10 CFR Appendix B to Part 20 - Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs) of Radionuclides for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (stochastic ALI) or (2) a committed dose equivalent of 50 rems to an organ or tissue (non-stochastic ALI). The stochastic ALIs were derived to result in... equivalent to the whole body of 5 rems. The derivation includes multiplying the committed dose equivalent to...

10 CFR Appendix B to Part 20 - Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs) of Radionuclides for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...) a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (stochastic ALI) or (2) a committed dose equivalent of 50 rems to an organ or tissue (non-stochastic ALI). The stochastic ALIs were derived to result in... equivalent to the whole body of 5 rems. The derivation includes multiplying the committed dose equivalent to...

10 CFR Appendix B to Part 20 - Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs) of Radionuclides for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...) a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (stochastic ALI) or (2) a committed dose equivalent of 50 rems to an organ or tissue (non-stochastic ALI). The stochastic ALIs were derived to result in... equivalent to the whole body of 5 rems. The derivation includes multiplying the committed dose equivalent to...

10 CFR Appendix B to Part 20 - Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs) of Radionuclides for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (stochastic ALI) or (2) a committed dose equivalent of 50 rems to an organ or tissue (non-stochastic ALI). The stochastic ALIs were derived to result in... equivalent to the whole body of 5 rems. The derivation includes multiplying the committed dose equivalent to...

10 CFR Appendix B to Part 20 - Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs) of Radionuclides for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) a committed effective dose equivalent of 5 rems (stochastic ALI) or (2) a committed dose equivalent of 50 rems to an organ or tissue (non-stochastic ALI). The stochastic ALIs were derived to result in... equivalent to the whole body of 5 rems. The derivation includes multiplying the committed dose equivalent to...

Environmental consequences of postulate plutonium releases from Atomics International's Nuclear Materials Development Facility (NMDF), Santa Susana, California, as a result of severe natural phenomena

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

Jamison, J.D.; Watson, E.C.

1982-02-01

Potential environmental consequences in terms of radiation dose to people are presented for postulated plutonium releases caused by severe natural phenomena at the Atomics International's Nuclear Materials Development Facility (NMDF), in the Santa Susana site, California. The severe natural phenomena considered are earthquakes, tornadoes, and high straight-line winds. Plutonium deposition values are given for significant locations around the site. All important potential exposure pathways are examined. The most likely 50-year committed dose equivalents are given for the maximum-exposed individual and the population within a 50-mile radius of the plant. The maximum plutonium deposition values likely to occur offsite are alsomore » given. The most likely calculated 50-year collective committed dose equivalents are all much lower than the collective dose equivalent expected from 50 years of exposure to natural background radiation and medical x-rays. The most likely maximum residual plutonium contamination estimated to be deposited offsite following the earthquake, and the 150-mph and 170-mph tornadoes are above the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed guideline for plutonium in the general environment of 0.2 ..mu..Ci/m/sup 2/. The deposition values following the 110-mph and the 130-mph tornadoes are below the EPA proposed guideline.« less

Environmental consequences of postulated plutonium releases from General Electric Company Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Vallecitos, California, as a result of severe natural phenomena

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

Jamison, J.D.; Watson, E.C.

1980-11-01

Potential environmental consequences in terms of radiation dose to people are presented for postulated plutonium releases caused by severe natural phenomena at the General Electric Company Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Vallecitos, California. The severe natural phenomena considered are earthquakes, tornadoes, and high straight-line winds. Maximum plutonium deposition values are given for significant locations around the site. All important potential exposure pathways are examined. The most likely 50-year committed dose equivalents are given for the maximum-exposed individual and the population within a 50-mile radius of the plant. The maximum plutonium deposition values likely to occur offsite are also given. The most likelymore » calculated 50-year collective committed dose equivalents are all much lower than the collective dose equivalent expected from 50 years of exposure to natural background radiation and medical x-rays. The most likely maximum residual plutonium contamination estimated to be deposited offsite following the earthquakes, and the 180-mph and 230-mph tornadoes are above the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed guideline for plutonium in the general environment of 0.2 ..mu..Ci/m/sup 2/. The deposition values following the 135-mph tornado are below the EPA proposed guidelines.« less

Age-specific radiation dose commitment factors for a one-year chronic intake

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

Hoenes, G.R.; Soldat, J.K.

1977-11-01

During the licensing process for nuclear facilities, radiation doses and dose commitments must be calculated for people in the environs of a nuclear facility. These radiation doses are determined by examining characteristics of population groups, pathways to people, and radionuclides found in those pathways. The pertinent characteristics, which are important in the sense of contributing a significant portion of the total dose, must then be analyzed in depth. Dose factors are generally available for adults, see Reference 1 for example, however numerous improvements in data on decay schemes and half-lives have been made in recent years. In addition, it ismore » advisable to define parameters for calculation of the radiation dose for ages other than adults since the population surrounding nuclear facilities will be composed of various age groups. Further, since infants, children, and teens may have higher rates of intake per unit body mass, it is conceivable that the maximally exposed individual may not be an adult. Thus, it was necessary to develop new radiation-dose commitment factors for various age groups. Dose commitment factors presented in this report have been calculated for a 50-year time period for four age groups.« less

Air concentrations of /sup 239/Pu and /sup 240/Pu and potential radiation doses to persons living near Pu-contaminated areas in Palomares, Spain

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

Iranzo, E.; Salvador, S.; Iranzo, C.E.

1987-04-01

On 17 January 1966, an accident during a refueling operation resulted in the destruction of an air force KC-135 tanker and a B-52 bomber carrying four thermonuclear weapons. Two weapons, whose parachutes opened, were found intact. The others experienced non-nuclear explosion with some burning and release of the fissile fuel at impact. Joint efforts by the United States and Spain resulted in remedial action and a long-term program to monitor the effectiveness of the cleanup. Air concentrations of /sup 239/Pu and /sup 240/Pu have been continuously monitored since the accident. The average annual air concentration for each location was usedmore » to estimate committed dose equivalents for individuals living and working around the air sampling stations. The average annual /sup 239/Pu and /sup 240/Pu air concentrations during the 15-y period corresponding to 1966-1980 and the potential committed dose equivalents for various tissues due to the inhalation of the /sup 239/Pu and /sup 240/Pu average annual air concentration during this period are shown and discussed in the report.« less

Annual committed effective dose from olive oil (due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn) estimated for members of the Moroccan public from ingestion and skin application.

PubMed

Misdaq, M A; Touti, R

2012-03-01

Olive oil is traditionally refined and widely consumed by Moroccan rural populations. Uranium (238U), thorium (232Th), radon (222Rn), and thoron (220Rn) contents were measured in various locally produced olive oil samples collected in rural areas of Morocco. These radionuclides were also measured inside various bottled virgin olive oils consumed by the Moroccan populations. CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) were used. Annual committed effective doses due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn from the ingestion of olive oil by the members of the general public were determined. The maximum total committed effective dose due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn from the ingestion of olive oil by adult members of Moroccan rural populations was found equal to 5.9 µSv y-1. The influence of pollution due to building material dusts and phosphates on the radiation dose to workers from the ingestion of olive oil was investigated, and it was found that the maximum total committed effective dose due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn was on the order of 0.22 mSy y-1. Committed effective doses to skin due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn from the application of olive oil masks by rural women were evaluated. The maximum total committed effective dose to skin due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn was found equal to 0.07 mSy y-1 cm-2.

Dosimetric assessment from 212Pb inhalation at a thorium purification plant.

PubMed

Campos, M P; Pecequilo, B R S

2004-01-01

At the Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, Brazil, there is a facility (thorium purification plant) where materials with high thorium concentrations are manipulated. In order to estimate afterwards the lung cancer risk for the workers, the thoron daughter (212Pb) levels were assessed and the committed effective and lung committed equivalent doses for workers in place. A total of 28 air filter samples were measured by total alpha counting through the modified Kusnetz method, to determine the 212Pb concentraion. The committed effective dose and lung committed equivalent dose due to 212Pb inhalation were derived from compartmental analysis following the ICRP 66 lung compartmental model, and ICRP 67 lead metabolic model.

Weldon Spring Site environmental report for calendar year 1993. Weldon Springs Site Remedial Action Project

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

Not Available

1994-05-01

This Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 1993 describes the environmental monitoring programs at the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project (WSSRAP). The objectives of these programs are to assess actual or potential exposure to contaminant effluents from the project area by providing public use scenarios and dose estimates, to demonstrate compliance with Federal and State permitted levels, and to summarize trends and/or changes in contaminant concentrations from environmental monitoring program. In 1993, the maximum committed dose to a hypothetical individual at the chemical plant site perimeter was 0.03 mrem (0.0003 mSv). The maximum committed dose to a hypothetical individualmore » at the boundary of the Weldon Spring Quarry was 1.9 mrem (0.019 mSv). These scenarios assume an individual walking along the perimeter of the site-once a day at the chemical plant/raffinate pits and twice a day at the quarry-250 days per year. This hypothetical individual also consumes fish, sediment, and water from lakes and other bodies of water in the area. The collective dose, based on an effected population of 112,000 was 0.12 person-rem (0.0012 person-Sv). This calculation is based on recreational use of the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area and the Missouri Department of Conservation recreational trail (the Katy Trail) near the quarry. These estimates are below the U.S. Department of Energy requirement of 100 mrem (I mSv) annual committed effective dose equivalent for all exposure pathways. Results from air monitoring for the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) program indicated that the estimated dose was 0.38 mrem, which is below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard of 10 mrem per year.« less

Evaluation of annual committed effective doses to members of the public in Morocco due to 238U and 232Th in various food materials.

PubMed

Misdaq, M A; Bourzik, W

2004-12-01

Uranium (238U) and thorium (232Th) concentrations were measured in different foods widely consumed in Morocco by using CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). Annual committed effective doses due to 238U and 232Th intakes from the ingestion of the studied food materials were evaluated for different age groups of individuals, using the ICRP ingestion dose coefficients. The influence of the 238U and 232Th intakes and ages of individuals on the committed effective dose was investigated. Total annual intakes of 238U and 232Th for a typical food basket for adult members of the Moroccan population were estimated to be 451 +/- 27 Bq y(-1) and 359 +/- 20 Bq y(-1), corresponding to committed effective doses of (20 +/- 1) x 10(-6) Sv y(-1) and (83 +/- 5) x 10(-6) Sv y(-1), respectively.

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 191 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the proportion of the stochastic risk resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total... of HE. III. Annual Committed Tissue or Organ Equivalent Dose For internal irradiation from...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 191 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the proportion of the stochastic risk resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total... of HE. III. Annual Committed Tissue or Organ Equivalent Dose For internal irradiation from...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 191 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the proportion of the stochastic risk resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total... of HE. III. Annual Committed Tissue or Organ Equivalent Dose For internal irradiation from...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 191 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the proportion of the stochastic risk resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total... of HE. III. Annual Committed Tissue or Organ Equivalent Dose For internal irradiation from...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 191 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the proportion of the stochastic risk resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total... of HE. III. Annual Committed Tissue or Organ Equivalent Dose For internal irradiation from...

Occupational radiation exposure experience: Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

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

Baker, R.C.

1975-01-01

The potential for significant uranium exposure in gaseous diffusion plants is very low. The potential for significant radiation exposure in uranium hexafluoride manufacturing is very real. Exposures can be controlled to low levels only through the cooperation and commitment of facility management and operating personnel. Exposure control can be adequately monitored by a combination of air analyses, urinalyses, and measurements of internal deposition as obtained by the IVRML. A program based on control of air-borne uranium exposure has maintained the internal dose of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant workman to less than one-half the RPG dose to the lung (15more » rem/year) and probably to less than one-fourth that dose. (auth)« less

Assessment of radiation doses from residential smoke detectors that contain americium-241

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odonnell, F. R.; Etnier, E. L.; Holton, G. A.; Travis, C. C.

1981-10-01

External dose equivalents and internal dose commitments were estimated for individuals and populations from annual distribution, use, and disposal of 10 million ionization chamber smoke detectors that contain 110 kBq americium-241 each. Under exposure scenarios developed for normal distribution, use, and disposal using the best available information, annual external dose equivalents to average individuals were estimated to range from 4 fSv to 20 nSv for total body and from 7 fSv to 40 nSv for bone. Internal dose commitments to individuals under post disposal scenarios were estimated to range from 0.006 to 80 micro-Sv (0.0006 to 8 mrem) to total body and from 0.06 to 800 micro-Sv to bone. The total collective dose (the sum of external dose equivalents and 50-year internal dose commitments) for all individuals involved with distribution, use, or disposal of 10 million smoke detectors was estimated to be about 0.38 person-Sv (38 person-rem) to total body and 00 ft squared.

Committed effective dose determination in southern Brazilian cereal flours.

PubMed

Scheibel, V; Appoloni, C R

2013-01-01

The health impact of radionuclide ingestion from foodstuffs was evaluated by the committed effective doses determined in eight commercial samples of South-Brazilian cereal flours (soy, wheat, cornmeal, cassava, rye, oat, barley and rice flours). The radioactivity traces of (228)Th, (228)Ra, (226)Ra, (40)K, (7)Be and (137)Cs were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry employing an HPGe detector of 66 % relative efficiency. The efficiency curve has taken into account the differences in densities and chemical composition between the matrix and the certified sample. The highest concentration levels of (228)Th and (40)K were 3.5±0.4 and 1469±17 Bq kg(-1) for soy flour, respectively, within the 95 % confidence level. The lower limit of detection for (137)Cs ranged from 0.04 to 0.4 Bq kg(-1). The highest committed effective dose was 0.36 μSv.y(-1) for (228)Ra in cassava flour (adults). All committed effective doses determined at the present work were lower than the International Atomic Energy Agency dose limit of 1 mSv.y(-1), to the public exposure.

Seasonal influenza vaccine dose distribution in 195 countries (2004-2013): Little progress in estimated global vaccination coverage.

PubMed

Palache, Abraham; Oriol-Mathieu, Valerie; Fino, Mireli; Xydia-Charmanta, Margarita

2015-10-13

Seasonal influenza is an important disease which results in 250,000-500,000 annual deaths worldwide. Global targets for vaccination coverage rates (VCRs) in high-risk groups are at least 75% in adults ≥65 years and increased coverage in other risk groups. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations Influenza Vaccine Supply (IFPMA IVS) International Task Force developed a survey methodology in 2008, to assess the global distribution of influenza vaccine doses as a proxy for VCRs. This paper updates the previous survey results on absolute numbers of influenza vaccine doses distributed between 2004 and 2013 inclusive, and dose distribution rates per 1000 population, and provides a qualitative assessment of the principal enablers and barriers to seasonal influenza vaccination. The two main findings from the quantitative portion of the survey are the continued negative trend for dose distribution in the EURO region and the perpetuation of appreciable differences in scale of dose distribution between WHO regions, with no observed convergence in the rates of doses distributed per 1000 population over time. The main findings from the qualitative portion of the survey were that actively managing the vaccination program in real-time and ensuring political commitment to vaccination are important enablers of vaccination, whereas insufficient access to vaccination and lack of political commitment to seasonal influenza vaccination programs are likely contributing to vaccination target failures. In all regions of the world, seasonal influenza vaccination is underutilized as a public health tool. The survey provides evidence of lost opportunity to protect populations against potentially serious influenza-associated disease. We call on the national and international public health communities to re-evaluate their political commitment to the prevention of the annual influenza disease burden and to develop a systematic approach to improve vaccine distribution equitably. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

WORKER INHALATION DOSE COEFFICIENTS FOR RADIONUCLIDES NOT PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN ICRP PUBLICATION 68

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

McLaughlin, David A; Schwahn, Scott O

2011-01-01

While inhalation dose coefficients are provided for about 800 radionuclides in International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 68, many radionuclides of practical dosimetric interest for facilities such as high-energy proton accelerators are not specifically addressed, nor are organ-specific dose coefficients tabulated. The ICRP Publication 68 methodology is used, along with updated radiological decay data and metabolic data, to identify committed equivalent dose coefficients [hT(50)] and committed effective dose coefficients [e(50)] for radionuclides produced at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory s Spallation Neutron Source.

Assessment of radiation doses from residential smoke detectors that contain americium-241

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

O'Donnell, F.R.; Etnier, E.L.; Holton, G.A.

1981-10-01

External dose equivalents and internal dose commitments were estimated for individuals and populations from annual distribution, use, and disposal of 10 million ionization chamber smoke detectors that contain 110 kBq (3 ..mu..Ci) americium-241 each. Under exposure scenarios developed for normal distribution, use, and disposal using the best available information, annual external dose equivalents to average individuals were estimated to range from 4 fSv (0.4 prem) to 20 nSv (2 ..mu..rem) for total body and from 7 fSv to 40 nSv for bone. Internal dose commitments to individuals under post disposal scenarios were estimated to range from 0.006 to 80 ..mu..Svmore » (0.0006 to 8 mrem) to total body and from 0.06 to 800 ..mu..Sv to bone. The total collective dose (the sum of external dose equivalents and 50-year internal dose commitments) for all individuals involved with distribution, use, or disposal of 10 million smoke detectors was estimated to be about 0.38 person-Sv (38 person-rem) to total body and 00 ft/sup 2/).« less

Field and bioassay indicators for internal dose intervention therapy.

PubMed

Carbaugh, Eugene H

2007-05-01

Guidance is presented that is used at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site to identify the potential need for medical intervention in response to intakes of radioactivity. The guidance, based on ICRP Publication 30 models and committed effective dose equivalents of 20 mSv and 200 mSv, is expressed as numerical workplace measurements and derived first-day bioassay results for large intakes. It is used by facility radiation protection staff and on-call dosimetry support staff during the first few days following an intake.

Field and Bioassay Indicators for Internal Dose Intervention Therapy

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

Carbaugh, Eugene H.

2007-05-01

Guidance is presented that is used at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site to identify the potential need for medical intervention in response to intakes of radioactivity. The guidance, based on ICRP Publication 30 models and committed effective dose equivalents of 20 mSv and 200 mSv, is expressed as numerical workplace measurements and derived first-day bioassay results for large intakes. It is used by facility radiation protection staff and on-call dosimetry support staff during the first few days following an intake.

Age-specific inhalation radiation dose commitment factors for selected radionuclides

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

Strenge, D.L.; Peloquin, R.A.; Baker, D.A.

Inhalation dose commitment factors are presented for selected radionuclides for exposure of individuals in four age groups: infant, child, teen and adult. Radionuclides considered are /sup 35/S, /sup 36/Cl, /sup 45/Ca, /sup 67/Ga, /sup 75/Se, /sup 85/Sr, /sup 109/Cd, /sup 113/Sn, /sup 125/I, /sup 133/Ba, /sup 170/Tm, /sup 169/Yb, /sup 182/Ta, /sup 192/Ir, /sup 198/Au, /sup 201/Tl, /sup 204/Tl, and /sup 236/Pu. The calculational method is based on the human metabolic model of ICRP as defined in Publication 2 (ICRP 1959) and as used in previous age-specific dose factor calculations by Hoenes and Soldat (1977). Dose commitment factors are presentedmore » for the following organs of reference: total body, bone, liver, kidney, thyroid, lung and lower large intestine.« less

Protracted exposure to fallout: the Rongelap and Utirik experience.

PubMed

Lessard, E T; Miltenberger, R P; Cohn, S H; Musolino, S V; Conard, R A

1984-03-01

From June 1946 to August 1958, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) conducted nuclear weapons tests in the Northern Marshall Islands. On 1 March 1954, BRAVO, an above-ground test in the Castle series, produced high levels of radioactive material, some of which subsequently fell on Rongelap and Utirik Atolls due to an unexpected wind shift. On 3 March 1954, the inhabitants of these atolls were moved out of the affected area. They later returned to Utirik in June 1954 and to Rongelap in June 1957. Comprehensive environmental and personnel radiological monitoring programs were initiated in the mid 1950s by Brookhaven National Laboratory to ensure that body burdens of the exposed Marshallese subjects remained within AEC guidelines. Their body-burden histories and calculated activity ingestion rate patterns post-return are presented along with estimates of internal committed effective dose equivalents. External exposure data are also included. In addition, relationships between body burden or urine-activity concentration and declining continuous intake were developed. The implications of these studies are: (1) the dietary intake of 137Cs was a major component contributing to the committed effective dose equivalent for the years after the initial contamination of the atolls; (2) for persons whose diet included fish, 65Zn was a major component of committed effective dose equivalent during the first years post-return; (3) a decline in the daily activity ingestion rate greater than that resulting from radioactive decay of the source was estimated for 137Cs, 65Zn, 90Sr and 60Co; (4) the relative impact of each nuclide on the estimate of committed effective dose equivalent was dependent upon the time interval between initial contamination and rehabilitation; and (5) the internal committed effective dose equivalent exceeded the external dose equivalent by a factor of 1.1 at Utirik and 1.5 at Rongelap during the rehabitation period. Few reliable 239Pu measurements on human excreta were made. An analysis of the tentative data leads to the conclusion that a reliable estimate of committed effective dose equivalent requires further research.

2004 Environmental Report

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

Althouse, P E; Bertoldo, N A; Brown, R A

2005-09-28

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) annual Environmental Report, prepared for the Department of Energy (DOE) and made available to the public, presents summary environmental data that characterizes site environmental management performance, summarizes environmental occurrences and responses reported during the calendar year, confirms compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and highlights significant programs and efforts. By explaining the results of effluent and environmental monitoring, mentioning environmental performance indicators and performance measure programs, and assessing the impact of Laboratory operations on the environment and the public, the report also demonstrates LLNL's continuing commitment to minimize any potentially adverse impact of itsmore » operations. The combination of environmental and effluent monitoring, source characterization, and dose assessment showed that radiological doses to the public caused by LLNL operations in 2004 were less than 0.26% of regulatory standards and more than 11,000 times smaller than dose from natural background. Analytical results and evaluations generally showed continuing low levels of most contaminants; remediation efforts further reduced the concentrations of contaminants of concern in groundwater and soil vapor. In addition, LLNL's extensive environmental compliance activities related to water, air, endangered species, waste, wastewater, and waste reduction controlled or reduced LLNL's effects on the environment. LLNL's environmental program clearly demonstrates a commitment to protecting the environment from operational impacts.« less

Environmental consequences of postulated plutonium releases from Westinghouse PFDL, Cheswick, Pennsylvania, as a result of severe natural phenomena

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

McPherson, R.B.; Watson, E.C.

1979-06-01

Potential environmental consequences in terms of radiation dose to people are presented for postulated accidents due to earthquakes, tornadoes, high straight-line winds, and floods. Maximum plutonium deposition values are given for significant locations around the site. All important potential exposure pathways are examined. The most likely calculated 50-year collective committed dose equivalents are all much lower than the collective dose equivalent expected from 50 years of exposure to natural background radiation and medical x-rays except Earthquake No. 4 and the 260-mph tornado. The most likely maximum residual plutonium contamination estimated to be deposited offsite following Earthquake No. 4, and themore » 200-mph and 260-mph tornadoes are above the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed guideline for plutonium in the general environment of 0.2 ..mu..Ci/m/sup 2/. The deposition values following the other severe natural phenomena are below the EPA proposed guideline.« less

32 CFR 218.3 - Dose reconstruction methodology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... effects of shot-specific parameters such as weapon type and yield, neutron and gamma output, source and... specific personnel activities. Due to the range of activities, times, geometries, shielding, and weapon... that could have led to atypical doses. Radiation dose from neutrons and dose commitments due to inhaled...

32 CFR 218.3 - Dose reconstruction methodology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... effects of shot-specific parameters such as weapon type and yield, neutron and gamma output, source and... specific personnel activities. Due to the range of activities, times, geometries, shielding, and weapon... that could have led to atypical doses. Radiation dose from neutrons and dose commitments due to inhaled...

32 CFR 218.3 - Dose reconstruction methodology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... effects of shot-specific parameters such as weapon type and yield, neutron and gamma output, source and... specific personnel activities. Due to the range of activities, times, geometries, shielding, and weapon... that could have led to atypical doses. Radiation dose from neutrons and dose commitments due to inhaled...

Ultralow Dose MSCT Imaging in Dental Implantology

PubMed Central

Widmann, Gerlig; Al-Ekrish, Asma'a A.

2018-01-01

Introduction: The Council Directive 2013/59 Euratom has a clear commitment for keeping medical radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable and demands a regular review and use of diagnostic reference levels. Methods: In dental implantology, the range of effective doses for cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) shows a broad overlap with multislice computed tomography (MSCT). More recently, ultralow dose imaging with new generations of MSCT scanners may impart radiation doses equal to or lower than CBCT. Dose reductions in MSCT have been further facilitated by the introduction of iterative image reconstruction technology (IRT), which provides substantial noise reduction over the current standard of filtered backward projection (FBP). Aim: The aim of this article is to review the available literature on ultralow dose CT imaging and IRTs in dental implantology imaging and to summarize their influence on spatial and contrast resolution, image noise, tissue density measurements, and validity of linear measurements of the jaws. Conclusion: Application of ultralow dose MSCT with IRT technology in dental implantology offers the potential for very large dose reductions compared with standard dose imaging. Yet, evaluation of various diagnostic tasks related to dental implantology is still needed to confirm the results obtained with various IRTs and ultra-low doses so far. PMID:29492174

Determination of the uncertainties in radiation doses from ingestion of strontium-90

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apostoaei, Andrei Iulian

Quantification of the uncertainties in the internal dosimetry is important because it can impact the outcome of dose reconstruction, risk assessment or epidemiological studies. This research focused on determination of the uncertainties in the dose factors from a single ingestion of 90Sr by adults, and analyzed the changes with age and the effect of gender. The uncertainties in the estimated dose factors are a factor of 6 for the bone surface, 5 for the red bone marrow, 2.5 for bladder and stomach, 2.2 for the small intestine, 2.1 for the upper large intestine and 2.7 for the lower large intestine. For the rest of the organs the uncertainty is a factor of 3. Only four parameters of the biokinetic model showed an age-dependency within the adult age group: the fractional transfers of strontium from plasma to cortical and trabecular bone, and the removal rates from the cortical and trabecular bone, respectively. When age-dependent biokinetic parameters were used, the estimated dose-factors are very close to the dose factors obtained using age-independent kinetics (within 40%). Thus, the dose factors based on age-independent parameters should suffice for most practical purposes. The dose factors and the associated uncertainties were also calculated as a function of age-at-exposure and attained age. These age dependent curves can be used for estimating doses from continuous intakes, or doses delivered over a limited portion of time. In addition to the committed dose, an expected dose is also estimated in this work. The expected dose is calculated using the dose rate weighted by the probability of surviving up to the age when the dose-rate is delivered. For exposure at young ages the expected dose and the committed dose are similar, but the committed dose decreases to zero when exposure occurs close to age 70, while the expected dose has elevated values pass age 70. No gender differences were found for bone surface, for red bone marrow, and the large intestine. The doses to the soft tissues for females are larger by 20% than the doses for males, because of the differences in the whole-body mass between males and females.

241Am Ingrowth and Its Effect on Internal Dose

DOE PAGES

Konzen, Kevin

2016-07-01

Generally, plutonium has been manufactured to support commercial and military applications involving heat sources, weapons and reactor fuel. This work focuses on three typical plutonium mixtures, while observing the potential of 241Am ingrowth and its effect on internal dose. The term “ingrowth” is used to describe 241Am production due solely from the decay of 241Pu as part of a plutonium mixture, where it is initially absent or present in a smaller quantity. Dose calculation models do not account for 241Am ingrowth unless the 241Pu quantity is specified. This work suggested that 241Am ingrowth be considered in bioassay analysis when theremore » is a potential of a 10% increase to the individual’s committed effective dose. It was determined that plutonium fuel mixtures, initially absent of 241Am, would likely exceed 10% for typical reactor grade fuel aged less than 30 years; however, heat source grade and aged weapons grade fuel would normally fall below this threshold. In conclusion, although this work addresses typical plutonium mixtures following separation, it may be extended to irradiated commercial uranium fuel and is expected to be a concern in the recycling of spent fuel.« less

10 CFR 60.136 - Preclosure controlled area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The eye dose equivalent shall not exceed 0.15 Sv (15 rem), and the shallow dose...

10 CFR 60.136 - Preclosure controlled area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The eye dose equivalent shall not exceed 0.15 Sv (15 rem), and the shallow dose...

10 CFR 60.136 - Preclosure controlled area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The eye dose equivalent shall not exceed 0.15 Sv (15 rem), and the shallow dose...

10 CFR 60.136 - Preclosure controlled area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The eye dose equivalent shall not exceed 0.15 Sv (15 rem), and the shallow dose...

10 CFR 60.136 - Preclosure controlled area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The eye dose equivalent shall not exceed 0.15 Sv (15 rem), and the shallow dose...

Fukushima radionuclides in the NW Pacific, and assessment of doses for Japanese and world population from ingestion of seafood

PubMed Central

Povinec, Pavel P.; Hirose, Katsumi

2015-01-01

Variations of Fukushima-derived radionuclides (90Sr, 134Cs and 137Cs) in seawater and biota offshore Fukushima and in the NW Pacific Ocean were investigated and radiation doses to the Japanese and world population from ingestion of seafood contaminated by Fukushima radionuclides were estimated and compared with those from other sources of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides. The total effective dose commitment from ingestion of radionuclides in fish, shellfish and seaweed caught in coastal waters off Fukushima was estimated to be 0.6 ± 0.4 mSv/y. The individual effective dose commitment from consumption of radioactive-contaminated fish caught in the open Pacific Ocean was estimated to be 0.07 ± 0.05 mSv/y. These doses are comparable or much lower than doses delivered from the consumption of natural 210Po in fish and in shellfish (0.7 mSv/y). The estimated individual doses have been below the levels when any health damage of the Japanese and world population could be expected. PMID:25761420

Fukushima radionuclides in the NW Pacific, and assessment of doses for Japanese and world population from ingestion of seafood.

PubMed

Povinec, Pavel P; Hirose, Katsumi

2015-03-12

Variations of Fukushima-derived radionuclides ((90)Sr, (134)Cs and (137)Cs) in seawater and biota offshore Fukushima and in the NW Pacific Ocean were investigated and radiation doses to the Japanese and world population from ingestion of seafood contaminated by Fukushima radionuclides were estimated and compared with those from other sources of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides. The total effective dose commitment from ingestion of radionuclides in fish, shellfish and seaweed caught in coastal waters off Fukushima was estimated to be 0.6 ± 0.4 mSv/y. The individual effective dose commitment from consumption of radioactive-contaminated fish caught in the open Pacific Ocean was estimated to be 0.07 ± 0.05 mSv/y. These doses are comparable or much lower than doses delivered from the consumption of natural (210)Po in fish and in shellfish (0.7 mSv/y). The estimated individual doses have been below the levels when any health damage of the Japanese and world population could be expected.

Low Doses of Imatinib Induce Myelopoiesis and Enhance Host Anti-microbial Immunity

PubMed Central

Swimm, Alyson; Giver, Cynthia R.; Harris, Wayne A. C.; Laval, Julie; Napier, Brooke A.; Patel, Gopi; Crump, Ryan; Peng, Zhenghong; Bornmann, William; Pulendran, Bali; Buller, R. Mark; Weiss, David S.; Tirouvanziam, Rabindra; Waller, Edmund K.; Kalman, Daniel

2015-01-01

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) inhibits Abl1, c-Kit, and related protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and serves as a therapeutic for chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Imatinib also has efficacy against various pathogens, including pathogenic mycobacteria, where it decreases bacterial load in mice, albeit at doses below those used for treating cancer. We report that imatinib at such low doses unexpectedly induces differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in the bone marrow, augments myelopoiesis but not lymphopoiesis, and increases numbers of myeloid cells in blood and spleen. Whereas progenitor differentiation relies on partial inhibition of c-Kit by imatinib, lineage commitment depends upon inhibition of other PTKs. Thus, imatinib mimics “emergency hematopoiesis,” a physiological innate immune response to infection. Increasing neutrophil numbers by adoptive transfer sufficed to reduce mycobacterial load, and imatinib reduced bacterial load of Franciscella spp., which do not utilize imatinib-sensitive PTKs for pathogenesis. Thus, potentiation of the immune response by imatinib at low doses may facilitate clearance of diverse microbial pathogens. PMID:25822986

Low doses of imatinib induce myelopoiesis and enhance host anti-microbial immunity.

PubMed

Napier, Ruth J; Norris, Brian A; Swimm, Alyson; Giver, Cynthia R; Harris, Wayne A C; Laval, Julie; Napier, Brooke A; Patel, Gopi; Crump, Ryan; Peng, Zhenghong; Bornmann, William; Pulendran, Bali; Buller, R Mark; Weiss, David S; Tirouvanziam, Rabindra; Waller, Edmund K; Kalman, Daniel

2015-03-01

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) inhibits Abl1, c-Kit, and related protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and serves as a therapeutic for chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Imatinib also has efficacy against various pathogens, including pathogenic mycobacteria, where it decreases bacterial load in mice, albeit at doses below those used for treating cancer. We report that imatinib at such low doses unexpectedly induces differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in the bone marrow, augments myelopoiesis but not lymphopoiesis, and increases numbers of myeloid cells in blood and spleen. Whereas progenitor differentiation relies on partial inhibition of c-Kit by imatinib, lineage commitment depends upon inhibition of other PTKs. Thus, imatinib mimics "emergency hematopoiesis," a physiological innate immune response to infection. Increasing neutrophil numbers by adoptive transfer sufficed to reduce mycobacterial load, and imatinib reduced bacterial load of Franciscella spp., which do not utilize imatinib-sensitive PTKs for pathogenesis. Thus, potentiation of the immune response by imatinib at low doses may facilitate clearance of diverse microbial pathogens.

10 CFR 72.106 - Controlled area of an ISFSI or MRS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... controlled area may not receive from any design basis accident the more limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose...

10 CFR 72.106 - Controlled area of an ISFSI or MRS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... controlled area may not receive from any design basis accident the more limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose...

10 CFR 72.106 - Controlled area of an ISFSI or MRS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... controlled area may not receive from any design basis accident the more limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose...

10 CFR 72.106 - Controlled area of an ISFSI or MRS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... controlled area may not receive from any design basis accident the more limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose...

10 CFR 72.106 - Controlled area of an ISFSI or MRS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... controlled area may not receive from any design basis accident the more limiting of a total effective dose equivalent of 0.05 Sv (5 rem), or the sum of the deep-dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose...

Retrospective study of the iodine-131 contamination of workers in the radiopharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Gaburo, J C; Lipsztein, J L; Rabelo, D M; Stabin, M

2003-01-01

A dose reconstruction study was performed for personnel occupationally exposed to 131I in radiopharmaceutical production, during the years 1981 to 1994, with the objective of estimating committed effective doses and critically reviewing the main causes of their exposures. The workers were selected from a group responsible for the production, labelling and distribution of all radiopharmaceutical material in Brazil. Best estimates of intakes and doses were derived from the examination of the individual monitoring records and the reports from the radiation protection supervisor, complemented by interviews with the workers and with radiation protection officers. Over this time period workers had chronic as well as acute intakes of 131I. Committed effective doses were found to be dependent on the task performed by the worker and the site of operation and inversely correlated with the amounts of iodine handled. Intakes in general were a consequence of inadequate radiation protection control.

210Po in the diet at Seville (Spain) and its contribution to the dose by ingestion

PubMed Central

Díaz-Francés, I.; Mantero, J.; Díaz-Ruiz, J.; Manjón, G.; García-Tenorio, R.

2016-01-01

The activity concentrations of 210Po have been determined in a total of 24 representative diet samples from Seville (south of Spain), inferring from the obtained values the annual intakes of 210Po by ingestion of the affected population and the corresponding committed effective doses. The annual intakes of 210Po and, consequently, the corresponding doses of this radionuclide show a high variability in correspondence with the variability in the composition of the analysed samples over time, and their magnitude is comparable with the estimated ones in other regions/countries of the world with similar diet habits (countries where the marine products have a considerable weight in the diets). Committed effective doses by ingestion higher than 0.1 mSv y−1 have been estimated exclusively for 210Po, reflecting the importance of this radionuclide and this route of incorporation in the magnitude of the total doses received by the affected population from natural sources. PMID:25802464

Daily radionuclide ingestion and internal radiation doses in Aomori prefecture, Japan.

PubMed

Ohtsuka, Yoshihito; Kakiuchi, Hideki; Akata, Naofumi; Takaku, Yuichi; Hisamatsu, Shun'ichi

2013-10-01

To assess internal annual dose in the general public in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, 80 duplicate cooked diet samples, equivalent to the food consumed over a 400-d period by one person, were collected from 100 volunteers in Aomori City and the village of Rokkasho during 2006–2010 and were analyzed for 11 radionuclides. To obtain average rates of ingestion of radionuclides, the volunteers were selected from among office, fisheries, agricultural, and livestock farm workers. Committed effective doses from ingestion of the diet over a 1-y period were calculated from the analytical results and from International Commission on Radiological Protection dose coefficients; for 40K, an internal effective dose rate from the literature was used. Fisheries workers had significantly higher combined internal annual dose than the other workers, possibly because of high rates of ingestion of marine products known to have high 210Po concentrations. The average internal dose rate, weighted by the numbers of households in each worker group in Aomori Prefecture, was estimated at 0.47 mSv y-1. Polonium-210 contributed 49% of this value. The sum of committed effective dose rates for 210Po, 210Pb, 228Ra, and 14C and the effective dose rate of 40K accounted for approximately 99% of the average internal dose rate.

10 CFR 20.1003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... assessment of dose equivalent by the use of devices designed to be worn by an individual; (2) The assessment... equipment) means devices designed to be worn by a single individual for the assessment of dose equivalent... radionuclide in a year by the reference man that would result in a committed effective dose equivalent of 5...

10 CFR 20.1003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... assessment of dose equivalent by the use of devices designed to be worn by an individual; (2) The assessment... equipment) means devices designed to be worn by a single individual for the assessment of dose equivalent... radionuclide in a year by the reference man that would result in a committed effective dose equivalent of 5...

10 CFR 20.1003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... assessment of dose equivalent by the use of devices designed to be worn by an individual; (2) The assessment... equipment) means devices designed to be worn by a single individual for the assessment of dose equivalent... radionuclide in a year by the reference man that would result in a committed effective dose equivalent of 5...

10 CFR 20.1003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... assessment of dose equivalent by the use of devices designed to be worn by an individual; (2) The assessment... equipment) means devices designed to be worn by a single individual for the assessment of dose equivalent... radionuclide in a year by the reference man that would result in a committed effective dose equivalent of 5...

10 CFR 20.1003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... assessment of dose equivalent by the use of devices designed to be worn by an individual; (2) The assessment... equipment) means devices designed to be worn by a single individual for the assessment of dose equivalent... radionuclide in a year by the reference man that would result in a committed effective dose equivalent of 5...

ICRP Publication 137: Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides: Part 3.

PubMed

Paquet, F; Bailey, M R; Leggett, R W; Lipsztein, J; Marsh, J; Fell, T P; Smith, T; Nosske, D; Eckerman, K F; Berkovski, V; Blanchardon, E; Gregoratto, D; Harrison, J D

2017-12-01

The 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP, 2007) introduced changes that affect the calculation of effective dose, and implied a revision of the dose coefficients for internal exposure, published previously in the Publication 30 series (ICRP, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1988) and Publication 68 (ICRP, 1994). In addition, new data are now available that support an update of the radionuclide-specific information given in Publications 54 and 78 (ICRP, 1988a, 1997b) for the design of monitoring programmes and retrospective assessment of occupational internal doses. Provision of new biokinetic models, dose coefficients, monitoring methods, and bioassay data was performed by Committee 2, Task Group 21 on Internal Dosimetry, and Task Group 4 on Dose Calculations. A new series, the Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides (OIR) series, will replace the Publication 30 series and Publications 54, 68, and 78. OIR Part 1 has been issued (ICRP, 2015), and describes the assessment of internal occupational exposure to radionuclides, biokinetic and dosimetric models, methods of individual and workplace monitoring, and general aspects of retrospective dose assessment. OIR Part 2 (ICRP, 2016), this current publication and upcoming publications in the OIR series (Parts 4 and 5) provide data on individual elements and their radioisotopes, including information on chemical forms encountered in the workplace; a list of principal radioisotopes and their physical half-lives and decay modes; the parameter values of the reference biokinetic model; and data on monitoring techniques for the radioisotopes encountered most commonly in workplaces. Reviews of data on inhalation, ingestion, and systemic biokinetics are also provided for most of the elements. Dosimetric data provided in the printed publications of the OIR series include tables of committed effective dose per intake (Sv Bq−1 intake) for inhalation and ingestion, tables of committed effective dose per content (Sv Bq−1 measurement) for inhalation, and graphs of retention and excretion data per Bq intake for inhalation. These data are provided for all absorption types and for the most common isotope(s) of each element. The electronic annex that accompanies the OIR series of publications contains a comprehensive set of committed effective and equivalent dose coefficients, committed effective dose per content functions, and reference bioassay functions. Data are provided for inhalation, ingestion, and direct input to blood. This third publication in the series provides the above data for the following elements: ruthenium (Ru), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), iodine (I), caesium (Cs), barium (Ba), iridium (Ir), lead (Pb), bismuth (Bi), polonium (Po), radon (Rn), radium (Ra), thorium (Th), and uranium (U).

ICRP Publication 134: Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides: Part 2.

PubMed

Paquet, F; Bailey, M R; Leggett, R W; Lipsztein, J; Fell, T P; Smith, T; Nosske, D; Eckerman, K F; Berkovski, V; Ansoborlo, E; Giussani, A; Bolch, W E; Harrison, J D

2016-12-01

The 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP, 2007) introduced changes that affect the calculation of effective dose, and implied a revision of the dose coefficients for internal exposure, published previously in the Publication 30 series (ICRP, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1988b) and Publication 68 (ICRP, 1994b). In addition, new data are available that support an update of the radionuclide-specific information given in Publications 54 and 78 (ICRP, 1988a, 1997b) for the design of monitoring programmes and retrospective assessment of occupational internal doses. Provision of new biokinetic models, dose coefficients, monitoring methods, and bioassay data was performed by Committee 2, Task Group 21 on Internal Dosimetry, and Task Group 4 on Dose Calculations. A new series, the Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides (OIR) series, will replace the Publication 30 series and Publications 54, 68, and 78. Part 1 of the OIR series has been issued (ICRP, 2015), and describes the assessment of internal occupational exposure to radionuclides, biokinetic and dosimetric models, methods of individual and workplace monitoring, and general aspects of retrospective dose assessment. The following publications in the OIR series (Parts 2–5) will provide data on individual elements and their radioisotopes, including information on chemical forms encountered in the workplace; a list of principal radioisotopes and their physical half-lives and decay modes; the parameter values of the reference biokinetic model; and data on monitoring techniques for the radioisotopes encountered most commonly in workplaces. Reviews of data on inhalation, ingestion, and systemic biokinetics are also provided for most of the elements. Dosimetric data provided in the printed publications of the OIR series include tables of committed effective dose per intake (Sv per Bq intake) for inhalation and ingestion, tables of committed effective dose per content (Sv per Bq measurement) for inhalation, and graphs of retention and excretion data per Bq intake for inhalation. These data are provided for all absorption types and for the most common isotope(s) of each element. The electronic annex that accompanies the OIR series of reports contains a comprehensive set of committed effective and equivalent dose coefficients, committed effective dose per content functions, and reference bioassay functions. Data are provided for inhalation, ingestion, and direct input to blood. The present publication provides the above data for the following elements: hydrogen (H), carbon (C), phosphorus (P), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), and technetium (Tc).

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

[Estimation of dietary intake of radioactive materials by total diet methods].

PubMed

Uekusa, Yoshinori; Nabeshi, Hiromi; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Hachisuka, Akiko; Matsuda, Rieko; Teshima, Reiko

2014-01-01

Radioactive contamination in foods is a matter of great concern after the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. In order to estimate human intake and annual committed effective dose of radioactive materials, market basket and duplicate diet samples from various areas in Japan were analyzed for cesium-134 ((134)Cs), -137 ((137)Cs), and natural radionuclide potassium-40 ((40)K) by γ-ray spectroscopy. Dietary intake of radioactive cesium around Fukushima area was somewhat higher than in other areas. However, maximum committed effective doses obtained by the market basket and duplicate diet samples were 0.0094 and 0.027 mSv/year, respectively, which are much lower than the maximum permissible dose (1 mSv/year) in foods in Japan.

The study of equivalent dose of uranium in long bean (V. U. Sesquipedalis) and the effect on human

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashid, Nur Shahidah Abdul; Yoshandi, Tengku Mohammad; Majid, Sukiman Sarmania Amran Ab.; Mohamed, Faizal; Siong, Khoo Kok

2016-01-01

In the case of accidental release of Uranium-238 (238U) radionuclides in a nuclear facility or in the environment, internal contamination by either acute or chronic exposure has the potential to induce both radiological and chemical toxic effects. A study was conducted to estimate the 238U radionuclide concentration in the long beans using Induced Coupled Mass Plasma-Spectrometry (ICP-MS). 238U radionuclide is a naturally occurring radioactive material that can be found in soil and can be transferred to the long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. Sesquapedalis) directly or indirectly via water or air. Kidney and liver are the major sites of deposition of 238U radionuclide. The obtained dose exposed in the liver and kidney is used to assess the safety level for public intake of 238U radionuclide from the consumption of long beans. The concentration of 238U radionuclide measured in long bean samples was 0.0226 ± 0.0009 mg/kg. Total activity of 238U radionuclide was 0.0044 ± 0.0002 Bq/day with the daily intake of 0.3545 ± 0.0143 µg/day and the annual committed effective dose due to ingestion of 238U radionuclide in long beans was 0.2230 ± 0.0087 µSv/year. The committed equivalent dose of 238U radionuclide from the assessment in the liver and kidney are 0.4198 ± 0.0165 nSv and 10.9335 ± 0.4288 nSv. The risk of cancer of 238U radionuclide was determined to be (86.0466 ± 3.3748) × 10-9. Thus, the results concluded that 238U radionuclide in local long beans was in the permitted level and safe to consume without posing any significant radiological threat to population.

Internal exposure to (210)Po and (40)K from ingestion of cooked daily foodstuffs for adults in Japanese cities.

PubMed

Sugiyama, Hideo; Terada, Hiroshi; Isomura, Kimio; Iijima, Ikuyo; Kobayashi, Jun; Kitamura, Kiyoshi

2009-10-01

The isotope (210)Po was suspected of being involved in the death of a former Russian intelligence agent in 2006 in the UK. Although human exposure to this natural radionuclide in foods is estimated to be high, few studies are available. UNSCEAR Report 2000 does not contain data on (210)Po concentrations of foodstuffs in Japan. We analyzed samples of the everyday Japanese diet cooked with foodstuffs purchased at supermarkets in 7 major domestic cities in 2007-2008. (210)Po was quantified by alpha spectrometry and natural radionuclides such as (40)K by gamma spectrometry. The daily intake and committed effective dose of (210)Po, (40)K, and other natural radionuclides for Japanese adults were calculated. Daily intake was 0.34-1.84 (mean +/- sigma : 0.66 +/- 0.53) and 68.5-94.2 (81.5 +/- 8.5) Bq/d and the committed effective dose was 0.15-0.81 (0.29 +/- 0.24) and 0.16-0.21 (0.18 +/- 0.02) mSv for (210)Po and (40)K, respectively, comprising a high percentage of the total exposure. The total of the mean committed effective dose for the two nuclides (0.47 mSv) was higher than the annual effective dose from ingestion of foods reported by UNSCEAR 2000 (0.29 mSv). The mean committed effective dose of (40)K in the 7 major Japanese cities was comparable to the global average (0.17 mSv). The dietary exposure of Japanese adults can be characterized by a higher (210)Po contribution than in other countries. Of the total daily dietary (210)Po exposure (13 food categories excluding water) for adults in Yokohama, about 70% was from fish/shellfish and 20% from vegetables/mushrooms/seaweeds, reflecting preferences of Japanese to eat a considerable amount of fish/shellfish containing high (210)Po concentrations.

Comparison of Alcohol Impairment of Behavioral and Attentional Inhibition

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica; Fillmore, Mark T.

2012-01-01

Background Despite the wealth of studies demonstrating the impairing effects of alcohol on behavioral inhibition, less is known regarding effects of the drug on attentional inhibition (i.e., the ability to ignore distracting stimuli in the environment in order to focus attention on relevant information). The current study examined alcohol impairment of both behavioral and attentional inhibition, as well as potential associations between the two mechanisms of inhibitory control. Methods Men (n = 27) and women (n = 21) performed a measure of behavioral inhibition (cued go/no-go task) and a measure of attentional inhibition (delayed ocular return task) following three doses of alcohol: 0.65 g/kg, 0.45 g/kg, and 0.0 g/kg (placebo). Results Alcohol impaired both behavioral and attentional inhibition relative to placebo; however, correlational analyses revealed no associations between measures of behavioral and attentional inhibition following any dose. Additionally, men committed more inhibitory failures on the behavioral inhibition task, whereas women committed more inhibitory failures on the attentional inhibition task. Conclusions These findings suggest that behavioral and attentional inhibition are equally sensitive to the impairing effects of alcohol, yet represent distinct components of inhibitory control. Additionally, the observed gender differences in control of behavior and attention could have important implications regarding negative consequences associated with alcohol-induced disinhibition in men and women. PMID:22673197

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

Konzen, Kevin

Generally, plutonium has been manufactured to support commercial and military applications involving heat sources, weapons and reactor fuel. This work focuses on three typical plutonium mixtures, while observing the potential of 241Am ingrowth and its effect on internal dose. The term “ingrowth” is used to describe 241Am production due solely from the decay of 241Pu as part of a plutonium mixture, where it is initially absent or present in a smaller quantity. Dose calculation models do not account for 241Am ingrowth unless the 241Pu quantity is specified. This work suggested that 241Am ingrowth be considered in bioassay analysis when theremore » is a potential of a 10% increase to the individual’s committed effective dose. It was determined that plutonium fuel mixtures, initially absent of 241Am, would likely exceed 10% for typical reactor grade fuel aged less than 30 years; however, heat source grade and aged weapons grade fuel would normally fall below this threshold. In conclusion, although this work addresses typical plutonium mixtures following separation, it may be extended to irradiated commercial uranium fuel and is expected to be a concern in the recycling of spent fuel.« less

Clinical-scale expansion of CD34+ cord blood cells amplifies committed progenitors and rapid scid repopulation cells.

PubMed

Casamayor-Genescà, Alba; Pla, Arnau; Oliver-Vila, Irene; Pujals-Fonts, Noèlia; Marín-Gallén, Sílvia; Caminal, Marta; Pujol-Autonell, Irma; Carrascal, Jorge; Vives-Pi, Marta; Garcia, Joan; Vives, Joaquim

2017-03-25

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation is associated with long periods of aplastic anaemia. This undesirable situation is due to the low cell dose available per unit of UCB and the immaturity of its progenitors. To overcome this, we present a cell culture strategy aimed at the expansion of the CD34 + population and the generation of granulocyte lineage-committed progenitors. Two culture products were produced after either 6 or 14days of in vitro expansion, and their characteristics compared to non-expanded UCB CD34 + controls in terms of phenotype, colony-forming activity and multilineage repopulation potential in NOD-scid IL2Rγ null mice. Both expanded cell products maintained rapid SCID repopulation activity similar to the non-expanded control, but 14-day cultured cells showed impaired long term SCID repopulation activity. The process was successfully scaled up to clinically relevant doses of 89×10 6 CD34 + cells committed to the granulocytic lineage and 3.9×10 9 neutrophil precursors in different maturation stages. Cell yields and biological properties presented by the cell product obtained after 14days in culture were superior and therefore this is proposed as the preferred production setup in a new type of dual transplant strategy to reduce aplastic periods, producing a transient repopulation before the definitive engraftment of the non-cultured UCB unit. Importantly, human telomerase reverse transcriptase activity was undetectable, c-myc expression levels were low and no genetic abnormalities were found, as determined by G-banding karyotype, further confirming the safety of the expanded product. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

²¹⁰Po in the diet at Seville (Spain) and its contribution to the dose by ingestion.

PubMed

Díaz-Francés, I; Mantero, J; Díaz-Ruiz, J; Manjón, G; García-Tenorio, R

2016-02-01

The activity concentrations of (210)Po have been determined in a total of 24 representative diet samples from Seville (south of Spain), inferring from the obtained values the annual intakes of (210)Po by ingestion of the affected population and the corresponding committed effective doses. The annual intakes of (210)Po and, consequently, the corresponding doses of this radionuclide show a high variability in correspondence with the variability in the composition of the analysed samples over time, and their magnitude is comparable with the estimated ones in other regions/countries of the world with similar diet habits (countries where the marine products have a considerable weight in the diets). Committed effective doses by ingestion higher than 0.1 mSv y(-1) have been estimated exclusively for (210)Po, reflecting the importance of this radionuclide and this route of incorporation in the magnitude of the total doses received by the affected population from natural sources. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

THE CHALLENGE OF CIEMAT INTERNAL DOSIMETRY SERVICE FOR ACCREDITATION ACCORDING TO ISO/IEC 17025 STANDARD, FOR IN VIVO AND IN VITRO MONITORING AND DOSE ASSESSMENT OF INTERNAL EXPOSURES.

PubMed

Lopez, M A; Martin, R; Hernandez, C; Navarro, J F; Navarro, T; Perez, B; Sierra, I

2016-09-01

The accreditation of an Internal Dosimetry Service (IDS) according to ISO/IEC 17025 Standard is a challenge. The aim of this process is to guarantee the technical competence for the monitoring of radionuclides incorporated in the body and for the evaluation of the associated committed effective dose E(50). This publication describes the main accreditation issues addressed by CIEMAT IDS regarding all the procedures involving good practice in internal dosimetry, focussing in the difficulties to ensure the traceability in the whole process, the appropriate calculation of detection limit of measurement techniques, the validation of methods (monitoring and dose assessments), the description of all the uncertainty sources and the interpretation of monitoring data to evaluate the intake and the committed effective dose. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Air contamination measurements for the evaluation of internal dose to workers in nuclear medicine departments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Massimi, B.; Bianchini, D.; Sarnelli, A.; D'Errico, V.; Marcocci, F.; Mezzenga, E.; Mostacci, D.

2017-11-01

Radionuclides handled in nuclear medicine departments are often characterized by high volatility and short half-life. It is generally difficult to monitor directly the intake of these short-lived radionuclides in hospital staff: this makes measuring air contamination of utmost interest. The aim of the present work is to provide a method for the evaluation of internal doses to workers in nuclear medicine, by means of an air activity sampling detector, to ensure that the limits prescribed by the relevant legislation are respected. A continuous air sampling system measures isotope concentration with a Nal(TI) detector. Energy efficiency of the system was assessed with GEANT4 and with known activities of 18F. Air is sampled in a number of areas of the nuclear medicine department of the IRST-IRCCS hospital (Meldola- Italy). To evaluate committed doses to hospital staff involved (doctors, technicians, nurses) different exposure situations (rooms, times, radionuclides etc) were considered. After estimating the intake, the committed effective dose has been evaluated, for the different radionuclides, using the dose coefficients mandated by the Italian legislation. Error propagation for the estimated intake and personal dose has been evaluated, starting from measurement statistics.

New Stochastic Annual Limits on Intake for Selected Radionuclides

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

Carbaugh, Eugene H.

Annual limits on intake (ALI) have historically been tabulated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (e.g., ICRP 1979, 1961) and also by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 1988). These compilations have been rendered obsolete by more recent ICRP dosimetry methods, and, rather than provide new ALIs, the ICRP has opted instead to provide committed dose coefficients from which an ALI can be determined by a user for a specific set of conditions. The U.S. Department of Energy historically has referenced compilations of ALIs and has defined their method of calculation in its radiation protection regulation (10 CFDR 835), butmore » has never provided a specific compilation. Under June 2007 amendments to 10 CFR 835, ALIs can be calculated by dividing an appropriate dose limit, either 5-rem (0.05 Sv) effective dose or 50 rem (0.5 Sv) equivalent dose to an individual organ or tissue, by an appropriate committed dose coefficient. When based on effective dose, the ALI is often referred to as a stochastic annual limit on intake (SALI), and when based on the individual organ or tissue equivalent limit, it has often been called a deterministic annual limit on intake (DALI).« less

Further evaluations of the toxicity of irradiated advanced heavy water reactor fuels.

PubMed

Edwards, Geoffrey W R; Priest, Nicholas D

2014-11-01

The neutron economy and online refueling capability of heavy water moderated reactors enable them to use many different fuel types, such as low enriched uranium, plutonium mixed with uranium, or plutonium and/or U mixed with thorium, in addition to their traditional natural uranium fuel. However, the toxicity and radiological protection methods for fuels other than natural uranium are not well established. A previous paper by the current authors compared the composition and toxicity of irradiated natural uranium to that of three potential advanced heavy water fuels not containing plutonium, and this work uses the same method to compare irradiated natural uranium to three other fuels that do contain plutonium in their initial composition. All three of the new fuels are assumed to incorporate plutonium isotopes characteristic of those that would be recovered from light water reactor fuel via reprocessing. The first fuel investigated is a homogeneous thorium-plutonium fuel designed for a once-through fuel cycle without reprocessing. The second fuel is a heterogeneous thorium-plutonium-U bundle, with graded enrichments of U in different parts of a single fuel assembly. This fuel is assumed to be part of a recycling scenario in which U from previously irradiated fuel is recovered. The third fuel is one in which plutonium and Am are mixed with natural uranium. Each of these fuels, because of the presence of plutonium in the initial composition, is determined to be considerably more radiotoxic than is standard natural uranium. Canadian nuclear safety regulations require that techniques be available for the measurement of 1 mSv of committed effective dose after exposure to irradiated fuel. For natural uranium fuel, the isotope Pu is a significant contributor to the committed effective dose after exposure, and thermal ionization mass spectrometry is sensitive enough that the amount of Pu excreted in urine is sufficient to estimate internal doses, from all isotopes, as low as 1 mSv. In addition, if this method is extended so that Pu is also measured, then the combined amount of Pu and Pu is sufficiently high in the thorium-plutonium fuel that a committed effective dose of 1 mSv would be measurable. However, the fraction of Pu and Pu in the other two fuels is sufficiently low that a 1 mSv dose would remain below the detection limit using this technique. Thus new methods, such as fecal measurements of Pu (or other alpha emitters), will be required to measure exposure to these new fuels.

Estimates of internal-dose equivalent from inhalation and ingestion of selected radionuclides

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

Dunning, D.E.

1982-01-01

This report presents internal radiation dose conversion factors for radionuclides of interest in environmental assessments of nuclear fuel cycles. This volume provides an updated summary of estimates of committed dose equivalent for radionuclides considered in three previous Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) reports. Intakes by inhalation and ingestion are considered. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Task Group Lung Model has been used to simulate the deposition and retention of particulate matter in the respiratory tract. Results corresponding to activity median aerodynamic diameters (AMAD) of 0.3, 1.0, and 5.0 ..mu..m are given. The gastorintestinal (GI) tract has been representedmore » by a four-segment catenary model with exponential transfer of radioactivity from one segment to the next. Retention of radionuclides in systemic organs is characterized by linear combinations of decaying exponential functions, recommended in ICRP Publication 30. The first-year annual dose rate, maximum annual dose rate, and fifty-year dose commitment per microcurie intake of each radionuclide is given for selected target organs and the effective dose equivalent. These estimates include contributions from specified source organs plus the systemic activity residing in the rest of the body; cross irradiation due to penetrating radiations has been incorporated into these estimates. 15 references.« less

210Po and 238U isotope concentrations in commercial bottled mineral water samples in Spain and their dose contribution.

PubMed

Díaz-Francés, I; Mantero, J; Manjón, G; Díaz, J; García-Tenorio, R

2013-09-01

(210)Po is a naturally occurring radionuclide, belonging to the uranium series, which is present in minute amounts in the different environmental compartments (water, soil, biota). Through its route along the trophic chain, it can be incorporated in the human body via ingestion of waters and/or food. This radionuclide is highly radiotoxic, being one of the main contributors to the committed effective dose via ingestion by the general population. In this work, the contribution of this radionuclide to the committed effective dose received by the Spanish population via consumption of bottled mineral waters is evaluated. With this end, the (210)Po activity concentrations in a total of 32 different commercial bottled mineral waters have been determined by alpha-particle spectrometry. The determined contribution is also compared with the contributions of other natural radionuclides such as (234)U and (238)U.

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of the deep dose equivalent and the committed dose equivalent to any individual organ or tissue (other than the lens of the eye) of 0.5 Sv (50 rem). The lens dose equivalent may not exceed 0.15 Sv (15... TEDE (hereafter referred to as “dose”) to any real member of the public located beyond the boundary of...

Comparison of alcohol impairment of behavioral and attentional inhibition.

PubMed

Weafer, Jessica; Fillmore, Mark T

2012-11-01

Despite the wealth of studies demonstrating the impairing effects of alcohol on behavioral inhibition, less is known regarding effects of the drug on attentional inhibition (i.e., the ability to ignore distracting stimuli in the environment in order to focus attention on relevant information). The current study examined alcohol impairment of both behavioral and attentional inhibition, as well as potential associations between the two mechanisms of inhibitory control. Men (n=27) and women (n=21) performed a measure of behavioral inhibition (cued go/no-go task) and a measure of attentional inhibition (delayed ocular return task) following three doses of alcohol: 0.65 g/kg, 0.45 g/kg, and 0.0 g/kg (placebo). Alcohol impaired both behavioral and attentional inhibition relative to placebo; however, correlational analyses revealed no associations between measures of behavioral and attentional inhibition following any dose. Additionally, men committed more inhibitory failures on the behavioral inhibition task, whereas women committed more inhibitory failures on the attentional inhibition task. These findings suggest that behavioral and attentional inhibition are equally sensitive to the impairing effects of alcohol, yet represent distinct components of inhibitory control. Additionally, the observed gender differences in control of behavior and attention could have important implications regarding negative consequences associated with alcohol-induced disinhibition in men and women. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Low-Dose Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR-ld) on Working Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klatt, Maryanna D.; Buckworth, Janet; Malarkey, William B.

2009-01-01

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has produced behavioral, psychological, and physiological benefits, but these programs typically require a substantial time commitment from the participants. This study assessed the effects of a shortened (low-dose [ld]) work-site MBSR intervention (MBSR-ld) on indicators of stress in healthy working…

Radiation doses to individuals due to ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ²²²Rn from the immersion in thermal waters and to radon progeny from the inhalation of air inside thermal stations.

PubMed

Misdaq, M A; Ghilane, M; Ouguidi, J; Outeqablit, K

2012-11-01

In Morocco, thermal waters have been used for decades for the treatment of various diseases. To explore the exposure pathway of (238)U, (232)Th and (222)Rn to the skin of bathers from the immersion in thermal waters, these radionuclides were measured inside waters collected from different Moroccan thermal springs, by means of CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs), and corresponding annual committed effective doses to skin were determined. Accordingly, to assess radiation dose due to radon short-lived decay products from the inhalation of air by individuals, concentrations of these radionuclides were measured in indoor air of two thermal stations by evaluating mean critical angles of etching of the CR-39 and LR-115 II SSNTDs. Committed effective doses due to the short-lived radon decay products (218)Po and (214)Po by bathers and working personnel inside the thermal stations studied were determined.

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

Klumpp, John Allan; Bertelli, Luiz; Waters, Tom L.

For radionuclides such as plutonium and americium, detection of removable activity in the nose (i.e., nasal swab measurements) are frequently used to determine whether follow-up bioassay measurements are warranted following a potential intake. For this paper, the authors analyzed 429 nasal swab measurements taken following incidents or suspicious circumstances (such as an air monitor alarming) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for which the dose was later evaluated using in vitro bioassay. Nasal swab measurements were found to be very poor predictors of dose and should not be used as such in the field. However, nasal swab measurements can bemore » indicative of whether a reliably detectable committed effective dose (CED) occurred. About 14% of nasal swab measurements between 1.25 and 16.7 Bq corresponded to CEDs greater than 1 mSv, so in general, positive nasal swabs always indicate that follow-up bioassay should be performed (positive nasal swabs less than 1.25 Bq are considered separately). This probability increased significantly for nasal swabs greater than 16.7 Bq. Only about 3% of nasal swabs with no detectable activity (NDA) corresponded to reliably detectable CEDs. As a result, a nasal swab with NDA is therefore necessary, but not sufficient, to negate the need for a follow-up bioassay if it was collected following other workplace indicators of a potential intake.« less

HADOC: a computer code for calculation of external and inhalation doses from acute radionuclide releases

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

Strenge, D.L.; Peloquin, R.A.

The computer code HADOC (Hanford Acute Dose Calculations) is described and instructions for its use are presented. The code calculates external dose from air submersion and inhalation doses following acute radionuclide releases. Atmospheric dispersion is calculated using the Hanford model with options to determine maximum conditions. Building wake effects and terrain variation may also be considered. Doses are calculated using dose conversion factor supplied in a data library. Doses are reported for one and fifty year dose commitment periods for the maximum individual and the regional population (within 50 miles). The fractional contribution to dose by radionuclide and exposure modemore » are also printed if requested.« less

The study of equivalent dose of uranium in long bean (V. U. Sesquipedalis) and the effect on human

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

Rashid, Nur Shahidah Abdul; Yoshandi, Tengku Mohammad; Majid, Sukiman Sarmania Amran Ab.

In the case of accidental release of Uranium-238 ({sup 238}U) radionuclides in a nuclear facility or in the environment, internal contamination by either acute or chronic exposure has the potential to induce both radiological and chemical toxic effects. A study was conducted to estimate the {sup 238}U radionuclide concentration in the long beans using Induced Coupled Mass Plasma-Spectrometry (ICP-MS). {sup 238}U radionuclide is a naturally occurring radioactive material that can be found in soil and can be transferred to the long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. Sesquapedalis) directly or indirectly via water or air. Kidney and liver are the major sitesmore » of deposition of {sup 238}U radionuclide. The obtained dose exposed in the liver and kidney is used to assess the safety level for public intake of {sup 238}U radionuclide from the consumption of long beans. The concentration of {sup 238}U radionuclide measured in long bean samples was 0.0226 ± 0.0009 mg/kg. Total activity of {sup 238}U radionuclide was 0.0044 ± 0.0002 Bq/day with the daily intake of 0.3545 ± 0.0143 µg/day and the annual committed effective dose due to ingestion of {sup 238}U radionuclide in long beans was 0.2230 ± 0.0087 µSv/year. The committed equivalent dose of {sup 238}U radionuclide from the assessment in the liver and kidney are 0.4198 ± 0.0165 nSv and 10.9335 ± 0.4288 nSv. The risk of cancer of {sup 238}U radionuclide was determined to be (86.0466 ± 3.3748) × 10-9. Thus, the results concluded that {sup 238}U radionuclide in local long beans was in the permitted level and safe to consume without posing any significant radiological threat to population.« less

How Does Satisfaction Translate into Performance? An Examination of Commitment and Cultural Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Jin; Zheng, Wei

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to add new insights into the mechanism through which job satisfaction relates to job performance. Affective commitment was tested as a potential mediator between job satisfaction and job performance, and traditionality was used as a potential moderator between job satisfaction and affective commitment. A survey study…

The influence of particle size distribution on dose conversion factors for radon progeny in the underground excavations of hard coal mine.

PubMed

Skubacz, Krystian; Wojtecki, Łukasz; Urban, Paweł

2016-10-01

In Polish underground mines, hazards caused by enhanced natural radioactivity occur. The sources of radiation exposure are short-lived radon decay products, mine waters containing radium 226 Ra and 228 Ra and the radioactive sediments that can precipitate out of these waters. For miners, the greatest exposure is usually due to short-lived radon decay products. The risk assessment is based on the measurement of the total potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC) and the evaluation of the related dose by using the dose conversion factor as recommended by relevant legal requirements. This paper presents the results of measurements of particle size distributions of ambient aerosols in an underground hard coal mine, the assessment of the radioactive particle size distribution of the short-lived radon decay products and the corresponding values of dose conversion factors. The measurements of the ambient airborne particle size distribution were performed in the range from a few nanometers to about 20 μm. The study therefore included practically the whole class of respirable particles. The results showed that the high concentration of ultrafine and fine aerosols measured can significantly affect the value of the dose conversion factors, and consequently the corresponding committed effective dose, to which the miners can be exposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PB-210 concentrations in cigarettes tobaccos and radiation doses to the smokers.

PubMed

Tahir, S N A; Alaamer, A S

2008-01-01

Cigarette smoking is a source of radiation exposure due to the concentrations of natural radionuclides in the tobacco leaves. From the health point of view, measurement of (210)Pb and (210)Po contents in cigarette tobacco is important to assess the radiological effects associated with the tobacco smoking for the smokers. In the present study, activity concentrations of (210)Pb, which is a (210)Po precursor in the (238)U-decay series, were measured in cigarette tobaccos. Samples of nine different commonly sold brands of cigarette tobaccos were analysed by employing a planar high purity germanium (HPGe) low background detector. Activity concentrations of (210)Pb were measured from its gamma peak at 47 keV. Mean activity concentration of (210)Pb was measured to be 13 +/- 4 Bq kg(-1) from all samples analysed. The annual committed effective dose for a smoker and the collective committed effective dose corresponding to annual cigarettes production were estimated to be 64 +/- 20 microSv and 0.6 x 10(2) man-Sv, respectively.

Melatonin administration impairs visuo-spatial performance and inhibits neocortical long-term potentiation in rats.

PubMed

Soto-Moyano, Rubén; Burgos, Héctor; Flores, Francisco; Valladares, Luis; Sierralta, Walter; Fernández, Victor; Pérez, Hernán; Hernández, Paula; Hernández, Alejandro

2006-10-01

Melatonin has been shown to inhibit long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal slices of rats. Since LTP may be one of the main mechanisms by which memory traces are encoded and stored in the central nervous system, it is possible that melatonin could modulate cognitive performance by interfering with the cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved in LTP. We investigated in rats the effects of intraperitoneally-administered melatonin (0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg), its saline-ethanol solvent, or saline alone, on the acquisition of visuo-spatial memory as well as on the ability of the cerebral cortex to develop LTP in vivo. Visuo-spatial performance was assessed daily in rats, for 10 days, in an 8-arm radial maze, 30 min after they received a single daily dose of melatonin. Visual cortex LTP was determined in sodium pentobarbital anesthetized rats (65 mg/kg i.p.), by potentiating transcallosal evoked responses with a tetanizing train (312 Hz, 500 ms duration) 30 min after administration of a single dose of melatonin. Results showed that melatonin impaired visuo-spatial performance in rats, as revealed by the greater number of errors committed and time spent to solve the task in the radial maze. Melatonin also prevented the induction of neocortical LTP. It is concluded that melatonin, at the doses utilized in this study, could alter some forms of neocortical plasticity involved in short- and long-term visuo-spatial memories in rats.

Dose relations between goal setting, theory-based correlates of goal setting and increases in physical activity during a workplace trial.

PubMed

Dishman, Rod K; Vandenberg, Robert J; Motl, Robert W; Wilson, Mark G; DeJoy, David M

2010-08-01

The effectiveness of an intervention depends on its dose and on moderators of dose, which usually are not studied. The purpose of the study is to determine whether goal setting and theory-based moderators of goal setting had dose relations with increases in goal-related physical activity during a successful workplace intervention. A group-randomized 12-week intervention that included personal goal setting was implemented in fall 2005, with a multiracial/ethnic sample of employees at 16 geographically diverse worksites. Here, we examined dose-related variables in the cohort of participants (N = 664) from the 8 worksites randomized to the intervention. Participants in the intervention exceeded 9000 daily pedometer steps and 300 weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the last 6 weeks of the study, which approximated or exceeded current public health guidelines. Linear growth modeling indicated that participants who set higher goals and sustained higher levels of self-efficacy, commitment and intention about attaining their goals had greater increases in pedometer steps and MVPA. The relation between change in participants' satisfaction with current physical activity and increases in physical activity was mediated by increases in self-set goals. The results show a dose relation of increased physical activity with changes in goal setting, satisfaction, self-efficacy, commitment and intention, consistent with goal-setting theory.

Gross alpha and beta activity and annual committed effective dose due to natural radionuclides in some water spinach (ipomoea aquatica Forssk) samples in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

PubMed

Le, Hao Cong; Nguyen, Thang Van; Huynh, Thu Nguyen Phong; Huynh, Phuong Truc

2017-07-01

The results of gross alpha and beta radioactivity measurement in water spinach samples from some districts in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam are presented in this paper. The measurements were performed using a low-background proportional counters LB4200 manufactured by Canberra Company, Inc. Mean concentrations of gross alpha and beta activity were found to be 1.50 ± 0.38 Bq kg -1 to 84.25 ± 8.67 Bq kg -1 . In order to keep the recommended dose level, a recommended maximum intake of water spinach was proposed to be 6 kg fresh per year. The total annual committed effective dose due to natural radionuclides in water spinach samples was then found in range from 0.07 mSv y -1 to 0.82 mSv y -1 . The dose from 26.32% of samples exceeds the exemption mean dose criterion of 0.3 mSv y -1 but complies with the upper dose principle of 1 mSv y -1 provided in UNSCEAR 2008 report. The estimated soil-to-plant transfer factors for gross alpha and beta for water spinach samples were also presented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A population at risk: civil commitment of substance abusers after Kansas v. Hendricks.

PubMed

Krongard, Mara Lynn

2002-01-01

In its 1997 decision, Kansas v. Hendricks, the U.S. Supreme Court radically changed the face of civil commitment. In finding the Kansas Sexually Violent Predators Act constitutional, the Court liberalized the first constitutional requirement for involuntary commitment from "mental illness" to a much broader "mental abnormality" standard, without correspondingly restricting the second requirement of dangerousness. The decision essentially authorizes states to civilly commit a broad range of individuals without sufficient due process protections. This Comment explores the possibilities for expansion of civil commitment in the wake of Hendricks. It argues that the holding was unjustifiably broad, focusing in particular on the potential danger facing substance abusers. In conclusion, it offers several suggestions for mitigating the potential misuse of this dangerous precedent.

Interpretation of nasal swab measurements following suspected releases of actinide aerosols

DOE PAGES

Klumpp, John Allan; Bertelli, Luiz; Waters, Tom L.

2017-05-01

For radionuclides such as plutonium and americium, detection of removable activity in the nose (i.e., nasal swab measurements) are frequently used to determine whether follow-up bioassay measurements are warranted following a potential intake. For this paper, the authors analyzed 429 nasal swab measurements taken following incidents or suspicious circumstances (such as an air monitor alarming) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for which the dose was later evaluated using in vitro bioassay. Nasal swab measurements were found to be very poor predictors of dose and should not be used as such in the field. However, nasal swab measurements can bemore » indicative of whether a reliably detectable committed effective dose (CED) occurred. About 14% of nasal swab measurements between 1.25 and 16.7 Bq corresponded to CEDs greater than 1 mSv, so in general, positive nasal swabs always indicate that follow-up bioassay should be performed (positive nasal swabs less than 1.25 Bq are considered separately). This probability increased significantly for nasal swabs greater than 16.7 Bq. Only about 3% of nasal swabs with no detectable activity (NDA) corresponded to reliably detectable CEDs. As a result, a nasal swab with NDA is therefore necessary, but not sufficient, to negate the need for a follow-up bioassay if it was collected following other workplace indicators of a potential intake.« less

Cancer Risks Associated with External Radiation From Diagnostic Imaging Procedures

PubMed Central

Linet, Martha S.; Slovis, Thomas L.; Miller, Donald L.; Kleinerman, Ruth; Lee, Choonsik; Rajaraman, Preetha; de Gonzalez, Amy Berrington

2012-01-01

The 600% increase in medical radiation exposure to the US population since 1980 has provided immense benefit, but potential future cancer risks to patients. Most of the increase is from diagnostic radiologic procedures. The objectives of this review are to summarize epidemiologic data on cancer risks associated with diagnostic procedures, describe how exposures from recent diagnostic procedures relate to radiation levels linked with cancer occurrence, and propose a framework of strategies to reduce radiation from diagnostic imaging in patients. We briefly review radiation dose definitions, mechanisms of radiation carcinogenesis, key epidemiologic studies of medical and other radiation sources and cancer risks, and dose trends from diagnostic procedures. We describe cancer risks from experimental studies, future projected risks from current imaging procedures, and the potential for higher risks in genetically susceptible populations. To reduce future projected cancers from diagnostic procedures, we advocate widespread use of evidence-based appropriateness criteria for decisions about imaging procedures, oversight of equipment to deliver reliably the minimum radiation required to attain clinical objectives, development of electronic lifetime records of imaging procedures for patients and their physicians, and commitment by medical training programs, professional societies, and radiation protection organizations to educate all stakeholders in reducing radiation from diagnostic procedures. PMID:22307864

Who gets the most out of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders? The role of treatment dose and patient engagement.

PubMed

Glenn, Daniel; Golinelli, Daniela; Rose, Raphael D; Roy-Byrne, Peter; Stein, Murray B; Sullivan, Greer; Bystritksy, Alexander; Sherbourne, Cathy; Craske, Michelle G

2013-08-01

The present study explored treatment dose and patient engagement as predictors of treatment outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders. Measures of high versus low treatment dose and high versus low patient engagement in CBT were compared as predictors of 12- and 18-month outcomes for patients being treated for anxiety disorders with CBT (with or without concurrent pharmacotherapy) in primary care settings as part of a randomized controlled effectiveness trial of the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management (CALM) intervention. Measures of dose (attendance, exposure completion) and engagement in CBT (homework adherence, commitment) were collected throughout treatment, and blinded follow-up phone assessments of outcome measures (12-item Brief Symptom Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire 8, Sheehan Disability Scale) were completed at 12 and 18 months. Propensity score weighting controlled for baseline differences in demographics and symptom severity between patients with high and low dose and engagement. These analyses included the 439 patients who selected CBT as treatment modality. Completing exposures, having high attendance, and being more adherent to completing homework predicted better outcomes across all measures at 12 and 18 months, and high CBT commitment predicted better outcomes on all measures at 18 months. This study found that higher treatment dose and patient engagement in CBT for anxiety disorders were stable and robust predictors of greater reductions in anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and functional disability. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Who Gets the Most Out of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders?

PubMed Central

Glenn, Daniel; Golinelli, Daniela; Rose, Raphael D.; Roy-Byrne, Peter; Stein, Murray B.; Sullivan, Greer; Bystritksy, Alexander; Sherbourne, Cathy; Craske, Michelle G.

2013-01-01

Objective The present study explored treatment dose and patient engagement as predictors of treatment outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders. Method Measures of high versus low treatment dose, and high versus low patient engagement in CBT were compared as predictors of 12 and 18 month outcomes for patients being treated for anxiety disorders with CBT (with or without concurrent pharmacotherapy) in primary care settings as part of a randomized controlled effectiveness trial of the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management (CALM) intervention. Measures of dose (attendance, exposure completion) and engagement in CBT (homework adherence, commitment) were collected throughout treatment, and blinded follow-up phone assessments of outcome measures (12-item Brief Symptom Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire 8, Sheehan Disability Scale) were completed at 12 and 18 months. Propensity score weighting controlled for baseline differences in demographics and symptom severity between patients with high and low dose and engagement. These analyses included the 439 patients that selected CBT as treatment modality. Results Completing exposures, high attendance, and being more homework adherent predicted better outcomes across all measures at 12 and 18 months, and high CBT commitment predicted better outcomes on all measures at 18 months. Conclusions This study found that higher treatment dose and patient engagement in CBT for anxiety disorders were stable and robust predictors of greater reductions in anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and functional disability. PMID:23750465

Quality of clinical supervision and counselor emotional exhaustion: the potential mediating roles of organizational and occupational commitment.

PubMed

Knudsen, Hannah K; Roman, Paul M; Abraham, Amanda J

2013-01-01

Counselor emotional exhaustion has negative implications for treatment organizations as well as the health of counselors. Quality clinical supervision is protective against emotional exhaustion, but research on the mediating mechanisms between supervision and exhaustion is limited. Drawing upon data from 934 counselors affiliated with treatment programs in the National Institute on Drug Abuse's Clinical Trials Network (CTN), this study examined commitment to the treatment organization and commitment to the counseling occupation as potential mediators of the relationship between quality clinical supervision and emotional exhaustion. The final ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model, which accounted for the nesting of counselors within treatment organizations, indicated that these two types of commitment were plausible mediators of the association between clinical supervision and exhaustion. Higher quality clinical supervision was strongly correlated with commitment to the treatment organization as well as commitment to the occupation of SUD counseling. These findings suggest that quality clinical supervision has the potential to yield important benefits for counselor well-being by strengthening ties to both their employing organization as well the larger treatment field, but longitudinal research is needed to establish these causal relationships. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of clinical supervision and counselor emotional exhaustion: The potential mediating roles of organizational and occupational commitment

PubMed Central

Knudsen, Hannah K.; Roman, Paul M.; Abraham, Amanda J.

2013-01-01

Counselor emotional exhaustion has negative implications for treatment organizations as well as the health of counselors. Quality clinical supervision is protective against emotional exhaustion, but research on the mediating mechanisms between supervision and exhaustion is limited. Drawing upon data from 934 counselors affiliated with treatment programs in the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Clinical Trials Network (CTN), this study examined commitment to the treatment organization and commitment to the counseling occupation as potential mediators of the relationship between quality clinical supervision and emotional exhaustion. The final ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model, which accounted for the nesting of counselors within treatment organizations, indicated that these two types of commitment were plausible mediators of the association between clinical supervision and exhaustion. Higher quality clinical supervision was strongly correlated with commitment to the treatment organization as well as commitment to the occupation of SUD counseling. These findings suggest that quality clinical supervision has the potential to yield important benefits for counselor well-being by strengthening ties to both their employing organization as well the larger treatment field, but longitudinal research is needed to establish these causal relationships. PMID:23312873

Concentration of 3H in ground water and estimation of committed effective dose due to ground water ingestion in some places in the Maharashtra state, India.

PubMed

Reddy, P J; Bhade, S P D; Kolekar, R V; Singh, Rajvir; Pradeepkumar, K S

2014-01-01

The measurement of tritium in environmental samples requires highest possible sensitivity. In the present study, the authors have optimised the counting window for the analysis of (3)H in environmental samples using the recently installed Ultra Low Level Quantulus 1220 Liquid Scintillation Counting at BARC to improve the detection limit of the system. The optimised counting window corresponding to the highest figure of merit of 883.8 was found to be 20-162 channels. Different brands of packaged drinking waters were analysed to select a blank that would define the system background. The minimum detectable activity (MDA) achieved was 1.5 Bq l(-1) for a total counting time of 500 min. The concentration of tritium in well and bore well water samples collected from the villages of Pune, villages located at 1.8 km from Tarapur Atomic Power Station, Kolhapur and Ratnagiri, was analysed. The activity concentration ranged from 0.55 to 3.66 Bq l(-1). The associated age-dependant dose from water ingestion in the study area was estimated. The effective committed dose recorded for different age classes is negligible compared with World Health Organization and US Environmental Protection Agency dose guidelines.

131I INTERNAL CONTAMINATION AND COMMITTED DOSE ASSESSMENT AMONG NUCLEAR MEDICINE MEDICAL PERSONNEL.

PubMed

Brudecki, K; Kluczewska-Galka, A; Mróz, T; Jarzab, B; Zagrodzki, P; Janowski, P

2018-05-01

This study presents 131I thyroid activity measurements of 56 employees of the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Centre for Oncology in Gliwice. The research instrument was a whole-body spectrometer. In 44 out of 56 examined staff members, the determined 131I activity was found to be above the detection limit. The measured activities ranged from 6 ± 2 to 457 ± 118 Bq. The maximum estimated committed effective dose reached was 1.5 mSv/y. The results were compared with previous measurements conducted in another Polish nuclear medical unit. From this comparison, we can see that radiological safety among nuclear medicine personnel can be improved by appropriate work organisation. Reducing exposure of workers can be achieved by properly organised turnovers concerning the most vulnerable worksites. In addition, to lower the radiation risk, it is essential to comply strictly with the isolation regime for the patients.

The potential for chemical mixtures from the environment to enable the cancer hallmark of sustained proliferative signalling

PubMed Central

Engström, Wilhelm; Darbre, Philippa; Eriksson, Staffan; Gulliver, Linda; Hultman, Tove; Karamouzis, Michalis V.; Klaunig, James E.; Mehta, Rekha; Moorwood, Kim; Sanderson, Thomas; Sone, Hideko; Vadgama, Pankaj; Wagemaker, Gerard; Ward, Andrew; Singh, Neetu; Al-Mulla, Fahd; Al-Temaimi, Rabeah; Amedei, Amedeo; Colacci, Anna Maria; Vaccari, Monica; Mondello, Chiara; Scovassi, A. Ivana; Raju, Jayadev; Hamid, Roslida A.; Memeo, Lorenzo; Forte, Stefano; Roy, Rabindra; Woodrick, Jordan; Salem, Hosni K.; Ryan, Elizabeth; Brown, Dustin G.; Bisson, William H.

2015-01-01

The aim of this work is to review current knowledge relating the established cancer hallmark, sustained cell proliferation to the existence of chemicals present as low dose mixtures in the environment. Normal cell proliferation is under tight control, i.e. cells respond to a signal to proliferate, and although most cells continue to proliferate into adult life, the multiplication ceases once the stimulatory signal disappears or if the cells are exposed to growth inhibitory signals. Under such circumstances, normal cells remain quiescent until they are stimulated to resume further proliferation. In contrast, tumour cells are unable to halt proliferation, either when subjected to growth inhibitory signals or in the absence of growth stimulatory signals. Environmental chemicals with carcinogenic potential may cause sustained cell proliferation by interfering with some cell proliferation control mechanisms committing cells to an indefinite proliferative span. PMID:26106143

The effect of lifelong exercise frequency on arterial stiffness.

PubMed

Shibata, Shigeki; Fujimoto, Naoki; Hastings, Jeffrey L; Carrick-Ranson, Graeme; Bhella, Paul S; Hearon, Christopher; Levine, Benjamin D

2018-05-20

This study examined the effect of different 'doses' of lifelong (>25 years) exercise on arterial stiffening (a hallmark of vascular ageing) in older adults. There are clear dose-dependent effects of lifelong exercise training on human arterial stiffness that vary according to the site and size of the arteries. Similar to what we have observed previously with ventricular stiffening, 4-5 days week -1 of committed exercise over a lifetime are necessary to preserve 'youthful' vascular compliance, especially of the large central arteries. Casual exercise training of two to three times per week may be sufficient for middle-sized arteries like the carotid to minimize arterial stiffening with ageing. However, there is little effect of exercise training on the small-sized peripheral arteries at any dose. Central arterial stiffness increases with sedentary ageing. While near-daily, vigorous lifelong (>25 years) endurance exercise training prevents arterial stiffening with ageing, this rigorous routine of exercise training over a lifetime is impractical for most individuals. The aim was to examine whether a less frequent 'dose' of lifelong exercise training (four to five sessions per week for > 30 min) that is consistent with current physical activity recommendations elicits similar benefits on central arterial stiffening with ageing. A cross-sectional examination of 102 seniors (>60 years old) who had a consistent lifelong exercise history was performed. Subjects were stratified into four groups based on exercise frequency as an index of exercise 'dose': sedentary: fewer than two sessions per week; casual exercisers: two to three sessions per week; committed exercisers: four to five sessions per week; and Masters athletes: six to seven sessions per week plus regular competitions. Detailed measurements of arterial stiffness and left ventricular afterload were collected. Biological aortic age and central pulse wave velocity were younger in committed exercisers and Masters athletes compared to sedentary seniors. Total arterial compliance index (TACi) was lower, while carotid β-stiffness index and effective arterial elastance were higher in sedentary seniors compared to the other groups. There appeared to be a dose-response threshold for carotid β-stiffness index and TACi. Peripheral arterial stiffness was not significantly different among the groups. These data suggest that four to five weekly exercise sessions over a lifetime is associated with reduced central arterial stiffness in the elderly. A less frequent dose of lifelong exercise (two to three sessions per week) is associated with decreased ventricular afterload and peripheral resistance, while peripheral arterial stiffness is unaffected by any dose of exercise. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2018 The Physiological Society.

Petitioning for Involuntary Commitment for Chemical Dependency by Medical Services.

PubMed

Lamoureux, Ian C; Schutt, Paul E; Rasmussen, Keith G

2017-09-01

Patients who have chemical dependency (CD) are commonly encountered on medical and surgical wards, often for illnesses and injuries sustained as a direct result of their substance abuse. When these patients are repeatedly admitted to the hospital in certain states that provide a legal framework to commit chemically dependent persons to a treatment facility, clinicians often wonder whether they should initiate that process. Should consulting psychiatrists choose to initiate the commitment process, they put into motion a resource-intensive, time-consuming mechanism, with uncertain outcomes, both in the courtroom and at the bedside. Petitioning for involuntary commitment to chemical dependency treatment of a patient from medical and surgical services is poorly understood. In this study, we examined a series of patients for whom petitions for judicial commitment in the state of Minnesota were entered over a 12-month period, and evaluated the likelihood of commitment to treatment, the demographics of patients involved, and the outcomes for this series of patients. Three vignettes are presented to illustrate the severity of these patients' illnesses and potential outcomes of the process. We further describe potential limitations of the commitment system and alternatives to CD commitment that could be explored further. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Urban Teacher Commitment: Exploring Associations with Organizational Conflict, Support for Innovation, and Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henkin, Alan B.; Holliman, Stephanie L.

2009-01-01

This study explores relationships between teachers' organizational commitment and interpersonal conflict, participation activities beyond the classroom, and innovation in schools. Potential relationships among study variables are suggested in research that views affective commitment as a proxy measure for decisions to leave the school. Increments…

National survey on dose data analysis in computed tomography.

PubMed

Heilmaier, Christina; Treier, Reto; Merkle, Elmar Max; Alkhadi, Hatem; Weishaupt, Dominik; Schindera, Sebastian

2018-05-28

A nationwide survey was performed assessing current practice of dose data analysis in computed tomography (CT). All radiological departments in Switzerland were asked to participate in the on-line survey composed of 19 questions (16 multiple choice, 3 free text). It consisted of four sections: (1) general information on the department, (2) dose data analysis, (3) use of a dose management software (DMS) and (4) radiation protection activities. In total, 152 out of 241 Swiss radiological departments filled in the whole questionnaire (return rate, 63%). Seventy-nine per cent of the departments (n = 120/152) analyse dose data on a regular basis with considerable heterogeneity in the frequency (1-2 times per year, 45%, n = 54/120; every month, 35%, n = 42/120) and method of analysis. Manual analysis is carried out by 58% (n = 70/120) compared with 42% (n = 50/120) of departments using a DMS. Purchase of a DMS is planned by 43% (n = 30/70) of the departments with manual analysis. Real-time analysis of dose data is performed by 42% (n = 21/50) of the departments with a DMS; however, residents can access the DMS in clinical routine only in 20% (n = 10/50) of the departments. An interdisciplinary dose team, which among other things communicates dose data internally (63%, n = 76/120) and externally, is already implemented in 57% (n = 68/120) departments. Swiss radiological departments are committed to radiation safety. However, there is high heterogeneity among them regarding the frequency and method of dose data analysis as well as the use of DMS and radiation protection activities. • Swiss radiological departments are committed to and interest in radiation safety as proven by a 63% return rate of the survey. • Seventy-nine per cent of departments analyse dose data on a regular basis with differences in the frequency and method of analysis: 42% use a dose management software, while 58% currently perform manual dose data analysis. Of the latter, 43% plan to buy a dose management software. • Currently, only 25% of the departments add radiation exposure data to the final CT report.

The effect of lifelong exercise dose on cardiovascular function during exercise

PubMed Central

Carrick-Ranson, Graeme; Hastings, Jeffrey L.; Bhella, Paul S.; Fujimoto, Naoki; Shibata, Shigeki; Palmer, M. Dean; Boyd, Kara; Livingston, Sheryl; Dijk, Erika

2014-01-01

An increased “dose” of endurance exercise training is associated with a greater maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o2max), a larger left ventricular (LV) mass, and improved heart rate and blood pressure control. However, the effect of lifelong exercise dose on metabolic and hemodynamic response during exercise has not been previously examined. We performed a cross-sectional study on 101 (69 men) seniors (60 yr and older) focusing on lifelong exercise frequency as an index of exercise dose. These included 27 who had performed ≤2 exercise sessions/wk (sedentary), 25 who performed 2–3 sessions/wk (casual), 24 who performed 4–5 sessions/wk (committed) and 25 who performed ≥6 sessions/wk plus regular competitions (Masters athletes) over at least the last 25 yr. Oxygen uptake and hemodynamics [cardiac output, stroke volume (SV)] were collected at rest, two levels of steady-state submaximal exercise, and maximal exercise. Doppler ultrasound measures of LV diastolic filling were assessed at rest and during LV loading (saline infusion) to simulate increased LV filling. Body composition, total blood volume, and heart rate recovery after maximal exercise were also examined. V̇o2max increased in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). At maximal exercise, cardiac output and SV were largest in committed exercisers and Masters athletes (P < 0.05), while arteriovenous oxygen difference was greater in all trained groups (P < 0.05). At maximal exercise, effective arterial elastance, an index of ventricular-arterial coupling, was lower in committed exercisers and Masters athletes (P < 0.05). Doppler measures of LV filling were not enhanced at any condition, irrespective of lifelong exercise frequency. These data suggest that performing four or more weekly endurance exercise sessions over a lifetime results in significant gains in V̇o2max, SV, and heart rate regulation during exercise; however, improved SV regulation during exercise is not coupled with favorable effects on LV filling, even when the heart is fully loaded. PMID:24458750

The Level of Desirability of Information Technology Systems and Its Relation with Organizational Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allammeh, Sayyed Mohsen; Shavaran, Hamidreza; Dabaghi, Azizollah; Arbabisarjou, Azizollah

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to define Information Technology (IT) desirability and determine IT relationship with organizational commitment. The existence of such a relationship between IT & organizational commitment can guide the organizational leaders to promote and to develop the IT potentials in order to improve the performance of employees,…

Assessing pediatrics residents' mathematical skills for prescribing medication: a need for improved training.

PubMed

Glover, Mark L; Sussmane, Jeffrey B

2002-10-01

To evaluate residents' skills in performing basic mathematical calculations used for prescribing medications to pediatric patients. In 2001, a test of ten questions on basic calculations was given to first-, second-, and third-year residents at Miami Children's Hospital in Florida. Four additional questions were included to obtain the residents' levels of training, specific pediatrics intensive care unit (PICU) experience, and whether or not they routinely double-checked doses and adjusted them for each patient's weight. The test was anonymous and calculators were permitted. The overall score and the score for each resident class were calculated. Twenty-one residents participated. The overall average test score and the mean test score of each resident class was less than 70%. Second-year residents had the highest mean test scores, although there was no significant difference between the classes of residents (p =.745) or relationship between the residents' PICU experiences and their exam scores (p =.766). There was no significant difference between residents' levels of training and whether they double-checked their calculations (p =.633) or considered each patient's weight relative to the dose prescribed (p =.869). Seven residents committed tenfold dosing errors, and one resident committed a 1,000-fold dosing error. Pediatrics residents need to receive additional education in performing the calculations needed to prescribe medications. In addition, residents should be required to demonstrate these necessary mathematical skills before they are allowed to prescribe medications.

Internal Dose from Food and Drink Ingestion in the Early Phase after the Accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawai, Masaki; Yoshizawa, Nobuaki; Hirakawa, Sachiko; Murakami, Kana; Takizawa, Mari; Sato, Osamu; Takagi, Shunji; Miyatake, Hirokazu; Takahashi, Tomoyuki; Suzuki, Gen

2017-09-01

Activity concentrations in food and drink, represented by water and vegetables, have been monitored continuously since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, with a focus on radioactive cesium. On the other hand, iodine-131 was not measured systematically in the early phase after the accident. The activity concentrations of iodine-131 in food and drink are important to estimate internal exposure due to ingestion pathway. When the internal dose from ingestion in the evacuation areas is estimated, water is considered as the main ingestion pathway. In this study, we estimated the values of activity concentrations in water in the early phase after the accident, using a compartment model as an estimation method. The model uses measurement values of activity concentration and deposition rate of iodine-131 onto the ground, which is calculated from an atmospheric dispersion simulation. The model considers how drinking water would be affected by radionuclides deposited into water. We estimated the activity concentrations of water on Kawamata town and Minamisouma city during March of 2011 and the committed effective doses were 0.08 mSv and 0.06 mSv. We calculated the transfer parameters in the model for estimating the activity concentrations in the areas with a small amount of measurement data. In addition, we estimated the committed effective doses from vegetables using atmospheric dispersion simulation and FARMLAND model in case of eating certain vegetables as option information.

40 CFR 191.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... metric system which has been established by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures and is...) monitoring parameters related to disposal system performance. Annual committed effective dose means the... radioactive wastes in a disposal system; and (2) the subsurface underlying such a surface location. Disposal...

40 CFR 191.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... metric system which has been established by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures and is...) monitoring parameters related to disposal system performance. Annual committed effective dose means the... radioactive wastes in a disposal system; and (2) the subsurface underlying such a surface location. Disposal...

40 CFR 191.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... metric system which has been established by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures and is...) monitoring parameters related to disposal system performance. Annual committed effective dose means the... radioactive wastes in a disposal system; and (2) the subsurface underlying such a surface location. Disposal...

Impact of the new nuclear decay data of ICRP publication 107 on inhalation dose coefficients for workers

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

Manabe, K.; Endo, Akira; Eckerman, Keith F

2010-03-01

The impact a revision of nuclear decay data had on dose coefficients was studied using data newly published in ICRP Publication 107 (ICRP 107) and existing data from ICRP Publication 38 (ICRP 38). Committed effective dose coefficients for occupational inhalation of radionuclides were calculated using two sets of decay data with the dose and risk calculation software DCAL for 90 elements, 774 nuclides and 1572 cases. The dose coefficients based on ICRP 107 increased by over 10 % compared with those based on ICRP 38 in 98 cases, and decreased by over 10 % in 54 cases. It was foundmore » that the differences in dose coefficients mainly originated from changes in the radiation energy emitted per nuclear transformation. In addition, revisions of the half-lives, radiation types and decay modes also resulted in changes in the dose coefficients.« less

Intracellular Retention of ABL Kinase Inhibitors Determines Commitment to Apoptosis in CML Cells

PubMed Central

Dziadosz, Marek; Schnöder, Tina; Heidel, Florian; Schemionek, Mirle; Melo, Junia V.; Kindler, Thomas; Müller-Tidow, Carsten; Koschmieder, Steffen; Fischer, Thomas

2012-01-01

Clinical development of imatinib in CML established continuous target inhibition as a paradigm for successful tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. However, recent reports suggested that transient potent target inhibition of BCR-ABL by high-dose TKI (HD-TKI) pulse-exposure is sufficient to irreversibly commit cells to apoptosis. Here, we report a novel mechanism of prolonged intracellular TKI activity upon HD-TKI pulse-exposure (imatinib, dasatinib) in BCR-ABL-positive cells. Comprehensive mechanistic exploration revealed dramatic intracellular accumulation of TKIs which closely correlated with induction of apoptosis. Cells were rescued from apoptosis upon HD-TKI pulse either by repetitive drug wash-out or by overexpression of ABC-family drug transporters. Inhibition of ABCB1 restored sensitivity to HD-TKI pulse-exposure. Thus, our data provide evidence that intracellular drug retention crucially determines biological activity of imatinib and dasatinib. These studies may refine our current thinking on critical requirements of TKI dose and duration of target inhibition for biological activity of TKIs. PMID:22815843

Cesium-137 body burdens in Norwegian Lapps, 1965-1983.

PubMed

Westerlund, E A; Berthelsen, T; Berteig, L

1987-02-01

Results of measurements of the whole-body contents of 137Cs during the period 1965-1983 in Lapps from the Kautokeino area in Norway are reported with measurements of 137Cs in reindeer meat during the period 1966-1983. By using available data on 137Cs in precipitation for the period 1950-1980, transfer coefficients from 137Cs in precipitation to reindeer meat have been assessed. A correlation between the 137Cs content in reindeer meat and the 137Cs content in Lapp reindeer breeders has been established. The average whole-body committed dose equivalent, H50, to the reindeer breeders from internally deposited 137Cs from intakes up to year 2000 was assessed to 13 mSv with a peak value of 30 mSv. In comparison, the corresponding committed dose equivalent to the Norwegian population from internally deposited 137Cs has been estimated to be about 1 mSv. The higher intake of 137Cs by reindeer breeders is due to the lichen-reindeer-man exposure pathway.

Some Syndromes Among Suicidal People: The Problem of Suicide Potentiality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wold, Carl I.

An on-going research project at the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center is attempting to describe the potential suicide. Comparisons on a rating scale were made among patients who commit suicide and a random sample of case histories from the coroner's office. Approximately 10 syndromes or subgroupings of people who commit suicide have been…

Concentrations of Radiocesium in Local Foods Collected in Kawauchi Village after the Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orita, Makiko; Nakashima, Kanami; Hayashida, Naomi; Endo, Yuuko; Yamashita, Shunichi; Takamura, Noboru

2016-06-01

We evaluated the current concentrations of radiocesium in local foods collected in Kawauchi Village, which is located less than 30 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, to minimize public anxiety regarding internal radiation exposure through the consumption of locally produced foods after the 2011 Fukushima accident. The number of samples exceeding the regulatory radiocesium limit (100 Bq/kg for general foods) was five out of 4,080 vegetables (0.1%), 652 of 1,986 (32.8%) among edible wild plants and fungi, and eight of 647 (1.2%) in fruits. Our study confirmed that the internal radiation doses of ingesting these foods are acceptably low compared to the public dose limit, ranging from 24.4 to 42.7 μSv for males and from 21.7 to 43.4 μSv for females, although the potential for radiation exposure still exists. Long-term comprehensive follow-up should take place to clarify trends in radiocesium concentrations in local foods and the committed effective doses found in Fukushima-area residents. By constructing a system that allows residents to access information on radiocesium concentration in foods, a risk communication model between specialists and residents could be developed in the recovery phase after the Fukushima accident.

Concentrations of Radiocesium in Local Foods Collected in Kawauchi Village after the Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

PubMed Central

Orita, Makiko; Nakashima, Kanami; Hayashida, Naomi; Endo, Yuuko; Yamashita, Shunichi; Takamura, Noboru

2016-01-01

We evaluated the current concentrations of radiocesium in local foods collected in Kawauchi Village, which is located less than 30 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, to minimize public anxiety regarding internal radiation exposure through the consumption of locally produced foods after the 2011 Fukushima accident. The number of samples exceeding the regulatory radiocesium limit (100 Bq/kg for general foods) was five out of 4,080 vegetables (0.1%), 652 of 1,986 (32.8%) among edible wild plants and fungi, and eight of 647 (1.2%) in fruits. Our study confirmed that the internal radiation doses of ingesting these foods are acceptably low compared to the public dose limit, ranging from 24.4 to 42.7 μSv for males and from 21.7 to 43.4 μSv for females, although the potential for radiation exposure still exists. Long-term comprehensive follow-up should take place to clarify trends in radiocesium concentrations in local foods and the committed effective doses found in Fukushima-area residents. By constructing a system that allows residents to access information on radiocesium concentration in foods, a risk communication model between specialists and residents could be developed in the recovery phase after the Fukushima accident. PMID:27334847

Capstone Depleted Uranium Aerosol Biokinetics, Concentrations, and Doses

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

Guilmette, Raymond A.; Miller, Guthrie; Parkhurst, MaryAnn

2009-02-26

One of the principal goals of the Capstone Depleted Uranium (DU) Aerosol Study was to quantify and characterize DU aerosols generated inside armored vehicles by perforation with a DU penetrator. This study consequently produced a database in which the DU aerosol source terms were specified both physically and chemically for a variety of penetrator-impact geometries and conditions. These source terms were used to calculate radiation doses and uranium concentrations for various scenarios as part of the Capstone DU Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA). This paper describes the scenario-related biokinetics of uranium, and summarizes intakes, chemical concentrations to the organs, andmore » E(50) and HT(50) for organs and tissues based on exposure scenarios for personnel in vehicles at the time of perforation as well as for first responders. For a given exposure scenario (duration time and breathing rates), the range of DU intakes among the target vehicles and shots was not large, about a factor of 10, with the lowest being from a ventilated operational Abrams tank and the highest being for an unventilated Abrams with DU penetrator perforating DU armor. The ranges of committed effective doses were more scenario-dependent than were intakes. For example, the largest range, a factor of 20, was shown for scenario A, a 1-min exposure, whereas, the range was only a factor of two for the first-responder scenario (E). In general, the committed effective doses were found to be in the tens of mSv. The risks ascribed to these doses are discussed separately.« less

Assessment of Committed Effective Dose due to consumption of Red Sea coral reef fishes collected from the local market (Sudan).

PubMed

Hassona, Rifaat K; Sam, A K; Osman, O I; Sirelkhatim, D A; LaRosa, J

2008-04-15

An assessment of Committed Effective Dose (CED) due to consumption of Red Sea fish containing (210)Po and (137)Cs was performed for 23 different marine fish samples collected from the local market at Port Sudan. The fish were classified according to their feeding habits into three categories: carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. Measured activity concentrations of (210)Po were found in the ranges 0.25-6.42 (carnivores), 0.7-5 (omnivores) and 1.5-3.8 (herbivores) Bq/kg fresh weight. In the same study, activity concentrations of Cs-137 were determined to be in the ranges 0.1-0.46 (carnivores), 0.09-0.35 (omnivores) and 0.09-0.32 (herbivores) Bq/kg fresh weight, which were several times lower than those of (210)Po. Appropriate conversion factors were used to derive the CED, which was found to be 0.012, 0.01 and 0.01 (microSv/yr) in carnivores, omnivores and herbivores, respectively, for (137)Cs. This contributes about 0.4% of the total dose exclusively by ingestion of fish. For (210)Po, it was found to be 3.47, 4.81 and 4.14 (microSv/yr) in carnivores, omnivores and herbivores, respectively, which represents 99.6% of the total dose (exclusively by ingestion of fish). The results of CED calculations suggest that the dose received by the Sudanese population from the consumption of marine fish is rather small and that the contribution of (137)Cs is negligible compared to (210)Po.

The Pursuit of Romantic Alternatives Online: Social Media Friends as Potential Alternatives.

PubMed

Abbasi, Irum Saeed; Alghamdi, Nawal G

2018-01-02

What causes some marriages to stand the test of time while others fail? Marital commitment is the key force underlying the stability, quality, and longevity of the romantic relationship. Commitment is strengthened in the presence of marital satisfaction, the absence of alternative attractions, and steady investments made in the relationship. Commitment is also a consequence of increasing dependence. When partners are emotionally engaged with their virtual connections, their dependence on the significant other decreases. On the contrary, dependence on the partner increases when people feel satisfied with their relationship, think unfavorably about the quality of available alternatives, and feel that they have made great investments in their relationship. Technological advancements of the present era have spawned a wide array of social networking sites (SNSs) that display boastfully curated profiles of virtual connections. These overly glossed profiles may lead social media users to feel deficient in their lives. Previous research has shown that Facebook use can reduce relationship satisfaction by providing potential romantic alternatives and deflecting time and emotional investments away from the committed relationship. This article examines the commitment literature and discusses how commitment is undermined in the contemporary era. Finally, marital therapy is addressed with suggestions for future areas of exploration.

Salmonella Enteritidis Deposition inside Eggs after Experimental Infection of Laying Hens with Different Oral Doses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The continuing attribution of human Salmonella Enteritidis infections to internally contaminated eggs has necessitated the commitment of substantial public and private resources to risk reduction and testing programs for commercial laying flocks. Cost-effective risk reduction requires a detailed und...

The potential for chemical mixtures from the environment to enable the cancer hallmark of sustained proliferative signalling.

PubMed

Engström, Wilhelm; Darbre, Philippa; Eriksson, Staffan; Gulliver, Linda; Hultman, Tove; Karamouzis, Michalis V; Klaunig, James E; Mehta, Rekha; Moorwood, Kim; Sanderson, Thomas; Sone, Hideko; Vadgama, Pankaj; Wagemaker, Gerard; Ward, Andrew; Singh, Neetu; Al-Mulla, Fahd; Al-Temaimi, Rabeah; Amedei, Amedeo; Colacci, Anna Maria; Vaccari, Monica; Mondello, Chiara; Scovassi, A Ivana; Raju, Jayadev; Hamid, Roslida A; Memeo, Lorenzo; Forte, Stefano; Roy, Rabindra; Woodrick, Jordan; Salem, Hosni K; Ryan, Elizabeth P; Brown, Dustin G; Bisson, William H

2015-06-01

The aim of this work is to review current knowledge relating the established cancer hallmark, sustained cell proliferation to the existence of chemicals present as low dose mixtures in the environment. Normal cell proliferation is under tight control, i.e. cells respond to a signal to proliferate, and although most cells continue to proliferate into adult life, the multiplication ceases once the stimulatory signal disappears or if the cells are exposed to growth inhibitory signals. Under such circumstances, normal cells remain quiescent until they are stimulated to resume further proliferation. In contrast, tumour cells are unable to halt proliferation, either when subjected to growth inhibitory signals or in the absence of growth stimulatory signals. Environmental chemicals with carcinogenic potential may cause sustained cell proliferation by interfering with some cell proliferation control mechanisms committing cells to an indefinite proliferative span. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Considerations in civil commitment of individuals with substance use disorders.

PubMed

Cavaiola, Alan A; Dolan, David

2016-01-01

Several states currently have enacted laws that allow for civil commitment for individuals diagnosed with severe substance use disorders. Civil commitment or involuntary commitment refers to the legal process by which individuals with mental illness are court-ordered into inpatient and/or outpatient treatment programs. Although initially civil commitment laws were intended for individuals with severe mental illness, these statutes have been extended to cover individuals with severe substance use disorders. Much of the recent legislation allowing for civil commitment of individuals with substance use disorders has come about in response to the heroin epidemic and is designed to provide an alternative to the unrelenting progression of opioid use disorders. Civil commitment also provides an opportunity for individuals with opioid use disorders to make informed decisions regarding ongoing or continued treatment. However, civil commitment also raises concerns regarding the potential violation of 14th Amendment rights, specifically pertaining to abuses of deprivation of liberty or freedom, which are guaranteed under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. This commentary examines these issues while supporting the need for effective brief civil commitment legislation in all states.

10 CFR 835.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Reasonably Achievable,” which is the approach to radiation protection to manage and control exposures (both... (Sv)) (1 rem = 0.01 Sv) or a committed equivalent dose of 50 rems (0.5 Sv) to any individual organ or... radiological control. Background means radiation from: (1) Naturally occurring radioactive materials which have...

10 CFR 835.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Reasonably Achievable,” which is the approach to radiation protection to manage and control exposures (both... (Sv)) (1 rem = 0.01 Sv) or a committed equivalent dose of 50 rems (0.5 Sv) to any individual organ or... radiological control. Background means radiation from: (1) Naturally occurring radioactive materials which have...

10 CFR 835.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Reasonably Achievable,” which is the approach to radiation protection to manage and control exposures (both... (Sv)) (1 rem = 0.01 Sv) or a committed equivalent dose of 50 rems (0.5 Sv) to any individual organ or... radiological control. Background means radiation from: (1) Naturally occurring radioactive materials which have...

10 CFR 835.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Reasonably Achievable,” which is the approach to radiation protection to manage and control exposures (both... (Sv)) (1 rem = 0.01 Sv) or a committed equivalent dose of 50 rems (0.5 Sv) to any individual organ or... radiological control. Background means radiation from: (1) Naturally occurring radioactive materials which have...

10 CFR 835.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Reasonably Achievable,” which is the approach to radiation protection to manage and control exposures (both... (Sv)) (1 rem = 0.01 Sv) or a committed equivalent dose of 50 rems (0.5 Sv) to any individual organ or... radiological control. Background means radiation from: (1) Naturally occurring radioactive materials which have...

Detecting Salmonella Enteritidis in Laying Hens and Eggs after Experimental Infection at Different Oral Dose Levels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The attribution of human illness to eggs contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis has led to substantial commitments of resources (by both government and industry) to risk reduction and testing programs in egg-laying flocks. Cost-effective application of testing requires a thorough understanding of ...

Salmonella Enteritidis deposition in eggs after experimental infection of laying hens with different oral doses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The continuing attribution of human Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infections to internally contaminated eggs has necessitated the commitment of substantial public and private resources to SE testing and control programs in commercial laying flocks. Cost-effective risk reduction requires a detailed and...

Is organizational justice climate at the workplace associated with individual-level quality of care and organizational affective commitment? A multi-level, cross-sectional study on dentistry in Sweden.

PubMed

Berthelsen, Hanne; Conway, Paul Maurice; Clausen, Thomas

2018-02-01

The aim of this study is to investigate whether organizational justice climate at the workplace level is associated with individual staff members' perceptions of care quality and affective commitment to the workplace. The study adopts a cross-sectional multi-level design. Data were collected using an electronic survey and a response rate of 75% was obtained. Organizational justice climate and affective commitment to the workplace were measured by items from Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire and quality of care by three self-developed items. Non-managerial staff working at dental clinics with at least five respondents (n = 900 from 68 units) was included in analyses. A set of Level-2 random intercept models were built to predict individual-level organizational affective commitment and perceived quality of care from unit-level organizational justice climate, controlling for potential confounding by group size, gender, age, and occupation. The results of the empty model showed substantial between-unit variation for both affective commitment (ICC-1 = 0.17) and quality of care (ICC-1 = 0.12). The overall results showed that the shared perception of organizational justice climate at the clinical unit level was significantly associated with perceived quality of care and affective commitment to the organization (p < 0.001). Organizational justice climate at work unit level explained all variation in affective commitment among dental clinics and was associated with both the individual staff members' affective commitment and perceived quality of care. These findings suggest a potential for that addressing organizational justice climate may be a way to promote quality of care and enhancing affective commitment. However, longitudinal studies are needed to support causality in the examined relationships. Intervention research is also recommended to probe the effectiveness of actions increasing unit-level organizational justice climate and test their impact on quality of care and affective commitment.

Organizational (role structuring) and personal (organizational commitment and job involvement) factors: do they predict interprofessional team effectiveness?

PubMed

Freund, Anat; Drach-Zahavy, Anat

2007-06-01

Teamwork in community clinics was examined to propose and test a model that views the different kinds of commitment (job involvement and organizational commitment) and the potential conflict between them, as mediators between personal and organizational factors (mechanistic structuring and organic structuring) and the effectiveness of interprofessional teamwork. Differences among the professional groups became evident with regard to their views of the goals of teamwork and the ways to achieve them. As for mechanistic structuring, although the clinic members saw their mechanistic structuring in a more bureaucratic sense, the combination of mechanistic structuring and organic structuring led to effective teamwork. In terms of commitment, while staff members were committed primarily to their job and not the organization, commitment to the organization produced effective teamwork in the clinics.

Hanford Site Composite Analysis Technical Approach Description: Groundwater Pathway Dose Calculation.

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

Morgans, D. L.; Lindberg, S. L.

The purpose of this technical approach document (TAD) is to document the assumptions, equations, and methods used to perform the groundwater pathway radiological dose calculations for the revised Hanford Site Composite Analysis (CA). DOE M 435.1-1, states, “The composite analysis results shall be used for planning, radiation protection activities, and future use commitments to minimize the likelihood that current low-level waste disposal activities will result in the need for future corrective or remedial actions to adequately protect the public and the environment.”

Inferring rules of lineage commitment in haematopoiesis.

PubMed

Pina, Cristina; Fugazza, Cristina; Tipping, Alex J; Brown, John; Soneji, Shamit; Teles, Jose; Peterson, Carsten; Enver, Tariq

2012-02-19

How the molecular programs of differentiated cells develop as cells transit from multipotency through lineage commitment remains unexplored. This reflects the inability to access cells undergoing commitment or located in the immediate vicinity of commitment boundaries. It remains unclear whether commitment constitutes a gradual process, or else represents a discrete transition. Analyses of in vitro self-renewing multipotent systems have revealed cellular heterogeneity with individual cells transiently exhibiting distinct biases for lineage commitment. Such systems can be used to molecularly interrogate early stages of lineage affiliation and infer rules of lineage commitment. In haematopoiesis, population-based studies have indicated that lineage choice is governed by global transcriptional noise, with self-renewing multipotent cells reversibly activating transcriptome-wide lineage-affiliated programs. We examine this hypothesis through functional and molecular analysis of individual blood cells captured from self-renewal cultures, during cytokine-driven differentiation and from primary stem and progenitor bone marrow compartments. We show dissociation between self-renewal potential and transcriptome-wide activation of lineage programs, and instead suggest that multipotent cells experience independent activation of individual regulators resulting in a low probability of transition to the committed state.

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined licesne.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

10 CFR 51.75 - Draft environmental impact statement-construction permit, early site permit, or combined license.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... required. 5 The impact statement shall take account of dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle... the site proposed. The draft environmental impact statement must not include an assessment of the... certification environmental assessment, then the draft combined license environmental impact statement shall...

Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy during Methadone Dose Reduction: Rationale, Treatment Description, and a Case Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stotts, Angela L.; Masuda, Akihiko; Wilson, Kelly

2009-01-01

Many clients who undergo methadone maintenance (MM) treatment for heroin and other opiate dependence prefer abstinence from methadone. Attempts at methadone detoxification are often unsuccessful, however, due to distressing physical as well as psychological symptoms. Outcomes from an MM client who voluntarily participated in an Acceptance and…

Who's Paying for the Culture Wars?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selden, Steven

2005-01-01

Conservative critiques of higher education rely on liberal doses of cash. Behind the conservative critique of U.S. higher education is a fervent commitment to ideals, to be sure--but there's also a sizable amount of conservative cash. The Bradley, Earhart, Castle Rock, and John M. Olin foundations have contributed lavishly to guidebooks aimed at…

Relationship Between Job Characteristics and Organizational Commitment: A Descriptive Analytical Study.

PubMed

Faraji, Obeidollah; Ramazani, Abbas Ali; Hedaiati, Pouria; Aliabadi, Ali; Elhamirad, Samira; Valiee, Sina

2015-11-01

Many factors influence the organizational commitment of employees. One of these factors is job designing since it affects the attitude, beliefs, and feelings of the organization employees. We aimed to determine the relationship between job characteristics and organizational commitment among the employees of hospitals. In this descriptive and correlational study, 152 Iranian employees of the hospitals (physicians, nurses, and administrative staff) were selected through stratified random sampling. Data gathered using 3-part questionnaire of "demographic information", "job characteristics model," and "organizational commitment," in 2011. Study data were analyzed using SPSS v. 16. There was significant statistical correlation between organizational commitment and variables of educational level (P = 0.001) and job category (P = 0.001). Also, a direct and significant correlation existed between motivating potential score and job feedback on one hand and organizational commitment on the other hand (P = 0.014). According to the results, managers of the hospitals should increase staff's commitment through paying attention to proper job designing.

[Volunteering in psychiatry: determining factors of attitude and actual commitment].

PubMed

Lauber, C; Nordt, C; Falcato, L; Rössler, W

2000-10-01

To assess public attitude, actual working commitment and the respective influence of demographic, psychological and sociological variables on voluntary help in psychiatry. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the results of a representative population survey in Switzerland. Public attitude is mostly positive, but the respective working commitment is small. Attitude depends on gender, psychological factors (social distance, stereotypes), and on attitude to community psychiatry. For the working commitment, clearly distinct predictors are found: age, emotions, participation, and perceived discrimination to the mentally ill. For both attitude and commitment, having a social profession and interest in mass media are predictors. Internationally compared, Switzerland has a positive attitude and a big commitment in lay helping in psychiatry. But attitude is different from actual commitment. Lay helpers' work must be limited to realizable tasks and they need professional recruitment, instruction, and supervision otherwise they tend to be over-burden. The unused potential of voluntary helpers has to be opened specifically, e.g. by involving mass media and opinion-makers.

Radiocesium concentrations in wild mushrooms after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: Follow-up study in Kawauchi village.

PubMed

Orita, Makiko; Nakashima, Kanami; Taira, Yasuyuki; Fukuda, Toshiki; Fukushima, Yoshiko; Kudo, Takashi; Endo, Yuko; Yamashita, Shunichi; Takamura, Noboru

2017-07-27

Since the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, it has become well known that radiocesium tends to concentrate in wild mushrooms. During the recovery process after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), it is important to perform follow-up measurements of the activity concentrations of radiocesium in mushrooms. We evaluated the activity concentrations of the detected artificial radionuclides (radiocesium) in wild mushrooms collected from Kawauchi village, which is within 30 km of the FDNPS, in 2015, four years after the accident. We found that the radiocesium was determined in 147 of 159 mushroom samples (92.4%). Based on the average mushroom consumption of Japanese citizens (6.28 kg per year), we calculated committed effective doses ranging from <0.001 to 0.6 mSv. Although committed effective doses are relatively limited, even if residents have consumed mushrooms several times, continuous monitoring of the radiocesium in mushrooms in Fukushima is needed for sustained recovery from the nuclear disaster.

ASSESSING INTERNAL CONTAMINATION AFTER THE DETONATION OF A RADIOLOGICAL DISPERSION DEVICE USING A 2×2-INCH SODIUM IODIDE DETECTOR

PubMed Central

Dewji, S.; Hertel, N.; Ansari, A.

2017-01-01

The detonation of a radiological dispersion device may result in a situation where individuals inhale radioactive materials and require rapid assessment of internal contamination. The feasibility of using a 2×2-inch sodium-iodide detector to determine the committed effective dose to an individual following acute inhalation of gamma-emitting radionuclides was investigated. Experimental configurations of point sources with a polymethyl methacrylate slab phantom were used to validate Monte Carlo simulations. The validated detector model was used to simulate the responses for four detector positions on six different anthropomorphic phantoms. The nuclides examined included 241Am, 60Co, 137Cs, 131I and 192Ir. Biokinetic modelling was employed to determine the distributed activity in the body as a function of post-inhalation time. The simulation and biokinetic data were used to determine time-dependent count-rate values at optimal detector locations on the body for each radionuclide corresponding to a target committed effective dose (E50) value of 250 mSv. PMID:23436621

The effects of organizational commitment and structural empowerment on patient safety culture.

PubMed

Horwitz, Sujin K; Horwitz, Irwin B

2017-03-20

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between patient safety culture and two attitudinal constructs: affective organizational commitment and structural empowerment. In doing so, the main and interaction effects of the two constructs on the perception of patient safety culture were assessed using a cohort of physicians. Design/methodology/approach Affective commitment was measured with the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, whereas structural empowerment was assessed with the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II. The abbreviated versions of these surveys were administered to a cohort of 71 post-doctoral medical residents. For the data analysis, hierarchical regression analyses were performed for the main and interaction effects of affective commitment and structural empowerment on the perception of patient safety culture. Findings A total of 63 surveys were analyzed. The results revealed that both affective commitment and structural empowerment were positively related to patient safety culture. A potential interaction effect of the two attitudinal constructs on patient safety culture was tested but no such effect was detected. Research limitations/implications This study suggests that there are potential benefits of promoting affective commitment and structural empowerment for patient safety culture in health care organizations. By identifying the positive associations between the two constructs and patient safety culture, this study provides additional empirical support for Kanter's theoretical tenet that structural and organizational support together helps to shape the perceptions of patient safety culture. Originality/value Despite the wide recognition of employee empowerment and commitment in organizational research, there has still been a paucity of empirical studies specifically assessing their effects on patient safety culture in health care organizations. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first empirical study to examine the relationship between structural empowerment as proposed by Kanter and the culture of patient safety using physicians.

Probabilistic dose assessment of normal operations and accident conditions for an assured isolation facility in Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arno, Matthew Gordon

Texas is investigating building a long-term waste storage facility, also known as an Assured Isolation Facility. This is an above-ground low-level radioactive waste storage facility that is actively maintained and from which waste may be retrieved. A preliminary, scoping-level analysis has been extended to consider more complex scenarios of radiation streaming and skyshine by using the computer code Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) to model the facility in greater detail. Accidental release scenarios have been studied in more depth to better assess the potential dose to off-site individuals. Using bounding source term assumptions, the projected radiation doses and dose rates are estimated to exceed applicable limits by an order of magnitude. By altering the facility design to fill in the hollow cores of the prefabricated concrete slabs used in the roof over the "high-gamma rooms," where the waste with the highest concentration of gamma emitting radioactive material is stored, dose rates outside the facility decrease by an order of magnitude. With the modified design, the annual dose at the site fenceline is estimated at 86 mrem, below the 100 mrem annual limit for exposure of the public. Within the site perimeter, the dose rates are lowered sufficiently such that it is not necessary to categorize many workers and contractor personnel as radiation workers, saving on costs as well as being advisable under ALARA principles. A detailed analysis of bounding accidents incorporating information on the local meteorological conditions indicate that the maximum committed effective dose equivalent from the passage of a plume of material released in an accident at any of the cities near the facility is 59 :rem in the city of Eunice, NM based on the combined day and night meteorological conditions. Using the daytime meteorological conditions, the maximum dose at any city is 7 :rem, also in the city of Eunice. The maximum dose at the site boundary was determined to be 230 mrem using the combined day and night meteorological conditions and 33 mrem using the daytime conditions.

The application of civil commitment law and practices to a case of delusional disorder: a cross-national comparison of legal approaches in the United States and the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Fennell, Philip; Goldstein, Robert Lloyd

2006-01-01

Legal approaches to civil commitment in the United States and the United Kingdom are compared. A concise overview of the historical evolution of civil commitment in both countries precedes a discussion of the present scheme of commitment standards in each system. These current standards in U.S. and U.K. jurisdictions are then applied to a hypothetical case of delusional disorder. A discussion of the constructive use of civil commitment in patients with delusional disorder who may be dangerous focuses on its value as a preventive measure against potential harm to self or others, as well as the pros and cons of coercive assessment and treatment. Despite the many differences in approach to commitment, the authors concur that in both countries the patient with delusional disorder was committable before the commission of a serious criminal offense.

Lecturers' Perspectives on How Introductory Economic Courses Address Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Tom L.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore sustainability commitments' potential implications for the curriculum of introductory economics courses. Universities have signed the Talloires Declaration, committing themselves to promoting students' environmental literacy and ecological citizenship, thereby creating pressure to integrate…

Estimation of Radionuclide Concentrations and Average Annual Committed Effective Dose due to Ingestion for the Population in the Red River Delta, Vietnam.

PubMed

Van, Tran Thi; Bat, Luu Tam; Nhan, Dang Duc; Quang, Nguyen Hao; Cam, Bui Duy; Hung, Luu Viet

2018-02-16

Radioactivity concentrations of nuclides of the 232 Th and 238 U radioactive chains and 40 K, 90 Sr, 137 Cs, and 239+240 Pu were surveyed for raw and cooked food of the population in the Red River delta region, Vietnam, using α-, γ-spectrometry, and liquid scintillation counting techniques. The concentration of 40 K in the cooked food was the highest compared to those of other radionuclides ranging from (23 ± 5) (rice) to (347 ± 50) Bq kg -1 dw (tofu). The 210 Po concentration in the cooked food ranged from its limit of detection (LOD) of 5 mBq kg -1  dw (rice) to (4.0 ± 1.6) Bq kg -1  dw (marine bivalves). The concentrations of other nuclides of the 232 Th and 238 U chains in the food were low, ranging from LOD of 0.02 Bq kg -1  dw to (1.1 ± 0.3) Bq kg -1  dw. The activity concentrations of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, and 239+240 Pu in the food were minor compared to that of the natural radionuclides. The average annual committed effective dose to adults in the study region was estimated and it ranged from 0.24 to 0.42 mSv a -1 with an average of 0.32 mSv a -1 , out of which rice, leafy vegetable, and tofu contributed up to 16.2%, 24.4%, and 21.3%, respectively. The committed effective doses to adults due to ingestion of regular diet in the Red River delta region, Vietnam are within the range determined in other countries worldwide. This finding suggests that Vietnamese food is safe for human consumption with respect to radiation exposure.

Impact assessment of ionizing radiation on human and non-human biota from the vicinity of a near-surface radioactive waste repository.

PubMed

Nedveckaite, T; Gudelis, A; Vives i Batlle, J

2013-05-01

This work describes the radiological assessment of the near-surface Maisiagala radioactive waste repository (Lithuania) over the period 2005-2012, with focus on water pathways and special emphasis on tritium. The study includes an assessment of the effect of post-closure upgrading, the durability of which is greater than 30 years. Both human and terrestrial non-human biota are considered, with local low-intensity forestry and small farms being the area of concern. The radiological exposure was evaluated using the RESRAD-OFFSITE, RESRAD-BIOTA and ERICA codes in combination with long-term data from a dedicated environmental monitoring programme. All measurements were performed at the Lithuanian Institute of Physics as part of this project. It is determined that, after repository upgrading, radiological exposure to humans are significantly lower than the human dose constraint of 0.2 mSv/year valid in the Republic of Lithuania. Likewise, for non-human biota, dose rates are below the ERICA/PROTECT screening levels. The potential annual effective inhalation dose that could be incurred by the highest-exposed human individual (which is due to tritiated water vapour airborne release over the most exposed area) does not exceed 0.1 μSv. Tritium-labelled drinking water appears to be the main pathway for human impact, representing about 83 % of the exposure. Annual committed effective dose (CED) values for members of the public consuming birch sap as medical practice are calculated to be several orders of magnitude below the CEDs for the same location associated with drinking of well water. The data presented here indicate that upper soil-layer samples may not provide a good indication of potential exposure to terrestrial deep-rooted trees, as demonstrated by an investigation of stratified (3)H in soil moisture, expressed on a wet soil mass basis, in an area with subsurface contamination.

Beyond Motivation: Initial validation of the Commitment to Sobriety Scale

PubMed Central

Kelly, John F.; Greene, M. Claire

2013-01-01

From an addiction treatment and recovery standpoint maladaptive motivational hierarchies lie at the core of the challenge in mobilizing salutary behavior change. Motivation has been conceptualized as dynamic, interactive and modifiable, as well as multidimensional. Measures of recovery motivation have been developed and validated, but are generally only modest and variable predictors of future behavior. A related, but potentially more potent, construct, is that of commitment to sobriety as it denotes a clearer re-ranking of motivational hierarchies such that the recovery task is now given a top priority potentially less susceptible to the risks associated with undulating future circumstance. This study investigated the psychometric properties of a novel commitment to sobriety scale (CSS). Results revealed a coherent, psychometrically valid, and reliable tool that outperformed an existing commitment to abstinence scale (ATAQ; Morgenstern et al, 1996) and a gold standard measure of motivation (SOCRATES; Miller and Tonigan, 1996). This study highlights commitment to sobriety as an important addiction construct. Researchers and theoreticians may find the CSS useful in helping to explain how individuals achieve recovery, and practitioners may find clinical utility in the CSS in helping identify patients in need of more intensive or alternative intervention. PMID:23953168

Civil Commitment for Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders: Does It Work?

PubMed

Jain, Abhishek; Christopher, Paul; Appelbaum, Paul S

2018-04-01

Many states are turning to civil commitment for substance use disorders as a potential solution to address rising rates of overdose deaths. Civil commitment allows family members or others to seek court-ordered involuntary treatment for a substance-abusing person. In contrast to mandatory treatment ordered by drug courts, civil commitment does not require involvement with the criminal justice system. Although these laws are understandably appealing, statutes and their implementation are highly variable, ethical concerns about deprivation of liberty continue to be raised, and outcome data are limited and often not generalizable. Above all, more studies are needed to determine effectiveness.

Committed dating relationships and mental health among college students.

PubMed

Whitton, Sarah W; Weitbrecht, Eliza M; Kuryluk, Amanda D; Bruner, Michael R

2013-01-01

To examine whether involvement in committed dating relationships is associated with university students' mental health (depressive symptoms and problem alcohol use, including binge drinking), and whether these associations differ by gender. A sample of 889 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25. Self-report measures of dating relationship status, depression, and problematic alcohol use were collected via an online survey from August to December 2010. Involvement in a committed relationship, compared with being single, was associated with fewer depressive symptoms for college women but not for men. Committed relationship involvement was also associated with less problematic alcohol use for both genders. Findings suggest that involvement in committed relationships may be protective to college student mental health, and highlight the potential of healthy relationship programming to benefit student well-being.

Organisational values and organisational commitment: do nurses' ethno-cultural differences matter?

PubMed

Hendel, Tova; Kagan, Ilya

2014-05-01

To examine the association between perceived organisational values and organisational commitment among Israeli nurses in relation to their ethno-cultural background. Differences and the discrepancy between individuals' organisational values and those of their organisational culture are a potential source of adjustment difficulties. Organisational values are considered to be the bond of the individual to their organisation. In multicultural societies, such as Israel, the differences in perception of organisational values and organisational commitment may be reflected within workgroups. Data were collected using a questionnaire among 106 hospital nurses. About 59.8% of the sample were Israeli-born. A positive correlation was found between organisational values and organisational commitment. Significant differences were found in organisational values and organisational commitment between Israeli-born-, USSR-born- and Ethiopian-born nurses. The socio-demographic profile modified the effect of organisational values on organisational commitment: when the nurse was male, Muslim, religiously orthodox and without academic education, the effect of organisational values on organisational commitment was higher. Findings confirm the role of culture and ethnicity in the perception of organisational values and the level of organisational commitment among nurses. Assessing ethno-cultural differences in organisational values and organisational commitment provides a fuller understanding of nurses' ability to adjust to their work environment and helps nurse managers devise means to increase nurses' commitment. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Key organizational commitment antecedents for nurses, paramedical professionals and non-clinical staff.

PubMed

Caykoylu, Sinan; Egri, Carolyn P; Havlovic, Stephen; Bradley, Christine

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a causal model that explains the antecedents and mediating factors predicting the organizational commitment of healthcare employees in different work roles. This study tests an integrative causal model that consists of a number of direct and indirect relationships for antecedents of organizational commitment. It is proposed that the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment is best understood by focusing on the three interrelated facets of job satisfaction, i.e. satisfaction with career advancement, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with co-workers. However, the model also advances that these job satisfaction facets have different mediating effects for other antecedents of organizational commitment. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) path analysis showed that the job satisfaction facets of career advancement and satisfaction with supervisor had a direct impact on organizational commitment. Employee empowerment, job-motivating potential, effective leadership, acceptance by co-workers, role ambiguity and role conflict were also important determinants of organizational commitment. Interestingly, post hoc analyses showed that satisfaction with co-workers only had an indirect impact on organizational commitment. While there has been extensive research on organizational commitment and its antecedents in healthcare organizations, most previous studies have been limited either to a single employee group or to a single time frame. This study proposes a practical causal model of antecedents of organizational commitment that tests relationships across time and across different healthcare employee groups.

Professional commitment: Does it buffer or intensify job demands?

PubMed

Nesje, Kjersti

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether professional commitment can be seen as a moderator in the relationship between job demands and emotional exhaustion among Norwegian nurses. Inspired by the job demands-resources model, this study explores whether having a strong commitment to the nursing profession can be seen as a resource that buffers the effect of job demands on emotional exhaustion or, conversely, intensifies the impact of job demands. A survey that comprised Norwegian nurses who had graduated three years previously (N = 388) was conducted. Multiple regression was performed to test the hypothesis. The results provide support to a buffering effect; thus, individuals with a higher degree of professional commitment conveyed a weaker association between job demands and emotional exhaustion compared with nurses with a lower degree of commitment. Developing a better understanding of the potential buffering effect of professional commitment is of great interest. The present study is the first to utilize professional commitment as a resource within the job demands-resources framework. © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of work rewards on radiographers' organizational commitment.

PubMed

Akroyd, D; Mulkey, W; Utley-Smith, Q

1995-01-01

Organizational commitment is an affective work outcome that has been used to predict work-related behaviors such as turnover, absenteeism and intent-to-leave. There has been little research in organizational commitment for the allied health professions and no empirical studies in the radiologic sciences. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive value of selected intrinsic and extrinsic work reward variables--involvement, significance, autonomy, general working conditions, supervision and salary--on staff radiographers' organizational commitment. In this study of 600 full-time staff radiographers in North and South Carolina, supervision (for ages 20-37 years) and involvement (for ages 38-66 years) were significant predictors of organizational commitment. The results of the study indicate that healthcare organizations should provide potential supervisors with managerial training, especially for radiographers who move to supervisory positions based on clinical skills and years of experience. In the long run, such programs are much less expensive than costs associated with replacing employees who leave the organization because of low organizational commitment. Also, management strategies and programs to redesign and enhance job tasks may help maintain or increase organizational commitment.

Relationship Between Job Characteristics and Organizational Commitment: A Descriptive Analytical Study

PubMed Central

Faraji, Obeidollah; Ramazani, Abbas Ali; Hedaiati, Pouria; Aliabadi, Ali; Elhamirad, Samira; Valiee, Sina

2015-01-01

Background: Many factors influence the organizational commitment of employees. One of these factors is job designing since it affects the attitude, beliefs, and feelings of the organization employees. Objectives: We aimed to determine the relationship between job characteristics and organizational commitment among the employees of hospitals. Patients and Methods: In this descriptive and correlational study, 152 Iranian employees of the hospitals (physicians, nurses, and administrative staff) were selected through stratified random sampling. Data gathered using 3-part questionnaire of “demographic information”, “job characteristics model,” and “organizational commitment,” in 2011. Study data were analyzed using SPSS v. 16. Results: There was significant statistical correlation between organizational commitment and variables of educational level (P = 0.001) and job category (P = 0.001). Also, a direct and significant correlation existed between motivating potential score and job feedback on one hand and organizational commitment on the other hand (P = 0.014). Conclusions: According to the results, managers of the hospitals should increase staff’s commitment through paying attention to proper job designing. PMID:26734472

The Adolescent Substance Abuse Goal Commitment (ASAGC) Questionnaire: An Examination of Clinical Utility and Psychometric Properties.

PubMed

Kaminer, Yifrah; Ohannessian, Christine McCauley; McKay, James R; Burke, Rebecca H

2016-02-01

Commitment to change is an innovative potential mediator or mechanism of behavior change that has not been examined in adolescents with substance use disorders (SUD). The Adolescent Substance Abuse Goal Commitment (ASAGC) questionnaire is a 16-item measure developed to assess an individual's commitment to his/her stated treatment goal. The objectives of this study are to explore the research and clinical utility of the commitment construct as measured by the ASAGC. During sessions 3 and 9 of a 10-week SUD treatment, therapists completed the ASAGC for 170 13-18 year-old adolescents. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the ATAGC items. Concurrent validity with related constructs, self-efficacy and motivation for change, was examined as well. At both sessions, the factor analysis resulted in two scales--Commitment to Recovery and Commitment to Harm Reduction. The ASAGC scales were found to demonstrate a high level of internal consistency (alpha coefficients ranged from .92 to .96 over time). In contrast to the Commitment to Harm Reduction scale, the Commitment to Recovery scale consistently correlated with scales from the Situational Confidence Questionnaire assessing self-efficacy, evidencing concurrent validity. Similarly, the Commitment to Recovery scale was related to the Problem Recognition Questionnaire, providing further evidence of the validity of the ASAGC. The ASAGC is a reliable and valid clinical research instrument for the assessment of adolescents' commitment to their substance abuse treatment goal. Clinical researchers may take advantage of the clinical utility of the ASAGC including its ability to differentiate between commitment to abstinence versus commitment to harm reduction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Organizational Commitment in Navy Corpsmen.

PubMed

Booth-Kewley, Stephanie; Dell'Acqua, Renée G; Thomsen, Cynthia J

2017-07-01

Organizational commitment is a psychological state that has a strong impact on the likelihood that employees will remain with an organization. Among military personnel, organizational commitment is predictive of a number of important outcomes, including reenlistment intentions, job performance, morale, and perceived readiness. Because of the unique challenges and experiences associated with military service, it may be that organizational commitment is even more critical in the military than in civilian populations. Despite the essential role that they play in protecting the health of other service members, little is known about the factors that influence Navy Corpsmen's organizational commitment. This study investigated demographic and psychosocial factors that may be associated with organizational commitment among Corpsmen. Surveys of organizational commitment and possible demographic and psychosocial correlates of organizational commitment were completed by 1,597 male, active duty Navy Corpsmen attending Field Medical Training Battalion-West, Camp Pendleton, California. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to determine significant predictors of organizational commitment. Of the 12 demographic and psychosocial factors examined, 6 factors emerged as significant predictors of organizational commitment in the final model: preservice motivation to be a Corpsman, positive perceptions of Corpsman training, confidence regarding promotions, occupational self-efficacy, social support for a Corpsman career, and lower depression. Importantly, a number of the factors that emerged as significant correlates of organizational commitment in this study are potentially modifiable. These factors include confidence regarding promotions, positive perceptions of Corpsman training, and occupational self-efficacy. It is recommended that military leaders and policy-makers take concrete steps to address these factors, thereby strengthening organizational commitment among Corpsmen. Further research is needed to identify ways in which organizational commitment could be strengthened among Corpsmen. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Students' Instructional Dissent and Relationships with Faculty Members' Burnout, Commitment, Satisfaction, and Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frisby, Brandi N.; Goodboy, Alan K.; Buckner, Marjorie M.

2015-01-01

Extending research on instructional dissent beyond student reports, this study examined the potential for students' expressed dissent to have deleterious effects on faculty members. Instructors (N = 113) completed surveys about students' instructional dissent regarding their classes and reported their own burnout, commitment, satisfaction, and…

Structure and mechanism of soybean ATP sulfurylase and the committed step in plant sulfur assimilation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Enzymes of the sulfur assimilation pathway are potential targets for improving nutrient content and environmental stress responses in plants. The committed step in this pathway is catalyzed by ATP sulfurylase, which synthesizes adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (APS) from sulfate and ATP. To better unde...

Circulating Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Aging Atomic Bomb Survivors.

PubMed

Kyoizumi, Seishi; Kubo, Yoshiko; Misumi, Munechika; Kajimura, Junko; Yoshida, Kengo; Hayashi, Tomonori; Imai, Kazue; Ohishi, Waka; Nakachi, Kei; Young, Lauren F; Shieh, Jae-Hung; Moore, Malcolm A; van den Brink, Marcel R M; Kusunoki, Yoichiro

2016-01-01

It is not yet known whether hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are compromised in the aging population of atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors after their exposure nearly 70 years ago. To address this, we evaluated age- and radiation-related changes in different subtypes of circulating HSPCs among the CD34-positive/lineage marker-negative (CD34(+)Lin(-)) cell population in 231 Hiroshima A-bomb survivors. We enumerated functional HSPC subtypes, including: cobblestone area-forming cells; long-term culture-initiating cells; erythroid burst-forming units; granulocyte and macrophage colony-forming units; and T-cell and natural killer cell progenitors using cell culture. We obtained the count of each HSPC subtype per unit volume of blood and the proportion of each HSPC subtype in CD34(+)Lin(-) cells to represent the lineage commitment trend. Multivariate analyses, using sex, age and radiation dose as variables, showed significantly decreased counts with age in the total CD34(+)Lin(-) cell population and all HSPC subtypes. As for the proportion, only T-cell progenitors decreased significantly with age, suggesting that the commitment to the T-cell lineage in HSPCs continuously declines with age throughout the lifetime. However, neither the CD34(+)Lin(-) cell population, nor HSPC subtypes showed significant radiation-induced dose-dependent changes in counts or proportions. Moreover, the correlations of the proportions among HSPC subtypes in the survivors properly revealed the hierarchy of lineage commitments. Taken together, our findings suggest that many years after exposure to radiation and with advancing age, the number and function of HSPCs in living survivors as a whole may have recovered to normal levels.

Circulating Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Aging Atomic Bomb Survivors

PubMed Central

Kyoizumi, Seishi; Kubo, Yoshiko; Misumi, Munechika; Kajimura, Junko; Yoshida, Kengo; Hayashi, Tomonori; Imai, Kazue; Ohishi, Waka; Nakachi, Kei; Young, Lauren F.; Shieh, Jae-Hung; Moore, Malcolm A.; van den Brink, Marcel R. M.; Kusunoki, Yoichiro

2016-01-01

It is not yet known whether hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are compromised in the aging population of atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors after their exposure nearly 70 years ago. To address this, we evaluated age- and radiation-related changes in different subtypes of circulating HSPCs among the CD34-positive/lineage marker-negative (CD34+Lin− ) cell population in 231 Hiroshima A-bomb survivors. We enumerated functional HSPC subtypes, including: cobblestone area-forming cells; long-term culture-initiating cells; erythroid burst-forming units; granulocyte and macrophage colony-forming units; and T-cell and natural killer cell progenitors using cell culture. We obtained the count of each HSPC subtype per unit volume of blood and the proportion of each HSPC subtype in CD34+Lin− cells to represent the lineage commitment trend. Multivariate analyses, using sex, age and radiation dose as variables, showed significantly decreased counts with age in the total CD34+Lin− cell population and all HSPC subtypes. As for the proportion, only T-cell progenitors decreased significantly with age, suggesting that the commitment to the T-cell lineage in HSPCs continuously declines with age throughout the lifetime. However, neither the CD34+Lin− cell population, nor HSPC subtypes showed significant radiation-induced dose-dependent changes in counts or proportions. Moreover, the correlations of the proportions among HSPC subtypes in the survivors properly revealed the hierarchy of lineage commitments. Taken together, our findings suggest that many years after exposure to radiation and with advancing age, the number and function of HSPCs in living survivors as a whole may have recovered to normal levels. PMID:26720799

Just-in-time: maximizing its success potential.

PubMed

Johnston, S K

1990-08-01

The effective implementation and use of JIT manufacturing practices depends largely on the education, training, and commitment of all levels of management to a fundamental quality-first policy. Management must transfer and demonstrate that commitment to every level and extension of the manufacturing endeavor. As a company establishes and reaches toward that goal, the move to JIT manufacturing practices becomes rational and justifiable. Failing to establish and commit to a quality directive greatly diminishes the potential benefits of JIT. If all levels of manufacturing participate in the JIT planning, implementing, and maintenance procedure, the realization of positive change and improvement drives the process. Total participation makes the task of JIT implementation not only possible, but practical. Enhanced mutual respect for all concerned is a likely consequence, advancing the productive environment.

Evaluation of indoor radon equilibrium factor using CFD modeling and resulting annual effective dose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabi, R.; Oufni, L.

2018-04-01

The equilibrium factor is an important parameter for reasonably estimating the population dose from radon. However, the equilibrium factor value depended mainly on the ventilation rate and the meteorological factors. Therefore, this study focuses on investigating numerically the influence of the ventilation rate, temperature and humidity on equilibrium factor between radon and its progeny. The numerical results showed that ventilation rate, temperature and humidity have significant impacts on indoor equilibrium factor. The variations of equilibrium factor with the ventilation, temperature and relative humidity are discussed. Moreover, the committed equivalent doses due to 218Po and 214Po radon short-lived progeny were evaluated in different tissues of the respiratory tract of the members of the public from the inhalation of indoor air. The annual effective dose due to radon short lived progeny from the inhalation of indoor air by the members of the public was investigated.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a Career Counselling Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoare, P. Nancey; McIlveen, Peter; Hamilton, Nadine

2012-01-01

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has potential to contribute to career counselling. In this paper, the theoretical tenets of ACT and a selection of its counselling techniques are overviewed along with a descriptive case vignette. There is limited empirical research into ACT's application in career counselling. Accordingly, a research agenda…

New Principals, Accountability, and Commitment in Low-Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shirrell, Matthew

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine first-year principals' sense-making about two potentially conflicting demands as they take over low-performing urban schools: the demand to exert control over their teachers' practice, and the need to build their teachers' trust, collegiality, and commitment. Design/methodology/approach: This study…

Goal Disengagement in Emerging Adulthood: The Adaptive Potential of Action Crises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandstätter, Veronika; Herrmann, Marcel

2016-01-01

In emerging adulthood, being committed to and making progress on important personal goals constitutes a source of identity and well-being. Goal striving, however, does not always go without problems. Even though highly committed to a goal, individuals may experience recurring setbacks and, consequently, increasing doubts about the goal that might…

Perception of Behavioral Contagion of Adolescent Suicide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Range, Lillian M.; And Others

1988-01-01

College students (N=142) viewed videotape of distressed high school student, then assessed student's potential for committing suicide, running away, entering therapy, or abusing alcohol. Subjects who were told that the teenager knew of two recent suicides in community rated her as more likely to commit suicide or run away than did subjects not…

7 CFR 4290.390 - Licensing as a RBIC.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... financial information concerning the RBIC in order to qualify for a Leverage commitment; and (4) Enter into... a participant or potential participant in the RBIC program. (d) Effect of a RBIC license. The... following: (1) Approval to operate as a RBIC under the Act; (2) A commitment of Leverage; and (3) An...

Is it useful to assess annual effective doses that are less than 100 mSv?

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

Strom, Daniel J.; Cameron, John R.

It is useful to assess annual effective doses less than 100 mSv. Beyond the''score-keeping'' needs of regulatory compliance, there are at least seven other valid reasons for performing personnel monitoring, many of which fall into the category of''no news is good news,'' or more aptly,''null news, as long as you can prove it, is good news.'' These are performance measures for contractual compliance, diagnosis of problems with radiation protection programs, health surveillance and occupational epidemiology, prevention of and support for litigation, demonstration of management commitment and safety, worker counseling, ensuring peace of mind. Furthermore, it is shown that there ismore » very reasonable expectation that detriment may be associated with doses smaller than 100 mSv per year.« less

Estimates of radiological risk from depleted uranium weapons in war scenarios.

PubMed

Durante, Marco; Pugliese, Mariagabriella

2002-01-01

Several weapons used during the recent conflict in Yugoslavia contain depleted uranium, including missiles and armor-piercing incendiary rounds. Health concern is related to the use of these weapons, because of the heavy-metal toxicity and radioactivity of uranium. Although chemical toxicity is considered the more important source of health risk related to uranium, radiation exposure has been allegedly related to cancers among veterans of the Balkan conflict, and uranium munitions are a possible source of contamination in the environment. Actual measurements of radioactive contamination are needed to assess the risk. In this paper, a computer simulation is proposed to estimate radiological risk related to different exposure scenarios. Dose caused by inhalation of radioactive aerosols and ground contamination induced by Tomahawk missile impact are simulated using a Gaussian plume model (HOTSPOT code). Environmental contamination and committed dose to the population resident in contaminated areas are predicted by a food-web model (RESRAD code). Small values of committed effective dose equivalent appear to be associated with missile impacts (50-y CEDE < 5 mSv), or population exposure by water-independent pathways (50-y CEDE < 80 mSv). The greatest hazard is related to the water contamination in conditions of effective leaching of uranium in the groundwater (50-y CEDE < 400 mSv). Even in this worst case scenario, the chemical toxicity largely predominates over radiological risk. These computer simulations suggest that little radiological risk is associated to the use of depleted uranium weapons.

Religious Commitment and Well-Being in College Students: Examining Conditional Indirect Effects of Meaning in Life.

PubMed

Dar, Kaiser Ahmad; Iqbal, Naved

2017-12-29

There is systematic and quantitative evidence that religious commitment is associated with indicators of well-being, such as positive emotions and moods, absence of negative emotions, and satisfaction with life; however, researchers remain far from a consensus regarding which mechanisms may account for these observed relationships. Although religious commitment influences well-being through many different mechanisms, meaning in life is probably the predominant one. Thus, we examined the bidimensional conceptualization of meaning in life as a potential mechanism between religious commitment and well-being. The study was cross-sectional in nature. Survey data were collected from 92 college students, aged 17-21. A battery of self-report measures was used for tapping religious commitment, well-being, and meaning in life. Even though presence of meaning, search for meaning, religious commitment, and well-being correlated moderately with each other, presence of meaning carried a substantial proportion of variance in predicting well-being for girls/women. This study suggests that religious commitment influences a person's sense of meaning in life, which, in turn, influences her/his well-being. And, we hope that these results encourage professionals to explore with their clients the fundamental questions of meaning and purpose in life.

[Evolution of suicide attempts in a Tunisian clinical population between 2005 and 2015: New modalities for young people to commit suicide?

PubMed

Halayem, S; Ounalli, H; Boudali, M; Hajri, M; Abbes, Z; Bouden, A

2017-11-28

Suicide and suicide attempts represent a worldwide health priority. The aim of our study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of young suicide attempters among a clinical population and to assess their potential evolution over a period of11 years. We conducted a descriptive retrospective study among a clinical population of suicide attempters referred to the child psychiatric department of the Razi hospital, the inpatient reference department in the north and center of Tunisia, between January 2005 and December 2015. Based on the WHO definition we considered as suicide attempts, "any deliberate act, without any fatal outcome, aimed at performing a gesture of violence on one's own person or to ingest a toxic substance or drugs at a dose higher than the dose recognized as therapeutic". We conducted collection of data from patient records based on a pre-established record with the following parameters: clinical study of patients including: socio-demographic data, clinical characteristics based on DSM 4 criteria and environmental factors including family history of psychiatric disorder, abuse, school difficulties and failure. The sample was composed of 159 patients having a mean age of 12.8 years with extremes from 5.8 to 17 years. It was composed of 74.2% girls and 25.8% boys. Medical intoxication was the most common mean (68.6%) followed by physical means (20.1%) and toxic products ingestion (12.6%). The suicide attempts were mainly non-premeditated (83.1%). Our patients reported a previous suicide attempt in 25.8% of cases. Chronic somatic disorders were found among 24.5% of our sample. Psychiatric disorders among children, parents, abuse, and school failure were found in respectively 48.4%, 50.6%, 37.1% and 13.4% of suicidal patients. Psychiatric disorders were dominated by depressive disorders and oppositional defiant disorders associated with conduct disorder. The chronological study highlighted significant modifications starting from 2013/2014, reflecting a recent trend: a significant decrease in suicidal age was found since the year 2015: children under 10 years of age, who constituted 8.4 % (n=10) of suicides during the period from (n=119), accounted for 20 % (n=32) of the patients enumerated in the year 2015 (P=0.045). We also found that the percentage of suicidal attempts committed in winter was higher from 2013 than in previous years (P=0.019). We also noted a significant increase in 2014 in the proportion of patients with a personal history of suicidal attempt when compared to previous years (P=0.045). The use of physical means became more frequent from 2013 (P=0.019). This is confirmed by comparing the suicide attempts prior to and from 2014 (P=0.007) or by comparing the suiced attempts committed in 2015 to the ones committed during the previous ten years (P=0.007). Finally, there was a statistically significant distribution of serious organic effects (coma) as a function of years: such complications were more frequent in the course of suicidal attempts committed after 2013 (P=0.009). Since 2013/2014 we found a recent trend characterized by more children among suicidals, more patients reporting a previous suicide attempt, more frequent use of physical means and a greater proportion of suicide attempts realized in winter. This raises the challenge for more research on the topic as well as new therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2017 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Lack of effect of a granulocyte proliferation inhibitor or their committed precursor cells.

PubMed

Lord, B I; Testa, N G; Wright, E G; Banerjee, R K

1977-05-01

Using the agar culture technique, we have measured the effect of granulocyte extracts GCE (and of erythrocyte-RCE and lymph node extracts-LNE) on the growth and proliferation of the committed granulocytic precursor cells, CFU-C. In addition we have determined their effects on the proliferation of the developing colony cells and on the ultimate cell production in the colonies. The results show that GCE has no effect on the growth or proliferative activity on the CFU-C. It does, however, reduce both the autoradiographic labelling indices of the developing colony cells and the net colony cellularities, acting as a cell cycle modulator. These are effects specific to the GCE since at the dose levels used, neither RCE nor LNE affected these measurements.

An Examination of Dependence Power, Father Involvement, and Judgments about Violence in an At-Risk Community Sample of Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samp, Jennifer A.; Abbott, Leslie

2011-01-01

Individuals sometimes remain in dysfunctional, and even violent, relationships due to a perceived dependence on a partner. We examined the influence of dependence power judgments (defined by a combined assessment of mother commitment, perceived father commitment, and perceived father alternatives) in a community sample of mothers potentially bound…

Towards Understanding the Two Way Interaction Effects of Extraversion and Openness to Experience on Career Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arora, Ridhi; Rangnekar, Santosh

2016-01-01

In this study, we examined potential two-way interaction effects of the Big Five personality traits extraversion and openness to experience on career commitment measured in terms of three components of career identity, career resilience, and career planning. Participants included 450 managers from public and private sector organizations in North…

Testing Error Management Theory: Exploring the Commitment Skepticism Bias and the Sexual Overperception Bias

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henningsen, David Dryden; Henningsen, Mary Lynn Miller

2010-01-01

Research on error management theory indicates that men tend to overestimate women's sexual interest and women underestimate men's interest in committed relationships (Haselton & Buss, 2000). We test the assumptions of the theory in face-to-face, stranger interactions with 111 man-woman dyads. Support for the theory emerges, but potential boundary…

The Long Winding Road of Opioid Substitution Therapy Implementation in South-East Asia: Challenges to Scale Up

PubMed Central

Reid, Gary; Sharma, Mukta; Higgs, Peter

2014-01-01

The South-East Asia Region contains an estimated 400,000-500,000 people who inject drugs (PWID). HIV prevalence among PWID is commonly 20% or higher in Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and some regions of India. Opioid substitution therapy (OST) is an important HIV prevention intervention in this part of the world. However, key challenges and barriers to scale up of OST exist, including: pervasive stigma and discrimination towards PWID; criminalisation of drug use overshadowing a public health response; lack of political will and national commitment; low financial investment; focus towards traditional treatment models of detoxification and rehabilitation; inadequate dosing of OST; and poor monitoring and evaluation of programmes. Our review of local evidence highlights that OST can be successful within the Asian context. Such evidence should be utilised more widely to advocate for policy change and increased political commitment to ensure OST reaches substantially more drug users. Significance for public health Several countries in the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region can be commended for introducing opioid substitution therapy (OST) to address the ongoing HIV epidemic among people who inject drugs (PWID). Local evidence shows OST is an effective drug treatment approach in the Asian context given sufficient technical and institutional support. However, despite much progress, the number of OST dispensing sites and recipients remains totally inadequate in terms of impact upon the current HIV epidemic among PWID. Ongoing advocacy is needed if countries are to achieve the WHO’s target of 40% of PWID being dosed with OST. Greater political commitment a strengthened policy environment, capacity building for OST clinics, lessening the criminalisation of drug use and promoting a public health response will give many more PWID access to OST and slow the advance of the HIV epidemic. PMID:25170509

M-CSF improves protection against bacterial and fungal infections after hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell transplantation

PubMed Central

Sarrazin, Sandrine; Redelberger, David

2016-01-01

Myeloablative treatment preceding hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and progenitor cell (HS/PC) transplantation results in severe myeloid cytopenia and susceptibility to infections in the lag period before hematopoietic recovery. We have previously shown that macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1; M-CSF) directly instructed myeloid commitment in HSCs. In this study, we tested whether this effect had therapeutic benefit in improving protection against pathogens after HS/PC transplantation. M-CSF treatment resulted in an increased production of mature myeloid donor cells and an increased survival of recipient mice infected with lethal doses of clinically relevant opportunistic pathogens, namely the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. M-CSF treatment during engraftment or after infection efficiently protected from these pathogens as early as 3 days after transplantation and was effective as a single dose. It was more efficient than granulocyte CSF (G-CSF), a common treatment of severe neutropenia, which showed no protective effect under the tested conditions. M-CSF treatment showed no adverse effect on long-term lineage contribution or stem cell activity and, unlike G-CSF, did not impede recovery of HS/PCs, thrombocyte numbers, or glucose metabolism. These results encourage potential clinical applications of M-CSF to prevent severe infections after HS/PC transplantation. PMID:27811055

Relationship between workplace spirituality and organizational citizenship behavior among nurses through mediation of affective organizational commitment.

PubMed

Kazemipour, Farahnaz; Mohamad Amin, Salmiah; Pourseidi, Bahram

2012-09-01

This study aims to investigate the relationships between workplace spirituality, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and affective organizational commitment among nurses, and whether affective commitment mediates the relationship between workplace spirituality and OCB. In the present correlational study, a cross-sectional design was employed, and data were collected using a questionnaire-based survey. Based on the random sampling, 305 nurses were chosen and questionnaires were distributed among respondents in four public and general hospitals located in Kerman, Iran. To analyze the data descriptive statistics, Pearson coefficient, simple and multiple regression, and path analyses were also conducted. Workplace spirituality has a positive influence on nurses' OCB and affective commitment. Workplace spirituality explained 16% of the variation in OCB, while it explained 35% of the variation in affective commitment among nurses. Moreover, affective organizational commitment mediated the impact of workplace spirituality on OCB. Workplace spirituality predicts nurses' OCB and affective organizational commitment. It emphasizes benefits from the new perspective of workplace spirituality, particularly among nurses who need to be motivated in their work. This study illustrates that there are potential benefits owing to the positive influence of workplace spirituality on OCB and affective commitment among nurses. Managers of nursing services should consider workplace spirituality and its positive influence on nurses' outcomes in order to improve their performance and, subsequently, the healthcare system. © 2012 Sigma Theta Tau International.

High-Dose Fluoride Impairs the Properties of Human Embryonic Stem Cells via JNK Signaling.

PubMed

Fu, Xin; Xie, Fang-Nan; Dong, Ping; Li, Qiu-Chen; Yu, Guang-Yan; Xiao, Ran

2016-01-01

Fluoride is a ubiquitous natural substance that is often used in dental products to prevent dental caries. The biphasic actions of fluoride imply that excessive systemic exposure to fluoride can cause harmful effects on embryonic development in both animal models and humans. However, insufficient information is available on the effects of fluoride on human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), which is a novel in vitro humanized model for analyzing the embryotoxicities of chemical compounds. Therefore, we investigated the effects of sodium fluoride (NaF) on the proliferation, differentiation and viability of H9 hESCs. For the first time, we showed that 1 mM NaF did not significantly affect the proliferation of hESCs but did disturb the gene expression patterns of hESCs during embryoid body (EB) differentiation. Higher doses of NaF (2 mM and above) markedly decreased the viability and proliferation of hESCs. The mode and underlying mechanism of high-dose NaF-induced cell death were further investigated by assessing the sub-cellular morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), caspase activities, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). High-dose NaF caused the death of hESCs via apoptosis in a caspase-mediated but ROS-independent pathway, coupled with an increase in the phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) levels. Pretreatment with a p-JNK-specific inhibitor (SP600125) could effectively protect hESCs from NaF-induced cell death in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. These findings suggest that NaF might interfere with early human embryogenesis by disturbing the specification of the three germ layers as well as osteogenic lineage commitment and that high-dose NaF could cause apoptosis through a JNK-dependent pathway in hESCs.

Bioassay criteria for environmental restoration workers

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

Carbaugh, E.H.; Bihl, D.E.

1993-01-01

Environmental restoration (ER) work at the U. S. Department of Energy Hanford Site posed questions concerning when to perform bioassay monitoring of workers for potential intakes of radioactivity. Application of criteria originally developed for use inside radionuclide processing facilities to ER work resulted in overly restrictive bioassay requirements. ER work typically involves site characterization or, excavating large quantities of potentially contaminated soil, rather than working with concentrated quantities of radioactivity as in a processing facility. An improved approach, tailored to ER work, provided soil contamination concentrations above which worker bioassay would be required. Soil concentrations were derived assuming acute ormore » chronic intakes of 2% of an Annual Limit on Intake (ALI), or a potential committed effective dose equivalent of 100 mrem, and conservative dust loading of air from the work. When planning ER work, the anticipated soil concentration and corresponding need for bioassay could be estimated from work-site historical records. Once site work commenced, soil sampling and work-place surveys could be used to determine bioassay needs. This approach substantially reduced the required number of bioassay samples with corresponding reductions in analytical costs, schedules, and more flexible work-force management. (Work supported by the US Department of Energy under contract DOE-AC06-76RLO 1830.)« less

The role of commitment strength in enhancing safe water consumption: mediation analysis of a cluster-randomized trial.

PubMed

Inauen, Jennifer; Tobias, Robert; Mosler, Hans-Joachim

2014-11-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the importance of commitment strength in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and to test whether behaviour change techniques (BCTs) aimed at increasing commitment strength indeed promote switching to arsenic-safe wells by changing commitment strength. A cluster-randomized controlled trial with four arms was conducted to compare an information-only intervention to information plus one, two, or three commitment-enhancing BCTs. Randomly selected households (N = 340) of Monoharganj, Bangladesh, in seven geographically separate areas, whose members were drinking arsenic-contaminated water at baseline and had access to arsenic-safe wells, participated in this trial. The areas were randomly allocated to the four intervention arms. Water consumption behaviour, variables of the TPB, commitment strength, and socio-demographic characteristics were assessed at baseline and at 3-month follow-up by structured face-to-face interviews. Mediation analysis was used to investigate the mechanisms of behaviour change. Changes in commitment strength significantly increased the explanatory power of the TPB to predict well-switching. Commitment-enhancing BCTs - public self-commitment, implementation intentions, and reminders - increased the behaviour change effects of information by up to 50%. Mediation analyses confirmed that the BCTs indeed increased well-switching by increasing commitment strength. Unexpectedly, however, mediation via changes in behavioural intentions was the strongest mechanism of the intervention effects. Commitment is an important construct to consider in water- and health-related behaviour change and may be for other health behaviours as well. BCTs that alter behavioural intentions and commitment strength proved highly effective at enhancing the behaviour change effects of information alone. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Millions of people drink contaminated water even if they have access to safe water alternatives and despite increased awareness of the consequences to health. The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and commitment strength are predictive of safe water consumption. The potentially commitment-enhancing behaviour change techniques (BCTs) - reminders, implementation intentions, and public self-commitment - can promote health behaviours, including safe water consumption. What does this study add? Changes in commitment strength significantly added to the prediction of switching to arsenic-safe wells by the TPB. Information-plus-BCTs aimed at increasing commitment strength led to >50% more well-switching than information alone. Behaviour change effects of the BCTs were mediated by changes in commitment strength and behavioural intentions. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

An accurate method to measure alpha-emitting natural radionuclides in atmospheric filters: Application in two NORM industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozano, R. L.; Bolívar, J. P.; San Miguel, E. G.; García-Tenorio, R.; Gázquez, M. J.

2011-12-01

In this work, an accurate method for the measurement of natural alpha-emitting radionuclides from aerosols collected in air filters is presented and discussed in detail. The knowledge of the levels of several natural alpha-emitting radionuclides (238U, 234U, 232Th, 230Th, 228Th, 226Ra and 210Po) in atmospheric aerosols is essential not only for a better understanding of the several atmospheric processes and changes, but also for a proper evaluation of the potential doses, which can inadvertently be received by the population via inhalation. The proposed method takes into account the presence of intrinsic amounts of these radionuclides in the matrices of the quartz filters used, as well as the possible variation in the humidity of the filters throughout the collection process. In both cases, the corrections necessary in order to redress these levels have been evaluated and parameterized. Furthermore, a detailed study has been performed into the optimisation of the volume of air to be sampled in order to increase the accuracy in the determination of the radionuclides. The method as a whole has been applied for the determination of the activity concentrations of U- and Th-isotopes in aerosols collected at two NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) industries located in the southwest of Spain. Based on the levels found, a conservative estimation has been performed to yield the additional committed effective doses to which the workers are potentially susceptible due to inhalation of anthropogenic material present in the environment of these two NORM industries.

Ionizing Radiation Dose Due to the Use of Agricultural Fertilizers

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

Umisedo, Nancy K.; Okuno, Emico; Medina, Nilberto H.

2008-08-07

The transference of radionuclides from the fertilizers to/and from soils to the foodstuffs can represent an increment in the internal dose when the vegetables are consumed by the human beings. This work evaluates the contribution of fertilizers to the increase of radiation level in the environment and of dose to the people. Samples of fertilizers, soils and vegetables produced in farms located in the neighbourhood of Sao Paulo city in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil were analysed through gamma spectroscopy. The values of specific activity of {sup 40}K, {sup 238}U and {sup 232}Th show that there is no significantmore » transference of natural radionuclides from fertilizers to the final product of the food chain. The annual committed effective dose due to the ingestion of {sup 40}K contained in the group of consumed vegetables analysed in this work resulted in the very low value of 0.882 {mu}Sv.« less

Determination of in vitro lung solubility and intake-to-dose conversion factor for tritiated lanthanum nickel aluminum alloy.

PubMed

Farfán, Eduardo B; Labone, Thomas R; Staack, Gregory C; Cheng, Yung-Sung; Zhou, Yue; Varallo, Thomas P

2012-09-01

A sample of tritiated lanthanum nickel aluminum alloy (LaNi4.25Al0.75 or LANA.75) similar to that used at the Savannah River Site Tritium Facilities was analyzed to estimate the particle size distribution of this metal tritide powder and the rate at which this material dissolves in the human respiratory tract after it is inhaled. This information is used to calculate the committed effective dose received by a worker after inhaling the material. These doses, which were calculated using the same methodology given in the U.S. Department of Energy Tritium Handbook, are presented as inhalation intake-to-dose conversion factors (DCF). The DCF for this metal tritide was determined to be 9.4 × 10 Sv Bq, which is less than the DCF for tritiated water. Therefore, the radiation worker bioassay programs designed for tritiated water are adequate to monitor for intakes of this material.

Dietary intake of 210Po and 210Pb in the environment of Goa of south-west Coast of India.

PubMed

Avadhani, D N; Mahesh, H M; Karunakara, N; Narayana, Y; Somashekarappa, H M; Siddappa, K

2001-10-01

This paper deals with the distribution and activity intake of 210Po and 210Pb in food, diet, and potable water samples of the Goa region and the estimated committed effective dose due to ingestion of these radionuclides. The activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were determined in about 30 food and diet samples from different places of Goa in order to know the distribution and intake of these radionuclides. The activity concentration of 210Po in fish and prawn samples were significantly higher than concentrations found in vegetable and rice samples. Higher concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were observed in leafy vegetables than in non-leafy vegetables. Among the diet samples the activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb in non-vegetarian meal samples were relatively higher than in vegetarian meal and breakfast samples. The committed effective dose due to annual intake of 210Po was found to be 94.6 microSv, 49.1 microSv, 10.5 microSv, and 2.2 microSv and that of 210Pb found to be 81.6 microSv, 59.9 microSv, 14.6 microSv, and 2.0 microSv for the ingestion of non-vegetarian meal, vegetarian meal, breakfast, and potable water, respectively.

Environmental analysis burial of offsite low-level waste at SRP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poe, W. L.; Moyer, R. A.

1980-12-01

The environmental effects of receipt and burial of low level naval waste are assessed. This low level waste was sent to the NRC-licensed burial ground operated by Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., at Barnwell, South Carolina. The DOE announced that DOE-generated low level waste would no longer be buried at commercial waste burial sites. The SRP was selected to receive the Naval waste described in this analysis. Receipt and burial of these wastes will have a negligible effect on SRP's environment and increase only sightly the environmental effects of the SRP operations discussed in the EIS on SRP waste management operations. The environmental effects of burial of this waste at Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground or at the SRP Burial Ground are described in this environmental analysis to permit assessment of incremental effects caused by the decision to bury this Naval waste in the SRP Burial Ground rather than in the Barnwell Burial Ground. The radiological effects from burial of this waste in either the SRP or Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground are very small when compared to those from natural background radiation or to the annual population dose commitment from operation of SRP. The environmental effects of burial at SRP to dose commitments normally received by the population surrounding SRP are compared.

Can Marriage Education Mitigate the Risks Associated with Premarital Cohabitation?

PubMed Central

Rhoades, Galena K.; Stanley, Scott M.; Markman, Howard J.; Allen, Elizabeth S.

2015-01-01

This study tested whether relationship education (i.e., the Prevention and Relationship Education Program; PREP) can mitigate the risk of having cohabited before making a mutual commitment to marry (i.e., “pre-commitment cohabitation”) for marital distress and divorce. Using data from a study of PREP for married couples in the U.S. Army (N = 662 couples), we found that there was a significant association between pre-commitment cohabitation and lower marital satisfaction and dedication before random-assignment to intervention. After intervention, this pre-commitment cohabitation effect was only apparent in the control group. Specifically, significant interactions between intervention condition and cohabitation history indicated that for the control group, but not the PREP group, pre-commitment cohabitation was associated with lower dedication as well as declines in marital satisfaction and increases in negative communication over time. Further, those with pre-commitment cohabitation were more likely to divorce by the two-year follow up only in the control group; there were no differences in divorce based on premarital cohabitation history in the PREP group. These findings are discussed in light of current research on cohabitation and relationship education; potential implications are also considered. PMID:25938709

Dose Calculation For Accidental Release Of Radioactive Cloud Passing Over Jeddah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alharbi, N. D.; Mayhoub, A. B.

2011-12-01

For the evaluation of doses after the reactor accident, in particular for the inhalation dose, a thorough knowledge of the concentration of the various radionuclide in air during the passage of the plume is required. In this paper we present an application of the Gaussian Plume Model (GPM) to calculate the atmospheric dispersion and airborne radionuclide concentration resulting from radioactive cloud over the city of Jeddah (KSA). The radioactive cloud is assumed to be emitted from a reactor of 10 MW power in postulated accidental release. Committed effective doses (CEDs) to the public at different distance from the source to the receptor are calculated. The calculations were based on meteorological condition and data of the Jeddah site. These data are: pasquill atmospheric stability is the class B and the wind speed is 2.4m/s at 10m height in the N direction. The residence time of some radionuclides considered in this study were calculated. The results indicate that, the values of doses first increase with distance, reach a maximum value and then gradually decrease. The total dose received by human is estimated by using the estimated values of residence time of each radioactive pollutant at different distances.

Measurement of 238U and 232Th in Petrol, Gas-oil and Lubricant Samples by Using Nuclear Track Detectors and Resulting Radiation Doses to the Skin of Mechanic Workers.

PubMed

Misdaq, M A; Chaouqi, A; Ouguidi, J; Touti, R; Mortassim, A

2015-10-01

Workers in repair shops of vehicles (cars, buses, truck, etc.) clean carburetors, check fuel distribution, and perform oil changes and greasing. To explore the exposure pathway of (238)U and (232)Th and its decay products to the skin of mechanic workers, these radionuclides were measured inside petrol, gas-oil, and lubricant material samples by means of CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs), and corresponding annual committed equivalent doses to skin were determined. The maximum total equivalent effective dose to skin due to the (238)U and (232)Th series from the application of different petrol, gas-oil, and lubricant samples by mechanic workers was found equal to 1.2 mSv y(-1) cm(-2).

Requirements for radiation emergency urine bioassay techniques for the public and first responders.

PubMed

Li, Chunsheng; Vlahovich, Slavica; Dai, Xiongxin; Richardson, Richard B; Daka, Joseph N; Kramer, Gary H

2010-11-01

Following a radiation emergency, the affected public and the first responders may need to be quickly assessed for internal contamination by the radionuclides involved. Urine bioassay is one of the most commonly used methods for assessing radionuclide intake and radiation dose. This paper attempts to derive the sensitivity requirements (from inhalation exposure) for the urine bioassay techniques for the top 10 high-risk radionuclides that might be used in a terrorist attack. The requirements are based on a proposed reference dose to adults of 0.1 Sv (CED, committed effective dose). In addition, requirements related to sample turnaround time and field deployability of the assay techniques are also discussed. A review of currently available assay techniques summarized in this paper reveals that method development for ²⁴¹Am, ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁸Pu, and ⁹⁰Sr urine bioassay is needed.

G-CSF-primed BM for allogeneic SCT: revisited.

PubMed

Pessach, I; Resnick, I; Shimoni, A; Nagler, A

2015-07-01

G-SCF-mobilized PBSC (GPB) grafts have a higher cell dose and somewhat more committed progenitor cells than steady-state BM (SBM), resulting in faster engraftment and faster immunological reconstitution. On the other hand, transplant related mortality (TRM), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) are similar both for PB and for BM. In contrast to SBM, G-CSF-primed BM (GBM) grafts stimulate HSC proliferation, increasing cell dose and thus resulting in faster engraftment because of higher cell dose infused, or because of treatment with G-CSF. Furthermore, GBM may induce tolerance and functional modulations in donor hematopoiesis and immunity, further reducing GVHD incidence, which is already lower with SBM compared with GPB grafts. Overall, a growing body of clinical evidence suggests that GBM transplants may share the advantages of GPB transplantations, without the associated increased risk of GVHD, and might be an attractive graft source for allogeneic SCTs.

Multi-effects of Resveratrol on stem cell characteristics: Effective dose, time, cell culture conditions and cell type-specific responses of stem cells to Resveratrol.

PubMed

Safaeinejad, Zahra; Kazeminasab, Fatemeh; Kiani-Esfahani, Abbas; Ghaedi, Kamran; Nasr-Esfahani, Mohammad Hossein

2018-06-18

Stem cells which defined by dual features of self-renewal and differentiation potential provide a unique source for repairing damaged tissues to treat a wide spectrum of diseases and injuries. Several recent studies suggest that Resveratrol (RSV), a natural polyphenol component, possesses the ability to improve either culture conditions of stem cells or their target differentiation in culture. This review covers the literature that deals with the effects of RSV and its underlying mechanisms on survival, self-renewal and lineage commitment of various stem cells. Concentration of RSV and duration of treatment with this component could exert differential effects on cellular differentiation processes and cell fate. Therefore, RSV could be accounted as an effective small molecule for a variety of cell therapies which should be implemented by a special care considering, effective concentration and duration of exposure. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

21 CFR 514.5 - Presubmission conferences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... resolution. FDA is committed to resolving differences between a potential applicant and FDA reviewing... communication. (b) Requesting a presubmission conference. A potential applicant is entitled to one or more... establishing part or all of a submission or investigational requirement. A potential applicant's request for a...

21 CFR 514.5 - Presubmission conferences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... resolution. FDA is committed to resolving differences between a potential applicant and FDA reviewing... communication. (b) Requesting a presubmission conference. A potential applicant is entitled to one or more... establishing part or all of a submission or investigational requirement. A potential applicant's request for a...

21 CFR 514.5 - Presubmission conferences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... resolution. FDA is committed to resolving differences between a potential applicant and FDA reviewing... communication. (b) Requesting a presubmission conference. A potential applicant is entitled to one or more... establishing part or all of a submission or investigational requirement. A potential applicant's request for a...

21 CFR 514.5 - Presubmission conferences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... resolution. FDA is committed to resolving differences between a potential applicant and FDA reviewing... communication. (b) Requesting a presubmission conference. A potential applicant is entitled to one or more... establishing part or all of a submission or investigational requirement. A potential applicant's request for a...

21 CFR 514.5 - Presubmission conferences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... resolution. FDA is committed to resolving differences between a potential applicant and FDA reviewing... communication. (b) Requesting a presubmission conference. A potential applicant is entitled to one or more... establishing part or all of a submission or investigational requirement. A potential applicant's request for a...

Measurement of the concentration of radon gas in the Toirano's caves (Liguria).

PubMed

Bruzzone, Diego; Bussallino, Massimo; Castello, Gianrico; Maggiolo, Stefano; Rossi, Daniela

2006-01-01

The radioactive gas radon, intermediate term of the decay series of uranium and thorium, is the main contamination source of underground places and may be a risk for high concentration and long exposure time. European and Italian law requires radon concentration to be measured in workplaces and, if the "action level" of 500 Bq/m3 is reached, proper actions must be made in order to decrease the dose commitment. Considering natural showcaves or artificial cavities open to public, the exposition of the visitors is frequently small, due to the short residence time, but accompanying people, remaining underground for long time, may be subject to appreciable dose and the radon concentration should therefore be monitored. The high humidity in natural caves may impair the use of some measuring devices. Therefore, different detection methods were compared (ZnS scintillation counters, E-PERM electret ionisation chambers, cellulose nitrate alpha-track dosimeters) to select the best procedure for long-term investigation. The LR-115 (Kodak) alpha-track dosimeters were insensitive to humidity and permitted to monitor a great number of places at the same time. Measurements have been carried out in the speleological and archaeological site of the Toirano's Caves (Savona, Liguria, Italy) and several points were monitored for two years. Radon concentration strongly depends on the site and changes during the year, due to the difference between internal and external temperature. The maximum dose commitment during the visitors tour, considering the average yearly value of radon concentration, was found to be between 1.5 and 4 microSv. It was found that no risk exists for visitors, but the evaluation of the dose absorbed by the guides and their classification according to the radiation protection law requires a complete monitoring of the average yearly concentration of radon and of the total time spent by each worker into the cave.

Use of Transportable Radiation Detection Instruments to Assess Internal Contamination from Intakes of Radionuclides Part II: Calibration Factors and ICAT Computer Program.

PubMed

Anigstein, Robert; Olsher, Richard H; Loomis, Donald A; Ansari, Armin

2016-12-01

The detonation of a radiological dispersion device or other radiological incidents could result in widespread releases of radioactive materials and intakes of radionuclides by affected individuals. Transportable radiation monitoring instruments could be used to measure radiation from gamma-emitting radionuclides in the body for triaging individuals and assigning priorities to their bioassay samples for in vitro assessments. The present study derived sets of calibration factors for four instruments: the Ludlum Model 44-2 gamma scintillator, a survey meter containing a 2.54 × 2.54-cm NaI(Tl) crystal; the Captus 3000 thyroid uptake probe, which contains a 5.08 × 5.08-cm NaI(Tl) crystal; the Transportable Portal Monitor Model TPM-903B, which contains two 3.81 × 7.62 × 182.9-cm polyvinyltoluene plastic scintillators; and a generic instrument, such as an ionization chamber, that measures exposure rates. The calibration factors enable these instruments to be used for assessing inhaled or ingested intakes of any of four radionuclides: Co, I, Cs, and Ir. The derivations used biokinetic models embodied in the DCAL computer software system developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNPX radiation transport code. The three physical instruments were represented by MCNP models that were developed previously. The affected individuals comprised children of five ages who were represented by the revised Oak Ridge National Laboratory pediatric phantoms, and adult men and adult women represented by the Adult Reference Computational Phantoms described in Publication 110 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. These calibration factors can be used to calculate intakes; the intakes can be converted to committed doses by the use of tabulated dose coefficients. These calibration factors also constitute input data to the ICAT computer program, an interactive Microsoft Windows-based software package that estimates intakes of radionuclides and cumulative and committed effective doses, based on measurements made with these instruments. This program constitutes a convenient tool for assessing intakes and doses without consulting tabulated calibration factors and dose coefficients.

USE OF TRANSPORTABLE RADIATION DETECTION INSTRUMENTS TO ASSESS INTERNAL CONTAMINATION FROM INTAKES OF RADIONUCLIDES PART II: CALIBRATION FACTORS AND ICAT COMPUTER PROGRAM

PubMed Central

Anigstein, Robert; Olsher, Richard H.; Loomis, Donald A.; Ansari, Armin

2017-01-01

The detonation of a radiological dispersion device or other radiological incidents could result in widespread releases of radioactive materials and intakes of radionuclides by affected individuals. Transportable radiation monitoring instruments could be used to measure radiation from gamma-emitting radionuclides in the body for triaging individuals and assigning priorities to their bioassay samples for in vitro assessments. The present study derived sets of calibration factors for four instruments: the Ludlum Model 44-2 gamma scintillator, a survey meter containing a 2.54 × 2.54-cm NaI(Tl) crystal; the Captus 3000 thyroid uptake probe, which contains a 5.08 × 5.08-cm NaI(Tl) crystal; the Transportable Portal Monitor Model TPM-903B, which contains two 3.81 × 7.62 × 182.9-cm polyvinyltoluene plastic scintillators; and a generic instrument, such as an ionization chamber, that measures exposure rates. The calibration factors enable these instruments to be used for assessing inhaled or ingested intakes of any of four radionuclides: 60Co, 131I, 137Cs, and 192Ir. The derivations used biokinetic models embodied in the DCAL computer software system developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNPX radiation transport code. The three physical instruments were represented by MCNP models that were developed previously. The affected individuals comprised children of five ages who were represented by the revised Oak Ridge National Laboratory pediatric phantoms, and adult men and adult women represented by the Adult Reference Computational Phantoms described in Publication 110 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. These calibration factors can be used to calculate intakes; the intakes can be converted to committed doses by the use of tabulated dose coefficients. These calibration factors also constitute input data to the ICAT computer program, an interactive Microsoft Windows-based software package that estimates intakes of radionuclides and cumulative and committed effective doses, based on measurements made with these instruments. This program constitutes a convenient tool for assessing intakes and doses without consulting tabulated calibration factors and dose coefficients. PMID:27798478

Dynamics of lineage commitment revealed by single-cell transcriptomics of differentiating embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Semrau, Stefan; Goldmann, Johanna E; Soumillon, Magali; Mikkelsen, Tarjei S; Jaenisch, Rudolf; van Oudenaarden, Alexander

2017-10-23

Gene expression heterogeneity in the pluripotent state of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) has been increasingly well-characterized. In contrast, exit from pluripotency and lineage commitment have not been studied systematically at the single-cell level. Here we measure the gene expression dynamics of retinoic acid driven mESC differentiation from pluripotency to lineage commitment, using an unbiased single-cell transcriptomics approach. We find that the exit from pluripotency marks the start of a lineage transition as well as a transient phase of increased susceptibility to lineage specifying signals. Our study reveals several transcriptional signatures of this phase, including a sharp increase of gene expression variability and sequential expression of two classes of transcriptional regulators. In summary, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the exit from pluripotency and lineage commitment at the single cell level, a potential stepping stone to improved lineage manipulation through timing of differentiation cues.

Limitations of constitutional protections in Jackson v. Indiana pertaining to charges with no statute of limitations.

PubMed

Rodol, Liban; Epson, Martin F; Bloom, Joseph D

2013-01-01

There has been a long-standing link between the civil and criminal commitment procedures for individuals found incompetent to stand trial (IST). In the criminal system, when restoration of competency fails to be realized in a reasonable time, the civil commitment process becomes the default system for commitment. While there have been recent calls for improved mechanisms for predicting competence restorability, there has been little attention paid to individuals who can oscillate indefinitely between commitment in both the criminal and civil systems. We provide an example of one such case where an individual falls into the legal space that sits outside of the judicial guidance outlined in the landmark case Jackson v. Indiana. This review of Oregon public documents surrounding an ongoing murder case highlights the potential for indefinite detention of individuals who have been charged with serious crimes that do not have a statute of limitations, who are unlikely to be restored to competency to stand trial, and who are inconsistently found to be dangerous under civil commitment standards.

Best practice management strategies for mental health nurses during the clinical application of civil commitment: an overview.

PubMed

McKenna, Brian G; Simpson, Alexander I F; Coverdale, John H

2006-01-01

The aim of this article is to outline best practice management strategies for nurses during the clinical application of civil commitment of mentally ill persons. A thorough literature search on 'coercion' and 'civil commitment' was undertaken using MEDLINE, CINAHL and PSYCHINFO. Published and unpublished research undertaken by the authors in New Zealand on this topic was drawn upon. This research considered the use of civil commitment during admission to acute mental health services, acute forensic mental health services and community mental health services. The experience of coercion by service users coincides with the degree of restriction associated with the service they are involved in. Socio-demographic factors, clinical factors and the experience of coercive events have little bearing on the amount of coercion experienced. Rather it is the pattern of communication and the use of 'procedural justice' that has the potential to ameliorate the amount of perceived coercion. 'Procedural justice' aligns with the emphasis placed on the therapeutic relationship in mental health nursing and is an important consideration for nurses during the clinical application of civil commitment.

Reasons for continuing use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in students: a consumer commitment model.

PubMed

Sirois, Fuschia M; Salamonsen, Anita; Kristoffersen, Agnete E

2016-02-24

Research on continued CAM use has been largely atheoretical and has not considered the broader range of psychological and behavioral factors that may be involved. The purpose of this study was to test a new conceptual model of commitment to CAM use that implicates utilitarian (trust in CAM) and symbolic (perceived fit with CAM) in psychological and behavioral dimensions of CAM commitment. A student sample of CAM consumers, (N = 159) completed a survey about their CAM use, CAM-related values, intentions for future CAM use, CAM word-of-mouth behavior, and perceptions of being an ongoing CAM consumer. Analysis revealed that the utilitarian, symbolic, and CAM commitment variables were significantly related, with r's ranging from .54 to .73. A series hierarchical regression analyses controlling for relevant demographic variables found that the utilitarian and symbolic values uniquely accounted for significant and substantial proportion of the variance in each of the three CAM commitment indicators (R(2) from .37 to .57). The findings provide preliminary support for the new model that posits that CAM commitment is a multi-dimensional psychological state with behavioral indicators. Further research with large-scale samples and longitudinal designs is warranted to understand the potential value of the new model.

The Negative Impact of Organizational Cynicism on Physicians and Nurses

PubMed Central

Volpe, Rebecca L.; Mohammed, Susan; Hopkins, Margaret; Shapiro, Daniel; Dellasega, Cheryl

2015-01-01

Despite the potentially severe consequences that could result, there is a paucity of research on organizational cynicism within US healthcare providers. In response, this study investigated the effect of cynicism on organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and interest in leaving the hospital for another job in a sample of 205 physicians and 842 nurses. Three types of cynicism were investigated: trait (dispositional), global (directed toward the hospital), and local (directed toward a specific unit or department). Findings indicate that all three types of cynicism were negatively related to affective organizational commitment and job satisfaction, but positively related to interest in leaving. In both nurse and physician samples, cynicism explained about half of the variance in job satisfaction and affective commitment, which is the type of commitment managers are most eager to promote. Cynicism accounted for about a quarter and a third of the variance in interest in leaving the hospital for nurses and physicians, respectively. Trait, global and local cynicism each accounted for unique variance in affective commitment, satisfaction, and interest in leaving, with global cynicism exerting the largest influence on each outcome. The implications for managers are that activities aimed at decreasing organizational cynicism are likely to increase affective organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and organizational tenure. PMID:25350015

Empowering workplace and wellbeing among healthcare professionals: the buffering role of job control.

PubMed

Galletta, Maura; Portoghese, Igor; Fabbri, Daniele; Pilia, Ilaria; Campagna, Marcello

2016-05-26

Health care workers are exposed to several job stressors that can adversely affect their wellbeing. Workplace incivility is a growing organizational concern with the potential to create workplaces harmful to individuals' wellbeing and increase occupational health risks. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of two resources (organizational empowerment and job control) on individuals' well-being (emotional exhaustion) and attitude at work (unit affective commitment). A total of 210 hospital workers completed a self-administered questionnaire that was used to measure organizational empowerment, workplace incivility, job control, exhaustion, and affective commitment. Data were collected in 2014. Data were examined via linear regression analyses. The results showed that workplace incivility was positively related to emotional exhaustion and negatively related to affective commitment. Workplace empowerment was positively related to affective commitment and negatively related to emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, the positive relationship between workplace empowerment and affective commitment was significantly moderated by job control. Our results found support for the JD-R model. Specifically, results showed the buffering effect of job control in the relationship between empowerment and affective commitment. Our findings may concretely contribute to the stress literature and offer additional suggestions to promote healthy workplaces.

Student public commitment in a school-based diabetes prevention project: impact on physical health and health behavior.

PubMed

DeBar, Lynn L; Schneider, Margaret; Drews, Kimberly L; Ford, Eileen G; Stadler, Diane D; Moe, Esther L; White, Mamie; Hernandez, Arthur E; Solomon, Sara; Jessup, Ann; Venditti, Elizabeth M

2011-09-20

As concern about youth obesity continues to mount, there is increasing consideration of widespread policy changes to support improved nutritional and enhanced physical activity offerings in schools. A critical element in the success of such programs may be to involve students as spokespeople for the program. Making such a public commitment to healthy lifestyle program targets (improved nutrition and enhanced physical activity) may potentiate healthy behavior changes among such students and provide a model for their peers. This paper examines whether student's "public commitment"--voluntary participation as a peer communicator or in student-generated media opportunities--in a school-based intervention to prevent diabetes and reduce obesity predicted improved study outcomes including reduced obesity and improved health behaviors. Secondary analysis of data from a 3-year randomized controlled trial conducted in 42 middle schools examining the impact of a multi-component school-based program on body mass index (BMI) and student health behaviors. A total of 4603 students were assessed at the beginning of sixth grade and the end of eighth grade. Process evaluation data were collected throughout the course of the intervention. All analyses were adjusted for students' baseline values. For this paper, the students in the schools randomized to receive the intervention were further divided into two groups: those who participated in public commitment activities and those who did not. Students from comparable schools randomized to the assessment condition constituted the control group. We found a lower percentage of obesity (greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for BMI) at the end of the study among the group participating in public commitment activities compared to the control group (21.5% vs. 26.6%, p = 0.02). The difference in obesity rates at the end of the study was even greater among the subgroup of students who were overweight or obese at baseline; 44.6% for the "public commitment" group, versus 53.2% for the control group (p = 0.01). There was no difference in obesity rates between the group not participating in public commitment activities and the control group (26.4% vs. 26.6%). Participating in public commitment activities during the HEALTHY study may have potentiated the changes promoted by the behavioral, nutrition, and physical activity intervention components. ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00458029.

Student public commitment in a school-based diabetes prevention project: impact on physical health and health behavior

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background As concern about youth obesity continues to mount, there is increasing consideration of widespread policy changes to support improved nutritional and enhanced physical activity offerings in schools. A critical element in the success of such programs may be to involve students as spokespeople for the program. Making such a public commitment to healthy lifestyle program targets (improved nutrition and enhanced physical activity) may potentiate healthy behavior changes among such students and provide a model for their peers. This paper examines whether student's "public commitment"--voluntary participation as a peer communicator or in student-generated media opportunities--in a school-based intervention to prevent diabetes and reduce obesity predicted improved study outcomes including reduced obesity and improved health behaviors. Methods Secondary analysis of data from a 3-year randomized controlled trial conducted in 42 middle schools examining the impact of a multi-component school-based program on body mass index (BMI) and student health behaviors. A total of 4603 students were assessed at the beginning of sixth grade and the end of eighth grade. Process evaluation data were collected throughout the course of the intervention. All analyses were adjusted for students' baseline values. For this paper, the students in the schools randomized to receive the intervention were further divided into two groups: those who participated in public commitment activities and those who did not. Students from comparable schools randomized to the assessment condition constituted the control group. Results We found a lower percentage of obesity (greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for BMI) at the end of the study among the group participating in public commitment activities compared to the control group (21.5% vs. 26.6%, p = 0.02). The difference in obesity rates at the end of the study was even greater among the subgroup of students who were overweight or obese at baseline; 44.6% for the "public commitment" group, versus 53.2% for the control group (p = 0.01). There was no difference in obesity rates between the group not participating in public commitment activities and the control group (26.4% vs. 26.6%). Conclusions Participating in public commitment activities during the HEALTHY study may have potentiated the changes promoted by the behavioral, nutrition, and physical activity intervention components. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00458029 PMID:21933431

Analysis of 238U, 232Th, 222Rn, and 220Rn in different medical drug preparations by using CR-39 and LR-115 typE II SSNTDs and resulting radiation doses to adult patients.

PubMed

Misdaq, M A; Karime, M

2009-01-01

Uranium (238U) and thorium (232Th) concentrations as well as radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) alpha activities per unit volume have been measured inside 18 medical drugs (4 liquid and 14 solid materials), widely prescribed by doctors to the Moroccan adult patients, by using CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The measured 238U, 232Th, 222Rn, and 220Rn concentrations ranged from (4.7 +/- 0.1) mBq L-1 to (14.3 +/- 0.7) mBq L-1, (0.32 +/- 0.02) mBq L-1 to (2.7 +/- 0.2) mBq L-1, (4.7 +/- 0.2) Bq L-1 to (14.3 +/- 0.7) Bq L-1, and (0.32 +/- 0.02) Bq L-1 to (2.7 +/- 0.2) Bq L-1 for the medical drug samples studied, respectively. These radionuclides were also measured inside the preparations of the solid medical drugs studied. The influence of the drinking water nature and pollution on the concentrations of these radionuclides inside the considered medical drug preparations was investigated. Annual committed equivalent doses due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn were evaluated in the human body compartments of adult patients from the ingestion of the medical drug preparations studied. The maximum total committed effective dose due to 238U, 232Th, and 222Rn from the ingestion of the studied medical drug preparations, prepared from unpolluted waters, by adult patients was found equal to 1.44 microSv y.

The Incorporation of Radionuclides After Wounding by a “Dirty Bomb”: The Impact of Time for Decorporation Efficacy and a Model for Cases of Disseminated Fragmentation Wounds

PubMed Central

Rump, Alexis; Stricklin, Daniela; Lamkowski, Andreas; Eder, Stefan; Abend, Michael; Port, Matthias

2017-01-01

Objective: In the case of a terrorist attack by a “dirty bomb” there is a risk of internal contamination with radionuclides through inhalation and wounds. We studied the efficacy of a decorporation treatment depending on the initiation time and duration. Approach: Based on biokinetic models, we simulated the impact of different diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid treatments on the committed effective dose after the incorporation of plutonium-239. Results: For the same level of radioactivity, the dose was higher after the fast absorption from the wound than after a slow invasion following inhalation. The impact of the treatment initiation time was particularly important in the case of the internal contamination through the wound. Ending the treatment at an early point in time was followed by an augmentation of radioactivity in the blood compartment, reflecting insufficient treatment duration. Treatment efficacy increased only marginally if extended over 90 days. Innovation and Conclusion: For plutonium-239, the committed effective dose and the impact of the treatment initiation time on therapeutic efficacy predominantly depend on the speed of invasion, i.e., the pathway and the physicochemical properties of the compounds involved. Thus, it is prudent to start decorporation therapy as soon as possible, as a loss of efficacy resulting from a delay in treatment initiation cannot be compensated later on. In the case of plutonium-239 incorporation, the treatment must be continued for several months. Multiple fragmentation wounds might be aggregated to a single wound model suited for internal dosimetry calculations by using the “rule of nine.” PMID:28116223

Committed effective dose from naturally occuring radionuclides in shellfish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin; Wahib, Norfadira Binti; Amin, Yusoff Mohd.; Bradley, D. A.

2013-07-01

Recognizing their importance in the average Malaysian daily diet, the radioactivity concentrations in mollusc- and crustacean-based food have been determined for key naturally occuring radionuclides. Fresh samples collected from various maritime locations around peninsular Malaysia have been processed using standard procedures; the radionuclide concentrations being determined using an HPGe γ-ray spectrometer. For molluscs, assuming secular equilibrium, the range of activities of 238U (226Ra), 232Th (228Ra) and 40K were found to be 3.28±0.35 to 5.34±0.52, 1.20±0.21 to 2.44±0.21 and 118±6 to 281±14 Bq kg-1 dry weight, respectively. The respective values for crustaceans were 3.02±0.57 to 4.70±0.52, 1.38±0.21 to 2.40±0.35 and 216±11 to 316±15 Bq kg-1. The estimated average daily intake of radioactivity from consumption of molluscs are 0.37 Bq kg-1 for 238U (226Ra), 0.16 Bq kg-1 for 232Th (228Ra) and 18 Bq kg-1 for 40K; the respective daily intake values from crustaceans are 0.36 Bq kg-1, 0.16 Bq kg-1 and 23 Bq kg-1. Associated annual committed effective doses from molluscs are estimated to be in the range 21.3 to 34.7 μSv for 226Ra, 19.3 to 39.1 μSv for 228Ra and 17.0 to 40.4 μSv for 40K. For crustaceans, the respective dose ranges are 19.6 to 30.5 μSv, 22.0 to 38.4 μSv and 31.1 to 45.5 μSv, being some several times world average values.

Empowerment: the emperor's new clothes.

PubMed

Argyris, C

1998-01-01

Everyone talks about empowerment, but it's not working. CEOs subtly undermine empowerment. Employees are often unprepared or unwilling to assume the new responsibilities it entails. Even change professionals stifle it. When empowerment is used as the ultimate criteria of success in organizations, it covers up many of the deeper problems that they must overcome. To understand this apparent contradiction, the author explores two kinds of commitment: external and internal. External commitment--or contractual compliance--is what employees display when they have little control over their destinies and are accustomed to working under the command-and-control model. Internal commitment occurs when employees are committed to a particular project, person, or program for their own individual reasons or motivations. Internal commitment is very closely allied with empowerment. The problem with change programs designed to encourage empowerment is that they actually end up creating more external than internal commitment. One reason is that these programs are rife with inner contradictions and send out mixed messages like "do your own thing--the way we tell you." The result is that employees feel little responsibility for the change program, and people throughout the organization feel less empowered. What can be done? Companies would do well to recognize potential inconsistencies in their change programs; to understand that empowerment has its limits; to establish working conditions that encourage employees' internal commitment; and to realize that morale and even empowerment are penultimate criteria in organizations. The ultimate goal is performance.

The impact of workplace spirituality dimensions on organisational citizenship behaviour among nurses with the mediating effect of affective organisational commitment.

PubMed

Kazemipour, Farahnaz; Mohd Amin, Salmiah

2012-12-01

To investigate the relationship between workplace spirituality dimensions and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among nurses through the mediating effect of affective organisational commitment. Nurses' OCB has been considered recently to improve the quality of services to patients and subsequently, their performance. As an influential attitude, affective organisational commitment has been recognized to influence OCB, and ultimately, organisational performance. Meanwhile, workplace spirituality is introduced as a new organisational behaviour concept to increase affective commitment influencing employees' OCB. The cross-sectional study and the respective data were collected with a questionnaire-based survey. The questionnaires were distributed to 305 nurses employed in four public and general Iranian hospitals. To analyse the data, descriptive statistics, Pearson coefficient, simple regression, multiple regression and path analyses were also conducted. The results indicated that workplace spirituality dimensions including meaningful work, a sense of community and an alignment with organisational values have a significant positive relationship with OCB. Moreover, affective organisational commitment mediated the impact of workplace spirituality on OCB. The concept of workplace spirituality through its dimensions predicts nurses' OCB, and affective organisational commitment partially mediated the relationship between workplace spirituality and OCB. Nurses' managers should consider the potentially positive influence of workplace spirituality on OCB and affective commitment among their nurses. With any plan to increase workplace spirituality, the respective managers can improve nurses' performance and would be of considerable importance in the healthcare system. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Suicidal drug overdose while receiving palliative home care: a case report].

PubMed

Mosich, Veronika; Müller-Busch, H Christof

2014-05-01

Suicidal thoughts are a common phenomenon in palliative care which can be seen in around 10% of the patients. There is very little knowledge about attempted and committed suicide. This article is a case report about a patient with lung cancer in a terminal state of illness who ingested drugs in a toxic dose while receiving palliative home care. This article deals with ethical issues in medical treatment and various ways of decision-making.

SU-F-P-04: Implementation of Dose Monitoring Software: Successes and Pitfalls

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

Och, J

2016-06-15

Purpose: to successfully install a dose monitoring software (DMS) application to assist in CT protocol and dose management. Methods: Upon selecting the DMS, we began our implementation of the application. A working group composed of Medical Physics, Radiology Administration, Information Technology, and CT technologists was formed. On-site training in the application was supplied by the vendor. The decision was made to apply the process for all the CT protocols on all platforms at all facilities. Protocols were painstakingly mapped to the correct masters, and the system went ‘live’. Results: We are routinely using DMS as a tool in our Clinicalmore » Performance CT QA program. It is useful in determining the effectiveness of revisions to existing protocols, and establishing performance baselines for new units. However, the implementation was not without difficulty. We identified several pitfalls and obstacles which frustrated progress. Including: Training deficiencies, Nomenclature problems, Communication, DICOM variability. Conclusion: Dose monitoring software can be a potent tool for QA. However, implementation of the program can be problematic and requires planning, organization and commitment.« less

Radon and Thoron Measured in Petrol and Gas-oil Exhaust Fumes by Using CR-39 and LR-115 II Nuclear Track Detectors: Radiation Doses to the Respiratory Tract of Mechanic Workers.

PubMed

Misdaq, M A; Chaouqi, A; Ouguidi, J; Touti, R; Mortassim, A

2015-06-01

Mechanic workers are exposed to exhaust fumes when controlling vehicle engines in motion inside repair shops. To assess radiation doses due to radon short-lived progeny from the inhalation of exhaust fumes by mechanic workers, concentrations of these radionuclides were measured in petrol (gasoline) and gas-oil exhaust fumes by evaluating mean critical angles of etching of the CR-39 and LR-115 type II SSNTDs for alpha particles emitted by the radon and thoron decay series. Committed effective doses due to ²¹⁸Po and ²¹⁴Po short-lived radon decay products from the inhalation of petrol and gas-oil exhaust fumes by workers were evaluated. A maximum value of 1.35 mSv y⁻¹ due to radon short-lived decay products from the inhalation of gas-oil exhaust fumes by mechanic workers was found, which is lower than the (3-10 mSv y⁻¹) dose limit interval for workers.

DETERMINATION AND DOSE CONTRIBUTION OF URANIUM ISOTOPES AND 210Po ACTIVITY CONCENTRATIONS OF NATURAL SPRING WATERS IN THE PROVINCE OF GRANADA, SPAIN.

PubMed

Milena-Pérez, A; Piñero-García, F; Expósito-Suárez, V M; Mantero, J; Benavente, J; Ferro-García, M A

2018-03-01

The activity concentrations of alpha-emitters comprising isotopes of uranium (238, 234, 235U) and polonium (210Po) were measured using alpha-particle spectrometry in natural spring waters in the province of Granada, Spain. These water are consumed by the population of the zone who live in villages. This is almost half of the population of the whole region. Mean values of activity concentrations found are 42.61 ± 2.66; 49.55 ± 3.03; 1.64 ± 0.28 and 1.74 ± 0.15 mBq L-1 for 238U, 234U, 235U and 210Po, respectively. Finally, the radiological impact of the analysed waters has been determined, in terms of the estimation of the committed annual effective dose due to the ingestion of the water. The assessment has been carried out for five age groups with the aim to cover all the population. The calculated annual effective doses are observed to be below the prescribed dose limit of 100 μSv y-1 recommended by WHO.

Meeting Each Student's Unique Potential: One Approach to Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauld, Joseph W.

1996-01-01

By championing extrinsic motivation, the achievement-reward system short-circuits individuals' innate inner power. Achievement-oriented adults rely on their knowledge, skills, and abilities, not their deeper potential. Hyde School, in Bath, Maine, solves this problem by committing the entire school community to development of unique potential via…

Advance market commitments for vaccines against neglected diseases: estimating costs and effectiveness.

PubMed

Berndt, Ernst R; Glennerster, Rachel; Kremer, Michael R; Lee, Jean; Levine, Ruth; Weizsäcker, Georg; Williams, Heidi

2007-05-01

The G8 is considering committing to purchase vaccines against diseases concentrated in low-income countries (if and when desirable vaccines are developed) as a way to spur research and development on vaccines for these diseases. Under such an 'advance market commitment,' one or more sponsors would commit to a minimum price to be paid per person immunized for an eligible product, up to a certain number of individuals immunized. For additional purchases, the price would eventually drop to close to marginal cost. If no suitable product were developed, no payments would be made. We estimate the offer size which would make revenues similar to the revenues realized from investments in typical existing commercial pharmaceutical products, as well as the degree to which various model contracts and assumptions would affect the cost-effectiveness of such a commitment. We make adjustments for lower marketing costs under an advance market commitment and the risk that a developer may have to share the market with subsequent developers. We also show how this second risk could be reduced, and money saved, by introducing a superiority clause to a commitment. Under conservative assumptions, we document that a commitment comparable in value to sales earned by the average of a sample of recently launched commercial products (adjusted for lower marketing costs) would be a highly cost-effective way to address HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Sensitivity analyses suggest most characteristics of a hypothetical vaccine would have little effect on the cost-effectiveness, but that the duration of protection conferred by a vaccine strongly affects potential cost-effectiveness. Readers can conduct their own sensitivity analyses employing a web-based spreadsheet tool. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The role of substance use and morality in violent crime - a qualitative study among imprisoned individuals in opioid maintenance treatment

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) is regarded as a crime control measure. Yet, some individuals are charged with violent criminal offenses while enrolled in OMT. This article aims to generate nuanced knowledge about violent crime among a group of imprisoned, OMT-enrolled individuals by exploring their understandings of the role of substances in violent crime prior to and during OMT, moral values related to violent crime, and post-crime processing of their moral transgressions. Methods Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews were undertaken among 12 OMT-enrolled prisoners. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. An exploratory, thematic analysis was carried out with a reflexive and interactive approach. Findings Prior to OMT, substances and, in particular, high-dose benzodiazepines were deliberately used to induce ‘antisocial selves’ capable of transgressing individual moral codes and performing non-violent and violent criminal acts, mainly to support costly heroin use. During OMT, impulsive and uncontrolled substance use just prior to the violent acts that the participants were imprisoned for was reported. Yet, to conduct a (violent) criminal act does not necessarily imply that one is without moral principles. The study participants maintain moral standards, engage in complex moral negotiations, and struggle to reconcile their moral transgressions. Benzodiazepines were also used to reduce memories of and alleviate the guilt associated with having committed violent crimes. Conclusions Substances are used to transgress moral codes prior to committing and to neutralize the shame and guilt experienced after having committed violent crimes. Being simultaneously enrolled in OMT and imprisoned for a (violent) crime might evoke feelings of ‘double’ shame and guilt for both the criminal behavior prior to treatment and the actual case(s) one is imprisoned for while in OMT. Treatment providers should identify individuals with histories of violent behavior and, together with them, explore concrete episodes of violence and their emotional reactions. Particular attention should be given to potential relationships between substance use and violence and treatment approaches tailored accordingly. What appears as severe antisocial personality disorder may be partly explained by substance use. PMID:25142321

Effects of Parental Divorce on Marital Commitment and Confidence

PubMed Central

Whitton, Sarah W.; Rhoades, Galena K.; Stanley, Scott M.; Markman, Howard J.

2009-01-01

Research on the intergenerational transmission of divorce has demonstrated that, compared to offspring of non-divorced parents, those of divorced parents generally have more negative attitudes towards marriage as an institution and are less optimistic about the feasibility of a long-lasting, healthy marriage. It is also possible that, when entering marriage themselves, adults whose parents divorced have less personal relationship commitment to their own marriages and less confidence in their own ability to maintain a happy marriage with their spouse. However, this prediction has not been tested. In the current study, we assessed relationship commitment and relationship confidence, as well as parental divorce and retrospectively-reported interparental conflict, in a sample of 265 engaged couples prior to their first marriage. Results demonstrated that women’s but not men’s parental divorce was associated with lower relationship commitment and lower relationship confidence. These effects persisted when controlling for the influence of recalled interparental conflict and premarital relationship adjustment. The current findings suggest that women whose parents divorced are more likely to enter marriage with relatively lower commitment to, and confidence in, the future of those marriages, potentially raising their risk for divorce. PMID:18855515

Hardiness commitment, gender, and age differentiate university academic performance.

PubMed

Sheard, Michael

2009-03-01

The increasing diversity of students, particularly in age, attending university has seen a concomitant interest in factors predicting academic success. This 2-year correlational study examined whether age, gender (demographic variables), and hardiness (cognitive/emotional variable) differentiate and predict university final degree grade point average (GPA) and final-year dissertation mark. Data are reported from a total of 134 university undergraduate students. Participants provided baseline data in questionnaires administered during the first week of their second year of undergraduate study and gave consent for their academic progress to be tracked. Final degree GPA and dissertation mark were the academic performance criteria. Mature-age students achieved higher final degree GPA compared to young undergraduates. Female students significantly outperformed their male counterparts in each measured academic assessment criteria. Female students also reported a significantly higher mean score on hardiness commitment compared to male students. commitment was the most significant positive correlate of academic achievement. Final degree GPA and dissertation mark were significantly predicted by commitment, and commitment and gender, respectively. The findings have implications for universities targeting academic support services to maximize student scholastic potential. Future research should incorporate hardiness, gender, and age with other variables known to predict academic success.

Effects of parental divorce on marital commitment and confidence.

PubMed

Whitton, Sarah W; Rhoades, Galena K; Stanley, Scott M; Markman, Howard J

2008-10-01

Research on the intergenerational transmission of divorce has demonstrated that compared with offspring of nondivorced parents, those of divorced parents generally have more negative attitudes toward marriage as an institution and are less optimistic about the feasibility of a long-lasting, healthy marriage. It is also possible that when entering marriage themselves, adults whose parents divorced have less personal relationship commitment to their own marriages and less confidence in their own ability to maintain a happy marriage with their spouse. However, this prediction has not been tested. In the current study, we assessed relationship commitment and relationship confidence, as well as parental divorce and retrospectively reported interparental conflict, in a sample of 265 engaged couples prior to their first marriage. Results demonstrated that women's, but not men's, parental divorce was associated with lower relationship commitment and lower relationship confidence. These effects persisted when controlling for the influence of recalled interparental conflict and premarital relationship adjustment. The current findings suggest that women whose parents divorced are more likely to enter marriage with relatively lower commitment to, and confidence in, the future of those marriages, potentially raising their risk for divorce. Copyright 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

Getting to Zero: Goal Commitment to Reduce Blood Stream Infections.

PubMed

McAlearney, Ann Scheck; Hefner, Jennifer L

2016-08-01

While preventing health care-associated infections (HAIs) can save lives and reduce health care costs, efforts designed to eliminate HAIs have had mixed results. Variability in contextual factors such as work culture and management practices has been suggested as a potential explanation for inconsistent results across organizations and interventions. We examine goal-setting as a factor contributing to program outcomes in eight hospitals focused on preventing central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). We conducted qualitative case studies to compare higher- and lower-performing hospitals, and explored differences in contextual factors that might contribute to performance variation. We present a goal commitment framework that characterizes factors associated with successful CLABSI program outcomes. Across 194 key informant interviews, internal and external moderators and characteristics of the goal itself differentiated actors' goal commitment at higher- versus lower-performing hospitals. Our findings have implications for organizations struggling to prevent HAIs, as well as informing the broader goal commitment literature. © The Author(s) 2015.

Distinct epigenomic landscapes of pluripotent and lineage-committed human cells.

PubMed

Hawkins, R David; Hon, Gary C; Lee, Leonard K; Ngo, Queminh; Lister, Ryan; Pelizzola, Mattia; Edsall, Lee E; Kuan, Samantha; Luu, Ying; Klugman, Sarit; Antosiewicz-Bourget, Jessica; Ye, Zhen; Espinoza, Celso; Agarwahl, Saurabh; Shen, Li; Ruotti, Victor; Wang, Wei; Stewart, Ron; Thomson, James A; Ecker, Joseph R; Ren, Bing

2010-05-07

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) share an identical genome with lineage-committed cells, yet possess the remarkable properties of self-renewal and pluripotency. The diverse cellular properties in different cells have been attributed to their distinct epigenomes, but how much epigenomes differ remains unclear. Here, we report that epigenomic landscapes in hESCs and lineage-committed cells are drastically different. By comparing the chromatin-modification profiles and DNA methylomes in hESCs and primary fibroblasts, we find that nearly one-third of the genome differs in chromatin structure. Most changes arise from dramatic redistributions of repressive H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 marks, which form blocks that significantly expand in fibroblasts. A large number of potential regulatory sequences also exhibit a high degree of dynamics in chromatin modifications and DNA methylation. Additionally, we observe novel, context-dependent relationships between DNA methylation and chromatin modifications. Our results provide new insights into epigenetic mechanisms underlying properties of pluripotency and cell fate commitment.

Nursing staff and their team: Impact on intention to leave.

PubMed

Trybou, J; Malfait, S; Gemmel, P; Clays, E

2015-12-01

The aim was to examine the relationship between the quality of team-member exchange experienced by nursing staff and their intention to leave. Job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment are considered as mediators. While the shortage of nurses is a management and policy priority, few studies have studied the relationships between nursing staff and their team, key organizational attitudes, and intentions to leave the organization. A questionnaire was administered to 217 registered nurses and nurse assistants in Belgium. Data were collected in 2012. To analyse the data, descriptive statistics, correlation, regression and path analyses were conducted. Team-member exchange has a positive impact on nursing staff satisfaction and affective commitment. Job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment fully mediated the impact of team-member exchange on nursing staff's intention to leave. This study illustrates the potential benefits of the positive influence of team-member exchange on key organizational attitudes of nursing staff, and the negative influence on intention to leave through affective commitment and job satisfaction. © 2015 International Council of Nurses.

The Making of a Good Woman: Extended Parental Leave Entitlements and Mothers' Work Commitment in Germany.

PubMed

Gangl, Markus; Ziefle, Andrea

2015-09-01

The authors investigate the relationship between family policy and women's attachment to the labor market, focusing specifically on policy feedback on women's subjective work commitment. They utilize a quasi-experimental design to identify normative policy effects from changes in mothers' work commitment in conjunction with two policy changes that significantly extended the length of statutory parental leave entitlements in Germany. Using unique survey data from the German Socio-Economic Panel and difference-in-differences, triple-differenced, and instrumental variables estimators for panel data, they obtain consistent empirical evidence that increasing generosity of leave entitlements led to a decline in mothers' work commitment in both East and West Germany. They also probe potential mediating mechanisms and find strong evidence for role exposure and norm setting effects. Finally, they demonstrate that policy-induced shifts in mothers' preferences have contributed to. retarding women's labor force participation after childbirth in Germany, especially as far as mothers' return to full-time employment is concerned.

Guidance on the Use of Hand-Held Survey Meters for Radiological Triage: Time-Dependent Detector Count Rates Corresponding to 50, 250, and 500 mSv Effective Dose for Adult Males and Adult Females

PubMed Central

Bolch, Wesley E.; Hurtado, Jorge L.; Lee, Choonsik; Manger, Ryan; Hertel, Nolan; Dickerson, William

2013-01-01

In June of 2006, the Radiation Studies Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a workshop to explore rapid methods of facilitating radiological triage of large numbers of potentially contaminated individuals following detonation of a radiological dispersal device. Two options were discussed. The first was the use of traditional gamma-cameras in nuclear medicine departments operated as make-shift whole-body counters. Guidance on this approach is currently available from the CDC. This approach is feasible if a manageable number of individuals were involved, transportation to the relevant hospitals was quickly provided, and the medical staff at each facility had been previously trained in this non-traditional use of their radiopharmaceutical imaging devices. If, however, substantially large numbers of individuals (100s to 1000s) needed radiological screening, other options must be given to first responders, first receivers, and health physicists providing medical management. In this study, the second option of the workshop was investigated – the use of commercially available portable survey meters (either NaI or GM based) for assessing potential ranges of effective dose (<50, 50–250, 250–500, and >500 mSv). Two hybrid computational phantoms were used to model an adult male and an adult female subject internally contaminated with either 241Am, 60Cs, 137Cs, 131I, and 192Ir following an acute inhalation or ingestion intake. As a function of time following the exposure, the net count rates corresponding to committed effective doses of 50, 250, and 500 mSv were estimated via Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation for each of four different detectors types, positions, and screening distances. Measured count rates can be compared to these values and an assignment of one of four possible effective dose ranges could be made. The method implicitly assumes that all external contamination has been removed prior to screening, and that the measurements be conducted in a low-background, and possibly mobile, facility positioned at the triage location. Net count rate data are provided in both tabular and graphical format within a series of eight handbooks available at the CDC website http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation. PMID:22420020

Guidance on the Use of Hand-Held Survey Meters for radiological Triage: Time-Dependent Detector Count Rates Corresponding to 50, 250, and 500 mSv Effective Dose for Adult Males and Adult Females

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

Bolch, W.E.; Hurtado, J.L.; Lee, C.

2012-01-01

In June 2006, the Radiation Studies Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a workshop to explore rapid methods of facilitating radiological triage of large numbers of potentially contaminated individuals following detonation of a radiological dispersal device. Two options were discussed. The first was the use of traditional gamma cameras in nuclear medicine departments operated as makeshift wholebody counters. Guidance on this approach is currently available from the CDC. This approach would be feasible if a manageable number of individuals were involved, transportation to the relevant hospitals was quickly provided, and the medical staff at each facilitymore » had been previously trained in this non-traditional use of their radiopharmaceutical imaging devices. If, however, substantially larger numbers of individuals (100 s to 1,000 s) needed radiological screening, other options must be given to first responders, first receivers, and health physicists providing medical management. In this study, the second option of the workshop was investigated by the use of commercially available portable survey meters (either NaI or GM based) for assessing potential ranges of effective dose (G50, 50Y250, 250Y500, and 9500 mSv). Two hybrid computational phantoms were used to model an adult male and an adult female subject internally contaminated with 241Am, 60Cs, 137Cs, 131I, or 192Ir following an acute inhalation or ingestion intake. As a function of time following the exposure, the net count rates corresponding to committed effective doses of 50, 250, and 500 mSv were estimated via Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation for each of four different detector types, positions, and screening distances. Measured net count rates can be compared to these values, and an assignment of one of four possible effective dose ranges could be made. The method implicitly assumes that all external contamination has been removed prior to screening and that the measurements be conducted in a low background, and possibly mobile, facility positioned at the triage location. Net count rate data are provided in both tabular and graphical format within a series of eight handbooks available at the CDC website (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/clinicians/evaluation).« less

Position- and Hippo signaling-dependent plasticity during lineage segregation in the early mouse embryo

PubMed Central

Posfai, Eszter; Petropoulos, Sophie; de Barros, Flavia Regina Oliveira; Schell, John Paul; Jurisica, Igor; Sandberg, Rickard; Lanner, Fredrik; Rossant, Janet

2017-01-01

The segregation of the trophectoderm (TE) from the inner cell mass (ICM) in the mouse blastocyst is determined by position-dependent Hippo signaling. However, the window of responsiveness to Hippo signaling, the exact timing of lineage commitment and the overall relationship between cell commitment and global gene expression changes are still unclear. Single-cell RNA sequencing during lineage segregation revealed that the TE transcriptional profile stabilizes earlier than the ICM and prior to blastocyst formation. Using quantitative Cdx2-eGFP expression as a readout of Hippo signaling activity, we assessed the experimental potential of individual blastomeres based on their level of Cdx2-eGFP expression and correlated potential with gene expression dynamics. We find that TE specification and commitment coincide and occur at the time of transcriptional stabilization, whereas ICM cells still retain the ability to regenerate TE up to the early blastocyst stage. Plasticity of both lineages is coincident with their window of sensitivity to Hippo signaling. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22906.001 PMID:28226240

Impact of transformational leadership on nurse work outcomes.

PubMed

Brewer, Carol S; Kovner, Christine T; Djukic, Maja; Fatehi, Farida; Greene, William; Chacko, Thomas P; Yang, Yulin

2016-11-01

To examine the effect of transformational leadership on early career nurses' intent to stay, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Lack of leadership support is one of the top reasons staff nurses leave. Current studies reported mixed results about the impact of transformational leadership on key nurse outcomes. However, little is known whether leadership directly or indirectly affects satisfaction, organizational commitment and intent to stay. This study was a cross-sectional study of nurses who had been licensed for 7·5-8·5 years which was part of a 10-year longitudinal panel design. The analytic sample was 1037 nationally representative newly licensed Registered Nurses. Data were collected from January-March 2013. We used a probit model to model the relationship between transformational leadership and intent to stay, organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Transformational leadership did not have a significant impact on intent to stay and job satisfaction, but significantly associated with organizational commitment. Organizational commitment, job satisfaction, mentor support, promotional opportunities and age were positively associated with intent to stay, while ethnicity, non-local job opportunities and work settings were negatively associated with intent to stay. Transformational leadership had no direct relationship with intent to stay and job satisfaction and had a small direct positive effect on organizational commitment. Transformational leadership has potential to slow attrition and retain nurses by creating a positive work environment that supports nurses. Any improvement in job satisfaction and organizational commitment would positively increase the change in probability for intent to stay. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How to take care of nurses in your organization: two types of exchange relationships compared.

PubMed

Veld, Monique; Van De Voorde, Karina

2014-04-01

To explore the relationships between climate for well-being, economic and social exchange, affective ward commitment and job strain among nurses in the Netherlands. This study focuses on the immediate work environment of nurses by exploring the way nurse perceptions about the extent to which the ward values and cares for their welfare influence their levels of affective ward commitment and job strain. Second, this study extends previous research on exchange relationships by examining the potential differential impact of social and economic exchange relationships on commitment and job strain. A cross-sectional survey among nurses. The study was conducted in the Netherlands in 2011. Validated measures of climate for well-being, social exchange, economic exchange, ward commitment and job strain were used. Hypotheses were tested using regression analyses. MacKinnon et al.'s (2007) guidelines to assess mediation were used. The response rate was 41% (271 questionnaires). The results show that climate for well-being positively influences social exchange relationships, which are in turn associated with enhanced ward commitment and reduced strain. Climate for well-being negatively influences evaluations of economic exchange, which are in turn negatively related to ward commitment. This study shows that nurses use the information available in their immediate work environment to evaluate their exchange relationship with the organization. Second, the findings point towards the importance of economic and social exchange relationships as a mechanism between climate for well-being on the one hand and affective ward commitment and job strain on the other hand. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Attentional Biases toward Attractive Alternatives and Rivals: Mechanisms Involved in Relationship Maintenance among Chinese Women.

PubMed

Ma, Yidan; Zhao, Guang; Tu, Shen; Zheng, Yong

2015-01-01

A long-term romantic relationship can offer many benefits to committed individuals. Thus, humans possess relationship maintenance mechanisms to protect against threats from those who serve as attractive alternatives or intrasexual rivals. Many studies have indicated that romantic love can act as a commitment device to activate these mechanisms. To examine the attentional bias associated with relationship maintenance among 108 college students (49 single and 59 committed females) in China, we used a semantic priming procedure to activate mental representations associated with romantic love and then asked participants to complete a dot-probe task for the purpose of making a distinction between the engage and disengage components of attention. No significant engaging effects toward attractive faces were observed among committed females, but the following significant disengaging effects were found: when primed with romantic love, single females showed increased attention toward and difficulty in disengaging from attractive male faces, whereas females already in a committed relationship did not alter their attention, remaining as inattentive to attractive alternatives as they were in the baseline condition. In addition, committed females responded to love priming by exhibiting difficulty in disengaging from attractive rivals. The present findings provide evidence in the Chinese cultural context for the existence of early-stage attentional processes in the domain of relationship maintenance that committed Chinese females protected an ongoing relationship by not only being inattentive to attractive males who could serve as attractive alternatives, but also being more attentive to attractive females who could be potential rivals when mental representations associated with romantic love were primed.

Attentional Biases toward Attractive Alternatives and Rivals: Mechanisms Involved in Relationship Maintenance among Chinese Women

PubMed Central

Ma, Yidan; Zhao, Guang; Tu, Shen; Zheng, Yong

2015-01-01

A long-term romantic relationship can offer many benefits to committed individuals. Thus, humans possess relationship maintenance mechanisms to protect against threats from those who serve as attractive alternatives or intrasexual rivals. Many studies have indicated that romantic love can act as a commitment device to activate these mechanisms. To examine the attentional bias associated with relationship maintenance among 108 college students (49 single and 59 committed females) in China, we used a semantic priming procedure to activate mental representations associated with romantic love and then asked participants to complete a dot-probe task for the purpose of making a distinction between the engage and disengage components of attention. No significant engaging effects toward attractive faces were observed among committed females, but the following significant disengaging effects were found: when primed with romantic love, single females showed increased attention toward and difficulty in disengaging from attractive male faces, whereas females already in a committed relationship did not alter their attention, remaining as inattentive to attractive alternatives as they were in the baseline condition. In addition, committed females responded to love priming by exhibiting difficulty in disengaging from attractive rivals. The present findings provide evidence in the Chinese cultural context for the existence of early-stage attentional processes in the domain of relationship maintenance that committed Chinese females protected an ongoing relationship by not only being inattentive to attractive males who could serve as attractive alternatives, but also being more attentive to attractive females who could be potential rivals when mental representations associated with romantic love were primed. PMID:26309232

PROBABILISTIC SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF OPERATIONAL ACCIDENTS AT THE WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT

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

Rucker, D.F.

2000-09-01

This report presents a probabilistic safety assessment of radioactive doses as consequences from accident scenarios to complement the deterministic assessment presented in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Safety Analysis Report (SAR). The International Council of Radiation Protection (ICRP) recommends both assessments be conducted to ensure that ''an adequate level of safety has been achieved and that no major contributors to risk are overlooked'' (ICRP 1993). To that end, the probabilistic assessment for the WIPP accident scenarios addresses the wide range of assumptions, e.g. the range of values representing the radioactive source of an accident, that could possibly have beenmore » overlooked by the SAR. Routine releases of radionuclides from the WIPP repository to the environment during the waste emplacement operations are expected to be essentially zero. In contrast, potential accidental releases from postulated accident scenarios during waste handling and emplacement could be substantial, which necessitates the need for radiological air monitoring and confinement barriers (DOE 1999). The WIPP Safety Analysis Report (SAR) calculated doses from accidental releases to the on-site (at 100 m from the source) and off-site (at the Exclusive Use Boundary and Site Boundary) public by a deterministic approach. This approach, as demonstrated in the SAR, uses single-point values of key parameters to assess the 50-year, whole-body committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE). The basic assumptions used in the SAR to formulate the CEDE are retained for this report's probabilistic assessment. However, for the probabilistic assessment, single-point parameter values were replaced with probability density functions (PDF) and were sampled over an expected range. Monte Carlo simulations were run, in which 10,000 iterations were performed by randomly selecting one value for each parameter and calculating the dose. Statistical information was then derived from the 10,000 iteration batch, which included 5%, 50%, and 95% dose likelihood, and the sensitivity of each assumption to the calculated doses. As one would intuitively expect, the doses from the probabilistic assessment for most scenarios were found to be much less than the deterministic assessment. The lower dose of the probabilistic assessment can be attributed to a ''smearing'' of values from the high and low end of the PDF spectrum of the various input parameters. The analysis also found a potential weakness in the deterministic analysis used in the SAR, a detail on drum loading was not taken into consideration. Waste emplacement operations thus far have handled drums from each shipment as a single unit, i.e. drums from each shipment are kept together. Shipments typically come from a single waste stream, and therefore the curie loading of each drum can be considered nearly identical to that of its neighbor. Calculations show that if there are large numbers of drums used in the accident scenario assessment, e.g. 28 drums in the waste hoist failure scenario (CH5), then the probabilistic dose assessment calculations will diverge from the deterministically determined doses. As it is currently calculated, the deterministic dose assessment assumes one drum loaded to the maximum allowable (80 PE-Ci), and the remaining are 10% of the maximum. The effective average of drum curie content is therefore less in the deterministic assessment than the probabilistic assessment for a large number of drums. EEG recommends that the WIPP SAR calculations be revisited and updated to include a probabilistic safety assessment.« less

An age dependent model for radium metabolism in man.

PubMed

Johnson, J R

1983-01-01

The model developed by a Task Group of Committee 2 of ICRP to describe Alkaline Earth Metabolism in Adult Man (ICRP Publication 20) has been modified so that recycling is handled explicitly, and retention in mineral bone is represented by second compartments rather than by the product of a power function and an exponential. This model has been extended to include all ages from birth to adult man, and has been coupled with modified "ICRP" lung and G.I. tract models so that activity in organs can be calculated as functions of time during or after exposures. These activities, and age dependent "specific effective energy" factors, are then used to calculate age dependent dose rates, and dose commitments. This presentation describes this work, with emphasis on the model parameters and results obtained for radium.

Hematopoietic stimulation by porphyrin photosensitizers (Invited Paper)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levy, Julia G.; Hunt, David W. C.; Mitchell, David W.; Jamieson, Catriona H. M.

1992-06-01

The effects of the photosensitizers, PhotofrinTM and benozoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (BPD) on a variety of hematopoietic cell functions have been studied, both in the presence and absence of light activation. A marked increase in hematopoiesis was observed in the bone marrow and spleens of DBA/2 mice administered high dose Photofrin but not BPD. This was manifested in an increased relative spleen weight, nucleated spleen cell number and circulating white blood cell concentration 7 days following Photofrin injection. We have shown that BPD and light doses just below phototoxic ranges stimulate the growth of human colony forming committed myeloid progenitors as well as pluripotent stem cells grown in long term marrow culture. Studies on the effect of BPD on the function of T lymphocytes in the absence of light has also demonstrated a stimulatory effect. The dose range in which this is observed is considerably broader than that observed with light activation. The mechanisms involved in this stimulatory effect have been studied and are discussed.

Assessment of ²¹⁰Po in Italian diet.

PubMed

Meli, Maria Assunta; Desideri, Donatella; Roselli, Carla; Feduzi, Laura

2014-07-15

This research was dedicated to the study, in the Italian daily diet, of the background activity concentration of (210)Po, a radionuclide with a high radiotoxicity. (210)Po was determined by alpha spectrometry. For food products of vegetable origin, the (210)Po activity concentration follows the trend: leafy vegetable>flour>rice>fruits>pasta>other vegetables>fruit vegetable; for those of animal origin: eggs>cheese>milk. The (210)Po activity concentration was also compared with that found by the same authors in meat, sea food, water and beverages in a previous study. The committed effective doses to individuals of three population groups (infants, children and adults) were 379, 222 and 151 μSv y(-1), respectively. The intake of foods of marine origin contributed about 67% of the total dose due to (210)Po ingestion. The effective dose, from (210)Po ingested by total diet, accounts for only 5-12% of the natural radiation exposure in Italy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mars Technology Program Planetary Protection Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Ying

2006-01-01

The objectives of the NASA Planetary Protection program are to preserve biological and organic conditions of solar-system bodies for future scientific exploration and to protect the Earth from potential hazardous extraterrestrial contamination. As the exploration of solar system continues, NASA remains committed to the implementation of planetary protection policy and regulations. To fulfill this commitment, the Mars Technology Program (MTP) has invested in a portfolio of tasks for developing necessary technologies to meet planetary protection requirements for the next decade missions.

Leading quality improvement in primary care: recommendations for success.

PubMed

Van Hoof, Thomas J; Bisognano, Maureen; Reinertsen, James L; Meehan, Thomas P

2012-09-01

Leadership is increasingly recognized as a potential factor in the success of primary care quality improvement efforts, yet little is definitively known about which specific leadership behaviors are most important. Until more research is available, the authors suggest that primary care clinicians who are committed to developing their leadership skills should commit to a series of actions. These actions include embracing a theory of leadership, modeling the approach for others, focusing on the goal of improving patient outcomes, encouraging teamwork, utilizing available sources of power, and reflecting on one's approach in order to improve it. Primary care clinicians who commit themselves to such actions will be more effective leaders and will be more prepared as new research becomes available on this important factor. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preserving the national blood supply.

PubMed

Brittenham, G M; Klein, H G; Kushner, J P; Ajioka, R S

2001-01-01

This paper examines the current state of the blood supply in the US and focuses on the potential for augmenting blood availability by attention to the iron status of donors. Increasing demands are being made upon the national blood supply as rates of blood donation are declining, in part because of the loss of blood donors as a result of enhanced screening and testing procedures. Iron-related means of expanding the blood supply include the use of blood from individuals undergoing therapeutic phlebotomy for hereditary hemochromatosis and enhancing the retention and commitment of women of childbearing age as donors by using iron supplementation to prevent iron deficiency. In Section I, Dr. Klein discuss the circumstances responsible for a decline in the population of eligible donors, including public attitudes toward donation, factors influencing the retention of donors by blood centers, and the effects of increased screening and testing to maintain the safety of the blood supply. In Section II, Drs. Kushner and Ajioka focus on the consequences of the decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop recommendations to permit blood centers to collect blood from patients with hereditary hemochromatosis and to distribute this blood obtained without disease labeling if all other screening and testing procedures are passed. After summarizing the pathophysiology of hereditary hemochromatosis, the use by blood centers of blood obtained from heterozygotes and homozygotes for hereditary hemochromatosis is considered. In Section III, Dr. Brittenham reviews the use of low dose, short-term carbonyl iron supplementation for women donors of childbearing age. Replacing the iron lost at donation can help prevent iron deficiency in women of childbearing age and, by decreasing deferral, enhance the retention and commitment of women who give blood regularly. He emphasizes the use by blood centers of iron-related means to enhance recruitment and retention of blood donors.

Efficacy beliefs predict collaborative practice among intensive care unit nurses.

PubMed

Le Blanc, Pascale M; Schaufeli, Wilmar B; Salanova, Marisa; Llorens, Susana; Nap, Raoul E

2010-03-01

This paper is a report of an investigation of whether intensive care nurses' efficacy beliefs predict future collaborative practice, and to test the potential mediating role of team commitment in this relationship. Recent empirical studies in the field of work and organizational psychology have demonstrated that (professional) efficacy beliefs are reciprocally related to workers' resources and well-being over time, resulting in a positive gain spiral. Moreover, there is ample evidence that workers' affective commitment to their organization or work-team is related to desirable work behaviours such as citizenship behaviour. A longitudinal design was applied to questionnaire data from the EURICUS-project. Structural Equation Modelling was used to analyse the data. The sample consisted of 372 nurses working in 29 different European intensive care units. Data were collected in 1997 and 1998. However, our research model deals with fundamental psychosocial processes that are not time-dependent. Moreover, recent empirical literature shows that there is still room for improvement in ICU collaborative practice. The hypotheses that (i) the relationship between efficacy beliefs and collaborative practice is mediated by team commitment and (ii) efficacy beliefs, team commitment and collaborative practice are reciprocally related were supported, suggesting a potential positive gain spiral of efficacy beliefs. Healthcare organizations should create working environments that provide intensive care unit nurses with sufficient resources to perform their job well. Further research is needed to design and evaluate interventions for the enhancement of collaborative practice in intensive care units.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for adults who stutter: psychosocial adjustment and speech fluency.

PubMed

Beilby, Janet M; Byrnes, Michelle L; Yaruss, J Scott

2012-12-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group intervention program for adults who stutter (N=20). The program consisted of 2-h therapeutic sessions conducted weekly for eight consecutive weeks. It was an integrated program designed to improve: (a) psychosocial functioning, (b) readiness for therapy and change, (c) utilisation of mindfulness skills and psychological flexibility, and (d) frequency of stuttering. The findings provide innovative evidence for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as an effective intervention with statistically significant improvements in psychosocial functioning, preparation for change and therapy, utilisation of mindfulness skills, and overall speech fluency. Follow-up data collected at three months post-treatment revealed that therapeutic gains were successfully maintained over time. These findings enhance the understanding of the impact of stuttering on psychological wellbeing and offer a new perspective on what might constitute successful stuttering treatment. Further, clinical research support is provided for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy delivered in a group format as a promising and novel intervention for adults who stutter. The reader will be able to: (a) appreciate the potential for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for adults who stutter; (b) identify the improvements participants experienced in psychosocial functioning and frequency of stuttered speech; (c) appreciate the six core processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; and (d) appreciate the differences between an ACT model of intervention for adults who stutter compared to a CBT approach. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bringing a probiotic-containing functional food to the market: microbiological, product, regulatory and labeling issues.

PubMed

Sanders, M E; Huis in't Veld, J

1999-01-01

Properly formulated probiotic-containing foods offer consumers a low risk, low cost dietary component that has the potential to promote health in a variety of ways. Several such products are available commercially, although markets in Japan and Europe are more developed than in the USA. Once healthful attributes of a probiotic product have been identified, there remain microbiological, product, regulatory and labeling issues to be addressed prior to marketing. Microbiological and product issues include safety, effective scale-up for manufacturing, definition of probiotic activity, probiotic stability in the product over the course of product manufacture, shelf-life and consumption, definition of effective dose and target population(s), and development of quality assurance approaches. Examples of probiotic-containing foods are given. Regulatory and labeling issues are complicated because they differ for each country, but are likewise critical because they provide the means for communication of the product benefits to the consumer. The regulatory climate worldwide appears to be one of caution about overstating the benefits of such products but at the same time not preventing corporate commitment to marketing.

Neighbourhood immigrant concentration effects on migrant and native youth’s educational commitments, an enquiry into personality differences

PubMed Central

Nieuwenhuis, Jaap; Hooimeijer, Pieter; van Ham, Maarten; Meeus, Wim

2016-01-01

In the literature examining neighbourhood effects on educational outcomes, the socialisation mechanism is usually investigated by looking at the association between neighbourhood characteristics and educational attainment. The step in between, that adolescents actually internalise educational norms held by residents, is often assumed. We attempt to fill this gap by looking at how the internalisation of educational norms (commitments) is influenced by neighbourhoods’ immigrant concentration. We investigate this process for both migrant and native youth, as both groups might be influenced differently by immigrant concentrations. To test our hypothesis we used longitudinal panel data with five waves (N = 4255), combined with between-within models which control for a large portion of potential selection bias. These models have an advantage over naïve OLS models in that they predict the effect of change in neighbourhood characteristics on change in educational commitment, and therefore offer a more dynamic approach to modelling neighbourhood effects. Our results show that living in neighbourhoods with higher proportions of immigrants increases the educational commitments of migrant youth compared to living in neighbourhoods with lower proportions. Besides, we find that adolescents with a resilient personality experience less influence of the neighbourhood context on educational commitments than do adolescents with non-resilient personalities. PMID:28781388

Neighbourhood immigrant concentration effects on migrant and native youth's educational commitments, an enquiry into personality differences.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuis, Jaap; Hooimeijer, Pieter; van Ham, Maarten; Meeus, Wim

2017-08-01

In the literature examining neighbourhood effects on educational outcomes, the socialisation mechanism is usually investigated by looking at the association between neighbourhood characteristics and educational attainment. The step in between, that adolescents actually internalise educational norms held by residents, is often assumed. We attempt to fill this gap by looking at how the internalisation of educational norms (commitments) is influenced by neighbourhoods' immigrant concentration. We investigate this process for both migrant and native youth, as both groups might be influenced differently by immigrant concentrations. To test our hypothesis we used longitudinal panel data with five waves (N = 4255), combined with between-within models which control for a large portion of potential selection bias. These models have an advantage over naïve OLS models in that they predict the effect of change in neighbourhood characteristics on change in educational commitment, and therefore offer a more dynamic approach to modelling neighbourhood effects. Our results show that living in neighbourhoods with higher proportions of immigrants increases the educational commitments of migrant youth compared to living in neighbourhoods with lower proportions. Besides, we find that adolescents with a resilient personality experience less influence of the neighbourhood context on educational commitments than do adolescents with non-resilient personalities.

Relationship between Family-Work and Work-Family Conflict with Organizational Commitment and Desertion Intention among Nurses and Paramedical Staff at Hospitals

PubMed Central

Hatam, Nahid; Jalali, Marzie Tajik; Askarian, Mehrdad; Kharazmi, Erfan

2016-01-01

Background: High turnover intention rate is one of the most common problems in healthcare organizations throughout the world. There are several factors that can potentially affect the individuals’ turnover intention; they include factors such as work-family conflict, family-work conflict, and organizational commitment. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between family-work and work-family conflicts and organizational commitment and turnover intention among nurses and paramedical staff at hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) and present a model using SEM. Methods: This is a questionnaire based cross-sectional study among 400 nurses and paramedical staff of hospitals affiliated to SUMS using a random-proportional (quota) sampling method. Data collection was performed using four standard questionnaires. SPSS software was used for data analysis and SmartPLS software for modeling variables. Results: Mean scores of work-family conflict and desertion intention were 2.6 and 2.77, respectively. There was a significant relationship between gender and family-work conflict (P=0.02). Family-work conflict was significantly higher in married participants (P=0.001). Based on the findings of this study, there was a significant positive relationship between work-family and family-work conflict (P=0.001). Also, work-family conflict had a significant inverse relationship with organizational commitment (P=0.001). An inverse relationship was seen between organizational commitment and turnover intentions (P=0.001). Conclusion: Thus, regarding the prominent and preventative role of organizational commitment in employees’ desertion intentions, in order to prevent negative effects of staff desertion in health sector, attempts to make policies to increase people’s organizational commitment must be considered by health system managers more than ever. PMID:27218108

Relationship between Family-Work and Work-Family Conflict with Organizational Commitment and Desertion Intention among Nurses and Paramedical Staff at Hospitals.

PubMed

Hatam, Nahid; Jalali, Marzie Tajik; Askarian, Mehrdad; Kharazmi, Erfan

2016-04-01

High turnover intention rate is one of the most common problems in healthcare organizations throughout the world. There are several factors that can potentially affect the individuals' turnover intention; they include factors such as work-family conflict, family-work conflict, and organizational commitment. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between family-work and work-family conflicts and organizational commitment and turnover intention among nurses and paramedical staff at hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) and present a model using SEM. This is a questionnaire based cross-sectional study among 400 nurses and paramedical staff of hospitals affiliated to SUMS using a random-proportional (quota) sampling method. Data collection was performed using four standard questionnaires. SPSS software was used for data analysis and SmartPLS software for modeling variables. Mean scores of work-family conflict and desertion intention were 2.6 and 2.77, respectively. There was a significant relationship between gender and family-work conflict (P=0.02). Family-work conflict was significantly higher in married participants (P=0.001). Based on the findings of this study, there was a significant positive relationship between work-family and family-work conflict (P=0.001). Also, work-family conflict had a significant inverse relationship with organizational commitment (P=0.001). An inverse relationship was seen between organizational commitment and turnover intentions (P=0.001). Thus, regarding the prominent and preventative role of organizational commitment in employees' desertion intentions, in order to prevent negative effects of staff desertion in health sector, attempts to make policies to increase people's organizational commitment must be considered by health system managers more than ever.

Scientists Admitting to Plagiarism: A Meta-analysis of Surveys.

PubMed

Pupovac, Vanja; Fanelli, Daniele

2015-10-01

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of anonymous surveys asking scientists whether they ever committed various forms of plagiarism. From May to December 2011 we searched 35 bibliographic databases, five grey literature databases and hand searched nine journals for potentially relevant studies. We included surveys that asked scientists if, in a given recall period, they had committed or knew of a colleague who committed plagiarism, and from each survey extracted the proportion of those who reported at least one case. Studies that focused on academic (i.e. student) plagiarism were excluded. Literature searches returned 12,460 titles from which 17 relevant survey studies were identified. Meta-analysis of studies reporting committed (N = 7) and witnessed (N = 11) plagiarism yielded a pooled estimate of, respectively, 1.7% (95% CI 1.2-2.4) and 30% (95% CI 17-46). Basic methodological factors, including sample size, year of survey, delivery method and whether survey questions were explicit rather than indirect made a significant difference on survey results. Even after controlling for these methodological factors, between-study differences in admission rates were significantly above those expected by sampling error alone and remained largely unexplained. Despite several limitations of the data and of this meta-analysis, we draw three robust conclusions: (1) The rate at which scientists report knowing a colleague who committed plagiarism is higher than for data fabrication and falsification; (2) The rate at which scientists report knowing a colleague who committed plagiarism is correlated to that of fabrication and falsification; (3) The rate at which scientists admit having committed either form of misconduct (i.e. fabrication, falsification and plagiarism) in surveys has declined over time.

Captive insurance: is it the right choice for your insurance exposures?

PubMed

Frese, Richard C

2015-12-01

Potential benefits of a captive insurance company include: Broader coverage Improved cash flow and stability. Direct access to reinsurance markets. Tax advantages. Better handling and control of risk management and claims. Potential drawbacks and challenges include: Startup capitalization. Underwriting losses. Administration and commitment.

MPC and ALI: their basis and their comparison

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

Kennedy, W.E. Jr.; Watson, E.C.

Radiation protection regulations in the United States have evolved from the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). In 1959, the ICRP issued Publication 2 which contained specific recommendations on dose rate limits, permissible body burdens, metabolic data for radionuclides, and maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) in air or water. Over the next 20 years, new information became available concerning the effects of radiation, the uptake and retention of radionuclides, and the radioactive decay schemes of parent radionuclides. To include this newer information, the ICRP issued Publication 30 inmore » 1978 to supersede Publication 2. One of the secondary limits defined in Publication 30 is the annual limit of intake (ALI). Radionuclide specific ALI values are intended to replace MPC values in determining whether or not ambient air and water concentrations are sufficiently low to maintain the dose to workers within accepted dose rate limits. In this paper, we discuss the derivation of MPC and ALI values, compare inhalation committed dose equivalent factors derived from ICRP Publications 2 and 30, and discuss the practical implications of using either MPC or ALI in determining compliance with occupational exposure limits. 6 references.« less

Natural radioactivity measurements and dosimetric evaluations in soil samples with a high content of NORM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caridi, F.; Marguccio, S.; Durante, G.; Trozzo, R.; Fullone, F.; Belvedere, A.; D'Agostino, M.; Belmusto, G.

2017-01-01

In this article natural radioactivity measurements and dosimetric evaluations in soil samples contaminated by Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) are made, in order to assess any possible radiological hazard for the population and for workers professionally exposed to ionizing radiations. Investigated samples came from the district of Crotone, Calabria region, South of Italy. The natural radioactivity investigation was performed by high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. From the measured gamma spectra, activity concentrations were determined for 226Ra , 234-mPa , 224Ra , 228Ac and 40K and compared with their clearance levels for NORM. The total effective dose was calculated for each sample as due to the committed effective dose for inhalation and to the effective dose from external irradiation. The sum of the total effective doses estimated for all investigated samples was compared to the action levels provided by the Italian legislation (D.Lgs.230/95 and subsequent modifications) for the population members (0.3mSv/y) and for professionally exposed workers (1mSv/y). It was found to be less than the limit of no radiological significance (10μSv/y).

IL-4/IL-13 Signaling Inhibits the Potential of Early Thymic Progenitors To Commit to the T Cell Lineage.

PubMed

Barik, Subhasis; Miller, Mindy M; Cattin-Roy, Alexis N; Ukah, Tobechukwu K; Chen, Weirong; Zaghouani, Habib

2017-10-15

Early thymic progenitors (ETPs) are endowed with diverse potencies and can give rise to myeloid and lymphoid lineage progenitors. How the thymic environment guides ETP commitment and maturation toward a specific lineage remains obscure. We have previously shown that ETPs expressing the heteroreceptor (HR) comprising IL-4Rα and IL-13Rα1 give rise to myeloid cells but not T cells. In this article, we show that signaling through the HR inhibits ETP maturation to the T cell lineage but enacts commitment toward the myeloid cells. Indeed, HR + ETPs, but not HR - ETPs, exhibit activated STAT6 transcription factor, which parallels with downregulation of Notch1, a critical factor for T cell development. Meanwhile, the myeloid-specific transcription factor C/EBPα, usually under the control of Notch1, is upregulated. Furthermore, in vivo inhibition of STAT6 phosphorylation restores Notch1 expression in HR + ETPs, which regain T lineage potential. In addition, upon stimulation with IL-4 or IL-13, HR - ETPs expressing virally transduced HR also exhibit STAT6 phosphorylation and downregulation of Notch1, leading to inhibition of lymphoid, but not myeloid, lineage potential. These observations indicate that environmental cytokines play a role in conditioning ETP lineage choice, which would impact T cell development. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Should we use Commitment Contracts to Regulate Student use of Cognitive Enhancing Drugs?

PubMed

Danaher, John

2016-10-01

Are universities justified in trying to regulate student use of cognitive enhancing drugs? In this article I argue that they can be, but that the most appropriate kind of regulatory intervention is likely to be voluntary in nature. To be precise, I argue that universities could justifiably adopt a commitment contract system of regulation wherein students are encouraged to voluntarily commit to not using cognitive enhancing drugs (or to using them in a specific way). If they are found to breach that commitment, they should be penalized by, for example, forfeiting a number of marks on their assessments. To defend this model of regulation, I adopt a recently-proposed evaluative framework for determining the appropriateness of enhancement in specific domains of activity, and I focus on particular existing types of cognitive enhancement drugs, not hypothetical or potential forms. In this way, my argument is tailored to the specific features of university education, and common patterns of usage among students. It is not concerned with the general ethical propriety of using cognitive enhancing drugs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Object permanence in adult common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): not everything is an "A-not-B" error that seems to be one.

PubMed

Kis, Anna; Gácsi, Márta; Range, Friederike; Virányi, Zsófia

2012-01-01

In this paper, we describe a behaviour pattern similar to the "A-not-B" error found in human infants and young apes in a monkey species, the common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). In contrast to the classical explanation, recently it has been suggested that the "A-not-B" error committed by human infants is at least partially due to misinterpretation of the hider's ostensively communicated object hiding actions as potential 'teaching' demonstrations during the A trials. We tested whether this so-called Natural Pedagogy hypothesis would account for the A-not-B error that marmosets commit in a standard object permanence task, but found no support for the hypothesis in this species. Alternatively, we present evidence that lower level mechanisms, such as attention and motivation, play an important role in committing the "A-not-B" error in marmosets. We argue that these simple mechanisms might contribute to the effect of undeveloped object representational skills in other species including young non-human primates that commit the A-not-B error.

Predictors of how often and when people fall in love.

PubMed

Galperin, Andrew; Haselton, Martie

2010-01-19

A leading theory of romantic love is that it functions to make one feel committed to one's beloved, as well as to signal this commitment to the beloved (Frank, 1988). Because women tend to be skeptical of men's commitment, this view entails that men may have evolved to fall in love first, in order to show their commitment to women. Using a sample of online participants of a broad range of ages, this study tested this sex difference and several related individual difference hypotheses concerning the ease of falling in love. There was mixed evidence for sex differences: only some measures indicated that men are generally more love-prone than are women. We also found that men were more prone to falling in love if they tended to overestimate women's sexual interest and highly valued physical attractiveness in potential partners. Women were more prone to falling in love if they had a stronger sex drive. These results provide modest support for the existence of sex differences in falling in love, as well as initial evidence for links between several individual difference variables and the propensity to fall in love.

Differences in the Gambling Behavior of Online and Non-Online Student Gamblers in a Controlled Laboratory Environment

PubMed Central

Montes, Kevin S.; Weatherly, Jeffrey N.

2016-01-01

Although research suggests that approximately 1 in 4 college students report having gambled online, few laboratory-based studies have been conducted enlisting online student gamblers. Moreover, it is unclear the extent to which differences in gambling behavior exist between online and non-online student gamblers. The current study examined if online gamblers would play more hands, commit more errors, and wager more credits than non-online student gamblers in a controlled, laboratory environment. Online (n = 19) and non-online (n = 26) student gamblers played video poker in three separate sessions and the number of hands played, errors committed, and credits wagered were recorded. Results showed that online student gamblers played more hands and committed more errors playing video poker than non-online student gamblers. The results from the current study extend previous research by suggesting that online gamblers engage in potentially more deleterious gambling behavior (e.g., playing more hands and committing more errors) than non-online gamblers. Additional research is needed to examine differences in the gambling behavior of online and non-online gamblers in a controlled, laboratory environment. PMID:27106027

Interpersonal Conflict and Organizational Commitment Among Licensed Practical Nurses.

PubMed

Loes, Chad N; Tobin, Mary B

The shortage of nursing professionals in the United States is unquestionable. This shortage, which is predicted to continue into the foreseeable future, is a particularly salient problem within the nursing profession. This is especially true for long-term care facility administrators who not only are faced with the challenge of increasing numbers of aging residents but also regularly struggle with turnover among more cost-effective nursing staff, such as licensed practical nurses (LPNs). The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether perceived interpersonal conflict influences organizational commitment among LPNs. To accomplish this, we analyzed responses from 1165 LPNs throughout a Midwestern state who were queried on their perceptions of interpersonal conflict and organizational commitment in their work settings. Considering a wide range of potential confounding influences such as age and years working as an LPN, for example, we found that higher perceived interpersonal conflict was associated with significantly lower levels of organizational commitment. The implications of these findings, along with recommendations for nurse administrators to reduce LPN turnover, are discussed in the article.

Risk Management and Crisis Response: Are You Prepared?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schirick, Ed

2002-01-01

How a camp responds to a crisis may determine whether it can survive financially. Effective risk management requires total commitment from ownership and management, and staff involvement. Steps in formulating a risk management plan include identifying all potential crises and their frequency and severity potential, developing responses,…

ALARA implementation throughout project life cycle

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

Haynes, M.J.

1995-03-01

A strength of radiation protection programs generally has been endorsement and application of the ALARA principle. In Ontario Hydro, which currently operates 20 commercial size nuclear units, great strides have been made in the last three decades in reducing occupational radiation exposure per unit of electricity generated. This paper will discuss specific applications of elements of the overall ALARA program which have most contributed to dose reduction as the nuclear program has expanded. This includes such things as management commitment, ALARA application in the design phase and major rehabilitation work, the benefits of the self protection concept, a specific examplemore » of elimination (or reduction) of the source term and the importance of dose targets. Finally, it is concluded that the major opportunities for further improvements may lie in the area of information management.« less

Improving the effectiveness of health care innovation implementation: middle managers as change agents.

PubMed

Birken, Sarah A; Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Weiner, Bryan J; Chin, Marshall H; Schaefer, Cynthia T

2013-02-01

The rate of successful health care innovation implementation is dismal. Middle managers have a potentially important yet poorly understood role in health care innovation implementation. This study used self-administered surveys and interviews of middle managers in health centers that implemented an innovation to reduce health disparities to address the questions: Does middle managers' commitment to health care innovation implementation influence implementation effectiveness? If so, in what ways does their commitment influence implementation effectiveness? Although quantitative survey data analysis results suggest a weak relationship, qualitative interview data analysis results indicate that middle managers' commitment influences implementation effectiveness when middle managers are proactive. Scholars should account for middle managers' influence in implementation research, and health care executives may promote implementation effectiveness by hiring proactive middle managers and creating climates in which proactivity is rewarded, supported, and expected.

Improving the Effectiveness of Health Care Innovation Implementation: Middle Managers as Change Agents

PubMed Central

Birken, Sarah A.; Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Weiner, Bryan J.; Chin, Marshall H.; Schaefer, Cynthia T.

2013-01-01

The rate of successful health care innovation implementation is dismal. Middle managers have a potentially important yet poorly understood role in health care innovation implementation. This study used self-administered surveys and interviews of middle managers in health centers that implemented an innovation to reduce health disparities to address the questions: Does middle managers’ commitment to health care innovation implementation influence implementation effectiveness? If so, in what ways does their commitment influence implementation effectiveness? Although quantitative survey data analysis results suggest a weak relationship, qualitative interview data analysis results indicate that middle managers’ commitment influences implementation effectiveness when middle managers are proactive. Scholars should account for middle managers’ influence in implementation research, and health care executives may promote implementation effectiveness by hiring proactive middle managers and creating climates in which proactivity is rewarded, supported, and expected. PMID:22930312

Exploration Into the Business Priorities Related to Corporate Engagement in Community Health Improvement Partnerships.

PubMed

Pronk, Nicolaas P; Baase, Catherine; May, Jeanette; Terry, Paul; Moseley, Karen

2017-11-01

To explore factors that matter to business in making decisions regarding engagement in community health improvement efforts. Using qualitative methods, domains of interest were identified through literature reviews and expert interviews. Relevance of the domains in terms of potential priorities for action was tested through employer and community stakeholder interviews. Factors that employers considered important to sustained community collaboration as a business priority included (1) credibility of the convener, (2) broad representation of the community, (3) strong mission and goals, (4) individual commitment to health, (5) organizational commitment to health, and (6) demonstrated commitment from leadership. Priorities have been identified for engaging business in community health efforts. Implications for research, practice, and policy include the need for measurement, transparency in reporting, and agreement on principles for public-private partnership in this area.

Romantic Relationship Dynamics of Urban African American Adolescents: Patterns of Monogamy, Commitment, and Trust.

PubMed

Towner, Senna L; Dolcini, M Margaret; Harper, Gary W

2015-05-01

Relationship dynamics develop early in life and are influenced by social environments. STI/HIV prevention programs need to consider romantic relationship dynamics that contribute to sexual health. The aim of this study was to examine monogamous patterns, commitment, and trust in African American adolescent romantic relationships. The authors also focused on the differences in these dynamics between and within gender. The way that such dynamics interplay in romantic relationships has the potential to influence STI/HIV acquisition risk. In-depth interviews were conducted with 28 African American adolescents aged 14 to 21 living in San Francisco. Our results discuss data related to monogamous behaviors, expectations, and values; trust and respect in romantic relationships; commitment to romantic relationships; and outcomes of mismatched relationship expectations. Incorporating gender-specific romantic relationships dynamics can enhance the effectiveness of prevention programs.

Rhetorical Constructions: Dialogue and Commitment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knoblauch, C. H.

1988-01-01

Reviews Paulo Freire's concept of "praxis." Discusses ontological (Aristotle), objectivist (Descartes, Locke), expressionist (Kant), and sociological or "dialogical" (Marx) statements, and explains their potential application to the teaching of rhetoric. (JK)

The radiological exposure of man from radioactivity in the Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Nielsen, S P; Bengtson, P; Bojanowsky, R; Hagel, P; Herrmann, J; Ilus, E; Jakobson, E; Motiejunas, S; Panteleev, Y; Skujina, A; Suplinska, M

1999-09-30

A radiological assessment has been carried out considering discharges of radioactivity to the Baltic Sea marine environment since 1950. The sources of radioactivity that have been evaluated are atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986, discharges of radionuclides from Sellafield and La Hague transported into the Baltic Sea, and discharges of radionuclides from nuclear installations located in the Baltic Sea area. Dose rates from man-made radioactivity to individual members of the public (critical groups) have been calculated based on annual intake of seafood and beach occupancy time. The dose rates to individuals from the regions of the Bothnian Sea and Gulf of Finland are predicted to be larger than from any other area in the Baltic Sea due to the pattern of Chernobyl fallout. The dose rates are predicted to have peaked in 1986 at a value of 0.2 mSv year-1. Collective committed doses to members of the public have been calculated based on fishery statistics and predicted concentrations of radionuclides in biota and coastal sediments. The total collective dose from man-made radioactivity in the Baltic Sea is estimated at 2600 manSv, of which approximately two-thirds originate from Chernobyl fallout, approximately one-quarter from atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, approximately 8% from European reprocessing facilities, and approximately 0.04% from nuclear installations bordering the Baltic Sea area. An assessment of small-scale dumping of low-level radioactive waste in the Baltic Sea in the 1960s by Sweden and the Soviet Union has showed that doses to man from these activities are negligible. Dose rates and doses from natural radioactivity dominate except for the year 1986 where dose rates to individuals from Chernobyl fallout in some regions of the Baltic Sea approached those from natural radioactivity.

Dynamics of body burdens and doses due to internal irradiation from intakes of long-lived radionuclides by residents of Ozyorsk situated near Mayak PA.

PubMed

Suslova, K G; Romanov, S A; Efimov, A V; Sokolova, A B; Sneve, M; Smith, G

2015-12-01

This paper presents and discusses new autopsy results and other historic data from earlier autopsies and environmental monitoring linked to releases from the Mayak PA facilities in the Chelyabinsk oblast in the southern Urals. The focus is on residents of the town of Ozyorsk located near to Mayak PA and the dynamics of body burdens and radiation doses from inhalation of plutonium alpha and americium-241, and ingestion of strontium-90 and caesium-137. It is demonstrated that accumulation and exposure from these radionuclides was mainly due to unplanned releases in the 1950s and 60s. The mean content of plutonium alpha at the time of autopsy of people commencing residence in Ozyorsk from 1949 to 1959 was about 3.5 Bq, falling to 0.2 Bq in those arriving after 1990. A reducing trend was also seen for (241)Am. The highest (90)Sr content in Ozyorsk residents was measured in 1967. The (137)Cs body content of residents arriving in Ozyorsk at any time was in almost all cases below the limit of detection. The committed effective dose from internal exposure to these long-lived radionuclides which would have been accumulated in Ozyorsk residents if present from 1949 to 2013 is estimated to be 13 mSv. This dose is primarily attributed to intakes during 1949 to 1959 when the annual effective dose rate was approximately 1 mSv y(-1). The current value is about 0.1 mSv y(-1). This dose is about 20 times higher than the dose from global man-made fallout, which is about 0.005 mSv y(-1) at present, but much lower than that from natural background radiation, i.e. about 2 mSv y(-1). The experience gained from this work and continuing activities can contribute to the development of improved international guidance in legacy situations, particularly as regards the provision and use of monitoring data to test and thereby build confidence in prognostic models for radiation conditions and potential future exposures. The scope includes evidence for the rate of reduction in radionuclide concentrations in environmental media and in their bioavailability, resuspension of long-lived alpha radionuclides, uptake of (90)Sr and (137)Cs in the food-chain, and confirmation of cumulative uptake via autopsy and whole body counting measurements. Continuing investigations will thus support decisions on future planned releases and contribute to planning of remediation of other areas affected by historic releases.

Radioactivity measurements on migrating birds (Turdus philomelos) captured in the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain).

PubMed

Navarro, E; Roldán, C; Cervera, J; Ferrero, J L

1998-01-19

The radionuclides 137Cs, 134Cs and 90Sr have been measured in edible tissues and bones of migratory birds (song-thrushes, Turdus philomelos) from central and northern Europe and captured in the Comunidad Valenciana, Spain in the 1994 autumn-winter season. Eight years after the Chernobyl accident, extensive agricultural lands in Europe are still contaminated and this study shows that there was a transfer of radioactive isotopes to the captured migratory song-thrushes. The whole-body dose commitment to humans consuming these birds is estimated.

On the sensitivity of TG-119 and IROC credentialing to TPS commissioning errors.

PubMed

McVicker, Drew; Yin, Fang-Fang; Adamson, Justus D

2016-01-08

We investigate the sensitivity of IMRT commissioning using the TG-119 C-shape phantom and credentialing with the IROC head and neck phantom to treatment planning system commissioning errors. We introduced errors into the various aspects of the commissioning process for a 6X photon energy modeled using the analytical anisotropic algorithm within a commercial treatment planning system. Errors were implemented into the various components of the dose calculation algorithm including primary photons, secondary photons, electron contamination, and MLC parameters. For each error we evaluated the probability that it could be committed unknowingly during the dose algorithm commissioning stage, and the probability of it being identified during the verification stage. The clinical impact of each commissioning error was evaluated using representative IMRT plans including low and intermediate risk prostate, head and neck, mesothelioma, and scalp; the sensitivity of the TG-119 and IROC phantoms was evaluated by comparing dosimetric changes to the dose planes where film measurements occur and change in point doses where dosimeter measurements occur. No commissioning errors were found to have both a low probability of detection and high clinical severity. When errors do occur, the IROC credentialing and TG 119 commissioning criteria are generally effective at detecting them; however, for the IROC phantom, OAR point-dose measurements are the most sensitive despite being currently excluded from IROC analysis. Point-dose measurements with an absolute dose constraint were the most effective at detecting errors, while film analysis using a gamma comparison and the IROC film distance to agreement criteria were less effective at detecting the specific commissioning errors implemented here.

Boudot's Range-Bounded Commitment Scheme Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Zhengjun; Liu, Lihua

Checking whether a committed integer lies in a specific interval has many cryptographic applications. In Eurocrypt'98, Chan et al. proposed an instantiation (CFT Proof). Based on CFT, Boudot presented a popular range-bounded commitment scheme in Eurocrypt'2000. Both CFT Proof and Boudot Proof are based on the encryption E(x, r)=g^xh^r mod n, where n is an RSA modulus whose factorization is unknown by the prover. They did not use a single base as usual. Thus an increase in cost occurs. In this paper, we show that it suffices to adopt a single base. The cost of the modified Boudot Proof is about half of that of the original scheme. Moreover, the key restriction in the original scheme, i.e., both the discrete logarithm of g in base h and the discrete logarithm of h in base g are unknown by the prover, which is a potential menace to the Boudot Proof, is definitely removed.

Romantic Partner Monitoring After Breakups: Attachment, Dependence, Distress, and Post-Dissolution Online Surveillance via Social Networking Sites.

PubMed

Fox, Jesse; Tokunaga, Robert S

2015-09-01

Romantic relationship dissolution can be stressful, and social networking sites make it difficult to separate from a romantic partner online as well as offline. An online survey (N = 431) tested a model synthesizing attachment, investment model variables, and post-dissolution emotional distress as predictors of interpersonal surveillance (i.e., "Facebook stalking") of one's ex-partner on Facebook after a breakup. Results indicated that anxious attachment predicted relational investment but also seeking relationship alternatives; avoidant attachment was negatively related to investment but positively related to seeking alternatives. Investment predicted commitment, whereas seeking alternatives was negatively related to commitment. Commitment predicted emotional distress after the breakup. Distress predicted partner monitoring immediately following the breakup, particularly for those who did not initiate the breakup, as well as current partner monitoring. Given their affordances, social media are discussed as potentially unhealthy enablers for online surveillance after relationship termination.

Romantic Relationship Dynamics of Urban African American Adolescents: Patterns of Monogamy, Commitment, and Trust

PubMed Central

Towner, Senna L.; Dolcini, M. Margaret; Harper, Gary W.

2013-01-01

Relationship dynamics develop early in life and are influenced by social environments. STI/HIV prevention programs need to consider romantic relationship dynamics that contribute to sexual health. The aim of this study was to examine monogamous patterns, commitment, and trust in African American adolescent romantic relationships. The authors also focused on the differences in these dynamics between and within gender. The way that such dynamics interplay in romantic relationships has the potential to influence STI/HIV acquisition risk. In-depth interviews were conducted with 28 African American adolescents aged 14 to 21 living in San Francisco. Our results discuss data related to monogamous behaviors, expectations, and values; trust and respect in romantic relationships; commitment to romantic relationships; and outcomes of mismatched relationship expectations. Incorporating gender-specific romantic relationships dynamics can enhance the effectiveness of prevention programs. PMID:26691404

Seeking help in the shadow of doubt: the sensemaking processes underlying how nurses decide whom to ask for advice.

PubMed

Hofmann, David A; Lei, Zhike; Grant, Adam M

2009-09-01

Although scholars often assume that individuals seek out experts when they need help, recent research suggests that seeking help from experts can be costly. The authors propose that perceiving potential help providers as accessible or trustworthy can reduce the costs of seeking help and thus encourage individuals to seek help from experts. They further predict that perceptions of potential help providers' expertise, accessibility, and trustworthiness are shaped by their experience, formal roles, and organizational commitment. They investigated their theoretical model in a study of 146 nurses on the front lines of healthcare. They found that the decision to seek out help depends on help-seekers' perceptions of experts' accessibility and trustworthiness, and that these perceptions are predicted by experience, formal roles, and affective organizational commitment. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Environmental health and safety issues related to the use of low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) at hospitals and medical research institutions and compliance determination with the Clean Air Act standards

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

Kasinathan, R.; Kanchan, A.

1995-12-31

Currently, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has standards for procedures, performance activities and technical specifications on storage of Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) under 10 CFR Part 20. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing environmental standards for the management, storage and disposal of LLRW. The proposed standards, which will become 40 CFR part 193 when finalized, limits the committed effective dose to members of the public from the management and storage of LLRW, committed effective doses resulting from LLRW disposal and levels of radiological contamination of underground sources of drinking water as a result of themore » activities subject to management, storage and disposal of LLRW. Further, under Title III of the Clean Air Act Amendments, radionuclides are required to be inventoried for all generators. For hospitals and medical research institutions, quantities of LLRW are often below the concentrations required under reporting and record keeping requirements of 10 CFR 20. However, in many instances, the facility may require NRC permits and compliance with air quality dispersion modeling requirements. This paper presents the typical radionuclides used in hospitals and medical research institutions, and strategies to evaluate their usage and steps to achieve compliance. Air quality dispersion modeling by use of the COMPLY model is demonstrated to evaluate the fate of radionuclides released from on-site incineration of LLRW. The paper concludes that no significant threat is posed from the incineration of LLRW.« less

Effect of personality traits, age and sex on aggressive driving: Psychometric adaptation of the Driver Aggression Indicators Scale in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Huihui; Qu, Weina; Ge, Yan; Sun, Xianghong; Zhang, Kan

2017-06-01

This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Driver Aggression Indicators Scale (DAIS), which measures aggressive driving behaviors. Besides, demographic variables (sex and age) and the big five personality traits were examined as potential impact factors of aggressive driving. A total of 422 participants completed the DAIS, Big Five Personality Inventory (BFPI), and the socio-demographic scale. First, psychometric results confirmed that the DAIS had a stable two-factor structure and acceptable internal consistency. Then, agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively correlated with hostile aggression and revenge committed by the drivers themselves, while neuroticism was positively correlated with aggressive driving committed by the drivers themselves. Meanwhile, more agreeable drivers may perceive less hostile aggression and revenge. More neurotic drivers may perceive more aggressive warning. Finally, the effects of age and sex on aggressive driving were not same as most studies. We found that older age group perceived and committed more hostile acts of aggression and revenge than younger age groups. Female drivers of 49-60 years perceived more aggressive warnings committed by other drivers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictors of motivation for abstinence at the end of outpatient substance abuse treatment

PubMed Central

Laudet, Alexandre B.; Stanick, Virginia

2010-01-01

Commitment to abstinence, a motivational construct, is a strong predictor of reductions in drug and alcohol use. Level of commitment to abstinence at treatment end predicts sustained abstinence, a requirement for recovery. This study sought to identify predictors of commitment to abstinence at treatment end to guide clinical practice and to inform the conceptualization of motivational constructs. Polysubstance users (N = 250) recruited at the start of outpatient treatment were re-interviewed at the end of services. Based on the extant literature, potential predictors were during treatment measures of substance use and related cognitions, psychological functioning, recovery supports, stress, quality of life satisfaction, and treatment experiences. In multivariate analyses, perceived harm of future drug use, abstinence self-efficacy, quality of life satisfaction, and number of network members in 12-step recovery contributed 26.6% of the variance explained in the dependent variable, a total of 49.6% when combined with the control variables (demographics and baseline level of the outcome). Gender subgroup analyses yielded largely similar results. Clinical implications of findings for maximizing commitment to abstinence when clients leave treatment are discussed as are future research directions. PMID:20185267

Differences in the Gambling Behavior of Online and Non-online Student Gamblers in a Controlled Laboratory Environment.

PubMed

Montes, Kevin S; Weatherly, Jeffrey N

2017-03-01

Although research suggests that approximately 1 in 4 college students report having gambled online, few laboratory-based studies have been conducted enlisting online student gamblers. Moreover, it is unclear the extent to which differences in gambling behavior exist between online and non-online student gamblers. The current study examined if online gamblers would play more hands, commit more errors, and wager more credits than non-online student gamblers in a controlled, laboratory environment. Online (n = 19) and non-online (n = 26) student gamblers played video poker in three separate sessions and the number of hands played, errors committed, and credits wagered were recorded. Results showed that online student gamblers played more hands and committed more errors playing video poker than non-online student gamblers. The results from the current study extend previous research by suggesting that online gamblers engage in potentially more deleterious gambling behavior (e.g., playing more hands and committing more errors) than non-online gamblers. Additional research is needed to examine differences in the gambling behavior of online and non-online gamblers in a controlled, laboratory environment.

Psychological contract breach and outcomes: Combining meta-analysis and structural equation models.

PubMed

Topa Cantisano, Gabriela; Morales Domínguez, J Francisco; Depolo, Marco

2008-08-01

In this study, meta-analytic procedures were used to examine the relationships between psychological contract perceived breach and certain outcome variables, such as organizational commitment, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviours (OCB). Our review of the literature generated 41 independent samples in which perceived breach was used as a predictor of these personal and organizational outcomes. A medium effect size (ES) for desirable outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational trust, OCB and performance) was obtained (r=-.35). For undesirable outcomes (neglect in role duties and intention to leave), ES were also medium (r=.31). When comparing attitudinal (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational trust) and behavioural outcomes (OCB, neglect in role duties and performance), a stronger ES was found for attitudinal (r=-.24) than for behavioural outcomes (r=-.11). Potential moderator variables were examined, and it was found that they explained only a percentage of variability of primary studies. Structural equation analysis of the pooled meta-analytical correlation matrix indicated that the relationships of perceived breach with satisfaction, OCB, intention to leave and performance are fully mediated by organizational trust and commitment. Results are discussed in order to suggest theoretical and empirical implications.

A cross-sectional observational study to assess inhaler technique in Saudi hospitalized patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PubMed Central

Ammari, Maha Al; Sultana, Khizra; Yunus, Faisal; Ghobain, Mohammed Al; Halwan, Shatha M. Al

2016-01-01

Objectives: To assess the proportion of critical errors committed while demonstrating the inhaler technique in hospitalized patients diagnosed with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 47 asthmatic and COPD patients using inhaler devices. The study took place at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between September and December 2013. Two pharmacists independently assessed inhaler technique with a validated checklist. Results: Seventy percent of patients made at least one critical error while demonstrating their inhaler technique, and the mean number of critical errors per patient was 1.6. Most patients used metered dose inhaler (MDI), and 73% of MDI users and 92% of dry powder inhaler users committed at least one critical error. Conclusion: Inhaler technique in hospitalized Saudi patients was inadequate. Health care professionals should understand the importance of reassessing and educating patients on a regular basis for inhaler technique, recommend the use of a spacer when needed, and regularly assess and update their own inhaler technique skills. PMID:27146622

Feasibility of a community intervention for the prevention of suicide and alcohol abuse with Yup'ik Alaska Native youth: the Elluam Tungiinun and Yupiucimta Asvairtuumallerkaa studies.

PubMed

Mohatt, Gerald V; Fok, Carlotta Ching Ting; Henry, David; Allen, James

2014-09-01

The Elluam Tungiinun and Yupiucimta Asvairtuumallerkaa studies evaluated the feasibility of a community intervention to prevent suicide and alcohol abuse among rural Yup'ik Alaska Native youth in two remote communities. The intervention originated in an Indigenous model of protection, and its development used a community based participatory research process. Feasibility assessment aimed to assess the extent to which (1) the intervention could be implemented in rural Alaska Native communities, and (2) the intervention was capable of producing measurable effects. Scales maximally sensitive to change were derived from earlier measurement work, and the study contrasted implementation process and outcomes across the two communities. In one community, medium dose response effects (d = .30-.50), with dose defined as number of intervention activities attended, were observed in the growth of intermediate protective factors and ultimate variables. In the other community, medium dose effects were observed for one intermediate protective factor variable, and small dose effects were observed in ultimate variables. Differences across communities in resources supporting intervention explain these contrasting outcomes. Results suggest implementation in these rural Alaska settings is feasible when sufficient resources are available to sustain high levels of local commitment. In such cases, measureable effects are sufficient to warrant a prevention trial.

Redundant miR-3077-5p and miR-705 mediate the shift of mesenchymal stem cell lineage commitment to adipocyte in osteoporosis bone marrow.

PubMed

Liao, L; Yang, X; Su, X; Hu, C; Zhu, X; Yang, N; Chen, X; Shi, S; Shi, S; Jin, Y

2013-04-18

During the process of aging, especially for postmenopausal females, the cell lineage commitment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) shift to adipocyte in bone marrow, resulting in osteoporosis. However, the cell-intrinsic mechanism of this cell lineage commitment switch is poorly understood. As the post-transcription regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs) has a critical role in MSCs differentiation and bone homeostasis, we performed comprehensive miRNAs profiling and found miR-705 and miR-3077-5p were significantly enhanced in MSCs from osteoporosis bone marrow. Both miR-705 and miR-3077-5p acted as inhibitors of MSCs osteoblast differentiation and promoters of adipocyte differentiation, by targeting on the 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of HOXA10 and RUNX2 mRNA separately. Combined inhibition of miR-705 and miR-3077-5p rescued the cell lineage commitment disorder of MSCs through restoring HOXA10 and RUNX2 protein level. Furthermore, we found excessive TNFα and reactive oxygen species caused by estrogen deficiency led to the upregulation of both miRNAs through NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, our findings showed that redundant miR-705 and miR-3077-5p synergistically mediated the shift of MSCs cell lineage commitment to adipocyte in osteoporosis bone marrow, providing new insight into the etiology of osteoporosis at the post-transcriptional level. Moreover, the rescue of MSCs lineage commitment disorder by regulating miRNAs expression suggested a novel potential therapeutic target for osteoporosis as well as stem cell-mediated regenerative medicine.

Consultation and remediation in the north: meeting international commitments to safeguard health and well-being.

PubMed

Banfield, Laura; Jardine, Cynthia G

2013-01-01

International commitments exist for the safeguarding of health and the prevention of ill health. One of the earliest commitments is the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978), which provides 5 principles guiding primary health care: equity, community participation, health promotion, intersectoral collaboration and appropriate technology. These broadly applicable international commitments are premised on the World Health Organization's multifaceted definition of health. The environment is one sector in which these commitments to safeguarding health can be applied. Giant Mine, a contaminated former gold mine in the Northwest Territories, Canada, represents potential threats to all aspects of health. Strategies for managing such threats usually involve an obligation to engage the affected communities through consultation. To examine the remediation and consultation process associated with Giant Mine within the context of commitments to safeguard health and well-being through adapting and applying the principles of primary health care. Semi-structured interviews with purposively selected key informants representing government proponents and community members were conducted. in reviewing themes which emerged from a series of interviews exploring the community consultation process for the remediation of Giant Mine, the principles guiding primary health were mapped to CONSULTATION IN the North: (a) "equity" is the capacity to fairly and meaningfully participate in the consultation; (b) "community participation" is the right to engage in the process through reciprocal dialogue; (c) "health promotion" represents the need for continued information sharing towards awareness; (d) "intersectoral collaboration" signifies the importance of including all stakeholders; and (e) "appropriate technology" is the need to employ the best remediation actions relevant to the site and the community. Within the context of mining remediation, these principles form an appropriate framework for viewing consultation as a means of meeting international obligations to safeguard health.

The effects of ownership, staffing level and organisational justice on nurse commitment, involvement, and satisfaction: a questionnaire study.

PubMed

Heponiemi, Tarja; Elovainio, Marko; Kouvonen, Anne; Kuusio, Hannamaria; Noro, Anja; Finne-Soveri, Harriet; Sinervo, Timo

2011-12-01

Elderly care systems have undergone a lot of changes in many European countries, including Finland. Most notably, the number of private for-profit firms has increased. Previous studies suggest that employee well-being and the quality of care might differ according to the ownership type. The present study examined whether the ownership type and the staffing level were associated with organisational commitment, job involvement, and job satisfaction. In addition, we examined the potential moderating effect of organisational justice on these associations. Cross-sectional questionnaire study. 1047 Finnish female staff members aged 18-69 years working in sheltered housing or nursing homes (units n=179). The relationships were studied with analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusting for the effects of age and case-mix. Organisational commitment and job satisfaction levels were low in for-profit sheltered homes when justice levels were low, but when justice levels were high, for-profit sheltered homes did not differ from other ownership types. Similarly, organisational justice acted as a buffer against low commitment resulting from low staffing levels. Staffing levels were lowest in public sheltered homes and highest in not-for-profit sheltered homes. The results show that organisational justice can act as a buffer against low organisational commitment that results from low staffing levels and working in for-profit sheltered homes. Increasing justice in regard to the management, outcomes, and procedures in the organisation would thus be important. 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of probabilistic internal dosimetry computer code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Siwan; Kwon, Tae-Eun; Lee, Jai-Ki

2017-02-01

Internal radiation dose assessment involves biokinetic models, the corresponding parameters, measured data, and many assumptions. Every component considered in the internal dose assessment has its own uncertainty, which is propagated in the intake activity and internal dose estimates. For research or scientific purposes, and for retrospective dose reconstruction for accident scenarios occurring in workplaces having a large quantity of unsealed radionuclides, such as nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel cycle facilities, and facilities in which nuclear medicine is practiced, a quantitative uncertainty assessment of the internal dose is often required. However, no calculation tools or computer codes that incorporate all the relevant processes and their corresponding uncertainties, i.e., from the measured data to the committed dose, are available. Thus, the objective of the present study is to develop an integrated probabilistic internal-dose-assessment computer code. First, the uncertainty components in internal dosimetry are identified, and quantitative uncertainty data are collected. Then, an uncertainty database is established for each component. In order to propagate these uncertainties in an internal dose assessment, a probabilistic internal-dose-assessment system that employs the Bayesian and Monte Carlo methods. Based on the developed system, we developed a probabilistic internal-dose-assessment code by using MATLAB so as to estimate the dose distributions from the measured data with uncertainty. Using the developed code, we calculated the internal dose distribution and statistical values ( e.g. the 2.5th, 5th, median, 95th, and 97.5th percentiles) for three sample scenarios. On the basis of the distributions, we performed a sensitivity analysis to determine the influence of each component on the resulting dose in order to identify the major component of the uncertainty in a bioassay. The results of this study can be applied to various situations. In cases of severe internal exposure, the causation probability of a deterministic health effect can be derived from the dose distribution, and a high statistical value ( e.g., the 95th percentile of the distribution) can be used to determine the appropriate intervention. The distribution-based sensitivity analysis can also be used to quantify the contribution of each factor to the dose uncertainty, which is essential information for reducing and optimizing the uncertainty in the internal dose assessment. Therefore, the present study can contribute to retrospective dose assessment for accidental internal exposure scenarios, as well as to internal dose monitoring optimization and uncertainty reduction.

Motherhood: a potential source of bias in employment decisions.

PubMed

Heilman, Madeline E; Okimoto, Tyler G

2008-01-01

Results of 2 experimental studies in which job incumbents were said to be applying for promotions to traditionally male positions demonstrated bias against mothers in competence expectations and in screening recommendations. This bias occurred regardless of whether the research participants were students (Study 1) or working people (Study 2). Although anticipated job commitment, achievement striving, and dependability were rated as generally lower for parents than for nonparents, anticipated competence was uniquely low for mothers. Mediational analyses indicated that, as predicted, negativity in competence expectations, not anticipated job commitment or achievement striving, promoted the motherhood bias in screening recommendations; expected deficits in agentic behaviors, not in dependability, were found to fuel these competence expectations. These findings suggest that motherhood can indeed hinder the career advancement of women and that it is the heightened association with gender stereotypes that occurs when women are mothers that is the source of motherhood's potentially adverse consequences. 2008 APA

The UNITAID Patent Pool Initiative: Bringing Patents Together for the Common Good.

PubMed

Bermudez, Jorge; 't Hoen, Ellen

2010-01-19

Developing and delivering appropriate, affordable, well-adapted medicines for HIV/AIDS remains an urgent challenge: as first-line therapies fail, increasing numbers of people require costly second-line therapy; one-third of ARVs are not available in pediatric formulations; and certain key first- and second-line triple fixed-dose combinations do not exist or sufficient suppliers are lacking. UNITAID aims to help solve these problems through an innovative initiative for the collective management of intellectual property (IP) rights - a patent pool for HIV medicines. The idea behind a patent pool is that patent holders - companies, governments, researchers or universities - voluntarily offer, under certain conditions, the IP related to their inventions to the patent pool. Any company that wants to use the IP to produce or develop medicines can seek a license from the pool against the payment of royalties, and may then produce the medicines for use in developing countries (conditional upon meeting agreed quality standards). The patent pool will be a voluntary mechanism, meaning its success will largely depend on the willingness of pharmaceutical companies to participate and commit their IP to the pool. Generic producers must also be willing to cooperate. The pool has the potential to provide benefits to all.

Glass fiber manufacturing and fiber safety: the producer's perspective.

PubMed Central

Bender, J R; Hadley, J G

1994-01-01

Historically, the potential health effects of airborne fibers have been associated with the dose, dimension, and durability. Increasing focus is being placed on the latter category. Concern about airborne fiber safety could be reduced by manufacturing fibers that are not respirable; however, due to performance and manufacturing constraints on glasswool insulations, this is not possible today. These products are an important part of today's economy and as a major manufacturer, Owens-Corning is committed to producing and marketing materials that are both safe and effective in their intended use. To this end, manufacturing technology seeks to produce materials that generate low concentrations of airborne fibers, thus minimizing exposure and irritation. The range of fiber diameters is controlled to assure effective product performance and, as far as possible, to minimize respirability. Glass compositions are designed to allow effective fiber forming and ultimate product function. Fiber dissolution is primarily a function of composition; this too, can be controlled within certain constraints. Coupled with these broad parameters is an extensive product stewardship program to assure the safety of these materials. This article will discuss the factors that influence glasswool insulation production, use, and safety. PMID:7882953

210Po, 210Pb, 40K and 137Cs in edible wild berries and mushrooms and ingestion doses to man from high consumption rates of these wild foods.

PubMed

Gwynn, Justin P; Nalbandyan, Anna; Rudolfsen, Geir

2013-02-01

This paper discusses activity concentrations of (210)Po, (210)Pb, (40)K and (137)Cs in edible wild berries and mushrooms collected from Øvre Dividalen national park, Northern Norway and derives committed effective ingestion doses to man based on high consumption rates of these wild foods. Edible wild berries and mushrooms accumulated similar levels of (210)Pb, but mushrooms accumulated higher levels of (210)Po and (40)K than berries. There appears to be a clear difference in the ability of Leccinum spp. of fungi to accumulate (210)Po and/or translocate (210)Po to mushrooms compared to Russula spp. of fungi. Activity concentrations of (137)Cs in edible wild berries and mushrooms from Øvre Dividalen national park reflected the lower levels of fallout of this radionuclide in Northern Norway compared to more central areas following the Chernobyl accident. For mushrooms, ingestion doses are dominated by (210)Po, while for berries, (40)K is typically the main contributor to dose. Based on high consumption rates, ingestion doses arising from the combination of (210)Po, (210)Pb and (40)K were up to 0.05 mSv/a for berries and 0.50 mSv/a for mushrooms. Consumption of such wild foods may result in a significant contribution to total annual doses when consumed in large quantities, particularly when selecting mushrooms species that accumulate high activity concentrations of (210)Po. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidural analgesia practices for labour: results of a 2005 national survey in Ireland.

PubMed

Fanning, Rebecca A; Briggs, Liam P; Carey, Michael F

2009-03-01

The last 25 years have seen changes in the management of epidural analgesia for labour, including the advent of low-dose epidural analgesia, the development of new local anaesthetic agents, various regimes for maintaining epidural analgesia and the practice of combined spinal-epidural analgesia. We conducted a survey of Irish obstetric anaesthetists to obtain information regarding the conduct and management of obstetric epidural analgesia in Ireland in 2005. The specific objective of this survey was to discover whether new developments in obstetric anaesthesia have been incorporated into clinical practice. A postal survey was sent to all anaesthetists with a clinical commitment for obstetric anaesthesia in the sites approved for training by the College of Anaesthetists, Ireland. Fifty-three per cent of anaesthetists surveyed responded. The majority of anaesthetists (98%) use low-dose epidural analgesia for the maintenance of analgesia. Only 11% use it for test-dosing and 32% for the induction of analgesia. The combined spinal-epidural analgesia method is used by 49%, but two-thirds of those who use it perform fewer than five per month. Patient-controlled epidural analgesia was in use at only one site. It appears that Irish obstetric anaesthetists have adopted the low-dose epidural analgesia trend for the maintenance of labour analgesia. This practice is not as widespread, however, for test dosing, the induction of analgesia dose or in the administration of intermittent epidural boluses to maintain analgesia when higher concentrations are used. Since its introduction in 2000, levobupivacaine has become the most popular local anaesthetic agent.

Jean Baudrillard's Radical Thinking, and Its Potential Contribution to the Sociology of Higher Education Illustrated by Debates about "World-Class" Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanco Ramírez, Gerardo

2016-01-01

This article presents an argument for re-reading Jean Baudrillard's ideas considering their potential contribution to the sociology of higher education, particularly in relation to contemporary debates about "world-class" universities. In order to apply Baudrillard's ideas, China's commitment to the development of "world-class"…

Accelerating change: Fostering innovation in healthcare delivery at academic medical centers.

PubMed

Ostrovsky, Andrey; Barnett, Michael

2014-03-01

Academic medical centers (AMCs) have the potential to be leaders in the era of healthcare delivery reform, but most have yet to display a commitment to delivery innovation on par with their commitment to basic research. Several institutional factors impede delivery innovation including the paucity of adequate training in design and implementation of new delivery models and the lack of established pathways for academic career advancement outside of research. This paper proposes two initiatives to jumpstart disruptive innovation at AMCs: an institutional "innovation incubator" program and a clinician-innovator career track coupled with innovation training programs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiological environmental dose assessment methods and compliance dose results for 2015 operations at the Savannah River Site

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

Jannik, G. T.; Dixon, K. L.

This report presents the environmental dose assessment methods and the estimated potential doses to the offsite public from 2015 Savannah River Site (SRS) atmospheric and liquid radioactive releases. Also documented are potential doses from special-case exposure scenarios - such as the consumption of deer meat, fish, and goat milk.

Bohmian mechanics without wave function ontology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solé, Albert

2013-11-01

In this paper, I critically assess different interpretations of Bohmian mechanics that are not committed to an ontology based on the wave function being an actual physical object that inhabits configuration space. More specifically, my aim is to explore the connection between the denial of configuration space realism and another interpretive debate that is specific to Bohmian mechanics: the quantum potential versus guidance approaches. Whereas defenders of the quantum potential approach to the theory claim that Bohmian mechanics is better formulated as quasi-Newtonian, via the postulation of forces proportional to acceleration; advocates of the guidance approach defend the notion that the theory is essentially first-order and incorporates some concepts akin to those of Aristotelian physics. Here I analyze whether the desideratum of an interpretation of Bohmian mechanics that is both explanatorily adequate and not committed to configuration space realism favors one of these two approaches to the theory over the other. Contrary to some recent claims in the literature, I argue that the quasi-Newtonian approach based on the idea of a quantum potential does not come out the winner.

Map of the spirit: Diagnosis and treatment of spiritual disease.

PubMed

Cantwell, Michael F

2008-01-01

Holistic medicine presupposes that the body, mind, and spirit all influence health. At present, however, we lack any overarching paradigm for assessing and treating the spiritual aspect of disease. Map of the Spirit presents a potentially universal framework of human spiritual development. In this framework, spiritual progress is determined by the balance between 2 forces-Seeking (forward-tending force) and Resistance (force opposing Seeking). Greater Seeking and lower Spiritual Satisfaction predispose toward greater Spiritual Stress, which adds to patients' overall stress and, thereby, influences their health. Addressing Spiritual Stress may improve patients' physical and psychological symptoms. This framework also proposes 4 universal and sequential stages of human spiritual development-Pre-awareness, Awareness, Commitment, and Union. Spiritual experiences, classified into 3 distinct types-Awareness, Commitment, and Union Experiences-are the principal markers between these spiritual stages. Map of the Spirit presents a potentially universal and easy-to-apply framework for assessing (1) how important spirituality is to patients' health, (2) where patients are spiritually, and (3) when and how best to intervene to facilitate their spiritual development and potentially improve their overall health.

Psychological and organizational impact of bullying over and above negative affectivity: a survey of two nursing contexts.

PubMed

Rodwell, John; Demir, Defne; Steane, Peter

2013-06-01

Limited research exists on the impact of bullying across psychological and/or organizationally orientated outcomes for nurses working within different nursing contexts. Research that has explored these outcomes has not considered the potential confounding effects of negative affectivity (NA). This study's aim was to examine the extent hospital and aged care nurses are impacted by bullying on these outcomes, while considering NA. A total of 267 hospital nurses/midwives and 168 aged care nurses from an Australian healthcare organization responded to a survey. The results revealed hospital nurses/midwives who experienced bullying reported higher levels of psychological distress, as well as lower commitment and job satisfaction levels. Aged care nurses who experienced bullying reported lower levels of well-being and commitment. NA was a significant covariate for most analyses. Thus, nurses across these contexts are affected by bullying in relation to psychological and organizational-orientated outcomes over and above the effects of NA, particularly for commitment. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Predicting the risk of suicide by analyzing the text of clinical notes.

PubMed

Poulin, Chris; Shiner, Brian; Thompson, Paul; Vepstas, Linas; Young-Xu, Yinong; Goertzel, Benjamin; Watts, Bradley; Flashman, Laura; McAllister, Thomas

2014-01-01

We developed linguistics-driven prediction models to estimate the risk of suicide. These models were generated from unstructured clinical notes taken from a national sample of U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) medical records. We created three matched cohorts: veterans who committed suicide, veterans who used mental health services and did not commit suicide, and veterans who did not use mental health services and did not commit suicide during the observation period (n = 70 in each group). From the clinical notes, we generated datasets of single keywords and multi-word phrases, and constructed prediction models using a machine-learning algorithm based on a genetic programming framework. The resulting inference accuracy was consistently 65% or more. Our data therefore suggests that computerized text analytics can be applied to unstructured medical records to estimate the risk of suicide. The resulting system could allow clinicians to potentially screen seemingly healthy patients at the primary care level, and to continuously evaluate the suicide risk among psychiatric patients.

Neural mechanisms of economic commitment in the human medial prefrontal cortex

PubMed Central

Tsetsos, Konstantinos; Wyart, Valentin; Shorkey, S Paul; Summerfield, Christopher

2014-01-01

Neurobiologists have studied decisions by offering successive, independent choices between goods or gambles. However, choices often have lasting consequences, as when investing in a house or choosing a partner. Here, humans decided whether to commit (by acceptance or rejection) to prospects that provided sustained financial return. BOLD signals in the rostral medial prefrontal cortex (rmPFC) encoded stimulus value only when acceptance or rejection was deferred into the future, suggesting a role in integrating value signals over time. By contrast, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) encoded stimulus value only when participants rejected (or deferred accepting) a prospect. dACC BOLD signals reflected two decision biases–to defer commitments to later, and to weight potential losses more heavily than gains–that (paradoxically) maximised reward in this task. These findings offer fresh insights into the pressures that shape economic decisions, and the computation of value in the medial prefrontal cortex. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03701.001 PMID:25333687

I say a little prayer for you: praying for partner increases commitment in romantic relationships.

PubMed

Fincham, Frank D; Beach, Steven R H

2014-10-01

Partner-focused petitionary prayer (PFPP) has received little attention in the prayer literature. In two studies, we examine PFPP to see whether it is uniquely important in conveying relationship benefits, whether its benefits are transmitted through an effect on relationship satisfaction, and whether one's own or the partner's PFPP is central to beneficial effects. In Study 1, we examined PFPP in a sample of 316 undergraduate students who were in an "exclusive" romantic relationship, finding that PFPP was related to later level of commitment and that this relationship was partially mediated through enhanced relationship satisfaction. Study 2 examined PFPP in a sample of 205, married African American couples, finding that both partners' PFPP was consequential for commitment, with actor effects partially mediated through relationship quality, and partner effects fully mediated. Together the studies suggest the value of continued investigation of PFPP as a potentially important vehicle for enhancing relationship outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Predicting the Risk of Suicide by Analyzing the Text of Clinical Notes

PubMed Central

Thompson, Paul; Vepstas, Linas; Young-Xu, Yinong; Goertzel, Benjamin; Watts, Bradley; Flashman, Laura; McAllister, Thomas

2014-01-01

We developed linguistics-driven prediction models to estimate the risk of suicide. These models were generated from unstructured clinical notes taken from a national sample of U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) medical records. We created three matched cohorts: veterans who committed suicide, veterans who used mental health services and did not commit suicide, and veterans who did not use mental health services and did not commit suicide during the observation period (n = 70 in each group). From the clinical notes, we generated datasets of single keywords and multi-word phrases, and constructed prediction models using a machine-learning algorithm based on a genetic programming framework. The resulting inference accuracy was consistently 65% or more. Our data therefore suggests that computerized text analytics can be applied to unstructured medical records to estimate the risk of suicide. The resulting system could allow clinicians to potentially screen seemingly healthy patients at the primary care level, and to continuously evaluate the suicide risk among psychiatric patients. PMID:24489669

Estimating potential stranded commitments for U.S. investor-owned electric utilities

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

Baxter, L.; Hirst, E.

New technologies, low natural gas prices, and federal and state utility regions are restructuring the electricity industry. Yesterday`s vertically integrated utility with a retail monopoly franchise may be a very different organization in a few years. Conferences, regulatory-commission hearings, and other industry fora are dominated by debates over the extent and form of utility deintegration, wholesale competition, and retail wheeling. A key obstacle to restructuring the electricity industry is stranded commitments. Past investments, power-purchase contracts, and public-policy-driven programs that made sense in an era of cost-of-service regulation may not be cost-effective in a competitive power market. Regulators, utilities, and othermore » parties face tough decisions concerning the mitigation and allocation of these stranded commitments. The authors developed and applied a simple method to calculate the amount of stranded commitments facing US investor-owned electric utilities. The results obtained with this method depend strongly on a few key assumptions: (1) the fraction of utility sales that is at risk with respect to competition, (2) the market price of electric generation, and (3) the number of years during which the utility would lose money because of differences between its embedded cost of production and the market price.« less

How could she? Psychosocial analysis of ten homicide cases committed by women.

PubMed

Hellen, Florence; Lange-Asschenfeldt, Christian; Ritz-Timme, Stefanie; Verhülsdonk, Sandra; Hartung, Benno

2015-11-01

Ten percent of all homicide perpetrators are female and homicidal acts committed by women are mostly a result of interpersonal conflicts. We carried out a retrospective psychosocial analysis of ten homicide cases committed by women with an urban mid-European background. We evaluated characteristic determinants regarding 1) deed circumstances and motives, 2) the perpetrators, and 3) the victims. Results were compared with the literature on female and male homicides. Autopsy records of the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University Hospital of Düsseldorf, Germany, during the time period from 2006 to 2011 were searched for homicides committed by female perpetrators. Prosecution files were reviewed for further information. The sample comprised N = 10 female homicide perpetrators and eleven victims. The mentioned determinants of the homicide were fairly consistent. All deeds occurred in the domestic context; they were mostly unplanned. All perpetrators were socially isolated and faced socially challenging situations. Most perpetrators were of low socioeconomic status. Furthermore, all victims were helpless and/or dependent on the perpetrator. The presence of a major psychiatric disorder was uncommon and, in contrast to male perpetrators, most women had no previous convictions. The potential value of these core findings in our sample regarding prevention is discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Internal dosimetry of inhaled iodine-131.

PubMed

Kiani Nasab, Mitra; Rafat Motavalli, Laleh; Miri Hakimabad, Hashem

2018-01-01

In this paper, the dose assessment for the iodine inhalation exposure in 19 aerosol sizes and three gas/vapor forms at three levels of thyroid uptake, was performed. Two different modes of work (light vs. heavy) and breathing (nose vs. mouth) for aerosol inhalation were investigated. In order to calculate the cumulated activities per unit of inhaled activity, a combined model which included the latest models of both human respiratory and alimentary tract was developed. The S values for 131 I were computed based on the ICRP adult male and female reference voxel phantoms by the Monte Carlo method. Then, the committed equivalent and committed effective dose coefficients were obtained (The data are available at http://www.um.ac.ir/∼mirihakim). In general, for the nonzero thyroid uptakes, the maximum cumulated activity was found in the thyroid. When the thyroid is blocked, however, the maximum depends on the work and breathing mode and radioisotope form. Overall, the maximum CED coefficient was evaluated for the inhalation of elemental iodine at thyroid uptake of ∼27% (2.8 × 10 -8 Sv/Bq). As for the particle inhalation per se, mouth breathing of 0.6 nm and 0.2 μm AMTD particles showed to have the maximum (2.8 × 10 -8 Sv/Bq) and minimum (6.4 × 10 -9 Sv/Bq) CED coefficients, respectively. Compared to the reference CED coefficients, the authors found an increase of about 58% for inhalation of the aerosols with AMAD of 1 μm and 70% for 5 μm. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ranitidine Can Potentiate The Prokinetic Effect Of Itopride At Low Doses- An In Vitro Study.

PubMed

Butt, Aroosa Ishtiaq; Khan, Bushra Tayyaba; Khan, Asma; Khan, Qamar-Uz-Zaman

2017-01-01

Gastroparesis and GERD occur concomitantly in 40 percent of the cases. Prokinetic drugs and acid blockers are employed as the main treatment modality. Ranitidine is an acid blocker with additional prokinetic activity and Itopride is a known prokinetic drug. This study was designed to observe the synergistic potentiating prokinetic effect of Ranitidine on itopride on isolated duodenum of rabbits. Ranitidine (10-5-10-3) and itopride (10-6-10-5) were added in increasing concentrations to isolated duodenum of rabbits and contractions were recorded on PowerLab Data acquisition unit AHK/214. Cumulative dose response curves were constructed. The potentiating prokinetic effect of Ranitidine on itopride was seen by using a fixed dose of ranitidine and cumulatively enhancing doses of itopride on iWorx. Ranitidine and itopride produced a dose dependent reversible contraction of the isolated tissue of rabbits with ranitidine showing a max response of 0.124mV and itopride showing a maximum response of 0.131mV. Ranitidine was able to potentiate the prokinetic effect of itopride at low doses but at high dose the effect began to wane off. Ranitidine and itopride produce a statistically significant synergistic potentiating prokinetic effect at low doses in vitro.

Understanding Commitment: Relations between Major Commitment, Satisfaction, Involvement, Fit, University Commitment, and Intention to Quit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Womack, Anna; Leuty, Melanie E.; Bullock-Yowell, Emily; Mandracchia, Jon T.

2018-01-01

Various factors have shown to relate to different forms of career commitment (i.e., affective, continuance, and normative commitment). Commitment has been associated with intent to remain within a profession or organization, suggesting that commitment is an important component of career retention. Correspondingly, commitment to one's academic…

Previous Ingestion of Lactococcus lactis by Ethanol-Treated Mice Preserves Antigen Presentation Hierarchy in the Gut and Oral Tolerance Susceptibility.

PubMed

Alvarenga, Débora M; Perez, Denise A; Gomes-Santos, Ana C; Miyoshi, Anderson; Azevedo, Vasco; Coelho-Dos-Reis, Jordana G A; Martins-Filho, Olindo A; Faria, Ana Maria C; Cara, Denise C; Andrade, Marileia C

2015-08-01

Ethanol (EtOH) consumption is able to disturb the ovalbumin (OVA)-oral tolerance induction by interfering on the function of antigen presenting cells (APC), down-regulating dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages and up-regulating B-lymphocytes and their function, which results in an overall allergic-type immune status. In this study, the potential of a priori administration of Lactococcus lactis (LL) in avoiding loss of oral tolerance in EtOH-treated mice was investigated. Female C57BL/6 mice received, by oral route, ad libitum wild-type (WT) LL or heat-shock protein producer (Hsp65) LL for 4 consecutive days. Seven days later, mice were submitted to short-term high-dose EtOH treatment. After 24 hours, stomach, intestine, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes (mLN) specimens were collected for biomarkers analysis. Following EtOH-treatment protocol, a group of animals underwent single-gavage OVA-tolerance protocol and sera samples collected for antibody analysis. The ingestion of WT LL or Hsp65 LL is able to restore oral tolerance to OVA in EtOH-treated mice, by reducing local and systemic allergic outcomes such as gastric mast cells and gut-interleukin-4, as well as serum IgE. WT LL treatment prevents the decrease of mLN regulatory T cells induced by the EtOH treatment. Moreover, LL treatment preserves APC hierarchy and antigen presentation commitment in EtOH-treated mice, with conserved DC and macrophage activity over B lymphocytes in mLN and preserved macrophage activity over DC and B-cell subsets in the spleen. The present findings suggest that a priori ingestion of LL preserves essential mechanisms associated with oral tolerance induction that are disturbed by EtOH ingestion. Maintenance of mucosal homeostasis by preserving APC hierarchy and antigen presentation commitment could be associated with T-regulatory subset activities in the gastrointestinal tract. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids may mutually benefit both obesity and osteoporosis.

PubMed

Kelly, Owen J; Gilman, Jennifer C; Kim, Youjin; Ilich, Jasminka Z

2013-07-01

The overconsumption of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), resulting in a high ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA, may contribute to the increased pathogenesis of obesity and osteoporosis by promoting low-grade chronic inflammation (LGCI). As evidence suggests, both obesity and osteoporosis are linked on a cellular and systemic basis. This review will analyze if a relationship exists between LGCI, fat, bone, and n-3 PUFA. During the life cycle, inflammation increases, fat mass accumulates, and bone mass declines, thus suggesting that a connection exists. This review will begin by examining how the current American diet and dietary guidelines may fall short of providing an anti-inflammatory dose of the n-3 PUFA eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). It will then define LGCI and outline the evidence for a relationship between fat and bone. Inflammation as it pertains to obesity and osteoporosis and how EPA and DHA can alleviate the associated inflammation will be discussed, followed by some preliminary evidence to show how mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lineage commitment may be altered by inflammation to favor adipogenesis. Our hypothesis is that n-3 PUFA positively influence obesity and osteoporosis by reducing LGCI, ultimately leading to a beneficial shift in MSC lineage commitment. This hypothesis essentially relates the need for more focused research in several areas such as determining age and lifestyle factors that promote the shift in MSC commitment and if current intakes of EPA and DHA are optimal for fat and bone. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicidal Behavior and Gifted Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leroux, Janice A.

1986-01-01

Analysis of insights of parents of gifted adolescent boys (N=8) who committed suicide found retrospective clues for potential suicide such as: lack of recognition/acceptance of individuality; effects of competition on self-esteem; lack of coping skills; and suicidal behavior of friends. (CB)

Potential for off-peak freight deliveries to commercial areas : implementation plan

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-12-21

This document discusses three groups of policies to foster off-peak deliveries. The first group, Industry wide policies, considers policies that target specific industry segments, e.g., tax incentives to restaurants in exchange for their commitment t...

Contribution of time-activity pattern and microenvironment to black carbon (BC) inhalation exposure and potential internal dose among elementary school children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Hyeran; Park, Donguk

2017-09-01

The aims of this study were to quantify the contributions of activities or microenvironments (MEs) to daily total exposure to and potential dose of black carbon (BC). Daily BC exposures (24-h) were monitored using a micro-aethalometer micoAeth AE51 with forty school-aged children living in an urban area in Korea from August 2015 to January 2016. The children's time-activity patterns and the MEs they visited were investigated by means of a time-activity diary (TAD) and follow-up interviews with the children and their parents. Potential inhaled dose was estimated by multiplying the airborne BC concentrations (μg/m3) we monitored for the time the children spent in a particular ME by the inhalation rate (IR, m3/h) for the time-activity performed. The contribution of activities and MEs to overall daily exposure to and potential dose of BC was quantified. Overall mean daily potential dose was equal to 24.1 ± 10.6 μg/day (range: 6.6-46.3 μg/day). The largest contribution to BC exposure and potential dose (51.9% and 41.7% respectively) occurred in the home thanks to the large amount of time spent there. Transportation was where children received the most intense exposure to (14.8%) and potential dose (20.2%) of BC, while it accounted for 7.6% of daily time. School on weekdays during the semester was responsible for 20.3% of exposure and 22.5% of potential dose. Contribution to BC exposure and potential dose was altered by several time-activity parameters, such as type of day (weekdays vs. weekends; school days vs. holidays), season, and gender. Traveling by motor vehicle and subway showed more elevated exposure or potential dose intensity on weekdays or school days, probably influenced by the increased surrounding traffic volumes on these days compared to on weekends or holidays. This study may be used to prioritize targets for minimizing children's exposure to BC and to indicate outcomes of BC control strategies.

The Association Between School Bonding and Smoking Amongst Chilean Adolescents.

PubMed

Gaete, Jorge; Montgomery, Alan; Araya, Ricardo

2015-01-01

The objective of the research was to study the association between school bonding dimensions (school commitment and school attachment) and current adolescent smoking in Chile, controlling for confounding variables using the fifth Chilean School Population National Substance Use Survey, 2003 (CHSS-2003) data set. The CHSS-2003 is a stratified cross-sectional survey that gathers information about personal, familial, peer, and school factors and cigarette use using a self-reported questionnaire. Complete data from 21,956 adolescent students for all the variables of interest were used in the analyses. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed in order to explore the construct validity of the questionnaire and create the main exposure and potential confounding variables. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were undertaken to study the association between school bonding and smoking. The construct validity of the school attachment and school commitment scales was mainly supported by the EFA. Multivariable analyses showed strong evidence that, after adjusting for factors from different domains, school commitment (student's good grades and school attendance) appears to have a clear inverse association with current smoking (odds ratio [OR]=0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.38-0.56). On the other hand, school attachment (their feelings towards their school and their teachers) was not associated with adolescent smoking (OR=1.16, 95% CI: 0.88-1.53). School commitment was strongly associated with current smoking. It is important to further study this variable with the aim of ascertaining whether or not interventions that improve school commitment may prevent or reduce smoking amongst adolescent students.

The dire need for primary care specialization in India: Concerns and challenges.

PubMed

Faizi, Nafis; Khalique, Najam; Ahmad, Anees; Shah, Mohammad Salman

2016-01-01

Primary health care is an evidence-based priority, but it is still inadequately supported in many countries. Ironically, on one hand, India is a popular destination for medical tourism due to the affordability of high quality of health care and, on the other hand, ill health and health care are the main reasons for becoming poor through medical poverty traps. Surprisingly, this is despite the fact that India was committed to 'Health for All by 2000' in the past, and is committed to 'Universal Health Coverage' by 2022! Clearly, these commitments are destined to fail unless something is done to improve the present state of affairs. This study argues for the need to develop primary care as a specialization in India as a remedial measure to reform its health care in order to truly commit to the commitments. Three critical issues for this specialization are discussed in this review: (1) The dynamic and distinct nature of primary care as opposed to other medical specializations, (2) the intersection of primary care and public health which can be facilitated by such a specialization, and (3) research in primary care including the development of screening and referral tools for early diagnosis of cancers, researches for evidence-based interventions via health programs, and primary care epidemiology. Despite the potential challenges and difficulties, India is a country in dire need for primary care specialization. India's experience in providing low-cost and high quality healthcare for medical tourism presages a more cost-effective and efficient primary care with due attention and specialization.

An analysis of the content of food industry pledges on marketing to children.

PubMed

Hawkes, Corinna; Harris, Jennifer L

2011-08-01

To identify pledges made by the food industry to change food marketing to children worldwide, examine their content and discuss their potential to reduce the harmful effects of food marketing to children. A search for pledges and specific commitments made by participating companies and a content analysis of their scope and criteria used to define the marketing covered or excluded. Global. Food industry pledges. Between 2005 and 2009, the food industry developed thirteen pledges on food marketing to children, involving fifty-two food companies. Two of the pledges were global, two were regional and nine applied to specific countries. Three were specific to the soft drinks industry and to the fast-food industry, with the rest being food industry wide. Ten of the pledges required companies to publish individual commitments; a total of eighty-two such commitments were published, many of which extended beyond the minimum standards set in the pledges. All pledges included definitions of children and child-targeted media, as well as the communication channels and marketing techniques covered, and permitted companies to set criteria for foods that are exempted from any restrictions. There were many similarities between the pledges and individual commitments; however, there were also many differences. The development of pledges on food marketing to children in such a short span of time is impressive. However, limitations and inconsistencies in the pledges and commitments suggest that the food industry has a long way to go if its pledges are to comprehensively reduce the exposure and power of marketing to children.

The dire need for primary care specialization in India: Concerns and challenges

PubMed Central

Faizi, Nafis; Khalique, Najam; Ahmad, Anees; Shah, Mohammad Salman

2016-01-01

Primary health care is an evidence-based priority, but it is still inadequately supported in many countries. Ironically, on one hand, India is a popular destination for medical tourism due to the affordability of high quality of health care and, on the other hand, ill health and health care are the main reasons for becoming poor through medical poverty traps. Surprisingly, this is despite the fact that India was committed to 'Health for All by 2000’ in the past, and is committed to 'Universal Health Coverage’ by 2022! Clearly, these commitments are destined to fail unless something is done to improve the present state of affairs. This study argues for the need to develop primary care as a specialization in India as a remedial measure to reform its health care in order to truly commit to the commitments. Three critical issues for this specialization are discussed in this review: (1) The dynamic and distinct nature of primary care as opposed to other medical specializations, (2) the intersection of primary care and public health which can be facilitated by such a specialization, and (3) research in primary care including the development of screening and referral tools for early diagnosis of cancers, researches for evidence-based interventions via health programs, and primary care epidemiology. Despite the potential challenges and difficulties, India is a country in dire need for primary care specialization. India's experience in providing low-cost and high quality healthcare for medical tourism presages a more cost-effective and efficient primary care with due attention and specialization. PMID:27843818

"Potential Space" in Therapy: Helping a Toddler Come to Terms with Her Mother's Death

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostler, Teresa

2011-01-01

To fully grieve a parent's death, a young child needs to come to terms internally with the loss. The author describes this process in a toddler whose mother committed suicide. In therapy, the child formed a relationship with a stone statue and communicated her need to be found and protected. Drawing on the notion of "potential space," an…

Three components of organizational commitment and job satisfaction of hospital nurses in Iran.

PubMed

Jahangir, Fridoon; Shokrpour, Nasrin

2009-01-01

To measure the relationship between job satisfaction and the 3 components of organizational commitment. Most of the research conducted in the West has shown a positive relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction of nurses; however, the relationship between the components of organizational commitment and job satisfaction is not well established in Iranian samples. This study aimed to investigate the level of organizational commitment and job satisfaction of the hospital nurses in Iran and the interrelationship between the 3 components of commitment and job satisfaction among them. Using the organizational commitment questionnaire developed by Meyer et al (J Appl Psychol. 1993;78:538-551), the 3 components of commitment were measured through a descriptive correlational design. Seven hundred eighty-six licensed nurses working in 12 hospitals participated in the study. One hundred ninety-eight of 220 returned questionnaires were identified as appropriate for the analysis. Affective commitment was positively related to job satisfaction, normative commitment, and experience in nursing, but it was negatively related to continuance commitment. Continuance commitment was negatively related to job satisfaction and affective commitment. Normative commitment was positively related to job satisfaction and affective commitment. The 3 components of commitment are variously related to job satisfaction. Nursing managers should pay attention to different components of commitment variously to promote the appropriate type of commitment needed for specific situation in which they work.

The Potential Neurotoxic Effects of Low-Dose Sarin Exposure in a Guinea Pig Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

1 THE POTENTIAL NEUROTOXIC EFFECTS OF LOW-DOSE SARIN EXPOSURE IN A GUINEA PIG MODEL Melinda R. Roberson, PhD, Michelle B. Schmidt...Proving Ground, MD 21010 USA ABSTRACT This study is assessing the effects in guinea pigs of repeated low-dose exposure to the nerve...COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Potential Neurotoxic Effects Of Low-Dose Sarin Exposure In A Guinea Pig Model 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b

Current and future needs for developmental toxicity testing.

PubMed

Makris, Susan L; Kim, James H; Ellis, Amy; Faber, Willem; Harrouk, Wafa; Lewis, Joseph M; Paule, Merle G; Seed, Jennifer; Tassinari, Melissa; Tyl, Rochelle

2011-10-01

A review is presented of the use of developmental toxicity testing in the United States and international regulatory assessment of human health risks associated with exposures to pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary), chemicals (agricultural, industrial, and environmental), food additives, cosmetics, and consumer products. Developmental toxicology data are used for prioritization and screening of pharmaceuticals and chemicals, for evaluating and labeling of pharmaceuticals, and for characterizing hazards and risk of exposures to industrial and environmental chemicals. The in vivo study designs utilized in hazard characterization and dose-response assessment for developmental outcomes have not changed substantially over the past 30 years and have served the process well. Now there are opportunities to incorporate new technologies and approaches to testing into the existing assessment paradigm, or to apply innovative approaches to various aspects of risk assessment. Developmental toxicology testing can be enhanced by the refinement or replacement of traditional in vivo protocols, including through the use of in vitro assays, studies conducted in alternative nonmammalian species, the application of new technologies, and the use of in silico models. Potential benefits to the current regulatory process include the ability to screen large numbers of chemicals quickly, with the commitment of fewer resources than traditional toxicology studies, and to refine the risk assessment process through an enhanced understanding of the mechanisms of developmental toxicity and their relevance to potential human risk. As the testing paradigm evolves, the ability to use developmental toxicology data to meet diverse critical regulatory needs must be retained. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Estimation of effective dose and lifetime attributable risk from multiple head CT scans in ventriculoperitoneal shunted children.

PubMed

Aw-Zoretic, J; Seth, D; Katzman, G; Sammet, S

2014-10-01

The purpose of this review is to determine the averaged effective dose and lifetime attributable risk factor from multiple head computed tomography (CT) dose data on children with ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS). A total of 422 paediatric head CT exams were found between October 2008 and January 2011 and retrospectively reviewed. The CT dose data was weighted with the latest IRCP 103 conversion factor to obtain the effective dose per study and the averaged effective dose was calculated. Estimates of the lifetime attributable risk were also calculated from the averaged effective dose using a conversion factor from the latest BEIR VII report. Our study found the highest effective doses in neonates and the lowest effective doses were observed in the 10-18 years age group. We estimated a 0.007% potential increase risk in neonates and 0.001% potential increased risk in teenagers over the base risk. Multiple head CTs in children equates to a slight potential increase risk in lifetime attributable risk over the baseline risk for cancer, slightly higher in neonates relative to teenagers. The potential risks versus clinical benefit must be assessed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT APPROACHES AND REVITALIZATION TOOLS - ELECTRONIC (SMARTE) - 09-05-2007

EPA Science Inventory

Revitalization of sites potentially contaminated with environmentally toxic or hazardous materials (e.g., brownfields) is a global concern requiring a multi-disciplinary approach to mitigate the risks to human health and the environment. Many countries have committed extensive re...

Understanding District-Charter Collaboration Grants. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuttle, Christina; McCullough, Moira; Richman, Scott; Booker, Kevin; Burnett, Alyson; Keating, Betsy; Cavanaugh, Michael

2016-01-01

In November 2012, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invested in seven innovative district-charter partnerships with "the potential capacity and commitment to accelerate student college ready rates through deep collaboration and sharing of best practices" (District-Charter Collaboration Grant Request for Proposal [RFP]). These…

Advanced Methods for Dose and Regimen Finding During Drug Development: Summary of the EMA/EFPIA Workshop on Dose Finding (London 4–5 December 2014)

PubMed Central

Manolis, E; Holford, N; Cheung, SYA; Friberg, LE; Ogungbenro, K; Posch, M; Yates, JWT; Berry, S; Thomas, N; Corriol‐Rohou, S; Bornkamp, B; Bretz, F; Hooker, AC; Van der Graaf, PH; Standing, JF; Hay, J; Cole, S; Gigante, V; Karlsson, K; Dumortier, T; Benda, N; Serone, F; Das, S; Brochot, A; Ehmann, F; Hemmings, R; Rusten, I Skottheim

2017-01-01

Inadequate dose selection for confirmatory trials is currently still one of the most challenging issues in drug development, as illustrated by high rates of late‐stage attritions in clinical development and postmarketing commitments required by regulatory institutions. In an effort to shift the current paradigm in dose and regimen selection and highlight the availability and usefulness of well‐established and regulatory‐acceptable methods, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in collaboration with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Association (EFPIA) hosted a multistakeholder workshop on dose finding (London 4–5 December 2014). Some methodologies that could constitute a toolkit for drug developers and regulators were presented. These methods are described in the present report: they include five advanced methods for data analysis (empirical regression models, pharmacometrics models, quantitative systems pharmacology models, MCP‐Mod, and model averaging) and three methods for study design optimization (Fisher information matrix (FIM)‐based methods, clinical trial simulations, and adaptive studies). Pairwise comparisons were also discussed during the workshop; however, mostly for historical reasons. This paper discusses the added value and limitations of these methods as well as challenges for their implementation. Some applications in different therapeutic areas are also summarized, in line with the discussions at the workshop. There was agreement at the workshop on the fact that selection of dose for phase III is an estimation problem and should not be addressed via hypothesis testing. Dose selection for phase III trials should be informed by well‐designed dose‐finding studies; however, the specific choice of method(s) will depend on several aspects and it is not possible to recommend a generalized decision tree. There are many valuable methods available, the methods are not mutually exclusive, and they should be used in conjunction to ensure a scientifically rigorous understanding of the dosing rationale. PMID:28722322

An assessment of the radiological impact of the Windscale reactor fire, October 1957.

PubMed

Crick, M J; Linsley, G S

1984-11-01

On the 10th and 11 October 1957 a fire in the No 1 Pile at the Windscale establishment in Cumbria led to an uncontrolled release of activity to the atmosphere. The resultant cloud subsequently dispersed and radionuclides could be detected over England, Wales and parts of northern Europe. The extensive environmental measurements which were made during and after the release enabled a fairly accurate estimate to be made of the radiation doses to the most exposed individuals in the local population. Until recently, no estimates of the population dose resulting from the release had been published. This paper describes assessments which have been made by the NRPB of the population or collective dose from the release and of the possible associated health impact. In addition to the fission products that escaped, radionuclides were released from materials undergoing irradiation in the pile at the time of the fire. The assessment has included the results of a review of previously unpublished data which established the quantity of these nuclides released and considers their impact on both individual and population doses. The collective effective dose equivalent commitment from the release is estimated to have been 2.0 x 10(3) man Sv. The route of exposure which contributed the most to the collective dose was the inhalation pathway. Iodine-131 was the most important radionuclide, contributing nearly all of the collective dose to the thyroid and a large part of the collective effective dose. Polonium-210 and caesium-137 also made significant contributions; that from caesium-137 came in the longer term via external irradiation from ground deposits and the ingestion of contaminated foodstuffs. The methodology used in the study has been validated to a certain degree by comparing the predicted levels of individual thyroid activity and those measured directly in the weeks following the accident in London, Leeds and Cumbria.

Drug error in paediatric anaesthesia: current status and where to go now.

PubMed

Anderson, Brian J

2018-06-01

Medication errors in paediatric anaesthesia and the perioperative setting continue to occur despite widespread recognition of the problem and published advice for reduction of this predicament at international, national, local and individual levels. Current literature was reviewed to ascertain drug error rates and to appraise causes and proposed solutions to reduce these errors. The medication error incidence remains high. There is documentation of reduction through identification of causes with consequent education and application of safety analytics and quality improvement programs in anaesthesia departments. Children remain at higher risk than adults because of additional complexities such as drug dose calculations, increased susceptibility to some adverse effects and changes associated with growth and maturation. Major improvements are best made through institutional system changes rather than a commitment to do better on the part of each practitioner. Medication errors in paediatric anaesthesia represent an important risk to children and most are avoidable. There is now an understanding of the genesis of adverse drug events and this understanding should facilitate the implementation of known effective countermeasures. An institution-wide commitment and strategy are the basis for a worthwhile and sustained improvement in medication safety.

T Follicular Helper Cell-Germinal Center B Cell Interaction Strength Regulates Entry into Plasma Cell or Recycling Germinal Center Cell Fate.

PubMed

Ise, Wataru; Fujii, Kentaro; Shiroguchi, Katsuyuki; Ito, Ayako; Kometani, Kohei; Takeda, Kiyoshi; Kawakami, Eiryo; Yamashita, Kazuo; Suzuki, Kazuhiro; Okada, Takaharu; Kurosaki, Tomohiro

2018-04-17

Higher- or lower-affinity germinal center (GC) B cells are directed either to plasma cell or GC recycling, respectively; however, how commitment to the plasma cell fate takes place is unclear. We found that a population of light zone (LZ) GC cells, Bcl6 lo CD69 hi expressing a transcription factor IRF4 and higher-affinity B cell receptors (BCRs) or Bcl6 hi CD69 hi with lower-affinity BCRs, favored the plasma cell or recycling GC cell fate, respectively. Mechanistically, CD40 acted as a dose-dependent regulator for Bcl6 lo CD69 hi cell formation. Furthermore, we found that expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) in Bcl6 lo CD69 hi cells was higher than in Bcl6 hi CD69 hi cells, thereby affording more stable T follicular helper (Tfh)-GC B cell contacts. These data support a model whereby commitment to the plasma cell begins in the GC and suggest that stability of Tfh-GC B cell contacts is key for plasma cell-prone GC cell formation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Combined exposure to X-irradiation followed by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea treatment alters the frequency and spectrum of Ikaros point mutations in murine T-cell lymphoma.

PubMed

Kakinuma, Shizuko; Nishimura, Mayumi; Amasaki, Yoshiko; Takada, Mayumi; Yamauchi, Kazumi; Sudo, Satomi; Shang, Yi; Doi, Kazutaka; Yoshinaga, Shinji; Shimada, Yoshiya

2012-09-01

Ionizing radiation is a well-known carcinogen, but its potency may be influenced by other environmental carcinogens, which is of practical importance in the assessment of risk. Data are scarce, however, on the combined effect of radiation with other environmental carcinogens and the underlying mechanisms involved. We studied the mode and mechanism of the carcinogenic effect of radiation in combination with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) using doses approximately equal to the corresponding thresholds. B6C3F1 mice exposed to fractionated X-irradiation (Kaplan's method) followed by ENU developed T-cell lymphomas in a dose-dependent manner. Radiation doses above an apparent threshold acted synergistically with ENU to promote lymphoma development, whereas radiation doses below that threshold antagonized lymphoma development. Ikaros, which regulates the commitment and differentiation of lymphoid lineage cells, is a critical tumor suppressor gene frequently altered in both human and mouse lymphomas and shows distinct mutation spectra between X-ray- and ENU-induced lymphomas. In the synergistically induced lymphomas, we observed a low frequency of LOH and an inordinate increase of Ikaros base substitutions characteristic of ENU-induced point mutations, G:C to A:T at non-CpG, A:T to G:C, G:C to T:A and A:T to T:A. This suggests that radiation doses above an apparent threshold activate the ENU mutagenic pathway. This is the first report on the carcinogenic mechanism elicited by combined exposure to carcinogens below and above threshold doses based on the mutation spectrum of the causative gene. These findings constitute a basis for assessing human cancer risk following exposure to multiple carcinogens. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mapping radon-prone areas using γ-radiation dose rate and geological information.

PubMed

García-Talavera, M; García-Pérez, A; Rey, C; Ramos, L

2013-09-01

Identifying radon-prone areas is key to policies on the control of this environmental carcinogen. In the current paper, we present the methodology followed to delineate radon-prone areas in Spain. It combines information from indoor radon measurements with γ-radiation and geological maps. The advantage of the proposed approach is that it lessens the requirement for a high density of measurements by making use of commonly available information. It can be applied for an initial definition of radon-prone areas in countries committed to introducing a national radon policy or to improving existing radon maps in low population regions.

[Combination of hemodialysis and hemofiltration in severe caffeine intoxication].

PubMed

Colin-Benoit, Eugénie; Friolet, Raymond; Rusca, Marco; Teta, Daniel; Gobin, Niels

2017-05-01

A 21-year-old man ingested 75g of pure caffeine, in an attempt to commit suicide. This represents 7.5 times the minimal lethal dose. Caffeine, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, is the most widely consumed psychoactive compound worldwide. It is mostly found in coffee, tea, energizing drinks and in some drugs. However, it has become really easy to obtain pure caffeine (powder or tablets) on the Internet. Mechanisms of action are dose-dependent. When caffeine overdosing occurs, neurologic, cardiovascular and renal systems are mainly affected. Severe intoxication can be fatal. No antidote is available and treatment is purely symptomatic. Hemoperfusion has previously been carried out in the 1990's to treat patients with caffeine intoxication. Since 2009, hemodialysis and hemofiltration have proposed as well. Our patient was successfully treated with a combination of hemodiafiltration, intermittent and then continuous. Copyright © 2017 Société francophone de néphrologie, dialyse et transplantation. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Natural radioactivity in groundwater--a review.

PubMed

Dinh Chau, Nguyen; Dulinski, Marek; Jodlowski, Pawel; Nowak, Jakub; Rozanski, Kazimierz; Sleziak, Monika; Wachniew, Przemyslaw

2011-12-01

The issue of natural radioactivity in groundwater is reviewed, with emphasis on those radioisotopes which contribute in a significant way to the overall effective dose received by members of the public due to the intake of drinking water originating from groundwater systems. The term 'natural radioactivity' is used in this context to cover all radioactivity present in the environment, including man-made (anthropogenic) radioactivity. Comprehensive discussion of radiological aspects of the presence of natural radionuclides in groundwater, including an overview of current regulations dealing with radioactivity in drinking water, is provided. The presented data indicate that thorough assessments of the committed doses resulting from the presence of natural radioactivity in groundwater are needed, particularly when such water is envisaged for regular intake by infants. They should be based on a precise determination of radioactivity concentration levels of the whole suite of radionuclides, including characterisation of their temporal variability. Equally important is a realistic assessment of water intake values for specific age groups. Only such an evaluation may provide the basis for possible remedial actions.

Evaluation of radionuclides transfer from soil-to-edible flora and estimation of radiological dose to the Malaysian populace.

PubMed

Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin; Mohd Nasir, Noor Liyana; Asaduzzaman, Kh; Olatunji, Michael Adekunle; Amin, Yusoff Mohd; Kassim, Hasan Abu; Bradley, D A; Jojo, P J; Alrefae, Tareq

2016-07-01

Malaysia, a rapidly growing industrial country, is susceptible to pollution via large-scale industrial engagements and associated human activities. One particular concern is the potential impact upon the quality of locally resourced vegetables, foodstuffs that contain important nutrients necessary for good health, forming an essential part of the Malaysian diet. As a part of this, it is of importance for there to be accurate knowledge of radioactive material uptake in these vegetables, not least in respect of any public health detriment. Herein, using HPGe γ-ray spectrometry, quantification has been performed of naturally occurring radionuclides in common edible vegetables and their associated soils. From samples analyses, the soil activity concentration ranges (in units of Bq/kg) for (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K were respectively 1.33-30.90, 0.48-26.80, 7.99-136.5 while in vegetable samples the ranges were 0.64-3.80, 0.21-6.91, 85.53-463.8. Using the corresponding activities, the transfer factors (TFs) from soil-to-vegetables were estimated, the transfers being greatest for (40)K, an expected outcome given the essentiality of this element in support of vigorous growth. The TFs of (226)Ra and (232)Th were found to be in accord with available literature data, the values indicating the mobility of these radionuclides to be low in the studied soils. Committed effective dose and the associated life-time cancer risk was estimated, being found to be below the permissible limit proposed by UNSCEAR. Results for the studied media show that the prevalent activities and mobilities pose no significant threat to human health, the edible vegetables being safe for consumption. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Addressing the workforce crisis: the professional aspirations of pharmacy students in Ghana.

PubMed

Owusu-Daaku, Frances; Smith, Felicity; Shah, Rita

2008-10-01

A lack of skilled health professionals, and net migration from developing to more developed countries, are widely recognised as barriers to the delivery of effective health care. However, few studies have investigated this issue from the perspective of pharmacists, although they are increasingly viewed as a potentially valuable and underexploited health care resource. The objectives of this study were to examine the professional aspirations and perceived opportunities of final year pharmacy students in a developing country; and consider what developments may encourage them to remain in, and contribute to, health care in their home country. Final year pharmacy students from the Faculty of Pharmacy, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana, were randomly selected and invited to participate in in-depth interviews. These were audio-recorded (with permission of respondents) and transcribed verbatim to enable a qualitative analysis. professional aspirations, and perceived opportunities and barriers to their achievement in Ghana and abroad. Results Participants viewed themselves, and wished to be viewed by others, as health professionals. They described a commitment to applying their clinical knowledge and to education beyond their first degree. However, they identified significant barriers to the achievement of professional aspirations in Ghana, which would diminish their opportunities to contribute to health care. Whilst most students expressed the expectation or desire to travel at some point, usually early, in their career, they all demonstrated a commitment to their country and stated a wish to return. Overall the study highlighted prospective pharmacists in Ghana as ambitious, committed potential health professionals. The study indicates that a lack of attention by policy makers and professional bodies to ways of exploiting the contribution of pharmacists to public health, may represent a lost potential human resource for health in developing countries.

77 FR 56519 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-12

... of the National Emergency With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism On... persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism, pursuant to the International Emergency... the grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists, including the...

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism Presidential Documents Other... Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism On September 23, 2001, by Executive Order... commit, or support terrorism, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701...

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism Presidential Documents Other... Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism On September 23, 2001, by Executive Order... commit, or support terrorism, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701...

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism Presidential Documents Other... Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism On September 23, 2001, by Executive Order... commit, or support terrorism, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701...

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism Presidential Documents Other... Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism On September 23, 2001, by Executive Order... commit, or support terrorism, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701...

How do different types of community commitment influence brand commitment? The mediation of brand attachment.

PubMed

Zhang, Ning; Zhou, Zhi-min; Su, Chen-ting; Zhou, Nan

2013-11-01

Although previous research indicates that participation in a brand community may foster consumer loyalty to the brand in question, research has seldom examined the mediating effect of community commitment on brand commitment. Drawing from the typologies of organizational commitment, we divide community commitment into three components: continuance community commitment (continuance CC), affective community commitment (affective CC), and normative community commitment (normative CC). We then assess the mediating role of brand attachment in the relationship between these three components and brand commitment. We test the hypotheses using a sample of online mobile phone brand communities in China. The empirical results reveal that brand attachment exerts an indirect (but not mediated) effect on the relationship between continuance CC and brand commitment and on the relationship between normative CC and brand commitment. We also find that it exerts a partial mediating effect on the relationship between affective CC and brand commitment. The findings contribute to the branding literature and have important implications for brand community management.

How Do Different Types of Community Commitment Influence Brand Commitment? The Mediation of Brand Attachment

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ning; Su, Chen-ting; Zhou, Nan

2013-01-01

Abstract Although previous research indicates that participation in a brand community may foster consumer loyalty to the brand in question, research has seldom examined the mediating effect of community commitment on brand commitment. Drawing from the typologies of organizational commitment, we divide community commitment into three components: continuance community commitment (continuance CC), affective community commitment (affective CC), and normative community commitment (normative CC). We then assess the mediating role of brand attachment in the relationship between these three components and brand commitment. We test the hypotheses using a sample of online mobile phone brand communities in China. The empirical results reveal that brand attachment exerts an indirect (but not mediated) effect on the relationship between continuance CC and brand commitment and on the relationship between normative CC and brand commitment. We also find that it exerts a partial mediating effect on the relationship between affective CC and brand commitment. The findings contribute to the branding literature and have important implications for brand community management. PMID:23768073

Staff nurse commitment, work relationships, and turnover intentions: a latent profile analysis.

PubMed

Gellatly, Ian R; Cowden, Tracy L; Cummings, Greta G

2014-01-01

The three-component model of organization commitment has typically been studied using a variable-centered rather than a person-centered approach, preventing a more complete understanding of how these forms of commitment are felt and expressed as a whole. Latent profile analysis was used to identify qualitatively distinct categories or profiles of staff nurses' commitment. Then, associations of the profiles with perceived work unit relations and turnover intentions were examined. Three hundred thirty-six registered nurses provided data on affective, normative, and continuance commitment, perceived work unit relations, and turnover intentions. Latent profile analysis of the nurses' commitment scores revealed six distinct profile groups. Work unit relations and turnover intentions were compared in the six profile-defined groups. Staff nurses with profiles characterized by high affective commitment and/or high normative commitment in relation to other components experienced stronger work unit relations and reported lower turnover intentions. Profiles characterized by high continuance commitment relative to other components or by low overall commitment experienced poorer work unit relations, and the turnover risk was higher. High continuance commitment in combination with high affective and normative commitment was experienced differently than high continuance commitment in combination with low affective and normative commitment. Healthcare organizations often foster commitment by using continuance commitment-enhancing strategies (e.g., offer high salaries and attractive benefits) that may inadvertently introduce behavioral risk. This work suggests the importance of changing the context in which continuance commitment occurs by strengthening the other two components.

Environmental Assessment for a Taxiway M Bypass Road at Travis Air Force Base, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

California Species Scientific Name Species Common Name Protection Status Presence Plants Astragalus tener var. tener Alkali milk -vetch CNPS 1B...Downingia pusilla Dwarf downingia CNPS 2.2 Potential Astragalus tener var. ferrisiae Ferris’ milk -vetch CNPS 1B.1 Potential Fritillaria liliacea...Bypass Road and C Bunker Access Road improvements. Use of raw building materials for construction would be an irretrievable commitment of

Creative Marketing for the 80's.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Timothy C.

To compete for dwindling numbers of traditional college-aged students and to attract non-traditional clientele, community colleges are becoming increasingly involved in marketing. Commitment to a total marketing concept requires institutional research to identify the college's mission, potential students, and the competition. Those in charge of…

Leadership Development and Organizational Maturity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iannuzzi, Patricia

1992-01-01

Urges the design and implementation of strategies in academic libraries for the development of leadership potential. Discusses the components of organizations that lead to organizational maturity, and calls for library leaders with vision, skill, and commitment to nurture an organizational culture that emphasizes leadership development. (20…

Capability Development at Imperial Oil Resources Ltd.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellerington, David; And Others

1992-01-01

Striving to be learning organization, Imperial Oil of Canada focused on organizational, divisional, and individual capability development. Lessons learned include the following: (1) all levels of employees are potential professionals; (2) learning must be continuous; (3) intrinsic motivation and commitment are essential; and (4) organizational…

Development Policies and Performance--World Issues and World Conferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gitta, Cosmas, Ed.

2000-01-01

In the business of development, breakthroughs require international communication to help spread potential benefits widely. Obstacles demand international commitment to marshal vision, resources, and effort sufficient to the challenge. This issue of "Cooperation South" contains a two part focus, conveying innovations in development…

On the Normative Foundations of Economic Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leming, James S.

1987-01-01

Reports research which indicates current economics curricula fail to significantly influence student commitment to the normative foundations of the free enterprise system. Demonstrates how schools have potential for teaching economic values to youth. Concludes economic education should include latent and manifest curricula to better develop…

Potential reduction exposure products and FDA tobacco and regulation: a CNS call to action.

PubMed

Heath, Janie; Andrews, Jeannette; Balkstra, Cindy R

2004-01-01

A new generation of tobacco harm reduction products is stirring controversy and confusion among healthcare providers. These products, known as "potential reduction exposure products" (PREPs), can be described in terms of reported scientific evidence, as "the good, the bad, and the ugly." On the good side, there is sufficient scientific evidence to support the use of Commit, a new over-the-counter nicotine lozenge PREP, approved for smoking cessation. On the bad side, there is no scientific evidence to support the use of Ariva, another over-the-counter nicotine lozenge PREP, marketed as an alternative to cigarettes when smoking is restricted. On the ugly side, both of these PREPs are nicotine delivery systems with "candy-like" appearances; however, one (Commit) has the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and the other (Ariva) does not. This article provides an overview of PREPs and strategies to help clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) address tobacco harm reduction issues.

210-Polonium studies in some environmental and biological matrices of Domiasiat uranium deposit area, West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India.

PubMed

Marbaniang, Deswyn G; Poddar, Raj K; Nongkynrih, Phlis; Khathing, Darlando T

2010-03-01

The study was performed using a silicon surface barrier alpha spectrometer at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India. Through the study, the observed (210)Po activity in water sample from different locations in the Domiasiat area ranges from 0.04 to 0.69 Bq/l. The daily and annual intake of (210)Po through water was also estimated and the mean value of 0.72 and 263.61 Bq, respectively, were observed. It is observed that the effective doses through water were higher than the World Health Organization recommended dose of 0.05 mSv/year. The total annual effective doses through terrestrial ingestion for all the locations was studied and the mean annual effective dose was observed to be 0.315 mSv, which, when compared to the worldwide and the Indian values, was observed to be slightly higher. The mean activity in soil is found to be 124.8 +/-5.7 Bq/kg and in meat the activity is 0.43 +/-0.05 Bq/kg. In fishes, an activity of 0.48 +/-0.07 Bq/kg in Garra lamta, 0.29 +/-0.02 Bq/kg in Neolissocheilus hexaganolepis, and 3.3 +/-0.1 Bq/kg in Macrobrachium sp. is observed. Activity concentration in plant samples was analyzed and the activity ranges from 0.020 +/-0.002 to 9.69 +/-0.35 Bq/kg. Committed effective dose by the adult population of the Domiasiat area through intake of (210)Po through these food items was also determined and compared with the Indian average value and the worldwide average value.

Fulfill Promises and Avoid Breaches to Retain Satisfied, Committed Nurses.

PubMed

Rodwell, John; Ellershaw, Julia

2016-07-01

This study examines two commonly proposed mechanisms, violation and trust, to see if they mediate the relationships between the components of the psychological contract (i.e., promises, fulfillment, and breach) and their impact on the work-related outcomes of job satisfaction, intent to quit, and organizational commitment. Online surveys were completed by 459 Australian nurses. Structural equation modeling revealed that breach and fulfillment have direct and mediated effects on the outcomes, whereas promises had no impact. Violation partially mediated the relationship between breach and job satisfaction and intent to quit, while trust partially mediated the relationships between fulfillment and organizational commitment, and breach and organizational commitment. Negative experiences (i.e., breaches) were related to both increased feelings of violation and decreased feelings of trust. In contrast, positive experiences (i.e., fulfillment) increased trust but did not significantly reduce feelings of violation. Nurse and organizational managers can use these findings to improve communication with nurses so as to minimize the negative effects of breach and maximize the positive effects of fulfillment and thus improve attitudes. Nurse managers need to be careful to make promises regarding their nurses' employment that they can fulfill and to particularly avoid breaking the psychological contract. The potentially disproportionate negative effect of breach means that a breach can undo a lot of efforts to fulfill employment-related promises. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

The role of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards in committing violence during combat: A cross-sectional study with former combatants in the DR Congo.

PubMed

Haer, Roos; Hermenau, Katharin; Elbert, Thomas; Moran, James K; Hecker, Tobias

2017-05-01

It has been postulated that the violent behavior that characterizes armed conflict is reinforced by the possibility of receiving rewards. The present study examined the potential influence of two types of rewards in an ongoing setting of conflict: extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Former combatants active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (N = 198) were interviewed and questioned about the way they were recruited, the offenses they committed during combat, their level of perceived intrinsic rewards (i.e., appetitive perception of violence), and the number of received extrinsic rewards during their time in the armed group (e.g., money, extra food, alcohol, or drugs). A moderated multiple regression analysis showed that the number of received extrinsic rewards and the level of intrinsic rewards were significantly positively related to the number of different types of offenses committed. In contrast to our expectations and previous findings, the recruitment type (forced conscription vs. voluntary enlistment) did not moderate this relation. Our findings suggest that both types of rewards play a role in committing violence during combat. We suggest, therefore, that reintegration programs should not only consider the influence of extrinsic rewards, but also need to address the influence of intrinsic rewards to counter violent behavior among former combatants. Aggr. Behav. 43:241-250, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Role of Minority Stressors in Lesbian Relationship Commitment and Persistence over Time.

PubMed

Barrantes, Renzo J; Eaton, Asia A; Veldhuis, Cindy B; Hughes, Tonda L

2017-06-01

The Investment Model of relationship commitment uses interpersonal investment, relationship satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and commitment to predict relationship longevity (Rusbult, 1980, 1983). Although ample support for the Investment Model has been found in heterosexual couples, it appears to be less powerful in predicting stability in same-sex relationships (Beals, Impett, & Peplau, 2002), potentially because the model does not account for factors unique to same-sex relationships, such as anti-gay discrimination. However, no research has tested the nature and power of sexual minority stress factors in predicting same-sex relationship stability over time. Using secondary, longitudinal data collected from a diverse sample of lesbian women in relationships ( N = 211), we examined how internalized homonegativity, sexual identity disclosure, and workplace discrimination affected the Investment Model antecedents of relationship persistence: satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investment. We tested the influence of sexual minority stressors on Investment Model processes using structural equations modeling and found that sexual identity disclosure was positively associated with satisfaction and investment, internalized homonegativity was only negatively associated with satisfaction and investment, while workplace discrimination was negatively associated with alternatives. Moreover, both relationship satisfaction and investment influenced commitment which predicted persistence in these relationships over about seven years' time, demonstrating support for the Investment Model. Our findings support the addition of sexual minority stress variables to the Investment Model when examining same-sex relationships and implications are discussed.

Advance market commitment for pneumococcal vaccines: putting theory into practice.

PubMed

Cernuschi, Tania; Furrer, Eliane; Schwalbe, Nina; Jones, Andrew; Berndt, Ernst R; McAdams, Susan

2011-12-01

Markets for life-saving vaccines do not often generate the most desired outcomes from a public health perspective in terms of product quantity, quality, affordability, programmatic suitability and/or sustainability for use in the lowest income countries. The perceived risks and uncertainties about sustainably funded demand from developing countries often leads to underinvestment in development and manufacturing of appropriate products. The pilot initiative Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for pneumococcal vaccines, launched in 2009, aims to remove some of these market risks by providing a legally binding forward commitment to purchase vaccines according to predetermined terms. To date, 14 countries have already introduced pneumococcal vaccines through the AMC with a further 39 countries expected to introduce before the end of 2013.This paper describes early lessons learnt on the selection of a target disease and the core design choices for the pilot AMC. It highlights the challenges faced with tailoring the AMC design to the specific supply situation of pneumococcal vaccines. It points to the difficulty - and the AMC's apparent early success - in establishing a long-term, credible commitment in a constantly changing unpredictable environment. It highlights one of the inherent challenges of the AMC: its dependence on continuous donor funding to ensure long-term purchases of products. The paper examines alternative design choices and aims to provide a starting point to inform discussions and encourage debate about the potential application of the AMC concept to other fields.

The Role of Minority Stressors in Lesbian Relationship Commitment and Persistence over Time

PubMed Central

Barrantes, Renzo J.; Eaton, Asia A.; Veldhuis, Cindy B.; Hughes, Tonda L.

2017-01-01

The Investment Model of relationship commitment uses interpersonal investment, relationship satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and commitment to predict relationship longevity (Rusbult, 1980, 1983). Although ample support for the Investment Model has been found in heterosexual couples, it appears to be less powerful in predicting stability in same-sex relationships (Beals, Impett, & Peplau, 2002), potentially because the model does not account for factors unique to same-sex relationships, such as anti-gay discrimination. However, no research has tested the nature and power of sexual minority stress factors in predicting same-sex relationship stability over time. Using secondary, longitudinal data collected from a diverse sample of lesbian women in relationships (N = 211), we examined how internalized homonegativity, sexual identity disclosure, and workplace discrimination affected the Investment Model antecedents of relationship persistence: satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investment. We tested the influence of sexual minority stressors on Investment Model processes using structural equations modeling and found that sexual identity disclosure was positively associated with satisfaction and investment, internalized homonegativity was only negatively associated with satisfaction and investment, while workplace discrimination was negatively associated with alternatives. Moreover, both relationship satisfaction and investment influenced commitment which predicted persistence in these relationships over about seven years’ time, demonstrating support for the Investment Model. Our findings support the addition of sexual minority stress variables to the Investment Model when examining same-sex relationships and implications are discussed. PMID:28695154

Sport commitment and participation in masters swimmers: the influence of coach and teammates.

PubMed

Santi, Giampaolo; Bruton, Adam; Pietrantoni, Luca; Mellalieu, Stephen

2014-01-01

This study investigated how coach and teammates influence masters athletes' sport commitment, and the effect of functional and obligatory commitments on participation in masters swimming. The sample consisted of 523 masters swimmers (330 males and 193 females) aged between 22 and 83 years (M = 39.00, SD = 10.42). A bi-dimensional commitment scale was used to measure commitment dimensions and perceived influence from social agents. Structural equation modelling analysis was conducted to evaluate the influence of social agents on functional and obligatory commitments, and the predictive capabilities of the two types of commitment towards sport participation. Support provided by coach and teammates increased functional commitment, constraints from these social agents determined higher obligatory commitment, and coach constraints negatively impacted functional commitment. In addition, both commitment types predicted training participation, with functional commitment increasing participation in team training sessions, and obligatory commitment increasing the hours of individual training. The findings suggest that in order to increase participation in masters swimming teams and reduce non-supervised training, coach and teammates should exhibit a supportive attitude and avoid over expectation.

Newly graduated nurses' occupational commitment and its associations with professional competence and work-related factors.

PubMed

Numminen, Olivia; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Isoaho, Hannu; Meretoja, Riitta

2016-01-01

To explore newly graduated nurses' occupational commitment and its associations with their self-assessed professional competence and other work-related factors. As a factor affecting nurse turnover, newly graduated nurses' occupational commitment and its associations with work-related factors needs exploring to retain adequate workforce. Nurses' commitment has mainly been studied as organisational commitment, but newly graduated nurses' occupational commitment and its association with work-related factors needs further studying. This study used descriptive, cross-sectional, correlation design. A convenience sample of 318 newly graduated nurses in Finland participated responding to an electronic questionnaire. Statistical software, NCSS version 9, was used in data analysis. Frequencies, percentages, ranges, means and standard deviations summarised the data. Multivariate Analyses of Variance estimated associations between occupational commitment and work-related variables. IBM SPSS Amos version 22 estimated the model fit of Occupational Commitment Scale and Nurse Competence Scale. Newly graduated nurses' occupational commitment was good, affective commitment reaching the highest mean score. There was a significant difference between the nurse groups in favour of nurses at higher competence levels in all subscales except in limited alternatives occupational commitment. Multivariate analyses revealed significant associations between subscales of commitment and competence, turnover intentions, job satisfaction, earlier professional education and work sector, competence counting only through affective dimension. The association between occupational commitment and low turnover intentions and satisfaction with nursing occupation was strong. Higher general competence indicated higher overall occupational commitment. Managers' recognition of the influence of all dimensions of occupational commitment in newly graduated nurses' professional development is important. Follow-up studies of newly graduated nurses' commitment, its relationship with quality care, managers' role in enhancing commitment and evaluation of the impact of interventions on improving commitment need further studying. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A comprehensive dose reconstruction methodology for former rocketdyne/atomics international radiation workers.

PubMed

Boice, John D; Leggett, Richard W; Ellis, Elizabeth Dupree; Wallace, Phillip W; Mumma, Michael; Cohen, Sarah S; Brill, A Bertrand; Chadda, Bandana; Boecker, Bruce B; Yoder, R Craig; Eckerman, Keith F

2006-05-01

Incomplete radiation exposure histories, inadequate treatment of internally deposited radionuclides, and failure to account for neutron exposures can be important uncertainties in epidemiologic studies of radiation workers. Organ-specific doses from lifetime occupational exposures and radionuclide intakes were estimated for an epidemiologic study of 5,801 Rocketdyne/Atomics International (AI) radiation workers engaged in nuclear technologies between 1948 and 1999. The entire workforce of 46,970 Rocketdyne/AI employees was identified from 35,042 Kardex work histories cards, 26,136 electronic personnel listings, and 14,189 radiation folders containing individual exposure histories. To obtain prior and subsequent occupational exposure information, the roster of all workers was matched against nationwide dosimetry files from the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Landauer dosimetry company, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Air Force. Dosimetry files of other worker studies were also accessed. Computation of organ doses from radionuclide intakes was complicated by the diversity of bioassay data collected over a 40-y period (urine and fecal samples, lung counts, whole-body counts, nasal smears, and wound and incident reports) and the variety of radionuclides with documented intake including isotopes of uranium, plutonium, americium, calcium, cesium, cerium, zirconium, thorium, polonium, promethium, iodine, zinc, strontium, and hydrogen (tritium). Over 30,000 individual bioassay measurements, recorded on 11 different bioassay forms, were abstracted. The bioassay data were evaluated using ICRP biokinetic models recommended in current or upcoming ICRP documents (modified for one inhaled material to reflect site-specific information) to estimate annual doses for 16 organs or tissues taking into account time of exposure, type of radionuclide, and excretion patterns. Detailed internal exposure scenarios were developed and annual internal doses were derived on a case-by-case basis for workers with committed equivalent doses indicated by screening criteria to be greater than 10 mSv to the organ with the highest internal dose. Overall, 5,801 workers were monitored for radiation at Rocketdyne/AI: 5,743 for external exposure and 2,232 for internal intakes of radionuclides; 41,169 workers were not monitored for radiation. The mean cumulative external dose based on Rocketdyne/AI records alone was 10.0 mSv, and the dose distribution was highly skewed with most workers experiencing low cumulative doses and only a few with high doses (maximum 500 mSv). Only 45 workers received greater than 200 mSv while employed at Rocketdyne/AI. However, nearly 32% (or 1,833) of the Rocketdyne/AI workers had been monitored for radiation at other nuclear facilities and incorporation of these doses increased the mean dose to 13.5 mSv (maximum 1,005 mSv) and the number of workers with >200 mSv to 69. For a small number of workers (n=292), lung doses from internal radionuclide intakes were relatively high (mean 106 mSv; maximum 3,560 mSv) and increased the overall population mean dose to 19.0 mSv and the number of workers with lung dose>200 mSv to 109. Nearly 10% of the radiation workers (584) were monitored for neutron exposures (mean 1.2 mSv) at Rocketdyne/AI, and another 2% were monitored for neutron exposures elsewhere. Interestingly, 1,477 workers not monitored for radiation at Rocketdyne/AI (3.6%) were found to have worn dosimeters at other nuclear facilities (mean external dose of 2.6 mSv, maximum 188 mSv). Without considering all sources of occupational exposure, an incorrect characterization of worker exposure would have occurred with the potential to bias epidemiologic results. For these pioneering workers in the nuclear industry, 26.5% of their total occupational dose (collective dose) was received at other facilities both prior to and after employment at Rocketdyne/AI. In addition, a small number of workers monitored for internal radionuclides contributed disproportionately to the number of workers with high lung doses. Although nearly 12% of radiation workers had been monitored for neutron exposures during their career, the cumulative dose levels were small in comparison with other external and internal exposure. Risk estimates based on nuclear worker data must be interpreted cautiously if internally deposited radionuclides and occupational doses received elsewhere are not considered.

Children's behavioral health needs and satisfaction and commitment of foster and adoptive parents: Do trauma-informed services make a difference?

PubMed

Barnett, Erin R; Cleary, Sarah E; Butcher, Rebecca L; Jankowski, Mary K

2018-05-03

Caring for children in foster or adoptive care with behavioral health needs can severely stress parents, contributing to adverse outcomes for children and families. Trauma-informed services from the child welfare and mental health sectors may help prevent poor outcomes by helping children and parents identify and understand trauma and its impact on children's behavioral health and receive effective treatment. To help understand the role of trauma-informed services for the child welfare population, we examined whether trauma-informed child welfare and mental health services moderated the relationship between children's behavioral health needs and parent satisfaction and commitment. The researchers analyzed data from a cross-sectional statewide survey of foster and adoptive parents (n = 512 respondents, 42% of 1,206 contacted) from one state. Foster (but not adoptive) parent ratings of trauma-informed mental health services significantly moderated the relationship between children's behavioral health needs and foster and adoptive parent satisfaction and commitment. As ratings of trauma-informed mental health services increased, the association between child behavioral health needs and parent satisfaction and commitment became nonsignificant, suggesting a buffering effect. Trauma-informed child welfare services did not moderate the relationship for foster or adoptive parents. Leaders and policymakers are urged to promote trauma-informed mental health services for children involved with child welfare to potentially buffer foster parents against lower parenting satisfaction and commitment. More research is needed to replicate and expand on these findings and to examine the effectiveness of trauma-informed services on other relevant child and family outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Investigation of nurses' intention to leave: a study of a sample of UK nurses.

PubMed

Robson, Andrew; Robson, Fiona

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of the key antecedents of leave intention demonstrated by nurses employed in UK National Health Service (NHS). Survey assessment of a sample of 433 nurses employed within the NHS was undertaken, potential relationships relating to both affective commitment and leave intention and work-place experiences assessed through leader-member exchange (LMX) and perceived organisational support (POS) have been evaluated quantitatively, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equations modelling (SEM). The study indicates that both LMX and POS act as direct antecedents to nurses' leave intention. Additionally, both LMX and POS in combination, significantly effect employees' affective commitment, the latter further impacting on employee leave intention. This would suggest that both LMX and POS have a significant role to play in employee leave intention that is partially mediated by affective commitment, further analysis confirming this to be the case. Research limitations/implications - The sample of nurses is large in absolute terms, permitting the CFA/SEM analysis undertaken, although the data represented only two NHS trusts, hence generalisation across the NHS should be done so cautiously. Various other drivers of leave intention, personal and organisational, have not been assessed here. The implications of these results are that to safeguard nurse retention, appropriate line manager engagement is crucial, but this requires organisational support that is recognised by the employees, especially to enhance their levels of affective commitment. This is given by providing NHS-based assessment of the role of both POS and LMX in the realisation of both affective commitment and desire to remain with their current organisations amongst members of the UK nursing profession.

Psychological Empowerment on Organizational Commitment as Perceived by Saudi Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bin Jomah, Nouf

2017-01-01

Various scholars have identified commitment as one of the major contributors of workplace productivity. Commitment provides the interest and morale for handling tasks which results in organisation progress and growth. Commitment is perceived as either continuance, normative, or continuance commitment. The three commitment categories are…

Eat, breathe, ROS: controlling stem cell fate through metabolism.

PubMed

Kubli, Dieter A; Sussman, Mark A

2017-05-01

Research reveals cardiac regeneration exists at levels previously deemed unattainable. Clinical trials using stem cells demonstrate promising cardiomyogenic and regenerative potential but insufficient contractile recovery. Incomplete understanding of the biology of administered cells likely contributes to inconsistent patient outcomes. Metabolism is a core component of many well-characterized stem cell types, and metabolic changes fundamentally alter stem cell fate from self-renewal to lineage commitment, and vice versa. However, the metabolism of stem cells currently studied for cardiac regeneration remains incompletely understood. Areas covered: Key metabolic features of stem cells are reviewed and unique stem cell metabolic characteristics are discussed. Metabolic changes altering stem cell fate are considered from quiescence and self-renewal to lineage commitment. Key metabolic concepts are applied toward examining cardiac regeneration through stem cell-based approaches, and clinical implications of current cell therapies are evaluated to identify potential areas of improvement. Expert commentary: The metabolism and biology of stem cells used for cardiac therapy remain poorly characterized. A growing appreciation for the fundamental relationship between stem cell functionality and metabolic phenotype is developing. Future studies unraveling links between cardiac stem cell metabolism and regenerative potential may considerably improve treatment strategies and therapeutic outcomes.

Efficient Generation of iPS Cells from Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Tan, Kah Yong; Eminli, Sarah; Hettmer, Simone; Hochedlinger, Konrad; Wagers, Amy J.

2011-01-01

Reprogramming of somatic cells into inducible pluripotent stem cells generally occurs at low efficiency, although what limits reprogramming of particular cell types is poorly understood. Recent data suggest that the differentiation status of the cell targeted for reprogramming may influence its susceptibility to reprogramming as well as the differentiation potential of the induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that are derived from it. To assess directly the influence of lineage commitment on iPS cell derivation and differentiation, we evaluated reprogramming in adult stem cell and mature cell populations residing in skeletal muscle. Our data using clonal assays and a second-generation inducible reprogramming system indicate that stem cells found in mouse muscle, including resident satellite cells and mesenchymal progenitors, reprogram with significantly greater efficiency than their more differentiated daughters (myoblasts and fibroblasts). However, in contrast to previous reports, we find no evidence of biased differentiation potential among iPS cells derived from myogenically committed cells. These data support the notion that adult stem cells reprogram more efficiently than terminally differentiated cells, and argue against the suggestion that “epigenetic memory” significantly influences the differentiation potential of iPS cells derived from distinct somatic cell lineages in skeletal muscle. PMID:22028872

Eat, breathe, ROS: controlling stem cell fate through metabolism

PubMed Central

Kubli, Dieter A.; Sussman, Mark A.

2017-01-01

Introduction Research reveals cardiac regeneration exists at levels previously deemed unattainable. Clinical trials using stem cells demonstrate promising cardiomyogenic and regenerative potential but insufficient contractile recovery. Incomplete understanding of the biology of administered cells likely contributes to inconsistent patient outcomes. Metabolism is a core component of many well-characterized stem cell types, and metabolic changes fundamentally alter stem cell fate from self-renewal to lineage commitment, and vice versa. However, the metabolism of stem cells currently studied for cardiac regeneration remains incompletely understood. Areas covered Key metabolic features of stem cells are reviewed and unique stem cell metabolic characteristics are discussed. Metabolic changes altering stem cell fate are considered from quiescence and self-renewal to lineage commitment. Key metabolic concepts are applied toward examining cardiac regeneration through stem cell-based approaches, and clinical implications of current cell therapies are evaluated to identify potential areas of improvement. Expert commentary The metabolism and biology of stem cells used for cardiac therapy remain poorly characterized. A growing appreciation for the fundamental relationship between stem cell functionality and metabolic phenotype is developing. Future studies unraveling links between cardiac stem cell metabolism and regenerative potential may considerably improve treatment strategies and therapeutic outcomes. PMID:28406333

The role of efficacy and moral outrage norms in creating the potential for international development activism through group-based interaction.

PubMed

Thomas, Emma F; McGarty, Craig A

2009-03-01

This paper adopts an intergroup perspective on helping as collective action to explore the ways to boost motivation amongst people in developed countries to join the effort to combat poverty and preventable disease in developing countries. Following van Zomeren, Spears, Leach, and Fischer's (2004) model of collective action, we investigated the role of norms about an emotional response (moral outrage) and beliefs about efficacy in motivating commitment to take action amongst members of advantaged groups. Norms about outrage and efficacy were harnessed to an opinion-based group identity (Bliuc, McGarty, Reynolds, & Muntele, 2007) and explored in the context of a novel group-based interaction method. Results showed that the group-based interaction boosted commitment to action especially when primed with an (injunctive) outrage norm. This norm stimulated a range of related effects including increased identification with the pro-international development opinion-based group, and higher efficacy beliefs. Results provide an intriguing instance of the power of group interaction (particularly where strengthened with emotion norms) to bolster commitment to positive social change.

Committing to Breastfeeding in Social Work.

PubMed

Hurst, Carol Grace; Reno, Rebecca; Lefmann, Tess

2018-04-27

This article addresses the importance of breastfeeding for the social work profession. Because breastfeeding is a critical component of maternal and child health, persistent racial and socioeconomic breastfeeding inequality is a social justice issue in need of social work commitment. Even while breastfeeding rates have been increasing in the United States there are some groups of mothers who initiate breastfeeding less frequently or have trouble with sustaining breastfeeding for recommended lengths. These mothers and their babies thus miss out on the ample benefits of this nurturing interaction. Using social work's unique disciplinary perspective and commitment to social justice, the authors place essential understanding of breastfeeding health benefits within the core values of the National Association of Social Work ethical code. The practice context for early breastfeeding intervention with mothers and families is discussed with acknowledgment of the maternal-child health focus at the root of the profession. Recognition of the potential of contemporary social work to advance breastfeeding equity through practice, scholarship, and action positions breastfeeding support activities as integral to meeting the grand challenges of the social work profession.

An Assessment Framework for Inclusive Education: Integrating Assessment Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Roseanna; Mentis, Mandia

2014-01-01

Teachers committed to inclusive education have the potential to revolutionise pedagogical and assessment practices within regular classrooms simply because students with high needs challenge traditional assumptions about what it means "to learn" and "to assess". This creates opportunities for teachers to find creative ways to…

Staff Liability in Student Personnel Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammond, Edward H.

Student Personnel Administrators in institutions of postsecondary education share a common characteristic and experience a common fear related to their potential personal and institutional liability under the law for acts committed while carrying out their official duties. This article seeks to inform administrators of the parameters of the…

USAID Adolescent Girl Strategy Implementation Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Agency for International Development, 2016

2016-01-01

USAID's commitment to empowering adolescent girls to reach their full potential is reflected in the Agency's larger efforts to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment. The Agency holds decades of experience leading advances for greater gender equality and empowerment that benefit adolescent girls; however, these activities have not been…

Getting to 2014: The Choices and Challenges Ahead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balfanz, Robert; Cohen, Michael; Hassel, Bryan C.; Hassel, Emily Ayscue; Hyslop, Anne; Odden, Allan; Tucker, Bill

2012-01-01

Over the next few years, educators and policymakers have committed to implementing an array of challenging, but potentially transformative, reforms--reforms that could go beyond rearranging furniture to fundamentally restructuring and improving teaching and learning. Facing this much simultaneous change would be difficult even without the…

Going Global: Dispatches from Experienced Board Members

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovett, Clara M.

2011-01-01

Board members are increasingly being asked to bless a variety of international engagements. But how many trustees truly understand how to evaluate opportunities or assess potential risks? The author interviewed board members at institutions that already have committed significant resources to global agendas. These interviewees represent a wide…

Emotional Intelligence Tests: Potential Impacts on the Hiring Process for Accounting Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholls, Shane; Wegener, Matt; Bay, Darlene; Cook, Gail Lynn

2012-01-01

Emotional intelligence is increasingly recognized as being important for professional career success. Skills related to emotional intelligence (e.g. organizational commitment, public speaking, teamwork, and leadership) are considered essential. Human resource professionals have begun including tests of emotional intelligence (EI) in job applicant…

Complicating Audience: A Critical Communication Pedagogy Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Joshua E.; Potter, David J.

2018-01-01

Courses: This activity is designed specifically for public-speaking courses, but it could be used in the general introductory communication course. It also holds potential for use in persuasion, argumentation, or strategic communication courses. Objectives: This activity helps students understand audience as a more complicated concept--one that…

Workplace Commitment: A Conceptual Model Developed from Integrative Review of the Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fornes, Sandra L.; Rocco, Tonette S.; Wollard, Karen K.

2008-01-01

This article investigates the previous research and theories of workplace commitment using content analysis and concept mapping. It provides a conceptual model of workplace commitment, integrating the literature on organizational commitment, occupational/career commitment, and individual commitment. The significance of this article lies in the…

An examination of organizational and team commitment in a self-directed team environment.

PubMed

Bishop, James W; Scott, K Dow

2000-06-01

A model hypothesizing differential relationships among predictor variables and individual commitment to the organization and work team was tested. Data from 485 members of sewing teams supported the existence of differential relationships between predictors and organizational and team commitment. In particular, intersender conflict and satisfaction with coworkers were more strongly related to team commitment than to organizational commitment. Resource-related conflict and satisfaction with supervision were more strongly related to organizational commitment than to team commitment. Perceived task interdependence was strongly related to both commitment foci. Contrary to prediction, the relationships between perceived task interdependence and the 2 commitment foci were not significantly different. Relationships with antecedent variables help explain how differential levels of commitment to the 2 foci may be formed. Indirect effects of exogenous variables are reported.

Measuring Asian nurses' organizational commitment: a critical analysis of the psychometric properties of two organizational commitment instruments.

PubMed

Liou, Shwu-Ru; Tsai, Hsiu-Min; Cheng, Ching-Yu

2013-01-01

To analyze and compare the psychometric properties and cultural attributes of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and the Organizational Commitment Scale to determine their appropriateness for measuring commitment of Asian nurses, the biggest portion of international nurses. The Organizational Commitment Questionnaire was cross-culturally cross-validated when compared with the Organizational Commitment Scale. Both instruments were not tested on Asian nurses. More studies are needed to validate the cultural properties of the Organizational Commitment Scale. Healthcare administrators can use culturally validated instruments, which concern cultural context, including languages and cultural values, to understand Asian nurses' organizational commitment and further lower turnover behavior among them. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism Presidential Documents Other... Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism On September 23, 2001, by Executive Order..., or support terrorism, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701...

A Computational, Tissue-Realistic Model of Pressure Ulcer Formation in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Ziraldo, Cordelia; Solovyev, Alexey; Allegretti, Ana; Krishnan, Shilpa; Henzel, M Kristi; Sowa, Gwendolyn A; Brienza, David; An, Gary; Mi, Qi; Vodovotz, Yoram

2015-06-01

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are predisposed to pressure ulcers (PU). PU remain a significant burden in cost of care and quality of life despite improved mechanistic understanding and advanced interventions. An agent-based model (ABM) of ischemia/reperfusion-induced inflammation and PU (the PUABM) was created, calibrated to serial images of post-SCI PU, and used to investigate potential treatments in silico. Tissue-level features of the PUABM recapitulated visual patterns of ulcer formation in individuals with SCI. These morphological features, along with simulated cell counts and mediator concentrations, suggested that the influence of inflammatory dynamics caused simulations to be committed to "better" vs. "worse" outcomes by 4 days of simulated time and prior to ulcer formation. Sensitivity analysis of model parameters suggested that increasing oxygen availability would reduce PU incidence. Using the PUABM, in silico trials of anti-inflammatory treatments such as corticosteroids and a neutralizing antibody targeted at Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern molecules (DAMPs) suggested that, at best, early application at a sufficiently high dose could attenuate local inflammation and reduce pressure-associated tissue damage, but could not reduce PU incidence. The PUABM thus shows promise as an adjunct for mechanistic understanding, diagnosis, and design of therapies in the setting of PU.

A Computational, Tissue-Realistic Model of Pressure Ulcer Formation in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Ziraldo, Cordelia; Solovyev, Alexey; Allegretti, Ana; Krishnan, Shilpa; Henzel, M. Kristi; Sowa, Gwendolyn A.; Brienza, David; An, Gary; Mi, Qi; Vodovotz, Yoram

2015-01-01

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are predisposed to pressure ulcers (PU). PU remain a significant burden in cost of care and quality of life despite improved mechanistic understanding and advanced interventions. An agent-based model (ABM) of ischemia/reperfusion-induced inflammation and PU (the PUABM) was created, calibrated to serial images of post-SCI PU, and used to investigate potential treatments in silico. Tissue-level features of the PUABM recapitulated visual patterns of ulcer formation in individuals with SCI. These morphological features, along with simulated cell counts and mediator concentrations, suggested that the influence of inflammatory dynamics caused simulations to be committed to “better” vs. “worse” outcomes by 4 days of simulated time and prior to ulcer formation. Sensitivity analysis of model parameters suggested that increasing oxygen availability would reduce PU incidence. Using the PUABM, in silico trials of anti-inflammatory treatments such as corticosteroids and a neutralizing antibody targeted at Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern molecules (DAMPs) suggested that, at best, early application at a sufficiently high dose could attenuate local inflammation and reduce pressure-associated tissue damage, but could not reduce PU incidence. The PUABM thus shows promise as an adjunct for mechanistic understanding, diagnosis, and design of therapies in the setting of PU. PMID:26111346

The UNITAID Patent Pool Initiative: Bringing Patents Together for the Common Good

PubMed Central

Bermudez, Jorge; 't Hoen, Ellen

2010-01-01

Developing and delivering appropriate, affordable, well-adapted medicines for HIV/AIDS remains an urgent challenge: as first-line therapies fail, increasing numbers of people require costly second-line therapy; one-third of ARVs are not available in pediatric formulations; and certain key first- and second-line triple fixed-dose combinations do not exist or sufficient suppliers are lacking. UNITAID aims to help solve these problems through an innovative initiative for the collective management of intellectual property (IP) rights – a patent pool for HIV medicines. The idea behind a patent pool is that patent holders - companies, governments, researchers or universities - voluntarily offer, under certain conditions, the IP related to their inventions to the patent pool. Any company that wants to use the IP to produce or develop medicines can seek a license from the pool against the payment of royalties, and may then produce the medicines for use in developing countries (conditional upon meeting agreed quality standards). The patent pool will be a voluntary mechanism, meaning its success will largely depend on the willingness of pharmaceutical companies to participate and commit their IP to the pool. Generic producers must also be willing to cooperate. The pool has the potential to provide benefits to all. PMID:20309404

Sport commitment among competitive female athletes: test of an expanded model.

PubMed

Weiss, Windee M; Weiss, Maureen R; Amorose, Anthony J

2010-02-01

In the present study, we examined an expanded model of sport commitment by adding two determinants (perceived costs and perceived competence) and behavioural commitment as a consequence of psychological commitment, as well as identifying psychological commitment as a mediator of relationships between determinants and behavioural commitment. Competitive female gymnasts (N = 304, age 8-18 years) completed relevant measures while coaches rated each gymnast's training behaviours as an indicator of behavioural commitment. Path analysis revealed that the best fitting model was one in which original determinants (enjoyment, involvement opportunities, investments, attractive alternatives) and an added determinant (perceived costs) predicted psychological commitment, in addition to investments and perceived costs directly predicting behavioural commitment. These results provide further, but partial, support for the sport commitment model and also suggest that additional determinants and behavioural consequences be considered in future research.

Acute administration of tramadol and tapentadol at effective analgesic and maximum tolerated doses causes hepato- and nephrotoxic effects in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Barbosa, Joana; Faria, Juliana; Leal, Sandra; Afonso, Luís Pedro; Lobo, João; Queirós, Odília; Moreira, Roxana; Carvalho, Félix; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge

2017-08-15

Tramadol and tapentadol are two atypical synthetic opioid analgesics, with monoamine reuptake inhibition properties. Mainly aimed at the treatment of moderate to severe pain, these drugs are extensively prescribed for multiple clinical applications. Along with the increase in their use, there has been an increment in their abuse, and consequently in the reported number of adverse reactions and intoxications. However, little is known about their mechanisms of toxicity. In this study, we have analyzed the in vivo toxicological effects in liver and kidney resulting from an acute exposure of a rodent animal model to both opioids. Male Wistar rats were intraperitoneally administered with 10, 25 and 50mg/kg tramadol and tapentadol, corresponding to a low, effective analgesic dose, an intermediate dose and the maximum recommended daily dose, respectively, for 24h. Toxicological effects were assessed in terms of oxidative stress, biochemical and metabolic parameters and histopathology, using serum and urine samples, liver and kidney homogenates and tissue specimens. The acute exposure to tapentadol caused a dose-dependent increase in protein oxidation in liver and kidney. Additionally, exposure to both opioids led to hepatic commitment, as shown by increased serum lipid levels, decreased urea concentration, increased alanine aminotransferase and decreased butyrylcholinesterase activities. It also led to renal impairment, as reflected by proteinuria and decreased glomerular filtration rate. Histopathological findings included sinusoidal dilatation, microsteatosis, vacuolization, cell infiltrates and cell degeneration, indicating metabolic changes, inflammation and cell damage. In conclusion, a single effective analgesic dose or the maximum recommended daily dose of both opioids leads to hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, with tapentadol inducing comparatively more toxicity. Whether these effects reflect risks during the therapeutic use or human overdoses requires focused attention by the medical community. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spent Nuclear Fuel Alternative Technology Decision Analysis

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

Shedrow, C.B.

1999-11-29

The Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) made a FY98 commitment to the Department of Energy (DOE) to recommend a technology for the disposal of aluminum-based spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The two technologies being considered, direct co-disposal and melt and dilute, had been previously selected from a group of eleven potential SNF management technologies by the Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Task Team chartered by the DOE''s Office of Spent Fuel Management. To meet this commitment, WSRC organized the SNF Alternative Technology Program to further develop the direct co-disposal and melt and dilute technologies andmore » ultimately provide a WSRC recommendation to DOE on a preferred SNF alternative management technology.« less

Interpersonal Communication Motives for Flirting Face to Face and Through Texting.

PubMed

Punyanunt-Carter, Narissra M; Wagner, Thomas R

2018-04-01

The objective of this study was to investigate specific interpersonal communication motives that college students use to flirt through texting versus face to face (FtF). Four hundred college students (101 men, 299 women) were surveyed and reported using various communication motives to flirt using texting with a potential romantic partner. College students reported specific motives for flirting. Women reported flirting through text and FtF for pleasure motives significantly more than men, whereas men reported flirting for control and relaxation. In addition, men were more likely to flirt FtF for escape compared with women. Findings suggest that individuals are likely to flirt for pleasure if they are in a committed romantic relationship compared with those not in a committed relationship.

A theoretical flaw in the advance market commitment idea.

PubMed

Sonderholm, Jorn

2010-06-01

Infectious and parasitic diseases cause massive health problems in the developing world. Research and development of drugs for diseases that mainly affect poor people in developing countries is limited. The advance market commitment (AMC) idea is an incentivising mechanism for research and development of drugs for neglected diseases. Discussion of the AMC idea is of renewed interest given the launch in June 2009 of the first AMC. This pilot AMC is designed to, among other things, test the idea for potential future applications. This paper is a critique of the AMC idea. It seeks to show that the idea has a hitherto unrecognised theoretical flaw that should make policy-makers and donors hesitant to embrace future applications of the idea.

Out of This World: A University Partnership Model for Functional Clothing Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunne, Lucy E.; Simon, Cory

2013-01-01

University collaborations with external partners can be difficult to initiate, especially in early-stage or emerging topics. External collaborators may be reluctant to commit the level of funding required to ensure that the topic is given adequate attention, and low-stakes mechanisms are relatively rare. Here, we present a successful model for collaboration between universities and NASA, which uses existing project-based coursework as a vehicle for exploration of emerging topics. This model leverages existing structures, reducing the financial and intellectual commitment of both University and NASA research partners, and facilitating pilot investigations for exploration of potential areas for more in-depth research. We outline the logistical structure and benefits for University and NASA partners over 1.5 years of collaboration.

Conceptual and methodological challenges to measuring political commitment to respond to HIV

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Researchers have long recognized the importance of a central government’s political “commitment” in order to mount an effective response to HIV. The concept of political commitment remains ill-defined, however, and little guidance has been given on how to measure this construct and its relationship with HIV-related outcomes. Several countries have experienced declines in HIV infection rates, but conceptual difficulties arise in linking these declines to political commitment as opposed to underlying social and behavioural factors. Methods This paper first presents a critical review of the literature on existing efforts to conceptualize and measure political commitment to respond to HIV and the linkages between political commitment and HIV-related outcomes. Based on the elements identified in this review, the paper then develops and presents a framework to assist researchers in making choices about how to assess a government's level of political commitment to respond to HIV and how to link political commitment to HIV-related outcomes. Results The review of existing studies identifies three components of commitment (expressed, institutional and budgetary commitment) as different dimensions along which commitment can be measured. The review also identifies normative and ideological aspects of commitment and a set of variables that mediate and moderate political commitment that need to be accounted for in order to draw valid inferences about the relationship between political commitment and HIV-related outcomes. The framework summarizes a set of steps that researchers can follow in order to assess a government's level of commitment to respond to HIV and suggests ways to apply the framework to country cases. Conclusions Whereas existing studies have adopted a limited and often ambiguous conception of political commitment, we argue that conceiving of political commitment along a greater number of dimensions will allow researchers to draw a more complete picture of political commitment to respond to HIV that avoids making invalid inferences about the relationship between political commitment and HIV outcomes. PMID:21968231

Knowledge of appropriate acetaminophen doses and potential toxicities in an adult clinic population.

PubMed

Stumpf, Janice L; Skyles, Amy J; Alaniz, Cesar; Erickson, Steven R

2007-01-01

To evaluate the knowledge of appropriate doses and potential toxicities of acetaminophen and assess the ability to recognize products containing acetaminophen in an adult outpatient setting. Cross-sectional, prospective study. University adult general internal medicine (AGIM) clinic. 104 adult patients presenting to the clinic over consecutive weekdays in December 2003. Three-page, written questionnaire. Ability of patients to identify maximum daily doses and potential toxicities of acetaminophen and recognize products that contain acetaminophen. A large percentage of participants (68.3%) reported pain on a daily or weekly basis, and 78.9% reported use of acetaminophen in the past 6 months. Only 2 patients correctly identified the maximum daily dose of regular acetaminophen, and just 3 correctly identified the maximum dose of extra-strength acetaminophen. Furthermore, 28 patients were unsure of the maximum dose of either product. Approximately 63% of participants either had not received or were unsure whether information on the possible danger of high doses of acetaminophen had been previously provided to them. When asked to identify potential problems associated with high doses of acetaminophen, 43.3% of patients noted the liver would be affected. The majority of the patients (71.2%) recognized Tylenol as containing acetaminophen, but fewer than 15% correctly identified Vicodin, Darvocet, Tylox, Percocet, and Lorcet as containing acetaminophen. Although nearly 80% of this AGIM population reported recent acetaminophen use, their knowledge of the maximum daily acetaminophen doses and potential toxicities associated with higher doses was poor and appeared to be independent of education level, age, and race. This indicates a need for educational efforts to all patients receiving acetaminophen-containing products, especially since the ability to recognize multi-ingredient products containing acetaminophen was likewise poor.

Advanced Methods for Dose and Regimen Finding During Drug Development: Summary of the EMA/EFPIA Workshop on Dose Finding (London 4-5 December 2014).

PubMed

Musuamba, F T; Manolis, E; Holford, N; Cheung, Sya; Friberg, L E; Ogungbenro, K; Posch, M; Yates, Jwt; Berry, S; Thomas, N; Corriol-Rohou, S; Bornkamp, B; Bretz, F; Hooker, A C; Van der Graaf, P H; Standing, J F; Hay, J; Cole, S; Gigante, V; Karlsson, K; Dumortier, T; Benda, N; Serone, F; Das, S; Brochot, A; Ehmann, F; Hemmings, R; Rusten, I Skottheim

2017-07-01

Inadequate dose selection for confirmatory trials is currently still one of the most challenging issues in drug development, as illustrated by high rates of late-stage attritions in clinical development and postmarketing commitments required by regulatory institutions. In an effort to shift the current paradigm in dose and regimen selection and highlight the availability and usefulness of well-established and regulatory-acceptable methods, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in collaboration with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Association (EFPIA) hosted a multistakeholder workshop on dose finding (London 4-5 December 2014). Some methodologies that could constitute a toolkit for drug developers and regulators were presented. These methods are described in the present report: they include five advanced methods for data analysis (empirical regression models, pharmacometrics models, quantitative systems pharmacology models, MCP-Mod, and model averaging) and three methods for study design optimization (Fisher information matrix (FIM)-based methods, clinical trial simulations, and adaptive studies). Pairwise comparisons were also discussed during the workshop; however, mostly for historical reasons. This paper discusses the added value and limitations of these methods as well as challenges for their implementation. Some applications in different therapeutic areas are also summarized, in line with the discussions at the workshop. There was agreement at the workshop on the fact that selection of dose for phase III is an estimation problem and should not be addressed via hypothesis testing. Dose selection for phase III trials should be informed by well-designed dose-finding studies; however, the specific choice of method(s) will depend on several aspects and it is not possible to recommend a generalized decision tree. There are many valuable methods available, the methods are not mutually exclusive, and they should be used in conjunction to ensure a scientifically rigorous understanding of the dosing rationale. © 2017 The Authors. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Modeling to optimize operational practices to limit shallow dose and dose to the lens at the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project.

PubMed

Hillman, D J; Green, S W

1994-10-01

The Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project (WSSRAP) began remediation of its chemical plant buildings in June 1992. The chemical plant was used by the Atomic Energy Commission in the 1950's and 1960's to process uranium ore and natural thorium. Many remaining equipment surfaces were highly contaminated with uranium and thorium product residues, which are relatively weak gamma emitters, but are strong beta emitters that deposit the majority of their energy within the first centimeter of tissue. An essential part of the remediation, therefore, is to control the dose to the skin, extremities, and the lens of the eye from the broad range of betas emitted by uranium and thorium decay series radionuclides. The WSSRAP planned to quantitatively record the dose to the skin, extremities, and the lens of the eye, when warranted, through selection and use of appropriate passive dosimeters. That would not, however, constitute control. A direct-reading instrument was needed that could be used by field technicians to anticipate and prevent work methods and situations that would otherwise result in the unnecessary commitment of dose. However, the interpretation of real-time instrument readings produced by a broad spectrum of beta energies is typically challenging at best, particularly when the shallow dose rate and the lens dose rate are both of interest. The purpose of this effort was, therefore, to (1) select a direct-reading instrument for use in the buildings that could be used to provide rule-of-thumb action levels for field technicians, which, if exceeded, would warrant worker protective measures; (2) determine the approximate conversions between the instrument readings and the shallow (including extremity) dose rate and lens of the eye dose rate; and (3) specify protective measures and dosimetry for the lens of the eye, if warranted. Methods described in the literature are used to estimate action levels for direct instrument readings and to demonstrate that lens dosimetry and special protective measures for the lens of the eye are not necessary at the WSSRAP.

Global transport of Fukushima-derived radionuclides from Japan to Asia, North America and Europe. Estimated doses and expected health effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Stohl, Andreas; Balkanski, Yves

2017-04-01

The earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that occurred offshore of Japan resulted in a serious accident at the nuclear facility of Fukushima. A large number of fission products were released and transported worldwide. We estimate that around 23% of the released 137Cs remained into Japan, while 76% deposited in the oceans. Around 163 TBq deposited over North America, among which 95 TBq over USA, 40 TBq over Canada and 5 TBq over Greenland). About 14 TBq deposited over Europe (mostly in the European part of Russia, Sweden and Norway) and 47 TBq over Asia (mostly in the Asian part of Russia, Philippines and South Korea), while traces were observed over Africa, Oceania and Antarctica. Since the radioactive plume followed a northward direction before its arrival to USA and then to Europe, a significant amount of about 69 TBq deposited in the Arctic, as well. An attempt to assess exposure of the population and the environment showed that the effective dose from gamma irradiation during the first 3 months was estimated between 1-5 mSv in Fukushima and the neighbouring prefectures. In the rest of Japan, the respective doses were found to be less than 0.5 mSv, whereas in the rest of the world it was less than 0.1 mSv. Such doses are equivalent with the obtained dose from a simple X-ray; for the highly contaminated regions, they are close to the dose limit for exposure due to radon inhalation (10 mSv). The calculated dose rates from radiocesium exposure on reference organisms ranged from 0.03 to 0.18 μGy h-1, which are 2 orders of magnitude below the screening dose limit (10 μGy h-1) that could result in obvious effects on the population. However, monitoring data have shown that much higher dose rates were committed to organisms raising ecological risk for small mammals and reptiles in terms of cytogenetic damage and reproduction.

Survey of distribution of seasonal influenza vaccine doses in 201 countries (2004-2015): The 2003 World Health Assembly resolution on seasonal influenza vaccination coverage and the 2009 influenza pandemic have had very little impact on improving influenza control and pandemic preparedness.

PubMed

Palache, A; Abelin, A; Hollingsworth, R; Cracknell, W; Jacobs, C; Tsai, T; Barbosa, P

2017-08-24

There is no global monitoring system for influenza vaccination coverage, making it difficult to assess progress towards the 2003 World Health Assembly (WHA) vaccination coverage target. In 2008, the IFPMA Influenza Vaccine Supply International Task Force (IVS) developed a survey method to assess the global distribution of influenza vaccine doses as a proxy for vaccination coverage rates. The latest dose distribution data for 2014 and 2015 was used to update previous analyses. Data were confidentially collected and aggregated by the IFPMA Secretariat, and combined with previous IFPMA IVS survey data (2004-2013). Data were available from 201 countries over the 2004-2015 period. A "hurdle" rate was defined as the number of doses required to reach 15.9% of the population in 2008. Overall, the number of distributed doses progressively increased between 2004 and 2011, driven by a 150% increase in AMRO, then plateaued. One percent fewer doses were distributed in 2015 than in 2011. Twenty-three countries were above the hurdle rate in 2015, compared to 15 in 2004, but distribution was highly uneven in and across all WHO regions. Three WHO regions (AMRO, EURO and WPRO) accounted for about 95% of doses distributed. But in EURO and WPRO, distribution rates in 2015 were only marginally higher than in 2004, and in EURO there was an overall downward trend in dose distribution. The vast majority of countries cannot meet the 2003WHA coverage targets and are inadequately prepared for a global influenza pandemic. With only 5% of influenza vaccine doses being distributed to 50% of the world's population, there is urgency to redress the gross inequities in disease prevention and in pandemic preparedness. The 2003WHA resolution must be reviewed and revised and a call issued for the renewed commitment of Member States to influenza vaccination coverage targets. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[The relationships among occupational and organizational commitment, human relations in the workplace, and well-being in nurses].

PubMed

Sawada, Tadayuki

2013-12-01

This study examined the relationship among human relations in the workplace, job involvement, affective commitment and continuance commitment with occupational and organizational commitment, and well-being. Questionnaires were completed by 855 female nurses who worked in four public hospitals (mean age = 32.6 years). The results of factor analysis showed that each component of the vocational constructs was distinguishable from the others. Path analysis showed that human relations in the workplace directly influenced job involvement and affective commitment both to the occupation and to the organization. Job involvement in turn directly influenced affective commitment and continuance commitment to the occupation. Job involvement also influenced affective commitment to the organization directly, and indirectly through affective commitment to the occupation. Finally, it was found that human relations in the workplace and affective commitment to the occupation positively influenced well-being; continuance commitment to the occupation was a negative influence. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Management by Objectives: When and How Does it Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFee, Dallas T.

1977-01-01

According to the author, management by objectives (formal goal setting and review) depends a great deal on the kinds of goals the organization has and the commitment of top management to the process. He discusses its potential advantages and disadvantages, conditions for adopting it, and successful implementation. (JT)

Instructional Leadership Potential among School Principals in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niqab, Muhammad; Sharma, Sailesh; Wei, Leong Mei; Maulod, Shafinaz Bt A.

2014-01-01

This study highlights the pivotal role of the school principal in relation to organizational commitment and expected student outcomes in schools in Pakistan. By critically examining the available literature, and by evaluating relevant data, this study will draw attention to how successful principals manage their schools, by providing an…

How Interest in Science Negatively Influences Perceptions of Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownlow, Sheila; Smith, Tonya J.; Ellis, BeLinda R.

2002-01-01

Examines whether women who pursue scientific training are viewed negatively by college students. Investigates n=114 (56 women, 58 men) participants judgments about a woman describing her major; speaker's traits, social behaviors, and her future potential. Indicates that both major and commitment level influenced perceptions of the speaker.…

Phoenix: Quantum Quality at Maricopa: TQM on Campus, Case Study Number Two.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assar, Kathleen E.

1993-01-01

Implementation of the Total Quality Management approach in the Maricopa County Community College District (Arizona), a large 10-campus system, is described. The program's current early stages are reported noting the serious administrative commitment and thorough training, seen as key factors in potential success. (MSE)

Youth Mentoring and Spiritual Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Jean E.; Chan, Christian S.

2008-01-01

Religious organizations offer a potentially rich pool of caring adults who are driven by their own spiritual commitments and a strong ethic to serve others. Indeed, more Americans volunteer through religious organizations than through any other venue. Religious organizations account for half of all volunteering, with an estimated 60 percent of the…

JPRS Report, Soviet Union, Military Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-17

arms) between the USSR and the United States. To me, it appears as unthinkable as a skirmish between an ele- phant and a whale . However, our military...have described them as racketeers, drug addicts , and have represented them as people who will potentially commit suicide. In fact it has always

21 CFR 312.53 - Selecting investigators and monitors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... only investigators qualified by training and experience as appropriate experts to investigate the drug... review and approval of the study(ies); (vi) A commitment by the investigator that he or she: (a) Will... potential risks and side effects of the drug; and (g) Will ensure that all associates, colleagues, and...

Cable Television...the Medium for Hispanics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guernica, Antonio Jose

1977-01-01

Cable represents the only avenue available for Hispanics to gain substantial control over a communications medium. It has the potential to provide Hispanics not only with ownership opportunities, but also with employment, quality programming, and long-term commitments and responsibilities to meet the programming needs of the Hispanics in this…

Innovating at the Nexus of Impact and Improvement: Leading Educational Improvement Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peurach, Donald J.

2016-01-01

In late 2015, the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act strengthened federal commitment to the use of evidence in educational innovation, focusing squarely on increasing the impact of innovation on educational outcomes. Concurrently, articles published in "Educational Researcher" examined new potential to increase the success of…

Prediction of Suicide: A Replication Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farberow, Norman L.; MacKinnon, Douglas

1975-01-01

A replication study was conducted to retest the validity of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital Suicide Potential Scale. Fifty four patients who had committed suicide and fifty who had not were the population studied to test, if possible, the limits of prediction the scale can attain by judging the behavior of these patients. (DEP)

The Videocassette Challenge: Strategies for the Foreign Language Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mount, Richard Terry; And Others

Foreign language teachers can tap the appeal of video successfully and enjoyably in the foreign language classroom. Potential difficulties include length of feature films and difficulty in understanding the language and story simultaneously. The instructor must select materials and equipment carefully and commit considerable time and energy to…

District-Charter Collaboration Grant Implementation: Findings from Teacher and Principal Surveys. Summary Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richman, Scott; Burnett, Alyson; Dillon, Erin; Goble, Lisbeth; McCullough, Moira; Tuttle, Christina Clark

2016-01-01

In November 2012, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invested in seven innovative district-charter partnerships with "the potential capacity and commitment to accelerate student college ready rates through deep collaboration and sharing of best practices" (District-Charter Collaboration Grant Request for Proposal). These…

District-Charter Collaboration Grant Implementation: Final Findings from Interviews and Site Visits. Interim Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullough, Moira; Keating, Betsy; Heinkel, Luke

2016-01-01

In November 2012, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invested in seven innovative district-charter partnerships with "the potential capacity and commitment to accelerate student college ready rates through deep collaboration and sharing of best practices" (District-Charter Collaboration Grant Request for Proposal). These…

Cyberspace: Time to Reassess, Reorganize, and Resource for Evolving Threats

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-15

reflecting on what types of cyber activities have the potential to change the strategic landscape. Arguably an attack by cyber criminals on the...their ability to hire or develop hacker talent.18 Nation states can use cyber criminals as a proxy to commit crimes against other nations in an

Campus Kids Mentoring Program: Fifteen Years of Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepard, Jerri

2009-01-01

This article features Campus Kids, a mentoring program located at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga is a Jesuit University with a strong commitment to social justice and humanistic education. Campus Kids began, in the true sense of a community partnership, as an attempt to connect community resources (potential university…

Toward a Sociology of Being: The Humanistic Potential.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, John F.

The holistic, synergistic, normative, self-actualization motivated, transpersonal psychology developed by Maslow and others has opened enormous opportunities for a new sociology, a humanistic, transcultural, value-committed sociology. Such a sociology would not have the glorification of science or knowledge for its own sake as its highest goal,…

Evidence for E-Learning Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittard, Vanessa

2004-01-01

E-learning is becoming an increasingly mainstream feature of educational delivery. The launch of a national e-learning strategy in England signals the Government's commitment to maximising the potential benefits of investment in information and communications technology (ICT). The vision for e-learning set out in this strategy is ambitious. At…

Marginal Maidens and Educational Policy for Women's Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connor, Kathleen M.

Unfavorable world and national economic and social trends of recent years have been paralleled by a reduced commitment to social services for marginalized peoples, including educational programs for women inmates. The potential negative results for future levels of delinquency and crime cannot be precisely calculated, according to sociologists and…

Conflict: A Catalyst for Institutional Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaller-Demers, Debra

2008-01-01

This article focuses on perceptions and behaviors surrounding potential conflicts of interest and/or commitment on both personal and institutional levels. It references past cases, public reaction and subsequent policy decisions. Most people believe conflict to be negative, something to be avoided. While conflict might make one feel stressed,…

Coaching Leadership: Building Educational Leadership Capacity through Partnership. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Jan

2016-01-01

"Coaching Leadership" is about building leadership capacity in individuals, and in institutions, through enhancing professional relationships. It is based on the importance of maximising potential, and harnessing the ongoing commitment and energy needed to meet personal and professional goals. This book is for anyone interested in…

75 FR 57159 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-20

... Commit, or Support Terrorism On September 23, 2001, by Executive Order 13224, the President declared a national emergency with respect to persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism, pursuant... economy of the United States constituted by the grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed...

Radiological impact of 2016 operations at the Savannah River Site

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

Minter, K. L.; Jannik, G. T.; Dixon, K. M.

This report presents the environmental dose assessment methods and the estimated potential doses to the offsite public from 2016 Savannah River Site (SRS) air and liquid radioactive releases. Also documented are potential doses from special-case exposure scenarios, such as the consumption of wildlife or goat milk.

Potential implications of the bystander effect on TCP and EUD when considering target volume dose heterogeneity.

PubMed

Balderson, Michael J; Kirkby, Charles

2015-01-01

In light of in vitro evidence suggesting that radiation-induced bystander effects may enhance non-local cell killing, there is potential for impact on radiotherapy treatment planning paradigms such as the goal of delivering a uniform dose throughout the clinical target volume (CTV). This work applies a bystander effect model to calculate equivalent uniform dose (EUD) and tumor control probability (TCP) for external beam prostate treatment and compares the results with a more common model where local response is dictated exclusively by local absorbed dose. The broad assumptions applied in the bystander effect model are intended to place an upper limit on the extent of the results in a clinical context. EUD and TCP of a prostate cancer target volume under conditions of increasing dose heterogeneity were calculated using two models: One incorporating bystander effects derived from previously published in vitro bystander data ( McMahon et al. 2012 , 2013a); and one using a common linear-quadratic (LQ) response that relies exclusively on local absorbed dose. Dose through the CTV was modelled as a normal distribution, where the degree of heterogeneity was then dictated by changing the standard deviation (SD). Also, a representative clinical dose distribution was examined as cold (low dose) sub-volumes were systematically introduced. The bystander model suggests a moderate degree of dose heterogeneity throughout a target volume will yield as good or better outcome compared to a uniform dose in terms of EUD and TCP. For a typical intermediate risk prostate prescription of 78 Gy over 39 fractions maxima in EUD and TCP as a function of increasing SD occurred at SD ∼ 5 Gy. The plots only dropped below the uniform dose values for SD ∼ 10 Gy, almost 13% of the prescribed dose. Small, but potentially significant differences in the outcome metrics between the models were identified in the clinically-derived dose distribution as cold sub-volumes were introduced. In terms of EUD and TCP, the bystander model demonstrates the potential to deviate from the common local LQ model predictions as dose heterogeneity through a prostate CTV varies. The results suggest, at least in a limiting sense, the potential for allowing some degree of dose heterogeneity within a CTV, although further investigation of the assumptions of the bystander model are warranted.

Baseline concentration of Polonium-210 ((210)Po) in tuna fish.

PubMed

Khan, M Feroz; Wesley, S Godwin

2016-06-15

Several species of tuna fish were analyzed for (210)Po content in their edible muscle tissues. This study was carried out as a part of baseline data generation around a large nuclear power plant situated at Kudankulam, southeast coast of India. The concentration of (210)Po in the muscle tissue ranged from 40.9±5.2 to 92.5±7.9Bq/kg of fresh fish, and the highest activity was recorded for the tuna Euthynnus affinis and the lowest for Auxis thazard. The committed effective dose to the local residents was calculated to be 62.7-141.8μSvyear(-1). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gaining competitive advantage in personal dosimetry services through ISO 9001 certification.

PubMed

Noriah, M A

2007-01-01

This paper discusses the advantage of certification process in the quality assurance of individual dose monitoring in Malaysia. The demand by customers and the regulatory authority for a higher degree of quality service requires a switch in emphasis from a technically focused quality assurance program to a comprehensive quality management for service provision. Achieving the ISO 9001:2000 certification by an accredited third party demonstrates acceptable recognition and documents the fact that the methods used are capable of generating results that satisfy the performance criteria of the certification program. It also offers a proof of the commitment to quality and, as a benchmark, allows measurement of the progress for continual improvement of service performance.

Commitment to personal values and guilt feelings in dementia caregivers.

PubMed

Gallego-Alberto, Laura; Losada, Andrés; Márquez-González, María; Romero-Moreno, Rosa; Vara, Carlos

2017-01-01

Caregivers' commitment to personal values is linked to caregivers' well-being, although the effects of personal values on caregivers' guilt have not been explored to date. The goal of this study is to analyze the relationship between caregivers´ commitment to personal values and guilt feelings. Participants were 179 dementia family caregivers. Face-to-face interviews were carried out to describe sociodemographic variables and assess stressors, caregivers' commitment to personal values and guilt feelings. Commitment to values was conceptualized as two factors (commitment to own values and commitment to family values) and 12 specific individual values (e.g. education, family or caregiving role). Hierarchical regressions were performed controlling for sociodemographic variables and stressors, and introducing the two commitment factors (in a first regression) or the commitment to individual/specific values (in a second regression) as predictors of guilt. In terms of the commitment to values factors, the analyzed regression model explained 21% of the variance of guilt feelings. Only the factor commitment to family values contributed significantly to the model, explaining 7% of variance. With regard to the regression analyzing the contribution of specific values to caregivers' guilt, commitment to the caregiving role and with leisure contributed negatively and significantly to the explanation of caregivers' guilt. Commitment to work contributed positively to guilt feelings. The full model explained 30% of guilt feelings variance. The specific values explained 16% of the variance. Our findings suggest that commitment to personal values is a relevant variable to understand guilt feelings in caregivers.

Reproductive cloning and arguments from potential.

PubMed

Oakley, Justin

2006-01-01

The possibility of human reproductive cloning has led some bioethicists to suggest that potentiality-based arguments for fetal moral status become untenable, as such arguments would be committed to making the implausible claim that any adult somatic cell is itself a potential person. In this article I defend potentiality-based arguments for fetal moral status against such a reductio. Starting from the widely-held claim that the maintenance of numerical identity throughout successive changes places constraints on what a given entity can plausibly be said to have the potential to become, I argue that the cell reprogramming that takes place in reproductive cloning is such that it produces a new individual, and so adult somatic cells cannot be potential persons.

Influence of Psychological Empowerment on Organizational Commitment among Medical Employees in a Hospital Setting.

PubMed

Kebriaei, A; Rakhshaninejad, M; Mohseni, M

2014-12-01

People within organizations are a key factor for efficiency. Thus employee empowerment has become a popular management strategy. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological empowerment and organizational commitment among medical staff of a hospital in Zahedan city. This cross sectional study was carried out in 2013. A random sample of 172 medical employees in Khatam-ol-Anbia hospital at Zahedan city was selected and responded to items of the questionnaires using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 7. For measuring psychological empowerment and organizational commitment, Mishra & Spreitzer's scale and Meyer and Allen's questionnaire were used. A higher score means a higher degree of psychological empowerment or organizational commitment. Analysis was carried out using SPSS. The level of organizational commitment and psychological empowerment significantly were higher than average. There was a significant positive relationship between employees' empowerment and their commitment to organization. Psychological empowerment was a significant predictor of organizational commitment (β = .524). Out of the five dimensions of empowerment three dimensions are significant predictors of commitment and explain 37.1% of the variance in commitment. Due to The positive influence of psychological empowerment on organizational commitment, programs for in-service education should focus on facilitating psychological empowerment to improve and increase organizational commitment. Also, since impact of employees psychological empowerment on organizational commitment partially supported, there are other variables that influence the organizational commitment.

Nature and Utilization of Civil Commitment for Substance Abuse in the United States.

PubMed

Christopher, Paul P; Pinals, Debra A; Stayton, Taylor; Sanders, Kellie; Blumberg, Lester

2015-09-01

Substance abuse is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although civil commitment has been used to address substance abuse for more than a century, little is known today about the nature and use of substance-related commitment laws in the United States. We examined statutes between July 2010 and October 2012 from all 50 states and the District of Columbia for provisions authorizing civil commitment of adults for substance abuse and recorded the criteria and evidentiary standard for commitment and the location and the maximum duration of commitment orders. High-level state representatives evaluated these data and provided information on the use of commitment. Thirty-three states have statutory provisions for the civil commitment of persons because of substance abuse. The application of these statutes ranged from a few commitment cases to thousands annually. Although dangerousness was the most common basis for commitment, many states permitted it in other contexts. The maximum duration of treatment ranged from less than 1 month to more than 1 year for both initial and subsequent civil commitment orders. These findings show wide variability in the nature and application of civil commitment statutes for substance abuse in the United States. Such diversity reflects a lack of consensus on the role that civil commitment should play in managing substance abuse and the problems associated with it. © 2015 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Factor analysis and Mokken scaling of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire in nurses.

PubMed

Al-Yami, M; Galdas, P; Watson, R

2018-03-22

To generate an Arabic version of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire that would be easily understood by Arabic speakers and would be sensitive to Arabic culture. The nursing workforce in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a process of Saudization but there is a need to understand the factors that will help to retain this workforce. No organizational commitment tools exist in Arabic that are specifically designed for health organizations. An Arabic version of the organizational commitment tool could aid Arabic speaking employers to understand their employees' perceptions of their organizations. Translation and back-translation followed by factor analysis (principal components analysis and confirmatory factor analysis) to test the factorial validity and item response theory (Mokken scaling). A two-factor structure was obtained for the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire comprising Factor 1: Value commitment; and Factor 2: Commitment to stay with acceptable reliability measured by internal consistency. A Mokken scale was obtained including items from both factors showing a hierarchy of items running from commitment to the organization and commitment to self. This study shows that the Arabic version of the OCQ retained the established two-factor structure of the original English-language version. Although the two factors - 'value commitment' and 'commitment to stay' - repudiate the original developers' single factor claim. A useful insight into the structure of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire has been obtained with the novel addition of a hierarchical scale. The Organizational Commitment Questionnaire is now ready to be used with nurses in the Arab speaking world and could be used a tool to measure the contemporary commitment of nursing employees and in future interventions aimed at increasing commitment and retention of valuable nursing staff. © 2018 International Council of Nurses.

Development Trajectories and Predictors of the Role Commitment of Nursing Preceptors.

PubMed

Wang, Wei-Fang; Hung, Chich-Hsiu; Li, Chung-Yi

2018-06-01

The commitment of nursing preceptors to their role is an important driving force that supports their clinical teaching and affects teaching quality. Role commitment undergoes dynamic development and thus changes over time. Existing studies have utilized only cross-sectional study designs and have not analyzed the changes in commitment trajectories with related factors. This study aimed to investigate the development trajectories of the commitment of preceptors and to examine the predictors between the trajectories of role commitment among nursing preceptors. A single-group, repeated-measures design was adopted, and 59 participants completed the Commitment to the Preceptor Role Scale and the Preceptor's Perception of Support Scale. The latent class growth analysis method was used to estimate the trajectory class patterns. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test, a nonparametric method, was used to compare the differences in demographic characteristics between the trajectories of commitment among nursing preceptors. Predictors were examined using binary logistic regression analysis. The two-class model was the best-fitting model to describe the trajectories of nursing preceptor commitment. The two classes in this model were "low commitment," which accounted for 90.3% of all the participants, and "high commitment," which accounted for 9.7%. A significant difference was found between the two classes in terms of motivation for being a preceptor (p = .048). Neither demographic characteristics nor organizational support had a predictive effect on the trajectories of commitment development. This study found a low level of role commitment among new preceptors. Moreover, internal motivation was found to be a significant factor affecting the trajectories of this commitment. Therefore, institutions should foster an appropriate environment to enhance the role identity of preceptors as well as cultivate and stimulate their commitment to this role.

Advance market commitment for pneumococcal vaccines: putting theory into practice

PubMed Central

Cernuschi, Tania; Schwalbe, Nina; Jones, Andrew; Berndt, Ernst R; McAdams, Susan

2011-01-01

Abstract Markets for life-saving vaccines do not often generate the most desired outcomes from a public health perspective in terms of product quantity, quality, affordability, programmatic suitability and/or sustainability for use in the lowest income countries. The perceived risks and uncertainties about sustainably funded demand from developing countries often leads to underinvestment in development and manufacturing of appropriate products. The pilot initiative Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for pneumococcal vaccines, launched in 2009, aims to remove some of these market risks by providing a legally binding forward commitment to purchase vaccines according to predetermined terms. To date, 14 countries have already introduced pneumococcal vaccines through the AMC with a further 39 countries expected to introduce before the end of 2013. This paper describes early lessons learnt on the selection of a target disease and the core design choices for the pilot AMC. It highlights the challenges faced with tailoring the AMC design to the specific supply situation of pneumococcal vaccines. It points to the difficulty – and the AMC’s apparent early success – in establishing a long-term, credible commitment in a constantly changing unpredictable environment. It highlights one of the inherent challenges of the AMC: its dependence on continuous donor funding to ensure long-term purchases of products. The paper examines alternative design choices and aims to provide a starting point to inform discussions and encourage debate about the potential application of the AMC concept to other fields. PMID:22271949

The cost-effectiveness of shopping to a predetermined grocery list to reduce overweight and obesity

PubMed Central

Au, N; Marsden, G; Mortimer, D; Lorgelly, P K

2013-01-01

Background: Pre-commitment strategies can encourage participants to commit to a healthy food plan and have been suggested as a potential strategy for weight loss. However, it is unclear whether such strategies are cost-effective. Objective: To analyse whether pre-commitment interventions that facilitate healthier diets are a cost-effective approach to tackle obesity. Methods: Effectiveness evidence was obtained from a systematic review of the literature. For interventions demonstrating a clinically significant change in weight, a Markov model was employed to simulate the long-term health and economic consequences. The review supported modelling just one intervention: grocery shopping to a predetermined list combined with standard behavioural therapy (SBT). SBT alone and do nothing were used as comparators. The target population was overweight or obese adult women. A lifetime horizon for health effects (expressed as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs)) and costs from the perspective of the UK health sector were used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Results: In the base case analysis, the pre-commitment strategy of shopping to a list was found to be more effective and cost saving when compared against SBT, and cost-effective when compared against ‘do nothing' (ICER=£166 per QALY gained). A sensitivity analysis indicated that shopping to a list remained dominant or cost-effective under various scenarios. Conclusion: Our findings suggest grocery shopping to a predetermined list combined with SBT is a cost-effective means for reducing obesity and its related health conditions. PMID:23797384

A structural equation modelling approach examining the pathways between safety climate, behaviour performance and workplace slipping

PubMed Central

Swedler, David I; Verma, Santosh K; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Lombardi, David A; Chang, Wen-Ruey; Brennan, Melayne; Courtney, Theodore K

2015-01-01

Objective Safety climate has previously been associated with increasing safe workplace behaviours and decreasing occupational injuries. This study seeks to understand the structural relationship between employees’ perceptions of safety climate, performing a safety behaviour (ie, wearing slip-resistant shoes) and risk of slipping in the setting of limited-service restaurants. Methods At baseline, we surveyed 349 employees at 30 restaurants for their perceptions of their safety training and management commitment to safety as well as demographic data. Safety performance was identified as wearing slip-resistant shoes, as measured by direct observation by the study team. We then prospectively collected participants’ hours worked and number of slips weekly for the next 12 weeks. Using a confirmatory factor analysis, we modelled safety climate as a higher order factor composed of previously identified training and management commitment factors. Results The 349 study participants experienced 1075 slips during the 12-week follow-up. Confirmatory factor analysis supported modelling safety climate as a higher order factor composed of safety training and management commitment. In a structural equation model, safety climate indirectly affected prospective risk of slipping through safety performance, but no direct relationship between safety climate and slips was evident. Conclusions Results suggest that safety climate can reduce workplace slips through performance of a safety behaviour as well as suggesting a potential causal mechanism through which safety climate can reduce workplace injuries. Safety climate can be modelled as a higher order factor composed of safety training and management commitment. PMID:25710968

ICM: Bridging the Capability Gap between 1 January 2019 and the Replacement Munition

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

fires. This qualitative case study focused on the ICM capability gap and potential solutions for the U.S. Field Artillery cannon and rocket systems... one of those countries, the United States could find itself committed in their defense. This case study will be used to provide insight to the...context of the potential ramifications of the 2008 DoD Policy on Cluster Munitions and Unintended Harm to Civilians, a case study on Russian military

Internal dose assessment of 238U contaminated soils based on in-vitro gastrointestinal protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perama, Yasmin Mohd Idris; Rashid, Nur Shahidah Abdul; Majid, Amran Ab.; Siong, Khoo Kok

2017-01-01

Human exposure to natural radioactive uranium has been a great interest as more industrial rapidly growing contributes to radiation risks. The aim of this case study was to determine the internal dose in humans incorporated with ingestion of 238U contaminated soils. A gastrointestinal analogue test was employed to simulate the human digestive tract. In-vitro approach via German DIN 19738 model was developed in order to estimate the internal exposure of 238U due to ingestion of different types of soils. Synthetic gastrointestinal fluids assay via in-vitro method were produced to determine the concentration of 238U in various soils using ICP-MS. Based on the results, concentration of 238U in BRIS, laterite, peat and alluvium soils were in ranged between (0.0061 ± 0.0057 - 0.0488 ± 0.0148) ppm and (0.0005 ± 0.0004 - 0.0046 ± 0.0007) ppm in gastric and gastrointestinal phase respectively. Types of soil compositions and pH medium were some of the factors that influence mobilization and solubility of 238U contaminanted soil into the digestive juices that resembles human gastrointestinal tract. For the purpose of internal dose assessment, the committed efective dose from 238U intake in soils ranged between 1.237 × 10-11 - 9.8993 × 10-11 Sv y-1 for gastric phase and 1.0184 × 10-12 - 9.3294 × 10-12 Sv y-1 for gastric-intestinal phase. The internal dose measurements from this study were much lower from the recommended values. Hence, ingestion of 238U contaminated soils would not be expected to pose major health risk to humans.

Activity concentrations of (137)Caesium and (210)Polonium in seafood from fishing regions of New Zealand and the dose assessment for seafood consumers.

PubMed

Pearson, Andrew J; Gaw, Sally; Hermanspahn, Nikolaus; Glover, Chris N

2016-01-01

A study was undertaken to determine activity concentrations for (134)Caesium, (137)Caesium and (210)Polonium in New Zealand seafood, and establish if activity concentrations varied with respect to species/ecological niche and coastal region. Thirty seafood samples were obtained from six fishing regions of New Zealand along with a further six samples of two commercially important species (hoki and arrow squid) with well-defined fisheries. (134)Caesium was not detected in any sample. (137)Caesium was detected in 47% of samples, predominantly in pelagic fish species, with most activities at a trace level. Detections of (137)Caesium were evenly distributed across all regions. Activity concentrations were consistent with those expected from the oceanic inventory representing residual fallout from global nuclear testing. (210)Polonium was detected above the minimum detectable concentration in 33 (92%) of the analysed samples. Molluscs displayed significantly elevated activity concentrations relative to all other species groups. No significant regional variation in activity concentrations were determined. Two dose assessment models for high seafood consumers were undertaken. Dose contribution from (137)Caesium was minimal and far below the dose exemption limit of 1 mSv/year. Exposure to (210)Polonium was significant in high seafood consumers at 0.44-0.77 mSv/year (5th-95th percentile). (137)Caesium is concluded to be a valuable sentinel radionuclide for monitoring anthropogenic releases, such as global fallout and reactor releases, in the marine environment. (210)Polonium is of importance as a natural radionuclide sentinel due to its high contribution to dietary committed dose in seafood consumers. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Relationship between Multiple Commitments and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Arab and Jewish Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Aaron

2006-01-01

This study examined the relation between multiple commitments (organizational commitment, occupational commitment, job involvement, and group commitment), ethnicity, and cultural values (individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity/femininity) with organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) and in-role…

Identifying Determinants of Commitment and Turnover Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grady, Thomas L.

A study tested the precursors to vocational teachers' commitment to teaching as suggested by the commitment model proposed by Pierce and Dunham. Important consequences of commitment were examined by identifying relationships between commitment, behavioral intentions, and resulting turnover. The study examined the entire population of teachers…

[Association between approach-avoidance commitment to romantic relationships, emotional experiences in romantic relationships, and personal mental health].

PubMed

Komura, Kentaro

2016-02-01

The present study examined the association between approach-avoidance commitment, emotional experiences in romantic relationships, and mental health. It was hypothesized that the association between avoidance commitment and emotional experiences was moderated by approach commitment. Two hundred and three undergraduates who were involved in romantic relationships participated in a questionnaire survey. Results revealed that approach commitment was associated with greater positive emotion and less negative emotion, and these emotional experiences were associated with higher mental health. On the other hand, the association between avoidance commitment and emotional experiences was moderated by approach commitment. That is, only when approach commitment was weak, avoidance commitment was associated with fewer positive emotions and greater negative emotions, and that these emotional experiences were associated with lower mental health. These results reveal that approach-avoidance commitment was associated with mental health via emotional experiences in romantic relationships, and verified Johnson's (1999) and Levinger's (1999) theoretical argument.

13 CFR 108.230 - Private Capital for NMVC Companies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Company, plus unfunded binding commitments by Institutional Investors (including commitments evidenced by... Federal agency or department. (4) Any portion of a commitment from an Institutional Investor with a net... commitment from an investor if SBA determines that the collectability of the commitment is questionable. (d...

The Revised Commitment Inventory: Psychometrics and Use with Unmarried Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Jesse; Rhoades, Galena K.; Stanley, Scott M.; Markman, Howard J.

2011-01-01

The Commitment Inventory measures interpersonal commitment (dedication) and constraint commitment. Since it was first published, substantial revisions have been made, but there are no published data on the psychometric properties of the new version. Furthermore, little information is available on measuring commitment for unmarried couples. This…

28 CFR 522.11 - Civil contempt commitments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Civil contempt commitments. 522.11..., CLASSIFICATION, AND TRANSFER ADMISSION TO INSTITUTION Civil Contempt of Court Commitments § 522.11 Civil contempt commitments. Inmates can come into Bureau custody for civil contempt commitments in two ways: (a) The U.S...

A Career Stage Analysis of Career and Organizational Commitment in Nursing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, Nora P.; Orsak, Charles L.

1991-01-01

From a sample of 1,520 hospital nurses, 520 responses demonstrated that (1) affective measures were strongly associated with career and affective-organizational commitment and (2) reports of continuance commitment and normative commitment increased significantly with career stage, but career commitment remained constant. (Author/SK)

28 CFR 522.11 - Civil contempt commitments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Civil contempt commitments. 522.11..., CLASSIFICATION, AND TRANSFER ADMISSION TO INSTITUTION Civil Contempt of Court Commitments § 522.11 Civil contempt commitments. Inmates can come into Bureau custody for civil contempt commitments in two ways: (a) The U.S...

28 CFR 522.11 - Civil contempt commitments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Civil contempt commitments. 522.11..., CLASSIFICATION, AND TRANSFER ADMISSION TO INSTITUTION Civil Contempt of Court Commitments § 522.11 Civil contempt commitments. Inmates can come into Bureau custody for civil contempt commitments in two ways: (a) The U.S...

Conceptual Commitments of AGI Systems: Editorial, Commentaries, and Response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2013-06-01

Editorial: Conceptual Commitments of AGI Systems Haris Dindo / James Marshall / Giovanni Pezzulo 23 General Problems of Unified Theories of Cognition, and Another Conceptual Commitment of LIDA Benjamin Angerer / Stefan Schneider 26 LIDA, Committed to Consciousness Antonio Chella 28 The Radical Interactionism Conceptual Commitment Olivier L. Georgeon / David W. Aha 31 Commitments of the Soar Cognitive Architecture John E. Laird 36 Conceptual Commitments of AGI Projects Pei Wang 39 Will (dis)Embodied LIDA Agents be Socially Interactive? Travis J. Wiltshire / Emilio J. C. Lobato / Florian G. Jentsch / Stephen M. Fiore 42 Author's Response to Commentaries Steve Strain / Stan Franklin 48

Dimensionality and consequences of employee commitment to supervisors: a two-study examination.

PubMed

Landry, Guylaine; Panaccio, Alexandra; Vandenberghe, Christian

2010-01-01

Research on the 3-component model of organizational commitment--affective, normative, and continuance--has suggested that continuance commitment comprises 2 subcomponents, perceived lack of alternatives and sacrifice (e.g., S. J. Jaros, 1997; G. W. McGee & R. C. Ford, 1987). The authors aimed to extend that research in the context of employees' commitment to their immediate supervisors. Through two studies, they examined the validity and consequences of a 4-factor model of commitment to supervisors including affective, normative, continuance-alternatives, and continuance-sacrifice components. Study 1 (N = 317) revealed that the 4 components of commitment to supervisors were distinguishable from the corresponding components of organizational commitment. Study 2 (N = 240) further showed that the 4 components of commitment to supervisors differentially related to intention to leave the supervisor, supervisor-directed negative affect and emotional exhaustion. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for the management of employee commitment in organizations.

Assessment of 'cancer-prone personality' characteristics in healthy study subjects and in patients with breast disease and breast cancer using the commitment questionnaire: a prospective case-control study in Finland.

PubMed

Eskelinen, Matti; Ollonen, Paula

2011-11-01

The findings of a repressed expression of emotions in cancer patients contributed to the hypothesis developed by Lydia Temoshok of a type C personality ('cancer-prone'). To the Authors' knowledge, the associations between the 'cancer-prone personality' characteristics in commitment test and the risk of breast cancer (BC) have rarely been considered together in a prospective study. In an extension of the Kuopio Breast Cancer Study, 115 women with breast symptoms were evaluated for commitment test before any diagnostic procedures were carried out. The clinical examination and biopsy showed BC in 34 patients, benign breast disease (BBD) in 53 patients and 28 individuals were shown to be healthy study subjects (HSS). The BC group reported significantly more commitment to own children (Function A) (mean Commitment score, 3.14) than the patients in the BBD group (mean Commitment score, 3.51) and in the HSS group (mean Commitment score, 3.77) (p=0.05). The women in the BC group also reported more commitment to own husband (Function B) (mean Commitment score, 3.30) than the patients in the BBD group (mean Commitment score, 3.83) and the patients in the HSS group (mean Commitment score, 3.76). The BC group reported significantly more commitment to own work and own body (Function D and G) (mean Commitment scores, 3.20 and 3.50) than the patients in the BBD group (mean Commitment scores, 3.75 and 3.71) or HSS group (mean Commitment scores, 3.46 and 3.50). The mean sum (mean, SD) of the scores were significantly lower in the BC group (31.1, 5.8) than in the BBD (35.2, 6.9) and HSS group (36.4, 5.6) (p=0.02), showing more commitment in the BC group. In summary, patients with BC tended to have an increased risk for bearing the 'high commitment' characteristic and this pattern could contribute to cancer risk through immune and hormonal pathways.

Role of Outsourcing in Stress and Job Satisfaction of Information Technology Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Janell R.

2016-01-01

Information technology (IT) outsourcing poses a potential job loss threat to IT professionals, which can decrease job security, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The problem that this study addressed was the perceived role of IT outsourcing in the job stress, job dissatisfaction, and turnover intention of IT professionals. The…

Mission-Based Funding Compacts with Public Universities. Go8 Backgrounder 6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Group of Eight (NJ1), 2008

2008-01-01

This Go8 Backgrounder explores the possible uses of compacts in government financing of university activities, examines their potential costs and benefits, and outlines principles for their design and implementation. The Government has committed to compacts as an element of its future funding arrangements with public universities but has not yet…

Recalculating the Economic Cost of Suicide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Bijou; Lester, David

2007-01-01

These authors argue that estimates of the net economic cost of suicide should go beyond accounting for direct medical costs and indirect costs from loss of earnings by those who commit suicide. There are potential savings from (a) not having to treat the depressive and other psychiatric disorders of those who kill themselves; (b) avoidance of…

76 FR 34712 - Medicare Program; Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Model; Extension of the Submission...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-14

...: I. Background We are committed to achieving the three-part aim of better health, better health care... beneficiaries. One potential mechanism for achieving this goal is for CMS to partner with groups of health care... expenditures while enhancing the quality of care available to beneficiaries. Being responsive to the...

Support from Afar: Using Chemical Safety Information on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Ralph

One of the major challenges facing people committed to Teaching Safety in High Schools, Colleges, and Universities is keeping up with both the wide range of relevant technical information about potential hazards (ranging from fire protection to chemical hazards to biological issues) and the ever-changing world of safety regulations and standards.…

Financial Coaching's Potential for Enhancing Family Financial Security

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, J. Michael; Olive, Peggy; O'Rourke, Collin M.

2013-01-01

Financial coaching is an emerging complement to financial education and counseling. As defined in this article, financial coaching is a process whereby participants set goals, commit to taking certain actions by specific dates, and are then held accountable by the coach. In this way, financial coaching is designed to help participants bridge the…

Are the Prospective Teachers at Secondary Level Aware about Inclusive Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumthas, N. S.; Shamina, E.

2011-01-01

By recognizing the potentiality of education, every society has committed itself to the universalization of education with an aim of providing "Quality Education for All." The governments and the communities ought to ensure that every section of society gets equality of opportunity and necessary inputs for effective participation in the…

Caught in the Net: A Foucaultian Interrogation of the Incidental Effects of Limited Notions of Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Linda J.

2006-01-01

The Department of Education in the Australian state of Queensland promotes inclusiveness and states a commitment to all students achieving to their full potential ("Inclusive Learning", 2004, p. 17). Paradoxically, comprehensive review of Queensland Government education department policy indicates the vision of inclusive education is…

Teaching Sustainability in Higher Education: Pedagogical Styles That Make a Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seatter, Carol Scarff; Ceulemans, Kim

2017-01-01

The challenge of teaching sustainable development in higher education can mean that students--as future citizens--are left without insight, commitment, or a sense of their position regarding meaningful beliefs and actions related to sustainability. A paradox arises when educators approach a sustainability curriculum that has the potential to…

Keeping trees as assets

Treesearch

Kevin T. Smith

2009-01-01

Landscape trees have real value and contribute to making livable communities. Making the most of that value requires providing trees with the proper care and attention. As potentially large and long-lived organisms, trees benefit from commitment to regular care that respects the natural tree system. This system captures, transforms, and uses energy to survive, grow,...

Moving beyond "Mozert": Toward a Democratic Theory of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kessel, Alisa

2015-01-01

Most liberal political theorists of education argue that it is better to teach students to tolerate diversity, than to protect the potentially illiberal commitments of some members of the political communities. In fact, neither approach is wholly satisfying, yet they remain the focus of much political theorizing about education. This article…

Commitments to Improve the Quality of Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cross, K. Patricia

For the nation as a whole, there is a moving bandwagon of educational change, clearly hitched to attempts to personalize and individualize instruction. The new emphases on the quality of learning appears to offer some potential solutions to two current problems: the twin problems of quality and equality in education. Traditional group-oriented…

Stakeholder Engagement Road Map and Peer Review Overview for EPA's Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This roadmap outlines EPA’s plans to build upon the Agency’s commitment to transparency & stakeholder engagement coordinated during the development of the Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) Study Plan & will help inform the 2014 HF study draft assessment report.

Interpersonal Mediators Linking Acculturation Stressors to Subsequent Internalizing Symptoms and Self-Esteem in Latino Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smokowski, Paul Richard; Bacallao, Martica; Buchanan, Rachel Lee

2009-01-01

The specific aim of this study was to examine pathways leading to internalizing symptoms and self-esteem in Latino adolescents. Adolescent feelings of interpersonal humiliation, family conflict and commitment, and friendships with peers were investigated as potential mediators linking acculturation stress to subsequent adolescent self-esteem and…

Crafting an Approach to Online Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Paul

2013-01-01

Online teaching is in its adolescence and needs to mature in order to overcome some of its growing pains to reach its potential in the field of education. Reflecting upon the author's first three years teaching online, he notes practices and commitments that could help instructors better participate in and facilitate lifelong learning for…

Disappointment with God and Well-Being: The Mediating Influence of Relationship Quality and Dispositional Forgiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strelan, Peter; Acton, Collin; Patrick, Kent

2009-01-01

This study examined the extent to which disappointment with God influenced the psychological and spiritual well-being of 160 churchgoers, and the potential mediating influences of relationship quality (spiritual maturity and relationship commitment) and dispositional forgiveness. Disappointment with God was positively related to depression and…

Investigating the Similarities and Differences between Practitioners of Second- and Third-Wave Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Lily A.; Gaudiano, Brandon A.; Miller, Ivan W.

2011-01-01

There has been much discussion in the literature recently regarding the conceptual and technical differences between so-called second- (e.g., Beckian cognitive therapy) and third-wave (e.g., acceptance and commitment therapy) behavioral therapies. Previous research has not addressed the potential similarities and differences among the…

When Non-Commitment Makes Sense: An Experimental Approach to the Retrieval and Mental Representation of Irregular Polysemes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brocher, Andreas

2013-01-01

Because many words of a language have more than one meaning, readers regularly need to disambiguate words during sentence comprehension. Using priming, eye-tracking, and event-related brain potentials, this thesis tested whether readers differently disambiguate words with semantically related meanings like "wire" and "cone,"…

The Elyria Schools First: An Initiative To Unleash a Community's Potential Empowering Children To Learn.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elyria City Board of Education, OH.

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a process and strategy designed to improve an organization's effectiveness and efficiency. The Elyria Schools, named as Ohio's model urban school district in 1991, uses TQM to implement updated strategic goals through a process emphasizing teamwork, best knowledge, prevention, and commitment to continuous…

The Problem of Empirical Redundancy of Constructs in Organizational Research: An Empirical Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le, Huy; Schmidt, Frank L.; Harter, James K.; Lauver, Kristy J.

2010-01-01

Construct empirical redundancy may be a major problem in organizational research today. In this paper, we explain and empirically illustrate a method for investigating this potential problem. We applied the method to examine the empirical redundancy of job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC), two well-established organizational…

24 CFR 970.11 - Procedures for the offer of sale to established eligible organizations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... purchase the property; (d) Contents of initial written notification. The initial written notification to... opportunity to purchase the development, the development's value, and potential use; (5) A statement that... to purchase the property and to obtain a firm financial commitment, as defined in § 970.5. The...

Unserved Financial Aid Applicants. Update Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board, Olympia.

This staff report on unserved students (students who commit to attend but do not enroll at a college or university) focuses on whether adequate financial resources could be a reason for their non-attendance. Applicants were categorized by need and by the date of their application for financial aid; and further classified as potential students of…

"Friends" Raping Friends. Could It Happen to You?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Jean O'Gorman; Sandler, Bernice R.

This publication concerning rape committed by acquaintances and "friends" is designed to provide information and support for college students. The early warning signs and how to react to potential "acquaintance" or "date" rape are addressed. Consideration is given to why this type of rape occurs and information is provided on how to avoid date…

Let's get serious: communicating commitment in romantic relationships.

PubMed

Ackerman, Joshua M; Griskevicius, Vladas; Li, Norman P

2011-06-01

Are men or women more likely to confess love first in romantic relationships? And how do men and women feel when their partners say "I love you"? An evolutionary-economics perspective contends that women and men incur different potential costs and gain different potential benefits from confessing love. Across 6 studies testing current and former romantic relationships, we found that although people think that women are the first to confess love and feel happier when they receive such confessions, it is actually men who confess love first and feel happier when receiving confessions. Consistent with predictions from our model, additional studies have shown that men's and women's reactions to love confessions differ in important ways depending on whether the couple has engaged in sexual activity. These studies have demonstrated that saying and hearing "I love you" has different meanings depending on who is doing the confessing and when the confession is being made. Beyond romantic relationships, an evolutionary-economics perspective suggests that displays of commitment in other types of relationships--and reactions to these displays--will be influenced by specific, functional biases. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Parasite biodiversity faces extinction and redistribution in a changing climate.

PubMed

Carlson, Colin J; Burgio, Kevin R; Dougherty, Eric R; Phillips, Anna J; Bueno, Veronica M; Clements, Christopher F; Castaldo, Giovanni; Dallas, Tad A; Cizauskas, Carrie A; Cumming, Graeme S; Doña, Jorge; Harris, Nyeema C; Jovani, Roger; Mironov, Sergey; Muellerklein, Oliver C; Proctor, Heather C; Getz, Wayne M

2017-09-01

Climate change is a well-documented driver of both wildlife extinction and disease emergence, but the negative impacts of climate change on parasite diversity are undocumented. We compiled the most comprehensive spatially explicit data set available for parasites, projected range shifts in a changing climate, and estimated extinction rates for eight major parasite clades. On the basis of 53,133 occurrences capturing the geographic ranges of 457 parasite species, conservative model projections suggest that 5 to 10% of these species are committed to extinction by 2070 from climate-driven habitat loss alone. We find no evidence that parasites with zoonotic potential have a significantly higher potential to gain range in a changing climate, but we do find that ectoparasites (especially ticks) fare disproportionately worse than endoparasites. Accounting for host-driven coextinctions, models predict that up to 30% of parasitic worms are committed to extinction, driven by a combination of direct and indirect pressures. Despite high local extinction rates, parasite richness could still increase by an order of magnitude in some places, because species successfully tracking climate change invade temperate ecosystems and replace native species with unpredictable ecological consequences.

Character education in perspective of chemistry pre-service teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merdekawati, Krisna

2017-12-01

As one of the pre-service teacher education programs, Chemistry Education Department Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) is committed to providing quality education. It is an education that can produce competent and characteristic chemistry pre-service teacher. The focus of research is to describe the perception of students as a potential teacher of chemistry on character education and achievement of character education. The research instruments include questionnaires and observation sheets. Research data show that students have understood the importance of character education and committed to organizing character education later in schools. Students have understood the ways in which character education can be used. The students stated that Chemistry Education Department has tried to equip students with character education. The observation result shows that students generally have character as a pre-service teacher.

Human Rights Education and Training for Professionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreopoulos, George

2002-07-01

Although human rights education (HRE) has a long history, it has only recently begun to realize its transformative potential. A critical catalyst in this process is the emerging global ethos of accountability. Within this context, HRE can play a crucial role in the construction of a universal culture of human rights, inspired by a shared commitment to a humane order and a belief that human beings have both the capacity and the responsibility to make a difference. In such an effort, the training of professionals is vital, especially of those professionals who can influence public debate on accountability and governance. Innovative HRE initiatives, characterized by a commitment to experiential learning and to international and regional cooperation among state and non-state actors, constitute a step in the right direction.

"I will change the world": The Intersection of Social Change and Male College Athletes' Leadership Perspectives.

PubMed

Fuller, Rhema D; Harrison, C Keith; Lawrence, S Malia; Eyanson, Jeff; McArdle, Danielle

2017-01-01

Historically, men have been characterized as task-oriented leaders who are motivated by desires for autonomy, wealth, and power (17, 33). However, these "masculine" views of leadership might not accurately capture the leadership motivations of Millennial males as the views were developed in previous generations (4). Given the commitment of many Millennials towards socially responsible attitudes and behaviors (18, 25), we utilized a qualitative research design to examine the influence of social change on the leadership motivations of Millennial male intercollegiate athletes. In doing so, we found participants were motivated to lead in order to affect social change within their communities and within society. Our findings indicate a new perspective, one which includes a commitment to social change, is potentially needed when discussing "masculine" views of leadership.

[The harm to health of the under-age individuals as an objective criterion for the differentiation of criminal responsibilities for committing non-violent sexual offence against them].

PubMed

Bimbinov, A A

2016-01-01

The present publication is devoted to the search for the objective criterion for the differentiation of criminal responsibilities for committing non-violent sexual offence against the juveniles under the age of 16 years. It has been shown that the current version of articles 134 and 135 of the criminal code of the Russian Federation does not adequately reflect the true character and the social danger of such actions. The formal methods of the legal, logical, and concrete sociological analysis were employed to substantiate the necessity of differentiation of criminal liability for the non-violent sexual abuse depending on the degree of potential harm to the health of the under-age individuals.

Concentration of 210Po and 210Pb in the diet at the Marshall Islands.

PubMed

Noshkin, V E; Robison, W L; Wong, K M

1994-09-30

The concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb have been determined in many local foods consumed by societies residing on different atolls in the Marshall Islands. The average daily intake of these two naturally occurring radionuclides from local and imported food is estimated to be 2.18 and 0.36 Bq, respectively. Local foods contribute 87% of the 210Po and 47% of the 210Pb associated with the diet. The items contributing the majority of the activity to the diet are derived from the marine environment and include parts of fish, invertebrates, seabirds and eggs of seabirds. The committed effective dose from ingestion of 210Po and 210Pb is approximately 2 mSv/year (200 mrem/year). This pathway now contributes 83% of the natural background irradiation received by residents in the Marshall Islands. Because the naturally occurring radionuclides are omnipresent in terrestrial and marine foods at all atolls, the annual intake and computed dose can be considered as typical values for individuals with comparable diets and inhabiting other islands in the Pacific.

Adaptation of the ICRP publication 66 respiratory tract model to data on plutonium biokinetics for Mayak workers.

PubMed

Khokhryakov, V F; Suslova, K G; Vostrotin, V V; Romanov, S A; Eckerman, K F; Krahenbuhl, M P; Miller, S C

2005-02-01

The biokinetics of inhaled plutonium were analyzed using compartment models representing their behavior within the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, and in systemic tissues. The processes of aerosol deposition, particle transport, absorption, and formation of a fixed deposit in the respiratory tract were formulated in the framework of the Human Respiratory Tract Model described in ICRP Publication 66. The values of parameters governing absorption and formation of the fixed deposit were established by fitting the model to the observations in 530 autopsy cases. The influence of smoking on mechanical clearance of deposited plutonium activity was considered. The dependence of absorption on the aerosol transportability, as estimated by in vitro methods (dialysis), was demonstrated. The results of this study were compared to those obtained from an earlier model of plutonium behavior in the respiratory tract, which was based on the same set of autopsy data. That model did not address the early phases of respiratory clearance and hence underestimated the committed lung dose by about 25% for plutonium oxides. Little difference in lung dose was found for nitrate forms.

An application of Extended Normalisation Process Theory in a randomised controlled trial of a complex social intervention: Process evaluation of the Strengthening Families Programme (10-14) in Wales, UK.

PubMed

Segrott, Jeremy; Murphy, Simon; Rothwell, Heather; Scourfield, Jonathan; Foxcroft, David; Gillespie, David; Holliday, Jo; Hood, Kerenza; Hurlow, Claire; Morgan-Trimmer, Sarah; Phillips, Ceri; Reed, Hayley; Roberts, Zoe; Moore, Laurence

2017-12-01

Process evaluations generate important data on the extent to which interventions are delivered as intended. However, the tendency to focus only on assessment of pre-specified structural aspects of fidelity has been criticised for paying insufficient attention to implementation processes and how intervention-context interactions influence programme delivery. This paper reports findings from a process evaluation nested within a randomised controlled trial of the Strengthening Families Programme 10-14 (SFP 10-14) in Wales, UK. It uses Extended Normalisation Process Theory to theorise how interaction between SFP 10-14 and local delivery systems - particularly practitioner commitment/capability and organisational capacity - influenced delivery of intended programme activities: fidelity (adherence to SFP 10-14 content and implementation requirements); dose delivered; dose received (participant engagement); participant recruitment and reach (intervention attendance). A mixed methods design was utilised. Fidelity assessment sheets (completed by practitioners), structured observation by researchers, and routine data were used to assess: adherence to programme content; staffing numbers and consistency; recruitment/retention; and group size and composition. Interviews with practitioners explored implementation processes and context. Adherence to programme content was high - with some variation, linked to practitioner commitment to, and understanding of, the intervention's content and mechanisms. Variation in adherence rates was associated with the extent to which multi-agency delivery team planning meetings were held. Recruitment challenges meant that targets for group size/composition were not always met, but did not affect adherence levels or family engagement. Targets for staffing numbers and consistency were achieved, though capacity within multi-agency networks reduced over time. Extended Normalisation Process Theory provided a useful framework for assessing implementation and explaining variation by examining intervention-context interactions. Findings highlight the need for process evaluations to consider both the structural and process components of implementation to explain whether programme activities are delivered as intended and why.

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