Quality Circles in the Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cloud, Robert C.

Background information on the history and use of quality circles is provided in this paper, along with a discussion of the applicability of this management technique to the community college setting. First, introductory material is presented on the development of the approach in the early 1950s, its widespread use in the industrial and business…

Quality circles and their potential application to rural health care in Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Cibulskis, R E; Edwards, K N

1993-06-01

A quality circle is a group of service providers who meet regularly to solve problems relating to the quality of their work. This is an example of bottom-up rather than top-down management which has found considerable success in the industries of the developed world. This article describes the principles which govern the operation of quality circles, the expected benefits and how best to introduce them. The problems relating to the provision of quality health care in rural areas and the potential application of the quality circle methodology are discussed.

Quality Circles: A Corporate Strategy Applied in a Student Services Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, Brenton H.; And Others

1987-01-01

Discusses the historical and conceptual framework of quality circles, presents a brief case history of circles initiated by the University of Maryland Office of Admissions, and provides a summary of implications. Emphasizes implications for student affairs administrators. (Author/ABB)

Stereoscopic Machine-Vision System Using Projected Circles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackey, Jeffrey R.

2010-01-01

A machine-vision system capable of detecting obstacles large enough to damage or trap a robotic vehicle is undergoing development. The system includes (1) a pattern generator that projects concentric circles of laser light forward onto the terrain, (2) a stereoscopic pair of cameras that are aimed forward to acquire images of the circles, (3) a frame grabber and digitizer for acquiring image data from the cameras, and (4) a single-board computer that processes the data. The system is being developed as a prototype of machine- vision systems to enable robotic vehicles ( rovers ) on remote planets to avoid craters, large rocks, and other terrain features that could capture or damage the vehicles. Potential terrestrial applications of systems like this one could include terrain mapping, collision avoidance, navigation of robotic vehicles, mining, and robotic rescue. This system is based partly on the same principles as those of a prior stereoscopic machine-vision system in which the cameras acquire images of a single stripe of laser light that is swept forward across the terrain. However, this system is designed to afford improvements over some of the undesirable features of the prior system, including the need for a pan-and-tilt mechanism to aim the laser to generate the swept stripe, ambiguities in interpretation of the single-stripe image, the time needed to sweep the stripe across the terrain and process the data from many images acquired during that time, and difficulty of calibration because of the narrowness of the stripe. In this system, the pattern generator does not contain any moving parts and need not be mounted on a pan-and-tilt mechanism: the pattern of concentric circles is projected steadily in the forward direction. The system calibrates itself by use of data acquired during projection of the concentric-circle pattern onto a known target representing flat ground. The calibration- target image data are stored in the computer memory for use as a

Quality Circles: How Effective Are They in Improving Employee Performance and Attitudes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buch, Kimberly; Raban, Amiram

1990-01-01

Used a quasi-experimental design to assess the effect of a quality circle intervention on behavior and attitudes of 88 employees at a large Midwestern organization. Results provide mixed support for the purported ability of circles to improve work behavior with no change for absenteeism and productivity but positive change for quality of work.…

Quality Circles: An Alternative for Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Larry C.; Wagner, Thomas E.

1983-01-01

The times demand that institutions make the best use of resources. College administrators must ensure that each faculty and staff member has the opportunity to work at his or her fullest potential. One means toward achieving this goal may be the introduction of a quality circle program. (MLW)

"Quality Circles": A Strategy for Personal and Curriculum Development. Coombe Lodge Working Paper. Information Bank Number 1803.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, M. J.; Harrison, A. B.

Quality circles attempt to satisfy both task and personal needs through staff involvement in solving work-related problems. This paper summarizes quality circle theory, applies it to school settings, and suggests a framework for introducing the process to educational institutions. After briefly defining quality circles, the article presents two…

The effect of quality circles on job satisfaction and quality of work-life of staff in emergency medical services.

PubMed

Hosseinabadi, Reza; Karampourian, Arezou; Beiranvand, Shoorangiz; Pournia, Yadollah

2013-10-01

Quality circles, as a participatory management technique, offer one alternative for dealing with frustration and discontent of today's workers. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of implementation of quality circles on nurses' quality of work-life and job satisfaction. In this study, two emergency medical services (EMS) of Hamedan province were selected and randomly assigned as the experimental and control groups. After the experimental group was trained and quality circles were established in this group, the levels of quality of work-life and job satisfaction were measured in the two groups. Then, the statistical analyses were performed using t-test. After the intervention, the results showed significant differences between the scores of motivational factors (p=0.001), the total scores of job satisfaction (p=0.003), and the scores of some quality of work life (QWL) conceptual categories including the use and development of capacities (p=0.008), the total space of life (p=0.003), and the total scores of QWL (p=0.031) in the experimental group compared to those in the control group. This study confirms the effectiveness of quality circles in improving quality of work-life and job satisfaction of nurses working in EMS, and offers their application as a management method that can be used by EMS managers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Quality Control Circle: Is It for Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Land, Arthur J.

From its start in Japan after World War II, the Quality Control Circle (Q.C.) approach to management and organizational operation evolved into what it is today: people doing similar work meeting regularly to identify, objectively analyze, and develop solutions to problems. The Q.C. approach meets Maslow's theory of motivation by inviting…

E-Quality in the Workplace: Quality Circles or Quality of Working Life Programs in the US.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savage, Grant T.; Romano, Richard

Quality Circle (QC) and Quality of Working Life (QWL) in the United States are similar in that both stress participative decision making, preserve management's prerogative to have the final say, and are voluntary. QC and QWL programs differ, however, in that labor unions are more involved in QWLs; QCs deal only with technical problems related to…

Implementing the patient circle. Call on patients to help improve perceptions of health care quality.

PubMed

Ostasiewski, P; Fugate, D L

1994-01-01

Adapting the quality-circle concept to a health care setting helped one hospital solve a problem and boosted its image among patients. The "patient circle" technique is one step health care providers can take toward delivering "total customer value," a quality perception that can mean the difference between surviving and thriving in the future.

Improving quality of care in general practices by self-audit, benchmarking and quality circles.

PubMed

Mahlknecht, Angelika; Abuzahra, Muna E; Piccoliori, Giuliano; Enthaler, Nina; Engl, Adolf; Sönnichsen, Andreas

2016-10-01

Guideline adherence of general practitioners (GP) regarding treatment of chronic conditions shows room for improvement. Thus, concepts have to be designed to promote quality of care. The aim of the interventional study "Improvement of Quality by Benchmarking" was to assess whether quality can be improved by self-auditing, benchmarking and quality circles in Salzburg (Austria) and South Tyrol (Italy). In this publication we present the Austrian results. Quality indicators were developed in a consensus process for eight chronic diseases based on pre-existing quality management systems. A quality score consisting of 35 indicators was calculated (0-5 points per indicator depending on fulfilment, maximum 175 points). Data were extracted from the electronic health records of participating practices in 2012, 2013 and 2014. A statistical pre-post analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. A total of 20 GPs participated in the project. The mean quality score increased from 62.0 at baseline to 84.0 at the second follow-up (p = 0.003). Regarding the individual quality indicators, strong improvements were achieved between baseline and first follow-up, especially in process indicators concerning documentation. Between the first and second follow-up, quality remained in most cases at the same level. The validity of results is limited because of structural and technical problems. Due to the uncontrolled pre-post design we cannot exclude external influences on the results. Nevertheless, the intervention was able to improve measured quality of care. Barriers were detected that should be considered in a possible implementation of quality control programs.

Quality Control Circles: A Vehicle for Just-in-Time Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sepehri, Mehran

1985-01-01

Explains just-in-time (JIT) material flow and production, a method of production designed to eliminate waste. Discusses why quality control circles work so well with a JIT system, and describes how several companies have made JIT work for them. (CT)

Quality Circles: An Innovative Program to Improve Military Hospitals

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

quality control. However, Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa is credited with starting the first "Quality Control Circles" and registering them with the Japanese Union of...McGregor and Abraham Maslow into a unique style of management. In 1962 Dr. Ishikawa , a professor at Tokyo University, developed the QC concept based on...RECOMMENDATIONS Conclusions The QC concept has come a long way since Dr. Ishikawa gave it birth in 1962. It has left an enviable record of success along its

Revisiting Cyberbullying in Schools Using the Quality Circle Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Simone; Smith, Peter K.; Blumberg, Herbert H.

2012-01-01

An earlier study reported the use of Quality Circles (QC) in a UK school in the context of understanding and reducing bullying and cyberbullying. Here, we report further work in the same school setting. The QC approach allows explorative analysis of problems in school settings, whereby students embark on a problem-solving exercise over a period of…

A Spring Playscape Project: Building a Tree Circle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeler, Rusty

2009-01-01

The Tree Circle is a green gathering area for children made by planting trees in a circle. For children, the Tree Circle becomes a magical place for dramatic play, quiet retreat, or lively nature exploration. For teachers and parents it becomes a shady grove for snacks and stories. The trees create a sweet spot that changes during the seasons and…

[Does implementation of benchmarking in quality circles improve the quality of care of patients with asthma and reduce drug interaction?].

PubMed

Kaufmann-Kolle, Petra; Szecsenyi, Joachim; Broge, Björn; Haefeli, Walter Emil; Schneider, Antonius

2011-01-01

The purpose of this cluster-randomised controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of quality circles (QCs) working either with general data-based feedback or with an open benchmark within the field of asthma care and drug-drug interactions. Twelve QCs, involving 96 general practitioners from 85 practices, were randomised. Six QCs worked with traditional anonymous feedback and six with an open benchmark. Two QC meetings supported with feedback reports were held covering the topics "drug-drug interactions" and "asthma"; in both cases discussions were guided by a trained moderator. Outcome measures included health-related quality of life and patient satisfaction with treatment, asthma severity and number of potentially inappropriate drug combinations as well as the general practitioners' satisfaction in relation to the performance of the QC. A significant improvement in the treatment of asthma was observed in both trial arms. However, there was only a slight improvement regarding inappropriate drug combinations. There were no relevant differences between the group with open benchmark (B-QC) and traditional quality circles (T-QC). The physicians' satisfaction with the QC performance was significantly higher in the T-QCs. General practitioners seem to take a critical perspective about open benchmarking in quality circles. Caution should be used when implementing benchmarking in a quality circle as it did not improve healthcare when compared to the traditional procedure with anonymised comparisons. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Quality Circles: Can They Be Used in Training and Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schutten, A. J.

Although there is little literature on the topic, there seems to be no reason why quality circles (QCs) could not be implemented in an educational organization. The most important obstacles are the seeming lack of tangible results in education, the lack of a tradition of group decision making and participative management, and the confusion over…

Forging Institutional Links: Making Quality Circles Work in the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Robert E.; Tachiki, Dennis S.

1984-01-01

The authors discuss the top three problems reported to hinder the spread of quality circles and evaluate selected solutions to them. The top problems include middle management resistance, lack of top management support, and employee resistance or apathy. Solutions discussed include social recognition and economic rewards. (CT)

Evaluating Quality Circles in a College of Further Education. Manchester Monographs 31.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkinson, Tim

Quality circles (QCs) are small volunteer groups of workers who meet weekly with a trained leader operating to a strict code of conduct. They use techniques of brainstorming, cause and effect classification, pareto analysis, and presentation to consider work-related problems and recommend solutions to management. QCs have been tried in educational…

The Establishment of a Quality Circles Program and Its Effect on Employee Attitudes, Morale, and Performance at an Army Medical Treatment Facility.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-08-01

more times. Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa , a professor at the University of Tokyo and a board member of JUSE, used the efforts of Dr. Juran as the background for...his later work with quality circles. Dr. Ishikawa and the JUSE are generally credited with formalizing the modern Japanese quality circle technique in

Classification by causes of dark circles and appropriate evaluation method of dark circles.

PubMed

Park, S R; Kim, H J; Park, H K; Kim, J Y; Kim, N S; Byun, K S; Moon, T K; Byun, J W; Moon, J H; Choi, G S

2016-08-01

Dark circles refer to a symptom that present darkness under the eyes. Because of improvement in the quality of life, the dark circles have been recognized as one of major cosmetic concerns. However, it is not easy to classify the dark circles because they have various causes. To select suitable instruments and detailed evaluation items, the dark circles were classified according to the causes through visual assessment, Wood's lamp test, and medical history survey for 100 subjects with dark circles. After the classification, were newly recruited for instrument conformity assessment. Through this, suitable instruments for dark circle evaluation were selected. We performed a randomized clinical trial for dark circles, a placebo-controlled double-blind study, using effective parameters of the instruments selected from the preliminary test. Dark circles of vascular type (35%) and mixed type (54%), a combination of pigmented and vascular types, were the most common. Twenty four subjects with the mixed type dark circles applied the test product (Vitamin C 3%, Vitamin A 0.1%, Vitamin E 0.5%) and placebo on randomized split-face for 8 weeks. The effective parameters (L*, a, M.I., E.I., quasi L*, quasi a* and dermal thickness) were measured during the study period. Result showed that the L* value of Chromameter(®) , Melanin index (M.I.) of Mexameter(®) and quasi L* value obtained by image analysis improved with statistical significance after applying the test product compared with the placebo product. We classified the dark circles according to the causes of the dark circles and verified the reliability of the parameter obtained by the instrument conformity assessment used in this study through the efficacy evaluation. Also based on this study, we were to suggest newly established methods which can be applied to the evaluation of efficacy of functional cosmetics for dark circles. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Inside Larry's Circle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Alice

2009-01-01

Last spring, students from several North Carolina middle schools were invited to participate in the annual Celebrate the Arts festival in Columbus Country. Larry Hewett, a local art teacher, had been selected to instruct the middle-school students. Larry's River Rock Circles project was made as the starting point for the Celebrate the Arts…

Circling "the Scourge"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Bess

2005-01-01

In Kenya alone, where the infection rate is estimated to have reached 13 percent of the population, 27,000 teachers will die and more than 2 million children will lose one or both parents to AIDS in the next five years. The Kenyan project uses "study circles," in which teachers learn together about HIV, script new sexual behaviors for…

The study circle as a tool in multiple sclerosis patient education in Sweden

PubMed Central

Landtblom, Anne-Marie; Lang, Cecilia; Flensner, Gullvi

2008-01-01

Objective Patient education plays an important role in the management of chronic diseases that can cause disability and predictable psychosocial problems. Quality of life assessment in multiple sclerosis (MS) has confirmed that psychosocial complications related to working life, marriage/partnership, and the family often occur. Furthermore, symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and sexual dysfunction have a great impact. We wanted to develop and implement study circles to promote the patients’ abilities to meet such common problems and to provide a network where they can be autonomous and develop appropriate strategies in self-care and existential problems. Methods Together with the MS patient organization and a study association, we have arranged study circles for patients with MS, thus providing structured information according to a pedagogic model. The patients are encouraged to work together in groups to learn about the disease and its key symptoms, to develop strategies to master these symptoms in everyday life, and to make necessary changes, ie, self-care management. The programme also contains handicap policies. Results Fifteen study circles with a total of 105 patients started during the first year. Fifteen circle leaders were approved. A focus interview showed that the patients are highly satisfied but also revealed some problems in interactions with health care professionals. The study circles were included in a wider project from a newly started multidisciplinary centre for health education for a variety of chronic diseases causing disability, which aims at becoming a regional interface between the health care system, patient organizations, and educational services. Conclusion The study circles have an important role to play in the management of MS. Good organization is required to make such a project work since health care services do not normally work so closely with patient organizations and educational services. Practice implications Study circles that

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Effect of Quality Circles on Twelve Attitudinal Variables.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

task of rebuilding its industrial capabilities which had been largely destroyed during the war. Japanese leaders had a goal of making their country an...members, providing support when necessary, and acting as a liaison between the circles and other organizations. The circle leader or supervisor...34" " .-.-- • .- .".-",,-, . -.- -,: ".’-"’ -. -. .,-’,: Top & Middle - Management Steering Committee Supervisors . . . ....- Circle Circle Leaders Facilitator Employees Circle Members Source

The True Cost of Quality in Early Care and Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Billie

2005-01-01

Questions on the gap between the price parents pay and the "true cost" of quality care were the catalyst for the True Cost of Quality (TCOQ) project launched in the spring of 2001 by the City of Seattle's Northwest Finance Circle. The mission of the Northwest Finance Circle, a community collaboration, was to improve and expand the…

Quality Circles at Wilford Hall U.S.A.F. Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas: Some Preliminary Findings

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

relationships which can be identified from one sample population and generalized to cause and effect in different persons, settings, and times...affect the cause-and-effect relationship which one can draw with a civilian group? Will it be pos- sible to generalize about other groups within... relationship about quality circles obtained in a military health care facility be generalized to a civil- ian one? Can a causal relationship about quality

Practical Environmental Education and Local Contribution in the Environmental Science Laboratory Circle in the College of Science and Technology in Nihon University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taniai, Tetsuyuki; Ito, Ken-Ichi; Sakamaki, Hiroshi

In this paper, we presented a method and knowledge about a practical and project management education and local contribution obtained through the student activities of “Environmental science laboratory circle in the College of Science and technology in Nihon University” from 1991 to 2001. In this circle, four major projects were acted such as research, protection, clean up and enlightenment projects. Due to some problems from inside or outside of this circle, this circle projects have been stopped. The diffusion and popularization of the internet technology will help to resolve some of these problems.

Dark Circles under Eyes

MedlinePlus

Symptoms Dark circles under eyes By Mayo Clinic Staff Dark circles under your eyes generally implies that the darkening ... eye. Fatigue is the most common cause of dark circles under your eyes. Sometimes, what appear to ...

Impact of quality circles for improvement of asthma care: results of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Schneider, Antonius; Wensing, Michel; Biessecker, Kathrin; Quinzler, Renate; Kaufmann-Kolle, Petra; Szecsenyi, Joachim

2008-01-01

Rationale and aims Quality circles (QCs) are well established as a means of aiding doctors. New quality improvement strategies include benchmarking activities. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy of QCs for asthma care working either with general feedback or with an open benchmark. Methods Twelve QCs, involving 96 general practitioners, were organized in a randomized controlled trial. Six worked with traditional anonymous feedback and six with an open benchmark; both had guided discussion from a trained moderator. Forty-three primary care practices agreed to give out questionnaires to patients to evaluate the efficacy of QCs. Results A total of 256 patients participated in the survey, of whom 185 (72.3%) responded to the follow-up 1 year later. Use of inhaled steroids at baseline was high (69%) and self-management low (asthma education 27%, individual emergency plan 8%, and peak flow meter at home 21%). Guideline adherence in drug treatment increased (P = 0.19), and asthma steps improved (P = 0.02). Delivery of individual emergency plans increased (P = 0.008), and unscheduled emergency visits decreased (P = 0.064). There was no change in asthma education and peak flow meter usage. High medication guideline adherence was associated with reduced emergency visits (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.07–0.89). Use of theophylline was associated with hospitalization (OR 7.1; 95% CI 1.5–34.3) and emergency visits (OR 4.9; 95% CI 1.6–14.7). There was no difference between traditional and benchmarking QCs. Conclusions Quality circles working with individualized feedback are effective at improving asthma care. The trial may have been underpowered to detect specific benchmarking effects. Further research is necessary to evaluate strategies for improving the self-management of asthma patients. PMID:18093108

Circle of influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Andrew

2018-04-01

The founder of the Vienna Circle – a polymathic and influential group of intellectuals dedicated to the philosophy of science from the late 1920s until the Nazi takeover of Austria in 1938 – was German philosopher and physicist Moritz Schlick. Karl Sigmund's latest book – Exact Thinking in Demented Times: the Vienna Circle and the Epic Quest for the Foundations of Science – tells the story of the Vienna Circle's ideas and personalities.

Making Morning Circle Meaningful

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruce, Susan; Fasy, Cara; Gulick, Jessica; Jones, Jill; Pike, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

Morning Circle, also known as Morning Meeting, is often a daily lesson in both general education and special education classrooms. The primary purpose of the Circle is to support each child to establish membership in the class while developing a classroom community and culture. The Responsive Classroom Approach recommends four Circle components:…

Promoting Staff Support in Schools: Solution Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Emma; Henderson, Linda

2012-01-01

The Solution Circle (SC) approach is a flexible tool which encourages participants to maintain a positive, creative approach to problem-solving. This project focussed on the introduction of this approach to staff in a primary and a secondary school. The rationale was to implement a problem-solving/discussion tool that would allow staff to utilise…

Traffic Circle Model

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-05-01

The report describes a dynamic model of a traffic circle which has been implemented on a CRT display terminal. The model includes sufficient parameters to allow changes in the structure of the traffic circle, the frequency of traffic introduced to th...

Circles of support and accountability: The characteristics of core members in England and Wales.

PubMed

Clarke, Martin; Warwick, Leah; Völlm, Birgit

2017-04-01

Circles of support and accountability, or Circles, use community volunteers to help reintegrate sex offenders at risk of reoffending in the community. The aims of this study are to describe the first 275 male sex offenders ('core members') in England and Wales supported by a Circle and to compare those attending the five largest Circles. As part of their monitoring activity, 10 Circles extracted data from case files, anonymised it and submitted it to Circles UK, the national oversight body. Circles have expanded rapidly with 165 (60%) of Circles commencing in the three years 2011-2013 compared with 110 in the nine years 2002-2010. Most core members were referred from the Probation Service (82%). Circles were provided to men with a range of predicted risks of reoffending - from low (26%) to very high (12%). There were some positive changes between the beginning and end of Circles, such as fewer men being unemployed and more living in their own chosen accommodation. Circles have been used to support the reintegration of a wide range of sex offenders. Given their rapid growth and flexibility, consistent recording standards are required across. These standards should be reviewed periodically to ensure all important fields of change are captured, including frequency of attendance, length per session and quality of engagement in the work. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Flat panel detector-based cone beam computed tomography with a circle-plus-two-arcs data acquisition orbit: preliminary phantom study.

PubMed

Ning, Ruola; Tang, Xiangyang; Conover, David; Yu, Rongfeng

2003-07-01

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been investigated in the past two decades due to its potential advantages over a fan beam CT. These advantages include (a) great improvement in data acquisition efficiency, spatial resolution, and spatial resolution uniformity, (b) substantially better utilization of x-ray photons generated by the x-ray tube compared to a fan beam CT, and (c) significant advancement in clinical three-dimensional (3D) CT applications. However, most studies of CBCT in the past are focused on cone beam data acquisition theories and reconstruction algorithms. The recent development of x-ray flat panel detectors (FPD) has made CBCT imaging feasible and practical. This paper reports a newly built flat panel detector-based CBCT prototype scanner and presents the results of the preliminary evaluation of the prototype through a phantom study. The prototype consisted of an x-ray tube, a flat panel detector, a GE 8800 CT gantry, a patient table and a computer system. The prototype was constructed by modifying a GE 8800 CT gantry such that both a single-circle cone beam acquisition orbit and a circle-plus-two-arcs orbit can be achieved. With a circle-plus-two-arcs orbit, a complete set of cone beam projection data can be obtained, consisting of a set of circle projections and a set of arc projections. Using the prototype scanner, the set of circle projections were acquired by rotating the x-ray tube and the FPD together on the gantry, and the set of arc projections were obtained by tilting the gantry while the x-ray tube and detector were at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions, respectively. A filtered backprojection exact cone beam reconstruction algorithm based on a circle-plus-two-arcs orbit was used for cone beam reconstruction from both the circle and arc projections. The system was first characterized in terms of the linearity and dynamic range of the detector. Then the uniformity, spatial resolution and low contrast resolution were assessed using

Expanding-Circle Students Learning "Standard English" in the Outer-Circle Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, Yoko

2011-01-01

Drawing upon Kachru's concentric circles of English, the present study explores whether middle-class Japanese students who chose to study English solo at private language schools in Singapore diverge from many others who (wish to) study inner-circle English. The study is stimulated by the repeated interdisciplinary findings that, in spite of the…

Quality Control in construction.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

behavioral scientists. In 1962, Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa gave shape to the form of training which featured intradepartmental groups of ten or so workers seated...and Japanese circles bears closer scrutiny. 4.3.1 Japanese Ingredients of Quality The founder of quality circles, Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa , gives six...around 51 a table; hence the name Quality Control Circle. 4 Dr. 0 Ishikawa was an engineering professor at Tokyo University, and the circles were

A Round Is a Circle...

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyarsky, Terry L.

2006-01-01

Circles are everywhere and endlessly intriguing. We know, sense, and feel them in time, space, sound, and the cycles of nature. A person's life contains spirals, repetitions, going out and coming back. Poets write of circles; composers write song cycles. Circles are at the root of the curriculum, concepts deep yet accessible, infinite in their…

Seal of transparency heritage in the CISMeF quality-controlled health gateway

PubMed Central

Darmoni, SJ; Dahamna, B; Roth-Berghofer, Thomas R

2004-01-01

Background It is an absolute necessity to continually assess the quality of health information on the Internet. Quality-controlled subject gateways are Internet services which apply a selected set of targeted measures to support systematic resource discovery. Methods The CISMeF health gateway became a contributor to the MedCIRCLE project to evaluate 270 health information providers. The transparency heritage consists of using the evaluation performed on providers that are referenced in the CISMeF catalogue for evaluating the documents they publish, thus passing on the transparency label from the publishers to their documents. Results Each site rated in CISMeF has a record in the CISMeF database that generates an RDF into HTML file. The search tool Doc'CISMeF displays information originating from every publisher evaluated with a specific MedCIRCLE button, which is linked to the MedCIRCLE central repository. Starting with 270 websites, this trust heritage has led to 6,480 evaluated resources in CISMeF (49.8% of the 13,012 resources included in CISMeF). Conclusion With the MedCIRCLE project and transparency heritage, CISMeF became an explicit third party. PMID:15367332

Evaluating Quality Circles in U.S. Industry: A Feasibility Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-30

are the following: whether the ,.-~. .- "i. 24 circle is cost-effective, whether it deals with long-range rather than crisis problems, whether the...Chapter 4. The evolution of the Japanese instruments took into consideration the nature of the Japanese work setting. To assist in the transculturation ...crises rather than implementing long-term change? Name____________________ Short-term, Long-Term, Title______________________ crisis on-going oriented

Walking straight into circles.

PubMed

Souman, Jan L; Frissen, Ilja; Sreenivasa, Manish N; Ernst, Marc O

2009-09-29

Common belief has it that people who get lost in unfamiliar terrain often end up walking in circles. Although uncorroborated by empirical data, this belief has widely permeated popular culture. Here, we tested the ability of humans to walk on a straight course through unfamiliar terrain in two different environments: a large forest area and the Sahara desert. Walking trajectories of several hours were captured via global positioning system, showing that participants repeatedly walked in circles when they could not see the sun. Conversely, when the sun was visible, participants sometimes veered from a straight course but did not walk in circles. We tested various explanations for this walking behavior by assessing the ability of people to maintain a fixed course while blindfolded. Under these conditions, participants walked in often surprisingly small circles (diameter < 20 m), though rarely in a systematic direction. These results rule out a general explanation in terms of biomechanical asymmetries or other general biases [1-6]. Instead, they suggest that veering from a straight course is the result of accumulating noise in the sensorimotor system, which, without an external directional reference to recalibrate the subjective straight ahead, may cause people to walk in circles.

Experiments Testing the Causes of Namibian Fairy Circles.

PubMed

Tschinkel, Walter R

2015-01-01

The grasslands on the sandy soils of the eastern edge of the Namib Desert of Namibia are strikingly punctuated by millions of mostly regularly-spaced circular bare spots 2 to 10 m or more in diameter, generally with a margin of taller grasses. The causes of these so called fairy circles are unknown, but several hypotheses have been advanced. In October 2009, we set up experiments that specifically tested four hypothesized causes, and monitored these 5 times between 2009 and 2015. Grass exclusion in circles due to seepage of subterranean vapors or gases was tested by burying an impermeable barrier beneath fairy circles, but seedling density and growth did not differ from barrier-less controls. Plant germination and growth inhibition by allelochemicals or nutrient deficiencies in fairy circle soils were tested by transferring fairy circle soil to artificially cleared circles in the grassy matrix, and matrix soil to fairy circles (along with circle to circle and matrix to matrix controls). None of the transfers changed the seedling density and growth from the control reference conditions. Limitation of plant growth due to micronutrient depletion within fairy circles was tested by supplementing circles with a micronutrient mixture, but did not result in differences in plant seedling density and growth. Short-range vegetation competitive feedbacks were tested by creating artificially-cleared circles of 2 or 4 m diameter located 2 or 6 m from a natural fairy circle. The natural circles remained bare and the artificial circles revegetated. These four experiments provided evidence that fairy circles were not caused by subterranean vapors, that fairy circle soil per se did not inhibit plant growth, and that the circles were not caused by micronutrient deficiency. There was also no evidence that vegetative feedbacks affected fairy circles on a 2 to 10 m scale. Landscape-scale vegetative self-organization is discussed as a more likely cause of fairy circles.

Vicious Circles in Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masuch, Michael

1985-01-01

After examining some elementary notions of action theory and cybernetics, this article analyzes the dynamics, clustering, and survival chances of vicious circles. It argues that the action perspective implies that many structural suboptimalities of organizations are caused by vicious circles. Eleven figures and 105 references are provided. (DCS)

Literature Circles. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Chia-Hui

The use of literature circles has been discussed in a variety of academic journals, conference papers, and workshops. Teachers at all grade levels use literature circles as a vehicle through which students learn to: think critically about literature; express their thoughts in oral and written forms; and better enjoy their literacy experiences.…

Polygons and Their Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Paul

2009-01-01

In order to find its circumference, Archimedes famously boxed the circle between two polygons. Ending the first of a series of articles (MT179) with an aside, Francis Lopez-Real reverses the situation to ask: Which polygons can be boxed between two circles? (The official term for such polygons is "bicentric".) The sides of these polygons are…

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Citizen Science Projects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Quality Assurance Project Plan is necessary for every project that collects or uses environmental data. It documents the project planning process and serves as a blueprint for how your project will run.

Amplification of telomeric arrays via rolling-circle mechanism.

PubMed

Nosek, Jozef; Rycovska, Adriana; Makhov, Alexander M; Griffith, Jack D; Tomaska, Lubomir

2005-03-18

Alternative (telomerase-independent) lengthening of telomeres mediated through homologous recombination is often accompanied by a generation of extrachromosomal telomeric circles (t-circles), whose role in direct promotion of recombinational telomere elongation has been recently demonstrated. Here we present evidence that t-circles in a natural telomerase-deficient system of mitochondria of the yeast Candida parapsilosis replicate independently of the linear chromosome via a rolling-circle mechanism. This is supported by an observation of (i) single-stranded DNA consisting of concatameric arrays of telomeric sequence, (ii) lasso-shaped molecules representing rolling-circle intermediates, and (iii) preferential incorporation of deoxyribonucleotides into telomeric fragments and t-circles. Analysis of naturally occurring variant t-circles revealed conserved motifs with potential function in driving the rolling-circle replication. These data indicate that extrachromosomal t-circles observed in a wide variety of organisms, including yeasts, plants, Xenopus laevis, and certain human cell lines, may represent independent replicons generating telomeric sequences and, thus, actively participating in telomere dynamics. Moreover, because of the promiscuous occurrence of t-circles across phyla, the results from yeast mitochondria have implications related to the primordial system of telomere maintenance, providing a paradigm for evolution of telomeres in nuclei of early eukaryotes.

Rolling-circle amplification under topological constraints

PubMed Central

Kuhn, Heiko; Demidov, Vadim V.; Frank-Kamenetskii, Maxim D.

2002-01-01

We have performed rolling-circle amplification (RCA) reactions on three DNA templates that differ distinctly in their topology: an unlinked DNA circle, a linked DNA circle within a pseudorotaxane-type structure and a linked DNA circle within a catenane. In the linked templates, the single-stranded circle (dubbed earring probe) is threaded, with the aid of two peptide nucleic acid openers, between the two strands of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). We have found that the RCA efficiency of amplification was essentially unaffected when the linked templates were employed. By showing that the DNA catenane remains intact after RCA reactions, we prove that certain DNA polymerases can carry out the replicative synthesis under topological constraints allowing detection of several hundred copies of a dsDNA marker without DNA denaturation. Our finding may have practical implications in the area of DNA diagnostics. PMID:11788721

United States Participation in the Pacific Circle Consortium. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR.

The goal of the Pacific Circle Project is to improve international and intercultural understanding among the people and nations of the Pacific. Consortium member countries are Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Within the countries are chosen member institutions. Two major types of activities of the consortium are the exchange…

Yoctomole electrochemical genosensing of Ebola virus cDNA by rolling circle and circle to circle amplification.

PubMed

Carinelli, S; Kühnemund, M; Nilsson, M; Pividori, M I

2017-07-15

This work addresses the design of an Ebola diagnostic test involving a simple, rapid, specific and highly sensitive procedure based on isothermal amplification on magnetic particles with electrochemical readout. Ebola padlock probes were designed to detect a specific L-gene sequence present in the five most common Ebola species. Ebola cDNA was amplified by rolling circle amplification (RCA) on magnetic particles. Further re-amplification was performed by circle-to-circle amplification (C2CA) and the products were detected in a double-tagging approach using a biotinylated capture probe for immobilization on magnetic particles and a readout probe for electrochemical detection by square-wave voltammetry on commercial screen-printed electrodes. The electrochemical genosensor was able to detect as low as 200 ymol, corresponding to 120 cDNA molecules of L-gene Ebola virus with a limit of detection of 33 cDNA molecules. The isothermal double-amplification procedure by C2CA combined with the electrochemical readout and the magnetic actuation enables the high sensitivity, resulting in a rapid, inexpensive, robust and user-friendly sensing strategy that offers a promising approach for the primary care in low resource settings, especially in less developed countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CIRCLE Enhancement After Myopic SMILE.

PubMed

Siedlecki, Jakob; Luft, Nikolaus; Mayer, Wolfgang J; Siedlecki, Martin; Kook, Daniel; Meyer, Bertram; Bechmann, Martin; Wiltfang, Rainer; Priglinger, Siegfried G; Dirisamer, Martin

2018-05-01

To report the outcomes of enhancement after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) using the VisuMax CIRCLE option (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany), which converts the SMILE cap into a femtosecond LASIK flap for secondary excimer laser application. Of 2,065 SMILE procedures, 22 eyes (1.1%) re-treated with CIRCLE with a follow-up of 3 months were included in the analysis. SMILE was performed in the usual manner. For re-treatment, the CIRCLE procedure was performed with pattern D flap creation on the VisuMax system and subsequent excimer laser ablation with a Zeiss MEL 90 laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec) with plano target in all cases. Spherical equivalent was -5.56 ± 2.22 diopters (D) before SMILE and -0.51 ± 1.08 D before CIRCLE. CIRCLE enhancement was performed after a mean of 10.0 ± 7.9 months, allowed for safe flap lifting in all eyes, and resulted in a final manifest refraction spherical equivalent of 0.18 ± 0.31 D at 3 months (P < .008). The number of eyes within 0.50 and 1.00 D from target refraction increased from 31.8% to 90.9% and from 77.3% to 100%, respectively. Mean uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) had already improved from 0.37 ± 0.16 to 0.08 ± 0.16 logMAR at 1 week (P < .0001), resulting in 0.03 ± 0.07 logMAR at 3 months (P < .0001). All eyes gained at least one line of UDVA. Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) remained unchanged at all time points (before vs after CIRCLE, P = .40). Two eyes (9.1 %) lost one line of CDVA; no eye lost two or more lines. The safety and efficacy indices were 1.03 and 0.97 at 3 months. The CIRCLE procedure represents an effective re-treatment option after SMILE. Compared to surface ablation re-treatment after SMILE, CIRCLE seems to offer advantages in respect to speed of visual recovery, safety, and predictability, but at the price of flap creation. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(5):304-309.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

75 FR 67095 - Rate Adjustments for Indian Irrigation Projects

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-01

...-7111. Duck Valley Irrigation Project.... Joseph McDade, Superintendent, 1555 Shoshone Circle, Elko, NV.... *. 5.75 acre-feet. Excess Water per 17.00 17.00 acre-foot over 5.75 acre-feet. Duck Valley Irrigation...)). Information Quality Act In developing this notice, we did not conduct or use a study, experiment, or survey...

Circle Time Revisited: How Do Preschool Classrooms Use This Part of the Day?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bustamante, Andres S.; Hindman, Annemarie H.; Champagne, Carly R.; Wasik, Barbara A.

2018-01-01

Circle time is a near universally used preschool activity; however, little research has explored its nature, content, and quality. This study examined activity types, teacher and child talk, child engagement, and classroom quality in a sample of public preschool classrooms in an urban, high-poverty school district. Results demonstrated that…

Introducing Nine-Point Circle to Junior High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiangga, S.; Azizah, M. A. N.; Rini, R. N. K.; Hidayanti, A. N.

2018-01-01

The concept of circles is an ancient concept that has appeared since Ancient Egypt from which this concept gives many significant contributions in mathematics’ development until now. Nevertheless, the concept of circles hides many uncover mysterious features that are of applications in mathematics. One of the mysterious features is the Nine-Point Circle. This Nine-point circle is also known as Euler’s circle, six-point circle, Feuerbach’s circle, the twelve-point circle, and many others. Because of these different names, there have been misunderstand among mathematicians about the Nine-Point Circle’s history. Besides, the discussion of Nine-Point Circle can be used to be an initial material to explain elementary geometry topic in junior high school’s level curriculum of 2013. Therefore, this concept needs to be delivered to the students as a geometry introduction. A possible form of the integration historical aspect of Nine-point circle is suggested in this paper as well as its importance in the curriculum of 2013.

Topographic control of sorted circle morphology on Svalbard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voigt, Joana; Hauber, Ernst; Reiss, Dennis; Hiesinger, Harald; Johnsson, Andreas; van Gasselt, Stephan; Balme, Matt; Head, Jim; de Verra, Jean-Pierre; Steinbrügge, Gregor; Jaumann, Ralf

2015-04-01

). For these morphologies, we also measured the slope, aspect and TWI to correlate the topographical parameters with the geomorphological characteristics of the patterned ground, and with predictions from modeling [7]. Our results confirm that the dependence of morphology on topography of sorted circles can be measured using a combination of plan-view and topographic remote sensing data. Thus, as the same quality of data is available on Mars, these same measurements could be made there in order to test whether the circle morphology depends on the local relief patterns in the same ways as in our terrestrial study. A positive result would argue that the Martian features may have formed in the same way (freeze-thaw) as the terrestrial ones. [1] Washburn, A.L. (1956) Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull. 67, 823-866. [2] Balme et al. (2013) Prog. Phys. Geog. 37, 289-324. [3] Balme et al. (2009) Icarus 200, 30-38. [4] Kreslavsky, M.A., Head, J.W. (2014) LPSC 45, abstract 2715. [5] Hauber et al. (2011) GSA Spec. Paper 483, 177-201. [6] Tolgensbakk, J., Sollid, J.L. (1987) Kvadehuksletta, Geomorfologi og Kvartærgeologi (geomorphological map; scale 1:10,000), Universitet i Oslo. [7] Kessler, M.A., Werner, B.T. (2003) Science 299, 380-383.

The Director Circle of a Central Conic Section

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayoub, Ayoub B.

2007-01-01

Each ellipse and hyperbola has a circle associated with it called the director circle. In this article, the author derives the equations of the circle for the ellipse and hyperbola through a different approach. Then the author concentrates on the director circle of the central conic given by the general quadratic equation. The content of this…

The pentag meridian circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemiro, A. A.

The opticomechanical scheme of a pentag meridian circle is presented. The central rotating part of the instrument, made of sitall (cer-vit), is compact and uniform, making it possible to minimize the gravitational and thermal deformations. It is shown that variations of the orientation of the central part do not affect observations because of the use of the pentag. Formulas are presented for determining the collimation error and zero point of the circle using autocollimation readings.

A Novel Pairwise Comparison-Based Method to Determine Radiation Dose Reduction Potentials of Iterative Reconstruction Algorithms, Exemplified Through Circle of Willis Computed Tomography Angiography.

PubMed

Ellmann, Stephan; Kammerer, Ferdinand; Brand, Michael; Allmendinger, Thomas; May, Matthias S; Uder, Michael; Lell, Michael M; Kramer, Manuel

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the dose reduction potential of iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms in computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the circle of Willis using a novel method of evaluating the quality of radiation dose-reduced images. This study relied on ReconCT, a proprietary reconstruction software that allows simulating CT scans acquired with reduced radiation dose based on the raw data of true scans. To evaluate the performance of ReconCT in this regard, a phantom study was performed to compare the image noise of true and simulated scans within simulated vessels of a head phantom. That followed, 10 patients scheduled for CTA of the circle of Willis were scanned according to our institute's standard protocol (100 kV, 145 reference mAs). Subsequently, CTA images of these patients were reconstructed as either a full-dose weighted filtered back projection or with radiation dose reductions down to 10% of the full-dose level and Sinogram-Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction (SAFIRE) with either strength 3 or 5. Images were marked with arrows pointing on vessels of different sizes, and image pairs were presented to observers. Five readers assessed image quality with 2-alternative forced choice comparisons. In the phantom study, no significant differences were observed between the noise levels of simulated and true scans in filtered back projection, SAFIRE 3, and SAFIRE 5 reconstructions.The dose reduction potential for patient scans showed a strong dependence on IR strength as well as on the size of the vessel of interest. Thus, the potential radiation dose reductions ranged from 84.4% for the evaluation of great vessels reconstructed with SAFIRE 5 to 40.9% for the evaluation of small vessels reconstructed with SAFIRE 3. This study provides a novel image quality evaluation method based on 2-alternative forced choice comparisons. In CTA of the circle of Willis, higher IR strengths and greater vessel sizes allowed higher degrees of radiation dose

A new measuring method for motion accuracy of 3-axis NC equipments based on composite trajectory of circle and non-circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Du, Zhengchun; Yang, Jiangguo; Hong, Maisheng

2011-12-01

Geometric motion error measurement has been considered as an important task for accuracy enhancement and quality assurance of NC machine tools and CMMs. In consideration of the disadvantages of traditional measuring methods,a new measuring method for motion accuracy of 3-axis NC equipments based on composite trajectory including circle and non-circle(straight line and/or polygonal line) is proposed. The principles and techniques of the new measuring method are discussed in detail. 8 feasible measuring strategies based on different measuring groupings are summarized and optimized. The experiment of the most preferable strategy is carried out on the 3-axis CNC vertical machining center Cincinnati 750 Arrow by using cross grid encoder. The whole measuring time of 21 error components of the new method is cut down to 1-2 h because of easy installation, adjustment, operation and the characteristics of non-contact measurement. Result shows that the new method is suitable for `on machine" measurement and has good prospects of wide application.

Projecting manpower to attain quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rone, K. Y.

1983-01-01

The resulting model is useful as a projection tool but must be validated in order to be used as an on-going software cost engineering tool. A procedure is developed to facilitate the tracking of model projections and actual data to allow the model to be tuned. Finally, since the model must be used in an environment of overlapping development activities on a progression of software elements in development and maintenance, a manpower allocation model is developed for use in a steady state development/maintenance environment. In these days of soaring software costs it becomes increasingly important to properly manage a software development project. One element of the management task is the projection and tracking of manpower required to perform the task. In addition, since the total cost of the task is directly related to the initial quality built into the software, it becomes a necessity to project the development manpower in a way to attain that quality. An approach to projecting and tracking manpower with quality in mind is described.

Campania Region's Educational Quality Facilities Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponti, Giorgio

2009-01-01

This article describes the Educational Quality Facilities project undertaken by Italy's Campania Region to provide quality facilities to all of its communities basing new spaces on the "Flexible Learning Module". The objectives of the five-year project are to: build and equip new educational spaces; improve the quality of existing…

The CHPRC Columbia River Protection Project Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers are working on the CHPRC Columbia River Protection Project (hereafter referred to as the Columbia River Project). This is a follow-on project, funded by CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company, LLC (CHPRC), to the Fluor Hanford, Inc. Columbia River Protection Project. The work scope consists of a number of CHPRC funded, related projects that are managed under a master project (project number 55109). All contract releases associated with the Fluor Hanford Columbia River Project (Fluor Hanford, Inc. Contract 27647) and the CHPRC Columbia River Project (Contract 36402) will be collected under this master project. Each projectmore » within the master project is authorized by a CHPRC contract release that contains the project-specific statement of work. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Columbia River Project staff.« less

The SDM 3 Circle Model: A Literature Synthesis and Adaptation for Shared Decision Making in the Hospital.

PubMed

Rennke, Stephanie; Yuan, Patrick; Monash, Brad; Blankenburg, Rebecca; Chua, Ian; Harman, Stephanie; Sakai, Debbie S; Khan, Adeena; Hilton, Joan F; Shieh, Lisa; Satterfield, Jason

2017-12-01

Patient engagement through shared decision-making (SDM) is increasingly seen as a key component for patient safety, patient satisfaction, and quality of care. Current SDM models do not adequately account for medical and environmental contexts, which may influence medical decisions in the hospital. We identified leading SDM models and reviews to inductively construct a novel SDM model appropriate for the inpatient setting. A team of medicine and pediatric hospitalists reviewed the literature to integrate core SDM concepts and processes and iteratively constructed a synthesized draft model. We then solicited broad SDM expert feedback on the draft model for validation and further refinement. The SDM 3 Circle Model identifies 3 core categories of variables that dynamically interact within an "environmental frame." The resulting Venn diagram includes overlapping circles for (1) patient/family, (2) provider/team, and (3) medical context. The environmental frame includes all external, contextual factors that may influence any of the 3 circles. Existing multistep SDM process models were then rearticulated and contextualized to illustrate how a shared decision might be made. The SDM 3 Circle Model accounts for important environmental and contextual characteristics that vary across settings. The visual emphasis generated by each "circle" and by the environmental frame direct attention to often overlooked interactive forces and has the potential to more precisely define, promote, and improve SDM. This model provides a framework to develop interventions to improve quality and patient safety through SDM and patient engagement for hospitalists. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine.

What Works: Study Circles in the Real World. Best Practices for Producing Community-Wide Study Circles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mengual, Gloria

This document, which is based on information gathered during a 1998 study of how study circle programs contribute to community problem solving, presents best practices for producing community-wide study circles. The best practices are illustrated through stories that are grouped into five sections on the following themes: (1) creating a…

Fostering Classroom Communities through Circling with Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouchard, Karen L.; Hollweck, Trista; Smith, J. David

2016-01-01

Classroom circles have been recognized as a valuable pedagogical approach to develop students' social-emotional learning and to establish a sense of community within a classroom. Until recently, there has been little consideration that teachers, themselves, may benefit from circling experiences. To garner a deeper understanding of circling for…

GENERATING FRACTAL PATTERNS BY USING p-CIRCLE INVERSION

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramírez, José L.; Rubiano, Gustavo N.; Zlobec, Borut Jurčič

2015-10-01

In this paper, we introduce the p-circle inversion which generalizes the classical inversion with respect to a circle (p = 2) and the taxicab inversion (p = 1). We study some basic properties and we also show the inversive images of some basic curves. We apply this new transformation to well-known fractals such as Sierpinski triangle, Koch curve, dragon curve, Fibonacci fractal, among others. Then we obtain new fractal patterns. Moreover, we generalize the method called circle inversion fractal be means of the p-circle inversion.

The "Us" in Discuss: Grouping in Literature Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batchelor, Katherine

2012-01-01

This article describes one middle school teacher's use of literature circles using heterogeneous grouping. It begins with a brief rationale for using literature circles in the language arts classroom. Next, it describes techniques to form literature circles. Then, it shares how to build and establish a supportive environment within each group. It…

The experience of meaning in circle dance

PubMed Central

Borges da Costa, Ana L.; Cox, Diane L.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Circle dance, which derives from the tradition of folk dances, is practised worldwide. This article explores the meanings participants attribute to it. In-depth interviews with 39 participants, teachers and coordinators of teacher training programmes from the circle dance network in the United Kingdom were undertaken. Applying a constructivist grounded theory approach, major categories, representing respectively the experiences of circle dance participants, teachers and coordinators, were developed. This article specifically focuses on the first major category, termed “I can't imagine life without it”, which relates to the experience of 22 dancers. From an occupational perspective, the study reveals how participants realise a sense of meaning and satisfaction through engagement in circle dance and the potential contribution of this occupation to well-being. PMID:27366111

Determining the Effectiveness and Evaluating the Implementation Process of a Quality/Performance Circles System Model to Assist in Institutional Decision Making and Problem Solving at Lakeshore Technical Institute.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladwig, Dennis J.

During the 1982-83 school year, a quality/performance circles system model was implemented at Lakeshore Technical Institute (LTI) to promote greater participation by staff in decision making and problem solving. All management staff at the college (N=45) were invited to participate in the process, and 39 volunteered. Non-management staff (N=240)…

Developing Soft Skills Using "Literature Circles"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azmi, Mohd Nazri Bin Latiff

2013-01-01

This study investigates the impact of the implementation of "Literature Circles" in an Active Learning classroom in relations to developing soft skills among university students. The use of Literature Circles is a well-known strategy in teaching the students to be more creative, independent, and think out of the box. A group of…

The Virtuous Circles of Clinical Information Systems: a Modern Utopia.

PubMed

Degoulet, P

2016-11-10

Clinical information systems (CIS) are developed with the aim of improving both the efficiency and the quality of care. This position paper is based on the hypothesis that such vision is partly a utopian view of the emerging eSociety. Examples are drawn from 15 years of experience with the fully integrated Georges Pompidou University Hospital (HEGP) CIS and temporal data series extracted from the data warehouses of Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) acute care hospitals which share the same administrative organization as HEGP. Three main virtuous circles are considered: user satisfaction vs. system use, system use vs. cost efficiency, and system use vs quality of care. In structural equation models (SEM), the positive bidirectional relationship between user satisfaction and use was only observed in the early HEGP CIS deployment phase (first four years) but disappeared in late post-adoption (≥8 years). From 2009 to 2013, financial efficiency of 20 AP-HP hospitals evaluated with stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) models diminished by 0.5% per year. The lower decrease of efficiency observed between the three hospitals equipped with a more mature CIS and the 17 other hospitals was of the same order of magnitude than the difference observed between pediatric and non-pediatric hospitals. Outcome quality benefits that would bring evidence to the system use vs. quality loop are unlikely to be obtained in a near future since they require integration with population-based outcome measures including mortality, morbidity, and quality of life that may not be easily available. Barriers to making the transformation of the utopian part of the CIS virtuous circles happen should be overcome to actually benefit the emerging eSociety.

Unit Circles and Inverse Trigonometric Functions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrera, Azael

2014-01-01

Historical accounts of trigonometry refer to the works of many Indian and Arab astronomers on the origin of the trigonometric functions as we know them now, in particular Abu al-Wafa (ca. 980 CE), who determined and named all known trigonometric functions from segments constructed on a regular circle and later on a unit circle (Moussa 2011;…

The NCC project: A quality management perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Raymond H.

1993-01-01

The Network Control Center (NCC) Project introduced the concept of total quality management (TQM) in mid-1990. The CSC project team established a program which focused on continuous process improvement in software development methodology and consistent deliveries of high quality software products for the NCC. The vision of the TQM program was to produce error free software. Specific goals were established to allow continuing assessment of the progress toward meeting the overall quality objectives. The total quality environment, now a part of the NCC Project culture, has become the foundation for continuous process improvement and has resulted in the consistent delivery of quality software products over the last three years.

Advances in Social Circles Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

Acknowledgements En primer lugar , agradecer a Roberto Paredes y Paolo Rosso la oportunidad de trabajar en el centro de investigación PRHLT, gracias a...Politècnica De València Technology Transfer Office_CTT UNIVERSITAT POLITÈCNICA DE VALÈNCIA - ABSTRACT Advances in Social Circles Detection Report Title...Our work opens the door to several lines of future work. Universitat Politècnica de València Trabajo de Fin de Máster Advances in Social Circles

Engaging Clinical Nurses in Quality Improvement Projects.

PubMed

Moore, Susan; Stichler, Jaynelle F

2015-10-01

Clinical nurses have the knowledge and expertise required to provide efficient and proficient patient care. Time and knowledge deficits can prevent nurses from developing and implementing quality improvement or evidence-based practice projects. This article reviews a process for professional development of clinical nurses that helped them to define, implement, and analyze quality improvement or evidence-based practice projects. The purpose of this project was to educate advanced clinical nurses to manage a change project from inception to completion, using the Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) Change Acceleration Process as a framework. One-to-one mentoring and didactic in-services advanced the knowledge, appreciation, and practice of advanced practice clinicians who completed multiple change projects. The projects facilitated clinical practice changes, with improved patient outcomes; a unit cultural shift, with appreciation of quality improvement and evidence-based projects; and engagement with colleagues. Project outcomes were displayed in poster presentations at a hospital exposition for knowledge dissemination. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Circles South East: the first 10 years 2002-2012.

PubMed

Bates, Andrew; Williams, Dominic; Wilson, Chris; Wilson, Robin J

2014-07-01

This article describes the first 10 years of the implementation of Circles of Support and Accountability (Circles) in the management of sexual offenders in South-East England by Circles South East (CSE). The Circles of 71 core members are reviewed in detail, with reference to demographic data, offense and sentencing histories, risk assessment data, and considerations regarding Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements. A group of 71 comparison subjects who were referred to CSE and deemed suitable for but did not receive the service was identified. Follow-up behaviors of both groups are examined (including all forms of reconviction, breach of orders, and prison recall). Over a comparable follow-up period of 55 months, the incidence of violent and contact sexual reconviction in the comparison group was significantly higher than for the Circles cohort. Comparisons are made between expected and actual levels of sexual reconviction, with the Circles cohort showing lower than expected rate of sexual reconviction but not to a statistically significant degree. © The Author(s) 2013.

Circles of Support and Personalization: Exploring the Economic Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wistow, Gerald; Perkins, Margaret; Knapp, Martin; Bauer, Annette; Bonin, Eva-Maria

2016-01-01

Circles of Support aim to enable people with learning disabilities (and others) to live full lives as part of their communities. As part of a wider study of the economic case for community capacity building conducted from 2012 to 2014, we conducted a mixed methods study of five Circles in North West England. Members of these Circles were…

PLANNING QUALITY IN GEOSPATIAL PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will briefly review some legal drivers and present a structure for the writing of geospatial Quality Assurance Projects Plans. In addition, the Geospatial Quality Council geospatial information life-cycle and sources of error flowchart will be reviewed.

Sets that Contain Their Circle Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Greg

2008-01-01

Say that a subset S of the plane is a "circle-center set" if S is not a subset of a line, and whenever we choose three non-collinear points from S, the center of the circle through those three points is also an element of S. A problem appearing on the Macalester College Problem of the Week website stated that a finite set of points in the plane,…

The use of quality circles as a support tool in the taking over of practices by young general practitioners

PubMed Central

Král, Norbert; Seifert, Bohumil; Kovář, Jan; Mucha, Cyril; Vojtíšková, Jana; Bednár, Jáchym; Martin, Seifert

2018-01-01

Introduction: Although informal meetings of healthcare professionals in smaller groups are common in the area of primary care in the Czech Republic, the method of quality circles is not in wide use. The aim of our project is to use this method to help new general practitioners (GPs) when they take over a medical practice and to suggest measures to improve the organization and overall attractiveness of new practices, as well as patient satisfaction. Materials and Methods: For the purposes of this observation, an already existing informal group formed by healthcare professionals and their trainees was used. The group met a total of four times in a 6-month period. In the first meeting, problematic areas were identified. In the second, specific issues of newly starting to practice were discussed, with time to consider suggestions for improvements. The third meeting consisted of an analysis of the suggested measures and their implementation, and in the fourth, these measures and their effects were evaluated. Results: On the basis of the discussion in the first and second meetings, suggestions were made, and then, during the third meeting, structured into three dimensions: (1) The organization of work, including clinical activities, (2) the attractiveness of the practice and the satisfaction levels of the patients, (3) the satisfaction levels of the employees. In each area, specific measures were proposed. The new doctors' feedback in the fourth phase of the project was positive. The main problems the new doctors faced were related to their lack of knowledge and experience with buying or starting their own practice, as well as being an effective team leader. Conclusion: Despite the application of small groups being significantly larger, it was demonstrated that if GPs are given direction and clear goals in their meetings, these meetings can be very constructive. Small groups thus offer a good platform for young GPs in starting their own practice, giving them the capacity

Three Concentric Circles: Young Chinese English Learners' Perceptions of Purposeful Audiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Jack Jinghui

2015-01-01

English learners have more access to communicate with different purposeful audiences across the Three Concentric Circles of English (Kachu, 1985): the Inner Circle, the Outer Circle and the Expanding Circle. However, young language learners' purposeful audience as a focus of communication has not been emphasized as much as other linguistic…

Communicating Instantaneous Air Quality Data: Pilot Project

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Communicating Instantaneous Air Quality Data: Pilot ProjectEPA is launching a pilot project to test a new tool for making instantaneous outdoor air quality data useful for the public. The new “sensor scale” is designed to be used with sensors

Fairy circle landscapes under the sea

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Reynés, Daniel; Gomila, Damià; Sintes, Tomàs; Hernández-García, Emilio; Marbà, Núria; Duarte, Carlos M.

2017-01-01

Short-scale interactions yield large-scale vegetation patterns that, in turn, shape ecosystem function across landscapes. Fairy circles, which are circular patches bare of vegetation within otherwise continuous landscapes, are characteristic features of semiarid grasslands. We report the occurrence of submarine fairy circle seascapes in seagrass meadows and propose a simple model that reproduces the diversity of seascapes observed in these ecosystems as emerging from plant interactions within the meadow. These seascapes include two extreme cases, a continuous meadow and a bare landscape, along with intermediate states that range from the occurrence of persistent but isolated fairy circles, or solitons, to seascapes with multiple fairy circles, banded vegetation, and “leopard skin” patterns consisting of bare seascapes dotted with plant patches. The model predicts that these intermediate seascapes extending across kilometers emerge as a consequence of local demographic imbalances along with facilitative and competitive interactions among the plants with a characteristic spatial scale of 20 to 30 m, consistent with known drivers of seagrass performance. The model, which can be extended to clonal growth plants in other landscapes showing fairy rings, reveals that the different seascapes observed hold diagnostic power as to the proximity of seagrass meadows to extinction points that can be used to identify ecosystems at risks. PMID:28782035

Assign Roles to Get Literature Circles Rolling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curriculum Review, 2005

2005-01-01

This article briefly describes a role-playing exercise designed to break the ice in a classroom literature circle from The Ultimate Small-Group Reading How-To Book: Building Comprehension through SmallGroup Instruction, written by Gail Saunders-Smith. The members of a literature circle participate in the group discussion according to the…

DRUM-PD: The use of a drum circle to improve the symptoms and signs of Parkinson's disease (PD)

PubMed Central

Pantelyat, Alexander; Syres, Candace; Reichwein, Suzanne; Willis, Allison

2015-01-01

Background Physical therapy can improve motor function in patients with PD. Music performance may be used to improve motor skills by rhythmic entrainment. Drumming has long been a part of traditional healing rituals worldwide, and is increasingly being utilized as a therapeutic strategy. Methods This pilot controlled prospective cohort trial assessed feasibility and effects of twice-weekly group West African drum circle classes for 6 weeks on PD patients’ quality of life, symptoms, motor findings, cognition, and mood. Ten patients with PD were recruited into the drum circle group. Ten patients with PD were matched pairwise to each of the drum circle participants, and enrolled in a no-intervention control group. Both groups completed the PD-specific Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ)-39 quality of life assessment and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and underwent motor and cognitive assessments by a rater blinded to group at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Results Drummers had significantly improved PDQ-39 scores from baseline to 6 weeks (−5.8, p=0.042), whereas the control group's scores were unchanged. Walking performance was significantly faster at baseline for controls; after 6 weeks of drumming this difference was no longer significant, and remained non-significant at 12 weeks. The drummers trended (p=0.069) toward improvement in walking from baseline to 12 weeks. Other outcomes did not significantly change from baseline to 6 or 12 weeks. Conclusions Drum circle classes significantly and reversibly improved quality of life in patients with PD. This pilot trial's findings merit larger controlled investigations comparing drumming classes to established interventions in PD, such as physical therapy. PMID:27340683

D'Nealian Handwriting versus Circle-Stick Print.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurber, Donald N.

This paper argues against teaching children to make letters using circle-stick writing. It contends that the circle-stick method requires continued pen/pencil lifts hindering rhythm or flow in the writing process and that there is little carry-over value into cursive writing as the two scripts are totally different. D'Nealian print, one type of…

Ares Project Overview - Quality in Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cianciola, Chris; Crane, Kenneth

2008-01-01

This presentation introduces the audience to the overall goals of the Ares Project, which include providing human access to low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond. The presentation also provides an overview of with the vehicles that will execute those goals and progress made on the vehicles to date. The briefing will provide an introduction to Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen practices Ares will use to improve the overall effectiveness and quality of its efforts. Finally, the briefing includes a summary of Safety and Mission Assurance practices being implemented within[Ares to ensure safety and quality early in the design process. Integrating Safety and Mission Assurance in Design: This presentation describes how the Ares Projects are learning from the successes and failures of previous launch systems in order to maximize safety and reliability while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The Ares Projects are integrating Safer T and Mission Assurance into design activities and embracing independent assessments by Quality experts in thorough reviews of designs and processes. Incorporating Lean thinking into the design process, Ares is also streamlining existing processes and future manufacturing flows which will yield savings during production. Understanding the value of early involvement of Quality experts, the Ares Projects are leading launch vehicle development into the 21st century.

Implementing quality/productivity improvement initiatives in an engineering environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruda, R. R.

1985-01-01

Quality/Productivity Improvement (QPI) initiatives in the engineering environment at McDonnell Douglas-Houston include several different, distinct activities, each having its own application, yet all targeted toward one common goal - making continuous improvement a way of life. The chief executive and the next two levels of management demonstrate their commitment to QPI with hands-on involvement in several activities. Each is a member of a QPI Council which consists of six panels - Participative Management, Communications, Training, Performance/Productivity, Human Resources Management and Strategic Management. In addition, each manager conducts Workplace Visits and Bosstalks, to enhance communications with employees and to provide a forum for the identification of problems - both real and perceived. Quality Circles and Project Teams are well established within McConnel Douglas as useful and desirable employee involvement teams. The continued growth of voluntary membership in the circles program is strong evidence of the employee interest and management support that have developed within the organization.

Report to OECD/CERI Policy Group from Pacific Circle Consortium on Phase 1 Activities: 1977-1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connell, Helen; Wells, Marguerite

Established in 1977, the Pacific Circle Consortium is a group of national-level educational research and development agencies from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Pacific region countries engaged in cooperative projects intended to improve international understanding and relations. From 1977 to 1980 the Consortium…

Impact of Requirements Quality on Project Success or Failure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamai, Tetsuo; Kamata, Mayumi Itakura

We are interested in the relationship between the quality of the requirements specifications for software projects and the subsequent outcome of the projects. To examine this relationship, we investigated 32 projects started and completed between 2003 and 2005 by the software development division of a large company in Tokyo. The company has collected reliable data on requirements specification quality, as evaluated by software quality assurance teams, and overall project performance data relating to cost and time overruns. The data for requirements specification quality were first converted into a multiple-dimensional space, with each dimension corresponding to an item of the recommended structure for software requirements specifications (SRS) defined in IEEE Std. 830-1998. We applied various statistical analysis methods to the SRS quality data and project outcomes.

Dialing in to a Circle of Trust: A "Medium" Tech Experiment and Poetic Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Christine T.

2012-01-01

In his 2004 book "A Hidden Wholeness," Parker Palmer makes explicit the unique qualities of the transformational "circle of trust." He describes a group of people embracing the paradox of "being alone together," where the only goal of the group is to invite the emergence of the soul of each individual, through…

The Acoustic Reality of the Kachruvian Circles: A Rhythmic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Ee Ling

2010-01-01

This paper investigates whether the rhythmic properties of varieties of English found in each of the concentric circles of Kachru's model can, in any way, be elucidated by the "Three Circles" model. A measurement and comparison of the rhythm of three varieties of English: British English (from the Inner Circle), Singapore English (from…

Methodology of quality improvement projects for the Texas Medicare population.

PubMed

Pendergrass, P W; Abel, R L; Bing, M; Vaughn, R; McCauley, C

1998-07-01

The Texas Medical Foundation, the quality improvement organization for the state of Texas, develops local quality improvement projects for the Medicare population. These projects are developed as part of the Health Care Quality Improvement Program undertaken by the Health Care Financing Administration. The goal of a local quality improvement project is to collaborate with providers to identify and reduce the incidence of unintentional variations in the delivery of care that negatively impact outcomes. Two factors are critical to the success of a quality improvement project. First, as opposed to peer review that is based on implicit criteria, quality improvement must be based on explicit criteria. These criteria represent key steps in the delivery of care that have been shown to improve outcomes for a specific disease. Second, quality improvement must be performed in partnership with the health care community. As such, the health care community must play an integral role in the design and evaluation of a quality improvement project and in the design and implementation of the resulting quality improvement plan. Specifically, this article provides a historical perspective for the transition from peer review to quality improvement. It discusses key steps used in developing and implementing local quality improvement projects including topic selection, quality indicator development, collaborator recruitment, and measurement of performance/improvement. Two Texas Medical Foundation projects are described to highlight the current methodology and to illustrate the impact of quality improvement projects.

The nine-year sustained cost-containment impact of swiss pilot physicians-pharmacists quality circles.

PubMed

Niquille, Anne; Ruggli, Martine; Buchmann, Michel; Jordan, Dominique; Bugnon, Olivier

2010-04-01

Six pioneer physicians-pharmacists quality circles (PPQCs) located in the Swiss canton of Fribourg (administratively corresponding to a state in the US) were under the responsibility of 6 trained community pharmacists moderating the prescribing process of 24 general practitioners (GPs). PPQCs are based on a multifaceted collaborative process mediated by community pharmacists for improving compliance with clinical guidelines within GPs' prescribing practices. To assess, over a 9-year period (1999-2007), the cost-containment impact of the PPQCs. The key elements of PPQCs are a structured continuous quality improvement and education process; local networking; feedback of comparative and detailed data regarding costs, drug choice, and frequency of prescribed drugs; and structured independent literature review for interdisciplinary continuing education. The data are issued from the community pharmacy invoices to the health insurance companies. The study analyzed the cost-containment impact of the PPQCs in comparison with GPs working in similar conditions of care without particular collaboration with pharmacists, the percentage of generic prescriptions for specific cardiovascular drug classes, and the percentage of drug costs or units prescribed for specific cardiovascular drugs. For the 9-year period, there was a 42% decrease in the drug costs in the PPQC group as compared to the control group, representing a $225,000 (USD) savings per GP only in 2007. These results are explained by better compliance with clinical and pharmacovigilance guidelines, larger distribution of generic drugs, a more balanced attitude toward marketing strategies, and interdisciplinary continuing education on the rational use of drugs. The PPQC work process has yielded sustainable results, such as significant cost savings, higher penetration of generics and reflection on patient safety, and the place of "new" drugs in therapy. The PPQCs may also constitute a solid basis for implementing more

Revision 2 of the Enbridge Quality Assurance Project Plan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) presents Revision 2 of the organization, objectives, planned activities, and specific quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures associated with the Enbridge Marshall Pipeline Release Project.

Designing worked examples for learning tangent lines to circles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Retnowati, E.; Marissa

2018-03-01

Geometry is a branch of mathematics that deals with shape and space, including the circle. A difficult topic in the circle may be the tangent line to circle. This is considered a complex material since students have to simultaneously apply several principles to solve the problems, these are the property of circle, definition of the tangent, measurement and Pythagorean theorem. This paper discusses designs of worked examples for learning tangent line to circles and how to apply this design to an effective and efficient instructional activity. When students do not have sufficient prior knowledge, solving tangent problems might be clumsy, and as a consequence, the problem-solving activity hinders learning. According to a Cognitive Load Theory, learning occurs when students can construct new knowledge based on the relevant knowledge previously learned. When the relevant knowledge is unavailable, providing students with the worked example is suggested. Worked example may reduce unproductive process during learning that causes extraneous cognitive load. Nevertheless, worked examples must be created in such a way facilitate learning.

Algebraic criteria for positive realness relative to the unit circle.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siljak, D. D.

1973-01-01

A definition is presented of the circle positive realness of real rational functions relative to the unit circle in the complex variable plane. The problem of testing this kind of positive reality is reduced to the algebraic problem of determining the distribution of zeros of a real polynomial with respect to and on the unit circle. Such reformulation of the problem avoids the search for explicit information about imaginary poles of rational functions. The stated algebraic problem is solved by applying the polynomial criteria of Marden (1966) and Jury (1964), and a completely recursive algorithm for circle positive realness is obtained.

Quality Assurance Project Plan Development Tool

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This tool contains information designed to assist in developing a Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plan that meets EPA requirements for projects that involve surface or groundwater monitoring and/or the collection and analysis of water samples.

How to Begin a Quality Improvement Project.

PubMed

Silver, Samuel A; Harel, Ziv; McQuillan, Rory; Weizman, Adam V; Thomas, Alison; Chertow, Glenn M; Nesrallah, Gihad; Bell, Chaim M; Chan, Christopher T

2016-05-06

Quality improvement involves a combined effort among health care staff and stakeholders to diagnose and treat problems in the health care system. However, health care professionals often lack training in quality improvement methods, which makes it challenging to participate in improvement efforts. This article familiarizes health care professionals with how to begin a quality improvement project. The initial steps involve forming an improvement team that possesses expertise in the quality of care problem, leadership, and change management. Stakeholder mapping and analysis are useful tools at this stage, and these are reviewed to help identify individuals who might have a vested interest in the project. Physician engagement is a particularly important component of project success, and the knowledge that patients/caregivers can offer as members of a quality improvement team should not be overlooked. After a team is formed, an improvement framework helps to organize the scientific process of system change. Common quality improvement frameworks include Six Sigma, Lean, and the Model for Improvement. These models are contrasted, with a focus on the Model for Improvement, because it is widely used and applicable to a variety of quality of care problems without advanced training. It involves three steps: setting aims to focus improvement, choosing a balanced set of measures to determine if improvement occurs, and testing new ideas to change the current process. These new ideas are evaluated using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, where knowledge is gained by testing changes and reflecting on their effect. To show the real world utility of the quality improvement methods discussed, they are applied to a hypothetical quality improvement initiative that aims to promote home dialysis (home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis). This provides an example that kidney health care professionals can use to begin their own quality improvement projects. Copyright © 2016 by the American

How to Begin a Quality Improvement Project

PubMed Central

Harel, Ziv; McQuillan, Rory; Weizman, Adam V.; Thomas, Alison; Chertow, Glenn M.; Nesrallah, Gihad; Bell, Chaim M.; Chan, Christopher T.

2016-01-01

Quality improvement involves a combined effort among health care staff and stakeholders to diagnose and treat problems in the health care system. However, health care professionals often lack training in quality improvement methods, which makes it challenging to participate in improvement efforts. This article familiarizes health care professionals with how to begin a quality improvement project. The initial steps involve forming an improvement team that possesses expertise in the quality of care problem, leadership, and change management. Stakeholder mapping and analysis are useful tools at this stage, and these are reviewed to help identify individuals who might have a vested interest in the project. Physician engagement is a particularly important component of project success, and the knowledge that patients/caregivers can offer as members of a quality improvement team should not be overlooked. After a team is formed, an improvement framework helps to organize the scientific process of system change. Common quality improvement frameworks include Six Sigma, Lean, and the Model for Improvement. These models are contrasted, with a focus on the Model for Improvement, because it is widely used and applicable to a variety of quality of care problems without advanced training. It involves three steps: setting aims to focus improvement, choosing a balanced set of measures to determine if improvement occurs, and testing new ideas to change the current process. These new ideas are evaluated using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, where knowledge is gained by testing changes and reflecting on their effect. To show the real world utility of the quality improvement methods discussed, they are applied to a hypothetical quality improvement initiative that aims to promote home dialysis (home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis). This provides an example that kidney health care professionals can use to begin their own quality improvement projects. PMID:27016497

Operational improvements at traffic circles : safety analysis, final report, December 2008.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study was to improve the safety and operation at three traffic circles in New : Jersey. To do this, data were collected at the traffic circles to allow researchers to model the : circles using the PARAMICS software simulation pack...

Distribution of Circles on a Circle and Correlation Between Vortex Rings of Superfluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onur Fen, Mehmet; Erkoç, Šakír

2007-05-01

Superfluids are characterized by absence of viscosity. When superfluids are rotated, differently from normal fluids, they form more than one vortex in the containers where they are placed. The number of vortices change as the rotation velocity changes, but this change is not linear. M.W. Zwierlein et al. observed the vortices in experiments, observing up to a number of 80. Experiments also showed that the vortex distributions cannot include large spaces. By using experimental data, we noticed that when we think of vortices as vortex rings, their centers are at the same geometric location and these geometric locations are concentric circles. We generalized the distribution of these geometric places and formulized it. Our formula includes the magic circle numbers. When the number of vortices reach these magic numbers, the number of geometric locations increase by 1.

Conceptions and Representations: The Circle as an Example.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janvier, Claude

This paper, which addresses the issue of representation as an internal construct corresponding to an external abstract configuration, attempts to extend A. A. DiSessa's phenomenological primitives to mathematics (particularly to the notion of circle). Various acceptations of the word representation are examined, using the notion of a circle as an…

ECO TECH LINK: PT3 Grant Builds Technology Circles in the K-18 Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klinger, Katie; Duckett, Jane; Medrano, Maria; Crow, Nedra; Stowers, Gwen

Through the vehicle of the PT3 grant program, ECO TECH LINK has built a strong consortium to support technology circles of government, education and business in order to raise student achievement scores, shorten the time it takes to earn a teaching credential, and enhance the quality of teacher credential courses. The ECO TECH LINK grant enables…

DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND MEASUREMENT QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper provides assistance with systematic planning using measurement quality objectives to those working on research projects. These performance criteria are more familiar to researchers than data quality objectives because they are more closely associated with the measuremen...

Models to support students’ understanding of measuring area of circles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rejeki, S.; Putri, R. I. I.

2018-01-01

Many studies showed that enormous students got confused about the concepts of measuring area of circles. The main reason is because mathematics classroom practices emphasized on memorizing formulas rather than understanding concepts. Therefore, in this study, a set of learning activities were designed as an innovation in learning area measurement of circles. The activities involved two models namely grid paper and reshaping which are respectively as a means and a strategy to support students’ learning of area measurement of circles. Design research was used as the research approach to achieve the aim. Thirty-eight of 8th graders in Indonesia were involved in this study. In this study, together with the contextual problems, the grid paper and reshaping sectors, which used as the models in this learning, helped the students to gradually develop their understanding of the area measurement of circles. The grid papers plays important role in comparing and estimating areas. Whereas, the reshaping sectors might support students’ understanding of the circumference and the area measurement of circles. Those two models could be the tool for promoting the informal theory of area measurement. Besides, the whole activities gave important role on distinguishing the area and perimeter of circles.

40 CFR 51.115 - Air quality data and projections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Air quality data and projections. 51... quality data and projections. (a) Each plan must contain a summary of data showing existing air quality. (b) Each plan must: (1) Contain a summary of air quality concentrations expected to result from...

40 CFR 51.115 - Air quality data and projections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Air quality data and projections. 51... quality data and projections. (a) Each plan must contain a summary of data showing existing air quality. (b) Each plan must: (1) Contain a summary of air quality concentrations expected to result from...

40 CFR 51.115 - Air quality data and projections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Air quality data and projections. 51... quality data and projections. (a) Each plan must contain a summary of data showing existing air quality. (b) Each plan must: (1) Contain a summary of air quality concentrations expected to result from...

40 CFR 51.115 - Air quality data and projections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Air quality data and projections. 51... quality data and projections. (a) Each plan must contain a summary of data showing existing air quality. (b) Each plan must: (1) Contain a summary of air quality concentrations expected to result from...

40 CFR 51.115 - Air quality data and projections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Air quality data and projections. 51... quality data and projections. (a) Each plan must contain a summary of data showing existing air quality. (b) Each plan must: (1) Contain a summary of air quality concentrations expected to result from...

College Students' Science Societies and Special-Interest Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivanov, A.

2005-01-01

From the point of view of their age, student science societies and special-interest circles are among the most venerable forms of corporate association among students in colleges and universities. In this article, the author traces the formation of different societies and special-interest circles by college students in different universities in…

Integrating Literature Circles into a Cotaught Inclusive Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittaker, Catharine R.

2012-01-01

Literature circles or book clubs are small, heterogeneous groups of students who have chosen to read and discuss the same book together. The research on literature circles suggests that they hold great promise for increasing students' enjoyment of reading and honing their literacy skills. When evidence-based strategies are embedded into a…

A single activity with a practice quality improvement project for faculty and a quality improvement project for residents.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun; Malatesta, Theresa M; Simone, Nicole L; Den, Robert B; McAna, John; Dicker, Adam P; Bar Ad, Voichita

2016-01-01

The Next Accreditation System (NAS) requires radiation oncology residents to do a formal quality improvement project during their residency. The American Board of Radiology (ABR) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program requires certified physicians to complete a Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) project approximately every 3 years. The purpose of our project was to develop a clinical transition of care policy via a process that resulted in quality improvement project credit for residents and PQI credit for participating faculty. Approval for project implementation was obtained from the ABR MOC committee. The PQI project consisted of an initial survey to assess resident perception on resident transition of care in our department, formal sign-out training, and 2 postintervention surveys after 1 and 11 months. The primary endpoint was the percentage of questions with ≤1 unfavorable responses. Sign-test was used to determine response difference from neutral. One hundred percent of surveyed residents completed the preintervention (n = 6), postintervention 1 (n = 7), and postintervention 2 (n = 8) surveys. In the preintervention, postintervention 1, and postintervention 2 surveys, 71.4%, 57.1%, and 57.1% of questions were answered with ≤1 unfavorable response, respectively. The number of questions with ≥75% favorable response was 7 (50%), 7 (50%), and 11 (78.5%) in the preintervention, postintervention 1, and postintervention 2 surveys, respectively (P = .13). A written sign-out template and monthly protected sign-out meetings were instituted. One resident and 3 attending physicians received credit for Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education NAS quality improvement and ABR MOC PQI projects, respectively. This project shows the feasibility of a combined attending and resident physician effort to improve patient care and fulfill his or her respective ABR MOC PQI and Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education NAS requirements. Attending and

Introducing Motion in a Circle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, John

2001-01-01

Motion in a circle troubled Newton and his contemporaries and troubles students today. Presents a clear presentation of certain aspects, particularly centripetal acceleration and centrifugal force. (Author/MM)

Transaction Circles with Digital Texts as a Foundation for Democratic Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Sally

2015-01-01

Transaction circles weave together elements of guided reading and literature circles in an open conversational structure that supports students as agentive learners. Discourse within these circles utilizing digital informational texts assist in the development of democratic practices even in a time when federal mandates limit curricula and…

Walking in circles: a modelling approach

PubMed Central

Maus, Horst-Moritz; Seyfarth, Andre

2014-01-01

Blindfolded or disoriented people have the tendency to walk in circles rather than on a straight line even if they wanted to. Here, we use a minimalistic walking model to examine this phenomenon. The bipedal spring-loaded inverted pendulum exhibits asymptotically stable gaits with centre of mass (CoM) dynamics and ground reaction forces similar to human walking in the sagittal plane. We extend this model into three dimensions, and show that stable walking patterns persist if the leg is aligned with respect to the body (here: CoM velocity) instead of a world reference frame. Further, we demonstrate that asymmetric leg configurations, which are common in humans, will typically lead to walking in circles. The diameter of these circles depends strongly on parameter configuration, but is in line with empirical data from human walkers. Simulation results suggest that walking radius and especially direction of rotation are highly dependent on leg configuration and walking velocity, which explains inconsistent veering behaviour in repeated trials in human data. Finally, we discuss the relation between findings in the model and implications for human walking. PMID:25056215

Correlation Between the Integrity of the Circle of Willis and the Severity of Initial Noncardiac Cerebral Infarction and Clinical Prognosis

PubMed Central

Zhou, Houshi; Sun, Jian; Ji, Xiaotan; Lin, Jing; Tang, Shujin; Zeng, Jinsheng; Fan, Yu-hua

2016-01-01

Abstract The quality of collateral circulation affects the severity and prognosis of stroke patients. The effect of the circle of Willis, which is the primary collateral circulation, on ischemic stroke has attracted significant attention. This study was designed to investigate the effect of different circles of Willis types on stroke severity and prognosis in patients with noncardiac stroke. A total of 376 patients with noncardiac ischemic stroke, who were treated by the specialty team of cerebrovascular diseases at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen Hospital, were successively enrolled in this study. The detailed clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded upon admission, including risk factors of vascular disease and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores. The patients were divided into groups of different circles of Willis types based on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) that was performed within 3 days of admission—type I: complete circle of Willis; type II: complete anterior half of the circle of Willis and incomplete posterior half of the circle of Willis; type III: incomplete anterior half of the circle of Willis and complete posterior half of the circle of Willis; and type IV: incomplete anterior and posterior halves of the circle of Willis. Patients were re-evaluated for NIHSS scores at discharge and after discharge. The modified Rankin score (mRS) was recorded for 90 days, and stroke recurrence and death after 90 days were also recorded until the end of the study. The 376 patients were divided into 4 groups based on the MRA—type I group: 92 patients (24.5%); type II group: 215 patients (57.2%); type III group: 12 patients (3.2%), and type IV group: 57 patients (15.2%). NIHSS scores at admission and discharge were significantly lower for the type I group compared with those for the type II and type IV groups (P < 0.05). NIHSS scores were higher in the groups with an incomplete circle of Willis compared

Foreign Language Circles of Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiffer, Deana

1981-01-01

Describes use of Circles of Knowledge designed to generate excitement about foreign language learning as technique for individualized instruction. Includes guidelines for using, organizing, and implementing this method. (BK)

Quality planning in Construction Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, I.; Shafiq, Nasir; Nuruddin, M. F.

2017-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate deeper on the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of quality planning, identifying the common problems encountered in quality planning, practices and ways for improvements in quality planning for construction projects. This paper involves data collected from construction company representatives across Malaysia that are obtained through semi-structured interviews as well as questionnaire distributions. Results shows that design of experiments (average index: 4.61), inspection (average index: 4.45) and quality audit as well as other methods (average index: 4.26) rank first, second and third most important factors respectively.

Empirical Evaluation of Different Feature Representations for Social Circles Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-16

study and compare the performance on the available labelled Facebook data from the Kaggle competition on learning social circles in networks . We...Kaggle competition on learning social circles in networks [5]. The data consist of hand- labelled friendship egonets from Facebook and a set of 57...16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Social circles detection is a special case of community detection in social network that is currently attracting a

Native American Values and Management Education: Envisioning an Inclusive Virtuous Circle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verbos, Amy Klemm; Gladstone, Joe S.; Kennedy, Deanna M.

2011-01-01

Circles are symbols of interconnectedness. Behavioral circles can be vicious or virtuous. Many American Indians are caught in a vicious circle of exclusion from the purported benefits of Westernization, entrapment in its negative elements, and the ongoing undermining of their culture and thus their identities. Yet Native Americans, along with many…

COMPLETENESS OF CIRCLE OF WILLIS IN ASYMPTOMATIC AND SYMPTOMATIC EXTRACRANIAL CAROTID DISEASE.

PubMed

Manojlovic, Vladimir; Popovic, Vlandan; Nikoloc, Dragan; Milosevic, Dorde; Pasternak, Janko; Budakov, Nebojsa

2016-11-01

This research has been aimed at determining whether incomplete Circle of Willis in patients with significant extracranial carotid stenosis is associated with a higher incidence of neurological symptomatology and/or ischemnic cerebral lesions. The research was conducted as a prospective study which comprised 211 patients who underwent surgical treatment of extracranial carotid disease at the Department of Vascular Surgery in Novi Sad and 102 patients in the control group. Each patient underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography with visualization of cerebral parenchyma. extracranial and intracranial cerebral circulation. Assessment of Circle of Willis morphology was performed by 3D time-of-fight magnetic resonance angiogram sequence analysis. The patients were divided into two groups: group I - the patients with'complete Circle of Willis and group II - the patients with incomplete Circle of Willis i.e. with the disruption of anterior and/ or ipsilateral posterior circulation - regarding the side of signif icant carotid stenosis. Out of 211 patients who -were operated during a two-year period, 133 had the complete Circle of Willis. while 78 patients had the incomplete Circle of Willis. Out of 111 patients with symptomatic carotid disease or silent cerebral infarction, 52.5% (58) had the complete Circle of' Willis and 47.5% (53) had the incomplete Circle of Willis. It was shown to be statistically different (P = 0.0146) in relation with the asymptomatic group of patients (100), where the frequency of the complete Circle of Willis was 75% (75) while the insufficiency of anterior or ipsilateral posterior collateral ization was found in 25% (25). In the control group there were significantly fewer cases of developed collateral flow and the complete Circle of Willis (41%) compared to the operated patients with extracranial carotid stenosis (63%) (P= 0.0003). Incompleteness of Circle of Willis is associated with more frequent

Primer-optimized results and trends for circular phasing and other circle-to-circle impulsive coplanar rendezvous

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandrik, Suzannah

Optimal solutions to the impulsive circular phasing problem, a special class of orbital maneuver in which impulsive thrusts shift a vehicle's orbital position by a specified angle, are found using primer vector theory. The complexities of optimal circular phasing are identified and illustrated using specifically designed Matlab software tools. Information from these new visualizations is applied to explain discrepancies in locally optimal solutions found by previous researchers. Two non-phasing circle-to-circle impulsive rendezvous problems are also examined to show the applicability of the tools developed here to a broader class of problems and to show how optimizing these rendezvous problems differs from the circular phasing case.

The Value of the Math Circle for Gifted Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Barbara; Henry, Julie; McCarthy, Dianne; Tripp, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Math Circles are designed to allow students to explore mathematics using a problem-solving/inquiry approach. Many of the students attending our Math Circle are mathematically talented and curious. This study examines the perspectives of the students and their families in determining why students attend Math Circle, what they enjoy about Math…

Knowledge translation on dementia: a cluster randomized trial to compare a blended learning approach with a "classical" advanced training in GP quality circles

PubMed Central

Vollmar, Horst C; Butzlaff, Martin E; Lefering, Rolf; Rieger, Monika A

2007-01-01

Background Thus far important findings regarding the dementia syndrome have been implemented into patients' medical care only inadequately. A professional training accounting for both, general practitioners' (GP) needs and learning preferences as well as care-relevant aspects could be a major step towards improving medical care. In the WIDA-study, entitled "Knowledge translation on dementia in general practice" two different training concepts are developed, implemented and evaluated. Both concepts are building on an evidence-based, GP-related dementia guideline and communicate the guideline's essential insights. Methods/Design Both development and implementation emphasize a procedure that is well-accepted in practice and, thus, can achieve a high degree of external validity. This is particularly guaranteed through the preparation of training material and the fact that general practitioners' quality circles (QC) are addressed. The evaluation of the two training concepts is carried out by comparing two groups of GPs to which several quality circles have been randomly assigned. The primary outcome is the GPs' knowledge gain. Secondary outcomes are designed to indicate the training's potential effects on the GPs' practical actions. In the first training concept (study arm A) GPs participate in a structured case discussion prepared for by internet-based learning material ("blended-learning" approach). The second training concept (study arm B) relies on frontal medical training in the form of a slide presentation and follow-up discussion ("classical" approach). Discussion This paper presents the outline of a cluster-randomized trial which has been peer reviewed and support by a national funding organization – Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) – and is approved by an ethics commission. The data collection has started in August 2006 and the results will be published independently of the study's outcome. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials

Knowledge translation on dementia: a cluster randomized trial to compare a blended learning approach with a "classical" advanced training in GP quality circles.

PubMed

Vollmar, Horst C; Butzlaff, Martin E; Lefering, Rolf; Rieger, Monika A

2007-06-22

Thus far important findings regarding the dementia syndrome have been implemented into patients' medical care only inadequately. A professional training accounting for both, general practitioners' (GP) needs and learning preferences as well as care-relevant aspects could be a major step towards improving medical care. In the WIDA-study, entitled "Knowledge translation on dementia in general practice" two different training concepts are developed, implemented and evaluated. Both concepts are building on an evidence-based, GP-related dementia guideline and communicate the guideline's essential insights. Both development and implementation emphasize a procedure that is well-accepted in practice and, thus, can achieve a high degree of external validity. This is particularly guaranteed through the preparation of training material and the fact that general practitioners' quality circles (QC) are addressed. The evaluation of the two training concepts is carried out by comparing two groups of GPs to which several quality circles have been randomly assigned. The primary outcome is the GPs' knowledge gain. Secondary outcomes are designed to indicate the training's potential effects on the GPs' practical actions. In the first training concept (study arm A) GPs participate in a structured case discussion prepared for by internet-based learning material ("blended-learning" approach). The second training concept (study arm B) relies on frontal medical training in the form of a slide presentation and follow-up discussion ("classical" approach). This paper presents the outline of a cluster-randomized trial which has been peer reviewed and support by a national funding organization--Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)--and is approved by an ethics commission. The data collection has started in August 2006 and the results will be published independently of the study's outcome. Current Controlled Trials [ISRCTN36550981].

Children with Autism and Peer Group Support: "Using Circles of Friends".

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitaker, Philip; Barratt, Penny; Joy, Helen; Potter, Mo; Thomas, George

1998-01-01

Explains the "circle of friends approach" as one strategy aimed at using peer group support to promote the inclusion of children with autism into mainstream schools. It describes use of the approach with six autistic children in years 3 to 10 of British mainstream schools. Evaluation comments by the circle leaders, circle members, and…

A localization algorithm of adaptively determining the ROI of the reference circle in image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zeen; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Daimeng; Liu, Xiaomao; Tian, Jinwen

2018-03-01

Aiming at solving the problem of accurately positioning the detection probes underwater, this paper proposed a method based on computer vision which can effectively solve this problem. The theory of this method is that: First, because the shape information of the heat tube is similar to a circle in the image, we can find a circle which physical location is well known in the image, we set this circle as the reference circle. Second, we calculate the pixel offset between the reference circle and the probes in the picture, and adjust the steering gear through the offset. As a result, we can accurately measure the physical distance between the probes and the under test heat tubes, then we can know the precise location of the probes underwater. However, how to choose reference circle in image is a difficult problem. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that can adaptively confirm the area of reference circle. In this area, there will be only one circle, and the circle is the reference circle. The test results show that the accuracy of the algorithm of extracting the reference circle in the whole picture without using ROI (region of interest) of the reference circle is only 58.76% and the proposed algorithm is 95.88%. The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm can effectively improve the efficiency of the tubes detection.

Peer-driven quality improvement among health workers and traditional birth attendants in Sierra Leone: linkages between providers' organizational skills and relationships.

PubMed

Higgins-Steele, Ariel; Waller, Kathryn; Fotso, Jean Christophe; Vesel, Linda

2015-01-01

Sierra Leone has among the poorest maternal and child health indicators in the world and investments in public health have been predominately to increase demand for services, with fewer initiatives targeting supply side factors that influence health workers' work environment. This paper uses data from the Quality Circles project in a rural district of Sierra Leone to achieve three objectives. First, we examine the effect of the intervention on organizational skills and relationships among coworkers as well as between health workers and traditional birth attendants. Second, we examine whether changes in organizational skills are associated with changes in relationships among and between formal and informal health providers and between health providers and clients. Third, we aim to further understand these changes through the perspectives of health workers and traditional birth attendants. The Quality Circles project was implemented in Kailahun District in the Eastern province of Sierra Leone from August 2011 to June 2013, with adjacent Tonkolili District serving as the control site. Using a mixed-methods approach, the evaluation included a quantitative survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with health workers and traditional birth attendants. Mean values of the variables of interest were compared across sub-populations, and correlation analyses were performed between changes in organizational skills and changes in relationships. The results demonstrate that the Quality Circles intervention had positive effects on organizational skills and relationships. Furthermore, improvements in all organizational skill variables - problem-solving, strategizing and negotiation skills - were strongly associated with a change in the overall relationship variable. The Quality Circles approach has the potential to support health workers to improve their organizational skills and relationships, which in turn can contribute to improving the interpersonal dimensions of

The Circle of Collaboration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnham, Jacki; Discher, Stephanie; Ingle, Krista

This brief paper describes the Circle of Collaboration approach at one elementary school in Utah that is focusing on development of an inclusive school for all students and implementation of a program (Balance Literacy) to enhance students' reading skills. Balance Literacy incorporates phonemic awareness, phonic instruction, fluency, vocabulary,…

Guided Discovery of the Nine-Point Circle Theorem and Its Proof

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchbinder, Orly

2018-01-01

The nine-point circle theorem is one of the most beautiful and surprising theorems in Euclidean geometry. It establishes an existence of a circle passing through nine points, all of which are related to a single triangle. This paper describes a set of instructional activities that can help students discover the nine-point circle theorem through…

Organ Donation European Quality System: ODEQUS project methodology.

PubMed

Manyalich, M; Guasch, X; Gomez, M P; Páez, G; Teixeira, L

2013-01-01

Differences in the number of organ donors among hospitals cannot be explained only by the number of intensive care unit beds used or neurologic patients treated. The figures obtained are influenced by the organizational structure of the donation process and how efficient it is. The Organ Donation European Quality System (ODEQUS) is a 3-year project (from October 2010 to September 2013) co-financed by the European Agency for Health and Consumers (EAHC20091108) which aims to define a methodology to evaluate organ procurement performance at the hospital level. ODEQUS's specific objectives are to identify quality criteria and to develop quality indicators in three types of organ donation (after brain death, after cardiac death, and living donation). Those tools will be useful for hospitals' self-assessment as well as for developing an international auditing model. A consortium has been established involving 14 associated partners from Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as five collaborating partners from Greece, Hungary, Malta, Slovenia, and Turkey. The project has been established in three steps: 1) Design of a survey about the use of quality tools in a wide sample of European hospitals; 2) Development of quality criteria and quality indicators by the project experts. The main fields considered have been organizational structures, clinical procedures, and outcomes; and 3) Elaboration of an evaluation system to test the quality indicators in 11 European hospitals. Two types of training have been designed and performed: one concerns the development of quality criteria and quality indicators, whereas another is focused on how to use evaluation tools. Following this methodology, the project has so far identified 131 quality criteria and developed 31 quality indicators. Currently, the quality indicators are being tested in 11 selected hospitals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights

Easing The Calculation Of Bolt-Circle Coordinates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burley, Richard K.

1995-01-01

Bolt Circle Calculation (BOLT-CALC) computer program used to reduce significant time consumed in manually computing trigonometry of rectangular Cartesian coordinates of holes in bolt circle as shown on blueprint or drawing. Eliminates risk of computational errors, particularly in cases involving many holes or in cases in which coordinates expressed to many significant digits. Program assists in many practical situations arising in machine shops. Written in BASIC. Also successfully compiled and implemented by use of Microsoft's QuickBasic v4.0.

Participation and Gender in Circle-Time Situations in Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emilson, Anette; Johansson, Eva

2013-01-01

This study sought to investigate participatory values in relation to gender, as expressed in interactions between teachers and children in circle-time situations in Swedish and Norwegian preschools. This paper reports evidence from three research questions: How is children's participation conditioned in circle-time situations? How are…

Stone circles: form and soil kinematics.

PubMed

Hallet, Bernard

2013-12-13

Distinct surface patterns are ubiquitous and diverse in soils of polar and alpine regions, where the ground temperature oscillates about 0 degrees C. They constitute some of the most striking examples of clearly visible, abiotic self-organization in nature. This paper outlines the interplay of frost-related physical processes that produce these patterns spontaneously and presents unique data documenting subsurface soil rotational motion and surface displacement spanning 20 years in well-developed circles of soil outlined by gravel ridges. These sorted circles are particularly attractive research targets for a number of reasons that provide focus for this paper: (i) their exceptional geometric regularity captures the attention of any observer; (ii) they are currently forming and evolving, hence the underlying processes can be monitored readily, especially because they are localized near the ground surface on a scale of metres, which facilitates comprehensive characterization; and (iii) a recent, highly successful numerical model of sorted circle development helps to draw attention to particular field observations that can be used to assess the model, its assumptions and parameter choices, and to the considerable potential for synergetic field and modelling studies.

Stone circles: form and soil kinematics.

PubMed

Hallet, Bernard

2013-01-01

Distinct surface patterns are ubiquitous and diverse in soils of polar and alpine regions, where the ground temperature oscillates about 0°C. They constitute some of the most striking examples of clearly visible, abiotic self-organization in nature. This paper outlines the interplay of frost-related physical processes that produce these patterns spontaneously and presents unique data documenting subsurface soil rotational motion and surface displacement spanning 20 years in well-developed circles of soil outlined by gravel ridges. These sorted circles are particularly attractive research targets for a number of reasons that provide focus for this paper: (i) their exceptional geometric regularity captures the attention of any observer; (ii) they are currently forming and evolving, hence the underlying processes can be monitored readily, especially because they are localized near the ground surface on a scale of metres, which facilitates comprehensive characterization; and (iii) a recent, highly successful numerical model of sorted circle development helps to draw attention to particular field observations that can be used to assess the model, its assumptions and parameter choices, and to the considerable potential for synergetic field and modelling studies.

Erlang circular model motivated by inverse stereographic projection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramesti, G.

2018-05-01

The Erlang distribution is a special case of the Gamma distribution with the shape parameter is an integer. This paper proposed a new circular model used inverse stereographic projection. The inverse stereographic projection which is a mapping that projects a random variable from a real line onto a circle can be used in circular statistics to construct a distribution on the circle from real domain. From the circular model, then can be derived the characteristics of the Erlang circular model such as the mean resultant length, mean direction, circular variance and trigonometric moments of the distribution.

APPLICATION OF DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND MEASUREMENT QUALITY OBJECTIVES TO RESEARCH PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper assists systematic planning for research projects. It presents planning concepts in terms that have some utility for researchers. For example, measurement quality objectives are more familiar to researchers than data quality objectives because these quality criteria are...

EPA Guidance for Geospatially Related Quality Assurance Project Plans

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This March 2003 document discusses EPA's Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plan as a tool for project managers and planners to document the type and quality of data and information needed for making environmental decisions

The Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has conducted interim groundwater remedial activities on the Hanford Site since the mid-1990s for several groundwater contamination plumes. DOE established the Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Project (Technologies Project) in 2006 to evaluate alternative treatment technologies. The objectives for the technology project are as follows: develop a 300 Area polyphosphate treatability test to immobilize uranium, design and test infiltration of a phosphate/apatite technology for Sr-90 at 100-N, perform carbon tetrachloride and chloroform attenuation parameter studies, perform vadose zone chromium characterization and geochemistry studies, perform in situ biostimulation of chromium studies for a reducing barriermore » at 100-D, and perform a treatability test for phytoremediation for Sr-90 at 100-N. This document provides the quality assurance guidelines that will be followed by the Technologies Project. This Quality Assurance Project Plan is based on the quality assurance requirements of DOE Order 414.1C, Quality Assurance, and 10 CFR 830, Subpart A--Quality Assurance Requirements as delineated in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Standards-Based Management System. In addition, the technology project is subject to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA/240/B-01/003, QA/R-5). The Hanford Analytical Services Quality Assurance Requirements Documents (HASQARD, DOE/RL-96-68) apply to portions of this project and to the subcontractors. HASQARD requirements are discussed within applicable sections of this plan.« less

Teachers' Pets II--Circling Carts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Robert

1975-01-01

Describes a demonstration which illustrates that a body moving with constant speed can be accelerating. The students ride in a circle on a cart made with plywood and roller skates and equipped with bubble accelerometers. (MLH)

Uncertainty Analysis for Angle Calibrations Using Circle Closure

PubMed Central

Estler, W. Tyler

1998-01-01

We analyze two types of full-circle angle calibrations: a simple closure in which a single set of unknown angular segments is sequentially compared with an unknown reference angle, and a dual closure in which two divided circles are simultaneously calibrated by intercomparison. In each case, the constraint of circle closure provides auxiliary information that (1) enables a complete calibration process without reference to separately calibrated reference artifacts, and (2) serves to reduce measurement uncertainty. We derive closed-form expressions for the combined standard uncertainties of angle calibrations, following guidelines published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and NIST. The analysis includes methods for the quantitative evaluation of the standard uncertainty of small angle measurement using electronic autocollimators, including the effects of calibration uncertainty and air turbulence. PMID:28009359

Can the Expanding Circle Own English? Comments on Yoo's "Nonnative Teachers in the Expanding Circle and the Ownership of English"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ren, Wei

2014-01-01

Yoo's (2014) article raises a number of questions concerning local teachers' status and the ownership of English in the Expanding Circle. In this article, I address five issues that I see as most important relating to the ownership of English and empowering local teachers in the Expanding Circle. I provide up-to-date evidence of World…

Ghost circles in lattice Aubry-Mather theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mramor, Blaz; Rink, Bob

Monotone lattice recurrence relations such as the Frenkel-Kontorova lattice, arise in Hamiltonian lattice mechanics, as models for ferromagnetism and as discretization of elliptic PDEs. Mathematically, they are a multi-dimensional counterpart of monotone twist maps. Such recurrence relations often admit a variational structure, so that the solutions x:Z→R are the stationary points of a formal action function W(x). Given any rotation vector ω∈R, classical Aubry-Mather theory establishes the existence of a large collection of solutions of ∇W(x)=0 of rotation vector ω. For irrational ω, this is the well-known Aubry-Mather set. It consists of global minimizers and it may have gaps. In this paper, we study the parabolic gradient flow {dx}/{dt}=-∇W(x) and we will prove that every Aubry-Mather set can be interpolated by a continuous gradient-flow invariant family, the so-called 'ghost circle'. The existence of these ghost circles is known in dimension d=1, for rational rotation vectors and Morse action functions. The main technical result of this paper is therefore a compactness theorem for lattice ghost circles, based on a parabolic Harnack inequality for the gradient flow. This implies the existence of lattice ghost circles of arbitrary rotation vectors and for arbitrary actions. As a consequence, we can give a simple proof of the fact that when an Aubry-Mather set has a gap, then this gap must be filled with minimizers, or contain a non-minimizing solution.

Empowerment of Children through Circle Time: Myth or Reality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Bernie

2013-01-01

The focus of this paper is circle time, a widely used method in primary schools in Ireland and elsewhere. It involves children sitting in a circle with their teacher using method-specific techniques and strategies for self-esteem enhancement, promoting positive relationships and development of social skills. Qualitative research was undertaken in…

Quantum localisation on the circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fresneda, Rodrigo; Gazeau, Jean Pierre; Noguera, Diego

2018-05-01

Covariant integral quantisation using coherent states for semi-direct product groups is implemented for the motion of a particle on the circle. In this case, the phase space is the cylinder, which is viewed as a left coset of the Euclidean group E(2). Coherent states issued from fiducial vectors are labeled by points in the cylinder and depend also on extra parameters. We carry out the corresponding quantisations of the basic classical observables, particularly the angular momentum and the 2π-periodic discontinuous angle function. We compute their corresponding lower symbols. The quantum localisation on the circle is examined through the properties of the angle operator yielded by our procedure, its spectrum and lower symbol, its commutator with the quantum angular momentum, and the resulting Heisenberg inequality. Comparison with other approaches to the long-standing question of the quantum angle is discussed.

Breaking the Sacred Circle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bill, Willard E.

Intended as a basis for student discussions on American Indian issues, this article provides background on American Indian and Alaskan Native spiritual values and the white man's disruption of the Sacred Circle of Life. The foundation of the philosophies of North American indigenous peoples was the idea of cyclical reaffirmation and the goal of…

Circles, Materiality and Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chorney, Sean

2017-01-01

This paper approaches the concept of the circle through the framework of mathematics-as-becoming. This paper focuses specifically on how a concept can be thought of as a process, and on the implications that this might have for mathematics learning. Contrary to long-standing assumptions about mathematical concepts as ideal, inert, Platonic forms,…

Migraine and circle of Willis anomalies.

PubMed

Cucchiara, Brett; Detre, John

2008-01-01

Several mechanisms are currently thought to contribute to migraine pathogenesis, including interictal neuronal hyperexcitability, cortical spreading depression underlying the symptom of aura, and trigeminal nerve activation at a peripheral and central level. However, these mechanistic concepts incompletely explain migraine susceptibility in individual patients and do not fully account for the well documented association between migraine and ischemic cerebrovascular disease, including increased risk of both clinical stroke and subclinical brain lesions in migraine patients. The circle of Willis is a major source of collateral blood flow supply in the human brain, and developmental morphologic variants of the circle of Willis are extremely frequent. Altered cerebral blood flow (CBF) has been demonstrated in regions supplied by variant circle of Willis vessels. Our central hypothesis is that circle of Willis anomalies correlate with alterations in cerebral hemodynamics and contribute to migraine susceptibility and ischemic complications of migraine. Dysregulation of CBF may allow relative ischemia to develop in the setting of increased metabolic demand related to neuronal hyperexcitability, may trigger cortical spreading depression, and may predispose individuals with migraine to ischemic lesions and stroke. Identification of structural alterations in the cerebral vasculature in migraine patients would have several important pathophysiological and clinical implications. First, it would provide a developmental mechanism for migraine susceptibility that may lead to further insights into genetic predisposition to migraine. Second, it would expand understanding of potential mechanisms underlying migraine aura and linking migraine with both clinical and subclinical cerebral infarction. Third, it could help to identify the subpopulation of patients at risk of progressive cerebral ischemia so as to target preventative therapies appropriately. Fourth, it would suggest a role

The Gasket of Circles: A Fractal of Circular Nature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haggar, Fred; Kricic, Senida

2017-01-01

Subdividing an equilateral triangle into four congruent triangles, then doing likewise to each of the three non-central triangles, and then again and again, leads to the Sierpinski gasket, from which the chaos game originated. An analogous procedure is hereforth applied to a circle, where a subdivision consists of two pairs of inscribed circles,…

Circling motion and screen edges as an alternative input method for on-screen target manipulation.

PubMed

Ka, Hyun W; Simpson, Richard C

2017-04-01

To investigate a new alternative interaction method, called circling interface, for manipulating on-screen objects. To specify a target, the user makes a circling motion around the target. To specify a desired pointing command with the circling interface, each edge of the screen is used. The user selects a command before circling the target. To evaluate the circling interface, we conducted an experiment with 16 participants, comparing the performance on pointing tasks with different combinations of selection method (circling interface, physical mouse and dwelling interface) and input device (normal computer mouse, head pointer and joystick mouse emulator). A circling interface is compatible with many types of pointing devices, not requiring physical activation of mouse buttons, and is more efficient than dwell-clicking. Across all common pointing operations, the circling interface had a tendency to produce faster performance with a head-mounted mouse emulator than with a joystick mouse. The performance accuracy of the circling interface outperformed the dwelling interface. It was demonstrated that the circling interface has the potential as another alternative pointing method for selecting and manipulating objects in a graphical user interface. Implications for Rehabilitation A circling interface will improve clinical practice by providing an alternative pointing method that does not require physically activating mouse buttons and is more efficient than dwell-clicking. The Circling interface can also work with AAC devices.

Innovations in projecting emissions for air quality modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Air quality modeling is used in setting air quality standards and in evaluating their costs and benefits. Historically, modeling applications have projected emissions and the resulting air quality only 5 to 10 years into the future. Recognition that the choice of air quality mana...

Differentiating through Literature Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helgeson, John

2017-01-01

This article begins with an example of a typical middle-school experience with literature circles. Students read a common text and come prepared to share and discuss the text based on individual roles they are assigned. Teachers are using this practice to address the complexity levels of texts in order to help students develop the skills they need…

Circles Inscribed in Rhombuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srinivasan, V.K.

2013-01-01

In this teaching oriented article, I am introducing the concept of an equilateral rhombus, which is completely characterized. Three main theorems are given with proofs in Section 2. Most of the time, the rhombuses that are discussed are not squares. For a given circle of a specified radius sigma greater than?0, there is exactly one equilateral…

Provider connectedness and communication patterns: extending continuity of care in the context of the circle of care

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Continuity is an important aspect of quality of care, especially for complex patients in the community. We explored provider perceptions of continuity through a system’s lens. The circle of care was used as the system. Methods Soft systems methodology was used to understand and improve continuity for end of life patients in two communities. Participants: Physicians, nurses, pharmacists in two communities in British Columbia, involved in end of life care. Two debates/discussion groups were completed after the interviews and initial analysis to confirm findings. Interview recordings were qualitatively analyzed to extract components and enablers of continuity. Results 32 provider interviews were completed. Findings from this study support the three types of continuity described by Haggerty and Reid (information, management, and relationship continuity). This work extends their model by adding features of the circle of care that influence and enable continuity: Provider Connectedness the sense of knowing and trust between providers who share care of a patient; a set of ten communication patterns that are used to support continuity across the circle of care; and environmental factors outside the circle that can indirectly influence continuity. Conclusions We present an extended model of continuity of care. The components in the model can support health planners consider how health care is organized to promote continuity and by researchers when considering future continuity research. PMID:23941179

Accuracy of tree diameter estimation from terrestrial laser scanning by circle-fitting methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koreň, Milan; Mokroš, Martin; Bucha, Tomáš

2017-12-01

This study compares the accuracies of diameter at breast height (DBH) estimations by three initial (minimum bounding box, centroid, and maximum distance) and two refining (Monte Carlo and optimal circle) circle-fitting methods The circle-fitting algorithms were evaluated in multi-scan mode and a simulated single-scan mode on 157 European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.). DBH measured by a calliper was used as reference data. Most of the studied circle-fitting algorithms significantly underestimated the mean DBH in both scanning modes. Only the Monte Carlo method in the single-scan mode significantly overestimated the mean DBH. The centroid method proved to be the least suitable and showed significantly different results from the other circle-fitting methods in both scanning modes. In multi-scan mode, the accuracy of the minimum bounding box method was not significantly different from the accuracies of the refining methods The accuracy of the maximum distance method was significantly different from the accuracies of the refining methods in both scanning modes. The accuracy of the Monte Carlo method was significantly different from the accuracy of the optimal circle method in only single-scan mode. The optimal circle method proved to be the most accurate circle-fitting method for DBH estimation from point clouds in both scanning modes.

Projection pursuit water quality evaluation model based on chicken swam algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Zhe

2018-03-01

In view of the uncertainty and ambiguity of each index in water quality evaluation, in order to solve the incompatibility of evaluation results of individual water quality indexes, a projection pursuit model based on chicken swam algorithm is proposed. The projection index function which can reflect the water quality condition is constructed, the chicken group algorithm (CSA) is introduced, the projection index function is optimized, the best projection direction of the projection index function is sought, and the best projection value is obtained to realize the water quality evaluation. The comparison between this method and other methods shows that it is reasonable and feasible to provide decision-making basis for water pollution control in the basin.

The Chicken and the Egg: Inviting Response and Talk through Socratic Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Styslinger, Mary E.; Pollock, Timothy

2010-01-01

This collaborative inquiry answers the following questions: 1) What is the nature of talk during Socratic Circles? 2) What is student response to talk? 3) How might knowing more about student response to talk and the nature of talk improve teaching during Socratic Circles? The article first describes the process of implementing Socratic Circles,…

Getting Started with Literature Circles. The Bill Harp Professional Teachers Library Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noe, Katherine L. Schlick; Johnson, Nancy J.

Designed to help teachers get started using literature circles in their classrooms, this book gives teachers a boost to begin, offers some insights from other teachers, and helps teachers clarify where to go next. It notes that literature circles (or literature study groups, book clubs, or discussion circles) take many forms and engage students in…

Growing a Circle of Courage Culture: One School's Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espiner, Deborah; Guild, Diane

2010-01-01

Mt. Richmond Special School is the first Circle of Courage school in New Zealand. The school reflects the richness of the cultural and learning diversity found in many New Zealand schools. Located in the heart of South Auckland, the school's 130 students represent a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The universal values in the Circle of Courage…

On a Family of Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feeman, Timothy G.

2011-01-01

We generalize a standard example from precalculus and calculus texts to give a simple description in polar coordinates of any circle that passes through the origin. We discuss an occurrence of this formula in the context of medical imaging. (Contains 1 figure.)

National Forest System working circles: a question of size and ownership composition

Treesearch

Robert J. Hrubes

1976-01-01

Allowable-cut (potential yield) levels on National Forest land are determined for planning units called working circles. The size of working circles has been increased over the past 30 years to the present scale which is often coincident with National Forest boundaries. Larger working circles have recently been considered because of the anticipated impacts on timber...

Why Story Circle Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, George Ella

2016-01-01

If adult attention is screen scrambled, what about kids, whose brains are still developing? In a world where we are over stimulated and hyperlinked-in we are deprived of the kind of time with a person or experience that deepens and sustains us. Here, poet laureate George Ella Lyon writes that the story circle can be such an experience. A school…

VIEW OF THE OUTER RING OF CENTER CIRCLE, LOOKING NORTH. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF THE OUTER RING OF CENTER CIRCLE, LOOKING NORTH. GRANITE COPING DEFINES THE SWAIN FAMILY PLOT, WHICH CONTAINS A CELTIC CROSS, ON WHICH THE CIRCLE REFERS TO ETERNAL LIFE, AND A RECLINING HUMAN FIGURE IN ETERNAL SLEEP - Woodlands Cemetery, 4000 Woodlands Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Approaching the Practice Quality Improvement Project in Interventional Radiology.

PubMed

Reis, Stephen P; White, Benjamin; Sutphin, Patrick D; Pillai, Anil K; Kalva, Sanjeeva P; Toomay, Seth M

2015-12-01

An important component of maintenance of certification and quality improvement in radiology is the practice quality improvement (PQI) project. In this article, the authors describe several methodologies for initiating and completing PQI projects. Furthermore, the authors illustrate several tools that are vital in compiling, analyzing, and presenting data in an easily understandable and reproducible manner. Last, they describe two PQI projects performed in an interventional radiology division that have successfully improved the quality of care for patients. Using the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) quality improvement framework, interventional radiology throughput has been increased, to lessen mediport wait times from 43 to 8 days, and mediport infection rates have decreased from more than 2% to less than 0.4%. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Literature Circles to Enhance Student Knowledge of Nonfiction Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitworth, Amanda

2017-01-01

This mixed methods action research study explored how students reacted to using literature circles to enhance their knowledge and understanding of reading nonfiction text as compared to students using guided reading. This study showed a minimal improvement for students participating in the literature circle group in overall understanding of…

Charlotte Circle Outreach. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calhoun, Mary Lynne; Rose, Terry L.; Prendergast, Donna

This final report details the activities of the Charlotte Circle Outreach, a program designed to provide technical assistance and training to early intervention programs offering services to infants and young children with substantial disabilities, ages birth through two years. This mission was accomplished through cooperative planning with…

A quality control circle process to improve implementation effect of prevention measures for high-risk patients.

PubMed

Feng, Haixia; Li, Guohong; Xu, Cuirong; Ju, Changping; Suo, Peiheng

2017-12-01

The aim of the study was to analyse the influence of prevention measures on pressure injuries for high-risk patients and to establish the most appropriate methods of implementation. Nurses assessed patients using a checklist and factors influencing the prevention of a pressure injury determined by brain storming. A specific series of measures was drawn up and an estimate of risk of pressure injury determined using the Braden Scale, analysis of nursing documents, implementation of prevention measures for pressure sores and awareness of the system both before and after carrying out a quality control circle (QCC) process. The overall scores of implementation of prevention measures ranged from 74.86 ± 14.24 to 87.06 ± 17.04, a result that was statistically significant (P < 0.0025). The Braden Scale scores ranged from 8.53 ± 3.21 to 13.48 ± 3.57. The nursing document scores ranged from 7.67 ± 3.98 to 10.12 ± 1.63; prevention measure scores ranged from 11.48 ± 4.18 to 13.96 ± 3.92. Differences in all of the above results are statistically significant (P < 0.05). Implementation of a QCC can standardise and improve the prevention measures for patients who are vulnerable to pressure sores and is of practical importance to their prevention and control. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Content-aware photo collage using circle packing.

PubMed

Yu, Zongqiao; Lu, Lin; Guo, Yanwen; Fan, Rongfei; Liu, Mingming; Wang, Wenping

2014-02-01

In this paper, we present a novel approach for automatically creating the photo collage that assembles the interest regions of a given group of images naturally. Previous methods on photo collage are generally built upon a well-defined optimization framework, which computes all the geometric parameters and layer indices for input photos on the given canvas by optimizing a unified objective function. The complex nonlinear form of optimization function limits their scalability and efficiency. From the geometric point of view, we recast the generation of collage as a region partition problem such that each image is displayed in its corresponding region partitioned from the canvas. The core of this is an efficient power-diagram-based circle packing algorithm that arranges a series of circles assigned to input photos compactly in the given canvas. To favor important photos, the circles are associated with image importances determined by an image ranking process. A heuristic search process is developed to ensure that salient information of each photo is displayed in the polygonal area resulting from circle packing. With our new formulation, each factor influencing the state of a photo is optimized in an independent stage, and computation of the optimal states for neighboring photos are completely decoupled. This improves the scalability of collage results and ensures their diversity. We also devise a saliency-based image fusion scheme to generate seamless compositive collage. Our approach can generate the collages on nonrectangular canvases and supports interactive collage that allows the user to refine collage results according to his/her personal preferences. We conduct extensive experiments and show the superiority of our algorithm by comparing against previous methods.

VIEW OF DATE DRIVE, FROM INTERSECTION WITH BIRCH CIRCLE, WITH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF DATE DRIVE, FROM INTERSECTION WITH BIRCH CIRCLE, WITH FACILITY 809 ON LEFT, 816 ON RIGHT. NOTE THE MANY DATE PALMS. VIEW FACING NORTHWEST - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, Intersection of Acacia Road and Brich Circle, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Effect of stern hull shape on turning circle of ships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaswar, Maimun, A.; Wahid, M. A.; Priyanto, A.; Zamani, Pauzi, Saman

2012-06-01

Many factors such as: stern hull shape, length, draught, trim, propulsion system and external forces affecting the drift angle influence rate of turn and size of turning circle of ships. This paper discusses turning circle characteristics of U and V stern hull shape of Very Large Crude Oil Carrier (VLCC) ships. The ships have same principal dimension such as length, beam, and draught. The turning circle characteristics of the VLCC ships are simulated at 35 degree of rudder angle. In the analysis, firstly, turning circle performance of U-type VLCC ship is simulated. In the simulation, initial ship speed is determined using given power and rpm. Hydrodynamic derivatives coefficients are determined by including effect of fullness of aft run. Using the obtained, speed and hydrodynamic coefficients, force and moment acting on hull, force and moment induced by propeller, force and moment induced by rudder are determined. Finally, ship trajectory, ratio of speed, yaw angle and drift angle are determined. Results of simulation results of the VLCC ship are compared with the experimental one as validation. Using the same method, V-type VLCC is simulated and the simulation results are compared with U-type VLCC ship. Results shows the turning circle of U-type is larger than V-type due to effect stern hul results of simulation are.

The Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers are working on the Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Project. This project is a U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management-funded initiative designed to develop new methods, strategies, and technologies for characterizing, modeling, remediating, and monitoring soils and groundwater contaminated with metals, radionuclides, and chlorinated organics. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Technologies Project staff.

Violence in the eye of adolescents: education intervention with Culture Circles.

PubMed

Brandão Neto, Waldemar; Silva, Marta Angélica Iossi; de Aquino, Jael Maria; de Lima, Luciane Soares; Monteiro, Estela Maria Leite Meirelles

2015-01-01

to apply the methodology of Culture Circles on adolescents as a strategy for health education of nurses in the construction of the collective knowledge of the thematic violence. action research type and qualitative study. Participants were 11 adolescents from a public school in Recife, PE, Brazil. Data production in Culture Circles included the participant observation with field diary, photographic recording and filming, as well as the photovoice technique. The analysis was performed by triangulating data in dialogue with the literature. it was shown that the problematizing action provided by the Culture Circle made possible to create situations in which adolescents felt invited to critically refl ect on the phenomenon of violence in all its complexity. the health education intervention, performed by Culture Circles, added learning and mutual growth subsidizing nursing care actions that excel at leadership and autonomy of adolescents.

Recumbent Stone Circles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggles, Clive L. N.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, British archaeoastronomers were striving to bridge the interpretative gulf between the "megalithic observatories" of Alexander Thom and an archaeological mainstream that, generally speaking, was hostile to any mention of astronomy in relation to the megalithic monuments of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Britain. The Scottish recumbent stone circles (RSCs) came to represent an example where sounder methodology could overcome many of the data selection issues that had beset earlier studies and, with due restraint, produce credible interpretations. Systematic studies of their orientations consistently concluded that the RSCs had a strong lunar connection, and it was widely envisaged that they were the setting for ceremonies associated with the appearance of the moon over the recumbent stone. Other evidence such as the presence of white quartz and the spatial distribution of cupmarks appeared to back up this conclusion. New archaeological investigations since 1999 have challenged and modified these conclusions, confirming in particular that the circles were built to enclose cairns rather than to demarcate open spaces. Yet the restricted pattern of orientations of these structures could only have been achieved by reference to the basic diurnal motions of the skies, and orientation in relation to simple observations of the midsummer moon remains the most likely reading of the alignment evidence taken as a whole. On the other hand, a consideration of the broader context, which includes the nearby Clava cairns, highlights instead the symbolic importance of the sun.

Talking Circles Promote Equitable Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Marcus

2015-01-01

Teachers facilitate math talk in the classroom, but introducing a structured discussion format called the "talking circle" can influence opportunities for equitable student participation. Drawing on his reflections over the 2013-14 academic year and reviewing his detailed teaching notes and lesson plans, Marcus Hung takes a close look at…

Digital Storytelling: Reinventing Literature Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobin, Maryann Tatum

2012-01-01

New literacies in reading research demand the study of comprehension skills using multiple modalities through a more complex, multi-platform view of reading. Taking into account the robust roll of technology in our daily lives, this article presents an update to the traditional literature circle lesson to include digital storytelling and…

The National Shipbuilding Research Program, Analytical Quality Circles

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

standard tools for quality control, in English, see “Guide to Quality Control” by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa , Asian Productivity Organization, Aoyama Dai-ichi...factors affect work evaluation is shown schemati- cally by Characteristic-Factor Diagrams (also called Fishbone or Ishikawa Diagrams), see Figure 2-5

Utilizing Talking Circles as a Means of Gathering American Indian Stories for Developing a Nutrition and Physical Activity Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandenburger, Shelly J.; Wells, Karlys; Stluka, Suzanne

2017-01-01

This qualitative study used a focus group approach (talking circles) to elicit tribal elder insight on important concepts for the purpose of creating a curriculum to teach tribal youth in South Dakota about nutrition and physical activity in culturally appropriate ways. The focus groups were part of a larger project that is exploring mechanisms…

Towards the Use of the "Great Wheel" as a Model in Determining the Quality and Merit of Arts-Based Projects (Research and Instruction)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Joe

2011-01-01

Building upon a First Nations circle metaphor this paper explores how employing the interrelated concepts of pedagogy, poiesis, politics, and public positioning can provide a more holistic approach in designing and assessing arts-based projects be they for instructional and/or research purposes. It takes a "postmodern" stance (Giroux, 1991),…

The Several-Circled Search for Self

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, Evelyn

1973-01-01

Reports on a sample mini-course in the humanities entitled A Several-Circled Search for Self'' which employs the circus as a theme while stressing the importance of student involvement and the development of self-concept. (RB)

VIEW FROM EAST SIDE OF ELM DRIVE/BIRCH CIRCLE BLOCK, SHOWING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW FROM EAST SIDE OF ELM DRIVE/BIRCH CIRCLE BLOCK, SHOWING SLOPING TOPOGRAPHY. VIEW FACING WEST. - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, Intersection of Acacia Road and Brich Circle, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Finding the Maximal Area of Bounded Polygons in a Circle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rokach, Arie

2005-01-01

The article deals with the area of polygons that are inscribed in a given circle. Naturally, the following question arises: Among all n-polygons that are inscribed in a given circle, which one has the biggest area? Intuitively, it may be guessed that is suitable for secondary students, and without any use id calculus, but only using very…

DETAIL VIEW OF PIEDMONT AVENUE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT INTERSECTION OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

DETAIL VIEW OF PIEDMONT AVENUE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT INTERSECTION OF CHANNING WAY. SEEN FROM EAST SIDE OF CIRCLE LOOKING NORTH AT 2395 PIEDMONT, SIGMA PI HOUSE BY FREDERICK H. REIMERS, 1928. Photograph by Brian Grogan, July 8, 2007 - Piedmont Way & the Berkeley Property Tract, East of College Avenue between Dwight Way & U.C. Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, Alameda County, CA

The Circle Approach to Trigonometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kevin c.; LaForest, Kevin R.

2014-01-01

How do students think about an angle measure of ninety degrees? How do they think about ratios and values on the unit circle? How might angle measure be used to connect right-triangle trigonometry and circular functions? And why might asking these questions be important when introducing trigonometric functions to students? When teaching…

[Potentials of cooperative quality management initiatives: BQS Institute projects, January 2010 - July 2013].

PubMed

Veit, Christof; Bungard, Sven; Hertle, Dagmar; Grothaus, Franz-Josef; Kötting, Joachim; Arnold, Nicolai

2013-01-01

Alongside the projects of internal quality management and mandatory quality assurance there is a variety of quality driven projects across institutions initiated and run by various partners to continuously improve the quality of care. The multiplicity and characteristics of these projects are discussed on the basis of projects run by the BQS Institute between 2010 and 2013. In addition, useful interactions and linking with mandatory quality benchmarking and with internal quality management are discussed. (As supplied by publisher). Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Ecohydrological interactions within "fairy circles" in the Namib Desert: Revisiting the self-organization hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravi, Sujith; Wang, Lixin; Kaseke, Kudzai Farai; Buynevich, Ilya V.; Marais, Eugene

2017-02-01

Vegetation patterns such as rings, bands, and spots are recurrent characteristics of resource-limited arid and semiarid ecosystems. One of the most recognizable vegetation patterns is the millions of circular patches, often referred to as "fairy circles," within the arid grassland matrix extending over hundreds of kilometers in the Namib Desert. Several modeling studies have highlighted the role of plant-soil interactions in the formation of these fairy circles. However, little is known about the spatial and temporal variabilities of hydrological processes inside a fairy circle. In particular, a detailed field assessment of hydrological and soil properties inside and outside the fairy circles is limited. We conducted extensive measurements of infiltration rate, soil moisture, grass biometric, and sediment grain-size distribution from multiple circles and interspaces in the Namib Desert. Our results indicate that considerable heterogeneity in hydrological processes exists within the fairy circles, resulting from the presence of coarser particles in the inner bare soil areas, whereas concentration of fine soil occurs on the vegetated edges. The trapping of aeolian and water-borne sediments by plants may result in the observed soil textural changes beneath the vegetation, which in turn, explains the heterogeneity in hydrological processes such as infiltration and runoff. Our investigation provides new insights and experimental data on the ecohydrological processes associated with fairy circles, from a less studied location devoid of sand termite activity within the circles. The results seem to provide support to the "self-organization hypothesis" of fairy circle formation attributed to the antiphase spatial biomass-water distributions.

Sister Circles as a Culturally Relevant Intervention for Anxious African American Women

PubMed Central

Neal-Barnett, Angela; Stadulis, Robert; Murray, Marsheena; Payne, Margaret Ralston; Thomas, Anisha; Salley, Bernadette B.

2011-01-01

Research on anxiety treatment with African American women reveals a need to develop interventions that address factors relevant to their lives. Such factors include feelings of isolation, multiple roles undertaken by Black women, and faith. A recurrent theme across treatment studies is the importance of having support from other Black women. Sister circles are support groups that build upon existing friendships, fictive kin networks, and the sense of community found among African Americans females. Sister circles appear to offer many of the components Black women desire in an anxiety intervention. In this article, we explore sister circles as an intervention for anxious African American women. Culturally-infused aspects from our sister circle work with middle-class African American women are presented. Further research is needed. PMID:22081747

Guided discovery of the nine-point circle theorem and its proof

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchbinder, Orly

2018-01-01

The nine-point circle theorem is one of the most beautiful and surprising theorems in Euclidean geometry. It establishes an existence of a circle passing through nine points, all of which are related to a single triangle. This paper describes a set of instructional activities that can help students discover the nine-point circle theorem through investigation in a dynamic geometry environment, and consequently prove it using a method of guided discovery. The paper concludes with a variety of suggestions for the ways in which the whole set of activities can be implemented in geometry classrooms.

Promoting retention, enabling success: Discovering the potential of student support circles.

PubMed

Bass, Janice; Walters, Caroline; Toohill, Jocelyn; Sidebotham, Mary

2016-09-01

Retention of students is critical to education programs and future workforce. A mixed methods study evaluated student engagement within a Bachelor of Midwifery program and connection with career choice through participation in student support circles. Centred on the Five Senses of Success Framework (sense of capability, purpose, identity, resourcefulness and connectedness) and including four stages of engagement (creating space, preparing self, sharing stories, focused conversations), the circles support and develop student and professional identity. Of 80 students 43 (54%) provided responses to a two item survey assessed against a five point Likert scale to determine utility. Using a nominal group technique, student's voices gave rich insight into the personal and professional growth that participation in the student support circles provided. Evaluated as helpful to first year students in orientating to university study and early socialisation into the profession, the circles appear to influence the development of a strong sense of professional identity and personal midwifery philosophy based on the relational nature of the midwife being with woman rather than doing midwifery. This suggests that student support circles positively influence perceptions and expectations, contributing to a shared sense of purpose and discipline connection, for enhancing student retention and future workforce participation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expanding the Reach of Extension to Underserved Audiences through Study Circles in Rural Idaho

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummins, Melissa; Petty, Barbara; Hansen, Lyle; Hoffman, Katie; Wittman, Grace

2012-01-01

Extension educators expanded the reach of their programming to underserved audiences through the implementation of Study Circles in rural Southern Idaho. Study Circles gave educators entry into communities by establishing relationships necessary for long-term change. Study Circle discussions in rural Southern Idaho led to stronger relationships…

Circles of Support and Accountability for Sex Offenders: A Systematic Review of Outcomes.

PubMed

Clarke, Martin; Brown, Susan; Völlm, Birgit

2017-08-01

We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting on the effectiveness of Circles of Support and Accountability (Circles). Circles use volunteers to provide support for sex offenders living in the community. We searched 10 databases up to the end of 2013 and identified 3 relevant outcome studies. An additional 12 papers or reports were identified by searching reference lists, Google, and contacting key authors and Circles providers to obtain unpublished data. These 15 studies comprised one randomized controlled trial, three retrospective cohorts with matched controls, and 11 case series. The majority reported measures of recidivism, particularly reconviction. The 4 studies with controls generally reported that participation in Circles was associated with lower recidivism although there were few statistically significant differences. Few studies examined changes in risk or psychosocial outcomes. A number of methodological issues are discussed. Longer term, prospective follow-up studies with control groups are required to address these issues.

The Effect of Literature Circles on Text Analysis and Reading Desire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatay, Halit

2017-01-01

In order to make teaching activities more appealing, different techniques and strategies have been constantly employed. This study utilized the strategy of "literature circles" to improve the text-analysis skills, reading desires, and interests of prospective teachers of Turkish. "Literature circles" was not chosen to be used…

Within Our Circle of Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiranniah, Namratha; Mahoney, Bernadette

2006-01-01

Two teachers working in Year 0-1 classes at Manurewa South School, a decile 2 school in the Manurewa area of Manukau City, Auckland, share their voyage of exploration around their own circle of influence. In this article the research team including Bronwyn Blair, a facilitator from the University of Auckland, worked through a cycle of needs…

Exploring Writing Circles as Innovative, Collaborative Writing Structures with Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth; Blanch, Norine; Gurjar, Nandita

2017-01-01

Writing circles are "small groups... meeting regularly to share drafts, choose common writing topics, practice positive response, and in general, help each other become better writers" (Vopat, 2009, p. 6). In this exploratory study, writing circles were employed with elementary teacher candidates in hopes of enhancing their perceptions…

How to conduct a clinical audit and quality improvement project.

PubMed

Limb, Christopher; Fowler, Alex; Gundogan, Buket; Koshy, Kiron; Agha, Riaz

2017-07-01

Audits and quality improvement projects are vital aspects of clinical governance and continual service improvement in medicine. In this article we describe the process of clinical audit and quality improvement project. Guidance is also provided on how to design an effective audit and bypass barriers encountered during the process.

Discovering Social Circles in Ego Networks (Author’s Manuscript)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-10

ego-network. We expect that circles are formed by densely-connected sets of alters ( Newman , 2006). However, different circles overlap heavily, i.e...umbrella of community detection (Lancichinetti and Fortunato, 2009a; Schaeffer, 2007; Leskovec et al., 2010; Porter et al., 2009; Newman , 2004). While...MCMC) sampler ( Newman and Barkema, 1999) which efficiently updates node-community memberships by ‘collapsing’ nodes that have common features and

Multimodal determination of Rayleigh dispersion and attenuation curves using the circle fit method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verachtert, R.; Lombaert, G.; Degrande, G.

2018-03-01

This paper introduces the circle fit method for the determination of multi-modal Rayleigh dispersion and attenuation curves as part of a Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) experiment. The wave field is transformed to the frequency-wavenumber (fk) domain using a discretized Hankel transform. In a Nyquist plot of the fk-spectrum, displaying the imaginary part against the real part, the Rayleigh wave modes correspond to circles. The experimental Rayleigh dispersion and attenuation curves are derived from the angular sweep of the central angle of these circles. The method can also be applied to the analytical fk-spectrum of the Green's function of a layered half-space in order to compute dispersion and attenuation curves, as an alternative to solving an eigenvalue problem. A MASW experiment is subsequently simulated for a site with a regular velocity profile and a site with a soft layer trapped between two stiffer layers. The performance of the circle fit method to determine the dispersion and attenuation curves is compared with the peak picking method and the half-power bandwidth method. The circle fit method is found to be the most accurate and robust method for the determination of the dispersion curves. When determining attenuation curves, the circle fit method and half-power bandwidth method are accurate if the mode exhibits a sharp peak in the fk-spectrum. Furthermore, simulated and theoretical attenuation curves determined with the circle fit method agree very well. A similar correspondence is not obtained when using the half-power bandwidth method. Finally, the circle fit method is applied to measurement data obtained for a MASW experiment at a site in Heverlee, Belgium. In order to validate the soil profile obtained from the inversion procedure, force-velocity transfer functions were computed and found in good correspondence with the experimental transfer functions, especially in the frequency range between 5 and 80 Hz.

Multi-modal quality of service project

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-03-01

The overall purpose of this research project has been to help develop a quality of service analysis for transit, pedestrian, and bicycle modes. It has been driver by four major objectives which have shaped the research agenda since the summer of 1998...

Title IV Quality Control Project, Stage II. Management Option II: Delivery System Quality Improvements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Advanced Technology, Inc., Reston, VA.

Stage Two of the Title IV Quality Control Project is an integrated study of quality in five related Federal financial aid programs for postsecondary students. Section 1 of the paper establishes a framework for defining quality improvements, in order to identify the types of changes that would tend to improve quality across all facets of the…

Component analysis and synthesis of dark circles under the eyes using a spectral image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akaho, Rina; Hirose, Misa; Ojima, Nobutoshi; Igarashi, Takanori; Tsumura, Norimichi

2017-02-01

This paper proposes to apply nonlinear estimation of chromophore concentrations: melanin, oxy-hemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin and shading to the real hyperspectral image of skin. Skin reflectance is captured in the wavelengths between 400nm and 700nm by hyperspectral scanner. Five-band wavelengths data are selected from skin reflectance. By using the cubic function which obtained by Monte Carlo simulation of light transport in multi-layered tissue, chromophore concentrations and shading are determined by minimize residual sum of squares of reflectance. When dark circles are appeared under the eyes, the subject looks tired and older. Therefore, woman apply cosmetic cares to remove dark circles. It is not clear about the relationship between color and chromophores distribution in the dark circles. Here, we applied the separation method of the skin four components to hyperspectral image of dark circle, and the separated components are modulated and synthesized. The synthesized images are evaluated to know which components are contributed into the appearance of dark circles. Result of the evaluation shows that the cause of dark circles for the one subject was mainly melanin pigmentation.

The use of process mapping in healthcare quality improvement projects.

PubMed

Antonacci, Grazia; Reed, Julie E; Lennox, Laura; Barlow, James

2018-05-01

Introduction Process mapping provides insight into systems and processes in which improvement interventions are introduced and is seen as useful in healthcare quality improvement projects. There is little empirical evidence on the use of process mapping in healthcare practice. This study advances understanding of the benefits and success factors of process mapping within quality improvement projects. Methods Eight quality improvement projects were purposively selected from different healthcare settings within the UK's National Health Service. Data were gathered from multiple data-sources, including interviews exploring participants' experience of using process mapping in their projects and perceptions of benefits and challenges related to its use. These were analysed using inductive analysis. Results Eight key benefits related to process mapping use were reported by participants (gathering a shared understanding of the reality; identifying improvement opportunities; engaging stakeholders in the project; defining project's objectives; monitoring project progress; learning; increased empathy; simplicity of the method) and five factors related to successful process mapping exercises (simple and appropriate visual representation, information gathered from multiple stakeholders, facilitator's experience and soft skills, basic training, iterative use of process mapping throughout the project). Conclusions Findings highlight benefits and versatility of process mapping and provide practical suggestions to improve its use in practice.

On the Circle of Apollonius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayoub, Ayoub B.

2006-01-01

The circle discussed in this paper is named after "The Great Geometer of Antiquity", that is Apollonius of Perga (ca. 262-190 BCE). Among his many contributions to geometry is a book with the title "Plane Loci." This book included, among others, a problem about the locus of a point moving in a plane such that the ratio of its distances from two…

The Circle of Apollonius: A Discovery Activity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Ralph W.

1994-01-01

Presents an activity using simple constructions and a knowledge of proportions to discover that the sets of points generated by the described procedures are circles. Presents a proof of the result. (Author/MKR)

Participant Experiences of Talking Circles on Type 2 Diabetes in Two Northern Plains American Indian Tribes

PubMed Central

Struthers, Roxanne; Hodge, Felicia Schanche; Geishirt-Cantrell, Betty; De Cora, Lorelei

2011-01-01

The Talking Circle, a culturally appropriate, 12-week educational intervention, was employed on two Northern Plains American Indian reservations to provide information on type 2 diabetes. In a phenomenological study, funded as a minority supplement to the Talking Circle intervention, the authors asked 8 American Indian participants of the Talking Circle to describe their experience of being an American Indian Talking Circle participant. Seven common themes describe the phenomenon of participating in a Talking Circle diabetic intervention. The Talking Circle technique was effective in providing information on type 2 diabetes through culturally appropriate community sharing. Type 2 diabetes is viewed by both outsiders and those involved as a chronic disease of the utmost concern in American Indian communities. PMID:14556421

Curved grating fabrication techniques for concentric-circle grating, surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, Rebecca H.; King, Oliver; Wicks, Gary W.; Hall, Dennis G.; Anderson, Erik H.; Rooks, Michael J.

1993-01-01

We describe the fabrication and operational characteristics of a novel, surface-emitting semiconductor laser that makes use of a concentric-circle grating to both define its resonant cavity and to provide surface emission. A properly fabricated circular grating causes the laser to operate in radially inward- and outward-going circular waves in the waveguide, thus, introducing the circular symmetry needed for the laser to emit a beam with a circular cross-section. The basic circular-grating-resonator concept can be implemented in any materials system; an AlGaAs/GaAs graded-index, separate confinement heterostructure (GRINSCH), single-quantum-well (SQW) semiconductor laser, grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), was used for the experiments discussed here. Each concentric-circle grating was fabricated on the surface of the AlGaAs/GaAs semiconductor laser. The circular pattern was first defined by electron-beam (e-beam) lithography in a layer of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and subsequently etched into the semiconductor surface using chemically-assisted (chlorine) ion-beam etching (CAIBE). We consider issues that affect the fabrication and quality of the gratings. These issues include grating design requirements, data representation of the grating pattern, and e-beam scan method. We provide examples of how these techniques can be implemented and their impact on the resulting laser performance. A comparison is made of the results obtained using two fundamentally different electron-beam writing systems. Circular gratings with period lambda = 0.25 microns and overall diameters ranging from 80 microns to 500 microns were fabricated. We also report our successful demonstration of an optically pumped, concentric-circle grating, semiconductor laser that emits a beam with a far-field divergence angle that is less than one degree. The emission spectrum is quite narrow (less than 0.1 nm) and is centered at wavelength lambda = 0.8175 microns.

Zernike expansion of derivatives and Laplacians of the Zernike circle polynomials.

PubMed

Janssen, A J E M

2014-07-01

The partial derivatives and Laplacians of the Zernike circle polynomials occur in various places in the literature on computational optics. In a number of cases, the expansion of these derivatives and Laplacians in the circle polynomials are required. For the first-order partial derivatives, analytic results are scattered in the literature. Results start as early as 1942 in Nijboer's thesis and continue until present day, with some emphasis on recursive computation schemes. A brief historic account of these results is given in the present paper. By choosing the unnormalized version of the circle polynomials, with exponential rather than trigonometric azimuthal dependence, and by a proper combination of the two partial derivatives, a concise form of the expressions emerges. This form is appropriate for the formulation and solution of a model wavefront sensing problem of reconstructing a wavefront on the level of its expansion coefficients from (measurements of the expansion coefficients of) the partial derivatives. It turns out that the least-squares estimation problem arising here decouples per azimuthal order m, and per m the generalized inverse solution assumes a concise analytic form so that singular value decompositions are avoided. The preferred version of the circle polynomials, with proper combination of the partial derivatives, also leads to a concise analytic result for the Zernike expansion of the Laplacian of the circle polynomials. From these expansions, the properties of the Laplacian as a mapping from the space of circle polynomials of maximal degree N, as required in the study of the Neumann problem associated with the transport-of-intensity equation, can be read off within a single glance. Furthermore, the inverse of the Laplacian on this space is shown to have a concise analytic form.

PySCIs: a user friendly Python tool to quickly applying Small Circle methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvín, Pablo; José Villalaín, Juan; Casas, Antonio; Torres, Sara

2017-04-01

SCIs_calc.py and pySCIs_draw.py. The first one performs all calculations whereas the second one provides a graphical output. The input data are a comma delimited text file with the name of the sites, the in situ paleomagnetic directions and the attitude beds. After perform the calculations, pySCIs_calc.py export four text files: (i) one of them with all information regarding the paleomagnetic direction and the paleodip, (i) other with the calculated remagnetization direction, (iii) a third one with the direction of the intersections between the small circles and (iv) the last one with a one degree grid with the values of A/n. The graphical output consist in four equal area projections, three of them with the SCs and the paleomagnetic direction in different stages (before and after the bedding correction and the BFD) and the last one is a contour plot of A/n and the intersection between the SCs.

Fabrication and characteristics of thin disc piezoelectric transformers based on piezoelectric buzzers with gap circles.

PubMed

Chang, Kuo-Tsai; Lee, Chun-Wei

2008-04-01

This paper investigates design, fabrication and test of thin disc piezoelectric transformers (PTs) based on piezoelectric buzzers with gap circles at different diameters of the gap circles. The performance test is focused on characteristics of voltage gains, including maximum voltage gains and maximum-gain frequencies, for each piezoelectric transformer under different load conditions. Both a piezoelectric buzzer and a gap circle on a silver electrode of the buzzer are needed to build any type of the PTs. Here, the gap circle is used to form a ring-shaped input electrode and a circle-shaped output electrode for each piezoelectric transformer. To do so, both structure and connection of a PT are first expressed. Then, operating principle of a PT and its related vibration mode observed by a carbon-power imaging technique are described. Moreover, an experimental setup for characterizing each piezoelectric transformer is constructed. Finally, effects of diameters of the gap circles on characteristics of voltage gains at different load resistances are discussed.

From EUCLID to Ptolemy in English Crop Circles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawkins, G. S.

1997-12-01

The late Lord Soli Zuckerman, science advisor to several British governments, encouraged the author, an astronomer, to test the theory that all crop circles were made by hoaxers. Within the hundreds of formations in Southern England he saw a thread of surprising historical content at the intellectual level of College Dons. One diagram in celestial mechanics involved triple conjunctions of Mercury, Venus and Mars every 67 2/3 years. Ptolemy's fourth musical scale, tense diatonic, occurred in the circles during the period 1978-88. Starting on E, Ptolemaic ratios make our perfect diatonic scale of white notes on the keyboard of the piano or church organ. For separated circles the ratio was given by diameters, and for concentric circles it was diameters squared. A series of rotationally symmetric figures began in 1988 which combined Ptolemy's ratios with Euclid's theorems. In his last plane theorem, Euclid (Elements 13,12) proved that the square on the side of an equilateral triangle is 3 times the square on the circum-circle radius -- diatonic note G(2). From the 1988 figure one can prove the square on the side is 16/3 times the square on the semi-altitude, giving note F(3). Later rotational figures over the next 5 years led to diatonic ratios for the hexagon, square and triangle. They gave with the exactness of Euclidean theorems the notes F, C(2) and E(2), and they are the only regular polygons to do so. Although these 4 crop theorems derive from Euclid, they were previously unknown as a set in the literature, nor had the Ptolemaic connection been published. Professional magazines asked the readers to provide a fifth theorem that would generate the above 4 theorems, but none was forthcoming. Ultimately the cicle makers showed knowledge of this generating theorem using a 200-ft design at Litchfield, Hampshire. After 1993, rotationally symmetric geometries continued to appear, but with much more complicated patterns. One design showed 6 crescent moons in a hexagon

Linking Science Analysis with Observation Planning: A Full Circle Data Lifecycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grosvenor, Sandy; Jones, Jeremy; Koratkar, Anuradha; Li, Connie; Mackey, Jennifer; Neher, Ken; Wolf, Karl; Obenschain, Arthur F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A clear goal of the Virtual Observatory (VO) is to enable new science through analysis of integrated astronomical archives. An additional and powerful possibility of the VO is to link and integrate these new analyses with planning of new observations. By providing tools that can be used for observation planning in the VO, the VO will allow the data lifecycle to come full circle: from theory to observations to data and back around to new theories and new observations. The Scientist's Expert Assistant (SEA) Simulation Facility (SSF) is working to combine the ability to access existing archives with the ability to model and visualize new observations. Integrating the two will allow astronomers to better use the integrated archives of the VO to plan and predict the success of potential new observations more efficiently, The full circle lifecycle enabled by SEA can allow astronomers to make substantial leaps in the quality of data and science returns on new observations. Our paper examines the exciting potential of integrating archival analysis with new observation planning, such as performing data calibration analysis on archival images and using that analysis to predict the success of new observations, or performing dynamic signal-to-noise analysis combining historical results with modeling of new instruments or targets. We will also describe how the development of the SSF is progressing and what have been its successes and challenges.

Linking Science Analysis with Observation Planning: A Full Circle Data Lifecycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jeremy; Grosvenor, Sandy; Wolf, Karl; Li, Connie; Koratkar, Anuradha; Powers, Edward I. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A clear goal of the Virtual Observatory (VO) is to enable new science through analysis of integrated astronomical archives. An additional and powerful possibility of the VO is to link and integrate these new analyses with planning of new observations. By providing tools that can be used for observation planning in the VO, the VO will allow the data lifecycle to come full circle: from theory to observations to data and back around to new theories and new observations. The Scientist's Expert Assistant (SEA) Simulation Facility (SSF) is working to combine the ability to access existing archives with the ability to model and visualize new observations. Integrating the two will allow astronomers to better use the integrated archives of the VO to plan and predict the success of potential new observations. The full circle lifecycle enabled by SEA can allow astronomers to make substantial leaps in the quality of data and science returns on new observations. Our paper will examine the exciting potential of integrating archival analysis with new observation planning, such as performing data calibration analysis on archival images and using that analysis to predict the success of new observations, or performing dynamic signal-to-noise analysis combining historical results with modeling of new instruments or targets. We will also describe how the development of the SSF is progressing and what has been its successes and challenges.

Creating Circle of Courage Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Bockern, Steve; McDonald, Tim

2012-01-01

Dream what a school would be like in which the purpose is to meet the needs of children and the larger community so that all can lead a good life. Using the Circle of Courage[TM]--a model grounded in values of deep respect for the dignity of all--the authors of this article outline overarching goals and indicators that can turn this dream into…

SF Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund: Projects and Accomplishments

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF) projects listed here are part of an EPA competitive grant program to improve SF Bay water quality focused on restoring impaired waters and enhancing aquatic resources.

Normal Isocurvature Surfaces and Special Isocurvature Circles (SIC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manoussakis, Gerassimos; Delikaraoglou, Demitris

2010-05-01

An isocurvature surface of a gravity field is a surface on which the value of the plumblines' curvature is constant. Here we are going to study the isocurvature surfaces of the Earth's normal gravity field. The normal gravity field is a symmetric gravity field therefore the isocurvature surfaces are surfaces of revolution. But even in this case the necessary relations for their study are not simple at all. Therefore to study an isocurvature surface we make special assumptions to form a vector equation which will hold only for a small coordinate patch of the isocurvature surface. Yet from the definition of the isocurvature surface and the properties of the normal gravity field is possible to express very interesting global geometrical properties of these surfaces without mixing surface differential calculus. The gradient of the plumblines' curvature function is vertical to an isocurvature surface. If P is a point of an isocurvature surface and "Φ" is the angle of the gradient of the plumblines' curvature with the equatorial plane then this direction points to the direction along which the curvature of the plumbline decreases / increases the most, and therefore is related to the strength of the normal gravity field. We will show that this direction is constant along a line of curvature of the isocurvature surface and this line is an isocurvature circle. In addition we will show that at each isocurvature surface there is at least one isocurvature circle along which the direction of the maximum variation of the plumblines' curvature function is parallel to the equatorial plane of the ellipsoid of revolution. This circle is defined as a Special Isocurvature Circle (SIC). Finally we shall prove that all these SIC lye on a special surface of revolution, the so - called SIC surface. That is to say, a SIC is not an isolated curve in the three dimensional space.

Coralville Reservoir Water Quality Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

Description of the Area and Scope of the Project The Coralville flood control dam is located in Johnson County, Iowa , about three miles north of Iowa City...out of the reservoir. USGS 05453100 Iowa River at Marengo, IA USGS 05453520 Iowa River below Coralville Dam near Coralville , IA max min average...26: Pesticides in Fish. Coralville Reservoir Water Quality Pesticides in Fish Reservoir (Near Lake McBride Spillway) Downstream ( Iowa

Ninety to Nothing: a PDSA quality improvement project.

PubMed

Prybutok, Gayle Linda

2018-05-14

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a successful quality improvement project in an acute care hospital focused on reducing the time of the total patient visit in the emergency department. Design/methodology/approach A multidisciplinary quality improvement team, using the PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) Cycle, analyzed the emergency department care delivery process and sequentially made process improvements that contributed to project success. Findings The average turnaround time goal of 90 minutes or less per visit was achieved in four months, and the organization enjoyed significant collateral benefits both internal to the organization and for its customers. Practical implications This successful PDSA process can be duplicated by healthcare organizations of all sizes seeking to improve a process related to timely, high-quality patient care delivery. Originality/value Extended wait time in hospital emergency departments is a universal problem in the USA that reduces the quality of the customer experience and that delays necessary patient care. This case study demonstrates that a structured quality improvement process implemented by a multidisciplinary team with the authority to make necessary process changes can successfully redefine the norm.

The Circle of Apollonius and Its Applications in Introductory Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partensky, Michael B.

2008-02-01

The circle of Apollonius is named after the ancient geometrician Apollonius of Perga. This beautiful geometric construct can be helpful when solving some general problems of geometry and mathematical physics, optics, and electricity. Here we discuss two of its applications: localizing an object in space and calculating electric fields. First, we pose an entertaining localization problem to trigger students' interest in the subject. Analyzing this problem, we introduce the circle of Apollonius and show that this geometric technique helps solve the problem in an elegant and intuitive manner. Then we switch to seemingly unrelated problems of calculating the electric fields. We show that the zero equipotential line for two unlike charges is the Apollonius circle for these two charges and use this discovery to find the electric field of a charge positioned near a grounded conductive sphere. Finally, we pose some questions for further examination.

Avoiding failure: tools for successful and sustainable quality-improvement projects.

PubMed

Donnelly, Lane F

2017-06-01

Involvement in successful and sustained quality improvement can be a very rewarding experience. However, it can be very difficult work. Up to 70% of attempted organizational change is not sustained. There are many reasons why quality-improvement projects might not be successful. In this article, the author reviews items associated with an increased or decreased likelihood of success. Such items have been categorized as structural issues, human issues and environmental context. This paper is intended to serve those embarking on quality-improvement projects as a resource to help position them for success.

Talking Circles to Improve Diabetes Self-care Management.

PubMed

Wilken, Marlene; Nunn, Martha

2017-08-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of both the Talking Circles (TCs) and diabetes self-management education (DSME) results in better adherence and outcomes for diabetes self-management than DSME alone in American Indians (AIs) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A quasiexperimental, mixed-methods approach was used for AIs with uncontrolled T2DM, defined by an A1C > 7.0%. The experimental group (n = 20) participated in a TC and received DSME. The control group (n = 19) received only DSME. Talking Circles were audio-taped and analyzed qualitatively. Quantitative data were analyzed using the generalized estimating equation and Fisher exact test for all study participants every 3 months for 1 year. Results Themes identified by TC participants were spirituality, gratitude, and sharing. Major topics of discussion were the experiences of living with T2DM, including challenges and coping. Evidence of positive trends for the experimental group who received the TC intervention included lower systolic blood pressure, lower A1C, lower weight over time, and increased adherence without incentives. Conclusion Talking Circles may have utility in improving adherence in AI adults with uncontrolled T2DM. Further studies are warranted, including extending the use of the TCs after completion of DSME sessions.

Underground Test Area Quality Assurance Project Plan Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

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

Irene Farnham

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) provides the overall quality assurance (QA) program requirements and general quality practices to be applied to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) Underground Test Area (UGTA) Sub-Project (hereafter the Sub-Project) activities. The requirements in this QAPP are consistent with DOE Order 414.1C, Quality Assurance (DOE, 2005); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Modeling (EPA, 2002); and EPA Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of Environmental Models (EPA, 2009). The QAPP Revision 0 supersedes DOE--341, Underground Test Area Quality Assurancemore » Project Plan, Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Revision 4.« less

A residency clinic chronic condition management quality improvement project.

PubMed

Halverson, Larry W; Sontheimer, Dan; Duvall, Sharon

2007-02-01

Quality improvement in chronic disease management is a major agenda for improving health and reducing health care costs. A six-component chronic disease management model can help guide this effort. Several characteristics of the "new model" of family medicine described by the Future of Family Medicine (FFM) Project Leadership Committee are promulgated to foster practice changes that improve quality. Our objective was to implement and assess a quality improvement project guided by the components of a chronic disease management model and FFM new model characteristics. Diabetes was selected as a model chronic disease focus. Multiple practice changes were implemented. A mature electronic medical record facilitated data collection and measurement of quality improvement progress. Data from the diabetes registry demonstrates that our efforts have been effective. Significant improvement occurred in five out of six quality indicators. Multidisciplinary teamwork in a model residency practice guided by chronic disease management principles and the FFM new model characteristics can produce significant management improvements in one important chronic disease.

Nanogrid rolling circle DNA sequencing

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

Church, George M.; Porreca, Gregory J.; Shendure, Jay

The present invention relates to methods for sequencing a polynucleotide immobilized on an array having a plurality of specific regions each having a defined diameter size, including synthesizing a concatemer of a polynucleotide by rolling circle amplification, wherein the concatemer has a cross-sectional diameter greater than the diameter of a specific region, immobilizing the concatemer to the specific region to make an immobilized concatemer, and sequencing the immobilized concatemer.

CircleBoard-Pro: Concrete manipulative-based learning cycle unit for learning geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamhari, Wongkia, Wararat

2018-01-01

Currently, a manipulative is commonly used in mathematics education as a supported tool for teaching and learning. With engaging natural interaction of a concrete manipulative and advantages of a learning cycle approach, we proposed the concrete manipulative-based learning cycle unit to promote mathematics learning. Our main objectives are to observe possibilities on the use of a concrete manipulative in learning geometry, and to assess students' understanding of a specific topic, angle properties in a circle, of secondary level students. To meet the first objective, the concrete manipulative, called CricleBoard-Pro, was designed. CircleBoard-Pro is built for easy to writing on or deleting from, accurate angle measurement, and flexible movement. Besides, learning activities and worksheets were created for helping students to learn angle properties in a circle. Twenty eighth graders on a lower secondary school in Indonesia were voluntarily involved to learn mathematics using CircleBoard-Pro with the designed learning activities and worksheets. We informally observed students' performance by focusing on criteria of using manipulative tools in learning mathematics while the learning activities were also observed in terms of whether they work and which step of activities need to be improved. The results of this part showed that CircleBoard-Pro complied the criteria of the use of the manipulative in learning mathematics. Nevertheless, parts of learning activities and worksheets need to be improved. Based on the results of the observation, CircleBoard-Pro, learning activities, and worksheets were merged together and became the CircleBoardPro embedded on 5E (Engage - Explore - Explain - Elaborate - Evaluate) learning cycle unit. Then, students understanding were assessed to reach the second objective. Six ninth graders from an Indonesian school in Thailand were recruited to participate in this study. Conceptual tests for both pre-and post-test, and semi

Teacher Quality, Professionalism and Professional Development: Findings from a European Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, Gillian; Flores, Maria Assunção; Niklasson, Laila

2013-01-01

This paper presents and discusses findings from a European project concerning strengthening the teacher's voice in defining professional quality. In the project tools were developed and evaluated to help teachers reflect on their professional quality. Twelve countries participated and twelve tools were tested with help of student teachers,…

The Mediation of Tools in the Development of Formal Mathematical Concepts: The Compass and the Circle as an Example.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chassapis, Dimitris

1999-01-01

Focuses on the process by which children develop a formal mathematical concept of the circle by using various instruments to draw circles within the context of a goal-directed drawing task. Concludes that the use of the compass in circle drawing structures the circle-drawing operation in a radically different fashion than circle tracers and…

Comparing Interactions in Literature Circles in Both Online and in Class Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skeen, Christel Ghrist

2014-01-01

Discourse analysis of literature circles can lead educators to understand the different types of interactions taking place as students talk about text. Social and academic interactions exist in both face-to-face and online discussions of reading material. This study examines two different settings of literature circles and compares interactions of…

Development and application of new quality model for software projects.

PubMed

Karnavel, K; Dillibabu, R

2014-01-01

The IT industry tries to employ a number of models to identify the defects in the construction of software projects. In this paper, we present COQUALMO and its limitations and aim to increase the quality without increasing the cost and time. The computation time, cost, and effort to predict the residual defects are very high; this was overcome by developing an appropriate new quality model named the software testing defect corrective model (STDCM). The STDCM was used to estimate the number of remaining residual defects in the software product; a few assumptions and the detailed steps of the STDCM are highlighted. The application of the STDCM is explored in software projects. The implementation of the model is validated using statistical inference, which shows there is a significant improvement in the quality of the software projects.

Quality of Project Management Education and Training Programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodea, Constanta-Nicoleta; Dascalu, Maria; Coman, Melania

The paper refers to the factors which influence the quality of training and education on project management. A survey was made and the main results are presented. 81 % of the responses came from China. The rest were professionals of different EU nationalities. The percentage of Project Managers who answered the questions is rather low - 8%. In the "Others" category, we have software developers, financial managers and professors, who are involved in both training on project management, but also as team members or team managers in projects, thus ensuring a balanced overview of both theory and practical issues.

Calculation of Latitude and Longitude for Points on Perimeter of a Circle on a Sphere

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

Morris, Heidi E.

2015-08-14

This document describes the calculation of the Earth-Centered Earth Fixed (ECEF) coordinates for points lying on the perimeter of a circle. Here, the perimeter of the circle lies on the surface of the sphere and the center of the planar circle is below the surface. These coordinates are converted to latitude and longitude for mapping fields on the surface of the earth.

Preventing Stalled Quality Improvement Teams: A Written Test of Project Selectionability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bacdayan, Paul

2002-01-01

Discusses organizations' use of quality improvement teams in total quality management and how they can benefit from training team personnel in how to select projects with a low risk of stalling. Describes an efficient written assessment test of project selection ability designed for those who conduct evaluations of training sessions. (Author/LRW)

Function representation with circle inversion map systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boreland, Bryson; Kunze, Herb

2017-01-01

The fractals literature develops the now well-known concept of local iterated function systems (using affine maps) with grey-level maps (LIFSM) as an approach to function representation in terms of the associated fixed point of the so-called fractal transform. While originally explored as a method to achieve signal (and 2-D image) compression, more recent work has explored various aspects of signal and image processing using this machinery. In this paper, we develop a similar framework for function representation using circle inversion map systems. Given a circle C with centre õ and radius r, inversion with respect to C transforms the point p˜ to the point p˜', such that p˜ and p˜' lie on the same radial half-line from õ and d(õ, p˜)d(õ, p˜') = r2, where d is Euclidean distance. We demonstrate the results with an example.

Raccoon Circles: A Handbook for Facilitators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Jim

This handbook presents a collection of over 35 experiential and adventure-based activities using only a single item of equipment--a 15-foot long section of 1-inch tubular climbing webbing, called a raccoon circle. Some of the activities are quiet, some are loud, and they range from low to high challenge levels. Different-sized groups can be…

Real-time monitoring of rolling-circle amplification using a modified molecular beacon design

PubMed Central

Nilsson, Mats; Gullberg, Mats; Dahl, Fredrik; Szuhai, Karoly; Raap, Anton K.

2002-01-01

We describe a method to monitor rolling-circle replication of circular oligonucleotides in dual-color and in real-time using molecular beacons. The method can be used to study the kinetics of the polymerization reaction and to amplify and quantify circularized oligonucleotide probes in a rolling-circle amplification (RCA) reaction. Modified molecular beacons were made of 2′-O-Me-RNA to prevent 3′ exonucleolytic degradation by the polymerase used. Moreover, the complement of one of the stem sequences of the molecular beacon was included in the RCA products to avoid fluorescence quenching due to inter-molecular hybridization of neighboring molecular beacons hybridizing to the concatemeric polymerization product. The method allows highly accurate quantification of circularized DNA over a broad concentration range by relating the signal from the test DNA circle to an internal reference DNA circle reporting in a distinct fluorescence color. PMID:12136114

Development and Application of New Quality Model for Software Projects

PubMed Central

Karnavel, K.; Dillibabu, R.

2014-01-01

The IT industry tries to employ a number of models to identify the defects in the construction of software projects. In this paper, we present COQUALMO and its limitations and aim to increase the quality without increasing the cost and time. The computation time, cost, and effort to predict the residual defects are very high; this was overcome by developing an appropriate new quality model named the software testing defect corrective model (STDCM). The STDCM was used to estimate the number of remaining residual defects in the software product; a few assumptions and the detailed steps of the STDCM are highlighted. The application of the STDCM is explored in software projects. The implementation of the model is validated using statistical inference, which shows there is a significant improvement in the quality of the software projects. PMID:25478594

Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans, EPA QA/G-5

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

provides guidance to EPA employees and other organizations involved in developing Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plans that address the specifications listed in EPA Requirements for QA Project Plans (QA/R-5)

A Historical Note on the Proof of the Area of a Circle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilamowsky, Yonah; Epstein, Sheldon; Dickman, Bernard

2011-01-01

Proofs that the area of a circle is nr[superscript 2] can be found in mathematical literature dating as far back as the time of the Greeks. The early proofs, e.g. Archimedes, involved dividing the circle into wedges and then fitting the wedges together in a way to approximate a rectangle. Later more sophisticated proofs relied on arguments…

Reactivation of Chromosomally Integrated Human Herpesvirus-6 by Telomeric Circle Formation

PubMed Central

Prusty, Bhupesh K.; Krohne, George; Rudel, Thomas

2013-01-01

More than 95% of the human population is infected with human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) during early childhood and maintains latent HHV-6 genomes either in an extra-chromosomal form or as a chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (ciHHV-6). In addition, approximately 1% of humans are born with an inheritable form of ciHHV-6 integrated into the telomeres of chromosomes. Immunosuppression and stress conditions can reactivate latent HHV-6 replication, which is associated with clinical complications and even death. We have previously shown that Chlamydia trachomatis infection reactivates ciHHV-6 and induces the formation of extra-chromosomal viral DNA in ciHHV-6 cells. Here, we propose a model and provide experimental evidence for the mechanism of ciHHV-6 reactivation. Infection with Chlamydia induced a transient shortening of telomeric ends, which subsequently led to increased telomeric circle (t-circle) formation and incomplete reconstitution of circular viral genomes containing single viral direct repeat (DR). Correspondingly, short t-circles containing parts of the HHV-6 DR were detected in cells from individuals with genetically inherited ciHHV-6. Furthermore, telomere shortening induced in the absence of Chlamydia infection also caused circularization of ciHHV-6, supporting a t-circle based mechanism for ciHHV-6 reactivation. PMID:24367281

Communicating Instantaneous Air Quality Data: Pilot Project Feed Back

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is launching a pilot project to test a new tool for making instantaneous outdoor air quality data useful for the public. The new “sensor scale” is designed to be used with air quality sensors that provide data in short time increments – often as little

Social Networks, Social Circles, and Job Satisfaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurlbert, Jeanne S.

1991-01-01

Tests the hypothesis that social networks serve as a social resource that effects job satisfaction through the provision of social support. Argues that three types of networks are likely to affect job satisfaction: dense networks, social circles composed of co-workers, and kin-centered networks. (JOW)

Women and Chemistry in Regency England: New Light on the Marcet Circle.

PubMed

Leigh, G Jeffery; Rocke, Alan J

2016-02-01

Jane Marcet's Conversations on Chemistry (first edition, 1806) was possibly the best-selling English-language chemistry book of the first half of the nineteenth century. Recent scholarship has explored the degree to which her husband assisted in the writing of the book, without diminishing the high merits of the author. Previously unpublished correspondence, some of which appears here for the first time, casts new light on the social and professional circle of Jane and Alexander Marcet, including its influence on Jane's book. One of the members of that circle was a hitherto unrecognised but highly capable young female chemist, Frederica Sebright. The story told here underlines the tensions in elite circles in early nineteenth-century England between broad-minded acceptance and patronising limitations for women in science.

Evaluating Quality in Educational Spaces: OECD/CELE Pilot Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Ahlefeld, Hannah

2009-01-01

CELE's International Pilot Project on Evaluating Quality in Educational Spaces aims to assist education authorities, schools and others to maximise the use of and investment in learning environments. This article provides an update on the pilot project, which is currently being implemented in Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal and the United…

Optical Coherence Tomography Scan Circle Location and Mean Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Measurement Variability

PubMed Central

Gabriele, Michelle L.; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Wollstein, Gadi; Bilonick, Richard A.; Townsend, Kelly A.; Kagemann, Larry; Wojtkowski, Maciej; Srinivasan, Vivek J.; Fujimoto, James G.; Duker, Jay S.; Schuman, Joel S.

2009-01-01

PURPOSE To investigate the effect on optical coherence tomography (OCT) retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements of varying the standard 3.4-mm-diameter circle location. METHODS The optic nerve head (ONH) region of 17 eyes of 17 healthy subjects was imaged with high-speed, ultrahigh-resolution OCT (hsUHR-OCT; 501 × 180 axial scans covering a 6 × 6-mm area; scan time, 3.84 seconds) for a comprehensive sampling. This method allows for systematic simulation of the variable circle placement effect. RNFL thickness was measured on this three-dimensional dataset by using a custom-designed software program. RNFL thickness was resampled along a 3.4-mm-diameter circle centered on the ONH, then along 3.4-mm circles shifted horizontally (x-shift), vertically (y-shift) and diagonally up to ±500 µm (at 100-µm intervals). Linear mixed-effects models were used to determine RNFL thickness as a function of the scan circle shift. A model for the distance between the two thickest measurements along the RNFL thickness circular profile (peak distance) was also calculated. RESULTS RNFL thickness tended to decrease with both positive and negative x- and y-shifts. The range of shifts that caused a decrease greater than the variability inherent to the commercial device was greater in both nasal and temporal quadrants than in the superior and inferior ones. The model for peak distance demonstrated that as the scan moves nasally, the RNFL peak distance increases, and as the circle moves temporally, the distance decreases. Vertical shifts had a minimal effect on peak distance. CONCLUSIONS The location of the OCT scan circle affects RNFL thickness measurements. Accurate registration of OCT scans is essential for measurement reproducibility and longitudinal examination (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00286637). PMID:18515577

Rolling circle amplification of metazoan mitochondrialgenomes

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

Simison, W. Brian; Lindberg, D.R.; Boore, J.L.

2005-07-31

Here we report the successful use of rolling circle amplification (RCA) for the amplification of complete metazoan mt genomes to make a product that is amenable to high-throughput genome sequencing techniques. The benefits of RCA over PCR are many and with further development and refinement of RCA, the sequencing of organellar genomics will require far less time and effort than current long PCR approaches.

The Study Circle--For Learning and Democracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjerkaker, Sturla

2006-01-01

The study circle is described as a democratic and emancipatory method for learning that can be summarized in three words: learning by sharing. This method offers opportunities and possibilities for all participants to contribute their previous knowledge and experiences through open and democratic dialogue. As a method for "liberal adult…

Great circle solution to polarization-based quantum communication (QC) in optical fiber

DOEpatents

Nordholt, Jane Elizabeth; Peterson, Charles Glen; Newell, Raymond Thorson; Hughes, Richard John

2016-03-15

Birefringence in optical fibers is compensated by applying polarization modulation at a receiver. Polarization modulation is applied so that a transmitted optical signal has states of polarization (SOPs) that are equally spaced on the Poincare sphere. Fiber birefringence encountered in propagation between a transmitter and a receiver rotates the great circle on the Poincare sphere that represents the polarization bases used for modulation. By adjusting received polarizations, polarization components of the received optical signal can be directed to corresponding detectors for decoding, regardless of the magnitude and orientation of the fiber birefringence. A transmitter can be configured to transmit in conjugate polarization bases whose SOPs can be represented as equidistant points on a great circle so that the received SOPs are mapped to equidistant points on a great circle and routed to corresponding detectors.

Rolling Circle Amplification of Complete Nematode Mitochondrial Genomes

PubMed Central

Tang, Sha; Hyman, Bradley C.

2005-01-01

To enable investigation of nematode mitochondrial DNA evolution, methodology has been developed to amplify intact nematode mitochondrial genomes in preparative yields using a rolling circle replication strategy. Successful reactions were generated from whole cell template DNA prepared by alkaline lysis of the rhabditid nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and a mermithid nematode, Thaumamermis cosgrovei. These taxa, representing the two major nematode classes Chromodorea and Enoplea, maintain mitochondrial genomes of 13.8 kb and 20.0 kb, respectively. Efficient amplifications were conducted on template DNA isolated from individual or pooled nematodes that were alive or stored at -80°C. Unexpectedly, these experiments revealed that multiple T. cosgrovei mitochondrial DNA haplotypes are maintained in our local population. Rolling circle amplification products can be used as templates for standard PCR reactions with specific primers that target mitochondrial genes or for direct DNA sequencing. PMID:19262866

Lake Champlain TMDL Modeling Quality Assurance Project Plan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document presents the quality assurance project plan for providing support to US EPA Region 1 in revising the Lake Champlain Total Maximum Daily Load, under Contract Number EP-C-08-004, Task Order 80.

Providing a Full Circle of Support to Teachers in an Inclusive Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldron, Nancy L.; Redd, Lacy

2011-01-01

Providing a full circle of support to teachers in an inclusive elementary school, the Newberry Elementary School (NES) principal and staff have worked for 5 years to ensure the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. The authors would like to share their perceptions of how this full circle (the multiple systems) of…

Study Circles at the Pharmacy--A New Model for Diabetes Education in Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarkadi, Anna; Rosenqvist, Urban

1999-01-01

Tests the feasibility of a one-year group education model for patients with type 2 diabetes in Sweden. Within study circles led by pharmacists, participants learned to self-monitor glucose, to interpret the results and to act upon them. Results show that study circles held at pharmacies are a feasible way of education persons with type 2 diabetes.…

Quality improvement primer part 1: Preparing for a quality improvement project in the emergency department.

PubMed

Chartier, Lucas B; Cheng, Amy H Y; Stang, Antonia S; Vaillancourt, Samuel

2018-01-01

Emergency medicine (EM) providers work in a fast-paced and often hectic environment that has a high risk for patient safety incidents and gaps in the quality of care. These challenges have resulted in opportunities for frontline EM providers to play a role in quality improvement (QI) projects. QI has developed into a mature field with methodologies that can dramatically improve the odds of having a successful project with a sustainable impact. However, this expertise is not yet commonly taught during professional training. In this first of three articles meant as a QI primer for EM clinicians, we will introduce QI methodology and strategic planning using a fictional case study as an example. We will review how to identify a QI problem, define components of an effective problem statement, and identify stakeholders and core change team members. We will also describe three techniques used to perform root cause analyses-Ishikawa diagrams, Pareto charts and process mapping-and how they relate to preparing for a QI project. The next two papers in this series will focus on the execution of the QI project itself using rapid-cycle testing and on the evaluation and sustainability of QI projects.

Project officer's perspective: quality assurance as a management tool.

PubMed

Heiby, J

1993-06-01

Advances in the management of health programs in less developed countries (LDC) have not kept pace with the progress of the technology used. The US Agency for International Development mandated the Quality Assurance Project (QAP) to provide quality improvement technical assistance to primary health care systems in LDCs while developing appropriate quality assurance (QA) strategies. The quality of health care in recent years in the US and Europe focused on the introduction of management techniques developed for industry into health systems. The experience of the QAP and its predecessor, the PRICOR Project, shows that quality improvement techniques facilitate measurement of quality of care. A recently developed WHO model for the management of the sick child provides scientifically based standards for actual care. Since 1988, outside investigators measuring how LDC clinicians perform have revealed serious deficiencies in quality compared with the program's own standards. This prompted developed of new QA management initiatives: 1) communicating standards clearly to the program staff; 2) actively monitoring actual performance corresponds to these standards; and 3) taking action to improve performance. QA means that managers are expected to monitor service delivery, undertake problem solving, and set specific targets for quality improvement. Quality improvement methods strengthen supervision as supervisors can objectively assess health worker performance. QA strengthens the management functions that support service delivery, e.g., training, records management, finance, logistics, and supervision. Attention to quality can contribute to improved health worker motivation and effective incentive programs by recognition for a job well done and opportunities for learning new skills. These standards can also address patient satisfaction. QA challenges managers to aim for the optimal level of care attainable.

The Exclusionary Circle Game: A Tool to Promote Critical Dialogue About HIV Stigma and Social Justice.

PubMed

Wong, Josephine Pui; Li, Alan Tai

2015-01-01

The Exclusionary Circle Game was a learning tool developed for an intervention study to address stigma associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and social exclusion. The objectives of The Exclusionary Circle Game were to enhance collective resonance and empathy, promote critical reflection and dialogue, and motivate collective action to address social exclusion. The game began with all participants being inside a circle. Each participant was randomly given one color-coded card. Each card color represented a character with a specific lived experience associated with racism, patriarchy, homophobia, transphobia, HIV stigma, and so on. Participants holding a marginalized status card were asked to leave the circle in sequence and go to designated spaces. Eventually, only one half of the participants were left in the circle. Participants then debriefed about their experiences within the entire group. The game has been used, beyond the intervention study, at research conferences with positive feedback. In this article, we detail the processes, strengths, and possibility of using this game for empowerment education.

Software metrics: The key to quality software on the NCC project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, Patricia J.

1993-01-01

Network Control Center (NCC) Project metrics are captured during the implementation and testing phases of the NCCDS software development lifecycle. The metrics data collection and reporting function has interfaces with all elements of the NCC project. Close collaboration with all project elements has resulted in the development of a defined and repeatable set of metrics processes. The resulting data are used to plan and monitor release activities on a weekly basis. The use of graphical outputs facilitates the interpretation of progress and status. The successful application of metrics throughout the NCC project has been instrumental in the delivery of quality software. The use of metrics on the NCC Project supports the needs of the technical and managerial staff. This paper describes the project, the functions supported by metrics, the data that are collected and reported, how the data are used, and the improvements in the quality of deliverable software since the metrics processes and products have been in use.

Impact of a quality improvement project on deceased organ donor management

PubMed Central

Olmos, Andrea; Feiner, John; Hirose, Ryutaro; Swain, Sharon; Blasi, Annabel; Roberts, John P.; Niemann, Claus U.

2017-01-01

Context Donors showed poor glucose control in the period between declaration of brain death and organ recovery. The level of hyperglycemia in the donors was associated with a decline in terminal renal function. Objective To determine whether implementation of a quality improvement project improved glucose control and preserved renal function in deceased organ donors. Methods Data collected retrospectively included demographics, medical history, mechanism of death, laboratory values, and data from the United Network for Organ Sharing. Results After implementation of the quality improvement project, deceased donors had significantly lower mean glucose concentrations (mean [SD], 162 [44] vs 212 [42] mg/dL; P < .001) and prerecovery glucose concentration (143 [66] vs 241 [69] mg/dL; P < .001). When the donor cohorts from before and after the quality improvement project were analyzed together, mean glucose concentration remained a significant predictor of terminal creatinine level (P < .001). Multivariate analysis of delayed graft function in kidney recipients matched to donors indicated that higher terminal creatinine level was associated with delayed graft function in recipients (P < .001). Conclusion The quality improvement project improved donor glucose homeostasis, and the data confirm that poor glucose homeostasis is associated with worsening terminal renal function. PMID:26645930

From Silence to a Whisper to Active Participation: Using Literature Circles with ELL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrison, Catherine; Ernst-Slavit, Gisela

2005-01-01

This article discusses benefits of using literature circles with ELL students to strengthen literacy skills and student confidence. Highlighting one teacher's implementation of literature circles, the authors present a candid examination of areas of initial weakness and describe strategies used for improvements in subsequent "rounds." A discussion…

Circles and the Lines That Intersect Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clay, Ellen L.; Rhee, Katherine L.

2014-01-01

In this article, Clay and Rhee use the mathematics topic of circles and the lines that intersect them to introduce the idea of looking at the single mathematical idea of relationships--in this case, between angles and arcs--across a group of problems. They introduce the mathematics that underlies these relationships, beginning with the questions…

Circle of healing: traditional storytelling, part one.

PubMed

Benson, LouAnn

2003-01-01

The session began with three presenters - LouAnn Benson, Walter Porter, and Lisa Dolchok - all of whom are or have been affiliated with the Circle of Healing Program at Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage, Alaska. The Southcentral Foundation is a Native Health Corporation that administers what used to be the Indian Health Service Hospital and Medical Center. In the Circle of Healing Program, the Southcentral Foundation has designed and implemented an approach to health care that allows its patients simultaneously to access Western medicine, traditional Native healing, and other alternative approaches to health care, such as acupuncture. An important figure in this effort is Dr. Robert Morgan, a psychologist who has worked with the program for several years, and who helped suggest presenters for this part of the program. Originally, Bob planned to be present in Quebec City, but family priorities meant a change in plans. Bob's absence had a silver lining, however, because in his stead he sent LouAnn Benson, one of his able colleagues, who talked about the program from the perspective of an insider.

Effect of participating in Taiwan Quality Indicator Project on hospital efficiency in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chu, Hsuan-Lien; Wang, Chen-Chin; Shiu, Shu Fen

2009-01-01

To examine the effect of participating in Taiwan Quality Indicator Project (TQIP) on hospital efficiency and investigate why hospitals participate in TQIP. Our sample consists of 417 private not-for-profit hospitals in Taiwan during the 2001-2007 period. A simultaneous-equation model was performed to examine if hospitals that participated in TQIP were more efficient than hospitals that did not and investigate which variables affected the probabilities of hospitals' participation in the project. Our findings indicate that participating hospitals are more efficient than hospitals not participating in TQIP. In addition, hospital efficiency, hospital size, teaching status, and hospital age are positively related to participation in the project. These empirical results can be used as supporting evidence of success in improving performance through creating quality for hospitals that have participated in the project and offer insights into the value and strengths of the project. In addition, in recent years, reimbursement systems worldwide have partly moved payment methods to a pay-for-performance mechanism. In an attempt to control costs and improve quality, the policy makers should consider participating in Quality Indicator Project (QIP) as being one of the criteria to be reimbursed for performance.

Ground-water quality assessment of the central Oklahoma Aquifer, Oklahoma; project description

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christenson, S.C.; Parkhurst, D.L.

1987-01-01

In April 1986, the U.S. Geological Survey began a pilot program to assess the quality of the Nation's surface-water and ground-water resources. The program, known as the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program, is designed to acquire and interpret information about a variety of water-quality issues. The Central Oklahoma aquifer project is one of three ground-water pilot projects that have been started. The NAWQA program also incudes four surface-water pilot projects. The Central Oklahoma aquifer project, as part of the pilot NAWQA program, will develop and test methods for performing assessments of ground-water quality. The objectives of the Central Oklahoma aquifer assessment are: (1) To investigate regional ground-water quality throughout the aquifer in the manner consistent with the other pilot ground-water projects, emphasizing the occurrence and distribution of potentially toxic substances in ground water, including trace elements, organic compounds, and radioactive constituents; (2) to describe relations between ground-water quality, land use, hydrogeology, and other pertinent factors; and (3) to provide a general description of the location, nature, and possible causes of selected prevalent water-quality problems within the study unit; and (4) to describe the potential for water-quality degradation of ground-water zones within the study unit. The Central Oklahoma aquifer, which includes in descending order the Garber Sandstone and Wellington Formation, the Chase Group, the Council Grove Group, the Admire Group, and overlying alluvium and terrace deposits, underlies about 3,000 square miles of central Oklahoma and is used extensively for municipal, industrial, commercial, and domestic water supplies. The aquifer was selected for study by the NAWQA program because it is a major source for water supplies in central Oklahoma and because it has several known or suspected water-quality problems. Known problems include concentrations of arsenic, chromium

Reducing Falls After Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Quality Improvement Project.

PubMed

Brown, Allana Marie

2017-07-01

Falls after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients 60 and older have been long recognized as a major clinical care issue across many mental health care settings. The evidence base for fall prevention strategies after receiving ECT is sparse. The risk factors for falls after ECT are vast and complex in nature, especially considering existing comorbid medical conditions. The dearth of research in guiding practitioners on fall reduction interventions for this patient population illuminates a gap in mental health care quality and safety. The purpose of the current nurse-led quality improvement project was to reduce falls in patients undergoing ECT by enhancing safety measures through education and a post-ECT treatment protocol. The project did not prove to be as efficacious as anticipated as measured by fall rate outcomes. Several factors that may account for the project's findings are discussed. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(7), 20-29.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Electromagnetohydrodynamic vortices and corn circles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, H.

A novel type of large-scale vortex formation has theoretically been found in helical turbulence in terms of hydrodynamic, electric, magnetic, and space charge fields in an external electric (and magnetic) field. It is called 'electro-MHD (EMHD) vortices' and is generated as a result of self-organization processes in nonequilibrium media by the transfer of energy from small- to large-scale sizes. Explanations for 'corn circles', circular symmetric ground patterns found in a corn field in southern England, are provided on the basis of a new theory of the EMHD vortices under consideration.

Inside the Circle: Kehewin Native Education Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John, Rosa; And Others

The book is divided into four sections in a way that ensures seasonal recognition and environmental awareness. Each chapter within the sections begins with one or more oral histories from Native nations relevant to the concepts and ideas covered in that chapter. The student is introduced to the Native perspective through the concept of the circle,…

Study of the surface wave off-great-circle propagation based on dense seismic array: a case study in Northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Chong, J.

2016-12-01

The traditional surface wave tomography is based on the ray theory, which assumes that surface wave propagates along the great-circle. The great-circle assumption is valid only when the size of the anomaly is larger than the width of the Fresnel zone and the lateral variation is relatively smooth. However, off-great-circle propagation may occur when the surface wave travels across tectonic boundaries with strong heterogeneity and sharp velocity change, e.g., continental margin, mid-ridge and sea trench, resulting in arrival angle anomaly and multi-pathing effect. The off-great-circle propagation may deviate the result of surface wave tomography based on great-circle approximation, so it is of great importance to study the off-great-circle propagation. In this study, we used the teleseismic waveforms from September 2009 to August 2011, recorded by the NECESSArray in Northeast China, to study the off-great-circle propagation of Rayleigh wave by the Beamforming method. Our results show that the off-great-circle effect increases with decreasing period. At the period of 60 s, the off-great-circle effect is relatively weak and the Rayleigh wave propagates approximately along the great-circle. While at the period of 20 s, the off-great-circle effect becomes strong, the arrival angle anomaly measured from some events can be as large as 20º, and obvious multi-pathing effect is also observed. Lateral variations of the arrival angle anomaly and phase velocity have also been found in the study region, which may be correlated with the lithosphere heterogeneity in Northeast China. Our results demonstrate the necessity to study the surface wave off-great-circle propagation. Acknowledgement: This study is financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 41590854.

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

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2017-01-01

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

Innovations in projecting emissions for air quality modeling ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Air quality modeling is used in setting air quality standards and in evaluating their costs and benefits. Historically, modeling applications have projected emissions and the resulting air quality only 5 to 10 years into the future. Recognition that the choice of air quality management strategy has climate change implications is encouraging longer modeling time horizons. However, for multi-decadal time horizons, many questions about future conditions arise. For example, will current population, economic, and land use trends continue, or will we see shifts that may alter the spatial and temporal pattern of emissions? Similarly, will technologies such as building-integrated solar photovoltaics, battery storage, electric vehicles, and CO2 capture emerge as disruptive technologies - shifting how we produce and use energy - or will these technologies achieve only niche markets and have little impact? These are some of the questions that are being evaluated by researchers within the U.S. EPA’s Office of Research and Development. In this presentation, Dr. Loughlin will describe a range of analytical approaches that are being explored. These include: (i) the development of alternative scenarios of the future that can be used to evaluate candidate management strategies over wide-ranging conditions, (ii) the application of energy system models to project emissions decades into the future and to assess the environmental implications of new technologies, (iii) and methodo

Color image quality in projection displays: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strand, Monica; Hardeberg, Jon Y.; Nussbaum, Peter

2005-01-01

Recently the use of projection displays has increased dramatically in different applications such as digital cinema, home theatre, and business and educational presentations. Even if the color image quality of these devices has improved significantly over the years, it is still a common situation for users of projection displays that the projected colors differ significantly from the intended ones. This study presented in this paper attempts to analyze the color image quality of a large set of projection display devices, particularly investigating the variations in color reproduction. As a case study, a set of 14 projectors (LCD and DLP technology) at Gjovik University College have been tested under four different conditions: dark and light room, with and without using an ICC-profile. To find out more about the importance of the illumination conditions in a room, and the degree of improvement when using an ICC-profile, the results from the measurements was processed and analyzed. Eye-One Beamer from GretagMacbeth was used to make the profiles. The color image quality was evaluated both visually and by color difference calculations. The results from the analysis indicated large visual and colorimetric differences between the projectors. Our DLP projectors have generally smaller color gamut than LCD projectors. The color gamuts of older projectors are significantly smaller than that of newer ones. The amount of ambient light reaching the screen is of great importance for the visual impression. If too much reflections and other ambient light reaches the screen, the projected image gets pale and has low contrast. When using a profile, the differences in colors between the projectors gets smaller and the colors appears more correct. For one device, the average ΔE*ab color difference when compared to a relative white reference was reduced from 22 to 11, for another from 13 to 6. Blue colors have the largest variations among the projection displays and makes them

Color image quality in projection displays: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strand, Monica; Hardeberg, Jon Y.; Nussbaum, Peter

2004-10-01

Recently the use of projection displays has increased dramatically in different applications such as digital cinema, home theatre, and business and educational presentations. Even if the color image quality of these devices has improved significantly over the years, it is still a common situation for users of projection displays that the projected colors differ significantly from the intended ones. This study presented in this paper attempts to analyze the color image quality of a large set of projection display devices, particularly investigating the variations in color reproduction. As a case study, a set of 14 projectors (LCD and DLP technology) at Gjøvik University College have been tested under four different conditions: dark and light room, with and without using an ICC-profile. To find out more about the importance of the illumination conditions in a room, and the degree of improvement when using an ICC-profile, the results from the measurements was processed and analyzed. Eye-One Beamer from GretagMacbeth was used to make the profiles. The color image quality was evaluated both visually and by color difference calculations. The results from the analysis indicated large visual and colorimetric differences between the projectors. Our DLP projectors have generally smaller color gamut than LCD projectors. The color gamuts of older projectors are significantly smaller than that of newer ones. The amount of ambient light reaching the screen is of great importance for the visual impression. If too much reflections and other ambient light reaches the screen, the projected image gets pale and has low contrast. When using a profile, the differences in colors between the projectors gets smaller and the colors appears more correct. For one device, the average ΔE*ab color difference when compared to a relative white reference was reduced from 22 to 11, for another from 13 to 6. Blue colors have the largest variations among the projection displays and makes them

[Results of residual ametropia correction using CIRCLE technology after femtosecond laser SMILE surgery].

PubMed

Kostin, O A; Rebrikov, S V; Ovchinnikov, A I; Stepanov, A A; Takhchidi, Kh P

to evaluate functional results of reoperation performed according to the CIRCLE technology and using the VisuMax femtosecond laser and MEL-80 excimer laser in cases of regression of the refractive effect after SMILE surgery. We studied a group of post-SMILE patients. In those, who showed regression of the refractive effect at 1 year, reoperation was performed according to the CIRCLE technology and using the VisuMax femtosecond laser. The corneal flap was separated from the stromal bed and turned aside. Excimer laser ablation of the stromal bed was performed with the MEL 80 machine. The corneal flap was then placed back and rinsed from both sides. Uncorrected (UCVA) and corrected (BCVA) visual acuity as well as spherical equivalent (SE) were estimated before reoperation, on day 1, and at 1 month. After reoperation, BCVA and UCVA improved. Patient refraction became close to emmetropia. Specifically, UCVA was 0.23±0.18 at baseline (i.e. 1 year after SMILE) and 0.93±0.11 after the CIRCLE procedure (p<0.05). The absolute value of SE was 1.86±1.15 D and 0±0 D before and after CIRCLE, respectively (p<0.05). BCVA change was not statistically significant - from 0.95±0.1 to 0.93±0.11 (p>0.05). Reoperation performed according to the CIRCLE technology and using the VisuMax femtosecond laser and MEL-80 excimer laser provides an increase in visual acuity in case of post-SMILE regression of the refractive effect.

Influence of off-great-circle propagation of Rayleigh waves on event-based surface wave tomography in Northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Haopeng; Ni, Sidao; Chu, Risheng; Chong, Jiajun; Liu, Zhikun; Zhu, Liangbao

2018-05-01

Surface waves are generally assumed to propagate along great-circle paths in most surface-wave tomography. However, when lateral heterogeneity is strong, off-great-circle propagation may occur and deteriorate surface wave tomography results based on the great-circle assumption. In this study, we used teleseismic waveforms recorded by the NECESSArray in Northeast China to study off-great-circle propagation of Rayleigh waves using the beamforming method and evaluated the influence of off-great-circle propagation on event-based surface wave tomography. The results show that arrival angle anomalies generally increase with decreasing period. The arrival angle anomalies at 60 and 50 s periods are smaller than that at 40 and 30 s periods, which indicates that the off-great-circle propagation is relatively weak for longer periods. At 30 s period, the arrival angle anomalies are relatively larger and some of the measurements can exceed 20°, which represents a strong off-great-circle propagation effect. In some areas, the arrival angle anomalies of adjacent events differ significantly, which may be attributed to multipathing propagation of surface waves. To evaluate the influence of off-great-circle propagation on event-based surface wave tomography, we used measured arrival angle anomalies to correct two-station phase velocity measurements, and performed azimuthal anisotropy tomography using dispersion datasets with and without the arrival angle correction. At longer periods, such as 60 s, the influence of off-great-circle propagation on surface wave tomography is weak even though the corrected model has better data fit than the uncorrected model. However, the influence of off-great-circle propagation is non-negligible at short periods. The tomography results at 30 s period show that the differences in phase velocity, the strength of anisotropy and the fast direction can be as large as 1.5 per cent, 1.0 per cent and 30°, respectively. Furthermore, the corrected phase

Dynamic Investigation of Triangles Inscribed in a Circle, Which Tend to an Equilateral Triangle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stupel, Moshe; Oxman, Victor; Sigler, Avi

2017-01-01

We present a geometrical investigation of the process of creating an infinite sequence of triangles inscribed in a circle, whose areas, perimeters and lengths of radii of the inscribed circles tend to a limit in a monotonous manner. First, using geometrical software, we investigate four theorems that represent interesting geometrical properties,…

Influence of the South-North Water Diversion Project and the mitigation projects on the water quality of Han River.

PubMed

Zhu, Y P; Zhang, H P; Chen, L; Zhao, J F

2008-11-15

Situated in the central part of China, the Han River Basin is undergoing rapid social and economic development with some human interventions to be made soon which will profoundly influence the water environment of the basin. The integrated MIKE 11 model system comprising of a rainfall-runoff model (NAM), a non-point load evaluation model (LOAD), a hydrodynamic model (MIKE 11 HD) and a water quality model (ECOLab) was applied to investigate the impact of the Middle Route of the South-North Water Diversion Project on the Han River and the effectiveness of the 2 proposed mitigation projects, the 22 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the Yangtze-Han Water Diversion Project. The study concludes that business as usual will lead to a continuing rapid deterioration of the water quality of the Han River. Implementation of the Middle Route of the South-North Water Diversion Project in 2010 will bring disastrous consequence in the form of the remarkably elevated pollution level and high risk of algae bloom in the middle and lower reaches. The proposed WWTPs will merely lower the pollution level in the reach by around 10%, while the Yangtze-Han Water Diversion Project can significantly improve the water quality in the downstream 200-km reach. The results reveal that serious water quality problem will emerge in the middle reach between Xiangfan and Qianjiang in the future. Implementation of the South-North Water Diversion Project (phase II) in 2030 will further exacerbate the problem. In order to effectively improve the water quality of the Han River, it is suggested that nutrient removal processes should be adopted in the proposed WWTPs, and the pollution load from the non-point sources, especially the load from the upstream Henan Province, should be effectively controlled.

Circles-in-the-sky searches and observable cosmic topology in a flat universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mota, B.; Rebouças, M. J.; Tavakol, R.

2010-05-01

In a universe with a detectable nontrivial spatial topology, the last scattering surface contains pairs of matching circles with the same distribution of temperature fluctuations—the so-called circles-in-the-sky. Searches for nearly antipodal circles-in-the-sky in maps of cosmic microwave background radiation have so far been unsuccessful. This negative outcome, along with recent theoretical results concerning the detectability of nearly flat compact topologies, is sufficient to exclude a detectable nontrivial topology for most observers in very nearly flat positively and negatively curved universes, whose total matter-energy density satisfies 0<|Ωtot-1|≲10-5. Here, we investigate the consequences of these searches for observable nontrivial topologies if the Universe turns out to be exactly flat (Ωtot=1). We demonstrate that in this case, the conclusions deduced from such searches can be radically different. We show that, although there is no characteristic topological scale in the flat manifolds, for all multiply-connected orientable flat manifolds, it is possible to directly study the action of the holonomies in order to obtain a general upper bound on the angle that characterizes the deviation from antipodicity of pairs of matching circles associated with the shortest closed geodesic. This bound is valid for all observers and all possible values of the compactification length parameters. We also show that in a flat universe, there are observers for whom the circles-in-the-sky searches already undertaken are insufficient to exclude the possibility of a detectable nontrivial spatial topology. It is remarkable how such small variations in the spatial curvature of the Universe, which are effectively indistinguishable geometrically, can have such a drastic effect on the detectability of cosmic topology. Another important outcome of our results is that they offer a framework with which to make statistical inferences from future circles-in-the-sky searches on

San Pablo Bay Tidal Marsh Enhancement and Water Quality Improvement Project

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information about the SFBWQP San Pablo Bay Tidal Marsh Enhancement and Water Quality Improvement Project, part of an EPA competitive grant program to improve SF Bay water quality focused on restoring impaired waters and enhancing aquatic resources.

Robust image features: concentric contrasting circles and their image extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatrell, Lance B.; Hoff, William A.; Sklair, Cheryl W.

1992-03-01

Many computer vision tasks can be simplified if special image features are placed on the objects to be recognized. A review of special image features that have been used in the past is given and then a new image feature, the concentric contrasting circle, is presented. The concentric contrasting circle image feature has the advantages of being easily manufactured, easily extracted from the image, robust extraction (true targets are found, while few false targets are found), it is a passive feature, and its centroid is completely invariant to the three translational and one rotational degrees of freedom and nearly invariant to the remaining two rotational degrees of freedom. There are several examples of existing parallel implementations which perform most of the extraction work. Extraction robustness was measured by recording the probability of correct detection and the false alarm rate in a set of images of scenes containing mockups of satellites, fluid couplings, and electrical components. A typical application of concentric contrasting circle features is to place them on modeled objects for monocular pose estimation or object identification. This feature is demonstrated on a visually challenging background of a specular but wrinkled surface similar to a multilayered insulation spacecraft thermal blanket.

Operational improvements at traffic circles : final report, December 2008.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-01

This study deals with the development of a credible and valid simulation model of the Collingwood, : Brooklawn, and Asbury traffic circles in New Jersey. These simulation models are used to evaluate : various geometric and operational improvement alt...

Circles of Support & Accountability: a Canadian national replication of outcome findings.

PubMed

Wilson, Robin J; Cortoni, Franca; McWhinnie, Andrew J

2009-12-01

Circles of Support & Accountability (COSA) started 15 years ago in Ontario, Canada, as an alternate means of social support to high-risk sexual offenders released at the end of their sentences without any community supervision. The pilot project in South-Central Ontario has since assisted almost 200 offenders. Projects based on this model are now in place in the United Kingdom, several jurisdictions in the United States, and throughout Canada. Initial research into the efficacy of the COSA pilot project showed that participation reduced sexual recidivism by 70% or more in comparison with both matched controls and actuarial norms. The current study sought to replicate these findings using an independent Canadian national sample. A total of 44 high-risk sexual offenders, released at sentence completion and involved in COSA across Canada, were matched to a group of 44 similar offenders not involved in COSA. The average follow-up time was 35 months. Recidivism was defined as having a charge or conviction for a new offense. Results show that offenders in COSA had an 83% reduction in sexual recidivism, a 73% reduction in all types of violent recidivism, and an overall reduction of 71% in all types of recidivism in comparison to the matched offenders. These findings suggest that participation in COSA is not site-specific and provide further evidence for the position that trained and guided community volunteers can and do assist in markedly improving offenders' chances for successful reintegration.

Circles of Tobacco Wisdom: learning about traditional and commercial tobacco with Native elders.

PubMed

Nadeau, Melanie; Blake, Norby; Poupart, John; Rhodes, Kristine; Forster, Jean L

2012-11-01

Circles of Tobacco Wisdom (CTW) was an elder-led, community-based project that aimed to enhance tobacco control in the American Indian community. Its goal was to provide elders with the knowledge, opportunities, and support to enable them to assume leadership of a tobacco control movement that was grounded in the ceremonial traditions of tobacco use. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of the pilot intervention on participants. The design of this pilot study intervention was a single group, pre-post comparison, with a pre-post survey, monthly check-ins, and a post-1-year focus group. Twelve elders were included in the pre- and post-analyses. All twelve elders were women who self-identified as American Indian (mean age = 64). The CTW elders participated in monthly talking circles, quarterly learning sessions, and a post-1-year focus group, and took part in other learning, support, and community action opportunities. Data were collected from December 2008 through November 2009 and analyzed throughout the process. American Indian Elders' tobacco-related knowledge, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors were measured while participating in the CTW project. Knowledge, perceptions, beliefs, and behavior changes were seen with cigarette smoking, secondhand smoke, and ceremonial tobacco use and risk perception. After 6 months, the number of people the elders had talked with about tobacco increased, elders were more likely to have a discussion on tobacco at a community event, and their comfort level talking about commercial and traditional tobacco also increased. A number of themes also were identified in the focus group: feeling more comfortable talking about tobacco issues, learning a lot about traditional and commercial tobacco, and realizing the dangers of smoking. Elders increased their knowledge about commercial and traditional tobacco and changed related attitudes as a result of CTW. Further, American Indian Elders perceived that CTW was effective

78 FR 44119 - Circle Environmental #1 Superfund Site; Dawson, Terrell County, Georgia; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9837-3; CERCLA-04-2013-3760] Circle Environmental 1 Superfund... settlement with Walter G. Mercer, Jr. concerning the Circle Environmental 1 Superfund Site located in Dawson... methods: Internet: www.epa.gov/region4/superfund/programs/enforcement/enforcement.html U.S. Mail: U.S...

Analyzing compound and project progress through multi-objective-based compound quality assessment.

PubMed

Nissink, J Willem M; Degorce, Sébastien

2013-05-01

Compound-quality scoring methods designed to evaluate multiple drug properties concurrently are useful to analyze and prioritize output from drug-design efforts. However, formalized multiparameter optimization approaches are not widely used in drug design. We rank molecules synthesized in drug-discovery projects using simple and aggregated desirability functions reflecting medicinal chemistry 'rules'. Our quality score deals transparently with missing data, a key requirement in drug-hunting projects where data availability is often limited. We further estimate confidence in the interpretation of such a compound-quality measure. Scores and associated confidences provide systematic insight in the quality of emerging chemical equity. Tracking quality of synthetic output over time yields valuable insight into the progress of drug-design teams, with potential applications in risk and resource management of a drug portfolio.

Full-Circle Color Panorama of Phoenix Landing Site on Northern Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Mission Success Pan Click on image to view the movie

This view combines more than 400 images taken during the first several weeks after NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander arrived on an arctic plain at 68.22 degrees north latitude, 234.25 degrees east longitude on Mars.

The movie makes a slow tour around highlights of the image.

The full-circle panorama in approximately true color shows the polygonal patterning of ground at the landing area, similar to patterns in permafrost areas on Earth. The center of the image is the westward part of the scene. Trenches where Phoenix's robotic arm has been exposing subsurface material are visible in the right half of the image. The spacecraft's meteorology mast, topped by the telltale wind gauge, extends into the sky portion of the panorama.

This view comprises more than 100 different camera pointings, with images taken through three different filters at each pointing. It is presented here as a cylindrical projection.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Inclusive Teaching Circles: Mechanisms for Creating Welcoming Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Sharon; Wallace, Sherri L.; Schack, Gina; Thomas, M. Shelley; Lewis, Linda; Wilson, Linda; Miller, Shawnise; D'Antoni, Joan

2010-01-01

This essay examines the Inclusive Teaching Circle (ITC) as a mechanism for faculty development in creating instructional tools that embrace an inclusive pedagogy reflecting diversity, cultural competence and social justice. We describe one group's year-long participation in an ITC at a large, metropolitan research university in the south. Next, we…

Groundwater quality data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, May 2012 through December 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arnold, Terri L.; Desimone, Leslie A.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Lindsey, Bruce D.; Barlow, Jeannie R.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Musgrove, MaryLynn; Kingsbury, James A.; Belitz, Kenneth

2016-06-20

Groundwater-quality data were collected from 748 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program from May 2012 through December 2013. The data were collected from four types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-use study networks, which assess land-use effects on shallow groundwater quality; major aquifer study networks, which assess the quality of groundwater used for domestic supply; and enhanced trends networks, which evaluate the time scales during which groundwater quality changes. Groundwater samples were analyzed for a large number of water-quality indicators and constituents, including major ions, nutrients, trace elements, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and radionuclides. These groundwater quality data are tabulated in this report. Quality-control samples also were collected; data from blank and replicate quality-control samples are included in this report.

Treatment of infraorbital dark circles using 694-nm fractional Q-switched ruby laser.

PubMed

Xu, Tian-Hua; Li, Yuan-Hong; Chen, John Z S; Gao, Xing-Hua; Chen, Hong-Duo

2016-12-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using a 694-nm fractional Q-switched ruby laser to treat infraorbital dark circles. Thirty women with infraorbital dark circles (predominant color: dark/brown) participated in this open-labeled study. The participants received eight sessions of 694-nm fractional Q-switched ruby laser treatment using a fluence of 3.0-3.5 J/cm 2 , at an interval of 7 days. The melanin deposition in the lesional skin was observed in vivo using reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). The morphological changes were evaluated using a global evaluation, an overall self-assessment, and a Mexameter. Twenty-eight of the 30 patients showed global improvements that they rated as excellent or good. Twenty-six patients rated their overall satisfaction as excellent or good. The melanin index indicated a substantial decrease from 240.44 (baseline) to 194.56 (P < 0.05). The RCM results showed a dramatic decrease in melanin deposition in the upper dermis. The adverse effects were minimal. The characteristic finding of dark/brown infraorbital dark circles is caused by increased melanin deposition in the upper dermis. The treatment of these infraorbital dark circles using a 694-nm fractional QSR laser is safe and effective.

The Arctic Circle: A Ring of Influence

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-03

that objective. 1 INTRODUCTION International awareness regarding the Arctic Circle continues to grow due to increasing polar ice melt, and the need... ice melt has created opportunities for Arctic countries to expand their territorial areas for access to more natural resources. Those resources...bringing fish up further north than ever seen before‖ states then Navy Commander Ray Chartier, National Ice Center Director, in his Sea Power interview

The CHPRC Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project) Quality Assurance Management Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The scope of the CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company, LLC (CHPRC) Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project) is for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory staff to provide technical and integration support to CHPRC. This work includes conducting investigations at the 300-FF-5 Operable Unit and other groundwater operable units, and providing strategic integration, technical integration and assessments, remediation decision support, and science and technology. The projects under this Master Project will be defined and included within the Master Project throughout the fiscal year, and will be incorporated into the Master Project Plan. This Quality Assurance Management Plan provides the quality assurancemore » requirements and processes that will be followed by the CHPRC Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project) and all releases associated with the CHPRC Soil and Groundwater Remediation Project. The plan is designed to be used exclusively by project staff.« less

PNNL Apatite Investigation at 100-NR-2 Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

In 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy, Fluor Hanford, Inc., Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and the Washington Department of Ecology agreed that the long-term strategy for groundwater remediation at the 100-N Area would include apatite sequestration as the primary treatment, followed by a secondary treatment if necessary. Since then, the agencies have worked together to agree on which apatite sequestration technology has the greatest chance of reducing strontium-90 flux to the Columbia River. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by staff working on the PNNL Apatite Investigation at 100-NR-2more » Project. The plan is designed to be used exclusively by project staff.« less

[Quality analysis of the statistical used resources (material and methods section) in thesis projects of a university department].

PubMed

Regojo Zapata, O; Lamata Hernández, F; Sánchez Zalabardo, J M; Elizalde Benito, A; Navarro Gil, J; Valdivia Uría, J G

2004-09-01

Studies about quality in thesis and investigation projects in biomedical sciences are unusual, but very important in university teaching because is necessary to improve the quality elaboration of the thesis. The objectives the study were to determine the project's quality of thesis in our department, according to the fulfillment of the scientific methodology and to establish, if it exists, a relation between the global quality of the project and the statistical used resources. Descriptive study of 273 thesis projects performed between 1995-2002 in surgery department of the Zaragoza University. The review realized for 15 observers that they analyzed 28 indicators of every project. Giving a value to each of the indicators, the projects qualified in a scale from 1 to 10 according to the quality in the fulfillment of the scientific methodology. The mean of the project's quality was 5.53 (D.E: 1.77). In 13.9% the thesis projects was concluded with the reading of the work. The three indicators of statistical used resources had a significant difference with the value of the quality projects. The quality of the statistical resources is very important when a project of thesis wants to be realized by good methodology, because it assures to come to certain conclusions. In our study we have thought that more of the third part of the variability in the quality of the project of thesis explains for three statistical above-mentioned articles.

White blood cell segmentation by circle detection using electromagnetism-like optimization.

PubMed

Cuevas, Erik; Oliva, Diego; Díaz, Margarita; Zaldivar, Daniel; Pérez-Cisneros, Marco; Pajares, Gonzalo

2013-01-01

Medical imaging is a relevant field of application of image processing algorithms. In particular, the analysis of white blood cell (WBC) images has engaged researchers from fields of medicine and computer vision alike. Since WBCs can be approximated by a quasicircular form, a circular detector algorithm may be successfully applied. This paper presents an algorithm for the automatic detection of white blood cells embedded into complicated and cluttered smear images that considers the complete process as a circle detection problem. The approach is based on a nature-inspired technique called the electromagnetism-like optimization (EMO) algorithm which is a heuristic method that follows electromagnetism principles for solving complex optimization problems. The proposed approach uses an objective function which measures the resemblance of a candidate circle to an actual WBC. Guided by the values of such objective function, the set of encoded candidate circles are evolved by using EMO, so that they can fit into the actual blood cells contained in the edge map of the image. Experimental results from blood cell images with a varying range of complexity are included to validate the efficiency of the proposed technique regarding detection, robustness, and stability.

White Blood Cell Segmentation by Circle Detection Using Electromagnetism-Like Optimization

PubMed Central

Oliva, Diego; Díaz, Margarita; Zaldivar, Daniel; Pérez-Cisneros, Marco; Pajares, Gonzalo

2013-01-01

Medical imaging is a relevant field of application of image processing algorithms. In particular, the analysis of white blood cell (WBC) images has engaged researchers from fields of medicine and computer vision alike. Since WBCs can be approximated by a quasicircular form, a circular detector algorithm may be successfully applied. This paper presents an algorithm for the automatic detection of white blood cells embedded into complicated and cluttered smear images that considers the complete process as a circle detection problem. The approach is based on a nature-inspired technique called the electromagnetism-like optimization (EMO) algorithm which is a heuristic method that follows electromagnetism principles for solving complex optimization problems. The proposed approach uses an objective function which measures the resemblance of a candidate circle to an actual WBC. Guided by the values of such objective function, the set of encoded candidate circles are evolved by using EMO, so that they can fit into the actual blood cells contained in the edge map of the image. Experimental results from blood cell images with a varying range of complexity are included to validate the efficiency of the proposed technique regarding detection, robustness, and stability. PMID:23476713

OVERVIEW OF THE CLIMATE IMPACT ON REGIONAL AIR QUALITY (CIRAQ) PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

The Climate Impacts on Regional Air Quality (CIRAQ) project will develop model-estimated impacts of global climate changes on ozone and particulate matter (PM) in direct support of the USEPA Global Change Research Program's (GCRP) national air quality assessment. EPA's urban/reg...

Influence of a Mathematics Teachers' Circle on Elementary Teachers' Use of Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Mary L.; Watson, Virginia; Rogers, Beth; Head, Catherine

2017-01-01

Math teachers' circles are a form of professional development that is recommended by the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences in their publication Mathematical Education of Teachers II (2012). However, little research has been published on how effective math teachers' circles are in advancing the mathematical knowledge of teachers and…

7. Front facade of main entrance, Awing, Minuteman circle looking ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. Front facade of main entrance, A-wing, Minuteman circle looking east - Offutt Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command Headquarters & Command Center, Headquarters Building, 901 SAC Boulevard, Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE

An innovative time-cost-quality tradeoff modeling of building construction project based on resource allocation.

PubMed

Hu, Wenfa; He, Xinhua

2014-01-01

The time, quality, and cost are three important but contradictive objectives in a building construction project. It is a tough challenge for project managers to optimize them since they are different parameters. This paper presents a time-cost-quality optimization model that enables managers to optimize multiobjectives. The model is from the project breakdown structure method where task resources in a construction project are divided into a series of activities and further into construction labors, materials, equipment, and administration. The resources utilized in a construction activity would eventually determine its construction time, cost, and quality, and a complex time-cost-quality trade-off model is finally generated based on correlations between construction activities. A genetic algorithm tool is applied in the model to solve the comprehensive nonlinear time-cost-quality problems. Building of a three-storey house is an example to illustrate the implementation of the model, demonstrate its advantages in optimizing trade-off of construction time, cost, and quality, and help make a winning decision in construction practices. The computational time-cost-quality curves in visual graphics from the case study prove traditional cost-time assumptions reasonable and also prove this time-cost-quality trade-off model sophisticated.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin, Washington; project description

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKenzie, S.W.; Rinella, J.F.

1987-01-01

In April 1986, the U.S. Geological Survey began the National Water Quality Assessment program to: (1) provide a nationally consistent description of the current status of water quality, (2) define water quality trends that have occurred over recent decades, and (3) relate past and present water quality conditions to relevant natural features, the history of land and water use, and land management and waste management practices. At present (1987), The National Water Quality Assessment program is in a pilot studies phase, in which assessment concepts and approaches are being tested and modified to prepare for possible full implementation of the program. Seven pilot projects (four surface water projects and three groundwater projects) have been started. The Yakima River basin in Washington is one of the pilot surface water project areas. The Yakima River basin drains in area of 6,155 sq mi and contains about 1,900 river mi of perennial streams. Major land use activities include growing and harvesting timber, dryland pasture grazing, intense farming and irrigated agriculture, and urbanization. Water quality issues that result from these land uses include potentially large concentrations of suspended sediment, bacteria, nutrients, pesticides, and trace elements that may affect water used for human consumption, fish propagation and passage, contact recreation, livestock watering, and irrigation. Data will be collected in a nine year cycle. The first three years of the cycle will be a period of concentrated data acquisition and interpretation. For the next six years, sample collection will be done at a much lower level of intensity to document the occurrence of any gross changes in water quality. This nine year cycle would then be repeated. Three types of sampling activities will be used for data acquisition: fixed location station sampling, synoptic sampling, and intensive reach studies. (Lantz-PTT)

Development of a Multi-Domain Assessment Tool for Quality Improvement Projects.

PubMed

Rosenbluth, Glenn; Burman, Natalie J; Ranji, Sumant R; Boscardin, Christy K

2017-08-01

Improving the quality of health care and education has become a mandate at all levels within the medical profession. While several published quality improvement (QI) assessment tools exist, all have limitations in addressing the range of QI projects undertaken by learners in undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, and continuing medical education. We developed and validated a tool to assess QI projects with learner engagement across the educational continuum. After reviewing existing tools, we interviewed local faculty who taught QI to understand how learners were engaged and what these faculty wanted in an ideal assessment tool. We then developed a list of competencies associated with QI, established items linked to these competencies, revised the items using an iterative process, and collected validity evidence for the tool. The resulting Multi-Domain Assessment of Quality Improvement Projects (MAQIP) rating tool contains 9 items, with criteria that may be completely fulfilled, partially fulfilled, or not fulfilled. Interrater reliability was 0.77. Untrained local faculty were able to use the tool with minimal guidance. The MAQIP is a 9-item, user-friendly tool that can be used to assess QI projects at various stages and to provide formative and summative feedback to learners at all levels.

The Swedish study circle--possibilities for application to health education in the United States.

PubMed

Strombeck, R

1991-03-01

There has been a growing recognition over the past decade of the need to broaden the focus of health promotion by placing greater emphasis on the social context in which individual behavior change interventions occur. As a result, health educators are being required to look for innovative pedagogical methods to address this broader focus. A model of education that is used extensively in Sweden and that takes a broader approach to health matters is the study circle. Because of its simple, flexible structure and its capacity to address lifestyle as well as social and environmental factors, the study circle could serve as a model for health education efforts undertaken in the United States. The first part of this article presents an overview of the literature from the field of public health that calls for a broader concept of health promotion. The second part of the article looks at the principles and concepts of the study circle. The role of the study circle in health promotion is discussed and use of the method is illustrated in three different case examples. In addition, possibilities for application of the model to health education in the United States are also addressed.

Understanding map projections: Chapter 15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Usery, E. Lynn; Kent, Alexander J.; Vujakovic, Peter

2018-01-01

It has probably never been more important in the history of cartography than now that people understand how maps work. With increasing globalization, for example, world maps provide a key format for the transmission of information, but are often poorly used. Examples of poor understanding and use of projections and the resultant maps are many; for instance, the use of rectangular world maps in the United Kingdom press to show Chinese and Korean missile ranges as circles, something which can only be achieved on equidistant projections and then only from one launch point (Vujakovic, 2014).

Visual Thinking, Algebraic Thinking, and a Full Unit-Circle Diagram.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shear, Jonathan

1985-01-01

The study of trigonometric functions in terms of the unit circle offer an example of how students can learn algebraic relations and operations while using visually oriented thinking. Illustrations are included. (MNS)

ISTC projects devoted to improving laser beam quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malakhov, Yu. I.

2007-05-01

Short overview is done about the activity of ISTC in a direction concerned with improving powerful laser beam quality by means of nonlinear and linear adaptive optics methods. Completed projects #0591 and #1929 resulted in the development of a stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) phase conjugation mirror of superhigh fidelity employing the kinoform optical elements (rasters of small lenses) of new generation designed for pulsed or pulse-periodic lasers with nanosecond scale pulse duration. Project #2631 is devoted to development of an adaptive optical system for phase registration and correction of laser beams with wave front vortices. The principles of operation of conventional adaptive systems are based on the assumption that the phase is a smooth continuous function in space. Therefore the solution of the Project tasks will assume a new step in adaptive optics.

Alien crop circle? No, that’s just NASA’s newest balloon launch pad

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Aviators, skydivers and other altitude-seeking enthusiasts flying out of Wanaka Airport, New Zealand, are double taking at a new topographical feature reminiscent of an alien crop circle. Rest assured, the nearly 2,000-foot (600-meter) diameter circle with a pie-shaped wedge on one side and spokes on the other is no extraterrestrial footprint and it’s definitely no hoax. It’s NASA’s newest launch pad for launching the agency’s most advanced high-altitude, heavy-lift scientific balloon: the super pressure balloon. The four spokes emanating from the center and toward the west, each nearly 1,000 feet (300 meters) long, align with magnetic compass directions at 240, 260, 290 and 320 degrees. On launch day, balloon flight experts from NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility will assess meteorological data and determine if the conditions are suitable to support a launch opportunity. The new pad is the first major project in developing a long-term super pressure balloon launch site in Wanaka. Earlier in 2017, NASA signed a 10-year lease with the Queenstown Airport Corporation to conduct balloon operations from a newly acquired piece of land adjacent to the Wanaka Airport. Credit: NASA/Dave Webb NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Hydraulic characteristics of an underdrained irrigation circle, Muskegon County wastewater disposal system, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDonald, M.G.

1980-01-01

Muskegon County, Michigan, disposes of wastewater by spray irrigating farmland on its waste-disposal site. Buried drains in the highly permeable unconfined aquifer at the site control the level of the water table. Hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer and drain-leakance, the reciprocal of resistance to flow into the drains, was determined at a representative irrigation circle while calibrating a model of the groundwater flow system. Hydraulic conductivity is 0.00055 m/sec, in the north zone of the circle, and 0.00039 m/sec in the south zone. Drain leakance -6 -6 is low in both zones: 2.9 x 10m/sec in the north and 9.5 x 10 m/sec in the south. Low drain leakance is responsible for waterlogging when irrigation rates are maintained at design levels. The capacity of the study circle to accept wastewater is 35 percent less than design capacity.

The Soils and Groundwater – EM-20 S&T Roadmap Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The Soils and Groundwater – EM-20 Science and Technology Roadmap Project is a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management-funded initiative designed to develop new methods, strategies and technology for characterizing, modeling, remediating, and monitoring soils and groundwater contaminated with metals, radionuclides, and chlorinated organics. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by EM-20 Roadmap Project staff.

Full Circle: Stakeholders' Evaluation of a Collaborative Enquiry Action Research Literacy Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forey, Gail; Firkins, Arthur S.; Sengupta, Sima

2012-01-01

This paper reports on school-university collaboration during an action research project, which aimed to build a writing pedagogy for students with Learning Disabilities in the trilingual, biliterate educational context of Hong Kong. The project was established through interpersonal relationships built from the ground up between stakeholders from a…

ISTC Projects from RFNC-VNIIEF Devoted to Improving Laser Beam Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starikov, F.; Kochemasov, G.

Information is given about the Projects # 1929 and # 2631 supported by ISTC and concerned with improving laser beam quality and interesting for adaptive optics community. One of them, Project # 1929 has been recently finished. It has been devoted to development of an SBS phase conjugation mirror of superhigh conjugation quality employing the kinoform optics for high-power lasers with nanosecond scale pulse duration. With the purpose of reaching ideal PC fidelity, the SBS mirror includes the raster of small lenses that has been traditionally used as the lenslet in Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor in adaptive optics. The second of them, Project # 2631, is concerned with the development of an adaptive optical system for phase correction of laser beams with wavefront vortex. The principles of operation of modern adaptive systems are based on the assumption that the phase is a smooth continuous function in space. Therefore the solution of the Project tasks will assume a new step in adaptive optics.

Veterans Affairs facility performance on Washington Circle indicators and casemix-adjusted effectiveness.

PubMed

Harris, Alex H S; Humphreys, Keith; Finney, John W

2007-12-01

Self-administered Addiction Severity Index (ASI) data were collected on 5,723 patients who received substance abuse treatment in 1 of 110 programs located at 73 Veterans Affairs facilities. The associations between each of three Washington Circle (WC) performance indicator scores (identification, initiation, and engagement) and their casemix-adjusted facility-level improvement in ASI drug and alcohol composites 7 months after intake were estimated. Higher initiation rates were not associated with facility-level improvement in ASI alcohol composite scores but were modestly associated with greater improvements in ASI drug composite scores. Identification and engagement rates were unrelated to 7-month outcomes. WC indicators focused on the early stages of treatment may tap necessary but insufficient processes for patients with substance use disorder to achieve good posttreatment outcomes. Ideally, the WC indicators would be supplemented with other measures of treatment quality.

A Novel Approach to High-Quality Postmortem Tissue Procurement: The GTEx Project.

PubMed

Carithers, Latarsha J; Ardlie, Kristin; Barcus, Mary; Branton, Philip A; Britton, Angela; Buia, Stephen A; Compton, Carolyn C; DeLuca, David S; Peter-Demchok, Joanne; Gelfand, Ellen T; Guan, Ping; Korzeniewski, Greg E; Lockhart, Nicole C; Rabiner, Chana A; Rao, Abhi K; Robinson, Karna L; Roche, Nancy V; Sawyer, Sherilyn J; Segrè, Ayellet V; Shive, Charles E; Smith, Anna M; Sobin, Leslie H; Undale, Anita H; Valentino, Kimberly M; Vaught, Jim; Young, Taylor R; Moore, Helen M

2015-10-01

The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project, sponsored by the NIH Common Fund, was established to study the correlation between human genetic variation and tissue-specific gene expression in non-diseased individuals. A significant challenge was the collection of high-quality biospecimens for extensive genomic analyses. Here we describe how a successful infrastructure for biospecimen procurement was developed and implemented by multiple research partners to support the prospective collection, annotation, and distribution of blood, tissues, and cell lines for the GTEx project. Other research projects can follow this model and form beneficial partnerships with rapid autopsy and organ procurement organizations to collect high quality biospecimens and associated clinical data for genomic studies. Biospecimens, clinical and genomic data, and Standard Operating Procedures guiding biospecimen collection for the GTEx project are available to the research community.

6. Threequarter view of Awing, building 500, from Minuteman Circle ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. Three-quarter view of A-wing, building 500, from Minuteman Circle looking northeast - Offutt Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command Headquarters & Command Center, Headquarters Building, 901 SAC Boulevard, Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE

OUTER RIM OF CIRCLE, WITH LIVE OAK TREE AT LEFT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

OUTER RIM OF CIRCLE, WITH LIVE OAK TREE AT LEFT FOREGROUND AND CEMETERY SECTION 25 IN BACKGROUND. VIEW TO WEST. - Barrancas National Cemetery, Naval Air Station, 80 Hovey Road, Pensacola, Escambia County, FL

Implementation of quality management in early stages of research and development projects at a university.

PubMed

Fiehe, Sandra; Wagner, Georg; Schlanstein, Peter; Rosefort, Christiane; Kopp, Rüdger; Bensberg, Ralf; Knipp, Peter; Schmitz-Rode, Thomas; Steinseifer, Ulrich; Arens, Jutta

2014-04-01

The ultimate objective of university research and development projects is usually to create knowledge, but also to successfully transfer results to industry for subsequent marketing. We hypothesized that the university technology transfer requires efficient measures to improve this important step. Besides good scientific practice, foresighted and industry-specific adapted documentation of research processes in terms of a quality management system might improve the technology transfer. In order to bridge the gap between research institute and cooperating industry, a model project has been accompanied by a project specific amount of quality management. However, such a system had to remain manageable and must not constrain the researchers' creativity. Moreover, topics and research team are strongly interdisciplinary, which entails difficulties regarding communication because of different perspectives and terminology. In parallel to the technical work of the model project, an adaptable quality management system with a quality manual, defined procedures, and forms and documents accompanying the research, development and validation was implemented. After process acquisition and analysis the appropriate amount of management for the model project was identified by a self-developed rating system considering project characteristics like size, innovation, stakeholders, interdisciplinarity, etc. Employees were trained according to their needs. The management was supported and the technical documentation was optimized. Finally, the quality management system has been transferred successfully to further projects.

Improving critical care discharge summaries: a collaborative quality improvement project using PDSA

PubMed Central

Goulding, Lucy; Parke, Hannah; Maharaj, Ritesh; Loveridge, Robert; McLoone, Anne; Hadfield, Sophie; Helme, Eloise; Hopkins, Philip; Sandall, Jane

2015-01-01

Around 110,000 people spend time in critical care units in England and Wales each year. The transition of care from the intensive care unit to the general ward exposes patients to potential harms from changes in healthcare providers and environment. Nurses working on general wards report anxiety and uncertainty when receiving patients from critical care. An innovative form of enhanced capability critical care outreach called ‘iMobile’ is being provided at King's College Hospital (KCH). Part of the remit of iMobile is to review patients who have been transferred from critical care to general wards. The iMobile team wished to improve the quality of critical care discharge summaries. A collaborative evidence-based quality improvement project was therefore undertaken by the iMobile team at KCH in conjunction with researchers from King's Improvement Science (KIS). Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) methodology was used. Three PDSA cycles were undertaken. Methods adopted comprised: a scoping literature review to identify relevant guidelines and research evidence to inform all aspects of the quality improvement project; a process mapping exercise; informal focus groups / interviews with staff; patient story-telling work with people who had experienced critical care and subsequent discharge to a general ward; and regular audits of the quality of both medical and nursing critical care discharge summaries. The following behaviour change interventions were adopted, taking into account evidence of effectiveness from published systematic reviews and considering the local context: regular audit and feedback of the quality of discharge summaries, feedback of patient experience, and championing and education delivered by local opinion leaders. The audit results were mixed across the trajectory of the project, demonstrating the difficulty of sustaining positive change. This was particularly important as critical care bed occupancy and through-put fluctuates which then impacts on work

Triangle area water supply monitoring project, October 1988 through September 2001, North Carolina -- description of the water-quality network, sampling and analysis methods, and quality-assurance practices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oblinger, Carolyn J.

2004-01-01

The Triangle Area Water Supply Monitoring Project was initiated in October 1988 to provide long-term water-quality data for six area water-supply reservoirs and their tributaries. In addition, the project provides data that can be used to determine the effectiveness of large-scale changes in water-resource management practices, document differences in water quality among water-supply types (large multiuse reservoir, small reservoir, run-of-river), and tributary-loading and in-lake data for water-quality modeling of Falls and Jordan Lakes. By September 2001, the project had progressed in four phases and included as many as 34 sites (in 1991). Most sites were sampled and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Some sites were already a part of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality statewide ambient water-quality monitoring network and were sampled by the Division of Water Quality. The network has provided data on streamflow, physical properties, and concentrations of nutrients, major ions, metals, trace elements, chlorophyll, total organic carbon, suspended sediment, and selected synthetic organic compounds. Project quality-assurance activities include written procedures for sample collection, record management and archive, collection of field quality-control samples (blank samples and replicate samples), and monitoring the quality of field supplies. In addition to project quality-assurance activities, the quality of laboratory analyses was assessed through laboratory quality-assurance practices and an independent laboratory quality-control assessment provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Quality Systems through the Blind Inorganic Sample Project and the Organic Blind Sample Project.

USGS Blind Sample Project: monitoring and evaluating laboratory analytical quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ludtke, Amy S.; Woodworth, Mark T.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects and disseminates information about the Nation's water resources. Surface- and ground-water samples are collected and sent to USGS laboratories for chemical analyses. The laboratories identify and quantify the constituents in the water samples. Random and systematic errors occur during sample handling, chemical analysis, and data processing. Although all errors cannot be eliminated from measurements, the magnitude of their uncertainty can be estimated and tracked over time. Since 1981, the USGS has operated an independent, external, quality-assurance project called the Blind Sample Project (BSP). The purpose of the BSP is to monitor and evaluate the quality of laboratory analytical results through the use of double-blind quality-control (QC) samples. The information provided by the BSP assists the laboratories in detecting and correcting problems in the analytical procedures. The information also can aid laboratory users in estimating the extent that laboratory errors contribute to the overall errors in their environmental data.

Defining Leadership: Collegiate Women's Learning Circles: A Qualitative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston-Cunningham, Tammie; Elbert, Chanda D.; Dooley, Kim E.

2017-01-01

The researchers employed qualitative methods to evaluate first-year female students' definition of "leadership" through involvement in the Women's Learning Circle. The findings revealed that students defined leadership in two dimensions: traits and behaviors. The qualitative findings explore a multidimensional approach to the voices of…

The magic of fairy circles: Built or created?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahagian, Dork

2017-05-01

Fairy circles are rings of relatively dense grass in arid regions with sparse vegetation. The most famous examples are found in the Namib Desert. There has been an ongoing debate regarding the origin of these features, and a recent paper by Ravi et al. (2017, doi:10.1002/2016JG003604) sheds some light on this situation.

A Proposal to Localize Fermi GBM GRBs Through Coordinated Scanning of the GBM Error Circle via Optical Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ukwatta, T. N.; Linnemann, J. T.; Tollefson, K.; Abeysekara, A. U.; Bhat, P. N.; Sonbas, E.; Gehrels, N.

2011-01-01

We investigate the feasibility of implementing a system that will coordinate ground-based optical telescopes to cover the Fermi GBM Error Circle (EC). The aim of the system is to localize GBM detected GRBs and facilitate multi-wavelength follow-up from space and ground. This system will optimize the observing locations in the GBM EC based on individual telescope location, Field of View (FoV) and sensitivity. The proposed system will coordinate GBM EC scanning by professional as well as amateur astronomers around the world. The results of a Monte Carlo simulation to investigate the feasibility of the project are presented.

The Revival of Research Circles: Meeting the Needs of Modern Aging and the Third Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostlund, Britt

2008-01-01

This article provides evidence that it is worthwhile to reconsider the traditional research circle method as a means of involving people in the third age in fulfilling their needs to participate in learning activities and make their voices heard. The findings are based on three cases of research circles consistently driven by the interests of the…

Fostering Positive Peer Relations in the Primary Classroom through Circle Time and Co-Operative Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mary, Latisha

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of co-operative games and circle time activities in fostering positive peer relations in two French Primary classrooms (N = 40). It presents French teachers' and pupils' perceptions of a set of co-operative games and circle time activities implemented within a year long study on personal, social…

Human Variome Project Quality Assessment Criteria for Variation Databases.

PubMed

Vihinen, Mauno; Hancock, John M; Maglott, Donna R; Landrum, Melissa J; Schaafsma, Gerard C P; Taschner, Peter

2016-06-01

Numerous databases containing information about DNA, RNA, and protein variations are available. Gene-specific variant databases (locus-specific variation databases, LSDBs) are typically curated and maintained for single genes or groups of genes for a certain disease(s). These databases are widely considered as the most reliable information source for a particular gene/protein/disease, but it should also be made clear they may have widely varying contents, infrastructure, and quality. Quality is very important to evaluate because these databases may affect health decision-making, research, and clinical practice. The Human Variome Project (HVP) established a Working Group for Variant Database Quality Assessment. The basic principle was to develop a simple system that nevertheless provides a good overview of the quality of a database. The HVP quality evaluation criteria that resulted are divided into four main components: data quality, technical quality, accessibility, and timeliness. This report elaborates on the developed quality criteria and how implementation of the quality scheme can be achieved. Examples are provided for the current status of the quality items in two different databases, BTKbase, an LSDB, and ClinVar, a central archive of submissions about variants and their clinical significance. © 2016 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

From Results to Action - Implementing an Indoor Air Quality Pilot Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, A. M.; Ware, G. E.; Iwasaki, P. G.; Billingsley, L. R.; Main, D.; Hannigan, M.; Pfotenhauer, D.

2016-12-01

One of the key differences between community-based participatory research (CBPR) and more conventional scientific research is the expectation that a project does not end with finalized results, but rather with taking action based on those results. Using an indoor air quality pilot project as an example, we will discuss how the consideration of potential actions and applications for the project findings should be integrated into planning throughout the life of a project. We will also share general reflections on effective CBPR from the perspective of both science and community partners on the project. In 2015, Taking Neighborhood Health to Heart (TNH2H), a community-based organization in Northeast Denver, researchers from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and AGU's Thriving Earth Exchange partnered to conduct a pilot project investigating indoor air quality in a Denver community. This partnership formed in response to community concerns about potential environmental contamination from dry cleaning operations, specifically through spills of the compound perchloroethylene. The exploration of the presence of radon, another indoor air quality concern common across the state of Colorado, was also added to the project. Using an iterative process, the team designed a sampling plan, selected a target location, and recruited homes and residents to participate in the pilot project. Radon and perchloroethylene data were then collected in 15 homes. Following data collection, results were first shared with project participants, after which de-identified data were shared with the members of TNH2H. Together TNH2H and researchers then developed strategies for public dissemination of the project findings. While we did not find levels of percholorethylene above the `action level' in any of the participating homes; however, we did find more frequent occurrences of radon levels above the `action level' than we had anticipated. For example, 80% of the homes in our study had radon

An Innovative Time-Cost-Quality Tradeoff Modeling of Building Construction Project Based on Resource Allocation

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The time, quality, and cost are three important but contradictive objectives in a building construction project. It is a tough challenge for project managers to optimize them since they are different parameters. This paper presents a time-cost-quality optimization model that enables managers to optimize multiobjectives. The model is from the project breakdown structure method where task resources in a construction project are divided into a series of activities and further into construction labors, materials, equipment, and administration. The resources utilized in a construction activity would eventually determine its construction time, cost, and quality, and a complex time-cost-quality trade-off model is finally generated based on correlations between construction activities. A genetic algorithm tool is applied in the model to solve the comprehensive nonlinear time-cost-quality problems. Building of a three-storey house is an example to illustrate the implementation of the model, demonstrate its advantages in optimizing trade-off of construction time, cost, and quality, and help make a winning decision in construction practices. The computational time-cost-quality curves in visual graphics from the case study prove traditional cost-time assumptions reasonable and also prove this time-cost-quality trade-off model sophisticated. PMID:24672351

12. VISTA SOUTHWEST ON NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE TO WASHINGTON CIRCLE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. VISTA SOUTHWEST ON NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE TO WASHINGTON CIRCLE FROM RESERVATION NO. 140 AT THE INTERSECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE, M, AND 21ST STREETS, NW. - New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

View of Building No. 405 from Staff Circle, facing north ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View of Building No. 405 from Staff Circle, facing north - MacDill Air Force Base, Bounded by City of Tampa North, Tampa Bay South, Old Tampa Bay West, & Hillsborough Bay East, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

Hydraulic characteristics of an underdrained irrigation circle, Muskegon County, wastewater disposal system, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDonald, M.G.

1981-01-01

Muskegon County, Michigan, disposes of waste water by spray irrigating farmland on its waste-disposal site. Buried drains in the highly permeable unconfined aquifer at the site control the level of the water table. Hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer and drain-leakance, the reciprocal of resistance to flow into the drains, was determined at a representative irrigation circle while calibrating a model of the ground-water flow system. Hydraulic conductivity is 0.00055 meter per second in the north zone of the circle and 0.00039 meter per second in the south zone. Drain leakance is low in both zones: 2.9 x 10-6 meters per second in the north and 9.5 x 10-6 meters per second in the south. Low drain leakance is responsible for waterlogging when irrigation rates are maintained at design levels. The capacity of the study circle to accept waste water is 35 percent less than design capacity.

Utilization of the concentric circle model in clinical nursing: a review.

PubMed

Kazuma, K

1999-12-01

In this article, I review applications of the concentric circle model in clinical nursing. The concentric circle model is based on the cross-sectional shape of the body extremities at several points, and can be used in the areas of both kinesiology and nutritional science. This model makes it possible to calculate the cross-sectional area of muscles from measurement of the circumference of the extremities and the thickness of adipose (fatty) tissue. Then, changes in muscle strength or nutritional status can be inferred or assessed from these data. This model requires only simple and non-invasive measurements, and this is a significant and essential characteristic for its use by nurses, both in clinical and research applications.

Truncated Calogero-Sutherland models on a circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tummuru, Tarun R.; Jain, Sudhir R.; Khare, Avinash

2017-12-01

We investigate a quantum many-body system with particles moving in a circle and subject to two-body and three-body potentials. This class of models, in which the range of interaction r can be set to a certain number of neighbors, extrapolates from a system with interactions up to next-to-nearest neighbors and the celebrated Calogero-Sutherland model. The exact ground state energy and a part of the excitation spectrum have been obtained.

Risk Analysis of Underestimate Cost Offer to The Project Quality in Aceh Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani, Hafnidar A.

2016-11-01

The possibility of errors in the process of offer price determination could be enormous, so it can affect the possibility of project underestimate cost which can impact and reduce the profit if being implementing. Government Equipment/Service Procurement Policy Institution (LKPP) assesses that the practices of cheaper price in the government equipment/service procurement are still highly found and can be potential to decrease the project quality. This study aimed to analyze the most dominant factors happened in underestimate cost offer practice, to analyze the relationship of underestimate cost offer risk factors to road construction project quality in Aceh Province and to analyze the most potential factors of underestimate cost offer risk affecting road construction project quality in Aceh Province. Road construction projects observed the projects which have been implemented in Aceh Province since 2013 - 2015. This study conducted by interviewing Government Budget Authority (KPA), and distributing the questionnaire to the road construction contractors with the qualification of K1, K2, K3, M1, M2 and B1. Based on the data from Construction Service Development Institution (LPJK) of Aceh Province on 2016, the populations obtained are 2,717 constructors. By using Slovin Equation, the research samples obtained are 97 contractors. The most dominant factors in underestimate cost offer risk of the road construction projects in Aceh Province is Contingency Cost Factor which the mean is 4.374.

Running around in Circles: Quality Assurance Reforms in Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jibladze, Elene

2013-01-01

This article investigates the implementation of a quality assurance system in Georgia as a particular case of "Bologna transplant" in a transitioning country. In particular, the article discusses to what extent new concepts, institutions and models framed as "European" have been institutionalised in Georgia. Based on an outcome…

Squaring the Project Management Circle: Updating the Cost, Schedule, and Performance Methodology

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-30

success is measured as achieving technical performance and/or mission performance goals, coupled with customer (warfighter) satisfaction (De Wit, 1988...studies added criteria such as customer satisfaction , efficiency of execution, and effectiveness of the project organization (Pinto & Slevin, 1998...team and the user customer organization, management policy and project control. This clustering of success factors represents the amalgamation of the

Sustainability in the AAP Bronchiolitis Quality Improvement Project.

PubMed

Shadman, Kristin A; Ralston, Shawn L; Garber, Matthew D; Eickhoff, Jens; Mussman, Grant M; Walley, Susan C; Rice-Conboy, Elizabeth; Coller, Ryan J

2017-11-01

Adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) bronchiolitis clinical practice guideline recommendations improved significantly through the AAP's multiinstitutional collaborative, the Bronchiolitis Quality Improvement Project (BQIP). We assessed sustainability of improvements at participating institutions for 1 year following completion of the collaborative. Twenty-one multidisciplinary hospital-based teams provided monthly data for key inpatient bronchiolitis measures during baseline and intervention bronchiolitis seasons. Nine sites provided data in the season following completion of the collaborative. Encounters included children younger than 24 months who were hospitalized for bronchiolitis without comorbid chronic illness, prematurity, or intensive care. Changes between baseline-, intervention-, and sustainability-season data were assessed using generalized linear mixed-effects models with site-specific random effects. Differences between hospital characteristics, baseline performance, and initial improvement between sites that did and did not participate in the sustainability season were compared. A total of 2275 discharges were reviewed, comprising 995 baseline, 877 intervention, and 403 sustainability- season encounters. Improvements in all key bronchiolitis quality measures achieved during the intervention season were maintained during the sustainability season, and orders for intermittent pulse oximetry increased from 40.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.8-61.1) to 79.2% (95% CI, 58.0- 91.3). Sites that did and did not participate in the sustainability season had similar characteristics. BQIP participating sites maintained improvements in key bronchiolitis quality measures for 1 year following the project's completion. This approach, which provided an evidence-based best-practice toolkit while building the quality-improvement capacity of local interdisciplinary teams, may support performance gains that persist beyond the active phase of the

Coast salish and U.S. Geological Survey: Tribal journey water quality project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Akin, Sarah K.; Grossman, Eric E.; Lekanof, Debra; O'Hara, Charles J.

2008-01-01

The Coast Salish Peoples and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have commenced on a partnership to examine water quality throughout the Georgia Straits and Puget Sound, blending tradition and science, in response to this deterioration of coastal environments and loss of essential habitats and marine resources of cultural and ecological importance throughout the ancestral waters of the Salish Sea. This report describes the Coast Salish Tribal Journey Water Quality Project, its inception, the results of the 2008 Tribal Journey project, lessons learned, and recommendations for future directions.

[Child protection network and the intersector implementation of the circle of security as alternatives to medication].

PubMed

Becker, Ana Laura Martins M M; de Souza, Paulo Haddad; de Oliveira, Mônica Martins; Paraguay, Nestor Luiz Bruzzi B

2014-09-01

To describe the clinical history of a child with aggressive behavior and recurring death-theme speech, and report the experience of the team of authors, who proposed an alternative to medication through the establishment of a protection network and the inter-sector implementation of the circle of security concept. A 5-year-old child has a violent and aggressive behavior at the day-care. The child was diagnosed by the healthcare center with depressive disorder and behavioral disorder, and was medicated with sertraline and risperidone. Side effects were observed, and the medications were discontinued. Despite several actions, such as talks, teamwork, psychological and psychiatric follow-up, the child's behavior remained unchanged. A unique therapeutic project was developed by Universidade Estadual de Campinas' Medical School students in order to establish a connection between the entities responsible for the child's care (daycare center, healthcare center, and family). Thus, the team was able to develop a basic care protection network. The implementation of the inter-sector circle of security, as well as the communication and cooperation among the teams, produced very favorable results in this case. This initiative was shown to be a feasible and effective alternative to the use of medication for this child. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

2008 Niday Perinatal Database quality audit: report of a quality assurance project.

PubMed

Dunn, S; Bottomley, J; Ali, A; Walker, M

2011-12-01

This quality assurance project was designed to determine the reliability, completeness and comprehensiveness of the data entered into Niday Perinatal Database. Quality of the data was measured by comparing data re-abstracted from the patient record to the original data entered into the Niday Perinatal Database. A representative sample of hospitals in Ontario was selected and a random sample of 100 linked mother and newborn charts were audited for each site. A subset of 33 variables (representing 96 data fields) from the Niday dataset was chosen for re-abstraction. Of the data fields for which Cohen's kappa statistic or intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated, 44% showed substantial or almost perfect agreement (beyond chance). However, about 17% showed less than 95% agreement and a kappa or ICC value of less than 60% indicating only slight, fair or moderate agreement (beyond chance). Recommendations to improve the quality of these data fields are presented.

Officers quarters around staff circle, with building 44 in right ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Officers quarters around staff circle, with building 44 in right foreground and right to left, buildings 42 through 38 in background. View to west. - Fort David A. Russell, Randall Avenue west of First Street, Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Officers quarters around staff circle, with building 47 in left ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Officers quarters around staff circle, with building 47 in left foreground and left to right, buildings 48 through 52 in background. View to southeast. - Fort David A. Russell, Randall Avenue west of First Street, Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

The 300 Area Integrated Field Research Challenge Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a group of expert collaborators are using the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site 300 Area uranium plume within the footprint of the 300-FF-5 groundwater operable unit as a site for an Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFRC). The IFRC is entitled Multi-Scale Mass Transfer Processes Controlling Natural Attenuation and Engineered Remediation: An IFRC Focused on the Hanford Site 300 Area Uranium Plume Project. The theme is investigation of multi-scale mass transfer processes. A series of forefront science questions on mass transfer are posed for research that relate to the effect of spatial heterogeneities; themore » importance of scale; coupled interactions between biogeochemical, hydrologic, and mass transfer processes; and measurements/approaches needed to characterize and model a mass transfer-dominated system. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the 300 Area IFRC Project. This plan is designed to be used exclusively by project staff.« less

Predictors of Quality Verbal Engagement in Third-Grade Literature Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Chase

2014-01-01

This study investigates how reading ability and personality traits predict the quality of verbal discussions in peer-led literature circles. Third grade literature discussions were recorded, transcribed, and coded. The coded statements and questions were quantified into a quality of engagement score. Through multiple linear regression, the…

The combination of circle topology and leaky integrator neurons remarkably improves the performance of echo state network on time series prediction.

PubMed

Xue, Fangzheng; Li, Qian; Li, Xiumin

2017-01-01

Recently, echo state network (ESN) has attracted a great deal of attention due to its high accuracy and efficient learning performance. Compared with the traditional random structure and classical sigmoid units, simple circle topology and leaky integrator neurons have more advantages on reservoir computing of ESN. In this paper, we propose a new model of ESN with both circle reservoir structure and leaky integrator units. By comparing the prediction capability on Mackey-Glass chaotic time series of four ESN models: classical ESN, circle ESN, traditional leaky integrator ESN, circle leaky integrator ESN, we find that our circle leaky integrator ESN shows significantly better performance than other ESNs with roughly 2 orders of magnitude reduction of the predictive error. Moreover, this model has stronger ability to approximate nonlinear dynamics and resist noise than conventional ESN and ESN with only simple circle structure or leaky integrator neurons. Our results show that the combination of circle topology and leaky integrator neurons can remarkably increase dynamical diversity and meanwhile decrease the correlation of reservoir states, which contribute to the significant improvement of computational performance of Echo state network on time series prediction.

Project Aether Aurora: STEM outreach near the arctic circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longmier, B. W.; Bering, E. A.

2012-12-01

Project Aether is a program designed to immerse high-school through graduate students to field research in some of the fields of STEM. The program leaders launch high altitude weather balloons in collaboration with schools and students to teach physics concepts, experimental research skills, and to make space exploration accessible to students. A weather balloon lifts a specially designed payload package that is composed of HD cameras, GPS tracking devices, and other science equipment. The payload is constructed and attached to the balloon by the students with low-cost materials. The balloon and payload are launched with FAA clearance from a site chosen based on wind patterns and predicted landing locations. The balloon ascends over 2 hours to a maximum altitude of 100,000 feet where it bursts and allows the payload to slowly descend using a built-in parachute. The balloon's location is monitored during its flight by GPS-satellite relay. Most of the science and video data are recorded on SD cards using an Arduino digitizer. The payload is located using the GPS device. The science data are recovered from the payload and shared with the students. In April 2012, Project Aether leaders conducted a field campaign near Fairbanks Alaska, sending several student-built experiments to an altitude of 30km, underneath several strong auroral displays. Auroral physics experiments that can be done on ultra small balloons (5 cubic meters) include electric field and magnetic fluctuation observations, full spectrum and narrow band optical imaging, GPS monitoring of the total electron content of the ionosphere, x-ray detection and infrared and UV spectroscopy. The actual undergraduate student experiments will be reviewed and some data presented.; Balloon deployment underneath aurora, Fairbanks Alaska, 2012.

Distortion theorems for polynomials on a circle

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

Dubinin, V N

2000-12-31

Inequalities for the derivatives with respect to {phi}=arg z the functions ReP(z), |P(z)|{sup 2} and arg P(z) are established for an algebraic polynomial P(z) at points on the circle |z|=1. These estimates depend, in particular, on the constant term and the leading coefficient of the polynomial P(z) and improve the classical Bernstein and Turan inequalities. The method of proof is based on the techniques of generalized reduced moduli.

The Milky Way and the Local Group: playing with great circles.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fusi Pecci, F.; Bellazzini, M.; Ferraro, F. R.

The small group of recently discovered galactic globular clusters (Pal 12, Ter 7, Rup 106, Arp 2) significantly younger than the average cluster population of the Galaxy are shown to lie near great circles passing in the proximity of most satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. Assuming that these great circles are in some way preferential planes of interaction between the Galaxy and its companions, the authors identified along one of them another candidate "young" globular cluster, IC 4499. Within this observational framework, the possibility that the sample of young globulars found in the halo of the Galaxy could have been captured from a satellite galaxy or formed during a close interaction between the Milky Way and one of its companions is briefly discussed.

The Misuse of the Circle Notation to Represent Aromatic Rings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belloli, Robert C.

1983-01-01

Discusses the confusion and erroneous conclusions that can result from the overuse and misuse of the circle notation to represent aromaticity in polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons. Includes nature of the problem, textbook treatment, and a possible compromise method of representation. (Author/JN)

Formula for the rms blur circle radius of Wolter telescope based on aberration theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shealy, David L.; Saha, Timo T.

1990-01-01

A formula for the rms blur circle for Wolter telescopes has been derived using the transverse ray aberration expressions of Saha (1985), Saha (1984), and Saha (1986). The resulting formula for the rms blur circle radius over an image plane and a formula for the surface of best focus based on third-, fifth-, and seventh-order aberration theory predict results in good agreement with exact ray tracing. It has also been shown that one of the two terms in the empirical formula of VanSpeybroeck and Chase (1972), for the rms blur circle radius of a Wolter I telescope can be justified by the aberration theory results. Numerical results are given comparing the rms blur radius and the surface of best focus vs the half-field angle computed by skew ray tracing and from analytical formulas for grazing incidence Wolter I-II telescopes and a normal incidence Cassegrain telescope.

Gene Wiki Reviews-Raising the quality and accessibility of information about the human genome.

PubMed

Tsueng, Ginger; Good, Benjamin M; Ping, Peipei; Golemis, Erica; Hanukoglu, Israel; van Wijnen, Andre J; Su, Andrew I

2016-11-05

Wikipedia and other openly available resources are increasingly becoming commonly used sources of information not just among the lay public but even in academic circles including undergraduate students and postgraduate trainees. To enhance the quality of the Wikipedia articles, in 2013, we initiated the Gene Wiki Reviews on genes and proteins as a series of invited reviews that stipulated editing the corresponding Wikipedia article(s) that would be also subject to peer-review. Thus, while the review article serves as an authoritative snapshot of the field, the "living article" can continue to evolve with the crowdsourcing model of Wikipedia. After publication of over 50 articles, we surveyed the authors to assess the impact of the project. The author survey results revealed that the Gene Wiki project is achieving its major objectives to increase the involvement of scientists in authoring Wikipedia articles and to enhance the quantity and quality of the information about genes and their protein products. Thus, the dual publication model introduced in the Gene Wiki Reviews series represents a valuable innovation in scientific publishing and biomedical knowledge management. We invite experts on specific genes to contact the editors to take part in this project to enhance the quality and accessibility of information about the human genome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

"Socratic Circles are a Luxury": Exploring the Conceptualization of a Dialogic Tool in Three Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Copelin, Michelle Renee

Research has shown that dialogic instruction promotes learning in students. Secondary science has traditionally been taught from an authoritative stance, reinforced in recent years by testing policies requiring coverage. Socratic Circles are a framework for student-led dialogic discourse, which have been successfully used in English language arts and social studies classrooms. The purpose of this research was to explore the implementation process of Socratic Circles in secondary science classes where they have been perceived to be more difficult. Focusing on two physical science classes and one chemistry class, this study described the nature and characteristics of Socratic Circles, teachers' dispositions toward dialogic instruction, the nature and characteristics of student discussion, and student motivation. Socratic Circles were found to be a dialogic support that influenced classroom climate, social skills, content connections, and student participation. Teachers experienced conflict between using traditional test driven scripted teaching, and exploring innovation through dialogic instruction. Students experienced opportunities for peer interaction, participation, and deeper discussions in a framework designed to improve dialogic skills. Students in two of the classrooms showed evidence of motivation for engaging in peer-led discussion, and students in one class did not. The class that did not show evidence of motivation had not been given the same scaffolding as the other two classes. Two physical science teachers and one chemistry teacher found that Socratic Circles required more scaffolding than was indicated by their peers in other disciplines such as English and social studies. The teachers felt that student's general lack of background knowledge for any given topic in physical science or chemistry necessitated the building of a knowledge platform before work on a discussion could begin. All three of the teachers indicated that Socratic Circles were a

Total Quality Management: Analysis, Evaluation and Implementation Within ACRV Project Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raiman, Laura B.

1991-01-01

Total quality management (TQM) is a cooperative form of doing business that relies on the talents of everyone in an organization to continually improve quality and productivity, using teams and an assortment of statistical and measurement tools. The Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) Project Office was identified as an excellent project in which to demonstrate the applications and benefits of TQM processes. As the ACRV Program moves through its various stages of development, it is vital that effectiveness and efficiency be maintained in order to provide the Space Station Freedom (SSF) crew an affordable, on-time assured return to Earth. A critical factor for the success of the ACRV is attaining the maximum benefit from the resources applied to the program. Through a series of four tutorials on various quality improvement techniques, and numerous one-on-one sessions during the SSF's 10-week term in the project office, results were obtained which are aiding the ACRV Office in implementing a disciplined, ongoing process for generating fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide the organization. Significant advances were made in improving the processes for two particular groups - the correspondence distribution team and the WATER Test team. Numerous people from across JSC were a part of the various team activities including engineering, man systems, and safety. The work also included significant interaction with the support contractor to the ACRV Project. The results of the improvement activities can be used as models for other organizations desiring to operate under a system of continuous improvement. In particular, they have advanced the ACRV Project Teams further down the path of continuous improvement, in support of a working philosophy of TQM.

Mouse Behavior on ISS: The Emergence of a Distinctive, Organized Group Circling Behavior Unique to Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ronca, A. E.; Moyer, E. L.; Talyansky, Y.; Solomides, P.; Choi, S.; Gong, C.; Globus, R. K.

2017-01-01

As interest in long duration effects of space habitation increases, understanding the behavior of model organisms living within the habitats engineered to fly them is vital for designing, validating, and interpreting future spaceflight studies. Only a handful of papers have previously reported behavior of mice and rats in the weightless environment of space (Andreev-Andrievskiy, et al., 2013; Cancedda et al., 2012; Ronca et al., 2008). The Rodent Research Hardware and Operations Validation Mission (Rodent Research-1; RR1) utilized the Rodent Habitat (RH) developed at NASA Ames Research Center to fly mice on the ISS. Ten adult (16-week-old) female C57BL6J mice were launched on September 21st, 2014 in an unmanned Dragon Capsule, and spent 37 days in flight. Here we report group behavioral phenotypes of the RR1 Flight (FLT) and environment-matched Ground Control (GC) mice in the RH during this long duration flight. Video was recorded for 34 days on the ISS, permitting daily assessments of overall health and well being of the mice, and providing a valuable repository for detailed behavioral analysis. As compared to GC mice, RR1 FLT mice exhibited the same range of behaviors, including eating, drinking, exploration, self- and allogrooming, and social interactions at similar or greater levels of occurrence. Overall activity was greater in FLT as compared to GC mice, with spontaneous ambulatory behavior, including organized circling or race-tracking behavior that emerged within the first few days of flight following a common developmental sequence, comprising the primary dark cycle activity of FLT mice. Circling participation by individual mice persisted throughout the mission. Analysis of group behavior over mission days revealed recruitment of mice into the group phenotype, coupled with decreasing numbers of collisions between circling mice. This analysis provides insights into the behavior of mice in microgravity, and clear evidence for the emergence of a distinctive

The Characterizations of Triangles Using the Nine-Point Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srinivasan, V. K.

2012-01-01

In this note, primarily intended for high school students and high school teachers, characterizations of a right triangle and an equilateral triangle in the Euclidean plane are presented using the nine-point circle of a given triangle. Geometrical applications are explored along with their possible uses in the teaching environment. (Contains 4…

NPDES Permit for Marathon Oil Company – Circle Ridge in Wyoming

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Under NPDES permit WY-0000949, the Marathon Oil Company – Circle Ridge is authorized to discharge from its wastewater treatment facility located in Fremont County, Wyoming to a tributary to Coal Draw.

A Study of Traditional Circle Games of Five-Year-Old United States Public School Kindergarten Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothlein, Liz; Einspruch, Eric

A total of 203 teachers of 5-year-olds in public school kindergartens representing 35 states responded to a questionnaire about traditional circle games. The teachers were asked to identify three of the favorite traditional circle games used in their classrooms and to indicate how often and how long the games were played. In addition, teachers…

Guidance and Control Software Project Data - Volume 4: Configuration Management and Quality Assurance Documents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayhurst, Kelly J. (Editor)

2008-01-01

The Guidance and Control Software (GCS) project was the last in a series of software reliability studies conducted at Langley Research Center between 1977 and 1994. The technical results of the GCS project were recorded after the experiment was completed. Some of the support documentation produced as part of the experiment, however, is serving an unexpected role far beyond its original project context. Some of the software used as part of the GCS project was developed to conform to the RTCA/DO-178B software standard, "Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification," used in the civil aviation industry. That standard requires extensive documentation throughout the software development life cycle, including plans, software requirements, design and source code, verification cases and results, and configuration management and quality control data. The project documentation that includes this information is open for public scrutiny without the legal or safety implications associated with comparable data from an avionics manufacturer. This public availability has afforded an opportunity to use the GCS project documents for DO-178B training. This report provides a brief overview of the GCS project, describes the 4-volume set of documents and the role they are playing in training, and includes configuration management and quality assurance documents from the GCS project. Volume 4 contains six appendices: A. Software Accomplishment Summary for the Guidance and Control Software Project; B. Software Configuration Index for the Guidance and Control Software Project; C. Configuration Management Records for the Guidance and Control Software Project; D. Software Quality Assurance Records for the Guidance and Control Software Project; E. Problem Report for the Pluto Implementation of the Guidance and Control Software Project; and F. Support Documentation Change Reports for the Guidance and Control Software Project.

Consumer involvement in Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) projects - lessons from Australia.

PubMed

Kirkpatrick, Carl M J; Roughead, Elizabeth E; Monteith, Gregory R; Tett, Susan E

2005-12-01

It is essential that knowledge gained through health services research is collated and made available for evaluation, for policy purposes and to enable collaboration between people working in similar areas (capacity building). The Australian Quality Use of Medicine (QUM) on-line, web-based project database, known as the QUMmap, was designed to meet these needs for a specific sub-section of health services research related to improving the use of medicines. Australia's National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines identifies the primacy of consumers as a major principle for quality use of medicines, and aims to support consumer led research. The aim of this study was to determine how consumers as a group have been represented in QUM projects in Australia. A secondary aim was to investigate how the projects with consumer involvement fit into Australia's QUM policy framework. Using the web-based QUMmap, all projects which claimed consumer involvement were identified and stratified into four categories, projects undertaken by; (a) consumers for consumers, (b) health professionals for consumers, (c) health professionals for health professionals, and (d) other. Projects in the first two categories were then classified according to the policy 'building blocks' considered necessary to achieve QUM. Of the 143 'consumer' projects identified, the majority stated to be 'for consumers' were either actually by health professionals for health professionals (c) or by health professionals for consumers (b) (47% and 40% respectively). Only 12 projects (9%) were directly undertaken by consumers or consumer groups for consumers (a). The majority of the health professionals for consumers (b) projects were directed at the provision of services and interventions, but were not focusing on the education, training or skill development of consumers. Health services research relating to QUM is active in Australia and the projects are collated and searchable on the web-based interactive

Distortion theorems for polynomials on a circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubinin, V. N.

2000-12-01

Inequalities for the derivatives with respect to \\varphi=\\arg z the functions \\operatorname{Re}P(z), \\vert P(z)\\vert^2 and \\arg P(z) are established for an algebraic polynomial P(z) at points on the circle \\vert z\\vert=1. These estimates depend, in particular, on the constant term and the leading coefficient of the polynomial P(z) and improve the classical Bernstein and Turan inequalities. The method of proof is based on the techniques of generalized reduced moduli.

Culture Circles in adolescent empowerment for the prevention of violence

PubMed Central

Monteiro, Estela Maria Leite Meirelles; Neto, Waldemar Brandão; de Lima, Luciane Soares; de Aquino, Jael Maria; Gontijo, Daniela Tavares; Pereira, Beatriz Oliveira

2015-01-01

An action research based on Paulo Freire's Culture Circles was developed to implement a health education intervention involving adolescents, in collective knowledge construction about strategies for the prevention of violence. The data collection in the Culture Circles involved 11 adolescents and included observation and field diary, photographic records and recording. The educational action aroused a critical socio-political and cultural position in the adolescents towards the situations of vulnerability to violence, including the guarantee of human rights, justice and the combat of inequities; changes in the social relations, combat against discrimination and intolerance; expansion of access and reorientation of health services through intersectoral public policies. The intervention empowered the group of adolescents for the prevention of violence and permitted the inclusion of health professionals in the school context, from an interdisciplinary perspective, contributing to the establishment of social support and protection networks. PMID:25931647

Quality improvement training for core medical and general practice trainees: a pilot study of project participation, completion and journal publication.

PubMed

McNab, Duncan; McKay, John; Bowie, Paul

2015-11-01

Small-scale quality improvement projects are expected to make a significant contribution towards improving the quality of healthcare. Enabling doctors-in-training to design and lead quality improvement projects is important preparation for independent practice. Participation is mandatory in speciality training curricula. However, provision of training and ongoing support in quality improvement methods and practice is variable. We aimed to design and deliver a quality improvement training package to core medical and general practice specialty trainees and evaluate impact in terms of project participation, completion and publication in a healthcare journal. A quality improvement training package was developed and delivered to core medical trainees and general practice specialty trainees in the west of Scotland encompassing a 1-day workshop and mentoring during completion of a quality improvement project over 3 months. A mixed methods evaluation was undertaken and data collected via questionnaire surveys, knowledge assessment, and formative assessment of project proposals, completed quality improvement projects and publication success. Twenty-three participants attended the training day with 20 submitting a project proposal (87%). Ten completed quality improvement projects (43%), eight were judged as satisfactory (35%), and four were submitted and accepted for journal publication (17%). Knowledge and confidence in aspects of quality improvement improved during the pilot, while early feedback on project proposals was valued (85.7%). This small study reports modest success in training core medical trainees and general practice specialty trainees in quality improvement. Many gained knowledge of, confidence in and experience of quality improvement, while journal publication was shown to be possible. The development of educational resources to aid quality improvement project completion and mentoring support is necessary if expectations for quality improvement are to be

[Active ageing and quality of life--Results of a WHO demonstration project].

PubMed

von dem Knesebeck, O; David, K; Bill, P; Hikl, R

2006-04-01

Based on the Active Ageing Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO), a demonstration project was conducted in a city in North-Rhine Westphalia between October 2002 and December 2004. The aim of the study was to promote an active ageing process, to maintain autonomy and independence among older people, and thereby to promote health and quality of life. The target group included people aged 55 to 80 years. The aim was to include older persons in a critical period of life due to loss of partner within the last five years and people undergoing a status change due to retirement within the last two years. 344 participants were visited at home to assess their health and psychosocial situation and to identify opportunities for activities. Participants were supported in their efforts to realise the agreed-upon activities. In this article results of the external evaluation are presented. It is analysed whether quality of life according to the WHOQOL Bref improves among participants in the course of the project. Results of non-parametric tests show small differences in quality of life between the three waves of interviews (at the beginning of the project, after one year, at the end of the project). This holds true when only those participants are analysed who retired within the last two years. However, quality of life significantly improves among older persons who lost their partner within the last five years. In terms of implementation of the WHO Active Ageing Programme results suggest application of a risk group strategy.

Reading without Teachers: Literature Circles in an EFL Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Jeng-yih Tim

2004-01-01

Unsuccessful college education often turns our students into book haters who will stop reading as soon as they graduate. The idea of literature circles embraces the concept of "reading for fun" and is intended to create more independent readers and book addicts who will continuously read for the rest of their lives. Pioneers in literacy…

Intersections of a Circle and a Square: An Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canada, Dan; Blair, Stephen

2007-01-01

The investigation of how a circle and square lying in the same plane could intersect each other is an excellent example of geometric problem-solving. This paper explores three facets of the investigation: (1) finding out how many points of intersection are possible, (2) classifying the different ways of intersection, and (3) determining which ways…

NCSALL Health Literacy Study Circle+ Facilitators Training. Training Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2007

2007-01-01

This training guide was created by the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) to help connect research and practice in the field of adult education and family literacy. A Health and Adult Literacy and Learning (HALL)/NCSALL Health Literacy Study Circle+ is a professional development activity for adult basic education…

Sacred Circles: 2000 Years of North American Indian Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of American Indian Education, 1977

1977-01-01

"Sacred Circles" opened April 16, 1977 at the Nelson Gallery of Art-Atkins Museum of Fine Arts in Kansas City for its only showing in the Americas; the 850 objects on loan from 90 museums and private collectors included the "Adena Pipe" (considered the most important archaeological object found in the eastern US). (JC)

A critical care network pressure ulcer prevention quality improvement project.

PubMed

McBride, Joanna; Richardson, Annette

2015-03-30

Pressure ulcer prevention is an important safety issue, often underrated and an extremely painful event harming patients. Critically ill patients are one of the highest risk groups in hospital. The impact of pressure ulcers are wide ranging, and they can result in increased critical care and the hospital length of stay, significant interference with functional recovery and rehabilitation and increase cost. This quality improvement project had four aims: (1) to establish a critical care network pressure ulcer prevention group; (2) to establish baseline pressure ulcer prevention practices; (3) to measure, compare and monitor pressure ulcers prevalence; (4) to develop network pressure ulcer prevention standards. The approach used to improve quality included strong critical care nursing leadership to develop a cross-organisational pressure ulcer prevention group and a benchmarking exercise of current practices across a well-established critical care Network in the North of England. The National Safety Thermometer tool was used to measure pressure ulcer prevalence in 23 critical care units, and best available evidence, local consensus and another Critical Care Networks' bundle of interventions were used to develop a local pressure ulcer prevention standards document. The aims of the quality improvement project were achieved. This project was driven by successful leadership and had an agreed common goal. The National Safety Thermometer tool was an innovative approach to measure and compare pressure ulcer prevalence rates at a regional level. A limitation was the exclusion of moisture lesions. The project showed excellent engagement and collaborate working in the quest to prevent pressure ulcers from many critical care nurses with the North of England Critical Care Network. A concise set of Network standards was developed for use in conjunction with local guidelines to enhance pressure ulcer prevention. © 2015 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Examining Circle of Security™: A Review of Research and Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, Jean

2015-01-01

The Circle of Security™ interventions are psychosocial treatments intended to increase maternal sensitivity and thus child attachment security in infants and young children. A small number of publications have reported empirical research on outcomes of these treatments. This article reviews the research evidence, plausibility, theoretical…

The Atlanta Urban Heat Island Mitigation and Air Quality Modeling Project: How High-Resoution Remote Sensing Data Can Improve Air Quality Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, Dale A.; Estes, Maurice G., Jr.; Crosson, William L.; Khan, Maudood N.

2006-01-01

The Atlanta Urban Heat Island and Air Quality Project had its genesis in Project ATLANTA (ATlanta Land use Analysis: Temperature and Air quality) that began in 1996. Project ATLANTA examined how high-spatial resolution thermal remote sensing data could be used to derive better measurements of the Urban Heat Island effect over Atlanta. We have explored how these thermal remote sensing, as well as other imaged datasets, can be used to better characterize the urban landscape for improved air quality modeling over the Atlanta area. For the air quality modeling project, the National Land Cover Dataset and the local scale Landpro99 dataset at 30m spatial resolutions have been used to derive land use/land cover characteristics for input into the MM5 mesoscale meteorological model that is one of the foundations for the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to assess how these data can improve output from CMAQ. Additionally, land use changes to 2030 have been predicted using a Spatial Growth Model (SGM). SGM simulates growth around a region using population, employment and travel demand forecasts. Air quality modeling simulations were conducted using both current and future land cover. Meteorological modeling simulations indicate a 0.5 C increase in daily maximum air temperatures by 2030. Air quality modeling simulations show substantial differences in relative contributions of individual atmospheric pollutant constituents as a result of land cover change. Enhanced boundary layer mixing over the city tends to offset the increase in ozone concentration expected due to higher surface temperatures as a result of urbanization.

BANQUET SPEECH Full Circle: Star Ferry to Stardust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Clifford N.

2008-10-01

Good evening. I'd like to invite you to join me on a journey that could be entitled “Full Circle: Star Ferry to Stardust”. “Star Ferry” represents Hong Kong, my home town, and especially its university - Hong Kong University - as I knew it during the years of World War II. “Stardust” refers to our gathering here to report on our research on possible organic chemistry in space.

PLÉIADES Project: Assessment of Georeferencing Accuracy, Image Quality, Pansharpening Performence and Dsm/dtm Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topan, Hüseyin; Cam, Ali; Özendi, Mustafa; Oruç, Murat; Jacobsen, Karsten; Taşkanat, Talha

2016-06-01

Pléiades 1A and 1B are twin optical satellites of Optical and Radar Federated Earth Observation (ORFEO) program jointly running by France and Italy. They are the first satellites of Europe with sub-meter resolution. Airbus DS (formerly Astrium Geo) runs a MyGIC (formerly Pléiades Users Group) program to validate Pléiades images worldwide for various application purposes. The authors conduct three projects, one is within this program, the second is supported by BEU Scientific Research Project Program, and the third is supported by TÜBİTAK. Assessment of georeferencing accuracy, image quality, pansharpening performance and Digital Surface Model/Digital Terrain Model (DSM/DTM) quality subjects are investigated in these projects. For these purposes, triplet panchromatic (50 cm Ground Sampling Distance (GSD)) and VNIR (2 m GSD) Pléiades 1A images were investigated over Zonguldak test site (Turkey) which is urbanised, mountainous and covered by dense forest. The georeferencing accuracy was estimated with a standard deviation in X and Y (SX, SY) in the range of 0.45m by bias corrected Rational Polynomial Coefficient (RPC) orientation, using ~170 Ground Control Points (GCPs). 3D standard deviation of ±0.44m in X, ±0.51m in Y, and ±1.82m in Z directions have been reached in spite of the very narrow angle of convergence by bias corrected RPC orientation. The image quality was also investigated with respect to effective resolution, Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and blur coefficient. The effective resolution was estimated with factor slightly below 1.0, meaning that the image quality corresponds to the nominal resolution of 50cm. The blur coefficients were achieved between 0.39-0.46 for triplet panchromatic images, indicating a satisfying image quality. SNR is in the range of other comparable space borne images which may be caused by de-noising of Pléiades images. The pansharpened images were generated by various methods, and are validated by most common statistical

Lessons from Five States: Public Sector Use of Washington Circle Performance Measures

PubMed Central

Garnick, Deborah W.; Lee, Margaret T.; Horgan, Constance; Acevedo, Andrea; Botticelli, Michael; Clark, Spencer; Davis, Steven; Gallati, Robert; Haberlin, Karin; Hanchett, Andrew; Lambert–Wacey, Dawn; Leeper, Tracy; Siemianowski, James; Tikoo, Minakshi

2011-01-01

Five states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Oklahoma) have incorporated Washington Circle (WC) substance abuse performance measures in various ways into their quality improvement strategies. In this paper we focus on what other states and local providers might learn from these states’ experiences as they consider using WC performance measures. Using a case study approach, we report that the use of WC measures differs across these five states, although there are important common themes required for adoption and sustainability of performance measures which include: leadership, evaluation of specification and use of measures over time, state-specific adaptation of the WC measure specifications, collaboration with consultants and partners, inclusion of WC measures in the context of other initiatives, reporting to providers and the public, and data and resource requirements. As additional states adopt some of the WC measures, or adopt other performance measurement approaches, these states’ experiences could help them to develop implementations based on their particular needs. PMID:21257282

The effects of errors on children's performance on a circle-ellipse discrimination.

PubMed

Stoddard, L T; Sidman, M

1967-05-01

Children first learned by means of a teaching program to discriminate a circle from relatively flat ellipses. Children in the control group then proceeded into a program which gradually reduced the difference between the circle and the ellipses. They advanced to a finer discrimination when they made a correct choice, and reversed to an easier discrimination after making errors ("backup" procedure). The children made relatively few errors until they approached the region of their difference threshold (empirically determined under the conditions described). When they could no longer discriminate the forms, they learned other bases for responding that could be classified as specifiable error patterns. Children in the experimental group, having learned the preliminary circle-ellipse discrimination, were started at the upper end of the ellipse series, where it was impossible for them to discriminate the forms. The backup procedure returned them to an easier discrimination after they made errors. They made many errors and reversed down through the ellipse series. Eventually, most of the children reached a point in the ellipse series where they abandoned their systematic errors and began to make correct first choices; then they advanced upward through the program. All of the children advanced to ellipse sizes that were much larger than the ellipse size at the point of their furthest descent.

URBAN SPRAWL MODELING, AIR QUALITY MONITORING AND RISK COMMUNICATION: THE NORTHEAST OHIO PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

The Northeast Ohio Urban Sprawl, Air Quality Monitoring, and Communications Project (hereafter called the Northeast Ohio Project) provides local environmental and health information useful to residents, local officials, community planners, and others in a 15 county region in the ...

Product Quality Assurance Project for Teaching of Food Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, S. S.

2004-01-01

Two of the challenges in teaching Food Analysis are bringing relevance to the various chemical and physical analyses discussed and exposing students to the realities of quality assurance in the food industry. In a project to help meet those objectives, each student, with the assistance of a "resource person" from the food industry, completes the…

Quality in Liberal Learning: Curricular Innovations in Higher Education. A Report of Project QUILL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guroff, Katharine S., Ed.; Boeker, Margaret C.

Conference proceedings and descriptions of 62 projects funded through Project QUILL (Quality in Liberal Learning) are presented. Project QUILL, which began in 1978, awarded small incentive grants to higher education institutions to encourage new approaches to the integration of traditional disciplines, professional education, and the needs of…

The Box and the Circle--Two Systems of Life: A Model for Understanding Native-Non-Native Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derrick, Jann

Working as a family systems therapist with Native and non-Native families, the author observed two opposing social systems. Non-native families systems typify "The Box System," whereas native family systems portray "The Circle System." A few characteristics of the Circle System are: (1) a focus on life and peacefulness; (2) females and children…

Influence of volunteer and project characteristics on data quality of biological surveys.

PubMed

Lewandowski, Eva; Specht, Hannah

2015-06-01

Volunteer involvement in biological surveys is becoming common in conservation and ecology, prompting questions on the quality of data collected in such surveys. In a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature on the quality of data collected by volunteers, we examined the characteristics of volunteers (e.g., age, prior knowledge) and projects (e.g., systematic vs. opportunistic monitoring schemes) that affect data quality with regards to standardization of sampling, accuracy and precision of data collection, spatial and temporal representation of data, and sample size. Most studies (70%, n = 71) focused on the act of data collection. The majority of assessments of volunteer characteristics (58%, n = 93) examined the effect of prior knowledge and experience on quality of the data collected, often by comparing volunteers with experts or professionals, who were usually assumed to collect higher quality data. However, when both groups' data were compared with the same accuracy standard, professional data were more accurate in only 4 of 7 cases. The few studies that measured precision of volunteer and professional data did not conclusively show that professional data were less variable than volunteer data. To improve data quality, studies recommended changes to survey protocols, volunteer training, statistical analyses, and project structure (e.g., volunteer recruitment and retention). © 2015, Society for Conservation Biology.

[Quality of life and life project, two inseparable concepts?].

PubMed

Deconstanza, Patrice

2010-01-01

The construction of a life project within a long-stay unit for people living with chronic psychiatric disorders must take into account a dimension of care centred around the quality of life and the care provided "here and now". Here, the concept of care finds its full meaning. The example of a long-stay psychiatric unit.

Rolling circle amplification detection of RNA and DNA

DOEpatents

Christian, Allen T.; Pattee, Melissa S.; Attix, Cristina M.; Tucker, James D.

2004-08-31

Rolling circle amplification (RCA) has been useful for detecting point mutations in isolated nucleic acids, but its application in cytological preparations has been problematic. By pretreating cells with a combination of restriction enzymes and exonucleases, we demonstrate RCA in solution and in situ to detect gene copy number and single base mutations. It can also detect and quantify transcribed RNA in individual cells, making it a versatile tool for cell-based assays.

Innovation in qualitative interviews: "Sharing Circles" in a First Nations community.

PubMed

Rothe, J P; Ozegovic, D; Carroll, L J

2009-10-01

There is growing recognition that different research approaches are necessary to understand the complex interaction between individual and social processes that contribute to risk-taking and injuries. Therefore, qualitative studies have an important role in injury prevention research. This article describes qualitative research in general and outlines some of the ways qualitative research can add to our understanding of injury. It also describes the role, format and methods of interviews (person-to-person and focus groups) commonly performed in qualitative studies, and proposes a novel approach to interviewing that has special relevance and value in injury research with indigenous populations. This methodology adapts focus group methods to be consistent with the goals and procedures of the traditional First Nations communities' Sharing Circles. This adaptation provides a culturally appropriate and sensitive method of developing a deep and broad understanding of indigenous participants' verbal descriptions of their feelings, their experiences and their modes of reasoning. After detailing of this adaptation of the Sharing Circle as a vibrant and vital interview and analysis method, the use of Sharing Circle interview methodology will be illustrated in a study investigating how an Alberta First Nations community experiences and deals with disproportionate levels of injuries arising from impaired driving, outlining important findings uncovered using this novel interviewing method. These findings have been informative to First Nations communities themselves, have informed policy makers provincially and nationally, and have instigated culturally appropriate intervention techniques for Canadian First Nations communities.

Problem Posing and Problem Solving in a Math Teacher's Circle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appleton, Eric; Farina, Solange; Holzer, Tyler; Kotelawala, Usha; Trushkowsky, Mark

2017-01-01

This article describes the New York City Community of Adult Math Instructors (CAMI), a math teachers' circle founded in November 2014. The authors share details about their own participation in CAMI to show the professional growth that research-based, peer-led professional development can offer for adult educators.

Increasing Active Participation and Engagement of Students in Circle Formations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Onge, Justin; Eite, Karla

2017-01-01

Participation and engagement are important factors in students' academic achievement and in increasing interest and motivation in the learning process. This study evaluates participation and engagement in circle formations in both outdoor and indoor education settings. Over a four-week study period, four instructors collected data on different…

Centripetal and centrifugal forces in the moral circle: Competing constraints on moral learning.

PubMed

Graham, Jesse; Waytz, Adam; Meindl, Peter; Iyer, Ravi; Young, Liane

2017-10-01

The idea of the moral circle pictures the self in the center, surrounded by concentric circles encompassing increasingly distant possible targets of moral concern, including family, local community, nation, all humans, all mammals, all living things including plants, and all things including inanimate objects. The authors develop the idea of two opposing forces in people's moral circles, with centripetal forces pulling inward, urging greater concern for close others than for distant others, and centrifugal forces pushing outward, resisting "drawing the line" anywhere as a form of prejudice and urging egalitarian concern for all regardless of social distance. Review of the developmental literature shows very early emergence of both moral forces, suggesting at least partly intuitive bases for each. Moral education approaches favoring one force over the other are compared, to show how these forces can provide constraints on moral learning. Finally, the centripetal/centrifugal forces view is applied to current moral debates about empathy and about politics. The authors argue that this view helps us see how intercultural and interpersonal disagreements about morality are based in intrapersonal conflicts shared by all people. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Circle of life: rationale, design, and baseline results of an HIV prevention intervention among young American Indian adolescents of the Northern Plains.

PubMed

Kaufman, Carol E; Mitchell, Christina M; Beals, Janette; Desserich, Jennifer A; Wheeler, Cindy; Keane, Ellen M; Whitesell, Nancy Rumbaugh; Sam, Angela; Sedey, Cory

2010-03-01

In spite of significant disparities in sexual health outcomes for American Indian youth, no studies exist examining the effectiveness of HIV-prevention interventions. Circle of Life is an HIV-prevention intervention specifically developed for American Indian middle-school youth. We describe the rationale, methodology, and baseline results of a longitudinal randomized trial of Circle of Life conducted among American Indian youth aged 11-15 in a reservation community. The innovative design includes two pre-intervention waves to determine patterns of behavior prior to the intervention that might be associated with a differential impact of the intervention on sexual risk. We used one-way analysis of variance and chi-square tests to test for significant differences between randomized group assignment at each baseline wave and generalized estimating equations (GEE) to test significant differences in the rate of change in outcomes by group longitudinally. We present the collaborative and adaptive strategies for consenting, assenting, and data collection methodology in this community. Achieved response rates are comparable to other similar studies. Results from the two baseline waves indicate that few outcomes significantly varied by randomized intervention assignment. Ten percent of youth reported having had sex at Wave 1, rising to 15% at Wave 2. Among those who had had sex, the majority (>70%) reported using a condom at last sex. The project is well positioned to carry out the longitudinal assessments of the intervention to determine the overall impact of the Circle of Life and the differential impact by pre-intervention patterns of behavior across youth.

Estimation and tracking of AP-diameter of the inferior vena cava in ultrasound images using a novel active circle algorithm.

PubMed

Karami, Ebrahim; Shehata, Mohamed S; Smith, Andrew

2018-05-04

Medical research suggests that the anterior-posterior (AP)-diameter of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and its associated temporal variation as imaged by bedside ultrasound is useful in guiding fluid resuscitation of the critically-ill patient. Unfortunately, indistinct edges and gaps in vessel walls are frequently present which impede accurate estimation of the IVC AP-diameter for both human operators and segmentation algorithms. The majority of research involving use of the IVC to guide fluid resuscitation involves manual measurement of the maximum and minimum AP-diameter as it varies over time. This effort proposes using a time-varying circle fitted inside the typically ellipsoid IVC as an efficient, consistent and novel approach to tracking and approximating the AP-diameter even in the context of poor image quality. In this active-circle algorithm, a novel evolution functional is proposed and shown to be a useful tool for ultrasound image processing. The proposed algorithm is compared with an expert manual measurement, and state-of-the-art relevant algorithms. It is shown that the algorithm outperforms other techniques and performs very close to manual measurement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

INTERIM EPA GUIDANCE FOR GEOSPATIAL-RELATED QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

This guidance supplements EPA Guidance for Quality,Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/G-5), in that the focus here is on collection and use of geospatial rather than other environmental data (e.g., strictly chemical or biological data), including unique aspects of data storage, retr...

Leadership, Medication Administration, and Knowledge Retention: A Quality Improvement Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treister, Pamela

2017-01-01

A leadership and quality improvement project was undertaken in order to assist undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students in knowledge retention for medication administration during their senior semester in nursing school. Specific changes in curriculum were implemented to assist these undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students at a suburban…

Discovery of fairy circles in Australia supports self-organization theory

PubMed Central

Getzin, Stephan; Yizhaq, Hezi; Bell, Bronwyn; Erickson, Todd E.; Postle, Anthony C.; Katra, Itzhak; Tzuk, Omer; Zelnik, Yuval R.; Wiegand, Kerstin; Wiegand, Thorsten; Meron, Ehud

2016-01-01

Vegetation gap patterns in arid grasslands, such as the “fairy circles” of Namibia, are one of nature’s greatest mysteries and subject to a lively debate on their origin. They are characterized by small-scale hexagonal ordering of circular bare-soil gaps that persists uniformly in the landscape scale to form a homogeneous distribution. Pattern-formation theory predicts that such highly ordered gap patterns should be found also in other water-limited systems across the globe, even if the mechanisms of their formation are different. Here we report that so far unknown fairy circles with the same spatial structure exist 10,000 km away from Namibia in the remote outback of Australia. Combining fieldwork, remote sensing, spatial pattern analysis, and process-based mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that these patterns emerge by self-organization, with no correlation with termite activity; the driving mechanism is a positive biomass–water feedback associated with water runoff and biomass-dependent infiltration rates. The remarkable match between the patterns of Australian and Namibian fairy circles and model results indicate that both patterns emerge from a nonuniform stationary instability, supporting a central universality principle of pattern-formation theory. Applied to the context of dryland vegetation, this principle predicts that different systems that go through the same instability type will show similar vegetation patterns even if the feedback mechanisms and resulting soil–water distributions are different, as we indeed found by comparing the Australian and the Namibian fairy-circle ecosystems. These results suggest that biomass–water feedbacks and resultant vegetation gap patterns are likely more common in remote drylands than is currently known. PMID:26976567

Installation Restoration Program Stage 3. McClellan Air Force Base Quality Assurance Project Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-30

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN TDTM FINAL ELECTE C\\ JAUG 3 119891 .. .. . .. 0.. ... PREPARD.FOR HEDURTR FL/E WRGTPATRO .. F... OHI.443 ........ 1N...P.E. Contract Program Manager \\ 0 RADMAN 0 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................... 1 of 6...Section: 1.0 RADM Revision: 1 CO PO AIO NDate: 04/12/89 O Page 1 of 6 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) presents in specific

Wilderness quality mapping - the Australian experiences

Treesearch

Nick Sawyer

2015-01-01

By 1995 wilderness quality maps developed under the Australian Government's National Wilderness Inventory (NWI) program had been published for most of Australia, but few traces of the NWI now remain and the word "wilderness" has become almost unmentionable in government and professional land management circles. Yet its popular appeal is demonstrated by...

The Circle of Apollonius and Its Applications in Introductory Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partensky, Michael B.

2008-01-01

The circle of Apollonius is named after the ancient geometrician Apollonius of Perga. This beautiful geometric construct can be helpful when solving some general problems of geometry and mathematical physics, optics, and electricity. Here we discuss two of its applications: localizing an object in space and calculating electric fields. First, we…

Signal amplification of padlock probes by rolling circle replication.

PubMed Central

Banér, J; Nilsson, M; Mendel-Hartvig, M; Landegren, U

1998-01-01

Circularizing oligonucleotide probes (padlock probes) have the potential to detect sets of gene sequences with high specificity and excellent selectivity for sequence variants, but sensitivity of detection has been limiting. By using a rolling circle replication (RCR) mechanism, circularized but not unreacted probes can yield a powerful signal amplification. We demonstrate here that in order for the reaction to proceed efficiently, the probes must be released from the topological link that forms with target molecules upon hybridization and ligation. If the target strand has a nearby free 3' end, then the probe-target hybrids can be displaced by the polymerase used for replication. The displaced probe can then slip off the targetstrand and a rolling circle amplification is initiated. Alternatively, the target sequence itself can prime an RCR after its non-base paired 3' end has been removed by exonucleolytic activity. We found the Phi29 DNA polymerase to be superior to the Klenow fragment in displacing the target DNA strand, and it maintained the polymerization reaction for at least 12 h, yielding an extension product that represents several thousand-fold the length of the padlock probe. PMID:9801302

Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning through an Environmental Water Quality Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhl, Lorie; Yearsley, Kaye; Silva, Andrew J.

1997-12-01

An interdisciplinary environmental water quality study was designed and conducted to enhance training and employability of chemical and environmental technician students in associate degree programs. Four project objectives were identified as a means to enhance the educational experience and employability of our students: provide experience on analytical instrumentation for organic compounds (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, GC/MS), require interdisciplinary group interactions and problem solving, provide experience with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) procedures, and require cooperation with state agencies/private organizations. Students worked in groups that included representatives from both programs to develop project objectives and a Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) following EPA standards. Input from personnel at Idaho's Department of Environmental Quality and Bureau of Laboratories and from volunteers in an environmental "watch dog" organization called the Henry's Fork Foundation aided students in the development and implementation of their SAP. Subsequently, groups sampled sections of the Henry's Fork River and analyzed for organic, inorganic, and fecal contaminants. Analysis included EPA method 525.2 for pesticides using GC/MS. Data from all river segments was shared and each group submitted a final report analyzing results. Surveys completed by students and instructors indicate that the project is a successful teaching method allowing introduction of new skills as well as review of important technical and employability skills.

Fluor Hanford, Inc. Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project) Quality Assurance Management Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The scope of the Fluor Hanford, Inc. Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project) is to provide technical and integration support to Fluor Hanford, Inc., including operable unit investigations at 300-FF-5 and other groundwater operable units, strategic integration, technical integration and assessments, remediation decision support, and science and technology. This Quality Assurance Management Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Fluor Hanford, Inc. Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project).

The Pitfalls of a "Democracy Promotion" Project for Women of Iraq

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Kassem, Nadeen

2008-01-01

"Democracy promotion" as part of a larger project of 'reconstruction' is hailed in mainstream academia and in policy circles as an essential component of rebuilding the state and civil society in post-conflict situations. Here "democracy promotion" refers exclusively to the promotion of political representation and…

Postnatal haloperidol eliminates the deficit in circling behavior produced by prenatal exposure to the same drug.

PubMed

Wolansky, Marcelo Javier; Soiza-Reilly, Mariano; Fossati, Mariana; Azcurra, Julio Marcos

2004-01-01

Up to 35% of pregnant women take psychotropic drugs at least once during gestation [Austin and Mitchell, 1998]. From concurrent animal and human evidence, it has been proposed that exposure to several psychoactive medications in utero or during lactation increases the risk for permanent brain disorders. Present preventive or therapy practices applied on humans for this type of long-lasting behavioral alterations are mainly based on empirical results. Here, we test an experimental approach designed to counteract a circling performance deficit that appears in Sprague-Dawley rats at puberty on exposure to the dopaminergic blocker haloperidol (HAL) during gestation [J.L. Brusés, J.M. Azcurra, The circling training: A behavioral paradigm for functional teratology testing, in: P.M. Conn (Ed.), Paradigms for the study of behavior, Acad. Press, New York, 1993, pp. 166-179. Method Neurosci. 14]. Gestational exposure to HAL (GD 5-18, 2.5 mg/kg/day ip) induced the expected circling activity decrease in the offspring at the fifth week of life. When prenatal exposure to HAL was continued through lactation (PD5-21, 1.5 mg/kg/day ip), rats otherwise showed a control-like circling performance. No difference was yet found between lactation-only, HAL-exposed pups and saline (SAL)-treated controls (n=8 each group). We further performed saturating (3H)-spiroperidol (SPI) binding assays on striatal P2 membrane fractions 2 months later. The dopamine-type D2-specific binding results suggested that above circling behavior findings could be partially explained by enduring HAL-induced neurochemical changes. The role of critical periods of sensitivity as transient windows for opportunistic therapies for behavioral teratology is discussed. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.

Are we indeed what we eat? Street food consumption in the Market Circle area of Takoradi, Ghana.

PubMed

Hiamey, Stephen Edem; Amuquandoh, Francis Eric; Boison, Grace Aba

2013-01-01

The paper examines street foods consumption in the Market Circle of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. The data used for the study were obtained from individuals who were either purchasing or consuming street foods in the Market Circle in August of 2011. The results revealed that the average consumer makes use of street foods six times in a week and there was a penchant for carbohydrate based foods over other types of street foods. Reasons including cost saving, convenience and eating on credit were noted to underlie the consumption of street foods in the area. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the high consumption of street foods in the Market Circle was for reasons other than nutrition and health. © The Author(s) 2015.

Using Literature Circles to Discuss Social Justice in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madhuri, Marga; Walker, Nancy; Landmann-Johnsey, Erica; Laughter, Judson

2015-01-01

Literacy educators feel it is incumbent on teacher preparation programs to prepare teacher candidates with the dispositions and competencies needed to work with students from diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds. As a way to initiate the discussion and help candidates examine their own views on race, literature circles are used. The…

Circle Time for Social and Emotional Learning in Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cefai, Carmel; Ferrario, Erika; Cavioni, Valeria; Carter, Audrey; Grech, Tracy

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the findings and implications of a semi-randomised control trial study on the effectiveness of circle time (CT) on primary school students' social and emotional learning, as well as classroom teachers' and students' experience of CT. A social and emotional learning programme was delivered through CT by trained classroom…

Principles and Practices of the Circle of Trust[R] Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chadsey, Terry; Jackson, Marcy

2012-01-01

Through the Center for Courage & Renewal, the authors offer personal and professional retreats and programs designed to explore vocational and life questions, offer renewal and encouragement, and deepen engagement in professional practice. Using what they call the Circle of Trust[R] approach, they invite groups into a communal process based upon a…

Using Q Methodology in Quality Improvement Projects.

PubMed

Tiernon, Paige; Hensel, Desiree; Roy-Ehri, Leah

Q methodology consists of a philosophical framework and procedures to identify subjective viewpoints that may not be well understood, but its use in nursing is still quite limited. We describe how Q methodology can be used in quality improvement projects to better understand local viewpoints that act as facilitators or barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice. We describe the use of Q methodology to identify nurses' attitudes about the provision of skin-to-skin care after cesarean birth. Copyright © 2017 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Train-the-Trainer for Adult Education. Quality Professional Development Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida Community Coll., Jacksonville.

This manual aids professional development adult education (AE) facilitators in conducting AE workshops using Quality Professional Development (QPD) Project materials. A workshop outline is provided. Six sections correspond to the six manuals in the training package. Section components are as follows: objectives for five or six units; activities;…

Harnessing the power of enhanced data for healthcare quality improvement: lessons from a Minnesota Hospital Association Pilot Project.

PubMed

Pine, Michael; Sonneborn, Mark; Schindler, Joe; Stanek, Michael; Maeda, Jared Lane; Hanlon, Carrie

2012-01-01

The imperative to achieve quality improvement and cost-containment goals is driving healthcare organizations to make better use of existing health information. One strategy, the construction of hybrid data sets combining clinical and administrative data, has strong potential to improve the cost-effectiveness of hospital quality reporting processes, improve the accuracy of quality measures and rankings, and strengthen data systems. Through a two-year contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Minnesota Hospital Association launched a pilot project in 2007 to link hospital clinical information to administrative data. Despite some initial challenges, this project was successful. Results showed that the use of hybrid data allowed for more accurate comparisons of risk-adjusted mortality and risk-adjusted complications across Minnesota hospitals. These increases in accuracy represent an important step toward targeting quality improvement efforts in Minnesota and provide important lessons that are being leveraged through ongoing projects to construct additional enhanced data sets. We explore the implementation challenges experienced during the Minnesota Pilot Project and their implications for hospitals pursuing similar data-enhancement projects. We also highlight the key lessons learned from the pilot project's success.

[The Origin of Scientific Notions in the Circle of the Roman Accademiadella Virt¾ around 1550].

PubMed

Kulawik, Bernd

2015-06-01

The Origin of Scientific Notions in the Circle of the Roman Accademia della Virtù around 1550. Between c. 1537 and 1555 a group of humanists, clerics, architects and philologists known as the so-called Accademia della Virtù got together in Rome to work on a program which was formulated in a letter by the Sienese humanist Claudio Tolomei in 1542 and published in 1547. Starting out with the intention to understand the only surviving antique book on architecture and architectural theory - Vitruvius' De architectura libri decem - the program describes a series of 24 books, eleven containing the classical text and its translation with commentaries, 13 books systematically illustrating and documenting all known and available material remains from Roman antiquity. This program for a scientific classical archaeology in a modern sense was not only intended to serve the intellectual curiosity of some humanist antiquarians but to help architects and their patrons to develop a new architecture of the same high quality as the idealized Roman examples. To achieve this practical as well as theoretical goal it was obviously necessary to re-create the antique vocabulary of architecture and its rules as well as to unify the contemporary usage of notions and norms in a canon. The first results of this project seem to be the In decem Libros M. Vitruvii Pollionis de Architectura Annotationes by Guillaume Philandrier (Rome, 1544) - up to this day a very valuable explanation of ambiguous parts in the Vitruvian text. Until the 1980s, it was believed that this book was the only outcome of the ambitious project; but then two codices of drawings after antique reliefs were identified as preparations for one of the other 23 volumes - and, because of their systematic approach, regarded as the 'first systematic archaeological book'. Now it seems that there are some other corpora of manuscripts and drawings documenting antique artifacts that should be regarded as results of the Accademia's work

The Significance of Quality Assurance within Model Intercomparison Projects at the World Data Centre for Climate (WDCC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toussaint, F.; Hoeck, H.; Stockhause, M.; Lautenschlager, M.

2014-12-01

The classical goals of a quality assessment system in the data life cycle are (1) to encourage data creators to improve their quality assessment procedures to reach the next quality level and (2) enable data consumers to decide, whether a dataset has a quality that is sufficient for usage in the target application, i.e. to appraise the data usability for their own purpose.As the data volumes of projects and the interdisciplinarity of data usage grow, the need for homogeneous structure and standardised notation of data and metadata increases. This third aspect is especially valid for the data repositories, as they manage data through machine agents. So checks for homogeneity and consistency in early parts of the workflow become essential to cope with today's data volumes.Selected parts of the workflow in the model intercomparison project CMIP5 and the archival of the data for the interdiscipliary user community of the IPCC-DDC AR5 and the associated quality checks are reviewed. We compare data and metadata checks and relate different types of checks to their positions in the data life cycle.The project's data citation approach is included in the discussion, with focus on temporal aspects of the time necessary to comply with the project's requirements for formal data citations and the demand for the availability of such data citations.In order to make different quality assessments of projects comparable, WDCC developed a generic Quality Assessment System. Based on the self-assessment approach of a maturity matrix, an objective and uniform quality level system for all data at WDCC is derived which consists of five maturity quality levels.

Brownfields Grant Recipients' Road Map to Understanding Quality Assurance Project Plans

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. EPA prepared this publication to help recipients of an EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant design and complete site assessment projects more efficiently and effectively by increasing their awareness and understanding of the importance of quality ...

From the Weyl quantization of a particle on the circle to number–phase Wigner functions

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

Przanowski, Maciej, E-mail: maciej.przanowski@p.lodz.pl; Brzykcy, Przemysław, E-mail: 800289@edu.p.lodz.pl; Tosiek, Jaromir, E-mail: jaromir.tosiek@p.lodz.pl

2014-12-15

A generalized Weyl quantization formalism for a particle on the circle is shown to supply an effective method for defining the number–phase Wigner function in quantum optics. A Wigner function for the state ϱ{sup ^} and the kernel K for a particle on the circle is defined and its properties are analysed. Then it is shown how this Wigner function can be easily modified to give the number–phase Wigner function in quantum optics. Some examples of such number–phase Wigner functions are considered.

Analysis of the symmetric configuration of the circle of Willis in a series of autopsied corpses.

PubMed

Stojanović, Nebojga; Stefanović, Ivica; Kostić, Aleksandar; Radisavejević, Misa; Stojanov, Dragan; Petrović, Sladjana

2015-04-01

The forming of the blood vessels network configuration at the base of the brain and interconnecting of blood vessels during the embryogenesis is directly related to the phylogenetic development of the brain and brain structures. A blood vessel configuration at the brain base, in the form of a ring or a hexagon, stands in direct relation to the perfusion needs of certain parts of the brain during its primary differentiation. The aim of this paper was to determine the incidence of certain blood vessel configurations at the base of the brain and understanding their symmetry or asymmetry. Analysis of the blood vessels at the base of the brain was performed on the autopsied subjects. The object of observation was the anterior segment of the circle of Willis consisting of C1- a. carotis interna (ICA), above a. communicaus posterior (PcoA), the segment A1 a. cerebri anterior (ACA) from a. carotis interna bifurcation to the a. communicans anterior (AcoA) and a communicans anterior itself, as well as the posterior segment consisting of PcoA and the segment P1--a. cerebri posterior (PCA) from the a. basilaris bifurcation to the PcoA. For the purpose of grouping the findings, the four basic configuration types of the circle of Willis were identified based on its symmetry or asymmetry. Type-A (symmetric circle of Willis), type-B (asymmetric circle of Willis' due to the unilateral hypoplastic A1-ACA); type-C (symmetric circle of Willis with bilateral symmetric changes on PcoA) and type-D (asymmetric circle of Willis due to the asymmetric changes on PcoA). Autosy was performed on 56 corpses. A total of 41 (73.2%) subjects were recorded with a symmetric configuration of the circle of Willis', of which 27 (48.2%) subjects had type A and 14 (25%) type C. The asymmetric configuration was present in 15 (26.8%) subjects, of whom 9 (16%) had type B and 6 (10.8%) subjects, of whom 9 (16%) had type B and 6 (10.8%) type D. The symmetric Willis group (73.2%) did not have a homogeneous

USDA/Regional Dairy Quality Management Alliance (RDQM) Project-2008 Report

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Regional Dairy Quality Management Alliance (RDQMA) research project has been underway for four years. We have so far been able to study best management practices on three dairy farms in the Northeast. ON these farms very precise data are collected with regard to the health status of the animals ...

77 FR 55691 - Establishment of Class E Airspace; Circle Town, MT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-11

... (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Circle Town County Airport. This improves the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. DATES: Effective date, 0901 UTC, November 15, 2012. The Director of the Federal Register approves...

Palliative wound care management strategies for palliative patients and their circles of care.

PubMed

Woo, Kevin Y; Krasner, Diane L; Kennedy, Bruce; Wardle, David; Moir, Olivia

2015-03-01

To provide information about palliative wound care management strategies for palliative patients and their circles of care. This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care. After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to: 1. Recognize study findings, assessment tools, and non-pharmacologic strategies used for patients with palliative wounds. 2. Summarize pharmacologic and dressing treatment strategies used for wound care management of palliative patients. The principles of palliative wound care should be integrated along the continuum of wound care to address the whole person care needs of palliative patients and their circles of care, which includes members of the patient unit including family, significant others, caregivers, and other healthcare professionals that may be external to the current interprofessional team. Palliative patients often present with chronic debilitating diseases, advanced diseases associated with major organ failure (renal, hepatic, pulmonary, or cardiac), profound dementia, complex psychosocial issues, diminished self-care abilities, and challenging wound-related symptoms. This article introduces key concepts and strategies for palliative wound care that are essential for interprofessional team members to incorporate in clinical practice when caring for palliative patients with wounds and their circles of care.

Random covering of the circle: the configuration-space of the free deposition process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huillet, Thierry

2003-12-01

Consider a circle of circumference 1. Throw at random n points, sequentially, on this circle and append clockwise an arc (or rod) of length s to each such point. The resulting random set (the free gas of rods) is a collection of a random number of clusters with random sizes. It models a free deposition process on a 1D substrate. For such processes, we shall consider the occurrence times (number of rods) and probabilities, as n grows, of the following configurations: those avoiding rod overlap (the hard-rod gas), those for which the largest gap is smaller than rod length s (the packing gas), those (parking configurations) for which hard rod and packing constraints are both fulfilled and covering configurations. Special attention is paid to the statistical properties of each such (rare) configuration in the asymptotic density domain when ns = rgr, for some finite density rgr of points. Using results from spacings in the random division of the circle, explicit large deviation rate functions can be computed in each case from state equations. Lastly, a process consisting in selecting at random one of these specific equilibrium configurations (called the observable) can be modelled. When particularized to the parking model, this system produces parking configurations differently from Rényi's random sequential adsorption model.

A U.K. cost-benefit analysis of circles of support and accountability interventions.

PubMed

Elliott, Ian A; Beech, Anthony R

2013-06-01

Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) aim to augment sex offender risk management at the point of community reentry by facilitating "Circles" of volunteers who provide support, guidance, and advice, while ensuring that the offender remains accountable for their actions. In this study, the authors provide (a) a rapid evidence assessment of the effectiveness of CoSA in reducing reoffending, and (b) a U.K. cost-benefit analysis for CoSA when compared to the criminal justice costs of reoffending. From the study analysis, the average cost of a "Circle" was estimated to be £11,303 per annum and appears to produce a 50% reduction in reoffending (sexual and nonsexual), as the estimated cost of reoffending was estimated to be £147,161 per offender, per annum. Based on a hypothetical cohort of 100 offenders--50 of whom receive CoSA and 50 of whom do not--investment in CoSA appears to provide a cost saving of £23,494 and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.04. Accounting for estimates that the full extent of the cost to society may be 5 to 10 times the tangible costs substantially increases estimated cost savings related to CoSA.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Apatite Investigation at the 100-NR-2 Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by staff working on the 100-NR-2 Apatite Project. The U.S. Department of Energy, Fluor Hanford, Inc., Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the Washington Department of Ecology agreed that the long-term strategy for groundwater remediation at 100-N would include apatite sequestration as the primary treatment, followed by a secondary treatment. The scope of this project covers the technical support needed before, during, and after treatment of the targeted subsurface environment using a new high-concentration formulation.

Improving the completion of Quality Improvement projects amongst psychiatry core trainees.

PubMed

Ewins, Liz

2015-01-01

Quality Improvement (QI) projects are seen increasingly as more valuable and effective in developing services than traditional audit. However, the development of this methodology has been slower in the mental health field and QI projects are new to most psychiatrists. This project describes a way of engaging trainees across Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) Trust and the Severn School of Psychiatry in QI projects, using QI methodology itself. Through the implementation and development of training sessions and simple, low cost and sustainable interventions over a 10 month period, two thirds of core trainees and over a half of the advanced psychiatry trainees in the School are now participating in 28 individual QI projects and QI project methodology is to become embedded in the core psychiatry training course. As an additional positive outcome, specialty doctors, consultants, foundation doctors, GP trainees, medical students, as well as the wider multidisciplinary team, have all become engaged in QI projects alongside trainees, working with service users and their families to identify problems to tackle and ideas to test.

Teaching a Systems Approach: An Innovative Quality Improvement Project.

PubMed

Hamrin, Vanya; Vick, Rose; Brame, Cynthia; Simmons, Megan; Smith, Letizia; Vanderhoef, Dawn

2016-04-01

Nurse practitioners are required to navigate complex health care systems. Quality improvement (QI) projects provide the opportunity for nurse practitioner students to learn systems knowledge and improve health care outcomes in patient populations. A gap in the literature exists around how to systematically teach, apply, and measure QI curricular objectives at the master's level. Six faculty evaluated the QI project for the psychiatric nurse practitioner master's program by identifying the most challenging QI concepts for students to apply, revising their teaching strategies to address gaps, and retrospectively evaluating the outcomes of these curriculum changes by comparing student outcomes before and after the curricular changes. A significant difference was noted on QI project performance between students in the 2014 and 2015 graduating classes, measured by the scores earned on students' final papers (t[92] = 1.66, p = .05, d = .34, r(2) = .0289). Theoretical principles of adult and cooperative learning were used to inform curricular changes to enhance student's acquisition of QI skills. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

VIEW OF PIEDMONT AVENUE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT INTERSECTION OF CHANNING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF PIEDMONT AVENUE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT INTERSECTION OF CHANNING WAY VIEW OF 2401 PIEDMONT, ALPHA EPSILON PHI HOUSE BY RATCLIFF & RATCLIFF, 1958. SEEN FROM NW CORNER LOOKING SE. Photograph by Brian Grogan, July 8, 2007 - Piedmont Way & the Berkeley Property Tract, East of College Avenue between Dwight Way & U.C. Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, Alameda County, CA

VIEW OF PIEDMONT AVENUE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT INTERSECTION OF CHANNING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF PIEDMONT AVENUE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT INTERSECTION OF CHANNING WAY. SEEN FROM SW CORNER TOWARDS 2395 PIEDMONT, SIGMA PI HOUSE BY FREDERICK H. REIMERS, 1928. LOOKING NORTH. Photograph by Brian Grogan, July 8, 2007 - Piedmont Way & the Berkeley Property Tract, East of College Avenue between Dwight Way & U.C. Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, Alameda County, CA

Expanding Access to Quality Pre-K Is Sound Public Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, W. Steven

2013-01-01

In 2013, preschool education received more attention in the media and public policy circles than it has for some time, in part because of a series of high-profile proposals to expand access to quality pre-K. The scientific basis for these proposed expansions of quality pre-K is impressive. This paper brings to bear the full weight of the evidence…

The rolling-circle melting-pot model for porcine circovirus DNA replication

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A stem-loop structure, formed by a pair of inverted repeats during DNA replication, is a conserved feature at the origin of DNA replication (Ori) among plant and animal viruses, bacteriophages and plasmids that replicate their genomes via the rolling-circle replication (RCR) mechanism. Porcine circo...

"Slow Down, You Move Too Fast:" Literature Circles as Reflective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanacore, Joseph

2013-01-01

Becoming an effective literacy learner requires a bit of slowing down and appreciating the reflective nature of reading and writing. Literature circles support this instructional direction because they provide opportunities for immersing students in discussions that encourage their personal responses. When students feel their personal responses…

Gulf of Mexico dissolved oxygen model (GoMDOM) research and quality assurance project plan

EPA Science Inventory

An integrated high resolution mathematical modeling framework is being developed that will link hydrodynamic, atmospheric, and water quality models for the northern Gulf of Mexico. This Research and Quality Assurance Project Plan primarily focuses on the deterministic Gulf of Me...

Software for improving the quality of project management, a case study: international manufacture of electrical equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preradović, D. M.; Mićić, Lj S.; Barz, C.

2017-05-01

Production conditions in today’s world require software support at every stage of production and development of new products, for quality assurance and compliance with ISO standards. In addition to ISO standards such as usual metrics of quality, companies today are focused on other optional standards, such as CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integrated) or prescribing they own standards. However, while there is intensive progress being made in the PM (project management), there is still a significant number of projects, at the global level, that are failures. These have failed to achieve their goals, within budget or timeframe. This paper focuses on checking the role of software tools through the rate of success in projects implemented in the case of internationally manufactured electrical equipment. The results of this research show the level of contribution of the project management software used to manage and develop new products to improve PM processes and PM functions, and how selection of the software tools affects the quality of PM processes and successfully completed projects.

Report of an Urban Education Reform Experiment: Problems and Promises. Section II: Project Evaluation. Supplement to the Final Report of the 5th Cycle Teacher Corps Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rippey, Robert M.

This document recounts the efforts of an urban college of education (the one at the University of Illinois/Chicago Circle) to develop a cooperative program in urban teacher education. It deals with the origin of the project, operational problems encountered, solutions attempted, critical functions of systematic evaluation. Also included are…

Diffusion with resetting inside a circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Abhinava; Christou, Christos; Schadschneider, Andreas

2018-06-01

We study the Brownian motion of a particle in a bounded circular two-dimensional domain in search for a stationary target on the boundary of the domain. The process switches between two modes: one where it performs a two-dimensional diffusion inside the circle and one where it diffuses along the one-dimensional boundary. During the process, the Brownian particle resets to its initial position with a constant rate r . The Fokker-Planck formalism allows us to calculate the mean time to absorption (MTA) as well as the optimal resetting rate for which the MTA is minimized. From the derived analytical results the parameter regions where resetting reduces the search time can be specified. We also provide a numerical method for the verification of our results.

A Projection Quality-Driven Tube Current Modulation Method in Cone-Beam CT for IGRT: Proof of Concept.

PubMed

Men, Kuo; Dai, Jianrong

2017-12-01

To develop a projection quality-driven tube current modulation method in cone-beam computed tomography for image-guided radiotherapy based on the prior attenuation information obtained by the planning computed tomography and then evaluate its effect on a reduction in the imaging dose. The QCKV-1 phantom with different thicknesses (0-400 mm) of solid water upon it was used to simulate different attenuation (μ). Projections were acquired with a series of tube current-exposure time product (mAs) settings, and a 2-dimensional contrast to noise ratio was analyzed for each projection to create a lookup table of mAs versus 2-dimensional contrast to noise ratio, μ. Before a patient underwent computed tomography, the maximum attenuation [Formula: see text] within the 95% range of each projection angle (θ) was estimated according to the planning computed tomography images. Then, a desired 2-dimensional contrast to noise ratio value was selected, and the mAs setting at θ was calculated with the lookup table of mAs versus 2-dimensional contrast to noise ratio,[Formula: see text]. Three-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography images were reconstructed using the projections acquired with the selected mAs. The imaging dose was evaluated with a polymethyl methacrylate dosimetry phantom in terms of volume computed tomography dose index. Image quality was analyzed using a Catphan 503 phantom with an oval body annulus and a pelvis phantom. For the Catphan 503 phantom, the cone-beam computed tomography image obtained by the projection quality-driven tube current modulation method had a similar quality to that of conventional cone-beam computed tomography . However, the proposed method could reduce the imaging dose by 16% to 33% to achieve an equivalent contrast to noise ratio value. For the pelvis phantom, the structural similarity index was 0.992 with a dose reduction of 39.7% for the projection quality-driven tube current modulation method. The proposed method could reduce the

The research on multi-projection correction based on color coding grid array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Han, Cheng; Bai, Baoxing; Zhang, Chao; Zhao, Yunxiu

2017-10-01

There are many disadvantages such as lower timeliness, greater manual intervention in multi-channel projection system, in order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a multi-projector correction technology based on color coding grid array. Firstly, a color structured light stripe is generated by using the De Bruijn sequences, then meshing the feature information of the color structured light stripe image. We put the meshing colored grid intersection as the center of the circle, and build a white solid circle as the feature sample set of projected images. It makes the constructed feature sample set not only has the perceptual localization, but also has good noise immunity. Secondly, we establish the subpixel geometric mapping relationship between the projection screen and the individual projectors by using the structure of light encoding and decoding based on the color array, and the geometrical mapping relation is used to solve the homography matrix of each projector. Lastly the brightness inconsistency of the multi-channel projection overlap area is seriously interfered, it leads to the corrected image doesn't fit well with the observer's visual needs, and we obtain the projection display image of visual consistency by using the luminance fusion correction algorithm. The experimental results show that this method not only effectively solved the problem of distortion of multi-projection screen and the issue of luminance interference in overlapping region, but also improved the calibration efficient of multi-channel projective system and reduced the maintenance cost of intelligent multi-projection system.

Improving patient care through student leadership in team quality improvement projects.

PubMed

Tschannen, Dana; Aebersold, Michelle; Kocan, Mary Jo; Lundy, Francene; Potempa, Kathleen

2015-01-01

In partnership with a major medical center, senior-level nursing students completed a root cause analysis and implementation plan to address a unit-specific quality issue. To evaluate the project, unit leaders were asked their perceptions of the value of the projects and impact on patient care, as well as to provide exemplars depicting how the student root cause analysis work resulted in improved patient outcome and/or unit processes. Liaisons noted benefits of having an RCA team, with positive impact on patient outcomes and care processes.

Literature Circles in a Fifth Grade Classroom: A Qualitative Study Examining How the Teacher and Students Used Literature Circles and the Impact They Have on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pambianchi, Laura Claypool

2017-01-01

State and national standards, including the Common Core State Standards, state that students should be expected to learn to discuss and analyze texts, comprehend ideas in increasingly complex texts, and justify their thinking. Literature circles are an instructional practice suggested by many educational writers as an instructional practice that…

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS: A USELESS PAPER EXERCISE OR VALUABLE AID?

EPA Science Inventory

Two perspectives on the fundamental question "Are quality assurance project plans (QAPPS) a useless paper exercise or a valuable aid?" will be explored. These perspectives include those of a Branch Chief (i.e., the supervisor/manager) and an active researcher. As a Branch Chief, ...

The cerebral arterial circle (circulus arteriosus cerebri): an anatomical study in fetus and infant samples.

PubMed

Ardakani, Shahab Kamali; Dadmehr, Majid; Nejat, Farideh; Ansari, Saeed; Eftekhar, Behzad; Tajik, Parvin; El Khashab, Mostafa; Yazdani, Shahrooz; Ghodsi, Mohammad; Mahjoub, Fatemeh; Monajemzadeh, Maryam; Nazparvar, Bashir; Abdi-Rad, Afshin

2008-01-01

Many studies have investigated the variations in the anatomy of each segment of the cerebral arterial circle while a few have addressed the variations of the cerebral arterial circle as a whole. Thirty brains of recently deceased Iranian infants and fetuses were dissected. The dissection process was filmed and digitized so as to be readily available for further studies. The variations of the circle as a whole and segmental variations were evaluated. Variants with uni- and bilateral hypoplasia of posterior communicating arteries (PcoAs) were the most common in our study, similar to previous works. No aplasia of the precommunicating part of the anterior cerebral artery (A1), the precommunicating part of the posterior cerebral artery (P1) and anterior communicating artery was seen. Hypoplasia of the right and left PcoA was observed in 8 and 5 cases, respectively. Aplasia of the right PcoA was found in 16.6% and of the left PcoA in 3.3%. In this study, we confirmed the previously described finding that the symmetrical, circular configuration of the circulus arteriosus cerebri is present in only about 42.1%. The main differences between the fetal and adult disposition are the diameter of the PcoA and the circular part of the posterior cerebral artery. According to previous studies, the fetal brain older than 4 months has anatomical characteristics very similar to the adult's circle; our finding was mostly similar to adult samples as most samples were from infants, not fetuses. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

View of Staff Officers' Quarters Area from Staff Circle. Building ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View of Staff Officers' Quarters Area from Staff Circle. Building No. 403 is to the right, Building No. 404 is to the left, and Building No. 405 is in far left in background. Facing west - MacDill Air Force Base, Bounded by City of Tampa North, Tampa Bay South, Old Tampa Bay West, & Hillsborough Bay East, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

Project Relationship: Creating and Sustaining a Nurturing Community [Manual and Video].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulsen, Marie Kanne; Cole, Carol K.

This manual and related 41-minute video was produced by a 5-year federally funded project to foster collaboration between special education and child care staff in early childhood programs. The approach is based on a structured, relationship-based, problem solving framework, "Going Around the Circle." The process involves five steps: (1)…

The dynamics of SIV 2-LTR Circles in the Presence and Absence of CD8 + Cells

DOE PAGES

Policicchio, Benjamin B.; Cardozo, Erwing Fabian; Sette, Paola; ...

2018-04-11

CD8 +cells play a key role in HIV/SIV infection, but their specific mechanism(s) of action in controlling the virus are unclear. 2-LTR circles are extrachromosomal products generated upon failed integration of HIV/SIV. To understand the specific effects of CD8 +cells on infected cells, we analyzed the dynamics of 2-LTR circles in SIVmac251-infected rhesus macaques (RM) treated with an integrase inhibitor (INT). Twenty RMs underwent CD8 +cell depletion, received RAL monotherapy or a combination of both. Blood, lymph nodes (LNs) and gut biopsies were routinely sampled. Plasma viral loads (pVLs) and 2-LTR circles from PBMCs and LN lymphocytes were measured withmore » qRT-PCR. In the CD8 depletion group, an ~1 log increase in pVLs and a slow increase in PBMC 2-LTRs occurred following depletion. In the INT group, a strong decline in pVLs upon treatment initiation and no change in 2-LTR levels were observed. In the INT and CD8 +cell depletion group, a similar increase in pVLs following CD8 depletion was observed, with a modest decline following INT initiation, and 2-LTR circles significantly increased in PBMCs and LNs. Analyzing the 2-LTR data across all treatment groups with a mathematical model indicates that the data best supports an effect of CD8 +cells in killing cells prior to viral integration. Sensitivity analyses of these results confirm that effect, but also allow for additional effects, which the data does not discriminate well. Overall, we show that INT does not significantly increase the levels of 2-LTR circles. However, CD8 +cell depletion increases the 2-LTR levels, which are enhanced in the presence of an INT. CD8 +T cells play an essential role in controlling HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection, but the specific mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Due to failed viral infection, HIV and SIV can form 2-LTR extrachromosomal circles that can be quantified. We present novel data on the dynamics of these 2-LTR forms in a SIV

The dynamics of SIV 2-LTR Circles in the Presence and Absence of CD8 + Cells

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

Policicchio, Benjamin B.; Cardozo, Erwing Fabian; Sette, Paola

CD8 +cells play a key role in HIV/SIV infection, but their specific mechanism(s) of action in controlling the virus are unclear. 2-LTR circles are extrachromosomal products generated upon failed integration of HIV/SIV. To understand the specific effects of CD8 +cells on infected cells, we analyzed the dynamics of 2-LTR circles in SIVmac251-infected rhesus macaques (RM) treated with an integrase inhibitor (INT). Twenty RMs underwent CD8 +cell depletion, received RAL monotherapy or a combination of both. Blood, lymph nodes (LNs) and gut biopsies were routinely sampled. Plasma viral loads (pVLs) and 2-LTR circles from PBMCs and LN lymphocytes were measured withmore » qRT-PCR. In the CD8 depletion group, an ~1 log increase in pVLs and a slow increase in PBMC 2-LTRs occurred following depletion. In the INT group, a strong decline in pVLs upon treatment initiation and no change in 2-LTR levels were observed. In the INT and CD8 +cell depletion group, a similar increase in pVLs following CD8 depletion was observed, with a modest decline following INT initiation, and 2-LTR circles significantly increased in PBMCs and LNs. Analyzing the 2-LTR data across all treatment groups with a mathematical model indicates that the data best supports an effect of CD8 +cells in killing cells prior to viral integration. Sensitivity analyses of these results confirm that effect, but also allow for additional effects, which the data does not discriminate well. Overall, we show that INT does not significantly increase the levels of 2-LTR circles. However, CD8 +cell depletion increases the 2-LTR levels, which are enhanced in the presence of an INT. CD8 +T cells play an essential role in controlling HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection, but the specific mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Due to failed viral infection, HIV and SIV can form 2-LTR extrachromosomal circles that can be quantified. We present novel data on the dynamics of these 2-LTR forms in a SIV

Studies of G-quadruplexes formed within self-assembled DNA mini-circles.

PubMed

Klejevskaja, Beata; Pyne, Alice L B; Reynolds, Matthew; Shivalingam, Arun; Thorogate, Richard; Hoogenboom, Bart W; Ying, Liming; Vilar, Ramon

2016-10-13

We have developed self-assembled DNA mini-circles that contain a G-quadruplex-forming sequence from the c-Myc oncogene promoter and demonstrate by FRET that the G-quadruplex unfolding kinetics are 10-fold slower than for the simpler 24-mer G-quadruplex that is commonly used for FRET experiments.

Socratic Circles in World History: Reflections on a Year in Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Corey; Goering, Christian Z.

2018-01-01

This article examines and offers insights to a year of Socratic circles in the context of a world history classroom. Grounding this practice in relevant research before offering examples from the classroom and providing advice to practitioners, this discussion strategy offers an antidote to the often divisive and destructive examples of…

Dear Nel: Opening the Circles of Care (Letters to Nel Noddings)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lake, Robert

2012-01-01

This collection is a moving tribute to Nel Noddings, a fascinating and influential scholar who has contributed greatly to numerous fields, including education, feminism, ethics, and the study of social justice and equity. "Dear Nel: Opening the Circles of Care" presents contributions from renowned teachers, educators, and activists, such as David…

Exploring Undergraduate Black Womyn's Motivations for Engaging in "Sister Circle" Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croom, Natasha N.; Beatty, Cameron C.; Acker, Lorraine D.; Butler, Malika

2017-01-01

The purpose of this critical qualitative inquiry was to explore what motivated undergraduate Black womyn (UBW) to engage in "Sister Circle"-type student organizations--or groups that center race and gender. Using a critical race feminist theoretical lens, data were collected through a combination of one-on-one interviews and focus…

Examining the Effectiveness of the Circle of Security Parenting DVD Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rostad, Whitney Louise

2014-01-01

Child maltreatment continues to occur at alarming rates, and while several interventions currently exist for use with parents to minimize the incidence of child maltreatment (Daro & McCurdy, 2007), many can be time consuming for service providers "and" consumers. One program, the Circle of Security (COS), lasts 20 weeks with weekly…

NanoCluster Beacons as reporter probes in rolling circle enhanced enzyme activity detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juul, Sissel; Obliosca, Judy M.; Liu, Cong; Liu, Yen-Liang; Chen, Yu-An; Imphean, Darren M.; Knudsen, Birgitta R.; Ho, Yi-Ping; Leong, Kam W.; Yeh, Hsin-Chih

2015-04-01

As a newly developed assay for the detection of endogenous enzyme activity at the single-catalytic-event level, Rolling Circle Enhanced Enzyme Activity Detection (REEAD) has been used to measure enzyme activity in both single human cells and malaria-causing parasites, Plasmodium sp. Current REEAD assays rely on organic dye-tagged linear DNA probes to report the rolling circle amplification products (RCPs), the cost of which may hinder the widespread use of REEAD. Here we show that a new class of activatable probes, NanoCluster Beacons (NCBs), can simplify the REEAD assays. Easily prepared without any need for purification and capable of large fluorescence enhancement upon hybridization, NCBs are cost-effective and sensitive. Compared to conventional fluorescent probes, NCBs are also more photostable. As demonstrated in reporting the human topoisomerases I (hTopI) cleavage-ligation reaction, the proposed NCBs suggest a read-out format attractive for future REEAD-based diagnostics.As a newly developed assay for the detection of endogenous enzyme activity at the single-catalytic-event level, Rolling Circle Enhanced Enzyme Activity Detection (REEAD) has been used to measure enzyme activity in both single human cells and malaria-causing parasites, Plasmodium sp. Current REEAD assays rely on organic dye-tagged linear DNA probes to report the rolling circle amplification products (RCPs), the cost of which may hinder the widespread use of REEAD. Here we show that a new class of activatable probes, NanoCluster Beacons (NCBs), can simplify the REEAD assays. Easily prepared without any need for purification and capable of large fluorescence enhancement upon hybridization, NCBs are cost-effective and sensitive. Compared to conventional fluorescent probes, NCBs are also more photostable. As demonstrated in reporting the human topoisomerases I (hTopI) cleavage-ligation reaction, the proposed NCBs suggest a read-out format attractive for future REEAD-based diagnostics. Electronic

Coal geology of the Northeast Circle area, McCone and Dawson counties, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wincentsen, Herbert

1979-01-01

The Northeast Circle area is in central McCone and northern Dawson Counties, northeastern Montana. The area encompasses about 940 square miles and has a maximum relief of greater than 1,000 feet. The lowest point (altitude of less than 2,200 feet) is in the Redwater River Valley in the northern part of the area. The highest point (altitude of less than 3,200 feet) is on the Yellowstone-Missouri divide, located in parts of Tps. 18 and 19 N., Rso 49, 50, and 51E., and T. 20 N., Rs. 52 and 53 E. Surface exposures in most of the area consist of yellowish or light-colored sandy shales of the Tongue River Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation. The coal beds in the Northeast Circle area occur in the lower 500 feet of this member and are persistent in the field. The predominant structural features of the area are the northeast end of the Weldon monocline-fault in Tps. 21 and 22 N., R. 47 E., and a small steep depression near Circle in sec. 10, T. 19 N., R. 48 E. Otherwise, the structure of the area is nearly flat. Coal in the Northeast Circle area is composed of six main beds: the S, L1, R, Q, P, and Pust beds, in ascending stratigraphic order. Of these, the S, Pust, and P beds are the thickest. The S bed is more than 20 feet thick in some places, but usually ranges in thickness from 6 to 10 feet. The Pust bed, which is about 430-490 feet above the S bed, is more than 18 feet thick in the upper bench and as much as 9 feet thick in the lower bench. Coal thickness in the P bed varies from 0 to 10.5 feet. The other coal seams in the area are generally less than 5 feet thick. All coals are lignite in rank.

Federally sponsored multidisciplinary research centers: Learning, evaluation, and vicious circles.

PubMed

Youtie, Jan; Corley, Elizabeth A

2011-02-01

Despite the increasing investment in multi-year federally funded science and technology centers in universities, there are few studies of how these centers engage in learning and change based on information submitted from various agents in the oversight and evaluation process. One challenge is how to manage and respond to this evaluative information, especially when it is conflicting. Although the center can learn and adapt in response to this information, it can also become subject to a vicious circle of continuous restructuring and production of documentation to address various and potentially inconsistent recommendations. In this paper we illustrate the effects of such a dynamic based on our experiences as external evaluators of the $25 million NSF-funded Learning in Informal and Formal Environments (LIFE) Center. The case study presents an analysis of annual reports and strategic planning documents along with other sources of evidence to illustrate the evolution of center organizational approaches in response to evaluations by external review panels, center evaluators, program managers, and other external stakeholders. We conclude with suggestions for how evaluators may help centers ease the cost of learning and reduce the likelihood of a vicious circle. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Squaring the circle of healthcare supplies.

PubMed

Böhme, Tillmann; Williams, Sharon; Childerhouse, Paul; Deakins, Eric; Towill, Denis

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to use a systems lens to assess the comparative performance of healthcare supply chains and provide guidance for their improvement. A well-established and rigorous multi-method audit methodology, based on the uncertainty circle model, yields an objective assessment of value stream performance in eight Australasian public sector hospitals. Cause-effect analysis identifies the major barriers to achieving smooth, seamless flows. Potentially high-leverage remedial actions identified using systems thinking are examined with the aid of an exemplar case. The majority of the healthcare value streams studied are underperforming compared with those in the European automotive industry. Every public hospital appears to be caught in the grip of vicious circles of system uncertainty, in large part being caused by problems of their own making. The single exception is making good progress towards seamless functional integration, which has been achieved by elevating supply chain management to a core competence; having a clearly articulated supply chain vision; adopting a systems approach; and, managing supplies with accurate information. The small number of cases limits the generalisability of the findings at this time. Hospital supply chain managers endeavouring to achieve smooth and seamless supply flows should attempt to elevate the status of supplies management within their organisation to that of a core competence, and should use accurate information to manage their value streams holistically as a set of interwoven processes. A four-level prism model is proposed as a useful framework for thus improving healthcare supply delivery systems. Material flow concepts originally developed to provide objective assessments of value stream performance in commercial settings are adapted for use in a healthcare setting. The ability to identify exemplar organisations via a context-free uncertainty measure, and to use systems thinking to identify high

The Alaskan Mineral Resource Assessment Program; background information to accompany folio of geologic and mineral resource maps of the Circle quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, Helen Laura; Menzie, W.D.; Cady, J.W.; Simpson, S.L.; Aleinikoff, J.N.; Wilson, Frederic H.; Tripp, R.B.

1987-01-01

The geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and Landsat imagery of the Circle quadrangle were investigated by an interdisciplinary research team for the purpose of assessing the mineral potential of the area. The quadrangle covers approximately 15,765 km2 in east-central Alaska; most of it is included in the mountainous Yukon-Tanana Upland physiographic division, but the northernmost part is in the low-lying Yukon Flats section. The Circle mining district, in the east-central part of the quadrangle, has been a major producing area of placer gold since its discovery in 1893. For descriptive purposes, the Circle quadrangle is divided into three areas: the northwest Circle quadrangle, the area north of the Tintina fault zone, and the area south of the Tintina fault zone. The Tintina fault zone extends northwesterly through the northern part of the quadrangle. The northwest Circle quadrangle contains mostly folded and faulted, slightly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks that are intruded by Tertiary granitic plutons. In the northern part of the area north of the Tintina fault zone (Little Crazy Mountains and northern east Crazy Mountains), the rocks consist primarily of the gabbro and basalt of the Circle Volcanics and minor associated chert, graywacke, and limestone. Elsewhere in this area (south of the Circle Volcanics and in the western Crazy Mountains), the rocks are mostly slightly metamorphosed Paleozoic sedimentary rocks that have been folded and faulted. Rocks in the largest part of the quadrangle, the area south of the Tintina fault zone, consist largely of pelitic rocks that are regionally metamorphosed to greenschist and amphibolite facies. Felsic plutons, mostly Tertiary in age, occur throughout the area. The metamorphic rocks are separated from sedimentary rocks on the northwest by thrust faulting. The aeromagnetic and gravity data show clear differences between the areas north and south of the Tintina fault zone. The metamorphic terrane to the south has low

A Project to Enhance Superintendents' Knowledge and Application of Characteristics of High Quality Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pummill, Bret L.; Edson, Jerry C.; Loftin, Michelle M.; Robinson, Matthew A.

2011-01-01

This report describes a problem based learning project focusing on superintendents' knowledge of the characteristics of high quality teachers. Current research findings offer evidence teacher quality is an important school variable related to student achievement. School district leaders are faced with the problem of identifying the characteristics…

Non-Abelian sigma models from Yang-Mills theory compactified on a circle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanova, Tatiana A.; Lechtenfeld, Olaf; Popov, Alexander D.

2018-06-01

We consider SU(N) Yang-Mills theory on R 2 , 1 ×S1, where S1 is a spatial circle. In the infrared limit of a small-circle radius the Yang-Mills action reduces to the action of a sigma model on R 2 , 1 whose target space is a 2 (N - 1)-dimensional torus modulo the Weyl-group action. We argue that there is freedom in the choice of the framing of the gauge bundles, which leads to more general options. In particular, we show that this low-energy limit can give rise to a target space SU (N) ×SU (N) /ZN. The latter is the direct product of SU(N) and its Langlands dual SU (N) /ZN, and it contains the above-mentioned torus as its maximal Abelian subgroup. An analogous result is obtained for any non-Abelian gauge group.

Strategic Framing Study Circles: Toward a Gold Standard of Framing Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feinberg, Jane

2009-01-01

This article explains how communities of practice have been developed as part of FrameWorks' field-building efforts. Strategic Framing Study Circles, as they are known, have been conducted with four statewide coalitions, one group of national organizations, and an emerging regional coalition. The goal of each community of practice is to build…

Generic Equations for Constructing Smooth Paths Along Circles and Tangent Lines With Application to Airport Ground Paths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, L. Keith

1998-01-01

The primary purpose of this publication is to develop a mathematical model to describe smooth paths along any combination of circles and tangent lines. Two consecutive circles in a path are either tangent (externally or internally) or they appear on the same (lateral) or opposite (transverse) sides of a connecting tangent line. A path may start or end on either a segment or circle. The approach is to use mathematics common to robotics to design the path as a multilink manipulator. This approach allows a hierarchical view of the problem and keeps the notation manageable. A user simply specifies a few parameters to configure a path. Necessary and sufficient conditions automatically ensure the consistency of the inputs for a smooth path. Two example runway exit paths are given, and an angle to go assists in knowing when to switch from one path element to the next.

Implementing an organization-wide quality improvement initiative: insights from project leads, managers, and frontline nurses.

PubMed

Jeffs, Lianne P; Lo, Joyce; Beswick, Susan; Campbell, Heather

2013-01-01

With the movement to advance quality care and improve health care outcomes, organizations have increasingly implemented quality improvement (QI) initiatives to meet these requirements. Key to implementation success is the multilevel involvement of frontline clinicians and leadership. To explore the perceptions and experiences of frontline nurses, project leads, and managers associated with an organization-wide initiative aimed at engaging nurses in quality improvement work. To address the aims of this study, a qualitative research approach was used. Two focus groups were conducted with a total of 13 nurse participants, and individual interviews were done with 10 managers and 6 project leads. Emergent themes from the interview data included the following: improving care in a networked approach; driving QI and having a sense of pride; and overcoming challenges. Specifically, our findings elucidate the value of communities of practice and ongoing mentorship for nurses as key strategies to acquire and apply QI knowledge to a QI project on their respective units. Key challenges emerged including workload and time constraints, as well as resistance to change from staff. Our study findings suggest that leaders need to provide learning opportunities and protected time for frontline nurses to participate in QI projects.

An innovative integrated oxidation ditch with vertical circle (IODVC) for wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Xia, Shi-bin; Liu, Jun-xin

2004-01-01

The oxidation ditch process is economic and efficient for wastewater treatment, but its application is limited in case where land is costly due to its large land area required. An innovative integrated oxidation ditch with vertical circle (IODVC) system was developed to treat domestic and industrial wastewater aiming to save land area. The new system consists of a single-channel divided into two ditches(the top one and the bottom one by a plate), a brush, and an innovative integral clarifier. Different from the horizontal circle of the conventional oxidation ditch, the flow of IODVC system recycles from the top zone to the bottom zone in the vertical circle as the brush is running, and then the IODVC saved land area required by about 50% compared with a conventional oxidation ditch with an intrachannel clarifier. The innovative integral clarifier is effective for separation of liquid and solids, and is preferably positioned at the opposite end of the brush in the ditch. It does not affect the hydrodynamic characteristics of the mixed liquor in the ditch, and the sludge can automatically return to the down ditch without any pump. In this study, experiments of domestic and dye wastewater treatment were carried out in bench scale and in full scale, respectively. Results clearly showed that the IODVC efficiently removed pollutants in the wastewaters, i.e., the average of COD removals for domestic and dye wastewater treatment were 95% and 90%, respectively, and that the IODVC process may provide a cost effective way for full scale dye wastewater treatment.

Lessons Learned from Native C.I.R.C.L.E., a Culturally Specific Resource.

PubMed

Garcia, Andrea; Baethke, Lisa; Kaur, Judith S

2017-12-01

Cancer is now the second leading cause of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN), and trends in cancer-related mortality over the past 2 decades show inferior control in AIAN compared to non-Hispanic Whites. The American Indian/Alaska Native Cancer Information Resource Center and Learning Exchange (Native C.I.R.C.L.E.) was developed in the year 2000 as part of a comprehensive network of partnerships to develop, maintain, and disseminate culturally appropriate cancer and other health information materials for AIAN educators and providers. Now, in its 15th year of existence, enough data has been accumulated by Native C.I.R.C.L.E. to analyze trends in the distribution of culturally relevant cancer information materials and compare access to both printed (hard copy) and online materials. The amount of culturally appropriate materials available since its creation has increased more than 10-fold. Print materials are now distributed throughout the world, and the number of materials requested from print and downloads combined are in the thousands on a monthly basis. Native C.I.R.C.L.E. is in the process of expanding its access and capabilities to target more of the lay AIAN public in order to address the digital divide.

Implementation and implication of total quality management on client- contractor relationship in residential projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murali, Swetha; Ponmalar, V.

2017-07-01

To make innovation and continuous improvement as a norm, some traditional practices must become unlearnt. Change for growth and competitiveness are required for sustainability for any profitable business such as the construction industry. The leading companies are willing to implement Total Quality Management (TQM) principles, to realise potential advantages and improve growth and efficiency. Ironically, researches recollected quality as the most significant provider for competitive advantage in industrial leadership. The two objectives of this paper are 1) Identify TQM effectiveness in residential projects and 2) Identify the client satisfaction/dissatisfaction areas using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and suggest effective mitigate measures. Using statistical survey techniques like set of questionnaire survey, it is observed that total quality management was applied in some leading successful organization to an extent. The main attributes for quality achievement can be defined as teamwork and better communication with single agreed goal between client and contractor. Onsite safety is a paramount attribute in the identifying quality within the residential projects. It was noticed that the process based quality methods such as onsite safe working condition; safe management system and modern engineering process safety controls etc. as interlinked functions. Training and effective communication with all stakeholders on quality management principles is essential for effective quality work. Late Only through effective TQM principles companies can avoid some contract litigations with an increased client satisfaction Index.

Report of an Urban Education Reform Experiment: Problems and Promise. Part I Project Development. Supplement to Final Report of the 5th Cycle Teacher Corps Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monroe, George E.

The Fifth Cycle Teacher Corps Project was undertaken by the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle to a) fulfill a stated mission of a university especially created to help resolve urban problems, b) find effective ways to help an inner-city community utilize its own resources, and c) conduct research on the effective uses of evaluation in…

Understanding Girls' Circle as an Intervention on Perceived Social Support, Body Image, Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control, and Self-Esteem