Computer programs to characterize alloys and predict cyclic life using the total strain version of strainrange partitioning: Tutorial and users manual, version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltsman, James F.

1992-01-01

This manual presents computer programs for characterizing and predicting fatigue and creep-fatigue resistance of metallic materials in the high-temperature, long-life regime for isothermal and nonisothermal fatigue. The programs use the total strain version of Strainrange Partitioning (TS-SRP). An extensive database has also been developed in a parallel effort. This database is probably the largest source of high-temperature, creep-fatigue test data available in the public domain and can be used with other life prediction methods as well. This users manual, software, and database are all in the public domain and are available through COSMIC (382 East Broad Street, Athens, GA 30602; (404) 542-3265, FAX (404) 542-4807). Two disks accompany this manual. The first disk contains the source code, executable files, and sample output from these programs. The second disk contains the creep-fatigue data in a format compatible with these programs.

Large Scale Portability of Hospital Information System Software

PubMed Central

Munnecke, Thomas H.; Kuhn, Ingeborg M.

1986-01-01

As part of its Decentralized Hospital Computer Program (DHCP) the Veterans Administration installed new hospital information systems in 169 of its facilities during 1984 and 1985. The application software for these systems is based on the ANS MUMPS language, is public domain, and is designed to be operating system and hardware independent. The software, developed by VA employees, is built upon a layered approach, where application packages layer on a common data dictionary which is supported by a Kernel of software. Communications between facilities are based on public domain Department of Defense ARPA net standards for domain naming, mail transfer protocols, and message formats, layered on a variety of communications technologies.

Developing an Undergraduate Public Health Introductory Core Course Series

PubMed Central

Nelson-Hurwitz, Denise C.; Tagorda, Michelle; Kehl, Lisa; Buchthal, Opal V.; Braun, Kathryn L.

2018-01-01

The number of undergraduate public health education programs is increasing, but few publications provide examples of introductory public health courses that provide foundational knowledge and meet 2016 Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) accreditation standards. This article presents the development and testing of a three-course, introductory series in public health at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM). Development was informed by best pedagogical practices in education, web review of existing programs, literature review, key informant interviews, and accreditation standards. Student mastery of required concepts, domains, and competencies is assessed through testing and class assignments. Data from course evaluations, students' exit questionnaires at graduation, and faculty feedback were used to continuously evolve and adapt the curriculum. The three-course series—including Introduction to Public Health, Public Health Issues in Hawai‘i, and Introduction to Global Health—was designed to provide incoming undergraduate public health students with a foundation in local, national, and global public health concepts and domains, while improving their skills in public health communication and information literacy. Data from class assignments, examinations, and later coursework suggest students are mastering the course materials and gaining required competencies. Data from course evaluation and exit questionnaires suggest that the students appreciate the series' approach and the challenge to apply course concepts locally and globally in subsequent courses. This foundational public health series provides a model for an introductory course series that can be implemented with existing resources by most programs, meets the new CEPH requirements, is well-received by students, and prepares students well for upper-division public health courses. PMID:29892596

Developing an Undergraduate Public Health Introductory Core Course Series.

PubMed

Nelson-Hurwitz, Denise C; Tagorda, Michelle; Kehl, Lisa; Buchthal, Opal V; Braun, Kathryn L

2018-01-01

The number of undergraduate public health education programs is increasing, but few publications provide examples of introductory public health courses that provide foundational knowledge and meet 2016 Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) accreditation standards. This article presents the development and testing of a three-course, introductory series in public health at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM). Development was informed by best pedagogical practices in education, web review of existing programs, literature review, key informant interviews, and accreditation standards. Student mastery of required concepts, domains, and competencies is assessed through testing and class assignments. Data from course evaluations, students' exit questionnaires at graduation, and faculty feedback were used to continuously evolve and adapt the curriculum. The three-course series-including Introduction to Public Health, Public Health Issues in Hawai'i, and Introduction to Global Health-was designed to provide incoming undergraduate public health students with a foundation in local, national, and global public health concepts and domains, while improving their skills in public health communication and information literacy. Data from class assignments, examinations, and later coursework suggest students are mastering the course materials and gaining required competencies. Data from course evaluation and exit questionnaires suggest that the students appreciate the series' approach and the challenge to apply course concepts locally and globally in subsequent courses. This foundational public health series provides a model for an introductory course series that can be implemented with existing resources by most programs, meets the new CEPH requirements, is well-received by students, and prepares students well for upper-division public health courses.

An ecological and theoretical deconstruction of a school-based obesity prevention program in Mexico.

PubMed

Safdie, Margarita; Cargo, Margaret; Richard, Lucie; Lévesque, Lucie

2014-08-10

Ecological intervention programs are recommended to prevent overweight and obesity in children. The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico implemented a successful ecological intervention program to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in school age children. This study assessed the integration of ecological principles and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) constructs in this effective school-based obesity prevention program implemented in 15 elementary schools in Mexico City. Two coders applied the Intervention Analysis Procedure (IAP) to "map" the program's integration of ecological principles. A checklist gauged the use of SCT theory in program activities. Thirty-two distinct intervention strategies were implemented in one setting (i.e., school) to engage four different target-groups (students, parents, school representatives, government) across two domains (Nutrition and Physical Activity). Overall, 47.5% of the strategies targeted the school infrastructure and/or personnel; 37.5% of strategies targeted a key political actor, the Public Education Secretariat while fewer strategies targeted parents (12.5%) and children (3%). More strategies were implemented in the Nutrition domain (69%) than Physical Activity (31%). The most frequently used SCT construct within both intervention domains was Reciprocal Determinism (e.g., where changes to the environment influence changes in behavior and these behavioral changes influence further changes to the environment); no significant differences were observed in the use of SCT constructs across domains. Findings provide insight into a promising combination of strategies and theoretical constructs that can be used to implement a school-based obesity prevention program. Strategies emphasized school-level infrastructure/personnel change and strong political engagement and were most commonly underpinned by Reciprocal Determinism for both Nutrition and Physical Activity.

ATK Launch Systems Engineering NASA Programs Engineering Examples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, David

2007-01-01

This presentation provides an overview of the work done at ATK Launch Systems with and indication of how engineering knowledge can be applied to several real world problems. All material in the presentation has been screened to meet ITAR restrictions. The information provided is a compilation of general engineering knowledge and material available in the public domain. The presentation provides an overview of ATK Launch Systems and NASA programs. Some discussion is provided about the types of engineering conducted at the Promontory plant with added detail about RSRM nozzle engineering. Some brief examples of examples of nozzle technical issues with regard to adhesives and phenolics are shared. These technical issue discussions are based on material available in the public domain.

Core Competencies for Injury and Violence Prevention

PubMed Central

Stephens-Stidham, Shelli; Peek-Asa, Corinne; Bou-Saada, Ingrid; Hunter, Wanda; Lindemer, Kristen; Runyan, Carol

2009-01-01

Efforts to reduce the burden of injury and violence require a workforce that is knowledgeable and skilled in prevention. However, there has been no systematic process to ensure that professionals possess the necessary competencies. To address this deficiency, we developed a set of core competencies for public health practitioners in injury and violence prevention programs. The core competencies address domains including public health significance, data, the design and implementation of prevention activities, evaluation, program management, communication, stimulating change, and continuing education. Specific learning objectives establish goals for training in each domain. The competencies assist in efforts to reduce the burden of injury and violence and can provide benchmarks against which to assess progress in professional capacity for injury and violence prevention. PMID:19197083

BUILDING MODEL ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS WITH THE JOINT UNIVERSAL PARAMETER IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF RELIABILITY (JUPITER) API

EPA Science Inventory

The open-source, public domain JUPITER (Joint Universal Parameter IdenTification and Evaluation of Reliability) API (Application Programming Interface) provides conventions and Fortran-90 modules to develop applications (computer programs) for analyzing process models. The input ...

U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture Accomplishments in Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chullen, Cinda; Oliva, Vladenka R.

2014-01-01

The NASA U.S. spacesuit knowledge capture (KC) program has been in operations since the beginning 2008. The program was designed to augment engineers and others with information about spacesuits in a historical way. A multitude of seminars have captured spacesuit history and knowledge over the last six years of the programs existence. Subject matter experts have provided lectures and were interviewed to help bring the spacesuit to life so that lessons learned will never be lost. As well, the program concentrated in reaching out to the public and industry by making the recorded events part of the public domain through the NASA technical library via You Tube media. The U.S. spacesuit KC topics have included lessons learned from some of the most prominent spacesuit experts and spacesuit users including current and former astronauts. The events have enriched the spacesuit legacy knowledge from Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and International Space Station Programs. As well, expert engineers and scientists have shared their challenges and successes to be remembered. The last few years have been some of the most successful years of the KC program program's life with numerous recordings and releases to the public. It is evidenced by the thousands that have view the recordings online. This paper reviews the events accomplished and archived over Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013 and highlights a few of the most memorable ones. This paper also communicates ways to access the events that are available internally to NASA as well as in the public domain.

The Vale rangeland rehabilitation program: the desert repaired in southeastern Oregon.

Treesearch

Harold F. Heady; James Bartolome

1977-01-01

Discusses the initiation, execution, and outcome of an 11-year program of range rehabilitation on public domain lands in southeastern Oregon. Initiated primarily to benefit the livestock industry, the investment of $10 million in range improvements also profoundly affected other multiple uses. The analysis of this large and successful program should serve as a useful...

Managed Behavioral Health Care: An Instrument to Characterize Critical Elements of Public Sector Programs

PubMed Central

Ridgely, M Susan; Giard, Julienne; Shern, David; Mulkern, Virginia; Burnam, M Audrey

2002-01-01

Objective To develop an instrument to characterize public sector managed behavioral health care arrangements to capture key differences between managed and “unmanaged” care and among managed care arrangements. Study Design The instrument was developed by a multi-institutional group of collaborators with participation of an expert panel. Included are six domains predicted to have an impact on access, service utilization, costs, and quality. The domains are: characteristics of the managed care plan, enrolled population, benefit design, payment and risk arrangements, composition of provider networks, and accountability. Data are collected at three levels: managed care organization, subcontractor, and network of service providers. Data Collection Methods Data are collected through contract abstraction and key informant interviews. A multilevel coding scheme is used to organize the data into a matrix along key domains, which is then reviewed and verified by the key informants. Principal Findings This instrument can usefully differentiate between and among Medicaid fee-for-service programs and Medicaid managed care plans along key domains of interest. Beyond documenting basic features of the plans and providing contextual information, these data will support the refinement and testing of hypotheses about the impact of public sector managed care on access, quality, costs, and outcomes of care. Conclusions If managed behavioral health care research is to advance beyond simple case study comparisons, a well-conceptualized set of instruments is necessary. PMID:12236386

The ZCPR2 System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conn, Richard

1983-01-01

The two-part ZCPR2 System (system itself and related utilities) runs in place of CP/M 2.2 CCP. These public domain programs provide functions similar to those provided by CCP, but offer many enhancements. ZCPR2 programs, features, documentation, and uses are discussed. Problems in using ZCPR2 are also discussed. (JN)

Public-domain-software solution to data-access problems for numerical modelers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenter, Harry; Signell, Richard

1992-01-01

Unidata's network Common Data Form, netCDF, provides users with an efficient set of software for scientific-data-storage, retrieval, and manipulation. The netCDF file format is machine-independent, direct-access, self-describing, and in the public domain, thereby alleviating many problems associated with accessing output from large hydrodynamic models. NetCDF has programming interfaces in both the Fortran and C computer language with an interface to C++ planned for release in the future. NetCDF also has an abstract data type that relieves users from understanding details of the binary file structure; data are written and retrieved by an intuitive, user-supplied name rather than by file position. Users are aided further by Unidata's inclusion of the Common Data Language, CDL, a printable text-equivalent of the contents of a netCDF file. Unidata provides numerous operators and utilities for processing netCDF files. In addition, a number of public-domain and proprietary netCDF utilities from other sources are available at this time or will be available later this year. The U.S. Geological Survey has produced and is producing a number of public-domain netCDF utilities.

Epi info - present and future.

PubMed

Su, Y; Yoon, S S

2003-01-01

Epi Info is a suite of public domain computer programs for public health professionals developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Epi Info is used for rapid questionnaire design, data entry and validation, data analysis including mapping and graphing, and creation of reports. Epi Info was originally created in 1985 using Turbo Pascal. In 1998, the last version of Epi Info for DOS, version 6, was released. Epi Info for DOS is currently supported by CDC but is no longer updated. The current version, Epi Info 2002, is Windows-based software developed using Microsoft Visual Basic. Approximately 300,000 downloads of Epi Info software occurred in 2002 from approximately 130 countries. These numbers make Epi Info probably one of the most widely distributed and used public domain programs in the world. The DOS version of Epi Info was translated into 13 languages, and efforts are underway to translate the Windows version into other major languages. Versions already exist for Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic.

CORE Knowledge Domain C.4 Employment and Career Development: Application for Rehabilitation Counselor Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire-Kuletz, Maureen; Hergenrather, Kenneth C.

2008-01-01

The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) CORE revised the standards for rehabilitation counseling master's degree program accreditation in 2004. These standards seek to promote effective rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities in both private and public programs (CORE, 2008). This article focuses on the new CORE standard…

Implementation and evaluation of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine leadership program for women faculty.

PubMed

Levine, Rachel B; González-Fernández, Marlís; Bodurtha, Joann; Skarupski, Kimberly A; Fivush, Barbara

2015-05-01

Women continue to be underrepresented in top leadership roles in academic medicine. Leadership training programs for women are designed to enhance women's leadership skills and confidence and increase overall leadership diversity. The authors present a description and evaluation of a longitudinal, cohort-based, experiential leadership program for women faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. We compared pre- and post-program self-assessed ratings of 11 leadership skills and specific negotiation behaviors from 3 cohorts of leadership program participants (n=134) from 2010 to 2013. Women reported significant improvements in skills across 11 domains with the exceptions of 2 domains, Public Speaking and Working in Teams, both of which received high scores in the pre-program assessment. The greatest improvement in rankings occurred within the domain of negotiation skills. Although women reported an increase in their negotiation skills, we were not able to demonstrate an increase in the number of times that women negotiated for salary, space, or promotion following participation in the program. The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Leadership Program for Women Faculty has demonstrable value for the professional development of participants and addresses institutional strategies to enhance leadership diversity and the advancement of women.

FLAPS (Fatigue Life Analysis Programs): Computer Programs to Predict Cyclic Life Using the Total Strain Version of Strainrange Partitioning and Other Life Prediction Methods. Users' Manual and Example Problems, Version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arya, Vinod K.; Halford, Gary R. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

This manual presents computer programs FLAPS for characterizing and predicting fatigue and creep-fatigue resistance of metallic materials in the high-temperature, long-life regime for isothermal and nonisothermal fatigue. The programs use the Total Strain version of Strainrange Partitioning (TS-SRP), and several other life prediction methods described in this manual. The user should be thoroughly familiar with the TS-SRP and these life prediction methods before attempting to use any of these programs. Improper understanding can lead to incorrect use of the method and erroneous life predictions. An extensive database has also been developed in a parallel effort. The database is probably the largest source of high-temperature, creep-fatigue test data available in the public domain and can be used with other life-prediction methods as well. This users' manual, software, and database are all in the public domain and can be obtained by contacting the author. The Compact Disk (CD) accompanying this manual contains an executable file for the FLAPS program, two datasets required for the example problems in the manual, and the creep-fatigue data in a format compatible with these programs.

Development and Validity Testing of the Worksite Health Index: An Assessment Tool to Help and Improve Korean Employees' Health-Related Outcome.

PubMed

Yun, Young Ho; Sim, Jin Ah; Lim, Ye Jin; Lim, Cheol Il; Kang, Sung-Choon; Kang, Joon-Ho; Park, Jun Dong; Noh, Dong Young

2016-06-01

The objective of this study was to develop the Worksite Health Index (WHI) and validate its psychometric properties. The development of the WHI questionnaire included item generation, item construction, and field testing. To assess the instrument's reliability and validity, we recruited 30 different Korean worksites. We developed the WHI questionnaire of 136 items categorized into five domains, namely Governance and Infrastructure, Need Assessment and Planning, Health Prevention and Promotion Program, Occupational Safety, and Monitoring and Feedback. All WHI domains demonstrated a high reliability with good internal consistency. The total WHI scores differentiated worksite groups effectively according to firm size. Each domain was associated significantly with employees' health status, absence, and financial outcome. The WHI can assess comprehensive worksite health programs. This tool is publicly available for addressing the growing need for worksite health programs.

The FELICIA bulletin board system and the IRBIS anonymous FTP server: Computer security information sources for the DOE community. CIAC-2302

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

Orvis, W.J.

1993-11-03

The Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC) operates two information servers for the DOE community, FELICIA (formerly FELIX) and IRBIS. FELICIA is a computer Bulletin Board System (BBS) that can be accessed by telephone with a modem. IRBIS is an anonymous ftp server that can be accessed on the Internet. Both of these servers contain all of the publicly available CIAC, CERT, NIST, and DDN bulletins, virus descriptions, the VIRUS-L moderated virus bulletin board, copies of public domain and shareware virus- detection/protection software, and copies of useful public domain and shareware utility programs. This guide describes how to connect these systemsmore » and obtain files from them.« less

A Qualitative Examination of Health Barriers and Facilitators Among African American Mothers in a Subsidized Housing Community.

PubMed

Cotter, Elizabeth W; Hamilton, Natia S; Kelly, Nichole R; Harney, Megan B; Greene, LaShaun; White, Kelly A; Mazzeo, Suzanne E

2016-09-01

Although African American families are at particular risk for obesity and its associated health comorbidities, few interventions have directly targeted low-income members of this group living in subsidized public housing. Using a consensual qualitative research approach, we conducted 11 interviews with African American mothers living in two public housing communities to enhance understanding of their perceived barriers and facilitators to health. Five primary domains emerged, including barriers (access, financial, personal, and neighborhood concerns), resources (personal and community), current behaviors (diet, physical activity, and program participation), definition of health (mental well-being, physical well-being, and health behaviors), and needs/interests in programming (health behavior-specific programs, non-health-related programs, child-focused programming, and qualities of programs and their leaders). Results demonstrate the complex interaction among social, environmental, and personal factors on health behaviors for this priority population, and highlight the need for community members' involvement in the development of community-based obesity prevention programming. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Coping with Computer Viruses: General Discussion and Review of Symantec Anti-Virus for the Macintosh.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Primich, Tracy

1992-01-01

Discusses computer viruses that attack the Macintosh and describes Symantec AntiVirus for Macintosh (SAM), a commercial program designed to detect and eliminate viruses; sample screen displays are included. SAM is recommended for use in library settings as well as two public domain virus protection programs. (four references) (MES)

AHRQ series paper 5: grading the strength of a body of evidence when comparing medical interventions--agency for healthcare research and quality and the effective health-care program.

PubMed

Owens, Douglas K; Lohr, Kathleen N; Atkins, David; Treadwell, Jonathan R; Reston, James T; Bass, Eric B; Chang, Stephanie; Helfand, Mark

2010-05-01

To establish guidance on grading strength of evidence for the Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) program of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Authors reviewed authoritative systems for grading strength of evidence, identified domains and methods that should be considered when grading bodies of evidence in systematic reviews, considered public comments on an earlier draft, and discussed the approach with representatives of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) working group. The EPC approach is conceptually similar to the GRADE system of evidence rating; it requires assessment of four domains: risk of bias, consistency, directness, and precision. Additional domains to be used when appropriate include dose-response association, presence of confounders that would diminish an observed effect, strength of association, and publication bias. Strength of evidence receives a single grade: high, moderate, low, or insufficient. We give definitions, examples, mechanisms for scoring domains, and an approach for assigning strength of evidence. EPCs should grade strength of evidence separately for each major outcome and, for comparative effectiveness reviews, all major comparisons. We will collaborate with the GRADE group to address ongoing challenges in assessing the strength of evidence.

Public health engineering education in India: current scenario, opportunities and challenges.

PubMed

Hussain, Mohammad Akhtar; Sharma, Kavya; Zodpey, Sanjay

2011-01-01

Public health engineering can play an important and significant role in solving environmental health issues. In order to confront public health challenges emerging out of environmental problems we need adequately trained public health engineers / environmental engineers. Considering the current burden of disease attributable to environmental factors and expansion in scope of applications of public health / environmental engineering science, it is essential to understand the present scenario of teaching, training and capacity building programs in these areas. Against this background the present research was carried out to know the current teaching and training programs in public health engineering and related disciplines in India and to understand the potential opportunities and challenges available. A systematic, predefined approach was used to collect and assemble the data related to various teaching and training programs in public health engineering / environmental engineering in India. Public health engineering / environmental engineering education and training in the country is mainly offered through engineering institutions, as pre-service and in-service training. Pre-service programs include diploma, degree (graduate) and post-graduate courses affiliated to various state technical boards, institutes and universities, whereas in-service training is mainly provided by Government of India recognized engineering and public health training institutes. Though trainees of these programs acquire skills related to engineering sciences, they significantly lack in public health skills. The teaching and training of public health engineering / environmental engineering is limited as a part of public health programs (MD Community Medicine, MPH, DPH) in India. There is need for developing teaching and training of public health engineering or environmental engineering as an interdisciplinary subject. Public health institutes can play an important and significant role in this regard by engaging themselves in initiating specialized programs in this domain.

How a Climbing Wall Became Part of a NEW Physical Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Gordon; Boyan, Al; Mendelsohn, Alice; Green, Alison; Woolvett, Colleen

2007-01-01

The introduction of a NEW physical education (PE) program at Ancaster Senior Public School had, at its root, the desire to make physical activity an inclusive domain for both athletic students and those not so inclined. With the growing concerns over the rapid and consistent rise in childhood obesity rates it was evident that the current model of…

40 CFR 49.7 - Request by an Indian tribe for eligibility determination and Clean Air Act program approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... such as, but not limited to, the exercise of police powers affecting (or relating to) the health, safety, and welfare of the affected population; taxation; and the exercise of the power of eminent domain... existing environmental or public health programs administered by the tribal governing body and a copy of...

Status and methodology of publicly available national HIV care continua and 90-90-90 targets: A systematic review.

PubMed

Granich, Reuben; Gupta, Somya; Hall, Irene; Aberle-Grasse, John; Hader, Shannon; Mermin, Jonathan

2017-04-01

In 2014, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) issued treatment goals for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The 90-90-90 target specifies that by 2020, 90% of individuals living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive antiretroviral treatment (ART), and 90% of those taking ART will be virally suppressed. Consistent methods and routine reporting in the public domain will be necessary for tracking progress towards the 90-90-90 target. For the period 2010-2016, we searched PubMed, UNAIDS country progress reports, World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS reports, national surveillance and program reports, United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Country Operational Plans, and conference presentations and/or abstracts for the latest available national HIV care continuum in the public domain. Continua of care included the number and proportion of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are diagnosed, on ART, and virally suppressed out of the estimated number of PLHIV. We ranked the described methods for indicators to derive high-, medium-, and low-quality continuum. For 2010-2016, we identified 53 national care continua with viral suppression estimates representing 19.7 million (54%) of the 2015 global estimate of PLHIV. Of the 53, 6 (with 2% of global burden) were high quality, using standard surveillance methods to derive an overall denominator and program data from national cohorts for estimating steps in the continuum. Only nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa had care continua with viral suppression estimates. Of the 53 countries, the average proportion of the aggregate of PLHIV from all countries on ART was 48%, and the proportion of PLHIV who were virally suppressed was 40%. Seven countries (Sweden, Cambodia, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Denmark, Rwanda, and Namibia) were within 12% and 10% of achieving the 90-90-90 target for "on ART" and for "viral suppression," respectively. The limitations to consider when interpreting the results include significant variation in methods used to determine national continua and the possibility that complete continua were not available through our comprehensive search of the public domain. Relatively few complete national continua of care are available in the public domain, and there is considerable variation in the methods for determining progress towards the 90-90-90 target. Despite bearing the highest HIV burden, national care continua from sub-Saharan Africa were less likely to be in the public domain. A standardized monitoring and evaluation approach could improve the use of scarce resources to achieve 90-90-90 through improved transparency, accountability, and efficiency.

Comparison of self-reported professional competency across pharmacy education programs: a survey of Thai pharmacy graduates enrolled in the public service program

PubMed Central

Sumpradit, Nithima; Suttajit, Siritree; Hunnangkul, Saowalak; Wisaijohn, Thunthita; Putthasri, Weerasak

2014-01-01

Introduction Thai pharmacy education consists of two undergraduate programs, a 5-year Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BScPsci and BScPcare) degree and a 6-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D). Pharmacy students who wish to serve in the public sector need to enroll in the public service program. This study aims to compare the perception of professional competency among new pharmacy graduates from the three different pharmacy programs available in 2013 who enrolled in the public service program. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among new pharmacy graduates in 2013 using a self-administered, structured, close-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of respondents’ characteristics and perception of professional competencies. The competency questions consisted of 13 items with a 5-point scale. Data collection was conducted during Thailand’s annual health professional meeting on April 2, 2013 for workplace selection of pharmacy graduates. Results A total of 266 new pharmacy graduates responded to the questionnaire (response rate 49.6%). There were no significant differences in sex and admission modes across the three pharmacy programs. Pharm D graduates reported highest competency in acute care services, medication reconciliation services, and primary care services among the other two programs. BScPsci graduates reported more competence in consumer health protection and herbal and alternative medicines than BScPcare graduates. There were significant differences in three competency domains: patient care, consumer protection and community health services, and drug review and information, but no significant differences in the health administration and communication domain among three pharmacy programs. Conclusion Despite a complete change into a 6-year Pharm D program in 2014, pharmacy education in Thailand should continue evolving to be responsive to the needs of the health system. An annual survey of new pharmacy graduates should be continued, to monitor changes of professional competency across different program tracks and other factors which may influence their contribution to the health service system. Likewise, a longitudinal monitoring of their competencies in the graduate cohort should be conducted. PMID:25337000

Comparison of self-reported professional competency across pharmacy education programs: a survey of Thai pharmacy graduates enrolled in the public service program.

PubMed

Sumpradit, Nithima; Suttajit, Siritree; Hunnangkul, Saowalak; Wisaijohn, Thunthita; Putthasri, Weerasak

2014-01-01

Thai pharmacy education consists of two undergraduate programs, a 5-year Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BScPsci and BScPcare) degree and a 6-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D). Pharmacy students who wish to serve in the public sector need to enroll in the public service program. This study aims to compare the perception of professional competency among new pharmacy graduates from the three different pharmacy programs available in 2013 who enrolled in the public service program. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among new pharmacy graduates in 2013 using a self-administered, structured, close-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of respondents' characteristics and perception of professional competencies. The competency questions consisted of 13 items with a 5-point scale. Data collection was conducted during Thailand's annual health professional meeting on April 2, 2013 for workplace selection of pharmacy graduates. A total of 266 new pharmacy graduates responded to the questionnaire (response rate 49.6%). There were no significant differences in sex and admission modes across the three pharmacy programs. Pharm D graduates reported highest competency in acute care services, medication reconciliation services, and primary care services among the other two programs. BScPsci graduates reported more competence in consumer health protection and herbal and alternative medicines than BScPcare graduates. There were significant differences in three competency domains: patient care, consumer protection and community health services, and drug review and information, but no significant differences in the health administration and communication domain among three pharmacy programs. Despite a complete change into a 6-year Pharm D program in 2014, pharmacy education in Thailand should continue evolving to be responsive to the needs of the health system. An annual survey of new pharmacy graduates should be continued, to monitor changes of professional competency across different program tracks and other factors which may influence their contribution to the health service system. Likewise, a longitudinal monitoring of their competencies in the graduate cohort should be conducted.

SPREADSHEET BASED SCALING CALCULATIONS AND MEMBRANE PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Many membrane element manufacturers provide a computer program to aid buyers in the use of their elements. However, to date there are few examples of fully integrated public domain software available for calculating reverse osmosis and nanofiltration system performance. The Total...

From higher order thinking to higher order behavior: exploring the relationship between early cognitive skills and social competence in black boys.

PubMed

Scott, Kristin M; Barbarin, Oscar A; Brown, Jeffrey M

2013-01-01

This study examines the relations of higher order (i.e., abstract) thinking (HOT) skills to specific domains of social competence in Black boys (n = 108) attending publicly sponsored prekindergarten (pre-K) programs. Data for the study were collected as part of the National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) Multi-State Study, a national, longitudinal study examining the quality and outcomes in a representative sample of publicly sponsored pre-K programs in six states (N = 240). Pre-K and kindergarten teachers rated randomly selected children on measures of abstract thinking, self-regulation, and social functioning at the beginning and end of each school year. Applying structural equation modeling, compared with earlier time points, HOT measured in the fall of kindergarten significantly predicted each of the domains of social competence in the spring of kindergarten, with the exception of peer social skills, while controlling for general cognitive ability. Results suggest that early intervention to improve HOT may be an effective and more focused approach to address concerns about Black boys' early social competencies in specific domains and potentially reduce the risk of later social difficulties. © 2013 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Behaviors and Knowledge of HealthCorps New York City High School Students: Nutrition, Mental Health and Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Moonseong, Heo; Erica, Irvin; Natania, Ostrovsky; Carmen, Isasi; Shawn, Hayes; Judith, Wylie-Rosett

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND HealthCorps provides school wellness programming using curricula to promote changes in nutrition, mental health and physical activity behaviors. The research objective was to evaluate effects of implementing its curricula on nutrition, mental health and physical activity knowledge and behavior. METHODS Pre- and post-survey data were collected (N = 2255) during the 2012-13 academic year from 14 New York City public high schools. An 18-item knowledge questionnaire addressed 3 domains; 26 behavioral items were analyzed by factor analysis to identify 6 behavior domains, breakfast being a seventh one-item domain. We examined the effects stratified by sex, applying mixed-effects models to take into account clustering effects of schools and participants adjusted for age. RESULTS The HealthCorps program significantly increased all 3 knowledge domains (p < .05), and significantly changed several key behavioral domains. Boys significantly increased fruits/vegetables intake (p = .03). Girls increased acceptance of new fruits/vegetables (p = .03) and breakfast consumption (p = .04), and decreased sugar-sweetened beverages and energy dense food intake (p = .03). The associations between knowledge and behavior were stronger in boys than girls. CONCLUSION The HealthCorps program significantly increased participants’ knowledge on nutrition, mental health and physical activity. It also improved several key behavioral domains, which are targets of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines to address obesity in youth. PMID:26762819

Behaviors and Knowledge of HealthCorps New York City High School Students: Nutrition, Mental Health, and Physical Activity.

PubMed

Heo, Moonseong; Irvin, Erica; Ostrovsky, Natania; Isasi, Carmen; Blank, Arthur E; Lounsbury, David W; Fredericks, Lynn; Yom, Tiana; Ginsberg, Mindy; Hayes, Shawn; Wylie-Rosett, Judith

2016-02-01

HealthCorps provides school wellness programming using curricula to promote changes in nutrition, mental health, and physical activity behaviors. The research objective was to evaluate effects of implementing its curricula on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity knowledge and behavior. Pre- and postsurvey data were collected (N = 2255) during the 2012-2013 academic year from 14 New York City public high schools. An 18-item knowledge questionnaire addressed 3 domains; 26 behavioral items were analyzed by factor analysis to identify 6 behavior domains, breakfast being a seventh 1-item domain. We examined the effects stratified by sex, applying mixed-effects models to take into account clustering effects of schools and participants adjusted for age. The HealthCorps program significantly increased all 3 knowledge domains (p < .05), and significantly changed several key behavioral domains. Boys significantly increased fruits/vegetables intake (p = .03). Girls increased acceptance of new fruits/vegetables (p = .03) and breakfast consumption (p = .04), and decreased sugar-sweetened beverages and energy dense food intake (p = .03). The associations between knowledge and behavior were stronger in boys than girls. The HealthCorps program significantly increased participants' knowledge on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity. It also improved several key behavioral domains, which are targets of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines to address obesity in youth. © 2016, American School Health Association.

NASA Technical Standards Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Paul S.; Vaughan, William W.; Parker, Nelson C. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The NASA Technical Standards Program was officially established in 1997 as result of a directive issued by the Administrator. It is responsible for Agency wide technical standards development, adoption (endorsement), and conversion of Center-unique standards for Agency wide use. One major element of the Program is the review of NSA technical standards products and replacement with non-Government Voluntary Consensus Standards in accordance with directions issued by the Office of Management and Budget. As part of the Program's function, it developed a NASA Integrated Technical Standards Initiative that consists of and Agency wide full-text system, standards update notification system, and lessons learned-standards integration system. The Program maintains a 'one stop-shop' Website for technical standards ad related information on aerospace materials, etc. This paper provides information on the development, current status, and plans for the NAS Technical Standards Program along with metrics on the utility of the products provided to both users within the nasa.gov Domain and the Public Domain.

NASA Technical Standards Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Paul S.; Vaughan, WIlliam W.

2003-01-01

The NASA Technical Standards Program was officially established in 1997 as result of a directive issued by the Administrator. It is responsible for Agency wide technical standards development, adoption (endorsement), and conversion of Center-unique standards for Agency wide use. One major element of the Program is the review of NSA technical standards products and replacement with non-Government Voluntary Consensus Standards in accordance with directions issued by the Office of Management and Budget. As part of the Program s function, it developed a NASA Integrated Technical Standards Initiative that consists of and Agency wide full-text system, standards update notification system, and lessons learned - standards integration system. The Program maintains a "one stop-shop" Website for technical standards ad related information on aerospace materials, etc. This paper provides information on the development, current status, and plans for the NAS Technical Standards Program along with metrics on the utility of the products provided to both users within the nasa.gov Domain and the Public Domain.

Investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey of soil and moisture conservation on public domain lands, 1941-1964

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, H.V.; Melin, K.R.

1979-01-01

The passage of the Taylor Grazing Act in 1934 marked the end of an era in the land policies in the United States in that disposal of the public lands by homesteading was terminated except under rigidly prescribed procedures, and the remaining public lands covering about 175 million acres in the western conterminous states were brought under regulatory authority for grazing use. In 1934 the lands were mostly in a severe state of deterioration as a result of overgrazing and drought. In addition to reducing numbers of livestock using the lands, successive programs of conservation practices were established of which the Soil and Moisture Conservation Program of the Department of the Interior is of particular interest here. The services of the Geological Survey, in an investigational and advisory capacity were enlisted in this program. The work of the Geological Survey has consisted of the collection of hydrologic data, investigations of range-water supplies to facilitate management and provide information for design of structures and land-treatment measures. Appraisal of the effects of treatment practices has also been an important activity. Conservation on the public domain involves mainly growing vegetation for forage and reducing erosion. The two elements are intimately related--accomplishment in one is usually reflected by an improvement in the other. Erosion is a serious problem on most of the public domain, but particularly in the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins where, despite low annual water yields, the public domain and similar lands on the Indian reservations contribute the major part of the sediment measured at the downstream gaging stations. In parts of the Missouri River basin also, erosion is obviously very active but the sediment yield contributed by the public domain cannot be as readily isolated. The reasons for the erosion are generally evident--the erodibility of the rock and soils and the sparsity of vegetation as a result of low precipitation, unfavorable soils, or past land use. How much is due to the land use is still controversial, resulting in many questions relative to planning corrective measures. The problem facing the early administrators of the Taylor Grazing Act to bring about proper use and conservation of the public domain was a difficult one because of the lack of records on actual grazing use in animal-unit months of the qualified allottees and the lack of data on treatment practices in an arid area. Reduction of grazing was imperative in some localities, but generally, it could not be brought about as rapidly as it should have been. Numbers of animal units in the grazing districts were reduced from about 3.6 million in 1941 to about 3.2 million in 1964, whereas the areas included in districts was increased about 3 percent. Reductions are still being made in certain areas where deterioration is evident. One of the earliest activities connected with management of the range was the development of water supplies to facilitate the distribution of grazing. The investigations needed for such development formed a large part of the early work in the Soil and Moisture program of the Geological Survey and has continued to be a major activity to the present time. Most of the work has involved investigations of sites for wells but has included also the investigation of proposed spring developments and collection of hydrologic data for use in reservoir design. Well-site investigations have been of two general types: (1) the investigation of a site selected by the land administration agency, and (2) an areal investigation covering entire grazing districts or units thereof. In each type of investigation, a study is made of the geology and the recharge conditions. Reports are prepared giving estimates of the depth of drilling required, the depth to water, the yield, and the quality of the water, together with other information on drilling conditions and developing. Springs are a significant so

A Matlab-based finite-difference solver for the Poisson problem with mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimer, Ashton S.; Cheviakov, Alexei F.

2013-03-01

A Matlab-based finite-difference numerical solver for the Poisson equation for a rectangle and a disk in two dimensions, and a spherical domain in three dimensions, is presented. The solver is optimized for handling an arbitrary combination of Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions, and allows for full user control of mesh refinement. The solver routines utilize effective and parallelized sparse vector and matrix operations. Computations exhibit high speeds, numerical stability with respect to mesh size and mesh refinement, and acceptable error values even on desktop computers. Catalogue identifier: AENQ_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AENQ_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License v3.0 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 102793 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 369378 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Matlab 2010a. Computer: PC, Macintosh. Operating system: Windows, OSX, Linux. RAM: 8 GB (8, 589, 934, 592 bytes) Classification: 4.3. Nature of problem: To solve the Poisson problem in a standard domain with “patchy surface”-type (strongly heterogeneous) Neumann/Dirichlet boundary conditions. Solution method: Finite difference with mesh refinement. Restrictions: Spherical domain in 3D; rectangular domain or a disk in 2D. Unusual features: Choice between mldivide/iterative solver for the solution of large system of linear algebraic equations that arise. Full user control of Neumann/Dirichlet boundary conditions and mesh refinement. Running time: Depending on the number of points taken and the geometry of the domain, the routine may take from less than a second to several hours to execute.

Water-resources investigations in Pennsylvania; programs and activities of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1990-91

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLanahan, L.O.

1991-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1879, to provide a permanent Federal agency to conduct the systematic and scientific 'classification of the public lands, and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of national domain'. Since 1879, the research and fact-finding role of the USGS has grown and has been modified to meet the changing needs of the Nation it serves. Moneys for program operation of the USGS in Pennsylvania come from joint-funding agreements with State and local agencies , transfer of funds from other Federal agencies, and direct Federal allotments to the USGS. Funding is distributed among the following programs: National Water Quality Assessment; water quality programs; surface water programs; groundwater programs; logging and geophysical services; computer services; scientific publication and information; hydrologic investigations; and hydrologic surveillance. (Lantz-PTT)

Extended Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Health Policy Assessment: A Tutorial.

PubMed

Verguet, Stéphane; Kim, Jane J; Jamison, Dean T

2016-09-01

Health policy instruments such as the public financing of health technologies (e.g., new drugs, vaccines) entail consequences in multiple domains. Fundamentally, public health policies aim at increasing the uptake of effective and efficient interventions and at subsequently leading to better health benefits (e.g., premature mortality and morbidity averted). In addition, public health policies can provide non-health benefits in addition to the sole well-being of populations and beyond the health sector. For instance, public policies such as social and health insurance programs can prevent illness-related impoverishment and procure financial risk protection. Furthermore, public policies can improve the distribution of health in the population and promote the equalization of health among individuals. Extended cost-effectiveness analysis was developed to address health policy assessment, specifically to evaluate the health and financial consequences of public policies in four domains: (1) the health gains; (2) the financial risk protection benefits; (3) the total costs to the policy makers; and (4) the distributional benefits. Here, we present a tutorial that describes both the intent of extended cost-effectiveness analysis and its keys to allow easy implementation for health policy assessment.

WELLHEAD ANALYTIC ELEMENT MODEL FOR WINDOWS

EPA Science Inventory

WhAEM2000 (wellhead analytic element model for Win 98/00/NT/XP) is a public domain, ground-water flow model designed to facilitate capture zone delineation and protection area mapping in support of the State's and Tribe's Wellhead Protection Programs (WHPP) and Source Water Asses...

Realising the Mass Public Benefit of Evidence-Based Psychological Therapies: The IAPT Program

PubMed Central

Clark, David M

2018-01-01

Empirically supported psychological therapies have been developed for many mental health conditions. However, in most countries only a small proportion of the public benefit from these advances. The English Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program aims to bridge the gap between research and practice by training over 10,500 new psychological therapists in empirically supported treatments and deploying them in new services for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Currently IAPT treats over 560,000 patients per year, obtains clinical outcome data on 98.5% of these individuals and places this information in the public domain. Around 50% of patients treated in IAPT services recover and two-thirds show worthwhile benefits. The clinical and economic arguments on which IAPT is based are presented, along with details of the service model, how the program was implemented, and recent findings about service organization. Limitations and future directions are outlined. PMID:29350997

The relationship between school-level characteristics and implementation fidelity of a coordinated school health childhood obesity prevention intervention.

PubMed

Lederer, Alyssa M; King, Mindy H; Sovinski, Danielle; Seo, Dong-Chul; Kim, Nayoung

2015-01-01

Curtailing childhood obesity is a public health imperative. Although multicomponent school-based programs reduce obesity among children, less is known about the implementation fidelity of these interventions. This study examines process evaluation findings for the Healthy, Energetic Ready, Outstanding, Enthusiastic, Schools (HEROES) Initiative, a tri-state school-based childhood obesity prevention intervention based on the coordinated school health (CSH) model. Site visits were conducted that included key stakeholder interviews, observation, and document review. Scores were given for 8 domains, and a total implementation score was calculated. Two-way analyses of variance were conducted to examine the relationship of 4 school-level characteristics: elementary vs. middle/high schools, public vs. private schools, district vs. building level implementation, and socioeconomic status on each implementation area. Overall, schools had high fidelity scores, although some domains were implemented more successfully than others. Three school-level characteristics were associated with 1 or more domains, with elementary schools and schools implementing at the building level consistently having higher implementation scores than their counterparts. Process evaluation findings provide insight into successes and challenges schools implementing the CSH approach may encounter. Although preliminary, these findings on school-level characteristics establish a new area of research related to school-based childhood obesity prevention programs' implementation fidelity. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Development of a core competency model for the master of public health degree.

PubMed

Calhoun, Judith G; Ramiah, Kalpana; Weist, Elizabeth McGean; Shortell, Stephen M

2008-09-01

Core competencies have been used to redefine curricula across the major health professions in recent decades. In 2006, the Association of Schools of Public Health identified core competencies for the master of public health degree in graduate schools and programs of public health. We provide an overview of the model development process and a listing of 12 core domains and 119 competencies that can serve as a resource for faculty and students for enhancing the quality and accountability of graduate public health education and training. The primary vision for the initiative is the graduation of professionals who are more fully prepared for the many challenges and opportunities in public health in the forthcoming decade.

Measuring the Impact of Programs that Challenge the Public Stigma of Mental Illness

PubMed Central

Corrigan, Patrick W.; Shapiro, Jenessa R.

2010-01-01

Public stigma robs people with mental illnesses from rightful opportunities related to work and other important life goals. Advocates have developed anti-stigma programs meant to address the prejudice and discrimination associated with these conditions. Evidence is now needed to make sense of program impact; this paper looks at measurement issues related to stigma change. Community based participatory research is central to this research and includes the involvement of a diverse collection of stakeholders in all phases of evaluation. Investigators should be cautious about measures vis-à-vis social desirability effects and should directed by social validity of targeted audiences. Conceptual domains with some research support that correspond with assessments include behavior, penetration, psychological perspective, knowledge, and physiological/information processes. These issues are summarized as ten recommendations for evaluation of anti-stigma programs. PMID:20674114

Colorado Children's Budget 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado Children's Campaign, 2011

2011-01-01

"Colorado Children's Budget 2011" tallies up Colorado's public investments during FY 2007-08 through FY 2011-12 for programs and services that enhance the well-being of children across four domains--Early Childhood, K-12 Education, Health, and Other Supports. It is intended to be a resource guide for policymakers and advocates who are…

Poster Project to Emphasize Public Health in the Pharmacy Curriculum

PubMed Central

Werremeyer, Amy B.

2011-01-01

Objective To implement and assess a required public health poster project in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Design Third-year PharmD students collaborated in pairs to research a public health topic relating to pharmacy practice. Each student group prepared an informational poster, while receiving feedback from a faculty mentor at each stage of the project. The students presented their completed posters at a statewide pharmacy conference. Assessment Faculty members evaluated the posters with a grading rubric, and students completed a survey instrument that assessed the overall experience. In general, faculty members rated the class highly across all domains of the grading rubric. The class generally agreed that the poster project increased their awareness of public health issues related to pharmacy practice, overall knowledge of public health, and presentation skills. Conclusion The implementation of a poster project was well received by students and faculty members as an effective method for enhancing public health instruction in the PharmD program at North Dakota State University. PMID:21451754

Poster project to emphasize public health in the pharmacy curriculum.

PubMed

Kelsch, Michael P; Werremeyer, Amy B

2011-02-10

To implement and assess a required public health poster project in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Third-year PharmD students collaborated in pairs to research a public health topic relating to pharmacy practice. Each student group prepared an informational poster, while receiving feedback from a faculty mentor at each stage of the project. The students presented their completed posters at a statewide pharmacy conference. Faculty members evaluated the posters with a grading rubric, and students completed a survey instrument that assessed the overall experience. In general, faculty members rated the class highly across all domains of the grading rubric. The class generally agreed that the poster project increased their awareness of public health issues related to pharmacy practice, overall knowledge of public health, and presentation skills. The implementation of a poster project was well received by students and faculty members as an effective method for enhancing public health instruction in the PharmD program at North Dakota State University.

A verification library for multibody simulation software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Sung-Soo; Haug, Edward J.; Frisch, Harold P.

1989-01-01

A multibody dynamics verification library, that maintains and manages test and validation data is proposed, based on RRC Robot arm and CASE backhoe validation and a comparitive study of DADS, DISCOS, and CONTOPS that are existing public domain and commercial multibody dynamic simulation programs. Using simple representative problems, simulation results from each program are cross checked, and the validation results are presented. Functionalities of the verification library are defined, in order to automate validation procedure.

Developing parenting programs to prevent child health risk behaviors: a practice model

PubMed Central

Jackson, Christine; Dickinson, Denise M.

2009-01-01

Research indicates that developing public health programs to modify parenting behaviors could lead to multiple beneficial health outcomes for children. Developing feasible effective parenting programs requires an approach that applies a theory-based model of parenting to a specific domain of child health and engages participant representatives in intervention development. This article describes this approach to intervention development in detail. Our presentation emphasizes three points that provide key insights into the goals and procedures of parenting program development. These are a generalized theoretical model of parenting derived from the child development literature, an established eight-step parenting intervention development process and an approach to integrating experiential learning methods into interventions for parents and children. By disseminating this framework for a systematic theory-based approach to developing parenting programs, we aim to support the program development efforts of public health researchers and practitioners who recognize the potential of parenting programs to achieve primary prevention of health risk behaviors in children. PMID:19661165

Computer Aided Method for System Safety and Reliability Assessments

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

program between 1998 and 2003. This tool was not marketed in the public domain after the CRV program ended. The other tool is called eXpress, and it...support Government reviewed and approved analyses methodologies which can 5 then be shared with other government agencies and industry partners...Documented for B&R, UP&L, EPRI 30 DEC 80 GO IBM Version Enhanced at UCC , Dallas, Descriptors, Facility to Alter Array Sizes, Explanation of Use 1 SEP 82

Collaborative implementation for ecological restoration on US public lands: implications for legal context, accountability, and adaptive management

Treesearch

William H. Butler; Ashley Monroe; Sarah McCaffrey

2015-01-01

The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP), established in 2009, encourages collaborative landscape scale ecosystem restoration efforts on United States Forest Service (USFS) lands. Although the USFS employees have experience engaging in collaborative planning, CFLRP requires collaboration in implementation, a domain where little prior experience...

Software engineering ethics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bown, Rodney L.

1991-01-01

Software engineering ethics is reviewed. The following subject areas are covered: lack of a system viewpoint; arrogance of PC DOS software vendors; violation od upward compatibility; internet worm; internet worm revisited; student cheating and company hiring interviews; computing practitioners and the commodity market; new projects and old programming languages; schedule and budget; and recent public domain comments.

Development of a Core Competency Model for the Master of Public Health Degree

PubMed Central

Calhoun, Judith G.; Ramiah, Kalpana; Weist, Elizabeth McGean; Shortell, Stephen M.

2008-01-01

Core competencies have been used to redefine curricula across the major health professions in recent decades. In 2006, the Association of Schools of Public Health identified core competencies for the master of public health degree in graduate schools and programs of public health. We provide an overview of the model development process and a listing of 12 core domains and 119 competencies that can serve as a resource for faculty and students for enhancing the quality and accountability of graduate public health education and training. The primary vision for the initiative is the graduation of professionals who are more fully prepared for the many challenges and opportunities in public health in the forthcoming decade. PMID:18633093

Clients’ perceptions of the quality of care in Mexico City’s public-sector legal abortion program

PubMed Central

Becker, Davida; Díaz-Olavarrieta, Claudia; Juárez, Clara; García, Sandra G.; Sanhueza, Patricio; Harper, Cynthia C.

2014-01-01

Context In 2007 the Mexico City legislature made the groundbreaking decision to legalize first trimester abortion. Limited research has been conducted to understand clients’ perceptions of the abortion services available in public sector facilities. Methods We measured clients’ perceptions of quality of care at three public sector sites in Mexico City in 2009 (n=402). We assessed six domains of quality of care (client-staff interaction, information provision, technical competence, post-abortion contraceptive services, accessibility, and the facility environment), and conducted ordinal logistic regression analysis to identify which domains were important to women for their overall evaluation of care. We measured the association of overall service evaluation with socio-demographic factors and abortion-visit characteristics, in addition to specific quality of care domains. Results Clients reported a high quality of care for abortion services with an overall mean rating of 8.8 out of 10. Multivariable analysis showed that important domains for high evaluation included client perception of doctor as technically skilled (p<0.05), comfort with doctor (p<0.001), perception of confidentiality (p<.01), perception that receptionist was respectful (p<.05) and counseling on self-care at home following the abortion and post-abortion emotions (p<0.05 and p<0.01). Other relevant domains for high evaluation were convenient site hours (p<0.01), waiting time (p<0.001) and clean facility (p<0.05). Nulliparous women rated their care less favorably than parous women (p<0.05). Conclusions Our findings highlight important domains of service quality to women’s overall evaluations of abortion care in Mexico City. Strategies to improve clients’ service experiences should focus on improving counseling, service accessibility and waiting time. PMID:22227626

UTM: Universal Transit Modeller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deeg, Hans J.

2014-12-01

The Universal Transit Modeller (UTM) is a light-curve simulator for all kinds of transiting or eclipsing configurations between arbitrary numbers of several types of objects, which may be stars, planets, planetary moons, and planetary rings. A separate fitting program, UFIT (Universal Fitter) is part of the UTM distribution and may be used to derive best fits to light-curves for any set of continuously variable parameters. UTM/UFIT is written in IDL code and its source is released in the public domain under the GNU General Public License.

37 CFR 201.26 - Recordation of documents pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer software. 201.26 Section 201.26... public domain computer software. (a) General. This section prescribes the procedures for submission of legal documents pertaining to computer shareware and the deposit of public domain computer software...

37 CFR 201.26 - Recordation of documents pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer software. 201.26 Section 201.26... public domain computer software. (a) General. This section prescribes the procedures for submission of legal documents pertaining to computer shareware and the deposit of public domain computer software...

37 CFR 201.26 - Recordation of documents pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer software. 201.26 Section 201.26... public domain computer software. (a) General. This section prescribes the procedures for submission of legal documents pertaining to computer shareware and the deposit of public domain computer software...

37 CFR 201.26 - Recordation of documents pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer software. 201.26 Section 201.26... public domain computer software. (a) General. This section prescribes the procedures for submission of legal documents pertaining to computer shareware and the deposit of public domain computer software...

Working toward financial sustainability of integrated behavioral health services in a public health care system.

PubMed

Monson, Samantha Pelican; Sheldon, J Christopher; Ivey, Laurie C; Kinman, Carissa R; Beacham, Abbie O

2012-06-01

The need, benefit, and desirability of behavioral health integration in primary care is generally accepted and has acquired widespread positive regard. However, in many health care settings the economics, business aspects, and financial sustainability of practice in integrated care settings remains an unsolved puzzle. Organizational administrators may be reluctant to expand behavioral health services without evidence that such programs offer clear financial benefits and financial sustainability. The tendency among mental health professionals is to consider positive clinical outcomes (e.g., reduced depression) as being globally valued indicators of program success. Although such outcomes may be highly valued by primary care providers and patients, administrative decision makers may require demonstration of more tangible financial outcomes. These differing views require program developers and evaluators to consider multiple outcome domains including clinical/psychological symptom reduction, potential cost benefit, and cost offset. The authors describe a process by which a pilot demonstration project is being implemented to demonstrate programmatic outcomes with a focus on the following: 1) clinician efficiency, 2) improved health outcomes, and 3) direct revenue generation associated with the inclusion of integrated primary care in a public health care system. The authors subsequently offer specific future directions and commentary regarding financial evaluation in each of these domains.

Increasing the Translation of Evidence Into Practice, Policy, and Public Health Improvements: A Framework for Training Health Professionals in Implementation and Dissemination Science

PubMed Central

Gonzales, Ralph; Handley, Margaret A.; Ackerman, Sara; O’Sullivan, Patricia S.

2012-01-01

The authors describe a conceptual framework for implementation and dissemination science (IDS) and propose competencies for IDS training. Their framework is designed to facilitate the application of theories and methods from the distinct domains of clinical disciplines (e.g., medicine, public health), population sciences (e.g., biostatistics, epidemiology) and translational disciplines (e.g., social and behavioral sciences, business administration education). They explore three principles that guided the development of their conceptual framework: Behavior change among organizations and/or individuals (providers, patients) is inherent in the translation process; engagement of stakeholder organizations, health care delivery systems, and individuals is imperative to achieve effective translation and sustained improvements; and IDS research is iterative, benefiting from cycles and collaborative, bidirectional relationships. The authors propose seven domains for IDS training--team science, context identification, literature identification and assessment, community engagement, intervention design and research implementation, evaluation of effect of translational activity, behavioral change communication strategies--and define twelve IDS training competencies within these domains. As a model, they describe specific courses introduced at the University of California, San Francisco, which they designed to develop these competencies. The authors encourage other training programs and institutions to use (or adapt) the design principles, conceptual framework, And proposed competencies to evaluate their current IDS training needs and to support new program development. PMID:22373617

Progress in Public Health Emergency Preparedness-United States, 2001-2016.

PubMed

Murthy, Bhavini Patel; Molinari, Noelle-Angelique M; LeBlanc, Tanya T; Vagi, Sara J; Avchen, Rachel N

2017-09-01

To evaluate the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program's progress toward meeting public health preparedness capability standards in state, local, and territorial health departments. All 62 PHEP awardees completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's self-administered PHEP Impact Assessment as part of program review measuring public health preparedness capability before September 11, 2001 (9/11), and in 2014. We collected additional self-reported capability self-assessments from 2016. We analyzed trends in congressional funding for public health preparedness from 2001 to 2016. Before 9/11, most PHEP awardees reported limited preparedness capabilities, but considerable progress was reported by 2016. The number of jurisdictions reporting established capability functions within the countermeasures and mitigation domain had the largest increase, almost 200%, by 2014. However, more than 20% of jurisdictions still reported underdeveloped coordination between the health system and public health agencies in 2016. Challenges and barriers to building PHEP capabilities included lack of trained personnel, plans, and sustained resources. Considerable progress in public health preparedness capability was observed from before 9/11 to 2016. Support, sustainment, and advancement of public health preparedness capability is critical to ensure a strong public health infrastructure.

Print information to inform decisions about mammography screening participation in 16 countries with population-based programs.

PubMed

Zapka, Jane G; Geller, Berta M; Bulliard, Jean-Luc; Fracheboud, Jacques; Sancho-Garnier, Helene; Ballard-Barbash, Rachel

2006-10-01

To profile and compare the content and presentation of written communications related to informed decision-making about mammography. Materials from 16 screening programs organized at the national or regional level were analyzed according to five major information domains suggested by the international literature. A majority of countries provided information on the program (interval, cost and quality). There was considerable variability in comprehensiveness of elements in the domains, e.g., test characteristics (false positive/negative) and pros and cons of screening. The majority noted the likelihood of recall for further tests, few commented on the risks of additional tests or finding unimportant tumors. The audit also found variation in presentation (words and pictures). Presentation of comprehensive, but balanced information on screening benefits and risks is complex and daunting. Issues such as framing effects, coupled with debate about screening efficacy are challenging to the design of effective information tools. The objective of increasing screening prevalence at the population level must be balanced with objectively presenting complete and clear information. Additional research is needed on how information (and mode of presentation) impact screening decisions. Public health officials need to articulate their objectives and review written communication according to important decision-making domains.

SEAWAT: A Computer Program for Simulation of Variable-Density Groundwater Flow and Multi-Species Solute and Heat Transport

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langevin, Christian D.

2009-01-01

SEAWAT is a MODFLOW-based computer program designed to simulate variable-density groundwater flow coupled with multi-species solute and heat transport. The program has been used for a wide variety of groundwater studies including saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers, aquifer storage and recovery in brackish limestone aquifers, and brine migration within continental aquifers. SEAWAT is relatively easy to apply because it uses the familiar MODFLOW structure. Thus, most commonly used pre- and post-processors can be used to create datasets and visualize results. SEAWAT is a public domain computer program distributed free of charge by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Competency Guidelines for Public Health Laboratory Professionals: CDC and the Association of Public Health Laboratories.

PubMed

Ned-Sykes, Renée; Johnson, Catherine; Ridderhof, John C; Perlman, Eva; Pollock, Anne; DeBoy, John M

2015-05-15

These competency guidelines outline the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for public health laboratory (PHL) professionals to deliver the core services of PHLs efficiently and effectively. As part of a 2-year workforce project sponsored in 2012 by CDC and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), competencies for 15 domain areas were developed by experts representing state and local PHLs, clinical laboratories, academic institutions, laboratory professional organizations, CDC, and APHL. The competencies were developed and reviewed by approximately 170 subject matter experts with diverse backgrounds and experiences in laboratory science and public health. The guidelines comprise general, cross-cutting, and specialized domain areas and are divided into four levels of proficiency: beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. The 15 domain areas are 1) Quality Management System, 2) Ethics, 3) Management and Leadership, 4) Communication, 5) Security, 6) Emergency Management and Response, 7) Workforce Training, 8) General Laboratory Practice, 9) Safety, 10) Surveillance, 11) Informatics, 12) Microbiology, 13) Chemistry, 14) Bioinformatics, and 15) Research. These competency guidelines are targeted to scientists working in PHLs, defined as governmental public health, environmental, and agricultural laboratories that provide analytic biological and/or chemical testing and testing-related services that protect human populations against infectious diseases, foodborne and waterborne diseases, environmental hazards, treatable hereditary disorders, and natural and human-made public health emergencies. The competencies support certain PHL workforce needs such as identifying job responsibilities, assessing individual performance, and providing a guiding framework for producing education and training programs. Although these competencies were developed specifically for the PHL community, this does not preclude their broader application to other professionals in a variety of different work settings.

Health Promotion Education in India: Present Landscape and Future Vistas

PubMed Central

Pati, Sanghamitra; Sharma, Kavya; Zodpey, Sanjay; Chauhan, Kavita; Dobe, Madhumita

2012-01-01

‘Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health’. This stream of public health is emerging as a critical domain within the realm of disease prevention. Over the last two decades, the curative model of health care has begun a subtle shift towards a participatory model of health promotion emphasizing upon practice of healthy lifestyles and creating healthy communities. Health promotion encompasses five key strategies with health communication and education as its cornerstones. Present study is an attempt to explore the current situation of health promotion education in India with an aim to provide a background for capacity building in health promotion. A systematic predefined method was adopted to collect and compile information on existing academic programs pertaining to health promotion and health education/communication. Results of the study reveal that currently health promotion education in India is fragmented and not uniform across institutes. It is yet to be recognized as a critical domain of public health education. Mostly teaching of health promotion is limited to health education and communication. There is a need for designing programmes for short-term and long-term capacity building, with focus on innovative methods and approaches. Public health institutes and associations could play a proactive role in designing and imparting academic programs on health promotion. Enhancing alliances with various institutes involved in health promotion activities and networking among public health and medical institutes as well as health services delivery systems would be more productive. PMID:22980352

Software Descriptions. Micro-computers: Atari, Apple, PET, TRS-80.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olivero, James L.

Each of the more than 200 educational software programs developed by both commercial and public domain sources which are described is intended for use with one of the four microcomputers most frequently used for instructional purposes--Atari, Apple, PET, and TRS-80. These descriptions are offered as a service for those who are just beginning to…

WORKING WITH WHAEM2000: SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT FOR A GLACIAL OUTWASH WELLFIELD, VINCENNES, INDIANA (REVISED MARCH 2003)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this document is to introduce the use of the ground water geohydrology computer program WhAEM for Microsoft Windows (32-bit), or WhAEM2000. WhAEM2000 is a public domain, ground-water flow model designed to facilitate capture zone delineation and protection area map...

Response to Evaluation Field Building in South Asia: Reflections, Anecdotes, and Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Jean A.

2010-01-01

The author is increasingly sensitive to the Venn diagram of overlapping expertise in which program evaluation intersects a content area such as public health, urban education, or--in the case of Katherine Hay--international development. Many evaluators practice in these areas of overlap, experts in the evaluation of a specific domain. Given her…

Software For Computing Reliability Of Other Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nikora, Allen; Antczak, Thomas M.; Lyu, Michael

1995-01-01

Computer Aided Software Reliability Estimation (CASRE) computer program developed for use in measuring reliability of other software. Easier for non-specialists in reliability to use than many other currently available programs developed for same purpose. CASRE incorporates mathematical modeling capabilities of public-domain Statistical Modeling and Estimation of Reliability Functions for Software (SMERFS) computer program and runs in Windows software environment. Provides menu-driven command interface; enabling and disabling of menu options guides user through (1) selection of set of failure data, (2) execution of mathematical model, and (3) analysis of results from model. Written in C language.

An Introduction to Fractals and Chaos

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

figures in this report were created with programs written in Turbo Pascal 4.0 on a Zenith 248 with EGA. They are in the public domain. A figure was...upgraded both his graphics 1975, with the publication of his first and photographic equipment to pro- book in French, translated into English duce, with...spi.ce 1v.rtr!0!ts .... ....,, ,, ..... ,. -, 1 0 0.8 b 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 Figure 3. A parafita i the ield of aaus’ i’arer ;% omnics , thi t. uiac 1, .- ~VO.iil

WORKING WITH WHAEM2000: CAPTURE ZONE DELINEATION FOR A CITY WELLFIELD IN A VALLEY FILL GLACIAL OUTWASH AQUIFER SUPPORTING WELLHEAD PROTECTION

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this document is to introduce through a case study the use of the ground water geohydrology computer program WhAEM for Microsoft Windows (32-bit), or WhAEM2000. WhAEM2000 is a public domain, ground-water flow model designed to facilitate capture zone delineation an...

National Strategy for Aviation Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-26

for Aviation Security (hereafter referred to as the Strategy) to protect the Nation and its interests from threats in the Air Domain. The Secretary of... Aviation security is best achieved by integrating public and private aviation security global activities into a coordinated effort to detect, deter...might occur. The Strategy aligns Federal government aviation security programs and initiatives into a comprehensive and cohesive national effort

Reconciling Estimates of the Value to Firms of Reduced Regulatory Delay in the Marketing of Their New Drugs.

PubMed

Wilmoth, Daniel R

2015-12-01

The prescription drug user fee program provides additional resources to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the expense of regulated firms. Those resources accelerate the review of new drugs. Faster approvals allow firms to realize profits sooner, and the program is supported politically by industry. However, published estimates of the value to firms of reduced regulatory delay vary dramatically. It is shown here that this variation is driven largely by differences in methods that correspond to differences in implicit assumptions about the effects of reduced delay. Theoretical modeling is used to derive an equation describing the relationship between estimates generated using different methods. The method likely to yield the most accurate results is identified. A reconciliation of published estimates yields a value to a firm for a one-year reduction in regulatory delay at the time of approval of about $60 million for a typical drug. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the U.S.A. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A distributed version of the NASA Engine Performance Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cours, Jeffrey T.; Curlett, Brian P.

1993-01-01

Distributed NEPP, a version of the NASA Engine Performance Program, uses the original NEPP code but executes it in a distributed computer environment. Multiple workstations connected by a network increase the program's speed and, more importantly, the complexity of the cases it can handle in a reasonable time. Distributed NEPP uses the public domain software package, called Parallel Virtual Machine, allowing it to execute on clusters of machines containing many different architectures. It includes the capability to link with other computers, allowing them to process NEPP jobs in parallel. This paper discusses the design issues and granularity considerations that entered into programming Distributed NEPP and presents the results of timing runs.

Core elements of hospital antibiotic stewardship programs from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PubMed

Pollack, Loria A; Srinivasan, Arjun

2014-10-15

The proven benefits of antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) for optimizing antibiotic use and minimizing adverse events, such as Clostridium difficile and antibiotic resistance, have prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recommend that all hospitals have an ASP. This article summarizes Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs, a recently released CDC document focused on defining the infrastructure and practices of coordinated multidisciplinary programs to improve antibiotic use and patient care in US hospitals. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Healthy Workplaces? A Survey of Massachusetts Employers

PubMed Central

Tremblay, Patricia A.; Nobrega, Suzanne; Davis, Letitia; Erck, Elizabeth; Punnett, Laura

2018-01-01

Purpose This study examines worksite health promotion (WHP) and occupational health and safety (OHS) activities by Massachusetts employers, and the extent to which workplaces with programming in one domain were more likely to have the other as well. Design In 2008, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health surveyed a stratified sample of Massachusetts worksites. Setting A mailed questionnaire to be completed by workplace representatives. Subjects Massachusetts worksites returning the questionnaire. Measures Questionnaire items about worksite characteristics, WHP, and some OHS practices. Analysis We scored levels of WHP and OHS activity; examined the relationship between activities in the two domains by employer characteristics; and assessed self-reported coordination between them. Results The 890 responding worksites had higher scores for OHS (mean = 48% of practices, SD = 24%) than WHP (mean = 20%, SD = 12%). The difference between these scores varied by a factor of two across industry sectors and was smallest for workforces of 100+ employees (p = .001). Employers with no unionized workers reported fewer activities in both domains (p < .0001). Only 28% of respondents reported always/often coordinating OHS and WHP efforts; these organizations had more activities overall in both domains. Conclusion Larger and unionized workplaces in Massachusetts were more likely to offer both WHP and OHS programming. Self-reported coordination was somewhat associated with more activity in both domains, although levels of WHP activity varied widely. PMID:23470184

Informatics research using publicly available pathology data.

PubMed

Berman, Jules J

2011-01-24

The day has not arrived when pathology departments freely distribute their collected anatomic and clinical data for research purposes. Nonetheless, several valuable public domain data sets are currently available, from the U.S. Government. Two public data sets of special interest to pathologists are the SEER (the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program) public use data files, and the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) mortality files. The SEER files contain about 4 million de-identified cancer records, dating from 1973. The CDC mortality files contain approximately 85 million de-identified death records, dating from 1968. This editorial briefly describes both data sources, how they can be obtained, and how they may be used for pathology research.

An innovative program for multihandicapped deaf students using the FSSI.

PubMed

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

1991-07-01

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

Theoretical basis of the DOE-2 building energy use analysis program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtis, R. B.

1981-04-01

A user-oriented, public domain, computer program was developed that will enable architects and engineers to perform design and retrofit studies of the energy-use of buildings under realistic weather conditions. The DOE-2.1A has been named by the US DOE as the standard evaluation technique for the Congressionally mandated building energy performance standards (BEPS). A number of program design decisions were made that determine the breadth of applicability of DOE-2.1. Such design decisions are intrinsic to all building energy use analysis computer programs and determine the types of buildings or the kind of HVAC systems that can be modeled. In particular, the weighting factor method used in DOE-2 has both advantages and disadvantages relative to other computer programs.

37 CFR 201.26 - Recordation of documents pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... pertaining to computer shareware and donation of public domain computer software. 201.26 Section 201.26... of public domain computer software. (a) General. This section prescribes the procedures for... software under section 805 of Public Law 101-650, 104 Stat. 5089 (1990). Documents recorded in the...

Geographic Disparities in Access to Syringe Services Programs Among Young Persons With Hepatitis C Virus Infection in the United States.

PubMed

Canary, Lauren; Hariri, Susan; Campbell, Cecily; Young, Randall; Whitcomb, Jeannette; Kaufman, Harvey; Vellozzi, Claudia

2017-08-01

Using commercial laboratory data, we found 80% of 29382 young persons currently infected with hepatitis C virus lived >10 miles from a syringe services program. The median distance was 37 miles, with greater distances in rural areas and Southern and Midwestern states. Strategies to improve access to preventive services are warranted. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Variation in school health policies and programs by demographic characteristics of US schools, 2006.

PubMed

Balaji, Alexandra B; Brener, Nancy D; McManus, Tim

2010-12-01

To identify whether school health policies and programs vary by demographic characteristics of schools, using data from the School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006. This study updates a similar study conducted with SHPPS 2000 data and assesses several additional policies and programs measured for the first time in SHPPS 2006. SHPPS 2006 assessed the status of 8 components of the coordinated school health model using a nationally representative sample of public, Catholic, and private schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Data were collected from school faculty and staff using computer-assisted personal interviews and then linked with extant data on school characteristics. Results from a series of regression analyses indicated that a number of school policies and programs varied by school type (public, Catholic, or private), urbanicity, school size, discretionary dollars per pupil, percentage of white students, percentage of students qualifying for free lunch funds, and, among high schools, percentage of college-bound students. Catholic and private schools, smaller schools, and those with low discretionary dollars per pupil did not have as many key school health policies and programs as did schools that were public, larger, and had higher discretionary dollars per pupil. However, no single type of school had all key components of a coordinated school health program in place. Although some categories of schools had fewer policies and programs in place, all had both strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of school characteristics, all schools have the potential to implement a quality school health program. © Published 2010. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Assessment of the Sustainability Capacity of a Coordinated Approach to Chronic Disease Prevention.

PubMed

Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Combs, Todd; Polk, LaShaun; Dexter, Sarah

This article outlines some factors that influenced the sustainability capacity of a coordinated approach to chronic disease prevention in state and territory health departments. This study involved a cross-sectional design and mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected using the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT), a 40-item multiple-choice instrument that assesses 8 domains of sustainability capacity (environmental support, funding stability, partnerships, organizational capacity, program evaluation, program adaptation, communications, and strategic planning). Qualitative data were collected via phone interviews. The PSAT was administered to staff and stakeholders from public health departments in 50 US states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, who were involved in the implementation of coordinated chronic disease programs. Phone interviews were conducted with program coordinators in each state. Sustainability score patterns and state-level categorical results, as well as strengths and opportunities for improvement across the 8 program sustainability domains, were explored. On average, programs reported the strongest sustainability capacity in the domains of program adaptation, environmental support, and organizational capacity, while funding stability, strategic planning, and communications yielded lowest scores, indicating weakest capacity. Scores varied the most by state in environmental support and strategic planning. The PSAT results highlight the process through which states approached the sustainability of coordinated chronic disease initiatives. This process included an initial focus on program evaluation and partnerships with transfer of priority to long-term strategic planning, communications, and funding stability to further establish coordinated chronic disease efforts. Qualitative interviews provided further context to PSAT results, indicating that leadership, communications, partnerships, funding stability, and policy change were perceived as keys to success of the transition. Integrating these findings into future efforts may help those in transition establish greater sustainability capacity. The PSAT results and interviews provide insight into the capacity for sustainability for programs transitioning from traditional siloed programs to coordinated chronic disease programs.

Engagement of National Board of Examinations in strengthening public health education in India: present landscape, opportunities and future directions.

PubMed

Sharma, Anjali; Zodpey, Sanjay; Batra, Bipin

2014-01-01

A trained and adequate heath workforce forms the crux in designing, implementing and monitoring health programs and delivering quality health services. Education is recognized as a critical instrument for creating such trained health professionals who can effectively address the 21 st century health challenges. At present, the Public Health Education in India is offered through medical colleges and also outside the corridors of medical colleges which was not the scenario earlier. Traditionally, Public Health Education has been a domain of medical colleges and was open for medical graduates only. In order to standardize the Postgraduate Medical Education in India, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) was set up as an independent autonomous body of its kind in the country in the field of medical sciences with the prime objective of improving the quality of the medical education. NBE has also played a significant role in enhancing Public Health Education in India through its Diplomat of National Board (DNB) Programs in Social and Preventive Medicine, Health and Hospital Administration, Maternal and Child Health, Family Medicine and Field Epidemiology. It envisions creating a cadre of skilled and motivated public health professionals and also developing a roadmap for postgraduate career pathways. However, there still exists gamut of opportunities for it to engage in expanding the scope of Public Health Education. It can play a key role in accreditation of public health programs and institutions which can transform the present landscape of education of health professionals. It also needs to revisit and re-initiate programs like DNB in Tropical Medicine and Occupational Health which were discontinued. The time is imperative for NBE to seize these opportunities and take necessary actions in strengthening and expanding the scope of Public Health Education in India.

Using the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool to Assess and Plan for Sustainability

PubMed Central

Mainor, Avia; Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Maier, Ryan C.; Brossart, Laura; Luke, Douglas A.

2014-01-01

Implementing and growing a public health program that benefits society takes considerable time and effort. To ensure that positive outcomes are maintained over time, program managers and stakeholders should plan and implement activities to build sustainability capacity within their programs. We describe a 3-part sustainability planning process that programs can follow to build their sustainability capacity. First, program staff and stakeholders take the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool to measure their program’s sustainability across 8 domains. Next, managers and stakeholders use results from the assessment to inform and prioritize sustainability action planning. Lastly, staff members implement the plan and keep track of progress toward their sustainability goals. Through this process, staff can more holistically address the internal and external challenges and pressures associated with sustaining a program. We include a case example of a chronic disease program that completed the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool and engaged in program sustainability planning. PMID:24456644

A UML-based meta-framework for system design in public health informatics.

PubMed

Orlova, Anna O; Lehmann, Harold

2002-01-01

The National Agenda for Public Health Informatics calls for standards in data and knowledge representation within public health, which requires a multi-level framework that links all aspects of public health. The literature of public health informatics and public health informatics application were reviewed. A UML-based systems analysis was performed. Face validity of results was evaluated in analyzing the public health domain of lead poisoning. The core class of the UML-based system of public health is the Public Health Domain, which is associated with multiple Problems, for which Actors provide Perspectives. Actors take Actions that define, generate, utilize and/or evaluate Data Sources. The life cycle of the domain is a sequence of activities attributed to its problems that spirals through multiple iterations and realizations within a domain. The proposed Public Health Informatics Meta-Framework broadens efforts in applying informatics principles to the field of public health

Localization of Acoustic Transients in Shallow Water Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

effect of the source signal uncertainty (in localizer performance . The localization process consists of two parts. First, a time domain propagation...for public release; distribution is unlimited 4. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) 5. MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) E OF PERFORMING ...SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM PROJECT TASK WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO. 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) LOCALIZATION OF

Stream temperature investigations: field and analytic methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholow, J.M.

1989-01-01

Alternative public domain stream and reservoir temperature models are contrasted with SNTEMP. A distinction is made between steady-flow and dynamic-flow models and their respective capabilities. Regression models are offered as an alternative approach for some situations, with appropriate mathematical formulas suggested. Appendices provide information on State and Federal agencies that are good data sources, vendors for field instrumentation, and small computer programs useful in data reduction.

Investigating stakeholders' perceptions of the link between high STD rates and the current Baltimore City Public Schools' sex education curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolden, Shenell L. T.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine key stakeholders' perceptions of the current Baltimore City Public Schools' (BCPS) sex education curriculum and to gain insight into how they believe the curriculum could be modified to be more effective. A mixed methods approach using qualitative and quantitative data collection consisting of a survey, focus group interview, and individual interviews was conducted to gather information on stakeholders' perceptions. The stakeholders included: (1) former students who received their sex education courses in the Baltimore City Public School system (BCPS); (2) teachers in BCPS who were affiliated with the sex education curriculum; (3) health care professionals who screened and/or treated East Baltimore City residents for a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and; (4) one policy maker who was responsible for creating sex education curriculum at the national level. Analysis of the quantitative data from former Baltimore City Public School students revealed a general satisfaction with the current sex education curriculum. However, qualitative data from the same group of stakeholders revealed several changes they thought should be implemented into the program in an effort to improve the current curriculum. Findings from the other groups after qualitative analysis of the interviews suggest three major themes in support of curriculum change: (1) a blended curriculum that integrates both the cognitive and affective learning domains; (2) knowledge of prevention of STD's and pregnancy; and (3) authentic teaching and learning. Results from this study strongly suggest that the Baltimore City Public School system is apathetic to the sexual health needs of students and, therefore, is inadvertently contributing to the high rate of sexually transmitted diseases among young people. Keywords: Abstinence, Affective domain, Indoctrination, Behavior Modification, Cognitive domain, Sex education curriculum, Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

An Evaluation on Iran International Public Health Summer School in Relation to its Efficacy Based on Participants' Experience and Opinions.

PubMed

Parnia, Aidin; Yamani, Nikoo; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Badihian, Shervin; Manouchehri, Navid; Fakhri, Maryam

2017-01-01

A serious challenge to educate health staff for public health is to appear encouraging enough to persuade them for learning issues on this field and implementing new educational methods and innovative ways. Iran International Public Health Summer School (IPHS) made an effort to provide medical sciences students with a fortune to get familiar with and involved in public health. This study intended to evaluate the efficacy of this event. This cross-sectional study was performed in March-April 2015 by the help of an electronic self-administered questionnaire filled out by 49 Iranian participants 6 months after IPHS2014. The questionnaire assessed the main goals in seven main domains: Interest, activities, and general knowledge in the field of public health, general skills, educational methods, educational and executive schedules, and general satisfaction. Average scores of all domains were >3 (the mean), and all were statistically significant. The highest average score belonged to educational methods (3.92) and the lowest was calculated for the item regarding participants' activities on public health (3.5). No significant difference was found between positive answers of individuals who were interested or active in public health prior to the event and those who had no background. We believe IPHS was a unique instance in Public Health Education in Iran. Considering the level of success of this program to reach its goals for both students' with or without any previous background on public health, it is recommended as a general model to be simulated in other developing countries.

Crosswords to computers: a critical review of popular approaches to cognitive enhancement.

PubMed

Jak, Amy J; Seelye, Adriana M; Jurick, Sarah M

2013-03-01

Cognitive enhancement strategies have gained recent popularity and have the potential to benefit clinical and non-clinical populations. As technology advances and the number of cognitively healthy adults seeking methods of improving or preserving cognitive functioning grows, the role of electronic (e.g., computer and video game based) cognitive training becomes more relevant and warrants greater scientific scrutiny. This paper serves as a critical review of empirical evaluations of publically available electronic cognitive training programs. Many studies have found that electronic training approaches result in significant improvements in trained cognitive tasks. Fewer studies have demonstrated improvements in untrained tasks within the trained cognitive domain, non-trained cognitive domains, or on measures of everyday function. Successful cognitive training programs will elicit effects that generalize to untrained, practical tasks for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, many studies of electronic cognitive training programs are hindered by methodological limitations such as lack of an adequate control group, long-term follow-up and ecologically valid outcome measures. Despite these limitations, evidence suggests that computerized cognitive training has the potential to positively impact one's sense of social connectivity and self-efficacy.

Improving completion rates of students in biomedical PhD programs: an interventional study.

PubMed

Viđak, Marin; Tokalić, Ružica; Marušić, Matko; Puljak, Livia; Sapunar, Damir

2017-08-25

Analysis of graduation success at the University of Split School of Medicine PhD programs conducted in 2011 revealed that only 11% of students who enrolled and completed their graduate coursework between 1999 and 2011 earned a doctoral degree. In this prospective cohort study we evaluated and compared three PhD programs within the same medical school, where the newest program, called Translational Research in Biomedicine (TRIBE), established in the academic year 2010/11, aimed to increase the graduation rate through an innovative approach. The intervention in the new program was related to three domains: redefined recruitment strategy, strict study regulations, and changes to the curriculum. We compared performance of PhD students between the new and existing programs and analyzed their current status, time to obtain a degree (from enrolment to doctorate), age at doctorate, number of publications on which the thesis was based and the impact factor of journals in which these were published. These improvement strategies were associated with higher thesis completion rate and reduced time to degree for students enrolled in the TRIBE program. There was no change in the impact factor or number of publications that were the basis for the doctoral theses. Our study describes good practices which proved useful in the design or reform of the PhD training program.

Programs and Perspectives of Visible Long Baseline Interferometry VEGA/CHARA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mourard, D.; Nardetto, N.; Ligi, R.; Perraut, K.

VEGA/CHARA is a visible spectro-interferometer installed on the CHARA Array at Mount Wilson Observatory. Combining high spectral resolution (6,000 or 30,000) and high angular resolution (0.3 mas), VEGA/CHARA opens a wide class of astrophysical topics in the stellar physics domain. Circumstellar environments and fundamental parameters with a high precision could be studied. We will present a review of recent results and discuss the programs currently engaged in the field of pulsating stars and more generally for the fundamental stellar parameters. Details could be found at http://www-n.oca.eu/vega/en/publications/index.htm.

Performance management models for public health: Public Health Accreditation Board/Baldrige connections, alignment, and distinctions.

PubMed

Gorenflo, Grace G; Klater, David M; Mason, Marlene; Russo, Pamela; Rivera, Lillian

2014-01-01

The nationally known Malcolm Baldrige Award for Excellence ("Baldrige program") recognizes outstanding performance management and is specifically cited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) as a potential framework for PHAB's requisite performance management system. The authors developed a crosswalk that identifies alignments between the 2 programs and is a highlight of the Quest for Exceptional Performance tool that is intended to help health departments capitalize on the connections between the 2 programs. To provide deeper insight into the most robust connections between the 2 programs. The authors developed a crosswalk by listing the PHAB measures, identifying corresponding Baldrige areas to address, and assigning a rating regarding the strength of the alignment. Subsequently, they generated a matrix with numerical scores reflecting the strength of the PHAB-Baldrige alignments that were then analyzed for frequency and strength of alignment by PHAB domain and by Baldrige category. The tool developers and 3 public health leaders with experience in the Baldrige program contributed to both the design and the analyses. The measures used reflected both the frequency and strength of alignments. Of the 123 alignments identified in the crosswalk, 39 were rated as high, 40 as medium, and 44 as low. The strongest connections were in the areas of performance management, quality improvement, strategic planning, workforce development, assessment and analysis, and customer service. While the areas with the most frequent and strongest connections provide the most useful basis for health departments pursuing Baldrige recognition or using Baldrige criteria as a framework for performance management, all alignments could be considered for both purposes.

[Visualizing Research Lines in Public Health: An analysis Based on Bibliometric Maps Applied to the Revista Española de Salud Pública (2006-2015)].

PubMed

Gálvez, Carmen

2016-12-01

Identifying research lines is essential to understand the knowledge structure of a scientific domain. The aim of this study was to identify the main research topics of within the domain of public health, in the Revista Española de Saslud Pública during 2006-2015. Original articles included in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) database, available online through the Web of Science (WoS), were selected. The analysis units used were the keywords, KeyWords Plus (KW+), extracted automatically by SSCI. With KW+ obtained bibliometric, maps were created using a methodology based on the combination of co-word analysis, co-word analysis, clustering techniques and visualization techniques. We analyzed 512 documents, of which 176 KW+ were obtained with a frequency greater than or equal to 3. The results were bidimensional bibliometric maps with thematic groupings of KW+, representing the main research fronts: i) epidemiology, risk control programs disease and, in general, service organization and health policies; ii) infectious diseases, principally HIV; iii) a progressive increase in several lines interrelated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD); iv) a line multidimensional dedicated to different aspects associated to the quality of life related to health (HRQoL); and v) an emerging line linked to binge drinking. For the multidisciplinary and multidimensional nature of public health, the construction of bibliometric maps is an appropriate methodology to understand the knowledge structure of this scientific domain.

Identifying non-traditional stakeholders with whom to engage, when mitigating antimicrobial resistance in foodborne pathogens (Canada).

PubMed

Majowicz, Shannon E; Parmley, E Jane; Carson, Carolee; Pintar, Katarina

2018-03-12

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical public health issue that involves interrelationships between people, animals, and the environment. Traditionally, interdisciplinary efforts to mitigate AMR in the food chain have involved public health, human and veterinary medicine, and agriculture stakeholders. Our objective was to identify a more diverse range of stakeholders, beyond those traditionally engaged in AMR mitigation efforts, via diagramming both proximal and distal factors impacting, or impacted by, use and resistance along the Canadian food chain. We identified multiple stakeholders that are not traditionally engaged by public health when working to mitigate AMR in the food chain, including those working broadly in the area of food (e.g., nutrition, food security, international market economists) and health (e.g., health communication, program evaluation), as well as in domains as diverse as law, politics, demography, education, and social innovation. These findings can help researchers and policymakers who work on issues related to AMR in the food chain to move beyond engaging the 'traditional' agri-food stakeholders (e.g., veterinarians, farmers), to also engage those from the wider domains identified here, as potential stakeholders in their AMR mitigation efforts.

Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults and Youth: United States, 2015-2016.

PubMed

Hales, Craig M; Carroll, Margaret D; Fryar, Cheryl D; Ogden, Cynthia L

2017-10-01

Obesity is associated with serious health risks. Monitoring obesity prevalence is relevant for public health programs that focus on reducing or preventing obesity. Between 2003–2004 and 2013–2014, there were no significant changes in childhood obesity prevalence, but adults showed an increasing trend. This report provides the most recent national estimates from 2015–2016 on obesity prevalence by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin, and overall estimates from 1999–2000 through 2015–2016. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Defense AT and L. Volume 43, Number 2. March-April 2014

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-16

are in the public domain and may be reprinted or posted on the Internet. When reprint- ing, please credit the author and Defense AT&L. Some photos...driven strategies. The next section describes ex - amples of programs initiated with schedule-driven constraints, while the following section discusses...get to full-rate production (FRP), because those numbers can be very high yet require significant post - production costs to repair or add capability

A Summary of the Foundation Research Program, Fiscal Year 1985.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-12

system in the domain of actuarial science. Publication: T. R. Sivasankaran and M. Jarke, "Coupling Expert .z- Systems and Actuarial Pricing Models... Actuarial Pricing Models," Workshop on Coupling Symbolic and Numerical Computing in Expert Systems, Bellevue, Washington, August 1985. 16 Title: Application...Ramjets", AIAA-85-1177, AIAA/SAE/ ASME /ASEE 21st Joint Propulsion Conference, July 8-10, 1985. A. Gany and D. W. Netzer, "Fuel Performance Evaluation

The Definition, Dimensions, and Domain of Public Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutton, James G.

1999-01-01

Discusses how the field of public relations has left itself vulnerable to other fields that are making inroads into public relations' traditional domain, and to critics who are filling in their own definitions of public relations. Proposes a definition and a three-dimensional framework to compare competing philosophies of public relations and to…

Psychometric properties of the Brazilian-adapted version of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire in public child daycare centers.

PubMed

Filgueiras, Alberto; Pires, Pedro; Maissonette, Silvia; Landeira-Fernandez, J

2013-08-01

Well-designed screening assessment instruments that can evaluate child development in public daycare centers represent an important resource to help improve the quality of these programs, as an early detection method for early developmental delay. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (ASQ-3), comprises a series of 21 questionnaires designed to screen developmental performance in the domains of communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving, and personal-social ability in children aged 2 to 66 months. The purpose of the present work was to translate and adapt all of the ASQ-3 questionnaires for use in Brazilian public child daycare centers and to explore their psychometric characteristics with both Classical Test Theory and Rating Scale analyses from the Rasch model family. A total of 18 Ages & Stages Questionnaires - Brazilian translation (ASQ-BR) questionnaires administered at intervals from 6 to 60 months of age were analyzed based on primary caregiver evaluations of 45,640 children distributed in 468 public daycare centers in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The results indicated that most of the ASQ-BR questionnaires had adequate internal consistency. Exploratory factor analyses yielded a one-factor solution for each domain of all of the ASQ-BR questionnaires. The only exception was the personal-social domain in some of the questionnaires. Item Response Theory based on Rating Scale analysis (infit and outfit mean squares statistics) indicated that only 44 of 540 items showed misfit problems. In summary, the ASQ-BR questionnaires are psychometrically sound developmental screening instruments that can be easily administered by primary caregivers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frequency Domain Computer Programs for Prediction and Analysis of Rail Vehicle Dynamics : Volume 2. Appendixes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-12-01

Frequency domain computer programs developed or acquired by TSC for the analysis of rail vehicle dynamics are described in two volumes. Volume 2 contains program listings including subroutines for the four TSC frequency domain programs described in V...

Assessment of current cybersecurity practices in the public domain : cyber indications and warnings domain.

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

Hamlet, Jason R.; Keliiaa, Curtis M.

This report assesses current public domain cyber security practices with respect to cyber indications and warnings. It describes cybersecurity industry and government activities, including cybersecurity tools, methods, practices, and international and government-wide initiatives known to be impacting current practice. Of particular note are the U.S. Government's Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) and 'Einstein' programs, which are serving to consolidate the Government's internet access points and to provide some capability to monitor and mitigate cyber attacks. Next, this report catalogs activities undertaken by various industry and government entities. In addition, it assesses the benchmarks of HPC capability and other HPC attributes thatmore » may lend themselves to assist in the solution of this problem. This report draws few conclusions, as it is intended to assess current practice in preparation for future work, however, no explicit references to HPC usage for the purpose of analyzing cyber infrastructure in near-real-time were found in the current practice. This report and a related SAND2010-4766 National Cyber Defense High Performance Computing and Analysis: Concepts, Planning and Roadmap report are intended to provoke discussion throughout a broad audience about developing a cohesive HPC centric solution to wide-area cybersecurity problems.« less

People, organizational, and leadership factors impacting informatics support for clinical and translational research

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In recent years, there have been numerous initiatives undertaken to describe critical information needs related to the collection, management, analysis, and dissemination of data in support of biomedical research (J Investig Med 54:327-333, 2006); (J Am Med Inform Assoc 16:316–327, 2009); (Physiol Genomics 39:131-140, 2009); (J Am Med Inform Assoc 18:354–357, 2011). A common theme spanning such reports has been the importance of understanding and optimizing people, organizational, and leadership factors in order to achieve the promise of efficient and timely research (J Am Med Inform Assoc 15:283–289, 2008). With the emergence of clinical and translational science (CTS) as a national priority in the United States, and the corresponding growth in the scale and scope of CTS research programs, the acuity of such information needs continues to increase (JAMA 289:1278–1287, 2003); (N Engl J Med 353:1621–1623, 2005); (Sci Transl Med 3:90, 2011). At the same time, systematic evaluations of optimal people, organizational, and leadership factors that influence the provision of data, information, and knowledge management technologies and methods are notably lacking. Methods In response to the preceding gap in knowledge, we have conducted both: 1) a structured survey of domain experts at Academic Health Centers (AHCs); and 2) a subsequent thematic analysis of public-domain documentation provided by those same organizations. The results of these approaches were then used to identify critical factors that may influence access to informatics expertise and resources relevant to the CTS domain. Results A total of 31 domain experts, spanning the Biomedical Informatics (BMI), Computer Science (CS), Information Science (IS), and Information Technology (IT) disciplines participated in a structured surveyprocess. At a high level, respondents identified notable differences in theaccess to BMI, CS, and IT expertise and services depending on the establishment of a formal BMI academic unit and the perceived relationship between BMI, CS, IS, and IT leaders. Subsequent thematic analysis of the aforementioned public domain documents demonstrated a discordance between perceived and reported integration across and between BMI, CS, IS, and IT programs and leaders with relevance to the CTS domain. Conclusion Differences in people, organization, and leadership factors do influence the effectiveness of CTS programs, particularly with regard to the ability to access and leverage BMI, CS, IS, and IT expertise and resources. Based on this finding, we believe that the development of a better understanding of how optimal BMI, CS, IS, and IT organizational structures and leadership models are designed and implemented is critical to both the advancement of CTS and ultimately, to improvements in the quality, safety, and effectiveness of healthcare. PMID:23388243

Development and feasibility of an evidence-informed self-management education program in pediatric concussion rehabilitation.

PubMed

Hunt, Anne W; De Feo, Luciano; Macintyre, Jennifer; Greenspoon, Dayna; Dick, Talia; Mah, Katherine; Paniccia, Melissa; Provvidenza, Christine; Reed, Nick

2016-08-17

Concussion is a considerable public health problem in youth. However, identifying, understanding and implementing best evidence informed recovery guidelines may be challenging for families given the vast amount of information available in the public domains (e.g. Internet). The objective of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate the feasibility of an evidence-informed self-management education program for concussion recovery in youth. Synthesis of best evidence, principles of knowledge translation and exchange, and expert opinion were integrated within a self-management program framework to develop a comprehensive curriculum. The program was implemented and evaluated in a children's rehabilitation hospital within a universal health care system. A retrospective secondary analysis of anonymous data from a program evaluation survey was used to evaluate program feasibility, to identify features of importance to program participants and to assess changes in participants' knowledge. The program, "Concussion & You" includes a comprehensive, evidence informed, population specific curriculum that teaches participants practical strategies for management of return to school and play, sleep, nutrition, relaxation and energy conservation. A 'wheel of health' is used to facilitate participants' self-management action plan. Results from eighty-seven participant surveys indicate that the program is feasible and participant knowledge increased in all areas of the program with the highest changes reported in knowledge about sleep hygiene, rest and energy conservation. Findings indicate that "Concussion & You" is a feasible program that is acceptable to youth and their families, and fills a health system service gap.

A statistical package for computing time and frequency domain analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brownlow, J.

1978-01-01

The spectrum analysis (SPA) program is a general purpose digital computer program designed to aid in data analysis. The program does time and frequency domain statistical analyses as well as some preanalysis data preparation. The capabilities of the SPA program include linear trend removal and/or digital filtering of data, plotting and/or listing of both filtered and unfiltered data, time domain statistical characterization of data, and frequency domain statistical characterization of data.

The US Air Force suicide prevention program: implications for public health policy.

PubMed

Knox, Kerry L; Pflanz, Steven; Talcott, Gerald W; Campise, Rick L; Lavigne, Jill E; Bajorska, Alina; Tu, Xin; Caine, Eric D

2010-12-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of the US Air Force Suicide Prevention Program (AFSPP) in reducing suicide, and we measured the extent to which air force installations implemented the program. We determined the AFSPP's impact on suicide rates in the air force by applying an intervention regression model to data from 1981 through 2008, providing 16 years of data before the program's 1997 launch and 11 years of data after launch. Also, we measured implementation of program components at 2 points in time: during a 2004 increase in suicide rates, and 2 years afterward. Suicide rates in the air force were significantly lower after the AFSPP was launched than before, except during 2004. We also determined that the program was being implemented less rigorously in 2004. The AFSPP effectively prevented suicides in the US Air Force. The long-term effectiveness of this program depends upon extensive implementation and effective monitoring of implementation. Suicides can be reduced through a multilayered, overlapping approach that encompasses key prevention domains and tracks implementation of program activities.

AM: An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Discovery in Mathematics as Heuristic Search

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

Artificial Intelligence Approach to Discovery in Mathematics as Heuristic Search by Douglas B. Len-t APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED (A...570 AM: An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Discovery in Mathematics as Heuristic Search by Douglas B. Lenat ABSTRACT A program, called "AM", is...While AM’s " approach " to empirical research may be used in other scientific domains, the main limitation (reliance on hindsight) will probably recur

ImageJ: Image processing and analysis in Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasband, W. S.

2012-06-01

ImageJ is a public domain Java image processing program inspired by NIH Image. It can display, edit, analyze, process, save and print 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit images. It can read many image formats including TIFF, GIF, JPEG, BMP, DICOM, FITS and "raw". It supports "stacks", a series of images that share a single window. It is multithreaded, so time-consuming operations such as image file reading can be performed in parallel with other operations.

SBION: A Program for Analyses of Salt-Bridges from Multiple Structure Files.

PubMed

Gupta, Parth Sarthi Sen; Mondal, Sudipta; Mondal, Buddhadev; Islam, Rifat Nawaz Ul; Banerjee, Shyamashree; Bandyopadhyay, Amal K

2014-01-01

Salt-bridge and network salt-bridge are specific electrostatic interactions that contribute to the overall stability of proteins. In hierarchical protein folding model, these interactions play crucial role in nucleation process. The advent and growth of protein structure database and its availability in public domain made an urgent need for context dependent rapid analysis of salt-bridges. While these analyses on single protein is cumbersome and time-consuming, batch analyses need efficient software for rapid topological scan of a large number of protein for extracting details on (i) fraction of salt-bridge residues (acidic and basic). (ii) Chain specific intra-molecular salt-bridges, (iii) inter-molecular salt-bridges (protein-protein interactions) in all possible binary combinations (iv) network salt-bridges and (v) secondary structure distribution of salt-bridge residues. To the best of our knowledge, such efficient software is not available in public domain. At this juncture, we have developed a program i.e. SBION which can perform all the above mentioned computations for any number of protein with any number of chain at any given distance of ion-pair. It is highly efficient, fast, error-free and user friendly. Finally we would say that our SBION indeed possesses potential for applications in the field of structural and comparative bioinformatics studies. SBION is freely available for non-commercial/academic institutions on formal request to the corresponding author (akbanerjee@biotech.buruniv.ac.in).

Empowerment of women for health promotion: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kar, S B; Pascual, C A; Chickering, K L

1999-12-01

The objective of this paper is to identify conditions, factors and methods, which empower women and mothers (WAM) for social action and health promotion movements. WAM are the primary caregivers in almost all cultures; they have demonstrated bold leadership under extreme adversity. Consequently, when empowered and involved, WAM can be effective partners in health promotion programs. The methodology includes a meta-analysis of 40 exemplary case studies from across the world, which meet predetermined criteria, to draw implications for social action and health promotion. Cases were selected from industrialized and less-industrialized nations and from four problem domains affecting quality of life and health: (1) human rights, (2) women's equal rights, (3) economic enhancement and (4) health promotion. Content analysis extracted data from all cases on six dimensions: (1) problem, (2) impetus/leadership, (3) macro-environment, (4) methods used, (5) partners/opponents and (6) impact. Analysis identified seven methods frequently used to EMPOWER (acronym): empowerment education and training, media use and advocacy, public education and participation, organizing associations and unions, work training and micro-enterprise, enabling services and support, and rights protection and promotion. Cochran's Q test confirmed significant differences in the frequencies of methods used. The seven EMPOWER methods were used in this order: enabling services, rights protection/promotion, public education, media use/advocacy, and organizing associations/unions, empowerment education, and work training and micro-enterprise. Media and public education were more frequently used by industrialized than non-industrialized societies (X2 tests). While frequencies of methods used varied in all other comparisons, these differences were not statistically significant, suggesting the importance of these methods across problem domains and levels of industrialization. The paper integrates key findings into an empowerment model consisting of five stages: motivation for action, empowerment support, initial individual action, empowerment program, and institutionalization and replication. Implications for policy and health promotion programs are discussed.

Ethnic Differences for Public Health Knowledge, Health Advocacy Skills, and Health Information Seeking Among High School Students: Community Agents of Change.

PubMed

Kratzke, Cynthia; Rao, Satya; Marquez, Ruben

2018-03-06

Although adult health advocacy programs have been examined in communities, little is known about integrated adolescent health advocacy programs in high schools. The purpose of this study was to examine the health advocacy program impact and ethnic differences among high school students. Using a cross-sectional study, high school students participating in the school-based program completed evaluation surveys. The program domains included upstream causes of health, community assets, and public health advocacy. Bivariate analyses were conducted to examine ethnic differences for public health knowledge, health advocacy skills, and health information seeking behaviors. Using thematic analysis, open-ended survey item responses were coded to identify themes for students' perceptions of community health. Non-Hispanic (n = 72) and Hispanic high school students (n = 182) in ten classes reported owning smartphones (95%) and laptops (76%). Most students (72%) reported seeking online health information. Non-Hispanic students reported significantly higher health advocacy skills for speaking with the class about health issues, identifying community services, or creating health awareness at school than Hispanic students. Non-Hispanic students were more likely to seek health information from fathers and television than Hispanic students. Hispanic students were more likely to seek health information from hospital or clinic staff than non-Hispanic students. Emergent themes included health advocacy skills, community awareness, and individual and community health changes. High schools benefit from integrating health advocacy programs into the core curriculum. Adolescents gain important skills to improve their individual health and engage in changing community health.

Assessing Capacity for Sustainability of Effective Programs and Policies in Local Health Departments.

PubMed

Tabak, Rachel G; Duggan, Katie; Smith, Carson; Aisaka, Kristelle; Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Brownson, Ross C

2016-01-01

Sustainability has been defined as the existence of structures and processes that allow a program to leverage resources to effectively implement and maintain evidence-based public health and is important in local health departments (LHDs) to retain the benefits of effective programs. Explore the applicability of the Program Sustainability Framework in high- and low-capacity LHDs as defined by national performance standards. Case study interviews from June to July 2013. Standard qualitative methodology was used to code transcripts; codes were developed inductively and deductively. Six geographically diverse LHD's (selected from 3 of high and 3 of low capacity) : 35 LHD practitioners. Thematic reports explored the 8 domains (Organizational Capacity, Program Adaptation, Program Evaluation, Communications, Strategic Planning, Funding Stability, Environmental Support, and Partnerships) of the Program Sustainability Framework. High-capacity LHDs described having environmental support, while low-capacity LHDs reported this was lacking. Both high- and low-capacity LHDs described limited funding; however, high-capacity LHDs reported greater funding flexibility. Partnerships were important to high- and low-capacity LHDs, and both described building partnerships to sustain programming. Regarding organizational capacity, high-capacity LHDs reported better access to and support for adequate staff and staff training when compared with low-capacity LHDs. While high-capacity LHDs described integration of program evaluation into implementation and sustainability, low-capacity LHDs reported limited capacity for measurement specifically and evaluation generally. When high-capacity LHDs described program adoption, they discussed an opportunity to adapt and evaluate. Low-capacity LHDs struggled with programs requiring adaptation. High-capacity LHDs described higher quality communication than low-capacity LHDs. High- and low-capacity LHDs described strategic planning, but high-capacity LHDs reported efforts to integrate evidence-based public health. Investments in leadership support for improving organizational capacity, improvements in communication from the top of the organization, integrating program evaluation into implementation, and greater funding flexibility may enhance sustainability of evidence-based public health in LHDs.

Challenges in knowledge translation: the early years of Cancer Care Ontario's Program in Evidence-Based Care.

PubMed

Browman, G P

2012-02-01

Cancer Care Ontario's Program in Evidence-Based Care (pebc) was formalized in 1997 to produce clinical practice guidelines for cancer management for the Province of Ontario. At the time, the gap between guideline development and implementation was beginning to be acknowledged. The Program implemented strategies to promote use of guidelines. The program had to overcome numerous social challenges to survive. Prospective strategies useful to practitioners-including participation, transparent communication, a methodological vision, and methodology skills development offerings-were used to create a culture of research-informed oncology practice within a broad community of practitioners.Reactive strategies ensured the survival of the program in the early years, when some within the influential academic community and among decision-makers were skeptical about the feasibility of a rigorous methodologic approach meeting the fast turnaround times necessary for policy. The paper details the pebc strategies within the context of what was known about knowledge translation (kt) at the time, and it tries to identify key success factors. Many of the barriers faced in the implementation of kt-and the strategies for overcoming them-are unavailable in the public domain because the relevant reporting does not fit the traditional paradigm for publication. Telling the "stories behind the story" should be encouraged to enhance the practice of kt beyond the science.

Impacts of the Boston prekindergarten program on the school readiness of young children with special needs.

PubMed

Weiland, Christina

2016-11-01

Theory and empirical work suggest inclusion preschool improves the school readiness of young children with special needs, but only 2 studies of the model have used rigorous designs that could identify causality. The present study examined the impacts of the Boston Public prekindergarten program-which combined proven language, literacy, and mathematics curricula with coaching-on the language, literacy, mathematics, executive function, and emotional skills of young children with special needs (N = 242). Children with special needs benefitted from the program in all examined domains. Effects were on par with or surpassed those of their typically developing peers. Results are discussed in the context of their relevance for policy, practice, and theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

CALNPS: Computer Analysis Language Naval Postgraduate School Version

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

The graphics capabilities were expanded to include hai copy options using the PlotlO and Disspia araplaics libraries. T’\\u di ,pla. !𔃻z1 options are ...8217:c:n of tbhis page All oiher ediiions are obsc,,C I. nclassified Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. CALNPS Computer Analysis... are now available and the user now has the capability to plot curves from data files from within the CALNPS domain. As CALNPS is a very large program

Smartphone Microscopy of Parasite Eggs Accumulated into a Single Field of View

PubMed Central

Sowerby, Stephen J.; Crump, John A.; Johnstone, Maree C.; Krause, Kurt L.; Hill, Philip C.

2016-01-01

A Nokia Lumia 1020 cellular phone (Microsoft Corp., Auckland, New Zealand) was configured to image the ova of Ascaris lumbricoides converged into a single field of view but on different focal planes. The phone was programmed to acquire images at different distances and, using public domain computer software, composite images were created that brought all the eggs into sharp focus. This proof of concept informs a framework for field-deployable, point of care monitoring of soil-transmitted helminths. PMID:26572870

Hypercluster Parallel Processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blech, Richard A.; Cole, Gary L.; Milner, Edward J.; Quealy, Angela

1992-01-01

Hypercluster computer system includes multiple digital processors, operation of which coordinated through specialized software. Configurable according to various parallel-computing architectures of shared-memory or distributed-memory class, including scalar computer, vector computer, reduced-instruction-set computer, and complex-instruction-set computer. Designed as flexible, relatively inexpensive system that provides single programming and operating environment within which one can investigate effects of various parallel-computing architectures and combinations on performance in solution of complicated problems like those of three-dimensional flows in turbomachines. Hypercluster software and architectural concepts are in public domain.

A curricula-based comparison of biomedical and health informatics programs in the USA

PubMed Central

Hemminger, Bradley M

2011-01-01

Objective The field of Biomedical and Health Informatics (BMHI) continues to define itself, and there are many educational programs offering ‘informatics’ degrees with varied foci. The goal of this study was to develop a scheme for systematic comparison of programs across the entire BMHI spectrum and to identify commonalities among informatics curricula. Design Guided by several published competency sets, a grounded theory approach was used to develop a program/curricula categorization scheme based on the descriptions of 636 courses offered by 73 public health, nursing, health, medical, and bioinformatics programs in the USA. The scheme was then used to compare the programs in the aforementioned five informatics disciplines. Results The authors developed a Course-Based Informatics Program Categorization (CBIPC) scheme that can be used both to classify coursework for any BMHI educational program and to compare programs from the same or related disciplines. The application of CBIPC scheme to the analysis of public health, nursing, health, medical, and bioinformatics programs reveals distinct intradisciplinary curricular patterns and a common core of courses across the entire BMHI education domain. Limitations The study is based on descriptions of courses from the university's webpages. Thus, it is limited to sampling courses at one moment in time, and classification for the coding scheme is based primarily on course titles and course descriptions. Conclusion The CBIPC scheme combines empirical data about educational curricula from diverse informatics programs and several published competency sets. It also provides a foundation for discussion of BMHI education as a whole and can help define subdisciplinary competencies. PMID:21292707

Montessori Public School Pre-K Programs and the School Readiness of Low-Income Black and Latino Children.

PubMed

Ansari, Arya; Winsler, Adam

2014-11-01

Within the United States, there are a variety of early education models and curricula aimed at promoting young children's pre-academic, social, and behavioral skills. This study, using data from the Miami School Readiness Project (MSRP; Winsler et al., 2008, 2012), examined the school readiness gains of low-income Latino ( n = 7,045) and Black children ( n = 6,700) enrolled in two different types of Title-1 public school pre-K programs: those in programs using the Montessori curricula and those in more conventional programs using the High/Scope curricula with a literacy supplement. Parents and teachers reported on children's socio-emotional and behavioral skills with the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), while children's pre-academic skills (cognitive, motor, and language) were assessed directly with the Learning Accomplishment Profile Diagnostic (LAP-D) at the beginning and end of their four-year-old pre-K year. All children, regardless of curricula, demonstrated gains across pre-academic, socio-emotional, and behavioral skills throughout the pre-K year; however, all children did not benefit equally from Montessori programs. Latino children in Montessori programs began the year at most risk in pre-academic and behavioral skills, yet exhibited the greatest gains across these domains and ended the year scoring above national averages. Conversely, Black children exhibited healthy gains in Montessori, but demonstrated slightly greater gains when attending more conventional pre-K programs. Findings have implications for tailoring early childhood education programs for Latino and Black children from low-income communities.

Competency-based tool for evaluation of community-based training in undergraduate medical education in India - a Delphi approach.

PubMed

Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Jeyashree, Kathiresan; Kalaiselvi, Selvaraj; Palanivel, Chinnakali; Panigrahi, Krishna Chandra

2017-01-01

A community-based training (CBT) program, where teaching and training are carried out in the community outside of the teaching hospital, is a vital part of undergraduate medical education. Worldwide, there is a shift to competency-based training, and CBT is no exception. We attempted to develop a tool that uses a competency-based approach for assessment of CBT. Based on a review on competencies, we prepared a preliminary list of major domains with items under each domain. We used the Delphi technique to arrive at a consensus on this assessment tool. The Delphi panel consisted of eight purposively selected experts from the field of community medicine. The panel rated each item for its relevance, sensitivity, specificity, and understandability on a scale of 0-4. Median ratings were calculated at the end of each round and shared with the panel. Consensus was predefined as when 70% of the experts gave a rating of 3 or above for an item under relevance, sensitivity, and specificity. If an item failed to achieve consensus after being rated in 2 consecutive rounds, it was excluded. Anonymity of responses was maintained. The panel arrived at a consensus at the end of 3 rounds. The final version of the self-assessment tool consisted of 7 domains and 74 items. The domains (number of items) were Public health - epidemiology and research methodology (13), Public health - biostatistics (6), Public health administration at primary health center level (17), Family medicine (24), Cultural competencies (3), Community development and advocacy (2), and Generic competence (9). Each item was given a maximum score of 5 and minimum score of 1. This is the first study worldwide to develop a tool for competency-based evaluation of CBT in undergraduate medical education. The competencies identified in the 74-item questionnaire may provide the base for development of authentic curricula for CBT.

Malay public attitudes toward epilepsy (PATE) scale: translation and psychometric evaluation.

PubMed

Lim, Kheng Seang; Choo, Wan Yuen; Wu, Cathie; Tan, Chong Tin

2013-11-01

None of the quantitative scales for public attitudes toward epilepsy had been translated to Malay language. This study aimed to translate and test the validity and reliability of a Malay version of the Public Attitudes Toward Epilepsy (PATE) scale. The translation was performed according to standard principles and tested in 140 Malay-speaking adults aged more than 18 years for psychometric validation. The items in each domain had similar standard deviations (equal item variance), ranging from 0.90 to 1.00 in the personal domain and from 0.87 to 1.23 in the general domain. The correlation between an item and its domain was 0.4 and above for all items and was higher than the correlation with the other domain. Multitrait analysis showed that the Malay PATE had a similar variance, floor and ceiling effects, and relative relationship between the domains as the original PATE. The Malay PATE scale showed a similar correlation with almost all demographic variables except age. Item means were generally clustered in the factor analysis as the hypothesized domains, except those for items 1 and 2. The Cronbach's α values were within acceptable range (0.757 and 0.716 for the general and personal domains, respectively). The Malay PATE scale is a validated and reliable translated version for measuring public attitudes toward epilepsy. © 2013.

Progress in Public Health Emergency Preparedness—United States, 2001–2016

PubMed Central

Molinari, Noelle-Angelique M.; LeBlanc, Tanya T.; Vagi, Sara J.; Avchen, Rachel N.

2017-01-01

Objectives. To evaluate the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program’s progress toward meeting public health preparedness capability standards in state, local, and territorial health departments. Methods. All 62 PHEP awardees completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s self-administered PHEP Impact Assessment as part of program review measuring public health preparedness capability before September 11, 2001 (9/11), and in 2014. We collected additional self-reported capability self-assessments from 2016. We analyzed trends in congressional funding for public health preparedness from 2001 to 2016. Results. Before 9/11, most PHEP awardees reported limited preparedness capabilities, but considerable progress was reported by 2016. The number of jurisdictions reporting established capability functions within the countermeasures and mitigation domain had the largest increase, almost 200%, by 2014. However, more than 20% of jurisdictions still reported underdeveloped coordination between the health system and public health agencies in 2016. Challenges and barriers to building PHEP capabilities included lack of trained personnel, plans, and sustained resources. Conclusions. Considerable progress in public health preparedness capability was observed from before 9/11 to 2016. Support, sustainment, and advancement of public health preparedness capability is critical to ensure a strong public health infrastructure. PMID:28892440

Toward More Accurate Iris Recognition Using Cross-Spectral Matching.

PubMed

Nalla, Pattabhi Ramaiah; Kumar, Ajay

2017-01-01

Iris recognition systems are increasingly deployed for large-scale applications such as national ID programs, which continue to acquire millions of iris images to establish identity among billions. However, with the availability of variety of iris sensors that are deployed for the iris imaging under different illumination/environment, significant performance degradation is expected while matching such iris images acquired under two different domains (either sensor-specific or wavelength-specific). This paper develops a domain adaptation framework to address this problem and introduces a new algorithm using Markov random fields model to significantly improve cross-domain iris recognition. The proposed domain adaptation framework based on the naive Bayes nearest neighbor classification uses a real-valued feature representation, which is capable of learning domain knowledge. Our approach to estimate corresponding visible iris patterns from the synthesis of iris patches in the near infrared iris images achieves outperforming results for the cross-spectral iris recognition. In this paper, a new class of bi-spectral iris recognition system that can simultaneously acquire visible and near infra-red images with pixel-to-pixel correspondences is proposed and evaluated. This paper presents experimental results from three publicly available databases; PolyU cross-spectral iris image database, IIITD CLI and UND database, and achieve outperforming results for the cross-sensor and cross-spectral iris matching.

Implementing Laboratory Quality Management Systems in Mozambique: The Becton Dickinson-US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Public-Private Partnership Initiative.

PubMed

Skaggs, Beth; Pinto, Isabel; Masamha, Jessina; Turgeon, David; Gudo, Eduardo Samo

2016-04-15

Mozambique's ministry of health (MOH) recognized the need to establish a national laboratory quality assurance (NLQA) program to improve the reliability and accuracy of laboratory testing. The Becton Dickinson-US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was used to garner MOH commitment and train a cadre of local auditors and managers to support sustainability and country ownership of a NLQA program. From January 2011 to April 2012, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist and the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) curriculum were used in 6 MOH laboratories. PPP volunteers provided training and mentorship to build the capacity of local auditors and program managers to promote institutionalization and sustainability of the program within the MOH. SLIPTA was launched in 6 MOH laboratories, and final audits demonstrated improvements across the 13 quality system essentials, compared with baseline. Training and mentorship of MOH staff by PPP volunteers resulted in 18 qualified auditors and 28 managers/quality officers capacitated to manage the improvement process in their laboratories. SLIPTA helps laboratories improve the quality and reliability of their service even in the absence of full accreditation. Local capacity building ensures sustainability by creating country buy-in, reducing costs of audits, and institutionalizing program management. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Does Including Public Health Students on Interprofessional Teams Increase Attainment of Interprofessional Practice Competencies?

PubMed

Duffy, Pamela Ann; Ronnebaum, Julie A; Stumbo, Teri A; Smith, Kari Nies; Reimer, Rachel A

2017-04-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) creates dynamic experiential learning that can address social determinants of health that influence health outcomes. To examine the effects of including public health students on IPE teams on the interprofessional practice domain constructs (values/ethics, roles/responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork). This single-case, mixed-methods study was performed using a grounded theory approach. Students from 8 graduate health sciences programs participated in an asynchronous, 6-week, online IPE learning activity. Three of the 4 interprofessional practice domain constructs were examined as outcome variables: participants' biomedical vs biopsychosocial patient approach (values/ethics); reported change in attitudes, beliefs, or values about other health professions (roles/responsibilities); and anticipated changes in future professional behaviors/interactions/approaches (teams and teamwork). Predictor variables were having an MPH participant on the IPE team, participants' enrollment in a clinical or nonclinical program, and student perception of the online format (interprofessional communication). Three hundred nineteen students were included, 261 from clinical and 58 from nonclinical programs. A significant association was found between having an MPH participant on the IPE teams and participants' awareness of the influence of social determinants of health (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.13-3.66; P<.05). Program type was also significantly associated with awareness of the influence of social determinants of health, such that participants in nonclinical programs were significantly more likely to report the importance of social determinants of health in the care plan (OR, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.38-9.84; P<.01). Participants were significantly less likely to report future behavior change if they were in clinical programs (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23-0.86; P<.05) or if they disliked the online format (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.14-0.42; P<.01). The model fit the data well (χ23=30.80; P<.001). Inclusion of MPH students on IPE teams has the potential to increase clinical participants' awareness of the influence of social determinants of health and interest in incorporating a biopsychosocial approach to health care.

Spectral and cross-spectral analysis of uneven time series with the smoothed Lomb-Scargle periodogram and Monte Carlo evaluation of statistical significance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pardo-Igúzquiza, Eulogio; Rodríguez-Tovar, Francisco J.

2012-12-01

Many spectral analysis techniques have been designed assuming sequences taken with a constant sampling interval. However, there are empirical time series in the geosciences (sediment cores, fossil abundance data, isotope analysis, …) that do not follow regular sampling because of missing data, gapped data, random sampling or incomplete sequences, among other reasons. In general, interpolating an uneven series in order to obtain a succession with a constant sampling interval alters the spectral content of the series. In such cases it is preferable to follow an approach that works with the uneven data directly, avoiding the need for an explicit interpolation step. The Lomb-Scargle periodogram is a popular choice in such circumstances, as there are programs available in the public domain for its computation. One new computer program for spectral analysis improves the standard Lomb-Scargle periodogram approach in two ways: (1) It explicitly adjusts the statistical significance to any bias introduced by variance reduction smoothing, and (2) it uses a permutation test to evaluate confidence levels, which is better suited than parametric methods when neighbouring frequencies are highly correlated. Another novel program for cross-spectral analysis offers the advantage of estimating the Lomb-Scargle cross-periodogram of two uneven time series defined on the same interval, and it evaluates the confidence levels of the estimated cross-spectra by a non-parametric computer intensive permutation test. Thus, the cross-spectrum, the squared coherence spectrum, the phase spectrum, and the Monte Carlo statistical significance of the cross-spectrum and the squared-coherence spectrum can be obtained. Both of the programs are written in ANSI Fortran 77, in view of its simplicity and compatibility. The program code is of public domain, provided on the website of the journal (http://www.iamg.org/index.php/publisher/articleview/frmArticleID/112/). Different examples (with simulated and real data) are described in this paper to corroborate the methodology and the implementation of these two new programs.

Services for domain specific developments in the Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwichtenberg, Horst; Gemuend, André

2015-04-01

We will discuss and demonstrate the possibilities of new Cloud Services where the complete development of code is in the Cloud. We will discuss the possibilities of such services where the complete development cycle from programing to testing is in the cloud. This can be also combined with dedicated research domain specific services and hide the burden of accessing available infrastructures. As an example, we will show a service that is intended to complement the services of the VERCE projects infrastructure, a service that utilizes Cloud resources to offer simplified execution of data pre- and post-processing scripts. It offers users access to the ObsPy seismological toolbox for processing data with the Python programming language, executed on virtual Cloud resources in a secured sandbox. The solution encompasses a frontend with a modern graphical user interface, a messaging infrastructure as well as Python worker nodes for background processing. All components are deployable in the Cloud and have been tested on different environments based on OpenStack and OpenNebula. Deployments on commercial, public Clouds will be tested in the future.

Effects of the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentives Grant (SPF SIG) on state prevention infrastructure in 26 states.

PubMed

Orwin, Robert G; Stein-Seroussi, Alan; Edwards, Jessica M; Landy, Ann L; Flewelling, Robert L

2014-06-01

The Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG) program is a national public health initiative sponsored by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention to prevent substance abuse and its consequences. State grantees used a data-driven planning model to allocate resources to 450 communities, which in turn launched over 2,200 intervention strategies to target prevention priorities in their respective populations. An additional goal was to build prevention capacity and infrastructure at the state and community levels. This paper addresses whether the state infrastructure goal was achieved, and what contextual and implementation factors were associated with success. The findings are consistent with claims that, overall, the SPF SIG program met its goal of increasing prevention capacity and infrastructure across multiple infrastructure domains, though the mediating effects of implementation were evident only in the evaluation/monitoring domain. The results also show that an initiative like the SPF SIG, which could easily have been compartmentalized within the states, has the potential to permeate more broadly throughout state prevention systems.

Group exercise to improve quality of life among substance use disorder patients.

PubMed

Muller, Ashley E; Clausen, Thomas

2015-03-01

Quality of life (QoL) is a well-established outcome within clinical practice. Despite the adverse effects of substance use disorders on a wide range of patients' functionality and the multidimensional composition of QoL, the treatment field does not yet systematically assess QoL among patients. Exercise has established positive effects on the QoL of healthy and numerous clinical populations. The potential to integrate exercise within treatment, in order to improve QoL has not been satisfactorily explored. To measure changes in QoL after group exercise among residential substance use disorder patients and to explore the feasibility of the program within a treatment setting. We enrolled 35 patients in four long-term residential substance use disorder treatment facilities in Oslo, into a 10-week group exercise program. We analyzed the 24 participants who exercised as completers, while the 11 participants who did not were analyzed as non-completers. We measured QoL, mental distress, somatic health burden and addiction severity at the beginning and end of the program. The program was feasible for participants and the completion rate was 69%. Completers' physical health domain and psychological health domain of QoL improved significantly. The program engaged the most physically and mentally vulnerable participants, and flexibility and motivational factors were important elements. This study provided promising evidence that low doses of group exercise can yield appreciable benefits, even to patients with more severe health problems. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

A Review of Similarities between Domain-Specific Determinants of Four Health Behaviors among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Louk W. H.; Wiefferink, Carin H.; Hoekstra, Femke; Buijs, Goof J.; ten Dam, Geert T. M.; Paulussen, Theo G. W. M.

2009-01-01

Schools are overloaded with health promotion programs that, altogether, focus on a broad array of behavioral domains, including substance abuse, sexuality and nutrition. Although the specific content of programs varies according to the domain focus, programs usually address similar concepts: knowledge, attitudinal beliefs, social influences and…

Addressing the Neglected Tropical Disease Podoconiosis in Northern Ethiopia: Lessons Learned from a New Community Podoconiosis Program

PubMed Central

Tomczyk, Sara; Tamiru, Abreham; Davey, Gail

2012-01-01

Background Despite its great public health importance, few control initiatives addressing podoconiosis (non-filarial elephantiasis, a geochemical neglected tropical disease) exist. In June 2010, the first podoconiosis program in Northern Ethiopia, consisting of prevention, awareness, and care and support activities, began in Debre Markos, Northern Ethiopia. This study aims to document and disseminate the lessons learned from a new community podoconiosis program in Debre Markos. Methods/Principal Findings We used a content analysis approach to examine and evaluate data from a series of sources. These sources include conducted interview transcripts, a focus group discussion transcript and secondary sources including monitoring and evaluation field reports, observation notes, and research obtained from a literature review. Themes were identified and grouped into matrix tables. Overall, sixteen program steps were identified and grouped into 6 domains: Initial preparation, training and sensitization, foundation building, treatment activity implementation, awareness, and follow-up. Emphasis is placed on the need for baseline data, effective training, local leadership, experience-sharing, mass-awareness, cross-cutting sector issues (i.e., water and waste management), and integration with government health systems. Related successes and challenges are also described, as are stakeholder roles and misconceptions and socio-cultural challenges affecting the program start-up. Many of the identified successes and challenges are relevant to the aim of the podoconiosis program to be sustainable and community-led. Conclusions/Significance Much of this information has already been used to improve the Debre Markos program. We also anticipate that the domains and steps identified will be useful in guiding new programs in other settings where podoconiosis is highly prevalent. We hope to encourage partnerships and collaboration among podoconiosis stakeholders in future growth and disease control expansion. PMID:22428078

Health Systems Science Curricula in Undergraduate Medical Education: Identifying and Defining a Potential Curricular Framework.

PubMed

Gonzalo, Jed D; Dekhtyar, Michael; Starr, Stephanie R; Borkan, Jeffrey; Brunett, Patrick; Fancher, Tonya; Green, Jennifer; Grethlein, Sara Jo; Lai, Cindy; Lawson, Luan; Monrad, Seetha; O'Sullivan, Patricia; Schwartz, Mark D; Skochelak, Susan

2017-01-01

The authors performed a review of 30 Accelerating Change in Medical Education full grant submissions and an analysis of the health systems science (HSS)-related curricula at the 11 grant recipient schools to develop a potential comprehensive HSS curricular framework with domains and subcategories. In phase 1, to identify domains, grant submissions were analyzed and coded using constant comparative analysis. In phase 2, a detailed review of all existing and planned syllabi and curriculum documents at the grantee schools was performed, and content in the core curricular domains was coded into subcategories. The lead investigators reviewed and discussed drafts of the categorization scheme, collapsed and combined domains and subcategories, and resolved disagreements via group discussion. Analysis yielded three types of domains: core, cross-cutting, and linking. Core domains included health care structures and processes; health care policy, economics, and management; clinical informatics and health information technology; population and public health; value-based care; and health system improvement. Cross-cutting domains included leadership and change agency; teamwork and interprofessional education; evidence-based medicine and practice; professionalism and ethics; and scholarship. One linking domain was identified: systems thinking. This broad framework aims to build on the traditional definition of systems-based practice and highlight the need for medical and other health professions schools to better align education programs with the anticipated needs of the systems in which students will practice. HSS will require a critical investigation into existing curricula to determine the most efficient methods for integration with the basic and clinical sciences.

The US Air Force Suicide Prevention Program: Implications for Public Health Policy

PubMed Central

Pflanz, Steven; Talcott, Gerald W.; Campise, Rick L.; Lavigne, Jill E.; Bajorska, Alina; Tu, Xin; Caine, Eric D.

2010-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated the effectiveness of the US Air Force Suicide Prevention Program (AFSPP) in reducing suicide, and we measured the extent to which air force installations implemented the program. Methods. We determined the AFSPP's impact on suicide rates in the air force by applying an intervention regression model to data from 1981 through 2008, providing 16 years of data before the program's 1997 launch and 11 years of data after launch. Also, we measured implementation of program components at 2 points in time: during a 2004 increase in suicide rates, and 2 years afterward. Results. Suicide rates in the air force were significantly lower after the AFSPP was launched than before, except during 2004. We also determined that the program was being implemented less rigorously in 2004. Conclusions. The AFSPP effectively prevented suicides in the US Air Force. The long-term effectiveness of this program depends upon extensive implementation and effective monitoring of implementation. Suicides can be reduced through a multilayered, overlapping approach that encompasses key prevention domains and tracks implementation of program activities. PMID:20466973

Community-level Moderators of a School-Based Childhood Sexual Assault Prevention Program

PubMed Central

Morris, Matthew C.; Kouros, Chrystyna D.; Janecek, Kim; Freeman, Rachel; Mielock, Alyssa; Garber, Judy

2016-01-01

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is highly prevalent and associated with a wide variety of negative mental and physical health outcomes. School-based CSA education and prevention programs have shown promise, but it is unclear to what extent community-level characteristics are related to their effectiveness. The present cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated community-level moderators of the Safe@Last program compared to a waitlist control condition. Knowledge gains from pre- to post-intervention were assessed in 5 domains: safe versus unsafe people; safe choices; problem-solving; clear disclosure; and assertiveness. Participants were 1,177 students (46% White, 26% African American, 15% Hispanic, 4% Asian American, 6% Other) in grades 1 through 6 from 14 public schools in Tennessee. Multilevel models accounting for the nesting of children within schools revealed large effect sizes for the intervention versus control across all knowledge domains (d’s ranged from 1.56 to 2.13). The effectiveness of the program was moderated by mean per capita income and rates of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in the community. Intervention effects were stronger for youth living in lower as compared to higher income counties, and for youth attending schools in counties with lower as compared to higher abuse/neglect rates. Child characteristics (sex, race) did not moderate intervention effects. This research identified two community-level factors that predicted the effectiveness of a CSA education and prevention program designed to improve children’s knowledge of personal safety skills. School-based CSA prevention programs may require modification for communities with higher rates of child abuse and neglect. PMID:27890344

Education in Disaster Management: What Do We Offer and What Do We Need? Proposing a New Global Program.

PubMed

Khorram-Manesh, Amir; Lupesco, Olivera; Friedl, Tom; Arnim, Gotz; Kaptan, Kubilay; Djalali, Ahmadreza R; Foletti, Marco; Ingrasia, Pier Luigi; Ashkenazi, Michael; Arculeo, Chris; Fischer, Philipp; Hreckovski, Boris; Komadina, Radko; Voigt, Stefan; Carlström, Eric; James, James

2016-12-01

Although there is a significant willingness to respond to disasters, a review of post-event reports following incidents shows troubling repeated patterns with poorly integrated response activities and response managers inadequately trained for the requirements of disasters. This calls for a new overall approach in disaster management. An in-depth review of the education and training opportunities available to responders and disaster managers has been undertaken, as well as an extensive review of the educational competencies and their parent domains identified by subject matter experts as necessary for competent performance. Seven domains of competency and competencies that should be mastered by disaster mangers were identified. This set of domains and individual competencies was utilized to define a new and evolving curriculum. In order to evaluate and assess the mastery of each competency, objectives were more widely defined as activities under specific topics, as the measurable elements of the curriculum, for each managerial level. This program enables interagency cooperation and collaboration and could be used to increase and improve decision-makers' understanding of disaster managers' capabilities; at the strategic/tactical level to promote the knowledge and capability of the disaster managers themselves; and as continuing education or further career development for disaster managers at the operational level. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:854-873).

Freely available compound data sets and software tools for chemoinformatics and computational medicinal chemistry applications

PubMed Central

Bajorath, Jurgen

2012-01-01

We have generated a number of  compound data sets and programs for different types of applications in pharmaceutical research. These data sets and programs were originally designed for our research projects and are made publicly available. Without consulting original literature sources, it is difficult to understand specific features of data sets and software tools, basic ideas underlying their design, and applicability domains. Currently, 30 different entries are available for download from our website. In this data article, we provide an overview of the data and tools we make available and designate the areas of research for which they should be useful. For selected data sets and methods/programs, detailed descriptions are given. This article should help interested readers to select data and tools for specific computational investigations. PMID:24358818

Taking a Position

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

"TerrAvoid" and "Position Integrity" combine Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data with high-resolution maps of the Earth's topography. Dubbs & Severino, Inc., based in Irvine, California, has developed software that allows the system to be run on a battery-powered laptop in the cockpit. The packages, designed primarily for military sponsors and now positioned to hit the consumer market in coming months, came about as the result of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Technology Affiliates Program. Intended to give American industry assistance from NASA experts and to facilitate business use of intellectual property developed for the space program, the Technology Affiliates Program introduced the start-up company of Dubbs & Severino to JPL's Dr. Nevin Bryant four years ago. GeoTIFF is now in the public domain, and its use for commercial product development has evolved into an industry standard over the last year.

The International Heliophysical Year Education and Outreach Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabello-Soares, M.; Morrow, C.; Thompson, B.

2006-12-01

The International Heliophysical Year (IHY) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and will continue its tradition of international research collaboration. The term "heliophysical" is an extension of the term "geophysical", where the Earth, Sun & Solar System are studied not as separate domains but through the universal processes governing the heliosphere. IHY represents a logical next-step, extending the studies into the heliosphere and thus including the drivers of geophysical change. The main goal of IHY Education and Outreach Program is to create more global access to exemplary resources in space and earth science education and public outreach. By taking advantage of the IHY organization with representatives in every nation and in the partnership with the United Nations Basic Space Science Initiative (UNBSSI), we aim to promote new international partnerships. Our goal is to assist in increasing the visibility and accessibility of exemplary programs and in the identification of formal or informal educational products that would be beneficial to improve the space and earth science knowledge in a given country; leaving a legacy of enhanced global access to resources and of world-wide connectivity between those engaged in education and public outreach efforts that are related to IHY science. Here we describe the IHY Education and Outreach Program, how to participate and the benefits in doing so. ~

Integrating Public Health Policy, Practice, Evaluation, Surveillance, and Research: The School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System

PubMed Central

Cameron, Roy; Manske, Stephen; Brown, K. Stephen; Jolin, Mari Alice; Murnaghan, Donna; Lovato, Chris

2007-01-01

The Canadian Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute of Canada have charged their Centre for Behavioral Research and Program Evaluation with contributing to the development of the country’s systemic capacity to link research, policy, and practice related to population-level interventions. Local data collection and feedback systems are integral to this capacity. Canada’s School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System (SHAPES) allows data to be collected from all of a school’s students, and these data are used to produce computer-generated school “health profiles.” SHAPES is being used for intervention planning, evaluation, surveillance, and research across Canada. Strong demand and multipartner investment suggest that SHAPES is adding value in all of these domains. Such systems can contribute substantially to evidence-informed public health practice, public engagement, participatory action research, and relevant, timely population intervention research. PMID:17329662

A translational research evaluation of the Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) community-based fall prevention exercise and education program.

PubMed

York, Sally C; Shumway-Cook, Anne; Silver, Ilene F; Morrison, A Clare

2011-11-01

Falls in older adults are the leading cause of injury hospitalizations and fatalities in the United States; primary risk factors are muscle weakness, impaired mobility, and balance deficits. This article describes the 12-month translational research evaluation of the Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) community-based public health, public domain fall prevention exercise and education program. Recruitment reached the target goal by 154%; 331 adults (mean age = 74.6) attended more than one class (mean classes attended = 24.8, SD = 26.6, range = 1-120) at nine community sites in one county in the 12-month period; 173 completed health and demographic forms, 132 completed program surveys, and 91 completed baseline and follow-up physical function tests. Physical function test results showed significant improvements in strength, balance, and mobility in those who were below normal limits at baseline, and in those who attended classes twice a week or more for more than 2 months. Survey results found that 93% of respondents reported improved performance of daily activities; 92% reported improved strength, balance, fitness, or flexibility; and 80% found the SAIL information guide education component helpful.

Characterizing disability at the Iganga-Mayuge Demographic Surveillance System (IM-DSS), Uganda.

PubMed

Bachani, Abdulgafoor M; Galiwango, Edward; Kadobera, Daniel; Bentley, Jacob A; Bishai, David; Wegener, Stephen; Zia, Nukhba; Hyder, Adnan A

2016-01-01

There is a need to better measure disability as an outcome to understand the magnitude of the problem and its impact on health and socio-economic status. The aim of this study was to characterize the physical disabilities present at the Iganga-Mayuge Demographic Surveillance Site (IM-DSS) in Uganda. WHODAS 2.0 was used to examine the consequences of disability on activity limitations and participation in society. One thousand five hundred and fourteen individuals over the age of 18 at the IM-DSS with previously identified physical disabilities were included. Total and domain scores were calculated, and regression analyses examined differences by age, sex, education, occupation and SES. The mean total score was 40.72. Domain 2 - getting around, had the highest mean score (57.21), followed by household activities (55.18). Domains 5.2 (work/school activities) and 6 (participation in society) also had relatively high mean scores - 47.71 and 49.44, respectively. This study serves as an indication of what the major limitations are among individuals in rural Uganda with physical disabilities. In general, individuals with disabilities had the most trouble on getting around, life activities and participation in society. This can guide public health planners and policy-makers on priorities to ameliorate the impact of disabilities in this population. This study found that in general, individuals with disabilities had the most trouble on getting around, life activities and participation in society. This can guide public health planners and policy-makers on rehabilitation priorities to ameliorate the impact of disabilities in this population. Efforts can be made to develop and implement rehabilitation programs that cater to the needs of vulnerable populations including females and older individuals. Programs that focus on education and employment for physically disabled individuals ought to be given priority. These could include legislative changes, and modification of the physical environment, among others.

Web-phreeq: a WWW instructional tool for modeling the distribution of chemical species in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saini-Eidukat, Bernhardt; Yahin, Andrew

1999-05-01

A WWW-based tool, WEB-PHREEQ, was developed for classroom teaching and for routine calculation of low temperature aqueous speciation. Accessible with any computer that has an internet-connected forms-capable WWW-browser, WEB-PHREEQ provides user interface and other support for modeling, creates a properly formatted input file, passes it to the public domain program PHREEQC and returns the output to the WWW browser. Users can calculate the equilibrium speciation of a solution over a range of temperatures or can react solid minerals or gases with a particular water and examine the resulting chemistry. WEB-PHREEQ is one of a number of interactive distributed-computing programs available on the WWW that are of interest to geoscientists.

Smartphone Microscopy of Parasite Eggs Accumulated into a Single Field of View.

PubMed

Sowerby, Stephen J; Crump, John A; Johnstone, Maree C; Krause, Kurt L; Hill, Philip C

2016-01-01

A Nokia Lumia 1020 cellular phone (Microsoft Corp., Auckland, New Zealand) was configured to image the ova of Ascaris lumbricoides converged into a single field of view but on different focal planes. The phone was programmed to acquire images at different distances and, using public domain computer software, composite images were created that brought all the eggs into sharp focus. This proof of concept informs a framework for field-deployable, point of care monitoring of soil-transmitted helminths. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Chapter 1: Biomedical knowledge integration.

PubMed

Payne, Philip R O

2012-01-01

The modern biomedical research and healthcare delivery domains have seen an unparalleled increase in the rate of innovation and novel technologies over the past several decades. Catalyzed by paradigm-shifting public and private programs focusing upon the formation and delivery of genomic and personalized medicine, the need for high-throughput and integrative approaches to the collection, management, and analysis of heterogeneous data sets has become imperative. This need is particularly pressing in the translational bioinformatics domain, where many fundamental research questions require the integration of large scale, multi-dimensional clinical phenotype and bio-molecular data sets. Modern biomedical informatics theory and practice has demonstrated the distinct benefits associated with the use of knowledge-based systems in such contexts. A knowledge-based system can be defined as an intelligent agent that employs a computationally tractable knowledge base or repository in order to reason upon data in a targeted domain and reproduce expert performance relative to such reasoning operations. The ultimate goal of the design and use of such agents is to increase the reproducibility, scalability, and accessibility of complex reasoning tasks. Examples of the application of knowledge-based systems in biomedicine span a broad spectrum, from the execution of clinical decision support, to epidemiologic surveillance of public data sets for the purposes of detecting emerging infectious diseases, to the discovery of novel hypotheses in large-scale research data sets. In this chapter, we will review the basic theoretical frameworks that define core knowledge types and reasoning operations with particular emphasis on the applicability of such conceptual models within the biomedical domain, and then go on to introduce a number of prototypical data integration requirements and patterns relevant to the conduct of translational bioinformatics that can be addressed via the design and use of knowledge-based systems.

Chapter 1: Biomedical Knowledge Integration

PubMed Central

Payne, Philip R. O.

2012-01-01

The modern biomedical research and healthcare delivery domains have seen an unparalleled increase in the rate of innovation and novel technologies over the past several decades. Catalyzed by paradigm-shifting public and private programs focusing upon the formation and delivery of genomic and personalized medicine, the need for high-throughput and integrative approaches to the collection, management, and analysis of heterogeneous data sets has become imperative. This need is particularly pressing in the translational bioinformatics domain, where many fundamental research questions require the integration of large scale, multi-dimensional clinical phenotype and bio-molecular data sets. Modern biomedical informatics theory and practice has demonstrated the distinct benefits associated with the use of knowledge-based systems in such contexts. A knowledge-based system can be defined as an intelligent agent that employs a computationally tractable knowledge base or repository in order to reason upon data in a targeted domain and reproduce expert performance relative to such reasoning operations. The ultimate goal of the design and use of such agents is to increase the reproducibility, scalability, and accessibility of complex reasoning tasks. Examples of the application of knowledge-based systems in biomedicine span a broad spectrum, from the execution of clinical decision support, to epidemiologic surveillance of public data sets for the purposes of detecting emerging infectious diseases, to the discovery of novel hypotheses in large-scale research data sets. In this chapter, we will review the basic theoretical frameworks that define core knowledge types and reasoning operations with particular emphasis on the applicability of such conceptual models within the biomedical domain, and then go on to introduce a number of prototypical data integration requirements and patterns relevant to the conduct of translational bioinformatics that can be addressed via the design and use of knowledge-based systems. PMID:23300416

Two-ligand priming mechanism for potentiated phosphoinositide synthesis is an evolutionarily conserved feature of Sec14-like phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine exchange proteins.

PubMed

Huang, Jin; Ghosh, Ratna; Tripathi, Ashutosh; Lönnfors, Max; Somerharju, Pentti; Bankaitis, Vytas A

2016-07-15

Lipid signaling, particularly phosphoinositide signaling, plays a key role in regulating the extreme polarized membrane growth that drives root hair development in plants. The Arabidopsis AtSFH1 gene encodes a two-domain protein with an amino-terminal Sec14-like phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (PITP) domain linked to a carboxy-terminal nodulin domain. AtSfh1 is critical for promoting the spatially highly organized phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate signaling program required for establishment and maintenance of polarized root hair growth. Here we demonstrate that, like the yeast Sec14, the AtSfh1 PITP domain requires both its phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns)- and phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho)-binding properties to stimulate PtdIns-4-phosphate [PtdIns(4)P] synthesis. Moreover, we show that both phospholipid-binding activities are essential for AtSfh1 activity in supporting polarized root hair growth. Finally, we report genetic and biochemical evidence that the two-ligand mechanism for potentiation of PtdIns 4-OH kinase activity is a broadly conserved feature of plant Sec14-nodulin proteins, and that this strategy appeared only late in plant evolution. Taken together, the data indicate that the PtdIns/PtdCho-exchange mechanism for stimulated PtdIns(4)P synthesis either arose independently during evolution in yeast and in higher plants, or a suitable genetic module was introduced to higher plants from a fungal source and subsequently exploited by them. © 2016 Huang, Ghosh, et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Public health surveillance of cancer survival in the United States and worldwide: The contribution of the CONCORD programme.

PubMed

Allemani, Claudia; Coleman, Michel P

2017-12-15

CONCORD is a programme for the global surveillance of cancer survival. In 2015, the second cycle of the program (CONCORD-2) established long-term surveillance of cancer survival worldwide, for the first time, in the largest cancer survival study published to date. CONCORD-2 provided cancer survival trends for 25,676,887 patients diagnosed during the 15-year period between 1995 and 2009 with 1 of 10 common cancers that collectively represented 63% of the global cancer burden in 2009. Herein, the authors summarize the past, describe the present, and outline the future of the CONCORD programme. They discuss the difference between population-based studies and clinical trials, and review the importance of international comparisons of population-based cancer survival. This study will focus on the United States. The authors explain why population-based survival estimates are crucial for driving effective cancer control strategies to reduce the wide and persistent disparities in cancer survival between white and black patients, which are likely to be attributable to differences in access to early diagnosis and optimal treatment. Cancer 2017;123:4977-81. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Montessori Public School Pre-K Programs and the School Readiness of Low-Income Black and Latino Children

PubMed Central

Ansari, Arya; Winsler, Adam

2014-01-01

Within the United States, there are a variety of early education models and curricula aimed at promoting young children's pre-academic, social, and behavioral skills. This study, using data from the Miami School Readiness Project (MSRP; Winsler et al., 2008, 2012), examined the school readiness gains of low-income Latino (n = 7,045) and Black children (n = 6,700) enrolled in two different types of Title-1 public school pre-K programs: those in programs using the Montessori curricula and those in more conventional programs using the High/Scope curricula with a literacy supplement. Parents and teachers reported on children's socio-emotional and behavioral skills with the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), while children's pre-academic skills (cognitive, motor, and language) were assessed directly with the Learning Accomplishment Profile Diagnostic (LAP-D) at the beginning and end of their four-year-old pre-K year. All children, regardless of curricula, demonstrated gains across pre-academic, socio-emotional, and behavioral skills throughout the pre-K year; however, all children did not benefit equally from Montessori programs. Latino children in Montessori programs began the year at most risk in pre-academic and behavioral skills, yet exhibited the greatest gains across these domains and ended the year scoring above national averages. Conversely, Black children exhibited healthy gains in Montessori, but demonstrated slightly greater gains when attending more conventional pre-K programs. Findings have implications for tailoring early childhood education programs for Latino and Black children from low-income communities. PMID:25435592

Canaries in the coal mine: Interpersonal violence, gang violence, and violent extremism through a public health prevention lens.

PubMed

Eisenman, David P; Flavahan, Louise

2017-08-01

This paper asks what programmes and policies for preventing violent extremism (also called 'countering violent extremism', or CVE) can learn from the public health violence prevention field. The general answer is that addressing violent extremism within the wider domain of public health violence prevention connects the effort to a relevant field of research, evidence-based policy and programming, and a broader population reach. This answer is reached by examining conceptual alignments between the two fields at both the case-level and the theoretical level. To address extremist violence within the wider reach of violence prevention, having a shared model is seen as a first step. The World Health Organization uses the social-ecological framework for assessing the risk and protective factors for violence and developing effective public-health based programmes. This study illustrates how this model has been used for gang violence prevention and explores overlaps between gang violence prevention and preventing violent extremism. Finally, it provides policy and programme recommendations to align CVE with public health violence prevention.

A Formal Approach to Domain-Oriented Software Design Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowry, Michael; Philpot, Andrew; Pressburger, Thomas; Underwood, Ian; Lum, Henry, Jr. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

This paper describes a formal approach to domain-oriented software design environments, based on declarative domain theories, formal specifications, and deductive program synthesis. A declarative domain theory defines the semantics of a domain-oriented specification language and its relationship to implementation-level subroutines. Formal specification development and reuse is made accessible to end-users through an intuitive graphical interface that guides them in creating diagrams denoting formal specifications. The diagrams also serve to document the specifications. Deductive program synthesis ensures that end-user specifications are correctly implemented. AMPHION has been applied to the domain of solar system kinematics through the development of a declarative domain theory, which includes an axiomatization of JPL's SPICELIB subroutine library. Testing over six months with planetary scientists indicates that AMPHION's interactive specification acquisition paradigm enables users to develop, modify, and reuse specifications at least an order of magnitude more rapidly than manual program development. Furthermore, AMPHION synthesizes one to two page programs consisting of calls to SPICELIB subroutines from these specifications in just a few minutes. Test results obtained by metering AMPHION's deductive program synthesis component are examined. AMPHION has been installed at JPL and is currently undergoing further refinement in preparation for distribution to hundreds of SPICELIB users worldwide. Current work to support end-user customization of AMPHION's specification acquisition subsystem is briefly discussed, as well as future work to enable domain-expert creation of new AMPHION applications through development of suitable domain theories.

A learning apprentice for software parts composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1987-01-01

An overview of the knowledge acquisition component of the Bauhaus, a prototype computer aided software engineering (CASE) workstation for the development of domain-specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPS) is given. D-SAPS use domain knowledge in the refinement of a description of an application program into a compilable implementation. The approach to the construction of D-SAPS was to automate the process of refining a description of a program, expressed in an object-oriented domain language, into a configuration of software parts that implement the behavior of the domain objects.

Demonstrable Competence: An Assessment Method for Competency Domains in Learning and Leadership Doctoral Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rausch, David W.; Crawford, Elizabeth K.

2013-01-01

Through this paper, we describe how a doctoral program in Learning and Leadership combines the best of both worlds from theory based programs and applied programs. Participants work from their embedded professional practice underpinned with the theoretical constructs of the program's seven foundational competency domains. Competencies are…

Accumulation of Domain-Specific Physical Inactivity and Presence of Hypertension in Brazilian Public Healthcare System.

PubMed

Turi, Bruna Camilo; Codogno, Jamile S; Fernandes, Romulo A; Sui, Xuemei; Lavie, Carl J; Blair, Steven N; Monteiro, Henrique Luiz

2015-11-01

Hypertension is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases worldwide, and physical inactivity is a risk factor predisposing to its occurrence and complications. However, it is still unclear the association between physical inactivity domains and hypertension, especially in public healthcare systems. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between physical inactivity aggregation in different domains and prevalence of hypertension among users of Brazilian public health system. 963 participants composed the sample. Subjects were divided into quartiles groups according to 3 different domains of physical activity (occupational; physical exercises; and leisure-time and transportation). Hypertension was based on physician diagnosis. Physical inactivity in occupational domain was significantly associated with higher prevalence of hypertension (OR = 1.52 [1.05 to 2.21]). The same pattern occurred for physical inactivity in leisure-time (OR = 1.63 [1.11 to 2.39]) and aggregation of physical inactivity in 3 domains (OR = 2.46 [1.14 to 5.32]). However, the multivariate-adjusted model showed significant association between hypertension and physical inactivity in 3 domains (OR = 2.57 [1.14 to 5.79]). The results suggest an unequal prevalence of hypertension according to physical inactivity across different domains and increasing the promotion of physical activity in the healthcare system is needed.

Development and validation of a public attitudes toward epilepsy (PATE) scale.

PubMed

Lim, Kheng-Seang; Wu, Cathie; Choo, Wan-Yuen; Tan, Chong-Tin

2012-06-01

A quantitative scale of public attitudes toward epilepsy is essential to determine the magnitude of social stigma against epilepsy. This study aims to develop and validate a cross-culturally applicable scale of public attitudes toward epilepsy. A set of questions was selected from questionnaires identified from a literature review, following which a panel review determined the final version, consisting of 18 items. A 1-5 Likert scale was used for scoring. Additional questions, related to perception of the productivity of people with epilepsy and of a modified epilepsy stigma scale, were added as part of construct validation. One hundred and thirty heterogeneous respondents were collected, consisting of various age groups, ethnicity and occupation status levels. After item and factor analyses, the final version consisted of 14 items. Psychometric properties of the scale were first determined using factor analysis, which revealed a general and a personal domain, with good internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficient 0.868 and 0.633, respectively). Construct validation was demonstrated. The mean score for the personal domain was higher than that for the general domain (2.72±0.56 and 2.09±0.59, respectively). The mean scores of those with tertiary education were significantly lower for the general domain, but not for the personal domain. Age was positively correlated with the mean scores in the personal domain, but not in the general domain. This scale is a reliable and valid scale to assess public attitudes toward epilepsy, in both the general and personal domains. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Community-level moderators of a school-based childhood sexual assault prevention program.

PubMed

Morris, Matthew C; Kouros, Chrystyna D; Janecek, Kim; Freeman, Rachel; Mielock, Alyssa; Garber, Judy

2017-01-01

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is highly prevalent and associated with a wide variety of negative mental and physical health outcomes. School-based CSA education and prevention programs have shown promise, but it is unclear to what extent community-level characteristics are related to their effectiveness. The present cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated community-level moderators of the Safe@Lastprogramcomparedtoawaitlistcontrolcondition.(*) Knowledge gains from pre- to post-intervention were assessed in 5 domains: safe versus unsafe people; safe choices; problem-solving; clear disclosure; and assertiveness. Participants were 1177 students (46% White, 26% African American, 15% Hispanic, 4% Asian American, 6% Other) in grades 1 through 6 from 14 public schools in Tennessee. Multilevel models accounting for the nesting of children within schools revealed large effect sizes for the intervention versus control across all knowledge domains (d's ranged from 1.56 to 2.13). The effectiveness of the program was moderated by mean per capita income and rates of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in the community. Intervention effects were stronger for youth living in lower as compared to higher income counties, and for youth attending schools in counties with lower as compared to higher abuse/neglect rates. Child characteristics (sex, race) did not moderate intervention effects. This research identified two community-level factors that predicted the effectiveness of a CSA education and prevention program designed to improve children's knowledge of personal safety skills. School-based CSA prevention programs may require modification for communities with higher rates of child abuse and neglect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

41 CFR 102-75.100 - When an agency holds land withdrawn or reserved from the public domain and determines that it no...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... land withdrawn or reserved from the public domain and determines that it no longer needs this land, what must it do? 102-75.100 Section 102-75.100 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal... it no longer needs this land, what must it do? An agency holding unneeded land withdrawn or reserved...

41 CFR 102-173.35 - Who authorizes domain names?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Who authorizes domain names? 102-173.35 Section 102-173.35 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV...

41 CFR 102-173.35 - Who authorizes domain names?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Who authorizes domain names? 102-173.35 Section 102-173.35 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV...

41 CFR 102-173.35 - Who authorizes domain names?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Who authorizes domain names? 102-173.35 Section 102-173.35 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV...

41 CFR 102-173.35 - Who authorizes domain names?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Who authorizes domain names? 102-173.35 Section 102-173.35 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV...

41 CFR 102-173.35 - Who authorizes domain names?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Who authorizes domain names? 102-173.35 Section 102-173.35 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV...

UTM, a universal simulator for lightcurves of transiting systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deeg, Hans

2009-02-01

The Universal Transit Modeller (UTM) is a light-curve simulator for all kinds of transiting or eclipsing configurations between arbitrary numbers of several types of objects, which may be stars, planets, planetary moons, and planetary rings. Applications of UTM to date have been mainly in the generation of light-curves for the testing of detection algorithms. For the preparation of such test for the Corot Mission, a special version has been used to generate multicolour light-curves in Corot's passbands. A separate fitting program, UFIT (Universal Fitter) is part of the UTM distribution and may be used to derive best fits to light-curves for any set of continuously variable parameters. UTM/UFIT is written in IDL code and its source is released in the public domain under the GNU General Public License.

Active and Passive Supplier Assessment Program (ASAP & PSAP) WWW Sites http://nepp.nasa.gov/imd/asap http://nepp.nasa.gov/imd/psap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brusse, Jay

2000-01-01

The Active and Passive Supplier Assessment Programs (ASAP and PSAP) WWW Sites provide general information to the electronic parts community regarding the availability of electronic parts. They also provide information to NASA regarding modifications to commonly used procurement specifications and test methods. The ASAP and PSAP www sites are ongoing resources produced by Code 562 in support of the NASA HQ funded NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program. These WWW sites do not provide information pertaining to patented or proprietary information. All of the information contained in these www sites is available through various other public domain resources such as US Military Qualified Producers Listings (QPLs) and Qualified Manufacturer Listings (QMLs) and industry working groups such as the Electronics Industry Alliance (EIA) and the Space Parts Working Group (SPWG).

WaveAR: A software tool for calculating parameters for water waves with incident and reflected components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landry, Blake J.; Hancock, Matthew J.; Mei, Chiang C.; García, Marcelo H.

2012-09-01

The ability to determine wave heights and phases along a spatial domain is vital to understanding a wide range of littoral processes. The software tool presented here employs established Stokes wave theory and sampling methods to calculate parameters for the incident and reflected components of a field of weakly nonlinear waves, monochromatic at first order in wave slope and propagating in one horizontal dimension. The software calculates wave parameters over an entire wave tank and accounts for reflection, weak nonlinearity, and a free second harmonic. Currently, no publicly available program has such functionality. The included MATLAB®-based open source code has also been compiled for Windows®, Mac® and Linux® operating systems. An additional companion program, VirtualWave, is included to generate virtual wave fields for WaveAR. Together, the programs serve as ideal analysis and teaching tools for laboratory water wave systems.

GMES: A Python package for solving Maxwell’s equations using the FDTD method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chun, Kyungwon; Kim, Huioon; Kim, Hyounggyu; Jung, Kil Su; Chung, Youngjoo

2013-04-01

This paper describes GMES, a free Python package for solving Maxwell’s equations using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The design of GMES follows the object-oriented programming (OOP) approach and adopts a unique design strategy where the voxels in the computational domain are grouped and then updated according to its material type. This piecewise updating scheme ensures that GMES can adopt OOP without losing its simple structure and time-stepping speed. The users can easily add various material types, sources, and boundary conditions into their code using the Python programming language. The key design features, along with the supported material types, excitation sources, boundary conditions and parallel calculations employed in GMES are also described in detail. Catalog identifier: AEOK_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEOK_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License v3.0 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 17700 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 89878 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C++, Python. Computer: Any computer with a Unix-like system with a C++ compiler, and a Python interpreter; developed on 2.53 GHz Intel CoreTM i3. Operating system: Any Unix-like system; developed under Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64 bit. Has the code been vectorized or parallelized?: Yes. Parallelized with MPI directives (optional). RAM: Problem dependent (a simulation with real valued electromagnetic field uses roughly 0.18 KB per Yee cell.) Classification: 10. External routines: SWIG [1], Cython [2], NumPy [3], SciPy [4], matplotlib [5], MPI for Python [6] Nature of problem: Classical electrodynamics Solution method: Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method Additional comments: This article describes version 0.9.5. The most recent version can be downloaded at the GMES project homepage [7]. Running time: Problem dependent (a simulation with real valued electromagnetic field takes typically about 0.16 μs per Yee cell per time-step.) SWIG, http://www.swig.org. Cython, http://www.cython.org. NumPy, http://numpy.scipy.org. SciPy, http://www.scipy.org. matplotlib, http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net. MPI for Python, http://mpi4py.scipy.org. GMES, http://sourceforge.net/projects/gmes.

Through a public health lens. Preventing violence against women: an update from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PubMed

Graffunder, Corinne M; Noonan, Rita K; Cox, Pamela; Wheaton, Jocelyn

2004-01-01

Over the past two decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been a key contributor to the growing public health effort to prevent violence. Although CDC and its partners are proud of their many successes, much work remains to be done. Violence continues to be a leading cause of death worldwide for people aged 15-44. Moreover, although many forms of violence garner national concern and resources, much more violence occurs in private domains and receives less attention. These hidden health hazards silently drain our nation's human, economic, and health resources. In this paper, we highlight the current efforts of the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP), housed within CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), to use a public health approach to the prevention of one key hidden health hazard: violence against women (VAW). Building from a recently developed strategic plan and a research agenda, we explain how four core public health principles--emphasizing primary prevention, advancing the science of prevention, translating science into effective programs, and building on the efforts of others--drive current programmatic activities in VAW prevention. Several current programs and projects are described. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for future prevention work by deepening our vision of leadership, expanding our partnerships, pursuing comprehensive approaches, and using evidence-based strategies.

Scientific Growth and Identity Development during a Postbaccalaureate Program: Results from a Multisite Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Remich, Robin; Naffziger-Hirsch, Michelle E; Gazley, J Lynn; McGee, Richard

2016-01-01

This report builds upon our previous study, which described five patterns of why college graduates join National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded diversity-focused Postbaccalaureate Research Education Programs (PREP). A 2015 report from the NIH showed that a high fraction of PREP participants matriculate into PhD and MD/PhD programs. This current study reveals how participants change during PREP, the program elements that facilitate change, and how identity as a graduate student and future scientist develops. Data come from in-depth interviews done at the beginning and end of PREP with 48 individuals from seven PREP programs. Results reveal three domains of development: academics, research, and presentation of oneself; each domain contains a developmental continuum. Key attributes of PREP enabling development include opportunities to attend graduate-level classes and seminars; time to practice reading literature; extended lab time with one's own project; high and explicit expectations from mentors; and multiple opportunities to talk about science and improve communication skills. PREP enabled participants to develop their identities as graduate students and to anticipate being seen by others as highly prepared for PhD training. After PREP, 85% (n = 41) started the PhD or MD/PhD, making PREP an intervention approach with great potential to broaden participation in biomedical PhD programs. © 2016 R. Remich et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Spatial, temporal, and health associations of eating alone: A cross-cultural analysis of young adults in urban Australia and Japan.

PubMed

Takeda, Wakako; Melby, Melissa K

2017-11-01

Eating alone is driven by social and cultural factors, not solely by individual preferences. In academic research, eating alone is often simply treated as an alternative to social, commensal eating, and little is known about the practice of eating alone itself. This study employs a cross-cultural analysis to explore social and cultural associations of eating alone. The analysis is based on 1) cultural domain data, derived from principal component analysis of freelist responses, a set of words or phrases related to the topic of eating alone; and 2) in-depth interviews with 72 young adults aged 20-40 in urban Australia and Japan. Many Australian and Japanese young adult participants associated eating alone with both pleasure and stress of being isolated from others. However, the comparison of principal components between Australian and Japanese groups and gender subgroups showed cross-cultural variations and complexity in the context of eating alone including: locations and timings of eating alone, and associations with healthy/unhealthy eating. Analyses of interviews are included to deepen understandings of cultural domains. These key associations are influenced by a range of social and cultural environments such as fast food cultures, work and life environments, and the scope of public health nutrition programs. The association between eating alone and healthy eating among young adults indicates that individualistic understandings of food intake in current public health nutrition programs are more favorable to eating alone and foster a gap between ideas of healthy eating and commensal eating as a cultural ideal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Nosocomial Infection Control Programs in health services 1

PubMed Central

Menegueti, Mayra Gonçalves; Canini, Silvia Rita Marin da Silva; Bellissimo-Rodrigues, Fernando; Laus, Ana Maria

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the Nosocomial Infection Control Programs in hospital institutions regarding structure and process indicators. METHOD: this is a descriptive, exploratory and quantitative study conducted in 2013. The study population comprised 13 Nosocomial Infection Control Programs of health services in a Brazilian city of the state of São Paulo. Public domain instruments available in the Manual of Evaluation Indicators of Nosocomial Infection Control Practices were used. RESULTS: The indicators with the highest average compliance were "Evaluation of the Structure of the Nosocomial Infection Control Programs" (75%) and "Evaluation of the Epidemiological Surveillance System of Nosocomial Infection" (82%) and those with the lowest mean compliance scores were "Evaluation of Operational Guidelines" (58.97%) and "Evaluation of Activities of Control and Prevention of Nosocomial Infection" (60.29%). CONCLUSION: The use of indicators identified that, despite having produced knowledge about prevention and control of nosocomial infections, there is still a large gap between the practice and the recommendations. PMID:25806637

Geocognition Research: An International Discipline (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libarkin, J.

2009-12-01

Geocognition and geoscience education research have experienced a dramatic increase in research productivity and graduate student training in the past decade. At this writing, over twelve U.S. graduate programs dedicated to geocognition and geoscience education research exist within geoscience departments, with numerous other programs housed within education. International research programs are experiencing similar increases in these research domains. This insurgence of graduate training opportunities is due in large part to several factors, including: An increased awareness of the importance of Earth Systems Science to public understanding of science, particularly in light of global concern about climate change; new funding opportunities for science education, cognitive science, and geoscience education research; and, engagement of a significant part of the geosciences and education communities in writing new standards for Earth Systems literacy. Existing research programs blend geoscience content knowledge with research expertise in education, cognitive science, psychology, sociology and related disciplines. Research projects reflect the diversity of interests in geoscience teaching and learning, from investigations of pedagogical impact and professional development to studies of fundamental geocognitive processes.

41 CFR 102-173.30 - Who may register in the dot-gov domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... dot-gov domain? 102-173.30 Section 102-173.30 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.30 Who may register in the dot-gov domain? Registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the United States including...

41 CFR 102-173.30 - Who may register in the dot-gov domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... dot-gov domain? 102-173.30 Section 102-173.30 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.30 Who may register in the dot-gov domain? Registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the United States including...

41 CFR 102-173.30 - Who may register in the dot-gov domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... dot-gov domain? 102-173.30 Section 102-173.30 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.30 Who may register in the dot-gov domain? Registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the United States including...

41 CFR 102-173.30 - Who may register in the dot-gov domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... dot-gov domain? 102-173.30 Section 102-173.30 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.30 Who may register in the dot-gov domain? Registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the United States including...

41 CFR 102-173.30 - Who may register in the dot-gov domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... dot-gov domain? 102-173.30 Section 102-173.30 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.30 Who may register in the dot-gov domain? Registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the United States including...

Aligning Education With Health Care Transformation: Identifying a Shared Mental Model of "New" Faculty Competencies for Academic Faculty.

PubMed

Gonzalo, Jed D; Ahluwalia, Amarpreet; Hamilton, Maria; Wolf, Heidi; Wolpaw, Daniel R; Thompson, Britta M

2018-02-01

To develop a potential competency framework for faculty development programs aligned with the needs of faculty in academic health centers (AHCs). In 2014 and 2015, the authors interviewed 23 health system leaders and analyzed transcripts using constant comparative analysis and thematic analysis. They coded competencies and curricular concepts into subcategories. Lead investigators reviewed drafts of the categorization themes and subthemes related to gaps in faculty knowledge and skills, collapsed and combined competency domains, and resolved disagreements via discussion. Through analysis, the authors identified four themes. The first was core functional competencies and curricular domains for conceptual learning, including patient-centered care, health care processes, clinical informatics, population and public health, policy and payment, value-based care, and health system improvement. The second was the need for foundational competency domains, including systems thinking, change agency/management, teaming, and leadership. The third theme was paradigm shifts in how academic faculty should approach health care, categorized into four areas: delivery, transformation, provider characteristics and skills, and education. The fourth theme was the need for faculty to be aware of challenges in the culture of AHCs as an influential context for change. This broad competency framework for faculty development programs expands existing curricula by including a comprehensive scope of health systems science content and skills. AHC leaders can use these results to better align faculty education with the real-time needs of their health systems. Future work should focus on optimal prioritization and methods for teaching.

Medical student quality-of-life in the clerkships: a scale validation study.

PubMed

Brannick, Michael T; Horn, Gregory T; Schnaus, Michael J; Wahi, Monika M; Goldin, Steven B

2015-04-01

Many aspects of medical school are stressful for students. To empirically assess student reactions to clerkship programs, or to assess efforts to improve such programs, educators must measure the overall well-being of the students reliably and validly. The purpose of the study was to develop and validate a measure designed to achieve these goals. The authors developed a measure of quality of life for medical students by sampling (public domain) items tapping general happiness, fatigue, and anxiety. A quality-of-life scale was developed by factor analyzing responses to the items from students in two different clerkships from 2005 to 2008. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Validity was assessed by factor analysis, convergence with additional theoretically relevant scales, and sensitivity to change over time. The refined nine-item measure is a Likert scaled survey of quality-of-life items comprised of two domains: exhaustion and general happiness. The resulting scale demonstrated good reliability and factorial validity at two time points for each of the two samples. The quality-of-life measure also correlated with measures of depression and the amount of sleep reported during the clerkships. The quality-of-life measure appeared more sensitive to changes over time than did the depression measure. The measure is short and can be easily administered in a survey. The scale appears useful for program evaluation and more generally as an outcome variable in medical educational research.

Development of a universally applicable household food insecurity measurement tool: process, current status, and outstanding issues.

PubMed

Swindale, Anne; Bilinsky, Paula

2006-05-01

The United States Public Law 480 Title II food aid program is the largest U.S. government program directed at reducing hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity in the developing world. USAID and Title II implementing partners face challenges in measuring the success of Title II programs in reducing household food insecurity because of the technical difficulty and cost of collecting and analyzing data on traditional food security indicators, such as per capita income and caloric adequacy. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) holds promise as an easier and more user-friendly approach for measuring the access component of household food security. To support the consistent and comparable collection of the HFIAS, efforts are under way to develop a guide with a standardized questionnaire and data collection and analysis instructions. A set of domains have been identified that is deemed to capture the universal experience of the access component of household food insecurity across countries and cultures. Based on these domains, a set of questions has been developed with wording that is deemed to be universally appropriate, with minor adaptation to local contexts. These underlying suppositions, based on research in multiple countries, are being verified by potential users of the guide. The key remaining issue relates to the process for creating a categorical indicator of food insecurity status from the HFIAS.

The CompTox Chemistry Dashboard: a community data resource for environmental chemistry.

PubMed

Williams, Antony J; Grulke, Christopher M; Edwards, Jeff; McEachran, Andrew D; Mansouri, Kamel; Baker, Nancy C; Patlewicz, Grace; Shah, Imran; Wambaugh, John F; Judson, Richard S; Richard, Ann M

2017-11-28

Despite an abundance of online databases providing access to chemical data, there is increasing demand for high-quality, structure-curated, open data to meet the various needs of the environmental sciences and computational toxicology communities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) web-based CompTox Chemistry Dashboard is addressing these needs by integrating diverse types of relevant domain data through a cheminformatics layer, built upon a database of curated substances linked to chemical structures. These data include physicochemical, environmental fate and transport, exposure, usage, in vivo toxicity, and in vitro bioassay data, surfaced through an integration hub with link-outs to additional EPA data and public domain online resources. Batch searching allows for direct chemical identifier (ID) mapping and downloading of multiple data streams in several different formats. This facilitates fast access to available structure, property, toxicity, and bioassay data for collections of chemicals (hundreds to thousands at a time). Advanced search capabilities are available to support, for example, non-targeted analysis and identification of chemicals using mass spectrometry. The contents of the chemistry database, presently containing ~ 760,000 substances, are available as public domain data for download. The chemistry content underpinning the Dashboard has been aggregated over the past 15 years by both manual and auto-curation techniques within EPA's DSSTox project. DSSTox chemical content is subject to strict quality controls to enforce consistency among chemical substance-structure identifiers, as well as list curation review to ensure accurate linkages of DSSTox substances to chemical lists and associated data. The Dashboard, publicly launched in April 2016, has expanded considerably in content and user traffic over the past year. It is continuously evolving with the growth of DSSTox into high-interest or data-rich domains of interest to EPA, such as chemicals on the Toxic Substances Control Act listing, while providing the user community with a flexible and dynamic web-based platform for integration, processing, visualization and delivery of data and resources. The Dashboard provides support for a broad array of research and regulatory programs across the worldwide community of toxicologists and environmental scientists.

Domains of State-Owned, Privately Held, and Publicly Traded Firms in International Competition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mascarenhas, Briance

1989-01-01

Hypotheses relating ownership to domain differences among state-owned, publicly traded, and privately held firms in international competition were examined in a controlled field study of the offshore drilling industry. Ownership explained selected differences in domestic market dominance, international presence, and customer orientation, even…

Scarcity and Environmental Stress in Public Organizations: A Conjectural Essay.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozeman, Barry; Slusher, E. Allen

1979-01-01

Assuming extreme scarcity, arguments are developed that public organizations could be expected to constrain their domain definition, allow domain selection to dictate technology, seek clientele suited to existing technologies, and, in general, take actions that will ensure that existing technologies are employed at capacity. (Author/IRT)

43 CFR 3100.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL AND GAS LEASING Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing: General § 3100.0-3 Authority. (a) Public domain. (1) Oil and gas in public domain lands and lands returned...) Indian reservations; (iii) Incorporated cities, towns and villages; (iv) Naval petroleum and oil shale...

43 CFR 3100.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL AND GAS LEASING Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing: General § 3100.0-3 Authority. (a) Public domain. (1) Oil and gas in public domain lands and lands returned...) Indian reservations; (iii) Incorporated cities, towns and villages; (iv) Naval petroleum and oil shale...

43 CFR 3100.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL AND GAS LEASING Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing: General § 3100.0-3 Authority. (a) Public domain. (1) Oil and gas in public domain lands and lands returned...) Indian reservations; (iii) Incorporated cities, towns and villages; (iv) Naval petroleum and oil shale...

43 CFR 3100.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL AND GAS LEASING Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing: General § 3100.0-3 Authority. (a) Public domain. (1) Oil and gas in public domain lands and lands returned...) Indian reservations; (iii) Incorporated cities, towns and villages; (iv) Naval petroleum and oil shale...

Development and Initial Validation of Public Domain Basic Interest Markers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liao, Hsin-Ya; Armstrong, Patrick Ian; Rounds, James

2008-01-01

Goldberg (Goldberg, L. R. (1999). "A broad-bandwidth, public-domain, personality inventory measuring the lower-level facets of several five-factor models." In: I. Mervielde, I. Deary, F. De Fruyt, & F. Ostendorf (Eds.), "Personality psychology in Europe" (Vol. 7, pp. 7-28). Tilburg, The Netherlands: Tilburg University…

Public Domain Generic Tools: An Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erjavec, Tomaz

This paper presents an introduction to language engineering software, especially for computerized language and text corpora. The focus of the paper is on small and relatively independent pieces of software designed for specific, often low-level language analysis tasks, and on tools in the public domain. Discussion begins with the application of…

Saving the Information Commons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bollier, David

2003-01-01

Discusses the control of digital content and the stakes for libraries and our democratic culture. Highlights include copyright term extension, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, use of contract law to limit the public domain, database legislation, trademarks versus the public domain, the void in our cultural vocabulary, and the concept of the…

United States Geological Survey Yearbook, fiscal year 1977

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1978-01-01

Fiscal 1977 marked the 98th year the U.S. Geological Survey has endeavored in the unceasing task of providing information about the Earth and its physical resources, and regulating the activities of lessees engaged in extracting petroleum and other minerals from the public domain. The past year also marked the beginning of a third and challenging mission, drawing upon the Survey's scientific talents, to explore and assess the petroleum potential of a vast 37,000 square miles expanse of Alaska's North Slope known as the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The first two missions require detailed and continuing investigations of the location, character, and extent of the Nation's land, water, mineral, and energy resources; a continuing National Topographic Mapping Program; the classification of Federal lands for mineral and waterpower potential; and a continuing program of technical review, safety inspection and royalty auditing of the operations of private parties engaged in mineral development on Federal lands to assure standards of safety, environmental protection, resource conservation, and a fair market return to the public for the development of their resources.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RUSSIAN HEALTH STUDIES PROGRAM AND UPDATED RESEARCH FINDINGS.

PubMed

Fountos, Barrett N

2017-04-01

Recognized for conducting cutting-edge science in the field of radiation health effects research, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Russian Health Studies Program has continued to generate excitement and enthusiasm throughout its 23-year mission to assess worker and public health risks from radiation exposure resulting from nuclear weapons production activities in the former Soviet Union. The three goals of the Program are to: (1) clarify the relationship between health effects and chronic, low-to-medium dose radiation exposure; (2) estimate the cancer risks from exposure to gamma, neutron, and alpha radiation; and (3) provide information to the national and international organizations that determine radiation protection standards and practices. Research sponsored by DOE's Russian Health Studies Program is conducted under the authority of the Joint Coordinating Committee for Radiation Effects Research (JCCRER), a bi-national committee representing Federal agencies in the United States and the Russian Federation. Signed in 1994, the JCCRER Agreement established the legal basis for the collaborative research between USA and Russian scientists to determine the risks associated with working at or living near Russian former nuclear weapons production sites. The products of the Program are peer-reviewed publications on cancer risk estimates from worker and community exposure to ionizing radiation following the production of nuclear weapons in Russia. The scientific return on investment has been substantial. Through 31 December 2015, JCCRER researchers have published 299 peer-reviewed publications. To date, the research has focused on the Mayak Production Association (Mayak) in Ozersk, Russia, which is the site of the first Soviet nuclear weapons production facility, and people in surrounding communities along the Techa River. There are five current projects in the Russian Health Studies Program: two radiation epidemiology studies; two historical dose reconstruction studies and a worker biorepository. National and international standard-setting organizations use cancer risk estimates computed from epidemiological and historical dose reconstruction studies to validate or revise radiation protection standards. An overview of the most important research results will be presented. Published by Oxford University Press 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Electrochemical Energy Storage and Power Sources for NASA Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldwin, Richard S.

2007-01-01

An overview of NASA s electrochemical energy storage programs for NASA Exploration missions is being presented at the 10th Electrochemical Power Sources R&D Symposium, which is being held in Williamsburg, VA on August 20-23, 2007. This public domain venue, which is sponsored by the U.S. Navy and held every two years, serves as a forum for the dissemination of research and development results related to electrochemical energy storage technology programs that are currently being supported and managed within governmental agencies. Technology areas of primary interest include batteries, fuel cells, and both overview and focused presentations on such are given by both governmental and contractual researchers. The forum also provides an opportunity to assess technology areas of mutual interest with respect to establishing collaborative and/or complementary programmatic interactions.

AdaNET phase 0 support for the AdaNET Dynamic Software Inventory (DSI) management system prototype. Catalog of available reusable software components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanley, Lionel

1989-01-01

The Ada Software Repository is a public-domain collection of Ada software and information. The Ada Software Repository is one of several repositories located on the SIMTEL20 Defense Data Network host computer at White Sands Missile Range, and available to any host computer on the network since 26 November 1984. This repository provides a free source for Ada programs and information. The Ada Software Repository is divided into several subdirectories. These directories are organized by topic, and their names and a brief overview of their topics are contained. The Ada Software Repository on SIMTEL20 serves two basic roles: to promote the exchange and use (reusability) of Ada programs and tools (including components) and to promote Ada education.

Eclipse Megamovie 2017: How did we do?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, H. S.; Bender, M.; Collier, B. L.; Johnson, C.; Koh, J.; Konerding, D.; Martinez Oliveros, J. C.; Peticolas, L. M.; White, V.; Zevin, D.

2017-12-01

The Eclipse Megamovie program, as set up for the Great American Eclipse of 21 August 2017, will have completed its first phase, data acquisition, on that day or shortly thereafter. Our objective was to create (with Google's help) a vast public archive of amateur and other photography, down to the smartphone level, of the corona itself and of Baily's Beads at the 2nd and 3rd contacts. The archive and the consumer electronics enabling it open a large new domain of parameter space for eclipse science. At whatever level we have succeeded, the archive is an historical first, and we hope that the it already has been a springboard for citizen-science projects. We will discuss the execution of the program and some of its science plans/results.

Comparison of patient perceived primary care quality in public clinics, public hospitals and private clinics in rural China.

PubMed

Wang, Wenhua; Maitland, Elizabeth; Nicholas, Stephen; Loban, Ekaterina; Haggerty, Jeannie

2017-10-03

In rural China, patients have free choice of health facilities for outpatient services. Comparison studies exploring the attributes of different health facilities can help identify optimal primary care service models. Using a representative sample of Chinese provinces, this study aimed to compare patients' rating of three primary care service models used by rural residents (public clinics, public hospitals and private clinics) on a range of health care attributes related to responsiveness. This was a secondary analysis using the household survey data from World Health Organization (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE). Using a multistage cluster sampling strategy, eight provinces were selected and finally 3435 overall respondents reporting they had visited public clinics, public hospitals or private clinics during the last year, were included in our analysis. Five items were used to measure patient perceived quality in five domains including prompt attention, communication and autonomy, dignity and confidentiality. ANOVA and Turkey's post hoc tests were used to conduct comparative analysis of five domains. Separate multivariate linear regression models were estimated to examine the association of primary care service models with each domain after controlling for patient characteristics. The distribution of last health facilities visited was: 29.5% public clinics; 31.2% public hospitals and; 39.3% private clinics. Public clinics perform best in all five domains: prompt attention (4.15), dignity (4.17), communication (4.07), autonomy (4.05) and confidentiality (4.02). Public hospitals perform better than private clinics in dignity (4.03 vs 3.94), communication (3.97 vs 3.82), autonomy (3.92 vs 3.74) and confidentiality (3.94 vs 3.73), but equivalently in prompt attention (3.92 vs 3.93). Rural residents who are older, wealthier, and with higher self-rated health status have significantly higher patient perceived quality of care in all domains. Rural public clinics, which share many characteristics with the optimal primary care delivery model, should be strongly strengthened to respond to patients' needs. Better doctor-patient interaction training would improve respect, confidentiality, autonomy and, most importantly, health care quality for rural patients.

Frequency Domain Computer Programs for Prediction and Analysis of Rail Vehicle Dynamics : Volume 1. Technical Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-12-01

Frequency domain computer programs developed or acquired by TSC for the analysis of rail vehicle dynamics are described in two volumes. Volume I defines the general analytical capabilities required for computer programs applicable to single rail vehi...

AMPHION: Specification-based programming for scientific subroutine libraries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowry, Michael; Philpot, Andrew; Pressburger, Thomas; Underwood, Ian; Waldinger, Richard; Stickel, Mark

1994-01-01

AMPHION is a knowledge-based software engineering (KBSE) system that guides a user in developing a diagram representing a formal problem specification. It then automatically implements a solution to this specification as a program consisting of calls to subroutines from a library. The diagram provides an intuitive domain oriented notation for creating a specification that also facilitates reuse and modification. AMPHION'S architecture is domain independent. AMPHION is specialized to an application domain by developing a declarative domain theory. Creating a domain theory is an iterative process that currently requires the joint expertise of domain experts and experts in automated formal methods for software development.

Protein domain analysis of genomic sequence data reveals regulation of LRR related domains in plant transpiration in Ficus.

PubMed

Lang, Tiange; Yin, Kangquan; Liu, Jinyu; Cao, Kunfang; Cannon, Charles H; Du, Fang K

2014-01-01

Predicting protein domains is essential for understanding a protein's function at the molecular level. However, up till now, there has been no direct and straightforward method for predicting protein domains in species without a reference genome sequence. In this study, we developed a functionality with a set of programs that can predict protein domains directly from genomic sequence data without a reference genome. Using whole genome sequence data, the programming functionality mainly comprised DNA assembly in combination with next-generation sequencing (NGS) assembly methods and traditional methods, peptide prediction and protein domain prediction. The proposed new functionality avoids problems associated with de novo assembly due to micro reads and small single repeats. Furthermore, we applied our functionality for the prediction of leucine rich repeat (LRR) domains in four species of Ficus with no reference genome, based on NGS genomic data. We found that the LRRNT_2 and LRR_8 domains are related to plant transpiration efficiency, as indicated by the stomata index, in the four species of Ficus. The programming functionality established in this study provides new insights for protein domain prediction, which is particularly timely in the current age of NGS data expansion.

An Overview of Public Domain Tools for Measuring the Sustainability of Environmental Remediation - 12060

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

Claypool, John E.; Rogers, Scott

The application of sustainability principles to the investigation and remediation of contaminated sites is an area of rapid development within the environmental profession, with new business practices, tools, and performance standards for identifying, evaluating, and managing the 'collateral' impacts of cleanup projects to the environment, economy and society coming from many organizations. Guidelines, frameworks, and standards of practice for 'green and sustainable remediation' (GSR) have been released and are under development by the Sustainable Remediation Forum (SURF), the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), the Interstate Technology Roundtable Commission (ITRC) and other organizations in the U.S. and internationally. In responsemore » to Executive Orders from the President, Federal government agencies have developed policies, procedures and guidelines for evaluating and reporting the sustainability of their environmental restoration projects. Private sector companies in the petroleum, utility, manufacturing, defense, and other sectors are developing their own corporate GSR programs to improve day-to-day management of contaminated sites and to support external reporting as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. The explosion of mandates, policy, procedures and guidance raises the question of how to determine whether a remediation technology or cleanup approach is green and/or sustainable. The environmental profession has responded to this question by designing, developing and deploying a wide array of tools, calculators, and databases that enable regulatory agencies, site managers and environmental professionals to calculate the collateral impacts of their remediation projects in the environmental, social, and economic domains. Many of these tools are proprietary ones developed by environmental engineering/consulting firms for use in their consulting engagements and/or tailored specifically to meet the needs of their clients. When it comes to the public domain, Federal government agencies are spearheading the development of software tools to measure and report emissions of air pollutants (e.g., carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases, criteria air pollutants); consumption of energy, water and natural resources; accident and safety risks; project costs and other economic metrics. Most of the tools developed for the Government are available to environmental practitioners without charge, so they are growing in usage and popularity. The key features and metrics calculated by the available public-domain tools for measuring the sustainability of environmental remediation projects share some commonalities but there are differences amongst the tools. The SiteWise{sup TM} sustainability tool developed for the Navy and US Army will be compared with the Sustainable Remediation Tool (SRT{sup TM}) developed for the US Air Force (USAF). In addition, the USAF's Clean Solar and Wind Energy in Environmental Programs (CleanSWEEP), a soon-to-be-released tool for evaluating the economic feasibility of utilizing renewal energy for powering remediation systems will be described in the paper. (authors)« less

Expected Ethical Competencies of Public Health Professionals and Graduate Curricula in Accredited Schools of Public Health in North America

PubMed Central

Wright, Brandy; Semaan, Salaam

2013-01-01

Objectives. We assessed expected ethics competencies of public health professionals in codes and competencies, reviewed ethics instruction at schools of public health, and recommended ways to bridge the gap between them. Methods. We reviewed the code of ethics and 3 sets of competencies, separating ethics-related competencies into 3 domains: professional, research, and public health. We reviewed ethics course requirements in 2010–2011 on the Internet sites of 46 graduate schools of public health and categorized courses as required, not required, or undetermined. Results. Half of schools (n = 23) required an ethics course for graduation (master’s or doctoral level), 21 did not, and 2 had no information. Sixteen of 23 required courses were 3-credit courses. Course content varied from 1 ethics topic to many topics addressing multiple ethics domains. Conclusions. Consistent ethics education and competency evaluation can be accomplished through a combination of a required course addressing the 3 domains, integration of ethics topics in other courses, and “booster” trainings. Enhancing ethics competence of public health professionals is important to address the ethical questions that arise in public health research, surveillance, practice, and policy. PMID:22994177

Blueprint for prescriber continuing education program.

PubMed

2012-06-01

On October 25, 2011, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted online this Blueprint for Prescriber Continuing Education, labeled "final," relating to extended-release and long-acting opioids. The pending FDA Risk Evaluation Management Strategy (REMS) requires prescriber education. This document provides guidance to sponsors of these dosage forms in developing the prescvriber education component of their REMS. This report was posted online by the federal agency on October 25, 2011 at: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/drugsafety/informationbydrugclass/ucm277916.pdf. It is in the public domain.

41 CFR 102-173.5 - What is Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What is Internet GOV... Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.5 What is Internet GOV Domain? Internet GOV Domain refers to the Internet top-level...

41 CFR 102-173.5 - What is Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false What is Internet GOV... Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.5 What is Internet GOV Domain? Internet GOV Domain refers to the Internet top-level...

41 CFR 102-173.5 - What is Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What is Internet GOV... Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.5 What is Internet GOV Domain? Internet GOV Domain refers to the Internet top-level...

41 CFR 102-173.5 - What is Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What is Internet GOV... Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.5 What is Internet GOV Domain? Internet GOV Domain refers to the Internet top-level...

41 CFR 102-173.5 - What is Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is Internet GOV... Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.5 What is Internet GOV Domain? Internet GOV Domain refers to the Internet top-level...

The post-2015 landscape: vested interests, corporate social responsibility and public health advocacy.

PubMed

Herrick, Clare

2016-09-01

This paper explores the tensions between UN calls for private sector engagement in the post-2015 landscape and public health opposition to those 'harm industries' that are 'corporate vectors of disease' for the mounting global non-communicable disease burden. The UN's support for public-private partnership has provided industries with 'vested interests' in the propagation of unhealthy behaviours with new opportunities for the strategic alignment of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavours with the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. This has galvanised public health advocates to place pressure on the World Health Organisation to formalise their ambiguous stance towards private sector involvement in public policy formation and the resultant 'conflicts of interest'. This paper critically examines the 'gathering storm' between this 'anti-corporate movement' and the alcohol industry in the increasingly politicised domain of CSR. Drawing on the example of SABMiller's Tavern Intervention Program, the paper argues that CSR represents a profound threat to the sanctity and moral authority of the public health worldview. Questions therefore need to be asked about whether the public health-led path of industry non-association will necessarily result in health improvements or just a further retrenchment of the ideological faultlines explored in the paper. © 2016 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

32 CFR 705.35 - Armed Forces participation in events in the public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Department of Defense policy prohibits payment by the Armed Forces for rental of exhibit space, connection of... 32 National Defense 5 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Armed Forces participation in events in the... Forces participation in events in the public domain. (a) Requests for bands, troops, units, teams...

32 CFR 705.35 - Armed Forces participation in events in the public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Department of Defense policy prohibits payment by the Armed Forces for rental of exhibit space, connection of... 32 National Defense 5 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Armed Forces participation in events in the... Forces participation in events in the public domain. (a) Requests for bands, troops, units, teams...

32 CFR 705.35 - Armed Forces participation in events in the public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Department of Defense policy prohibits payment by the Armed Forces for rental of exhibit space, connection of... 32 National Defense 5 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Armed Forces participation in events in the... Forces participation in events in the public domain. (a) Requests for bands, troops, units, teams...

32 CFR 705.35 - Armed Forces participation in events in the public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Department of Defense policy prohibits payment by the Armed Forces for rental of exhibit space, connection of... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Armed Forces participation in events in the... Forces participation in events in the public domain. (a) Requests for bands, troops, units, teams...

32 CFR 705.35 - Armed Forces participation in events in the public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Armed Forces participation in events in the... Forces participation in events in the public domain. (a) Requests for bands, troops, units, teams, exhibits and other Armed Forces participation should be addressed to the nearest military installation...

A pilot demonstration of comprehensive mental health services in inner-city public schools.

PubMed

Walter, Heather J; Gouze, Karen; Cicchetti, Colleen; Arend, Richard; Mehta, Tara; Schmidt, Janet; Skvarla, Madelynn

2011-04-01

National policy statements increasingly espouse the delivery of comprehensive mental health services in schools. In response to the limited evidence supporting this recommendation, the purpose of this study was to assess the need for, and feasibility, desirability, and outcomes of a full model of comprehensive mental health services in 2 public elementary schools in inner-city neighborhoods. The program, based upon a national model for comprehensive school mental health services, comprised universal and indicated preventive as well as clinical interventions designed to target needs identified in a baseline screening survey. The program was implemented over 1 school year by mental health professionals in collaboration with school teachers. Mental health outcomes comparing baseline to follow-up data were assessed in multiple domains among students and teachers. After 1 year of intervention, students had significantly fewer mental health difficulties, less functional impairment, and improved behavior, and reported improved mental health knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral intentions. Teachers reported significantly greater proficiency in managing mental health problems in their classrooms. School staff overwhelmingly endorsed satisfaction with the program. If the observed favorable findings from this pilot demonstration can be replicated in methodologically rigorous studies, additional support would be garnered for national policy recommendations about comprehensive school mental health services. © 2011, American School Health Association.

41 CFR 102-173.10 - What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? 102-173.10 Section 102-173.10 Public Contracts and Property Management... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.10 What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? Jurisdiction of the Internet GOV (dot-gov) domain was delegated to the General Services...

41 CFR 102-173.10 - What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? 102-173.10 Section 102-173.10 Public Contracts and Property Management... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.10 What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? Jurisdiction of the Internet GOV (dot-gov) domain was delegated to the General Services...

41 CFR 102-173.10 - What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? 102-173.10 Section 102-173.10 Public Contracts and Property Management... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.10 What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? Jurisdiction of the Internet GOV (dot-gov) domain was delegated to the General Services...

41 CFR 102-173.10 - What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? 102-173.10 Section 102-173.10 Public Contracts and Property Management... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.10 What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? Jurisdiction of the Internet GOV (dot-gov) domain was delegated to the General Services...

41 CFR 102-173.10 - What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? 102-173.10 Section 102-173.10 Public Contracts and Property Management... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN General § 102-173.10 What is the authority or jurisdiction of the Internet GOV Domain? Jurisdiction of the Internet GOV (dot-gov) domain was delegated to the General Services...

ManUniCast: A Community Weather and Air-Quality Forecasting Teaching Portal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, David M.; Anderson, Stuart; Fairman, Jonathan G.; Lowe, Douglas; McFiggans, Gordon; Lee, Elsa; Seo-Zindy, Ryo

2014-05-01

Manunicast was borne out of the needs of our teaching program: students were entering a world where environmental prediction via numerical model was an essential skill, but were not exposed to the production or output of such models. Our site is an educational testbed to explain to students and the public how weather, air-quality, and air-chemistry forecasts are made using real-time predictions as examples. As far as we know, this site provides the first freely available real-time predictions for the UK. We perform two simulations a day over three domains using the most popular, freely available, community atmospheric mesoscale and chemistry models WRF-ARW and WRF-Chem: 1. a WRF-ARW domain over the North Atlantic and western Europe (20-km horizontal grid spacing) 2. a WRF-ARW domain over the UK and Ireland (4-km grid spacing, nested within the 20-km domain) 3. a WRF-Chem domain over the UK and Ireland (12-km grid spacing) Called ManUniCast (Manchester University Forecast), we offer a suite of products from horizontal maps, time series at stations (meteograms), skew-T-logp charts, and cross sections to help students better visualize the weather and the relationships between the various fields more effectively, specifically through the ability to overlay and fade between different plotted products. This presentation discusses how we funded and built ManUniCast, the struggles we faced, and its use in our classes.

Outcomes in knowledge, attitudes and confidence of nursing staff working in nursing and residential care homes following a dementia training programme.

PubMed

Scerri, Anthony; Scerri, Charles

2017-11-08

Dementia training programmes for staff working in long-term care settings have been found to be effective in improving staff outcomes. This study investigated the impact of a dementia training programme for all Maltese nursing staff working in public nursing/residential homes on their knowledge, attitudes and confidence. Additionally, we identified the predictors of these domains before and after the programme. A 14-hour training programme focusing on dementia management, care and policy was developed for all nursing staff working in public nursing and residential homes in Malta. A pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate the participants' knowledge of dementia, attitudes and confidence in working with residents with dementia using validated tools. Demographic variables were measured and compared with each staff domain. The majority of nursing staff attended the training programme with 261 fully completed questionnaires being collected pre-training and 214 post-training. The programme significantly improved nursing staff knowledge, attitudes and confidence. Stepwise regression analysis of each staff domain showed that the strongest predictor in all models at pre-training was the intensity of previous training programmes. Furthermore, staff who attended previous training continued to improve in their attitudes and confidence following programme completion. The study continues to shed further evidence on the impact of dementia training programs on staff outcomes. It also indicated that the intensity of previous participation in dementia training programmes was related to the participants' knowledge, attitudes and confidence and that continual exposure to training had a cumulative effect.

The Gateway Paper--preventive and promotive programs in Pakistan and health reforms in Pakistan.

PubMed

Nishtar, Sania

2006-12-01

Pakistan's public health interventions include a range of programs lead by the federal government with implementation arms at the provincial and district levels. Some of the programs are disease specific such as the respective programs on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, non-communicable diseases and Hepatitis; others are specific to life cycle domains such as in the case of maternal and child health whereas still others such as the National Program for Family Planning and Primary Healthcare and the National Expanded Program for Immunization are cross-cutting. Although these programs have contributed to improving health outcomes at intermediate outcomes level, a number of critical impediments to maximizing their impact have been noted. These include lack of integration, institutional impediments to the implementation of programs with particular reference to problems at the federal/provincial level and unrealized implications of federal programs at the provincial level are amongst the foremost. These have been further compounded by the addition of another service delivery tier in Pakistan's health system through the introduction of the devolution initiative. Furthermore, the unsustainable and under-utilized BHUs which serve as the service delivery base of these programs add to the problems. The Gateway Paper makes a number of recommendations to obviate these issues such as recommendations to integrate programs, strengthen surveillance systems, and with reference to obviating issues to implementation, emphasis is laid on decentralizing decision-making and central control, institutionalizing managerial audit, and prioritizing specific governance and management reforms. The Paper also stresses on the need for establishing a national coordination mechanism for fostering federal/provincial harmony and ensuring the creation of appropriate counterpart institutional arrangements in the provinces and districts. Recommendations on restructuring BHUs at a management, oversight, quality related and community participation level will play a vital role in determining the manner in which the efficiency of these public health programs can be enhanced.

32 CFR 644.25 - Withdrawal of Public Domain for Defense Purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... public domain land, water, or land and water, or restrictions on use of areas in the Continental Shelf, aggregating an area of more than 5,000 acres for any one defense project, shall be by Act of Congress. Upon... (annual rental) basis. (6) Map(s) indicating the exterior boundaries of the project; excepted areas, if...

32 CFR 644.25 - Withdrawal of Public Domain for Defense Purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... public domain land, water, or land and water, or restrictions on use of areas in the Continental Shelf, aggregating an area of more than 5,000 acres for any one defense project, shall be by Act of Congress. Upon... (annual rental) basis. (6) Map(s) indicating the exterior boundaries of the project; excepted areas, if...

32 CFR 644.25 - Withdrawal of Public Domain for Defense Purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... public domain land, water, or land and water, or restrictions on use of areas in the Continental Shelf, aggregating an area of more than 5,000 acres for any one defense project, shall be by Act of Congress. Upon... (annual rental) basis. (6) Map(s) indicating the exterior boundaries of the project; excepted areas, if...

32 CFR 644.25 - Withdrawal of Public Domain for Defense Purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... public domain land, water, or land and water, or restrictions on use of areas in the Continental Shelf, aggregating an area of more than 5,000 acres for any one defense project, shall be by Act of Congress. Upon... (annual rental) basis. (6) Map(s) indicating the exterior boundaries of the project; excepted areas, if...

32 CFR 644.25 - Withdrawal of Public Domain for Defense Purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... public domain land, water, or land and water, or restrictions on use of areas in the Continental Shelf, aggregating an area of more than 5,000 acres for any one defense project, shall be by Act of Congress. Upon... (annual rental) basis. (6) Map(s) indicating the exterior boundaries of the project; excepted areas, if...

32 CFR 644.534 - Return of public domain land.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... reservation effected by the Act, the Department of the Army shall make safe for nonmilitary uses the land... account the desired future use and value of the land to be decontaminated. (c) Army. The congressional... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Return of public domain land. 644.534 Section 644...

The public understanding of nanotechnology in the food domain: the hidden role of views on science, technology, and nature.

PubMed

Vandermoere, Frederic; Blanchemanche, Sandrine; Bieberstein, Andrea; Marette, Stephan; Roosen, Jutta

2011-03-01

In spite of great expectations about the potential of nanotechnology, this study shows that people are rather ambiguous and pessimistic about nanotechnology applications in the food domain. Our findings are drawn from a survey of public perceptions about nanotechnology food and nanotechnology food packaging (N = 752). Multinomial logistic regression analyses further reveal that knowledge about food risks and nanotechnology significantly influences people's views about nanotechnology food packaging. However, knowledge variables were unrelated to support for nanofood, suggesting that an increase in people's knowledge might not be sufficient to bridge the gap between the excitement some business leaders in the food sector have and the restraint of the public. Additionally, opposition to nanofood was not related to the use of heuristics but to trust in governmental agencies. Furthermore, the results indicate that public perceptions of nanoscience in the food domain significantly relate to views on science, technology, and nature.

Using Weighted Constraints to Diagnose Errors in Logic Programming--The Case of an Ill-Defined Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le, Nguyen-Thinh; Menzel, Wolfgang

2009-01-01

In this paper, we introduce logic programming as a domain that exhibits some characteristics of being ill-defined. In order to diagnose student errors in such a domain, we need a means to hypothesise the student's intention, that is the strategy underlying her solution. This is achieved by weighting constraints, so that hypotheses about solution…

41 CFR 102-173.95 - Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? 102-173.95 Section 102-173.95 Public Contracts and Property... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.95 Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? The General Services Administration approves domain names for a specific term of time...

41 CFR 102-173.95 - Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? 102-173.95 Section 102-173.95 Public Contracts and Property... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.95 Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? The General Services Administration approves domain names for a specific term of time...

41 CFR 102-173.95 - Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? 102-173.95 Section 102-173.95 Public Contracts and Property... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.95 Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? The General Services Administration approves domain names for a specific term of time...

41 CFR 102-173.95 - Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? 102-173.95 Section 102-173.95 Public Contracts and Property... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.95 Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? The General Services Administration approves domain names for a specific term of time...

41 CFR 102-173.95 - Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? 102-173.95 Section 102-173.95 Public Contracts and Property... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.95 Are there any restrictions on the use of the dot-gov domain name? The General Services Administration approves domain names for a specific term of time...

Proposal of an Extended Taxonomy of Serious Games for Health Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Rego, Paula Alexandra; Moreira, Pedro Miguel; Reis, Luís Paulo

2018-06-29

Serious Games is a field of research that has evolved substantially with valuable contributions to many application domains and areas. Patients often consider traditional rehabilitation approaches to be repetitive and boring, making it difficult for them to maintain their ongoing interest and assure the completion of the treatment program. Since the publication of our first taxonomy of Serious Games for Health Rehabilitation (SGHR), many studies have been published with game prototypes in this area. Based on literature review, our goal is to propose an updated taxonomy taking into account the works, updates, and innovations in game criteria that have been researched since our first publication in 2010. In addition, we aim to present the validation mechanism used for the proposed extended taxonomy. Based on a literature review in the area and on the analysis of the contributions made by other researchers, we propose an extended taxonomy for SGHR. For validating the taxonomy proposal, a questionnaire was designed to use on a survey among experts in the area. An extended taxonomy for SGHR was proposed. As we have identified that, in general, and besides the mechanisms associated with the adoption of a given taxonomy, there were no reported validation mechanisms for the proposals, we designed a mechanism to validate our proposal. The mechanism uses a questionnaire addressed to a sample of researchers and professionals with experience and expertise in domains of knowledge interrelated with SGHR, such as Computer Graphics, Game Design, Interaction Design, Computer Programming, and Health Rehabilitation. The extended taxonomy proposal for health rehabilitation serious games provides the research community with a tool to fully characterize serious games. The mechanism designed for validating the taxonomy proposal is another contribution of this work.

Egg-laying sequence influences egg mercury concentrations and egg size in three bird species: Implications for contaminant monitoring programs.

PubMed

Ackerman, Joshua T; Eagles-Smith, Collin A; Herzog, Mark P; Yee, Julie L; Hartman, C Alex

2016-06-01

Bird eggs are commonly used in contaminant monitoring programs and toxicological risk assessments, but intraclutch variation and sampling methodology could influence interpretability. The authors examined the influence of egg-laying sequence on egg mercury concentrations and burdens in American avocets, black-necked stilts, and Forster's terns. The average decline in mercury concentrations between the first and last eggs laid was 33% for stilts, 22% for terns, and 11% for avocets, and most of this decline occurred between the first and second eggs laid (24% for stilts, 18% for terns, and 9% for avocets). Trends in egg size with egg-laying order were inconsistent among species, and overall differences in egg volume, mass, length, and width were <3%. The authors summarized the literature, and among 17 species studied, mercury concentrations generally declined by 16% between the first and second eggs laid. Despite the strong effect of egg-laying sequence, most of the variance in egg mercury concentrations still occurred among clutches (75-91%) rather than within clutches (9%-25%). Using simulations, the authors determined that accurate estimation of a population's mean egg mercury concentration using only a single random egg from a subset of nests would require sampling >60 nests to represent a large population (10% accuracy) or ≥14 nests to represent a small colony that contained <100 nests (20% accuracy). Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1458-1469. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives before and after iPledge in the United States.

PubMed

Pinheiro, Simone P; Kang, Elizabeth M; Kim, Clara Y; Governale, Laura A; Zhou, Esther H; Hammad, Tarek A

2013-12-01

The major concern associated with isotretinoin treatment is its high teratogenic potential. Therefore, ensuring use of contraception while on therapy is an important strategy for at-risk patients and has been emphasized in all risk management programs. iPledge, the latest and most rigorous isotretinoin program, requires, among other stipulations, monthly assessments of contraceptive use for patients undergoing isotretinoin treatment. The purpose of this study is to evaluate isotretinoin usage patterns and assess concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives before and after iPledge. Female patients aged 13-45 years with a new prescription for isotretinoin products during 2004-2008 were identified in the IMS Health longitudinal prescription claims database. Monthly concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives was estimated. Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series data was used to assess changes in monthly proportion of concomitant use in the 24 months preceding versus following iPledge implementation. The number of isotretinoin prescriptions decreased after iPledge implementation. A small but significant increase in monthly proportion of patients concomitantly using isotretinoin and contraceptive therapies was observed immediately after iPledge implementation (1.3%, p-value = 0.02), particularly among younger patients (2.5%, p-value < 0.01). No changes in the proportion of concomitancy over time (i.e. slope) between the periods before and after iPledge implementation were observed. The findings of this pharmacy prescription claims-based study suggest a small increase in concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives coincident with the time of implementation of iPledge, particularly among younger women. Published 2013. This article is a U. S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2013. This article is a U. S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Implementing administrative evidence based practices: lessons from the field in six local health departments across the United States.

PubMed

Duggan, Kathleen; Aisaka, Kristelle; Tabak, Rachel G; Smith, Carson; Erwin, Paul; Brownson, Ross C

2015-06-06

Administrative evidence based practices (A-EBPs) are agency level structures and activities positively associated with performance measures (e.g., achieving core public health functions, carrying out evidence-based interventions). The objectives of this study were to examine the contextual conditions and explore differences in local health department (LHD) characteristics that influence the implementation of A-EBPs. Qualitative case studies were conducted based on data from 35 practitioners in six LHDs across the United States. The sample was chosen using an A-EBP score from our 2012 national survey and was linked to secondary data from the National Public Health Performance Standards Program. Three LHDs that scored high and three LHDs that scored low on both measures were selected as case study sites. The 37-question interview guide explored LHD use of an evidence based decision making process, including A-EBPs and evidence-based programs and policies. Each interview took 30-60 min. Standard qualitative methodology was used for data coding and analysis using NVivo software. As might be expected, high-capacity LHDs were more likely to have strong leadership, partnerships, financial flexibility, workforce development activities, and an organizational culture supportive of evidence based decision making and implementation of A-EBPs. They were also more likely to describe having strong or important relationships with universities and other educational resources, increasing their access to resources and allowing them to more easily share knowledge and expertise. Differences between high- and low-capacity LHDs in A-EBP domains highlight the importance of investments in these areas and the potential those investments have to contribute to overall efficiency and performance. Further research may identify avenues to enhance resources in these domains to create an organizational culture supportive of A-EBPs.

The antimicrobial resistance monitoring and research (ARMoR) program: the US Department of Defense response to escalating antimicrobial resistance.

PubMed

Lesho, Emil P; Waterman, Paige E; Chukwuma, Uzo; McAuliffe, Kathryn; Neumann, Charlotte; Julius, Michael D; Crouch, Helen; Chandrasekera, Ruvani; English, Judith F; Clifford, Robert J; Kester, Kent E

2014-08-01

Responding to escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the US Department of Defense implemented an enterprise-wide collaboration, the Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring and Research Program, to aid in infection prevention and control. It consists of a network of epidemiologists, bioinformaticists, microbiology researchers, policy makers, hospital-based infection preventionists, and healthcare providers who collaborate to collect relevant AMR data, conduct centralized molecular characterization, and use AMR characterization feedback to implement appropriate infection prevention and control measures and influence policy. A particularly concerning type of AMR, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, significantly declined after the program was launched. Similarly, there have been no further reports or outbreaks of another concerning type of AMR, colistin resistance in Acinetobacter, in the Department of Defense since the program was initiated. However, bacteria containing AMR-encoding genes are increasing. To update program stakeholders and other healthcare systems facing such challenges, we describe the processes and impact of the program. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Mississippi State University’s Geoscience Education and Geocognition Research Program in the Department of Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeal, K.; Clary, R. M.; Sherman-Morris, K.; Kirkland, B.; Gillham, D.; Moe-Hoffman, A.

2009-12-01

The Department of Geosciences at Mississippi State University offers both a MS in Geosciences and a PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, with the possibility of a concentration in geoscience education. The department offers broad research opportunities in the geoscience sub-disciplines of Geology, Meteorology, GIS, and Geography. Geoscience education research is one of the research themes emphasized in the department and focuses on geoscience learning in traditional, online, field-based, and informal educational environments. Approximately 20% of the faculty are actively conducting research in geoscience education and incorporate both qualitative and quantitative research approaches in areas including: the investigation of effective teaching strategies, the implementation and evaluation of geoscience teacher professional development programs and diversity enhancement programs, the study of the history and philosophy of science in geoscience teaching, the exploration of student cognition and understanding of complex and dynamic earth systems, and the investigation of using visualizations to enhance learning in the geosciences. The inception and continued support of an active geoscience education research program is derived from a variety of factors including: (1) the development of the on-line Teachers in Geosciences (TIG) Masters Degree Program which is the primary teaching appointment for the majority of the faculty conducting geoscience education research, (2) the securing of federal funds to support geoscience education research, (3) the publication of high-quality peer-reviewed research papers in both geoscience education and traditional research domains, (4) the active contribution of the geoscience education faculty in their traditional research domains, (5) a faculty that greatly values teaching and recognizes the research area of geoscience education as a sub-domain of the broader geoscience disciplines, (6) the involvement of university faculty, outside of these primary faculty leaders, in geoscience education research-related projects where the expertise the geoscience education faculty offers is a catalyst for collaboration, (7) departmental support including research space, teaching loads, and start-up funds that are in-line with the remainder of the department faculty. Results of the program have included securing funding from multiple agencies (e.g., NSF, NASA, DOE, MDE, NOAA, ARC), providing support to and involving graduate and undergraduate students in both geoscience education and traditional research projects, disseminating project results in peer-reviewed journals, technical reports, and international/national conferences, and developing courses for the concentration in geoscience education.

Comparison of national mental health quality assessment programs across the globe.

PubMed

Parameswaran, Sharat; Spaeth-Rublee, Brigitta; Huynh, Phuong Trang; Pincus, Harold Alan

2012-10-01

This study by the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership Clinical Leaders Project sought to describe ongoing or soon-to-be-established national-level mental health quality measurement programs in 12 participating countries, in order to understand the nature and structure of these programs. A survey was distributed to representatives from the participating countries (Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, Taiwan, and the United States). Data included descriptions of qualifying programs and the organizations responsible for them, quality indicators used, entities assessed, sources and means of the programs' data collection, the level at which data are reported, and how the data are used. Participants were asked to identify which quality domains and subdomains were represented by indicators in each program. Results were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Thirty-eight programs were identified. Most programs were administered by governmental organizations, focused on hospital care, and used encounter or utilization databases as sources of information. Programs used different methods to identify indicators. Program data were used for various purposes. A wide range of domains of quality were represented in the programs reported, although most commonality was seen in domains associated with high-acuity care, with fewer programs assessing recovery-related domains. This study found wide variation among established quality assessment programs, which may reflect a focus on local priorities. The goal of this project is to work toward establishing an international framework for mental health quality assessment and thus a means to compare key measures of performance across countries.

CE: Original Research: Creating an Evidence-Based Progression for Clinical Advancement Programs.

PubMed

Burke, Kathleen G; Johnson, Tonya; Sites, Christine; Barnsteiner, Jane

2017-05-01

: Background: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project have identified six nursing competencies and supported their integration into undergraduate and graduate nursing curricula nationwide. But integration of those competencies into clinical practice has been limited, and evidence for the progression of competency proficiency within clinical advancement programs is scant. Using an evidence-based approach and building on the competencies identified by the IOM and QSEN, a team of experts at an academic health system developed eight competency domains and 186 related knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) for professional nursing practice. The aim of our study was to validate the eight identified competencies and 186 related KSAs and determine their developmental progression within a clinical advancement program. Using the Delphi technique, nursing leadership validated the newly identified competency domains and KSAs as essential to practice. Clinical experts from 13 Magnet-designated hospitals with clinical advancement programs then participated in Delphi rounds aimed at reaching consensus on the developmental progression of the 186 KSAs through four levels of clinical advancement. Two Delphi rounds resulted in consensus by the expert participants. All eight competency domains were determined to be essential at all four levels of clinical practice. At the novice level of practice, the experts identified a greater number of KSAs in the domains of safety and patient- and family-centered care. At more advanced practice levels, the experts identified a greater number of KSAs in the domains of professionalism, teamwork, technology and informatics, and continuous quality improvement. Incorporating the eight competency domains and the 186 KSAs into a framework for clinical advancement programs will likely result in more clearly defined role expectations; enhance accountability; and elevate and promote nursing practice, thereby improving clinical outcomes and quality of care. With their emphasis on quality and safety, the eight competency domains also offer a framework for enhancing position descriptions, performance evaluations, clinical recognition, initial and ongoing competency assessment programs, and orientation and residency programs.

41 CFR 102-173.70 - Where do I register my dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... dot-gov domain name? 102-173.70 Section 102-173.70 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.70 Where do I register my dot-gov domain name? Registration is an online process at the General Services Administration's Web site at http://www.nic.gov. At the...

41 CFR 102-173.70 - Where do I register my dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... dot-gov domain name? 102-173.70 Section 102-173.70 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.70 Where do I register my dot-gov domain name? Registration is an online process at the General Services Administration's Web site at http://www.nic.gov. At the...

41 CFR 102-173.70 - Where do I register my dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... dot-gov domain name? 102-173.70 Section 102-173.70 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.70 Where do I register my dot-gov domain name? Registration is an online process at the General Services Administration's Web site at http://www.nic.gov. At the...

41 CFR 102-173.70 - Where do I register my dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... dot-gov domain name? 102-173.70 Section 102-173.70 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.70 Where do I register my dot-gov domain name? Registration is an online process at the General Services Administration's Web site at http://www.nic.gov. At the...

41 CFR 102-173.70 - Where do I register my dot-gov domain name?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... dot-gov domain name? 102-173.70 Section 102-173.70 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal...-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.70 Where do I register my dot-gov domain name? Registration is an online process at the General Services Administration's Web site at http://www.nic.gov. At the...

Simplifying the construction of domain-specific automatic programming systems: The NASA automated software development workstation project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1987-01-01

An overview is presented of the Automated Software Development Workstation Project, an effort to explore knowledge-based approaches to increasing software productivity. The project focuses on applying the concept of domain specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPSs) to application domains at NASA's Johnson Space Center. A version of a D-SAPS developed in Phase 1 of the project for the domain of space station momentum management is described. How problems encountered during its implementation led researchers to concentrate on simplifying the process of building and extending such systems is discussed. Researchers propose to do this by attacking three observed bottlenecks in the D-SAPS development process through the increased automation of the acquisition of programming knowledge and the use of an object oriented development methodology at all stages of the program design. How these ideas are being implemented in the Bauhaus, a prototype workstation for D-SAPS development is discussed.

Simplifying the construction of domain-specific automatic programming systems: The NASA automated software development workstation project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1988-01-01

An overview is presented of the Automated Software Development Workstation Project, an effort to explore knowledge-based approaches to increasing software productivity. The project focuses on applying the concept of domain specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPSs) to application domains at NASA's Johnson Space Flight Center. A version of a D-SAPS developed in Phase 1 of the project for the domain of space station momentum management is described. How problems encountered during its implementation led researchers to concentrate on simplifying the process of building and extending such systems is discussed. Researchers propose to do this by attacking three observed bottlenecks in the D-SAPS development process through the increased automation of the acquisition of programming knowledge and the use of an object oriented development methodology at all stages of the program design. How these ideas are being implemented in the Bauhaus, a prototype workstation for D-SAPS development is discussed.

[The treatment received by public health services users in Mexico].

PubMed

Puentes Rosas, Esteban; Gómez Dantés, Octavio; Garrido Latorre, Francisco

2006-06-01

To document the fact that differences in the treatment received by health services users in Mexico are mainly dependent on the type of provider, regardless of the users' socioeconomic status. The data were obtained by means of a survey of 18 018 users who visited 73 health services in 13 states within Mexico. They were asked to grade the way the institution had performed in seven of the eight domains that define appropriate user treatment (autonomy, confidentiality, communication, respectful manner, condition of basic facilities, access to social assistance networks, and free user choice). The questionnaire included some vignettes to help determine user expectations. A composite ordinal probit model was applied; the perception of quality in connection with each of the appropriate treatment domains was the independent variable, whereas gender, educational level, age, type of provider, and user expectations were used as control variables. The type of provider was the main factor that determined users' perceptions regarding the treatment they received when visiting health services in Mexico. Institutions belonging to the social security system performed the worst, while the services provided under the program targeting the rural population (IMSS Oportunidades) received the highest scores. Overall, the domain that was most highly ranked was respectful manner, whereas the lowest score was given to the ability to choose the provider. Men felt they had been able to communicate better than women, while respectful manner, communication, and social support showed a significant negative association with educational level (P < 0.05). Differences were noted in the way different public health service providers in Mexico treat their users, regardless of the latter's socioeconomic status. Social security system providers showed the greatest deficiencies in this respect. Respectful manner was the domain that received the highest scores in the case of all providers. Organizational changes need to be made, since the shortcomings detected are not solely determined by factors related to health personnel, but also by certain aspects of the way the health system is structured in Mexico.

Collaboration Technology in Military Operations: Lessons Learned from the Corporate Domain

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-01

Learned from the Corporate Domain Topics: Social Domain Issues, Cognitive Domain Issues, C2 Experimentation Authors: Stacey D. Scott, M. L. Cummings, David...AFRL-HE-WP-TP-2006-0029 AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY Collaboration Technology in Military Operations: Lessons Learned from the Corporate Domain...OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response , including the time for

The Public Interest in the Globally Sustainable Information Society: The Traditional Knowledge Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zografos, Daphne

2006-01-01

Society increasingly perceives information as an owned commodity. As a consequence, laws born from this conception are removing uses of information from the public domain and placing them in an enclosed domain where they are subject to an owner's exclusive control. It has been argued that this enclosure movement poses a threat to the diversity of…

[Quality of life and burnout among public high school and primary school teachers in Southern Brazil].

PubMed

Tabeleão, Viviane Porto; Tomasi, Elaine; Neves, Siduana Facin

2011-12-01

In order to investigate quality of life among public schoolteachers in relation to socio-demographic characteristics and work conditions, a cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 601 primary and secondary teachers from the State and Municipal public school system in the urban area of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The study analyzed the following domains from the WHOQOL-BREF scale: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. The mean indices were: 69.2 (SD = 16.8) for physical health, 70.6 (SD = 14.0) for psychological health, 72.5 (SD = 17.3) for social relationships, and 60.7 (SD = 14.0) for environment. Age, time in the teaching career, and total number of students were not significantly associated with quality of life. Teachers in municipal schools scored higher than their counterparts in the State public schools in the physical health domain (p = 0.026). Men scored higher than women in the physical and psychological health domains. Higher family income was associated with better quality of life. Higher classroom workload was associated with better scores in the physical health and environment domains.

Aggregating Data for Computational Toxicology Applications ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Computational toxicology combines data from high-throughput test methods, chemical structure analyses and other biological domains (e.g., genes, proteins, cells, tissues) with the goals of predicting and understanding the underlying mechanistic causes of chemical toxicity and for predicting toxicity of new chemicals and products. A key feature of such approaches is their reliance on knowledge extracted from large collections of data and data sets in computable formats. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a large data resource called ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to support these data-intensive efforts. ACToR comprises four main repositories: core ACToR (chemical identifiers and structures, and summary data on hazard, exposure, use, and other domains), ToxRefDB (Toxicity Reference Database, a compilation of detailed in vivo toxicity data from guideline studies), ExpoCastDB (detailed human exposure data from observational studies of selected chemicals), and ToxCastDB (data from high-throughput screening programs, including links to underlying biological information related to genes and pathways). The EPA DSSTox (Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity) program provides expert-reviewed chemical structures and associated information for these and other high-interest public inventories. Overall, the ACToR system contains information on about 400,000 chemicals from 1100 different sources. The entire system is built usi

SPA- STATISTICAL PACKAGE FOR TIME AND FREQUENCY DOMAIN ANALYSIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brownlow, J. D.

1994-01-01

The need for statistical analysis often arises when data is in the form of a time series. This type of data is usually a collection of numerical observations made at specified time intervals. Two kinds of analysis may be performed on the data. First, the time series may be treated as a set of independent observations using a time domain analysis to derive the usual statistical properties including the mean, variance, and distribution form. Secondly, the order and time intervals of the observations may be used in a frequency domain analysis to examine the time series for periodicities. In almost all practical applications, the collected data is actually a mixture of the desired signal and a noise signal which is collected over a finite time period with a finite precision. Therefore, any statistical calculations and analyses are actually estimates. The Spectrum Analysis (SPA) program was developed to perform a wide range of statistical estimation functions. SPA can provide the data analyst with a rigorous tool for performing time and frequency domain studies. In a time domain statistical analysis the SPA program will compute the mean variance, standard deviation, mean square, and root mean square. It also lists the data maximum, data minimum, and the number of observations included in the sample. In addition, a histogram of the time domain data is generated, a normal curve is fit to the histogram, and a goodness-of-fit test is performed. These time domain calculations may be performed on both raw and filtered data. For a frequency domain statistical analysis the SPA program computes the power spectrum, cross spectrum, coherence, phase angle, amplitude ratio, and transfer function. The estimates of the frequency domain parameters may be smoothed with the use of Hann-Tukey, Hamming, Barlett, or moving average windows. Various digital filters are available to isolate data frequency components. Frequency components with periods longer than the data collection interval are removed by least-squares detrending. As many as ten channels of data may be analyzed at one time. Both tabular and plotted output may be generated by the SPA program. This program is written in FORTRAN IV and has been implemented on a CDC 6000 series computer with a central memory requirement of approximately 142K (octal) of 60 bit words. This core requirement can be reduced by segmentation of the program. The SPA program was developed in 1978.

Keeping Public Information Public.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Wayne P.

1998-01-01

Discusses the trend toward the transfer of federal government information from the public domain to the private sector. Topics include free access, privatization, information-policy revision, accountability, copyright issues, costs, pricing, and market needs versus public needs. (LRW)

Fear of Public Speaking: Perception of College Students and Correlates.

PubMed

Ferreira Marinho, Anna Carolina; Mesquita de Medeiros, Adriane; Côrtes Gama, Ana Cristina; Caldas Teixeira, Letícia

2017-01-01

The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of fear of public speaking among college students and to assess its association with sociodemographic variables and those related to the voice and oral communication. A cross-sectional descriptive and analytic study was conducted with 1135 undergraduates aged 17-58 years. The assessment instruments were (1) a questionnaire addressing the variables sex, age, field of undergraduate study, voice, and frequency of exposure to public speaking, and (2) the Self-statements During Public Speaking Scale (SSPS), which includes variables implicated in specific domains of public speaking. A descriptive analysis was performed of the variables as well as uni- and multivariate logistic regressions to examine their association with fear of public speaking. The level of significance was set at 5%. In all, 63.9% of the college students reported fear of public speaking. As many as 89.3% of the students would like their undergraduate program to include classes to improve public speaking. Being female, having infrequent participation as speakers in groups, and perceiving their voice as high-pitched or too soft increase the odds of exhibiting fear of public speaking compared with students without those features. A great number of undergraduates report fear of public speaking. This fear is more prevalent among women, students who participate in few activities involving speaking to groups of people, and those who have a self-perception of their voice as high-pitched or too soft. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Ada programming support environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tyrrill, AL; Chan, A. David

1986-01-01

The toolset of an Ada Programming Support Environment (APSE) being developed at North American Aircraft Operations (NAAO) of Rockwell International, is described. The APSE is resident on three different hosts and must support developments for the hosts and for embedded targets. Tools and developed software must be freely portable between the hosts. The toolset includes the usual editors, compilers, linkers, debuggers, configuration magnagers, and documentation tools. Generally, these are being supplied by the host computer vendors. Other tools, for example, pretty printer, cross referencer, compilation order tool, and management tools were obtained from public-domain sources, are implemented in Ada and are being ported to the hosts. Several tools being implemented in-house are of interest, these include an Ada Design Language processor based on compilable Ada. A Standalone Test Environment Generator facilitates test tool construction and partially automates unit level testing. A Code Auditor/Static Analyzer permits the Ada programs to be evaluated against measures of quality. An Ada Comment Box Generator partially automates generation of header comment boxes.

Far-Field Lorenz-Mie Scattering in an Absorbing Host Medium: Theoretical Formalism and FORTRAN Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishchenko, Michael I.; Yang, Ping

2018-01-01

In this paper we make practical use of the recently developed first-principles approach to electromagnetic scattering by particles immersed in an unbounded absorbing host medium. Specifically, we introduce an actual computational tool for the calculation of pertinent far-field optical observables in the context of the classical Lorenzâ€"Mie theory. The paper summarizes the relevant theoretical formalism, explains various aspects of the corresponding numerical algorithm, specifies the input and output parameters of a FORTRAN program available at https://www.giss.nasa.gov/staff/mmishchenko/Lorenz-Mie.html, and tabulates benchmark results useful for testing purposes. This public-domain FORTRAN program enables one to solve the following two important problems: (i) simulate theoretically the reading of a remote well-collimated radiometer measuring electromagnetic scattering by an individual spherical particle or a small random group of spherical particles; and (ii) compute the single-scattering parameters that enter the vector radiative transfer equation derived directly from the Maxwell equations.

Database of Mechanical Properties of Textile Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delbrey, Jerry

1996-01-01

This report describes the approach followed to develop a database for mechanical properties of textile composites. The data in this database is assembled from NASA Advanced Composites Technology (ACT) programs and from data in the public domain. This database meets the data documentation requirements of MIL-HDBK-17, Section 8.1.2, which describes in detail the type and amount of information needed to completely document composite material properties. The database focuses on mechanical properties of textile composite. Properties are available for a range of parameters such as direction, fiber architecture, materials, environmental condition, and failure mode. The composite materials in the database contain innovative textile architectures such as the braided, woven, and knitted materials evaluated under the NASA ACT programs. In summary, the database contains results for approximately 3500 coupon level tests, for ten different fiber/resin combinations, and seven different textile architectures. It also includes a limited amount of prepreg tape composites data from ACT programs where side-by-side comparisons were made.

Programming Tools: Status, Evaluation, and Comparison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Doreen Y.; Cooper, D. M. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

In this tutorial I will first describe the characteristics of scientific applications and their developers, and describe the computing environment in a typical high-performance computing center. I will define the user requirements for tools that support application portability and present the difficulties to satisfy them. These form the basis of the evaluation and comparison of the tools. I will then describe the tools available in the market and the tools available in the public domain. Specifically, I will describe the tools for converting sequential programs, tools for developing portable new programs, tools for debugging and performance tuning, tools for partitioning and mapping, and tools for managing network of resources. I will introduce the main goals and approaches of the tools, and show main features of a few tools in each category. Meanwhile, I will compare tool usability for real-world application development and compare their different technological approaches. Finally, I will indicate the future directions of the tools in each category.

Far-field Lorenz-Mie scattering in an absorbing host medium: Theoretical formalism and FORTRAN program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishchenko, Michael I.; Yang, Ping

2018-01-01

In this paper we make practical use of the recently developed first-principles approach to electromagnetic scattering by particles immersed in an unbounded absorbing host medium. Specifically, we introduce an actual computational tool for the calculation of pertinent far-field optical observables in the context of the classical Lorenz-Mie theory. The paper summarizes the relevant theoretical formalism, explains various aspects of the corresponding numerical algorithm, specifies the input and output parameters of a FORTRAN program available at https://www.giss.nasa.gov/staff/mmishchenko/Lorenz-Mie.html, and tabulates benchmark results useful for testing purposes. This public-domain FORTRAN program enables one to solve the following two important problems: (i) simulate theoretically the reading of a remote well-collimated radiometer measuring electromagnetic scattering by an individual spherical particle or a small random group of spherical particles; and (ii) compute the single-scattering parameters that enter the vector radiative transfer equation derived directly from the Maxwell equations.

Building model analysis applications with the Joint Universal Parameter IdenTification and Evaluation of Reliability (JUPITER) API

USGS Publications Warehouse

Banta, E.R.; Hill, M.C.; Poeter, E.; Doherty, J.E.; Babendreier, J.

2008-01-01

The open-source, public domain JUPITER (Joint Universal Parameter IdenTification and Evaluation of Reliability) API (Application Programming Interface) provides conventions and Fortran-90 modules to develop applications (computer programs) for analyzing process models. The input and output conventions allow application users to access various applications and the analysis methods they embody with a minimum of time and effort. Process models simulate, for example, physical, chemical, and (or) biological systems of interest using phenomenological, theoretical, or heuristic approaches. The types of model analyses supported by the JUPITER API include, but are not limited to, sensitivity analysis, data needs assessment, calibration, uncertainty analysis, model discrimination, and optimization. The advantages provided by the JUPITER API for users and programmers allow for rapid programming and testing of new ideas. Application-specific coding can be in languages other than the Fortran-90 of the API. This article briefly describes the capabilities and utility of the JUPITER API, lists existing applications, and uses UCODE_2005 as an example.

Guideline appraisal with AGREE II: Systematic review of the current evidence on how users handle the 2 overall assessments.

PubMed

Hoffmann-Eßer, Wiebke; Siering, Ulrich; Neugebauer, Edmund A M; Brockhaus, Anne Catharina; Lampert, Ulrike; Eikermann, Michaela

2017-01-01

The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument is the most commonly used guideline appraisal tool. It includes 23 appraisal criteria (items) organized within 6 domains and 2 overall assessments (1. overall guideline quality; 2. recommendation for use). The aim of this systematic review was twofold. Firstly, to investigate how often AGREE II users conduct the 2 overall assessments. Secondly, to investigate the influence of the 6 domain scores on each of the 2 overall assessments. A systematic bibliographic search was conducted for publications reporting guideline appraisals with AGREE II. The impact of the 6 domain scores on the overall assessment of guideline quality was examined using a multiple linear regression model. Their impact on the recommendation for use (possible answers: "yes", "yes, with modifications", "no") was examined using a multinomial regression model. 118 relevant publications including 1453 guidelines were identified. 77.1% of the publications reported results for at least one overall assessment, but only 32.2% reported results for both overall assessments. The results of the regression analyses showed a statistically significant influence of all domains on overall guideline quality, with Domain 3 (rigour of development) having the strongest influence. For the recommendation for use, the results showed a significant influence of Domains 3 to 5 ("yes" vs. "no") and Domains 3 and 5 ("yes, with modifications" vs. "no"). The 2 overall assessments of AGREE II are underreported by guideline assessors. Domains 3 and 5 have the strongest influence on the results of the 2 overall assessments, while the other domains have a varying influence. Within a normative approach, our findings could be used as guidance for weighting individual domains in AGREE II to make the overall assessments more objective. Alternatively, a stronger content analysis of the individual domains could clarify their importance in terms of guideline quality. Moreover, AGREE II should require users to transparently present how they conducted the assessments.

Curriculum Development and Implementation of a National Interprofessional Fellowship in Patient Safety.

PubMed

Watts, Bradley V; Williams, Linda; Mills, Peter D; Paull, Douglas E; Cully, Jeffrey A; Gilman, Stuart C; Hemphill, Robin R

2018-06-15

Developing a workforce skilled in improving the safety of medical care has often been cited as an important means to achieve safer care. Although some educational programs geared toward patient safety have been developed, few advanced training programs have been described in the literature. We describe the development of a patient safety fellowship program. We describe the development and curriculum of an Interprofessional Fellowship in Patient Safety. The 1-year in residence fellowship focuses on domains such as leadership, spreading innovations, medical improvement, patient safety culture, reliability science, and understanding errors. Specific training in patient safety is available and has been delivered to 48 fellows from a wide range of backgrounds. Fellows have accomplished much in terms of improvement projects, educational innovations, and publications. After completing the fellowship program, fellows are obtaining positions within health-care quality and safety and are likely to make long-term contributions. We offer a curriculum and fellowship design for the topic of patient safety. Available evidence suggests that the fellowship results in the development of patient safety professionals.

Bibliography, geophysical data locations, and well core listings for the Mississippi Interior Salt Basin

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

NONE

1998-05-01

To date, comprehensive basin analysis and petroleum system modeling studies have not been performed on any of the basins in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Of these basins, the Mississippi Interior Salt Basin has been selected for study because it is the most petroliferous basin in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, small- and medium-size companies are drilling the majority of the exploration wells. These companies do not have the resources to perform basin analysis or petroleum system modeling research studies nor do they have the resources to undertake elaborate information searches through the volumes of publicly available data at themore » universities, geological surveys, and regulatory agencies in the region. The Advanced Geologic Basin Analysis Program of the US Department of Energy provides an avenue for studying and evaluating sedimentary basins. This program is designed to improve the efficiency of the discovery of the nation`s remaining undiscovered oil resources by providing improved access to information available in the public domain and by increasing the amount of public information on domestic basins. This report provides the information obtained from Year 1 of this study of the Mississippi Interior Salt Basin. The work during Year 1 focused on inventorying the data files and records of the major information repositories in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and making these inventories easily accessible in an electronic format.« less

GSFC Heliophysics Science Division FY2010 Annual Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilbert, Holly R.; Strong, Keith T.; Saba, Julia L. R.; Clark, Judith B.; Kilgore, Robert W.; Strong, Yvonne M.

2010-01-01

This report is intended to record and communicate to our colleagues, stakeholders, and the public at large about heliophysics scientific and flight program achievements and milestones for 2010, for which NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Heliophysics Science Division (HSD) made important contributions. HSD comprises approximately 323 scientists, technologists, and administrative personnel dedicated to the goal of advancing our knowledge and understanding of the Sun and the wide variety of domains that its variability influences. Our activities include: Leading science investigations involving flight hardware, theory, and data analysis and modeling that will answer the strategic questions posed in the Heliophysics Roadmap; Leading the development of new solar and space physics mission concepts and support their implementation as Project Scientists; Providing access to measurements from the Heliophysics Great Observatory through our Science Information Systems; and Communicating science results to the public and inspiring the next generation of scientists and explorers.

GSFC Heliophysics Science Division 2008 Science Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilbert, Holly R.; Strong, Keith T.; Saba, Julia L. R.; Firestone, Elaine R.

2009-01-01

This report is intended to record and communicate to our colleagues, stakeholders, and the public at large about heliophysics scientific and flight program achievements and milestones for 2008, for which NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Heliophysics Science Division (HSD) made important contributions. HSD comprises approximately 261 scientists, technologists, and administrative personnel dedicated to the goal of advancing our knowledge and understanding of the Sun and the wide variety of domains that its variability influences. Our activities include Lead science investigations involving flight hardware, theory, and data analysis and modeling that will answer the strategic questions posed in the Heliophysics Roadmap; Lead the development of new solar and space physics mission concepts and support their implementation as Project Scientists; Provide access to measurements from the Heliophysics Great Observatory through our Science Information Systems, and Communicate science results to the public and inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers.

GSFC Heliophysics Science Division 2009 Science Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strong, Keith T.; Saba, Julia L. R.; Strong, Yvonne M.

2009-01-01

This report is intended to record and communicate to our colleagues, stakeholders, and the public at large about heliophysics scientific and flight program achievements and milestones for 2009, for which NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Heliophysics Science Division (HSD) made important contributions. HSD comprises approximately 299 scientists, technologists, and administrative personnel dedicated to the goal of advancing our knowledge and understanding of the Sun and the wide variety of domains that its variability influences. Our activities include: Leading science investigations involving flight hardware, theory, and data analysis and modeling that will answer the strategic questions posed in the Heliophysics Roadmap; Leading the development of new solar and space physics mission concepts and support their implementation as Project Scientists; Providing access to measurements from the Heliophysics Great Observatory through our Science Information Systems; and Communicating science results to the public and inspiring the next generation of scientists and explorers.

Mapping the emergence and development of translational cancer research.

PubMed

Cambrosio, Alberto; Keating, Peter; Mercier, Simon; Lewison, Grant; Mogoutov, Andrei

2006-12-01

Cancer research is one of the principal targets of translational research, yet the nature of the relationships between different forms of cancer research remains controversial. The paper examines publications in the cancer field during the 1980-2000 period. A network analysis software program was used to map evolving patterns of inter-citations between cancer publications, their different research levels and the transformation of their relational content. Both inter-citation and content maps provide striking evidence of the consolidation in the 1990s of a translational interface that was practically non existent a few decades before. In 1980, research was polarized according to the allegiance to either a clinical or a laboratory style. This same duality obtains in the year 2000, albeit with the additional presence of a third, biomedical player whose activities are similarly structured by a common orientation, rather than by an exclusive commitment to a specific sub-domain.

Making Healthy Choices Easier: Regulation versus Nudging.

PubMed

Hansen, Pelle Guldborg; Skov, Laurits Rohden; Skov, Katrine Lund

2016-01-01

In recent years, the nudge approach to behavior change has emerged from the behavioral sciences to challenge the traditional use of regulation in public health strategies to address modifiable individual-level behaviors related to the rise of noncommunicable diseases and their treatment. However, integration and testing of the nudge approach as part of more comprehensive public health strategies aimed at making healthy choices easier are being threatened by inadequate understandings of its scientific character, its relationship with regulation, and its ethical implications. This article reviews this character and its ethical implication with a special emphasis on the compatibility of nudging with traditional regulation, special domains of experience, and the need for a more nuanced approach to the ethical debate. The aim is to advance readers' understanding and give guidance to those who have considered working with or incorporating the nudge approach into programs or policies aimed at making healthful choices easier.

Libpsht - algorithms for efficient spherical harmonic transforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinecke, M.

2011-02-01

Libpsht (or "library for performant spherical harmonic transforms") is a collection of algorithms for efficient conversion between spatial-domain and spectral-domain representations of data defined on the sphere. The package supports both transforms of scalars and spin-1 and spin-2 quantities, and can be used for a wide range of pixelisations (including HEALPix, GLESP, and ECP). It will take advantage of hardware features such as multiple processor cores and floating-point vector operations, if available. Even without this additional acceleration, the employed algorithms are among the most efficient (in terms of CPU time, as well as memory consumption) currently being used in the astronomical community. The library is written in strictly standard-conforming C90, ensuring portability to many different hard- and software platforms, and allowing straightforward integration with codes written in various programming languages like C, C++, Fortran, Python etc. Libpsht is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 and can be downloaded from .

Libpsht: Algorithms for Efficient Spherical Harmonic Transforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinecke, Martin

2010-10-01

Libpsht (or "library for Performing Spherical Harmonic Transforms") is a collection of algorithms for efficient conversion between spatial-domain and spectral-domain representations of data defined on the sphere. The package supports transforms of scalars as well as spin-1 and spin-2 quantities, and can be used for a wide range of pixelisations (including HEALPix, GLESP and ECP). It will take advantage of hardware features like multiple processor cores and floating-point vector operations, if available. Even without this additional acceleration, the employed algorithms are among the most efficient (in terms of CPU time as well as memory consumption) currently being used in the astronomical community. The library is written in strictly standard-conforming C90, ensuring portability to many different hard- and software platforms, and allowing straightforward integration with codes written in various programming languages like C, C++, Fortran, Python etc. Libpsht is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2. Development on this project has ended; its successor is libsharp (ascl:1402.033).

Sauvons le Luxembourg: urban greenspace as private domain and public battleground, 1865-1867.

PubMed

Hopkins, Richard S

2011-01-01

This article examines the way in which public response to a municipal proposal concerning greenspace reduction in Paris during the Second Empire reflected not only political antipathy but also an ever-increasing understanding of public urban greenspace as part of the private domain. By examining archival records concerning the proposal, essays, newspaper accounts, and memoirs, this article argues that a particular proprietary sensibility, fomented by expansive public greenspace development in Paris, intersected with extant social constructs and political tensions to create a public, coordinated, and sustained challenge to the authoritarian regime. Thus, the battle over the Luxembourg Garden became more than just a fight to prevent a reduction in size of a particular public urban greenspace. Rather, public debate surrounding alteration of this garden underscores the extent to which public greenspace, in general, was urban space that blurred the public—private boundary and presented unique opportunities for community formation, social integration, and political action.

Hard evidence on soft skills.

PubMed

Heckman, James J; Kautz, Tim

2012-08-01

This paper summarizes recent evidence on what achievement tests measure; how achievement tests relate to other measures of "cognitive ability" like IQ and grades; the important skills that achievement tests miss or mismeasure, and how much these skills matter in life. Achievement tests miss, or perhaps more accurately, do not adequately capture, soft skills -personality traits, goals, motivations, and preferences that are valued in the labor market, in school, and in many other domains. The larger message of this paper is that soft skills predict success in life, that they causally produce that success, and that programs that enhance soft skills have an important place in an effective portfolio of public policies.

1DTempPro: analyzing temperature profiles for groundwater/surface-water exchange.

PubMed

Voytek, Emily B; Drenkelfuss, Anja; Day-Lewis, Frederick D; Healy, Richard; Lane, John W; Werkema, Dale

2014-01-01

A new computer program, 1DTempPro, is presented for the analysis of vertical one-dimensional (1D) temperature profiles under saturated flow conditions. 1DTempPro is a graphical user interface to the U.S. Geological Survey code Variably Saturated 2-Dimensional Heat Transport (VS2DH), which numerically solves the flow and heat-transport equations. Pre- and postprocessor features allow the user to calibrate VS2DH models to estimate vertical groundwater/surface-water exchange and also hydraulic conductivity for cases where hydraulic head is known. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Reflective Coatings Protect People and Animals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

Led by Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA engineers called upon National Metalizing of Cranbury, New Jersey, to help create a reflective sunshield to deploy on Skylab in place of a shield that was lost during launch in 1973. Years later, a former employee for National Metalizing founded Advanced Flexible Materials (AFM) Inc., of Petaluma, California, and utilized the radiant barrier technology in the public domain to produce a variety of products such as wraps to keep marathon finishers safe from hypothermia as well as a lining for mittens and vests. Recently, the material helped to keep manatees warm as they were lifted from the water as part of a tag-and-release program.

Collaboration to Accelerate Proteogenomics Cancer Care: The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and the National Cancer Institute's Applied Proteogenomics OrganizationaL Learning and Outcomes (APOLLO) Network.

PubMed

Fiore, L D; Rodriguez, H; Shriver, C D

2017-05-01

A tri-federal initiative arising out of the Cancer Moonshot has resulted in the formation of a program to utilize advanced genomic and proteomic expression platforms on high-quality human biospecimens in near-real-time in order to identify potentially actionable therapeutic molecular targets, study the relationship of molecular findings to cancer treatment outcomes, and accelerate novel clinical trials with biomarkers of prognostic and predictive value. © 2017 Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Construction of an environmental quality index for public health research

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background A more comprehensive estimate of environmental quality would improve our understanding of the relationship between environmental conditions and human health. An environmental quality index (EQI) for all counties in the U.S. was developed. Methods The EQI was developed in four parts: domain identification; data source acquisition; variable construction; and data reduction. Five environmental domains (air, water, land, built and sociodemographic) were recognized. Within each domain, data sources were identified; each was temporally (years 2000–2005) and geographically (county) restricted. Variables were constructed for each domain and assessed for missingness, collinearity, and normality. Domain-specific data reduction was accomplished using principal components analysis (PCA), resulting in domain-specific indices. Domain-specific indices were then combined into an overall EQI using PCA. In each PCA procedure, the first principal component was retained. Both domain-specific indices and overall EQI were stratified by four rural–urban continuum codes (RUCC). Higher values for each index were set to correspond to areas with poorer environmental quality. Results Concentrations of included variables differed across rural–urban strata, as did within-domain variable loadings, and domain index loadings for the EQI. In general, higher values of the air and sociodemographic indices were found in the more metropolitan areas and the most thinly populated areas have the lowest values of each of the domain indices. The less-urbanized counties (RUCC 3) demonstrated the greatest heterogeneity and range of EQI scores (−4.76, 3.57) while the thinly populated strata (RUCC 4) contained counties with the most positive scores (EQI score ranges from −5.86, 2.52). Conclusion The EQI holds promise for improving our characterization of the overall environment for public health. The EQI describes the non-residential ambient county-level conditions to which residents are exposed and domain-specific EQI loadings indicate which of the environmental domains account for the largest portion of the variability in the EQI environment. The EQI was constructed for all counties in the United States, incorporating a variety of data to provide a broad picture of environmental conditions. We undertook a reproducible approach that primarily utilized publically-available data sources. PMID:24886426

Dealing with New Multilingualism in Europe: Immigrant Minority Languages at Home and at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Extra, Guus

2007-01-01

The focus of this paper is on immigrant minority languages in urban Western Europe. Both multidisciplinary and cross-national perspectives will be offered on two major domains in which language transmission occurs, i.e., the domestic domain and the public domain. Prototypical of these two domains are the home and the school, respectively. At home,…

Implementation and Use of the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment at US Schools of Pharmacy.

PubMed

Gortney, Justine Schuller; Bray, Brenda S; Salinitri, Francine D

2015-11-25

To describe how schools and colleges of pharmacy use the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) in relation to student assessment and curricular feedback. A survey was distributed to all programs that have implemented the PCOA. The survey was designed to assess 3 domains regarding the use of the PCOA: rationale for use, logistics of administration, and performance data review and distribution. A 79% response rate (41/52) was obtained. The mix of responses was 93% current PCOA users and 7% past users. The most common reasons for PCOA use were for programmatic assessment and benchmarking. The examination was most frequently administered during the P3 year, with minimal stakes attached to performance. Significant differences in responses based on public vs private institution were seen with respect to length of accreditation of current PCOA users, messaging to students regarding performance, inclusion of results in student advising, and distribution of results to stakeholders. Programs were using the PCOA primarily as an assessment in the P3 year for reasons related to programmatic and curricular assessment. Some differences existed between public and private institutional PCOA use and examination-related processes and results distribution.

Implementation and Use of the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment at US Schools of Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Bray, Brenda S.; Salinitri, Francine D.

2015-01-01

Objective. To describe how schools and colleges of pharmacy use the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) in relation to student assessment and curricular feedback. Methods. A survey was distributed to all programs that have implemented the PCOA. The survey was designed to assess 3 domains regarding the use of the PCOA: rationale for use, logistics of administration, and performance data review and distribution. Results. A 79% response rate (41/52) was obtained. The mix of responses was 93% current PCOA users and 7% past users. The most common reasons for PCOA use were for programmatic assessment and benchmarking. The examination was most frequently administered during the P3 year, with minimal stakes attached to performance. Significant differences in responses based on public vs private institution were seen with respect to length of accreditation of current PCOA users, messaging to students regarding performance, inclusion of results in student advising, and distribution of results to stakeholders. Conclusion. Programs were using the PCOA primarily as an assessment in the P3 year for reasons related to programmatic and curricular assessment. Some differences existed between public and private institutional PCOA use and examination-related processes and results distribution. PMID:26839427

[Introduction of vaccination against human papillomavirus in developing countries: update and perspectives].

PubMed

Hessel, L

2009-08-01

Cervical cancer and other diseases related to human papillomavirus (HPV) represent a global public health problem. Safe and effective vaccines are now available and already used in many industrialized countries. Immunization offers the best hope for protecting the population against a disease that is the second most deadly cancer in the developing world and the first most deadly in Africa. The World Health Organization currently recommends introduction of HVP vaccination in developing countries. Widespread vaccination could be beneficial in numerous domains other than primary prevention of cervical cancer. Efforts to overcome the numerous obstacles and speed up implementation of HVP vaccination programs are now underway in many areas ranging from related scientific issues such as epidemiology and clinical research to administrative concerns such as healthcare economics, vaccination guidelines, public acceptation, program funding, and universal access. Vaccine manufacturers have committed themselves to working in partnership with national and international organizations to ensure access to HPV vaccine for all countries regardless of economic level, Although numerous issues must be resolved to optimize the use of HPV vaccines and ensure synergistic integration of vaccination, screening and treatment, current initiatives and efforts should allow introduction of HPV vaccination in developing countries in a not too distant future.

Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases: An Emerging Combined Subspecialty in the United States.

PubMed

Kadri, Sameer S; Rhee, Chanu; Fortna, Gregory S; O'Grady, Naomi P

2015-08-15

The recent rise in unfilled training positions among infectious diseases (ID) fellowship programs nationwide indicates that ID is declining as a career choice among internal medicine residency graduates. Supplementing ID training with training in critical care medicine (CCM) might be a way to regenerate interest in the specialty. Hands-on patient care and higher salaries are obvious attractions. High infection prevalence and antibiotic resistance in intensive care units, expanding immunosuppressed host populations, and public health crises such as the recent Ebola outbreak underscore the potential synergy of CCM-ID training. Most intensivists receive training in pulmonary medicine and only 1% of current board-certified intensivists are trained in ID. While still small, this cohort of CCM-ID certified physicians has continued to rise over the last 2 decades. ID and CCM program leadership nationwide must recognize these trends and the merits of the CCM-ID combination to facilitate creation of formal dual-training opportunities. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

How Large Is the "Public Domain"? A Comparative Analysis of Ringer's 1961 Copyright Renewal Study and HathiTrust CRMS Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkin, John P.

2017-01-01

The 1961 Copyright Office study on renewals, authored by Barbara Ringer, has cast an outsized influence on discussions of the U.S. 1923-1963 public domain. As more concrete data emerge from initiatives such as the large-scale determination process in the Copyright Review Management System (CRMS) project, questions are raised about the reliability…

Framework for a National Testing and Evaluation Program ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Abstract:The National STEPP Program seeks to improve water quality by accelerating the effective implementation and adoption of innovative stormwater management technologies. Itwill attempt to accomplish this by establishing practices through highly reliable, and cost-effective Stormwater control measures (SCM) testing, evaluation, and verification services. The program will aim to remove barriers to innovation, minimize duplicative performance evaluation needs, increase confidence that regulatory requirements are met by creating consistency among testing and evaluation protocols, and establishing equity between public domain and proprietary SCM evaluation approaches.The Environmental Technology Verification Program, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 18 years ago, was the only national program of its kindin the stormwater sector, but is now defunct, leaving a national leadership void. The STEPP initiative was triggered in part by regulatory demands in the government and private sectors to fill this vacuum. A concerted focus and study of this matter led to the release of a Water Environment Federation (WEF) white paper entitled “Investigation into the Feasibility of a National Testing and Evaluation Program for Stormwater Products and Practices” in February 2014. During this second phase of the STEPP initiative, and with EPA support, five analogous technology evaluation programs related to both stormwater and non-stormwater were an

Effects of Intelligent Computer-Generated Interactive Mathematics Programs on Students' Achievement and Affective Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wendel, Holly Marie

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship each of the mathematics web-based programs, MyMathLab and Assessments and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS), has with students' mathematics achievement. In addition, the study examined the relationship between students' affective domain and the type of program as well as student…

Final Report from The University of Texas at Austin for DEGAS: Dynamic Global Address Space programming environments

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

Erez, Mattan; Yelick, Katherine; Sarkar, Vivek

The Dynamic, Exascale Global Address Space programming environment (DEGAS) project will develop the next generation of programming models and runtime systems to meet the challenges of Exascale computing. Our approach is to provide an efficient and scalable programming model that can be adapted to application needs through the use of dynamic runtime features and domain-specific languages for computational kernels. We address the following technical challenges: Programmability: Rich set of programming constructs based on a Hierarchical Partitioned Global Address Space (HPGAS) model, demonstrated in UPC++. Scalability: Hierarchical locality control, lightweight communication (extended GASNet), and ef- ficient synchronization mechanisms (Phasers). Performance Portability:more » Just-in-time specialization (SEJITS) for generating hardware-specific code and scheduling libraries for domain-specific adaptive runtimes (Habanero). Energy Efficiency: Communication-optimal code generation to optimize energy efficiency by re- ducing data movement. Resilience: Containment Domains for flexible, domain-specific resilience, using state capture mechanisms and lightweight, asynchronous recovery mechanisms. Interoperability: Runtime and language interoperability with MPI and OpenMP to encourage broad adoption.« less

Combining Public Domain and Professional Panoramic Imagery for the Accurate and Dense 3d Reconstruction of the Destroyed Bel Temple in Palmyra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahbeh, W.; Nebiker, S.; Fangi, G.

2016-06-01

This paper exploits the potential of dense multi-image 3d reconstruction of destroyed cultural heritage monuments by either using public domain touristic imagery only or by combining the public domain imagery with professional panoramic imagery. The focus of our work is placed on the reconstruction of the temple of Bel, one of the Syrian heritage monuments, which was destroyed in September 2015 by the so called "Islamic State". The great temple of Bel is considered as one of the most important religious buildings of the 1st century AD in the East with a unique design. The investigations and the reconstruction were carried out using two types of imagery. The first are freely available generic touristic photos collected from the web. The second are panoramic images captured in 2010 for documenting those monuments. In the paper we present a 3d reconstruction workflow for both types of imagery using state-of-the art dense image matching software, addressing the non-trivial challenges of combining uncalibrated public domain imagery with panoramic images with very wide base-lines. We subsequently investigate the aspects of accuracy and completeness obtainable from the public domain touristic images alone and from the combination with spherical panoramas. We furthermore discuss the challenges of co-registering the weakly connected 3d point cloud fragments resulting from the limited coverage of the touristic photos. We then describe an approach using spherical photogrammetry as a virtual topographic survey allowing the co-registration of a detailed and accurate single 3d model of the temple interior and exterior.

Public health relevance of drug-nutrition interactions.

PubMed

Péter, Szabolcs; Navis, Gerjan; de Borst, Martin H; von Schacky, Clemens; van Orten-Luiten, Anne Claire B; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Witkamp, Renger F; Janse, André; Weber, Peter; Bakker, Stephan J L; Eggersdorfer, Manfred

2017-08-01

The public health relevance of drug-nutrition interactions is currently highly undervalued and overlooked. This is particularly the case for elderly persons where multi-morbidity and consequently polypharmacy is very common. Vitamins and other micronutrients have central functions in metabolism, and their interactions with drugs may result in clinically relevant physiological impairments but possibly also in positive effects. On 12 April 2016, the University Medical Center Groningen (The Netherlands), as part of its Healthy Ageing program, organized a workshop on the public health relevance of drug-nutrient interactions. In this meeting, experts in the field presented results from recent studies on interactions between pharmaceuticals and nutrients, and discussed the role of nutrition for elderly, focusing on those persons receiving pharmaceutical treatment. This paper summarizes the proceedings of the symposium and provides an outlook for future research needs and public health measures. Since food, pharma and health are closely interconnected domains, awareness is needed in the medical community about the potential relevance of drug-nutrition interactions. Experts and stakeholders should advocate for the integration of drug-nutrition evaluations in the drug development process. Strategies for the individual patients should be developed, by installing drug review protocols, screening for malnutrition and integrating this topic into the general medical advice.

Portfolios: An Alternative Method of Student and Program Assessment

PubMed Central

Hannam, Susan E.

1995-01-01

The use of performance-based evaluation and alternative assessment techniques has become essential for curriculum programs seeking Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accreditation. In athletic training education, few assessment models exist to assess student performance over the entire course of their educational program. This article describes a model of assessment-a student athletic training portfolio of “best works.” The portfolio can serve as a method to assess student development and to assess program effectiveness. The goals of the program include purposes specific to the five NATA performance domains. In addition, four types of portfolio evidence are described: artifacts, attestations, productions, and reproductions. Quality assignments and projects completed by students as they progress through a six-semester program are identified relative to the type of evidence and the domain(s) they represent. The portfolio assists with student development, provides feedback for curriculum planning, allows for student/faculty collaboration and “coaching” of the student, and assists with job searching. This information will serve as a useful model for those athletic training programs looking for an alternative method of assessing student and program outcomes. PMID:16558359

Conceptualizing Community Mobilization for HIV Prevention: Implications for HIV Prevention Programming in the African Context

PubMed Central

Lippman, Sheri A.; Maman, Suzanne; MacPhail, Catherine; Twine, Rhian; Peacock, Dean; Kahn, Kathleen; Pettifor, Audrey

2013-01-01

Introduction Community mobilizing strategies are essential to health promotion and uptake of HIV prevention. However, there has been little conceptual work conducted to establish the core components of community mobilization, which are needed to guide HIV prevention programming and evaluation. Objectives We aimed to identify the key domains of community mobilization (CM) essential to change health outcomes or behaviors, and to determine whether these hypothesized CM domains were relevant to a rural South African setting. Method We studied social movements and community capacity, empowerment and development literatures, assessing common elements needed to operationalize HIV programs at a community level. After synthesizing these elements into six essential CM domains, we explored the salience of these CM domains qualitatively, through analysis of 10 key informant in-depth-interviews and seven focus groups in three villages in Bushbuckridge. Results CM domains include: 1) shared concerns, 2) critical consciousness, 3) organizational structures/networks, 4) leadership (individual and/or institutional), 5) collective activities/actions, and 6) social cohesion. Qualitative data indicated that the proposed domains tapped into theoretically consistent constructs comprising aspects of CM processes. Some domains, extracted from largely Western theory, required little adaptation for the South African context; others translated less effortlessly. For example, critical consciousness to collectively question and resolve community challenges functioned as expected. However, organizations/networks, while essential, operated differently than originally hypothesized - not through formal organizations, but through diffuse family networks. Conclusions To date, few community mobilizing efforts in HIV prevention have clearly defined the meaning and domains of CM prior to intervention design. We distilled six CM domains from the literature; all were pertinent to mobilization in rural South Africa. While some adaptation of specific domains is required, they provide an extremely valuable organizational tool to guide CM programming and evaluation of critically needed mobilizing initiatives in Southern Africa. PMID:24147121

Advancing the Certified in Public Health Examination: A Job Task Analysis.

PubMed

Kurz, Richard S; Yager, Christopher; Yager, James D; Foster, Allison; Breidenbach, Daniel H; Irwin, Zachary

In 2014, the National Board of Public Health Examiners performed a job task analysis (JTA) to revise the Certified in Public Health (CPH) examination. The objectives of this study were to describe the development, administration, and results of the JTA survey; to present an analysis of the survey results; and to review the implications of this first-ever public health JTA. An advisory committee of public health professionals developed a list of 200 public health job tasks categorized into 10 work domains. The list of tasks was incorporated into a web-based survey, and a snowball sample of public health professionals provided 4850 usable responses. Respondents rated job tasks as essential (4), very important (3), important (2), not very important (1), and never performed (0). The mean task importance ratings ranged from 2.61 to 3.01 (important to very important). The highest mean ratings were for tasks in the ethics domain (mean rating, 3.01). Respondents ranked 10 of the 200 tasks as the most important, with mean task rankings ranging from 2.98 to 3.39. We found subtle differences between male and female respondents and between master of public health and doctor of public health respondents in their rankings. The JTA established a set of job tasks in 10 public health work domains, and the results provided a foundation for refining the CPH examination. Additional steps are needed to further modify the content outline of the examination. An empirical assessment of public health job tasks, using methods such as principal components analysis, may provide additional insight.

Interactive Reliability Model for Whisker-toughened Ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palko, Joseph L.

1993-01-01

Wider use of ceramic matrix composites (CMC) will require the development of advanced structural analysis technologies. The use of an interactive model to predict the time-independent reliability of a component subjected to multiaxial loads is discussed. The deterministic, three-parameter Willam-Warnke failure criterion serves as the theoretical basis for the reliability model. The strength parameters defining the model are assumed to be random variables, thereby transforming the deterministic failure criterion into a probabilistic criterion. The ability of the model to account for multiaxial stress states with the same unified theory is an improvement over existing models. The new model was coupled with a public-domain finite element program through an integrated design program. This allows a design engineer to predict the probability of failure of a component. A simple structural problem is analyzed using the new model, and the results are compared to existing models.

Future perspectives - proposal for Oxford Physiome Project.

PubMed

Oku, Yoshitaka

2010-01-01

The Physiome Project is an effort to understand living creatures using "analysis by synthesis" strategy, i.e., by reproducing their behaviors. In order to achieve its goal, sharing developed models between different computer languages and application programs to incorporate into integrated models is critical. To date, several XML-based markup languages has been developed for this purpose. However, source codes written with XML-based languages are very difficult to read and edit using text editors. An alternative way is to use an object-oriented meta-language, which can be translated to different computer languages and transplanted to different application programs. Object-oriented languages are suitable for describing structural organization by hierarchical classes and taking advantage of statistical properties to reduce the number of parameter while keeping the complexity of behaviors. Using object-oriented languages to describe each element and posting it to a public domain should be the next step to build up integrated models of the respiratory control system.

Visualization of semantic relations in geosicences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritschel, Bernd; Pfeiffer, Sabine; Mende, Vivien

2010-05-01

The discovery of semantic relations related to the content and context of scientific geophysical and geodetic data and information is a fundamental concept for an integrated scientific approach for the research of multidisciplinary and complex questions of the permanent changing Earth system. Large high-quality and multi-domain geosciences datasets which are qualified by significant and standardized metadata describing the content and especially the context of the data are suitable for the search and discovery of semantic relations. Nowadays such data collections are ingested and provided by many national and international geoscientific data centers, such as e.g. the GFZ ISDC(1). Beside automatic and machine-based algorithm for the discovery of semantic relations, the graphical visualization of such relations are extremely capable for scientist in order to analyze complex datasets and to find sophisticated relations as well as for the public in order to understand the relations within geosciences and between geosciences and societal domains. There are different tools for the visualization of relations, especially in the object-oriented based analysis and development of systems and software. The tool eyePlorer(2) is an awarded program for the visualization of multi-domain semantic relations in the public world of Wikipedia. The data and information for the visualization of keyword based terms and concepts within one domain or topic as well as the relations to other topics are mainly based on wiki content and appropriate structures. eyePlorer's main topics structured and combined in super topics are Health, Species and Life Sciences, Persons and Organisations, Work and Society, Science & Technology as well as Time and Places. Considering the domains or topics of the conceptual model of the GFZ ISDC's data collection, such topics as geosciences-related project, platform, instrument, product type, publication and institution as well as space and time are disjunct and complement sets or subsets or intersections of eyePlorer's topics. The introduction of new topics and the enhancement of the conceptual data model of the eyePlorer as well as the transformation of GFZ ISDC's metadata into a wiki structure or into eyePlorer's internal data format are necessary for the use in eyePlorer for the visualization of geosciences and societal relations based on both, the Wikipedia information collection and the GFZ ISDC metadata. This paper deals with the analysis of eyePlorer's and GFZ ISDC's concepts for the creation of an integrated conceptual model. Furthermore, the transformation model for the conversion of ISDC's metadata into appropriate structures for the use of eyePlorer is described. Finally, the process of semantic visualization of geosciences and societal relations within eyePlorer and using eyePlorer's GUI are illustrated on a climate research related example which is capable to generate knowledge not only for geoscientists but also for the public. (1) GFZ ISDC: GFZ Information System and Data Center, http://isdc.gfz-potsdam.de (2) eyePlorer: http://en.eyeplorer.com/show/

Baseline program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Barney B.; Vonputtkamer, Jesco

1992-01-01

This assumed program was developed from several sources of information and is extrapolated over future decades using a set of reasonable assumptions based on incremental growth. The assumptions for the NASA baseline program are as follows: balanced emphasis in four domains; a constant level of activity; low to moderate real budget growth; maximum use of commonality; and realistic and practical technology development. The first domain is low Earth Orbit (LEO). Activities there are concentrated on the space station but extend on one side to Earth-pointing sensors for unmanned platforms and on the other to the launch and staging of unmanned solar system exploration missions. The second domain is geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) and cislunar space. Activities here include all GEO missions and operations, both unmanned and manned, and all transport of materials and crews between LEO and the vicinity of the Moon. The third domain is the Moon itself. Lunar activities are to include both orbiting and landing missions; the landings may be either unmanned or manned. The last domain is Mars. Missions to Mars will initially be unmanned but they will eventually be manned. Program elements and descriptions are discussed as are critiques of the NASA baseline.

Comparison of StrengthsQuest Signature Themes in Student Pharmacists and Other Health Care Profession Students.

PubMed

Bloom, Timothy J

2018-02-01

Objective. To determine whether there is a distinctive pattern of StrengthsQuest Signature Themes or leadership domains for Doctor of Pharmacy students compared to students in other health care professional programs. Methods. Students in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Master of Physician Assistant (PA), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) programs at Campbell University completed the online Clifton StrengthsQuest assessment and received their Signature Themes. The frequency of individual themes and the leadership domains into which they are sorted by Gallup was analyzed for each program. Results were compared between programs and with national frequencies among undergraduate students. Results. The most common themes in the total population were Learner, Relator, Responsibility, Harmony, and Achiever. Learner and Relator were among the five most frequent themes for all four individual programs while Responsibility and Harmony were among the top five for three programs. The most frequently reported themes in PharmD and PA students (39% and 38% of all themes, respectively) are grouped by Gallup into the executing domain, and into the relationship-building domain for DO and DPT students (35% and 33% of all themes, respectively). The least frequent themes in PharmD, DO and PA students were those grouped into the influencing domain, reported by 10% or fewer students. Conclusion. Numerous similarities were found in theme frequencies among students in four different health care professions, suggesting there is not a distinctive Doctor of Pharmacy Signature Theme profile.

Protein domain assignment from the recurrence of locally similar structures

PubMed Central

Tai, Chin-Hsien; Sam, Vichetra; Gibrat, Jean-Francois; Garnier, Jean; Munson, Peter J.

2010-01-01

Domains are basic units of protein structure and essential for exploring protein fold space and structure evolution. With the structural genomics initiative, the number of protein structures in the Protein Databank (PDB) is increasing dramatically and domain assignments need to be done automatically. Most existing structural domain assignment programs define domains using the compactness of the domains and/or the number and strength of intra-domain versus inter-domain contacts. Here we present a different approach based on the recurrence of locally similar structural pieces (LSSPs) found by one-against-all structure comparisons with a dataset of 6,373 protein chains from the PDB. Residues of the query protein are clustered using LSSPs via three different procedures to define domains. This approach gives results that are comparable to several existing programs that use geometrical and other structural information explicitly. Remarkably, most of the proteins that contribute the LSSPs defining a domain do not themselves contain the domain of interest. This study shows that domains can be defined by a collection of relatively small locally similar structural pieces containing, on average, four secondary structure elements. In addition, it indicates that domains are indeed made of recurrent small structural pieces that are used to build protein structures of many different folds as suggested by recent studies. PMID:21287617

Student Assessment System. Domain Referenced Tests. Transportation/Automotive Mechanics. Volume II: Theory. Georgia Vocational Education Program Articulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, James F., Comp.

These written domain referenced tests (DRTs) for the area of transportation/automotive mechanics test cognitive abilities or knowledge of theory. Introductory materials describe domain referenced testing and test development. Each multiple choice test includes a domain statement, describing the behavior and content of the domain, and a test item…

Imagining Moral Bioenhancement Practices: Drawing Inspiration from Moral Education, Public Health Ethics, and Forensic Psychiatry.

PubMed

Specker, Jona; Schermer, Maartje H N

2017-07-01

In this article, we consider contexts or domains in which (future) moral bioenhancement interventions possibly or most likely will be implemented. By looking closely at similar or related existing practices and their relevant ethical frameworks, we hope to identify ethical considerations that are relevant for evaluating potential moral bioenhancement interventions. We examine, first, debates on the proper scope of moral education; second, proposals for identifying early risk factors for antisocial behaviour; and third, the difficult balancing of individual freedom and third party concerns in (forensic) psychiatry. In imagining moral bioenhancement in practice, we observe that unlike other forms of enhancement, moral enhancement fundamentally asks how the interests and preferences of the individual and the interests of others should be weighed (in view of public safety and managing public risk). Highly diverse domains such as education, mental health, and the judicial domain might be involved, and moral bioenhancement might challenge existing institutional settings. Given these highly varied contexts and domains, it appears unlikely that there will be a distinct set of practices that will be referred to as "moral bioenhancement."

From Domain Specific Languages to DEVS Components: Application to Cognitive M&S

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

AND SUBTITLE From Domain Specific Languages to DEVS Components: Application to Cognitive M&S 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ...that is devoid of any DEVS and programming language constructs (Figure 4). The key idea being domain specialists need not delve in the DEVS world to...DSL. DSLs can be created using many available tools and technologies such as: Generic Modeling Environment (GME) [23], Xtext, Ruby, Scala and many

Changes in quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) and addiction severity index (ASI) among participants in opioid substitution treatment (OST) in low and middle income countries: an international systematic review.

PubMed

Feelemyer, Jonathan P; Jarlais, Don C Des; Arasteh, Kamyar; Phillips, Benjamin W; Hagan, Holly

2014-01-01

Opioid substitution treatment (OST) can increase quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) and reduce addiction severity index (ASI) scores among participants over time. OST program participants have noted that improvement in quality of life is one of the most important variables to their reduction in drug use. However, there is little systematic understanding of WHOQOL-BREF and ASI domain changes among OST participants in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Utilizing PRISMA guidelines we conducted a systematic literature search to identify OST program studies documenting changes in WHOQOL-BREF or ASI domains for participants in buprenorphine or methadone programs in LMIC. Standardized mean differences for baseline and follow-up domain scores were compared along with relationships between domain scores, OST dosage, and length of follow-up. There were 13 OST program studies with 1801 participants from five countries eligible for inclusion in the review. Overall, statistically significant changes were noted in all four WHOQOL-BREF domain and four of the seven ASI domain scores (drug, psychological, legal, and family) documented in studies. Dosage of pharmacologic medication and length of follow-up did not affect changes in domain scores. WHOQOL-BREF and ASI domain scoring is a useful tool in measuring overall quality of life and levels of addiction among OST participants. Coupled with measurements of blood-borne infection, drug use, relapse, and overdose, WHOQOL-BREF and ASI represent equally important tools for evaluating the effects of OST over time and should be further developed as integrated tools in the evaluation of participants in LMIC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Defining Tobacco Regulatory Science Competencies.

PubMed

Wipfli, Heather L; Berman, Micah; Hanson, Kacey; Kelder, Steven; Solis, Amy; Villanti, Andrea C; Ribeiro, Carla M P; Meissner, Helen I; Anderson, Roger

2017-02-01

In 2013, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration funded a network of 14 Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS) with a mission that included research and training. A cross-TCORS Panel was established to define tobacco regulatory science (TRS) competencies to help harmonize and guide their emerging educational programs. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Panel's work to develop core TRS domains and competencies. The Panel developed the list of domains and competencies using a semistructured Delphi method divided into four phases occurring between November 2013 and August 2015. The final proposed list included a total of 51 competencies across six core domains and 28 competencies across five specialized domains. There is a need for continued discussion to establish the utility of the proposed set of competencies for emerging TRS curricula and to identify the best strategies for incorporating these competencies into TRS training programs. Given the field's broad multidisciplinary nature, further experience is needed to refine the core domains that should be covered in TRS training programs versus knowledge obtained in more specialized programs. Regulatory science to inform the regulation of tobacco products is an emerging field. The paper provides an initial list of core and specialized domains and competencies to be used in developing curricula for new and emerging training programs aimed at preparing a new cohort of scientists to conduct critical TRS research. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Conformational landscape of an amyloid intra-cellular domain and Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm in protein dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Jin; Niemi, Antti J.; He, Jianfeng

2016-07-01

The Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm is proposed as a framework, to investigate the conformational landscape of intrinsically unstructured proteins. A universal Cα-trace Landau free energy is deduced from general symmetry considerations, with the ensuing all-atom structure modeled using publicly available reconstruction programs Pulchra and Scwrl. As an example, the conformational stability of an amyloid precursor protein intra-cellular domain (AICD) is inspected; the reference conformation is the crystallographic structure with code 3DXC in Protein Data Bank (PDB) that describes a heterodimer of AICD and a nuclear multi-domain adaptor protein Fe65. Those conformations of AICD that correspond to local or near-local minima of the Landau free energy are identified. For this, the response of the original 3DXC conformation to variations in the ambient temperature is investigated, using the Glauber algorithm. The conclusion is that in isolation the AICD conformation in 3DXC must be unstable. A family of degenerate conformations that minimise the Landau free energy is identified, and it is proposed that the native state of an isolated AICD is a superposition of these conformations. The results are fully in line with the presumed intrinsically unstructured character of isolated AICD and should provide a basis for a systematic analysis of AICD structure in future NMR experiments.

Organizational structure, leadership and readiness for change and the implementation of organizational cultural competence in addiction health services.

PubMed

Guerrero, Erick G; Kim, Ahraemi

2013-10-01

Increasing representation of racial and ethnic minorities in the health care system and on-going concerns about existing health disparities have pressured addiction health services programs to enhance their cultural competence. This study examines the extent to which organizational factors, such as structure, leadership and readiness for change contribute to the implementation of community, policy and staffing domains representing organizational cultural competence. Analysis of a randomly selected sample of 122 organizations located in primarily Latino and African American communities showed that programs with public funding and Medicaid reimbursement were positively associated with implementing policies and procedures, while leadership was associated with staff having greater knowledge of minority communities and developing a diverse workforce. Moreover, program climate was positively associated with staff knowledge of communities and having supportive policies and procedures, while programs with graduate staff and parent organizations were negatively associated with knowledge of and involvement in these communities. By investing in funding, leadership skills and a strategic climate, addiction health services programs may develop greater understanding and responsiveness of the service needs of minority communities. Implications for future research and program planning in an era of health care reform in the United States are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Healthy food availability and participation in WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) in food stores around lower- and higher-income elementary schools.

PubMed

Tester, June M; Yen, Irene H; Pallis, Lauren C; Laraia, Barbara A

2011-06-01

The nutritional intake of schoolchildren is affected not only by what is consumed at school but also by what is available in food outlets near schools. The present study surveys the range of food outlets around schools and examines how the availability of healthy food in the food stores encountered varies by income status of the school and by store participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food assistance programme. Network buffer zones were created to reflect a quarter-mile (400 m) walk from elementary schools with lower- and higher-income student populations in Oakland, CA, USA. All food outlets within these zones were categorised by type, and audits were conducted within food stores using a checklist to assess for the presence or absence of twenty-eight healthy items (in five domains). Mid-sized city in the USA. Food outlets near public elementary schools. There were considerably more food outlets around lower-income schools. Food stores near higher-income schools had higher scores in two of the five domains (healthy beverages/low-fat dairy and healthy snacks). However, there were more food stores near lower-income schools that accepted WIC vouchers. Stratification showed that WIC stores scored higher than non-WIC stores on four of the five domains. Although higher-income students have more access to healthy food in the environment surrounding their school, this disparity appears to be mitigated by stores that accept WIC and offer more healthy snacking options. Federal programmes such as this may be particularly valuable for children in lower-income areas.

An Astrosocial Observation: The Nobel Connection to the Space Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ng, Edward W.; Nash, Rebecca L.

2007-01-01

The 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics was heralded by some in the press as the 'First Nobel Prize for Space Exploration.' Indeed the Nobel Foundation's announcement specifically cited the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite launched by NASA in 1989 as the prime-enabling instrument It elaborated further, 'The COBE results provided increased support for the Big Bang scenario for the origin of the Universe... These measurements also marked the inception of cosmology as a precise science.' NASA also seized this unique moment of fame to honor its favorite son, the first Nobel scientist of the agency, John Mather, of the Goddard Space Flight Center, who shared the honor with Professor G. Smoot of the University of California, the Principal Investigator of the COBE measurement. It is without any dispute that the Nobel Prize is the highest scientific honor and best-known award of admiration and inspiration to the public and educational sectors. Unfortunately in the American culture, youths are mostly exposed to success icons in the sports, entertainment, and business domains. Science icons (of either gender) are largely unknown to them. We sincerely hope that success stories of Nobel scientists will become part of the learning curriculum in the K-16 educational experience. In this paper, we examine the pedigree of a number of Nobel Prizes over the years, and discuss their interactions with, and connections to, the space program. It is advantageous for the context of educational and public outreach to see such connections, because in a number of public surveys, one important customer expectation for the space program is the search for new knowledge, to which the Nobel Prize is a prominent benchmark.

Reuse: A knowledge-based approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iscoe, Neil; Liu, Zheng-Yang; Feng, Guohui

1992-01-01

This paper describes our research in automating the reuse process through the use of application domain models. Application domain models are explicit formal representations of the application knowledge necessary to understand, specify, and generate application programs. Furthermore, they provide a unified repository for the operational structure, rules, policies, and constraints of a specific application area. In our approach, domain models are expressed in terms of a transaction-based meta-modeling language. This paper has described in detail the creation and maintenance of hierarchical structures. These structures are created through a process that includes reverse engineering of data models with supplementary enhancement from application experts. Source code is also reverse engineered but is not a major source of domain model instantiation at this time. In the second phase of the software synthesis process, program specifications are interactively synthesized from an instantiated domain model. These specifications are currently integrated into a manual programming process but will eventually be used to derive executable code with mechanically assisted transformations. This research is performed within the context of programming-in-the-large types of systems. Although our goals are ambitious, we are implementing the synthesis system in an incremental manner through which we can realize tangible results. The client/server architecture is capable of supporting 16 simultaneous X/Motif users and tens of thousands of attributes and classes. Domain models have been partially synthesized from five different application areas. As additional domain models are synthesized and additional knowledge is gathered, we will inevitably add to and modify our representation. However, our current experience indicates that it will scale and expand to meet our modeling needs.

Description of research interests and current work related to automating software design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaindl, Hermann

1992-01-01

Enclosed is a list of selected and recent publications. Most of these publications concern applied research in the areas of software engineering and human-computer interaction. It is felt that domain-specific knowledge plays a major role in software development. Additionally, it is believed that improvements in the general software development process (e.g., object-oriented approaches) will have to be combined with the use of large domain-specific knowledge bases.

Goals of Government-Funded Public Domain Software Efforts

PubMed Central

Rishel, Wesley J.

1980-01-01

The development of public domain software under Federal aegis and support has made possible a broadly competitive field of computer - oriented management information system consulting organizations with high technical competence and the potential for strong user orientation and loyalty. The impact of this assumption of major “front-end costs” by the Federal government has additional spin-off effects in terms of standardization and transportability features as well as reduced capital costs to the user.

Nursing diagnoses in patients with cerebral vascular accident: an integrative review.

PubMed

Lima, Ana Carolina Maria Araújo Chagas Costa; Silva, Aurilene Lima da; Guerra, Débora Rodrigues; Barbosa, Islene Victor; Bezerra, Karine de Castro; Oriá, Mônica Oliveira Batista

2016-01-01

to verify the nursing diagnoses in patients affected by CVAs. this is an integrative review of the literature. The search was conducted on LILACS, Scielo, Medline, CINAHL, and Scopus databases between February and March 2015, using the following keywords: "Enfermagem", "Acidente Vascular Cerebral", "Diagnóstico de Enfermagem"; and "Nursing", "Stroke", and "Nursing Diagnosis". we found 9 articles published between 2009 and 2015; most of them were Brazilian, cross-sectional, and exploratory, with a level of evidence of 6. The evidence from the publications was classified as: "Evaluation and validation of specific nursing diagnoses for subjects affected by CVAs" and "Application of the nursing process on subjects affected by CVAs". we noticed the publications focused on nursing diagnoses related to motor disorders, such as risk of falls and impaired physical mobility. Domains regarding safety/protection (domain 11) and sleep/resting (domain 4) were present in most evaluated publications.

Ethical Issues for Public Health Approaches to Obesity.

PubMed

Azevedo, Suzanna M; Vartanian, Lenny R

2015-09-01

Obesity is a major public health concern worldwide. Because individual-level interventions have been unsuccessful at curbing obesity rates, there is an emphasis on public health approaches. In addition to testing the effectiveness of any public health interventions, it is important to consider the ethical implications of these interventions in order to protect the public's rights and promote overall well-being. In this paper, we review public health approaches to obesity in three broad domains (changes to the socio-communicative environment, changes to the economic environment, and changes to the physical environment/access) and consider the potential ethical issues that arise in each of those domains. We suggest that interventions that target the physical environment/access (making it easier for people to engage in healthy behaviors), that target the entire population (rather than just individuals with obesity), and that focus on health behaviors (rather than on weight) have the least potential for ethical concerns.

Public health situation awareness: toward a semantic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirhaji, Parsa; Richesson, Rachel L.; Turley, James P.; Zhang, Jiajie; Smith, Jack W.

2004-04-01

We propose a knowledge-based public health situation awareness system. The basis for this system is an explicit representation of public health situation awareness concepts and their interrelationships. This representation is based upon the users" (public health decision makers) cognitive model of the world, and optimized towards the efficacy of performance and relevance to the public health situation awareness processes and tasks. In our approach, explicit domain knowledge is the foundation for interpretation of public health data, as apposed to conventional systems where the statistical methods are the essence of the processes. Objectives: To develop a prototype knowledge-based system for public health situation awareness and to demonstrate the utility of knowledge intensive approaches in integration of heterogeneous information, eliminating the effects of incomplete and poor quality surveillance data, uncertainty in syndrome and aberration detection and visualization of complex information structures in public health surveillance settings, particularly in the context of bioterrorism (BT) preparedness. The system employs the Resource Definition Framework (RDF) and additional layers of more expressive languages to explicate the knowledge of domain experts into machine interpretable and computable problem-solving modules that can then guide users and computer systems in sifting through the most "relevant" data for syndrome and outbreak detection and investigation of root cause of the event. The Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Informatics Research is developing a prototype knowledge-based system around influenza, which has complex natural disease patterns, many public health implications, and is a potential agent for bioterrorism. The preliminary data from this effort may demonstrate superior performance in information integration, syndrome and aberration detection, information access through information visualization, and cross-domain investigation of the root causes of public health events.

Responsible conduct of research in communication sciences and disorders: faculty and student perceptions.

PubMed

Minifie, Fred D; Robey, Randall R; Horner, Jennifer; Ingham, Janis C; Lansing, Charissa; McCartney, James H; Alldredge, Elham-Eid; Slater, Sarah C; Moss, Sharon E

2011-02-01

Two Web-based surveys (Surveys I and II) were used to assess perceptions of faculty and students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) regarding the responsible conduct of research (RCR). Survey questions addressed 9 RCR domains thought important to the responsible conduct of research: (a) human subjects protections; (b) research involving animals; (c) publication practices and responsible authorship; (d) mentor/trainee responsibilities; (e) collaborative science; (f) peer review; (g) data acquisition, management, sharing, and ownership; (h) conflicts of interest; and (i) research misconduct. Respondents rated each of 37 topics for importance and for sufficiency of instructional coverage. Respondents to Survey I were 137 faculty members from 68 (26%) of the 261 graduate programs in CSD. By comparison, 237 students from 39 (15%) programs responded to Survey II. Data about the importance and sufficiency of coverage of each of the 37 items were transformed into z scores to reveal relative ratings among the 37 topics. Data presentations were grouped for topics in each of the 9 RCR domains. Ratings indicated the relatively high importance assigned among the 37 topics by CSD faculty and students. Sufficiency of coverage of those same topics received lower ratings. The results of these surveys support the notion that students in CSD perceive that they are receiving information about RCR. The data pertaining to sufficiency of coverage provide a basis for improving instruction in this important aspect of research education.

Effectiveness of Sleep-Based Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Synthesis.

PubMed

Cuomo, Belinda M; Vaz, Sharmila; Lee, Elinda Ai Lim; Thompson, Craig; Rogerson, Jessica M; Falkmer, Torbjorn

2017-05-01

Sleep problems are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This meta-synthesis collated eight previously published systematic reviews examining the efficacy of sleep interventions in children with ASD in an attempt to present a clear analysis of trialed interventions. The collated reviews consider five major groups of sleep interventions for children with ASD: melatonin therapy, pharmacologic treatments other than melatonin, behavioral interventions, parent education/education programs, and alternative therapies (massage therapy, aromatherapy, and multivitamin and iron supplementation). These eight reviews were based on 38 original studies and address the efficacy of interventions across 17 sleep problem domains. The results of this meta-synthesis suggest that no single intervention is effective across all sleep problems in children with ASD. However, melatonin, behavioral interventions, and parent education/education program interventions appear the most effective at ameliorating multiple domains of sleep problems compared with other interventions. Due to the heterogeneous causative factors and presentations of disordered sleep, further research into the effectiveness of sleep interventions may target specific phenotypic subgroups rather than a broad analysis across the general ASD population. Similarly, future research needs to consider the efficacy of different polytherapeutic approaches in order to provide clinicians with evidence to inform best practice. In the meantime, this review supports clinicians' decision making for a majority of the identified sleep problems in the ASD population. © 2017 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Hard evidence on soft skills✩

PubMed Central

Heckman, James J.; Kautz, Tim

2012-01-01

This paper summarizes recent evidence on what achievement tests measure; how achievement tests relate to other measures of “cognitive ability” like IQ and grades; the important skills that achievement tests miss or mismeasure, and how much these skills matter in life. Achievement tests miss, or perhaps more accurately, do not adequately capture, soft skills—personality traits, goals, motivations, and preferences that are valued in the labor market, in school, and in many other domains. The larger message of this paper is that soft skills predict success in life, that they causally produce that success, and that programs that enhance soft skills have an important place in an effective portfolio of public policies. PMID:23559694

Following the Rules Set by Accreditation Agencies and Governing Bodies to Maintain In-Compliance Status: Applying Critical Thinking Skills When Evaluating the Need for Change in the Clinical Laboratory.

PubMed

Byrne, Karen M; Levy, Kimberly Y; Reese, Erika M

2016-05-01

Maintaining an in-compliance clinical laboratory takes continuous awareness and review of standards, regulations, and best practices. A strong quality assurance program and well informed leaders who maintain professional networks can aid in this necessary task. This article will discuss a process that laboratories can follow to interpret, understand, and comply with the rules and standards set by laboratory accreditation bodies. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the United States.

Mythbusters: Credibilising strategies in popular nutrition books by academics.

PubMed

Penders, Bart

2014-11-01

Healthy eating is a prominent concern amongst public health and diet professionals. Public understanding of healthy eating presents a topic of interest in understanding scientific credibility in the public domain. Three prominent Dutch nutrition scientists, Kok, Seidell and Katan, have produced popular science books on healthy eating, aiming to remove myths about food and nutrition from the public domain. I describe how they do so, and which strategies they have chosen to achieve this goal. In their books, they move beyond traditional academic strategies to build credibility and devise credibilising strategies resembling those of diet authors. While doing so, they move beyond the deficit model, but end up competing for dietary credibility on the diet authors' terms. © The Author(s) 2013.

Human operator identification model and related computer programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, K. M.; Mohr, J. N.

1978-01-01

Four computer programs which provide computational assistance in the analysis of man/machine systems are reported. The programs are: (1) Modified Transfer Function Program (TF); (2) Time Varying Response Program (TVSR); (3) Optimal Simulation Program (TVOPT); and (4) Linear Identification Program (SCIDNT). The TV program converts the time domain state variable system representative to frequency domain transfer function system representation. The TVSR program computes time histories of the input/output responses of the human operator model. The TVOPT program is an optimal simulation program and is similar to TVSR in that it produces time histories of system states associated with an operator in the loop system. The differences between the two programs are presented. The SCIDNT program is an open loop identification code which operates on the simulated data from TVOPT (or TVSR) or real operator data from motion simulators.

Pharmacy executive leadership issues and associated skills, knowledge, and abilities.

PubMed

Meadows, Andrew B; Maine, Lucinda L; Keyes, Elizabeth K; Pearson, Kathy; Finstuen, Kenn

2005-01-01

To identify challenges that current and future pharmacy executives are facing or will face in the future and to define what skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKAs) are required to successfully negotiate these challenges. Delphi method for executive decision making. Civilian pharmacy profession. 110 pharmacists who graduated from the GlaxoSmithKline Executive Management Program for Pharmacy Leaders. Two iterations of the Delphi method for executive decision making separated by an expert panel content analysis. Round 1--participants were asked to identify five major issues they believed to be of greatest importance to pharmacy leaders in the next 5-10 years and name specific SKAs that might be needed by future leaders to successfully deal with those issues. An expert panel reviewed the issues, classified issues into specific domains, and titled each domain. Round 2-participants rated the SKAs on a 7-point scale according to their individual assessment of importance in each domain. For Delphi rounds 1 and 2, response rates were 21.8% and 18.2%, respectively. More than 100 total issue statements were identified. The expert panel sorted the issues into five domains: management and development of the pharmacy workforce, pharmacy finance, total quality management of work-flow systems, influences on the practice of pharmacy, and professional pharmacy leadership. Five of the top 15 SKAs-and all four highest ranked items--came from the professional pharmacy leadership domain, including ability to see the big picture, ability to demonstrate the value of pharmacy services, ability to lead and manage in an ethical manner, and skills for influencing an organization's senior leadership. Through successful integration of communication skills, critical thinking, and problem solving techniques, future public-sector pharmacy executives will be better equipped to effectively position their organizations and the profession for the challenges that lie ahead.

A Framework for Text Mining in Scientometric Study: A Case Study in Biomedicine Publications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silalahi, V. M. M.; Hardiyati, R.; Nadhiroh, I. M.; Handayani, T.; Rahmaida, R.; Amelia, M.

2018-04-01

The data of Indonesians research publications in the domain of biomedicine has been collected to be text mined for the purpose of a scientometric study. The goal is to build a predictive model that provides a classification of research publications on the potency for downstreaming. The model is based on the drug development processes adapted from the literatures. An effort is described to build the conceptual model and the development of a corpus on the research publications in the domain of Indonesian biomedicine. Then an investigation is conducted relating to the problems associated with building a corpus and validating the model. Based on our experience, a framework is proposed to manage the scientometric study based on text mining. Our method shows the effectiveness of conducting a scientometric study based on text mining in order to get a valid classification model. This valid model is mainly supported by the iterative and close interactions with the domain experts starting from identifying the issues, building a conceptual model, to the labelling, validation and results interpretation.

Student Assessment System. Domain Referenced Tests. Cosmetology. Volume I: Skills. Georgia Vocational Education Program Articulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Linda Maxwell; And Others

These performance tests for the area of cosmetology consist of a sampling technique (domain referenced tests) which covers all the possible performance situations. When used in total, they may also serve as a comprehensive test. Introductory materials discuss domain referenced testing, determining the domains, and developing performance testing…

Rapid Ascent From Zero Quality to International Organization for Standardization Accreditation: A Case Study of Hai Duong Preventive Medicine Center in Vietnam, 2012-2013.

PubMed

Duong, Cuong Ngoc; Bond, Kyle B; Carvalho, Humberto; Thi Thu, Hien Bui; Nguyen, Thuong; Rush, Thomas

2017-04-01

In 2012, the Vietnam Ministry of Health sought to improve the quality of health laboratories by introducing international quality standards. Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA), a year-long, structured, quality improvement curriculum (including projects and mentorship) was piloted in 12 laboratories. Progress was measured using a standardized audit tool (Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation). All 12 pilot laboratories (a mix of hospital and public health) demonstrated improvement; median scores rose from 44% to 78% compliance. The public health laboratory in Hai Duong Province entered the program with the lowest score of the group (28%) yet concluded with the highest score (86%). Five months after the completion of the program, without any additional external support, they were accredited. Laboratory management/staff describe factors key to their success: support from the facility senior management, how-to guidance provided by SLMTA, support from the site mentor, and strong commitment of laboratory staff. Hai Duong preventive medical center is one of only a handful of laboratories to reach accreditation after participation in SLMTA and the only laboratory to do so without additional support. Due to the success seen in Hai Duong and other pilot laboratories, Vietnam has expanded the use of SLMTA. American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Overview and Evaluation of a Smoke Modeling System and other Tools used during Wildfire Incident Deployments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ONeill, S. M.; Larkin, N. K.; Martinez, M.; Rorig, M.; Solomon, R. C.; Dubowy, J.; Lahm, P. W.

2017-12-01

Specialists operationally deployed to wildfires to forecast expected smoke conditions for the public use many tools and information. These Air Resource Advisors (ARAs) are deployed as part of the Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program (WFAQRP) and rely on smoke models, monitoring data, meteorological information, and satellite information to produce daily Smoke Outlooks for a region impacted by smoke from wildfires. These Smoke Outlooks are distributed to air quality and health agencies, published online via smoke blogs and other social media, and distributed by the Incident Public Information Officer (PIO), and ultimately to the public. Fundamental to these operations are smoke modeling systems such as the BlueSky Smoke Modeling Framework, which combines fire activity information, mapped fuel loadings, consumption and emissions models, and air quality/dispersion models such as HYSPLIT to produce predictions of PM2.5 concentrations downwind of wildland fires. Performance of this system at a variety of meteorological resolutions, fire initialization information, and vertical allocation of emissions is evaluated for the Summer of 2015 when over 400,000 hectares burned in the northwestern US state of Washington and 1-hr average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations exceeded 700 μg/m3. The performance of the system at the 12-km, 4-km, and 1.33-km resolutions is evaluated using 1-hr average PM2.5 measurements from permanent monitors and temporary monitors deployed specifically for wildfires by ARAs on wildfire incident command teams. At the higher meteorological resolution (1.33-km) the terrain features are more detailed, showing better valley structures and in general, PM2.5 concentrations were greater in the valleys with the 1.33-km meteorological domain than with the 4-km domain.

Using Sentence-Level Classifiers for Cross-Domain Sentiment Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC-RDDC...domain sentiment classification via spectral feature alignment. In Proceedings of the 19th international conference on World Wide Web, WWW ’10...Dennis, S. 5. DATE OF PUBLICATION (Month and year of publication of document.) September 2014 6a. NO. OF PAGES (Total containing information

Personality and Graduate Academic Performance among Counselor Education and School Psychology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Yi; Laux, John; Salyers, Kathleen; Kozelka, Susan

2017-01-01

General personality was assessed of 104 graduate students in school counseling, mental health counseling, and school psychology programs in the United States using the Big Five model of personality domains. The students in three programs reported similarities and differences in their preference and performance in domain knowledge, with more…

Center to Advance Palliative Care palliative care clinical care and customer satisfaction metrics consensus recommendations.

PubMed

Weissman, David E; Morrison, R Sean; Meier, Diane E

2010-02-01

Data collection and analysis are vital for strategic planning, quality improvement, and demonstration of palliative care program impact to hospital administrators, private funders and policymakers. Since 2000, the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) has provided technical assistance to hospitals, health systems and hospices working to start, sustain, and grow nonhospice palliative care programs. CAPC convened a consensus panel in 2008 to develop recommendations for specific clinical and customer metrics that programs should track. The panel agreed on four key domains of clinical metrics and two domains of customer metrics. Clinical metrics include: daily assessment of physical/psychological/spiritual symptoms by a symptom assessment tool; establishment of patient-centered goals of care; support to patient/family caregivers; and management of transitions across care sites. For customer metrics, consensus was reached on two domains that should be tracked to assess satisfaction: patient/family satisfaction, and referring clinician satisfaction. In an effort to ensure access to reliably high-quality palliative care data throughout the nation, hospital palliative care programs are encouraged to collect and report outcomes for each of the metric domains described here.

Documentation and user's guide for interactive spectral analysis and filter program package useful in the processing of seismic reflection data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, J.J.

1982-01-01

The spectral analysis and filter program package is written in the BASIC language for the HP-9845T desktop computer. The program's main purpose is to perform spectral analyses on digitized time-domain data. In addition, band-pass filtering of the data can be performed in the time domain. Various other processes such as autocorrelation can be performed to the time domain data in order to precondition them for spectral analyses. The frequency domain data can also be transformed back into the time domain if desired. Any data can be displayed on the CRT in graphic form using a variety of plot routines. A hard copy can be obtained immediately using the internal thermal printer. Data can also be displayed in tabular form on the CRT or internal thermal printer or it can be stored permanently on a mass storage device like a tape or disk. A list of the processes performed in the order in which they occurred can be displayed at any time.

In preparation of the nationwide dissemination of the school-based obesity prevention program DOiT: stepwise development applying the intervention mapping protocol.

PubMed

van Nassau, Femke; Singh, Amika S; van Mechelen, Willem; Brug, Johannes; Chin A Paw, Mai J M

2014-08-01

The school-based Dutch Obesity Intervention in Teenagers (DOiT) program is an evidence-based obesity prevention program. In preparation for dissemination throughout the Netherlands, this study aimed to adapt the initial program and to develop an implementation strategy and materials. We revisited the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol, using results of the previous process evaluation and additional focus groups and interviews with students, parents, teachers, and professionals. The adapted 2-year DOiT program consists of a classroom, an environmental and a parental component. The year 1 lessons aim to increase awareness and knowledge of healthy behaviors. The lessons in year 2 focus on the influence of the (obesogenic) environment. The stepwise development of the implementation strategy resulted in objectives that support teachers' implementation. We developed a 7-step implementation strategy and supporting materials by translating the objectives into essential elements and practical strategies. This study illustrates how revisiting the IM protocol resulted in an adapted program and tailored implementation strategy based on previous evaluations as well as input from different stakeholders. The stepwise development of DOiT can serve as an example for other evidence-based programs in preparation for wider dissemination. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A computer program for helicopter rotor noise using Lowson's formula in the time domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parks, C. L.

1975-01-01

A computer program (D3910) was developed to calculate both the far field and near field acoustic pressure signature of a tilted rotor in hover or uniform forward speed. The analysis, carried out in the time domain, is based on Lowson's formulation of the acoustic field of a moving force. The digital computer program is described, including methods used in the calculations, a flow chart, program D3910 source listing, instructions for the user, and two test cases with input and output listings and output plots.

Implementation of HIV and Tuberculosis Diagnostics: The Importance of Context.

PubMed

Dominique, Joyelle K; Ortiz-Osorno, Alberto A; Fitzgibbon, Joseph; Gnanashanmugam, Devasena; Gilpin, Christopher; Tucker, Timothy; Peel, Sheila; Peter, Trevor; Kim, Peter; Smith, Steven

2015-10-15

Novel diagnostics have been widely applied across human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis prevention and treatment programs. To achieve the greatest impact, HIV and tuberculosis diagnostic programs must carefully plan and implement within the context of a specific healthcare system and the laboratory capacity. A workshop was convened in Cape Town in September 2014. Participants included experts from laboratory and clinical practices, officials from ministries of health, and representatives from industry. The article summarizes best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from implementation experiences across sub-Saharan Africa for (1) building laboratory programs within the context of a healthcare system; (2) utilizing experience of clinicians and healthcare partners in planning and implementing the right diagnostic; and (3) evaluating the effects of new diagnostics on the healthcare system and on patient health outcomes. The successful implementation of HIV and tuberculosis diagnostics in resource-limited settings relies on careful consideration of each specific context. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Veterans Affairs Geriatric Scholars Program: Enhancing Existing Primary Care Clinician Skills in Caring for Older Veterans.

PubMed

Kramer, B Josea; Creekmur, Beth; Howe, Judith L; Trudeau, Scott; Douglas, Joseph R; Garner, Kimberly; Bales, Connie; Callaway-Lane, Carol; Barczi, Steven

2016-11-01

The Veterans Affairs Geriatric Scholars Program (GSP) is a continuing professional development program to integrate geriatrics into the clinical practices of primary care providers and select associated health professions that support primary care teams. GSP uses a blended program educational format, and the minimal requirements are to attend an intensive course in geriatrics, participate in an interactive workshop on quality improvement (QI), and initiate a local QI project to demonstrate application of new knowledge to benefit older veterans. Using a retrospective post/pre survey design, the effect of GSP on clinical practices and behaviors and variation of that effect on clinicians working in rural and nonrural settings were evaluated. Significant improvement was found in the frequency of using evidence-based brief standardized assessments, clinical decision-making, and standards of care. Significant subgroup differences were observed in peer-to-peer information sharing between rural and nonrural clinicians. Overall, 77% of the sample reported greater job satisfaction after participating in GSP. The program is a successful model for advancing postgraduate education in geriatrics and a model that might be replicated to increase access to quality health care, particularly in rural areas. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Student Assessment System. Domain Referenced Tests. Transportation/Automotive Mechanics. Volume I: Skills. Georgia Vocational Education Program Articulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, James F.; And Others

These performance tests for the area of transportation/automotive mechanics consist of a sampling technique (domain referenced tests) which covers all the possible performance situations. When used in total, they may also serve as a comprehensive test. Introductory materials discuss domain referenced testing, determining the domains, and…

Achievements and barriers in the organ donation process: a critical analysis of donation coordinators' discourse.

PubMed

Mercado-Martínez, Francisco J; Díaz-Medina, Blanca A; Hernández-Ibarra, Eduardo

2013-09-01

Donation coordinators play an important role in the success or failure of organ donation and transplant programs. Nevertheless, these professionals' perspectives and practices have hardly been explored, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To examine donation coordinators' discourse on the organ donation process and the barriers they perceive. A critical qualitative study was carried out in Guadalajara, Mexico. Twelve donation coordinators from public and private hospitals participated. DATA GATHERING AND ANALYSIS: Data were gathered by using semistructured interviews and critical discourse analysis. Participants indicated that partial results have been achieved in deceased organ donation. Concomitantly, multiple obstacles have adversely affected the process and outcomes: at the structural level, the fragmentation of the health system and the scarcity of financial and material resources; at the relational level, nonegalitarian relationships between coordinators and hospital personnel; at the ideational level, the transplant domain and its specialists overshadow the donation domain and its coordinators. Negative images are associated with donation coordinators. Organ donation faces structural, relational, and ideational barriers; hence, complex interventions should be undertaken. Donation coordinators also should be recognized by the health system.

User interfaces for computational science: A domain specific language for OOMMF embedded in Python

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beg, Marijan; Pepper, Ryan A.; Fangohr, Hans

2017-05-01

Computer simulations are used widely across the engineering and science disciplines, including in the research and development of magnetic devices using computational micromagnetics. In this work, we identify and review different approaches to configuring simulation runs: (i) the re-compilation of source code, (ii) the use of configuration files, (iii) the graphical user interface, and (iv) embedding the simulation specification in an existing programming language to express the computational problem. We identify the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches and discuss their implications on effectiveness and reproducibility of computational studies and results. Following on from this, we design and describe a domain specific language for micromagnetics that is embedded in the Python language, and allows users to define the micromagnetic simulations they want to carry out in a flexible way. We have implemented this micromagnetic simulation description language together with a computational backend that executes the simulation task using the Object Oriented MicroMagnetic Framework (OOMMF). We illustrate the use of this Python interface for OOMMF by solving the micromagnetic standard problem 4. All the code is publicly available and is open source.

Domains of quality of life: results of a three-stage Delphi consensus procedure among patients, family of patients, clinicians, scientists and the general public.

PubMed

Pietersma, Suzanne; de Vries, Marieke; van den Akker-van Marle, M Elske

2014-06-01

Our key objective is to identify the core domains of health-related quality of life (QoL). Health-related QoL utility scales are commonly used in economic evaluations to assess the effectiveness of health-care interventions. However, health-care interventions are likely to affect QoL in a broader sense than is quantifiable with traditional scales. Therefore, measures need to go beyond these scales. Unfortunately, there is no consensus in the scientific literature on the essential domains of QoL. We conducted a three-stage online Delphi consensus procedure to identify the key domains of health-related QoL. Five stakeholder groups (i.e., patients, family of patients, clinicians, scientists and general public) were asked, on three consecutive occasions, what they perceive as the most important domains of health-related QoL. An analysis of existing (health-related) QoL and well-being measurements formed the basis of the Delphi-procedure. In total, 42 domains of QoL were judged, covering physical, mental and social aspects. All participants rated 'self-acceptance', 'self-esteem' and 'good social contacts' as essential. Strikingly, mental and social domains are perceived as more essential than physical domains across stakeholders groups. In traditionally used health-related QoL utility measures, physical domains like 'mobility' are prominently present. The Delphi-procedure shows that health-related QoL (utility) scales need to put sufficient emphasis on mental and social domains to capture aspects of QoL that are essential to people.

Insect Repellents and Associated Personal Protection for a Reduction in Human Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

products include topical repellents applied directly Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. 1...granted now, including highly effective, synthetic repellents (Knipling, 1949; Joy, 1999). Major government agencies have endorsed the use of repellents as...is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2012.01020.x Insect

Population-based cancer survival in the United States: Data, quality control, and statistical methods.

PubMed

Allemani, Claudia; Harewood, Rhea; Johnson, Christopher J; Carreira, Helena; Spika, Devon; Bonaventure, Audrey; Ward, Kevin; Weir, Hannah K; Coleman, Michel P

2017-12-15

Robust comparisons of population-based cancer survival estimates require tight adherence to the study protocol, standardized quality control, appropriate life tables of background mortality, and centralized analysis. The CONCORD program established worldwide surveillance of population-based cancer survival in 2015, analyzing individual data on 26 million patients (including 10 million US patients) diagnosed between 1995 and 2009 with 1 of 10 common malignancies. In this Cancer supplement, we analyzed data from 37 state cancer registries that participated in the second cycle of the CONCORD program (CONCORD-2), covering approximately 80% of the US population. Data quality checks were performed in 3 consecutive phases: protocol adherence, exclusions, and editorial checks. One-, 3-, and 5-year age-standardized net survival was estimated using the Pohar Perme estimator and state- and race-specific life tables of all-cause mortality for each year. The cohort approach was adopted for patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2003, and the complete approach for patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2009. Articles in this supplement report population coverage, data quality indicators, and age-standardized 5-year net survival by state, race, and stage at diagnosis. Examples of tables, bar charts, and funnel plots are provided in this article. Population-based cancer survival is a key measure of the overall effectiveness of services in providing equitable health care. The high quality of US cancer registry data, 80% population coverage, and use of an unbiased net survival estimator ensure that the survival trends reported in this supplement are robustly comparable by race and state. The results can be used by policymakers to identify and address inequities in cancer survival in each state and for the United States nationally. Cancer 2017;123:4982-93. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

The Precision Medicine Initiative's All of Us Research Program: an agenda for research on its ethical, legal, and social issues.

PubMed

Sankar, Pamela L; Parker, Lisa S

2017-07-01

The Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) is an innovative approach to developing a new model of health care that takes into account individual differences in people's genes, environments, and lifestyles. A cornerstone of the initiative is the PMI All of Us Research Program (formerly known as PMI-Cohort Program) which will create a cohort of 1 million volunteers who will contribute their health data and biospecimens to a centralized national database to support precision medicine research. The PMI All of US Research Program is the largest longitudinal study in the history of the United States. The designers of the Program anticipated and addressed some of the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) associated with the initiative. To date, however, there is no plan to call for research regarding ELSI associated with the Program-PMI All of Us program. Based on analysis of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcements for the PMI All of Us program, we have identified three ELSI themes: cohort diversity and health disparities, participant engagement, and privacy and security. We review All of Us Research Program plans to address these issues and then identify additional ELSI within each domain that warrant ongoing investigation as the All of Us Research Program develops. We conclude that PMI's All of Us Research Program represents a significant opportunity and obligation to identify, analyze, and respond to ELSI, and we call on the PMI to initiate a research program capable of taking on these challenges.Genet Med advance online publication 01 December 2016.

Building an Ontology for Identity Resolution in Healthcare and Public Health.

PubMed

Duncan, Jeffrey; Eilbeck, Karen; Narus, Scott P; Clyde, Stephen; Thornton, Sidney; Staes, Catherine

2015-01-01

Integration of disparate information from electronic health records, clinical data warehouses, birth certificate registries and other public health information systems offers great potential for clinical care, public health practice, and research. Such integration, however, depends on correctly matching patient-specific records using demographic identifiers. Without standards for these identifiers, record linkage is complicated by issues of structural and semantic heterogeneity. Our objectives were to develop and validate an ontology to: 1) identify components of identity and events subsequent to birth that result in creation, change, or sharing of identity information; 2) develop an ontology to facilitate data integration from multiple healthcare and public health sources; and 3) validate the ontology's ability to model identity-changing events over time. We interviewed domain experts in area hospitals and public health programs and developed process models describing the creation and transmission of identity information among various organizations for activities subsequent to a birth event. We searched for existing relevant ontologies. We validated the content of our ontology with simulated identity information conforming to scenarios identified in our process models. We chose the Simple Event Model (SEM) to describe events in early childhood and integrated the Clinical Element Model (CEM) for demographic information. We demonstrated the ability of the combined SEM-CEM ontology to model identity events over time. The use of an ontology can overcome issues of semantic and syntactic heterogeneity to facilitate record linkage.

Lowering industry firewalls: pre-competitive informatics initiatives in drug discovery.

PubMed

Barnes, Michael R; Harland, Lee; Foord, Steven M; Hall, Matthew D; Dix, Ian; Thomas, Scott; Williams-Jones, Bryn I; Brouwer, Cory R

2009-09-01

Pharmaceutical research and development is facing substantial challenges that have prompted the industry to shift funding from early- to late-stage projects. Among the effects is a major change in the attitude of many companies to their internal bioinformatics resources: the focus has moved from the vigorous pursuit of intellectual property towards exploration of pre-competitive cross-industry collaborations and engagement with the public domain. High-quality, open and accessible data are the foundation of pre-competitive research, and strong public-private partnerships have considerable potential to enhance public data resources, which would benefit everyone engaged in drug discovery. In this article, we discuss the background to these changes and propose new areas of collaboration in computational biology and chemistry between the public domain and the pharmaceutical industry.

Relationships between high-stakes clinical skills exam scores and program director global competency ratings of first-year pediatric residents

PubMed Central

Langenau, Erik E.; Pugliano, Gina; Roberts, William L.

2011-01-01

Background Responding to mandates from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Osteopathic Association (AOA), residency programs have developed competency-based assessment tools. One such tool is the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP) program directors’ annual report. High-stakes clinical skills licensing examinations, such as the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Level 2-Performance Evaluation (COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE), also assess competency in several clinical domains. Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between program director competency ratings of first-year osteopathic residents in pediatrics and COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE scores from 2005 to 2009. Methods The sample included all 94 pediatric first-year residents who took COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE and whose training was reviewed by the ACOP for approval of training between 2005 and 2009. Program director competency ratings and COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE scores (domain and component) were merged and analyzed for relationships. Results Biomedical/biomechanical domain scores were positively correlated with overall program director competency ratings. Humanistic domain scores were not significantly correlated with overall program director competency ratings, but did show moderate correlation with ratings for interpersonal and communication skills. The six ACGME or seven AOA competencies assessed empirically by the ACOP program directors’ annual report could not be recovered by principal component analysis; instead, three factors were identified, accounting for 86% of the variance between competency ratings. Discussion A few significant correlations were noted between COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE scores and program director competency ratings. Exploring relationships between different clinical skills assessments is inherently difficult because of the heterogeneity of tools used and overlap of constructs within the AOA and ACGME core competencies. PMID:21927550

Application of the control volume mixed finite element method to a triangular discretization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naff, R.L.

2012-01-01

A two-dimensional control volume mixed finite element method is applied to the elliptic equation. Discretization of the computational domain is based in triangular elements. Shape functions and test functions are formulated on the basis of an equilateral reference triangle with unit edges. A pressure support based on the linear interpolation of elemental edge pressures is used in this formulation. Comparisons are made between results from the standard mixed finite element method and this control volume mixed finite element method. Published 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. ?? 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Resources for comparing the speed and performance of medical autocoders.

PubMed

Berman, Jules J

2004-06-15

Concept indexing is a popular method for characterizing medical text, and is one of the most important early steps in many data mining efforts. Concept indexing differs from simple word or phrase indexing because concepts are typically represented by a nomenclature code that binds a medical concept to all equivalent representations. A concept search on the term renal cell carcinoma would be expected to find occurrences of hypernephroma, and renal carcinoma (concept equivalents). The purpose of this study is to provide freely available resources to compare speed and performance among different autocoders. These tools consist of: 1) a public domain autocoder written in Perl (a free and open source programming language that installs on any operating system); 2) a nomenclature database derived from the unencumbered subset of the publicly available Unified Medical Language System; 3) a large corpus of autocoded output derived from a publicly available medical text. A simple lexical autocoder was written that parses plain-text into a listing of all 1,2,3, and 4-word strings contained in text, assigning a nomenclature code for text strings that match terms in the nomenclature. The nomenclature used is the unencumbered subset of the 2003 Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). The unencumbered subset of UMLS was reduced to exclude homonymous one-word terms and proper names, resulting in a term/code data dictionary containing about a half million medical terms. The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), a 92+ Megabyte publicly available medical opus, was used as sample medical text for the autocoder. The autocoding Perl script is remarkably short, consisting of just 38 command lines. The 92+ Megabyte OMIM file was completely autocoded in 869 seconds on a 2.4 GHz processor (less than 10 seconds per Megabyte of text). The autocoded output file (9,540,442 bytes) contains 367,963 coded terms from OMIM and is distributed with this manuscript. A public domain Perl script is provided that can parse through plain-text files of any length, matching concepts against an external nomenclature. The script and associated files can be used freely to compare the speed and performance of autocoding software.

Geospatial data for coal beds in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinney, Scott A.; Scott, David C.; Osmonson, Lee M.; Luppens, James A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide geospatial data for various layers and themes in a Geographic Information System (GIS) format for the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana. In 2015, as part of the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of coal resources and reserves within the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana. This report is supplemental to USGS Professional Paper 1809 and contains GIS data that can be used to view digital layers or themes, including the Tertiary limit of the Powder River Basin boundary, locations of drill holes, clinker, mined coal, land use and technical restrictions, geology, mineral estate ownership, coal thickness, depth to the top of the coal bed (overburden), and coal reliability categories. Larger scale maps may be viewed using the GIS data provided in this report supplemental to the page-size maps provided in USGS Professional Paper 1809. Additionally, these GIS data can be exported to other digital applications as needed by the user. The database used for this report contains a total of 29,928 drill holes, of which 21,393 are in the public domain. The public domain database is linked to the geodatabase in this report so that the user can access the drill-hole data through GIS applications. Results of this report are available at the USGS Energy Resources Program Web site,http://energy.usgs.gov/RegionalStudies/PowderRiverBasin.aspx.

Adding yeasts with sugar to increase the number of effective insecticide classes to manage Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in cherry.

PubMed

Knight, Alan L; Basoalto, Esteban; Yee, Wee; Hilton, Rick; Kurtzman, Cletus P

2016-08-01

Drosophila suzukii is a major pest of cherry in the western United States. We evaluated whether the addition of sugary baits could improve the efficacy of two classes of insecticides not considered to be sufficiently effective for this pest, diamides and spinosyns, in laboratory and field trials in cherry. Adding cane sugar alone or in combination with the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Aureobasidium pullulans significantly improved insecticide efficacy. However, the significance of adding yeasts to the sugar plus insecticide on fly mortality varied with respect to both the insecticide and yeast species. The addition of S. cerevisiae to sugar also did not significantly reduce egg densities in fruit compared with sugar alone. The addition of a yeast plus sugar significantly reduced egg densities in three field trials with cyantraniliprole and in two out of three trials with spinosad. The addition of cane sugar with or without yeast can improve the effectiveness of diamide and spinosyn insecticides for D. suzukii in cherry. Inclusion of these two insecticides in D. suzukii management programs may alleviate the strong selection pressure currently being imposed on a few mode-of-action insecticide classes used by growers to maintain fly suppression over long continuous harvest periods of mixed cultivars. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Suppression of Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, using a 'hot spot' approach.

PubMed

Unlu, Isik; Klingler, Kim; Indelicato, Nicholas; Faraji, Ary; Strickman, Daniel

2016-07-01

Recent changes in climate and human behavior have led to dramatic increases in the abundance and geographic expansion of invasive mosquito vectors such as Aedes albopictus. Although source reduction has been shown to be effective in reducing mosquito populations, thousands of backyards need to be inspected during door-to-door campaigns, which is labor intensive and expensive. We identified 'hot spots' as high (five or more female or male Ae. albopictus) adult mosquito populations at very focal locations. We tested whether hot spot source reduction efforts were effective in reducing mosquito populations in the early summer season (June to July). Analysis of historical data from the study sites indicated the proportion of hot spots in the control site relative to the intervention site was much greater in 2011, when hot spot treatments were applied to the intervention site, than in 2012, 2013 and 2014 combined, when no sites were treated [OR (95% CI) = 3.9 (1.8, 8.5), Z = 3.39, P < 0.001). Hot spot treatments can be incorporated into existing integrated mosquito management programs to increase effectiveness while reducing the time, cost and effort spent on methods such as door-to-door source reduction. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Membrane Targeting of Grb2-associated Binder-1 (Gab1) Scaffolding Protein through Src Myristoylation Sequence Substitutes for Gab1 Pleckstrin Homology Domain and Switches an Epidermal Growth Factor Response to an Invasive Morphogenic Program

PubMed Central

Maroun, Christiane R.; Naujokas, Monica A.; Park, Morag

2003-01-01

The hepatocyte growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase Met promotes cell dissociation and the inherent morphogenic program of epithelial cells. In a search for substrates downstream from Met, we have previously identified the Grb2-associated binder-1 (Gab1) as critical for the morphogenic program. Gab1 is a scaffold protein that acts to diversify the signal downstream from the Met receptor through its ability to couple with multiple signal transduction pathways. Gab1 contains a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain with specificity for phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate. The phospholipid binding capacity of the Gab1 PH domain is required for the localization of Gab1 at sites of cell-cell contact in colonies of epithelial cells and for epithelial morphogenesis, suggesting that PH domain-dependent subcellular localization of Gab1 is a prerequisite for function. We have investigated the requirement for membrane localization of Gab1 for biological activity. We show that substitution of the Gab1 PH domain with the myristoylation signal from the c-Src protein is sufficient to replace the Gab1 PH domain for epithelial morphogenesis. The membrane targeting of Gab1 enhances Rac activity in the absence of stimulation and switches a nonmorphogenic noninvasive response to epidermal growth factor to a morphogenic invasive program. These results suggest that the subcellular localization of Gab1 is a critical determinant for epithelial morphogenesis and invasiveness. PMID:12686619

Reviewing Illness Self-Management Programs: A Selection Guide for Consumers, Practitioners, and Administrators.

PubMed

Petros, Ryan; Solomon, Phyllis

2015-11-01

Illness self-management (ISM) programs for adults with serious mental illness offer strategies to increase self-directed recovery activities to maximize wellness and increase independence from the service delivery system. This article describes five of the most popular ISM programs: Pathways to Recovery, The Recovery Workbook, Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals through Education and Support, Wellness and Recovery Action Planning, and Illness Management and Recovery. It provides guidance for administrators, practitioners, and consumers for the purposes of selecting the program or programs providing the best fit. The framework for describing the five programs encompasses four contextual domains that supplement empirical evidence for a more comprehensive evaluation: structure, value orientation toward recovery, methods of teaching, and educational content. Contextual domains distinguish programs from one another, including length and time commitment, requisite resources, inclusion of group support, utilization of medical language and pathology, degree of traditional didactic education, and prioritization of consumer-driven self-exploration. The authors also searched PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Reviews for empirical evidence and evaluated the five programs on the strength of the evidence and the effectiveness of the intervention. Evidence of program effectiveness was found to range from low to moderate. However, empirical evidence alone is insufficient for selecting among the five programs, and contextual domains may offer the most relevant guidance by matching program features with goals of consumers, practitioners, and administrators.

Into the Dark Domain: The UK Web Archive as a Source for the Contemporary History of Public Health

PubMed Central

Gorsky, Martin

2015-01-01

With the migration of the written record from paper to digital format, archivists and historians must urgently consider how web content should be conserved, retrieved and analysed. The British Library has recently acquired a large number of UK domain websites, captured 1996–2010, which is colloquially termed the Dark Domain Archive while technical issues surrounding user access are resolved. This article reports the results of an invited pilot project that explores methodological issues surrounding use of this archive. It asks how the relationship between UK public health and local government was represented on the web, drawing on the ‘declinist’ historiography to frame its questions. It points up some difficulties in developing an aggregate picture of web content due to duplication of sites. It also highlights their potential for thematic and discourse analysis, using both text and image, illustrated through an argument about the contradictory rationale for public health policy under New Labour. PMID:26217072

Sources and Resources Into the Dark Domain: The UK Web Archive as a Source for the Contemporary History of Public Health.

PubMed

Gorsky, Martin

2015-08-01

With the migration of the written record from paper to digital format, archivists and historians must urgently consider how web content should be conserved, retrieved and analysed. The British Library has recently acquired a large number of UK domain websites, captured 1996-2010, which is colloquially termed the Dark Domain Archive while technical issues surrounding user access are resolved. This article reports the results of an invited pilot project that explores methodological issues surrounding use of this archive. It asks how the relationship between UK public health and local government was represented on the web, drawing on the 'declinist' historiography to frame its questions. It points up some difficulties in developing an aggregate picture of web content due to duplication of sites. It also highlights their potential for thematic and discourse analysis, using both text and image, illustrated through an argument about the contradictory rationale for public health policy under New Labour.

76 FR 366 - Public Water Supply Supervision Program; Program Revision for the State of Washington

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-04

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9247-4] Public Water Supply Supervision Program; Program... State Public Water Supply Supervision Primacy Program. Washington has adopted a definition for public water system that is analogous to EPA's definition of public water system, and has adopted regulations...

On the Definition of Public Relations: A European View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vercic, Dejan; van Ruler, Betteke; Butschi, Gerhard; Flodin, Bertil

2001-01-01

Introduces the project on the European Public Relations Body of Knowledge (EBOK). Reviews proposals on the definition, dimensions, and domain of public relations. Confronts these with findings from EBOK. Presents ideas on how to bridge the differences. Proposes ideas for further investigation. (SG)

Framework for Development of Object-Oriented Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez-Poveda, Gus; Ciavarella, Tony; Nieten, Dan

2004-01-01

The Real-Time Control (RTC) Application Framework is a high-level software framework written in C++ that supports the rapid design and implementation of object-oriented application programs. This framework provides built-in functionality that solves common software development problems within distributed client-server, multi-threaded, and embedded programming environments. When using the RTC Framework to develop software for a specific domain, designers and implementers can focus entirely on the details of the domain-specific software rather than on creating custom solutions, utilities, and frameworks for the complexities of the programming environment. The RTC Framework was originally developed as part of a Space Shuttle Launch Processing System (LPS) replacement project called Checkout and Launch Control System (CLCS). As a result of the framework s development, CLCS software development time was reduced by 66 percent. The framework is generic enough for developing applications outside of the launch-processing system domain. Other applicable high-level domains include command and control systems and simulation/ training systems.

IMPLICATIONS OF CROSS DOMAIN FIRES IN MULTI-DOMAIN BATTLE

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-06

States Air Force 6 April 2017 DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. 1 DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this...their cyber capability that will ultimately reinforce their influence and power across the Middle East. In viewing North Korea threat capabilities...land-based assets operating in cross domain denial type operations. In viewing the historical warfare capabilities captured in 13 the case study

Using the theoretical domains framework to guide the development of a self-management program for individuals with spinal cord injury: Results from a national stakeholder advisory group.

PubMed

Munce, Sarah E P; Allin, Sonya; Wolfe, Dalton L; Anzai, Karen; Linassi, Gary; Noonan, Vanessa K; Jaglal, Susan B

2017-11-01

To determine the implementation considerations for a targeted self-management program for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) from the perspective of a national stakeholder advisory group using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) as a guide. Qualitative descriptive approach. Two focus groups held at the 6 th National Spinal Cord Injury Conference (October 2-4 th , 2014) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A total of 25 stakeholders from across Canada participated in focus groups or "brainstorming sessions". The stakeholders included 5 clinicians, 14 researchers, 3 policy makers, and 3 individuals with SCI. Not applicable. Not applicable. All 14 theoretical domains were identified in the brainstorming sessions. No new themes or domains were identified. The need to consider the theoretical domains of Knowledge, Skills, Reinforcement, Intentions, Goals (e.g. the readiness of the individual with SCI), Environmental Context and Resources (e.g. considerations for governance and ownership of the program and a business model for sustainability), as well as Social Influences (e.g. issues of privacy and security in the context of on-line delivery) was identified. The current study provides complementary results to our previous series of studies on the implementation considerations for the development of a targeted self-management program for individuals with SCI by emphasizing the health care professional/health policy perspective. It is anticipated that such a program could not only reduce secondary complications and subsequent inappropriate health care use but it may also improve the quality of life for individuals with SCI and their caregivers.

43 CFR 2370.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... the following: (a) The public domain. (b) Lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national... which the Secretary of the Interior determines are suitable for disposition under the public land mining...

43 CFR 2370.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... the following: (a) The public domain. (b) Lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national... which the Secretary of the Interior determines are suitable for disposition under the public land mining...

43 CFR 2370.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... the following: (a) The public domain. (b) Lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national... which the Secretary of the Interior determines are suitable for disposition under the public land mining...

43 CFR 2370.0-3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... the following: (a) The public domain. (b) Lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national... which the Secretary of the Interior determines are suitable for disposition under the public land mining...

Evaluation of a Psychological Intervention for Patients with Chronic Pain in Primary Care.

PubMed

Cano-García, Francisco J; González-Ortega, María Del Carmen; Sanduvete-Chaves, Susana; Chacón-Moscoso, Salvador; Moreno-Borrego, Roberto

2017-01-01

According to evidence from recent decades, multicomponent programs of psychological intervention in people with chronic pain have reached the highest levels of efficacy. However, there are still many questions left to answer since efficacy has mainly been shown among upper-middle class patients in English-speaking countries and in controlled studies, with expert professionals guiding the intervention and with a limited number of domains of painful experience evaluated. For this study, a program of multicomponent psychological intervention was implemented: (a) based on techniques with empirical evidence, but developed in Spain; (b) at a public primary care center; (c) among patients with limited financial resources and lower education; (d) by a novice psychologist; and (e) evaluating all domains of painful experience using the instruments recommended by the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT). The aim of this study was to evaluate this program. We selected a consecutive sample of 40 patients treated for chronic non-cancer pain at a primary care center in Utrera (Seville, Spain), adults who were not in any employment dispute, not suffering from psychopathology, and not receiving psychological treatment. The patients participated in 10 psychological intervention sessions, one per week, in groups of 13-14 people, which addressed psychoeducation for pain; breathing and relaxation; attention management; cognitive restructuring; problem-solving; emotional management; social skills; life values and goal setting; time organization and behavioral activation; physical exercise promotion; postural and sleep hygiene; and relapse prevention. In addition to the initial assessment, measures were taken after the intervention and at a 6-month follow-up. We assessed the program throughout the process: before, during and after the implementation. Results were analyzed statistically (significance and effect size) and from a clinical perspective (clinical significance according to IMMPACT standards). According to this analysis, the intervention was successful, although improvement tended to decline at follow-up, and the detailed design gave the program assessment a high degree of standardization and specification. Finally, suggestions for improvement are presented for upcoming applications of the program.

Evaluation of a Psychological Intervention for Patients with Chronic Pain in Primary Care

PubMed Central

Cano-García, Francisco J.; González-Ortega, María del Carmen; Sanduvete-Chaves, Susana; Chacón-Moscoso, Salvador; Moreno-Borrego, Roberto

2017-01-01

According to evidence from recent decades, multicomponent programs of psychological intervention in people with chronic pain have reached the highest levels of efficacy. However, there are still many questions left to answer since efficacy has mainly been shown among upper-middle class patients in English-speaking countries and in controlled studies, with expert professionals guiding the intervention and with a limited number of domains of painful experience evaluated. For this study, a program of multicomponent psychological intervention was implemented: (a) based on techniques with empirical evidence, but developed in Spain; (b) at a public primary care center; (c) among patients with limited financial resources and lower education; (d) by a novice psychologist; and (e) evaluating all domains of painful experience using the instruments recommended by the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT). The aim of this study was to evaluate this program. We selected a consecutive sample of 40 patients treated for chronic non-cancer pain at a primary care center in Utrera (Seville, Spain), adults who were not in any employment dispute, not suffering from psychopathology, and not receiving psychological treatment. The patients participated in 10 psychological intervention sessions, one per week, in groups of 13–14 people, which addressed psychoeducation for pain; breathing and relaxation; attention management; cognitive restructuring; problem-solving; emotional management; social skills; life values and goal setting; time organization and behavioral activation; physical exercise promotion; postural and sleep hygiene; and relapse prevention. In addition to the initial assessment, measures were taken after the intervention and at a 6-month follow-up. We assessed the program throughout the process: before, during and after the implementation. Results were analyzed statistically (significance and effect size) and from a clinical perspective (clinical significance according to IMMPACT standards). According to this analysis, the intervention was successful, although improvement tended to decline at follow-up, and the detailed design gave the program assessment a high degree of standardization and specification. Finally, suggestions for improvement are presented for upcoming applications of the program. PMID:28386242

Development of a National Consensus for Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) Training Programs--Operators and Medical Providers.

PubMed

Schwartz, Richard; Lerner, Brooke; Llwewllyn, Craig; Pennardt, Andre; Wedmore, Ian; Callaway, David; Wightman, John; Casillas, Raymond; Eastman, Alex; Gerold, Kevin; Giebner, Stephen; Davidson, Robert; Kamin, Richard; Piazza, Gina; Bollard, Glenn; Carmona, Phillip; Sonstrom, Ben; Seifarth, William; Nicely, Barbara; Croushorn, John; Carmona, Richard

2014-01-01

Tactical teams are at high risk of sustaining injuries. Caring for these casualties in the field involves unique requirements beyond what is provided by traditional civilian emergency medical services (EMS) systems. Despite this need, the training objectives and competencies are not uniformly agreed to or taught. An expert panel was convened that included members from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and Health and Human Services, as well as federal, state, and local law-enforcement officers who were recruited through requests to stakeholder agencies and open invitations to individuals involved in Tactical Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) or its oversight. Two face-to-face meetings took place. Using a modified Delphi technique, previously published TEMS competencies were reviewed and updated. The original 17 competency domains were modified and the most significant changes were the addition of Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC), Tactical Familiarization, Legal Aspects of TEMS, and Mass Casualty Triage to the competency domains. Additionally, enabling and terminal learning objectives were developed for each competency domain. This project has developed a minimum set of medical competencies and learning objectives for both tactical medical providers and operators. This work should serve as a platform for ensuring minimum knowledge among providers, which will serve enhance team interoperability and improve the health and safety of tactical teams and the public. 2014.

Database resources of the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

PubMed

2016-01-04

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) provides a large suite of online resources for biological information and data, including the GenBank(®) nucleic acid sequence database and the PubMed database of citations and abstracts for published life science journals. Additional NCBI resources focus on literature (PubMed Central (PMC), Bookshelf and PubReader), health (ClinVar, dbGaP, dbMHC, the Genetic Testing Registry, HIV-1/Human Protein Interaction Database and MedGen), genomes (BioProject, Assembly, Genome, BioSample, dbSNP, dbVar, Epigenomics, the Map Viewer, Nucleotide, Probe, RefSeq, Sequence Read Archive, the Taxonomy Browser and the Trace Archive), genes (Gene, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), HomoloGene, PopSet and UniGene), proteins (Protein, the Conserved Domain Database (CDD), COBALT, Conserved Domain Architecture Retrieval Tool (CDART), the Molecular Modeling Database (MMDB) and Protein Clusters) and chemicals (Biosystems and the PubChem suite of small molecule databases). The Entrez system provides search and retrieval operations for most of these databases. Augmenting many of the web applications are custom implementations of the BLAST program optimized to search specialized datasets. All of these resources can be accessed through the NCBI home page at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Database resources of the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

PubMed

2015-01-01

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) provides a large suite of online resources for biological information and data, including the GenBank(®) nucleic acid sequence database and the PubMed database of citations and abstracts for published life science journals. Additional NCBI resources focus on literature (Bookshelf, PubMed Central (PMC) and PubReader); medical genetics (ClinVar, dbMHC, the Genetic Testing Registry, HIV-1/Human Protein Interaction Database and MedGen); genes and genomics (BioProject, BioSample, dbSNP, dbVar, Epigenomics, Gene, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Genome, HomoloGene, the Map Viewer, Nucleotide, PopSet, Probe, RefSeq, Sequence Read Archive, the Taxonomy Browser, Trace Archive and UniGene); and proteins and chemicals (Biosystems, COBALT, the Conserved Domain Database (CDD), the Conserved Domain Architecture Retrieval Tool (CDART), the Molecular Modeling Database (MMDB), Protein Clusters, Protein and the PubChem suite of small molecule databases). The Entrez system provides search and retrieval operations for many of these databases. Augmenting many of the Web applications are custom implementations of the BLAST program optimized to search specialized data sets. All of these resources can be accessed through the NCBI home page at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Imagining Change: An Integrative Approach toward Explaining the Motivational Role of Mental Imagery in Pro-environmental Behavior.

PubMed

Boomsma, Christine; Pahl, Sabine; Andrade, Jackie

2016-01-01

Climate change and other long-term environmental issues are often perceived as abstract and difficult to imagine. The images a person associates with environmental change, i.e., a person's environmental mental images, can be influenced by the visual information they come across in the public domain. This paper reviews the literature on this topic across social, environmental, and cognitive psychology, and the wider social sciences; thereby responding to a call for more critical investigations into people's responses to visual information. By integrating the literature we come to a better understanding of the lack in vivid and concrete environmental mental imagery reported by the public, the link between environmental mental images and goals, and how affectively charged external images could help in making mental imagery less abstract. Preliminary research reports on the development of a new measure of environmental mental imagery and three tests of the relationship between environmental mental imagery, pro-environmental goals and behavior. Furthermore, the paper provides a program of research, drawing upon approaches from different disciplines, to set out the next steps needed to examine how and why we should encourage the public to imagine environmental change.

Imagining Change: An Integrative Approach toward Explaining the Motivational Role of Mental Imagery in Pro-environmental Behavior

PubMed Central

Boomsma, Christine; Pahl, Sabine; Andrade, Jackie

2016-01-01

Climate change and other long-term environmental issues are often perceived as abstract and difficult to imagine. The images a person associates with environmental change, i.e., a person’s environmental mental images, can be influenced by the visual information they come across in the public domain. This paper reviews the literature on this topic across social, environmental, and cognitive psychology, and the wider social sciences; thereby responding to a call for more critical investigations into people’s responses to visual information. By integrating the literature we come to a better understanding of the lack in vivid and concrete environmental mental imagery reported by the public, the link between environmental mental images and goals, and how affectively charged external images could help in making mental imagery less abstract. Preliminary research reports on the development of a new measure of environmental mental imagery and three tests of the relationship between environmental mental imagery, pro-environmental goals and behavior. Furthermore, the paper provides a program of research, drawing upon approaches from different disciplines, to set out the next steps needed to examine how and why we should encourage the public to imagine environmental change. PMID:27909415

Academic Health Center Management of Chronic Diseases through Knowledge Networks: Project ECHO

PubMed Central

Arora, Sanjeev; Geppert, Cynthia M. A.; Kalishman, Summers; Dion, Denise; Pullara, Frank; Bjeletich, Barbara; Simpson, Gary; Alverson, Dale C.; Moore, Lori B.; Kuhl, Dave; Scaletti, Joseph V.

2013-01-01

The authors describe an innovative academic health center (AHC)-led program of health care delivery and clinical education for the management of complex, common, and chronic diseases in underserved areas, using hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a model. The program, based at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, represents a paradigm shift in thinking and funding for the threefold mission of AHCs, moving from traditional fee-for-service models to public health funding of knowledge networks. This program, Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO), involves a partnership of academic medicine, public health offices, corrections departments, and rural community clinics dedicated to providing best practices and protocol-driven health care in rural areas. Telemedicine and Internet connections enable specialists in the program to comanage patients with complex diseases, using case-based knowledge networks and learning loops. Project ECHO partners (nurse practitioners, primary care physicians, physician assistants, and pharmacists) present HCV-positive patients during weekly two-hour telemedicine clinics using a standardized, case-based format that includes discussion of history, physical examination, test results, treatment complications, and psychiatric, medical, and substance abuse issues. In these case-based learning clinics, partners rapidly gain deep domain expertise in HCV as they collaborate with university specialists in hepatology, infectious disease, psychiatry, and substance abuse in comanaging their patients. Systematic monitoring of treatment outcomes is an integral aspect of the project. The authors believe this methodology will be generalizable to other complex and chronic conditions in a wide variety of underserved areas to improve disease outcomes, and it offers an opportunity for AHCs to enhance and expand their traditional mission of teaching, patient care, and research. PMID:17264693

Outcomes of Planned Home Visits of Intern Public Health Nurses: An Example from Turkey.

PubMed

Ozkan, Ozlem; Ozdemir, Saadet

This study aimed at evaluating the outcomes of planned home visits of intern public health nurses enrolled to a school of health over 8 educational years. The descriptive research consisted of 181 families (N = 745 individuals) who received primary services through the planned home visits undertaken by 431 intern public health nurses at Kocaeli province in Turkey. The data were collected from Family Nursing Process Records and Family Health Achievement Forms. Both of these data collection forms were classified according to North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) Taxonomy II. Intern public health nurses provided primary health services to 181 families (N = 745 persons) with a total of 8771 planned home visits undertaken over 802 days and 14.874 student/practice days. A total of 1539 nursing diagnoses were identified and 1677 achievements about these diagnoses were reported. Nursing diagnosis per family and per individual turned out to be 8.50 and 2.1, respectively, and achievements were 9.3 per family and 2.3 per individual. Among the nursing diagnosis domains, health promotion (20.3%), safety/protection (16.8%), and activity/rest (16.0%) were the top 3 domains identified. The most common diagnoses turned out to be ineffective health maintenance (47.4%) in health promotion domain and risk for trauma (18.2%) in safety/protection domain. The achievements were reported most in health promotion (37.9%), activity/rest (17.6%), and safety/protection (9.6%), respectively. Planned and continuous home visits by intern public health nurses resulted in positive health achievements in families, especially for women and children. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Crude estimates of cannabis-attributable mortality and morbidity in Canada-implications for public health focused intervention priorities.

PubMed

Fischer, Benedikt; Imtiaz, Sameer; Rudzinski, Katherine; Rehm, Jürgen

2016-03-01

Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in Canada; while its use is currently controlled by criminal prohibition, debates about potential control reforms are intensifying. There is substantive evidence about cannabis-related risks to health in various key outcome domains; however, little is known about the actual extent of these harms specifically in Canada. Based on epidemiological data (e.g. prevalence of relevant cannabis use rates and relevant risk behaviors; risk ratios; and annual numbers of morbidity/mortality cases in relevant domains), and applying the methodology of comparative risk assessment, we estimated attributable fractions for cannabis-related morbidity and mortality, specifically for: (i) motor-vehicle accidents (MVAs); (ii) use disorders; (iii) mental health (psychosis) and (iv) lung cancer. MVAs and lung cancer are the only domains where cannabis-attributable mortality is estimated to occur. While cannabis use results in morbidity in all domains, MVAs and use disorders by far outweigh the other domains in the number of cases; the popularly debated mental health consequences (e.g., psychosis) translate into relatively small case numbers. The present crude estimates should guide and help prioritize public health-oriented interventions for the cannabis-related health burden in the population in Canada; formal burden of disease calculations should be conducted. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Transient upset models in computer systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, G. M.

1983-01-01

Essential factors for the design of transient upset monitors for computers are discussed. The upset is a system level event that is software dependent. It can occur in the program flow, the opcode set, the opcode address domain, the read address domain, and the write address domain. Most upsets are in the program flow. It is shown that simple, external monitors functioning transparently relative to the system operations can be built if a detailed accounting is made of the characteristics of the faults that can happen. Sample applications are provided for different states of the Z-80 and 8085 based system.

Palliative Care Education in Emergency Medicine Residency Training: A Survey of Program Directors, Associate Program Directors, and Assistant Program Directors.

PubMed

Kraus, Chadd K; Greenberg, Marna R; Ray, Daniel E; Dy, Sydney Morss

2016-05-01

Emergency medicine (EM) residents perceive palliative care (PC) skills as important and want training, yet there is a general lack of formal PC training in EM residency programs. A clearer definition of the PC educational needs of EM trainees is a research priority. To assess PC competency education in EM residency programs. This was a mixed-mode survey of residency program directors, associate program directors, and assistant program directors at accredited EM residency programs, evaluating four educational domains: 1) importance of specific competencies for senior EM residents, 2) senior resident skills in PC competencies, 3) effectiveness of educational methods, and 4) barriers to training. Response rate was 50% from more than 100 residency programs. Most respondents (64%) identified PC competencies as important for residents to learn, and 59% reported that they teach7 PC skills in their residency program. In Domains 1 and 2, crucial conversations, management of pain, and management of the imminently dying had the highest scores for importance and residents' skill. In Domain 3, bedside teaching, mentoring from hospice and palliative medicine faculty, and case-based simulation were the most effective educational methods. In Domain 4, lack of PC expertise among faculty and lack of interest by faculty and residents were the greatest barriers. There were differences between competency importance and senior resident skill level for management of the dying child, withdrawal/withholding of nonbeneficial interventions, and ethical/legal issues. There are specific barriers and opportunities for PC competency training and gaps in resident skill level. Specifically, there are discrepancies in competency importance and residency skill in the management of the dying child, nonbeneficial interventions, and ethical and legal issues that could be a focus for educational interventions in PC competency training in EM residencies. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Third CLIPS Conference Proceedings, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Gary (Editor)

1994-01-01

Expert systems are computer programs which emulate human expertise in well defined problem domains. The C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) is an expert system building tool, developed at the Johnson Space Center, which provides a complete environment for the development and delivery of rule and/or object based expert systems. CLIPS was specifically designed to provide a low cost option for developing and deploying expert system applications across a wide range of hardware platforms. The development of CLIPS has helped to improve the ability to deliver expert system technology throughout the public and private sectors for a wide range of applications and diverse computing environments. The Third Conference on CLIPS provided a forum for CLIPS users to present and discuss papers relating to CLIPS applications, uses, and extensions.

Information Leakage Analysis by Abstract Interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanioli, Matteo; Cortesi, Agostino

Protecting the confidentiality of information stored in a computer system or transmitted over a public network is a relevant problem in computer security. The approach of information flow analysis involves performing a static analysis of the program with the aim of proving that there will not be leaks of sensitive information. In this paper we propose a new domain that combines variable dependency analysis, based on propositional formulas, and variables' value analysis, based on polyhedra. The resulting analysis is strictly more accurate than the state of the art abstract interpretation based analyses for information leakage detection. Its modular construction allows to deal with the tradeoff between efficiency and accuracy by tuning the granularity of the abstraction and the complexity of the abstract operators.

A Unified Approach to Intra-Domain Security

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

Shue, Craig A; Kalafut, Andrew J.; Gupta, Prof. Minaxi

2009-01-01

While a variety of mechanisms have been developed for securing individual intra-domain protocols, none address the issue in a holistic manner. We develop a unified framework to secure prominent networking protocols within a single domain. We begin with a secure version of the DHCP protocol, which has the additional feature of providing each host with a certificate. We then leverage these certificates to secure ARP, prevent spoofing within the domain, and secure SSH and VPN connections between the domain and hosts which have previously interacted with it locally. In doing so, we also develop an incrementally deployable public key infrastructuremore » which can later be leveraged to support inter-domain authentication.« less

A valiant little terminal: A VLT user's manual

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

Weinstein, A.

1992-08-01

VLT came to be used at SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center), because SLAC wanted to assess the Amiga's usefulness as a color graphics terminal and T{sub E}X workstation. Before the project could really begin, the people at SLAC needed a terminal emulator which could successfully talk to the IBM 3081 (now the IBM ES9000-580) and all the VAXes on the site. Moreover, it had to compete in quality with the Ann Arbor Ambassador GXL terminals which were already in use at the laboratory. Unfortunately, at the time there was no commercial program which fit the bill. Luckily, Willy Langeveld hadmore » been independently hacking up a public domain VT100 emulator written by Dave Wecker et al. and the result, VLT, suited SLAC's purpose. Over the years, as the program was debugged and rewritten, the original code disappeared, so that now, in the present version of VLT, none of the original VT100 code remains.« less

A valiant little terminal: A VLT user`s manual. Revision 4

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

Weinstein, A.

1992-08-01

VLT came to be used at SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center), because SLAC wanted to assess the Amiga`s usefulness as a color graphics terminal and T{sub E}X workstation. Before the project could really begin, the people at SLAC needed a terminal emulator which could successfully talk to the IBM 3081 (now the IBM ES9000-580) and all the VAXes on the site. Moreover, it had to compete in quality with the Ann Arbor Ambassador GXL terminals which were already in use at the laboratory. Unfortunately, at the time there was no commercial program which fit the bill. Luckily, Willy Langeveld hadmore » been independently hacking up a public domain VT100 emulator written by Dave Wecker et al. and the result, VLT, suited SLAC`s purpose. Over the years, as the program was debugged and rewritten, the original code disappeared, so that now, in the present version of VLT, none of the original VT100 code remains.« less

Health Care Quality: Measuring Obesity in Performance Frameworks.

PubMed

Zvenyach, Tracy; Pickering, Matthew K

2017-08-01

Obesity affects over one-third of Americans and leads to several chronic and costly comorbid conditions. The national movement toward value-based care calls for a refocusing of efforts to address the US obesity epidemic. To help set the stage, the current landscape of obesity-specific quality measures was evaluated. Seven quality measure databases and nine professional societies were searched. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Measures were then classified by domain and by implementation in national public programs. Eleven obesity-specific quality measures in adults were identified (nine process and two outcome). Three measures received National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsement. Two measures were actively used within Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) programs. Only one measure was both NQF-endorsed and used by CMS. Limitations exist with respect to obesity-specific quality metrics. Such gaps provide opportunities for obesity care specialists to engage and offer valuable insights and pragmatic approaches toward quality measurement. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

77 FR 14465 - Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program; Tribal Transit Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-09

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Transit Administration Public Transportation on Indian... in funding provided by the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (Tribal Transit... establishing the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (Tribal Transit Program or TTP). This...

Distinct self-interaction domains promote Multi Sex Combs accumulation in and formation of the Drosophila histone locus body.

PubMed

Terzo, Esteban A; Lyons, Shawn M; Poulton, John S; Temple, Brenda R S; Marzluff, William F; Duronio, Robert J

2015-04-15

Nuclear bodies (NBs) are structures that concentrate proteins, RNAs, and ribonucleoproteins that perform functions essential to gene expression. How NBs assemble is not well understood. We studied the Drosophila histone locus body (HLB), a NB that concentrates factors required for histone mRNA biosynthesis at the replication-dependent histone gene locus. We coupled biochemical analysis with confocal imaging of both fixed and live tissues to demonstrate that the Drosophila Multi Sex Combs (Mxc) protein contains multiple domains necessary for HLB assembly. An important feature of this assembly process is the self-interaction of Mxc via two conserved N-terminal domains: a LisH domain and a novel self-interaction facilitator (SIF) domain immediately downstream of the LisH domain. Molecular modeling suggests that the LisH and SIF domains directly interact, and mutation of either the LisH or the SIF domain severely impairs Mxc function in vivo, resulting in reduced histone mRNA accumulation. A region of Mxc between amino acids 721 and 1481 is also necessary for HLB assembly independent of the LisH and SIF domains. Finally, the C-terminal 195 amino acids of Mxc are required for recruiting FLASH, an essential histone mRNA-processing factor, to the HLB. We conclude that multiple domains of the Mxc protein promote HLB assembly in order to concentrate factors required for histone mRNA biosynthesis. © 2015 Terzo et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Reusable design: A proposed approach to Public Health Informatics system design

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Since it was first defined in 1995, Public Health Informatics (PHI) has become a recognized discipline, with a research agenda, defined domain-specific competencies and a specialized corpus of technical knowledge. Information systems form a cornerstone of PHI research and implementation, representing significant progress for the nascent field. However, PHI does not advocate or incorporate standard, domain-appropriate design methods for implementing public health information systems. Reusable design is generalized design advice that can be reused in a range of similar contexts. We propose that PHI create and reuse information design knowledge by taking a systems approach that incorporates design methods from the disciplines of Human-Computer Interaction, Interaction Design and other related disciplines. Discussion Although PHI operates in a domain with unique characteristics, many design problems in public health correspond to classic design problems, suggesting that existing design methods and solution approaches are applicable to the design of public health information systems. Among the numerous methodological frameworks used in other disciplines, we identify scenario-based design and participatory design as two widely-employed methodologies that are appropriate for adoption as PHI standards. We make the case that these methods show promise to create reusable design knowledge in PHI. Summary We propose the formalization of a set of standard design methods within PHI that can be used to pursue a strategy of design knowledge creation and reuse for cost-effective, interoperable public health information systems. We suggest that all public health informaticians should be able to use these design methods and the methods should be incorporated into PHI training. PMID:21333000

Health Domains for Sale: The Need for Global Health Internet Governance

PubMed Central

Liang, Bryan A; Kohler, Jillian C; Attaran, Amir

2014-01-01

A debate on Internet governance for health, or “eHealth governance”, is emerging with the impending award of a new dot-health (.health) generic top-level domain name (gTLD) along with a host of other health-related domains. This development is critical as it will shape the future of the health Internet, allowing largely unrestricted use of .health second-level domain names by future registrants, raising concerns about the potential for privacy, use and marketing of health-related information, credibility of online health content, and potential for Internet fraud and abuse. Yet, prospective .health gTLD applicants do not provide adequate safeguards for use of .health or related domains and have few or no ties to the global health community. If approved, one of these for-profit corporate applicants would effectively control the future of the .health address on the Internet with arguably no active oversight from important international public health stakeholders. This would represent a lost opportunity for the public health, medical, and broader health community in establishing a trusted, transparent and reliable source for health on the Internet. Countries, medical associations, civil society, and consumer advocates have objected to these applications on grounds that they do not meet the public interest. We argue that there is an immediate need for action to postpone awarding of the .health gTLD and other health-related gTLDs to address these concerns and ensure the appropriate development of sound eHealth governance rules, principles, and use. This would support the crucial need of ensuring access to quality and evidence-based sources of health information online, as well as establishing a safe and reliable space on the Internet for health. We believe, if properly governed, .health and other domains could represent such a promise in the future. PMID:24598602

Health domains for sale: the need for global health Internet governance.

PubMed

Mackey, Tim Ken; Liang, Bryan A; Kohler, Jillian C; Attaran, Amir

2014-03-05

A debate on Internet governance for health, or "eHealth governance", is emerging with the impending award of a new dot-health (.health) generic top-level domain name (gTLD) along with a host of other health-related domains. This development is critical as it will shape the future of the health Internet, allowing largely unrestricted use of .health second-level domain names by future registrants, raising concerns about the potential for privacy, use and marketing of health-related information, credibility of online health content, and potential for Internet fraud and abuse. Yet, prospective .health gTLD applicants do not provide adequate safeguards for use of .health or related domains and have few or no ties to the global health community. If approved, one of these for-profit corporate applicants would effectively control the future of the .health address on the Internet with arguably no active oversight from important international public health stakeholders. This would represent a lost opportunity for the public health, medical, and broader health community in establishing a trusted, transparent and reliable source for health on the Internet. Countries, medical associations, civil society, and consumer advocates have objected to these applications on grounds that they do not meet the public interest. We argue that there is an immediate need for action to postpone awarding of the .health gTLD and other health-related gTLDs to address these concerns and ensure the appropriate development of sound eHealth governance rules, principles, and use. This would support the crucial need of ensuring access to quality and evidence-based sources of health information online, as well as establishing a safe and reliable space on the Internet for health. We believe, if properly governed, .health and other domains could represent such a promise in the future.

Aggregating Data for Computational Toxicology Applications: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR) System

PubMed Central

Judson, Richard S.; Martin, Matthew T.; Egeghy, Peter; Gangwal, Sumit; Reif, David M.; Kothiya, Parth; Wolf, Maritja; Cathey, Tommy; Transue, Thomas; Smith, Doris; Vail, James; Frame, Alicia; Mosher, Shad; Cohen Hubal, Elaine A.; Richard, Ann M.

2012-01-01

Computational toxicology combines data from high-throughput test methods, chemical structure analyses and other biological domains (e.g., genes, proteins, cells, tissues) with the goals of predicting and understanding the underlying mechanistic causes of chemical toxicity and for predicting toxicity of new chemicals and products. A key feature of such approaches is their reliance on knowledge extracted from large collections of data and data sets in computable formats. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a large data resource called ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to support these data-intensive efforts. ACToR comprises four main repositories: core ACToR (chemical identifiers and structures, and summary data on hazard, exposure, use, and other domains), ToxRefDB (Toxicity Reference Database, a compilation of detailed in vivo toxicity data from guideline studies), ExpoCastDB (detailed human exposure data from observational studies of selected chemicals), and ToxCastDB (data from high-throughput screening programs, including links to underlying biological information related to genes and pathways). The EPA DSSTox (Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity) program provides expert-reviewed chemical structures and associated information for these and other high-interest public inventories. Overall, the ACToR system contains information on about 400,000 chemicals from 1100 different sources. The entire system is built using open source tools and is freely available to download. This review describes the organization of the data repository and provides selected examples of use cases. PMID:22408426

Aggregating data for computational toxicology applications: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR) System.

PubMed

Judson, Richard S; Martin, Matthew T; Egeghy, Peter; Gangwal, Sumit; Reif, David M; Kothiya, Parth; Wolf, Maritja; Cathey, Tommy; Transue, Thomas; Smith, Doris; Vail, James; Frame, Alicia; Mosher, Shad; Cohen Hubal, Elaine A; Richard, Ann M

2012-01-01

Computational toxicology combines data from high-throughput test methods, chemical structure analyses and other biological domains (e.g., genes, proteins, cells, tissues) with the goals of predicting and understanding the underlying mechanistic causes of chemical toxicity and for predicting toxicity of new chemicals and products. A key feature of such approaches is their reliance on knowledge extracted from large collections of data and data sets in computable formats. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a large data resource called ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to support these data-intensive efforts. ACToR comprises four main repositories: core ACToR (chemical identifiers and structures, and summary data on hazard, exposure, use, and other domains), ToxRefDB (Toxicity Reference Database, a compilation of detailed in vivo toxicity data from guideline studies), ExpoCastDB (detailed human exposure data from observational studies of selected chemicals), and ToxCastDB (data from high-throughput screening programs, including links to underlying biological information related to genes and pathways). The EPA DSSTox (Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity) program provides expert-reviewed chemical structures and associated information for these and other high-interest public inventories. Overall, the ACToR system contains information on about 400,000 chemicals from 1100 different sources. The entire system is built using open source tools and is freely available to download. This review describes the organization of the data repository and provides selected examples of use cases.

Examining National Public Health Law to Realize the Global Health Security Agenda.

PubMed

Meier, Benjamin Mason; Tureski, Kara; Bockh, Emily; Carr, Derek; Ayala, Ana; Roberts, Anna; Cloud, Lindsay; Wilhelm, Nicolas; Burris, Scott

2017-05-01

Where the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) seeks to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from public health emergencies, the realization of GHSA 'Action Packages' will require national governments to establish necessary legal frameworks to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease. By analyzing the scope and content of existing national legislation in each of the GHSA Action Packages, this comparative cross-national research has developed a framework that disaggregates the legal domains necessary to meet each Action Package target. Based upon these legal domains, this study developed an assessment tool that can identify specific attributes of national legislation. This article applies this tool to assess the legal environment in twenty Sub-Saharan African countries, examining the content of laws across the GHSA Action Packages, analyzing the legal domains necessary to implement each Action Package, and highlighting specific national laws that reflect attributes of each legal domain. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Intellectual Property Law Primer for Multimedia Developers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brinson, J. Dianne; Radcliffe, Mark F.

1995-01-01

Discusses legal issues involved in developing and distributing multimedia publications. Examines libel; rights of publicity; and such elements of copyright law as copyright protections and infringements, fair use and public domain policies, and use of ideas and factual materials. Uses a hypothetical multimedia project to illustrate the legal rules…

When Marketing Involvement Matters at the Manager Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauzen, Martha M.

1993-01-01

Examines the relationship between public relations and marketing departments from the perspective of 262 public relations practitioners in the United States. Finds that domain similarity and resource dependence between the two departments was positively associated with the eventual take over of the less powerful department (public relations) by…

Photocopy of post card from Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Public ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of post card from Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Public Affairs Office, building 120. Photograph by Rocky Mountain photo. CO was no copyrighted and is , therefore, in the public domain. - Fitzsimons General Hospital, Memorial Tablet, West McAfee, South of Building No. 524, Aurora, Adams County, CO

Perceptions of Trust in Public Examinations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Lucy; Baird, Jo-Anne

2013-01-01

Over recent years, the credibility of public examinations in England has increasingly come to the fore. Government agencies have invested time and money into researching public perceptions of the reliability and validity of examinations. Whilst such research overlaps into the conceptual domain of trust, trust in examinations remains an elusive…

PREVENTING CONTAMINATION OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY WELLS USING COMPUTERIZED MODELING AND MAPPING TOOLS

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Office of Research and Development and the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water have collaborated since 1998 on the development of a public domain ground-water flow modeling system designed to facilitate capture zone delineation and protection area mapping for public...

22 CFR 120.11 - Public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... libraries open to the public or from which the public can obtain documents; (5) Through patents available at... fundamental research in science and engineering at accredited institutions of higher learning in the U.S.... Fundamental research is defined to mean basic and applied research in science and engineering where the...

22 CFR 120.11 - Public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... libraries open to the public or from which the public can obtain documents; (5) Through patents available at... fundamental research in science and engineering at accredited institutions of higher learning in the U.S.... Fundamental research is defined to mean basic and applied research in science and engineering where the...

22 CFR 120.11 - Public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... libraries open to the public or from which the public can obtain documents; (5) Through patents available at... fundamental research in science and engineering at accredited institutions of higher learning in the U.S.... Fundamental research is defined to mean basic and applied research in science and engineering where the...

22 CFR 120.11 - Public domain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... libraries open to the public or from which the public can obtain documents; (5) Through patents available at... fundamental research in science and engineering at accredited institutions of higher learning in the U.S.... Fundamental research is defined to mean basic and applied research in science and engineering where the...

Domain Specific Language Support for Exascale. Final Project Report

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

Baden, Scott

The project developed a domain specific translator enable legacy MPI source code to tolerate communication delays, which are increasing over time due to technological factors. The translator performs source-to-source translation that incorporates semantic information into the translation process. The output of the translator is a C program runs as a data driven program, and uses an existing run time to overlap communication automatically

Expert Systems in Contract Management. A Pilot Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-10-01

and appropriately selected .1 ~..they can provide valuable assistance to managers in their tasks of planning and control. If these techniques are to ...the programs that would affect their relevance -> . to construction management applications in general. We also ascertained which programs have... further experience of SAVOIR applied in a fairly complex real-world domain This has, in their view, confirmed the suitability of SAVOIR for the domain

Using theory to explore facilitators and barriers to delayed prescribing in Australia: a qualitative study using the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Behaviour Change Wheel.

PubMed

Sargent, Lucy; McCullough, Amanda; Del Mar, Chris; Lowe, John

2017-02-13

Delayed antibiotic prescribing reduces antibiotic use for acute respiratory infections in trials in general practice, but the uptake in clinical practice is low. The aim of the study was to identify facilitators and barriers to general practitioners' (GPs') use of delayed prescribing and to gain pharmacists' and the public's views about delayed prescribing in Australia. This study used the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Behaviour Change Wheel to explore facilitators and barriers to delayed prescribing in Australia. Forty-three semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with general practitioners, pharmacists and patients were conducted. Responses were coded into domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework, and specific criteria from the Behaviour Change Wheel were used to identify which domains were relevant to increasing the use of delayed prescribing by GPs. The interviews revealed nine key domains that influence GPs' use of delayed prescribing: knowledge; cognitive and interpersonal skills; memory, attention and decision-making processes; optimism; beliefs about consequences; intentions; goals; emotion; and social influences: GPs knew about delayed prescribing; however, they did not use it consistently, preferring to bring patients back for review and only using it with patients in a highly selective way. Pharmacists would support GPs and the public in delayed prescribing but would fill the prescription if people insisted. The public said they would delay taking their antibiotics if asked by their GP and given the right information on managing symptoms and when to take antibiotics. Using a theory-driven approach, we identified nine key domains that influence GPs' willingness to provide a delayed prescription to patients with an acute respiratory infection presenting to general practice. These data can be used to develop a structured intervention to change this behaviour and thus reduce antibiotic use for acute respiratory infections in general practice.

Theoretical domains: a heuristic for teaching behavioral theory in HIV/STD prevention courses.

PubMed

Dolcini, M Margaret; Canin, Lisa; Gandelman, Alice; Skolnik, Heidi

2004-10-01

The HIV/STD epidemics have broadened the need for better behavioral intervention programs and highlighted the importance of providing training in behavioral theory to frontline program practitioners. However, there is a lack of effective methods for teaching theoretical concepts to people who may not have a background in behavioral science. This article presents a solution to this challenge by introducing a new heuristic for teaching theory and for placing individual theories/models in a broader context. Using a broad framework, we identify five domains that influence behavior: risk appraisal, self-perceptions, emotions and arousal, relationships and social influence, and environmental and structural factors. Each domain is described, and a brief overview of supporting literature is provided. Following the presentation of domains, we discuss course structure and activities.

The Evolution of an Innovative Community-Engaged Health Navigator Program to Address Social Determinants of Health.

PubMed

Page-Reeves, Janet; Moffett, Maurice L; Steimel, Leah; Smith, Daryl T

Health navigators and other types of community health workers (CHWs) have become recognized as essential components of quality care, and key for addressing health disparities owing to the complex health care services landscape presents almost insurmountable challenges for vulnerable individuals. Bernalillo County, New Mexico, has high rates of uninsurance, poverty, and food insecurity. The design of the Pathways to a Healthy Bernalillo County Program (BP) has evolved innovations that are unique in terms of program stability and security, expansive reach, and community capacity across six domains: sustainable public mechanism for program funding, involvement of community organizations in designing the program, expanded focus to address the broader social determinants of health with targeted outreach, an integrated, community-based implementation structure, an outcomes-based payment structure, and using an adaptive program design that actively incorporates navigators in the process. In 2008, the Pathways to a Healthy Bernalillo County Program (BP), located in the Albuquerque metropolitan area in central New Mexico, was established to provide navigation and support for the most vulnerable county residents. BP is funded through a 1% carve out of county mill levy funds. The pathways model is an outcome-based approach for health and social services coordination that uses culturally competent CHW as "navigators" trained to connect at-risk individuals to needed health and social services. One of the important innovations of the pathways approach is a shift in focus from merely providing discrete services to confirming healthy outcomes for the individual patient.

NOAA Guide for Submitting FOIA Requests

Science.gov Websites

the Public FOIA Contacts Frequently requested records Reading Room For NOAA Staff U.S. Department of Reading Room. If the information is not in the public domain, please follow the suggestions listed below

The Corporate Governance Framework & its Application to Privatizations of Public Enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenourgios, Dimitris; Samitas, Aristidis; Konstantopoulos, Nikolaos

2007-12-01

This paper is an attempt to evaluate the application of Corporate Governance framework issue within Public domain. It is an attempt to quantify the compliance of Greek companies with international best practices.

Transforming schools into communities of thinking and learning about serious matters.

PubMed

Brown, A L

1997-04-01

In this article, a program of research known as Fostering Communities of Learners is described. This program is in place in several schools and classrooms serving inner-city students from 6 to 12 years of age. Based on theoretical advances in cognitive and developmental psychology, the program is successful at improving both literacy skills and domain-area subject matter knowledge (e.g., environmental science and biology). Building on young children's emergent strategic and metacognitive knowledge, together with their skeletal biological theories, the program leads children to discover the deep principles of the domain and to develop flexible learning and inquiry strategies of wide applicability.

SIG: a general-purpose signal processing program. User's manual. Revision 1

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

Lager, D.; Azevedo, S.

1985-05-09

SIG is a general-purpose signal processing, analysis, and display program. Its main purpose is to perform manipulations on time-domain and frequenccy-domain signals. The manual contains a complete description of the SIG program from the user's stand-point. A brief exercise in using SIG is shown. Complete descriptions are given of each command in the SIG core. General information about the SIG structure, command processor, and graphics options are provided. An example usage of SIG for solving a problem is developed, and error message formats are briefly discussed. (LEW)

Time history solution program, L225 (TEV126). Volume 1: Engineering and usage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroll, R. I.; Tornallyay, A.; Clemmons, R. E.

1979-01-01

Volume 1 of a two volume document is presented. The usage of the convolution program L225 (TEV 126) is described. The program calculates the time response of a linear system by convoluting the impulsive response function with the time-dependent excitation function. The convolution is performed as a multiplication in the frequency domain. Fast Fourier transform techniques are used to transform the product back into the time domain to obtain response time histories. A brief description of the analysis used is presented.

43 CFR 7.20 - Public awareness programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Public awareness programs. 7.20 Section 7... RESOURCES Uniform Regulations § 7.20 Public awareness programs. (a) Each Federal land manager will establish a program to increase public awareness of the need to protect important archaeological resources...

Wanted: interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and knowledge translation and exchange training for students of public health.

PubMed

Mishra, Lipi; Banerjee, Ananya T; MacLennan, Mary E; Gorczynski, Paul F; Zinszer, Kate A

2011-01-01

Students vocalized their concern with public health training programs in Canada at the 2010 CPHA Centennial Conference. Given these concerns, we reviewed the objectives and curricula of public health graduate (master's) programs in Canada. Our objective was to understand to what extent public and population health graduate programs in Canada support interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) training. This was achieved through a review of all public and population health master's programs in Canada identified from the public health graduate programs listed on the Public Health Agency of Canada website (n = 33) plus an additional four programs that were not originally captured on the list. Of the 37 programs reviewed, 28 (76%) stated that interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary training opportunities are of value to their program, with 12 programs (32%) providing multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary training opportunities in their curriculum. Only 14 (38%) of the 37 programs provided value statements of KTE activities in their program goals or course objectives, with 10 (27%) programs offering KTE training in their curriculum. This review provides a glimpse into how public health programs in Canada value and support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration as well as KTE activities.

Facilitating access to pre-processed research evidence in public health

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Evidence-informed decision making is accepted in Canada and worldwide as necessary for the provision of effective health services. This process involves: 1) clearly articulating a practice-based issue; 2) searching for and accessing relevant evidence; 3) appraising methodological rigor and choosing the most synthesized evidence of the highest quality and relevance to the practice issue and setting that is available; and 4) extracting, interpreting, and translating knowledge, in light of the local context and resources, into practice, program and policy decisions. While the public health sector in Canada is working toward evidence-informed decision making, considerable barriers, including efficient access to synthesized resources, exist. Methods In this paper we map to a previously developed 6 level pyramid of pre-processed research evidence, relevant resources that include public health-related effectiveness evidence. The resources were identified through extensive searches of both the published and unpublished domains. Results Many resources with public health-related evidence were identified. While there were very few resources dedicated solely to public health evidence, many clinically focused resources include public health-related evidence, making tools such as the pyramid, that identify these resources, particularly helpful for public health decisions makers. A practical example illustrates the application of this model and highlights its potential to reduce the time and effort that would be required by public health decision makers to address their practice-based issues. Conclusions This paper describes an existing hierarchy of pre-processed evidence and its adaptation to the public health setting. A number of resources with public health-relevant content that are either freely accessible or requiring a subscription are identified. This will facilitate easier and faster access to pre-processed, public health-relevant evidence, with the intent of promoting evidence-informed decision making. Access to such resources addresses several barriers identified by public health decision makers to evidence-informed decision making, most importantly time, as well as lack of knowledge of resources that house public health-relevant evidence. PMID:20181270

Development and psychometric characteristics of a new domain of the stanford faculty development program instrument.

PubMed

Owolabi, Mayowa O

2014-01-01

Teacher's attitude domain, a pivotal aspect of clinical teaching, is missing in the Stanford Faculty Development Program Questionnaire (SFDPQ), the most widely used student-based assessment method of clinical teaching skills. This study was conducted to develop and validate the teacher's attitude domain and evaluate the validity and internal consistency reliability of the augmented SFDPQ. Items generated for the new domain included teacher's enthusiasm, sobriety, humility, thoroughness, empathy, and accessibility. The study involved 20 resident doctors assessed once by 64 medical students using the augmented SFDPQ. Construct validity was explored using correlation among the different domains and a global rating scale. Factor analysis was performed. The response rate was 94%. The new domain had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89, with 1-factor solution explaining 57.1% of its variance. It showed the strongest correlation to the global rating scale (rho = 0.71). The augmented SFDPQ, which had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.93, correlated better (rho = 0.72, p < 0.00001) to the global rating scale than the original SFDPQ (rho = 0.67, p < 0.00001). The new teacher's attitude domain exhibited good internal consistency and construct and factorial validity. It enhanced the content and construct validity of the SFDPQ. The validated construct of the augmented SFDPQ is recommended for design and evaluation of basic and continuing clinical teaching programs. © 2014 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

Mentoring from Afar: Nurse Mentor Challenges in the Canadian Armed Forces.

PubMed

Neal, Laura D M

2015-06-01

There is an integral connection between leadership, mentoring and professional career progression within the nursing profession. The purpose of this article is to examine recommendations and best practices from the literature and provide a basis to construct a formalized successful mentoring dyad program with guidelines on establishing and maintaining a productive mentoring relationship over long distance. Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) nurses practice within a unique domain both domestically and abroad. The military environment incorporates many aspects of mentoring that could benefit significantly by distance interchange. Supported through examining literature within nursing, CAF publications and other professions along with contrasting successful distance mentoring programs, the findings suggest that a top-down, leadership-driven formal mentoring program could be beneficial to CAF nurses. The literature review outlines definitions of terms for mentorship and distance mentoring or e-mentoring. A cross section of technology is now embedded in all work environments with personal communication devices commonplace. Establishing mentoring relationships from afar is practical and feasible. This article provides a guided discussion for nursing leaders, managers and grassroots nurses to implement mentoring programs over distances. The recommendations and findings of this article could have universal applications to isolated nursing environments outside of Canadian military operational frameworks. Copyright © 2015 Longwoods Publishing.

Initial developments in the Stanford SQUIRT program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitts, Christopher A.; Twiggs, Robert J.

1995-01-01

Stanford University's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics has commenced full scale development of a new microsatellite initiative. Known as the satellite quick research testbed (SQUIRT) program, the project's goal is to produce student engineered satellites capable of servicing state-of-the-art research payloads on a yearly basis. This program is specifically designed to meet the education and research goals of the department's Satellite Systems Development Laboratory. SQUIRT vehicles are envisioned to consist of a 25 pound, 9 inch tall, 16 inch diameter hexagonal structure with complete processor, communications, power, thermal, and attitude subsystems. These spacecraft cater to low power, volume, and mass research experiments and student developed educational packages. Mission lifetimes of up to one year are considered. Through student participation, voluntary mentoring from the academic and industrial communities, and the extensive use of off-the-shelf components, the cash outlay target for SQUIRT class vehicles is $50,000. This paper discusses the educational and research issues surrounding the development of Stanford's spacecraft design curriculum and the formulation of the SQUIRT program. A technical review of the first SQUIRT satellite, named SAPPHIRE, and an outline of the conceptual plans for other missions is also presented. Additionally, initiatives concerning partner academic institutions and public domain design information are featured.

The International River Interface Cooperative: Public Domain Software for River Flow and Morphodynamics (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, J. M.; Shimizu, Y.; McDonald, R.; Takebayashi, H.

2009-12-01

The International River Interface Cooperative is an informal organization made up of academic faculty and government scientists with the goal of developing, distributing and providing education for a public-domain software interface for modeling river flow and morphodynamics. Formed in late 2007, the group released the first version of this interface (iRIC) in late 2009. iRIC includes models for two and three-dimensional flow, sediment transport, bed evolution, groundwater-surface water interaction, topographic data processing, and habitat assessment, as well as comprehensive data and model output visualization, mapping, and editing tools. All the tools in iRIC are specifically designed for use in river reaches and utilize common river data sets. The models are couched within a single graphical user interface so that a broad spectrum of models are available to users without learning new pre- and post-processing tools. The first version of iRIC was developed by combining the USGS public-domain Multi-Dimensional Surface Water Modeling System (MD_SWMS), developed at the USGS Geomorphology and Sediment Transport Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, with the public-domain river modeling code NAYS developed by the Universities of Hokkaido and Kyoto, Mizuho Corporation, and the Foundation of the River Disaster Prevention Research Institute in Sapporo, Japan. Since this initial effort, other Universities and Agencies have joined the group, and the interface has been expanded to allow users to integrate their own modeling code using Executable Markup Language (XML), which provides easy access and expandability to the iRIC software interface. In this presentation, the current components of iRIC are described and results from several practical modeling applications are presented to illustrate the capabilities and flexibility of the software. In addition, some future extensions to iRIC are demonstrated, including software for Lagrangian particle tracking and the prediction of bedform development and response to time-varying flows. Education and supporting documentation for iRIC, including detailed tutorials, are available at www.i-ric.org. The iRIC model codes, interface, and all supporting documentation are in the public domain.

Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction of New Graduate Nurses Participating in Nurse Residency Programs: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Lin, Patrice S.; Viscardi, Molly Kreider; McHugh, Matthew D.

2016-01-01

Nurse residency programs are designed to increase competence and skill, and ease the transition from student to new graduate nurse. These programs also offer the possibility to positively influence the job satisfaction of new graduate nurses, which could decrease poor nursing outcomes. However, little is known about the impact of participation in a nurse residency program on new graduate nurses’ satisfaction. This review examines factors that influence job satisfaction of nurse residency program participants. Eleven studies were selected for inclusion, and seven domains influencing new graduate nurses’ satisfaction during participation in nurse residency programs were identified: extrinsic rewards, scheduling, interactions and support, praise and recognition, professional opportunities, work environment, and hospital system. Within these domains, the evidence for improved satisfaction with nurse residency program participation was mixed. Further research is necessary to understand how nurse residency programs can be designed to improve satisfaction and increase positive nurse outcomes. PMID:25280192

Integrating NASA's Land Analysis System (LAS) image processing software with an appropriate Geographic Information System (GIS): A review of candidates in the public domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rochon, Gilbert L.

1989-01-01

A user requirements analysis (URA) was undertaken to determine and appropriate public domain Geographic Information System (GIS) software package for potential integration with NASA's LAS (Land Analysis System) 5.0 image processing system. The necessity for a public domain system was underscored due to the perceived need for source code access and flexibility in tailoring the GIS system to the needs of a heterogenous group of end-users, and to specific constraints imposed by LAS and its user interface, Transportable Applications Executive (TAE). Subsequently, a review was conducted of a variety of public domain GIS candidates, including GRASS 3.0, MOSS, IEMIS, and two university-based packages, IDRISI and KBGIS. The review method was a modified version of the GIS evaluation process, development by the Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on Digital Cartography. One IEMIS-derivative product, the ALBE (AirLand Battlefield Environment) GIS, emerged as the most promising candidate for integration with LAS. IEMIS (Integrated Emergency Management Information System) was developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). ALBE GIS is currently under development at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineering Topographic Laboratory (ETL). Accordingly, recommendations are offered with respect to a potential LAS/ALBE GIS linkage and with respect to further system enhancements, including coordination with the development of the Spatial Analysis and Modeling System (SAMS) GIS in Goddard's IDM (Intelligent Data Management) developments in Goddard's National Space Science Data Center.

45 CFR 400.66 - Eligibility and payment levels in a publicly-administered RCA program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Eligibility and payment levels in a publicly... REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM Refugee Cash Assistance § 400.66 Eligibility and payment levels in a publicly-administered RCA program. (a) In administering a publicly-administered refugee cash assistance program, the...

Dynamic gas temperature measurement system. Volume 2: Operation and program manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purpura, P. T.

1983-01-01

The hot section technology (HOST) dynamic gas temperature measurement system computer program acquires data from two type B thermocouples of different diameters. The analysis method determines the in situ value of an aerodynamic parameter T, containing the heat transfer coefficient from the transfer function of the two thermocouples. This aerodynamic parameter is used to compute a fequency response spectrum and compensate the dynamic portion of the signal of the smaller thermocouple. The calculations for the aerodynamic parameter and the data compensation technique are discussed. Compensated data are presented in either the time or frequency domain, time domain data as dynamic temperature vs time, or frequency domain data.

Further development of the dynamic gas temperature measurement system. Volume 2: Computer program user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stocks, Dana R.

1986-01-01

The Dynamic Gas Temperature Measurement System compensation software accepts digitized data from two different diameter thermocouples and computes a compensated frequency response spectrum for one of the thermocouples. Detailed discussions of the physical system, analytical model, and computer software are presented in this volume and in Volume 1 of this report under Task 3. Computer program software restrictions and test cases are also presented. Compensated and uncompensated data may be presented in either the time or frequency domain. Time domain data are presented as instantaneous temperature vs time. Frequency domain data may be presented in several forms such as power spectral density vs frequency.

Gender and stereotypes in motivation to study computer programming for careers in multimedia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doubé, Wendy; Lang, Catherine

2012-03-01

A multimedia university programme with relatively equal numbers of male and female students in elective programming subjects provided a rare opportunity to investigate female motivation to study and pursue computer programming in a career. The MSLQ was used to survey 85 participants. In common with research into deterrence of females from STEM domains, females displayed significantly lower self-efficacy and expectancy for success. In contrast to research into deterrence of females from STEM domains, both genders placed similar high values on computer programming and shared high extrinsic and intrinsic goal orientation. The authors propose that the stereotype associated with a creative multimedia career could attract female participation in computer programming whereas the stereotype associated with computer science could be a deterrent.

SSE Temporarily Unavailable

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-09-08

... SSE, POWER, and MY NASA DATA websites are public domain and free of charge. You may use them in your research, publications, and ... dataset -> Atmosphere -> Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy . Here you can select the Monthly or Annual values for various ...

Methodology and outcomes of a family medicine research fellowship.

PubMed

Cronholm, Peter F; Straton, Joseph B; Bowman, Marjorie A

2009-08-01

There has not been a strong tradition of training researchers to provide the great amount of new evidence needed for the practice of family medicine. Few models for creating successful family medicine researchers have been presented in the literature. The authors report on the methodology and outcomes of a faculty development research fellowship in the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. The fellowship focuses on the two domains-intensive research training and academic career development-and frames them with coursework in a content-appropriate master's degree program and clinical practice in an underserved community. Fifteen fellows have completed the program, which began in 1997. Most fellows' research work has been related to primary care and health disparities. Program completers have been the principal investigators on 39 funded studies and coinvestigators on 24 funded studies. They have, at the time this article was written, described their work in 236 publications, 114 of them peer reviewed. All but one program completer hold academic faculty positions, and 12 practice in underserved areas. In a research-intense institution, the fellowship program successfully trained family physicians to be independent clinical researchers and leaders who have substantially contributed to the national effort to mitigate health disparities through practice and research. The authors suggest that the outcomes strongly support the development of similar training opportunities in family medicine departments in other resource- and research-rich institutions.

An interactive program for computer-aided map design, display, and query: EMAPKGS2

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pouch, G.W.

1997-01-01

EMAPKGS2 is a user-friendly, PC-based electronic mapping tool for use in hydrogeologic exploration and appraisal. EMAPKGS2 allows the analyst to construct maps interactively from data stored in a relational database, perform point-oriented spatial queries such as locating all wells within a specified radius, perform geographic overlays, and export the data to other programs for further analysis. EMAPKGS2 runs under Microsoft?? Windows??? 3.1 and compatible operating systems. EMAPKGS2 is a public domain program available from the Kansas Geological Survey. EMAPKGS2 is the centerpiece of WHEAT, the Windows-based Hydrogeologic Exploration and Appraisal Toolkit, a suite of user-friendly Microsoft?? Windows??? programs for natural resource exploration and management. The principal goals in development of WHEAT have been ease of use, hardware independence, low cost, and end-user extensibility. WHEAT'S native data format is a Microsoft?? Access?? database. WHEAT stores a feature's geographic coordinates as attributes so they can be accessed easily by the user. The WHEAT programs are designed to be used in conjunction with other Microsoft?? Windows??? software to allow the natural resource scientist to perform work easily and effectively. WHEAT and EMAPKGS have been used at several of Kansas' Groundwater Management Districts and the Kansas Geological Survey on groundwater management operations, groundwater modeling projects, and geologic exploration projects. ?? 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Evaluation of Time Domain EM Coupling Techniques. Volume II.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

tool for the analysis of elec- tromangetic coupling and shielding problems: the finite-difference, time-domain (FD- TD ) solution of Maxwell’s equations...The objective of the program was to evaluate the suitability of the FD- TD method to determine the amount of electromagnetic coupling through an...specific questfiowwere addressed during this program: 1. Can the FD- TD method accurately model electromagnetic coupling into a conducting structure for

Simulated disclosure of a medical error by residents: development of a course in specific communication skills.

PubMed

Raper, Steven E; Resnick, Andrew S; Morris, Jon B

2014-01-01

Surgery residents are expected to demonstrate the ability to communicate with patients, families, and the public in a wide array of settings on a wide variety of issues. One important setting in which residents may be required to communicate with patients is in the disclosure of medical error. This article details one approach to developing a course in the disclosure of medical errors by residents. Before the development of this course, residents had no education in the skills necessary to disclose medical errors to patients. Residents viewed a Web-based video didactic session and associated slide deck and then were filmed disclosing a wrong-site surgery to a standardized patient (SP). The filmed encounter was reviewed by faculty, who then along with the SP scored each encounter (5-point Likert scale) over 10 domains of physician-patient communication. The residents received individualized written critique, the numerical analysis of their individual scenario, and an opportunity to provide feedback over a number of domains. A mean score of 4.00 or greater was considered satisfactory. Faculty and SP assessments were compared with Student t test. Residents were filmed in a one-on-one scenario in which they had to disclose a wrong-site surgery to a SP in a Simulation Center. A total of 12 residents, shortly to enter the clinical postgraduate year 4, were invited to participate, as they will assume service leadership roles. All were finishing their laboratory experiences, and all accepted the invitation. Residents demonstrated satisfactory competence in 4 of the 10 domains assessed by the course faculty. There were significant differences in the perceptions of the faculty and SP in 5 domains. The residents found this didactic, simulated experience of value (Likert score ≥4 in 5 of 7 domains assessed in a feedback tool). Qualitative feedback from the residents confirmed the realistic feel of the encounter and other impressions. We were able to quantitatively demonstrate both competency and opportunities for improvement across a wide range of domains of interpersonal and communication skills. Residents are expected to communicate effectively with patients, families, and the public, as appropriate, across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. As academic surgeons, we must be mindful of our roles as teachers, mentors, and coaches by teaching good communication skills to our residents. Courses such as the one described here can help in improving physician-patient communication. The differing perspectives of faculty and SPs regarding resident performance warrants further study. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

University of Maryland MRSEC - Research: Publications

Science.gov Websites

; (we call this type of surface a vicinal surface). Modern scanned-probe microscopes, such as the STM Educational Education Pre-College Programs Homeschool Programs Undergraduate & Graduate Programs Teacher Publications Seed Publications Education Publications MRSEC III Publications (2005-Present) IRG 1 Publications

[Public scientific knowledge distribution in health information, communication and information technology indexed in MEDLINE and LILACS databases].

PubMed

Packer, Abel Laerte; Tardelli, Adalberto Otranto; Castro, Regina Célia Figueiredo

2007-01-01

This study explores the distribution of international, regional and national scientific output in health information and communication, indexed in the MEDLINE and LILACS databases, between 1996 and 2005. A selection of articles was based on the hierarchical structure of Information Science in MeSH vocabulary. Four specific domains were determined: health information, medical informatics, scientific communications on healthcare and healthcare communications. The variables analyzed were: most-covered subjects and journals, author affiliation and publication countries and languages, in both databases. The Information Science category is represented in nearly 5% of MEDLINE and LILACS articles. The four domains under analysis showed a relative annual increase in MEDLINE. The Medical Informatics domain showed the highest number of records in MEDLINE, representing about half of all indexed articles. The importance of Information Science as a whole is more visible in publications from developed countries and the findings indicate the predominance of the United States, with significant growth in scientific output from China and South Korea and, to a lesser extent, Brazil.

Considerations for Use of Investigational Drugs in Public Health Emergencies

PubMed Central

Kirchoff, Matthew Carl; Pierson, Jerome F.

2017-01-01

The paradigm for the use of investigational drugs in public health emergencies has been recently tested to prevent and treat highly infectious and lethal diseases. Examples include the successful implementation of vaccine and therapeutic clinical trials during the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa. On the other end of the spectrum was the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of peramivir in the treatment of H1N1 influenza virus that did not provide an opportunity to collect data or understand the effectiveness of the EUA program. Between the gold standard of a randomized controlled clinical trial and the problems associated with EUAs are the domain of expanded access protocols that may provide an avenue to make products available while awaiting licensure. This paper will examine the regulatory pathways in the United States (US) for the use of investigational drugs in a public health emergency as well as considerations when making these products available outside the US. Descriptions of the applications of the various approaches will be presented. Regardless of the pathway chosen, public health and clinical research planners need to work together to consider several factors associated with the respective options and maintain a goal of working toward the collection of data to support licensure before faced with future outbreaks. Finally, this paper will consider the lessons learned from public health response in the context of investigational drugs in other diseases where “right to try laws” may pose opportunities, as well as challenges. PMID:28663940

Building an Ontology for Identity Resolution in Healthcare and Public Health

PubMed Central

Duncan, Jeffrey; Eilbeck, Karen; Narus, Scott P.; Clyde, Stephen; Thornton, Sidney; Staes, Catherine

2015-01-01

Integration of disparate information from electronic health records, clinical data warehouses, birth certificate registries and other public health information systems offers great potential for clinical care, public health practice, and research. Such integration, however, depends on correctly matching patient-specific records using demographic identifiers. Without standards for these identifiers, record linkage is complicated by issues of structural and semantic heterogeneity. Objectives: Our objectives were to develop and validate an ontology to: 1) identify components of identity and events subsequent to birth that result in creation, change, or sharing of identity information; 2) develop an ontology to facilitate data integration from multiple healthcare and public health sources; and 3) validate the ontology’s ability to model identity-changing events over time. Methods: We interviewed domain experts in area hospitals and public health programs and developed process models describing the creation and transmission of identity information among various organizations for activities subsequent to a birth event. We searched for existing relevant ontologies. We validated the content of our ontology with simulated identity information conforming to scenarios identified in our process models. Results: We chose the Simple Event Model (SEM) to describe events in early childhood and integrated the Clinical Element Model (CEM) for demographic information. We demonstrated the ability of the combined SEM-CEM ontology to model identity events over time. Conclusion: The use of an ontology can overcome issues of semantic and syntactic heterogeneity to facilitate record linkage. PMID:26392849

PHYSICO2: an UNIX based standalone procedure for computation of physicochemical, window-dependent and substitution based evolutionary properties of protein sequences along with automated block preparation tool, version 2.

PubMed

Banerjee, Shyamashree; Gupta, Parth Sarthi Sen; Nayek, Arnab; Das, Sunit; Sur, Vishma Pratap; Seth, Pratyay; Islam, Rifat Nawaz Ul; Bandyopadhyay, Amal K

2015-01-01

Automated genome sequencing procedure is enriching the sequence database very fast. To achieve a balance between the entry of sequences in the database and their analyses, efficient software is required. In this end PHYSICO2, compare to earlier PHYSICO and other public domain tools, is most efficient in that it i] extracts physicochemical, window-dependent and homologousposition-based-substitution (PWS) properties including positional and BLOCK-specific diversity and conservation, ii] provides users with optional-flexibility in setting relevant input-parameters, iii] helps users to prepare BLOCK-FASTA-file by the use of Automated Block Preparation Tool of the program, iv] performs fast, accurate and user-friendly analyses and v] redirects itemized outputs in excel format along with detailed methodology. The program package contains documentation describing application of methods. Overall the program acts as efficient PWS-analyzer and finds application in sequence-bioinformatics. PHYSICO2: is freely available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/physico2/ along with its documentation at https://sourceforge.net/projects/physico2/files/Documentation.pdf/download for all users.

PHYSICO2: an UNIX based standalone procedure for computation of physicochemical, window-dependent and substitution based evolutionary properties of protein sequences along with automated block preparation tool, version 2

PubMed Central

Banerjee, Shyamashree; Gupta, Parth Sarthi Sen; Nayek, Arnab; Das, Sunit; Sur, Vishma Pratap; Seth, Pratyay; Islam, Rifat Nawaz Ul; Bandyopadhyay, Amal K

2015-01-01

Automated genome sequencing procedure is enriching the sequence database very fast. To achieve a balance between the entry of sequences in the database and their analyses, efficient software is required. In this end PHYSICO2, compare to earlier PHYSICO and other public domain tools, is most efficient in that it i] extracts physicochemical, window-dependent and homologousposition-based-substitution (PWS) properties including positional and BLOCK-specific diversity and conservation, ii] provides users with optional-flexibility in setting relevant input-parameters, iii] helps users to prepare BLOCK-FASTA-file by the use of Automated Block Preparation Tool of the program, iv] performs fast, accurate and user-friendly analyses and v] redirects itemized outputs in excel format along with detailed methodology. The program package contains documentation describing application of methods. Overall the program acts as efficient PWS-analyzer and finds application in sequence-bioinformatics. Availability PHYSICO2: is freely available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/physico2/ along with its documentation at https://sourceforge.net/projects/physico2/files/Documentation.pdf/download for all users. PMID:26339154

Perceived Quality of Care of Community Health Worker and Facility-Based Health Worker Management of Pneumonia in Children Under 5 Years in Western Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Multidimensional Study

PubMed Central

Shaw, Brian I.; Asadhi, Elijah; Owuor, Kevin; Okoth, Peter; Abdi, Mohammed; Cohen, Craig R.; Onono, Maricianah

2016-01-01

Integrated community case management (iCCM) programs that train lay community health workers (CHWs) in the diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia have been increasingly adopted throughout sub-Saharan Africa to provide services in areas where accessibility to formal public sector health services is low. One important aspect of successful iCCM programs is the acceptability and utilization of services provided by CHWs. To understand community perceptions of the quality of care in an iCCM intervention in western Kenya, we used the Primary Care Assessment Survey to compare caregiver attitudes about the diagnosis and treatment of childhood pneumonia as provided by CHWs and facility-based health workers (FBHWs). Overall, caregivers rated CHWs more highly than FBHWs across a set of 10 domains that capture multiple dimensions of the care process. Caregivers perceived CHWs to provide higher quality care in terms of accessibility and patient relationship and equal quality care on clinical aspects. These results argue for the continued implementation and scale-up of iCCM programs as an acceptable intervention for increasing access to treatment of childhood pneumonia. PMID:26976883

Regression model for estimating inactivation of microbial aerosols by solar radiation.

PubMed

Ben-David, Avishai; Sagripanti, Jose-Luis

2013-01-01

The inactivation of pathogenic aerosols by solar radiation is relevant to public health and biodefense. We investigated whether a relatively simple method to calculate solar diffuse and total irradiances could be developed and used in environmental photobiology estimations instead of complex atmospheric radiative transfer computer programs. The second-order regression model that we developed reproduced 13 radiation quantities calculated for equinoxes and solstices at 35(°) latitude with a computer-intensive and rather complex atmospheric radiative transfer program (MODTRAN) with a mean error <6% (2% for most radiation quantities). Extending the application of the regression model from a reference latitude and date (chosen as 35° latitude for 21 March) to different latitudes and days of the year was accomplished with variable success: usually with a mean error <15% (but as high as 150% for some combination of latitudes and days of year). This accuracy of the methodology proposed here compares favorably to photobiological experiments where the microbial survival is usually measured with an accuracy no better than ±0.5 log10 units. The approach and equations presented in this study should assist in estimating the maximum time during which microbial pathogens remain infectious after accidental or intentional aerosolization in open environments. © Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2013 The American Society of Photobiology.

Public Opinion in Puerto Rico on Alcohol Control Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harwood, Eileen M.; Bernat, Debra H.; Lenk, Kathleen M.; Vazquez, Mary Jo; Wagenaar, Alexander C.

2004-01-01

This article discusses the first study to assess public opinion of alcohol policies in Puerto Rico. In 2001, a telephone survey of 514 adults on the island assessed levels of support for 20 alcohol control policies covering five domains: (a) raising alcohol taxes, (b) restricting alcohol consumption in public places, (c) punishing adult providers…

36 CFR 1254.62 - Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright? 1254.62 Section 1254.62 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL... protected by copyright? Yes, although many of our holdings are in the public domain as products of employees...

36 CFR 1254.62 - Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright? 1254.62 Section 1254.62 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL... protected by copyright? Yes, although many of our holdings are in the public domain as products of employees...

36 CFR 1254.62 - Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright? 1254.62 Section 1254.62 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL... protected by copyright? Yes, although many of our holdings are in the public domain as products of employees...

36 CFR 1254.62 - Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Does NARA have archival materials protected by copyright? 1254.62 Section 1254.62 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL... protected by copyright? Yes, although many of our holdings are in the public domain as products of employees...

The Canon, the Web, and the Long Tail

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanderhoff, Merete

2017-01-01

This article argues that releasing images of artworks into the public domain creates a new possibility for the public to challenge the canon or create their own, based on access to previously inaccessible images. Through the dissemination of openly licensed artworks across the Internet, museums can support the public in expanding their engagement…

Insight into dementia care management using social-behavioral theory and mixed methods.

PubMed

Connor, Karen; McNeese-Smith, Donna; van Servellen, Gwen; Chang, Betty; Lee, Martin; Cheng, Eric; Hajar, Abdulrahman; Vickrey, Barbara G

2009-01-01

For health organizations (private and public) to advance their care-management programs, to use resources effectively and efficiently, and to improve patient outcomes, it is germane to isolate and quantify care-management activities and to identify overarching domains. The aims of this study were to identify and report on an application of mixed methods of qualitative statistical techniques, based on a theoretical framework, and to construct variables for factor analysis and exploratory factor analytic steps for identifying domains of dementia care management. Care-management activity data were extracted from the care plans of 181 pairs of individuals (with dementia and their informal caregivers) who had participated in the intervention arm of a randomized controlled trial of a dementia care-management program. Activities were organized into types, using card-sorting methods, influenced by published theoretical constructs on self-efficacy and general strain theory. These activity types were mapped in the initial data set to construct variables for exploratory factor analysis. Principal components extraction with varimax and promax rotations was used to estimate the number of factors. Cronbach's alpha was calculated for the items in each factor to assess internal consistency reliability. The two-phase card-sorting technique yielded 45 activity types out of 450 unique activities. Exploratory factor analysis produced four care-management domains (factors): behavior management, clinical strategies and caregiver support, community agency, and safety. Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha) of items for each factor ranged from.63 for the factor "safety" to.89 for the factor "behavior management" (Factor 1). Applying a systematic method to a large set of care-management activities can identify a parsimonious number of higher order categories of variables and factors to guide the understanding of dementia care-management processes. Further application of this methodology in outcome analyses and to other data sets is necessary to test its practicality.

Building the strategic national stockpile through the NIAID Radiation Nuclear Countermeasures Program.

PubMed

Rios, Carmen I; Cassatt, David R; Dicarlo, Andrea L; Macchiarini, Francesca; Ramakrishnan, Narayani; Norman, Mai-Kim; Maidment, Bert W

2014-02-01

The possibility of a public health radiological or nuclear emergency in the United States remains a concern. Media attention focused on lost radioactive sources and international nuclear threats, as well as the potential for accidents in nuclear power facilities (e.g., Windscale, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima) highlight the need to address this critical national security issue. To date, no drugs have been licensed to mitigate/treat the acute and long-term radiation injuries that would result in the event of large-scale, radiation, or nuclear public health emergency. However, recent evaluation of several candidate radiation medical countermeasures (MCMs) has provided initial proof-of-concept of efficacy. The goal of the Radiation Nuclear Countermeasures Program (RNCP) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (National Institutes of Health) is to help ensure the government stockpiling of safe and efficacious MCMs to treat radiation injuries, including, but not limited to, hematopoietic, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, cutaneous, renal, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems. In addition to supporting research in these areas, the RNCP continues to fund research and development of decorporation agents targeting internal radionuclide contamination, and biodosimetry platforms (e.g., biomarkers and devices) to assess the levels of an individual's radiation exposure, capabilities that would be critical in a mass casualty scenario. New areas of research within the program include a focus on special populations, especially pediatric and geriatric civilians, as well as combination studies, in which drugs are tested within the context of expected medical care management (e.g., antibiotics and growth factors). Moving forward, challenges facing the RNCP, as well as the entire radiation research field, include further advancement and qualification of animal models, dose conversion from animal models to humans, biomarker identification, and formulation development. This paper provides a review of recent work and collaborations supported by the RNCP. Published 2013 Wiley-Periodicals, Inc. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Investigating an Open Methodology for Designing Domain-Specific Language Collections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Alannah; Wu, Shaoqun; Barge, Martin

2014-01-01

With this research and design paper, we are proposing that Open Educational Resources (OERs) and Open Access (OA) publications give increasing access to high quality online educational and research content for the development of powerful domain-specific language collections that can be further enhanced linguistically with the Flexible Language…

Positioning Mathematics Education Researchers to Influence Storylines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth; Sinclair, Nathalie; Chval, Kathryn B.; Clements, Douglas H.; Civil, Marta; Pape, Stephen J.; Stephan, Michelle; Wanko, Jeffrey J.; Wilkerson, Trena L.

2016-01-01

The NCTM Research Committee identifies key influences on mathematics education that are largely outside the domain of the academic world in which most mathematics education researchers live. The groups that are identified--including the media, companies and foundations, and other academic domains--affect the public's perception of mathematics and…

Molecular scaffold analysis of natural products databases in the public domain.

PubMed

Yongye, Austin B; Waddell, Jacob; Medina-Franco, José L

2012-11-01

Natural products represent important sources of bioactive compounds in drug discovery efforts. In this work, we compiled five natural products databases available in the public domain and performed a comprehensive chemoinformatic analysis focused on the content and diversity of the scaffolds with an overview of the diversity based on molecular fingerprints. The natural products databases were compared with each other and with a set of molecules obtained from in-house combinatorial libraries, and with a general screening commercial library. It was found that publicly available natural products databases have different scaffold diversity. In contrast to the common concept that larger libraries have the largest scaffold diversity, the largest natural products collection analyzed in this work was not the most diverse. The general screening library showed, overall, the highest scaffold diversity. However, considering the most frequent scaffolds, the general reference library was the least diverse. In general, natural products databases in the public domain showed low molecule overlap. In addition to benzene and acyclic compounds, flavones, coumarins, and flavanones were identified as the most frequent molecular scaffolds across the different natural products collections. The results of this work have direct implications in the computational and experimental screening of natural product databases for drug discovery. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Examination of sustainability indicators for fall prevention strategies in three states.

PubMed

Smith, Matthew Lee; Durrett, Nicholas K; Schneider, Ellen C; Byers, Imani N; Shubert, Tiffany E; Wilson, Ashley D; Towne, Samuel D; Ory, Marcia G

2018-06-01

With 1-in-4 older adults suffering a fall each year, fall prevention efforts have emerged as a public health priority. Multi-level, evidence-based fall prevention programs have been promoted by the CDC and other government agencies. To ensure participants and communities receive programs' intended benefits, organizations must repeatedly deliver the programs over time and plan for program sustainability as part of 'scaling up' the initiative. The State Falls Prevention Project (SFPP) began in 2011 when the CDC provided 5 years of funding to State Departments of Health in Colorado, New York, and Oregon to simultaneously implement four fall prevention strategies: 1) Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance; 2) Stepping On; 3) Otago Exercise Program; and 4) STEADI (STopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries) toolkit. Surveys were performed to examine systems change and perceptions about sustainability across states. The purposes of this study were to: 1) examine how funding influenced the capacity for program implementation and sustainability within the SFPP; and 2) assess reported Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT) scores to learn about how best to sustain fall preventing efforts after funding ends. Data showed that more organizations offered evidence-based fall prevention programs in participants' service areas with funding, and the importance of programming implementation, evaluation, and reporting efforts were likely to diminish once funding concluded. Participants' reported PSAT scores about perceived sustainability capacity did not directly align with previously reported perceptions about PSAT domain importance or modifiability. Findings suggest the importance of grantees to identify potential barriers and enablers influencing program sustainability during the planning phase of the programs. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A call for a moratorium on the .health generic top-level domain: preventing the commercialization and exclusive control of online health information.

PubMed

Mackey, Tim K; Eysenbach, Gunther; Liang, Bryan A; Kohler, Jillian C; Geissbuhler, Antoine; Attaran, Amir

2014-09-26

In just a few weeks, the Internet could be expanded to include a new .health generic top-level domain name run by a for-profit company with virtually no public health credentials - unless the international community intervenes immediately. This matters to the future of global public health as the "Health Internet" has begun to emerge as the predominant source of health information for consumers and patients. Despite this increasing use and reliance on online health information that may have inadequate quality or reliability, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently announced it intends to move forward with an auction to award the exclusive, 10 year rights to the .health generic top-level domain name. This decision is being made over the protests of the World Medical Association, World Health Organization, and other stakeholders, who have called for a suspension or delay until key questions can be resolved. However, rather than engage in constructive dialogue with the public health community over its concerns, ICANN chose the International Chamber of Commerce-a business lobbying group for industries to adjudicate the .health concerns. This has resulted in a rejection of challenges filed by ICANN's own independent watchdog and others, such that ICANN's Board decided in June 2014 that there are "no noted objections to move forward" in auctioning the .health generic top-level domain name to the highest bidder before the end of the year. This follows ICANN's award of several other health-related generic top-level domain names that have been unsuccessfully contested. In response, we call for an immediate moratorium/suspension of the ICANN award/auction process in order to provide the international public health community time to ensure the proper management and governance of health information online.

77 FR 67439 - Fiscal Year 2013 Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-09

... Year 2013 Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration... changes in the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations program (Tribal Transit Program) in accordance... Public Meeting: FTA will provide outreach in conjunction with the National Tribal Transportation...

Impact of Domain Analysis on Reuse Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-06

return on the investment. The potential negative effects a "bad" domain analysis has on developing systems in the domain also increases the risks of a...importance of domain analysis as part of a software reuse program. A particular goal is to assist in avoiding the potential negative effects of ad hoc or...are specification objects discovered by performing object-oriented analysis. Object-based analysis approaches thus serve to capture a model of reality

HRV Analysis to Identify Stages of Home-based Telerehabilitation Exercise.

PubMed

Jeong, In Cheol; Finkelstein, Joseph

2014-01-01

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has been widely used to investigate activity of autonomous nervous system. Previous studies demonstrated potential of analysis of short-term sequences of heart rate data in a time domain for continuous monitoring of levels of physiological stress however the value of HRV parameters in frequency domain for monitoring cycling exercise has not been established. The goal of this study was to assess whether HRV parameters in frequency domain differ depending on a stage of cycling exercise. We compared major HRV parameters in high, low and very low frequency ranges during rest, height of exercise, and recovery during cycling exercise. Our results indicated responsiveness of frequency-domain indices to different phases of cycling exercise program and their potential in monitoring autonomic balance and stress levels as a part of a tailored home-based telerehabilitation program.

Formalizing Knowledge in Multi-Scale Agent-Based Simulations

PubMed Central

Somogyi, Endre; Sluka, James P.; Glazier, James A.

2017-01-01

Multi-scale, agent-based simulations of cellular and tissue biology are increasingly common. These simulations combine and integrate a range of components from different domains. Simulations continuously create, destroy and reorganize constituent elements causing their interactions to dynamically change. For example, the multi-cellular tissue development process coordinates molecular, cellular and tissue scale objects with biochemical, biomechanical, spatial and behavioral processes to form a dynamic network. Different domain specific languages can describe these components in isolation, but cannot describe their interactions. No current programming language is designed to represent in human readable and reusable form the domain specific knowledge contained in these components and interactions. We present a new hybrid programming language paradigm that naturally expresses the complex multi-scale objects and dynamic interactions in a unified way and allows domain knowledge to be captured, searched, formalized, extracted and reused. PMID:29338063

Formalizing Knowledge in Multi-Scale Agent-Based Simulations.

PubMed

Somogyi, Endre; Sluka, James P; Glazier, James A

2016-10-01

Multi-scale, agent-based simulations of cellular and tissue biology are increasingly common. These simulations combine and integrate a range of components from different domains. Simulations continuously create, destroy and reorganize constituent elements causing their interactions to dynamically change. For example, the multi-cellular tissue development process coordinates molecular, cellular and tissue scale objects with biochemical, biomechanical, spatial and behavioral processes to form a dynamic network. Different domain specific languages can describe these components in isolation, but cannot describe their interactions. No current programming language is designed to represent in human readable and reusable form the domain specific knowledge contained in these components and interactions. We present a new hybrid programming language paradigm that naturally expresses the complex multi-scale objects and dynamic interactions in a unified way and allows domain knowledge to be captured, searched, formalized, extracted and reused.

S3QL: A distributed domain specific language for controlled semantic integration of life sciences data

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The value and usefulness of data increases when it is explicitly interlinked with related data. This is the core principle of Linked Data. For life sciences researchers, harnessing the power of Linked Data to improve biological discovery is still challenged by a need to keep pace with rapidly evolving domains and requirements for collaboration and control as well as with the reference semantic web ontologies and standards. Knowledge organization systems (KOSs) can provide an abstraction for publishing biological discoveries as Linked Data without complicating transactions with contextual minutia such as provenance and access control. We have previously described the Simple Sloppy Semantic Database (S3DB) as an efficient model for creating knowledge organization systems using Linked Data best practices with explicit distinction between domain and instantiation and support for a permission control mechanism that automatically migrates between the two. In this report we present a domain specific language, the S3DB query language (S3QL), to operate on its underlying core model and facilitate management of Linked Data. Results Reflecting the data driven nature of our approach, S3QL has been implemented as an application programming interface for S3DB systems hosting biomedical data, and its syntax was subsequently generalized beyond the S3DB core model. This achievement is illustrated with the assembly of an S3QL query to manage entities from the Simple Knowledge Organization System. The illustrative use cases include gastrointestinal clinical trials, genomic characterization of cancer by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases. Conclusions S3QL was found to provide a convenient mechanism to represent context for interoperation between public and private datasets hosted at biomedical research institutions and linked data formalisms. PMID:21756325

S3QL: a distributed domain specific language for controlled semantic integration of life sciences data.

PubMed

Deus, Helena F; Correa, Miriã C; Stanislaus, Romesh; Miragaia, Maria; Maass, Wolfgang; de Lencastre, Hermínia; Fox, Ronan; Almeida, Jonas S

2011-07-14

The value and usefulness of data increases when it is explicitly interlinked with related data. This is the core principle of Linked Data. For life sciences researchers, harnessing the power of Linked Data to improve biological discovery is still challenged by a need to keep pace with rapidly evolving domains and requirements for collaboration and control as well as with the reference semantic web ontologies and standards. Knowledge organization systems (KOSs) can provide an abstraction for publishing biological discoveries as Linked Data without complicating transactions with contextual minutia such as provenance and access control.We have previously described the Simple Sloppy Semantic Database (S3DB) as an efficient model for creating knowledge organization systems using Linked Data best practices with explicit distinction between domain and instantiation and support for a permission control mechanism that automatically migrates between the two. In this report we present a domain specific language, the S3DB query language (S3QL), to operate on its underlying core model and facilitate management of Linked Data. Reflecting the data driven nature of our approach, S3QL has been implemented as an application programming interface for S3DB systems hosting biomedical data, and its syntax was subsequently generalized beyond the S3DB core model. This achievement is illustrated with the assembly of an S3QL query to manage entities from the Simple Knowledge Organization System. The illustrative use cases include gastrointestinal clinical trials, genomic characterization of cancer by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases. S3QL was found to provide a convenient mechanism to represent context for interoperation between public and private datasets hosted at biomedical research institutions and linked data formalisms.

What are the 'active ingredients' of interventions targeting the public's engagement with antimicrobial resistance and how might they work?

PubMed

McParland, Joanna L; Williams, Lynn; Gozdzielewska, Lucyna; Young, Mairi; Smith, Fraser; MacDonald, Jennifer; Langdridge, Darren; Davis, Mark; Price, Lesley; Flowers, Paul

2018-05-27

Changing public awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a global public health priority. A systematic review of interventions that targeted public AMR awareness and associated behaviour was previously conducted. Here, we focus on identifying the active content of these interventions and explore potential mechanisms of action. The project took a novel approach to intervention mapping utilizing the following steps: (1) an exploration of explicit and tacit theory and theoretical constructs within the interventions using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDFv2), (2) retrospective coding of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) using the BCT Taxonomy v1, and (3) an investigation of coherent links between the TDF domains and BCTs across the interventions. Of 20 studies included, only four reported an explicit theoretical basis to their intervention. However, TDF analysis revealed that nine of the 14 TDF domains were utilized, most commonly 'Knowledge' and 'Environmental context and resources'. The BCT analysis showed that all interventions contained at least one BCT, and 14 of 93 (15%) BCTs were coded, most commonly 'Information about health consequences', 'Credible source', and 'Instruction on how to perform the behaviour'. We identified nine relevant TDF domains and 14 BCTs used in these interventions. Only 15% of BCTs have been applied in AMR interventions thus providing a clear opportunity for the development of novel interventions in this context. This methodological approach provides a useful way of retrospectively mapping theoretical constructs and BCTs when reviewing studies that provide limited information on theory and intervention content. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Evidence of the effectiveness of interventions that target the public to engage them with AMR is mixed; the public continue to show poor knowledge and misperceptions of AMR. Little is known about the common, active ingredients of AMR interventions targeting the public and information on explicit theoretical content is sparse. Information on the components of AMR public health interventions is urgently needed to enable the design of effective interventions to engage the public with AMR stewardship behaviour. What does this study add? The analysis shows very few studies reported any explicit theoretical basis to the interventions they described. Many interventions share common components, including core mechanisms of action and behaviour change techniques. The analysis suggests components of future interventions to engage the public with AMR. © 2018 The Authors. British Journal of Health Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Training Public Health Advisors.

PubMed

Meyer, Pamela A; Brusuelas, Kristin M; Baden, Daniel J; Duncan, Heather L

2015-01-01

Federal public health advisors provide guidance and assistance to health departments to improve public health program work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prepares them with specialized training in administering public health programs. This article describes the evolving training and is based on internal CDC documents and interviews. The first federal public health advisors worked in health departments to assist with controlling syphilis after World War II. Over time, more CDC prevention programs hired them. To meet emerging needs, 3 major changes occurred: the Public Health Prevention Service, a fellowship program, in 1999; the Public Health Associate Program in 2007; and integration of those programs. Key components of the updated training are competency-based training, field experience, supervision, recruitment and retention, and stakeholder support. The enduring strength of the training has been the experience in a public health agency developing practical skills for program implementation and management.

Coreference annotation and resolution in the Colorado Richly Annotated Full Text (CRAFT) corpus of biomedical journal articles.

PubMed

Cohen, K Bretonnel; Lanfranchi, Arrick; Choi, Miji Joo-Young; Bada, Michael; Baumgartner, William A; Panteleyeva, Natalya; Verspoor, Karin; Palmer, Martha; Hunter, Lawrence E

2017-08-17

Coreference resolution is the task of finding strings in text that have the same referent as other strings. Failures of coreference resolution are a common cause of false negatives in information extraction from the scientific literature. In order to better understand the nature of the phenomenon of coreference in biomedical publications and to increase performance on the task, we annotated the Colorado Richly Annotated Full Text (CRAFT) corpus with coreference relations. The corpus was manually annotated with coreference relations, including identity and appositives for all coreferring base noun phrases. The OntoNotes annotation guidelines, with minor adaptations, were used. Interannotator agreement ranges from 0.480 (entity-based CEAF) to 0.858 (Class-B3), depending on the metric that is used to assess it. The resulting corpus adds nearly 30,000 annotations to the previous release of the CRAFT corpus. Differences from related projects include a much broader definition of markables, connection to extensive annotation of several domain-relevant semantic classes, and connection to complete syntactic annotation. Tool performance was benchmarked on the data. A publicly available out-of-the-box, general-domain coreference resolution system achieved an F-measure of 0.14 (B3), while a simple domain-adapted rule-based system achieved an F-measure of 0.42. An ensemble of the two reached F of 0.46. Following the IDENTITY chains in the data would add 106,263 additional named entities in the full 97-paper corpus, for an increase of 76% percent in the semantic classes of the eight ontologies that have been annotated in earlier versions of the CRAFT corpus. The project produced a large data set for further investigation of coreference and coreference resolution in the scientific literature. The work raised issues in the phenomenon of reference in this domain and genre, and the paper proposes that many mentions that would be considered generic in the general domain are not generic in the biomedical domain due to their referents to specific classes in domain-specific ontologies. The comparison of the performance of a publicly available and well-understood coreference resolution system with a domain-adapted system produced results that are consistent with the notion that the requirements for successful coreference resolution in this genre are quite different from those of the general domain, and also suggest that the baseline performance difference is quite large.

76 FR 18570 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; HOPE VI Public Housing Programs...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-04

... Information Collection for Public Comment; HOPE VI Public Housing Programs: Funding and Program Data... responses. This Notice also lists the following information: Title of Proposal: HOPE VI program. OMB Control... (Pub. L. 105- 276, 112 Stat. 2461, approved October 21, 1998) and revised by the HOPE VI Program...

Scholarly Concentration Program Development: A Generalizable, Data-Driven Approach.

PubMed

Burk-Rafel, Jesse; Mullan, Patricia B; Wagenschutz, Heather; Pulst-Korenberg, Alexandra; Skye, Eric; Davis, Matthew M

2016-11-01

Scholarly concentration programs-also known as scholarly projects, pathways, tracks, or pursuits-are increasingly common in U.S. medical schools. However, systematic, data-driven program development methods have not been described. The authors examined scholarly concentration programs at U.S. medical schools that U.S. News & World Report ranked as top 25 for research or primary care (n = 43 institutions), coding concentrations and mission statements. Subsequently, the authors conducted a targeted needs assessment via a student-led, institution-wide survey, eliciting learners' preferences for 10 "Pathways" (i.e., concentrations) and 30 "Topics" (i.e., potential content) augmenting core curricula at their institution. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a capacity optimization algorithm characterized best institutional options for learner-focused Pathway development. The authors identified scholarly concentration programs at 32 of 43 medical schools (74%), comprising 199 distinct concentrations (mean concentrations per program: 6.2, mode: 5, range: 1-16). Thematic analysis identified 10 content domains; most common were "Global/Public Health" (30 institutions; 94%) and "Clinical/Translational Research" (26 institutions; 81%). The institutional needs assessment (n = 468 medical students; response rate 60% overall, 97% among first-year students) demonstrated myriad student preferences for Pathways and Topics. EFA of Topic preferences identified eight factors, systematically related to Pathway preferences, informing content development. Capacity modeling indicated that offering six Pathways could guarantee 95% of first-year students (162/171) their first- or second-choice Pathway. This study demonstrates a generalizable, data-driven approach to scholarly concentration program development that reflects student preferences and institutional strengths, while optimizing program diversity within capacity constraints.

Socioeconomic determinants of disability in Chile.

PubMed

Zitko Melo, Pedro; Cabieses Valdes, Báltica

2011-10-01

Disability is a worldwide public health priority. A shift from a biomedical perspective of dysfunction to a broader social understanding of disability has been proposed. Among many different social factors described in the past, socioeconomic position remains as a key multidimensional determinant of health. The study goal was to analyze the relationship between disability and different domains of socioeconomic position in Chile. Cross-sectional analysis of an anonymized population-based survey conducted in Chile in 2006. Any disability (dichotomous variable) and 6 different types of disability were analyzed on the bases of their relationship with income quintiles, occupational status, educational level, and material living standards (quality of the housing, overcrowding rate and sanitary conditions). Confounding and interaction effects were explored using R statistical program. Income, education, occupation, and material measures of socioeconomic position, along with some sociodemographic characteristics of the population, were independently associated with the chance of being disabled in Chile. Interestingly, classic measures of socioeconomic position (income, education, and occupation) were consistently associated with any disability in Chile, whereas material living conditions were partially confounded by these classic measures. In addition to this, each type of disability showed a particular pattern of related social determinants, which also varied by age group. This study contributed to the understanding of disability in Chile and how different domains of socioeconomic position might be associated with this prevalent condition. Disability remains a complex multidimensional public health problem in Chile that requires the inclusion of a wide range of risk factors, of which socioeconomic position is particularly relevant. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MXA: a customizable HDF5-based data format for multi-dimensional data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, M.; Simmons, J. P.; De Graef, M.

2010-09-01

A new digital file format is proposed for the long-term archival storage of experimental data sets generated by serial sectioning instruments. The format is known as the multi-dimensional eXtensible Archive (MXA) format and is based on the public domain Hierarchical Data Format (HDF5). The MXA data model, its description by means of an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) file with associated Document Type Definition (DTD) are described in detail. The public domain MXA package is available through a dedicated web site (mxa.web.cmu.edu), along with implementation details and example data files.

Biophysical aspects of cyclodextrin interaction with paraoxon.

PubMed

Soni, Sunil-Datta; Bhonsle, Jayendra B; Garcia, Gregory E

2014-03-01

Cyclodextrins are torus-shaped polymers of glucose that can bind organophosphorous compounds such as nerve agents and pesticides. We demonstrate here that cyclodextrin can bind up to two paraoxon molecules with a K(av) of 6775 M(-1). Molecular modeling shows that the paraoxon appears to bind in polar opposite orientation and have an average binding energy of -89 Kcals/mol. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

SWITCH user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

The planning program, SWITCH, and its surrounding changed-goal-replanning program, Runaround, are described. The evolution of SWITCH and Runaround from an earlier planner, DEVISER, is recounted. SWITCH's plan representation, and its process of building a plan by backward chaining with strict chronological backtracking, are described. A guide for writing knowledge base files is provided, as are narrative guides for installing the program, running it, and interacting with it while it is running. Some utility functions are documented. For the sake of completeness, a narrative guide to the experimental discrepancy-replanning feature is provided. Appendices contain knowledge base files for a blocksworld domain, and a DRIBBLE file illustrating the output from, and user interaction with, the program in that domain.

Computer program for single input-output, single-loop feedback systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Additional work is reported on a completely automatic computer program for the design of single input/output, single loop feedback systems with parameter uncertainly, to satisfy time domain bounds on the system response to step commands and disturbances. The inputs to the program are basically the specified time-domain response bounds, the form of the constrained plant transfer function and the ranges of the uncertain parameters of the plant. The program output consists of the transfer functions of the two free compensation networks, in the form of the coefficients of the numerator and denominator polynomials, and the data on the prescribed bounds and the extremes actually obtained for the system response to commands and disturbances.

A digital computer program for the dynamic interaction simulation of controls and structure (DISCOS), volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodley, C. S.; Devers, A. D.; Park, A. C.; Frisch, H. P.

1978-01-01

A theoretical development and associated digital computer program system for the dynamic simulation and stability analysis of passive and actively controlled spacecraft are presented. The dynamic system (spacecraft) is modeled as an assembly of rigid and/or flexible bodies not necessarily in a topological tree configuration. The computer program system is used to investigate total system dynamic characteristics, including interaction effects between rigid and/or flexible bodies, control systems, and a wide range of environmental loadings. In addition, the program system is used for designing attitude control systems and for evaluating total dynamic system performance, including time domain response and frequency domain stability analyses.

Cloud identification using genetic algorithms and massively parallel computation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckles, Bill P.; Petry, Frederick E.

1996-01-01

As a Guest Computational Investigator under the NASA administered component of the High Performance Computing and Communication Program, we implemented a massively parallel genetic algorithm on the MasPar SIMD computer. Experiments were conducted using Earth Science data in the domains of meteorology and oceanography. Results obtained in these domains are competitive with, and in most cases better than, similar problems solved using other methods. In the meteorological domain, we chose to identify clouds using AVHRR spectral data. Four cloud speciations were used although most researchers settle for three. Results were remarkedly consistent across all tests (91% accuracy). Refinements of this method may lead to more timely and complete information for Global Circulation Models (GCMS) that are prevalent in weather forecasting and global environment studies. In the oceanographic domain, we chose to identify ocean currents from a spectrometer having similar characteristics to AVHRR. Here the results were mixed (60% to 80% accuracy). Given that one is willing to run the experiment several times (say 10), then it is acceptable to claim the higher accuracy rating. This problem has never been successfully automated. Therefore, these results are encouraging even though less impressive than the cloud experiment. Successful conclusion of an automated ocean current detection system would impact coastal fishing, naval tactics, and the study of micro-climates. Finally we contributed to the basic knowledge of GA (genetic algorithm) behavior in parallel environments. We developed better knowledge of the use of subpopulations in the context of shared breeding pools and the migration of individuals. Rigorous experiments were conducted based on quantifiable performance criteria. While much of the work confirmed current wisdom, for the first time we were able to submit conclusive evidence. The software developed under this grant was placed in the public domain. An extensive user's manual was written and distributed nationwide to scientists whose work might benefit from its availability. Several papers, including two journal articles, were produced.

Patients' Needs for Care in Public Mental Health: Unity and Diversity of Self-Assessed Needs for Care.

PubMed

Bellier-Teichmann, Tanja; Golay, Philippe; Bonsack, Charles; Pomini, Valentino

2016-01-01

Needs assessment is recognized to be a key element of mental health care. Patients tend to present heterogeneous profiles of needs. However, there is no consensus in previous research about how patients' needs are organized. This study investigates both general and specific dimensions of patients' needs for care. Patients' needs were assessed with ELADEB, an 18-domain self-report scale. The use of a self-assessment scale represents a unique way of obtaining patients' perceptions. A patient-centered psychiatric practice facilitates empowerment as it is based on the patients' personal motivations, needs, and wants. Four seventy-one patients' profiles were analyzed through exploratory factor analysis. A four-factor bifactor model, including one general factor and three specific factors of needs, was most adequate. Specific factors were (a) "finances" and "administrative tasks"; (b) "transports," "public places," "self-care," "housework," and "food"; and (c) "family," "children," "intimate relationships," and "friendship." As revealed by the general factor, patients expressing urgent needs in some domains are also more susceptible to report urgent needs in several other domains. This general factor relates to high versus low utilizers of public mental healthcare. Patients also present specific needs in life domains, which are organized in three dimensions: management, functional disabilities, and familial and interpersonal relationships. These dimensions relate to the different types of existing social support described in the literature.

Health-related quality-of-life in low-income, uninsured men with prostate cancer.

PubMed

Krupski, Tracey L; Fink, Arlene; Kwan, Lorna; Maliski, Sally; Connor, Sarah E; Clerkin, Barbara; Litwin, Mark S

2005-05-01

The objective was to describe health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) in low-income men with prostate cancer. Subjects were drawn from a statewide public assistance prostate cancer program. Telephone and mail surveys included the RAND 12-item Health Survey and UCLA Prostate Cancer Index Short Form and were compared with normative age-matched men without cancer from the general population reported on in the literature. Of 286 eligible men, 233 (81%) agreed to participate and completed the necessary items. The sample consisted of 51% Hispanics, 23% non-Hispanic whites, and 17% African Americans. The low-income men had worse scores in every domain of prostate-specific and general HRQOL than had the age-matched general population controls. The degree of disparity indicated substantial clinical differences in almost every domain of physical and emotional functioning between the sample group and the control group. Linear regression modeling determined that among the low-income men, Hispanic race, and income level were predictive of worse physical functioning, whereas only comorbidities predicted mental health. Low-income patients with prostate cancer appear to have quality-of-life profiles that are meaningfully worse than age-matched men from the general population without cancer reported on in the literature.

Gene: a gene-centered information resource at NCBI.

PubMed

Brown, Garth R; Hem, Vichet; Katz, Kenneth S; Ovetsky, Michael; Wallin, Craig; Ermolaeva, Olga; Tolstoy, Igor; Tatusova, Tatiana; Pruitt, Kim D; Maglott, Donna R; Murphy, Terence D

2015-01-01

The National Center for Biotechnology Information's (NCBI) Gene database (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene) integrates gene-specific information from multiple data sources. NCBI Reference Sequence (RefSeq) genomes for viruses, prokaryotes and eukaryotes are the primary foundation for Gene records in that they form the critical association between sequence and a tracked gene upon which additional functional and descriptive content is anchored. Additional content is integrated based on the genomic location and RefSeq transcript and protein sequence data. The content of a Gene record represents the integration of curation and automated processing from RefSeq, collaborating model organism databases, consortia such as Gene Ontology, and other databases within NCBI. Records in Gene are assigned unique, tracked integers as identifiers. The content (citations, nomenclature, genomic location, gene products and their attributes, phenotypes, sequences, interactions, variation details, maps, expression, homologs, protein domains and external databases) is available via interactive browsing through NCBI's Entrez system, via NCBI's Entrez programming utilities (E-Utilities and Entrez Direct) and for bulk transfer by FTP. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Undergraduate Performance in Solving Ill-Defined Biochemistry Problems

PubMed Central

Sensibaugh, Cheryl A.; Madrid, Nathaniel J.; Choi, Hye-Jeong; Anderson, William L.; Osgood, Marcy P.

2017-01-01

With growing interest in promoting skills related to the scientific process, we studied performance in solving ill-defined problems demonstrated by graduating biochemistry majors at a public, minority-serving university. As adoption of techniques for facilitating the attainment of higher-order learning objectives broadens, so too does the need to appropriately measure and understand student performance. We extended previous validation of the Individual Problem Solving Assessment (IPSA) and administered multiple versions of the IPSA across two semesters of biochemistry courses. A final version was taken by majors just before program exit, and student responses on that version were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. This mixed-methods study quantifies student performance in scientific problem solving, while probing the qualitative nature of unsatisfactory solutions. Of the five domains measured by the IPSA, we found that average graduates were only successful in two areas: evaluating given experimental data to state results and reflecting on performance after the solution to the problem was provided. The primary difficulties in each domain were quite different. The most widespread challenge for students was to design an investigation that rationally aligned with a given hypothesis. We also extend the findings into pedagogical recommendations. PMID:29180350

The influence of integrated tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus service delivery on patient outcomes.

PubMed

Uyei, J; Coetzee, D; Macinko, J; Weinberg, S L; Guttmacher, S

2014-03-01

Public health clinics in Cape Town, South Africa. To examine the influence of integrated tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) service delivery on mortality, TB cure and successful treatment completion and loss to follow-up of TB-HIV co-infected patients on concurrent anti-tuberculosis and antiretroviral treatment (ART). A survey instrument was used to measure the degree to which TB and HIV services were jointly delivered, and patient data were collected retrospectively from clinic sites and the Department of Health. Six domains measuring integrated TB and HIV service delivery were modelled to assess their relationship with patient outcomes. Two domains, integrated TB and ART service delivery and the delivery of TB and HIV care by one clinical team, were associated with lowered odds of death. Care by the same clinical team was also associated with reduced loss to follow-up. Overall, these findings show that the organization and delivery of health services are important factors that influence health outcomes. These findings strongly support efforts by local governments to integrate TB and ART services, and may help to alleviate concerns that restructuring of TB programs could have a negative impact on long-standing gains.

Analysis and Functional Annotation of an Expressed Sequence Tag Collection for Tropical Crop Sugarcane

PubMed Central

Vettore, André L.; da Silva, Felipe R.; Kemper, Edson L.; Souza, Glaucia M.; da Silva, Aline M.; Ferro, Maria Inês T.; Henrique-Silva, Flavio; Giglioti, Éder A.; Lemos, Manoel V.F.; Coutinho, Luiz L.; Nobrega, Marina P.; Carrer, Helaine; França, Suzelei C.; Bacci, Maurício; Goldman, Maria Helena S.; Gomes, Suely L.; Nunes, Luiz R.; Camargo, Luis E.A.; Siqueira, Walter J.; Van Sluys, Marie-Anne; Thiemann, Otavio H.; Kuramae, Eiko E.; Santelli, Roberto V.; Marino, Celso L.; Targon, Maria L.P.N.; Ferro, Jesus A.; Silveira, Henrique C.S.; Marini, Danyelle C.; Lemos, Eliana G.M.; Monteiro-Vitorello, Claudia B.; Tambor, José H.M.; Carraro, Dirce M.; Roberto, Patrícia G.; Martins, Vanderlei G.; Goldman, Gustavo H.; de Oliveira, Regina C.; Truffi, Daniela; Colombo, Carlos A.; Rossi, Magdalena; de Araujo, Paula G.; Sculaccio, Susana A.; Angella, Aline; Lima, Marleide M.A.; de Rosa, Vicente E.; Siviero, Fábio; Coscrato, Virginia E.; Machado, Marcos A.; Grivet, Laurent; Di Mauro, Sonia M.Z.; Nobrega, Francisco G.; Menck, Carlos F.M.; Braga, Marilia D.V.; Telles, Guilherme P.; Cara, Frank A.A.; Pedrosa, Guilherme; Meidanis, João; Arruda, Paulo

2003-01-01

To contribute to our understanding of the genome complexity of sugarcane, we undertook a large-scale expressed sequence tag (EST) program. More than 260,000 cDNA clones were partially sequenced from 26 standard cDNA libraries generated from different sugarcane tissues. After the processing of the sequences, 237,954 high-quality ESTs were identified. These ESTs were assembled into 43,141 putative transcripts. Of the assembled sequences, 35.6% presented no matches with existing sequences in public databases. A global analysis of the whole SUCEST data set indicated that 14,409 assembled sequences (33% of the total) contained at least one cDNA clone with a full-length insert. Annotation of the 43,141 assembled sequences associated almost 50% of the putative identified sugarcane genes with protein metabolism, cellular communication/signal transduction, bioenergetics, and stress responses. Inspection of the translated assembled sequences for conserved protein domains revealed 40,821 amino acid sequences with 1415 Pfam domains. Reassembling the consensus sequences of the 43,141 transcripts revealed a 22% redundancy in the first assembling. This indicated that possibly 33,620 unique genes had been identified and indicated that >90% of the sugarcane expressed genes were tagged. PMID:14613979

45 CFR 400.65 - Continuation of a publicly-administered RCA program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... program. 400.65 Section 400.65 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM Refugee Cash Assistance § 400.65 Continuation of a publicly-administered RCA program...

42 CFR 457.120 - Public involvement in program development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS (SCHIPs) ALLOTMENTS AND GRANTS TO STATES Introduction; State Plans for Child Health Insurance Programs and Outreach Strategies § 457.120 Public... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Public involvement in program development. 457.120...

34 CFR 303.164 - Public awareness program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Requirements § 303.164 Public awareness program. Each application must include information and assurances demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the State has established a public awareness program... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Public awareness program. 303.164 Section 303.164...

Selected Tracking and Fusion Applications for the Defence and Security Domain

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

SUBTITLE Selected Tracking and Fusion Applications for the Defence and Security Domain 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...characterized, for example, by sensor ranges from less than a meter to hundreds of kilometers, by time scales ranging from less than second to a few...been carried out within the framework of a multinational technology program called MAJIIC (Multi-Sensor Aerospace-Ground Joint ISR Interoperability

Tradeoffs in manipulator structure and control. Part 4: Flexible manipulator analysis program. [user manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Book, W. J.

1974-01-01

The Flexible Manipulator Analysis Program (FMAP) is a collection of FORTRAN coding to allow easy analysis of the flexible dynamics of mechanical arms. The user specifies the arm configuration and parameters and any or all of several frequency domain analyses to be performed, while the time domain impulse response is obtained by inverse Fourier transformation of the frequency response. A detailed explanation of how to use FMAP is provided.

Expansion of Tabulated Scattering Matrices in Generalized Spherical Functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishchenko, Michael I.; Geogdzhayev, Igor V.; Yang, Ping

2016-01-01

An efficient way to solve the vector radiative transfer equation for plane-parallel turbid media is to Fourier-decompose it in azimuth. This methodology is typically based on the analytical computation of the Fourier components of the phase matrix and is predicated on the knowledge of the coefficients appearing in the expansion of the normalized scattering matrix in generalized spherical functions. Quite often the expansion coefficients have to be determined from tabulated values of the scattering matrix obtained from measurements or calculated by solving the Maxwell equations. In such cases one needs an efficient and accurate computer procedure converting a tabulated scattering matrix into the corresponding set of expansion coefficients. This short communication summarizes the theoretical basis of this procedure and serves as the user guide to a simple public-domain FORTRAN program.

Does the earned income tax credit increase children's weight? The impact of policy-driven income on childhood obesity.

PubMed

Jo, Young

2018-07-01

I exploit substantial increases in the earned income tax credit to study how a policy-driven change in family income affects childhood obesity. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, my difference-in-differences estimates indicate that the probability of being obese increased by 3 percentage points among children whose families experienced a greater income shock. A further investigation suggests that a reduction in maternal time with children played a greater role in children's weight gain than income. The paper's finding shows that a program that is not designed for health purposes, such as earned income tax credit, can have unintended effects on health outcomes. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

77 FR 33456 - Public Water Supply Supervision Program; Program Revision for the State of Washington

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-06

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9682-4] Public Water Supply Supervision Program; Program... State Public Water Supply Supervision Primacy Program. Washington has adopted regulations analogous to... of Health--Office of Drinking Water, [[Page 33457

Engineer’s Handbook. Central Archive for Reusable Defense Software (CARDS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-28

benefit frc- this reuse effort? Reuse should be done for a domain rather than just for a program. " Identify relationships between domains to facilitate... benefits to the government and its contractors. " Help provide guidelines to enable domain managers to do a trade-off study on requirements, e.g., does...libraries, if desired or required. This can only occur where the government domain growth matches, or can benefit from, the inclusion or incorporation of the

Planning for the next generation of public health advocates: evaluation of an online advocacy mentoring program.

PubMed

O'Connell, Emily; Stoneham, Melissa; Saunders, Julie

2016-04-01

Issue addressed Despite being viewed as a core competency for public health professionals, public health advocacy lacks a prominent place in the public health literature and receives minimal coverage in university curricula. The Public Health Advocacy Institute of Western Australia (PHAIWA) sought to fill this gap by establishing an online e-mentoring program for public health professionals to gain knowledge through skill-based activities and engaging in a mentoring relationship with an experienced public health advocate. This study is a qualitative evaluation of the online e-mentoring program. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with program participants at the conclusion of the 12-month program to examine program benefits and determine the perceived contribution of individual program components to overall advocacy outcomes. Results Increased mentee knowledge, skills, level of confidence and experience, and expanded public health networks were reported. Outcomes were dependent on participants' level of commitment, time and location barriers, mentoring relationship quality, adaptability to the online format and the relevance of activities for application to participants' workplace context. Program facilitators had an important role through the provision of timely feedback and maintaining contact with participants. Conclusion An online program that combines public health advocacy content via skill-based activities with mentoring from an experienced public health advocate is a potential strategy to build advocacy capacity in the public health workforce. So what? Integrating advocacy as a core component of professional development programs will help counteract current issues surrounding hesitancy by public health professionals to proactively engage in advocacy, and ensure that high quality, innovative and effective advocacy leadership continues in the Australian public health workforce.