements enabled nurses to participate in the research. Clear information and a willingness to accommodate the demands and dynamic nature of the environment, ensures ongoing support and engagement of nurses in the clinical setting as participants in research.

Cyberspace Security Econometrics System (CSES) - U.S. Copyright TXu 1-901-039

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

Abercrombie, Robert K; Schlicher, Bob G; Sheldon, Frederick T

2014-01-01

Information security continues to evolve in response to disruptive changes with a persistent focus on information-centric controls and a healthy debate about balancing endpoint and network protection, with a goal of improved enterprise/business risk management. Economic uncertainty, intensively collaborative styles of work, virtualization, increased outsourcing and ongoing compliance pressures require careful consideration and adaptation. The Cyberspace Security Econometrics System (CSES) provides a measure (i.e., a quantitative indication) of reliability, performance, and/or safety of a system that accounts for the criticality of each requirement as a function of one or more stakeholders interests in that requirement. For a given stakeholder, CSESmore » accounts for the variance that may exist among the stakes one attaches to meeting each requirement. The basis, objectives and capabilities for the CSES including inputs/outputs as well as the structural and mathematical underpinnings contained in this copyright.« less

Engaging in Continuing Education and Training: Learning Preferences of Worker-Learners in the Health and Community Services Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choy, Sarojni; Billett, Stephen; Kelly, Ann

2013-01-01

Current tertiary education and training provisions are designed mainly to meet the learning needs of those preparing for entry into employment and specific occupations. Yet, changing work, new work requirements, an ageing workforce and the ongoing need for employability across lengthening working lives make it imperative that this educational…

The Principal as Instructional Leader: A Handbook for Supervisors. 2nd Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Sally J.

2007-01-01

Very few people would disagree that the work of the principal is multifaceted, hectic, and fraught with uncertainties, and given the ongoing press for accountability, the very work of the principal as instructional leader is shifting to ensure "results." There are myriad day-to-day activities that take principals away from the important work of…

Complex Span versus Updating Tasks of Working Memory: The Gap Is Not that Deep

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmiedek, Florian; Hildebrandt, Andrea; Lovden, Martin; Wilhelm, Oliver; Lindenberger, Ulman

2009-01-01

How to best measure working memory capacity is an issue of ongoing debate. Besides established complex span tasks, which combine short-term memory demands with generally unrelated secondary tasks, there exists a set of paradigms characterized by continuous and simultaneous updating of several items in working memory, such as the n-back, memory…

Overcoming Roadblocks on the Way to Work. Bridges to Work Field Report. Field Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Mark; Palubinsky, Beth; Tierney, Joseph

Five programs in the Bridges to Work demonstration have functioned as a labor market exchange--with the main services being job matching and transportation coordination--for job-ready inner-city workers and suburban employment. The logistics of transportation have been simple; the basics of employment have been an ongoing challenge. Sites have…

Starting Labor-Management Quality of Work Life Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brower, Michael

This report summarizes the experiences of the Massachusetts Quality of Working Life Center in assisting the attempted and actual start-up of a number of quality of work life (QWL) programs in 1976 and 1977 and in providing ongoing assistance. Lessons learned by the three sites the center launched, other sites, as well as those sites that chose not…

Social Work Online Education: A Model for Getting Started and Staying Connected

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Sharon E.; Golder, Seana; Sterrett, Emma; Faul, Anna C.; Yankeelov, Pam; Weathers Mathis, Lynetta; Barbee, Anita P.

2015-01-01

Social work education has been greatly affected by ongoing technological advances in society at large and in the academy. Options for instructional delivery have been broadened tremendously. The University of Louisville is the first in Kentucky to put its master's of social work degree fully online, with a first cohort admitted in 2012. The…

Native People and the Social Work Profession: A Critical Exploration of Colonizing Problematics and the Development of Decolonized Thought.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waterfall, Barbara

2002-01-01

Discusses relationship between the social work profession and indigenous populations living in colonial Canada. Examines characteristics of Eurocentrism and historical and ongoing colonial processes, and implicates the profession of social work as a colonizing practice. Urges native people to disengage from current neo-colonial and constitutional…

Labor-Management Cooperation in Illinois: How a Joint Union Company Team Is Improving Facility Safety.

PubMed

Mahan, Bruce; Maclin, Reggie; Ruttenberg, Ruth; Mundy, Keith; Frazee, Tom; Schwartzkopf, Randy; Morawetz, John

2018-01-01

This study of Afton Chemical Corporation's Sauget facility and its International Chemical Workers Union Council (ICWUC) Local 871C demonstrates how significant safety improvements can be made when committed leadership from both management and union work together, build trust, train the entire work force in U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10-hour classes, and communicate with their work force, both salaried and hourly. A key finding is that listening to the workers closest to production can lead to solutions, many of them more cost-efficient than top-down decision-making. Another is that making safety and health an authentic value is hard work, requiring time, money, and commitment. Third, union and management must both have leadership willing to take chances and learn to trust one another. Fourth, training must be for everyone and ongoing. Finally, health and safety improvements require dedicated funding. The result was resolution of more than one hundred safety concerns and an ongoing institutionalized process for continuing improvement.

Growing a professional network to over 3000 members in less than 4 years: evaluation of InspireNet, British Columbia's virtual nursing health services research network.

PubMed

Frisch, Noreen; Atherton, Pat; Borycki, Elizabeth; Mickelson, Grace; Cordeiro, Jennifer; Novak Lauscher, Helen; Black, Agnes

2014-02-21

Use of Web 2.0 and social media technologies has become a new area of research among health professionals. Much of this work has focused on the use of technologies for health self-management and the ways technologies support communication between care providers and consumers. This paper addresses a new use of technology in providing a platform for health professionals to support professional development, increase knowledge utilization, and promote formal/informal professional communication. Specifically, we report on factors necessary to attract and sustain health professionals' use of a network designed to increase nurses' interest in and use of health services research and to support knowledge utilization activities in British Columbia, Canada. "InspireNet", a virtual professional network for health professionals, is a living laboratory permitting documentation of when and how professionals take up Web 2.0 and social media. Ongoing evaluation documents our experiences in establishing, operating, and evaluating this network. Overall evaluation methods included (1) tracking website use, (2) conducting two member surveys, and (3) soliciting member feedback through focus groups and interviews with those who participated in electronic communities of practice (eCoPs) and other stakeholders. These data have been used to learn about the types of support that seem relevant to network growth. Network growth exceeded all expectations. Members engaged with varying aspects of the network's virtual technologies, such as teams of professionals sharing a common interest, research teams conducting their work, and instructional webinars open to network members. Members used wikis, blogs, and discussion groups to support professional work, as well as a members' database with contact information and areas of interest. The database is accessed approximately 10 times per day. InspireNet public blog posts are accessed roughly 500 times each. At the time of writing, 21 research teams conduct their work virtually using the InspireNet platform; 10 topic-based Action Teams meet to address issues of mutual concern. Nursing and other health professionals, even those who rated themselves as computer literate, required significant mentoring and support in their efforts to adopt their practice to a virtual environment. There was a steep learning curve for professionals to learn to work in a virtual environment and to benefit from the available technologies. Virtual professional networks can be positioned to make a significant contribution to ongoing professional practice and to creating environments supportive of information sharing, mentoring, and learning across geographical boundaries. Nonetheless, creation of a Web 2.0 and social media platform is not sufficient, in and of itself, to attract or sustain a vibrant community of professionals interested in improving their practice. Essential support includes instruction in the use of Web-based activities and time management, a biweekly e-Newsletter, regular communication from leaders, and an annual face-to-face conference.

Climate change and water security with a focus on the Arctic.

PubMed

Evengard, Birgitta; Berner, Jim; Brubaker, Michael; Mulvad, Gert; Revich, Boris

2011-01-01

Water is of fundamental importance for human life; access to water of good quality is of vital concern for mankind. Currently however, the situation is under severe pressure due to several stressors that have a clear impact on access to water. In the Arctic, climate change is having an impact on water availability by melting glaciers, decreasing seasonal rates of precipitation, increasing evapotranspiration, and drying lakes and rivers existing in permafrost grounds. Water quality is also being impacted as manmade pollutants stored in the environment are released, lowland areas are flooded with salty ocean water during storms, turbidity from permafrost-driven thaw and erosion is increased, and the growth or emergence of natural pollutants are increased. By 2030 it is estimated that the world will need to produce 50% more food and energy which means a continuous increase in demand for water. Decisionmakers will have to very clearly include life quality aspects of future generations in the work as impact of ongoing changes will be noticeable, in many cases, in the future. This article will focus on effects of climate-change on water security with an Arctic perspective giving some examples from different countries how arising problems are being addressed.

Knowledge/geometry-based Mobile Autonomous Robot Simulator (KMARS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Linfu; Mckendrick, John D.; Liu, Jeffrey

1990-01-01

Ongoing applied research is focused on developing guidance system for robot vehicles. Problems facing the basic research needed to support this development (e.g., scene understanding, real-time vision processing, etc.) are major impediments to progress. Due to the complexity and the unpredictable nature of a vehicle's area of operation, more advanced vehicle control systems must be able to learn about obstacles within the range of its sensor(s). A better understanding of the basic exploration process is needed to provide critical support to developers of both sensor systems and intelligent control systems which can be used in a wide spectrum of autonomous vehicles. Elcee Computek, Inc. has been working under contract to the Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright Research and Development Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio to develop a Knowledge/Geometry-based Mobile Autonomous Robot Simulator (KMARS). KMARS has two parts: a geometry base and a knowledge base. The knowledge base part of the system employs the expert-system shell CLIPS ('C' Language Integrated Production System) and necessary rules that control both the vehicle's use of an obstacle detecting sensor and the overall exploration process. The initial phase project has focused on the simulation of a point robot vehicle operating in a 2D environment.

Solar Irradiance from GOES Albedo performance in a Hydrologic Model Simulation of Snowmelt Runoff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumargo, E.; Cayan, D. R.; McGurk, B. J.

2015-12-01

In many hydrologic modeling applications, solar radiation has been parameterized using commonly available measures, such as the daily temperature range, due to scarce in situ solar radiation measurement network. However, these parameterized estimates often produce significant biases. Here we test hourly solar irradiance derived from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) visible albedo product, using several established algorithms. Focusing on the Sierra Nevada and White Mountain in California, we compared the GOES irradiance and that from a traditional temperature-based algorithm with incoming irradiance from pyranometers at 19 stations. The GOES based estimates yielded 21-27% reduction in root-mean-squared error (average over 19 sites). The derived irradiance is then prescribed as an input to Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS). We constrain our experiment to the Tuolumne River watershed and focus our attention on the winter and spring of 1996-2014. A root-mean-squared error reduction of 2-6% in daily inflow to Hetch Hetchy at the lower end of the Tuolumne catchment was achieved by incorporating the insolation estimates at only 8 out of 280 Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs) within the basin. Our ongoing work endeavors to apply satellite-derived irradiance at each individual HRU.

Climate change and water security with a focus on the Arctic

PubMed Central

Evengard, Birgitta; Berner, Jim; Brubaker, Michael; Mulvad, Gert; Revich, Boris

2011-01-01

Water is of fundamental importance for human life; access to water of good quality is of vital concern for mankind. Currently however, the situation is under severe pressure due to several stressors that have a clear impact on access to water. In the Arctic, climate change is having an impact on water availability by melting glaciers, decreasing seasonal rates of precipitation, increasing evapotranspiration, and drying lakes and rivers existing in permafrost grounds. Water quality is also being impacted as manmade pollutants stored in the environment are released, lowland areas are flooded with salty ocean water during storms, turbidity from permafrost-driven thaw and erosion is increased, and the growth or emergence of natural pollutants are increased. By 2030 it is estimated that the world will need to produce 50% more food and energy which means a continuous increase in demand for water. Decisionmakers will have to very clearly include life quality aspects of future generations in the work as impact of ongoing changes will be noticeable, in many cases, in the future. This article will focus on effects of climate-change on water security with an Arctic perspective giving some examples from different countries how arising problems are being addressed. PMID:22043217

Mucosal immunity in HIV controllers: the right place at the right time.

PubMed

Shacklett, Barbara L; Ferre, April L

2011-05-01

The phenomenon of long-term nonprogression in HIV infection has been recognized for some time, and the ability of rare individuals, designated 'elite controllers', to control HIV in the absence of therapy is the focus of numerous ongoing studies. This review focuses on studies of HIV-specific immune responses in mucosal tissues as a potential correlate of immune control, with an emphasis on recently published work. Genetic studies have implicated a role for elements localized to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6 in the immune control of HIV infection. In parallel, functional studies have strongly implicated MHC class I-restricted, CD8+ T-cell responses as a major contributor to elite control. In addition, the localization of HIV-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells with respect to the major sites of virus replication in the body may be critical in determining clinical outcome. Recent findings suggest that MHC class I-restricted, CD8+ T cells are a major component of immune control in 'elite controllers'. In addition, the presence of these effector cells at or near critical viral reservoirs, such as mucosal tissues, may be critical in determining their effectiveness at limiting viral replication and dissemination.

A compact linear accelerator based on a scalable microelectromechanical-system RF-structure

DOE PAGES

Persaud, A.; Ji, Q.; Feinberg, E.; ...

2017-06-08

Here, a new approach for a compact radio-frequency (RF) accelerator structure is presented. The new accelerator architecture is based on the Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerator (MEQALAC) structure that was first developed in the 1980s. The MEQALAC utilized RF resonators producing the accelerating fields and providing for higher beam currents through parallel beamlets focused using arrays of electrostatic quadrupoles (ESQs). While the early work obtained ESQs with lateral dimensions on the order of a few centimeters, using a printed circuit board (PCB), we reduce the characteristic dimension to the millimeter regime, while massively scaling up the potential number ofmore » parallel beamlets. Using Microelectromechanical systems scalable fabrication approaches, we are working on further red ucing the characteristic dimension to the sub-millimeter regime. The technology is based on RF-acceleration components and ESQs implemented in the PCB or silicon wafers where each beamlet passes through beam apertures in the wafer. The complete accelerator is then assembled by stacking these wafers. This approach has the potential for fast and inexpensive batch fabrication of the components and flexibility in system design for application specific beam energies and currents. For prototyping the accelerator architecture, the components have been fabricated using the PCB. In this paper, we present proof of concept results of the principal components using the PCB: RF acceleration and ESQ focusing. Finally, ongoing developments on implementing components in silicon and scaling of the accelerator technology to high currents and beam energies are discussed.« less

A compact linear accelerator based on a scalable microelectromechanical-system RF-structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persaud, A.; Ji, Q.; Feinberg, E.; Seidl, P. A.; Waldron, W. L.; Schenkel, T.; Lal, A.; Vinayakumar, K. B.; Ardanuc, S.; Hammer, D. A.

2017-06-01

A new approach for a compact radio-frequency (RF) accelerator structure is presented. The new accelerator architecture is based on the Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerator (MEQALAC) structure that was first developed in the 1980s. The MEQALAC utilized RF resonators producing the accelerating fields and providing for higher beam currents through parallel beamlets focused using arrays of electrostatic quadrupoles (ESQs). While the early work obtained ESQs with lateral dimensions on the order of a few centimeters, using a printed circuit board (PCB), we reduce the characteristic dimension to the millimeter regime, while massively scaling up the potential number of parallel beamlets. Using Microelectromechanical systems scalable fabrication approaches, we are working on further reducing the characteristic dimension to the sub-millimeter regime. The technology is based on RF-acceleration components and ESQs implemented in the PCB or silicon wafers where each beamlet passes through beam apertures in the wafer. The complete accelerator is then assembled by stacking these wafers. This approach has the potential for fast and inexpensive batch fabrication of the components and flexibility in system design for application specific beam energies and currents. For prototyping the accelerator architecture, the components have been fabricated using the PCB. In this paper, we present proof of concept results of the principal components using the PCB: RF acceleration and ESQ focusing. Ongoing developments on implementing components in silicon and scaling of the accelerator technology to high currents and beam energies are discussed.

A compact linear accelerator based on a scalable microelectromechanical-system RF-structure.

PubMed

Persaud, A; Ji, Q; Feinberg, E; Seidl, P A; Waldron, W L; Schenkel, T; Lal, A; Vinayakumar, K B; Ardanuc, S; Hammer, D A

2017-06-01

A new approach for a compact radio-frequency (RF) accelerator structure is presented. The new accelerator architecture is based on the Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerator (MEQALAC) structure that was first developed in the 1980s. The MEQALAC utilized RF resonators producing the accelerating fields and providing for higher beam currents through parallel beamlets focused using arrays of electrostatic quadrupoles (ESQs). While the early work obtained ESQs with lateral dimensions on the order of a few centimeters, using a printed circuit board (PCB), we reduce the characteristic dimension to the millimeter regime, while massively scaling up the potential number of parallel beamlets. Using Microelectromechanical systems scalable fabrication approaches, we are working on further reducing the characteristic dimension to the sub-millimeter regime. The technology is based on RF-acceleration components and ESQs implemented in the PCB or silicon wafers where each beamlet passes through beam apertures in the wafer. The complete accelerator is then assembled by stacking these wafers. This approach has the potential for fast and inexpensive batch fabrication of the components and flexibility in system design for application specific beam energies and currents. For prototyping the accelerator architecture, the components have been fabricated using the PCB. In this paper, we present proof of concept results of the principal components using the PCB: RF acceleration and ESQ focusing. Ongoing developments on implementing components in silicon and scaling of the accelerator technology to high currents and beam energies are discussed.

Implementation of quality improvement techniques for management and technical processes in the ACRV project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raiman, Laura B.

1992-01-01

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a cooperative form of doing business that relies on the talents of everyone in an organization to continually improve quality and productivity, using teams and an assortment of statistical and measurement tools. The objective of the activities described in this paper was to implement effective improvement tools and techniques in order to build work processes which support good management and technical decisions and actions which are crucial to the success of the ACRV project. The objectives were met by applications in both the technical and management areas. The management applications involved initiating focused continuous improvement projects with widespread team membership. The technical applications involved applying proven statistical tools and techniques to the technical issues associated with the ACRV Project. Specific activities related to the objective included working with a support contractor team to improve support processes, examining processes involved in international activities, a series of tutorials presented to the New Initiatives Office and support contractors, a briefing to NIO managers, and work with the NIO Q+ Team. On the technical side, work included analyzing data from the large-scale W.A.T.E.R. test, landing mode trade analyses, and targeting probability calculations. The results of these efforts will help to develop a disciplined, ongoing process for producing fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide the ACRV organization .

International Children's Palliative Care Network: A Global Action Network for Children With Life-Limiting Conditions.

PubMed

Marston, Joan; Boucher, Sue; Downing, Julia

2018-02-01

The International Children's Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) is a global network of individuals and organizations working together to reach the estimated 21 million children with life-limiting conditions and life-threatening illnesses. The drive to establish the ICPCN was born from the recognition of the gaps in service provision for children's palliative care and the need to collaborate, network, and share resources. Established in 2005 during a meeting in Seoul, South Korea, the ICPCN has developed over the years into an established network with a global membership. The history of the organization is described, including some of the key events since its inception. Working in collaboration with others, ICPCN has five key focus areas: Communication; Advocacy; Research; Education; and Strategic development, and is the only international charity working globally for the rights of children with palliative care needs. Activities in these areas are discussed, along with the inter-connection between the five areas. Without the ICPCN, palliative care for children would not have developed as far as it has over the years and the organization is committed to ongoing work in this area until all children requiring palliative care have access to quality services, wherever they live around the world. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Verrucomicrobia and their role in soil methanol consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fierer, N.

2015-12-01

Bacteria belonging to the phylum Verrucomicrobia are far more ubiquitous and abundant in soil than previous work would suggest. In many soils, a relatively small number of verrucomicrobial phylotypes or 'species' can represent more than 25% of the bacterial cells in soil. Since these phylotypes are not closely related to any known cultured isolates or any strains for which we have whole-genome data, we have limited information on what these bacteria are actually doing in soil, their metabolic capabilities, or the niches they inhabit. We have recently assembled the genomes of these dominant Verrucomicrobia from soil metagenomic data and found that these taxa appear to be oligotrophs that specialize in methanol oxidation. This is important because we have found in previous work that methanol likely represents an important source of labile organic carbon to soil microbes in many ecosystems with methanol fluxes likely representing an important, but under-studied, mechanism by which organic carbon is transferred from surface litter layers to mineral soils. Ongoing work has focused on using high-throughput cultivation methods to study soil Verrucomicrobia in vitro and better understand their controls on soil carbon dynamics. Together this work demonstrates how we can leverage recent methodological advances in metagenomics, high-throughput cultivation, and soil trace gas analyses to understand the biogeochemical relevance of an abundant, but mysterious, group of soil microorganisms.

Determination on Damage Mechanism of the Planet Gear of Heavy Vehicle Final Drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramdan, RD; Setiawan, R.; Sasmita, F.; Suratman, R.; Taufiqulloh

2018-02-01

The works focus on the investigation of damage mechanism of fractured in the form of spalling of the planet gears from the final drive assembly of 160-ton heavy vehicles. The objective of this work is to clearly understand the mechanism of damage. The work is the first stage of the on-going research on the remaining life estimation of such gears. The understanding of the damage mechanism is critical in order to provide accurate estimate of the gear’s remaining life with observed initial damage. The analysis was performed based on the metallurgy laboratory works, including visual observation, macro-micro fractography by optical stereo and optical microscope and micro-vickers hardness test. From visual observation it was observed pitting that form lining defect at common position, which is at gear flank position. From spalling sample it was observed ratchet mark at the boundary between macro pitting and the edge of fractured parts. Further observation on the cross-section of the samples by optical microscope confirm that initial micro pitting occur without spalling of the case hardened surface. Spalling occur when pitting achieve certain critical size, and occur at multiple initiation site of crack propagation. From the present research it was concluded that pitting was resulted due to repeated contact fatigue. In addition, development of micro to macro pitting as well as spalling occur at certain direction towards the top of the gear teeth.

Implementation of quality improvement techniques for management and technical processes in the ACRV project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raiman, Laura B.

1992-12-01

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a cooperative form of doing business that relies on the talents of everyone in an organization to continually improve quality and productivity, using teams and an assortment of statistical and measurement tools. The objective of the activities described in this paper was to implement effective improvement tools and techniques in order to build work processes which support good management and technical decisions and actions which are crucial to the success of the ACRV project. The objectives were met by applications in both the technical and management areas. The management applications involved initiating focused continuous improvement projects with widespread team membership. The technical applications involved applying proven statistical tools and techniques to the technical issues associated with the ACRV Project. Specific activities related to the objective included working with a support contractor team to improve support processes, examining processes involved in international activities, a series of tutorials presented to the New Initiatives Office and support contractors, a briefing to NIO managers, and work with the NIO Q+ Team. On the technical side, work included analyzing data from the large-scale W.A.T.E.R. test, landing mode trade analyses, and targeting probability calculations. The results of these efforts will help to develop a disciplined, ongoing process for producing fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide the ACRV organization .

Final Report for "Tech-X Corporation work for the SciDAC Center for Simulation of RF Wave Interactions with Magnetohydrodynamics (SWIM)"

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

Jenkins, Thomas G.; Kruger, Scott E.

Work carried out by Tech-X Corporation for the DoE SciDAC Center for Simulation of RF Wave Interactions with Magnetohydrodynamics (SWIM; U.S. DoE Office of Science Award Number DE-FC02-06ER54899) is summarized and is shown to fulfil the project objectives. The Tech-X portion of the SWIM work focused on the development of analytic and computational approaches to study neoclassical tearing modes and their interaction with injected electron cyclotron current drive. Using formalism developed by Hegna, Callen, and Ramos [Phys. Plasmas 16, 112501 (2009); Phys. Plasmas 17, 082502 (2010); Phys. Plasmas 18, 102506 (2011)], analytic approximations for the RF interaction were derived andmore » the numerical methods needed to implement these interactions in the NIMROD extended MHD code were developed. Using the SWIM IPS framework, NIMROD has successfully coupled to GENRAY, an RF ray tracing code; additionally, a numerical control system to trigger the RF injection, adjustment, and shutdown in response to tearing mode activity has been developed. We discuss these accomplishments, as well as prospects for ongoing future research that this work has enabled (which continue in a limited fashion under the SciDAC Center for Extended Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling (CEMM) project and under a baseline theory grant). Associated conference presentations, published articles, and publications in progress are also listed.« less

Catch a Glimpse of Me: The development of staff videos to promote person-centered care.

PubMed

Gendron, Tracey L; King Seymour, Lindsay; Welleford, E Ayn

2016-09-01

Catch a Glimpse of Me is an ongoing project that uses video to help staff deliver more person-centered care for people with dementia living in long-term care. Focus groups consisting of residents, family and staff members were conducted to develop a template for the development of the videos. The five themes they identified as being important to include are: family; interests and hobbies; memories and moments; life space and getting personal. The article describes the process of developing the videos and discusses the ongoing potential of the Catch a Glimpse of Me project. © The Author(s) 2015.

Factors influencing medical students' motivation to practise in rural areas in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Zwanikken, Prisca A C; Pokharel, Paras K; Scherpbier, Albert J

2017-01-01

Objectives There is a shortage of doctors working in rural areas all over the world, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. The choice to practise medicine in a rural area is influenced by many factors. Motivation developed as a medical student is one key determinant of this choice. This study explores influences on medical students' motivation to practise in rural areas of low-income and middle-income countries following graduation. Design A systematic review was conducted to identify influences on medical students' motivation to work in rural areas in low-income and middle-income countries. Papers reporting influences on motivation were included, and content analysis was conducted to select the articles. Articles not published in English were excluded from this review. Results A rural background (ie, being brought up in a rural area), training in rural areas with a community-based curriculum, early exposure to the community during medical training and rural location of medical school motivate medical students to work in rural areas. Perceived lack of infrastructure, high workload, poor hospital management and isolation are among the health facility factors that demotivate medical students for medical practice in rural areas. Conclusions Medical school selection criteria focusing on a rural background factor and medical education curriculum focusing on rural area are more relevant factors in low-income and middle-income countries. The factors identified in this review may assist the planners, medical educators and policymakers in low-income and middle-income countries in designing relevant interventions to positively influence rural choices where the shortage of rural physicians is an ongoing and increasing concern. PMID:28232465

Developing leadership talent in healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Wells, Wendy; Hejna, William

2009-01-01

Effective initiatives for developing and retaining leadership talent are built around five supporting elements: Identification of key leader competencies. Effective job design. A strong focus on leadership recruitment, development, and retention. Leadership training and development throughout all levels of the organization. Ongoing leadership assessment and performance management.

Neurogenetic and Neurodevelopmental Pathways to Learning Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazzocco, Michele M. M.; And Others

1997-01-01

This paper reviews ongoing research designed to specify the cognitive, behavioral, and neuroanatomical phenotypes of specific genetic etiologies of learning disability. The genetic disorders at the focus of the research include reading disability, neurofibromatosis type 1, Tourette syndrome, and fragile X syndrome. Implications for identifying…

Genre and Literacy-Modeling Context in Educational Linguistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, James R.

1992-01-01

Complements review in previous volume concerning Australian literacy (in first- and second-language) initiatives that drew on systemic functional linguistics, highlights ongoing research within the same theoretical framework, and focuses on the question of modeling context in educational linguistics. The discussion includes modeling context as…

Expanding the Professional Development School Model: Developing Collaborative Partnerships with School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foust, Gretchen E.; Goslee, Patricia A.

2014-01-01

The Professional Development School (PDS) model, a successful collaborative partnership model between university teacher education programs and P-12 schools, focuses on ''preparing future educators, providing current educators with ongoing professional development, encouraging joint school-university faculty investigation of education-related…

Computing and Systems Applied in Support of Coordinated Energy, Environmental, and Climate Planning

EPA Science Inventory

This talk focuses on how Dr. Loughlin is applying Computing and Systems models, tools and methods to more fully understand the linkages among energy systems, environmental quality, and climate change. Dr. Loughlin will highlight recent and ongoing research activities, including: ...

Always Growing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Dennis

2017-01-01

Ongoing professional development is critical even for the very top executives at community colleges. While many community college systems focus on the onboarding of new presidents, professional learning should be a never-ending process. The best institutions recognize this and devote time and resources to the continuing development of their…

76 FR 16427 - Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-23

...] Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS... Communication Advisory Committee. General Function of the Committee: To provide advice and recommendations to... discuss developments in FDA's ongoing communications programs. The discussion will focus on the use of...

Multicultural Education: Teachers' Perceptions and Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alismail, Halah Ahmed

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on theory and practice in multicultural education as it pertains to the preparation of preservice teachers. The literature reviews the history and definition of multiculturalism and investigates multiple theoretical frameworks around the ongoing debate and issues of multicultural education. Teachers' perceptions of multicultural…

Cognitive Profile: Increasing Student Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Letteri, Charles A.

Past and ongoing research on cognition indicates that its effects on academic achievement are more direct than those of environmental, affective, or behavioral factors. The research has analyzed cognitive factors, the remediation of cognitive differences, and the transferability of remediation practices. Other cognition researchers have focused on…

Assessment of mixed-layer height estimation from single-wavelength ceilometer profiles

EPA Science Inventory

Differing boundary/mixed-layer height measurement methods were assessed in moderately polluted and clean environments, with a focus on the Vaisala CL51 ceilometer. This intercomparison was performed as part of ongoing measurements at the Chemistry And Physics of the Atmospheric B...

Facilitating Authentic Becoming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eriksen, Matthew

2012-01-01

A "Model of Authentic Becoming" that conceptualizes learning as a continuous and ongoing embodied and relational process, and uses social constructionism assumptions as well as Kolb's experiential learning model as its point of departure, is presented. Through a focus on the subjective, embodied, and relational nature of organizational life, the…

Postcards from the edge: Trash-2-Cash communication tools used to support inter-disciplinary work towards a design driven material innovation (DDMI) methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earley, R.; Hornbuckle, R.

2017-10-01

In this paper postcards from the EU funded Horizon 2020 Trash-2-Cash (2015-2018) project - completed by workshop participants - are presented in three tables with a focus on how they contributed to the building of communication channels, shared understanding and methods in this inter-disciplinary consortium work. The Trash-2-Cash project aims to support better waste utilisation, improve material efficiency, contribute to reduction of landfill area needs, whilst also producing high-value commercial products. Novel materials will drive the generation of new textile fibres that will utilize paper and textile fibre waste, originating from continuously increasing textile consumption. The inter-disciplanarity of the participants is key to achieving the project aims - but communication between sectors is challenging due to diverse expertise and levels of experience; language and cultural differences can also be barriers to collaboration as well. Designing easy and accessible, even fun, communication tools are one of the ways to help build relationships. The cards reviewed were used in Prato (November 2015), Helsinki (February 2016) and London (November 2016). This paper concludes with insights for the ongoing development of the project communications work towards the Design Driven Material Innovation (DDMI) methodology, due to be presented at the end of the project in 2018.

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Annual Implementation Work Plan for Fiscal Year 1994.

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

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Northwest Power Planning Council; Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority

1994-02-01

This document is part of Bonneville Power Administration`s program to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of hydroelectric facilities on the Columbia River and its tributaries. The Fiscal Year 1994 (FY 1994) Annual Implementation Work Plan (AIWP) presents Bonneville Power Administration`s (BPA`s) plan for implementation of the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Program). The purpose of the Program is to guide BPA and other federal agencies in carrying out their responsibilities to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin. Phase I began the work of salmonmore » recovery with certain fast-track measures completed in August 1991. Phase II dealt with Snake and Columbia river flow and salmon harvest and was completed in December 1991. Phase III dealt with system-wide habitat and salmon production issues and was completed in September 1992. Phase IV planning, focusing on resident fish and wildlife, began in August 1993, and was finished and adopted in November 1993. This report provides summaries of the ongoing and new projects for FY 1994 within the areas of juvenile migration, adult migration, salmon harvest, production and habitat, coordinated implementation, monitoring and evaluation, resident fish, and wildlife.« less

What happens to health professionals when the ill patient is the health care system? Understanding the experience of practising medicine in the Romanian socio-cultural context.

PubMed

Spânu, Florina; Băban, Adriana; Bria, Mara; Dumitrascu, Dan L

2013-09-01

Our aims were to investigate the sources of work strain and stress, and the way in which they are experienced by Romanian health professionals in a work context shaped by the ongoing 20 years long reform of the national health care system. An exploratory, qualitative design was used to investigate medical professionals' perceptions of stress and work strain. Twenty eight interviews and two focus groups were conducted with 38 physicians, residents and nurses, between the age of 26 and 53. A semi-structured interview guide was used for data gathering and the major themes were identified using thematic analysis of the transcripts. Three themes emerged in the analysis: governance and health system management, scarcity of resources, and health system reputation. Health professionals described the image of a suffering health system, exhausted by an inconsistent management plan, underfunded and understaffed; a system that is a constant source of discontent, bitterness and doubts for them and their patients. Romanian health professionals' experiences reveal a health care system which after 20 years of reform managed to shape a learned helplessness culture within the medical community and drive a large proportion of its workforce across the borders. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Recent Advances in Ozone Data Assimilation at the GMAO - Towards a New Reanalysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krzysztof, Wargan; Pawson, S.; Nielsen, J. E.; Witte, J.; Douglass, A.; Strahan, S.; Joiner, J.; Bhartia, P. K.; Livesey, N.; Read, W.;

Exploring family communication about sickle cell disease in adolescence.

PubMed

Graff, J Carolyn; Hankins, Jane; Graves, Rebecca J; Robitaille, Kimberly Y; Roberts, Ruth; Cejda, Katherine; Hardy, Belinda T; Johnson, Margery; Porter, Jerlym S

2012-01-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a lifelong disorder that involves progressive organ damage and requires ongoing medical attention to prevent and treat episodic acute complications. Children with SCD need ongoing monitoring and extra attention that may be stressful to family members. Communication within families can help resolve family stress and may be associated with medical follow-up and management of SCD. Focus groups were conducted with 12 African American families to explore the communication that occurred within and outside of the family from the perspectives of adolescents with SCD, siblings, and parents. Factors that influence family communication were explored. The extended family was an important social network and resource to adolescents, siblings, and parents. Family member knowledge of SCD was an important factor that influenced communication about SCD; adolescents and parents communicated more easily than siblings and also reported having more knowledge of SCD than siblings. Future research focusing on the knowledge of immediate and extended family members and their recognition of their contribution to the child with SCD is recommended.

Electrostatic plasma lens for focusing negatively charged particle beams.

PubMed

Goncharov, A A; Dobrovolskiy, A M; Dunets, S M; Litovko, I V; Gushenets, V I; Oks, E M

2012-02-01

We describe the current status of ongoing research and development of the electrostatic plasma lens for focusing and manipulating intense negatively charged particle beams, electrons, and negative ions. The physical principle of this kind of plasma lens is based on magnetic isolation electrons providing creation of a dynamical positive space charge cloud in shortly restricted volume propagating beam. Here, the new results of experimental investigations and computer simulations of wide-aperture, intense electron beam focusing by plasma lens with positive space charge cloud produced due to the cylindrical anode layer accelerator creating a positive ion stream towards an axis system is presented.

Transforming Schools through Total Quality Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmoker, Mike; Wilson, Richard B.

1993-01-01

Deming's work emphasizes advantages of teamwork, investment in ongoing training for all employees to increase their value to the company, and insistence that research and employee-gathered data guide and inform every decision and improvement effort. The parallel between psychologist Mihaly Csikszenmihalyi's work and Deming's shows that Total…

Wetlands Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Messina, Linda; Blanchard, Pamela Borne

2004-01-01

This article describes how a biology teacher's search for a cross-curricular project in science, math, history, and environmental science, that would help her students connect what they were learning in the classroom to their everyday life, resulted in an ongoing stewardship project. Working together with the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program…

Tiered Licensure: Connecting Educator Effectiveness Policies. Ask the Team

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paliokas, Kathleen

2013-01-01

Multitiered licensure structures can provide educators incentives to develop and improve their performance as they work toward advanced status. When working in tandem with compensation, career ladders, and ongoing professional learning policies, licensure can be a lever to promote educator development, advancement, and retention. Licensure…

Leadership for Nursing Work-Based Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahlman, Dorothy

2016-01-01

This paper reflects on work-based mobile learning in the Canadian healthcare system for registered nurses' ongoing skills development and continuing professional development. It calls on distributed leadership to address the organizational contextual factors for making this mode of learning sustainable. [For the full proceedings, see ED571335.

A study of science leadership and science standards in exemplary standards-based science programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpenter, Wendy Renae

The purpose for conducting this qualitative study was to explore best practices of exemplary standards-based science programs and instructional leadership practices in a charter high school and in a traditional high school. The focus of this study included how twelve participants aligned practices to National Science Education Standards to describe their science programs and science instructional practices. This study used a multi-site case study qualitative design. Data were obtained through a review of literature, interviews, observations, review of educational documents, and researcher's notes collected in a field log. The methodology used was a multi-site case study because of the potential, through cross analysis, for providing greater explanation of the findings in the study (Merriam, 1988). This study discovered six characteristics about the two high school's science programs that enhance the literature found in the National Science Education Standards; (a) Culture of expectations for learning-In exemplary science programs teachers are familiar with a wide range of curricula. They have the ability to examine critically and select activities to use with their students to promote the understanding of science; (b) Culture of varied experiences-In exemplary science programs students are provided different paths to learning, which help students, take in information and make sense of concepts and skills that are set forth by the standards; (c) Culture of continuous feedback-In exemplary science programs teachers and students work together to engage students in ongoing assessments of their work and that of others as prescribed in the standards; (d) Culture of Observations-In exemplary science programs students, teachers, and principals reflect on classroom instructional practices; teachers receive ongoing evaluations about their teaching and apply feedback towards improving practices as outlined in the standards; (e) Culture of continuous learning-In exemplary science programs teachers value continuous personal development, teachers are provided on-going science professional development opportunities to improve instructional practices, teachers reflect and share professional practices, and teachers establish professional learning communities within their classrooms; and (f) Culture of shared leadership-In exemplary science programs instructional leadership purposes and values are consistently shared among all stakeholders which are outlined in the standards. These results are potentially useful for understanding exemplary standards-based science programs and science instructional leadership practices as a model for science programs trying to improve science education so that all students can have a true scientific learning experience.

Coping styles as moderating the relationships between terrorist attacks and well-being outcomes.

PubMed

Braun-Lewensohn, Orna; Celestin-Westreich, Smadar; Celestin, Leon-Patrice; Verleye, Gino; Verté, Dominique; Ponjaert-Kristoffersen, Ingrid

2009-06-01

This study aims to explore use of coping strategies among adolescents and their relationships with well being in the context of ongoing terrorism. Furthermore, we aim to explore to what extent coping styles in addition to exposure variables explain well being of adolescents facing ongoing terror. During September 2003, after three years of ongoing terror attacks, 913 Israeli adolescents aged 12-18 years, completed the following questionnaires during regular class sessions: Demographics, Achenbach's Youth Self Report; Exposure to Terror and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) questionnaire; Adolescent Coping Scale (ACS) and Brief Symptoms Inventory. Adolescents employed mainly problem solving strategies which mean they have the capacity to cope well in spite of stressful events. Emotional focused coping was associated with PTS and mental health problems. Regression analysis of different exposure and coping variables revealed that exposure, appraisal (subjective exposure) and coping styles explained 26-37% of the variance of different psychological problems. The findings highlight the importance of appraisal (subjective exposure) and coping strategies, for understanding adolescents' mental health outcomes. Moreover, these findings are relevant to the development of prevention/intervention programs that facilitate youth's cognitive and emotional adjustments to ongoing trauma risks and terror threats.

Estimating and preventing hospital internal turnover of newly licensed nurses: A panel survey.

PubMed

Kovner, Christine T; Djukic, Maja; Fatehi, Faridaben K; Fletcher, Jason; Jun, Jin; Brewer, Carol; Chacko, Thomas

2016-08-01

Registered nurse job turnover is an ongoing problem in the USA resulting in significant financial costs to both organizations and society. Most research has focused on organizational turnover with few studies about internal or unit-level turnover. Turnover of new nurses in hospitals has particular importance as almost 80% of new nurses work in hospitals and have higher turnover rates when compared to experienced nurses. This paper focuses on new nurses' unit-level turnover rates in hospitals. The purpose of this study is to: (1) identify factors that predict new nurses staying in the same units, positions, and job titles to inform unit-level retention strategies, and (2) examine the changes in work environment perceptions over time between nurses who remain in the same unit, position, and title to those who changed unit, position and/or title. A panel survey design was used to analyze changes over time. Participants were newly licensed registered nurses who were licensed for the first time between August 1st, 2004 and July 31st, 2005. The nurses came from metropolitan statistical areas or rural areas that were nested to reflect a nationally representative USA sample (58% response rate). The analytic sample for this study was 1335. Data were collected in January 2006 and 2007 following the Dillman total design approach. All potential respondents received paper surveys and non-responders received repeated mailings. Using multinomial regression the five variables with the largest effects on unit retention were (1) variety (positive), (2) having another job for pay (negative), (3) first basic degree (having a bachelors or higher degree increased the probability of staying), (4) negative affectivity (positive), and (5) job satisfaction (positive). Nurses who changed unit, and/or position, and/or title reported more positive change scores on a variety of work attitudes. Almost 30% of new nurses working in hospitals leave their unit, and/or position, and/or title during their first year of work. Our results point to the variables on which managers can focus to improve unit-level retention of new nurses. Although participants were from a nationally representative sample of nurses who were newly licensed in 2004-2005, with the geographical shifts in the USA population in the last 10 years the sample may not be geographically representative of new nurses who graduated in 2015. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Accessing maternal and child health services in Melbourne, Australia: Reflections from refugee families and service providers

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Often new arrivals from refugee backgrounds have experienced poor health and limited access to healthcare services. The maternal and child health (MCH) service in Victoria, Australia, is a joint local and state government operated, cost-free service available to all mothers of children aged 0–6 years. Although well-child healthcare visits are useful in identifying health issues early, there has been limited investigation in the use of these services for families from refugee backgrounds. This study aims to explore experiences of using MCH services, from the perspective of families from refugee backgrounds and service providers. Methods We used a qualitative study design informed by the socioecological model of health and a cultural competence approach. Two geographical areas of Melbourne were selected to invite participants. Seven focus groups were conducted with 87 mothers from Karen, Iraqi, Assyrian Chaldean, Lebanese, South Sudanese and Bhutanese backgrounds, who had lived an average of 4.7 years in Australia (range one month-18 years). Participants had a total of 249 children, of these 150 were born in Australia. Four focus groups and five interviews were conducted with MCH nurses, other healthcare providers and bicultural workers. Results Four themes were identified: facilitating access to MCH services; promoting continued engagement with the MCH service; language challenges; and what is working well and could be done better. Several processes were identified that facilitated initial access to the MCH service but there were implications for continued use of the service. The MCH service was not formally notified of new parents arriving with young children. Pre-arranged group appointments by MCH nurses for parents who attended playgroups worked well to increase ongoing service engagement. Barriers for parents in using MCH services included access to transportation, lack of confidence in speaking English and making phone bookings. Service users and providers reported that continuity of nurse and interpreter is preferred for increasing client-provider trust and ongoing engagement. Conclusions Although participants who had children born in Melbourne had good initial access to, and experience of, using MCH services, significant barriers remain. A systems-oriented, culturally competent approach to service provision would improve the service utilisation experience for parents and providers, including formalising links and notifications between settlement services and MCH services. PMID:22587587

Accessing maternal and child health services in Melbourne, Australia: reflections from refugee families and service providers.

PubMed

Riggs, Elisha; Davis, Elise; Gibbs, Lisa; Block, Karen; Szwarc, Jo; Casey, Sue; Duell-Piening, Philippa; Waters, Elizabeth

2012-05-15

Often new arrivals from refugee backgrounds have experienced poor health and limited access to healthcare services. The maternal and child health (MCH) service in Victoria, Australia, is a joint local and state government operated, cost-free service available to all mothers of children aged 0-6 years. Although well-child healthcare visits are useful in identifying health issues early, there has been limited investigation in the use of these services for families from refugee backgrounds. This study aims to explore experiences of using MCH services, from the perspective of families from refugee backgrounds and service providers. We used a qualitative study design informed by the socioecological model of health and a cultural competence approach. Two geographical areas of Melbourne were selected to invite participants. Seven focus groups were conducted with 87 mothers from Karen, Iraqi, Assyrian Chaldean, Lebanese, South Sudanese and Bhutanese backgrounds, who had lived an average of 4.7 years in Australia (range one month-18 years). Participants had a total of 249 children, of these 150 were born in Australia. Four focus groups and five interviews were conducted with MCH nurses, other healthcare providers and bicultural workers. Four themes were identified: facilitating access to MCH services; promoting continued engagement with the MCH service; language challenges; and what is working well and could be done better. Several processes were identified that facilitated initial access to the MCH service but there were implications for continued use of the service. The MCH service was not formally notified of new parents arriving with young children. Pre-arranged group appointments by MCH nurses for parents who attended playgroups worked well to increase ongoing service engagement. Barriers for parents in using MCH services included access to transportation, lack of confidence in speaking English and making phone bookings. Service users and providers reported that continuity of nurse and interpreter is preferred for increasing client-provider trust and ongoing engagement. Although participants who had children born in Melbourne had good initial access to, and experience of, using MCH services, significant barriers remain. A systems-oriented, culturally competent approach to service provision would improve the service utilisation experience for parents and providers, including formalising links and notifications between settlement services and MCH services.

The Marine Fire Support Team as a Model for Distributed Operations Analysis: Review of Prior Analyses, Summary of Ongoing Research, and Recommendations for Future Work

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-17

without excessive procrastination ; to work independently and accomplish tasks without constant supervision; to take personal responsibility for completing...difficult tasks without excessive procrastination ; to work independently and accomplish tasks without constant supervision; to take personal...tasks without excessive procrastination ; to work independently and accomplish tasks without constant supervision; to take personal responsibility for

The Outer Limits: English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Barbara R.; Biesekerski, Joan

The Quinmester course "The Outer Limits" involves an exploration of unknown worlds, mental and physical, through fiction and nonfiction. Its purpose is to focus attention on the ongoing conquest of the frontiers of the mind, the physical world, and outer space. The subject matter includes identification and investigation of unknown…

Counseling the Young Adult Lesbian.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Rhoda

1980-01-01

Focuses on problems faced by young adult lesbians. Suggests counselors should: (1) encourage the counselee to "dump"; (2) guide her in a decision on coming out; (3) explain the legal rights and restrictions; (4) provide ongoing support for those who socialize openly; and (5) publicly promote gay rights. (Author)

Mass balance and swath displacement evaluations from agricultural application field trials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spray drift is on an ongoing concern for any agricultural application and continues to be the focus for new developments and research efforts dealing with drift reduction technologies, best management application practices and the development of new decision support systems for applicators. Typical...

Muons and seismic: a dynamic duo for the shallow subsurface?

DOE PAGES

Mellors, Robert; Chapline, George; Bonneville, Alain; ...

2016-12-01

This paper explores, at a preliminary level, the possibility of merging seismic data, both active and passive, with density constraints inferred from muon measurements. We focus on a theoretical analysis but note that muon experiments are ongoing to test model predictions with experimental data.

Innovative Research Strategies for Business Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Bridget N.

2007-01-01

An internal, ongoing debate that all professional areas of study have is how to understand the impact of shifting economies, demographics, technologies, and globalization. Much business education research focuses on describing current practices. To this end, issues are often addressed by using surveys that are analyzed using descriptive analysis…

Travel behavior of the aging boomers : evidence from naturally occurring retirement communities (phase IV).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

This project represented ongoing research into the relationship of the built environment and : travel behavior of older baby boomers(for the purposes of the research, we focus on baby : boomers aged 55 to 64, so-called leading edge baby boomers...

What's wrong with novel ecosystems, really?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The novel ecosystems concept has gained much traction in the restoration community. It has also drawn the ire of several prominent ecologists and is the focus of an ongoing debate. We consider three key aspects of this debate: irreversible thresholds, non-native species, and the hybrid state. Irreve...

Operationalizing Social Work Science through Research-Practice Partnerships: Lessons from Implementation Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palinkas, Lawrence A.; He, Amy S.; Choy-Brown, Mimi; Hertel, Amy Locklear

2017-01-01

Recent efforts to identify and promote a distinct science for the discipline of social work have led to an ongoing debate regarding the nature and function of such a science. Central to this debate is a lack of consensus as to how to operationalize a social work science. Drawing from the field of implementation science and its application in…

Group Work at University: Significance of Personal Goals in the Regulation Strategies of Students with Positive and Negative Appraisals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volet, Simone; Mansfield, Caroline

2006-01-01

This paper examines the mediating role of students' goals in group work at university. Research on cooperative and collaborative learning has provided empirical support for the cognitive, motivational and social benefits of group work but the antecedents of motivation and ongoing management of emerging motivational and socio-emotional issues have…

The TRIDEC Project: Future-Saving FOSS GIS Applications for Tsunami Early Warning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loewe, P.; Wächter, J.; Hammitzsch, M.

2011-12-01

The Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 killed over 240,000 people in 14 countries and inundated the affected shorelines with waves reaching heights up to 30m. This natural disaster coincided with an information catastrophy, as potentially life-saving early warning information existed, yet no means were available to deliver it to the communities under imminent threat. Tsunami Early Warning Capabilities have improved in the meantime by continuing development of modular Tsunami Early Warning Systems (TEWS). However, recent tsunami events, like the Chile 2010 and the Tohoku 2011 tsunami demonstrate that the key challenge for ongoing TEWS research on the supranational scale still lies in the timely issuing of reliable early warning messages. Since 2004, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences has built up expertise in the field of TEWS. Within GFZ, the Centre for GeoInformation Technology (CEGIT) has focused its work on the geoinformatics aspects of TEWS in two projects already: The German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Distant Early Warning System (DEWS), a European project funded under the sixth Framework Programme (FP6). These developments are continued in the TRIDEC project (Collaborative, Complex, and Critical Decision Processes in Evolving Crises) funded under the European Union's seventh Framework Programme (FP7). This ongoing project focuses on real-time intelligent information management in Earth management and its long-term application. All TRIDEC developments are based on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) components and industry standards where-ever possible. Tsunami Early Warning in TRIDEC is also based on mature system architecture models to ensure long-term usability and the flexibility to adapt to future generations of Tsunami sensors. All open source software produced by the project consortium are foreseen to be published on FOSSLAB, a publicly available software repository provided by CEGIT. FOSSLAB serves as a platform for the development of FOSS projects in geospatial context, allowing to save, advance and reuse results achieved in previous and on-going project activities and enabling further development and collaboration with a wide community including scientists, developers, users and stakeholders. FOSSLABs potential to preserve and advance existing best practices for reuse in new scenarios is documented by a first case study: For TEWS education and public outreach a comprehensive approach to generate high resolution globe maps was compiled using GRASS GIS and the POV-Ray rendering software. The task resulted in the merging of isolated technical know-how into publicly available best practices, which had been previously maintained in disparate GIS- and rendering communities. Beyond the scope of TRIDEC, FOSSLAB constitutes an umbrella encompassing several geoinformatics-related activities, such as the documentation of Best Practices for experiences and results while working with Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geomatics, and future spatial processing on Computation Clusters and in Cloud Computing.

Amphibious Local Seismic Observations by SFB 574 in Costa Rica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gossler, J.; Arroyo, I.; Flueh, E. F.; Goltz, C.; Wagner, G.; Boschini, I.; Mora, M.

2004-12-01

The goal of the SFB 574 ''Volatiles and Fluids in Subduction Zones'' subproject A2 is to study the seismogenic zone of Costa Rica and Nicaragua as examples of an erosive margin and to better understand its local variability. In 2002/2003 we studied the seismogenic zone in two adjacent areas of Costa Rica. One of the areas is characterised by the subduction of a seamount, the other one contains a megalens structure, which had been inferred from reflection seismic data before and which is interpreted to indicate a possible mechanism for mass transfer from the upper to the lower plate. 23 ocean bottom sensors from IFM-GEOMAR and 15 landstations from the GFZ Potsdam were deployed in the coastal Pacific region of central Costa Rica near Jaco in April 2002. The network was moved south-east towards Quepos in October 2002 and operated until spring 2003. 1,968 earthquakes between April and October 2002 could be located by the Jaco network. Most of the earthquakes took place offshore beneath the continental margin close to or beneath the network. The hypocenter determination of these events using the on- and offshore parts of the network delivers very precise earthquake locations, because the network covers the source region very well. Another region of high seismic activity is located southeast of the network, where a magnitude 6.3 earthquake took place on June 16, 2002, followed by several hundred aftershocks. Ongoing studies focus especially on the updip limit of these events. From the Quepos network 1,241 earthquakes between October and December 2002 have been located, so far. In a pilot study focal mechanism of 13 earthquakes with clear polarities had been determined using the Jaco onshore network only. Except for two earthquakes these events were shallow and took place in the continental wedge. The orientations of their focal planes coincides well with the geological fault system of the Jaco area. Ongoing work focuses on slab related earthquakes.

PHERMEX, REX, AND THOMSON-GENERATED XUV CALCULATIONS

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

THOMAS P. HUGHES; RANDY M. CLARK - MISSION RESEARCH CORP. RANDOLPH L. CARLSON; DAVID C. MOIR - LANL

1993-05-01

We report on calculations carried out during 1990 in support of on-going and planned beam experiments at M-4. A higher-current injector for PHERMEX is under consideration and we have modeled a REX-like diode geometry which can deliver 1--1.5 kA. A three+coil focusing configuration has been designed to maintain low beam emittance in the diode region. We show that the existing two transport magnets are marginally capable of transporting a 1 kA beam to the a-cavity. This work is described in Sec. 2. In Sec. 3, we look at the possibility of accelerating a 4 kA, 4 MV beam, which couldmore » be provided by the REX machine, through the PHERMEX a cavity. Simulation results indicate that this is feasible. Because of the high cost and limited pulse length of a REX injector, however, a 1-1.5 kA upgrade is a more attractive option at this time. Computations in support of ongoing REX experiments are described in Sec. 4. We have modeled the generation of transverse beam oscillations through the excitation of an electromagnetic dipole mode in the diode cavity. Results show that oscillating magnetic fields on the order of 1--2 gauss are sufficient to cause the oscillation amplitudes observed. A simulation was carried to look at the effect of placing iron rings inside the windings of the REX anode magnet. We conclude that this causes no significant degradation of beam emittance. We have also looked at the focusing produced when the REX beam is injected into a laser-ionized plasma channel. This is a possible alternative to a magnetic lens to obtain a small spot-size. Finally, in Sec. 5, we give results of preliminary calculations of XUV and X-ray photon production through laser backscattering off a relativistic electron beam. There are plans to carry out such an experiment on REX in the near future.« less

An Ongoing Investigation of Science Literacy: Results of a 22-Year Study Probing Students' Knowledge and Attitude Towards Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Impey, C.; Buxner, S.; Antonellis, J.; CATS

2013-04-01

This talk presents findings related to our ongoing work investigating students' knowledge and attitudes towards science and technology. We present an overview of research studies and findings including a comparison of the science literacy measures of University of Arizona students compared to national studies, conceptions related to astrology, views of radiation, and students' pseudoscience and religious beliefs. We discuss implications for instructors and researchers interested in improving students' science literacy scores and diagnosing alternative beliefs.

Implementing Self-Directed Work Teams at a College Newspaper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Pillis, Emmeline; Parsons, Blake

2013-01-01

The problem: Motivating and retaining staff had become an ongoing problem at the student newspaper. Student staffers would quit abruptly when overwhelmed or dissatisfied, leaving the newspaper with critical positions vacant. This affected the performance of the newspaper. Method: The newspaper was organized into self directed work teams (SDWTs).…

Photographic Data Extraction Feasibility and Pilot Study in Support of Roadside Safety and Roadway Departure Research

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

This work represents the first phase of an ongoing low-cost in-house effort to perform data analysis, optimize internal data gathering in an informed fashion, make data requests to organizations, and obtain needed information. The work also calls on ...

Preparing School Leaders to Work with and in Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FitzGerald, Anne Marie; Militello, Matthew

2016-01-01

We used Q methodology, a form of factor analysis, to explore and establish correlations across the perceptions of key stakeholders (i.e., deans, faculty members, doctoral students) about how doctoral programs in educational leadership engage in work with diverse communities. Four distinct viewpoints emerged suggesting the ongoing need to: develop…

The Work, Perceptions and Professional Development of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Ana Maria; Herdeiro, Rosalinda

2014-01-01

This article presents work from an ongoing investigation, where the objective is to understand the impact of recent Portuguese legislation--the Teaching Career Statute and its respective Evaluation of Teacher Performance regulations--on the (re)construction of teacher identity, the teaching career and professional development. From an analysis of…

White Matter Microstructure in Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus Associated with Spatial Working Memory Performance in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vestergaard, Martin; Madsen, Kathrine Skak; Baare, William F. C.; Skimminge, Arnold; Ejersbo, Lisser Rye; Ramsoy, Thomas Z.; Gerlach, Christian; Akeson, Per; Paulson, Olaf B.; Jernigan, Terry L.

2011-01-01

During childhood and adolescence, ongoing white matter maturation in the fronto-parietal cortices and connecting fiber tracts is measurable with diffusion-weighted imaging. Important questions remain, however, about the links between these changes and developing cognitive functions. Spatial working memory (SWM) performance improves significantly…

Productive Pedagogies: Narrowing the Gap between Schools and Communities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leat, David; Thomas, Ulrike

2016-01-01

There is little sign that current attempts to close the "attainment gap" are working. This article argues for a different approach to addressing the "gap," based on a community asset approach. The authors describe ongoing work on community curriculum making in North-East England, in which schools undertake projects using…

Building Inclusive Engineering Identities: Implications for Changing Engineering Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atadero, Rebecca A.; Paguyo, Christina H.; Rambo-Hernandez, Karen E.; Henderson, Heather L.

2018-01-01

Ongoing efforts to broaden the participation of women and people of colour in engineering degree programmes and careers have had limited success. This paper describes a different approach to broadening participation that seeks to work with all students and develop inclusive engineering identities. Researchers worked with the instructors of two…

Enhancing Teacher Training Skills by Strengthening the Teaching Practice Component

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Heather Nadia; Chetty, Rajendra

2018-01-01

Purpose: The ongoing theory vs practice debate reinforces the problems facing teacher training institutions which need to challenge traditional programmes and work towards a tighter coherence between coursework and practical experience. Working more closely with schools to restructure teaching practice is necessary in order to create better…

Binding of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Features in Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ecker, Ullrich K. H.; Maybery, Murray; Zimmer, Hubert D.

2013-01-01

There is ongoing debate concerning the mechanisms of feature binding in working memory. In particular, there is controversy regarding the extent to which these binding processes are automatic. The present article demonstrates that binding mechanisms differ depending on whether the to-be-integrated features are perceived as forming a coherent…

Understanding of evaluation capacity building in practice: a case study of a national medical education organization.

PubMed

Sarti, Aimee J; Sutherland, Stephanie; Landriault, Angele; DesRosier, Kirk; Brien, Susan; Cardinal, Pierre

2017-01-01

Evaluation capacity building (ECB) is a topic of great interest to many organizations as they face increasing demands for accountability and evidence-based practices. ECB is about building the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of organizational members, the sustainability of rigorous evaluative practices, and providing the resources and motivations to engage in ongoing evaluative work. There exists a solid foundation of theoretical research on ECB, however, understanding what ECB looks like in practice is relatively thin. Our purpose was to investigate what ECB looks like firsthand within a national medical educational organization. The context for this study was the Acute Critical Events Simulation (ACES) organization in Canada, which has successfully evolved into a national educational program, driven by physicians. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to better understand and describe ECB in practice. In doing so, interviews were conducted with program leaders and instructors so as to gain a richer understanding of evaluative processes and practices. A total of 21 individuals participated in the semistructured interviews. Themes from our qualitative data analysis included the following: evaluation knowledge, skills, and attitudes, use of evaluation findings, shared evaluation beliefs and commitment, evaluation frameworks and processes, and resources dedicated to evaluation. The national ACES organization was a useful case study to explore ECB in practice. The ECB literature provided a solid foundation to understand the purpose and nuances of ECB. This study added to the paucity of studies focused on examining ECB in practice. The most important lesson learned was that the organization must have leadership who are intrinsically motivated to employ and use evaluation data to drive ongoing improvements within the organization. Leaders who are intrinsically motivated will employ risk taking when evaluation practices and processes may be somewhat unfamiliar. Creating and maintaining a culture of data use and ongoing inquiry have enabled national ACES to achieve a sustainable evaluation practice.

Balancing health, work, and daily life: design and evaluation of a pilot intervention for persons with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Bedell, Gary

2008-01-01

To design and evaluate a pilot intervention to promote self-management skills and work transition for persons with HIV/AIDS. The seven-week group intervention consisted of 1.5-hour bi-weekly sessions focused on goal setting and developing strategies to manage health, work and daily life routines while participating in a job skills training program in New York City. Six successive groups received the intervention over the course of two years (n = 53). Existing and newly-developed measures were used to examine key outcomes. Differences between pre-intervention and post-intervention scores on outcome measures were examined using paired-tests and effect sizes. Employment outcomes and participant satisfaction were examined post-intervention. The intervention was feasible to implement and sessions were viewed favorably by the majority of participants. Moderate to large effect sizes were found immediately post-intervention in participants' perceived ability to work and balance health, work and daily life. Fifty two percent of the participants were working part or full time and 41% were actively searching for employment at three to five months follow-up. Small effect sizes demonstrating improved outcomes at follow-up were found in symptom severity, self-advocacy and medication adherence self-efficacy. Small effect sizes demonstrating a potential decrement in outcomes at follow-up were found in participants' need satisfaction and perceived symptom impact on work performance. The results are promising, but further research is needed due to design limitations and the preliminary nature of the intervention and measures used. The potential decrement in outcomes might reflect a shift in participants' needs or view of how their health affected work performance and suggests that ongoing supports were needed post-intervention.

Beyond 50. challenges at work for older nurses and allied health workers in rural Australia: a thematic analysis of focus group discussions

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The health workforce in Australia is ageing, particularly in rural areas, where this change will have the most immediate implications for health care delivery and workforce needs. In rural areas, the sustainability of health services will be dependent upon nurses and allied health workers being willing to work beyond middle age, yet the particular challenges for older health workers in rural Australia are not well known. The purpose of this research was to identify aspects of work that have become more difficult for rural health workers as they have become older; and the age-related changes and exacerbating factors that contribute to these difficulties. Findings will support efforts to make workplaces more 'user-friendly' for older health workers. Methods Nurses and allied health workers aged 50 years and over were invited to attend one of six local workshops held in the Hunter New England region of NSW, Australia. This qualitative action research project used a focus group methodology and thematic content analysis to identify and interpret issues arising from workshop discussions. Results Eighty older health workers from a range of disciplines attended the workshops. Tasks and aspects of work that have become more difficult for older health workers in hospital settings, include reading labels and administering medications; hearing patients and colleagues; manual handling; particular movements and postures; shift work; delivery of babies; patient exercises and suturing. In community settings, difficulties relate to vehicle use and home visiting. Significant issues across settings include ongoing education, work with computers and general fatigue. Wider personal challenges include coping with change, balancing work-life commitments, dealing with attachments and meeting goals and expectations. Work and age-related factors that exacerbate difficulties include vision and hearing deficits, increasing tiredness, more complex professional roles and a sense of not being valued in the context of greater perceived workload. Conclusions Older health workers are managing a range of issues, on top of the general challenges of rural practice. Personal health, wellbeing and other realms of life appear to take on increasing importance for older health workers when faced with increasing difficulties at work. Solutions need to address difficulties at personal, workplace and system wide levels. PMID:21338525

Beyond 50. Challenges at work for older nurses and allied health workers in rural Australia: a thematic analysis of focus group discussions.

PubMed

Fragar, Lyn J; Depczynski, Julie C

2011-02-21

The health workforce in Australia is ageing, particularly in rural areas, where this change will have the most immediate implications for health care delivery and workforce needs. In rural areas, the sustainability of health services will be dependent upon nurses and allied health workers being willing to work beyond middle age, yet the particular challenges for older health workers in rural Australia are not well known. The purpose of this research was to identify aspects of work that have become more difficult for rural health workers as they have become older; and the age-related changes and exacerbating factors that contribute to these difficulties. Findings will support efforts to make workplaces more 'user-friendly' for older health workers. Nurses and allied health workers aged 50 years and over were invited to attend one of six local workshops held in the Hunter New England region of NSW, Australia. This qualitative action research project used a focus group methodology and thematic content analysis to identify and interpret issues arising from workshop discussions. Eighty older health workers from a range of disciplines attended the workshops. Tasks and aspects of work that have become more difficult for older health workers in hospital settings, include reading labels and administering medications; hearing patients and colleagues; manual handling; particular movements and postures; shift work; delivery of babies; patient exercises and suturing. In community settings, difficulties relate to vehicle use and home visiting. Significant issues across settings include ongoing education, work with computers and general fatigue. Wider personal challenges include coping with change, balancing work-life commitments, dealing with attachments and meeting goals and expectations. Work and age-related factors that exacerbate difficulties include vision and hearing deficits, increasing tiredness, more complex professional roles and a sense of not being valued in the context of greater perceived workload. Older health workers are managing a range of issues, on top of the general challenges of rural practice. Personal health, wellbeing and other realms of life appear to take on increasing importance for older health workers when faced with increasing difficulties at work. Solutions need to address difficulties at personal, workplace and system wide levels. © 2011 Fragar and Depczynski; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Implementing family involvement in the treatment of patients with psychosis: a systematic review of facilitating and hindering factors.

PubMed

Eassom, Erica; Giacco, Domenico; Dirik, Aysegul; Priebe, Stefan

2014-10-03

To synthesise the evidence on implementing family involvement in the treatment of patients with psychosis with a focus on barriers, problems and facilitating factors. Systematic review of studies evaluating the involvement of families in tripartite communication between health professionals, 'families' (or other unpaid carers) and adult patients, in a single-family context. A theoretical thematic analysis approach and thematic synthesis were used. A systematic electronic search was carried out in seven databases, using database-specific search strategies and controlled vocabulary. A secondary manual search of grey literature was performed as well as using forwards and backwards snowballing techniques. A total of 43 studies were included. The majority featured qualitative data (n=42), focused solely on staff perspectives (n=32) and were carried out in the UK (n=23). Facilitating the training and ongoing supervision needs of staff are necessary but not sufficient conditions for a consistent involvement of families. Organisational cultures and paradigms can work to limit family involvement, and effective implementation appears to operate via a whole team coordinated effort at every level of the organisation, supported by strong leadership. Reservations about family involvement regarding power relations, fear of negative outcomes and the need for an exclusive patient-professional relationship may be explored and addressed through mutually trusting relationships. Implementing family involvement carries additional challenges beyond those generally associated with translating research to practice. Implementation may require a cultural and organisational shift towards working with families. Family work can only be implemented if this is considered a shared goal of all members of a clinical team and/or mental health service, including the leaders of the organisation. This may imply a change in the ethos and practices of clinical teams, as well as the establishment of working routines that facilitate family involvement approaches. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Implementing family involvement in the treatment of patients with psychosis: a systematic review of facilitating and hindering factors

PubMed Central

Eassom, Erica; Giacco, Domenico; Dirik, Aysegul; Priebe, Stefan

2014-01-01

Objective To synthesise the evidence on implementing family involvement in the treatment of patients with psychosis with a focus on barriers, problems and facilitating factors. Design Systematic review of studies evaluating the involvement of families in tripartite communication between health professionals, ‘families’ (or other unpaid carers) and adult patients, in a single-family context. A theoretical thematic analysis approach and thematic synthesis were used. Data sources A systematic electronic search was carried out in seven databases, using database-specific search strategies and controlled vocabulary. A secondary manual search of grey literature was performed as well as using forwards and backwards snowballing techniques. Results A total of 43 studies were included. The majority featured qualitative data (n=42), focused solely on staff perspectives (n=32) and were carried out in the UK (n=23). Facilitating the training and ongoing supervision needs of staff are necessary but not sufficient conditions for a consistent involvement of families. Organisational cultures and paradigms can work to limit family involvement, and effective implementation appears to operate via a whole team coordinated effort at every level of the organisation, supported by strong leadership. Reservations about family involvement regarding power relations, fear of negative outcomes and the need for an exclusive patient–professional relationship may be explored and addressed through mutually trusting relationships. Conclusions Implementing family involvement carries additional challenges beyond those generally associated with translating research to practice. Implementation may require a cultural and organisational shift towards working with families. Family work can only be implemented if this is considered a shared goal of all members of a clinical team and/or mental health service, including the leaders of the organisation. This may imply a change in the ethos and practices of clinical teams, as well as the establishment of working routines that facilitate family involvement approaches. PMID:25280809

Co-Construction in Korean Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ju, Hee

2011-01-01

This dissertation explores co-construction of a situated activity in a current unit by mainly focusing on hearers' actions. The "co-construction" involves a process of interaction in which speakers and hearers jointly construct the form and the meaning of ongoing utterances even when they disagree with each other (Jacoby & Ochs,…

A Learning Combination: Coaching with CLASS and the Project Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vartuli, Sue; Bolz, Carol; Wilson, Catherine

2014-01-01

The focus of this ongoing research is the effectiveness of coaching in improving the quality of teacher-child instructional interactions in Head Start classrooms. This study examines the relationship between two measures: Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and a Project Approach Fidelity form developed by the authors. Linear regressions…

Jordanian Chemistry Teachers' Views on Teaching Practices and Educational Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Amoush, Siham A.; Markic, Silvija; Eilks, Ingo

2012-01-01

This study evaluates experienced teachers' views of chemistry teaching and learning and educational reform in Jordan. The main focus is an investigation of applied teaching practices in chemistry education, including educators' perception of the intentions and effects of ongoing educational reforms. The study is based on semi-structured interviews…

Operations and maintenance philosophy

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

DUNCAN, G.P.

1999-10-28

This Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Philosophy document is intended to establish a future O&M vision, with an increased focus on minimizing worker exposure, ensuring uninterrupted retrieval operations, and minimizing operation life-cycle cost. It is intended that this document would incorporate O&M lessons learned into on-going and future project upgrades.

Detection of Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals with In Vitro and Ex Vivo Assays.

EPA Science Inventory

The potential for chemicals in the environment to alter the endocrine systems of humans and wildlife is an area of ongoing concern. Whereas significant research has focused on the estrogenic and androgenic activity of a wide range of chemicals, much less is known about chemicals ...

Improving Fluency Skills of Secondary-Level Students from Diverse Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Shea, Doris J.; McQuiston, Kathleen; McCollin, Michelle

2009-01-01

Many secondary-level students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds need to nurture their ongoing literacy growth to become independent, tenacious readers. Middle and high school teachers' use of direct and explicit strategies that are focused on culturally and linguistically responsive practices (e.g., use of relevant texts…

Co-Occurrence of Developmental Disorders: The Case of Developmental Dyscalculia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubinsten, Orly

2009-01-01

Five to seven percent of children experience severe difficulties in learning mathematics and/or reading. Current trials that are focused on identifying biological markers suggest that these learning disabilities, known as Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) and Dyslexia (for reading), are due to underlying brain dysfunctions. One ongoing controversy…

WATER QUALITY AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON LAKE SUPERIOR

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will focus on MED's past and ongoing research in Lake Superior wetlands, and will include data on habitat, water quality, and biological condition of these systems. Comparisons of the condition of Lake Superior wetlands relative to those found around the Great ...

The First Year: A Cultural Shift towards Improving Student Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jobe, Rebecca L.; Spencer, Martha; Hinkle, Jessica P.; Kaplan, Jonathan A.

2016-01-01

Student attrition has been a primary focus among higher education institutions for nearly 50 years, yet overall retention and graduation rates continue to be of significant concern. Despite increased attention, ongoing struggles of colleges and universities to effectively address potential barriers to student progress are well-documented. Part of…

Improving Functional Outcomes in College and University Students with Schizophrenia in the Western World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christianson, Laura

2018-01-01

Retrospective research from patients with schizophrenia suggests that remission becomes increasingly less likely the longer psychosis goes untreated. Yet symptoms of schizophrenia are insidious and disease evolution varies between patients, requiring an ongoing diagnostic process. One way of justifying early treatment is by focusing on…

The Communicative Computer Compares: A CALL Design Project for Elementary French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyle, Patricia J.

A computer lesson entitled "Aux Jeux Olympiques" (To the Olympic Games) simulates an ongoing situational dialog between the French student and the PLATO computer system. It offers an international setting for functional learning exercises focusing on students' understanding and use of comparative constructions, selected verbs, and other linguistic…

Primary Grade Teachers' Conceptions of Giftedness and Talent: A Case-based Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brighton, Catherine M.; Moon, Tonya R.; Jarvis, Jane M.; Hockett, Jessica A.

2007-01-01

Despite the ongoing, extensive focus on the more equitable representation of gifted students from diverse populations, poor and minority students remain underserved by gifted education proportional to their representation in the broader student population (Donovan & Cross, 2002; U.S. Department of Education, 1993). One possible factor contributing…

Strategies for monitoring terrestrial animals and habitats

Treesearch

Richard Holthausen; Raymond L. Czaplewski; Don DeLorenzo; Greg Hayward; Winifred B. Kessler; Pat Manley; Kevin S. McKelvey; Douglas S. Powell; Leonard F. Ruggiero; Michael K. Schwartz; Bea Van Horne; Christina D. Vojta

2005-01-01

This General Technical Report (GTR) addresses monitoring strategies for terrestrial animals and habitats. It focuses on monitoring associated with National Forest Management Act planning and is intended to apply primarily to monitoring efforts that are broader than individual National Forests. Primary topics covered in the GTR are monitoring requirements; ongoing...

Measuring Speech Comprehensibility in Students with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Paul J.; Woynaroski, Tiffany; Camarata, Stephen

2016-01-01

Purpose: There is an ongoing need to develop assessments of spontaneous speech that focus on whether the child's utterances are comprehensible to listeners. This study sought to identify the attributes of a stable ratings-based measure of speech comprehensibility, which enabled examining the criterion-related validity of an orthography-based…

Self-Rated Competences Questionnaires from a Design Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braun, Edith; Woodley, Alan; Richardson, John T. E.; Leidner, Bernhard

2012-01-01

This paper provides a theoretical review of self-rated competences questionnaires. This topic is influenced by the ongoing world-wide reform of higher education, which has led to a focus on the learner outcomes of higher education. Consequently, questionnaires on self-rated competences have increasingly been employed. However, self-ratings are…

Supporting Diverse Learners through Professional Learning for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winnen, Ashley Newman

2016-01-01

School leaders use professional learning practices as a strategy to improve teaching and therefore student learning. As student populations become more ethnically and socioeconomically diverse, teachers need ongoing training to meet the needs of today's students. One successful elementary school in Colorado was the focus of this case study…

Multilevel Evaluation Systems Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Joan L.

Several studies were conducted in 1987 by the Multilevel Evaluation Systems Project, which focuses on developing a model for a multi-purpose, multi-user evaluation system to facilitate educational decision making and evaluation. The project model emphasizes on-going integrated assessment of individuals, classes, and programs using a variety of…

Do Traditional Admissions Criteria Reflect Applicant Creativity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pretz, Jean E.; Kaufman, James C.

2017-01-01

College admissions decisions have traditionally focused on high school academic performance and standardized test scores. An ongoing debate is the validity of these measures for predicting success in college; part of this debate includes how success is defined. One potential way of defining college success is a student's creative accomplishments.…

Conceptualizing How Mature Teachers Can Influence Students' Growth in Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maynes, Nancy; Hatt, Blaine E.

2015-01-01

This article has two purposes. First, it reports the first year results from focus group methodology conducted to determine how teacher characteristics may influence students' learning. Second, the article establishes a framework to support ongoing research related to the professional maturation of teachers. Both of these research outcomes are…

Tiered Approach to Thyroid Research Using an Adverse Outcome Pathway Framework

EPA Science Inventory

The potential for chemicals in the environment to alter the endocrine systems of humans and wildlife is an area of ongoing concern. Whereas significant research has focused on the estrogenic and androgenic activity of a wide range of chemicals, much less is known about chemicals ...

Potential Developmental and Early Life Health Effects of Nanomaterials: Data Gaps and Research Needs for Risk Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Although research examining the toxicology of nanomaterials has been ongoing for many years, early studies largely focus on respiratory effects, and are limited by lack of appropriate dose metrics and a limited understanding of the role of the physicochemical properties of nanoma...