42 CFR 436.300 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Scope. 436.300 Section 436.300 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ELIGIBILITY IN GUAM, PUERTO RICO, AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Optional Coverage of the...

42 CFR 436.200 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Scope. 436.200 Section 436.200 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ELIGIBILITY IN GUAM, PUERTO RICO, AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Options for Coverage as...

42 CFR 456.700 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Drug Use Review (DUR) Program and Electronic Claims Management System... optional point-of-sale electronic claims management system for processing claims for covered outpatient... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Scope. 456.700 Section 456.700 Public Health...

Scoping study of integrated resource planning needs in the public utility sector

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

Garrick, C J; Garrick, J M; Rue, D R

Integrated resource planning (IRP) is an approach to utility resource planning that integrates the evaluation of supply- and demand-site options for providing energy services at the least cost. Many utilities practice IRP; however, most studies about IRP focus on investor-owned utilities (IOUs). This scoping study investigates the IRP activities and needs of public utilities (not-for-profit utilities, including federal, state, municipal, and cooperative utilities). This study (1) profiles IRP-related characteristics of the public utility sector, (2) articulates the needs of public utilities in understanding and implementing IRP, and (3) identifies strategies to advance IRP principles in public utility planning.

78 FR 63959 - Environmental Impact Statement; Animal Carcass Management

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

...] Environmental Impact Statement; Animal Carcass Management AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement and proposed scope of study... carcass management options used throughout the United States. This notice identifies potential...

14 CFR 1215.101 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... (TDRSS) Use and Reimbursement Policy for Non-U.S. Government Users § 1215.101 Scope. This subpart sets forth the policy governing TDRSS services provided to non-U.S. government users and the reimbursement for rendering such services. It excludes TDRSS services provided as standard or optional services to...

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

Eckert-Gallup, Aubrey Celia; Lewis, John R.; Brooks, Dusty Marie

This report describes the methods, results, and conclusions of the analysis of 11 scenarios defined to exercise various options available in the xLPR (Extremely Low Probability of Rupture) Version 2 .0 code. The scope of the scenario analysis is three - fold: (i) exercise the various options and components comprising xLPR v2.0 and defining each scenario; (ii) develop and exercise methods for analyzing and interpreting xLPR v2.0 outputs ; and (iii) exercise the various sampling options available in xLPR v2.0. The simulation workflow template developed during the course of this effort helps to form a basis for the application ofmore » the xLPR code to problems with similar inputs and probabilistic requirements and address in a systematic manner the three points covered by the scope.« less

Nuclear Weapons: DOD and NNSA Need to Better Manage Scope of Future Refurbishments and Risks to Maintaining U.S. Commitments to NATO

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

military requirements and design options for extending the B61 bomb’s service life. The B61 is used to support the U.S. strategic deterrent and the...extension programs, and interviewed officials responsible for B61 operations, life extension program planning, management, and oversight. This is...NNSA have made progress in studying and updating the military’s performance requirements for the B61 bomb and have ruled out some design options, but

78 FR 79658 - Environmental Impact Statement; Animal Carcass Management

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-31

...] Environmental Impact Statement; Animal Carcass Management AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement and proposed scope of study... management options used throughout the United States. This action will allow interested persons additional...

42 CFR 436.1100 - Basis and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ELIGIBILITY IN GUAM, PUERTO RICO, AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Option for Coverage of Special Groups § 436.1100 Basis and scope. (a) Statutory basis. Section 1920A of the Act allows... requirements for providing medical assistance to special groups who are not eligible for Medicaid as...

48 CFR 653.200 - Scope of subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... same order as and keyed to the parts of the DOSAR in which the form usage requirements are addressed. ... Section 653.200 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE CLAUSES AND FORMS FORMS Prescription of Forms 653.200 Scope of subpart. This subpart prescribes or references optional and DOS forms...

32 CFR 644.165 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ESTATE HANDBOOK Acquisition Procurement of Options Prior to Real Estate Directives (military) § 644.165... options to purchase real estate interests for Army or Air Force military requirements prior to the issuance of a real estate directive. These procedures are applicable to all Division and District Engineers...

30 CFR 90.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 90 establishes the option of miners who are employed at underground coal mines or at surface work areas of underground coal mines and who have evidence of the development of pneumoconiosis to work in an... procedures for miners to exercise this option, and establishes the right of miners to retain their regular...

77 FR 53231 - Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Odessa Subarea Special Study-Columbia Basin Project...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-31

... scope of the action alternative which include acreage, water supply, and general site locations would... authorized boundary with a surface water supply as part of continued phased development of the CBP. The... alternative impacts considered in the Draft EIS. Two water supply options are being considered that would use...

A Curriculum Guide to Applications of Science to Technology for Able Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanTassel-Baska, Joyce, Ed.; And Others

This curriculum guide was developed with the intention of providing an enrichment option for gifted and talented learners who are interested in pursuing current issues and topics in the fields of mathematics and science. The scope of the guide is meant to encompass a year's study of a set of topics which apply mathematics to science and…

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

J. L. Renner

Recent national focus on the value of increasing our supply of indigenous, renewable energy underscores the need for reevaluating all alternatives, particularly those that are large and welldistributed nationally. This analysis will help determine how we can enlarge and diversify the portfolio of options we should be vigorously pursuing. One such option that is often ignored is geothermal energy, produced from both conventional hydrothermal and Enhanced (or engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS). An 18-member assessment panel was assembled in September 2005 to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of EGS becoming a major supplier of primary energy for U.S. base-load generationmore » capacity by 2050. This report documents the work of the panel at three separate levels of detail. The first is a Synopsis, which provides a brief overview of the scope, motivation, approach, major findings, and recommendations of the panel. At the second level, an Executive Summary reviews each component of the study, providing major results and findings. The third level provides full documentation in eight chapters, with each detailing the scope, approach, and results of the analysis and modeling conducted in each area.« less

Growth requirements for multidiscipline research and development on the evolutionary space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meredith, Barry; Ahlf, Peter; Saucillo, Rudy; Eakman, David

1988-01-01

The NASA Space Station Freedom is being designed to facilitate on-orbit evolution and growth to accommodate changing user needs and future options for U.S. space exploration. In support of the Space Station Freedom Program Preliminary Requirements Review, The Langley Space Station Office has identified a set of resource requirements for Station growth which is deemed adequate for the various evolution options. As part of that effort, analysis was performed to scope requirements for Space Station as an expanding, multidiscipline facility for scientific research, technology development and commercial production. This report describes the assumptions, approach and results of the study.

Options for the Future of the US National Strong-Motion Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1997-01-01

This report constitutes the requested 'Options Document'. This report considers three options. Option I assumes a constant level of financial support for Operating Expenses (OE) with not additional personnel support. Option II assumes a slight increase in OE support of $150K for FY 99 and beyond. Option III considers the role that a NSMP must play if the nation's urgent need to record the main earthquake at locations of significance for society is to be met. Two parts of Option III are considered. The first part of this option, termed Option III A, considers the role that strong-motion recording in and near man-made structures must play if a near-real time hazard initiative is to be implemented in the United States; The second part of Option III; termed Option III B, considers the scope of a NSMP needed to address society's needs to record the main earthquake in locations of significance for future public earthquake safety.

Collaborations | FNLCR Staging

Cancer.gov

The Frederick National Lab has a range of contractual agreement options available which offer flexibility to facilitate the formation of partnerships. The appropriate business mechanism is considered based on the scope and objectives of the partnersh

7 CFR 245.1 - General purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the National School Lunch Program (7 CFR part 210), the School Breakfast Program (7 CFR part 220), the... applicable, free and reduced price lunches, breakfasts, and at the option of the School Food Authority for...

7 CFR 245.1 - General purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the National School Lunch Program (7 CFR part 210), the School Breakfast Program (7 CFR part 220), the... applicable, free and reduced price lunches, breakfasts, and at the option of the School Food Authority for...

Collaborations | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Frederick National Laboratory has a range of contractual agreement options available which offer flexibility to facilitate the formation of partnerships. The appropriate business mechanism is considered based on the scope and objectives of the pa

Options for reducing copper theft : final report 657.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-01

This research investigated the theft of copper, including scope, impacts, and countermeasures. The researchers : completed a literature review to demonstrate a global perspective of the problem. They took a survey of other : state departments of tran...

[The role of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in the European centralised procedure].

PubMed

Enzmann, Harald; Schneider, C

2008-07-01

The centralised procedure for marketing authorisation at the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) started more than 10 years ago, offering marketing authorisation for all member states of the European Union in a single procedure. Originally it was a purely optional alternative to the established national procedures; however, its importance has been growing ever since. The introduction of the mandatory scope for several important indications was a crucial step. The increasing importance of the centralised procedure was paralleled by the increasing weight of the EMEA and of the Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) who is responsible for scientific evaluation in the centralised procedure. This paper describes the basic principles of the centralised procedure including the definitions of the mandatory and optional scope, and how the CHMP works including its responsibility in European referrals that provide a link to national procedures.

Application of the Scoping of Options and Analyzing Risk Model (SOAR) in the Modeling of Radionuclide Movement and Dose Calculation for a Hypothetical Deep Geological Repository for Nuclear Fuel Wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, S.; Osborne, P.

2016-12-01

The Scoping of Options and Analyzing Risk (SOAR) model was developed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff to assist in their evaluation of potential high-level radioactive waste disposal options. It is a 1-D contaminant transport code that contains a biosphere module to calculate mass fluxes and radiation dose to humans. As part of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)'s Coordinated Assessment Program to assist with the review of proposals for deep geological repositories (DGR's) for nuclear fuel wastes, CNSC conducted a research project to find out whether SOAR can be used by CNSC staff as an independent scoping tool to assist review of proponents' submissions related to safety assessment for DGRs. In the research, SOAR was applied to the post-closure safety assessment for a hypothetical DGR in sedimentary rock, as described in the 5th Case Study report by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) of Canada (2011). The report contains, among others, modeling of transport and releases of radionuclides at various locations within the geosphere and the radiation dose to humans over a period of one million years. One aspect covered was 1-D modeling of various scenarios and sensitivity cases with both deterministic and probabilistic approaches using SYVAC3-CC4, which stands for Systems Variability Analysis Code (generation 3, Canadian Concept generation 4), developed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (Kitson et al., 2000). Radionuclide fluxes and radiation dose to the humans calculated using SOAR were compared with that from NWMO's modeling. Overall, the results from the two models were similar, although SOAR gave lower mass fluxes and peak dose, mainly due to differences in modeling the waste package configurations. Sensitivity analyses indicate that both models are most sensitive to the diffusion coefficient of the geological media. The research leads to the conclusion that SOAR is a robust, user friendly, and flexible scoping tool that CNSC staff may use for safety assessments; however, some improvements may be needed, such as including dose contributions from other pathways in addition to drinking water and being more flexible for modeling different waste package configurations.

Space Station crew safety alternatives study. Volume 4: Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peercy, R. L., Jr.; Raasch, R. F.; Rockoff, L. A.

1985-01-01

The scope of this study considered the first 15 years of accumulated space station concepts for Initial Operational Capability (10C) during the early 1990's. Twenty-five threats to the space station are identified and selected threats addressed as impacting safety criteria, escape and rescue, and human factors safety concerns. Of the 25 threats identified, eight are discussed including strategy options for threat control: fire, biological or toxic contamination, injury/illness, explosion, loss of pressurization, radiation, meteoroid penetration and debris.

42 CFR 456.700 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Drug Use Review (DUR) Program and Electronic Claims Management System... outpatient DUR program that includes prospective drug review, retrospective drug use review, and an... optional point-of-sale electronic claims management system for processing claims for covered outpatient...

Financial impacts of net-metered PV on utilities and ratepayers: A scoping study of two prototypical U.S. utilities

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

Satchwell, Andrew; Mills, Andrew; Barbose, Galen

2014-09-19

Deployment of customer-sited photovoltaics (PV) in the United States has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven in part by public policies premised on a range of societal benefits that PV may provide. With the success of these efforts, heated debates have surfaced in a number of U.S. states about the impacts of customer-sited PV on utility shareholders and ratepayers, and such debates will likely become only more pronounced and widespread as solar costs continue to decline and deployment accelerates. To inform these discussions, we performed a scoping analysis to quantify the financial impacts of customer-sited PV on utility shareholders andmore » ratepayers and to assess the potential efficacy of various options for mitigating those impacts.« less

A Qualitative Study on Factors that Influence Turkish Medical Students' Decisions to Become Family Physicians After the Health Transformation Programme.

PubMed

Tanriover, Ozlem; Hidiroglu, Seyhan; Akan, Hulya; Ay, Pinar; Erdogan, Yalcin; Karavus, Melda; Vitrinel, Ayca; Hayran, Osman

2014-06-01

In Turkey, general practitioners were authorized to work as family physicians without specialization, within the scope of the Health Transformation Programme, due to inadequate number of family medicine specialists since 2004. With this new implementation Family Medicine specialty became a less preferable option for medical students. The study was to investigate the perspectives of medical students and understand the issues to choose Family Medicine specialty as a career option. This qualitative study was performed with 48 final year medical students using a convenience sample from two medical universities. Three main categories emerged from the data viewing Family Medicine 'as a specialty', 'as an employment', and finally 'as a system'. Very few students stated that Family Medicine would be their choice for specialty. Family Medicine does not seem to be an attractive option in career planning by medical students. Several factors that may constrain students from choosing Family Medicine include: not perceiving Family Medicine as a field of expertise, and the adverse conditions at work which may originate from duality in the system.

Chemical Mixtures and Epidemiologic Fundamentals for Risk Assessment Applications

EPA Science Inventory

Risk management options are increasingly being considered early in the risk assessment process to help scope the considerations and bound the inherent complexities related to potential exposures, risk and future clean-up decisions (including acceptable pollutant levels) related t...

42 CFR 413.170 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PRINCIPLES OF REASONABLE COST REIMBURSEMENT; PAYMENT FOR END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE SERVICES; OPTIONAL PROSPECTIVELY DETERMINED PAYMENT RATES FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES Payment for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD... the principles and authorities under which CMS is authorized to establish a prospective payment system...

Designing sustainable and economically attractive brownfield revitalization options using an integrated assessment model.

PubMed

Schädler, S; Morio, M; Bartke, S; Rohr-Zänker, R; Finkel, M

2011-03-01

We describe the development of an integrated assessment model which evaluates redevelopment options of large contaminated brownfields and we present the application of the model in a case study. Aiming to support efficient and sustainable revitalization and communication between stakeholders, the presented assessment model integrates three pinnacles of brownfield revitalization: (i) subsurface remediation and site preparation costs, (ii) market-oriented economic appraisal, and (iii) the expected contribution of planned future land use to sustainable community and regional development. For the assessment, focus is set on the early stage of the brownfield redevelopment process, which is characterized by limited data availability and by flexibility in land use planning and development scope. At this stage, revealing the consequences of adjustments and alterations in planning options can foster efficiency in communication between the involved parties and thereby facilitates the brownfield revitalization process. Results from the case-study application indicate that the integrated assessment provides help in the identification of land use options beneficial in both a sustainable and an economical sense. For the study site it is shown on one hand that brownfield redevelopment is not automatically in line with sustainable regional development, and on the other hand it is demonstrated that additional contributions to sustainability are not intrinsically tied to increased costs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety belt use laws : evaluation of primary enforcement and other provisions

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-10-01

As of January 1995, all states except Maine and New Hampshire had laws requiring safety belt use. These laws vary widely in their enforcement options (primary or secondary), scope of coverage (vehicles covered and seats covered), fine levels, and oth...

Workplace antistigma initiatives: a scoping study.

PubMed

Malachowski, Cindy; Kirsh, Bonnie

2013-07-01

The purpose of this scoping study was to identify and describe the principles and characteristics embedded in workplace mental health antistigma initiatives. Research in this area is diffuse and not well synthesized. Therefore, a scoping study is useful in generating a breadth of coverage and identifying all relevant literature on the topic regardless of study design. Results will inform evaluation strategies and can be used to distinguish the effectiveness of particular elements in future research. The "York Framework," a five-stage methodological design (with an optional sixth stage) was used as the structure for this study. Eleven peer-reviewed and gray-literature databases were searched (2000-2011), and an extensive Internet review was also conducted. Two reviewers independently reviewed all abstracts to determine study selection. A data chart consisting of key issues and themes was utilized to extract data from the included studies. Preliminary results were used to inform a stakeholder consultation with seven international experts. Twenty-two antistigma interventions were included in the study. Most of the initiatives have appeared in the past four years and across geographic boundaries, reflecting the growing international interest in mental health in the workplace. A large proportion of the interventions utilize educational approaches to reducing stigma, and a substantial number target military personnel. Stronger evidence for effective practices needs to be established through the use of standardized workplace-specific interventions, reliable and valid evaluation tools, and overall enhanced scientific rigor.

Perspective of Family Members of Transitions to Alternative Levels of Care in Anglo-Saxon Countries.

PubMed

Merla, C; Wickson-Griffiths, A; Kaasalainen, S; Dal Bello-Haas, V; Banfield, L; Hadjistavropoulos, T; Di Sante, E

2018-01-01

This scoping review explores circumstances surrounding the decision about, and eventual experience of, transitioning older adults into alternative levels of housing (ALH), such as long-term care. This topic is examined from a family member perspective, given their exposure and involvement in the care of older adult relatives during this transitional period. The scoping review methodology is based on the framework of Arksey and O'Malley and subsequent recommendations from Levac, Colquhoun, and O'Brien. Approximately 470 articles were reviewed covering the period between 2000 and November 2014; 37 articles met inclusion criteria. A temporal organization of themes was used to describe the experiences of family members in the pretransition, active transition, and posttransition periods of moving older adult relatives into ALH. This paper highlights the transitional period as a time of crisis, with a lack of planning, support, and transparent discussion. This study identifies a need for future research on the potential benefits of family support groups, interim transitional housing options, different models of ALH, changing roles in the posttransition period, and the need for a comprehensive list of housing options for older adults. Results have the potential to inform policy/practice and improve the lives of older adults and their family.

Treatment options and barriers to case management of neonatal pneumonia in India: a protocol for a scoping review.

PubMed

Nair, N Sreekumaran; Lewis, Leslie Edward; Murthy, Shruti; Godinho, Myron Anthony; Lakiang, Theophilus; Venkatesh, Bhumika T

2017-09-15

India contributes to the highest neonatal deaths globally. Case management is said to be the cornerstone of pneumonia control. Much of the published evidence focuses on children aged 1 to 59 months. This scoping review, thus, aims to identify the treatment options for and barriers to case management of neonatal pneumonia in India. This protocol is part of a series of three reviews on neonatal pneumonia in India. Studies addressing treatment of or barriers to case management of neonatal pneumonia in Indian context, published in English in peer-reviewed and indexed journals will be eligible for inclusion. Electronic search will be conducted on nine databases. Hand searching and snowballing will be done for published and grey literature. Selection of studies will be done in title, abstract and full-text stages. A narrative summary will be performed to summarise the details of evidence. As this is a review involving analysis of secondary data which is available in the public domain and does not involve human participants, ethical approval was not required. The findings of the study will be shared with all stakeholders of this research. Knowledge dissemination workshops will be conducted with relevant stakeholders to ultimately transfer the evidence tailored to the stakeholder (eg, policy briefs, publications, information booklets and so on). PROSPERO 2016: CRD42016045449. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

An emulator for minimizing finite element analysis implementation resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melosh, R. J.; Utku, S.; Salama, M.; Islam, M.

1982-01-01

A finite element analysis emulator providing a basis for efficiently establishing an optimum computer implementation strategy when many calculations are involved is described. The SCOPE emulator determines computer resources required as a function of the structural model, structural load-deflection equation characteristics, the storage allocation plan, and computer hardware capabilities. Thereby, it provides data for trading analysis implementation options to arrive at a best strategy. The models contained in SCOPE lead to micro-operation computer counts of each finite element operation as well as overall computer resource cost estimates. Application of SCOPE to the Memphis-Arkansas bridge analysis provides measures of the accuracy of resource assessments. Data indicate that predictions are within 17.3 percent for calculation times and within 3.2 percent for peripheral storage resources for the ELAS code.

23 CFR 940.11 - Project implementation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... projects funded with highway trust funds shall be based on a systems engineering analysis. (b) The analysis should be on a scale commensurate with the project scope. (c) The systems engineering analysis shall... definitions; (4) Analysis of alternative system configurations and technology options to meet requirements; (5...

23 CFR 940.11 - Project implementation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... projects funded with highway trust funds shall be based on a systems engineering analysis. (b) The analysis should be on a scale commensurate with the project scope. (c) The systems engineering analysis shall... definitions; (4) Analysis of alternative system configurations and technology options to meet requirements; (5...

23 CFR 940.11 - Project implementation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... projects funded with highway trust funds shall be based on a systems engineering analysis. (b) The analysis should be on a scale commensurate with the project scope. (c) The systems engineering analysis shall... definitions; (4) Analysis of alternative system configurations and technology options to meet requirements; (5...

23 CFR 940.11 - Project implementation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... projects funded with highway trust funds shall be based on a systems engineering analysis. (b) The analysis should be on a scale commensurate with the project scope. (c) The systems engineering analysis shall... definitions; (4) Analysis of alternative system configurations and technology options to meet requirements; (5...

23 CFR 940.11 - Project implementation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... projects funded with highway trust funds shall be based on a systems engineering analysis. (b) The analysis should be on a scale commensurate with the project scope. (c) The systems engineering analysis shall... definitions; (4) Analysis of alternative system configurations and technology options to meet requirements; (5...

40 CFR 75.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... monitoring systems and provisions to account for missing data from certified continuous emission monitoring... estimation procedures for missing data are included in appendix C to this part. Optional protocols for...), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, volumetric flow, and opacity data from affected units under the...

40 CFR 75.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... monitoring systems and provisions to account for missing data from certified continuous emission monitoring... estimation procedures for missing data are included in appendix C to this part. Optional protocols for...), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, volumetric flow, and opacity data from affected units under the...

40 CFR 75.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... monitoring systems and provisions to account for missing data from certified continuous emission monitoring... estimation procedures for missing data are included in appendix C to this part. Optional protocols for...), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, volumetric flow, and opacity data from affected units under the...

ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES FOR THE LONG TERM MANAGEMENT OF EXCESS MERCURY

EPA Science Inventory

This paper describes a systematic method for comparing options for the long-term management of surplus elemental mercury in the U.S., using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as embodied in commercially available Expert Choice software. A limited scope multi-criteria decisionan...

Vessel Cold-Ironing Using a Barge Mounted PEM Fuel Cell: Project Scoping and Feasibility.

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

Pratt, Joseph William; Harris, Aaron P.

2013-01-01

A barge-mounted hydrogen-fueled proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system has the potential to reduce emissions and fossil fuel use of maritime vessels in and around ports. This study determines the technical feasibility of this concept and examines specific options on the U.S. West Coast for deployment practicality and potential for commercialization.The conceptual design of the system is found to be straightforward and technically feasible in several configurations corresponding to various power levels and run times.The most technically viable and commercially attractive deployment options were found to be powering container ships at berth at the Port of Tacoma and/or Seattle,more » powering tugs at anchorage near the Port of Oakland, and powering refrigerated containers on-board Hawaiian inter-island transport barges. Other attractive demonstration options were found at the Port of Seattle, the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, the California Maritime Academy, and an excursion vessel on the Ohio River.« less

Using SCOPE to identify potential regulatory motifs in coregulated genes.

PubMed

Martyanov, Viktor; Gross, Robert H

2011-05-31

SCOPE is an ensemble motif finder that uses three component algorithms in parallel to identify potential regulatory motifs by over-representation and motif position preference. Each component algorithm is optimized to find a different kind of motif. By taking the best of these three approaches, SCOPE performs better than any single algorithm, even in the presence of noisy data. In this article, we utilize a web version of SCOPE to examine genes that are involved in telomere maintenance. SCOPE has been incorporated into at least two other motif finding programs and has been used in other studies. The three algorithms that comprise SCOPE are BEAM, which finds non-degenerate motifs (ACCGGT), PRISM, which finds degenerate motifs (ASCGWT), and SPACER, which finds longer bipartite motifs (ACCnnnnnnnnGGT). These three algorithms have been optimized to find their corresponding type of motif. Together, they allow SCOPE to perform extremely well. Once a gene set has been analyzed and candidate motifs identified, SCOPE can look for other genes that contain the motif which, when added to the original set, will improve the motif score. This can occur through over-representation or motif position preference. Working with partial gene sets that have biologically verified transcription factor binding sites, SCOPE was able to identify most of the rest of the genes also regulated by the given transcription factor. Output from SCOPE shows candidate motifs, their significance, and other information both as a table and as a graphical motif map. FAQs and video tutorials are available at the SCOPE web site which also includes a "Sample Search" button that allows the user to perform a trial run. Scope has a very friendly user interface that enables novice users to access the algorithm's full power without having to become an expert in the bioinformatics of motif finding. As input, SCOPE can take a list of genes, or FASTA sequences. These can be entered in browser text fields, or read from a file. The output from SCOPE contains a list of all identified motifs with their scores, number of occurrences, fraction of genes containing the motif, and the algorithm used to identify the motif. For each motif, result details include a consensus representation of the motif, a sequence logo, a position weight matrix, and a list of instances for every motif occurrence (with exact positions and "strand" indicated). Results are returned in a browser window and also optionally by email. Previous papers describe the SCOPE algorithms in detail.

District heating and cooling systems for communities through power plant retrofit distribution network, Phase 2. Final report, 1 March 1980-31 January 1984. Volume II

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

Not Available

1984-01-31

This volume begins with an Introduction summarizing the history, methodology and scope of the study, the project team members and the private and public groups consulted in the course of the study. The Load and Service Area Assessment follows, including: a compilation and analysis of existing statistical thermal load data from census data, industrial directories, PSE and G records and other sources; an analysis of responses to a detailed, 4-page thermal load questionnaire; data on public buildings and fuel and energy use provided by the New Jersey Dept. of Energy; and results of other customer surveys conducted by PSE andmore » G. A discussion of institutional questions follows. The general topic of rates is then discussed, including a draft hypothetical Tariff for Thermal Services. Financial considerations are discussed including a report identifying alternative ownership/financing options for district heating systems and the tax implications of these options. Four of these options were then selected by PSE and G and a financial (cash-flow) analysis done (by the PSE and G System Planning Dept.) in comparison with a conventional heating alternative. Year-by-year cost of heat ($/10/sup 6/ Btu) was calculated and tabulated, and the various options compared.« less

Quarantine in times of emergency: the scope of s 51(ix) of the Constitution.

PubMed

Reynolds, Christopher

2004-11-01

This article explores the scope of s 51(ix) of the Constitution, the power of the Commonwealth to make laws with respect to "quarantine". While this power has sustained the Quarantine Act without a challenge since 1908, it may be that future national public health emergencies, such as epidemics or bioterrorism, will (as has happened in other countries) demand a level of federal preparedness that requires augmented public health powers at a national level. If so, will the scope of the quarantine power, as determined by the High Court, be wide enough allow the Commonwealth to implement these powers? While there is some advantage in a national approach, there is also some authority suggesting that the quarantine power could not extend to domestic public health controls. If there is uncertainty about the scope of the power, what are the options? Should there be another approach, with the States, Territories and the Commonwealth moving towards uniform legislation and co-operative arrangements?

78 FR 30324 - Secretarial Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-22

... and scope of necessary audits of the Department's trust administration system; (5) Recommend options... thorough evaluation of the existing Indian trust management and trust administration system to support a... the Department's management of the trust administration system in support of the Commission's efforts...

78 FR 66376 - Secretarial Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-05

... management and administration of the trust administration system; (2) Review the Department's provision of... and scope of necessary audits of the Department's trust administration system; (5) Recommend options...'s management and administration of the trust assets within a two-year period and will offer...

45 CFR 159.100 - Basis and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS HEALTH CARE... portal that will provide information on health insurance coverage options in each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. It sets forth data submission requirements for health insurance issuers. It...

45 CFR 159.100 - Basis and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS HEALTH CARE... portal that will provide information on health insurance coverage options in each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. It sets forth data submission requirements for health insurance issuers. It...

45 CFR 159.100 - Basis and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Welfare Department of Health and Human Services REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS HEALTH CARE... portal that will provide information on health insurance coverage options in each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. It sets forth data submission requirements for health insurance issuers. It...

45 CFR 159.100 - Basis and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS HEALTH CARE... portal that will provide information on health insurance coverage options in each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. It sets forth data submission requirements for health insurance issuers. It...

Scleral Lenses in the Management of Corneal Irregularity and Ocular Surface Disease.

PubMed

Shorter, Ellen; Harthan, Jennifer; Nau, Cherie B; Nau, Amy; Barr, Joseph T; Hodge, David O; Schornack, Muriel M

2017-09-29

To describe current practice patterns regarding the use of scleral lens therapy in the management of corneal irregularity and ocular surface disease among eye care providers who fit scleral lenses. The Scleral Lenses in Current Ophthalmic Practice: an Evaluation (SCOPE) study group conducted an electronic survey of eye care providers from January 15 to March 31, 2015. Respondents ranked management options for corneal irregularity in the order in which they would generally consider their use. Respondents also ranked options for the management of ocular surface disease in the order in which they would use each of the treatments. Results for each option were analyzed as percentage first-place ranking; percentage first-, second-, or third-place ranking; and mean rank score. Survey responses were obtained from 723 providers who had fit 5 or more scleral lenses. Of these respondents, 629 ranked options for management of corneal irregularity and 612 ranked options for management of ocular surface disease. Corneal rigid gas-permeable lenses were the first option for management of corneal irregularity for 44% of respondents, and scleral lenses were the first option for 34% of respondents. Lubricant drops were the first therapeutic recommendation for ocular surface disease for 84% of respondents, and scleral lenses were ranked first by 6% of respondents. Scleral lenses rank second only to corneal rigid gas-permeable lenses for management of corneal irregularity. Scleral lenses are generally considered after other medical intervention and before surgery for the management of ocular surface disease.

Non-syndromic craniosynostosis in children: Scoping review.

PubMed

Garrocho-Rangel, A; Manríquez-Olmos, L; Flores-Velázquez, J; Rosales-Berber, M-A; Martínez-Rider, R; Pozos-Guillén, A

2018-06-20

Craniosynostosis (CS) is a complex condition consisting of the early fusion of one or more cranial sutures in the intrauterine stage. The affected infant exhibits abnormal head shape at time of birth or shortly thereafter. It can be observed in normal individuals (non-syndromic CS or NSCS) or as a part of a multisystem syndrome. The purposes of the present article were to carry out a scoping review on Non-Syndromic CS and to discuss the most important findings retrieved. The steps of this scoping review were as follows: first, to pose a research question; second, to identify relevant studies to answer the research question; third, to select and retrieve the studies; fourth, to chart the critical data, and finally, to collate, summarize, and report the results from the most important articles. Relevant articles published over a 20-year period were identified and retrieved from five Internet databases: PubMed; EMBASE; Cochrane Library; Google Scholar, and EBSCO. Fourteen articles were finally included in the present scoping review. The following four most important clinical issues are discussed: (i) normal cranial development, clinical manifestations, and pathogenesis of NCSC; (ii) clinical evaluation of NCSC; (iii) treatment and post-surgical follow-up; and (iv) additional considerations. NSCS may be present with associated head shapes. Multiple early surgical reconstructive options are currently available for the disorder. Pediatric Dentistry practitioners must be familiarized with this condition and form part of a multi-approach health team as those responsible for the opportune oral health care of the affected child.

A Qualitative Study on Factors that Influence Turkish Medical Students’ Decisions to Become Family Physicians After the Health Transformation Programme

PubMed Central

Tanriover, Ozlem; Hidiroglu, Seyhan; Akan, Hulya; Ay, Pinar; Erdogan, Yalcin; Karavus, Melda; Vitrinel, Ayca; Hayran, Osman

2014-01-01

Background: In Turkey, general practitioners were authorized to work as family physicians without specialization, within the scope of the Health Transformation Programme, due to inadequate number of family medicine specialists since 2004. With this new implementation Family Medicine specialty became a less preferable option for medical students. Aims: The study was to investigate the perspectives of medical students and understand the issues to choose Family Medicine specialty as a career option. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was performed with 48 final year medical students using a convenience sample from two medical universities. Results: Three main categories emerged from the data viewing Family Medicine ‘as a specialty’, ‘as an employment’, and finally ‘as a system’. Very few students stated that Family Medicine would be their choice for specialty. Conclusions: Family Medicine does not seem to be an attractive option in career planning by medical students. Several factors that may constrain students from choosing Family Medicine include: not perceiving Family Medicine as a field of expertise, and the adverse conditions at work which may originate from duality in the system. PMID:25006564

Librarians as Community Partners: An Outreach Handbook

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smallwood, Carol, Ed.

2010-01-01

Including 66 focused snapshots of outreach in action, this resource reflects the creative solutions of librarians searching for new and innovative ways to build programs that meet customer needs while expanding the library's scope into the community. This contributed volume includes: (1) A huge array of program options for partnering with other…

Technologically Enhanced Archival Collections: Using the Buddy System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holz, Dayna

2006-01-01

Based in the context of challenges faced by archives when managing digital projects, this article explores options of looking outside the existing expertise of archives staff to find collaborative partners. In teaming up with other departments and organizations, the potential scope of traditional archival digitization projects is expanded beyond…

12 CFR 221.1 - Authority, purpose, and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Commodity Futures Trading Commission that accept deposits of margin stock in connection with: (i) The... security, certificate of deposit, securities index or foreign currency); or (ii) The guarantee of contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery or options on such contracts. (3) This...

12 CFR 221.1 - Authority, purpose, and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Commodity Futures Trading Commission that accept deposits of margin stock in connection with: (i) The... security, certificate of deposit, securities index or foreign currency); or (ii) The guarantee of contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery or options on such contracts. (3) This...

Improving Student Reflection in Experiential Learning Reports in Post-Secondary Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tiessen, Rebecca

2018-01-01

Work-integrated learning options--or experiential learning--(such as co-operative education, practicum placements, and community service learning/volunteer placements) offer much scope for enhancing educational opportunities for post-secondary students to learn about the workplace and to develop skills that may contribute to their future…

40 CFR 93.105 - Consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... § 93.122. (6) A process for consulting on the design, schedule, and funding of research and data... highway travel), and which projects should be considered to have a significant change in design concept... locations, design concept and scope, or the no-build option are still being considered), including those by...

40 CFR 93.105 - Consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... § 93.122. (6) A process for consulting on the design, schedule, and funding of research and data... highway travel), and which projects should be considered to have a significant change in design concept... locations, design concept and scope, or the no-build option are still being considered), including those by...

40 CFR 93.105 - Consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... § 93.122. (6) A process for consulting on the design, schedule, and funding of research and data... highway travel), and which projects should be considered to have a significant change in design concept... locations, design concept and scope, or the no-build option are still being considered), including those by...

40 CFR 93.105 - Consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... § 93.122. (6) A process for consulting on the design, schedule, and funding of research and data... highway travel), and which projects should be considered to have a significant change in design concept... locations, design concept and scope, or the no-build option are still being considered), including those by...

40 CFR 93.105 - Consultation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... § 93.122. (6) A process for consulting on the design, schedule, and funding of research and data... highway travel), and which projects should be considered to have a significant change in design concept... locations, design concept and scope, or the no-build option are still being considered), including those by...

75 FR 44948 - California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Within-the-Scope Determination for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-30

... amendments to its evaporative emission test procedures, four-wheel drive dynamometer provisions, and vehicle... manufacturer has certified vehicles using an alternative running loss test procedure, CARB may conduct... manufacturer's approved alternative running loss test procedure; (3) provide manufacturers an option to use an...

Montessori Practices: Options for a Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Mark

2016-01-01

Mark Powell's plea for an open-minded view on the full scope of technology that is compatible with Montessori education enriches Maria Montessori's clear modernism of welcoming science into her educational vision. Growing up digital can be intelligently managed so that "technology may offer an effective, adaptable, and easily available means…

Energy transport towards magnetosphere: current background and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savin, Sergey; Zelenyi, Lev

On the background of rising number of multi-scale magnetospheric constellations of satellites (e.g. MMS, ROY, SCOPE etc.), we discuss realistic options for the future experimental efforts in the current international framework. Now space weather predictions require cross-scale (i.e. multi-point) and micro-scale (down to the electron inertial length and gyroradius, i.e. few km and 0.1 s) measurements, which should facilitate the fundamental turbulence explorations impacting e.g. fusion and astrophysical tasks. Both ROY and SCOPE could provide 4-6 space-craft under wide international collaboration. For SCOPE near-equatorial plane is the region for the multi-scale studies, while ROY will start from high latitudes and finish at the intermediate and, hopefully, low ones. We suggest a new strategy for the correlated measurements instead of a multi-tetrahedron configuration: -place spacecraft along magnetospheric boundaries: magne-topause, neutral sheet, bow shock et. instead of tetrahedron Cluster-like configuration trying to get the multi-scale measurements along the natural boundaries; -monitor the processes along the streamlines in magnetosheath; -use extra 2-8 nano/ pico-satellites for campaigns of the multi-spacecraft explorations, -utilize multi-frequency radio-tomography for monitoring of the inter-spacecraft processes Both SCOPE and ROY launchers have respective payload resources, which, with the respective international cooperation, should provide a new step in the magnetospheric plasma explorations.

CTIC Cablebooks. Volume 1: The Community Medium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jesuale, Nancy, Ed.; Smith, Ralph Lee, Ed.

The first of a two-part series, this volume addresses the broad scope of questions and issues that confront local governments when formulating or reevaluating cable policy. In 11 chapters, 14 authors present an historical perspective and discuss cable technology and state-of-the-art options: (1) "Overview of Cable TV Services and…

77 FR 45415 - Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the Redlands; Passenger Rail Project in the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-31

..., travel times, and corridor safety. DATES: The date, time, and location for the public scoping meetings... mobility, travel times, and corridor safety while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. The RPRP would provide travelers and commuters with a new mobility option that would achieve more-efficient travel times...

APPLICATION OF THE ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS TO COMPARE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF SURPLUS MERCURY

EPA Science Inventory

This paper describes a systematic method for comparing options for the long-term management of surplus elemental mercury in the U.S., using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as embodied in commercially available Expert Choice software. A limited scope multi-criteria decision-a...

76 FR 2665 - Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Scoping Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-14

... time series of catch data that is considered to be consistently reliable across all islands as defined... based on what the Council considers to be the longest time series of catch data that is consistently... preferred management reference point time series. Action 3b. Recreational Bag Limits Option 1: No action. Do...

Treatment of Autism in Young Children: Behavioral Intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Vanessa K.; Sinclair, Leslie V.

2002-01-01

This article discusses the etiology and scope of autism in young children, screening and diagnosis, intervention options, and the use of applied behavior analysis. Supporting evidence of the efficacy of intensive behavioral intervention is cited, and variations in treatments and techniques are reviewed. Barriers to effective services are also…

Preliminary Options Assessment of Versatile Irradiation Test Reactor

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

Sen, Ramazan Sonat

The objective of this report is to summarize the work undertaken at INL from April 2016 to January 2017 and aimed at analyzing some options for designing and building a versatile test reactor; the scope of work was agreed upon with DOE-NE. Section 2 presents some results related to KNK II and PRISM Mod A. Section 3 presents some alternatives to the VCTR presented in [ ] as well as a neutronic parametric study to assess the minimum power requirement needed for a 235U metal fueled fast test reactor capable to generate a fast (>100 keV) flux of 4.0 xmore » 1015 n /cm2-s at the test location. Section 4 presents some results regarding a fundamental characteristic of test reactors, namely displacement per atom (dpa) in test samples. Section 5 presents the INL assessment of the ANL fast test reactor design FASTER. Section 6 presents a summary.« less

Towards more sustainable management of European food waste: Methodological approach and numerical application.

PubMed

Manfredi, Simone; Cristobal, Jorge

2016-09-01

Trying to respond to the latest policy needs, the work presented in this article aims at developing a life-cycle based framework methodology to quantitatively evaluate the environmental and economic sustainability of European food waste management options. The methodology is structured into six steps aimed at defining boundaries and scope of the evaluation, evaluating environmental and economic impacts and identifying best performing options. The methodology is able to accommodate additional assessment criteria, for example the social dimension of sustainability, thus moving towards a comprehensive sustainability assessment framework. A numerical case study is also developed to provide an example of application of the proposed methodology to an average European context. Different options for food waste treatment are compared, including landfilling, composting, anaerobic digestion and incineration. The environmental dimension is evaluated with the software EASETECH, while the economic assessment is conducted based on different indicators expressing the costs associated with food waste management. Results show that the proposed methodology allows for a straightforward identification of the most sustainable options for food waste, thus can provide factual support to decision/policy making. However, it was also observed that results markedly depend on a number of user-defined assumptions, for example on the choice of the indicators to express the environmental and economic performance. © The Author(s) 2016.

75 FR 18572 - Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 License...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-12

... the carbon emissions of its generating system and take advantage of lower carbon dioxide-emitting.... The SEIS will include examination of a range of supply-side and demand- side management options for... both the scope of alternatives and environmental issues that should be addressed as part of the SEIS...

Treatment Options for Back Pain Provided Online in Canadian Magazines: Comparison against Evidence from a Clinical Practice Guideline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sniderman, Jhase A.; Roffey, Darren M.; Lee, Richard; Papineau, Gabrielle D.; Miles, Isabelle H.; Wai, Eugene K.; Kingwell, Stephen P.

2017-01-01

Background: Evidence-based treatments for adult back pain have long been confirmed, with research continuing to narrow down the scope of recommended practices. However, a tension exists between research-driven treatments and unsubstantiated modalities and techniques promoted to the public. This disparity in knowledge translation, which results in…

40 CFR 63.91 - Criteria for straight delegation and criteria common to all approval options.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... includes: (A) A description in narrative form of the scope, structure, coverage, and processes of the State program. (B) A description of the organization and structure of the agency or agencies that will have... tracking and enforcement program, including but not limited to inspection strategies. (4) If any of the...

78 FR 32287 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; ICE Clear Europe Limited; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

... other things, clarify the scope of products proposed to be cleared, add new Rule 207(f) prohibiting FCM.... securities laws (i.e., LIFFE futures and options on equity securities) (the ``LIFFE securities products... facility for purposes of trading such products. In addition, only certain LIFFE securities products are...

75 FR 68368 - Recruitment of Sites for Assignment of Corps Personnel Obligated Under the National Health...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-05

... through the Private Practice Option. Eligible HPSAs and Entities To be eligible to receive assignment of...) provide primary medical care, mental health, or oral health services to a primary medical care, mental... assignment of Corps personnel must assure that (1) the position will permit the full scope of practice and...

The STAGS computer code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almroth, B. O.; Brogan, F. A.

1978-01-01

Basic information about the computer code STAGS (Structural Analysis of General Shells) is presented to describe to potential users the scope of the code and the solution procedures that are incorporated. Primarily, STAGS is intended for analysis of shell structures, although it has been extended to more complex shell configurations through the inclusion of springs and beam elements. The formulation is based on a variational approach in combination with local two dimensional power series representations of the displacement components. The computer code includes options for analysis of linear or nonlinear static stress, stability, vibrations, and transient response. Material as well as geometric nonlinearities are included. A few examples of applications of the code are presented for further illustration of its scope.

An investigation into pilot and system response to critical in-flight events. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rockwell, T. H.; Griffin, W. C.

1981-01-01

Critical in-flight events (CIFE) that threaten the aircraft were studied. The scope of the CIFE was described and defined with emphasis on characterizing event development, detection and assessment; pilot information requirements, sources, acquisition, and interpretation, pilot response options, decision processed, and decision implementation and event outcome. Detailed scenarios were developed for use in simulators and paper and pencil testing for developing relationships between pilot performance and background information as well as for an analysis of pilot reaction decision and feedback processes. Statistical relationships among pilot characteristics and observed responses to CIFE's were developed.

The Interpretation of Plural Morphology and (Non-)Obligatory Number Marking: An Argument from Artificial Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liter, Adam; Heffner, Christopher C.; Schmitt, Cristina

2017-01-01

We present an artificial language experiment investigating (i) how speakers of languages such as English with two-way obligatory distinctions between singular and plural learn a system where singular and plural are only optionally marked, and (ii) how learners extend their knowledge of the plural morpheme when under the scope of negation without…

Educators' expectations of roles, employability and career pathways of registered and enrolled nurses in Australia.

PubMed

Jacob, Elisabeth R; McKenna, Lisa; D'Amore, Angelo

2016-01-01

In Australia, like other countries, two levels of nurse are registered for entry to practice. Educational changes for second level nurses in Australia have led to questions regarding roles and career options. This paper reports on interviews with nursing course coordinators to examine educator expectations of roles and career pathways of registered and enrolled nurses. Coordinators of eight degree (registered) and diploma (enrolled) nursing programs were interviewed to determine their opinions on roles and careers that students were prepared for. Transcripts were thematically analysed. Educators reported similar graduate roles, although high acuity care was primarily the role of registered nurses. Career expectations differed with enrolled nurses having limited advancement opportunity, and registered nurses greater career options. Health organisations were unprepared to accommodate increased practice scope of enrolled nurses and limited work practice through policies stipulating who could perform procedures. Organisational health policies need to accommodate increased enrolled nurse skill base. Education of practising nurses is necessary regarding increased scope of enrolled nurse practice to ensure they are used to their full potential. Increasing patient acuity requires more registered nurses, as enrolled nurses are unprepared to care for complex or deteriorating patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated economic and experimental framework for screening of primary recovery technologies for high cell density CHO cultures

PubMed Central

Popova, Daria; Stonier, Adam; Pain, David; Titchener‐Hooker, Nigel J.

2016-01-01

Abstract Increases in mammalian cell culture titres and densities have placed significant demands on primary recovery operation performance. This article presents a methodology which aims to screen rapidly and evaluate primary recovery technologies for their scope for technically feasible and cost‐effective operation in the context of high cell density mammalian cell cultures. It was applied to assess the performance of current (centrifugation and depth filtration options) and alternative (tangential flow filtration (TFF)) primary recovery strategies. Cell culture test materials (CCTM) were generated to simulate the most demanding cell culture conditions selected as a screening challenge for the technologies. The performance of these technology options was assessed using lab scale and ultra scale‐down (USD) mimics requiring 25–110mL volumes for centrifugation and depth filtration and TFF screening experiments respectively. A centrifugation and depth filtration combination as well as both of the alternative technologies met the performance selection criteria. A detailed process economics evaluation was carried out at three scales of manufacturing (2,000L, 10,000L, 20,000L), where alternative primary recovery options were shown to potentially provide a more cost‐effective primary recovery process in the future. This assessment process and the study results can aid technology selection to identify the most effective option for a specific scenario. PMID:27067803

Initial Business Case Analysis of Two Integrated Heat Pump HVAC Systems for Near-Zero-Energy Homes

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

Baxter, Van D

2006-11-01

The long range strategic goal of the Department of Energy's Building Technologies (DOE/BT) Program is to create, by 2020, technologies and design approaches that enable the construction of net-zero energy homes at low incremental cost (DOE/BT 2005). A net zero energy home (NZEH) is a residential building with greatly reduced needs for energy through efficiency gains, with the balance of energy needs supplied by renewable technologies. While initially focused on new construction, these technologies and design approaches are intended to have application to buildings constructed before 2020 as well resulting in substantial reduction in energy use for all building typesmore » and ages. DOE/BT's Emerging Technologies (ET) team is working to support this strategic goal by identifying and developing advanced heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and water heating (HVAC/WH) technology options applicable to NZEHs. Although the energy efficiency of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment has increased substantially in recent years, new approaches are needed to continue this trend. Dramatic efficiency improvements are necessary to enable progress toward the NZEH goals, and will require a radical rethinking of opportunities to improve system performance. The large reductions in HVAC energy consumption necessary to support the NZEH goals require a systems-oriented analysis approach that characterizes each element of energy consumption, identifies alternatives, and determines the most cost-effective combination of options. In particular, HVAC equipment must be developed that addresses the range of special needs of NZEH applications in the areas of reduced HVAC and water heating energy use, humidity control, ventilation, uniform comfort, and ease of zoning. In FY05 ORNL conducted an initial Stage 1 (Applied Research) scoping assessment of HVAC/WH systems options for future NZEHs to help DOE/BT identify and prioritize alternative approaches for further development. Eleven system concepts with central air distribution ducting and nine multi-zone systems were selected and their annual and peak demand performance estimated for five locations: Atlanta (mixed-humid), Houston (hot-humid), Phoenix (hot-dry), San Francisco (marine), and Chicago (cold). Performance was estimated by simulating the systems using the TRNSYS simulation engine (Solar Energy Laboratory et al. 2006) in two 1800-ft{sup 2} houses--a Building America (BA) benchmark house and a prototype NZEH taken from BEopt results at the take-off (or crossover) point (i.e., a house incorporating those design features such that further progress towards ZEH is through the addition of photovoltaic power sources, as determined by current BEopt analyses conducted by NREL). Results were summarized in a project report, 'HVAC Equipment Design options for Near-Zero-Energy Homes--A Stage 2 Scoping Assessment,' ORNL/TM-2005/194 (Baxter 2005). The 2005 study report describes the HVAC options considered, the ranking criteria used, and the system rankings by priority. Table 1 summarizes the energy savings potential of the highest scoring options from the 2005 study for all five locations.« less

A Promise Deferred: Black Veterans' Access to Higher Education through the GI Bill at the University of Florida, 1944-1962

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCardle, Todd

2017-01-01

Examining both the GI Bill and the origins of desegregation of traditionally segregated institutions of higher learning in the South, this historical essay argues that these 2 separate historic markers should not be considered independently. Indeed, to understand the full scope of the GI Bill, we must consider the limited options that Black…

Report of the eRHIC Ring-Ring Working Group

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

Aschenauer, E. C.; Berg, S.; Blaskiewicz, M.

2015-10-13

This report evaluates the ring-ring option for eRHIC as a lower risk alternative to the linac-ring option. The reduced risk goes along with a reduced initial luminosity performance. However, a luminosity upgrade path is kept open. This upgrade path consists of two branches, with the ultimate upgrade being either a ring-ring or a linac-ring scheme. The linac-ring upgrade could be almost identical to the proposed linac-ring scheme, which is based on an ERL in the RHIC tunnel. This linac-ring version has been studied in great detail over the past ten years, and its significant risks are known. On the othermore » hand, no detailed work on an ultimate performance ring-ring scenario has been performed yet, other than the development of a consistent parameter set. Pursuing the ring-ring upgrade path introduces high risks and requires significant design work that is beyond the scope of this report.« less

Dietitians' opinions regarding refeeding syndrome, clinical guidelines and extended scope of practice.

PubMed

Matthews, Kylie L; Palmer, Michelle A; Capra, Sandra M

2018-04-30

Refeeding syndrome (RFS) prevalence rates vary across studies depending on the criteria used for assessment and identification. For registered dietitians, the assessment and management of RFS is highly reliant on daily serum electrolyte values; however, registered dietitians working within Australia do not currently possess laboratory test ordering privileges. We aimed to examine the opinions of registered dietitians regarding RFS identification, management and guidelines and the option of using extended scope of practice to order electrolyte monitoring autonomously. A multi-method action research approach was used, incorporating two projects. The first was a survey examining Australian registered dietitians' (n = 187) opinions regarding RFS identification, management and guidelines, and autonomous electrolyte monitoring. To establish if results were similar internationally, an interview was conducted with 22 registered dietitians working within 10 different countries. Data were analysed using chi-square tests and thematic analysis. Australian registered dietitians (75%) identify patients at risk of RFS at a high rate of more than once per fortnight, with 74% reporting that they have previously worked with a patient diagnosed with RFS. Results varied internationally, with respondents from eight countries reporting that RFS is a problem within acute care versus respondents from five countries having never treated a patient with RFS. The majority (≥89%) of registered dietitians desire new guidelines and the option to order patient electrolyte monitoring autonomously. Our findings suggest that more stringent tools for the identification of RFS are necessary. There was limited uniformity across countries, and updated practice guidelines are needed. © 2018 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Space Storable Rocket Technology program (SSRT). Option 1 program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chazen, Melvin L.; Mueller, Thomas; Rust, Thomas

1993-08-01

The Space Storable Rocket Technology (SSRT) Option 1 Program was initiated in October 1991 after completion of the Basic Program. The program was restructured in mid-July 1992 to incorporate a Rhenium Technology Task and reduce the scope of the LO2-N2H4 engine development. The program was also extended to late February 1993 to allow for the Rhenium Technology Task completion. The Option 1 Program was devoted to evaluation of two new injector elements, evaluation of two different methods of thermal protection of the injector, evaluation of high temperature material properties of rhenium and evaluation of methods of joining the rhenium thrust chamber to the columbium injector and nozzle extension. In addition, critical experiments were conducted (Funded by Option 2) to evaluate mechanisms to understand the effects of GO2 injection into the chamber, helium injection into the main LO2, effect of the splash plate and effect of decreasing the aspect ratio of the 120-slot (-13a) element. The performance and thermal models were used to further correlate the test results with analyses. The results of the work accomplished are summarized.

Space Storable Rocket Technology program (SSRT). Option 1 program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chazen, Melvin L.; Mueller, Thomas; Rust, Thomas

1993-01-01

The Space Storable Rocket Technology (SSRT) Option 1 Program was initiated in October 1991 after completion of the Basic Program. The program was restructured in mid-July 1992 to incorporate a Rhenium Technology Task and reduce the scope of the LO2-N2H4 engine development. The program was also extended to late February 1993 to allow for the Rhenium Technology Task completion. The Option 1 Program was devoted to evaluation of two new injector elements, evaluation of two different methods of thermal protection of the injector, evaluation of high temperature material properties of rhenium and evaluation of methods of joining the rhenium thrust chamber to the columbium injector and nozzle extension. In addition, critical experiments were conducted (Funded by Option 2) to evaluate mechanisms to understand the effects of GO2 injection into the chamber, helium injection into the main LO2, effect of the splash plate and effect of decreasing the aspect ratio of the 120-slot (-13a) element. The performance and thermal models were used to further correlate the test results with analyses. The results of the work accomplished are summarized.

[Gastroesophageal reflux and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome].

PubMed

Esteller, E; Modolell, I; Segarra, F; Matiño, E; Enrique, A; Ademà, J M; Estivill, E

2005-11-01

Patients with mild or moderate Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) need wider therapeutic scope options according to their disease severity. To consider including proton pump inhibitors (PPI) to the therapeutical alternatives of these patients. A prospective study was designed, among patients with SAS. Nocturnal polysomnography and double channel pHmetry were performed simultaneously. From the 18 patients included in this preliminary phase, in three (16.7%) nocturnal proximal ph monitoring was positive. These 3 patients were treated with PPI during at least 3 months with a very satisfactory outcome in two of them. Treatment with PPI may be a useful therapeutical alternative in patients with mild to moderate SAS.

Analysis of space systems for the space disposal of nuclear waste follow-on study. Volume 2: Technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The space option for disposal of certain high-level nuclear wastes in space as a complement to mined geological repositories is studied. A brief overview of the study background, scope, objective, guidelines and assumptions, and contents is presented. The determination of the effects of variations in the waste mix on the space systems concept to allow determination of the space systems effect on total system risk benefits when used as a complement to the DOE reference mined geological repository is studied. The waste payload system, launch site, launch system, and orbit transfer system are all addressed. Rescue mission requirements are studied. The characteristics of waste forms suitable for space disposal are identified. Trajectories and performance requirements are discussed.

Adult patient decision-making regarding implantation of complex cardiac devices: a scoping review.

PubMed

Malecki-Ketchell, Alison; Marshall, Paul; Maclean, Joan

2017-10-01

Complex cardiac rhythm management device (CRMD) therapy provides an important treatment option for people at risk of sudden cardiac death. Despite the survival benefit, device implantation is associated with significant physical and psychosocial concerns presenting considerable challenges for the decision-making process surrounding CRMD implantation for patients and physicians. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore what is known about how adult (>16 years) patients make decisions regarding implantation of CRMD therapy. Published, peer reviewed, English language studies from 2000 to 2016 were identified in a search across eight healthcare databases. Eligible studies were concerned with patient decision-making for first time device implantation. Quality assessment was completed using the mixed methods appraisal tool for all studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The findings of eight qualitative and seven quantitative studies, including patients who accepted or declined primary or secondary sudden cardiac death prevention devices, were clustered into two themes: knowledge acquisition and the process of decision-making, exposing similarities and distinctions with the treatment decision-making literature. The review revealed some insight in to the way patients approach decision-making but also exposed a lack of clarity and research activity specific to CRMD patients. Further research is recommended to support the development and application of targeted decision support mechanisms.

Economic Evaluations of the Health Impacts of Weather-Related Extreme Events: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Schmitt, Laetitia H. M.; Graham, Hilary M.; White, Piran C. L.

2016-01-01

The frequency and severity of extreme events is expected to increase under climate change. There is a need to understand the economic consequences of human exposure to these extreme events, to underpin decisions on risk reduction. We undertook a scoping review of economic evaluations of the adverse health effects from exposure to weather-related extreme events. We searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases with no restrictions to the type of evaluations. Twenty studies were included, most of which were recently published. Most studies have been undertaken in the U.S. (nine studies) or Asia (seven studies), whereas we found no studies in Africa, Central and Latin America nor the Middle East. Extreme temperatures accounted for more than a third of the pool of studies (seven studies), closely followed by flooding (six studies). No economic study was found on drought. Whilst studies were heterogeneous in terms of objectives and methodology, they clearly indicate that extreme events will become a pressing public health issue with strong welfare and distributional implications. The current body of evidence, however, provides little information to support decisions on the allocation of scarce resources between risk reduction options. In particular, the review highlights a significant lack of research attention to the potential cost-effectiveness of interventions that exploit the capacity of natural ecosystems to reduce our exposure to, or ameliorate the consequences of, extreme events. PMID:27834843

Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI) A, Version 1.3: Method Definition Document

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

performance of Federal Government Contract Number FA8721-05- C -0003 with Carnegie Mellon University for the operation of the Software Engineering... C Roles and Responsibilities 195 Appendix D Reporting Requirements and Options 201 Appendix E Managed Discovery 203 Appendix F Scoping and...Upgrade Team (SUT) • Mary Busby , Lockheed Martin • Palma Buttles-Valdez, Software Engineering Institute • Paul Byrnes, Integrated System Diagnostics

Flexible Manufacturing System Handbook. Volume IV. Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

and Acceptance Test(s)" on page 26 of this Proposal Request. 1.1.10 Options 1. Centralized Automatic Chip/Coolant Recovery System a. Scope The...viable, from manual- ly moving the pallet/fixture/part combinations from machine to machine to fully automatic , unmanned material handling systems , such...English. Where dimensions are shown in metric units, the English system (inch) equivalent will also be shown. Hydraulic, pneumatic , and electrical

Evaluation of mobile digital light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Chaisson, L H; Reber, C; Phan, H; Switz, N; Nilsson, L M; Myers, F; Nhung, N V; Luu, L; Pham, T; Vu, C; Nguyen, H; Nguyen, A; Dinh, T; Nahid, P; Fletcher, D A; Cattamanchi, A

2015-09-01

Hanoi Lung Hospital, Hanoi, Viet Nam. To compare the accuracy of CellScopeTB, a manually operated mobile digital fluorescence microscope, with conventional microscopy techniques. Patients referred for sputum smear microscopy to the Hanoi Lung Hospital from May to September 2013 were included. Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear microscopy, conventional light-emitting diode (LED) fluorescence microscopy (FM), CellScopeTB-based LED FM and Xpert(®) MTB/RIF were performed on sputum samples. The sensitivity and specificity of microscopy techniques were determined in reference to Xpert results, and differences were compared using McNemar's paired test of proportions. Of 326 patients enrolled, 93 (28.5%) were Xpert-positive for TB. The sensitivity of ZN microscopy, conventional LED FM, and CellScopeTB-based LED FM was respectively 37.6% (95%CI 27.8-48.3), 41.9% (95%CI 31.8-52.6), and 35.5% (95%CI 25.8-46.1). The sensitivity of CellScopeTB was similar to that of conventional LED FM (difference -6.5%, 95%CI -18.2 to 5.3, P = 0.33) and ZN microscopy (difference -2.2%, 95%CI -9.2 to 4.9, P = 0.73). The specificity was >99% for all three techniques. CellScopeTB performed similarly to conventional microscopy techniques in the hands of experienced TB microscopists. However, the sensitivity of all sputum microscopy techniques was low. Options enabled by digital microscopy, such as automated imaging with real-time computerized analysis, should be explored to increase sensitivity.

Assessing future scenarios for health care waste management using a multi-criteria decision analysis tool: A case study in the Turkish West Black Sea Region.

PubMed

Ciplak, Nesli

2015-08-01

The aim of this paper is to identify the best possible health care waste management option in the West Black Sea Region by taking into account economic, social, environmental, and technical aspects in the concept of multi-criteria decision analysis. In the scope of this research, three different health care waste management scenarios that consist of different technology alternatives were developed and compared using a decision-making computer software, called Right Choice, by identifying various criteria, measuring them, and ranking their relative importance from the point of key stakeholders. The results of the study show that the decentralized autoclave technology option coupled with the disposal through land-filling with energy recovery has potential to be an optimum option for health care waste management system, and an efficient health care waste segregation scheme should be given more attention by the authorities in the region. Furthermore, the discussion of the results points out multidisciplinary approach and the equilibrium between social, environmental, economic, and technical criteria. The methodology used in this research was developed in order to enable the decision makers to gain an increased perception of a decision problem. In general, the results and remarks of this study can be used as a basis of future planning and anticipation of needs for investment in the area of health care waste management in the region and also in developing countries that are dealing with the similar waste management problems.

[Orthodontics--periodontics: yesterday and today; a review of the literature].

PubMed

Reichert, Christoph; Kasaj, Adrian; Willershausen, Brita

2009-01-01

The dental disciplines of orthodontics and periodontics keep a variety of contact points. The development of new treatment options in periodontics and orthodontics, e.g., guided tissue regeneration or orthodontic implants for temporary skeletal anchorage, offer new ways in treatment of periodontally affected patients. The present work is a review of studies and treatment plans in the past thirty years and scrutinises their topicality and evidence. The performance of a systematic review of literature led to a low number of resulting articles. For this reason and their heterogeneity it was not possible to perform a quantifying review. Our results lead to the conclusion that this certain scope of interdisciplinary therapy has further demand for studies with high quality standards and evidence.

Standard CMMI (Registered Trademark) Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI (Service Mark)) A, Version 1.3: Method Definition Document

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

performance of Federal Government Contract Number FA8721-05- C -0003 with Carnegie Mellon University for the operation of the Software Engineering... C Roles and Responsibilities 195 Appendix D Reporting Requirements and Options 201 Appendix E Managed Discovery 203 Appendix F Scoping and...Upgrade Team (SUT) • Mary Busby , Lockheed Martin • Palma Buttles-Valdez, Software Engineering Institute • Paul Byrnes, Integrated System Diagnostics

Geographic Concentration of Oil Infrastructure: Issues and Options

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-24

their homes and plants , and destroy ports and refineries , thereby shattering the U.S. economy. The scope, scale, frequency and location of terrorist...for the above reasons. The corridor along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is home to six major refineries . These... refineries process more than 1.7 million barrels of oil per day to produce 775 thousand barrels of motor gasoline and 440 million barrels of distillate fuel

Short dental implants: A scoping review of the literature for patients with head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Edher, Faraj; Nguyen, Caroline T

2017-09-16

Dental implants can be essential in the rehabilitation of various cancer defects, but their ideal placement can be complicated by the limited dimensions of the available host bone. Surgical interventions developed to increase the amount of bone are not all predictable or successful and can sometimes be contraindicated. Short dental implants have been suggested as an alternative option in sites where longer implants are not possible. Whether they provide a successful treatment option is unclear. The purpose of this study was to review the literature on short dental implants and assess whether they are a viable definitive treatment option for rehabilitating cancer patients with deficient bone. A scoping review of the literature was performed, including a search of established periodontal textbooks for articles on short dental implants combined with a search of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. A search for all literature published before June 2016 was based on the following keywords: ['dental implants' OR 'dental implantation, endosseous' OR 'dental prosthesis, implant supported'] AND [short]. The minimum acceptable implant length has been considered to be 6 mm. The survival rates of short implants varied between 74% and 96% at 5 years, depending on factors such as the quality of the patient's bone, primary stability of the implant, clinician's learning curve, and implant surface. Short implants can achieve results similar to those of longer implants in augmented bone and offer a treatment alternative that could reduce the need for invasive surgery and associated morbidity and be safer and more economical. Short dental implants (6 mm to 8 mm) can be used successfully to support single or multiple fixed reconstructions or overdentures in atrophic maxillae and mandibles. The use of short dental implants lessens the need for advanced and complicated surgical bone augmentation procedures, which reduces complications, costs, treatment time, and morbidity. Short implants could be an alternative in the rehabilitation of patients with cancer. Copyright © 2017 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technical/ administrative options for managing tritium MCL exceedances in P-area groundwater and Steel Creek

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

Ross, J.

2017-04-01

This white paper was requested by the Core Team (United States Department of Energy [USDOE], United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA], and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control [SCDHEC]) at the P-Area Groundwater (PAGW) Operable Unit (OU) Scoping Meeting held in January 2017 to discuss recent data and potential alternatives in support of a focused Corrective Measures Study/Feasibility Study (CMS/FS). This white paper presents an overview of the problem, and a range of technical and administrative options for addressing the tritium contamination in groundwater and Steel Creek. As tritium cannot be treated practicably, alternatives are limited to mediamore » transfer, containment and natural attenuation principally relying on radioactive decay. Using other groundwater OU decisions involving tritium as precedent, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) recommends that final tritium alternatives be evaluated in a CMS/FS, understanding that the likely preferred remedy will include natural attenuation with land use controls (LUCs). This is based on the inability to significantly reduce tritium impact to Steel Creek using an engineered solution as compared to natural attenuation. The timing of this evaluation could be conducted concurrently with the final remedy evaluation for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).« less

Option Generation Techniques for Command and Control.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

and discuss some reasons why decision making is often less than perfect. 3.2. The Process of Decision Making Figure 3.1 shows a model of the various...responses to changes in the problem context. Most of these potential reasons for poor decision making stem from the human decision maker’s cognitive...several advantages: (1) It provides a mechanism for quickly estimating the scope of the effort that should be involved in making the decison and a road map

Sustainable development and environmental protection: A perspective on current trends and future options for universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemons, John

1995-03-01

Problems of sustainable development and environmental protection pose a challenge to humanity unprecedented in scope and complexity. Whether and how the problems are resolved have significant implications for human and ecological well-being. In this paper, I discuss briefly recent international recommendations to promote sustainable development and environmental protection. I then offer a perspective on the roles and prospects of the university in promoting sustainable development and environmental protection.

Littoral Combat Ship: Need to Address Fundamental Weaknesses in LCS and Frigate Acquisition Strategies

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

prioritized this option because of its relatively lower cost and quicker ability to field , as well as the ability to upgrade remaining LCS, over...experienced schedule delays of up to a year or more. Source : GAO analysis of Navy LCS and frigate information. │GAO-16-356 Of note, the industrial...Recommendations for Executive Action 47 Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 47 Appendix I Scope and Methodology 51 Appendix II Comments from the

Production and Optimization of Direct Coal Liquefaction derived Low Carbon-Footprint Transportation Fuels

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

Steven Markovich

This report summarizes works conducted under DOE Contract No. DE-FC26-05NT42448. The work scope was divided into two categories - (a) experimental program to pretreat and refine a coal derived syncrude sample to meet transportation fuels requirements; (b) system analysis of a commercial scale direct coal liquefaction facility. The coal syncrude was derived from a bituminous coal by Headwaters CTL, while the refining study was carried out under a subcontract to Axens North America. The system analysis included H{sub 2} production cost via six different options, conceptual process design, utilities requirements, CO{sub 2} emission and overall plant economy. As part ofmore » the system analysis, impact of various H{sub 2} production options was evaluated. For consistence the comparison was carried out using the DOE H2A model. However, assumptions in the model were updated using Headwaters database. Results of Tier 2 jet fuel specifications evaluation by the Fuels & Energy Branch, US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RZPF) located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio) are also discussed in this report.« less

Questionnaires used to assess barriers of clinical guideline use among physicians are not comprehensive, reliable, or valid: a scoping review.

PubMed

Willson, Melina L; Vernooij, Robin W M; Gagliardi, Anna R

2017-06-01

This study described the number and characteristics of questionnaires used to assess barriers of guideline use among physicians. A scoping review was conducted. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched from 2005 to June 2016. English-language studies that administered a questionnaire to assess barriers of guideline use among practicing physicians were eligible. Summary statistics were used to report study and questionnaire characteristics. Questionnaire content was assessed with a checklist of 57 known barriers. Each of the 178 included studies administered a unique questionnaire. The number of questionnaires increased yearly from 2005 to 2015. Few were pilot-tested (50, 28.1%) or tested for psychometric properties (3, 1.7%). Two were based on theory. None probed for the full range of known barriers. Ten included a free-text option. The majority assessed professional barriers (177, 99.4%) but few of the 14 factors within this domain. Questionnaire characteristics did not change over time. Organizations administered questionnaires that were not reliable or valid and did not comprehensively assess barriers and may have selected interventions unlikely to promote guideline use. Research is needed to construct a questionnaire that is practical, adaptable, and robust and leads to the selection of interventions that support guideline use. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

City-scale analysis of water-related energy identifies more cost-effective solutions.

PubMed

Lam, Ka Leung; Kenway, Steven J; Lant, Paul A

2017-02-01

Energy and greenhouse gas management in urban water systems typically focus on optimising within the direct system boundary of water utilities that covers the centralised water supply and wastewater treatment systems, despite a greater energy influence by the water end use. This work develops a cost curve of water-related energy management options from a city perspective for a hypothetical Australian city. It is compared with that from the water utility perspective. The curves are based on 18 water-related energy management options that have been implemented or evaluated in Australia. In the studied scenario, the cost-effective energy saving potential from a city perspective (292 GWh/year) is far more significant than that from a utility perspective (65 GWh/year). In some cases, for similar capital cost, if regional water planners invested in end use options instead of utility options, a greater energy saving potential at a greater cost-effectiveness could be achieved in urban water systems. For example, upgrading a wastewater treatment plant for biogas recovery at a capital cost of $27.2 million would save 31 GWh/year with a marginal cost saving of $63/MWh, while solar hot water system rebates at a cost of $28.6 million would save 67 GWh/year with a marginal cost saving of $111/MWh. Options related to hot water use such as water-efficient shower heads, water-efficient clothes washers and solar hot water system rebates are among the most cost-effective city-scale opportunities. This study demonstrates the use of cost curves to compare both utility and end use options in a consistent framework. It also illustrates that focusing solely on managing the energy use within the utility would miss substantial non-utility water-related energy saving opportunities. There is a need to broaden the conventional scope of cost curve analysis to include water-related energy and greenhouse gas at the water end use, and to value their management from a city perspective. This would create opportunities where the same capital investment could achieve far greater energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions abatement. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online peer support interventions for chronic conditions: a scoping review protocol.

PubMed

Munce, Sarah Elizabeth Patricia; Shepherd, John; Perrier, Laure; Allin, Sonya; Sweet, Shane N; Tomasone, Jennifer R; Nelson, Michelle L A; Guilcher, Sara J T; Hossain, Saima; Jaglal, Susan

2017-09-24

Peer support is receiving increasing attention as both an effective and cost-effective intervention method to support the self-management of chronic health conditions. Given that an increasing proportion of Canadians have internet access and the increasing implementation of web-based interventions, online peer support interventions are a promising option to address the burden of chronic diseases. Thus, the specific research question of this scoping review is the following: What is known from the existing literature about the key characteristics of online peer support interventions for adults with chronic conditions? METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will use the methodological frameworks used by Arksey and O'Malley as well as Levac and colleagues for the current scoping review. To be eligible for inclusion, studies must report on adults (≥18 years of age) with one of the Public Health Agency of Canada chronic conditions or HIV/AIDS. We will limit our review to peer support interventions delivered through online formats. All study designs will be included. Only studies published from 2012 onwards will be included to ensure relevance to the current healthcare context and feasibility. Furthermore, only English language studies will be included. Studies will be identified by searching a variety of databases. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts identified by the literature search for inclusion (ie, level 1 screening), the full text articles (ie, level 2 screening) and then perform data abstraction. Abstracted data will include study characteristics, participant population, key characteristics of the intervention and outcomes collected. This review will identify the key features of online peer support interventions and could assist in the future development of other online peer support programmes so that effective and sustainable programmes can be developed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Flexible microwave ablation applicator for the treatment of pulmonary malignancies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfannenstiel, Austin; Keast, Tom; Kramer, Steve; Wibowo, Henky; Prakash, Punit

2017-02-01

Microwave ablation (MWA) is an emerging minimally invasive treatment option for malignant lung tumors. Compared to other energy modalities, such as radiofrequency ablation, MWA offers the advantages of deeper penetration within high impedance tissues such as aerated lung, shorter treatment times, and less susceptibility to the cooling heat-sink effects of air and blood flow. Previous studies have demonstrated clinical use of MWA for treating lung tumors; however, these procedures have relied upon the percutaneous application of rigid microwave antennas. The objective of our work was to develop and characterize a novel flexible microwave applicator which could be integrated with a bronchoscopic imaging and software guidance platform to expand the use of MWA as a treatment option for small (< 2cm) pulmonary tumors. This applicator would allow physicians an even less invasive, immediate treatment option for lung tumors identified within the scope of current medical procedures. It may also improve applicator placement accuracy and increase efficacy while minimizing the risk of procedural complications. A 2D-axisymmetric coupled FEM electromagnetic-heat transfer model was implemented to characterize expected antenna radiation patterns, ablation size and shape, and optimize antenna design for lung tissue. A prototype device was fabricated and evaluated in ex vivo tissues to verify simulation results and serve as proof-of-concept. Additional experiments were conducted in an in vivo animal model to further characterize the proposed system.

Tracheal intubation in the emergency department: a comparison of GlideScope® video laryngoscopy to direct laryngoscopy in 822 intubations.

PubMed

Sakles, John C; Mosier, Jarrod M; Chiu, Stephen; Keim, Samuel M

2012-04-01

Video laryngoscopy has, in recent years, become more available to emergency physicians. However, little research has been conducted to compare their success to conventional direct laryngoscopy. To compare the success rates of GlideScope(®) (Verathon Inc., Bothell, WA) videolaryngoscopy (GVL) with direct laryngoscopy (DL) for emergency department (ED) intubations. This was a 24-month retrospective observational study of all patients intubated in a single academic ED with a level I trauma center. Structured data forms were completed after each intubation and entered into a continuous quality improvement database. All patients intubated in the ED with either the GlideScope(®) standard, Cobalt, Ranger, or traditional Macintosh or Miller laryngoscopes were included. All patients intubated before arrival were excluded. Primary analysis evaluated overall and first-attempt success rates, operator experience level, performance characteristics of GVL, complications, and reasons for failure. There were 943 patients intubated during the study period; 120 were excluded due to alternative management strategies. DL was used in 583 (62%) patients, and GVL in 360 (38%). GVL had higher first-attempt success (75%, p = 0.03); DL had a higher success rate when more than one attempt was required (57%, p = 0.003). The devices had statistically equivalent overall success rates. GVL had fewer esophageal intubations (n = 1) than DL (n = 18); p = 0.005. The two techniques performed equivalently overall, however, GVL had a higher overall success rate, and lower number of esophageal complications. In the setting of ED intubations, GVL offers an excellent option to maximize first-attempt success for airway management. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Integrated Heat Pump HVAC Systems for Near-Zero-Energy Homes - Business Case Assessment

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

Baxter, Van D

2007-05-01

The long range strategic goal of the Department of Energy's Building Technologies (DOE/BT) Program is to create, by 2020, technologies and design approaches that enable the construction of net-zero energy homes at low incremental cost (DOE/BT 2005). A net zero energy home (NZEH) is a residential building with greatly reduced needs for energy through efficiency gains, with the balance of energy needs supplied by renewable technologies. While initially focused on new construction, these technologies and design approaches are intended to have application to buildings constructed before 2020 as well resulting in substantial reduction in energy use for all building typesmore » and ages. DOE/BT's Emerging Technologies (ET) team is working to support this strategic goal by identifying and developing advanced heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and water heating (HVAC/WH) technology options applicable to NZEHs. Although the energy efficiency of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment has increased substantially in recent years, new approaches are needed to continue this trend. Dramatic efficiency improvements are necessary to enable progress toward the NZEH goals, and will require a radical rethinking of opportunities to improve system performance. The large reductions in HVAC energy consumption necessary to support the NZEH goals require a systems-oriented analysis approach that characterizes each element of energy consumption, identifies alternatives, and determines the most cost-effective combination of options. In particular, HVAC equipment must be developed that addresses the range of special needs of NZEH applications in the areas of reduced HVAC and water heating energy use, humidity control, ventilation, uniform comfort, and ease of zoning. In FY05 ORNL conducted an initial Stage 1 (Applied Research) scoping assessment of HVAC/WH systems options for future NZEHs to help DOE/BT identify and prioritize alternative approaches for further development. Eleven system concepts with central air distribution ducting and nine multi-zone systems were selected and their annual and peak demand performance estimated for five locations: Atlanta (mixed-humid), Houston (hot-humid), Phoenix (hot-dry), San Francisco (marine), and Chicago (cold). Performance was estimated by simulating the systems using the TRNSYS simulation engine (Solar Energy Laboratory et al. 2006) in two 1800-ft{sup 2} houses--a Building America (BA) benchmark house and a prototype NZEH taken from BEopt results at the take-off (or crossover) point (i.e., a house incorporating those design features such that further progress towards ZEH is through the addition of photovoltaic power sources, as determined by current BEopt analyses conducted by NREL). Results were summarized in a project report, 'HVAC Equipment Design options for Near-Zero-Energy Homes--A Stage 2 Scoping Assessment', ORNL/TM-2005/194 (Baxter 2005). The 2005 study report describes the HVAC options considered, the ranking criteria used, and the system rankings by priority. Table 1 summarizes the energy savings potential of the highest scoring options from the 2005 study for all five locations. All system options were scored by the ORNL building equipment research team and by William Goetzler of Navigant Consulting. These scores were reviewed by DOE/BT's Residential Integration program leaders and Building America team members. Based on these results, the two centrally ducted integrated heat pump (IHP) systems (air source and ground source versions) were selected for advancement to Stage 2 (Exploratory Development) business case assessments in FY06. This report describes results of these business case assessments. It is a compilation of three separate reports describing the initial business case study (Baxter 2006a), an update to evaluate the impact of an economizer cooling option (Baxter 2006b), and a second update to evaluate the impact of a winter humidification option (Baxter 2007). In addition it reports some corrections made subsequent to release of the first two reports to correct some errors in the TRNSYS building model for Atlanta and in the refrigerant pressure drop calculation in the water-to-refrigerant evaporator module of the ORNL Heat Pump Design Model (HPDM) used for the IHP analyses. These changes resulted in some minor differences between IHP performance as reported in Baxter (2006a, b) and in this report.« less

Estimates of low-level waste volumes and classifications at 2-Unit 1100 MWe reference plants for decommissioning scenarios

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

Hauf, M.J.; Vance, J.N.; James, D.

1991-01-01

A number of nuclear utilities and industry organizations in the United States have evaluated the requirements for reactor decommissioning. These broad scope studies have addressed the major issues of technology, methodology, safety and costs of decommissioning and have produced substantial volumes of data to describe, in detail, the issues and impacts which result. The objective of this paper to provide CECo a reasonable basis for discussion low-level waste burial volumes for the most likely decommissioning options and to show how various decontamination and VR technologies can be applied to provide additional reduction of the volumes required to be buried atmore » low-level waste burial grounds.« less

YUCCA MOUNTAIN PROJECT - A BRIEFING --

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

NA

2003-08-05

This report has the following articles: Nuclear waste--a long-term national problem; Spent nuclear fuel; High-level radioactive waste; Radioactivity and the environment; Current storage methods; Disposal options; U.S. policy on nuclear waste; The focus on Yucca Mountain; The purpose and scope of the Yucca Mountain Project; The approach for permanently disposing of waste; The scientific studies at Yucca Mountain; The proposed design for a repository at Yucca Mountain; Natural and engineered barriers would work together to isolate waste; Meticulous science and technology to protect people and the environment; Licensing a repository; Transporting waste to a permanent repository; The Environmental Impact Statementmore » for a repository; Current status of the Yucca Mountain Project; and Further information available on the Internet.« less

The Bobath (NDT) concept in adult neurological rehabilitation: what is the state of the knowledge? A scoping review. Part II: intervention studies perspectives.

PubMed

Vaughan-Graham, Julie; Cott, Cheryl; Wright, F Virginia

2015-01-01

The study's purpose was to describe the range of knowledge pertaining to the Bobath (NDT) concept in adult neurological rehabilitation, synthesizes the findings, identify knowledge gaps and develop empirically based recommendations for future research. A scoping review of research and non-research articles published from 2007 to 2012. Two independent reviewers selected studies based on a systematic procedure. Inclusion criteria for studies were electronically accessible English language literature with Bobath and/or Neurodevelopmental Therapy as the subject heading in the title/keyword/abstract/intervention comparison with respect to adult neurological conditions. Data were abstracted and summarized with respect to study design, theoretical framework, clinical application including population representation, study fidelity, intervention comparison, duration of care, measurement and findings. Of the 33 publications identified 17 were intervention studies (11 RCT's/1 prospective parallel group design/5 N-of-1). One other paper was a systematic review. The intervention studies, primarily RCT designs, have serious methodological concerns particularly related to study/treatment fidelity and measurement resulting in no clear clinical direction. Aspects such as theoretical framework, therapist skill, quality of movement measurement and individualized interventions require careful consideration in the design of Bobath studies. Implications for Rehabilitation Future intervention studies should be based on the current Bobath theoretical framework and key aspects of clinical practice. Study and treatment fidelity issues need to be carefully considered when interpreting the results of existing RCT's evaluating the Bobath concept. N-of-1 randomized, observational, factorial and mixed method study designs should be considered as alternative study options.

Analysis of space systems for the space disposal of nuclear waste follow-on study. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The impact on space systems of three alternative waste mixes was evaluated as part of an effort to investigate the disposal of certain high-level nuclear wastes in space as a complement to mined geologic repositories. A brief overview of the study background, objectives, scope, approach and guidelines, and limitations is presented. The effects of variations in waste mixes on space system concepts were studied in order to provide data for determining relative total system risk benefits resulting from space disposal of the alternative waste mixes. Overall objectives of the NASA-DOE sustaining-level study program are to investigate space disposal concepts which can provide information to support future nuclear waste terminal storage programmatic decisions and to maintain a low level of research activity in this area to provide a baseline for future development should a decision be made to increase the emphasis on this option.

Prioritization of prevention activities to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in resource constrained settings: a cost-effectiveness analysis from Chad, Central Africa.

PubMed

Hutton, Guy; Wyss, Kaspar; N'Diékhor, Yemadji

2003-01-01

In Chad, as in most sub-Saharan Africa countries, HIV/AIDS poses a massive public health threat as well as an economic burden, with prevalence rates estimated at 9% of the adult population. In defining and readjusting the scope and content of the national HIV/AIDS control activities, policy makers sought to identify the most cost-effective options for HIV/AIDS control. The cost-effectiveness analysis reported in this paper uses a mixture of local and international information sources combined with appropriate assumptions to model the cost-effectiveness of feasible HIV prevention options in Chad, with estimates of the budget impact. The most cost-effective options at under US$100 per infection prevented were peer group education of sex workers and screening of blood donors to identify infected blood before transfusion. These options were followed by mass media and peer group education of high risk men and young people, at around US$500 per infection prevented. Anti-retroviral therapy for HIV infected pregnant women and voluntary counselling and testing were in the order of US$1000 per infection prevented. The paper concludes with recommendations for which activities should be given priority in the next phase of the national HIV/AIDS control programme in Chad.

The role of governance in implementing task-shifting from physicians to nurses in advanced roles in Europe, U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

PubMed

Maier, Claudia B

2015-12-01

Task-shifting from physicians to nurses is increasing worldwide; however, research on how it is governed is scarce. This international study assessed task-shifting governance models and implications on practice, based on a literature scoping review; and a survey with 93 country experts in 39 countries (response rate: 85.3%). Governance was assessed by several indicators, regulation of titles, scope of practice, prescriptive authority, and registration policies. This policy analysis focused on eleven countries with task-shifting at the Advanced Practice Nursing/Nurse Practitioner (APN/NP) level. Governance models ranged from national, decentralized to no regulation, but at the discretion of employers and settings. In countries with national or decentralized regulation, restrictive scope of practice laws were shown as barrier, up-to-date laws as enablers to advanced practice. Countries with decentralized regulation resulted in uneven levels of practice. In countries leaving governance to individual settings, practice variations existed, moreover data availability and role clarity was limited. Policy options include periodic reviews to ensure laws are up to date, minimum harmonization in decentralized contexts, harmonized educational and practice-level requirements to reduce practice variation and ensure quality. From a European Union (EU) perspective, regulation is preferred over non-regulation as a first step toward the recognition of qualifications in countries with similar levels of advanced practice. Countries early on in the process need to be aware that different governance models can influence practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Object attraction effects during subject-verb agreement in Persian.

PubMed

Feiz, Aazam; Cowles, Wind

2018-04-01

Subject-verb agreement provides insight into how grammatical and semantic features interact during sentence production, and prior studies have found attraction errors when an intervening local noun is grammatically part of the subject. Two major types of theories have emerged from these studies: control based and competition-based. The current study used an subject-object-verb language with optional subject-verb agreement, Persian, to test the competition-based hypothesis that intervening object nouns may also cause attraction effects, even though objects are not part of the syntactic relationship between the subject and verb. Our results, which did not require speakers to make grammatical errors, show that objects can be attractors for agreement, but this effect appears to be dependent on the type of plural marker on the object. These results support competition-based theories of agreement production, in which agreement may be influenced by attractors that are outside the scope of the subject-verb relationship.

Remote Sensing of Environmental Pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, G. W.

1971-01-01

Environmental pollution is a problem of international scope and concern. It can be subdivided into problems relating to water, air, or land pollution. Many of the problems in these three categories lend themselves to study and possible solution by remote sensing. Through the use of remote sensing systems and techniques, it is possible to detect and monitor, and in some cases, identify, measure, and study the effects of various environmental pollutants. As a guide for making decisions regarding the use of remote sensors for pollution studies, a special five-dimensional sensor/applications matrix has been designed. The matrix defines an environmental goal, ranks the various remote sensing objectives in terms of their ability to assist in solving environmental problems, lists the environmental problems, ranks the sensors that can be used for collecting data on each problem, and finally ranks the sensor platform options that are currently available.

Nurse practitioner graduates "Speak Out" about the adequacy of their educational preparation to care for older adults: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Jones, Jacqueline; Kotthoff-Burrell, Ernestine; Kass-Wolff, Jane; Brownrigg, Vicki

2015-12-01

With a shortage of primary care providers prepared to care for an aging U.S. population, nurse practitioner (NP) programs are integrating gerontological content. This qualitative descriptive study explored NP graduate perceptions on the adequacy of their education to prepare them to care for seniors. Twenty-three graduates of NP program options at two universities in the western U.S. participated in focus group discussions or interviews. Participants shared their perceptions of their NP educational preparation and suggestions for enhancing gerontologic curriculum. Four main domains emerged from analysis of qualitative data: (a) "Getting your boots on and getting into the role"; (b) "Older people are more complex than we were prepared to care for"; (c) "It is very different as a provider, but I am so glad I was a nurse with experience first"; (d) "NPs have a scope of practice, physician assistants (PAs) have a job description-but I wish we had their [procedural] preparation." Graduates identified a need for more educational content and clinical experiences specific to the care of older adults. Some suggested a postgraduate residency or mentoring option to assist NP role transition and progression and limit role confusion. ©2015 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

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

Kaufmann, John R.; Hand, James R.; Halverson, Mark A.

This report evaluates how and when to best integrate renewable energy requirements into building energy codes. The basic goals were to: (1) provide a rough guide of where we’re going and how to get there; (2) identify key issues that need to be considered, including a discussion of various options with pros and cons, to help inform code deliberations; and (3) to help foster alignment among energy code-development organizations. The authors researched current approaches nationally and internationally, conducted a survey of key stakeholders to solicit input on various approaches, and evaluated the key issues related to integration of renewable energymore » requirements and various options to address those issues. The report concludes with recommendations and a plan to engage stakeholders. This report does not evaluate whether the use of renewable energy should be required on buildings; that question involves a political decision that is beyond the scope of this report.« less

Perception of oral maxillofacial surgery by health-care professionals.

PubMed

Rocha, N S; Laureano Filho, J R; Silva, E D O; Almeida, R C A

2008-01-01

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS), a dentistry specialty recognized by the Federal Dentistry Board in the mid-1960s, is responsible for the diagnosis, and clinical and surgical treatment of traumatic, congenital, developmental and iatrogenic lesions in the maxillofacial complex. Even today, difficulties are experienced owing to the lack of knowledge of the general public and health professionals concerning the scope of OMFS. To investigate recognition of the scope of OMFS, 400 questionnaires were sent to dentistry students, medical students, dentists and doctors, in 4 equal groups. The questionnaire covered 26 clinical situations in four different specialties (OMFS, Plastic Surgery, Ear Nose and Throat Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery) and an option with no specialty specified. Each interviewee had to correlate the clinical situation with the respective specialist. For facial trauma, dento-facial deformities, mandibular reconstruction and temporomandibular joint surgery, most respondents would consult the OMF surgeon for treatment (mean, 90%). In cases of oral biopsy and treatment of benign mandibular tumours the mean referral rate to OMFS was low (48%). On the basis of the questionnaire responses, a good level of knowledge of the scope of OMFS was found. In order to ensure the correct referral of all patients, the specialty needs to broaden its horizons.

Psychological treatment of depression and anxiety in patients with co-morbid personality disorder: A scoping study of trial evidence.

PubMed

French, L R M; Turner, K M; Dawson, S; Moran, P

2017-05-01

It is unclear what the best psychological treatment is for depression and anxiety in people with co-morbid personality disorder. Trials of different psychological treatment options for this patient group have been conducted, but this evidence has not previously been systematically reviewed or critically appraised. We set out to conduct a scoping review in order to describe which psychological therapies appear most effective in treating depression and/or anxiety in patients with co-morbid personality disorder. PsycINFO, Cochrane library trials, Medline and Embase databases were searched for studies involving randomized, controlled, experimental, parallel-arm comparisons, examining any well-defined, psychotherapeutic intervention for adults, in an outpatient setting, with a clearly defined diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety, and co-morbid personality disorder. A total of 1662 papers were identified. Fifteen met criteria for inclusion and were reviewed. There was weak evidence to support the use of cognitive behavioural therapy as a psychological treatment for depression in patients with co-morbid personality disorder. However, the literature is characterized by considerable methodological heterogeneity, and further research is needed before there is sufficient evidence to indicate which psychological treatment would be most effective in treating anxiety and/or depression in this patient group. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Environmental and economic assessment of a road safety product made with virgin and recycled HDPE: a comparative study.

PubMed

L Simões, Carla; Costa Pinto, Lígia M; Bernardo, C A

2013-01-15

The development of value-added products made from post-consumer plastic recyclates has become an important goal in the quest for a sustainable society. To attain such goal, tools with higher accuracy and wider scope are increasingly necessary. The present work describes the application of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)/Life Cycle Costing (LCC) integrated model, with inclusion of externalities (environmental and social costs), to Anti-Glare Lamellae (AGL) made with High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). It compares an AGL currently manufactured from virgin HDPE (current AGL) with an alternative one made with recycled HDPE (optional AGL). The results obtained show that neither the current nor the optional AGL depict the best environmental performance in all impact categories. Nevertheless, there is a clear overall environmental and economic advantage in replacing virgin HDPE with recycled HDPE. The present work also makes evident that the LCA/LCC integrated model allows the identification of economic and environmental win-win and trade-off situations related to the full life cycle of products. As such, its results can be used as valuable guidelines in product development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consecutive anaerobic-aerobic treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and lignocellulosic materials in laboratory-scale landfill-bioreactors.

PubMed

Pellera, Frantseska-Maria; Pasparakis, Emmanouil; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2016-10-01

The scope of this study is to evaluate the use of laboratory-scale landfill-bioreactors, operated consecutively under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, for the combined treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with two different co-substrates of lignocellulosic nature, namely green waste (GW) and dried olive pomace (DOP). According to the results such a system would represent a promising option for eventual larger scale applications. Similar variation patterns among bioreactors indicate a relatively defined sequence of processes. Initially operating the systems under anaerobic conditions would allow energetic exploitation of the substrates, while the implementation of a leachate treatment system ultimately aiming at nutrient recovery, especially during the anaerobic phase, could be a profitable option for the whole system, due to the high organic load that characterizes this effluent. In order to improve the overall effectiveness of such a system, measures towards enhancing methane contents of produced biogas, such as substrate pretreatment, should be investigated. Moreover, the subsequent aerobic phase should have the goal of stabilizing the residual materials and finally obtain an end material eventually suitable for other purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial Business Case Analysis of Two Integrated Heat Pump HVAC Systems for Near-Zero-Energy Homes -- Update to Include Analyses of an Economizer Option and Alternative Winter Water Heating Control Option

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

Baxter, Van D

2006-12-01

The long range strategic goal of the Department of Energy's Building Technologies (DOE/BT) Program is to create, by 2020, technologies and design approaches that enable the construction of net-zero energy homes at low incremental cost (DOE/BT 2005). A net zero energy home (NZEH) is a residential building with greatly reduced needs for energy through efficiency gains, with the balance of energy needs supplied by renewable technologies. While initially focused on new construction, these technologies and design approaches are intended to have application to buildings constructed before 2020 as well resulting in substantial reduction in energy use for all building typesmore » and ages. DOE/BT's Emerging Technologies (ET) team is working to support this strategic goal by identifying and developing advanced heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and water heating (HVAC/WH) technology options applicable to NZEHs. Although the energy efficiency of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment has increased substantially in recent years, new approaches are needed to continue this trend. Dramatic efficiency improvements are necessary to enable progress toward the NZEH goals, and will require a radical rethinking of opportunities to improve system performance. The large reductions in HVAC energy consumption necessary to support the NZEH goals require a systems-oriented analysis approach that characterizes each element of energy consumption, identifies alternatives, and determines the most cost-effective combination of options. In particular, HVAC equipment must be developed that addresses the range of special needs of NZEH applications in the areas of reduced HVAC and water heating energy use, humidity control, ventilation, uniform comfort, and ease of zoning. In FY05 ORNL conducted an initial Stage 1 (Applied Research) scoping assessment of HVAC/WH systems options for future NZEHs to help DOE/BT identify and prioritize alternative approaches for further development. Eleven system concepts with central air distribution ducting and nine multi-zone systems were selected and their annual and peak demand performance estimated for five locations: Atlanta (mixed-humid), Houston (hot-humid), Phoenix (hot-dry), San Francisco (marine), and Chicago (cold). Performance was estimated by simulating the systems using the TRNSYS simulation engine (Solar Energy Laboratory et al. 2006) in two 1800-ft{sup 2} houses--a Building America (BA) benchmark house and a prototype NZEH taken from BEopt results at the take-off (or crossover) point (i.e., a house incorporating those design features such that further progress towards ZEH is through the addition of photovoltaic power sources, as determined by current BEopt analyses conducted by NREL). Results were summarized in a project report, HVAC Equipment Design options for Near-Zero-Energy Homes--A Stage 2 Scoping Assessment, ORNL/TM-2005/194 (Baxter 2005). The 2005 study report describes the HVAC options considered, the ranking criteria used, and the system rankings by priority. In 2006, the two top-ranked options from the 2005 study, air-source and ground-source versions of an integrated heat pump (IHP) system, were subjected to an initial business case study. The IHPs were subjected to a more rigorous hourly-based assessment of their performance potential compared to a baseline suite of equipment of legally minimum efficiency that provided the same heating, cooling, water heating, demand dehumidification, and ventilation services as the IHPs. Results were summarized in a project report, Initial Business Case Analysis of Two Integrated Heat Pump HVAC Systems for Near-Zero-Energy Homes, ORNL/TM-2006/130 (Baxter 2006). The present report is an update to that document. Its primary purpose is to summarize results of an analysis of the potential of adding an outdoor air economizer operating mode to the IHPs to take advantage of free cooling (using outdoor air to cool the house) whenever possible. In addition it provides some additional detail for an alternative winter water heating/space heating (WH/SH) control strategy briefly described in the original report and corrects some minor errors.« less

Judgment skills, a missing component in health literacy: development of a tool for asthma patients in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland.

PubMed

Moreno Londoño, Ana Maria; Schulz, Peter J

2014-04-01

Health literacy has been recognized as an important factor influencing health behaviors and health outcomes. However, its definition is still evolving, and the tools available for its measurement are limited in scope. Based on the conceptualization of health literacy within the Health Empowerment Model, the present study developed and validated a tool to assess patient's health knowledge use, within the context of asthma self-management. A review of scientific literature on asthma self-management, and several interviews with pulmonologists and asthma patients were conducted. From these, 19 scenarios with 4 response options each were drafted and assembled in a scenario-based questionnaire. Furthermore, a three round Delphi procedure was carried out, to validate the tool with the participation of 12 specialists in lung diseases. The face and content validity of the tool were achieved by face-to-face interviews with 2 pulmonologists and 5 patients. Consensus among the specialists on the adequacy of the response options was achieved after the three round Delphi procedure. The final tool has a 0.97 intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), indicating a strong level of agreement among experts on the ratings of the response options. The ICC for single scenarios, range from 0.92 to 0.99. The newly developed tool provides a final score representing patient's health knowledge use, based on the specialist's consensus. This tool contributes to enriching the measurement of a more advanced health literacy dimension.

Upstream Optioneering: Optimising Higher Activity Waste Management

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

McTeer, Jennifer; Morris, Jenny; Wickham, Stephen

2013-07-01

The Upstream Optioneering project was created by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) to support the development and implementation of opportunities to optimise the management of UK higher activity waste, spent fuel and other materials that may be disposed of in a geological disposal facility. The project works in an integrative manner with the NDA, RWMD and waste producers, and was split into three phases: - In Phase 1 waste management opportunities were identified and collated from across the NDA estate. - In Phase 2, opportunities collated during Phase 1, were further consolidated, analysed and prioritisedmore » to develop a three year work programme. Prioritisation ensured that resources were deployed appropriately and opportunities can be realised before the potential benefit diminishes. - Phase 3, which began in April 2012, comprises a three year work programme to address the prioritised opportunities. Work varies from direct implementation of opportunities to scoping studies that may pave the way for more detailed subsequent work by Site Licence Companies. The work programme is flexible and, subject to change control, varies depending on the needs of project sponsors (RWMD, NDA Strategy and NDA Delivery). This paper provides an overview of the Upstream Optioneering project (focusing particularly on Phases 2 and 3), summarises work carried out to date within the three year work programme, and provides some examples of the main findings concerning specific opportunities from Year One of the Phase 3 work programme. (authors)« less

Structured identification of response options to address environmental health risks at the Agbogbloshie electronic waste site.

PubMed

Cazabon, Danielle; Fobil, Julius N; Essegbey, George; Basu, Niladri

2017-11-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing problem across low- and middle-income countries. Agbogbloshie (Accra, Ghana) is among the world's largest and most notorious e-waste sites, with an increasing number of studies documenting a range of environmental health risks. The present study aimed to provide national, regional, and international stakeholders with a summary of expert opinion on the most pressing problems arising from e-waste activities at Agbogbloshie, as well as suggested solutions to address these problems. Structured interviews were performed between April and September 2015 that used a Logical Framework Approach as a scoping exercise to gauge problems and benefits of e-waste recycling, and the Delphi methodology to identify response options. Stakeholders (n = 19) from 15 institutions were interviewed with 2 rounds of a Delphi Poll: open-ended interviews followed by an electronic questionnaire in which experts ranked various proposed response options based on health, environmental, social, and economic benefit and feasibility. The goal was to prioritize potential interventions that would address identified problems at Agbogbloshie. Experts identified the most beneficial and feasible options in decreasing rank order as follows and prefaced by the statement "it is recommended that": 1) there be further research on the health effects; 2) e-waste workers be given appropriate personal protective equipment; 3) the Ministry of the Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation re-visit Ghana's Hazardous Waste Bill; 4) e-waste workers be involved in the planning process of interventions and are be kept informed of any results; and 5) there be increased education and sensitization on hazards related to e-waste for both workers and the general public. These solutions are discussed in relation to ongoing dialogue at the international level concerning e-waste recycling interventions, with strengths and weaknesses examined for the Ghanaian context. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:980-991. ©2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Inhabiting the solar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherwood, Brent

2011-03-01

The new field of space architecture is introduced. Defined as the "theory and practice of designing and building inhabited environments in outer space," the field synthesizes human space flight systems engineering subjects with the long tradition of making environments that support human living, work, and aspiration. The scope of the field is outlined, and its three principal domains differentiated. The current state of the art is described in terms of executed projects. Foreseeable options for 21st century developments in human space flight provide a framework to tease out potential space architecture opportunities for the next century.

Space life sciences strategic plan, 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Over the last three decades the life sciences program has significantly contributed to NASA's manned and unmanned exploration of space, while acquiring new knowledge in the fields of space biology and medicine. The national and international events which have led to the development and revision of NASA strategy will significantly affect the future of life sciences programs both in scope and pace. This document serves as the basis for synthesizing the option to be pursued during the next decade, based on the decisions, evolution, and guiding principles of the National Space Policy.

Considerations Regarding Embryo Culture Conditions: From Media to Epigenetics.

PubMed

Simopoulou, Mara; Sfakianoudis, Konstantinos; Rapani, Anna; Giannelou, Polina; Anifandis, George; Bolaris, Stamatis; Pantou, Agni; Lambropoulou, Maria; Pappas, Athanasios; Deligeoroglou, Efthimios; Pantos, Konstantinos; Koutsilieris, Michael

2018-01-01

There are numerous reports on embryo culture media and conditions in the laboratory, as the subject is multifaceted and complex, reflecting the variation in practice. In this scoping review, we attempt to approach the topic of culture media and conditions from the practitioners' perspective aiming to highlight, in a comprehensive fashion, important aspects regarding the options available, introduce points of debate and controversy, while maintaining the viewpoint of the practicing embryologist's concerns. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Use of a Flexible Intubating Scope in Combination with a Channeled Video Laryngoscope for Managing a Difficult Airway in the Emergency Department.

PubMed

Sowers, Nicholas; Kovacs, George

2016-02-01

Difficulty with intubation is not uncommon in the emergency setting. Video laryngoscopes (VLs) are commonly used to manage the difficult airway in the emergency department (ED). Intubation using a flexible bronchoscope, while considered the gold standard for managing the anticipated difficult airway in the operating room, is not commonly used in the ED. We present a case describing VL-assisted flexible scope intubation performed in the ED as a novel feasible approach to managing the difficult airway. A 65-year-old male, post cardiac arrest, with multiple unsuccessful attempts at prehospital intubation had rapid sequence intubation (RSI) performed and, despite obtaining a view with a King Vision™ VL, the skilled operator was unable to advance the endotracheal tube (ETT). An Ambu™ aScope3 flexible intubating scope (FIS) was placed through the ETT loaded in the channel of the King Vision and advanced through the cords to a position proximal to the carina. The ETT was then advanced easily over the FIS and down the trachea. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Although video laryngoscopy is commonly used in the ED, intubation can prove difficult, despite having an adequate view of the glottis. Use of an FIS, however, through a channeled VL makes navigation of the ETT easier and facilitates tube advancement, which can be difficult with VL. Channeled VL-assisted use of an FIS is a viable option for managing the difficult airway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits of full scope simulators during solar thermal power plants design and construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallego, José F.; Gil, Elena; Rey, Pablo

2017-06-01

In order to efficiently develop high-precision dynamic simulators for solar thermal power plants, Tecnatom adapted its simulation technology to consider solar thermal models. This effort and the excellent response of the simulation market have allowed Tecnatom to develop simulators with both parabolic trough and solar power tower technologies, including molten salt energy storage. These simulators may pursue different objectives, giving rise to training or engineering simulators. Solar thermal power market combines the need for the training of the operators with the potential benefits associated to the improvement of the design of the plants. This fact along with the simulation capabilities enabled by the current technology and the broad experience of Tecnatom present the development of an engineering+training simulator as a very advantageous option. This paper describes the challenge of the development and integration of a full scope simulator during the design and construction stages of a solar thermal power plant, showing the added value to the different engineering areas.

Options to improve energy efficiency for educational building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahan, Mafruha

The cost of energy is a major factor that must be considered for educational facility budget planning purpose. The analysis of energy related issues and options can be complex and requires significant time and detailed effort. One way to facilitate the inclusion of energy option planning in facility planning efforts is to utilize a tool that allows for quick appraisal of the facility energy profile. Once such an appraisal is accomplished, it is then possible to rank energy improvement options consistently with other facility needs and requirements. After an energy efficiency option has been determined to have meaningful value in comparison with other facility planning options, it is then possible to utilize the initial appraisal as the basis for an expanded consideration of additional facility and energy use detail using the same analytic system used for the initial appraisal. This thesis has developed a methodology and an associated analytic model to assist in these tasks and thereby improve the energy efficiency of educational facilities. A detailed energy efficiency and analysis tool is described that utilizes specific university building characteristics such as size, architecture, envelop, lighting, occupancy, thermal design which allows reducing the annual energy consumption. Improving the energy efficiency of various aspects of an educational building's energy performance can be complex and can require significant time and experience to make decisions. The approach developed in this thesis initially assesses the energy design for a university building. This initial appraisal is intended to assist administrators in assessing the potential value of energy efficiency options for their particular facility. Subsequently this scoping design can then be extended as another stage of the model by local facility or planning personnel to add more details and engineering aspects to the initial screening model. This approach can assist university planning efforts to identify the most cost effective combinations of energy efficiency strategies. The model analyzes and compares the payback periods of all proposed Energy Performance Measures (EPMs) to determine which has the greatest potential value.

A scoping review of adult chronic kidney disease clinical pathways for primary care.

PubMed

Elliott, Meghan J; Gil, Sarah; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Manns, Braden J; Tonelli, Marcello; Jun, Min; Donald, Maoliosa

2017-05-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects ∼10% of the adult population. The majority of patients with CKD are managed by primary care physicians, and despite the availability of effective treatment options, the use of evidence-based interventions for CKD in this setting remains suboptimal. Clinical pathways have been identified as effective tools to guide primary care physicians in providing evidence-based care. We aimed to describe the availability, characteristics and credibility of clinical pathways for adult CKD using a scoping review methodology. We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL and targeted Internet sites from inception to 31 October 2014 to identify studies and resources that identified adult CKD clinical pathways for primary care settings. Study selection and data extraction were independently performed by two reviewers. From 487 citations, 41 items were eligible for review: 7 published articles and 34 grey literature resources published between 2001 and 2014. Of the 41 clinical pathways, 32, 24 and 22% were from the UK, USA and Canada, respectively. The majority (66%, n = 31) of clinical pathways were static in nature (did not have an online interactive feature). The majority (76%) of articles/resources reported using one or more clinical practice guidelines as a resource to guide the clinical pathway content. Few articles described a dissemination and evaluation plan for the clinical pathway, but most reported the targeted end-users. Our scoping review synthesized available literature on CKD clinical pathways in the primary care setting. We found that existing clinical pathways are diverse in their design, content and implementation. These results can be used by researchers developing or testing new or existing clinical pathways and by practitioners and health system stakeholders who aim to implement CKD clinical pathways in clinical practice. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews.

PubMed

Tricco, Andrea C; Lillie, Erin; Zarin, Wasifa; O'Brien, Kelly; Colquhoun, Heather; Kastner, Monika; Levac, Danielle; Ng, Carmen; Sharpe, Jane Pearson; Wilson, Katherine; Kenny, Meghan; Warren, Rachel; Wilson, Charlotte; Stelfox, Henry T; Straus, Sharon E

2016-02-09

Scoping reviews are used to identify knowledge gaps, set research agendas, and identify implications for decision-making. The conduct and reporting of scoping reviews is inconsistent in the literature. We conducted a scoping review to identify: papers that utilized and/or described scoping review methods; guidelines for reporting scoping reviews; and studies that assessed the quality of reporting of scoping reviews. We searched nine electronic databases for published and unpublished literature scoping review papers, scoping review methodology, and reporting guidance for scoping reviews. Two independent reviewers screened citations for inclusion. Data abstraction was performed by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer. Quantitative (e.g. frequencies of methods) and qualitative (i.e. content analysis of the methods) syntheses were conducted. After searching 1525 citations and 874 full-text papers, 516 articles were included, of which 494 were scoping reviews. The 494 scoping reviews were disseminated between 1999 and 2014, with 45% published after 2012. Most of the scoping reviews were conducted in North America (53%) or Europe (38%), and reported a public source of funding (64%). The number of studies included in the scoping reviews ranged from 1 to 2600 (mean of 118). Using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology guidance for scoping reviews, only 13% of the scoping reviews reported the use of a protocol, 36% used two reviewers for selecting citations for inclusion, 29% used two reviewers for full-text screening, 30% used two reviewers for data charting, and 43% used a pre-defined charting form. In most cases, the results of the scoping review were used to identify evidence gaps (85%), provide recommendations for future research (84%), or identify strengths and limitations (69%). We did not identify any guidelines for reporting scoping reviews or studies that assessed the quality of scoping review reporting. The number of scoping reviews conducted per year has steadily increased since 2012. Scoping reviews are used to inform research agendas and identify implications for policy or practice. As such, improvements in reporting and conduct are imperative. Further research on scoping review methodology is warranted, and in particular, there is need for a guideline to standardize reporting.

Advancing practice relating to SEA alternatives

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

González, Ainhoa, E-mail: agonzal@tcd.ie; Thérivel, Riki, E-mail: levett-therivel@phonecoop.coop; Fry, John, E-mail: john.fry@ucd.ie

Developing and assessing alternatives is a key and central stage to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). However, research has repeatedly reported this stage as one of the most poorly undertaken aspects of the SEA process. Current practice limitations include belated consideration of reasonable alternatives, narrow scope of alternatives that often include unrealistic or retrofitted options, limited stakeholder and public involvement in their identification, assessment and selection, lack of systematic approaches to their assessment and comparison, and inadequate reporting of the ‘storyline’ on how they were identified, what the potential impacts are and why the preferred alternative was selected. These issues havemore » resulted in objections and judicial reviews. On the positive side, a number of good practice case studies enable extraction of key lessons and formulation of a set of general recommendations to advance practice in SEA alternatives. In this paper, practical guidance on the identification and development of alternatives, their assessment and comparison, selection of the preferred option, and documentation of the process and the reasons for selection is provided and discussed to frame good practice approaches. - Highlights: • Alternatives are one of the most poorly completed aspects of Strategic Environmental Assessment. • Current practice limitations need to be addressed to enhance SEA effectiveness. • A set of recommendations are extracted from good practice case studies. • These recommendations can be applied across jurisdictions and sectors and tailored as necessary.« less

Options for the human settlement of the moon and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fairchild, Kyle O.; Roberts, Barney B.

1989-01-01

The evolutionary approach to space development is discussed in the framework of three overall strategies encompassing four case studies. The first strategy, human expeditions, places emphasis on highly visible, near-term manned missions to Mars or to one of the two moons of Mars. These expeditions are similar in scope and objectives to the Apollo program, with infrastructure development only conducted to the degree necessary to support one or two short-duration trips. Two such expeditionary scenarios, one to Phobus and the other to the Mars surface, are discussed. The second strategy involves the construction of science outposts, and emphasizes scientific exploration as well as investigation of technologies and operations needed for permanent habitation. A third strategy, evolutionary expansion, would explore and settle the inner solar system in a series of steps, with continued development of technologies, experience, and infrastructure.

Family planning decisions for parents of children with a rare genetic condition: A scoping review.

PubMed

Gee, Melanie; Piercy, Hilary; Machaczek, Katarzyna

2017-12-01

Expansion of newborn screening programmes increases the complexity around reproductive choices, both in terms of the increased number of parents faced with making reproductive decisions from the earliest days of their affected child's life, and the number of conditions for which such decisions have to be made. We conducted a scoping review to explore: (i) reproductive decision-making among parents of children with recessive genetic conditions; and, (ii) the involvement of healthcare services in facilitating and supporting those decisions. Systematic search processes involved seven bibliographic databases, citation, and grey literature searches. From an initial total of 311 identified articles, seven met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The extracted data were organised around three themes: factors influencing reproductive decisions taken by parents, how those factors changed over time, and the involvement of healthcare services in supporting and facilitating reproductive decisions. Most studies focused on attitudes towards, and uptake of, pre-natal diagnosis (PND) and termination. None of the studies considered the wider range of reproductive choices facing all parents, including those of children with conditions for whom PND and termination is not available or where good health outcomes make these options less justifiable. The literature provided little insight into the role of healthcare staff in providing family planning support for these parents. There is a need to better understand the support parents need in their decision-making, and who is best placed to provide that support. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermal power systems small power systems application project: Siting issues for solar thermal power plants with small community applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holbeck, H. J.; Ireland, S. J.

1979-01-01

The siting issues associated with small, dispersed solar thermal power plants for utility/small community applications of less than 10 MWe are reported. Some specific requirements are refered to the first engineering experiment for the Small Power Systems Applications (SPSA) Project. The background for the subsequent issue discussions is provided. The SPSA Project and the requirements for the first engineering experiment are described, and the objectives and scope for the report as a whole. A overview of solar thermal technologies and some technology options are discussed.

So you want to be a CEO: lessons from the field.

PubMed

Rothberg, E D

2001-01-01

This article discusses graduate educational options for those seeking to become chief executive officers and examines the subject areas that are important on a practical level. It then discusses six areas that are essential to a successful manager: problem solving, critical thinking, and organizational behavior; breadth of knowledge; financial management; corporate culture; for profit and not for profit, and--politics--internal and external. Each area includes a lesson drawn from experience as a president and CEO. Readers should gain a level of understanding of the scope of responsibilities and skills necessary to succeed in today's health care environment.

Collecting evidence from distributed sources to evaluate railway suicide and trespass prevention measures.

PubMed

Ryan, Brendan; Kallberg, Veli-Pekka; Rådbo, Helena; Havârneanu, Grigore M; Silla, Anne; Lukaschek, Karoline; Burkhardt, Jean-Marie; Bruyelle, Jean-Luc; El-Koursi, El-Miloudi; Beurskens, Eric; Hedqvist, Maria

2018-06-08

It can be difficult to select from available safety preventative measures, especially where there is limited evidence of effectiveness in different contexts. This paper describes application of a method to identify and evaluate wide-ranging preventative measures for rail suicide and trespass fatalities. Evidence from literature and industry sources was collated and reviewed in a two stage process to achieve consensus among experts on the likely effects of the measures and factors influencing their implementation. Multiple evaluation criteria were used to examine the measures from different perspectives. Fencing, awareness campaigns and different types of organisational initiatives were recommended for further testing. This is the first time evidence has been collected internationally across such a range of preventative measures. Commentary is provided on using this type of approach to select safety measures from a pool of prevention options, including how re-framing the scope of the exercise could identify alternative options for prevention. Practitioner summary. The findings give insight to how different measures work in different ways and how industry can consider this in strategic initiatives. The method could be used in future studies with different frames of reference (e.g. different timescales, level of ambition and safety context e.g. railway crossings or highway fatalities).

Investigation of Severe Craniomaxillofacial Battle Injuries Sustained by U.S. Service Members: A Case Series

PubMed Central

Brown Baer, Pamela R.; Wenke, Joseph C.; Thomas, Steven J.; Hale, Colonel Robert G.

2012-01-01

This case series describes craniomaxillofacial battle injuries, currently available surgical techniques, and the compromised outcomes of four service members who sustained severe craniomaxillofacial battle injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan. Demographic information, diagnostic evaluation, surgical procedures, and outcomes were collected and detailed with a follow-up of over 2 years. Reconstructive efforts with advanced, multidisciplinary, and multiple revision procedures were indicated; the full scope of conventional surgical options and resources were utilized. Patients experienced surgical complications, including postoperative wound dehiscence, infection, flap failure, inadequate mandibular healing, and failure of fixation. These complications required multiple revisions and salvage interventions. In addition, facial burns complicated reconstructive efforts by delaying treatment, decreasing surgical options, and increasing procedural numbers. All patients, despite multiple surgeries, continue to have functional and aesthetic deficits as a result of their injuries. Currently, no conventional treatments are available to satisfactorily reconstruct the face severely ravaged by explosive devices to an acceptable level, much less to natural form and function. PMID:24294409

Crowdsensing in Smart Cities: Overview, Platforms, and Environment Sensing Issues.

PubMed

Alvear, Oscar; Calafate, Carlos T; Cano, Juan-Carlos; Manzoni, Pietro

2018-02-04

Evidence shows that Smart Cities are starting to materialise in our lives through the gradual introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. In this scope, crowdsensing emerges as a powerful solution to address environmental monitoring, allowing to control air pollution levels in crowded urban areas in a distributed, collaborative, inexpensive and accurate manner. However, even though technology is already available, such environmental sensing devices have not yet reached consumers. In this paper, we present an analysis of candidate technologies for crowdsensing architectures, along with the requirements for empowering users with air monitoring capabilities. Specifically, we start by providing an overview of the most relevant IoT architectures and protocols. Then, we present the general design of an off-the-shelf mobile environmental sensor able to cope with air quality monitoring requirements; we explore different hardware options to develop the desired sensing unit using readily available devices, discussing the main technical issues associated with each option, thereby opening new opportunities in terms of environmental monitoring programs.

Public health decisions: Actions and consequences☆

PubMed Central

Pohl, H.R.; Jones, D.E.; Holler, J.S.; Murray, H.E.

2017-01-01

The goal of public health is to promote the best possible health for the whole population. Public health issues are numerous and can be unbelievably complex in form, scope, and possible consequence. Most public health decisions involve assessing several different options, weighing the respective benefits and risks of those options, and making difficult decisions that hopefully provide the greatest benefit to the affected populations. Many risk management decisions involve a variety of societal factors which modify risk assessment choices. The purpose of this paper is to point out difficulties in making decisions that impact public health. The intent of such decisions is to improve public health, but as illustrated in the paper, there can be unintended adverse consequences. Such unplanned issues require continued attention and efforts for responsible officials in the protection of environmental public health. This article presents examples of such events, when in the past, it was necessary to assess and regulate a number of potentially hazardous chemicals commonly used as insecticides, gasoline additives, and wood preservatives. PMID:25092130

Crowdsensing in Smart Cities: Overview, Platforms, and Environment Sensing Issues

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Evidence shows that Smart Cities are starting to materialise in our lives through the gradual introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. In this scope, crowdsensing emerges as a powerful solution to address environmental monitoring, allowing to control air pollution levels in crowded urban areas in a distributed, collaborative, inexpensive and accurate manner. However, even though technology is already available, such environmental sensing devices have not yet reached consumers. In this paper, we present an analysis of candidate technologies for crowdsensing architectures, along with the requirements for empowering users with air monitoring capabilities. Specifically, we start by providing an overview of the most relevant IoT architectures and protocols. Then, we present the general design of an off-the-shelf mobile environmental sensor able to cope with air quality monitoring requirements; we explore different hardware options to develop the desired sensing unit using readily available devices, discussing the main technical issues associated with each option, thereby opening new opportunities in terms of environmental monitoring programs. PMID:29401711

Multi-objective decision-making under uncertainty: Fuzzy logic methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, Terry L.

1994-01-01

Selecting the best option among alternatives is often a difficult process. This process becomes even more difficult when the evaluation criteria are vague or qualitative, and when the objectives vary in importance and scope. Fuzzy logic allows for quantitative representation of vague or fuzzy objectives, and therefore is well-suited for multi-objective decision-making. This paper presents methods employing fuzzy logic concepts to assist in the decision-making process. In addition, this paper describes software developed at NASA Lewis Research Center for assisting in the decision-making process. Two diverse examples are used to illustrate the use of fuzzy logic in choosing an alternative among many options and objectives. One example is the selection of a lunar lander ascent propulsion system, and the other example is the selection of an aeration system for improving the water quality of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. The fuzzy logic techniques provided here are powerful tools which complement existing approaches, and therefore should be considered in future decision-making activities.

PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: OVERVIEW ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) comprise large, diverse arrays of chemicals that can occur in the environment as unregulated pollutants. They originate largely from the combined activities and actions of multitudes of individuals as well as from veterinary and agricultural use; the wide spectrum of sources and origins of PPCPs. Concerted research that began in Europe about two decades ago, and in the U.S. in the late 1990s, has been rapidly expanding in the last few years, as reflected by an escalation in publications. Investigations that were originally limited to studying the sources, origins, and occurrence of PPCPs (mainly in waters) were led primarily by analytical chemists. The scope of this research has expanded, now accommodating more dimensions of the risk assessment paradigm. The scope has widened to encompass not just occurrence over a wider spectrum of environmental matrices but also to address the complexities involved with assessing the range of unanticipated and subtle effects that might occur from chronic, low-dose exposure of non-target organisms (Daughton 2003a; Daughton and Ternes 1999). Risk management options designed around the principles of pollution prevention and environmental stewardship are also under discussion in the many sectors of the healthcare community and by various state and local legislatures The research focused on in the subtasks is the development and application of state-of the-art technologies to meet

A Smart City Lighting Case Study on an OpenStack-Powered Infrastructure.

PubMed

Merlino, Giovanni; Bruneo, Dario; Distefano, Salvatore; Longo, Francesco; Puliafito, Antonio; Al-Anbuky, Adnan

2015-07-06

The adoption of embedded systems, mobile devices and other smart devices keeps rising globally, and the scope of their involvement broadens, for instance, in smart city-like scenarios. In light of this, a pressing need emerges to tame such complexity and reuse as much tooling as possible without resorting to vertical ad hoc solutions, while at the same time taking into account valid options with regard to infrastructure management and other more advanced functionalities. Existing solutions mainly focus on core mechanisms and do not allow one to scale by leveraging infrastructure or adapt to a variety of scenarios, especially if actuators are involved in the loop. A new, more flexible, cloud-based approach, able to provide device-focused workflows, is required. In this sense, a widely-used and competitive framework for infrastructure as a service, such as OpenStack, with its breadth in terms of feature coverage and expanded scope, looks to fit the bill, replacing current application-specific approaches with an innovative application-agnostic one. This work thus describes the rationale, efforts and results so far achieved for an integration of IoT paradigms and resource ecosystems with such a kind of cloud-oriented device-centric environment, by focusing on a smart city scenario, namely a park smart lighting example, and featuring data collection, data visualization, event detection and coordinated reaction, as example use cases of such integration.

A Smart City Lighting Case Study on an OpenStack-Powered Infrastructure

PubMed Central

Merlino, Giovanni; Bruneo, Dario; Distefano, Salvatore; Longo, Francesco; Puliafito, Antonio; Al-Anbuky, Adnan

2015-01-01

The adoption of embedded systems, mobile devices and other smart devices keeps rising globally, and the scope of their involvement broadens, for instance, in smart city-like scenarios. In light of this, a pressing need emerges to tame such complexity and reuse as much tooling as possible without resorting to vertical ad hoc solutions, while at the same time taking into account valid options with regard to infrastructure management and other more advanced functionalities. Existing solutions mainly focus on core mechanisms and do not allow one to scale by leveraging infrastructure or adapt to a variety of scenarios, especially if actuators are involved in the loop. A new, more flexible, cloud-based approach, able to provide device-focused workflows, is required. In this sense, a widely-used and competitive framework for infrastructure as a service, such as OpenStack, with its breadth in terms of feature coverage and expanded scope, looks to fit the bill, replacing current application-specific approaches with an innovative application-agnostic one. This work thus describes the rationale, efforts and results so far achieved for an integration of IoT paradigms and resource ecosystems with such a kind of cloud-oriented device-centric environment, by focusing on a smart city scenario, namely a park smart lighting example, and featuring data collection, data visualization, event detection and coordinated reaction, as example use cases of such integration. PMID:26153775

Examining Young Students' Problem Scoping in Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Jessica; Spencer, Kathleen; Hammer, David

2014-01-01

Problem scoping--determining the nature and boundaries of a problem--is an essential aspect of the engineering design process. Some studies from engineering education suggest that beginning students tend to skip problem scoping or oversimplify a problem. However, the ways these studies often characterize students' problem scoping often do not…

The Advantages of High/Scope: Helping Children Lead Successful Lives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.; Weikart, David P.

1999-01-01

The High/Scope educational approach emphasizes child-initiated learning activities for preschool/elementary school children. A research study shows that compared to children receiving direct instruction, High/Scope kids later showed more prosocial and less antisocial behaviors. Another study showed that poor High/Scope students had better…

What are scoping studies? A review of the nursing literature.

PubMed

Davis, Kathy; Drey, Nick; Gould, Dinah

2009-10-01

Scoping studies are increasingly undertaken as distinct activities. The interpretation, methodology and expectations of scoping are highly variable. This suggests that conceptually, scoping is a poorly defined ambiguous term. The distinction between scoping as an integral preliminary process in the development of a research proposal or a formative, methodologically rigorous activity in its own right has not been extensively examined. The aim of this review is to explore the nature and status of scoping studies within the nursing literature and develop a working definition to ensure consistency in the future use of scoping as a research related activity. This paper follows an interpretative scoping review methodology. An explicit systematic search strategy included literary and web-based key word searches and advice from key researchers. Electronic sources included bibliographic and national research register databases and a general browser. The scoping studies varied widely in terms of intent, procedural and methodological rigor. An atheoretical stance was common although explicit conceptual clarification and development of a topic was limited. Four different levels of inquiry ranging from preliminary descriptive surveys to more substantive conceptual approaches were conceptualised. These levels reflected differing dimensional distinctions in which some activities constitute research whereas in others the scoping activities appear to fall outside the remit of research. Reconnaissance emerges as a common synthesising construct to explain the purpose of scoping. Scoping studies in relation to nursing are embryonic and continue to evolve. Its main strengths lie in its ability to extract the essence of a diverse body of evidence giving it meaning and significance that is both developmental and intellectually creative. As with other approaches to research and evidence synthesis a more standardized approach is required.

A scoping review of scoping reviews: advancing the approach and enhancing the consistency.

PubMed

Pham, Mai T; Rajić, Andrijana; Greig, Judy D; Sargeant, Jan M; Papadopoulos, Andrew; McEwen, Scott A

2014-12-01

The scoping review has become an increasingly popular approach for synthesizing research evidence. It is a relatively new approach for which a universal study definition or definitive procedure has not been established. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of scoping reviews in the literature. A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. A search was conducted in four bibliographic databases and the gray literature to identify scoping review studies. Review selection and characterization were performed by two independent reviewers using pretested forms. The search identified 344 scoping reviews published from 1999 to October 2012. The reviews varied in terms of purpose, methodology, and detail of reporting. Nearly three-quarter of reviews (74.1%) addressed a health topic. Study completion times varied from 2 weeks to 20 months, and 51% utilized a published methodological framework. Quality assessment of included studies was infrequently performed (22.38%). Scoping reviews are a relatively new but increasingly common approach for mapping broad topics. Because of variability in their conduct, there is a need for their methodological standardization to ensure the utility and strength of evidence. © 2014 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using Distributed Operations to Enable Science Research on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bathew, Ann S.; Dudley, Stephanie R. B.; Lochmaier, Geoff D.; Rodriquez, Rick C.; Simpson, Donna

2011-01-01

In the early days of the International Space Station (ISS) program, and as the organization structure was being internationally agreed upon and documented, one of the principal tenets of the science program was to allow customer-friendly operations. One important aspect of this was to allow payload developers and principle investigators the flexibility to operate their experiments from either their home sites or distributed telescience centers. This telescience concept was developed such that investigators had several options for ISS utilization support. They could operate from their home site, the closest telescience center, or use the payload operations facilities at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) processes and structures were put into place to allow these different options to its customers, while at the same time maintain its centralized authority over NASA payload operations and integration. For a long duration space program with many scientists, researchers, and universities expected to participate, it was imperative that the program structure be in place to successfully facilitate this concept of telescience support. From a payload control center perspective, payload science operations require two major elements in order to make telescience successful within the scope of the ISS program. The first element is decentralized control which allows the remote participants the freedom and flexibility to operate their payloads within their scope of authority. The second element is a strong ground infrastructure, which includes voice communications, video, telemetry, and commanding between the POIC and the payload remote site. Both of these elements are important to telescience success, and both must be balanced by the ISS program s documented requirements for POIC to maintain its authority as an integration and control center. This paper describes both elements of distributed payload operations and discusses the benefits and drawbacks.

Your alliances are too stable.

PubMed

Ernst, David; Bamford, James

2005-06-01

A 2004 McKinsey survey of more than 30 companies reveals that at least 70% of them have major alliances that are underperforming and in need of restructuring. Moreover, JVs that broaden or otherwise adjust their scope have a 79% success rate, versus 33% for ventures that remain essentially unchanged. Yet most firms don't routinely evaluate the need to overhaul their alliances or intervene to correct performance problems. That means corporations are missing huge opportunities: By revamping just one large alliance, a company can generate 100 million dololars to 300 million dollars in extra income a year. Here's how to unlock more value from alliances: (1) Launch the process. Don't wait until your venture is in the middle of a crisis; regularly scan your major alliances to determine which need restructuring. Once you've targeted one, designate a restructuring team and find a senior sponsor to push the process along. Then delineate the scope of the team's work. (2) Diagnose performance. Evaluate the venture on the following performance dimensions: ownership and financials, strategy, operations, governance, and organization and talent. Identify the root causes of the venture's problems, not just the symptoms, and estimate how much each problem is costing the company. (3) Generate restructuring options. Based on the diagnosis, decide whether to fix, grow, or exit the alliance. Assuming the answer is fix or grow, determine whether fundamental or incremental changes are needed, using the five performance dimensions above as a framework. Then assemble three or four packages of restructuring options, test them with shareholders, and gain parents' approval. (4) Execute the changes. Embark on a widespread and consistent communication effort, building support among executives in the JV and the parent companies. So the process stays on track, assign accountability to certain groups or individuals.

Support of EarthScope GPS Campaigns at the UNAVCO Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyce, E.; Blume, F.; Normandeau, J.

2008-12-01

In order to support portable GPS deployments funded by the NSF's EarthScope Science panel, PBO has purchased 100 campaign GPS systems. Based Topcon GB-1000 equipment, the systems have been designed for stand-alone temporary or semi-permanent deployment that will be used for densifying areas not sufficiently covered by continuous GPS, and responding to volcanic and tectonic crises. UNAVCO provides support for all aspects of these projects, including proposal and budget development, project planning, equipment design, field support, and data archiving. Ten of the 100 systems have been equipped with real-time kinematic (RTK) capability requiring additional radio and data logging equipment. RTK systems can be used to rapidly map fault traces and profile fault escarpments and collect precise position information for GIS based geologic mapping. Each portable self-contained campaign systems include 18 Ah batteries, a regulated 32 watt solar charging system, and a low-power dual frequency GPS receiver and antenna in a waterproof case with security enhancements. The receivers have redundant memory sufficient for storing over a year's worth of data as well as IP and serial communications capabilities for longer-term deployments. Monumentation options are determined on a project-by-project basis, with options including Tech2000 masts, low-profile spike mounts, and traditional tripods and optical tribrachs. Drilled-braced monuments or masts can be installed for "semi- permanent" style occupations. The systems have been used to support several projects to date, including the University of Washington's 30-unit deployment to monitor the Episodic Tremor and Slip event in November, 2005 and the ongoing Rio Grande Rift experiment, run by the Universities of Colorado, Utah State, and New Mexico, which has seen the construction of 25 permanent monuments in 2006 and 2007 and a 26-site campaign reoccupation in 2008.

Support of EarthScope GPS Campaigns at the UNAVCO Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyce, E.; Blume, F.; Normandeau, J.

2007-12-01

In order to support portable GPS deployments funded by the NSF's EarthScope Science panel, PBO has purchased 100 campaign GPS systems. Based Topcon GB-1000 equipment, the systems have been designed for stand-alone temporary or semi-permanent deployment that will be used for densifying areas not sufficiently covered by continuous GPS, and responding to volcanic and tectonic crises. UNAVCO provides support for all aspects of these projects, including proposal and budget development, project planning, equipment design, field support, and data archiving. Ten of the 100 systems will be purchased with real-time kinematic (RTK) capability requiring additional radio and data logging equipment. RTK systems can be used to rapidly map fault traces and profile fault escarpments and collect precise position information for GIS based geologic mapping. Each portable self-contained campaign systems include 18 Ah batteries, a regulated 32 watt solar charging system, and a low-power dual frequency GPS receiver and antenna in a waterproof case with security enhancements. The receivers have redundant memory sufficient for storing over a year's worth of data as well as IP and serial communications capabilities for longer-term deployments. Monumentation options are determined on a project-by-project basis, with options including Tech2000 masts, low-profile spike mounts, and traditional tripods and optical tribrachs. Drilled-braced monuments or masts can be installed for "semi-permanent" style occupations. The systems have been used to support several projects to date, including the University of Washington's 30- unit deployment to monitor the Episodic Tremor and Slip event in November, 2005 and the ongoing Rio Grande Rift experiment, run by the Universities of Colorado, Utah State, and New Mexico, which has seen the construction of 25 permanent monuments in 2006 and 2007.

Moral status, justice, and the common morality: challenges for the principlist account of moral change.

PubMed

Hodges, Kevin E; Sulmasy, Daniel P

2013-09-01

The theory of principlism elaborated by Beauchamp and Childress in Principles of Biomedical Ethics has become extremely influential in bioethics. The theory employs the idea of the common morality as a foundation for the principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. According to this account, the content of the common morality is universal and constant, while variability in morals is due to the fact that the issue of who is included within the scope of moral status evolves over time. This suggests that issues of moral status are not part of the common morality at all, and this presents a conundrum: questions of moral status seem central to any substantive account of justice, and any conception of the common morality that excludes moral status therefore seems inadequate for supporting a robust principle of justice. We argue that proponents of common morality theory are left with four options: (1) making moral status a part of the objective common morality and ignoring evidence that views about moral status do seem to vary over time and place; (2) excluding justice from the substantive content of the common morality; (3) taking common morality to be an imperfect approximation of an independently justified and universal foundationalist ethic against which the common morality is judged; or (4) weakening claims about the universality of common morality, thereby allowing the common morality to support a variety of principles of justice applicable only within particular communities that have specified the scope of moral status. We suspect that proponents of common morality theory will not view any of these options favorably, which raises questions about the ultimate contribution of that account.

Life Cycle Assessment of landfill biogas management: sensitivity to diffuse and combustion air emissions.

PubMed

Beylot, Antoine; Villeneuve, Jacques; Bellenfant, Gaël

2013-02-01

GOAL AND SCOPE: The life cycle inventory of landfill emissions is a key point in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of waste management options and is highly subject to discussion. Result sensitivity to data inventory is accounted for through the implementation of scenarios that help examine how waste landfilling should be modeled in LCA. Four landfill biogas management options are environmentally evaluated in a Life Cycle Assessment perspective: (1) no biogas management (open dump), conventional landfill with (2) flaring, (3) combined heat and power (CHP) production in an internal combustion engine and (4) biogas upgrading for use as a fuel in buses. Average, maximum and minimum literature values are considered both for combustion emission factors in flares and engines and for trace pollutant concentrations in biogas. Biogas upgrading for use as a fuel in buses appears as the most relevant option with respect to most non-toxic impact categories and ecotoxicity, when considering average values for trace gas concentrations and combustion emission factors. Biogas combustion in an engine for CHP production shows the best performances in terms of climate change, but generates significantly higher photochemical oxidant formation and marine eutrophication impact potentials than flaring or biogas upgrading for use as a fuel in buses. However the calculated environmental impact potentials of landfill biogas management options depend largely on the trace gas concentrations implemented in the model. The use of average or extreme values reported in the literature significantly modifies the impact potential of a given scenario (up to two orders of magnitude for open dumps with respect to human toxicity). This should be taken into account when comparing landfilling with other waste management options. Also, the actual performances of a landfill top cover (in terms of oxidation rates) and combustion technology (in terms of emission factors) appear as key parameters affecting the ranking of biogas management options. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generalization of value in reinforcement learning by humans

PubMed Central

Wimmer, G. Elliott; Daw, Nathaniel D.; Shohamy, Daphna

2012-01-01

Research in decision making has focused on the role of dopamine and its striatal targets in guiding choices via learned stimulus-reward or stimulus-response associations, behavior that is well-described by reinforcement learning (RL) theories. However, basic RL is relatively limited in scope and does not explain how learning about stimulus regularities or relations may guide decision making. A candidate mechanism for this type of learning comes from the domain of memory, which has highlighted a role for the hippocampus in learning of stimulus-stimulus relations, typically dissociated from the role of the striatum in stimulus-response learning. Here, we used fMRI and computational model-based analyses to examine the joint contributions of these mechanisms to RL. Humans performed an RL task with added relational structure, modeled after tasks used to isolate hippocampal contributions to memory. On each trial participants chose one of four options, but the reward probabilities for pairs of options were correlated across trials. This (uninstructed) relationship between pairs of options potentially enabled an observer to learn about options’ values based on experience with the other options and to generalize across them. We observed BOLD activity related to learning in the striatum and also in the hippocampus. By comparing a basic RL model to one augmented to allow feedback to generalize between correlated options, we tested whether choice behavior and BOLD activity were influenced by the opportunity to generalize across correlated options. Although such generalization goes beyond standard computational accounts of RL and striatal BOLD, both choices and striatal BOLD were better explained by the augmented model. Consistent with the hypothesized role for the hippocampus in this generalization, functional connectivity between the ventral striatum and hippocampus was modulated, across participants, by the ability of the augmented model to capture participants’ choice. Our results thus point toward an interactive model in which striatal RL systems may employ relational representations typically associated with the hippocampus. PMID:22487039

A scoping review of scoping reviews: advancing the approach and enhancing the consistency

PubMed Central

Pham, Mai T; Rajić, Andrijana; Greig, Judy D; Sargeant, Jan M; Papadopoulos, Andrew; McEwen, Scott A

2014-01-01

Background The scoping review has become an increasingly popular approach for synthesizing research evidence. It is a relatively new approach for which a universal study definition or definitive procedure has not been established. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of scoping reviews in the literature. Methods A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. A search was conducted in four bibliographic databases and the gray literature to identify scoping review studies. Review selection and characterization were performed by two independent reviewers using pretested forms. Results The search identified 344 scoping reviews published from 1999 to October 2012. The reviews varied in terms of purpose, methodology, and detail of reporting. Nearly three-quarter of reviews (74.1%) addressed a health topic. Study completion times varied from 2 weeks to 20 months, and 51% utilized a published methodological framework. Quality assessment of included studies was infrequently performed (22.38%). Conclusions Scoping reviews are a relatively new but increasingly common approach for mapping broad topics. Because of variability in their conduct, there is a need for their methodological standardization to ensure the utility and strength of evidence. © 2014 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:26052958

Post-glossectomy in lingual carcinomas: a scope for sign language in rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Cumberbatch, Keren; Jones, Thaon

2017-01-01

The treatment option for cancers of the tongue is glossectomy, which may be partial, sub-total, or total, depending on the size of the tumour. Glossectomies result in speech deficits for these patients, and rehabilitative therapy involving communication modalities is highly recommended. Sign language is a possible therapeutic solution for post-glossectomy oral cancer patients. Patients with tongue cancers who have undergone total glossectomy as a surgical treatment can utilise sign language to replace their loss of speech production and maintain their engagement in life. This manuscript emphasises the importance of sign language in rehabilitation strategies in post-glossectomy patients. PMID:28947881

Post-glossectomy in lingual carcinomas: a scope for sign language in rehabilitation.

PubMed

Rajendra Santosh, Arvind Babu; Cumberbatch, Keren; Jones, Thaon

2017-01-01

The treatment option for cancers of the tongue is glossectomy, which may be partial, sub-total, or total, depending on the size of the tumour. Glossectomies result in speech deficits for these patients, and rehabilitative therapy involving communication modalities is highly recommended. Sign language is a possible therapeutic solution for post-glossectomy oral cancer patients. Patients with tongue cancers who have undergone total glossectomy as a surgical treatment can utilise sign language to replace their loss of speech production and maintain their engagement in life. This manuscript emphasises the importance of sign language in rehabilitation strategies in post-glossectomy patients.

Insurance and indemnification implications of future space projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Brien, John E.

1987-01-01

NASA options regarding insurance and indemnification policies as they relate to NASA customers and contractors are described. The foundation for the discussion is the way in which NASA is planning to return the Space Shuttle fleet to safe flight as well as current U.S. policy concerning future uses of the Shuttle fleet. Issues discussed include: the nature of the Shuttle manifest; the policy regarding property damage or destruction; insurance against liability to third parties; the reduction of the scope of the risk to be insured; NASA as the insurer; a sharing arrangement between the user and NASA; and contractors and subcontractors involved in Shuttle operations.

Influential factors on treatment decision making among patients with colorectal cancer: A scoping review.

PubMed

Cranley, Nicole M; Curbow, Barbara; George, Thomas J; Christie, Juliette

2017-09-01

In recent years, a greater emphasis has been placed on shared decision-making (SDM) techniques between providers and patients with the goal of helping patients make informed decisions about their care and subsequently to improve patient health outcomes. Previous research has shown variability in treatment decision-making among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), and there is little comprehensive information available to help explain this variability. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the current state of the literature on factors that are influential in treatment decision-making among patients with CRC. A priori search terms using Boolean connectors were used to examine PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and MEDLINE for relevant studies. Eligibility criteria for inclusion in the study included patients with CRC and examination of influences on CRC treatment decision-making. All relevant data were extracted including, author, title and year, study methodology, and study results. Findings (n = 13) yielded influences in four areas: informational, patient treatment goals, patient role preferences, and relationship with provider. Quality of life and trust in physician were rated a high priority among patients when making decisions between different therapeutic options. Several studies found that patients wanted to be informed and involved but did not necessarily want to make autonomous treatment choices, with many preferring a more passive role. Providers who initiate a dialog to better understand their patients' treatment goals can establish rapport, increase patient understanding of treatment options, and help patients assume their desired role in their decision-making. Overall, there were a small number of studies that met all inclusion criteria with most used a cross-sectional design.

Power Plant Replacement Study

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

Reed, Gary

2010-09-30

This report represents the final report for the Eastern Illinois University power plant replacement study. It contains all related documentation from consideration of possible solutions to the final recommended option. Included are the economic justifications associated with the chosen solution along with application for environmental permitting for the selected project for construction. This final report will summarize the results of execution of an EPC (energy performance contract) investment grade audit (IGA) which lead to an energy services agreement (ESA). The project includes scope of work to design and install energy conservation measures which are guaranteed by the contractor to bemore » self-funding over its twenty year contract duration. The cost recovery is derived from systems performance improvements leading to energy savings. The prime focus of this EPC effort is to provide a replacement solution for Eastern Illinois University’s aging and failing circa 1925 central steam production plant. Twenty-three ECMs were considered viable whose net impact will provide sufficient savings to successfully support the overall project objectives.« less

Expanding the Scope of an Automated Radiology Recommendation-Tracking Engine: Initial Experiences and Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Licurse, Mindy Y; Lalevic, Darco; Zafar, Hanna M; Schnall, Mitchell D; Cook, Tessa S

2017-04-01

An automated radiology recommendation-tracking engine for incidental focal masses in the liver, pancreas, kidneys, and adrenal glands was launched within our institution in July 2013. For 2 years, the majority of CT, MR, and US examination reports generated within our health system were mined by the engine. However, the need to expand the system beyond the initial four organs was soon identified. In July 2015, the second phase of the system was implemented and expanded to include additional anatomic structures in the abdomen and pelvis, as well as to provide non-radiology and non-imaging options for follow-up. The most frequent organs with incidental findings, outside of the original four, included the ovaries and the endometrium, which also correlated to the most frequently ordered imaging follow-up study of pelvic ultrasound and non-imaging follow-up study of endometrial biopsies, respectively. The second phase expansion has demonstrated new venues for augmenting and improving radiologist roles in optimal communication and management of incidental findings.

Generalization of value in reinforcement learning by humans.

PubMed

Wimmer, G Elliott; Daw, Nathaniel D; Shohamy, Daphna

2012-04-01

Research in decision-making has focused on the role of dopamine and its striatal targets in guiding choices via learned stimulus-reward or stimulus-response associations, behavior that is well described by reinforcement learning theories. However, basic reinforcement learning is relatively limited in scope and does not explain how learning about stimulus regularities or relations may guide decision-making. A candidate mechanism for this type of learning comes from the domain of memory, which has highlighted a role for the hippocampus in learning of stimulus-stimulus relations, typically dissociated from the role of the striatum in stimulus-response learning. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging and computational model-based analyses to examine the joint contributions of these mechanisms to reinforcement learning. Humans performed a reinforcement learning task with added relational structure, modeled after tasks used to isolate hippocampal contributions to memory. On each trial participants chose one of four options, but the reward probabilities for pairs of options were correlated across trials. This (uninstructed) relationship between pairs of options potentially enabled an observer to learn about option values based on experience with the other options and to generalize across them. We observed blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activity related to learning in the striatum and also in the hippocampus. By comparing a basic reinforcement learning model to one augmented to allow feedback to generalize between correlated options, we tested whether choice behavior and BOLD activity were influenced by the opportunity to generalize across correlated options. Although such generalization goes beyond standard computational accounts of reinforcement learning and striatal BOLD, both choices and striatal BOLD activity were better explained by the augmented model. Consistent with the hypothesized role for the hippocampus in this generalization, functional connectivity between the ventral striatum and hippocampus was modulated, across participants, by the ability of the augmented model to capture participants' choice. Our results thus point toward an interactive model in which striatal reinforcement learning systems may employ relational representations typically associated with the hippocampus. © 2012 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2012 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Germination rate is the significant characteristic determining coconut palm diversity

PubMed Central

Harries, Hugh C.

2012-01-01

Rationale This review comes at a time when in vitro embryo culture techniques are being adopted for the safe exchange and cryo-conservation of coconut germplasm. In due course, laboratory procedures may replace the options that exist among standard commercial nursery germination techniques. These, in their turn, have supplanted traditional methods that are now forgotten or misunderstood. Knowledge of all germination options should help to ensure the safe regeneration of conserved material. Scope This review outlines the many options for commercial propagation, recognizes the full significance of one particular traditional method and suggests that the diversity of modern cultivated coconut varieties has arisen because natural selection and domestic selection were associated with different rates of germination and other morphologically recognizable phenotypic characteristics. The review takes into account both the recalcitrant and the viviparous nature of the coconut. The ripe fruits that fall but do not germinate immediately and lose viability if dried for storage are contrasted with the bunches of fruit retained in the crown of the palm that may, in certain circumstances, germinate to produce seedlings high above ground level. Significance Slow-germinating and quick-germinating coconuts have different patterns of distribution. The former predominate on tropical islands and coastlines that could be reached by floating when natural dispersal originally spread coconuts widely—but only where tides and currents were favourable—and then only to sea-level locations. Human settlers disseminated the domestic types even more widely—to otherwise inaccessible coastal sites not reached by floating—and particularly to inland and upland locations on large islands and continental land masses. This review suggests four regions where diversity has been determined by germination rates. Although recent DNA studies support these distinctions, further analyses of genetic markers related to fruit abscission and germination are recommended. PMID:23275832

A Scoping Review of Scoping Reviews: Advancing the Approach and Enhancing the Consistency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Mai T.; Rajic, Andrijana; Greig, Judy D.; Sargeant, Jan M.; Papadopoulos, Andrew; McEwen, Scott A.

2014-01-01

Background: The scoping review has become an increasingly popular approach for synthesizing research evidence. It is a relatively new approach for which a universal study definition or definitive procedure has not been established. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of scoping reviews in the literature. Methods: A…

Assessment of energy options for Liberia. Final report

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

Not Available

1983-11-01

Under funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Oak Ridge National Laboratory provided energy planning assistance to the National Energy Committee of the Government of Liberia (GOL), West Africa, during a period of one year ending March 31, 1983. This report outlines the scope of activities of the joint GOL/USAID project and summarizes the major findings by Liberian and U.S. project participants. The study included and examination of current energy use by sector and fuel type, projections of future energy demands, and a preliminary evaluation of a variety of alternative energy resource and technology options for Liberia.more » The primary finding is that Liberia has significant opportunities for the substitution of indigenous energy resources for imported petroleum. The principal candidates are wood energy and hydroelectric power. The major alternatives for wood are gasification technology for small-scale electric and nonelectric applications (e.g., those under about 25-gigajoule/hour input requirements) and wood-fired steam electric generation for larger scale applications where hydroelectric power is unattractive. For major hydroelectric development the principal candidates are the St. Paul River Proposal and the Mano River Proposal. The Mano River Proposal is the smaller of the two and would meet Monrovia area electrical grid requirements and some iron ore mine demand for about the next two decades. An additional important finding of this study is that the Monrovia Petroleum refinery is highly uneconomical and should be closed and petroleum product imported directly. 25 tables.« less

ROY—A multiscale magnetospheric mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savin, S.; Zelenyi, L.; Amata, E.; Budaev, V.; Buechner, J.; Blecki, J.; Balikhin, M.; Klimov, S.; Korepanov, V. E.; Kozak, L.; Kudryashov, V.; Kunitsyn, V.; Lezhen, L.; Milovanov, A. V.; Nemecek, Z.; Nesterov, I.; Novikov, D.; Panov, E.; Rauch, J. L.; Rothkaehl, H.; Romanov, S.; Safrankova, J.; Skalsky, A.; Veselov, M.

2011-05-01

The scientific rationale of the ROY multi-satellite mission addresses multiscale investigations of plasma processes in the key magnetospheric regions with strong plasma gradients, turbulence and magnetic field annihilation in the range from electron inertial length to MHD scales. The main scientific aims of ROY mission include explorations of: turbulence on a non-uniform background as a keystone for transport processes; structures and jets in plasma flows associated with anomalously large concentration of kinetic energy; their impact on the energy balance and boundary formation; transport barriers: plasma separation and mixing, Alfvenic collapse of magnetic field lines and turbulent dissipation of kinetic energy; self-organized versus forced reconnection of magnetic field lines; collisionless shocks, plasma discontinuities and associated particle acceleration processes. In the case of autonomous operation, 4 mobile spacecrafts of about 200 kg mass with 60 kg payload equipped with electro-reactive plasma engines will provide 3D measurements at the scales of 100-10000 km and simultaneous 1D measurements at the scales 10-1000 km. The latter smaller scales will be scanned with the use of radio-tomography (phase-shift density measurements within the cone composed of 1 emitting and 3 receiving spacecrafts). We also discuss different opportunities for extra measurement points inside the ROY mission for simultaneous measurements at up to 3 scales for the common international fleet. Combined influence of intermittent turbulence and reconnection on the geomagnetic tail and on the nonlinear dynamics of boundary layers will be explored in situ with fast techniques including particle devices under development, providing plasma moments down to 30 ms resolution. We propose different options for joint measurements in conjunction with the SCOPE and other missions: simultaneous sampling of low- and high-latitudes magnetopause, bow shock and geomagnetic tail at the same local time; tracing of magnetosheath streamlines from the bow shock to near-Earth geomagnetic tail; passing "through" the SCOPE on the inbound orbit leg; common measurements (with SCOPE and other equatorial spacecraft) at distances of ˜ few thousand km for durations of ˜several hours per orbit. The orbit options and scientific payload of possible common interest are discussed in this work, including FREGAT cargo opportunities for extra payload launching and the "Swarm" campaigns with ejection of nano- and pico-satellites.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of flexible optical scopes for tracheal intubation: a descriptive comparative study of reusable and single-use scopes.

PubMed

Gupta, Deepak; Wang, Hong

2011-12-01

To calculate the costs per intubation of reusable fiberoptic scopes versus single-use intubation scopes. Open-label retrospective study. University-affiliated hospital. The one-year intubation records of intubations performed with reusable intubation scopes, the one-year maintenance costs of these scopes, and their three-year repair cost records were analyzed. A total of 166 intubations were performed with reusable fiberoptic scopes in 2009. Calculations to assess the costs per intubation based on the documented records at our institution were made. The total cost of an intubation, the repair-to-intubation ratio, and the repair cost per intubation were determined. The total cost of an intubation at our institution in 2009, using reusable scopes, was $119.75 [US dollars (USD)], which included $20.15 (purchasing), $53.48 (repair), $33.16 (maintenance), and $12.96 (labor). The repair-to-intubation ratio was 1:55. Repair costs were $53.48 per intubation and $2,959.44 per instance of repair. The Ambu aScope, a single-use intubation scope, is a new addition to video laryngoscopy. The price should range within 10% of our intubation cost ($120.00 to $132.00 per single-use intubation scope). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic drivers of FFCO2 emissions in the LA Basin: Analysis of the Hestia version 2.0 results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, D.; Gurney, K. R.; Liang, J.; Patarasuk, R.; Huang, J.; Hutchins, M.

2016-12-01

Urban landscapes are currently home to over 50% of the world's population, a number that is projected to continue to rise for the rest of this century. Many cities are now actively developing their own climate change policies that are independent of the nation state. The Los Angeles metropolitan area is the most populous region in California with 12,872,808 residents (census 2010). In addition to California's Assembly Bill 32 (2006) which mandates a statewide reduction of GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, the city of Los Angeles released its sustainability pLAn (2015) which sets out to achieve a cleaner environment, a stronger economy, and a commitment to equity through 14 specific target areas. These include reducing Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% by 2035 from a 2008 baseline, and improving air quality. Through sectoral regression analysis of the bottom-up Hestia FFCO2 emissions data product version 2.0, this study provides novel, spatially explicit and policy relevant results that will enable the targeted use of resources to reduce GHG and improve air quality at strategic intervention points. The study incorporates socio-economic census data along with the emissions characteristics of Hestia to analyze the dominant drivers of FFCO2 emissions in the residential, commercial and transportation sectors. In particular, building and road types and densities, population, race, income, education characteristics and hotspot analysis. In addition to scope 1 emission dynamics, we also analyze electricity consumption emissions at the demand-side (scope 2). This study will provide stakeholders and policy makers with clear and easily digestible results that will enable efficient, targeted policy options for the city of Los Angeles in achieving its ambitious sustainability goals.

Treating childhood intermittent distance exotropia: a qualitative study of decision making.

PubMed

Lecouturier, Jan; Clarke, Michael P; Errington, Gail; Hallowell, Nina; Murtagh, Madeleine J; Thomson, Richard

2015-08-22

Engaging patients (parents/families) in treatment decisions is increasingly recognised as important and beneficial. Yet where the evidence base for treatment options is limited, as with intermittent distance exotropia (X(T)), this presents a challenge for families and clinicians. The purpose of this study was to explore how decisions are made in the management and treatment of X(T) and what can be done to support decision-making for clinicians, parents and children. This was a qualitative study using face to face interviews with consultant ophthalmologists and orthoptists, and parents of children with X(T). Interview data were analysed using the constant comparative method. The drivers for clinicians in treatment decision-making for X(T) were the proportion of time the strabismus is manifest and parents' views. For parents, decisions were influenced by: fear of bullying and, to a lesser degree, concerns around the impact of the strabismus on their child's vision. Uncertainty around the effectiveness of treatment options caused difficulties for some clinicians when communicating with parents. Parental understanding of the nature of X(T) and rationale for treatment often differed from that of the clinicians, and this affected their involvement in decision-making. Though there were good examples of shared decision-making and parent and child engagement some parents said the process felt rushed and they felt excluded. Parents reported that clinicians provided sufficient information in consultations but they had difficulties in retaining verbal information to convey to other family members. Overall parents were happy with the care their child received but there is scope for better parent and (where appropriate) child engagement in decision-making. There was an expressed need for written information about X(T) to reinforce what was given verbally in consultations and to share with other family members. Access could be via the hospital website, along with videos or blogs from parents and children who have undergone the various management options. A method of assisting clinicians to explain the treatment options, together with the uncertainties, in a clear and concise way could be of particular benefit to orthoptists who have the most regular contact with parents and children, and are more likely to suggest conservative treatments such as occlusion and minus lenses.

Which offers more scope to suppress river phytoplankton blooms: reducing nutrient pollution or riparian shading?

PubMed

Hutchins, M G; Johnson, A C; Deflandre-Vlandas, A; Comber, S; Posen, P; Boorman, D

2010-10-01

River flow and quality data, including chlorophyll-a as a surrogate for river phytoplankton biomass, were collated for the River Ouse catchment in NE England, which according to established criteria is a largely unpolluted network. Against these data, a daily river quality model (QUESTOR) was setup and successfully tested. Following a review, a river quality classification scheme based on phytoplankton biomass was proposed. Based on climate change predictions the model indicated that a shift from present day oligotrophic/mesotrophic conditions to a mesotrophic/eutrophic system could occur by 2080. Management options were evaluated to mitigate against this predicted decline in quality. Reducing nutrient pollution was found to be less effective at suppressing phytoplankton growth than the less costly option of establishing riparian shading. In the Swale tributary, ongoing efforts to reduce phosphorus loads in sewage treatment works will only reduce peak (95th percentile) phytoplankton by 11%, whereas a reduction of 44% is possible if riparian tree cover is also implemented. Likewise, in the Ure, whilst reducing nitrate loads by curtailing agriculture in the headwaters may bring about a 10% reduction, riparian shading would instead reduce levels by 47%. Such modelling studies are somewhat limited by insufficient field data but offer a potentially very valuable tool to assess the most cost-effective methods of tackling effects of eutrophication. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the content and development of decision aid tools for the management of menopause: A scoping review.

PubMed

Siyam, Tasneem; Sultani, Humirah; Ross, Sue; Chatterley, Trish; Yuksel, Nese

2017-12-01

Decision-making during menopause (especially surgical menopause) can be complex given the variability in risk-benefit perceptions of menopausal treatments. Decision aid tools (DATs) help women participate in decision-making about options. Our objective is to identify and evaluate the content and development of DATs for managing menopause, with a special focus on surgical menopause. We systematically searched electronic databases, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, from inception to March 2017 for relevant records. The principal inclusion criterion was that papers reported studies on DATs for managing menopause. Search terms were derived from two concepts: menopause and DATs. Data extracted were presented in written evidence tables and narrative summaries. Our search yielded 18,801 records. Of these, 26 records met our inclusion criteria, which gave rise to 12 DATs from peer-reviewed literature and 6 from grey literature. Seventeen DATs were focused on natural menopause and two targeted surgical menopause, both identified from grey literature. More than half were published before the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) publication and 70% before the release of the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS). Very few studies reported the full development of the DAT involved, and less than half of DATs were informed by a needs assessment to identify the decisional needs of their target population. Most DATs focused on hormone therapy as a treatment option and did not provide a comprehensive overview of other options. None of the DATs reported the steps involved in finding, appraising and summarizing scientific content of the tool. This review highlights several limitations in the content and development of DATs for managing menopause. No peer-reviewed DATs were identified for surgical menopause. A need for a complete, evidence-based DAT in the context of surgical menopause is identified. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toward a gender-sensitive assisted reproduction policy.

PubMed

Donchin, Anne

2009-01-01

The recent case of the UK woman who lost her legal struggle to be impregnated with her own frozen embryos, raises critical issues about the meaning of reproductive autonomy and the scope of regulatory practices. I revisit this case within the context of contemporary debate about the moral and legal dimensions of assisted reproduction. I argue that the gender neutral context that frames discussion of regulatory practices is unjust unless it gives appropriate consideration to the different positions women and men occupy in relation to reproductive processes and their options for autonomous choice. First, I consider relevant legal rulings, media debate, and scholarly commentary. Then I discuss the concept of reproductive autonomy imbedded in this debate. I argue that this concept conflates informed consent and reproductive autonomy, thereby providing an excessively narrow reading of autonomy that fails to give due regard to relations among individuals or the social, political and economic environment that shapes their options. I contrast this notion of autonomy with feminist formulations that seek to preserve respect for the agency of individuals without severing them from the conditions of their embodiment, their surrounding social relationships, or the political contexts that shape their options. Taking these considerations into account I weigh the advantages of regulation over the commercial market arrangement that prevails in some countries and suggest general guidelines for a regulatory policy that would more equitably resolve conflicting claims to reproductive autonomy.

New developments in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

PubMed

Pontari, Michel; Giusto, Laura

2013-11-01

To describe new developments in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Symptoms in men with chronic prostatitis/CPPS appear to cluster into a group with primarily pelvic or localized disease, and a group with more systemic symptoms. Several other chronic pain conditions can be associated with chronic prostatitis/CPPS, including irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Markers of neurologic inflammation and autoimmune disease parallel changes in symptoms after treatment. Treatment options include new alpha-blockers, psychological intervention, and prostate-directed therapy. The areas of acupuncture and pelvic floor physical therapy/myofascial release have received increased recent attention and appear to be good options in these patients. Future therapy may include antibodies to mediators of neurogenic inflammation and even treatment of bacteria in the bowel. The diagnosis of chronic prostatitis/CPPS must include conditions traditionally outside the scope of urologic practice but important for the care of men with chronic pelvic pain. The treatment is best done using multiple simultaneous therapies aimed at the different aspects of the condition.

Reducing violent injuries: priorities for pediatrician advocacy.

PubMed

Dolins, J C; Christoffel, K K

1994-10-01

A basic framework for developing an advocacy plan must systematically break down the large task of policy development implementation into manageable components. The basic framework described in detail in this paper includes three steps: Setting policy objectives by narrowing the scope of policy, by reviewing policy options, and by examining options against selected criteria. Developing strategies for educating the public and for approaching legislative/regulatory bodies. Evaluating the effectiveness of the advocacy action plan as a process and as an agent for change. To illustrate the variety of ways in which pediatricians can be involved in the policy process to reduce violent injuries among children and adolescents, we apply this systematic approach to three priority areas. Prohibiting the use of corporal punishment in schools is intended to curb the institutionalized legitimacy of violence that has been associated with future use of violence. Efforts to remove handguns from the environments of children and adolescents are aimed at reducing the numbers of firearm injuries inflicted upon and by minors. Comprehensive treatment of adolescent victims of assault is intended to decrease the reoccurrence of violent injuries.

Endgame for polio eradication? Options for overcoming social and political factors in the progress to eradicating polio.

PubMed

Ganapathiraju, Pavan V; Morssink, Christiaan B; Plumb, James

2015-01-01

In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was launched with the goal of eradicating polio by the year 2000. After 25 years, several dynamics still challenge this large public health campaign with new cases of polio being reported annually. We examine the roots of this initiative to eradicate polio, its scope, the successes and setbacks during the last 25 years and reflect on the current state of affairs. We examine the social and political factors that are barriers to polio eradication. Options are discussed for solving the current impasse of polio eradication: using force, respecting individual freedoms and gaining support from those vulnerable to fundamentalist 'propaganda'. The travails of the GPEI indicate the need for expanding the Convention on the Rights of the Child to address situations of war and civic strife. Such a cultural and structural reference will provide the basis for global stakeholders to engage belligerent local actors whose local political conflicts are barriers to the eradication of polio. Disregard for these actors will result in stagnation of polio eradication policy, delaying eradication beyond 2018.

Holistic, model-based optimization of edge leveling as an enabler for lithographic focus control: application to a memory use case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, T.; Kang, Y.-S.; Kim, Y.-J.; Park, S.-J.; Jang, S.-Y.; Hu, K.-Y.; Koop, E. J.; Hinnen, P. C.; Voncken, M. M. A. J.

2016-03-01

Advancement of the next generation technology nodes and emerging memory devices demand tighter lithographic focus control. Although the leveling performance of the latest-generation scanners is state of the art, challenges remain at the wafer edge due to large process variations. There are several customer configurable leveling control options available in ASML scanners, some of which are application specific in their scope of leveling improvement. In this paper, we assess the usability of leveling non-correctable error models to identify yield limiting edge dies. We introduce a novel dies-inspec based holistic methodology for leveling optimization to guide tool users in selecting an optimal configuration of leveling options. Significant focus gain, and consequently yield gain, can be achieved with this integrated approach. The Samsung site in Hwaseong observed an improved edge focus performance in a production of a mid-end memory product layer running on an ASML NXT 1960 system. 50% improvement in focus and a 1.5%p gain in edge yield were measured with the optimized configurations.

The CRC Contribution to Research Training: Report of a Scoping Study for the Cooperative Research Centres Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Nigel

2012-01-01

This report summarises findings from a scoping study conducted for the Cooperative Research Centres Association (CRCA) by the Centre for the Study of Higher Education. The purpose of the scoping study is to inform the research training activities of Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs). While previous studies have focussed on the outcomes supported…

[Big data in imaging].

PubMed

Sewerin, Philipp; Ostendorf, Benedikt; Hueber, Axel J; Kleyer, Arnd

2018-04-01

Until now, most major medical advancements have been achieved through hypothesis-driven research within the scope of clinical trials. However, due to a multitude of variables, only a certain number of research questions could be addressed during a single study, thus rendering these studies expensive and time consuming. Big data acquisition enables a new data-based approach in which large volumes of data can be used to investigate all variables, thus opening new horizons. Due to universal digitalization of the data as well as ever-improving hard- and software solutions, imaging would appear to be predestined for such analyses. Several small studies have already demonstrated that automated analysis algorithms and artificial intelligence can identify pathologies with high precision. Such automated systems would also seem well suited for rheumatology imaging, since a method for individualized risk stratification has long been sought for these patients. However, despite all the promising options, the heterogeneity of the data and highly complex regulations covering data protection in Germany would still render a big data solution for imaging difficult today. Overcoming these boundaries is challenging, but the enormous potential advances in clinical management and science render pursuit of this goal worthwhile.

Musculoskeletal Conditions of the Foot and Ankle: Assessments and Treatment Options

PubMed Central

Rao, Smita; Riskowski, Jody; Hannan, Marian T.

2012-01-01

Musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and ankle are an important public health challenge due to their increasing incidence combined with their substantial negative impact on patients’ quality of life. Non-pharmacological treatments serve as the first line of treatment and are frequently used for patients with musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and ankle. This review provides a summary of the assessments and non-invasive treatment options based upon available evidence. Recent studies show that individuals with foot and ankle pain have multiple co-existing impairments in alignment, motion, load distribution and muscle performance that may be evident in static and/or dynamic tasks. Additionally, both clinical and epidemiological studies support the inter-dependence between the foot and proximal joints. For instance, aberrant foot structure has been linked to foot osteoarthritis (OA), as well as OA and pain at the knee and hip. Most recently, advances in motion capture technology and plantar load distribution measurement offer opportunities for precise dynamic assessments of the foot and ankle. In individuals with musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and ankle, the chief objectives of treatment are to afford pain relief, restore mechanics (alignment, motion and/or load distribution) and return the patient to their desired level of activity participation. Given that most patients present with multiple impairments, combinational therapies that target foot-specific as well as global impairments have shown promising results. In particular, in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, comprehensive rehabilitation strategies including early detection, foot-based interventions (such as orthoses) and wellness-based approaches for physical activity and self-management have been successful. While significant improvements have been made in the last decade to the assessment and treatment of foot and ankle conditions, few randomized clinical trials specifically have investigated patients with foot or ankle conditions to provide global insights into this area. Consequently, current recommendations vary based upon the scope of studies presented in this review as well as the strength of studies. This review indicates a need for more in-depth investigations into the components of assessment and treatment options for foot and ankle musculoskeletal conditions. PMID:22867931

ICPP tank farm closure study. Volume 1

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

Spaulding, B.C.; Gavalya, R.A.; Dahlmeir, M.M.

1998-02-01

The disposition of INEEL radioactive wastes is now under a Settlement Agreement between the DOE and the State of Idaho. The Settlement Agreement requires that existing liquid sodium bearing waste (SBW), and other liquid waste inventories be treated by December 31, 2012. This agreement also requires that all HLW, including calcined waste, be disposed or made road ready to ship from the INEEL by 2035. Sodium bearing waste (SBW) is produced from decontamination operations and HLW from reprocessing of SNF. SBW and HLW are radioactive and hazardous mixed waste; the radioactive constituents are regulated by DOE and the hazardous constituentsmore » are regulated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Calcined waste, a dry granular material, is produced in the New Waste Calcining Facility (NWCF). Two primary waste tank storage locations exist at the ICPP: Tank Farm Facility (TFF) and the Calcined Solids Storage Facility (CSSF). The TFF has the following underground storage tanks: four 18,400-gallon tanks (WM 100-102, WL 101); four 30,000-gallon tanks (WM 103-106); and eleven 300,000+ gallon tanks. This includes nine 300,000-gallon tanks (WM 182-190) and two 318,000 gallon tanks (WM 180-181). This study analyzes the closure and subsequent use of the eleven 300,000+ gallon tanks. The 18,400 and 30,000-gallon tanks were not included in the work scope and will be closed as a separate activity. This study was conducted to support the HLW Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) waste separations options and addresses closure of the 300,000-gallon liquid waste storage tanks and subsequent tank void uses. A figure provides a diagram estimating how the TFF could be used as part of the separations options. Other possible TFF uses are also discussed in this study.« less

Heating and Cooling System Design for a Modern Transportable Container

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

Berger, Jason E.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has been tasked with the design of a modern transportable container (MTC) for use in high reliability transportation environments. The container is required to transport cargo capable of generating its own heat and operate under the United States’ climatic extremes. In response to these requirements, active heating and cooling is necessary to maintain a controlled environment inside the container. The following thesis project documents the design of an active heating, active cooling, and combined active heating and cooling system (now referred to as active heating and cooling systems) through computational thermal analyses, scoping of commercial systemmore » options, and mechanical integration with the container’s structure.« less

Technical complications of implant-causes and management: A comprehensive review

PubMed Central

Gupta, Swati; Gupta, Hemant; Tandan, Amrit

2015-01-01

Given the increasing popularity of dental implants, the number of failures due to late implant fracture is also expected to increase. Hence, the scope for prevention and management needs to be emphasized. The objective of this review article is to analyze the various causes of failure of dental implants due to implant fixture/abutment screw fractures and also to enumerate the management and the preventive options for these failures, thereby aiming to help the clinicians to properly plan the implant-supported prosthesis treatment by considering the important biomechanical aspects of this type of rehabilitation. The present review emphasizes the causes and management of technical complications and not the incidence of such complications. PMID:26668445

Sustainable childhood obesity prevention through community engagement (SCOPE) program: evaluation of the implementation phase.

PubMed

McIntosh, Bonnie; Daly, Amelia; Mâsse, Louise C; Collet, Jean-Paul; Higgins, Joan Wharf; Naylor, Patti-Jean; Amed, Shazhan

2015-10-01

Childhood obesity rates are steadily rising. Sustainable Childhood Obesity Prevention Through Community Engagement (SCOPE) is a community-based participatory action research (PAR) program aimed at preventing childhood obesity. This study aimed to describe community perspectives on, and elicit feedback about, SCOPE's first phase of implementation in two pilot cities in British Columbia, Canada. A case study was implemented using interviews and questionnaires to obtain feedback about SCOPE from two groups: SCOPE coordinators and stakeholders (i.e., individuals and organizations that were a member of the community and engaged with SCOPE coordinators). Participants were recruited via email and (or) by telephone. Coordinators completed a telephone interview. Stakeholders completed a questionnaire and (or) a telephone interview. Thematic analysis was conducted. Participants included 2 coordinators and 15 stakeholders. Participants similarly interpreted SCOPE as a program focused on raising awareness about childhood obesity prevention, while engaging multiple community sectors. Overall, participants valued the program's role in facilitating networking and partnership development, providing evidence-based resources, technical expertise, and contributing funding. Participants felt that SCOPE is sustainable. However, participants felt that barriers to achieving healthy weights among children included those related to the built environment, and social, behavioral, and economic obstacles. Perspectives on factors that facilitated and acted as barriers to SCOPE's first phase of implementation were obtained from the SCOPE communities and may be used to enhance the sustainability of SCOPE and its applicability to other BC communities.

Study protocol for a scoping review on rehabilitation scoping reviews.

PubMed

Colquhoun, Heather L; Jesus, Tiago S; O'Brien, Kelly K; Tricco, Andrea C; Chui, Adora; Zarin, Wasifa; Lillie, Erin; Hitzig, Sander L; Straus, Sharon

2017-09-01

Scoping reviews are increasingly popular in rehabilitation. However, significant variability in scoping review conduct and reporting currently exists, limiting potential for the methodology to advance rehabilitation research, practice and policy. Our aim is to conduct a scoping review of rehabilitation scoping reviews in order to examine the current volume, yearly distribution, proportion, scope and methodological practices involved in the conduct of scoping reviews in rehabilitation. Key areas of methodological improvement will be described. Methods and analysis: We will undertake the review using the Arksey and O'Malley scoping review methodology. Our search will involve two phases. The first will combine a previously conducted scoping review of scoping reviews (not distinct to rehabilitation, with data current to July 2014) together with a rehabilitation keyword search in PubMed. Articles found in the first phase search will undergo a full text review. The second phase will include an update of the previously conducted scoping review of scoping reviews (July 2014 to current). This update will include the search of nine electronic databases, followed by title and abstract screening as well as a full text review. All screening and extraction will be performed independently by two authors. Articles will be included if they are scoping reviews within the field of rehabilitation. A consultation exercise with key targets will inform plans to improve rehabilitation scoping reviews. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics will be required for the consultation phase of our scoping review. Dissemination will include peer-reviewed publication and conferences in rehabilitation-specific contexts.

Veda-scope: More comfortable than the bivalve speculum and cytologically equivalent.

PubMed

Longmore, Peter G

2004-04-01

The aim of the present study was to confirm that the Veda-scope is equivalent to the bivalve speculum in the collection of endocervical cells, as confirmation of adequate cervical sampling for Pap smear testing. The study also aimed to assess the comfort level of the Veda-scope compared to the traditional bivalve speculum and the patient preference of the Veda-scope compared to the bivalve speculum. Multicentre, randomised, controlled crossover, cytologist blinded study. The total number of subjects enrolled in the study were 250. The number of evaluable subjects were 210. In primary efficacy analysis, no significant difference was seen between the presence or absence of endocervical cells in the smears using either the Veda-scope or the bivalve speculum. There was a high concordance level between the diagnosis assigned to each specimen of a paired sample, the diagnosis agreeing in 97.6% cases. The primary reason given by many women for avoidance of regular Pap smear examinations is the discomfort or pain experienced with sample collection with the bivalve speculum. In the present study, 92% of subjects indicated a preference for the Veda-scope for Pap smear collection, while only 8.4% preferred the bivalve speculum. Subject preference was also assessed with respect to how the subject rated the comfort level of her previous Pap smear. In subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as very comfortable or comfortable, 86% expressed a preference for the Veda-scope. This rose to 93% in subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as only tolerable. The results of the present study show that Pap smear collections with the Veda-scope are of equal quality to those collected with the bivalve speculum, with an equivalent diagnostic outcome. A very strong preference for the Veda-scope was shown by the women enrolled in the present study based on the comfort levels experienced with the two devices.

45 CFR 703.3 - Scope of subject matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Scope of subject matter. 703.3 Section 703.3... AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 703.3 Scope of subject matter. The scope of the subject matter to be dealt with by Advisory Committees shall be those subjects of inquiry or study with which the...

45 CFR 703.3 - Scope of subject matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Scope of subject matter. 703.3 Section 703.3... AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 703.3 Scope of subject matter. The scope of the subject matter to be dealt with by Advisory Committees shall be those subjects of inquiry or study with which the...

45 CFR 703.3 - Scope of subject matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Scope of subject matter. 703.3 Section 703.3... AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 703.3 Scope of subject matter. The scope of the subject matter to be dealt with by Advisory Committees shall be those subjects of inquiry or study with which the...

45 CFR 703.3 - Scope of subject matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Scope of subject matter. 703.3 Section 703.3... AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 703.3 Scope of subject matter. The scope of the subject matter to be dealt with by Advisory Committees shall be those subjects of inquiry or study with which the...

45 CFR 703.3 - Scope of subject matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Scope of subject matter. 703.3 Section 703.3... AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 703.3 Scope of subject matter. The scope of the subject matter to be dealt with by Advisory Committees shall be those subjects of inquiry or study with which the...

Broadening GHG accounting with LCA: application to a waste management business unit.

PubMed

Fallaha, Sophie; Martineau, Geneviève; Bécaert, Valérie; Margni, Manuele; Deschênes, Louise; Samson, Réjean; Aoustin, Emmanuelle

2009-11-01

In an effort to obtain the most accurate climate change impact assessment, greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting is evolving to include life-cycle thinking. This study (1) identifies similarities and key differences between GHG accounting and life-cycle assessment (LCA), (2) compares them on a consistent basis through a case study on a waste management business unit. First, GHG accounting is performed. According to the GHG Protocol, annual emissions are categorized into three scopes: direct GHG emissions (scope 1), indirect emissions related to electricity, heat and steam production (scope 2) and other indirect emissions (scope 3). The LCA is then structured into a comparable framework: each LCA process is disaggregated into these three scopes, the annual operating activities are assessed, and the environmental impacts are determined using the IMPACT2002+ method. By comparing these two approaches it is concluded that both LCA and GHG accounting provide similar climate change impact results as the same major GHG contributors are determined for scope 1 emissions. The emissions from scope 2 appear negligible whereas emissions from scope 3 cannot be neglected since they contribute to around 10% of the climate change impact of the waste management business unit. This statement is strengthened by the fact that scope 3 generates 75% of the resource use damage and 30% of the ecosystem quality damage categories. The study also shows that LCA can help in setting up the framework for a annual GHG accounting by determining the major climate change contributors.

Geothermal power, policy, and design: Using levelized cost of energy and sensitivity analysis to target improved policy incentives for the U.S. geothermal market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richard, Christopher L.

At the core of the geothermal industry is a need to identify how policy incentives can better be applied for optimal return. Literature from Bloomquist (1999), Doris et al. (2009), and McIlveen (2011) suggest that a more tailored approach to crafting geothermal policy is warranted. In this research the guiding theory is based on those suggestions and is structured to represent a policy analysis approach using analytical methods. The methods being used are focus on qualitative and quantitative results. To address the qualitative sections of this research an extensive review of contemporary literature is used to identify the frequency of use for specific barriers, and is followed upon with an industry survey to determine existing gaps. As a result there is support for certain barriers and justification for expanding those barriers found within the literature. This method of inquiry is an initial point for structuring modeling tools to further quantify the research results as part of the theoretical framework. Analytical modeling utilizes the levelized cost of energy as a foundation for comparative assessment of policy incentives. Model parameters use assumptions to draw conclusions from literature and survey results to reflect unique attributes held by geothermal power technologies. Further testing by policy option provides an opportunity to assess the sensitivity of each variable with respect to applied policy. Master limited partnerships, feed in tariffs, RD&D, and categorical exclusions all result as viable options for mitigating specific barriers associated to developing geothermal power. The results show reductions of levelized cost based upon the model's exclusive parameters. These results are also compared to contemporary policy options highlighting the need for tailored policy, as discussed by Bloomquist (1999), Doris et al. (2009), and McIlveen (2011). It is the intent of this research to provide the reader with a descriptive understanding of the role of geothermal power in the United States, and to recognize that not all policy or energy technology is created equal. Further study options are provide to expand the scope and granularity of this research design to better support a growing market.

Coupled Solid Rocket Motor Ballistics and Trajectory Modeling for Higher Fidelity Launch Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ables, Brett

2014-01-01

Multi-stage launch vehicles with solid rocket motors (SRMs) face design optimization challenges, especially when the mission scope changes frequently. Significant performance benefits can be realized if the solid rocket motors are optimized to the changing requirements. While SRMs represent a fixed performance at launch, rapid design iterations enable flexibility at design time, yielding significant performance gains. The streamlining and integration of SRM design and analysis can be achieved with improved analysis tools. While powerful and versatile, the Solid Performance Program (SPP) is not conducive to rapid design iteration. Performing a design iteration with SPP and a trajectory solver is a labor intensive process. To enable a better workflow, SPP, the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST), and the interfaces between them have been improved and automated, and a graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed. The GUI enables real-time visual feedback of grain and nozzle design inputs, enforces parameter dependencies, removes redundancies, and simplifies manipulation of SPP and POST's numerous options. Automating the analysis also simplifies batch analyses and trade studies. Finally, the GUI provides post-processing, visualization, and comparison of results. Wrapping legacy high-fidelity analysis codes with modern software provides the improved interface necessary to enable rapid coupled SRM ballistics and vehicle trajectory analysis. Low cost trade studies demonstrate the sensitivities of flight performance metrics to propulsion characteristics. Incorporating high fidelity analysis from SPP into vehicle design reduces performance margins and improves reliability. By flying an SRM designed with the same assumptions as the rest of the vehicle, accurate comparisons can be made between competing architectures. In summary, this flexible workflow is a critical component to designing a versatile launch vehicle model that can accommodate a volatile mission scope.

Evaluating interventions against Salmonella in broiler chickens: applying synthesis research in support of quantitative exposure assessment.

PubMed

Bucher, O; Fazil, A; Rajić, A; Farrar, A; Wills, R; McEwen, S A

2012-05-01

A scoping study and systematic review-meta-analyses (SR-MAs) were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions for Salmonella in broiler chicken, from grow-out farm to secondary processing. The resulting information was used to inform a quantitative exposure assessment (QEA) comparing various control options within the context of broiler chicken production in Ontario, Canada. Multiple scenarios, including use of two separate on-farm interventions (CF3 competitive exclusion culture and a 2% lactose water additive), a package of processing interventions (a sodium hydroxide scald water disinfectant, a chlorinated post-evisceration spray, a trisodium phosphate pre-chill spray and chlorinated immersion chilling) a package consisting of these farm and processing interventions and a hypothetical scenario (reductions in between-flock prevalence and post-transport concentration), were simulated and compared to a baseline scenario. The package of on-farm and processing interventions was the most effective in achieving relative reductions (compared to baseline with no interventions) in the concentration and prevalence of Salmonella by the end of chilling ranging from 89·94% to 99·87% and 43·88% to 87·78%, respectively. Contaminated carcasses entering defeathering, reductions in concentration due to scalding and post-evisceration washing, and the potential for cross-contamination during chilling had the largest influence on the model outcomes under the current assumptions. Scoping study provided a transparent process for mapping out and selecting promising interventions, while SR-MA was useful for generating more precise and robust intervention effect estimates for QEA. Realization of the full potential of these methods was hampered by low methodological soundness and reporting of primary research in this area.

A Scoping Review of Qualitative Studies about Children Experiencing Parental Separation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birnbaum, Rachel; Saini, Michael

2013-01-01

This article explores a scoping review of qualitative studies about children's experiences and feelings during times of parental separation. The purpose of the review was to explore children's feelings and attitudes about their parents' separation and how their voices are heard during times of parental separation. The scoping review examined 44…

Internationalization of the Counseling Profession: Meaning, Scope and Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Kok-Mun; Noonan, Brigid M.

2012-01-01

The present study sought to clarify the meaning and delineate the scope of internationalization of the counseling profession. Using a qualitative approach, the study recruited a panel of eight experts to help generate a consensus statement on the meaning of internationalization to the counseling profession and to delineate a five-theme scope of…

A methodology for the preliminary scoping of future changes in ecosystem services, with an illustration from the future midwestern landscapes study

EPA Science Inventory

The product is a white paper defining a methodology for the preliminary scoping of future changes in ecosystem services, with an Illustration from the Future Midwestern Landscapes Study. The scoping method develops a hierarchy of relevant societal values, identifies the ecosyste...

Attitudes among dentists and dental hygienists towards extended scope and independent practice of dental hygienists.

PubMed

Reinders, Jan J; Krijnen, Wim P; Onclin, Pieter; van der Schans, Cees P; Stegenga, Boudewijn

2017-02-01

Attitudes of dentists and dental hygienists towards extended scope and independent dental hygiene practice are described in several studies, but the results are heterogenous. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the attitudes of dentists and dental hygienists towards extended scope and independent dental hygiene practice. PubMed, AMED and CINAHL were screened by two independent assessors to identify relevant studies. Only quantitative studies that reported the percentages of dentists' and dental hygienists' attitude towards extended scope and independent dental hygiene practice were included. The random-effects model was used to synthesise possible heterogenous influences. Meta proportions with regard to a positive attitude towards extended scope of practice are 0.54 for dentists and 0.81 for dental hygienists. Meta proportions of a positive attitude towards independent practice are 0.14 for dentists and 0.59 for dental hygienists. A meta analysis with regard to negative attitudes could only be performed on extended scope of practice and did not reveal a difference between the two professions. We obtained homogeneous outcomes of the studies included regarding negative attitudes of dentists . A minority of dentists hold negative attitudes towards extended scope of dental hygiene practice. Study outcomes regarding negative attitudes of dental hygienists were heterogeneous. Positive attitudes are present among a majority of dentists and dental hygienists with regard to extended scope of dental hygiene practice, while for independent dental hygiene practice this holds for a minority of dentists and a majority of dental hygienists. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation.

Can optical diagnosis of small colon polyps be accurate? Comparing standard scope without narrow banding to high definition scope with narrow banding.

PubMed

Ashktorab, Hassan; Etaati, Firoozeh; Rezaeean, Farahnaz; Nouraie, Mehdi; Paydar, Mansour; Namin, Hassan Hassanzadeh; Sanderson, Andrew; Begum, Rehana; Alkhalloufi, Kawtar; Brim, Hassan; Laiyemo, Adeyinka O

2016-07-28

To study the accuracy of using high definition (HD) scope with narrow band imaging (NBI) vs standard white light colonoscope without NBI (ST), to predict the histology of the colon polyps, particularly those < 1 cm. A total of 147 African Americans patients who were referred to Howard University Hospital for screening or, diagnostic or follow up colonoscopy, during a 12-mo period in 2012 were prospectively recruited. Some patients had multiple polyps and total number of polyps was 179. Their colonoscopies were performed by 3 experienced endoscopists who determined the size and stated whether the polyps being removed were hyperplastic or adenomatous polyps using standard colonoscopes or high definition colonoscopes with NBI. The histopathologic diagnosis was reported by pathologists as part of routine care. Of participants in the study, 55 (37%) were male and median (interquartile range) of age was 56 (19-80). Demographic, clinical characteristics, past medical history of patients, and the data obtained by two instruments were not significantly different and two methods detected similar number of polyps. In ST scope 89% of polyps were < 1 cm vs 87% in HD scope (P = 0.7). The ST scope had a positive predictive value (PPV) and positive likelihood ratio (PLR) of 86% and 4.0 for adenoma compared to 74% and 2.6 for HD scope. There was a trend of higher sensitivity for HD scope (68%) compare to ST scope (53%) with almost the same specificity. The ST scope had a PPV and PLR of 38% and 1.8 for hyperplastic polyp (HPP) compared to 42% and 2.2 for HD scope. The sensitivity and specificity of two instruments for HPP diagnosis were similar. Our results indicated that HD scope was more sensitive in diagnosis of adenoma than ST scope. Clinical diagnosis of HPP with either scope is less accurate compared to adenoma. Colonoscopy diagnosis is not yet fully matched with pathologic diagnosis of colon polyp. However with the advancement of both imaging and training, it may be possible to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the scopes and hence save money for eliminating time and the cost of Immunohistochemistry/pathology.

An Australian and New Zealand Scoping Study on the Use of 3D Immersive Virtual Worlds in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalgarno, Barney; Lee, Mark J. W.; Carlson, Lauren; Gregory, Sue; Tynan, Belinda

2011-01-01

This article describes the research design of, and reports selected findings from, a scoping study aimed at examining current and planned applications of 3D immersive virtual worlds at higher education institutions across Australia and New Zealand. The scoping study is the first of its kind in the region, intended to parallel and complement a…

Scoping reviews: time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting.

PubMed

Colquhoun, Heather L; Levac, Danielle; O'Brien, Kelly K; Straus, Sharon; Tricco, Andrea C; Perrier, Laure; Kastner, Monika; Moher, David

2014-12-01

The scoping review has become increasingly popular as a form of knowledge synthesis. However, a lack of consensus on scoping review terminology, definition, methodology, and reporting limits the potential of this form of synthesis. In this article, we propose recommendations to further advance the field of scoping review methodology. We summarize current understanding of scoping review publication rates, terms, definitions, and methods. We propose three recommendations for clarity in term, definition and methodology. We recommend adopting the terms "scoping review" or "scoping study" and the use of a proposed definition. Until such time as further guidance is developed, we recommend the use of the methodological steps outlined in the Arksey and O'Malley framework and further enhanced by Levac et al. The development of reporting guidance for the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews is underway. Consistency in the proposed domains and methodologies of scoping reviews, along with the development of reporting guidance, will facilitate methodological advancement, reduce confusion, facilitate collaboration and improve knowledge translation of scoping review findings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An analysis of empirical research on the scope of justice.

PubMed

Hafer, Carolyn L; Olson, James M

2003-01-01

The scope of justice has been defined as the boundary within which justice is perceived to be relevant. The empirical literature on this topic is primarily aimed at predicting when a target will be excluded from the scope of justice and at examining potential consequences of exclusion, from accepting a target's suffering to active harm-doing such as mass internment and genocide. The concept of the scope of justice is interesting and heuristically useful, but there are several problems with the empirical literature that impede its progress. For example, the proposed mediator often has not been measured, or operationalizations of the scope of justice have been confounded with other constructs. Also, although the scope of justice remains one possible explanation for results obtained in various experiments, there are equally compelling alternatives that do not implicate exclusion from the scope of justice. We offer suggestions about how to study scope of justice issues in the future and identify points that need to be clarified regarding the conceptualization of the scope of justice.

A Nationwide Assessment of the Scope and Impact of Agricultural Leadership Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velez, Jonathan J.; McKim, Aaron J.; Moore, Lori L.; Stephens, Carrie A.

2015-01-01

Agricultural leadership education is an important component of agricultural education programs across the country; yet, a national study of the scope and types of programs offered has not been conducted since 2003. The purpose of the current study was to provide national and timely data regarding the scope and type of opportunities offered in…

Interplanetary Electric Propulsion Uranus Mission Trades Supporting the Decadal Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankanich, John W.; McAdams, James

2011-01-01

The Decadal Survey Committee was tasked to develop a comprehensive science and mission strategy for planetary science that updates and extends the National Academies Space Studies Board s current solar system exploration decadal survey. A Uranus orbiter mission has been evaluated as a part of this 2013-2022 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. A comprehensive Uranus orbiter mission design was completed, including a broad search of interplanetary electric propulsion transfer options. The scope of interplanetary trades was limited to electric propulsion concepts, both solar and radioisotope powered. Solar electric propulsion offers significant payloads to Uranus. Inserted mass into the initial science orbit due is highly sensitive to transfer time due to arrival velocities. The recommended baseline trajectory is a 13 year transfer with an Atlas 551, a 1+1 NEXT stage with 15 kW of power using an EEJU trajectory and a 1,000km EGA flyby altitude constraint. This baseline delivers over 2,000kg into the initial science orbit. Interplanetary trajectory trades and sensitivity analyses are presented herein.

Needle-free and microneedle drug delivery in children: a case for disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

PubMed

Shah, Utpal U; Roberts, Matthew; Orlu Gul, Mine; Tuleu, Catherine; Beresford, Michael W

2011-09-15

Parenteral routes of drug administration have poor acceptability and tolerability in children. Advances in transdermal drug delivery provide a potential alternative for improving drug administration in this patient group. Issues with parenteral delivery in children are highlighted and thus illustrate the scope for the application of needle-free and microneedle technologies. This mini-review discusses the opportunities and challenges for providing disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) currently prescribed to paediatric rheumatology patients using such technologies. The aim is to raise further awareness of the need for age-appropriate formulations and drug delivery systems and stimulate exploration of these options for DMARDs, and in particular, rapidly emerging biologics on the market. The ability of needle-free and microneedle technologies to deliver monoclonal antibodies and fusion proteins still remains largely untested. Such an understanding is crucial for future drug design opportunities. The bioavailability, safety and tolerance of delivering biologics into the viable epidermis also need to be studied. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Formal language of Lanna Shop House’s Façade in Lampang Old city, Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phetsuriya, Natthakit

2017-10-01

This article aims to presents ‘the formal architectural language of Lanna Designs” that is a linguistic paradigm for decrypt the linguistic system which is hidden in the Lanna façade style. Lanna Designs present an identity of vital ordered and crucial articulated formal language which inherently set of mathematical rules for the arrangement of ornaments. The scope of this article is attempted to the morphology of façades of the ten shop houses which located in Lampang Old city and have familiar proportion and style. In this article, the sampling of façade buildings required proportion as three-stall and two-story with familiar style. The morphology is described based on terms of a symbolic encoding system that is represented as graphically building grammar. The system helps to emphasize commonalities in façade languages and propose a prototype of identified Lanna façade design. This methodology might be the option for decrypt or study in every facades style.

Process configuration of Liquid-nitrogen Energy Storage System (LESS) for maximum turnaround efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Rohan; Ghosh, Parthasarathi; Chowdhury, Kanchan

2017-12-01

Diverse power generation sector requires energy storage due to penetration of variable renewable energy sources and use of CO2 capture plants with fossil fuel based power plants. Cryogenic energy storage being large-scale, decoupled system with capability of producing large power in the range of MWs is one of the options. The drawback of these systems is low turnaround efficiencies due to liquefaction processes being highly energy intensive. In this paper, the scopes of improving the turnaround efficiency of such a plant based on liquid Nitrogen were identified and some of them were addressed. A method using multiple stages of reheat and expansion was proposed for improved turnaround efficiency from 22% to 47% using four such stages in the cycle. The novelty here is the application of reheating in a cryogenic system and utilization of waste heat for that purpose. Based on the study, process conditions for a laboratory-scale setup were determined and presented here.

Pharmacotherapy of Ebola hemorrhagic fever: a brief review of current status and future perspectives.

PubMed

Olszanecki, Rafał; Gawlik, Grzegorz

2014-01-01

The 2014 outbreak clearly showed that Ebola viruses (EBOV) remain a substantial threat for public health. The mainstay of management of patients with Ebola disease is isolation of patients and use of strict barrier nursing procedures; the present treatment strategies are mainly symptomatic and supportive (fluid resuscitation, antypyretics, antidiarrheal drugs). Currently, there is no approved therapy for Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), however several advanced treatment options were tested in animal models (on non-human primates or rodents). They include use of both symptomatic (e.g. use of tissue factor inhibitors - rhNAPc2, rhAPC - to abolish coagulopathy) and specific antiviral approaches: e.g. monoclonal anti EBOV antibodies (ZMapp, MB-003), phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs), liposomes containing siRNA (LNP-siRNA:TKM-Ebola) and small molecule inhibitors (e.g. BCX4430, favipiravir). The scope of this article is to briefly review the most promising therapeutics for EHF, based on the data coming from rare clinical reports, studies on animals and results from in vitro models.

Mission and system optimization of nuclear electric propulsion vehicles for lunar and Mars missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilland, James H.

1991-01-01

The detailed mission and system optimization of low thrust electric propulsion missions is a complex, iterative process involving interaction between orbital mechanics and system performance. Through the use of appropriate approximations, initial system optimization and analysis can be performed for a range of missions. The intent of these calculations is to provide system and mission designers with simple methods to assess system design without requiring access or detailed knowledge of numerical calculus of variations optimizations codes and methods. Approximations for the mission/system optimization of Earth orbital transfer and Mars mission have been derived. Analyses include the variation of thruster efficiency with specific impulse. Optimum specific impulse, payload fraction, and power/payload ratios are calculated. The accuracy of these methods is tested and found to be reasonable for initial scoping studies. Results of optimization for Space Exploration Initiative lunar cargo and Mars missions are presented for a range of power system and thruster options.

Study of contaminant transport at an open-tipping waste disposal site.

PubMed

Ashraf, Muhammad Aqeel; Yusoff, Ismail; Yusof, Mohamad; Alias, Yatimah

2013-07-01

Field and laboratory studies were conducted to estimate concentration of potential contaminants from landfill in the underlying groundwater, leachate, and surface water. Samples collected in the vicinity of the landfill were analyzed for physiochemical parameters, organic contaminants, and toxic heavy metals. Water quality results obtained were compared from published data and reports. The results indicate serious groundwater and surface water contamination in and around the waste disposal site. Analysis of the organic samples revealed that the site contains polychlorinated biphenyls and other organo-chlorine chemicals, principally chloro-benzenes. Although the amount of PCB concentration discovered was not extreme, their presence indicates a potentially serious environmental threat. Elevated concentrations of lead, copper, nickel, manganese, cadmium, and cobalt at the downgradient indicate that the contamination plume migrated further from the site, and the distribution of metals and metals containing wastes in the site is nonhomogeneous. These results clearly indicate that materials are poorly contained and are at risk of entering the environment. Therefore, full characterization of the dump contents and the integrity of the site are necessary to evaluate the scope of the problem and to identify suitable remediation options.

Prenatal screening: an ethical agenda for the near future.

PubMed

de Jong, Antina; de Wert, Guido M W R

2015-01-01

Prenatal screening for foetal abnormalities such as Down's syndrome differs from other forms of population screening in that the usual aim of achieving health gains through treatment or prevention does not seem to apply. This type of screening leads to no other options but the choice between continuing or terminating the pregnancy and can only be morally justified if its aim is to provide meaningful options for reproductive choice to pregnant women and their partners. However, this aim should not be understood as maximizing reproductive choice per se. Only if understood as allowing prospective parents to avoid suffering related to living with (a child with) serious disorders and handicaps can prenatal screening be a publicly or collectively funded programme. The alternative of moving prenatal testing outside the healthcare system into the private sector is problematic, as it makes these tests accessible only to those who can afford to pay for it. New developments in prenatal screening will have to be assessed in terms of whether and to what extent they either contribute to or undermine the stated aim of providing meaningful options for reproductive choice. In the light of this criterion, this article discusses the introduction of the new non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), the tendency to widen the scope of follow-up testing, as well as the possible future scenarios of genome-wide screening and 'prenatal personalised medicine'. The article ends with recommendations for further debate, research and analysis. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Crime and punishment in a roaming cleanerfish

PubMed Central

Mills, Suzanne C.; Côté, Isabelle M.

2010-01-01

Cheating is common in cooperative interactions, but its occurrence can be controlled by various means ranging from rewarding cooperators to active punishment of cheaters. Punishment occurs in the mutualism involving the cleanerfish Labroides dimidiatus and its reef fish clients. When L. dimidiatus cheats, by taking scales and mucus rather than ectoparasites, wronged clients either chase or withhold further visits to the dishonest cleaner, which leads to more cooperative future interactions. Punishment of cheating L. dimidiatus may be effective largely because these cleaners are strictly site-attached, increasing the potential for repeated interactions between individual cleaners and clients. Here, we contrast the patterns of cheating and punishment in L. dimidiatus with its close relative, the less site-attached Labroides bicolor. Overall, L. bicolor had larger home ranges, cheated more often and, contrary to our prediction, were punished by cheated clients as frequently as, and not less often than, L. dimidiatus. However, adult L. bicolor, which had the largest home ranges, did not cheat more than younger conspecifics, suggesting that roaming, and hence the frequency of repeated interactions, has little influence on cheating and retaliation in cleaner–client relationships. We suggest that roaming cleaners offer the only option available to many site-attached reef fish seeking a cleaning service. This asymmetry in scope for partner choice encourages dishonesty by the partner with more options (i.e. L. bicolor), but to be cleaned by a cleaner that sometimes cheats may be a better option than not to be cleaned at all. PMID:20573626

Initial Business Case Analysis of Two Integrated Heat Pump HVAC Systems for Near-Zero-Energy Homes - Update to Include Evaluation of Impact of Including a Humidifier Option

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

Baxter, Van D

2007-02-01

The long range strategic goal of the Department of Energy's Building Technologies (DOE/BT) Program is to create, by 2020, technologies and design approaches that enable the construction of net-zero energy homes at low incremental cost (DOE/BT 2005). A net zero energy home (NZEH) is a residential building with greatly reduced needs for energy through efficiency gains, with the balance of energy needs supplied by renewable technologies. While initially focused on new construction, these technologies and design approaches are intended to have application to buildings constructed before 2020 as well resulting in substantial reduction in energy use for all building typesmore » and ages. DOE/BT's Emerging Technologies (ET) team is working to support this strategic goal by identifying and developing advanced heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and water heating (HVAC/WH) technology options applicable to NZEHs. In FY05 ORNL conducted an initial Stage 1 (Applied Research) scoping assessment of HVAC/WH systems options for future NZEHs to help DOE/BT identify and prioritize alternative approaches for further development. Eleven system concepts with central air distribution ducting and nine multi-zone systems were selected and their annual and peak demand performance estimated for five locations: Atlanta (mixed-humid), Houston (hot-humid), Phoenix (hot-dry), San Francisco (marine), and Chicago (cold). Performance was estimated by simulating the systems using the TRNSYS simulation engine (Solar Energy Laboratory et al. 2006) in two 1800-ft{sup 2} houses--a Building America (BA) benchmark house and a prototype NZEH taken from BEopt results at the take-off (or crossover) point (i.e., a house incorporating those design features such that further progress towards ZEH is through the addition of photovoltaic power sources, as determined by current BEopt analyses conducted by NREL). Results were summarized in a project report, HVAC Equipment Design options for Near-Zero-Energy Homes--A Stage 2 Scoping Assessment, ORNL/TM-2005/194 (Baxter 2005). The 2005 study report describes the HVAC options considered, the ranking criteria used, and the system rankings by priority. In 2006, the two top-ranked options from the 2005 study, air-source and ground-source versions of a centrally ducted integrated heat pump (IHP) system, were subjected to an initial business case study. The IHPs were subjected to a more rigorous hourly-based assessment of their performance potential compared to a baseline suite of equipment of legally minimum efficiency that provided the same heating, cooling, water heating, demand dehumidification, and ventilation services as the IHPs. Results were summarized in a project report, Initial Business Case Analysis of Two Integrated Heat Pump HVAC Systems for Near-Zero-Energy Homes, ORNL/TM-2006/130 (Baxter 2006a). The present report is an update to that document which summarizes results of an analysis of the impact of adding a humidifier to the HVAC system to maintain minimum levels of space relative humidity (RH) in winter. The space RH in winter has direct impact on occupant comfort and on control of dust mites, many types of disease bacteria, and 'dry air' electric shocks. Chapter 8 in ASHRAE's 2005 Handbook of Fundamentals (HOF) suggests a 30% lower limit on RH for indoor temperatures in the range of {approx}68-69F based on comfort (ASHRAE 2005). Table 3 in chapter 9 of the same reference suggests a 30-55% RH range for winter as established by a Canadian study of exposure limits for residential indoor environments (EHD 1987). Harriman, et al (2001) note that for RH levels of 35% or higher, electrostatic shocks are minimized and that dust mites cannot live at RH levels below 40%. They also indicate that many disease bacteria life spans are minimized when space RH is held within a 30-60% range. From the foregoing it is reasonable to assume that a winter space RH range of 30-40% would be an acceptable compromise between comfort considerations and limitation of growth rates for dust mites and many bacteria. In addition it reports some corrections made to the simulation models used in order to correct some errors in the TRNSYS building model for Atlanta and in the refrigerant pressure drop calculation in the water-to-refrigerant evaporator module of the ORNL Heat Pump Design Model (HPDM) used for the IHP analyses. These changes resulted in some minor differences between IHP performance as reported in Baxter (2006) and in this report.« less

A Roadmap for Recovery/Decontamination Plan for Critical Infrastructure after CBRN Event Involving Drinking Water Utilities: Scoping Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

A Roadmap for Recovery/Decontamination Plan for Critical Infrastructure after CBRN Event Involving Drinking Water Utilities: Scoping Study... Drinking Water Utilities was supported by the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) which is led by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre...after CBRN Event Involving Drinking Water Utilities Scoping Study Prepared by: Vladimir Blinov Konstantin Volchek Emergencies Science and

Weak bones in diabetes mellitus - an update on pharmaceutical treatment options.

PubMed

Lin, Daphne P L; Dass, Crispin R

2018-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is often associated with a number of complications such as nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy and foot ulcers. However, weak bone is a diabetic complication that is often overlooked. Although the exact mechanism for weak bones within diabetes mellitus is unclear, studies have shown that the mechanism does differ in both type I (T1DM) and type II diabetes (T2DM). This review, however, investigates the application of mesenchymal stem cells, recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2, teriparatide, insulin administration and the effectiveness of a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-ϒ modulator, netoglitazone in the context of diabetic weak bones. In T1DM, weak bones may be the result of defective osteoblast activity, the absence of insulin's anabolic effects on bone, the deregulation of the bone-pancreas negative feedback loop and advanced glycation end product (AGE) aggregation within the bone matrix as a result of hyperglycaemia. Interestingly, T2DM patients placed on insulin administration, thiazolidinediones, SGLT2 inhibitors and sulfonylureas have an associated increased fracture risk. T2DM patients are also observed to have high sclerostin levels that impair osteoblast gene transcription, AGE aggregation within bone, which compromises bone strength and a decrease in esRAGE concentration resulting in a negative association with vertebral fractures. Effective treatment options for weak bones in the context of diabetes are currently lacking. There is certainly scope for discovery and development of novel agents that could alleviate this complication in diabetes patients. © 2017 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Insensitivity to scope in contingent valuation studies: reason for dismissal of valuations?

PubMed

Søgaard, Rikke; Lindholt, Jes; Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte

2012-11-01

The credibility of contingent valuation studies has been questioned because of the potential occurrence of scope insensitivity, i.e. that respondents do not react to higher quantities or qualities of a good. The aim of this study was to examine the extent of scope insensitivity and to assess the relevance of potential explanations that may help to shed light on how to appropriately handle this problem in contingent valuation studies. We surveyed a sample of 2004 men invited for cardiovascular disease screening. Each respondent had three contingent valuation tasks from which their sensitivity to larger risk reductions (test 1) and to change in travel costs associated with participation (test 2) could be assessed. Participants were surveyed while waiting for their screening session. Non-participants were surveyed by postal questionnaire. The sample was overall found to be sensitive to scope, testing at the conventional sample-mean level. At the individual respondent level, however, more than half of the respondents failed the tests. Potential determinants for failing the tests were examined in alternative regression models but few consistent relationships were identified. One exception was the influence of more detailed information, which was positively associated with willingness to pay and negatively associated with scope sensitivity. Possible explanations for scope insensitivity are discussed; if cognitive limitations, emotional load and mental budgeting explain scope insensitivity there are grounds for rejecting valuations, whereas other factors such as the alternative theoretical framework of regret theory may render insensitivity to scope a result of rational thinking. It is concluded that future contingent valuation studies should focus more on extracting the underlying motives for the stated preferences in order to appropriately deal with responses that are seemingly irrational, and which may lead to imprecise welfare estimates.

Cost analysis of single-use (Ambu® aScope™) and reusable bronchoscopes in the ICU.

PubMed

Perbet, S; Blanquet, M; Mourgues, C; Delmas, J; Bertran, S; Longère, B; Boïko-Alaux, V; Chennell, P; Bazin, J-E; Constantin, J-M

2017-12-01

Flexible optical bronchoscopes are essential for management of airways in ICU, but the conventional reusable flexible scopes have three major drawbacks: high cost of repairs, need for decontamination, and possible transmission of infectious agents. The main objective of this study was to measure the cost of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) using reusable bronchoscopes and single-use bronchoscopes in an ICU of an university hospital. The secondary objective was to compare the satisfaction of healthcare professionals with reusable and single-use bronchoscopes. The study was performed between August 2009 and July 2014 in a 16-bed ICU. All BAL and PT procedures were performed by experienced healthcare professionals. Cost analysis was performed considering ICU and hospital organization. Healthcare professional satisfaction with single-use and reusable scopes was determined based on eight factors. Sensitivity analysis was performed by applying discount rates (0, 3, and 5%) and by simulation of six situations based on different assumptions. At a discount rate of 3%, the costs per BAL for the two reusable scopes were 188.86€ (scope 1) and 185.94€ (scope 2), and the costs per PT for the reusable scope 1 and scope 2 and single-use scopes were 1613.84€, 410.24€, and 204.49€, respectively. The cost per procedure for the reusable scopes depended on the number of procedures performed, maintenance costs, and decontamination costs. Healthcare professionals were more satisfied with the third-generation single-use Ambu ® aScope™. The cost per procedure for the single-use scope was not superior to that for reusable scopes. The choice of single-use or reusable bronchoscopes in an ICU should consider the frequency of procedures and the number of bronchoscopes needed.

Is gerontology ready for accreditation?

PubMed

Haley, William E; Ferraro, Kenneth F; Montgomery, Rhonda J V

2012-01-01

The authors review widely accepted criteria for program accreditation and compare gerontology with well-established accredited fields including clinical psychology and social work. At present gerontology lacks many necessary elements for credible professional accreditation, including defined scope of practice, applied curriculum, faculty with applied professional credentials, and resources necessary to support professional credentialing review. Accreditation with weak requirements will be dismissed as "vanity" accreditation, and strict requirements will be impossible for many resource-poor programs to achieve, putting unaccredited programs at increased risk for elimination. Accreditation may be appropriate in the future, but it should be limited to professional or applied gerontology, perhaps for programs conferring bachelor's or master's degrees. Options other than accreditation to enhance professional skills and employability of gerontology graduates are discussed.

Confidence building in Northeast Asia: Possible first steps for cooperation on the Korean peninsula

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

Vannoni, M.; Biringer, K.

International relations are often devoted to establishing agreements that define, control, or regulate issues of potential conflict or dispute. These agreements span a full range of national and international issues from human rights to resource allocations and national security. The scope of these agreements can vary from bilateral arrangements to global treaties or control regimes. In many cases, elements of the agreement are monitored to verify compliance or increase confidence among parties that the terms of the agreement are being met. This article outlines options for cooperation on the Korean peninsula that could build confidence and reduce tension. The rolemore » of monitoring technology in helping to implement such agreements is also described.« less

The nitric oxide pathway and possible therapeutic options in pre-eclampsia.

PubMed

Johal, Tamanrit; Lees, Christoph C; Everett, Thomas R; Wilkinson, Ian B

2014-08-01

Pre-eclampsia is a serious multisystem disorder with diverse clinical manifestations. Although not causal, endothelial dysfunction and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability are likely to play an important role in the maternal and fetal pathophysiology of this condition. Lack of treatment modalities that can target the underlying pathophysiological changes and reverse the endothelial dysfunction frequently leads to iatrogenic preterm delivery of the fetus, causing neonatal morbidity and mortality, and the condition itself is associated with short- and longer term maternal morbidity and mortality. Drugs that target various components of the nitric oxide-soluble guanylyl cyclase pathway can help to increase NO bioavailability. The purpose of this review is to outline the current status of clinical research involving these therapeutic modalities in the context of pre-eclampsia, with the focus being on the following: nitric oxide donors, including organic nitrates and S-nitrosothiols; l-arginine, the endogenous precursor of NO; inhibitors of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate breakdown, including sildenafil; and other novel inhibitors of NO donor metabolism. The advantages and limitations of each modality are outlined, and scope for development into established therapeutic options for pre-eclampsia is explored. © 2013 The British Pharmacological Society.

The nitric oxide pathway and possible therapeutic options in pre-eclampsia

PubMed Central

Johal, Tamanrit; Lees, Christoph C; Everett, Thomas R; Wilkinson, Ian B

2014-01-01

Pre-eclampsia is a serious multisystem disorder with diverse clinical manifestations. Although not causal, endothelial dysfunction and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability are likely to play an important role in the maternal and fetal pathophysiology of this condition. Lack of treatment modalities that can target the underlying pathophysiological changes and reverse the endothelial dysfunction frequently leads to iatrogenic preterm delivery of the fetus, causing neonatal morbidity and mortality, and the condition itself is associated with short- and longer term maternal morbidity and mortality. Drugs that target various components of the nitric oxide–soluble guanylyl cyclase pathway can help to increase NO bioavailability. The purpose of this review is to outline the current status of clinical research involving these therapeutic modalities in the context of pre-eclampsia, with the focus being on the following: nitric oxide donors, including organic nitrates and S-nitrosothiols; l-arginine, the endogenous precursor of NO; inhibitors of cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate breakdown, including sildenafil; and other novel inhibitors of NO donor metabolism. The advantages and limitations of each modality are outlined, and scope for development into established therapeutic options for pre-eclampsia is explored. PMID:24313856

TRICARE program; clarification of benefit coverage of durable equipment and ordering or prescribing durable equipment; clarification of benefit coverage of assistive technology devises under the Extended Care Health Option Program. Final rule.

PubMed

2014-12-31

This final rule modifies the TRICARE regulation to add a definition of assistive technology (AT) devices for purposes of benefit coverage under the TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) Program and to amend the definitions of durable equipment (DE) and durable medical equipment (DME) to better conform the language in the regulation to the statute. The final rule amends the language that specifically limits ordering or prescribing of DME to only a physician under the Basic Program, as this amendment will allow certain other TRICARE authorized individual professional providers, acting within the scope of their licensure, to order or prescribe DME. This final rule also incorporates a policy clarification relating to luxury, deluxe, or immaterial features of equipment or devices. That is, TRICARE cannot reimburse for the luxury, deluxe, or immaterial features of equipment or devices, but can reimburse for the base or basic equipment or device that meet the beneficiary's needs. Beneficiaries may choose to pay the provider for the luxury, deluxe, or immaterial features if they desire their equipment or device to have these "extra features."

Can optical diagnosis of small colon polyps be accurate? Comparing standard scope without narrow banding to high definition scope with narrow banding

PubMed Central

Ashktorab, Hassan; Etaati, Firoozeh; Rezaeean, Farahnaz; Nouraie, Mehdi; Paydar, Mansour; Namin, Hassan Hassanzadeh; Sanderson, Andrew; Begum, Rehana; Alkhalloufi, Kawtar; Brim, Hassan; Laiyemo, Adeyinka O

2016-01-01

AIM: To study the accuracy of using high definition (HD) scope with narrow band imaging (NBI) vs standard white light colonoscope without NBI (ST), to predict the histology of the colon polyps, particularly those < 1 cm. METHODS: A total of 147 African Americans patients who were referred to Howard University Hospital for screening or, diagnostic or follow up colonoscopy, during a 12-mo period in 2012 were prospectively recruited. Some patients had multiple polyps and total number of polyps was 179. Their colonoscopies were performed by 3 experienced endoscopists who determined the size and stated whether the polyps being removed were hyperplastic or adenomatous polyps using standard colonoscopes or high definition colonoscopes with NBI. The histopathologic diagnosis was reported by pathologists as part of routine care. RESULTS: Of participants in the study, 55 (37%) were male and median (interquartile range) of age was 56 (19-80). Demographic, clinical characteristics, past medical history of patients, and the data obtained by two instruments were not significantly different and two methods detected similar number of polyps. In ST scope 89% of polyps were < 1 cm vs 87% in HD scope (P = 0.7). The ST scope had a positive predictive value (PPV) and positive likelihood ratio (PLR) of 86% and 4.0 for adenoma compared to 74% and 2.6 for HD scope. There was a trend of higher sensitivity for HD scope (68%) compare to ST scope (53%) with almost the same specificity. The ST scope had a PPV and PLR of 38% and 1.8 for hyperplastic polyp (HPP) compared to 42% and 2.2 for HD scope. The sensitivity and specificity of two instruments for HPP diagnosis were similar. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that HD scope was more sensitive in diagnosis of adenoma than ST scope. Clinical diagnosis of HPP with either scope is less accurate compared to adenoma. Colonoscopy diagnosis is not yet fully matched with pathologic diagnosis of colon polyp. However with the advancement of both imaging and training, it may be possible to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the scopes and hence save money for eliminating time and the cost of Immunohistochemistry/pathology. PMID:27605888

Economic aspects of possible residential heating conservation

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

Hopkowicz, M.; Szul, A.

1995-12-31

The paper presents methods of evaluation of energy and economy related effects of different actions aimed at conservation in residential buildings. It identifies also the method of selecting the most effective way of distribution funds assigned to weatherization as well as necessary improvements to be implemented within the heating node and the internal heating system of the building. The analysis of data gathered for four 11-stories high residential buildings of {open_quotes}Zeran{close_quotes} type being subject of the Conservation Demonstrative Project, included a differentiated scope of weatherization efforts and various actions aimed at system upgrading. Basing upon the discussion of the splitmore » of heat losses in a building as well as the established energy savings for numerous options of upgrading works, the main problem has been defined. It consists in optimal distribution of financial means for the discussed measures if the total amount of funds assigned for modifications is defined. The method based upon the principle of relative increments has been suggested. The economical and energy specifications of the building and its components, required for this method have also been elaborated. The application of this method allowed to define the suggested optimal scope of actions within the entire fund assigned for the comprehensive weatherization.« less

[The Marketing of Healthcare Services in ENT-Clinics].

PubMed

Teschner, M; Lenarz, T

2016-07-01

The provision of healthcare services in Germany is based on fundamental principles of solidarity and is highly regulated. The question arises which conditions exist for marketing for healthcare services in ENT-clinics in Germany. The marketing options will be elicited using environmentally analytical considerations. The objectives can be achieved using measures derived from external instruments (service policy, pricing policy, distribution policy or communications policy) or from an internal instrument (human resources policy). The policy environment is particularly influenced by the regulatory framework, which particularly restricts the scope for both the pricing and communications policies. All measures must, however, reflect ethical frameworks, which are regarded as the fundamental premise underlying healthcare services and may be at odds with economic factors. Scope for flexibility in pricing exists only within the secondary healthcare market, and even there only to a limited extent. The significance of price in the marketing of healthcare services is thus very low. If marketing activities are to succeed, a market analysis must be carried out exploring the relevant factors for each individual provider. However, the essential precondition for the marketing of healthcare services is trust. The marketing of healthcare services differs from that of business management-oriented enterprises in other branches of economy. In the future the importance of marketing activities will increase. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

An Educator's Resource Guide to Earthquakes and Seismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, J.; Lahr, J. C.; Butler, R.

2007-12-01

When a major seismic event occurs, millions of people around the world want to understand what happened. This presents a challenge to many classroom science teachers not well versed in Earth science. In response to this challenge, teachers may try surfing the Internet to ferret out the basics. Following popular links can be time consuming and frustrating, so that the best use is not made of this "teachable moment." For isolated rural teachers with limited Internet access, surfing for information may not be a viable option. A partnership between EarthScope/USArray, High Lava Plains Project (Carnegie Institution/Arizona State University, Portland State University, and isolated K-12 schools in rural SE Oregon generated requests for a basic "Teachers Guide to Earthquakes." To bridge the inequalities in information access and varied science background, EarthScope/USArray sponsored the development of a CD that would be a noncommercial repository of Earth and earthquake-related science resources. A subsequent partnership between the University of Portland, IRIS, the USGS, and Portland-area school teachers defined the needs and provided the focus to organize sample video lectures, PowerPoint presentations, new Earth-process animations, and activities on a such a large range of topics that soon the capacity of a DVD was required. Information was culled from oft-referenced sources, always seeking clear descriptions of processes, basic classroom-tested instructional activities, and effective Web sites. Our format uses a master interactive PDF "book" that covers the basics, from the interior of the Earth and plate tectonics to seismic waves, with links to reference folders containing activities, new animations, and video demos. This work-in-progress DVD was initially aimed at middle school Earth-science curriculum, but has application throughout K-16. Strong support has come from university professors wanting an organized collection of seismology resources. The DVD shows how the study of seismology advances our understanding of the Earth and how students and teachers can access seismic data from USArray stations to promote discussion about earthquakes worldwide. Instructions on how to view USArray data, as well as activities using data from EarthScope's vast array of monitoring equipment, are being generated and incorporated as they prove effective.

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

Desroches, Louis-Benoit; Garbesi, Karina

It is well established that energy efficiency is most often the lowest cost approach to reducing national energy use and minimizing carbon emissions. National investments in energy efficiency to date have been highly cost-effective. The cumulative impacts (out to 2050) of residential energy efficiency standards are expected to have a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.71:1. This project examined energy end-uses in the residential, commercial, and in some cases the industrial sectors. The scope is limited to appliances and equipment, and does not include building materials, building envelopes, and system designs. This scope is consistent with the scope of DOE's appliance standardsmore » program, although many products considered here are not currently subject to energy efficiency standards. How much energy could the United States save if the most efficient design options currently feasible were adopted universally? What design features could produce those savings? How would the savings from various technologies compare? With an eye toward identifying promising candidates and strategies for potential energy efficiency standards, the Max Tech and Beyond project aims to answer these questions. The analysis attempts to consolidate, in one document, the energy savings potential and design characteristics of best-on-market products, best-engineered products (i.e., hypothetical products produced using best-on-market components and technologies), and emerging technologies in research & development. As defined here, emerging technologies are fundamentally new and are as yet unproven in the market, although laboratory studies and/or emerging niche applications offer persuasive evidence of major energy-savings potential. The term 'max tech' is used to describe both best-engineered and emerging technologies (whichever appears to offer larger savings). Few best-on-market products currently qualify as max tech, since few apply all available best practices and components. The three primary analyses presented in this report are: Nevertheless, it is important to analyze best-on-market products, since data on truly max tech technologies are limited. (1) an analysis of the cross-cutting strategies most promising for reducing appliance and equipment energy use in the U.S.; (2) a macro-analysis of the U.S. energy-saving potential inherent in promising ultra-efficient appliance technologies; and (3) a product-level analysis of the energy-saving potential.« less

Do relationships exist between the scope and intensity of quality improvement activities and hospital operation performance? A 10-year observation in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chung, Kuo-Piao; Yu, Tsung-Hsien

2015-08-14

The relationship between the scope and intensity of quality improvement (QI) activities and hospital performance remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between performance, external environment, and the scope and intensity of QI activities in hospitals. The study used a longitudinal observation. Data regarding the scope and intensity of QI activities were collected using a questionnaire survey among the administrative deputy superintendents / directors of quality management center in 139 hospitals. Hospital performance indicators were abstracted from the 2000-2009 national hospitals profiles. We adopted year 2000 as the baseline, and divided the study period into three 3-year periods. The Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model was used for the statistical analysis. Seventy-two hospitals responded to the survey, giving a response rate of 52%. The results showed a significant increase in the scope and intensity of QI activities between 2000 and 2009. The results also showed that the scope and intensity of a hospital's QI activities were associated with the scope and intensity of its competitors' QI activities in the previous period and its own prior performance. The scope of QI activities in the previous period was not significantly related to the selected hospital performance measures. However, the intensity of QI activities in the previous period showed a significant and positive relationship with the number of inpatients and the turnover of beds. The study demonstrates that the intensity of QI activities is associated with the external environment and the hospital's own performance in the previous period. Furthermore, some performance measures are associated with the intensity of the QI activities in the previous period.

Automated and Autonomous Systems for Combat Service Support: Scoping Study and Technology Prioritisation

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

workshop, and use case development for automated and autonomous systems for CSS. The scoping study covers key concepts and trends, a technology scan, and...requirements and delimiters for the selected technologies. The report goes on to present detailed use cases for two technologies of interest: semi...selected use cases . As a result of the workshop, the large list of technologies and applications from the scoping study was narrowed down to the top

Using scoping as a design process

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

Mulvihill, P.R.; Jacobs, P.

1998-07-01

Skillful use of the scoping phase of environment assessment (EA) is critical in cases involving a wide diversity of stakeholders and perspectives. Scoping can exert a strong influence in shaping a relevant impact assessment and increasing the probability of a process that satisfies stakeholders. This article explores key challenges facing scoping processes conducted in highly pluralistic settings. Elements of a notable case study--the scoping process conducted in 1992 for the proposed Great Whale Hydroelectric project in Northern Quebec--are discussed to illustrate innovative approaches. When used as a design process, scoping can ensure that EA reflects the different value sets andmore » cultures that are at play, particularly where diverse knowledge systems and ways of describing environmental components and impacts exist. As it sets the stage for subsequent steps in the EA process, scoping needs to be a sufficiently broad umbrella that accommodates diverse approaches to identifying, classifying, and assessing impacts.« less

Under-treatment of cancer pain.

PubMed

Fairchild, Alysa

2010-03-01

Cancer pain remains inadequately treated, despite internationally accepted management guidelines and a myriad of treatment options. Risk factors for undertreatment are reviewed, along with possible explanations. Recent studies documenting the scope of the problem as well as investigating solutions are discussed with clinical-practice recommendations outlined. Women over 65 years of age representative of a cultural minority, with earlier stage disease, cared for at home, and with high-school education or less are at highest risk of having uncontrolled cancer pain. Optimal treatment is impeded by patients' maladaptive beliefs, nonadherence, underreporting or miscommunication with caregivers; from a healthcare provider perspective, it may be due to inadequate assessment, documentation, knowledge, and communication. Emerging data support the vital influence of lay caregivers on appropriate pain management. Although home-education programs may decrease pain and improve quality of life, there are also less intensive approaches deliverable by individuals to holistically address pain. Prospective study of barriers to both delivery and receipt of adequate pain management is needed, as the majority of published literature is based on survey studies. Treatment must be individualized based on clinical circumstances and patient wishes, with the goal of maximizing function and quality of life.

Potential for energy generation from anaerobic digestion of food waste in Australia.

PubMed

Lou, Xian Fang; Nair, Jaya; Ho, Goen

2013-03-01

Published national and state reports have revealed that Australia deposits an average of 16 million Mg of solid waste into landfills yearly, of which approximately 12.6% is comprised of food. Being highly biodegradable and possessing high energy content, anaerobic digestion offers an attractive treatment option alternative to landfilling. The present study attempted to identify the theoretical maximum benefit of food waste digestion in Australia with regard to energy recovery and waste diversion from landfills. The study also assessed the scope for anaerobic process to utilize waste for energy projects through various case study scenarios. Results indicated anaerobic digestion of total food waste generated across multiple sites in Australia could generate 558 453 dam(3) of methane which translated to 20.3 PJ of heating potential or 1915 GWe in electricity generation annually. This would contribute to 3.5% of total current energy supply from renewable sources. Energy contribution from anaerobic digestion of food waste to the total energy requirement in Australia remains low, partially due to the high energy consumption of the country. However its appropriateness in low density regions, which are prevalent in Australia, may allow digesters to have a niche application in the country.

Health information needs, source preferences and engagement behaviours of women with metastatic breast cancer across the care continuum: protocol for a scoping review.

PubMed

Tucker, Carol A; Martin, M Pilar; Jones, Ray B

2017-02-17

The health information needs, information source preferences and engagement behaviours of women with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) depend on personal characteristics such as education level, prior knowledge, clinical complications, comorbidities and where they are in the cancer journey. A thorough understanding of the information behaviours of women living with mBC is essential to the provision of optimal care. A preliminary literature review suggests that there is little research on this topic, but that there may be lessons from a slightly broader literature. This review will identify what is known and what is not known about the health information needs, acquisition and influences of women with mBC across the care continuum. Findings will help to identify research needs and specific areas where in-depth systematic reviews may be feasible, as well as inform evidence-based interventions to address the health information needs of female patients with mBC with different demographics and characteristics and across the mBC journey. A scoping review will be performed using the guidelines of Arksey and O'Malley as updated by subsequent authors to systematically search scientific and grey literature for articles in English that discuss the health information needs, source preferences, engagement styles, and associated personal and medical attributes of women ≥18 years living with mBC at different stages of the disease course. A variety of databases (including Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Academic Search Premier, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and PQDT Open), oncology, patient advocacy and governmental websites will be searched from inception to present day. Research and non-research literature will be included; no study designs will be excluded. The six-stage Arksey and O'Malley scoping review methodological framework involves: (1) identifying the research question; (2) searching for relevant studies; (3) selecting studies; (4) charting the data; (5) collating, summarising and reporting the results; and (6) consulting with stakeholders to inform or validate study findings (optional). Data will be extracted and analysed using a thematic chart and descriptive content analysis. Being a secondary analysis, this research will not require ethics approval. Results will be disseminated through patient support organisations and websites and publications targeting healthcare professionals, advocates and patients. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

A randomised controlled trial comparing a dilating vaginal speculum with a conventional bivalve speculum.

PubMed

Thomas, A; Weisberg, E; Lieberman, D; Fraser, I S

2001-11-01

Cervical smears are traditionally taken with the aid of a metal or disposable plastic bivalve speculum. Many women complain of discomfort with these specula. This study compares the efficacy and women's experiences of a new 'dilating speculum' called the Veda-scope, with a conventional metal bivalve speculum (Pederson). The aims of this study were: to determine whether the Veda-scope provides adequate visualisation of the cervix and vaginal walls and an adequate cervical cytology specimen; and to compare user acceptability and women's levels of comfort between the Veda-scope and the bivalve speculum. Sixty-four women were randomised to be examined with the Veda-scope and 60 with the bivalve speculum, by one of two operators. Each woman completed a questionnaire that included subjective views of their previous cervical smear experiences, and acceptability of the examination at the study consultation. Cytologists were blinded as to which speculum was used for cervical sampling. Of women examined, 7-83% of women found Veda-scope examinations comfortable, compared to 38-62% of women who found examinations with the bivalve comfortable; 94% of the women preferred the 'comfort' of the Veda-scope. The Veda-scope was as good as the bivalve speculum in providing samples for cytological analysis following the initial learning curve, and also provided markedly superior magnified views of the cervix and vaginal fornices.

40 CFR 716.1 - Scope and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ACT HEALTH AND SAFETY DATA REPORTING General Provisions § 716.1 Scope and compliance. (a) This subpart sets forth requirements for the submission of lists and copies of health and safety studies on chemical... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Scope and compliance. 716.1 Section...

40 CFR 716.1 - Scope and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ACT HEALTH AND SAFETY DATA REPORTING General Provisions § 716.1 Scope and compliance. (a) This subpart sets forth requirements for the submission of lists and copies of health and safety studies on chemical... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Scope and compliance. 716.1 Section...

40 CFR 716.1 - Scope and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ACT HEALTH AND SAFETY DATA REPORTING General Provisions § 716.1 Scope and compliance. (a) This subpart sets forth requirements for the submission of lists and copies of health and safety studies on chemical... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Scope and compliance. 716.1 Section...

40 CFR 716.1 - Scope and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ACT HEALTH AND SAFETY DATA REPORTING General Provisions § 716.1 Scope and compliance. (a) This subpart sets forth requirements for the submission of lists and copies of health and safety studies on chemical... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Scope and compliance. 716.1 Section...

40 CFR 716.1 - Scope and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ACT HEALTH AND SAFETY DATA REPORTING General Provisions § 716.1 Scope and compliance. (a) This subpart sets forth requirements for the submission of lists and copies of health and safety studies on chemical... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Scope and compliance. 716.1 Section...

10 CFR 602.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Purpose and scope. 602.1 Section 602.1 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (CONTINUED) ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS EPIDEMIOLOGY AND OTHER HEALTH STUDIES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM § 602.1 Purpose and scope. This part sets forth the policies and procedures applicable to...

10 CFR 602.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Purpose and scope. 602.1 Section 602.1 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (CONTINUED) ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS EPIDEMIOLOGY AND OTHER HEALTH STUDIES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM § 602.1 Purpose and scope. This part sets forth the policies and procedures applicable to...

10 CFR 602.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Purpose and scope. 602.1 Section 602.1 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (CONTINUED) ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS EPIDEMIOLOGY AND OTHER HEALTH STUDIES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM § 602.1 Purpose and scope. This part sets forth the policies and procedures applicable to...

10 CFR 602.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Purpose and scope. 602.1 Section 602.1 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (CONTINUED) ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS EPIDEMIOLOGY AND OTHER HEALTH STUDIES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM § 602.1 Purpose and scope. This part sets forth the policies and procedures applicable to...

10 CFR 602.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Purpose and scope. 602.1 Section 602.1 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (CONTINUED) ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS EPIDEMIOLOGY AND OTHER HEALTH STUDIES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM § 602.1 Purpose and scope. This part sets forth the policies and procedures applicable to...

Methods for Aiding Height Determination in Pseudolite-Based Reference Systems Using Batch Least-Squares Estimation

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

LocataLite Test Examples. LocataLites have been used in several experimental trials as pilot studies of the system. 1.7.5.1 BlueScope Steel. In this pilot...study, [2], the Locata system is shown to give centimeter level relative positioning precision in a severe multipath en- vironment. The BlueScope ...Using Locata: A pilot study at BlueScope Steel.” Proceedings of the 2004 Annual Meeting of the U.S. Institute of Navigation. Dayton, OH, June 2004. 3

Building a Consensus on Community Health Workers’ Scope of Practice: Lessons From New York

PubMed Central

Matos, Sergio; Hicks, April L.; Campbell, Ayanna; Moore, Addison; Diaz, Diurka

2012-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated efforts in New York to build a consensus between community health workers (CHWs) and employers on CHWs’ scope of practice, training standards, and certification procedures. Methods. We conducted multiple-choice surveys in 2008 and 2010 with 226 CHWs and 44 employers. We compared CHWs’ and employers’ recommendations regarding 28 scope of practice elements. The participatory ranking method was used to identify consensus scope of practice recommendations. Results. There was consensus on 5 scope of practice elements: outreach and community organizing, case management and care coordination, home visits, health education and coaching, and system navigation. For each element, 3 to 4 essential skills were identified, giving a total of 27 skills. These included all skills recommended in national CHW studies, along with 3 unique to New York: computer skills, participatory research methods, and time management. Conclusions. CHWs and employers in New York were in consensus on CHWs’ scope of practice on virtually all of the detailed core competency skills. The CHW scope of practice recommendations of these groups can help other states refine their scope of practice elements. PMID:22897548

Scope Notes for LISA Subject Headings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne, Glenda

1992-01-01

Reports on a study that examined scope notes added to subject headings in the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) Online User Manual. Types of messages conveyed by scope notes and word patterns within the notes are identified, and comparisons between the 1982 and 1987 editions of the manual are made. (16 references) (MES)

21 CFR 312.81 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Scope. 312.81 Section 312.81 Food and Drugs FOOD... § 312.81 Scope. This section applies to new drug and biological products that are being studied for... likelihood of death is high unless the course of the disease is interrupted; and (2) Diseases or conditions...

21 CFR 312.81 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Scope. 312.81 Section 312.81 Food and Drugs FOOD... § 312.81 Scope. This section applies to new drug and biological products that are being studied for... likelihood of death is high unless the course of the disease is interrupted; and (2) Diseases or conditions...

National Conference on Integrated Resource Planning: Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Until recently, state regulators have focused most of their attention on the development of least-cost or integrated resource planning (IRP) processes for electric utilities. A number of commissions are beginning to scrutinize the planning processes of local gas distribution companies (LDCs) because of the increased control that LDCs have over their purchased gas costs (as well as the associated risks) and because of questions surrounding the role and potential of gas end-use efficiency options. Traditionally, resource planning (LDCs) has concentrated on options for purchasing and storing gas. Integrated resource planning involves the creation of a process in which supply-side and demand-side options are integrated to create a resource mix that reliably satisfies customers' short-term and long-term energy service needs at the lowest cost. As applied to gas utilities, an integrated resource plan seeks to balance cost and reliability, and should not be interpreted simply as the search for lowest commodity costs. The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' (NARUC) Energy Conservation committee asked Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) to survey state PUCs to determine the extent to which they have undertaken least cost planning for gas utilities. The survey included the following topics: status of state PUC least-cost planning regulations and practices for gas utilities; type and scope of natural gas DSM programs in effect, including fuel substitution; economic tests and analysis methods used to evaluate DSM programs; relationship between prudency reviews of gas utility purchasing practices and integrated resource planning; and key regulatory issues facing gas utilities during the next five years.

Evaluation of the neonatal nurse practitioner role: the next frontier.

PubMed

Buus-Frank, M E; Conner-Bronson, J; Mullaney, D; McNamara, L M; Laurizio, V A; Edwards, W H

1996-08-01

The neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) role at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, has been in place since 1989. As part of the professional growth and development of this NNP group, the necessity for a useful evaluation instrument emerged. This instrument needed to be congruent with the job description, practice philosophy, and strong commitment to peer review. The literature search and institutional survey failed to uncover an acceptable option, so an evaluation instrument was developed, tested, and refined. This instrument captures the diverse scope of NNP practice and incorporates a continuum of novice to expert competencies based on the work of Patricia Benner. This evaluation mechanism has had a profound effect on our group, encouraging the development of a shared vision of the NNP role and stimulating professional growth.

Harnessing plasticity for the treatment of neurosurgical disorders: an overview.

PubMed

Chen, H Isaac; Attiah, Mark; Baltuch, Gordon; Smith, Douglas H; Hamilton, Roy H; Lucas, Timothy H

2014-11-01

Plasticity is fundamental to normal central nervous system function and its response to injury. Understanding this adaptive capacity is central to the development of novel surgical approaches to neurologic disease. These innovative interventions offer the promise of maximizing functional recovery for patients by harnessing targeted plasticity. Developing novel therapies will require the unprecedented integration of neuroscience, bioengineering, molecular biology, and physiology. Such synergistic approaches will create therapeutic options for patients previously outside of the scope of neurosurgery, such as those with permanent disability after traumatic brain injury or stroke. In this review, we synthesize the rapidly evolving field of plasticity and explore ways that neurosurgeons may enhance functional recovery in the future. We conclude that understanding plasticity is fundamental to modern neurosurgical education and practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of different methods to implement higher order derivatives of density functionals

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

van Dam, Hubertus J.J.

Density functional theory is the dominant approach in electronic structure methods today. To calculate properties higher order derivatives of the density functionals are required. These derivatives might be implemented manually,by automatic differentiation, or by symbolic algebra programs. Different authors have cited different reasons for using the particular method of their choice. This paper presents work where all three approaches were used and the strengths and weaknesses of each approach are considered. It is found that all three methods produce code that is suffficiently performanted for practical applications, despite the fact that our symbolic algebra generated code and our automatic differentiationmore » code still have scope for significant optimization. The automatic differentiation approach is the best option for producing readable and maintainable code.« less

Nontraditional Career Opportunities for Pharmacists

PubMed Central

Bai, Sandra; Hertig, John B.; Weber, Robert J.

2016-01-01

The changing landscape of health care mirrors that of health-system pharmacy, with pharmacists' scope of practice and provider status being the most significant changes. This creates new roles and opportunities; many of these roles are considered to be nontraditional in today's practice. This article reviews some new roles for pharmacy leaders that provide different career options and pathways. Nontraditional career opportunities discussed include expanded consulting roles in pricing analytics and drug pricing programs (contracting, 340B programs), pharmacogenomics patient consult services and clinics, specialty drug pharmacies, and compounding pharmacy services. To continue to develop high-performing pharmacy departments, pharmacy directors should recognize these roles and ensure they are clearly defined and managed. With the advent of these nontraditional opportunities, pharmacy departments can further expand their ability to provide advanced patient-centered pharmacy services. PMID:28057956

Eastern Washington Intermodal Transportation Study Scope of Work

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-02-04

This document presents a detailed Scope of Work to guide implementation of : the Eastern Washington Intermodal Transportation Study. Included is a : description of project management and staff responsibilities, a detailed work : plan and timetable fo...

An expanded conceptual framework for solution-focused management of chemical pollution in European waters.

PubMed

Munthe, John; Brorström-Lundén, Eva; Rahmberg, Magnus; Posthuma, Leo; Altenburger, Rolf; Brack, Werner; Bunke, Dirk; Engelen, Guy; Gawlik, Bernd Manfred; van Gils, Jos; Herráez, David López; Rydberg, Tomas; Slobodnik, Jaroslav; van Wezel, Annemarie

2017-01-01

This paper describes a conceptual framework for solutions-focused management of chemical contaminants built on novel and systematic approaches for identifying, quantifying and reducing risks of these substances. The conceptual framework was developed in interaction with stakeholders representing relevant authorities and organisations responsible for managing environmental quality of water bodies. Stakeholder needs were compiled via a survey and dialogue. The content of the conceptual framework was thereafter developed with inputs from relevant scientific disciplines. The conceptual framework consists of four access points: Chemicals, Environment, Abatement and Society, representing different aspects and approaches to engaging in the issue of chemical contamination of surface waters. It widens the scope for assessment and management of chemicals in comparison to a traditional (mostly) perchemical risk assessment approaches by including abatement- and societal approaches as optional solutions. The solution-focused approach implies an identification of abatement- and policy options upfront in the risk assessment process. The conceptual framework was designed for use in current and future chemical pollution assessments for the aquatic environment, including the specific challenges encountered in prioritising individual chemicals and mixtures, and is applicable for the development of approaches for safe chemical management in a broader sense. The four access points of the conceptual framework are interlinked by four key topics representing the main scientific challenges that need to be addressed, i.e.: identifying and prioritising hazardous chemicals at different scales; selecting relevant and efficient abatement options; providing regulatory support for chemicals management; predicting and prioritising future chemical risks. The conceptual framework aligns current challenges in the safe production and use of chemicals. The current state of knowledge and implementation of these challenges is described. The use of the conceptual framework, and addressing the challenges, is intended to support: (1) forwarding sustainable use of chemicals, (2) identification of pollutants of priority concern for cost-effective management, (3) the selection of optimal abatement options and (4) the development and use of optimised legal and policy instruments.

Outcomes of gastrointestinal defect closure with an over-the-scope clip system in a multicenter experience: An analysis of a successful suction method

PubMed Central

Kobara, Hideki; Mori, Hirohito; Fujihara, Shintaro; Nishiyama, Noriko; Chiyo, Taiga; Yamada, Takayoshi; Fujiwara, Masao; Okano, Keiichi; Suzuki, Yasuyuki; Murota, Masayuki; Ikeda, Yoshitaka; Oryu, Makoto; AboEllail, Mohamed; Masaki, Tsutomu

2017-01-01

AIM To demonstrate the clinical outcomes of a multicenter experience and to suggest guidelines for choosing a suction method. METHODS This retrospective study at 5 medical centers involved 58 consecutive patients undergoing over-the-scope clips (OTSCs) placement. The overall rates of technical success (TSR), clinical success (CSR), complications, and procedure time were analyzed as major outcomes. Subsequently, 56 patients, excluding two cases that used the Anchor device, were divided into two groups: 14 cases of simple suction (SS-group) and 42 cases using the Twin Grasper (TG-group). Secondary evaluation was performed to clarify the predictors of OTSC success. RESULTS The TSR, CSR, complication rate, and median procedure time were 89.7%, 84.5%, 1.8%, and 8 (range 1-36) min, respectively, demonstrating good outcomes. However, significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the mean procedure time (5.9 min vs 14.1 min). The CSR of the SS- and TG-groups among cases with a maximum defect size ≤ 10 mm and immediate or acute refractory bleeding was 100%, which suggests that SS is a better method than TG in terms of time efficacy. The CSR in the SS-group (78.6%), despite the technical success of the SS method (TSR, 100%), tended to decrease due to delayed leakage compared to that in the TG-group (TSR, CSR; 88.1%), indicating that TG may be desirable for leaks and fistulae with defects of the entire layer. CONCLUSION OTSC system is a safe and effective therapeutic option for gastrointestinal defects. Individualized selection of the suction method based on particular clinical conditions may contribute to the improvement of OTSC success. PMID:28321166

Voluntary Informed Consent in Paediatric Oncology Research.

PubMed

Dekking, Sara A S; Van Der Graaf, Rieke; Van Delden, Johannes J M

2016-07-01

In paediatric oncology, research and treatments are often closely combined, which may compromise voluntary informed consent of parents. We identified two key scenarios in which voluntary informed consent for paediatric oncology studies is potentially compromised due to the intertwinement of research and care. The first scenario is inclusion by the treating paediatric oncologist, the second scenario concerns treatments confined to the research context. In this article we examine whether voluntary informed consent of parents for research is compromised in these two scenarios, and if so whether this is also morally problematic. For this, we employ the account of voluntary consent from Nelson and colleagues, who assert that voluntary consent requires substantial freedom from controlling influences. We argue that, in the absence of persuasion or manipulation, inclusion by the treating physician does not compromise voluntariness. However, it may function as a risk factor for controlling influence as it narrows the scope within which parents make decisions. Furthermore, physician appeal to reciprocity is not controlling as it constitutes persuasion. In addition, framing information is a form of informational manipulation and constitutes a controlling influence. In the second scenario, treatments confined to the research context qualify as controlling if the available options are restricted through manipulation of options. Although none of the influences is morally problematic in itself, a combination of influences may create morally problematic instances of involuntary informed consent. Therefore, safeguards should be implemented to establish an optimal environment for parents to provide voluntary informed consent in an integrated research-care context. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Exploration of Scenarios to Support Sustainable Land Management Using Integrated Environmental Socio-economic Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleskens, L.; Nainggolan, D.; Stringer, L. C.

2014-11-01

Scenario analysis constitutes a valuable deployment method for scientific models to inform environmental decision-making, particularly for evaluating land degradation mitigation options, which are rarely based on formal analysis. In this paper we demonstrate such an assessment using the PESERA-DESMICE modeling framework with various scenarios for 13 global land degradation hotspots. Starting with an initial assessment representing land degradation and productivity under current conditions, options to combat instances of land degradation are explored by determining: (1) Which technologies are most biophysically appropriate and most financially viable in which locations; we term these the "technology scenarios"; (2) how policy instruments such as subsidies influence upfront investment requirements and financial viability and how they lead to reduced levels of land degradation; we term these the "policy scenarios"; and (3) how technology adoption affects development issues such as food production and livelihoods; we term these the "global scenarios". Technology scenarios help choose the best technology for a given area in biophysical and financial terms, thereby outlining where policy support may be needed to promote adoption; policy scenarios assess whether a policy alternative leads to a greater extent of technology adoption; while global scenarios demonstrate how implementing technologies may serve wider sustainable development goals. Scenarios are applied to assess spatial variation within study sites as well as to compare across different sites. Our results show significant scope to combat land degradation and raise agricultural productivity at moderate cost. We conclude that scenario assessment can provide informative input to multi-level land management decision-making processes.

Safeguards Options for Natural Uranium Conversion Facilities ? A Collaborative Effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Energy Commission of Brazil (CNEN)

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

Raffo-Caiado, Ana Claudia; Begovich, John M; Ferrada, Juan J

2008-01-01

In 2005, the National Nuclear Energy Commission of Brazil (CNEN) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) agreed on a collaborative effort to evaluate measures that can strengthen the effectiveness of international safeguards at a natural uranium conversion plant (NUCP). The work was performed by DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and CNEN. A generic model of an NUCP was developed and typical processing steps were defined. The study, completed in early 2007, identified potential safeguards measures and evaluated their effectiveness and impacts on operations. In addition, advanced instrumentation and techniques for verification purposes were identified and investigated. The scope ofmore » the work was framed by the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) 2003 revised policy concerning the starting point of safeguards at uranium conversion facilities. Before this policy, only the final products of the uranium conversion plant were considered to be of composition and purity suitable for use in the nuclear fuel cycle and, therefore, subject to AEA safeguards control. DOE and CNEN have explored options for implementing the IAEA policy, although Brazil understands that the new policy established by the IAEA is beyond the framework of the Quadripartite Agreement of which it is one of the parties, together with Argentina, the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials, and the IAEA. This paper highlights the findings of this joint collaborative effort and identifies technical measures to strengthen international safeguards in NUCPs.« less

Attitudes to reproductive genetic testing in women who had a positive BRCA test before having children: a qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

Ormondroyd, Elizabeth; Donnelly, Louise; Moynihan, Clare; Savona, Cornelie; Bancroft, Elizabeth; Evans, D Gareth; Eeles, Rosalind; Lavery, Stuart; Watson, Maggie

2012-01-01

The scope of conditions for which preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is licensed has recently been expanded in the United Kingdom to include genetic predisposition to adult-onset cancer. This qualitative interview study explores reproductive decision making, knowledge of and attitudes to reproductive genetic testing (prenatal diagnosis and PGD) with 25 women aged 18–45 years who received a positive BRCA test in the United Kingdom before having children. In this cohort of younger women, BRCA testing was motivated by risk management decisions; for some, BRCA status has affected their later decisions about having children. The perceived severity of hereditary breast/ovarian cancer (HBOC) influences thoughts about passing on the mutation to children and willingness to consider reproductive genetic testing, but most participants do not believe HBOC is a condition for which pregnancy termination is justified. PGD is considered more acceptable and advantageous because it would prevent transmission to future generations, but women have concerns about selecting embryos and the fact that they and affected family members would not have been selected. Women would also be deterred by the need to undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and ovarian stimulation for PGD. Awareness of reproductive testing options was very variable among the cohort. The findings highlight the complexities of reproductive decision making for young women who knowingly carry a BRCA mutation, and the dilemmas inherent to reproductive genetic testing when the condition being tested for also affects a prospective parent. Counselling and psychological support for BRCA-positive women and couples concerning reproductive options are strongly indicated. PMID:21811309

An exploration of scenarios to support sustainable land management using integrated environmental socio-economic models.

PubMed

Fleskens, L; Nainggolan, D; Stringer, L C

2014-11-01

Scenario analysis constitutes a valuable deployment method for scientific models to inform environmental decision-making, particularly for evaluating land degradation mitigation options, which are rarely based on formal analysis. In this paper we demonstrate such an assessment using the PESERA-DESMICE modeling framework with various scenarios for 13 global land degradation hotspots. Starting with an initial assessment representing land degradation and productivity under current conditions, options to combat instances of land degradation are explored by determining: (1) Which technologies are most biophysically appropriate and most financially viable in which locations; we term these the "technology scenarios"; (2) how policy instruments such as subsidies influence upfront investment requirements and financial viability and how they lead to reduced levels of land degradation; we term these the "policy scenarios"; and (3) how technology adoption affects development issues such as food production and livelihoods; we term these the "global scenarios". Technology scenarios help choose the best technology for a given area in biophysical and financial terms, thereby outlining where policy support may be needed to promote adoption; policy scenarios assess whether a policy alternative leads to a greater extent of technology adoption; while global scenarios demonstrate how implementing technologies may serve wider sustainable development goals. Scenarios are applied to assess spatial variation within study sites as well as to compare across different sites. Our results show significant scope to combat land degradation and raise agricultural productivity at moderate cost. We conclude that scenario assessment can provide informative input to multi-level land management decision-making processes.

EarthScope National Office Education and Outreach Program: 2013 Update on Activities and Outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semken, S. C.; Robinson, S.; Bohon, W.; Schwab, P.; Arrowsmith, R.; Garnero, E. J.; Fouch, M. J.; Pettis, L.; Baumback, D.; Dick, C.

2013-12-01

The EarthScope Program (www.earthscope.org) funded by the National Science Foundation, fosters interdisciplinary exploration of the geologic structure and evolution of the North American continent by means of seismology, geodesy, magnetotellurics, in-situ fault-zone sampling, geochronology, and high-resolution topographic measurements. Data and findings from EarthScope continue to transform geoscientific studies throughout the Earth, enhance understanding and mitigation of hazards, and inform applications of geoscience toward environmental sustainability. The EarthScope Program also marshals significant resources and opportunities for education and outreach (E&O) in the Earth system sciences. The EarthScope National Office (ESNO) at Arizona State University serves all EarthScope stakeholders, including the EarthScope Steering Committee, researchers, educators, students, and the general public. ESNO supports and promotes E&O through social media and web-hosted resources, newsletters and published articles, E&O workshops for informal educators (interpreters), assistance to grassroots K-12 STEM teacher professional development projects (typically led by EarthScope researchers), continuing education for researchers, collaborations with other Earth-science E&O providers, and biannual national conferences. The EarthScope E&O program at ESNO leads and supports wide dissemination of the data, findings, and legacy of EarthScope. Notable activities in 2013 include expansion of social-media and web-based content, two Interpretive Workshops in the eastern United States, the Great ShakeOut, the EarthScope National Meeting in Raleigh, and continuing partnerships with affiliated E&O providers. The EarthScope National Office is supported by the National Science Foundation under grants EAR-1101100 and EAR-1216301. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Defining the Scope of Your Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

One challenge of conducting evaluations is finding the right questions to guide the work. A clear purpose for a study gives the evaluator a good sense of what information can answer the questions, and helps frame the scope of the project as a whole. Knowing the scope of the evaluation project provides a sense of the resources needed. A common…

A scoping review of pediatric economic evaluation 1980-2014: do trends over time reflect changing priorities in evaluation methods and childhood disease?

PubMed

Sullivan, Shannon M; Tsiplova, Kate; Ungar, Wendy J

2016-10-01

Economic evaluations conducted in children have unique features compared to adults. Important developments in pediatric economic evaluation in recent years include new options for valuing health states for cost-utility analysis (CUA) and shifting child health priorities. The Pediatric Economic Database Evaluation (PEDE) project includes a comprehensive database of pediatric health economic evaluations published since 1980. The objective of this scoping review was to identify trends over time in the use of CUA and other analytic techniques, and the therapeutic areas chosen for study. Areas covered: Medical and grey literature were searched, key characteristics were extracted, frequencies were tabulated and cross-tabulations were performed. Differences between early (1980 and 1999) and late (2000 and 2014) periods were assessed using a chi-squared statistic. Of the 2,776 pediatric economic evaluations published between 1980 and 2014, substantially more were cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and CUAs than cost benefit analyses and cost minimization analyses (63.9 and 24.9% versus 7.6 and 3.6%, respectively). This pattern was consistent regardless of the type of intervention, disease or age group studied. A trend toward higher proportions of CUAs and CEAs was evident in the later period (X 2 p < 0.0001). Other significant trends included a higher proportion of studies of preventive interventions (X 2 p < 0.0001), and more studies in children aged 1 to 12 years and fewer in perinates in the later period (X 2 p < 0.0001). Overall the most common disease class studied was infectious diseases (29.2%). Expert commentary: Pediatric economic evaluation continues to grow in volume and methodologic complexity. While CUAs have increased, whether their quality has improved remains unknown. Although most studies are in infectious disease, the volume of publications may not align with emerging child health priorities such as adolescent health, injury, developmental disabilities, mental health, and the use of personalized medicine. Increasing economic evaluations in these areas will enhance pediatric decision-making.

Attitudes of local communities towards conservation of mangrove forests: A case study from the east coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badola, Ruchi; Barthwal, Shivani; Hussain, Syed Ainul

2012-01-01

The ecological and economic importance of mangrove ecosystems is well established and highlighted by studies establishing a correlation between the protective function of mangroves and the loss of lives and property caused by coastal hazards. Nevertheless, degradation of this ecosystem remains a matter of concern, emphasizing the fact that effective conservation of natural resources is possible only with an understanding of the attitudes and perceptions of local communities. In the present study, we examined the attitudes and perceptions of local communities towards mangrove forests through questionnaire surveys in 36 villages in the Bhitarkanika Conservation Area, India. The sample villages were selected from 336 villages using hierarchical cluster analysis. The study revealed that local communities in the area had positive attitudes towards conservation and that their demographic and socio-economic conditions influenced people's attitudes. Local communities valued those functions of mangrove forests that were directly linked to their wellbeing. Despite human-wildlife conflict, the attitudes of the local communities were not altogether negative, and they were willing to participate in mangrove restoration. People agreed to adopt alternative resources if access to forest resources were curtailed. Respondents living near the forests, who could not afford alternatives, admitted that they would resort to pilfering. Hence, increasing their livelihood options may reduce the pressure on mangrove forests. In contrast with other ecosystems, the linkages of mangrove ecosystem services with local livelihoods and security are direct and tangible. It is therefore possible to develop strong local support for sustainable management of mangrove forests in areas where a positive attitude towards mangrove conservation prevails. The current debates on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and payment for ecosystem services provide ample scope for development of sustainable livelihood options for local communities from the conservation of critical ecosystems such as mangroves.

The Effects of Home-Based Cognitive Training on Verbal Working Memory and Language Comprehension in Older Adulthood

PubMed Central

Payne, Brennan R.; Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A. L.

2017-01-01

Effective language understanding is crucial to maintaining cognitive abilities and learning new information through adulthood. However, age-related declines in working memory (WM) have a robust negative influence on multiple aspects of language comprehension and use, potentially limiting communicative competence. In the current study (N = 41), we examined the effects of a novel home-based computerized cognitive training program targeting verbal WM on changes in verbal WM and language comprehension in healthy older adults relative to an active component-control group. Participants in the WM training group showed non-linear improvements in performance on trained verbal WM tasks. Relative to the active control group, WM training participants also showed improvements on untrained verbal WM tasks and selective improvements across untrained dimensions of language, including sentence memory, verbal fluency, and comprehension of syntactically ambiguous sentences. Though the current study is preliminary in nature, it does provide initial promising evidence that WM training may influence components of language comprehension in adulthood and suggests that home-based training of WM may be a viable option for probing the scope and limits of cognitive plasticity in older adults. PMID:28848421

SLS launched missions concept studies for LUVOIR mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stahl, H. Philip; Hopkins, Randall C.

2015-09-01

NASA's "Enduring Quests Daring Visions" report calls for an 8- to 16-m Large UV-Optical-IR (LUVOIR) Surveyor mission to enable ultra-high-contrast spectroscopy and coronagraphy. AURA's "From Cosmic Birth to Living Earth" report calls for a 12-m class High-Definition Space Telescope to pursue transformational scientific discoveries. The multi-center ATLAST Team is working to meet these needs. The MSFC Team is examining potential concepts that leverage the advantages of the SLS (Space Launch System). A key challenge is how to affordably get a large telescope into space. The JWST design was severely constrained by the mass and volume capacities of its launch vehicle. This problem is solved by using an SLS Block II-B rocket with its 10-m diameter x 30-m tall fairing and estimated 45 mt payload to SE-L2. Previously, two development study cycles produced a detailed concept called ATLAST-8. Using ATLAST-8 as a point of departure, this paper reports on a new ATLAST-12 concept. ATLAST-12 is a 12-m class segmented aperture LUVOIR with an 8-m class center segment. Thus, ATLAST-8 is now a de-scope option.

Degradation of chlorophenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates, two representative textile chemicals, in water by advanced oxidation processes: the state of the art on transformation products and toxicity.

PubMed

Karci, Akin

2014-03-01

Advanced oxidation processes based on the generation of reactive species including hydroxyl radicals are viable options in eliminating a wide array of refractory organic contaminants in industrial effluents. The assessment of transformation products and toxicity should be, however, the critical point that would allow the overall efficiency of advanced oxidation processes to be better understood and evaluated since some transformation products could have an inhibitory effect on certain organisms. This article reviews the most recent studies on transformation products and toxicity for evaluating advanced oxidation processes in eliminating classes of compounds described as "textile chemicals" from aqueous matrices and poses questions in need of further investigation. The scope of this paper is limited to the scientific studies with two classes of textile chemicals, namely chlorophenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates, whose use in textile industry is a matter of debate due to health risks to humans and harm to the environment. The article also raises the critical question: What is the state of the art knowledge on relationships between transformation products and toxicity? Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Searching fee and non-fee toxicology information resources: an overview of selected databases.

PubMed

Wright, L L

2001-01-12

Toxicology profiles organize information by broad subjects, the first of which affirms identity of the agent studied. Studies here show two non-fee databases (ChemFinder and ChemIDplus) verify the identity of compounds with high efficiency (63% and 73% respectively) with the fee-based Chemical Abstracts Registry file serving well to fill data gaps (100%). Continued searching proceeds using knowledge of structure, scope and content to select databases. Valuable sources for information are factual databases that collect data and facts in special subject areas organized in formats available for analysis or use. Some sources representative of factual files are RTECS, CCRIS, HSDB, GENE-TOX and IRIS. Numerous factual databases offer a wealth of reliable information; however, exhaustive searches probe information published in journal articles and/or technical reports with records residing in bibliographic databases such as BIOSIS, EMBASE, MEDLINE, TOXLINE and Web of Science. Listed with descriptions are numerous factual and bibliographic databases supplied by 11 producers. Given the multitude of options and resources, it is often necessary to seek service desk assistance. Questions were posed by telephone and e-mail to service desks at DIALOG, ISI, MEDLARS, Micromedex and STN International. Results of the survey are reported.

Parasitoids of Queensland Fruit Fly Bactrocera tryoni in Australia and Prospects for Improved Biological Control

PubMed Central

Zamek, Ashley L.; Spinner, Jennifer E.; Micallef, Jessica L.; Gurr, Geoff M.; Reynolds, Olivia L.

2012-01-01

This review draws together available information on the biology, methods for study, and culturing of hymenopteran parasitoids of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, and assesses prospects for improving biological control of this serious pest. Augmentative release of the native and naturalised Australian parasitoids, especially the braconid Diachasmimorpha tryoni, may result in better management of B. tryoni in some parts of Australia. Mass releases are an especially attractive option for areas of inland eastern Australia around the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone that produces B. tryoni-free fruits for export. Diachasmimorpha tryoni has been successful in other locations such as Hawaii for the biological control of other fruit fly species. Biological control could contribute to local eradication of isolated outbreaks and more general suppression and/or eradication of the B. tryoni population in endemic areas. Combining biological control with the use of sterile insect technique offers scope for synergy because the former is most effective at high pest densities and the latter most economical when the pest becomes scarce. Recommendations are made on methods for culturing and study of four B. tryoni parasitoids present in Australia along with research priorities for optimising augmentative biological control of B. tryoni. PMID:26466726

North Cascades National Park Service Complex

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, Robert; Woodward, Andrea; Haggerty, Patricia K.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Griffin, Paul C.; Adams, Michael J.; Hagar, Joan; Cummings, Tonnie; Duriscoe, Dan; Kopper, Karen; Riedel, Jon; Marin, Lelaina; Mauger, Guillaume S; Bumbaco, Karen; Littell, Jeremy S.

2015-01-01

Natural Resource Condition Assessments (NRCAs) evaluate current conditions for a subset of natural resources and resource indicators in national parks. NRCAs also report on trends in resource condition (when possible), identify critical data gaps, and characterize a general level of confidence for study findings. The resources and indicators emphasized in a given project depend on the park’s resource setting, status of resource stewardship planning and science in identifying high-priority indicators, and availability of data and expertise to assess current conditions for a variety of potential study resources and indicators. Although the primary objective of NRCAs is to report on current conditions relative to logical forms of reference conditions and values, NRCAs also report on trends, when appropriate (i.e., when the underlying data and methods support such reporting), as well as influences on resource conditions. These influences may include past activities or conditions that provide a helpful context for understanding current conditions and present-day threats and stressors that are best interpreted at park, watershed, or landscape scales (though NRCAs do not report on condition status for land areas and natural resources beyond park boundaries). Intensive cause-andeffect analyses of threats and stressors, and development of detailed treatment options, are outside the scope of NRCAs.

The Effects of Home-Based Cognitive Training on Verbal Working Memory and Language Comprehension in Older Adulthood.

PubMed

Payne, Brennan R; Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A L

2017-01-01

Effective language understanding is crucial to maintaining cognitive abilities and learning new information through adulthood. However, age-related declines in working memory (WM) have a robust negative influence on multiple aspects of language comprehension and use, potentially limiting communicative competence. In the current study ( N = 41), we examined the effects of a novel home-based computerized cognitive training program targeting verbal WM on changes in verbal WM and language comprehension in healthy older adults relative to an active component-control group. Participants in the WM training group showed non-linear improvements in performance on trained verbal WM tasks. Relative to the active control group, WM training participants also showed improvements on untrained verbal WM tasks and selective improvements across untrained dimensions of language, including sentence memory, verbal fluency, and comprehension of syntactically ambiguous sentences. Though the current study is preliminary in nature, it does provide initial promising evidence that WM training may influence components of language comprehension in adulthood and suggests that home-based training of WM may be a viable option for probing the scope and limits of cognitive plasticity in older adults.

SLS Launched Missions Concept Studies for LUVOIR Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip; Hopkins, Randall C.

2015-01-01

NASA's "Enduring Quests Daring Visions" report calls for an 8- to 16-meter Large UV-Optical-IR (LUVOIR) Surveyor mission to enable ultra-high-contrast spectroscopy and coronagraphy. AURA's "From Cosmic Birth to Living Earth" report calls for a 12-meter class High-Definition Space Telescope to pursue transformational scientific discoveries. The multi-center ATLAST Team is working to meet these needs. The MSFC Team is examining potential concepts that leverage the advantages of the SLS (Space Launch System). A key challenge is how to affordably get a large telescope into space. The JWST design was severely constrained by the mass and volume capacities of its launch vehicle. This problem is solved by using an SLS Block II-B rocket with its 10-m diameter x 30-m tall fairing and 45 mt payload to SE-L2. Previously, two development study cycles produced a detailed concept called ATLAST-8. Using ATLAST-8 as a point of departure, this paper reports on a new ATLAST-12 concept. ATLAST-12 is a 12-meter class segmented aperture LUVOIR with an 8-m class center segment. Thus, ATLAST-8 is now a de-scope option.

Effectiveness of problem-based learning in Chinese pharmacy education: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhou, Jiyin; Zhou, Shiwen; Huang, Chunji; Xu, Rufu; Zhang, Zuo; Zeng, Shengya; Qian, Guisheng

2016-01-19

This review provides a critical overview of problem-based learning (PBL) practices in Chinese pharmacy education. PBL has yet to be widely applied in pharmaceutical education in China. The results of those studies that have been conducted are published in Chinese and thus may not be easily accessible to international researchers. Therefore, this meta-analysis was carried out to review the effectiveness of PBL. Databases were searched for studies in accordance with the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently performed the study identification and data extraction. A meta-analysis was conducted using Revman 5.3 software. Sixteen randomized controlled trials were included. The meta-analysis revealed that PBL had a positive association with higher theoretical scores (SMD = 1.17, 95% CI [0.77, 11.57], P < 0.00001). The questionnaire results show that PBL methods are superior to conventional teaching methods in improving students' learning interest, independent analysis skills, scope of knowledge, self-study, team spirit, and oral expression. This meta-analysis indicates that PBL pedagogy is superior to traditional lecture-based teaching in Chinese pharmacy education. PBL methods could be an optional, supplementary method of pharmaceutical teaching in China. However, Chinese pharmacy colleges and universities should revise PBL curricula according to their own needs, which would maximize the effectiveness of PBL.

Scoping study for a national strategic plan for transportation information management

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-06-01

To address the lack of management for transportation information, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Standing Committee on Research determined that a scoping study should be done to examine the major issues confron...

Enhancing protection for vulnerable waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creed, Irena F.; Lane, Charles R.; Serran, Jacqueline N.; Alexander, Laurie C.; Basu, Nandita B.; Calhoun, Aram J. K.; Christensen, Jay R.; Cohen, Matthew J.; Craft, Christopher; D'Amico, Ellen; Dekeyser, Edward; Fowler, Laurie; Golden, Heather E.; Jawitz, James W.; Kalla, Peter; Kirkman, L. Katherine; Lang, Megan; Leibowitz, Scott G.; Lewis, David B.; Marton, John; McLaughlin, Daniel L.; Raanan-Kiperwas, Hadas; Rains, Mark C.; Rains, Kai C.; Smith, Lora

2017-11-01

Governments worldwide do not adequately protect their limited freshwater systems and therefore place freshwater functions and attendant ecosystem services at risk. The best available scientific evidence compels enhanced protections for freshwater systems, especially for impermanent streams and wetlands outside of floodplains that are particularly vulnerable to alteration or destruction. New approaches to freshwater sustainability -- implemented through scientifically informed adaptive management -- are required to protect freshwater systems through periods of changing societal needs. One such approach introduced in the US in 2015 is the Clean Water Rule, which clarified the jurisdictional scope for federally protected waters. However, within hours of its implementation litigants convinced the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to stay the rule, and the subsequently elected administration has now placed it under review for potential revision or rescission. Regardless of its outcome at the federal level, policy and management discussions initiated by the propagation of this rare rulemaking event have potential far-reaching implications at all levels of government across the US and worldwide. At this timely juncture, we provide a scientific rationale and three policy options for all levels of government to meaningfully enhance protection of these vulnerable waters. A fourth option, a 'do-nothing' approach, is wholly inconsistent with the well-established scientific evidence of the importance of these vulnerable waters.

The role of anaerobic digestion in the emerging energy economy.

PubMed

Batstone, Damien John; Virdis, Bernardino

2014-06-01

Anaerobic digestion is the default process for biological conversion of residue organics to renewable energy and biofuel in the form of methane. However, its scope of application is expanding, due to availability of new technologies, and the emerging drivers of energy and nutrient conservation and recovery. Here, we outline two of these new application areas, namely wastewater nutrient and energy recovery, and generation of value added chemicals through mixed culture biotechnology. There exist two options for nutrient and energy recovery from domestic wastewater: low energy mainline and partition-release-recovery. Both are heavily dependent on anaerobic digestion as an energy generating and nutrient release step, and have been enabled by new technologies such as low emission anaerobic membrane processes. The area of mixed culture biotechnology has been previously identified as a key industrial opportunity, but is now moving closer to application due application of existing and new technologies. As well as acting as a core technology option in bioproduction, anaerobic digestion has a key role in residual waste valorization and generation of energy for downstream processing. These new application areas and technologies are emerging simultaneously with substantial advances in knowledge of underlying mechanisms such as electron transfer, understanding of which is critical to development of the new application areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 34431 - Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Steam Electric Power Generating Point...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-07

...EPA is proposing a regulation that would strengthen the controls on discharges from certain steam electric power plants by revising technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards for the steam electric power generating point source category. Steam electric power plants alone contribute 50-60 percent of all toxic pollutants discharged to surface waters by all industrial categories currently regulated in the United States under the Clean Water Act. Furthermore, power plant discharges to surface waters are expected to increase as pollutants are increasingly captured by air pollution controls and transferred to wastewater discharges. This proposal, if implemented, would reduce the amount of toxic metals and other pollutants discharged to surface waters from power plants. EPA is considering several regulatory options in this rulemaking and has identified four preferred alternatives for regulation of discharges from existing sources. These four preferred alternatives differ with respect to the scope of requirements that would be applicable to existing discharges of pollutants found in two wastestreams generated at power plants. EPA estimates that the preferred options for this proposed rule would annually reduce pollutant discharges by 0.47 billion to 2.62 billion pounds, reduce water use by 50 billion to 103 billion gallons, cost $185 million to $954 million, and would be economically achievable.

Funding issues and options for pharmacists providing sessional services to rural hospitals in Australia.

PubMed

Tan, Amy Cw; Emmerton, Lynne M; Hattingh, H Laetitia; La Caze, Adam

2015-06-01

Many of Australia' s rural hospitals operate without an on-site pharmacist. In some, community pharmacists have sessional contracts to provide medication management services to inpatients. This paper discusses the funding arrangements of identified sessional employment models to raise awareness of options for other rural hospitals. Semistructured one-on-one interviews were conducted with rural pharmacists with experience in a sessional employment role (n =8) or who were seeking sessional arrangements (n = 4). Participants were identified via publicity and referrals. Interviews were conducted via telephone or Skype for ~40-55 min each, recorded and analysed descriptively. A shortage of state funding and reliance on federal funding was reported. Pharmacists accredited to provide medication reviews claimed remuneration via these federal schemes; however, restrictive criteria limited their scope of services. Funds pooling to subsidise remuneration for the pharmacists was evident and arrangements with local community pharmacies provided business frameworks to support sessional services. Participants were unaware of each other's models of practice, highlighting the need to share information and these findings. Several similarities existed, namely, pooling funds and use of federal medication review remuneration. Findings highlighted the need for a stable remuneration pathway and business model to enable wider implementation of sessional pharmacist models.

Population Biology of Schistosoma Mating, Aggregation, and Transmission Breakpoints: More Reliable Model Analysis for the End-Game in Communities at Risk

PubMed Central

Gurarie, David; King, Charles H.

2014-01-01

Mathematical modeling is widely used for predictive analysis of control options for infectious agents. Challenging problems arise for modeling host-parasite systems having complex life-cycles and transmission environments. Macroparasites, like Schistosoma, inhabit highly fragmented habitats that shape their reproductive success and distribution. Overdispersion and mating success are important factors to consider in modeling control options for such systems. Simpler models based on mean worm burden (MWB) formulations do not take these into account and overestimate transmission. Proposed MWB revisions have employed prescribed distributions and mating factor corrections to derive modified MWB models that have qualitatively different equilibria, including ‘breakpoints’ below which the parasite goes to extinction, suggesting the possibility of elimination via long-term mass-treatment control. Despite common use, no one has attempted to validate the scope and hypotheses underlying such MWB approaches. We conducted a systematic analysis of both the classical MWB and more recent “stratified worm burden” (SWB) modeling that accounts for mating and reproductive hurdles (Allee effect). Our analysis reveals some similarities, including breakpoints, between MWB and SWB, but also significant differences between the two types of model. We show the classic MWB has inherent inconsistencies, and propose SWB as a reliable alternative for projection of long-term control outcomes. PMID:25549362

Bioavailability-Based In Situ Remediation To Meet Future Lead (Pb) Standards in Urban Soils and Gardens

DOE PAGES

Henry, Heather; Naujokas, Marisa F.; Attanayake, Chammi; ...

2015-07-03

Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered the blood Pb reference value to 5 μg/dL. The lower reference value combined with increased repurposing of postindustrial lands are heightening concerns and driving interest in reducing soil Pb exposures. As a result, regulatory decision makers may lower residential soil screening levels (SSLs), used in setting Pb cleanup levels, to levels that may be difficult to achieve, especially in urban areas. This study discusses challenges in remediation and bioavailability assessments of Pb in urban soils in the context of lower SSLs and identifies research needs to better address those challenges. Althoughmore » in situ remediation with phosphate amendments is a viable option, the scope of the problem and conditions in urban settings may necessitate that SSLs be based on bioavailable rather than total Pb concentrations. However, variability in soil composition can influence bioavailability testing and soil amendment effectiveness. Finally, more data are urgently needed to better understand this variability and increase confidence in using these approaches in risk-based decision making, particularly in urban areas.« less

Bioavailability-Based In Situ Remediation To Meet Future Lead (Pb) Standards in Urban Soils and Gardens

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

Henry, Heather; Naujokas, Marisa F.; Attanayake, Chammi

Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered the blood Pb reference value to 5 μg/dL. The lower reference value combined with increased repurposing of postindustrial lands are heightening concerns and driving interest in reducing soil Pb exposures. As a result, regulatory decision makers may lower residential soil screening levels (SSLs), used in setting Pb cleanup levels, to levels that may be difficult to achieve, especially in urban areas. This study discusses challenges in remediation and bioavailability assessments of Pb in urban soils in the context of lower SSLs and identifies research needs to better address those challenges. Althoughmore » in situ remediation with phosphate amendments is a viable option, the scope of the problem and conditions in urban settings may necessitate that SSLs be based on bioavailable rather than total Pb concentrations. However, variability in soil composition can influence bioavailability testing and soil amendment effectiveness. Finally, more data are urgently needed to better understand this variability and increase confidence in using these approaches in risk-based decision making, particularly in urban areas.« less

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

Huetter, J.J. Jr.

The overall feasibility of retrofit for hydroelectric power generation at the Patillas Reservoir, an existing impoundment located near the town of Patillas, Puerto Rico, was studied. The scope of work and project intent is limited to establishing valid acceptance or non-acceptance criteria for this specific site as an example of power generation potential at existing dams of relatively low head (less than or equal to 20 m) in the United States. Information is included on hydrologic conditions at the site, retrofit plant design, economic analysis, environmental, legal, social and institutional aspects, and availability of plant equipment. It is concluded thatmore » generation of hydropower at Patillas is entirely practical and uncomplicated from an engineering viewpoint, has no adverse environmental effects and is economically justifiable for the island of Puerto Rico. The final agency or contractor roles for development are reasonably well-established. There are no prohibitory laws or regulations concerning this development. In fact, according to Puerto Rico legislation, such hydropower developments appear to be mandated. The installed capacity of the site ranges from 665 kW to approximately 1500 kW depending on extent of development of the available options. (LCL)« less

40 CFR 792.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICE STANDARDS General Provisions § 792.1 Scope. (a) This part prescribes good laboratory practices for conducting studies relating to health effects, environmental effects, and chemical...

40 CFR 792.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICE STANDARDS General Provisions § 792.1 Scope. (a) This part prescribes good laboratory practices for conducting studies relating to health effects, environmental effects, and chemical...

Exploring extended scope of practice in dietetics: A systems approach.

PubMed

Ryan, Dominique; Pelly, Fiona; Purcell, Elizabeth

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' perceptions of an extended scope of a practice clinic, and develop a framework using a systems approach to facilitate extended scope models across various health settings. A qualitative investigation using semi-structured interviews with four health professionals involved in an extended scope dietitian-led gastroenterology clinic in a hospital in regional Queensland was conducted. A case study design was utilised to investigate interviewees' perceptions of the clinic. Participants were conveniently, purposively sampled. Transcript analysis involved a descriptive analytical approach. Interviewee responses were coded and categorised into themes, and investigator triangulation was used to ensure consistency between individual analyses. A secondary interpretative analysis was conducted where relationships between key themes were mapped to the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety work system model. Interviewees identified various factors as vital inputs to the work system. These were categorised into the four key elements: stakeholder support, resources, planning and the dietitian. Clinic outcomes were categorised into the impact on four key groups: patients, the dietitian, the multidisciplinary team and the health system. Mapping of the relationships between inputs and outcomes resulted in an implementation framework for extended scope of practice. Extended scope of practice in dietetics may provide positive outcomes for various stakeholders. However, further development of extended scope roles for dietitians requires increased advocacy and support from governments, professional bodies, training institutions and dietitians. We have developed an implementation framework which can be utilised by health professionals interested in embracing an extended scope model of care. © 2016 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Overview: Mechanism and Control of a Prosthetic Arm.

PubMed

Kulkarni, Tushar; Uddanwadiker, Rashmi

2015-09-01

Continuous growth in industrialization and lack of awareness in safety parameters the cases of amputations are growing. The search of safer, simpler and automated prosthetic arms for managing upper limbs is expected. Continuous efforts have been made to design and develop prosthetic arms ranging from simple harness actuated to automated mechanisms with various control options. However due the cost constraints, the automated prosthetic arms are still out of the reach of needy people. Recent data have shown that there is a wide scope to develop a low cost and light weight upper limb prosthesis. This review summarizes the various designs methodologies, mechanisms and control system developed by the researchers and the advances therein. Educating the patient to develop acceptability to prosthesis and using the same for the most basic desired functions of human hand, post amputation care and to improve patient's independent life is equally important. In conclusion it can be interpreted that there is a wide scope in design in an adaptive mechanism for opening and closing of the fingers using other methods of path and position synthesis. Simple mechanisms and less parts may optimize the cost factor. Reduction in the weight of the prosthesis may be achieved using polymers used for engineering applications. Control system will remain never ending challenge for the researchers, but it is essential to maintain the simplicity from the patients perspective.

Instrumentation Guidelines for the Advanced National Seismic System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Working Group on Instrumentation, Siting

2008-01-01

This document provides guidelines for the seismic-monitoring instrumentation used by long-term earthquake-monitoring stations that will sense ground motion, digitize and store the resulting signals in a local data acquisition unit, and optionally transmit these digital data. These guidelines are derived from specifications and requirements for data needed to address the nation's emergency response, engineering, and scientific needs as identified in U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1188 (1999). Data needs are discussed in terms of national, regional, and urban scales of monitoring in section 3. Functional performance specifications for instrumentation are introduced in section 4.3 and discussed in detail in section 6 in terms of instrument classes and definitions described in section 5. System aspects and testing recommendations are discussed in sections 7 and 8, respectively. Although U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1188 (1999) recommends that the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) include portable instrumentation, performance specifications for this element are not specifically addressed in this document. Nevertheless, these guidelines are largely applicable to portable instrumentation. Volcano monitoring instrumentation is also beyond the scope of this document. Guidance for ANSS structural-response monitoring is discussed briefly herein but details are deferred to the ANSS document by the ANSS Structural Response Monitoring Committee (U.S. Geological Survey, 2005). Aspects of station planning, siting, and installation other than instrumentation are beyond the scope of this document.

Report on the FY17 Development of Computer Program for ASME Section III, Division 5, Subsection HB, Subpart B Rules

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

Swindeman, M. J.; Jetter, R. I.; Sham, T. -L.

One of the objectives of the high temperature design methodology activities is to develop and validate both improvements and the basic features of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components, Division 5, High Temperature Reactors, Subsection HB, Subpart B (HBB). The overall scope of this task is to develop a computer program to aid assessment procedures of components under specified loading conditions in accordance with the elevated temperature design requirements for Division 5 Class A components. There are many features and alternative paths of varying complexity in HBB. The initial focus ofmore » this computer program is a basic path through the various options for a single reference material, 316H stainless steel. However, the computer program is being structured for eventual incorporation all of the features and permitted materials of HBB. This report will first provide a description of the overall computer program, particular challenges in developing numerical procedures for the assessment, and an overall approach to computer program development. This is followed by a more comprehensive appendix, which is the draft computer program manual for the program development. The strain limits rules have been implemented in the computer program. The evaluation of creep-fatigue damage will be implemented in future work scope.« less

Aerobic scope measurements of fishes in an era of climate change: respirometry, relevance and recommendations.

PubMed

Clark, Timothy D; Sandblom, Erik; Jutfelt, Fredrik

2013-08-01

Measurements of aerobic scope [the difference between minimum and maximum oxygen consumption rate ( and , respectively)] are increasing in prevalence as a tool to address questions relating to fish ecology and the effects of climate change. However, there are underlying issues regarding the array of methods used to measure aerobic scope across studies and species. In an attempt to enhance quality control before the diversity of issues becomes too great to remedy, this paper outlines common techniques and pitfalls associated with measurements of , and aerobic scope across species and under different experimental conditions. Additionally, we provide a brief critique of the oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance (OCLTT) hypothesis, a concept that is intricately dependent on aerobic scope measurements and is spreading wildly throughout the literature despite little evidence for its general applicability. It is the intention of this paper to encourage transparency and accuracy in future studies that measure the aerobic metabolism of fishes, and to highlight the fundamental issues with assuming broad relevance of the OCLTT hypothesis.

21 CFR 601.90 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) BIOLOGICS LICENSING Approval of Biological Products When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 601.90 Scope... subpart applies only to those biological products for which: Definitive human efficacy studies cannot be...

21 CFR 601.90 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) BIOLOGICS LICENSING Approval of Biological Products When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 601.90 Scope... subpart applies only to those biological products for which: Definitive human efficacy studies cannot be...

21 CFR 601.90 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) BIOLOGICS LICENSING Approval of Biological Products When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 601.90 Scope... subpart applies only to those biological products for which: Definitive human efficacy studies cannot be...

21 CFR 601.90 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) BIOLOGICS LICENSING Approval of Biological Products When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 601.90 Scope... subpart applies only to those biological products for which: Definitive human efficacy studies cannot be...

21 CFR 601.90 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) BIOLOGICS LICENSING Approval of Biological Products When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 601.90 Scope... subpart applies only to those biological products for which: Definitive human efficacy studies cannot be...

Entrepreneurial Decision Making Styles and Learning Strategies Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hestand, Yana

2012-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: The scope of this study was the decision making styles and the learning strategies preferences among entrepreneurs. The study utilized a descriptive research design. Internet was utilized as a data collection tool, Participant in the study were 240 entrepreneurs from the Oklahoma state, Tulsa county members of the SBA.…

Determination of dose distributions and parameter sensitivity

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

Napier, B.A.; Farris, W.T.; Simpson, J.C.

1992-12-01

A series of scoping calculations has been undertaken to evaluate the absolute and relative contribution of different radionuclides and exposure pathways to doses that may have been received by individuals living in the vicinity of the Hanford site. This scoping calculation (Calculation 005) examined the contributions of numerous parameters to the uncertainty distribution of doses calculated for environmental exposures and accumulation in foods. This study builds on the work initiated in the first scoping study of iodine in cow's milk and the third scoping study, which added additional pathways. Addressed in this calculation were the contributions to thyroid dose ofmore » infants from (1) air submersion and groundshine external dose, (2) inhalation, (3) ingestion of soil by humans, (4) ingestion of leafy vegetables, (5) ingestion of other vegetables and fruits, (6) ingestion of meat, (7) ingestion of eggs, and (8) ingestion of cows' milk from Feeding Regime 1 as described in Calculation 001.« less

40 CFR 160.1 - Scope and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... LABORATORY PRACTICE STANDARDS General Provisions § 160.1 Scope and applicability. (a) This part prescribes good laboratory practices for conducting studies that support or are intended to support applications...

Impact assessment of land use planning driving forces on environment

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

Chen, Longgao, E-mail: chenlonggao@163.com; Yang, Xiaoyan; School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116

Land use change may exert a negative impact on environmental quality. A state–impact–state (SIS) model describing a state transform under certain impacts has been integrated into land use planning (LUP) environmental impact assessment (LUPEA). This logical model is intuitive and easy to understand, but the exploration of impact is essential to establish the indicator system and to identify the scope of land use environmental impact when it is applied to a specific region. In this study, we investigated environmental driving forces from land use planning (LUPF), along with the conception, components, scope, and impact of LUPF. This method was illustratedmore » by a case study in Zoucheng, China. Through the results, we concluded that (1) the LUPF on environment are impacts originated from the implementation of LUP on a regional environment, which are characterized by four aspects: magnitude, direction, action point, and its owner; (2) various scopes of LUPF on individual environmental elements based on different standards jointly define the final scope of LUPEA; (3) our case study in Zoucheng demonstrates the practicability of this proposed approach; (4) this method can be embedded into LUPEA with direction, magnitudes, and scopes of the LUPF on individual elements obtained, and the identified indicator system can be directly employed into LUPEA and (5) the assessment helps to identify key indicators and to set up a corresponding strategy to mitigate the negative impact of LUP on the environment, which are two important objectives of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in LUP. - Highlights: • Environmental driving forces from land use planning (LUPF) are investigated and categorized. • Our method can obtains the direction, magnitudes and scopes of environmental driving forces. • The LUPEA scope is determined by the combination of various scopes of LUPF on individual elements. • LUPF assessment can be embedded into LUPEA. • The method can help to identify key indicators and set up a strategy to mitigate negative environmental impact.« less

Work Reintegration for Veterans With Mental Disorders: A Systematic Literature Review to Inform Research

PubMed Central

Fikretoglu, Deniz; Pranger, Tina; Patten, Scott; Wang, JianLi; Wong, May; Zamorski, Mark; Loisel, Patrick; Corbiére, Marc; Shields, Norman; Thompson, Jim; Pedlar, David

2013-01-01

Background Some veterans, and especially those with mental disorders, have difficulty reintegrating into the civilian workforce. Purpose The objectives of this study were to describe the scope of the existing literature on mental disorders and unemployment and to identify factors potentially associated with reintegration of workers with mental disorders into the workforce. Data Sources The following databases were searched from their respective inception dates: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index Nursing Allied Health (CINAHL), and PsycINFO. Study Selection In-scope studies had quantitative measures of employment and study populations with well-described mental disorders (eg, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance-use disorders). Data Extraction A systematic and comprehensive search of the relevant published literature up to July 2009 was conducted that identified a total of 5,195 articles. From that list, 81 in-scope studies were identified. An update to July 2012 identified 1,267 new articles, resulting in an additional 16 in-scope articles. Data Synthesis Three major categories emerged from the in-scope articles: return to work, supported employment, and reintegration. The literature on return to work and supported employment is well summarized by existing reviews. The reintegration literature included 32 in-scope articles; only 10 of these were conducted in populations of veterans. Limitations Studies of reintegration to work were not similar enough to synthesize, and it was inappropriate to pool results for this category of literature. Conclusions Comprehensive literature review found limited knowledge about how to integrate people with mental disorders into a new workplace after a prolonged absence (>1 year). Even more limited knowledge was found for veterans. The results informed the next steps for our research team to enhance successful reintegration of veterans with mental disorders into the civilian workplace. PMID:23043148

Career choice, pathways and continuing professional development of dental nurses at one institution.

PubMed

Durkan, C; Belsi, A; Johnson, R; Gallagher, J

2012-07-27

To explore the career pathways and continuing professional development of dental nurses employed at one institution relative to the scope of practice. A questionnaire exploring career pathways and continuing professional development of dental nurses was compiled and delivered to clinical departments. Responses were entered onto SPSS v17 for analysis. Ninety-eight percent (n = 64) of available nurses responded to the questionnaire survey. Eighty percent (n = 51) of the dental nurses were aged between 25 and 44 years, and 95% (n = 61) were female. The ethnicity of the workforce varied; 58% (n = 37) were White and this consequently constituted the largest ethnic group in the workforce. The dental nurses reported that they chose their profession for a wide variety of reasons, the most common one being the opportunity to progress in the dental sector. Before commencing training 38% (n = 24) were aware of their options for progression; this increased subsequent to training with between 55% (n = 35) and 66% (n = 42), depending on the option, stating that they were aware of their options for progression. Eighty-three percent (n = 53) were trained in an additional skill and all of those who were not (n = 11) stated that they would like this training. Conscious sedation was the most frequently possessed additional skill and radiography was the additional skill in which the highest proportion would like to be trained. Personal satisfaction was the most significant factor affecting the willingness of the workforce to pursue career progression. The findings suggest that amongst dental nurses employed in one institution there is evidence that the majority benefit from continuing professional development opportunities, possess additional skills and are motivated to further their skills and progress in their careers.

NSUF Ion Beam Investment Options Workshop Report

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

Heidrich, Brenden John

2016-03-01

The workshop that generated this data was convened to develop a set of recommendations (a priority list) for possible funding in the area of US domestic ion beam irradiation capabilities for nuclear energy-focused RD&D. The results of this workshop were intended for use by the Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) for consideration of support for these facilities. The workshop considered, as part of the initial potential future support discussions, input submitted through the Office of Nuclear Energy Request for Information (RFI) (DE-SOL-0008318, April 13, 2015), but welcomed discussion (and presentation) of other options, whether specific ormore » general in scope. Input from users, including DOE-NE program interests and needs for ion irradiation RD&D were also included. Participants were selected from various sources: RFI respondents, NEUP/NEET infrastructure applicants, universities with known expertise in nuclear engineering and materials science and other developed sources. During the three days from March 22-24, 2016, the workshop was held at the Idaho National Laboratory Meeting Center in the Energy Innovation Laboratory at 775 University Drive, Idaho Falls, ID 83401. Thirty-one members of the ion beam community attended the workshop, including 15 ion beam facilities, six representatives of Office of Nuclear Energy R&D programs, an industry representative from EPRI and the chairs of the NSUF User’s Organization and the NSUF Scientific Review Board. Another four ion beam users were in attendance acting as advisors to the process, but did not participate in the options assessment. Three members of the sponsoring agency, the Office of Science and Technology Innovation (NE-4) also attended the workshop.« less

Scope and impact of allergic rhinitis.

PubMed

D'Alonzo, Gilbert E

2002-06-01

Allergic rhinitis is estimated to affect as many as 40 million people in the United States on a regular basis, and even more individuals who have occasional symptoms. The disease is associated with a considerable burden on the healthcare system, accounting for a total of $7.9 billion in direct and indirect costs in 1997, and with significant adverse effects on patients' quality of life, including disturbed sleep and impaired function at work and school. The pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis is complex, involving inflammatory mediators and immune cells that produce allergy symptoms via multiple mechanisms. The first principle of clinical management of patients with allergic rhinitis is avoidance of exposure to allergens, but this measure can be very difficult, and most patients require pharmacotherapy. Allergy vaccine therapy may be an appropriate and necessary option in selected patients with allergies refractory to other treatment modalities.

Data warehousing in disease management programs.

PubMed

Ramick, D C

2001-01-01

Disease management programs offer the benefits of lower disease occurrence, improved patient care, and lower healthcare costs. In such programs, the key mechanism used to identify individuals at risk for targeted diseases is the data warehouse. This article surveys recent warehousing techniques from HMOs to map out critical issues relating to the preparation, design, and implementation of a successful data warehouse. Discussions of scope, data cleansing, and storage management are included in depicting warehouse preparation and design; data implementation options are contrasted. Examples are provided of data warehouse execution in disease management programs that identify members with preexisting illnesses, as well as those exhibiting high-risk conditions. The proper deployment of successful data warehouses in disease management programs benefits both the organization and the member. Organizations benefit from decreased medical costs; members benefit through an improved quality of life through disease-specific care.

Practice points in gynecardiology: Abnormal uterine bleeding in premenopausal women taking oral anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy.

PubMed

Maas, Angela H E M; Euler, Mia von; Bongers, Marlies Y; Rolden, Herbert J A; Grutters, Janneke P C; Ulrich, Lian; Schenck-Gustafsson, Karin

2015-12-01

A growing number of premenopausal women are currently using antithrombotic and/or (dual) antiplatelet therapy for various cardiovascular indications. These may induce or exacerbate abnormal uterine bleeding and more awareness and knowledge among prescribers is required. Heavy and irregular menstrual bleeding is common in women in their forties and may have a variety of underlying causes that require different treatment options. Thus using anticoagulants in premenopausal women demands specific expertise and close collaboration between cardiovascular physicians and gynecologists. In this article we summarize the scope of the problem and provide practical recommendations for the care for young women taking anticoagulants and/or (dual) antiplatelet therapy. We also recommend that more safety data on uterine bleeding with novel anticoagulants in premenopausal women should be obtained. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation proctopathy in the treatment of prostate cancer

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

Garg, Amit K.; Mai Weiyan; McGary, John E.

2006-12-01

Purpose: To compile and review data on radiation proctopathy in the treatment of prostate cancer with respect to epidemiology, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, risk factors, and treatment. Methods: Medical literature databases including PubMed and Medline were screened for pertinent reports, and critically analyzed for relevance in the scope of our purpose. Results: Rectal toxicity as a complication of radiotherapy has received attention over the past decade, especially with the advent of dose-escalation in prostate cancer treatment. A number of clinical criteria help to define acute and chronic radiation proctopathy, but lack of a unified grading scale makes comparing studies difficult. Amore » variety of risk factors, related to either radiation delivery or patient, are the subject of intense study. Also, a variety of treatment options, including medical therapy, endoscopic treatments, and surgery have shown varied results, but a lack of large randomized trials evaluating their efficacy prevents forming concrete recommendations. Conclusion: Radiation proctopathy should be an important consideration for the clinician in the treatment of prostate cancer especially with dose escalation. With further study of possible risk factors, the advent of a standardized grading scale, and more randomized trials to evaluate treatments, patients and physicians will be better armed to make appropriate management decisions.« less

Evaluating and planning the radioactive waste options for dismantling the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

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

Rule, K.; Scott, J.; Larson, S.

1995-12-31

The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) is a one-of-a kind tritium fusion research reactor, and is planned to be decommissioned within the next several years. This is the largest fusion reactor in the world and as a result of deuterium-tritum reactions is tritium contaminated and activated from 14 Mev neutrons. This presents many unusual challenges when dismantling, packaging and disposing its components and ancillary systems. Special containers are being designed to accommodate the vacuum vessel, neutral beams, and tritium delivery and processing systems. A team of experienced professionals performed a detailed field study to evaluate the requirements and appropriate methodsmore » for packaging the radioactive materials. This team focused on several current and innovative methods for waste minimization that provides the oppurtunmost cost effective manner to package and dispose of the waste. This study also produces a functional time-phased schedule which conjoins the waste volume, weight, costs and container requirements with the detailed project activity schedule for the entire project scope. This study and project will be the first demonstration of the decommissioning of a tritium fusion test reactor. The radioactive waste disposal aspects of this project are instrumental in demonstrating the viability of a fusion power reactor with regard to its environmental impact and ultimate success.« less

Point-of-care blood gases, electrolytes, chemistries, hemoglobin, and hematocrit measurement in venous samples from pet rabbits.

PubMed

Selleri, Paolo; Di Girolamo, Nicola

2014-01-01

Point-of-care testing is an attractive option in rabbit medicine, because it permits rapid analysis of a panel of electrolytes, chemistries, blood gases, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, requiring only 65 μL of blood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a portable clinical analyzer for measurement of pH, partial pressure of CO2, Na, chloride, potassium, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, hematocrit, and hemoglobin in healthy and diseased rabbits. Blood samples obtained from 30 pet rabbits were analyzed immediately after collection by the portable clinical analyzer (PCA) and immediately thereafter (time <20 sec) by a reference analyzer. Bland-Altman plots and Passing-Bablok regression analysis were used to compare the results. Limits of agreement were wide for all the variables studied, with the exception of pH. Most variables presented significant proportional and/or constant bias. The current study provides sufficient evidence that the PCA presents reliability for pH, although its low agreement with a reference analyzer for the other variables does not support their interchangeability. Limits of agreement provided for each variable allow researchers to evaluate if the PCA is reliable enough for their scope. To the authors' knowledge, the present is the first report evaluating a PCA in the rabbit.

Patient compliance based on genetic medicine: a literature review.

PubMed

Schneider, Kai Insa; Schmidtke, Jörg

2014-01-01

For this literature review, medical literature data bases were searched for studies on patient compliance after genetic risk assessment. The review focused on conditions where secondary or tertiary preventive options exist, namely cancer syndromes (BRCA-related cancer, HNPCC/colon cancer), hemochromatosis, thrombophilia, smoking cessation, and obesity. As a counterpart, patient compliance was assessed regarding medication adherence and medical advice in some of the most epidemiologically important conditions (including high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, and coronary heart disease) after receiving medical advice based on nongenetic risk information or a combination of genetic and nongenetic risk information. In the majority of studies based on genetic risk assessments, patients were confronted with predictive rather than diagnostic genetic profiles. Most of the studies started from a knowledge base around 10 years ago when DNA testing was at an early stage, limited in scope and specificity, and costly. The major result is that overall compliance of patients after receiving a high-risk estimate from genetic testing for a given condition is high. However, significant behavior change does not take place just because the analyte is "genetic." Many more factors play a role in the complex process of behavioral tuning. Without adequate counseling and guidance, patients may interpret risk estimates of predictive genetic testing with an increase in fear and anxiety.

A comparative study of perception of sickle cell anaemia by married Nigeria rural and urban women.

PubMed

Adeodu, O O; Alimi, T; Adekile, A D

2000-01-01

Environmental factors may influence perception of or attitude to chronic disorders. The perception of sickle cell anaemia (SCA by 165 married Nigerian rural and 507 urban women was studied to determine how living in an urban or rural environment may influence perception. None of the subjects had children with SCA. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire designed to enquire into their knowledge about the cause, precipitating factors for crises, clinical features of SCA and their opinions regarding traditional and modern treatment options for the disorder. As a group, urban women had better knowledge about SCA than rural women probably because their social environment afforded a wider scope for interaction with and information exchange among people. For most respondents, the educational institutions attended the health institutions in the locality and the electronic media were poor sources of information on SCA. The study showed a serious lack of information about important aspects of SCA among rural women. We think the training of primary health care providers as counsellors on SCA, the inclusion of instruction about SCA in the curriculum of schools and sustained outreach programmes on SCA on the electronic media would ensure early education of people in both rural and urban communities and help to improve perception of the disorder.

Reducing attentional capture of emotion by broadening attention: increased global attention reduces early electrophysiological responses to negative stimuli.

PubMed

Gable, Philip A; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

2012-05-01

Decades of research has shown the influence of emotion on attentional capture, and more recently, the influence of emotion on neurophysiological processes related to attentional capture. The current research tested whether some of the earliest neurophysiological underpinnings of emotive attentional processes can be influenced by attentional manipulations of broadening versus narrowing. Previous research has shown that negative affects high in motivational intensity (e.g., disgust, fear) cause a relative narrowing of attentional scope (Gable and Harmon-Jones, 2010a; Easterbrook, 1959). Because of the strong link between motivation and attention, attentional scope should also influence the attentional capture of negative stimuli. The current study manipulated a local attentional scope or global attentional scope, then measured attentional capture towards disgust and neutral pictures using the N1 event-related potential component. Results revealed that a manipulated global attentional scope reduced N1 amplitude towards disgust pictures compared to a manipulated local attentional scope. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attenuating the alcohol allure: attentional broadening reduces rapid motivational response to alcohol pictures.

PubMed

Ryerson, Nicole C; Neal, Lauren B; Gable, Philip A

2017-04-01

Past research has found that exposure to alcohol cues causes a narrowing of attentional scope and enhances the neural responses associated with approach motivation. The current research sought to determine if a manipulated broadened (global) attentional scope would reduce approach-motivated neural reactivity to alcohol pictures. In the current study, participants (n = 82) were exposed to alcohol and neutral pictures following either a global or local attentional scope manipulation. Early motivated attentional processing was assessed using the N1 event-related potential (ERP), a neurophysiological marker of rapid motivated attention. A global attentional scope reduced N1 amplitudes to alcohol pictures as compared to a local attentional scope. Self-reported binge drinking related to larger N1 amplitudes to alcohol pictures, but not to neutral pictures. Individuals with greater binge drinking experience demonstrated increased rapid motivated attentional processing to alcohol pictures. These results suggest that enhancing a global (vs. local) attentional scope attenuates rapid motivated attentional processing of alcohol pictures in comparison to neutral pictures. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

A survey of wellness management strategies used by Canadian doctors of chiropractic.

PubMed

Stainsby, Brynne E; Porr, Jason T C; Kim, Peter; Collinge, Ashley M; Hunter, Julie C

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate if Canadian doctors of chiropractic consider using wellness strategies after functional recovery in acute and chronic conditions. This study also attempted to determine if there is a difference in the use of wellness management strategies between broad and narrow scope practitioners. Forty-one practicing, licensed chiropractors were recruited to complete an interview survey regarding 2 mock clinical case presentations. Interviews were recorded, and influential words or word pairings were identified. Investigators formulated criteria to divide practitioners into broad scope (mixers) and narrow scope (straights). Data were analyzed using Crawdad Analysis Software (version 1.2). All subjects indicated that they would provide information regarding public health and wellness strategies to a patient after functional resolution of the presenting chronic or acute complaints. The responses of broad scope (mixer) chiropractors appeared to be focused on the patient specifically, whereas narrow scope (straight) responses appeared to be more varied when analyzed for noun and noun-pair influence. This study of practicing, licensed Canadian chiropractors suggests that wellness strategies may be commonly considered in practice. All subjects in this study reported a number of strategies to educate patients regarding wellness after functional recovery of a complaint. Copyright © 2011 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Scoping meta-review: introducing a new methodology.

PubMed

Sarrami-Foroushani, Pooria; Travaglia, Joanne; Debono, Deborah; Clay-Williams, Robyn; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2015-02-01

For researchers, policymakers, and practitioners facing a new field, undertaking a systematic review can typically present a challenge due to the enormous number of relevant papers. A scoping review is a method suggested for addressing this dilemma; however, scoping reviews present their own challenges. This paper introduces the "scoping meta-review" (SMR) for expanding current methodologies and is based on our experiences in mapping the field of consumer engagement in healthcare. During this process, we developed the novel SMR method. An SMR combines aspects of a scoping review and a meta-review to establish an evidence-based map of a field. Similar to a scoping review, an SMR offers a practical and flexible methodology. However, unlike in a traditional scoping review, only systematic reviews are included. Stages of the SMR include: undertaking a preliminary nonsystematic review; building a search strategy; interrogating academic literature databases; classifying and excluding studies based on titles and abstracts; saving the refined database of references; revising the search strategy; selecting and reviewing the full text papers; and thematically analyzing the selected texts and writing the report. The main benefit of an SMR is to map a new field based on high-level evidence provided by systematic reviews. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Work reintegration for veterans with mental disorders: a systematic literature review to inform research.

PubMed

Van Til, Linda; Fikretoglu, Deniz; Pranger, Tina; Patten, Scott; Wang, Jianli; Wong, May; Zamorski, Mark; Loisel, Patrick; Corbiére, Marc; Shields, Norman; Thompson, Jim; Pedlar, David

2013-09-01

Some veterans, and especially those with mental disorders, have difficulty reintegrating into the civilian workforce. The objectives of this study were to describe the scope of the existing literature on mental disorders and unemployment and to identify factors potentially associated with reintegration of workers with mental disorders into the workforce. The following databases were searched from their respective inception dates: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index Nursing Allied Health (CINAHL), and PsycINFO. In-scope studies had quantitative measures of employment and study populations with well-described mental disorders (eg, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance-use disorders). A systematic and comprehensive search of the relevant published literature up to July 2009 was conducted that identified a total of 5,195 articles. From that list, 81 in-scope studies were identified. An update to July 2012 identified 1,267 new articles, resulting in an additional 16 in-scope articles. Three major categories emerged from the in-scope articles: return to work, supported employment, and reintegration. The literature on return to work and supported employment is well summarized by existing reviews. The reintegration literature included 32 in-scope articles; only 10 of these were conducted in populations of veterans. Studies of reintegration to work were not similar enough to synthesize, and it was inappropriate to pool results for this category of literature. Comprehensive literature review found limited knowledge about how to integrate people with mental disorders into a new workplace after a prolonged absence (>1 year). Even more limited knowledge was found for veterans. The results informed the next steps for our research team to enhance successful reintegration of veterans with mental disorders into the civilian workplace.

Fuel Cycle Performance of Thermal Spectrum Small Modular Reactors

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

Worrall, Andrew; Todosow, Michael

2016-01-01

Small modular reactors may offer potential benefits, such as enhanced operational flexibility. However, it is vital to understand the holistic impact of small modular reactors on the nuclear fuel cycle and fuel cycle performance. The focus of this paper is on the fuel cycle impacts of light water small modular reactors in a once-through fuel cycle with low-enriched uranium fuel. A key objective of this paper is to describe preliminary reactor core physics and fuel cycle analyses conducted in support of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Fuel Cycle Options Campaign. Challenges with small modular reactors include:more » increased neutron leakage, fewer assemblies in the core (and therefore fewer degrees of freedom in the core design), complex enrichment and burnable absorber loadings, full power operation with inserted control rods, the potential for frequent load-following operation, and shortened core height. Each of these will impact the achievable discharge burn-up in the reactor and the fuel cycle performance. This paper summarizes the results of an expert elicitation focused on developing a list of the factors relevant to small modular reactor fuel, core, and operation that will impact fuel cycle performance. Preliminary scoping analyses were performed using a regulatory-grade reactor core simulator. The hypothetical light water small modular reactor considered in these preliminary scoping studies is a cartridge type one-batch core with 4.9% enrichment. Some core parameters, such as the size of the reactor and general assembly layout, are similar to an example small modular reactor concept from industry. The high-level issues identified and preliminary scoping calculations in this paper are intended to inform on potential fuel cycle impacts of one-batch thermal spectrum SMRs. In particular, this paper highlights the impact of increased neutron leakage and reduced number of batches on the achievable burn-up of the reactor. Fuel cycle performance metrics for a small modular reactor are compared to a conventional three-batch light water reactor in the following areas: nuclear waste management, environmental impact, and resource utilization. Metrics performance for a small modular reactor are degraded for mass of spent nuclear fuel and high level waste disposed, mass of depleted uranium disposed, land use per energy generated, and carbon emission per energy generated« less

Collaborative development of the EPICS Qt framework Phase I Final Report

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

Mayssat, Robert E.

At Lyncean, a private company spun-off from technology developed at the SLAC National Lab, we have been using EPICS for over a decade. EPICS is ubiquitous on our flagship product – the Compact Light Source. EPICS is not only used to control our laser and accelerator systems, but also to control our x-ray beamlines. The goal of this SBIR is for Lyncean Technologies to spearhead a worldwide collaborative effort for the development of control system tools for EPICS using the Qt framework, a C++-based coding environment that could serve as a competitive alternative to the Java-based Control System Studio (CSS).more » This grant's Phase I, not unlike a feasibility study, is designed for planning and scoping the preparatory work needed for Phase II or other funding opportunities. The three main objectives of this Phase I are (1) to become better acquainted with the existing EPICS Qt software and Qt framework in order to evaluate the best options for ongoing development, (2) to demonstrate that our engineers can lead the EPICS community and jump-start the Qt collaboration, and (3) to identify a scope for our future work with solicited feedback from the EPICS community. This Phase I report includes key technical findings. It clarifies the differences between the two apparently-competing EPICS Qt implementations, caQtDM and the QE Framework; it explains how to create python-bindings, and compares Qt graphical libraries. But this report is also a personal story that narrates the birth of a collaboration. Starting a collaboration is not the work of a single individual, but the work of many. Therefore this report is also an attempt to publicly give credit to many who supported the effort. The main take-away from this grant is the successful birth of an EPICS Qt collaboration, seeded with existing software from the PSI and the Australian Synchrotron. But a lot more needs to be done for the collaboration founders' vision to be realized, and for the collaboration to reach its full potential. To help define the scope of future work, a useful approach we have identified is user experience design (UXD) and is discussed herein.« less

Flexible versus common technology to estimate economies of scale and scope in the water and sewerage industry: an application to England and Wales.

PubMed

Molinos-Senante, María; Maziotis, Alexandros

2018-05-01

The water industry presents several structures in different countries and also within countries. Hence, several studies have been conducted to evaluate the presence of economies of scope and scale in the water industry leading to inconclusive results. The lack of a common methodology has been identified as an important factor contributing to divergent conclusions. This paper evaluates, for the first time, the presence of economies of scale and scope in the water industry using a flexible technology approach integrating operational and exogenous variables of the water companies in the cost functions. The empirical application carried out for the English and Welsh water industry evidenced that the inclusion of exogenous variables accounts for significant differences in economies of scale and scope. Moreover, completely different results were obtained when the economies of scale and scope were estimated using common and flexible technology methodological approaches. The findings of this study reveal the importance of using an appropriate methodology to support policy decision-making processes to promote sustainable urban water activities.

When less is more: Effects of the availability of strategic options on regulating negative emotions.

PubMed

Bigman, Yochanan E; Sheppes, Gal; Tamir, Maya

2017-09-01

Research in several domains suggests that having strategic options is not always beneficial. In this paper, we tested whether having strategic options (vs. not) is helpful or harmful for regulating negative emotions. In 5 studies (N = 151) participants were presented with 1 or more strategic options prior to watching aversive images and using the selected strategic option. Across studies, we found that people reported less intense negative emotions when the strategy they used to regulate their emotions was presented as a single option, rather than as 1 of several options. This was regardless of whether people could choose between the options (Studies 3-5) or not (Studies 1, 2, and 4), and specific to negative (but not neutral) images (Study 5). A sixth study addressed an explanation based on demand characteristics, showing that participants expected to feel more positive when having more than 1 option. The findings indicate that having strategic options for regulating negative emotions can sometimes be costly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Solar Connections Observatory for Planetary Environments (SCOPE):

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliversen, R.; Harris, W.; Ballester, G.; Bougher, S.; Broadfoot, L.; Combi, M.; Cravens, T.; Gombosi, T.; Herbert, F.; Joseph, C.; Kozyra, J.; Limaye, S.; Morgenthaler, J.; Paxton, L.; Roesler, F.; Sandel, W.; Ben Jaffel, L.

2001-12-01

The NASA Sun-Earth Connection theme roadmap calls for comparative study of how the planets and local interstellar medium (LISM) interact with and respond to changes in the solar wind and UV radiation field. Each planet interaction is unique and defined by solar input and local conditions of magnetic field strength and orientation, rotation rate, heliocentric distance, internal plasma, and ionospheric conductivity and circulation. Because the different elements of the environment respond to external and internal influences that are variable on many temporal and spatial scales, the study of a planetary system requires simultaneous understanding of the solar wind and diagnostics of the sun-planet interaction including auroral intensity and variation, upper atmospheric circulation and composition, and the distribution of neutrals and plasmas near the planet. The Solar Connections Observatory for Planetary Environments (SCOPE) is a mission to study Solar interactions from the level of planetary upper atmospheres to the heliopause. SCOPE consists of a binocular EUV/FUV telescope that provides high spatial resolution imaging, broadband spectro-imaging, and high-resolution H Ly-alpha line spectroscopy between 55-290 nm. SCOPE will study planetary environments as examples of the solar connection and map the distribution of interplanetary H and the interaction of LISM plasma with the solar wind at the heliopause. A key to the SCOPE approach is to include Earth in its research objectives. SCOPE will monitor terrestrial auroral energy deposition and leverage local measurements of the solar wind and propagation models to derive the expected conditions at Superior planets that will be observed in annual opposition campaigns. This will permit direct comparison of planetary and terrestrial responses to the same solar wind stream. Using a combination of observations and MHD models, SCOPE will isolate the different controlling parameters in each planet system and gain insight into the underlying physical processes that define the solar connection.

Air Pollution Awareness in the Scope of the Community Service Practices Course: An Interdisciplinary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin-Güç, Funda; Aygün, Müge; Ceylan, Derya; Çavus-Güngören, Seda; Durukan, Ümmü Gülsüm; Hacioglu, Yasemin; Yekeler, Ayse Dilek

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of the interdisciplinary (the disciplines of Turkish, Social Science, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Public Administration) activities performed in the scope of the Community Service Practices Course on the air pollution awareness (APW). This study has been performed as a multiple case study.…

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study: A Case Study in Random Assignment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.

2000-01-01

Studied the long-term benefits of preschool programs for young children living in poverty in the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, which examined the lives of 123 African Americans randomly divided into a preschool treatment group and a no-preschool comparison group. Cost-benefit analyses of data on these students to age 27 show beneficial effects…

Benefits, Costs, and Explanation of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study is a study of the effects of a high-quality preschool program for children born in poverty. Following 123 children randomly assigned to program or no-program control groups, the study has had little attrition on a variety of measures from age 3 to age 41. The study has found evidence of preschool program…

A Search for Identity: Exploring Core Competencies for Interdisciplinary Environmental Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Shirley Gayle

2010-01-01

Scope and method of study: The study is national in scope, exploratory, and utilized a combination of qualitative and quantitative social science methods. Findings and conclusions: Interdisciplinary environmental (IE) programs in higher education in the United States are both diverse and dynamic in their curriculum designs. Though these…

GP perceptions of the adequacy of community-based care for patients with advanced heart failure in a UK region (NI): a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Chen, Jingwen Jessica; Gamble, Kathryn; Graham-Wisener, Lisa; McGlade, Kieran; Doherty, Jennifer; Donnelly, Patrick; Stone, Carol A

2018-01-01

Objective To assess the adequacy of community-based services available in Northern Ireland (NI) and to meet the multidimensional needs of patients living with New York Heart Association Stage III and IV heart failure (HF), as experienced and perceived by general practitioners (GP). Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with GPs recruited via the University Department of General Practice and Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Agency. Interviews were transcribed, independently coded and analysed using a six-step thematic analysis approach. Results Twenty semistructured interviews were conducted. GPs reported managing patients in a ‘reactive rather than proactive’ way, responding only to acute medical needs, with hospital admission the default option due to lack of community-based expertise and services. Care provided by HF specialists was highly regarded but ‘access and coordination’ were lacking, related to inequity of access to Heart Failure Nursing Teams, lack of access to specialist advice and inadequate handover of information to GPs. Conversations regarding current and future care needs and preferences were important, but GPs described ‘neglecting conversations with the patient’, due to time constraints, prognostic uncertainty and fear of causing distress. They expressed the view that ‘specialist palliative care (SPC) is only a credible option in end stages’ related to limited understanding of the scope of SPC, a perception that timing of referral must depend on prognosis and concern that SPC services are cancer-focused. Conclusions Despite the extensive body of research which evidences the unmet multidimensional needs of patients with advanced HF, and more recent evidence for the effectiveness of integrated SPC in improving quality of life for patients with HF, health and social care services within NI have not adapted to assess and meet these needs. PMID:29632677

Determining Teachers' Educational Needs Regarding School Education Projects within the Scope of Erasmus+ Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakus, Fatma; Uyar, Melis Yesilpinar; Balbag, Nur Leman

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine teachers' educational needs regarding school education projects within the scope of Erasmus+ programme. In the study, the case study method, one of qualitative research designs, was used. The participants were determined using the snowball sampling method, and eight secondary school teachers took part in…

Pawnee Nation Energy Option Analyses

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

Matlock, M.; Kersey, K.; Riding In, C.

2009-07-31

In 2003, the Pawnee Nation leadership identified the need for the tribe to comprehensively address its energy issues. During a strategic energy planning workshop a general framework was laid out and the Pawnee Nation Energy Task Force was created to work toward further development of the tribe’s energy vision. The overarching goals of the “first steps” project were to identify the most appropriate focus for its strategic energy initiatives going forward, and to provide information necessary to take the next steps in pursuit of the “best fit” energy options. Based on the request of Pawnee Nation’s Energy Task Force themore » research team, consisting Tribal personnel and Summit Blue Consulting, focused on a review of renewable energy resource development potential, funding sources and utility organizational along with energy savings options. Elements of the energy demand forecasting and characterization and demand side options review remained in the scope of work, but were only addressed at a high level. Description of Activities Performed Renewable Energy Resource Development Potential The research team reviewed existing data pertaining to the availability of biomass (focusing on woody biomass, agricultural biomass/bio-energy crops, and methane capture), solar, wind and hydropower resources on the Pawnee-owned lands. Using these data, combined with assumptions about costs and revenue streams, the research team performed preliminary feasibility assessments for each resource category. The research team also reviewed available funding resources and made recommendations to Pawnee Nation highlighting those resources with the greatest potential for financially-viable development, both in the near-term and over a longer time horizon. Energy Efficiency Options While this was not a major focus of the project, the research team highlighted common strategies for reducing energy use in buildings. The team also discussed the benefits of adopting a building energy code and introduced two model energy codes Pawnee Nation should consider for adoption. Summary of Current and Expected Future Electricity Usage The research team provided a summary overview of electricity usage patterns in current buildings and included discussion of known plans for new construction. Utility Options Review Pawnee Nation electric utility options were analyzed through a four-phase process, which included: 1) summarizing the relevant utility background information; 2) gathering relevant utility assessment data; 3) developing a set of realistic Pawnee electric utility service options, and 4) analyzing the various Pawnee electric utility service options for the Pawnee Energy Team’s consideration. III. Findings and Recommendations Due to a lack of financial incentives for renewable energy, particularly at the state level, combined mediocre renewable energy resources, renewable energy development opportunities are limited for Pawnee Nation. However, near-term potential exists for development of solar hot water at the gym, and an exterior wood-fired boiler system at the tribe’s main administrative building. Pawnee Nation should also explore options for developing LFGTE resources in collaboration with the City of Pawnee. Significant potential may also exist for development of bio-energy resources within the next decade. Pawnee Nation representatives should closely monitor market developments in the bio-energy industry, establish contacts with research institutions with which the tribe could potentially partner in grant-funded research initiatives. In addition, a substantial effort by the Kaw and Cherokee tribes is underway to pursue wind development at the Chilocco School Site in northern Oklahoma where Pawnee is a joint landowner. Pawnee Nation representatives should become actively involved in these development discussions and should explore the potential for joint investment in wind development at the Chilocco site.« less

33 CFR 230.12 - Notice of intent and scoping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING NEPA § 230.12 Notice of intent and scoping. As soon as... issues to be analyzed in depth. Public concerns on issues, studies needed, alternatives to be examined...

Ancillary health effects of climate mitigation scenarios as drivers of policy uptake: a review of air quality, transportation and diet co-benefits modeling studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Kelly M.; Hess, Jeremy J.; Balbus, John M.; Buonocore, Jonathan J.; Cleveland, David A.; Grabow, Maggie L.; Neff, Roni; Saari, Rebecca K.; Tessum, Christopher W.; Wilkinson, Paul; Woodward, Alistair; Ebi, Kristie L.

2017-11-01

Background: Significant mitigation efforts beyond the Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs) coming out of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement are required to avoid warming of 2 °C above pre-industrial temperatures. Health co-benefits represent selected near term, positive consequences of climate policies that can offset mitigation costs in the short term before the beneficial impacts of those policies on the magnitude of climate change are evident. The diversity of approaches to modeling mitigation options and their health effects inhibits meta-analyses and syntheses of results useful in policy-making. Methods/Design: We evaluated the range of methods and choices in modeling health co-benefits of climate mitigation to identify opportunities for increased consistency and collaboration that could better inform policy-making. We reviewed studies quantifying the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation related to air quality, transportation, and diet published since the 2009 Lancet Commission ‘Managing the health effects of climate change’ through January 2017. We documented approaches, methods, scenarios, health-related exposures, and health outcomes. Results/Synthesis: Forty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Air quality, transportation, and diet scenarios ranged from specific policy proposals to hypothetical scenarios, and from global recommendations to stakeholder-informed local guidance. Geographic and temporal scope as well as validity of scenarios determined policy relevance. More recent studies tended to use more sophisticated methods to address complexity in the relevant policy system. Discussion: Most studies indicated significant, nearer term, local ancillary health benefits providing impetus for policy uptake and net cost savings. However, studies were more suited to describing the interaction of climate policy and health and the magnitude of potential outcomes than to providing specific accurate estimates of health co-benefits. Modeling the health co-benefits of climate policy provides policy-relevant information when the scenarios are reasonable, relevant, and thorough, and the model adequately addresses complexity. Greater consistency in selected modeling choices across the health co-benefits of climate mitigation research would facilitate evaluation of mitigation options particularly as they apply to the NDCs and promote policy uptake.

Aerobic scope and cardiovascular oxygen transport is not compromised at high temperatures in the toad Rhinella marina.

PubMed

Overgaard, Johannes; Andersen, Jonas L; Findsen, Anders; Pedersen, Pil B M; Hansen, Kasper; Ozolina, Karlina; Wang, Tobias

2012-10-15

Numerous recent studies convincingly correlate the upper thermal tolerance limit of aquatic ectothermic animals to reduced aerobic scope, and ascribe the decline in aerobic scope to failure of the cardiovascular system at high temperatures. In the present study we investigate whether this 'aerobic scope model' applies to an air-breathing and semi-terrestrial vertebrate Rhinella marina (formerly Bufo marinus). To quantify aerobic scope, we measured resting and maximal rate of oxygen consumption at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C. To include potential effects of acclimation, three groups of toads were acclimated chronically at 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. The absolute difference between resting and maximal rate of oxygen consumption increased progressively with temperature and there was no significant decrease in aerobic scope, even at temperature immediately below the lethal limit (41-42°C). Haematological and cardiorespiratory variables were measured at rest and immediately after maximal activity at benign (30°C) and critically high (40°C) temperatures. Within this temperature interval, both resting and active heart rate increased, and there was no indication of respiratory failure, judged from high arterial oxygen saturation, P(O2) and [Hb(O2)]. With the exception of elevated resting metabolic rate for cold-acclimated toads, we found few differences in the thermal responses between acclimation groups with regard to the cardiometabolic parameters. In conclusion, we found no evidence for temperature-induced cardiorespiratory failure in R. marina, indicating that maintenance of aerobic scope and oxygen transport is unrelated to the upper thermal limit of this air-breathing semi-terrestrial vertebrate.

Determination of dose distributions and parameter sensitivity. Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project; dose code recovery activities; Calculation 005

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

Napier, B.A.; Farris, W.T.; Simpson, J.C.

1992-12-01

A series of scoping calculations has been undertaken to evaluate the absolute and relative contribution of different radionuclides and exposure pathways to doses that may have been received by individuals living in the vicinity of the Hanford site. This scoping calculation (Calculation 005) examined the contributions of numerous parameters to the uncertainty distribution of doses calculated for environmental exposures and accumulation in foods. This study builds on the work initiated in the first scoping study of iodine in cow`s milk and the third scoping study, which added additional pathways. Addressed in this calculation were the contributions to thyroid dose ofmore » infants from (1) air submersion and groundshine external dose, (2) inhalation, (3) ingestion of soil by humans, (4) ingestion of leafy vegetables, (5) ingestion of other vegetables and fruits, (6) ingestion of meat, (7) ingestion of eggs, and (8) ingestion of cows` milk from Feeding Regime 1 as described in Calculation 001.« less

Feasibility Study for Renewable Energy Development on Tribal Lands

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

John Hendrix, Project Director; Charles Weir, Project Manager; Dr. John Plodinec, Technology Advisor

2005-07-21

Project Objective: The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) conducted a study of the feasibility of siting a renewable energy biomass-based installation on tribal lands. The purpose of the study was to determine whether such an installation can be economically sustainable, as well as consistent with the cultural, social, and economic goals of the Tribe. Scope: To achieve the goal of the feasibility study, the following tasks were carried out: (1) Resource availability assessment--The objective of this assessment was to determine the availability of both poultry litter and wood residues for use in the proposed facility. (2) Power utilization assessment--Themore » objective of this assessment was to determine the potential market size for power produced, the existing infrastructure for delivering power to that market, and the costs and economic returns for doing so. (3) Technology review--The objective of this review was to identify one, or more, technical options for detailed economic and technical assessment. The study considered a range of feedstock and product mixtures of poultry litter; wood residues as feedstock; and electrical power and other ancillary products as outputs. Distributed power sources was also examined. Technologies ranging from gasification to systems that produce both power and value-added chemicals were considered. Technologies selected for detailed review were those that can be sized to process the amount of available feed (poultry litter, or poultry litter and wood residues), and that also appear to make economic sense in terms of the value of their inputs. The technology review leaned heavily on the experience from similar prior DOE projects, particularly those conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NREL was involved in a consultative role, so that the project team could leverage their experience. (4) Systems Design(s)--Based on the technology review, a pre-conceptual design for an installation was developed. This included identification of unit operations and equipment, maintenance, manpower, feedstock requirements, and output (power and any other ancillary products). Energy and mass flows were identified. (5) Manpower development assessment--The objectives of this assessment was to identify training needs for the selected option(s), and determine how they can best be met. Using the manpower estimates from the pre-conceptual system design, skills and training needs were to be identified. A plan for providing the needed manpower was to be developed, and any associated costs determined. (6) Economic assessment--The objective of this assessment was to determine the economic viability and sustainability of the technology option(s) identified through the technical review option. The costs of bringing the feedstock to the proposed facility were combined with nominal operation costs and potential production distribution costs to identify total costs. Revenue from power distribution (and, possibly, from sale of ancillary products) were combined with any possible government credits or payments to identify gross revenue. Economic viability was determined by net revenue and return on investment. A business plan for the selected option was to be produced that would consider long-term sustainability of the project. (7) MBCI compatibility assessment--The objective of this assessment was to determine whether the renewable energy technology was compatible with the MBCI's cultural, social and economic values. As part of this assessment, the environmental impacts and benefits were to be determined (Environmental stewardship is an important part of the Choctaw culture.). The effects of a project on employment were projected. The compatibility of the renewable energy project with MBCI cultural and social values were determined. Most importantly, the compatibility of the renewable energy installation with the MBCIs economic development goals and directions were determined. A project team led by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) conducted the feasibility study. The team included the Mississippi Alternative Energy Enterprise (MAEE), the Mississippi State University Food and Fiber Center, Mississippi State University Diagnostic Instrumentation and Analysis Laboratory (DIAL), and the Mississippi State University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This report and its findings are based on the best available data existing during the covering period and the analysis reflects good faith estimates and assumptions of factors for a biomass-based renewable energy project for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and any conclusions or finding herein should not be extrapolated to other areas of the country.« less

Attentional states influence early neural responses associated with motivational processes: local vs. global attentional scope and N1 amplitude to appetitive stimuli.

PubMed

Gable, Philip A; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

2011-05-01

Positive affects vary in the degree with which they are associated with approach motivation, the drive to approach an object or a goal. High approach-motivated positive affects cause a narrowing of attention, whereas low approach-motivated positive affects causes a broadening of attention. The current study was designed to extend this work by examining whether the relationship between motivation and attentional bias was bi-directional. Specifically, the experiment investigated whether a manipulated local attentional scope would cause greater approach motivational processing than a global attentional scope as measured by neural processes as early as 100 ms. As compared to a global attentional scope, a local attentional scope caused greater neural processing associated with approach motivation as measured by the N1 to appetitive pictures. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NASA's Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment: A large-scale study of environmental change in Western North America and its implications for ecological systems and society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasischke, E. S.; Hayes, D. J.; Griffith, P. C.; Larson, E. K.; Wickland, D. E.

2013-12-01

Climate change in high northern latitudes is unfolding faster than anywhere else on Earth, resulting in widespread changes in landscape structure and ecosystem function in the Arctic-Boreal Region (ABR). Recognizing its sensitivity, vulnerability and global importance, national- and international-level scientific efforts are now advancing our ability to observe, understand and model the complex, multi-scale processes that drive the ABR's natural and social systems. Long at the edge of our mental map of the world, environmental change in the ABR is increasingly becoming the focus of numerous policy discussions at the highest levels of decision-making. To improve our understanding of environmental change and its impacts in the ABR, the Terrestrial Ecology Program of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is planning its next major field campaign for Western Canada and Alaska. The field campaign will be based on the Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) concept as described in the Revised Executive Summary from the ABoVE Scoping Study Report. The original Scoping Study Report provided the proof-of-concept demonstration of scientific importance and feasibility for this large-scale study. In early 2013, NASA announced the selection of the ABoVE Science Definition Team, which is charged with developing the Concise Experiment Plan for the campaign. Here, we outline the conceptual basis for ABoVE and present the compelling rationale explaining the scientific and societal importance of the study. We present the current status of the planning process, which includes development of the science questions to drive ABoVE research; the study design for the field campaign to address them; and the interagency and international collaborations necessary for implementation. The ABoVE study will focus on 1) developing a fuller understanding of ecosystem vulnerability to climate change in the ABR, and 2) providing the scientific information required to develop options for societal responses to the impacts of these changes. The field campaign will emphasize research that integrates data collected by airborne and spaceborne sensors with information obtained from field studies and ground-based observations. Other key components of ABoVE research include the process-level analyses, scientific syntheses, and modeling needed for understanding ecosystem responses and societal implications.

Study design options in evaluating gene-environment interactions: practical considerations for a planned case-control study of pediatric leukemia.

PubMed

Goodman, Michael; Dana Flanders, W

2007-04-01

We compare methodological approaches for evaluating gene-environment interaction using a planned study of pediatric leukemia as a practical example. We considered three design options: a full case-control study (Option I), a case-only study (Option II), and a partial case-control study (Option III), in which information on controls is limited to environmental exposure only. For each design option we determined its ability to measure the main effects of environmental factor E and genetic factor G, and the interaction between E and G. Using the leukemia study example, we calculated sample sizes required to detect and odds ratio (OR) of 2.0 for E alone, an OR of 10 for G alone and an interaction G x E of 3. Option I allows measuring both main effects and interaction, but requires a total sample size of 1,500 cases and 1,500 controls. Option II allows measuring only interaction, but requires just 121 cases. Option III allows calculating the main effect of E, and interaction, but not the main effect of G, and requires a total of 156 cases and 133 controls. In this case, the partial case-control study (Option III) appears to be more efficient with respect to its ability to answer the research questions for the amount of resources required. The design options considered in this example are not limited to observational epidemiology and may be applicable in studies of pharmacogenomics, survivorship, and other areas of pediatric ALL research.

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Androscoggin County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Background The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a plan in 1997 to modernize the FEMA flood mapping program. FEMA flood maps delineate flood hazard areas in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's plan outlined the steps necessary to update FEMA's flood maps for the nation to a seamless digital format and streamline FEMA's operations in raising public awareness of the importance of the maps and responding to requests to revise them. The modernization of flood maps involves conversion of existing information to digital format and integration of improved flood hazard data as needed and as funds allow. To determine flood mapping modernization needs, FEMA has established specific scoping activities to be done on a county-by-county basis for identifying and prioritizing requisite flood-mapping activities for map modernization. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with FEMA and the Maine Floodplain Management Program (MFMP) State Planning Office, began scoping work in 2006 for Androscoggin County. Scoping activities included assembling existing data and map needs information for communities in Androscoggin County, documentation of data, contacts, community meetings, and prioritized mapping needs in a final scoping report (this document), and updating the Mapping Needs Update Support System (MNUSS) Database with information gathered during the scoping process. The average age of the FEMA floodplain maps in Androscoggin County, Maine, is at least 17 years. Most studies were published in the early 1990s, and some towns have partial maps that are more recent than their study date. Since the studies were done, development has occurred in many of the watersheds and the characteristics of the watersheds have changed with time. Therefore, many of the older studies may not depict current conditions nor accurately estimate risk in terms of flood heights or flood mapping.

Scope of physician procedures independently billed by mid-level providers in the office setting.

PubMed

Coldiron, Brett; Ratnarathorn, Mondhipa

2014-11-01

Mid-level providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) were originally envisioned to provide primary care services in underserved areas. This study details the current scope of independent procedural billing to Medicare of difficult, invasive, and surgical procedures by medical mid-level providers. To understand the scope of independent billing to Medicare for procedures performed by mid-level providers in an outpatient office setting for a calendar year. Analyses of the 2012 Medicare Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master File, which reflects fee-for-service claims that were paid by Medicare, for Current Procedural Terminology procedures independently billed by mid-level providers. Outpatient office setting among health care providers. The scope of independent billing to Medicare for procedures performed by mid-level providers. In 2012, nurse practitioners and physician assistants billed independently for more than 4 million procedures at our cutoff of 5000 paid claims per procedure. Most (54.8%) of these procedures were performed in the specialty area of dermatology. The findings of this study are relevant to safety and quality of care. Recently, the shortage of primary care clinicians has prompted discussion of widening the scope of practice for mid-level providers. It would be prudent to temper widening the scope of practice of mid-level providers by recognizing that mid-level providers are not solely limited to primary care, and may involve procedures for which they may not have formal training.

Moving Forward with Computational Red Teaming

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

scoping study of one targeted task within the division. This study would apply the taxonomy developed in this report, in 1 Functional elements are...into the study and development of Computational Red Teaming, following earlier work presented by Gowlett (2011). Gowlett called for the development of...implements the recommendation of Gowlett (2011). It will provide a scoping study of CRT to advance the science in this field. UNCLASSIFIED 1

A Comparative Analysis of General Culture Courses within the Scope of Knowledge Categories in Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs "Turkey and the USA"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayirsever, Fahriye; Kalayci, Nurdan

2017-01-01

In this study, general culture and general education courses within the scope of knowledge categories in undergraduate teacher education programs in Turkey and the USA are comparatively analyzed. The study is a comparative education study and uses a descriptive model. In the study, the general culture - general education courses taught in the…

"Clustering" Documents Automatically to Support Scoping Reviews of Research: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stansfield, Claire; Thomas, James; Kavanagh, Josephine

2013-01-01

Background: Scoping reviews of research help determine the feasibility and the resource requirements of conducting a systematic review, and the potential to generate a description of the literature quickly is attractive. Aims: To test the utility and applicability of an automated clustering tool to describe and group research studies to improve…

Economies of scale and scope in publicly funded biomedical and health research: evidence from the literature.

PubMed

Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Sussex, Jon; Robin, Enora; Guthrie, Sue; Wooding, Steve

2017-02-02

Publicly funded biomedical and health research is expected to achieve the best return possible for taxpayers and for society generally. It is therefore important to know whether such research is more productive if concentrated into a small number of 'research groups' or dispersed across many. We undertook a systematic rapid evidence assessment focused on the research question: do economies of scale and scope exist in biomedical and health research? In other words, is that research more productive per unit of cost if more of it, or a wider variety of it, is done in one location? We reviewed English language literature without date restriction to the end of 2014. To help us to classify and understand that literature, we first undertook a review of econometric literature discussing models for analysing economies of scale and/or scope in research generally (not limited to biomedical and health research). We found a large and disparate literature. We reviewed 60 empirical studies of (dis-)economies of scale and/or scope in biomedical and health research, or in categories of research including or overlapping with biomedical and health research. This literature is varied in methods and findings. At the level of universities or research institutes, studies more often point to positive economies of scale than to diseconomies of scale or constant returns to scale in biomedical and health research. However, all three findings exist in the literature, along with inverse U-shaped relationships. At the level of individual research units, laboratories or projects, the numbers of studies are smaller and evidence is mixed. Concerning economies of scope, the literature more often suggests positive economies of scope than diseconomies, but the picture is again mixed. The effect of varying the scope of activities by a research group was less often reported than the effect of scale and the results were more mixed. The absence of predominant findings for or against the existence of economies of scale or scope implies a continuing need for case by case decisions when distributing research funding, rather than a general policy either to concentrate funding in a few centres or to disperse it across many.

The Use of Tablets Distributed within the Scope of FATIH Project for Education in Turkey (Is FATIH Project a Fiasco or a Technological Revolution?)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isci, Tugce Gamze; Demir, Selcuk Besir

2015-01-01

This study aims to profoundly investigate the usage of tablets distributed within the scope of FATIH Project in Turkey in terms of teacher views. The study was conducted with case study design, which is one of the qualitative study methods. The participants in the study were determined using critical case sampling. Data was collected using…

Educational Technology Research Trends in Turkey: A Content Analysis of the 2000-2009 Decade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goktas, Yuksel; Kucuk, Sevda; Aydemir, Melike; Telli, Esra; Arpacik, Omer; Yildirim, Gurkan; Reisoglu, Ilknur

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine Turkish educational technology studies in the academic literature within the scope of SSCI, and to reveal methodological trends within these studies. For this purpose, 460 Turkey-addressed articles, published between the years of 2000-2009 in 32 international journals, within the scope of 2010 SSCI were…

Equine Education Programs and Related Studies as Found in Colleges and Universities in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parmenter, Carol L. W.

The purpose of this study was to determine the nature and scope of equine education programs being offered in the colleges and universities throughout the country and the attitudes of specialists toward these programs. The paper is organized into five major categories: (1) introduction, statement of purpose, design and scope of the study, and…

How Management Information Systems Can Enhance the Air Force Drug Testing Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

promising processes to positively identify potential system users (46:401). Scope This study will cover issues concerning the Air Force drug testing...7 Scope....................10 Limitations of the Research . . . 10 Investigative Questions ............ 10 Expected Benefits of the Study . . . . 11...Resource Allocation. ....... 41 M1.>ethodology....................44 The Historical Research Method . . .. 44 The Historical Research Method for this Study

Pleiotropic effects of statins: new therapeutic targets in drug design.

PubMed

Bedi, Onkar; Dhawan, Veena; Sharma, P L; Kumar, Puneet

2016-07-01

The HMG Co-enzyme inhibitors and new lipid-modifying agents expand their new therapeutic target options in the field of medical profession. Statins have been described as the most effective class of drugs to reduce serum cholesterol levels. Since the discovery of the first statin nearly 30 years ago, these drugs have become the main therapeutic approach to lower cholesterol levels. The present scientific research demonstrates numerous non-lipid modifiable effects of statins termed as pleiotropic effects of statins, which could be beneficial for the treatment of various devastating disorders. The most important positive effects of statins are anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-diabetes, and antithrombotic, improving endothelial dysfunction and attenuating vascular remodeling besides many others which are discussed under the scope of this review. In particular, inhibition of Rho and its downstream target, Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK), and their agonistic action on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) can be viewed as the principle mechanisms underlying the pleiotropic effects of statins. With gradually increasing knowledge of new therapeutic targets of statins, their use has also been advocated in chronic inflammatory disorders for example rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In the scope of review, we highlight statins and their pleiotropic effects with reference to their harmful and beneficial effects as a novel approach for their use in the treatment of devastating disorders. Graphical abstract Pleiotropic effect of statins.

[Special medical problems in end-of-life care : Crisis at the end of life - Which therapy is adequate and when is redefining treatment goals appropriate?

PubMed

Benze, Gesine; Alt-Epping, Bernd; Nauck, Friedemann

2017-01-01

Crisis at the end of life are exceptional challenges for patients, relatives and therapists. With respect to the individual treatment goals and the patients' autonomy, therapeutic action should be commenced in an adequate manner in order to preserve the patients' quality of life as much as possible. Advance care planning for specific critical scenarios may be helpful in order to treat patients according to their wishes and values even if they are not capable to express themselves. Furthermore, a crisis plan can define the scope of action for therapists in emergency situations. Dyspnea, pain and delirium are symptoms that may often lead to emergency calls. In such cases, pharmacological and other treatment options are available. Options for causal therapy should be checked and performed if adequate. Opioids are used to relieve pain and dyspnea. In a state of delirium, highly potent neuroleptics and atypical antipsychotics are used. For the treatment of anxiety or restlessness benzodiazepines can be prescribed. Sedative medication may reduce stress, for instance in the case of acute catastrophic bleeding. Palliative sedation is an ultima ratio concept for refractory symptoms at the end of life. Clinical practice guidelines (such as the German guideline "Palliative care for patients with incurable cancer") may provide an overview of the evidence base on symptom-guided therapy at the end of life.

Exploring health services accessibility by indigenous women in Asia and identifying actions to improve it: a scoping review.

PubMed

Thummapol, Onouma; Park, Tanya; Barton, Sylvia

2018-05-03

The aim of this scoping review was to uncover and summarize what is known in the literature about the experiences of Indigenous women in Asia regarding access to health services. The study was informed by the scoping review methodology proposed by Arksey and O'Malley [2005. "Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework." International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8 (1): 19-32. doi: 10.1080/1364557032000119616 ]. A comprehensive search of the databases for peer-reviewed studies and grey literature was conducted between January 2000 and December 2016. The data of selected papers and abstracts were analysed by three independent researchers through a protocol of data charting, descriptive numerical summary, and thematic analysis. Sixteen articles and two abstracts met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review. These 18 peer-reviewed documents consisted of eight qualitative studies, seven quantitative studies, and three mixed-method studies, which included the peer-reviewed poster and oral presentation abstracts from international conferences. The findings were sorted and grouped under the following themes: health care access for Indigenous women in Asia, facilitators to accessing healthcare services, barriers to accessing healthcare services, and cultural contexts impacting health and access. There is limited information about the experiences, facilitators, barriers, and cultural contexts faced by Indigenous women in Asia related to health services accessibility, and even less information related to improving health services accessibility and health outcomes. This scoping review in particular highlights the dearth of literature relating to Indigenous women's postpartum health and access to postnatal supports and services. Generally, it indicates that Indigenous women in Asia are more vulnerable to poor health in comparison to non-Indigenous women, and continue to face challenges and barriers in accessing quality and equitable health services. The barriers identified in this review are useful in explaining why inequities in health and access to health care for Indigenous women living in Asia continue to exist. Recommendations for future research directions are described.

Pre-contract project scoping processes : synthesis of practices.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-02-01

Scoping is the process of developing a projects objectives, need, preliminary cost estimate, and preliminary schedule based on a : recognized need that the project is intended to address. This study (INDOT/JTRP SPR-3944) was launched by the Indian...

Research trends in studies of medical students’ characteristics: a scoping review

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate domestic and international research trends in studies of medical students’ characteristics by using the scoping review methods. This study adopted the scoping review to assess papers on the characteristics of medical students. The procedure of research was carried out according to the five steps of the scoping review. The full texts of 100 papers are obtained and are read closely, after which suitable 88 papers are extracted by us for this research. The review is mapped by the year of the study, source, location, author, research design, research subject, objective, and key results. The frequency is analyzed by using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. We found 70 papers (79.5%) on a single medical school, 15 (17.0%) on multiple medical schools, and three (3.4%) on mixed schools, including medical and nonmedical schools. Sixty-nine (79.5%) were cross-sectional studies and 18 (20.5%) were longitudinal studies. Eighty-two papers (93.2%) adopted questionnaire surveys. We summarized research trends of studies on medical students in Korea and overseas by topic, and mapped them into physical health, mental health, psychological characteristics, cognitive characteristics, social characteristics, and career. This study provides insights into the future directions of research for the characteristics of medical students. PMID:28870017

Research trends in studies of medical students' characteristics: a scoping review.

PubMed

Jung, Sung Soo; Park, Kwi Hwa; Roh, HyeRin; Yune, So Jung; Lee, Geon Ho; Chun, Kyunghee

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate domestic and international research trends in studies of medical students' characteristics by using the scoping review methods. This study adopted the scoping review to assess papers on the characteristics of medical students. The procedure of research was carried out according to the five steps of the scoping review. The full texts of 100 papers are obtained and are read closely, after which suitable 88 papers are extracted by us for this research. The review is mapped by the year of the study, source, location, author, research design, research subject, objective, and key results. The frequency is analyzed by using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. We found 70 papers (79.5%) on a single medical school, 15 (17.0%) on multiple medical schools, and three (3.4%) on mixed schools, including medical and nonmedical schools. Sixty-nine (79.5%) were cross-sectional studies and 18 (20.5%) were longitudinal studies. Eighty-two papers (93.2%) adopted questionnaire surveys. We summarized research trends of studies on medical students in Korea and overseas by topic, and mapped them into physical health, mental health, psychological characteristics, cognitive characteristics, social characteristics, and career. This study provides insights into the future directions of research for the characteristics of medical students.

The cognitive and neural basis of option generation and subsequent choice.

PubMed

Kaiser, Stefan; Simon, Joe J; Kalis, Annemarie; Schweizer, Sophie; Tobler, Philippe N; Mojzisch, Andreas

2013-12-01

Decision-making research has thoroughly investigated how people choose from a set of externally provided options. However, in ill-structured real-world environments, possible options for action are not defined by the situation but have to be generated by the agent. Here, we apply behavioral analysis (Study 1) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (Study 2) to investigate option generation and subsequent choice. For this purpose, we employ a new experimental task that requires participants to generate options for simple real-world scenarios and to subsequently decide among the generated options. Correlational analysis with a cognitive test battery suggests that retrieval of options from long-term memory is a relevant process during option generation. The results of the fMRI study demonstrate that option generation in simple real-world scenarios recruits the anterior prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, we show that choice behavior and its neural correlates differ between self-generated and externally provided options. Specifically, choice between self-generated options is associated with stronger recruitment of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. This impact of option generation on subsequent choice underlines the need for an expanded model of decision making to accommodate choice between self-generated options.

The Scope of Pre-Pregnancy Care Conducted at Health Centers of Tabriz, Iran: Women's Viewpoints

PubMed Central

Kamalifard, Mahin; Ebrahim, Hossein; Rahmat, Mahnaz

2013-01-01

Pre-pregnancy care is considered as preventive medicine related to pregnancy and delivery. This Questionnaire based study upon 384 women in the first half of the pregnancy showedthe scope of pre-pregnancy care in the area of physical health was either weak (75%) or average (25%). All women declared that they had not received mental health-related care during the pre-pregnancy care. The scope of pre-pregnancy care in the area of life-style was categorized as weak, average, and good by 69.79%, 29.69%, and 0.52% of the studied women, respectively. PMID:25276723

Mars rover/sample return mission requirements affecting space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The possible interfaces between the Space Station and the Mars Rover/Sample Return (MRSR) mission are defined. In order to constrain the scope of the report a series of seven design reference missions divided into three major types were assumed. These missions were defined to span the probable range of Space Station-MRSR interactions. The options were reduced, the MRSR sample handling requirements and baseline assumptions about the MRSR hardware and the key design features and requirements of the Space Station are summarized. Only the aspects of the design reference missions necessary to define the interfaces, hooks and scars, and other provisions on the Space Station are considered. An analysis of each of the three major design reference missions, is reported, presenting conceptual designs of key hardware to be mounted on the Space Station, a definition of weights, interfaces, and required hooks and scars.

High density lipoprotein and metabolic disease: Potential benefits of restoring its functional properties

PubMed Central

Klancic, Teja; Woodward, Lavinia; Hofmann, Susanna M.; Fisher, Edward A.

2016-01-01

Background High density lipoproteins (HDLs) are thought to be atheroprotective and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Besides their antioxidant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic properties in the vasculature, HDLs also improve glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle. Scope of the review Herein, we review the functional role of HDLs to improve metabolic disorders, especially those involving insulin resistance and to induce regression of CVD with a particular focus on current pharmacological treatment options as well as lifestyle interventions, particularly exercise. Major conclusions Functional properties of HDLs continue to be considered important mediators to reverse metabolic dysfunction and to regress atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle changes are often recommended to reduce the risk of CVD, with exercise being one of the most important of these. Understanding how exercise improves HDL function will likely lead to new approaches to battle the expanding burden of obesity and the metabolic syndrome. PMID:27110484

Cumulative Risk Assessment: An Overview of Methodological Approaches for Evaluating Combined Health Effects from Exposure to Multiple Environmental Stressors

PubMed Central

Sexton, Ken

2012-01-01

Systematic evaluation of cumulative health risks from the combined effects of multiple environmental stressors is becoming a vital component of risk-based decisions aimed at protecting human populations and communities. This article briefly examines the historical development of cumulative risk assessment as an analytical tool, and discusses current approaches for evaluating cumulative health effects from exposure to both chemical mixtures and combinations of chemical and nonchemical stressors. A comparison of stressor-based and effects-based assessment methods is presented, and the potential value of focusing on viable risk management options to limit the scope of cumulative evaluations is discussed. The ultimate goal of cumulative risk assessment is to provide answers to decision-relevant questions based on organized scientific analysis; even if the answers, at least for the time being, are inexact and uncertain. PMID:22470298

A nursing solution to primary care delivery shortfall.

PubMed

Carter, Michael; Moore, Phillip; Sublette, Nina

2018-05-21

Many countries project that they will have difficulty to meet their demand for primary care based on an inadequate supply of primary care doctors. There are many reasons for this, and they tend to vary by country. The policy options available to these countries are to increase the number of local primary care doctors, recruit doctors from other countries, ration primary care, shift more primary care to specialists, or authorize other disciplines to provide primary care. This article examines lessons learned in the United States over the past 50 years and proposes that expanding the use of nurse practitioners is the best solution when measured by feasibility, costs, ethics, and scope of the care delivered. Using nurse practitioners trained in country meets the World Health Organization global code of practice regarding the international recruitment of health personnel. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Monogenic Periodic Fever Syndromes: Treatment Options for the Pediatric Patient.

PubMed

Ozen, Seza; Demir, Selcan

2017-08-01

Autoinflammatory diseases are disorders of the innate immune system characterized by uncontrolled inflammation. The most commonly encountered autoinflammatory diseases are the hereditary periodic fever syndromes, which present with fever and other features of the skin, serosal membranes, and musculoskeletal system. The main inherited (monogenic) periodic fever syndromes are familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS), and hyperimmunoglobulin D syndrome (HIDS)/mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD). Recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and pathophysiological basis of autoinflammatory diseases have provided new treatment strategies. Patients with periodic fever syndromes have clearly benefited from anti-interleukin (IL)-1 treatment. Colchicine is still the mainstay of FMF therapy, but IL-1 blockade is also effective if colchicine fails. Early diagnosis and effective treatment can prevent irreversible organ damage. The scope of pathogenic mutations and more targeted therapy for better management of these rare diseases remains to be defined.

Clean room survey and assessment, volume 5, appendix H

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The scope of this task is to perform a comparative analysis of the various Environmental Control Life Support System (ECLSS) options for different growth scenarios. The Space Station Freedom ECLSS design and existing ground-based clean room facilities are used as a baseline for comparison. Specifically addressed here are the ground based clean room facilities at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Given here is an evaluation of the facilities, equipment, technologies, and procedures used to maintain specified environments in typical aerospace industrial areas. Twenty-five specific clean rooms are evaluated. The objectives were to collect, compare, and catalog data for each specified facility in the areas of engineering and design, construction materials, work stations, contamination control, particulate elimination, entry systems, and instrumentation, and to make recommendations concerning enhancements required to assure an efficient and orderly evolution of MSFC clean room environmental control facilities.

A Program Manager's Guide for Program Improvement in Ongoing Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Programs.

PubMed

Ryan, Gery W; Farmer, Carrie M; Adamson, David M; Weinick, Robin M

2014-01-01

Between 2001 and 2011, the U.S. Department of Defense has implemented numerous programs to support service members and their families in coping with the stressors from a decade of the longstanding conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. These programs, which address both psychological health and traumatic brain injury (TBI), number in the hundreds and vary in their size, scope, and target population. To ensure that resources are wisely invested and maximize the benefits of such programs, RAND developed a tool to help assess program performance, consider options for improvement, implement solutions, then assess whether the changes worked, with the intention of helping those responsible for managing or implementing programs to conduct assessments of how well the program is performing and to implement solutions for improving performance. Specifically, the tool is intended to provide practical guidance in program improvement and continuous quality improvement for all programs.

Safety policy and requirements for payloads using the Space Transportation System (STS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Space Transportation Operations (STO) safety policy is to minimize STO involvement in the payload and its GSE (ground support equipment) design process while maintaining the assurance of a safe operation. Requirements for assuring payload mission success are the responsibility of the payload organization and are beyond the scope of this document. The intent is to provide the overall safety policies and requirements while allowing for negotiation between the payload organization and the STO operator in the method of implementation of payload safety. This revision provides for a relaxation in the monitoring requirements for inhibits, allows the payload organization to pursue design options and reflects, additionally, some new requirements. As of the issue date of this NHB, payloads which have completed the formal safety assessment reviews of their preliminary design on the basis of the May 1979 issue will be reassessed for compliance with the above changes.

Food and nutrition in Canadian "prime time" television commercials.

PubMed

Ostbye, T; Pomerleau, J; White, M; Coolich, M; McWhinney, J

1993-01-01

Television is, arguably, the most influential mass medium and "prime time" viewing attracts the largest audiences. To assess the type, number and nutritional content of foods advertised on TV, commercial breaks during "prime time" (7:00 to 11:00 p.m.) on five Canadian channels (CBC-English, CBC-French, CTV, CFPL, Much Music) were recorded and analyzed. A similar analysis of Saturday morning children's TV commercials was also performed. Commercials for foods and food products constituted between 24-35% of all commercials, the largest advertising output for any group of products. The combination of food presented in commercials reflected average current consumption patterns. Of special concern was the emphasis on low nutrition beverages, especially beer, as well as snacks and candy on Much Music. While further government intervention to restrict advertising practices may be an impractical option, there is scope for increasing the alternative promotion of healthy dietary choices.

Emergency medicine in space.

PubMed

Stewart, Lowan H; Trunkey, Donald; Rebagliati, G Steve

2007-01-01

Recent events, including the development of space tourism and commercial spaceflight, have increased the need for specialists in space medicine. With increased duration of missions and distance from Earth, medical and surgical events will become inevitable. Ground-based medical support will no longer be adequate when return to Earth is not an option. Pending the inclusion of sub-specialists, clinical skills and medical expertise will be required that go beyond those of current physician-astronauts, yet are well within the scope of Emergency Medicine. Emergency physicians have the necessary broad knowledge base as well as proficiency in basic surgical skills and management of the critically ill and injured. Space medicine shares many attributes with extreme conditions and environments that many emergency physicians already specialize in. This article is an introduction to space medicine, and a review of current issues in the emergent management of medical and surgical disease during spaceflight.

MANDATING DISCLOSURE OF CONSCIENCE-BASED LIMITATIONS ON MEDICAL PRACTICE.

PubMed

Sawicki, Nadia N

2016-01-01

Stakeholders in law, medicine, and religion are unable to reach consensus about how best to address conflicts between healthcare providers' conscientious objections to treatment and patients' rights to access medical care. Conscience laws that protect objecting providers and institutions from liability are criticized as too broad by patient advocates and as too narrow by defenders of religious freedom. This Article posits that some of the tension between these stakeholders could be mitigated by statutory recognition of a duty on the part of healthcare institutions or providers to disclose conscientiously motivated limitations on practice. While this solution would not guarantee a patient's access to treatment, referral, or information from any given provider, it would prevent some of the more egregious cases of denial of treatment--those where patients are not made aware that a legal and clinically defensible treatment option is excluded from a provider's or institution's scope of practice and so have no opportunity to seek care elsewhere.

What laser does your practice need? Advantages, considerations, and practice integration of laser dentistry.

PubMed

Coluzzi, Donald J

2008-12-01

The use of lasers in dentistry has expanded and improved some treatment options for those clinicians who have adopted the technology. As with all dental materials and instruments, the practitioner must use clinical experience, receive proper training, become very familiar with the operating manual, and proceed within the scope of his or her practice. The potential purchaser should carefully analyze the style and type of the practice to decide how useful the device could be. Moreover, attending introductory courses, seminars, and presentations, such as those at the aforementioned Academy of Laser Dentistry's Annual Conference, or at various state and national scientific sessions, are essential before buying. Because of the varied composition of human tissue and the differing ways that laser energy is absorbed, there is no single perfect laser. However, our patients continue to agree that the dental laser is a wonderful instrument.

Entanglement of polar symmetric top molecules as candidate qubits.

PubMed

Wei, Qi; Kais, Sabre; Friedrich, Bretislav; Herschbach, Dudley

2011-10-21

Proposals for quantum computing using rotational states of polar molecules as qubits have previously considered only diatomic molecules. For these the Stark effect is second-order, so a sizable external electric field is required to produce the requisite dipole moments in the laboratory frame. Here we consider use of polar symmetric top molecules. These offer advantages resulting from a first-order Stark effect, which renders the effective dipole moments nearly independent of the field strength. That permits use of much lower external field strengths for addressing sites. Moreover, for a particular choice of qubits, the electric dipole interactions become isomorphous with NMR systems for which many techniques enhancing logic gate operations have been developed. Also inviting is the wider chemical scope, since many symmetric top organic molecules provide options for auxiliary storage qubits in spin and hyperfine structure or in internal rotation states. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Funding of drugs: do vaccines warrant a different approach?

PubMed

Beutels, Philippe; Scuffham, Paul A; MacIntyre, C Raina

2008-11-01

Vaccines have features that require special consideration when assessing their cost-effectiveness. These features are related to herd immunity, quality-of-life losses in young children, parental care and work loss, time preference, uncertainty, eradication, macroeconomics, and tiered pricing. Advisory committees on public funding for vaccines, or for pharmaceuticals in general, should be knowledgable about these special features. We discuss key issues and difficulties in decision making for vaccines against rotavirus, human papillomavirus, varicella-zoster virus, influenza virus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. We argue that guidelines for economic evaluation should be reconsidered generally to recommend (1) modelling options for the assessment of interventions against infectious diseases; (2) a wider perspective to account for impacts on third parties, if relevant; (3) a wider scope of costs than health-care system costs alone, if appropriate; and (4) alternative discounting techniques to explore social time preference over long periods.

The unique and valuable soft tissue free flap in head and neck reconstruction: Lateral arm.

PubMed

Kang, Stephen Y; Eskander, Antoine; Patel, Krupal; Teknos, Theodoros N; Old, Matthew O

2018-07-01

While the lateral arm free flap has been well described, there is a relative paucity in its use compared to other free flaps and regional flaps. The lateral arm free flap is a unique soft tissue free flap that provides several reconstructive advantages in head and neck reconstruction: excellent contour and color match to facial skin, well compartmentalized fat, donor nerves for nerve grafting, and the ability to two-team harvest and close the donor site without a skin graft. A detailed anatomic and harvest technique is described, along with indications and advantages of using lateral free flap for head and neck reconstruction. A scoping literature review was also conducted to tabulate indications, overall success and complications of the flap. The lateral arm flap is a primary option for defects requiring soft tissue reconstruction in the head and neck. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Future enhancements to 3D printing and real time production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landa, Joseph; Jenkins, Jeffery; Wu, Jerry; Szu, Harold

2014-05-01

The cost and scope of additive printing machines range from several hundred to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For the extra money, one can get improvements in build size, selection of material properties, resolution, and consistency. However, temperature control during build and fusing predicts outcome and protects the IP by large high cost machines. Support material options determine geometries that can be accomplished which drives cost and complexity of printing heads. Historically, 3D printers have been used for design and prototyping efforts. Recent advances and cost reduction sparked new interest in developing printed products and consumables such as NASA who is printing food, printing consumer parts (e.g. cell phone cases, novelty toys), making tools and fixtures in manufacturing, and recursively print a self-similar printer (c.f. makerbot). There is a near term promise of the capability to print on demand products at the home or office... directly from the printer to use.

Body integrity identity disorder beyond amputation: consent and liberty.

PubMed

White, Amy

2014-09-01

In this article, I argue that persons suffering from Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) can give informed consent to surgical measures designed to treat this disorder. This is true even if the surgery seems radical or irrational to most people. The decision to have surgery made by a BIID patient is not necessarily coerced, incompetent or uninformed. If surgery for BIID is offered, there should certainly be a screening process in place to insure informed consent. It is beyond the scope of this work, however, to define all the conditions that should be placed on the availability of surgery. However, I argue, given the similarities between BIID and gender dysphoria and the success of such gatekeeping measures for the surgical treatment of gender dysphoria, it is reasonable that similar conditions be in place for BIID. Once other treatment options are tried and gatekeeping measures satisfied, A BIID patient can give informed consent to radical surgery.

Addressing female genital mutilation in Europe: a scoping review of approaches to participation, prevention, protection, and provision of services.

PubMed

Baillot, Helen; Murray, Nina; Connelly, Elaine; Howard, Natasha

2018-02-08

Public and policy attention to female genital mutilation (FGM) in diaspora communities has increased in Europe, but research remains limited and misinformation abounds. As a first step to addressing these issues, this study explored FGM prevention and response interventions in Europe, using a scoping literature review and key informant interviews. A scoping study design was selected, using Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage scoping framework to review identified sources. Key informant interviews were used to inform and add depth to literature findings. Findings were summarised thematically, guided by the Scottish Government's '4Ps' framework for tackling violence against women (i.e. participation, prevention, protection, providing services). Seventy literature sources, of 1095 screened, plus 16 individual and 3 group interview sources were included. Several countries have developed promising interventions supporting FGM resistance and recovery. However, gaps remain including community participation, professional knowledge and linkages, and evaluation of approaches. This scoping review is an initial attempt to describe available primary evidence on European initiatives responding to FGM. Further research is required to determine whether interventions are effective, while policy and practice development must be shaped and driven by the experiences, needs, and views of affected communities.

[Use of medicinal plants as home remedies in Primary Health Care in Blumenau - State of Santa Catarina, Brazil].

PubMed

Zeni, Ana Lúcia Bertarello; Parisotto, Amanda Varnier; Mattos, Gerson; Helena, Ernani Tiaraju de Santa

2017-08-01

An increase in the use of alternative therapeutic practices has been observed in the past decade, especially in medicinal plants, herbal and home remedies, which has been supported by policies within the scope of the Unified Health System (SUS). This study investigated the use of home remedies by users of Primary Health Care in Blumenau, State of Santa Catarina. It is a cross-sectional, observational and epidemiological study, the data for which were obtained via a questionnaire applied to 701 individuals. An unconditional logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between the use of home remedies and socio-demographic and medical care variables. It was observed that 21.9% of the sample use home remedies and medicinal plants grown in the back yard are the remedies of choice. Lemon balm, chamomile, peppermint and lime were the remedies most frequently mentioned. The use of home remedies was associated with the female gender, older age and the Family Health Strategy care model. The results supported that medicinal plants are used by the population as a therapeutic alternative option. However, it is necessary that primary care services ensure both access to natural products and supply qualified professionals to give instructions regarding the correct usage of home remedies.

ChemHTPS - A virtual high-throughput screening program suite for the chemical and materials sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afzal, Mohammad Atif Faiz; Evangelista, William; Hachmann, Johannes

The discovery of new compounds, materials, and chemical reactions with exceptional properties is the key for the grand challenges in innovation, energy and sustainability. This process can be dramatically accelerated by means of the virtual high-throughput screening (HTPS) of large-scale candidate libraries. The resulting data can further be used to study the underlying structure-property relationships and thus facilitate rational design capability. This approach has been extensively used for many years in the drug discovery community. However, the lack of openly available virtual HTPS tools is limiting the use of these techniques in various other applications such as photovoltaics, optoelectronics, and catalysis. Thus, we developed ChemHTPS, a general-purpose, comprehensive and user-friendly suite, that will allow users to efficiently perform large in silico modeling studies and high-throughput analyses in these applications. ChemHTPS also includes a massively parallel molecular library generator which offers a multitude of options to customize and restrict the scope of the enumerated chemical space and thus tailor it for the demands of specific applications. To streamline the non-combinatorial exploration of chemical space, we incorporate genetic algorithms into the framework. In addition to implementing smarter algorithms, we also focus on the ease of use, workflow, and code integration to make this technology more accessible to the community.

An undergraduate program for astronomy in México

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo-Alfaro, Hector; Migenes, Victor

Astronomy in Mexico has an ancient tradition, reinforced during the XXth century by groups working in theoretical and observational astronomy. During the 90s, the Great Millimeter Telescope (a single 50-m antenna) has been approved, and a 6-m infrared telescope is under study. Graduate and undergraduate programs must be improved to prepare future Mexican and Latin American astronomers to take advantage of these facilities. To meet the challenge, two traditional Mexican programs (Instituto de Astronomia-UNAM and Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica-INAOE) are updating their graduate programs for. Similarly, the Departamento de Astronomia de la Universidad de Guanajuato is joining physicists in the first undergraduate program in Mexico in Physics and Engineering with an option in Astrophysics. This will prepare students so that they can choose between industry, academia or national laboratories, either in Physics or Astronomy. Jobs in academia have been scarce; many students had to give up their goals after one or two postdoctoral positions. Graduate and undergraduate programs must adjust, by broadening the scope of present programs so that students are better prepared for other job opportunities. We present a BSc program designed by astronomers and physicists to try to address some of these concerns and prepare the students for either continuing with graduate studies or finding employment in an ever-changing job market.

[Analysis of the decision to buy medicine in light of the existence of generic products: a study in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil].

PubMed

Sousa, Caissa Veloso E; Mesquita, Jose Marcos Carvalho de; Lara, José Edson

2013-11-01

The scope of this study is to identify the factors that influence the consumer's decision when buying medicine. Prior to the Generics Act (Lei dos Genéricos), consumers had at their disposal two product purchase options in the private market, namely buying a reference drug and a similar one. Generic drugs are part of a public policy which was intended to broaden access to medication by the general population at more accessible costs, while maintaining the same quality as the reference drug, as ensured by bioequivalence tests from the national health surveillance agency ANVISA. Nevertheless, a question arises as to whether the potential consumer knows the difference between generic, similar and reference drugs, especially when taking into account the decision at the moment of purchase. In order to fulfill the proposed objective, a survey was conducted with 403 residents in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The data gathered was tabulated and analyzed using factor analysis and crosstab. The results made it possible to infer that there is a strong predisposition among consumers to accept the suggestions of the pharmacists and/or salesman, and a significant portion of the population is confused at the moment of purchase.

Motivational intensity modulates attentional scope: evidence from behavioral and ERP studies.

PubMed

Liu, Lei; Zhang, Guangnan; Zhou, Renlai; Wang, Zuowei

2014-10-01

Previous studies have found that affective states with high motivational intensity narrow attentional scope, whereas affective states with low motivational intensity broaden attentional scope. This conclusion, however, is based on fragmented evidence based on several separate studies. The present study tests this conclusion within a single study using both behavioral (Experiment 1) and neurophysiological (Experiment 2) measures. Experiment 1 showed that individuals had the global precedence effect in the neutral affective state. However, the global precedence effect was reduced for affective states with high motivational intensity, whereas the global precedence effect was not significantly enhanced for those with low motivational intensity. Experiment 2 replicated these results with event-related potential (ERP) recording. ERP results showed that affective states with high motivational intensity induced smaller N2 and greater late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes than low motivational intensity and neutral affective states. However, no differences were found between the low motivational intensity and neutral affective states. Furthermore, smaller LPP predicted the tendency a global attentional focus in the frontal and central areas and larger LPP predicted a narrowed focus in the frontal area. The findings suggested that high motivational intensity of affective states can affect attentional scope.

Biomechanics of fencing sport: A scoping review

PubMed Central

Chen, Tony Lin-Wei; Wong, Duo Wai-Chi; Wang, Yan; Ren, Sicong; Yan, Fei

2017-01-01

Objectives The aim of our scoping review was to identify and summarize current evidence on the biomechanics of fencing to inform athlete development and injury prevention. Design Scoping review. Method Peer-reviewed research was identified from electronic databases using a structured keyword search. Details regarding experimental design, study group characteristics and measured outcomes were extracted from retrieved studies, summarized and information regrouped under themes for analysis. The methodological quality of the evidence was evaluated. Results Thirty-seven peer-reviewed studies were retrieved, the majority being observational studies conducted with experienced and elite athletes. The methodological quality of the evidence was “fair” due to the limited scope of research. Male fencers were the prevalent group studied, with the lunge and use of a foil weapon being the principal movement evaluated. Motion capture and pedabarography were the most frequently used data collection techniques. Conclusions Elite fencers exhibited sequential coordination of upper and lower limb movements with coherent patterns of muscle activation, compared to novice fencers. These elite features of neuromuscular coordination resulted in higher magnitudes of forward linear velocity of the body center of mass and weapon. Training should focus on explosive power. Sex- and equipment-specific effects could not be evaluated based on available research. PMID:28187164

The Navy Acquisition Contracting Officer Intern Program: A Past and Present NACO View

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 C. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY...that can be taken to make the program more effective? C. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY This study conducts a detailed assessment of the two-year... limited sea experience. D. THE IMPACT OF DAWIA ON THE 1306 SUBSPECIALTY In 1990, Congress passed the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DA

The Scope of Assistive Technology in Learning Process of Students with Blindness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saleem, Saira; Sajjad, Shahida

2016-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate the scope of assistive technology in learning process of students with blindness. The sample of this study included 56 students with blindness between the ages of 11-22 years from secondary level of education. These students were selected through convenient sampling from five special schools located in…

The Role of Linear Order in the Acquisition of Quantifier Scope in Chinese.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Thomas Hun-tak

1989-01-01

Assuming the relevance of the linear precedence to the scope interpretation of adult Mandarin, this study investigated the development of this principle in Mandarin-speaking children, with a view to providing a basis for further study of parametric variation. Three kinds of sentences were examined, all of which contained mutually commanding…

The Isolated and Combined Effects of Intervention Components on Mathematic Fluency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hastings, Kimberly A.

2010-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: The scope of the study was to compare empirically supported math fluency interventions to a control group as well as each other. The intervention components were isolated to investigate their initial strength as well as adding them together to investigate if the combined intervention was actually stronger or more…

The Views of Turkish Science Teachers about Gender Equity within Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idin, Sahin; Dönmez, Ismail

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate Turkish Science teachers' views about gender equity in the scope of science education. This study was conducted with the quantitative methodology. Within this scope, a 35-item 5-point Likert scale survey was developed to determine Science teachers' views concerning gender equity issues. 160 Turkish Science…

Optimal Geometric Deployment of a Ground Based Pseudolite Navigation System to Track a Landing Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Machine Guidance Using LocataNet In this pilot study [3], conducted at the BlueScope Steel warehouse in Port Kembla, Australia, the LocataNet system...Study at BlueScope Steel”. Proceedings of the 2004 Annual Meeting of the Institute of Navigation. Dayton, OH, June 2004. 4. Barnes, Joel, Chris

Alternative Observation Tools for the Scope of Contemporary Education Supervision: An Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuru Cetin, Saadet

2018-01-01

In this study, in-class lesson observations were made with volunteer teachers working in primary and secondary schools using alternative observation tools regarding the scope of contemporary educational supervision. The study took place during the fall and spring semesters of the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 academic years and the class observations…

Old and new challenges in Parkinson's disease therapeutics.

PubMed

Pires, Ana O; Teixeira, F G; Mendes-Pinheiro, B; Serra, Sofia C; Sousa, Nuno; Salgado, António J

2017-09-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and/or loss od neuronal projections, in several dopaminergic networks. Current treatments for idiopathic PD rely mainly on the use of pharmacologic agents to improve motor symptomatology of PD patients. Nevertheless, so far PD remains an incurable disease. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to establish new therapeutic strategies for PD treatment. Over the last 20 years, several molecular, gene and cell/stem-cell therapeutic approaches have been developed with the aim of counteracting or retarding PD progression. The scope of this review is to provide an overview of PD related therapies and major breakthroughs achieved within this field. In order to do so, this review will start by focusing on PD characterization and current treatment options covering thereafter molecular, gene and cell/stem cell-based therapies that are currently being studied in animal models of PD or have recently been tested in clinical trials. Among stem cell-based therapies, those using MSCs as possible disease modifying agents for PD therapy and, specifically, the MSCs secretome contribution to meet the clinical challenge of counteracting or retarding PD progression, will be more deeply explored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treating children with inflammatory bowel disease: Current and new perspectives

PubMed Central

Guariso, Graziella; Gasparetto, Marco

2017-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gut characterised by alternating periods of remission and relapse. Whilst the mechanism underlying this disease is yet to be fully understood, old and newer generation treatments can only target selected pathways of this complex inflammatory process. This narrative review aims to provide an update on the most recent advances in treatment of paediatric IBD. A MEDLINE search was conducted using “paediatric inflammatory bowel disease”, “paediatric Crohn’s disease”, “paediatric ulcerative colitis”, “treatment”, “therapy”, “immunosuppressant”, “biologic”, “monitoring” and “biomarkers” as key words. Clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2014 and 2016 were selected. Studies referring to earlier periods were also considered in case the data was relevant to our scope. Major advances have been achieved in monitoring the individual metabolism, toxicity and response to relevant medications in IBD including thiopurines and biologics. New biologics acting on novel mechanisms such as selective interference with lymphocyte trafficking are emerging treatment options. Current research is investing in the development of reliable prognostic biomarkers, aiming to move towards personalised treatments targeted to individual patients. PMID:28852307

A wedge-based approach to estimating health co-benefits of climate change mitigation activities in the United States

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

Balbus, John M.; Greenblatt, Jeffery B.; Chari, Ramya

While it has been recognized that actions reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can have significant positive and negative impacts on human health through reductions in ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations, these impacts are rarely taken into account when analyzing specific policies. This study presents a new framework for estimating the change in health outcomes resulting from implementation of specific carbon dioxide (CO 2) reduction activities, allowing comparison of different sectors and options for climate mitigation activities. Our estimates suggest that in the year 2020, the reductions in adverse health outcomes from lessened exposure to PM2.5 would yield economic benefitsmore » in the range of $6 to $14 billion (in 2008 USD), depending on the specific activity. This equates to between $40 and $93 per metric ton of CO 2 in health benefits. Specific climate interventions will vary in the health co-benefits they provide as well as in potential harms that may result from their implementation. Rigorous assessment of these health impacts is essential for guiding policy decisions as efforts to reduce GHG emissions increase in scope and intensity.« less

The use of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS): case series.

PubMed

Wu, Di; Rosedale, Richard

2018-02-26

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are highly prevalent among men over the age of 40. Even though associations between lumbar spine conditions and LUTS have been documented in the literature, no studies have detailed a specific lumbar assessment and classification process, and the related treatment effects in patients with LUTS. In this case series, we present three male patients with LUTS as primary complaints, who were evaluated and treated with Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) for the lumbar spine. The duration of their symptoms was between 4 months and 7 years. Urogenital pathologies were ruled out for all patients. The Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index was used as a functional outcome measure. All patients were classified as having lumbar derangements. Treatment of derangements with directional preference exercises resulted in the improvement of their LUTS, with clinically significant improvements (56.0%-77.4%) in functional outcome measures over an average of six sessions. Preliminary indications suggest that these LUTS cases may possibly have had a lumbar spine origin and "mechanical" nature. Therefore, they may be within the scope of MDT assessments and interventions. With careful monitoring of symptoms, MDT may serve as a screening tool and conservative treatment option.

Implementing autonomous clinical nurse specialist prescriptive authority: a competency-based transition model.

PubMed

Klein, Tracy Ann

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and implement a competency-based regulatory model that transitions clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) to autonomous prescriptive authority pursuant to change in state law. Prescriptive authority for CNSs may be optional or restricted under current state law. Implementation of the APRN Consensus Model includes full prescriptive authority for all advanced practice registered nurses. Clinical nurse specialists face barriers to establishing their prescribing authority when laws or practice change. Identification of transition models will assist CNSs who need to add prescriptive authority to their scope of practice. Identification and implementation of a competency-based transition model for expansion of CNS prescriptive authority. By January 1, 2012, 9 CNSs in the state exemplar have completed a practicum and been granted full prescriptive authority including scheduled drug prescribing. No complaints or board actions resulted from the transition to autonomous prescribing. Transition to prescribing may be facilitated through competency-based outcomes including practicum hours as appropriate to the individual CNS nursing specialty. Outcomes from this model can be used to develop and further validate educational and credentialing policies to reduce barriers for CNSs requiring prescriptive authority in other states.

Evidence-based guidelines for treating bipolar disorder: revised third edition Recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology

PubMed Central

Goodwin, G.M.; Haddad, P. M.; Ferrier, I.N.; Aronson, J.K.; Barnes, T.R.H.; Cipriani, A.; Coghill, D.R.; Fazel, S.; Geddes, J.R.; Grunze, H.; Holmes, E.A.; Howes, O.; Hudson, S.; Hunt, N.; Jones, I.; Macmillan, I.C.; McAllister-Williams, H.; Miklowitz, D.M.; Morriss, R.; Munafò, M.; Paton, C.; Saharkian, B.J.; Saunders, K.E.A.; Sinclair, J.M.A.; Taylor, D.; Vieta, E.; Young, A.H.

2016-01-01

The British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines specify the scope and targets of treatment for bipolar disorder. The third version is based explicitly on the available evidence and presented, like previous Clinical Practice Guidelines, as recommendations to aid clinical decision making for practitioners: it may also serve as a source of information for patients and carers, and assist audit. The recommendations are presented together with a more detailed review of the corresponding evidence. A consensus meeting, involving experts in bipolar disorder and its treatment, reviewed key areas and considered the strength of evidence and clinical implications. The guidelines were drawn up after extensive feedback from these participants. The best evidence from randomized controlled trials and, where available, observational studies employing quasi-experimental designs was used to evaluate treatment options. The strength of recommendations has been described using the GRADE approach. The guidelines cover the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, clinical management, and strategies for the use of medicines: in short-term treatment of episodes, relapse prevention and stopping treatment. The use of medication is integrated with a coherent approach to psychoeducation and behaviour change. PMID:26979387

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Hancock County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Background The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a plan in 1997 to modernize the FEMA flood mapping program. FEMA flood maps delineate flood hazard areas in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's plan outlined the steps necessary to update FEMA's flood maps for the nation to a seamless digital format and streamline FEMA's operations in raising public awareness of the importance of the maps and responding to requests to revise them. The modernization of flood maps involves conversion of existing information to digital format and integration of improved flood hazard data as needed. To determine flood mapping modernization needs, FEMA has established specific scoping activities to be done on a county-by-county basis for identifying and prioritizing requisite flood-mapping activities for map modernization. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with FEMA and the Maine Floodplain Management Program (MFMP) State Planning Office, began scoping work in 2006 for Hancock County. Scoping activities included assembling existing data and map needs information for communities in Hancock County, documentation of data, contacts, community meetings, and prioritized mapping needs in a final scoping report (this document), and updating the Mapping Needs Update Support System (MNUSS) database with information gathered during the scoping process. The average age of the FEMA floodplain maps (all types) in Hancock County, Maine, is at least 19 years. Most of these studies were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and no study is more recent than 1992. Some towns have partial maps that are more recent than their study, indicating that the true average age of the data is probably more than 19 years. Since the studies were done, development has occurred in some of the watersheds and the characteristics of the watersheds have changed. Therefore, many of the older studies may not depict current conditions or accurately estimate risk in terms of flood heights or flood mapping.

Transformation of medical education through Decentralised Training Platforms: a scoping review.

PubMed

Mlambo, Motlatso; Dreyer, Abigail; Dube, Rainy; Mapukata, Nontsikelelo; Couper, Ian; Cooke, Richard

2018-03-01

Medical education in South Africa is facing a major paradigm shift. The urgency to increase the number of suitable, qualified and socially accountable health sciences graduates has brought to the fore the need to identify alternative training platforms and learning environments, often in rural areas. Subsequently, the focus has now shifted towards strengthening primary health care and community based health services. This scoping review presents a synopsis of the existing literature on decentralized training platform (DTP) strategies for medical education internationally, outlining existing models within it and its impact. This scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework outlining five stages: (i) identification of a research question, (ii) identification of relevant studies, (iii) study selection criteria, (iv) data charting, and (v) collating, summarizing and reporting results. The literature for the scoping review was found using online databases, reference lists and hand searched journals. Data were charted and sorted inductively according to key themes. A final review included 59 articles ranging over the years 1987-2015 with the largest group of studies falling in the period 2011-2015 (47.5%). Studies mostly employed quantitative (32.2%), qualitative (20.3%), systematic/literature review (18.6%) and mixed methods research approaches (11.9%). The scoping review highlighted a range of DTP strategies for transforming medical education. These include training for rural workforce, addressing context specific competencies to promote social accountability, promoting community engagement, and medical education partnerships. Viable models of DTP include community based education, distributed community engaged learning, discipline based clinical rotations, longitudinal clerkships and dedicated tracks focusing on rural issues. Shorter rural placements and supplemental rural tracks are also described. This scoping review showed a considerable amount of literature on decentralized training platforms that highlight the necessary adaptations needed for transforming medical education. The rural context is critical for many of these. Further studies are required to address the impact of DTPs on health service outcomes and human resource outcomes.

The scale on community care perceptions (scope) for nursing students: A development and psychometric validation study.

PubMed

van Iersel, Margriet; de Vos, Rien; Latour, Corine; Kirschner, Paul A; Scholte Op Reimer, Wilma

2018-05-11

The aim of this study was to develop a valid instrument to measure student nurses' perceptions of community care (SCOPE). DeVellis' staged model for instrument development and validation was used. Scale construction of SCOPE was based on existing literature. Evaluation of its psychometric properties included exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis. After pilot-testing, 1062 bachelor nursing students from six institutions in the Netherlands (response rate 81%) took part in the study. SCOPE is a 35-item scale containing: background variables, 11 measuring the affective component, 5 measuring community care perception as a placement, 17 as a future profession, and 2 on the reasons underlying student preference. Principal axis factoring yielded two factors in the affective component scale reflecting 'enjoyment' and 'utility', two in the placement scale reflecting 'learning possibilities' and 'personal satisfaction', and four in the profession scale: 'professional development', 'collaboration', 'caregiving', and 'complexity and workload'. Cronbach's α of the complete scale was 0.892 and of the subscales 0.862, 0.696, and 0.810 respectively. SCOPE is a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring students' perceptions of community care. By determining these perceptions, it becomes possible to positively influence them with targeted curriculum redesign, eventually contributing to decreasing the workforce shortage in community nursing. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Children’s recalls from five dietary-reporting validation studies: Intrusions in correctly reported and misreported options in school breakfast reports

PubMed Central

Baxter, Suzanne Domel; Hardin, James W.; Royer, Julie A.; Guinn, Caroline H.; Smith, Albert F.

2008-01-01

For school breakfast each day, many elementary schools offer a choice between a cold option that includes ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal and a hot option that includes a non-RTE-cereal entrée such as waffles. For breakfast reports, intrusions (reports of uneaten items) in correctly reported and misreported breakfast options were examined using data from five dietary-reporting validation studies. In each study, fourth-grade children were observed eating school breakfast and school lunch and then interviewed to obtain a dietary recall. A breakfast option was correctly reported in 240 breakfast reports for 203 intrusions total, and misreported in 97 breakfast reports for 189 intrusions total. Asymmetry was evident in misreported options; specifically, children observed eating a cold option almost never misreported a hot option, but children observed eating a hot option often misreported a cold option. Proportionately more breakfast reports were intrusion-free when a breakfast option was correctly reported than misreported. Linking of intrusions (i.e., multiple intrusions from the same option in a breakfast report) was especially evident with misreported breakfast options. Methodological aspects of dietary recalls such as target period (prior 24 hours; previous day), interview time (morning; afternoon; evening), and interview format (meal; open) had implications for intrusions and misreported breakfast options. PMID:18501992

Understanding and Measuring LGBTQ Pathways to Health: A Scoping Review of Strengths-Based Health Promotion Approaches in LGBTQ Health Research.

PubMed

Gahagan, Jacqueline; Colpitts, Emily

2017-01-01

Health research traditionally has focused on the health risks and deficits of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) populations, obscuring the determinants that can promote health across the life course. Recognizing, appropriately measuring, and rendering visible these determinants of health is paramount to informing appropriate and engaging health policies, services, and systems for LGBTQ populations. The overarching purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the findings of a scoping review aimed at exploring strengths-based health promotion approaches to understanding and measuring LGBTQ health. Specifically, this scoping review examined peer-reviewed, published academic literature to determine (a) existing methodological frameworks for studying LGBTQ health from a strengths-based health promotion approach, and (b) suggestions for future methodological approaches for studying LGBTQ health from a strengths-based health promotion approach. The findings of this scoping review will be used to inform the development of a study aimed at assessing the health of and improving pathways to health services among LGBTQ populations in Nova Scotia, Canada.

System design and instrument development for future formation-flying magnetospheric satellite mission SCOPE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Y.; Fujimoto, M.; Maezawa, K.; Kojima, H.; Takashima, T.; Matsuoka, A.; Shinohara, I.; Tsuda, Y.; Higuchi, K.; Toda, T.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA is currently planning a next generation magnetosphere observation mission called SCOPE cross-Scale COupling in the Plasma universE The main purpose of this mission is to investigate the dynamic behaviors of plasmas in the Terrestrial magnetosphere that range over various time and spatial scales The basic idea of the SCOPE mission is to distinguish temporal and spatial variations of physical processes by putting five formation flying spacecraft into the key region of the Terrestrial magnetosphere The orbit of SCOPE is a highly elliptical orbit with its apogee 30Re from the Earth center SCOPE consists of one 450kg mother satellite and four 90kg daughter satellites flying 5 to 5000km apart from each other The inter-satellite link is used for telemetry command operation as well as ranging to determine the relative orbit of 5 satellites in a small distance which cannot be resolved by the ground-based orbit determination The SCOPE mission is designed such that observational studies from the new perspective that is the cross-scale coupling viewpoint are enabled The orbit is so designed that the spacecraft will visit most of the key regions in the magnetosphere that is the bow shock the magnetospheric boundary the inner-magnetosphere and the near-Earth magnetotail In order to realize the science objectives high performance Plasma Particle sensors DC AC Magnetic and Electric field sensors and Wave Particle Correlator are planned to be onboard the SCOPE satellite All the SCOPE satellites have two 5m spin-axis antenna

Scoping of Flood Hazard Mapping Needs for Lincoln County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Background The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a plan in 1997 to modernize the FEMA flood mapping program. FEMA flood maps delineate flood hazard areas in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA's plan outlined the steps necessary to update FEMA's flood maps for the nation to a seamless digital format and streamline FEMA's operations in raising public awareness of the importance of the maps and responding to requests to revise them. The modernization of flood maps involves conversion of existing information to digital format and integration of improved flood hazard data as needed. To determine flood mapping modernization needs, FEMA has established specific scoping activities to be done on a county-by-county basis for identifying and prioritizing requisite flood-mapping activities for map modernization. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with FEMA and the Maine Floodplain Management Program (MFMP) State Planning Office, began scoping work in 2006 for Lincoln County. Scoping activities included assembling existing data and map needs information for communities in Lincoln County, documentation of data, contacts, community meetings, and prioritized mapping needs in a final scoping report (this document), and updating the Mapping Needs Update Support System (MNUSS) database with information gathered during the scoping process. The average age of the FEMA floodplain maps in Lincoln County, Maine is at least 17 years. Many of these studies were published in the mid- to late-1980s, and some towns have partial maps that are more recent than their study. However, in the ensuing 15-20 years, development has occurred in many of the watersheds, and the characteristics of the watersheds have changed with time. Therefore, many of the older studies may not depict current conditions nor accurately estimate risk in terms of flood heights or flood mapping.

Application of SCOPE-C to Measure Social Inclusion Among Mental Health Services Users in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Chan, Kara; Chiu, Marcus Yu-Lung; Evans, Sherrill; Huxley, Peter J; Ng, Yu-Leung

2016-11-01

This study describes the construction of the Chinese version of the Social and Communities Opportunities Profile (SCOPE), henceforth, the SCOPE-C, to measure social inclusion among mental health services users in Hong Kong. The SCOPE-C was developed based on concept-mapping and benchmarking of census questions. The questionnaire consisted of 56 items, went through a standardized linguistic validation process and was pilot tested with qualitative feedback from five users of mental health services. Altogether 168 Chinese service users were recruited through various NGO mental health services to have three times face-to-face interview between October 2013 and July 2014. Results indicated that items related to satisfaction with opportunities and perceived opportunities in various social domains had high consistency. Nearly all the Kappa statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients between the baseline and two rounds of re-test were significant. The SCOPE-C was considered a valid instrument for Hong Kong mental health user population.

Are Dietary Supplements and Nutraceuticals Effective for Musculoskeletal Health and Cognitive Function? A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Iolascon, G; Gimigliano, R; Bianco, M; De Sire, A; Moretti, A; Giusti, A; Malavolta, N; Migliaccio, S; Migliore, A; Napoli, N; Piscitelli, P; Resmini, G; Tarantino, U; Gimigliano, F

2017-01-01

The aim of our scoping review was to summarize the state of the art regarding micronutrients in order to identify which of them might effectively improve health status in the areas typically impaired in older people: bone, skeletal muscle, and cognitive function. Scoping review. The Italian Study Group on Healthy Aging by Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements (HANDS) performed this scoping review, based on the following steps: doing a list of micronutrients related with musculoskeletal or cognitive functions, included in dietary supplements and nutraceuticals commercialized in Italy; planning a research on PubMed, according to an evidence-based approach, in order to the most relevant positive study for each micronutrient into each of the three areas involved (bone, skeletal muscle and cognitive function); identifying the micronutrients effective in maintaining or achieving an adequate health status in older people, specifying the effective and safe daily doses, according to the selected studies. In literature we found 12 relevant positive studies (1 international society guidelines/recommendations, 1 systematic review, 7 randomized controlled trials, and 3 prospective cohort studies). We showed that only 16 micronutrients resulted to have appropriate scientific evidences in terms of improving musculoskeletal health and/or cognitive function in older people: beta-alanine, calcium, creatine, fluorides, leucine, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin B9, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K2, and zinc. This scoping review showed that selected micronutrients in adequate doses might have an ancillary role in musculoskeletal health and cognitive functions in older people.

Sorbent Scoping Studies

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

Chancellor, Christopher John

2016-11-14

The Los Alamos National Laboratory–Carlsbad Operations (LANL-CO) office was tasked by the DOE CBFO, Office of the Manager to perform a review of the acceptable knowledge (AK) to identify the oxidizers and sorbents in transuranic (TRU) waste streams, to conduct scoping studies on the oxidizers and sorbents identified in AK review to inform the Quality Level 1 (QL1) testing, and to conduct a series of QL1 tests to provide the scientific data to support a basis of knowledge document for determining the criteria for (1) accepting waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) without treatment, (2) determining waste thatmore » will require treatment, and (3) if treatment is required, how the treatment must be performed. The purpose of this report is to present the results of the AK review of sorbents present in active waste streams, provide a technical analysis of the sorbent list, report the results of the scoping studies for the fastest-burning organic sorbent, and provide the list of organic and inorganic sorbents to be used in the development of a Test Plan for Preparation and Testing of Sorbents Mixed with Oxidizer found in Transuranic Waste (DWT-TP-001). The companion report, DWT-RPT-001, Oxidizer Scoping Studies, has similar information for oxidizers identified during the AK review of TRU waste streams. The results of the oxidizer and sorbent scoping studies will be used to inform the QL1 test plan. The QL1 test results will support the development of a basis of knowledge document that will evaluate oxidizing chemicals and sorbents in TRU waste and provide guidance for treatment.« less

The Nature and Scope of Outdoor Education in New Zealand Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zink, Robyn; Boyes, Mike

2006-01-01

This paper reports on a study conducted in 2002 and 2003 investigating the nature and scope of outdoor education in New Zealand primary and secondary schools. The aim of the study was to gather data on teachers' practices in outdoor education in New Zealand, the beliefs and values that shape those practices, some of the barriers teachers faced…

A scoping review of qualitative research in peer-reviewed dental publications.

PubMed

Gussy, M; Dickson-Swift, V; Adams, J

2013-08-01

Qualitative research designs are being used increasingly in dental research. This paper describes the extent and range of dental research in which qualitative methods have been employed as well as the techniques of data collection and analysis preferred by dental researchers. A scoping review was conducted to locate studies published in dental journals, which reported the use of qualitative methods. Data concerning the focus of the research and the reported qualitative techniques were extracted. Studies included in the review totalled 197. The majority of qualitative research captured in this scoping study focussed on three main areas: dental education, professional dental and dental educators' activities and experiences and the patient/public perceptions. Interviews and focus group discussions were the most commonly selected techniques for data collection. The majority of the studies included in the scoping review had a focus on education of dental professionals the activities of dental professionals or the reported perceptions of or experiences with dental services by patients or members of the public. Little research was located, which explored peoples' personal experience of dental conditions. Research reported in dental publications has a heavy bias towards the use of focus groups and interview data collection techniques. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The scale of the evidence base on the health effects of conventional yogurt consumption: findings of a scoping review

PubMed Central

Glanville, Julie M.; Brown, Sam; Shamir, Raanan; Szajewska, Hania; Eales, Jacqualyn F.

2015-01-01

Background: The health effects of conventional yogurt have been investigated for over a century; however, few systematic reviews have been conducted to assess the extent of the health benefits of yogurt. Objective: The aim of this scoping review was to assess the volume of available evidence on the health effects of conventional yogurt. Methods: The review was guided by a protocol agreed a priori and informed by an extensive literature search conducted in November 2013. Randomized controlled trials were selected and categorized according to the eligibility criteria established in the protocol. Results: 213 studies were identified as relevant to the scoping question. The number of eligible studies identified for each outcome were: bone health (14 studies), weight management and nutrition related health outcomes (81 studies), metabolic health (6 studies); cardiovascular health (57 studies); gastrointestinal health (24 studies); cancer (39 studies); diabetes (13 studies), Parkinson's disease risk (3 studies), all-cause mortality (3 studies), skin complaints (3 studies), respiratory complaints (3 studies), joint pain/function (2 studies); the remaining 8 studies reported a variety of other outcomes. For studies of a similar design and which assessed the same outcomes in similar population groups, we report the potential for the combining of data across studies in systematic reviews. Conclusions: This scoping review has revealed the extensive evidence base for many outcomes which could be the focus of systematic reviews exploring the health effects of conventional yogurt consumption. PMID:26578956

Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications

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

Fogash, Kevin

2015-12-15

Air Products carried out a scope of work under DOE Award No. DE-FE0012065 “Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications” with subcontractors Ceramatec, Penn State, and WorleyParsons. The scope of work under this award was aimed at furthering the development of the Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) Oxygen production process toward a demonstration-scale facility known as the Oxygen Development Facility (ODF). Specific activities will help to enable design and construction of the ODF through advancement of a number of challenging technical elements that are required to manage risk in the initial deployment of ITMmore » technology. Major objectives of the work included developing ITM Oxygen ceramic membrane materials with improved performance and reliability, optimizing ceramic module geometry and fabrication methods, testing module performance, trialing the improved fabrication process at commercial scale in the Ceramic Membrane Module Fabrication Facility (CerFab), and advancing engineering development of the ITM oxygen production process, including vessel design and contaminant control measures to prepare for deployment of the ODF. The comprehensive report that follows details the team’s work, which includes several notable accomplishments: 1) compressive creep, a likely limiter of ceramic module lifetime in service, was demonstrated to be retarded by an order of magnitude by changes in material formulation, module joining dimensions, and internal wafer geometry; 2) two promising new materials were shown to be superior to the incumbent ITM material in a key material parameter related to oxygen flux; 3) module degradation mechanisms were identified following operation in large pilot-scale equipment; 4) options for utilizing ITM in a coal-to-liquids (CTL) facility to enable liquids production with carbon capture were identified and studied; and 5) the benefits of potential improvements to the technology were assessed for their cost impact on ITM Oxygen applications to clean power, fuels, and other applications.« less

Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications

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

Fogash, Kevin

Air Products carried out a scope of work under DOE Award No. DE-FE0012065 “Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications” with subcontractors Ceramatec, Penn State, and WorleyParsons. The scope of work under this award was aimed at furthering the development of the Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) Oxygen production process toward a demonstration-scale facility known as the Oxygen Development Facility (ODF). Specific activities will help to enable design and construction of the ODF through advancement of a number of challenging technical elements that are required to manage risk in the initial deployment of ITMmore » technology. Major objectives of the work included developing ITM Oxygen ceramic membrane materials with improved performance and reliability, optimizing ceramic module geometry and fabrication methods, testing module performance, trialing the improved fabrication process at commercial scale in the Ceramic Membrane Module Fabrication Facility (CerFab), and advancing engineering development of the ITM oxygen production process, including vessel design and contaminant control measures to prepare for deployment of the ODF. The comprehensive report that follows details the team’s work, which includes several notable accomplishments: 1) compressive creep, a likely limiter of ceramic module lifetime in service, was demonstrated to be retarded by an order of magnitude by changes in material formulation, module joining dimensions, and internal wafer geometry; 2) two promising new materials were shown to be superior to the incumbent ITM material in a key material parameter related to oxygen flux; 3) module degradation mechanisms were identified following operation in large pilot-scale equipment; 4) options for utilizing ITM in a coal-to-liquids (CTL) facility to enable liquids production with carbon capture were identified and studied; and 5) the benefits of potential improvements to the technology were assessed for their cost impact on ITM Oxygen applications to clean power, fuels, and other applications.« less

Acute care surgery: now that we have built it, will they come?

PubMed

Coleman, Jamie J; Esposito, Thomas J; Rozycki, Grace S; Feliciano, David V

2013-02-01

Concern over lack of resident interest caused by the nonoperative nature and compromised lifestyle associated with a career as a "trauma surgeon" has led to the emergence of a new acute care surgery (ACS) specialty. This study examined the opinions of current general surgical residents about training and careers in this new field. A 36-item online anonymous survey regarding ACS was sent to the program directors of 55 randomly selected general surgery (GS) training programs for distribution to their categorical residents. The national sample consisted of 1,515 PGY 1 to 5 trainees. Response rate was 45%. More than 90% of residents had an appropriate understanding of the components of ACS as generally described (trauma, surgical critical care, and emergency GS). Nearly half (46%) of all respondents have considered ACS as a career. Overall, ACS ranked as the second most appealing career ahead of surgical critical care and trauma but behind GS. Most residents believed that ACS offers better or equivalent case complexity (88%), scope of practice (84%), case volume (75%), and level of reimbursement (69%) compared with GS alone. Respondents who answered ACS had a better scope of practice (61% vs. 36%), lifestyle as an attending surgeon (77% vs. 34%), or level of reimbursement (83% vs. 38%) compared with GS were twice as likely (p < 0.0001) to have considered ACS as a career. Overall, 40% of the residents believed that ACS offers a worse lifestyle in comparison with GS. These results suggest that there is notable interest in the emerging specialty of ACS. The level of resident interest in ACS as a fellowship and career may be increased by marketing those aspects of practice, which are viewed positively and addressing negative perceptions related to lifestyle. It may be appealing to add an elective GS component to certain ACS practice options.

A hydrological model for interprovincial water resource planning and management: A case study in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanington, Peter; To, Quang Toan; Van, Pham Dang Tri; Doan, Ngoc Anh Vu; Kiem, Anthony S.

2017-04-01

In this paper we present the results of the development and calibration of a fine-scaled quasi-2D hydrodynamic model (IWRM-LXQ) for the Long Xuyen Quadrangle - an important interprovincial agricultural region in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. We use the Long Xuyen Quadrangle as a case study to highlight the need for further investment in hydrodynamic modelling at scales relevant to the decisions facing water resource managers and planners in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. The IWRM-LXQ was calibrated using existing data from a low flood year (2010) and high flood year (2011), including dry season and wet season flows. The model performed well in simulating low flood and high flood events in both dry and wet seasons where good spatial and temporal data exists. However, our study shows that there are data quality issues and key data gaps that need to be addressed before the model can be further refined, validated and then used for decision making. The development of the IWRM-LXQ is timely, as significant investments in land and water resource development and infrastructure are in planning for the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. In order to define the scope of such investments and their feasibility, models such as the IWRM-LXQ are an essential tool to provide objective assessment of investment options and build stakeholder consensus around potentially contentious development decisions.

A Euclid, LSST and WFIRST Joint Processing Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chary, Ranga-Ram; Joint Processing Working Group

2018-01-01

Euclid, LSST and WFIRST are the flagship cosmological projects of the next decade. By mapping several thousand square degrees of sky and covering the electromagnetic spectrum from the optical to the NIR with (sub-)arcsec resolution, these projects will provide exciting new constraints on the nature of dark energy and dark matter. The ultimate cosmological, astrophysical and time-domain science yield from these missions, which will detect several billions of sources, requires joint processing at the pixel-level. Three U.S. agencies (DOE, NASA and NSF) are supporting an 18-month study which aims to 1) assess the optimal techniques to combine these, and ancillary data sets at the pixel level; 2) investigate options for an interface that will enable community access to the joint data products; and 3) identify the computing and networking infrastructure to properly handle and manipulate these large datasets together. A Joint Processing Working Group (JPWG) is carrying out this study and consists of US-based members from the community and science/data processing centers of each of these projects. Coordination with European partners is envisioned in the future and European Euclid members are involved in the JPWG as observers. The JPWG will scope the effort and resources required to build up the capabilities to support scientific investigations using joint processing in time for the start of science surveys by LSST and Euclid.

Patent medicine vendors, community pharmacists and STI management in Abuja, Nigeria.

PubMed

Okonkwo, A D; Okonkwo, U P

2010-09-01

Increasingly, literature indicates that Patent Medicine Vendors (PMVs) and Community Pharmacists (CPs) provide sexual reproductive health services and products to their young patrons. This study explored the validity of literature claims, principally from CPs and PMVs perspective in Abuja, Nigeria. Participants were recruited with convenience sampling based on their willingness to participate in the study and our judgement of their professional competence. They were administered a semi-structured questionnaire, which was modelled after McCracken's long interview. We empirically assessed the validity of CPs and PMVs opinions with an exit interview of seven consenting patrons. Interviews were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and subjected to iterative thematic analysis. Participants' accounts and our observations indicate that PMVs and CPs serve young people's sexual reproductive healthcare needs in Abuja. CPs and PMVs provide young people with a seamless and non-judgemental access to contraceptives, sexual health advice and post-sexual risk exposure care. The study corroborates literature claims that CPs and PMVs provide sexual reproductive health advice, services and products to young people. However, participants contend that the current pharmacy practice laws in Nigeria constrain the scope and quality of services that young unmarried people require. Because it is unlikely that Nigeria will reinvigorate her primary healthcare system soon, we call for the formal co-option of CPs and PMVs into the sexual reproductive health management system to standardize and improve services.

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

Increasing prevalence of diabetes in Bangladesh: a scoping review.

PubMed

Biswas, T; Islam, A; Rawal, L B; Islam, S M S

2016-09-01

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly in Bangladesh. However, studies documenting the increasing trend of diabetes prevalence are scarce. The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review of published literature to ascertain the changing patterns of diabetes prevalence in Bangladesh. We conducted a scoping review based on York scoping reviews framework and performed a comprehensive search of published literature through Medline, BanglaJOL, and Google Scholar published between 1994 and 2013. We summarised and calculated the time trends and pooled prevalence for type 2 diabetes among adults (≥18 years) in both urban and rural areas in Bangladesh. Of 152 studies identified, we included 22 studies for the scoping review which met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 11 studies (50%) were conducted in rural areas, eight in urban (36%) and three (14%) in semi-urban, semi-rural and tribal areas. The overall prevalence of type 2 diabetes ranged between 4.5% and 35.0%. The final estimate of diabetes prevalence obtained after pooling of data from individual studies among 51,252 participants was 7.4% (95% CI 7.2-7.7%). The prevalence of diabetes was higher in males compared to females in urban areas and vice-versa in rural areas. Analyses of exponential trend revealed an increasing trend of diabetes prevalence among urban and rural population at a rate of 0.05% (R = 0.18) and 0.06% (R = 0.35) per year, respectively. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes showed an increasing trend in both urban and rural population in Bangladesh. Our findings suggest the need for an all-out effort by the government and stakeholders to implement preventive strategies for diabetes in Bangladesh. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hanford facility dangerous waste permit application, general information portion. Revision 3

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

Sonnichsen, J.C.

1997-08-21

For purposes of the Hanford facility dangerous waste permit application, the US Department of Energy`s contractors are identified as ``co-operators`` and sign in that capacity (refer to Condition I.A.2. of the Dangerous Waste Portion of the Hanford Facility Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permit). Any identification of these contractors as an ``operator`` elsewhere in the application is not meant to conflict with the contractors` designation as co-operators but rather is based on the contractors` contractual status with the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office. The Dangerous Waste Portion of the initial Hanford Facility Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permit,more » which incorporated five treatment, storage, and/or disposal units, was based on information submitted in the Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application and in closure plan and closure/postclosure plan documentation. During 1995, the Dangerous Waste Portion was modified twice to incorporate another eight treatment, storage, and/or disposal units; during 1996, the Dangerous Waste Portion was modified once to incorporate another five treatment, storage, and/or disposal units. The permit modification process will be used at least annually to incorporate additional treatment, storage, and/or disposal units as permitting documentation for these units is finalized. The units to be included in annual modifications are specified in a schedule contained in the Dangerous Waste Portion of the Hanford Facility Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permit. Treatment, storage, and/or disposal units will remain in interim status until incorporated into the Permit. The Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application is considered to be a single application organized into a General Information Portion (this document, DOE/RL-91-28) and a Unit-Specific Portion. The scope of the Unit-Specific Portion is limited to individual operating treatment, storage, and/or disposal units for which Part B permit application documentation has been, or is anticipated to be, submitted. Documentation for treatment, storage, and/or disposal units undergoing closure, or for units that are, or are anticipated to be, dispositioned through other options, will continue to be submitted by the Permittees in accordance with the provisions of the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. However, the scope of the General Information Portion includes information that could be used to discuss operating units, units undergoing closure, or units being dispositioned through other options. Both the General Information and Unit-Specific portions of the Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application address the contents of the Part B permit application guidance documentation prepared by the Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with additional information needs defined by revisions of Washington Administrative Code 173-303 and by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments. Documentation contained in the General Information Portion is broader in nature and could be used by multiple treatment, storage, and/or disposal units (i.e., either operating units, units undergoing closure, or units being dispositioned through other options).« less

Aviation and Space Education. Why? What? How?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Merridee L.

1983-01-01

Aviation and space (aerospace education) is the study of aviation and space and its impact on society. Discusses the nature and scope of aviation and space education in general and basic education. Also considers typical programs and scope at the elementary, secondary, and higher educational levels. (JN)

Parenting Interventions for Indigenous Child Psychosocial Functioning: A Scoping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macvean, Michelle; Shlonsky, Aron; Mildon, Robyn; Devine, Ben

2017-01-01

Objectives: To scope evaluations of Indigenous parenting programs designed to improve child psychosocial outcomes. Methods: Electronic databases, gray literature, Indigenous websites and journals, and reference lists were searched. The search was restricted to high-income countries with a history of colonialism. Results: Sixteen studies describing…

Mixed Frames and Risky Decision-Making.

PubMed

Peng, Jiaxi; Zhang, Jiaxi; Sun, Hao; Zeng, Zhicong; Mai, Yuexia; Miao, Danmin

2017-01-01

By applying unitive vocabulary, "die" or "save," to respective frames of the Asian disease problem, Tversky and Kahneman were able to define framing effect. In this study, we preliminarily explored the effect of mixed frames, which are characterized by the use of different vocabulary in one frame. In study 1, we found that only the sure option description had significant effect on decision-making, while the effects of risky option descriptions were not significant, nor were interactions between descriptions. In study 2, the results suggested that after controlling the effects of the hedonic tone of the sure options, risky option description did not significantly predict decision-making. In study 3, we found that neither the sure-to-risky option presentation order nor presentation order within risky options had significant effect on decision-making. We thus concluded that sure option description can serve as the decision-making foundation (reference point) for decision-makers in mixed frames.

Limited Scope Design Study for Multi-Sensor Towbody

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

FINAL REPORT Limited Scope Design Study for Multi-Sensor Towbody SERDP Project MR-2501 JUNE 2016 Dr. Kevin Williams Tim McGinnis...prepared under contract to the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP). The publication of this...Left Blank REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 The public

Factors Associated With Full Implementation of Scope of Practice.

PubMed

Ganz, Freda DeKeyser; Toren, Orly; Fadlon, Yafit

2016-05-01

To describe whether nurses fully implement their scope of practice; nurses' perceptions of future practice implementation; and the association between scope of practice implementation with professional autonomy and self-efficacy. A descriptive correlational study was conducted using a convenience sample of 145 registered nurses with post-basic certification from two Israeli university hospitals, from May 2012 to September 2013. Five questionnaires were distributed: (a) Demographic and Work Characteristics, (b) Implementation of Scope of Practice, (c) Attitudes Towards Future Practice, (d) Practice Behavior Scale, and (e) Practice Self-Efficacy. Descriptive statistics for all demographic and questionnaire data were analyzed. Two regression models were developed, where current and future implementations were the criterion variables and demographic and work characteristics, professional autonomy, and self-efficacy were the predictors. High levels of professional autonomy, self-efficacy, and attitudes towards future practice were found in contrast to low or moderate levels of current implementation of the full extent of scope of practice. Primary reasons associated with low implementation were lack of relevance to practice and permission to perform the practice. Significant associations were found between professional autonomy, self-efficacy, and attitudes towards future practice, but not with current implementation. Nurses wanted to practice to the full extent of their scope of practice and felt able to do so but were hindered by administrative and not personal barriers. Even though staff nurses with post-basic certification had high levels of professional autonomy and self-efficacy, many were not implementing the full extent of their scope of practice. Similar to findings from around the world, external factors, such as administrative and policy barriers, were found to thwart the full implementation of nurses' full scope of practice. Therefore, practicing nurses should be aware of these barriers and work towards reducing them. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Education and Outreach at the Earthscope National Office: 2012 Update on Activities and Broader Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semken, S. C.; Arrowsmith, R.; Fouch, M. J.; Garnero, E. J.; Taylor, W. L.; Bohon, W.; Pacheco, H. A.; Schwab, P.; Baumback, D.; Pettis, L.; Colunga, J.; Robinson, S.; Dick, C.

2012-12-01

The EarthScope Program (www.earthscope.org) funded by the National Science Foundation fosters interdisciplinary exploration of the geologic structure and evolution of the North American continent by means of seismology, geodesy, magnetotellurics, in-situ fault-zone sampling, geochronology, and high-resolution topographic measurements. EarthScope scientific data and findings are transforming the study of Earth structure and processes throughout the planet. These data enhance the understanding and mitigation of hazards and inform environmental and economic applications of geoscience. The EarthScope Program also offers significant resources and opportunities for education and outreach (E&O) in the Earth system sciences. The EarthScope National Office (ESNO) at Arizona State University serves all EarthScope stakeholders, including researchers, educators, students, and the general public. ESNO continues to actively support and promote E&O with programmatic activities such as a regularly updated presence on the web and social media, newsletters, biannual national conferences, workshops for E&O providers and informal educators (interpreters), collaborative interaction with other Earth science organizations, continuing education for researchers, promotion of place-based education, and support for regional K-12 teacher professional-development programs led by EarthScope stakeholders. EarthScope E&O, coordinated by ESNO, leads the compilation and dissemination of the data, findings, and legacy of the epic EarthScope Program. In this presentation we offer updated reports and outcomes from ESNO E&O activities, including web and social-media upgrades, the Earth Science E&O Provider Summit for partnering organizations, the Central Appalachian Interpretive Workshop for informal Earth science educators, the U.S. Science and Engineering Fair, and collaborative efforts with partner organizations. The EarthScope National Office is supported by the National Science Foundation under grants EAR-1101100 and EAR-1216301. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Electric Utility Rate Design Study: reference manual and procedures for implementing PURPA

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

Not Available

State regulatory commissions will be assisted by using this manual in carrying out their responsibilities under the National Energy Act, specifically under the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). The research and materials of the Rate Design Study are basically applicable to Title I of PURPA, and the Manual covers only that part of the Act. The Rate Design Study covers a wide scope of research and professional opinions and are a major reference source for data, information, and divergent views on practically every aspect of electric utility rate design. The introductory part calls attention to particularly important aspects ofmore » responsibilities, authority, and procedures. The second part outlines the specific responsibilities placed by Title I of PURPA on the State commissions. Part 3 discusses some of the procedural and substantive requirements and options of PURPA with particular emphasis on their relation to the Rate Design Study, State law, and State regulatory policies. Part 4 is an independent analysis that includes cross-indexed references to the more than 60 reports prepared by the Rate Design Study and also to other pertinent sources of information and data. Part 5 summarizes a survey conducted in January 1979 of State commission actions related to the matters contained in Title I of PURPA. Part 6 presents the text of the law. Part 7 is the request from NARUC that prompted the preparation of the Manual. (MCW)« less

Rural Idaho family physicians' scope of practice.

PubMed

Baker, Ed; Schmitz, David; Epperly, Ted; Nukui, Ayaka; Miller, Carissa Moffat

2010-01-01

Scope of practice is an important factor in both training and recruiting rural family physicians. To assess rural Idaho family physicians' scope of practice and to examine variations in scope of practice across variables such as gender, age and employment status. A survey instrument was developed based on a literature review and was validated by physician educators, practicing family physicians and executives at the state hospital association. This survey was mailed to rural family physicians practicing in Idaho counties with populations of less than 50,000. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were employed to describe and compare scope of practice patterns. Responses were obtained from 92 of 248 physicians (37.1% response rate). Idaho rural family physicians reported providing obstetrical services in the areas of prenatal care (57.6%), vaginal delivery (52.2%) and C-sections (37.0%); other operating room services (43.5%); esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or colonoscopy services (22.5%); emergency room coverage (48.9%); inpatient admissions (88.9%); mental health services (90.1%); nursing home services (88.0%); and supervision to midlevel care providers (72.5%). Bivariate analyses showed differences in scope of practice patterns across gender, age group and employment status. Binomial logistic regression models indicated that younger physicians were roughly 3 times more likely to provide prenatal care and perform vaginal deliveries than older physicians in rural areas. Idaho practicing rural family physicians report a broad scope of practice. Younger, employed and female rural family medicine physicians are important subgroups for further study.

Hierarchy and Scope of Planning in Subject-Verb Agreement Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillespie, Maureen; Pearlmutter, Neal J.

2011-01-01

Two subject-verb agreement error elicitation studies tested the hierarchical feature-passing account of agreement computation in production and three timing-based alternatives: linear distance to the head noun, semantic integration, and a combined effect of both (a scope of planning account). In Experiment 1, participants completed subject noun…

21 CFR 314.600 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Approval of New Drugs When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 314.600 Scope. This subpart applies to certain new drug products that have been...

21 CFR 314.600 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Approval of New Drugs When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 314.600 Scope. This subpart applies to certain new drug products that have been...

21 CFR 314.600 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Approval of New Drugs When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 314.600 Scope. This subpart applies to certain new drug products that have been...

21 CFR 314.600 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Approval of New Drugs When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 314.600 Scope. This subpart applies to certain new drug products that have been...

21 CFR 314.600 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Approval of New Drugs When Human Efficacy Studies Are Not Ethical or Feasible § 314.600 Scope. This subpart applies to certain new drug products that have been...

36 CFR 297.2 - Scope and application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Scope and application. 297.2 Section 297.2 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WILD AND... assistance in the construction of water resources projects affecting Wild and Scenic Rivers or Study Rivers...

36 CFR 297.2 - Scope and application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Scope and application. 297.2 Section 297.2 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WILD AND... assistance in the construction of water resources projects affecting Wild and Scenic Rivers or Study Rivers...

36 CFR 297.2 - Scope and application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Scope and application. 297.2 Section 297.2 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WILD AND... assistance in the construction of water resources projects affecting Wild and Scenic Rivers or Study Rivers...

36 CFR 297.2 - Scope and application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Scope and application. 297.2 Section 297.2 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WILD AND... assistance in the construction of water resources projects affecting Wild and Scenic Rivers or Study Rivers...

36 CFR 297.2 - Scope and application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Scope and application. 297.2 Section 297.2 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WILD AND... assistance in the construction of water resources projects affecting Wild and Scenic Rivers or Study Rivers...

Design Experimentation with Multiple Perspectives: The GenScope Assessment Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickey, Daniel T.; Kruger, Ann Cale; Frederick, Laura D.; Schafer, Nancy Jo; Zuiker, Steven

The GenScope Assessment Project is studying assessment in the context of a month-long computer-supported learning environment for introductory genetics. Across three annual iterations with multiple teachers, project researchers manipulated the materials, incentives, and contexts in which students were invited to use formative feedback on…

75 FR 76447 - Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Initiate the Public...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

... Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Initiate the Public Scoping Period and Host Public Scoping Meetings for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (``GLMRIS''); Correction, Clarification... international commerce, travel and local practices, ANS have been introduced throughout the Mississippi River...

What the Study of Scope Can Tell Us about Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Grady, William; Lee, Miseon; Kwak, Hye-Young

2009-01-01

This paper, designed specifically for language teachers, focuses on a phenomenon in second language learning that is largely independent of instructional effects, curricular materials, and classroom activities. Experimental work suggests that scope, the relationship between two or more logical operators (such as quantifiers or negatives), is…

Measuring Pre-Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions: Compliance with the High/Scope Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palenzuela, Silvia M.

2004-01-01

The research study examined the relationship between pre-kindergarten teachers' age and years of experience with their perceptions and their actual compliance with the norms of the High/Scope Pre-kindergarten Program. Teachers' perceptions of satisfaction with the supervisory relationship were measured by the Early Childhood Job Satisfaction…

How Important Is Child-Initiated Activity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.

1988-01-01

Recent research (including a longitudinal study comparing direct instruction, nursery school, and High/Scope models) has shown that the child-initiated approach outstrips teacher-directed activity in fostering some aspects of social development. Adolescents from the High/Scope and nursery school groups had half as many delinquencies as the direct…

76 FR 60587 - Environmental Impact Statement; North Corridor Transit Project, Seattle (WA) Metropolitan Area...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-29

... alternatives identified through an Alternatives Analysis study completed by the project. Early scoping for the alternatives analysis phase was previously announced in the Federal Register on September 27, 2010. Results of the alternatives analysis are described below. DATES: Written comments on the scope of alternatives...

The High/Scope Preschool Curriculum Comparison Study through Age 23.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.; Weikart, David P.

1997-01-01

Assessed the relative effects through age 23 on young participants born in poverty of the High/Scope, Direct Instruction, and traditional Nursery School preschool curriculum models. Found against using Direct Instruction in preschool programs and for using a well-defined curriculum model based on child-initiated learning activities. (Author)

Medical termination of pregnancy in general practice in Australia: a descriptive-interpretive qualitative study.

PubMed

Dawson, Angela J; Nicolls, Rachel; Bateson, Deborah; Doab, Anna; Estoesta, Jane; Brassil, Ann; Sullivan, Elizabeth A

2017-03-14

Australian Government approval in 2012 for the use of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical termination of pregnancy (MTOP) allows general practitioners (GPs) to provide early gestation abortion in primary care settings. However, uptake of the MTOP provision by GPs appears to be low and the reasons for this have been unclear. This study investigated the provision of and referral for MTOP by GPs. We undertook descriptive-interpretive qualitative research and selected participants for diversity using a matrix. Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews and one focus group (N = 4), were conducted with 32 GPs (8 MTOP providers, 24 non MTOP providers) in New South Wales, Australia. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A framework to examine access to abortion services was used to develop the interview questions and emergent themes identified thematically. Three main themes emerged: scope of practice; MTOP demand, care and referral; and workforce needs. Many GPs saw abortion as beyond the scope of their practice (i.e. a service others provide in specialist private clinics). Some GPs had religious or moral objections; others regarded MTOP provision as complicated and difficult. While some GPs expressed interest in MTOP provision they were concerned about stigma and the impact it may have on perceptions of their practice and the views of colleagues. Despite a reported variance in demand most MTOP providers were busy but felt isolated. Difficulties in referral to a local public hospital in the case of complications or the provision of surgical abortion were noted. Exploring the factors which affect access to MTOP in general practice settings provides insights to assist the future planning and delivery of reproductive health services. This research identifies the need for support to increase the number of MTOP GP providers and for GPs who are currently providing MTOP. Alongside these actions provision in the public sector is required. In addition, formalised referral pathways to the public sector are required to ensure timely care in the case of complications or the provision of surgical options. Leadership and coordination across the health sector is needed to facilitate integrated abortion care particularly for rural and low income women.

Oxidizer Scoping Studies

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

Chancellor, Christopher John

2016-11-07

The purpose of this report is to present the results of the acceptable knowledge (AK) review of oxidizers present in active waste streams, provide a technical analysis of the oxidizers, and report the results of the scoping study testing. This report will determine the fastest burning oxidizer to be used in the development of a Test Plan for Preparation and Testing of Sorbents Mixed with Oxidizer found in Transuranic Waste (DWT-TP-001). The companion report, DWT-RPT-002, Sorbent Scoping Studies, contains similar information for sorbents identified during the AK review of TRU waste streams. The results of the oxidizer and sorbent scopingmore » studies will be used to inform the QL1 test plan. The QL1 test results will support the development of a basis of knowledge document that will evaluate oxidizing chemicals and sorbents in TRU waste and provide guidance for treatment.« less

Dopamine Modulates Option Generation for Behavior.

PubMed

Ang, Yuen-Siang; Manohar, Sanjay; Plant, Olivia; Kienast, Annika; Le Heron, Campbell; Muhammed, Kinan; Hu, Michele; Husain, Masud

2018-05-21

Animals make innumerable decisions every day, each of which involves evaluating potential options for action. But how are options generated? Although much is now known about decision making when a fixed set of potential options is provided, surprisingly little progress has been made on self-generated options. Some researchers have proposed that such abilities might be modulated by dopamine. Here, we used a new measure of option generation that is quantitative, objective, and culture fair to investigate how humans generate different behavioral options. Participants were asked to draw as many different paths (options) as they could between two points within a fixed time. Healthy individuals (n = 96) exhibited a trade-off between uniqueness (how individually different their options were) and fluency (number of options), generating either many similar or few unique options. To assess influence of dopamine, we first examined patients with Parkinson's disease (n = 35) ON and OFF their dopaminergic medication and compared them to elderly healthy controls (n = 34). Then we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of the D2 agonist cabergoline in healthy older people (n = 29). Across both studies, dopamine increased fluency but diminished overall uniqueness of options generated, due to the effect of fluency trading off with uniqueness. Crucially, however, when this trade-off was corrected for, dopamine was found to increase uniqueness for any given fluency. Three carefully designed control studies showed that performance on our option-generation task was not related to executing movements, planning actions, or selecting between generated options. These findings show that dopamine plays an important role in modulating option generation. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Multi-path transportation futures study: Results from Phase 1

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

Patterson, Phil; Singh, Margaret; Plotkin, Steve

2007-03-09

This PowerPoint briefing provides documentation and details for Phase 1 of the Multi-Path Transportation Futures Study, which compares alternative ways to make significant reductions in oil use and carbon emissions from U.S. light vehicles to 2050. Phase I, completed in 2006, was a scoping study, aimed at identifying key analytic issues and constructing a study design. The Phase 1 analysis included an evaluation of several pathways and scenarios; however, these analyses were limited in number and scope and were designed to be preliminary.

76 FR 43678 - Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Extension of Scoping Period for the U.S. Department of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-21

...: DOE will host public scoping meetings in western Colorado to receive comments on the scope of the DOE...-specific impacts, of the range of reasonable alternatives for the management of DOE's ULP. On June 21, 2011... scope of the PEIS from all interested parties. The public scoping period began on June 21, 2011, and...

Clinical and Public Health Considerations in Urine Drug Testing to Identify and Treat Substance Use.

PubMed

Barthwell, Andrea G

2016-05-11

To expand appropriate use of substance use testing, practitioners must increase their knowledge of the appropriate methodology, scope, and frequency. Yet, there is a current lack of accepted guidelines on clinical testing to identify and treat substance use. This article (1) conveys the importance of substance use testing as a clinical and public health response to trends of prescription drug abuse and increased access to medical and commercialized marijuana; (2) summarizes central features of the rapidly evolving science and the practice of patient-centered substance use testing in a clinical setting; and (3) provides recommendations that balance costs and benefits and serve as a starting point for appropriate testing to prevent, identify, and treat substance use disorders. The author conducted a search of peer-reviewed and government-supported articles and books in electronic databases and used her own knowledge and clinical experience. The author makes recommendations for determining the methodology, scope, and frequency of testing in each stage of care based on clinical considerations and methodological factors. Conclusion/Importance: Integrating sensible substance use testing broadly into clinical health care to identify substance use, diagnose substance use disorders, and guide patients into treatment can improve health outcomes and reduce the costs of substance use and addiction. No single testing regimen is suitable for all clinical scenarios; rather, a multitude of options, as discussed herein, can be adapted to meet a patient's unique needs. Ultimately, the practitioner must combine patient-specific information with knowledge of test technologies, capabilities, limitations, and costs.

Comparing Item Performance on Three- Versus Four-Option Multiple Choice Questions in a Veterinary Toxicology Course.

PubMed

Royal, Kenneth; Dorman, David

2018-06-09

The number of answer options is an important element of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Many MCQs contain four or more options despite the limited literature suggesting that there is little to no benefit beyond three options. The purpose of this study was to evaluate item performance on 3-option versus 4-option MCQs used in a core curriculum course in veterinary toxicology at a large veterinary medical school in the United States. A quasi-experimental, crossover design was used in which students in each class were randomly assigned to take one of two versions (A or B) of two major exams. Both the 3-option and 4-option MCQs resulted in similar psychometric properties. The findings of our study support earlier research in other medical disciplines and settings that likewise concluded there was no significant change in the psychometric properties of three option MCQs when compared to the traditional MCQs with four or more options.

Supervisors' experiences of workplace supervision of nursing and paramedic students in rural settings: a scoping review.

PubMed

Trede, Franziska; McEwen, Celina; Kenny, Amanda; O'Meara, Peter

2014-05-01

We present our findings from a scoping review that sought to identify what is known about nursing and paramedic clinical supervisors' experiences of their supervision practices in rural settings. Our interest in these two groups is based on the central role that nurses and paramedics play in rural health care. Scoping reviews support identification of a broad range of literature, including all types of study designs. We adopted Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage approach: identifying the research question; identifying relevant studies; study selection; charting the data; and collating, summarising and reporting results. Databases searched included Academic Search Complete, Springer, Factiva, ProQuest, Ebsco, Informit, VOCEDplus and Scopus. Based on our research question and inclusion and exclusion criteria we selected relevant literature and summarised and reported it using Arksey and O'Malley's framework. The review yielded five articles from four countries: Sweden, Belgium, Malaysia and Australia. From this scoping review, we identified key themes related to supervisors' experiences, including clarification of expectations, support from managers and colleagues, the need for shared understanding between university, students and supervisors and required skills and competence in supervising students. © 2013.

Decisional needs assessment of patients with complex care needs in primary care: a participatory systematic mixed studies review protocol

PubMed Central

Pluye, Pierre; Légaré, France; Haggerty, Jeannie; Gore, Genevieve C; Sherif, Reem El; Poitras, Marie-Ève; Beaulieu, Marie-Claude; Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique; Bush, Paula L; Couturier, Yves; Débarges, Béatrice; Gagnon, Justin; Giguère, Anik; Grad, Roland; Granikov, Vera; Goulet, Serge; Hudon, Catherine; Kremer, Bernardo; Kröger, Edeltraut; Kudrina, Irina; Lebouché, Bertrand; Loignon, Christine; Lussier, Marie-Thérèse; Martello, Cristiano; Nguyen, Quynh; Pratt, Rebekah; Rihoux, Benoit; Rosenberg, Ellen; Samson, Isabelle; Senn, Nicolas; Li Tang, David; Tsujimoto, Masashi; Vedel, Isabelle; Ventelou, Bruno; Wensing, Michel; Bigras, Magali

2017-01-01

Introduction Patients with complex care needs (PCCNs) often suffer from combinations of multiple chronic conditions, mental health problems, drug interactions and social vulnerability, which can lead to healthcare services overuse, underuse or misuse. Typically, PCCNs face interactional issues and unmet decisional needs regarding possible options in a cascade of interrelated decisions involving different stakeholders (themselves, their families, their caregivers, their healthcare practitioners). Gaps in knowledge, values clarification and social support in situations where options need to be deliberated hamper effective decision support interventions. This review aims to (1) assess decisional needs of PCCNs from the perspective of stakeholders, (2) build a taxonomy of these decisional needs and (3) prioritise decisional needs with knowledge users (clinicians, patients and managers). Methods and analysis This review will be based on the interprofessional shared decision making (IP-SDM) model and the Ottawa Decision Support Framework. Applying a participatory research approach, we will identify potentially relevant studies through a comprehensive literature search; select relevant ones using eligibility criteria inspired from our previous scoping review on PCCNs; appraise quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool; conduct a three-step synthesis (sequential exploratory mixed methods design) to build taxonomy of key decisional needs; and integrate these results with those of a parallel PCCNs’ qualitative decisional need assessment (semistructured interviews and focus group with stakeholders). Ethics and dissemination This systematic review, together with the qualitative study (approved by the Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Service Sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean ethical committee), will produce a working taxonomy of key decisional needs (ontological contribution), to inform the subsequent user-centred design of a support tool for addressing PCCNs’ decisional needs (practical contribution). We will adapt the IP-SDM model, normally dealing with a single decision, for PCCNs who experience cascade of decisions involving different stakeholders (theoretical contribution). Knowledge users will facilitate dissemination of the results in the Canadian primary care network. PROSPERO registration number CRD42015020558. PMID:29133314

Emotions and support needs following a distressing birth: Scoping study with pregnant multigravida women in North-West England.

PubMed

Thomson, Gill; Downe, Soo

2016-09-01

to identify the emotional and support needs of pregnant multigravida women who have experienced adverse responses associated with a previous childbirth experience. four maternity hospitals in North-West England. 100 surveys were distributed at an anomaly scan clinic in each of four maternity hospitals (total n=400). The survey included an adapted version of a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale to explore trauma responses at two broad time points: (a) following a previous birth and (b) during the current pregnancy. Participants were also asked about the optimal time to receive support post-birth, and the type and provider of support they had accessed/would have liked to access. Descriptive and inferential statistics were undertaken on the quantitative data. The qualitative data were analysed using a basic thematic approach. multigravida pregnant women aged 18+ years. the overall response rate was 28% (n=112); 43% (n=46) of the women had experienced negative/trauma responses associated with a previous birth, 74% of whom (n=34) continued/re-experienced adverse responses in their current pregnancy. Most commonly reported trauma responses were difficulties in recalling the previous birth(s), avoiding memories associated with it, and the distress associated with these memories when they were recalled. Approximately 54% (n=25) had received some form of support post-birth, and variations in preferred timing of postnatal support provision were reported. Information on available support and opportunities to discuss the birth with a maternity professional were identified most frequently as preferred support options. women's views about what might work should form the basis for effectiveness studies in this area. Among the participants in this study there was evidence of unmet support needs relating to negative or traumatic responses to a previous birth. The range of preferred timing and types of support indicate that flexible needs-based support options should be provided. Further research should assess if these findings are reinforced in a more diverse sample with a higher response rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decisional needs assessment of patients with complex care needs in primary care: a participatory systematic mixed studies review protocol.

PubMed

Bujold, Mathieu; Pluye, Pierre; Légaré, France; Haggerty, Jeannie; Gore, Genevieve C; Sherif, Reem El; Poitras, Marie-Eve; Beaulieu, Marie-Claude; Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique; Bush, Paula L; Couturier, Yves; Débarges, Beatrice; Gagnon, Justin; Giguère, Anik; Grad, Roland; Granikov, Vera; Goulet, Serge; Hudon, Catherine; Kremer, Bernardo; Kröger, Edeltraut; Kudrina, Irina; Lebouché, Bertrand; Loignon, Christine; Lussier, Marie-Therese; Martello, Cristiano; Nguyen, Quynh; Pratt, Rebekah; Rihoux, Benoit; Rosenberg, Ellen; Samson, Isabelle; Senn, Nicolas; Li Tang, David; Tsujimoto, Masashi; Vedel, Isabelle; Ventelou, Bruno; Wensing, Michel

2017-11-12

Patients with complex care needs (PCCNs) often suffer from combinations of multiple chronic conditions, mental health problems, drug interactions and social vulnerability, which can lead to healthcare services overuse, underuse or misuse. Typically, PCCNs face interactional issues and unmet decisional needs regarding possible options in a cascade of interrelated decisions involving different stakeholders (themselves, their families, their caregivers, their healthcare practitioners). Gaps in knowledge, values clarification and social support in situations where options need to be deliberated hamper effective decision support interventions. This review aims to (1) assess decisional needs of PCCNs from the perspective of stakeholders, (2) build a taxonomy of these decisional needs and (3) prioritise decisional needs with knowledge users (clinicians, patients and managers). This review will be based on the interprofessional shared decision making (IP-SDM) model and the Ottawa Decision Support Framework. Applying a participatory research approach, we will identify potentially relevant studies through a comprehensive literature search; select relevant ones using eligibility criteria inspired from our previous scoping review on PCCNs; appraise quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool; conduct a three-step synthesis (sequential exploratory mixed methods design) to build taxonomy of key decisional needs; and integrate these results with those of a parallel PCCNs' qualitative decisional need assessment (semistructured interviews and focus group with stakeholders). This systematic review, together with the qualitative study (approved by the Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Service Sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean ethical committee), will produce a working taxonomy of key decisional needs (ontological contribution), to inform the subsequent user-centred design of a support tool for addressing PCCNs' decisional needs (practical contribution). We will adapt the IP-SDM model, normally dealing with a single decision, for PCCNs who experience cascade of decisions involving different stakeholders (theoretical contribution). Knowledge users will facilitate dissemination of the results in the Canadian primary care network. CRD42015020558. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

[Challenges for clinical trials in oncology within the scope of early benefit assessment of drugs].

PubMed

Lange, Stefan

2015-01-01

Until May 31, 2015 the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) conducted 108 assessments for various diseases on the basis of 103 dossiers within the scope of the early benefit assessment of drugs pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG). 29 of these assessments (28 dossiers) referred to advanced stages of oncologic (including neoplastic-hematologic) diseases. In 21 of these 29 assessments (72%), IQWiG found an added benefit for at least one subpopulation or subgroup, compared to 33% with non-oncologic diseases. For oncologic diseases, the extent of benefit was classified as "major" in six assessments (21%), compared to 5% for non-oncologic disorders. In contrast, the conclusions of the oncologic studies were less certain: only one assessment provided proof (of an added benefit); for non-oncologic diseases, this was the case in eight assessments. A distinctive methodological feature of the available oncologic studies is that, as a rule, treatment switching was planned in the event of progression (normally on the basis of imaging or laboratory findings) and that shortly afterwards the follow-up of important endpoints (adverse events and patient-reported outcomes) was normally discontinued. In particular, the pre-specified option in the study protocol allowing the control group to switch treatment to the experimental intervention after progression ("protocol-permitted treatment switches") makes it extremely difficult to interpret the results beyond the outcome "progression" (or progression-free survival). This treatment switching is mostly justified by reference to ethical necessity. This, however, alleges that the experimental intervention (i. e., the new drug) is superior to the control intervention, which means that circular reasoning is unavoidable. But despite this, oncologic studies are better than their reputation. Hence, so far the results of the early benefit assessment of new drugs (regarding the existence and extent of an added benefit) are clearly better than expected. In this context, the IQWiG methods have not been shown to be extremely conservative. On the contrary: in all cases where IQWiG rated the extent of benefit as "major" for the oncologic indications, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has so far not shared this assessment, and instead rated the extent of benefit to be smaller. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Adapting and Implementing Open Dialogue in the Scandinavian Countries: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Buus, Niels; Bikic, Aida; Jacobsen, Elise Kragh; Müller-Nielsen, Klaus; Aagaard, Jørgen; Rossen, Camilla Blach

2017-05-01

Open Dialogue is a resource-oriented mental health approach, which mobilises a crisis-struck person's psychosocial network resources. This scoping review 1) identifies the range and nature of literature on the adoption of Open Dialogue in Scandinavia in places other than the original sites in Finland, and 2) summarises this literature. We included 33 publications. Most studies in this scoping review were published as "grey" literature and most grappled with how to implement Open Dialogue faithfully. In the Scandinavian research context, Open Dialogue was mainly described as a promising and favourable approach to mental health care.

GIS-Based Education Course for Bachelor of Management Program in the Lomonosov Moscow State University Business School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirogov, A.

2014-04-01

An optional course, "Geographical Aspects of Business" in the framework of the Bachelor of management program in the Lomonosov Moscow State University Business School is setting the goal to introduce future discipline specialists with geographical topics of current interest for management and provide knowledge, skills and expertise of geospatial analysis and the use of geoinformation technologies in finding solutions to economic and managerial tasks. The students' feedback shows interest and demand for such a course for management students. The course has an interdisciplinary links with the main subjects such as marketing, public administration, visual communication, etc., and is based on the set of business cases dealing with Web-GIS Services, LBS, Geomarketing, Spatial analysis, etc. Open Data and corporate geodata sets are used. The pragmatist approach is selected for successful accomplishment of the course's goal, which is based on using Web-GIS tools. The Geomixer - a free web- GIS product by the company SCANEX - is chosen to be one of them. The principle "I do - I analyze" helps to minimize the theoretic constituent of the course improving the outcome of the classes. Owing to innovative methods of teaching, the educational goal of the course is achieved to the full scope despite the small number of allocated hours. The classes surely improve both the general level of geographic competence of students and provide them with the skills to work with GIS. Such optional courses will undoubtedly contribute to the development of GIS-education in management administration.

The history and evolution of the clinical effectiveness of haemophilia type a treatment: a systematic review.

PubMed

Castro, Hector E; Briceño, María Fernanda; Casas, Claudia P; Rueda, Juan David

2014-03-01

First evidence of cases of haemophilia dates from ancient Egypt, but it was when Queen Victoria from England in the 19th century transmitted this illness to her descendants, when it became known as the "royal disease". Last decades of the 20th century account for major discoveries that improved the life expectancy and quality of life of these patients. The history and evolution of haemophilia healthcare counts ups and downs. The introduction of prophylactic schemes during the 1970s have proved to be more effective that the classic on-demand replacement of clotting factors, nevertheless many patients managed with frequent plasma transfusions or derived products became infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C virus during the 1980s and 1990s. Recombinant factor VIII inception has decreased the risk of blood borne infections and restored back longer life expectancies. Main concerns for haemophilia healthcare are shifting from the pure clinical aspects to the economic considerations of long-term replacement therapy. Nowadays researchers' attention has been placed on the future costs and cost-effectiveness of costly long-term treatment. Equity considerations are relevant as well, and alternative options for less affluent countries are under the scope of further research. The aim of this review was to assess the evidence of different treatment options for haemophilia type A over the past four decades, focusing on the most important technological advances that have influenced the natural course of this "royal disease".

Study of Agricultural Product Options Pricing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

HONG, Qiu

2017-09-01

China is a large agricultural country, and the healthy development of agriculture is related to the stability of the whole society. The agricultural production and management of agricultural products are confronted with many risks, especially the market risks. Option contract is the object of option market transaction, so it is very important to study the option contract of agricultural products. Option trading separates the risk and profit, so that the trader can avoid the risk while retaining the opportunity to obtain income. The option has the characteristics of low transaction cost, simple and efficient, so it is suitable for small and medium investors.

78 FR 53187 - Early Scoping Notification for the Alternatives Analysis of the GA 400 Transit Initiative in...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-28

... (MARTA) issue this early scoping notice to advise other agencies and the public that they intend to... the public and agency officials to help support the ongoing alternatives analysis and system planning... considered, the transportation problems that are being addressed by the alternatives analysis study, public...

Software-Enabled Project Management Techniques and Their Relationship to the Triple Constraints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elleh, Festus U.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between software-enabled project management techniques and the triple constraints (time, cost, and scope). There was the dearth of academic literature that focused on the relationship between software-enabled project management techniques and the triple constraints (time, cost, and scope). Based on the gap…

Extended Piano Techniques and Teaching in Music Education Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akbulut Demirci, Sirin; Sungurtekin, Mete; Yilmaz, Nilüfer; Engür, Doruk

2015-01-01

The article is composed of the results of the study carried out within the scope of the project entitled "Extended Piano Techniques and Teaching in Music Education Departments." Within the scope of the project, 16 students taking education at Music Education Department, Uludag University, learned six pieces composed for the project via…

Synthesizing the Practice of SCMC-Based Telecollaboration: A Scoping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiyama, Yuka; Cunningham, D. Joseph

2018-01-01

Telecollaboration is a type of online learning arrangement between geographically distant participants for the development of language and intercultural competence. After two decades of research, it is an apt time to engage in a systematic review of previous studies in the form of a scoping review in order to illuminate the pedagogical practices…

Physical Activity Research in Intellectual Disability: A Scoping Review Using the Behavioral Epidemiological Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitchford, E. Andrew; Dixon-Ibarra, Alicia; Hauck, Janet L.

2018-01-01

Through a scoping review, the current state of physical activity research in people with intellectual disability was examined. A search of publications between 2000 and 2014 retrieved 362 articles that met inclusion criteria. Eligible studies were coded according to the Behavioral Epidemiological Framework. Of the articles identified, 48% examined…

Curriculum Mapping in Higher Education: A Case Study and Proposed Content Scope and Sequence Mapping Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arafeh, Sousan

2016-01-01

Best practice in curriculum development and implementation requires that discipline-based standards or requirements embody both curricular and programme scopes and sequences. Ensuring these are present and aligned in course/programme content, activities and assessments to support student success requires formalised and systematised review and…

The High/Scope Report. Number Four.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverman, Charles, Ed.

This report provides articles on several topics related to the education of young children. In the introduction High/Scope President David P. Weikart suggests that public investment in preschool education is a wise and economically sound social policy. New studies of the long term effects of preschool are demonstrating the staying power of early…

48 CFR 16.306 - Cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... preliminary exploration, studies, and risk reduction have indicated a high degree of probability that the... the scope of work by stating a definite goal or target and specifying an end product. This form of... increases the estimated cost. (2) The term form describes the scope of work in general terms and obligates...

Postural Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Severely Impaired Motor Function: A Scoping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Janet; Baines, Susannah; Emerson, Eric; Hatton, Chris

2018-01-01

Background: Poor postural care can have severe and life-threatening complications. This scoping review aims to map and summarize existing evidence regarding postural care for people with intellectual disabilities and severely impaired motor function. Method: Studies were identified via electronic database searches (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and…

Social cognition and African American men: The roles of perceived discrimination and experimenter race on task performance.

PubMed

Nagendra, Arundati; Twery, Benjamin L; Neblett, Enrique W; Mustafic, Hasan; Jones, Tevin S; Gatewood, D'Angelo; Penn, David L

2018-01-01

The Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation (SCOPE) study consists of a battery of eight tasks selected to measure social-cognitive deficits in individuals with schizophrenia. The battery is currently in a multisite validation process. While the SCOPE study collects basic demographic data, more nuanced race-related factors might artificially inflate cross-cultural differences in social cognition. As an initial step, we investigated whether race, independent of mental illness status, affects performance on the SCOPE battery. Thus, we examined the effects of perceived discrimination and experimenter race on the performance of 51 non-clinical African American men on the SCOPE battery. Results revealed that these factors impacted social cognitive task performance. Specifically, participants performed better on a skills-based task factor in the presence of Black experimenters, and frequency of perceived racism predicted increased perception of hostility in negative interpersonal situations with accidental causes. Thus, race-related factors are important to identify and explore in the measurement of social cognition in African Americans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.