The Upside of Helicopter Parenting: Engaging Parents to Reduce First-Year Student Drinking

PubMed Central

Earle, Andrew M.; LaBrie, Joseph W.

2016-01-01

University personnel tend to view “helicopter” parents as problematic. This paper presents an alternative view in which these highly engaged parents can instead be utilized productively. We describe and assess the fidelity of a novel program in which involved parents were effectively leveraged to mitigate student alcohol-related risk. The feasibility of utilizing similar programs at other schools is discussed as are implications for alcohol risk prevention. PMID:27818727

The Upside of Helicopter Parenting: Engaging Parents to Reduce First-Year Student Drinking.

PubMed

Earle, Andrew M; LaBrie, Joseph W

2016-01-01

University personnel tend to view "helicopter" parents as problematic. This paper presents an alternative view in which these highly engaged parents can instead be utilized productively. We describe and assess the fidelity of a novel program in which involved parents were effectively leveraged to mitigate student alcohol-related risk. The feasibility of utilizing similar programs at other schools is discussed as are implications for alcohol risk prevention.

A program downloader and other utility software for the DATAC bus monitor unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Novacki, Stanley M., III

1987-01-01

A set or programs designed to facilitate software testing on the DATAC Bus Monitor is described. By providing a means to simplify program loading, firmware generation, and subsequent testing of programs, the overhead involved in software evaluation is reduced and that time is used more productively in performance, analysis and improvement of current software.

Program Evaluation of a Special Education Day School for Conduct Problem Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maher, Charles A.

1981-01-01

Describes a procedure for program evaluation of a special education day school. The procedure enables a program evaluator to: (1) identify priority evaluation information needs of a school staff, (2) involve those persons in evaluation design and implementation, and (3) determine the utility of the evaluation for program decision-making purposes.…

A project to transfer technology from NASA centers in support of industrial innovation in the midwest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barr, B. G.

1986-01-01

A technology transfer program utilizing graduate students in mechanical engineering at the University of Kansas was initiated in early 1981. The objective of the program was to encourage industrial innovation in the Midwest through improved industry/university cooperation and the utilization of NASA technology. A related and important aspect of the program was the improvement of graduate engineering education through the involvement of students in the identification and accomplishment of technological objectives in cooperation with scientists at NASA centers and engineers in industry. The pilot NASA/University Industrial Innovation Program was an outstanding success based on its ability to: attract top graduate students; secure industry support; and stimulate industry/university cooperation leading to enhanced university capability and utilization of advanced technology by industry.

Quality of Subjective Experience in a Summer Science Program for Academically Talented Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuss, Paul

This study utilized the flow theory of intrinsic motivation to evaluate the subjective experience of 78 academically talented high school sophomores participating in an 8-day summer research apprenticeship program in materials and nuclear science. The program involved morning lectures on such topics as physics of electromagnetic radiation, energy…

Victimization Prevention Programs: A National Survey of Children's Exposure and Reactions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finkelhor, David; Dziuba-Leatherman, Jennifer

1995-01-01

Interviews with 2,000 children (ages 10-16) and their caretakers revealed that two-thirds of the children had been exposed to child abuse and victimization prevention programming. Programs that involved practice, prompted discussions with parents, and included information on dealing with bullies were more likely to result in skill utilization. The…

Program Evaluation: A Review and Synthesis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webber, Charles F.

This paper reviews models of program evaluation. Major topics and issues found in the evaluation literature include quantitative versus qualitative approaches, identification and involvement of stakeholders, formulation of research questions, collection of data, analysis and interpretation of data, reporting of results, evaluation utilization, and…

Propeller aircraft interior noise model utilization study and validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pope, L. D.

1984-01-01

Utilization and validation of a computer program designed for aircraft interior noise prediction is considered. The program, entitled PAIN (an acronym for Propeller Aircraft Interior Noise), permits (in theory) predictions of sound levels inside propeller driven aircraft arising from sidewall transmission. The objective of the work reported was to determine the practicality of making predictions for various airplanes and the extent of the program's capabilities. The ultimate purpose was to discern the quality of predictions for tonal levels inside an aircraft occurring at the propeller blade passage frequency and its harmonics. The effort involved three tasks: (1) program validation through comparisons of predictions with scale-model test results; (2) development of utilization schemes for large (full scale) fuselages; and (3) validation through comparisons of predictions with measurements taken in flight tests on a turboprop aircraft. Findings should enable future users of the program to efficiently undertake and correctly interpret predictions.

NASA Earth Resources Survey Symposium. Volume 1-C: Land use, marine resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Articles are presented on the utilization of remote sensing data from NASA programs involving LANDSAT, the Skylab Earth resources experiment package, and aircraft, as well as from other data acquisition programs. Emphasis is placed on land use and marine resources.

7 CFR 331.13 - Restricted experiments. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Recombinant DNA Molecules.” This document is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/programs...) Experiments utilizing recombinant DNA that involve the deliberate transfer of a drug resistance trait to...) Experiments involving the deliberate formation of recombinant DNA containing genes for the biosynthesis of...

7 CFR 331.13 - Restricted experiments. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Recombinant DNA Molecules.” This document is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/programs...) Experiments utilizing recombinant DNA that involve the deliberate transfer of a drug resistance trait to...) Experiments involving the deliberate formation of recombinant DNA containing genes for the biosynthesis of...

7 CFR 331.13 - Restricted experiments. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Recombinant DNA Molecules.” This document is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/programs...) Experiments utilizing recombinant DNA that involve the deliberate transfer of a drug resistance trait to...) Experiments involving the deliberate formation of recombinant DNA containing genes for the biosynthesis of...

Handbook of evaluation of utility DSM programs

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

Hirst, E.; Reed, J.; Bronfman, B.

Program evaluation has become a central issue in the world of utility integrated resource planning. The DSM programs that utilities were operating to meet federal requirements or to improve customer relations are now becoming big business. DSM is being considered an important resource in a utility`s portfolio of options. In the last five years, the amount of money that utilities have invested in DSM has grown exponentially in most regulatory jurisdictions. Market analysts are now talking about DSM being a $30 billion industry by the end of the decade. If the large volume of DSM-program investments was not enough tomore » highlight the importance of evaluation, then the introduction of regulatory incentives has really focused the spotlight. This handbook was developed through a process that involved many of those people who represent the diverse constituencies of DSM-program evaluation. We have come to recognize the many technical disciplines that must be employed to evaluate DSM programs. An analysis might start out based on the principles of utility load research to find out what happened, but a combination of engineering and statistical methods must be used to ``triangulate`` an estimate of what would have happened without the program. The difference, of course, is that elusive but prized result of evaluation: what happened as the direct result of the DSM program. Technical performance of DSM measures is not the sole determinant of the answer, either. We also recognize the importance of such behavioral attributes of DSM as persistence and free ridership. Finally, DSM evaluation is meaningless without attention to planning an approach, communicating results to relevant decision-makers, and focusing as much on the process as the impacts of the program. These topics are all covered in this handbook.« less

Implementing a Transition Career Education Program for Secondary Students with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spring, Shannon Harrelson

This practicum developed a program to help students with disabilities to locate adequate employment, utilize community services, and live independently in the community. Practicum activities involved developing a comprehensive K-12 vocational curriculum, developing a policies and procedures manual for competitive/supportive employment, increasing…

Interdisciplinary Training: Preparing Counselors for Collaborative Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okech, Jane E. Atieno; Geroski, Anne M.

2015-01-01

This article utilizes one counselor education program's experience as a framework for exploring how to prepare counselors to work in interdisciplinary teams. Based on an interdisciplinary training program that involves faculty and graduate students from counseling, social work, nursing, internal medicine and family medicine, the article explores…

Evaluating the Fine Arts Program at the Center for Excellence in Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlosnagle, Leo; McBean, Amanda L.; Cutlip, Milisa; Panzironi, Helen; Jarmolowicz, David P.

2014-01-01

Art programs for people with disabilities may encourage creativity, promote engagement, emphasize inclusion, and extend access and opportunities for community involvement. This mixed methods study utilized quantitative and qualitative data, repeated measures, action research, and stakeholder collaboration to develop and implement an evaluation…

Utility of LiDAR for large area forest inventory applications

Treesearch

Nicholas S. Skowronski; Andrew J. Lister

2012-01-01

Multi-resource inventory data are used in conjunction with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data from the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resource's PAMAP Program to assess the utility of extensive LiDAR acquisitions for large area forest assessments. Background, justification, and initial study designs are presented. The proposed study will involve three...

Using a modified Learning Potential Assessment Device and Mediated Learning Experiences to Assess Minority Student Progress and Program Goals in an Undergraduate Research Based Geoscience Program Serving American Indians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, L. W.

2002-12-01

During the initiation of a new program at the University of North Dakota designed to promote American Indians to engage in geoscience research and complete geoscience related degrees, an evaluation procedure utilizing a modified Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD) and Mediated Learning Experiences (MLE) to assess minority student progress was implemented. The program, called Indians Into Geosciences (INGEOS), utilized a modified form of the Learning Potential Assessment Device first to assess cultural factors, determination, and other baseline information, and second, utilized a series of Mediated Learning Experiences to enhance minority students' opportunities in a culturally appropriate, culturally diverse, and scientifically challenging manner in an effort to prepare students for competitive research careers in the geosciences. All of the LPADs and MLEs corresponded directly to the three goals or eight objectives of INGEOS. The three goals of the INGEOS program are: 1) increasing the number of American Indians earning degrees at all levels, 2) engaging American Indians in challenging and technically based scientific research, and 3) preparing American Indians for successful geoscience careers through multicultural community involvement. The eight objectives of the INGEOS program, called the Eight Points of Success, are: 1) spiritual health, 2) social health, 3) physical health, 4) mental health, 5) financial management, 6) research involvement, 7) technical exposure, and 8) multicultural community education. The INGEOS program goals were evaluated strictly quantitatively utilizing a variety of data sources such as grade point averages, number of credits earned, research project information, and developed products. The INGEOS Program goals reflected a combined quantitative score of all participants, whereas the objectives reflected qualitative measures and are specific for each INGEOS participant. Initial results indicate that those participants which show progress through Mediated Learning Experiences within all of the Eight Points of Success, have a higher likelihood of contributing to all three of the INGEOS programs goals.

Utilization of the Arkansas Prescription Monitoring Program to combat prescription drug abuse

PubMed Central

Rittenhouse, Rebecca; Wei, Feifei; Robertson, Denise; Ryan, Kevin

2015-01-01

Objective The Arkansas Prescription Monitoring Program (AR PMP) was implemented in 2013 to combat prescription drug abuse. All enrollees were invited to participate in a user survey available in February 2014, to identify makeup of users, utilization of the program, and changes made to health care practices after implementation of the program. Methods Of the 3694 individual enrollees invited to participate, 1541 (41.7%) completed the survey. Data collected were analyzed to identify changes in health care practices by program frequency of use and user profession. Results Medical doctors, advanced practice nurses, and pharmacists are the professions who use the program most frequently. Daily AR PMP users are considerably more likely than infrequent users to be prompted to access the program by the involvement of a controlled substance (CS) prescription or by office/facility policy requirements. Increased frequency of use of the AR PMP results in positive impacts on CS prescribing and dispensing practices. Conclusion Compelling more users of the AR PMP to be prompted to access the program by the involvement of a CS prescription or by requirements per office/facility policy may increase frequency of use of the program and thereby changes in health care practices to combat prescription drug abuse. PMID:26191489

OPEX: (Olympus Propagation EXperiment)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brussaard, Gert

1988-01-01

The Olympus-1 satellite carries four distinct payloads for experimental utilization and research in the field of satellite communications: (1) the Direct Broadcasting Service (DBS) payload; (2) the Specialized Services Payload; (3) the 20/30 GHz Advanced Communications Payload; and (4) the Propagation Payload. Experimental utilization of the first three payloads involves ground transmissions to the satellite and hence sharing of available satellite time among experimenters. This is coordinated through the Olympus Utilization Program.

Factors Associated With Premature Exits From Supported Housing.

PubMed

Gabrielian, Sonya; Burns, Alaina V; Nanda, Nupur; Hellemann, Gerhard; Kane, Vincent; Young, Alexander S

2016-01-01

Many homeless consumers who enroll in supported housing programs--which offer subsidized housing and supportive services--disengage prematurely, before placement in permanent community-based housing. This study explored factors associated with exiting a supported housing program before achieving housing placement. With the use of administrative data, a roster was obtained for consumers enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles supported housing program from 2011 to 2012. Fewer (4%) consumers exited this program before achieving housing ("exiters") compared with consumers described in national VA figures (18%). Exiters with available demographic data (N=51) were matched 1:1 on age, gender, marital status, and race-ethnicity with consumers housed through this program ("stayers," N=51). Medical records were reviewed to compare diagnoses, health care utilization, housing histories, vocational history, and criminal justice involvement of exiters versus stayers. Exiters' housing outcomes were identified. Recursive partitioning identified variables that best differentiated exiters from stayers. Several factors were associated with premature exits from this supported housing program: residing in temporary housing on hospital grounds during program enrollment, poor adherence to outpatient care, substance use disorders, hepatitis C, chronic pain, justice involvement, frequent emergency department utilization, and medical-surgical admissions. The first of these factors and poor adherence to outpatient medical-surgical care best differentiated exiters from stayers. Moreover, >50% of exiters became street homeless or incarcerated after leaving the program. In that diverse social factors, diagnoses, and health care utilization patterns were associated with premature disengagement from supported housing, future research is needed to implement and evaluate rehabilitative services that address these factors, adapted to the context of supported housing.

Instructional television utilization in the United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumolin, J. R.

1971-01-01

Various aspects of utilizing instructional television (ITV) are summarized and evaluated and basic guidelines for future utilization of television as an instructional medium in education are considered. The role of technology in education, capabilities and limitations of television as an instructional media system and the state of ITV research efforts are discussed. Examples of various ongoing ITV programs are given and summarized. The problems involved in the three stages of the ITV process (production, distribution, and classroom utilization) are presented. A summary analysis outlines probable trends in future utilization.

The Availability and Utility of Services to Address Risk Factors for Recidivism among Justice-Involved Veterans

PubMed Central

Blonigen, Daniel M.; Rodriguez, Allison L.; Manfredi, Luisa; Britt, Jessica; Nevedal, Andrea; Finlay, Andrea K.; Rosenthal, Joel; Smelson, David; Timko, Christine

2016-01-01

The availability and utility of services to address recidivism risk factors among justice-involved veterans is unknown. We explored these issues through qualitative interviews with 63 Specialists from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Veterans Justice Programs. To guide the interviews, we utilized the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model of offender rehabilitation. Specialists reported that justice-involved veterans generally have access to services to address most RNR-based risk factors (substance abuse; lack of positive school/work involvement; family/marital dysfunction; lack of prosocial activities/interests), but have less access to services targeting risk factors of antisocial tendencies and associates and empirically-based treatments for recidivism in VA. Peer-based services, motivational interviewing/cognitive-behavioral therapy, and Veterans Treatment Courts were perceived as useful to address multiple risk factors. These findings highlight potential gaps in provision of evidence-based care to address recidivism among justice-involved veterans, as well as promising policy-based solutions that may have widespread impact on reducing recidivism in this population. PMID:26924887

Digital enhancement of sub-quality bitemark photographs.

PubMed

Karazalus, C P; Palmbach, T T; Lee, H C

2001-07-01

Digital enhancement software was used to enhance bitemark photographs. This enhancement technique improved the resolution of the bitemark images. Lucis was the software program utilized in this study and case applications. First, this technique was applied on known bitemark images to evaluate the potential effectiveness of this digital enhancement method. Subsequently, Lucis was utilized on two separate unsolved cases involving enhancement of bitemark evidence. One case involved a severely beaten infant with a bitemark on the upper thigh. The second case involves a bitemark observed on the breast of a female sexual assault strangulation victim. In both cases, bitemark images were significantly improved after digital enhancement.

Magnet Marketing: Drawing Prospects to Your Center Until They Enroll.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wassom, Julie

1999-01-01

The key to achieving effective marketing of centers and services is to make messages creative, consistent, and continual. Creative marketing involves creating an awareness of the program. A consistent, identifiable image will create program recognition. Effective, continual marketing utilizes a mix of marketing methods on an ongoing basis to…

Environment for Learning: The 1970's.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Alan C.

The presentation by Alan C. Green briefly discusses the activities and concerns of EFL and elaborates on the learning environment of the 1970's. Building programming is discussed along with the need to consider--(1) time utilization, (2) architect's early involvement in the process of building programming, (3) prevention of domination over the…

A Review of the Status and Projections for the Dade County Quinmester Extended School Year Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This document summarizes the background of the Dade County Quinmester Extended School Year Program involving five high schools in a pilot project. The program resulted from a study of alternative plant utilization plans for the most efficient use of school facilities to reduce the need for capital expenditure during the next five years. Discussed…

Zero-gravity cloud physics laboratory: Experiment program definition and preliminary laboratory concept studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eaton, L. R.; Greco, E. V.

1973-01-01

The experiment program definition and preliminary laboratory concept studies on the zero G cloud physics laboratory are reported. This program involves the definition and development of an atmospheric cloud physics laboratory and the selection and delineations of a set of candidate experiments that must utilize the unique environment of zero gravity or near zero gravity.

Evaluation Planning, Evaluation Management, and Utilization of Evaluation Results within Adult Literacy Campaigns, Programs and Projects (with Implications for Adult Basic Education and Nonformal Education Programs in General). A Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhola, H. S.

Addressed to professionals involved in program evaluation, this working paper covers various aspects of evaluation planning, including the following: planning as a sociotechnical process, steps in evaluation planning, program planning and implementation versus evaluation planning and implementation, the literacy system and its subsystems, and some…

Seasat-A and the commercial ocean community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, D. R.; Wolff, P.

1977-01-01

The Seasat-A program has been initiated as a 'proof-of-concept' mission to evaluate the effectiveness of remotely sensing oceanology and related meteorological phenomena from a satellite platform in space utilizing sensors developed on previous space and aircraft test programs. The sensors include three active microwave sensors; a radar altimeter, a windfield scatterometer, and a synthetic aperture radar. A passive scanning multifrequency microwave radiometer, visual and infrared radiometer are also included. All weather, day-night measurements of sea surface temperature, surface wind speed/direction and sea state and directional wave spectra will be made. Two key programs are planned for data utilization with users during the mission. Foremost is a program with the commercial ocean community to test the utility of Seasat-A data and to begin the transfer of ocean remote sensing technology to the civil sector. A second program is a solicitation of investigations, led by NOAA, to involve the ocean science community in a series of scientific investigations.

Impact of 2 employer-sponsored population health management programs on medical care cost and utilization.

PubMed

Mattke, Soeren; Serxner, Seth A; Zakowski, Sarah L; Jain, Arvind K; Gold, Daniel B

2009-02-01

Integrated health management programs combining disease prevention and disease management services, although popular with employers, have been insufficiently researched with respect to their effect on costs. To estimate the overall impact of a population health management program and its components on cost and utilization. STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Observational study of 2 employer-sponsored health management programs involving more than 200,000 health plan members. We used claims data for the first program year and the 2 preceding years to calculate cost and utilization metrics, and program activity data to determine program uptake. Using an intent-to-treat approach and regression-based risk adjustment, we estimated whether the program was associated with changes in cost and utilization. Data on program fees were unavailable. Overall, the program was associated with a nonsignificant cost increase of $13.75 per member per month (PMPM). The wellness component alone was associated with a significant increase of $20.14 PMPM. Case and disease management were associated with a significant decrease in hospital admissions of 4 and 1 per 1000 patient-years, respectively. Our results suggest that the programs did not reduce medical cost in their first year, despite a beneficial effect on hospital admissions. If we had been able to include program fees, it is likely that the overall cost would have increased significantly. Although this study had important limitations, the results suggest that a belief that these programs will save money may be too optimistic and better evaluation is needed.

Assessment of Multiple Physician Competencies in Postgraduate Training: Utility of the Structured Oral Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jefferies, Ann; Simmons, Brian; Ng, Eugene; Skidmore, Martin

2011-01-01

Competency based medical education involves assessing physicians-in-training in multiple roles. Training programs are challenged by the need to introduce appropriate yet feasible assessment methods. We therefore examined the utility of a structured oral examination (SOE) in the assessment of the 7 CanMEDS roles (Medical Expert, Communicator,…

Handbook of evaluation of utility DSM programs. [Demand-Side Management (DSM)

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

Hirst, E.; Reed, J.; Bronfman, B.

Program evaluation has become a central issue in the world of utility integrated resource planning. The DSM programs that utilities were operating to meet federal requirements or to improve customer relations are now becoming big business. DSM is being considered an important resource in a utility's portfolio of options. In the last five years, the amount of money that utilities have invested in DSM has grown exponentially in most regulatory jurisdictions. Market analysts are now talking about DSM being a $30 billion industry by the end of the decade. If the large volume of DSM-program investments was not enough tomore » highlight the importance of evaluation, then the introduction of regulatory incentives has really focused the spotlight. This handbook was developed through a process that involved many of those people who represent the diverse constituencies of DSM-program evaluation. We have come to recognize the many technical disciplines that must be employed to evaluate DSM programs. An analysis might start out based on the principles of utility load research to find out what happened, but a combination of engineering and statistical methods must be used to triangulate'' an estimate of what would have happened without the program. The difference, of course, is that elusive but prized result of evaluation: what happened as the direct result of the DSM program. Technical performance of DSM measures is not the sole determinant of the answer, either. We also recognize the importance of such behavioral attributes of DSM as persistence and free ridership. Finally, DSM evaluation is meaningless without attention to planning an approach, communicating results to relevant decision-makers, and focusing as much on the process as the impacts of the program. These topics are all covered in this handbook.« less

A customer-friendly Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pivirotto, D. S.

1984-01-01

This paper discusses the relationship of customers to the Space Station Program currently being defined by NASA. Emphasis is on definition of the Program such that the Space Station will be conducive to use by customers, that is by people who utilize the services provided by the Space Station and its associated platforms and vehicles. Potential types of customers are identified. Scenarios are developed for ways in which different types of customers can utilize the Space Station. Both management and technical issues involved in making the Station 'customer friendly' are discussed.

The Craft of Benchmarking: Finding and Utilizing District-Level, Campus-Level, and Program-Level Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGregor, Ellen N.; Attinasi, Louis C., Jr.

This paper describes the processes involved in selecting peer institutions for appropriate benchmarking using national databases (NCES-IPEDS). Benchmarking involves the identification of peer institutions and/or best practices in specific operational areas for the purpose of developing standards. The benchmarking process was borne in the early…

Father Involvement in Urban Low-Income Fathers: Baseline Associations and Changes Resulting from Preventive Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienks, Shauna L.; Wadsworth, Martha E.; Markman, Howard J.; Einhorn, Lindsey; Etter, Erica Moran

2011-01-01

This study investigates father involvement among a sample of ethnically diverse, low-income men participating in a randomized controlled trial of a 14-hour relationship education program that teaches skills and principles for healthy relationships. Utilizing data from 137 fathers, we examined contextual, individual, and coparental relationship…

[Patterns of utilization of external employee assistance program--analysis of employees who have their psychiatrists].

PubMed

Ito, H; Fujii, K; Sasaki, Y

1998-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to clarify some patterns of utilization of an external employee assistance program (EAP) we have conducted for other public and private facilities in the Tokyo Kenbikyoin Foundation between April, 1986 and December, 1996. The subjects were 26 men and 12 women in 7 facilities under the following conditions: (1) Employees who have already had their own psychiatrists at the first interview of the external EAP; (2) Facilities utilize the EAP for two or more employees who met the first criterion. As a result, utilization patterns differed depending on medical staff's attitude toward the external EAP. There was a significant difference according to sex. The rate for men was 54% in worksites where medical staff understood this external program (worksite A1) and 93% in worksites where they did not (worksite A2-3, B). As to expectations for the program, there were more consultations for organizational measurements (63%) in worksite A1, while less organizational matters (27%) and more personal complains about their psychiatrists in the worksite A2-3, and B. These results suggest that the involvement of medical staff is the key to utilizing the external EAP effectively.

Analyses of Public Utility Building - Students Designs, Aimed at their Energy Efficiency Improvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wołoszyn, Marek Adam

2017-10-01

Public utility buildings are formally, structurally and functionally complex entities. Frequently, the process of their design involves the retroactive reconsideration of energy engineering issues, once a building concept has already been completed. At that stage, minor formal corrections are made along with the design of the external layer of the building in order to satisfy applicable standards. Architecture students do the same when designing assigned public utility buildings. In order to demonstrate energy-related defects of building designs developed by students, the conduct of analyses was proposed. The completed designs of public utility buildings were examined with regard to energy efficiency of the solutions they feature through the application of the following programs: Ecotect, Vasari, and in case of simpler analyses ArchiCad program extensions were sufficient.

Educational planning for utilization of space shuttle (ED-PLUSS). Executive summary: Identification and evaluation of educational uses and users for the STS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engle, H. A.; Christensen, D. L.

1975-01-01

The development and application of educational programs to improve public awareness of the space shuttle/space lab capabilities are reported. Special efforts were made to: identify the potential user, identify and analyze space education programs, plan methods for user involvement, develop techniques and programs to encourage new users, and compile follow-on ideas.

Screening for Vision Problems, Including Usher's Syndrome, among Hearing Impaired Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fillman, Robyn D.; And Others

1987-01-01

A screening program for vision problems and Usher's Syndrome (a common cause of deaf-blindness) among 210 hearing-impaired students found 44 percent had significant vision problems and 1 percent had Usher's Syndrome. The program involved an interagency network of school, health care, and support personnel and utilized a dilated ophathalmological…

The NORSTAR Program: Space shuttle to space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortunato, Ronald C.

1988-01-01

The development of G-325, the first high school student-run space flight project, is updated. An overview is presented of a new international program, which involves students from space station countries who will be utilizing Get Away Special technology to cooperatively develop a prototype experiment for controlling a space station research module environment.

Spectral line and continuum studies using Haystack antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

During the last half of 1972, the Haystack antenna was utilized 88% of the time. Of this useful time, 81% was devoted to radio astronomy investigations, 8% was spent on radar-related research and 11% was scheduled for maintenance and system improvements. Thirteen programs were completed of which 10 were spectral-line studies involving primarily recombination lines and H2O vapor investigations. The others involved 2 cm and 1.3 cm continuum observations. Fifteen new programs were accepted and the currently active radio observing programs totalled 24 as of 31 December 1973. The last radar measurements in the lunar topography program have now been completed. Radar activity, including measurements on Mercury, Venus and synchronous satellites has continued.

Developing a Successful High School Science Research Program via Teacher Training, Student Internships, and Community Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danch, J. M.; Darytichen, F.

2004-12-01

The purpose of the Science Research Program is to allow students to perform authentic scientific research in disciplines of their choosing over a period of 3 years. The success of the program has allowed for expansion including community involvement, student mentorship, and a series of professional development programs. Through state and national competition and community symposia, student research is evaluated, showcased, and subsequently supported both idealistically and financially by local government and industrial partnerships. Student internships and university/industrial mentorship programs allow students to pursue research topics and utilize equipment exceeding the scope of the secondary science classroom. Involved teachers have developed and delivered professional development workshops to foster the successful implementation of scientific research programs at additional high schools throughout the state.

Energy overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slone, H. O.

1980-01-01

The experience, capabilities, and facilities being utilized at NASA Lewis in support of energy programs conducted by the Department of Energy and other agencies are discussed. Background information is given regarding NASA's involvement in solving energy problems.

Improving the Functional Utility and Effectiveness of Classroom Services for Students with Profound Multiple Handicaps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Carolyn W.; And Others

1986-01-01

A staff supervision and classroom management program to increase involvement in functional task activities (e.g., self-help, leisure, social/communication) was implemented in three classes serving 19 students (ages 11-36) with profound mental and physical handicaps. Large increases in functional task involvement and smaller increases in student…

Factors Associated With Premature Exits From Supported Housing

PubMed Central

Gabrielian, Sonya; Burns, Alaina V.; Nanda, Nupur; Hellemann, Gerhard; Kane, Vincent; Young, Alexander S.

2015-01-01

Objective Many homeless consumers who enroll in supported housing programs—which offer subsidized housing and supportive services—disengage prematurely, before placement in permanent community-based housing. This study explored factors associated with exiting a supported housing program before achieving housing placement. Methods With the use of administrative data, a roster was obtained for consumers enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles supported housing program from 2011 to 2012. Fewer (4%) consumers exited this program before achieving housing (“exiters”) compared with consumers described in national VA figures (18%). Exiters with available demographic data (N=51) were matched 1:1 on age, gender, marital status, and race-ethnicity with consumers housed through this program (“stayers,” N=51). Medical records were reviewed to compare diagnoses, health care utilization, housing histories, vocational history, and criminal justice involvement of exiters versus stayers. Exiters' housing outcomes were identified. Recursive partitioning identified variables that best differentiated exiters from stayers. Results Several factors were associated with premature exits from this supported housing program: residing in temporary housing on hospital grounds during program enrollment, poor adherence to outpatient care, substance use disorders, hepatitis C, chronic pain, justice involvement, frequent emergency department utilization, and medical-surgical admissions. The first of these factors and poor adherence to outpatient medical-surgical care best differentiated exiters from stayers. Moreover, >50% of exiters became street homeless or incarcerated after leaving the program. Conclusions In that diverse social factors, diagnoses, and health care utilization patterns were associated with premature disengagement from supported housing, future research is needed to implement and evaluate rehabilitative services that address these factors, adapted to the context of supported housing. PMID:26467908

The Role of Local Action Teams in School Improvement. Linking R&D with Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kell, Diane; Louis, Karen Seashore

Intended as a guide for educators in shared decision-making, this report summarizes the structures, procedures, and activities of local action teams in 49 schools involved in the National Institute of Education's Research and Development Utilization (RDU) program. Local action teams in the RDU program consisted of formal groups of teachers and…

Culturally Tailored Depression/Suicide Prevention in Latino Youth: Community Perspectives.

PubMed

Ford-Paz, Rebecca E; Reinhard, Christine; Kuebbeler, Andrea; Contreras, Richard; Sánchez, Bernadette

2015-10-01

Latino adolescents are at elevated risk for depression and suicide compared to other ethnic groups. Project goals were to gain insight from community leaders about depression risk factors particular to Latino adolescents and generate innovative suggestions to improve cultural relevance of prevention interventions. This project utilized a CBPR approach to enhance cultural relevance, acceptability, and utility of the findings and subsequent program development. Two focus groups of youth and youth-involved Latino community leaders (n = 18) yielded three overarching themes crucial to a culturally tailored depression prevention intervention: (1) utilize a multipronged and sustainable intervention approach, (2) raise awareness about depression in culturally meaningful ways, and (3) promote Latino youth's social connection and cultural enrichment activities. Findings suggest that both adaptation of existing prevention programs and development of hybrid approaches may be necessary to reduce depression/suicide disparities for Latino youth. One such hybrid program informed by community stakeholders is described.

Early use of Space Station Freedom for NASA's Microgravity Science and Applications Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhome, Robert C.; O'Malley, Terence F.

1992-01-01

The paper describes microgravity science opportunities inherent to the restructured Space Station and presents a synopsis of the scientific utilization plan for the first two years of ground-tended operations. In the ground-tended utilization mode the Space Station is a large free-flyer providing a continuous microgravity environment unmatched by any other platform within any existing U.S. program. It is pointed out that the importance of this period of early Space Station mixed-mode utilization between crew-tended and ground-tended approaches is of such magnitude that Station-based microgravity science experiments many become benchmarks to the disciplines involved. The traffic model that is currently being pursued is designed to maximize this opportunity for the U.S. microgravity science community.

Creating biodiversity partnerships: The Nature Conservancy's perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawhill, John C.

1996-11-01

The Nature Conservancy is an international organization dedicated to the mission of conserving biodiversity throughout the world. By working in a nonconfrontational manner, an approach that has promoted both government and corporate sponsorship of its activities, The Nature Conservancy has developed symbiotic relationships with many electric utility companies. Drawing on the organization's experiences, and the experiences of the author as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Conservancy, five broad areas of cooperation between conservation organizations and the utility industry are explored: landmanagement agreements, mitigation projects, conflictavoidance programs, program support, and volunteer activities. The paper is concluded with comments on the future trends of biodiversity conservation, challenging the electric utility industry to become involved with conservation efforts by forming cooperative partnerships.

Variation in teenage mothers' experiences of child care and other components of welfare reform: selection processes and developmental consequences.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, H; Rosman, E A; Hsueh, J

2001-01-01

Developmental evaluations of the current wave of welfare reform programs present challenges with regard to (1) assessing child outcomes; (2) accounting for heterogeneity among low-income families in both baseline characteristics and involvement in self-sufficiency activities and supports, and (3) development of alternatives to experimental approaches to causal inference. This study (N = 1,079) addresses these challenges by examining effects on 4- to 6-year-old children of different patterns of child care, self-sufficiency activities, and other service utilization indicators among experimental-group mothers in a 16-site welfare reform program. Outcomes in areas of cognitive ability and behavior problems were investigated. The study identified seven subgroups of participants engaging in different patterns of service utilization and activity involvement. A two-stage simultaneous equation methodology was used to account for selection, and effects on child cognitive ability of participation in specific patterns of services and activities were found. For example, children of mothers characterized by high levels of involvement in center-based child care, education, and job training showed higher levels of cognitive ability than children of mothers in groups characterized by high involvement in center-based care and education, or center-based care and job training. In addition, children of mothers in groups with high levels of involvement in any of these activities showed higher levels of cognitive ability than those with low levels of involvement. The bulk of selection effects occurred through site-level differences, rather than family-level socio-economic status or maternal depression indicators. Implications for welfare reform program and policy concerns are discussed.

Taxing sulfur dioxide emission allowances

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

Nelson, G.L.

1993-09-15

The acid rain control program authorized by Title IV of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) was designed to reduce the adverse effects of acid rain by limiting emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO[sub 2]) into the atmosphere. The program is a complex scheme involving the issuance, consumption, holding, and trading of emission allowances for SO[sub 2]. Not surprisingly, electric utilities will face federal income tax issues in connection with the program. Under the emission allowance program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will issue emission allowance to owners or operators of certain utility power plants at no costmore » to the recipients. An emission allowance is an authorization to emit one ton of SO[sub 2] during or after the calendar year for which it is issued. If a utility power plant subject to the program emits SO[sub 2] in excess of its allowances, the owner or operator will be subject to a penalty of $2,000 a ton, and must offset the excess emissions with allowances in the subsequent year. Allowances may be bought and sold. Phase I of the program begins January 1, 1995, and will apply to 110 utility generating units. Phase II takes effect January 1, 2000, and will include most electric utility generating units. EPA will withhold a specified number of allowances for direct sale and auction. The resulting proceeds will be paid to the utilities from which the allowances were withheld. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has provided somewhat limited guidance on several tax issues raised by the program. Significant tax issues and the positions articulated by the IRS (if any) are discussed in this article.« less

Distance Education in Georgia's Public School Districts: Baseline Data on Utilization and the Perceived Barriers to Implementation and Expansion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tankersley, William J.; Burnham, James F.

2007-01-01

Interest in distance education, particularly online education, is increasing in public school districts throughout the United States. In an effort to aid those who are involved in the planning and administration of K-12 distance education programs in Georgia, the authors sought to gather and report baseline data on the current utilization of…

Newly emerging resource efficiency manager programs

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

Wolf, S.; Howell, C.

1997-12-31

Many facilities in the northwest such as K--12 schools, community colleges, and military installations are implementing resource-efficiency awareness programs. These programs are generally referred to as resource efficiency manager (REM) or resource conservation manager (RCM) programs. Resource efficiency management is a systems approach to managing a facility`s energy, water, and solid waste. Its aim is to reduce utility budgets by focusing on behavioral changes, maintenance and operation procedures, resource accounting, education and training, and a comprehensive awareness campaign that involves everyone in the organization.

Momentum--"Evaluating Your Marketing Program: Measuring and Tracking Techniques."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meservey, Lynne D.

1990-01-01

Suggests 10 tracking techniques for evaluating marketing performance. Techniques involve utilization rate, inquiry and source of inquiry tracking, appointment and interview tracking, enrollment conversion, cost per inquiry and per enrollment, retention rate, survey results, and "mystery shopper." (RJC)

Oversight mechanisms in public managed care programs: from little oversight to negotiations to shared decision-making.

PubMed

Beinecke, R H

1999-01-01

An expanded range of oversight mechanisms is being adopted to hold public human service programs more accountable to funding sources as well as consumers, family members, and providers. Most of these approaches are hierarchical in nature. Some involve negotiated agreements and each is designed to meet certain goals and functions. Each utilizes different forms of decision-making. Stakeholders prefer to be part of a shared decision-making process. Understanding these underlying premises can help to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each method and can suggest how to most effectively utilize combinations of approaches to improve program performance. Whether we will move toward a new paradigm emphasizing participation and collaboration rather than more formal structural approaches is yet undetermined but will greatly affect how programs are monitored and evaluated in the future.

Advancing Translational Space Research Through Biospecimen Sharing: Amplified Impact of Studies Utilizing Analogue Space Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staten, B.; Moyer, E.; Vizir, V.; Gompf, H.; Hoban-Higgins, T.; Lewis, L.; Ronca, A.; Fuller, C. A.

2016-01-01

Biospecimen Sharing Programs (BSPs) have been organized by NASA Ames Research Center since the 1960s with the goal of maximizing utilization and scientific return from rare, complex and costly spaceflight experiments. BSPs involve acquiring otherwise unused biological specimens from primary space research experiments for distribution to secondary experiments. Here we describe a collaboration leveraging Ames expertise in biospecimen sharing to magnify the scientific impact of research informing astronaut health funded by the NASA Human Research Program (HRP) Human Health Countermeasures (HHC) Element. The concept expands biospecimen sharing to one-off ground-based studies utilizing analogue space platforms (e.g., Hindlimb Unloading (HLU), Artificial Gravity) for rodent experiments, thereby significantly broadening the range of research opportunities with translational relevance for protecting human health in space and on Earth.

A Qualitative Evaluation of Student Learning and Skills Use in a School-Based Mindfulness and Yoga Program

PubMed Central

Mirabal-Beltran, Roxanne; Cluxton-Keller, Fallon; Gould, Laura Feagans; Greenberg, Mark T.; Mendelson, Tamar

2016-01-01

Previous studies on school-based mindfulness and yoga programs have focused primarily on quantitative measurement of program outcomes. This study used qualitative data to investigate program content and skills that students remembered and applied in their daily lives. Data were gathered following a 16-week mindfulness and yoga intervention delivered at three urban schools by a community non-profit organization. We conducted focus groups and interviews with nine classroom teachers who did not participate in the program and held six focus groups with 22 fifth and sixth grade program participants. This study addresses two primary research questions: (1) What skills did students learn, retain, and utilize outside the program? and (2) What changes did classroom teachers expect and observe among program recipients? Four major themes related to skill learning and application emerged as follows: (1) youths retained and utilized program skills involving breath work and poses; (2) knowledge about health benefits of these techniques promoted self-utilization and sharing of skills; (3) youths developed keener emotional appraisal that, coupled with new and improved emotional regulation skills, helped de-escalate negative emotions, promote calm, and reduce stress; and (4) youths and teachers reported realistic and optimistic expectations for future impact of acquired program skills. We discuss implications of these findings for guiding future research and practice. PMID:26918064

The Joint NASA/Goddard-University of Maryland Research Program in Charged Particle and High Energy Photon Detector Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Having recognized at an early stage the critical importance of maintaining detector capabilities which utilize state of the art techniques, a joint program was formulated. This program has involved coordination of a broad range of efforts and activities including joint experiments, collaboration in theoretical studies, instrument design, calibrations, and data analysis. Summaries of the progress made to date are presented. A representative bibliography is also included.

Cardiovascular health promotion for children: a model for a Parish (County)-wide program (implementation and preliminary results).

PubMed

Berenson, Gerald S

2010-01-01

Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in childhood result in a lifetime burden on the CV system. The Bogalusa Heart Study, a prevention program for children, addresses behaviors and lifestyles associated with CV risk. This prevention program utilizes the substructure of a Parish (County) that can be a model for other areas. All aspects in educating school children-the classroom, physical activity, cafeteria, teachers, and parents with community involvement-are included. The program requires cooperation of parents, schools, physicians, and political and business personnel. Their collaboration helps implement and sustain the program. Understanding the origin of coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, and now the obesity epidemic shows the need to develop a framework for improving lifestyles and behaviors beginning in childhood. In addition to nutrition and exercise, the program addresses tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, and societal problems such as dropping out of school, violent behavior, and teenage pregnancy. An initial accomplishment is the entry into all elementary schools, representing approximately 7000 children. Early results show reduction in obesity, increased physical activity, improved decision making, and healthy attitudes. This public health model is inexpensive by utilizing prior research findings and integrating into community resources. Health education of children is an important aspect of preventive cardiology with a need for pediatric and adult cardiologists' involvement. 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Efficient Windows Collaborative

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

Nils Petermann

2010-02-28

The project goals covered both the residential and commercial windows markets and involved a range of audiences such as window manufacturers, builders, homeowners, design professionals, utilities, and public agencies. Essential goals included: (1) Creation of 'Master Toolkits' of information that integrate diverse tools, rating systems, and incentive programs, customized for key audiences such as window manufacturers, design professionals, and utility programs. (2) Delivery of education and outreach programs to multiple audiences through conference presentations, publication of articles for builders and other industry professionals, and targeted dissemination of efficient window curricula to professionals and students. (3) Design and implementation of mechanismsmore » to encourage and track sales of more efficient products through the existing Window Products Database as an incentive for manufacturers to improve products and participate in programs such as NFRC and ENERGY STAR. (4) Development of utility incentive programs to promote more efficient residential and commercial windows. Partnership with regional and local entities on the development of programs and customized information to move the market toward the highest performing products. An overarching project goal was to ensure that different audiences adopt and use the developed information, design and promotion tools and thus increase the market penetration of energy efficient fenestration products. In particular, a crucial success criterion was to move gas and electric utilities to increase the promotion of energy efficient windows through demand side management programs as an important step toward increasing the market share of energy efficient windows.« less

Factors Associated With Utilization of Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease in the Veterans Health Administration: A QUALITATIVE STUDY.

PubMed

Schopfer, David W; Priano, Susan; Allsup, Kelly; Helfrich, Christian D; Ho, P Michael; Rumsfeld, John S; Forman, Daniel E; Whooley, Mary A

2016-01-01

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease but are vastly underutilized in the United States, including the Veterans Health Administration (VA) Healthcare System. Numerous barriers affecting utilization have been identified in other health care systems, but the specific factors affecting Veterans are unknown. We sought to identify barriers and facilitators associated with utilization of CR in VA facilities. We performed a qualitative study of 56 VA patients, providers, and CR program managers at 30 VA facilities across the United States. We conducted semistructured interviews with key informants to explore their attitudes and knowledge toward CR. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation occurred. Analyses using grounded theory to identify key themes were conducted using the qualitative data analysis package ATLAS.ti. We identified 6 themes as barriers and 5 as facilitators. The most common barriers to participation in CR were patient transportation issues (68%), lack of patient willingness to participate (41%), and no access to a nearby VA hospital with a CR program (30%). The most common facilitators were involvement of a dedicated provider or "clinical champion" (50%), provider knowledge of or experience with CR (48%), and patient desire for additional medical support (32%). Our findings suggest that addressing access issues and educating and activating providers on CR may increase utilization of CR programs. Targeting these specific factors may improve utilization of CR programs.

Strategic Communication and its Utility in Ecosystem Service Science

EPA Science Inventory

The field of Strategic Communication involves a focused effort to identify, develop, and present multiple types of communication media on a given subject. A Strategic Communication program recognizes the limitations of the most common communication models (primarily “one s...

Mapping of Outdoor Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horvath, Victor G.

Mapping symbols adopted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are presented with their explanations. In an effort to provide standardization and familiarity teachers and other school people involved in an outdoor education program are encouraged to utilize the same symbols in constructing maps. (DK)

Research activities to improve the utilization of antibiotics in Africa.

PubMed

Massele, Amos; Tiroyakgosi, Celda; Matome, Matshediso; Desta, Abayneh; Muller, Arno; Paramadhas, Bene D Anand; Malone, Brighid; Kurusa, Gobuiwang; Didimalang, Thatayaone; Moyo, Mosana; Godman, Brian

2017-02-01

There is a need to improve the rational use of antibiotics across continents including Africa. This has resulted in initiatives in Botswana including treatment guidelines and the instigation of Antibiotic Stewardship Programs (ASPs). The next steps involve a greater understanding of current antibiotic utilization and resistance patterns (AMR). This resulted in a 2-day meeting involving key stakeholders principally from Botswana to discuss key issues including AMR rates as well as ASPs in both the public and private sectors. Following this, the findings will be used to plan future studies across Africa including point prevalence studies. The findings will be presented in July 2016 at the next Medicines Utilization Research in Africa meeting will ideally serve as a basis for planning future pertinent interventional studies to enhance the rational use of antibiotics in Botswana and wider.

Institutional environmental impact statement, Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, Louisiana

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

A description and analysis of Michoud Assembly Facility as an operational base for both NASA and NASA-related programs and various government tenant-agencies and their contractors is given. Tenant-agencies are governmental agencies or governmental agency contractors which are not involved in a NASA program, but utilize office or manufacturing space at the Michoud Assembly Facility. The statements represent the full description of the likely environmental effects of the facility and are used in the process of making program and project decisions.

UMCP-BG and E collaboration in nuclear power engineering in the framework of DOE-Utility Nuclear Power Engineering Education Matching Grant Program

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

Wolfe, Lothar PhD

2000-03-01

The DOE-Utility Nuclear Power Engineering Education Matching Grant Program has been established to support the education of students in Nuclear Engineering Programs to maintain a knowledgeable workforce in the United States in order to keep nuclear power as a viable component in a mix of energy sources for the country. The involvement of the utility industry ensures that this grant program satisfies the needs and requirements of local nuclear energy producers and at the same time establishes a strong linkage between education and day-to-day nuclear power generation. As of 1997, seventeen pairs of university-utility partners existed. UMCP was never amore » member of that group of universities, but applied for the first time with a proposal to Baltimore Gas and Electric Company in January 1999 [1]. This proposal was generously granted by BG&E [2,3] in the form of a gift in the amount of $25,000 from BG&E's Corporate Contribution Program. Upon the arrival of a newly appointed Director of Administration in the Department of Materials and Nuclear Engineering, the BG&E check was deposited into the University's Maryland Foundation Fund. The receipt of the letter and the check enabled UMCP to apply for DOE's matching funds in the same amount by a proposal.« less

The science of Strategic Communication and its utility in natural resource management

EPA Science Inventory

The field of Strategic Communication involves a focused effort to identify, develop, and present multiple types of communication media on a given subject. A Strategic Communication program recognizes the limitations of the most common communication models (primarily "one si...

Husbands' involvement in delivery care utilization in rural Bangladesh: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A primary cause of high maternal mortality in Bangladesh is lack of access to professional delivery care. Examining the role of the family, particularly the husband, during pregnancy and childbirth is important to understanding women's access to and utilization of professional maternal health services that can prevent maternal mortality. This qualitative study examines husbands' involvement during childbirth and professional delivery care utilization in a rural sub-district of Netrokona district, Bangladesh. Methods Using purposive sampling, ten households utilizing a skilled attendant during the birth of the youngest child were selected and matched with ten households utilizing an untrained traditional birth attendant, or dhatri. Households were selected based on a set of inclusion criteria, such as approximate household income, ethnicity, and distance to the nearest hospital. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted in Bangla with husbands in these households in June 2010. Interviews were transcribed, translated into English, and analyzed using NVivo 9.0. Results By purposefully selecting households that differed on the type of provider utilized during delivery, common themes--high costs, poor transportation, and long distances to health facilities--were eliminated as sufficient barriers to the utilization of professional delivery care. Divergent themes, namely husbands' social support and perceived social norms, were identified as underlying factors associated with delivery care utilization. We found that husbands whose wives utilized professional delivery care provided emotional, instrumental and informational support to their wives during delivery and believed that medical intervention was necessary. By contrast, husbands whose wives utilized an untrained dhatri at home were uninvolved during delivery and believed childbirth should take place at home according to local traditions. Conclusions This study provides novel evidence about male involvement during childbirth in rural Bangladesh. These findings have important implications for program planners, who should pursue culturally sensitive ways to involve husbands in maternal health interventions and assess the effectiveness of education strategies targeted at husbands. PMID:22494576

Walt Disney World`s utility efficiency awards and environmental circles of excellence

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

Allen, P.J.; Kivler, W.B.

1996-05-01

This paper describes an innovative approach to energy conservation that has been started at WALT DISNEY WORLD. The program that was established was designed to heighten the awareness of energy usage in our Management and Cast Members, establish a method for recognizing and rewarding positive energy conservation efforts and, most importantly, keeping the effort simple and fun. Two programs work together to meet this goal: Utility Efficiency Awards and the Environmental Circles of Excellence. The Utility Efficiency Awards are given to the top areas that have demonstrated a reduction in utility consumption relative to the same period in prior years.more » More importantly, a report is generated that shows a best-to-worst ranking. Relying on the idea that {open_quotes}nobody wants to be on the bottom of the list{close_quotes}, conservation is enhanced by focusing attention on improving efficiency. To encourage direct cast member involvement in our environmental program, the Environmental Circles of Excellence were created. These groups, made up of hourly and salaried cast members, discuss their location`s environmental commitments, set goals and implement programs. This paper describes these initiatives in detail and presents some initial results that have heightened the awareness of energy conservation at WALT DISNEY WORLD.« less

Comparing the Medicaid Retrospective Drug Utilization Review Program Cost-Savings Methods Used by State Agencies.

PubMed

Prada, Sergio I

2017-12-01

The Medicaid Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program is a 2-phase process conducted by Medicaid state agencies. The first phase is a prospective DUR and involves electronically monitoring prescription drug claims to identify prescription-related problems, such as therapeutic duplication, contraindications, incorrect dosage, or duration of treatment. The second phase is a retrospective DUR and involves ongoing and periodic examinations of claims data to identify patterns of fraud, abuse, underutilization, drug-drug interaction, or medically unnecessary care, implementing corrective actions when needed. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires each state to measure prescription drug cost-savings generated from its DUR programs on an annual basis, but it provides no guidance or unified methodology for doing so. To describe and synthesize the methodologies used by states to measure cost-savings using their Medicaid retrospective DUR program in federal fiscal years 2014 and 2015. For each state, the cost-savings methodologies included in the Medicaid DUR 2014 and 2015 reports were downloaded from Medicaid's website. The reports were then reviewed and synthesized. Methods described by the states were classified according to research designs often described in evaluation textbooks. In 2014, the most often used prescription drugs cost-savings estimation methodology for the Medicaid retrospective DUR program was a simple pre-post intervention method, without a comparison group (ie, 12 states). In 2015, the most common methodology used was a pre-post intervention method, with a comparison group (ie, 14 states). Comparisons of savings attributed to the program among states are still unreliable, because of a lack of a common methodology available for measuring cost-savings. There is great variation among states in the methods used to measure prescription drug utilization cost-savings. This analysis suggests that there is still room for improvement in terms of methodology transparency, which is important, because lack of transparency hinders states from learning from each other. Ultimately, the federal government needs to evaluate and improve its DUR program.

NASA Earth Resources Survey Symposium. Volume 2-A: Special session presentations. Plenary summaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Practical application of earth resources survey data is considered. The utilization and results of data from NASA programs involving LANDSAT, the Skylab Earth Resources Experiment Package, and aircraft, as well as other data acquisition programs are included. User services and requirements and applications in land use, agriculture, coastal zone management, and geology are among the topics covered. For Vol. 1A, see N76-17469.

Chile rural electrification cooperation

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

Flowers, L.

1997-12-01

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

Engaging partners to initiate evaluation efforts: tactics used and lessons learned from the prevention research centers program.

PubMed

Wright, Demia Sundra; Anderson, Lynda A; Brownson, Ross C; Gwaltney, Margaret K; Scherer, Jennifer; Cross, Alan W; Goodman, Robert M; Schwartz, Randy; Sims, Tom; White, Carol R

2008-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Prevention Research Centers (PRC) Program underwent a 2-year evaluation planning project using a participatory process that allowed perspectives from the national community of PRC partners to be expressed and reflected in a national logic model. The PRC Program recognized the challenge in developing a feasible, useable, and relevant evaluation process for a large, diverse program. To address the challenge, participatory and utilization-focused evaluation models were used. Four tactics guided the evaluation planning process: 1) assessing stakeholders' communication needs and existing communication mechanisms and infrastructure; 2) using existing mechanisms and establishing others as needed to inform, educate, and request feedback; 3) listening to and using feedback received; and 4) obtaining adequate resources and building flexibility into the project plan to support multifaceted mechanisms for data collection. Participatory methods resulted in buy-in from stakeholders and the development of a national logic model. Benefits included CDC's use of the logic model for program planning and development of a national evaluation protocol and increased expectations among PRC partners for involvement. Challenges included the time, effort, and investment of program resources required for the participatory approach and the identification of whom to engage and when to engage them for feedback on project decisions. By using a participatory and utilization-focused model, program partners positively influenced how CDC developed an evaluation plan. The tactics we used can guide the involvement of program stakeholders and help with decisions on appropriate methods and approaches for engaging partners.

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

Academic Facility Utilization and Survival Outcomes in Adult Head and Neck Sarcomas: An NCDB Analysis.

PubMed

Cannon, Richard B; Carpenter, Patrick S; Boothe, Dustin; Buchmann, Luke O; Hunt, Jason P; Lloyd, Shane; Hitchcock, Ying J; Houlton, Jeffrey J; Weis, John R; Shepherd, Hailey M; Monroe, Marcus M

2018-04-01

Objectives To investigate clinicopathologic and treatment factors associated with survival in adult head and neck sarcomas in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). To analyze whether treatment settings and therapies received influence survival outcomes and to compare trends in utilization via an aggregated national data set. Study Design Prospectively gathered data. Setting NCDB. Subjects and Methods The study comprised a total of 6944 adult patients treated for a head and neck sarcoma from January 2004 to December 2013. Overall survival (OS) was the primary outcome. Results Increased age and tumor size, nodal involvement, and poorly differentiated histology had significantly reduced OS ( P < .001). Angiosarcoma, malignant nerve sheath tumor, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, osteosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma histologic subtypes had significantly reduced OS, while liposarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and chordoma had improved OS ( P < .001). Utilization of surgical therapy was associated with improved OS, while positive surgical margins were associated with treatment at a community-based cancer program and had reduced OS ( P < .001). On multivariate analysis, treatment with radiation and/or chemotherapy was not significantly associated with OS; however, primary treatment with definitive chemoradiotherapy had significantly reduced OS. Patients treated at academic/research cancer programs (n = 3874) had significantly improved 5- and 10-year OS (65% and 54%, respectively) when compared with patients treated at community-based cancer programs (n = 3027; 49% and 29%; P < .001). The percentage utilization of these programs (56% vs 44%) did not change over the study period. Conclusion For adult head and neck sarcomas, treatment at an academic/research cancer program was associated with improved survival; however, despite increasing medical specialization, the percentage utilization of these programs for this rare tumor remains constant.

Church-based health programs for mental disorders among African Americans: a review.

PubMed

Hankerson, Sidney H; Weissman, Myrna M

2012-03-01

African Americans underutilize traditional mental health services, compared with white Americans. The authors conducted a systematic review of studies involving church-based health promotion programs for mental disorders among African Americans to assess the feasibility of utilizing such programs to address racial disparities in mental health care. A literature review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ATLA Religion databases was conducted to identify articles published between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2009. Inclusion criteria were as follows: studies were conducted in a church; the primary objective involved assessment, perceptions and attitudes, education, prevention, group support, or treatment for DSM-IV mental disorders or their correlates; number of participants was reported; qualitative or quantitative data were reported; and African Americans were the target population. Of 1,451 studies identified, only eight met inclusion criteria. Five studies focused on substance-related disorders, six were designed to assess the effects of a specific intervention, and six targeted adults. One study focused on depression and was limited by a small sample size of seven participants. Although church-based health promotion programs have been successful in addressing racial disparities for several chronic medical conditions, the literature on such programs for mental disorders is extremely limited. More intensive research is needed to establish the feasibility and acceptability of utilizing church-based health promotion programs as a possible resource for screening and treatment to improve disparities in mental health care for African Americans.

Strategies for developing a culture of mentoring in postdoctoral periodontology.

PubMed

Hempton, Timothy J; Drakos, Dimitrios; Likhari, Vikram; Hanley, James B; Johnson, Lonnie; Levi, Paul; Griffin, Terrence J

2008-05-01

Dental education in the United States and Canada is currently experiencing a crisis with respect to faculty recruitment and retention. The major reasons for the status of dental and specialty education are lower salaries and lack of interest. To make up for this deficit in the specialty of periodontology, our current educators need to utilize strategies targeted towards an existing potential teaching resource: the postdoctoral students in periodontology. The intent of this article is to review the current crisis in dental faculty recruitment and retention, show how it affects the specialty of periodontics, and describe how creating a culture of mentoring may facilitate more engagement of periodontal residents in the teaching process during their postdoctoral training. The strategies utilized to develop a culture of mentoring in the Department of Periodontology at Tufts University are presented. They include methodologies to develop and enhance residents' mentoring skills, thereby helping to compensate for the shortage of periodontists involved in academics. Measurement of the mentoring strategy is presented from data obtained from an online survey of third-year predoctoral students' perceptions of their interaction with residents as their clinical instructors. Moreover, the numbers of program alumni engaged in teaching prior to and after the mentoring program was initiated are also presented as an outcome of the mentoring program. Developing a culture of mentoring in postdoctoral periodontology programs can be an important tool to enable individuals to become more involved in the process of teaching and mentoring during their postdoctoral training. This outcome could ameliorate the deficit of periodontists engaged as formal educators. Moreover, development and expansion of a culture of mentoring in a periodontolgy program may encourage recent graduates to become more involved in teaching subsequent to graduation.

Discussion paper on wholesale ratemaking considerations for sulfur dioxide emissions allowance trading

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

Wessler, E.

1993-07-01

The acid rain provisions of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) created an allowance trading program for SO{sub 2} emissions from electric utility power plants. Theoretically, the trading program will provide utilities the flexibility to control their SO{sub 2} emissions at minimum aggregate societal costs. The trading program is a significant change from command-and-control environmental policies. A continuing concern is whether the market-oriented trading program is compatible with the pervasive rate regulation of the electric utility industry. Economists accept traditional rate regulation policies tend to provide incentives for utilities to minimize risks, rather than costs. To the extentmore » that this is true, the allowance trading experiment is not likely to be successful. A number of commenters have described proposals for alternative regulatory policies to provide utilities with appropriate incentives for cost-minimization. These proposals focus on utility incentives at a {open_quotes}macro{close_quotes} level This paper has a {open_quotes}micro{close_quotes} level focus. It examines options for ratemaking that may also influence utility incentives for cost-minimization to provide a structured discussion of the different types of transactions that involve allowances. Emphasis is on the implications of allowance trading on ratemaking for wholesale power sales. Some of the same considerations that apply to wholesale ratemaking may also apply to retail ratemaking. Four generic types of allowance transactions are examined: Type 1: Unbundled Allowance Sales, Type 2: Wholesale Power Sales, Type 3: Pooling Arrangements, and Type 4: Holding Company Transactions. Each of these four generic allowance transactions is assessed along two 3 dimensions: jurisdictional issues and wholesale ratemaking considerations.« less

The challenges and benefits of lunar exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Aaron

1992-01-01

Three decades into the Space Age, the United States is experiencing a fundamental shift in space policy with the adoption of a broad national goal to expand human presence and activity beyond Earth orbit and out into the Solar System. These plans mark a turning point in American space exploration, for they entail a shift away from singular forays to a long-term, evolutionary program of exploration and utilization of space. No longer limited to the technical and operational specifics of any one vehicle or any one mission plan, this new approach will involve a fleet of spacecraft and a stable of off-planet research laboratories, industrial facilities, and exploration programs. The challenges inherent in this program are immense, but so too are the benefits. Central to this new space architecture is the concept of using a lunar base for in-situ resource utilization, and for the development of planetary surface exploration systems, applicable to the Moon, Mars, and other planetary bodies in the Solar System. This paper discusses the technical, economic, and political challenges involved in this new approach, and details the latest thinking on the benefits that could come from bold new endeavors on the final frontier.

Roles For Thermography In Utility Company Residential Energy Audits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schott, William A.

1981-01-01

Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck, North Dakota, provides wholesale electricity to more than 100 rural electric cooperatives of the Missouri Pasin Region. The Cooperative, in cooperation with Aadland*Hoffmann*Pieri Energy Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, MN has developed a three-fold program which involves the analytical approach, the instructional approach and the motivational approach (A'IsM) to an energy audit. This three-fold program utilizes infrared thermography to pinpoint where heat loss is occurring in the home. The auditor can motivate the homeowner to initiate energy conserving improvements and practices by showing where money can be saved. Infrared thermography is a most valuable tool in helping the rural electrics conserve energy and the nation's natural resources. Over 180 energy auditors have been trained through this program in this area and 5,000 trained in the nation.

Study of the impacts of regulations affecting the acceptance of Integrated Community Energy Systems: public utility, energy facility siting and municipal franchising regulatory programs in Rhode Island. Preliminary background report

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

Feurer, D A; Weaver, C L; Gallagher, K C

1980-01-01

The Rhode Island statutes vest in the Public Utility Commission and the Division of Public Utilities the exclusive power and authority to regulate public utility companies in that state. Both bodies have been established within the Department of Business Regulation but are independent of the Department's director and are not under his jurisdiction. The jurisdiction to regulate utilities is shared by the Commission and the Division. The Commission serves as a quasi-judicial tribunal with jurisdiction, powers, and duties to hold investigations and hearings involving rates, sufficiency and resonableness of facilities, gas, electric, water, and pipeline public utilities. The administrator, whomore » is chief executive officer of the Division, is responsible for exercising the jurisdiction, supervision, powers, and duties not specifically assigned to the Commission. By virtue of his office, the chairman of the Commission serves also as the administrator and he supervises and directs the execution of all laws relating to public utilities and carriers and all regulations and orders of the Commission governing the conduct and charges of public utilities. Public utility regulatory statutes, energy facility siting programs, and municipal franchising authority are examined to identify how they may impact on the ability of an organization, whether or not it be a regulated utility, to construct and operate an ICES.« less

A Bootstrap Approach to an Affordable Exploration Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oeftering, Richard C.

2011-01-01

This paper examines the potential to build an affordable sustainable exploration program by adopting an approach that requires investing in technologies that can be used to build a space infrastructure from very modest initial capabilities. Human exploration has had a history of flight programs that have high development and operational costs. Since Apollo, human exploration has had very constrained budgets and they are expected be constrained in the future. Due to their high operations costs it becomes necessary to consider retiring established space facilities in order to move on to the next exploration challenge. This practice may save cost in the near term but it does so by sacrificing part of the program s future architecture. Human exploration also has a history of sacrificing fully functional flight hardware to achieve mission objectives. An affordable exploration program cannot be built when it involves billions of dollars of discarded space flight hardware, instead, the program must emphasize preserving its high value space assets and building a suitable permanent infrastructure. Further this infrastructure must reduce operational and logistics cost. The paper examines the importance of achieving a high level of logistics independence by minimizing resource consumption, minimizing the dependency on external logistics, and maximizing the utility of resources available. The approach involves the development and deployment of a core suite of technologies that have minimum initial needs yet are able expand upon initial capability in an incremental bootstrap fashion. The bootstrap approach incrementally creates an infrastructure that grows and becomes self sustaining and eventually begins producing the energy, products and consumable propellants that support human exploration. The bootstrap technologies involve new methods of delivering and manipulating energy and materials. These technologies will exploit the space environment, minimize dependencies, and minimize the need for imported resources. They will provide the widest range of utility in a resource scarce environment and pave the way to an affordable exploration program.

Professionalizing the Role of Peer Leaders in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowling, Bethany; Doyle, Maureen; Taylor, Jennifer; Antes, Alison

2015-01-01

Efforts to improve retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors frequently utilize peer mentors and/or leaders. At Northern Kentucky University, the STEM Ambassador (SA) program involves students in the creation of a STEM community through multifaceted roles as mentors, peer-learning facilitators, and social…

Utilizing the School Health Index to Foster University and Community Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Kristi McClary

2010-01-01

A Coordinated School Health Program maximizes a school's positive interaction among health education, physical education, health services, nutrition services, counseling/psychological/social services, health school environment, health promotion for staff, and family and community involvement. The purpose of this semester project is for…

Use of Multi-Sensory Reinforcement in Toilet Training Retardates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Karla K.; Armenti, Simma

A behavior modification program in toilet training, utilizing reinforcing properties of music, candy, cold drinks, and television was instigated with institutionalized (nontoilet trained) males, ages 15-20 , who were profoundly, severely and moderately mentally handicapped. Eleven experimental and 11 control subjects were involved. A Toileting…

Ocean Drilling Science Plan to be released soon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2011-04-01

The upcoming International Ocean Discovery Program, which is slated to operate from 2013 to 2023 and calls for an internationally funded program focused around four science themes, will pick up right where its predecessor, the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, ends, explained Kiyoshi Suyehiro, president and chief executive officer of IODP, a convenient acronym that covers both programs. At a 5 April briefing at the 2011 European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, Austria, he outlined four general themes the new program will address. IODP involves 24 nations and utilizes different ocean drilling platforms that complement each other in drilling in different environments in the oceans.

Advanced rotary engine components utilizing fiber reinforced Mg castings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goddard, D.; Whitman, W.; Pumphrey, R.; Lee, C.-M.

1986-01-01

Under a two-phase program sponsored by NASA, the technology for producing advanced rotary engine components utilizing graphite fiber-reinforced magnesium alloy casting is being developed. In Phase I, the successful casting of a simulated intermediate housing was demonstrated. In Phase II, the goal is to produce an operating rotor housing. The effort involves generation of a material property data base, optimization of parameters, and development of wear- and corrosion-resistant cast surfaces and surface coatings. Results to date are described.

Adaptation of an Alcohol and HIV School-Based Prevention Program for Teens

PubMed Central

Springer, Carolyn; Leu, Cheng-Shiun; Ghosh, Shivnath; Sharma, Sunil Kumar; Rapkin, Bruce

2010-01-01

Given the current status of HIV infection in youth in India, developing and implementing HIV education and prevention interventions is critical. The goal for School-based Teenage Education Program (STEP) was to demonstrate that a HIV/AIDS and alcohol abuse educational program built with specific cultural, linguistic, and community-specific characteristics could be effective. Utilizing the Train-the-Trainer model, the instructors (17–21 years) were trained to present the 10 session manualized program to primarily rural and tribal youth aged 13–16 years in 23 schools (N = 1,421) in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh in India. The intervention had a greater impact on girls; girls evidenced greater communication skills and a trend towards greater self efficacy and reduced risk taking behavior. The STEP has been successfully adapted by the community organizations that were involved in coordinating the program at the local level. Their intention to continue STEP beyond extra funding shows that utilizing the local community in designing, implementing and evaluating programs promotes ownership and sustainability. PMID:20589528

A Treasure Chest: Stories and Surprises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soto, Rosalina

Produced by the Connecticut Migratory Children's Program, this workbook is directed toward Puerto Rican American students to provide the necessary involvement to stimulate the pupils' interest in reading by using stories with Puerto Rican characters. The illustrated workbook is designed to be utilized by the teacher for supplementary work on both…

Internship as an Alternative to Student Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Don

An internship program involving university students placed in public school classrooms for a full year was initiated through the cooperative efforts of Wright State University and the Yellow Springs, Ohio school district, an innovative district which embraces the concept of individually guided education and which utilizes team teaching at all…

Development of Communication Technology in Japan: The Hi-OVIS Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murata, Toshihiko

1981-01-01

Describes the two-way Highly Interactive Optical Visual Information System (Hi-OVIS), involving the transmission and reception of educational, advertising, and public service programing, which has been in experimental use in Japan since 1978. Utilizing fiber optics, the system equips each house with a keyboard, television, television camera, and…

49 CFR 520.23 - Preparation of draft environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... given to preparing one statement for all the Federal actions involved. Agencies in such cases should... concurrently with the initial technical and economic studies. (3) Section 102(2)(A) of NEPA requires each Federal agency to utilize a “systematic, interdisciplinary approach” to plans and programs affecting the...

49 CFR 520.23 - Preparation of draft environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... given to preparing one statement for all the Federal actions involved. Agencies in such cases should... concurrently with the initial technical and economic studies. (3) Section 102(2)(A) of NEPA requires each Federal agency to utilize a “systematic, interdisciplinary approach” to plans and programs affecting the...

49 CFR 520.23 - Preparation of draft environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... given to preparing one statement for all the Federal actions involved. Agencies in such cases should... concurrently with the initial technical and economic studies. (3) Section 102(2)(A) of NEPA requires each Federal agency to utilize a “systematic, interdisciplinary approach” to plans and programs affecting the...

49 CFR 520.23 - Preparation of draft environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... given to preparing one statement for all the Federal actions involved. Agencies in such cases should... concurrently with the initial technical and economic studies. (3) Section 102(2)(A) of NEPA requires each Federal agency to utilize a “systematic, interdisciplinary approach” to plans and programs affecting the...

49 CFR 520.23 - Preparation of draft environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... given to preparing one statement for all the Federal actions involved. Agencies in such cases should... concurrently with the initial technical and economic studies. (3) Section 102(2)(A) of NEPA requires each Federal agency to utilize a “systematic, interdisciplinary approach” to plans and programs affecting the...

How to Plan and Implement a Workshop.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Jacquie

These guidelines were developed to assist school administrators who have the responsibility of organizing a one- to three-day professional development program. The first section outlines the tasks involved in planning and implementing a workshop. The remaining sections cover the following: (1) developing and utilizing the workshop theme; (2)…

76 FR 28060 - Regional Habitat Conservation Plan, Hays County, TX

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-13

... alternative features the acquisition of a modestly sized, pre-determined preserve system and limits the amount... under Alternative B, this alternative involves a conservation program that utilizes a pre-determined..., adaptive management, and other strategies designed to avoid and minimize harm to the covered species and...

Laboratory Characteristics in Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ives, Quay D.

The research reported is intended to provide a body of information on technical-scientific shop and laboratory education in the field of technological education. The study seeks to address the dearth of organized information on the utilization of laboratories in the technical education context. Various programs involving use of laboratories are…

Optical/thermal analysis methodology for a space-qualifiable RTP furnace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugby, D.; Dardarian, S.; Cole, E.

1993-01-01

A methodology to predict the coupled optical/thermal performance of a reflective cavity heating system was developed and a laboratory test to verify the method was carried out. The procedure was utilized to design a rapid thermal processing (RTP) furnace for the Robot-Operated Material Processing in Space (ROMPS) Program which is a planned STS HH-G canister experiment involving robotics and material processing in microgravity. The laboratory test employed a tungsten-halogen reflector/lamp to heat thin, p-type silicon wafers. Measurements instrumentation consisted of 5-mil Pt/Pt-Rh thermocouples and an optical pyrometer. The predicted results, utilizing an optical ray-tracing program and a lumped-capacitance thermal analyzer, showed good agreement with the measured data for temperatures exceeding 1300 C.

ERDA-NASA wind energy project ready to involve users

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, R.; Puthoff, R.; Savino, J.; Johnson, W.

1976-01-01

The NASA contribution to the Wind Energy Project is discussed. NASA is responsible for the following: (1) identification of cost-effective configurations and sizes of wind-conversion systems, (2) the development of technology needed to produce these systems, (3) the design of wind-conversion systems that are compatible with user requirements, particularly utility networks, and (4) technology transfer obtained from the program to stimulate rapid commercial application of wind systems. Various elements of the NASA program are outlined, including industry-built user operation, the evaluation phase, the proposed plan and schedule for site selection and user involvement, supporting research and technology (e.g., energy storage), and component and subsystem technology development.

Self-management improvement program combined with community involvement in Thai hypertensive population: an action research.

PubMed

Srichairattanakull, Jeamjai; Kaewpan, Wonpen; Powattana, Arpaporn; Pichayapinyo, Panan

2014-04-01

To investigate the effectiveness of a program that utilizes community involvement to improve the self-management strategies among people living with hypertension. Forty-four subjects, aged 35 to 59-year-old, with hypertension in Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand, were randomly allocated to either an experimental group (n = 22) or a control group (n = 20). The experimental group attended a program to improve self-management methods based on social cognitive theory (SCT). The program lasted 12 weeks, consisted of 1 1/2 hours meeting once a week, including group meetings and home visit monitoring. Mann-Whitney U test and Friedman test were employed to analyze the program's effectiveness. After the program, the mean rank of the perceived self-efficacy for the self-management strategies was statistically different between the two groups (p = 0.023). In the experimental group, after the twelve week, the mean rank of perceived self-efficacy and outcome expectancy increased and diastolic blood pressure decreased after the eight week. The program applied social cognitive theory (SCT) to promote self-management techniques, increased the health promoting behavior among hypertensive people.

Utilizing online technology to increase the data reach of the forest inventory and analysis program; examples from the Southern United States

Treesearch

Christopher M. Oswalt; Ted R. Ridley

2015-01-01

Benjamin Franklin once said “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” It is with that in mind that the Southern Research Station (SRS) Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program jumps feet first into exploring alternative methods of communicating the knowledge that is discovered through broad-scale data collection of the forest resources...

California state information handbook: formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

None

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with the DOE, by Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. This Information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the Federal and state levels, the pertinent programs they administer, each affected state legislature, and current Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the state of California. It contains: a description of themore » state executive branch structure; a summary of relevant state statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the state legislature, identification of the officers and committee chairmen, and a summary of recent relevant legislative action; the full text of relevant statutes and regulations.« less

Oregon state information handbook formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

None

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with the DOE, by Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. This Information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the Federal and state levels, the pertinent programs they administater, each affected state legislature, and current Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the State of Oregon. It contains: a description of themore » state executive branch structure; a summary of relevant state statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the state legislature, identification of the officers and committee chairmen, and a summary of recent relevant legislative action; and the full text of relevant statutes and regulations.« less

Iowa state information handbook: formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

None

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with the DOE, By Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. This Information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the Federal and state levels, the pertinent programs they administer, each affected state legislature, and current Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the state of Iowa. It contains: a description of themore » state executive branch structure; a summary of relevant state statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the state legislature, identification of the officers and committee chairmen, and a summary of recent relevant legislative action; the full test of relevant statutes and regulations.« less

Oregon state information handbook: formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

None

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with the DOE, by Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. This Information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the Federal and state levels, the pertinent programs they administer, each affected state legislature, and current Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the State of Oregon. It contains a description of themore » state executive branch structure; a summary of relevant state statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the state legislature, identification of the officers and committee chairmen, and a summary of recent relevant legislative action; and the full text of relevant statutes and regulations.« less

Pennsylvania state information handbook: formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

None

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with the DOE, by Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. This Information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the Federal and State levels, the pertinent programs they administer, each affected state legislature, and current Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the State of Pennsylvania. It contains a description of themore » state executive branch structure; a summary of relevant state statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the state legislature, identification of the officers and committee chairmen, and a summary of recent relevant legislative action; and the full text of relevant statutes and regulations.« less

New Mexico state information handbook: formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

None

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with the DOE, by Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. This information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the Federal and state levels, the pertinent programs they administer, each affected state legislature, and current Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the State of New Mexico. It contains a description ofmore » the state executive branch structure; a summary of relevant state statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the state legislature, identification of the officers and committee chairmen, and a summary of recent relevant legislative action; and the full text of relevant statutes and regulations.« less

Estimating patient-borne water and electricity costs in home hemodialysis: a simulation

PubMed Central

Nickel, Matthew; Rideout, Wes; Shah, Nikhil; Reintjes, Frances; Chen, Justin Z.; Burrell, Robert; Pauly, Robert P.

2017-01-01

Background: Home hemodialysis is associated with lower costs to the health care system compared with conventional facility-based hemodialysis because of lower staffing and overhead costs, and by transferring the treatment cost of utilities (water and power) to the patient. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility costs of home hemodialysis and create a formula such that patients and renal programs can estimate the annual patient-borne costs involved with this type of treatment. Methods: Seven common combinations of treatment duration and dialysate flows were replicated 5 times using various combinations of home hemodialysis and reverse osmosis machines. Real-time utility (electricity and water) consumption was monitored during these simulations. A generic formula was developed to allow patients and programs to calculate a more precise estimate of utility costs based on individual combinations of dialysis intensity, frequency and utility costs unique to any patient. Results: Using typical 2014 utility costs for Edmonton, the most expensive prescription was for nocturnal home hemodialysis (8 h at 300 mL/min, 6 d/wk), which resulted in a utility cost of $1269 per year; the least expensive prescription was for conventional home hemodialysis (4 h at 500 mL/min, 3 d/wk), which cost $420 per year. Water consumption makes up most of this expense, with electricity accounting for only 12% of the cost. Interpretation: We show that a substantial cost burden is transferred to the patient on home hemodialysis, which would otherwise be borne by the renal program. PMID:28401120

Educational Game Design as Gateway for Operationalizing Computational Thinking Skills among Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Min Lun

2018-01-01

This qualitative case study reports descriptive findings of digital game-based learning involving 15 Taiwanese middle school students' use of computational thinking skills elicited through programmed activities in a game design workshop. Situated learning theory is utilized as framework to evaluate novice game designers' individual advancement in…

Reading Recovery and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joiner, Sherrie Michelle

2012-01-01

Reading is a skill, which is essential for a child's school success. The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to investigate the effects of the Reading Recovery (RR) Program. The data utilized were from two groups of students at-risk in the area of reading, first-grade students involved in at least 12 weeks of Reading…

Exploring the Use of Technology to Support Literacy of Sixth Grade Students with Reading Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball-Inman, Jaime Renee

2017-01-01

The degree to which the utilization of technology supports the academic achievement of sixth grade students with reading disabilities was examined using a quantitative research design. The data analysis involved the results from the Educational Technology Assessment Program to measure achievement. The Standardized Test for the Assessment of…

The Upside of Helicopter Parenting: Engaging Parents to Reduce First-Year Student Drinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earle, Andrew M.; LaBrie, Joseph W.

2016-01-01

University personnel tend to view "helicopter" parents as problematic. This article presents an alternative view in which these highly engaged parents can instead be utilized productively. The authors describe and assess the fidelity of a novel program in which involved parents were effectively leveraged to mitigate student…

NASA Earth Resources Survey Symposium. Volume 1-B: Geology, Information Systems and Services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A symposium was conducted on the practical applications of earth resources survey technology including utilization and results of data from programs involving LANDSAT, the Skylab earth resources experiment package, and aircraft. Topics discussed include geological structure, landform surveys, energy and extractive resources, and information systems and services.

Survey of Middle Grades Reading Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Jack W.

2009-01-01

There is abundant evidence that schools with strong reading programs have successful students. But building strong reading skills is a complex task, particularly by the time students reach the middle grades. A survey was conducted that involved all Indiana middle grades schools in May 2009. Two types of data analysis were utilized in preparing the…

Equity Audit: Focusing on Distance Education Students and Students with Individualized Educational Plans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dupree, Almecia

2016-01-01

Problem: Many inequities frequently have been found to exist in representations of students and access to school programs in public schools. Theory: The purpose of this equity audit is to utilize theoretical positioning and conduct an empirical study involving student representations and access to educational opportunities. The audit focuses on…

The Development and Implementation of a Diversity Management Curriculum: Organizational Change through Exploration and Exploitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danowitz, Mary Ann; Hanappi-Egger, Edeltraud; Hofmann, Roswitha

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide concepts and strategies to successfully introduce and implement curricular change; especially, related to incorporating diversity management into academic programs. Design/methodology/approach: Utilizing documents and accounts from two agents involved in the change process and an outside observer,…

An information retrieval system for research file data

Treesearch

Joan E. Lengel; John W. Koning

1978-01-01

Research file data have been successfully retrieved at the Forest Products Laboratory through a high-speed cross-referencing system involving the computer program FAMULUS as modified by the Madison Academic Computing Center at the University of Wisconsin. The method of data input, transfer to computer storage, system utilization, and effectiveness are discussed....

The use of digital spaceborne SAR data for the delineation of surface features indicative of malaria vector breeding habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Imhoff, M. L.; Vermillion, C. H.; Khan, F. A.

1984-01-01

An investigation to examine the utility of spaceborne radar image data to malaria vector control programs is described. Specific tasks involve an analysis of radar illumination geometry vs information content, the synergy of radar and multispectral data mergers, and automated information extraction techniques.

Summary of U.S. research on wood transportation structures

Treesearch

M. A. Ritter; R. C. Moody; S. R. Duwadi

1996-01-01

An extensive U.S. research program to further develop wood utilization in transportation structures is currently in progress as a joint effort of the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. This research is funded primarily by U.S. legislation and involves cooperative research with...

Constructing a LabVIEW-Controlled High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) System: An Undergraduate Instrumental Methods Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Eugene T.; Hill, Marc

2011-01-01

In this laboratory exercise, students develop a LabVIEW-controlled high-performance liquid chromatography system utilizing a data acquisition device, two pumps, a detector, and fraction collector. The programming experience involves a variety of methods for interface communication, including serial control, analog-to-digital conversion, and…

Comparing the Medicaid Retrospective Drug Utilization Review Program Cost-Savings Methods Used by State Agencies

PubMed Central

Prada, Sergio I.

2017-01-01

Background The Medicaid Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program is a 2-phase process conducted by Medicaid state agencies. The first phase is a prospective DUR and involves electronically monitoring prescription drug claims to identify prescription-related problems, such as therapeutic duplication, contraindications, incorrect dosage, or duration of treatment. The second phase is a retrospective DUR and involves ongoing and periodic examinations of claims data to identify patterns of fraud, abuse, underutilization, drug–drug interaction, or medically unnecessary care, implementing corrective actions when needed. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires each state to measure prescription drug cost-savings generated from its DUR programs on an annual basis, but it provides no guidance or unified methodology for doing so. Objectives To describe and synthesize the methodologies used by states to measure cost-savings using their Medicaid retrospective DUR program in federal fiscal years 2014 and 2015. Method For each state, the cost-savings methodologies included in the Medicaid DUR 2014 and 2015 reports were downloaded from Medicaid's website. The reports were then reviewed and synthesized. Methods described by the states were classified according to research designs often described in evaluation textbooks. Discussion In 2014, the most often used prescription drugs cost-savings estimation methodology for the Medicaid retrospective DUR program was a simple pre-post intervention method, without a comparison group (ie, 12 states). In 2015, the most common methodology used was a pre-post intervention method, with a comparison group (ie, 14 states). Comparisons of savings attributed to the program among states are still unreliable, because of a lack of a common methodology available for measuring cost-savings. Conclusion There is great variation among states in the methods used to measure prescription drug utilization cost-savings. This analysis suggests that there is still room for improvement in terms of methodology transparency, which is important, because lack of transparency hinders states from learning from each other. Ultimately, the federal government needs to evaluate and improve its DUR program. PMID:29403573

Remote sensing in operational range management programs in Western Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, M. D.

1977-01-01

A pilot program carried out in Western Canada to test remote sensing under semi-operational conditions and display its applicability to operational range management programs was described. Four agencies were involved in the program, two in Alberta and two in Manitoba. Each had different objectives and needs for remote sensing within its range management programs, and each was generally unfamiliar with remote sensing techniques and their applications. Personnel with experience and expertise in the remote sensing and range management fields worked with the agency personnel through every phase of the pilot program. Results indicate that these agencies have found remote sensing to be a cost effective tool and will begin to utilize remote sensing in their operational work during ensuing seasons.

Navy-ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education) Summer Faculty Research Program for 1983 with a Summary of Statistics and a Cumulative Compilation of Data on Later Research Fallouts from the First Five Years of the Program, 1979-1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

POLYMER FORMATION VIA NUCLEOPHILIC ADDITION TO ACETYLENES Carl L. Bumgardner Department of Chemistry North Carolina...State University Raleigh, North Carolina ABSTRACT Utilizing the ability of acetylenes to add nucleophiles, two new polymer - forming reactions were...examined. The first involved hydroquinone and 1, 4-diethynylbenzene, which, under base calatysis, gave a new semiconducting polymer having the

Report of Workshop on Methodology for Evaluating Potential Lunar Resources Sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, R. J.; Hubbard, N.

1981-01-01

The type and quantity of lunar materials needed to support a space power satellite program was used to define the type and quality of geological information required to certify a site for exploitation. The existing geological, geochemical, and geophysical data are summarized. The difference between these data and the required data for exploitation is used to define program requirements. Most of these requirements involve linear extensions of existing capabilities, fuller utilization of existing data, or expanded use of automated systems.

Interfacing laboratory instruments to multiuser, virtual memory computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Generazio, Edward R.; Stang, David B.; Roth, Don J.

1989-01-01

Incentives, problems and solutions associated with interfacing laboratory equipment with multiuser, virtual memory computers are presented. The major difficulty concerns how to utilize these computers effectively in a medium sized research group. This entails optimization of hardware interconnections and software to facilitate multiple instrument control, data acquisition and processing. The architecture of the system that was devised, and associated programming and subroutines are described. An example program involving computer controlled hardware for ultrasonic scan imaging is provided to illustrate the operational features.

OAST space power technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullin, J. P.

1978-01-01

The current research and technology (R and T) base program is first described, then special attention is directed toward outlining a new system technology specifically oriented toward providing the utility power plant technology base for semi-permanent earth orbital facilities expected to be needed in the middle to late 1980's. The R and T program involves five areas of research: (1) photovoltaic energy conversion; (2) chemical energy conversion and storage; (3) thermal-to-electric conversion; (4) environment interactions; and (5) power systems management and distribution. The general objectives and planned direction of efforts in each of these areas is summarized.

Safety considerations in the design and operation of large wind turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reilly, D. H.

1979-01-01

The engineering and safety techniques used to assure the reliable and safe operation of large wind turbine generators utilizing the Mod 2 Wind Turbine System Program as an example is described. The techniques involve a careful definition of the wind turbine's natural and operating environments, use of proven structural design criteria and analysis techniques, an evaluation of potential failure modes and hazards, and use of a fail safe and redundant component engineering philosophy. The role of an effective quality assurance program, tailored to specific hardware criticality, and the checkout and validation program developed to assure system integrity are described.

Development of a metrics dashboard for monitoring involvement in the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

PubMed

Karralli, Rusol; Tipton, Joyce; Dumitru, Doina; Scholz, Lisa; Masilamani, Santhi

2015-09-01

An electronic tool to support hospital organizations in monitoring and addressing financial and compliance challenges related to participation in the 340B Drug Pricing Program is described. In recent years there has been heightened congressional and regulatory scrutiny of the federal 340B program, which provides discounted drug prices on Medicaid-covered drugs to safety net hospitals and other 340B-eligible healthcare organizations, or "covered entities." Historically, the 340B program has lacked a metrics-driven reporting framework to help covered entities capture the value of 340B program involvement, community benefits provided to underserved populations, and costs associated with compliance with 340B eligibility requirements. As part of an initiative by a large health system to optimize its 340B program utilization and regulatory compliance efforts, a team of pharmacists led the development of an electronic dashboard tool to help monitor 340B program activities at the system's 340B-eligible facilities. After soliciting input from an array of internal and external 340B program stakeholders, the team designed the dashboard and associated data-entry tools to facilitate the capture and analysis of 340B program-related data in four domains: cost savings and revenue, program maintenance costs, community benefits, and compliance. A large health system enhanced its ability to evaluate and monitor 340B program-related activities through the use of a dashboard tool capturing key metrics on cost savings achieved, maintenance costs, and other aspects of program involvement. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Which veterans enroll in a VA health information exchange program?

PubMed

Dixon, Brian E; Ofner, Susan; Perkins, Susan M; Myers, Laura J; Rosenman, Marc B; Zillich, Alan J; French, Dustin D; Weiner, Michael; Haggstrom, David A

2017-01-01

To characterize patients who voluntarily enrolled in an electronic health information exchange (HIE) program designed to share data between Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA institutions. Patients who agreed to participate in the HIE program were compared to those who did not. Patient characteristics associated with HIE enrollment were examined using a multivariable logistic regression model. Variables selected for inclusion were guided by a health care utilization model adapted to explain HIE enrollment. Data about patients' sociodemographics (age, gender), comorbidity (Charlson index score), utilization (primary and specialty care visits), and access (distance to VHA medical center, insurance, VHA benefits) were obtained from VHA and HIE electronic health records. Among 57 072 patients, 6627 (12%) enrolled in the HIE program during its first year. The likelihood of HIE enrollment increased among patients ages 50-64, of female gender, with higher comorbidity, and with increasing utilization. Living in a rural area and being unmarried were associated with decreased likelihood of enrollment. Enrollment in HIE is complex, with several factors involved in a patient's decision to enroll. To broaden HIE participation, populations less likely to enroll should be targeted with tailored recruitment and educational strategies. Moreover, inclusion of special populations, such as patients with higher comorbidity or high utilizers, may help refine the definition of success with respect to HIE implementation. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the United States.

The NASA airborne astronomy program - A perspective on its contributions to science, technology, and education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larson, Harold P.

1992-01-01

The publication records from NASA's airborne observatories are examined to evaluate the contribution of the airborne astronomy program to technological development and scientific/educational progress. The breadth and continuity of program is detailed with reference to its publication history, discipline representation, literature citations, and to the ability of such a program to address nonrecurring and unexpected astronomical phenomena. Community involvement in the airborne-observation program is described in terms of the number of participants, institutional affiliation, and geographic distribution. The program utilizes instruments including heterodyne and grating spectrometers, high-speed photometers, and Fabry-Perot spectrometers with wide total spectral ranges, resolutions, and numbers of channels. The potential of the program for both astronomical training and further scientific, theoretical, and applied development is underscored.

Tacit Knowledge Capture and the Brain-Drain at Electrical Utilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perjanik, Nicholas Steven

As a consequence of an aging workforce, electric utilities are at risk of losing their most experienced and knowledgeable electrical engineers. In this research, the problem was a lack of understanding of what electric utilities were doing to capture the tacit knowledge or know-how of these engineers. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the tacit knowledge capture strategies currently used in the industry by conducting a case study of 7 U.S. electrical utilities that have demonstrated an industry commitment to improving operational standards. The research question addressed the implemented strategies to capture the tacit knowledge of retiring electrical engineers and technical personnel. The research methodology involved a qualitative embedded case study. The theories used in this study included knowledge creation theory, resource-based theory, and organizational learning theory. Data were collected through one time interviews of a senior electrical engineer or technician within each utility and a workforce planning or training professional within 2 of the 7 utilities. The analysis included the use of triangulation and content analysis strategies. Ten tacit knowledge capture strategies were identified: (a) formal and informal on-boarding mentorship and apprenticeship programs, (b) formal and informal off-boarding mentorship programs, (c) formal and informal training programs, (d) using lessons learned during training sessions, (e) communities of practice, (f) technology enabled tools, (g) storytelling, (h) exit interviews, (i) rehiring of retirees as consultants, and (j) knowledge risk assessments. This research contributes to social change by offering strategies to capture the know-how needed to ensure operational continuity in the delivery of safe, reliable, and sustainable power.

Ecological principles, biodiversity, and the electric utility industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temple, Stanley A.

1996-11-01

The synthetic field of conservation biology uses principles derived from many different disciplines to address biodiversity issues. Many of these principles have come from ecology, and two simple ones that seem to relate to many issues involving the utility industry are: (1) “Everything is interconnected” (and should usually stay that way), and (2) “We can never do merely one thing.” The first principle can be applied to both the biotic and physical environments that are impacted by industrial activities. Habitat fragmentation and the loss of physical and biotic connectedness that results are frequently associated with transmission rights-of-way. These problems can be reduced—or even turned into conservation benefits—by careful planning and creative management. The second principle applies to the utility industry's programs to deal with carbon released by burning fossil fuels. Ecological knowledge can allow these programs to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity in addition to addressing a pollution problem. Without careful ecological analyses, industry could easily create new problems while implementing solutions to old ones.

Effectiveness of an intergenerational approach for enhancing knowledge and improving attitudes toward the environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shih-Tsen

One area in which many environmental education programs are deficient is in reaching and involving the adult population. For senior adults in particular, the disconnect from environmental centers and other settings represents a missed opportunity for strengthening relationships, utilizing community resources and promoting civic engagement. In this sense, "intergenerational programming" could serve as an effective strategy for broadening the public's awareness and participation in environmental activities. Although the concept of involving older adults and young people in joint environmental education experiences is compelling on several fronts, there is no body of evidence to draw upon; nor is there a blueprint to guide efforts to translate this general goal into practice. This research was therefore designed to: (1) assess the effectiveness of an intergeneration outdoor education program in enhancing participants' environmental knowledge and positive attitudes, (2) explore other program impacts on the participants and the environmental centers, and (3) learn about environmental educators' experiences and opinions in regard to utilizing senior adults in their programs. This study was conducted in two phases in order to address the research purposes: (1) a nonequivalent-control-group quasi-experimental research incorporated with the Outdoor School program at the Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, and (2) a statewide mail-in survey with environmental educators in Pennsylvania. According to the quantitative data, both intergenerational groups obtained higher mean scores for environmental attitudes than the monogenerational groups, although the difference in scores was not statistically significant than one of the two monogenerational groups. The qualitative data showed that senior adults have certain characteristics that allowed them to make a substantial contribution toward enriching children's awareness and appreciation of the natural environment. Although the environmental knowledge level held by students in the intergenerational groups was not tested to be significantly higher than that of the monogenerational groups, this may due to the test itself. Qualitative data suggested that senior adults did indeed make a contribution. Both the quantitative and qualitative data of the experimental research indicated that the inclusion of senior volunteers in an environmental education program has positive impacts on children's attitudes toward older adults. The results also showed many positive program impacts on participating senior adults. The survey of Pennsylvania environmental educators revealed the educators' affirmation of the need to utilize senior volunteers in environmental centers. The recommendations for further research are to (1) assess the correlations between program effectiveness and facilitation styles, (2) assess the correlations between program effectiveness and roles of senior volunteers, (3) determine whether actively involving adult volunteers in environmental centers or classrooms will facilitate greater learning about the environment and other generations than using students to educate adults at home, and (4) to evaluate the impacts of an intergenerational environmental education program on multiple levels, including impact on the participating organizations, and the surrounding community. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

GENPLOT: A formula-based Pascal program for data manipulation and plotting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kramer, Matthew J.

Geochemical processes involving alteration, differentiation, fractionation, or migration of elements may be elucidated by a number of discrimination or variation diagrams (e.g., AFM, Harker, Pearce, and many others). The construction of these diagrams involves arithmetic combination of selective elements (involving major, minor, or trace elements). GENPLOT utilizes a formula-based algorithm (an expression parser) which enables the program to manipulate multiparameter databases and plot XY, ternary, tetrahedron, and REE type plots without needing to change either the source code or rearranging databases. Formulae may be any quadratic expression whose variables are the column headings of the data matrix. A full-screen editor with limited equations and arithmetic functions (spreadsheet) has been incorporated into the program to aid data entry and editing. Data are stored as ASCII files to facilitate interchange of data between other programs and computers. GENPLOT was developed in Turbo Pascal for the IBM and compatible computers but also is available in Apple Pascal for the Apple Ile and Ill. Because the source code is too extensive to list here (about 5200 lines of Pascal code), the expression parsing routine, which is central to GENPLOT's flexibility is incorporated into a smaller demonstration program named SOLVE. The following paper includes a discussion on how the expression parser works and a detailed description of GENPLOT's capabilities.

The New Hampshire retail competition pilot program and the role of green marketing

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

Holt, E.A.; Fang, J.M.

1997-11-01

Most states in the US are involved in electric industry restructuring, from considering the pros and cons in regulatory dockets to implementing legislative mandates for full restructuring and retail access for all consumers. Several states and utilities have initiated pilot programs in which multiple suppliers or service providers may compete for business and some utility customers can choose among competing suppliers. The State of New Hampshire has been experimenting with a pilot program, mandated by the State Legislature in 1995 and implemented by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (NHPUC), before it implements full retail access. Green marketing, an attemptmore » to characterize the supplier or service provider as environmentally friendly without referring to the energy resource used to generate electricity, was used by several suppliers or service providers to attract customers. This appeal to environmental consumerism was moderately successful, but it raised a number of consumer protection and public policy issues. This issue brief examines the marketing methods used in New Hampshire and explores what green marketing might mean for the development of renewable energy generation. It also addresses the issues raised and their implications.« less

Development of Processing Techniques for Advanced Thermal Protection Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Selvaduray, Guna; Cox, Michael; Srinivasan, Vijayakumar

1997-01-01

Thermal Protection Materials Branch (TPMB) has been involved in various research programs to improve the properties and structural integrity of the existing aerospace high temperature materials. Specimens from various research programs were brought into the analytical laboratory for the purpose of obtaining and refining the material characterization. The analytical laboratory in TPMB has many different instruments which were utilized to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of materials. Some of the instruments that were utilized by the SJSU students are: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray Diffraction Spectrometer (XRD), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultra Violet Spectroscopy/Visible Spectroscopy (UV/VIS), Particle Size Analyzer (PSA), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES). The above mentioned analytical instruments were utilized in the material characterization process of the specimens from research programs such as: aerogel ceramics (I) and (II), X-33 Blankets, ARC-Jet specimens, QUICFIX specimens and gas permeability of lightweight ceramic ablators. In addition to analytical instruments in the analytical laboratory at TPMB, there are several on-going experiments. One particular experiment allows the measurement of permeability of ceramic ablators. From these measurements, physical characteristics of the ceramic ablators can be derived.

Improving America's Schools Act

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cradler, John; Bridgforth, Elizabeth

1995-01-01

The Improving America's Schools ACT (IASA) emphasizes coherent systemic education reform, with Goals 2000 setting common standards for IASA and the recently authorized School-to-Work Program. IASA addresses the need to raise academic achievement, increase opportunities to learn, improve professional development, increase community involvement, utilize instructional applications of technology, and improve assessment, and allow more local flexibility in the use of funds.

Flight Hour Reductions in Fleet Replacement Pilot Training through Simulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smode, Alfred F.

A project was undertaken to integrate the 2F87F operational flight trainer into the program for training replacement patrol plane pilots. The objectives were to determine the potential of the simulator as a substitute environment for learning aircraft tasks and to effectively utilize the simulator in pilot training. The students involved in the…

The Long Term Effectiveness of Intensive Stuttering Therapy: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irani, Farzan; Gabel, Rodney; Daniels, Derek; Hughes, Stephanie

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of client perceptions of an intensive stuttering therapy program that utilizes a multi-faceted approach to therapy. The study also proposed to gain a deeper understanding about the process involved in long-term maintenance of meaningful changes made in therapy. Methods: The…

A Multilevel Perspective on the Climate of Bullying: Discrepancies among Students, School Staff, and Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waasdorp, Tracy Evian; Pas, Elise T.; O'Brennan, Lindsey M.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.

2011-01-01

Although many bullying prevention programs aim to involve multiple partners, few studies have examined perceptual differences regarding peer victimization and the broader bullying climate among students, staff, and parents. The present study utilized multilevel data from 11,674 students, 960 parents, and 1,027 staff at 44 schools to examine the…

A study of space station needs, attributes and architectural options. Final briefing: Cost working group discussion session

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The economic factors involved in the design and utilization of the space station are investigated. Topics include the economic benefits associated with research and production, the orbit transfer vehicle, and satellite servicing. Program costs and design options are examined. The possibilities of financing from the private sector are discussed.

Cantera and Cantera Electrolyte Thermodynamics Objects

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

John Hewson, Harry Moffat

Cantera is a suite of object-oriented software tools for problems involving chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and/or transport processes. It is a multi-organizational effort to create and formulate high quality 0D and 1D constitutive modeling tools for reactive transport codes.Institutions involved with the effort include Sandia, MIT, Colorado School of Mines, U. Texas, NASA, and Oak Ridge National Labs. Specific to Sandia's contributions, the Cantera Electrolyte Thermo Objects (CETO) packages is comprised of add-on routines for Cantera that handle electrolyte thermochemistry and reactions within the overall Cantera package. Cantera is a C++ Cal Tech code that handles gas phase species transport, reaction,more » and thermodynamics. With this addition, Cantera can be extended to handle problems involving liquid phase reactions and transport in electrolyte systems, and phase equilibrium problemsinvolving concentrated electrolytes and gas/solid phases. A full treatment of molten salt thermodynamics and transport has also been implemented in CETO. The routines themselves consist of .cpp and .h files containing C++ objects that are derived from parent Cantera objects representing thermodynamic functions. They are linked unto the main Cantera libraries when requested by the user. As an addendum to the main thermodynamics objects, several utility applications are provided. The first is multiphase Gibbs free energy minimizer based on the vcs algorithm, called vcs_cantera. This code allows for the calculation of thermodynamic equilibrium in multiple phases at constant temperature and pressure. Note, a similar code capability exists already in Cantera. This version follows the same algorithm, but gas a different code-base starting point, and is used as a research tool for algorithm development. The second program, cttables, prints out tables of thermodynamic and kinetic information for thermodynamic and kinetic objects within Cantera. This program serves as a "Get the numbers out" utility for Cantera, and as such it is very useful as a verification tool. These add-on utilities are encapsulated into a directory structure named cantera_apps, whose installation uses autoconf and also utilizes Cantera's application environment (i.e., they utilize Cantera as a library).« less

Barriers to Women's Participation: Experiences of Volunteers and Community Healthcare Authorities.

PubMed

Rezakhani Moghaddam, Hamed; Allahverdipour, Hamid; Matlabi, Hossein

2018-01-01

Along with health development in general terms, women's involvement in health programs can be effective in raising their self-confidence and their health promotion. This study was carried out to unveil the barriers to and challenges of the health volunteers and to present the solutions to its promotion using active women participants' experiences and the authorities of the program. The study was carried out using qualitative method along with content analysis in city of Tabriz East-Azerbaijan province, Iran. Data collection was conducted utilizing semistructured individual interviews and focus group discussions with the participation of 29 health volunteers and responsible authorities. The participants were selected using purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data analysis implemented conventional content analysis using MAXODA. Barriers to and challenges of health volunteers were generally categorized into four main themes including volunteers and trainers' inadequate capabilities, inadequate acceptance of the volunteers, restrictive social norms, and organizational problems. It seems that interaction among health system, people, and health volunteers should be improved. Holding training programs about the activities of health volunteers at the society level leads into the better utilization of society sources in health programs.

The Urban Ecology Institute's field studies program: utilizing urban areas for experiential learning and ecological research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starry, O.

2005-05-01

The Urban Ecology Institute (UEI) promotes the stewardship of healthy urban ecosystems by improving science and civic education for middle and high school youth and by working with urban communities to protect and transform natural resources. Established in 1999, UEI's field studies program engages over 1000 youth in the greater Boston area. A substantial component of this program involves water quality monitoring. We have recently adapted protocols from published leaf breakdown studies for incorporation into the UEI water quality curriculum. A 2004 pilot study of these leaf breakdown activities, conducted at four sites, compared rates of red maple breakdown to those of Norway maple, a potentially invasive urban street tree. Preliminary data from this successful pilot study suggest that leaf litter inputs from the two different tree species have varying effects on stream ecosystem function. We present this study as an example of how urban areas can be utilized for both ecological research and inclusive experiential learning through which science and mathematic knowledge can be effectively communicated.

Implementation of the Texas Medication Algorithm Project patient and family education program.

PubMed

Toprac, Marcia G; Dennehy, Ellen B; Carmody, Thomas J; Crismon, M Lynn; Miller, Alexander L; Trivedi, Madhukar H; Suppes, Trisha; Rush, A John

2006-09-01

This article describes the implementation and utilization of the patient and family education program (PFEP) component of the Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP). The extent of participation, types of psychoeducation received, and predictors of receiving at least a minimum level of education are presented. TMAP included medication guidelines, a dedicated clinical coordinator, standardized assessments of symptoms and side effects, uniform documentation, and a PFEP. The PFEP includes phased, multimodal, disorder-specific educational materials for patients and families. Participants were adult outpatients of 1 of 7 community mental health centers in Texas that were implementing the TMAP disease management package. Patients had DSM-IV clinical diagnoses of major depressive disorder, with or without psychotic features; bipolar I disorder or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type; or schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Assessments were administered by independent research coordinators. Study data were collected between March 1998 and March 2000, and patients participated for at least 1 year. Of the 487 participants, nearly all (95.1%) had at least 1 educational encounter, but only 53.6% of participants met criteria for "minimum exposure" to individual education interventions. Furthermore, only 31.0% participated in group education, and 42.5% had a family member involved in at least 1 encounter. Participants with schizophrenia were less involved in the PFEP across multiple indicators of utilization. Diagnosis, intensity of symptoms, age, and receipt of public assistance were related to the likelihood of exposure to minimum levels of individual education. Despite adequate resources and infrastructure to provide PFEP, utilization was less than anticipated. Although implementation guidelines were uniform across diagnoses, participants with schizophrenia experienced less exposure to psychoeducation. Recommendations for improving program implementation and modification of materials are discussed.

Metallurgy: A compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A technology utilization program is presented for the dissemination of information on technological developments which have potential utility outside the aerospace and nuclear communities. Discussion is restricted to the effects of hydrogen on a variety of metal alloys, and the mechanical properties of some recently developed alloys. Hydrogen at both low and high pressure is shown to have adverse effects on alloys such as ultrahigh-strength steels, irradiated steels, columbium, inconel alloys, titanium alloys, and certain stainless steels. The mechanical and physical properties of a wide range of alloys, their performance at elevated temperatures, and some of the processes involved in their development are also considered.

Utility of a scanning densitometer in analyzing remotely sensed imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dooley, J. T.

1976-01-01

The utility of a scanning densitometer for analyzing imagery in the NASA Lewis Research Center's regional remote sensing program was evaluated. Uses studied include: (1) quick-look screening of imagery by means of density slicing, magnification, color coding, and edge enhancement; (2) preliminary category classification of both low- and high-resolution data bases; and (3) quantitative measurement of the extent of features within selected areas. The densitometer was capable of providing fast, convenient, and relatively inexpensive preliminary analysis of aerial and satellite photography and scanner imagery involving land cover, water quality, strip mining, and energy conservation.

Progress in MMIC technology for satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haugland, Edward J.; Leonard, Regis F.

1987-01-01

NASA's Lewis Research Center is actively involved in the development of monolithic microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits (MMICs). The approach of the program is to support basic research under grant or in-house, while MMIC development is done under contract, thereby facilitating the transfer of technology to users. Preliminary thrusts of the program have been the extension of technology to higher frequencies (60 GHz), degrees of complexity, and performance (power, efficiency, noise figure) by utilizing novel circuit designs, processes, and materials. A review of the progress made so far is presented.

LANDSAT-4 TM image data quality analysis for energy-related applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wukelic, G. E.; Foote, H. P.

1983-01-01

LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper (TM) data performance and utility characteristics from an energy research and technology perspective is evaluated. The program focuses on evaluating applicational implications of using such data, in combination with other digital data, for current and future energy research and technology activities. Prime interest is in using TM data for siting, developing and operating federal energy facilities. Secondary interests involve the use of such data for resource exploration, environmental monitoring and basic scientific initiatives such as in support of the Continental Scientific Drilling Program.

Health services outcomes for a diabetes disease management program for the elderly.

PubMed

Berg, Gregory D; Wadhwa, Sandeep

2007-08-01

Our objective was to investigate the utilization, drug, and clinical outcomes of a telephonic nursing disease management (DM) program for elderly patients with diabetes. We employed a 24-month, matched-cohort study employing propensity score matching. The setting involved Medicare + Choice recipients residing in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. There were 610 intervention group members over the age of 65 matched to a control group of members over the age of 65. The DM diabetes program employed a structured, evidence-based, telephonic nursing intervention designed to provide patient education, counseling, and monitoring services. Measurements consisted of Medical service utilization, including hospitalizations, emergency department visits, physician evaluation and management visits, skilled nursing facility days, drug utilization, and selected clinical indicators. Among the results, the intervention group had considerably and significantly lower rates of acute service utilization compared to the control group, including a 17.5% reduction in hospitalizations, 22.4% reduction in bed days, 12.3% increase in physician evaluation and management visits, 23.7% increase in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor use, 13.3% increase in blood glucose regulator use, 11.8% increase in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) tests, 10.3% increase in lipid panels, 26.0% increase in eye exams, and 35.5% increase in microalbumin tests. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that a commercially delivered diabetes DM program significantly reduces hospitalizations and bed-days while increasing the use of ACE inhibitors and blood glucose regulators along with selected clinical procedures such as HbA1c tests, lipid panels, eye exams, and microalbumin tests.

Improved utilization of small-diameter ponderosa pine in glulam timber

Treesearch

Roland Hernandez; David W. Green; David E. Kretschmann; Steven P. Verrill

2005-01-01

This study involved the evaluation of ponderosa pine glulam made from lumber that was sawn from a small-diameter timber resource. Two different glulam beam depths were evaluated: 8 and 13 laminations. A comprehensive glulam test program was conducted to evaluate edgewise and flat-wise bending, shear, and tensile strength. Beam deflection was measured and a variety of...

An Action Research Study Using the Music Model of Academic Motivation to Increase Reading Motivation in a Fourth-Grade Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Angela W.

2013-01-01

This study involved examination of the processes employed in tailoring fourth-grade reading instruction to increase levels of student motivation. A participatory action research approach was utilized to design and conduct reading instruction that fourth-grade students perceived to be motivating. The reading instructional program was designed using…

The Role of Parental Leadership in Academic Performance: A Case of Pupils in the Free Primary Education Program in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellon, Emmanuel O.; Ngware, Moses Waithanji; Admassu, Kassahun

2017-01-01

The study examines the combined effects of key elements in parental leadership on academic performance. In the wake of inadequate learning resources, parental leadership becomes an indispensable learning input for children's academic performance. The discourse utilized data collected from 2005 to 2010 in a longitudinal study involving 1,549…

Impact resistance of composite fan blades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Results are presented of a program to determine the impact resistance of composite fan blades subjected to foreign object damage (FOD) while operating under conditions simulating a short take-off and landing (STOL) engine at takeoff. The full-scale TF39 first-stage fan blade was chosen as the base design for the demonstration component since its configuration and operating tip speeds are similar to a typical STOL fan blade several composite configurations had already been designed and evaluated under previous programs. The first portion of the program was devoted toward fabricating and testing high impact resistant, aerodynamically acceptable composite blades which utilized only a single material system in any given blade. In order to increase the blade impact capability beyond this point, several mixed material (hybrid) designs were investigated using S-glass and Kevlar as well as boron and graphite fibers. These hybrid composite blades showed a marked improvement in resistance to bird impact over those blades made of a single composite material. The work conducted under this program has demonstrated substantial improvement in composite fan blades with respect to FOD resistance and has indicated that the hybrid design concept, which utilizes different types of fibers in various portions of a fan blade design depending on the particular requirements of the different areas and the characteristics of the different fibers involved, shows a significant improvement over those designs utilizing only one material system.

Using a systems orientation and foundational theory to enhance theory-driven human service program evaluations.

PubMed

Wasserman, Deborah L

2010-05-01

This paper offers a framework for using a systems orientation and "foundational theory" to enhance theory-driven evaluations and logic models. The framework guides the process of identifying and explaining operative relationships and perspectives within human service program systems. Self-Determination Theory exemplifies how a foundational theory can be used to support the framework in a wide range of program evaluations. Two examples illustrate how applications of the framework have improved the evaluators' abilities to observe and explain program effect. In both exemplars improvements involved addressing and organizing into a single logic model heretofore seemingly disparate evaluation issues regarding valuing (by whose values); the role of organizational and program context; and evaluation anxiety and utilization. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Improvements in Hop Test Scores After a 6-Week Neuromuscular Training Program.

PubMed

Meierbachtol, Adam; Rohman, Eric; Paur, Eric; Bottoms, John; Tompkins, Marc

2016-09-12

In patients who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), the effect of neuromuscular re-education (NMR) programs on standard hop tests outcomes, including limb symmetry indices (LSIs), is unknown. Both legs will show improvement in hop test-measured units after neuromuscular training, but the involved leg will show relatively greater improvement leading to improved limb symmetry. Patients younger than 18 years will show more improvement than patients who are older. Retrospective cohort study. Level 3. Patients self-selected their participation in this NMR program, which was completed after traditional outpatient physical therapy. Pre- and post-hop test scores were recorded as the primary outcome measure. Seventy-one patients met the inclusion criteria and completed hop testing. Overall, the involved leg showed significant improvements (pretest/posttest) for single-leg hop (138.30 cm/156.89 cm), triple crossover hop (370.05 cm/423.11 cm), and timed hop (2.21 s/1.99 s). Similarly, on the uninvolved leg, improvements were seen for the single-leg hop (159.30 cm/171.87 cm) and triple crossover hop (427.50 cm/471.27 cm). Overall mean limb symmetry improved across all 4 hop tests, but there was significant improvement only on the single-leg hop (87% pretest to 92% posttest). Patients younger than 18 years showed mean significant LSI improvement on the triple crossover hop. Utilizing an intensive 6-week NMR program after ACLR prior to return to sport can improve quantitative hop test measurements. Patients younger than 18 years had greater improvement than those 18 years and older. Advanced NMR programs can be successfully utilized in the postoperative ACLR setting to improve quantitative limb symmetry. © 2016 The Author(s).

Quantitative Improvements in Hop Test Scores After a 6-Week Neuromuscular Training Program

PubMed Central

Meierbachtol, Adam; Rohman, Eric; Paur, Eric; Bottoms, John; Tompkins, Marc

2016-01-01

Background: In patients who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), the effect of neuromuscular re-education (NMR) programs on standard hop tests outcomes, including limb symmetry indices (LSIs), is unknown. Hypothesis: Both legs will show improvement in hop test–measured units after neuromuscular training, but the involved leg will show relatively greater improvement leading to improved limb symmetry. Patients younger than 18 years will show more improvement than patients who are older. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Patients self-selected their participation in this NMR program, which was completed after traditional outpatient physical therapy. Pre– and post–hop test scores were recorded as the primary outcome measure. Results: Seventy-one patients met the inclusion criteria and completed hop testing. Overall, the involved leg showed significant improvements (pretest/posttest) for single-leg hop (138.30 cm/156.89 cm), triple crossover hop (370.05 cm/423.11 cm), and timed hop (2.21 s/1.99 s). Similarly, on the uninvolved leg, improvements were seen for the single-leg hop (159.30 cm/171.87 cm) and triple crossover hop (427.50 cm/471.27 cm). Overall mean limb symmetry improved across all 4 hop tests, but there was significant improvement only on the single-leg hop (87% pretest to 92% posttest). Patients younger than 18 years showed mean significant LSI improvement on the triple crossover hop. Conclusion: Utilizing an intensive 6-week NMR program after ACLR prior to return to sport can improve quantitative hop test measurements. Patients younger than 18 years had greater improvement than those 18 years and older. Clinical Relevance: Advanced NMR programs can be successfully utilized in the postoperative ACLR setting to improve quantitative limb symmetry. PMID:27620968

Remote sensing inputs to National Model Implementation Program for water resources quality improvement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eidenshink, J. C.; Schmer, F. A.

1979-01-01

The Lake Herman watershed in southeastern South Dakota has been selected as one of seven water resources systems in the United States for involvement in the National Model Implementation Program (MIP). MIP is a pilot program initiated to illustrate the effectiveness of existing water resources quality improvement programs. The Remote Sensing Institute (RSI) at South Dakota State University has produced a computerized geographic information system for the Lake Herman watershed. All components necessary for the monitoring and evaluation process were included in the data base. The computerized data were used to produce thematic maps and tabular data for the land cover and soil classes within the watershed. These data are being utilized operationally by SCS resource personnel for planning and management purposes.

The role of librarians in teaching evidence-based medicine to pediatric residents: a survey of pediatric residency program directors.

PubMed

Boykan, Rachel; Jacobson, Robert M

2017-10-01

The research sought to identify the general use of medical librarians in pediatric residency training, to define the role of medical librarians in teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) to pediatric residents, and to describe strategies and curricula for teaching EBM used in pediatric residency training programs. We sent a 13-question web-based survey through the Association of Pediatric Program Directors to 200 pediatric residency program directors between August and December 2015. A total of 91 (46%) pediatric residency program directors responded. Most (76%) programs had formal EBM curricula, and more than 75% of curricula addressed question formation, searching, assessment of validity, generalizability, quantitative importance, statistical significance, and applicability. The venues for teaching EBM that program directors perceived to be most effective included journal clubs (84%), conferences (44%), and morning report (36%). While 80% of programs utilized medical librarians, most of these librarians assisted with scholarly or research projects (74%), addressed clinical questions (62%), and taught on any topic not necessarily EBM (58%). Only 17% of program directors stated that librarians were involved in teaching EBM on a regular basis. The use of a librarian was not associated with having an EBM curriculum but was significantly associated with the size of the program. Smaller programs were more likely to utilize librarians (100%) than were medium (71%) or large programs (75%). While most pediatric residency programs have an EBM curriculum and engage medical librarians in various ways, librarians' expertise in teaching EBM is underutilized. Programs should work to better integrate librarians' expertise, both in the didactic and clinical teaching of EBM.

Impact of the residential conservation service program on natural gas and electric utilities. Appendix B

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

Not Available

An assessment of the RCS program is provided from the perspective of eleven case study utilities. First, an introduction to the role and value of conservation in utility strategic planning is presented. The interplay of various utility system characteristics is shown to be the primary determinant of the value of conservation efforts from the utility's point of view. Simplified typologies of utilities are developed to aid in the identification of those combinations of the utility characteristics that will favor the adoption of the utility sponsored strategic conservation efforts. The integration of the RCS program with other utility conservation and loadmore » management programs is explored for the eleven case study utilities. Reference is made to the simplified typologies in order to show, through actual program experience, how the strategic position of the utility company affects its adoption of this federal program. Evaluative studies done by the eleven case study utilities of the RCS program are reviewed. Results are presented and the methodologies are critiqued. Conclusions regarding the RCS program from the utility perspective are presented.« less

“Church-Based Health Programs for Mental Disorders among African Americans: A Review

PubMed Central

Hankerson, Sidney H.; Weissman, Myrna M.

2014-01-01

Objective African Americans, compared to White Americans, underutilize traditional mental health services. A systematic review is presented of studies involving church-based health promotion programs (CBHPP) for mental disorders among African Americans to assess the feasibility of utilizing such programs to address racial disparities in mental health care. Methods A literature review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ATLA Religion databases was conducted to identify articles published between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 2009. Inclusion criteria included the following: studies were conducted in a church; primary objective(s) involved assessment, perceptions/attitudes, education, prevention, group support, or treatment for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV mental disorders or their correlates; number of participants was reported; qualitative and/or quantitative data were reported; and African Americans were the target population. Results Of 1,451 studies identified, 191 studies were eligible for formal review. Only eight studies met inclusion criteria for this review. The majority of studies focused on substance related disorders (n=5), were designed to assess the effects of a specific intervention (n=6), and targeted adults (n=6). One study focused on depression and was limited by a small sample size of seven participants. Conclusion Although CBHPP have been successful in addressing racial disparities for several chronic medical conditions, the published literature on CBHPP for mental disorders is extremely limited. More intensive research is needed to establish the feasibility and acceptability of utilizing church-based health programs as a possible resource for screening and treatment to improve disparities in mental health care for African Americans. PMID:22388529

What part of the total care consumed by type 2 diabetes patients is directly related to diabetes? Implications for disease management programs.

PubMed

van Dijk, Christel E; Verheij, Robert A; Swinkels, Ilse C S; Rijken, Mieke; Schellevis, François G; Groenewegen, Peter P; de Bakker, Dinny H

2011-10-01

Disease management programs (DMP) aim at improving coordination and quality of care and reducing healthcare costs for specific chronic diseases. This paper investigates to what extent total healthcare utilization of type 2 diabetes patients is actually related to diabetes and its implications for diabetes management programs. Healthcare utilization for diabetes patients was analyzed using 2008 self-reported data (n=316) and data from electronic medical records (EMR) (n=9023), and divided whether or not care was described in the Dutch type 2 diabetes multidisciplinary healthcare standard. On average 4.3 different disciplines of healthcare providers were involved in the care for diabetes patients. Ninety-six percent contacted a GP-practice and 63% an ophthalmologist, 24% an internist, 32% a physiotherapist and 23% a dietician. Diabetes patients had on average 9.3 contacts with GP-practice of which 53% were included in the healthcare standard. Only a limited part of total healthcare utilization of diabetes patients was included in the healthcare standard and therefore theoretically included in DMPs. Organizing the care for diabetics in a DMP might harm the coordination and quality of all healthcare for diabetics. DMPs should be integrated in the overall organization of care.

C&RE-SLC: Database for conservation and renewable energy activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavallo, J. D.; Tompkins, M. M.; Fisher, A. G.

1992-08-01

The Western Area Power Administration (Western) requires all its long-term power customers to implement programs that promote the conservation of electric energy or facilitate the use of renewable energy resources. The hope is that these measures could significantly reduce the amount of environmental damage associated with electricity production. As part of preparing the environmental impact statement for Western's Electric Power Marketing Program, Argonne National Laboratory constructed a database of the conservation and renewable energy activities in which Western's Salt Lake City customers are involved. The database provides information on types of conservation and renewable energy activities and allows for comparisons of activities being conducted at different utilities in the Salt Lake City region. Sorting the database allows Western's Salt Lake City customers to be classified so the various activities offered by different classes of utilities can be identified; for example, comparisons can be made between municipal utilities and cooperatives or between large and small customers. The information included in the database was collected from customer planning documents in the files of Western's Salt Lake City office.

Predictors of Substance Abuse Assessment and Treatment Completion for Parents Involved with Child Welfare: One State's Experience in Matching across Systems.

PubMed

Traube, Dorian E; He, Amy S; Zhu, Limei; Scalise, Christine; Richardson, Tyrone

2015-01-01

To date, few studies have examined the effect of interagency collaboration on substance abuse assessment ity of Southern California and treatment completion for parents who are involved in child welfare. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) describe a statewide, interagency collaborative program aimed at providing targeted substance abuse assessment and treatment to parents engaged in the child welfare system; (2) document the specialized assessment and treatment outcomes for parents engaged through this collaborative program; and (3) determine factors related to successful treatment completion for parents involved in the child welfare system. This is a retrospective study of an open cohort of 13,829 individuals admitted to the New Jersey Child Protection Substance Abuse Initiative (CPSAI) program from October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010. Data were drawn from two unique administrative data sources. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to explore factors related to successfil treatment completion for parents involved in the child welfare system. Trend analysis for the total sample in the CPSAI program revealed that, of the 10,909 individuals who received a CPSAI assessment, 59% were referred to treatment. Of those referred to treatment, 40% enrolled in a treatment program. Once enrolled in a treatment program, 55% completed or were in the process of completing substance abuse treatment. These findings suggest that when adequate screening and treatment is available through a streamlined process, many of the ethnic and gender disparities present among other populations of individuals seeking treatment are minimized. Utilizing inherent child welfare case factors appears to be an important motivating element that aids parents during the assessment and treatment process.

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

Rhinefrank, Kenneth E.; Lenee-Bluhm, Pukha; Prudell, Joseph H.

The most prudent path to a full-scale design, build and deployment of a wave energy conversion (WEC) system involves establishment of validated numerical models using physical experiments in a methodical scaling program. This Project provides essential additional rounds of wave tank testing at 1:33 scale and ocean/bay testing at a 1:7 scale, necessary to validate numerical modeling that is essential to a utility-scale WEC design and associated certification.

Meeting the Complex Needs of Urban Youth and Their Families through the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program: The "Real World" Meets Evidence-Informed Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Latoya A.; Jackson, Jerrold; Gopalan, Geetha; McKay, Mary McKernan

2015-01-01

Background: Youth living in poverty face compounding familial and environmental was challenges in utilizing effective community mental health services. Ongoing stressors increase their drop-out rate in mental health service use. Difficulties also exist in staying engaged in services when involved with the child welfare system. This study examines…

Linking data to decision-making: applying qualitative data analysis methods and software to identify mechanisms for using outcomes data.

PubMed

Patel, Vaishali N; Riley, Anne W

2007-10-01

A multiple case study was conducted to examine how staff in child out-of-home care programs used data from an Outcomes Management System (OMS) and other sources to inform decision-making. Data collection consisted of thirty-seven semi-structured interviews with clinicians, managers, and directors from two treatment foster care programs and two residential treatment centers, and individuals involved with developing the OMS; and observations of clinical and quality management meetings. Case study and grounded theory methodology guided analyses. The application of qualitative data analysis software is described. Results show that although staff rarely used data from the OMS, they did rely on other sources of systematically collected information to inform clinical, quality management, and program decisions. Analyses of how staff used these data suggest that improving the utility of OMS will involve encouraging staff to participate in data-based decision-making, and designing and implementing OMS in a manner that reflects how decision-making processes operate.

The NASA Energy Conservation Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffney, G. P.

1977-01-01

Large energy-intensive research and test equipment at NASA installations is identified, and methods for reducing energy consumption outlined. However, some of the research facilities are involved in developing more efficient, fuel-conserving aircraft, and tradeoffs between immediate and long-term conservation may be necessary. Major programs for conservation include: computer-based systems to automatically monitor and control utility consumption; a steam-producing solid waste incinerator; and a computer-based cost analysis technique to engineer more efficient heating and cooling of buildings. Alternate energy sources in operation or under evaluation include: solar collectors; electric vehicles; and ultrasonically emulsified fuel to attain higher combustion efficiency. Management support, cooperative participation by employees, and effective reporting systems for conservation programs, are also discussed.

Getting the shots: methods to gain adherence to a multi-dose vaccination program for inner city, drug-involved prostitution communities.

PubMed

Daughtridge, Giffin W; Ross, Timothy W; Ceballos, Paola A; Stellar, Carmen E

2014-04-01

Street-based sex-work and poly-substance drug use, coupled with low vaccination rates and limited utilization of the mainstream health care system, put the sex worker communities of Bogotá's city center at extreme risk of infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Vaccination is critical to maintaining low prevalence of the disease and low incidence of new cases, yet the floating and inconsistent nature of Bogotá's drug-involved female and transsexual prostitution communities make it difficult to complete a 3-dose vaccination program. Between December 2011 and March of 2012, the Fénix Foundation collaborated with the Bogotá Health Department to deliver free HBV vaccines to this vulnerable population. This paper outlines methods used in the vaccination program to generate a 37.7% adherence rate, significantly higher than that previously reported for HBV vaccination programs also targeting marginalized populations. This program's practices are based on the Fénix peer leader method, and are offered as a model that can be applied to other health interventions operating in analogous contexts, with similarly high-risk populations.

Integrated payload and mission planning, phase 3. Volume 4: Optimum utilization of Spacelab racks and pallets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logston, R. G.; Budris, G. D.

1977-01-01

The methodology to optimize the utilization of Spacelab racks and pallets and to apply this methodology to the early STS Spacelab missions was developed. A review was made of Spacelab Program requirements and flow plans, generic flow plans for racks and pallets were examined, and the principal optimization criteria and methodology were established. Interactions between schedule, inventory, and key optimization factors; schedule and cost sensitivity to optional approaches; and the development of tradeoff methodology were addressed. This methodology was then applied to early spacelab missions (1980-1982). Rack and pallet requirements and duty cycles were defined, a utilization assessment was made, and several trade studies performed involving varying degrees of Level IV integration, inventory level, and shared versus dedicated Spacelab racks and pallets.

Utility-Marketing Partnerships: An Effective Strategy for Marketing Green Power?

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

Bird, L. A.; Brown, E. S.

This paper explores whether partnerships between utilities and independent marketers are an effective strategy for marketing green power. We present case studies of voluntary and mandatory partnerships covering green power program design and implementation in both regulated and restructured electricity markets. We also include perspectives (based on interviews) from utilities, marketers, and regulators involved in developing and implementing these partnerships. From these case studies and interviews, we describe lessons learned about developing effective partnerships, including such issues as respective roles in marketing and administration, product branding, and contract and incentive structures. Based on experience to date, strategic partnerships between utilitiesmore » and marketers can be an effective approach to marketing green power. Partnerships leverage the sales and resource procurement experience of marketers and the utility?s reputation and access to customers. Further, partnerships can create greater incentives for success because marketers have a vested financial interest in maximizing customer participation and green power sales.« less

Voluntary Truck and Bus Fuel-Economy-Program marketing plan. Final technical report, September 29, 1980-January 29, 1982

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

None

The aim of the program is to improve the utilization of fuel by commercial trucks and buses by updating and implementing specific approaches for educating and monitoring the trucking industry on methods and means of conserving fuels. The following outlines the marketing plan projects: increase use of program logo by voluntary program members and others; solicit trade publication membership and support; brief Congressional delegations on fuel conservation efforts; increase voluntary program presence before trade groups; increase voluntary program presence at truck and trade shows; create a voluntary program display for use at trade shows and in other areas; review voluntarymore » program graphics; increase voluntary program membership; and produce placemats carrying fuel conservation messages; produce a special edition of Fuel Economy News, emphasizing the driver's involvement in fuel conservation; produce posters carrying voluntary program fuel conservation message. Project objectives, activities, and results for each project are summarized.« less

Fluids and Materials Science Studies Utilizing the Microgravity-vibration Isolation Mount (MIM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herring, Rodney; Tryggvason, Bjarni; Duval, Walter

1998-01-01

Canada's Microgravity Sciences Program (MSP) is the smallest program of the ISS partners and so can participate in only a few, highly focused projects in order to make a scientific and technological impact. One focused project involves determining the effect of accelerations (g-jitter) on scientific measurements in a microgravity environment utilizing the Microgravity-vibration Isolation Mount (MIM). Many experiments share the common characteristic of having a fluid stage in their process. The quality of the experimental measurements have been expected to be affected by g-jitters which has lead the ISS program to include specifications to limit the level of acceleration allowed on a subset of experimental racks. From finite element analysis (FEM), the ISS structure will not be able to meet the acceleration specifications. Therefore, isolation systems are necessary. Fluid science results and materials science results show significant sensitivity to g-jitter. The work done to date should be viewed only as a first look at the issue of g-jitter sensitivity. The work should continue with high priority such that the international science community and the ISS program can address the requirement and settle on an agreed to overall approach as soon as possible.

Federal government information handbook: formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

Not Available

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with the DOE, by Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. This Information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the Federal and state levels, the pertinent programs they administer, each affected state legislature, and current Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the Federal Government. It contains a summary of the organizationmore » and responsibilities of agencies within the executive branch of the Federal government which may be relevant to FUSRAP activities; a brief summary of relevant Federal statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the US Congress, identification of the officers, relevant committees and committee chairmen; a description of the Federal legislative process; a summary of legislation enacted and considered in the recently-adjourned 96th Congress; a description of the Federal budgetary process; a summary of the Carter Administration's comprehensive radioactive waste management program; and excerpts from the text of relevant federal statutes and regulations.« less

Southeast Regional Experiment Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-08-01

This is the final report of the Southeast Regional Experiment Station project. The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida (UCF), has operated the Southeast Regional Experiment Station (SE RES) for the US Department of Energy (DOE) since September 1982. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque (SNLA) provides technical program direction for both the SE RES and the Southwest Regional Experiment Station (SW RES) located at the Southwest Technology Development Institute at Las Cruces, New Mexico. This cooperative effort serves a critical role in the national photovoltaic program by conducting system evaluations, design assistance and technology transfer to enhance the cost-effective utilization and development of photovoltaic technology. Initially, the research focus of the SE RES program centered on utility-connected PV systems and associated issues. In 1987, the SE RES began evaluating amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film PV modules for application in utility-interactive systems. Stand-alone PV systems began receiving increased emphasis at the SE RES in 1986. Research projects were initiated that involved evaluation of vaccine refrigeration, water pumping and other stand-alone power systems. The results of this work have led to design optimization techniques and procedures for the sizing and modeling of PV water pumping systems. Later recent research at the SE RES included test and evaluation of batteries and charge controllers for stand-alone PV system applications. The SE RES project provided the foundation on which FSEC achieved national recognition for its expertise in PV systems research and related technology transfer programs. These synergistic products of the SE RES illustrate the high visibility and contributions the FSEC PV program offers to the DOE.

Linear programming model to develop geodiversity map using utility theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sepehr, Adel

2015-04-01

In this article, the classification and mapping of geodiversity based on a quantitative methodology was accomplished using linear programming, the central idea of which being that geosites and geomorphosites as main indicators of geodiversity can be evaluated by utility theory. A linear programming method was applied for geodiversity mapping over Khorasan-razavi province located in eastern north of Iran. In this route, the main criteria for distinguishing geodiversity potential in the studied area were considered regarding rocks type (lithology), faults position (tectonic process), karst area (dynamic process), Aeolian landforms frequency and surface river forms. These parameters were investigated by thematic maps including geology, topography and geomorphology at scales 1:100'000, 1:50'000 and 1:250'000 separately, imagery data involving SPOT, ETM+ (Landsat 7) and field operations directly. The geological thematic layer was simplified from the original map using a practical lithologic criterion based on a primary genetic rocks classification representing metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks. The geomorphology map was provided using DEM at scale 30m extracted by ASTER data, geology and google earth images. The geology map shows tectonic status and geomorphology indicated dynamic processes and landform (karst, Aeolian and river). Then, according to the utility theory algorithms, we proposed a linear programming to classify geodiversity degree in the studied area based on geology/morphology parameters. The algorithm used in the methodology was consisted a linear function to be maximized geodiversity to certain constraints in the form of linear equations. The results of this research indicated three classes of geodiversity potential including low, medium and high status. The geodiversity potential shows satisfied conditions in the Karstic areas and Aeolian landscape. Also the utility theory used in the research has been decreased uncertainty of the evaluations.

Cost-Utility and Cost-Effectiveness Analyses of Face-to-Face Versus Telephone-Based Nonpharmacologic Multidisciplinary Treatments for Patients With Generalized Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Cuperus, Nienke; van den Hout, Wilbert B; Hoogeboom, Thomas J; van den Hoogen, Frank H J; Vliet Vlieland, Thea P M; van den Ende, Cornelia H M

2016-04-01

To evaluate, from a societal perspective, the cost utility and cost effectiveness of a nonpharmacologic face-to-face treatment program compared with a telephone-based treatment program for patients with generalized osteoarthritis (GOA). An economic evaluation was carried out alongside a randomized clinical trial involving 147 patients with GOA. Program costs were estimated from time registrations. One-year medical and nonmedical costs were estimated using cost questionnaires. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated using the EuroQol (EQ) classification system, EQ rating scale, and the Short Form 6D (SF-6D). Daily function was measured using the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability index (DI). Cost and QALY/effect differences were analyzed using multilevel regression analysis and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Medical costs of the face-to-face treatment and telephone-based treatment were estimated at €387 and €252, respectively. The difference in total societal costs was nonsignificantly in favor of the face-to-face program (difference €708; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] -€5,058, €3,642). QALYs were similar for both groups according to the EQ, but were significantly in favor of the face-to-face group, according to the SF-6D (difference 0.022 [95% CI 0.000, 0.045]). Daily function was similar according to the HAQ DI. Since both societal costs and QALYs/effects were in favor of the face-to-face program, the economic assessment favored this program, regardless of society's willingness to pay. There was a 65-90% chance that the face-to-face program had better cost utility and a 60-70% chance of being cost effective. This economic evaluation from a societal perspective showed that a nonpharmacologic, face-to-face treatment program for patients with GOA was likely to be cost effective, relative to a telephone-based program. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Identification and evaluation of educational uses and users for the STS. Educational planning for utilization of space shuttle ED-PLUSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engle, H. A.; Christensen, D. L.

1974-01-01

A planning and feasibility study to identify and document a methodology needed to incorporate educational programs into future missions and operations of the space transportation system was conducted. Six tasks were identified and accomplished during the study. The task statements are as follows: (1) potential user identification, (2) a review of space education programs, (3) development of methodology for user involvement, (4) methods to encourage user awareness, (5) compilation of follow-on ideas, and (6) response to NASA questions. Specific recommendations for improving the educational coverage of space activities are provided.

Factors Affecting the Corporate Decision-Making Process of Air Transport Manufacturers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ollila, R. G.; Hill, J. D.; Noton, B. R.; Duffy, M. A.; Epstein, M. M.

1976-01-01

Fuel economy is a pivotal question influencing the future sale and utilization of commercial aircraft. The NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Program Office has a program intended to accelerate the readiness of advanced technologies for energy efficient aircraft. Because the decision to develop a new airframe or engine is a major financial hazard for manufacturers, it is important to know what factors influence the decision making process. A method is described for identifying and ranking individuals and organizations involved at each stage of commercial air transport development, and the barriers that must be overcome in adopting new technologies.

Carbide fuel pin and capsule design for irradiations at thermionic temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, B. L.; Slaby, J. G.; Mattson, W. F.; Dilanni, D. C.

1973-01-01

The design of a capsule assembly to evaluate tungsten-emitter - carbide-fuel combinations for thermionic fuel elements is presented. An inpile fuel pin evaluation program concerned with clad temperture, neutron spectrum, carbide fuel composition, fuel geometry,fuel density, and clad thickness is discussed. The capsule design was a compromise involving considerations between heat transfer, instrumentation, materials compatibility, and test location. Heat-transfer calculations were instrumental in determining the method of support of the fuel pin to minimize axial temperature variations. The capsule design was easily fabricable and utilized existing state-of-the-art experience from previous programs.

National Conference on Integrated Resource Planning: Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

Survivor experience of a child sexual abuse prevention program: a pilot study.

PubMed

Barron, Ian G; Topping, Keith J

2013-09-01

Addressing gaps in the research, the current study assesses the impact of a community-based child sexual abuse prevention program on known survivor knowledge/skills, disclosures, and subjective experience. Methodologically, novel measures of program fidelity and implementation cost are applied. A pre- posttest wait-list control design was utilized with intervention (n = 10) and comparison groups (n = 10). Measures included a standardized knowledge/skill questionnaire, coding of disclosures, subjective experience questionnaires, in-depth interviews, video analysis of program adherence, and a measure of cost. Analysis involved nonparametric tests and thematic analysis of interview and video data. Cost was calculated for the group and per survivor. Survivors achieved significant gains in knowledge/skills, made further disclosures, and were positive about their program experience. No gains were identified in the control group. Costs were small. Future studies need to explore survivor experience of programs delivered in classrooms.

U.S. utilities' experiences with the implementation of energy efficiency programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goss, Courtney

In the U.S., many electric utility companies are offering demand-side management (DSM) programs to their customers as ways to save money and energy. However, it is challenging to compare these programs between utility companies throughout the U.S. because of the variability of state energy policies. For example, some states in the U.S. have deregulated electricity markets and others do not. In addition, utility companies within a state differ depending on ownership and size. This study examines 12 utilities' experiences with DSM programs and compares the programs' annual energy savings results that the selected utilities reported to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The 2009 EIA data suggests that DSM program effectiveness is not significantly affected by electricity market deregulation or utility ownership. However, DSM programs seem to generally be more effective when administered by utilities located in states with energy savings requirements and DSM program mandates.

Analytical sizing methods for behind-the-meter battery storage

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

Wu, Di; Kintner-Meyer, Michael; Yang, Tao

In behind-the-meter application, battery storage system (BSS) is utilized to reduce a commercial or industrial customer’s payment for electricity use, including energy charge and demand charge. The potential value of BSS in payment reduction and the most economic size can be determined by formulating and solving standard mathematical programming problems. In this method, users input system information such as load profiles, energy/demand charge rates, and battery characteristics to construct a standard programming problem that typically involve a large number of constraints and decision variables. Such a large scale programming problem is then solved by optimization solvers to obtain numerical solutions.more » Such a method cannot directly link the obtained optimal battery sizes to input parameters and requires case-by-case analysis. In this paper, we present an objective quantitative analysis of costs and benefits of customer-side energy storage, and thereby identify key factors that affect battery sizing. Based on the analysis, we then develop simple but effective guidelines that can be used to determine the most cost-effective battery size or guide utility rate design for stimulating energy storage development. The proposed analytical sizing methods are innovative, and offer engineering insights on how the optimal battery size varies with system characteristics. We illustrate the proposed methods using practical building load profile and utility rate. The obtained results are compared with the ones using mathematical programming based methods for validation.« less

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

None

??National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR(R) and numerous other utility air sealing programs have brought awareness to homeowners of the benefits of energy efficiency retrofits. Yet, these programs tend to focus on the low-hanging fruit: air-sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switch to efficient lighting, and low-flow fixtures. At the other end of the spectrum, deep-energy retrofit programs are also being encouraged by various utilities across the country. While deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy usagemore » in existing homes lies between the low hanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches - retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy over the existing conditions. A key is to be non-intrusive with the efficiency measures so the retrofit projects can be accomplished in occupied homes. This cold climate retrofit project involved the design and optimization of a home in Connecticut that sought to improve energy savings by at least 30% (excluding solar PV) over the existing home's performance. This report documents the successful implementation of a cost-effective solution package that achieved performance greater than 30% over the pre-retrofit - what worked, what did not, and what improvements could be made. Confirmation of successfully achieving 30% source energy savings over the pre-existing conditions was confirmed through energy modeling and comparison of the utility bills pre- and post- retrofit.« less

Research utilization in the building industry: decision model and preliminary assessment

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

Watts, R.L.; Johnson, D.R.; Smith, S.A.

1985-10-01

The Research Utilization Program was conceived as a far-reaching means for managing the interactions of the private sector and the federal research sector as they deal with energy conservation in buildings. The program emphasizes a private-public partnership in planning a research agenda and in applying the results of ongoing and completed research. The results of this task support the hypothesis that the transfer of R and D results to the buildings industry can be accomplished more efficiently and quickly by a systematic approach to technology transfer. This systematic approach involves targeting decision makers, assessing research and information needs, properly formatingmore » information, and then transmitting the information through trusted channels. The purpose of this report is to introduce elements of a market-oriented knowledge base, which would be useful to the Building Systems Division, the Office of Buildings and Community Systems and their associated laboratories in managing a private-public research partnership on a rational systematic basis. This report presents conceptual models and data bases that can be used in formulating a technology transfer strategy and in planning technology transfer programs.« less

The role of librarians in teaching evidence-based medicine to pediatric residents: a survey of pediatric residency program directors

PubMed Central

Boykan, Rachel; Jacobson, Robert M.

2017-01-01

Objective: The research sought to identify the general use of medical librarians in pediatric residency training, to define the role of medical librarians in teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) to pediatric residents, and to describe strategies and curricula for teaching EBM used in pediatric residency training programs. Methods: We sent a 13-question web-based survey through the Association of Pediatric Program Directors to 200 pediatric residency program directors between August and December 2015. Results: A total of 91 (46%) pediatric residency program directors responded. Most (76%) programs had formal EBM curricula, and more than 75% of curricula addressed question formation, searching, assessment of validity, generalizability, quantitative importance, statistical significance, and applicability. The venues for teaching EBM that program directors perceived to be most effective included journal clubs (84%), conferences (44%), and morning report (36%). While 80% of programs utilized medical librarians, most of these librarians assisted with scholarly or research projects (74%), addressed clinical questions (62%), and taught on any topic not necessarily EBM (58%). Only 17% of program directors stated that librarians were involved in teaching EBM on a regular basis. The use of a librarian was not associated with having an EBM curriculum but was significantly associated with the size of the program. Smaller programs were more likely to utilize librarians (100%) than were medium (71%) or large programs (75%). Conclusions: While most pediatric residency programs have an EBM curriculum and engage medical librarians in various ways, librarians’ expertise in teaching EBM is underutilized. Programs should work to better integrate librarians’ expertise, both in the didactic and clinical teaching of EBM. PMID:28983199

Utilization of Telehealth Technology to Develop and Implement a Comprehensive Management Initiative for Chronic Diseases

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-21

involving oral or injectable regimens for type 2 diabetes, alone or in various combinations . The program indicates which dose or doses of medications...educational access. Virtual diabetes education techniques that combine best educational practices with telehealth technology offer a promising solution to...patterns over time, so we combined these two groups to simplify interpretation of the results. The analyses tested for group differences in

Final Evaluation Report of the 1970-1971 Group C-Kindergarten Education Programs, Districts Number 4, 5, 9, 27. ESEA Title I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertoldi, Arthur; Duphiney, Lorna

A differentiated staffing model involving the use of adult educational assistants to work with the kindergarten teacher and children within the classroom was utilized as the experimental concept for an Early Childhood project funded under Title I of the 1965 Elementary Secondary Education Act in the 1970-71 school year. The primary purpose of the…

An Interactive Computer Program for Assessing and Using Multiattribute Utility Functions

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-06-01

involved evaluating five options for dealing with the question of legalizing prostitution in the Boston area. These options were strict prohibition...MUFCAP Has 69 Been Applied 5.4.1 Evaluating Health Plans 69 5.4.2 Evaluating Policies for Dealing with 69 Prostitution in the Boston...toleration or benign neglect, regula- tion of prostitution , licensing of individual prostitutes and decriminalization. The attributes ware chosen to

Meeting the complex needs of urban youth and their families through the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program: The “real world” meets evidence-informed care

PubMed Central

Small, Latoya; Jackson, Jerrold; Gopalan, Geetha; McKay, Mary McKernan

2014-01-01

Youth living in poverty face compounding familial and environmental challenges in utilizing effective community mental health services. They have ongoing stressors that increase their dropout rate in mental health service use. Difficulties also exist in staying engaged in services when they are involved with the child welfare system. This study examines the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program, developed across four broad conceptual categories related to parenting skills and family processes that form a multiple family group service delivery approach. A total of 321 families were enrolled in this randomized intervention study, assigned to either the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program or standard care services. Caregivers and their children randomly assigned to the experimental condition received a 16 week multiple family group intervention through their respective outpatient community mental health clinic. Data was collected at baseline, midtest (8 weeks), posttest (16 weeks), and 6 month follow-up. Major findings include high engagement in the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program, compared to standard services. Although child welfare status is not related to attendance, family stress and parental depression are also related to participant engagement in this multiple family group intervention. Involvement in the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program resulted in improved effects for child behaviors. Lastly, no evidence of moderation effects on family stress, child welfare involvement, or parental needs were found. The 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program appeared able to engage families with more complex “real world” needs. PMID:26523115

Meeting the complex needs of urban youth and their families through the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program: The "real world" meets evidence-informed care.

PubMed

Small, Latoya; Jackson, Jerrold; Gopalan, Geetha; McKay, Mary McKernan

2015-07-01

Youth living in poverty face compounding familial and environmental challenges in utilizing effective community mental health services. They have ongoing stressors that increase their dropout rate in mental health service use. Difficulties also exist in staying engaged in services when they are involved with the child welfare system. This study examines the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program, developed across four broad conceptual categories related to parenting skills and family processes that form a multiple family group service delivery approach. A total of 321 families were enrolled in this randomized intervention study, assigned to either the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program or standard care services. Caregivers and their children randomly assigned to the experimental condition received a 16 week multiple family group intervention through their respective outpatient community mental health clinic. Data was collected at baseline, midtest (8 weeks), posttest (16 weeks), and 6 month follow-up. Major findings include high engagement in the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program, compared to standard services. Although child welfare status is not related to attendance, family stress and parental depression are also related to participant engagement in this multiple family group intervention. Involvement in the 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program resulted in improved effects for child behaviors. Lastly, no evidence of moderation effects on family stress, child welfare involvement, or parental needs were found. The 4Rs 2Ss Family Strengthening Program appeared able to engage families with more complex "real world" needs.

A service user co-facilitated intervention to reduce mental illness stigma among primary healthcare workers: Utilizing perspectives of family members and caregivers.

PubMed

Rai, Sauharda; Gurung, Dristy; Kaiser, Bonnie N; Sikkema, Kathleen J; Dhakal, Manoj; Bhardwaj, Anvita; Tergesen, Cori; Kohrt, Brandon A

2018-06-01

Service users' involvement as cofacilitators of mental health trainings is a nascent endeavor in low- and middle-income countries, and the role of families on service user participation in trainings has received limited attention. This study examined how caregivers perceive and facilitate service user's involvement in an antistigma program that was added to mental health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) trainings for primary care workers in Nepal. Service users were trained as cofacilitators for antistigma and mhGAP trainings delivered to primary care workers through the REducing Stigma among HealthcAre ProvidErs (RESHAPE) program. Key informant interviews (n = 17) were conducted with caregivers and service users in RESHAPE. Five themes emerged: (a) Caregivers' perceived benefits of service user involvement included reduced caregiver burden, learning new skills, and opportunities to develop support groups. (b) Caregivers' fear of worsening stigma impeded RESHAPE participation. (c) Lack of trust between caregivers and service users jeopardized participation, but it could be mitigated through family engagement with health workers. (d) Orientation provided to caregivers regarding RESHAPE needed greater attention, and when information was provided, it contributed to stigma reduction in families. (e) Time management impacted caregivers' ability to facilitate service user participation. Engagement with families allows for greater identification of motivational factors and barriers impacting optimal program performance. Caregiver involvement in all program elements should be considered best practice for service user-facilitated antistigma initiatives, and service users reluctant to include caregivers should be provided with health staff support to address barriers to including family. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Malemute development program. [rocket upper stage engine design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolster, W. J.; Hoekstra, P. W.

1976-01-01

The Malemute vehicle systems are two-stage systems based on utilizing a new high performance upper stage motor with two existing military boosters. The Malmute development program is described relative to program structure, preliminary design, vehicle subsystems, and the Malemute motor. Two vehicle systems, the Nike-Malemute and Terrier-Malemute, were developed which are capable of transporting comparatively large diameter (16 in.) 200-lb payloads to altitudes of 500 and 700 km, respectively. These vehicles provide relatively low-cost transportation with two-stage reliability and launch simplicity. Flight tests of both vehicle systems revealed their performance capabilities, with the Terrier-Malemute system involving a unique Malemute motor spin sensitivity problem. It is suggested that the vehicles can be successfully flown by lowering the burnout spin rate.

West Virginia | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Incentive Programs West Virginia currently does not have any statewide financial incentives for midmarket solar. Utility Incentive Programs Check with local utility for utility incentive programs. Resources The utility policies and incentive programs. Net Metering and Interconnection West Virginia Public Service

Supplier Selection Using Weighted Utility Additive Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karande, Prasad; Chakraborty, Shankar

2015-10-01

Supplier selection is a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem which mainly involves evaluating a number of available suppliers according to a set of common criteria for choosing the best one to meet the organizational needs. For any manufacturing or service organization, selecting the right upstream suppliers is a key success factor that will significantly reduce purchasing cost, increase downstream customer satisfaction and improve competitive ability. The past researchers have attempted to solve the supplier selection problem employing different MCDM techniques which involve active participation of the decision makers in the decision-making process. This paper deals with the application of weighted utility additive (WUTA) method for solving supplier selection problems. The WUTA method, an extension of utility additive approach, is based on ordinal regression and consists of building a piece-wise linear additive decision model from a preference structure using linear programming (LP). It adopts preference disaggregation principle and addresses the decision-making activities through operational models which need implicit preferences in the form of a preorder of reference alternatives or a subset of these alternatives present in the process. The preferential preorder provided by the decision maker is used as a restriction of a LP problem, which has its own objective function, minimization of the sum of the errors associated with the ranking of each alternative. Based on a given reference ranking of alternatives, one or more additive utility functions are derived. Using these utility functions, the weighted utilities for individual criterion values are combined into an overall weighted utility for a given alternative. It is observed that WUTA method, having a sound mathematical background, can provide accurate ranking to the candidate suppliers and choose the best one to fulfill the organizational requirements. Two real time examples are illustrated to prove its applicability and appropriateness in solving supplier selection problems.

12-Step Interventions and Mutual Support Programs for Substance Use Disorders: An Overview

PubMed Central

Donovan, Dennis M.; Ingalsbe, Michelle H.; Benbow, James; Daley, Dennis C.

2013-01-01

Social workers and other behavioral health professionals are likely to encounter individuals with substance use disorders in a variety of practice settings outside of specialty treatment. 12-Step mutual support programs represent readily available, no cost community-based resources for such individuals; however, practitioners are often unfamiliar with such programs. The present article provides a brief overview of 12-Step programs, the positive substance use and psychosocial outcomes associated with active 12-Step involvement, and approaches ranging from ones that can be utilized by social workers in any practice setting to those developed for specialty treatment programs to facilitate engagement in 12-Step meetings and recovery activities. The goal is to familiarize social workers with 12-Step approaches so that they are better able to make informed referrals that match clients to mutual support groups that best meet the individual’s needs and maximize the likelihood of engagement and positive outcomes. PMID:23731422

Using Focused Laboratory Management and Quality Improvement Projects to Enhance Resident Training and Foster Scholarship

PubMed Central

Ford, Bradley A.; Klutts, J. Stacey; Jensen, Chris S.; Briggs, Angela S.; Robinson, Robert A.; Bruch, Leslie A.; Karandikar, Nitin J.

2017-01-01

Training in patient safety, quality, and management is widely recognized as an important element of graduate medical education. These concepts have been intertwined in pathology graduate medical education for many years, although training programs face challenges in creating explicit learning opportunities in these fields. Tangibly involving pathology residents in management and quality improvement projects has the potential to teach and reinforce key concepts and further fulfill Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education goals for pursuing projects related to patient safety and quality improvement. In this report, we present our experience at a pathology residency program (University of Iowa) in engaging pathology residents in projects related to practical issues of laboratory management, process improvement, and informatics. In this program, at least 1 management/quality improvement project, typically performed during a clinical chemistry/management rotation, was required and ideally resulted in a journal publication. The residency program also initiated a monthly management/informatics series for pathology externs, residents, and fellows that covers a wide range of topics. Since 2010, all pathology residents at the University of Iowa have completed at least 1 management/quality improvement project. Many of the projects involved aspects of laboratory test utilization, with some projects focused on other areas such as human resources, informatics, or process improvement. Since 2012, 31 peer-reviewed journal articles involving effort from 26 residents have been published. Multiple projects resulted in changes in ongoing practice, particularly within the hospital electronic health record. Focused management/quality improvement projects involving pathology residents can result in both meaningful quality improvement and scholarly output. PMID:28913416

Using Focused Laboratory Management and Quality Improvement Projects to Enhance Resident Training and Foster Scholarship.

PubMed

Krasowski, Matthew D; Ford, Bradley A; Klutts, J Stacey; Jensen, Chris S; Briggs, Angela S; Robinson, Robert A; Bruch, Leslie A; Karandikar, Nitin J

2017-01-01

Training in patient safety, quality, and management is widely recognized as an important element of graduate medical education. These concepts have been intertwined in pathology graduate medical education for many years, although training programs face challenges in creating explicit learning opportunities in these fields. Tangibly involving pathology residents in management and quality improvement projects has the potential to teach and reinforce key concepts and further fulfill Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education goals for pursuing projects related to patient safety and quality improvement. In this report, we present our experience at a pathology residency program (University of Iowa) in engaging pathology residents in projects related to practical issues of laboratory management, process improvement, and informatics. In this program, at least 1 management/quality improvement project, typically performed during a clinical chemistry/management rotation, was required and ideally resulted in a journal publication. The residency program also initiated a monthly management/informatics series for pathology externs, residents, and fellows that covers a wide range of topics. Since 2010, all pathology residents at the University of Iowa have completed at least 1 management/quality improvement project. Many of the projects involved aspects of laboratory test utilization, with some projects focused on other areas such as human resources, informatics, or process improvement. Since 2012, 31 peer-reviewed journal articles involving effort from 26 residents have been published. Multiple projects resulted in changes in ongoing practice, particularly within the hospital electronic health record. Focused management/quality improvement projects involving pathology residents can result in both meaningful quality improvement and scholarly output.

A neural network strategy for end-point optimization of batch processes.

PubMed

Krothapally, M; Palanki, S

1999-01-01

The traditional way of operating batch processes has been to utilize an open-loop "golden recipe". However, there can be substantial batch to batch variation in process conditions and this open-loop strategy can lead to non-optimal operation. In this paper, a new approach is presented for end-point optimization of batch processes by utilizing neural networks. This strategy involves the training of two neural networks; one to predict switching times and the other to predict the input profile in the singular region. This approach alleviates the computational problems associated with the classical Pontryagin's approach and the nonlinear programming approach. The efficacy of this scheme is illustrated via simulation of a fed-batch fermentation.

Technology utilization in a non-urban region: Further impact and technique of the Technology Use Studies Center, 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gold, H. C. (Editor); Moore, A. M.; Dodd, B.; Dittmar, V.

1971-01-01

The clientele served by the Technology Use Studies Center (TUSC) is updated. Manufacturing leads the list of client firms. The standard industrial classification (SIC) range of these firms is broad. Substantial numbers of college and university faculties are using TUSC services. Field operations inherent in the functions of dissemination and assistance are reviewed. Increasing emphasis among clientele is on environmental concerns and management. A record is provided of the institutions contacted and the extent of TUSC involvement with them, as well as TUSC's cooperation with agencies and organizations. The impact of TUSC and the NASA-sponsored Technology Utilization Program on other public agencies is discussed.

Lessons learned: a "homeless shelter intervention" by a medical student.

PubMed

Owusu, Yasmin; Kunik, Mark; Coverdale, John; Shah, Asim; Primm, Annelle; Harris, Toi

2012-05-01

The authors explored the process of implementing a medical student-initiated program designed to provide computerized mental health screening, referral, and education in a homeless shelter. An educational program was designed to teach homeless shelter staff about psychiatric disorders and culturally-informed treatment strategies. Pre- and post-questionnaires were obtained in conjunction with the educational program involving seven volunteer shelter staff. A computerized mental health screening tool, Quick Psycho-Diagnostics Panel (QPD), was utilized to screen for the presence of nine psychiatric disorders in 19 volunteer homeless shelter residents. Shelter staffs' overall fund of knowledge improved by an average of 23% on the basis of pre-/post-questionnaires (p=0.005). Of the individuals who participated in the mental health screening, 68% screened positive for at least one psychiatric disorder and were referred for further mental health care. At the 3-month follow-up of these individuals, 46% of those referred had accessed their referral services as recommended. Medical student-initiated psychiatric outreach programs to the homeless community have the potential to reduce mental health disparities by both increasing access to mental health services and by providing education. The authors discuss educational challenges and benefits for the medical students involved in this project.

Demand for Women's Health Services in Northern Nigeria: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Sinai, Irit; Anyanti, Jennifer; Khan, Mohsin; Daroda, Ramatu; Oguntunde, Olugbenga

2017-06-01

Demand for and utilization of women's health services in northern Nigeria are consistently low and health indicators in the region are among the poorest in the world. This literature review focuses on social and cultural barriers to contraceptive use, antenatal care, and facility births in northern Nigeria, and influencers of young women's health-seeking behavior. A thorough search of peer reviewed and grey literature yielded 41 publications that were synthesized and analyzed. The region's population is predominantly Muslim, practicing Islam as a complete way of life. While northern Nigerian society is slowly changing, most women still lack formal education, with a significant proportion married in their teens, and the majority neither socially nor economically empowered. The husband largely makes most household decisions, including utilization of healthcare services by members of his household. These practices directly impact women's health-seeking behaviors for themselves and for their children. Programs seeking to improve women's health outcomes in northern Nigeria should involve women's influencers to affect behavior change, including husbands, religious leaders, and others. More research is needed to identify pathways of information that can be utilized by programs designed to increase demand for health services.

Overview of ARPA low-cost ceramic composites (LC{sup 3}) program

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

Adler, P.N.

1996-12-31

Grumman is currently leading an approximate $10M ARPA cost-shared program aimed at developing low-cost fabrication methodology for manufacturing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) structural components. One of the program goals is to demonstrate the effectiveness of an advanced materials partnership. A vertically integrated collaboration now exists that combines the talents of three large private sector organizations, two smaller private sector organizations, three universities, and three federal government laboratories. Work in progress involves preceramic polymer (Blackglas{trademark}) CMC materials technology, RTM and pyrolysis process modeling & simulation, and utilization of low-cost approaches for fabricating a CMC demonstration engine seal component. This paper reviewsmore » the program organization, functioning, and some of the highlights of the technical work, which is of interest to the DoD as well as the commercial sector.« less

ECUT: Energy Conversion and Utilization Technologies program. Biocatalysis project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The Biocatalysis Project is a mission-oriented, applied research and exploratory development activity directed toward resolution of the major generic technical barriers that impede the development of biologically catalyzed commercial chemical production. The approach toward achieving project objectives involves an integrated participation of Universities, Industrial Companies and Government Research Laboratories. The Project's technical activities were organized into three work elements: molecular modeling and applied genetics; bioprocess engineering; and bioprocess design and assessment.

Dynamic analysis for shuttle design verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fralich, R. W.; Green, C. E.; Rheinfurth, M. H.

1972-01-01

Two approaches that are used for determining the modes and frequencies of space shuttle structures are discussed. The first method, direct numerical analysis, involves finite element mathematical modeling of the space shuttle structure in order to use computer programs for dynamic structural analysis. The second method utilizes modal-coupling techniques of experimental verification made by vibrating only spacecraft components and by deducing modes and frequencies of the complete vehicle from results obtained in the component tests.

Data acquisition and experiment control system of the project Maus (materials science experiments under weightlessness)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lensch, D.

In the context of Spacelab and Shuttle utilization, it is possible to conduct experiments in 'Small Self Contained Packages' (SSCP). This possibility exists primarily for experiments related to materials research/industrial processing engineering. The program involved is called 'get away special' (GAS). The project Maus was established in West Germany with the aim to participate in the program GAS. The autonomous design of the considered experiments made it necessary to develop an electronic unit for the control and the automatic conduction of the experiment. In addition, the process of the acquisition and the recording of the experimental data is also controlled.

Wind turbine generator interaction with conventional diesel generators on Block Island, Rhode Island. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilreker, V. F.; Stiller, P. H.; Scott, G. W.; Kruse, V. J.; Smith, R. F.

1984-01-01

Primary results are summarized for a three-part study involving the effects of connecting a MOD-OA wind turbine generator to an isolated diesel power system. The MOD-OA installation considered was the third of four experimental nominal 200 kW wind turbines connected to various utilities under the Federal Wind Energy Program and was characterized by the highest wind energy penetration levels of four sites. The study analyses address: fuel displacement, dynamic interaction, and three modes of reactive power control. These analyses all have as their basis the results of the data acquisition program conducted on Block Island, Rhode Island.

Sensors 2000! Program: Advanced Biosensor and Measurement Systems Technologies for Spaceflight Research and Concurrent, Earth-Based Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hines, J.

1999-01-01

Sensors 2000! (S2K!) is a specialized, integrated projects team organized to provide focused, directed, advanced biosensor and bioinstrumentation systems technology support to NASA's spaceflight and ground-based research and development programs. Specific technology thrusts include telemetry-based sensor systems, chemical/ biological sensors, medical and physiological sensors, miniaturized instrumentation architectures, and data and signal processing systems. A concurrent objective is to promote the mutual use, application, and transition of developed technology by collaborating in academic-commercial-govemment leveraging, joint research, technology utilization and commercialization, and strategic partnering alliances. Sensors 2000! is organized around three primary program elements: Technology and Product Development, Technology infusion and Applications, and Collaborative Activities. Technology and Product Development involves development and demonstration of biosensor and biotelemetry systems for application to NASA Space Life Sciences Programs; production of fully certified spaceflight hardware and payload elements; and sensor/measurement systems development for NASA research and development activities. Technology Infusion and Applications provides technology and program agent support to identify available and applicable technologies from multiple sources for insertion into NASA's strategic enterprises and initiatives. Collaborative Activities involve leveraging of NASA technologies with those of other government agencies, academia, and industry to concurrently provide technology solutions and products of mutual benefit to participating members.

Establishment of a Graduate Certificate Program in Biobased Industrial Products – Final Technical Report

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

John R. Schlup

2005-11-04

A certificate of graduate studies in Biobased Industrial Products is to be established at Kansas State University (KSU) along with the development of a similar program at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS. At KSU, the program of study will be coordinated through the steering committee of the Agricultural Products Utilization Forum (APUF); the certificate of graduate studies will be awarded through the Graduate School of Kansas State University. This certificate will establish an interdisciplinary program of study that will: (1) ensure participating students receive a broad education in several disciplines related to Biobased Industrial Products, (2) provide a documented coursemore » of study for students preferring a freestanding certificate program, and (3) provide a paradigm shift in student awareness away from petroleum-based feedstocks to the utilization of renewable resources for fuels and chemical feedstocks. The academic program described herein will accomplish this goal by: (1) providing exposure to several academic disciplines key to Biobased Industrial Products; (2) improving university/industry collaboration through an external advisory board, distance learning opportunities, and student internships; (3) expanding the disciplines represented on the students' supervisory committee; (4) establishing a seminar series on Biobased Industrial Products that draws upon expert speakers representing several disciplines; and (5) increasing collaboration between disciplines. Numerous research programs emphasizing Biobased Industrial Products currently exist at KSU and PSU. The certificate of graduate studies, the emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration within the students? thesis research, the proposed seminar series, and formation of an industrial advisory board will: (1) provide an interdisciplinary academic experience that spans several departments, four colleges, four research centers, and two universities; (2) tangibly promote collaboration between KSU and PSU; (3) catalyze involvement of plant geneticists with researchers active in the development and utilization of biobased industrial products; and, (4) promote university/industry collaboration.« less

State-of-the-art of high-speed propeller noise prediction - A multidisciplinary approach and comparison with measured data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, Mark H.; Farassat, F.

1990-01-01

The results of NASA's Propeller Test Assessment program involving extensive flight tests of a large-scale advanced propeller are presented. This has provided the opportunity to evaluate the current capability of advanced propeller noise prediction utilizing principally the exterior acoustic measurements for the prediction of exterior noise. The principal object of this study was to evaluate the state-of-the-art of noise prediction for advanced propellers utilizing the best available codes of the disciplines involved. The effects of blade deformation on the aerodynamics and noise of advanced propellers were also studied. It is concluded that blade deformation can appreciably influence propeller noise and aerodynamics, and that, in general, centrifugal and blade forces must both be included in the calculation of blade forces. It is noted that the present capability for free-field noise prediction of the first three harmonics for advanced propellers is fairly good. Detailed data and diagrams of the test results are presented.

Integrating knowledge generation with knowledge diffusion and utilization: a case study analysis of the Consortium for Applied Research and Evaluation in Mental Health.

PubMed

Vingilis, Evelyn; Hartford, Kathleen; Schrecker, Ted; Mitchell, Beth; Lent, Barbara; Bishop, Joan

2003-01-01

Knowledge diffusion and utilization (KDU) have become a key focus in the health research community because of the limited success to date of research findings to inform health policies, programs and services. Yet, evidence indicates that successful KDU is often predicated on the early involvement of potential knowledge users in the conceptualization and conduct of the research and on the development of a "partnership culture". This study describes the integration of KDU theory with practice via a case study analysis of the Consortium for Applied Research and Evaluation in Mental Health (CAREMH). This qualitative study, using a single-case design, included a number of data sources: proposals, meeting minutes, presentations, publications, reports and curricula vitae of CAREMH members. CAREMH has adopted the following operational strategies to increase KDU capacity: 1) viewing research as a means and not as an end; 2) bringing the university and researcher to the community; 3) using participatory research methods; 4) embracing transdisciplinary research and interactions; and 5) using connectors. Examples of the iterative process between researchers and potential knowledge users in their contribution to knowledge generation, diffusion and utilization are provided. This case study supports the importance of early and ongoing involvement of relevant potential knowledge users in research to enhance its utilization potential. It also highlights the need for re-thinking research funding approaches.

The international fine aerosol networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, Thomas A.

1993-04-01

The adoption by the United States of a PIXE-based protocol for its fine aerosol network, after open competitions involving numerous laboratories and methods, has encouraged cooperation with other countries possessing similar capabilities and similar needs. These informal cooperative programs, involving about a dozen countries at the end of 1991, almost all use PIXE as a major component of the analytical protocols. The University of California, Davis, Air Quality Group assisted such programs through indefinite loans of a quality assurance sampler, the IMPROVE Channel A, and analyses at no cost of a small fraction of the samples taken in a side-by-side configuration. In December 1991, the World Meteorological Organization chose a protocol essentially identical to IMPROVE for the Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) network and began deploying units, the IMPROVE Channel A, to sites around the world. Preferred analyses include fine (less than about 2.5 μm) mass, ions by ion chromatography and elements by PIXE + PESA (or, lacking that, XRF). This paper will describe progress in both programs, giving examples of the utility of the data and projecting the future expansion of the network to about 20 GAW sites by 1994.

Patient and practitioner perspectives on reducing sedentary behavior at an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program.

PubMed

Biswas, Aviroop; Faulkner, Guy E; Oh, Paul I; Alter, David A

2017-06-06

To understand the awareness of sedentary behavior, as well as the perceived facilitators and barriers to reducing sedentary behaviors from the perspectives of patients undertaking an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program, and from staff involved in supporting patient self-management. A qualitative study was conducted at a large cardiac rehabilitation program in a metropolitan city in Canada. Guided by an ecological framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with 15 patients, and in two focus groups with six staff. Transcribed interviews were analyzed by thematic analysis. Patients placed little importance on reducing sedentary behavior as they were unconvinced of the health benefits, did not perceive themselves to be sedentary, or associated such behaviors with enjoyment and relaxation. While staff were aware of the risks, they saw them as less critical than other health behaviors. Intrapersonal factors (physical and psychosocial health) and environment factors (the information environment, socio-cultural factors) within leisure time, the home, and work, influenced sedentary behavior. While these findings require further testing, future interventions may be effective if aimed at increasing awareness of the health benefits of reducing sedentary behavior, utilizing existing behavior change strategies, and using a participatory approach to tailor strategies to patients. Implications for rehabilitation Cardiac rehabilitation programs effectively use exercise promotion to improve the health of people with established cardiovascular disease. As sedentary lifestyles become more prevalent, recommendations to reduce the health risks of prolonged sedentary behavior that are specific to the characteristics and prognostic profiles of cardiac rehabilitation patients are needed. Cardiac rehabilitation programs must consider extending existing behavior change strategies utilized for exercise promotion towards addressing sedentary behaviors in order to be effective at reducing the sedentary time of patients. A participatory approach involving both patients and health professionals can support patients in reducing their sedentary behavior by providing a supportive environment for behavior change, increasing awareness and understanding of risks, discussing the feasibility of potential strategies, and setting achievable and actionable goals.

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

Puttagunta, Srikanth

National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and numerous other utility air sealing programs have brought awareness to homeowners of the benefits of energy efficiency retrofits. Yet, these programs tend to focus on the low-hanging fruit: air-sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switch to efficient lighting, and low-flow fixtures. At the other end of the spectrum, deep-energy retrofit programs are also being encouraged by various utilities across the country. While deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy usagemore » in existing homes lies between the low hanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches - retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy over the existing conditions. A key is to be non-intrusive with the efficiency measures so the retrofit projects can be accomplished in occupied homes. This cold climate retrofit project involved the design and optimization of a home in Connecticut that sought to improve energy savings by at least 30% (excluding solar PV) over the existing home's performance. This report documents the successful implementation of a cost-effective solution package that achieved performance greater than 30% over the pre-retrofit - what worked, what did not, and what improvements could be made.« less

Hispanic Parenting Women in Women-Only versus Mixed-Gender Drug Treatment: A 10-Year Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Hser, Yih-Ing; Hunt, Samantha A.; Evans, Elizabeth; Chang, Yen-Jung; Messina, Nena P.

2012-01-01

The present study examined Hispanic substance-using parenting women treated in women-only (WO; n=126) versus mixed-gender (MG; n=853) programs and associated outcomes assessed 10 years after admission. Relative to other races/ethnicities of women admitted to the set of 40 California treatment programs in 2000–2002, Hispanic women were underrepresented in WO programs. Compared to those in MG programs, Hispanic women in WO programs demonstrated more severe treatment needs, indicated by their greater severity in drug and alcohol use, health and mental health problems, and criminal justice involvement at admission. They also had fewer economic resources (15% WO vs. 23% MG were employed, p<.05; 48% vs. 37% on public assistance, p<.05). Data based on administrative records covering 3 years pre-admission and 8 years post-admission showed that Hispanic women treated in WO programs had higher mental health service utilization over 8 years post-treatment admission, though no differences were found in trajectories of arrests and incarceration. In sum, long-term outcomes (in terms of criminal justice involvement) among Hispanic women in WO treatment were comparable to those in the MG treatment, despite greater service needs at admission. WO programs were able to engage more Hispanic women in use of mental health services. Future research should focus on factors limiting Hispanic women’s participation in WO programs, which could suggest ways for improvement so as to benefit all Hispanic women in need of these special services. PMID:22398357

Improving doctor-patient communication in the outpatient setting using a facilitation tool: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Neeman, Naama; Isaac, Thomas; Leveille, Suzanne; Dimonda, Clementina; Shin, Jacob Y; Aronson, Mark D; Freedman, Steven D

2012-08-01

Patients often do not fully understand medical information discussed during office visits. This can result in lack of adherence to recommended treatment plans and poorer health outcomes. We developed and implemented a program utilizing an encounter form, which provides structure to the medical interaction and facilitates bidirectional communication and informed decision-making. We conducted a prospective quality improvement intervention at a large tertiary-care academic medical center utilizing the encounter form and studied the effect on patient satisfaction, understanding and confidence in communicating with physicians. The intervention included 108 patients seen by seven physicians in five sub-specialties. Ninety-eight percent of patients were extremely satisfied (77%) or somewhat satisfied (21%) with the program. Ninety-six percent of patients reported being involved in decisions about their care and treatments as well as high levels of understanding of medical information that was discussed during visit. Sixty-nine percent of patients reported that they shared the encounter form with their families and friends. Patients' self-confidence in communicating with their doctors increased from a score of 8.1 to 8.7 post-intervention (P-value = 0.0018). When comparing pre- and post-intervention experiences, only 38% of patients felt that their problems and questions were adequately addressed by other physicians' pre-intervention, compared with 94% post-intervention. We introduced a program to enhance physician-patient communication and found that patients were highly satisfied, more informed and more actively involved in their care. This approach may be an easily generalizable approach to improving physician-patient communication at outpatient visits.

A Component Approach to Collaborative Scientific Software Development: Tools and Techniques Utilized by the Quantum Chemistry Science Application Partnership

DOE PAGES

Kenny, Joseph P.; Janssen, Curtis L.; Gordon, Mark S.; ...

2008-01-01

Cutting-edge scientific computing software is complex, increasingly involving the coupling of multiple packages to combine advanced algorithms or simulations at multiple physical scales. Component-based software engineering (CBSE) has been advanced as a technique for managing this complexity, and complex component applications have been created in the quantum chemistry domain, as well as several other simulation areas, using the component model advocated by the Common Component Architecture (CCA) Forum. While programming models do indeed enable sound software engineering practices, the selection of programming model is just one building block in a comprehensive approach to large-scale collaborative development which must also addressmore » interface and data standardization, and language and package interoperability. We provide an overview of the development approach utilized within the Quantum Chemistry Science Application Partnership, identifying design challenges, describing the techniques which we have adopted to address these challenges and highlighting the advantages which the CCA approach offers for collaborative development.« less

Automating the parallel processing of fluid and structural dynamics calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arpasi, Dale J.; Cole, Gary L.

1987-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center is actively involved in the development of expert system technology to assist users in applying parallel processing to computational fluid and structural dynamic analysis. The goal of this effort is to eliminate the necessity for the physical scientist to become a computer scientist in order to effectively use the computer as a research tool. Programming and operating software utilities have previously been developed to solve systems of ordinary nonlinear differential equations on parallel scalar processors. Current efforts are aimed at extending these capabilities to systems of partial differential equations, that describe the complex behavior of fluids and structures within aerospace propulsion systems. This paper presents some important considerations in the redesign, in particular, the need for algorithms and software utilities that can automatically identify data flow patterns in the application program and partition and allocate calculations to the parallel processors. A library-oriented multiprocessing concept for integrating the hardware and software functions is described.

Wyoming | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

There are currently no statewide community solar policies or programs in Wyoming. State Incentive Programs There are currently no statewide solar financial incentive programs in Wyoming. Utility Incentive Programs Please check with your distribution utility for utility incentive programs for midmarket solar

Nuts and bolts of running a pulmonary embolism response team: results from an organizational survey of the National PERT™ Consortium members.

PubMed

Barnes, Geoffrey; Giri, Jay; Courtney, D Mark; Naydenov, Soophia; Wood, Todd; Rosovsky, Rachel; Rosenfield, Kenneth; Kabrhel, Christopher

2017-08-01

Pulmonary embolism response teams (PERT) are developing rapidly to operationalize multi-disciplinary care for acute pulmonary embolism patients. Our objective is to describe the core components of PERT necessary for newly developing programs. An online organizational survey of active National PERT™ Consortium members was performed between April and June 2016. Analysis, including descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis tests, was performed on centers self-reporting a fully operational PERT program. The survey response rate was 80%. Of the 31 institutions that responded (71% academic), 19 had fully functioning PERT programs. These programs were run by steering committees (17/19, 89%) more often than individual physicians (2/19, 11%). Most PERT programs involved 3-5 different specialties (14/19, 74%), which did not vary based on hospital size or academic affiliation. Of programs using multidisciplinary discussions, these occurred via phone or conference call (12/18, 67%), with a minority of these utilizing 'virtual meeting' software (2/12, 17%). Guidelines for appropriate activations were provided at 16/19 (84%) hospitals. Most PERT programs offered around-the-clock catheter-based or surgical care (17/19, 89%). Outpatient follow up usually occurred in personal physician clinics (15/19, 79%) or dedicated PERT clinics (9/19, 47%), which were only available at academic institutions. PERT programs can be implemented, with similar structures, at small and large, community and academic medical centers. While all PERT programs incorporate team-based multi-disciplinary care into their core structure, several different models exist with varying personnel and resource utilization. Understanding how different PERT programs impact clinical care remains to be investigated.

Alaska | Midmarket Solar Policies in the United States | Solar Research |

Science.gov Websites

developers may offer community solar programs. State Incentive Programs Program Administrator Incentive decisions. Utility Incentive Programs Check with local utilities for midscale solar incentives. Resources and utility policies and incentive programs. Net Metering and Interconnection Regulatory Commission of

Early feeding of carnivorous rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with a hyperglucidic diet during a short period: effect on dietary glucose utilization in juveniles.

PubMed

Geurden, I; Aramendi, M; Zambonino-Infante, J; Panserat, S

2007-06-01

Based on the concept of nutritional programming in higher vertebrates, we tested whether an acute hyperglucidic stimulus during early life could induce a long-lasting effect on carbohydrate utilization in carnivorous rainbow trout. The trout were fed a hyperglucidic diet (60% dextrin) at two early stages of development: either at first feeding (3 days, stimulus 1) or after yolk absorption (5 days, stimulus 2). Before and after the hyperglucidic stimulus, they received a commercial diet until juvenile stage (>10 g). Fish that did not experience the hyperglucidic stimuli served as controls. The short- and long-term effects of the stimuli were evaluated by measuring the expression of five key genes involved in carbohydrate utilization: alpha-amylase, maltase (digestion), sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter (SGLT1; intestinal glucose transport), and glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, involved in the utilization and production of glucose, respectively. The hyperglucidic diet rapidly increased expressions of maltase, alpha-amylase, and glucokinase in stimulus 1 fish and only of maltase in stimulus 2 fish, probably because of a lower plasticity at this later stage of development. In the final challenge test with juveniles fed a 25% dextrin diet, both digestive enzymes were upregulated in fish that had experienced the hyperglucidic stimulus at first feeding, confirming the possibility of modification of some long-term physiological functions in rainbow trout. In contrast, no persistent molecular adaptations were found for the genes involved in glucose transport or metabolism. In addition, growth and postprandial glycemia were unaffected by the stimuli. In summary, our data show that a short hyperglucidic stimulus during early trout life may permanently influence carbohydrate digestion.

Management of exercise-induced bronchospasm in NCAA athletic programs

PubMed Central

Parsons, Jonathan P.; Pestritto, Vincent; Phillips, Gary; Kaeding, Christopher; Best, Thomas M.; Wadley, Gail; Mastronarde, John G.

2009-01-01

Purpose The prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) is significantly higher in athletes than the general population, and can result in significant morbidity in young, competitive athletes. Guidelines emphasize that education and written treatment protocols improve clinical outcomes for asthmatics. Evidence also supports objective testing when exercise-induced bronchospasm is suspected, immediate availability of rescue inhalers, and involvement of asthma specialists in the care of asthmatic athletes. We sought to determine how EIB is managed at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports medicine programs. Methods A survey consisting of multiple-choice questions related to exercise-induced bronchospasm in athletes was sent electronically to 3200 athletic trainers affiliated with NCAA sports medicine programs. Results 541 athletic trainers responded. A minority of athletic trainers surveyed (21%) indicated an asthma management protocol exists at their institution. 22% indicated that pulmonologists are on staff in or consultants to the sports medicine department. Many indicated a short-acting beta-agonist is not required to be available at all practices (39%) and games (41%) and few athletic trainers indicated their programs utilize objective testing to diagnose EIB (17%). Regression modeling demonstrated education about EIB and involvement of pulmonologists significantly improved adherence to current consensus guidelines. Conclusions Based on our data, many NCAA sports medicine programs do not manage athletes with EIB according to current consensus guidelines. This may result in inaccurate diagnoses and may be detrimental to clinical outcomes and the overall health of student athletes. Providing education about EIB and involvement of pulmonologists significantly increase adherence to guidelines which likely improves clinical care of athletes and potentially athletic performance. PMID:19276862

Schemes for Oestrus Synchronization Protocols and Controlled Breeding Programs in Cattle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabo, Y. G.; Sandabe, U. K.; Maina, V. A.; Balla, H. G.

Today prostaglandin and progesterone has been found widely used in several schemes of oestrus synchronization and controlled breeding program. Several controlled breeding program, have been developed for synchronizing groups of all open or lactating cows within a breeding group with or without ovarian palpation. Such programs are reviewed in this article which involves extending the luteal phase by treatment with exogenous progesterone such as: progesterone treatment regimes using syncro-mate-B, progesterone releasing intravaginal device, melengesterol acetate-select and melegestrol acetate plus prostaglandin. Also reviewed in the program is the termination of the luteal phase by treatment with prostaglandin or its analogues. These includes, controlled breeding without ovarian palpation such as, the 7-days program; 11-days program, target breeding, ovsynch program, Heat synch, Cosynch and pre synch-ovsynch program. In our opinion full potential of progesterone and prostaglandin for the detection of oestrus and timed artificial insemination should be utilized. This reduces the much labour input employed in previous years. The practitioner of the livestock herd health must-develop strategies for the delivery of this technology to livestock farmers, its use and limitations.

Evaluation of ilmenite serpentine concrete and ordinary concrete as nuclear reactor shielding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abulfaraj, Waleed H.; Kamal, Salah M.

1994-07-01

The present study involves adapting a formal decision methodology to the selection of alternative nuclear reactor concretes shielding. Multiattribute utility theory is selected to accommodate decision makers' preferences. Multiattribute utility theory (MAU) is here employed to evaluate two appropriate nuclear reactor shielding concretes in terms of effectiveness to determine the optimal choice in order to meet the radiation protection regulations. These concretes are Ordinary concrete (O.C.) and Ilmenite Serpentile concrete (I.S.C.). These are normal weight concrete and heavy heat resistive concrete, respectively. The effectiveness objective of the nuclear reactor shielding is defined and structured into definite attributes and subattributes to evaluate the best alternative. Factors affecting the decision are dose received by reactor's workers, the material properties as well as cost of concrete shield. A computer program is employed to assist in performing utility analysis. Based upon data, the result shows the superiority of Ordinary concrete over Ilmenite Serpentine concrete.

Participating in commercial space ventures: Introduction to NASA Centers for the Commercial Development of Space and the Cooperative Agreements Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

In response to a Presidential directive, NASA has implemented a space policy which actively supports and encourages U.S. industry investment and participation in commercial space ventures. NASA's Office of Commercial Programs (OCP) has played a significant role in stimulating the growth of commercial space activity. Through a variety of programs, OCP encourages commercial interest and involvement in space endeavors by providing access to NASA resources and opportunities for the emerging space industry to reduce the technical, financial, and business risks associated with space-related activities. This manual describes NASA's Commercial Uses of Space Program and introduces participants to four major OCP Commercial programs: Technology Utilization (TU), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Centers for the Commercial Development of Space Flight Agreement (CCDSFA), and Cooperative Agreements Programs. The objective of this manual is to assist U.S. industry identify and pursue the appropriate agreement for participation in a commercial space venture.

Initiation and Maintenance of Fitness Center Utilization in an Incentive-Based Employer Wellness Program

PubMed Central

Abraham, Jean Marie; Crespin, Daniel; Rothman, Alexander

2015-01-01

Objective Investigate the initiation and maintenance of participation in an employer-based wellness program that provides financial incentives for fitness center utilization. Methods Using multivariate analysis, we investigated how employees’ demographics, health status, exercise-related factors, and lifestyle change preferences affect program participation. Results Forty-two percent of eligible employees participated in the program and 24% earned a $20 incentive at least once by utilizing a gym 8 times or more in a month. On average, participants utilized fitness centers 7.0 months each year and earned credit 4.5 months. Participants’ utilization diminished after their first year in the program. Conclusions Factors associated with initiation and maintenance of fitness center utilization were similar. Declining utilization over time raises concern about the long-run effectiveness of fitness-focused wellness programs. Employers may want to consider additional levers to positively reinforce participation. PMID:26340283

Commerce Lab - A program of commercial flight opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, J.; Atkins, H. L.; Williams, J. R.

1985-01-01

Commerce Lab is conceived as an adjunct to the National Space Transportation System (NSTS) by providing a focal point for commercial missions which could utilize existing NSTS carrier and resource capabilities for on-orbit experimentation in the microgravity sciences. In this context, the Commerce Lab program provides mission planning for private sector involvement in the space program, in general, and the commercial exploitation of the microgravity environment for materials processing research and development. It is expected that Commerce Lab will provide a logical transition between currently planned NSTS missions and future microgravity science and commercial R&D missions centered around the Space Station. The present study identifies candidate Commerce Lab flight experiments and their development status and projects a mission traffic model that can be used in commercial mission planning.

Youth empowerment in context: exploring tensions in school-based yPAR.

PubMed

Kohfeldt, Danielle; Chhun, Lina; Grace, Sarah; Langhout, Regina Day

2011-03-01

In much of the youth empowerment literature, researchers focus on the relationship between youth and adults involved in empowerment programs while neglecting the broader social framework in which these relationships and the program itself functions. Utilizing an ecological model, the current research examines the tensions that surfaced in attempts to create an empowering setting in an after-school PAR program with fifth-graders. Challenging assumptions about youth, structural challenges, and conflicting theories of change are highlighted. Results examine the role of sociocultural context as PAR researchers attempt to create a setting in which students gain skills to become change agents within their school. The study suggests that youth empowerment is a context dependent process that requires attention to a multiplicity of factors that influence possibilities for empowerment via second order change.

The FRALIT teledetection program, using the ERTS-A satellite, for the oceanic littoral of France

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verger, F. (Principal Investigator); Cazabat, C.; Demathieu, P.; Dupuis, J.

1972-01-01

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. The French Atlantic Littoral program, utilizing data from the ERTS-1 satellite, is considered. It involves teledetection of the French shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean and English Channel. A description is given of the ERTS-1 orbit and the satellite itself, including the attitude control system, and the data acquisition and transmission equipment. The geographic extent of the area covered by the program is delineated and the subjects studied are enumerated. These include the geomorphology, pedology, hydrology, and vegetation of the maritime marshes; sedimentology, morphology, and hydrology of the intertidal zones; and transport of material in suspension to the mouths of the Seine, the Loire, and the Gironde as a part of the coastal waters study.

42 CFR 456.3 - Statewide surveillance and utilization control program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Statewide surveillance and utilization control... § 456.3 Statewide surveillance and utilization control program. The Medicaid agency must implement a statewide surveillance and utilization control program that— (a) Safeguards against unnecessary or...

42 CFR 456.3 - Statewide surveillance and utilization control program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Statewide surveillance and utilization control... § 456.3 Statewide surveillance and utilization control program. The Medicaid agency must implement a statewide surveillance and utilization control program that— (a) Safeguards against unnecessary or...

42 CFR 456.3 - Statewide surveillance and utilization control program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Statewide surveillance and utilization control... § 456.3 Statewide surveillance and utilization control program. The Medicaid agency must implement a statewide surveillance and utilization control program that— (a) Safeguards against unnecessary or...

42 CFR 456.3 - Statewide surveillance and utilization control program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Statewide surveillance and utilization control... § 456.3 Statewide surveillance and utilization control program. The Medicaid agency must implement a statewide surveillance and utilization control program that— (a) Safeguards against unnecessary or...

42 CFR 456.3 - Statewide surveillance and utilization control program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Statewide surveillance and utilization control... § 456.3 Statewide surveillance and utilization control program. The Medicaid agency must implement a statewide surveillance and utilization control program that— (a) Safeguards against unnecessary or...

Structure and Utility of Blind Speed Intervals Associated with Doppler Measurements of Range Rate

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-01

computer programming concepts of speed, memory , and data structures that can be exploited to fabricate efficient software realizations of two phase range...to the effect that it is possible to derive a reasonable unambiguous estimate of range rate from the measurement of the pulse-to-pulse phase shift in...the properties of the blind speed intervals generated by the base speeds involved in two measurement equations. Sections 12 through 18 make up the

Conflict resolution with end of life decisions in critical care settings.

PubMed

Murphy, C; Sweeney, M A

1995-01-01

This demonstration will present the key modules from an innovative videodisc-based program that was designed as an educational tool for health care professionals. It provides a resource for learning to deal with patients and families regarding the increasing problematic area of end-of-life-decisions. Tough Choices: Ethics, the Elderly, and Life-Sustaining Technologies is an interactive program that combines abstract ethical approaches with the realistic drama of a critical care setting. The format integrates scientific facts about the patient with value questions regarding the utilization of life-sustaining technologies. The unique program provides health care personnel with strategies on how to guide family decision-making as well as examples of the various interventions. This interactive multimedia program opens up an opportunity for health care providers to participate in a clinical case in which life and death decisions are made. Learners can explore various perspectives and treatment options within the framework of the dramatic case presentation without the usual time constraints or worries about causing harm to patients. The program involves learners in a variety of ethical and legal dilemmas that centers around a patient, her family, and a variety of health care professionals. Dramatic advances in the development of life-sustaining medical technologies have given hope to many people whose conditions would have meant certain death only a few years ago. As access to the technologies has expanded, concern for their appropriate utilization has become an issue worthy of increasing attention. Questions about the benefits of life-sustaining treatments are being raised in many quarters, particularly when the technology is viewed as a modern means of postponing death and prolonging suffering. Tough Choices brings to life the story of Irene Sullivan, an elderly widow who has an unexpected heart attack. Suddenly, her very existence depends on the life-support provided by mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This is a growing area of concern since more than half of the patients who receive CPR and tube feedings and one third of the people receiving mechanical ventilation are 65 or over. Mrs. Sullivan's health care team is forced to deal with the opposing viewpoints of several close family members regarding the utilization of advanced medical technology. The interactive program invites viewers to explore the complex ethical and legal dilemmas involved in making life-and-death decisions about her care. It also permits immediate access to supportive resources in three areas: the clinical chart, abstracts of relevant research studies on life-sustaining technologies, and information from the professional literature on advance directives. The program incorporates practical steps involved in implementing the Patient Self-Determination Act as it follows the patient from the time of hospitalization through a series of life-threatening crises. Two very different aspects of the role of the health care professionals were explored: a crisis mode which covers the steps in managing a full-blown crisis situation, and a prevention mode which analyzes steps that could have been followed to keep an ethical crisis from occurring. The strong role models for practice display many of the characteristics that the helping professions need to foster in an atmosphere of healthcare reform.

Using Contact Theory to Assess Staff Perspectives on Training Initiatives of an Intergenerational Programming Intervention.

PubMed

Weaver, Raven H; Naar, Jill J; Jarrott, Shannon E

2017-12-25

Project TRIP (Transforming Relationships through Intergenerational Programs) was developed as a sustainable intergenerational community project involving child care participants and elders attending an elder care program or volunteering at the children's program. The project focused on staff development of evidence-based intergenerational practices. To enhance available intervention research, contact theory provided a theoretical framework to explore how staff members' and administrators' perceptions of the intervention influenced their ability to implement programming in social care settings. We used a directed content analysis approach to analyze small group and individual interviews with 32 participants from 6 program sites over 5 years. Participants highlighted inherent challenges and subsequent benefits of academic-community partnerships. Greater on-site presence, open communication, and relationship-building proved critical to improve community partnerships, project fidelity, and program sustainability. When interactions reflected contact theory tenets, collaborators reported positive attitudes toward and interactions with research partners. Contact theory provided a useful framework to understand the researcher-practitioner partnership. Researchers should plan for partnerships that: (a) are supported by authority figures, including staff and participants, (b) utilize a shared expertise approach where partners have equal group status, (c) involve close cooperation; (d) align research and program goals, and (e) foster positive communication through frequent contact using practitioners' preferred methods and including in-person contact. We recommend future intergenerational programming interventions build on a foundation of both theory and practice. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dementia caregivers' responses to 2 Internet-based intervention programs.

PubMed

Marziali, Elsa; Garcia, Linda J

2011-02-01

The aim of this study was to examine the impact on dementia caregivers' experienced stress and health status of 2 Internet-based intervention programs. Ninety-one dementia caregivers were given the choice of being involved in either an Internet-based chat support group or an Internet-based video conferencing support group. Pre-post outcome measures focused on distress, health status, social support, and service utilization. In contrast to the Chat Group, the Video Group showed significantly greater improvement in mental health status. Also, for the Video Group, improvements in self-efficacy, neuroticism, and social support were associated with lower stress response to coping with the care recipient's cognitive impairment and decline in function. The results show that, of 2 Internet-based intervention programs for dementia caregivers, the video conferencing intervention program was more effective in improving mental health status and improvement in personal characteristics were associated with lower caregiver stress response.

Supporting Intrapersonal Development in Substance Use Disorder Programs: A Conceptual Framework for Client Assessment.

PubMed

Turpin, Aaron; Shier, Micheal L

2017-01-01

Improvements to intrapersonal development of clients involved with substance use disorder treatment programs has widely been recognized as contributing to the intended goal of reducing substance misuse behaviors. This study sought to identify a broad framework of primary outcomes related to the intrapersonal development of clients in treatment for substance misuse. Using qualitative research methods, individual interviews were conducted with program participants (n = 41) at three treatment programs to identify the ways in which respondents experienced intrapersonal development through participation in treatment. The findings support the development of a conceptual model that captures the importance and manifestation of achieving improvements in the following outcomes: self-awareness, coping ability, self-worth, outlook, and self-determination. The findings provide a conceptual framework for client assessment that captures a broad range of the important intrapersonal development factors utilized as indicators for client development and recovery that should be measured in tandem during assessment.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration fundamental research program. Information utilization and evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, J. E.; Eisgruber, L.

1981-01-01

In the second half of the 1980's NASA can expect to face difficult choices among alternative fundamental and applied research, and development projects that could potentially lead to improvements in the information systems used to manage renewable resources. The working group on information utilization and evaluation believes that effective choices cannot be made without a better understanding of the current and prospective problems and opportunities involved in the application of remote sensing to improve renewable research information systems. A renewable resources information system is defined in a broad context to include a flow of data/information from: acquisition through processing, storage, integration with other data, analysis, graphic presentation, decision making, and assessment of the affects of those decisions.

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

Bird, L.; Brown, E.

This report presents year-end 2005 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.

Utility Green-Pricing Programs: What Defines Success? (Topical Issues Brief)

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

Swezey, B.; Bird, L.

2001-09-13

''Green pricing'' is an optional service through which customers can support a greater level of investment by their electric utility in renewable energy technologies. Electric utilities in 29 states are now implementing green-pricing programs. This report examines important elements of green-pricing programs, including the different types of programs offered, the premiums charged, customer response, and additional factors that experience indicates are key to the development of successful programs. The best-performing programs tend to share a number of common attributes related to product design, value creation, product pricing, and program implementation. The report ends with a list of ''best practices'' formore » utilities to follow when developing and implementing programs.« less

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

Bird, L.; Brown, E.

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, nearly 600 utilities in regulated electricity markets--or almost 20% of all utilities nationally--provide their customers a "green power" option. Because some utilities offer programs in conjunction with cooperative associations or other publicly owned power entities, the number of distinct programs totals about 125. Through these programs, more than 40 million customers spanning 34 states have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs--or make contributions to support the developmentmore » of renewable energy resources. Typically, customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2004 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities as benchmarks by which to gauge the success of their green power programs.« less

Real-Time Multiprocessor Programming Language (RTMPL) user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arpasi, D. J.

1985-01-01

A real-time multiprocessor programming language (RTMPL) has been developed to provide for high-order programming of real-time simulations on systems of distributed computers. RTMPL is a structured, engineering-oriented language. The RTMPL utility supports a variety of multiprocessor configurations and types by generating assembly language programs according to user-specified targeting information. Many programming functions are assumed by the utility (e.g., data transfer and scaling) to reduce the programming chore. This manual describes RTMPL from a user's viewpoint. Source generation, applications, utility operation, and utility output are detailed. An example simulation is generated to illustrate many RTMPL features.

Pharmacist-driven antimicrobial stewardship program in an institution without infectious diseases physician support.

PubMed

Waters, C Dustin

2015-03-15

Improved drug-utilization and cost outcomes achieved by a pharmacist-led antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) are described. Pharmacists may be tasked to lead ASP development and implementation with little or no support from an infectious diseases (ID) physician and other hospital personnel whose involvement on ASP teams is recommended (e.g., clinical microbiologists, infection control specialists, hospital epidemiologists). Several years ago, Intermountain Healthcare's 325-bed McKay-Dee Hospital in Utah implemented an ASP led by an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist. In addition to reviewing patient profiles and meeting with physicians to discuss cases daily (Monday-Friday), the pharmacist was available to provide afterhours phone consultations; support was provided by an infection prevention nurse, two physician ASP champions, the pharmacy leadership, pharmacy informatics and hospital laboratory personnel, and the chief medical officer. In the program's first 33 months, the pharmacist made a total of 2,457 interventions or recommendations, with an acceptance rate of 91.8%. Comparison of selected outcomes during one-year periods before and after ASP implementation indicated substantial decreases in the utilization of four commonly used antimicrobial agents and classes (carbapenems, daptomycin, echinocandins, and levofloxacin) in the postimplementation period, with a significant decline in the average length of stay for community-acquired pneumonia (mean ± S.D., 2.69 ± 0.10 days versus 3.40 ± 0.23 days; p = 0.03). Two years after ASP implementation, annual cost savings attributed to the program were estimated at $355,000. In the absence of ID physician support and oversight, the pharmacist-led ASP achieved substantial reductions in antimicrobial utilization and associated expenditures. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality assurance of HDR prostate plans: program implementation at a community hospital.

PubMed

Rush, Jennifer B; Thomas, Michael D

2005-01-01

Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is currently the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States, and the second leading cause of cancer mortality. The utilization of radiation therapy is regarded as the definitive local therapy of choice for intermediate- and high-risk disease, in which there is increased risk for extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, or regional node involvement. High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a logical treatment modality to deliver the boost dose to an external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) treatment to increase local control rates. From a treatment perspective, the utilization of a complicated treatment delivery system, the compressed time frame in which the procedure is performed, and the small number of large dose fractions make the implementation of a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) program imperative. One aspect of this program is the QA of the HDR treatment plan. Review of regulatory and medical physics professional publications shows that substantial general guidance is available. We provide some insight to the implementation of an HDR prostate plan program at a community hospital. One aspect addressed is the utilization of the low-dose-rate (LDR) planning system and the use of existing ultrasound image sets to familiarize the radiation therapy team with respect to acceptable HDR implant geometries. Additionally, the use of the LDR treatment planning system provided a means to prospectively determine the relationship between the treated isodose volume and the product of activity and time for the department's planning protocol prior to the first HDR implant. For the first 12 HDR prostate implants, the root-mean-square (RMS) deviation was 3.05% between the predicted product of activity and time vs. the actual plan values. Retrospective re-evaluation of the actual implant data reduced the RMS deviation to 2.36%.

The Impact of Early Involvement in a Postdischarge Support Program for Ostomy Surgery Patients on Preventable Healthcare Utilization

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of a postdischarge ostomy support program as an adjunct to nurse-led ostomy care on preventable healthcare utilization. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: A postdischarge support program offered by an ostomy product's manufacturer provides persons living with an ostomy with patient-centered and easily accessible assistance. Individuals who underwent ostomy surgery within 18 months prior to the survey date were selected from an ostomy patient database maintained by the ostomy patient support program provider. Of 7026 surveys sent to program enrollees, 493 (7%) responded, compared with 225 (5%) out of 4149 surveys sent to individuals in a comparison group. The 2 groups were similar in demographics. A majority of the survey respondents were female (60% of program enrollees vs 55% of respondents in the comparison group). Among the program enrollees, 44% had colostomy, 43% had ileostomy, 10% had urostomy, and 4% had at least 2 types of ostomy surgery compared with 52%, 32%, 12%, and 4% of the respondents in a comparison group, respectively. METHODS: The study compared hospital readmission and emergency room (ER) visit rates attributable to ostomy complications between program enrollees and respondents in the comparison group. The event rates were measured in 2 study periods: within the first month of discharge and after the first month of discharge. Eligible individuals received an online survey that included the following domains: characteristics of ostomy surgery; readmissions and ER visits within the first month or after the first month of discharge, including reasons for preventable events; and level of health care access. Multivariate logistic regressions controlling for covariates were applied to investigate associations between program enrollment and ostomy-related readmission or ER visit rates. RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses showed that, when compared with respondents in the comparison group, program enrollees had a significantly lower likelihood of being readmitted and visiting the ER due to ostomy complications after the first month of hospital discharge and up to 18 months postdischarge (odds ratio [OR] = 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.73; and OR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.22-0.64, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that enrolling patients in the postdischarge ostomy support program provides an effective approach to reducing preventable healthcare utilization. PMID:29189646

The Impact of Early Involvement in a Postdischarge Support Program for Ostomy Surgery Patients on Preventable Healthcare Utilization.

PubMed

Rojanasarot, Sirikan

To evaluate the impact of a postdischarge ostomy support program as an adjunct to nurse-led ostomy care on preventable healthcare utilization. A cross-sectional study. A postdischarge support program offered by an ostomy product's manufacturer provides persons living with an ostomy with patient-centered and easily accessible assistance. Individuals who underwent ostomy surgery within 18 months prior to the survey date were selected from an ostomy patient database maintained by the ostomy patient support program provider. Of 7026 surveys sent to program enrollees, 493 (7%) responded, compared with 225 (5%) out of 4149 surveys sent to individuals in a comparison group. The 2 groups were similar in demographics. A majority of the survey respondents were female (60% of program enrollees vs 55% of respondents in the comparison group). Among the program enrollees, 44% had colostomy, 43% had ileostomy, 10% had urostomy, and 4% had at least 2 types of ostomy surgery compared with 52%, 32%, 12%, and 4% of the respondents in a comparison group, respectively. The study compared hospital readmission and emergency room (ER) visit rates attributable to ostomy complications between program enrollees and respondents in the comparison group. The event rates were measured in 2 study periods: within the first month of discharge and after the first month of discharge. Eligible individuals received an online survey that included the following domains: characteristics of ostomy surgery; readmissions and ER visits within the first month or after the first month of discharge, including reasons for preventable events; and level of health care access. Multivariate logistic regressions controlling for covariates were applied to investigate associations between program enrollment and ostomy-related readmission or ER visit rates. Logistic regression analyses showed that, when compared with respondents in the comparison group, program enrollees had a significantly lower likelihood of being readmitted and visiting the ER due to ostomy complications after the first month of hospital discharge and up to 18 months postdischarge (odds ratio [OR] = 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.73; and OR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.22-0.64, respectively). Findings suggest that enrolling patients in the postdischarge ostomy support program provides an effective approach to reducing preventable healthcare utilization.

Program for the Increased Participation of Minorities in NASA-Related Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The goal of this program is to increase the participation of minorities in NASA related research and "Science for the Nation s Interest". Collaborative research projects will be developed involving NASA-MSFC, National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC), other government agencies, industries and minority serving institutions (MSIs). The primary focus for the MSIs will be on Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee University, which are in partnership with the NSSTC. These schools have excellent Ph.D. programs in physics and materials science and engineering, respectively. The first phase of this program will be carried out at Alabama A&M University in the "Research and Development Office" in collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Huston, Vice President of Research and Development. The development assignment will be carried out at the NSSTC with Sandy Coleman/ RS01 and this will primarily involve working with Tuskegee University.A portion of the program will be devoted to identifying and contacting potential funding sources for use in establishing collaborative research projects between NASA-MSFC, other government agencies, NSSTC, industries, and MSIs. These potential funding sources include the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DOD), Army, Navy, and Air Force. Collaborative research projects will be written mostly in the following research areas: a. Cosmic radiation shielding materials b. Advanced propulsion material c. Biomedical materials and biosensors d. In situ resource utilization e. Photonics for NASA applications

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

Bird, Lori; Brown, Elizabeth

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, more than 600 utilities—or about 20% of all utilities nationally—provide their customers a “green power” option. Because some utilities offer programs in conjunction with cooperative associations or other publicly owned power entities, the number of distinct programs totals more than 130. Through these programs, more than 50 million customers have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs—or make contributions to support the development of renewable energy resources. Typically,more » customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2005 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.« less

An Analysis of Cost Growth in the F/A-18 Airplane Acquisition Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

is all we are doing--involves weighing the utility or benefit to be gained against the cost which must be incurred . Why is that so? It is so because...inherent penalty for overruns and a reward for underruns. On the other hand, cost plus fixed fee con- tracts should have the highest overruns since there...variation of an FPI type contract where buyer and seller agree beforehand on a tentative fee based on estimated cost . If the seller can reduce costs

Natural Environmental Service Support to NASA Vehicle, Technology, and Sensor Development Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The research performed under this contract involved definition of the natural environmental parameters affecting the design, development, and operation of space and launch vehicles. The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) provided the manpower and resources to accomplish the following tasks: defining environmental parameters critical for design, development, and operation of launch vehicles; defining environmental forecasts required to assure optimal utilization of launch vehicles; and defining orbital environments of operation and developing models on environmental parameters affecting launch vehicle operations.

The National Shipbuilding Research Program. 1989 Ship Production Symposium. Paper No. 13: NIDDESC: Meeting the Data Exchange Challenge Through a Cooperative Effort

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

RESPONSIBLE PERSON a. REPORT unclassified b. ABSTRACT unclassified c . THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18... Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Manufacturing (CAM) techniques in the marine industry has increased significantly in recent years, With more...somewhat from ship to ship. All of the activities and companies involved have improved this process by utilizing computer tools. For example, many

Interactive planning workshop. Volume 2. Summary

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

Not Available

1978-01-01

The Division of Fossil Fuel Utilization has sponsored a series of interactive planning workshops designed to involve private citizens and representatives in industry, the academic community, public interest groups, and state and local governments in the division's planning process. The findings of the Mt. Hood Interactive Planning Workshop are presented in this summary. This conclave was held at Timberline Lodge on October 15-17, 1978, and was hosted by the Mt. Hood Community College of Gresham, Oregon. Participants examined the division's program goals, planning process, and project appraisal methodology.

Building a global teledermatology collaboration.

PubMed

Bobbs, Melanie; Bayer, Michelle; Frazer, Tifany; Humphrey, Stephen; Wilson, Barbara; Olasz, Edit; Holland, Kristen; Kuzminski, Jacquelyn

2016-04-01

Skin disease is common in low-resource countries and is associated with significant morbidity. The disease burden is often heightened by lack of access to adequate diagnosis and treatment. Teledermatology is a growing healthcare delivery modality that allows access to subspecialty care at a distance. This article describes how a low-cost teledermatology program was launched through collaboration between the Medical College of Wisconsin and Hillside Healthcare International. Several factors are required for a teledermatology program to be successful, beginning with a partnership between two entities that targets a locally identified need and is mutually beneficial to invested partners. The program should utilize the expertise of each partner, be based on an agreed upon process with clearly defined objectives, and protect patient privacy. After a program is implemented, adaptation to address challenges and best meet the needs of all parties involved will allow for continued success and sustainability. This process can serve as a model for other programs desiring to establish similar teledermatology partnerships in an academic setting. © 2016 The International Society of Dermatology.

Analytical Chemistry Division annual progress report for period ending December 31, 1988

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

Not Available

The Analytical Chemistry Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a large and diversified organization. As such, it serves a multitude of functions for a clientele that exists both in and outside of ORNL. These functions fall into the following general categories: (1) Analytical Research, Development, and Implementation. The division maintains a program to conceptualize, investigate, develop, assess, improve, and implement advanced technology for chemical and physicochemical measurements. Emphasis is on problems and needs identified with ORNL and Department of Energy (DOE) programs; however, attention is also given to advancing the analytical sciences themselves. (2) Programmatic Research, Development, andmore » Utilization. The division carries out a wide variety of chemical work that typically involves analytical research and/or development plus the utilization of analytical capabilities to expedite programmatic interests. (3) Technical Support. The division performs chemical and physicochemical analyses of virtually all types. The Analytical Chemistry Division is organized into four major sections, each of which may carry out any of the three types of work mentioned above. Chapters 1 through 4 of this report highlight progress within the four sections during the period January 1 to December 31, 1988. A brief discussion of the division's role in an especially important environmental program is given in Chapter 5. Information about quality assurance, safety, and training programs is presented in Chapter 6, along with a tabulation of analyses rendered. Publications, oral presentations, professional activities, educational programs, and seminars are cited in Chapters 7 and 8.« less

Achieving Maximum Integration Utilizing Requirements Flow Down

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Archiable, Wes; Askins, Bruce

2011-01-01

A robust and experienced systems engineering team is essential for a successful program. It is often a challenge to build a core systems engineering team early enough in a program to maximize integration and assure a common path for all supporting teams in a project. Ares I was no exception. During the planning of IVGVT, the team had many challenges including lack of: early identification of stakeholders, team training in NASA s system engineering practices, solid requirements flow down and a top down documentation strategy. The IVGVT team started test planning early in the program before the systems engineering framework had been matured due to an aggressive schedule. Therefore the IVGVT team increased their involvement in the Constellation systems engineering effort. Program level requirements were established that flowed down to IVGVT aligning all stakeholders to a common set of goals. The IVGVT team utilized the APPEL REQ Development Management course providing the team a NASA focused model to follow. The IVGVT team engaged directly with the model verification and validation process to assure that a solid set of requirements drove the need for the test event. The IVGVT team looked at the initial planning state, analyzed the current state and then produced recommendations for the ideal future state of a wide range of systems engineering functions and processes. Based on this analysis, the IVGVT team was able to produce a set of lessons learned and to provide suggestions for future programs or tests to use in their initial planning phase.

Mobilizable RDF/d-RDF burning program

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

Niemann, K.; Campbell, J.

1982-03-01

The Mobilizable RDF/d-RDF Burning Program was conceived to promote the utilization of refuse-derived fuels (RDF) as a supplement to existing fossil fuel sources in industrial-sized boilers. The program explores the design, development, and eventual construction of densified-RDF (d-RDF) for use in boiler combustion testing as a supplement to stoker coal or wood wastes. The equipment would be mounted on trailers and assembled and operated at preselected sites throughout the country where approximately 750 tons of RDF would be produced and test burned in a local boiler. The equipment, to include a transportable RDF boiler metering and feed system, would thenmore » be moved and operated at two to three test sites annually. The program is intended to encourage the construction of permanent resource recovery facilities by involving local waste handling groups in operating the equipment and producing fuel, and potential local fuel users in testing the fuel in their boilers. The Mobilizable Program was developed from two separate tasks. The first task developed the concept behind the program and defined its operational and organizational structure. The second task, a follow-up to the first, was intended principally to finalize test locations, develop equipment designs and specifications, and formalize a management program. This report summarizes the principal findings of both tasks. It identifies the criteria used to identify test locations, outlines the program's management structure, presents design and performance specifications for both the fuel production equipment and boiler fuel feed systems, and provides a detailed evaluation of the parameters involved in burning RDF in industrial-sized boilers. Final conclusions and recommendations identify problem areas encountered in the program, and discuss possible future directions for such a program.« less

Utility residential new construction programs: Going beyond the code. A report from the Database on Energy Efficiency Programs (DEEP) Project

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

Vine, E.

Based on an evaluation of 10 residential new construction programs, primarily sponsored by investor-owned utilities in the United States, we find that many of these programs are in dire straits and are in danger of being discontinued because current inclusion of only direct program effects leads to the conclusion that they are not cost-effective. We believe that the cost-effectiveness of residential new construction programs can be improved by: (1) promoting technologies and advanced building design practices that significantly exceed state and federal standards; (2) reducing program marketing costs and developing more effective marketing strategies; (3) recognizing the role of thesemore » programs in increasing compliance with existing state building codes; and (4) allowing utilities to obtain an ``energy-savings credit`` from utility regulators for program spillover (market transformation) impacts. Utilities can also leverage their resources in seizing these opportunities by forming strong and trusting partnerships with the building community and with local and state government.« less

Using Derivative Contracts to Mitigate Water Utility Financial Risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Characklis, G. W.; Zeff, H.

2012-12-01

As developing new supply capacity has become increasingly expensive and difficult to permit, utilities have become more reliant on temporary demand management programs, such as outdoor water use restrictions, for ensuring reliability during drought. However, a significant fraction of water utility income is often derived from the volumetric sale of water, and such restrictions can lead to substantial revenue losses. Given that many utilities set prices at levels commensurate with recovering costs, these revenue losses can leave them financially vulnerable to budgetary shortfalls during drought. This work explores approaches for mitigating drought-related revenue losses through the use of third-party financial insurance contracts based on weather derivatives. Two different types of contracts are developed, and their efficacy is compared against two more traditional forms of financial hedging used by water utilities: drought surcharges and contingency funds (i.e. self insurance). Strategies involving each of these approaches, as well as their use in combination, are applied under conditions facing the water utility serving Durham, North Carolina. A multi-reservoir model provides information on the scale and timing of droughts, with the financial effects of these events simulated using detailed data derived from utility billing records. Results suggest that third-party derivative contracts, either independently or in combination with more traditional hedging tools (i.e. surcharges, contingency funds), can provide an effective means of reducing a utility's financial vulnerability to drought.

Managing water utility financial risks through third-party index insurance contracts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeff, Harrison B.; Characklis, Gregory W.

2013-08-01

As developing new supply capacity has become increasingly expensive and difficult to permit (i.e., regulatory approval), utilities have become more reliant on temporary demand management programs, such as outdoor water use restrictions, for ensuring reliability during drought. However, a significant fraction of water utility income is often derived from the volumetric sale of water, and such restrictions can lead to substantial revenue losses. Given that many utilities set prices at levels commensurate with recovering costs, these revenue losses can leave them financially vulnerable to budgetary shortfalls. This work explores approaches for mitigating drought-related revenue losses through the use of third-party financial insurance contracts based on streamflow indices. Two different types of contracts are developed, and their efficacy is compared against two more traditional forms of financial hedging used by water utilities: Drought surcharges and contingency funds (i.e., self-insurance). Strategies involving each of these approaches, as well as their use in combination, are applied under conditions facing the water utility serving Durham, North Carolina. A multireservoir model provides information on the scale and timing of droughts, and the financial effects of these events are simulated using detailed data derived from utility billing records. Results suggest that third-party index insurance contracts, either independently or in combination with more traditional hedging tools, can provide an effective means of reducing a utility's financial vulnerability to drought.

Exercise Prescriptions for Training and Rehabilitation in Patients with Heart and Lung Disease.

PubMed

Palermo, Pietro; Corrà, Ugo

2017-07-01

Rehabilitation in patients with advanced cardiac and pulmonary disease has been shown to increase survival and improve quality of life, among many other benefits. Exercise training is the fundamental ingredient in these rehabilitation programs. However, determining the amount of exercise is not straightforward or uniform. Most rehabilitation and training programs fix the time of exercise and set the exercise intensity to the goals of the rehabilitation program and the exercise-related hurdles of the individual. The exercise training intensity prescription must balance the desired gain in conditioning with safety. Symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing is the fundamental tool to identify the exercise intensity and define the appropriate training. In addition, cardiopulmonary exercise testing provides an understanding of the systems involved in oxygen transport and utilization, making it possible to identify the factors limiting exercise capacity in individual patients.

State formulating lifeline program

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

Not Available

1978-09-01

The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) of New Jersey is formulating a lifeline program which would provide low-income and elderly customers with reduced utility rates. It is estimated that 30% of the households in New Jersey will qualify for the program. While the legislation calls for the lowest effective rate of any customer class, each utility would have its own lifeline program because of differing rates among utility companies. Eligibility requirements would be applied statewide. The utilities will fund the new program by restructuring the existing rates for regular customers. In which case lifeline recipients' rate would decrease while regularmore » customers' bills would increase. Eventually, the BPU expects to fund about 10% of the senior citizens' portion of the program with the state's casino gambling revenues.« less

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study (REDS-III): A research program striving to improve blood donor and transfusion recipient outcomes

PubMed Central

Kleinman, Steven; Busch, Michael P; Murphy, Edward L; Shan, Hua; Ness, Paul; Glynn, Simone A.

2014-01-01

Background The Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study -III (REDS-III) is a 7-year multicenter transfusion safety research initiative launched in 2011 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Study design The domestic component involves 4 blood centers, 12 hospitals, a data coordinating center, and a central laboratory. The international component consists of distinct programs in Brazil, China, and South Africa which involve US and in-country investigators. Results REDS-III is using two major methods to address key research priorities in blood banking/transfusion medicine. First, there will be numerous analyses of large “core” databases; the international programs have each constructed a donor/donation database while the domestic program has established a detailed research database that links data from blood donors and their donations, the components made from these donations, and data extracts from the electronic medical records of the recipients of these components. Secondly, there are more than 25 focused research protocols involving transfusion recipients, blood donors, or both that are either in progress or scheduled to begin within the next 3 years. Areas of study include transfusion epidemiology and blood utilization; transfusion outcomes; non-infectious transfusion risks; HIV-related safety issues (particularly in the international programs); emerging infectious agents; blood component quality; donor health and safety; and other donor issues. Conclusions It is intended that REDS-III serve as an impetus for more widespread recipient and linked donor-recipient research in the US as well as to help assure a safe and available blood supply in the US and in international locations. PMID:24188564

The effect of a healthy school tuck shop program on the access of students to healthy foods.

PubMed

Kim, Kirang; Hong, Seo Ah; Yun, Sung Ha; Ryou, Hyun Joo; Lee, Sang Sun; Kim, Mi Kyung

2012-04-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a healthy school tuck shop program, developed as a way of creating a healthy and nutritional school environment, on students' access to healthy foods. Five middle schools and four high schools (775 students) participated in the healthy school tuck shop program, and nine schools (1,282 students) were selected as the control group. The intervention program included restriction of unhealthy foods sold in tuck shops, provision of various fruits, and indirect nutritional education with promotion of healthy food products. The program evaluation involved the examination of students' purchase and intake patterns of healthy foods, satisfaction with the available foodstuffs, and utilization of and satisfaction with nutritional educational resources. Our results indicated that among of the students who utilized the tuck shop, about 40% purchased fruit products, showing that availability of healthy foods in the tuck shop increased the accessibility of healthy foods for students. Overall food purchase and intake patterns did not significantly change during the intervention period. However, students from the intervention schools reported higher satisfaction with the healthy food products sold in the tuck shop than did those from the control schools (all P < 0.001), and they were highly satisfied with the educational resources provided to them. In conclusion, the healthy school tuck shop program had a positive effect on the accessibility of healthy food. The findings suggest that a healthy school tuck shop may be an effective environmental strategy for promoting students' access to healthy foods.

The effect of a healthy school tuck shop program on the access of students to healthy foods

PubMed Central

Kim, Kirang; Hong, Seo Ah; Yun, Sung Ha; Ryou, Hyun Joo; Lee, Sang Sun

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a healthy school tuck shop program, developed as a way of creating a healthy and nutritional school environment, on students' access to healthy foods. Five middle schools and four high schools (775 students) participated in the healthy school tuck shop program, and nine schools (1,282 students) were selected as the control group. The intervention program included restriction of unhealthy foods sold in tuck shops, provision of various fruits, and indirect nutritional education with promotion of healthy food products. The program evaluation involved the examination of students' purchase and intake patterns of healthy foods, satisfaction with the available foodstuffs, and utilization of and satisfaction with nutritional educational resources. Our results indicated that among of the students who utilized the tuck shop, about 40% purchased fruit products, showing that availability of healthy foods in the tuck shop increased the accessibility of healthy foods for students. Overall food purchase and intake patterns did not significantly change during the intervention period. However, students from the intervention schools reported higher satisfaction with the healthy food products sold in the tuck shop than did those from the control schools (all P < 0.001), and they were highly satisfied with the educational resources provided to them. In conclusion, the healthy school tuck shop program had a positive effect on the accessibility of healthy food. The findings suggest that a healthy school tuck shop may be an effective environmental strategy for promoting students' access to healthy foods. PMID:22586503

Developing a UAS Program for Electric Utilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keltgen, James

New innovations and technologies using unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, have created unique opportunities for commercial applications. Electric utilities, likewise, realize the benefits of using UAS as a tool in electric utility operations. Although the opportunities exist, establishing a UAS program for electric utilities is largely an endeavor of trial and error or research and development with no clear path defined on how to establish a UAS program. By reviewing UAS use case examples and integrating lessons learned with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, UAS best practices, unique electric utility values, legal and insurance perspectives, equipment selection, and thoughtful planning and preparation; a solution model is developed to establish a UAS program for electric utilities.

Geothermal well site restoration and plug and abandonment of wells, DOE Gladys McCall test site, Cameron Parish, Louisiana and DOE Willis Hulin test site, Vermillion Parish, Louisiana

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

Rinehart, Ben N.

1994-08-01

A report is presented on the final phase of an energy research program conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) involving two geothermal well sites in the State of Louisiana--the Gladys McCall site and the Willis Hulin site. The research program was intended to improve geothermal technology and to determine the efficacy of producing electricity commercially from geopressured resource sites. The final phase of the program consisted of plug and abandonment (P&A) of the wells and restoration of the well sites. Restoration involved (a) initial soil and water sampling and analysis; (b) removal and disposal of well pads, concrete,more » utility poles, and trash; (c) plugging of monitor and freshwater wells; and (d) site leveling and general cleanup. Restoration of the McCall site required removal of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), which was costly and time-consuming. Exhibits are included that provide copies of work permits and authorizations, P&A reports, and cost and salvage reports. Site locations, grid maps, and photographs are provided.« less

Prescription copay reduction program for diabetic employees: impact on medication compliance and healthcare costs and utilization.

PubMed

Nair, Kavita V; Miller, Kerri; Saseen, Joseph; Wolfe, Pamela; Allen, Richard Read; Park, Jinhee

2009-01-01

To examine the impact of a value-based benefit design on utilization and expenditures. This benefit design involved all diabetes-related drugs and testing supplies placed on the lowest copay tier for 1 employer group. The sample of diabetic members were enrolled from a 9-month preperiod and for 2 years after the benefit design was implemented. Measured outcomes included prescription drug utilization for diabetes and medical utilization. Generalized measures were used to estimate differences between years 1 and 2 and the preperiod adjusting for age, gender, and comorbidity risk. Diabetes prescription drug use increased by 9.5% in year 1 and by 5.5% in year 2, and mean adherence increased by 7% to 8% in year 1 and fell slightly in year 2 compared with the preperiod. Pharmacy expenditures increased by 47% and 53% and expenditures for diabetes services increased by 16% and 32% in years 1 and 2, respectively. Increases in adherence and use of diabetes medications were observed. There were no compensatory cost-savings for the employer through lower utilization of medical expenditures in the first 2 years. Adherent patients had fewer emergency department visits than nonadherent patients after the implementation of this benefit design.

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

Bird, L.; Kaiser, M.

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, more than 750 utilities--or about 25% of all utilities nationally--provide their customers a "green power" option. Through these programs, more than 70 million customers have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs--or make contributions to support the development of renewable energy resources. Typically, customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2006 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trendsmore » in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.« less

The Impact of a School-Based Weight Management Program Involving Parents via mHealth for Overweight and Obese Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Leung, Cynthia; Chen, Hong; Brown, Michael; Chen, Jyu-Lin; Cheung, Gordon; Lee, Paul H.

2017-01-01

There is a scarcity of resources and studies that utilize targeted weight management interventions to engage parents via mHealth tools targeting obese children and adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities (MIDs) extended from school to a home setting. To test the feasibility and acceptability of a school-based weight program (SBWMP) involving parents via mHealth tools designed to reduce weight, enhance knowledge and adopt healthy lifestyles, and thereby achieve better psychosocial well-being among children and adolescents with MIDs. Four special schools were randomly assigned as intervention or control schools. Students from the intervention group (n = 63) were compared to those in the control group (n = 52), which comprised those with usual school planned activities and no parental involvement. Demographics were considered as covariates in a general linear model, an ordinal regression model and a binary logistic regression model analyzing the relationships between the SBWMP and the outcome variables at baseline (T0) and six months later (T1). Body weight, body mass index, and triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness were lower in the intervention group compared to the control group, although the differences were not statistically significant. There was a positive and direct impact of the SBWMP on students’ health knowledge and psychological impacts in the intervention group. The SBWMP extended to the home involving parents via mHealth tools is a feasible and acceptable program for this group with MIDs and their parents. PMID:28981460

Accounting utility for determining individual usage of production level software systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garber, S. C.

1984-01-01

An accounting package was developed which determines the computer resources utilized by a user during the execution of a particular program and updates a file containing accumulated resource totals. The accounting package is divided into two separate programs. The first program determines the total amount of computer resources utilized by a user during the execution of a particular program. The second program uses these totals to update a file containing accumulated totals of computer resources utilized by a user for a particular program. This package is useful to those persons who have several other users continually accessing and running programs from their accounts. The package provides the ability to determine which users are accessing and running specified programs along with their total level of usage.

Developing leaders: implementation of a peer advising program for a public health sciences undergraduate program.

PubMed

Griffin, Megan; DiFulvio, Gloria T; Gerber, Daniel Shea

2014-01-01

Peer advising is an integral part of our undergraduate advising system in the Public Health Sciences major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The program was developed in 2009 to address the advising needs of a rapidly growing major that went from 25 to over 530 majors between 2007 and 2014. Each year, 9-12 top performing upper-level students are chosen through an intensive application process. A major goal of the program is to provide curriculum and career guidance to students in the major and empower students in their academic and professional pursuits. The year-long program involves several components, including: staffing the drop-in advising center, attending training seminars, developing and presenting workshops for students, meeting prospective students and families, evaluating ways to improve the program, and collaborating on self-directed projects. The peer advisors (PAs) also provide program staff insight into the needs and perspectives of students in the major. In turn, PAs gain valuable leadership and communication skills, and learn strategies for improving student success. The Peer Advising Program builds community and fosters personal and professional development for the PAs. In this paper, we will discuss the undergraduate peer advising model, the benefits and challenges of the program, and lessons learned. Several methods were used to understand the perceived benefits and challenges of the program and experiences of students who utilized the Peer Advising Center. The data for this evaluation were drawn from three sources: (1) archival records from the Peer Advising Center; (2) feedback from PAs who completed the year-long internship; and (3) a survey of students who utilized the Peer Advising Center. Results of this preliminary evaluation indicate that PAs gain valuable skills that they can carry into their professional world. The program is also a way to engage students in building community within the major.

Turbulence modeling of free shear layers for high-performance aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sondak, Douglas L.

1993-01-01

The High Performance Aircraft (HPA) Grand Challenge of the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) program involves the computation of the flow over a high performance aircraft. A variety of free shear layers, including mixing layers over cavities, impinging jets, blown flaps, and exhaust plumes, may be encountered in such flowfields. Since these free shear layers are usually turbulent, appropriate turbulence models must be utilized in computations in order to accurately simulate these flow features. The HPCC program is relying heavily on parallel computers. A Navier-Stokes solver (POVERFLOW) utilizing the Baldwin-Lomax algebraic turbulence model was developed and tested on a 128-node Intel iPSC/860. Algebraic turbulence models run very fast, and give good results for many flowfields. For complex flowfields such as those mentioned above, however, they are often inadequate. It was therefore deemed that a two-equation turbulence model will be required for the HPA computations. The k-epsilon two-equation turbulence model was implemented on the Intel iPSC/860. Both the Chien low-Reynolds-number model and a generalized wall-function formulation were included.

Modeling cross-border care in the EU using a principal-agent framework.

PubMed

Crivelli, L; Zweifel, P

1998-01-01

Cross-border care is likely to become a major issue among EU countries because patients have the option of obtaining treatment abroad under Community Regulations 1408/71. This paper develops a model formalizing both the patient's decision to apply for cross-border care and the authorizing physician's decision to admit a patient to the program. The patient is assumed to maximize expected utility, which depends on the quality of care and the length of waiting in the home country and the host country, respectively. Not all patients qualifying for the EU program present themselves to the authorizing physician because of the transaction cost involved. The physician in her turn shapes effective demand for authorization through her rate of refusal, which constitutes information to potential applicants about the probability of obtaining treatment abroad. The authorizing physician thus acts as an agent serving two principals, her patient and her national government, trading off the perceived utility loss of patients who are rejected against her commitment to domestic health policy. The model may be used to explain existing patient flows between EU countries.

Association between the Availability of Hospital-Based Palliative Care and Treatment Intensity for Critically Ill Patients.

PubMed

Hua, May; Ma, Xiaoyue; Morrison, R Sean; Li, Guohua; Wunsch, Hannah

2018-05-29

In the intensive care unit (ICU), studies involving specialized palliative care services have shown decreases in the use of non-beneficial life-sustaining therapies and ICU length of stay for patients. However, whether widespread availability of hospital-based palliative care is associated with less frequent use of high intensity care is unknown. To determine whether availability of hospital-based palliative care is associated with decreased markers of treatment intensity for ICU patients. Retrospective cohort study of adult ICU patients in New York State hospitals, 2008-2014. Multilevel regression was used to assess the relationship between availability of hospital-based palliative care during the year of admission and hospital length of stay, use of mechanical ventilation, dialysis and artificial nutrition, placement of a tracheostomy or gastrostomy tube, days in ICU and discharge to hospice. Of 1,025,503 ICU patients in 151 hospitals, 814,794 (79.5%) received care in a hospital with a palliative care program. Hospital length of stay was similar for patients in hospitals with and without palliative care programs (6 days, interquartile range (IQR) 3-12 vs. 6 days, IQR 3-11, adjusted rate ratio 1.04 [1.03 to 1.05], p < 0.001), as were other healthcare utilization outcomes. However, patients in hospitals with palliative care programs were 46% more likely to be discharged to hospice than those in hospitals without palliative care programs (1.7% vs. 1.4%, adjusted odds ratio 1.46 [1.30 to 1.64], p<0.001). Availability of hospital-based palliative care was not associated with differences in in-hospital treatment intensity but was associated with significantly increased hospice utilization for ICU patients. At this time, the measurable benefit of palliative care programs for critically ill patients may be the increased use of hospice facilities, as opposed to decreased healthcare utilization during an ICU-associated hospitalization.

Newborn screening for proximal urea cycle disorders: Current evidence supporting recommendations for newborn screening.

PubMed

Merritt, J Lawrence; Brody, Linnea L; Pino, Gisele; Rinaldo, Piero

2018-04-20

Current newborn screening (NBS) for urea cycle disorders (UCD) is incomplete as only distal UCDs are included in most NBS programs by measuring elevated amino acid concentrations. NBS for the proximal UCDs involves the detection in NBS spots of low citrulline values, a finding which is often overlooked because it is considered to be inadequate. We retrospectively analyzed NBS blood spots from known UCD patients comparing the utility of the Region 4 Stork (R4S) interpretive tools to conventional cutoff based interpretation. This study shows the utility of R4S tools in detecting all UCDs, and provides evidence to support the nomination to add proximal UCDs to the recommended uniform screening panel. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data base manipulation for assessment of multiresource suitability and land change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colwell, J.; Sanders, P.; Davis, G.; Thomson, F. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Progress is reported in three tasks which support the overall objectives of renewable resources inventory task of the AgRISTARS program. In the first task, the geometric correction algorithms of the Master Data Processor were investigated to determine the utility of data corrected by this processor for U.S. Forest Service uses. The second task involved investigation of logic to form blobs as a precursor step to automatic change detection involving two dates of LANDSAT data. Some routine procedures for selecting BLOB (spatial averaging) parameters were developed. In the third task, a major effort was made to develop land suitability modeling approches for timber, grazing, and wildlife habitat in support of resource planning efforts on the San Juan National Forest.

Impact of Large Scale Energy Efficiency Programs On Consumer Tariffs and Utility Finances in India

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

Abhyankar, Nikit; Phadke, Amol

2011-01-20

Large-scale EE programs would modestly increase tariffs but reduce consumers' electricity bills significantly. However, the primary benefit of EE programs is a significant reduction in power shortages, which might make these programs politically acceptable even if tariffs increase. To increase political support, utilities could pursue programs that would result in minimal tariff increases. This can be achieved in four ways: (a) focus only on low-cost programs (such as replacing electric water heaters with gas water heaters); (b) sell power conserved through the EE program to the market at a price higher than the cost of peak power purchase; (c) focusmore » on programs where a partial utility subsidy of incremental capital cost might work and (d) increase the number of participant consumers by offering a basket of EE programs to fit all consumer subcategories and tariff tiers. Large scale EE programs can result in consistently negative cash flows and significantly erode the utility's overall profitability. In case the utility is facing shortages, the cash flow is very sensitive to the marginal tariff of the unmet demand. This will have an important bearing on the choice of EE programs in Indian states where low-paying rural and agricultural consumers form the majority of the unmet demand. These findings clearly call for a flexible, sustainable solution to the cash-flow management issue. One option is to include a mechanism like FAC in the utility incentive mechanism. Another sustainable solution might be to have the net program cost and revenue loss built into utility's revenue requirement and thus into consumer tariffs up front. However, the latter approach requires institutionalization of EE as a resource. The utility incentive mechanisms would be able to address the utility disincentive of forgone long-run return but have a minor impact on consumer benefits. Fundamentally, providing incentives for EE programs to make them comparable to supply-side investments is a way of moving the electricity sector toward a model focused on providing energy services rather than providing electricity.« less

Multi-Family Pediatric Pain Group Therapy: Capturing Acceptance and Cultivating Change.

PubMed

Huestis, Samantha E; Kao, Grace; Dunn, Ashley; Hilliard, Austin T; Yoon, Isabel A; Golianu, Brenda; Bhandari, Rashmi P

2017-12-07

Behavioral health interventions for pediatric chronic pain include cognitive-behavioral (CBT), acceptance and commitment (ACT), and family-based therapies, though literature regarding multi-family therapy (MFT) is sparse. This investigation examined the utility and outcomes of the Courage to Act with Pain: Teens Identifying Values, Acceptance, and Treatment Effects (CAPTIVATE) program, which included all three modalities (CBT, ACT, MFT) for youth with chronic pain and their parents. Program utility, engagement, and satisfaction were evaluated via quantitative and qualitative feedback. Pain-specific psychological, behavioral, and interpersonal processes were examined along with outcomes related to disability, quality of life, pain interference, fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Participants indicated that CAPTIVATE was constructive, engaging, and helpful for social and family systems. Clinical and statistical improvements with large effect sizes were captured for pain catastrophizing, acceptance, and protective parenting but not family functioning. Similar effects were found for functional disability, pain interference, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Given the importance of targeting multiple systems in the management of pediatric chronic pain, preliminary findings suggest a potential new group-based treatment option for youth and families. Next steps involve evaluating the differential effect of the program over treatment as usual, as well as specific CBT, ACT, and MFT components and processes that may affect outcomes.

Electric Utility Transmission and Distribution Line Engineering Program

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

Peter McKenny

2010-08-31

Economic development in the United States depends on a reliable and affordable power supply. The nation will need well educated engineers to design a modern, safe, secure, and reliable power grid for our future needs. An anticipated shortage of qualified engineers has caused considerable concern in many professional circles, and various steps are being taken nationwide to alleviate the potential shortage and ensure the North American power system's reliability, and our world-wide economic competitiveness. To help provide a well-educated and trained workforce which can sustain and modernize the nation's power grid, Gonzaga University's School of Engineering and Applied Science hasmore » established a five-course (15-credit hour) Certificate Program in Transmission and Distribution (T&D) Engineering. The program has been specifically designed to provide working utility engineering professionals with on-line access to advanced engineering courses which cover modern design practice with an industry-focused theoretical foundation. A total of twelve courses have been developed to-date and students may select any five in their area of interest for the T&D Certificate. As each course is developed and taught by a team of experienced engineers (from public and private utilities, consultants, and industry suppliers), students are provided a unique opportunity to interact directly with different industry experts over the eight weeks of each course. Course material incorporates advanced aspects of civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering disciplines that apply to power system design and are appropriate for graduate engineers. As such, target students for the certificate program include: (1) recent graduates with a Bachelor of Science Degree in an engineering field (civil, mechanical, electrical, etc.); (2) senior engineers moving from other fields to the utility industry (i.e. paper industry to utility engineering or project management positions); and (3) regular working professionals wishing to update their skills or increase their knowledge of utility engineering design practices and procedures. By providing graduate educational opportunities for the above groups, the T&D Program will help serve a strong industry need for training the next generation of engineers in the cost-effective design, construction, operation, and maintenance of modern electrical transmission and distribution systems. In addition to developing the on-line engineering courses described above, the T&D Program also focused significant efforts towards enhancing the training opportunities available to power system operators in the northwest. These efforts have included working with outside vendors to provide NERC-approved training courses in Gonzaga University's (GU) system operator training facility, support for an accurate system model which can be used in regional blackstart exercises, and the identification of a retired system operator who could provide actual regional training courses. The GU system operator training facility is also being used to recruit young workers, veterans, and various under-represented groups to the utility industry. Over the past three years students from Columbia Gorge Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, Walla Walla Community College, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University, and various local high schools have attended short (one-day) system operator training courses free of charge. These collaboration efforts has been extremely well received by both students and industry, and meet T&D Program objectives of strengthening the power industry workforce while bridging the knowledge base across power worker categories, and recruiting new workers to replace a predominantly retirement age workforce. In the past three years the T&D Program has provided over 170 utility engineers with access to advanced engineering courses, been involved in training more than 300 power system operators, and provided well over 500 college and high school students with an experience in running a power system simulator and an exposure to various utility-related professions and craft trades.« less

Implementing an interdisciplinary intergenerational program using the Cyber Seniors® reverse mentoring model within higher education.

PubMed

Leedahl, Skye N; Brasher, Melanie Sereny; Estus, Erica; Breck, Bethany M; Dennis, Cory B; Clark, Samantha C

2018-01-24

Intergenerational service-learning in higher education positively affects older adults and students, but little is known about the effectiveness of interdisciplinary, reverse mentoring programs that use technology as the medium of bringing generations together. This study describes an intergenerational service-learning program that utilizes reverse mentoring within higher education, the "Engaging Generations Program," at a midsized public university in New England where students help older adults learn about technology, and students gain communication and teaching skills. In this article, we outline how the program was implemented, present quantitative data on participation outcomes for students and older adults and qualitative data from older adults, and discuss best practices. Analysis of pre/post surveys found that students' attitudes toward aging improved (p < 0.01) and older adults interest in technology improved (p < 0.05) after program participation. Best practices identified included: multiple meetings with the same pair to deepen friendships, in-person training for student leaders, student responsibility for scheduling, tailoring sessions to each participant, student documentation of meetings, and active involvement by community partners.

How to get students to love (or not hate) MATLAB and programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reckinger, Shanon; Reckinger, Scott

2014-11-01

An effective programming course geared toward engineering students requires the utilization of modern teaching philosophies. A newly designed course that focuses on programming in MATLAB involves flipping the classroom and integrating various active teaching techniques. Vital aspects of the new course design include: lengthening in-class contact hours, Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) method worksheets (self-guided instruction), student created video content posted on YouTube, clicker questions (used in class to practice reading and debugging code), programming exams that don't require computers, integrating oral exams into the classroom, fostering an environment for formal and informal peer learning, and designing in a broader theme to tie together assignments. However, possibly the most important piece to this programming course puzzle: the instructor needs to be able to find programming mistakes very fast and then lead individuals and groups through the steps to find their mistakes themselves. The effectiveness of the new course design is demonstrated through pre- and post- concept exam results and student evaluation feedback. Students reported that the course was challenging and required a lot of effort, but left largely positive feedback.

The impact of environmental stress on male reproductive development in plants: biological processes and molecular mechanisms

PubMed Central

de Storme, Nico; Geelen, Danny

2014-01-01

In plants, male reproductive development is extremely sensitive to adverse climatic environments and (a)biotic stress. Upon exposure to stress, male gametophytic organs often show morphological, structural and metabolic alterations that typically lead to meiotic defects or premature spore abortion and male reproductive sterility. Depending on the type of stress involved (e.g. heat, cold, drought) and the duration of stress exposure, the underlying cellular defect is highly variable and either involves cytoskeletal alterations, tapetal irregularities, altered sugar utilization, aberrations in auxin metabolism, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS; oxidative stress) or the ectopic induction of programmed cell death (PCD). In this review, we present the critically stress-sensitive stages of male sporogenesis (meiosis) and male gametogenesis (microspore development), and discuss the corresponding biological processes involved and the resulting alterations in male reproduction. In addition, this review also provides insights into the molecular and/or hormonal regulation of the environmental stress sensitivity of male reproduction and outlines putative interaction(s) between the different processes involved. PMID:23731015

Promoting principals' managerial involvement in instructional improvement

PubMed Central

Gillat, Alex; Sulzer-Azaroff, Beth

1994-01-01

Studies of school leadership suggest that visiting classrooms, emphasizing achievement and training, and supporting teachers are important indicators of the effectiveness of school principals. The utility of a behavior-analytic program to support the enhancement of these behaviors in 2 school principals and the impact of their involvement upon teachers' and students' performances in three classes were examined in two experiments, one at an elementary school and another at a secondary school. Treatment conditions consisted of helping the principal or teacher to schedule his or her time and to use goal setting, feedback, and praise. A withdrawal design (Experiment 1) and a multiple baseline across classrooms (Experiment 2) showed that the principal's and teacher's rates of praise, feedback, and goal setting increased during the intervention, and were associated with improvements in the academic performance of the students. In the future, school psychologists might analyze the impact of involving themselves in supporting the principal's involvement in improving students' and teachers' performances or in playing a similar leadership role themselves. PMID:16795819

Promoting principals' managerial involvement in instructional improvement.

PubMed

Gillat, A

1994-01-01

Studies of school leadership suggest that visiting classrooms, emphasizing achievement and training, and supporting teachers are important indicators of the effectiveness of school principals. The utility of a behavior-analytic program to support the enhancement of these behaviors in 2 school principals and the impact of their involvement upon teachers' and students' performances in three classes were examined in two experiments, one at an elementary school and another at a secondary school. Treatment conditions consisted of helping the principal or teacher to schedule his or her time and to use goal setting, feedback, and praise. A withdrawal design (Experiment 1) and a multiple baseline across classrooms (Experiment 2) showed that the principal's and teacher's rates of praise, feedback, and goal setting increased during the intervention, and were associated with improvements in the academic performance of the students. In the future, school psychologists might analyze the impact of involving themselves in supporting the principal's involvement in improving students' and teachers' performances or in playing a similar leadership role themselves.

Outcomes of a brief program, REORDER, to promote consumer recovery and family involvement in care.

PubMed

Dixon, Lisa B; Glynn, Shirley M; Cohen, Amy N; Drapalski, Amy L; Medoff, Deborah; Fang, Li Juan; Potts, Wendy; Gioia, Deborah

2014-01-01

The Recovery-Oriented Decisions for Relatives' Support (REORDER) intervention is an innovative, manualized protocol utilizing shared decision-making principles with persons who have serious mental illnesses to promote recovery and encourage consideration of family involvement in care. This study compared REORDER to enhanced treatment as usual in a randomized design. Participants included 226 veterans with serious mental illness whose relatives had low rates of contact with treatment staff. REORDER involved up to three consumer sessions followed by up to three relative educational sessions if the consumer and relative consented. Individuals were assessed at baseline and six months later. Eighty-five percent of the 111 randomly assigned REORDER participants attended at least one REORDER consumer session; of those, 59% had at least one family session. REORDER participants had significantly reduced paranoid ideation and increased recovery at follow-up. Participation in REORDER led to marked increases in family participation and improved consumer outcomes.

A multivariate analysis of sex offender recidivism.

PubMed

Scalora, Mario J; Garbin, Calvin

2003-06-01

Sex offender recidivism risk is a multifaceted phenomenon requiring consideration across multiple risk factor domains. The impact of treatment involvement and subsequent recidivism is given limited attention in comparison to other forensic mental health issues. The present analysis is a retrospective study of sex offenders treated at a secure facility utilizing a cognitive-behavioral program matched with an untreated correctional sample. Variables studied included demographic, criminal history, offense related, and treatment progress. Recidivism was assessed through arrest data. Multivariate analysis suggests that recidivism is significantly related to quality of treatment involvement, offender demographics, offense characteristics, and criminal history. Successfully treated offenders were significantly less likely to subsequently reoffend. Recidivists were also significantly younger, less likely married, had engaged in more victim grooming or less violent offending behavior, and had significantly more prior property charges. The authors discuss the clinical and policy implications of the interrelationship between treatment involvement and recidivism.

A Systematic Review of Interventions on Patients' Social and Economic Needs.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Laura M; Wing, Holly; Adler, Nancy E

2017-11-01

Healthcare systems are experimenting increasingly with interventions to address patients' social and economic needs. This systematic review examines how often and how rigorously interventions bridging social and medical care have been evaluated. The review included literature from PubMed published between January 2000 and February 2017. Additional studies were identified by reference searches and consulting local experts. Included studies were based in the U.S.; addressed at least one social or economic determinant of health (e.g., housing, employment, food insecurity); and were integrated within the medical care delivery system. Data from included studies were abstracted in June 2015 (studies published January 2000-December 2014) and in March 2017 (studies published January 2015-February 2017). Screening of 4,995 articles identified 67 studies of 37 programs addressing social needs. Interventions targeted a broad range of social needs and populations. Forty studies involved non-experimental designs. There was wide heterogeneity in outcome measures selected. More studies reported findings associated with process (69%) or social or economic determinants of health (48%) outcomes than health (30%) or healthcare utilization or cost (27%) outcomes. Studies reporting health, utilization, or cost outcomes reported mixed results. Healthcare systems increasingly incorporate programs to address patients' social and economic needs in the context of care. But evaluations of these programs to date focus primarily on process and social outcomes and are often limited by poor study quality. Higher-quality studies that include common health and healthcare utilization outcomes would advance effectiveness research in this rapidly expanding field. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Space biology initiative program definition review. Trade study 2: Prototype utilization in the development of space biology hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, L. Neal; Crenshaw, John, Sr.; Schulze, Arthur E.; Wood, H. J., Jr.

1989-01-01

The objective was to define the factors which space flight hardware developers and planners should consider when determining: (1) the number of hardware units required to support program; (2) design level of the units; and (3) most efficient means of utilization of the units. The analysis considered technology risk, maintainability, reliability, and safety design requirements for achieving the delivery of highest quality flight hardware. Relative cost impacts of the utilization of prototyping were identified. The development of Space Biology Initiative research hardware will involve intertwined hardware/software activities. Experience has shown that software development can be an expensive portion of a system design program. While software prototyping could imply the development of a significantly different end item, an operational system prototype must be considered to be a combination of software and hardware. Hundreds of factors were identified that could be considered in determining the quantity and types of prototypes that should be constructed. In developing the decision models, these factors were combined and reduced by approximately ten-to-one in order to develop a manageable structure based on the major determining factors. The Baseline SBI hardware list of Appendix D was examined and reviewed in detail; however, from the facts available it was impossible to identify the exact types and quantities of prototypes required for each of these items. Although the factors that must be considered could be enumerated for each of these pieces of equipment, the exact status and state of development of the equipment is variable and uncertain at this time.

Characteristics of private-sector managed care for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

PubMed

Garnick, D W; Hendricks, A M; Dulski, J D; Thorpe, K E; Horgan, C

1994-12-01

This study examined diversity during the late 1980s in managed care programs for mental health, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse to identify ways in which research can generate more meaningful data on the effectiveness of utilization review programs. Telephone interviews were conducted with representatives of utilization review programs for employee health insurance plans in 31 firms that employed 2.1 million people in 1990. Questions addressed qualifications of personnel, clinical criteria to authorize care, integration with employee assistance plans, penalties for not complying with utilization review procedures, outpatient review, and carve out of mental health and substance abuse review. Large variations in utilization review programs were found. Programs employed a range of review personnel and used a variety of clinical criteria to authorize care. More than two-thirds did not carve out mental health and substance abuse review from medical-surgical review. Some firms' employee assistance plans were integrated with utilization review programs, while others remained unintegrated. Penalties for not following program procedures varied widely, as did review of outpatient services. Because of trends toward even more diversity in utilization review programs in the 1990s, research that identifies the specific features of managed care programs that hold most promise for controlling costs while maintaining quality of care will increasingly be needed.

Walking beam furnace well-way slot covers at Rouge Steel

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

Campbell, F. Jr.; Meinzinger, A.D.; Faust, C.H.

1993-07-01

Rouge Steel's 68-in. hot strip mill is served by three walking beam slab reheat furnaces. The first two were commissioned in 1974 and the third was installed in 1980. During the period 1979 to 1981, an intensive plant-wide energy management program to reduce energy consumption was undertaken. A major part of that program involved a comprehensive upgrading of refractory and insulation systems utilized in the walking beam reheat furnaces. A durable system for reducing heat losses through the well-way floor openings associated with walking beam slab reheat furnaces has, in addition to 4 to 5% savings in fuel consumption, reducedmore » maintenance costs. Payback is achieved in four to five months.« less

On a production system using default reasoning for pattern classification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, Matthew R.; Lowe, Carlyle M.

1990-01-01

This paper addresses an unconventional application of a production system to a problem involving belief specialization. The production system reduces a large quantity of low-level descriptions into just a few higher-level descriptions that encompass the problem space in a more tractable fashion. This classification process utilizes a set of descriptions generated by combining the component hierarchy of a physical system with the semantics of the terminology employed in its operation. The paper describes an application of this process in a program, constructed in C and CLIPS, that classifies signatures of electromechanical system configurations. The program compares two independent classifications, describing the actual and expected system configurations, in order to generate a set of contradictions between the two.

OSSA Space Station Freedom science utilization plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cressy, Philip J.

Long duration exposure to an essentially zero-gravity environment is a phenomenon exclusive to the Space Station Freedom that cannot be duplicated on Earth. The Freedom Station will offer periods of time on orbit extending to weeks and months rather than hours or days, allowing for in-depth space based research and analysis to a degree never before achieved. OSSA remains committed to exploiting the unique capabilities provided by the Space Station as well as other space-based facilities to study the nature of physical, chemical, and biological processes in a low-gravity environment and to apply these studies to advance science and applications in such fields as biomedical research, plant and animal physiology, exobiology, biotechnology, materials science, fluid physics, and combustion science. The OSSA focus is on progressive science investigations, many requiring hands-on scientist involvement using sophisticated experiment hardware. OSSA science utilization planning for the Freedom Station is firmly established. For this presentation, this planning is discussed in three general areas: OSSA goals and overall approach, the current and on-going program, and plans for space station utilization. In the first area, OSSA addresses its overall approach to space science research, its commitment to transition to Space Station Freedom, and its top-level strategy for the utilization of Freedom. The current and on-going program is next discussed, focusing on the various Spacelab series of missions which are providing the stepping-stones to Space Station Freedom. Selected science results from SLS-1 and USML-1 are cited which underline the value of properly outfitted laboratories in space in which crew-intensive experiment interactions are possible. The presentation is concluded with a discussion of top-level goals and strategies for utilizing the Freedom Station by OSSA's Life Sciences Division and its Microgravity Science and Applications Division.

OSSA Space Station Freedom science utilization plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cressy, Philip J.

1992-01-01

Long duration exposure to an essentially zero-gravity environment is a phenomenon exclusive to the Space Station Freedom that cannot be duplicated on Earth. The Freedom Station will offer periods of time on orbit extending to weeks and months rather than hours or days, allowing for in-depth space based research and analysis to a degree never before achieved. OSSA remains committed to exploiting the unique capabilities provided by the Space Station as well as other space-based facilities to study the nature of physical, chemical, and biological processes in a low-gravity environment and to apply these studies to advance science and applications in such fields as biomedical research, plant and animal physiology, exobiology, biotechnology, materials science, fluid physics, and combustion science. The OSSA focus is on progressive science investigations, many requiring hands-on scientist involvement using sophisticated experiment hardware. OSSA science utilization planning for the Freedom Station is firmly established. For this presentation, this planning is discussed in three general areas: OSSA goals and overall approach, the current and on-going program, and plans for space station utilization. In the first area, OSSA addresses its overall approach to space science research, its commitment to transition to Space Station Freedom, and its top-level strategy for the utilization of Freedom. The current and on-going program is next discussed, focusing on the various Spacelab series of missions which are providing the stepping-stones to Space Station Freedom. Selected science results from SLS-1 and USML-1 are cited which underline the value of properly outfitted laboratories in space in which crew-intensive experiment interactions are possible. The presentation is concluded with a discussion of top-level goals and strategies for utilizing the Freedom Station by OSSA's Life Sciences Division and its Microgravity Science and Applications Division.

Use of commercial grade item dedication to reduce procurement costs

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

Rosch, F.

1995-09-01

In the mid-1980s, the Nuclear Regulatory Industry (NRC) began inspecting utility practices of procuring and dedicating commercial grade items intended for plant safety-related applications. As a result of the industry efforts to address NRC concerns, nuclear utilities have enhanced existing programs and procedures for dedication of commercial grade items. Though these programs were originally enhanced to meet NRC concerns, utilities have discovered that the dedication of commercial grade items can also reduce overall procurement costs. This paper will discuss the enhancement of utility dedication programs and demonstrates how utilities have utilized them to reduce procurement costs.

Energy essays: a focus on utility communication

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

Selnow, G.W.; Crano, W.D.; Ludwig, S.

The following papers are included: (1) technology, customers, and the feedback loop, (2) utility communications: a need for understanding the American character, (3) utility programs and grass roots communication, (4) reading the tea leaves of public opinion, (5) the need for public opinion surveys in utility communication programs, (6) the role of assessment in effective utility communication programs, (7) utility customer communication; perspectives on current public policy and law, (8) customer communications - a notion in motion, (9) communication when your customer is your owner, (10) radio advertising, (11) television advertising, (12) newspaper advertising, and (13) magazine advertising. (MOW)

Utility-Marketer Partnerships. An Effective Strategy for Marketing Green Power?

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

Bird, L. A.; Brown, E. S.

This paper explores whether partnerships between utilities and independent marketers are an effective strategy for marketing green power. We present case studies of voluntary and mandatory partnerships covering green power program design and implementation in both regulated and restructured electricity markets. We also include perspectives (based on interviews) from utilities, marketers, and regulators involved in developing and implementing these partnerships. From these case studies and interviews, we describe lessons learned about developing effective partnerships, including such issues as respective roles in marketing and administration, product branding, and contract and incentive structures. Based on experience to date, strategic partnerships between utilitiesmore » and marketers can be an effective approach to marketing green power. Partnerships leverage the sales and resource procurement experience of marketers and the utility’s reputation and access to customers. Further, partnerships can create greater incentives for success because marketers have a vested financial interest in maximizing customer participation and green power sales.« less

Catalysis and biocatalysis program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingham, J. D.

1993-01-01

This final report presents a summary of research activities and accomplishments for the Catalysis and Biocatalysis Program, which was renamed the Biological and Chemical Technologies Research (BCTR) Program, currently of the Advanced Industrial Concepts Division (AICD), Office of Industrial Technologies of the Department of Energy (DOE). The Program was formerly under the Division of Energy Conversion and Utilization Technologies (ECUT) until the DOE reorganization in April, 1990. The goals of the BCTR Program are consistent with the initial ECUT goals, but represent an increased effort toward advances in chemical and biological technology transfer. In addition, the transition reflects a need for the BCTR Program to assume a greater R&D role in chemical catalysis as well as a need to position itself for a more encompassing involvement in a broader range of biological and chemical technology research. The mission of the AICD is to create a balanced Program of high risk, long-term, directed interdisciplinary research and development that will improve energy efficiency and enhance fuel flexibility in the industrial sector. Under AICD, the DOE Catalysis and Biocatalysis Program sponsors research and development in furthering industrial biotechnology applications and promotes the integrated participation of universities, industrial companies, and government research laboratories.

Toward development of a comprehensive external quality assurance program for polyfunctional intracellular cytokine staining assays

PubMed Central

Staats, Janet S.; Enzor, Jennifer H.; Sanchez, Ana M.; Rountree, Wes; Chan, Cliburn; Jaimes, Maria; Chan, Ray Chun-Fai; Gaur, Amitabh; Denny, Thomas N.; Weinhold, Kent J.

2014-01-01

The External Quality Assurance Program Oversight Laboratory (EQAPOL) Flow Cytometry Program assesses the proficiency of NIH/NIAID/DAIDS-supported and potentially other interested research laboratories in performing Intracellular Cytokine Staining (ICS) assays. The goal of the EQAPOL Flow Cytometry External Quality Assurance Program (EQAP) is to provide proficiency testing and remediation for participating sites. The program is not punitive; rather, EQAPOL aims to help sites identify areas for improvement. EQAPOL utilizes a highly standardized ICS assay to minimize variability and readily identify those sites experiencing technical difficulties with their assays. Here, we report the results of External Proficiency 3 (EP3) where participating sites performed a 7-color ICS assay. On average, sites perform well in the Flow Cytometry EQAP (median score is “Good”). The most common technical issues identified by the program involve protocol adherence and data analysis; these areas have been the focus of site remediation. The EQAPOL Flow Cytometry team is now in the process of expanding the program to 8-color ICS assays. Evaluating polyfunctional ICS responses would align the program with assays currently being performed in support of HIV immune monitoring assays. PMID:24968072

Florida state information handbook: formerly utilized sites remedial action program

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

None

This volume is one of a series produced under contract with DOE, Office of Nuclear Waste Management, by Politech Corporation to develop a legislative and regulatory data base to assist the FUSRAP management in addressing the institutional and socioeconomic issues involved in carrying out the Remedial Action Program. This Information Handbook series contains information about all relevant government agencies at the federal and state levels, the pertinent programs they administer, each affected state legislature, and current federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives. This volume is a compilation of information about the State of Florida. It contains a description ofmore » the state executive branch structure; a summary of relevant state statutes and regulations; a description of the structure of the state legislature, identification of the officers and committee chairmen, and a summary of recent relevant legislative action; and the full text of relevant statutes and regulations.« less

Eigenproblem solution by a combined Sturm sequence and inverse iteration technique.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, K. K.

1973-01-01

Description of an efficient and numerically stable algorithm, along with a complete listing of the associated computer program, developed for the accurate computation of specified roots and associated vectors of the eigenvalue problem Aq = lambda Bq with band symmetric A and B, B being also positive-definite. The desired roots are first isolated by the Sturm sequence procedure; then a special variant of the inverse iteration technique is applied for the individual determination of each root along with its vector. The algorithm fully exploits the banded form of relevant matrices, and the associated program written in FORTRAN V for the JPL UNIVAC 1108 computer proves to be most significantly economical in comparison to similar existing procedures. The program may be conveniently utilized for the efficient solution of practical engineering problems, involving free vibration and buckling analysis of structures. Results of such analyses are presented for representative structures.

Teaching, Learning, and Planetary Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Robert A.

2002-01-01

This is the final report of a program that examined the fundamentals of education associated with space activities, promoted educational policy development in appropriate forums, and developed pathfinder products and services to demonstrate the utility of advanced communication technologies for space-based education. Our focus was on space astrophysics and planetary exploration, with a special emphasis on the themes of the Origins Program, with which the Principal Investigator (PI) had been involved from the outset. Teaching, Learning, and Planetary Exploration was also the core funding of the Space Telescope Science Institute's (ST ScI) Special Studies Office (SSO), and as such had provided basic support for such important NASA studies as the fix for Hubble Space Telescope (HST) spherical aberration, scientific conception of the HST Advanced Camera, specification of the Next-Generation Space Telescope (NGST), and the strategic plan for the second decade of the HST science program.

Feasibility of a home-delivered Internet obesity prevention program for fourth-grade students.

PubMed

Owens, Scott; Lambert, Laurel; McDonough, Suzanne; Green, Kenneth; Loftin, Mark

2009-08-01

This pilot study examined the feasibility of an interactive obesity prevention program delivered to a class of fourth-grade students utilizing daily e-mail messages sent to the students' home computers. The study involved a single intact class of 22 students, 17 (77%) of whom submitted parental permission documentation and received e-mail messages each school day over the course of one month. Concerns regarding Internet safety and children's use of e-mail were addressed fairly easily. Cost/benefit issues for the school did not seem prohibitive. Providing e-mail access to students without a home computer was accomplished by loaning them personal digital assistant (PDA) devices. In larger interventions, loaning PDAs is probably not feasible economically, although cell phones may be an acceptable alternative. It was concluded that this type of interactive obesity prevention program is feasible from most perspectives. Data from a larger scale effectiveness study is still needed.

MANTECH project book

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The effective integration of processes, systems, and procedures used in the production of aerospace systems using computer technology is managed by the Integration Technology Division (MTI). Under its auspices are the Information Management Branch, which is actively involved with information management, information sciences and integration, and the Implementation Branch, whose technology areas include computer integrated manufacturing, engineering design, operations research, and material handling and assembly. The Integration Technology Division combines design, manufacturing, and supportability functions within the same organization. The Processing and Fabrication Division manages programs to improve structural and nonstructural materials processing and fabrication. Within this division, the Metals Branch directs the manufacturing methods program for metals and metal matrix composites processing and fabrication. The Nonmetals Branch directs the manufacturing methods programs, which include all manufacturing processes for producing and utilizing propellants, plastics, resins, fibers, composites, fluid elastomers, ceramics, glasses, and coatings. The objective of the Industrial Base Analysis Division is to act as focal point for the USAF industrial base program for productivity, responsiveness, and preparedness planning.

A model for capacity-building in AIDS prevention programs.

PubMed

Ramos, Rebeca L; Ferreira-Pinto, João B

2002-06-01

This article discusses a collaboratively organizational capacity-building model for agencies engaged in HIV/AIDS prevention. The cooperative training approach (CTA) utilized by the Training and Technical Assistance Program trained participants to incorporate learned skills into their daily work practices, and to become trainers to help disseminate their newly acquired skills, first to others in their own organization and later to other organizations. The CTA was successfully implemented among 285 community-based organizations (CBOs) serving predominantly Hispanics in the U.S.-Mexico border region. The program evaluation demonstrated that it has significantly upgraded the program implementation capability and the organizational infrastructure of the participating organizations resulting in improved delivery of services to their clients. Furthermore, it fostered networking and collaboration for the development of sustainable training and technical assistance networks of agency staff skilled in organizational capacity building. It is suggested that funding agencies examine the feasibility of using this approach to increase the organizational capacity of CBOs involved in HIV/AIDS prevention.

23 CFR 260.103 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... forward a highway program or public transportation program utilizing highways at the local level, usually... responsibility for initiating and carrying forward a highway program or public transportation program utilizing... HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL HIGHWAY INSTITUTE EDUCATION AND TRAINING...

California Publicly-Owned Utilities (POUs) – LBNL ‘Beyond Widgets’ Project. Task: ambient lighting and occupancy-based plug load control. System Program Manual

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

Robinson, Alastair; Mathew, Paul A.; Regnier, Cynthia

This program manual contains detailed technical information for implementing an incentive program for task-ambient lighting and occupancy-based plug load control. This manual was developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in collaboration with the California Publicly-Owned Utilities (CA POUs) as a partner in the ‘Beyond Widgets’ program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office. The primary audience for this manual is the program staff of the various CA POUs. It may also be used by other utility incentive programs to help develop similar programs. It is anticipated that the content of this manual be utilized by the CAmore » POU staff for developing related documents such as the Technical Resource Manual and other filings pertaining to the rollout of an energy systems-based rebate incentive program.« less

ALARA radiation considerations for the AP600 reactor

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

Lau, F.L.

1995-03-01

The radiation design of the AP600 reactor plant is based on an average annual occupational radiation exposure (ORE) of 100 man-rem. As a design goal we have established a lower value of 70 man-rem per year. And, with our current design process, we expect to achieve annual exposures which are well below this goal. To accomplish our goal we have established a process that provides criteria, guidelines and customer involvement to achieve the desired result. The criteria and guidelines provide the shield designer, as well as the systems and plant layout designers with information that will lead to an integratedmore » plant design that minimizes personnel exposure and yet is not burdened with complicated shielding or unnecessary component access limitations. Customer involvement is provided in the form of utility input, design reviews and information exchange. Cooperative programs with utilities in the development of specific systems or processes also provides for an ALARA design. The results are features which include ALARA radiation considerations as an integral part of the plant design and a lower plant ORE. It is anticipated that a further reduction in plant personnel exposures will result through good radiological practices by the plant operators. The information in place to support and direct the plant designers includes the Utility Requirements Document (URD), Federal Regulations, ALARA guidelines, radiation design information and radiation and shielding design criteria. This information, along with the utility input, design reviews and information feedback, will contribute to the reduction of plant radiation exposure levels such that they will be less than the stated goals.« less

Tribal water utility management

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

Not Available

1993-03-01

Contents: primacy program (what is primacy, advantages and disadvantages, treatment as a state, grant applications and funding); safe drinking water act (sampling requirements, coliform standard, public notification, surface water treatment rule impacts, uic and wellhead protection programs, lead/copper rule); water utility management (how is the utility program evaluated, who's responsible, what is the board and tribal council role).

EPRI Guide to Managing Nuclear Utility Protective Clothing Programs. PCEVAL User`s Manual, A computer code for evaluating the economics of nuclear plant protective clothing programs: Final report

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

Kelly, J.J.; Kelly, D.M.

1993-10-01

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) commissioned a radioactive waste related project (RP2414-34) in 1989 to produce a guide for developing and managing nuclear plant protective clothing programs. Every nuclear facility must coordinate some type of protective clothing program for its radiation workers to ensure proper and safe protection for the wearer and to maintain control over the spread of contamination. Yet, every nuclear facility has developed its own unique program for managing such clothing. Accordingly, a need existed for a reference guide to assist with standardizing protective clothing programs and in controlling the potentially escalating economics of such programs.more » The initial Guide to Managing Nuclear Utility Protective Clothing Programs, NP-7309, was published in May 1991. Since that time, a number of utilities have reviewed and/or used the report to enhance their protective clothing programs. Some of these utilities requested that a computer program be developed to assist utilities in evaluating the economics of protective clothing programs consistent with the guidance in NP-7309. The PCEVAL computer code responds to that industry need. This report, the PCEVAL User`s Manual, provides detailed instruction on use of the software.« less

Adolescent Smoking Prevention: Feasibility and Effect of Participatory Video Production.

PubMed

Park, Eunhee; Kulbok, Pamela A; Keim-Malpass, Jessica; Drake, Emily; Kennedy, Michael J

This study tested whether a youth participatory video production program for smoking prevention is feasible and effective. A participatory video production program was implemented in eight twice-weekly sessions at a youth summer camp in a community center in a low-income neighborhood. Twenty-three youths participated. Descriptive statistics and a qualitative analysis were conducted to test the feasibility of the program by assessing attendance rates, the time and resources required, reasons for participation, and program satisfaction using checklists and interviews. Smoking intention was measured via pre- and post-intervention surveys and a quantitative analysis utilizing a Wilcoxon Signed Rank test to detect differences in intention for non-smoking. Participants worked in groups to produce four video clips containing anti-smoking messages. Three main themes (active engagement, participation for community health, and personal growth and healthy development) emerged from the qualitative interview data. >75% of the participants considered the program excellent and stated that it met their expectations. Significant positive changes were also found from baseline to post-intervention in intention not to smoke. This study demonstrated the effect of a participatory digital media production approach and confirmed its feasibility for youth health promotion and health education. Participants' active involvement in producing anti-smoking videos for a community health-promotion campaign decreased their intention to smoke and empowered them as advocates for a non-smoking community. These findings confirm the feasibility and utility of digital media use and interactive technology for actively engaging young people in health promotion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Cost of Saving Electricity Through Energy Efficiency Programs Funded by Utility Customers: 2009–2015

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

Hoffman, Ian M.; Goldman, Charles A.; Murphy, Sean

The average cost to utilities to save a kilowatt-hour (kWh) in the United States is 2.5 cents, according to the most comprehensive assessment to date of the cost performance of energy efficiency programs funded by electricity customers. These costs are similar to those documented earlier. Cost-effective efficiency programs help ensure electricity system reliability at the most affordable cost as part of utility planning and implementation activities for resource adequacy. Building on prior studies, Berkeley Lab analyzed the cost performance of 8,790 electricity efficiency programs between 2009 and 2015 for 116 investor-owned utilities and other program administrators in 41 states. Themore » Berkeley Lab database includes programs representing about three-quarters of total spending on electricity efficiency programs in the United States.« less

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

Bird, Lori; Kaiser, Marshall

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, more than 750 utilities—or about 25% of all utilities nationally—provide their customers a “green power” option. Through these programs, more than 70 million customers have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs—or make contributions to support the development of renewable energy resources. Typically, customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2006 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trendsmore » in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.« less

Technology initiatives with government/business overlap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knapp, Robert H., Jr.

2015-03-01

Three important present-day technology development settings involve significant overlap between government and private sectors. The Advanced Research Project Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) supports a wide range of "high risk, high return" projects carried out in academic, non-profit or private business settings. The Materials Genome Initiative (MGI), based in the White House, aims at radical acceleration of the development process for advanced materials. California public utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric operate under a structure of financial returns and political program mandates that make them arms of public policy as much as independent businesses.

LTA structures and materials technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayer, N. J.

1975-01-01

The state-of-the-art concerning structures and materials technology is reviewed. It is shown that many present materials developments resulting from balloon and aircraft research programs can be applied to new concepts in LTA vehicles. Both buoyant and semi-buoyant vehicles utilize similar approaches to solving structural problems and could involve pressurized non-rigid and unpressurized rigid structures. System designs common to both and vital to structural integrity include much of the past technology as well. Further research is needed in determination of structural loads, especially in future design concepts.

Emotion Regulation Training for Training Warfighters with Combat Related PTSD Using Real Time fMRI and EEG Assisted Neurofeedback

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-12-1-0607 TITLE: Emotion Regulation Training for Treating Warfighters with Combat-Related PTSD Using Real -Time fMRI...Related PTSD Using Real -Time fMRI and EEG-Assisted Neurofeedback 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-12-1-0607 5b. GRANT NUMBER PT110256 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT...emphasize dysregulation of the amygdala, which is involved in the regulation of PTSD-relevant emotions. We are utilizing real -time functional magnetic

Applying Failure Modes, Effects, And Criticality Analysis And Human Reliability Analysis Techniques To Improve Safety Design Of Work Process In Singapore Armed Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

an instituted safety program that utilizes a generic risk assessment method involving the 5-M (Mission, Man, Machine , Medium and Management) factor...the Safety core value is hinged upon three key principles—(1) each soldier has a crucial part to play, by adopting safety as a core value and making...it a way of life in his unit; (2) safety is an integral part of training, operations and mission success, and (3) safety is an individual, team and

Healthcare cost differences with participation in a community-based group physical activity benefit for medicare managed care health plan members.

PubMed

Ackermann, Ronald T; Williams, Barbara; Nguyen, Huong Q; Berke, Ethan M; Maciejewski, Matthew L; LoGerfo, James P

2008-08-01

To determine whether participation in a physical activity benefit by Medicare managed care enrollees is associated with lower healthcare utilization and costs. Retrospective cohort study. Medicare managed care. A cohort of 1,188 older adult health maintenance organization enrollees who participated at least once in the EnhanceFitness (EF) physical activity benefit and a matched group of enrollees who never used the program. Healthcare costs and utilization were estimated. Ordinary least squares regression was used, adjusting for demographics, comorbidity, indicators of preventive service use, and baseline utilization or cost. Robustness of findings was tested in sensitivity analyses involving continuous propensity score adjustment and generalized linear models with nonconstant variance assumptions. EF participants had similar total healthcare costs during Year 1 of the program, but during Year 2, adjusted total costs were $1,186 lower (P=.005) than for non-EF users. Differences were partially attributable to lower inpatient costs (-$3,384; P=.02), which did not result from high-cost outliers. Enrollees who attended EF an average of one visit or more per week had lower adjusted total healthcare costs in Year 1 (-$1,929; P<.001) and Year 2 (-$1,784; P<.001) than nonusers. Health plan coverage of a preventive physical activity benefit for seniors is a promising strategy to avoid significant healthcare costs in the short term.

Bridging the Gap in Implementation Science: Evaluating a Capacity-Building Program in Data Management, Analysis, Utilization, and Dissemination in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

PubMed

Memiah, Peter; Ah Mu, Tristi; Penner, Jeremy; Owour, Kevin; Ngunu-Gituathi, Carol; Prevot, Kourtney; Mochache, Vernon; Wekesa, Paul; Oyore, John; Muhula, Sam; Komba, Patience

2018-06-01

Building capacity in implementation science within health programs is dependent on training in theory and practice of epidemiology, statistics, and research in addition to high self-efficacy toward application of training. This article describes a training program providing technical assistance to more than 300 health facilities in Kenya and Tanzania, its evaluation results, and its ability to improve participants' knowledge, competencies, and self-efficacy on data management, analysis, and dissemination among health care professionals. Two months prior to the training, participants (n = 98) were emailed a pre-course survey including 19 questions using a Likert-type response for planning the content of the workshop. Six to 12 weeks after the training, a post-course survey was emailed to all participants. Five different trainings were conducted indicating 5 participant cohorts. The questions posed involved course satisfaction, course impact on knowledge and skills, and self-efficacy in data analysis and utilization. Post-course survey results revealed that the participants had confidence in data analysis, which was significantly different from the pre-test results (0.05 α). Qualitative commentary complemented the findings of the impact of the workshop. Four manuscripts and 13 abstracts have been submitted post training. Results suggest that a short-term training program can achieve immediate gains in data and research self-efficacy among health care professionals. Although increasing self-efficacy is a necessary first step in developing skills, educators should engage in continuing education for sustainable dissemination practices. There is an urgent need to determine the current infrastructure to promote scientific dissemination. This will assist countries to produce better evidence to support their programs, policies, and overall health programs.

Patterns of drug treatment entry by Latino male injection drug users from different national/geographical backgrounds.

PubMed

Reynoso-Vallejo, Humberto; Chassler, Deborah; Witas, Julie; Lundgren, Lena M

2008-02-01

This study examined patterns of treatment entry by Puerto Rican, Central American, Dominican, and other Latino male injection drug users (IDUs) in the state of Massachusetts over the time period 1996-2002. Specifically, it explored whether these populations had different patterns relative to three paths: entry into detoxification only, entry into residential treatment, or entry into methadone maintenance. Using a state-level MIS dataset on all substance abuse treatment entries to all licensed treatment programs, bi-variate and logistic regression methods were employed to examine patterns of drug treatment utilization among Latino men residing in Massachusetts. Three logistic regression models, which controlled for age, education, homelessness, employment, history of mental health treatment, health insurance, criminal justice involvement, having injected drugs in the past month, and number of treatment entries, indicated that Puerto Rican men were significantly less likely to only use detoxification services and residential treatment services, and significantly more likely to enter methadone maintenance compared to Latino men from Central American, Dominican, or other Latino backgrounds. For example, Central American men were 2.4 times more likely to enter only detoxification programs and 54% less likely to enter methadone maintenance programs than Puerto Rican male IDUs. For program planning, include the need to (a) develop varied drug treatment services to meet the needs of non-homogenous Latino groups within the population, (b) tailor outreach efforts to effectively reach all Latino groups, and (c) increase awareness among practitioners of differential patterns of treatment utilization.

New Horizons Educator Fellowship Program: Taking You to Pluto

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weir, H. M.; Beisser, K.; Hallau, K. G.

2011-12-01

The New Horizons Educator Fellowship Program (NHEFP), originally based on the MESSENGER Fellows Program, is a public outreach initiative for motivated volunteers across the nation. These volunteers are master teachers who communicate the excitement of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto and information about recent discoveries to teachers, students, and people in their local communities. Many of the Fellows utilize their experiences and knowledge as members of other programs such as MESSENGER Fellows, Heliophysics Educator Ambassadors, Solar System Educators and Ambassadors to promote the mission thorough professional development workshops incorporating themes, activities, and recent discoveries with other NASA programs to present a well-rounded view of our Solar System. Unlike teacher-volunteer programs tied to missions that take place closer to Earth, the time between New Horizons' launch and its closest approach to Pluto is 9.5 years, with the spacecraft in hibernation for most of its voyager. NHEFP has maintained a core group of Fellows who, through periodic face-to-face or remote training, have taken advantage of opportunities for networking, sharing of ideas in best practices, activities, and presenting and keeping audiences interested in the mission during its long journey to Pluto. This involvement has been key to the program's success.

HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Program Implementation Using Intervention Mapping.

PubMed

Flash, Charlene A; Frost, Elizabeth L T; Giordano, Thomas P; Amico, K Rivet; Cully, Jeffrey A; Markham, Christine M

2018-04-01

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis has been proven to be an effective tool in HIV prevention. However, numerous barriers still exist in pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation. The framework of Intervention Mapping was used from August 2016 to October 2017 to describe the process of adoption, implementation, and maintenance of an HIV prevention program from 2012 through 2017 in Houston, Texas, that is nested within a county health system HIV clinic. Using the tasks outlined in the Intervention Mapping framework, potential program implementers were identified, outcomes and performance objectives established, matrices of change objectives created, and methods and practical applications formed. Results include the formation of three matrices that document program outcomes, change agents involved in the process, and the determinants needed to facilitate program adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Key features that facilitated successful program adoption and implementation were obtaining leadership buy-in, leveraging existing resources, systematic evaluation of operations, ongoing education for both clinical and nonclinical staff, and attention to emergent issues during launch. The utilization of Intervention Mapping to delineate the program planning steps can provide a model for pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation in other settings. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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

PubMed

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

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

Developing an Undergraduate Astronomical Research Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genet, R. M.

2007-05-01

Time-series astronomical photometry is an area of scientific research well suited to amateurs and undergraduates, and their backyard and campus observatories. I describe two past one-semester community college research programs, one six year ago and one last fall (2006), as well as a program planned for this coming fall (2007). The 2001 program, a course at Central Arizona College, utilized a robotic telescope at the Fairborn Observatory. Results were presented at the 200th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. This past fall, three students, in a 17-week, one-semester course at Cuesta College, were able to plan a research program, make several thousand CCD photometric observations, reduce and analyze their data, write up their results and, on the last day of class, send their paper off to a refereed journal, the JAAVSO. A course is being offered this coming fall (2007) that will involve about a dozen students (including high school students), several local amateur astronomers, and at least three CCD- equipped semi-automatic telescopes. Potential solutions to "scaling up" challenges created by increased class size are discussed.

Assessment of analytical and experimental techniques utilized in conducting plume technology tests 575 and 593. [exhaust flow simulation (wind tunnel tests) of scale model Space Shuttle Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, L. R.; Sulyma, P. R.; Tevepaugh, J. A.; Penny, M. M.

1976-01-01

Since exhaust plumes affect vehicle base environment (pressure and heat loads) and the orbiter vehicle aerodynamic control surface effectiveness, an intensive program involving detailed analytical and experimental investigations of the exhaust plume/vehicle interaction was undertaken as a pertinent part of the overall space shuttle development program. The program, called the Plume Technology program, has as its objective the determination of the criteria for simulating rocket engine (in particular, space shuttle propulsion system) plume-induced aerodynamic effects in a wind tunnel environment. The comprehensive experimental program was conducted using test facilities at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and Ames Research Center. A post-test examination of some of the experimental results obtained from NASA-MSFC's 14 x 14-inch trisonic wind tunnel is presented. A description is given of the test facility, simulant gas supply system, nozzle hardware, test procedure and test matrix. Analysis of exhaust plume flow fields and comparison of analytical and experimental exhaust plume data are presented.

Perceived barriers to utilization of maternal health services in rural Cambodia.

PubMed

Matsuoka, Sadatoshi; Aiga, Hirotsugu; Rasmey, Lon Chan; Rathavy, Tung; Okitsu, Akiko

2010-05-01

The aim of this study was to identify the underlying causes of Cambodian women's non-use of maternal health services provided by skilled birth attendants. A qualitative study of 66 reproductive-age women was conducted in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia. Data were collected through 30 semi-structured interviews and 6 focus groups. We identified 5 barriers to the utilization of maternal health services: (i) financial barriers; (ii) physical barriers; (iii) cognitive barriers; (iv) organizational barriers; and (v) psychological and socio-cultural barriers. The Cambodian Ministry of Health and its development partners should take these barriers into account when promoting the use of maternal health services. These barriers should be addressed proactively. A successful approach to increasing use of maternal health services should involve changes to both service programs and public education. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making It Count: Understanding the Value of Energy Efficiency Financing Programs Funded by Utility Customers

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

Kramer, Chris; Fadrhonc, Emily Martin; Goldman, Charles

Utility customer-supported financing programs are receiving increased attention as a strategy for achieving energy saving goals. Rationales for using utility customer funds to support financing initiatives

Novel incentives and messaging in an online college smoking intervention.

PubMed

Berg, Carla J; Stratton, Erin; Sokol, Michael; Santamaria, Andrew; Bryant, Lawrence; Rodriguez, Rolando

2014-09-01

To examine the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of an online intervention targeting college smokers. The incentives involved discounted or free goods and services from businesses proximal to each campus. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 122 current smokers recruited from 2 Southeastern US universities. The intervention involved health behavior monitoring, targeted messaging, and incentives for healthy goods and services versus the American Cancer Society's Guide to Quitting Smoking online. The intervention achieved greater adherence and utilization (p's < .001). Overall, 55.6% learned about a local business through this program. At end-of-treatment, intervention participants less frequently attempted to quit (p = .02) but smoked fewer cigarettes/day (p = .05). Both groups demonstrated significant end-of-treatment cessation rates. This intervention demonstrated feasibility and acceptability.

Partnerships and Pathways of Dissemination: The NIDA-SAMHSA Blending Initiative in the Clinical Trials Network

PubMed Central

Martino, Steve; Brigham, Gregory S.; Higgins, Christine; Gallon, Steve; Freese, Thomas E.; Albright, Lonnetta M.; Hulsey, Eric G.; Krom, Laurie; Storti, Susan A.; Perl, Harold; Nugent, Cathrine D.; Pintello, Denise; Condon, Timothy P.

2010-01-01

Since 2001, the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) has worked to put the results of its trials into the hands of community treatment programs, in large part through its participation in the National Institute on Drug Abuse - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Blending Initiative and its close involvement with the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s Addiction Technology Transfer Centers. This article describes 1) the CTN’s integral role in the Blending Initiative, 2) key partnerships and dissemination pathways through which the results of CTN trials are developed into blending products and then transferred to community treatment programs, and 3) three blending initiatives involving buprenorphine, motivational incentives, and motivational interviewing. The Blending Initiative has resulted in high utilization of its products, preparation of over 200 regional trainers, widespread training of service providers in most U.S. States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and movement toward the development of web-based implementation supports and technical assistance. Implications for future directions of the Blending Initiative and opportunities for research are discussed. PMID:20307793

An Analysis of Hospital Accreditation Policy in Iran

PubMed Central

YOUSEFINEZHADI, Taraneh; MOSADEGHRAD, Ali Mohammad; ARAB, Mohammad; RAMEZANI, Mozhdeh; SARI, Ali AKBARI

2017-01-01

Background: Public policymaking is complex and lacks research evidences, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). This policy analysis aims to generate insights about the process of hospital accreditation policy making in Iran, to identify factors influencing policymaking and to evaluate utilization of evidence in policy making process. Methods: The study examined the policymaking process using Walt and Gilson framework. A qualitative research design was employed. Thirty key informant interviews with policymakers and stakeholders were conducted. In addition hundred and five related documents were reviewed. Data was analyzed using framework analysis. Results: The accreditation program was a decision made at Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Iran. Many healthcare stakeholders were involved and evidence from leading countries was used to guide policy development. Poor hospital managers’ commitment, lack of physicians’ involvement and inadequate resources were the main barriers in policy implementation. Furthermore, there were too many accreditations standards and criteria, surveyors were not well-trained, had little motivation for their work and there was low consistency among them. Conclusion: This study highlighted the complex nature of policymaking cycle and highlighted various factors influencing policy development, implementation and evaluation. An effective accreditation program requires a robust well-governed accreditation body, various stakeholders’ involvement, sufficient resources and sustainable funds, enough human resources, hospital managers’ commitment, and technical assistance to hospitals. PMID:29308378

Reliability analysis of a robotic system using hybridized technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Naveen; Komal; Lather, J. S.

2017-09-01

In this manuscript, the reliability of a robotic system has been analyzed using the available data (containing vagueness, uncertainty, etc). Quantification of involved uncertainties is done through data fuzzification using triangular fuzzy numbers with known spreads as suggested by system experts. With fuzzified data, if the existing fuzzy lambda-tau (FLT) technique is employed, then the computed reliability parameters have wide range of predictions. Therefore, decision-maker cannot suggest any specific and influential managerial strategy to prevent unexpected failures and consequently to improve complex system performance. To overcome this problem, the present study utilizes a hybridized technique. With this technique, fuzzy set theory is utilized to quantify uncertainties, fault tree is utilized for the system modeling, lambda-tau method is utilized to formulate mathematical expressions for failure/repair rates of the system, and genetic algorithm is utilized to solve established nonlinear programming problem. Different reliability parameters of a robotic system are computed and the results are compared with the existing technique. The components of the robotic system follow exponential distribution, i.e., constant. Sensitivity analysis is also performed and impact on system mean time between failures (MTBF) is addressed by varying other reliability parameters. Based on analysis some influential suggestions are given to improve the system performance.

Trade-off decisions in distribution utility management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slavickas, Rimas Anthony

As a result of the "unbundling" of traditional monopolistic electricity generation and transmission enterprises into a free-market economy, power distribution utilities are faced with very difficult decisions pertaining to electricity supply options and quality of service to the customers. The management of distribution utilities has become increasingly complex, versatile, and dynamic to the extent that conventional, non-automated management tools are almost useless and obsolete. This thesis presents a novel and unified approach to managing electricity supply options and quality of service to customers. The technique formulates the problem in terms of variables, parameters, and constraints. An advanced Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) optimization formulation is developed together with novel, logical, decision-making algorithms. These tools enable the utility management to optimize various cost components and assess their time-trend impacts, taking into account the intangible issues such as customer perception, customer expectation, social pressures, and public response to service deterioration. The above concepts are further generalized and a Logical Proportion Analysis (LPA) methodology and associated software have been developed. Solutions using numbers are replaced with solutions using words (character strings) which more closely emulate the human decision-making process and advance the art of decision-making in the power utility environment. Using practical distribution utility operation data and customer surveys, the developments outlined in this thesis are successfully applied to several important utility management problems. These involve the evaluation of alternative electricity supply options, the impact of rate structures on utility business, and the decision of whether to continue to purchase from a main grid or generate locally (partially or totally) by building Non-Utility Generation (NUG).

Green Pricing Program Marketing Expenditures: Finding the Right Balance

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

Friedman, B.; Miller, M.

In practice, it is difficult to determine the optimal amount to spend on marketing and administering a green pricing program. Budgets for marketing and administration of green pricing programs are a function of several factors: the region of the country; the size of the utility service area; the customer base and media markets encompassed within that service area; the point or stage in the lifespan of the program; and certainly, not least, the utility's commitment to and goals for the program. All of these factors vary significantly among programs. This report presents data on programs that have funded both marketingmore » and program administration. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) gathers the data annually from utility green pricing program managers. Programs reporting data to NREL spent a median of 18.8% of program revenues on marketing their programs in 2008 and 16.6% in 2007. The smallest utilities (those with less than 25,000 in their eligible customer base) spent 49% of revenues on marketing, significantly more than the overall median. This report addresses the role of renewable energy credit (REC) marketers and start-up costs--and the role of marketing, generally, in achieving program objectives, including expansion of renewable energy.« less

Roles of Social Movement Organizations for Securing Workers' Safety in Korea: A Case Study of Abolition of the 30-Minute Delivery Guarantee Program in Pizza Delivery Service.

PubMed

Park, Ji-Eun; Kim, Myoung-Hee

2016-07-01

Many restaurants in Korea maintain quick-delivery service programs to satisfy customers. This service allows delivery workers limited time to deliver, which frequently put them in danger. Most of the workers are young, work part-time, and are rarely organized into trade unions. In this article, through a case study of the social movement to abolish the 30-minute delivery guarantee program of pizza companies in Korea, we argue that social movements involving social movement organizations (SMOs) and individual citizens could serve as a means to rectify this problem. We show how the SMOs developed and expanded the movement using a framing perspective and how the general public became involved through social media. Data was collected via online searching. Interview scripts from key players of SMOs and unofficial documents they provided were also reviewed. Three SMOs primarily led the movement, successfully forming a frame that emphasized social responsibility. SMOs also utilized social media to link their standing frame with unmobilized citizens and to expand the movement. We identified contributing factors and limitations of the movement and drew lessons that could be applied to other sectors where workers are in vulnerable positions. © The Author(s) 2016.

The past, present, and future of U.S. utility demand-side management programs

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

Eto, J.

Demand-side management or DSM refers to active efforts by electric and gas utilities to modify customers` energy use patterns. The experience in the US shows that utilities, when provided with appropriate incentives, can provide a powerful stimulus to energy efficiency in the private sector. This paper describes the range and history of DSM programs offered by US electric utilities, with a focus on the political, economic, and regulatory events that have shaped their evolution. It also describes the changes these programs are undergoing as a result of US electricity industry restructuring. DSM programs began modestly in the 1970s in responsemore » to growing concerns about dependence on foreign sources of oil and environmental consequences of electricity generation, especially nuclear power. The foundation for the unique US partnership between government and utility interests can be traced first to the private-ownership structure of the vertically integrated electricity industry and second to the monopoly franchise granted by state regulators. Electricity industry restructuring calls into question both of these basic conditions, and thus the future of utility DSM programs for the public interest. Future policies guiding ratepayer-funded energy-efficiency DSM programs will need to pay close attention to the specific market objectives of the programs and to the balance between public and private interests.« less

SSME component assembly and life management expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ali, M.; Dietz, W. E.; Ferber, H. J.

1989-01-01

The space shuttle utilizes several rocket engine systems, all of which must function with a high degree of reliability for successful mission completion. The space shuttle main engine (SSME) is by far the most complex of the rocket engine systems and is designed to be reusable. The reusability of spacecraft systems introduces many problems related to testing, reliability, and logistics. Components must be assembled from parts inventories in a manner which will most effectively utilize the available parts. Assembly must be scheduled to efficiently utilize available assembly benches while still maintaining flight schedules. Assembled components must be assigned to as many contiguous flights as possible, to minimize component changes. Each component must undergo a rigorous testing program prior to flight. In addition, testing and assembly of flight engines and components must be done in conjunction with the assembly and testing of developmental engines and components. The development, testing, manufacture, and flight assignments of the engine fleet involves the satisfaction of many logistical and operational requirements, subject to many constraints. The purpose of the SSME Component Assembly and Life Management Expert System (CALMES) is to assist the engine assembly and scheduling process, and to insure that these activities utilize available resources as efficiently as possible.

Space Shuttle Program: STS-1 Medical Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The necessity for developing medical standards addressing individual classes of Shuttle crew positions is discussed. For the U.S. manned program the conclusion of the Apollo era heralded the end of water recovery operations and the introduction of land-based medical operations. This procedural change marked a significant departure from the accepted postflight medical recovery and evaluation techniques. All phases of the missions required careful re-evaluation, identification of potential impact on preexisting medical operational techniques, and development of new methodologies which were carefully evaluated and tested under simulated conditions. Significant coordination was required between the different teams involved in medical operations. Additional dimensions were added to the concepts of medical operations, by the introduction of different toxic substances utilized by the Space Transportation Systems especially during ground operations.

Unpredictable Variable Prenatal Stress Programs Expression of Genes Involved in Appetite Control and Energy Expenditure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moyer, E. L.; Al-Shayeb, B.; Baer, L. A.; Ronca, A. E.

2016-01-01

Exposure to stress in the womb shapes neurobiological and physiological outcomes of offspring in later life, including body weight regulation and metabolic profiles. Our previous work utilizing a centrifugation-induced hyper-gravity demonstrated significantly increased (8-15%) body mass in male, but not female, rats exposed throughout gestation to chronic 2-g from conception to birth. We reported a similar outcome in adult offspring exposed throughout gestation to Unpredictable Variable Prenatal Stress (UVPS). Here we examine gene expression changes and the plasma of animals treated with our UVPS model to identify a potential role for prenatal stress in this hypergravity programming effect. Specifically we focused on appetite control and energy expenditure pathways in prenatally stressed adult (90-day-old) male Sprague-Dawley rats.

High-density fuel effects. Final report, September 1985-April 1988

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

Rizk, N.K.; Oechsie, V.L.; Ross, P.T.

1988-08-18

The purpose of this program was to determine, by combustor rig tests and data evaluation, the effects of the high-density fuel properties on the performance and durability of the Allison T56-A-15 combustion system. Four high-density fuels in addition to baseline JP4 were evaluated in the effort. The rig-test program included: nozzle-flow bench testing, aerothermal performance and wall temperature, flame stability and ignition, injector coking and plugging, and flow-transient effect. The data-evaluation effort involved the utilization of empirical correlations in addition to analytical multidimensional tools to analyze the performance of the combustor. The modifications required to optimize the performance with high-densitymore » fuels were suggested and the expected improvement in performance was evaluated.« less

Developing Matlab scripts for image analysis and quality assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaiopoulos, A. D.

2011-11-01

Image processing is a very helpful tool in many fields of modern sciences that involve digital imaging examination and interpretation. Processed images however, often need to be correlated with the original image, in order to ensure that the resulting image fulfills its purpose. Aside from the visual examination, which is mandatory, image quality indices (such as correlation coefficient, entropy and others) are very useful, when deciding which processed image is the most satisfactory. For this reason, a single program (script) was written in Matlab language, which automatically calculates eight indices by utilizing eight respective functions (independent function scripts). The program was tested in both fused hyperspectral (Hyperion-ALI) and multispectral (ALI, Landsat) imagery and proved to be efficient. Indices were found to be in agreement with visual examination and statistical observations.

Labview utilities

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

Persaud, Arun

2011-09-30

The software package provides several utilities written in LabView. These utilities don't form independent programs, but rather can be used as a library or controls in other labview programs. The utilities include several new controls (xcontrols), VIs for input and output routines, as well as other 'helper'-functions not provided in the standard LabView environment.

National Report on the NASA Sounding Rocket and Balloon Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eberspeaker, Philip; Fairbrother, Debora

2013-01-01

The U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Sounding Rockets and Balloon Programs conduct a total of 30 to 40 missions per year in support of the NASA scientific community and other users. The NASA Sounding Rockets Program supports the science community by integrating their experiments into the sounding rocket payloads, and providing both the rocket vehicle and launch operations services. Activities since 2011 have included two flights from Andoya Rocket Range, more than eight flights from White Sands Missile Range, approximately sixteen flights from Wallops Flight Facility, two flights from Poker Flat Research Range, and four flights from Kwajalein Atoll. Other activities included the final developmental flight of the Terrier-Improved Malemute launch vehicle, a test flight of the Talos-Terrier-Oriole launch vehicle, and a host of smaller activities to improve program support capabilities. Several operational missions have utilized the new Terrier-Malemute vehicle. The NASA Sounding Rockets Program is currently engaged in the development of a new sustainer motor known as the Peregrine. The Peregrine development effort will involve one static firing and three flight tests with a target completion data of August 2014. The NASA Balloon Program supported numerous scientific and developmental missions since its last report. The program conducted flights from the U.S., Sweden, Australia, and Antarctica utilizing standard and experimental vehicles. Of particular note are the successful test flights of the Wallops Arc Second Pointer (WASP), the successful demonstration of a medium-size Super Pressure Balloon (SPB), and most recently, three simultaneous missions aloft over Antarctica. NASA continues its successful incremental design qualification program and will support a science mission aboard WASP in late 2013 and a science mission aboard the SPB in early 2015. NASA has also embarked on an intra-agency collaboration to launch a rocket from a balloon to conduct supersonic decelerator tests. An overview of NASA's Sounding Rockets and Balloon Operations, Technology Development and Science support activities will be presented.

Utilizing Expert Knowledge in Estimating Future STS Costs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortner, David B.; Ruiz-Torres, Alex J.

2004-01-01

A method of estimating the costs of future space transportation systems (STSs) involves classical activity-based cost (ABC) modeling combined with systematic utilization of the knowledge and opinions of experts to extend the process-flow knowledge of existing systems to systems that involve new materials and/or new architectures. The expert knowledge is particularly helpful in filling gaps that arise in computational models of processes because of inconsistencies in historical cost data. Heretofore, the costs of planned STSs have been estimated following a "top-down" approach that tends to force the architectures of new systems to incorporate process flows like those of the space shuttles. In this ABC-based method, one makes assumptions about the processes, but otherwise follows a "bottoms up" approach that does not force the new system architecture to incorporate a space-shuttle-like process flow. Prototype software has been developed to implement this method. Through further development of software, it should be possible to extend the method beyond the space program to almost any setting in which there is a need to estimate the costs of a new system and to extend the applicable knowledge base in order to make the estimate.

Beyond Widgets -- Systems Incentive Programs for Utilities

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

Regnier, Cindy; Mathew, Paul; Robinson, Alastair

Utility incentive programs remain one of the most significant means of deploying commercialized, but underutilized building technologies to scale. However, these programs have been largely limited to component-based products (e.g., lamps, RTUs). While some utilities do provide ‘custom’ incentive programs with whole building and system level technical assistance, these programs require deeper levels of analysis, resulting in higher program costs. This results in custom programs being restricted to utilities with greater resources, and are typically applied mainly to large or energy-intensive facilities, leaving much of the market without cost effective access and incentives for these solutions. In addition, with increasinglymore » stringent energy codes, cost effective component-based solutions that achieve significant savings are dwindling. Building systems (e.g., integrated façade, HVAC and/or lighting solutions) can deliver higher savings that translate into large sector-wide savings if deployed at the scale of these programs. However, systems application poses a number of challenges – baseline energy use must be defined and measured; the metrics for energy and performance must be defined and tested against; in addition, system savings must be validated under well understood conditions. This paper presents a sample of findings of a project to develop validated utility incentive program packages for three specific integrated building systems, in collaboration with Xcel Energy (CO, MN), ComEd, and a consortium of California Public Owned Utilities (CA POUs) (Northern California Power Agency(NCPA) and the Southern California Public Power Authority(SCPPA)). Furthermore, these program packages consist of system specifications, system performance, M&V protocols, streamlined assessment methods, market assessment and implementation guidance.« less

Are Navy Weight Management Programs Ensuring Sailor Physical Readiness? An Analysis at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

PubMed

Wisbach, Gordon G; Peters, Joshua; Guerrero, Jenise Leon; Mozzini, Nelson; Metzger, Helen

2018-03-14

The obesity epidemic in the USA includes active duty service members in the military and effects physical readiness. At the Naval Medical Center San Diego command, the Health & Wellness Department is charged with administering the Weight Management Programs (WMP) for sailors in the San Diego area to ensure military physical readiness requirements. The optimal allocation of personnel and resources to manage these programs is paramount for mission success. We analyzed the cost and effectiveness of the WMPs for the active duty population stationed at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) with the intent of offering potential recommendations for program optimization. As an approved quality improvement program, the cost and effectiveness of the WMP, namely Fitness Enhancement Program (FEP) and ShipShape (SS), for the active duty population stationed at NMCSD were analyzed from 2013 to 2014 by utilizing various official sources. Data analysis included reviewing historical data for trends and developing a budgetary analysis to include Direct Labor Hour rates and opportunity costs. Interviews were conducted with key staff and participants in the WMPs to determine essential aspects and potential beneficial changes to the programs. Overall results were evaluated to identify potential opportunities for program expansion and improvement. Data analysis revealed that the FEP is producing a 78% success rate, with approximately 30% of the enrolled personnel actively participating. Concurrently, the SS program at NMCSD is producing a 71% success rate with 90% course completion rate. This success rate is significantly higher than the national SS average of 34%. Furthermore, our cost analysis revealed that the SS program a significantly higher return on investment. Interviews conducted of key staff and participants yielded several commonalities regarding key factors involved with WMPs success or needed improvements. To improve the WMPs at NMCSD, the findings in this report support the following recommendations: (1) maximize the SS program, (2) increase utilization of FEP, and (3) increase the participation and training of Assistant Command Fitness Leaders. WMPs navy-wide may benefit from incorporating similar program improvements to increase physical readiness of service members and, therefore, support command mission success.

Abstinence-based programs for prevention of adolescent pregnancies. A review.

PubMed

Thomas, M H

2000-01-01

This article assesses the abstinence-based programs developed by family life educators and the factors associated with positive results through a review of abstinence promotion programs of the federal government. In 1996, Section 510 was added to Title V of the Social Security Act allocating US$50 million annually from 1998-2000 to fund abstinence education programs, while in 1997, a National Strategy to Prevent Teen Pregnancy was launched by the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention to provide teen pregnancy programs to at least 25% of the communities. Presented in this paper is a discussion of the Abstinence Only programs, which focus on the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease among adolescents, and the Abstinence Plus programs, which emphasize other prevention methods as well as abstinence. Evaluation of Abstinence Only programs include Success Express, Project Taking Charge, Sex Respect, Teen Aid, Values and Choices and Facts and Feelings. Moreover, programs such as Reducing the Risk, Postponing Sexual Involvement, Project Education Now, and Babies Later were evaluated under the Abstinence Plus programs. Several programs evaluated have shown to have a positive effect on attitudes among adolescents, but are not proven to have a significant effect on sexual behavior. In conclusion, this article encourages exploration of new approaches to address teen pregnancy and the increasing incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents, while the federal government must utilize the implementation of existing programs with positive effects.

SUTIL: system utilities routines programmer's reference manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harper, D.

1976-01-01

A package of FORTRAN callable subroutines which allows efficient communication of data between users and programs is described. Proper utilization of the SUTIL package to reduce program core requirements and expedite program development is emphasized.

Maximizing Energy Savings Reliability in BC Hydro Industrial Demand-side Management Programs: An Assessment of Performance Incentive Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosman, Nathaniel

For energy utilities faced with expanded jurisdictional energy efficiency requirements and pursuing demand-side management (DSM) incentive programs in the large industrial sector, performance incentive programs can be an effective means to maximize the reliability of planned energy savings. Performance incentive programs balance the objectives of high participation rates with persistent energy savings by: (1) providing financial incentives and resources to minimize constraints to investment in energy efficiency, and (2) requiring that incentive payments be dependent on measured energy savings over time. As BC Hydro increases its DSM initiatives to meet the Clean Energy Act objective to reduce at least 66 per cent of new electricity demand with DSM by 2020, the utility is faced with a higher level of DSM risk, or uncertainties that impact the costeffective acquisition of planned energy savings. For industrial DSM incentive programs, DSM risk can be broken down into project development and project performance risks. Development risk represents the project ramp-up phase and is the risk that planned energy savings do not materialize due to low customer response to program incentives. Performance risk represents the operational phase and is the risk that planned energy savings do not persist over the effective measure life. DSM project development and performance risks are, in turn, a result of industrial economic, technological and organizational conditions, or DSM risk factors. In the BC large industrial sector, and characteristic of large industrial sectors in general, these DSM risk factors include: (1) capital constraints to investment in energy efficiency, (2) commodity price volatility, (3) limited internal staffing resources to deploy towards energy efficiency, (4) variable load, process-based energy saving potential, and (5) a lack of organizational awareness of an operation's energy efficiency over time (energy performance). This research assessed the capacity of alternative performance incentive program models to manage DSM risk in BC. Three performance incentive program models were assessed and compared to BC Hydro's current large industrial DSM incentive program, Power Smart Partners -- Transmission Project Incentives, itself a performance incentive-based program. Together, the selected program models represent a continuum of program design and implementation in terms of the schedule and level of incentives provided, the duration and rigour of measurement and verification (M&V), energy efficiency measures targeted and involvement of the private sector. A multi criteria assessment framework was developed to rank the capacity of each program model to manage BC large industrial DSM risk factors. DSM risk management rankings were then compared to program costeffectiveness, targeted energy savings potential in BC and survey results from BC industrial firms on the program models. The findings indicate that the reliability of DSM energy savings in the BC large industrial sector can be maximized through performance incentive program models that: (1) offer incentives jointly for capital and low-cost operations and maintenance (O&M) measures, (2) allow flexible lead times for project development, (3) utilize rigorous M&V methods capable of measuring variable load, process-based energy savings, (4) use moderate contract lengths that align with effective measure life, and (5) integrate energy management software tools capable of providing energy performance feedback to customers to maximize the persistence of energy savings. While this study focuses exclusively on the BC large industrial sector, the findings of this research have applicability to all energy utilities serving large, energy intensive industrial sectors.

Treatment of comorbid pain and PTSD in returning veterans: a collaborative approach utilizing behavioral activation.

PubMed

Plagge, Jane M; Lu, Mary W; Lovejoy, Travis I; Karl, Andrea I; Dobscha, Steven K

2013-08-01

We explore preliminary clinical effectiveness and feasibility of an intervention utilizing collaborative care components and behavioral activation (BA) to treat comorbid chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Descriptive, including pre- and posttreatment assessment results. Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Fifty-eight Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with chronic pain and PTSD symptoms. Veterans participated in a biopsychosocial evaluation and up to eight BA sessions using a collaborative approach involving primary care, mental health, and other clinicians. A physiatrist assisted the psychologist in providing recommendations to primary care providers. Participants were administered pre- and posttreatment measures of PTSD, pain severity, pain interference, mental health, quality of life, satisfaction, and global ratings of change with the purpose of assessing progress and improving quality. Of the 58 participants, 30 completed treatment. Common recommendations included physical therapy and exercise programs, pain medication or pain medication adjustments, and additional diagnostic workups, such as imaging. Participants who completed the program showed significant improvements on measures of PTSD, pain severity, and pain interference. Improvements were also evident on measures of mental health and quality of life. Overall, participants were satisfied with the program, and on average reported feeling "somewhat better." These findings suggest that a collaborative approach that includes BA is feasible and a potentially effective treatment for comorbid chronic pain and PTSD. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

OIL—Output input language for data connectivity between geoscientific software applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin Khan, Khalid; Akhter, Gulraiz; Ahmad, Zulfiqar

2010-05-01

Geoscientific computing has become so complex that no single software application can perform all the processing steps required to get the desired results. Thus for a given set of analyses, several specialized software applications are required, which must be interconnected for electronic flow of data. In this network of applications the outputs of one application become inputs of other applications. Each of these applications usually involve more than one data type and may have their own data formats, making them incompatible with other applications in terms of data connectivity. Consequently several data format conversion utilities are developed in-house to provide data connectivity between applications. Practically there is no end to this problem as each time a new application is added to the system, a set of new data conversion utilities need to be developed. This paper presents a flexible data format engine, programmable through a platform independent, interpreted language named; Output Input Language (OIL). Its unique architecture allows input and output formats to be defined independent of each other by two separate programs. Thus read and write for each format is coded only once and data connectivity link between two formats is established by a combination of their read and write programs. This results in fewer programs with no redundancy and maximum reuse, enabling rapid application development and easy maintenance of data connectivity links.

Building Maintenance and Utilities Management. Florida Vocational Program Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of South Florida, Tampa. Dept. of Adult and Vocational Education.

This program guide identifies primary concerns in the organization, operation, and evaluation of a building maintenance and utilities management program. It is designed for local school district and community college administrators, instructors, program advisory committees, and regional coordinating councils. The guide begins with the Dictionary…

Nuclear Education and Training Programs of Potential Interest to Utilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, DC.

This compilation of education and training programs related to nuclear applications in electric power generation covers programs conducted by nuclear reactor vendors, public utilities, universities, technical institutes, and community colleges, which were available in December 1968. Several training-program consultant services are also included.…

Determining the Optimal Work Breakdown Structure for Defense Acquisition Contracts

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-24

programs. Public utility corresponds with the generally understood concept that having more money is desirable, and having less money is not desirable...From this perspective, program completion on budget provides maximum utility , while being over budget reduces utility as there is less money for other...tree. Utility theory tools were applied using three utility perspectives, and optimal WBSs were identified. Results demonstrated that reporting at WBS

The cost-effectiveness of health communication programs: what do we know?

PubMed

Hutchinson, Paul; Wheeler, Jennifer

2006-01-01

While a considerable body of evidence has emerged supporting the effectiveness of communication programs in augmenting health, only a very small subset of studies has examined also whether these programs are cost-effective, that is, whether they achieve greater health gains for available financial resources than alternative interventions. In this article, we examine the available literature on the cost-effectiveness of health behavior change communication programs, focusing on communication interventions involving mass media, and, to a lesser extent, community mobilization and interpersonal communication or counseling. Our objective is to identify the state of past and current research efforts of the cost-effectiveness of behavior change communication programs. This review makes three principal conclusions. First, the analysis of the cost-effectiveness of health communication programs commonly has not been performed. Second, the studies reviewed here have utilized a considerable diversity of methods and have reflected varying levels of quality and adherence to standard cost-effectiveness methodologies. This leads to problems of transparency, comparability, and generalizability. Third, while the available studies generally are indicative of the cost-effectiveness of communication interventions relative to alternatives, the evidence base clearly needs to be expanded by additional rigorous cost-effectiveness analyses.

The USAID/DOE Mexico Renewable Energy Program: Using technology to build new markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanley, Charles J.

1997-02-01

Under the Mexico Renewable Energy Program, managed by Sandia National Laboratories, sustainable markets for renewable energy technologies are developed through the implementation of pilot projects. Sandia provides technical assistance to several Mexican rural development organizations so they can gain the technical and institutional capability to appropriately utilize renewables within their ongoing programs. Activities in the area of water pumping have shown great replication potential, where the tremendous rural demand for water represents a potential renewable market of over 2 billion. Thirty-six photovoltaic water pumping projects have been installed thus far in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Baja California Sur, and Quintana Roo, and 60 more will be implemented this year. The majority of these projects are in partnership with the Mexican Trust for Shared Risk (FIRCO), which has asked Sandia for assistance in extending the program nationwide. This replication is beginning in five new states, and will continue to grow. Sandia is keeping the U.S. renewable energy industry involved in the program through facilitating partnerships between U.S. and Mexican vendors, and through commercialization assistance with new systems technologies. The program is sponsored by the Department of Energy and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

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

Not Available

The goal of the U.S. Department of Energy Underground Coal Conversion (UCC) program is to develop the technology to produce clean fuels from coal deposits unsuitable for commercial exploitation by conventional mining techniques. The highest priority is to develop and demonstrate, in conjunction with industry, a commercially feasible process for underground gasification of low-rank coal in the 1985--1987 time period. The program will also attempt to develop cost-effective technologies to utilize steeply dipping seams and bituminous coal by UCC. Results of the program to date indicate that, while UCC is technically feasible, it still contains some process unknowns, environmental risks,more » and economic risks that require R and D. In order to contribute to the national energy goals, a strong DOE program which incorporates maximum industry involvement is planned. Major projects are described in some detail. Finally, a strong program of supporting activities will address specific problems identified in the field testing and will seek to advance UCC technology. In summary, the program's strategy is to remove the high-risk elements of UCC by resolving those technical, environmental, and economic uncertainties that remain, and to enable industry to assume responsibility for commercialization of the process.« less

Clinical evaluation of automated processing of electrocardiograms by the Veterans Administration program (AVA 3.4).

PubMed

Brohet, C R; Richman, H G

1979-06-01

Automated processing of electrocardiograms by the Veterans Administration program was evaluated for both agreement with physician interpretation and interpretative accuracy as assessed with nonelectrocardiographic criteria. One thousand unselected electrocardiograms were analyzed by two reviewer groups, one familiar and the other unfamiliar with the computer program. A significant number of measurement errors involving repolarization changes and left axis deviation occurred; however, interpretative disagreements related to statistical decision were largely language-related. Use of a printout with a more traditional format resulted in agreement with physician interpretation by both reviewer groups in more than 80 percent of cases. Overall sensitivity based on agreement with nonelectrocardiographic criteria was significantly greater with use of the computer program than with use of the conventional criteria utilized by the reviewers. This difference was particularly evident in the subgroup analysis of myocardial infarction and left ventricular hypertrophy. The degree of overdiagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy and posteroinferior infarction was initially unacceptable, but this difficulty was corrected by adjustment of probabilities. Clinical acceptability of the Veterans Administration program appears to require greater physician education than that needed for other computer programs of electrocardiographic analysis; the flexibility of interpretation by statistical decision offers the potential for better diagnostic accuracy.

The common marmoset monkey: avenues for exploring the prenatal, placental, and postnatal mechanisms in developmental programming of pediatric obesity.

PubMed

Riesche, Laren; Tardif, Suzette D; Ross, Corinna N; deMartelly, Victoria A; Ziegler, Toni; Rutherford, Julienne N

2018-05-01

Animal models have been critical in building evidence that the prenatal experience and intrauterine environment are capable of exerting profound and permanent effects on metabolic health through developmental programming of obesity. However, despite physiological and evolutionary similarities, nonhuman primate models are relatively rare. The common marmoset monkey ( Callithrix jacchus) is a New World monkey that has been used as a biomedical model for well more than 50 years and has recently been framed as an appropriate model for exploring early-life impacts on later health and disease. The spontaneous, multifactorial, and early-life development of obesity in the common marmoset make it a valuable research model for advancing our knowledge about the role of the prenatal and placental mechanisms involved in developmental programming of obesity. This paper provides a brief overview of obesity in the common marmoset, followed by a discussion of marmoset reproduction and placental characteristics. We then discuss the occurrence and utility of variable intrauterine environments in developmental programming in marmosets. Evidence of developmental programming of obesity will be given, and finally, we put forward future directions and innovations for including the placenta in developmental programming of obesity in the common marmoset.

The impact of a freshman academy on science performance of first-time ninth-grade students at one Georgia high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, Vivian Summerour

The purpose of this within-group experimental study was to find out to what extent ninth-grade students improved their science performance beyond their middle school science performance at one Georgia high school utilizing a freshman academy model. Freshman academies have been recognized as a useful tool for increasing academic performance among ninth-grade students because they address a range of academic support initiatives tailored to improve academic performance among ninth-grade students. The talent development model developed by Legters, Balfanz, Jordan, and McPartland (2002) has served as a foundational standard for many ninth grade academy programs. A cornerstone feature of this model is the creation of small learning communities used to increase ninth-grade student performance. Another recommendation was to offer credit recovery opportunities for ninth graders along with creating parent and community involvement activities to increase academic success among ninth-grade students. While the site's program included some of the initiatives outlined by the talent development model, it did not utilize all of them. The study concluded that the academy did not show a definitive increase in academic performance among ninth-grade students since most students stayed within their original performance category.

Increased hospital and emergency department utilization by individuals with recent criminal justice involvement: results of a national survey.

PubMed

Frank, Joseph W; Linder, Jeffrey A; Becker, William C; Fiellin, David A; Wang, Emily A

2014-09-01

Individuals involved with the criminal justice system have increased health needs and poor access to primary care. To examine hospital and emergency department (ED) utilization and related costs by individuals with recent criminal justice involvement. Cross-sectional survey. Non-institutionalized, civilian U.S. adult participants (n = 154,356) of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008-2011). Estimated proportion of adults who reported past year 1) hospitalization or 2) ED utilization according to past year criminal justice involvement, defined as 1) parole or probation, 2) arrest without subsequent correctional supervision, or 3) no criminal justice involvement; estimated annual expenditures using unlinked data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. An estimated 5.7 million adults reported parole or probation and an additional 3.9 million adults reported an arrest in the past year. Adults with recent parole or probation and those with a recent arrest, compared with the general population, had higher rates of hospitalization (12.3 %, 14.3 %, 10.5 %; P < 0.001) and higher rates of ED utilization (39.3 %, 47.2 %, 26.9 %; P < 0.001). Recent parole or probation was an independent predictor of hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.21; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.44) and ED utilization (AOR, 1.35; 95 % CI, 1.12-1.63); Recent arrest was an independent predictor of hospitalization (AOR, 1.26; 95 % CI, 1.08-1.47) and ED utilization (AOR, 1.81; 95 % CI, 1.53-2.15). Individuals with recent criminal justice involvement make up 4.2 % of the U.S. adult population, yet account for an estimated 7.2 % of hospital expenditures and 8.5 % of ED expenditures. Recent criminal justice involvement is associated with increased hospital and ED utilization and costs. The criminal justice system may offer an important point of contact for efforts to improve the healthcare utilization patterns of a large and vulnerable population.

NTP comparison process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corban, Robert

1993-01-01

The systems engineering process for the concept definition phase of the program involves requirements definition, system definition, and consistent concept definition. The requirements definition process involves obtaining a complete understanding of the system requirements based on customer needs, mission scenarios, and nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) operating characteristics. A system functional analysis is performed to provide a comprehensive traceability and verification of top-level requirements down to detailed system specifications and provides significant insight into the measures of system effectiveness to be utilized in system evaluation. The second key element in the process is the definition of system concepts to meet the requirements. This part of the process involves engine system and reactor contractor teams to develop alternative NTP system concepts that can be evaluated against specific attributes, as well as a reference configuration against which to compare system benefits and merits. Quality function deployment (QFD), as an excellent tool within Total Quality Management (TQM) techniques, can provide the required structure and provide a link to the voice of the customer in establishing critical system qualities and their relationships. The third element of the process is the consistent performance comparison. The comparison process involves validating developed concept data and quantifying system merits through analysis, computer modeling, simulation, and rapid prototyping of the proposed high risk NTP subsystems. The maximum amount possible of quantitative data will be developed and/or validated to be utilized in the QFD evaluation matrix. If upon evaluation of a new concept or its associated subsystems determine to have substantial merit, those features will be incorporated into the reference configuration for subsequent system definition and comparison efforts.

Phoenix Rising: use of a participatory approach to evaluate a federally funded HIV, hepatitis and substance abuse prevention program.

PubMed

Dryden, Eileen; Hyde, Justeen; Livny, Ayala; Tula, Monique

2010-11-01

This paper highlights the value of utilizing a participatory evaluation approach when working with community agencies receiving federal funding for prevention and intervention services. Drawing from our experience as evaluators of a SAMHSA-funded substance abuse, HIV and Hepatitis prevention program targeting homeless young adults, we describe the importance of and strategies for creating a participatory evaluation partnership with program implementers. By participatory evaluation we mean the active involvement of program implementers in defining the evaluation, developing instruments, collecting data, discussing findings, and disseminating results. There are a number of challenges faced when using this approach with federally funded programs that require the use of standardized measurement tools and data collection procedures. Strategies we used to strike a balance between federal requirements and local needs are presented. By increasing the understanding of and participation in the evaluation process, program implementers have greater support for data collection requirements and are appreciably more interested in learning from the evaluation data. This approach has helped to build the capacity of a program and stimulated new possibilities for learning, growing, and ultimately improving the services offered to those the program strives to reach. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Did we get our money's worth? Bridging economic and behavioral measures of program success in adolescent drug prevention.

PubMed

Griffith, Kevin N; Scheier, Lawrence M

2013-11-08

The recent U.S. Congressional mandate for creating drug-free learning environments in elementary and secondary schools stipulates that education reform rely on accountability, parental and community involvement, local decision making, and use of evidence-based drug prevention programs. By necessity, this charge has been paralleled by increased interest in demonstrating that drug prevention programs net tangible benefits to society. One pressing concern is precisely how to integrate traditional scientific methods of program evaluation with economic measures of "cost efficiency". The languages and methods of each respective discipline don't necessarily converge on how to establish the true benefits of drug prevention. This article serves as a primer for conducting economic analyses of school-based drug prevention programs. The article provides the reader with a foundation in the relevant principles, methodologies, and benefits related to conducting economic analysis. Discussion revolves around how economists value the potential costs and benefits, both financial and personal, from implementing school-based drug prevention programs targeting youth. Application of heterogeneous costing methods coupled with widely divergent program evaluation findings influences the feasibility of these techniques and may hinder utilization of these practices. Determination of cost-efficiency should undoubtedly become one of several markers of program success and contribute to the ongoing debate over health policy.

Computer programs: Electronic circuit design criteria: A compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A Technology Utilization Program for the dissemination of information on technological developments which have potential utility outside the aerospace community is presented. The 21 items reported herein describe programs that are applicable to electronic circuit design procedures.

Utilizing a State Level Volunteer Recognition Program at the County Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCall, Fran Korthaus; Culp, Ken, III

2013-01-01

Volunteer recognition is an important component of Extension programs. Most land-grant universities have implemented a state volunteer recognition program. Extension professionals, however, are too overburdened with meetings, programs, and activities to effectively recognize volunteers locally. Utilizing a state model is an efficient means of…

LLNL electro-optical mine detection program

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

Anderson, C.; Aimonetti, W.; Barth, M.

1994-09-30

Under funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and the US Marine Corps (USMC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has directed a program aimed at improving detection capabilities against buried mines and munitions. The program has provided a national test facility for buried mines in arid environments, compiled and distributed an extensive data base of infrared (IR), ground penetrating radar (GPR), and other measurements made at that site, served as a host for other organizations wishing to make measurements, made considerable progress in the use of ground penetrating radar for mine detection, and worked on the difficult problem ofmore » sensor fusion as applied to buried mine detection. While the majority of our effort has been concentrated on the buried mine problem, LLNL has worked with the U.S.M.C. on surface mine problems as well, providing data and analysis to support the COBRA (Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis) program. The original aim of the experimental aspect of the program was the utilization of multiband infrared approaches for the detection of buried mines. Later the work was extended to a multisensor investigation, including sensors other than infrared imagers. After an early series of measurements, it was determined that further progress would require a larger test facility in a natural environment, so the Buried Object Test Facility (BOTF) was constructed at the Nevada Test Site. After extensive testing, with sensors spanning the electromagnetic spectrum from the near ultraviolet to radio frequencies, possible paths for improvement were: improved spatial resolution providing better ground texture discrimination; analysis which involves more complicated spatial queueing and filtering; additional IR bands using imaging spectroscopy; the use of additional sensors other than IR and the use of data fusion techniques with multi-sensor data; and utilizing time dependent observables like temperature.« less

Smartphone applications to support weight loss: current perspectives

PubMed Central

Pellegrini, Christine A; Pfammatter, Angela F; Conroy, David E; Spring, Bonnie

2015-01-01

Lower cost alternatives are needed for the traditional in-person behavioral weight loss programs to overcome challenges of lowering the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity. Smartphones have become ubiquitous and provide a unique platform to aid in the delivery of a behavioral weight loss program. The technological capabilities of a smartphone may address certain limitations of a traditional weight loss program, while also reducing the cost and burden on participants, interventionists, and health care providers. Awareness of the advantages smartphones offer for weight loss has led to the rapid development and proliferation of weight loss applications (apps). The built-in features and the mechanisms by which they work vary across apps. Although there are an extraordinary number of a weight loss apps available, most lack the same magnitude of evidence-based behavior change strategies typically used in traditional programs. As features develop and new capabilities are identified, we propose a conceptual model as a framework to guide the inclusion of features that can facilitate behavior change and lead to reductions in weight. Whereas the conventional wisdom about behavior change asserts that more is better (with respect to the number of behavior change techniques involved), this model suggests that less may be more because extra techniques may add burden and adversely impact engagement. Current evidence is promising and continues to emerge on the potential of smartphone use within weight loss programs; yet research is unable to keep up with the rapidly improving smartphone technology. Future studies are needed to refine the conceptual model’s utility in the use of technology for weight loss, determine the effectiveness of intervention components utilizing smartphone technology, and identify novel and faster ways to evaluate the ever-changing technology. PMID:26236766

Interprofessional Communities of Practice in Continuing Medical Education for Promoting and Sustaining Practice Change: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Barker, Megan; Lecce, Julia; Ivanova, Anna; Zawertailo, Laurie; Dragonetti, Rosa; Selby, Peter

2018-01-01

Standard knowledge delivery formats for CME may have limited impact on long-term practice change. A community of practice (CoP) is one tool that may enhance competencies and support practice change. This study explores the utility of an interprofessional CoP as an adjunct to a CME program in tobacco addiction treatment (Training Enhancement in Applied Counselling and Health [TEACH] Project) to promote and sustain practice change. A prospective cohort design was utilized to examine the long-term impact of the TEACH CoP on practice change. An online survey was administered to TEACH-trained practitioners to assess perceived feasibility, importance, and confidence related to course competencies, involvement in TEACH CoP activities, engagement in knowledge transfer (KT), and implementation of new programming. Chi-square tests were used to detect differences in KT and program development associated with CoP participation. Course competency scores from immediate postcourse surveys and long-term follow-up surveys were compared. No significant differences in participant characteristics were found between those who did (n = 300) and did not (n = 122) participate in the TEACH CoP. Mean self-perceived competency scores were greater immediately after course than at long-term follow-up; however, self-ratings of competency in pharmacological interventions and motivational interviewing were higher at follow-up. TEACH CoP participation was associated with significantly greater engagement in KT and implementation of new programming after training. The findings from this evaluation suggest the value of interprofessional CoPs offered posttraining as a mechanism to enhance practice. CME providers should consider offering CoPs as a component of training programs to promote and sustain practice change.

The costs of HIV antiretroviral therapy adherence programs and impact on health care utilization.

PubMed

Sansom, Stephanie L; Anthony, Monique N; Garland, Wendy H; Squires, Kathleen E; Witt, Mallory D; Kovacs Andrea, A; Larsen, Robert A; Valencia, Rosa; Pals, Sherri L; Hader, Shannon; Weidle, Paul J; Wohl, Amy R

2008-02-01

From a trial comparing interventions to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy-directly administered antiretroviral therapy (DAART) or an intensive adherence case management (IACM)-to standard of care (SOC), for HIV-infected participants at public HIV clinics in Los Angeles County, California, we examined the cost of adherence programs and associated health care utilization. We assessed differences between DAART, IACM, and SOC in the rate of hospitalizations, hospital days, and outpatient and emergency department visits during an average of 1.7 years from study enrollment, beginning November 2001. We assigned costs to health care utilization and program delivery. We calculated incremental costs of DAART or IACM v SOC, and compared those costs with savings in health care utilization among participants in the adherence programs. IACM participants experienced fewer hospital days compared with SOC (2.3 versus 6.7 days/1000 person-days, incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.34, 97.5% confidence interval [CI]: 0.13-0.87). DAART participants had more outpatient visits than SOC (44.2 versus 31.5/1000 person-days, IRR: 1.4; 97.5% CI: 1.01-1.95). Average per-participant health care utilization costs were $13,127, $8,988, and $14,416 for DAART, IACM, and SOC, respectively. Incremental 6-month program costs were $2,120 and $1,653 for DAART and IACM participants, respectively. Subtracting savings in health care utilization from program costs resulted in an average net program cost of $831 per DAART participant; and savings of $3,775 per IACM participant. IACM was associated with a significant decrease in hospital days compared to SOC and was cost saving when program costs were compared to savings in health care utilization.

System Engineering on the Use for Ares I,V - the Simpler, the Better

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, William; Greene, William D.; Greasley, Paul; Ackerman, Peter C.

2008-01-01

The Ares I and Ares V Vehicles will utilize the J-2X rocket engine developed for NASA by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Company. The J-2X is an improved higher power version of the original J-2 engine used during the Apollo program. With higher power and updated requirements for safety and performance, the J-2X becomes a new engine using state-of-the-art design methodology, materials and manufacturing processes. The implementation of Systems Engineering (SE) principles enables the rapid J-2X development program to remain aligned with the ARES I and V vehicle programs, Meeting the aggressive development schedule is a challenge. Coordinating the best expertise thai NASA and PWR have to offer requires effectively utilizing resources at multiple sites. This presents formidable communication challenges. SE allows honest and open discussions of issues and problems. This simple idea is often overlooked in large and complex SE programs. Regular and effective meetings linking SE objectives to component designs are used to voice differences of opinions with customer and contractor in attendance so that the best mutual decisions can be made on the shortest possible schedule. Regular technical interchange meetings on secure program wide computer networks and CM processes are effective,in the "Controlled Change" process that exemplifies good SE. Good communication is a key effective SE implementation. The System of Systems approach is the vision of the Orion program which facilitates the establishment of dynamic SE processes at all levels including the engine. SE enables requirements evolution by facilitating organizational and process agility. Flow down and distribution of requirements is controlled by Allocation Reports which breakdown numerical design objectives (weight, reliability, etc.) into quanta goals for each component area. Linked databases of design and verification requirements helps eliminate redundancy and potential mistakes inherent m separated systems. Another tool, the Architecture Design Description, is being used to control J-2X system architecture and effectively communicate configuration changes to those involved in the design process. But the proof is in successful program accomplishment. The SE is the methodology being used to meet the challenge of completing J-2X engine certification 2 years ahead of any engine program ever developed at PWR. The Ares I SE system of systems has delivered according to expectations thus far. All major design reviews (SRR. PDR, CDR) have been successfully conducted to satisfy overall program objectives using SE as the basis for accomplishment. The paper describes SE tools and techniques utilized to achieve this success.

Using program impact pathways to understand and improve program delivery, utilization, and potential for impact of Helen Keller International's homestead food production program in Cambodia.

PubMed

Olney, Deanna K; Vicheka, Sao; Kro, Meng; Chakriya, Chhom; Kroeun, Hou; Hoing, Ly Sok; Talukder, Aminzzaman; Quinn, Victoria; Iannotti, Lora; Becker, Elisabeth; Roopnaraine, Terry

2013-06-01

Evidence of the impact of homestead food production programs on nutrition outcomes such as anemia and growth is scant. In the absence of information on program impact pathways, it is difficult to understand why these programs, which have been successful in increasing intake of micronutrient-rich foods, have had such limited documented impact on nutrition outcomes. To conduct a process evaluation of Helen Keller International's (HKI's) homestead food production program in Cambodia to assess whether the program was operating as planned (in terms of design, delivery, and utilization) and to identify ways in which the program might need to be strengthened in order to increase its potential for impact. A program theory framework, which laid out the primary components along the hypothesized program impact pathways, was developed in collaboration with HKI and used to design the research. Semistructured interviews and focus group discussions with program beneficiaries (n = 36 and 12, respectively), nonbeneficiaries (n = 12), and program implementers (n = 17 and 2, respectively) and observations of key program delivery points, including health and nutrition training sessions (n = 6), village model farms (n = 6), and household gardens of beneficiaries (n = 36) and nonbeneficiaries (n = 12), were conducted to assess the delivery and utilization of the primary program components along the impact pathways. The majority of program components were being delivered and utilized as planned. However, challenges with some of the key components posited to improve outcomes such as anemia and growth were noted. Among these were a gap in the expected pathway from poultry production to increased intake of eggs and poultry meat, and some weaknesses in the delivery of the health and nutrition training sessions and related improvements in knowledge among the village health volunteers and beneficiaries. Although the program has been successful in delivering the majority of the program components as planned and has documented achievements in improving household production and intake of micronutrient-rich foods, it is likely that strengthening delivery and increasing utilization of some program components would increase its potential for nutritional impacts. This research has highlighted the importance of designing a program theory framework and assessing the components that lie along the primary program impact pathways to optimize program service delivery and utilization and, in turn, potential for impact.

Using the community-based health planning and services program to promote skilled delivery in rural Ghana: socio-demographic factors that influence women utilization of skilled attendants at birth in Northern Ghana

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The burden of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa is enormous. In Ghana the maternal mortality ratio was 350 per 100,000 live births in 2010. Skilled birth attendance has been shown to reduce maternal deaths and disabilities, yet in 2010 only 68% of mothers in Ghana gave birth with skilled birth attendants. In 2005, the Ghana Health Service piloted an enhancement of its Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) program, training Community Health Officers (CHOs) as midwives, to address the gap in skilled attendance in rural Upper East Region (UER). The study determined the extent to which CHO-midwives skilled delivery program achieved its desired outcomes in UER among birthing women. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional household survey with women who had ever given birth in the three years prior to the survey. We employed a two stage sampling techniques: In the first stage we proportionally selected enumeration areas, and the second stage involved random selection of households. In each household, where there is more than one woman with a child within the age limit, we interviewed the woman with the youngest child. We collected data on awareness of the program, use of the services and factors that are associated with skilled attendants at birth. Results A total of 407 households/women were interviewed. Eighty three percent of respondents knew that CHO-midwives provided delivery services in CHPS zones. Seventy nine percent of the deliveries were with skilled attendants; and over half of these skilled births (42% of total) were by CHO-midwives. Multivariate analyses showed that women of the Nankana ethnic group and those with uneducated husbands were less likely to access skilled attendants at birth in rural settings. Conclusions The implementation of the CHO-midwife program in UER appeared to have contributed to expanded skilled delivery care access and utilization for rural women. However, women of the Nankana ethnic group and uneducated men must be targeted with health education to improve women utilizing skilled delivery services in rural communities of the region. PMID:24721385

Using the community-based health planning and services program to promote skilled delivery in rural Ghana: socio-demographic factors that influence women utilization of skilled attendants at birth in northern Ghana.

PubMed

Sakeah, Evelyn; Doctor, Henry V; McCloskey, Lois; Bernstein, Judith; Yeboah-Antwi, Kojo; Mills, Samuel

2014-04-10

The burden of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa is enormous. In Ghana the maternal mortality ratio was 350 per 100,000 live births in 2010. Skilled birth attendance has been shown to reduce maternal deaths and disabilities, yet in 2010 only 68% of mothers in Ghana gave birth with skilled birth attendants. In 2005, the Ghana Health Service piloted an enhancement of its Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) program, training Community Health Officers (CHOs) as midwives, to address the gap in skilled attendance in rural Upper East Region (UER). The study determined the extent to which CHO-midwives skilled delivery program achieved its desired outcomes in UER among birthing women. We conducted a cross-sectional household survey with women who had ever given birth in the three years prior to the survey. We employed a two stage sampling techniques: In the first stage we proportionally selected enumeration areas, and the second stage involved random selection of households. In each household, where there is more than one woman with a child within the age limit, we interviewed the woman with the youngest child. We collected data on awareness of the program, use of the services and factors that are associated with skilled attendants at birth. A total of 407 households/women were interviewed. Eighty three percent of respondents knew that CHO-midwives provided delivery services in CHPS zones. Seventy nine percent of the deliveries were with skilled attendants; and over half of these skilled births (42% of total) were by CHO-midwives. Multivariate analyses showed that women of the Nankana ethnic group and those with uneducated husbands were less likely to access skilled attendants at birth in rural settings. The implementation of the CHO-midwife program in UER appeared to have contributed to expanded skilled delivery care access and utilization for rural women. However, women of the Nankana ethnic group and uneducated men must be targeted with health education to improve women utilizing skilled delivery services in rural communities of the region.

Summary of an integrated ERTS-1 project and its results at the Missouri Geological Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, J. A.; Allen, W. H.; Rath, D. L.; Rueff, A.

1974-01-01

Use of the ERTS imagery involved the recognition and interpretation of various ground patterns. Analysis and application are tied to ongoing programs. Specific studies utilizing the imagery and NASA aircraft photography are: a statewide lake and dam inventory; assessment of flooding and floodprone areas along the Missouri portion of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers; land-use classification for several counties; structural features in selected areas; and Pleistocene features in northern Missouri. Though it has been suggested that repetitive coverage is not necessary for geologic studies, it is this specific feature along with the synoptic view of large portions of the State that provided the potential for the utilization of the ERTS imagery in Missouri. Other State agencies, Departments of Conservation, Agriculture, and Community Affairs, have expressed interest in the potential application of ERTS data in their respective fields.

The Productivity Dilemma in Workplace Health Promotion.

PubMed

Cherniack, Martin

2015-01-01

Worksite-based programs to improve workforce health and well-being (Workplace Health Promotion (WHP)) have been advanced as conduits for improved worker productivity and decreased health care costs. There has been a countervailing health economics contention that return on investment (ROI) does not merit preventive health investment. METHODS/PROCEDURES: Pertinent studies were reviewed and results reconsidered. A simple economic model is presented based on conventional and alternate assumptions used in cost benefit analysis (CBA), such as discounting and negative value. The issues are presented in the format of 3 conceptual dilemmas. In some occupations such as nursing, the utility of patient survival and staff health is undervalued. WHP may miss important components of work related health risk. Altering assumptions on discounting and eliminating the drag of negative value radically change the CBA value. Simple monetization of a work life and calculation of return on workforce health investment as a simple alternate opportunity involve highly selective interpretations of productivity and utility.

Solar domestic water heating performance test program - Interim report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auris, R. H.

Performance results from utility-installed or monitored flat plate collector systems on 13 residences are reported. The systems comprised either drain-down, i.e., emptying the water-working fluid into a reservoir in response to thermistor sensing of sufficiently low temperatures, or water/glycol mixture as freeze protection measures. Installation errors committeed by commercial solar contractors employed by the utility customers are outlined, indicating the uncertainty involved in obtaining a quality installation. Most system failures occurred with the drain-down systems, which also featured the highest system efficiencies. Redundancy in the control systems is suggested to offer significant improvements in system efficiency. The systems provided an average of 40% of the annual hot water needs, and the development of low cost materials, better system designs, low cost financing, and increased tax credits are concluded to be methods of making the systems cost effective.

Attracting underrepresented minority students to the sciences with an interest and utility value intervention: Catching and holding interest in recruitment materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stribling, Tracy M.

In order to explore recruitment methods for attracting undergraduate underrepresented minority (URM) students to the sciences, an applied intervention involving the manipulation of the construct of interest was implemented. Using Bridges to the Baccalaureate--a scientific research program available to community college URM students--as the context for the intervention, I redesigned the original recruitment brochure into two new brochures: one designed to catch interest and one designed to catch interest as well as hold it. Largely attributable to inherent limitations of applied research, no differences were found between the number of applications submitted the year the intervention was implemented compared to the previous baseline year, nor were any differences found between the number of applications submitted by students who received the interest brochure compared to those who received the utility value brochure.

Quantitative assessment of urban and industrial symbiosis in Kawasaki, Japan.

PubMed

Van Berkel, Rene; Fujita, Tsuyoshi; Hashimoto, Shizuka; Fujii, Minoru

2009-03-01

Colocated firms can achieve environmental benefit and competitive advantage from exchanging physical resources (known as industrial symbiosis) with each other or with residential areas (referenced here as urban symbiosis). Past research illustrated that economic and environmental benefits appear self-evident, although detailed quantification has only been attempted of symbioses for energy and water utilities. This article provides a complimentary case studyfor Kawasaki, Japan. The 14 documented symbioses connect steel, cement, chemical, and paperfirms and their spin-off recycling businesses. Seven key material exchanges divert annually at least 565 000 tons of waste from incineration or landfill. Four of these collectively present an estimated economic opportunity of 13.3 billion JPY (approximately 130 million USD) annually. Five symbioses involve utilization of byproduct and two sharing of utilities. The others are traditional or new recycling industries that do not specifically benefit from geographic proximity. The synergistic effect of urban and industrial symbiosis is unique. The legislative framework for a recycling-oriented society has contributed to realization of the symbioses, as has the availability of government subsidies through the Eco-Town program.

Synthesis of economic criteria in the design of electric utility industrial conservation programs in Costa Rica

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

Fisher, S.C.

This paper lays out a set of economic criteria to guide the development of electricity conservation programs for industrial customers of the Costa Rican utilities. It puts the problem of utility and other public policy formulation in the industrial conservation field into the context of ongoing economic and trade liberalization in Costa Rica, as well as the financial and political pressures with which the country`s utilities must contend. The need to bolster utility financial performance and the perennial political difficulty of adjusting power rates for inflation and devaluation, not to mention maintaining efficient real levels, puts a premium on controllingmore » the costs of utility conservation programs and increasing the degree of cost recovery over time. Industrial conservation programs in Costa Rica must adopt a certain degree of activation to help overcome serious market failures and imperfections while at the same time avoiding significant distortion of the price signals guiding the ongoing industrial rationalization process and the reactivation of growth.« less

Strategic considerations for support of humans in space and Moon/Mars exploration missions. Life sciences research and technology programs, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Summary charts of the following topics are presented: the Percentage of Critical Questions in Constrained and Robust Programs; the Executive Committee and AMAC Disposition of Critical Questions for Constrained and Robust Programs; and the Requirements for Ground-based Research and Flight Platforms for Constrained and Robust Programs. Data Tables are also presented and cover the following: critical questions from all Life Sciences Division Discipline Science Plans; critical questions listed by category and criticality; all critical questions which require ground-based research; critical questions that would utilize spacelabs listed by category and criticality; critical questions that would utilize Space Station Freedom (SSF) listed by category and criticality; critical questions that would utilize the SSF Centrifuge; facility listed by category and criticality; critical questions that would utilize a Moon base listed by category and criticality; critical questions that would utilize robotic missions listed by category and criticality; critical questions that would utilize free flyers listed by category and criticality; and critical questions by deliverables.

Crystal study and econometric model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

An econometric model was developed that can be used to predict demand and supply figures for crystals over a time horizon roughly concurrent with that of NASA's Space Shuttle Program - that is, 1975 through 1990. The model includes an equation to predict the impact on investment in the crystal-growing industry. Actually, two models are presented. The first is a theoretical model which follows rather strictly the standard theoretical economic concepts involved in supply and demand analysis, and a modified version of the model was developed which, though not quite as theoretically sound, was testable utilizing existing data sources.

LANDSAT-4 evaluation program and scientific characterization activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, J. L.

1983-01-01

The characterization objectives of the LANDSAT 4 Science Office at GSFC are to: (1) determine the accuracy and precision of sensor and spacecraft performance, image data quality, and derived information; (2) recommend LANDSAT 4 system improvements; and (3) communicate results to the research community. In-house activities are directed toward full access and utilization of the prelaunch and in-orbit engineering test data on the sensor and spacecraft. Principle scientists in remote sensing are involved as part of a major scientific characterization effort, and workshops were held for these investigative teams. A symposium is scheduled prior to turnover of the TM to NOAA.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 7: EOS system definition report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The design concept and operational aspects of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) are presented. A table of the planned EOS missions is included to show the purpose of the mission, the instruments involved, and the launch date. The subjects considered in the analysis of the EOS development are: (1) system requirements, (2) design/cost trade methodology, (3) observatory design alternatives, (4) the data management system, (5) the design evaluation and preferred approach, (6) program cost compilation, (7) follow-on mission accommodation, and (8) space shuttle interfaces and utilization. Illustrations and block diagrams of the spacecraft configurations are provided.

[Should disease management be feared? (1): hospital care].

PubMed

Gaspoz, J M; Rutschmann, O

2005-11-23

The goals of disease management are: (1) an integrated health care delivery system; (2) knowledge-based care; (3) elaborate information systems; (4) continuous quality improvement. In-hospital disease management and, more specifically, critical pathways, establish standardized care plans, set goals and time actions to reach these goals. They can reduce variations in practice patterns and resource utilization without compromising quality of care. Such strategies participate to quality improvement programs in hospitals when they involve and empower all actors of a given process of care, are not imposed from outside, and use sound and rigorous development and evaluation methods.

Reaching the Unreachable: Novel Approaches to Telemedicine Screening of Underserved Populations for Vitreoretinal Disease.

PubMed

Murchison, Ann P; Haller, Julia A; Mayro, Eileen; Hark, Lisa; Gower, Emily; Huisingh, Carrie; Rhodes, Lindsay; Friedman, David S; Lee, David J; Lam, Byron L

2017-07-01

Telemedicine involves electronic communication between a physician in one location and a patient in another location to provide remote medical care. Ophthalmologists are increasingly employing telemedicine, particularly in retinal disease screening and monitoring. Telemedicine has been utilized to decrease barriers to care and yield greater patient satisfaction and lower costs, while maintaining high sensitivity and specificity. This review discusses common patient barriers to eye care, innovative approaches to retinal disease screening and monitoring using telemedicine, and eye care policy initiatives needed to enact large-scale telemedicine eye disease screening programs.

Paternal involvement in the management of pediatric chronic diseases: associations with adherence, quality of life, and health status.

PubMed

Wysocki, Tim; Gavin, Leslie

2006-06-01

This article reports associations among paternal involvement in pediatric chronic disease management and child outcomes. The Dads' Active Disease Support scale (DADS) and measures of treatment adherence, quality of life, health status, and health care utilization were obtained for youths with six chronic diseases, with complete data sets obtained from 190 couples. Paternal involvement was not associated with these outcomes among younger children. Among adolescents, mother-reported and father-reported DADS scores indicating more paternal involvement were associated with maintenance, rather than deterioration, of treatment adherence and more favorable quality of life. Youths' health status and health care utilization were not related significantly to paternal involvement. More paternal involvement was associated with more favorable adherence and quality of life among adolescents but not associated with health status or health care utilization. Longitudinal studies could verify whether paternal involvement merits clinical intervention.

Residual Barriers for Utilization of Maternal and Child Health Services: Community Perceptions From Rural Pakistan

PubMed Central

Memon, Zahid; Zaidi, Shehla; Riaz, Atif

2016-01-01

Low utilization of maternal and child care services in rural areas has constrained Pakistan from meeting targets of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. This study explores community barriers in accessing Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in ten remote rural districts of Pakistan. It further presents how the barriers differ across a range of MCH services, and also whether the presence of Community Health Workers (CHWs) reduces client barriers. Qualitative methods were used involving altogether sixty focus group discussions with mothers, their spouses and community health workers. Low awareness, formidable distances, expense, and poorly functional services were the main barriers reported, while cultural and religious restrictions were lesser reported. For preventive services including antenatal care (ANC), facility deliveries, postnatal care (PNC), childhood immunization and family planning, the main barrier was low awareness. Conversely, formidable distances and poorly functional services were the main reported constraints in the event of maternal complications and acute child illnesses. The study also found that clients residing in areas served by CHWs had better awareness only of ANC and family planning, while other MCH services were overlooked by the health worker program. The paper highlights that traditional policy emphasis on health facility infrastructure expansion is not likely to address poor utilization rates in remote rural areas. Preventive MCH services require concerted attention to building community awareness, task shifting from facility to community for services provision, and re-energization of CHW program. For maternal and child emergencies there is strong community demand to utilize health facilities, but this will require catalytic support for transport networks and functional health care centers. PMID:26925902

Interactions between Energy Efficiency Programs funded under the Recovery Act and Utility Customer-Funded Energy Efficiency Programs

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

Goldman, Charles A.; Stuart, Elizabeth; Hoffman, Ian

2011-02-25

Since the spring of 2009, billions of federal dollars have been allocated to state and local governments as grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and programs. The scale of this American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding, focused on 'shovel-ready' projects to create and retain jobs, is unprecedented. Thousands of newly funded players - cities, counties, states, and tribes - and thousands of programs and projects are entering the existing landscape of energy efficiency programs for the first time or expanding their reach. The nation's experience base with energy efficiency is growing enormously, fed by federal dollars andmore » driven by broader objectives than saving energy alone. State and local officials made countless choices in developing portfolios of ARRA-funded energy efficiency programs and deciding how their programs would relate to existing efficiency programs funded by utility customers. Those choices are worth examining as bellwethers of a future world where there may be multiple program administrators and funding sources in many states. What are the opportunities and challenges of this new environment? What short- and long-term impacts will this large, infusion of funds have on utility customer-funded programs; for example, on infrastructure for delivering energy efficiency services or on customer willingness to invest in energy efficiency? To what extent has the attribution of energy savings been a critical issue, especially where administrators of utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs have performance or shareholder incentives? Do the new ARRA-funded energy efficiency programs provide insights on roles or activities that are particularly well-suited to state and local program administrators vs. administrators or implementers of utility customer-funded programs? The answers could have important implications for the future of U.S. energy efficiency. This report focuses on a selected set of ARRA-funded energy efficiency programs administered by state energy offices: the State Energy Program (SEP) formula grants, the portion of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) formula funds administered directly by states, and the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP). Since these ARRA programs devote significant monies to energy efficiency and serve similar markets as utility customer-funded programs, there are frequent interactions between programs. We exclude the DOE low-income weatherization program and EECBG funding awarded directly to the over 2,200 cities, counties and tribes from our study to keep its scope manageable. We summarize the energy efficiency program design and funding choices made by the 50 state energy offices, 5 territories and the District of Columbia. We then focus on the specific choices made in 12 case study states. These states were selected based on the level of utility customer program funding, diversity of program administrator models, and geographic diversity. Based on interviews with more than 80 energy efficiency actors in those 12 states, we draw observations about states strategies for use of Recovery Act funds. We examine interactions between ARRA programs and utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs in terms of program planning, program design and implementation, policy issues, and potential long-term impacts. We consider how the existing regulatory policy framework and energy efficiency programs in these 12 states may have impacted development of these selected ARRA programs. Finally, we summarize key trends and highlight issues that evaluators of these ARRA programs may want to examine in more depth in their process and impact evaluations.« less

Utilization of the Building-Block Approach in Structural Mechanics Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, Marshall; Jegley, Dawn C.; McGowan, David M.; Bush, Harold G.; Waters, W. Allen

2005-01-01

In the last 20 years NASA has worked in collaboration with industry to develop enabling technologies needed to make aircraft safer and more affordable, extend their lifetime, improve their reliability, better understand their behavior, and reduce their weight. To support these efforts, research programs starting with ideas and culminating in full-scale structural testing were conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center. Each program contained development efforts that (a) started with selecting the material system and manufacturing approach; (b) moved on to experimentation and analysis of small samples to characterize the system and quantify behavior in the presence of defects like damage and imperfections; (c) progressed on to examining larger structures to examine buckling behavior, combined loadings, and built-up structures; and (d) finally moved to complicated subcomponents and full-scale components. Each step along the way was supported by detailed analysis, including tool development, to prove that the behavior of these structures was well-understood and predictable. This approach for developing technology became known as the "building-block" approach. In the Advanced Composites Technology Program and the High Speed Research Program the building-block approach was used to develop a true understanding of the response of the structures involved through experimentation and analysis. The philosophy that if the structural response couldn't be accurately predicted, it wasn't really understood, was critical to the progression of these programs. To this end, analytical techniques including closed-form and finite elements were employed and experimentation used to verify assumptions at each step along the way. This paper presents a discussion of the utilization of the building-block approach described previously in structural mechanics research and development programs at NASA Langley Research Center. Specific examples that illustrate the use of this approach are included from recent research and development programs for both subsonic and supersonic transports.

PC Utilities: Small Programs with a Big Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baule, Steven

2004-01-01

The three utility commercial programs available on the Internet are like software packages purchased through a vendor or the Internet, shareware programs are developed by individuals and distributed via the Internet for a small fee to obtain the complete version of the product, and freeware programs are distributed via the Internet free of cost.…

Does My Program Really Make a Difference? Program Evaluation Utilizing Aggregate Single-Subject Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Catherine E.

2015-01-01

In the current climate of increasing fiscal and clinical accountability, information is required about overall program effectiveness using clinical data. These requests present a challenge for programs utilizing single-subject data due to the use of highly individualized behavior plans and behavioral monitoring. Subsequently, the diversity of the…

Sociotechnical Systems Approach: An Internal Assessment of a Blended Doctoral Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erichsen, Elizabeth Anne; DeLorme, Lyn; Connelley, Rosalinda; Okurut-Ibore, Christine; McNamara, Lisa; Aljohani, Obaidalah

2013-01-01

An internal assessment was conducted utilizing a sociotechnical systems approach and cultural lens as a means of exploring the dynamics of a blended doctoral program. Blended learning environments were conceived of as sociotechnical systems, and blended programs were defined as programs that utilize multimodal means for the mediation of…

Utilizing Wisconsin Afterschool Programs to Increase Physical Activity in Youth.

PubMed

Cavanagh, Bradley D; Meinen, Amy

2015-10-01

Approximately 31.7% of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Interventions in the afterschool setting may help combat childhood obesity. Research exists on interventions in school settings, but a few data exist for interventions about afterschool programs. This study investigates increasing physical activity (PA) in Wisconsin afterschool programs. A literature review was used to develop key informant interviews. Utilizing a constant comparative method, interview data were coded and themes were identified. The themes, literature review, and expert opinions were used to formulate recommendations for improving PA in afterschool programs. Programs had success in utilizing different resources to improve PA. Key barriers to improving PA included grant-imposed academic restrictions, the need for provider education, fears of conflict and competitiveness, and a lack of understanding between health and sedentariness. There is a clear need for additional exploration into improving PA in Wisconsin afterschool programs. This study resulted in specific recommendations to increase PA in afterschool programming, including utilizing school wellness policies and staff professional development to improve PA in afterschool programs. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Improved Training Program for Fall Prevention of Warfighters with Lower Extremity Trauma

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

productive, active civilian life. The training program utilizes a microprocessor -controlled treadmill designed to deliver task- specific training...National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), and Mayo. The fall prevention training program utilizes a microprocessor -controlled treadmill to deliver

Utilization of operating experience to prevent piping failures at steam plants

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

Adams, T.S.; Dietrich, E.B.

1999-11-01

The key to preventing flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) induced piping failures in steam plants is the development and implementation of a methodical program for assessing plant susceptibility to FAC and managing the effects of FAC. One of the key elements of an effective FAC program is the accurate and comprehensive utilization of plant-specific and industry-wide operating experience. Operating experience should be used to develop the program to identify specific areas for inspection or replacement, and to maintain an effective program. This paper discusses the utilization of operating experience in FAC programs at nuclear power plants, fossil plants and other steam plants.

Can encouraging substance abuse patients to participate in self-help groups reduce demand for health care? A quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Humphreys , K; Moos, R

2001-05-01

Twelve-step-oriented inpatient treatment programs emphasize 12-step treatment approaches and the importance of ongoing attendance at 12-step self-help groups more than do cognitive-behavioral (CB) inpatient treatment programs. This study evaluated whether this difference in therapeutic approach leads patients who are treated in 12-step programs to rely less on professionally provided services and more on self-help groups after discharge, thereby reducing long-term health care costs. A prospective, quasi-experimental comparison of 12-step-based (N = 5) and cognitive-behavioral (n = 5) inpatient treatment programs was conducted. These treatments were compared on the degree to which their patients participated in self-help groups, used outpatient and inpatient mental health services, and experienced positive outcomes (e.g., abstinence) in the year following discharge. Using a larger sample from an ongoing research project, 887 male substance-dependent patients from each type of treatment program were matched on pre-intake health care costs (N = 1774). At baseline and 1-year follow-up, patients' involvement in self-help groups (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous), utilization and costs of mental health services, and clinical outcomes were assessed. Compared with patients treated in CB programs, patients treated in 12-step programs had significantly greater involvement in self-help groups at follow-up. In contrast, patients treated in CB programs averaged almost twice as many outpatient continuing care visits after discharge (22.5 visits) as patients treated in 12-step treatment programs (13.1 visits), and also received significantly more days of inpatient care (17.0 days in CB versus 10.5 in 12-step), resulting in 64% higher annual costs in CB programs ($4729/patient, p < 0.001). Psychiatric and substance abuse outcomes were comparable across treatments, except that 12-step patients had higher rates of abstinence at follow-up (45.7% versus 36.2% for patients from CB programs, p < 0.001). Professional treatment programs that emphasize self-help approaches increase their patients' reliance on cost-free self-help groups and thereby lower subsequent health care costs. Such programs therefore represent a cost-effective approach to promoting recovery from substance abuse.

Resources and training in outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities.

PubMed

Lehman, Wayne E K; Becan, Jennifer E; Joe, George W; Knight, Danica K; Flynn, Patrick M

2012-03-01

The exposure to new clinical interventions through formalized training and the utilization of strategies learned through training are two critical components of the program change process. This study considers the combined influence of actual program fiscal resources and counselors' perceptions of workplace resources on two mechanisms of training: exposure and utilization. Data were collected from 323 counselors nested within 59 programs located in nine states. Multilevel analysis revealed that training exposure and training utilization represent two distinct constructs that are important at different stages in the Program Change Model. Training exposure is associated primarily with physical and financial resources, whereas utilization is associated with professional community and job burnout. These results suggest that financial resources are important in initial exposure to new interventions but that successful utilization of new techniques depends in part on the degree of burnout and collaboration experienced by counselors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Qualitative Study of Underutilization of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program

PubMed Central

Olson, Kristin M.; Godwin, Noah C.; Wilkins, Sara Anne; Mugavero, Michael J.; Moneyham, Linda D.; Slater, Larry Z.; Raper, James L.

2014-01-01

In our previous work, we demonstrated underutilization of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) at an HIV clinic in Alabama. In order to understand barriers and facilitators to utilization of ADAP, we conducted focus groups of ADAP enrollees. Focus groups were stratified by sex, race, and historical medication possession ratio as a measure of program utilization. We grouped factors according to the social-ecological model. We found that multiple levels of influence, including patient and clinic-related factors, influenced utilization of antiretroviral medications. Patients introduced issues that illustrated high-priority needs for ADAP policy and implementation, suggesting that in order to improve ADAP utilization, the following issues must be addressed: patient transportation, ADAP medication refill schedules and procedures, mailing of medications, and the ADAP recertification process. These findings can inform a strategy of approaches to improve ADAP utilization, which may have widespread implications for ADAP programs across the United States. PMID:24503498

Resources and Training in Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities

PubMed Central

Lehman, Wayne E. K.; Becan, Jennifer E.; Joe, George W.; Knight, Danica K.; Flynn, Patrick M.

2011-01-01

The exposure to new clinical interventions through formalized training and the utilization of strategies learned through training are two critical components of the program change process. The current study considers the combined influence of actual program fiscal resources and counselors’ perceptions of workplace resources on two mechanisms of training: exposure and utilization. Data were collected from 323 counselors nested within 59 programs located in 9 states. Multilevel analysis revealed that training exposure and training utilization represent two distinct constructs that are important at different stages in the Program Change Model. Training exposure is associated primarily with physical and financial resources, whereas utilization is associated with professional community and job burnout. These results suggest that financial resources are important in initial exposure to new interventions, but that successful utilization of new techniques depends in part on the degree of burnout and collaboration experienced by counselors. PMID:22154031

75 FR 28778 - Broadband Initiatives Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service RIN 0572-ZA01 Broadband Initiatives Program AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture. ACTION: Notice of Extension of filing Public... Initiatives Program (BIP), published in the Federal Register at 75 FR 3820 (January 22, 2010). Such technical...

A preliminary investigation of the potential applicability of the IPAD system to non-aerospace industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hulbert, L. E.

1975-01-01

A study of the applicability of the planned Integrated Programs for Aerospace-Vehicle Design (IPAD) system to the design activities of non-aerospace industries was carried out. It was determined that IPAD could be of significant benefit to a number of industries, with the most likely users being the heavy construction and automotive industries. Two additional short studies were initiated to investigate the possible impact of IPAD on a national energy program and on urban and regional planning activities of local and state governments. These initial studies indicated the possibility of significant payoff in these areas and the need for further investigations. It was also determined that utilization of IPAD by non-aerospace industries will probably involve a long stepwise process, since these industries maintain a policy of gradual introduction of new technology.

Social and Economic Barriers to Exclusive Breast Feeding In Rural Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Muchacha, Munyaradzi; Mtetwa, Edmos

2015-01-01

Exclusive breast feeding (EBF) uptake in Zimbabwe is very low. Given that EBF is a physiological process which transpires in a specific socio-economic milieu, this study investigates the socio-economic factors militating against its uptake. The study used a mixed research methodology. The concurrent nested model of mixed methods was utilized using one data collection phase, during which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously. The research noted that factors such as low education, low income, gender inequalities, social influence, and traditional practices were hindering the uptake of exclusive breast feeding. The study envisages that it is pertinent for infant feeding programs to address socio-economic barriers to EBF in order to influence a positive uptake. The potential interventions include increasing men's involvement, raising awareness on EBF, and strengthening the Village Health Worker Program.

Cost reduction in space operations - Structuring a planetary program to minimize the annual funding requirement as opposed to minimizing the program runout cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, D. H.; Niehoff, J. C.; Spadoni, D. J.

1980-01-01

An approach is proposed for the structuring of a planetary mission set wherein the peak annual funding is minimized to meet the annual budget restraint. One aspect of the approach is to have a transportation capability that can launch a mission in any planetary opportunity; such capability can be provided by solar electric propulsion. Another cost reduction technique is to structure a mission test in a time sequenced fashion that could utilize essentially the same spacecraft for the implementation of several missions. A third technique would be to fulfill a scientific objective in several sequential missions rather than attempt to accomplish all of the objectives with one mission. The application of the approach is illustrated by an example involving the Solar Orbiter Dual Probe mission.

Lightning protection guidelines and test data for adhesively bonded aircraft structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pryzby, J. E.; Plumer, J. A.

1984-01-01

The highly competitive marketplace and increasing cost of energy has motivated manufacturers of general aviation aircraft to utilize composite materials and metal-to-metal bonding in place of conventional fasteners and rivets to reduce weight, obtain smoother outside surfaces and reduce drag. The purpose of this program is protection of these new structures from hazardous lightning effects. The program began with a survey of advance-technology materials and fabrication methods under consideration for future designs. Sub-element specimens were subjected to simulated lightning voltages and currents. Measurements of bond line voltages, electrical sparking, and mechanical strength degradation were made to comprise a data base of electrical properties for new technology materials and basic structural configurations. The second hase of the program involved tests on full scale wing structures which contained integral fuel tanks and which were representative of examples of new technology structures and fuel systems. The purpose of these tests was to provide a comparison between full scale structural measurements and those obtained from the sub-element specimens.

Use of PNA FISH for blood cultures growing Gram-positive cocci in chains without a concomitant antibiotic stewardship intervention does not improve time to appropriate antibiotic therapy.

PubMed

Cosgrove, Sara E; Li, David X; Tamma, Pranita D; Avdic, Edina; Hadhazy, Eric; Wakefield, Teresa; Gherna, Michael; Carroll, Karen C

2016-09-01

Peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA FISH) is a rapid diagnostic assay that can identify certain organisms growing in blood cultures 30-90 min from the time of positive Gram-stain. Existing studies have demonstrated a clinical utility with this assay when antibiotic stewardship programs assist clinicians with interpreting the results. However, the benefit of these rapid assays in the absence of concomitant antibiotic stewardship involvement is unclear. In this randomized study of 220 patients with enterococcal or streptococcal bacteremia, we found that PNA FISH, in the absence of concomitant input from an antibiotic stewardship program, had no impact on time to effective or optimal therapy, length of hospital stay, or in-hospital mortality. Our results suggest that in the absence of guidance from an antibiotic stewardship program, the clinical benefits of rapid diagnostic microbiological tools may be reduced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A survey of pedagogical approaches and quality mechanisms used in education programs for mental health professionals.

PubMed

McCann, Edward; Higgins, Agnes; Maguire, Gerry; Alexander, Jane; Watts, Mike; Creaner, Mary; Rani, Shobha

2012-09-01

The provision of high-quality education and training that is responsive, relevant, accessible and evidence based is critical if the vision for quality mental health services presented in recent policy initiatives in Ireland is to be fulfilled. This paper reports the findings related to pedagogical approaches and quality assurance mechanisms utilized within mental health education. The study involved canvassing all Higher Education Institutions in Ireland. A total of 227 courses in 31 educational institutes were identified and 149 questionnaires were returned from 129 Course Coordinators. Various quality processes were identified in existing programs; however, formal feedback from service providers, service users and carers was seldom reported. Ongoing evaluation and quality assurance strategies are a key element of governance and there is a need to develop strategies that explore the impact of education programs on mental health education and health outcomes. Recommendations are made in terms of future interprofessional mental health education and practice.

Dynamic online surveys and experiments with the free open-source software dynQuest.

PubMed

Rademacher, Jens D M; Lippke, Sonia

2007-08-01

With computers and the World Wide Web widely available, collecting data through Web browsers is an attractive method utilized by the social sciences. In this article, conducting PC- and Web-based trials with the software package dynQuest is described. The software manages dynamic questionnaire-based trials over the Internet or on single computers, possibly as randomized control trials (RCT), if two or more groups are involved. The choice of follow-up questions can depend on previous responses, as needed for matched interventions. Data are collected in a simple text-based database that can be imported easily into other programs for postprocessing and statistical analysis. The software consists of platform-independent scripts written in the programming language PERL that use the common gateway interface between Web browser and server for submission of data through HTML forms. Advantages of dynQuest are parsimony, simplicity in use and installation, transparency, and reliability. The program is available as open-source freeware from the authors.

Realtime Multichannel System for Beat to Beat QT Interval Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starc, Vito; Schlegel, Todd T.

2006-01-01

The measurement of beat-to-beat QT interval variability (QTV) shows clinical promise for identifying several types of cardiac pathology. However, until now, there has been no device capable of displaying, in real time on a beattobeat basis, changes in QTV in all 12 conventional leads in a continuously monitored patient. While several software programs have been designed to analyze QTV, heretofore, such programs have all involved only a few channels (at most) and/or have required laborious user interaction or offline calculations and postprocessing, limiting their clinical utility. This paper describes a PC-based ECG software program that in real time, acquires, analyzes and displays QTV and also PQ interval variability (PQV) in each of the eight independent channels that constitute the 12lead conventional ECG. The system also processes certain related signals that are derived from singular value decomposition and that help to reduce the overall effects of noise on the realtime QTV and PQV results.

Assessment of existing local houses condition as analysis tools for shore housing improvement program in Weriagar district, Bintuni Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firmansyah, F.; Fernando, A.; Allo, I. P. R.

2018-01-01

The housing assessment is a part of the pre-feasibility study inThe Shore Housing Improvement Program in Weriagar District, West Papua. The housing assessment was conducted to identify the physical condition of existing houses. The parameters of assessment formulated from local references, practices and also national building regulation that covers each building system components, such as building structure/frame, building floor, building cover, and building roof. This study aims to explains lessons from local practices and references, used as the formula to generate assessment parameter, elaborate with Indonesia building regulation. The result of housing assessment were used as a basis to develop the house improvement strategy, the design alternative for housing improvement and further planning recommendations. The local knowledges involved in housing improvement program expected that the local-based approach could respect to the local build culture, respect the local environment, and the most important can offer best suitable solutions for functional utility and livability.

Treatment process in prison therapeutic communities: motivation, participation, and outcome.

PubMed

Melnick, G; De Leon, G; Thomas, G; Kressel, D; Wexler, H K

2001-11-01

Although the largest effects of prison-based therapeutic community (TC) programs are associated with entry into aftercare, only a minority of prisoners volunteer for these aftercare programs. The study addresses the gap in our knowledge concerning these low rates of voluntary entry. A theoretical formulation of the TC process involving the effect of the interaction of clients' motivation and participation in the activities of the TC on entry into aftercare was tested on a sample of 110 volunteers in a prison-based TC for whom there were client and staff ratings of 3-month participation and 12-month follow-up data on relapse and recidivism. Path analyses support a model in which the interaction of motivation and 3-month participation ratings have a direct effect on the selection of aftercare, and aftercare has a direct effect on relapse and recidivism. The use of a combination of enhanced motivation and early program participation as a means of increasing the utilization and effectiveness of aftercare is discussed.

Eliciting change in at-risk elders (ECARE): evaluation of an elder abuse intervention program.

PubMed

Mariam, Lydia Morris; McClure, Regina; Robinson, J B; Yang, Janet A

2015-01-01

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a community-based elder abuse intervention program that assists suspected victims of elder abuse and self-neglect through a partnership with local law enforcement. This program, Eliciting Change in At-Risk Elders, involves building alliances with the elder and family members, connecting the elder to supportive services that reduce risk of further abuse, and utilizing motivational interviewing-type skills to help elders overcome ambivalence regarding making difficult life changes. Risk factors of elder abuse decreased over the course of the intervention and nearly three-quarters of participants made progress on their treatment goal, advancing at least one of Prochaska and DiClemente's (1983) stages of change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance). Forty-three percent of elders moved into the stages of action and maintenance regarding their goal. The usefulness of eliciting change via longer-term relationships with vulnerable elders in entrenched elder abuse situations is discussed.

Community Solar Value Project

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

Powers, John T.; Cliburn, Jill

The Community Solar Value Project (CSVP) is designed to assist electric utilities in designing better community solar programs. Better programs seek new sources of value to promote “win-win” solutions between utilities and their customers. The CSVP focused on five “challenge areas” in identifying new sources of value: - Strategic solar design for community solar projects (including technology choices, siting, orientation, and related issues) - Market research and targeted marketing approaches (for program design and for customer recruitment) - Procurement and financing (for establishing best practices that can bring economies of scale and economies of expertise) - Integration of “companion measures”more » (such as storage and demand-response options that can benefit customer and utility net load shapes) - Pricing in program design (including best practices for integration of identified value in program prices or credits) The CSVP directly engaged the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), and more than a dozen other utilities to develop improved community solar program designs. The outcomes include a plan at SMUD for over 100 MW or more of community and shared solar and support for new or expanded programs at 15 other utilities so far. Resulting best-practice solutions have not only informed program applications, but also have generated discussion among experts and industry associations about the new opportunities and challenges CSVP has brought forth. In these ways, the CSVP has impacted community solar programs and DER plans, competitive innovations and policies nationwide. The CSVP team has been led by Extensible Energy under John Powers, President and CEO. Jill Cliburn, of Santa Fe, NM-based Cliburn and Associates, has served as Principal Investigator. The team also benefitted from expertise from Navigant, Olivine Inc. and Millennium Energy, LLC, in addition to the collaborative and cost-sharing contributions of its utility partners. The CSVP team participated fully in the Solar Market Pathways Program, which was initiated under the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot program and reports to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. This report summarizes a multi-disciplinary project that took place over 33 months from January, 2015 through September, 2017.« less

41 CFR 102-74.600 - Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... utilize telework centers? 102-74.600 Section 102-74.600 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal... MANAGEMENT Telework § 102-74.600 Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers? Yes. In accordance with... flexiplace work telecommuting program (i.e., to pay telework center program user fees): (a) Department of...

41 CFR 102-74.600 - Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... utilize telework centers? 102-74.600 Section 102-74.600 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal... MANAGEMENT Telework § 102-74.600 Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers? Yes. In accordance with... flexiplace work telecommuting program (i.e., to pay telework center program user fees): (a) Department of...

41 CFR 102-74.600 - Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... utilize telework centers? 102-74.600 Section 102-74.600 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal... MANAGEMENT Telework § 102-74.600 Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers? Yes. In accordance with... flexiplace work telecommuting program (i.e., to pay telework center program user fees): (a) Department of...

41 CFR 102-74.600 - Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... utilize telework centers? 102-74.600 Section 102-74.600 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal... MANAGEMENT Telework § 102-74.600 Should Federal agencies utilize telework centers? Yes. In accordance with... flexiplace work telecommuting program (i.e., to pay telework center program user fees): (a) Department of...

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

NONE

The report is an overview of electric energy efficiency programs. It takes a concise look at what states are doing to encourage energy efficiency and how it impacts electric utilities. Energy efficiency programs began to be offered by utilities as a response to the energy crises of the 1970s. These regulatory-driven programs peaked in the early-1990s and then tapered off as deregulation took hold. Today, rising electricity prices, environmental concerns, and national security issues have renewed interest in increasing energy efficiency as an alternative to additional supply. In response, new methods for administering, managing, and delivering energy efficiency programs aremore » being implemented. Topics covered in the report include: Analysis of the benefits of energy efficiency and key methods for achieving energy efficiency; evaluation of the business drivers spurring increased energy efficiency; Discussion of the major barriers to expanding energy efficiency programs; evaluation of the economic impacts of energy efficiency; discussion of the history of electric utility energy efficiency efforts; analysis of the impact of energy efficiency on utility profits and methods for protecting profitability; Discussion of non-utility management of energy efficiency programs; evaluation of major methods to spur energy efficiency - systems benefit charges, resource planning, and resource standards; and, analysis of the alternatives for encouraging customer participation in energy efficiency programs.« less

Under-utilization of antenatal care services in Timor-Leste: results from Demographic and Health Survey 2009-2010.

PubMed

Khanal, Vishnu; Brites da Cruz, Jonia Lourenca Nunes; Mishra, Shiva Raj; Karkee, Rajendra; Lee, Andy H

2015-09-08

Timor-Leste is a young country in the Asia-Pacific region with a high maternal mortality rate of 557 per 100,000 live births. As most maternal deaths can be prevented by providing quality antenatal care (ANC) and skilled assistance during childbirth, understanding the barriers to the utilization of ANC services can enhance program implementation. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with the under-utilization of ANC services in Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) 2009-2010 was a nationally representative multi-stage cross-sectional study involving 11,463 households and 9,828 childbirths. Information on last born child was recorded for 5,895 mother-child pairs. Factors influencing under-utilization of ANC were assessed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis. Only 3311 (55.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 53.1 to 57.3%) made the recommended four ANC visits, while 2584 (44.8; 95% CI 42.7 to 46.9%) of them reported attending three or less ANC services. Significant factors positively associated with the under-utilization of ANC were low wealth status (odds ratio (OR) 2.09; 95% CI 1.68 to 2.60), no maternal education (OR 1.54; 95% CI 1.30 to 1.82) or primary maternal education (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.41), no paternal education (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.60), and having a big problem in permission to visit health facility (OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.39 to 1.96). Despite the apparently good progress made in re-establishing the healthcare infrastructure, 45 % of mothers remained in need of a focused intervention to increase their use of ANC services. Further prenatal care program should pay attention to women with low wealth status and those and their partners who are uneducated. Moreover, women should be encouraged to make decision on their own health.

Dental patient preferences and choice in clinical decision-making.

PubMed

Fukai, Kakuhiro; Yoshino, Koichi; Ohyama, Atsushi; Takaesu, Yoshinori

2012-01-01

In economics, the concept of utility refers to the strength of customer preference. In health care assessment, the visual analogue scale (VAS), the standard gamble, and the time trade-off are used to measure health state utilities. These utility measurements play a key role in promoting shared decision-making in dental care. Individual preference, however, is complex and dynamic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between patient preference and educational intervention in the field of dental health. The data were collected by distributing questionnaires to employees of two companies in Japan. Participants were aged 18-65 years and consisted of 111 males and 93 females (204 in total). One company (Group A) had a dental program of annual check-ups and health education in the workplace, while the other company (Group B) had no such program. Statistical analyses were performed with the t-test and Chi-square test. The questionnaire items were designed to determine: (1) oral health-related quality of life, (2) dental health state utilities (using VAS), and (3) time trade-off for regular dental check-ups. The percentage of respondents in both groups who were satisfied with chewing function, appearance of teeth, and social function ranged from 23.1 to 42.4%. There were no significant differences between groups A and B in the VAS of decayed, filled, and missing teeth. The VAS of gum bleeding was 42.8 in Group A and 51.3 in Group B (p<0.05). The percentage of persons having a regular dental check-up every three months was 34.1 and 31.3% in Groups A and B respectively. These results suggest that low preference results from lack of opportunity or utilization of dental care in the worksite. Ascertaining the factors involved in patient preference may have significant potential benefits in shared decision-making.

Beneficial Uses Program. Progress report, period ending March 31, 1976. [Radiosterilization of sewage sludge

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

Not Available

1976-07-01

This is a comprehensive program to develop technologies for cost-beneficial uses of existing and future surplus radioactive materials. Major portion of the work was conducted in two sub-programs: the waste resources utilization program and the separation technology and source development program. Purpose of the waste resources utilization program is to develop a technology to utilize /sup 137/Cs as a ..gamma.. source to sterilize sewage sludge for safe application as a fertilizer or as an animal feed supplement. Determinations were made of inactivation rates for Salmonella species, coliforms, and fecal strep in sewage sludge when radiation and thermoradiation were applied whilemore » bubbling O/sub 2/ through the sludge.« less

The impact of banners on digital television: the role of program interactivity and product involvement.

PubMed

Cauberghe, Verolien; De Pelsmacker, Patrick

2008-02-01

In a sample of 281 respondents, the effect of a noninteractive and a medium-interactive television program on recall and brand attitudes for low- and high-involvement products advertised in banners during these programs was investigated. Medium-interactive programs resulted in less product and brand recall and recognition of brands in embedded banner advertisements, but generated more positive brand attitudes than noninteractive programs. These effects were more outspoken for a high-involvement product than for a low-involvement product. The impact of perceived program interactivity on brand attitude is fully mediated program valence and involvement for low-involvement products, but not for high-involvement products, for which perceived program interactivity had a direct impact on brand attitude.

7 CFR 1951.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SERVICE, RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, AND FARM SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) PROGRAM... subpart does not apply to Water and Waste Programs of the Rural Utilities Service, Watershed loans, or..., this subpart is inapplicable to Farm Service Agency, Farm Loan Programs. [52 FR 26134, July 13, 1987...

7 CFR 1951.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SERVICE, RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, AND FARM SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) PROGRAM... subpart does not apply to Water and Waste Programs of the Rural Utilities Service, Watershed loans, or..., this subpart is inapplicable to Farm Service Agency, Farm Loan Programs. [52 FR 26134, July 13, 1987...

Dockres: a computer program that analyzes the output of virtual screening of small molecules

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background This paper describes a computer program named Dockres that is designed to analyze and summarize results of virtual screening of small molecules. The program is supplemented with utilities that support the screening process. Foremost among these utilities are scripts that run the virtual screening of a chemical library on a large number of processors in parallel. Methods Dockres and some of its supporting utilities are written Fortran-77; other utilities are written as C-shell scripts. They support the parallel execution of the screening. The current implementation of the program handles virtual screening with Autodock-3 and Autodock-4, but can be extended to work with the output of other programs. Results Analysis of virtual screening by Dockres led to both active and selective lead compounds. Conclusions Analysis of virtual screening was facilitated and enhanced by Dockres in both the authors' laboratories as well as laboratories elsewhere. PMID:20205801

Health plan approach to operationalizing a specialty drug management program.

PubMed

Tegenu, Mesfin

2008-05-01

Expenditures related to specialty drugs consume a significant percentage of available health care resources. Explain the process of transitioning the management of specialty drugs from medical services to pharmacy services in 2 managed care plans and provide insight into the issues encountered and solutions implemented based on 6 years of experience using traditional and innovative pharmacy utilization management tools to insure appropriate specialty drug use and reimbursement. The level of involvement in a specialty management program varies from managing only products dispensed by the retail, mail, and specialty pharmacy vendor to encompassing a broad list of specialty drugs distributed through a variety of channels. Efficient administrative, operational, and clinical processes are critical to the success of the program. Additionally, an accurate and timely claims processing procedure is also essential for success as is the ability to mine data and effectively report on the use of specialty products. A clinically sound, cost-effective, and patient-friendly program requires input from health plan members, pharmacy service leaders, and physician providers, and must overcome challenges associated with disrupting current relationships and removing competing incentives. A well-constructed and properly funded specialty drug management program results in clinical and financial benefits for the plan.

A Compendium of Energy Conservation Success Stories

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

1988-09-01

Three-quarters of DOE's Conservation R and D funds have been devoted to technology research and development: basic and applied research, exploratory R and D, engineering feasibility studies, pilot-scale prototype R and D, and technology demonstration. Non R and D projects have involved technology assessment program planning and analysis, model development, technology transfer and consumer information, health effects and safety research, and technical support for rule making. The success stories summarized in this compendium fall into three general categories: Completed Technology Success Stories, projects that have resulted in new energy-saving technologies that are presently being used in the private sector; Technical Success Stories, projects that have produced or disseminated important scientific/technical information likely to result in future energy savings; Program Success Stories, non-R and D activities that have resulted in nationally significant energy benefits. The Energy Conservation research and development program at DOE is managed by the Office of Conservation under the direction of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Conservation. Three subordinate Program Offices correspond to the buildings, transportation, and industrial end-use sectors. A fourth subordinate Program Office{endash}Energy Utilization Research{endash}sponsors research and technical inventions for all end-use sectors.

Program evaluation: Weatherization Residential Assistance Partnership (WRAP) Program

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

Not Available

1991-12-01

The Connecticut low income weatherization program was developed in response to a 1987 rate docket order from the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) to Connecticut Light Power Co., an operating subsidiary of Northeast Utilities (NU). (Throughout this report, NU is referred to as the operator of the program.) This program, known as the Weatherization Residential Assistance Partnership, or WRAP, was configured utilizing input from a collaborative group of interested parties to the docket. It was agreed that this program would be put forth by the electric utility, but would not ignore oil and gas savings (thus, it wasmore » to be fuel- blind''). The allocated cost of conservation services for each fuel source, however, should be cost effective. It was to be offered to those utility customers at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty levels, and provide a wide array of energy saving measures directed toward heating, water heating and lighting. It was felt by the collaborative group that this program would raise the level of expenditures per participant for weatherization services provided by the state, and by linking to and revising the auditing process for weatherization, would lower the audit unit cost. The program plans ranged from the offering of low-cost heating, water heating and infiltration measures, increased insulation levels, carpentry and plumbing services, to furnace or burner replacement. The program was configured to allow for very comprehensive weatherization and heating system servicing.« less

Program evaluation: Weatherization Residential Assistance Partnership (WRAP) Program. Volume 1, Final report

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

Not Available

1991-12-01

The Connecticut low income weatherization program was developed in response to a 1987 rate docket order from the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) to Connecticut Light & Power Co., an operating subsidiary of Northeast Utilities (NU). (Throughout this report, NU is referred to as the operator of the program.) This program, known as the Weatherization Residential Assistance Partnership, or WRAP, was configured utilizing input from a collaborative group of interested parties to the docket. It was agreed that this program would be put forth by the electric utility, but would not ignore oil and gas savings (thus, itmore » was to be ``fuel- blind``). The allocated cost of conservation services for each fuel source, however, should be cost effective. It was to be offered to those utility customers at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty levels, and provide a wide array of energy saving measures directed toward heating, water heating and lighting. It was felt by the collaborative group that this program would raise the level of expenditures per participant for weatherization services provided by the state, and by linking to and revising the auditing process for weatherization, would lower the audit unit cost. The program plans ranged from the offering of low-cost heating, water heating and infiltration measures, increased insulation levels, carpentry and plumbing services, to furnace or burner replacement. The program was configured to allow for very comprehensive weatherization and heating system servicing.« less

[Application of multiple-attribute utility technology (MAUT) to decisions about a work-site stress-control intervention for public-sector office workers].

PubMed

Hagihara, Akihito; Tarumi, Kimio

2013-01-01

The reasons behind the establishment of particular health-promotion programs in community or work settings are often unclear, and such programs are rarely evaluated from a broad perspective after they are implemented. Thus, multiattribute utility technology (MAUT) was used to design a work-site stress-control program. The sample consisted of public-sector workers in B City in Japan. Stakeholders in the work-site stress-control program included employers (municipal authorities), employees (public workers), and healthcare personnel. Six goals and three strategies (i.e., personnel, self-care, and staff) related to stress-control programs were considered. The results showed that the self-care strategy received the highest score for overall utility (i.e., 96.2), and the overall-utility score for the remaining two strategies was approximately 70. The self-care strategy emerged as the most useful of the three strategies for developing a stress-control program in a target work place. The application of MAUT may be useful for developing an effective stress-control program in occupational settings.

The involvement of Spanish older people in nondegree educational programs: reasons for and barriers to participation.

PubMed

Villar, Feliciano; Celdrán, Montserrat

2014-01-01

This article examines the reasons older Spanish people participate in nondegree educational programs and the barriers they may face when they want to do so. Data were drawn from the 2007 Survey on Adults' Involvement in Learning Activities (Encuesta sobre la Participación de la Población Adulta en Actividades de Aprendizaje: EADA) and correspond to a nationally representative sample of Spanish people aged between 60 and 74 years old (n=4,559). Overall, only 8.7% of the sample participated in a nondegree educational program. Predictors of participation were being a woman, being younger, having a higher educational level, and being employed. The most frequent reason given for participation was of an intrinsic nature (e.g., interest in the topic), although instrumental motives (e.g., utility of the content for daily life) were more common than suggested by previous research. As for barriers to participation, the vast majority of older people (95.6% of those who did not participate) did not even express a desire to participate. The most frequent barriers were internal (e.g., age/health restrictions). This kind of barrier was ascribed a greater importance by older and less educated groups as well as by those who participate less in cultural activities. Policies to promote older people's participation in nonformal educational activities are discussed in light of the data.

Occupation Competency Profile: Gas Utility Operator Certificate Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton. Apprenticeship and Industry Training.

This document presents information about the apprenticeship training program of Alberta, Canada, in general and the gas utility operator certificate program in particular. The first part of the document discusses the following items: Alberta's apprenticeship and industry training system; the occupation committee and its members; the Alberta…

South Dakota | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

South Dakota. Utilities and developers may offer community solar programs. State Incentive Programs Program Administrator Incentive Renewable Energy System Exemption South Dakota Department of Revenue and more than $2 million. The incentive was designed for wind, but solar PV is also eligible. Utility

Vascular Access Practice Patterns in Canada: A National Survey

PubMed Central

Dumaine, Chance; Kiaii, Mercedeh; Miller, Lisa; Moist, Louise; Oliver, Matthew J.; Lok, Charmaine E.; Hiremath, Swapnil; MacRae, Jennifer M.

2018-01-01

Background: One of the mandates of the Canadian Society of Nephrology’s (CSN) Vascular Access Working Group (VAWG) is to inform the nephrology community of the current status of vascular access (VA) practice within Canada. To better understand VA practice patterns across Canada, the CSN VAWG conducted a national survey. Objectives: (1) To inform on VA practice patterns, including fistula creation and maintenance, within Canada. (2) To determine the degree of consensus among Canadian clinicians regarding patient suitability for fistula creation and to assess barriers to and facilitators of fistula creation in Canada. Design: Development and implementation of a survey. Setting: Community and academic VA programs. Participants: Nephrologists, surgeons, and nurses who are involved in VA programs across Canada. Measurements: Practice patterns regarding access creation and maintenance, including indications and contraindications to fistula creation, as well as program-wide facilitators of and barriers to VA. Methods: A small group of CSN VAWG members determined the scope and created several VA questions which were then reviewed by 5 additional VAWG members (4 nephrologists and 1 VA nurse) to ensure that questions were clear and relevant. The survey was then tested by the remaining members of the VAWG and refinements were made. The final survey version was submitted electronically to relevant clinicians (nephrologists, surgeons, and nurses) involved or interested in VA across Canada. Questions centered around 4 major themes: (1) Practice patterns regarding access creation (preoperative assessment and maturation assessment), (2) Practice patterns regarding access maintenance (surveillance and salvage), (3) Indications and contraindications for arteriovenous (AV) access creation, and (4) Facilitators of and barriers to fistula creation and utilization. Results: Eighty-two percent (84 of 102) of invited participants completed the survey; the majority were nurses or VA coordinators (55%) with the remainder consisting of nephrologists (21%) and surgeons (20%). Variation in practice was noted in utility of preoperative Doppler ultrasound, interventions to assist nonmaturing fistulas, and procedures to salvage failing or thrombosed AV-access. Little consensus was seen regarding potential contraindications to AV-access creation (with the exception of limited life expectancy and poor vasculature on preoperative imaging, which had high agreement). Frequent barriers to fistula utilization were primary failure (77% of respondents) and long maturation times (73%). Respondents from centers with low fistula prevalence also cited long surgical wait times as an important barrier to fistula creation, whereas those from centers with high fistula prevalence cited access to multidisciplinary teams and interventional radiology as keys to successful fistula creation and utilization. Conclusions: There is significant variation in VA practice across Canada and little consensus among Canadian clinicians regarding contraindications to fistula creation. Further high-quality studies are needed with regard to appropriate fistula placement to help guide clinical practice. PMID:29511569

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

Fitzpatrick, Stephen W.

This project involved a three-year program managed by BioMetics, Inc. (Waltham, MA) to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of Biofine thermochemical process technology for conversion of cellulose-containing wastes or renewable materials into levulinic acid, a versatile platform chemical. The program, commencing in October 1995, involved the design, procurement, construction and operation of a plant utilizing the Biofine process to convert 1 dry ton per day of paper sludge waste. The plant was successfully designed, constructed, and commissioned in 1997. It was operated for a period of one year on paper sludge from a variety of source paper mills to collect datamore » to verify the design for a commercial scale plant. Operational results were obtained for four different feedstock varieties. Stable, continuous operation was achieved for two of the feedstocks. Continuous operation of the plant at demonstration scale provided the opportunity for process optimization, development of operational protocols, operator training and identification of suitable materials of construction for scale up to commercial operation . Separated fiber from municipal waster was also successfully processed. The project team consisted of BioMetics Inc., Great Lakes Chemical Corporation (West Lafayette, IN), and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (Albany, NY).« less

Study of the dynamics of orbital assemblies including interactions with geometrical appendages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ness, D. J.

1972-01-01

The complete equations for the Unified Flexible Spacecraft Simulation (UFSS) program developed for the NASA/MSFC are presented. This general purpose simulation program is based on an algorithm which utilizes the digital computer to synthesize the dynamic and kinematic equations for a topological tree configuration of N interconnected bodies (the interconnected system of bodies forms no closed loops), the terminal members of which may be flexible. Necessary input quantities to the dynamic subroutine include the mass and inertia properties of each body and the flexible characteristics of each terminal member in addition to the specification, for each body, of those bodies to which it connects. This latter description involves the specification of the number of rotational degrees of freedom at each interconnection along with the associated position vectors defining these connections relative to the mass centers of the bodies involved. These position vectors can be input as time-varying functions if desired, thus affording the capability of studying the effects of time-varying hinge locations. Springs and dampers are assumed to act at each interconnection and structural damping in the flexible terminal members is included in the form of equivalent viscous damping.

Partnerships and pathways of dissemination: the National Institute on Drug Abuse-Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Blending Initiative in the Clinical Trials Network.

PubMed

Martino, Steve; Brigham, Gregory S; Higgins, Christine; Gallon, Steve; Freese, Thomas E; Albright, Lonnetta M; Hulsey, Eric G; Krom, Laurie; Storti, Susan A; Perl, Harold; Nugent, Cathrine D; Pintello, Denise; Condon, Timothy P

2010-06-01

Since 2001, the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) has worked to put the results of its trials into the hands of community treatment programs, in large part through its participation in the National Institute on Drug Abuse-Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Blending Initiative and its close involvement with the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment's Addiction Technology Transfer Centers. This article describes (a) the CTN's integral role in the Blending Initiative, (b) key partnerships and dissemination pathways through which the results of CTN trials are developed into blending products and then transferred to community treatment programs, and (c) three blending initiatives involving buprenorphine, motivational incentives, and motivational interviewing. The Blending Initiative has resulted in high utilization of its products, preparation of more than 200 regional trainers, widespread training of service providers in most U.S. States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and movement toward the development of Web-based implementation supports and technical assistance. Implications for future directions of the Blending Initiative and opportunities for research are discussed.

42 CFR 423.153 - Drug utilization management, quality assurance, and medication therapy management programs (MTMPs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Cost Control and Quality Improvement Requirements § 423.153 Drug utilization... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Drug utilization management, quality assurance, and medication therapy management programs (MTMPs). 423.153 Section 423.153 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE...

International utilization and operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldberg, Stanley R.

1989-01-01

The international framework of the Space Station Freedom Program is described. The discussion covers the U.S. space policy, international agreements, international Station elements, overall program management structure, and utilization and operations management. Consideration is also given to Freedom's user community, Freedom's crew, pressurized payload and attached payload accommodations, utilization and operations planning, user integration, and user operations.

Vacuum to Antimatter-Rocket Interstellar Explorer System (VARIES): A Proposed Program for an Interstellar Rendezvous and Return Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obousy, R.

While interstellar missions have been explored in the literature, one mission architecture has not received much attention, namely the interstellar rendezvous and return mission that could be accomplished on timescales comparable with a working scientist's career. Such a mission would involve an initial boost phase followed by a coasting phase to the target system. Next would be the deceleration and rendezvous phase, which would be followed by a period of scientific data gathering. Finally, there would be a second boost phase, aimed at returning the spacecraft back to the solar system, and subsequent coasting and deceleration phases upon return to our solar system. Such a mission would represent a precursor to a future manned interstellar mission; which in principle could safely return any astronauts back to Earth. In this paper a novel architecture is proposed that would allow for an unmanned interstellar rendezvous and return mission. The approach utilized for the Vacuum to Antimatter-Rocket Interstellar Explorer System (VARIES) would lead to system components and mission approaches that could be utilized for autonomous operation of other deep-space probes. Engineering solutions for such a mission will have a significant impact on future exploration and sample return missions for the outer planets. This paper introduces the general concept, with a mostly qualitative analysis. However, a full research program is introduced, and as this program progresses, more quantitative papers will be released.

Floppy disk utility user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akers, J. W.

1981-01-01

The Floppy Disk Utility Program transfers programs between files on the hard disk and floppy disk. It also copies the data on one floppy disk onto another floppy disk and compares the data. The program operates on the Data General NOVA-4X under the Real Time Disk Operating System (RDOS).

NASA Technology Utilization Gets High Marks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Janice R.

1975-01-01

Describes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) technology utilization program, which aims at helping state and local governments and industry identify and apply technology developed in the space program to their own particular needs. Also discusses the approval given to this program by members of the Senate Subcommittee on…

Spectrum/Orbit-Utilization Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Edward F.; Sawitz, Paul; Zusman, Fred

1988-01-01

Interferences among geostationary satellites determine allocations. Spectrum/Orbit Utilization Program (SOUP) is analytical computer program for determining mutual interferences among geostationary-satellite communication systems operating in given scenario. Major computed outputs are carrier-to-interference ratios at receivers at specified stations on Earth. Information enables determination of acceptability of planned communication systems. Written in FORTRAN.

77 FR 10718 - Request for Proposals: 2012 Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-23

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Request for Proposals: 2012 Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Program AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; Correction. SUMMARY: The Department of... Biomass Coordinator as listed in the addresses above or contact Susan LeVan-Green, Program Manager of the...

Technology transfer and the NASA Technology Utilization Program - An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarks, Henry J.; Rose, James T.; Mangum, Stephen D.

1989-01-01

The goal of the NASA Technology Utilization (TU) Program is to broaden and accelerate the transfer of aerospace technology and to develop new commercial products and processes that represent additional return on the national investment in the U.S. space programs. The mechanisms established by the TU Program includes TU offices, publications, the information retrieval, software dissemination, and the NASA Applications Engineering Program. These mechanisms are implemented through a nationwide NASA TU Network, working closely with industry and public sector organizations to encourage and facilitate their access and utilization of the results of the U.S space programs. Examples of TU are described, including a method for the reduction of metal fatigue in textile equipment and a method for the management of wandering behavior in Alzheimer's patients.

Enhancing outreach for persons with serious mental illness: 12-month results from a cluster randomized trial of an adaptive implementation strategy.

PubMed

Kilbourne, Amy M; Almirall, Daniel; Goodrich, David E; Lai, Zongshan; Abraham, Kristen M; Nord, Kristina M; Bowersox, Nicholas W

2014-12-28

Few implementation strategies have been empirically tested for their effectiveness in improving uptake of evidence-based treatments or programs. This study compared the effectiveness of an immediate versus delayed enhanced implementation strategy (Enhanced Replicating Effective Programs (REP)) for providers at Veterans Health Administration (VA) outpatient facilities (sites) on improved uptake of an outreach program (Re-Engage) among sites not initially responding to a standard implementation strategy. One mental health provider from each U.S. VA site (N = 158) was initially given a REP-based package and training program in Re-Engage. The Re-Engage program involved giving each site provider a list of patients with serious mental illness who had not been seen at their facility for at least a year, requesting that providers contact these patients, assessing patient clinical status, and where appropriate, facilitating appointments to VA health services. At month 6, sites considered non-responsive (N = 89, total of 3,075 patients), defined as providers updating documentation for less than <80% of patients on their list, were randomized to two adaptive implementation interventions: Enhanced REP (provider coaching; N = 40 sites) for 6 months followed by Standard REP for 6 months; versus continued Standard REP (N = 49 sites) for 6 months followed by 6 months of Enhanced REP for sites still not responding. Outcomes included patient-level Re-Engage implementation and utilization. Patients from sites that were randomized to receive Enhanced REP immediately compared to Standard REP were more likely to have a completed contact (adjusted OR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.09-4.19, P = 0.02). There were no differences in patient-level utilization between Enhanced and Standard REP sites. Enhanced REP was associated with greater Re-Engage program uptake (completed contacts) among sites not responding to a standard implementation strategy. Further research is needed to determine whether national implementation of Facilitation results in tangible changes in patient-level outcomes. ISRCTN21059161.

Psychological Distress, Service Utilization, and Prescribed Medications among Youth with and without Histories of Involvement with Child Protective Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Hayley A.; Paglia-Boak, Angela; Wekerle, Christine; Danielson, Anna Marie; Mann, Robert E.

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine differences in psychological distress, service utilization, and prescriptions for medications between adolescents with histories of family involvement with child protective services (CPS) and adolescents without such involvement. Data on 3,497 students were obtained from the 2009 cycle of the Ontario…

Successful rehabilitation program rests on service utilization.

PubMed

Lane, L

1993-07-01

An effective rehabilitation strategy is built upon three fundamentals: translating resident needs into delivered services, managing occupancy and marketing programs, and utilizing existing reimbursement mechanisms to ensure profitability of the venture.

Did We Get Our Money’s Worth? Bridging Economic and Behavioral Measures of Program Success in Adolescent Drug Prevention

PubMed Central

Griffith, Kevin N.; Scheier, Lawrence M.

2013-01-01

The recent U.S. Congressional mandate for creating drug-free learning environments in elementary and secondary schools stipulates that education reform rely on accountability, parental and community involvement, local decision making, and use of evidence-based drug prevention programs. By necessity, this charge has been paralleled by increased interest in demonstrating that drug prevention programs net tangible benefits to society. One pressing concern is precisely how to integrate traditional scientific methods of program evaluation with economic measures of “cost efficiency”. The languages and methods of each respective discipline don’t necessarily converge on how to establish the true benefits of drug prevention. This article serves as a primer for conducting economic analyses of school-based drug prevention programs. The article provides the reader with a foundation in the relevant principles, methodologies, and benefits related to conducting economic analysis. Discussion revolves around how economists value the potential costs and benefits, both financial and personal, from implementing school-based drug prevention programs targeting youth. Application of heterogeneous costing methods coupled with widely divergent program evaluation findings influences the feasibility of these techniques and may hinder utilization of these practices. Determination of cost-efficiency should undoubtedly become one of several markers of program success and contribute to the ongoing debate over health policy. PMID:24217178

Chapter 17: Residential Behavior Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

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

Kurnik, Charles W.; Stewart, James; Todd, Annika

Residential behavior-based (BB) programs use strategies grounded in the behavioral and social sciences to influence household energy use. These may include providing households with real-time or delayed feedback about their energy use; supplying energy efficiency education and tips; rewarding households for reducing their energy use; comparing households to their peers; and establishing games, tournaments, and competitions. BB programs often target multiple energy end uses and encourage energy savings, demand savings, or both. Savings from BB programs are usually a small percentage of energy use, typically less than 5 percent. Utilities will continue to implement residential BB programs as large-scale, randomizedmore » control trials (RCTs); however, some are now experimenting with alternative program designs that are smaller scale; involve new communication channels such as the web, social media, and text messaging; or that employ novel strategies for encouraging behavior change (for example, Facebook competitions). These programs will create new evaluation challenges and may require different evaluation methods than those currently employed to verify any savings they generate. Quasi-experimental methods, however, require stronger assumptions to yield valid savings estimates and may not measure savings with the same degree of validity and accuracy as randomized experiments.« less

Characteristics of Volunteer Coaches in a Clinical Process Improvement Program.

PubMed

Morley, Katharine E; Barysauskas, Constance M; Carballo, Victoria; Kalibatas, Orinta; Rao, Sandhya K; Jacobson, Joseph O; Cummings, Brian M

The Partners Clinical Process Improvement Leadership Program provides quality improvement training for clinicians and administrators, utilizing graduates as volunteer peer coaches for mentorship. We sought to understand the factors associated with volunteer coach participation and gain insight into how to improve and sustain this program. Review of coach characteristics from course database and survey of frequent coaches. Out of 516 Partners Clinical Process Improvement Leadership Program graduates from March 2010 to June 2015, 117 (23%) individuals volunteered as coaches. Sixty-one (52%) individuals coached once, 31 (27%) coached twice, and 25 (21%) coached 3 or more times. There were statistically significant associations between coaching and occupation (P = .005), Partners Clinical Process Improvement Leadership Program course taken (P = .001), and course location (P = .007). Administrators were more likely to coach than physicians (odds ratio: 1.75, P = .04). Reasons for volunteering as a coach included further development of skills, desire to stay involved with program, and enjoying mentoring. Reasons for repeated coaching included maintaining quality improvement skills, expanding skills to a wider variety of projects, and networking. A peer graduate volunteer coach model is a viable strategy for interprofessional quality improvement mentorship. Strategies that support repeat coaching and engage clinicians should be promoted to ensure an experienced and diversified group of coaches.

Lessons learned from new construction utility demand side management programs and their implications for implementing building energy codes

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

Wise, B.K.; Hughes, K.R.; Danko, S.L.

1994-07-01

This report was prepared for the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Codes and Standards by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) through its Building Energy Standards Program (BESP). The purpose of this task was to identify demand-side management (DSM) strategies for new construction that utilities have adopted or developed to promote energy-efficient design and construction. PNL conducted a survey of utilities and used the information gathered to extrapolate lessons learned and to identify evolving trends in utility new-construction DSM programs. The ultimate goal of the task is to identify opportunities where states might work collaboratively with utilities to promotemore » the adoption, implementation, and enforcement of energy-efficient building energy codes.« less

42 CFR 456.200 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Utilization Control: Mental Hospitals Utilization Review (ur) Plan... requirements for a written utilization review (UR) plan for each mental hospital providing Medicaid services...

Implementation and Evaluation of a Smartphone-Based Telemonitoring Program for Patients With Heart Failure: Mixed-Methods Study Protocol.

PubMed

Ware, Patrick; Ross, Heather J; Cafazzo, Joseph A; Laporte, Audrey; Seto, Emily

2018-05-03

Meta-analyses of telemonitoring for patients with heart failure conclude that it can lower the utilization of health services and improve health outcomes compared with the standard of care. A smartphone-based telemonitoring program is being implemented as part of the standard of care at a specialty care clinic for patients with heart failure in Toronto, Canada. The objectives of this study are to (1) evaluate the impact of the telemonitoring program on health service utilization, patient health outcomes, and their ability to self-care; (2) identify the contextual barriers and facilitators of implementation at the physician, clinic, and institutional level; (3) describe patient usage patterns to determine adherence and other behaviors in the telemonitoring program; and (4) evaluate the costs associated with implementation of the telemonitoring program from the perspective of the health care system (ie, public payer), hospital, and patient. The evaluation will use a mixed-methods approach. The quantitative component will include a pragmatic pre- and posttest study design for the impact and cost analyses, which will make use of clinical data and questionnaires administered to at least 108 patients at baseline and 6 months. Furthermore, outcome data will be collected at 1, 12, and 24 months to explore the longitudinal impact of the program. In addition, quantitative data related to implementation outcomes and patient usage patterns of the telemonitoring system will be reported. The qualitative component involves an embedded single case study design to identify the contextual factors that influenced the implementation. The implementation evaluation will be completed using semistructured interviews with clinicians, and other program staff at baseline, 4 months, and 12 months after the program start date. Interviews conducted with patients will be triangulated with usage data to explain usage patterns and adherence to the system. The telemonitoring program was launched in August 2016 and patient enrollment is ongoing. The methods described provide an example for conducting comprehensive evaluations of telemonitoring programs. The combination of impact, implementation, and cost evaluations will inform the quality improvement of the existing program and will yield insights into the sustainability of smartphone-based telemonitoring programs for patients with heart failure within a specialty care setting. ©Patrick Ware, Heather J Ross, Joseph A Cafazzo, Audrey Laporte, Emily Seto. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 03.05.2018.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Smartphone-Based Telemonitoring Program for Patients With Heart Failure: Mixed-Methods Study Protocol

PubMed Central

Ross, Heather J; Cafazzo, Joseph A; Laporte, Audrey; Seto, Emily

2018-01-01

Background Meta-analyses of telemonitoring for patients with heart failure conclude that it can lower the utilization of health services and improve health outcomes compared with the standard of care. A smartphone-based telemonitoring program is being implemented as part of the standard of care at a specialty care clinic for patients with heart failure in Toronto, Canada. Objective The objectives of this study are to (1) evaluate the impact of the telemonitoring program on health service utilization, patient health outcomes, and their ability to self-care; (2) identify the contextual barriers and facilitators of implementation at the physician, clinic, and institutional level; (3) describe patient usage patterns to determine adherence and other behaviors in the telemonitoring program; and (4) evaluate the costs associated with implementation of the telemonitoring program from the perspective of the health care system (ie, public payer), hospital, and patient. Methods The evaluation will use a mixed-methods approach. The quantitative component will include a pragmatic pre- and posttest study design for the impact and cost analyses, which will make use of clinical data and questionnaires administered to at least 108 patients at baseline and 6 months. Furthermore, outcome data will be collected at 1, 12, and 24 months to explore the longitudinal impact of the program. In addition, quantitative data related to implementation outcomes and patient usage patterns of the telemonitoring system will be reported. The qualitative component involves an embedded single case study design to identify the contextual factors that influenced the implementation. The implementation evaluation will be completed using semistructured interviews with clinicians, and other program staff at baseline, 4 months, and 12 months after the program start date. Interviews conducted with patients will be triangulated with usage data to explain usage patterns and adherence to the system. Results The telemonitoring program was launched in August 2016 and patient enrollment is ongoing. Conclusions The methods described provide an example for conducting comprehensive evaluations of telemonitoring programs. The combination of impact, implementation, and cost evaluations will inform the quality improvement of the existing program and will yield insights into the sustainability of smartphone-based telemonitoring programs for patients with heart failure within a specialty care setting. PMID:29724704

Multiobjective optimization in structural design with uncertain parameters and stochastic processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, S. S.

1984-01-01

The application of multiobjective optimization techniques to structural design problems involving uncertain parameters and random processes is studied. The design of a cantilever beam with a tip mass subjected to a stochastic base excitation is considered for illustration. Several of the problem parameters are assumed to be random variables and the structural mass, fatigue damage, and negative of natural frequency of vibration are considered for minimization. The solution of this three-criteria design problem is found by using global criterion, utility function, game theory, goal programming, goal attainment, bounded objective function, and lexicographic methods. It is observed that the game theory approach is superior in finding a better optimum solution, assuming the proper balance of the various objective functions. The procedures used in the present investigation are expected to be useful in the design of general dynamic systems involving uncertain parameters, stochastic process, and multiple objectives.

Biomedical technology transfer: Applications of NASA science and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The major efforts of the Stanford Biomedical Applications Team Program at the Stanford University School of Medicine for the period from October 1, 1975 to September 31, 1976 are covered. A completed EMG biotelemetry system which monitors the physiological signals of man and animals in space related research is discussed. The results of a pilot study involving lower body negative pressure testing in cardiac patients has been completed as well as the design and construction of a new leg negative pressure unit for evaluating heart patients. This technology utilizes vacuum chambers to stress the cardiovascular system during space flight. Laboratory tests of an intracranial pressure transducer, have been conducted. Extremely stable long term data using capacative pressure sensors has lead to the order of commercially manufactured monitoring systems base. Projects involving commercialization are: flexible medical electrodes, an echocardioscope, a miniature biotelemetry system, and an on-line ventricular contour detector.

Principles of Research Tissue Banking and Specimen Evaluation from the Pathologist's Perspective.

PubMed

McDonald, Sandra A

2010-12-01

Human tissue biorepositories have an increasingly visible and important role within industrial enterprises in supporting biomedical research, including the rapidly advancing fields of proteomics, pharmacogenomics, and molecular epidemiology. Pathologists play a vital but often underrecognized role in the operation of these tissue banks. Besides interpreting studies that arise from banked samples, pathologists are needed to characterize tissues for research, to conduct quality assurance programs, to assist with resource allocation decisions, and to serve an educational role for investigators using the tissues. This article describes these key principles and illustrates examples where pathologist involvement is crucial to biorepository management. Of overarching importance, pathologists play a critical role in helping biorepository users understand the principles of specimen evaluation (histologic and structural composition of tissues, and their limitations) so as to optimize the scientific benefit of the tissues. In conclusion, greater involvement of pathologists in research tissue banking will enhance the scientific utility of biorepositories.

Participation Rates, Process Monitoring, and Quality Improvement Among Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs in the United States: A NATIONAL SURVEY.

PubMed

Pack, Quinn R; Squires, Ray W; Lopez-Jimenez, Francisco; Lichtman, Steven W; Rodriguez-Escudero, Juan P; Lindenauer, Peter K; Thomas, Randal J

2015-01-01

Although strategies exist for improving cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation rates, it is unclear how frequently these strategies are used and what efforts are being made by CR programs to improve participation rates. We surveyed all CR program directors in the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation's database. Data collection included program characteristics, the use of specific referral and recruitment strategies, and self-reported program participation rates. Between 2007 and 2012, 49% of programs measured referral of inpatients from the hospital, 21% measured outpatient referral from office/clinic, 71% measured program enrollment, and 74% measured program completion rates. Program-reported participation rates (interquartile range) were 68% (32-90) for hospital referral, 35% (15-60) for office/clinic referral, 70% (46-80) for enrollment, and 75% (62-82) for program completion. The majority of programs utilized a hospital-based systematic referral, liaison-facilitated referral, or inpatient CR program referral (64%, 68%, and 60% of the time, respectively). Early appointments (<2 weeks) were utilized by 35%, and consistent phone call appointment reminders were utilized by 50% of programs. Quality improvement (QI) projects were performed by about half of CR programs. Measurement of participation rates was highly correlated with performing QI projects (P < .0001.) : Although programs are aware of participation rate gaps, the monitoring of participation rates is suboptimal, QI initiatives are infrequent, and proven strategies for increasing patient participation are inconsistently utilized. These issues likely contribute to the national CR participation gap and may prove to be useful targets for national QI initiatives.

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

Parmesano, Hethie; Kury, Theodore J.

The price of CO{sub 2} emissions allowances affects the structure of the utility's costs, which has implications for rate design and load management programs. Depending on the design of the program to recover these costs, utility total revenue requirements - and the rate design utilized to recover these requirements - may be impacted. A new way to think about rate design may be required. (author)

Uncluttered Single-Image Visualization of Vascular Structures using GPU and Integer Programming

PubMed Central

Won, Joong-Ho; Jeon, Yongkweon; Rosenberg, Jarrett; Yoon, Sungroh; Rubin, Geoffrey D.; Napel, Sandy

2013-01-01

Direct projection of three-dimensional branching structures, such as networks of cables, blood vessels, or neurons onto a 2D image creates the illusion of intersecting structural parts and creates challenges for understanding and communication. We present a method for visualizing such structures, and demonstrate its utility in visualizing the abdominal aorta and its branches, whose tomographic images might be obtained by computed tomography or magnetic resonance angiography, in a single two-dimensional stylistic image, without overlaps among branches. The visualization method, termed uncluttered single-image visualization (USIV), involves optimization of geometry. This paper proposes a novel optimization technique that utilizes an interesting connection of the optimization problem regarding USIV to the protein structure prediction problem. Adopting the integer linear programming-based formulation for the protein structure prediction problem, we tested the proposed technique using 30 visualizations produced from five patient scans with representative anatomical variants in the abdominal aortic vessel tree. The novel technique can exploit commodity-level parallelism, enabling use of general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU) technology that yields a significant speedup. Comparison of the results with the other optimization technique previously reported elsewhere suggests that, in most aspects, the quality of the visualization is comparable to that of the previous one, with a significant gain in the computation time of the algorithm. PMID:22291148

Prescription Monitoring Program Trends Among Individuals Arrested in Maine for Trafficking Prescription Drugs in 2014.

PubMed

McCall, Kenneth; Nichols, Stephanie D; Holt, Christina; Ochs, Leslie; Cattabriga, Gary; Tu, Chunhao

2016-06-01

To evaluate controlled substance prescribing trends available in the Maine Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) among individuals arrested for prescription drug "trafficking." The demographic characteristics of the individuals who had matching prescription records in the PMP within 90 days of the arrest were identified. A population-based, retrospective cohort study using data from the Maine Diversion Alert Program (DAP) and the Maine PMP. The study population consisted of persons arrested for trafficking prescription drugs in Maine during the 2014 calendar year from January 1 to December 31. There were 594 trafficking arrests reported by the Maine DAP in 2014. The study population consisted of the 235 persons (40%) with arrests involving controlled prescription medications. The mean age of these persons was 33 years (range 18-77 yrs), and 156 (66%) were male. Arrests involved 154 prescription opioids (65%), seven stimulants (3%), seven benzodiazepines (3%), and 77 unspecified controlled prescription drugs (33%). A minority of individuals (n=57, 24%) had a prescription record in the PMP that matched the substance involved in the arrest. Only one person with matching PMP and arrest records utilized ≥ 5 prescribers, while none used ≥ 5 pharmacies within 90 days before the arrest. Payment methods for matching prescriptions were commercial insurance (n=28, 49%), Medicaid (n=19, 33%), Medicare (n=5, 9%), and cash (n=5, 9%). The majority (76%) of persons arrested for prescription drug trafficking did not have PMP records and did not directly obtain the diverted medication from a licensed pharmacy. Traditional red flags, like cash payment and using multiple prescribers or pharmacies, were uncommon. Therefore, arrest records for diversion and PMPs are distinct and complementary tools for identifying individuals at risk for substance misuse. © 2016 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Applications Integration Strategy in the Mission Development Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, E. L., Jr.

2016-12-01

NASA's Earth Science Applied Science Program has worked for the past four to five years with the Earth Science Division's Flight Program to cultivate an understanding of the importance of satellite remote sensing impacts on decision-making policy and decision support tools utilized by academia, state and local governments, other government agencies, private sector companies, and non-profit organizations. It has long been recognized that applications projects and studies in areas such as Health and Air Quality, Water Resources, Disasters, and Ecological Forecasting, have benefited and been enhanced through the use of satellite remote sensing. Applications researchers often use remote sensing data once it becomes available after the post-launch evaluation phase in the format and level of fidelity that is available. The results from the many applications projects, over the years, have been significant and there are countless examples of improvements and enhancements to operational systems and decision-making policies in the Applied Sciences community. However, feedback received from the applications community regarding the need for improved data availability and latency; processing and formatting, to name a few, prompted the idea of applied science involvement early in the life cycle of mission development. Over time, the Applied Science Program personnel have learned a great deal from the flight mission development life cycle process and recognized key areas of alignment. This presentation will discuss specific aspects of applied science that investigators should consider when proposing to future announcements involving an applications dimension. The Program's experience with user community needs, decision-making requirements, and stakeholder operations requirements will be highlighted.

Floppy disk utility user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akers, J. W.

1980-01-01

A floppy disk utility program is described which transfers programs between files on a hard disk and floppy disk. It also copies the data on one floppy disk onto another floppy disk and compares the data. The program operates on the Data General NOVA-4X under the Real Time Disk Operating System. Sample operations are given.

Design of a comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial testing a faith-based Diabetes Prevention Program (WORD DPP) vs. a Pacific culturally adapted Diabetes Prevention Program (PILI DPP) for Marshallese in the United States.

PubMed

McElfish, Pearl Anna; Long, Christopher R; Kaholokula, Joseph Keawe'aimoku; Aitaoto, Nia; Bursac, Zoran; Capelle, Lucy; Laelan, Melisa; Bing, Williamina Ioanna; Riklon, Sheldon; Rowland, Brett; Ayers, Britni L; Wilmoth, Ralph O; Langston, Krista N; Schootman, Mario; Selig, James P; Yeary, Karen Hye-Cheon Kim

2018-05-01

Pacific Islander populations, including Marshallese, face a disproportionately high burden of health disparities relative to the general population. A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was utilized to engage Marshallese participants in a comparative effectiveness trial testing 2 Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) interventions designed to reduce participant's weight, lower HbA1c, encourage healthy eating, and increase physical activity. To compare the effectiveness of the faith-based (WORD) DPP to the culturally adapted (Pacific Culturally Adapted Diabetes Prevention Program [PILI]) DPP, a clustered randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 384 Marshallese participants will be implemented in 32 churches located in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Churches will be randomly assigned to WORD DPP arm or to PILI DPP arm. WORD DPP focuses on connecting faith and health to attain a healthy weight, eat healthy, and be more physically active. In contrast, PILI DPP is a family and community focused DPP curriculum specifically adapted for implementation in Pacific Islander communities. PILI focuses on engaging social support networks to maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy, and be more physically active. All participants are assessed at baseline, immediate post intervention, and 12 months post intervention. Both interventions aim to cause weight loss through improving physical activity and healthy eating, with the goal of preventing the development of T2D. The clustered RCT will determine which intervention is most effective with the Marshallese population. The utilization of a CBPR approach that involves local stakeholders and engages faith-based institutions in Marshallese communities will increase the potential for success and sustainability. This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03270436).

Design of a comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial testing a faith-based Diabetes Prevention Program (WORD DPP) vs. a Pacific culturally adapted Diabetes Prevention Program (PILI DPP) for Marshallese in the United States

PubMed Central

McElfish, Pearl Anna; Long, Christopher R.; Kaholokula, Joseph Keawe‘aimoku; Aitaoto, Nia; Bursac, Zoran; Capelle, Lucy; Laelan, Melisa; Bing, Williamina Ioanna; Riklon, Sheldon; Rowland, Brett; Ayers, Britni L.; Wilmoth, Ralph O.; Langston, Krista N.; Schootman, Mario; Selig, James P.; Yeary, Karen Hye-cheon Kim

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: Pacific Islander populations, including Marshallese, face a disproportionately high burden of health disparities relative to the general population. Objectives: A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was utilized to engage Marshallese participants in a comparative effectiveness trial testing 2 Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) interventions designed to reduce participant's weight, lower HbA1c, encourage healthy eating, and increase physical activity. Design: To compare the effectiveness of the faith-based (WORD) DPP to the culturally adapted (Pacific Culturally Adapted Diabetes Prevention Program [PILI]) DPP, a clustered randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 384 Marshallese participants will be implemented in 32 churches located in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Churches will be randomly assigned to WORD DPP arm or to PILI DPP arm. Methods: WORD DPP focuses on connecting faith and health to attain a healthy weight, eat healthy, and be more physically active. In contrast, PILI DPP is a family and community focused DPP curriculum specifically adapted for implementation in Pacific Islander communities. PILI focuses on engaging social support networks to maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy, and be more physically active. All participants are assessed at baseline, immediate post intervention, and 12 months post intervention. Summary: Both interventions aim to cause weight loss through improving physical activity and healthy eating, with the goal of preventing the development of T2D. The clustered RCT will determine which intervention is most effective with the Marshallese population. The utilization of a CBPR approach that involves local stakeholders and engages faith-based institutions in Marshallese communities will increase the potential for success and sustainability. This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03270436). PMID:29742712

Integrative Health Services in School Health Clinics

PubMed Central

Milosavljevic, Nada

2015-01-01

Objective: Mental health treatment today incorporates neurobiology, genetics, neuro-imaging, and pharmacologic mechanisms, offering more options to patients. For some, these modern approaches are not viable choices due to reasons such as limited access to care, cost, intolerable side effects, and, in the pediatric population, fears of potential long-term effects. With the growing prevalence of chronic health conditions, concerns for age of onset, (McGorry, Purcell, Goldstone, & Amminger, 2011) and a growing population of mental health patients, cost-effective and evidence-based treatment options should be evaluated. Integrative treatments, also known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), may offer interventions that meet today’s clinical needs. Method: To evaluate evidence-based treatment options, we initiated the school-based integrative health program (IHP) in January 2011 at three high schools located in Massachusetts. Our goal was two-fold: first, to design a holistic treatment program and evaluate several integrative modalities, and; second, to determine the feasibility of providing a CAM health program through school clinics. Our protocol utilized three integrative treatments that addressed stress and anxiety conditions. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness affecting over 40 million adults in the US (Anxiety and Depression Association of America). Results: The program has been successfully implemented. Preliminary results indicate that this intervention decreased anxiety in these youth. Conclusion: Providing integrative techniques to students in the school setting has the potential to decrease barriers to accessing care, lowering treatment costs and decreasing school absenteeism by instituting care on-site. Offering a holistic approach to treatment in schools is feasible. Because utilizing these approaches involves their active participation, adolescents can acquire life-long skills that improve their ability to cope and confront inevitable life stressors. PMID:28580235

Evaluation of an intervention promoting emotion regulation skills for adults with persisting distress due to adverse childhood experiences.

PubMed

Cameron, Linda D; Carroll, Paul; Hamilton, W Kyle

2018-05-01

This phase II trial evaluated psychosocial and health outcomes of an intervention designed to improve emotion regulation skills in adults suffering from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The study utilized a pretest-posttest design in which 92 adults enrolled in the community-based program completed pretest measures, attended either a faith-based or secular version of the 12-week ACE Overcomers program, and then completed posttest measures. The theory-guided program involved group sessions providing education and skills training to improve emotion regulation, self-awareness, resilience, and social functioning. Pretest and posttest surveys included measures of emotional regulation (suppression, rumination, cognitive reappraisal, and mindfulness), resilience (ego resilience and general self-efficacy), emotional experiences (perceived stress, moods, and depressive symptoms), quality of life (the SF-36 domains), and physical symptoms and illness (symptom load and sick days). Analyses revealed significant improvements from pretest to posttest in all facets of emotion regulation (p < .01), psychological resilience (p < .001), mental well-being (p < .001) and physical symptoms and illness (p < .001), and in specific facets of quality of life (p < .001). The faith-based and secular versions of the program yielded comparable improvements in well-being. Improvements were comparable for older versus younger participants, except that younger participants reported greater improvements in perceived stress (p < .05). These preliminary findings support the application of an emotion regulation perspective to interventions for adults with high ACEs. The study, with its single-group design, represents a promising step in the translational research pathway and provides support for further studies utilizing comparison groups. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International Space Station Payload Training Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Underwood, Deborah B.; Noneman, Steven R.; Sanchez, Julie N.

2001-01-01

This paper describes payload crew training-related activities performed by NASA and the U.S. Payload Developer (PD) community for the International Space Station (ISS) Program. It describes how payloads will be trained and the overall training planning and integration process. The overall concept, definition, and template for payload training are described. The roles and responsibilities of individuals, organizations, and groups involved are discussed. The facilities utilized during payload training and the primary processes and activities performed to plan, develop, implement, and administer payload training for ISS crews are briefly described. Areas of improvement to crew training processes that have been achieved or are currently being worked are identified.

Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kline, Martin D.

1994-01-01

An ambitious project to develop an advanced, automated welding system is being funded as part of the Navy Joining Center with Babcock & Wilcox as the prime integrator. This program, the Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS), involves the integration of both planning and real-time control activities. Planning functions include the development of a graphical decision support system within a standard, portable environment. Real-time control functions include the development of a modular, intelligent, real-time control system and the integration of a number of welding process sensors. This paper presents each of these components of the PAWS and discusses how they can be utilized to automate the welding operation.