Clinical report writing: Process and perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewald, H. R.

1981-01-01

Clinical report writing in psychology and psychiatry is addressed. Audience/use analysis and the basic procedures of information gathering, diagnosis, and prognosis are described. Two interlinking processes are involved: the process of creation and the process of communication. Techniques for good report writing are presented.

Situations, Interaction, Process and Affordances: An Ecological Psychology Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michael F.; DePalma, Andrew; Garrett, Steven

2002-01-01

From an ecological psychology perspective, a full analysis of any learning context must acknowledge the complex nonlinear dynamics that unfold as an intentionally-driven learner interacts with a technology-based purposefully designed learning environment. A full situation model would need to incorporate constraints from the environment and also…

Women's Voices of Resistance: An Analysis of Process and Content in National Higher Education Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasque, Penny A.

2008-01-01

This research study explores the various and complex perspectives of higher education's relationships to society as shared through discourse by higher education policy leaders. Leaders' perspectives from 250 university presidents, legislators, faculty, community partners, foundation officers and graduate students during a twelve day national…

The relationship between time perspective and self-regulatory processes, abilities and outcomes: a protocol for a meta-analytical review

PubMed Central

Baird, Harriet M; Webb, Thomas L; Martin, Jilly; Sirois, Fuschia M

2017-01-01

Introduction Both theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that time perspective is likely to influence self-regulatory processes and outcomes. Despite the theoretical and practical significance of such relations, the relationship between time perspective and self-regulatory processes and outcomes across different measures, samples and life domains, including health, has yet to be explored. Methods and analysis The proposed review will develop a taxonomy for classifying measures according to the self-regulatory process, ability or outcome that they are likely to reflect. Electronic scientific databases will be searched, along with relevant conference abstract booklets and citation lists. Additionally, a call for unpublished data will be submitted to relevant bodies. To be eligible for inclusion, studies must include a measure of time perspective and a measure of at least one self-regulatory process, ability and/ or outcome. Eligibility will not be restricted by publication date, language, type of sample or setting. The bivariate correlations will be extracted (or calculated) and submitted to a random-effects meta-analysis. The sample-weighted average effect size, heterogeneity, risk of bias and publication bias will be calculated, and the effects of categorical and continuous moderator variables on the effect sizes will be determined. Ethics and dissemination The proposed meta-analysis will synthesise previously conducted research; thus, ethical approval is not required. The findings will be submitted for publication in an international peer-reviewed journal and reported as part of the first author’s PhD thesis. The findings will also be disseminated to the research community and, where appropriate, to other interested parties through presentations at relevant academic and non-academic conferences. PMID:28679677

On the automatic activation of attitudes: a quarter century of evaluative priming research.

PubMed

Herring, David R; White, Katherine R; Jabeen, Linsa N; Hinojos, Michelle; Terrazas, Gabriela; Reyes, Stephanie M; Taylor, Jennifer H; Crites, Stephen L

2013-09-01

Evaluation is a fundamental concept in psychological science. Limitations of self-report measures of evaluation led to an explosion of research on implicit measures of evaluation. One of the oldest and most frequently used implicit measurement paradigms is the evaluative priming paradigm developed by Fazio, Sanbonmatsu, Powell, and Kardes (1986). This paradigm has received extensive attention in psychology and is used to investigate numerous phenomena ranging from prejudice to depression. The current review provides a meta-analysis of a quarter century of evaluative priming research: 73 studies yielding 125 independent effect sizes from 5,367 participants. Because judgments people make in evaluative priming paradigms can be used to tease apart underlying processes, this meta-analysis examined the impact of different judgments to test the classic encoding and response perspectives of evaluative priming. As expected, evidence for automatic evaluation was found, but the results did not exclusively support either of the classic perspectives. Results suggest that both encoding and response processes likely contribute to evaluative priming but are more nuanced than initially conceptualized by the classic perspectives. Additionally, there were a number of unexpected findings that influenced evaluative priming such as segmenting trials into discrete blocks. We argue that many of the findings of this meta-analysis can be explained with 2 recent evaluative priming perspectives: the attentional sensitization/feature-specific attention allocation and evaluation window perspectives. (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

A framework of knowledge creation processes in participatory simulation of hospital work systems.

PubMed

Andersen, Simone Nyholm; Broberg, Ole

2017-04-01

Participatory simulation (PS) is a method to involve workers in simulating and designing their own future work system. Existing PS studies have focused on analysing the outcome, and minimal attention has been devoted to the process of creating this outcome. In order to study this process, we suggest applying a knowledge creation perspective. The aim of this study was to develop a framework describing the process of how ergonomics knowledge is created in PS. Video recordings from three projects applying PS of hospital work systems constituted the foundation of process mining analysis. The analysis resulted in a framework revealing the sources of ergonomics knowledge creation as sequential relationships between the activities of simulation participants sharing work experiences; experimenting with scenarios; and reflecting on ergonomics consequences. We argue that this framework reveals the hidden steps of PS that are essential when planning and facilitating PS that aims at designing work systems. Practitioner Summary: When facilitating participatory simulation (PS) in work system design, achieving an understanding of the PS process is essential. By applying a knowledge creation perspective and process mining, we investigated the knowledge-creating activities constituting the PS process. The analysis resulted in a framework of the knowledge-creating process in PS.

Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment, SAGE III on ISS, An Earth Science Mission on the International Space Station, Schedule Risk Analysis, A Project Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonine, Lauren

2015-01-01

The presentation provides insight into the schedule risk analysis process used by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station Project. The presentation focuses on the schedule risk analysis process highlighting the methods for identification of risk inputs, the inclusion of generic risks identified outside the traditional continuous risk management process, and the development of tailored analysis products used to improve risk informed decision making.

Testing an Instructional Model in a University Educational Setting from the Student's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betoret, Fernando Domenech

2006-01-01

We tested a theoretical model that hypothesized relationships between several variables from input, process and product in an educational setting, from the university student's perspective, using structural equation modeling. In order to carry out the analysis, we measured in sequential order the input (referring to students' personal…

Employers' Perspectives on Training: Three Industries. NCVER Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Chandra

2017-01-01

This study explores employers' perspectives on workforce training from 10 firms in three industries (red meat processing, road freight transport, and freight forwarding) located in urban and regional areas of five states on Australia's eastern seaboard. The analysis draws on data collected at interviews with senior managers and internal and…

Exploring Students' Behavioural Patterns during Online Peer Assessment from the Affective, Cognitive, and Metacognitive Perspectives: A Progressive Sequential Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Kun-Hung; Hou, Huei-Tse

2015-01-01

Previous research regarding peer assessment has investigated the relationships between peer feedback and learners' performance. However, few studies investigate in-depth learning processes during technology-assisted peer assessment activities, particularly from affective, cognitive, and metacognitive perspectives. This study conducts a series of…

A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective on Embodied Language for Human-Robot Cooperation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Carol; Hoen, Michel; Dominey, Peter Ford

2010-01-01

This article addresses issues in embodied sentence processing from a "cognitive neural systems" approach that combines analysis of the behavior in question, analysis of the known neurophysiological bases of this behavior, and the synthesis of a neuro-computational model of embodied sentence processing that can be applied to and tested in the…

32 CFR 651.4 - Responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... operational testers, producers, users, and disposers) into the decision-making process. (v) Initiate the... environmental perspective, and to ensure that these determinations are part of the Army decision process. (p... agency input into the decision-making process. (5) Ensure that NEPA analysis is prepared and staffed...

Therapists' perspectives on optimal treatment for pathological narcissism.

PubMed

Kealy, David; Goodman, Geoff; Rasmussen, Brian; Weideman, Rene; Ogrodniczuk, John S

2017-01-01

This study used Q methodology to explore clinicians' perspectives regarding optimal psychotherapy process in the treatment of pathological narcissism, a syndrome of impaired self-regulation. Participants were 34 psychotherapists of various disciplines and theoretical orientations who reviewed 3 clinical vignettes portraying hypothetical cases of grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism, and panic disorder without pathological narcissism. Participants then used the Psychotherapy Process Q set, a 100-item Q-sort instrument, to indicate their views regarding optimal therapy process for each hypothetical case. By-person principal components analysis with varimax rotation was conducted on all 102 Q-sorts, revealing 4 components representing clinicians' perspectives on ideal therapy processes for narcissistic and non-narcissistic patients. These perspectives were then analyzed regarding their relationship to established therapy models. The first component represented an introspective, relationally oriented therapy process and was strongly correlated with established psychodynamic treatments. The second component, most frequently endorsed for the panic disorder vignette, consisted of a cognitive and alliance-building approach that correlated strongly with expert-rated cognitive-behavioral therapy. The third and fourth components involved therapy processes focused on the challenging interpersonal behaviors associated with narcissistic vulnerability and grandiosity, respectively. The perspectives on therapy processes that emerged in this study reflect different points of emphasis in the treatment of pathological narcissism, and may serve as prototypes of therapist-generated approaches to patients suffering from this issue. The findings suggest several areas for further empirical inquiry regarding psychotherapy with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

[A look at gender in research. A qualitative analysis].

PubMed

López, Mercedes Eguiluz; Lerendegui, María Luisa Samitier; Simon, Teresa Yago; Aznar, Concepción Tomas; Martin, Dolores Ariño; Briz, Teresa Oliveros; Gavin, Gema Palacio; Botaya, Rosa Magallón

2011-10-01

To find out the views of a group of national women experts on gender and health on the key elements to consider in research with a gender perspective, and what are the resistance barriers when trying to include this perspective in the research. Meeting of a group of experts. Two types of analysis, discourse analysis, analysis of group outputs were used. Zaragoza. The group consists of six experts. An expert was defined as person accredited with specific training in the subject, and/or has presented her research at seminars, workshops, conferences on gender and health in recent years, or belongs to one of the networks of research on gender and heath. Qualitative analysis. Research with a gender perspective should meet the health needs and problems of both men and women, with those issues that contribute to determining the influence of gender on people's health being of special interest. The methodology should reflect this perspective throughout the research process and the variables should have gender explanatory potential. The main resistance barriers that prevent the inclusion of this perspective were related to the scientific institution, to feminism, and to a lack of training. A project cannot be considered to have a gender perspective if it does not include the analysis of variables with a gender explanatory potential and is not designed to help reduce inequalities between men and women. Knowing the resistance barriers that hinder this approach can guide future training. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

A Multivariate Analysis of the Early Dropout Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiester, Alan R.; Rudestam, Kjell E.

1975-01-01

Principal-component factor analyses were performed on patient input (demographic and pretherapy expectations), therapist input (demographic), and patient perspective therapy process variables that significantly differentiated early dropout from nondropout outpatients at two community mental health centers. (Author)

Left inferior-parietal lobe activity in perspective tasks: identity statements

PubMed Central

Arora, Aditi; Weiss, Benjamin; Schurz, Matthias; Aichhorn, Markus; Wieshofer, Rebecca C.; Perner, Josef

2015-01-01

We investigate the theory that the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) is closely associated with tracking potential differences of perspective. Developmental studies find that perspective tasks are mastered at around 4 years of age. Our first study, meta-analyses of brain imaging studies shows that perspective tasks specifically activate a region in the left IPL and precuneus. These tasks include processing of false belief, visual perspective, and episodic memory. We test the location specificity theory in our second study with an unusual and novel kind of perspective task: identity statements. According to Frege's classical logical analysis, identity statements require appreciation of modes of presentation (perspectives). We show that identity statements, e.g., “the tour guide is also the driver” activate the left IPL in contrast to a control statements, “the tour guide has an apprentice.” This activation overlaps with the activations found in the meta-analysis. This finding is confirmed in a third study with different types of statements and different comparisons. All studies support the theory that the left IPL has as one of its overarching functions the tracking of perspective differences. We discuss how this function relates to the bottom-up attention function proposed for the bilateral IPL. PMID:26175677

Challenging convention: symbolic interactionism and grounded theory.

PubMed

Newman, Barbara

2008-01-01

Not very much is written in the literature about decisions made by researchers and the justifications on method as a result of a particular clinical problem, together with an appropriate and congruent theoretical perspective, particularly for Glaserian grounded theory. I contend the utilisation of symbolic interactionism as a theoretical perspective to inform and guide the evolving research process and analysis of data when using classic or Glaserian grounded theory (GT) method, is not always appropriate. Within this article I offer an analysis of the key issues to be addressed when contemplating the use of Glaserian GT and the utilisation of an appropriate theoretical perspective, rather than accepting convention of symbolic interactionism (SI). The analysis became imperative in a study I conducted that sought to explore the concerns, adaptive behaviours, psychosocial processes and relevant interactions over a 12-month period, among newly diagnosed persons with end stage renal disease, dependent on haemodialysis in the home environment for survival. The reality of perception was central to the end product in the study. Human ethics approval was granted by six committees within New South Wales Health Department and one from a university.

An Overview Of Wideband Signal Analysis Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speiser, Jeffrey M.; Whitehouse, Harper J.

1989-11-01

This paper provides a unifying perspective for several narowband and wideband signal processing techniques. It considers narrowband ambiguity functions and Wigner-Ville distibutions, together with the wideband ambiguity function and several proposed approaches to a wideband version of the Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD). A unifying perspective is provided by the methodology of unitary representations and ray representations of transformation groups.

Perspectives of Play in Three Nations: A Comparative Study in Japan, the United States, and Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izumi-Taylor, Satomi; Samuelsson, Ingrid Pramling; Rogers, Cosby Steele

2010-01-01

This reflective paper discusses findings about differences and similarities in perspectives on play among early childhood educators in Japan, the United States, and Sweden. Analysis of survey data collected from educators in those nations yielded six themes regarding the meanings and uses of play: (1) process of learning, (2) source of…

How to Assess Professional Competencies in Education for Sustainability?: An Approach from a Perspective of Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Maria Rosa; Junyent, Mercè; Fonolleda, Marta

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to contribute to the professional competency approach in Education for Sustainability (ES) from the perspective of complexity and to the assessment of these competencies. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research process was used, which consisted of two main phases--a documentary analysis of the internationally…

Objects, Signs, and Representations in the Semio-Cognitive Analysis of the Processes Involved in Teaching and Learning Mathematics: A Duvalian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iori, Maura

2017-01-01

In mathematical activities and in the analysis of mathematics teaching-learning processes, "objects," "signs", and "representations" are often mentioned, where the meaning assigned to those words is sometimes very broad, sometimes limited, other times intuitive, allusive, or not completely clear. On the other hand, as…

Histomorphometric, fractal and lacunarity comparative analysis of sheep (Ovis aries), goat (Capra hircus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) compact bone samples.

PubMed

Gudea, A I; Stefan, A C

2013-08-01

Quantitative and qualitative studies dealing with histomorphometry of the bone tissue play a new role in modern legal medicine/forensic medicine and archaeozoology nowadays. This study deals with the differences found in case of humerus and metapodial bones of recent sheep (Ovis aries), goat (Capra hircus) and roedeer (Capreolus capreolus) specimens, both from a qualitative point of view, but mainly from a quantitative perspective. A novel perspective given by the fractal analysis performed on the digital histological images is approached. This study shows that the qualitative assessment may not be a reliable one due to the close resemblance of the structures. From the quantitative perspective (several measurements performed on osteonal units and statistical processing of data),some of the elements measured show significant differences among 3 species(the primary osteonal diameter, etc.). The fractal analysis and the lacunarity of the images show a great deal of potential, proving that this type of analysis can be of great help in the separation of the material from this perspective.

A Practical Decision-Analysis Process for Forest Ecosystem Management

Treesearch

H. Michael Rauscher; F. Thomas Lloyd; David L. Loftis; Mark J. Twery

2000-01-01

Many authors have pointed out the need to firm up the 'fuzzy' ecosystem management paradigm and develop operationally practical processes to allow forest managers to accommodate more effectively the continuing rapid change in societal perspectives and goals. There are three spatial scales where clear, precise, practical ecosystem management processes are...

Intersectional perspective in elderly care.

PubMed

Cuesta, Marta; Rämgård, Margareta

2016-01-01

Earlier research has shown that power relationships at workplaces are constructed by power structures. Processes related to power always influence the working conditions for (in this study in elderly care) the working groups involved. Power structures are central for intersectional analysis, in the sense that the intersectional perspective highlights aspects such as gender and ethnicity (subjective dimensions) and interrelates them to processes of power (objective dimension). This qualitative study aims to explore in what way an intersectional perspective could contribute to increased knowledge of power structures in a nursing home where the employees were mostly immigrants from different countries. By using reflexive dialogues related to an intersectional perspective, new knowledge which contributes to the employees' well-being could develop. Narrative analysis was the method used to conduct this study. Through a multi-stage focus group on six occasions over 6 months, the staff were engaged in intersectional and critical reflections about power relationship with the researchers, by identifying patterns in their professional activities that could be connected to their subjectivities (gender, ethnicity, etc.). The result of this study presents three themes that express the staff's experiences and connect these experiences to structural discrimination. 1) Intersectionality, knowledge, and experiences of professionalism; 2) Intersectionality, knowledge, and experiences of collaboration; and 3) Intersectionality, knowledge, and experiences of discrimination. The result demonstrates that an intersectional perspective reinforces the involved abilities, during the conversations, into being clear about, for example, their experiences of discrimination, and consequently developing a better understanding of their professionalism and collaboration. Such deeper reflections became possible through a process of consciousness raising, strengthening the employee's self-confidence, in a positive way.

Intersectional perspective in elderly care

PubMed Central

Cuesta, Marta; Rämgård, Margareta

2016-01-01

Earlier research has shown that power relationships at workplaces are constructed by power structures. Processes related to power always influence the working conditions for (in this study in elderly care) the working groups involved. Power structures are central for intersectional analysis, in the sense that the intersectional perspective highlights aspects such as gender and ethnicity (subjective dimensions) and interrelates them to processes of power (objective dimension). This qualitative study aims to explore in what way an intersectional perspective could contribute to increased knowledge of power structures in a nursing home where the employees were mostly immigrants from different countries. By using reflexive dialogues related to an intersectional perspective, new knowledge which contributes to the employees’ well-being could develop. Narrative analysis was the method used to conduct this study. Through a multi-stage focus group on six occasions over 6 months, the staff were engaged in intersectional and critical reflections about power relationship with the researchers, by identifying patterns in their professional activities that could be connected to their subjectivities (gender, ethnicity, etc.). The result of this study presents three themes that express the staff's experiences and connect these experiences to structural discrimination. 1) Intersectionality, knowledge, and experiences of professionalism; 2) Intersectionality, knowledge, and experiences of collaboration; and 3) Intersectionality, knowledge, and experiences of discrimination. The result demonstrates that an intersectional perspective reinforces the involved abilities, during the conversations, into being clear about, for example, their experiences of discrimination, and consequently developing a better understanding of their professionalism and collaboration. Such deeper reflections became possible through a process of consciousness raising, strengthening the employee's self-confidence, in a positive way. PMID:27167554

Contract Management Process and Mentorship Analysis of United States Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM) Special Operations Acquisition and Logistics Directorate of Procurement (SOAL-K)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

between two parties, such as a buyer and a seller that is defined by an agreement about their respective rights and responsibilities” (Garrett, 2007, p...capabilities” (p. 270). As stated in the definition, the CMMM can be used to analyze an organization from the buyer or seller’s perspective. In our...study, USSOCOM is analyzed from the buyers ’ perspective. The CMMM utilizes six key process areas when analyzing an organization from the buyer’s

BioVLAB-mCpG-SNP-EXPRESS: A system for multi-level and multi-perspective analysis and exploration of DNA methylation, sequence variation (SNPs), and gene expression from multi-omics data.

PubMed

Chae, Heejoon; Lee, Sangseon; Seo, Seokjun; Jung, Daekyoung; Chang, Hyeonsook; Nephew, Kenneth P; Kim, Sun

2016-12-01

Measuring gene expression, DNA sequence variation, and DNA methylation status is routinely done using high throughput sequencing technologies. To analyze such multi-omics data and explore relationships, reliable bioinformatics systems are much needed. Existing systems are either for exploring curated data or for processing omics data in the form of a library such as R. Thus scientists have much difficulty in investigating relationships among gene expression, DNA sequence variation, and DNA methylation using multi-omics data. In this study, we report a system called BioVLAB-mCpG-SNP-EXPRESS for the integrated analysis of DNA methylation, sequence variation (SNPs), and gene expression for distinguishing cellular phenotypes at the pairwise and multiple phenotype levels. The system can be deployed on either the Amazon cloud or a publicly available high-performance computing node, and the data analysis and exploration of the analysis result can be conveniently done using a web-based interface. In order to alleviate analysis complexity, all the process are fully automated, and graphical workflow system is integrated to represent real-time analysis progression. The BioVLAB-mCpG-SNP-EXPRESS system works in three stages. First, it processes and analyzes multi-omics data as input in the form of the raw data, i.e., FastQ files. Second, various integrated analyses such as methylation vs. gene expression and mutation vs. methylation are performed. Finally, the analysis result can be explored in a number of ways through a web interface for the multi-level, multi-perspective exploration. Multi-level interpretation can be done by either gene, gene set, pathway or network level and multi-perspective exploration can be explored from either gene expression, DNA methylation, sequence variation, or their relationship perspective. The utility of the system is demonstrated by performing analysis of phenotypically distinct 30 breast cancer cell line data set. BioVLAB-mCpG-SNP-EXPRESS is available at http://biohealth.snu.ac.kr/software/biovlab_mcpg_snp_express/. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Women's experiences of how their recovery process is promoted after a first myocardial infarction: Implications for cardiac rehabilitation care

PubMed Central

Wieslander, Inger; Mårtensson, Jan; Fridlund, Bengt; Svedberg, Petra

2016-01-01

Background A rapid improvement in the care of myocardial infarction (MI) in the emergency services has been witnessed in recent years. There is, however, a lack of understanding of the factors involved in a successful recovery process, after the initial stages of emergency care among patients, and in particular those who are women. Both preventive and promotive perspectives should be taken into consideration for facilitating the recovery process of women after a MI. Aim To explore how women's recovery processes are promoted after a first MI. Methods A qualitative content analysis was used. Findings The women's recovery process is a multidirectional process with a desire to develop and approach a new perspective on life. The women's possibility to approach new perspectives on life incorporates how they handle the three dimensions: behaviour, that is, women's acting and engaging in various activities; social, that is, how women receive and give support in their social environment; and psychological, that is, their way of thinking, reflecting, and appreciating life. Conclusions The personal recovery of women is a multidirectional process with a desire to develop and approach a new perspective on life. It is important for cardiac rehabilitation nurses to not only focus on lifestyle changes and social support but also on working actively with the women's inner strength in order to promote the recovery of the women. PMID:27172514

Collaboration processes and perceived effectiveness of integrated care projects in primary care: a longitudinal mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Valentijn, Pim P; Ruwaard, Dirk; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M; de Bont, Antoinette; Arends, Rosa Y; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

2015-10-09

Collaborative partnerships are considered an essential strategy for integrating local disjointed health and social services. Currently, little evidence is available on how integrated care arrangements between professionals and organisations are achieved through the evolution of collaboration processes over time. The first aim was to develop a typology of integrated care projects (ICPs) based on the final degree of integration as perceived by multiple stakeholders. The second aim was to study how types of integration differ in changes of collaboration processes over time and final perceived effectiveness. A longitudinal mixed-methods study design based on two data sources (surveys and interviews) was used to identify the perceived degree of integration and patterns in collaboration among 42 ICPs in primary care in The Netherlands. We used cluster analysis to identify distinct subgroups of ICPs based on the final perceived degree of integration from a professional, organisational and system perspective. With the use of ANOVAs, the subgroups were contrasted based on: 1) changes in collaboration processes over time (shared ambition, interests and mutual gains, relationship dynamics, organisational dynamics and process management) and 2) final perceived effectiveness (i.e. rated success) at the professional, organisational and system levels. The ICPs were classified into three subgroups with: 'United Integration Perspectives (UIP)', 'Disunited Integration Perspectives (DIP)' and 'Professional-oriented Integration Perspectives (PIP)'. ICPs within the UIP subgroup made the strongest increase in trust-based (mutual gains and relationship dynamics) as well as control-based (organisational dynamics and process management) collaboration processes and had the highest overall effectiveness rates. On the other hand, ICPs with the DIP subgroup decreased on collaboration processes and had the lowest overall effectiveness rates. ICPs within the PIP subgroup increased in control-based collaboration processes (organisational dynamics and process management) and had the highest effectiveness rates at the professional level. The differences across the three subgroups in terms of the development of collaboration processes and the final perceived effectiveness provide evidence that united stakeholders' perspectives are achieved through a constructive collaboration process over time. Disunited perspectives at the professional, organisation and system levels can be aligned by both trust-based and control-based collaboration processes.

Badge Office Process Analysis

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

Haurykiewicz, John Paul; Dinehart, Timothy Grant; Parker, Robert Young

2016-05-12

The purpose of this process analysis was to analyze the Badge Offices’ current processes from a systems perspective and consider ways of pursuing objectives set forth by SEC-PS, namely increased customer flow (throughput) and reduced customer wait times. Information for the analysis was gathered for the project primarily through Badge Office Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and in-person observation of prevailing processes. Using the information gathered, a process simulation model was constructed to represent current operations and allow assessment of potential process changes relative to factors mentioned previously. The overall purpose of the analysis was to provide SEC-PS management with informationmore » and recommendations to serve as a basis for additional focused study and areas for potential process improvements in the future.« less

The Domain-Specific Software Architecture Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

Kang, K.C; Cohen, S.C: Jess, J.A; Novak, W.E; Peterson, A.S. Feature- Oriented Domain Analysis ( FODA ) Feasibility Study. (CMU/SEI-90-TR-21, ADA235785...perspective of a con- trols engineer solving a problem using an iterative process of simulation and analysis . The CMU/SEI-92-SR-9 1 I ~math AnalysislP...for schedulability analysis and Markov processes for the determination of reliability. Software architectures are derived from these formal models. ORA

On the Development of a Computing Infrastructure that Facilitates IPPD from a Decision-Based Design Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hale, Mark A.; Craig, James I.; Mistree, Farrokh; Schrage, Daniel P.

1995-01-01

Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) embodies the simultaneous application of both system and quality engineering methods throughout an iterative design process. The use of IPPD results in the time-conscious, cost-saving development of engineering systems. Georgia Tech has proposed the development of an Integrated Design Engineering Simulator that will merge Integrated Product and Process Development with interdisciplinary analysis techniques and state-of-the-art computational technologies. To implement IPPD, a Decision-Based Design perspective is encapsulated in an approach that focuses on the role of the human designer in product development. The approach has two parts and is outlined in this paper. First, an architecture, called DREAMS, is being developed that facilitates design from a decision-based perspective. Second, a supporting computing infrastructure, called IMAGE, is being designed. The current status of development is given and future directions are outlined.

[Unravelling medical leadership].

PubMed

Voogt, Judith J; van Rensen, Elizabeth L J; Noordegraaf, Mirko; Schneider, Margriet M E

2015-01-01

Medical leadership is a popular topic in the Netherlands, and several interest groups now incorporate medical leadership into postgraduate medical education. However, there is no consensus on what this concept entails. By conducting a discourse analysis, a qualitative method which uses language and text to reveal existing viewpoints, this article reveals three perspectives on medical leadership: administrative leadership, leadership within organisations and leadership within each doctor's daily practice. Text analysis shows that the first two perspectives refer to medical leadership mainly in a defensive manner: by demonstrating medical leadership doctors could 'take the lead' once again; patient care only seems to play a small part in the process. These perspectives are not free of consequences, they will determine how the medical profession is constructed. For this reason, it is argued that there should be more emphasis on the third perspective, in which the quality of care for patients is of primary importance.

[Challenges and inputs of the gender perspective to the study of vector borne diseases].

PubMed

Arenas-Monreal, Luz; Piña-Pozas, Maricela; Gómez-Dantés, Héctor

2015-01-01

The analysis of social determinants and gender within the health-disease-care process is an imperative to understand the variables that define the vulnerability of populations, their exposure risks, the determinants of their care, and the organization and participation in prevention and control programs. Ecohealth incorporates the study of the social determinants and gender perspectives because the emergency of dengue, malaria and Chagas disease are bound to unplanned urbanization, deficient sanitary infrastructure, and poor housing conditions. Gender emerges as an explanatory element of the roles played by men and women in the different scenarios (domestic, communitarian and social) that shape exposure risks to vectors and offer a better perspective of success for the prevention, control and care strategies. The objective is to contribute to the understanding on the gender perspective in the analysis of health risks through a conceptual framework.

The relationship between time perspective and self-regulatory processes, abilities and outcomes: a protocol for a meta-analytical review.

PubMed

Baird, Harriet M; Webb, Thomas L; Martin, Jilly; Sirois, Fuschia M

2017-07-05

Both theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that time perspective is likely to influence self-regulatory processes and outcomes. Despite the theoretical and practical significance of such relations, the relationship between time perspective and self-regulatory processes and outcomes across different measures, samples and life domains, including health, has yet to be explored. The proposed review will develop a taxonomy for classifying measures according to the self-regulatory process, ability or outcome that they are likely to reflect. Electronic scientific databases will be searched, along with relevant conference abstract booklets and citation lists. Additionally, a call for unpublished data will be submitted to relevant bodies. To be eligible for inclusion, studies must include a measure of time perspective and a measure of at least one self-regulatory process, ability and/ or outcome. Eligibility will not be restricted by publication date, language, type of sample or setting. The bivariate correlations will be extracted (or calculated) and submitted to a random-effects meta-analysis. The sample-weighted average effect size, heterogeneity, risk of bias and publication bias will be calculated, and the effects of categorical and continuous moderator variables on the effect sizes will be determined. The proposed meta-analysis will synthesise previously conducted research; thus, ethical approval is not required. The findings will be submitted for publication in an international peer-reviewed journal and reported as part of the first author’s PhD thesis. The findings will also be disseminated to the research community and, where appropriate, to other interested parties through presentations at relevant academic and non-academic conferences. © 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.

Surgical swab counting: a qualitative analysis from the perspective of the scrub nurse.

PubMed

D'Lima, D; Sacks, M; Blackman, W; Benn, J

2014-05-01

The aim of the study was to conduct a qualitative exploration of the sociotechnical processes underlying retained surgical swabs, and to explore the fundamental reasons why the swab count procedure and related protocols fail in practice. Data was collected through a set of 27 semistructured qualitative interviews with scrub nurses from a large, multi-site teaching hospital. Interview transcripts were analysed using established constant comparative methods, moving between inductive and deductive reasoning. Key findings were associated with interprofessional perspectives, team processes and climate and responsibility for the swab count. The analysis of risk factors revealed that perceived social and interprofessional issues played a significant role in the reliability of measures to prevent retained swabs. This work highlights the human, psychological and organisational factors that impact upon the reliability of the process and gives rise to recommendations to address contextual factors and improve perioperative practice and training.

Where's the Justice in Service-Learning? Institutionalizing Service-Learning from a Social Justice Perspective at a Jesuit University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuban, Sondra; Anderson, Jeffrey B.

2007-01-01

We attempt to answer "where" the social justice is in service-learning by probing "what" it is, "how" it looks in the process of being institutionalized at a Jesuit university, and "why" it is important. We develop themes about institutionalizing service-learning from a social justice perspective. Our themes were developed through an analysis of…

[The official agenda of global sustainability: a critical analysis from the perspective of Public Health].

PubMed

Schütz, Gabriel Eduardo; Tambellini, Anamaria Testa; Asmus, Carmen Ildes Rodrigues Fróes; Meyer, Armando; Câmara, Volney de Magalhães

2012-06-01

The scope of this article is to conduct a critical analysis from the perspective of Public Health of the first item of the Rio +20 Summit agenda: "A green economy in the context of sustainable development and the eradication of poverty." Methodologically, the analysis was performed through two converging approaches: (a) argumentative - by means of a dialectical analysis of facts and reports produced during the process; and (b) pragmatic - an analysis of the socio-environmental profile of the current twenty major economies in the world, using indicators found in international agency databases. The results suggest that the greatest environmental pressure on natural resources is not poverty, as understood by the dominant agenda, but the historically determined models of production.

Experience Is the Best Teacher...Or Is It? An Analysis of the Role of Experience in Learning To Teach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Sue

This study was conducted to analyze the process of learning to teach from the perspective of the student teacher. Issues associated with how student teachers perceive experiences contributing to their learning process form the basis of the analysis. Data referred to come from a larger study conducted over 3 years which explored the perceptions of…

Regionalization in the SUS: implementation process, challenges and perspectives in the critical view of system managers.

PubMed

Carvalho, Andre Luis Bonifácio de; Jesus, Washington Luiz Abreu de; Senra, Isabel Maria Vilas Boas

2017-04-01

This article examines the regionalization process in the Brazilian Health System, identifying frameworks and challenges of this process from critical dialogue on the subject, contextualized by the experience of the management system and in the light of an established theoretical debate in the last decade. We used the thematic content analysis of legal and documentary surveys of the regionalization process in SUS, collated by elements of the historical and political context in the period. As evidence, it appears that the regionalization process has been incremental decentralization/deconcentration of management and health actions and services. There are important challenges, particularly in relation to ensuring access and system governance structure, which contributes to critical thinking and construction of new perspectives by those who lead their implementation.

Economic Evaluation of the Production Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles via Liquid-Phase Route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nandiyanto, A. B. D.; Fariansyah, R.; Ramadhan, M. F.; Abdullah, A. G.; Widiaty, I.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the production of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles. The evaluation was done in two perspectives: engineering and economic evaluation. The engineering perspective concerned about the analysis of the production rate based on the available apparatuses and raw materials, completed with mass balance calculation. The economic analysis was conducted based on several economic parameters: gross profit margin (GPM), internal return rate (IRR), payback period (PBP), cumulative net present value (CNPV), break even point (BEP), and profit to investment (PI). The engineering perspective showed that the production of MgO is feasibly done in small scale industry. This is verified by the potential production using current available apparatuses and raw materials in the market. Economic analysis obtained that the present project is profitable. But, for some cases, further studies must be done to get the present production process is attractive for investor.

Classroom Communication and Instructional Processes: Advances through Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gayle, Barbara Mae, Ed.; Preiss, Raymond W., Ed.; Burrell, Nancy, Ed.; Allen, Mike, Ed.

2006-01-01

This volume offers a systematic review of the literature on communication education and instruction. Making meta-analysis findings accessible and relevant, the editors of this volume approach the topic from the perspective that meta-analysis serves as a useful tool for summarizing experiments and for determining how and why specific teaching and…

Patient Navigation from the Paired Perspectives of Cancer Patients and Navigators: A Qualitative Analysis

PubMed Central

Yosha, Amanat M.; Carroll, Jennifer K.; Hendren, Samantha; Salamone, Charcy M.; Sanders, Mechelle; Fiscella, Kevin; Epstein, Ronald M.

2011-01-01

Objective Patient navigation for cancer care assesses and alleviates barriers to health care services. We examined paired perspectives of cancer patients and their navigators to examine the process of patient navigation. We explored the strengths, limitations, and our own lessons learned about adopting the novel methodology of multiperspective analysis. Methods As part of a larger RCT, patients and navigators were interviewed separately. We reviewed interviews with 18 patient-navigator dyads. Dyad summaries were created that explicitly incorporated both patient and navigator perspectives. Emerging themes and verbatim quotations were reflected in the summaries. Results Paired perspectives were valuable in identifying struggles that arose during navigation. These were represented as imbalanced investment and relational amelioration. Patients and navigators had general consensus about important patient needs for cancer care, but characterized these needs differently. Conclusion Our experience with multiperspective analysis revealed a methodology that delivers novel relational findings, but is best conducted de novo rather than as part of a larger study. Practice Implications Multiperspective analysis should be more widely adopted with clear aims and analytic strategy that strengthen the ability to reveal relational dynamics. Navigation training programs should anticipate navigator struggles and provide navigators with tools to manage them. PMID:21255958

Ambivalence in Mother-Adult Child Relations: A Dyadic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willson, Andrea E.; Shuey, Kim M.; Elder, Glen H., Jr.; Wickrama, K. A. S.

2006-01-01

The concept of ambivalence represents an interactional process in which individuals evaluate social relations as simultaneously positive and negative. This study investigates ambivalence in interpersonal relations through an empirical analysis of relationships between aging mothers and their adult children from their joint perspectives. Multilevel…

Perspectives in Individualized Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisgerber, Robert A.

The readings presented here are an analysis of selected factors underlying the process of individualized learning. The book is organized topically and moves from theoretical considerations toward an analysis of important educational components. The readings come from a cross section of experts representing the areas of learning theory, individual…

The Communication Model Perspective of Oral Interpretation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Eric E.

Communication models suggest that oral interpretation is a communicative process, that this process may be represented by specification of implicit and explicit content and structure, and that the models themselves are useful. This paper examines these assumptions through a comparative analysis of communication models employed by oral…

Patient perspectives on whole-genome sequencing for undiagnosed diseases.

PubMed

Boeldt, Debra L; Cheung, Cynthia; Ariniello, Lauren; Darst, Burcu F; Topol, Sarah; Schork, Nicholas J; Philis-Tsimikas, Athena; Torkamani, Ali; Fortmann, Addie L; Bloss, Cinnamon S

2017-01-01

This study assessed perspectives on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for rare disease diagnosis and the process of receiving genetic results. Semistructured interviews were conducted with adult patients and parents of minor patients affected by idiopathic diseases (n = 10 cases). Three main themes were identified through qualitative data analysis and interpretation: perceived benefits of WGS; perceived drawbacks of WGS; and perceptions of the return of results from WGS. Findings suggest that patients and their families have important perspectives on the use of WGS in diagnostic odyssey cases. These perspectives could inform clinical sequencing research study designs as well as the appropriate deployment of patient and family support services in the context of clinical genome sequencing.

Development of Multi-perspective Diagnostics and Analysis Algorithms with Applications to Subsonic and Supersonic Combustors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wickersham, Andrew Joseph

There are two critical research needs for the study of hydrocarbon combustion in high speed flows: 1) combustion diagnostics with adequate temporal and spatial resolution, and 2) mathematical techniques that can extract key information from large datasets. The goal of this work is to address these needs, respectively, by the use of high speed and multi-perspective chemiluminescence and advanced mathematical algorithms. To obtain the measurements, this work explored the application of high speed chemiluminescence diagnostics and the use of fiber-based endoscopes (FBEs) for non-intrusive and multi-perspective chemiluminescence imaging up to 20 kHz. Non-intrusive and full-field imaging measurements provide a wealth of information for model validation and design optimization of propulsion systems. However, it is challenging to obtain such measurements due to various implementation difficulties such as optical access, thermal management, and equipment cost. This work therefore explores the application of FBEs for non-intrusive imaging to supersonic propulsion systems. The FBEs used in this work are demonstrated to overcome many of the aforementioned difficulties and provided datasets from multiple angular positions up to 20 kHz in a supersonic combustor. The combustor operated on ethylene fuel at Mach 2 with an inlet stagnation temperature and pressure of approximately 640 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 psia, respectively. The imaging measurements were obtained from eight perspectives simultaneously, providing full-field datasets under such flow conditions for the first time, allowing the possibility of inferring multi-dimensional measurements. Due to the high speed and multi-perspective nature, such new diagnostic capability generates a large volume of data and calls for analysis algorithms that can process the data and extract key physics effectively. To extract the key combustion dynamics from the measurements, three mathematical methods were investigated in this work: Fourier analysis, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), and wavelet analysis (WA). These algorithms were first demonstrated and tested on imaging measurements obtained from one perspective in a sub-sonic combustor (up to Mach 0.2). The results show that these algorithms are effective in extracting the key physics from large datasets, including the characteristic frequencies of flow-flame interactions especially during transient processes such as lean blow off and ignition. After these relatively simple tests and demonstrations, these algorithms were applied to process the measurements obtained from multi-perspective in the supersonic combustor. compared to past analyses (which have been limited to data obtained from one perspective only), the availability of data at multiple perspective provide further insights into the flame and flow structures in high speed flows. In summary, this work shows that high speed chemiluminescence is a simple yet powerful combustion diagnostic. Especially when combined with FBEs and the analyses algorithms described in this work, such diagnostics provide full-field imaging at high repetition rate in challenging flows. Based on such measurements, a wealth of information can be obtained from proper analysis algorithms, including characteristic frequency, dominating flame modes, and even multi-dimensional flame and flow structures.

Usalpharma: A Cloud-Based Architecture to Support Quality Assurance Training Processes in Health Area Using Virtual Worlds

PubMed Central

García-Peñalvo, Francisco J.; Pérez-Blanco, Jonás Samuel; Martín-Suárez, Ana

2014-01-01

This paper discusses how cloud-based architectures can extend and enhance the functionality of the training environments based on virtual worlds and how, from this cloud perspective, we can provide support to analysis of training processes in the area of health, specifically in the field of training processes in quality assurance for pharmaceutical laboratories, presenting a tool for data retrieval and analysis that allows facing the knowledge discovery in the happenings inside the virtual worlds. PMID:24778593

Decision-Making in National Security Affairs: Toward a Typology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-07

decisional model, and thus provide the necessary linkage between observation and application of theory in explaining and/or predicting policy decisions . r...examines theories and models of decision -making processes from an interdisciplinary perspective, with a view toward deriving means by which the behavior of...processes, game theory , linear programming, network and graph theory , time series analysis, and the like. The discipline of decision analysis is a relatively

Ecological literacy materials for use in elementary schools: A critical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, Joan Maureen

My research is a critical examination of environmental science education resources for use in Alberta schools. I examine both the resources and the processes by which these resources are developed by diverse groups. My inquiry is guided by the following question: What is the nature of the discourse of ecological literacy in the promotion and content of teaching materials in elementary schools in Alberta? This critical analysis centres on the discourses, language, and perspectives (both hidden and overt) of these resources and processes; the manifestation of political agendas; existing relations; and the inclusion or exclusion of alternate views. Framed within critical theory and an ecosocial construct, my methodology employs critical discourse analysis and hermeneutic interpretation. I analyse selected environmental science resources produced for the elementary classroom by government and nongovernment organizations. I also interview the producers and/or writers of these instructional resources to provide the perspectives of some of the developers of these materials. The findings illustrate how the discursive management of the view of nature, human-nature relationships, uncertainty, multiple perspectives, and dimensions of ecological literacy in materials for schools offer students a particular perspective. These ecological and science discourses act to shape their personal relationships with nature and notions of environmental responsibility and consciousness. This research is necessary because, particularly in Alberta, corporate interests have the potential to impact school curricula. The study points to a need for a critical appraisal of resources for schools produced by the environmental science community.

Conceptualizing the therapist's role in therapy in psychosis.

PubMed

Dilks, Sarah; Tasker, Fiona; Wren, Bernadette

2013-09-01

This paper reports on a subset of findings from a wider ranging grounded theory analysis of therapy and recovery processes in psychosis. It describes therapist activities involved in maintaining an observational perspective during therapy and the links between these and other therapist activities. Grounded theory was used to examine the qualitative data collected. An initial sample of 19 taped therapy sessions and 23 interviews with psychologists and their clients was collected. This sample was extended through the collection of three further interviews with psychoanalytically aware psychologists. The data were analysed using grounded theory. A grounded theory model of therapy processes in psychosis was developed that conceptualized therapist actions as providing an observational scaffold to support the client's efforts in moving to new perspectives on their situation. Consistent with the understanding of the core therapy activity as a dialogical process, this set of therapist actions was understood as occurring alongside other therapist activities involved in managing emotion and building a relationship in therapy. The central activity of therapy in psychosis was understood as a dialogical process continuously negotiated between therapist and client in conversation and was conceptually summarized in the grounded theory as 'building bridges to observational perspectives'. However, the active and strategic efforts of psychologists to sustain the dialogue implied a particular assumption of responsibility for maintaining this process. In particular, therapists appeared to be 'working to maintain observational perspectives', 'managing emotion', and 'doing relationship' during the therapy conversation as part of the joint effort with clients to build bridges to new observational perspectives on distress and psychosis. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Teacher Recertification: A Historical Analysis of the Illinois Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodbeck, Nancy Negley

2009-01-01

License renewal and recertification have long been standard practice in service professions. Ten years ago, a new law called for policy revision and mandated that Illinois teachers acquire continuing professional development to maintain certification. This study provides a historical perspective of the Illinois teacher recertification process,…

The Statistical Interpretation of Classical Thermodynamic Heating and Expansion Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartier, Stephen F.

2011-01-01

A statistical model has been developed and applied to interpret thermodynamic processes typically presented from the macroscopic, classical perspective. Through this model, students learn and apply the concepts of statistical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and classical thermodynamics in the analysis of the (i) constant volume heating, (ii)…

A Developmental Perspective on Dyslexic Subtypes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manis, Franklin R.; And Others

1988-01-01

Forty normal readers and 50 dyslexic children (age 9-14) were matched on reading level and intelligence quotient and tested. Analysis revealed 3 major subgroups: specific deficit in phonological processing of print (52 percent), deficits in processing both the phonological and orthographic features of printed words (24 percent), and phonological…

Collaborative Planning in Process: An Ethnomethodological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Josephine; Burch, Alfred Rue

2017-01-01

Following Ellis's (2005) call for more social and process-oriented planning research, this study explores how learners approach collaborative planning tasks in the classroom as a locally contingent activity in situ. Drawing on ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, the present study focuses on a group planning stage that precedes the final…

[Childbirth in Cuba: analysis of the experience of medically supervised delivery from an anthropological perspective].

PubMed

García-Jordá, Dailys; Díaz-Bernal, Zoe; Acosta Álamo, Marlen

2012-07-01

Knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum in Cuba is currently deficient. Childbirth has been fundamentally studied as a medical event from its clinical aspects. Analysis of the reproductive process from the Medical Anthropology perspective could contribute to healthcare services providing more humane treatment and empowerment for women and men as the persons primarily responsible for their reproductive processes. This study investigated the experience and perception of childbirth in three hospitals in Havana. The scope of this research was to understand the representation and practice of childbirth and to describe the experiences of women during this event. Qualitative investigation techniques were used, together with interviews and participant observation of 36 women in labor, ten family members and nine obstetricians. The qualitative data was analyzed using Grounded Theory methodology. All the childbirths occurred with numerous medical interventions and the maternity experience was very intense. The participation of men was limited. From the anthropological perspective the routine use of some medical interventions and the institutional regulations described are considered manifestations of physical and gender violence.

Discovery of Information Diffusion Process in Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kwanho; Jung, Jae-Yoon; Park, Jonghun

Information diffusion analysis in social networks is of significance since it enables us to deeply understand dynamic social interactions among users. In this paper, we introduce approaches to discovering information diffusion process in social networks based on process mining. Process mining techniques are applied from three perspectives: social network analysis, process discovery and community recognition. We then present experimental results by using a real-life social network data. The proposed techniques are expected to employ as new analytical tools in online social networks such as blog and wikis for company marketers, politicians, news reporters and online writers.

Abstract processing and observer vantage perspective in dysphoria.

PubMed

Hart-Smith, Ly; Moulds, Michelle L

2018-05-07

processing and observer vantage perspective have been associated with negative consequences in depression. We investigated the relationship between mode of processing and vantage perspective bidirectionally in high and low dysphoric individuals, using abstract and concrete descriptions of experimenter-provided everyday actions. When vantage perspective was manipulated and processing mode was measured (Study 1a), participants who adopted a field perspective did not differ from those who adopted an observer perspective in their preference for abstract descriptions, irrespective of dysphoria status. When processing mode was manipulated and vantage perspective was measured (Study 1b), participants provided with abstract descriptions had a greater tendency to adopt an observer perspective than those provided with concrete descriptions, irrespective of dysphoria status. These results were replicated in larger online samples (Studies 2a and 2b). Together, they indicate a unidirectional causal relationship, whereby processing mode causally influences vantage perspective, in contrast to the bidirectional relationship previously reported in an unselected sample (Libby, Shaeffer, & Eibach, 2009). Further, these findings demonstrate that abstract processing increases the likelihood of adopting an observer perspective, and support targeting abstract processing in the treatment of depression to address the negative consequences associated with both abstract processing and recalling/imagining events from an observer perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Text analysis devices, articles of manufacture, and text analysis methods

DOEpatents

Turner, Alan E; Hetzler, Elizabeth G; Nakamura, Grant C

2013-05-28

Text analysis devices, articles of manufacture, and text analysis methods are described according to some aspects. In one aspect, a text analysis device includes processing circuitry configured to analyze initial text to generate a measurement basis usable in analysis of subsequent text, wherein the measurement basis comprises a plurality of measurement features from the initial text, a plurality of dimension anchors from the initial text and a plurality of associations of the measurement features with the dimension anchors, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to access a viewpoint indicative of a perspective of interest of a user with respect to the analysis of the subsequent text, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to use the viewpoint to generate the measurement basis.

Critical Education for Systemic Change: A World-Systems Analysis Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Tom G.

2015-01-01

This paper both draws on, and seeks to apply, world-systems analysis to a broad, critical education project that builds mass schooling's potential contribution to the process of world-systemic change. In short, this is done by first setting out the world-systems analysis account of the current state, and period of transition, of the capitalist…

Relating spatial perspective taking to the perception of other's affordances: providing a foundation for predicting the future behavior of others

PubMed Central

Creem-Regehr, Sarah H.; Gagnon, Kyle T.; Geuss, Michael N.; Stefanucci, Jeanine K.

2013-01-01

Understanding what another agent can see relates functionally to the understanding of what they can do. We propose that spatial perspective taking and perceiving other's affordances, while two separate spatial processes, together share the common social function of predicting the behavior of others. Perceiving the action capabilities of others allows for a common understanding of how agents may act together. The ability to take another's perspective focuses an understanding of action goals so that more precise understanding of intentions may result. This review presents an analysis of these complementary abilities, both in terms of the frames of reference and the proposed sensorimotor mechanisms involved. Together, we argue for the importance of reconsidering the role of basic spatial processes to explain more complex behaviors. PMID:24068992

Self-distancing improves interpersonal perceptions and behavior by decreasing medial prefrontal cortex activity during the provision of criticism.

PubMed

Leitner, Jordan B; Ayduk, Ozlem; Mendoza-Denton, Rodolfo; Magerman, Adam; Amey, Rachel; Kross, Ethan; Forbes, Chad E

2017-04-01

Previous research suggests that people show increased self-referential processing when they provide criticism to others, and that this self-referential processing can have negative effects on interpersonal perceptions and behavior. The current research hypothesized that adopting a self-distanced perspective (i.e. thinking about a situation from a non-first person point of view), as compared with a typical self-immersed perspective (i.e. thinking about a situation from a first-person point of view), would reduce self-referential processing during the provision of criticism, and in turn improve interpersonal perceptions and behavior. We tested this hypothesis in an interracial context since research suggests that self-referential processing plays a role in damaging interracial relations. White participants prepared for mentorship from a self-immersed or self-distanced perspective. They then conveyed negative and positive evaluations to a Black mentee while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. Source analysis revealed that priming a self-distanced (vs self-immersed) perspective predicted decreased activity in regions linked to self-referential processing (medial prefrontal cortex; MPFC) when providing negative evaluations. This decreased MPFC activity during negative evaluations, in turn, predicted verbal feedback that was perceived to be more positive, warm and helpful. Results suggest that self-distancing can improve interpersonal perceptions and behavior by decreasing self-referential processing during the provision of criticism. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Inclusive Educational Process of Students with Visual Impairments in Spain: An Analysis from the Perspective of Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Cecilia; Echeita, Gerardo; Sandoval, Marta; Lopez, Mauricio

2010-01-01

Inclusive education is a complex and multidimensional process that, among other aspirations, tries to foster the rights of every student to obtain a high-quality education. This process focuses on the diversity of needs of all students by increasing participation in learning, cultures, and communities and reducing exclusion within and from…

[Psychosocial analysis of the health-disease process].

PubMed

Sawaia, B B

1994-04-01

This article is a reflection about the transdisciplinary paradigmas of the health-illness process noting the symbolic mediation between the reactions of the biological organism and the socio-environment factors including the pathogenic ones. The symbolic-affective mediation is analyzed from the perspective of Social Representation theory allowing one to comprehend the references of individual and collective actions in the health-illness process.

Chaos in neurons and its application: perspective of chaos engineering.

PubMed

Hirata, Yoshito; Oku, Makito; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2012-12-01

We review our recent work on chaos in neurons and its application to neural networks from perspective of chaos engineering. Especially, we analyze a dataset of a squid giant axon by newly combining our previous work of identifying Devaney's chaos with surrogate data analysis, and show that an axon can behave chaotically. Based on this knowledge, we use a chaotic neuron model to investigate possible information processing in the brain.

Service user involvement enhanced the research quality in a study using interpretative phenomenological analysis - the power of multiple perspectives.

PubMed

Mjøsund, Nina Helen; Eriksson, Monica; Espnes, Geir Arild; Haaland-Øverby, Mette; Jensen, Sven Liang; Norheim, Irene; Kjus, Solveig Helene Høymork; Portaasen, Inger-Lill; Vinje, Hege Forbech

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine how service user involvement can contribute to the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology and enhance research quality. Interpretative phenomenological analysis is a qualitative methodology used in nursing research internationally to understand human experiences that are essential to the participants. Service user involvement is requested in nursing research. We share experiences from 4 years of collaboration (2012-2015) on a mental health promotion project, which involved an advisory team. Five research advisors either with a diagnosis or related to a person with severe mental illness constituted the team. They collaborated with the research fellow throughout the entire research process and have co-authored this article. We examined the joint process of analysing the empirical data from interviews. Our analytical discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and subsequently interpreted following the guidelines for good qualitative analysis in interpretative phenomenological analysis studies. The advisory team became 'the researcher's helping hand'. Multiple perspectives influenced the qualitative analysis, which gave more insightful interpretations of nuances, complexity, richness or ambiguity in the interviewed participants' accounts. The outcome of the service user involvement was increased breadth and depth in findings. Service user involvement improved the research quality in a nursing research project on mental health promotion. The interpretative element of interpretative phenomenological analysis was enhanced by the emergence of multiple perspectives in the qualitative analysis of the empirical data. We argue that service user involvement and interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology can mutually reinforce each other and strengthen qualitative methodology. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Application of Digital Technologies in the Geography Teaching Process from the Teachers' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karolcík, Štefan; Cipková, Elena; Mázorová, Henrieta

2016-01-01

This survey focused on the analysis of opinions and attitudes expressed by Geography teachers participating in the national project called "Modernization of the Educational Process in Elementary and Secondary School", in selected training centres in Slovakia during 2008-2013. The main objective of the course was innovation and…

Feminist Relational Advocacy: Processes and Outcomes from the Perspective of Low-Income Women with Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Lisa A.; Glenn, Catherine; Bohlig, Amanda; Banyard, Victoria; Borges, Angela

2009-01-01

This article describes a qualitative study of how low-income women who are struggling with symptoms of depression experience feminist relational advocacy, a new model that is informed by feminist, multicultural, and community psychology theories. Using qualitative content analysis of participant interviews, the authors describe the processes and…

Building a Model of Employee Training through Holistic Analysis of Biological, Psychological, and Sociocultural Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenck, Andrew

2015-01-01

While theories of adult learning and motivation are often framed as being either biological, psychological, or sociocultural, they represent a more complex, integral process. To gain a more holistic perspective of this process, a study was designed to concurrently investigate relationships between a biological factor (age), psychological factors…

The Use of a Checklist and Qualitative Notebooks for an Interactive Process of Teaching and Learning Qualitative Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frels, Rebecca K.; Sharma, Bipin; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Leech, Nancy L.; Stark, Marcella D.

2011-01-01

From the perspective of doctoral students and instructors, we explain a developmental, interactive process based upon the Checklist for Qualitative Data Collection, Data Analysis, and Data Interpretation (Onwuegbuzie, 2010) for students' writing assignments regarding: (a) the application of conceptual knowledge for collecting, analyzing, and…

Instantiating the multiple levels of analysis perspective in a program of study on externalizing behavior

PubMed Central

Beauchaine, Theodore P.; Gatzke-Kopp, Lisa M.

2014-01-01

During the last quarter century, developmental psychopathology has become increasingly inclusive and now spans disciplines ranging from psychiatric genetics to primary prevention. As a result, developmental psychopathologists have extended traditional diathesis–stress and transactional models to include causal processes at and across all relevant levels of analysis. Such research is embodied in what is known as the multiple levels of analysis perspective. We describe how multiple levels of analysis research has informed our current thinking about antisocial and borderline personality development among trait impulsive and therefore vulnerable individuals. Our approach extends the multiple levels of analysis perspective beyond simple Biology × Environment interactions by evaluating impulsivity across physiological systems (genetic, autonomic, hormonal, neural), psychological constructs (social, affective, motivational), developmental epochs (preschool, middle childhood, adolescence, adulthood), sexes (male, female), and methods of inquiry (self-report, informant report, treatment outcome, cardiovascular, electrophysiological, neuroimaging). By conducting our research using any and all available methods across these levels of analysis, we have arrived at a developmental model of trait impulsivity that we believe confers a greater understanding of this highly heritable trait and captures at least some heterogeneity in key behavioral outcomes, including delinquency and suicide. PMID:22781868

How do humans inspect BPMN models: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Haisjackl, Cornelia; Soffer, Pnina; Lim, Shao Yi; Weber, Barbara

2018-01-01

Even though considerable progress regarding the technical perspective on modeling and supporting business processes has been achieved, it appears that the human perspective is still often left aside. In particular, we do not have an in-depth understanding of how process models are inspected by humans, what strategies are taken, what challenges arise, and what cognitive processes are involved. This paper contributes toward such an understanding and reports an exploratory study investigating how humans identify and classify quality issues in BPMN process models. Providing preliminary answers to initial research questions, we also indicate other research questions that can be investigated using this approach. Our qualitative analysis shows that humans adapt different strategies on how to identify quality issues. In addition, we observed several challenges appearing when humans inspect process models. Finally, we present different manners in which classification of quality issues was addressed.

Performance evaluation of extension education centers in universities based on the balanced scorecard.

PubMed

Wu, Hung-Yi; Lin, Yi-Kuei; Chang, Chi-Hsiang

2011-02-01

This study aims at developing a set of appropriate performance evaluation indices mainly based on balanced scorecard (BSC) for extension education centers in universities by utilizing multiple criteria decision making (MCDM). Through literature reviews and experts who have real practical experiences in extension education, adequate performance evaluation indices have been selected and then utilizing the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytic network process (ANP), respectively, further establishes the causality between the four BSC perspectives as well as the relative weights between evaluation indices. According to this previous result, an empirical analysis of the performance evaluation of extension education centers of three universities at Taoyuan County in Taiwan is illustrated by applying VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). From the analysis results, it indicates that "Learning and growth" is the significant influential factor and it would affect the other three perspectives. In addition, it is discovered that "Internal process" perspective as well as "Financial" perspective play important roles in the performance evaluation of extension education centers. The top three key performance indices are "After-sales service", "Turnover volume", and "Net income". The proposed evaluation model could be considered as a reference for extension education centers in universities to prioritize their improvements on the key performance indices after performing VIKOR analyses. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uncovering Influence through Social Network Analysis: The Role of Schools in Education for Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolleck, Nina

2016-01-01

This paper examines the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Germany and explores the possibilities of Social Network Analysis (SNA) for uncovering influential actors in educational policy innovation processes. From the theoretical perspective, an actor's influence is inferred from its relative position within…

Healthcare provider and patient perspectives on diagnostic imaging investigations.

PubMed

Makanjee, Chandra R; Bergh, Anne-Marie; Hoffmann, Willem A

2015-05-20

Much has been written about the patient-centred approach in doctor-patient consultations. Little is known about interactions and communication processes regarding healthcare providers' and patients' perspectives on expectations and experiences of diagnostic imaging investigations within the medical encounter. Patients journey through the health system from the point of referral to the imaging investigation itself and then to the post-imaging consultation. AIM AND SETTING: To explore healthcare provider and patient perspectives on interaction and communication processes during diagnostic imaging investigations as part of their clinical journey through a healthcare complex. A qualitative study was conducted, with two phases of data collection. Twenty-four patients were conveniently selected at a public district hospital complex and were followed throughout their journey in the hospital system, from admission to discharge. The second phase entailed focus group interviews conducted with providers in the district hospital and adjacent academic hospital (medical officers and family physicians, nurses, radiographers, radiology consultants and registrars). Two main themes guided our analysis: (1) provider perspectives; and (2) patient dispositions and reactions. Golden threads that cut across these themes are interactions and communication processes in the context of expectations, experiences of the imaging investigations and the outcomes thereof. Insights from this study provide a better understanding of the complexity of the processes and interactions between providers and patients during the imaging investigations conducted as part of their clinical pathway. The interactions and communication processes are provider-patient centred when a referral for a diagnostic imaging investigation is included.

An Analysis of the Defense Logistics Agency Medical Supplies Requisition Process

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

Flowchart of the Improvement Process .... ....... 8 2. Generic Order Processing Flow .. .......... 19 3. Total Order Cycle: A Customer’s Perspective . 20 4...concentrated in the area of order processing and how it can be improved, especially in the medical supplies arena. This chapter is divided into four major...1989b:l). This time period may be also referred to as lead time, or the replenishment cycle. Figure 2 illustrates a generic order processing flow, which

Recent advances in the application of transmission Raman spectroscopy to pharmaceutical analysis.

PubMed

Buckley, Kevin; Matousek, Pavel

2011-06-25

This article reviews recent advances in transmission Raman spectroscopy and its applications, from the perspective of pharmaceutical analysis. The emerging concepts enable rapid non-invasive volumetric analysis of pharmaceutical formulations and could lead to many important applications in pharmaceutical settings, including quantitative bulk analysis of intact pharmaceutical tablets and capsules in quality and process control. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conceptual Model of Weight Management in Overweight and Obese African-American Females.

PubMed

Sutton, Suzanne M; Magwood, Gayenell S; Nemeth, Lynne S; Jenkins, Carolyn M

2017-04-01

Weight management of overweight and obese (OWO) African-American females (AAFs) is a poorly defined concept, leading to ineffective treatment of overweight and obesity, prevention of health sequelae, and risk reduction. A conceptual model of the phenomenon of weight management in OWO AAFs was developed through dimensional analysis of the literature. Constructs were identified and sorted into the dimensions of perspective, context, conditions, process, and consequences and integrated into an explanatory matrix. Through dimensional analysis, weight management in OWO AAFs was characterized as a multidimensional concept, defined from the perspective of weight loss in community-dwelling AAFs. Behaviors associated with weight management are strongly influenced by intrinsic factors and extrinsic conditions, which influence engagement in the processes and consequences of weight management. The resulting conceptual model of weight management in OWO AAFs provides a framework for research interventions applicable in a variety of settings. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of the Three Gorges Dam project using multi-criteria analysis (MCA) based on a sustainable perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Yue; Zheng, Wei; Guo, Junshan; Ma, Yihe; Ding, Junqi; Zhu, Lingkai; Che, Yongqiang; Zhang, Yanpeng

2018-02-01

Abstract . The Three Gorges dam of China is one of the largest and expensive hydropower projects of the world. The four main purposes of the project are flood control,energy production, improved navigation and fresh water supply. The dam project has been completed and running successfully with the potential benefits. However, this project is still a controversial issue among many environmentalists and socialists due to various impacts. This study focuses on the benefit and the impacts of the project, and also evaluates the performance of the project using multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach from a sustainable perspective. Different sustainability criteria related with the dam project have been identified and used for the ranking and rating process. The final result of MCA comes with this scoring process and pairwise comparison, which evaluates the performance of the project considering different positive and negative aspects.

Law, evolution and the brain: applications and open questions.

PubMed Central

Jones, Owen D

2004-01-01

This paper discusses several issues at the intersection of law and brain science. It focuses principally on ways in which an improved understanding of how evolutionary processes affect brain function and human behaviour may improve law's ability to regulate behaviour. It explores sample uses of such 'evolutionary analysis in law' and also raises questions about how that analysis might be improved in the future. Among the discussed uses are: (i) clarifying cost-benefit analyses; (ii) providing theoretical foundation and potential predictive power; (iii) assessing comparative effectiveness of legal strategies; and (iv) revealing deep patterns in legal architecture. Throughout, the paper emphasizes the extent to which effective law requires: (i) building effective behavioural models; (ii) integrating life-science perspectives with social-science perspectives; (iii) considering the effects of brain biology on behaviours that law seeks to regulate; and (iv) examining the effects of evolutionary processes on brain design. PMID:15590611

Law, evolution and the brain: applications and open questions.

PubMed

Jones, Owen D

2004-11-29

This paper discusses several issues at the intersection of law and brain science. It focuses principally on ways in which an improved understanding of how evolutionary processes affect brain function and human behaviour may improve law's ability to regulate behaviour. It explores sample uses of such 'evolutionary analysis in law' and also raises questions about how that analysis might be improved in the future. Among the discussed uses are: (i) clarifying cost-benefit analyses; (ii) providing theoretical foundation and potential predictive power; (iii) assessing comparative effectiveness of legal strategies; and (iv) revealing deep patterns in legal architecture. Throughout, the paper emphasizes the extent to which effective law requires: (i) building effective behavioural models; (ii) integrating life-science perspectives with social-science perspectives; (iii) considering the effects of brain biology on behaviours that law seeks to regulate; and (iv) examining the effects of evolutionary processes on brain design.

Adaptation of a Voice-Centered Relational Framework to Explore the Perspective of Parents Who Have Transitioned to Home with a Child With Complex Care Needs.

PubMed

Brenner, Maria; Connolly, Michael; Larkin, Philip J; Hilliard, Carol; Howlin, Frances; Cawley, Des

2017-12-01

Parents of children with complex care needs are generally willing to participate in research studies about their experiences; however, they are often challenged in their capacity to participate as they struggle to find time for family life. In our research with parents to explore their experience of transitioning to home, we deliberately sought an approach that would reduce the imposition on parents, while gaining insightful interpretations of their experiences. This article reflects on our experience of the process of discovering, analyzing, and interpreting parents' perspectives of their journey to home, when interviewed by telephone. Applying the voice-centered relational method of qualitative analysis, accounts from parents were explored by the research team using 4 perspectives: the plot and evaluator responses to the narrative; the voice of the "I"; relationships; and placing people within cultural contexts and social structures. Parents interviewed were very receptive to being interviewed by phone. We found that this enhanced their trust in the interview process and subsequently led to our ability to gather rich data. The use of multiple lenses of analysis gave insightful interpretations of their journey to home.

Schematization and Sentence Processing by Foreign Language Learners: A Reading-Time Experiment and a Stimulated-Recall Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tode, Tomoko

2012-01-01

This article examines how learners of English as a foreign language process reduced relative clauses (RRCs) from the perspective of usage-based language learning, which posits that language knowledge forms a hierarchy from item-based knowledge consisting only of entrenched frequent exemplars to more advanced schematized knowledge. Twenty-eight…

Employee Participation in Non-Mandatory Professional Development--The Role of Core Proactive Motivation Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sankey, Kim S.; Machin, M. Anthony

2014-01-01

With a focus on the self-initiated efforts of employees, this study examined a model of core proactive motivation processes for participation in non-mandatory professional development (PD) within a proactive motivation framework using the Self-Determination Theory perspective. A multi-group SEM analysis conducted across 439 academic and general…

New Perspectives for the Evaluation of Training Sessions in Self-Regulated Learning: Time-Series Analyses of Diary Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitz, Bernhard; Wiese, Bettina S.

2006-01-01

The present study combines a standardized diary approach with time-series analysis methods to investigate the process of self-regulated learning. Based on a process-focused adaptation of Zimmerman's (2000) learning model, an intervention (consisting of four weekly training sessions) to increase self-regulated learning was developed. The diaries…

Conditions and Rules for Rational Discussion in a Legal Process: A Pragma-Dialectical Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feteris, Eveline T.

1990-01-01

Uses a pragma-dialectical analysis to argue that the legal process is rational. Suggests that the legal system's own rules guarantee that the conditions of rational and efficient discussion are present. Describes the Netherlands' civil procedure rules and shows how such rules help ensure that legal discussions are rational. (SG)

Negative Life Events and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: A Critical Analysis from the Stress Process Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandin, Bonifacio; Chorot, Paloma; Santed, Miguel A.; Valiente, Rosa M.; Joiner, Thomas E., Jr.

1998-01-01

Empirical evidence relating negative life events and adolescent suicidal behavior is reviewed. The contribution of life events tends to be moderate or weak. A stress process model is presented. Past research has not incorporated mediating and moderating variables into pathways that link psychosocial stressors and suicidal outcomes, providing a…

Examining the Instructional Planning Process Taught in Agricultural Education Teacher Preparation Programs: Perspectives of University Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greiman, Bradley C.; Bedtke, Mary Anne

2008-01-01

Instructional planning is a curricular topic in teacher preparation programs, but limited research in agricultural education has been conducted in this area. The purpose of this study was to examine aspects of the instructional planning process that are taught to agricultural education preservice teachers. Survey research and content analysis of…

The 3 faces of clinical reasoning: Epistemological explorations of disparate error reduction strategies.

PubMed

Monteiro, Sandra; Norman, Geoff; Sherbino, Jonathan

2018-06-01

There is general consensus that clinical reasoning involves 2 stages: a rapid stage where 1 or more diagnostic hypotheses are advanced and a slower stage where these hypotheses are tested or confirmed. The rapid hypothesis generation stage is considered inaccessible for analysis or observation. Consequently, recent research on clinical reasoning has focused specifically on improving the accuracy of the slower, hypothesis confirmation stage. Three perspectives have developed in this line of research, and each proposes different error reduction strategies for clinical reasoning. This paper considers these 3 perspectives and examines the underlying assumptions. Additionally, this paper reviews the evidence, or lack of, behind each class of error reduction strategies. The first perspective takes an epidemiological stance, appealing to the benefits of incorporating population data and evidence-based medicine in every day clinical reasoning. The second builds on the heuristic and bias research programme, appealing to a special class of dual process reasoning models that theorizes a rapid error prone cognitive process for problem solving with a slower more logical cognitive process capable of correcting those errors. Finally, the third perspective borrows from an exemplar model of categorization that explicitly relates clinical knowledge and experience to diagnostic accuracy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Patient perspectives of telemedicine quality

PubMed Central

LeRouge, Cynthia M; Garfield, Monica J; Hevner, Alan R

2015-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to explore the quality attributes required for effective telemedicine encounters from the perspective of the patient. Methods We used a multi-method (direct observation, focus groups, survey) field study to collect data from patients who had experienced telemedicine encounters. Multi-perspectives (researcher and provider) were used to interpret a rich set of data from both a research and practice perspective. Results The result of this field study is a taxonomy of quality attributes for telemedicine service encounters that prioritizes the attributes from the patient perspective. We identify opportunities to control the level of quality for each attribute (ie, who is responsible for control of each attribute and when control can be exerted in relation to the encounter process). This analysis reveals that many quality attributes are in the hands of various stakeholders, and all attributes can be addressed proactively to some degree before the encounter begins. Conclusion Identification of the quality attributes important to a telemedicine encounter from a patient perspective enables one to better design telemedicine encounters. This preliminary work not only identifies such attributes, but also ascertains who is best able to address quality issues prior to an encounter. For practitioners, explicit representation of the quality attributes of technology-based systems and processes and insight on controlling key attributes are essential to implementation, utilization, management, and common understanding. PMID:25565781

Establishing Base Elements of Perspective in Order to Reconstruct Architectural Buildings from Photographs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzwierzynska, Jolanta

2017-12-01

The use of perspective images, especially historical photographs for retrieving information about presented architectural environment is a fast developing field recently. The photography image is a perspective image with secure geometrical connection with reality, therefore it is possible to reverse this process. The aim of the herby study is establishing requirements which a photographic perspective representation should meet for a reconstruction purpose, as well as determination of base elements of perspective such as a horizon line and a circle of depth, which is a key issue in any reconstruction. The starting point in the reconstruction process is geometrical analysis of the photograph, especially determination of the kind of perspective projection applied, which is defined by the building location towards a projection plane. Next, proper constructions can be used. The paper addresses the problem of establishing base elements of perspective on the basis of the photograph image in the case when camera calibration is impossible to establish. It presents different geometric construction methods selected dependently on the starting assumptions. Therefore, the methods described in the paper seem to be universal. Moreover, they can be used even in the case of poor quality photographs with poor perspective geometry. Such constructions can be realized with computer aid when the photographs are in digital form as it is presented in the paper. The accuracy of the applied methods depends on the photography image accuracy, as well as drawing accuracy, however, it is sufficient for further reconstruction. Establishing base elements of perspective presented in the paper is especially useful in difficult cases of reconstruction, when one lacks information about reconstructed architectural form and it is necessary to lean on solid geometry.

Auditory Scene Analysis: An Attention Perspective

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Purpose This review article provides a new perspective on the role of attention in auditory scene analysis. Method A framework for understanding how attention interacts with stimulus-driven processes to facilitate task goals is presented. Previously reported data obtained through behavioral and electrophysiological measures in adults with normal hearing are summarized to demonstrate attention effects on auditory perception—from passive processes that organize unattended input to attention effects that act at different levels of the system. Data will show that attention can sharpen stream organization toward behavioral goals, identify auditory events obscured by noise, and limit passive processing capacity. Conclusions A model of attention is provided that illustrates how the auditory system performs multilevel analyses that involve interactions between stimulus-driven input and top-down processes. Overall, these studies show that (a) stream segregation occurs automatically and sets the basis for auditory event formation; (b) attention interacts with automatic processing to facilitate task goals; and (c) information about unattended sounds is not lost when selecting one organization over another. Our results support a neural model that allows multiple sound organizations to be held in memory and accessed simultaneously through a balance of automatic and task-specific processes, allowing flexibility for navigating noisy environments with competing sound sources. Presentation Video http://cred.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2601618 PMID:29049599

Conducting meta-analyses of HIV prevention literatures from a theory-testing perspective.

PubMed

Marsh, K L; Johnson, B T; Carey, M P

2001-09-01

Using illustrations from HIV prevention research, the current article advocates approaching meta-analysis as a theory-testing scientific method rather than as merely a set of rules for quantitative analysis. Like other scientific methods, meta-analysis has central concerns with internal, external, and construct validity. The focus of a meta-analysis should only rarely be merely describing the effects of health promotion, but rather should be on understanding and explaining phenomena and the processes underlying them. The methodological decisions meta-analysts make in conducting reviews should be guided by a consideration of the underlying goals of the review (e.g., simply effect size estimation or, preferably theory testing). From the advocated perspective that a health behavior meta-analyst should test theory, the authors present a number of issues to be considered during the conduct of meta-analyses.

Changes in visual perspective influence brain activity patterns during cognitive perspective-taking of other people's pain.

PubMed

Vistoli, Damien; Achim, Amélie M; Lavoie, Marie-Audrey; Jackson, Philip L

2016-05-01

Empathy refers to our capacity to share and understand the emotional states of others. It relies on two main processes according to existing models: an effortless affective sharing process based on neural resonance and a more effortful cognitive perspective-taking process enabling the ability to imagine and understand how others feel in specific situations. Until now, studies have focused on factors influencing the affective sharing process but little is known about those influencing the cognitive perspective-taking process and the related brain activations during vicarious pain. In the present fMRI study, we used the well-known physical pain observation task to examine whether the visual perspective can influence, in a bottom-up way, the brain regions involved in taking others' cognitive perspective to attribute their level of pain. We used a pseudo-dynamic version of this classic task which features hands in painful or neutral daily life situations while orthogonally manipulating: (1) the visual perspective with which hands were presented (first-person versus third-person conditions) and (2) the explicit instructions to imagine oneself or an unknown person in those situations (Self versus Other conditions). The cognitive perspective-taking process was investigated by comparing Other and Self conditions. When examined across both visual perspectives, this comparison showed no supra-threshold activation. Instead, the Other versus Self comparison led to a specific recruitment of the bilateral temporo-parietal junction when hands were presented according to a first-person (but not third-person) visual perspective. The present findings identify the visual perspective as a factor that modulates the neural activations related to cognitive perspective-taking during vicarious pain and show that this complex cognitive process can be influenced by perceptual stages of information processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Limits of Functional Analysis in the Study of Mass Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, James A.; Meyer, Timothy P.

The fundamental limits of the functional approach to the study of mass communication are embodied in two of its criticisms. The first weakness is in its logical structure and the second involves the limits that are set by known methods. Functional analysis has difficulties as a meaningful research perspective because the process of mass…

Generational Change in the Argentine Academic Profession through the Analysis of "Life Courses"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marquina, Monica; Yuni, Jose; Ferreiro, Mariela

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is to analyze the effects of the socio-political processes on the academic profession in Argentina from the life course perspective. The analysis of differences in the individuals' life course was made by dividing them into three groups, representing different generations of academics: the novel, the intermediate, and the…

Interconnection: A qualitative analysis of adjusting to living with renal cell carcinoma

PubMed Central

LEAL, ISABEL; MILBURY, KATHRIN; ENGEBRETSON, JOAN; MATIN, SURENA; JONASCH, ERIC; TANNIR, NIZAR; WOOD, CHRISTOPHER G.; COHEN, LORENZO

2017-01-01

Objective Adjusting to cancer is an ongoing process, yet few studies explore this adjustment from a qualitative perspective. The aim of our qualitative study was to understand how patients construct their experience of adjusting to living with cancer. Method Qualitative analysis was conducted of written narratives collected from four separate writing sessions as part of a larger expressive writing clinical trial with renal cell carcinoma patients. Thematic analysis and constant comparison were employed to code the primary patterns in the data into themes until thematic saturation was reached at 37 participants. A social constructivist perspective informed data interpretation. Results Interconnection described the overarching theme underlying the process of adjusting to cancer and involved four interrelated themes: (1) discontinuity—feelings of disconnection and loss following diagnosis; (2) reorientation—to the reality of cancer psychologically and physically; (3) rebuilding—struggling through existential distress to reconnect; and (4) expansion—finding meaning in interconnections with others. Participants related a dialectical movement in which disruption and loss catalyzed an ongoing process of finding meaning. Significance of results Our findings suggest that adjusting to living with cancer is an ongoing, iterative, nonlinear process. The dynamic interactions between the different themes in this process describe the transformation of meaning as participants move through and revisit prior themes in response to fluctuating symptoms and medical news. It is important that clinicians recognize the dynamic and ongoing process of adjusting to cancer to support patients in addressing their unmet psychosocial needs throughout the changing illness trajectory. PMID:28262086

Interconnection: A qualitative analysis of adjusting to living with renal cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Leal, Isabel; Milbury, Kathrin; Engebretson, Joan; Matin, Surena; Jonasch, Eric; Tannir, Nizar; Wood, Christopher G; Cohen, Lorenzo

2018-04-01

ABSTRACTObjective:Adjusting to cancer is an ongoing process, yet few studies explore this adjustment from a qualitative perspective. The aim of our qualitative study was to understand how patients construct their experience of adjusting to living with cancer. Qualitative analysis was conducted of written narratives collected from four separate writing sessions as part of a larger expressive writing clinical trial with renal cell carcinoma patients. Thematic analysis and constant comparison were employed to code the primary patterns in the data into themes until thematic saturation was reached at 37 participants. A social constructivist perspective informed data interpretation. Interconnection described the overarching theme underlying the process of adjusting to cancer and involved four interrelated themes: (1) discontinuity-feelings of disconnection and loss following diagnosis; (2) reorientation-to the reality of cancer psychologically and physically; (3) rebuilding-struggling through existential distress to reconnect; and (4) expansion-finding meaning in interconnections with others. Participants related a dialectical movement in which disruption and loss catalyzed an ongoing process of finding meaning. Our findings suggest that adjusting to living with cancer is an ongoing, iterative, nonlinear process. The dynamic interactions between the different themes in this process describe the transformation of meaning as participants move through and revisit prior themes in response to fluctuating symptoms and medical news. It is important that clinicians recognize the dynamic and ongoing process of adjusting to cancer to support patients in addressing their unmet psychosocial needs throughout the changing illness trajectory.

Liver CT image processing: a short introduction of the technical elements.

PubMed

Masutani, Y; Uozumi, K; Akahane, Masaaki; Ohtomo, Kuni

2006-05-01

In this paper, we describe the technical aspects of image analysis for liver diagnosis and treatment, including the state-of-the-art of liver image analysis and its applications. After discussion on modalities for liver image analysis, various technical elements for liver image analysis such as registration, segmentation, modeling, and computer-assisted detection are covered with examples performed with clinical data sets. Perspective in the imaging technologies is also reviewed and discussed.

Assuring quality in narrative analysis.

PubMed

Bailey, P H

1996-04-01

Many nurse-researchers using qualitative strategies have been concerned with assuring quality in their work. The early literature reveals that the concepts of validity and reliability, as understood from the positivist perspective, are somehow inappropriate and inadequate when applied to interpretive research. More recent literature suggests that because of the positivist and interpretive paradigms are epistemologically divergent, the transfer of quality criteria from one perspective to the other is not automatic or even reasonable. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to clarify what the terms quality, trustworthiness, credibility, authenticity, and goodness mean in qualitative research findings. The process of assuring quality, validation, in qualitative research will be discussed within the context of the interpretive method, narrative analysis. A brief review of quality in narrative analysis nursing research will also be presented.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry and polarimetry for materials and systems analysis at the nanometer scale: state-of-the-art, potential, and perspectives

PubMed Central

Bergmair, Michael; Bruno, Giovanni; Cattelan, Denis; Cobet, Christoph; de Martino, Antonello; Fleischer, Karsten; Dohcevic-Mitrovic, Zorana; Esser, Norbert; Galliet, Melanie; Gajic, Rados; Hemzal, Dušan; Hingerl, Kurt; Humlicek, Josef; Ossikovski, Razvigor; Popovic, Zoran V.; Saxl, Ottilia

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the fundamentals, applications, potential, limitations, and future perspectives of polarized light reflection techniques for the characterization of materials and related systems and devices at the nanoscale. These techniques include spectroscopic ellipsometry, polarimetry, and reflectance anisotropy. We give an overview of the various ellipsometry strategies for the measurement and analysis of nanometric films, metal nanoparticles and nanowires, semiconductor nanocrystals, and submicron periodic structures. We show that ellipsometry is capable of more than the determination of thickness and optical properties, and it can be exploited to gain information about process control, geometry factors, anisotropy, defects, and quantum confinement effects of nanostructures. PMID:21170135

Patient perspectives on delays in diagnosis and treatment of cancer: a qualitative analysis of free-text data.

PubMed

Parsonage, Rachel K; Hiscock, Julia; Law, Rebecca-Jane; Neal, Richard D

2017-01-01

Earlier cancer diagnosis is crucial in improving cancer survival. The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership Module 4 (ICBP4) is a quantitative survey study that explores the reasons for delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast, colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancer. To further understand the associated diagnostic processes, it is also important to explore the patient perspectives expressed in the free-text comments. To use the free-text data provided by patients completing the ICBP4 survey to augment the understanding of patients' perspectives of their diagnostic journey. Qualitative analysis of the free-text data collected in Wales between October 2013 and December 2014 as part of the ICBP4 survey. Newly-diagnosed patients with either breast, ovarian, colorectal, or lung cancer were identified from registry data and then invited by their GPs to participate in the survey. A thematic framework was used to analyse the free-text comments provided at the end of the ICBP4 survey. Of the 905 patients who returned a questionnaire, 530 included comments. The free-text data provided information about patients' perspectives of the diagnostic journey. Analysis identified factors that acted as either barriers or facilitators at different stages of the diagnostic process. Some factors, such as screening, doctor-patient familiarity, and private treatment, acted as both barriers and facilitators depending on the context. Factors identified in this study help to explain how existing models of cancer diagnosis (for example, the Pathways to Treatment Model) work in practice. It is important that clinicians are aware of how these factors may interact with individual clinical cases and either facilitate, or act as a barrier to, subsequent cancer diagnosis. Understanding and implementing this knowledge into clinical practice may result in quicker cancer diagnoses. © British Journal of General Practice 2017.

Carl Rogers' Responses in the 17th Session with Miss Mun: Comments from a Process-Experiential and Psychoanalytic Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gundrum, Monica; Lietaer, Germain; Van Hees-Matthijssen, Christiane

1999-01-01

Reproduces the transcript of one of Carl Rogers' filmed therapeutic sessions with Miss Mun, followed by an empirical and clinical-qualitative analysis. Five task oriented processes are examined in detail: the evocative impact of reflections of feeling; empathic affirmation as a marker of intense vulnerability; focusing reflections; working with…

''A Burden in Your Heart'': Lessons of Disclosure from Female Preadolescent and Adolescent Survivors of Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staller, Karen M.; Nelson-Gardell, Debra

2005-01-01

Objectives: To enhance understanding of the sexual abuse disclosure process from the perspective of preteen and teenage survivors. To reconsider prominent models of the disclosure process in light of our findings. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from four focus groups in which 34 preadolescent and adolescent female survivors of…

Analyzing Collaborative Learning Processes Automatically: Exploiting the Advances of Computational Linguistics in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Carolyn; Wang, Yi-Chia; Cui, Yue; Arguello, Jaime; Stegmann, Karsten; Weinberger, Armin; Fischer, Frank

2008-01-01

In this article we describe the emerging area of text classification research focused on the problem of collaborative learning process analysis both from a broad perspective and more specifically in terms of a publicly available tool set called TagHelper tools. Analyzing the variety of pedagogically valuable facets of learners' interactions is a…

Text Manipulation Techniques and Foreign Language Composition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Ronald W.

1982-01-01

Discusses an approach to teaching second language composition which emphasizes (1) careful analysis of model texts from a limited, but well-defined perspective and (2) the application of text manipulation techniques developed by the word processing industry to student compositions. (EKN)

Teachers as Decision-Makers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shedd, Joseph B.; And Others

Scholars working from various perspectives are beginning to define teaching as a decision-making process. Research shows that teachers are reflective and connect knowledge to situations through observation, understanding, analysis, interpretation, and decision-making. This paper provides empirical evidence to show the relationship of…

Intergroup visual perspective-taking: Shared group membership impairs self-perspective inhibition but may facilitate perspective calculation.

PubMed

Simpson, Austin J; Todd, Andrew R

2017-09-01

Reasoning about what other people see, know, and want is essential for navigating social life. Yet, even neurodevelopmentally healthy adults make perspective-taking errors. Here, we examined how the group membership of perspective-taking targets (ingroup vs. outgroup) affects processes underlying visual perspective-taking. In three experiments using two bases of group identity (university affiliation and minimal groups), interference from one's own differing perspective (i.e., egocentric intrusion) was stronger when responding from an ingroup versus an outgroup member's perspective. Spontaneous perspective calculation, as indexed by interference from another's visual perspective when reporting one's own (i.e., altercentric intrusion), did not differ across target group membership in any of our experiments. Process-dissociation analyses, which aim to isolate automatic processes underlying altercentric-intrusion effects, further revealed negligible effects of target group membership on perspective calculation. Meta-analytically, however, there was suggestive evidence that shared group membership facilitates responding from others' perspectives when self and other perspectives are aligned. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perspectives of US Direct Care Workers on the Grief Process of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Implications for Practice.

PubMed

Gray, Jennifer A; Abendroth, Maryann

2016-09-01

The study explored the grief process of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDDs) as perceived by direct care workers (DCWs) and how such workers can guide and support PWIDDs experiencing grief. A thematic analysis approach was used to examine data from nine focus groups with 60 DCWs from five community-based organizations. Findings were supported in the context of seminal grief and bereavement theories. Three themes (i.e. reactions to loss, processing the loss and incorporating the loss) and related subthemes emerged from the data. PWIDDs are susceptible to traumatic grief, and DCWs are often key witnesses to such experiences. DCWs' perspectives can guide the development of grief and bereavement training which can lead to more tailored support systems. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Credit use: psychological perspectives on a multifaceted phenomenon.

PubMed

Kamleitner, Bernadette; Hoelzl, Erik; Kirchler, Erich

2012-01-01

Consumer borrowing is a highly topical and multifaceted phenomenon as well as a popular subject for study. We focus on consumer credit use and review the existing literature. To categorize what is known we identify four main psychological perspectives on the phenomenon: credit use as (1) a reflection of the situation, (2) a reflection of the person, (3) a cognitive process, and (4) a social process. On top of these perspectives we view credit use as a process that entails three distinct phases: (1) processes before credit acquisition, (2) processes at credit acquisition, and (3) processes after credit acquisition. We review the international literature along a two-tier structure that aligns the psychological perspectives with a process view of credit. This structure allows us to identify systematic concentrations as well as gaps in the existing research. We consolidate what is known within each perspective and identify what seems to be most urgently missing. Some of the most important gaps relate to research studying credit acquisition from the perspective of credit use as a reflection of the person or as a social process. In particular, research on credit use as a reflection of the person appears to focus exclusively on the first stage of the credit process. We conclude with a discussion that reaches across perspectives and identifies overarching gaps, trends, and open questions. We highlight a series of implicit linkages between perspectives and the geographical regions in which studies related to the perspectives were conducted. Beyond diagnosing a geographical imbalance of research, we argue for future research that systematically addresses interrelations between perspectives. We conclude with a set of global implications and research recommendations.

The depressive situation

PubMed Central

A. Jacobs, Kerrin

2013-01-01

From a naturalistic perspective on mental illness, depression is often described in terms of biological dysfunctions, while a normative perspective emphasizes the lived experience of depression as a harmful condition. The paper relates a conceptual analysis of “depressive situation” to an analysis of the lived experience of depression. As such, it predominantly aims to specify depression as a harmful condition in lights of normative perspective on mental disorder, but partially refers to empirical research, i.e., naturalistic perspective on depression, to exemplarily stress on the methodological merits and limits of relating phenomenological considerations closer to empirical research. The depressive situation is further specified with an examination of the evaluative dynamics by which individuals meaningfully relate to themselves, others and the world. These evaluative dynamics emerge out of the interplay of pre-reflective and reflective processes, which are significantly altered in depression. Such alterations of the evaluative structure are inextricably intertwined with significant distortions of practical sense in depression. From a phenomenological perspective, these distortions of practical sense show in characteristic experiences of evaluative incoherence and impairments of agency. Finally, this paper focuses on an examination of “evaluative incapacity,” which has the integrative potential to capture a range of typical changes of meaningful relatedness that determine the depressive situation. PMID:23882238

True Ortho Generation of Urban Area Using High Resolution Aerial Photos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yong; Stanley, David; Xin, Yubin

2016-06-01

The pros and cons of existing methods for true ortho generation are analyzed based on a critical literature review for its two major processing stages: visibility analysis and occlusion compensation. They process frame and pushbroom images using different algorithms for visibility analysis due to the need of perspective centers used by the z-buffer (or alike) techniques. For occlusion compensation, the pixel-based approach likely results in excessive seamlines in the ortho-rectified images due to the use of a quality measure on the pixel-by-pixel rating basis. In this paper, we proposed innovative solutions to tackle the aforementioned problems. For visibility analysis, an elevation buffer technique is introduced to employ the plain elevations instead of the distances from perspective centers by z-buffer, and has the advantage of sensor independency. A segment oriented strategy is developed to evaluate a plain cost measure per segment for occlusion compensation instead of the tedious quality rating per pixel. The cost measure directly evaluates the imaging geometry characteristics in ground space, and is also sensor independent. Experimental results are demonstrated using aerial photos acquired by UltraCam camera.

The Wheelchair Procurement Process: Perspectives of Clients and Prescribers

PubMed Central

Mortenson, William B; Miller, William C

2014-01-01

Back ground Increasing choices in assistive technology has made the process of procuring a wheelchair more complex and challenging. Purpose To explore the intricacies of the procurement process from the perspectives of clients and therapists. Methods Thirty-four participants were interviewed, including 13 wheelchair prescribers, 14 wheelchair users, and 7 wheelchair associates (family members and caregivers). Findings Analysis revealed five main themes. 1) “Who decides?” described varying degrees of client involvement in the procurement process. 2) “Expert knowledge” reflected the expert knowledge that all parties possessed. 3) “Form versus function” captured the primary and, at times, conflicting outcomes that participants wanted to achieve. 4) “Fitting in” depicted the environmental factors that affected wheelchair procurement. 5) “(Re)solutions” illustrated strategies that participants felt improved the process. Implications This study reveals clients’ experiences with wheelchair procurement, identifies potential issues therapists may encounter, and suggests possible remedies they might consider when prescribing wheelchairs within a client-centred framework. PMID:18615928

Future versus present: time perspective and pupillary response in a relatedness judgment task investigating temporal event knowledge.

PubMed

Nowack, Kati; Milfont, Taciano L; van der Meer, Elke

2013-02-01

Mental representations of events contain many components such as typical agents, instruments, objects as well as a temporal dimension that is directed towards the future. While the role of temporal orientation (chronological, reverse) in event knowledge has been demonstrated by numerous studies, little is known about the influence of time perspective (present or future) as source of individual differences affecting event knowledge. The present study combined behavioral data with task-evoked pupil dilation to examine the impact of time perspective on cognitive resource allocation. In a relatedness judgment task, everyday events like raining were paired with an object feature like wet. Chronological items were processed more easily than reverse items regardless of time perspective. When more automatic processes were applied, greater scores on future time perspective were associated with lower error rates for chronological items. This suggests that a match between a strong focus on future consequences and items with a temporal orientation directed toward the future serves to enhance responding accuracy. Indexed by pupillary data, future-oriented participants invested more cognitive resources while outperforming present-oriented participants in reaction times across all conditions. This result was supported by a principal component analysis on the pupil data, which demonstrated the same impact of time perspective on the factor associated with more general aspects of cognitive effort. These findings suggest that future time perspective may be linked to a more general cognitive performance characteristic that improves overall task performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A New Perspective on Teaching Constitutional Law

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenblum, Robert

1977-01-01

The author suggests that a major failure of most law schools and traditional undergraduate constitutional law courses is that they omit an adequate analysis of the political nature of the judicial process. Political influences on a variety of court cases are discussed. (LBH)

[Cognitive neuroscience of aging. Contributions and challenges].

PubMed

Díaz, Fernando; Pereiro, Arturo X

The cognitive neuroscience of aging is a young discipline that has emerged as a result of the combination of: A) the theoretical and explanatory frameworks proposed by the cognitive psychology perspective throughout the second half of the twentieth century; B) the designs and methodological procedures arising from experimental psychology and the need to test the hypotheses proposed from the cognitive psychology perspective; C) the contributions of the computer sciences to the explanation of brain functions; and D) the development and use of neuroimaging techniques that have enabled the recording of brain activity in humans while tasks that test some cognitive process or function are performed. An analysis on the impact of research conducted from this perspective over the last 3decades has been carried out, including its shortcomings, as well as the potential directions and usefulness that will advantageously continue to drive this discipline in its description and explanation of the process es of cerebral and cognitive aging. Copyright © 2017 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A construct analysis of meal convenience applied to military foods.

PubMed

Jaeger, Sara R; Cardello, Armand V

2007-07-01

The present research investigates the concept of food convenience within the institutional framework of military feeding. The approach views food-related convenience in terms of two broad dimensions: "type of convenience" and "timing of convenience." A discrete choice experiment was conducted with US military personnel (n=179) regarding their perceptions of the (in)convenience associated with the use and consumption of low-preparation, all-in-one, military meals (MREs-meals, ready-to-eat). The obtained data strongly suggest that perceived (in)convenience, time and effort are separate constructs. A food provisioning process perspective was captured in the "timing of convenience" dimension, and the contribution of different stages in the consumption process to the perceived convenience of the meal situation was empirically demonstrated. The latter result has important implications for the study of food convenience outside this specific population and context. As opposed to the product perspective that is currently predominant in the literature, it demonstrates the necessity of adopting a meal perspective in analysing food-related convenience.

Aiming at a Moving Target: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations in the Study of Intraindividual Goal Conflict between Personal Goals

PubMed Central

Gorges, Julia; Grund, Axel

2017-01-01

Multiple-goal pursuit and conflict between personal life-defining goals can be considered part of everyday business in most individuals' lives. Given the potentially detrimental effects of goal conflict—for example, impaired well-being or poor performance—the literature on goal conflict is surprisingly scattered due to heterogeneous methodological approaches and technical terms. Little empirical research has addressed the conceptualization of goal conflict against the background of differing understandings from a structure-like and a process-like perspective. In the present article, we outline theoretical foundations of goal conflict from two perspectives: a structure- and a process-like perspective. Based on a comparative analysis and integration of these two perspectives, we systematically review empirical studies on goal conflict over 30 years of research. In doing so, we identify and discuss important conceptual dimensions of goal conflict, namely, goal conflict as a cognitive construct and an experiential instance, a focus on goal interrelations or on specific goal properties, and resource vs. inherent conflict, and the potential of these distinctions to further research on goal conflict. Finally, we present major challenges and pose questions that need to be addressed by future research. PMID:29201013

Analysis of performance measurement at HR-GR Department using the balance scorecard method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vienni; Bachtiar, M.

2017-12-01

PT. X is a company engaged in logistics service in Indonesia. Every company will certainly face a dynamic business environment. Competitors not only from domestic but also from overseas. To be successful in achieving its objectives, company should have a comprehensive measurement system as a strategy feedback that will drive the performance of company. HR-GA department is department that coordinate directly with company’s management. Company through departments expect development goals in individual and also support of infrastructure will run smoothly. In 2015, company has taken steps to conduct a balanced scorecard as performance measurement. Nevertheless, a number of factors so it cannot run optimally. This study aims to analyse the current system and provided suggestions in order to give an overview to department related to its current performance. The results of data processing show that there are 8 objective strategies that have been formulated with 9 key performance indicators. Based on the results of scorecard, obtained values of 4.44 for customer perspective, 4.32 for internal business process perspective & 5.00 for learning and growth perspective. It concludes that performance based on perspectives are categorized very well

Aiming at a Moving Target: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations in the Study of Intraindividual Goal Conflict between Personal Goals.

PubMed

Gorges, Julia; Grund, Axel

2017-01-01

Multiple-goal pursuit and conflict between personal life-defining goals can be considered part of everyday business in most individuals' lives. Given the potentially detrimental effects of goal conflict-for example, impaired well-being or poor performance-the literature on goal conflict is surprisingly scattered due to heterogeneous methodological approaches and technical terms. Little empirical research has addressed the conceptualization of goal conflict against the background of differing understandings from a structure-like and a process-like perspective. In the present article, we outline theoretical foundations of goal conflict from two perspectives: a structure- and a process-like perspective. Based on a comparative analysis and integration of these two perspectives, we systematically review empirical studies on goal conflict over 30 years of research. In doing so, we identify and discuss important conceptual dimensions of goal conflict, namely, goal conflict as a cognitive construct and an experiential instance, a focus on goal interrelations or on specific goal properties, and resource vs. inherent conflict, and the potential of these distinctions to further research on goal conflict. Finally, we present major challenges and pose questions that need to be addressed by future research.

Patients' perspectives in health technology assessment: a route to robust evidence and fair deliberation.

PubMed

Facey, Karen; Boivin, Antoine; Gracia, Javier; Hansen, Helle Ploug; Lo Scalzo, Alessandra; Mossman, Jean; Single, Ann

2010-07-01

There is increasing emphasis on providing patient-focused health care and ensuring patient involvement in the design of health services. As health technology assessment (HTA) is meant to be a multidisciplinary, wide-ranging policy analysis that informs decision making, it would be expected that patients' views should be incorporated into the assessment. However, HTA is still driven by collection of quantitative evidence to determine the clinical and cost effectiveness of a health technology. Patients' perspectives about their illness and the technology are rarely included, perhaps because they are seen as anecdotal, biased views. There are two distinct but complementary ways in which HTAs can be strengthened by: (i) gathering robust evidence about the patients' perspectives, and (ii) ensuring effective engagement of patients in the HTA process from scoping, through evidence gathering, assessment of value, development of recommendations and dissemination of findings. Robust evidence eliciting patients' perspectives can be obtained through social science research that is well conducted, critically appraised and carefully reported, either through meta-synthesis of existing studies or new primary research. Engagement with patients can occur at several levels and we propose that HTA should seek to support effective patient participation to create a fair deliberative process. This should allow two-way flow of information, so that the views of patients are obtained in a supportive way and fed into decision-making processes in a transparent manner.

Psychology and social networks: a dynamic network theory perspective.

PubMed

Westaby, James D; Pfaff, Danielle L; Redding, Nicholas

2014-04-01

Research on social networks has grown exponentially in recent years. However, despite its relevance, the field of psychology has been relatively slow to explain the underlying goal pursuit and resistance processes influencing social networks in the first place. In this vein, this article aims to demonstrate how a dynamic network theory perspective explains the way in which social networks influence these processes and related outcomes, such as goal achievement, performance, learning, and emotional contagion at the interpersonal level of analysis. The theory integrates goal pursuit, motivation, and conflict conceptualizations from psychology with social network concepts from sociology and organizational science to provide a taxonomy of social network role behaviors, such as goal striving, system supporting, goal preventing, system negating, and observing. This theoretical perspective provides psychologists with new tools to map social networks (e.g., dynamic network charts), which can help inform the development of change interventions. Implications for social, industrial-organizational, and counseling psychology as well as conflict resolution are discussed, and new opportunities for research are highlighted, such as those related to dynamic network intelligence (also known as cognitive accuracy), levels of analysis, methodological/ethical issues, and the need to theoretically broaden the study of social networking and social media behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

An Evidential Reasoning-Based CREAM to Human Reliability Analysis in Maritime Accident Process.

PubMed

Wu, Bing; Yan, Xinping; Wang, Yang; Soares, C Guedes

2017-10-01

This article proposes a modified cognitive reliability and error analysis method (CREAM) for estimating the human error probability in the maritime accident process on the basis of an evidential reasoning approach. This modified CREAM is developed to precisely quantify the linguistic variables of the common performance conditions and to overcome the problem of ignoring the uncertainty caused by incomplete information in the existing CREAM models. Moreover, this article views maritime accident development from the sequential perspective, where a scenario- and barrier-based framework is proposed to describe the maritime accident process. This evidential reasoning-based CREAM approach together with the proposed accident development framework are applied to human reliability analysis of a ship capsizing accident. It will facilitate subjective human reliability analysis in different engineering systems where uncertainty exists in practice. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

An Elaboration Likelihood Model Based Longitudinal Analysis of Attitude Change during the Process of IT Acceptance via Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Woong-Kyu

2012-01-01

The principal objective of this study was to gain insight into attitude changes occurring during IT acceptance from the perspective of elaboration likelihood model (ELM). In particular, the primary target of this study was the process of IT acceptance through an education program. Although the Internet and computers are now quite ubiquitous, and…

Perspectives of US Direct Care Workers on the Grief Process of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Jennifer A.; Abendroth, Maryann

2016-01-01

Background: The study explored the grief process of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDDs) as perceived by direct care workers (DCWs) and how such workers can guide and support PWIDDs experiencing grief. Materials and Methods: A thematic analysis approach was used to examine data from nine focus groups with 60 DCWs from…

"A Moving Target": A Critical Race Analysis of Latina/o Faculty Experiences, Perspectives, and Reflections on the Tenure and Promotion Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urrieta, Luis, Jr.; Méndez, Lina; Rodríguez, Esmeralda

2015-01-01

This article examines how Latina/o professors perceive, experience, and reflect on the tenure and promotion process. Findings for this longitudinal study are drawn from a purposive sample of nine female and seven male, Latina/o tenure-track faculty participants. Using a Critical Race Theory, Latino Critical (LatCrit) Race Theory, and Chicana…

Hearing the voices of service user researchers in collaborative qualitative data analysis: the case for multiple coding.

PubMed

Sweeney, Angela; Greenwood, Kathryn E; Williams, Sally; Wykes, Til; Rose, Diana S

2013-12-01

Health research is frequently conducted in multi-disciplinary teams, with these teams increasingly including service user researchers. Whilst it is common for service user researchers to be involved in data collection--most typically interviewing other service users--it is less common for service user researchers to be involved in data analysis and interpretation. This means that a unique and significant perspective on the data is absent. This study aims to use an empirical report of a study on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) to demonstrate the value of multiple coding in enabling service users voices to be heard in team-based qualitative data analysis. The CBTp study employed multiple coding to analyse service users' discussions of CBT for psychosis (CBTp) from the perspectives of a service user researcher, clinical researcher and psychology assistant. Multiple coding was selected to enable multiple perspectives to analyse and interpret data, to understand and explore differences and to build multi-disciplinary consensus. Multiple coding enabled the team to understand where our views were commensurate and incommensurate and to discuss and debate differences. Through the process of multiple coding, we were able to build strong consensus about the data from multiple perspectives, including that of the service user researcher. Multiple coding is an important method for understanding and exploring multiple perspectives on data and building team consensus. This can be contrasted with inter-rater reliability which is only appropriate in limited circumstances. We conclude that multiple coding is an appropriate and important means of hearing service users' voices in qualitative data analysis. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Aprendizes da Solidao (Learners of Solitude).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meneghetti, Rosa Gitana Krob

2000-01-01

Reflects on the elderly within the perspective of solitude, emphasizing questions of existence and human uniqueness as elements of analysis. Does not discuss abandonment during old age, but centers on the process of learning, which the person realizes through the years of constructing an individual maturity. (BT)

Uncertainty in Reference and Information Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanScoy, Amy

2015-01-01

Introduction: Uncertainty is understood as an important component of the information seeking process, but it has not been explored as a component of reference and information service. Method: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to examine the practitioner perspective of reference and information service for eight academic research…

Conducting a narrative analysis.

PubMed

Emden, C

1998-07-01

This paper describes the process of narrative analysis as undertaken within a nursing study on scholars and scholarship. If follows an earlier paper titled: Theoretical perspectives on narrative inquiry that described the influencing ideas of Bruner (1987) and Roof (1994) upon the same study. Analysis procedures are described here in sufficient detail for other researchers wishing to implement a similar approach to do so. The process as described has two main components: (A) strategies of 'core story creation' and 'employment'; and (B) issues and dilemmas of narrative analysis, especially relating to rigour. The ideas of Polkinghorne (1988), Mishler (1986), and Labov (in Mishler 1986a) are introduced in so far as they impinge upon the analysis process. These relate especially to the development of key terms, and to the analysis strategies of core story creation and employment. Outcomes of the study in question are termed 'Signposting the lived-world of scholarship'.

Physics and control of wall turbulence for drag reduction.

PubMed

Kim, John

2011-04-13

Turbulence physics responsible for high skin-friction drag in turbulent boundary layers is first reviewed. A self-sustaining process of near-wall turbulence structures is then discussed from the perspective of controlling this process for the purpose of skin-friction drag reduction. After recognizing that key parts of this self-sustaining process are linear, a linear systems approach to boundary-layer control is discussed. It is shown that singular-value decomposition analysis of the linear system allows us to examine different approaches to boundary-layer control without carrying out the expensive nonlinear simulations. Results from the linear analysis are consistent with those observed in full nonlinear simulations, thus demonstrating the validity of the linear analysis. Finally, fundamental performance limit expected of optimal control input is discussed.

Perspectives on Machine Learning for Classification of Schizotypy Using fMRI Data.

PubMed

Madsen, Kristoffer H; Krohne, Laerke G; Cai, Xin-Lu; Wang, Yi; Chan, Raymond C K

2018-03-15

Functional magnetic resonance imaging is capable of estimating functional activation and connectivity in the human brain, and lately there has been increased interest in the use of these functional modalities combined with machine learning for identification of psychiatric traits. While these methods bear great potential for early diagnosis and better understanding of disease processes, there are wide ranges of processing choices and pitfalls that may severely hamper interpretation and generalization performance unless carefully considered. In this perspective article, we aim to motivate the use of machine learning schizotypy research. To this end, we describe common data processing steps while commenting on best practices and procedures. First, we introduce the important role of schizotypy to motivate the importance of reliable classification, and summarize existing machine learning literature on schizotypy. Then, we describe procedures for extraction of features based on fMRI data, including statistical parametric mapping, parcellation, complex network analysis, and decomposition methods, as well as classification with a special focus on support vector classification and deep learning. We provide more detailed descriptions and software as supplementary material. Finally, we present current challenges in machine learning for classification of schizotypy and comment on future trends and perspectives.

Implementing EVM Data Analysis Adding Value from a NASA Project Manager's Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Counts, Stacy; Kerby, Jerald

2006-01-01

Data Analysis is one of the keys to an effective Earned Value Management (EVM) Process. Project Managers (PM) must continually evaluate data in assessing the health of their projects. Good analysis of data can assist PMs in making better decisions in managing projects. To better support our P Ms, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) recently renewed its emphasis on sound EVM data analysis practices and processes, During this presentation we will discuss the approach that MSFC followed in implementing better data analysis across its Center. We will address our approach to effectively equip and support our projects in applying a sound data analysis process. In addition, the PM for the Space Station Biological Research Project will share her experiences of how effective data analysis can benefit a PM in the decision making process. The PM will discuss how the emphasis on data analysis has helped create a solid method for assessing the project s performance. Using data analysis successfully can be an effective and efficient tool in today s environment with increasing workloads and downsizing workforces

[Genetic expertise and the penal process].

PubMed

Choclán Montalvo, J A

1998-01-01

The author reflects on the major forensic biology issues related to human genome analysis. He also discusses, from the comparative law perspective, the extent to which genetic test evidence is binding on judges. He concludes with a discussion of the influence of genetic research on people's fundamental rights.

Analyzing Students' Learning in Classroom Discussions about Socioscientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudsberg, Karin; Ohman, Johan; Ostman, Leif

2013-01-01

In this study, the purpose is to develop and illustrate a method that facilitates investigations of students' learning processes in classroom discussions about socioscientific issues. The method, called transactional argumentation analysis, combines a transactional perspective on meaning making based on John Dewey's pragmatic philosophy and an…

International Negotiation. A Cross-Cultural Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Glen

Intended for professionals who work internationally, the booklet addresses the cross-cultural communication process that is involved whenever persons of widely differing backgrounds attempt to reach agreements. Three countries (Japan, Mexico, and France) are compared and a line of questioning and analysis that a negotiator might find useful,…

Defining Sustainable Universities Following Public Opinion Formation Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaptcioglu Celikdemir, Deniz; Gunay, Gonca; Katrinli, Alev; Penbek Alpbaz, Sebnem

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to define the sustainable university in Turkey, by considering perspectives of various stakeholders such as experts, intellectual, public, political parties and media using public opinion formation analysis. The paper aims to re-define the "sustainable university" with all dimensions including…

Process-product dynamics: the role of Otherness in cultural cultivation.

PubMed

Lyra, Maria C D P

2014-06-01

Carriere (2013) presents a stimulating perspective on the cultural phenomena aiming to recover the role of the external products of culture to imbalance the currently popular emphasis on subject's process of cultivation highlighted by semiotic developmental cultural psychology. The excessive focus on subject's internal processes dismissing a better consideration of products of culture and the compelling objective realities of other dimensions of culture are pointed out. By this way the author's proposes a better dialogue with others perspectives on (cross)cultural psychology. These arguments are analyzed through a closer consideration of I-Other perennial movement. A dialogical view of process-product dynamics is then proposed. The role of Otherness--the one that (partially)shares and the one as witness, approving or disapproving subject's products of cultivation--is discussed through the analysis of a concrete episode of the cultivation of the subject. It is concluded that a semiotic developmental cultural psychology and (cross) cultural psychology have different objects of knowledge comprising distinct interests and research fields.

A regulatory governance perspective on health technology assessment (HTA) in France: the contextual mediation of common functional pressures.

PubMed

Barron, Anthony J G; Klinger, Corinna; Shah, Sara Mehmood Birchall; Wright, John S F

2015-02-01

The new regulatory governance perspective has introduced several insights to the study of health technology assessment (HTA): it has broadened the scope for the analysis of HTA; it has provided a more sophisticated account of national diversity and the potential for cross-border policy learning; and, it has dissolved the distinction between HTA assessment and appraisal processes. In this paper, we undertake a qualitative study of the French process for HTA with a view to introducing a fourth insight: that the emergence and continuing function of national agencies for HTA follows a broadly evolutionary pattern in which contextual factors play an important mediating role. We demonstrate that the French process for HTA is characterised by distinctive institutions, processes and evidential requirements. Consistent with the mediating role of this divergent policy context, we argue that even initiatives for the harmonisation of national approaches to HTA are likely to meet with divergent national policy responses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An analytical approach to customer requirement information processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zude; Xiao, Zheng; Liu, Quan; Ai, Qingsong

2013-11-01

'Customer requirements' (CRs) management is a key component of customer relationship management (CRM). By processing customer-focused information, CRs management plays an important role in enterprise systems (ESs). Although two main CRs analysis methods, quality function deployment (QFD) and Kano model, have been applied to many fields by many enterprises in the past several decades, the limitations such as complex processes and operations make them unsuitable for online businesses among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Currently, most SMEs do not have the resources to implement QFD or Kano model. In this article, we propose a method named customer requirement information (CRI), which provides a simpler and easier way for SMEs to run CRs analysis. The proposed method analyses CRs from the perspective of information and applies mathematical methods to the analysis process. A detailed description of CRI's acquisition, classification and processing is provided.

Spatial Assessment of Forest Ecosystem Functions and Services using Human Relating Factors for SDG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, C.; Lee, W. K.; Jeon, S. W.; Kim, T.; Lim, C. H.

2015-12-01

Application of ecosystem service concept in environmental related decision making could be numerical and objective standard for policy maker between preserving and developing perspective of environment. However, pursuing maximum benefit from natural capital through ecosystem services caused failure by losing ecosystem functions through its trade-offs. Therefore, difference between ecosystem functions and services were demonstrated and would apply human relating perspectives. Assessment results of ecosystem functions and services can be divided 3 parts. Tree growth per year set as the ecosystem function factor and indicated through so called pure function map. After that, relating functions can be driven such as water conservation, air pollutant purification, climate change regulation, and timber production. Overall process and amount are numerically quantified. These functional results can be transferred to ecosystem services by multiplying economic unit value, so function reflecting service maps can be generated. On the other hand, above services, to implement more reliable human demand, human reflecting service maps are also be developed. As the validation, quantified ecosystem functions are compared with former results through pixel based analysis. Three maps are compared, and through comparing difference between ecosystem function and services and inversed trends in function based and human based service are analysed. In this study, we could find differences in PF, FRS, and HRS in relation to based ecosystem conditions. This study suggests that the differences in PF, FRS, and HRS should be understood in the decision making process for sustainable management of ecosystem services. Although the analysis is based on in sort existing process separation, it is important to consider the possibility of different usage of ecosystem function assessment results and ecosystem service assessment results in SDG policy making. Furthermore, process based functional approach can suggest environmental information which is reflected the other kinds of perspective.

Spanish Validation of the Care Evaluation Scale for Measuring the Quality of Structure and Process of Palliative Care From the Family Perspective.

PubMed

Benitez-Rosario, Miguel Angel; Caceres-Miranda, Raquel; Aguirre-Jaime, Armando

2016-03-01

A reliable and valid measure of the structure and process of end-of-life care is important for improving the outcomes of care. This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Spanish adaptation of a satisfaction tool of the Care Evaluation Scale (CES), which was developed in Japan to evaluate palliative care structure and process from the perspective of family members. Standard forward-backward translation and a pilot test were conducted. A multicenter survey was conducted with the relatives of patients admitted to palliative care units for symptom control. The dimensional structure was assessed using confirmatory factor analyses. Concurrent and discriminant validity were tested by correlation with the SERQVHOS, a Spanish hospital care satisfaction scale and with an 11-point rating scale on satisfaction with care. The reliability of the CES was tested by Cronbach α and by test-retest correlation. A total of 284 primary caregivers completed the CES, with low missing response rates. The results of the factor analysis suggested a six-factor solution explaining 69% of the total variance. The CES moderately correlated with the SERQVHOS and with the overall satisfaction scale (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.66 and 0.44, respectively; P = 0.001). Cronbach α was 0.90 overall and ranged from 0.85 to 0.89 for subdomains. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.88 (P = 0.001) for test-retest analysis. The Spanish CES was found to be a reliable and valid measure of the satisfaction with end-of-life care structure and process from family members' perspectives. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reflections on the Adaptive Designs Accelerating Promising Trials Into Treatments (ADAPT-IT) Process—Findings from a Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Guetterman, Timothy C.; Fetters, Michael D.; Legocki, Laurie J.; Mawocha, Samkeliso; Barsan, William G.; Lewis, Roger J.; Berry, Donald A.; Meurer, William J.

2015-01-01

Context The context for this study was the Adaptive Designs Advancing Promising Treatments Into Trials (ADAPT-IT) project, which aimed to incorporate flexible adaptive designs into pivotal clinical trials and to conduct an assessment of the trial development process. Little research provides guidance to academic institutions in planning adaptive trials. Objectives The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives and experiences of stakeholders as they reflected back about the interactive ADAPT-IT adaptive design development process, and to understand their perspectives regarding lessons learned about the design of the trials and trial development. Materials and methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with ten key stakeholders and observations of the process. We employed qualitative thematic text data analysis to reduce the data into themes about the ADAPT-IT project and adaptive clinical trials. Results The qualitative analysis revealed four themes: education of the project participants, how the process evolved with participant feedback, procedures that could enhance the development of other trials, and education of the broader research community. Discussion and conclusions While participants became more likely to consider flexible adaptive designs, additional education is needed to both understand the adaptive methodology and articulate it when planning trials. PMID:26622163

Cognitive constraints on high school students' representations of real environmental problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Ervin Kenneth

One class of juniors and seniors was studied through one semester in the investigation of how students think about, learn from, and solve real environmental problems. The intention was to listen to student voices while researching the features of their representations of these problems, the beliefs they held (tenets), the cognitive processes they employed, and the principles of science, ecology, problem solving, and ethics they held as tenets. The focus was upon two self-selected groups as they perceived, engaged, analyzed, and proposed solutions for problems. Analysis of the student representations involved interpretation of the features to include both the perspective tenets and the envisioning processes. These processes included the intentive and attentive constraints as tenet acquisition and volitive and agential constraints as tenet affirmation. The perspective tenets included a variety of conceptual (basic science, ecological, ethical, and problem-solving) constraints as well as ontological, epistemological, and other cultural (role, status, power, and community) constraints. The perspective tenets were interpreted thematically including the ways populations of people cause and care about environmental problems, the magnitude of environmental problems and the science involved, the expectations and limitations students perceive for themselves, and the importance of community awareness and cooperation to addressing these problems. Some of these tenets were interpreted to be principles in that they were rules that were accepted by some people as true. The perspective tenets, along with the envisioning processes, were perceived to be the constraints that determined the environmental problems and limited the solution possibilities. The students thought about environmental problems in mature and principled ways using a repertoire of cognitive processes. They learned from them as they acquired and affirmed tenets. They solved them through personal choices and efforts to increase community awareness. The ways students think about, learn from, and solve real environmental problems were all constrained by the perspective tenets (including cultural tenets of role, status, and power) and envisioning processes. It was concluded that students need help from the community to go further in solving these real environmental problems.

Befriending for mental health problems: processes of helping.

PubMed

Mitchell, Gemma; Pistrang, Nancy

2011-06-01

One avenue for addressing the social consequences of mental health problems is through befriending, a supportive relationship in which one-to-one companionship is provided on a regular basis. Although there is some evidence that befriending can improve psychological and social functioning, little is known about how it works. This qualitative study aimed to understand the helping processes occurring in befriending relationships, from the perspectives of both befriendees and befrienders. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually and jointly with eight befriendees and their corresponding befrienders. Thematic analysis was carried out on the data set of 23 interviews. The analysis generated nine themes concerning qualities of the relationship valued by befriendees and befrienders (e.g., empathy and mutuality), processes of making meaning (e.g., considering alternative perspectives), and how change was effected in befriendees' lives (e.g., learning how to have healthier relationships with others). The accounts emphasized the importance of the quality of the relationship itself, and highlighted aspects of the relationship that were sometimes difficult to negotiate. The findings suggest that befriending shares commonalities with other types of psychological help. However, it is also characterized by some particular challenges, such as establishing an empathic relationship and managing boundaries and endings. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Level 2 Perspective Taking Entails Two Processes: Evidence from PRP Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janczyk, Markus

2013-01-01

In many situations people need to mentally adopt the (spatial) perspective of other persons, an ability that is referred to as "Level 2 perspective taking." Its underlying processes have been ascribed to mental self-rotation that can be dissociated from mental object-rotation. Recent findings suggest that perspective taking/self-rotation…

Visual perception from the perspective of a representational, non-reductionistic, level-dependent account of perception and conscious awareness

PubMed Central

Overgaard, Morten; Mogensen, Jesper

2014-01-01

This article proposes a new model to interpret seemingly conflicting evidence concerning the correlation of consciousness and neural processes. Based on an analysis of research of blindsight and subliminal perception, the reorganization of elementary functions and consciousness framework suggests that mental representations consist of functions at several different levels of analysis, including truly localized perceptual elementary functions and perceptual algorithmic modules, which are interconnections of the elementary functions. We suggest that conscious content relates to the ‘top level’ of analysis in a ‘situational algorithmic strategy’ that reflects the general state of an individual. We argue that conscious experience is intrinsically related to representations that are available to guide behaviour. From this perspective, we find that blindsight and subliminal perception can be explained partly by too coarse-grained methodology, and partly by top-down enhancing of representations that normally would not be relevant to action. PMID:24639581

Perspectives on bay-delta science and policy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Healey, Michael; Dettinger, Michael; Norgaard, Richard

2016-01-01

The State of Bay–Delta Science 2008 highlighted seven emerging perspectives on science and management of the Delta. These perspectives had important effects on policy and legislation concerning management of the Delta ecosystem and water exports. From the collection of papers that make up the State of Bay–Delta Science 2016, we derive another seven perspectives that augment those published in 2008. The new perspectives address nutrient and contaminant concentrations in Delta waters, the failure of the Delta food web to support native species, the role of multiple stressors in driving species toward extinction, and the emerging importance of extreme events in driving change in the ecosystem and the water supply. The scientific advances that underpin these new perspectives were made possible by new measurement and analytic tools. We briefly discuss some of these, including miniaturized acoustic fish tags, sensors for monitoring of water quality, analytic techniques for disaggregating complex contaminant mixtures, remote sensing to assess levee vulnerability, and multidimensional hydrodynamic modeling. Despite these new tools and scientific insights, species conservation objectives for the Delta are not being met. We believe that this lack of progress stems in part from the fact that science and policy do not incorporate sufficiently long-term perspectives. Looking forward half a century was central to the Delta Visioning process, but science and policy have not embraced this conceptual breadth. We are also concerned that protection and enhancement of the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place, as required by the Delta Reform Act, has received no critical study and analysis. Adopting wider and longer science and policy perspectives immediately encourages recognition of the need for evaluation, analysis, and public discourse on novel conservation approaches. These longer and wider perspectives also encourage more attention to the opportunities provided by heavily invaded ecosystems. It is past time to turn scientific and policy attention to these issues.

A Structured Decision Approach for Integrating and Analyzing Community Perspectives in Re-Use Planning of Vacant Properties in Cleveland, Ohio

EPA Science Inventory

An integrated GIS-based, multi-attribute decision model deployed in a web-based platform is presented enabling an iterative, spatially explicit and collaborative analysis of relevant and available information for repurposing vacant land. The process incorporated traditional and ...

Ethnicity, Language and Intergroup Relations in Malaysia and Singapore: A Social Psychological Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, C.; Hewstone, M.

1985-01-01

Presents a review of literature and a historical and sociopolitical overview of ethnic relations and intergroup processes in Malaysia and Singapore. The paper reviews data on intergroup relations and ethnolinguistics in these countries from a social-psychological perspective, and in terms of assimilation and integration. (SED)

Evaluating Organizational Change at a Multinational Transportation Corporation: Method and Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plakhotnik, Maria S.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this perspective on practice is to share my experience conducting an organizational change evaluation using qualitative methodology at a multinational transportation company Global Logistics. I provide a detailed description of the three phase approach to data analysis and my reflections on the process.

GP3: GENEPIX POST-PROCESSING SCRIPT FOR THE AUTOMATED ANALYSIS OF RAW MICROARRAY IMAGE OUTPUT FILES. (R827402)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Economically Disadvantaged Children's Transitions into Elementary School: Linking Family Processes, School Contexts, and Educational Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosnoe, Robert; Cooper, Carey E.

2010-01-01

Working from a core perspective on the developmental implications of economic disadvantage, this study attempted to identify "family-based" mechanisms of economic effects on early learning and their potential "school-based" remedies. Multilevel analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort revealed that…

Pedagogical Tools for Peacebuilding Education: Engaging and Empathizing with Diverse Perspectives in Multicultural Elementary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Christina

2016-01-01

This qualitative study used classroom observations, teacher and student interviews, and document analysis to examine the degree to which peacebuilding dialogue processes were implemented in 3 elementary school classrooms and how diverse students, particularly newcomer immigrants, experienced these pedagogies. The study critically examines how…

Cross-scale analysis of fire regimes

Treesearch

Donald A. Falk; Carol Miller; Donald McKenzie; Anne E. Black

2007-01-01

Cross-scale spatial and temporal perspectives are important for studying contagious landscape disturbances such as fire, which are controlled by myriad processes operating at different scales. We examine fire regimes in forests of western North America, focusing on how observed patterns of fire frequency change across spatial scales. To quantify changes in fire...

Knowledge Construction in Wikipedia: A Systemic-Constructivist Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oeberst, Aileen; Halatchliyski, Iassen; Kimmerle, Joachim; Cress, Ulrike

2014-01-01

We propose a systemic-constructivist perspective for analyzing knowledge construction. In contrast to theories that focus on individuals as actors, the systemic-constructivist approach emphasizes the relevance of social systems and regards the construction of knowledge as a self-referential process that takes place in social systems. We propose…

Group Therapy for Eating Disorders: A Retrospective Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wanlass, Janine; Moreno, J. Kelly; Thomson, Hannah M.

2005-01-01

An increasing amount of research supports group therapy as an effective treatment option for eating disorders (Moreno, 1994). In an attempt to further delineate therapeutic factors associated with productive group work, this study represents an exploratory, descriptive analysis of client and therapist perspectives on group process and outcome.…

The Mythology of Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adcroft, Andy

2011-01-01

Much of the general education and discipline-specific literature on feedback suggests that it is a central and important element of student learning. This paper examines feedback from a social process perspective and suggests that feedback is best understood through an analysis of the interactions between academics and students. The paper argues…

Middle School Children's Problem-Solving Behavior: A Cognitive Analysis from a Reading Comprehension Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pape, Stephen J.

2004-01-01

Many children read mathematics word problems and directly translate them to arithmetic operations. More sophisticated problem solvers transform word problems into object-based or mental models. Subsequent solutions are often qualitatively different because these models differentially support cognitive processing. Based on a conception of problem…

Framing Student Perspectives into the Higher Education Institutional Review Policy Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poth, Cheryl; Riedel, Alex; Luth, Robert

2015-01-01

It is necessary and desirable to enhance student learning in higher education by integrating multiple perspectives during institutional policy reviews, yet few examples of such a process exist. This article describes an institutional assessment policy review process that used a questionnaire to elicit 269 students' perspectives on a draft policy…

FOCUS: A Model of Sensemaking

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

of the current project was to unpack and develop the concept of sensemaking, principally by developing and testing a cognitive model of the processes...themselves. In Year 2, new Cognitive Task Analysis data collection methods were developed and used to further test the model. Cognitive Task Analysis is a...2004) to examine the phenomenon of "sensemaking," a concept initially formulated by Weick (1995), but not developed from a cognitive perspective

What is a good public participation process? Five perspectives from the public.

PubMed

Webler, T; Tuler, S; Krueger, R

2001-03-01

It is now widely accepted that members of the public should be involved in environmental decision-making. This has inspired many to search for principles that characterize good public participation processes. In this paper we report on a study that identifies discourses about what defines a good process. Our case study was a forest planning process in northern New England and New York. We employed Q methodology to learn how participants characterize a good process differently, by selecting, defining, and privileging different principles. Five discourses, or perspectives, about good process emerged from our study. One perspective emphasizes that a good process acquires and maintains popular legitimacy. A second sees a good process as one that facilitates an ideological discussion. A third focuses on the fairness of the process. A fourth perspective conceptualizes participatory processes as a power struggle--in this instance a power play between local land-owning interests and outsiders. A fifth perspective highlights the need for leadership and compromise. Dramatic differences among these views suggest an important challenge for those responsible for designing and carrying out public participation processes. Conflicts may emerge about process designs because people disagree about what is good in specific contexts.

Processing older persons as clients in elderly care: A study of the micro-processes of care management practice.

PubMed

Olaison, Anna

2017-02-01

Elder care has undergone a marketization in recent years in which various models for care management have been introduced with the aim of making assessments efficient. This article investigates the effects the care management model has on resource allocation for home care when handling the requests of older persons in the needs assessment process. Sixteen tape-recorded assessment conversations with associated case-file texts were analyzed through discourse analysis. The results show that a managerialist thinking has had a partial impact on the assessment process where the documentation requirements have entailed bureaucratization in terms of the transfer that occurs from talk to text. The findings from the study nevertheless indicate that the assessment conversations have clear elements of an individual-centred perspective in which there is room for a care rational dialogue. This constitutes a welfare policy dilemma today. Providing for older people's requests should be on the basis of quality and an individual-centred perspective and care management has had a contrary effect in which focus is directed instead towards needs assessment and bureaucratic processes.

The evolutionary psychology of hunger.

PubMed

Al-Shawaf, Laith

2016-10-01

An evolutionary psychological perspective suggests that emotions can be understood as coordinating mechanisms whose job is to regulate various psychological and physiological programs in the service of solving an adaptive problem. This paper suggests that it may also be fruitful to approach hunger from this coordinating mechanism perspective. To this end, I put forward an evolutionary task analysis of hunger, generating novel a priori hypotheses about the coordinating effects of hunger on psychological processes such as perception, attention, categorization, and memory. This approach appears empirically fruitful in that it yields a bounty of testable new hypotheses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Problematizing the multidisciplinary residency in oncology: a practical teaching protocol from the perspective of nurse residents].

PubMed

Melo, Myllena Cândida de; Queluci, Gisella de Carvalho; Gouvêa, Mônica Villela

2014-08-01

To investigate practical teaching of nurse residents in a multidisciplinary residency in oncology. A qualitative descriptive study grounded in the problematization methodology and its steps, represented by the Maguerez Arch. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Potentiating and limiting elements of the residency guided the design of a practical teaching protocol from the perspective of residents, structured in three stages: Welcoming and ambience; Nursing care for problem situations; and, Evaluation process. Systematization of practical teaching promoted the autonomy of individuals and the approximation of teaching to reality, making residency less strenuous, stressful and distressing.

Digital Holography, a metrological tool for quantitative analysis: Trends and future applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paturzo, Melania; Pagliarulo, Vito; Bianco, Vittorio; Memmolo, Pasquale; Miccio, Lisa; Merola, Francesco; Ferraro, Pietro

2018-05-01

A review on the last achievements of Digital Holography is reported in this paper, showing that this powerful method can be a key metrological tool for the quantitative analysis and non-invasive inspection of a variety of materials, devices and processes. Nowadays, its range of applications has been greatly extended, including the study of live biological matter and biomedical applications. This paper overviews the main progresses and future perspectives of digital holography, showing new optical configurations and investigating the numerical issues to be tackled for the processing and display of quantitative data.

Prediction and Estimation of Scaffold Strength with different pore size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthu, P.; Mishra, Shubhanvit; Sri Sai Shilpa, R.; Veerendranath, B.; Latha, S.

2018-04-01

This paper emphasizes the significance of prediction and estimation of the mechanical strength of 3D functional scaffolds before the manufacturing process. Prior evaluation of the mechanical strength and structural properties of the scaffold will reduce the cost fabrication and in fact ease up the designing process. Detailed analysis and investigation of various mechanical properties including shear stress equivalence have helped to estimate the effect of porosity and pore size on the functionality of the scaffold. The influence of variation in porosity was examined by computational approach via finite element analysis (FEA) and ANSYS application software. The results designate the adequate perspective of the evolutionary method for the regulation and optimization of the intricate engineering design process.

Massive violent death and contested national mourning in post-authoritarian Chile and Argentina: a sociocultural application of the dual process model.

PubMed

Robben, Antonius C G M

2014-01-01

This article uses the dual process model (DPM) in an analysis of the national mourning of tens of thousands of disappeared in Chile and Argentina by adapting the model from the individual to the collective level where society as a whole is bereaved. Perpetrators are also involved in the national mourning process as members of a bereaved society. This article aims to (a) demonstrate the DPMs significance for the analysis of national mourning in post-conflict societies and (b) explain oscillations between loss orientation and restoration orientation in coping with massive losses that seem contradictory from a grief work perspective.

Analysis of polymer/oxide interfaces under ambient conditions - An experimental perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Orive, A.; Giner, I.; de los Arcos, T.; Keller, A.; Grundmeier, G.

2018-06-01

In many different hybrid materials and materials composites polymers adhere to bulk oxides or oxide covered metal. The formed polymer/oxide interfaces are of crucial importance for the functionality and durability of such complex materials. Especially, under humid and corrosive conditions such interfaces tend to degrade due to permeability of polymers for water, the high adsorption energy of water on oxide surfaces and even corrosion processes of the metal. Different experimental studies considered such interfaces ranging from spectroscopy to electrochemical analysis. However, it is still a challenge to understand the complex interaction especially under non-ideal ambient conditions. The perspective article presents an overview on the existing experimental approaches and considers most recent experimental developments with regard to their potential applications in the area of polymer/oxide interfaces in the future.

Numerical continuation and bifurcation analysis in aircraft design: an industrial perspective.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjiv; Coetzee, Etienne B; Lowenberg, Mark H; Neild, Simon A; Krauskopf, Bernd

2015-09-28

Bifurcation analysis is a powerful method for studying the steady-state nonlinear dynamics of systems. Software tools exist for the numerical continuation of steady-state solutions as parameters of the system are varied. These tools make it possible to generate 'maps of solutions' in an efficient way that provide valuable insight into the overall dynamic behaviour of a system and potentially to influence the design process. While this approach has been employed in the military aircraft control community to understand the effectiveness of controllers, the use of bifurcation analysis in the wider aircraft industry is yet limited. This paper reports progress on how bifurcation analysis can play a role as part of the design process for passenger aircraft. © 2015 The Author(s).

The Complexity of Neuroenhancement and the Adoption of a Social Cognitive Perspective

PubMed Central

Zelli, Arnaldo; Lucidi, Fabio; Mallia, Luca

2015-01-01

This contribution attempts to provide a broad perspective to the psychological study of neuroenhancement (NE). It departs from the assumption that, as the use of performance enhancing substances in sport, the use of substances with the aim of improving one’s cognitive, motivational and affective functioning in academic domains is a goal-directed behavior. As such, its scientific study may very well benefit from an analysis taking into account the psychological processes regulating people’s behavioral intentions and decisions. Within this broad framework, this contribution addresses several issues that currently seem to characterize the debate in the literature on neuroenhancement substances (NES) use. The first conceptual issue seeks to determine and define the “boundaries” of the phenomenon. The second issue concerns the empirical evidence on the prevalence of using certain substances for the purpose of NE. Finally, there is a debate around the ethical and moral implications of NE. Along these lines, the existing psychological research on NE has adopted mainly sociological and economic decision-making perspectives, greatly contributing to the psychological discourse about the phenomenon of NE. However, we argue that the existing psychological literature does not offer a common, explicit and integrated theoretical framework. Borrowing from the framework of doping research, we recommend the adoption of a social cognitive model for pursuing a systematic analysis of the psychological processes that dynamically regulate students’ use of NES over time. PMID:26648906

Current technologies, economics, and perspectives for 2,5-dimethylfuran production from biomass-derived intermediates.

PubMed

Saha, Basudeb; Abu-Omar, Mahdi M

2015-04-13

Since the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a perspective article that described the potential of the top ten biomass-derived platform chemicals as petroleum replacements for high-value commodity and specialty chemicals, researchers around the world have been motivated to develop technologies for the conversion of biomass and biomass-derived intermediates into chemicals and fuels. Among several biorefinery processes, the conversion of biomass carbohydrates into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) has received significant attention because of its low oxygen content, high energy content, and high octane value. DMF can further serve as a petroleum-replacement, biorenewable feedstock for the production of p-xylene (pX). In this review, we aim specifically to present a concise and up-to-date analysis of DMF production technologies with a critical discussion on catalytic systems, mechanistic insight, and process economics, which includes sensitivity analysis, so that more effective catalysts can be designed. Special emphasis has been given to bifunctional catalysts that improve DMF yields and selectivity and the synergistic effect of the bifunctional sites. Process economics for the current processes and the scope for further improvement are discussed. It is anticipated that the chemistry detailed in this review will guide researchers to develop more practical catalytic processes to enable the economic production of bio-based DMF. Processes for the upgrade of DMF to pX are also described. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rule-Based Expert Systems in the Command Estimate: An Operational Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

control measures. 5. Prepare COA statement(s) and sketch(es). The key inputs for developing courses of action are the DFD process of IPB, data stores...mission, or a change of information provides new direction to this process for that particular operation." Formal scientific analysis of the command...30 5. Delivery of outside news . This feature contributes to the commanders insatiable need for current information. Artificial intelligence ana rule

Aspects of care culture in municipal care for elderly people: a hermeneutic documentary analysis of reports of abuse.

PubMed

Rytterström, Patrik; Arman, Maria; Unosson, Mitra

2013-06-01

Care culture is an important contextual factor in care practice. Care culture refers to a process of creating meaning out of tradition, horizon and bildung. The care culture is often taken into consideration in situations that go beyond the everyday routine, such as cases of abuse. In Sweden, health care professionals are obliged to document and report any suspected bad conditions. Although the reports have the potential to communicate underlying values and assumptions about the care culture, such studies have not been performed. The aim of this study was to understand how elderly care abuse in institutions could be understood from a care culture perspective. A hermeneutic documentary analysis was conducted on 269 incident reports concerning suspected mistreatment of the elderly in three municipalities in Sweden. The hermeneutic analysis followed a four-stage process: selecting and reading the text, setting out the context, closing the hermeneutic circle, and finally creating a conceptual bridge towards a critical understanding from a phenomenological lifeworld perspective.   The care of the elderly in the municipality was based on a social culture that placed residents' needs at the centre. Following routines were considered important in preventing mistreatment and were intended to ensure that all patients were treated fairly and equally. Care was described as task oriented and often lacking in interpersonal relations. From a phenomenological lifeworld perspective, it was interpreted that in the municipalities' care of the elderly, there was a focus on elderly people's freedom at the expense of the vulnerability aspects of well-being. Raising awareness of the care culture underlying abuse could help to improve understanding of care practice. Change may be only possible when reflected on the existing perspectives underpinning the care culture, and integrate them into a broader framework for caring. © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Neural correlates of moral judgments in first- and third-person perspectives: implications for neuroethics and beyond

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background There appears to be an inconsistency in experimental paradigms used in fMRI research on moral judgments. As stimuli, moral dilemmas or moral statements/ pictures that induce emotional reactions are usually employed; a main difference between these stimuli is the perspective of the participants reflecting first-person (moral dilemmas) or third-person perspective (moral reactions). The present study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in order to investigate the neural correlates of moral judgments in either first- or third-person perspective. Results Our results indicate that different neural mechanisms appear to be involved in these perspectives. Although conjunction analysis revealed common activation in the anterior medial prefrontal cortex, third person-perspective elicited unique activations in hippocampus and visual cortex. The common activation can be explained by the role the anterior medial prefrontal cortex may play in integrating different information types and also by its involvement in theory of mind. Our results also indicate that the so-called "actor-observer bias" affects moral evaluation in the third-person perspective, possibly due to the involvement of the hippocampus. We suggest two possible ways in which the hippocampus may support the process of moral judgment: by the engagement of episodic memory and its role in understanding the behaviors and emotions of others. Conclusion We posit that these findings demonstrate that first or third person perspectives in moral cognition involve distinct neural processes, that are important to different aspects of moral judgments. These  results are important to a deepened understanding of neural correlates of moral cognition—the so-called “first tradition” of neuroethics, with the caveat that any results must be interpreted and employed with prudence, so as to heed neuroethics “second tradition” that sustains the pragmatic evaluation of outcomes, capabilities and limitations of neuroscientific techniques and technologies. PMID:24742205

Listening to and Sharing of Self in Psychoanalytic Supervision: The Supervisor's Self-Perspective.

PubMed

Watkins, C Edward

2016-08-01

Just as the analyst's self-perspective is critical to effective analytic process, the supervisor's self-perspective is accordingly critical to effective supervision process. But the supervisor's self-perspective has received virtually no attention as a listening/experiencing perspective in the psychoanalytic supervision literature. In this paper, the author defines the supervisor's self-perspective and considers five ways by which it contributes to an effective supervisory process: (1) sharing one's own impressions of/reactions to patients; (2) sharing personal disclosures about the supervisee-patient relationship; (3) sharing personal disclosures about the supervisee as a developing analytic therapist; (4) sharing personal disclosures about the supervisor-supervisee relationship; and (5) using one's own self-reflection as a check and balance for supervisory action. The supervisor's self-perspective provides the missing supervisory voice in the triadic complement of subject-other-self, has the potential to be eminently educative across the treatment/supervision dyads, and serves as a prototype for the supervisee's own development and use of analytic (or analyst) self-perspective.

Importance of perspective in economic analyses of cancer screening decisions.

PubMed

Mansley, E C; McKenna, M T

2001-10-06

As the fifth, and final, report in this Lancet series on health economics, we discuss how economic analyses in public health, with cancer screening as the example, differ depending on the perspective taken. We identify nine different, but related, decision makers at various levels, from the individual patient to society as a whole, and discuss how their different viewpoints affect their ultimate decisions. Central to our discussion is the identification of seven distinct components of perspective, each potentially important in the screening decision. In many fields of healthcare, decisions about the use of resources, such as time, wealth, or energy, are made by weighing up the positive and negative consequences of the alternatives under consideration and are thus based on an economic analysis of the situation (although sometimes this process is subconscious). For simplicity, we restrict our report to the effect of perspective on cancer screening decisions and show how the costs (negative consequences) and benefits (positive consequences) vary depending on the decision maker.

Navigating Critical Theory and Postmodernism: Social Justice and Therapist Power in Family Therapy.

PubMed

D'Arrigo-Patrick, Justine; Hoff, Chris; Knudson-Martin, Carmen; Tuttle, Amy

2017-09-01

The family therapy field encourages commitment to diversity and social justice, but offers varying ideas about how to attentively consider these issues. Critical informed models advocate activism, whereas postmodern informed models encourage multiple perspectives. It is often not clear how activism and an emphasis on multiple perspectives connect, engendering the sense that critical and postmodern practices may be disparate. To understand how therapists negotiate these perspectives in practice, this qualitative grounded theory analysis drew on interviews with 11 therapists, each known for their work from both critical and postmodern perspectives. We found that these therapists generally engage in a set of shared constructionist practices while also demonstrating two distinct forms of activism: activism through countering and activism through collaborating. Ultimately, decisions made about how to navigate critical and postmodern influences were connected to how therapists viewed ethics and the ways they were comfortable using their therapeutic power. The findings illustrate practice strategies through which therapists apply each approach. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Internationalization of Higher Education Institutions in Latvia and Turkey: Its Management and Development during the Last Decade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burçer, Sibel; Kangro, Ilze

2016-01-01

This paper aims at examining internationalization in higher education in two countries: Latvia and Turkey. The analysis is based on three dimensions of internationalization: institutional, organizational, and educational. Recently, under the influence of global processes, the internationalization takes form through the perspectives of three…

Constructing an Understanding of Undergraduate Disciplinary Reading: An Analysis of Contemporary Scholarship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Heather D.

2018-01-01

This article presents a summation of the field's past contributions to understanding the nature of undergraduate reading practices and meaning making processes in relation to contemporary perspectives of disciplinary literacies. In presenting a synthesis of over 40 studies across interdisciplinary journals, the goal was to construct a generalized…

Implementing the Finnish Literacy Curriculum in a First-Grade Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Räisänen, Sari; Korkeamäki, Riitta-Liisa

2015-01-01

This study investigated the first author's process of implementing new literacy practices as a teacher in a Finnish first-grade classroom from a poststructuralist perspective by using nexus analysis (NA). We concentrated on two essential concepts in NA, Bourdieu's habitus and Goffman's interaction order, which we linked to Grundy's curriculum…

Transforming Technocratic Practitioners' Thinking toward Responsible Management of Land-Related Conflicts: Experience from Eastern Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein, Jeylan Wolyie; Bedasa, Nigusie Angessa

2017-01-01

The article presents analysis of the epistemological, pedagogical and methodological processes and dilemmas that unfolded during our efforts to transform the conceptions and understandings of our participants' thinking about ways of managing land-related conflicts. The paper reports our evaluation of the thinking and perspectives that guided our…

Solar Alpha Rotary Joint Anomaly: The Materials and Processes Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basta, Erin A.; Dasgupta, Rijib; Figert, John; Jerman, Greg; Wright, Clara; Petrakis, Dennis; Golden, Johnny L.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the anomaly discovered on the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ). This anomaly was discovered when the SARJ mechanism produced anomalous telemetry and noticeable vibrations. Metallic debris was discovered throughout the vicinity of the mechanism. Samples were taken from the SARJ, and the findings of the analysis are discussed.

Teachers Learning to Prepare Future Engineers: A Systemic Analysis Through Five Components of Development and Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardré, Patricia L.; Ling, Chen; Shehab, Randa L.; Nanny, Mark A.; Refai, Hazem; Nollert, Matthias U.; Ramseyer, Christopher; Wollega, Ebisa D.; Huang, Su-Min; Herron, Jason

2018-01-01

This study used a systemic perspective to examine a five-component experiential process of perceptual and developmental growth, and transfer-to-teaching. Nineteen secondary math and science teachers participated in a year-long, engineering immersion and support experience, with university faculty mentors. Teachers identified critical shifts in…

Second Life as a Support Element for Learning Electronic Related Subjects: A Real Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beltran Sierra, Luis M.; Gutierrez, Ronald S.; Garzon-Castro, Claudia L.

2012-01-01

Looking for more active and motivating methodological alternatives from the students' perspective, which promote analysis and investigation abilities that make the student a more participative agent and some learning processes are facilitated, a practical study was conducted in the University of La Sabana (Chia, Colombia), in Computing Engineering…

An Analysis of Predictors of History Content Knowledge: Implications for Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitchett, Paul G.; Heafner, Tina L.; Lambert, Richard G.

2017-01-01

How and to what extent students learn history content is a complicated process, drawing from the instructional opportunities they experience; the policy prioritization of history/social studies instruction in schools; and their own cultural perspectives toward the past. In an attempt to better understand the complex inter-play among these…

Coaching and the Impact on Leadership Practice: An Analysis of Urban Superintendents' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spears, Melanie V.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the perceptions of urban superintendents and the influence of executive coaching on their leadership practices, to identify which phases of the executive coaching process urban superintendents perceive as influential in their leadership practice, to determine which coaching strategies…

Components of Reflection: A Longitudinal Analysis of Study Abroad Student Blog Posts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savicki, Victor; Price, Michele V.

2017-01-01

Reflection supports actively transforming perspectives regarding study abroad experiences. The current study examines the "how" of reflection. Content of reflections is dictated by questions posed. The process of reflection is less prescribed yet revealing of paths to student understanding. Students posted to a web log (blog) over six…

The Blackberry Image: Self-Identified Perceptions and Motivations Associated with College Student Blackberry Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firmin, Michael W.; Firmin, Ruth L.; Orient, Katlyn M.; Edwards, Anna J.; Cunliff, Jennifer M.

2012-01-01

We report the results of a qualitative research study conducted with university students regarding their phenomenological perspectives of BlackBerry use. Three key themes inductively emerged throughout the interview and analysis process regarding self-perceptions college students reported regarding their own BlackBerry use. First, students offered…

Restorative Practices in the Collegiate Student Conduct Process: A Qualitative Analysis of Student Conduct Administrators' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikus, Robert L.

2014-01-01

Restorative justice philosophy and practices have been utilized in a variety of settings. Legislative reform prompted their application in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. They have also been utilized in employment, education, civic, human services and community settings. While their integration in elementary, intermediate and secondary…

Feelings over Facts--A University Merger Brings Organisational Identity to the Forefront

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puusa, Anu; Kekäle, Jouni

2015-01-01

This article presents a qualitative case study based on an analysis of the outcomes and meanings attributed by university academics to an institutional merger, from the perspective of organisational identity. The change process may have broadened the "us and them" gap that exists between those responsible for university leadership and…

Case Studies on Location: Taking to the Field in Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mark Griffin

2007-01-01

The author describes how to conceptualize and organize a successful, multi-day field trip organized around a case study problem. By doing so, the instructor exposes students to diverse perspectives and leads them through the process of policy analysis from collecting and organizing information to identifying the relevant economic concepts and…

Nuclear emergency management procedures in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Emma

The Chernobyl accident brought to the fore the need for decision-making in nuclear emergency management to be transparent and consistent across Europe. A range of systems to support decision-making in future emergencies have since been developed, but, by and large, with little consultation with potential decision makers and limited understanding of the emergency management procedures across Europe and how they differ. In nuclear emergency management, coordination, communication and information sharing are of paramount importance. There are many key players with their own technical expertise, and several key activities occur in parallel, across different locations. Business process modelling can facilitate understanding through the representation of processes, aid transparency and structure the analysis, comparison and improvement of processes. This work has been conducted as part of a European Fifth Framework Programme project EVATECH, whose aim was to improve decision support methods, models and processes taking into account stakeholder expectations and concerns. It has involved the application of process modelling to document and compare the emergency management processes in four European countries. It has also involved a multidisciplinary approach taking a socio-technical perspective. The use of process modelling did indeed facilitate understanding and provided a common platform, which was not previously available, to consider emergency management processes. This thesis illustrates the structured analysis approach that process modelling enables. Firstly, through an individual analysis for the United Kingdom (UK) model that illustrated the potential benefits for a country. These are for training purposes, to build reflexive shared mental models, to aid coordination and for process improvement. Secondly, through a comparison of the processes in Belgium, Germany, Slovak Republic and the UK. In this comparison of the four processes we observed that the four process models are substantially different in their organisational structure and identified differences in the management of advice, where decisions are made and the communication network style. Another key aspect of this work is that through the structured analysis conducted we were able to develop a framework for the evaluation of DSS from the perspective of process. This work concludes reflecting on the challenges, which the European off-site nuclear emergency community face and suggest direction for future work, with particular reference to a recent conference on the capabilities and challenges of offsite nuclear emergency management, the Salzburg Symposium 2003.

[HAS budget impact analysis guidelines: A new decision-making tool].

PubMed

Ghabri, Salah; Poullié, Anne-Isabelle; Autin, Erwan; Josselin, Jean-Michel

2017-10-02

Budget impact analysis (BIA) provides short and medium-term estimates on changes in budgets and resources resulting from the adoption of new health interventions. The objective of this article is to present the main messages of the newly developed French National Authority for Health (HAS) guidelines on budget impact analysis : issues, recommendations and perspectives. The HAS guidelines development process was based on data derived from a literature review on BIA (search dates : January 2000 to June 2016), an HAS retrospective investigation, a public consultation, international expert advice, and approval from the HAS Board and the Economic and Public Health Evaluation Committee. Based on its research findings, HAS developed its first BIA guidelines, which include recommendations on the following topics : BIA definition, perspective, populations, time horizon, compared scenarios, budget impact models, costing, discounting, choice of clinical data, reporting of results and uncertainty analysis. The HAS BIA guidelines are expected to enhance the usefulness of BIA as an essential part of a comprehensive economic assessment of healthcare interventions, which itself includes cost-effectiveness analysis and equity of access to healthcare.

Navigating the Complexities of Undergraduate Medical Curriculum Change: Change Leaders' Perspectives.

PubMed

Velthuis, Floor; Varpio, Lara; Helmich, Esther; Dekker, Hanke; Jaarsma, A Debbie C

2018-02-06

Changing an undergraduate medical curriculum is a recurring, high-stakes undertaking at medical schools. This study aimed to explore how people leading major curriculum changes conceived of the process of enacting change and the strategies they relied on to succeed in their efforts. The first author individually interviewed nine leaders who were leading or had led the most recent undergraduate curriculum change in one of the eight medical schools in the Netherlands. Interviews were between December 2015 and April 2016, using a semi-structured interview format. Data analysis occurred concurrently with data collection, with themes being constructed inductively from the data. Leaders conceived of curriculum change as a dynamic, complex process. They described three major challenges they had to deal with while navigating this process: the large number of stakeholders championing a multitude of perspectives, dealing with resistance, and steering the change process. Additionally, strategies for addressing these challenges were described. The authors identified an underlying principle informing the work of these leaders: being and remaining aware of emerging situations, and carefully constructing strategies for ensuring the intended outcomes were reached and contributed to the progress of the change process. This empirical, descriptive study enriches the understanding of how institutional leaders navigate the complexities of major medical curriculum changes. The insights serve as a foundation for training and coaching future change leaders. To broaden the understanding of curriculum change processes, future studies could investigate the processes through alternative stakeholder perspectives.Written work prepared by employees of the Federal Government as part of their official duties is, under the U.S. Copyright Act, a "work of the United States Government" for which copyright protection under Title 17 of the United States Code is not available. As such, copyright does not extend to the contributions of employees of the Federal Government.

The impact of concordant communication in outpatient care planning - nurses' perspective.

PubMed

Olsson, Maivor; Larsson, Lena G; Flensner, Gullvi; Bäck-Pettersson, Siv

2012-09-01

To elucidate registered nurses' experiences of coordinated care planning in outpatient care. Coordinated care planning has been studied from the perspectives of both patients and nurses in inpatient care, but it is deficient in outpatient care. Qualitative content analysis of interviews with 10 registered nurses participating in two focus groups. An overall theme was identified: creating concordant communication in relation to patient and health-care providers. The result is based on four categories and nine subcategories. Nurses need extraordinary communication skills to reach concordance in outpatient care planning. In addition to involving and supporting the patients and next of kin in the decision-making process, the outcome of the nursing process must be understood by colleagues and members of other professions and health-care providers (non-nursing). An effective outpatient care-planning process requires that care managers understand the impact of communicating, transferring information and reaching consensus with other health-care providers, actively supporting employees in the outpatient care-planning process and contributing to the development of common goals and policy documents across organisational boundaries. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Data Provenance in Photogrammetry Through Documentation Protocols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carboni, N.; Bruseker, G.; Guillem, A.; Bellido Castañeda, D.; Coughenour, C.; Domajnko, M.; de Kramer, M.; Ramos Calles, M. M.; Stathopoulou, E. K.; Suma, R.

2016-06-01

Documenting the relevant aspects in digitisation processes such as photogrammetry in order to provide a robust provenance for their products continues to present a challenge. The creation of a product that can be re-used scientifically requires a framework for consistent, standardised documentation of the entire digitisation pipeline. This article provides an analysis of the problems inherent to such goals and presents a series of protocols to document the various steps of a photogrammetric workflow. We propose this pipeline, with descriptors to track all phases of digital product creation in order to assure data provenance and enable the validation of the operations from an analytic and production perspective. The approach aims to support adopters of the workflow to define procedures with a long term perspective. The conceptual schema we present is founded on an analysis of information and actor exchanges in the digitisation process. The metadata were defined through the synthesis of previous proposals in this area and were tested on a case study. We performed the digitisation of a set of cultural heritage artefacts from an Iron Age burial in Ilmendorf, Germany. The objects were captured and processed using different techniques, including a comparison of different imaging tools and algorithms. This augmented the complexity of the process allowing us to test the flexibility of the schema for documenting complex scenarios. Although we have only presented a photogrammetry digitisation scenario, we claim that our schema is easily applicable to a multitude of 3D documentation processes.

The Role of Dysfunctional Myths in a Decision-Making Process under Bounded Rationality: A Complex Dynamical Systems Perspective.

PubMed

Stamovlasis, Dimitrios; Vaiopoulou, Julie

2017-07-01

The present study examines the factors influencing a decision-making process, with specific focus on the role of dysfunctional myths (DM). DM are thoughts or beliefs that are rather irrational, however influential to people's decisions. In this paper a decision-making process regarding the career choice of university students majoring in natural sciences and education (N=496) is examined by analyzing survey data taken via Career Decision Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ). The difficulty of making the choice and the certainty about one's decision were the state variables, while the independent variables were factors related to the lack of information or knowledge needed, which actually reflect a bounded rationality. Cusp catastrophe analysis, based on both least squares and maximum likelihood procedures, showed that the nonlinear models predicting the two state variables were superior to linear alternatives. Factors related to lack of knowledge about the steps involved in the process of career decision-making, lack of information about the various occupations, lack of information about self and lack of motivation acted as asymmetry, while dysfunctional myths acted as bifurcation factor for both state variables. The catastrophe model, grounded in empirical data, revealed a unique role for DM and a better interpretation within the context of complexity and the notion of bounded rationality. The analysis opens the nonlinear dynamical systems (NDS) perspective in studying decision-making processes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

System perspectives for mobile platform design in m-Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roveda, Janet M.; Fink, Wolfgang

2016-05-01

Advances in integrated circuit technologies have led to the integration of medical sensor front ends with data processing circuits, i.e., mobile platform design for wearable sensors. We discuss design methodologies for wearable sensor nodes and their applications in m-Health. From the user perspective, flexibility, comfort, appearance, fashion, ease-of-use, and visibility are key form factors. From the technology development point of view, high accuracy, low power consumption, and high signal to noise ratio are desirable features. From the embedded software design standpoint, real time data analysis algorithms, application and database interfaces are the critical components to create successful wearable sensor-based products.

Gender differences in the field of sexology: new contexts and old definitions.

PubMed

Rohden, Fabiola; Russo, Jane

2011-08-01

To analyze concepts of gender and sexuality present in the field of sex therapeutic interventions. An ethnographic observation was conducted, and it was completed with the analysis of printed material originated from the X Congresso Brasileiro de Sexualidade Humana (10th Brazilian Congress on Human Sexuality), promoted by the Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos em Sexualidade Humana (Brazilian Society of Human Sexuality Studies), and the VIII Congresso Brasileiro sobre Inadequações Sexuais (8th Brazilian Congress on Sexual Inadequacies), promoted by the Associação Brasileira para o Estudo das Inadequações Sexuais (Brazilian Association of Sexual Inadequacy Studies), both held in 2005. The analysis emphasized the interaction between the quantitative perspective in the processing of the variables (participants' gender and profession and lecture topics) and the qualitative perspective in the analysis and interpretation of the more general set of data. The topics of sessions and focus of presentations suggest that the field is divided by the contrast between two medical specialties: gynecology and urology, the former is aimed at female and couple dysfunctions, while the latter is aimed at male dysfunctions. Male sexuality is approached from the predominantly biomedical perspective, centered on the physiology of erection and drug prescription, whereas female sexuality is considered to be conditioned by relationship problems, when psychological intervention is more adequate.

An Analysis of the Role of ATC in the AILS Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Marvin C.; Doyle, Thomas M.; McGee, Frank G.

2000-01-01

Airborne information for lateral spacing (AILS) is a concept for making approaches to closely spaced parallel runways in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Under the concept, each equipped aircraft will assume responsibility for accurately managing its flight path along the approach course and maintaining separation from aircraft on the parallel approach. This document presents the results of an analysis of the AILS concept from an Air Traffic Control (ATC) perspective. The process has been examined in a step by step manner to determine ATC system support necessary to safely conduct closely spaced parallel approaches using the AILS concept. The analysis resulted in recognizing a number of issues related to integrating the process into the airspace system and proposes operating procedures.

Processes of Perspective Development among Preservice Social Studies Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, E. Wayne

This study was undertaken to investigate the formation and development of preservice social studies teachers' perspectives and the relative roles of a preservice teacher education program and the individual in this process. An individual's teaching perspective is a way of thinking and acting in a teaching situation. Examples of teaching…

Correcting the planar perspective projection in geometric structures applied to forensic facial analysis.

PubMed

Baldasso, Rosane Pérez; Tinoco, Rachel Lima Ribeiro; Vieira, Cristina Saft Matos; Fernandes, Mário Marques; Oliveira, Rogério Nogueira

2016-10-01

The process of forensic facial analysis may be founded on several scientific techniques and imaging modalities, such as digital signal processing, photogrammetry and craniofacial anthropometry. However, one of the main limitations in this analysis is the comparison of images acquired with different angles of incidence. The present study aimed to explore a potential approach for the correction of the planar perspective projection (PPP) in geometric structures traced from the human face. A technique for the correction of the PPP was calibrated within photographs of two geometric structures obtained with angles of incidence distorted in 80°, 60° and 45°. The technique was performed using ImageJ ® 1.46r (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland). The corrected images were compared with photographs of the same object obtained in 90° (reference). In a second step, the technique was validated in a digital human face created using MakeHuman ® 1.0.2 (Free Software Foundation, Massachusetts, EUA) and Blender ® 2.75 (Blender ® Foundation, Amsterdam, Nederland) software packages. The images registered with angular distortion presented a gradual decrease in height when compared to the reference. The digital technique for the correction of the PPP is a valuable tool for forensic applications using photographic imaging modalities, such as forensic facial analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive process modelling of controllers in en route air traffic control.

PubMed

Inoue, Satoru; Furuta, Kazuo; Nakata, Keiichi; Kanno, Taro; Aoyama, Hisae; Brown, Mark

2012-01-01

In recent years, various efforts have been made in air traffic control (ATC) to maintain traffic safety and efficiency in the face of increasing air traffic demands. ATC is a complex process that depends to a large degree on human capabilities, and so understanding how controllers carry out their tasks is an important issue in the design and development of ATC systems. In particular, the human factor is considered to be a serious problem in ATC safety and has been identified as a causal factor in both major and minor incidents. There is, therefore, a need to analyse the mechanisms by which errors occur due to complex factors and to develop systems that can deal with these errors. From the cognitive process perspective, it is essential that system developers have an understanding of the more complex working processes that involve the cooperative work of multiple controllers. Distributed cognition is a methodological framework for analysing cognitive processes that span multiple actors mediated by technology. In this research, we attempt to analyse and model interactions that take place in en route ATC systems based on distributed cognition. We examine the functional problems in an ATC system from a human factors perspective, and conclude by identifying certain measures by which to address these problems. This research focuses on the analysis of air traffic controllers' tasks for en route ATC and modelling controllers' cognitive processes. This research focuses on an experimental study to gain a better understanding of controllers' cognitive processes in air traffic control. We conducted ethnographic observations and then analysed the data to develop a model of controllers' cognitive process. This analysis revealed that strategic routines are applicable to decision making.

A Qualitative Analysis of Physician Perspectives on Missed and Delayed Outpatient Diagnosis: The Focus on System-Related Factors.

PubMed

Sarkar, Urmimala; Simchowitz, Brett; Bonacum, Doug; Strull, William; Lopez, Andrea; Rotteau, Leahora; Shojania, Kaveh G

2014-10-01

Delayed and missed diagnoses lead to significant patient harm. Because physician actions are fundamental to the outpatient diagnostic process, a study was conducted to explore physician perspectives on diagnosis. As part of a quality improvement initiative, an integrated health system conducted six physician focus groups in 2004 and 2005. The focus groups included questions about the process of diagnosis, specific factors contributing to missed diagnosis, use of guidelines, atypical vs. typical presentations of disease, diagnostic tools, and follow-up, all with regard to delays in the diagnostic process. The interviews were analyzed (1) deductively, with application of the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model, which addresses systems design, quality management, job design, and technology implementations that affect safety-related patient and organizational and/or staff outcomes, and (2) inductively, with identification of novel themes using content analysis. A total of 25 physicians participated in the six focus groups, which yielded 12 hours of discussion. Providers identified multiple barriers to timely and accurate diagnosis, including organizational culture, information availability, and communication factors. Multiple themes relating to each of the participants in the diagnostic process-health system, provider, and patient-emerged. Concerns about health system structure and providers' interactions with one another and with patients far exceeded discussion of the cognitive factors that might affect the diagnostic process. The results suggest that, at least in physicians' views, improving the diagnostic process requires attention to the organization of the health system in addition to the cognitive aspects of diagnosis.

["I am nuts, but networking": the qualification process for peer support work with mental health users in the psychosocial care network of Rio de Janeiro].

PubMed

Magalhães Dahl, Catarina; de Araújo Carvalho, Maria C; Moscoso Teixeira de Mendonça, Joana; Mitkiewicz de Souza, Flávia; Wainstok Estivil Bustos, Mayra; Fernandes de Cintra Santos, Jacqueline; Marcos Lovisi, Giovani; Tavares Cavalcanti, Maria

2013-01-01

Peer support work has been increasingly incorporated by community services network in the context of mental health care paradigm shift; however, it is a relatively new device in Latin America. In this article, we will describe the qualification process of peer support workers for implementing a psychosocial intervention in the city of Rio de Janeiro. We use the following methodological strategies based on a narrative, participative and dialogical perspective: focus groups, knowledge transmission through a short course; visits to mental health services and field reports. We used a narrative analysis, building the following thematic categories: experience of the recovery process; what helps and what hinders in the recovery process; the role of the family; the role of community mental health services; prejudice among society and family members; the role of peer support work; challenges. From the users' perspective, recovery is tied to ups and downs and family can either help or disturb this process. Prejudice constitutes the main barrier for recovery. To have a social role and participating in training activities facilitate recovery. Users pointed out that it is necessary to have professional support for peer support work.

Support group processes: Perspectives from HIV-infected women in South Africa.

PubMed

Mundell, J P; Visser, M J; Makin, J D; Forsyth, B W; Sikkema, K J

2012-01-01

This study examined the experiences and perceived benefits of support group participation among HIV-infected women in South Africa. From a qualitative analysis of responses, key psychological processes through which support groups are potentially beneficial were identified. These processes included: identification; modeling; acceptance; and empowerment. The participants' consequent life changes were explored in order to associate these processes with the positive outcomes of support group participation. Through understanding the relationship between the psychological processes within a support group setting and the potential benefits, and by targeting these processes in the development and implementation of future support group interventions, a framework is provided for achieving positive outcomes associated with support group participation.

Support group processes: Perspectives from HIV-infected women in South Africa

PubMed Central

Mundell, J.P.; Visser, M.J.; Makin, J.D.; Forsyth, B.W.; Sikkema, K.J.

2012-01-01

This study examined the experiences and perceived benefits of support group participation among HIV-infected women in South Africa. From a qualitative analysis of responses, key psychological processes through which support groups are potentially beneficial were identified. These processes included: identification; modeling; acceptance; and empowerment. The participants’ consequent life changes were explored in order to associate these processes with the positive outcomes of support group participation. Through understanding the relationship between the psychological processes within a support group setting and the potential benefits, and by targeting these processes in the development and implementation of future support group interventions, a framework is provided for achieving positive outcomes associated with support group participation. PMID:22514790

Medical Management: Process Analysis Study Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-28

in Medical Management (care coordinator, case manager, PCM, clinic nurses , referral management shop, utilization management?, etc). The goal is to...Enterprise Nursing Procedure Manual, revealed that fact from the Navy’s perspective. An OASD(HA) TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) Senior...Requirements Analyst, Clinical Information Management (IM) and retired Army Colonel Nurse , Patricia Kinder, essentially told us no single application suite

The Micropolitics of School Principals' Decision Making in Nigeria: Principals' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olayiwola, Shina; Alabi, Kingsley

2015-01-01

This study depicted a micropolitical analysis of school principals' decision making as regards the influence of formal and informal groups on school administrative processes from the point of view of principals. It was based on descriptive survey study of all 24 public secondary schools within Ile-Ife community, Osun State, Nigeria, out of which a…

"I Will Write to You with My Eyes": Reflective Text and Image Journals in the Undergraduate Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyland-Russell, Tara

2014-01-01

This article reports on a case study into students' perspectives on the use of "cahiers", reflective text and image journals. Narrative interviews and document analysis reveal that "cahiers" can be used effectively to engage students in course content and learning processes. Recent work in transformative learning…

Candid Reflections on the Departure of Black Women Faculty from Academe in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Crystal Renee

2012-01-01

Critical content analysis is used to identify content within blogs, exposing views within academe that reinforce and normalize racist, sexist, and interactively racist and sexist perspectives. The two themes explored here are unfairness and subjectivities within personnel processes and the qualifications of Black women faculty, as raised through a…

Superintendents' Perspectives of a Principal Preparation Program for Leaders of Predominantly Hispanic Schools in South Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Maria Banda; Hernandez, Rosalinda

2012-01-01

This article explains two components in the review process of a university's principal preparation program. A superintendents' focus group session and an analysis of other universities' program profiles revealed a need to eliminate dated courses, include certification in the degree requirements, update the program curriculum with best practice,…

Contextuality, Nonlocality and Counterfactual Arguments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghirardi, Gian Carlo; Wienand, Karl

2009-07-01

In this paper, following an elementary line of thought which somewhat differs from the usual one, we prove once more that any deterministic theory predictively equivalent to quantum mechanics unavoidably exhibits a contextual character. The purpose of adopting this perspective is that of paving the way for a critical analysis of the use of counterfactual arguments when dealing with nonlocal physical processes.

Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Positive Therapeutic Change for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Client, Carer and Clinical Psychologist Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsden, Sarah; Tickle, Anna; Dawson, David L.; Harris, Samantha

2016-01-01

Studies have highlighted successful outcomes of psychological therapies for people with intellectual disabilities. However, processes underlying these outcomes are uncertain. Thematic analysis was used to explore the perceptions of three clinical psychologists, six clients and six carers of barriers and facilitators to therapeutic change for…

Examining the Reasoning of Conflicting Science Information from the Information Processing Perspective--An Eye Movement Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Fang-Ying

2017-01-01

The main goal of this study was to investigate how readers' visual attention distribution during reading of conflicting science information is related to their scientific reasoning behavior. A total of 25 university students voluntarily participated in the study. They were given conflicting science information about earthquake predictions to read…

Teacher Educators as Cultural Workers: Problematizing Teacher Education Pedagogies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de los Ríos, Cati; Souto-Manning, Mariana

2015-01-01

From a Latina/o Critical Race Theory perspective, in this article we engage in a process of testimonio co-creation to trace Freire's notion of critical pedagogy in our lives as former schoolteachers and current teacher educators. Through the critical analysis of our lived experiences, we unveil the powerful affordances we have gained by employing…

Photo-Elicitation and Visual Semiotics: A Unique Methodology for Studying Inclusion for Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockall, Nancy

2013-01-01

The methodology in this paper discusses the use of photographs as an elicitation strategy that can reveal the thinking processes of participants in a qualitatively rich manner. Photo-elicitation techniques combined with a Piercian semiotic perspective offer a unique method for creating a frame of action for later participant analysis. Illustrative…

The Roles of Internal Representation and Processing in Problem Solving Involving Insight: A Computational Complexity Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wareham, Todd

2017-01-01

In human problem solving, there is a wide variation between individuals in problem solution time and success rate, regardless of whether or not this problem solving involves insight. In this paper, we apply computational and parameterized analysis to a plausible formalization of extended representation change theory (eRCT), an integration of…

Analysis of the Demand for Distance Education at Eastern and Central European Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasilevska, Daina; Rivza, Baiba; Pivac, Tatjana; Alekneviciene, Vilija; Parlinska, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

Distance education as one of the new and perspective forms of completing higher education increases in popularity around the world. At the same time, the development of this model of education generates new problems: organization of the study process and information security. Distance learning allows solving a problem of accessibility of higher…

Social Media and Their Use in Learning: A Comparative Analysis between Australia and Malaysia from the Learners' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balakrishnan, Vimala; Teoh, Kung Keat; Pourshafie, Tahereh; Liew, Teik Kooi

2017-01-01

This study is an investigation into factors that encourage and/or inhibit the use of social media in the academic learning process between Australian and Malaysian students at higher learning institutions. Push-pull-mooring theory was used as a guide, resulting in seven independent variables ("convenience", "social influence",…

Laying the Theoretical and Practical Foundations for a New Elementary English Curriculum in Turkey: A Procedural Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkgöz, Yasemin; Çelik, Servet; Arikan, Arda

2016-01-01

New educational curricula are regularly put into practice worldwide; and the issues related to curriculum design are frequently discussed from a pedagogical perspective. However, the processes involved in preparing a statewide English as a foreign language (EFL) curriculum are rarely elaborated from an inside view. As the experiences of program…

A Learning Experience of the Gender Perspective in English Teaching Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mojica, Claudia Patricia; Castañeda-Peña, Harold

2017-01-01

Eighteen Colombian English teachers participated in a course with an emphasis on gender and foreign language teaching in a Master's program in Bogotá. This text describes the design, implementation, and the learning in this educational experience. The analysis of the course was based on a view of learning as a process of participation rooted in…

"I Received a Leaflet and That Is All": Father Experiences of a Diagnosis of Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Carol A.

2017-01-01

Background: A diagnosis of childhood autism can be an extremely stressful experience for parents, but little is known concerning paternal perceptions of the process. Methods: This study investigated father perspectives on a diagnosis of autism, through an online survey. Results: An analysis of 184 replies to an open-ended question identified the…

Complementizer Agreement in Modern Varieties of West Germanic: A Model of Reanalysis and Renewal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bousquette, Joshua

2013-01-01

This dissertation provides a comparative analysis of Complementizer Agreement (C-agr) in modern dialects of West Germanic from a diachronic perspective, attributing the rise and development of C-agr to the initiation and progression of a Linguistic Cycle specific to C-agr. Approached as a historical process of reanalysis and compensatory renewal…

Cross-Cultural Adjustment Process of Expatriate Families in a Multinational Organization: A Family System Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbusch, Katherine

2010-01-01

The purpose of this survey based study was to examine whether the characteristics (i.e., flexibility and cohesion) of expatriate families in a multinational corporation as measured by the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale can predict cross-cultural adjustment of the expatriate (individual level of analysis) and his/her family…

Has NICE got it right? An international perspective considering the case of Technology Appraisal No. 98 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

PubMed

Schlander, Michael

2008-04-01

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been widely recognised as setting an international standard for high-quality health technology assessments (HTAs) including economic evaluation. A previous critical analysis of NICE Technology Appraisal No. 98 (TA98), evaluating methylphenidate, dexamphetamine and atomoxetine for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, revealed a number of issues, which must cast doubt on the robustness of the NICE approach when addressing a complex clinical decision problem. The exploration of potential underlying problems will be followed by a discussion of lessons for international healthcare policy-makers, and is intended to be an invitation to further debate and inquiry, not a presentation of definitive conclusions. Pertaining to the technology assessment report, potential problems were identified relating to an unnecessarily narrow scope, data search and selection strategy, the distinction between efficacy and effectiveness, data synthesis across studies and clinical effect measures, and limitations of the economic model. The appraisal process moderated the asserted 'clear conclusions' of the assessment but could not compensate for some of its gaps. It is suggested that key issues contributing to these problems may have included a separation of clinical and economic perspectives, a highly standardised reference case analysis that was followed schematically, the absence of an effective system for quality assurance of technology assessments, and transparency deficits of the economic evaluation. Further considerations for international policy-makers looking at NICE as a potential role model for HTAs are discussed, such as institutional context, the objectives of collectively financed healthcare and related value judgments, the reliance on QALYs as a universal and comprehensive measure of health benefits, the appropriate perspective for analysis, and process-related implications.

NEGOTIATING HEALTH: patients' and guardians' perspective on "failed" patient-professional interactions in the context of the Swedish health care system.

PubMed

Koch, Roland; Joos, Stefanie; Ryding, Elsa-Lena

2018-05-11

Sweden has a largely tax-funded health care system that aims at providing equal access for everyone. However, the individual's perception and experience of the health care system remains a relevant topic for researchers. The aim of this study is to learn the patient's perspective on how patients and professionals negotiate in the social context of the Swedish health care system. Eight essays that had spontaneously been contributed to a medical writing contest were analyzed using narrative methods. Narratives were defined as a sequence of clauses that correspond to an order of events in the narrator's biography. The analysis comprised a three-step process. First, the essays were read and narratives were extracted. Second, an agency analysis was performed. Third, an analysis of social positioning was employed. The Swedish health care system provides the social context and background for negotiations between patients and professionals. The narrators position the protagonists of the illness narratives as either patients or guardians of underage patients. The protagonists meet health care representatives in negotiation situations. Due to the lack of emotional connection between the negotiating parties, impossible situations arise. False promises are made which ultimately result in the patients' suffering. Thus, all negotiations failed from the narrators' perspective. The narrators invited their audience to solve negotiation situations differently. This study discusses some actions that may help navigate negotiation situations: Health care providers should acknowledge the patient's or guardian's social position and dilemma, allow emotions, involve all parties in the decision-making process and manage expectations. Writing competitions may provide a tool for experience-based assessment of health care systems.

The Impact of Time Perspective Latent Profiles on College Drinking: A Multidimensional Approach

PubMed Central

Braitman, Abby L.; Henson, James M.

2015-01-01

Background Zimbardo and Boyd’s1 time perspective, or the temporal framework individuals use to process information, has been shown to predict health behaviors such as alcohol use. Previous studies supported the predictive validity of individual dimensions of time perspective, with some dimensions acting as protective factors and others as risk factors. However, some studies produced findings contrary to the general body of literature. In addition, time perspective is a multidimensional construct, and the combination of perspectives may be more predictive than individual dimensions in isolation; consequently, multidimensional profiles are a more accurate measure of individual differences and more appropriate for predicting health behaviors. Objectives The current study identified naturally occurring profiles of time perspective and examined their association with risky alcohol use. Methods Data were collected from a college student sample (n = 431, mean age = 20.41 years) using an online survey. Time perspective profiles were identified using latent profile analysis. Results Bootstrapped regression models identified a protective class that engaged in significantly less overall drinking (β = −0.254) as well as engaging in significantly less episodic high risk drinking (β = −0.274). There was also emerging evidence of a high risk time perspective profile that was linked to more overall drinking (β = 0.198) and engaging in more high risk drinking (β = 0.245), though these differences were not significant. Conclusions/Importance These findings support examining time perspective in a multidimensional framework rather than individual dimensions in isolation. Implications include identifying students most in need of interventions, and tailoring interventions to target temporal framing in decision-making. PMID:25607806

The impact of time perspective latent profiles on college drinking: a multidimensional approach.

PubMed

Braitman, Abby L; Henson, James M

2015-04-01

Zimbardo and Boyd's(1) time perspective, or the temporal framework individuals use to process information, has been shown to predict health behaviors such as alcohol use. Previous studies supported the predictive validity of individual dimensions of time perspective, with some dimensions acting as protective factors and others as risk factors. However, some studies produced findings contrary to the general body of literature. In addition, time perspective is a multidimensional construct, and the combination of perspectives may be more predictive than individual dimensions in isolation; consequently, multidimensional profiles are a more accurate measure of individual differences and more appropriate for predicting health behaviors. The current study identified naturally occurring profiles of time perspective and examined their association with risky alcohol use. Data were collected from a college student sample (n = 431, mean age = 20.41 years) using an online survey. Time perspective profiles were identified using latent profile analysis. Bootstrapped regression models identified a protective class that engaged in significantly less overall drinking (β = -0.254) as well as engaging in significantly less episodic high risk drinking (β = -0.274). There was also emerging evidence of a high risk time perspective profile that was linked to more overall drinking (β = 0.198) and engaging in more high risk drinking (β = 0.245), though these differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: These findings support examining time perspective in a multidimensional framework rather than individual dimensions in isolation. Implications include identifying students most in need of interventions, and tailoring interventions to target temporal framing in decision-making.

Adopting public values and climate change adaptation strategies in urban forest management: A review and analysis of the relevant literature.

PubMed

Ordóñez Barona, Camilo

2015-12-01

Urban trees are a dominant natural element in cities; they provide important ecosystem services to urban citizens and help urban areas adapt to climate change. Many rationales have been proposed to provide a purpose for urban forest management, some of which have been ineffective in addressing important ecological and social management themes. Among these rationales we find a values-based perspective, which sees management as a process where the desires of urban dwellers are met. Another perspective is climate change adaptation, which sees management as a process where urban forest vulnerability to climate change is reduced and resilience enhanced. Both these rationales have the advantage of complementing, enhancing, and broadening urban forest management objectives. A critical analysis of the literature on public values related to urban forests and climate change adaptation in the context of urban forests is undertaken to discuss what it means to adopt these two issues in urban forest management. The analysis suggests that by seeing urban forest management as a process by which public values are satisfied and urban-forest vulnerabilities to climate change are reduced, we can place issues such as naturalization, adaptive management, and engaging people in management at the centre of urban forest management. Focusing urban forest management on these issues may help ensure the success of programs focused on planting more trees and increasing citizen participation in urban forest management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health information technology in primary health care in developing countries: a literature review.

PubMed Central

Tomasi, Elaine; Facchini, Luiz Augusto; Maia, Maria de Fatima Santos

2004-01-01

This paper explores the debate and initiatives concerning the use of information technology (IT) in primary health care in developing countries. The literature from 1992-2002 was identified from searches of the MEDLINE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature Database (LILACS), Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. The search identified 884 references, 350 of which were classified according to the scheme described by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). For the analysis of advantages, problems and perspectives of IT applications and systems, 52 articles were selected according to their potential contribution to the primary health-care processes in non-developed countries. These included: 10 on electronic patient registries (EPR), 22 on process and programmatic action evaluation and management systems (PPAEM) and 20 on clinical decision-support systems (CDS). The main advantages, limitations and perspectives are discussed. PMID:15640923

The challenge of bridging science and policy in the Baltic Sea eutrophication governance in Finland: the perspective of science.

PubMed

Pihlajamäki, Mia; Tynkkynen, Nina

2011-03-01

This article examines the views of scientists on intricacies of scientific knowledge that affect science-policy interface in the Baltic Sea eutrophication governance in Finland. The analysis demonstrates that these intricacies can be divided into five categories: (1) uncertainty of knowledge concerning ecological processes, (2) heterogeneity of knowledge, (3) societal and political call for (certain) knowledge, (4) contingency of the knowledge that ends up taken as a baseline for decision making and further research, and (5) linkages of knowledge production, processing, and communication to particular characteristics of individual researchers and research societies. By explicating these aspects, this article illustrates the ways in which scientific knowledge concerning eutrophication is human-bound and susceptible to interpretation, thus adding on to the uncertainty of the Baltic Sea environmental governance. The aim is, then, to open up perspectives on how ambiguities related to science-policy interface could be coped with.

A Social Psychological Perspective on the Links between Close Relationships and Health.

PubMed

Slatcher, Richard B; Selcuk, Emre

2017-02-01

The association between the quality of people's close relationships and their physical health is well-established. But from a psychological perspective, how do close relationships impact physical health? This article summarizes recent work seeking to identify the relationship processes, psychological mediators and moderators of the links between close relationships and health, with an emphasis on studies of married and cohabitating couples. We begin with a brief review of a recent meta-analysis of the links between marital quality and health. We then describe our strength and strain model of marriage and health, homing in on one process- partner responsiveness -and one moderator- adult attachment style -to illustrate ways in which basic relationship science can inform our understanding of how relationships impact physical health. We conclude with a brief discussion of promising directions in the study of close relationships and health.

Information fusion for the Gray Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenstermacher, Laurie

2016-05-01

United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) recently published a white paper describing the "Gray Zone", security challenges characterized by "ambiguity about the nature of the conflict, opacity of the parties involved…competitive interactions among and within state and non-state actors that fall between the traditional war and peace duality."1 Ambiguity and related uncertainty about actors, situations, relationships, and intent require new approaches to information collection, processing and fusion. General Votel, the current SOCOM commander, during a recent speech on "Operating in the Gray Zone" emphasized that it would be important to get left of the next crises and stated emphatically, "to do that we must understand the Human Domain."2 This understanding of the human domain must come from making meaning based on different perspectives, including the "emic" or first person/participant and "etic" or third person/observer perspectives. Much of the information currently collected and processed is etic. Incorporation and fusion with the emic perspective enables forecasting of behaviors/events and provides context for etic information (e.g., video).3 Gray zone challenges are perspective-dependent; for example, the conflict in Ukraine is interpreted quite differently by Russia, the US and Ukraine. Russia views it as war, necessitating aggressive action, the US views it as a security issue best dealt with by economic sanctions and diplomacy and the Ukraine views it as a threat to its sovereignty.4 General Otto in the Air Force ISR 2023 vision document stated that Air Force ISR is needed to anticipate strategic surprise.5 Anticipatory analysis enabling getting left of a crisis inherently requires a greater focus on information sources that elucidate the human environment as well as new methods that elucidate not only the "who's" and "what's", but the "how's and "why's," extracting features and/or patterns and subtle cues useful for forecasting behaviors and events; for example discourse patterns related to social identity and integrative complexity.6 AFRL has been conducting research to enable analysts to understand the "emic" perspective based on discourse analysis methods and/or text analytics.7 Previous results demonstrated the value of fusion of emic and etic information in terms of improved accuracy (from 39% to 86%) in forecasting violent events.8 This paper will describe new work to extend this to anticipatory analysis in the gray zone.

Central Auditory Processing Disorders: Is It a Meaningful Construct or a Twentieth Century Unicorn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamhi, Alan G.; Beasley, Daniel S.

1985-01-01

The article demonstrates how professional and theoretical perspectives (including psycholinguistics, behaviorist, and information processing perspectives) significantly influence the manner in which central auditory processing is viewed, assessed, and remediated. (Author/CL)

Is manipulation of color effective in study of the global precedence effect?

PubMed

Vidal-López, Joaquín; Romera-Vivancos, Juan Antonio

2009-04-01

This article evaluates the use of color manipulation in studying the effect of global precedence and the possible involvement of the magnocellular processing system. The analysis shows variations of color used in three studies produced changes on the global precedence effect, but findings based on this technique present some methodological problems and have little theoretical support from the magnocellular processing-system perspective. For this reason, more research is required to develop knowledge about the origin of these variations in global precedence.

Analysis of vehicle's safety envelope under car-following model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Tie-Qiao; Zhang, Jian; Chen, Liang; Shang, Hua-Yan

2017-05-01

In this paper, we propose an improved car-following model to explore the impacts of vehicle's two safety distances (i.e., the front safety distance and back safety distance) on the traffic safety during the starting process. The numerical results show that our model is prominently safer than the FVD (full velocity difference) model, i.e., our model is better than the FVD model from the perspective of the traffic safety, which shows that each driver should consider his two safety distances during his driving process.

[Critical thinking skills in the nursing diagnosis process].

PubMed

Bittencourt, Greicy Kelly Gouveia Dias; Crossetti, Maria da Graça Oliveira

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to identify the critical thinking skills utilized in the nursing diagnosis process. This was an exploratory descriptive study conducted with seven nursing students on the application of a clinical case to identify critical thinking skills, as well as their justifications in the nursing diagnosis process. Content analysis was performed to evaluate descriptive data. Six participants reported that analysis, scientific and technical knowledge and logical reasoning skills are important in identifying priority nursing diagnoses; clinical experience was cited by five participants, knowledge about the patient and application of standards were mentioned by three participants; Furthermore, discernment and contextual perspective were skills noted by two participants. Based on these results, the use of critical thinking skills related to the steps of the nursing diagnosis process was observed. Therefore, that the application of this process may constitute a strategy that enables the development of critical thinking skills.

Information Technology Process Improvement Decision-Making: An Exploratory Study from the Perspective of Process Owners and Process Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamp, Sandra A.

2012-01-01

There is information available in the literature that discusses information technology (IT) governance and investment decision making from an executive-level perception, yet there is little information available that offers the perspective of process owners and process managers pertaining to their role in IT process improvement and investment…

What did first-year students experience during their interprofessional education? A qualitative analysis of e-portfolios.

PubMed

Imafuku, Rintaro; Kataoka, Ryuta; Ogura, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Hisayoshi; Enokida, Megumi; Osakabe, Keitaro

2018-05-01

Interprofessional collaboration is an essential approach to comprehensive patient care. As previous studies have argued, interprofessional education (IPE) must be integrated in a stepwise, systematic manner in undergraduate health profession education programmes. Given this perspective, first-year IPE is a critical opportunity for building the foundation of interprofessional collaborative practice. This study aims to explore the first-year students' learning processes and the longitudinal changes in their perceptions of learning in a year-long IPE programme. Data were collected at a Japanese medical university, in which different pedagogical approaches are adopted in the IPE programme. Some of these approaches include interprofessional problem-based learning, early exposure, and interactive lecture-based teaching. The students are required to submit written reflections as a formative assessment. This study conducted an inductive thematic analysis of 104 written reflections from a series of e-portfolios of 26 first-year students. The themes related to learning outcomes from student perspectives included communication (e.g., active listening and intelligible explanation), teams and teamwork (e.g., mutual engagement and leadership), roles/responsibilities as a group member (e.g., self-directed learning and information literacy), and roles/responsibilities as a health professional (e.g., understanding of the student's own professional and mutual respect in an interprofessional team). The study also indicated three perspectives of students' learning process at different stages of the IPE, i.e., processes by which students became active and responsible learners, emphasised the enhancement of teamwork, and developed their own interprofessional identities. This study revealed the first-year students' learning processes in the year-long IPE programme and clarified the role of the first-year IPE programme within the overall curriculum. The findings suggest that the students' active participation in the IPE programme facilitated their fundamental understanding of communication/teamwork and identity formation as a health professional in interprofessional collaborative practice.

Understanding the barriers to setting up a healthcare quality improvement process in resource-limited settings: a situational analysis at the Medical Department of Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi.

PubMed

Agyeman-Duah, Josephine Nana Afrakoma; Theurer, Antje; Munthali, Charles; Alide, Noor; Neuhann, Florian

2014-01-02

Knowledge regarding the best approaches to improving the quality of healthcare and their implementation is lacking in many resource-limited settings. The Medical Department of Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi set out to improve the quality of care provided to its patients and establish itself as a recognized centre in teaching, operations research and supervision of district hospitals. Efforts in the past to achieve these objectives were short-lived, and largely unsuccessful. Against this background, a situational analysis was performed to aid the Medical Department to define and prioritize its quality improvement activities. A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods was applied using checklists for observed practice, review of registers, key informant interviews and structured patient interviews. The mixed methods comprised triangulation by including the perspectives of the clients, healthcare providers from within and outside the department, and the field researcher's perspectives by means of document review and participatory observation. Human resource shortages, staff attitudes and shortage of equipment were identified as major constraints to patient care, and the running of the Medical Department. Processes, including documentation in registers and files and communication within and across cadres of staff were also found to be insufficient and thus undermining the effort of staff and management in establishing a sustained high quality culture. Depending on their past experience and knowledge, the stakeholder interviewees revealed different perspectives and expectations of quality healthcare and the intended quality improvement process. Establishing a quality improvement process in resource-limited settings is an enormous task, considering the host of challenges that these facilities face. The steps towards changing the status quo for improved quality care require critical self-assessment, the willingness to change as well as determined commitment and contributions from clients, staff and management.

Parent-Research as a Process of Inquiry: An Ethnographic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kabuto, Bobbie

2008-01-01

This article illustrates how an ethnographic perspective can provide a descriptive methodological approach to parent-research as a process of inquiry within the field of education. By juxtaposing data and illuminating reflexive accounts from a longitudinal parent-research study, I suggest that such a perspective provides critical insights into the…

Facing Global Challenges: A European University Perspective. Policy Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swail, Watson Scott

2014-01-01

This EPI Policy Perspectives covers a presentation given at the European University Association Annual Convention (March 20, 2009, in Prague, Czech Republic) that addresses the Bologna process in the European Union. The process raised many questions regarding the role of the university, and the entire tertiary/postsecondary system of education.…

Considering "Teacher Resilience" from Critical Discourse and Labour Process Theory Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Anne; Mansfield, Caroline; McConney, Andrew

2012-01-01

This article considers the construct of "teacher resilience" from critical discourse and labour process perspectives in order to cast new light on what has been traditionally viewed from a psychological perspective. In this respect, the construct of resilience is placed in the broad political landscape of teachers' work and the labour…

Losing oneself upon placement in another's position: the influence of perspective on self-referential processing.

PubMed

Zhang, Tianyang; Zhu, Ying; Wu, Yanhong

2014-07-01

Self-referential processing is considered to be an essential index for exploring self-consciousness. However, whether perspective is the determining factor of the self-reference effect (SRE), which is accompanied by self-referential processing, has not been established. The present study aims to address this issue by using a self-reference paradigm, in which the participants perform a self-reference task while adopting different perspectives. Our results showed that trait words presented with the self in the first-person perspective (1PP) were better remembered compared to trait words presented with others. Interestingly, these SREs were decreased and even reversed in the third-person perspective. When the participants viewed themselves based on their friend's perspective, no significant difference was found between the recognition performances of self- and friend-trait words. Moreover, an improved "remember" recognition performance of friend-trait words was found. These findings support the assumption that the 1PP is a necessary factor for self-advantage in self-referential processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Outcomes and provider perspectives on geriatric care by a nurse practitioner-led community paramedicine program.

PubMed

Kant, Rebecca E; Vejar, Maria; Parnes, Bennett; Mulder, Joy; Daddato, Andrea; Matlock, Daniel D; Lum, Hillary D

2018-05-03

This study explores the use of a nurse practitioner-led paramedicine program for acute, home-based care of geriatric patients. This case series describes patients, outcomes, and geriatric primary care provider perspectives related to use of this independent paramedicine program. There were 40 patient visits from August 2016-May 2017. We reviewed patient demographics, medical conditions, healthcare utilization, and communication processes and used semi-structured interviews and content analysis to explore staff perspectives. The most commonly treated diagnoses were respiratory conditions, urinary tract infections, and gastrointestinal concerns. Two patients required an immediate transfer to a higher level of care. Six patients had emergency department visits and five patients were hospitalized within two weeks. Geriatric providers identified three themes including: potential benefits to geriatric patients, importance of enhanced care coordination and communication, and considerations for the specific role of nurse practitioner-led community paramedicine programs for geriatric patient care. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Framework for Advancing the Reporting of Patient Engagement in Rheumatology Research Projects.

PubMed

Hamilton, Clayon B; Leese, Jenny C; Hoens, Alison M; Li, Linda C

2017-07-01

The term "patient engagement in research" refers to patients and their surrogates undertaking roles in the research process beyond those of study participants. This paper proposes a new framework for describing patient engagement in research, based on analysis of 30 publications related to patient engagement. Over the past 15 years, patients' perspectives have been instrumental in broadening the scope of rheumatology research and outcome measurement, such as evaluating fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis. Recent reviews, however, highlight low-quality reporting of patient engagement in research. Until we have more detailed information about patient engagement in rheumatology research, our understanding of how patients' perspectives are being integrated into research projects remains limited. When authors follow our guidance on the important components for describing patients' roles and function as "research partners," researchers and other knowledge users will better understand how patients' perspectives were integrated in their research projects.

Who killed Laius?: On Sophocles' enigmatic message.

PubMed

Priel, Beatriz

2002-04-01

Using Laplanche's basic conceptualisation of the role of the other in unconscious processes, the author proposes a reading of Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus the King, according to basic principles of dream interpretation. This reading corroborates contemporary literary perspectives suggesting that Sophocles' tragedy may not only convey the myth but also provide a critical analysis of how myths work. Important textual inconsistencies and incoherence, which have been noted through the centuries, suggest the existence of another, repressed story. Moreover, the action of the play points to enigmatic parental messages of infanticide and the silencing of Oedipus's story, as well as their translation into primordial guilt, as the origins of the tragic denouement. Oedipus's self-condemnation of parricide follows these enigmatic codes and is unrelated to, and may even contradict, the evidence offered in the tragedy as to the identity of Laius's murderers. Moreover, Sophocles' text provides a complex intertwining of hermeneutic and deterministic perspectives. Through the use of the mythical deterministic content, the formal characteristics of Sophocles' text, mainly its complex time perspective and extensive use of double meaning, dramatise in the act of reading an acute awareness of interpretation. This reading underscores the fundamental role of the other in the constitution of unconscious processes.

Assessing state efforts to meet baby boomers' long-term care needs: a case study in compensatory federalism.

PubMed

Pandey, Sanjay K

2002-01-01

The role of the state government and the character of federal-state relations in social policy have evolved considerably. Frank Thompson uses the phrase compensatory federalism to describe increased activity by state governments to make up for a diminished federal role. For compensatory federalism to work, it is essential for states to take leadership roles in key policy areas. Few studies examine whether states have risen to the challenge of compensatory federalism in social policy. This paper examines an emerging issue of great significance in social policy-challenges involved in meeting future long-term care needs for the baby boomer generation. The paper provides an in-depth case study of attempts by Maryland to meet the challenges of financing long-term care needs for the baby boomer generation. The detailed description of the agenda-setting and problem-structuring process in Maryland is followed by an analysis that uses three different frameworks to assess the policy development processes. These models are rooted in a bureaucratic politics perspective, an agenda-setting perspective and an interest group politics perspective. The paper concludes with a discussion of the limitations and possibilities of state leadership in the social policy sphere.

Argumentation in Science Education: A Model-based Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böttcher, Florian; Meisert, Anke

2011-02-01

The goal of this article is threefold: First, the theoretical background for a model-based framework of argumentation to describe and evaluate argumentative processes in science education is presented. Based on the general model-based perspective in cognitive science and the philosophy of science, it is proposed to understand arguments as reasons for the appropriateness of a theoretical model which explains a certain phenomenon. Argumentation is considered to be the process of the critical evaluation of such a model if necessary in relation to alternative models. Secondly, some methodological details are exemplified for the use of a model-based analysis in the concrete classroom context. Third, the application of the approach in comparison with other analytical models will be presented to demonstrate the explicatory power and depth of the model-based perspective. Primarily, the framework of Toulmin to structurally analyse arguments is contrasted with the approach presented here. It will be demonstrated how common methodological and theoretical problems in the context of Toulmin's framework can be overcome through a model-based perspective. Additionally, a second more complex argumentative sequence will also be analysed according to the invented analytical scheme to give a broader impression of its potential in practical use.

Interpreting psychoanalytic interpretation: a fourfold perspective.

PubMed

Schermer, Victor L

2011-12-01

Following an overview of psychoanalytic interpretation in theory, practice, and historical context, as well as the question of whether interpretations have scientific validity, the author holds that hermeneutics, the philosophical and psychological study of interpretation, provides a rich understanding of recent developments in self psychology, inter-subjective and relational perspectives, attachment theory, and psycho-spiritual views on psychoanalytic process. He then offers four distinct hermeneutical vantage points regarding interpretation in the psychoanalytic context, including (1) Freud's adaptation of the Aristotelian view of interpretation as the uncovering of a set of predetermined meanings and structures; (2) the phenomenological view of interpretation as the laying bare of "the things themselves," that is, removing the coverings of objectification and concretization imposed by social norms and the conscious ego; (3) the dialogical existential view of interpretation as an ongoing relational process; and (4) the transformational understanding in which interpretation evokes a "presence" that transforms both patient and analyst. He concludes by contending that these perspectives are not mutually exclusive ways of conducting an analysis, but rather that all occur within the analyst's suspended attention, the caregiving and holding essential to good therapeutic outcomes, and the mutuality of the psychoanalytic dialogue.

Health-care process improvement decisions: a systems perspective.

PubMed

Walley, Paul; Silvester, Kate; Mountford, Shaun

2006-01-01

The paper seeks to investigate decision-making processes within hospital improvement activity, to understand how performance measurement systems influence decisions and potentially lead to unsuccessful or unsustainable process changes. A longitudinal study over a 33-month period investigates key events, decisions and outcomes at one medium-sized hospital in the UK. Process improvement events are monitored using process control methods and by direct observation. The authors took a systems perspective of the health-care processes, ensuring that the impacts of decisions across the health-care supply chain were appropriately interpreted. The research uncovers the ways in which measurement systems disguise failed decisions and encourage managers to take a low-risk approach of "symptomatic relief" when trying to improve performance metrics. This prevents many managers from trying higher risk, sustainable process improvement changes. The behaviour of the health-care system is not understood by many managers and this leads to poor analysis of problem situations. Measurement using time-series methodologies, such as statistical process control are vital for a better understanding of the systems impact of changes. Senior managers must also be aware of the behavioural influence of similar performance measurement systems that discourage sustainable improvement. There is a risk that such experiences will tarnish the reputation of performance management as a discipline. Recommends process control measures as a way of creating an organization memory of how decisions affect performance--something that is currently lacking.

Achieving an empathic stance: dialogical sequence analysis of a change episode.

PubMed

Tikkanen, Soile; Stiles, William B; Leiman, Mikael

2013-01-01

Abstract This study examined a client's therapeutic progress within one session of an 18-session child neurological assessment. The analysis focused on a parent-psychologist dialogue in one session of the assessment process. Dialogical sequence analysis (DSA; Leiman, 2004, 2012) was used as a micro-analytic method to examine the developing discourse. The analysis traced the mother's developing of a reflective stance toward herself and her problematic ways of interacting with her daughter, who was the client. During the dialogue, the mother began to recognize her own contribution in maintaining the problematic pattern. Her gradual acknowledgment of the child's perspective and her growing sense of the child's otherness were mediated by an observer position (third-person view) toward the problematic pattern, which allowed a flexible exchange between the perspectives of self and the other. The results demonstrate the parallel development of intrapersonal and interpersonal empathy shown previously to characterize the transition from stage 3 (problem statement/clarification) to stage 4 (understanding/insight) in the assimilation of problematic experiences sequence (Brinegar, Salvi, Stiles, & Greenberg, 2006).

Controversies in water management: Frames and mental models

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

Kolkman, M.J.; Department of Civil Engineering and Management, Faculty of Engineering Technology; Veen, A. van der

Controversies in decision and policy-making processes can be analysed using frame reflection and mental model mapping techniques. The purpose of the method presented in this paper is to improve the quality of the information and interpretations available to decision makers, by surfacing and juxtaposing the different frames of decision makers, experts, and special interests groups. The research provides a new method to analyse frames. It defines a frame to consist of perspectives and a mental model, which are in close interaction (through second order learning processes). The mental model acts like a 'filter' through which the problem situation is observed.more » Five major perspective types guide the construction of meaning out of the information delivered by the mental model, and determine what actors see as their interests. The perspective types are related to an actor's institutional and personal position in the decision making process. The method was applied to a case, in order to test its viability. The case concerns the decision making process and environmental impact assessment procedure for the improvement of dike ring 53 in the Netherlands, which was initiated by the Dutch 'Flood Defences Act 1996'. In this specific case the perspectives and mental models of stakeholders were elicited to explain controversies. The case was analysed with regard to the conflicts emerging between stakeholders, on an individual level. The influence of institutional embedding of individuals on the use of information and the construction of meaning, and the limits of a participatory approach were analysed within the details of controversies that emerged during the case analysis. Complicating factor appeared to be the interaction between national dike safety norms (short term) and local water management problems (long term). Revealed controversies mainly concerned disputes between an organisational and a technical perspective. But also disputes on distribution of responsibilities between different institutes, on legal and political liability, and on funding issues, involving persons of both perspectives, were found. The case reveals a lack of possibilities to search for an integrated solution which involves all levels of authority, and a lack of possibilities to discuss the additional problems that were raised by the integrated approach in the initial phase of the case project. The complex and unstructured nature of the problem situation caused the traditional substantive approach to fail to deliver a good solution. Legal, socio-economic and institutional factors ultimately dominated the decision making process.« less

Investigating socio-cognitive processes in deception: a quantitative meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.

PubMed

Lisofsky, Nina; Kazzer, Philipp; Heekeren, Hauke R; Prehn, Kristin

2014-08-01

Recent neuroimaging studies have found a broad network of brain regions involved in deception, including the prefrontal cortex, insula, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Although deception can be conceptualized as the attempt to deliberately cause another person to accept a false belief, research to date has mainly focused on executive control processes when participants are instructed to lie under certain conditions. Recently, more ecologically valid and interactive experimental paradigms have been used in which subjects were also requested to take the perspective of another person, read his or her intentions, and make a self-determined decision to deceive that person and break a moral rule. To investigate the influence of these socio-cognitive processes on the neural network of deception, we performed a quantitative meta-analysis combining the data from 416 participants across 22 fMRI and two PET studies. Based on the description of the experimental paradigm, studies were divided in social interactive and non-interactive deception studies. Increased activation in the dorsal ACC, the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ)/angular gyrus, and the bilateral temporal pole (TP) was found to be greater in social interactive than in non-interactive deception. These results demonstrate the important role of perspective taking, theory of mind, and moral reasoning processes in deception as well as conflict processing. In addition to the role of executive control processes determined by previous meta-analyses, our findings show the importance of these socio-cognitive processes in deception and give new insight into the function and interpretation of the brain regions involved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-stakeholder perspectives in defining health-services quality in cataract care.

PubMed

Stolk-Vos, Aline C; van de Klundert, Joris J; Maijers, Niels; Zijlmans, Bart L M; Busschbach, Jan J V

2017-08-01

To develop a method to define a multi-stakeholder perspective on health-service quality that enables the expression of differences in systematically identified stakeholders' perspectives, and to pilot the approach for cataract care. Mixed-method study between 2014 and 2015. Cataract care in the Netherlands. Stakeholder representatives. We first identified and classified stakeholders using stakeholder theory. Participants established a multi-stakeholder perspective on quality of cataract care using concept mapping, this yielded a cluster map based on multivariate statistical analyses. Consensus-based quality dimensions were subsequently defined in a plenary stakeholder session. Stakeholders and multi-stakeholder perspective on health-service quality. Our analysis identified seven definitive stakeholders, as follows: the Dutch Ophthalmology Society, ophthalmologists, general practitioners, optometrists, health insurers, hospitals and private clinics. Patients, as dependent stakeholders, were considered to lack power by other stakeholders; hence, they were not classified as definitive stakeholders. Overall, 18 stakeholders representing ophthalmologists, general practitioners, optometrists, health insurers, hospitals, private clinics, patients, patient federations and the Dutch Healthcare Institute sorted 125 systematically collected indicators into the seven following clusters: patient centeredness and accessibility, interpersonal conduct and expectations, experienced outcome, clinical outcome, process and structure, medical technical acting and safety. Importance scores from stakeholders directly involved in the cataract service delivery process correlated strongly, as did scores from stakeholders not directly involved in this process. Using a case study on cataract care, the proposed methods enable different views among stakeholders concerning quality dimensions to be systematically revealed, and the stakeholders jointly agreed on these dimensions. The methods helped to unify different quality definitions and facilitated operationalisation of quality measurement in a way that was accepted by relevant stakeholders. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

An analysis of the sliding pressure start-up of SCWR

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

Wang, F.; Yang, J.; Li, H.

In this paper, the preliminary sliding pressure start-up system and scheme of supercritical water-cooled reactor in CGNPC (CGN-SCWR) were proposed. Thermal-hydraulic behavior in start-up procedures was analyzed in detail by employing advanced reactor subchannel analysis software ATHAS. The maximum cladding temperature (MCT for short) and core power of fuel assembly during the whole start-up process were investigated comparatively. The results show that the recommended start-up scheme meets the design requirements from the perspective of thermal-hydraulic. (authors)

A Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of the Outside World Perception Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wewerinke, P. H.

1978-01-01

The outside scene is often an important source of information for manual control tasks. Important examples of these are car driving and aircraft control. This paper deals with modelling this visual scene perception process on the basis of linear perspective geometry and the relative motion cues. Model predictions utilizing psychophysical threshold data from base-line experiments and literature of a variety of visual approach tasks are compared with experimental data. Both the performance and workload results illustrate that the model provides a meaningful description of the outside world perception process, with a useful predictive capability.

Time irreversibility and intrinsics revealing of series with complex network approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Hui; Shang, Pengjian; Xia, Jianan; Wang, Jing

2018-06-01

In this work, we analyze time series on the basis of the visibility graph algorithm that maps the original series into a graph. By taking into account the all-round information carried by the signals, the time irreversibility and fractal behavior of series are evaluated from a complex network perspective, and considered signals are further classified from different aspects. The reliability of the proposed analysis is supported by numerical simulations on synthesized uncorrelated random noise, short-term correlated chaotic systems and long-term correlated fractal processes, and by the empirical analysis on daily closing prices of eleven worldwide stock indices. Obtained results suggest that finite size has a significant effect on the evaluation, and that there might be no direct relation between the time irreversibility and long-range correlation of series. Similarity and dissimilarity between stock indices are also indicated from respective regional and global perspectives, showing the existence of multiple features of underlying systems.

SERS as a tool for in vitro toxicology.

PubMed

Fisher, Kate M; McLeish, Jennifer A; Jamieson, Lauren E; Jiang, Jing; Hopgood, James R; McLaughlin, Stephen; Donaldson, Ken; Campbell, Colin J

2016-06-23

Measuring markers of stress such as pH and redox potential are important when studying toxicology in in vitro models because they are markers of oxidative stress, apoptosis and viability. While surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy is ideally suited to the measurement of redox potential and pH in live cells, the time-intensive nature and perceived difficulty in signal analysis and interpretation can be a barrier to its broad uptake by the biological community. In this paper we detail the development of signal processing and analysis algorithms that allow SERS spectra to be automatically processed so that the output of the processing is a pH or redox potential value. By automating signal processing we were able to carry out a comparative evaluation of the toxicology of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles and correlate our findings with qPCR analysis. The combination of these two analytical techniques sheds light on the differences in toxicology between these two materials from the perspective of oxidative stress.

From Winning-at-All-Costs to Give Us Back Our Game: Perspective Transformation in Youth Sport Coaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenoglio, Rick; Taylor, William

2014-01-01

Background: Drawing upon concepts from Mezirow's transformative learning theory, this research investigated the process of perspective transformation in three purposively sampled youth sport coaches in the UK. Perspective transformation is the process by which adults revise their culturally defined frames of reference which have arisen out of…

Evaluation of Energy Policy Instruments for the Adoption of Renewable Energy: Case of Wind Energy in the Pacific Northwest U.S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abotah, Remal

The wide use of renewable energy technologies for generating electricity can be seen as one way of meeting environmental and climate change challenges along with a progression to a low-carbon economy. A large number of policy instruments have been formed and employed to support the adoption of renewable energy technologies in the power generation sector. However, the success of these policies in achieving their goals relies on how effective they are in satisfying their targets and thus increasing renewable energy adoption. One measurement for effectiveness of policy instruments can be their contribution to the input of the process of renewable energy adoption and their effect on satisfying regional goal. The objective of this research is evaluate the effectiveness of energy policy instruments on increasing the adoption of renewable energy by developing a comprehensive evaluation model. Criteria used in this assessment depend on five perspectives that are perceived by decision makers as important for adoption process. The decision model linked the perspectives to policy targets and various energy policy instruments. These perspectives are: economic, social, political, environmental and technical. The research implemented the hierarchical decision model (HDM) to construct a generalized policy assessment framework. Data for wind energy adoption in the Pacific Northwest region were collected as a case study and application for the model. Experts' qualitative judgments were collected and quantified using the pair-wise comparison method and the final rankings and effectiveness of policy alternatives with respect to the mission were identified. Results of this research identified economic feasibility improvement of renewable energy projects as the most influential perspective and that renewable portfolio standards and tax credits are the two most effective criteria to accomplish that. The research also applied sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis to identify the effect of regional perspectives future priority changes on determining the most effective policy for this perspective. Results showed that renewable portfolio standards and tax credits were found to be the two most effective policies among the alternatives assessed. The research model and outcome can serve as policy check tool in policy making for renewable energy development in any region. Based on the overall research findings, policymakers can apply specific policy instruments to support adoption efforts for any given scenario and regional emphasis.

Functional MRI examination of empathy for pain in people with schizophrenia reveals abnormal activation related to cognitive perspective-taking but typical activation linked to affective sharing

PubMed Central

Vistoli, Damien; Lavoie, Marie-Audrey; Sutliff, Stephanie; Jackson, Philip L.; Achim, Amélie M.

2017-01-01

Background Schizophrenia is associated with important disturbances in empathy that are related to everyday functioning. Empathy is classically defined as including affective (sharing others’ emotions) and cognitive (taking others’ cognitive perspectives) processes. In healthy individuals, studies on empathy for pain revealed specific brain systems associated with these sets of processes, notably the anterior middle cingulate (aMCC) and anterior insula (AI) for affective sharing and the bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ) for the cognitive processes, but the integrity of these systems in patients with schizophrenia remains uncertain. Methods Patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls performed a pain empathy task while undergoing fMRI scanning. Participants observed pictures of hands in either painful or nonpainful situations and rated the level of pain while imagining either themselves (self) or an unknown person (other) in these situations. Results We included 27 patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy controls in our analyses. For the pain versus no pain contrast, patients showed overall typical activation patterns in the aMCC and AI, with only a small part of the aMCC showing reduced activation compared with controls. For the other versus self contrast, patients showed an abnormal modulation of activation in the TPJ bilaterally (extending to the posterior superior temporal sulcus, referred to as the TPJ/pSTS). Limitations The design included an unnecessary manipulation of the visual perspective that reduced the number of trials for analysis. The sample size may not account for the heterogeneity of schizophrenia. Conclusion People with schizophrenia showed relatively intact brain activation when observing others’ pain, but showed abnormalities when asked to take the cognitive perspectives of others. PMID:28556774

3D Modeling as Method for Construction and Analysis of Graphic Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kheyfets, A. L.; Vasilieva, V. N.

2017-11-01

The use of 3D modeling when constructing and analyzing perspective projections and shadows is considered. The creation of photorealistic image is shown. The perspective of the construction project and characterization of its image are given as an example. The authors consider the construction of a dynamic block as a means of graphical information storage and automation of geometric constructions. The example of the dynamic block construction at creating a truss node is demonstrated. The constructions are considered as applied to the Auto-CAD software. The paper is aimed at improving the graphic methods of architectural design and improving the educational process when training the Bachelor’s degree students majoring in construction.

Left ventricular fluid mechanics: the long way from theoretical models to clinical applications.

PubMed

Pedrizzetti, Gianni; Domenichini, Federico

2015-01-01

The flow inside the left ventricle is characterized by the formation of vortices that smoothly accompany blood from the mitral inlet to the aortic outlet. Computational fluid dynamics permitted to shed some light on the fundamental processes involved with vortex motion. More recently, patient-specific numerical simulations are becoming an increasingly feasible tool that can be integrated with the developing imaging technologies. The existing computational methods are reviewed in the perspective of their potential role as a novel aid for advanced clinical analysis. The current results obtained by simulation methods either alone or in combination with medical imaging are summarized. Open problems are highlighted and perspective clinical applications are discussed.

Dependency distance in language evolution. Comment on "Dependency distance: A new perspective on syntactic patterns in natural languages" by Haitao Liu et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bingli; Chen, Xinying

2017-07-01

In the target article [1], Liu et al. provide an informative introduction to the dependency distance studies and proclaim that language syntactic patterns, that relate to the dependency distance, are associated with human cognitive mechanisms, such as limited working memory and syntax processing. Therefore, such syntactic patterns are probably 'human-driven' language universals. Sufficient evidence based on big data analysis is also given in the article for supporting this idea. The hypotheses generally seem very convincing yet still need further tests from various perspectives. Diachronic linguistic study based on authentic language data, on our opinion, can be one of those 'further tests'.

Value of DNA tests: a decision perspective.

PubMed

Taroni, Franco; Bozza, Silvia; Bernard, Magali; Champod, Christophe

2007-01-01

Before a Court of Law testifying in DNA-evidence cases, scientists are often challenged with the idea that the more markers (loci) the better, i.e., why does the scientist not use 16 or more markers? This paper introduces a new perspective, decision analysis, to deal with the problem of the number of markers to type in a criminal context. The decision-making process, which plays a key role in the routine work of a forensic scientist, consists of the rational choice, given personal objectives, between two or more possible outcomes when the consequences of the choice are uncertain. Simulated results support the hypothesis that analytical added value does not increase with the number of markers.

The competition of densification and structure ordering during crystallization of HCP-Mg in the framework of layering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Jie; Jiang, Yewei; Yu, Ronggang; Wu, Yongquan

2017-06-01

In this paper, we performed an NPT molecular dynamics simulation of crystallization process of HCP-Mg to probe the competition between densification and structural ordering. Two opposite layering patterns, i.e. outward and inward, were designed for analysis. From the perspective of solid-like cluster (SLC) itself, structural ordering always precedes densification; but from the perspective of SLC's precursor, structural ordering always lags behind densification; the reversion occurs at the closest two liquid layers around SLC. We call it dip-rebound phenomenon. This phenomenon is a completely new finding. It resolves, to some extent, recent debate about whether densification or structural ordering triggers crystallization.

Medical image computing for computer-supported diagnostics and therapy. Advances and perspectives.

PubMed

Handels, H; Ehrhardt, J

2009-01-01

Medical image computing has become one of the most challenging fields in medical informatics. In image-based diagnostics of the future software assistance will become more and more important, and image analysis systems integrating advanced image computing methods are needed to extract quantitative image parameters to characterize the state and changes of image structures of interest (e.g. tumors, organs, vessels, bones etc.) in a reproducible and objective way. Furthermore, in the field of software-assisted and navigated surgery medical image computing methods play a key role and have opened up new perspectives for patient treatment. However, further developments are needed to increase the grade of automation, accuracy, reproducibility and robustness. Moreover, the systems developed have to be integrated into the clinical workflow. For the development of advanced image computing systems methods of different scientific fields have to be adapted and used in combination. The principal methodologies in medical image computing are the following: image segmentation, image registration, image analysis for quantification and computer assisted image interpretation, modeling and simulation as well as visualization and virtual reality. Especially, model-based image computing techniques open up new perspectives for prediction of organ changes and risk analysis of patients and will gain importance in diagnostic and therapy of the future. From a methodical point of view the authors identify the following future trends and perspectives in medical image computing: development of optimized application-specific systems and integration into the clinical workflow, enhanced computational models for image analysis and virtual reality training systems, integration of different image computing methods, further integration of multimodal image data and biosignals and advanced methods for 4D medical image computing. The development of image analysis systems for diagnostic support or operation planning is a complex interdisciplinary process. Image computing methods enable new insights into the patient's image data and have the future potential to improve medical diagnostics and patient treatment.

A Systematic Approach to the Study of Benefits and Detriments of Tenure in American Higher Education: An Analysis of the Evidence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habecker, Eugene B.

Evidence concerning tenure as found in a review of the literature of more than 200 sources is examined. After addressing the tenure process, typology, history, the involvement of the American Association of University Professors, and current legal perspectives, the various alternatives to tenure are considered. The following systemic institutional…

An Activity Theory Approach to Analyze Barriers to a Virtual Management Information Systems (MIS) Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaradat, Suhair; Qablan, Ahmad; Barham, Areej

2011-01-01

This paper explains how the activity theory is used as a framework to analyze the barriers to a virtual Management Information Stream (MIS) Curriculum in Jordanian schools, from both the sociocultural and pedagogical perspectives. Taking the activity system as a unit of analysis, this study documents the processes by which activities shape and are…

Computational Approaches to Image Understanding.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

represnting points, edges, surfaces, and volumes to facilitate display. The geometry or perspective and parailcl (or orthographic) projection has...of making the image forming process explicit. This in turn leads to a concern with geometry , such as the properties f the gradient, stereographic, and...dual spaces. Combining geometry and smoothness leads naturally to multi-variate vector analysis, and to differential geometry . For the most part, a

A Critical Race Feminist Analysis of Men of Color Matriculating into a Higher Education Doctoral Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Squire, Dian D.; Kelly, Bridget Turner; Jourian, T. J.; Byrd, Ajani M.; Manzano, Lester J.; Bumbry, Michael

2018-01-01

In Fall, 2012, the Loyola University Chicago Higher Education program faculty admitted a doctoral cohort of 5 men of color. This article is a reflexive and reflective autoethnography that explores the college choice processes of 5 doctoral men of color through a Critical Race Feminist perspective. The faculty program chair's narrative supplements…

Participation of Women in the International Conferences on Education, 1934-2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortez, David Sifuentes

2004-01-01

This article examines the participation of women in decision-making processes in the field of education, from a global perspective, through their roles and positions in International Conferences on Education (ICEs). This analysis is based on a sample of sixteen of the forty-six ICEs held from 1934 to this day. All of the ICEs that took place over…

Modeling of Economy Considering Crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrov, Lev F.

2009-09-01

We discuss main modeling's problems of economy dynamic processes and the reason forecast's absence of economic crisis. We present a structure of complexity level of system and models and discuss expected results concerning crisis phenomena. We formulate the basic perspective directions of the mathematical modeling of economy, including possibility of the analysis of the pre crisis, crisis and post crisis phenomena in economic systems.

Exploring Access and Equity in Higher Education: Policy and Performance in a Comparative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clancy, Patrick; Goastellec, Gaele

2007-01-01

A comparative analysis of how access and equity are defined and how policies have evolved reveals a number of commonalities and differences between countries. The overall trend is a movement from the priority given to "inherited merit" in the admission process through a commitment to formal equality, towards the application of some modes of…

"Conscientizacao" through Graffiti Literacies in the Streets of a Sao Paulo Neighborhood: An Ecosocial Semiotic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iddings, Ana Christina DaSilva; McCafferty, Steven G.; da Silva, Maria Lucia Teixeira

2011-01-01

In this study, we applied an ecosocial semiotic theoretical framework to the analysis of graffiti literacies in the Vila Madalena neighborhood of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to inquire about the nature and processes of "conscientizacao" (critical awareness) for adult street dwellers who had no or little ability to read and write (as traditionally…

"The Art(ist) Is Present": Arts-Based Research Perspective in Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pentassuglia, Monica

2017-01-01

A growing interest in the concept of practice within workplace settings has been seen in the last two decades in a variety of fields. Although some authors highlighted the importance of this type of research, there is still a poor scientific understanding of this process. The first serious discussion and analysis of the construction of knowledge…

Intellectual Disabilities and Power Spectra Analysis during Sleep: A New Perspective on Borderline Intellectual Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esposito, M.; Carotenuto, M.

2014-01-01

Background: The role of sleep in cognitive processes has been confirmed by a growing number of reports for all ages of life. Analysing sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) spectra may be useful to study cortical organisation in individuals with Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF), as seen in other disturbances even if it is not considered a…

A Philosophical Perspective on Construct Validation: Application of Inductive Logic to the Analysis of Experimental Episode Construct Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossi, Robert Joseph

Methods drawn from four logical theories associated with studies of inductive processes are applied to the assessment and evaluation of experimental episode construct validity. It is shown that this application provides for estimates of episode informativeness with respect to the person examined in terms of the construct and to the construct…

Perspectives on Academic Staff Involvement in the Acquisition and Implementation of Educational Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habib, Laurence; Johannesen, Monica

2014-01-01

This article presents the results of a study using both quantitative and qualitative data to uncover the extent and nature of the involvement of academic staff in the processes of acquisition and implementation of educational technologies. Actor-network theory (ANT) is used to inform the design of the study and the analysis of the data. Three main…

A Critical Interdisciplinary Analysis of Culturally Appropriate Research Approach and Practices in Health Care and Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shams, Manfusa; Robinson, Lena

2005-01-01

This paper presents a critique of research approaches used in health and social care research with vulnerable and socially disadvantaged groups, and children and young people from minority ethnic backgrounds in Britain. The paper aims to critically examine research processes in health and social care from a psychological perspective and a social…

When "Becoming a 50% School" is Success Enough: A Principal-Agent Analysis of Subject Leaders' Target Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Peter; Coates, Gwen; Hammersley-Fletcher, Linda; Mangan, Jean

2005-01-01

Using the perspective of principal-agent theory, we suggest that the target setting process imposed by the government has shifted teachers' focus away from their personal educational priorities. Our evidence suggests that schools with a higher proportion of students with high academic achievement differ in their practice of target setting from…

Ways of Knowing Beyond Facts and Laws of Science: An Ethnographic Investigation of Student Engagement in Scientific Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Teresa; Kelly, Gregory J.; Brown, Candice

This study brings an anthropological perspective informed by sociolinguistic discourse analysis to examine how teachers, students, and scientists constructed ways of investigating and knowing science. The teaching and learning processes for a group of third grade students and how, in the following academic year, these same students drew upon their…

Avoiding the Complex History, Simple Answer Syndrome: A Lesson Plan for Providing Depth and Analysis in the High School History Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindquist, David H.

2012-01-01

Examining history from the perspective of investigators who wrestle with involved scenarios for which no simple answers exist, or from which no obvious conclusions can be drawn, allows students to understand the historiographic process and the complex nature of historical events, while gaining valuable practice in applying analytical and critical…

Analyzing women's roles through graphic representation of narratives.

PubMed

Hall, Joanne M

2003-08-01

A 1992 triangulated international nursing study of women's health was reported. The researchers used the perspectives of feminism and symbolic interactionism, specifically role theory. A narrative analysis was done to clarify the concept of role integration. The narrative analysis was reported in 1992, but graphic/visual techniques used in the team dialogue process of narrative analysis were not reported due to space limitations. These techniques have not been reported elsewhere and thus remain innovative. Specific steps in the method are outlined here in detail as an audit trail. The process would be useful to other qualitative researchers as an exemplar of one novel way that verbal data can be abstracted visually/graphically. Suggestions are included for aspects of narrative, in addition to roles, that could be depicted graphically in qualitative research.

Perspectives on Cybersecurity Information Sharing among Multiple Stakeholders Using a Decision-Theoretic Approach.

PubMed

He, Meilin; Devine, Laura; Zhuang, Jun

2018-02-01

The government, private sectors, and others users of the Internet are increasingly faced with the risk of cyber incidents. Damage to computer systems and theft of sensitive data caused by cyber attacks have the potential to result in lasting harm to entities under attack, or to society as a whole. The effects of cyber attacks are not always obvious, and detecting them is not a simple proposition. As the U.S. federal government believes that information sharing on cybersecurity issues among organizations is essential to safety, security, and resilience, the importance of trusted information exchange has been emphasized to support public and private decision making by encouraging the creation of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC). Through a decision-theoretic approach, this article provides new perspectives on ISAC, and the advent of the new Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISAOs), which are intended to provide similar benefits to organizations that cannot fit easily into the ISAC structure. To help understand the processes of information sharing against cyber threats, this article illustrates 15 representative information sharing structures between ISAC, government, and other participating entities, and provide discussions on the strategic interactions between different stakeholders. This article also identifies the costs of information sharing and information security borne by different parties in this public-private partnership both before and after cyber attacks, as well as the two main benefits. This article provides perspectives on the mechanism of information sharing and some detailed cost-benefit analysis. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Natural selection. VII. History and interpretation of kin selection theory.

PubMed

Frank, S A

2013-06-01

Kin selection theory is a kind of causal analysis. The initial form of kin selection ascribed cause to costs, benefits and genetic relatedness. The theory then slowly developed a deeper and more sophisticated approach to partitioning the causes of social evolution. Controversy followed because causal analysis inevitably attracts opposing views. It is always possible to separate total effects into different component causes. Alternative causal schemes emphasize different aspects of a problem, reflecting the distinct goals, interests and biases of different perspectives. For example, group selection is a particular causal scheme with certain advantages and significant limitations. Ultimately, to use kin selection theory to analyse natural patterns and to understand the history of debates over different approaches, one must follow the underlying history of causal analysis. This article describes the history of kin selection theory, with emphasis on how the causal perspective improved through the study of key patterns of natural history, such as dispersal and sex ratio, and through a unified approach to demographic and social processes. Independent historical developments in the multivariate analysis of quantitative traits merged with the causal analysis of social evolution by kin selection. © 2013 The Author. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2013 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Personality and self-regulation: trait and information-processing perspectives.

PubMed

Hoyle, Rick H

2006-12-01

This article introduces the special issue of Journal of Personality on personality and self-regulation. The goal of the issue is to illustrate and inspire research that integrates personality and process-oriented accounts of self-regulation. The article begins by discussing the trait perspective on self-regulation--distinguishing between temperament and personality accounts--and the information-processing perspective. Three approaches to integrating these perspectives are then presented. These range from methodological approaches, in which constructs representing the two perspectives are examined in integrated statistical models, to conceptual approaches, in which the two perspectives are unified in a holistic theoretical model of self-regulation. The article concludes with an overview of the special issue contributions, which are organized in four sections: broad, integrative models of personality and self-regulation; models that examine the developmental origins of self-regulation and self-regulatory styles; focused programs of research that concern specific aspects or applications of self-regulation; and strategies for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of self-regulation.

Integrating machine learning techniques into robust data enrichment approach and its application to gene expression data.

PubMed

Erdoğdu, Utku; Tan, Mehmet; Alhajj, Reda; Polat, Faruk; Rokne, Jon; Demetrick, Douglas

2013-01-01

The availability of enough samples for effective analysis and knowledge discovery has been a challenge in the research community, especially in the area of gene expression data analysis. Thus, the approaches being developed for data analysis have mostly suffered from the lack of enough data to train and test the constructed models. We argue that the process of sample generation could be successfully automated by employing some sophisticated machine learning techniques. An automated sample generation framework could successfully complement the actual sample generation from real cases. This argument is validated in this paper by describing a framework that integrates multiple models (perspectives) for sample generation. We illustrate its applicability for producing new gene expression data samples, a highly demanding area that has not received attention. The three perspectives employed in the process are based on models that are not closely related. The independence eliminates the bias of having the produced approach covering only certain characteristics of the domain and leading to samples skewed towards one direction. The first model is based on the Probabilistic Boolean Network (PBN) representation of the gene regulatory network underlying the given gene expression data. The second model integrates Hierarchical Markov Model (HIMM) and the third model employs a genetic algorithm in the process. Each model learns as much as possible characteristics of the domain being analysed and tries to incorporate the learned characteristics in generating new samples. In other words, the models base their analysis on domain knowledge implicitly present in the data itself. The developed framework has been extensively tested by checking how the new samples complement the original samples. The produced results are very promising in showing the effectiveness, usefulness and applicability of the proposed multi-model framework.

Instructional change in academic departments: An analysis from the persepctive of two environment-focused change strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quardokus, Kathleen M.

Numerous reports demand changes in college and university teaching practices. This is especially true for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. STEM stakeholders are concerned about student retention within STEM majors, as well as the lack of sufficient graduates with the knowledge to advance these fields. A common conclusion of these reports is that teaching practices must change. Although these calls for change have occurred for decades, STEM fields have yet to experience widespread change. Thus, there is a need for more effective change strategies. Recently, researchers have suggested that effective change strategies should focus on changing the environments of academic departments. This is in contrast to most commonly-used change strategies that focus on individual instructors. Environmentfocused change strategies have two main varieties: those that have a goal of implementing prescribed outcomes, and those that expect the outcomes to emerge from the change process. Yet, little is known about how to enact environment-focused change strategies. The goal of this research is to provide guidance for change agents and researchers by analyzing a large-scale change initiative from the perspective of two environment-focused change strategies: Kotter's eight-stage leadership process (prescribed) and complexity leadership theory (emergent). This analysis was guided by two research questions. 1. Within the context of a higher education change initiative, how is the change process described from the perspectives of two distinct leadership theories? 2. How do these descriptions frame problems and solutions associated with change? Each change strategy identified different activities as contributing to change as well as different missed opportunities. For example, when the change vision was not communicated effectively, the eight-stage leadership process indicated that the involvement of the department chair was needed, while complexity leadership theory indicated that more collaboration among individuals was needed. Often the missed leadership opportunities had been used effectively by one of the other departments. In addition to providing researchers and change agents with clear articulation of two ways of thinking about the change process, the results of this project identify four common problems that arose in the case studies and propose solutions from the perspective of each change strategy.

The professional perspective on patient involvement in the development of quality indicators: a qualitative analysis using the example of chronic heart failure in the German health care setting.

PubMed

Pohontsch, Nadine Janis; Herzberg, Heidrun; Joos, Stefanie; Welti, Felix; Scherer, Martin; Blozik, Eva

2015-01-01

There is an international consensus that quality indicators (QIs) of health care ought to represent patient-relevant aspects. Therefore, patient involvement in the development process is essential. However, there is no methodological gold standard for involving patients in QI development. The aim of this study is to explore experts' views on the representation of patient-relevant aspects in the QI development process using the QIs developed in the context of the German National Disease Management Guideline for Heart Failure as an example. Semi-structured, open telephone interviews were conducted with 15 German experts (patient representatives, physicians, researchers, and methodologists involved in guideline development or quality assessment). Interview themes were the relevance of the exemplary set of QIs for patients, as well as the legitimacy of, competence of, and collaboration with the patient representative who participated in the development process. Interviews were fully transcribed and content analyzed. Deductive categories derived from the research questions were supplemented by inductively formed categories during the review of the interview material. The qualitative analysis suggests a discrepancy between the guidelines' QIs and those relevant to patients from an expert's point of view, such as physician-patient communication and quality of counseling. Experts reported only minor communication and cooperation problems while working together in the guideline/QI development team. Concerns existed, for example, regarding the recruitment of patient representatives for diseases without self-help organizations, the financing of patient representation, and the training of patient representatives. Only few potential strategies for improving the process of patient involvement were mentioned. Integrating the patients' perspectives through the recruitment of a patient representative to participate in the development team was well established and broadly accepted. However, experts stated that the finally selected QIs represent only a small part of the patient-relevant aspects of medical care. According to the experts' perceptions, the current processes provide a very limited scope for integrating the patients' perspectives in a more extensive way. Supplementing the set of "conventional" QIs with additional, separately developed, "patient-side" QIs might help to include patient priorities in quality measurement.

Perspective-takers behave more stereotypically.

PubMed

Galinsky, Adam D; Wang, Cynthia S; Ku, Gillian

2008-08-01

Nine studies demonstrated that perspective-takers are particularly likely to adopt a target's positive and negative stereotypical traits and behaviors. Perspective-takers rated both positive and negative stereotypic traits of targets as more self-descriptive. As a result, taking the perspective of a professor led to improved performance on an analytic task, whereas taking the perspective of a cheerleader led to decreased performance, in line with the respective stereotypes of professors and cheerleaders. Similarly, perspective-takers of an elderly target competed less compared to perspective-takers of an African American target. Including the stereotype in the self (but not liking of the target) mediated the effects of perspective-taking on behavior, suggesting that cognitive and not affective processes drove the behavioral effects. These effects occurred using a measure and multiple manipulations of perspective-taking, as well as a panoply of stereotypes, establishing the robustness of the link between perspective-taking and stereotypical behavior. The findings support theorizing (A. D. Galinsky, G. Ku, & C. S. Wang, 2005) that perspective-takers utilize information, including stereotypes, to coordinate their behavior with others and provide key theoretical insights into the processes of both perspective-taking and behavioral priming. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

BPMN as a Communication Language for the Process- and Event-Oriented Perspectives in Fact-Oriented Conceptual Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bollen, Peter

In this paper we will show how the OMG specification of BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation) can be used to model the process- and event-oriented perspectives of an application subject area. We will illustrate how the fact-oriented conceptual models for the information-, process- and event perspectives can be used in a 'bottom-up' approach for creating a BPMN model in combination with other approaches, e.g. the use of a textual description. We will use the common doctor's office example as a running example in this article.

Age-related perspectives and emotion processing.

PubMed

Lynchard, Nicholas A; Radvansky, Gabriel A

2012-12-01

Emotion is processed differently in younger and older adults. Older adults show a positivity effect, whereas younger adults show a negativity effect. Socioemotional selectivity theory suggests that these effects can be elicited in any age group when age-related perspectives are manipulated. To examine this, younger and older adults were oriented to actual and age-contrasting possible selves. Emotion activations were assessed using lexical decision. In line with socioemotional selectivity theory, shifts in emotion orientation varied according to perspective, with both younger and older adults showing a negativity effect when a younger adult perspective was taken and a positivity effect when an older adult perspective was taken. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Qualitative Data Analysis for Health Services Research: Developing Taxonomy, Themes, and Theory

PubMed Central

Bradley, Elizabeth H; Curry, Leslie A; Devers, Kelly J

2007-01-01

Objective To provide practical strategies for conducting and evaluating analyses of qualitative data applicable for health services researchers. Data Sources and Design We draw on extant qualitative methodological literature to describe practical approaches to qualitative data analysis. Approaches to data analysis vary by discipline and analytic tradition; however, we focus on qualitative data analysis that has as a goal the generation of taxonomy, themes, and theory germane to health services research. Principle Findings We describe an approach to qualitative data analysis that applies the principles of inductive reasoning while also employing predetermined code types to guide data analysis and interpretation. These code types (conceptual, relationship, perspective, participant characteristics, and setting codes) define a structure that is appropriate for generation of taxonomy, themes, and theory. Conceptual codes and subcodes facilitate the development of taxonomies. Relationship and perspective codes facilitate the development of themes and theory. Intersectional analyses with data coded for participant characteristics and setting codes can facilitate comparative analyses. Conclusions Qualitative inquiry can improve the description and explanation of complex, real-world phenomena pertinent to health services research. Greater understanding of the processes of qualitative data analysis can be helpful for health services researchers as they use these methods themselves or collaborate with qualitative researchers from a wide range of disciplines. PMID:17286625

Qualitative data analysis for health services research: developing taxonomy, themes, and theory.

PubMed

Bradley, Elizabeth H; Curry, Leslie A; Devers, Kelly J

2007-08-01

To provide practical strategies for conducting and evaluating analyses of qualitative data applicable for health services researchers. DATA SOURCES AND DESIGN: We draw on extant qualitative methodological literature to describe practical approaches to qualitative data analysis. Approaches to data analysis vary by discipline and analytic tradition; however, we focus on qualitative data analysis that has as a goal the generation of taxonomy, themes, and theory germane to health services research. We describe an approach to qualitative data analysis that applies the principles of inductive reasoning while also employing predetermined code types to guide data analysis and interpretation. These code types (conceptual, relationship, perspective, participant characteristics, and setting codes) define a structure that is appropriate for generation of taxonomy, themes, and theory. Conceptual codes and subcodes facilitate the development of taxonomies. Relationship and perspective codes facilitate the development of themes and theory. Intersectional analyses with data coded for participant characteristics and setting codes can facilitate comparative analyses. Qualitative inquiry can improve the description and explanation of complex, real-world phenomena pertinent to health services research. Greater understanding of the processes of qualitative data analysis can be helpful for health services researchers as they use these methods themselves or collaborate with qualitative researchers from a wide range of disciplines.

The post-event processing questionnaire in a clinical sample with social phobia.

PubMed

McEvoy, Peter M; Kingsep, Patrick

2006-11-01

Post-event processing (PEP) involving rumination about perceived inadequacy in a past social situation has been proposed as an important maintaining factor in social phobia. The three aims of this study were to examine (a) the factor structure and internal reliability of a modified version of the Post-Event Processing Questionnaire [Rachman, S., Grüter-Andrew, J., & Shafran, R. (2000). Post-event processing in social anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 611-617] in a clinical sample with social phobia (N=117), (b) the associations between PEP and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and (c) the relationship between perspective-taking ('field' and 'observer') and anxiety. Principal axis factor analysis yielded a highly reliable one-factor solution in our clinical sample, which generally replicated Rachman et al.'s findings with a sample of undergraduate students. PEP was most strongly and independently associated with state anxiety when depression, general anxiety and stress were controlled for. Contrary to expectations, PEP was not related to measures of social anxiety. The relationship between perspective-taking and anxiety was more complex than expected. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed with reference to contemporary cognitive-behavioural models of social phobia.

Chemotherapy treatment decision-making experiences of older adults with cancer, their family members, oncologists and family physicians: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Puts, Martine T E; Sattar, Schroder; McWatters, Kara; Lee, Katherine; Kulik, Michael; MacDonald, Mary-Ellen; Jang, Raymond; Amir, Eitan; Krzyzanowska, Monika K; Leighl, Natasha; Fitch, Margaret; Joshua, Anthony M; Warde, Padraig; Tourangeau, Ann E; Alibhai, Shabbir M H

2017-03-01

Although comorbidities, frailty, and functional impairment are common in older adults (OA) with cancer, little is known about how these factors are considered during the treatment decision-making process by OAs, their families, and health care providers. Our aim was to better understand the treatment decision process from all these perspectives. A mixed methods multi-perspective longitudinal study using semi-structured interviews and surveys with 29 OAs aged ≥70 years with advanced prostate, breast, colorectal, or lung cancer, 24 of their family members,13 oncologists, and 15 family physicians was conducted. The sample was stratified on age (70-79 and 80+). All interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. There was no difference in the treatment decision-making experience based on age. Most OAs felt that they should have the final say in the treatment decision, but strongly valued their oncologists' opinion. "Trust in my oncologist" and "chemotherapy as the last resort to prolong life" were the most important reasons to accept treatment. Families indicated a need to improve communication between them, the patient and the specialist, particularly around goals of treatment. Comorbidity and potential side-effects did not play a major role in the treatment decision-making for patients, families, or oncologists. Family physicians reported no involvement in decisions but desired to be more involved. This first study using multiple perspectives showed neither frailty nor comorbidity played a role in the treatment decision-making process. Efforts to improve communication were identified as an opportunity that may enhance quality of care. In a mixed methods study multiple perspective study with older adults with cancer, their family members, their oncologist and their family physician we explored the treatment decision making process and found that most older adults were satisfied with their decision. Comorbidity, functional status and frailty did not impact the older adult's or their family members' decision.

Battling illness with wellness: a qualitative case study of a young rapper’s experiences with music therapy

PubMed Central

Solli, Hans Petter

2015-01-01

Mental health difficulties are connected with major interpersonal and social challenges. Recent qualitative research indicates that music therapy can facilitate many of the core elements found to promote social recovery and social inclusion, findings also reflected in results from a growing body of effect studies. The objective of this study was to explore how music therapy might afford possibilities for social recovery to one man with psychosis admitted to a psychiatric intensive care unit. This was achieved by means of a qualitative case study featuring a description of the music therapeutic process alongside first-hand accounts of the participant’s subjective experiences. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings are presented in a narrative form reflecting processes and activities considered particularly important for the process of social recovery. Theoretical perspectives from the recovery literature and current perspectives in music therapy are discussed with a view to the possible use of music therapy for strengthening agency, (re)building identity, developing positive relationships, and expanding social networks. PMID:26246669

Improve the Efficiency of the Service Process as a Result of the Muda Ideology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenc, Augustyn; Przyłuski, Krzysztof

2018-06-01

The aim of the paper was to improve service processes carried out by Knorr-Bremse Systemy Kolejowe Polska sp. z o.o. Particularly, emphasise unnecessary movements and physical efforts of employees. The indirect goal was to find a solution in the simplest possible way using the Muda ideology. In order to improve the service process at the beginning was executed the process mapping for the devices to be repaired, ie. brake callipers, electro-hydraulic units and auxiliary release units. The processes were assessed and shown as Pareto-Lorenz analysis. In order to determine the most time consuming process. Based on the obtained results use of a column crane with articulated arm was proposed to facilitate the transfer of heavy components between areas. The final step was to assess the effectiveness of the proposed solution in terms of time saving. From the company perspective results of the analysis are important. The proposed solution not only reduces total service time but also contributes to crew's work comfort.

The types and characteristics of clients' perceptions of the Bonny method of Guided Imagery and Music.

PubMed

Choi, Byungchuel; Lee, Nan Bok

2014-01-01

Developed by Helen Bonny, Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) has mainly been used to assist people with mental health issues. In order to provide clients with the most effective therapy, we need to examine the BMGIM process from the clients' perspective, rather than the therapists.' Understanding the types and characteristics of clients' experiences within the BMGIM process would be helpful to therapists. In order to assess clients' experiences more objectively, a different research methodology is needed to measure and compare the perspectives of clients in the BMGIM process. The purpose of this study was to identify the types and characteristics of perceptions in clients with mental health problems of the BMGIM experience. Q methodology was used to characterize client BMGIM perceptions. Scores from Q samples were coded into Q sample scores in order to calculate Q sort collected from a P sample of 20 participants. Participants were involved in the Q sorting as Q sorters and P sample. Q factor analysis was conducted using the QUANL program. The types and characteristics of the participants' perceptions were analyzed for three segments of the BMGIM session. From a factor analysis, (a) two factors were identified in the before music experience segment, (b) three factors in the during music experience segment, and (c) three factors in the after music experience segment. Factors that intervened in the therapeutic process of BMGIM were obtained from participants' direct GIM experiences. The knowledge of the types and characteristics of participants' perceptions of the GIM process will help therapists deliver more effective therapeutic interventions. Q methodology may also contribute to gaining a better understanding of BMGIM process. © the American Music Therapy Association 2014. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Emergy evaluation of water utilization benefits in water-ecological-economic system based on water cycle process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, X.; Wu, Z.; Lv, C.

2017-12-01

The water utilization benefits are formed by the material flow, energy flow, information flow and value stream in the whole water cycle process, and reflected along with the material circulation of inner system. But most of traditional water utilization benefits evaluation are based on the macro level, only consider the whole material input and output and energy conversion relation, and lack the characterization of water utilization benefits accompanying with water cycle process from the formation mechanism. In addition, most studies are from the perspective of economics, only pay attention to the whole economic output and sewage treatment economic investment, but neglect the ecological function benefits of water cycle, Therefore, from the perspective of internal material circulation in the whole system, taking water cycle process as the process of material circulation and energy flow, the circulation and flow process of water and other ecological environment, social economic elements were described, and the composition of water utilization positive and negative benefits in water-ecological-economic system was explored, and the performance of each benefit was analyzed. On this basis, the emergy calculation method of each benefit was proposed by emergy quantitative analysis technique, which can realize the unified measurement and evaluation of water utilization benefits in water-ecological-economic system. Then, taking Zhengzhou city as an example, the corresponding benefits of different water cycle links were calculated quantitatively by emergy method, and the results showed that the emergy evaluation method of water utilization benefits can unify the ecosystem and the economic system, achieve uniform quantitative analysis, and measure the true value of natural resources and human economic activities comprehensively.

What Global Perspective Does Our University Foster in Our Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shephard, Kerry; Bourk, Michael; Mirosa, Miranda; Dulgar, Pete

2017-01-01

We used a modified circuit of culture enquiry to explore processes of production, representation and consumption of global perspective at our university, in the context of fostering this perspective as a graduate attribute. We identified four frame packages by which this perspective is understood and communicated. Global perspective is framed…

Community perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

General aviation is considered from the perspective of the local community's decision-making process in determining its needs for access to general aviation services. The decision-making model, preliminary decision, community characteristics, and planning processes are discussed.

Effective nursing care of adolescents with anorexia nervosa: a consumer perspective.

PubMed

Zugai, Joel; Stein-Parbury, Jane; Roche, Michael

2013-07-01

To establish how nurses ensure weight gain and a positive inpatient experience for the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa by considering consumer perspectives. Consumer perspective literature indicates approval and dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the inpatient experience, and there is a limited understanding of what consumers perceive to be effective nursing practice. The design of this study was qualitative, the data being interpreted with a thematic analysis. This study sought the perspectives of eight (n = 8) recovered consumers through semi-structured interviews. Nurses were considered highly influential over the inpatient experience. The findings of this study are characterised by three overall themes regarding nursing practice: (1) ensuring weight gain, (2) maintaining a therapeutic milieu, and (3) the nursing relationship. Consumers have clear perspectives of how nurses effectively ensure weight gain and how nurses ensure a positive inpatient experience. The quality of relationships between consumers and nurses had implications for both weight gain and the perceived quality of the inpatient experience. By relying on the strength of positive, thoughtful and well-timed interactions, nurses may contribute to productive physical outcomes and a positive inpatient experience. Consumers indicated that motivation to adhere to care was derived from strong relationships with nurses. Ensuring both weight gain and a positive experience involves achieving a productive 'balance of restrictions'. Consumers also valued nurses that created a comfortable and productive environment. This study indicates that the process of weight gain may be enhanced when accompanied by a process of therapeutic engagement. Therapeutic alliance may be an effective way for nurses to ensure weight gain and an enhanced inpatient experience. Therapeutically beneficial relationships may enhance treatment and possibly enhance outcomes for consumers. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

On the Interpretation and Use of Mediation: Multiple Perspectives on Mediation Analysis.

PubMed

Agler, Robert; De Boeck, Paul

2017-01-01

Mediation analysis has become a very popular approach in psychology, and it is one that is associated with multiple perspectives that are often at odds, often implicitly. Explicitly discussing these perspectives and their motivations, advantages, and disadvantages can help to provide clarity to conversations and research regarding the use and refinement of mediation models. We discuss five such pairs of perspectives on mediation analysis, their associated advantages and disadvantages, and their implications: with vs. without a mediation hypothesis, specific effects vs. a global model, directness vs. indirectness of causation, effect size vs. null hypothesis testing, and hypothesized vs. alternative explanations. Discussion of the perspectives is facilitated by a small simulation study. Some philosophical and linguistic considerations are briefly discussed, as well as some other perspectives we do not develop here.

[Discourse analysis: research potentialities to gender violence].

PubMed

de Azambuja, Mariana Porto Ruwer; Nogueira, Conceição

2009-01-01

In the last few years we see the growing use of the terms 'discourse' and 'discourses analysis' in academic and research contexts, frequently without a precise definition. This fact opens space for critics and mistakes. The aim of this paper is to show a brief contextualization of discursive studies, as well as tasks/steps to Discourse Analysis process by the Social Construcionism perspective. As examples we used fragments of an interview with a Family Doctor about gender violence. In the results we detach the potential of Discourse Analysis to deconstruct the existing discourses to subsequently (re)construction in the way to a more holistic view about gender violence problem.

The meaning of recovery in a regional mental health service: an action research study.

PubMed

Kidd, Susan; Kenny, Amanda; McKinstry, Carol

2015-01-01

To explore the meaning of the term recovery to people with experience providing and receiving mental health services. Internationally, governments have proposed recovery-oriented mental health policy. In practice, people managing mental health difficulties struggle to recover, self-manage, or improve their quality of life. Mental health services increasingly provide acutely focused and poorly coordinated services to people experiencing mental health difficulties, with self-management, wellness and recovery overlooked. A cooperative enquiry, action research design guided the study. Participants were people with experience of mental health difficulties from consumer, carer and clinician perspectives. Data were collected between August 2012-July 2013. Analysis was conducted using an iterative process for the duration of the study. A thematic network was developed that reflected key organizing themes. The overarching theme developed from the participants' group discussions, reflections, actions and observations was recovery as an ongoing quest in life. This global theme was constructed from five organizing themes: 'finding meaning', 'an invisible disability', 'empowerment and agency' 'connection' and 'the passage of time'. Participatory approaches support the inclusion of lived experience perspectives. Structured processes are needed to bring different perspectives together to find solutions, through dialogue, and acknowledge the barriers to participation that people who use mental health services experience. The lack of integration of lived experience perspectives demonstrates forms of discrimination that inhibit consumer participation and prevent the recovery-oriented transformation required in mental health systems. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mobile-based text recognition from water quality devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhakal, Shanti; Rahnemoonfar, Maryam

2015-03-01

Measuring water quality of bays, estuaries, and gulfs is a complicated and time-consuming process. YSI Sonde is an instrument used to measure water quality parameters such as pH, temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. This instrument is taken to water bodies in a boat trip and researchers note down different parameters displayed by the instrument's display monitor. In this project, a mobile application is developed for Android platform that allows a user to take a picture of the YSI Sonde monitor, extract text from the image and store it in a file on the phone. The image captured by the application is first processed to remove perspective distortion. Probabilistic Hough line transform is used to identify lines in the image and the corner of the image is then obtained by determining the intersection of the detected horizontal and vertical lines. The image is warped using the perspective transformation matrix, obtained from the corner points of the source image and the destination image, hence, removing the perspective distortion. Mathematical morphology operation, black-hat is used to correct the shading of the image. The image is binarized using Otsu's binarization technique and is then passed to the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software for character recognition. The extracted information is stored in a file on the phone and can be retrieved later for analysis. The algorithm was tested on 60 different images of YSI Sonde with different perspective features and shading. Experimental results, in comparison to ground-truth results, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Common brain areas engaged in false belief reasoning and visual perspective taking: a meta-analysis of functional brain imaging studies.

PubMed

Schurz, Matthias; Aichhorn, Markus; Martin, Anna; Perner, Josef

2013-01-01

We performed a quantitative meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies to identify brain areas which are commonly engaged in social and visuo-spatial perspective taking. Specifically, we compared brain activation for visual-perspective taking to activation for false belief reasoning, which requires awareness of perspective to understand someone's mistaken belief about the world which contrasts with reality. In support of a previous account by Perner and Leekam (2008), our meta-analytic conjunction analysis found common activation for false belief reasoning and visual perspective taking in the left but not the right dorsal temporo-parietal junction (TPJ). This fits with the idea that the left dorsal TPJ is responsible for representing different perspectives in a domain-general fashion. Moreover, our conjunction analysis found activation in the precuneus and the left middle occipital gyrus close to the putative Extrastriate Body Area (EBA). The precuneus is linked to mental-imagery which may aid in the construction of a different perspective. The EBA may be engaged due to imagined body-transformations when another's viewpoint is adopted.

Common brain areas engaged in false belief reasoning and visual perspective taking: a meta-analysis of functional brain imaging studies

PubMed Central

Schurz, Matthias; Aichhorn, Markus; Martin, Anna; Perner, Josef

2013-01-01

We performed a quantitative meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies to identify brain areas which are commonly engaged in social and visuo-spatial perspective taking. Specifically, we compared brain activation for visual-perspective taking to activation for false belief reasoning, which requires awareness of perspective to understand someone's mistaken belief about the world which contrasts with reality. In support of a previous account by Perner and Leekam (2008), our meta-analytic conjunction analysis found common activation for false belief reasoning and visual perspective taking in the left but not the right dorsal temporo-parietal junction (TPJ). This fits with the idea that the left dorsal TPJ is responsible for representing different perspectives in a domain-general fashion. Moreover, our conjunction analysis found activation in the precuneus and the left middle occipital gyrus close to the putative Extrastriate Body Area (EBA). The precuneus is linked to mental-imagery which may aid in the construction of a different perspective. The EBA may be engaged due to imagined body-transformations when another's viewpoint is adopted. PMID:24198773

Using ethnography in implementation research to improve nutrition interventions in populations

PubMed Central

Neufeld, Lynnette M.; Pelto, Gretel H.

2015-01-01

Abstract ‘Implementation research in nutrition’ is an emerging area of study aimed at building evidence‐based knowledge and sound theory to design and implement programs that will effectively deliver nutrition interventions. This paper describes some of the basic features of ethnography and illustrates its applications in components of the implementation process. We review the central purpose of ethnography, which is to obtain the emic view – the insider's perspective – and how ethnography has historically interfaced with nutrition. We present examples of ethnographic studies in relation to an analytic framework of the implementation process, situating them with respect to landscape analysis, formative research, process evaluation and impact evaluation. These examples, conducted in various parts of the world by different investigators, demonstrate how ethnography provided important, often essential, insights that influenced programming decisions or explained programme outcomes. Key messages Designing, implementing and evaluating interventions requires knowledge about the populations and communities in which interventions are situated, including knowledge from the ‘emic’ (insider's) perspective.Obtaining emic perspectives and analysing them in relation to cultural, economic and structural features of social organisation in societies is a central purpose of ethnography.Ethnography is an essential aspect of implementation research in nutrition, as it provides important insights for making decisions about appropriate interventions and delivery platforms; determining how best to fit aspects of programme design and implementation into different environmental and cultural contexts; opening the ‘black box’ in interventions to understand how delivery and utilisation processes affect programme outcomes or impacts; and understanding how programme impacts were achieved, or not. PMID:26778802

Using ethnography in implementation research to improve nutrition interventions in populations.

PubMed

Tumilowicz, Alison; Neufeld, Lynnette M; Pelto, Gretel H

2015-12-01

'Implementation research in nutrition' is an emerging area of study aimed at building evidence-based knowledge and sound theory to design and implement programs that will effectively deliver nutrition interventions. This paper describes some of the basic features of ethnography and illustrates its applications in components of the implementation process. We review the central purpose of ethnography, which is to obtain the emic view--the insider's perspective--and how ethnography has historically interfaced with nutrition. We present examples of ethnographic studies in relation to an analytic framework of the implementation process, situating them with respect to landscape analysis, formative research, process evaluation and impact evaluation. These examples, conducted in various parts of the world by different investigators, demonstrate how ethnography provided important, often essential, insights that influenced programming decisions or explained programme outcomes. Key messages Designing, implementing and evaluating interventions requires knowledge about the populations and communities in which interventions are situated, including knowledge from the 'emic' (insider's) perspective. Obtaining emic perspectives and analysing them in relation to cultural, economic and structural features of social organisation in societies is a central purpose of ethnography. Ethnography is an essential aspect of implementation research in nutrition, as it provides important insights for making decisions about appropriate interventions and delivery platforms; determining how best to fit aspects of programme design and implementation into different environmental and cultural contexts; opening the 'black box' in interventions to understand how delivery and utilisation processes affect programme outcomes or impacts; and understanding how programme impacts were achieved, or not. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Moved by words: Affective ratings for a set of 2,266 Spanish words in five discrete emotion categories.

PubMed

Ferré, Pilar; Guasch, Marc; Martínez-García, Natalia; Fraga, Isabel; Hinojosa, José Antonio

2017-06-01

The two main theoretical accounts of the human affective space are the dimensional perspective and the discrete-emotion approach. In recent years, several affective norms have been developed from a dimensional perspective, including ratings for valence and arousal. In contrast, the number of published datasets relying on the discrete-emotion approach is much lower. There is a need to fill this gap, considering that discrete emotions have an effect on word processing above and beyond those of valence and arousal. In the present study, we present ratings from 1,380 participants for a set of 2,266 Spanish words in five discrete emotion categories: happiness, anger, fear, disgust, and sadness. This will be the largest dataset published to date containing ratings for discrete emotions. We also present, for the first time, a fine-grained analysis of the distribution of words into the five emotion categories. This analysis reveals that happiness words are the most consistently related to a single, discrete emotion category. In contrast, there is a tendency for many negative words to belong to more than one discrete emotion. The only exception is disgust words, which overlap least with the other negative emotions. Normative valence and arousal data already exist for all of the words included in this corpus. Thus, the present database will allow researchers to design studies to contrast the predictions of the two most influential theoretical perspectives in this field. These studies will undoubtedly contribute to a deeper understanding of the effects of emotion on word processing.

The temporal variation of SO2 emissions embodied in Chinese supply chains, 2002-2012.

PubMed

Yang, Xue; Zhang, Wenzhong; Fan, Jie; Li, Jiaming; Meng, Jing

2018-05-24

Whilst attention is increasingly being focused on embodied pollutant emissions along supply chains in China, relatively little attention has been paid to dynamic changes in this process. This study utilized environmental extended input-output analysis (EEIOA) and structural path analysis (SPA) to investigate the dynamic variation of the SO 2 emissions embodied in 28 economic sectors in Chinese supply chains during 2002-2012. The main conclusions are summarized as follows: (1) The dominant SO 2 emission sectors differed under production and consumption perspectives. Electricity and heat production dominated SO 2 emissions from the point of view of production, while construction contributed most from the consumption perspective. (2) The embodied SO 2 emissions tended to change from the path (staring from consumption side to production side): "Services→Services→Power" in 2002 to the path: "Construction and Manufacturing→Metal and Nonmetal→Power" in 2012. (3) Metal-driven emissions raised dramatically from 15% in 2002 to 22% in 2012, due to increasing demand for metal products in construction and manufacturing activities. (4) Power generation was found to result in the greatest volume of production-based emissions, a burden it tended to transfer to upstream sectors in 2012. Controlling construction activities and cutting down end-of-pipe discharges in the process of power generation represent the most radical interventions in reducing Chinese SO 2 emissions. This study shed light on changes in SO 2 emissions in the supply chain, providing a range of policy implications from both production and consumption perspectives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data management in clinical research: Synthesizing stakeholder perspectives.

PubMed

Johnson, Stephen B; Farach, Frank J; Pelphrey, Kevin; Rozenblit, Leon

2016-04-01

This study assesses data management needs in clinical research from the perspectives of researchers, software analysts and developers. This is a mixed-methods study that employs sublanguage analysis in an innovative manner to link the assessments. We performed content analysis using sublanguage theory on transcribed interviews conducted with researchers at four universities. A business analyst independently extracted potential software features from the transcriptions, which were translated into the sublanguage. This common sublanguage was then used to create survey questions for researchers, analysts and developers about the desirability and difficulty of features. Results were synthesized using the common sublanguage to compare stakeholder perceptions with the original content analysis. Individual researchers exhibited significant diversity of perspectives that did not correlate by role or site. Researchers had mixed feelings about their technologies, and sought improvements in integration, interoperability and interaction as well as engaging with study participants. Researchers and analysts agreed that data integration has higher desirability and mobile technology has lower desirability but disagreed on the desirability of data validation rules. Developers agreed that data integration and validation are the most difficult to implement. Researchers perceive tasks related to study execution, analysis and quality control as highly strategic, in contrast with tactical tasks related to data manipulation. Researchers have only partial technologic support for analysis and quality control, and poor support for study execution. Software for data integration and validation appears critical to support clinical research, but may be expensive to implement. Features to support study workflow, collaboration and engagement have been underappreciated, but may prove to be easy successes. Software developers should consider the strategic goals of researchers with regard to the overall coordination of research projects and teams, workflow connecting data collection with analysis and processes for improving data quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lessons learnt on the analysis of large sequence data in animal genomics.

PubMed

Biscarini, F; Cozzi, P; Orozco-Ter Wengel, P

2018-04-06

The 'omics revolution has made a large amount of sequence data available to researchers and the industry. This has had a profound impact in the field of bioinformatics, stimulating unprecedented advancements in this discipline. Mostly, this is usually looked at from the perspective of human 'omics, in particular human genomics. Plant and animal genomics, however, have also been deeply influenced by next-generation sequencing technologies, with several genomics applications now popular among researchers and the breeding industry. Genomics tends to generate huge amounts of data, and genomic sequence data account for an increasing proportion of big data in biological sciences, due largely to decreasing sequencing and genotyping costs and to large-scale sequencing and resequencing projects. The analysis of big data poses a challenge to scientists, as data gathering currently takes place at a faster pace than does data processing and analysis, and the associated computational burden is increasingly taxing, making even simple manipulation, visualization and transferring of data a cumbersome operation. The time consumed by the processing and analysing of huge data sets may be at the expense of data quality assessment and critical interpretation. Additionally, when analysing lots of data, something is likely to go awry-the software may crash or stop-and it can be very frustrating to track the error. We herein review the most relevant issues related to tackling these challenges and problems, from the perspective of animal genomics, and provide researchers that lack extensive computing experience with guidelines that will help when processing large genomic data sets. © 2018 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Spatial correlation analysis of urban traffic state under a perspective of community detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yanfang; Cao, Jiandong; Qin, Yong; Jia, Limin; Dong, Honghui; Zhang, Aomuhan

2018-05-01

Understanding the spatial correlation of urban traffic state is essential for identifying the evolution patterns of urban traffic state. However, the distribution of traffic state always has characteristics of large spatial span and heterogeneity. This paper adapts the concept of community detection to the correlation network of urban traffic state and proposes a new perspective to identify the spatial correlation patterns of traffic state. In the proposed urban traffic network, the nodes represent road segments, and an edge between a pair of nodes is added depending on the result of significance test for the corresponding correlation of traffic state. Further, the process of community detection in the urban traffic network (named GWPA-K-means) is applied to analyze the spatial dependency of traffic state. The proposed method extends the traditional K-means algorithm in two steps: (i) redefines the initial cluster centers by two properties of nodes (the GWPA value and the minimum shortest path length); (ii) utilizes the weight signal propagation process to transfer the topological information of the urban traffic network into a node similarity matrix. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted on a simple network and a real urban road network in Beijing. The results show that GWPA-K-means algorithm is valid in spatial correlation analysis of traffic state. The network science and community structure analysis perform well in describing the spatial heterogeneity of traffic state on a large spatial scale.

Modelling and analysis of workflow for lean supply chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jinping; Wang, Kanliang; Xu, Lida

2011-11-01

Cross-organisational workflow systems are a component of enterprise information systems which support collaborative business process among organisations in supply chain. Currently, the majority of workflow systems is developed in perspectives of information modelling without considering actual requirements of supply chain management. In this article, we focus on the modelling and analysis of the cross-organisational workflow systems in the context of lean supply chain (LSC) using Petri nets. First, the article describes the assumed conditions of cross-organisation workflow net according to the idea of LSC and then discusses the standardisation of collaborating business process between organisations in the context of LSC. Second, the concept of labelled time Petri nets (LTPNs) is defined through combining labelled Petri nets with time Petri nets, and the concept of labelled time workflow nets (LTWNs) is also defined based on LTPNs. Cross-organisational labelled time workflow nets (CLTWNs) is then defined based on LTWNs. Third, the article proposes the notion of OR-silent CLTWNS and a verifying approach to the soundness of LTWNs and CLTWNs. Finally, this article illustrates how to use the proposed method by a simple example. The purpose of this research is to establish a formal method of modelling and analysis of workflow systems for LSC. This study initiates a new perspective of research on cross-organisational workflow management and promotes operation management of LSC in real world settings.

Still Searching: A Meta-Synthesis of a Good Death from the Bereaved Family Member Perspective

PubMed Central

Tenzek, Kelly E.; Depner, Rachel

2017-01-01

The concept of a good death continues to receive attention in end-of-life (EOL) scholarship. We sought to continue this line of inquiry related to a good death by conducting a meta-synthesis of published qualitative research studies that examined a good death from the bereaved family member’s perspective. Results of the meta-synthesis included 14 articles with 368 participants. Based on analysis, we present a conceptual model called The Opportunity Model for Presence during the EOL Process. The model is framed in socio-cultural factors, and major themes include EOL process engagement with categories of healthcare participants, communication and practical issues. The second theme, (dis)continuity of care, includes categories of place of care, knowledge of family member dying and moment of death. Both of these themes lead to perceptions of either a good or bad death, which influences the bereavement process. We argue the main contribution of the model is the ability to identify moments throughout the interaction where family members can be present to the EOL process. Recommendations for healthcare participants, including patients, family members and clinical care providers are offered to improve the quality of experience throughout the EOL process and limitations of the study are discussed. PMID:28441339

Ontology-based approaches for cross-enterprise collaboration: a literature review on semantic business process management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Hanh H.; Jung, Jason J.; Tran, Chi P.

2014-11-01

Based on an in-depth analysis of the existing approaches in applying semantic technologies to business process management (BPM) research in the perspective of cross-enterprise collaboration or so-called business-to-business integration, we analyse, discuss and compare methodologies, applications and best practices of the surveyed approaches with the proposed criteria. This article identifies various relevant research directions in semantic BPM (SBPM). Founded on the result of our investigation, we summarise the state of art of SBPM. We also address areas and directions for further research activities.

Mental Rotation of Tactical Instruction Displays Affects Information Processing Demand and Execution Accuracy in Basketball.

PubMed

Koopmann, Till; Steggemann-Weinrich, Yvonne; Baumeister, Jochen; Krause, Daniel

2017-09-01

In sports games, coaches often use tactic boards to present tactical instructions during time-outs (e.g., 20 s to 60 s in basketball). Instructions should be presented in a way that enables fast and errorless information processing for the players. The aim of this study was to test the effect of different orientations of visual tactical displays on observation time and execution performance. High affordances in visual-spatial transformation (e.g., mental rotation processes) might impede information processing and might decrease execution performance with regard to the instructed playing patterns. In a within-subjects design with 1 factor, 10 novice students were instructed with visual tactical instructions of basketball playing patterns with different orientations either showing the playing pattern with low spatial disparity to the players' on-court perspective (basket on top) or upside down (basket on bottom). The self-chosen time for watching the pattern before execution was significantly shorter and spatial accuracy in pattern execution was significantly higher when the instructional perspective and the real perspective on the basketball court had a congruent orientation. The effects might be explained by interfering mental rotation processes that are necessary to transform the instructional perspective into the players' actual perspective while standing on the court or imagining themselves standing on the court. According to these results, coaches should align their tactic boards to their players' on-court viewing perspective.

International Journal of Educology: A Journal of Research, Inquiry and Development about the Educational Process from an Educological Perspective, 1987-1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christensen, James E., Ed.; Fisher, James E., Ed.

1991-01-01

The "International Journal of Educology" publishes works that examine the educational process from an educological perspective. The term educology means knowledge about education and has been in use since the seminal work in educology by L. W. Harding in the 1950s. The educological perspective is inclusive of scientific, praxiological,…

When the “I” Looks at the “Me”: Autobiographical Memory, Visual Perspective, and the Self

PubMed Central

Sutin, Angelina R.; Robins, Richard W.

2009-01-01

This article presents a theoretical model of the self processes involved in autobiographical memories and proposes competing hypotheses for the role of visual perspective in autobiographical memory retrieval. Autobiographical memories can be retrieved from either the 1st person perspective, in which individuals see the event through their own eyes, or from the 3rd person perspective, in which individuals see themselves and the event from the perspective of an external observer. A growing body of research suggests that the visual perspective from which a memory is retrieved has important implications for a person's thoughts, feelings, and goals, and is integrally related to a host of self-evaluative processes. We review the relevant research literature, present our theoretical model, and outline directions for future research. PMID:18848783

When the "I" looks at the "Me": autobiographical memory, visual perspective, and the self.

PubMed

Sutin, Angelina R; Robins, Richard W

2008-12-01

This article presents a theoretical model of the self processes involved in autobiographical memories and proposes competing hypotheses for the role of visual perspective in autobiographical memory retrieval. Autobiographical memories can be retrieved from either the 1st person perspective, in which individuals see the event through their own eyes, or from the 3rd person perspective, in which individuals see themselves and the event from the perspective of an external observer. A growing body of research suggests that the visual perspective from which a memory is retrieved has important implications for a person's thoughts, feelings, and goals, and is integrally related to a host of self-evaluative processes. We review the relevant research literature, present our theoretical model, and outline directions for future research.

Student Engagement: A Principle-Based Concept Analysis.

PubMed

Bernard, Jean S

2015-08-04

A principle-based concept analysis of student engagement was used to examine the state of the science across disciplines. Four major perspectives of philosophy of science guided analysis and provided a framework for study of interrelationships and integration of conceptual components which then resulted in formulation of a theoretical definition. Findings revealed student engagement as a dynamic reiterative process marked by positive behavioral, cognitive, and affective elements exhibited in pursuit of deep learning. This process is influenced by a broader sociocultural environment bound by contextual preconditions of self-investment, motivation, and a valuing of learning. Outcomes of student engagement include satisfaction, sense of well-being, and personal development. Findings of this analysis prove relevant to nursing education as faculty transition from traditional teaching paradigms, incorporate learner-centered strategies, and adopt innovative pedagogical methodologies. It lends support for curricula reform, development of more accurate evaluative measures, and creation of meaningful teaching-learning environments within the discipline.

An Information Processing Perspective on Divergence and Convergence in Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorczak, Robert L.

2011-01-01

This paper presents a model of collaborative learning that takes an information processing perspective of learning by social interaction. The collaborative information processing model provides a theoretical basis for understanding learning principles associated with social interaction and explains why peer-to-peer discussion is potentially more…

Superintendent Selection Processes: Perspectives of Professional Search Consultants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waite, Robert

2013-01-01

Hiring the superintendent is the most important job of a school board. The superintendent selection process is increasingly being guided by paid consultants employed to work with school boards in a process to select superintendents. This qualitative study examined the selection criteria school boards use from the perspective of the professional…

Parents' perspectives on a collaborative approach to the application of the Handwriting Without Tears(®) programme with children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Patton, Sandra; Hutton, Eve

2016-08-01

The active involvement of parents and children in goal setting and intervention is integral to contemporary occupational therapy process models. However, parental perspectives on collaborative handwriting intervention are limited. This paper presents parental perspectives on a three-way collaboration involving teachers, parents and an occupational therapist in the application of Handwriting Without Tears(®) (HWT(®) ) with children with Down syndrome. Within a larger mixed methods study, 44 parents completed purpose-designed questionnaires and six parents participated in a focus group, post 8 months of programme implementation. Both methods gathered parent's perspectives on the usefulness and limitations of applying HWT(®) . The focus group explored collaboration in depth. Analysis involved triangulation of data from descriptive analysis of numerical data with content analysis of open-ended questions and focus group data. Enablers of parent-child engagement in HWT(®) were identified as; the parent-child-friendly aspects of HWT(®) , the teacher involvement ensuring continuity which eased demands on parents, the ongoing support/guidance of the occupational therapist and the child's involvement in HWT(®) group intervention. The occupational therapists' involvement was reported as essential to encouraging teacher/parent involvement. Barriers to child-parent engagement included fluctuations in child health, mood, attention span and time limitations including the child's involvement in other therapy programmes. Parents perceived the HWT(®) and the three-way collaborative approach as enabling active parent-child engagement in handwriting intervention. This approach warrants further investigation. Findings have the potential to inform practice guidelines and pre- and post-graduation education related to collaborative handwriting intervention with children with Down syndrome and their families. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Parent Perspectives on the Individual Education Program Process and Product for the Child with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandt, Camille M.

2011-01-01

This study examined the perspectives of parents of children with autism receiving special education services in an upper Midwestern state. This study sought to determine parent perspectives of priorities for the child's IEP, parent perspectives of content of the child's IEP, and parent perspectives of their experiences at the school, comfort level…

We get the algorithms of our ground truths: Designing referential databases in digital image processing

PubMed Central

Jaton, Florian

2017-01-01

This article documents the practical efforts of a group of scientists designing an image-processing algorithm for saliency detection. By following the actors of this computer science project, the article shows that the problems often considered to be the starting points of computational models are in fact provisional results of time-consuming, collective and highly material processes that engage habits, desires, skills and values. In the project being studied, problematization processes lead to the constitution of referential databases called ‘ground truths’ that enable both the effective shaping of algorithms and the evaluation of their performances. Working as important common touchstones for research communities in image processing, the ground truths are inherited from prior problematization processes and may be imparted to subsequent ones. The ethnographic results of this study suggest two complementary analytical perspectives on algorithms: (1) an ‘axiomatic’ perspective that understands algorithms as sets of instructions designed to solve given problems computationally in the best possible way, and (2) a ‘problem-oriented’ perspective that understands algorithms as sets of instructions designed to computationally retrieve outputs designed and designated during specific problematization processes. If the axiomatic perspective on algorithms puts the emphasis on the numerical transformations of inputs into outputs, the problem-oriented perspective puts the emphasis on the definition of both inputs and outputs. PMID:28950802

Introducing a Symbolic Interactionist Approach on Teaching Mathematics: The Case of Revoicing as an Interactional Strategy in the Teaching of Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckert, Andreas; Nilsson, Per

2017-01-01

This study examines an interactional view on teaching mathematics, whereby meaning is co-produced with the students through a process of negotiation. Further, teaching is viewed from a symbolic interactionism perspective, allowing the analysis to focus on the teacher's role in the negotiation of meaning. Using methods inspired by grounded theory,…

An Analysis of Army Contract Administration With Regard to Contracting Officers Representatives

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

education/ training , communication, staff levels, oversight, and leadership support by comparing and contrasting Army COR contract administration...processes from a CONUS and OCONUS perspective. The results inform Army Contracting leadership about differences and discrepancies that exist in the training ...five common COR issues that need to be addressed: education/ training , communication, staff Levels, oversight, and leadership support. We found that

Gender-Based Content of Educational Materials for the Study of Serbian Language in Lower-Stage Grades of Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trifunovic, Vesna; Petrovic, Ruzica

2014-01-01

This paper presents the results of analysis of educational materials for the study of Serbian language in lower-stage grades of elementary education (intended for students from 7 through 11 years old) from gender perspective. The first part of the paper presents the process of institutionalization of gender-based education in the Republic of…

A View of the Tip of the Iceberg: Revisiting Conceptual Continuities and Their Implications for Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Bryan A.; Kloser, Matt

2009-01-01

We respond to Hwang and Kim and Yeo's critiques of the conceptual continuity framework in science education. First, we address the criticism that their analysis fails to recognize the situated perspective of learning by denying the dichotomy of the formal and informal knowledge as a starting point in the learning process. Second, we address the…

"It Is Just Habitual": An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experience of Long-Term Recovery from Addiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shinebourne, Pnina; Smith, Jonathan A.

2011-01-01

This study explores experiences and understandings of people who have engaged with the process of recovery from alcohol or drug problems over a long period of time. Although there is a large body of research studies on recovery, few have examined long-term recovery from a qualitative perspective. The participants in this study were women who have…

Foregrounding the Role of Relationships in Reform: A Social Network Perspective on Leadership and Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liou, Yi-Hwa; Daly, Alan J.; Brown, Chris; del Fresno, Miguel

2015-01-01

Purpose: The role of relationships in the process of leadership and change is central, yet the social aspect of the work of reform is often background in favor of more technical approaches to improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to argue that social network theory and analysis provides a useful theory and set of tools to unpack the…

SCIENCE Magazine: BATSE 1000 gamma-ray burst perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horack, John M.

1995-01-01

A historical highlight and analysis of the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), which has been in operation for more than three years and has detected more than 1,000 cosmic gamma-ray bursts is presented. The questions BATSE has answered and those it has not are assessed, along with the problems and data correlation and processing that has occured from the BATSE operation.

On the Interpretation and Use of Mediation: Multiple Perspectives on Mediation Analysis

PubMed Central

Agler, Robert; De Boeck, Paul

2017-01-01

Mediation analysis has become a very popular approach in psychology, and it is one that is associated with multiple perspectives that are often at odds, often implicitly. Explicitly discussing these perspectives and their motivations, advantages, and disadvantages can help to provide clarity to conversations and research regarding the use and refinement of mediation models. We discuss five such pairs of perspectives on mediation analysis, their associated advantages and disadvantages, and their implications: with vs. without a mediation hypothesis, specific effects vs. a global model, directness vs. indirectness of causation, effect size vs. null hypothesis testing, and hypothesized vs. alternative explanations. Discussion of the perspectives is facilitated by a small simulation study. Some philosophical and linguistic considerations are briefly discussed, as well as some other perspectives we do not develop here. PMID:29187828

Empathy from the client's perspective: A grounded theory analysis.

PubMed

MacFarlane, Peter; Anderson, Timothy; McClintock, Andrew S

2017-03-01

Although empathy is one of most robust predictors of client outcome, there is little consensus about how best to conceptualize this construct. The aim of the present research was to investigate clients' perceptions and in-session experiences of empathy. Semi-structured, video-assisted interpersonal process recall interviews were used to collect data from nine clients receiving individual psychotherapy at a university psychology clinic. Grounded theory analysis yielded a model consisting of three clusters: (1) relational context of empathy (i.e., personal relationship and professional relationship), (2) types of empathy (i.e., psychotherapists' cognitive empathy, psychotherapists' emotional empathy, and client attunement to psychotherapist), and (3) utility of empathy (i.e., process-related benefits and client-related benefits). These results suggest that empathy is a multi-dimensional, interactional process that affects-and is affected by-the broader relationship between client and psychotherapist.

Analysis of the decision-making process of nurse managers: a collective reflection.

PubMed

Eduardo, Elizabete Araujo; Peres, Aida Maris; de Almeida, Maria de Lourdes; Roglio, Karina de Dea; Bernardino, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

to analyze the decision-making model adopted by nurses from the perspective of some decision-making process theories. qualitative approach, based on action research. Semi-structured questionnaires and seminars were conducted from April to June 2012 in order to understand the nature of decisions and the decision-making process of nine nurses in position of managers at a public hospital in Southern Brazil. Data were subjected to content analysis. data were classified in two categories: the current situation of decision-making, which showed a lack of systematization; the construction and collective decision-making, which emphasizes the need to develop a decision-making model. the decision-making model used by nurses is limited because it does not consider two important factors: the limits of human rationality, and the external and internal organizational environments that influence and determine right decisions.

Dehospitalisation at a general hospital in Minas Gerais: challenges and prospects.

PubMed

Silva, Kênia Lara; Sena, Roseni Rosângela de; Castro, Wesley Souza

2018-06-07

To analyse the dehospitalisation process at a general public hospital in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from the perspective of managers, health workers, users and their families. This is a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study based on the principles of methodological and theoretical dialectics. The participants were 24 hospital health workers and 15 companions of users going through the process of dehospitalisation. Data were collected from April to June 2015 using semi-structured interviews and a field journal records and subsequently subjected to content analysis. Analysis of the empirical material led to the construction of the following categories: Dehospitalisation: viewpoint of the institution and Family organisation for the dehospitalisation process. The study reveals a deficiency in the implementation, systematisation, internal reorganisation and continuity of care after dehospitalisation. Current dehospitalisation strategies do not favour comprehensiveness and continuity of home care.

Using Multicriteria Approaches to Assess the Value of Health Care.

PubMed

Phelps, Charles E; Madhavan, Guruprasad

2017-02-01

Practitioners of cost-utility analysis know that their models omit several important factors that often affect real-world decisions about health care options. Furthermore, cost-utility analyses typically reflect only single perspectives (e.g., individual, business, and societal), further limiting the value for those with different perspectives (patients, providers, payers, producers, and planners-the 5Ps). We discuss how models based on multicriteria analyses, which look at problems from many perspectives, can fill this void. Each of the 5Ps can use multicriteria analyses in different ways to aid their decisions. Each perspective may lead to different value measures and outcomes, whereas no single-metric approach (such as cost-utility analysis) can satisfy all these stakeholders. All stakeholders have unique ways to measure value, even if assessing the same health intervention. We illustrate the benefits of this approach by comparing the value of five different hypothetical treatment choices for five hypothetical patients with cancer, each with different preference structures. Nine attributes describe each treatment option. We add a brief discussion regarding the use of these approaches in group-based decisions. We urge that methods to value health interventions embrace the multicriteria approaches that we discuss, because these approaches 1) increase transparency about the decision process, 2) allow flight simulator-type evaluation of alternative interventions before actual investment or deployment, 3) help focus efforts to improve data in an efficient manner, 4) at least in some cases help facilitate decision convergence among stakeholders with differing perspectives, and 5) help avoid potential cognitive errors known to impair intuitive judgments. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Body representation disorders predict left right orientation impairments after stroke: A voxel-based lesion symptom mapping study.

PubMed

van Stralen, Haike E; Dijkerman, H Chris; Biesbroek, J Matthijs; Kuijf, Hugo J; van Gemert, H Maarten A; Sluiter, David; Kappelle, L Jaap; van Zandvoort, Martine J E

2017-06-07

Deficits in the ability to distinguish between the left and right side of the body can severely impair daily life functioning. The current study examined the relation between left right orientation (LRO) impairments and somatosensory related deficits, ranging from primary somatosensory impairments to body representation impairments, in patients who suffered a recent stroke. We also examined which areas in the brain are associated with LRO impairments using a Voxel-based Lesion Symptom Mapping (VLSM) analysis. We tested 47 first-ever stroke patients and 48 age-matched healthy controls. LRO was assessed with the Bergen Right Left Discrimination Test (BRLD). Impairments on primary somatosensory function (touch perception, proprioception), higher order somatosensory function (finger gnosis, subjective sense of body ownership) and other cognitive functions (language, attention & working memory, visuospatial neglect) were entered as predictors in a logistic regression analyses. Outcome measures consisted of the BRLD-total performance which was further subdivided in performance for 1) first person perspective stimuli, 2) third person perspective stimuli, 3) alternating between first- and third person perspective. Impairments on BRLD-total performance was predicted by impairments in finger gnosis and visuospatial neglect. For items placed in third person perspective, performance was predicted by body representation impairments; finger agnosia and the subjective sense of body ownership. VLSM analysis showed a significant association between LRO impairments and damage to the right insula. The current study suggests that the somatosensory system is important for LRO. Furthermore, the results indicate that an affected body representation may hinder adopting a third person perspective that may subsequently also lead to LRO impairments. The right insular cortex appeared crucially involved in these processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving data collection processes for routine evaluation of treatment cost-effectiveness.

PubMed

Monto, Sari; Penttilä, Riku; Kärri, Timo; Puolakka, Kari; Valpas, Antti; Talonpoika, Anna-Maria

2016-04-01

The healthcare system in Finland has begun routine collection of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) information for patients in hospitals to support more systematic cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). This article describes the systematic collection of HRQoL survey data, and addresses challenges in the implementation of patient surveys and acquisition of cost data in the case hospital. Challenges include problems with incomplete data and undefined management processes. In order to support CEA of hospital treatments, improvements are sought from the process management literature and in the observation of healthcare professionals. The article has been written from an information system and process management perspective, concluding that process ownership, automation of data collection and better staff training are keys to generating more reliable data.

Methods to identify, study and understand end-user participation in HIT development.

PubMed

Høstgaard, Anna Marie; Bertelsen, Pernille; Nøhr, Christian

2011-09-28

Experience has shown that for new health-information-technology (HIT) to be suc-cessful clinicians must obtain positive clinical benefits as a result of its implementation and joint-ownership of the decisions made during the development process. A prerequisite for achieving both success criteria is real end-user-participation. Experience has also shown that further research into developing improved methods to collect more detailed information on social groups participating in HIT development is needed in order to support, facilitate and improve real end-user participation. A case study of an EHR planning-process in a Danish county from October 2003 until April 2006 was conducted using process-analysis. Three social groups (physicians, IT-professionals and administrators) were identified and studied in the local, present perspective. In order to understand the interactions between the three groups, the national, historic perspective was included through a literature-study. Data were collected through observations, interviews, insight gathered from documents and relevant literature. In the local, present perspective, the administrator's strategy for the EHR planning process meant that there was no clinical workload-reduction. This was seen as one of the main barriers to the physicians to achieving real influence. In the national, historic perspective, physicians and administrators have had/have different perceptions of the purpose of the patient record and they have both struggled to influence this definition. To date, the administrators have won the battle. This explains the conditions made available for the physicians' participation in this case, which led to their role being reduced to that of clinical consultants--rather than real participants. In HIT-development the interests of and the balance of power between the different social groups involved are decisive in determining whether or not the end-users become real participants in the development process. Real end-user-participation is essential for the successful outcome of the process. By combining and developing existing theories and methods, this paper presents an improved method to collect more detailed information on social groups participating in HIT-development and their interaction during the development. This allows HIT management to explore new avenues during the HIT development process in order to support, facilitate and improve real end-user participation.

[Identity construction in adolescents of migrant parents. Crosswise analysis of the identity process].

PubMed

Bouche-Florin, Laëtitia; Skandrani, Sara Marie; Moro, Marie Rose

2007-01-01

Adolescence is the specific stage during which psychological changes and identity searching are at the forefront of preoccupations. The identity construction proves to be particularly complex in a transcultural context. Starting from their clinical questioning, the authors propose a literature review of the process of identity construction in a population of adolescent children of migrant parents. This theoretical reflection is based on conceptualisations of this process in intercultural psychology, transcultural psychology and in the theory of dialogical self. Putting into perspective these different approaches and their interconnections will help better understand the reality of hybrid or half-breed identity during adolescence.

CTE Teachers' Perspectives on the Process of CTE and Science Content Integration: A Grounded Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spindler, Matthew Kenneth

The integration of career and technical education (CTE) and academic curricular content that capitalizes on natural and inherent connections represents a challenge for CTE professionals. The research question that was used to guide the current study was: What are CTE teachers' perspectives of and experiences with the process of CTE and science content integration? And more specifically, to generate a grounded theory which explicates the process of CTE and science content integration from the perspective of CTE teachers. The CTE teachers expressed that the process of CTE and science content integration was a process of evolutionizing. From the perspective of the CTE teachers involved integrating CTE and science content resulted in their programs of study being adapted into something different than they were before the process of integration was begun. The CTE teachers revealed that the evolutions in their programs of study and themselves were associated with three other categories within the grounded theory: (a) connecting; (b) enacting; and (c) futuring. The process of CTE and science content integration represents a deep and complex episode for CTE teachers. The process of CTE and science content integration requires connecting to others, putting ideas into action, and an orienting towards the future.

The first steps into the third age: the retirement process from a Swedish perspective.

PubMed

Jonsson, Hans

2011-03-01

This paper summarizes the results of five related studies of the retirement process from an occupational perspective. A group of 32 Swedish men and women were followed longitudinally over the retirement transition in repeated interviews that were analysed using a narrative methodology. The results showed that the freedom that comes with retirement could be experienced as a paradox when few demands or expectations were present in their lives. The analysis of the narratives also revealed that the presence or absence of engaging occupations was critical for the experience of a good life as retiree. These results are consistent with Laslett's definition of developmental life tasks appropriate for persons entering the 'Third Age', which begins at retirement and are offering freedom and possibilities for new engagement. The results have implications on possible arenas where an occupational perspective could contribute to knowledge in support of individual engagement in retirement and in social policies regarding volunteer work. One example is shown how occupational therapists have initiated community preventive work to enhance. engaging occupation in retirement. As these studies are limited to participants from one country, further studies in other countries and in other cultures about the retirement transition is needed to expand knowledge. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Approaching Adult Education Literature Using the Donlevy Template of Perspectives: A Focus on the Psychological Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donlevy, James G.; Donlevy, Tia Rice

1998-01-01

Provides brief descriptions of adult education from technological, psychological, ideological, and sociological perspectives. Author examines the psychological perspective, highlighting the work of Jack Mezirow (transformation theory), Roger Gould (seven-step adult development process), Patricia Cranton (Understanding and Promoting Transformative…

A qualitative study assessing patient perspectives in the process of decision-making on disease modifying therapies (DMT's) in multiple sclerosis (MS).

PubMed

Ceuninck van Capelle, Archibald de; Meide, Hanneke van der; Vosman, Frans J H; Visser, Leo H

2017-01-01

Physicians commonly advise patients to begin disease modifying therapies (DMT's) shortly after the establishment of a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to prevent further relapses and disease progression. However, little is known about the meaning for patients going through the process of the diagnosis of MS and of making decisions on DMT's in early MS. To explore the patient perspective on using DMT's for MS. Methods: Ten participants with a recent (< 2 years) relapsing-remitting MS diagnosis were interviewed. Seven of them were using DMT's at the time of the interview. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a hermeneutical-phenomenological approach. The analysis revealed the following themes: (1) Constant confrontation with the disease, (2) Managing inevitable decline, (3) Hope of delaying the progression of the disease, and, (4) The importance of social support. The themes show that patients associate the recommendation to begin DMT's (especially injectable DMT's) with views about their bodies as well as their hopes about the future. Both considering and adhering to treatment are experienced by patients as not only matters of individual and rational deliberation, but also as activities that are lived within a web of relationships with relatives and friends. From the patient perspective, the use of DMT's is not a purely rational and individual experience. More attention to the use of DMT's as relational and lived phenomena will improve the understanding of the process of decision-making for DMT's in MS.

Power and Agenda-Setting in Tanzanian Health Policy: An Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives

PubMed Central

Fischer, Sara Elisa; Strandberg-Larsen, Martin

2016-01-01

Background: Global health policy is created largely through a collaborative process between development agencies and aid-recipient governments, yet it remains unclear whether governments retain ownership over the creation of policy in their own countries. An assessment of the power structure in this relationship and its influence over agenda-setting is thus the first step towards understanding where progress is still needed in policy-making for development. Methods: This study employed qualitative policy analysis methodology to examine how health-related policy agendas are adopted in low-income countries, using Tanzania as a case study. Semi-structured, in-depth, key informant interviews with 11 policy-makers were conducted on perspectives of the agenda-setting process and its actors. Kingdon’s stream theory was chosen as the lens through which to interpret the data analysis. Results: This study demonstrates that while stakeholders each have ways of influencing the process, the power to do so can be assessed based on three major factors: financial incentives, technical expertise, and influential position. Since donors often have two or all of these elements simultaneously a natural power imbalance ensues, whereby donor interests tend to prevail over recipient government limitations in prioritization of agendas. One way to mediate these imbalances seems to be the initiation of meaningful policy dialogue. Conclusion: In Tanzania, the agenda-setting process operates within a complex network of factors that interact until a "policy window" opens and a decision is made. Power in this process often lies not with the Tanzanian government but with the donors, and the contrast between latent presence and deliberate use of this power seems to be based on the donor ideology behind giving aid (defined here by funding modality). Donors who used pooled funding (PF) modalities were less likely to exploit their inherent power, whereas those who preferred to maintain maximum control over the aid they provided (ie, non-pooled funders) more readily wielded their intrinsic power to push their own priorities. PMID:27285513

Power and Agenda-Setting in Tanzanian Health Policy: An Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives.

PubMed

Fischer, Sara Elisa; Strandberg-Larsen, Martin

2016-02-09

Global health policy is created largely through a collaborative process between development agencies and aid-recipient governments, yet it remains unclear whether governments retain ownership over the creation of policy in their own countries. An assessment of the power structure in this relationship and its influence over agenda-setting is thus the first step towards understanding where progress is still needed in policy-making for development. This study employed qualitative policy analysis methodology to examine how health-related policy agendas are adopted in low-income countries, using Tanzania as a case study. Semi-structured, in-depth, key informant interviews with 11 policy-makers were conducted on perspectives of the agenda-setting process and its actors. Kingdon's stream theory was chosen as the lens through which to interpret the data analysis. This study demonstrates that while stakeholders each have ways of influencing the process, the power to do so can be assessed based on three major factors: financial incentives, technical expertise, and influential position. Since donors often have two or all of these elements simultaneously a natural power imbalance ensues, whereby donor interests tend to prevail over recipient government limitations in prioritization of agendas. One way to mediate these imbalances seems to be the initiation of meaningful policy dialogue. In Tanzania, the agenda-setting process operates within a complex network of factors that interact until a "policy window" opens and a decision is made. Power in this process often lies not with the Tanzanian government but with the donors, and the contrast between latent presence and deliberate use of this power seems to be based on the donor ideology behind giving aid (defined here by funding modality). Donors who used pooled funding (PF) modalities were less likely to exploit their inherent power, whereas those who preferred to maintain maximum control over the aid they provided (ie, non-pooled funders) more readily wielded their intrinsic power to push their own priorities. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

An integrative discourse perspective on positive leadership in public health care.

PubMed

Pietiläinen, Ville; Salmi, Ilkka

2017-02-06

Purpose This study aims to take a discursive view on positive leadership (PL). A positive approach has gained momentum in recent years as appropriate leadership practices are implemented in organizations. Despite the turn toward discursive approaches in organization studies, there is insufficient evidence supporting PL as a socially constructed experience. Design/methodology/approach The present study addresses an integrative discourse perspective for capturing the PL concept as a social process within the public health-care context. Findings Four meanings of PL are highlighted: role-taking, servicing, balancing and deciphering. Research limitations/implications The meanings shift the emphasis of certain PL definitions to a contextual interpretation. For scholars, the perspective demonstrates a multidimensional process approach in the desired organizational context as a counterbalance to one unanimously agreed-upon PL definition. Practical implications For leaders, an integrative discourse perspective offers tools for comprehending PL as a process: how to identify, negotiate and reconcile various PL meanings. Originality/value An integrative discourse perspective provides a novel perspective capturing the PL concept within the public health-care field.

"Experiences with disclosure of HIV-positive status to the infected child": Perspectives of healthcare providers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

PubMed

Sariah, Adellah; Rugemalila, Joan; Somba, Magreat; Minja, Anna; Makuchilo, Margareth; Tarimo, Edith; Urassa, David; Siril, Helen

2016-10-13

The specific age to which an HIV infected child can be disclosed to is stipulated to begin between ages 4 and 6 years. It has also been documented that before disclosure of HIV positive status to the infected child. Health care providers should consider children's cognitive-developmental ability. However, observation and situation analysis show that, health care providers still feel uncomfortable disclosing the HIV positive status to the infected child. The aim of the study was to explore healthcare providers' experiences in disclosure of HIV-positive status to the infected child. A qualitative study involving 20 health care providers who attend HIV-positive children was conducted in September, 2014 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants were selected from ten HIV care and treatment clinics (CTC) by purposive sampling. An interview guide, translated into participants' national language (Kiswahili) was used during in-depth interviews. Sampling followed the principle of data saturation. The interviews focused on perspectives of health-care providers regarding their experience with paediatric HIV disclosure. Data from in-depth interviews were transcribed into text; data analysis followed qualitative content analysis. The results show how complex the process of disclosure to children living with HIV can be to healthcare providers. Confusion was noted among healthcare providers about their role and responsibility in the process of disclosing to the HIV infected child. This was reported to be largely due to unclear guidelines and lack of standardized training in paediatric HIV disclosure. Furthermore, healthcare providers were concerned about parental hesitancy to disclose early to the child due to lack of disclosure skills and fear of stigma. In order to improve the disclosure process in HIV infected children, healthcare providers recommended further standardized training on paediatric HIV disclosure with more emphasis on practical skills and inclusion of disclosure content that is age appropriate for children with HIV. The disclosure process was found to be a complex process. Perspectives regarding disclosure in children infected with HIV varied among healthcare providers in terms of their role in the process, clear national guidelines and appropriate standardized training for paediatric disclosure. Consistent with other studies, healthcare providers reported difficulties during disclosure because parents /guardians largely fear blame, social stigma, child's negative emotional reaction when disclosed to and have concerns about the child being too young and immature to understand the HIV condition. In order to prevent inconsistencies during the disclosure process, it is important to have in place clear guidelines and standardized paediatric HIV disclosure training for healthcare providers. This would help improve their skills in paediatric disclosure, leading to positive health outcomes for children infected with HIV.

[Psychotherapy of patients with brain lesions: an integrative model based on neuropsychological and psychodynamic perspectives].

PubMed

Ouss-Ryngaert, Lisa

2010-12-01

Our model of psychotherapy for patients with brain lesions is based on an integrative approach of psychobehavioral symptoms, especially from the neuropsychological and psychodynamic perspectives. Adjustment of technical modalities and aims of psychoanalytical therapy is required for these patients. The analysis of the influence of cognitive disorders on transference and contre-transference plays a major role, including the role of procedural processes in changes in the intersubjective relationship between the patient and the therapist. Two vignettes are presented to illustrate our model, which respects the integrity of the cognitive and psychodynamic approaches and can be implemented by only one therapist, using alternatively each lecture, or by a working team bringing to light the different aspects of the same symptom.

Humpty, Alice, and the Composition Prism: A Perspective on Teaching Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Root, Robert L., Jr.

Two opposing views of composition instruction--one emphasizing the creativity and self-involvement of the student (or producer), and one emphasizing the communication produced (the product)--can be reconciled through a perspective that emphasizes the process of composition. It is in process, defined as "the act of composing" or "the act of…

Exploring Intercultural Communication in the Special Education Referral Process with Somali Community Members

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

deMar, Aya

2017-01-01

Given the recent growth of Somali-speaking families in American schools, it is important for educators to understand how Somali families and community members experience school processes to integrate feedback and develop an appreciation for their differing perspectives. The dual perspective of Somali liaisons, with fluency in school processes and…

Strategic facility planning improves capital decision making.

PubMed

Reeve, J R

2001-03-01

A large, Midwestern IDS undertook a strategic facility-planning process to evaluate its facility portfolio and determine how best to allocate future investments in facility development. The IDS assembled a facility-planning team, which initiated the planning process with a market analysis to determine future market demands and identify service areas that warranted facility expansion. The team then analyzed each of the IDS's facilities from the perspective of uniform capacity measurements, highest and best use compared with needs, building condition and investment-worthiness, and facility growth and site development opportunities. Based on results of the analysis, the strategy adopted entailed, in part, shifting some space from inpatient care to ambulatory care services and demolishing and replacing the 11 percent of facilities deemed to be in the worst condition.

Beyond a man's world: contributions from considering gender in the study of bus drivers' work activity.

PubMed

Cunha, Liliana; Nogueira, Sónia; Lacomblez, Marianne

2014-01-01

Bus driving is a typically male occupation undergoing a process of feminization. Although men remain a majority, women's integration has raised some questions, namely, related to work organization or its impact on health. This paper focuses on the contributions of assuming a gender perspective in the analysis of the bus driving occupation and the conditions under which it is performed. Twenty female and 158 male bus drivers. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were combined. Ergonomic work analysis and individual interviews were used, as well as INSAT (Work and Health Questionnaire). Difficulties inherent to the work activity were highlighted, in terms of working hours and management of "peripheral tasks", with implications for the balance between professional and personal life. These difficulties were reported differently by men and women, although both made themselves clear about the impact on their career and health. Taking gender into consideration has enabled an enrichment of the questions that guide the analysis of this work activity, and contributed to a new perspective on the work performed by this occupational group as well as a new approach to study the history of the transport industry by proposing as focus of analysis issues related to "gender mobility".

Systematically evaluating interfaces for RNA-seq analysis from a life scientist perspective.

PubMed

Poplawski, Alicia; Marini, Federico; Hess, Moritz; Zeller, Tanja; Mazur, Johanna; Binder, Harald

2016-03-01

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) has become an established way for measuring gene expression in model organisms and humans. While methods development for refining the corresponding data processing and analysis pipeline is ongoing, protocols for typical steps have been proposed and are widely used. Several user interfaces have been developed for making such analysis steps accessible to life scientists without extensive knowledge of command line tools. We performed a systematic search and evaluation of such interfaces to investigate to what extent these can indeed facilitate RNA-seq data analysis. We found a total of 29 open source interfaces, and six of the more widely used interfaces were evaluated in detail. Central criteria for evaluation were ease of configuration, documentation, usability, computational demand and reporting. No interface scored best in all of these criteria, indicating that the final choice will depend on the specific perspective of users and the corresponding weighting of criteria. Considerable technical hurdles had to be overcome in our evaluation. For many users, this will diminish potential benefits compared with command line tools, leaving room for future improvement of interfaces. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Teamwork and negotiation with family in pediatrics].

PubMed

Ramos-Mendes, Maria Goreti; Rodrigues Araújo, Beatriz; Pereira Martins, Manuela

2016-01-01

Analyze the negotiation and interaction process within nurses' practice with mothers of hospitalized children in pediatric unit from the teamwork perspective. A qualitative approach was used in this study, based on the Grounded Theory from the symbolic interaction perspective. The study included 12 nurses of the pediatric unit and 18 mothers who stayed in the hospital with their hospitalized children. The number of participants was defined according to data saturation. Participant observation and semi-structured interviews were chosen as data collection techniques and it was analyzed using the program NVivo8. From the analysis performed, the central category identified was «weaknesses in the negotiation process», within the interactions between nurses and mothers. Nurses revealed difficulties in the communication process, they did not include roles definition with mothers in order to establish their participation in the care process and a power imbalance was also evidenced. Within the studied settings, an important lack of collaborative work with hospitalized children's mothers was observed. The weaknesses in the negotiation process and specifically the difficulties found in communication; the lack of roles and tasks clarification and the perceived power imbalance regarding relationships, prevent mothers involvement in their children care process, considered a basic component to achieve a greater mother implication, better results in terms of health and a lower impact of hospitalization in the children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Investigation of potential toxic factors for fleece-flower root： from perspective of processing methods evolution].

PubMed

Cui, He-Rong; Bai, Zhao-Fang; Song, Hai-Bo; Jia, Tian-Zhu; Wang, Jia-Bo; Xiao, Xiao-He

2016-01-01

In recent years, the rapid growth of reports on fleece-flower root-caused liver damages has drawn wide attention of both at home and abroad, however, there were rare literature on toxicology of fleece-flower root in ancient Chinese medicine. But why there are so many reports on toxicology of fleece-flower root now compared with the ancient literature? As a typical tonic medicine, the clinical utility of fleece-flower root was largely limited by its standardization and reliability of processing methods in ancient Chinese medicine. The ancient processing methods of fleece-flower root emphasized nine times of steaming and nine times of drying, while the modern processes have been simplified into one time of steaming. Whether the differences between ancient and modern processing methods are the potential cause of the increased events of fleece-flower root-caused liver damages. We will make deep analysis and provide new clues and perspectives for the research on its toxicity. This article, therefore, would discuss the affecting factors and key problems in toxicity attenuation of fleece-flower root on the basis of sorting out the processing methods of fleece-flower root in ancient medical books and modern standards, in order to provide the reference for establishing specification for toxicity attenuation of fleece-flower root. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

a Comparitive Study Using Geometric and Vertical Profile Features Derived from Airborne LIDAR for Classifying Tree Genera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, C.; Sohn, G.; Remmel, T. K.

2012-07-01

We present a comparative study between two different approaches for tree genera classification using descriptors derived from tree geometry and those derived from the vertical profile analysis of LiDAR point data. The different methods provide two perspectives for processing LiDAR point clouds for tree genera identification. The geometric perspective analyzes individual tree crowns in relation to valuable information related to characteristics of clusters and line segments derived within crowns and overall tree shapes to highlight the spatial distribution of LiDAR points within the crown. Conversely, analyzing vertical profiles retrieves information about the point distributions with respect to height percentiles; this perspective emphasizes of the importance that point distributions at specific heights express, accommodating for the decreased point density with respect to depth of canopy penetration by LiDAR pulses. The targeted species include white birch, maple, oak, poplar, white pine and jack pine at a study site northeast of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.

Binocular disparities, motion parallax, and geometric perspective in Patrick Hughes's 'reverspectives': theoretical analysis and empirical findings.

PubMed

Rogers, Brian; Gyani, Alex

2010-01-01

Abstract. Patrick Hughes's 'reverspective' artworks provide a novel way of investigating the effectiveness of different sources of 3-D information for the human visual system. Our empirical findings show that the converging lines of simple linear perspective can be as effective as the rich array of 3-D cues present in natural scenes in determining what we see, even when these cues are in conflict with binocular disparities. Theoretical considerations reveal that, once the information provided by motion parallax transformations is correctly understood, there is no need to invoke higher-level processes or an interpretation based on familiarity or past experience in order to explain either the 'reversed' depth or the apparent, concomitant rotation of a reverspective artwork as the observer moves from side to side. What we see in reverspectives is the most likely real-world scenario (distal stimulus) that could have created the perspective and parallax transformations (proximal stimulus) that stimulate our visual systems.

The Creative Stereotype Effect.

PubMed

Dumas, Denis; Dunbar, Kevin N

2016-01-01

Because of its fundamental relevance to scientific innovation, artistic expression, and human ingenuity, creativity has long been the subject of systematic psychological investigation. Concomitantly, the far-reaching effects of stereotypes on various cognitive and social processes have been widely researched. Bridging these two literatures, we show in a series of two studies that stereotypes related to creativity can both enhance and diminish individuals' performance on a divergent thinking task. Specifically, Study 1 demonstrated that participants asked to take on a stereotypically uninhibited perspective performed significantly better on a divergent thinking task than those participants who took on a stereotypically inhibited perspective, and a control group. Relatedly, Study 2 showed that the same effect is found within-subjects, with divergent thinking significantly improving when participants invoke an uninhibited stereotype. Moreover, we demonstrate the efficacy of Latent Semantic Analysis as an objective measure of the originality of ideas, and discuss implications of our findings for the nature of creativity. Namely, that creativity may not be best described as a stable individual trait, but as a malleable product of context and perspective.

Sensemaking: a driving force behind the integration of professional practices.

PubMed

Sylvain, Chantal; Lamothe, Lise

2012-01-01

There has been considerable effort in recent years to link and integrate professional services more closely for patients with comorbidities. However, difficulties persist, especially at the clinical level. This study aims to shed light on these difficulties by examining the process of sensemaking in professionals directly involved in this integration. The authors conducted an eight-year longitudinal case study of an organization specializing in mental health and substance abuse. Different data collection methods were used, including 34 interviews conducted between 2003 and 2009, observations and document analysis. The authors performed a qualitative analysis of the data using a processual perspective. This paper provides empirical insights about the nature of the sensemaking process in which professionals collectively participate and the effects of this process on the evolution of integrated services. It suggests that the development of integrated practices results from an evolutional and collective process of constructing meanings that is rooted in the work activities of the professionals involved. By drawing attention to the capacity of professionals to shape the projects they are implementing, this study questions the capacity of managers to actually manage such a process. In order to obtain the expected benefits of integration projects, such emergent dynamics must first be recognized and then supported. Only then can thought be given to mastering them. The fact that this is a single case study is not a limitation per se, although it does raise the issue of the transferability of results. Replicating the study in other contexts would verify the applicability of the authors' conclusions. This study offers a fresh perspective on the difficulties generally encountered at the clinical level when trying to integrate services. It makes a significant contribution to work on the dynamics of sensemaking in organizational life.

[Quality management in emergency departments: Lack of uniform standards for fact-based controlling].

PubMed

Ries, M; Christ, M

2015-11-01

The general high occupancy of emergency departments during the winter months of 2014/2015 outlined deficits in health politics. Whether on the regional, province, or federal level, verifiable and accepted figures to enable in depth analysis and fact-based controlling of emergency care systems are lacking. As the first step, reasons for the current situation are outlined in order to developed concrete recommendations for individual hospitals. This work is based on a selective literature search with focus on quality management, ratio driven management, and process management within emergency departments as well as personal experience with implementation of a key ratio system in a German maximum care hospital. The insufficient integration of emergencies into the DRG systematic, the role as gatekeeper between inpatient and outpatient care sector, the decentralized organization of emergency departments in many hospitals, and the inconsistent representation within the medical societies can be mentioned as reasons for the lack of key ratio systems. In addition to the important role within treatment procedures, emergency departments also have an immense economic importance. Consequently, the management of individual hospitals should promote implementation of key ratio systems to enable controlling of emergency care processes. Thereby the perspectives finance, employees, processes as well as partners and patients should be equally considered. Within the process perspective, milestones could be used to enable detailed controlling of treatment procedures. An implementation of key ratio systems without IT support is not feasible; thus, existing digital data should be used and future data analysis should already be considered during implementation of new IT systems.

Family caregiving challenges in advanced colorectal cancer: patient and caregiver perspectives.

PubMed

Mosher, Catherine E; Adams, Rebecca N; Helft, Paul R; O'Neil, Bert H; Shahda, Safi; Rattray, Nicholas A; Champion, Victoria L

2016-05-01

Family caregivers of advanced colorectal cancer patients may be at increased risk for psychological distress. Yet their key challenges in coping with the patient's illness are not well understood. Soliciting both patient and caregiver perspectives on these challenges would broaden our understanding of the caregiving experience. Thus, the purpose of this research was to identify caregivers' key challenges in coping with their family member's advanced colorectal cancer from the perspective of patients and caregivers. Individual, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 advanced colorectal cancer patients and 23 primary family caregivers. Interview data were analyzed via thematic analysis. In nearly all cases, patient and caregiver reports of the caregiver's key challenge were discrepant. Across patient and caregiver reports, caregivers' key challenges included processing emotions surrounding the patient's initial diagnosis or recurrence and addressing the patient's practical and emotional needs. Other challenges included coping with continual uncertainty regarding the patient's potential functional decline and prognosis and observing the patient suffer from various physical symptoms. Findings suggest that eliciting the perspectives of both patients and caregivers regarding caregivers' challenges provides a more comprehensive understanding of their experience. Results also point to the need to assist caregivers with the emotional and practical aspects of caregiving.

The Response of the Ionospheric Cusp to the Solar Through Two Perspectives: Low Energy Changed Particle In-Situ Measurements and Low- Energy Neutral Atom Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coffey, V. N.; Moore, T. E.; Chandler, M. O.; Craven, P. D.

2000-01-01

The IMAGE mission provides a new perspective on the study of the response of the magnetosphere/ionosphere system to changing solar wind conditions, particularly the variability of ion outflow. Learning to interpret this new type of data becomes an essential step in the process of melding these results with the wealth of in-situ charged particle observations obtained over the past 25 years. In order to understand how the in-situ data correspond to and contrast with IMAGE results we will perform a conjunctive study of event data from two instruments to shed light on the coupling of the solar wind and ionosphere from these different perspectives. We will use the Low Energy Neutral Atom instrument (LENA) which images energetic neutral atom emissions from upward flowing ionospheric ions and the Thermal Ion Dynamics Instrument (TIDE) on the Polar satellite which measures in-situ ion outflow from 0.3-300 eV. Our primary goal will be to understand how comparing the imaging and in-situ perspectives can aid in the analysis of both data sets.

The Response of the Ionospheric Cusp to the Solar Wind Through Two Perspectives: Low Energy Charged Particle In-Situ Measurements and Low-Energy Neutral Atom Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coffey, V. N.; Moore, T. E.; Chandler, M. O.; Giles, B. L.; Craven, P. D.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) mission provides a new perspective on the study of the response of the magnetosphere/ionosphere system to changing solar wind conditions, particularly the variability of ion outflow. Learning to interpret this new type of data becomes an essential step in the process of melding these results with the wealth of in-situ charged particle observations obtained over the past 25 years. In order to understand how the in-situ data correspond to and contrast with IMAGE results we will perform a conjunctive study of event data from two instruments to shed light on the coupling of the solar wind and ionosphere from these different perspectives. We will use the Low Energy Neutral Atom instrument (LENA) which images energetic neutral atom emissions from upward flowing ionospheric ions and the Thermal Ion Dynamics Instrument (TIDE) on the Polar satellite which measures in-situ ion outflow from 0.3-300 eV. Our primary goal will be to understand how comparing the imaging and in-situ perspectives can aid in the analysis of both data sets.

The (Mathematical) Modeling Process in Biosciences.

PubMed

Torres, Nestor V; Santos, Guido

2015-01-01

In this communication, we introduce a general framework and discussion on the role of models and the modeling process in the field of biosciences. The objective is to sum up the common procedures during the formalization and analysis of a biological problem from the perspective of Systems Biology, which approaches the study of biological systems as a whole. We begin by presenting the definitions of (biological) system and model. Particular attention is given to the meaning of mathematical model within the context of biology. Then, we present the process of modeling and analysis of biological systems. Three stages are described in detail: conceptualization of the biological system into a model, mathematical formalization of the previous conceptual model and optimization and system management derived from the analysis of the mathematical model. All along this work the main features and shortcomings of the process are analyzed and a set of rules that could help in the task of modeling any biological system are presented. Special regard is given to the formative requirements and the interdisciplinary nature of this approach. We conclude with some general considerations on the challenges that modeling is posing to current biology.

Self-Editing: On the Relation Between behavioral and Psycholinguistic Approaches

PubMed Central

Kimberly Epting, L; Critchfield, Thomas S

2006-01-01

In Skinner's (1957) conceptual analysis, the process of self-editing is integral to the dynamic complexities of multiply determined verbal behavior, but the analysis has generated little in the way of an experimental analysis. The majority of scientific work on self-editing has taken place within linguistics and cognitive psycholinguistics. Here we compare and contrast behavioral and cognitive psycholinguistic approaches to self-editing, highlighting points of contact that can be identified despite fundamental differences in theoretical styles. We conclude that the two approaches are not mutually exclusive on all dimensions, and suggest that a consideration of cognitive psycholinguistic research may help to spur an experimental analysis of self-editing from a behavioral perspective. PMID:22478464

An approach to market analysis for lighter than air transportation of freight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, P. O.; Marcus, H. S.; Pollock, J. H.

1975-01-01

An approach is presented to marketing analysis for lighter than air vehicles in a commercial freight market. After a discussion of key characteristics of supply and demand factors, a three-phase approach to marketing analysis is described. The existing transportation systems are quantitatively defined and possible roles for lighter than air vehicles within this framework are postulated. The marketing analysis views the situation from the perspective of both the shipper and the carrier. A demand for freight service is assumed and the resulting supply characteristics are determined. Then, these supply characteristics are used to establish the demand for competing modes. The process is then iterated to arrive at the market solution.

Visualizing the Structure of Medical Informatics Using Term Co-Occurrence Analysis: II. INSPEC Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Theodore

2001-01-01

Term co-occurrence analysis of INSPEC classification codes and thesaurus terms used to index Medical Informatics literature reveals an information science and technology perspective on the field, to accompany the biomedical perspective previously reported. This study continues the search for a better understanding of the structure of Medical…

Merging Traditional Technique Vocabularies with Democratic Teaching Perspectives in Dance Education: A Consideration of Aesthetic Values and Their Sociopolitical Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyer, Becky

2009-01-01

This article suggests how movement analysis from a socially contextualized perspective can inform understanding about the significance of sociopolitical contexts and aesthetic values in Western dance training. Perspectives of movement analysis provide groundwork for discussing perceivable ways to address discrepancies between democratic and…

Depression in female adolescents: an IPA analysis.

PubMed

Shaw, Samantha K; Dallos, Rudi; Shoebridge, Philip

2009-04-01

Six female adolescents participated in open-ended interviews regarding their experiences of depression. The transcripts of their interviews were explored using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1991). The analysis revealed three inter-connected super-ordinate themes which were: communication, hurt self, and difference. These themes centred on communication processes in participants' families and with peers, issues relating to shifts in identity through adolescence, and feelings of being damaged, distressed, and hurt. Amongst a range of potentially relevant perspectives, an attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969) orientation was found to be particularly relevant and helpful in interpreting the themes that captured these young women's experiences. Some implications for clinical practice are discussed.

The Meaning of Pain during the Process of Embodiment: A Case Study of Trainee Modern Dancers' Experiences of Pain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Sourabh

2011-01-01

A large number of sociologists have adopted the notion of the embodied subject to escape the trappings of the rational choice theory in sociological analysis. From a phenomenological perspective, the notion of an embodied subject refers to a subject who is in unity with the world. In this paper, I will present my ethnographic study of a group of…

Silicon Valley's Processing Needs versus San Jose State University's Manufacturing Systems Processing Component: Implications for Industrial Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obi, Samuel C.

2004-01-01

Manufacturing professionals within universities tend to view manufacturing systems from a global perspective. This perspective tends to assume that manufacturing processes are employed equally in every manufacturing enterprise, irrespective of the geography and the needs of the people in those diverse regions. But in reality local and societal…

Culture Learning from a Constructivist Perspective: An Investigation of Spanish Foreign Language Teachers' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sercu, Lies; Garcia, Maria del Carmen Mendez; Prieto, Paloma Castro

2005-01-01

Today, teaching and learning tend to be viewed from a constructivist perspective. Learning is regarded as a self-directed process of constructing meaning, which takes place in interaction. The teacher supports the learning process by selecting input and approaches that can scaffold the learning process and guide learners towards independent…

Transportation Planning and Quality of Life: Where Do They Intersect?

PubMed Central

Lee, Richard J.

2016-01-01

Policy makers and researchers are increasingly recognizing the connections between public health and transportation, but health improvements are typically framed from a physical health perspective rather than considering broader quality of life (QOL) impacts. Currently, there is a limited understanding of the ways in which transportation and QOL intersect, and little is known about how metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in the United States are addressing QOL outcomes. This study addressed these gaps by developing a conceptual framework holistically linking transportation to QOL. The proposed framework identified four transportation-related QOL dimensions—physical, mental, social, and economic well-being—which are predominantly influenced by three components of the transportation system: mobility/accessibility, the built environment, and vehicle traffic. This framework then formed the basis for a content analysis of 148 long-range transportation plans in the United States to evaluate the extent to which QOL is being considered in the planning process. The results of the analysis and a follow-up examination of 13 plans revealed that MPOs are inconsistently addressing QOL. Plans primarily targeted QOL enhancement from the perspective of physical well-being, while mental and social well-being were rarely considered. Policy recommendations were provided to more comprehensively integrate QOL into the transportation planning process. PMID:27546998

Tensions in mentoring medical students toward self-directed and reflective learning in a longitudinal portfolio-based mentoring system - An activity theory analysis.

PubMed

Heeneman, Sylvia; de Grave, Willem

2017-04-01

In medical education, students need to acquire skills to self-direct(ed) learning (SDL), to enable their development into self-directing and reflective professionals. This study addressed the mentor perspective on how processes in the mentor-student interaction influenced development of SDL. n = 22 mentors of a graduate-entry medical school with a problem-based curriculum and longitudinal mentoring system were interviewed (n = 1 recording failed). Using activity theory (AT) as a theoretical framework, thematic analysis was applied to the interview data to identify important themes. Four themes emerged: centered around the role of the portfolio, guiding of students' SDL in the context of assessment procedures, mentor-role boundaries and longitudinal development of skills by both the mentor and mentee. Application of AT showed that in the interactions between themes tensions or supportive factors could emerge for activities in the mentoring process. The mentors' perspective on coaching and development of reflection and SDL of medical students yielded important insights into factors that can hinder or support students' SDL, during a longitudinal mentor-student interaction. Coaching skills of the mentor, the interaction with a portfolio and the context of a mentor community are important factors in a longitudinal mentor-student interaction that can translate to students' SDL skills.

[Analysis of the mainstreaming of the perspective of the Human Right to Adequate Food in the institutional design of the National School Nutrition Program].

PubMed

de Siqueira, Renata Lopes; Cotta, Rosângela Minardi Mitre; Ribeiro, Rita de Cássia Lanes; Sperandio, Naiara; Priore, Sílvia Eloíza

2014-01-01

Being a signatory to international agreements that recognize the Human Right to Adequate Food (HRAF) and having enshrined this right into its Constitution, the Brazilian state imposes a duty to provide, protect and promote the HRAF. For this it is necessary to incorporate the principles of the HRAF into the process of planning and executing the actions of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS). The objective was to analyze the process of mainstreaming of the HRAF in the new institutional design of the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP). This is in line with the principles laid down in General Comment No 12 of the Guide for Policy Analysis and Public Programs and nutritional Food Security under the Perspective of Human Rights and the Organic Law on Food and Nutrition Security (OLFNS). The results show that the new regulatory framework of the NSNP indicates a paradigm shift that is characterized by a gradual decline in the perception of NSNP as policy of a welfare nature. Concomitantly, there is an increase in the concept of the benefit of school food as a right, with the caveat that the construction of a new regulatory framework, although essential, is not sufficient for full implementation of the HRAF.

Work and Inter-subjectivity: a theoretical reflection on its dialectics in the field of health and nursing.

PubMed

Carvalho, Brígida Gimenez; Peduzzi, Marina; Mandú, Edir Nei Teixeira; Ayres, José Ricardo de Carvalho Mesquita

2012-01-01

This theoretical reflection intends to show the inter-subjective relationship that takes place in health and nursing practices under the following theoretical perspectives: Institutional Analysis, Psychodynamics of Labor and the Theory of Communicative Action, with an emphasis on the latter. Linking these concepts to the Marxist approach to work in the field of health emerges from recognizing the need for its continuous reconstruction-in this case, with a view to understand the interaction and communication intrinsic to work in action. The theory of Communicative Action seeks to consider these two inextricable dimensions: work as productive action and as interaction. The first corresponds to instrumental action based on technical rules with a production-guided rationale. The second refers to the interaction that takes place as communicative action and seeks understanding among subjects. We assume that adopting this theoretical perspective in the analysis of health and nursing practices opens new possibilities for clarifying its social and historical process and inter-subjective connections.

Stirling heat pump external heat systems - An appliance perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilakis, Andrew D.; Thomas, John F.

A major issue facing the Stirling Engine Heat Pump is system cost, and, in particular, the cost of the External Heat System (EHS). The need for high temperature at the heater head (600 C to 700 C) results in low combustion system efficiencies unless efficient heat recovery is employed. The balance between energy efficiency and use of costly high temperature materials is critical to design and cost optimization. Blower power consumption and NO(x) emissions are also important. A new approach to the design and cost optimization of the EHS was taken by viewing the system from a natural gas-fired appliance perspective. To develop a design acceptable to gas industry requirements, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) code considerations were incorporated into the design process and material selections. A parametric engineering design and cost model was developed to perform the analysis, including the impact of design on NO(x) emissions. Analysis results and recommended EHS design and material choices are given.

Stirling heat pump external heat systems: An appliance perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilakis, A. D.; Thomas, J. F.

1992-08-01

A major issue facing the Stirling Engine Heat Pump is system cost, and, in particular, the cost of the External Heat System (EHS). The need for high temperature at the heater head (600 C to 700 C) results in low combustion system efficiencies unless efficient heat recovery is employed. The balance between energy efficiency and use of costly high temperature materials is critical to design and cost optimization. Blower power consumption and NO(x) emissions are also important. A new approach to the design and cost optimization of the EHS system was taken by viewing the system from a natural gas-fired appliance perspective. To develop a design acceptable to gas industry requirements, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) code considerations were incorporated into the design process and material selections. A parametric engineering design and cost model was developed to perform the analysis, including the impact of design on NO(x) emissions. Analysis results and recommended EHS design and material choices are given.

[Self esteem : concept analysis.

PubMed

Doré, Christina

2017-06-01

Self-esteem is an inner attitude at the base of the construction of personality and psychic balance in addition to be responsible of adaptive processes over the course of life. The concept of self-esteem is commonly used in several disciplines however, it seems that the consensus on its conceptualization and its operationalization is not yet reached. In this context, the concept analysis allows to address a phenomenon and to understand its use and its evolution from a unique disciplinary perspective. The aim of this article is therefore to analyze the concept of self esteem from a nursing perspective to identify : definitions of the term and related terms, attributes, model and limit cases proposed here within the community of mental health nurses, antecedents and consequents as well as the empirical references using the Walker and Avant method. The attributes identified allowing a deeper understanding of the concept are : the self-value, the self-acceptance, the self-efficacy, attitude towards oneself and finally, self-respect.

A Thematic Analysis of the Motivation Behind Sexual Homicide From the Perspective of the Killer.

PubMed

Kerr, Kevin J; Beech, Anthony R

2016-12-01

Using thematic analysis, this study explores the motivation to commit sexual homicide from the perspective of the perpetrator. In the process, it revisits motivational models and offender typologies that have been put forward to explain such offenses. From the homicide narratives of eight sexual homicide offenders detained in a high security hospital in the United Kingdom, four themes were found which appeared significant in terms of understanding the offenses committed. These themes were labeled as follows: (a) avenging sexual abuse, (b) events leading to a catathymic reaction, (c) homicidal impulse, and (d) emotional loneliness. Although these findings are not inconsistent with previous research, we argue that the current literature fails to capture the complexity associated with these offenses. We also argue that the context or situation in which sexual homicide occurs is a crucial feature of the offense, and one which has not been adequately taken into account by motivational models. © The Author(s) 2015.

What Makes Us More Egocentric in Communication? The Role of Referent Features and Individual Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debska, Agnieszka; Raczaszek-Leonardi, Joanna

2018-01-01

The perspective-adjustment model of language interpretation assumes an initial egocentric stage in comprehension that is only later adjusted to the interlocutor's perspective. Moreover, substantial processing resources are involved in perspective-taking. However, many experiments in the perspective-adjustment framework do not control for visual…

Is It Always Me First? Effects of Self-Tagging on Third-Person Perspective-Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattan, Bradley; Quinn, Kimberly A.; Apperly, Ian A.; Sui, Jie; Rotshtein, Pia

2015-01-01

Self-relevant information is associated with facilitation of perceptual and memory processes. In 2 experiments, participants verified the number of dots within a virtual room that were visible to a given perspective, corresponding to participants' own first-person perspectives or the third-person perspectives for self- and other-associated…

Reward processing and mood-related symptoms: An RDoC and translational neuroscience perspective.

PubMed

Nusslock, Robin; Alloy, Lauren B

2017-07-01

Two objectives of the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative are to identify (a) mechanisms that are common to multiple psychiatric disorders, and (b) mechanisms that are unique to specific psychiatric symptoms, and that reflect markers of differential risk for these symptoms. With respect to these objectives, a brain-behavior dimension that has received considerable attention and that is directly relevant to the Positive Valence Systems domain of the RDoC initiative involves reward processing. The present review paper first examines the relationship between reward processing and mood-related symptoms from an RDoC perspective. We then place this work in a larger context by examining the relationship between reward processing abnormalities and psychiatric symptoms defined broadly, including mood-related symptoms, schizophrenia, and addiction. Our review suggests that reward hyposensitivity relates to a subtype of anhedonia characterized by motivational deficits in unipolar depression, and reward hypersensitivity relates to a cluster of hypo/manic symptoms characterized by excessive approach motivation in the context of bipolar disorder. Integrating this perspective with research on reward processing abnormalities in schizophrenia and addiction, we further argue that the principles of equifinality and multifinality may be preferable to a transdiagnostic perspective for conceptualizing the relationship between reward processing and psychiatric symptoms defined broadly. We propose that vulnerability to either motivational anhedonia or approach-related hypo/manic symptoms involve extreme and opposite profiles of reward processing. We further propose that an equifinality and multifinality perspective may serve as a useful framework for future research on reward processing abnormalities and psychiatric symptoms. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Abandon or embrace: Functionalism perspective of photojournalists on Syrian refugees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuroyya; Tandyonomanu, D.; Dharmawan, A.

2018-01-01

This research examines photojournalist’ perspectives of Syrian refugees in Europe, encoding, and dissemination processes. It employs a qualitative approach and functionalism perspective of mass media by sending questionnaires to voluntary respondents. The findings show sharing similar background and/or having experiences in the Middle Eastern countries highly influence the perspective of photojournalists on Syrian refugees. The encoding process covers through research of priority issues, target audience, trustworthiness of photos, and audience interpretation. The distribution method includes taking advantages of personal social media to promote the links of photos. As part of mass media industry, photojournalists play a crucial role to contribute to social integration, particularly, in creating a shared understanding between European community and Syrian refugees. The current research serves as a basis to future investigations on the perspective of European community towards Syrian refugees, whether or not their perspective is influenced by such photos.

Help Others and Yourself Eventually: Exploring the Relationship between Help-Giving and Employee Creativity under the Model of Perspective Taking.

PubMed

Li, Si; Liao, Shudi

2017-01-01

Although a plethora of studies have examined the antecedents of creativity, empirical studies exploring the role of individual behaviors in relation to creativity are relatively scarce. Drawing on the model of perspective taking, this study examines the relationship between help-giving during creative problem solving process and employee creativity. Specifically, we test perspective taking as an explanatory mechanism and propose organization-based self-esteem as the moderator. In a sample collected from a field survey of 247 supervisor-subordinate dyads from 2 large organizations in China at 3 time points, we find that help-giving during creative problem solving process positively related with perspective taking; perspective taking positively related with employees' creativity; employees' organization-based self-esteem strengthened the link between perspective taking and creativity; besides, there existed a moderated mediation effect. We conclude this paper with discussions on the implications for theory, research, and practice.

Education biographies from the science pipeline: An analysis of Latino/a student perspectives on ethnic and gender identity in higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lujan, Vanessa Beth

This study is a qualitative narrative analysis on the importance and relevance of the ethnic and gender identities of 17 Latino/a (Hispanic) college students in the biological sciences. This research study asks the question of how one's higher education experience within the science pipeline shapes an individual's direction of study, attitudes toward science, and cultural/ethnic and gender identity development. By understanding the ideologies of these students, we are able to better comprehend the world-makings that these students bring with them to the learning process in the sciences. Informed by life history narrative analysis, this study examines Latino/as and their persisting involvement within the science pipeline in higher education and is based on qualitative observations and interviews of student perspectives on the importance of the college science experience on their ethnic identity and gender identity. The findings in this study show the multiple interrelationships from both Latino male and Latina female narratives, separate and intersecting, to reveal the complexities of the Latino/a group experience in college science. By understanding from a student perspective how the science pipeline affects one's cultural, ethnic, or gender identity, we can create a thought-provoking discussion on why and how underrepresented student populations persist in the science pipeline in higher education. The conditions created in the science pipeline and how they affect Latino/a undergraduate pathways may further be used to understand and improve the quality of the undergraduate learning experience.

Executive function is necessary for perspective selection, not Level-1 visual perspective calculation: evidence from a dual-task study of adults.

PubMed

Qureshi, Adam W; Apperly, Ian A; Samson, Dana

2010-11-01

Previous research suggests that perspective-taking and other "theory of mind" processes may be cognitively demanding for adult participants, and may be disrupted by concurrent performance of a secondary task. In the current study, a Level-1 visual perspective task was administered to 32 adults using a dual-task paradigm in which the secondary task tapped executive function. Results suggested that the secondary task did not affect the calculation of perspective, but did affect the selection of the relevant (Self or Other) perspective for a given trial. This is the first direct evidence of a cognitively efficient process for "theory of mind" in adults that operates independently of executive function. The contrast between this and previous findings points to a distinction between simple perspective-taking and the more complex and cognitively demanding abilities more typically examined in studies of "theory of mind". It is suggested that these findings may provide a parsimonious explanation of the success of infants on 'indirect' measures of perspective-taking that do not explicitly require selection of the relevant perspective. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Translating evidence-based guidelines to improve feedback practices: the interACT case study.

PubMed

Barton, Karen L; Schofield, Susie J; McAleer, Sean; Ajjawi, Rola

2016-02-09

There has been a substantial body of research examining feedback practices, yet the assessment and feedback landscape in higher education is described as 'stubbornly resistant to change'. The aim of this paper is to present a case study demonstrating how an entire programme's assessment and feedback practices were re-engineered and evaluated in line with evidence from the literature in the interACT (Interaction and Collaboration via Technology) project. Informed by action research the project conducted two cycles of planning, action, evaluation and reflection. Four key pedagogical principles informed the re-design of the assessment and feedback practices. Evaluation activities included document analysis, interviews with staff (n = 10) and students (n = 7), and student questionnaires (n = 54). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the questionnaire data. Framework thematic analysis was used to develop themes across the interview data. InterACT was reported by students and staff to promote self-evaluation, engagement with feedback and feedback dialogue. Streamlining the process after the first cycle of action research was crucial for improving engagement of students and staff. The interACT process of promoting self-evaluation, reflection on feedback, feedback dialogue and longitudinal perspectives of feedback has clear benefits and should be transferable to other contexts. InterACT has involved comprehensive re-engineering of the assessment and feedback processes using educational principles to guide the design taking into account stakeholder perspectives. These principles and the strategies to enact them should be transferable to other contexts.

Achievement Goal Orientations and Identity Formation Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Avi; Flum, Hanoch

2010-01-01

The present article points to shared underlying theoretical assumptions and central processes of a prominent academic motivation perspective--achievement goal theory--and recent process perspectives in the identity formation literature, and more specifically, identity formation styles. The review highlights the shared definition of achievement…

Analysis of a voluntary initiative to reduce sodium in processed and ultra-processed food products in Argentina: the views of public and private sector representatives.

PubMed

Castronuovo, Luciana; Allemandi, Lorena; Tiscornia, Victoria; Champagne, Beatriz; Campbell, Norm; Schoj, Verónica

2017-07-03

The Less Salt, More Life program was the first voluntary salt reduction initiative in Argentina. This article analyzes the perspectives of the stakeholders involved in this voluntary agreement between the Ministry of Health and the food industry to gradually reduce sodium content in processed foods. This exploratory case study used a qualitative approach including 29 in-depth interviews with stakeholders from the public and private sectors and identified the role of the different stakeholders and their perceptions regarding the challenges encountered in the policy process that contribute to the debate on public-private partnerships in health policies. The article also discusses the initiative's main challenges and controversies.

Evolution dynamics modeling and simulation of logistics enterprise's core competence based on service innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bo; Tong, Yuting

2017-04-01

With the rapid development of economy, the development of logistics enterprises in China is also facing a huge challenge, especially the logistics enterprises generally lack of core competitiveness, and service innovation awareness is not strong. Scholars in the process of studying the core competitiveness of logistics enterprises are mainly from the perspective of static stability, not from the perspective of dynamic evolution to explore. So the author analyzes the influencing factors and the evolution process of the core competence of logistics enterprises, using the method of system dynamics to study the cause and effect of the evolution of the core competence of logistics enterprises, construct a system dynamics model of evolution of core competence logistics enterprises, which can be simulated by vensim PLE. The analysis for the effectiveness and sensitivity of simulation model indicates the model can be used as the fitting of the evolution process of the core competence of logistics enterprises and reveal the process and mechanism of the evolution of the core competence of logistics enterprises, and provide management strategies for improving the core competence of logistics enterprises. The construction and operation of computer simulation model offers a kind of effective method for studying the evolution of logistics enterprise core competence.

Importance of public participation in decision-making process in healthcare system illustarted with an example of the development of American and Polish scope of health benefit basket.

PubMed

Kolasa, Katarzyna; Hermanowski, Tomasz; Borek, Ewa

2013-01-01

The process of the development of health benefit basket may serve as a good example of decision-making process in the healthcare system which is based on public participation. Comparative analysis of development and implementation of health benefit basket in Poland and the USA. On a basis of the literature review, following questions were studied, i.e.: What is the origin of health benefit basket development in the USA and Poland? What was the role of pubic opinion in determining the range of health benefit basket in both countries? What criteria were employed to determine the range of health benefit basket in both countries? What conclusions can be drawn for Poland from the USA experience of determining the range of health benefit basket? Irrespective of the similarities in the origin of health benefit basket development, both countries approached this issue differently. In the USA, the approach based on social dialogue and patient's perspective was selected while in Poland the perspective of public payer predominated. The transparency of principles and social dialogue constitute the fundamental elements of effective process of health benefit basket development and implementation which is both required and generally unpopular modification.

Intelligent Document Gateway: A Service System Case Study and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna, Vikas; Lelescu, Ana

In today's fast paced world, it is necessary to process business ­documents expediently, accurately, and diligently. In other words, processing has to be fast, errors must be prevented (or caught and corrected quickly), and documents cannot be lost or misplaced. The failure to meet these criteria, depending on the type and purpose of the documents, can have serious business, legal, or safety consequences. In this paper, we evaluated a B2B order placement service system that allows clients to place orders for products and services over a network. We describe the order placement service before and after deploying the Intelligent Document Gateway (IDG), a document-centric business process automation technology from IBM Research. Using service science perspective and service systems frameworks, we provide an analysis of how IDG improved the value proposition for both the service providers and service clients.

Perspective: Optical measurement of feature dimensions and shapes by scatterometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diebold, Alain C.; Antonelli, Andy; Keller, Nick

2018-05-01

The use of optical scattering to measure feature shape and dimensions, scatterometry, is now routine during semiconductor manufacturing. Scatterometry iteratively improves an optical model structure using simulations that are compared to experimental data from an ellipsometer. These simulations are done using the rigorous coupled wave analysis for solving Maxwell's equations. In this article, we describe the Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry based scatterometry. Next, the rigorous coupled wave analysis for Maxwell's equations is presented. Following this, several example measurements are described as they apply to specific process steps in the fabrication of gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures. First, simulations of measurement sensitivity for the inner spacer etch back step of horizontal GAA transistor processing are described. Next, the simulated metrology sensitivity for sacrificial (dummy) amorphous silicon etch back step of vertical GAA transistor processing is discussed. Finally, we present the application of plasmonically active test structures for improving the sensitivity of the measurement of metal linewidths.

Quality of physical therapy from a patient's perspective; factor analysis on web-based survey data revealed three dimensions on patient experiences with physical therapy.

PubMed

Scholte, Marijn; Calsbeek, Hilly; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; Braspenning, Jozé

2014-06-18

Assessing quality of care from the patient's perspective has changed from patient satisfaction to the more general term patient experience, as satisfaction measures turned out to be less discriminative due to high scores. Literature describes four to ten dimensions of patient experience, tailored to specific conditions or types of care. Given the administrative burden on patients, less dimensions and items could increase feasibility. Ten dimensions of patient experiences with physical therapy (PT) were proposed in the Netherlands in a consensus-based process with patients, physical therapists, health insurers, and policy makers. The aim of this paper is to detect the number of dimensions from data of a field study using factor analysis at item level. A web-based survey yielded data of 2,221 patients from 52 PT practices on 41 items. Principal component factor analysis at item level was used to assess the proposed distinction between the ten dimensions. Factor analysis revealed two dimensions: 'personal interaction' and 'practice organisation'. The dimension 'patient reported outcome' was artificially established. The three dimensions 'personal interaction' (14 items) (median(practice level) = 91.1; IQR = 2.4), 'practice organisation' (9 items) (median(practice level) = 88.9; IQR = 6.0) and 'outcome' (3 items) (median(practice level) = 80.6; IQR = 19.5) reduced the number of dimensions from ten to three and the number of items by more than a third. Factor analysis revealed three dimensions and achieved an item reduction of more than a third. It is a relevant step in the development process of a quality measurement tool to reduce respondent burden, increase clarity, and promote feasibility.

Neurocognitive inefficacy of the strategy process.

PubMed

Klein, Harold E; D'Esposito, Mark

2007-11-01

The most widely used (and taught) protocols for strategic analysis-Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) and Porter's (1980) Five Force Framework for industry analysis-have been found to be insufficient as stimuli for strategy creation or even as a basis for further strategy development. We approach this problem from a neurocognitive perspective. We see profound incompatibilities between the cognitive process-deductive reasoning-channeled into the collective mind of strategists within the formal planning process through its tools of strategic analysis (i.e., rational technologies) and the essentially inductive reasoning process actually needed to address ill-defined, complex strategic situations. Thus, strategic analysis protocols that may appear to be and, indeed, are entirely rational and logical are not interpretable as such at the neuronal substrate level where thinking takes place. The analytical structure (or propositional representation) of these tools results in a mental dead end, the phenomenon known in cognitive psychology as functional fixedness. The difficulty lies with the inability of the brain to make out meaningful (i.e., strategy-provoking) stimuli from the mental images (or depictive representations) generated by strategic analysis tools. We propose decreasing dependence on these tools and conducting further research employing brain imaging technology to explore complex data handling protocols with richer mental representation and greater potential for strategy creation.

Initial versus ongoing education: Perspectives of people with type 1 diabetes in 13 countries.

PubMed

Beran, David; Golay, Alain

2017-05-01

To understand the perspectives of people with type 1 diabetes with regards to the diabetes education they receive within the health system. Grounded Theory was used for the collection and analysis of data from interviews with 101 people with type 1 diabetes from 13 countries. There are two aspects to education, namely initial education received when diagnosed and the ongoing education people continue to receive. Within these two categories content and process of diabetes education are important as are factors linked to the healthcare worker and setting. Tangible elements are the "what" that is delivered and are the different skills and information needed for people to manage their diabetes. Process elements are the "how" this is delivered. Finally intangible elements are those, which were found to be specific to certain contexts and health professionals. These could be the hardest to replicate, but possibly the most important. Health systems can provide the tangible elements and organize themselves to have processes in place to deliver education. The challenge is how can the intangible elements be seen as important and developed and delivered to improve management, but also meet the needs of people with diabetes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison through a LCA evaluation analysis of food waste disposal options from the perspective of global warming and resource recovery.

PubMed

Kim, Mi-Hyung; Kim, Jung-Wk

2010-09-01

This study evaluated feed manufacturing including dry feeding and wet feeding, composting, and landfilling for food waste disposal options from the perspective of global warming and resource recovery. The method of the expanded system boundaries was employed in order to compare different by-products. The whole stages of disposal involved in the systems such as separate discharge, collection, transportation, treatment, and final disposal, were included in the system boundary and evaluated. The Global Warming Potential generated from 1tonne of food wastes for each disposal system was analyzed by the life cycle assessment method. The results showed that 200kg of CO(2)-eq could be produced from dry feeding process, 61kg of CO(2)-eq from wet feeding process, 123kg of CO(2)-eq from composting process, and 1010kg of CO(2)-eq from landfilling. Feed manufacturing and composting, the common treatment methods currently employed, have been known to be environment friendlier than other methods. However, this study shows that they can negatively affect the environment if their by-products are not appropriately utilized as intended. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perspectives of Community Co-Researchers About Group Dynamics and Equitable Partnership Within a Community-Academic Research Team.

PubMed

Vaughn, Lisa M; Jacquez, Farrah; Zhen-Duan, Jenny

2018-04-01

Equitable partnership processes and group dynamics, including individual, relational, and structural factors, have been identified as key ingredients to successful community-based participatory research partnerships. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the key aspects of group dynamics and partnership from the perspectives of community members serving as co-researchers. Semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 Latino immigrant co-researchers from an intervention project with Latinos Unidos por la Salud (LU-Salud), a community research team composed of Latino immigrant community members and academic investigators working in a health research partnership. A deductive framework approach guided the interview process and qualitative data analysis. The LU-Salud co-researchers described relationships, personal growth, beliefs/identity motivation (individual dynamics), coexistence (relational dynamics), diversity, and power/resource sharing (structural dynamics) as key foundational aspects of the community-academic partnership. Building on existing CBPR and team science frameworks, these findings demonstrate that group dynamics and partnership processes are fundamental drivers of individual-level motivation and meaning making, which ultimately sustain efforts of community partners to engage with the research team and also contribute to the achievement of intended research outcomes.

["'Vazanteiros' in motion": the process of "environmentalization" of their territorial fights in the context of ecological modernization policies].

PubMed

Anaya, Felisa Cançado

2014-10-01

This text presents the process of environmentalization of the social campaigns of Pau Preto, Pau de Légua and Quilombo da Lapinha in the north of the State of Minas Gerais that culminated in their being re-named as "'Vazanteiros' in Motion." The analysis of the territorial environmental conflict examines it from the perspective of Political Ecology and Critical Sociology. Documents from public environmental and judicial institutions were analyzed as well as meeting and research reports referring to the process of social mobilization and political formation of the "Vazanteiros in Motion." Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted from 2006 to 2012 and the different actors involved in the conflict were interviewed. The "extended-case method" or "situational analyses" were also used in order to demonstrate the ethnographic social events from a procedural and historical perspective. The results revealed the contradictions in sustainable development ideology, which made it possible to consolidate the agribusiness in that region through the creation of parks for irrigated fruit production projects as an environmental compensation strategy and the emergence of an important social movement of territorial claims in the environmental field.

Computer-assisted cartography: an overview.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guptill, S.C.; Starr, L.E.

1984-01-01

An assessment of the current status of computer-assisted cartography, in part, is biased by one's view of the cartographic process as a whole. From a traditional viewpoint we are concerned about automating the mapping process; from a progressive viewpoint we are concerned about using the tools of computer science to convey spatial information. On the surface these viewpoints appear to be in opposition. However, it is postulated that in the final analysis, they face the same goal. This overview uses the perspectives from two viewpoints to depict the current state of computer-assisted cartography and speculate on future goals, trends, and challenges.-Authors

Implementing a Swedish regionalized medical program supported by digital technologies: possibilities and challenges from a management perspective.

PubMed

Pettersson, Fanny L M

2013-01-01

In 2011, Umeå University in Sweden was facing its first attempt to transform the existing medical program into a regionalized medical program (RMP), supported by the use of digital technologies. The Swedish RMP means that students are distributed in geographically separated groups while doing their five clinical clerkship semesters. To provide medical students with ways of undertaking their theoretical studies when geographically distributed, digital technologies are used for educational and administrative purposes. In this article, the Swedish RMP will be described and related to previous international research on educating medical students in rural settings. The aim of this article was, from a management perspective, to understand if and how contradictions arise during the implementation process of the Swedish RMP, supported by digital technologies. Based on this analysis, a further aim was to discuss, from a management perspective, the possibilities and challenges for improvement of this medical educational practice, as well as to provide implications for other similar changes in medical programs internationally. To identify possible contradictions during the implementation process, ethnographically inspired observations were made during management work meetings, before and during the first regionalized semester. In addition, in-depth follow-up interviews were held in May and June 2011 with six management executives of the Swedish RMP, concerning their expectations and experiences of the implementation process. The qualitative and activity theory (AT)-inspired analysis resulted in the emergence of two main themes and seven sub-themes. The analysis suggests that a number of contradictions arose during the implementation process of the Swedish RMP. For instance, a contradiction constituted as a conflict between the university management and some teachers concerning how digital technologies and technology enhanced learning (TEL) could and should be used when educating medical students. In addition, due to the use of digital technologies the implementation process helped to reveal existing problems and tensions in educational practice, not previously visible to management. These included contradictions such as a lack of alignment in how course goals, teaching practices, and examinations should be carried out. Further, obsolete course content and overlap between courses and subjects were identified, leading to an overhaul of all semesters, not only those regionalized. This study showed how contradictions in educational practice arose when the Swedish RMP, supported by digital technologies, was implemented. These contradictions involve both possibilities and challenges for management to improve how and with what quality the Swedish RMP is conducted. A challenge for management is to find the most effective way to enhance up-take and use of the more interactive and innovative TEL-solutions. However, a possibility is that the regionalization process and implemented improvements may also influence non-regionalized semesters, with the potential to eventually increase the quality of the entire program.

The public communication of science in public health graduate programs in Brazil: From the coordinators' perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixeira, C. A.; Gallo, P. R.

2014-12-01

Introduction - The elaboration process of public policies for science and technology in knowledge societies should include not only experts, but all society members. There are studies on lay people's perception of science and technology. However, what is the scientists' perspective on public communication of science? Objectives - To describe and characterize the concepts that coordinators of Brazilian public health graduate programs have about public communication of science. Methods - This is an analytical and descriptive report of an exploratory research (doctoral study). The answers of fifty-one coordinators to two questionnaires were submitted for content analysis. The categories were transformed into variables that allowed the data processing by the Hiérarchique Classificatoire et Cohésitive (CHIC®) software. Results - Similarity analysis strongly suggested (0,99) that coordinators understand public communication as a communication directed to academic peers and students, also as a form of participation in scientific events and communication by scientific papers. Likewise, the implication analysis suggested a strong implication (0,98) between scientific communication understood as public communication. Conclusion - The notion of public communication of science as a social right and as a commitment and responsibility of researchers and research centers is not explicitly present in the narrative of the coordinators, although in general the coordinators conceive it as a relevant activity. This study thus contributes to a reflection on the role of scientists, researchers and research centers in public communication of science and technology.

Emerging and recurrent issues in drug development.

PubMed

Anello, C

This paper reviews several emerging and recurrent issues relating to the drug development process. These emerging issues include changes to the FDA regulatory environment, internationalization of drug development, advances in computer technology and visualization tools, and efforts to incorporate meta-analysis methodology. Recurrent issues include: renewed interest in statistical methods for handling subgroups in the design and analysis of clinical trials; renewed interest in alternatives to the 'intention-to-treat' analysis in the presence of non-compliance in randomized clinical trials; renewed interest in methodology to address the multiplicities resulting from a variety of sources inherent in the drug development process, and renewed interest in methods to assure data integrity. These emerging and recurrent issues provide a continuing challenge to the international community of statisticians involved in drug development. Moreover, the involvement of statisticians with different perspectives continues to enrich the field and contributes to improvement in the public health.

Social network analysis for program implementation.

PubMed

Valente, Thomas W; Palinkas, Lawrence A; Czaja, Sara; Chu, Kar-Hai; Brown, C Hendricks

2015-01-01

This paper introduces the use of social network analysis theory and tools for implementation research. The social network perspective is useful for understanding, monitoring, influencing, or evaluating the implementation process when programs, policies, practices, or principles are designed and scaled up or adapted to different settings. We briefly describe common barriers to implementation success and relate them to the social networks of implementation stakeholders. We introduce a few simple measures commonly used in social network analysis and discuss how these measures can be used in program implementation. Using the four stage model of program implementation (exploration, adoption, implementation, and sustainment) proposed by Aarons and colleagues [1] and our experience in developing multi-sector partnerships involving community leaders, organizations, practitioners, and researchers, we show how network measures can be used at each stage to monitor, intervene, and improve the implementation process. Examples are provided to illustrate these concepts. We conclude with expected benefits and challenges associated with this approach.

Flow chemistry vs. flow analysis.

PubMed

Trojanowicz, Marek

2016-01-01

The flow mode of conducting chemical syntheses facilitates chemical processes through the use of on-line analytical monitoring of occurring reactions, the application of solid-supported reagents to minimize downstream processing and computerized control systems to perform multi-step sequences. They are exactly the same attributes as those of flow analysis, which has solid place in modern analytical chemistry in several last decades. The following review paper, based on 131 references to original papers as well as pre-selected reviews, presents basic aspects, selected instrumental achievements and developmental directions of a rapidly growing field of continuous flow chemical synthesis. Interestingly, many of them might be potentially employed in the development of new methods in flow analysis too. In this paper, examples of application of flow analytical measurements for on-line monitoring of flow syntheses have been indicated and perspectives for a wider application of real-time analytical measurements have been discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social Network Analysis for Program Implementation

PubMed Central

Valente, Thomas W.; Palinkas, Lawrence A.; Czaja, Sara; Chu, Kar-Hai; Brown, C. Hendricks

2015-01-01

This paper introduces the use of social network analysis theory and tools for implementation research. The social network perspective is useful for understanding, monitoring, influencing, or evaluating the implementation process when programs, policies, practices, or principles are designed and scaled up or adapted to different settings. We briefly describe common barriers to implementation success and relate them to the social networks of implementation stakeholders. We introduce a few simple measures commonly used in social network analysis and discuss how these measures can be used in program implementation. Using the four stage model of program implementation (exploration, adoption, implementation, and sustainment) proposed by Aarons and colleagues [1] and our experience in developing multi-sector partnerships involving community leaders, organizations, practitioners, and researchers, we show how network measures can be used at each stage to monitor, intervene, and improve the implementation process. Examples are provided to illustrate these concepts. We conclude with expected benefits and challenges associated with this approach. PMID:26110842

Between trust and accountability: different perspectives on the modernization of postgraduate medical training in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Wallenburg, Iris; van Exel, Job; Stolk, Elly; Scheele, Fedde; de Bont, Antoinette; Meurs, Pauline

2010-06-01

Postgraduate medical training was reformed to be more responsive to changing societal needs. In the Netherlands, as in various other Western countries, a competency-based curriculum was introduced reflecting the clinical and nonclinical roles a modern doctor should fulfill. It is still unclear, however, what this modernization process exactly comprises and what its consequences might be for clinical practice and medical work. The authors conducted a Q methodological study to investigate which different perspectives exist on the modernization of postgraduate medical training among actors involved. The authors found four distinct perspectives, reflecting the different features of medical training. The accountability perspective stresses the importance of formal regulations within medical training and the monitoring of results in order to be more transparent and accountable to society. According to the educational perspective, medical training should be more formalized and directed at the educational process. The work-life balance perspective stresses the balance between a working life and a private life, as well as the changing professional relationship between staff members and residents. The trust-based perspective reflects the classic view of medical training in which role modeling and trust are considered most important. The four perspectives on the modernization of postgraduate medical training show that various aspects of the modernization process are valued differently by stakeholders, highlighting important sources of agreement and disagreement between them. An important source of disagreement is diverging expectations of the role of physicians in modern medical practice.

A perspective on the Human-Rating process of US spacecraft: Both past and present

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zupp, George

1995-04-01

The purpose of this report is to characterize the process of Human-Rating as employed by NASA for human spaceflight. An Agency-wide committee was formed in November 1992 to develop a Human-Rating Requirements Definition for Launch Vehicles based on conventional (historical) methods. The committee members were from NASA Headquarters, Marshall Space Flight Center, Kennedy Space Center, Stennis Space Center, and Johnson Space Center. After considerable discussion and analysis, committee members concluded that Human-Rating is the process of satisfying the mutual constraints of cost, schedule, mission performance, and risk while addressing the requirements for human safety, human performance, and human health management and care.

A perspective on the Human-Rating process of US spacecraft: Both past and present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zupp, George (Editor)

1995-01-01

The purpose of this report is to characterize the process of Human-Rating as employed by NASA for human spaceflight. An Agency-wide committee was formed in November 1992 to develop a Human-Rating Requirements Definition for Launch Vehicles based on conventional (historical) methods. The committee members were from NASA Headquarters, Marshall Space Flight Center, Kennedy Space Center, Stennis Space Center, and Johnson Space Center. After considerable discussion and analysis, committee members concluded that Human-Rating is the process of satisfying the mutual constraints of cost, schedule, mission performance, and risk while addressing the requirements for human safety, human performance, and human health management and care.

Evidence from mixed hydrate nucleation for a funnel model of crystallization.

PubMed

Hall, Kyle Wm; Carpendale, Sheelagh; Kusalik, Peter G

2016-10-25

The molecular-level details of crystallization remain unclear for many systems. Previous work has speculated on the phenomenological similarities between molecular crystallization and protein folding. Here we demonstrate that molecular crystallization can involve funnel-shaped potential energy landscapes through a detailed analysis of mixed gas hydrate nucleation, a prototypical multicomponent crystallization process. Through this, we contribute both: (i) a powerful conceptual framework for exploring and rationalizing molecular crystallization, and (ii) an explanation of phenomenological similarities between protein folding and crystallization. Such funnel-shaped potential energy landscapes may be typical of broad classes of molecular ordering processes, and can provide a new perspective for both studying and understanding these processes.

Evidence from mixed hydrate nucleation for a funnel model of crystallization

PubMed Central

Hall, Kyle Wm.; Carpendale, Sheelagh; Kusalik, Peter G.

2016-01-01

The molecular-level details of crystallization remain unclear for many systems. Previous work has speculated on the phenomenological similarities between molecular crystallization and protein folding. Here we demonstrate that molecular crystallization can involve funnel-shaped potential energy landscapes through a detailed analysis of mixed gas hydrate nucleation, a prototypical multicomponent crystallization process. Through this, we contribute both: (i) a powerful conceptual framework for exploring and rationalizing molecular crystallization, and (ii) an explanation of phenomenological similarities between protein folding and crystallization. Such funnel-shaped potential energy landscapes may be typical of broad classes of molecular ordering processes, and can provide a new perspective for both studying and understanding these processes. PMID:27790987

Critical Narrative Analysis: The Interplay of Critical Discourse and Narrative Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Souto-Manning, Mariana

2014-01-01

In this article, I question the micro-macro separation in discourse analysis, the separation of personal and institutional discourses. I apply a mostly macroanalytic perspective (critical discourse analysis [CDA]) to inform a predominantly microanalytic perspective (analysis of conversational narratives) and vice versa. In the combination of these…

HIA, the next step: Defining models and roles

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

Putters, Kim

If HIA is to be an effective instrument for optimising health interests in the policy making process it has to recognise the different contests in which policy is made and the relevance of both technical rationality and political rationality. Policy making may adopt a rational perspective in which there is a systematic and orderly progression from problem formulation to solution or a network perspective in which there are multiple interdependencies, extensive negotiation and compromise, and the steps from problem to formulation are not followed sequentially or in any particular order. Policy problems may be simple with clear causal pathways andmore » responsibilities or complex with unclear causal pathways and disputed responsibilities. Network analysis is required to show which stakeholders are involved, their support for health issues and the degree of consensus. From this analysis three models of HIA emerge. The first is the phases model which is fitted to simple problems and a rational perspective of policymaking. This model involves following structured steps. The second model is the rounds (Echternach) model that is fitted to complex problems and a network perspective of policymaking. This model is dynamic and concentrates on network solutions taking these steps in no particular order. The final model is the 'garbage can' model fitted to contexts which combine simple and complex problems. In this model HIA functions as a problem solver and signpost keeping all possible solutions and stakeholders in play and allowing solutions to emerge over time. HIA models should be the beginning rather than the conclusion of discussion the worlds of HIA and policymaking.« less

Towards health care process description framework: an XML DTD design.

PubMed Central

Staccini, P.; Joubert, M.; Quaranta, J. F.; Aymard, S.; Fieschi, D.; Fieschi, M.

2001-01-01

The development of health care and hospital information systems has to meet users needs as well as requirements such as the tracking of all care activities and the support of quality improvement. The use of process-oriented analysis is of-value to provide analysts with: (i) a systematic description of activities; (ii) the elicitation of the useful data to perform and record care tasks; (iii) the selection of relevant decision-making support. But paper-based tools are not a very suitable way to manage and share the documentation produced during this step. The purpose of this work is to propose a method to implement the results of process analysis according to XML techniques (eXtensible Markup Language). It is based on the IDEF0 activity modeling language (Integration DEfinition for Function modeling). A hierarchical description of a process and its components has been defined through a flat XML file with a grammar of proper metadata tags. Perspectives of this method are discussed. PMID:11825265

A statistical physics perspective on alignment-independent protein sequence comparison.

PubMed

Chattopadhyay, Amit K; Nasiev, Diar; Flower, Darren R

2015-08-01

Within bioinformatics, the textual alignment of amino acid sequences has long dominated the determination of similarity between proteins, with all that implies for shared structure, function and evolutionary descent. Despite the relative success of modern-day sequence alignment algorithms, so-called alignment-free approaches offer a complementary means of determining and expressing similarity, with potential benefits in certain key applications, such as regression analysis of protein structure-function studies, where alignment-base similarity has performed poorly. Here, we offer a fresh, statistical physics-based perspective focusing on the question of alignment-free comparison, in the process adapting results from 'first passage probability distribution' to summarize statistics of ensemble averaged amino acid propensity values. In this article, we introduce and elaborate this approach. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Scalable graphene production: perspectives and challenges of plasma applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levchenko, Igor; Ostrikov, Kostya (Ken); Zheng, Jie; Li, Xingguo; Keidar, Michael; B. K. Teo, Kenneth

2016-05-01

Graphene, a newly discovered and extensively investigated material, has many unique and extraordinary properties which promise major technological advances in fields ranging from electronics to mechanical engineering and food production. Unfortunately, complex techniques and high production costs hinder commonplace applications. Scaling of existing graphene production techniques to the industrial level without compromising its properties is a current challenge. This article focuses on the perspectives and challenges of scalability, equipment, and technological perspectives of the plasma-based techniques which offer many unique possibilities for the synthesis of graphene and graphene-containing products. The plasma-based processes are amenable for scaling and could also be useful to enhance the controllability of the conventional chemical vapour deposition method and some other techniques, and to ensure a good quality of the produced graphene. We examine the unique features of the plasma-enhanced graphene production approaches, including the techniques based on inductively-coupled and arc discharges, in the context of their potential scaling to mass production following the generic scaling approaches applicable to the existing processes and systems. This work analyses a large amount of the recent literature on graphene production by various techniques and summarizes the results in a tabular form to provide a simple and convenient comparison of several available techniques. Our analysis reveals a significant potential of scalability for plasma-based technologies, based on the scaling-related process characteristics. Among other processes, a greater yield of 1 g × h-1 m-2 was reached for the arc discharge technology, whereas the other plasma-based techniques show process yields comparable to the neutral-gas based methods. Selected plasma-based techniques show lower energy consumption than in thermal CVD processes, and the ability to produce graphene flakes of various sizes reaching hundreds of square millimetres, and the thickness varying from a monolayer to 10-20 layers. Additional factors such as electrical voltage and current, not available in thermal CVD processes could potentially lead to better scalability, flexibility and control of the plasma-based processes. Advantages and disadvantages of various systems are also considered.

Scalable graphene production: perspectives and challenges of plasma applications.

PubMed

Levchenko, Igor; Ostrikov, Kostya Ken; Zheng, Jie; Li, Xingguo; Keidar, Michael; B K Teo, Kenneth

2016-05-19

Graphene, a newly discovered and extensively investigated material, has many unique and extraordinary properties which promise major technological advances in fields ranging from electronics to mechanical engineering and food production. Unfortunately, complex techniques and high production costs hinder commonplace applications. Scaling of existing graphene production techniques to the industrial level without compromising its properties is a current challenge. This article focuses on the perspectives and challenges of scalability, equipment, and technological perspectives of the plasma-based techniques which offer many unique possibilities for the synthesis of graphene and graphene-containing products. The plasma-based processes are amenable for scaling and could also be useful to enhance the controllability of the conventional chemical vapour deposition method and some other techniques, and to ensure a good quality of the produced graphene. We examine the unique features of the plasma-enhanced graphene production approaches, including the techniques based on inductively-coupled and arc discharges, in the context of their potential scaling to mass production following the generic scaling approaches applicable to the existing processes and systems. This work analyses a large amount of the recent literature on graphene production by various techniques and summarizes the results in a tabular form to provide a simple and convenient comparison of several available techniques. Our analysis reveals a significant potential of scalability for plasma-based technologies, based on the scaling-related process characteristics. Among other processes, a greater yield of 1 g × h(-1) m(-2) was reached for the arc discharge technology, whereas the other plasma-based techniques show process yields comparable to the neutral-gas based methods. Selected plasma-based techniques show lower energy consumption than in thermal CVD processes, and the ability to produce graphene flakes of various sizes reaching hundreds of square millimetres, and the thickness varying from a monolayer to 10-20 layers. Additional factors such as electrical voltage and current, not available in thermal CVD processes could potentially lead to better scalability, flexibility and control of the plasma-based processes. Advantages and disadvantages of various systems are also considered.

Sampling and sample processing in pesticide residue analysis.

PubMed

Lehotay, Steven J; Cook, Jo Marie

2015-05-13

Proper sampling and sample processing in pesticide residue analysis of food and soil have always been essential to obtain accurate results, but the subject is becoming a greater concern as approximately 100 mg test portions are being analyzed with automated high-throughput analytical methods by agrochemical industry and contract laboratories. As global food trade and the importance of monitoring increase, the food industry and regulatory laboratories are also considering miniaturized high-throughput methods. In conjunction with a summary of the symposium "Residues in Food and Feed - Going from Macro to Micro: The Future of Sample Processing in Residue Analytical Methods" held at the 13th IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry, this is an opportune time to review sampling theory and sample processing for pesticide residue analysis. If collected samples and test portions do not adequately represent the actual lot from which they came and provide meaningful results, then all costs, time, and efforts involved in implementing programs using sophisticated analytical instruments and techniques are wasted and can actually yield misleading results. This paper is designed to briefly review the often-neglected but crucial topic of sample collection and processing and put the issue into perspective for the future of pesticide residue analysis. It also emphasizes that analysts should demonstrate the validity of their sample processing approaches for the analytes/matrices of interest and encourages further studies on sampling and sample mass reduction to produce a test portion.

Reason and reaction: the utility of a dual-focus, dual-processing perspective on promotion and prevention of adolescent health risk behaviour.

PubMed

Gibbons, Frederick X; Houlihan, Amy E; Gerrard, Meg

2009-05-01

A brief overview of theories of health behaviour that are based on the expectancy-value perspective is presented. This approach maintains that health behaviours are the result of a deliberative decision-making process that involves consideration of behavioural options along with anticipated outcomes associated with those options. It is argued that this perspective is effective at explaining and predicting many types of health behaviour, including health-promoting actions (e.g. UV protection, condom use, smoking cessation), but less effective at predicting risky health behaviours, such as unprotected, casual sex, drunk driving or binge drinking. These are behaviours that are less reasoned or premeditated - especially among adolescents. An argument is made for incorporating elements of dual-processing theories in an effort to improve the 'utility' of these models. Specifically, it is suggested that adolescent health behaviour involves both analytic and heuristic processing. Both types of processing are incorporated in the prototype-willingness (prototype) model, which is described in some detail. Studies of health behaviour based on the expectancy-value perspective (e.g. theory of reasoned action) are reviewed, along with studies based on the prototype model. These two sets of studies together suggest that the dual-processing perspective, in general, and the prototype model, in particular, add to the predictive validity of expectancy-value models for predicting adolescent health behaviour. Research and interventions that incorporate elements of dual-processing and elements of expectancy-value are more effective at explaining and changing adolescent health behaviour than are those based on expectancy-value theories alone.

Assessing the Social Influence of Television: A Social Cognition Perspective on Cultivation Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrum, L. J.

1995-01-01

Uses an information-processing perspective to illustrate how television viewing may affect social judgements. Posits heuristic processing as a mechanism that can explain why heavier television viewing results in higher first-order cultivation judgments (those requiring estimates of set size). (SR)

Maternal migration and child health: An analysis of disruption and adaptation processes in Benin.

PubMed

Smith-Greenaway, Emily; Madhavan, Sangeetha

2015-11-01

Children of migrant mothers have lower vaccination rates compared to their peers with non-migrant mothers in low-income countries. Explanations for this finding are typically grounded in the disruption and adaptation perspectives of migration. Researchers argue that migration is a disruptive process that interferes with women's economic well-being and social networks, and ultimately their health-seeking behaviors. With time, however, migrant women adapt to their new settings, and their health behaviors improve. Despite prominence in the literature, no research tests the salience of these perspectives to the relationship between maternal migration and child vaccination. We innovatively leverage Demographic and Health Survey data to test the extent to which disruption and adaptation processes underlie the relationship between maternal migration and child vaccination in the context of Benin-a West African country where migration is common and child vaccination rates have declined in recent years. By disaggregating children of migrants according to whether they were born before or after their mother's migration, we confirm that migration does not lower children's vaccination rates in Benin. In fact, children born after migration enjoy a higher likelihood of vaccination, whereas their peers born in the community from which their mother eventually migrates are less likely to be vaccinated. Although we find no support for the disruption perspective of migration, we do find evidence of adaptation: children born after migration have an increased likelihood of vaccination the longer their mother resides in the destination community prior to their birth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patient participation in nursing care: towards a concept clarification from a nurse perspective.

PubMed

Sahlsten, Monika J M; Larsson, Inga E; Sjöström, Björn; Lindencrona, Catharina S C; Plos, Kaety A E

2007-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the meanings of the concept of patient participation in nursing care from a nurse perspective. Participation is essential and increases patients' motivation and satisfaction with received care. Studies of patient participation in nursing care are not congruent regarding definition, elements and processes. This lack of clarity is amplified by several terms used; patient/client/consumer involvement or collaboration, partnership and influence. Despite the fact that several nursing theories have emphasized the importance of patient participation, an empirically grounded theory has yet to be published. Seven focus group interviews were held with nurses providing inpatient physical care at five hospitals in West Sweden. The focus groups consisted of Registered Swedish nurses (n = 31) who described the meaning and implementation of patient participation in nursing care. A Grounded Theory approach has been applied to tape-recorded data. Constant comparative analysis was used and saturation was achieved. Mutuality in negotiation emerged as the core category for explaining nurses' perspectives on patient participation in nursing care. It is characterized by four interrelated sub-core categories: interpersonal procedure, therapeutic approach, focus on resources and opportunities for influence. Mutuality in negotiation constitutes the dynamic nurse-patient interaction process. The study clarifies that patient participation can be explained as an interactional process identified as mutuality in negotiation based on four components. The results are important and can be used in nursing practice and education. Application in a clinical context means nursing care organized to include all the components presented. The results can also be used in quality assurance to improve and evaluate patient participation.

Maternal migration and child health: An analysis of disruption and adaptation processes in Benin

PubMed Central

Smith-Greenaway, Emily; Madhavan, Sangeetha

2016-01-01

Children of migrant mothers have lower vaccination rates compared to their peers with non-migrant mothers in low-income countries. Explanations for this finding are typically grounded in the disruption and adaptation perspectives of migration. Researchers argue that migration is a disruptive process that interferes with women’s economic well-being and social networks, and ultimately their health-seeking behaviors. With time, however, migrant women adapt to their new settings, and their health behaviors improve. Despite prominence in the literature, no research tests the salience of these perspectives to the relationship between maternal migration and child vaccination. We innovatively leverage Demographic and Health Survey data to test the extent to which disruption and adaptation processes underlie the relationship between maternal migration and child vaccination in the context of Benin—a West African country where migration is common and child vaccination rates have declined in recent years. By disaggregating children of migrants according to whether they were born before or after their mother’s migration, we confirm that migration does not lower children’s vaccination rates in Benin. In fact, children born after migration enjoy a higher likelihood of vaccination, whereas their peers born in the community from which their mother eventually migrates are less likely to be vaccinated. Although we find no support for the disruption perspective of migration, we do find evidence of adaptation: children born after migration have an increased likelihood of vaccination the longer their mother resides in the destination community prior to their birth. PMID:26463540

Patient perspectives on care received at community acupuncture clinics: a qualitative thematic analysis.

PubMed

Tippens, Kimberly M; Chao, Maria T; Connelly, Erin; Locke, Adrianna

2013-10-29

Community acupuncture is a recent innovation in acupuncture service delivery in the U.S. that aims to improve access to care through low-cost treatments in group-based settings. Patients at community acupuncture clinics represent a broader socioeconomic spectrum and receive more frequent treatments compared to acupuncture users nationwide. As a relatively new model of acupuncture in the U.S., little is known about the experiences of patients at community acupuncture clinics and whether quality of care is compromised through this high-volume model. The aim of this study was to assess patients' perspectives on the care received through community acupuncture clinics. The investigators conducted qualitative, thematic analysis of written comments from an observational, cross-sectional survey of clients of the Working Class Acupuncture clinics in Portland, Oregon. The survey included an open-ended question for respondents to share comments about their experiences with community acupuncture. Comments were received from 265 community acupuncture patients. Qualitative analysis of written comments identified two primary themes that elucidate patients' perspectives on quality of care: 1) aspects of health care delivery unique to community acupuncture, and 2) patient engagement in health care. Patients identified unique aspects of community acupuncture, including structures that facilitate access, processes that make treatments more comfortable and effective and holistic outcomes including physical improvements, enhanced quality of life, and empowerment. The group setting, community-based locations, and low cost were highlighted as aspects of this model that allow patients to access acupuncture. Patients' perspectives on the values and experiences unique to community acupuncture offer insights on the quality of care received in these settings. The group setting, community-based locations, and low cost of this model potentially reduce access barriers for those who might not otherwise consider using acupuncture. In addition, the community acupuncture model may offer individuals the opportunity for increased frequency of treatments, which raises pertinent questions about the dose-response relationship of acupuncture and health outcomes. This study provides preliminary data for future evaluations of the quality and effectiveness of community acupuncture. Future studies should include the perspectives of patients who initiated, and subsequently, discontinued community acupuncture treatment.

From Physical Process to Economic Cost - Integrated Approaches of Landslide Risk Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, M.; Damm, B.

2014-12-01

The nature of landslides is complex in many respects, with landslide hazard and impact being dependent on a variety of factors. This obviously requires an integrated assessment for fundamental understanding of landslide risk. Integrated risk assessment, according to the approach presented in this contribution, implies combining prediction of future landslide occurrence with analysis of landslide impact in the past. A critical step for assessing landslide risk in integrated perspective is to analyze what types of landslide damage affected people and property in which way and how people contributed and responded to these damage types. In integrated risk assessment, the focus is on systematic identification and monetization of landslide damage, and analytical tools that allow deriving economic costs from physical landslide processes are at the heart of this approach. The broad spectrum of landslide types and process mechanisms as well as nonlinearity between landslide magnitude, damage intensity, and direct costs are some main factors explaining recent challenges in risk assessment. The two prevailing approaches for assessing the impact of landslides in economic terms are cost survey (ex-post) and risk analysis (ex-ante). Both approaches are able to complement each other, but yet a combination of them has not been realized so far. It is common practice today to derive landslide risk without considering landslide process-based cause-effect relationships, since integrated concepts or new modeling tools expanding conventional methods are still widely missing. The approach introduced in this contribution is based on a systematic framework that combines cost survey and GIS-based tools for hazard or cost modeling with methods to assess interactions between land use practices and landslides in historical perspective. Fundamental understanding of landslide risk also requires knowledge about the economic and fiscal relevance of landslide losses, wherefore analysis of their impact on public budgets is a further component of this approach. In integrated risk assessment, combination of methods plays an important role, with the objective of collecting and integrating complex data sets on landslide risk.

Higher Education in Tennessee: An Economic Analysis from a Student, Society, and State Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee State Board of Regents, Nashville.

This document presents an economic analysis of higher education in Tennessee from a student, societal, and state perspective. The cost-benefit ratios speak favorably for the economic value of higher education in Tennessee from the student's perspective. On average, a student may expect a return of $5.44 for each dollar invested; the return for an…

Life History of a Topic in an Online Discussion: A Complex Systems Theory Perspective on How One Message Attracts Class Members to Create Meaning Collaboratively

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogler, Jane S.; Schallert, Diane L.; Jordan, Michelle E.; Song, Kwangok; Sanders, Anke J. Z.; Te Chiang, Yueh-hui Yan; Lee, Ji-Eun; Park, Jeongbin Hannah; Yu, Li-Tang

2017-01-01

Complex adaptive systems theory served as a framework for this qualitative study exploring the process of how meaning emerges from the collective interactions of individuals in a synchronous online discussion through their shared words about a topic. In an effort to bridge levels of analysis from the individual to the small group to the community,…

Performance Effects of Measurement and Analysis: Perspectives from CMMI High Maturity Organizations and Appraisers

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

models 13 The Chi-Square test fails to reject the null hypothesis that there is no difference between 2008 and 2009 data (p-value = 0.601). This...attributed to process performance modeling 53 Table 4: Relationships between data quality and integrity activities and overall value attributed to... data quality and integrity; staffing and resources devoted to the work; pertinent training and coaching; and the alignment of the models with

The National Shipbuilding Research Program. Guide to International Approval Processes for Commercial Ship Construction. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-10-01

PTP QAT formed two sub-teams. These teams addressed data analysis and examined operations from a maritime systems perspective that included an...two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatus A.606(15) Review and evaluation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) A.607(15...Requirements in the International Maritime Community (cont’d.) VII. Foreign Consensus Standards (The various national systems of voluntary consensus

Marital Processes around Depression: A Gendered and Relational Perspective.

PubMed

Thomeer, Mieke Beth; Umberson, Debra; Pudrovska, Tetyanna

2013-11-01

Despite extensive evidence of the importance of marriage and marital processes for mental health, little is known about the interpersonal processes around depression within marriage and the extent to which these processes are gendered. We use a mixed methods approach to explore the importance of gender in shaping processes around depression within marriage; we approach this in two ways. First, using quantitative longitudinal analysis of 2,601 couples from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we address whether depressive symptoms in one spouse shape the other spouse's depressive symptoms and whether men or women are more influential in this process. We find that a wife's depressive symptoms influence her husband's future depressive symptoms but a husband's depressive symptoms do not influence his wife's future symptoms. Second, we conduct a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 29 couples wherein one or both spouses experienced depression to provide additional insight into how gender impacts depression and reactions to depression within marriage. Our study points to the importance of cultural scripts of masculinity and femininity in shaping depression and emotional processes within marriage and highlights the importance of applying a gendered couple-level approach to better understand the mental health effects of marital processes.

Analysis of architect’s performance indicators in project delivery process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marisa, A.

2018-03-01

Architect as a professional in the construction industry should possess a good performance in project delivery process. As a design professional, architect has an important role to ensure that the process is well-conducted by delivering a high-quality product for the clients. Thus, analyzing architect’s performance indicators is crucial in the project delivery process. This study aims to analyze the relative importance of architect performance indicators in project delivery process among registered architects in North Sumatera, Indonesia. A total of five indicators that measure architect performance in project delivery process were identified and 110 completed questionnaires were obtained and used for data analysis. A relative importance index is used to rank the relative importance of architect performance indicators. Results indicate that focus on the clients is the most important indicator of architect performance in project delivery process. This study demonstrates project communication as one of crucial indicators perceived by the architects for measuring their performance, and fills a knowledge gap on the importance of identifying the most important indicator for measuring architect performance from their own perspectives which previous studies have overlooked to improve performance assessment in project delivery process.

Kenyan Nurses Involvement in National Policy Development Processes

PubMed Central

Juma, Pamela Atieno

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to critically examine how nurses have been involved in national policy processes in the Kenyan health sector. The paper reports qualitative results from a larger mixed method study. National nonnursing decision-makers and nurse leaders, and provincial managers as well as frontline nurse managers from two Kenyan districts were purposefully selected for interviews. Interviews dealt with nurses' involvement in national policy processes, factors hindering nurses' engagement in policy processes, and ways to enhance nurses' involvement in policy processes. Critical theory and feminist perspectives guided the study process. Content analysis of data was conducted. Findings revealed that nurses' involvement in policy processes in Kenya was limited. Only a few nurse leaders were involved in national policy committees as a result of their positions in the sector. Critical analysis of the findings revealed that hierarchies and structural factors as well as nursing professional issues were the primary barriers constraining nurses' involvement in policy processes. Thus, there is need to address these factors both by nurses themselves and by nonnursing decision makers, in order to enhance nurses engagement in policy making and further the contribution to quality of services to the communities. PMID:25349731

Rotorcraft Conceptual Design Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Wayne; Sinsay, Jeffrey

2009-01-01

Requirements for a rotorcraft conceptual design environment are discussed, from the perspective of a government laboratory. Rotorcraft design work in a government laboratory must support research, by producing technology impact assessments and defining the context for research and development; and must support the acquisition process, including capability assessments and quantitative evaluation of designs, concepts, and alternatives. An information manager that will enable increased fidelity of analysis early in the design effort is described. This manager will be a framework to organize information that describes the aircraft, and enable movement of that information to and from analyses. Finally, a recently developed rotorcraft system analysis tool is described.

Rotorcraft Conceptual Design Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Wayne; Sinsay, Jeffrey D.

2010-01-01

Requirements for a rotorcraft conceptual design environment are discussed, from the perspective of a government laboratory. Rotorcraft design work in a government laboratory must support research, by producing technology impact assessments and defining the context for research and development; and must support the acquisition process, including capability assessments and quantitative evaluation of designs, concepts, and alternatives. An information manager that will enable increased fidelity of analysis early in the design effort is described. This manager will be a framework to organize information that describes the aircraft, and enable movement of that information to and from analyses. Finally, a recently developed rotorcraft system analysis tool is described.

Integration of Parent and Nurse Perspectives of Communication to Plan Care for Technology Dependent Children: The Theory of Shared Communication.

PubMed

Giambra, Barbara K; Broome, Marion E; Sabourin, Teresa; Buelow, Janice; Stiffler, Deborah

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to expand our understanding of the process of communication between parents of hospitalized technology dependent children and their nurses originally detailed in the Theory of Shared Communication (TSC). This grounded theory study was conducted with five parents of technology dependent children hospitalized in a large Midwestern children's hospital and nine nurses who care for technology dependent children admitted to the same hospital during July and August 2013. Semi-structured interviews and journals (parents only), field notes and a demographic survey were used to collect data which was analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Parents verified the concepts of the TSC and relationships among them. Nurses' perceptions of communication with parents reflected the same parent identified and verified concepts upon which the TSC was originally grounded including respect for own and other's expertise, asking, listening, explaining, advocating, verifying understanding and negotiating roles to achieve mutual understanding of the child's plan of care. The nurses' perceptions differed stylistically but not categorically from those of the parents. The addition of the nurse's perspectives to the verified TSC expands our understanding of this process of communication. With the integration of nurse and parent perspectives, the TSC can be used to enhance communication and care for hospitalized technology dependent children and their families. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Counter-responses as organizers in adolescent analysis and therapy.

PubMed

Richmond, M Barrie

2004-01-01

The author introduces Counter-response as a phenomological term to replace theory-burdened terms like counter-transference, counter-identification, and counter-resistance. He discusses the analyst's use of self (drawing on the comparison with Winnicott's use of the object) in processing the expectable destabilizing counter-reactions that occur in working therapeutically with disturbed adolescents and their parents. Further; he discusses the counter-reaction to the patient's narrative, acting-out, and how re-enactments can serve as an organizer for understanding the patient's inner life when the analyst formulates his/her counter-response. Emphasis is placed on the therapist forming his or her own narrative with the adolescent that takes into account the evoked counter-reaction. For this purpose, the author recommends the use of a combined counter-response and metaphor-orienting perspective to acknowledge and work with the denial, illusions, reversal of perspective, and catastrophic anxieties experienced with these adolescents. The counter-response perspective permits the emergence of the disturbed adolescent's novel narrative; however, since these experiences can be destabilizing or disruptive, the author also recommends the use of a personal metaphor to anticipate the reluctance to examining, processing, and formulating the analyst's dysphoric counter-reaction. With the use of the counter-response, the analyst's therapeutic ideal is to achieve a more optimal balance between using accepted narrative theories and exploring novel enactment experiences. His swimming metaphor stratagem is designed to keep the analyst in these difficult encounters.

Perspective Transformation and Gender: Issues Facing Mature Age Aboriginal Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Mary; Trimingham-Jack, Christine

1996-01-01

Interviews with and written responses from 20 Aboriginal adult reentry students illustrated their struggles with changing perspectives of gender relations and family responsibilities. Results suggested that perspective transformation may be a key process in attaining mutuality and equality in relationships. (SK)

GIS-assisted spatial analysis for urban regulatory detailed planning: designer's dimension in the Chinese code system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yang; Zeng, Zheng

2009-10-01

By discussing the causes behind the high amendments ratio in the implementation of urban regulatory detailed plans in China despite its law-ensured status, the study aims to reconcile conflict between the legal authority of regulatory detailed planning and the insufficient scientific support in its decision-making and compilation by introducing into the process spatial analysis based on GIS technology and 3D modeling thus present a more scientific and flexible approach to regulatory detailed planning in China. The study first points out that the current compilation process of urban regulatory detailed plan in China employs mainly an empirical approach which renders it constantly subjected to amendments; the study then discusses the need and current utilization of GIS in the Chinese system and proposes the framework of a GIS-assisted 3D spatial analysis process from the designer's perspective which can be regarded as an alternating processes between the descriptive codes and physical design in the compilation of regulatory detailed planning. With a case study of the processes and results from the application of the framework, the paper concludes that the proposed framework can be an effective instrument which provides more rationality, flexibility and thus more efficiency to the compilation and decision-making process of urban regulatory detailed plan in China.

Weaning from mechanical ventilation: factors that influence intensive care nurses' decision-making.

PubMed

Tingsvik, Catarina; Johansson, Karin; Mårtensson, Jan

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to describe the factors that influence intensive care nurses' decision-making when weaning patients from mechanical ventilation. Patients with failing vital function may require respiratory support. Weaning from mechanical ventilation is a process in which the intensive care nurse participates in both planning and implementation. A qualitative approach was used. The data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with 22 intensive care nurses. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. One theme emerged: 'A complex nursing situation where the patient receives attention and which is influenced by the current care culture'. There was consensus that the overall assessment of the patient made by the intensive care nurse was the main factor that influenced the decision-making process. This assessment was a continuous process consisting of three factors: the patient's perspective as well as her/his physical and mental state. On the other hand, there was a lack of consensus about what other factors influenced the decision-making process. These factors included the care culture constituted by the characteristics of the team, the intensive care nurses' professional skills, personalities and ability to be present. The individual overall assessment of the patient enabled nursing care from a holistic perspective. Furthermore, the weaning process can be more effective and potential suffering reduced by creating awareness of the care culture's impact on the decision-making process. © 2014 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Difficulties to Use (Twitter) in the Educational Process from the Perspective of Social Studies Teachers in the State of Kuwait

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsaeed, Saleh Abdulrahem

2016-01-01

This study aimed to know the difficulties of use Twitter in the educational process from the perspective of social studies teachers in the State of Kuwait, in order to achieve the objectives of the study researchers answered the following question: What are the difficulties faced when using (Twitter) in the educational process from the standpoint…

Linking Task Analysis with Student Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Thomas M.; Wildman, Terry M.

An examination of task analysis from several perspectives in order to identify some of its purposes and advantages reveals that, as the interest in learning theory has shifted from a predominately behavioral perspective to a more cognitive orientation, the purpose of task analysis has also shifted. Formerly the purpose of task analysis was to aid…

Time under control: time perspective and desire for control in substance use.

PubMed

Fieulaine, Nicolas; Martinez, Frederic

2010-08-01

To investigate the role of time perspective and desire for control in self-reported substance use and to test for a moderating effect of desire for control in the relation between time perspective and substance use. A random sample of 240 persons, aged 15 years and over, selected in various public spaces in an urban region in central France. Time perspective was measured using subscales of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI, Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), Desire for control was measured using a translated version of the Desire for Control Scale (DCS, Burger & Cooper, 1979), and substance use was self-reported. After controlling for age and gender, significant links were found between time perspective and substance use. Desire for control did not appear to be directly related to substance use. The interaction effect between TP and desire for control appeared to be related to substance use. There was evidence that the relation between TP and substance use is buffered by low desire for control. This study converges with previous studies demonstrating the relation between TP and substance use, but provides evidence of the moderating role played by desire for control. Desire for control thus appears as worthy of interest in the analysis of self-regulatory process, and further research on the links between TP and various aspects of control is required. In order to be more effective, the design of future studies and interventions based on time-related issues should consider how desire for control plays a part in establishing vulnerability profiles. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Perspectives on the Family: Process, Structural and Historical Contextual Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levant, Ronald F.

1983-01-01

Describes diagnostic perspectives for viewing dysfunctional families. Presents three general types of models (process, structural, and historical) and organized them along a continuum from most descriptive to most inferential. Presented at the 39th Annual Conference of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, October-November…

Individual Meaning and Increasing Complexity: Contributions of Sigmund Freud and Rene Spitz to Developmental Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emde, Robert N.

1992-01-01

Considers contributions of Sigmund Freud and Rene Spitz to developmental psychology. Freud's contributions include his observations about play, perspectives on developmental processes, and ideas about unconscious mental activity. Spitz's contributions include his assessments of infants, perspectives on developmental processes, and his concept of…

Peeling the Onion of Auditory Processing Disorder: A Language/Curricular-Based Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallach, Geraldine P.

2011-01-01

Purpose: This article addresses auditory processing disorder (APD) from a language-based perspective. The author asks speech-language pathologists to evaluate the functionality (or not) of APD as a diagnostic category for children and adolescents with language-learning and academic difficulties. Suggestions are offered from a…

Viewer Perspective Affects Central Bottleneck Requirements in Spatial Translation Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franz, Elizabeth A.; Sebastian, Alexandra; Hust, Christina; Norris, Tom

2008-01-01

A psychological refractory period (PRP) approach and the locus of slack logic were applied to examine the novel question of whether spatial translation processes can begin before the central bottleneck when effector or noneffector stimuli are processed from an egocentric (viewer-centered) perspective. In single tasks, trials requiring spatial…

Observer perspective imagery with stuttering.

PubMed

Lowe, Robyn; Menzies, Ross; Packman, Ann; O'Brian, Sue; Onslow, Mark

2015-01-01

Adults who stutter are at risk of developing a range of psychological conditions. Social anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder associated with stuttering. Observer perspective imagery is one cognitive process involved in the maintenance of some anxiety disorders. This involves viewing images as if looking at the self from the perspective of another. In contrast, the field perspective involves looking out from the self at the surrounding environment. The purpose of this study was to assess the presence of observer perspective imagery with stuttering. The authors administered the Hackmann, Surawy and Clark (1998) semi-structured interview to 30 adults who stutter and 30 controls. Group images and impressions were compared for frequency, perspective recalled and emotional valence. The stuttering group was significantly more likely than controls to recall images and impressions from an observer rather than a field perspective for anxious situations. It is possible the present results could reflect the same attentional processing bias that occurs with anxiety disorders in the non-stuttering population. These preliminary results provide an explanation for the persistence of conditions such as social anxiety disorder with stuttering. Clinical implications are discussed.

Patient needs and research priorities in the enteral nutrition market - a quantitative prioritization analysis.

PubMed

Weenen, T C; Jentink, A; Pronker, E S; Commandeur, H R; Claassen, E; Boirie, Y; Singer, P

2014-10-01

A quantitative systematic identification and prioritization of unmet needs and research opportunities in relation to enteral nutrition was conducted by means of a tailor-made health research prioritization process. The research objectives were reached by conducting qualitative interviews followed by quantitative questionnaires targeting enteral nutrition key opinion leaders (KOLs). (1) Define disease areas that deserve more research attention; (2) Rank importance of product characteristics of tube feeding (TF) and oral nutritional supplements (ONS); (3) Assess involvement of KOLs in enteral nutrition R&D process. KOLs ranked three product characteristics and three disease areas that deserve additional research attention. From these, overall priority scores were calculated by multiplying ranks for both product characteristics and disease areas. 17 qualitative interviews were conducted and 77 questionnaires (response rate 35%) were completed and returned. (1) Disease areas in ONS and TF with highest priorities are: ONS: general malnutrition & geriatrics, TF: intensive care. (2) TF product characteristics with highest priorities are: composition and clinical evidence from a KOL perspective; tolerance and ease of use from a patient perspective. ONS product characteristics with highest priorities are: composition, clinical evidence and taste from a KOL perspective; taste from a patient perspective. We find a high discrepancy between product characteristic prioritization from a KOL and patient perspective. (3) Although 62% of all KOLs give advice to enteral nutrition companies on patient needs, they under-influence the setting of research priorities by enteral nutrition companies. This study provides a systematic approach to achieve research prioritization in enteral nutrition. In addition to providing new directions for enteral nutrition research and development, this study highlights the relevance of involving KOLs in the identification of research priorities as they have the ability to provide a balanced view of the unmet patient needs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Flexible spatial perspective-taking: conversational partners weigh multiple cues in collaborative tasks.

PubMed

Galati, Alexia; Avraamides, Marios N

2013-01-01

Research on spatial perspective-taking often focuses on the cognitive processes of isolated individuals as they adopt or maintain imagined perspectives. Collaborative studies of spatial perspective-taking typically examine speakers' linguistic choices, while overlooking their underlying processes and representations. We review evidence from two collaborative experiments that examine the contribution of social and representational cues to spatial perspective choices in both language and the organization of spatial memory. Across experiments, speakers organized their memory representations according to the convergence of various cues. When layouts were randomly configured and did not afford intrinsic cues, speakers encoded their partner's viewpoint in memory, if available, but did not use it as an organizing direction. On the other hand, when the layout afforded an intrinsic structure, speakers organized their spatial memories according to the person-centered perspective reinforced by the layout's structure. Similarly, in descriptions, speakers considered multiple cues whether available a priori or at the interaction. They used partner-centered expressions more frequently (e.g., "to your right") when the partner's viewpoint was misaligned by a small offset or coincided with the layout's structure. Conversely, they used egocentric expressions more frequently when their own viewpoint coincided with the intrinsic structure or when the partner was misaligned by a computationally difficult, oblique offset. Based on these findings we advocate for a framework for flexible perspective-taking: people weigh multiple cues (including social ones) to make attributions about the relative difficulty of perspective-taking for each partner, and adapt behavior to minimize their collective effort. This framework is not specialized for spatial reasoning but instead emerges from the same principles and memory-depended processes that govern perspective-taking in non-spatial tasks.

Flexible spatial perspective-taking: conversational partners weigh multiple cues in collaborative tasks

PubMed Central

Galati, Alexia; Avraamides, Marios N.

2013-01-01

Research on spatial perspective-taking often focuses on the cognitive processes of isolated individuals as they adopt or maintain imagined perspectives. Collaborative studies of spatial perspective-taking typically examine speakers' linguistic choices, while overlooking their underlying processes and representations. We review evidence from two collaborative experiments that examine the contribution of social and representational cues to spatial perspective choices in both language and the organization of spatial memory. Across experiments, speakers organized their memory representations according to the convergence of various cues. When layouts were randomly configured and did not afford intrinsic cues, speakers encoded their partner's viewpoint in memory, if available, but did not use it as an organizing direction. On the other hand, when the layout afforded an intrinsic structure, speakers organized their spatial memories according to the person-centered perspective reinforced by the layout's structure. Similarly, in descriptions, speakers considered multiple cues whether available a priori or at the interaction. They used partner-centered expressions more frequently (e.g., “to your right”) when the partner's viewpoint was misaligned by a small offset or coincided with the layout's structure. Conversely, they used egocentric expressions more frequently when their own viewpoint coincided with the intrinsic structure or when the partner was misaligned by a computationally difficult, oblique offset. Based on these findings we advocate for a framework for flexible perspective-taking: people weigh multiple cues (including social ones) to make attributions about the relative difficulty of perspective-taking for each partner, and adapt behavior to minimize their collective effort. This framework is not specialized for spatial reasoning but instead emerges from the same principles and memory-depended processes that govern perspective-taking in non-spatial tasks. PMID:24133432

An integrated operational definition and conceptual model of asthma self-management in teens.

PubMed

Mammen, Jennifer; Rhee, Hyekyun; Norton, Sally A; Butz, Arlene M; Halterman, Jill S; Arcoleo, Kimberly

2018-01-19

A previous definition of adolescent asthma self-management was derived from interviews with clinicians/researchers and published literature; however, it did not incorporate perspectives of teens or parents. Therefore, we conducted in-depth interviews with teens and parents and synthesized present findings with the prior analysis to develop a more encompassing definition and model. Focal concepts were qualitatively extracted from 14-day self-management voice-diaries (n = 14) and 1-hour interviews (n = 42) with teens and parents (28 individuals) along with concepts found in the previous clinical/research oriented analysis. Conceptual structure and relationships were identified and key findings synthesized to develop a revised definition and model of adolescent asthma self-management. There were two primary self-management constructs: processes of self-management and tasks of self-management. Self-management was defined as the iterative process of assessing, deciding, and responding to specific situations in order to achieve personally important outcomes. Clinically relevant asthma self-management tasks included monitoring asthma, managing active issues through pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies, preventing future issues, and communicating with others as needed. Self-management processes were reciprocally influenced by intrapersonal factors (both cognitive and physical), interpersonal factors (family, social and physical environments), and personally relevant asthma and non-asthma outcomes. This is the first definition of asthma self-management incorporating teen, parent, clinician, and researcher perspectives, which suggests that self-management processes and behaviors are influenced by individually variable personal and interpersonal factors, and are driven by personally important outcomes. Clinicians and researchers should investigate teens' symptom perceptions, medication beliefs, current approaches to symptom management, relevant outcomes, and personal priorities.

A Mobile Internet Service for Self-Management of Physical Activity in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Challenges in Advancing the Co-Design Process During the Requirements Specification Phase

PubMed Central

Martin, Cathrin; H. Opava, Christina; Brusewitz, Maria; Keller, Christina; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2015-01-01

Background User involvement in the development of health care services is important for the viability, usability, and effectiveness of services. This study reports on the second step of the co-design process. Objective The aim was to explore the significant challenges in advancing the co-design process during the requirements specification phase of a mobile Internet service for the self-management of physical activity (PA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods A participatory action research design was used to involve lead users and stakeholders as co-designers. Lead users (n=5), a clinical physiotherapist (n=1), researchers (n=2) with knowledge in PA in RA and behavioral learning theories, an eHealth strategist (n=1), and an officer from the patient organization (n=1) collaborated in 4 workshops. Data-collection methods included video recordings and naturalistic observations. Results The inductive qualitative video-based analysis resulted in 1 overarching theme, merging perspectives, and 2 subthemes reflecting different aspects of merging: (1) finding a common starting point and (2) deciding on design solutions. Seven categories illustrated the specific challenges: reaching shared understanding of goals, clarifying and handling the complexity of participants’ roles, clarifying terminology related to system development, establishing the rationale for features, negotiating features, transforming ideas into concrete features, and participants’ alignment with the agreed goal and task. Conclusions Co-designing the system requirements of a mobile Internet service including multiple stakeholders was a complex and extensive collaborative decision-making process. Considering, valuing, counterbalancing, and integrating different perspectives into agreements and solutions (ie, the merging of participants’ perspectives) were crucial for moving the process forward and were considered the core challenges of co-design. Further research is needed to replicate the results and to increase knowledge on key factors for a successful co-design of health care services. PMID:26381221

A Mobile Internet Service for Self-Management of Physical Activity in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Challenges in Advancing the Co-Design Process During the Requirements Specification Phase.

PubMed

Revenäs, Åsa; Martin, Cathrin; H Opava, Christina; Brusewitz, Maria; Keller, Christina; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2015-09-17

User involvement in the development of health care services is important for the viability, usability, and effectiveness of services. This study reports on the second step of the co-design process. The aim was to explore the significant challenges in advancing the co-design process during the requirements specification phase of a mobile Internet service for the self-management of physical activity (PA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A participatory action research design was used to involve lead users and stakeholders as co-designers. Lead users (n=5), a clinical physiotherapist (n=1), researchers (n=2) with knowledge in PA in RA and behavioral learning theories, an eHealth strategist (n=1), and an officer from the patient organization (n=1) collaborated in 4 workshops. Data-collection methods included video recordings and naturalistic observations. The inductive qualitative video-based analysis resulted in 1 overarching theme, merging perspectives, and 2 subthemes reflecting different aspects of merging: (1) finding a common starting point and (2) deciding on design solutions. Seven categories illustrated the specific challenges: reaching shared understanding of goals, clarifying and handling the complexity of participants' roles, clarifying terminology related to system development, establishing the rationale for features, negotiating features, transforming ideas into concrete features, and participants' alignment with the agreed goal and task. Co-designing the system requirements of a mobile Internet service including multiple stakeholders was a complex and extensive collaborative decision-making process. Considering, valuing, counterbalancing, and integrating different perspectives into agreements and solutions (ie, the merging of participants' perspectives) were crucial for moving the process forward and were considered the core challenges of co-design. Further research is needed to replicate the results and to increase knowledge on key factors for a successful co-design of health care services.

A patient post hoc perspective on advantages and disadvantages of blended cognitive behaviour therapy for depression: A qualitative content analysis.

PubMed

Urech, Antoine; Krieger, Tobias; Möseneder, Laura; Biaggi, Adriana; Vincent, Alessia; Poppe, Christine; Meyer, Björn; Riper, Heleen; Berger, Thomas

2018-01-31

Blended cognitive behavioural therapy (bCBT), which combines face-to-face (FtF), and internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT), may be a particularly promising approach, but little is known about the effectiveness and patients' subjective evaluations of the bCBT format. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore perceived advantages and disadvantages of bCBT from the patients' perspective in specialized mental health care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 patients suffering from major depression who underwent treatment in a bCBT format. The interview data were processed by means of a qualitative content analysis. The content analysis generated 18 advantages and 15 disadvantages which were grouped into 6 main topics. In general, bCBT was perceived as purposive and effective for treating depression. The patients perceived the combined treatment as complementary and emphasized the advantage of the constant availability of the online programme. Furthermore, a segment analysis revealed that patients reported different advantages and disadvantages of bCBT as a function of the severity of their depressive episode. The findings of the present study reveal advantages and disadvantages of bCBT, which should be taken into account in the further implementation of this new treatment format.

Reading Multimodal Texts: Perceptual, Structural and Ideological Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serafini, Frank

2010-01-01

This article presents a tripartite framework for analyzing multimodal texts. The three analytical perspectives presented include: (1) perceptual, (2) structural, and (3) ideological analytical processes. Using Anthony Browne's picturebook "Piggybook" as an example, assertions are made regarding what each analytical perspective brings to the…

Help Others and Yourself Eventually: Exploring the Relationship between Help-Giving and Employee Creativity under the Model of Perspective Taking

PubMed Central

Li, Si; Liao, Shudi

2017-01-01

Although a plethora of studies have examined the antecedents of creativity, empirical studies exploring the role of individual behaviors in relation to creativity are relatively scarce. Drawing on the model of perspective taking, this study examines the relationship between help-giving during creative problem solving process and employee creativity. Specifically, we test perspective taking as an explanatory mechanism and propose organization-based self-esteem as the moderator. In a sample collected from a field survey of 247 supervisor-subordinate dyads from 2 large organizations in China at 3 time points, we find that help-giving during creative problem solving process positively related with perspective taking; perspective taking positively related with employees’ creativity; employees’ organization-based self-esteem strengthened the link between perspective taking and creativity; besides, there existed a moderated mediation effect. We conclude this paper with discussions on the implications for theory, research, and practice. PMID:28690566

[Development and Evaluation of the Work-Related Intervention "Perspective Job" for the Oncological Rehabilitation].

PubMed

Kähnert, H; Exner, A-K; Brand, S; Leibbrand, B

2016-06-01

The knowledge about contents and arrangement of work-related measures in oncological rehabilitation is limited. The aim of the study was to develop a multimodal work-related module called Perspective Job for the oncological rehabilitation as well as to evaluate the process of development and the module itself. Perspective Job was developed within a rehabilitation team. For an examination of the process of development and of the module expert interviews with clinic employees and group interviews with patients were conducted. Group interviews were conducted before as well as after the implementation of Perspective Job to demonstrate changes in the rehabilitation from the patients point of view. Participants were oncological patients with substantial work-related problems. The module Perspective Job consists of work-related therapies as well as job trainings. The expert interviews illustrates: The process of development is valued as positive and meaningful by the rehabilitation team. Furthermore synergetic effects were used and the exchange of information and the communication within the team were promoted. The interviews with the patient emphasized that most perspective job therapies were classified as work-related and that an individual occupation-oriented care took place. The promoting exchanges of experience between the participants has been positively evaluated. In addition, they seemed to be well-prepared for the return to work. The development of a work-related module in the rehabilitation team is possible. The process was valued by the team members positively and promoted the multiprofessional cooperation. An occupationally oriented arrangement of the rehabilitation was solely perceived by the participants of Perspective Job, which felt better prepared to reintegrate into working life. The results emphasize the importance of teamwork for the development and implementation of work-related therapy modules for the oncological rehabilitation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Cognitive and emotional processing of pleasant and unpleasant experiences in major depression: A matter of vantage point?

PubMed

Pfaltz, Monique C; Wu, Gwyneth W Y; Liu, Guanyu; Tankersley, Amelia P; Stilley, Ashley M; Plichta, Michael M; McNally, Richard J

2017-03-01

In nonclinical populations, adopting a third-person perspective as opposed to a first-person perspective while analyzing negative emotional experiences fosters understanding of these experiences and reduces negative emotional reactivity. We assessed whether this generalizes to people with major depression (MD). Additionally, we assessed whether the emotion-reducing effects of adopting a third-person perspective also occur when subjects with MD and HC subjects analyze positive experiences. Seventy-two MD subjects and 82 HC subjects analyzed a happy and a negative experience from either a first-person or a third-person perspective. Unexpectedly, we found no emotion-reducing effects of third-person perspective in either group thinking about negative events. However, across groups, third-person perspective was associated with less recounting of negative experiences and with a clearer, more coherent understanding of them. Negative affect decreased and positive affect increased in both groups analyzing happy experiences. In MD subjects, decreases in depressive affect were stronger for the third-person perspective. In both groups, positive affect increased and negative affect decreased more strongly for the third-person perspective. While reflecting on their positive memory, MD subjects adopted their assigned perspective for a shorter amount of time (70%) than HC subjects (78%). However, percentage of time participants adopted their assigned perspective was unrelated to the significant effects we found. Both people suffering from MD and healthy individuals may benefit from processing pleasant experiences, especially when adopting a self-distant perspective. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revealing time bunching effect in single-molecule enzyme conformational dynamics.

PubMed

Lu, H Peter

2011-04-21

In this perspective, we focus our discussion on how the single-molecule spectroscopy and statistical analysis are able to reveal enzyme hidden properties, taking the study of T4 lysozyme as an example. Protein conformational fluctuations and dynamics play a crucial role in biomolecular functions, such as in enzymatic reactions. Single-molecule spectroscopy is a powerful approach to analyze protein conformational dynamics under physiological conditions, providing dynamic perspectives on a molecular-level understanding of protein structure-function mechanisms. Using single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, we have probed T4 lysozyme conformational motions under the hydrolysis reaction of a polysaccharide of E. coli B cell walls by monitoring the fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) between a donor-acceptor probe pair tethered to T4 lysozyme domains involving open-close hinge-bending motions. Based on the single-molecule spectroscopic results, molecular dynamics simulation, a random walk model analysis, and a novel 2D statistical correlation analysis, we have revealed a time bunching effect in protein conformational motion dynamics that is critical to enzymatic functions. Bunching effect implies that conformational motion times tend to bunch in a finite and narrow time window. We show that convoluted multiple Poisson rate processes give rise to the bunching effect in the enzymatic reaction dynamics. Evidently, the bunching effect is likely common in protein conformational dynamics involving in conformation-gated protein functions. In this perspective, we will also discuss a new approach of 2D regional correlation analysis capable of analyzing fluctuation dynamics of complex multiple correlated and anti-correlated fluctuations under a non-correlated noise background. Using this new method, we are able to map out any defined segments along the fluctuation trajectories and determine whether they are correlated, anti-correlated, or non-correlated; after which, a cross correlation analysis can be applied for each specific segment to obtain a detailed fluctuation dynamics analysis.

The Raman spectrum character of skin tumor induced by UVB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shulian; Hu, Liangjun; Wang, Yunxia; Li, Yongzeng

2016-03-01

In our study, the skin canceration processes induced by UVB were analyzed from the perspective of tissue spectrum. A home-made Raman spectral system with a millimeter order excitation laser spot size combined with a multivariate statistical analysis for monitoring the skin changed irradiated by UVB was studied and the discrimination were evaluated. Raman scattering signals of the SCC and normal skin were acquired. Spectral differences in Raman spectra were revealed. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based on principal component analysis (PCA) were employed to generate diagnostic algorithms for the classification of skin SCC and normal. The results indicated that Raman spectroscopy combined with PCA-LDA demonstrated good potential for improving the diagnosis of skin cancers.

Why Is Rainfall Error Analysis Requisite for Data Assimilation and Climate Modeling?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hou, Arthur Y.; Zhang, Sara Q.

2004-01-01

Given the large temporal and spatial variability of precipitation processes, errors in rainfall observations are difficult to quantify yet crucial to making effective use of rainfall data for improving atmospheric analysis, weather forecasting, and climate modeling. We highlight the need for developing a quantitative understanding of systematic and random errors in precipitation observations by examining explicit examples of how each type of errors can affect forecasts and analyses in global data assimilation. We characterize the error information needed from the precipitation measurement community and how it may be used to improve data usage within the general framework of analysis techniques, as well as accuracy requirements from the perspective of climate modeling and global data assimilation.

Ascribing beliefs to ingroup and outgroup political candidates: neural correlates of perspective-taking, issue importance and days until the election

PubMed Central

Falk, Emily B.; Spunt, Robert P.; Lieberman, Matthew D.

2012-01-01

We used the five weeks leading up to the 2008 presidential election as a backdrop to examine the ways that the brain processes attitudes and beliefs under different circumstances. We examined individual differences in personal issue importance and trait perspective-taking, as well as the temporal context in which attitude representation took place (i.e. number of days until the election). Finally, we examined the extent to which similar or dissimilar processes were recruited when considering the attitudes of political ingroup and outgroup candidates. Brain regions involved in social cognition and theory of mind, and to a lesser extent the limbic system, were modulated by these factors. Higher issue importance led to greater recruitment of neural regions involved in social cognition, across target perspectives. Higher trait perspective-taking was also associated with greater recruitment of several regions involved in social cognition, but differed depending on target perspective; greater activity was observed in prefrontal regions associated with social cognition when considering the perspective of one's own candidate compared with the opponent, and this effect was amplified closer to the election. Taken together, these results highlight ways in which ability and motivational relevance modulate socio-affective processing of the attitudes of others. PMID:22271788

Ascribing beliefs to ingroup and outgroup political candidates: neural correlates of perspective-taking, issue importance and days until the election.

PubMed

Falk, Emily B; Spunt, Robert P; Lieberman, Matthew D

2012-03-05

We used the five weeks leading up to the 2008 presidential election as a backdrop to examine the ways that the brain processes attitudes and beliefs under different circumstances. We examined individual differences in personal issue importance and trait perspective-taking, as well as the temporal context in which attitude representation took place (i.e. number of days until the election). Finally, we examined the extent to which similar or dissimilar processes were recruited when considering the attitudes of political ingroup and outgroup candidates. Brain regions involved in social cognition and theory of mind, and to a lesser extent the limbic system, were modulated by these factors. Higher issue importance led to greater recruitment of neural regions involved in social cognition, across target perspectives. Higher trait perspective-taking was also associated with greater recruitment of several regions involved in social cognition, but differed depending on target perspective; greater activity was observed in prefrontal regions associated with social cognition when considering the perspective of one's own candidate compared with the opponent, and this effect was amplified closer to the election. Taken together, these results highlight ways in which ability and motivational relevance modulate socio-affective processing of the attitudes of others.

Hospital process orientation from an operations management perspective: development of a measurement tool and practical testing in three ophthalmic practices

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Although research interest in hospital process orientation (HPO) is growing, the development of a measurement tool to assess process orientation (PO) has not been very successful yet. To view a hospital as a series of processes organized around patients with a similar demand seems to be an attractive proposition, but it is hard to operationalize this idea in a measurement tool that can actually measure the level of PO. This research contributes to HPO from an operations management (OM) perspective by addressing the alignment, integration and coordination of activities within patient care processes. The objective of this study was to develop and practically test a new measurement tool for assessing the degree of PO within hospitals using existing tools. Methods Through a literature search we identified a number of constructs to measure PO in hospital settings. These constructs were further operationalized, using an OM perspective. Based on five dimensions of an existing questionnaire a new HPO-measurement tool was developed to measure the degree of PO within hospitals on the basis of respondents’ perception. The HPO-measurement tool was pre-tested in a non-participating hospital and discussed with experts in a focus group. The multicentre exploratory case study was conducted in the ophthalmic practices of three different types of Dutch hospitals. In total 26 employees from three disciplines participated. After filling in the questionnaire an interview was held with each participant to check the validity and the reliability of the measurement tool. Results The application of the HPO-measurement tool, analysis of the scores and interviews with the participants resulted in the possibility to identify differences of PO performance and the areas of improvement – from a PO point of view – within each hospital. The result of refinement of the items of the measurement tool after practical testing is a set of 41 items to assess the degree of PO from an OM perspective within hospitals. Conclusions The development and practically testing of a new HPO-measurement tool improves the understanding and application of PO in hospitals and the reliability of the measurement tool. The study shows that PO is a complex concept and appears still hard to objectify. PMID:24219362

Hospital process orientation from an operations management perspective: development of a measurement tool and practical testing in three ophthalmic practices.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Pedro D; Hagenbeek, Marie Louise; Vissers, Jan M H

2013-11-13

Although research interest in hospital process orientation (HPO) is growing, the development of a measurement tool to assess process orientation (PO) has not been very successful yet. To view a hospital as a series of processes organized around patients with a similar demand seems to be an attractive proposition, but it is hard to operationalize this idea in a measurement tool that can actually measure the level of PO. This research contributes to HPO from an operations management (OM) perspective by addressing the alignment, integration and coordination of activities within patient care processes. The objective of this study was to develop and practically test a new measurement tool for assessing the degree of PO within hospitals using existing tools. Through a literature search we identified a number of constructs to measure PO in hospital settings. These constructs were further operationalized, using an OM perspective. Based on five dimensions of an existing questionnaire a new HPO-measurement tool was developed to measure the degree of PO within hospitals on the basis of respondents' perception. The HPO-measurement tool was pre-tested in a non-participating hospital and discussed with experts in a focus group. The multicentre exploratory case study was conducted in the ophthalmic practices of three different types of Dutch hospitals. In total 26 employees from three disciplines participated. After filling in the questionnaire an interview was held with each participant to check the validity and the reliability of the measurement tool. The application of the HPO-measurement tool, analysis of the scores and interviews with the participants resulted in the possibility to identify differences of PO performance and the areas of improvement--from a PO point of view--within each hospital. The result of refinement of the items of the measurement tool after practical testing is a set of 41 items to assess the degree of PO from an OM perspective within hospitals. The development and practically testing of a new HPO-measurement tool improves the understanding and application of PO in hospitals and the reliability of the measurement tool. The study shows that PO is a complex concept and appears still hard to objectify.

Examining young children's conceptual change process in floating and sinking from a social constructivist perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Havu-Nuutinen, Sari

2005-03-01

This paper presents a case study of the process of conceptual change in six-year-old children. The process of conceptual change in learning about floating and sinking is described from two different viewpoints: how the children's conceptions change during the instructional process, and how the social discussion during the experimental exploration can be seen in terms of the cognitive changes in the children. Based on qualitative analysis of verbal data, changes in the children's conceptions were mostly epistemological and the children's theories of flotation became more complete with respect to the scientific view. From the viewpoint of the conceptual change, conceptually orientated teacher-child interactions seemed to support the children's cognitive progress in cognitive skills and guided the children to consider the reasons for the flotation.

Participative leadership in the management process of nightshift nursing.

PubMed

da Costa, Diovane Ghignatti; Dall'Agnol, Clarice Maria

2011-01-01

This is a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study, aiming to identify the perceptions of nurses regarding the leadership process and to analyze how this process takes place on the nightshift. Data collection was performed through the Focus Groups Technique, with 13 nightshift nurses of a public teaching hospital. Two categories that resulted from the thematic analysis are the focus of this article: the context of nightshift nursing work and leadership from the perception of the nightshift nurses. Teamwork is an important condition to vitalize the participatory perspective of the leadership process, given the necessary relationship of support and integration, above all in the nightshift nursing work. This exercise challenges the nurse in the solidification of a culture that promotes spaces for reflection regarding the work, integrating leadership with a learning process that is constituted through constructive bonds between the workers.

Priority setting for orphan drugs: an international comparison.

PubMed

Rosenberg-Yunger, Zahava R S; Daar, Abdallah S; Thorsteinsdóttir, Halla; Martin, Douglas K

2011-04-01

To describe the process of priority setting for two orphan drugs - Cerezyme and Fabrazyme - in Canada, Australia and Israel, in order to understand and improve the process based on stakeholder perspectives. We conducted qualitative case studies of how three independent drug advisory committees made decisions relating to the funding of Cerezyme and Fabrazyme. Interviews were conducted with 22 informants, including committee members, patient groups and industry representatives. (1) DESCRIPTION: Orphan drugs reimbursement recommendations by expert panels were based on clinical evidence, cost and cost-effectiveness analysis. (2) EVALUATION: Committee members expressed an overall preference for the current drug review process used by their own committee, but were concerned with the fairness of the process particularly for orphan drugs. Other informants suggested the inclusion of other relevant values (e.g. lack of alternative treatments) in order to improve the priority setting process. Some patient groups suggested the use of an alternative funding mechanism for orphan drugs. Priority setting for drugs is not solely a technical process (involving cost-effective analysis, evidence-based medicine, etc.). Understanding the process by which reimbursement decisions are made for orphan drugs may help improve the system for future orphan drugs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.