readiness evaluation system: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for readiness evaluation system

Non-Deployable Soldiers: Understanding the Army’s Challenge

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-07

TERMS Medically Not Ready (MNR), Warrior Transition Unit (WTU), Disability Evaluation System (DES), Physical Evaluation Board (PEB), Medical Evaluation... Board (MEB), MOS Medical Retention Board (MMRB), Human Capital Enterprise, Personnel Management, Physical Evaluations System. 16. SECURITY...Medically Not Ready (MNR), Warrior Transition Unit (WTU), Disability Evaluation System (DES), Physical Evaluation Board (PEB), Medical Evaluation
Mixed Picture of Readiness for Adoption of Evidence-Based Prevention Programs in Communities: Exploratory Surveys of State Program Delivery Systems

PubMed Central

Schainker, Lisa M.; Redmond, Cleve; Ralston, Ekaterina; Yeh, Hsiu-Chen; Perkins, Daniel F.

2015-01-01

An emerging literature highlights the potential for broader dissemination of evidence-based prevention programs in communities through existing state systems, such as the land grant university Extension outreach system and departments of public education and health (DOE– DPH). This exploratory study entailed surveying representatives of the national Extension system and DOE– DPH, to evaluate dissemination readiness factors, as part of a larger project on an evidence-based program delivery model called PROSPER. In addition to assessing systems’ readiness factors, differences among US regions and comparative levels of readiness between state systems were evaluated. The Extension web-based survey sample N was 958 and the DOE–DPH telephone survey N was 338, with response rates of 23 and 79 %, respectively. Extension survey results suggested only a moderate level of overall readiness nationally, with relatively higher perceived need for collaborative efforts and relatively lower perceived resource availability. There were significant regional differences on all factors, generally favoring the Northeast. Results from DOE–DPH surveys showed significantly higher levels for all readiness factors, compared with Extension systems. Overall, the findings present a mixed picture. Although there were clear challenges related to measuring readiness in complex systems, addressing currently limited dissemination resources, and devising strategies for optimizing readiness, all systems showed some readiness-related strengths. PMID:25791916
SCRL-Model for Human Space Flight Operations Enterprise Supply Chain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Brian; Paxton, Joseph

2010-01-01

This paper will present a Supply Chain Readiness Level (SCRL) model that can be used to evaluate and configure adaptable and sustainable program and mission supply chains at an enterprise level. It will also show that using SCRL in conjunction with Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs) and National Aeronautics Space Administrations (NASA s) Project Lifecycle Process will provide a more complete means of developing and evaluating a robust sustainable supply chain that encompasses the entire product, system and mission lifecycle. In addition, it will be shown that by implementing the SCRL model, NASA can additionally define supplier requirements to enable effective supply chain management (SCM). Developing and evaluating overall supply chain readiness for any product, system and mission lifecycle is critical for mission success. Readiness levels are presently being used to evaluate the maturity of technology and manufacturing capability during development and deployment phases of products and systems. For example, TRLs are used to support the assessment of the maturity of a particular technology and compare maturity of different types of technologies. MRLs are designed to assess the maturity and risk of a given technology from a manufacturing perspective. In addition, when these measurement systems are used collectively they can offer a more comprehensive view of the maturity of the system. While some aspects of the supply chain and supply chain planning are considered in these familiar metric systems, certain characteristics of an effective supply chain, when evaluated in more detail, will provide an improved insight into the readiness and risk throughout the supply chain. Therefore, a system that concentrates particularly on supply chain attributes is required to better assess enterprise supply chain readiness.
Logic system aids in evaluation of project readiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maris, S. J.; Obrien, T. J.

1966-01-01

Measurement Operational Readiness Requirements /MORR/ assignments logic is used for determining the readiness of a complex project to go forward as planned. The system used logic network which assigns qualities to all important criteria in a project and establishes a logical sequence of measurements to determine what the conditions are.
Superintendents' Perceptions of Readiness in Regard to Transitioning to the Missouri Educator Evaluation System to Fulfill the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Request

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollingsworth, Stacy

2013-01-01

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has begun the transition to the Missouri Educator Evaluation System devised of seven Essential Principles of Effective Evaluation. This study considered superintendents' perceptions of readiness levels for each essential principle in order to understand continued needs to assist the…
Management assessment of tank waste remediation system contractor readiness to proceed with phase 1B privatization

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

Certa, P.J.

1998-01-07

Readiness to Proceed With Phase 1B Privatization documents the processes used to determine readiness to proceed with tank waste treatment technologies from private industry, now known as TWRS privatization. An overall systems approach was applied to develop action plans to support the retrieval and disposal mission of the TWRS Project. The systems and infrastructure required to support the mission are known. Required systems are either in place or plans have been developed to ensure they exist when needed. Since October 1996 a robust system engineering approach to establishing integrated Technical Baselines, work breakdown structures, tank farms organizational structure and configurations,more » work scope, and costs has become part of the culture within the TWRS Project. An analysis of the programmatic, management, and technical activities necessary to declare readiness to proceed with execution of the mission demonstrates that the system, personnel, and hardware will be on line and ready to support the private contractors. The systems approach included defining the retrieval and disposal mission requirements and evaluating the readiness of the Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC) team to support initiation of waste processing by the private contractors in June 2002 and to receive immobilized waste shortly thereafter. The Phase 1 feed delivery requirements from the private contractor Requests for Proposal were reviewed. Transfer piping routes were mapped, existing systems were evaluated, and upgrade requirements were defined.« less
Community Readiness Within Systems of Care: The Validity and Reliability of the System of Care Readiness and Implementation Measurement Scale (SOC-RIMS).

PubMed

Rosas, Scott R; Behar, Lenore B; Hydaker, William M

2016-01-01

Establishing a system of care requires communities to identify ways to successfully implement strategies and support positive outcomes for children and their families. Such community transformation is complex and communities vary in terms of their readiness for implementing sustainable community interventions. Assessing community readiness and guiding implementation, specifically for the funded communities implementing a system of care, requires a well-designed tool with sound psychometric properties. This scale development study used the results of a previously published concept mapping study to create, administer, and assess the psychometric characteristics of the System of Care Readiness and Implementation Measurement Scale (SOC-RIMS). The results indicate the SOC-RIMS possesses excellent internal consistency characteristics, measures clearly discernible dimensions of community readiness, and demonstrates the target constructs exist within a broad network of content. The SOC-RIMS can be a useful part of a comprehensive assessment in communities where system of care practices, principles, and philosophies are implemented and evaluated.
Management assessment of tank waste remediation system contractor readiness to proceed with phase 1B privatization

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

Honeyman, J.O.

1998-01-09

This Management Assessment of Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) Contractor Readiness to Proceed With Phase 1B Privatization documents the processes used to determine readiness to proceed with tank waste treatment technologies from private industry, now known as TWRS privatization. An overall systems approach was applied to develop action plans to support the retrieval and disposal mission of the TWRS Project. The systems and infrastructure required to support the mission are known. Required systems are either in place or plans have been developed to ensure they exist when needed. Since October 1996 a robust system engineering approach to establishing integrated Technicalmore » Baselines, work breakdown structures, tank farms organizational structure and configurations, work scope, and costs has become part of the culture within the TWRS Project. An analysis of the programmatic, management, and technical activities necessary to declare readiness to proceed with execution of the mission demonstrates that the system, personnel, and hardware will be on-line and ready to support the private contractors. The systems approach included defining the retrieval and disposal mission requirements and evaluating the readiness of the Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC) team to support initiation of waste processing by the private contractors in June 2002 and to receive immobilized waste shortly thereafter. The Phase 1 feed delivery requirements from the private contractor Requests for Proposal were reviewed. Transfer piping routes were mapped, existing systems were evaluated, and upgrade requirements were defined.« less
Technology readiness assessment of advanced space engine integrated controls and health monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millis, Marc G.

1991-01-01

An evaluation is given for an integrated control and health monitoring system (ICHM) system that is designed to be used with hydrogen-oxygen rocket engines. The minimum required ICHM functions, system elements, technology readiness, and system cost are assessed for a system which permits the operation of H-O engines that are space-based, reusable, and descent throttleable. Based on the evaluation of the H-O ICHM, it is estimated that the minimum system requirements for demonstration on an engine system testbed will require an investment of 30 to 45 million dollars over six years.
Implementation of Insight Responsibilities in Process Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osborne, Deborah M.

1997-01-01

This report describes an approach for evaluating flight readiness (COFR) and contractor performance evaluation (award fee) as part of the insight role of NASA Process Engineering at Kennedy Space Center. Several evaluation methods are presented, including systems engineering evaluations and use of systems performance data. The transition from an oversight function to the insight function is described. The types of analytical tools appropriate for achieving the flight readiness and contractor performance evaluation goals are described and examples are provided. Special emphasis is placed upon short and small run statistical quality control techniques. Training requirements for system engineers are delineated. The approach described herein would be equally appropriate in other directorates at Kennedy Space Center.
Propellant Readiness Level: A Methodological Approach to Propellant Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bossard, John A.; Rhys, Noah O.

2010-01-01

A methodological approach to defining propellant characterization is presented. The method is based on the well-established Technology Readiness Level nomenclature. This approach establishes the Propellant Readiness Level as a metric for ascertaining the readiness of a propellant or a propellant combination by evaluating the following set of propellant characteristics: thermodynamic data, toxicity, applications, combustion data, heat transfer data, material compatibility, analytical prediction modeling, injector/chamber geometry, pressurization, ignition, combustion stability, system storability, qualification testing, and flight capability. The methodology is meant to be applicable to all propellants or propellant combinations; liquid, solid, and gaseous propellants as well as monopropellants and propellant combinations are equally served. The functionality of the proposed approach is tested through the evaluation and comparison of an example set of hydrocarbon fuels.
System analysis for technology transfer readiness assessment of horticultural postharvest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayuningtyas, M.; Djatna, T.

2018-04-01

Availability of postharvest technology is becoming abundant, but only a few technologies are applicable and useful to a wider community purposes. Based on this problem it requires a significant readiness level of transfer technology approach. This system is reliable to access readiness a technology with level, from 1-9 and to minimize time of transfer technology in every level, time required technology from the selection process can be minimum. Problem was solved by using Relief method to determine ranking by weighting feasible criteria on postharvest technology in each level and PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) to schedule. The results from ranking process of post-harvest technology in the field of horticulture is able to pass level 7. That, technology can be developed to increase into pilot scale and minimize time required for technological readiness on PERT with optimistic time of 7,9 years. Readiness level 9 shows that technology has been tested on the actual conditions also tied with estimated production price compared to competitors. This system can be used to determine readiness of technology innovation that is derived from agricultural raw materials and passes certain stages.
Photovoltaic system criteria documents. Volume 1: Guidelines for evaluating the management and operations planning of photovoltaic applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, John C.; Billitti, Joseph W.; Tallon, John M.

1979-01-01

Guidelines are provided to the Field Centers for organization, scheduling, project and cost control, and performance in the areas of project management and operations planning for Photovoltaics Test and Applications. These guidelines may be used in organizing a T and A Project Team for system design/test, site construction and operation, and as the basis for evaluating T and A proposals. The attributes are described for project management and operations planning to be used by the Field Centers. Specifically, all project management and operational issues affecting costs, schedules and performance of photovoltaic systems are addressed. Photovoltaic tests and applications include residential, intermediate load center, central station, and stand-alone systems. The sub-categories of system maturity considered are: Initial System Evaluation Experiments (ISEE); System Readiness Experiments (SRE); and Commercial Readiness Demonstration Projects (CRDP).
Models of care for musculoskeletal health: a cross-sectional qualitative study of Australian stakeholders' perspectives on relevance and standardised evaluation.

PubMed

Briggs, Andrew M; Jordan, Joanne E; Speerin, Robyn; Jennings, Matthew; Bragge, Peter; Chua, Jason; Slater, Helen

2015-11-16

The prevalence and impact of musculoskeletal conditions are predicted to rapidly escalate in the coming decades. Effective strategies are required to minimise 'evidence-practice', 'burden-policy' and 'burden-service' gaps and optimise health system responsiveness for sustainable, best-practice healthcare. One mechanism by which evidence can be translated into practice and policy is through Models of Care (MoCs), which provide a blueprint for health services planning and delivery. While evidence supports the effectiveness of musculoskeletal MoCs for improving health outcomes and system efficiencies, no standardised national approach to evaluation in terms of their 'readiness' for implementation and 'success' after implementation, is yet available. Further, the value assigned to MoCs by end users is uncertain. This qualitative study aimed to explore end users' views on the relevance of musculoskeletal MoCs to their work and value of a standardised evaluation approach. A cross-sectional qualitative study was undertaken. Subject matter experts (SMEs) with health, policy and administration and consumer backgrounds were drawn from three Australian states. A semi-structured interview schedule was developed and piloted to explore perceptions about musculoskeletal MoCs including: i) aspects important to their work (or life, for consumers) ii) usefulness of standardised evaluation frameworks to judge 'readiness' and 'success' and iii) challenges associated with standardised evaluation. Verbatim transcripts were analysed by two researchers using a grounded theory approach to derive key themes. Twenty-seven SMEs (n = 19; 70.4 % female) including five (18.5 %) consumers participated in the study. MoCs were perceived as critical for influencing and initiating changes to best-practice healthcare planning and delivery and providing practical guidance on how to implement and evaluate services. A 'readiness' evaluation framework assessing whether critical components across the health system had been considered prior to implementation was strongly supported, while 'success' was perceived as an already familiar evaluation concept. Perceived challenges associated with standardised evaluation included identifying, defining and measuring key 'readiness' and 'success' indicators; impacts of systems and context changes; cost; meaningful stakeholder consultation and developing a widely applicable framework. A standardised evaluation framework that includes a strong focus on 'readiness' is important to ensure successful and sustainable implementation of musculoskeletal MoCs.
Incorporating Human Readiness Levels at Sandia National Laboratories

DOE PAGES

See, Judi E.; Morris, Jason; Craft, Richard; ...

2018-01-24

Since 2010, the concept of human readiness levels has been under development as a possible supplement to the existing technology readiness level (TRL) scale. The intent is to provide a mechanism to address safety and performance risks associated with the human component in a system that parallels the TRL structure already familiar to the systems engineering community. Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, initiated a study in 2015 to evaluate options to incorporate human readiness planning for Sandia processes and products. The study team has collected the majority of baseline assessment data and has conducted interviews to understand staffmore » perceptions of four different options for human readiness planning. Preliminary results suggest that all four options may have a vital role, depending on the type of work performed and the phase of product development. Upon completion of data collection, the utility of identified solutions will be assessed in one or more test cases.« less
Incorporating Human Readiness Levels at Sandia National Laboratories

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

See, Judi E.; Morris, Jason; Craft, Richard

Since 2010, the concept of human readiness levels has been under development as a possible supplement to the existing technology readiness level (TRL) scale. The intent is to provide a mechanism to address safety and performance risks associated with the human component in a system that parallels the TRL structure already familiar to the systems engineering community. Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, initiated a study in 2015 to evaluate options to incorporate human readiness planning for Sandia processes and products. The study team has collected the majority of baseline assessment data and has conducted interviews to understand staffmore » perceptions of four different options for human readiness planning. Preliminary results suggest that all four options may have a vital role, depending on the type of work performed and the phase of product development. Upon completion of data collection, the utility of identified solutions will be assessed in one or more test cases.« less
The Impact of the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System on Third Grade South Carolina Ready English Language Arts Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Shanika

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the impact of the district's use of the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System on 3rd grade students' reading achievement as measured by the SC READY ELA test. Educators are increasingly using assessment data in determining students' knowledge and progress. Brady, 2011 stated that…
Effects of Students' Characteristics on Online Learning Readiness: A Vocational College Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cigdam, Harun; Yildirim, Osman Gazi

2014-01-01

Educational institutions rapidly adopt concepts and practices of online learning systems for students. But many institutions' online learning programs face enormous difficulty in achieving successful strategies. It is essential to evaluate its different aspects and understand factors which influence its effectiveness. Readiness stands out among…
Mini-Split Heat Pump Evaluation and Zero Energy Ready Home Support

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

Herk, Anastasia

IBACOS worked with builder Imagine Homes to evaluate the performance of an occupied new construction test house following construction of the house in the hot, humid climate of San Antonio, Texas. The project measures the effectiveness of a space conditioning strategy using a multihead mini-split heat pump (MSHP) system in a reduced-load home to achieve acceptable comfort levels (temperature and humidity) and energy performance. IBACOS collected long-term data and analyzed the energy consumption and comfort conditions of the occupied house after one year of operation. Although measured results indicate that the test system provides comfort both inside and outside themore » ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 range, the occupants of the house claimed both adequate comfort and appreciation of the ease of use and flexibility of the installed MSHP system. IBACOS also assisted the builder to evaluate design and specification changes necessary to comply with Zero Energy Ready Home, but the builder chose to not move forward with it because of concerns about the 'solar ready' requirements of the program.« less
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Five Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Catherine; Lopez, Omar

2012-01-01

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, is a federally-funded system of grants that focuses on preparing low-income students to enter and succeed in postsecondary educational programs. GEAR UP grants extend across 6 school years and require that funded districts begin providing grant services to students no…

Utilizing GIS to evaluate base schedules in paratransit operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-02-02

With ready access to street file names and inexpensive GIS software, paratransit systems can take advantage of GIS technology to evaluate base schedules on a regular basis in order to maintain system efficiency at consistently high levels. This proje...
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Five Evaluation Report. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Center for Educational Research, 2012

2012-01-01

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, is a federally-funded system of grants that focuses on preparing low-income students to enter and succeed in postsecondary educational programs. GEAR UP grants extend across 6 school years and require that funded districts begin providing grant services to students no…
The Daily Operational Brief: Fostering Daily Readiness, Care Coordination, and Problem-Solving Accountability in a Large Pediatric Health Care System.

PubMed

Donnelly, Lane F; Basta, Kathryne C; Dykes, Anne M; Zhang, Wei; Shook, Joan E

2018-01-01

At a pediatric health system, the Daily Operational Brief (DOB) was updated in 2015 after three years of operation. Quality and safety metrics, the patient volume and staffing assessment, and the readiness assessment are all presented. In addition, in the problem-solving accountability system, problematic issues are categorized as Quick Hits or Complex Issues. Walk-the-Wall, a biweekly meeting attended by hospital senior administrative leadership and quality and safety leaders, is conducted to chart current progress on Complex Issues. The DOB provides a daily standardized approach to evaluate readiness to provide care to current patients and improvement in the care to be provided for future patients. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The Development and Initial Evaluation of the Human Readiness Level Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

View ICD Initial Capabilities Document ICW Interactive Course Ware ILE Interactive Learning Environment ILT Instructor Led Training IOC...Programmatic Environmental Safety and Health Evaluation PHA Preliminary Hazard Analysis PHL Preliminary Hazard List xiv PM Program Manager PQS...Occupational Health SOW Statement of Work SRD System Requirements Document SPS System Performance Specification SRR System Requirements Review SVR
A cross-sectional study of malaria endemicity and health system readiness to deliver services in Kenya, Namibia and Senegal.

PubMed

Lee, Elizabeth H; Olsen, Cara H; Koehlmoos, Tracey; Masuoka, Penny; Stewart, Ann; Bennett, Jason W; Mancuso, James

2017-11-01

Despite good progress towards elimination, malaria continues to contribute substantially to the sub-Saharan African disease burden. Sustaining previous gains requires continued readiness to deliver malaria services in response to actual disease burden, which in turn contributes to health systems strengthening. This study investigates a health system innovation. We examined whether malaria prevalence, or endemicity, is a driver of health facility readiness to deliver malaria services. To estimate this association, we geo-linked cross-sectional facility survey data to endemicity data for Kenya, Namibia and Senegal. We tested the validity and reliability of the primary study outcome, the malaria service readiness index and mapped service readiness components in a geographic information system. We conducted a weighted multivariable linear regression analysis of the relationship between endemicity and malaria service readiness, stratified for urban or rural facility location. As endemicity increased in rural areas, there was a concurrent, modest increase in service readiness at the facility level [β: 0.028; (95% CI 0.008, 0.047)], whereas no relationship existed in urban settings. Private-for-profit facilities were generally less prepared than public [β: -0.102; (95% CI - 0.154, -0.050)]. Most facilities had the necessary supplies to diagnose malaria, yet availability of malaria guidelines and adequately trained staff as well as medicines and commodities varied. Findings require cautious interpretation outside the study sample, which was a more limited subset of the original surveys' sampling schemes. Our approach and findings may be used by national malaria programs to identify low performing facilities in malarious areas for targeted service delivery interventions. This study demonstrates use of existing data sources to evaluate health system performance and to identify within- and cross-country variations for targeted interventions. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.
Maturity Assessment of Space Plug-and-Play Architecture

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

SSM SPA Service Module SRL System Readiness Level TAT Time-at-Tone TRA Technology Readiness Assessment TRL Technology Readiness Level USB Universal...maturity assessment—the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process, the Integration Readiness Level (IRL) process, and the System Readiness Level ( SRL ...is an important hallmark of the SPA concept, and makes possible the composability and scalability of system designs that employ it. 14 4. SPA
Evaluating Community Readiness to Implement Environmental and Policy-Based Alcohol Abuse Prevention Strategies in Wisconsin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paltzer, Jason; Black, Penny; Moberg, D. Paul

2013-01-01

Background: Matching evidence-based alcohol prevention strat- egies with a community's readiness to support those strategies is the basis for the Tri-Ethnic Community Readiness Model (CRM). The purpose of this evaluation was to assess the association of a community's readiness to address alcohol abuse in their community with the implementation of…
Evaluating the Impact of Environmentally Friendly Cleaners on System Readiness

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-04-05

branches of the armed services. USAEC and ATC are currently leading a multi-agency initiative to comprehensively test several cleaning products and...34 Any panel with pitting was given a severity rating of 4. Some cleaning products tested to date have had difficulty meeting the criterion for sandwich...DOD agencies will be able to better preserve readiness, save money and avoid bad decisions by knowing which alternative cleaning products meet its
Army Hearing Program Talking Points Calendar Year 2015

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-14

outside the range of normal hearing sensitivity (greater than 25 dB), CY15 data.  Data: DOEHRS-HC Data Repository , Soldiers who had a DD2215 or...1.  Data: Defense Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System-Hearing Conservation (DOEHRS-HC) Data Repository , CY15—Army Profile...Soldiers have a hearing loss that required a fit-for-duty (Readiness) evaluation:  An H-3 Hearing Profile.  Data: DOEHRS-HC Data Repository
Evaluation readiness: improved evaluation planning using a data inventory framework.

PubMed

Cohen, A B; Hall, K C; Cohodes, D R

1985-01-01

Factors intrinsic to many programs, such as ambiguously stated objectives, inadequately defined performance measures, and incomplete or unreliable databases, often conspire to limit the evaluability of these programs. Current evaluation planning approaches are somewhat constrained in their ability to overcome these obstacles and to achieve full preparedness for evaluation. In this paper, the concept of evaluation readiness is introduced as a complement to other evaluation planning approaches, most notably that of evaluability assessment. The basic products of evaluation readiness--the formal program definition and the data inventory framework--are described, along with a guide for assuring more timely and appropriate evaluation response capability to support the decision making needs of program managers. The utility of evaluation readiness for program planning, as well as for effective management, is also discussed.
Steps for Action : getting intelligent transportation systems ready for the year 2000

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-09-01

Hazardous Materials Incident Response Cross-Cutting report summarizes and interprets the results of three Field Operational Tests (FOTs) that are evaluating systems for improving the accuracy and availability of HazMat information provided to emergen...
Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Migliore, Donna E.

2006-01-01

"Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators" presents a set of baseline measurements that gauge how well a statewide system of school readiness supports is addressing issues that affect Arizona children's readiness for school. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measure the system, rather…
Institutionalizing the evaluation of health programs and policies in France: "cuisine internationale" over fast food and "sur mesure" over ready-made.

PubMed

Hartz, Z M

1999-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe several chronological milestones in institutionalizing the evaluation of public programs and policies in France from a governmental perspective and in the health sector, situating such references in the international context. The institutional nature of evaluation implies integrating it into an action-oriented model, linking analytical activities to management, thus constituting the formulation of an evaluation policy for policy evaluation. The study focuses on issues related to the structure, practice, and utilization of evaluation results as well as other characteristics providing the French model with a certain resistance to traditional "fast-food" or "ready-made" methodological approaches. The institutionalization of sectorial evaluation appears more promising than that of the government's centralized channel, despite the work developed by a Scientific Evaluation Council, and suggests avenues for reflection and debate pertaining to the Brazilian Unified Health System.
ETV REPORT: EVALUATION OF HYDROMETRICS, INC., HIGH EFFICIENCY REVERSE OSMOSIS (HERO™) INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

Hydrometrics, founded in 1979 and located in Helena, MT, manufactures a commercial-ready High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (HERO™) industrial wastewater treatment system. The system uses a three-stage reverse osmosis process to remove and concentrate metals for recovery while prod...
Revalidation of the NASA Ames 11-by 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel with a Commercial Airplane Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kmak, Frank J.; Hudgins, M.; Hergert, D.; George, Michael W. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The 11-By 11-Foot Transonic leg of the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) was modernized to improve tunnel performance, capability, productivity, and reliability. Wind tunnel tests to demonstrate the readiness of the tunnel for a return to production operations included an Integrated Systems Test (IST), calibration tests, and airplane validation tests. One of the two validation tests was a 0.037-scale Boeing 777 model that was previously tested in the 11-By 11-Foot tunnel in 1991. The objective of the validation tests was to compare pre-modernization and post-modernization results from the same airplane model in order to substantiate the operational readiness of the facility. Evaluation of within-test, test-to-test, and tunnel-to-tunnel data repeatability were made to study the effects of the tunnel modifications. Tunnel productivity was also evaluated to determine the readiness of the facility for production operations. The operation of the facility, including model installation, tunnel operations, and the performance of tunnel systems, was observed and facility deficiency findings generated. The data repeatability studies and tunnel-to-tunnel comparisons demonstrated outstanding data repeatability and a high overall level of data quality. Despite some operational and facility problems, the validation test was successful in demonstrating the readiness of the facility to perform production airplane wind tunnel%, tests.
A Review of Methods and Instruments Used in State and Local School Readiness Evaluations. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Glyn; Scott-Little, Catherine; Amwake, Lynn; Wynn, Lucy

2007-01-01

The report provides detailed information about the methods and instruments used to evaluate school readiness initiatives, discusses important considerations in selecting instruments, and provides resources and recommendations that may be helpful to those who are designing and implementing school readiness evaluations. Study results indicate that…
Using EPAS[TM] to Evaluate School-Based Intervention Programs: GEAR UP. Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ACT, Inc., 2007

2007-01-01

This brief examines how the ACT's EPAS[TM] (Educational Planning and Assessment System) can be used to evaluate school-based intervention programs. Specific evaluation considered is that of the federal government's Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), an initiative designed to increase the college awareness…
ETV REPORT & STATEMENT: EVALUATION OF THE KCH SERVICES, INC. AUTOMATED COVERED TANK SYSTEM FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION

EPA Science Inventory

KCH Services, Inc. manufacturers a commercial-ready energy conserving automatic covered tank system for use in the metal finishing industry. The ACTSEC technology is a system designed to provide an efficient removal of air contaminants from the workplace at a reasonable cost and ...
Evaluation of Teachers and Leaders. State Implementation of College- and Career-Readiness Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Kimberly; Mira, Mary Elizabeth

2015-01-01

By 2012, all of the states in this study had started implementing new or revised teacher and leader evaluation systems. The systems include many and varying updates. In some cases, the updates were designed to meet conditions for a state's "Race to the Top" grant. In others, the updates were made to meet conditions for a state's waiver…
Survey of the Child Neurology Program Coordinator Association: Workforce Issues and Readiness for the Next Accreditation System.

PubMed

Feist, Terri B; Campbell, Julia L; LaBare, Julie A; Gilbert, Donald L

2016-03-01

In preparation for the implementation of the Next Accreditation System in Child Neurology, the authors organized the first meeting of child neurology program coordinators in October 2014. A workforce and program-readiness survey was conducted initially. Coordinator job titles varied widely. Most respondents (65%) managed 1 or more fellowships plus child neurology residency. Most had worked in graduate medical education less than 5 years (53%), with no career path (88%), supervised by someone without graduate medical education experience (85%), in divisions where faculty knowledge was judged inadequate (72%). A small proportion of programs had established clinical competency committee policies (28%) and was ready to implement milestone-based evaluations (56%). A post-conference survey demonstrated substantial improvements in relevant skills. The complexity of residency program management in the Next Accreditation System era supports substantive modifications to the program coordinator role. Such changes should include defined career pathway, managerial classification, administrative support, and continuing education. © The Author(s) 2015.

Building Capacity for Trauma-Informed Care in the Child Welfare System: Initial Results of a Statewide Implementation.

PubMed

Lang, Jason M; Campbell, Kimberly; Shanley, Paul; Crusto, Cindy A; Connell, Christian M

2016-05-01

Exposure to childhood trauma is a major public health concern and is especially prevalent among children in the child welfare system (CWS). State and tribal CWSs are increasingly focusing efforts on identifying and serving children exposed to trauma through the creation of trauma-informed systems. This evaluation of a statewide initiative in Connecticut describes the strategies used to create a trauma-informed CWS, including workforce development, trauma screening, policy change, and improved access to evidence-based trauma-focused treatments during the initial 2-year implementation period. Changes in system readiness and capacity to deliver trauma-informed care were evaluated using stratified random samples of child welfare staff who completed a comprehensive assessment prior to (N = 223) and 2 years following implementation (N = 231). Results indicated significant improvements in trauma-informed knowledge, practice, and collaboration across nearly all child welfare domains assessed, suggesting system-wide improvements in readiness and capacity to provide trauma-informed care. Variability across domains was observed, and frontline staff reported greater improvements than supervisors/managers in some domains. Lessons learned and recommendations for implementation and evaluation of trauma-informed care in child welfare and other child-serving systems are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.
Operational Readiness Review Final Report for K Basin Fuel Transfer System

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

DAVIES, T.H.

2002-10-01

An Operational Readiness Review (ORR) was conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operations Office (RL) to verify that an adequate state of readiness had been achieved for startup of the K Basin Fuel Transfer System (FTS). The DOE ORR was conducted during the period November 6-18, 2002. The DOE ORR team concluded that the K Basin Fuel Transfer System is ready to start operations, subject to completion and verification of identified pre-start findings. The ORR was conducted in accordance with the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) K Basin Fuel Transfer System (FTS) Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Plan ofmore » Action and the Operational Readiness Review Implementation Plan for K Basin Fuel Transfer System. Review activities consisted of staff interviews, procedure and document reviews, and observations of normal facility operations, operational upset conditions, and an emergency drill. The DOE ORR Team also reviewed and assessed the adequacy of the contractor ORR3 and the RL line management review. The team concurred with the findings and observations identified in these two reports. The DOE ORR for the FTS evaluated the contractor under single-shift operations. Of concern to the ORR Team was that SNF Project management intended to change from a single-shift FTS operation to a two-shift operation shortly after the completion of the DOE ORR. The ORR team did not assess two-shift FTS operations and the ability of the contractor to conduct a smooth transition from shift to shift. However, the DOE ORR team did observe an operational upset drill that was conducted during day shift and carried over into swing shift; during this drill, swing shift was staffed with fewer personnel as would be expected for two-shift operations. The facility was able to adequately respond to the event with the reduced level of staff. The ORR Team was also able to observe a Shift Manager turnover meeting when one shift manager had to be relieved during the middle of the day. The ORR Team did not have the opportunity to observe a shift turnover from one crew to another. The ORR Team has evaluated the risk of not observing this activity and considers the risk to be minimal based on the fact that operating staff are very familiar with the FTS equipment and its procedures, and because existing Conduct of Operations processes and procedures are adequate and implemented. Because the ORR Team has not observed two-shift FTS operations, we recommend that additional RL oversight be provided at the start of two-shift FTS operations to evaluate the adequacy of crew turnovers.« less
EPAS: A System that Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ACT, Inc., 2006

2006-01-01

ACT's Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS[R]) is designed to guide and support schools, districts, and states in their efforts to improve students' readiness for life after high school. EPAS provides a longitudinal approach to educational and career planning, assessment, instructional support, and evaluation. EPAS components are…
ETV COLLABORATIVE EVALUATIONS OF MARKET-READY TECHNOLOGIES FOR ARSENIC REMOVAL IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

How well do some commercially marketed package treatment systems perform to reduce arsenic from drinking water supplies? The Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Drinking Water Systems (DWS) Center is a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA...
NIITEK-NVESD AMDS program and interim field-ready system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hibbard, Mark W.; Etebari, Ali

2010-04-01

NIITEK (Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology, Inc) develops and fields vehicle-mounted mine and buried threat detection systems. Since 2003, the NIITEK has developed and tested a remote robot-mounted mine detection system for use in the NVESD AMDS program. This paper will discuss the road map of development since the outset of the program, including transition from a data collection platform towards a militarized field-ready system for immediate use as a remote countermine and buried threat detection solution with real-time autonomous threat classification. The detection system payload has been integrated on both the iRobot Packbot and the Foster-Miller Talon robot. This brief will discuss the requirements for a successful near-term system, the progressive development of the system, our current real-time capabilities, and our planned upgrades for moving into and supporting field testing, evaluation, and ongoing operation.
Defining community readiness for the implementation of a system of care.

PubMed

Behar, Lenore B; Hydaker, William M

2009-11-01

Developing systems of care for children with emotional disorders requires changes in the organization and delivery of services. Using concept mapping, the authors conducted a study to define factors of a community's readiness to make such changes. Participants were from 25 of 27 federally-funded, advanced sites, plus a panel of experts. The participants completed three tasks: brainstorming, rating, and sorting. This process produced eight factors: Leadership, Network of Local Partners, Shared Goals, Collaboration, Families and Youth as Partners, Accountability, Evaluation, and Plans to Expand Services. Understanding factors that contribute to successful implementation should help communities identify and make needed changes.
TBI Assessment of Readiness Using a Gait Evaluation Test (TARGET): Development of a Portable mTBI Screening Device

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0094 TITLE: TBI Assessment of Readiness Using a Gait Evaluation Test (TARGET): Development of a Portable mTBI Screening...Annual 3. DATES COVERED 1 May 2016 - 30 Apr 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER “TBI Assessment of Readiness Using a Gait Evaluation ...service members sustaining some form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) over the past 14 years, the lack of an objective measurement tool for evaluation
EG&G Florida, Inc., KSC base operations contractor Launch Readiness Assessment System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geaslen, W. D.

1988-01-01

A computerized Launch Readiness Assessment System (LRAS) which compares 'current status' of readiness against the 'required status' of readiness for the Space Shuttle. The five subsystems of the LRAS are examined in detail. The LRAS Plan specifies the overall system requirements, procedures, and reports. The LRAS Manager drives the operation of the LRAS system. The Responding Units (RU) maintain support plans and procedures which specify the detail requirements for each mission or milestone. The Master Data Tables contain the milestone, responsible RU relationships, and requirements assessment categories. The LRAS Status System serves as the launch readiness assessment reporting system. The relationships between these subsystems are displayed in diagrams.
Ready Set. . .Authoring Systems to Get You Started on Interactive Video Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Dent M.; Azbell, Janet White

1986-01-01

Evaluates four authoring systems used to develop computer aided interactive video: The Instructor, InfoWriter, IDeAS, and ProCAL2. The information provided includes hardware requirements, compatibility with videotape and/or videodisc, instructional options available, user data-management capabilities, procedures for logging tapes, and access for…
Evaluations of School Readiness Initiatives: What Are We Learning? SERVE's Expanded Learning Opportunities National Leadership Area Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Elizabeth G.; Scott-Little, Catherine

Encouraged by evidence linking quality early care/education programs and improved student outcomes, a variety of school readiness programs and initiatives have been created. This report reviews and synthesizes evaluation studies conducted on early childhood interventions, focusing on programs emphasizing a school readiness goal. The report…
DOD Financial Management: Improvements Needed in the Navys Audit Readiness Efforts for Fund Balance with Treasury

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

prioritization of key information technology limits management’s ability to focus audit readiness efforts on the systems with the highest risk...corrective actions for the higher-risk systems first. For an audit readiness plan for key information technology systems, the Navy provided a schedule...prioritization of key information technology systems used in the FBWT process limits management’s ability to focus audit readiness efforts on the most
Part II: preparing and assessing first-year radiology resident on-call readiness technical implementation.

PubMed

Yam, Chun-Shan; Kruskal, Jonathan; Pedrosa, Ivan; Kressel, Herbert

2006-06-01

The effectiveness of using a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)-based interactive examination system in evaluating the readiness of first year radiology residents before taking overnight call in the emergency department (ED) was reported in part I of this article. This report describes technical aspects for the design and implementation of this system. The examination system consists of two modules: Data Collection and Image Viewing. The Data Collection module was a personal computer (PC)-based DICOM storage server based on a free public domain software package, the Mallinckrodt Central Test Node. The Image Viewing module was a Java-based DICOM viewer created using another freeware package: zDicom ActiveX component. The examination takes place once a year at the end of the first 6-month rotation. Cases selected for the examination were actual clinical cases according to the American Society of Emergency Radiology core curriculum. In the 3-hour timed examination, each resident was required to read the cases and provide clinical findings and recommendations. Upper-level residents also participated in the examination to serve as a control. Answers were scored by two staff radiologists. We have been using this examination system successfully in our institution since 2003 to evaluate the readiness of the first-year residents before they take overnight call in the ED. This report describes a step-by-step procedure for implementing this system into a PC-based platform. This DICOM viewing software is available as freeware to other academic radiology institutions. The total cost for implementing this system is approximately 2000 US dollars.
Professional Learning Drives Common Core and Educator Evaluation, Knowledge Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen; Hirsh, Stephanie

2014-01-01

The ultimate key to successful integration and implementation of college- and career-ready standards and educator evaluation systems is the quality of the professional learning that educators engage in every day. Effective professional learning at the school level occurs among a team of teachers learning in a cycle of continuous improvement.…
The Avahan Transition: Effects of Transition Readiness on Program Institutionalization and Sustained Outcomes

PubMed Central

Singh, Suneeta; Singh, Kriti; Chhabra, Vibha; Bennett, Sara

2016-01-01

Background With declines in development assistance for health and growing interest in country ownership, donors are increasingly faced with the task of transitioning health programs to local actors towards a path to sustainability. Yet there is little available guidance on how to measure and evaluate the success of a transition and its subsequent effects. This study assesses the transition of the Avahan HIV/AIDS prevention program in India to investigate how preparations for transition affected continuation of program activities post-transition. Methods Two rounds of two surveys were conducted and supplemented by data from government and Avahan Computerized Management Information Systems (CMIS). Exploratory factor analysis was used to develop two measures: 1) transition readiness pre-transition, and 2) institutionalization (i.e. integration of initial program systems into organizational procedures and behaviors) post-transition. A fixed effects model was built to examine changes in key program delivery outcomes over time. An ordinary least square regression was used to assess the relationship between transition readiness and sustainability of service outcomes both directly, and indirectly through institutionalization. Results Transition readiness data revealed 3 factors (capacity, alignment and communication), on a 15-item scale with adequate internal consistency (alpha 0.73). Institutionalization was modeled as a unidimensional construct, and a 12-item scale demonstrated moderate internal consistency (alpha 0.60). Coverage of key populations and condom distribution were sustained compared to pre-transition levels (p<0.01). Transition readiness, but not institutionalization, predicted sustained outcomes post-transition. Transition readiness did not necessarily lead to institutionalization of key program elements one year after transition. Conclusion Greater preparedness prior to transition is important to achieve better service delivery outcomes post-transition. This paper illustrates a methodology to measure transition readiness pre-transition to identify less ready organizations or program components in advance, improving the likelihood of service sustainability. Further research is needed around the conceptualization and development of measures of institutionalization and its effects on long-term program sustainability. PMID:27434542
Weed management and cotton yield under two row spacings, conventional and conservation tillage systems utilizing conventional, glufosinate-, and glyphosate-based weed management systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field experiment was conducted in 2005 and 2006, to evaluate weed control in conventional, Liberty Link® (LL), and Roundup Ready® (RR) herbicide systems under standard [102 cm (40 inch)] and narrow [38 cm (15 inch)] row-spacings utilizing conventional and high-residue conservation tillage systems....
Please Ask Gently: Using Culturally Targeted Communication Strategies to Initiate End-of-Life Care Discussions With Older Chinese Americans.

PubMed

Chi, Han-Lin; Cataldo, Janine; Ho, Evelyn Y; Rehm, Roberta S

2018-01-01

Health-care providers (HCPs) find facilitating end-of-life (EOL) care discussions challenging, especially with patients whose ethnicities differ from their own. Currently, there is little guidance on how to initiate and facilitate such discussions with older Chinese Americans (≥55 years) and their families. To explore communication strategies for HCPs to initiate EOL care discussions with older Chinese Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area. This qualitative (focused) ethnographic study included field observations and individual semistructured interviews with 14 community-dwelling older Chinese Americans who lived independently at home, 9 adult children, and 7 HCPs. Responses were analyzed using open coding, memos, and comparison across participants. The study participants emphasized the importance of assessing readiness for early EOL care discussions. All recommended using indirect communication approaches to determine older Chinese Americans' readiness. Indirect communication can be culturally targeted and applied at both system-wide (ie, health-care system) and individual (ie, HCP) levels. To institutionalize the practice, health-care facilities should implement EOL care discussion inquiries as part of routine during check-in or intake questionnaires. In individual practice, using depersonalized communication strategies to initiate the discussion was recommended to determine older Chinese Americans' readiness. Assessing readiness should be an essential and necessary action for early EOL care discussions. Culturally targeted assessment of older Chinese Americans includes using indirect communication approaches to initiate an EOL care discussion to determine their readiness. In addition to health-care system integration, providers should implement and evaluate proposed EOL discussion initiation prompts with their older Chinese American patients.
Comparison Studies of Reading Readiness Skills Acquisition by Different Methods: Formal Reading Readiness Program, Informal Reading Readiness Program, and a Kindergarten Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quorn, Kerry Charles; Yore, Larry Dean

1978-01-01

Evaluates the effectiveness of two dissimilar programs, SAPA and the First Talking Alphabet (FTA), upon the acquisition of reading readiness skills of kindergarten pupils. Compares the effects of four different programs (SAPA, FTA, an informal language development program, and a control) on the reading readiness of kindergarten pupils. (GA)
A pilot study evaluating the effects of a youth advocacy program on youth readiness to advocate for environment and policy changes for obesity prevention.

PubMed

Millstein, Rachel A; Woodruff, Susan I; Linton, Leslie S; Edwards, Christine C; Sallis, James F

2016-12-01

Youth advocacy for obesity prevention is a promising but under-evaluated intervention. The aims of this study are to evaluate a youth advocacy program's outcomes related to youth perceptions and behaviors, develop an index of youth advocacy readiness, and assess potential predictors of advocacy readiness. Youth ages 9-22 in an advocacy training program (n = 92 matched pairs) completed surveys before and after training. Youth outcomes and potential predictors of advocacy readiness were assessed with evaluated scales. All 20 groups who completed the evaluation study presented their advocacy projects to a decision maker. Two of six perception subscales increased following participation in the advocacy program: self-efficacy for advocacy behaviors (p < .001) and participation in advocacy (p < .01). Four of five knowledge and skills subscales increased: assertiveness (p < .01), health advocacy history (p < .001), knowledge of resources (p < .01), and social support for health behaviors (p < .001). Youth increased days of meeting physical activity recommendations (p < .05). In a mixed regression model, four subscales were associated with the advocacy readiness index: optimism for change (B = 1.46, 95 % CI = .49-2.44), sports and physical activity enjoyment (B = .55, 95 % CI = .05-1.05), roles and participation (B = 1.81, 95 % CI = .60-3.02), and advocacy activities (B = 1.49, 95 % CI = .64-2.32). The youth advocacy readiness index is a novel way to determine the effects of multiple correlates of advocacy readiness. Childhood obesity-related advocacy training appeared to improve youths' readiness for advocacy and physical activity.
New Developments in the Technology Readiness Assessment Process in US DOE-EM - 13247

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

Krahn, Steven; Sutter, Herbert; Johnson, Hoyt

2013-07-01

A Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) is a systematic, metric-based process and accompanying report that evaluates the maturity of the technologies used in systems; it is designed to measure technology maturity using the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1980's. More recently, DoD has adopted and provided systematic guidance for performing TRAs and determining TRLs. In 2007 the GAO recommended that the DOE adopt the NASA/DoD methodology for evaluating technology maturity. Earlier, in 2006-2007, DOE-EM had conducted pilot TRAs on a number of projects at Hanford and Savannah River. In Marchmore » 2008, DOE-EM issued a process guide, which established TRAs as an integral part of DOE-EM's Project Management Critical Decision Process. Since the development of its detailed TRA guidance in 2008, DOE-EM has continued to accumulate experience in the conduct of TRAs and the process for evaluating technology maturity. DOE has developed guidance on TRAs applicable department-wide. DOE-EM's experience with the TRA process, the evaluations that led to recently developed proposed revisions to the DOE-EM TRA/TMP Guide; the content of the proposed changes that incorporate the above lessons learned and insights are described. (authors)« less
Can Quality Improvement System Improve Childcare Site Performance in School Readiness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Xin; Shen, Jianping; Lu, Xuejin; Brandi, Karen; Goodman, Jeff; Watson, Grace

2013-01-01

The authors evaluated the effectiveness of the Quality Improvement System (QIS) developed and implemented by Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County (Florida) as a voluntary initiative to improve the quality of childcare and education. They adopted a growth model approach to investigate whether childcare sites that participated in QIS…

Core to College Evaluation: Statewide Networks. Connecting Education Systems and Stakeholders to Support College Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracco, Kathy Reeves; Klarin, Becca; Broek, Marie; Austin, Kim; Finkelstein, Neal; Bugler, Daniel; Mundry, Susan

2014-01-01

The Core to College initiative aims to facilitate greater coordination between K-12 and postsecondary education systems around implementation of the Common Core State Standards and aligned assessments. Core to College grants have been awarded to teams in Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon,…
Characterization of environmental cues for initiation of reproductive cycling and spawning in shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus in the Lower Missouri River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Papoulias, D.M.; DeLonay, A.J.; Annis, M.L.; Wildhaber, M.L.; Tillitt, D.E.

2011-01-01

We presume that the shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) has evolved to spawn in the springtime when environmental conditions are at some optimum, but this state has not yet been defined. In this study physiological readiness to spawn in shovelnose sturgeon was examined to define more closely when spawning could occur and thus identify and evaluate prevailing environmental conditions that could cue spawning during that period. Reproductive assessments of Lower Missouri River shovelnose during 4 years (2005-2008) and at two locations (Gavins Point Dam, South Dakota and Boonville, Missouri) were used to identify shovelnose sturgeon spawning periods. Initiation of the spawning period, as defined by the presence of reproductively ready fish, was a highly predictable yearly event and extended over several weeks at each reach. The spawning period occurred earlier in the lower reach than in the upper reach and environmental conditions during the periods varied between locations and among years. Shovelnose sturgeon collected during the presumed spawning periods were at varying degrees of readiness to spawn as indicated by oocyte polarization index and blood reproductive hormones. Evaluation of the influence of environmental factors on readiness to spawn using stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated photoperiod followed by temperature were the best candidate variables overall to explain the trend. However, within geographically distinct populations gravid females are not all reproductively synchronized. Assuming that this apparent asynchrony in readiness is normal and not an artifact of the disturbed Missouri River system, we infer that individual sturgeon can persist in a reproductively ready state until conditions appropriate for spawning occur. Taken together, our results lead us to hypothesize that gravid females early in the reproductive cycle (post-vitellogenesis) respond to day length, a reliable annual cue, become increasingly more ready to spawn in response to temperature, and that another set of cues, short-term and specific for localized environmental conditions or events, serve to signal ovulation and release of gametes.
Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelland, Shawn A.; Capps, Richard; Day, Kevin Brian; Kistler, Matthew Stephen; Gaither, Frank; Juro, Greg

2013-01-01

After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows that may be subject to constraints that create localized demand/capacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity, Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) and Frontline Managers (FLMs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool, based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release time is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that improves tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions and departure runway assignments to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept reduces uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs and FLMs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station in Dallas/Fort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations. This paper presents research results from the PDRC research activity. Companion papers present the Concept of Operations and a Technology Description.
Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Technology Description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelland, Shawn A.; Capps, Richard; Day, Kevin; Robinson, Corissia; Null, Jody R.

2013-01-01

After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows which may be subject to constraints that create localized demand-capacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity, Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves use of a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center TMC to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that uses this technology to improve tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept helps reduce uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station (NTX) in Dallas-Fort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations. This paper presents the Technology Description. Companion papers include the Final Report and a Concept of Operations.
Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC): NASA to FAA Research Transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelland, Shawn; Davis, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows which may be subject to constraints that create localized demand-capacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity, Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) and Frontline Managers (FLMs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves use of a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release time is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that improves tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions and departure runway assignments to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept reduces uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs and FLMs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station in Dallas-Fort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations.
Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Concept of Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelland, Shawn; Capps, Richard A.; Day, Kevin Brian

2013-01-01

After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows which may be subject to constraints that create localized demandcapacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves use of a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center TMC to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that uses this technology to improve tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept helps reduce uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station (NTX) in DallasFort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations. This paper presents the Concept of Operations. Companion papers include the Final Report and a Technology Description. ? SUBJECT:
e-Health readiness assessment factors and measuring tools: A systematic review.

PubMed

Yusif, Salifu; Hafeez-Baig, Abdul; Soar, Jeffrey

2017-11-01

The evolving, adoption and high failure nature of health information technology (HIT)/IS/T systems requires effective readiness assessment to avert increasing failures while increasing system benefits. However, literature on HIT readiness assessment is myriad and fragmented. This review bares the contours of the available literature concluding in a set of manageable and usable recommendations for policymakers, researchers, individuals and organizations intending to assess readiness for any HIT implementation. Identify studies, analyze readiness factors and offer recommendations. Published articles 1995-2016 were searched using Medline/PubMed, Cinahl, Web of Science, PsychInfo, ProQuest. Studies were included if they were assessing IS/T/mHealth readiness in the context of HIT. Articles not written in English were excluded. Themes that emerged in the process of the data synthesis were thematically analysed and interpreted. Analyzed themes were found across 63 articles. In accordance with their prevalence of use, they included but not limited to "Technological readiness", 30 (46%); "Core/Need/Motivational readiness", 23 (37%); "Acceptance and use readiness", 19 (29%); "Organizational readiness", 20 (21%); "IT skills/Training/Learning readiness" (18%), "Engagement readiness", 16 (24%) and "Societal readiness" (14%). Despite their prevalence in use, "Technological readiness", "Motivational readiness" and "Engagement readiness" all had myriad and unreliable measuring tools. Core readiness had relatively reliable measuring tools, which repeatedly been used in various readiness assessment studies CONCLUSION: Thus, there is the need for reliable measuring tools for even the most commonly used readiness assessment factors/constructs: Core readiness, Engagement and buy-ins readiness, Technological readiness and IT Skills readiness as this could serve as an immediate step in conducting effective/reliable e-Health readiness assessment, which could lead to reduced HIT implementation failures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Power of the Frame: Systems Transformation Framework for Health Care Leaders.

PubMed

Scott, Kathy A; Pringle, Janice

Health care leaders are responsible for oversight of multiple and competing change interventions. These interventions regularly fail to achieve the desired outcomes and/or sustainable results. This often occurs because of the mental models and approaches that are used to plan, design, implement, and evaluate the system. These do not account for inherent characteristics that determine the system's likely ability to innovate while maintaining operational effectiveness. Theories exist on how to assess a system's readiness to change, but the definitions, constructs, and assessments are diverse and often look at facets of systems in isolation. The Systems Transformation Framework prescriptively defines and characterizes system domains on the basis of complex adaptive systems theory so that domains can be assessed in tandem. As a result, strengths and challenges to implementation are recognized before implementation begins. The Systems Transformation Framework defines 8 major domains: vision, leadership, organizational culture, organizational behavior, organizational structure, performance measurements, internal learning, and external learning. Each domain has principles that are critical for creating the conditions that lead to successful organizational adaptation and change. The Systems Transformation Framework can serve as a guide for health care leaders at all levels of the organization to (1) create environments that are change ready and (2) plan, design, implement, and evaluate change within complex adaptive systems.
Measures of readiness for cognitive behavioural therapy in people with intellectual disability: A systematic review.

PubMed

Stott, Joshua; Charlesworth, Georgina; Scior, Katrina

2017-01-01

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a promising treatment for mental health problems in people with intellectual disabilities but some may not be suited or ready. This review critically evaluates the quality and utility of measures of CBT readiness in people with intellectual disabilities. Twelve studies of six measures based on three aspects of CBT readiness were identified through systematic review. Across measures, measurement quality was largely poor or un-assessed. Only one study evaluated measurement change over the course of CBT. Not all participants with intellectual disabilities could 'pass' readiness measures and performance may be affected by levels of language and cognitive functioning. There was some evidence that CBT readiness is trainable with brief interventions. Before using readiness measures in a clinical context, further work is needed to extend initial evidence on recognising cognitive mediation as a CBT readiness ability. Given the lack of consensus as to the definition of CBT readiness and the heterogeneity of CBT interventions, future research could also focus on developing readiness measures using a bottom up approach, developing measures within the context of CBT interventions themselves, before further refining and establishing their psychometric properties. This paper is the first to systematically review measures of skills thought necessary to be ready for cognitive behavioural therapy in intellectual disabilities. The findings suggest that while readiness skills may be trainable with brief interventions, the available measures of these skills have not been fully evaluated for quality. Levels of functioning on these measures have yet to be established relative to those without intellectual disabilities and critically, there is very little evidence as to whether these skills are important in cognitive behavioural therapy process and outcome. We suggest that future research could focus on those constructs where there is preliminary evidence for utility such as recognising cognitive mediation and also on developing the concept of readiness perhaps by developing measures within the context of specific CBT interventions. Until this is done, clinicians should exercise caution in using these measures to assess readiness for cognitive behavioural therapy in people with intellectual disabilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
On becoming ready to pursue a goal you don't know you have: Effects of nonconscious goals on evaluative readiness

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Melissa J.

2010-01-01

Findings showed that the nonconscious activation of a goal in memory led to increased positive implicit attitudes toward stimuli that could facilitate the goal. This evaluative readiness to pursue the nonconscious goal emerged even when participants were consciously unaware of the goal-relevant stimuli themselves. The effect emerged the most strongly for those with some skill at the goal, and for those for whom the goal was most currently important. The effect of implicit goal activation on implicit attitudes emerged in both an immediate condition as well as a delay condition, suggesting that a goal rather than a non-motivational construct was activated. Participants' implicit attitudes toward a nonconscious goal also predicted their goal-relevant behavior. These findings suggest that people can become evaluatively ready to pursue a goal whenever it has been activated -- a readiness that apparently does not require conscious awareness or deliberation about either the goal or the goal-relevant stimuli. Theoretical implications of this type of implicit goal readiness are discussed. PMID:19025283
75 FR 13091 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-18

... automated, near real-time readiness reporting system that provides resource standards and current readiness... the Department of Defense to establish a capabilities-based, adaptive, near real-time readiness... capability to assess plans using real unit data. Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including...
The relationship between assessment methods and self-directed learning readiness in medical education.

PubMed

Monroe, Katherine S

2016-03-11

This research explored the assessment of self-directed learning readiness within the comprehensive evaluation of medical students' knowledge and skills and the extent to which several variables predicted participants' self-directed learning readiness prior to their graduation. Five metrics for evaluating medical students were considered in a multiple regression analysis. Fourth-year medical students at a competitive US medical school received an informed consent and an online survey. Participants voluntarily completed a self-directed learning readiness scale that assessed four subsets of self-directed learning readiness and consented to the release of their academic records. The assortment of metrics considered in this study only vaguely captured students' self-directedness. The strongest predictors were faculty evaluations of students' performance on clerkship rotations. Specific clerkship grades were mildly predictive of three subscales. The Pediatrics clerkship modestly predicted critical self-evaluation (r=-.30, p=.01) and the Psychiatry clerkship mildly predicted learning self-efficacy (r =-.30, p=.01), while the Junior Surgery clerkship nominally correlated with participants' effective organization for learning (r=.21, p=.05). Other metrics examined did not contribute to predicting participants' readiness for self-directed learning. Given individual differences among participants for the variables considered, no combination of students' grades and/or test scores overwhelmingly predicted their aptitude for self-directed learning. Considering the importance of fostering medical students' self-directed learning skills, schools need a reliable and pragmatic approach to measure them. This data analysis, however, offered no clear-cut way of documenting students' self-directed learning readiness based on the evaluation metrics included.
Readiness to adopt a performance measurement system for substance abuse treatment: Findings from the Service Quality Measures initiative.

PubMed

Myers, B; Petersen Williams, P; Johnson, K; Govender, R; Manderscheid, R; Koch, J R

2017-01-30

A performance measurement system - the Service Quality Measures (SQM) initiative - has been developed to monitor the quality of South Africa (SA)'s substance abuse treatment services. Identifying factors associated with readiness to adopt this system may inform strategies to facilitate its robust implementation. To examine factors associated with readiness to adopt a performance measurement system among SA substance abuse treatment providers. We surveyed 81 treatment providers from 13 treatment sites in the Western Cape, SA. The survey examined awareness, resources, organisational climate, leadership support and readiness to adopt the SQM system. Regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with readiness to adopt this system. Readiness to adopt the SQM initiative was high (M=5.64, standard deviation 1.63). In bivariate analyses, caseload size (F=3.73 (degrees of freedom (df)=3.70), p=0.015), awareness (r=0.78, p<0.0001), leadership support (r=0.70, p<0.0001), resources (r=0.65, p<0.0001), openness to change (r=0.372, p=0.001), and external pressure to change were associated with readiness to adopt the SQM. In multivariate analyses, only awareness of the SQM initiative (B=0.34, standard error (SE) 0.08, t=4.4, p<0.0001) and leadership support (B=0.45, SE 0.11, t=4.0, p<0.0001) were significantly associated with readiness to adopt this system. While treatment providers report high levels of readiness to adopt the SQM system, findings show that the likelihood of adoption can be further increased through improved provider awareness and enhanced leadership support for this health innovation.
Does leadership effectiveness correlates with leadership styles in healthcare executives of Iran University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Ebadifard Azar, Farbod; Sarabi Asiabar, Ali

2015-01-01

Background: Effective leadership is essential to passing through obstacles facing the health field.The current health care system in Iran has major problems and gaps in the field of effective leadership. The aim of this study was to evaluate hospital managers’ leadership style through selfassessment and to determine the correlation between leadership styles with healthcare executives’ leadership readiness and leadership effectiveness. Methods: In this cross-sectional study a self-administered questionnaire completed by all internal healthcare executives of all teaching and non-teaching hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. Questionnaire was composed to determine demographic information, leadership style questions, leadership effectiveness and leadership readiness. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. Results: According to the findings, the dominant style of healthcare executives was transformational leadership style (with a score of 4.34). The leadership effectiveness was estimated at about 4.36 that shows the appropriate level of leadership effectiveness. There was a significant correlation (correlation coefficient of 0.244) between leadership readiness and transformational leadership style (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant correlation between leadership effectiveness with transformational (0.051) and transactional (0.216) styles. Conclusion: There was a correlation between leadership readiness and leadership effectiveness with leadership styles. Application of this research will be crucial to universities and healthcare executives. This study suggests that strengthening the scientific basis is essential for leadership readiness and leadership effectiveness in healthcare system. PMID:26000260
Does leadership effectiveness correlates with leadership styles in healthcare executives of Iran University of Medical Sciences.

PubMed

Ebadifard Azar, Farbod; Sarabi Asiabar, Ali

2015-01-01

Effective leadership is essential to passing through obstacles facing the health field.The current health care system in Iran has major problems and gaps in the field of effective leadership. The aim of this study was to evaluate hospital managers' leadership style through selfassessment and to determine the correlation between leadership styles with healthcare executives' leadership readiness and leadership effectiveness. In this cross-sectional study a self-administered questionnaire completed by all internal healthcare executives of all teaching and non-teaching hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. Questionnaire was composed to determine demographic information, leadership style questions, leadership effectiveness and leadership readiness. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. According to the findings, the dominant style of healthcare executives was transformational leadership style (with a score of 4.34). The leadership effectiveness was estimated at about 4.36 that shows the appropriate level of leadership effectiveness. There was a significant correlation (correlation coefficient of 0.244) between leadership readiness and transformational leadership style (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant correlation between leadership effectiveness with transformational (0.051) and transactional (0.216) styles. There was a correlation between leadership readiness and leadership effectiveness with leadership styles. Application of this research will be crucial to universities and healthcare executives. This study suggests that strengthening the scientific basis is essential for leadership readiness and leadership effectiveness in healthcare system.
Longitudinal Evaluation of Quality Improvement and Public Health Accreditation Readiness in Nebraska Local Health Departments, 2011-2016.

PubMed

Chen, Li-Wu; Gregg, Abbey; Palm, David

Public health accreditation is intended to improve the performance of public health departments, and quality improvement (QI) is an important component of the Public Health Accreditation Board process. The objective of this study was to evaluate the QI maturity and accreditation readiness of local health departments (LHDs) in Nebraska during a 6-year period that included several statewide initiatives to progress readiness, including funding and technical assistance. We used a mixed-methods approach that consisted of both online surveys and key informant interviews to assess QI maturity and accreditation readiness. Nineteen of Nebraska's 21 LHDs completed the survey in 2011 and 2013, 20 of 20 LHDs completed the survey in 2015, and 19 of 20 LHDs completed the survey in 2016. We facilitated a large group discussion with staff members from 16 LHDs in 2011, and we conducted key informant interviews with staff members from 4 LHDs in 2015. Both QI maturity and accreditation readiness improved from 2011 to 2016. In 2011, of 19 LHDs, only 6 LHD directors agreed that their LHD had a culture that focused on QI, but this number increased every year up to 12 in 2016. The number of LHDs that had a high capacity to engage in QI efforts improved from 3 in 2011 to 8 in 2016. The number of LHDs with a QI plan increased from 3 in 2011 to 10 in 2016. The number of LHDs that were confident in their ability to obtain Public Health Accreditation Board accreditation improved from 6 in 2011 to 13 in 2016. Although their QI maturity generally increased over time, LHDs interviewed in 2015 still faced challenges adopting a formal QI system. External financial and technical support helped LHDs build their QI maturity and accreditation readiness. Funding and technical assistance can improve LHDs' QI maturity and accreditation readiness. Improvement takes time and sustained efforts by LHDs, and support from external partners (eg, state health departments) helps build LHDs' QI maturity and accreditation readiness.
Evaluating Community Readiness to Implement Environmental and Policy-Based Alcohol Abuse Prevention Strategies in Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Paltzer, Jason; Black, Penny; Moberg, D. Paul

2013-01-01

Background Matching evidence-based alcohol prevention strategies with a community’s readiness to support those strategies is the basis for the Tri-Ethnic Community Readiness Model (CRM). The purpose of this evaluation was to assess the association of a community’s readiness to address alcohol abuse in their community with the implementation of environmental and policy-based strategies. Methods Twenty-one substance abuse prevention coalitions in Wisconsin participated in a pre-post intervention group-only evaluation using the CRM. As part of a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant, all grantees were obligated by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to implement environmental and policy-based strategies focused on one of three priority areas: young adult binge drinking, underage drinking, and alcohol-related motor-vehicle injuries and fatalities. Results At baseline, all communities (n=21) scored at or below a Stage 4 (on a scale of 1–9) readiness level (“preparedness”). The mean change in community readiness over the three-year period (2009–2011) was significant, but was less than one complete CRM stage (0.77, p=<0.001; 95% CI: 0.49, 1.05). Conclusion These findings suggest that implementation of environmental and policy-based strategies may improve a community’s progression in perceived readiness to address alcohol abuse regardless of the community’s baseline level of readiness to address alcohol abuse. Recommendation An assessment specific for measuring community readiness for policy-related strategies should be developed. The assessment would include community-level factors (e.g. community climate) for implementing policy-related prevention strategies, and not assume a linear readiness model. PMID:25346555
Beyond College Eligibility: A New Framework for Promoting College Readiness. College Readiness Indicator Systems Resource Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, 2014

2014-01-01

The College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) initiative was developed in response to a troubling pattern: More students than ever are enrolling in college after high school, but many of them are not college ready, as evidenced by persistently low rates of college completion. The sense of urgency to close the gap between college eligibility and…
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Three Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainey, Katharine; Sheehan, Daniel; Maloney, Catherine

2010-01-01

This report presents findings from the Year 3 evaluation of Texas' state-level Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, grant. GEAR UP grant requirements include an evaluation component designed to assess program effectiveness and to measure progress toward project goals. To this end, the evaluation considers…
Measuring Success: David Conley's College Readiness Framework and the Illinois College and Career Readiness Act. In Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baber, Lorenzo D.; Castro, Erin L.; Bragg, Debra D.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this brief is to understand the Illinois College and Career Readiness (CCR) Act in light of David Conley's college readiness model. Although not mentioned specifically by the Illinois statute, evaluation results gathered by the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) show alignment between a number of programs…

Implementation of a Project-Based Concept Mapping Developmental Programme to Facilitate Children's Experiential Reasoning and Comprehension of Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habok, Anita

2015-01-01

School readiness evaluations are becoming increasingly popular, and their implementation has become compulsory in an increasing number of kindergartens and schools in Hungary. In recent years, Diagnostic System for Evaluating Development (DIFER), developed by Nagy et al. has been used extensively for the diagnostic study of four- to eight-year-old…
Training and Personnel Systems Technology R&D Program Description FY 1988/1989. Revision

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-20

scenario software /database, and computer generated imagery (CIG) subsystem resources; (d) investigation of feasibility of, and preparation of plans... computer language to Army flight simulator for demonstration and evaluation. The objective is to have flight simulators which use the same software as...the Automated Performance and Readiness Training System (APARTS), which is a computer software system which facilitates training management through
Ecological Factors Predict Transition Readiness/Self-Management in Youth With Chronic Conditions.

PubMed

Javalkar, Karina; Johnson, Meredith; Kshirsagar, Abhijit V; Ocegueda, Sofia; Detwiler, Randal K; Ferris, Maria

2016-01-01

Health care transition readiness or self-management among adolescents and young adults (AYA) with chronic conditions may be influenced by factors related to their surrounding environment. Study participants were AYA diagnosed with a chronic condition and evaluated at pediatric- and adult-focused subspecialty clinics at the University of North Carolina Hospital Systems. All participants were administered a provider-administered self-management/transition-readiness tool, the UNC TRxANSITION Scale. Geographic area and associated characteristics (ecological factors) were identified for each participant's ZIP code using the published U.S. Census data. The Level 1 model of the hierarchical linear regression used individual-level predictors of transition readiness/self-management. The Level 2 model incorporated the ecological factors. We enrolled 511 AYA with different chronic conditions aged 12-31 years with the following characteristics: mean age of 20± 4 years, 45% white, 42% black, and 54% female. Participants represented 214 ZIP codes in or around North Carolina, USA. The Level 1 model showed that age, gender, and race were significant predictors of transition readiness/self-management. On adding the ecological factors in the Level 2 model, race was no longer significant. Participants from a geographic area with a greater percentage of females (β = .114, p = .005) and a higher median income (β = .126, p = .002) had greater overall transition readiness. Ecological factors also predicted subdomains of transition readiness/self-management. In this cohort of adolescents and young adults with different chronic conditions, ecological disparities such as sex composition, median income, and language predict self-management/transition readiness. It is important to take ecological risk factors into consideration when preparing patients for health self-management or transition. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Building America Case Study: Occupant Comfort from a Mini-Split Heat Pump, San Antonio, Texas

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

IBACOS worked with builder Imagine Homes to evaluate the performance of an occupied new construction test house following construction of the house in the hot, humid climate of San Antonio, Texas. The project measures the effectiveness of a space conditioning strategy using a multihead mini-split heat pump (MSHP) system in a reduced-load home to achieve acceptable comfort levels (temperature and humidity) and energy performance. IBACOS collected long-term data and analyzed the energy consumption and comfort conditions of the occupied house after one year of operation. Although measured results indicate that the test system provides comfort both inside and outside themore » ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 range, the occupants of the house claimed both adequate comfort and appreciation of the ease of use and flexibility of the installed MSHP system. IBACOS also assisted the builder to evaluate design and specification changes necessary to comply with Zero Energy Ready Home, but the builder chose to not move forward with it because of concerns about the 'solar ready' requirements of the program.« less
Readiness Matters! The 2015-2016 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Department of Education, 2016

2016-01-01

As part of Maryland's ongoing commitment to early learning and school readiness, a comprehensive new Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) was administered for the second time. This assessment is part of the new Ready for Kindergarten: Maryland's Early Childhood Comprehensive Assessment System (R4K) that was developed to align to the state's…
Metrics: Are We Ready to Teach This System?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koble, Ronald L.

1976-01-01

A survey conducted to study the attitudes of industrial arts teachers toward conversion to metric measurement and their readiness to teach this system revealed that, despite some background and experience with metrics, 88 percent felt they were not ready to teach a lesson. (BP)
Implementation of an Outer Can Welding System for Savannah River Site FB-Line

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

Howard, S.R.

2003-03-27

This paper details three phases of testing to confirm use of a Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA) system for closure welding the 3013 outer container used for stabilization/storage of plutonium metals and oxides. The outer container/lid closure joint was originally designed for laser welding, but for this application, the gas tungsten arc (GTA) welding process has been adapted. The testing progressed in three phases: (1) system checkout to evaluate system components for operational readiness, (2) troubleshooting to evaluate high weld failure rates and develop corrective techniques, and (3) pre-installation acceptance testing.
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Three Evaluation Report. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Center for Educational Research, 2010

2010-01-01

This executive summary presents findings from the Year 3 evaluation of Texas' state-level Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, grant. GEAR UP grant requirements include an evaluation component designed to assess program effectiveness and to measure progress toward project goals. To this end, the evaluation…
Assessing self-efficacy and college readiness level among new undergraduate students in computer science using metacognitive awareness inventory (MAI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, Wan Nor Afiqah Wan; Abdullah, Aziman

2018-04-01

This preliminary study was conducted to address the issue of academic planning skills among new university student. Due to lack of proper measurement mechanism for awareness and readiness among students, this study proposes Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) to assess the connection between student self-efficacy and college readiness. Qualitative and quantitative approach were used by provide an online self-assessment for new student of Faculty of Computer Systems & Software Engineering (FSKKP) and analyse the data respectively. The possible relationships between MAI and College Readiness Item (CRI) in self-assessment has been evaluated. The sample size of 368 respondents from UMP are responding to the online self-assessment. The initial finding shows most student (71%) of the respondent lack of skills in planning. We manage to use Pearson Product-moment correlation coefficient to find the significant relationship between MAI and CRI. Thus, we found that College Readiness provide sufficient evidence that there is a significant correlation with most of MAI items. The findings also indicated not much difference was found between gender in terms of self-efficacy level. This paper suggests the MAI and CRI is a reliable and valid scale to respond the planning skills issues among new university students.
Classroom Quality Rating Systems: How Do Teachers Prepare and What Do They Think about the Process?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott-Little, Catherine; Brown, E. Glyn; Hooks, Laura McDonald; Marshall, Betty Jo

2008-01-01

Working with the South Carolina Department of Education, the authors surveyed prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers whose schools participated in a quality rating system to see what they did to get ready for the observation and what they thought of the evaluation process. The authors also asked them what they thought about the quality of their…
M-Readiness Assessment Model Development and Validation: Investigation of Readiness Index and Factors Affecting Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakhsh, Muhammad; Mahmood, Amjad; Sangi, Nazir Ahmed

2018-01-01

It is important for distance learning institutions to be well prepared before designing and implementing any new technology based learning system to justify the investment and minimize failure risk. It can be achieved by systematically assessing the readiness of all stakeholders. This paper first proposes an m-readiness assessment process and…
CNES-NASA Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) Interoperability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mortensen, Dale; Eddy, Wesley M.; Reinhart, Richard C.; Lassere, Francois

2014-01-01

Future missions requiring robust internetworking services may use Delay-Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) technology. CNES, NASA, and other international space agencies are committed to using CCSDS standards in their space and ground mission communications systems. The experiment described in this presentation will evaluate operations concepts, system performance, and advance technology readiness for the use of DTN protocols in conjunction with CCSDS ground systems, CCSDS data links, and CCSDS file transfer applications
NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology Summer Workshop. Volume 2: Sensing and data acquisitions panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Advanced technology requirements associated with sensing and data acquisition systems were assessed for future space missions. Sensing and data acquisition system payloads which would benefit from the use of the space shuttle in demonstrating technology readiness are identified. Topics covered include: atmospheric sensing payloads, earth resources sensing payloads, microwave systems sensing payloads, technology development/evaluation payloads, and astronomy/planetary payloads.
Using Evaluation Systems for Teacher Improvement: Are School Districts Ready to Meet New Federal Goals?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosen, Rachel; Parise, Leigh M.

2017-01-01

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA--the main federal education law) was signed into law at the end of 2015, but schools and districts have until the 2017-2018 school year to begin implementing their plans to comply with it. ESSA represents a substantial shift from prior law in how it addresses teacher professional growth and evaluation, and as…
Implementation of Policy, Systems, and Environmental Community-Based Interventions for Cardiovascular Health Through a National Not-for-Profit: A Multiple Case Study.

PubMed

Garney, Whitney R; Szucs, Leigh E; Primm, Kristin; King Hahn, Laura; Garcia, Kristen M; Martin, Emily; McLeroy, Kenneth

2018-05-01

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded the American Heart Association to implement policy, systems, and environment-focused strategies targeting access to healthy food and beverages, physical activity, and smoke-free environments. To understand factors affecting implementation and variations in success across sites, evaluators conducted a multiple case study. Based on past literature, community sites were categorized as capacity-building or implementation-ready, for comparison. A sample of six communities were selected using a systematic selection tool. Through site visits, evaluators conducted interviews with program staff and community partners and assessed action plans. Evaluators identified important implications for nationally coordinated community-based prevention programming. Differences in implementation varied by the communities' readiness, with the most notable differences in how they planned activities and defined success. Existing partner relationships (or lack thereof) played a significant role, regardless of the American Heart Association's existing presence within the communities, in the progression of initiatives and the differences observed among phases. Last, goals in capacity-building sites were tied to organizational goals while goals in implementation-ready sites were more incremental with increased community influence and buy-in. Using national organizations as a mechanism to carry out large-scale community-based prevention work is a viable option that provides coordinated, wide-scale implementation without sacrificing a community's priorities or input. In funding future initiatives, the presence of relationships and the time needed to cultivate such relationships should be accounted for in the planning and implementation processes, as well as both local and national expectations.
Readiness factors for information system strategic planning among universities in developing countries: a systematic review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irfan, M.; Putra, S. J.; Alam, C. N.; Subiyakto, A.; Wahana, A.

2018-03-01

The implementation of information system strategic planning (ISSP) in higher education institutions is to improve work efficiency, management effectiveness in order to improve organizational competitive advantage. However, the question of whether all universities are ready to implement ISSP as a way to achieve organizational goals has not been answered. This study aims to investigate the readiness phenomena through literature study. The method used is by using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) instrument to identify readiness factors on the implementation of ISSP, especially among the institutions of higher education in developing countries. This study has identified 10 readiness measurement. There are three categories of measurement, namely people, processes and technologies that represent 11 factors of ISSP readiness measurement in universities.
Community-Wide Zero Energy Ready Home Standard

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

Herk, A.; Beggs, T.

This report outlines the steps a developer can use when looking to create and implement higher performance standards such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standards in a community. The report also describes the specific examples of how this process was followed by a developer, Forest City, in the Stapleton community in Denver, Colorado. IBACOS described the steps used to begin to bring the DOE ZERH standard to the Forest City Stapleton community based on 15 years of community-scale development work done by IBACOS. As a result of this prior IBACOS work, the teammore » gained an understanding of the various components that a master developer needs to consider and created strategies for incorporating those components in the initial phases of development to achieve higher performance buildings in the community. An automated scoring system can be used to perform an internal audit that provides a detailed and consistent evaluation of how several homes under construction or builders' floor plans compare with the requirements of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program. This audit can be performed multiple times at specific milestones during construction to allow the builder to make changes as needed throughout construction for the project to meet Zero Energy Ready Home standards. This scoring system also can be used to analyze a builder's current construction practices and design.« less
Usage of Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (MMRTGs) for Future Potential Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zakrajsek, June F.; Cairns-Gallimore, Dirk; Otting, Bill; Johnson, Steve; Woerner, Dave

2016-01-01

The goal of NASAs Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program is to make RPS ready and available to support the exploration of the solar system in environments where the use of conventional solar or chemical power generation is impractical or impossible to meet the needs of the missions. To meet this goal, the RPS Program, working closely with the Department of Energy, performs mission and system studies (such as the recently released Nuclear Power Assessment Study), evaluates the readiness of promising technologies to infuse in future generators, assesses the sustainment of key RPS capabilities and knowledge, forecasts and tracks the Programs budgetary needs, and disseminates current information about RPS to the community of potential users. This presentation focuses on the needs of the mission community and provides users a better understanding of how to integrate the MMRTG (Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator).
Improving district facility readiness: a 12-month evaluation of a data-driven health systems strengthening intervention in rural Rwanda.

PubMed

Iyer, Hari S; Kamanzi, Emmanuel; Mugunga, Jean Claude; Finnegan, Karen; Uwingabiye, Alice; Shyaka, Edward; Niyonzima, Saleh; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Drobac, Peter C

2015-01-01

While health systems strengthening (HSS) interventions are recommended by global health policy experts to improve population health in resource-limited settings, few examples exist of evaluations of HSS interventions conducted at the district level. In 2009, a partnership between Partners In Health (PIH), a non-governmental organization, and the Rwandan Ministry of Health (RMOH) was provided funds to implement and evaluate a district-level HSS intervention in two rural districts of Rwanda. The partnership provided limited funds to 14 health centers for targeted systems support in 2010; six others received support prior to the intervention (reference). RMOH health systems norms were mapped across the WHO HSS framework, scored from 0 to 10 and incorporated into a rapid survey assessing 11 domains of facility readiness. Stakeholder meetings allowed partnership leaders to review results, set priorities, and allocate resources. Investments included salary support, infrastructure improvements, medical equipment, and social support for patients. We compared facility domain scores from the start of the intervention to 12 months and tested for correlation between change in score and change in funding allocation to assess equity in our approach. We found significant improvements among intervention facilities from baseline to 12 months across several domains [infrastructure (+4, p=0.0001), clinical services (+1.2, p=0.03), infection and sanitation control (+0.6, p=0.03), medical equipment (+1.0, p=0.02), information use (+2, p=0.002)]. Composite score across domains improved from 6.2 at baseline to 7.4 at 12 months (p=0.002). Across facilities, 50% had composite scores greater than the average score among reference facilities (7.4) at 12 months compared to none at baseline. Rapid facility surveys, stakeholder engagement, and information feedback can be used for gap analysis and resource allocation. This approach can achieve effective use of limited resources, improve facility readiness, and ensure consistency of facility capacity to provide quality care at the district level.
Improving district facility readiness: a 12-month evaluation of a data-driven health systems strengthening intervention in rural Rwanda

PubMed Central

Iyer, Hari S.; Kamanzi, Emmanuel; Mugunga, Jean Claude; Finnegan, Karen; Uwingabiye, Alice; Shyaka, Edward; Niyonzima, Saleh; Hirschhorn, Lisa R.; Drobac, Peter C.

2015-01-01

Background While health systems strengthening (HSS) interventions are recommended by global health policy experts to improve population health in resource-limited settings, few examples exist of evaluations of HSS interventions conducted at the district level. In 2009, a partnership between Partners In Health (PIH), a non-governmental organization, and the Rwandan Ministry of Health (RMOH) was provided funds to implement and evaluate a district-level HSS intervention in two rural districts of Rwanda. Design The partnership provided limited funds to 14 health centers for targeted systems support in 2010; six others received support prior to the intervention (reference). RMOH health systems norms were mapped across the WHO HSS framework, scored from 0 to 10 and incorporated into a rapid survey assessing 11 domains of facility readiness. Stakeholder meetings allowed partnership leaders to review results, set priorities, and allocate resources. Investments included salary support, infrastructure improvements, medical equipment, and social support for patients. We compared facility domain scores from the start of the intervention to 12 months and tested for correlation between change in score and change in funding allocation to assess equity in our approach. Results We found significant improvements among intervention facilities from baseline to 12 months across several domains [infrastructure (+4, p=0.0001), clinical services (+1.2, p=0.03), infection and sanitation control (+0.6, p=0.03), medical equipment (+1.0, p=0.02), information use (+2, p=0.002)]. Composite score across domains improved from 6.2 at baseline to 7.4 at 12 months (p=0.002). Across facilities, 50% had composite scores greater than the average score among reference facilities (7.4) at 12 months compared to none at baseline. Conclusions Rapid facility surveys, stakeholder engagement, and information feedback can be used for gap analysis and resource allocation. This approach can achieve effective use of limited resources, improve facility readiness, and ensure consistency of facility capacity to provide quality care at the district level. PMID:26140729

Are Dual Enrollment Students College Ready? Evidence from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

An, Brian P.; Taylor, Jason L.

2015-01-01

We examine whether dual enrolled students display greater levels of college readiness than nonparticipants. Advocates assert that dual enrollment improves students' college readiness, but despite these assertions, few researchers have evaluated this relationship. Moreover, researchers that do consider whether dual enrollment improves college…
Homeland security and the non-federal healthcare sector: evaluation of your incident command system (ICS).

PubMed

Blair, James D

2005-01-01

Healthcare and other private sector industries have lagged behind federal agencies in fulfilling their security readiness mission, according to the author. A comprehensive and timely resource is now available, he reports, to help healthcare officials in improving emergency response and preparedness.
The Predictive Validity of Kindergarten Readiness Judgments: Lessons from One State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Jessica; McCoach, D. Betsy; Yu, HuiHui

2017-01-01

Recent federal investments in early childhood assessment systems are the result of a national need for developmentally appropriate, psychometrically sound instruments to monitor young children and evaluate the effectiveness of their learning programs. In this paper, we examined the association between teachers' perceptions of their students at the…
Counseling in Switzerland: Past, Present, and Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Roslyn; Henning, Stacy

2012-01-01

The authors review counseling in Switzerland and compare it with counseling in the United States. They evaluate the role of professional associations and programs and argue that the evolution of counseling is situated within the history and economic, social, and political systems of Switzerland. Findings suggest that Swiss counselors are ready to…
Orbit transfer rocket engine integrated control and health monitoring system technology readiness assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickford, R. L.; Collamore, F. N.; Gage, M. L.; Morgan, D. B.; Thomas, E. R.

1992-01-01

The objectives of this task were to: (1) estimate the technology readiness of an integrated control and health monitoring (ICHM) system for the Aerojet 7500 lbF Orbit Transfer Vehicle engine preliminary design assuming space based operations; and (2) estimate the remaining cost to advance this technology to a NASA defined 'readiness level 6' by 1996 wherein the technology has been demonstrated with a system validation model in a simulated environment. The work was accomplished through the conduct of four subtasks. In subtask 1 the minimally required functions for the control and monitoring system was specified. The elements required to perform these functions were specified in Subtask 2. In Subtask 3, the technology readiness level of each element was assessed. Finally, in Subtask 4, the development cost and schedule requirements were estimated for bringing each element to 'readiness level 6'.
Solar array technology evaluation program for SEPS (Solar Electrical Propulsion Stage)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

An evaluation of the technology and the development of a preliminary design for a 25 kilowatt solar array system for solar electric propulsion are discussed. The solar array has a power to weight ratio of 65 watts per kilogram. The solar array system is composed of two wings. Each wing consists of a solar array blanket, a blanket launch storage container, an extension/retraction mast assembly, a blanket tensioning system, an array electrical harness, and hardware for supporting the system for launch and in the operating position. The technology evaluation was performed to assess the applicable solar array state-of-the-art and to define supporting research necessary to achieve technology readiness for meeting the solar electric propulsion system solar array design requirements.
Assessing infant and maternal readiness for newborn discharge.

PubMed

Jing, Ling; Bethancourt, Casidhe-Nicole; McDonagh, Thomas

2017-10-01

The review highlights the shift from prescribed length of stay (LOS) to mother-infant dyad readiness as the basis for making discharge decisions for healthy term newborns. We describe the components of readiness that should be considered in making the decision, focusing on infant clinical readiness, and maternal and familial readiness. Although the Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act of 1996 aimed to protect infants and mothers by establishing a minimum LOS, the American Academy of Pediatrics 2015 policy on newborn discharge acknowledges the shift from LOS-based to readiness-based discharge decision-making. Healthcare providers must consider a variety of infant and maternal characteristics in determining the appropriate time to discharge a dyad, and mothers should be actively involved in the decision-making process. Criteria for infant clinical readiness include the following: establishment of effective feeding, evaluation of jaundice risk, review and discussion of infant and household vaccination status, obtainment of specimen for metabolic screening, tests of hearing ability, assessment of sepsis risk factors, screening for congenital heart disease, and evaluation of parental knowledge about infant safety measures. Important consideration should also be given to the mother's sociodemographic vulnerabilities, maternal confidence and perception of discharge readiness, and availability of postdischarge care continuity. The timing of newborn discharge should be a joint decision made by the mother and healthcare providers based on readiness. The decision should consider the infant's health status, the mother's health status, the mother's perception of readiness, and the availability of social and familial support for the mother and infant. Accessible and comprehensive support postdischarge is also important for helping infants achieve optimal health outcomes.
Linking household and health facility surveys to assess obstetric service availability, readiness and coverage: evidence from 17 low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Kanyangarara, Mufaro; Chou, Victoria B; Creanga, Andreea A; Walker, Neff

2018-06-01

Improving access and quality of obstetric service has the potential to avert preventable maternal, neonatal and stillborn deaths, yet little is known about the quality of care received. This study sought to assess obstetric service availability, readiness and coverage within and between 17 low- and middle-income countries. We linked health facility data from the Service Provision Assessments and Service Availability and Readiness Assessments, with corresponding household survey data obtained from the Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Based on performance of obstetric signal functions, we defined four levels of facility emergency obstetric care (EmOC) functionality: comprehensive (CEmOC), basic (BEmOC), BEmOC-2, and low/substandard. Facility readiness was evaluated based on the direct observation of 23 essential items; facilities "ready to provide obstetric services" had ≥20 of 23 items available. Across countries, we used medians to characterize service availability and readiness, overall and by urban-rural location; analyses also adjusted for care-seeking patterns to estimate population-level coverage of obstetric services. Of the 111 500 health facilities surveyed, 7545 offered obstetric services and were included in the analysis. The median percentages of facilities offering EmOC and "ready to provide obstetric services" were 19% and 10%, respectively. There were considerable urban-rural differences, with absolute differences of 19% and 29% in the availability of facilities offering EmOC and "ready to provide obstetric services", respectively. Adjusting for care-seeking patterns, results from the linking approach indicated that among women delivering in a facility, a median of 40% delivered in facilities offering EmOC, and 28% delivered in facilities "ready to provide obstetric services". Relatively higher coverage of facility deliveries (≥65%) and coverage of deliveries in facilities "ready to provide obstetric services" (≥30% of facility deliveries) were only found in three countries. The low levels of availability, readiness and coverage of obstetric services documented represent substantial missed opportunities within health systems. Global and national efforts need to prioritize upgrading EmOC functionality and improving readiness to deliver obstetric service, particularly in rural areas. The approach of linking health facility and household surveys described here could facilitate the tracking of progress towards quality obstetric care.
Linking household and health facility surveys to assess obstetric service availability, readiness and coverage: evidence from 17 low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Kanyangarara, Mufaro; Chou, Victoria B; Creanga, Andreea A; Walker, Neff

2018-01-01

Background Improving access and quality of obstetric service has the potential to avert preventable maternal, neonatal and stillborn deaths, yet little is known about the quality of care received. This study sought to assess obstetric service availability, readiness and coverage within and between 17 low- and middle-income countries. Methods We linked health facility data from the Service Provision Assessments and Service Availability and Readiness Assessments, with corresponding household survey data obtained from the Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Based on performance of obstetric signal functions, we defined four levels of facility emergency obstetric care (EmOC) functionality: comprehensive (CEmOC), basic (BEmOC), BEmOC-2, and low/substandard. Facility readiness was evaluated based on the direct observation of 23 essential items; facilities “ready to provide obstetric services” had ≥20 of 23 items available. Across countries, we used medians to characterize service availability and readiness, overall and by urban-rural location; analyses also adjusted for care-seeking patterns to estimate population-level coverage of obstetric services. Results Of the 111 500 health facilities surveyed, 7545 offered obstetric services and were included in the analysis. The median percentages of facilities offering EmOC and “ready to provide obstetric services” were 19% and 10%, respectively. There were considerable urban-rural differences, with absolute differences of 19% and 29% in the availability of facilities offering EmOC and “ready to provide obstetric services”, respectively. Adjusting for care-seeking patterns, results from the linking approach indicated that among women delivering in a facility, a median of 40% delivered in facilities offering EmOC, and 28% delivered in facilities “ready to provide obstetric services”. Relatively higher coverage of facility deliveries (≥65%) and coverage of deliveries in facilities “ready to provide obstetric services” (≥30% of facility deliveries) were only found in three countries. Conclusions The low levels of availability, readiness and coverage of obstetric services documented represent substantial missed opportunities within health systems. Global and national efforts need to prioritize upgrading EmOC functionality and improving readiness to deliver obstetric service, particularly in rural areas. The approach of linking health facility and household surveys described here could facilitate the tracking of progress towards quality obstetric care. PMID:29862026
FY04 Advanced Life Support Architecture and Technology Studies: Mid-Year Presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lange, Kevin; Anderson, Molly; Duffield, Bruce; Hanford, Tony; Jeng, Frank

2004-01-01

Long-Term Objective: Identify optimal advanced life support system designs that meet existing and projected requirements for future human spaceflight missions. a) Include failure-tolerance, reliability, and safe-haven requirements. b) Compare designs based on multiple criteria including equivalent system mass (ESM), technology readiness level (TRL), simplicity, commonality, etc. c) Develop and evaluate new, more optimal, architecture concepts and technology applications.
Flowpath evaluation and reconnaissance by remote field Eddy current testing (FERRET)

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

Smoak, A.E.; Zollinger, W.T.

1993-12-31

This document describes the design and development of FERRET (Flowpath Evaluation and Reconnaisance by Remote-field Eddy current Testing). FERRET is a system for inspecting the steel pipes which carry cooling water to underground nuclear waste storage tanks. The FERRET system has been tested in a small scale cooling pipe mock-up, an improved full scale mock-up, and in flaw detection experiments. Early prototype designs of FERRET and the FERRET launcher (a device which inserts, moves, and retrieves probes from a piping system) as well as the field-ready design are discussed.
Measurement of Workforce Readiness Competencies: Design of Prototype Measures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neil, Harold F., Jr.; And Others

A general methodology approach is suggested for measurement of workforce readiness competencies in the context of overall work by the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing on the domain-independent measurement of workforce readiness skills. The methodology consists of 14 steps, from the initial selection of a…
Health Professionals' readiness to implement electronic medical record system at three hospitals in Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

PubMed

Biruk, Senafekesh; Yilma, Tesfahun; Andualem, Mulusew; Tilahun, Binyam

2014-12-12

Electronic medical record systems are being implemented in many countries to support healthcare services. However, its adoption rate remains low, especially in developing countries due to technological, financial, and organizational factors. There is lack of solid evidence and empirical research regarding the pre implementation readiness of healthcare providers. The aim of this study is to assess health professionals' readiness and to identify factors that affect the acceptance and use of electronic medical recording system in the pre implementation phase at hospitals of North Gondar Zone, Ethiopia. An institution based cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted on 606 study participants from January to July 2013 at 3 hospitals in northwest Ethiopia. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the required data. The data were entered using the Epi-Info version 3.5.1 software and analyzed using SPSS version 16 software. Descriptive statistics, bi-variate, and multi-variate logistic regression analyses were used to describe the study objectives and assess the determinants of health professionals' readiness for the system. Odds ratio at 95% CI was used to describe the association between the study and the outcome variables. Out of 606 study participants only 328 (54.1%) were found ready to use the electronic medical recording system according to our criteria assessment. The majority of the study participants, 432 (71.3%) and 331(54.6%) had good knowledge and attitude for EMR system, respectively. Gender (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: [1.26, 2.78]), attitude (AOR = 1.56, 95% CI: [1.03, 2.49]), knowledge (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: [1.32, 3.56]), and computer literacy (AOR =1.64, 95% CI: [0.99, 2.68]) were significantly associated with the readiness for EMR system. In this study, the overall health professionals' readiness for electronic medical record system and utilization was 54.1% and 46.5%, respectively. Gender, knowledge, attitude, and computer related skills were the determinants of the presence of a relatively low readiness and utilization of the system. Increasing awareness, knowledge, and skills of healthcare professionals on EMR system before system implementation is necessary to increase its adoption.
Effectiveness of a primary health care program on urban and rural community disaster preparedness, Islamic Republic of Iran: a community intervention trial.

PubMed

Ardalan, Ali; Mowafi, Hani; Malekafzali Ardakani, Hossein; Abolhasanai, Farid; Zanganeh, Ali-Mohammad; Safizadeh, Hossein; Salari, Sirous; Zonoobi, Vahid

2013-10-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a capacity-building intervention administered through a primary health care (PHC) system on community disaster preparedness in Iran. A controlled community intervention trial with pre- and postassessments was conducted in 2011 in 3 provinces of Iran. In each province, 2 areas were chosen and randomly selected as an intervention or control group. A total of 9200 households were in the intervention area and 10 010 were in the control area. In each study group in each province 250 households were sampled for pre- and postassessment surveys. Community health volunteers led by PHC staff administered an educational intervention covering elements of hazard awareness and preparedness, with a focus on earthquakes and floods. Relative changes for awareness and readiness scores were assessed to demonstrate changes in outcome variables from pre- to postassessments in intervention and control groups. An effectiveness test of significance was based on interaction between time and area. Households in intervention communities exhibited improved disaster awareness and readiness with respect to all outcome measures. Relative changes in awareness in intervention and control areas were 2.94 and -0.08, respectively (P < .001). Relative changes for readiness scores were 5.52 in intervention areas and 0.56 in control areas (P < .001). Relative changes for awareness and readiness were significantly correlated with a community's baseline risk perception and previous experience with natural disasters (P < .001). An educational intervention administered through the PHC system effectively improved disaster awareness and readiness at a community level. For sustainability, community disaster reduction programs must be integrated into routine public health service delivery.
Demonstration of Advanced Technologies for Multi-Load Washers in Hospitality and Healthcare -- Ozone Based Laundry Systems

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

Boyd, Brian K.; Parker, Graham B.; Petersen, Joseph M.

The objective of this demonstration project was to evaluate market-ready retrofit technologies for reducing the energy and water use of multi-load washers in healthcare and hospitality facilities. Specifically, this project evaluated laundry wastewater recycling technology in the hospitality sector and ozone laundry technology in both the healthcare and hospitality sectors. This report documents the demonstration of ozone laundry system installations at the Charleston Place Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Rogerson House assisted living facility in Boston, Massachusetts.
U.S. Army Human Capital Enterprise (HCE) ARFORGEN Data Management, Correlation, Integration and Synchronization Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-15

system must, at a minimum, include design and configuration framework supporting: Part 1. Net Ready. The system must support net ‐ centric operations...Analyze, evaluate and incorporate relevant DoD Architecture Framework . 5) Document standards for each task / condition combination. 6) Prepare final FAA...task  Analyze, evaluate and incorporate relevant Army Architecture Framework  Document standards for each task/condition combination forming
Providers' assessment of transition readiness among adolescent and young adult kidney transplant recipients.

PubMed

Marchak, Jordan Gilleland; Reed-Knight, Bonney; Amaral, Sandra; Mee, Laura; Blount, Ronald L

2015-12-01

The Readiness for Transition Questionnaire- provider version (RTQ-Provider) was developed to evaluate adolescent patients' transition readiness and healthcare behaviors from the perspective of the healthcare provider. The RTQ-Provider is a parallel version of the RTQ-Teen and RTQ-Parent completed by patients and parents. This study seeks to evaluate the psychometric properties of the RTQ-Provider and its utility as a clinical transition planning tool. Participants consisted of 49 kidney transplant recipients between the ages of 15 and 21. The RTQ-Provider was completed by the pediatric nephrologist and psychologist from the multidisciplinary healthcare team and compared to RTQ data from teens and parents. The RTQ-Provider demonstrated good-to-excellent internal consistency and interrater reliability. Construct validity was supported through significant predictive relationships between providers' perceptions of transition readiness and older patient age, increased patient healthcare responsibility, and decreased parent involvement in health care. By providing parallel teen, parent, and provider forms, the RTQ has the potential to foster open communication between patients, families, and healthcare team members regarding transition readiness. The study provides initial support for the RTQ-Provider as a clinical tool to assess providers' perceptions of transition readiness; however, future longitudinal research is needed to evaluate predictive validity following patients' transfer to adult care. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Evaluating Disaster Education: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's TsunamiReady[TM] Community Program and Risk Awareness Education Efforts in New Hanover County, North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horan, Jennifer; Ritchie, Liesel Ashley; Meinhold, Stephen; Gill, Duane A.; Houghton, Bruce F.; Gregg, Chris E.; Matheson, Tom; Paton, Douglas; Johnston, David

2010-01-01

This chapter describes the evaluation of the TsunamiReady[TM]-based educational materials distributed in New Hanover County, North Carolina. The authors evaluate whether educational materials about tsunami risk increased the perception of hazard risk, information, knowledge, and preparedness behaviors. There are three main findings. First, local…
43 CFR 404.48 - What process will Reclamation follow to determine if a feasibility study is ready for review?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... determine if a feasibility study is ready for review? 404.48 Section 404.48 Public Lands: Interior... SUPPLY PROGRAM Feasibility Studies § 404.48 What process will Reclamation follow to determine if a feasibility study is ready for review? (a) Reclamation will evaluate whether the feasibility study adequately...
Critical Pathways to School Readiness: Implications for First 5 Ventura County Strategic Planning, Funding and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Lisa; Tullis, Ericka; Franke, Todd; Halfon, Neal

2005-01-01

The UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities (CHCFC) has developed the School Readiness Critical Pathways (SRCPs) as an evidence-based conceptual model that links related outcomes and strategies. This helps to organize an array of broad and diffuse evidence regarding the strategies that produce school readiness outcomes for…

A Guide to Developing and Evaluating a College Readiness Screener. REL 2016-169

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, John; Petscher, Yaacov

2016-01-01

The high rate of students taking developmental education courses suggests that many students graduate from high school unready to meet college expectations. A college readiness screener can help colleges and school districts better identify students who are not ready for college credit courses. The primary audience for this guide is leaders and…
"Ready To Learn" Transmedia Demonstration Station Study: A Report to the CPB-PBS "Ready to Learn Initiative"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasnik, Shelley; Llorente, Carlin

2012-01-01

The 2012 Transmedia Demonstration Stations program study is part of the multiyear CPB-PBS "Ready To Learn" summative evaluation initiative by Education Development Center, Inc., (EDC) and SRI International (SRI). Through a series of related studies, the authors are documenting, and, whenever possible, measuring the impact of PBS KIDS…
SAT® Subject Area Readiness Indicators: Reading, Writing, and STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyatt, Jeffrey N.; Remigio, Mylene; Camara, Wayne J.

2012-01-01

In 2011, the College Board developed the SAT College and Career Readiness Benchmark to assist educators and policymakers in their efforts to better evaluate the college readiness of their students. This benchmark was designed to identify the point on the SAT score scale that is indicative of students' having a high likelihood of success in…
The impact of substance abusers' readiness to change on psychological and behavioral functioning.

PubMed

Hile, M G; Adkins, R E

1998-01-01

Heather and Rollnick's (1993) Readiness to Change Questionnaire directly measures the first three stages of behavior change: precontemplative, contemplative, and action. As part of the St. Louis Target Cities project, an automated assessment procedure was developed to assess individuals seeking substance-abuse services on a variety of dimensions, including readiness to change. This paper describes relationships among the Readiness to Change scales, client self-reports, staff evaluations of psychological symptoms, and other intake assessment measures used in the St. Louis project.
Mindset and Behavior Strategies and the Effect on College and Career Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Maria Teresa

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between early career and college interventions and college-going self-efficacy of suburban fourth and fifth grade students. This study further explored how a suburban school district addressed challenges and evaluated the perceptions of the system's strategies and implementation of a…
Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology (Technologie Avancee d’Entrainement au Combat Urbain)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

JRTC Joint Readiness Training Center JRTC-MOUT-IS Joint Readiness Training Center Military Operations in Urbanised Terrain Instrumentation System...did not support or identify joint or multi-national requirements for conducting effective military operations in an urbanised environment. Very few...Requirements Document (ORD) for the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) Military Operations on Urbanised Terrain (MOUT) Instrumentation System
Evaluation of an Internet, Stage-Based Physical Activity Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hager, Ronald L.; Hardy, Aaron; Aldana, Steven G.; George, James D.

2002-01-01

Evaluated the impact of online, stage-based materials on exercise behavior and stage of readiness to change. College faculty participated in stage-based, action-message, or control groups. Occupational and leisure activity, 7-day physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and stage of readiness to change were assessed at baseline and 6 weeks.…
Increasing the Career Choice Readiness of Young Adolescents: An Evaluation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirschi, Andreas; Lage, Damian

2008-01-01

A career workshop that applies models of the Cognitive Information Processing Approach (Sampson, Reardon, Peterson, & Lenz, 2004) and incorporates critical ingredients (Brown and Ryan Krane, 2000) to promote the career choice readiness of young adolescents was developed and evaluated with 334 Swiss students in seventh grade applying a Solomon…
Strategic Management and Innovation: A Checklist for Readiness Evaluation of AACSB Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kundu, Goutam Kumar; Bairi, Jayachandra

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of a checklist, focusing on the detailed analysis of the requirement of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) standards related to strategic management and innovation area, for evaluation of implementation readiness in a business school setting.…
Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System Not Ready for Production Decision (REDACTED)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-07

Average Procurement Unit Cost CMDS Cruise Missile Defense Systems CPD Capability Production Document EMD Engineering and Manufacturing...Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics also determined that continuing test and evaluation of the two JLENS Engineering and Manufacturing...Program (Category ID) that was established in January 1996 and, during the audit, was in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of
Development of the Situation Awareness Flight Training and Simulation Evaluation (SAFTE) System: II: Final Development, Initial Test, and Documentation of the System

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-08-01

Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02138, (617) 876-8085) has ready-to-use DIS/ HLA interfaces for the PC ($3500.00). The other work required involves improving the...bomb the Target Designator Box. (SA MEASURE B27 : When the aircraft passes 1,300 MSL, ask: YOU MUST ABORT THE ATTACK IF YOU HAVE NOT RELEASED THE
Building America Case Study: Zero Energy Ready Home and the Challenge of Hot Water on Demand, Denver, Colorado

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

"This report outlines the steps a developer can use when looking to create and implement higher performance standards such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standards in a community. The report also describes the specific examples of how this process was followed by a developer, Forest City, in the Stapleton community in Denver, Colorado. IBACOS described the steps used to begin to bring the DOE ZERH standard to the Forest City Stapleton community based on 15 years of community-scale development work done by IBACOS. As a result of this prior IBACOS work, the teammore » gained an understanding of the various components that a master developer needs to consider and created strategies for incorporating those components in the initial phases of development to achieve higher performance buildings in the community. An automated scoring system can be used to perform an internal audit that provides a detailed and consistent evaluation of how several homes under construction or builders' floor plans compare with the requirements of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program. This audit can be performed multiple times at specific milestones during construction to allow the builder to make changes as needed throughout construction for the project to meet Zero Energy Ready Home standards. This scoring system also can be used to analyze a builder's current construction practices and design.« less
Demonstration of Advanced Technologies for Multi-Load Washers in Hospitality and Healthcare -- Wastewater Recycling Technology

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

Boyd, Brian K.; Parker, Graham B.; Petersen, Joseph M.

The objective of this demonstration project was to evaluate market-ready retrofit technologies for reducing the energy and water use of multi-load washers in healthcare and hospitality facilities. Specifically, this project evaluated laundry wastewater recycling technology in the hospitality sector and ozone laundry technology in both the healthcare and hospitality sectors. This report documents the demonstration of a wastewater recycling system installed in the Grand Hyatt Seattle.
Automated SEM and TEM sample preparation applied to copper/low k materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, R.; Shaapur, F.; Griffiths, D.; Diebold, A. C.; Foran, B.; Raz, E.

2001-01-01

We describe the use of automated microcleaving for preparation of both SEM and TEM samples as done by SELA's new MC500 and TEMstation tools. The MC500 is an automated microcleaving tool that is capable of producing cleaves with 0.25 μm accuracy resulting in SEM-ready samples. The TEMstation is capable of taking a sample output from the MC500 (or from SELA's earlier MC200 tool) and producing a FIB ready slice of 25±5 μm, mounted on a TEM-washer and ready for FIB thinning to electron transparency for TEM analysis. The materials selected for the tool set evaluation mainly included the Cu/TaN/HOSP low-k system. The paper is divided into three sections, experimental approach, SEM preparation and analysis of HOSP low-k, and TEM preparation and analysis of Cu/TaN/HOSP low-k samples. For the samples discussed, data is presented to show the quality of preparation provided by these new automated tools.
The 10 Conditions That Increased Vermont's Readiness to Implement Statewide Health System Transformation.

PubMed

Grembowski, David; Marcus-Smith, Miriam

2018-06-01

Following an arduous, 6-year policy-making process, Vermont is the first state implementing a unified, statewide all-payer integrated delivery system with value-based payment, along with aligned medical and social service reforms, for almost all residents and providers in a state. Commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid value-based payment for most Vermonters will be administered through a new statewide accountable care organization in 2018-2022. The purpose of this article is to describe the 10 conditions that increased Vermont's readiness to implement statewide system transformation. The authors reviewed documents, conducted internet searches of public information, interviewed key informants annually in 2014-2016, cross-validated factual and narrative interpretation, and performed content analyses to derive conditions that increased readiness and their implications for policy and practice. Four social conditions (leadership champions; a common vision; collaborative culture; social capital and collective efficacy) and 6 support conditions (money; statewide data; legal infrastructure; federal policy promoting payment reform; delivery system transformation aligned with payment reform; personnel skilled in system reform) increased Vermont's readiness for system transformation. Vermont's experience indicates that increasing statewide readiness for reform is slow, incremental, and exhausting to overcome the sheer inertia of large fee-based systems. The new payments may work because statewide, uniform population-based payment will affect the health care of almost all Vermonters, creating statewide, uniform provider incentives to reduce volume and making the current fee-based system less viable. The conditions for readiness and statewide system transformation may be more likely in states with regulated markets, like Vermont, than in states with highly competitive markets.
Operational Readiness Review Plan for the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Materials Production Tasks

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Cooper, R. H.; Martin, M. M.; Riggs, C. R.; Beatty, R. L.; Ohriner, E. K.; Escher, R. N.

1990-04-19

In October 1989, a US shuttle lifted off from Cape Kennedy carrying the spacecraft Galileo on its mission to Jupiter. In November 1990, a second spacecraft, Ulysses, will be launched from Cape Kennedy with a mission to study the polar regions of the sun. The prime source of power for both spacecraft is a series of radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which use plutonium oxide (plutonia) as a heat source. Several of the key components in this power system are required to ensure the safety of both the public and the environment and were manufactured at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in the 1980 to 1983 period. For these two missions, Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Energy Systems), will provide an iridium alloy component used to contain the plutonia heat source and a carbon composite material that serves as a thermal insulator. ORNL alone will continue to fabricate the carbon composite material. Because of the importance to DOE that Energy Systems deliver these high quality components on time, performance of an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) of these manufacturing activities is necessary. Energy Systems Policy GP 24 entitled "Operational Readiness Process" describes the formal and comprehensive process by which appropriate Energy Systems activities are to be reviewed to ensure their readiness. This Energy System policy is aimed at reducing the risks associated with mission success and requires a management approved "readiness plan" to be issued. This document is the readiness plan for the RTG materials production tasks.
Supporting the Evaluation and Implementation of Musculoskeletal Models of Care: A Globally Informed Framework for Judging Readiness and Success.

PubMed

Briggs, Andrew M; Jordan, Joanne E; Jennings, Matthew; Speerin, Robyn; Bragge, Peter; Chua, Jason; Woolf, Anthony D; Slater, Helen

2017-04-01

To develop a globally informed framework to evaluate readiness for implementation and success after implementation of musculoskeletal models of care (MOCs). Three phases were undertaken: 1) a qualitative study with 27 Australian subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop a draft framework; 2) an eDelphi study with an international panel of 93 SMEs across 30 nations to evaluate face validity, and refine and establish consensus on the framework components; and 3) translation of the framework into a user-focused resource and evaluation of its acceptability with the eDelphi panel. A comprehensive evaluation framework was developed for judging the readiness and success of musculoskeletal MOCs. The framework consists of 9 domains, with each domain containing a number of themes underpinned by detailed elements. In the first Delphi round, scores of "partly agree" or "completely agree" with the draft framework ranged 96.7%-100%. In the second round, "essential" scores ranged 58.6%-98.9%, resulting in 14 of 34 themes being classified as essential. SMEs strongly agreed or agreed that the final framework was useful (98.8%), usable (95.1%), credible (100%) and appealing (93.9%). Overall, 96.3% strongly supported or supported the final structure of the framework as it was presented, while 100%, 96.3%, and 100% strongly supported or supported the content within the readiness, initiating implementation, and success streams, respectively. An empirically derived framework to evaluate the readiness and success of musculoskeletal MOCs was strongly supported by an international panel of SMEs. The framework provides an important internationally applicable benchmark for the development, implementation, and evaluation of musculoskeletal MOCs. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.
The Impact of GEAR UP on College Readiness for Students in Low Income Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bausmith, Jennifer Merriman; France, Megan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) on college readiness outcomes using a quasi-experimental design. GEAR UP is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education by providing 6-year…
Organizational readiness for change: Preceptor perceptions regarding early immersion of student pharmacists in health-system practice.

PubMed

Sanders, Kimberly A; Wolcott, Michael D; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; D'Ostroph, Amanda; Shea, Christopher M; Pinelli, Nicole R

To examine preceptors' perceptions regarding readiness for change pre- and post-implementation of a pilot early immersion program engaging student pharmacists in direct patient care. Student pharmacists enrolled in the second professional year of a Doctor of Pharmacy degree program completed a four-week health-system introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) which was modified to include direct patient care roles in operational (drug preparation and dispensing) and clinical (comprehensive medication management) pharmacy environments. Pharmacy preceptors with direct oversight for program implementation completed a pre/post Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC) survey and a 50-min interview or focus group post-experience. The ORIC survey evaluates two dimensions of organizational readiness for change - change commitment and change efficacy. Additional items assessed included implementation needs, support, and perceived value of the change. ORIC survey constructs were compared before and after the experience. Interviews and focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and evaluated by constant comparative analysis. A mixed methods approach was used to triangulate findings and develop greater understanding of the ORIC survey results. Twenty pharmacy preceptors (37 ± 8 years of age, 60% female, 65% clinical pharmacist position, 70% prior preceptor experience) participated in the study. There were no significant changes in pre/post survey constructs, except for a decline in the perception of organizational change commitment (p < 0.001). Sub-analyses indicated the decline was associated with items assessing individual dedication and individual commitment to the change (p < 0.05 for both). Primary emerging themes from interviews included concerns about implementation requirements, contextual factors of the experience that affected implementation, and varying perceptions about the value of early immersion across preceptor roles. As pharmacy curricula immerse student pharmacists in practice earlier in their education, pharmacy departments can utilize the ORIC survey to identify preceptors' commitment and concerns to support the necessary changes for student pharmacist engagement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Evaluation of a Brazilian Postgraduate Dental Program by the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

do Vale Placa, Rebeca; Ragghianti Zangrando, Mariana S.; Sant'Ana, Adriana C. P.; Greghi, Sebastião L. A.; de Rezende, Maria Lucia R.; Damante, Carla A.

2015-01-01

The evaluation of education environment is essential to provide to the professors a better understanding of the teaching process. One valuable tool for this assessment is the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM). This questionnaire has 50 questions and is divided in five dimensions: D1--Perceptions of teaching, D2--Perceptions of…

Interrelation of Evaluation and Self-Evaluation in the Diagnostic Procedures to Assess Teachers' Readiness for Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyunnikov, Yurii S.

2016-01-01

The paper solves the problem of the relationship of external diagnosis and self-diagnosis of readiness of teachers to innovative activity. It highlights major disadvantages of measurement tools that are used to this process. The author demonstrates an alternative approach to harmonizing the diagnosis, based on a modular diagnostic model, general…
A Checklist for Readiness Evaluation of Learning and Teaching Area of AACSB Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kundu, Goutam Kumar; Bairi, Jayachandra

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to introduce the concept of a checklist, focusing on the detailed analysis of requirements of the AACSB International--the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) standards related to the learning and teaching area--for evaluation of implementation readiness in a business school setting.…
Prototyping sensor network system for automatic vital signs collection. Evaluation of a location based automated assignment of measured vital signs to patients.

PubMed

Kuroda, T; Noma, H; Naito, C; Tada, M; Yamanaka, H; Takemura, T; Nin, K; Yoshihara, H

2013-01-01

Development of a clinical sensor network system that automatically collects vital sign and its supplemental data, and evaluation the effect of automatic vital sensor value assignment to patients based on locations of sensors. The sensor network estimates the data-source, a target patient, from the position of a vital sign sensor obtained from a newly developed proximity sensing system. The proximity sensing system estimates the positions of the devices using a Bluetooth inquiry process. Using Bluetooth access points and the positioning system newly developed in this project, the sensor network collects vital sign and its 4W (who, where, what, and when) supplemental data from any Bluetooth ready vital sign sensors such as Continua-ready devices. The prototype was evaluated in a pseudo clinical setting at Kyoto University Hospital using a cyclic paired comparison and statistical analysis. The result of the cyclic paired analysis shows the subjects evaluated the proposed system is more effective and safer than POCS as well as paper-based operation. It halves the times for vital signs input and eliminates input errors. On the other hand, the prototype failed in its position estimation for 12.6% of all attempts, and the nurses overlooked half of the errors. A detailed investigation clears that an advanced interface to show the system's "confidence", i.e. the probability of estimation error, must be effective to reduce the oversights. This paper proposed a clinical sensor network system that relieves nurses from vital signs input tasks. The result clearly shows that the proposed system increases the efficiency and safety of the nursing process both subjectively and objectively. It is a step toward new generation of point of nursing care systems where sensors take over the tasks of data input from the nurses.
Generation of Simulated Tracking Data for LADEE Operational Readiness Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodburn, James; Policastri, Lisa; Owens, Brandon

2015-01-01

Operational Readiness Tests were an important part of the pre-launch preparation for the LADEE mission. The generation of simulated tracking data to stress the Flight Dynamics System and the Flight Dynamics Team was important for satisfying the testing goal of demonstrating that the software and the team were ready to fly the operational mission. The simulated tracking was generated in a manner to incorporate the effects of errors in the baseline dynamical model, errors in maneuver execution and phenomenology associated with various tracking system based components. The ability of the mission team to overcome these challenges in a realistic flight dynamics scenario indicated that the team and flight dynamics system were ready to fly the LADEE mission. Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment.
Measuring readiness for and satisfaction with a hand hygiene e-learning course among healthcare workers in a paediatric oncology centre in Guatemala City

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Miriam L.; Melgar, Mario; Homsi, Maysam; Shuler, Ana; Antillon-Klussmann, Federico; Matheu, Laura; Ramirez, Marylin; Grant, Michael M.; Lowther, Deborah L.; Relyea, George; Caniza, Miguela A.

2017-01-01

E-learning has been widely used in the infection control field and has been recommended for use in hand hygiene (HH) programs by the World Health Organization. Such strategies are effective and efficient for infection control, but factors such as learner readiness for this method should be determined to assure feasibility and suitability in low- to middle-income countries. We developed a tailored, e-learning, Spanish-language HH course based on the WHO guidelines for HH in healthcare settings for the pediatric cancer center in Guatemala City. We aimed to identify e-readiness factors that influenced HH course completion and evaluate HCWs’ satisfaction. Pearson’s chi-square test of independence was used to retrospectively compare e-readiness factors and course-completion status (completed, non-completed, and never-started). We surveyed 194 HCWs for e-readiness; 116 HCWs self-enrolled in the HH course, and 55 responded to the satisfaction survey. Most e-readiness factors were statistically significant between course-completion groups. Moreover, students were significantly more likely to complete the course if they had a computer with an Internet connection (P=0.001) and self-reported comfort with using a computer several times a week (p=0.001) and communicating through online technologies (p=0.001). Previous online course experience was not a significant factor (p=0.819). E-readiness score averages varied among HCWs, and mean scores for all e-readiness factors were significantly higher among medical doctors than among nurses. Nearly all respondents to the satisfaction survey agreed that e-learning was as effective as the traditional teaching method. Evaluating HCWs’ e-readiness is essential while integrating technologies into educational programs in low- to middle-income countries. PMID:29147140
Measuring readiness for and satisfaction with a hand hygiene e-learning course among healthcare workers in a paediatric oncology centre in Guatemala City.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Miriam L; Melgar, Mario; Homsi, Maysam; Shuler, Ana; Antillon-Klussmann, Federico; Matheu, Laura; Ramirez, Marylin; Grant, Michael M; Lowther, Deborah L; Relyea, George; Caniza, Miguela A

2016-01-01

E-learning has been widely used in the infection control field and has been recommended for use in hand hygiene (HH) programs by the World Health Organization. Such strategies are effective and efficient for infection control, but factors such as learner readiness for this method should be determined to assure feasibility and suitability in low- to middle-income countries. We developed a tailored, e-learning, Spanish-language HH course based on the WHO guidelines for HH in healthcare settings for the pediatric cancer center in Guatemala City. We aimed to identify e-readiness factors that influenced HH course completion and evaluate HCWs' satisfaction. Pearson's chi-square test of independence was used to retrospectively compare e-readiness factors and course-completion status (completed, non-completed, and never-started). We surveyed 194 HCWs for e-readiness; 116 HCWs self-enrolled in the HH course, and 55 responded to the satisfaction survey. Most e-readiness factors were statistically significant between course-completion groups. Moreover, students were significantly more likely to complete the course if they had a computer with an Internet connection (P=0.001) and self-reported comfort with using a computer several times a week (p=0.001) and communicating through online technologies (p=0.001). Previous online course experience was not a significant factor (p=0.819). E-readiness score averages varied among HCWs, and mean scores for all e-readiness factors were significantly higher among medical doctors than among nurses. Nearly all respondents to the satisfaction survey agreed that e-learning was as effective as the traditional teaching method. Evaluating HCWs' e-readiness is essential while integrating technologies into educational programs in low- to middle-income countries.
Evaluation of Sustained Value Creation with the DOD’s Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

3 D. ORGANIZATION.................................................................................. 4 E. ACCOUNTING DEFINTIONS ...findings. 5 E. ACCOUNTING DEFINTIONS Much of the subject matter in this study deals with issues that relate to accounting. Accounting has its...Generally, public organizations do not produce products and services that are sold. A market system does not exist to determine
GPS: Actions Needed to Address Ground System Development Problems and User Equipment Production Readiness

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

Executive Action 43 Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 44 Appendix I Objectives , Scope, and Methodology 47 Appendix II Comments from the Department of...findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives . We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and...conclusions based on our audit objectives . GPS is a global positioning, navigation, and timing system consisting of space, ground control, and user equipment
Using a health informatics system to assess effect of a federal cigarette tax increase on readiness to quit among low-income smokers, Louisiana, 2009.

PubMed

Tseng, Tung-Sung; Moody-Thomas, Sarah; Horswell, Ronald; Yi, Yong; Celestin, Michael D; Jones, Krysten D

2014-04-04

Health informatics systems are a proven tool for tobacco control interventions. To address the needs of low-income groups, the Tobacco Control Initiative was established in partnership with the Louisiana State University Health Care Services Division to provide cost-effective tobacco use cessation services through the health informatics system in the state public hospital system. In this study we used a Web-based, result-reporting application to monitor and assess the effect of the 2009 federal cigarette tax increase. We assessed readiness to quit tobacco use before and after a cigarette tax increase among low-income tobacco users who were outpatients in a public hospital system. Overall, there was an increase in readiness to quit, from 22% during the first week of February to 33% during the first week of April, when the tax went into effect. Smokers who were female, 31 or older, African American, and assessed at a clinic visit in April were more likely to report readiness to quit than were men, those aged 30 or younger, those who were white, and those who were assessed at a clinic visit in February. A health informatics system that efficiently tracks trends in readiness to quit can be used in combination with other strategies and thus optimize efforts to control tobacco use. Our data suggest that a cigarette tax increase affects smokers' readiness to quit and provides an opportunity to intervene at the most beneficial time.
College Readiness: The Evaluation of Students Participating in the Historically Black College and University Program in Pre-Calculus and the Calculus Sequence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Angela Renee

2011-01-01

This investigative research focuses on the level of readiness of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students entering Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the college Calculus sequence. Calculus is a fundamental course for STEM courses. The level of readiness of the students for Calculus can very well play a…
Evaluating the Influence of an Urban High School Reform Effort on College Readiness and Access Outcomes: A Quasiexperimental Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sondergeld, Toni A.; Fischer, John M.; Samel, Arthur N.; Knaggs, Christine M.

2013-01-01

It is widely accepted that postsecondary education has become a necessity for US youth. College access, however, has been found not to be equal for all. As a result, federally funded college-readiness programs, such as Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), have been established to increase the numbers of…
Influence of hydroponic and soil cultivation on quality and shelf life of ready-to-eat lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta L. Laterr).

PubMed

Manzocco, Lara; Foschia, Martina; Tomasi, Nicola; Maifreni, Michela; Dalla Costa, Luisa; Marino, Marilena; Cortella, Giovanni; Cesco, Stefano

2011-06-01

Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in the hydroponic floating system to cultivate leafy vegetables for ready-to-eat salads. It is reasonable that different growing systems could affect the quality and shelf life of these salads. The quality and shelf life of ready-to-eat lamb's lettuce grown in protected environment in soil plot or in soil-less system over hydroponic solution with or without the addition of 30 µmol L⁻¹ silicon were evaluated. Minimum effects were observed on colour, firmness and microbial counts. Hydroponic cultivation largely affected plant tissue hydration, leading to weight loss and structural modifications during refrigerated storage. The shelf life of lamb's lettuce was limited by the development of visually detectable unpleasant sensory properties. Shelf life, calculated by survival analysis of consumer acceptability data, resulted about 7 days for soil-cultivated salad and 2 days for the hydroponically grown ones. The addition of silicon to the hydroponic solution resulted in an interesting strategy to increase plant tissue yield and reduce nitrate accumulation. Although hydroponic cultivation may have critical consequences on product quality and shelf life, these disadvantages could be largely counterbalance by increased yield and a reduction of nitrate accumulation when cultivation is performed on nutritive solutions with supplemental addition of silicon. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.
Use of Community Readiness Model to Develop and Evaluate a Pilot Culinary Training Program for School Nutrition Staff.

PubMed

Hildebrand, Deana A; Blevins, Priscilla; Carl, Lillian; Brown, Barbara; Betts, Nancy M; Poe, Tiffany

2018-02-01

Use the Community Readiness Model (CRM) to develop and evaluate a contextually appropriate pilot culinary training program for school nutrition staff members. Mixed methods to guide intervention development. Six school districts in rural and urban areas of a southwestern state. School nutrition staff (n = 36; female; <1 to >20 years' experience). Pre- and post-training assessments used the CRM. Findings from the pre-assessment were used to develop the pilot culinary training intervention. Readiness to integrate new food preparation methods into existing practices. The researchers used t and Wilcoxon tests to compare overall readiness and dimension scores (P ≤ .05). Thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the discussion component of the assessments. Overall readiness increased from vague awareness to preparation (P = .02). Improved dimensions were knowledge of efforts (P = .004), leadership (P = .05), and knowledge of issues (P = .04). Themes included barriers, leadership, and motivation. The CRM was useful for developing and evaluating a contextually appropriate and effective culinary training program for school nutrition staff. Future efforts should address the provision of additional resources such as on-site chefs, small equipment grants, and engaging school stakeholders. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keeping Naval Guns Ready

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

Keeping Naval Guns Ready David L. Rogers Rogers is the Deputy Department Head, Systems Integration Department, Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian...maritime routes and the global economy. This protection depends on keeping these forward naval ships ready, par- ticularly their guns and ammunition...the weapons of choice for counter- ing a multitude of threats. That gun readiness is assured with responsive technical support. It is done fast, and
First Responder Readiness: A Systems Approach to Readiness Assessment Using Model Based Vulnerability Analysis Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

to come—if it be not to come, it will be now—if it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is all. . .” --- Shakespeare , Hamlet , 5.2.215-219...BLANK 1 I. READINESS OVERVIEW A. INTRODUCTION “ Hamlet : . . . There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now ‘tis not
Checklist for clinical readiness published

Cancer.gov

Scientists from NCI, together with collaborators from outside academic centers, have developed a checklist of criteria to evaluate the readiness of complex molecular tests that will guide decisions made during clinical trials. The checklist focuses on tes
NSWC Crane Aerospace Cell Test History Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Harry; Moore, Bruce

1994-01-01

The Aerospace Cell Test History Database was developed to provide project engineers and scientists ready access to the data obtained from testing of aerospace cell designs at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. The database is intended for use by all aerospace engineers and scientists involved in the design of power systems for satellites. Specifically, the database will provide a tool for project engineers to review the progress of their test at Crane and to have ready access to data for evaluation. Additionally, the database will provide a history of test results that designers can draw upon to answer questions about cell performance under certain test conditions and aid in selection of a cell for a satellite battery. Viewgraphs are included.
Simple economic evaluation and applications experiments for photovoltaic systems for remote sites

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

Rios, M. Jr.

1980-01-01

A simple evaluation of the cost effectiveness of photovoltaic systems is presented. The evaluation is based on a calculation of breakeven costs of photovoltaics (PV) arrays with the levelized costs of two alternative energy sources (1) extension of the utility grid and (2) diesel generators. A selected number of PV applications experiments that are in progress in remote areas of the US are summarized. These applications experiments range from a 23 watt insect survey trap to a 100 kW PV system for a national park complex. It is concluded that PV systems for remote areas are now cost effective inmore » remote small applications with commercially available technology and will be cost competitive for intermediate scale systems (approx. 10 kW) in the 1980s if the DOE 1986 Commercial Readiness Goals are achieved.« less
Bilingual Readiness for Achieving through Valued Opportunities (Project BRAVO) Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choonoo, John

This report presents an evaluation of the Bilingual Readiness for Achieving through Valued Opportunities (Project BRAVO), an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its first year of operation at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn (New York) and Louis D. Brandeis High School in Manhattan (New York). Participating…
Effects Five Years Later: The Michigan School Readiness Program Evaluation through Age 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiang, Zongping; Schweinhart, Lawrence J.

This follow-up study examined the outcomes of children who had participated in the Michigan School Readiness Program (MSRP), a preschool program for 4-year-olds identified as being at risk for school failure, up to 5 years following their participation in the program. For the evaluation, 338 children who had participated in the state-funded…

High microbial loads found in minimally-processed sliced mushrooms from Italian market.

PubMed

Jiang, Haiyang; Miraglia, Dino; Ranucci, David; Donnini, Domizia; Roila, Rossana; Branciari, Raffaella; Li, Cheng

2018-03-31

There is an increased consumer interest in minimally processed vegetables that has led to the development of products, such as pre-cut sliced mushrooms. Few data are available on the hygienic condition and the presence of foodborne pathogens in such products. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the safety and hygienic characteristics of both ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook, pre-cut sliced mushrooms obtained from a local Italian market. For the evaluation of the hygienic condition, the aerobic mesophilic bacteria, aerobic psychrotrophic bacteria and Escherichia coli enumerations were performed. Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter spp. were considered in the assessment of the foodborne pathogens. High microbial loads were detected, including counts higher than 5 log CFU/g for E. coli and 6 log CFU/g for the other bacteria counts considered, but no pathogens were found. Ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products differed only for aerobic mesophilic counts (7.87 and 8.26 log CFU/g, respectively, P=0.003). Strategies to enhance the hygienic level of the mushrooms, particularly the ready-to-eat products, are needed.
High microbial loads found in minimally-processed sliced mushrooms from Italian market

PubMed Central

Jiang, Haiyang; Miraglia, Dino; Ranucci, David; Donnini, Domizia; Roila, Rossana; Branciari, Raffaella; Li, Cheng

2018-01-01

There is an increased consumer interest in minimally processed vegetables that has led to the development of products, such as pre-cut sliced mushrooms. Few data are available on the hygienic condition and the presence of foodborne pathogens in such products. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the safety and hygienic characteristics of both ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook, pre-cut sliced mushrooms obtained from a local Italian market. For the evaluation of the hygienic condition, the aerobic mesophilic bacteria, aerobic psychrotrophic bacteria and Escherichia coli enumerations were performed. Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter spp. were considered in the assessment of the foodborne pathogens. High microbial loads were detected, including counts higher than 5 log CFU/g for E. coli and 6 log CFU/g for the other bacteria counts considered, but no pathogens were found. Ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products differed only for aerobic mesophilic counts (7.87 and 8.26 log CFU/g, respectively, P=0.003). Strategies to enhance the hygienic level of the mushrooms, particularly the ready-to-eat products, are needed. PMID:29732334
Fiber optic control system integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poppel, G. L.; Glasheen, W. M.; Russell, J. C.

1987-01-01

A total fiber optic, integrated propulsion/flight control system concept for advanced fighter aircraft is presented. Fiber optic technology pertaining to this system is identified and evaluated for application readiness. A fiber optic sensor vendor survey was completed, and the results are reported. The advantages of centralized/direct architecture are reviewed, and the concept of the protocol branch is explained. Preliminary protocol branch selections are made based on the F-18/F404 application. Concepts for new optical tools are described. Development plans for the optical technology and the described system are included.
Public safety answering point readiness for wireless E-911 in New York State.

PubMed

Bailey, Bob W; Scott, Jay M; Brown, Lawrence H

2003-01-01

To determine the level of wireless enhanced 911 readiness among New York's primary public safety answering points. This descriptive study utilized a simple, single-page survey that was distributed in August 2001, with telephone follow-up concluding in January 2002. Surveys were distributed to directors of the primary public safety answering points in each of New York's 62 counties. Information was requested regarding current readiness for providing wireless enhanced 911 service, hardware and software needs for implementing the service, and the estimated costs for obtaining the necessary hardware and software. Two directors did not respond and could not be contacted by telephone; three declined participation; one did not operate an answering point; and seven provided incomplete responses, resulting in usable data from 49 (79%) of the state's public safety answering points. Only 27% of the responding public safety answering points were currently wireless enhanced 911 ready. Specific needs included obtaining or upgrading computer systems (16%), computer-aided dispatch systems (53%), mapping software (71%), telephone systems (27%), and local exchange carrier trunk lines (42%). The total estimated hardware and software costs for achieving wireless enhanced 911 readiness was between 16 million and 20 million dollars. New York's primary public safety answering points are not currently ready to provide wireless enhanced 911 service, and the cost for achieving readiness could be as high as 20 million dollars.
The freight shuttle system : advancing commercial readiness.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

This report summarizes the results of research aimed at advancing the commercial readiness of a new hybrid : mode of intermodal freight transportation called the Freight Shuttle System (FSS). The FSS represents a : unique combination of the best feat...
Beyond signal functions in global obstetric care: Using a clinical cascade to measure emergency obstetric readiness

PubMed Central

Dettinger, Julia; Calkins, Kimberly; Kibore, Minnie; Gachuno, Onesmus; Walker, Dilys

2018-01-01

Background Globally, the rate of reduction in delivery-associated maternal and perinatal mortality has been slow compared to improvements in post-delivery mortality in children under five. Improving clinical readiness for basic obstetric emergencies is crucial for reducing facility-based maternal deaths. Emergency readiness is commonly assessed using tracers derived from the maternal signal functions model. Objective-method We compare emergency readiness using the signal functions model and a novel clinical cascade. The cascades model readiness as the proportion of facilities with resources to identify the emergency (stage 1), treat it (stage 2) and monitor-modify therapy (stage 3). Data were collected from 44 Kenyan clinics as part of an implementation trial. Findings Although most facilities (77.0%) stock maternal signal function tracer drugs, far fewer have resources to practically identify and treat emergencies. In hypertensive emergencies for example, 38.6% of facilities have resources to identify the emergency (Stage 1 readiness, including sphygmomanometer, stethoscope, urine collection device, protein test). 6.8% have the resources to treat the emergency (Stage 2, consumables (IV Kit, fluids), durable goods (IV pole) and drugs (magnesium sulfate and hydralazine). No facilities could monitor or modify therapy (Stage 3). Across five maternal emergencies, the signal functions overestimate readiness by 54.5%. A consistent, step-wise pattern of readiness loss across signal functions and care stage emerged and was profoundly consistent at 33.0%. Significance Comparing estimates from the maternal signal functions and cascades illustrates four themes. First, signal functions overestimate practical readiness by 55%. Second, the cascade’s intuitive indicators can support cross-sector health system or program planners to more precisely measure and improve emergency care. Third, adding few variables to existing readiness inventories permits step-wise modeling of readiness loss and can inform more precise interventions. Fourth, the novel aggregate readiness loss indicator provides an innovative and intuitive approach for modeling health system emergency readiness. Additional testing in diverse contexts is warranted. PMID:29474397
Benefits of Using a Mars Forward Strategy for Lunar Surface Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulqueen, Jack; Griffin, Brand; Smitherman, David; Maples, Dauphne

2009-01-01

This paper identifies potential risk reduction, cost savings and programmatic procurement benefits of a Mars Forward Lunar Surface System architecture that provides commonality or evolutionary development paths for lunar surface system elements applicable to Mars surface systems. The objective of this paper is to identify the potential benefits for incorporating a Mars Forward development strategy into the planned Project Constellation Lunar Surface System Architecture. The benefits include cost savings, technology readiness, and design validation of systems that would be applicable to lunar and Mars surface systems. The paper presents a survey of previous lunar and Mars surface systems design concepts and provides an assessment of previous conclusions concerning those systems in light of the current Project Constellation Exploration Architectures. The operational requirements for current Project Constellation lunar and Mars surface system elements are compared and evaluated to identify the potential risk reduction strategies that build on lunar surface systems to reduce the technical and programmatic risks for Mars exploration. Risk reduction for rapidly evolving technologies is achieved through systematic evolution of technologies and components based on Moore's Law superimposed on the typical NASA systems engineering project development "V-cycle" described in NASA NPR 7120.5. Risk reduction for established or slowly evolving technologies is achieved through a process called the Mars-Ready Platform strategy in which incremental improvements lead from the initial lunar surface system components to Mars-Ready technologies. The potential programmatic benefits of the Mars Forward strategy are provided in terms of the transition from the lunar exploration campaign to the Mars exploration campaign. By utilizing a sequential combined procurement strategy for lunar and Mars exploration surface systems, the overall budget wedges for exploration systems are reduced and the costly technological development gap between the lunar and Mars programs can be eliminated. This provides a sustained level of technological competitiveness as well as maintaining a stable engineering and manufacturing capability throughout the entire duration of Project Constellation.
An Analysis of the Feedback Provided from the Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

view of management control as that adapted by researchers in cybernetics, account - S -ing, and management information systems--those that concentrate...Conscious Style--concerned with costs but not with meeting a budget. (4) Non- Accounting Style--not concerned with meeting a budget or with costs . (Ref. 21...34 California Manacement Review, Vol. XXII, No. 2, Winter 1979, p. 50-59. 44. Horngren , Charles T. Ph.D., CPA, Introduction to Manage- [. . -ment Accounting
High throughput and miniaturised systems for biodegradability assessments.

PubMed

Cregut, Mickael; Jouanneau, Sulivan; Brillet, François; Durand, Marie-José; Sweetlove, Cyril; Chenèble, Jean-Charles; L'Haridon, Jacques; Thouand, Gérald

2014-01-01

The society demands safer products with a better ecological profile. Regulatory criteria have been developed to prevent risks for human health and the environment, for example, within the framework of the European regulation REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907, 2006). This has driven industry to consider the development of high throughput screening methodologies for assessing chemical biodegradability. These new screening methodologies must be scalable for miniaturisation, reproducible and as reliable as existing procedures for enhanced biodegradability assessment. Here, we evaluate two alternative systems that can be scaled for high throughput screening and conveniently miniaturised to limit costs in comparison with traditional testing. These systems are based on two dyes as follows: an invasive fluorescent dyes that serves as a cellular activity marker (a resazurin-like dye reagent) and a noninvasive fluorescent oxygen optosensor dye (an optical sensor). The advantages and limitations of these platforms for biodegradability assessment are presented. Our results confirm the feasibility of these systems for evaluating and screening chemicals for ready biodegradability. The optosensor is a miniaturised version of a component already used in traditional ready biodegradability testing, whereas the resazurin dye offers an interesting new screening mechanism for chemical concentrations greater than 10 mg/l that are not amenable to traditional closed bottle tests. The use of these approaches allows generalisation of high throughput screening methodologies to meet the need of developing new compounds with a favourable ecological profile and also assessment for regulatory purpose.
Preparation courses for medical clerkships and the final clinical internship in medical education – The Magdeburg Curriculum for Healthcare Competence

PubMed Central

Spura, Anke; Werwick, Katrin; Feißel, Annemarie; Gottschalk, Marc; Winkler-Stuck, Kirstin; Robra, Bernt-Peter; Braun-Dullaeus, Rüdiger C.; Stieger, Philipp

2016-01-01

Background/Goals: Supporting medical students entering their internships – the clinical clerkship and the internship “final clinical year” (Praktisches Jahr, PJ) – the seminars “Ready for Clerkship” and “Ready for PJ” were held for the first time in 2014 and continued successfully in 2015. These seminars are part of the “Magdeburg Curriculum for Healthcare Competence” (Magdeburger Curriculum zur Versorgungskompetenz, MCV). The concept comprises three main issues: “Understanding interdisciplinary clinical procedures”, “Interprofessional collaboration”, and “Individual cases and their reference to the system.” The aim of the seminar series is to prepare students as medical trainees for their role in the practice-oriented clinical clerkship and PJ, respectively. Methods: Quality assurance evaluations and didactic research are integral parts of the seminars. In preparation for the “Ready for PJ” seminar a needs assessment was conducted. The seminars were rated by the participants using an anonymized questionnaire consisting of a 5-choice Likert scale (ranging from 1=fully agree to 5=fully disagree) and spaces for comments that was generated by the evaluation software Evasys. Results: The results are presented for the preparatory seminars “Ready for Clerkship” and “Fit für PJ” held in 2014 and 2015. Overall, the students regarded the facultative courses as very good preparation for the clerkship as well as for the PJ. The three-dimensional main curricular concept of the MCV was recognized in the evaluation as a valuable educational approach. Interprofessional collaboration, taught by instructors focussing in teamwork between disciplines, was scored positively and highly valued. Conclusions: The “Magdeburg Curriculum for Healthcare Competence” (MCV) integrates clerkship and PJ in a framing educational concept and allows students a better appreciation of their role in patient care and the tasks that they will face. The MCV concept can be utilized in other practice-oriented phases (nursing internship, bed-side teaching, block internships). PMID:27275505
Preparation courses for medical clerkships and the final clinical internship in medical education - The Magdeburg Curriculum for Healthcare Competence.

PubMed

Spura, Anke; Werwick, Katrin; Feißel, Annemarie; Gottschalk, Marc; Winkler-Stuck, Kirstin; Robra, Bernt-Peter; Braun-Dullaeus, Rüdiger C; Stieger, Philipp

2016-01-01

Supporting medical students entering their internships - the clinical clerkship and the internship "final clinical year" (Praktisches Jahr, PJ) - the seminars "Ready for Clerkship" and "Ready for PJ" were held for the first time in 2014 and continued successfully in 2015. These seminars are part of the "Magdeburg Curriculum for Healthcare Competence" (Magdeburger Curriculum zur Versorgungskompetenz, MCV). The concept comprises three main issues: "Understanding interdisciplinary clinical procedures", "Interprofessional collaboration", and "Individual cases and their reference to the system." The aim of the seminar series is to prepare students as medical trainees for their role in the practice-oriented clinical clerkship and PJ, respectively. Quality assurance evaluations and didactic research are integral parts of the seminars. In preparation for the "Ready for PJ" seminar a needs assessment was conducted. The seminars were rated by the participants using an anonymized questionnaire consisting of a 5-choice Likert scale (ranging from 1=fully agree to 5=fully disagree) and spaces for comments that was generated by the evaluation software Evasys. The results are presented for the preparatory seminars "Ready for Clerkship" and "Fit für PJ" held in 2014 and 2015. Overall, the students regarded the facultative courses as very good preparation for the clerkship as well as for the PJ. The three-dimensional main curricular concept of the MCV was recognized in the evaluation as a valuable educational approach. Interprofessional collaboration, taught by instructors focussing in teamwork between disciplines, was scored positively and highly valued. The "Magdeburg Curriculum for Healthcare Competence" (MCV) integrates clerkship and PJ in a framing educational concept and allows students a better appreciation of their role in patient care and the tasks that they will face. The MCV concept can be utilized in other practice-oriented phases (nursing internship, bed-side teaching, block internships).
Making Technology Ready: Integrated Systems Health Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Oliver, Patrick J.

2007-01-01

This paper identifies work needed by developers to make integrated system health management (ISHM) technology ready and by programs to make mission infrastructure ready for this technology. This paper examines perceptions of ISHM technologies and experience in legacy programs. Study methods included literature review and interviews with representatives of stakeholder groups. Recommendations address 1) development of ISHM technology, 2) development of ISHM engineering processes and methods, and 3) program organization and infrastructure for ISHM technology evolution, infusion and migration.
Using Quasi-Experimental Methods to Select Comparisons Schools for an Evaluation of the Northeast Tennessee College and Career Ready Consortium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokher, Christine; Cavalluzzo, Linda

2011-01-01

This presentation focuses on the quasi-experimental methods used to select comparison schools for an evaluation of a federal investing in innovation (i3) validation grant. The Northeast Tennessee College and Career Ready Consortium (NETCO) consists of 29 high schools participating in a five-year program to expand students' access to rigorous…
Interior, building 1205, view to west showing roof truss system, ...

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

Interior, building 1205, view to west showing roof truss system, 90 mm lens plus electronic flash fill lighting. - Travis Air Force Base, Readiness Maintenance Hangar, W Street, Air Defense Command Readiness Area, Fairfield, Solano County, CA
Cockpit resource management skills enhance combat mission performance in a B-52 simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povenmire, H. Kingsley; Rockway, Marty R.; Bunecke, Joseph L.; Patton, Mark W.

1989-01-01

A cockpit resource management (CRM) program for mission-ready B-52 aircrew is developed. The relationship between CRM performance and combat mission performance is studied. The performances of six crew members flying a simulated high workload mission in a B-52 weapon system trainer are evaluated. The data reveal that CRM performance enhances tactical maneuvers and bombing accuracy.
Addressing Early Warning Indicators: Interim Impact Findings from the Investing in Innovation (i3) Evaluation of Diplomas Now

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corrin, William; Sepanik, Susan; Rosen, Rachel; Shane, Andrea

2016-01-01

Diplomas Now is a partnership of three national organizations--Talent Development Secondary, City Year, and Communities In Schools--collaborating in an effort to transform urban secondary schools so that fewer students drop out and more graduate ready for postsecondary education and work. With the goal of a continuous system of support through…
Low Temperature Shape Memory Alloys for Adaptive, Autonomous Systems Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falker, John; Zeitlin, Nancy; Williams, Martha; Benafan, Othmane; Fesmire, James

2015-01-01

The objective of this joint activity between Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Glenn Research Center (GRC) is to develop and evaluate the applicability of 2-way SMAs in proof-of-concept, low-temperature adaptive autonomous systems. As part of this low technology readiness (TRL) activity, we will develop and train low-temperature novel, 2-way shape memory alloys (SMAs) with actuation temperatures ranging from 0 C to 150 C. These experimental alloys will also be preliminary tested to evaluate their performance parameters and transformation (actuation) temperatures in low- temperature or cryogenic adaptive proof-of-concept systems. The challenge will be in the development, design, and training of the alloys for 2-way actuation at those temperatures.
Decision Grade: Readiness, Mission Impacts, and Classified Data in the Defense Budgeting Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-23

AU/ACSC/2015 DECISION-GRADE: READINESS, MISSION IMPACTS , AND CLASSIFIED DATA IN THE DEFENSE BUDGETING PROCESS by Ryan M. Harrell, Maj, USAF A... impacts . This research provides suggestions to improve the venerable PPBE system by investigating ‘how does’ and ‘how should’ the DOD use planning guidance...readiness reporting, this effort analyzes the impact of overclassification and redefines readiness to provide decision-grade analysis to Congress. 1
Performance, Perseverance, and the Full Picture of College Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaertner, Matthew N.; McClarty, Katie Larsen

2015-01-01

Although college readiness is a centerpiece of major educational initiatives such as the Common Core State Standards, few systems have been implemented to track children's progress toward this goal. Instead, college-readiness information is typically conveyed late in a student's high-school career, and tends to focus solely on academic…
More than A Summer Job: WorkReady 2009 Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philadelphia Youth Network, 2009

2009-01-01

WorkReady Philadelphia is the City's comprehensive approach to youth workforce development. Since its founding in 2003, the initiative's efforts have leveraged funds from a variety of sources to significantly expand available opportunities for Philadelphia's youth. The WorkReady Philadelphia system aligns the efforts of the private sector,…

Child, Family and Community Characteristics Associated with School Readiness in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Hassan, Suha M.; Lansford, Jennifer E.

2009-01-01

The present study investigated demographic differences in school readiness within Jordan, a particularly interesting context because of widespread national reform currently sweeping the education system in Jordan. Teacher reports and researcher direct assessments of the school readiness of a national sample of 4681 Jordanian first grade children…
The Effectiveness of Four Readiness Tests As Predictors of First Grade Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telegdy, Gabriel A.

1975-01-01

Results suggest that the STAR or MRT, coupled with teacher observations and the BGT, can provide a school system with an adequate screening readiness battery. Of the several skills measured by readiness tests, letter knowledge is the most predictive of actual first grade achievement. (Author)
Cost and Information Effectiveness Analysis (CIEA): A Methodology for Evaluating a Training Device Operational Readiness Assessment Capability (DORAC).

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-02-01

Report 528 COST AIND I*FO•?JidTH ?i EFFECT•• ES1BS ANALYSIS (CDEA): A METiBLOBU Y FOR EVALUATIN1G A TRAINING DEMCE OPERATMDN1AL MAEA3 ],SE 3SSESS$ iElT ...8217, N. Within a military setting, the uses of training devices in performance evaluation have generally mirrored civilian uses and primarily...Technical Report 528 COST AND INFORMATION EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS (CIEA): A METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING A TRAINING DEVICE OPERATIONAL READINESS
Solar Thermal Power Systems parabolic dish project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truscello, V. C.

1981-01-01

The status of the Solar Thermal Power Systems Project for FY 1980 is summarized. Included is: a discussion of the project's goals, program structure, and progress in parabolic dish technology. Analyses and test results of concentrators, receivers, and power converters are discussed. Progress toward the objectives of technology feasibility, technology readiness, system feasibility, and system readiness are covered.
Isolation of Salmonella from ready-to-eat poultry meat and evaluation of its survival at low temperature, microwaving and simulated gastric fluids.

PubMed

Akbar, Ali; Anal, Anil Kumar

2015-05-01

A study was conducted to evaluate the risk of Salmonella contamination and its survival at different stages in chill ready-to-eat poultry meat products chain. Samples (n = 181) were collected and examined for the presence of Salmonella species. The bacteria were initially identified against polyvalent antisera "O" and "H", followed by confirmation with 16 s rDNA. The single Salmonella, isolate from the tested food samples showed 99.8 % phylogenetic similarity with Salmonella enterica. It was further evaluated for antibiotic sensitivity pattern and found resistant to four antibiotics including ampicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and nalidixic acid. Salmonella associated with ready-to-eat poultry meat products were found active at storage temperature ≥4 °C in a challenge study. It was revealed that shape and weight of the meat pieces have direct influence on the reduction of pathogens during microwave heating. The 30 and 60 s microwaving (with radiation power fixed at 900 W) was found ineffective for the elimination of target bacteria (10(6)-10(7) CFU/g) in meat pieces with weight ≥90 g. Salmonella enterica was able to survive in simulated gastric fluid. The storage temperature and microwaving were found critical point for the transfer of pathogens through ready-to-eat poultry meat products to consumer in chill ready-to-eat poultry meat chain.
Interior detail, view to northnortheast showing support system for roof ...

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

Interior detail, view to north-northeast showing support system for roof truss (typical), 90 mm lens plus electronic flash lighting. - Travis Air Force Base, Readiness Maintenance Hangar, W Street, Air Defense Command Readiness Area, Fairfield, Solano County, CA
A User's Guide to the Four-Day School Week: How to Assess District Readiness and Evaluate the Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heyward, Georgia

2017-01-01

This guide was created to help district leaders understand the benefits and drawbacks of the four-day school week, assess their district's readiness to make the switch, and evaluate the results of implementing the new schedule. This guide begins with an overview of common goals and outcomes for the four-day school week. It then provides a set of…
Online Health Behavior and Disease Management Programs: Are We Ready for Them? Are They Ready for Us?

PubMed Central

Cummins, Carol O; Prochaska, James O; Prochaska, Janice M

2005-01-01

Advancing the science and practice of health promotion and disease management on the Internet requires a systematic program of research examining the population impact of such programs. With impact described as the combination of effectiveness and participation, such research needs to include the examination of the quality and effectiveness of programs that are available to the general public, as well as descriptive and predictive knowledge about population readiness to participate in such programs. There have been few studies examining the quality of interactive health behavior change (HBC) programs on the Internet, and even fewer investigations of the effectiveness of such programs. Based on the review of over 300 HBC programs on the Internet using the “5 A's” of Health Behavior Change on the Internet (HBC-I Screener), which represent standard minimum guidelines for evaluation, it appears HBC on the Internet is in the early stages of development. As health behavior change on the Internet matures from the provision of health information to meeting the requirements necessary to produce health behavior change, and as program developers take advantage of the interactive nature of the Internet, the basic screening and expanded evaluation criteria developed in this project will provide templates for both consumers and developers of programs. The second component necessary for evaluating the impact of HBC on the Internet is the extent to which the population is ready to participate in such programs. We need to move beyond a narrow focus on early adopters and produce a population perspective that includes those not ready, those getting ready, and those ready to use such programs, as well as those already participating. By understanding participation levels of such programs, and what drives this participation, the development and dissemination of practical tailored and targeted interventions can help maximize population participation in Internet programs for health behavior change. PMID:15998618
Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea

PubMed Central

Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis indicated that "tradition seekers" and "convenience seekers" should be regarded as the target segments. Chi-square tests and t-tests of the subdivided groups showed there were significant differences across marital status, education level, family type, eating-out expenditure, place of purchase, and reason for purchase. In conclusion, the tradition seekers consumed more ready-to-eat foods from discount marts or specialty stores and ate them between meals more often than the convenience seekers. In contrast, the convenience seekers purchased more ready-to-eat foods at convenience stores and ate them as meals more often than the tradition seekers. These findings suggest that ready-to-eat food market segmentation based on food-related lifestyles can be applied to develop proper marketing strategies. PMID:20827350
Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea.

PubMed

Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin; Ryu, Kisang

2010-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis indicated that "tradition seekers" and "convenience seekers" should be regarded as the target segments. Chi-square tests and t-tests of the subdivided groups showed there were significant differences across marital status, education level, family type, eating-out expenditure, place of purchase, and reason for purchase. In conclusion, the tradition seekers consumed more ready-to-eat foods from discount marts or specialty stores and ate them between meals more often than the convenience seekers. In contrast, the convenience seekers purchased more ready-to-eat foods at convenience stores and ate them as meals more often than the tradition seekers. These findings suggest that ready-to-eat food market segmentation based on food-related lifestyles can be applied to develop proper marketing strategies.
Analysis of e-learning implementation readiness based on integrated elr model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adiyarta, K.; Napitupulu, D.; Rahim, R.; Abdullah, D.; Setiawan, MI

2018-04-01

E-learning nowadays has become a requirement for institutions to support their learning activities. To adopt e-learning, an institution requires a large strategy and resources for optimal application. Unfortunately, not all institutions that have used e-learning got the desired results or expectations. This study aims to identify the extent of the level of readiness of e-learning implementation in institution X. The degree of institutional readiness will determine the success of future e-learning utilization. In addition, institutional readiness measurement are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies in e-learning development. The research method used is survey with questionnaire designed based on integration of 8 best practice ELR (e-learning readiness) model. The results showed that from 13 factors of integrated ELR model being measured, there are 3 readiness factors included in the category of not ready and needs a lot of work. They are human resource (2.57), technology skill (2.38) and content factors (2.41). In general, e-learning implementation in institutions is in the category of not ready but needs some of work (3.27). Therefore, the institution should consider which factors or areas of ELR factors are considered still not ready and needs improvement in the future.
Putting College and Career Readiness at the Forefront of District Priorities in Dallas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Shane

2013-01-01

Dallas Independent School District's (ISD) efforts to develop a system of college readiness indicators began in 2008, when they received a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant under the foundation's College-Ready Education initiative. With this grant, Dallas ISD's Performance Management and Analytics department developed a college readiness…
Career Readiness and Individuals with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strauser, David; Zanskas, Stephen; Lustig, Daniel

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationship between career readiness, defined as capability and complexity, and vocational identity for individuals with disabilities. Method: Forty-three consumers participating in vocational evaluation services for a state-federal vocational rehabilitation agency completed the…
Treatment Readiness as a Determinant of Treatment Participation in a Prison-Based Rehabilitation Program: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Bosma, Anouk Q; Kunst, Maarten J J; Dirkzwager, Anja J E; Nieuwbeerta, Paul

2017-06-01

The current study had three aims. First, it measured treatment readiness among offenders who entered the Prevention of Recidivism program. This is a prison-based rehabilitation program in the Netherlands that aims to lower re-offending rates among offenders with a prison sentence of at least for months and that is carried out during the final months of incarceration. Second, the study evaluated whether treatment readiness was associated with treatment participation. Third, the study examined whether treatment readiness measured with a validated instrument predicted treatment participation above and beyond a clinical assessment of treatment readiness, currently used as a criterion to include offenders in rehabilitation programs. To address these aims, data were used from the fourth wave of a research project studying the effects of imprisonment on the life of detainees in the Netherlands. Results indicated that treatment readiness as measured with a validated instrument was a significant predictor of treatment participation. Also, the current study showed that treatment readiness measured with a validated instrument improved the prediction of treatment participation above and beyond a clinical assessment of treatment readiness. Outcomes were discussed in light of study limitations and implications.
Coalition readiness management system preliminary interoperability experiment (CReaMS PIE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Peter; Ryan, Peter; Zalcman, Lucien; Robbie, Andrew

2003-09-01

The United States Navy (USN) has initiated the Coalition Readiness Management System (CReaMS) Initiative to enhance coalition warfighting readiness through advancing development of a team interoperability training and combined mission rehearsal capability. It integrates evolving cognitive team learning principles and processes with advanced technology innovations to produce an effective and efficient team learning environment. The JOint Air Navy Networking Environment (JOANNE) forms the Australian component of CReaMS. The ultimate goal is to link Australian Defence simulation systems with the USN Battle Force Tactical Training (BFTT) system to demonstrate and achieve coalition level warfare training in a synthetic battlespace. This paper discusses the initial Preliminary Interoperability Experiment (PIE) involving USN and Australian Defence establishments.
Using Technology Readiness Level (TRL), Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and Other Metrics to Supplement Equivalent System Mass (ESM) in Advanced Life Support (ALS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry

2003-01-01

The ALS project plan goals are reducing cost, improving performance, and achieving flight readiness. ALS selects projects to advance the mission readiness of low cost, high performance technologies. The role of metrics is to help select good projects and report progress. The Equivalent Mass (EM) of a system is the sum of the estimated mass of the hardware, of its required materials and spares, and of the pressurized volume, power supply, and cooling system needed to support the hardware in space. EM is the total payload launch mass needed to provide and support a system. EM is directly proportional to the launch cost.
Implementing a Complex Intervention to Support Personal Recovery: A Qualitative Study Nested within a Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Leamy, Mary; Clarke, Eleanor; Le Boutillier, Clair; Bird, Victoria; Janosik, Monika; Sabas, Kai; Riley, Genevieve; Williams, Julie; Slade, Mike

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate staff and trainer perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to implementing a complex intervention to help staff support the recovery of service users with a primary diagnosis of psychosis in community mental health teams. Design Process evaluation nested within a cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT). Participants 28 interviews with mental health care staff, 3 interviews with trainers, 4 focus groups with intervention teams and 28 written trainer reports. Setting 14 community-based mental health teams in two UK sites (one urban, one semi-rural) who received the intervention. Results The factors influencing the implementation of the intervention can be organised under two over-arching themes: Organisational readiness for change and Training effectiveness. Organisational readiness for change comprised three sub-themes: NHS Trust readiness; Team readiness; and Practitioner readiness. Training effectiveness comprised three sub-themes: Engagement strategies; Delivery style and Modelling recovery principles. Conclusions Three findings can inform future implementation and evaluation of complex interventions. First, the underlying intervention model predicted that three areas would be important for changing practice: staff skill development; intention to implement; and actual implementation behaviour. This study highlighted the importance of targeting the transition from practitioners' intent to implement to actual implementation behaviour, using experiential learning and target setting. Second, practitioners make inferences about organisational commitment by observing the allocation of resources, Knowledge Performance Indicators and service evaluation outcome measures. These need to be aligned with recovery values, principles and practice. Finally, we recommend the use of organisational readiness tools as an inclusion criteria for selecting both organisations and teams in cluster RCTs. We believe this would maximise the likelihood of adequate implementation and hence reduce waste in research expenditure. Trial Registration Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN02507940 PMID:24875748
Implementing a complex intervention to support personal recovery: a qualitative study nested within a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Leamy, Mary; Clarke, Eleanor; Le Boutillier, Clair; Bird, Victoria; Janosik, Monika; Sabas, Kai; Riley, Genevieve; Williams, Julie; Slade, Mike

2014-01-01

To investigate staff and trainer perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to implementing a complex intervention to help staff support the recovery of service users with a primary diagnosis of psychosis in community mental health teams. Process evaluation nested within a cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT). 28 interviews with mental health care staff, 3 interviews with trainers, 4 focus groups with intervention teams and 28 written trainer reports. 14 community-based mental health teams in two UK sites (one urban, one semi-rural) who received the intervention. The factors influencing the implementation of the intervention can be organised under two over-arching themes: Organisational readiness for change and Training effectiveness. Organisational readiness for change comprised three sub-themes: NHS Trust readiness; Team readiness; and Practitioner readiness. Training effectiveness comprised three sub-themes: Engagement strategies; Delivery style and Modelling recovery principles. Three findings can inform future implementation and evaluation of complex interventions. First, the underlying intervention model predicted that three areas would be important for changing practice: staff skill development; intention to implement; and actual implementation behaviour. This study highlighted the importance of targeting the transition from practitioners' intent to implement to actual implementation behaviour, using experiential learning and target setting. Second, practitioners make inferences about organisational commitment by observing the allocation of resources, Knowledge Performance Indicators and service evaluation outcome measures. These need to be aligned with recovery values, principles and practice. Finally, we recommend the use of organisational readiness tools as an inclusion criteria for selecting both organisations and teams in cluster RCTs. We believe this would maximise the likelihood of adequate implementation and hence reduce waste in research expenditure. Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN02507940.
Computational Gene Expression Modeling Identifies Salivary Biomarker Analysis that Predict Oral Feeding Readiness in the Newborn

PubMed Central

Maron, Jill L.; Hwang, Jooyeon S.; Pathak, Subash; Ruthazer, Robin; Russell, Ruby L.; Alterovitz, Gil

2014-01-01

Objective To combine mathematical modeling of salivary gene expression microarray data and systems biology annotation with RT-qPCR amplification to identify (phase I) and validate (phase II) salivary biomarker analysis for the prediction of oral feeding readiness in preterm infants. Study design Comparative whole transcriptome microarray analysis from 12 preterm newborns pre- and post-oral feeding success was used for computational modeling and systems biology analysis to identify potential salivary transcripts associated with oral feeding success (phase I). Selected gene expression biomarkers (15 from computational modeling; 6 evidence-based; and 3 reference) were evaluated by RT-qPCR amplification on 400 salivary samples from successful (n=200) and unsuccessful (n=200) oral feeders (phase II). Genes, alone and in combination, were evaluated by a multivariate analysis controlling for sex and post-conceptional age (PCA) to determine the probability that newborns achieved successful oral feeding. Results Advancing post-conceptional age (p < 0.001) and female sex (p = 0.05) positively predicted an infant’s ability to feed orally. A combination of five genes, NPY2R (hunger signaling), AMPK (energy homeostasis), PLXNA1 (olfactory neurogenesis), NPHP4 (visual behavior) and WNT3 (facial development), in addition to PCA and sex, demonstrated good accuracy for determining feeding success (AUROC = 0.78). Conclusions We have identified objective and biologically relevant salivary biomarkers that noninvasively assess a newborn’s developing brain, sensory and facial development as they relate to oral feeding success. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie the development of oral feeding readiness through translational and computational methods may improve clinical decision making while decreasing morbidities and health care costs. PMID:25620512
Assessment of the Technical Maturity of Generation IV Concepts for Test or Demonstration Reactor Applications, Revision 2

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

Gougar, Hans David

2015-10-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) commissioned a study the suitability of different advanced reactor concepts to support materials irradiations (i.e. a test reactor) or to demonstrate an advanced power plant/fuel cycle concept (demonstration reactor). As part of the study, an assessment of the technical maturity of the individual concepts was undertaken to see which, if any, can support near-term deployment. A Working Group composed of the authors of this document performed the maturity assessment using the Technical Readiness Levels as defined in DOE’s Technology Readiness Guide . One representative design was selected for assessment from of each ofmore » the six Generation-IV reactor types: gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR), lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR), molten salt reactor (MSR), supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR), sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), and very high temperature reactor (VHTR). Background information was obtained from previous detailed evaluations such as the Generation-IV Roadmap but other technical references were also used including consultations with concept proponents and subject matter experts. Outside of Generation IV activity in which the US is a party, non-U.S. experience or data sources were generally not factored into the evaluations as one cannot assume that this data is easily available or of sufficient quality to be used for licensing a US facility. The Working Group established the scope of the assessment (which systems and subsystems needed to be considered), adapted a specific technology readiness scale, and scored each system through discussions designed to achieve internal consistency across concepts. In general, the Working Group sought to determine which of the reactor options have sufficient maturity to serve either the test or demonstration reactor missions.« less

A theory of organizational readiness for change

PubMed Central

Weiner, Bryan J

2009-01-01

Background Change management experts have emphasized the importance of establishing organizational readiness for change and recommended various strategies for creating it. Although the advice seems reasonable, the scientific basis for it is limited. Unlike individual readiness for change, organizational readiness for change has not been subject to extensive theoretical development or empirical study. In this article, I conceptually define organizational readiness for change and develop a theory of its determinants and outcomes. I focus on the organizational level of analysis because many promising approaches to improving healthcare delivery entail collective behavior change in the form of systems redesign--that is, multiple, simultaneous changes in staffing, work flow, decision making, communication, and reward systems. Discussion Organizational readiness for change is a multi-level, multi-faceted construct. As an organization-level construct, readiness for change refers to organizational members' shared resolve to implement a change (change commitment) and shared belief in their collective capability to do so (change efficacy). Organizational readiness for change varies as a function of how much organizational members value the change and how favorably they appraise three key determinants of implementation capability: task demands, resource availability, and situational factors. When organizational readiness for change is high, organizational members are more likely to initiate change, exert greater effort, exhibit greater persistence, and display more cooperative behavior. The result is more effective implementation. Summary The theory described in this article treats organizational readiness as a shared psychological state in which organizational members feel committed to implementing an organizational change and confident in their collective abilities to do so. This way of thinking about organizational readiness is best suited for examining organizational changes where collective behavior change is necessary in order to effectively implement the change and, in some instances, for the change to produce anticipated benefits. Testing the theory would require further measurement development and careful sampling decisions. The theory offers a means of reconciling the structural and psychological views of organizational readiness found in the literature. Further, the theory suggests the possibility that the strategies that change management experts recommend are equifinal. That is, there is no 'one best way' to increase organizational readiness for change. PMID:19840381
Core to College Evaluation: Exploring the Use of Multiple Measures for Placement into College-Level Courses. Seeking Alternatives or Improvements to the Use of a Single Standardized Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracco, Kathy Reeves; Dadgar, Mina; Austin, Kim; Klarin, Becca; Broek, Marie; Finkelstein, Neal; Mundry, Susan; Bugler, Dan

2014-01-01

"Core to College: Preparing Students for College Readiness and Success" is a three-year initiative. The initiative's mission is to "facilitate greater coordination between K-12 and postsecondary education systems around implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and aligned assessments." Its aim is to foster…
EHR implementation in South Africa: how do we get it right?

PubMed

Yogeswaran, Parimalaranie; Wright, Graham

2010-01-01

In an environment of expanding demand on the health care system to provide equitable, accessible and safe health care, usage of information communication technology is one of the strategies identified to fulfil such expectations. Electronic Health Record (EHR) is an important tool towards achieving better health care using such technology, although, across the world EHR implementation has experienced a high failure rate. Nevertheless South Africa has made a strategic decision to implement EHR system in the public health sector. An evaluation toolkit was developed, to measure the state of readiness of health institutions in South Africa in implementing EHR based on Kaplan and Norton's work on Balanced Score Card (BSC), and the subsequent variant model developed by Protti. A Critical Success Factor (CSF) scorecard to assess the state of readiness and a Balanced Score Card matrix to be used as a strategic framework was developed. These tools were validated using critiques by a panel of experts. The toolkit developed has the potential to assist the organization towards a better EHR implementation path.
A simple way of evaluating the healthiness of ready-to-eat foods and developing healthy foods in the food industry.

PubMed

Outila, Terhi A; Simulainen, Helena; Laukkanen, Tuula H A; Maarit Kyyrö, A

2006-01-01

In this study we have developed a new way of evaluating the healthiness of ready-to-eat foods. In the developed method, ready-to-eat foods were classified into specific product categories, and the nutritional quality of classified foods was analysed using the national dietary recommendations and the national dietary survey as a basis for the dietary calculations. The method was tested with the products of 'Saarioinen', which is the leading brand in the Finnish ready-to-eat food market. Results indicate that this low-cost method can easily be used in the food industry as a tool in product development and marketing in order to develop healthy foods. The method could also be applied to the restaurant and catering trade, as well as to other public institutions serving food. By using this model, nutritional researchers and the food industry could work together to prevent nutrition-related health problems.
Introducing a change in hospital policy using FMEA methodology as a tool to reduce patient hazards.

PubMed

Ofek, Fanny; Magnezi, Racheli; Kurzweil, Yaffa; Gazit, Inbal; Berkovitch, Sofia; Tal, Orna

2016-01-01

Intravenous potassium chloride (IV KCl) solutions are widely used in hospitals for treatment of hypokalemia. As ampoules of concentrated KCL must be diluted before use, critical incidents have been associated with its preparation and administration. Currently, we have introduced ready-to-use diluted KCl infusion solutions to minimize the use of high-alert concentrated KCl. Since this process may be associated with considerable risks, we embraced a proactive hazard analysis as a tool to implement a change in high-alert drug usage in a hospital setting. Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is a systematic tool to analyze and identify risks in system operations. We used FMEA to examine the hazards associated with the implementation of the ready-to-use solutions. A multidisciplinary team analyzed the risks by identifying failure modes, conducting a hazard analysis and calculating the criticality index (CI) for each failure mode. A 1-day survey was performed as an evaluation step after a trial run period of approximately 4 months. Six major possible risks were identified. The most severe risks were prioritized and specific recommendations were formulated. Out of 28 patients receiving IV KCl on the day of the survey, 22 received the ready-to-use solutions and 6 received the concentrated solutions as instructed. Only 1 patient received inappropriate ready-to-use KCl. Using the FMEA tool in our study has proven once again that by creating a gradient of severity of potential vulnerable elements, we are able to proactively promote safer and more efficient processes in health care systems. This article presents a utilization of this method for implementing a change in hospital policy regarding the routine use of IV KCl.
Technology requirements and readiness for very large vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conner, D. W.

1979-01-01

Common concerns of very large vehicles in the areas of economics, transportation system interfaces and operational problems were reviewed regarding their influence on vehicle configurations and technology. Fifty-four technology requirements were identified which are judged to be unique, or particularly critical, to very large vehicles. The requirements were about equally divided among the four general areas of aero/hydrodynamics, propulsion and acoustics, structures, and vehicle systems and operations. The state of technology readiness was judged to be poor to fair for slightly more than one half of the requirements. In the classic disciplinary areas, the state of technology readiness appears to be more advanced than for vehicle systems and operations.
Evaluation Program on the Implementation of Industrial Apprenticeship (Prakerin) in Electrical Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maulana, I.; Sumarto; Nurafiati, P.; Puspita, R. H.

2018-02-01

This research aims to find out the evaluation program of the Industrial apprenticeship (Prakerin) in electrical engineering. This research includes on four variables of CIPP. (1). Context (a). programme planning (b). design. (2). Input (a). readiness of students (b). performance of vocational education teachers (c). Facilities and infrastructure, (3). process (a). performance students (b). performance mentors, (4). Product (a). readiness of student work. This research is a type of program evaluation research with Stake model approach. Data collection methods used are questionnaires with closed questions and frequently asked questions.
College Readiness Standards[TM] for EXPLORE[R], PLAN[R], and the ACT[R]: Includes Ideas for Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ACT, Inc., 2008

2008-01-01

At the foundation of the Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) programs are ACT's College Readiness Standards. The Standards offer learning strategies that are likely to help students meet state standards and acquire the more advanced concepts associated with higher EPAS test scores and, more importantly, increased college readiness.…
The Role of Educational Systems in Improving College Readiness Skills in College Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallo, Charles B.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study investigated second semester undergraduate college students' perceptions of their levels of college readiness instilled and developed in them as graduates of a New York City High School. This study sought to determine the level of alignment of the criteria and definitions of college readiness between the New York City…
Elements of Success: WorkReady Philadelphia Program Year 2011-2012 Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philadelphia Youth Network, 2012

2012-01-01

What does it take to deliver WorkReady Philadelphia's high-quality career-connected programming? In short, it's all about the "elements"--those essential components of the system that combine to produce success for young people. This 2011-12 WorkReady report reinforces this theme by using visual aspects of the "Periodic Table of…
What Is College and Career Readiness? A Summary of State Definitions. Bulletin, Issue 22

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conforti, Peter A.

2013-01-01

This paper outlines each state's definition of college and career readiness and shows whether they associate with the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), ACT College and Career Readiness System (ACCRS), or both. The general definition that emerges can not only facilitate interstate discussions on multiple levels, but also provide…
Turkish Classroom Teachers' Views on School Readiness: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotaman, Huseyin

2014-01-01

In a democratic education system, it is important to provide equal opportunity to every child. Both educators and researchers acknowledge a gap between students who attend school ready to learn and those who do not. School readiness prepares students for this learning. The purpose of the study was to ascertain Turkish classroom teachers'…
Transitions from high school to college.

PubMed

Venezia, Andrea; Jaeger, Laura

2013-01-01

The vast majority of high school students aspire to some kind of postsecondary education, yet far too many of them enter college without the basic content knowledge, skills, or habits of mind they need to succeed. Andrea Venezia and Laura Jaeger look at the state of college readiness among high school students, the effectiveness of programs in place to help them transition to college, and efforts to improve those transitions. Students are unprepared for postsecondary coursework for many reasons, the authors write, including differences between what high schools teach and what colleges expect, as well as large disparities between the instruction offered by high schools with high concentrations of students in poverty and that offered by high schools with more advantaged students. The authors also note the importance of noncurricular variables, such as peer influences, parental expectations, and conditions that encourage academic study. Interventions to improve college readiness offer a variety of services, from academic preparation and information about college and financial aid, to psychosocial and behavioral supports, to the development of habits of mind including organizational skills, anticipation, persistence, and resiliency. The authors also discuss more systemic programs, such as Middle College High Schools, and review efforts to allow high school students to take college classes (known as dual enrollment). Evaluations of the effectiveness of these efforts are limited, but the authors report that studies of precollege support programs generally show small impacts, while the more systemic programs show mixed results. Dual-enrollment programs show promise, but the evaluation designs may overstate the results. The Common Core State Standards, a voluntary set of goals and expectations in English and math adopted by most states, offer the potential to improve college and career readiness, the authors write. But that potential will be realized, they add, only if the standards are supplemented with the necessary professional development to enable educators to help all students meet academic college readiness standards, a focus on developing strong noncognitive knowledge and skills for all students, and the information and supports to help students prepare and select the most appropriate postsecondary institution.
A cost-benefit evaluation of the LANDSAT flow-on operational system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Disciplines to benefit from the LANDSAT Follow-on System include agriculture, petroleum and mineral exploration, hydrologic land use, water resources management, forestry, land use planning and monitoring, and soil management. The annual quantified benefits are in the range of 420 to 970 million (FY 1976 dollars). The operational system sized to achieve the quantified benefits involves a single orbiting satellite with a backup satellite in launch readiness. The ground system includes a basic processing system which feeds information to three user systems - one for agriculture, one for hydrologic land use, and a third for all other users. The resulting present worth benefit cost ratio is at least equal to four with a reasonable likelihood of exceeding nine. This benefit cost ratio is evaluated for an infinite time horizon at the discount rate of 10 percent.
An analysis of the relationship between staff qualification and export readiness of pharmaceutical companies: the case of iran.

PubMed

Mohammadzadeh, Mehdi

2012-01-01

Export and the readiness to export constitute the first step of international marketing, which are affected by both internal and external factors of firms. One of the most important internal factors is the presence of skilled personnel. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between staff qualification and encouragment with the readiness level of Iranian pharmacuetical firms for engagement in export marketing. The research was based on a single case study on a basket of seven leading domestic firms. For the bias reduction, questionnaires as well as interviews with managers were used. The performance of the studied factor was lower than the desired level for export readiness and there was much scope for improvement in staff qualifications to achieve such readiness. The results of this research enable small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies to evaluate their staff qualification levels needed for export readiness and to detect their shortcomings in order to improve them.
An Analysis of the Relationship Between Staff Qualification and Export Readiness of Pharmaceutical Companies: The Case of Iran

PubMed Central

Mohammadzadeh, Mehdi

2012-01-01

Export and the readiness to export constitute the first step of international marketing, which are affected by both internal and external factors of firms. One of the most important internal factors is the presence of skilled personnel. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between staff qualification and encouragment with the readiness level of Iranian pharmacuetical firms for engagement in export marketing. The research was based on a single case study on a basket of seven leading domestic firms. For the bias reduction, questionnaires as well as interviews with managers were used. The performance of the studied factor was lower than the desired level for export readiness and there was much scope for improvement in staff qualifications to achieve such readiness. The results of this research enable small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies to evaluate their staff qualification levels needed for export readiness and to detect their shortcomings in order to improve them. PMID:24250528
Executive functions and school readiness intervention: Impact, moderation, and mediation in the Head Start REDI program

PubMed Central

BIERMAN, KAREN L.; NIX, ROBERT L.; GREENBERG, MARK T.; BLAIR, CLANCY; DOMITROVICH, CELENE E.

2011-01-01

Despite their potentially central role in fostering school readiness, executive function (EF) skills have received little explicit attention in the design and evaluation of school readiness interventions for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. The present study examined a set of five EF measures in the context of a randomized-controlled trial of a research-based intervention integrated into Head Start programs (Head Start REDI). Three hundred fifty-six 4-year-old children (17% Hispanic, 25% African American; 54% girls) were followed over the course of the prekindergarten year. Initial EF predicted gains in cognitive and social–emotional skills and moderated the impact of the Head Start REDI intervention on some outcomes. The REDI intervention promoted gains on two EF measures, which partially mediated intervention effects on school readiness. We discuss the importance of further study of the neurobiological bases of school readiness, the implications for intervention design, and the value of incorporating markers of neurobiological processes into school readiness interventions. PMID:18606033
The Challenges of Field Testing the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) in an Operational Air Traffic Control Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoang, Ty; Swenson, Harry N.

1997-01-01

The Traffic Management Advisor (TMA), the sequence and schedule tool of the Center/TRACON Automation System (CTAS), was evaluated at the Fort Worth Center (ZFW) in the summer of 1996. This paper describes the challenges encountered during the various phases of the TMA field evaluation, which included system (hardware and software) installation, personnel training, and data collection. Operational procedures were developed and applied to the evaluation process that would ensure air safety. The five weeks of field evaluation imposed minimal impact on the hosting facility and provided valuable engineering and human factors data. The collection of data was very much an opportunistic affair, due to dynamic traffic conditions. One measure of the success of the TMA evaluation is that, rather than remove TMA after the evaluation until it could be fully implemented, the prototype TMA is in continual use at ZFW as the fully operational version is readied for implementation.
Advanced Helmet Mounted Display (AHMD) for simulator applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sisodia, Ashok; Riser, Andrew; Bayer, Michael; McGuire, James P.

2006-05-01

The Advanced Helmet Mounted Display (AHMD), augmented reality visual system first presented at last year's Cockpit and Future Displays for Defense and Security conference, has now been evaluated in a number of military simulator applications and by L-3 Link Simulation and Training. This paper presents the preliminary results of these evaluations and describes current and future simulator and training applications for HMD technology. The AHMD blends computer-generated data (symbology, synthetic imagery, enhanced imagery) with the actual and simulated visible environment. The AHMD is designed specifically for highly mobile deployable, minimum resource demanding reconfigurable virtual training systems to satisfy the military's in-theater warrior readiness objective. A description of the innovative AHMD system and future enhancements will be discussed.
Advanced turboprop testbed systems study. Volume 1: Testbed program objectives and priorities, drive system and aircraft design studies, evaluation and recommendations and wind tunnel test plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradley, E. S.; Little, B. H.; Warnock, W.; Jenness, C. M.; Wilson, J. M.; Powell, C. W.; Shoaf, L.

1982-01-01

The establishment of propfan technology readiness was determined and candidate drive systems for propfan application were identified. Candidate testbed aircraft were investigated for testbed aircraft suitability and four aircraft selected as possible propfan testbed vehicles. An evaluation of the four candidates was performed and the Boeing KC-135A and the Gulfstream American Gulfstream II recommended as the most suitable aircraft for test application. Conceptual designs of the two recommended aircraft were performed and cost and schedule data for the entire testbed program were generated. The program total cost was estimated and a wind tunnel program cost and schedule is generated in support of the testbed program.

Child, family, and community characteristics associated with school readiness in Jordan

PubMed Central

Al-Hassan, Suha M.; Lansford, Jennifer E.

2010-01-01

The present study investigated demographic differences in school readiness within Jordan, a particularly interesting context because of wide-spread national reform currently sweeping the education system in Jordan. Teacher reports and researcher direct assessments of the school readiness of a national sample of 4,681 Jordanian first grade children were used to describe the levels of school readiness of children with respect to seven demographic characteristics. Higher levels of school readiness were associated with male gender, higher family income, higher paternal education, higher maternal education, smaller family size, fewer siblings, and urban residence. Taken together, the findings highlight the importance of Jordanian education reform, one aim of which is to improve the school readiness of all children by implementing public kindergartens, especially in poor, rural areas. PMID:21132066
Professional Readiness Level of Candidate Teachers: A Qualitative Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Nail

2016-01-01

The study investigates novice teachers? self-perceptions of their professional readiness. The study has a qualitative research design, adopting the phenomenology pattern. The study group comprised subject matter teachers employed at different educational stages (primary, secondary and high schools). The participants were selected according to the…
Operation Occupation: A College and Career Readiness Intervention for Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mariani, Melissa; Berger, Carolyn; Koerner, Kathleen; Sandlin, Cassie

2017-01-01

This article describes efforts undertaken to design, deliver, and evaluate a college and career readiness (CCR) unit for fifth-grade students. Preliminary findings from the school counselor-developed and -delivered intervention, Operation Occupation, supported interdisciplinary efforts between counselors and classroom teachers. Pre- and…
School Readiness Factor Analyzed.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenner, Anton; Scott, Leland H.

This paper is an empirical statistical analysis and interpretation of data relating to school readiness previously examined and reported on a theoretical basis. A total of 118 white, middle class children from six consecutive kindergarten groups in Dearborn, Michigan were tested with seven instruments, evaluated in terms of achievement, ability,…
Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers: supporting the workforce for national health security.

PubMed

Richmond, Alyson L; Sobelson, Robyn K; Cioffi, Joan P

2014-01-01

The importance of a competent and prepared national public health workforce, ready to respond to threats to the public's health, has been acknowledged in numerous publications since the 1980s. The Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLCs) were funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2010 to continue to build upon a decade of focused activities in public health workforce preparedness development initiated under the Centers for Public Health Preparedness program (http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/cphp/). All 14 PERLCs were located within Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited schools of public health. These centers aimed to improve workforce readiness and competence through the development, delivery, and evaluation of targeted learning programs designed to meet specific requirements of state, local, and tribal partners. The PERLCs supported organizational and community readiness locally, regionally, or nationally through the provision of technical consultation and dissemination of specific, practical tools aligned with national preparedness competency frameworks and public health preparedness capabilities. Public health agencies strive to address growing public needs and a continuous stream of current and emerging public health threats. The PERLC network represented a flexible, scalable, and experienced national learning system linking academia with practice. This system improved national health security by enhancing individual, organizational, and community performance through the application of public health science and learning technologies to frontline practice.
Redevelopment Ready Communities: Best Practices and Scoring System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report discusses the Redevelopment Ready Communities program in southeast Michigan, which encourages mature suburbs to bolster their competitiveness by making development more efficient and less complicated.
Workforce Preparedness of Information Systems Students: Perceptions of Students, Alumni, and Employers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bristow, Susan

2013-01-01

Employers of newly hired higher education graduates report their new workforce is not prepared. Further research was required to discover insights to the workforce readiness gap. This concurrent mixed methods study explored what competencies influenced employer's perceptions of the work-readiness of Information Systems (ISYS) undergraduate…
Factors Affecting the Technology Readiness of Health Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Stephanie E.

2010-01-01

Federal government policies are promoting diffusion of technologies into the healthcare system. If health professionals reject the new technologies planned for the healthcare system, it could result in costly failures, delays, and workforce problems. There is a lack of knowledge about factors that affect technology readiness (TR), defined as the…
Integrated System Test Approaches for the NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrell, Charles

2008-01-01

NASA is maturing test and evaluation plans leading to flight readiness of the Ares I crew launch vehicle. Key development, qualification, and verification tests are planned . Upper stage engine sea-level and altitude testing. First stage development and qualification motors. Upper stage structural and thermal development and qualification test articles. Main Propulsion Test Article (MPTA). Upper stage green run testing. Integrated Vehicle Ground Vibration Testing (IVGVT). Aerodynamic characterization testing. Test and evaluation supports initial validation flights (Ares I-Y and Orion 1) and design certification.
A Measure of Maintenance Training/Qualification Readiness and Its Impact on Billet Life Cycle Coast.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

MAINTENANCE READINESS ESTIMATION---------------- 24 A. AVIATION TRAINING SUPPORT SYSTEM ---- 25 B. MAINTENANCE MATRIX UTILIZATION-------------- 27 C...nonexistent follow-on training programs. CRef. 13 The operation and maintenance o systems account for a major portion of system life cycle cost. Studies of... systems annual support costs show that manpower consistently consuwme over half of the funds appropriated for operation and maintenance of the system £Ref
Training System Device Certification and Qualification Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

Engineering IPT Integrated Product Team ISD Instructional Systems Development ISEO In-Service Engineering Office KSAs Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes...Plan TES Tactical Engagement Simulation TPM Training Pipeline Managers T&R Training and Readiness TRR Test Readiness Review TS Training System...NAWCTSD) is the Navy’s source for a full range of innovative products and services that provide complete training solutions. This includes
Mission operations concepts for Earth Observing System (EOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Angelita C.; Taylor, Thomas D.; Hawkins, Frederick J.

1991-01-01

Mission operation concepts are described which are being used to evaluate and influence space and ground system designs and architectures with the goal of achieving successful, efficient, and cost-effective Earth Observing System (EOS) operations. Emphasis is given to the general characteristics and concepts developed for the EOS Space Measurement System, which uses a new series of polar-orbiting observatories. Data rates are given for various instruments. Some of the operations concepts which require a total system view are also examined, including command operations, data processing, data accountability, data archival, prelaunch testing and readiness, launch, performance monitoring and assessment, contingency operations, flight software maintenance, and security.
A Proposed Conceptual Model of Military Medical Readiness

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

critical role in complex military operations in which Medical Readiness 22 technological and information demands necessitate a multi-operator environment...Analysis 33 Coding 34 Data Collection 35 Medical Readiness 6 Boundaries 36 Researcher’s Role and Approach 37 Literature Review 37 The Military Health...Within the external environment, strategic shifts, technological advancements, and changing demographics affect how the Military Health System delivers
Alliance College-Ready Public Schools: Alice M. Baxter College-Ready High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EDUCAUSE, 2015

2015-01-01

The largest charter organization in Los Angeles serving more than 11,000 low-income students aims to prove it is possible to educate students at high levels across an entire system of schools. Alliance College-Ready Public Schools developed the PACE blended learning model, launched at the new Baxter High School, to more effectively prepare its…
Advancing HIV/AIDS prevention among American Indians through capacity building and the community readiness model.

PubMed

Thurman, Pamela Jumper; Vernon, Irene S; Plested, Barbara

2007-01-01

Although HIV/AIDS prevention has presented challenges over the past 25 years, prevention does work! To be most effective, however, prevention must be specific to the culture and the nature of the community. Building the capacity of a community for prevention efforts is not an easy process. If capacity is to be sustained, it must be practical and utilize the resources that already exist in the community. Attitudes vary across communities; resources vary, political climates are constantly varied and changing. Communities are fluid-always changing, adapting, growing. They are "ready" for different things at different times. Readiness is a key issue! This article presents a model that has experienced a high level of success in building community capacity for effective prevention/intervention for HIV/AIDS and offers case studies for review. The Community Readiness Model provides both quantitative and qualitative information in a user-friendly structure that guides a community through the process of understanding the importance of the measure of readiness. The model identifies readiness- appropriate strategies, provides readiness scores for evaluation, and most important, involves community stakeholders in the process. The article will demonstrate the importance of developing strategies consistent with readiness levels for more cost-effective and successful prevention efforts.
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Four Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainey, Katharine; Maloney, Catherine; Sheehan, Daniel; Lopez, Omar

2011-01-01

The federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, project strives to equalize low-income students' access to higher education by increasing their participation in rigorous coursework, providing expanded opportunities for low-income students and parents to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities…
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Two Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Catherine; Sheehan, Daniel; Rainey, Katie; Whipple, Allyson

2008-01-01

The federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, project strives to equalize low-income students' access to higher education by increasing their participation in rigorous coursework, providing expanded opportunities for low-income students and parents to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities…
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Four Evaluation Report. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Center for Educational Research, 2011

2011-01-01

The federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, project strives to equalize low-income students' access to higher education by increasing their participation in rigorous coursework, providing expanded opportunities for low-income students and parents to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities…
MODU marine safety: Structural inspection and readiness surveys

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

Cole, M.W.; Marucci, T.F.; Taft, D.G.

1987-11-01

Several years ago, Exxon instituted a survey of mobile offshore drilling units (MODU's) under contract to the corporation to evaluate structural integrity and readiness to respond properly to marine emergencies. This paper briefly describes results of the inspections and our on-going marine safety program. Industry activity is also highlighted.
78 FR 58309 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-23

... initiative, funded by the Children's Bureau (CB) within ACF, will support planning grants to develop a model... for the process evaluation will be used to assess grantees' organizational capacity and readiness to... response burden hours Baseline Telephone Interview of 540 270 1 1.0 270 Organizational Readiness...

Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year Two Evaluation Report. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Catherine; Sheehan, Daniel; Rainey, Katie; Whipple, Allyson

2008-01-01

The federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, project strives to equalize low-income students' access to higher education by increasing their participation in rigorous coursework, providing expanded opportunities for low-income students and parents to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities…
Students Training for Academic Readiness (STAR): Year One Evaluation Report. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Catherine; Caranikas-Walker, Fanny; Sheehan, Daniel

2007-01-01

The federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, strives to equalize low-income students' access to higher education by increasing their participation in rigorous coursework, providing expanded opportunities for low-income students and parents to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities and…
Preparation and Design for a Training Effectiveness Evaluation of Device 2F64C for Replacement Pilot Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Robert F.; And Others

This report details the setting up of a program to assess the training potential of a new simulator (Device 2F64C) for training SH-3 replacement helicopter pilots. Section 2 describes the training situation at the fleet readiness squadron prior to and during the transition to a new curriculum that resulted from an instructional system development…
Active Duty - U.S. Army Noise Induced Hearing Injury Surveillance, Calendar Years 2007-2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

evaluation of public health practice ” (World Health Organization, 2013). By definition, surveillance systems include the capacity for data collection...until 2005 and it took 2 years before clinicians started using these guidelines more consistently in clinical practice . Data Description: The relative...the Army since September 2006 when the Medical Protection System’s (MEDPROS) Hearing Readiness Module ( HRM ) was implemented and compliance with the
Summary of the Sixth Persh Workshop: Corrosion Policy Guiding Science and Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

mitigating corrosion. Corrosion affects military readiness, so corrosion prevention and control (CPC) have a high priority for the DOD since CPC is a...resulting in high -cost repairs. Corrosion mitigation is thus a key cost-effective approach for system maintainability and reduced life cycle costs. The... treatments . • Develop corrosion databases and corrosion models for predictive evaluation. Testing methods for realistic prediction of performance
Advanced Numerical Techniques of Performance Evaluation. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

system scheduling3thread. The scheduling thread then runs any other ready thread that can be found. A thread can only sleep or switch out on itself...Polychronopoulos and D.J. Kuck. Guided Self- Scheduling : A Practical Scheduling Scheme for Parallel Supercomputers. IEEE Transactions on Computers C...Kuck 1987] C.D. Polychronopoulos and D.J. Kuck. Guided Self- Scheduling : A Practical Scheduling Scheme for Parallel Supercomputers. IEEE Trans. on Comp
Beyond behavior modification: Benefits of social-emotional/self-regulation training for preschoolers with behavior problems.

PubMed

Graziano, Paulo A; Hart, Katie

2016-10-01

The current study evaluated the initial efficacy of three intervention programs aimed at improving school readiness in preschool children with externalizing behavior problems (EBP). Participants for this study included 45 preschool children (76% boys; Mage=5.16years; 84% Hispanic/Latino background) with at-risk or clinically elevated levels of EBP. During the summer between preschool and kindergarten, children were randomized to receive three newly developed intervention packages. The first and most cost effective intervention package was an 8-week School Readiness Parenting Program (SRPP). Families randomized into the second and third intervention packages received not only the weekly SRPP, but children also attended two different versions of an intensive kindergarten summer readiness class (M-F, 8a.m.-5p.m.) that was part of an 8-week summer treatment program for pre-kindergarteners (STP-PreK). One version included the standard behavioral modification system and academic curriculum (STP-PreK) while the other additionally contained social-emotional and self-regulation training (STP-PreK Enhanced). Baseline, post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up data were collected on children's school readiness outcomes including parent, teacher, and objective assessment measures. Analyses using linear mixed models indicated that children's behavioral functioning significantly improved across all groups in a similar magnitude. Children in the STP-PreK Enhanced group, however, experienced greater growth across time in academic achievement, emotion knowledge, emotion regulation, and executive functioning compared to children in the other groups. These findings suggest that while parent training is sufficient to address children's behavioral difficulties, an intensive summer program that goes beyond behavioral modification and academic preparation by targeting socio-emotional and self-regulation skills can have incremental benefits across multiple aspects of school readiness. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
An improved approach for flight readiness certification: Methodology for failure risk assessment and application examples. Volume 2: Software documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, N. R.; Ebbeler, D. H.; Newlin, L. E.; Sutharshana, S.; Creager, M.

1992-01-01

An improved methodology for quantitatively evaluating failure risk of spaceflight systems to assess flight readiness and identify risk control measures is presented. This methodology, called Probabilistic Failure Assessment (PFA), combines operating experience from tests and flights with engineering analysis to estimate failure risk. The PFA methodology is of particular value when information on which to base an assessment of failure risk, including test experience and knowledge of parameters used in engineering analyses of failure phenomena, is expensive or difficult to acquire. The PFA methodology is a prescribed statistical structure in which engineering analysis models that characterize failure phenomena are used conjointly with uncertainties about analysis parameters and/or modeling accuracy to estimate failure probability distributions for specific failure modes, These distributions can then be modified, by means of statistical procedures of the PFA methodology, to reflect any test or flight experience. Conventional engineering analysis models currently employed for design of failure prediction are used in this methodology. The PFA methodology is described and examples of its application are presented. Conventional approaches to failure risk evaluation for spaceflight systems are discussed, and the rationale for the approach taken in the PFA methodology is presented. The statistical methods, engineering models, and computer software used in fatigue failure mode applications are thoroughly documented.
An improved approach for flight readiness certification: Methodology for failure risk assessment and application examples, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, N. R.; Ebbeler, D. H.; Newlin, L. E.; Sutharshana, S.; Creager, M.

1992-01-01

An improved methodology for quantitatively evaluating failure risk of spaceflight systems to assess flight readiness and identify risk control measures is presented. This methodology, called Probabilistic Failure Assessment (PFA), combines operating experience from tests and flights with engineering analysis to estimate failure risk. The PFA methodology is of particular value when information on which to base an assessment of failure risk, including test experience and knowledge of parameters used in engineering analyses of failure phenomena, is expensive or difficult to acquire. The PFA methodology is a prescribed statistical structure in which engineering analysis models that characterize failure phenomena are used conjointly with uncertainties about analysis parameters and/or modeling accuracy to estimate failure probability distributions for specific failure modes. These distributions can then be modified, by means of statistical procedures of the PFA methodology, to reflect any test or flight experience. Conventional engineering analysis models currently employed for design of failure prediction are used in this methodology. The PFA methodology is described and examples of its application are presented. Conventional approaches to failure risk evaluation for spaceflight systems are discussed, and the rationale for the approach taken in the PFA methodology is presented. The statistical methods, engineering models, and computer software used in fatigue failure mode applications are thoroughly documented.
Psychometric evaluation of the Work Readiness Questionnaire in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Potkin, Steven G; Bugarski-Kirola, Dragana; Edgar, Chris J; Soliman, Sherif; Le Scouiller, Stephanie; Kunovac, Jelena; Miguel Velasco, Eugenio; Garibaldi, George M

2016-04-01

Unemployment can negatively impact quality of life among patients with schizophrenia. Employment status depends on ability, opportunity, education, and cultural influences. A clinician-rated scale of work readiness, independent of current work status, can be a valuable assessment tool. A series of studies were conducted to create and validate a Work Readiness Questionnaire (WoRQ) for clinicians to assess patient ability to engage in socially useful activity, independent of work availability. Content validity, test-retest and inter-rater reliability, and construct validity were evaluated in three separate studies. Content validity was supported. Cronbach's α was 0.91, in the excellent range. Clinicians endorsed WoRQ concepts, including treatment adherence, physical appearance, social competence, and symptom control. The final readiness decision showed good test-retest reliability and moderate inter-rater reliability. Work readiness was associated with higher function and lower levels of negative symptoms. Low positive and high negative predictive values confirmed the concept validity. The WoRQ has suitable psychometric properties for use in a clinical trial for patients with a broad range of symptom severity. The scale may be applicable to assess therapeutic interventions. It is not intended to assess eligibility for supported work interventions. The WoRQ is suitable for use in schizophrenia clinical trials to assess patient work functional potential.
Radioisotope Power Systems Program: A Program Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamley, John A.

2016-01-01

NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program continues to plan, mature research in energy conversion, and partners with the Department of Energy (DOE) to make RPS ready and available to support the exploration of the solar system in environments where the use of conventional solar or chemical power generation is impractical or impossible to meet potential future mission needs. Recent programs responsibilities include providing investment recommendations to NASA stakeholders on emerging thermoelectric and Stirling energy conversion technologies and insight on NASA investments at DOE in readying a generator for the Mars 2020 mission. This presentation provides an overview of the RPS Program content and status and the approach used to maintain the readiness of RPS to support potential future NASA missions.
Technology and Manufacturing Readiness of Early Market Motive and Non-Motive Hydrogen Storage Technologies for Fuel Cell Applications

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

Ronnebro, Ewa

PNNL’s objective in this report is to provide DOE with a technology and manufacturing readiness assessment to identify hydrogen storage technologies’ maturity levels for early market motive and non-motive applications and to provide a path forward toward commercialization. PNNL’s Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) is based on a combination of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) designations that enable evaluation of hydrogen storage technologies in varying levels of development. This approach provides a logical methodology and roadmap to enable the identification of hydrogen storage technologies, their advantages/disadvantages, gaps and R&D needs on an unbiased and transparent scale thatmore » is easily communicated to interagency partners. The TRA report documents the process used to conduct the TRA, reports the TRL and MRL for each assessed technology and provides recommendations based on the findings.« less
Acceptability, Knowledge, Beliefs, and Partners as Determinants of Zambian Men's Readiness to Undergo Medical Male Circumcision

PubMed Central

Jones, Deborah; Cook, Ryan; Arheart, Kris; Redding, Colleen A.; Zulu, Robert; Castro, Jose; Weiss, Stephen M.

2013-01-01

There is limited information about the influence of partners on medical male circumcision (MMC) uptake. This study aimed to evaluate attitudes, knowledge, and preferences about MMC among men and their partners, and their relative impact on male readiness to undergo the MMC procedure. Male participants (n = 354) and their partners (n = 273) were recruited from community health centers in Lusaka, Zambia. Men reported their readiness to undergo MMC, and both men and women were assessed regarding their attitudes and knowledge regarding MMC. Men who had discussed MMC with their partners, those who endorsed MMC for HIV risk reduction, and those viewing MMC as culturally acceptable reported increased readiness to undergo MMC. Additionally, endorsement of MMC by female partners was associated with increased men’s readiness. Results support promotion of cultural acceptability of MMC, and efforts to increase MMC uptake may benefit from incorporating partners in the decision making process. PMID:23757123
Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Ready Mix Concrete Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topkar, V. M.; Duggar, A. R.; Kumar, A.; Bonde, P. P.; Girwalkar, R. S.; Gade, S. B.

2013-11-01

India, being a developing nation is experiencing major growth in its infrastructural sector. Concrete is the major component in construction. The requirement of good quality of concrete in large quantities can be fulfilled by ready mix concrete batching and mixing plants. The paper presents a technique of applying the value engineering tool life cycle cost analysis to a ready mix concrete plant. This will help an investor or an organization to take investment decisions regarding a ready mix concrete facility. No economic alternatives are compared in this study. A cost breakdown structure is prepared for the ready mix concrete plant. A market survey has been conducted to collect realistic costs for the ready mix concrete facility. The study establishes the cash flow for the ready mix concrete facility helpful in investment and capital generation related decisions. Transit mixers form an important component of the facility and are included in the calculations. A fleet size for transit mixers has been assumed for this purpose. The life cycle cost has been calculated for the system of the ready mix concrete plant and transit mixers.
Interprofessional education and collaborative practice: Psychometric analysis of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale in undergraduate Serbian healthcare student context.

PubMed

Milutinović, Dragana; Lovrić, Robert; Simin, Dragana

2018-06-01

There is an implicit expectation for medical sciences students to work together effectively as members of health-care team, and interprofessional education is therefore widely accepted. Students' attitudes, which are affected by various factors, have been recognized as the most important predictors of successful implementation of interprofessional education with the aim of developing collaborative practice. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale has often been used in studies to measure these perspectives. To describe the psychometric properties of the Serbian cross-culturally adapted version of the original Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, to assess the attitudes of undergraduate health science students towards interprofessional education and to evaluate whether a professional group and student characteristics have influence on attitudes towards collaborative practice and shared learning. A descriptive/analytical and comparative cross-sectional study. Faculty of Medicine in Serbia. Nursing and medical students after completed first clinical rotations (n = 257). The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale for assessing attitudes among students towards interprofessional learning, Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nursing Students for assessing professional identity in nursing students, Professional Nursing Image Survey for assessing attitudes of medical students towards the nursing profession, as well as a socio-demographic questionnaire were the instruments used in this research study. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Exploratory factor analysis on 19 items revealed two-factors accounting for 51.1% of the total variance with the internal reliability α = 0.90. The mean total score of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale was 73.5 (SD = 11.5) indicating that students are ready for interprofessional learning. Nursing students, female students; students in their first years of studies, and those with previously completed education in the field of health care, have been more ready for interprofessional learning and collaborative practice. In the multiple linear regression analysis, gender and assessing professional nursing skills and abilities were significant predictors of medical students' readiness for interprofessional learning, whereas professional identity was for nursing students. The Serbian version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale has proven to be reliable and valid for the "teamwork, collaboration and shared learning" subscale, while the "role and responsibilities" subscale showed lower stability. The results of this study revealed positive students' attitudes towards interprofessional learning, which is important for Serbia, as a candidate country for European Union membership, and thus making our educational system more inclusive for joining the European Higher Education Area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A Qualitative Readiness-Requirements Assessment Model for Enterprise Big-Data Infrastructure Investment

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

Olama, Mohammed M; McNair, Wade; Sukumar, Sreenivas R

2014-01-01

In the last three decades, there has been an exponential growth in the area of information technology providing the information processing needs of data-driven businesses in government, science, and private industry in the form of capturing, staging, integrating, conveying, analyzing, and transferring data that will help knowledge workers and decision makers make sound business decisions. Data integration across enterprise warehouses is one of the most challenging steps in the big data analytics strategy. Several levels of data integration have been identified across enterprise warehouses: data accessibility, common data platform, and consolidated data model. Each level of integration has its ownmore » set of complexities that requires a certain amount of time, budget, and resources to implement. Such levels of integration are designed to address the technical challenges inherent in consolidating the disparate data sources. In this paper, we present a methodology based on industry best practices to measure the readiness of an organization and its data sets against the different levels of data integration. We introduce a new Integration Level Model (ILM) tool, which is used for quantifying an organization and data system s readiness to share data at a certain level of data integration. It is based largely on the established and accepted framework provided in the Data Management Association (DAMA-DMBOK). It comprises several key data management functions and supporting activities, together with several environmental elements that describe and apply to each function. The proposed model scores the maturity of a system s data governance processes and provides a pragmatic methodology for evaluating integration risks. The higher the computed scores, the better managed the source data system and the greater the likelihood that the data system can be brought in at a higher level of integration.« less
A qualitative readiness-requirements assessment model for enterprise big-data infrastructure investment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olama, Mohammed M.; McNair, Allen W.; Sukumar, Sreenivas R.; Nutaro, James J.

2014-05-01

In the last three decades, there has been an exponential growth in the area of information technology providing the information processing needs of data-driven businesses in government, science, and private industry in the form of capturing, staging, integrating, conveying, analyzing, and transferring data that will help knowledge workers and decision makers make sound business decisions. Data integration across enterprise warehouses is one of the most challenging steps in the big data analytics strategy. Several levels of data integration have been identified across enterprise warehouses: data accessibility, common data platform, and consolidated data model. Each level of integration has its own set of complexities that requires a certain amount of time, budget, and resources to implement. Such levels of integration are designed to address the technical challenges inherent in consolidating the disparate data sources. In this paper, we present a methodology based on industry best practices to measure the readiness of an organization and its data sets against the different levels of data integration. We introduce a new Integration Level Model (ILM) tool, which is used for quantifying an organization and data system's readiness to share data at a certain level of data integration. It is based largely on the established and accepted framework provided in the Data Management Association (DAMADMBOK). It comprises several key data management functions and supporting activities, together with several environmental elements that describe and apply to each function. The proposed model scores the maturity of a system's data governance processes and provides a pragmatic methodology for evaluating integration risks. The higher the computed scores, the better managed the source data system and the greater the likelihood that the data system can be brought in at a higher level of integration.
Early Childhood Education: Understanding Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Readiness through Systems Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, James G.

2013-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: This naturalistic inquiry case study explored a selected pre-kindergarten program and the extent of its provision for school readiness through the lens of General Systems Theory. Assessment results from kindergarten students at three separate elementary schools were analyzed, interviews were completed with select early…
District Self-Assessment Tool. College Readiness Indicator Systems Resource Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, 2014

2014-01-01

The purpose of the "District Self-Assessment Tool" is to provide school district and community stakeholders with an approach for assessing district capacity to support a college readiness indicator system and track progress over time. The tool draws on lessons from the collective implementation experiences of the four College Readiness…
Interior, building 1205, view to southeast showing roof truss system, ...

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

Interior, building 1205, view to southeast showing roof truss system, sliding main doors, and roll up door at center to allow clearance for aircraft tail assembly, 90 mm lens plus electronic flash fill lighting. - Travis Air Force Base, Readiness Maintenance Hangar, W Street, Air Defense Command Readiness Area, Fairfield, Solano County, CA

Army National Guard Personnel and Training Readiness in the Past Century: Contingencies and Continuities

DTIC Science & Technology

state executive and the militias commander-in-chief; the governor. This intrinsic dual control feature of our federal system of governance shapes the...ARNG’s values system and officer incentives structure, which in turn effects the prioritization of personnel and training readiness, and influences AC
Definition, technology readiness, and development cost of the orbit transfer vehicle engine integrated control and health monitoring system elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cannon, I.; Balcer, S.; Cochran, M.; Klop, J.; Peterson, S.

1991-01-01

An Integrated Control and Health Monitoring (ICHM) system was conceived for use on a 20 Klb thrust baseline Orbit Transfer Vehicle (OTV) engine. Considered for space used, the ICHM was defined for reusability requirements for an OTV engine service free life of 20 missions, with 100 starts and a total engine operational time of 4 hours. Functions were derived by flowing down requirements from NASA guidelines, previous OTV engine or ICHM documents, and related contracts. The elements of an ICHM were identified and listed, and these elements were described in sufficient detail to allow estimation of their technology readiness levels. These elements were assessed in terms of technology readiness level, and supporting rationale for these assessments presented. The remaining cost for development of a minimal ICHM system to technology readiness level 6 was estimated. The estimates are within an accuracy range of minus/plus 20 percent. The cost estimates cover what is needed to prepare an ICHM system for use on a focussed testbed for an expander cycle engine, excluding support to the actual test firings.
Listeria Infections

MedlinePlus

... systems. To reduce your risk Use precooked and ready-to-eat foods as soon as you can Avoid raw milk and raw milk products Heat ready-to-eat foods and leftovers until they are steaming hot Wash ...
The Tobacco Control Network's Policy Readiness and Stage of Change Assessment: What the Results Suggest for Moving Tobacco Control Efforts Forward at the State and Territorial Levels.

PubMed

Roeseler, April; Solomon, Madeleine; Beatty, Carissa; Sipler, Alison M

2016-01-01

The Tobacco Control Network (TCN) is comprised of the tobacco control programs in the health departments of states, territories, and the District of Columbia. During the assessment period, the TCN was managed by the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium at Emory University. To assess the readiness of state and territory tobacco control programs to work on evidence-based, promising policy and system change strategies aimed at preventing and reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure. The Policy Readiness and Stage of Change Assessment was a Web-based survey fielded in September 2013, which was based on the Community Readiness Model. Fifty-nine comprehensive tobacco control programs. State and territory tobacco control program managers and their internal and external partners. The TCN's 2012 Policy Platform recommendations were used as the basis to assess state/territory readiness to adopt and implement evidence-based and promising tobacco control policy/system change strategies. Sixteen tobacco control strategies were rated on: (1) implementation status, (2) readiness, (3) stage of change, and (4) the appropriate level of action for work on the strategy. The 3 strategies with the highest readiness scores were as follows: (1) 100% smoke-free air in workplaces (64%), (2) tobacco-free schools (61%), and (3) $1.50 or less cigarette tax with funds to tobacco control (53%). The 3 strategies with lowest readiness scores were: 1) coupon redemption (17%), 2) tobacco mitigation fee (14%), and 3) disclosure or sunshine laws (8%). Readiness to work on tobacco control strategies varied by region and strategy. Many states/territories are ready to work on strategies for which there is less evidence of a population-level impact for reducing tobacco use, but which contribute to denormalizing tobacco use. Working toward less impactful policies may build support, capacity, and policy success, laying an important foundation to achieve more impactful strategies.
Factors influencing readiness to deploy in disaster response: findings from a cross-sectional survey of the Department of Veterans Affairs Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) program provides a system of volunteers whereby active or retired Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel can register to be deployed to support other VA facilities or the nation during national emergencies or disasters. Both early and ongoing volunteer training is required to participate. Methods This study aims to identify factors that impact willingness to deploy in the event of an emergency. This analysis was based on responses from 2,385 survey respondents (response rate, 29%). Latent variable path models were developed and tested using the EQS structural equations modeling program. Background demographic variables of education, age, minority ethnicity, and female gender were used as predictors of intervening latent variables of DEMPS Volunteer Experience, Positive Attitude about Training, and Stress. The model had acceptable fit statistics, and all three intermediate latent variables significantly predicted the outcome latent variable Readiness to Deploy. Results DEMPS Volunteer Experience and a Positive Attitude about Training were associated with Readiness to Deploy. Stress was associated with decreased Readiness to Deploy. Female gender was negatively correlated with Readiness to Deploy; however, there was an indirect relationship between female gender and Readiness to Deploy through Positive Attitude about Training. Conclusions These findings suggest that volunteer emergency management response programs such as DEMPS should consider how best to address the factors that may make women less ready to deploy than men in order to ensure adequate gender representation among emergency responders. The findings underscore the importance of training opportunities to ensure that gender-sensitive support is a strong component of emergency response, and may apply to other emergency response programs such as the Medical Reserve Corps and the American Red Cross. PMID:25038628
Factors influencing readiness to deploy in disaster response: findings from a cross-sectional survey of the Department of Veterans Affairs Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System.

PubMed

Zagelbaum, Nicole K; Heslin, Kevin C; Stein, Judith A; Ruzek, Josef; Smith, Robert E; Nyugen, Tam; Dobalian, Aram

2014-07-19

The Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) program provides a system of volunteers whereby active or retired Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel can register to be deployed to support other VA facilities or the nation during national emergencies or disasters. Both early and ongoing volunteer training is required to participate. This study aims to identify factors that impact willingness to deploy in the event of an emergency. This analysis was based on responses from 2,385 survey respondents (response rate, 29%). Latent variable path models were developed and tested using the EQS structural equations modeling program. Background demographic variables of education, age, minority ethnicity, and female gender were used as predictors of intervening latent variables of DEMPS Volunteer Experience, Positive Attitude about Training, and Stress. The model had acceptable fit statistics, and all three intermediate latent variables significantly predicted the outcome latent variable Readiness to Deploy. DEMPS Volunteer Experience and a Positive Attitude about Training were associated with Readiness to Deploy. Stress was associated with decreased Readiness to Deploy. Female gender was negatively correlated with Readiness to Deploy; however, there was an indirect relationship between female gender and Readiness to Deploy through Positive Attitude about Training. These findings suggest that volunteer emergency management response programs such as DEMPS should consider how best to address the factors that may make women less ready to deploy than men in order to ensure adequate gender representation among emergency responders. The findings underscore the importance of training opportunities to ensure that gender-sensitive support is a strong component of emergency response, and may apply to other emergency response programs such as the Medical Reserve Corps and the American Red Cross.
Analysis of a Proposal to Implement the Readiness Based Sparing Process in the Brazilian Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

determine inventory levels. This research investigates whether implementing the U.S. DOD readiness-based sparing (RBS) methodology could provide the...suggested by applying the methodology first for determining reparable spares initial provisioning. 14. SUBJECT TERMS reparable, system-approach...This research investigates whether implementing the U.S. DOD readiness-based sparing (RBS) methodology could provide the Brazilian Navy with greater
Assessing Organizational Readiness for a Participatory Occupational Health/Health Promotion Intervention in Skilled Nursing Facilities

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuan; Flum, Marian; West, Cheryl; Punnett, Laura

2018-01-01

The long-term care sector is characterized by high morbidity and employee turnover, along with associated costs. Effective health protection and health promotion are important to improve physical and psychosocial well-being of caregivers. Assessment of organizational readiness for change is an essential precursor to the successful implementation of workplace programs addressing work climate, structure of tasks and relationships, and other issues that may be perceived as challenging by some within the institution. This study qualitatively assessed readiness of five skilled nursing facilities for a participatory occupational health/health promotion intervention. Selection criteria were developed to screen for program feasibility and ability to conduct prospective evaluations, and information was collected from managers and employees (interviews and focus groups). Three centers were selected for the program, and the first year of formative evaluation and intervention experience was then reviewed to evaluate and modify our selection criteria after the fact. Lessons learned include adding assessment of communication and the structure of problem solving to our selection criteria, improving methods to assess management support in a concrete (potentially nonverbal) form, and obtaining a stated financial commitment and resources to enable the team to function. Assessment of organizational readiness for change is challenging, although necessary to implement effective and sustainable health promotion programs in specific organizations. PMID:25715335
76 FR 32359 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-06

... Readiness (FFR) Internship Program (March 10, 2008, 73 FR 12713). Reason: Commander, Navy Installations...) employees at an installation level. N12308- 1, The Navy Fleet and Family Readiness (FFR) Internship Program...
The Readiness to Change for Bariatric Surgery Assessment Tool: Validity, Factor Structure, and Reliability.

PubMed

Carlson, Susan M S

2017-11-01

Currently, there is no guideline or standard of practice for performing the psychiatric/psychological evaluation that is a requirement for approval for bariatric surgery. The Readiness to Change for Bariatric Surgery Assessment Tool (RCB-SAT) establishes a means for psychiatric evaluators to objectively assess the patient's cognition, beliefs, and motivation around the bariatric diet and lifestyle changes. Development of a clinical decision-making tool for assessing readiness to change in bariatric patients will be useful regarding The Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research. The strategic plan outlines 6 overarching themes, with the last 3 centering around creation of such a clinical decision-making tool to assess a bariatric patient's readiness to change: evaluate promising strategies for obesity prevention and treatment in realworld settings and diverse populations, harness technology and tools to advance obesity research and improve health care delivery, and facilitate integration of research results into community programs and medical practice (National Institutes of Health, 2011). The pilot tool was administered to 153 potential bariatric patients, with 61 patients completing the survey a second time. Face and content validity of the items were established through an expert review process. Principle axis factoring by means of varimax rotation with Kaiser normalization identified 15 items loading on 3 factors associated with Prochaska and DiClemente's transtheoretical model of health behavior change: precontemplation, contemplation, and action (DiClemente & Prochaska, 1998). Test-retest reliability was also established for the tool. The proposed RCB-SAT demonstrates potential for assessing a patient's readiness to change regarding the bariatric diet and lifestyle.
KSC01pp0125

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-17

The U.S. Lab Destiny is ready to be moved from Atlantis’ payload bay into the Payload Changeout Room. After the move, Atlantis will roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to allow workers to conduct inspections, continuity checks and X-ray analysis on the 36 solid rocket booster cables located inside each booster’s system tunnel. An extensive evaluation of NASA’s SRB cable inventory revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables on the shelf. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis
Development of advanced Czochralski growth process to produce low-cost 150 kG silicon ingots from a single crucible for technology readiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The modified CG2000 crystal grower construction, installation, and machine check out was completed. The process development check out proceeded with several dry runs and one growth run. Several machine calibrations and functional problems were discovered and corrected. Exhaust gas analysis system alternatives were evaluated and an integrated system approved and ordered. Several growth runs on a development CG2000 RC grower show that complete neck, crown, and body automated growth can be achieved with only one operator input.
Alternative Fuels Data Center: Plug-In Electric Vehicle Readiness Scorecard

Science.gov Websites

track progress toward PEV readiness. Get started evaluating your community. Create Account Log in to your account. Email Password Forgot your password? LOG IN Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average (20.5 hours) per response, including the time for reviewing
Student Perceptions of Personalised Learning: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire with Regional Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldrip, Bruce; Cox, Peter; Deed, Craig; Dorman, Jeffrey; Edwards, Debra; Farrelly, Cathleen; Keeffe, Mary; Lovejoy, Valeria; Mow, Lucy; Prain, Vaughan; Sellings, Peter; Yager, Zali

2014-01-01

This project sought to evaluate regional students' perceptions of their readiness to learn, assessment processes, engagement, extent to which their learning is personalised and to relate these to academic efficacy, academic achievement, and student well-being. It also examined teachers' perceptions of students' readiness to learn, the assessment…
Readiness and Adjustments to School for Children with Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR): An Extreme Test Case Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geva, Ronny; Yosipof, Rina; Eshel, Rina; Leitner, Yael; Valevski, Aviva Fattal; Harel, Shaul

2009-01-01

This long-term, prospective study evaluated repeatedly school readiness and adjustment at kindergarten and first grade of children with extreme intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR; n = 20) in relation to controls (n = 19). Methods included individual testing of cognitive competence, self-perception, motivation, loneliness and academic…
Creating Practice Ready, Well and Professional Law Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Anneka

2015-01-01

There is a growing movement to create successful, ethical, well-rounded and practice ready legal professionals both in terms of their content knowledge and their mental well-being. As a Legal Teaching "profession" it is incumbent on us to answer this call in a responsive, creative, integrated, well researched and evaluated manner. This…
Effect of emulsifier and viscosity on oil separation in ready-to-use therapeutic food

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Oil separation is a common food quality problem in ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), the shelf-stable, peanut-based food used to treat severe acute malnutrition in home settings. Our objective was to evaluate the effect on oil separation of three emulsifiers at different concentrations in RUTF. ...
Early Childhood Professional Development: Coaching and Coursework Effects on Indicators of Children's School Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pianta, Robert; Hamre, Bridget; Downer, Jason; Burchinal, Margaret; Williford, Amanda; LoCasale-Crouch, Jennifer; Howes, Carollee; La Paro, Karen; Scott-Little, Catherine

2017-01-01

Research Findings: Effects on children's school readiness were evaluated for 2 interventions focused on improving teacher-student interactions (coursework, coaching) implemented sequentially across 2 years. Teachers from public prekindergarten programs in 10 locations were assigned randomly to treatment or control conditions in each year.…
Is public health ready to participate in the transformation of the healthcare system?

PubMed

Millar, John; Bruce, Ted; Cheng, Siu Mee; Masse, Richard; McKeown, David

2013-01-01

The healthcare system in Canada is undergoing significant transformation in response to three major interrelated pressures: the overall burden of illness is rising, patients are getting poor quality of care and healthcare costs are inexorably rising. One idea to guide this change is to transform the primary care system into a community-based primary healthcare (CBPH) system. This paper discusses, in particular, the readiness of public health to participate in the transformation to a CBPH system. Copyright © 2013 Longwoods Publishing.
Building Bridges: A Comprehensive System for Healthy Development and School Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halfon, Neal; Uyeda, Kimberly; Inkelas, Moira; Rice, Thomas

2004-01-01

This policy brief describes the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative, a policy designed to improve early childhood programs to ensure that all children arrive at school healthy and ready to learn. The SECCS is intended to help states build a bridge from birth to school and addresses how states will support children and…

West Virginia Digital Learning: Report to the Governor, Legislature, and West Virginia Board of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alliance for Excellent Education, 2014

2014-01-01

Accomplishing personalized, deeper learning through anywhere, anytime digital learning requires a redesign of the K-12 education system. This report looks at readiness for digital learning at two levels in West Virginia: the district capacity building to ready the system for digital learning and school implementation of digital learning. The…
9 CFR 381.169 - Ready-to-cook poultry products to which solutions are added.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... cases, may be introduced by injection into the thick muscles (breast and legs) of ready-to-cook poultry...) Incorporate a system of raw weight identification of a sufficient number of poultry and/or poultry parts to allow effective monitoring of the system by Federal inspectors and official establishment employees. [37...
9 CFR 381.169 - Ready-to-cook poultry products to which solutions are added.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... cases, may be introduced by injection into the thick muscles (breast and legs) of ready-to-cook poultry...) Incorporate a system of raw weight identification of a sufficient number of poultry and/or poultry parts to allow effective monitoring of the system by Federal inspectors and official establishment employees. [37...
9 CFR 381.169 - Ready-to-cook poultry products to which solutions are added.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... cases, may be introduced by injection into the thick muscles (breast and legs) of ready-to-cook poultry...) Incorporate a system of raw weight identification of a sufficient number of poultry and/or poultry parts to allow effective monitoring of the system by Federal inspectors and official establishment employees. [37...
Counselors as Policy Actors: Challenges to Systemic Involvement in College and Career Readiness Policy in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone-Johnson, Corrie

2015-01-01

Enacting college and career readiness policy in secondary schools requires systemic involvement of all school professionals, but identifying the specific roles that should be played by teachers and counselors remains a challenge. The study reported in this article used qualitative interviews with counselors and teachers to describe this challenge…
Konfektionierung und Individualisierung im Fernstudium (Ready-Made and Individualized Systems in Distance Study). Bericht zum ZIFF-Projekt 2.23. ZIFF Papiere-58.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehner, H.; Weingartz, M.

The typical traits of a ready-made system as well as those of an individualized system are constituent characteristics of distance education. Within the framework set by these qualities and the extent to which they differ from one another, one seeks to achieve the fundamental educational aim of distance students' autonomy. The way institutions see…
School Readiness and Pedagogies of Competence and Performance: Theorising the Troubled Relationship between Early Years and Early Years Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neaum, Sally

2016-01-01

School readiness is currently a strong focus for education policy in England. However, understanding what it means to be ready for school, and how this is reflected in policy and enacted in practice, are sites of contention. This paper explores the genesis of the current disparity in understandings in the context of the English education system. A…
High Altitude Supersonic Target (HAST), Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-08-01

consists of a padded cradle assembly and a tubular steel stand with lockable swivel casters on the front wheels . c Tne recovery module lifting handle is...eds no modification of the ordnance fired at it in order to function. With the HAST system a target will be provided to evaluate the most advanced...Components were tested under environmental extremes. With the completion of the preflight readiness tests and with modification incorporated during the
Corrosion Prevention of Rebar in Concrete in Critical Facilities Located in Coastal Environments at Okinawa

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

for affected structures and equipment amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and the degradation negatively impacts military readiness...protection to the rebar, but quantifying the extent of protection or positive impact on service life would require further monitoring and evaluation...sacrificial coating system interferes with the Galva Pulse measure- ment. It was therefore hard to quantitatively determine the impact on the corrosion rate
Evaluating the Reliability of Emergency Response Systems for Large-Scale Incident Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

for describing response performance or other reliability related measures include Kolesar et al., 1975; Chelst and Jarvis , 1979; Revelle and Hogan...Chemicals,” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 159, 2008, pp. 2–12. Mason, Steve , Final Report, Incident Name: Teris LLC Explosion and Fire, El Dorado...Arkansas, EPA Region 6, Emergency Readiness Team, Response and Prevention Branch, March 2005. Mason, Steve , Final Report, Incident Name: Union Pacific
NAVSUP Naval Supply Systems Command

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

commands 4 5 ARE YOU READY TO MARKET TO THE GOVERNMENT? •  Certifications? (Size and NAICS) •  Registrations? (CCR, ORCA ) •  Identifiers? (CAGE...Other existing solutions being evaluated based on cost benefit and small business opportunities 15 SMALL BUSINESS TEAM Jane “Lucy” Leu FLC Puget ... Sound 360-476-1985 Lucy.leu@navy.mil TOP 5 NAICS: 33, 54, 32, 42, 31 Carrodena Johnson FLC Norfolk 757-443-1435 Carrodena.johnson@navy.mil TOP 5
FY17 Status Report on the Computing Systems for the Yucca Mountain Project TSPA-LA Models.

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

Appel, Gordon John; Hadgu, Teklu; Appel, Gordon John

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) continued evaluation of total system performance assessment (TSPA) computing systems for the previously considered Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). This was done to maintain the operational readiness of the computing infrastructure (computer hardware and software) and knowledge capability for total system performance assessment (TSPA) type analysis, as directed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE 2010. This work is a continuation of the ongoing readiness evaluation reported in Lee and Hadgu (2014), Hadgu et al. (2015) and Hadgu and Appel (2016). The TSPA computing hardware (CL2014) and storage system described in Hadgu et al. (2015) weremore » used for the current analysis. One floating license of GoldSim with Versions 9.60.300, 10.5, 11.1 and 12.0 was installed on the cluster head node, and its distributed processing capability was mapped on the cluster processors. Other supporting software were tested and installed to support the TSPA- type analysis on the server cluster. The current tasks included preliminary upgrade of the TSPA-LA from Version 9.60.300 to the latest version 12.0 and address DLL-related issues observed in the FY16 work. The model upgrade task successfully converted the Nominal Modeling case to GoldSim Versions 11.1/12. Conversions of the rest of the TSPA models were also attempted but program and operational difficulties precluded this. Upgrade of the remaining of the modeling cases and distributed processing tasks is expected to continue. The 2014 server cluster and supporting software systems are fully operational to support TSPA-LA type analysis.« less
Definition and Development of Habitation Readiness Levels (HRLs) for Planetary Surface Habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Janis H.; Toups, Larry

2007-01-01

One could argue that NASA has never developed a true habitat for a planetary surface, with only the Lunar Module from the 1960's-era Apollo Program providing for a sparse 2 person, 3 day capability. An integral part of NASA's current National Vision for Space Exploration is missions back to the moon and eventually to Mars. One of the largest leaps i11 lunar surface exploration beyond the Apollo lunar missions will be the conduct of these extended duration human missions. These missions could range from 30 to 90 days in length initially and may eventually range up to 500 days in length. To enable these extended duration human missions, probably the single-most important lunar surface element is the Surface Habitat. The requirements that must be met by the Surface Habitat will go far beyond the safety, performance and operational requirements of the Lunar Module, and NASA needs to develop a basis for making intelligent, technically correct habitat design decisions. This paper will discuss the possibilities of the definition and development of a Habitation Readiness Level (HRL) scale that might be mapped to current Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) for technology development. HRLs could help measure how well a particular technology thrust is advanced by a proposed planetary habitat concept. The readiness level would have to be measured differently than TRLs, and may include such milestones as habitat design performance under simulated mission operations and constraints (including relevant field testing), functional allocation demonstrations, crew interface evaluation and post-occupancy evaluation. With many concepts for planetary habitats proposed over the past 20 years, there are many strategic technical challenges facing designers of planetary habitats that will support NASA's exploration of the moon and Mars. The systematic assessment of a variety of planetary habitat options will be an important approach and will influence the associated requirements for human design, volumetrics, functionality, systems hardware and operations.
An analysis of Indonesia’s information security index: a case study in a public university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yustanti, W.; Qoiriah, A.; Bisma, R.; Prihanto, A.

2018-01-01

Ministry of Communication and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia has issued the regulation number 4-2016 about Information Security Management System (ISMS) for all kind organizations. Public university as a government institution must apply this standard to assure its level of information security has complied ISO 27001:2013. This research is a preliminary study to evaluate the readiness of university IT services (case study in a public university) meets the requirement of ISO 27001:2013 using the Indonesia’s Information Security Index (IISI). There are six parameters used to measure the level of information security, these are the ICT role, governance, risk management, framework, asset management and technology. Each parameter consists of serial questions which must be answered and convert to a numeric value. The result shows the level of readiness and maturity to apply ISO 27001 standard.
A new intuitionistic fuzzy rule-based decision-making system for an operating system process scheduler.

PubMed

Butt, Muhammad Arif; Akram, Muhammad

2016-01-01

We present a new intuitionistic fuzzy rule-based decision-making system based on intuitionistic fuzzy sets for a process scheduler of a batch operating system. Our proposed intuitionistic fuzzy scheduling algorithm, inputs the nice value and burst time of all available processes in the ready queue, intuitionistically fuzzify the input values, triggers appropriate rules of our intuitionistic fuzzy inference engine and finally calculates the dynamic priority (dp) of all the processes in the ready queue. Once the dp of every process is calculated the ready queue is sorted in decreasing order of dp of every process. The process with maximum dp value is sent to the central processing unit for execution. Finally, we show complete working of our algorithm on two different data sets and give comparisons with some standard non-preemptive process schedulers.
NPDES Permit for Super Concrete Ready-Mix Corp. (Aggregate Industries)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit number DC0000175, Super Concrete Ready-Mix Corporation is authorized to discharge from a facility to receiving waters named unnamed tributary to Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River.
Readiness for Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology and Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition Survey Results

PubMed Central

Shin, Peter; Sharac, Jessica

2013-01-01

Objective Determine the factors that impact HIT use and MU readiness for community health centers (CHCs). Background The HITECH Act allocates funds to Medicaid and Medicare providers to encourage the adoption of electronic health records (EHR), in an effort to improve health care quality and patient outcomes, and to reduce health care costs. Methods We surveyed CHCs on their Readiness for Meaningful Use (MU) of Health Information Technology (HIT) and Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition, then we combined responses with 2009 Uniform Data System data to determine which factors impact use of HIT and MU readiness. Results Nearly 70% of CHCs had full or partial EHR adoption at the time of survey. Results are presented for centers with EHR adoption, by the length of time that their EHR systems have been in operation. PMID:24834365
Starting school healthy and ready to learn: using social indicators to improve school readiness in Los Angeles County.

PubMed

Wold, Cheryl; Nicholas, Will

2007-10-01

School readiness is an important public health outcome, determined by a set of interdependent health and developmental trajectories and influenced by a child's family, school, and community environments. The same factors that influence school readiness also influence educational success and health throughout life. A California cigarette tax ballot initiative (Proposition 10) created new resources for children aged 0 to 5 years and their families statewide through county-level First 5 commissions, including First 5 LA in Los Angeles County. An opportunity to define and promote school readiness indicators was facilitated by collaborative relationships with a strong emphasis on data among First 5 LA, the Children's Planning Council, and the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, and other child-serving organizations. A workgroup developed school readiness goals and indicators based on recommendations of the National Education Goals Panel and five key domains of child well-being: 1) good health, 2) safety and survival, 3) economic well-being, 4) social and emotional well-being, and 5) education/workforce readiness. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and First 5 LA Commission adopted the school readiness indicators. First 5 LA incorporated the indicators into the results-based accountability framework for its strategic plan and developed a community-oriented report designed to educate and spur school readiness-oriented action. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a countywide consensus-building plan designed to engage key stakeholders in the use of the indicators for planning, evaluation, and community-building activities. School readiness indicators in Los Angeles County represent an important step forward for public health practice, namely, the successful blending of an expanded role for assessment with the ecological model.
Deficiencies in school readiness skills of children with sickle cell anemia: a preliminary report.

PubMed

Chua-Lim, C; Moore, R B; McCleary, G; Shah, A; Mankad, V N

1993-04-01

Patients with sickle cell anemia often express myriad clinical signs and symptoms that affect their life-style and academic performance. Certain psychoeducational and psychosocial factors have been shown to influence the academic achievement of older patients with sickle cell anemia. However, studies evaluating the school readiness skills of younger children have not been published. To determine whether sickle cell anemia delays preschool development in children aged 4 to 6 years, we studied 10 affected children and 10 normal subjects matched for age, sex, and race. School readiness was evaluated by the Pediatric Examination of Educational Readiness (PEER), which assess a child's performance in areas of developmental attainment such as visual input, verbal output, and short-term memory. The presence of associated movements (minor neurologic signs) and other areas of behavior such as selective attention, activity level, adaptive behavior, and processing efficiency are also observed. The children with sickle cell anemia scored significantly lower than their normal counterparts in several parameters of the PEER. The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, a standardized psychometric test, showed that these children with sickle cell anemia were within the normal range of intelligence. Magnetic resonance imaging done on three children with sickle cell anemia who scored lowest on the PEER revealed no cerebrovascular infarcts. These preliminary studies demonstrate significant differences in school readiness skills between children with sickle cell anemia and normal subjects.
Development of an instrument to assess readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Rieger, E; Touyz, S; Schotte, D; Beumont, P; Russell, J; Clarke, S; Kohn, M; Griffiths, R

2000-12-01

The degree to which patients with anorexia nervosa demonstrate readiness to recover from their illness has received scant theoretical or empirical attention. Investigating the prevalence and degree of amotivation for recovery in anorexia nervosa, its role in outcome, and the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance readiness to recover necessitates the existence of a reliable and valid measure of motivational issues relevant to the disorder. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate an instrument for assessing readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa, namely, the Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ), a 23-item self-report questionnaire based on Prochaska and DiClemente's stages of change model. Seventy-one inpatients with anorexia nervosa participated in the study. On several occasions during their admission, participants completed the ANSOCQ as well as questionnaires assessing readiness to recover, anorexic symptomatology, general distress, and social desirability. The ANSOCQ demonstrated good internal consistency (.90) and 1-week test-retest reliability (.89). Various aspects of validity were also supported, such as significant relationships with other instruments assessing readiness to recover and the prediction of weight gain during different periods of treatment. The results suggest that the ANSOCQ is a psychometrically sound instrument that may prove useful in investigating the role of readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Professionals Ready for Educational Partnerships (PREP): The Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Multimedia Distance Education Course on Collaboration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welch, Marshall

Professionals Ready for Educational Partnerships (PREP) is a multimedia telecourse developed at the University of Utah to help preservice teachers, graduate students in education, and practicing teachers to understand collaboration. Using an ecological perspective, participants learn how to forge partnerships in the school, home, and community.…
Examination of University Students' Level of Satisfaction and Readiness for E-Courses and the Relationship between Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topal, Arzu Deveci

2016-01-01

The success of a distance education program can be evaluated according to student satisfaction, aside from comprehensive examinations, projects and presentations. The purpose of this research study is to determine both the relationship between e-course satisfaction and online learning readiness by ascertaining student levels, and the effect of the…
Using EXPLORE[R] and PLAN[R] Data to Evaluate GEAR UP Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ACT, Inc., 2007

2007-01-01

The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) is designed to provide assistance to low income students. The program provides discretionary grants for the purpose of increasing the readiness of low income students to attend and succeed in postsecondary education. The grants are up to six years in length and provide…
Preventing Conduct Problems and Improving School Readiness: Evaluation of the Incredible Years Teacher and Child Training Programs in High-Risk Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster-Stratton, Carolyn; Reid, M. Jamila; Stoolmiller, Mike

2008-01-01

Background: School readiness, conceptualized as three components including emotional self-regulation, social competence, and family/school involvement, as well as absence of conduct problems play a key role in young children's future interpersonal adjustment and academic success. Unfortunately, exposure to multiple poverty-related risks increases…
Is the EdTPA the Right Choice for Evaluating Teacher Readiness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkes, Kelly A.; Powell, Sean R.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe and analyze the edTPA, a performance assessment created by the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) and administered by Pearson, Inc., to assess the professional readiness of student teachers. We challenge claims made in support of using this assessment, specifically within the…
Fertility in The Netherlands as an expected value process and developmental readiness.

PubMed

Taris, T W

1998-01-01

In this 2-wave panel study, the decision to have children was examined in the context of Feather's (1982) expectancy-value model among a representative sample of 288 childless Dutch adults aged 18-30 years. The effects of 2 indicators of developmental readiness (age and duration of relationship) were also explored. It was expected that (a) the likelihood of having a baby would increase as a function of intentions, evaluations of being childless, and expected rewards of having children and (b) developmental readiness would be positively related to whether respondents had children at the 2nd wave of the study. Structural equation modeling was used. The results largely supported expectations. Developmental readiness affected fertility both directly and indirectly via the expected rewards of having children.
Task 4 supporting technology. Part 2: Detailed test plan for thermal seals. Thermal seals evaluation, improvement and test. CAN8-1, Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), advanced technology demonstrator: X-33. Leading edge and seals thermal protection system technology demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hogenson, P. A.; Lu, Tina

1995-01-01

The objective is to develop the advanced thermal seals to a technology readiness level (TRL) of 6 to support the rapid turnaround time and low maintenance requirements of the X-33 and the future reusable launch vehicle (RLV). This program is divided into three subtasks: (1) orbiter thermal seals operation history review; (2) material, process, and design improvement; and (3) fabrication and evaluation of the advanced thermal seals.
Skylab rescue space vehicle flight readiness test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jevitt, S. J.

1973-01-01

A Skylab Rescue Space Vehicle flight readiness test is described which ensures that space vehicle systems are in a state of flight readiness and are compatible with associated ground support equipment. The functions of propellant loading, umbilical ejection, ignition, holddown arm release, liftoff, and service arm and tail service mast retraction are simulated. The test outline is presented along with a list of references, intercommunications information, operations interface control chart, and flight test.
Behavioral Correlates of System Operational Readiness (SOR): Summary of Workshop Proceedings.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

1978) time series ARIMA models Use ARIMA models for (Box & Jenkins, 1976) interrupted time series Stage 7. Interpretation 7.1 Formatting and re...This report describes a 2-day conference called to explore the methodology required to develop a behavioral model of system operational readiness (SOR...Participants discussed (4) the behavioral variables that should be included in the model , (2) the system level measures that should be included, (3
A Statistically Based Training Diagnostic Tool for Marine Aviation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

mission essential task list MDG maneuver description guide MOS military occupational specialty MSHARP Marine Sierra Hotel Aviation Reporting Program...include the Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS) Marine Corps, the Current Readiness Program (CRP), and the Marine Sierra Hotel Aviation...Beuschel, 2008). Many of these systems focus on business decisions regarding how companies can increase their bottom line, by appealing to customers more
Foundations for Teaching Excellence: Connecting Early Childhood Quality Rating, Professional Development, and Competency Systems in States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howes, Carollee, Ed.; Pianta, Robert C., Ed.

2011-01-01

Improving teacher quality in early education is a major part of ensuring young children's school readiness and closing the achievement gap. This is the book decision-makers and administrators need to begin developing coordinated, effective teacher quality systems--ones that not only get teachers ready for the classroom, but also promote continuous…
Formative Assessment for College Readiness: Measuring Skill and Growth in Five Key Cognitive Strategies Associated with Postsecondary Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conley, David; Lombardi, Allison; Seburn, Mary; McGaughy, Charis

2009-01-01

This study reports the preliminary results from a field test of the College-readiness Performance Assessment System (C-PAS), a large-scale, 6th-12th grade criterion-referenced assessment system that utilizes classroom-embedded performance tasks to measure student progress toward the development of key cognitive skills associated with success in…
Ready, Set, Change! Development and usability testing of an online readiness for change decision support tool for healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Timmings, Caitlyn; Khan, Sobia; Moore, Julia E; Marquez, Christine; Pyka, Kasha; Straus, Sharon E

2016-02-24

To address challenges related to selecting a valid, reliable, and appropriate readiness assessment measure in practice, we developed an online decision support tool to aid frontline implementers in healthcare settings in this process. The focus of this paper is to describe a multi-step, end-user driven approach to developing this tool for use during the planning stages of implementation. A multi-phase, end-user driven approach was used to develop and test the usability of a readiness decision support tool. First, readiness assessment measures that are valid, reliable, and appropriate for healthcare settings were identified from a systematic review. Second, a mapping exercise was performed to categorize individual items of included measures according to key readiness constructs from an existing framework. Third, a modified Delphi process was used to collect stakeholder ratings of the included measures on domains of feasibility, relevance, and likelihood to recommend. Fourth, two versions of a decision support tool prototype were developed and evaluated for usability. Nine valid and reliable readiness assessment measures were included in the decision support tool. The mapping exercise revealed that of the nine measures, most measures (78 %) focused on assessing readiness for change at the organizational versus the individual level, and that four measures (44 %) represented all constructs of organizational readiness. During the modified Delphi process, stakeholders rated most measures as feasible and relevant for use in practice, and reported that they would be likely to recommend use of most measures. Using data from the mapping exercise and stakeholder panel, an algorithm was developed to link users to a measure based on characteristics of their organizational setting and their readiness for change assessment priorities. Usability testing yielded recommendations that were used to refine the Ready, Set, Change! decision support tool . Ready, Set, Change! decision support tool is an implementation support that is designed to facilitate the routine incorporation of a readiness assessment as an early step in implementation. Use of this tool in practice may offer time and resource-saving implications for implementation.
Evaluation of a systematic career coaching program for medical students in Korea using the Career Readiness Inventory

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to implement a systematic career coaching program for medical students and to evaluate its effectiveness. Methods First-year medical students of Konyang University College of Medicine took part in the FLEX Mentoring II: Career Coaching Program from September to December in 2016 and 2017. This program included 16 weekly sessions, comprising a total of 32 hours. The students took the Career Readiness Inventory before and after the program, as a pre- and post-test of the program. Data from 100 students were used (46 students in 2016, 54 students in 2017) for the evaluation. Results Medical students’ career readiness pre-test was rated as medium. In particular, many students were at a low level in terms of ‘support from colleagues and peers’ (53.0%), ‘career decision’ (48.0%), and ‘efforts for job preparation’ (60.0%). After 16 sessions of a systematic career coaching program, their career readiness level showed a significant increase except for ‘career decision’ (t= 4.242, P= 0.001) and ‘independence’ (t= 0.731, P= 0.466), a sub-factor of ‘career maturity.’ Conclusion The career readiness level of medical students was not sufficiently high. However, a semester of educational training in a systematic career coaching program helped the students to be better prepared for their career. In particular, the significant reduction in the ‘career decision’ variable after the program can be interpreted as indicating that the students changed their behavior to explore and approach their career more seriously and carefully, which also underscores the need for the implementation of career coaching programs in medical schools. PMID:29665629
Tsunami Ready Recognition Program for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions Launched in 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Hillebrandt-Andrade, C.; Hinds, K.; Aliaga, B.; Brome, A.; Lopes, R.

2015-12-01

Over 75 tsunamis have been documented in the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions over the past 500 years with 4,561 associated deaths according to the NOAA Tsunami Database. The most recent devastating tsunamis occurred in 1946 in Dominican Republic; 1865 died. With the explosive increase in residents, tourists, infrastructure, and economic activity along the coasts, the potential for human and economic loss is enormous. It has been estimated that on any day, more than 500,000 people in the Caribbean could be in harm's way just along the beaches, with hundreds of thousands more working and living in the tsunamis hazard zones. In 2005 the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission established the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG CARIBE EWS) to coordinate tsunami efforts among the 48 participating countries in territories in the region. In addition to monitoring, modeling and communication systems, one of the fundamental components of the warning system is community preparedness, readiness and resilience. Over the past 10 years 49 coastal communities in the Caribbean have been recognized as TsunamiReady® by the US National Weather Service (NWS) in the case of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and jointly by UNESCO and NWS in the case of the non US jurisdictions of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands. In response to the positive feedback of the implementation of TsunamiReady, the ICG CARIBE EWS in 2015 recommended the approval of the guidelines for a Community Performance Based Recognition program. It also recommended the adoption of the name "Tsunami Ready", which has been positively consulted with the NWS. Ten requirements were established for recognition and are divided among Preparedness, Mitigation and Response elements which were adapted from the proposed new US TsunamiReady guidelines and align well with emergency management functions. Both a regional ICG CARIBE EWS and national/territorial "Tsunami Ready" boards will administer the recognition program. With the "Tsunami Ready" program, it will be possible for to better track the full implementation of tsunami warning system in the Caribbean and Adjacent regions. Member States and donor agencies have been invited to support pilot projects.
Assessing Organizational Readiness for a Participatory Occupational Health/Health Promotion Intervention in Skilled Nursing Facilities.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan; Flum, Marian; West, Cheryl; Punnett, Laura

2015-09-01

The long-term care sector is characterized by high morbidity and employee turnover, along with associated costs. Effective health protection and health promotion are important to improve physical and psychosocial well-being of caregivers. Assessment of organizational readiness for change is an essential precursor to the successful implementation of workplace programs addressing work climate, structure of tasks and relationships, and other issues that may be perceived as challenging by some within the institution. This study qualitatively assessed readiness of five skilled nursing facilities for a participatory occupational health/health promotion intervention. Selection criteria were developed to screen for program feasibility and ability to conduct prospective evaluations, and information was collected from managers and employees (interviews and focus groups). Three centers were selected for the program, and the first year of formative evaluation and intervention experience was then reviewed to evaluate and modify our selection criteria after the fact. Lessons learned include adding assessment of communication and the structure of problem solving to our selection criteria, improving methods to assess management support in a concrete (potentially nonverbal) form, and obtaining a stated financial commitment and resources to enable the team to function. Assessment of organizational readiness for change is challenging, although necessary to implement effective and sustainable health promotion programs in specific organizations. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.
Brayton Power Conversion System Study to Advance Technology Readiness for Nuclear Electric Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bog; Delventhal, Rex; Frye, Patrick

2004-01-01

Recently, there has been significant interest within the aerospace community to develop space based nuclear power conversion technologies especially for exploring the outer planets of our solar system where the solar energy density is very low. To investigate these technologies NASA awarded several contracts under Project Prometheus, the Nuclear Systems Program. The studies described in this paper were performed under one of those contracts, which was to investigate the use of a nuclear power conversion system based on the closed Brayton cycle (CBC).The investigation performed included BPCS (Brayton Power Conversion System) trade studies to minimize system weight and radiator area and advance the state of the art of BPCS technology. The primary requirements for studies were a power level of 100 kWe (to the PPU), a low overall power system mass and a lifetime of 15 years (10 years full power). For the radiation environment, the system was to be capable of operation in the generic space environment and withstand the extreme environments surrounding Jupiter. The studies defined a BPCS design traceable to NEP (Nuclear Electric Propulsion) requirements and suitable for future missions with a sound technology plan for technology readiness level (TRL) advancement identified. The studies assumed a turbine inlet temperature approx. 100 C above the current the state of the art capabilities with materials issues and related development tasks identified. Analyses and evaluations of six different HRS (heat rejection system) designs and three primary power management and distribution (PMAD) configurations will be discussed in the paper.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hadgu, Teklu; Appel, Gordon John

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) continued evaluation of total system performance assessment (TSPA) computing systems for the previously considered Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). This was done to maintain the operational readiness of the computing infrastructure (computer hardware and software) and knowledge capability for total system performance assessment (TSPA) type analysis, as directed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE 2010. This work is a continuation of the ongoing readiness evaluation reported in Lee and Hadgu (2014) and Hadgu et al. (2015). The TSPA computing hardware (CL2014) and storage system described in Hadgu et al. (2015) were used for the currentmore » analysis. One floating license of GoldSim with Versions 9.60.300, 10.5 and 11.1.6 was installed on the cluster head node, and its distributed processing capability was mapped on the cluster processors. Other supporting software were tested and installed to support the TSPA-type analysis on the server cluster. The current tasks included verification of the TSPA-LA uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, and preliminary upgrade of the TSPA-LA from Version 9.60.300 to the latest version 11.1. All the TSPA-LA uncertainty and sensitivity analyses modeling cases were successfully tested and verified for the model reproducibility on the upgraded 2014 server cluster (CL2014). The uncertainty and sensitivity analyses used TSPA-LA modeling cases output generated in FY15 based on GoldSim Version 9.60.300 documented in Hadgu et al. (2015). The model upgrade task successfully converted the Nominal Modeling case to GoldSim Version 11.1. Upgrade of the remaining of the modeling cases and distributed processing tasks will continue. The 2014 server cluster and supporting software systems are fully operational to support TSPA-LA type analysis.« less
CDC/NACCHO Accreditation Support Initiative: advancing readiness for local and tribal health department accreditation.

PubMed

Monteiro, Erinn; Fisher, Jessica Solomon; Daub, Teresa; Zamperetti, Michelle Chuk

2014-01-01

Health departments have various unique needs that must be addressed in preparing for national accreditation. These needs require time and resources, shortages that many health departments face. The Accreditation Support Initiative's goal was to test the assumption that even small amounts of dedicated funding can help health departments make important progress in their readiness to apply for and achieve accreditation. Participating sites' scopes of work were unique to the needs of each site and based on the proposed activities outlined in their applications. Deliverables and various sources of data were collected from sites throughout the project period (December 2011-May 2012). Awardees included 1 tribal and 12 local health departments, as well as 5 organizations supporting the readiness of local and tribal health departments. Sites dedicated their funding toward staff time, accreditation fees, completion of documentation, and other accreditation readiness needs and produced a number of deliverables and example documents. All sites indicated that they made accreditation readiness gains that would not have occurred without this funding. Preliminary evaluation data from the first year of the Accreditation Support Initiative indicate that flexible funding arrangements may be an effective way to increase health departments' accreditation readiness.
A Module Experimental Process System Development Unit (MEPSDU)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Restructuring research objectives from a technical readiness demonstration program to an investigation of high risk, high payoff activities associated with producing photovoltaic modules using non-CZ sheet material is reported. Deletion of the module frame in favor of a frameless design, and modification in cell series parallel electrical interconnect configuration are reviewed. A baseline process sequence was identified for the fabrication of modules using the selected dendritic web sheet material, and economic evaluations of the sequence were completed.

Materials technology assessment for stirling engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, J. R.; Witzke, W. R.; Watson, G. K.; Johnston, J. R.; Croft, W. J.

1977-01-01

A materials technology assessment of high temperature components in the improved (metal) and advanced (ceramic) Stirling engines was undertaken to evaluate the current state-of-the-art of metals and ceramics, identify materials research and development required to support the development of automotive Stirling engines, and to recommend materials technology programs to assure material readiness concurrent with engine system development programs. The most critical component for each engine is identified and some of the material problem areas are discussed.
An improved approach for flight readiness certification: Methodology for failure risk assessment and application examples. Volume 3: Structure and listing of programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, N. R.; Ebbeler, D. H.; Newlin, L. E.; Sutharshana, S.; Creager, M.

1992-01-01

An improved methodology for quantitatively evaluating failure risk of spaceflight systems to assess flight readiness and identify risk control measures is presented. This methodology, called Probabilistic Failure Assessment (PFA), combines operating experience from tests and flights with engineering analysis to estimate failure risk. The PFA methodology is of particular value when information on which to base an assessment of failure risk, including test experience and knowledge of parameters used in engineering analyses of failure phenomena, is expensive or difficult to acquire. The PFA methodology is a prescribed statistical structure in which engineering analysis models that characterize failure phenomena are used conjointly with uncertainties about analysis parameters and/or modeling accuracy to estimate failure probability distributions for specific failure modes. These distributions can then be modified, by means of statistical procedures of the PFA methodology, to reflect any test or flight experience. Conventional engineering analysis models currently employed for design of failure prediction are used in this methodology. The PFA methodology is described and examples of its application are presented. Conventional approaches to failure risk evaluation for spaceflight systems are discussed, and the rationale for the approach taken in the PFA methodology is presented. The statistical methods, engineering models, and computer software used in fatigue failure mode applications are thoroughly documented.
Technological changes in the healthcare sector. A method to assess change readiness.

PubMed

Kristensen, M; Nøhr, C

2000-01-01

This paper describes the theory, method and recent results of a study developing methods for assessment of change readiness. The empirical focus is on development and implementation of clinical IT systems in the Danish healthcare sector. To assess change readiness, a questionnaire has been developed. The questionnaire has been tested in a hospital department as a part of a pre analysis related to development and implementation of an IT quality assurance system. The study shows a general positive attitude to the IT system and the organisational changes, related to the implementation and use of the system. It also supplies the project organisation with specific information, useful to the project organisation to continue the essential dialogue with the healthcare professionals during the change process. Furthermore it provides a useful tool for planning the ongoing developing processes. Several other healthcare organisations are at the moment entering the study.
Evaluation in Human Resource Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1999

These four papers are from a symposium on evaluation in human resource development (HRD). "Assessing Organizational Readiness for Learning through Evaluative Inquiry" (Hallie Preskill, Rosalie T. Torres) reviews how evaluative inquiry can facilitate organizational learning; argues HRD evaluation should be reconceptualized as a process…
Care delivery and compensation system changes: a case study of organizational readiness within a large dental care practice organization in the United States.

PubMed

Cunha-Cruz, Joana; Milgrom, Peter; Huebner, Colleen E; Scott, JoAnna; Ludwig, Sharity; Dysert, Jeanne; Mitchell, Melissa; Allen, Gary; Shirtcliff, R Mike

2017-12-20

Dental care delivery systems in the United States are consolidating and large practice organizations are becoming more common. At the same time, greater accountability for addressing disparities in access to care is being demanded when public funds are used to pay for care. As change occurs within these new practice structures, attempts to implement change in the delivery system may be hampered by failure to understand the organizational climate or fail to prepare employees to accommodate new goals or processes. Studies of organizational behavior within oral health care are sparse and have not addressed consolidation of current delivery systems. The objective of this case study was to assess organizational readiness for implementing change in a large dental care organization consisting of staff model clinics and affiliated dental practices and test associations of readiness with workforce characteristics and work environment. A dental care organization implemented a multifaceted quality improvement program, called PREDICT, in which community-based mobile and clinic-based dental services were integrated and the team compensated based in part on meeting performance targets. Dental care providers and supporting staff members (N = 181) were surveyed before program implementation and organizational readiness for implementing change (ORIC) was assessed by two 5-point scales: change commitment and efficacy. Providers and staff demonstrated high organizational readiness for change. Median change commitment was 3.8 (Interquartile range [IQR]: 3.3-4.3) and change efficacy was 3.8 (IQR: 3.0-4.2). In the adjusted regression model, change commitment was associated with organizational climate, support for methods to arrest tooth decay and was inversely related to office chaos. Change efficacy was associated with organizational climate, support for the company's mission and was inversely related to burnout. Each unit increase in the organizational climate scale predicted 0.45 and 0.8-unit increases in change commitment and change efficacy. The survey identified positive readiness for change and highlighted weaknesses that are important cautions for this organization and others initiating change. Future studies will examine how organizational readiness to change, workforce characteristics and work environment influenced successful implementation within this organization.
Tools of the Mind: Promoting the School Readiness of ELLs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammer, Carol Scheffner; Blair, Clancy; Lopez, Lisa; Leong, Deb; Bedrova, Elena

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine the efficacy of "Tools of the Mind". Specifically, the aims of the research are to: (1) Evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of Tools of the Mind, designed to promote school readiness for Latino preschoolers who are English Language Learners and at risk for later school difficulties; (2)…
An Argument-Based Approach to the Validation of UHTRUST: Can We Measure How Recent Graduates Can Be Trusted with Unfamiliar Tasks?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wijnen-Meijer, M.; Van der Schaaf, M.; Booij, E.; Harendza, S.; Boscardin, C.; Wijngaarden, J. Van; Ten Cate, Th. J.

2013-01-01

There is a need for valid methods to assess the readiness for clinical practice of medical graduates. This study evaluates the validity of Utrecht Hamburg Trainee Responsibility for Unfamiliar Situations Test (UHTRUST), an authentic simulation procedure to assess whether medical trainees are ready to be entrusted with unfamiliar clinical tasks…
2012 Preschool Pilot Study of PBS KIDS Transmedia Mathematics Content: A Report to the CPB-PBS "Ready to Learn Initiative"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasnik, Shelley; Llorente, Carlin

2012-01-01

The 2012 Preschool Pilot Study of PBS KIDS Transmedia Mathematics Content (Preschool Pilot) is an important part of the authors' multiyear "Ready To Learn" (RTL) summative evaluation initiative. Through this initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), it was the responsibility…
A new in silico classification model for ready biodegradability, based on molecular fragments.

PubMed

Lombardo, Anna; Pizzo, Fabiola; Benfenati, Emilio; Manganaro, Alberto; Ferrari, Thomas; Gini, Giuseppina

2014-08-01

Regulations such as the European REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of Chemicals) often require chemicals to be evaluated for ready biodegradability, to assess the potential risk for environmental and human health. Because not all chemicals can be tested, there is an increasing demand for tools for quick and inexpensive biodegradability screening, such as computer-based (in silico) theoretical models. We developed an in silico model starting from a dataset of 728 chemicals with ready biodegradability data (MITI-test Ministry of International Trade and Industry). We used the novel software SARpy to automatically extract, through a structural fragmentation process, a set of substructures statistically related to ready biodegradability. Then, we analysed these substructures in order to build some general rules. The model consists of a rule-set made up of the combination of the statistically relevant fragments and of the expert-based rules. The model gives good statistical performance with 92%, 82% and 76% accuracy on the training, test and external set respectively. These results are comparable with other in silico models like BIOWIN developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); moreover this new model includes an easily understandable explanation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Camera Ready Masters. B/M-1 Resource Assessment. B/M-2 Surveying. B/M-3 Tabulation. B/M-4 Selecting Program Goals. B/M-5 Producing CDU's. Career Planning Support System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center for Vocational Education.

This package of camera ready masters is one of a set of twelve documents describing the Career Planning Support System (CPSS) and its use. (CPSS is a comprehensive guidance program management system which (1) provides techniques to improve a high school's career guidance program, (2) focuses on the skills students need to make decisions about and…
DOD Financial Management: The Army Faces Significant Challenges in Achieving Audit Readiness for Its Military Pay

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

Page ii GAO-12-406 Army Military Pay Audit Readiness Abbreviations ARISS Army Recruiting Information Support System ASA (M&RA) Assistant...personnel file in the Army Recruiting Information Support System ( ARISS ). This file contains the recruit’s full name, contact information, country of...system, that is, ARISS for the Army, and a paper copy, referred to as a “Packet,” is created that accompanies the recruit to the training installation
Evaluation of three composting systems for the management of spent coffee grounds.

PubMed

Liu, K; Price, G W

2011-09-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the optimum composting approach for the management of spent coffee grounds from the restaurant and ready-to-serve coffee industry. Three composting systems were assessed, including in-vessel composting, vermicomposting bins, and aerated static pile bin composting, over study periods ranging from 47 to 98 days. Total carbon content was reduced by 5-7% in the spent coffee ground treatments across the three composting systems. Nitrogen and other mineral nutrient contents were conserved or enhanced from the initial to the final composts in all the composting systems assessed. Earthworm growth and survival (15-80%) was reduced in all the treatments but mortality rates were lower in coffee treatments with cardboard additions. A decline in earthworm mortality with cardboard additions was the result of reduced exposure to organic compounds and chemicals released through the decomposition of spent coffee grounds. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
ERDA-NASA wind energy project ready to involve users

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1976-01-01

The NASA contribution to the Wind Energy Project is discussed. NASA is responsible for the following: (1) identification of cost-effective configurations and sizes of wind-conversion systems, (2) the development of technology needed to produce these systems, (3) the design of wind-conversion systems that are compatible with user requirements, particularly utility networks, and (4) technology transfer obtained from the program to stimulate rapid commercial application of wind systems. Various elements of the NASA program are outlined, including industry-built user operation, the evaluation phase, the proposed plan and schedule for site selection and user involvement, supporting research and technology (e.g., energy storage), and component and subsystem technology development.
REPORT OF ON-SITE INSPECTION WORKSHOP-16

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

Sweeney, J J

2009-07-07

The central issue addressed by this workshop was the task of making the on-site inspection (OSI) part of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty verification system operationally ready at entry into force of the Treaty. It is recognized, and this was emphasized by the 2008 OSI Integrated Field Exercise (IFE), that it is not possible to develop every part of the OSI regime simultaneously. Therefore, it is necessary to prioritize the approach to OSI readiness. The reviews of the IFE have pointed to many elements of OSI readiness that still need development. The objective of this workshop was to provide priorities formore » the path forward for Working Group B to consider. Several critical areas have been identified that are related to the development of OSI readiness: (1) Technology development: Priorities are radionuclide and noble gas sampling and analysis, visual observation, multispectral/infrared imaging methods, active seismic methods and the recognition of the importance of signatures. (2) Organizational development: Priorities are health and safety, the Operations Support Centre, the Equipment Storage and Maintenance Facility, information technology data flow and communications. (3) Resources: The expertise to develop key parts of the OSI regime is not available within the current OSI Division staff. To develop these aspects of the regime will require more staff or supplements to the staff with cost-free experts or other means. Aspects of the system that could benefit from more staff include radionuclide and noble gas detection methods, data flow and communications, visual observation, multispectral/infrared methods and health and safety. As the path forward, participants of this workshop recognized a need to optimize the development of OSI priorities. The outcome of this workshop is to suggest for consideration an operational approach to OSI readiness that utilizes results of an evaluation of the relative effectiveness of OSI elements versus their relative maturity. By integrating such an assessment with considerations of integrated operational capabilities and the anticipated level of inspection team self-sufficiency and measurable milestone criteria, a set of priorities for OSI development can be developed. Once these priorities have been established, the Policy Making Organs can decide upon the milestones, strategic plan and action plan to serve as guidance for implementation by the Provisional Technical Secretariat. The suggested operational approach is as follows: (1) Assess the relative effectiveness (importance) of OSI elements versus their relative maturity; (2) Determine the anticipated level of self-sufficiency; (3) Define measurable milestone criteria; and (4) Result: Milestones for OSI readiness.« less
Exploring the Leadership Behaviors of System Leaders and Best Practices of High School Counselors That Prepare All Students for College and Career Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Michael N.

2015-01-01

This qualitative study explores the leadership behaviors of system leaders and best practices of high school counselors in highly effective school districts that prepare all students for college and career readiness. A total of twelve participants were interviewed for this study including superintendents of schools, high school principals, and…
DOD Financial Management: Improved Documentation Needed to Support the Air Force’s Military Payroll and Meet Audit Readiness Goals

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

balances to match Treasury balances. 19The financial reporting system collects and consolidates information for financial statement presentation...2The financial reporting system collects and consolidates information for financial statement presentation. 3Subsistence...efforts to achieve auditability of its financial statements , the Air Force in July 2014 asserted audit readiness for its Schedule of Budgetary
Vision readiness of the reserve forces of the U.S. Army.

PubMed

Weaver, J L; McAlister, W H

2001-01-01

In 1996 and 1997, the Army conducted an exercise to assess the ability to rapidly mobilize the reserve forces. In accordance with Army requirements, each soldier was evaluated to determine if he or she met vision and optical readiness standards. Of the 1,947 individuals processed through the optometry section, 40% met vision requirements without correction and 32% met vision requirements with their current spectacles. The remaining 28% required examination. A major impediment to processing reserve units for deployment is the lack of vision and optical readiness. In the mobilization for the Persian Gulf War, significant delays were incurred because of the time required to perform eye examinations and fabricate eyewear. However, as a result of this exercise, current prescriptions will be available in the event of mobilization. To ensure readiness, all units should perform such exercises periodically.
Evaluation of concrete recycling system efficiency for ready-mix concrete plants.

PubMed

Vieira, Luiz de Brito Prado; Figueiredo, Antonio Domingues de

2016-10-01

The volume of waste generated annually in concrete plants is quite large and has important environmental and economic consequences. The use of fresh concrete recyclers is an interesting way for the reuse of aggregates and water in new concrete production. This paper presents a study carried out for over one year by one of the largest ready-mix concrete producers in Brazil. This study focused on the evaluation of two recyclers with distinct material separation systems, herein referred to as drum-type and rotary sieve-type equipment. They were evaluated through characterization and monitoring test programs to verify the behaviour of recovered materials (aggregates, water, and slurry). The applicability of the recovered materials (water and aggregates) was also evaluated in the laboratory and at an industrial scale. The results obtained with the two types of recyclers used were equivalent and showed no significant differences. The only exception was in terms of workability. The drum-type recycler generated fewer cases that required increased pumping pressure. The analysis concluded that the use of untreated slurry is unfeasible because of its intense negative effects on the strength and workability of concrete. The reclaimed water, pre-treated to ensure that its density is less than 1.03g/cm(3), can be used on an industrial scale without causing any harm to the concrete. The use of recovered aggregates consequently induces an increase in water demand and cement consumption to ensure the workability conditions of concrete that is proportional to the concrete strength level. Therefore, the viability of their use is restricted to concretes with characteristic strengths lower than 25MPa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Career readiness in adult survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort study

PubMed Central

Strauser, David; Klosky, James L.; Brinkman, Tara M.; Wong, Alex W.K.; Chan, Fong; Lanctot, Jennifer Q.; Ojha, Rohit P.; Robison, Leslie L.; Hudson, Melissa M.; Ness, Kirsten K.

2014-01-01

Purpose Adult survivors of childhood cancer experience difficulties in obtaining and maintaining employment. Employment-related challenges are associated with treatment-related health conditions, and may also be related to vocational factors such as career readiness, skill acquisition, and work experience. Unfortunately, little is known about how treatment, health and vocational related factors interact to impact career development among childhood cancer survivors. Methods 385 adult survivors of childhood cancer (42.1% male, median age 38 (21-62) years), participating in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort study, completed a work experiences survey that included measures of career readiness and vocational identity. Logistic regression was used to compare characteristics of survivors in the low career readiness category to those in the medium or high career readiness category, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to evaluate associations between career readiness, vocational identity, treatment intensity and physical/emotional health. Results Low career readiness was prevalent in 17.4% of survivors. Univariate analysis did not identify any significant associations between cancer treatment-related factors and career readiness. Unemployed survivors (Odds ratio (OR) 2.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.2-4.5), those who were not college graduates (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.6-5.6), and those who had no personal income (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.7-30.9) were at increased risk of low career readiness. SEM indicated that associations between treatment intensity, physical health, age at diagnosis and career readiness were mediated by emotional health and vocational identity. 63%, 35%, and 10% of the variance in career readiness, vocational identity, and emotional health, respectively, were explained by this theoretical model. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that individuals who reported low levels of career readiness were more likely to be unemployed, earn less than $40,000 per year, and were less likely to graduate from high school. The final structural model indicates that vocational identity and emotional health accounted for the indirect effect of treatment intensity, age a diagnosis, and physical health on career readiness. Implications for Cancer Survivors Addressing career readiness may be important to improve employment outcomes for adult survivors of childhood cancer. PMID:25047713
Federal Nursing Service Award. Impact of TriCare/managed care on total force readiness.

PubMed

Ray, M A; Turkel, M C

2001-04-01

Mission readiness is dependent on a healthy total force and the response of military medical and nursing services. Managed care has become the norm in U.S. health care, including the Department of Defense Military Health System. Cost management, health maintenance organizations, and other health plans are defined as "managed care," an aggressive cost-control effort by health care purchasers and insurers to limit health care spending and services and advance a market-oriented, profit-driven system. The impact of managed care on mission readiness and retention of active and reserve personnel is and will continue to be profound. The purpose of this research was to conduct a qualitative, phenomenological study (life experiences) of TriCare/managed care to explore the impact and the meaning of the experience on total force mission readiness of the U.S. Air Force and how managed care has changed nursing practice. The results reveal the significance of the impact of TriCare/managed care on total force readiness by identifying, through themes, meta-themes, and a representative model, the negative effect that economics is having on active duty and reserve force health and well-being.

STS-98 U.S. Lab Destiny is moved out of Atlantis' payload bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The U.S. Lab Destiny is ready to be moved from Atlantis''' payload bay into the Payload Changeout Room. After the move, Atlantis will roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to allow workers to conduct inspections, continuity checks and X-ray analysis on the 36 solid rocket booster cables located inside each booster'''s system tunnel. An extensive evaluation of NASA'''s SRB cable inventory revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables on the shelf. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis.
KSC01pp0133

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis is ready to roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building via the crawler-transporter. In the VAB workers will conduct inspections, make continuity checks and conduct X-ray analysis on the 36 solid rocket booster cables located inside each booster’s system tunnel. An extensive evaluation of NASA’s SRB cable inventory revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables on the shelf. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis before launching Jan. 19. The launch has been rescheduled no earlier than Feb. 6
[Pharmaceutical logistic in turnover of pharmaceutical products of Azerbaijan].

PubMed

Dzhalilova, K I

2009-11-01

Development of pharmaceutical logistic system model promotes optimal strategy for pharmaceutical functioning. The goal of such systems is organization of pharmaceutical product's turnover in required quantity and assortment, at preset time and place, at a highest possible degree of consumption readiness with minimal expenses and qualitative service. Organization of the optimal turnover chain in the region is offered to start from approximate classification of medicaments by logistic characteristics. Supplier selection was performed by evaluation of timeliness of delivery, quality of delivered products (according to the minimum acceptable level of quality) and time-keeping of time spending for orders delivery.
Coated columbium thermal protection systems: An assessment of technological readiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, S. R.; Grisaffe, S. J.

1973-01-01

Evaluation and development to date show that of the coated columbium alloys FS-85 coated with R512E shows significant promise for a reusable thermal protection system (TPS) as judged by environmental resistance and the retention of mechanical properties and structural integrity of panels upon repeated reentry simulation. Production of the alloy, the coating, and full-sized TPS panels is well within current manufacturing technology. Small defects which arise from impact damage or from local coating breakdown do not appear to have serious immediate consequences in the use environment anticipated for the space shuttle orbiter TPS.
Advances in Anthrax Detection: Overview of Bioprobes and Biosensors.

PubMed

Kim, Joungmok; Gedi, Vinayakumar; Lee, Sang-Choon; Cho, Jun-Haeng; Moon, Ji-Young; Yoon, Moon-Young

2015-06-01

Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. Although anthrax commonly affects domestic and wild animals, it causes a rare but lethal infection in humans. A variety of techniques have been introduced and evaluated to detect anthrax using cultures, polymerase chain reaction, and immunoassays to address the potential threat of anthrax being used as a bioweapon. The high-potential harm of anthrax in bioterrorism requires sensitive and specific detection systems that are rapid, field-ready, and real-time monitoring. Here, we provide a systematic overview of anthrax detection probes with their potential applications in various ultra-sensitive diagnostic systems.
Investment, managerial capacity, and bias in public health preparedness.

PubMed

Langabeer, James R; DelliFraine, Jami L; Tyson, Sandra; Emert, Jamie M; Herbold, John

2009-01-01

Nearly $7 billion has been invested through national cooperative funding since 2002 to strengthen state and local response capacity. Yet, very little outcome evidence exists to analyze funding effectiveness. The objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between investment (funding) and capacity (readiness) for public health preparedness (PHP). The aim of the authors is to use a management framework to evaluate capacity, and to explore the "immediacy bias" impact on investment stability. This study employs a longitudinal study design, incorporating survey research of the entire population of 68 health departments in the state of Texas. The authors assessed the investment-capacity relationship through several statistical methods. The authors created a structural measure of managerial capacity through principal components analysis, factorizing 10 independent variables and augment this with a perceived readiness level reported from PHP managers. The authors then employ analysis of variance, correlation analyses, and other descriptive statistics. There has been a 539 percent coefficient of variation in funding at the local level between the years 2004 and 2008, and a 63 percent reduction in total resources since the peak of funding, using paired sample data. Results suggest that investment is positively associated with readiness and managerial capacity in local health departments. The authors also find that investment was related to greater community collaboration, higher adoption of Incident Command System (ICS) structure, and more frequent operational drills and exercises. Greater investment is associated with higher levels of capacity and readiness. The authors conclude from this that investment should be stabilized and continued, and not be influenced by historical cognitive biases.
Freshness maintenance of cherries ready for consumption using convenient, microperforated, bio-based packaging.

PubMed

Koutsimanis, Georgios; Harte, Janice; Almenar, Eva

2015-03-30

Current consumer demand for high-quality ready-to-eat fresh fruit in convenient bio-based packaging was met utilizing sanitized stem-free sweet cherries and a polylactic acid (PLA) cup with a PLA peelable microperforated lid. The newly developed packaging system was compared with the petroleum-based macroperforated bag currently used for retail. After 27 days of storage at 1 °C, the PLA package maintained the cherry firmness, compared with a 50% reduction of the controls. No fungal decay was detected in the cherries stored in PLA, while the controls were non-marketable after 21 days. The PLA package allowed minimal weight loss (0.8%), compared with a weight loss of approximately 16% in the controls. Differences in the cherry aroma, color, acidity, soluble solids content, pH and quality index were also caused by the packaging type. A consumer sensory evaluation showed that cherries stored in PLA packages were more acceptable than those of the controls for appearance, texture, flavor and overall acceptability. The new package matched both the consumer demand for high-quality fresh fruit ready for consumption in convenient bio-based packaging and the extended fruit marketability and consumer satisfaction desired by industry. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.
Vehicle-to-vehicle communications : readiness of V2V technology for application.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The purpose of this research report is to assess the readiness for application of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) : communications, a system designed to transmit basic safety information between vehicles to facilitate warnings to : drivers concerning impend...
The utility of single-item readiness screeners in middle school.

PubMed

Lewis, Crystal G; Herman, Keith C; Huang, Francis L; Stormont, Melissa; Grossman, Caroline; Eddy, Colleen; Reinke, Wendy M

2017-10-01

This study examined the benefit of utilizing one-item academic and one-item behavior readiness teacher-rated screeners at the beginning of the school year to predict end-of-school year outcomes for middle school students. The Middle School Academic and Behavior Readiness (M-ABR) screeners were developed to provide an efficient and effective way to assess readiness in students. Participants included 889 students in 62 middle school classrooms in an urban Missouri school district. Concurrent validity with the M-ABR items and other indicators of readiness in the fall were evaluated using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, with the academic readiness item having medium to strong correlations with other baseline academic indicators (r=±0.56 to 0.91) and the behavior readiness item having low to strong correlations with baseline behavior items (r=±0.20 to 0.79). Next, the predictive validity of the M-ABR items was analyzed with hierarchical linear regressions using end-of-year outcomes as the dependent variable. The academic and behavior readiness items demonstrated adequate validity for all outcomes with moderate effects (β=±0.31 to 0.73 for academic outcomes and β=±0.24 to 0.59 for behavioral outcomes) after controlling for baseline demographics. Even after controlling for baseline scores, the M-ABR items predicted unique variance in almost all outcome variables. Four conditional probability indices were calculated to obtain an optimal cut score, to determine ready vs. not ready, for both single-item M-ABR scales. The cut point of "fair" yielded the most acceptable values for the indices. The odd ratios (OR) of experiencing negative outcomes given a "fair" or lower readiness rating (2 or below on the M-ABR screeners) at the beginning of the year were significant and strong for all outcomes (OR=2.29 to OR=14.46), except for internalizing problems. These findings suggest promise for using single readiness items to screen for varying negative end-of-year student outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Evaluation of hygiene practices and microbiological status of ready-to-eat vegetable salads in Spanish school canteens.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Caturla, Magdevis Y; Valero, Antonio; Carrasco, Elena; Posada, Guiomar D; García-Gimeno, Rosa M; Zurera, Gonzalo

2012-08-30

This study was conducted in eight Spanish school canteens during the period 2008-2009. Food handlers' practices, kitchen equipment, hygiene/sanitation conditions and handling practices were evaluated using checklists. In parallel, the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetable salads were assessed. In addition, food contact surfaces and environmental air quality of different areas were analysed. The study determined the relationship between the microbiological quality of RTE foods and food handling practices, together with the degree of contamination of working surfaces and environmental contamination of processing and distribution areas. Some deficiencies were found regarding the use and change of gloves, hand-washing and cleanliness of working surfaces. The microbial levels detected in the foods examined indicated the absence of pathogens in the samples analysed. Surface counts were higher on cutting boards and faucets, showing insufficient cleanliness procedures. This study constitutes a descriptive analysis of the hygiene/sanitation conditions implemented in food service systems in eight Spanish school canteens. The results should help risk managers to better define control measures to be adopted in order to prevent foodborne infections. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
Technology readiness assessments: A retrospective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mankins, John C.

2009-11-01

The development of new system capabilities typically depends upon the prior success of advanced technology research and development efforts. These systems developments inevitably face the three major challenges of any project: performance, schedule and budget. Done well, advanced technology programs can substantially reduce the uncertainty in all three of these dimensions of project management. Done poorly, or not at all, and new system developments suffer from cost overruns, schedule delays and the steady erosion of initial performance objectives. It is often critical for senior management to be able to determine which of these two paths is more likely—and to respond accordingly. The challenge for system and technology managers is to be able to make clear, well-documented assessments of technology readiness and risks, and to do so at key points in the life cycle of the program. In the mid 1970s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduced the concept of "technology readiness levels" (TRLs) as a discipline-independent, programmatic figure of merit (FOM) to allow more effective assessment of, and communication regarding the maturity of new technologies. In 1995, the TRL scale was further strengthened by the articulation of the first definitions of each level, along with examples (J. Mankins, Technology readiness levels, A White Paper, NASA, Washington, DC, 1995. [1]). Since then, TRLs have been embraced by the U.S. Congress' General Accountability Office (GAO), adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and are being considered for use by numerous other organizations. Overall, the TRLs have proved to be highly effective in communicating the status of new technologies among sometimes diverse organizations. This paper will review the concept of "technology readiness assessments", and provide a retrospective on the history of "TRLs" during the past 30 years. The paper will conclude with observations concerning prospective future directions for the important discipline of technology readiness assessments.
Assimilation of Web-Based Urgent Stroke Evaluation: A Qualitative Study of Two Networks

PubMed Central

Mathiassen, Lars; Switzer, Jeffrey A; Adams, Robert J

2014-01-01

Background Stroke is a leading cause of death and serious, long-term disability across the world. Urgent stroke care treatment is time-sensitive and requires a stroke-trained neurologist for clinical diagnosis. Rural areas, where neurologists and stroke specialists are lacking, have a high incidence of stroke-related death and disability. By virtually connecting emergency department physicians in rural hospitals to regional medical centers for consultations, specialized Web-based stroke evaluation systems (telestroke) have helped address the challenge of urgent stroke care in underserved communities. However, many rural hospitals that have deployed telestroke have not fully assimilated this technology. Objective The objective of this study was to explore potential sources of variations in the utilization of a Web-based telestroke system for urgent stroke evaluation and propose a telestroke assimilation model to improve stroke care performance. Methods An exploratory, qualitative case study of two telestroke networks, each comprising an academic stroke center (hub) and connected rural hospitals (spokes), was conducted. Data were collected from 50 semistructured interviews with 40 stakeholders, telestroke usage logs from 32 spokes, site visits, published papers, and reports. Results The two networks used identical technology (called Remote Evaluation of Acute isCHemic stroke, REACH) and were of similar size and complexity, but showed large variations in telestroke assimilation across spokes. Several observed hub- and spoke-related characteristics can explain these variations. The hub-related characteristics included telestroke institutionalization into stroke care, resources for the telestroke program, ongoing support for stroke readiness of spokes, telestroke performance monitoring, and continuous telestroke process improvement. The spoke-related characteristics included managerial telestroke championship, stroke center certification, dedicated telestroke coordinator, stroke committee of key stakeholders, local neurological expertise, and continuous telestroke process improvement. Conclusions Rural hospitals can improve their stroke readiness with use of telestroke systems. However, they need to integrate the technology into their stroke delivery processes. A telestroke assimilation model may improve stroke care performance. PMID:25601232
Operational readiness review phase-1 final report for WRAP-1

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

Bowen, W., Westinghouse Hanford

1996-12-27

This report documents the Operational Readiness Review for WRAP-1 Phase-1 operations. The report includes all criteria, lines of inquiry with resulting Findings and Observations. The review included assessing operational capability of the organization and the computer controlled process and facility systems.
14 CFR 417.117 - Reviews.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... information: (i) Readiness of launch vehicle and payload. (ii) Readiness of any flight safety system and... of a launch safety review must ensure satisfaction of the following criteria: (i) A launch operator... operator must resolve all safety related action items. (ii) A launch operator must assign and certify...
Can Less Be More? Comparison of an 8-Item Placement Quality Measure with the 50-Item Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Martina; Bennett, Deirdre; Muijtjens, Arno; O'Flynn, Siun; Dornan, Tim

2015-01-01

Clinical clerks learn more than they are taught and not all they learn can be measured. As a result, curriculum leaders evaluate clinical educational environments. The quantitative Dundee Ready Environment Measure (DREEM) is a "de facto" standard for that purpose. Its 50 items and 5 subscales were developed by consensus. Reasoning that…
Effects of a School Guidance Curriculum on Postsecondary Education-Going Literacy, Postsecondary Education-Going Access Aspirations, and Career and College Readiness Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Robert Richard, Jr.

2015-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the delivery and content of a set of classroom guidance lessons designed to enhance postsecondary education-going literacy, postsecondary education-going access aspirations, and career and college readiness self-efficacy of 9th grade students attending a high school in a southeastern rural…
Including whey protein and whey permeate in ready-to-use supplementary food improves recovery rates in children with moderate acute malnutrition: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The utility of dairy ingredients in the supplementary foods used in the treatment of childhood moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) remains unsettled. We evaluated the effectiveness of a peanut-based ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) with soy protein compared with a novel RUSF containing dairy in...
Road to Readiness: Pathways from Low-Income Children's Early Interactions to School Readiness Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martoccio, Tiffany L.; Brophy-Herb, Holly E.; Onaga, Esther E.

2014-01-01

This study utilized data from the Michigan component of the National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation study to examine toddlers' joint attention at 14 months (parent report measure of toddlers' initiating behaviors, e.g., extends arm to show you something he or she is holding, reaches out and gives you a toy he or she has been holding, and…
Teaching the Whole Child: Instructional Practices That Support Social-Emotional Learning in Three Teacher Evaluation Frameworks. Research-to-Practice Brief. Revised Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Nicholas

2014-01-01

Teachers help promote the social and emotional learning skills students need to be college and career ready, such as collaborating with others, monitoring their own behavior, and making responsible decisions. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is critical to the introduction of college and career readiness standards. To bridge the connection between…
Ready for College in Colorado: Evaluation of the Colorado SUN and the College Connection Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bragg, Debra D.

2010-01-01

In fall 2007, the state of Colorado received one of four federal grants from the Ready for College (RFC) grant program of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), U.S. Department of Education. The Colorado (CO) SUN project (where SUN stands for Success UNlimited) was designed to identify and enhance innovative practices from Colorado's…

Missional Imaginations for Theological Education: Mixed Model, Exploratory, Action-Oriented Research Mapping the Theological Identity and Organizational Readiness for Change of Five Theological School Systems in the United States Originating after 1945

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Kyle J. A.

2009-01-01

This dissertation explores the formal theologies and organizational readiness for change with a view towards adopting missional prototypes for theological education across a school's (system's) tradition, curriculum, and structure. The research assessed five theological schools in the United States through an exploratory, action-oriented,…
Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) Plan Status Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

integrated personnel and pay system that will consolidate Guard, Reserve, and Active Duty Military into a single system for personnel and pay...Inventory The DLA is the integrated material manager for assigned federal supply classes. The DLA holds materiel based on military and...Monitoring DoD Component progress and holding them accountable is essential to success and to achieving the Department’s commitment to audit readiness by
The JPL isolated application experiment series

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levin, R. R.

1981-01-01

The technical, operational, and economic readiness of parabolic dish power systems for a variety of applications in the power range below 10 MWe are discussed. Power systems are developed and tested to the point where commercialization efforts lead to successful market penetration. A key element in this strategy is the use of experiments to test hardware and assess operational readiness. The Isolated Application Experiments are described and their objectives discussed.
Body awareness, eating attitudes, and spiritual beliefs of women practicing yoga.

PubMed

Dittmann, K A; Freedman, M R

2009-01-01

This research evaluated attitudes about body image and eating in women practicing postural yoga. Study 1 described scores from questionnaires on variables related to body awareness, intuitive eating, spirituality, and reasons for practicing. Scores were favorable on all measures with significant correlations (p < .01) among all main variables except between spiritual readiness and intuitive eating, and between BMI and both body awareness and spiritual readiness. Reasons for practicing did not affect scores. Study 2 evaluated interviews in a sub-sample. Qualitative data reported improvements in body satisfaction and disordered eating due in part to yoga and its associated spirituality.
One-man electrochemical air revitalization system evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schbert, F. H.; Marshall, R. D.; Hallick, T. M.; Woods, R. R.

1976-01-01

A program to evaluate the performance of a one man capacity, self contained electrochemical air revitalization system was successfully completed. The technology readiness of this concept was demonstrated by characterizing the performance of this one man system over wide ranges in cabin atmospheric conditions. The electrochemical air revitalization system consists of a water vapor electrolysis module to generate oxygen from water vapor in the cabin air, and an electrochemical depolarized carbon dioxide concentrator module to remove carbon dioxide from the cabin air. A control/monitor instrumentation package that uses the electrochemical depolarized concentrator module power generated to partially offset the water vapor electrolysis module power requirements and various structural fluid routing components are also part of the system. The system was designed to meet the one man metabolic oxygen generation and carbon dioxide removal requirements, thereby controlling cabin partial pressure of oxygen at 22 kN/sq m and cabin pressure of carbon dioxide at 400 N/sq m over a wide range in cabin air relative humidity conditions.
Using computer graphics to enhance astronaut and systems safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, J. W.

1985-01-01

Computer graphics is being employed at the NASA Johnson Space Center as a tool to perform rapid, efficient and economical analyses for man-machine integration, flight operations development and systems engineering. The Operator Station Design System (OSDS), a computer-based facility featuring a highly flexible and versatile interactive software package, PLAID, is described. This unique evaluation tool, with its expanding data base of Space Shuttle elements, various payloads, experiments, crew equipment and man models, supports a multitude of technical evaluations, including spacecraft and workstation layout, definition of astronaut visual access, flight techniques development, cargo integration and crew training. As OSDS is being applied to the Space Shuttle, Orbiter payloads (including the European Space Agency's Spacelab) and future space vehicles and stations, astronaut and systems safety are being enhanced. Typical OSDS examples are presented. By performing physical and operational evaluations during early conceptual phases. supporting systems verification for flight readiness, and applying its capabilities to real-time mission support, the OSDS provides the wherewithal to satisfy a growing need of the current and future space programs for efficient, economical analyses.
Advanced on-the-Job Training System: Readiness Test Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

entry of completions into an airman’s ATR. To determine if a specific test objective has been met, a "measure of effectiveness" (MOE) must be de ...Evaluasto acces control Test 4 Supervisor s control Test 5 Training Manager s control Test 6 GenerateATR Test 7 Generat OPTR Test 8 Generate I TR Teot 9...Trainer, Supervisor , Evaluator, Training MMnger) into only properly authorized AOTS components. This critical function Is therefore related to each of the
KSC-01pp1023

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-05-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, a worker points to some of the tiles on orbiter Atlantis that are being dried by clusters of 200-300 watt heat lamps. Significant rainstorms during the orbiter’s turnaround for a ferry flight home from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., caused a moisture problem. The tiles are part of the Thermal Protection System used on orbiters for extreme temperatures encountered during landing. Engineers are evaluating the current procedures to assure the tiles are in a safe and flight-ready condition
KSC-01PP1024

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-05-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, a worker points to some of the tiles on orbiter Atlantis that are being dried by clusters of 200-300 watt heat lamps. Significant rainstorms during the orbiter’s turnaround for a ferry flight home from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., caused a moisture problem. The tiles are part of the Thermal Protection System used on orbiters for extreme temperatures encountered during landing. Engineers are evaluating the current procedures to assure the tiles are in a safe and flight-ready condition
KSC-2009-5391

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-26

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At the Astrotech processing facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers evaluate the readiness of the Payload Attach Fitting for mating to NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The satellite will survey the entire sky at infrared wavelengths, creating a cosmic clearinghouse of hundreds of millions of objects which will be catalogued and provide a vast storehouse of knowledge about the solar system, the Milky Way, and the universe. Launch is scheduled for Dec. 7. Photo credit: NASA/Doug Kolkow
Workshop I: Systems/Standards/Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piszczor, Mike; Reed, Brad

2007-01-01

Workshop Format: 1) 1:00 - 3:00 to cover various topics as appropriate; 2) At last SPRAT, conducted Workshop topic on solar cell and array qualification standards. Brad Reed will present update on status of that effort; 3) Second workshop topic: The Future of PV Research within NASA. 4) Any time remaining, specific topics from participants. 5) Reminder for IAPG Members! RECWG today 3:00-5:00 in Federal Room, 2nd Floor OAI. a chart is presented showing: Evaluation of Solar Array Technology Readiness Levels.
Analysis of test data film generated by the lunar sounder (S-209)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massey, N.

1973-01-01

The analysis of test films pertaining to the readiness of the Apollo 17 radar equipment is discussed. Emphasis is placed on the evaluation of the lunar sounder equipment. The lunar sounder experiment was to examine the lunar surface at three different radar frequencies of 2 meters, 60 meters, and 20 meters. Test films were made on the lunar sounder system to describe the purpose of the test, to describe the experiments used for analysis, and to provide conclusions reached after analysis.
Technical Evaluation Report on the Guidance and Control Panel Symposium (29th) on Air Traffic Management Civil/Military Systems and Technologies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

language, reliance upon instrumental (technical) versus biologi - cal ( human ) capabilities, etc. The latter - the appreciative one - is not expressed...infrastructure, and most of human contribution, should be ready for servi- cing the military scene in case of high tension, or in the context of hostility...already proven "feasible changes*. 10 81 In a similar way of improvement ( 751 and [ 771 give additional information about DABS and a DABS/ ATARS
Developing and validating a model to predict the success of an IHCS implementation: the Readiness for Implementation Model.

PubMed

Wen, Kuang-Yi; Gustafson, David H; Hawkins, Robert P; Brennan, Patricia F; Dinauer, Susan; Johnson, Pauley R; Siegler, Tracy

2010-01-01

To develop and validate the Readiness for Implementation Model (RIM). This model predicts a healthcare organization's potential for success in implementing an interactive health communication system (IHCS). The model consists of seven weighted factors, with each factor containing five to seven elements. Two decision-analytic approaches, self-explicated and conjoint analysis, were used to measure the weights of the RIM with a sample of 410 experts. The RIM model with weights was then validated in a prospective study of 25 IHCS implementation cases. Orthogonal main effects design was used to develop 700 conjoint-analysis profiles, which varied on seven factors. Each of the 410 experts rated the importance and desirability of the factors and their levels, as well as a set of 10 different profiles. For the prospective 25-case validation, three time-repeated measures of the RIM scores were collected for comparison with the implementation outcomes. Two of the seven factors, 'organizational motivation' and 'meeting user needs,' were found to be most important in predicting implementation readiness. No statistically significant difference was found in the predictive validity of the two approaches (self-explicated and conjoint analysis). The RIM was a better predictor for the 1-year implementation outcome than the half-year outcome. The expert sample, the order of the survey tasks, the additive model, and basing the RIM cut-off score on experience are possible limitations of the study. The RIM needs to be empirically evaluated in institutions adopting IHCS and sustaining the system in the long term.
Office worker response to an automated venetian blind and electric lighting system: A pilot study

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

Vine, E.; Lee, E.; Clear, R.

1998-03-01

A prototype integrated, dynamic building envelope and lighting system designed to optimize daylight admission and solar heat gain rejection on a real-time basis in a commercial office building is evaluated. Office worker response to the system and occupant-based modifications to the control system are investigated to determine if the design and operation of the prototype system can be improved. Key findings from the study are: (1) the prototype integrated envelope and lighting system is ready for field testing, (2) most office workers (N=14) were satisfied with the system, and (3) there were few complaints. Additional studies are needed to explainmore » how illuminance distribution, lighting quality, and room design can affect workplans illuminance preferences.« less
Technical Feasibility Assessment of Lunar Base Mission Scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magelssen, Trygve ``Spike''; Sadeh, Eligar

2005-02-01

Investigation of the literature pertaining to lunar base (LB) missions and the technologies required for LB development has revealed an information gap that hinders technical feasibility assessment. This information gap is the absence of technical readiness levels (TRL) (Mankins, 1995) and information pertaining to the criticality of the critical enabling technologies (CETs) that enable mission success. TRL is a means of identifying technical readiness stages of a technology. Criticality is defined as the level of influence the CET has on the mission scenario. The hypothesis of this research study is that technical feasibility is a function of technical readiness and technical readiness is a function of criticality. A newly developed research analysis method is used to identify the technical feasibility of LB mission scenarios. A Delphi is used to ascertain technical readiness levels and CET criticality-to-mission. The research analysis method is applied to the Delphi results to determine the technical feasibility of the LB mission scenarios that include: observatory, science research, lunar settlement, space exploration gateway, space resource utilization, and space tourism. The CETs identified encompasses four major system level technologies of: transportation, life support, structures, and power systems. Results of the technical feasibility assessment show the observatory and science research LB mission scenarios to be more technical ready out of all the scenarios, but all mission scenarios are in very close proximity to each other in regard to criticality and TRL and no one mission scenario stands out as being absolutely more technically ready than any of the other scenarios. What is significant and of value are the Delphi results concerning CET criticality-to-mission and the TRL values evidenced in the Tables that can be used by anyone assessing the technical feasibility of LB missions.
Evaluating fine motor coordination in children who are not ready for handwriting: which test should we take?

PubMed

de Vries, Liesbeth; van Hartingsveldt, Margo J; Cup, Edith H C; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; de Groot, Imelda J M

2015-06-01

When children are not ready to write, assessment of fine motor coordination may be indicated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate which fine motor test, the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) or the newly developed Timed Test of In-Hand Manipulation (Timed-TIHM), correlates best with handwriting readiness as measured by the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool In Context-Task Performance (WRITIC-TP). From the 119 participating children, 43 were poor performers. Convergent validity of the 9-HPT and Timed-TIHM with WRITIC-TP was determined, and test-retest reliability of the Timed-TIHM was examined in 59 children. The results showed that correlations of the 9-HPT and Timed-TIHM with the WRITIC-TP were similar (rs = -0.40). The 9-HPT and the complex rotation subtask of the Timed-TIHM had a low correlation with the WRITIC-TP in poor performers (rs = -0.30 and -0.32 respectively). Test-retest reliability of the Timed-TIHM was significant (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.71). Neither of these two fine motor tests is appeared superior. They both relate to different aspects of fine motor performance. One of the limitations of the methodology was unequal numbers of children in subgroups. It is recommended that further research is indicated to evaluate the relation between development of fine motor coordination and handwriting proficiency, on the Timed-TIHM in different age groups. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing the relationship between technology readiness and continuance intention in an E-appointment system: relationship quality as a mediator.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Chih; Jong, Din; Lai, Min-Tsai

2014-09-01

Numerous types of self-service technologies have prevailed due to innovations in network and information technology. To hospitals, patient intentions to continue to use the e-appointment system are crucial. Previous investigations discussed only the relationships between the technology readiness of users and their continuance intentions, and ignored the most important mediator, relationship quality. This study explored the relationships among technology readiness, relationship quality, and continuance intention. The research results demonstrated that both optimism and innovativeness significantly and positively influenced continuance intention through the mediating effect of relationship quality. However, discomfort and insecurity hid not significantly influence relationship quality or continuance intention. Finally, theoretical contributions, managerial implications and future research directions were discussed.
College and Career Readiness in the Middle Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaefer, Mary Beth; Rivera, Lourdes M.

2012-01-01

The development and implementation of a comprehensive and systemic career development program, The Career Institute, provided the mechanism through which one school community addressed students' career development and college readiness needs while also attending to their academic and personal-social development. The Career Institute consisted of a…
Alphaphonics Reading Readiness Training Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South San Francisco Unified School District, CA.

One of the twelve exemplary programs summarized in the Introduction to Right to Read's "Effective Reading Programs: Summaries of 222 Selected Programs" (CS001934), this program uses an organized phonics system to increase the reading readiness of one school's kindergarten children, many of whom have bilingual parents. In a careful…

77 FR 56627 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-13

... proposed action will be effective on October 15, 2012 unless comments are received which result in a... readiness, manpower, labor cost assignment, education, and training, for personnel across the DoD medical... essential manpower, personnel, labor cost assignment, education and training, and personnel readiness...
Joint Theater Trauma System: Strategic Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Ready for CENTCOM SG) – Multiple amputation management • (Ready for SME vetting) JTTS Trauma Conference Lessons Learned • New therapies – Tranexamic ... acid (used by UK @ Bastion) • Consensus not enough good data to support ubiquitous use • Limited use in patients with hyperfibrinolysis? – Renal
The Brand's PREACH Model: Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health.

PubMed

Brand, Dorine J; Alston, Reginald J

2017-09-01

Despite many attempts to reduce health disparities, health professionals face obstacles in improving poor health outcomes within the African American (AA) community. To promote change for improved health measures, it is important to implement culturally tailored programming through a trusted institution, such as the AA church. While churches have the potential to play an important role in positively impacting health among AAs, it is unclear what attributes are necessary to predict success or failure for health promotion within these institutions. The purpose of this study was to create a model, the Brand's PREACH ( Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health) Model, to predict the readiness of AA churches to engage in health promotion programming. Thirty-six semistructured key informant interviews were conducted with 12 pastors, 12 health leaders, and 12 congregants to gain information on the relationship between church infrastructure (physical structure, personnel, funding, and social/cultural support), readiness, and health promotion programming. The findings revealed that church infrastructure has an association with and will predict the readiness of a church to engage in health promotion programming. The ability to identify readiness early on will be useful for developing, implementing, and evaluating faith-based interventions, in partnership with churches, which is a key factor for sustainable and effective programs.
D-WISE: Diabetes Web-Centric Information and Support Environment: conceptual specification and proposed evaluation.

PubMed

Abidi, Samina; Vallis, Michael; Raza Abidi, Syed Sibte; Piccinini-Vallis, Helena; Imran, Syed Ali

2014-06-01

To develop and evaluate Diabetes Web-Centric Information and Support Environment (D-WISE) that offers 1) a computerized decision-support system to assist physicians to A) use the Canadian Diabetes Association clinical practice guidelines (CDA CPGs) to recommend evidence-informed interventions; B) offer a computerized readiness assessment strategy to help physicians administer behaviour-change strategies to help patients adhere to disease self-management programs; and 2) a patient-specific diabetes self-management application, accessible through smart mobile devices, that offers behaviour-change interventions to engage patients in self-management. The above-mentioned objectives were pursued through a knowledge management approach that involved 1) Translation of paper-based CDA CPGs and behaviour-change models as computerized decision-support tools that will assist physicians to offer evidence-informed and personalized diabetes management and behaviour-change strategies; 2) Engagement of patients in their diabetes care by generating a diabetes self-management program that takes into account their preferences, challenges and needs; 3) Empowering patients to self-manage their condition by providing them with personalized educational and motivational messages through a mobile self-management application. The theoretical foundation of our research is grounded in behaviour-change models and healthcare knowledge management. We used 1) knowledge modelling to computerize the paper-based CDA CPGs and behaviour-change models, in particular, the behaviour-change strategy elements of A) readiness-to-change assessments; B) motivation-enhancement interventions categorized along the lines of patients' being ready, ambivalent or not ready; and C) self-efficacy enhancement. The CDA CPGs and the behaviour-change models are modelled and computerized in terms of A) a diabetes management ontology that serves as the knowledge resource for all the services offered by D-WISE; B) decision support services that use logic-based reasoning algorithms to utilize the knowledge encoded within the diabetes management ontology to assist physicians by recommending patient-specific diabetes-management interventions and behaviour-change strategies; C) a mobile diabetes self-management application to engage and educate diabetes patients to self-manage their condition in a home-based setting while working in concert with their family physicians. We have been successful in creating and conducting a usability assessment of the physician decision support tool. These results will be published once the patient self- management application has been evaluated. D-WISE will be evaluated through pilot studies measuring 1) the usability of the e-Health interventions; and 2) the impact of the interventions on patients' behaviour changes and diabetes control. Copyright © 2014 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Regenerative fuel cell systems for space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoberecht, M. A.; Sheibley, D. W.

1985-01-01

Regenerative fuel cell (RFC) systems are the leading energy storage candidates for Space Station. Key design features are the advanced state of technology readiness and high degree of system level design flexibility. Technology readiness was demonstrated through testing at the single cell, cell stack, mechanical ancillary component, subsystem, and breadboard levels. Design flexibility characteristics include independent sizing of power and energy storage portions of the system, integration of common reactants with other space station systems, and a wide range of various maintenance approaches. The design features led to selection of a RFC system as the sole electrochemical energy storage technology option for the space station advanced development program.
CTN summary of DSREDS, EDCARS, EDMICS CALS readiness testing. [Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (CALS) CALS Test Network (CTN), Digital Storage Retrieval Eng. Data System (DSREDS), Eng. Data Computer Assisted Retrieval System (EDCARS), Eng. Data Management Information and Control System (EDMICS)

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

Mitschkowetz, N.; Vickers, D.L.

This report provides a summary of the Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (CALS) Test Network (CTN) Laboratory Acceptance Test (LAT) and User Application Test (UAT) activities undertaken to evaluate the CALS capabilities being implemented as part of the Department of Defense (DOD) engineering repositories. Although the individual testing activities provided detailed reports for each repository, a synthesis of the results, conclusions, and recommendations is offered to provide a more concise presentation of the issues and the strategies, as viewed from the CTN perspective.
Service to the Nation, Strength for the Future. Fiscal Year 2013 United States Army Annual Financial Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

implementing several internal monthly controls testing initiatives, and other similar accomplishments geared to achieving a full audit-ready financial report...existence and completeness of assets, internal controls, and other critical functions required to meet audit readiness goals. The Army is on-track...ensure the integrity of their reporting systems, programs, and operations. This section focuses on the Army’s system of internal controls to
Assessment 2.0: "Next-Generation" Comprehensive Assessment Systems. An Analysis of Proposals by the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamayo, Joaquin R., Jr.

2010-01-01

On September 2, 2010, the U.S. Department of Education announced the winners of the $350 million Race to the Top Comprehensive Assessment Systems Competition: the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SMARTER). In his announcement, Secretary of Education Arne…
A tactile paging system for deaf-blind people, phase 1. [human factors engineering of bioinstrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baer, J. A.

1976-01-01

A tactile paging system for deaf-blind people has been brought from the concept stage to the development of a first model. The model consists of a central station that transmits coded information via radio link to an on-body (i.e., worn on the wrist) receiving unit, the output from which is a coded vibrotactile signal. The model is a combination of commercially available equipment, customized electronic circuits, and electromechanical transducers. The paging system facilitates communication to deaf-blind clients in an institutional environment as an aid in their training and other activities. Several subunits of the system were individually developed, tested, and integrated into an operating system ready for experimentation and evaluation. The operation and characteristics of the system are described and photographs are shown.
Development toward School Readiness: A Holistic Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaynor, Alan Kibbe

2015-01-01

A systemic analysis of early childhood development factors explains the variance in school readiness among representative U.S. 5-year-olds. The underlying theory incorporates a set of causally interactive endogenous variables that are hypothesized to be driven by the effects of three exogenous variables: parental education, immigrant status and…
The Tyranny of Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Start, K. B.

This paper challenges the belief that the only way the Australian educational system can work is by grouping students by chronological age. Chronological age developed over time as the benchmark for school readiness, despite readiness problems created by individual differences among students of the same age. The organization of the classroom,…
Get Set! E-Ready, ... E-Learn! The E-Readiness of Warehouse Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moolman, Hermanus B.; Blignaut, Seugnet

2008-01-01

Modern organizations use technology to expand across traditional business zones and boundaries to survive the global commercial village. While IT systems allow organizations to maintain a competitive edge, South African unskilled labour performing warehouse operations are frequently retrained to keep abreast with Information Technology.…
Consumers and Makers: Exploring Opposing Paradigms of Millennial College Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Matthew

2017-01-01

The political and technological circumstances of the past two decades have culminated in opposing epistemic paradigms of college readiness, where millennial students' conceptual understanding of "learning" is both narrowed to meet the demands of school systems bound to accountability and amplified by a rapidly evolving digital world. The…
High School Graduates' Readiness for Tertiary Education in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khoshaim, Heba Bakr

2017-01-01

There has been a huge improvement in the education system in Saudi Arabia quantitatively and qualitatively. Nevertheless, many researchers indicated that high school graduates are not ready for higher education. Especially when considering mathematical compensations, high-demanded skills for tertiary academic programs, Saudi students have been…
Enhancing Infant Mental Health Using a Capacity-Building Model: A Case Study of a Process Evaluation of the "Ready, Steady, Grow" Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Farrelly, Christine; Guerin, Suzanne; Victory, Gerard

2017-01-01

Infant mental health (IMH) is best promoted through a continuum of services underpinned by strong service capacity. However, service providers often lack fundamental IMH knowledge and skills. Using the Ready, Steady, Grow (RSG) initiative as a case study of a capacity-building model (P., Hawe, L., King, M., Noort, C., Jordens, & B., Llyod,…
A Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Readiness for Organizational Change Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

The behavioral sciences and management: An evaluation of relevant journals. Journal of Management, 16(3), 539. Fishbein , M ., & Ajzen , I . (1975...discovery to change beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behavior ( Fishbein & Ajzen , 1975). In the context of strategic change, participation produces high...Science Quarterly, 21, 700-714. 44 *Eby, L. T., Adams, D. M ., Russell, J. E. A., & Gaby, S. H. ( 2000 ). Perceptions of organizational readiness
Human Resource Information System implementation readiness in the Ethiopian health sector: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Dilu, Eyilachew; Gebreslassie, Measho; Kebede, Mihiretu

2017-12-20

Health workforce information systems in low-income countries tend to be defective with poor relationship to information sources. Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is currently in a pilot implementation phase in the Federal Ministry of Health and Regional Health Bureaus of Ethiopia. Before scaling up the implementation, it is important to understand the implementation readiness of hospitals and health departments. The aims of this study were to assess the readiness for HRIS implementation, identify associated factors, and explore the implementation challenges in public hospitals and health departments of the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study supplemented with a qualitative study was conducted from the 15th of February to the 30th of March 2016 in 19 public hospitals and health departments of the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The questionnaire includes items on socio-demographic characteristics and questions measuring technical, personal, and organizational factors adapted from the 32-item questionnaire of the Management Science for Health (MSH) HRIS readiness assessment tool. The data were entered and analyzed with statistical software. Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were computed to identify the factors statistically associated with readiness of HRIS implementation. In-depth interviews and observation checklists were used to collect qualitative data. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. A total of 246 human resource (HR) employees and 16 key informants have been included in the study. The HR employee's level of readiness for HRIS implementation in this study was 35.8%. Employee's Internet access (AOR = 2.59, 95%CI = 1.19, 5.62), availability of separate HR section (AOR = 8.08, 95%CI = 3.69, 17.70), basic computer skills (AOR = 6.74, 95%CI = 2.75, 16.56), and fear of unemployment (AOR = 2.83, 95%CI = 1.27, 6.32) were associated with readiness of HRIS implementation. Poor logistic supply, lack of competency, poor commitment, and shortage of finance were the challenges of HRIS implementation. In this study, readiness of HRIS implementation was low. Strategies targeting to improve skills, awareness, and attitude of HR employees would facilitate the implementation process.
Technology readiness levels and technology status for selected long term/high payoff technologies on the RLV program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosmait, Russell L.

1996-01-01

The development of a new space transportation system in a climate of constant budget cuts and staff reductions can be and is a difficult task. It is no secret that NASA's current launching system consumes a very large portion of NASA funding and requires a large army of people to operate & maintain the system. The new Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) project and it's programs are faced with a monumental task of making the cost of access to space dramatically lower and more efficient than NASA's current system. With pressures from congressional budget cutters and also increased competition and loss of market share from international agencies RLV's first priority is to develop a 'low-cost, reliable transportation to earth orbit.' One of the RLV's major focus in achieving low-cost, reliable transportation to earth orbit is to rely on the maturing of advanced technologies. The technologies for the RLV are numerous and varied. Trying to assess their current status, within the RLV development program is paramount. There are several ways to assess these technologies. One way is through the use of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL's). This project focused on establishing current (summer 95) 'worst case' TRL's for six selected technologies that are under consideration for use within the RLV program. The six technologies evaluated were Concurrent Engineering, Embedded Sensor Technology, Rapid Prototyping, Friction Stir Welding, Thermal Spray Coatings, and VPPA Welding.
Performance calculation and simulation system of high energy laser weapon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pei; Liu, Min; Su, Yu; Zhang, Ke

2014-12-01

High energy laser weapons are ready for some of today's most challenging military applications. Based on the analysis of the main tactical/technical index and combating process of high energy laser weapon, a performance calculation and simulation system of high energy laser weapon was established. Firstly, the index decomposition and workflow of high energy laser weapon was proposed. The entire system was composed of six parts, including classical target, platform of laser weapon, detect sensor, tracking and pointing control, laser atmosphere propagation and damage assessment module. Then, the index calculation modules were designed. Finally, anti-missile interception simulation was performed. The system can provide reference and basis for the analysis and evaluation of high energy laser weapon efficiency.
Technology readiness levels for advanced nuclear fuels and materials development

DOE PAGES

Carmack, W. J.; Braase, L. A.; Wigeland, R. A.; ...

2016-12-23

The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process is used to quantitatively assess the maturity of a given technology. It was pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1980s to develop and deploy new systems for space applications. The process was subsequently adopted by the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and deploy new technology and systems for defense applications as well as the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the maturity of new technologies in major construction projects. Advanced nuclear fuels and materials development is a critical technology needed for improving the performance and safety of currentmore » and advanced reactors, and ultimately closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Because deployment of new nuclear fuel forms requires a lengthy and expensive research, development, and demonstration program, applying the TRL concept to the advanced fuel development program is very useful as a management, communication and tracking tool. Furthermore, this article provides examples regarding the methods by which TRLs are currently used to assess the maturity of nuclear fuels and materials under development in the DOE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) Program within the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC).« less

Technology readiness levels for advanced nuclear fuels and materials development

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

Carmack, W. J.; Braase, L. A.; Wigeland, R. A.

The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process is used to quantitatively assess the maturity of a given technology. It was pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1980s to develop and deploy new systems for space applications. The process was subsequently adopted by the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and deploy new technology and systems for defense applications as well as the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the maturity of new technologies in major construction projects. Advanced nuclear fuels and materials development is a critical technology needed for improving the performance and safety of currentmore » and advanced reactors, and ultimately closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Because deployment of new nuclear fuel forms requires a lengthy and expensive research, development, and demonstration program, applying the TRL concept to the advanced fuel development program is very useful as a management, communication and tracking tool. Furthermore, this article provides examples regarding the methods by which TRLs are currently used to assess the maturity of nuclear fuels and materials under development in the DOE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) Program within the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC).« less
The Collaboration Readiness of Transdisciplinary Research Teams and Centers

PubMed Central

Hall, Kara L.; Stokols, Daniel; Moser, Richard P.; Taylor, Brandie K.; Thornquist, Mark D.; Nebeling, Linda C.; Ehret, Carolyn C.; Barnett, Matthew J.; McTiernan, Anne; Berger, Nathan A.; Goran, Michael I.; Jeffery, Robert W.

2009-01-01

Growing interest in promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration among health scientists has prompted several federal agencies, including the NIH, to establish large, multicenter initiatives intended to foster collaborative research and training. In order to assess whether these initiatives are effective in promoting scientific collaboration that ultimately results in public health improvements, it is necessary to develop new strategies for evaluating research processes and products as well as the longer-term societal outcomes associated with these programs. Ideally, evaluative measures should be administered over the entire course of large initiatives, including their near-term and later phases. The present study focuses on the development of new tools for assessing the readiness for collaboration among health scientists at the outset (during Year One) of their participation in the National Cancer Institute’s Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) initiative. Indexes of collaborative readiness, along with additional measures of near-term collaborative processes, were administered as part of the TREC Year-One evaluation survey. Additionally, early progress toward scientific collaboration and integration was assessed, using a protocol for evaluating written research products. Results from the Year-One survey and the ratings of written products provide evidence of cross-disciplinary collaboration among participants during the first year of the initiative, and also reveal opportunities for enhancing collaborative processes and outcomes during subsequent phases of the project. The implications of these findings for future evaluations of team science initiatives are discussed. PMID:18619396
What language is the language-ready brain ready for?. Comment on "Towards a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology: Framing the language-ready brain" by Michael A. Arbib

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croft, William

2016-03-01

Arbib's computational comparative neuroprimatology [1] is a welcome model for cognitive linguists, that is, linguists who ground their models of language in human cognition and language use in social interaction. Arbib argues that language emerged via biological and cultural coevolution [1]; linguistic knowledge is represented by constructions, and semantic representations of linguistic constructions are grounded in embodied perceptual-motor schemas (the mirror system hypothesis). My comments offer some refinements from a linguistic point of view.
Ready to Succeed: Changing Systems to Give California's Foster Children the Opportunities They Deserve to be Ready for and Succeed in School. Recommendations to Improve School Readiness, School Success, and Data Sharing from The California Education Collaborative for Children in Foster Care. Summary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning, 2008

2008-01-01

In 2005, the Stuart Foundation funded two of its grantees--the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning and Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc.--to both model and achieve greater collaboration between the public education and child welfare sectors. The two organizations share a philosophical commitment to narrowing the profound gaps…
A description of interventions promoting healthier ready-to-eat meals (to eat in, to take away, or to be delivered) sold by specific food outlets in England: a systematic mapping and evidence synthesis.

PubMed

Hillier-Brown, Frances C; Summerbell, Carolyn D; Moore, Helen J; Wrieden, Wendy L; Adams, Jean; Abraham, Charles; Adamson, Ashley; Araújo-Soares, Vera; White, Martin; Lake, Amelia A

2017-01-19

Ready-to-eat meals (to eat in, to take away or to be delivered) sold by food outlets are often more energy dense and nutrient poor compared with meals prepared at home, making them a reasonable target for public health intervention. The aim of the research presented in this paper was to systematically identify and describe interventions to promote healthier ready-to-eat meals (to eat in, to take away, or to be delivered) sold by specific food outlets in England. A systematic search and sift of the literature, followed by evidence mapping of relevant interventions, was conducted. Food outlets were included if they were located in England, were openly accessible to the public and, as their main business, sold ready-to-eat meals. Academic databases and grey literature were searched. Also, local authorities in England, topic experts, and key health professionals and workers were contacted. Two tiers of evidence synthesis took place: type, content and delivery of each intervention were summarised (Tier 1) and for those interventions that had been evaluated, a narrative synthesis was conducted (Tier 2). A total of 75 interventions were identified, the most popular being awards. Businesses were more likely to engage with cost neutral interventions which offered imperceptible changes to price, palatability and portion size. Few interventions involved working upstream with suppliers of food, the generation of customer demand, the exploration of competition effects, and/or reducing portion sizes. Evaluations of interventions were generally limited in scope and of low methodological quality, and many were simple assessments of acceptability. Many interventions promoting healthier ready-to-eat meals (to eat in, to take away, or to be delivered) sold by specific food outlets in England are taking place; award-type interventions are the most common. Proprietors of food outlets in England that, as their main business, sell ready-to-eat meals, can be engaged in implementing interventions to promote healthier ready-to-eat-food. These proprietors are generally positive about such interventions, particularly when they are cost neutral and use a health by stealth approach.
Measurement properties of a novel survey to assess stages of organizational readiness for evidence-based interventions in community chronic disease prevention settings

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is a great deal of variation in the existing capacity of primary prevention programs and policies addressing chronic disease to deliver evidence-based interventions (EBIs). In order to develop and evaluate implementation strategies that are tailored to the appropriate level of capacity, there is a need for an easy-to-administer tool to stage organizational readiness for EBIs. Methods Based on theoretical frameworks, including Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations, we developed a survey instrument to measure four domains representing stages of readiness for EBI: awareness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. A separate scale representing organizational climate as a potential mediator of readiness for EBIs was also included in the survey. Twenty-three questions comprised the four domains, with four to nine items each, using a seven-point response scale. Representatives from obesity, asthma, diabetes, and tobacco prevention programs serving diverse populations in the United States were surveyed (N = 243); test-retest reliability was assessed with 92 respondents. Results Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test and refine readiness scales. Test-retest reliability of the readiness scales, as measured by intraclass correlation, ranged from 0.47–0.71. CFA found good fit for the five-item adoption and implementation scales and resulted in revisions of the awareness and maintenance scales. The awareness scale was split into two two-item scales, representing community and agency awareness. The maintenance scale was split into five- and four-item scales, representing infrastructural maintenance and evaluation maintenance, respectively. Internal reliability of scales (Cronbach’s α) ranged from 0.66–0.78. The model for the final revised scales approached good fit, with most factor loadings >0.6 and all >0.4. Conclusions The lack of adequate measurement tools hinders progress in dissemination and implementation research. These preliminary results help fill this gap by describing the reliability and measurement properties of a theory-based tool; the short, user-friendly instrument may be useful to researchers and practitioners seeking to assess organizational readiness for EBIs across a variety of chronic disease prevention programs and settings. PMID:22800294
Measurement properties of a novel survey to assess stages of organizational readiness for evidence-based interventions in community chronic disease prevention settings.

PubMed

Stamatakis, Katherine A; McQueen, Amy; Filler, Carl; Boland, Elizabeth; Dreisinger, Mariah; Brownson, Ross C; Luke, Douglas A

2012-07-16

There is a great deal of variation in the existing capacity of primary prevention programs and policies addressing chronic disease to deliver evidence-based interventions (EBIs). In order to develop and evaluate implementation strategies that are tailored to the appropriate level of capacity, there is a need for an easy-to-administer tool to stage organizational readiness for EBIs. Based on theoretical frameworks, including Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations, we developed a survey instrument to measure four domains representing stages of readiness for EBI: awareness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. A separate scale representing organizational climate as a potential mediator of readiness for EBIs was also included in the survey. Twenty-three questions comprised the four domains, with four to nine items each, using a seven-point response scale. Representatives from obesity, asthma, diabetes, and tobacco prevention programs serving diverse populations in the United States were surveyed (N=243); test-retest reliability was assessed with 92 respondents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test and refine readiness scales. Test-retest reliability of the readiness scales, as measured by intraclass correlation, ranged from 0.47-0.71. CFA found good fit for the five-item adoption and implementation scales and resulted in revisions of the awareness and maintenance scales. The awareness scale was split into two two-item scales, representing community and agency awareness. The maintenance scale was split into five- and four-item scales, representing infrastructural maintenance and evaluation maintenance, respectively. Internal reliability of scales (Cronbach's α) ranged from 0.66-0.78. The model for the final revised scales approached good fit, with most factor loadings >0.6 and all >0.4. The lack of adequate measurement tools hinders progress in dissemination and implementation research. These preliminary results help fill this gap by describing the reliability and measurement properties of a theory-based tool; the short, user-friendly instrument may be useful to researchers and practitioners seeking to assess organizational readiness for EBIs across a variety of chronic disease prevention programs and settings.
Ready, Steady, Go! Program, Italy: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Veracini, Giordana; Leonardi, Elisabetta; Girotti, Rita; Thrasher, Erika Willumsen

2014-09-01

Ready, Steady, Go! promotes proper nutrition and physical activity among people of all ages in targeted neighborhoods and encourages social integration and children's participation in decisions that affect their lives. It also seeks to involve parents in activities so that they can influence their children's attitudes toward lifestyles and personal development. This partnership has reached 70,000 Italian children and adults with new opportunities for physical activities and social experiences that help them improve nutritional behaviors while having fun with their peers. To assess the Ready, Steady, Go! Program logic and to identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs) and a core suite of impact indicators based on a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis. The PIP analysis team reviewed the key activities and processes that form Ready, Steady, Go! and then identified key CCPs for the project. The findings were presented at the Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The PIP analysis confirmed that Ready, Steady, Go! has a structure that is likely to support the primary aims of the program. The CCPs identified are training of teachers in healthy lifestyles, teachers' active participation in the program, access to remodeled and well-equipped sports and recreational centers, participation of parents and grandparents, and involvement of local institutions and networks. A suite of impact indicators for changes in healthy lifestyle knowledge, attitudes, and behavior was identified. Project staff are now more aware of the importance of carefully monitoring the CCPs and have decided to conduct quarterly PIP-informed quality control evaluations.
Readiness factors for lean implementation in healthcare settings--a literature review.

PubMed

Al-Balushi, S; Sohal, A S; Singh, P J; Al Hajri, A; Al Farsi, Y M; Al Abri, R

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to determine the readiness factors that are critical to the application and success of lean operating principles in healthcare organizations through a review of relevant literature. A comprehensive review of literature focussing on lean and lean healthcare was conducted. Leadership, organizational culture, communication, training, measurement, and reward systems are all commonly attributed readiness factors throughout general change management and lean literature. However, directly related to the successful implementation of lean in healthcare is that a setting is able to authorize a decentralized management style and undertake an end-to-end process view. These can be particularly difficult initiatives for complex organizations such as healthcare settings. The readiness factors identified are based on a review of the published literature. The external validity of the findings could be enhanced if tested using an empirical study. The readiness factors identified will enable healthcare practitioners to be better prepared as they begin their lean journeys. Sustainability of the lean initiative will be at stake if these readiness factors are not addressed. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first paper that provides a consolidated list of key lean readiness factors that can guide practice, as well as future theory and empirical research.
Length of stay after vaginal birth: sociodemographic and readiness-for-discharge factors.

PubMed

Weiss, Marianne; Ryan, Polly; Lokken, Lisa; Nelson, Magdalen

2004-06-01

The impact of reductions in postpartum length of stay have been widely reported, but factors influencing length of hospital stay after vaginal birth have received less attention. The study purpose was to compare the sociodemographic characteristics and readiness for discharge of new mothers and their newborns at 3 discharge time intervals, and to determine which variables were associated with postpartum length of stay. The study sample comprised 1,192 mothers who were discharged within 2 postpartum days after uncomplicated vaginal birth at a tertiary perinatal center in the midwestern United States. The sample was divided into 3 postpartum length-of-stay groups: group 1 (18-30 hr), group 2 (31-42 hr), and group 3 (43-54 hr). Sociodemographic and readiness-for-discharge data were collected by self-report and from a computerized hospital information system. Measures of readiness for discharge included perceived readiness (single item and Readiness for Discharge After Birth Scale), documented maternal and neonatal clinical problems, and feeding method. Compared with other groups, the longest length-of-stay group was older; of higher socioeconomic status and education; and with more primiparous, breastfeeding, white, married mothers who were living with the baby's father, had adequate home help, and had a private payor source. This group also reported greater readiness for discharge, but their newborns had more documented clinical problems during the postbirth hospitalization. In logistic regression modeling, earlier discharge was associated with young age, multiparity, public payor source, low socioeconomic status, lack of readiness for discharge, bottle-feeding, and absence of a neonatal clinical problem. Sociodemographic characteristics and readiness for discharge (clinical and perceived) were associated with length of postpartum hospital stay. Length of stay is an outcome of a complex interface between patient, provider, and payor influences on discharge timing that requires additional study. Including perceived readiness for discharge in clinical discharge criteria will add an important dimension to assessment of readiness for discharge after birth.
Safety assessment of discharge chute isolation barrier preparation and installation. Revision 1

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

Meichle, R.H.

1994-10-10

This revision responds to RL comments and increases the discussion of the ``effective hazard categorization`` and the readiness review basis. The safety assessment is made for the activities for the preparation and installation of the discharge chute isolation barriers. The safety assessment includes a hazard assessment and comparison of potential accidents/events to those addressed by the current safety basis documentation. No significant hazards were identified. An evaluation against the USQ evaluation questions were made and the determination made that the activities do not represent a USQ. Hazard categorization techniques were used to provide a basis for readiness review classification.
Evaluation of Space Food for Commercial Astronauts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahlstrom, Britt Karin

As commercial aerospace companies advance toward manned spaceflight, they must overcome many hurdles - not only technical, but also human. One of the greatest human challenges they face is food. Throughout the history of human spaceflight, astronauts have primarily eaten food developed by government space agencies. Now, with manned commercial flights on the horizon, astronauts will be provided with an entirely new diet - one comprised of commercially available, ready-to-eat food. Yet will this diet keep astronauts nourished, satisfied with their diet, and both psychologically and physically healthy? The purpose of this parallel crossover design study was to evaluate (a) nutrient intake, (b) food satisfaction, (c) psychological health, and (d) physical health in commercial aerospace employees (N = 7) as they ate a diet of commercial, ready-to-eat food for four days, as compared to eating as normal for four days. Findings from this study showed that the ready-to-eat diet did not lead to any significant changes in caloric intake, psychological health, or physical health, aside from weight loss. It is not clear whether this weight loss was due to the loss of body fat, muscle, or water. When eating the ready-to-eat food, participants reported being slightly less satisfied with the variety, reported lower cravings for sweets, and reported the food was slightly less hedonically rewarding. In post-study interviews, participants reported they wanted to see more meats, fruits, vegetables, and desserts added to the ready-to-eat diet, so as to provide more meal-like structure. Overall, these findings show the diet could be used in commercial spaceflight after making simple changes. The diet could also be used by individuals in remote areas on Earth and to provide food assistance to individuals in disaster or emergency situations. Due to the increasing popularity of ready-to-eat food around the world, these findings also provide knowledge about the potential consequences of modern eating trends.
Fentanyl Iontophoretic Transdermal System (IONSYS(®)) can be Safely used in the Hospital Environment with X-Rays, Computerized Tomography and Radiofrequency Identification Devices.

PubMed

Lemke, John; Sardariani, Edmond; Phipps, Joseph Bradley; Patel, Niki; Itri, Loretta M; Caravelli, James; Viscusi, Eugene R

2016-09-01

Fentanyl iontophoretic transdermal system (fentanyl ITS, IONSYS(®)) is a patient-controlled analgesia system used for the management of acute postoperative pain, designed to be utilized in a hospital setting. The objective of the two studies was to determine if fentanyl ITS could be safely used with X-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans and radiofrequency identification (RFID) devices. The ITS system has two components: controller and drug unit; the studies utilized ITS systems without fentanyl, referred to as the ITS Placebo system. The first study evaluated the effect of X-radiation on the operation of an ITS Placebo system. Five ITS Placebo systems were exposed to X-rays (20 and 200 mSv total radiation dose-the 200 mSv radiation dose represents a tenfold higher exposure than in clinical practice) while operating in the Ready Mode and five were exposed while operating in the Dose Mode. The second study evaluated the effect of RFID (worst-case scenario of direct contact with an RFID transmitter) on the operation of an ITS Placebo system. During these tests, observations of the user interface and measurements of output voltage confirmed proper function throughout all operational modes (Ready Mode, Dose Mode, End-of-Use Mode, and End-of-Life Mode). The ITS Placebo system met all specifications and no functional anomalies were observed during and following X-ray exposure at two radiation dose levels or exposure at six different combinations of RFID frequencies and field strengths. The performance of the ITS system was unaffected by X-ray exposure levels well beyond those associated with diagnostic X-rays and CT scans, and by exposure to radiofrequency field strengths typically generated by RFID devices. These results provide added confidence to clinicians that the fentanyl ITS system does not need to be removed during diagnostic X-rays and CT scans and can also be utilized in close proximity to RFID devices. The studies and writing of this manuscript were supported financially by The Medicines Company.
An Evaluation Report: i3 Development Grant Dev07--Sammamish High School. "Re-Imagining Career and College Readiness: STEM, Rigor, and Equity in a Comprehensive High School"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knuth, Randy; Sutton, Paul S.; Levias, Sheldon; Kuo, Annie Camey; Callison, Matthew

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe and examine the structures and policies a public, comprehensive high school put in place to implement problem-based learning (PBL) across content areas. Starting in 2010, the school implemented PBL in the hopes of increasing students' career and college readiness skills. The research took place at a…
Hospital Characteristics are Associated With Readiness to Attain Stage 2 Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records.

PubMed

Kim, Jungyeon; Ohsfeldt, Robert L; Gamm, Larry D; Radcliff, Tiffany A; Jiang, Luohua

2017-06-01

To examine the difference between rural and urban hospitals as to their overall level of readiness for stage 2 meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) and to identify other key factors that affect their readiness for stage 2 meaningful use. A conceptual framework based on the theory of organizational readiness for change was used in a cross-sectional multivariate analysis using 2,083 samples drawn from the HIMSS Analytics survey conducted with US hospitals in 2013. Rural hospitals were less likely to be ready for stage 2 meaningful use compared to urban hospitals in the United States (OR = 0.49) in our final model. Hospitals' past experience with an information exchange initiative, staff size in the information system department, and the Chief Information Officer (CIO)'s responsibility for health information management were identified as the most critical organizational contextual factors that were associated with hospitals' readiness for stage 2. Rural hospitals lag behind urban hospitals in EHR adoption, which will hinder the interoperability of EHRs among providers across the nation. The identification of critical factors that relate to the adoption of EHR systems provides insights into possible organizational change efforts that can help hospitals to succeed in attaining meaningful use requirements. Rural hospitals have increasingly limited resources, which have resulted in a struggle for these facilities to attain meaningful use. Given increasing closures among rural hospitals, it is all the more important that EHR development focus on advancing rural hospital quality of care and linkages with patients and other organizations supporting the care of their patients. © 2016 National Rural Health Association.
41 CFR 302-9.10 - For what POV emergency storage expenses will my agency pay?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Federal Travel Regulation System RELOCATION ALLOWANCES TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF PROPERTY 9-ALLOWANCES... expenses, including but not limited to readying the POV for storage, transportation to point of storage, storage, readying the POV for use after storage, and transportation from the point of storage. Insurance...
User's Manual. Vocational Education Readiness Test (VERT). Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Edward L.; And Others

This user's manual provides information suggesting various ways in which educational personnel may wish to utilize the eight modules included in the Vocational Education Readiness Test (VERT). The introductory section presents questions which can be used by school personnel to determine whether or not VERT will be useful in their school system.…
Aerocapture, Entry, Descent and Landing (AEDL) Human Planetary Landing Systems. Section 10: AEDL Analysis, Test and Validation Infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, J.; Cheatwood, N.; Powell, D.; Wolf, A.; Guensey, C.; Rivellini, T.; Venkatapathy, E.; Beard, T.; Beutter, B.; Laub, B.

2005-01-01

Contents include the following: 3 Listing of critical capabilities (knowledge, procedures, training, facilities) and metrics for validating that they are mission ready. Examples of critical capabilities and validation metrics: ground test and simulations. Flight testing to prove capabilities are mission ready. Issues and recommendations.
Do Standard Measures of Preschool Quality Used in Statewide Policy Predict School Readiness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabol, Terri J.; Pianta, Robert C.

2014-01-01

In the majority of states using Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to improve children's school readiness, the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) is a core assessment of preschool program quality and is central to QRIS metrics and incentive structures. The present study utilizes nationally representative data…
Realizing the College Dream: A Guide to College Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harley-Permenter, Kisa L.

2017-01-01

Evidence is documented in research that too many students, particularly low-income and minority students, leave the kindergarten to Grade 12 educational system without the knowledge and the skills necessary for success after high school. The primary goal of this study was to examine in greater depth the factors that influence college readiness.…

School Districts-University Partnerships: A College-Readiness Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labas, Gladys; Minaya Rowe, Liliana

2010-01-01

This paper reports on how ten school districts and a state university system address a state-funded college readiness program for high school student achievement in mathematics and English. It addresses in qualitative and quantitative detail: (a) the school-university partnership designed to decrease the number of high school students that require…
Creating Global-Ready Places: The Campus-Community Connection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, M. Perry

2009-01-01

Globalization is reshaping the relationship between U.S. universities and their host cities. U.S. universities must adjust to momentous changes in the worldwide higher education system, and U.S. cities must retool to maintain their place in the innovation economy. Institutional and civic resources are being pooled to form global-ready urban…
Creating a P-20 Continuum of Actionable Academic Indicators of Student Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achieve, Inc., 2013

2013-01-01

This policy brief is a guide for state education policy leaders to use in selecting and prioritizing college- and career-ready student performance indicators. These indicators can be built into the state's accountability system through public reporting, statewide performance goals, school-level incentives, and accountability formulas used to…
40 CFR 85.515 - Exemption provisions for intermediate age vehicles/engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... age vehicles/engines. 85.515 Section 85.515 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY...-ready status using an OBD scan tool appropriate for the OBD system in the vehicle/engine in question... have reset to a ready status, you must submit an OBD scan tool report showing that with the vehicle...
40 CFR 85.515 - Exemption provisions for intermediate age vehicles/engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... age vehicles/engines. 85.515 Section 85.515 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY...-ready status using an OBD scan tool appropriate for the OBD system in the vehicle/engine in question... have reset to a ready status, you must submit an OBD scan tool report showing that with the vehicle...
40 CFR 85.515 - Exemption provisions for intermediate age vehicles/engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... age vehicles/engines. 85.515 Section 85.515 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY...-ready status using an OBD scan tool appropriate for the OBD system in the vehicle/engine in question... have reset to a ready status, you must submit an OBD scan tool report showing that with the vehicle...
40 CFR 85.515 - Exemption provisions for intermediate age vehicles/engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... age vehicles/engines. 85.515 Section 85.515 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY...-ready status using an OBD scan tool appropriate for the OBD system in the vehicle/engine in question... have reset to a ready status, you must submit an OBD scan tool report showing that with the vehicle...
Partnerships for College Readiness. College Readiness Indicator Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jaein; McAlister, Sara; Mishook, Jacob; Santner, Gabriel

2013-01-01

In recent years, the education spotlight in the United States has shifted from high school graduation to postsecondary success, along with the recognition that to thrive in today's economy requires more than just a high school diploma. Also, while prior research has focused on after-school and higher-education collaborations with districts, there…
HIPAA Readiness Collaborative in Hawaii.

PubMed

Chun, Marva; Forbes, Susan; Gose, Steven; Kumabe, Brenda; Loo, Jeffrey; Nichols, Lorraine; Rosa, Luis; Sherrill, Laura; Turner, Jim

2002-01-01

The vision of Hawaii's HIPAA Readiness Collaborative (HRC) effort is to realize the positive potential of HIPAA through a collaborative process that engages the entire healthcare delivery system. Goals include reducing the cost of healthcare through streamlining, reducing the cost of HIPAA implementation for HRC participants, and improving the interoperability between facilities through use of standard technologies.
WorkReady Philadelphia: Preparing Youth for Job Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawlowski, Brett

2010-01-01

One of the great concerns of the business community involves the workforce pipeline: employers want to be sure that new entries into the labor pool, whether from the K-12 or postsecondary systems, are prepared for the jobs that await them. In Philadelphia, business and community leaders have joined forces to give students workplace learning…
Integrative Literature Review: Ascertaining Discharge Readiness for Pediatrics After Anesthesia.

PubMed

Whitley, Deborah R

2016-02-01

Unplanned hospital readmissions after the administration of general anesthesia for ambulatory procedures may contribute to loss of reimbursement and assessment of financial penalties. Pediatric patients represent a unique anesthetic risk. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to ascertain specific criteria used to evaluate discharge readiness for pediatric patients after anesthesia. This study is an integrative review of literature. An integrative literature search was conducted and included literature sources dated January 2008 to November 2013. Key words included pediatric, anesthesia, discharge, criteria, standards, assessment, recovery, postoperative, postanesthesia, scale, score, outpatient, and ambulatory. Eleven literature sources that contributed significantly to the research question were identified. Levels of evidence included three systematic reviews, one randomized controlled trial, three cohort studies, two case series, and two expert opinions. This integrative literature review revealed evidence-based discharge criteria endorsing home readiness for postanesthesia pediatric patients should incorporate consideration for physiological baselines, professional judgment with regard to infant consciousness, and professional practice standards/guidelines. Additionally, identifying and ensuring discharge to a competent adult was considered imperative. Nurses should be aware that frequently used anesthesia scoring systems originated in the 1970s, and this review was unable to locate current literature examining the reliability and validity of their use in conjunction with modern anesthesia-related health care practices. Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Practical Application of Aspiration as an Outcome Indicator in Extension Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jayaratne, K. S. U.

2010-01-01

Extension educators need simple and accurate evaluation tools for program evaluation. This article explains how to use aspiration as an outcome indicator in Extension evaluation and introduces a practical evaluation tool. Aspiration can be described as the readiness for change. By recording participants' levels of aspiration, we will be able to…
How group education impacts female factory workers' behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear.

PubMed

Seven, Memnun; Bahar, Mine; Akyüz, Aygül; Erdoğan, Hatice

2015-01-01

The workplace has been deemed a suitable location for educating many women at once about cancer screening. To determine how group education about early diagnostic methods for breast and cervical cancer effects women's behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. This semi-interventional study was conducted at a textile factory in Istanbul, Turkey. Female workers (n= 125) were included in the study. A participant identification form and knowledge evaluation form developed for this study, along with the transtheoretical model, were used to collect data. A 45-min interactive group education was given to the participants. Upon contacting participants 3 months after group education, 15.4% (n = 11) stated that they had since received a mammogram and 9.8% (n = 7) a Pap smear. As suggested by the transtheoretical model, group education increased participants' readiness to receive cancer screening, along with their knowledge of breast and cervical cancer. Group education positively impacted women's knowledge of cancer and their readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. Group education can potentially create awareness of cancer screening tests among women and improve their readiness to receive such tests.
Career readiness, developmental work personality and age of onset in young adult central nervous system survivors.

PubMed

Strauser, David; Wagner, Stacia; Wong, Alex W K; O'Sullivan, Deidre

2013-04-01

The primary purpose of this paper is to undertake foundational research in the area of career readiness, work personality and age of onset with young adult central nervous system (CNS) survivors. Participants for this study consisted of 43 individuals whose age range from 18 to 30 (M = 21.64, SD = 3.46), an average age of brain tumor onset of 9.50 years (SD = 4.73) and average years off of treatment of 7.25 years (SD = 5.80). Packets were distributed to survivors who were participating in a psychosocial cancer treatment program. Participants completed multiple career instruments and a demographic form. Differences between groups and among the variables were examined and size effect sizes were analyzed. Young adult CNS survivors had significantly lower levels of work personality and career readiness when compared to young adult non-cancer survivors with CNS cancer with those between the ages of 6 and 12 reported significantly lower levels when compared to individuals diagnosed before age 6 and after the age of 13. Young adult CNS survivors at an increased risk for having lower levels of work personality and career readiness then a norm group comparison. Age of onset (between 6 and 12) may be at significant risk factor for developing poor or dysfunctional work and career behaviors. • Young adults with central nervous system (CNS) cancer are at particular risk for experiencing difficulties related to career and employment. • Work personality and career readiness are two constructs that have been found to be related to one's ability to meet the demands of work. • Young adult CNS cancer survivors have lower levels of work personality and career readiness. • Individuals diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 12 may be at particular risk and may need specific vocational rehabilitation interventions. • The results of this study point to the need for comprehensive career and vocational services for young adult CNS cancer survivors.
Resin/graphite fiber composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavano, P. J.

1974-01-01

Processing techniques were developed for the fabrication of both polyphenylquinoxaline and polyimide composites by the in situ polymerization of monomeric reactants directly on the graphite reinforcing fibers, rather than using previously prepared prepolymer varnishes. Void-free polyphenylquinoxaline composites were fabricated and evaluated for room and elevated flexure and shear properties. The technology of the polyimide system was advanced to the point where the material is ready for commercial exploitation. A reproducible processing cycle free of operator judgment factors was developed for fabrication of void-free composites exhibiting excellent mechanical properties and a long time isothermal life in the range of 288 C to 316 C. The effects of monomer reactant stoichiometry and process modification on resin flow were investigated. Demonstration of the utility and quality of this polyimide system was provided through the successful fabrication and evaluation of four complex high tip speed fan blades.
Cost analysis of oxygen recovery systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yakut, M. M.

1973-01-01

The design and development of equipment for flight use in earth-orbital programs, when optimally approached cost effectively, proceed through the following logical progression: (1) bench testing of breadboard designs, (2) the fabrication and evaluation of prototype equipment, (3) redesign to meet flight-imposed requirements, and (4) qualification and testing of a flight-ready system. Each of these steps is intended to produce the basic design information necessary to progress to the next step. The cost of each step is normally substantially less than that of the following step. An evaluation of the cost elements involved in each of the steps and their impact on total program cost are presented. Cost analyses of four leading oxygen recovery subsystems which include two carbon dioxide reduction subsystem, Sabatier and Bosch, and two water electrolysis subsystems, the solid polymer electrolyte and the circulating KOH electrolyte are described.
Clinicians' perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the context of clinical information system projects: insights from two cross-sectional surveys.

PubMed

Paré, Guy; Sicotte, Claude; Poba-Nzaou, Placide; Balouzakis, George

2011-02-28

The adoption and diffusion of clinical information systems has become one of the critical benchmarks for achieving several healthcare organizational reform priorities, including home care, primary care, and integrated care networks. However, these systems are often strongly resisted by the same community that is expected to benefit from their use. Prior research has found that early perceptions and beliefs play a central role in shaping future attitudes and behaviors such as negative rumors, lack of involvement, and resistance to change. In this line of research, this paper builds on the change management and information systems literature and identifies variables associated with clinicians' early perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the specific context of clinical information system projects. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted to test our research model. First, a questionnaire was pretested and then distributed to the future users of a mobile computing technology in 11 home care organizations. The second study took place in a large teaching hospital that had approved a budget for the acquisition of an electronic medical records system. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares. Scale items used in this study showed adequate psychometric properties. In Study 1, four of the hypothesized links in the research model were supported, with change appropriateness, organizational flexibility, vision clarity, and change efficacy explaining 75% of the variance in organizational readiness. In Study 2, four hypotheses were also supported, two of which differed from those supported in Study 1: the presence of an effective project champion and collective self-efficacy. In addition to these variables, vision clarity and change appropriateness also helped explain 75% of the variance in the dependent variable. Explanations for the similarities and differences observed in the two surveys are provided. Organizational readiness is arguably a key factor involved in clinicians' initial support for clinical information system initiatives. As healthcare organizations continue to invest in information technologies to improve quality and continuity of care and reduce costs, understanding the factors that influence organizational readiness for change represents an important avenue for future research.
Clinicians' perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the context of clinical information system projects: insights from two cross-sectional surveys

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The adoption and diffusion of clinical information systems has become one of the critical benchmarks for achieving several healthcare organizational reform priorities, including home care, primary care, and integrated care networks. However, these systems are often strongly resisted by the same community that is expected to benefit from their use. Prior research has found that early perceptions and beliefs play a central role in shaping future attitudes and behaviors such as negative rumors, lack of involvement, and resistance to change. In this line of research, this paper builds on the change management and information systems literature and identifies variables associated with clinicians' early perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the specific context of clinical information system projects. Methods Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted to test our research model. First, a questionnaire was pretested and then distributed to the future users of a mobile computing technology in 11 home care organizations. The second study took place in a large teaching hospital that had approved a budget for the acquisition of an electronic medical records system. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares. Results Scale items used in this study showed adequate psychometric properties. In Study 1, four of the hypothesized links in the research model were supported, with change appropriateness, organizational flexibility, vision clarity, and change efficacy explaining 75% of the variance in organizational readiness. In Study 2, four hypotheses were also supported, two of which differed from those supported in Study 1: the presence of an effective project champion and collective self-efficacy. In addition to these variables, vision clarity and change appropriateness also helped explain 75% of the variance in the dependent variable. Explanations for the similarities and differences observed in the two surveys are provided. Conclusions Organizational readiness is arguably a key factor involved in clinicians' initial support for clinical information system initiatives. As healthcare organizations continue to invest in information technologies to improve quality and continuity of care and reduce costs, understanding the factors that influence organizational readiness for change represents an important avenue for future research. PMID:21356080
Application of System and Integration Readiness Levels to Department of Defense Research and Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

etc., and all of the IRL1n rather than a technology-centric approach that included TR L1 with all its interfaces. The inter- face -centric approach...Acquisition Research Journal , 23(3), In Print. The average of the SRL vector, equation (4), describes how mature the sys- tem is. The Sauser approach...Application of System and Integration Readiness Levels to Department of Defense Research and Development. Defense Acquisition Research Journal , 23(3), In
Assessment of Alternate Thermal Protection Systems for the Space Shuttle Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, H. N.; Webb, G. L.

1982-01-01

Candidate concepts are identified. The impact on the Shuttle Orbiter performance life cycle cost, and risk was assessed and technology advances required to bring the selected TPS to operational readiness are defined. The best system is shown to be a hybrid blend of metallic and carbon-carbon TPS concepts. These alternate concepts offer significant improvements in reusability and are mass competitive with the current ceramic tile reusable surface insulation. Programmatic analysis indicates approximately five years are required to bring the concepts to operational readiness.

Culture of College Readiness in No Excuses University Elementary Schools: Patterns and Trends within Six Exceptional Systems and the Relationship to Student Academic Achievement in Reading and Writing and Social Behavior in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonso, Maria D.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was twofold: first, to explore the 6 exceptional systems of a culture of college readiness supported within 2 No Excuses University elementary schools and identify any patterns or trends that may exist across 4th- and 6th-grade levels, and second, to examine the relationship between these…
Assessing Readiness for En Pointe in Young Ballet Dancers.

PubMed

Lai, Jeffrey C; Kruse, David W

2016-01-01

Children begin ballet lessons as young as age 2 years. The graceful movements of classical ballet require a combination of artistry, flexibility, and strength to perform. During the training and development of a young ballerina, the transition to dancing en pointe ("on the toes") represents a significant milestone and traditionally begins around age 11 or 12 years, assuming the proper training background and dance aspirations. However, current dance medicine literature describes factors such as maturity, proper technique, strength, and postural control as the more significant factors in determining pointe readiness. An in-office evaluation of these factors can be performed by the clinician to assist dancers, their family, and their dance instructor(s) determine pointe readiness. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.
Department of Energy Operational Readiness Review for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

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

None, None

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) for the restart of Contact Handled (CH) waste emplacement at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) located near Carlsbad, New Mexico. The ORR team assessed the readiness of Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC (NWP) to manage and perform receipt through CH waste emplacement, and associated waste handling and management activities, including the ability of the National TRU Program (NTP) to evaluate the waste currently stored at the WIPP site against the revised and enhanced Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC). Field work for this review began on November 14, 2015more » and was completed on November 30, 2016. The DOE ORR was conducted in accordance with the Department of Energy Operational Readiness Review Implementation Plan for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, dated November 8, 2016, and DOE Order 425.1D, Verification of Readiness to Start Up or Restart Nuclear Facilities. The review activities included personnel interviews, record reviews, direct observation of operations and maintenance demonstrations, and observation of multiple operational and emergency drills/exercises. The DOE ORR also evaluated the adequacy of the contractor’s ORR (CORR) and the readiness of the DOE Carlsbad field Office (CBFO) to oversee the startup and execution of CH waste emplacement activities at the WIPP facility. The WIPP facility is categorized as a Hazard Category 2 DOE Nonreactor Nuclear Facility for all surface and Underground (UG) operations per DOE-STD-1027-92, Hazard Categorization and Accident Analysis Techniques for Compliance with DOE Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports. In addition, the WIPP experienced two events in February, 2014 that resulted in Accident Investigations being performed in accordance with the requirements of DOE Order 225.1B, Accident Investigations. Based upon the results of the accident investigations and hazard categorization of the facility, the team placed significant emphasis on the following areas: fire protection, emergency preparedness, radiological protection, nuclear safety, and operations. The identification of specific focus areas was not intended to diminish the importance of other areas of the review, but to ensure that these areas received a particularly thorough and in-depth evaluation due to their significance with respect to the safe operation of the facility.« less
Implementation strategies for load center automation on the space station module/power management and distribution testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Karen

1990-01-01

The Space Station Module/Power Management and Distribution (SSM/PMAD) testbed was developed to study the tertiary power management on modules in large spacecraft. The main goal was to study automation techniques, not necessarily develop flight ready systems. Because of the confidence gained in many of automation strategies investigated, it is appropriate to study, in more detail, implementation strategies in order to find better trade-offs for nearer to flight ready systems. These trade-offs particularly concern the weight, volume, power consumption, and performance of the automation system. These systems, in their present implementation are described.
NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems Program Overview - A Focus on RPS Users

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamley, John A.; McCallum, Peter W.; Sandifer, Carl E., II; Sutliff, Thomas J.; Zakrajsek, June F.

2016-01-01

The goal of NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program is to make RPS ready and available to support the exploration of the solar system in environments where the use of conventional solar or chemical power generation is impractical or impossible to meet potential future mission needs. To meet this goal, the RPS Program manages investments in RPS technologies and RPS system development, working closely with the Department of Energy. This paper provides an overview of the RPS Program content and status, its collaborations with potential RPS users, and the approach employed to maintain the readiness of RPS to support future NASA mission concepts.
Idaho National Laboratory Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan - Fiscal Year 2015

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

Farmer, Carl J.

Department of Energy Order 151.1C, Comprehensive Emergency Management System requires that each Department of Energy field element documents readiness assurance activities, addressing emergency response planning and preparedness. Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, as prime contractor at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has compiled this Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan to provide this assurance to the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office. Stated emergency capabilities at the INL are sufficient to implement emergency plans. Summary tables augment descriptive paragraphs to provide easy access to data. Additionally, the plan furnishes budgeting, personnel, and planning forecasts for the next 5 years.
Prevalence of pathogenic bacteria in street vended ready-to-eat meats in Windhoek, Namibia.

PubMed

Shiningeni, Daphney; Chimwamurombe, Percy; Shilangale, Renatus; Misihairabgwi, Jane

2018-05-31

To determine the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria in street vended ready-to-eat meats in Windhoek, Namibia, a total of 96 street vended ready to eat meat samples were evaluated. Prevalences of 42%, 52%, 15%, 6% and 83% were observed for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella and Enterobacteriaceae respectively, while the highest aerobic plate counts were 7.74 Log 10 cfu/g, 5.67 Log 10 cfu/g, 5.12 Log 10 cfu/g , 4.56 Log 10 cfu/g, 3.3 Log 10 cfu/g, 5.75 Log 10 cfu/g respectively. Unsatisfactory microbial levels were 32% for aerobic plate count, 26% for Enterobacteriaceae, 35% for Escherichia coli, 11% for Listeria monocytogenes, 7% for Staphylococcus aureus and 6% for Shigella. Salmonella was detected in 11% and 40% of samples from two suburbs. The unsatisfactory microbiological quality of some ready-to-eat meats necessitates the provision of training on food safety and hygiene to street vendors for consumer protection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Testing of technology readiness index model based on exploratory factor analysis approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariani, AF; Napitupulu, D.; Jati, RK; Kadar, JA; Syafrullah, M.

2018-04-01

SMEs readiness in using ICT will determine the adoption of ICT in the future. This study aims to evaluate the model of technology readiness in order to apply the technology on SMEs. The model is tested to find if TRI model is relevant to measure ICT adoption, especially for SMEs in Indonesia. The research method used in this paper is survey to a group of SMEs in South Tangerang. The survey measures the readiness to adopt ICT based on four variables which is Optimism, Innovativeness, Discomfort, and Insecurity. Each variable contains several indicators to make sure the variable is measured thoroughly. The data collected through survey is analysed using factor analysis methodwith the help of SPSS software. The result of this study shows that TRI model gives more descendants on some indicators and variables. This result can be caused by SMEs owners’ knowledge is not homogeneous about either the technology that they are used, knowledge or the type of their business.
Communication satellite technology: State of the art and development opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodford, J. B. (Compiler)

1978-01-01

Opportunities in communication satellite technology are identified and defined. Factors that tend to limit the ready availability of satellite communication to an increasingly wide group of users are evaluated. Current primary limitations on this wide utilization are the availability of frequency and/or synchronous equatorial satellite positions and the cost of individual user Earth terminals. The former could be ameliorated through the reuse of frequencies, the use of higher frequency bands, and the reduction of antenna side lobes. The latter limitation requires innovative hardware, design, careful system design, and large scale production.
Advanced Life Support Water Recycling Technologies Case Studies: Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal and Direct Osmotic Concentration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Michael

2004-01-01

Design for microgravity has traditionally not been well integrated early on into the development of advanced life support (ALS) technologies. NASA currently has a many ALS technologies that are currently being developed to high technology readiness levels but have not been formally evaluated for microgravity compatibility. Two examples of such technologies are the Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal Technology and the Direct Osmotic Concentration Technology. This presentation will cover the design of theses two systems and will identify potential microgravity issues.
Early Childhood Home Visiting.

PubMed

Duffee, James H; Mendelsohn, Alan L; Kuo, Alice A; Legano, Lori A; Earls, Marian F

2017-09-01

High-quality home-visiting services for infants and young children can improve family relationships, advance school readiness, reduce child maltreatment, improve maternal-infant health outcomes, and increase family economic self-sufficiency. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports unwavering federal funding of state home-visiting initiatives, the expansion of evidence-based programs, and a robust, coordinated national evaluation designed to confirm best practices and cost-efficiency. Community home visiting is most effective as a component of a comprehensive early childhood system that actively includes and enhances a family-centered medical home. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Banks of lights dry tiles on Atlantis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, a worker points to some of the tiles on orbiter Atlantis that are being dried by clusters of 200-300 watt heat lamps. Significant rainstorms during the orbiter'''s turnaround for a ferry flight home from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., caused a moisture problem. The tiles are part of the Thermal Protection System used on orbiters for extreme temperatures encountered during landing. Engineers are evaluating the current procedures to assure the tiles are in a safe and flight-ready condition.
Naval Expeditionary Logistics Support Group, Training and Evaluation Unit: An Analysis of Current Operations While Searching for Training Efficiencies

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

of-the-art-classrooms and virtual reality rooms for small arms training. The outlying operational training areas are spread across Cheatham Annex...Movement, and Integration RFM Ready for Mobilization RFT Ready for Tasking SME Subject Matter Expert SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities...document shows that the position is filled (1.0 qualified) but the reality is that the individual is not fully qualified for the required billet (0
Evaluation of 10 Jet Fuels in the Salmonella-Escherichia coli Mutagenicity Assay

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-07

4658), Valero 25% Aromatic JP8 (POSF 8457), KiOR Hydrotreated Kerosene/ Bio -Kerosene (POSF 10327), ARA ReadiJet (POSF 10328), Amyris Farnesane (POSF...JP8 (POSF 8457) * KiOR Hydrotreated Kerosene/ Bio -Kerosene (POSF 10327) * ARA ReadiJet (POSF 10328) * Amyris Farnesane (POSF 10329) * Virent HDO-SK...fuel/plate. Due to evidence of toxicity, KiOR Hydrotreated Kerosene/ Bio -Kerosene (POSF 10327) and Virent HDO-SK (POSF 10330) were used at
Design of the ARES Mars Airplane and Mission Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, Robert D.; Wright, Henry S.; Croom, Mark A.; Levine, Joel S.; Spencer, David A.

2006-01-01

Significant technology advances have enabled planetary aircraft to be considered as viable science platforms. Such systems fill a unique planetary science measurement gap, that of regional-scale, near-surface observation, while providing a fresh perspective for potential discovery. Recent efforts have produced mature mission and flight system concepts, ready for flight project implementation. This paper summarizes the development of a Mars airplane mission architecture that balances science, implementation risk and cost. Airplane mission performance, flight system design and technology maturation are described. The design, analysis and testing completed demonstrates the readiness of this science platform for use in a Mars flight project.
Conceptual design of an advanced Stirling conversion system for terrestrial power generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

A free piston Stirling engine coupled to an electric generator or alternator with a nominal kWe power output absorbing thermal energy from a nominal 100 square meter parabolic solar collector and supplying electric power to a utility grid was identified. The results of the conceptual design study of an Advanced Stirling Conversion System (ASCS) were documented. The objectives are as follows: define the ASCS configuration; provide a manufacturability and cost evaluation; predict ASCS performance over the range of solar input required to produce power; estimate system and major component weights; define engine and electrical power condidtioning control requirements; and define key technology needs not ready by the late 1980s in meeting efficiency, life, cost, and with goalds for the ASCS.
In silico models for predicting ready biodegradability under REACH: a comparative study.

PubMed

Pizzo, Fabiola; Lombardo, Anna; Manganaro, Alberto; Benfenati, Emilio

2013-10-01

REACH (Registration Evaluation Authorization and restriction of Chemicals) legislation is a new European law which aims to raise the human protection level and environmental health. Under REACH all chemicals manufactured or imported for more than one ton per year must be evaluated for their ready biodegradability. Ready biodegradability is also used as a screening test for persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substances. REACH encourages the use of non-testing methods such as QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) models in order to save money and time and to reduce the number of animals used for scientific purposes. Some QSAR models are available for predicting ready biodegradability. We used a dataset of 722 compounds to test four models: VEGA, TOPKAT, BIOWIN 5 and 6 and START and compared their performance on the basis of the following parameters: accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and Matthew's correlation coefficient (MCC). Performance was analyzed from different points of view. The first calculation was done on the whole dataset and VEGA and TOPKAT gave the best accuracy (88% and 87% respectively). Then we considered the compounds inside and outside the training set: BIOWIN 6 and 5 gave the best results for accuracy (81%) outside training set. Another analysis examined the applicability domain (AD). VEGA had the highest value for compounds inside the AD for all the parameters taken into account. Finally, compounds outside the training set and in the AD of the models were considered to assess predictive ability. VEGA gave the best accuracy results (99%) for this group of chemicals. Generally, START model gave poor results. Since BIOWIN, TOPKAT and VEGA models performed well, they may be used to predict ready biodegradability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
College-Readiness Rates of Special Needs High School Graduates in Texas Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandler, Jacob Ross

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the college-readiness rates of high school graduates in Texas designated as being (a) economically disadvantaged, (b) Limited English Proficient (LEP), or (c) enrolled in special education using archival data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS). Data,…
DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Amaris Homes, Afton Model

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

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Amaris Homes built this 3,734-ft2 home in Afton, Minnesota, to the performance criteria of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program. A high-efficiency gas boiler provides hot water for the zoned radiant floor system as well as for faucets and showers. A high-efficiency heat pump provides zoned cooling.
Deformed Shape Analysis of Coupled Glazing Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, USA ABSTRACT Glazing in storefront and curtain wall configurations is increasingly used in areas subjected to... AIR FORCE CIVIL ENGINEER CENTER READINESS DIRECTORATE  Requirements & Acquisition Division  United States Air Force  Tyndall Air Force...Antonio, Texas; %Omaha, Nebraska #Jacobs Technology, Fort Walton Beach, Florida Air Force Civil Engineer Center Readiness Directorate Requirements

Assessing Grant Capacity and Readiness: A Systematic Review of the Periodical Literature of Research Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preuss, Michael

2015-01-01

The author knew of no formalized system for appraising grant capacity and readiness so, in an effort to understand the current state of knowledge regarding assessment of these institutional factors, conducted a systematic review of the research administration literature. Every article published from 1982 through 2013 by five major journals in the…
Revisiting School Readiness: Washington County, Oregon, Summer 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severeide, Rebecca

2007-01-01

Purpose and Methods: This report is the second benchmark study to assess the system of supports for school readiness. The data for this study was collected in the fall of 2006 on 537 entering kindergarten children and their families in eight representative schools across the County. The ecological model and methods from the first study, which was…
40 CFR 85.520 - Exemption provisions for outside useful life vehicles/engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... useful life vehicles/engines. 85.520 Section 85.520 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... monitors to not-ready status using an OBD scan tool appropriate for the OBD system in the vehicle/engine in... have reset to a ready status, you must submit an OBD scan tool report showing that with the vehicle...
40 CFR 85.520 - Exemption provisions for outside useful life vehicles/engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... useful life vehicles/engines. 85.520 Section 85.520 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... monitors to not-ready status using an OBD scan tool appropriate for the OBD system in the vehicle/engine in... have reset to a ready status, you must submit an OBD scan tool report showing that with the vehicle...
Goats Don't Wear Coats: An Examination of Semantic Interference in Rhyming Assessments of Reading Readiness for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreira, Sylvia; Hamilton, Maryellen

2006-01-01

Rhyming tests have historically been used in the education system to assess reading readiness. English language learners (ELLs) have consistently scored poorly on these assessment tools. The current article examines a possible reason for this poor performance by ELLs. Specifically, the authors examined the relationship between semantic…
Management of Ready-to-Use Parenteral Nutrition in Newborns: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Mena, Karen Daniela Romero; Espitia, Olga Lucia Pinzón; Vergara, José Alejandro Daza

2018-04-27

Parenteral support has increased the possibility of neonatal recovery. However, complications associated with its use have been documented. One commercial method developed to decrease the complications of this type of support is the ready-to-use parenteral nutrition (PN), a 3-chamber bag that provides a complete nutrient mix. This systematic review seeks, through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology, to establish the benefits in newborns. Seven databases and gray literature were used. The search was limited to publications from 2007-2017 and to articles written in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria and studies with low quality evaluated with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines, which were without information about the study or analytical methods, were excluded. A total of 24,193 articles were obtained, which were initially evaluated by title and abstract according to the inclusion criteria. A total of 24,167 articles were discarded, obtaining 27 eligible for follow-up evaluation. After a detailed evaluation of the full text, 13 articles were selected. It was found that ready-to-use PN has the potential benefit to reduce the risks for infections, provide an adequate supply of nutrients, generate growth within the expected range, provide ease of use, decrease prescription errors, and potentially reduce costs. It is necessary to evaluate the short- and long-term impact of its use. © 2018 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
SU-E-T-268: Proton Radiosurgery End-To-End Testing Using Lucy 3D QA Phantom

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

Choi, D; Gordon, I; Ghebremedhin, A

2014-06-01

Purpose: To check the overall accuracy of proton radiosurgery treatment delivery using ready-made circular collimator inserts and fixed thickness compensating boluses. Methods: Lucy 3D QA phantom (Standard Imaging Inc. WI, USA) inserted with GaFchromicTM film was irradiated with laterally scattered and longitudinally spread-out 126.8 MeV proton beams. The tests followed every step in the proton radiosurgery treatment delivery process: CT scan (GE Lightspeed VCT), target contouring, treatment planning (Odyssey 5.0, Optivus, CA), portal calibration, target localization using robotic couch with image guidance and dose delivery at planned gantry angles. A 2 cm diameter collimator insert in a 4 cm diametermore » radiosurgery cone and a 1.2 cm thick compensating flat bolus were used for all beams. Film dosimetry (RIT114 v5.0, Radiological Imaging Technology, CO, USA) was used to evaluate the accuracy of target localization and relative dose distributions compared to those calculated by the treatment planning system. Results: The localization accuracy was estimated by analyzing the GaFchromic films irradiated at gantry 0, 90 and 270 degrees. We observed 0.5 mm shift in lateral direction (patient left), ±0.9 mm shift in AP direction and ±1.0 mm shift in vertical direction (gantry dependent). The isodose overlays showed good agreement (<2mm, 50% isodose lines) between measured and calculated doses. Conclusion: Localization accuracy depends on gantry sag, CT resolution and distortion, DRRs from treatment planning computer, localization accuracy of image guidance system, fabrication of ready-made aperture and cone housing. The total deviation from the isocenter was 1.4 mm. Dose distribution uncertainty comes from distal end error due to bolus and CT density, in addition to localization error. The planned dose distribution was well matched (>90%) to the measured values 2%/2mm criteria. Our test showed the robustness of our proton radiosurgery treatment delivery system using ready-made collimator inserts and fixed thickness compensating boluses.« less
Service quality and perceived value of technology-based service encounters: evaluation of clinical staff satisfaction in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hung, Chung-Jye; Chang, Hsin Hsin; Eng, Cheng Joo; Wong, Kit Hong

Previous research has evaluated technology-based service encounters (TBSEs) in the delivery of health care by assessing patient satisfaction. This study examined service quality and perceived value of TBSEs used in health organisations from the perspective of clinical staff, with staff technology readiness as a moderator. A quantitative survey was conducted in Taiwan, across private and public healthcare organisations. Results showed that TBSEs had a direct effect on service quality and perceived value, which in turn had a direct effect on staff satisfaction in using TBSEs. However, service quality had no effect on perceived value when moderated by technology readiness. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.
Development of a partial least squares-artificial neural network (PLS-ANN) hybrid model for the prediction of consumer liking scores of ready-to-drink green tea beverages.

PubMed

Yu, Peigen; Low, Mei Yin; Zhou, Weibiao

2018-01-01

In order to develop products that would be preferred by consumers, the effects of the chemical compositions of ready-to-drink green tea beverages on consumer liking were studied through regression analyses. Green tea model systems were prepared by dosing solutions of 0.1% green tea extract with differing concentrations of eight flavour keys deemed to be important for green tea aroma and taste, based on a D-optimal experimental design, before undergoing commercial sterilisation. Sensory evaluation of the green tea model system was carried out using an untrained consumer panel to obtain hedonic liking scores of the samples. Regression models were subsequently trained to objectively predict the consumer liking scores of the green tea model systems. A linear partial least squares (PLS) regression model was developed to describe the effects of the eight flavour keys on consumer liking, with a coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of 0.733, and a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 3.53%. The PLS model was further augmented with an artificial neural network (ANN) to establish a PLS-ANN hybrid model. The established hybrid model was found to give a better prediction of consumer liking scores, based on its R 2 (0.875) and RMSE (2.41%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Your Path to Transplant: a randomized controlled trial of a tailored computer education intervention to increase living donor kidney transplant.

PubMed

Waterman, Amy D; Robbins, Mark L; Paiva, Andrea L; Peipert, John D; Kynard-Amerson, Crystal S; Goalby, Christina J; Davis, LaShara A; Thein, Jessica L; Schenk, Emily A; Baldwin, Kari A; Skelton, Stacy L; Amoyal, Nicole R; Brick, Leslie A

2014-10-14

Because of the deceased donor organ shortage, more kidney patients are considering whether to receive kidneys from family and friends, a process called living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT). Although Blacks and Hispanics are 3.4 and 1.5 times more likely, respectively, to develop end stage renal disease (ESRD) than Whites, they are less likely to receive LDKTs. To address this disparity, a new randomized controlled trial (RCT) will assess whether Black, Hispanic, and White transplant patients' knowledge, readiness to pursue LDKT, and receipt of LDKTs can be increased when they participate in the Your Path to Transplant (YPT) computer-tailored intervention. Nine hundred Black, Hispanic, and White ESRD patients presenting for transplant evaluation at University of California, Los Angeles Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program (UCLA-KPTP) will be randomly assigned to one of two education conditions, YPT or Usual Care Control Education (UC). As they undergo transplant evaluation, patients in the YPT condition will receive individually-tailored telephonic coaching sessions, feedback reports, video and print transplant education resources, and assistance with reducing any known socioeconomic barriers to LDKT. Patients receiving UC will only receive transplant education provided by UCLA-KPTP. Changes in transplant knowledge, readiness, pros and cons, and self-efficacy to pursue LDKT will be assessed prior to presenting at the transplant center (baseline), during transplant evaluation, and 4- and 8-months post-baseline, while completion of transplant evaluation and receipt of LDKTs will be assessed at 18-months post-baseline. The RCT will determine, compared to UC, whether Black, Hispanic, and White patients receiving YPT increase in their readiness to pursue LDKT and transplant knowledge, and become more likely to complete transplant medical evaluation and pursue LDKT. It will also examine how known patient, family, and healthcare system barriers to LDKT act alone and in combination with YPT to affect patients' transplant decision-making and behavior. Statistical analyses will be performed under an intent-to-treat approach. At the conclusion of the study, we will have assessed the effectiveness of an innovative and cost-effective YPT intervention that could be utilized to tailor LDKT discussion and education based on the needs of individual patients of different races in many healthcare settings. ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02181114.
SCRL-Model for Human Space Flight Operations Enterprise Supply Chain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Brian

2010-01-01

Standard approach to evaluate and configure adaptable and sustainable program and mission supply chains at an enterprise level. End-to-end view. Total Lifecycle. Evaluate the readiness of the supply chain during the supply chain development phase.
Microbial barrier assessment of Tyvek stopper packaging for rubber closures.

PubMed

Moldenhauer, J E; Bass, S A; Kupinski, M J; Walters, M L; Rubio, S L

1996-01-01

Two types of Tyvek and high density polyethylene or polypropylene packaging used for sterilization of rubber closures were evaluated for Microbial Barrier properties. The packaging evaluated was "Ready to Sterilize" (1) stoppers and a second test package (Test 2) which was designated as appropriate for a clean room, filled with washed and siliconized stoppers and then heat sealed. Each type of packaging was subjected to three different sterilization temperatures (125 degrees C, 128 degrees C and 131 degrees C) in a production sterilizer (15-18 psi). Following sterilization, a microbial barrier assessment was performed, using Bacillus subtilis niger (ATCC 9372), to determine whether the packaging could maintain a sterile barrier following sterilization. Results of the testing indicated that a microbial barrier was maintained for products in "Ready to Sterilize" packages at 125 degrees C and 128 degrees C. For products sterilized in the Test 2 container a microbial barrier could not be maintained at 128 degrees C, and no further testing was performed. Following sterilization at 131 degrees C physical defects were noted for the "Ready to Sterilize" bag and a microbial barrier could not be maintained.
Psychological first aid training for Lebanese field workers in the emergency context of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

PubMed

Akoury-Dirani, Leyla; Sahakian, Tina S; Hassan, Fahed Y; Hajjar, Ranya V; El Asmar, Khalil

2015-11-01

The Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon required a fast and efficient comprehensive rescue strategy. Professionals working in emergency response were neither prepared to provide psychological first aid nor prepared to screen for mental health disorders in child refugees. This article examines the efficacy of a national training program in psychological first aid (PFA) to enhance the readiness of mental health field workers in the Syrian refugee response. Participant (N = 109) were recruited from Lebanese ministries and nongovernmental organizations. They received a 2.5-day training on PFA and on screening for mental health disorders in children. Their knowledge and perceived readiness were assessed before the training, immediately after the training, and 1 month after the training using 2 evaluation forms. Evaluation Form A was a multiple choice questionnaire composed of 20 questions and created on the basis of the content of the training, and Evaluation Form B was a Likert-type scale of 20 items created based on the core components of PFA. The data of 60 participants were analyzed. The results showed a significant increase in knowledge and readiness, specifically on the components related to the principles and techniques of PFA. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Evaluation of HIV/AIDS prevention resources in Liberia: strategy and implications.

PubMed

Kennedy, Stephen B; Johnson, Knowlton; Harris, Albert O; Lincoln, Adams; Neace, William; Collins, David

2004-03-01

The purpose of this preliminary study was to assess the HIV/AIDS prevention needs, services, and resources in Liberia, including the readiness of local providers to conduct HIV/AIDS-related prevention programs based on a set of six key dimensions (prevention needs, knowledge, leadership, environment, risky behaviors, and resources). A valid self-administered qualitative-based health survey, based on a community readiness model, was utilized as the primary data collection source. A cross-sectional design that utilized a convenient sample of key informants such as health coordinators, program directors, and health administrator from both public and private HIV/AIDS-based organizations was used. Furthermore, an extensive review of the National Library of Medicine database of published articles from mid-1980 to 2002 was simultaneously conducted to gauge the extent of scientific publications on HIV/AIDS-related prevention services in Liberia. The findings from this study strongly suggest that Liberia is in a stage of vague awareness, as defined by the Tri-Ethnic Center community readiness framework, regarding HIV/AIDS-related activities, including a significant lack of HIV/AIDS-related resources and scientific publications. Accordingly, there is a critical need to acquire adequate resources and build capacity to implement effective HIV/AIDS-related prevention programming services in order to avert the negative public health consequences associated with HIV/AIDS, including the implementation of relevant evaluation and dissemination strategies. Most importantly, this model has the potential to be utilized in other resource-constraint settings, especially in the developing world, to assess prevention-related resources and programmatic readiness. This is the first published study to evaluate Liberia's HIV/AIDS prevention resources and to systematically document the extent and magnitude of the HIV/AIDS crises in the country.
Readiness for First Crewed Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaible, Dawn M.

2011-01-01

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) was requested to develop a generic framework for evaluating whether any given program has sufficiently complete and balanced plans in place to allow crewmembers to fly safely on a human spaceflight system for the first time (i.e., first crewed flight). The NESC assembled a small team which included experts with experience developing robotic and human spaceflight and aviation systems through first crewed test flight and into operational capability. The NESC team conducted a historical review of the steps leading up to the first crewed flights of Mercury through the Space Shuttle. Benchmarking was also conducted with the United States (U.S.) Air Force and U.S. Navy. This report contains documentation of that review.
A medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC): development and validation of a questionnaire.

PubMed

Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Broers, Nick J; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2013-09-01

Because successful change implementation depends on organizational readiness for change, the authors developed and assessed the validity of a questionnaire, based on a theoretical model of organizational readiness for change, designed to measure, specifically, a medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC). In 2012, a panel of medical education experts judged and adapted a preliminary MORC questionnaire through a modified Delphi procedure. The authors administered the resulting questionnaire to medical school faculty involved in curriculum change and tested the psychometric properties using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and generalizability analysis. The mean relevance score of the Delphi panel (n = 19) reached 4.2 on a five-point Likert-type scale (1 = not relevant and 5 = highly relevant) in the second round, meeting predefined criteria for completing the Delphi procedure. Faculty (n = 991) from 131 medical schools in 56 countries completed MORC. Exploratory factor analysis yielded three underlying factors-motivation, capability, and external pressure-in 12 subscales with 53 items. The scale structure suggested by exploratory factor analysis was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.67 to 0.92 for the subscales. Generalizability analysis showed that the MORC results of 5 to 16 faculty members can reliably evaluate a school's organizational readiness for change. MORC is a valid, reliable questionnaire for measuring organizational readiness for curriculum change in medical schools. It can identify which elements in a change process require special attention so as to increase the chance of successful implementation.
Evaluation of motivationally tailored vs. standard self-help physical activity interventions at the workplace.

PubMed

Marcus, B H; Emmons, K M; Simkin-Silverman, L R; Linnan, L A; Taylor, E R; Bock, B C; Roberts, M B; Rossi, J S; Abrams, D B

1998-01-01

This study compares the efficacy of a self-help intervention tailored to the individual's stage of motivational readiness for exercise adoption with a standard self-help exercise promotion intervention. Interventions were delivered at baseline and 1 month; assessments were collected at baseline and 3 months. Eleven worksites participating in the Working Healthy Research Trial. Participants (n = 1559) were a subsample of employees at participating worksites, individually randomized to one of two treatment conditions. Printed self-help exercise promotion materials either (1) matched to the individual's stage of motivational readiness for exercise adoption (motivationally tailored), or (2) standard materials (standard). Measures of stage of motivational readiness for exercise and items from the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall. Among intervention completers (n = 903), chi-square analyses showed that, compared to the standard intervention, those receiving the motivationally tailored intervention were significantly more likely to show increases (37% vs. 27%) and less likely to show either no change (52% vs. 58%) or regression (11% vs. 15%) in stage of motivational readiness. Multivariate analyses of variance showed that changes in stage of motivational readiness were significantly associated with changes in self-reported time spent in exercise. This is the first prospective, randomized, controlled trial demonstrating the efficacy of a brief motivationally tailored intervention compared to a standard self-help intervention for exercise adoption. These findings appear to support treatment approaches that tailor interventions to the individual's stage of motivational readiness for exercise adoption.
Using Interdisciplinary Research Methods to Revise and Strengthen the NWS TsunamiReadyTM Community Recognition Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, C.; Gregg, C. E.; Ritchie, L.; Stephen, M.; Farnham, C.; Fraser, S. A.; Gill, D.; Horan, J.; Houghton, B. F.; Johnson, V.; Johnston, D.

2013-12-01

The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP) partnered with the National Weather Service (NWS) in early 2000 to create the TsunamiReadyTM Community Recognition program. TsunamiReadyTM, modeled after the older NWS StormReadyTM program, is designed to help cities, towns, counties, universities and other large sites in coastal areas reduce the potential for disastrous tsunami-related consequences. To achieve TsunamiReadyTM recognition, communities must meet certain criteria aimed at better preparing a community for tsunami, including specific actions within the following categories: communications and coordination, tsunami warning reception, local warning dissemination, community preparedness, and administration. Using multidisciplinary research methods and strategies from Public Health; Psychology; Political, Social and Physical Sciences and Evaluation, our research team is working directly with a purposive sample of community stakeholders in collaboration and feedback focus group sessions. Invitation to participate is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to an individual's role as a formal or informal community leader (e.g., in business, government, civic organizations), or their organization or agency affiliation to emergency management and response. Community organizing and qualitative research methods are being used to elicit discussion regarding TsunamiReadyTM requirements and the division of requirements based on some aspect of tsunami hazard, vulnerability and risk, such as proximity to active or passive plate margins or subduction zone generated tsunamis versus earthquake-landslide generated tsunamis . The primary aim of this research is to use social science to revise and refine the NWS TsunamiReadyTM Guidelines in an effort to better prepare communities to reduce risk to tsunamis.
The assessment of the readiness of five countries to implement child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale.

PubMed

Mikton, Christopher; Power, Mick; Raleva, Marija; Makoae, Mokhantso; Al Eissa, Majid; Cheah, Irene; Cardia, Nancy; Choo, Claire; Almuneef, Maha

2013-12-01

This study aimed to systematically assess the readiness of five countries - Brazil, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa - to implement evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale. To this end, it applied a recently developed method called Readiness Assessment for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment based on two parallel 100-item instruments. The first measures the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs concerning child maltreatment prevention of key informants; the second, completed by child maltreatment prevention experts using all available data in the country, produces a more objective assessment readiness. The instruments cover all of the main aspects of readiness including, for instance, availability of scientific data on the problem, legislation and policies, will to address the problem, and material resources. Key informant scores ranged from 31.2 (Brazil) to 45.8/100 (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and expert scores, from 35.2 (Brazil) to 56/100 (Malaysia). Major gaps identified in almost all countries included a lack of professionals with the skills, knowledge, and expertise to implement evidence-based child maltreatment programs and of institutions to train them; inadequate funding, infrastructure, and equipment; extreme rarity of outcome evaluations of prevention programs; and lack of national prevalence surveys of child maltreatment. In sum, the five countries are in a low to moderate state of readiness to implement evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale. Such an assessment of readiness - the first of its kind - allows gaps to be identified and then addressed to increase the likelihood of program success. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
"Give Them Time" -- An Analysis of School Readiness in Ireland's Early Education System: A Steiner Waldorf Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Doireann; Angus, Jonathan

2014-01-01

This paper examines a Steiner Waldorf Perspective to School Readiness and applies that international ideology to educational practice and curriculum policy in modern Ireland. The case for a later school start is championed with strong arguments underpinning the reasons why a later start is better in the long run for children's formal learning…

District Readiness to Support School Turnaround: A Users' Guide to Inform the Work of State Education Agencies and Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Player, Daniel; Hambrick Hitt, Dallas; Robinson, William

2014-01-01

This guide provides state education agencies (SEAs) and districts (LEAs) with guidance about how to assess the district's readiness to support school turnaround initiatives. Often, school turnaround efforts focus only on the school's structure and leadership. Rarely do policymakers or practitioners think about school turnaround as a system-level…
Improving School Readiness: A Brief Report from the Palm Beach County Family Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spielberger, Julie; Gouvea, Marcia; Rich, Lauren

2012-01-01

For more than a decade, Florida's Palm Beach County has been building a system of prevention and early intervention services to promote and support the healthy development and school readiness of children from birth to age 8. The county began this effort with a set of programs focused on serving families in four targeted geographic areas that have…
Access Skills. Vocational Readiness Skills Inventory for Special Needs Students. (Revised Entry Level Skills Inventory.) Missouri LINC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassity, Sandra; Boyer-Stephens, Arden

This manual is intended to assist special educators and vocational educators in determining the vocational readiness skills of special needs students. The information in this Missouri inventory is based on data provided by the Michigan Occupational Data Analysis System (ODAS) as a part of the Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States…
Menu of College Readiness Indicators and Supports. College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) Resource Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, 2014

2014-01-01

School communities across the country are working hard to comply with state and federal policies requiring that all students be prepared for success in college. Technological advances and new reporting requirements make data on students and schools more accessible than ever--but more and better data alone are not enough to meet the challenges…
The Effects of Customized Individual Counseling Interventions on the Career and College Readiness of Adolescents in the Foster Care System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Regina Gavin

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of customized individual counseling interventions on the career and college readiness of adolescents within foster care. An intervention program, consisting of customized individual interventions, entitled "Students That Are Reaching Success" ("S.T.A.R.S.") was created by the…
Maglev ready for prime time.

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

Rote, D. M.; Johnson, L. R.; Energy Systems

2003-01-01

Putting Maglev on Track' (Issues, Spring 1990) observed that growing airline traffic and associated delays were already significant and predicted that they would worsen. The article argued that a 300-mile-per-hour (mph) magnetic levitation (maglev) system integrated into airport and airline operations could be a part of the solution. Maglev was not ready for prime time in 1990, but it is now.
Motivational Enhancement and Schema-Focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Eating Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Louise; Thornton, Chris; Touyz, Stephen W.; Waller, Glenn; Beumont, Pierre J. V.

2004-01-01

A day hospital program for the treatment of patients with long-term anorexia nervosa (AN) is described. This program forms part of a comprehensive system of day programs that reflect and incorporate patients' varying degrees of readiness for change and attempt to match patients' readiness for change to the interventions offered in treatment.…
Factors Affecting Nursing Students' Readiness and Perceptions Toward the Use of Mobile Technologies for Learning.

PubMed

Zayim, Nese; Ozel, Deniz

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the current usage of mobile devices, preferences of mobile learning environments and examine the readiness of nursing students in a public university. In order to investigate preferences and attitudes with respect to mobile technology use in nursing education, 387 students at a state university have been surveyed. It has been observed that while students preferred their current portable laptops, those in higher classes were more inclined to favor mobile phones. The common problems of battery life and high cost of communication, both in smartphones and tablet systems, suggest that hardware quality and financial constraints seem to be two main factors in determining these technologies. While more than half of students expressed readiness for mobile learning, one quarter indicated indecision. Through multivariate regression analysis, readiness to use mobile learning can be described in terms of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, personal innovativeness, self-management of learning, perceived device limitation, and availability. Class level, perceived ease of use, personal innovativeness, and self-management of learning explain intention to use mobile learning. Findings obtained from these results can provide guidance in the development and application of mobile learning systems.
Characteristics of individuals screening positive for substance use in a welfare setting: implications for welfare and substance-use disorders treatment systems.

PubMed

Morgenstern, Jon; Hogue, Aaron; Dasaro, Christopher; Kuerbis, Alexis; Dauber, Sarah

2008-07-01

This study examined barriers to employability, motivation to abstain from substances and to work, and involvement in multiple service systems among male and female welfare applicants with alcohol- and drug-use problems. A representative sample (N= 1,431) of all persons applying for public assistance who screened positive for substance involvement over a 2-year period in a large urban county were recruited in welfare offices. Legal, education, general health, mental health, employment, housing, and child welfare barriers to employability were assessed, as were readiness to abstain from substance use and readiness to work. Only 1 in 20 participants reported no barrier other than substance use, whereas 70% reported at least two other barriers and 40% reported three or more. Moreover, 70% of participants experienced at least one additional barrier classified as "severe" and 30% experienced two or more. The number and type of barriers differed by gender. Latent class analysis revealed four main barriers-plus-readiness profiles among participants: (1) multiple barriers, (2) work experienced, (3) criminal justice, and (4) unstable housing. Findings suggest that comprehensive coordination among social service systems is needed to address the complex problems of low-income Americans with substance-use disorders. Classifying applicants based on barriers and readiness is a promising approach to developing innovative welfare programs to serve the diverse needs of men and women with substance-related problems.
A reflection on the implementation of a new curriculum in Indonesia: A crucial problem on school readiness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suyanto, Slamet

2017-08-01

Indonesian government assigned a new curriculum in 2013, namely Curriculum of 2013 (C13). Recently, the implementation of the C13 has come up with a big controversy because it was setting back to the previous curriculum of KTSP (Scholl-based Curriculum) for majority of schools. Were the schools not ready to implement the curriculum of 2013? This research was a survey research to give evidence on the school readiness in implementing the new curriculum and to find the problems of the curriculum implementation. The samples of the research were 33 junior high schools from seven regencies in Indonesia. The respondents were 33 school principals and vice principals for curriculum affair, 200 teachers, and 200 students. The data were collected by using questionnaires, interview, and obsevation checklists. The data were taken during monitoring and evaluation programs facilitated by the Indonesian Directorate of Junior High School Development Management. The results indicates that (1) the readiness of the schools was 9 schools (27.27%) were ready, 17 schools (51.52%) were less ready, and 7 schools (21.21%) were not ready to implement the new curriculum; (2) the readiness of the schools was affected by the poor of the books' availability, only 23% of schools had complete student books, the number trained teachers, only 33% of teacher got training, the ICT access, only 17% of school have a good ICT access for all students, and teachers' understanding on the learning and assessment process, only 37% of teacher had good understanding on the new curriculum. The teacher had difficulties on (1) developing a lesson plan (16%), (2) using scientific approach (31,5%), (3) implementing authentic assessment (43,5%). Students mostly (78,5%) said that learning with the new curriculum is more difficult than it was before. Therefore, specific training on the new curriculum implementation is still needed.
Treatment readiness, attitudes toward, and experiences with methadone and buprenorphine maintenance therapy among people who inject drugs in Malaysia.

PubMed

Vijay, Aishwarya; Bazazi, Alexander R; Yee, Ilias; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Altice, Frederick L

2015-07-01

Little is known about attitudes toward and experiences with opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) among people who inject drugs in Malaysia, a country where people who inject drugs comprise 1.3% of the adult population. In 2010, 460 people who inject drugs in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were surveyed to evaluate attitudes toward and experiences with OMT and treatment readiness. Attitudes towards OMT with both methadone and buprenorphine were assessed using an opinions scale. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess correlates of treatment readiness, measured with the 19-item Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES). All 460 participants used opioids and nearly all (99.1%) met criteria for opioid dependence. Few had had previous experience with methadone (9.3%) or buprenorphine (12.6%) maintenance therapy, yet many had used methadone (55.2%) or buprenorphine (51.7%) outside of treatment settings. Fifteen percent had injected buprenorphine in the past month, and of the few that were currently receiving buprenorphine maintenance therapy, almost all were injecting it. The majority of subjects exhibited a moderate level of treatment readiness and a preference for methadone over buprenorphine. Those with low treatment readiness scores were more likely to have previous experience with compulsory drug detention centers (p<0.01), needle/syringe exchange programs (p<0.005), or be of Indian ethnicity (p<0.001). Past use of methadone (p<0.01), older age (p<0.001), higher stress symptom severity (p<0.001), and sharing of needles or syringes (p<0.05) were associated with higher treatment readiness scores. There are suboptimal levels of OMT experience among people who inject drugs that may be improved by addressing factors that influence patient attitudes. Those individuals with moderate treatment readiness may be targeted by brief motivational and cognitive interventions in primary care, prisons or OMT clinics aimed at improving entry into and retention in treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Treatment readiness, attitudes toward, and experiences with methadone and buprenorphine maintenance therapy among people who inject drugs in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Vijay, Aishwarya; Bazazi, Alexander R.; Yee, Ilias; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Altice, Frederick L.

2016-01-01

Background Little is known about attitudes toward and experiences with opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) among people who inject drugs in Malaysia, a country where people who inject drugs comprise 1.3% of the adult population. Methods In 2010, 460 people who inject drugs in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were surveyed to evaluate attitudes toward and experience with OMT and treatment readiness. Attitudes towards OMT with both methadone and buprenorphine were assessed using an opinions scale. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess correlates of treatment readiness, measured with the 19-item Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES). Results All 460 participants used opioids and nearly all (99.1%) met criteria for opioid dependence. Few had had previous experience with methadone (9.3%) or buprenorphine (12.6%) maintenance therapy, yet many had used methadone (55.2%) or buprenorphine (51.7%) outside of treatment settings. Fifteen percent had injected buprenorphine in the past month, and of the few that were currently receiving buprenorphine maintenance therapy, almost all were injecting it. The majority of subjects exhibited a moderate level of treatment readiness and a preference for methadone over buprenorphine. Those with low treatment readiness scores were more likely to have previous experience with compulsory drug detention centers (p<0.01), needle/syringe exchange programs (p<0.005), or be of Indian ethnicity (p<0.001). Past use of methadone (p<0.01), older age (p<0.001), stress symptom severity (p<0.001), and sharing of needles or syringes (p<0.05) were associated with higher treatment readiness scores. Conclusion There are suboptimal levels of OMT experience among people who inject drugs that may be improved by addressing factors that influence patient attitudes. Those individuals with moderate treatment readiness may be targeted by brief motivational and cognitive interventions in primary care, prisons or OMT clinics aimed at improving entry into and retention in treatment. PMID:25841703
Severity of Acute Illness is Associated with Baseline Readiness to Change in Medical Intensive Care Unit Patients with Unhealthy Alcohol Use

PubMed Central

Clark, Brendan J.; Smart, Alexandra; House, Robert; Douglas, Ivor; Burnham, Ellen L.; Moss, Marc

2011-01-01

Introduction Unhealthy alcohol use predisposes to multiple conditions that frequently result in critical illness and is present in up to one-third of patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (ICU). We sought to determine the baseline readiness to change in medical ICU patients with unhealthy alcohol use and hypothesized that the severity of acute illness would be independently associated with higher scores on readiness to change scales. We further sought to determine whether this effect is modified by the severity of unhealthy alcohol use. Materials and Methods We performed a cross-sectional observational study of current regular drinkers in three medical ICUs. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test was used to differentiate low risk and unhealthy alcohol use and further categorize patients into risky alcohol use or an alcohol use disorder. The severity of a patient’s acute illness was assessed by calculating the Acute Physiology and Chronic Healthy Evaluation II score at the time of admission to the medical ICU. Readiness to change was assessed using standardized questionnaires. Results Of 101 medical ICU patients who were enrolled, 65 met the criteria for unhealthy alcohol use. The association between the severity of acute illness and readiness to change depended on the instrument used. A higher severity of illness measured by APACHEII score was an independent predictor of readiness to change as assessed by the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (Taking Action scale) (p< 0.01). When a visual analog scale was used to assess readiness to change, there was a significant association with severity of acute illness (p < 0.01) that was modified by the severity of unhealthy alcohol use (p = 0.04 for interaction term). Conclusion Medical ICU patients represent a population where brief interventions require further study. Studies of brief intervention should account for the severity of acute illness and the severity of unhealthy alcohol use as potential effect modifiers. PMID:21950704
Severity of acute illness is associated with baseline readiness to change in medical intensive care unit patients with unhealthy alcohol use.

PubMed

Clark, Brendan J; Smart, Alexandra; House, Robert; Douglas, Ivor; Burnham, Ellen L; Moss, Marc

2012-03-01

Unhealthy alcohol use predisposes to multiple conditions that frequently result in critical illness and is present in up to one-third of patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (ICU). We sought to determine the baseline readiness to change in medical ICU patients with unhealthy alcohol use and hypothesized that the severity of acute illness would be independently associated with higher scores on readiness to change scales. We further sought to determine whether this effect is modified by the severity of unhealthy alcohol use. We performed a cross-sectional observational study of current regular drinkers in 3 medical ICUs. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test was used to differentiate low-risk and unhealthy alcohol use and further categorize patients into risky alcohol use or an alcohol use disorder. The severity of a patient's acute illness was assessed by calculating the Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score at the time of admission to the medical ICU. Readiness to change was assessed using standardized questionnaires. Of 101 medical ICU patients who were enrolled, 65 met the criteria for unhealthy alcohol use. The association between the severity of acute illness and readiness to change depended on the instrument used. A higher severity of illness measured by APACHE II score was an independent predictor of readiness to change as assessed by the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (Taking Action scale; p < 0.01). When a visual analog scale was used to assess readiness to change, there was a significant association with severity of acute illness (p < 0.01) that was modified by the severity of unhealthy alcohol use (p = 0.04 for interaction term). Medical ICU patients represent a population where brief interventions require further study. Studies of brief intervention should account for the severity of acute illness and the severity of unhealthy alcohol use as potential effect modifiers. Copyright © 2011 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.
Are ready-to-eat salads ready to eat? An outbreak of Salmonella Coeln linked to imported, mixed, pre-washed and bagged salad, Norway, November 2013.

PubMed

Vestrheim, D F; Lange, H; Nygård, K; Borgen, K; Wester, A L; Kvarme, M L; Vold, L

2016-06-01

We investigated a nationwide outbreak of Salmonella Coeln in Norway, including 26 cases identified between 20 October 2013 and 4 January 2014. We performed a matched case-control study, environmental investigation and detailed traceback of food purchases to identify the source of the outbreak. In the case-control study, cases were found to be more likely than controls to have consumed a ready-to-eat salad mix (matched odds ratio 20, 95% confidence interval 2·7-∞). By traceback of purchases one brand of ready-to-eat salad was indicated, but all environmental samples were negative for Salmonella. This outbreak underlines that pre-washed and bagged salads carry a risk of infection despite thorough cleaning procedures by the importer. To further reduce the risk of infection by consumption of ready-to-eat salads product quality should be ensured by importers. Outbreaks linked to salads reinforce the importance of implementation of appropriate food safety management systems, including good practices in lettuce production.
Development of a Whole Slide Imaging System on Smartphones and Evaluation With Frozen Section Samples

PubMed Central

Jiang, Liren

2017-01-01

Background The aim was to develop scalable Whole Slide Imaging (sWSI), a WSI system based on mainstream smartphones coupled with regular optical microscopes. This ultra-low-cost solution should offer diagnostic-ready imaging quality on par with standalone scanners, supporting both oil and dry objective lenses of different magnifications, and reasonably high throughput. These performance metrics should be evaluated by expert pathologists and match those of high-end scanners. Objective The aim was to develop scalable Whole Slide Imaging (sWSI), a whole slide imaging system based on smartphones coupled with optical microscopes. This ultra-low-cost solution should offer diagnostic-ready imaging quality on par with standalone scanners, supporting both oil and dry object lens of different magnification. All performance metrics should be evaluated by expert pathologists and match those of high-end scanners. Methods In the sWSI design, the digitization process is split asynchronously between light-weight clients on smartphones and powerful cloud servers. The client apps automatically capture FoVs at up to 12-megapixel resolution and process them in real-time to track the operation of users, then give instant feedback of guidance. The servers first restitch each pair of FoVs, then automatically correct the unknown nonlinear distortion introduced by the lens of the smartphone on the fly, based on pair-wise stitching, before finally combining all FoVs into one gigapixel VS for each scan. These VSs can be viewed using Internet browsers anywhere. In the evaluation experiment, 100 frozen section slides from patients randomly selected among in-patients of the participating hospital were scanned by both a high-end Leica scanner and sWSI. All VSs were examined by senior pathologists whose diagnoses were compared against those made using optical microscopy as ground truth to evaluate the image quality. Results The sWSI system is developed for both Android and iPhone smartphones and is currently being offered to the public. The image quality is reliable and throughput is approximately 1 FoV per second, yielding a 15-by-15 mm slide under 20X object lens in approximately 30-35 minutes, with little training required for the operator. The expected cost for setup is approximately US $100 and scanning each slide costs between US $1 and $10, making sWSI highly cost-effective for infrequent or low-throughput usage. In the clinical evaluation of sample-wise diagnostic reliability, average accuracy scores achieved by sWSI-scan-based diagnoses were as follows: 0.78 for breast, 0.88 for uterine corpus, 0.68 for thyroid, and 0.50 for lung samples. The respective low-sensitivity rates were 0.05, 0.05, 0.13, and 0.25 while the respective low-specificity rates were 0.18, 0.08, 0.20, and 0.25. The participating pathologists agreed that the overall quality of sWSI was generally on par with that produced by high-end scanners, and did not affect diagnosis in most cases. Pathologists confirmed that sWSI is reliable enough for standard diagnoses of most tissue categories, while it can be used for quick screening of difficult cases. Conclusions As an ultra-low-cost alternative to whole slide scanners, diagnosis-ready VS quality and robustness for commercial usage is achieved in the sWSI solution. Operated on main-stream smartphones installed on normal optical microscopes, sWSI readily offers affordable and reliable WSI to resource-limited or infrequent clinical users. PMID:28916508
Mini-Split Heat Pump Evaluation and Zero Energy Ready Home Support

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

Herk, Anastasia

This project was created from a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building America research team IBACOS, Inc. and Imagine Homes, a production homebuilder of high-performance homes in San Antonio, Texas—a hot-humid climate. The primary purpose was to evaluate the performance of a multihead mini-split heat pump (MSHP) space-conditioning system, which consists of ducted and ductless indoor units, in maintaining uniform comfort in an occupied test house. The research team evaluated the MSHP space-conditioning strategy for its effectiveness in achieving uniform temperature and relative humidity (RH) levels throughout the test house and for overall constructability and cost. Thismore » evaluation was based on data that were collected from short-term tests and monitoring during 1 year of occupancy, as well as from builder and occupant feedback. Design considerations for integrating an MSHP system into the builder’s full range of production home designs were also explored, with a focus on minimizing the cost and complexity of the system design while meeting the thermal loads of the house and providing occupant comfort according to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 (ASHRAE 2010a).« less
Extension Educators' Perceptions of Community Readiness, Knowledge of Prevention Science, and Experience with Collaboration

PubMed Central

Perkins, Daniel F.; Mincemoyer, Claudia C.; Lillehoj, Catherine J.

2011-01-01

This investigation compared Extension educators' perceptions of community readiness, knowledge of prevention science, and experience with community collaborations with the perceptions of community human service professionals. First, Cooperative Extension System (CES) educators and human service professionals were found to hold similar perceptions of community readiness for prevention programs. Second, CES educators demonstrated less awareness of prevention programs in the community, but a greater knowledge of research-based community risk and protective factors than the human service professionals. Third, CES educators and human service professionals were similar in terms of community collaborative involvement, success, and personal effectiveness. PMID:24143063
Integrating existing software toolkits into VO system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Chenzhou; Zhao, Yong-Heng; Wang, Xiaoqian; Sang, Jian; Luo, Ze

2004-09-01

Virtual Observatory (VO) is a collection of interoperating data archives and software tools. Taking advantages of the latest information technologies, it aims to provide a data-intensively online research environment for astronomers all around the world. A large number of high-qualified astronomical software packages and libraries are powerful and easy of use, and have been widely used by astronomers for many years. Integrating those toolkits into the VO system is a necessary and important task for the VO developers. VO architecture greatly depends on Grid and Web services, consequently the general VO integration route is "Java Ready - Grid Ready - VO Ready". In the paper, we discuss the importance of VO integration for existing toolkits and discuss the possible solutions. We introduce two efforts in the field from China-VO project, "gImageMagick" and "Galactic abundance gradients statistical research under grid environment". We also discuss what additional work should be done to convert Grid service to VO service.
Transrapid (the first high-speed Maglev train system certified ready for application): Development status and prospects for deployment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luerken, Reinhard F.

1994-01-01

The Transrapid maglev technology is at the threshold of commercial deployment and technologically all prerequisites for the successful operation of the system in public service are given. In post unification Germany the domestic maglev technology is envisioned to be applied in the Berlin-Hamburg project. At present, a public-private funding concept is being prepared and the lengthy planning process is about to be initiated. In the USA the AMG has presented a program to Americanize the technology and to make it available for commercial use in the U.S. in the very near future. The paramount features of this program are to generate economic development, provide a basis for transportation technology development, create opportunities for U.S. industry, improve the U.S. transportation infrastructure, and improve the environment and traveler safety. Maglev is ready for the U.S.; is the U.S. ready for maglev?

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