ARIES: Acquisition of Requirements and Incremental Evolution of Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Nancy A.

1993-01-01

This paper describes a requirements/specification environment specifically designed for large-scale software systems. This environment is called ARIES (Acquisition of Requirements and Incremental Evolution of Specifications). ARIES provides assistance to requirements analysts for developing operational specifications of systems. This development begins with the acquisition of informal system requirements. The requirements are then formalized and gradually elaborated (transformed) into formal and complete specifications. ARIES provides guidance to the user in validating formal requirements by translating them into natural language representations and graphical diagrams. ARIES also provides ways of analyzing the specification to ensure that it is correct, e.g., testing the specification against a running simulation of the system to be built. Another important ARIES feature, especially when developing large systems, is the sharing and reuse of requirements knowledge. This leads to much less duplication of effort. ARIES combines all of its features in a single environment that makes the process of capturing a formal specification quicker and easier.

Knowledge Production within the Innovation System: A Case Study from the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson-Medhurst, Sarah

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on a key issue for university managers, educational developers and teaching practitioners: that of producing new operational knowledge in the innovation system. More specifically, it explores the knowledge required to guide individual and institutional styles of teaching and learning in a large multi-disciplinary faculty. The…

Relationship of Self-Efficacy and Teacher Knowledge for Prospective Elementary Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Ann C.; Brandt, Lorilynn; Tuft, Elaine A.; Jay, Sandy

2016-01-01

This research investigates relationships between prospective teachers' self-efficacy of literacy instruction and their growing knowledge of literacy essentials. An instrument was used that is one part self-ratings of confidence levels in teaching specific literacy skills and one part assessment of literacy knowledge required to teach those skills.…

40 CFR 170.232 - Knowledge of labeling and site-specific information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... requirements related to safe use of the pesticide, such as signal words, human hazard precautions, personal protective equipment requirements, first aid instructions, environmental precautions, and any additional...

40 CFR 170.232 - Knowledge of labeling and site-specific information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... requirements related to safe use of the pesticide, such as signal words, human hazard precautions, personal protective equipment requirements, first aid instructions, environmental precautions, and any additional...

Security Modeling and Correctness Proof Using Specware and Isabelle

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

proving requires substantial knowledge and experience in logical calculus . 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 146 14. SUBJECT TERMS Formal Method, Theorem...although the actual proving requires substantial knowledge and experience in logical calculus . vi THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vii TABLE OF...formal language and provides tools for proving those formulas in a logical calculus ” [5]. We are demonstrating in this thesis that a specification in

Equality Act 2010: knowledge, perceptions and practices of occupational physicians.

PubMed

Masupe, T; Parker, G

2013-04-01

Historically, many prospective employees in Great Britain have undergone pre-employment health screening (PEHS) assessments before a job offer. Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 stipulates that PEHS assessments before a job offer may contravene the disability provisions of the Act except under specific circumstances. PEHS assessments in the current format may not fully comply with the provisions of the legislation. To describe the knowledge, perceptions and practices of occupational health physicians in UK following implementation of the Equality Act 2010. Data were collected through an anonymous online survey of occupational health physicians (OHPs) actively reporting to the Occupational Physicians Reporting Activity (OPRA) at the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, the University of Manchester. There were 126 responses available for analysis (response rate 43%). Most participants (81%) were accredited occupational health specialists providing occupational health advice to various industry sectors; 96% reported involvement in PEHS assessments; 81% reported awareness of section 60 of the Equality Act 2010. Further analysis of these participants revealed varying knowledge levels and practices relating to specific requirements of section 60. Changes in professional practice resulting from the Act were reported by 38%, while 46% reported no change. There have been minimal immediate changes to PEHS practices by OHPs in response to section 60 of the Act. Some OHPs displayed inadequate knowledge of specific requirements of section 60 of the Act. OHPs could benefit from further training on specific requirements of this legislation.

Defining the requisite knowledge for providers of in-service professional development for K--12 teachers of science: Refining the construct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Deborah L.

Purpose. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to refine, using a Delphi study process, the four categories of the theoretical model of the comprehensive knowledge base required by providers of professional development for K-12 teachers of science generated from a review of the literature. Methodology. This grounded theory study used data collected through a modified Delphi technique and interviews to refine and validate the literature-based knowledge base required by providers of professional development for K-12 teachers of science. Twenty-three participants, experts in the fields of science education, how people learn, instructional and assessment strategies, and learning contexts, responded to the study's questions. Findings. By "densifying" the four categories of the knowledge base, this study determined the causal conditions (the science subject matter knowledge), the intervening conditions (how people learn), the strategies (the effective instructional and assessment strategies), and the context (the context and culture of formal learning environments) surrounding the science professional development process. Eight sections were added to the literature-based knowledge base; the final model comprised of forty-nine sections. The average length of the operational definitions increased nearly threefold and the number of citations per operational definition increased more than twofold. Conclusions. A four-category comprehensive model that can serve as the foundation for the knowledge base required by science professional developers now exists. Subject matter knowledge includes science concepts, inquiry, the nature of science, and scientific habits of mind; how people learn includes the principles of learning, active learning, andragogy, variations in learners, neuroscience and cognitive science, and change theory; effective instructional and assessment strategies include constructivist learning and inquiry-based teaching, differentiation of instruction, making knowledge and thinking accessible to learners, automatic and fluent retrieval of nonscience-specific skills, and science assessment and assessment strategies, science-specific instructional strategies, and safety within a learning environment; and, contextual knowledge includes curriculum selection and implementation strategies and knowledge of building program coherence. Recommendations. Further research on the use of which specific instructional strategies identified in the refined knowledge base have positive, significant effect sizes for adult learners is recommended.

14 CFR 171.211 - Maintenance and operations requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Communications Commission's licensing requirements and show that he has the special knowledge and skills needed... persons only. (3) Federal Communications Commission's requirements for operating and maintenance personnel... Federal Communications Commission, and must not allow any modification to be made without specific...

14 CFR 171.211 - Maintenance and operations requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Communications Commission's licensing requirements and show that he has the special knowledge and skills needed... persons only. (3) Federal Communications Commission's requirements for operating and maintenance personnel... Federal Communications Commission, and must not allow any modification to be made without specific...

14 CFR 171.211 - Maintenance and operations requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Communications Commission's licensing requirements and show that he has the special knowledge and skills needed... persons only. (3) Federal Communications Commission's requirements for operating and maintenance personnel... Federal Communications Commission, and must not allow any modification to be made without specific...

14 CFR 171.211 - Maintenance and operations requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Communications Commission's licensing requirements and show that he has the special knowledge and skills needed... persons only. (3) Federal Communications Commission's requirements for operating and maintenance personnel... Federal Communications Commission, and must not allow any modification to be made without specific...

14 CFR 171.211 - Maintenance and operations requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Communications Commission's licensing requirements and show that he has the special knowledge and skills needed... persons only. (3) Federal Communications Commission's requirements for operating and maintenance personnel... Federal Communications Commission, and must not allow any modification to be made without specific...

Evidence-based medicine teaching requirements in the USA: taxonomy and themes.

PubMed

Shaughnessy, Allen F; Torro, John R; Frame, Kara A; Bakshi, Munish

2016-05-01

In the USA, recent changes to oversight of residency training codify the requirements for teaching evidence-based medicine and information mastery (lifelong learning) knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The goal of this project is to determine current requirements for teaching of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and information mastery (IM) in specialty residency education in the USA. The project was a qualitative thematic analysis using content analysis. The source of the requirements for EBM and IM were the "milestone" statements for all 28 major specialties and transition year programs. Milestone descriptors related to EBM/IM were extracted and codes were developed and applied to each descriptor by four researchers. The resulting codes were coalesced into themes and tested against the milestone descriptors. The coding process identified 15 content areas comprising five themes. Two themes related to the knowledge and skills of EBM and three themes related to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of IM. EBM themes encompassed basic critical appraisal skills and knowledge of clinical epidemiology principles and statistics. IM themes centered on identifying one's information needs for patient-specific information, using information sources, and using current awareness services to remain abreast of changes in medicine. In general, they align well with the Sicily Statement on Evidence-Based Practice. No specialty required competence in all areas. New training requirements for specialties in the USA require the development of both classic EBM skills as well as skills for managing information. However, there is marked variation in the requirements among specific specialties. © 2016 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Expert Recommender: Designing for a Network Organization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichling, Tim; Veith, Michael; Wulf, Volker

Recent knowledge management initiatives focus on expertise sharing within formal organizational units and informal communities of practice. Expert recommender systems seem to be a promising tool in support of these initiatives. This paper presents experiences in designing an expert recommender system for a knowledge- intensive organization, namely the National Industry Association (NIA). Field study results provide a set of specific design requirements. Based on these requirements, we have designed an expert recommender system which is integrated into the specific software infrastructure of the organizational setting. The organizational setting is, as we will show, specific for historical, political, and economic reasons. These particularities influence the employees’ organizational and (inter-)personal needs within this setting. The paper connects empirical findings of a long-term case study with design experiences of an expertise recommender system.

Study of Design Knowledge Capture (DKC) schemes implemented in magnetic bearing applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

A design knowledge capture (DKC) scheme was implemented using frame-based techniques. The objective of such a system is to capture not only the knowledge which describes a design, but also that which explains how the design decisions were reached. These knowledge types were labelled definitive and explanatory, respectively. Examination of the design process helped determine what knowledge to retain and at what stage that knowledge is used. A discussion of frames resulted in the recognition of their value to knowledge representation and organization. The FORMS frame system was used as a basis for further development, and for examples using magnetic bearing design. The specific contributions made by this research include: determination that frame-based systems provide a useful methodology for management and application of design knowledge; definition of specific user interface requirements, (this consists of a window-based browser); specification of syntax for DKC commands; and demonstration of the feasibility of DKC by applications to existing designs. It was determined that design knowledge capture could become an extremely valuable engineering tool for complicated, long-life systems, but that further work was needed, particularly the development of a graphic, window-based interface.

Mapping the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's Global Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chaomei; Zhang, Jian; Vogeley, Michael S.

2009-07-01

The scientific capacity of a country is essential in todayâ's increasingly globalized science and technology ecosystem. Scientific capacity has four increasingly advanced levels of capabilities: absorbing, applying, creating, and retaining scientific knowledge. Moving to a advanced level requires additional skills and training. For example, it requires more specialized skills to apply scientific knowledge than to absorb knowledge. Similarly, making new discoveries requires more knowledge than applying existing procedures. Research has shown the importance of addressing specific, local problems while tapping into globally available expertise and resources. Accessing scientific knowledge is the first step towards absorbing knowledge. Low-income countries have increased their access to scientific literature on the Internet, but to what extent has this access led to more advanced levels of scientific capacity? Interdisciplinary and international collaboration may hold the key to creating and retaining knowledge. For example, creative ideas tend to be associated with inspirations originated from a diverse range of perspectives On the other hand, not all collaborations are productive. Assessing global science and technology needs to address both successes and failures and reasons behind them.

Specification for Qualification and Certification for Entry Level Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This document provides a standard that defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society to certify entry-level welders. The certification of entry-level welders requires performance qualification and practical knowledge tests that require a minimum of reading, computation, and manual skills to complete. The Entry-Level Welder…

Bridging the guideline implementation gap: a systematic, document-centered approach to guideline implementation.

PubMed

Shiffman, Richard N; Michel, George; Essaihi, Abdelwaheb; Thornquist, Elizabeth

2004-01-01

A gap exists between the information contained in published clinical practice guidelines and the knowledge and information that are necessary to implement them. This work describes a process to systematize and make explicit the translation of document-based knowledge into workflow-integrated clinical decision support systems. This approach uses the Guideline Elements Model (GEM) to represent the guideline knowledge. Implementation requires a number of steps to translate the knowledge contained in guideline text into a computable format and to integrate the information into clinical workflow. The steps include: (1) selection of a guideline and specific recommendations for implementation, (2) markup of the guideline text, (3) atomization, (4) deabstraction and (5) disambiguation of recommendation concepts, (6) verification of rule set completeness, (7) addition of explanations, (8) building executable statements, (9) specification of origins of decision variables and insertions of recommended actions, (10) definition of action types and selection of associated beneficial services, (11) choice of interface components, and (12) creation of requirement specification. The authors illustrate these component processes using examples drawn from recent experience translating recommendations from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's guideline on management of chronic asthma into a workflow-integrated decision support system that operates within the Logician electronic health record system. Using the guideline document as a knowledge source promotes authentic translation of domain knowledge and reduces the overall complexity of the implementation task. From this framework, we believe that a better understanding of activities involved in guideline implementation will emerge.

Knowledge Based Software Assistant Conference Proceedings (4th) Held in Syracuse, New York on 12-14 September 1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

Sanders Associates. Inc. A demonstration of knowledge-based support for the evolut ;cnry development of software system requirements uskig mitV/9 text...Conference Commiffee W Douga W~t Spin-Off Technologies 4 AN OVERVIEW OF RADC’S KNOWLEDGE BASED SOFTWARE ASSISTANT PROGRAM Donald M. Elefante Rome Air...Knowledge-Based Software Assistant is a formally based, computer-mediated paradigm for the specification, development, evolution , and Ir ig term

Common Ground? How the Encoding of Specialist Vocabulary Affects Peer-to-Peer Online Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paus, Elisabeth; Jucks, Regina

2012-01-01

Using the same specialist terms in online discourse can indicate knowledge overlaps between partners. However, linguistic overlaps do not automatically ensure overlaps in conceptual representations. In particular, learning situations, which typically focus on knowledge acquisition, require a sufficient understanding of domain-specific concepts.…

Computer-Based Assessment in Safety-Critical Industries: The Case of Shipping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gekara, Victor Oyaro; Bloor, Michael; Sampson, Helen

2011-01-01

Vocational education and training (VET) concerns the cultivation and development of specific skills and competencies, in addition to broad underpinning knowledge relating to paid employment. VET assessment is, therefore, designed to determine the extent to which a trainee has effectively acquired the knowledge, skills, and competencies required by…

Transfer of Learning across Courses in an MBA Curriculum: A Managerial Finance Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stretcher, Robert; Hynes, Geraldine E.; Maniam, Bala

2010-01-01

Business degree programs typically include a variety of required courses targeting analytical skills, general knowledge, and communication competencies. Integration of these learning outcomes is crucial for students' effective professional activities, yet little is known about cross-disciplinary transfer of specific knowledge, skills, and…

Results of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) Gap Review: Specific Action Team (SAT), Examination of Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) for Human Exploration of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shearer, C. K.; Eppler, D.; Farrell, W.; Gruener, J.; Lawrence, S.; Pellis, N.; Spudis, P. D.; Stopar, J.; Zeigler, R.; Neal, C;

Knowledge-based approach to system integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blokland, W.; Krishnamurthy, C.; Biegl, C.; Sztipanovits, J.

1988-01-01

To solve complex problems one can often use the decomposition principle. However, a problem is seldom decomposable into completely independent subproblems. System integration deals with problem of resolving the interdependencies and the integration of the subsolutions. A natural method of decomposition is the hierarchical one. High-level specifications are broken down into lower level specifications until they can be transformed into solutions relatively easily. By automating the hierarchical decomposition and solution generation an integrated system is obtained in which the declaration of high level specifications is enough to solve the problem. We offer a knowledge-based approach to integrate the development and building of control systems. The process modeling is supported by using graphic editors. The user selects and connects icons that represent subprocesses and might refer to prewritten programs. The graphical editor assists the user in selecting parameters for each subprocess and allows the testing of a specific configuration. Next, from the definitions created by the graphical editor, the actual control program is built. Fault-diagnosis routines are generated automatically as well. Since the user is not required to write program code and knowledge about the process is present in the development system, the user is not required to have expertise in many fields.

Hubble Space Telescope Design Engineering Knowledgebase (HSTDEK)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johannes, James D.; Everetts, Clark

1989-01-01

The research covered here pays specific attention to the development of tools to assist knowledge engineers in acquiring knowledge and to assist other technical, engineering, and management personnel in automatically performing knowledge capture as part of their everyday work without adding any extra work to what they already do. Requirements for data products, the knowledge base, and methods for mapping knowledge in the documents onto the knowledge representations are discussed, as are some of the difficulties of capturing in the knowledge base the structure of the design process itself, along with a model of the system designed. The capture of knowledge describing the interactions of different components is also discussed briefly.

Gaussian Processes for Data-Efficient Learning in Robotics and Control.

PubMed

Deisenroth, Marc Peter; Fox, Dieter; Rasmussen, Carl Edward

2015-02-01

Autonomous learning has been a promising direction in control and robotics for more than a decade since data-driven learning allows to reduce the amount of engineering knowledge, which is otherwise required. However, autonomous reinforcement learning (RL) approaches typically require many interactions with the system to learn controllers, which is a practical limitation in real systems, such as robots, where many interactions can be impractical and time consuming. To address this problem, current learning approaches typically require task-specific knowledge in form of expert demonstrations, realistic simulators, pre-shaped policies, or specific knowledge about the underlying dynamics. In this paper, we follow a different approach and speed up learning by extracting more information from data. In particular, we learn a probabilistic, non-parametric Gaussian process transition model of the system. By explicitly incorporating model uncertainty into long-term planning and controller learning our approach reduces the effects of model errors, a key problem in model-based learning. Compared to state-of-the art RL our model-based policy search method achieves an unprecedented speed of learning. We demonstrate its applicability to autonomous learning in real robot and control tasks.

Describing functional requirements for knowledge sharing communities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, Sandra; Caldwell, Barrett

2002-01-01

Human collaboration in distributed knowledge sharing groups depends on the functionality of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support performance. Since many of these dynamic environments are constrained by time limits, knowledge must be shared efficiently by adapting the level of information detail to the specific situation. This paper focuses on the process of knowledge and context sharing with and without mediation by ICT, as well as issues to be resolved when determining appropriate ICT channels. Both technology-rich and non-technology examples are discussed.

The Applicant Based Training Model Setting Conditions for Recruiting Success

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-07-01

the RS XO is another critical 32. function that falls into the scope of their responsibly and requires specific training in marketing and advertising . During...Phase I require a solid working knowledge of marketing and advertising . OpsO: Phase II actions require the OpsO receive advanced training in data

Representation and presentation of requirements knowledge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, W. L.; Feather, Martin S.; Harris, David R.

1992-01-01

An approach to representation and presentation of knowledge used in the ARIES, an experimental requirements/specification environment, is described. The approach applies the notion of a representation architecture to the domain of software engineering and incorporates a strong coupling to a transformation system. It is characterized by a single highly expressive underlying representation, interfaced simultaneously to multiple presentations, each with notations of differing degrees of expressivity. This enables analysts to use multiple languages for describing systems and have these descriptions yield a single consistent model of the system.

How to Enable Knowledge Exchange in "Second Life" in Design Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomassen, Aukje; Rive, Pete

2010-01-01

The theory and lessons of knowledge exchange, in both a physical and virtual environment, suggest a framework for understanding the specific requirements for a digital design class in "Second Life". Through teaching and observing students who were asked to complete a machinima project, our research provided examples of the strengths and…

Elements for an Ontology of Care in the Field of Artificial Intelligence.

PubMed

González Aguña, Alexandra; Fernández Batalla, Marta; Cercas Duque, Adriana; Herrero Jaén, Sara; Monsalvo San Macario, Enrique; Jiménez Rodríguez, Ma Lourdes; Santamaría García, José Ma; Ramírez Sánchez, Sylvia Claudine; Vialart Vidal, Niurka; Condor Camara, Daniel Flavio

2018-01-01

An ontology of care is a formal, explicit specification of a shared conceptualization. Constructing an ontology is a process that requires four elements: knowledge object, subject that knows, knowledge operation and result. These elements configure theframework to generate ontologies that can be used in Artificial Intelligence systems for care.

14 CFR 145.151 - Personnel requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Personnel requirements. 145.151 Section 145.151 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED... specifications; (c) Ensure it has a sufficient number of employees with the training or knowledge and experience...

14 CFR 145.151 - Personnel requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Personnel requirements. 145.151 Section 145.151 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED... specifications; (c) Ensure it has a sufficient number of employees with the training or knowledge and experience...

Bridging the Guideline Implementation Gap: A Systematic, Document-Centered Approach to Guideline Implementation

PubMed Central

Shiffman, Richard N.; Michel, George; Essaihi, Abdelwaheb; Thornquist, Elizabeth

2004-01-01

Objective: A gap exists between the information contained in published clinical practice guidelines and the knowledge and information that are necessary to implement them. This work describes a process to systematize and make explicit the translation of document-based knowledge into workflow-integrated clinical decision support systems. Design: This approach uses the Guideline Elements Model (GEM) to represent the guideline knowledge. Implementation requires a number of steps to translate the knowledge contained in guideline text into a computable format and to integrate the information into clinical workflow. The steps include: (1) selection of a guideline and specific recommendations for implementation, (2) markup of the guideline text, (3) atomization, (4) deabstraction and (5) disambiguation of recommendation concepts, (6) verification of rule set completeness, (7) addition of explanations, (8) building executable statements, (9) specification of origins of decision variables and insertions of recommended actions, (10) definition of action types and selection of associated beneficial services, (11) choice of interface components, and (12) creation of requirement specification. Results: The authors illustrate these component processes using examples drawn from recent experience translating recommendations from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's guideline on management of chronic asthma into a workflow-integrated decision support system that operates within the Logician electronic health record system. Conclusion: Using the guideline document as a knowledge source promotes authentic translation of domain knowledge and reduces the overall complexity of the implementation task. From this framework, we believe that a better understanding of activities involved in guideline implementation will emerge. PMID:15187061

Semantic technologies in a decision support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasielewska, K.; Ganzha, M.; Paprzycki, M.; Bǎdicǎ, C.; Ivanovic, M.; Lirkov, I.

2015-10-01

The aim of our work is to design a decision support system based on ontological representation of domain(s) and semantic technologies. Specifically, we consider the case when Grid / Cloud user describes his/her requirements regarding a "resource" as a class expression from an ontology, while the instances of (the same) ontology represent available resources. The goal is to help the user to find the best option with respect to his/her requirements, while remembering that user's knowledge may be "limited." In this context, we discuss multiple approaches based on semantic data processing, which involve different "forms" of user interaction with the system. Specifically, we consider: (a) ontological matchmaking based on SPARQL queries and class expression, (b) graph-based semantic closeness of instances representing user requirements (constructed from the class expression) and available resources, and (c) multicriterial analysis based on the AHP method, which utilizes expert domain knowledge (also ontologically represented).

Clinico-Histologic Conferences: Histology and Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Phyllis A.; Friedman, Erica S.

2012-01-01

Providing a context for learning information and requiring learners to teach specific content has been demonstrated to enhance knowledge retention. To enhance students' appreciation of the role of science and specifically histology in clinical reasoning, disease diagnosis, and treatment, a new teaching format was created to provide clinical…

49 CFR 232.203 - Training requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... incorporate a training curriculum that includes both classroom and “hands-on” lessons designed to impart the... curriculum shall specifically address the Federal regulatory requirements contained in this part that are... training curriculum that covers the skills and knowledge the employee will need to possess in order to...

A Design Rationale Capture Tool to Support Design Verification and Re-use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooey, Becky Lee; Da Silva, Jonny C.; Foyle, David C.

2012-01-01

A design rationale tool (DR tool) was developed to capture design knowledge to support design verification and design knowledge re-use. The design rationale tool captures design drivers and requirements, and documents the design solution including: intent (why it is included in the overall design); features (why it is designed the way it is); information about how the design components support design drivers and requirements; and, design alternatives considered but rejected. For design verification purposes, the tool identifies how specific design requirements were met and instantiated within the final design, and which requirements have not been met. To support design re-use, the tool identifies which design decisions are affected when design drivers and requirements are modified. To validate the design tool, the design knowledge from the Taxiway Navigation and Situation Awareness (T-NASA; Foyle et al., 1996) system was captured and the DR tool was exercised to demonstrate its utility for validation and re-use.

Infant Massage: A Strategy to Promote Self-Efficacy in Parents of Blind Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lappin, Grace

2006-01-01

For successful communication to exist between a caregiver and infant, the caregiver must feel confident about her/his ability to parent and also have specific and accurate knowledge about the behaviours required for optimal care-giving; lack of this knowledge may lead to feelings of uncertainty and less than optimal communication. Studies indicate…

The Gain-Loss Model: A Probabilistic Skill Multimap Model for Assessing Learning Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robusto, Egidio; Stefanutti, Luca; Anselmi, Pasquale

2010-01-01

Within the theoretical framework of knowledge space theory, a probabilistic skill multimap model for assessing learning processes is proposed. The learning process of a student is modeled as a function of the student's knowledge and of an educational intervention on the attainment of specific skills required to solve problems in a knowledge…

Professional Knowledge Required When Teaching Mathematics for Numeracy in the Multiplicative Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Judith

2015-01-01

This paper presents findings as part of a wider study that investigated the professional knowledge of teachers when teaching mathematics for numeracy in the primary school classroom. This paper focuses on teachers in action as they taught two lessons on multiplication. It outlines the specific pedagogical categories the teachers used and the…

Response and Responsibility: Fabrication of the Eco-Certified Citizen in Swedish Curricula 1962-2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillbur, P.; Ideland, M.; Malmberg, C.

2016-01-01

This article addresses the fabrication of the eco-certified citizen, an ideal--rather than real--citizen constructed through requirements of both needed knowledge and a kind of personhood, with specific qualities. The societal demands of knowledge-response to environmental problems are studied, as well as the student's (future citizen's)…

Targeting the Development of Content Knowledge and Scientific Reasoning: Reforming College-Level Chemistry for Nonscience Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmel, Justin H.; Jessa, Yasmin; Yezierski, Ellen J.

2015-01-01

A liberal education curriculum requires discipline-specific courses that develop intellectual and practical skills. With this promise of development, it is crucial that instruction focuses on content knowledge as well as the thinking patterns associated with the content. In chemistry, scientific reasoning is one such skill that students should…

The Role of Opportunities to Learn in Teacher Preparation for EFL Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

König, Johannes; Tachtsoglou, Sarantis; Lammerding, Sandra; Strauß, Sarah; Nold, Günter; Rohde, Andreas

2017-01-01

The study examines the connection between domain-specific learning opportunities in English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher preparation and preservice EFL teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Using a sample of 444 preservice EFL teachers for secondary schools, it contrasts groups at the end of the 2 phases required in German teacher…

Epilogue: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability-Implications for Assessment and Instruction.

PubMed

Kamhi, Alan G; Catts, Hugh W

2017-04-20

In this epilogue, we review the 4 response articles and highlight the implications of a multidimensional view of reading for the assessment and instruction of reading comprehension. We reiterate the problems with standardized tests of reading comprehension and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of recently developed authentic tests of reading comprehension. In the "Instruction" section, we review the benefits and limitations of strategy instruction and highlight suggestions from the response articles to improve content and language knowledge. We argue that the only compelling reason to administer a standardized test of reading comprehension is when these tests are necessary to qualify students for special education services. Instruction should be focused on content knowledge, language knowledge, and specific task and learning requirements. This instruction may entail the use of comprehension strategies, particularly those that are specific to the task and focus on integrating new knowledge with prior knowledge.

Evidence based library and information practice in Australia: defining skills and knowledge.

PubMed

Lewis, Suzanne

2011-06-01

This guest feature from Suzanne Lewis, a long-time advocate of evidence based library and information practice (EBLIP) in Australia, discusses a current trend within the movement that focuses on the skills, knowledge and competencies of health librarians. In particular, the feature describes three specific Australia-based research projects, on expert searching, indigenous health and future skills requirements for the health library workforce respectively, that exemplify this trend. These projects illustrate how the evidence base can be strengthened around the skills and knowledge required to deliver services that continue to meet the changing needs of health library and information users. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

[Dance, art and top performance sport with specific injuries].

PubMed

Rietveld, Boni; van de Wiel, Albert

2011-01-01

Professional theatre dance has high and specific physical demands, comparable to top sport. Dance injuries are often caused by faulty technique due to compensation for physical limitations. Knowledge of these limitations and professional teaching can prevent many problems. Dance injuries mostly involve the lower limbs, especially the ankles and knees. Dance injuries require that the medical professional has knowledge of dance technique and respects the passion of the dancer. The advice to stop dancing has hardly ever to be given. Scientific, prospective dance medical research is recommended.

Can Knowledge of the Characteristics of "High Performers" Be Generalised?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenna, Stephen

2002-01-01

Two managers described as high performing constructed complexity maps of their organization/world. The maps suggested that high performance is socially constructed and negotiated in specific contexts and management competencies associated with it are context specific. Development of high performers thus requires personalized coaching more than…

Irrigation scheduling as affected by field capacity and wilting point water content from different data sources

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil water content at field capacity and wilting point water content is critical information for irrigation scheduling, regardless of soil water sensor-based method (SM) or evapotranspiration (ET)-based method. Both methods require knowledge on site-specific and soil-specific Management Allowable De...

Specification for Qualification and Certification for Level II - Advanced Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This document defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society (AWS) to certify advanced-level welders through an evaluation process entailing performance qualification and practical knowledge tests requiring the use of advanced reading, computational, and manual skills. The following items are included: statement of the…

Specification for Qualification and Certification for Level III - Expert Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This document defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society to certify expert welders through an evaluation process entailing performance qualification and practical knowledge tests requiring the use of advanced reading, computational, and manual skills. The following items are included: statement of the standard's scope;…

Using Student Managed Businesses to Integrate the Business Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massad, Victor J.; Tucker, Joanne M.

2009-01-01

To teach business today requires that we go beyond classroom learning and encourage real world, cross-functional experiences and applied management decision-making. This paper describes an innovative approach that requires students to apply their function-specific knowledge of business, integrated with other functional areas, to an authentic…

Use of the Rasch measurement model to explore the relationship between content knowledge and topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge for organic chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidowitz, Bette; Potgieter, Marietjie

2016-06-01

Research has shown that a high level of content knowledge (CK) is necessary but not sufficient to develop the special knowledge base of expert teachers known as pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). This study contributes towards research to quantify the relationship between CK and PCK in science. In order to determine the proportion of the variance in PCK accounted for by the variance in CK, instruments are required which are valid and reliable as well as being unidimensional to measure person abilities for CK and PCK. An instrument consisting of two paper-and-pencil tests was designed to assess Grade 12 teachers CK and PCK in organic chemistry. We used the Rasch measurement model to convert raw score data into interval measures and to provide empirical evidence for the validity, reliability and unidimensionality of the tests. The correlation between CK and PCK was estimated as r = .66 (p < .001). We found evidence to suggest that while topic-specific PCK (TSPCK) develops with increasing teaching experience, high levels of CK can be acquired with limited teaching experience. These findings support the hypothesis that CK is a requirement for the development of TSPCK; proficiency in CK is, however, not necessarily associated with high levels of TSPCK.

Does physics instruction foster university students' cognitive processes?: A descriptive study of teacher activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson-Hessler, Monica G. M.; de Jong, Ton

This study aims at giving a systematic description of the cognitive activities involved in teaching physics. Such a description of instruction in physics requires a basis in two models, that is, the cognitive activities involved in learning physics and the knowledge base that is the foundation of expertise in that subject. These models have been provided by earlier research. The model of instruction distinguishes three main categories of instruction process: presenting new information, integrating (i.e., bringing structure into) new knowledge, and connecting elements of new knowledge to prior knowledge. Each of the main categories has been divided into a number of specific instruction processes. Hereby any limited and specific cognitive teacher activity can be described along the two dimensions of process and type of knowledge. The model was validated by application to lectures and problem-solving classes of first year university courses. These were recorded and analyzed as to instruction process and type of knowledge. Results indicate that teachers are indeed involved in the various types of instruction processes defined. The importance of this study lies in the creation of a terminology that makes it possible to discuss instruction in an explicit and specific way.

A Knowledge-Modeling Approach to Integrate Multiple Clinical Practice Guidelines to Provide Evidence-Based Clinical Decision Support for Managing Comorbid Conditions.

PubMed

Abidi, Samina

2017-10-26

Clinical management of comorbidities is a challenge, especially in a clinical decision support setting, as it requires the safe and efficient reconciliation of multiple disease-specific clinical procedures to formulate a comorbid therapeutic plan that is both effective and safe for the patient. In this paper we pursue the integration of multiple disease-specific Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) in order to manage co-morbidities within a computerized Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS). We present a CPG integration framework-termed as COMET (Comorbidity Ontological Modeling & ExecuTion) that manifests a knowledge management approach to model, computerize and integrate multiple CPG to yield a comorbid CPG knowledge model that upon execution can provide evidence-based recommendations for handling comorbid patients. COMET exploits semantic web technologies to achieve (a) CPG knowledge synthesis to translate a paper-based CPG to disease-specific clinical pathways (CP) that include specialized co-morbidity management procedures based on input from domain experts; (b) CPG knowledge modeling to computerize the disease-specific CP using a Comorbidity CPG ontology; (c) CPG knowledge integration by aligning multiple ontologically-modeled CP to develop a unified comorbid CPG knowledge model; and (e) CPG knowledge execution using reasoning engines to derive CPG-mediated recommendations for managing patients with comorbidities. We present a web-accessible COMET CDSS that provides family physicians with CPG-mediated comorbidity decision support to manage Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Heart Failure. We present our qualitative and quantitative analysis of the knowledge content and usability of COMET CDSS.

Comparison of clinical knowledge bases for summarization of electronic health records.

PubMed

McCoy, Allison B; Sittig, Dean F; Wright, Adam

2013-01-01

Automated summarization tools that create condition-specific displays may improve clinician efficiency. These tools require new kinds of knowledge that is difficult to obtain. We compared five problem-medication pair knowledge bases generated using four previously described knowledge base development approaches. The number of pairs in the resulting mapped knowledge bases varied widely due to differing mapping techniques from the source terminologies, ranging from 2,873 to 63,977,738 pairs. The number of overlapping pairs across knowledge bases was low, with one knowledge base having half of the pairs overlapping with another knowledge base, and most having less than a third overlapping. Further research is necessary to better evaluate the knowledge bases independently in additional settings, and to identify methods to integrate the knowledge bases.

Awareness Development Across Perspectives Tool (ADAPT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

individualist and collectivist cultures are described and linked in the generic knowledge base, and the specific cultural aspects and how they relate to...effort focuses on making a tool based on (1) knowledge developed within diverse scientific disciplines (e.g. cultural anthropology, social psychology...psychological operations, humanitarian missions) is performed in a large variety of locations and cultures (e.g., Africa, Asia), requiring a diversity

Knowledge of avian influenza (H5N1) among poultry workers, Hong Kong, China.

PubMed

Kim, Jean H; Lo, Fung Kuk; Cheuk, Ka Kin; Kwong, Ming Sum; Goggins, William B; Cai, Yan Shan; Lee, Shui Shan; Griffiths, Sian

2011-12-01

In 2009, a cross-sectional survey of 360 poultry workers in Hong Kong, China, showed that workers had inadequate levels of avian influenza (H5N1) risk knowledge, preventive behavior, and outbreak preparedness. The main barriers to preventive practices were low perceived benefits and interference with work. Poultry workers require occupation-specific health promotion.

Mobile, Collaborative Situated Knowledge Creation for Urban Planning

PubMed Central

Zurita, Gustavo; Baloian, Nelson

2012-01-01

Geo-collaboration is an emerging research area in computer sciences studying the way spatial, geographically referenced information and communication technologies can support collaborative activities. Scenarios in which information associated to its physical location are of paramount importance are often referred as Situated Knowledge Creation scenarios. To date there are few computer systems supporting knowledge creation that explicitly incorporate physical context as part of the knowledge being managed in mobile face-to-face scenarios. This work presents a collaborative software application supporting visually-geo-referenced knowledge creation in mobile working scenarios while the users are interacting face-to-face. The system allows to manage data information associated to specific physical locations for knowledge creation processes in the field, such as urban planning, identifying specific physical locations, territorial management, etc.; using Tablet-PCs and GPS in order to geo-reference data and information. It presents a model for developing mobile applications supporting situated knowledge creation in the field, introducing the requirements for such an application and the functionalities it should have in order to fulfill them. The paper also presents the results of utility and usability evaluations. PMID:22778639

Mobile, collaborative situated knowledge creation for urban planning.

PubMed

Zurita, Gustavo; Baloian, Nelson

2012-01-01

Geo-collaboration is an emerging research area in computer sciences studying the way spatial, geographically referenced information and communication technologies can support collaborative activities. Scenarios in which information associated to its physical location are of paramount importance are often referred as Situated Knowledge Creation scenarios. To date there are few computer systems supporting knowledge creation that explicitly incorporate physical context as part of the knowledge being managed in mobile face-to-face scenarios. This work presents a collaborative software application supporting visually-geo-referenced knowledge creation in mobile working scenarios while the users are interacting face-to-face. The system allows to manage data information associated to specific physical locations for knowledge creation processes in the field, such as urban planning, identifying specific physical locations, territorial management, etc.; using Tablet-PCs and GPS in order to geo-reference data and information. It presents a model for developing mobile applications supporting situated knowledge creation in the field, introducing the requirements for such an application and the functionalities it should have in order to fulfill them. The paper also presents the results of utility and usability evaluations.

Position paper: appropriate use of pharmacotherapeutic agents by the orofacial pain dentist.

PubMed

Heir, Gary M; Haddox, J David; Crandall, Jeffrey; Eliav, Eli; Radford, Steven Graff; Schwartz, Anthony; Jaeger, Bernadette; Ganzberg, Steven; Aquino, Carlos M; Benoliel, Rafael

2011-01-01

Orofacial Pain Dentistry is concerned with the prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of persistent and recurrent orofacial pain disorders. The American Dental Association, through the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), now recognizes Orofacial Pain as an area of advanced education in Dentistry. It is mandated by CODA that postgraduate orofacial pain programs be designed to provide advanced knowledge and skills beyond those of the standard curriculum leading to the DDS or DMD degrees. Postgraduate programs in orofacial pain must include specific curricular content to comply with CODA standards. The intent of CODA standards is to assure that training programs develop specific educational goals and objectives that describe the student/resident’s expected knowledge and skills upon successful completion of the program. A standardized core curriculum, required for accreditation of dental orofacial pain training programs, has now been adopted.Among the various topics mandated in the curriculum are pharmacology and, specifically, pharmacotherapeutics. The American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP) recommends, and the American Board of Orofacial Pain (ABOP) requires, that the minimally competent orofacial pain dentist* be knowledgeable in the management of orofacial pain conditions using medications when indicated. Basic knowledge of the appropriate use of pharmacotherapeutics is essential for the orofacial pain dentist and, therefore, constitutes part of the examination specifications of the ABOP. The minimally competent orofacial pain clinician must demonstrate knowledge, diagnostic skills, and treatment expertise in many areas, such as musculoskeletal, neurovascular, and neuropathic pain syndromes; sleep disorders related to orofacial pain; orofacial dystonias; and intraoral, intracranial, extracranial, and systemic disorders that cause orofacial pain or dysfunction. The orofacial pain dentist has the responsibility to diagnose and treat patients in pain that is often chronic, multifactorial, and complex. Failure to understand pain mechanisms can lead to inaccurate diagnoses and ineffective, delayed, or harmful treatment. It is the responsibility of the orofacial pain dentist to accurately diagnose the cause(s) of the pain and decide if treatment should be dentally, medically, or psychologically oriented, or if optimal management requires a combination of all three treatment approaches. Management may consist of a number of interdisciplinary modalities including, eg, physical medicine, behavioral medicine, and pharmacology or, in rare instances, surgical interventions. Among the essential armamentarium is the knowledge and proper use of pharmacologic agents.

38 CFR 21.6120 - Educational and vocational training services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... oriented courses of study and training, completion of which usually results in a diploma, certificate... offered provides the technical skills and knowledge generally regarded as specific to, and required for...

When Less Is More in Cognitive Diagnosis: A Rapid Online Method for Diagnosing Learner Task-Specific Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalyuga, Slava

2008-01-01

Rapid cognitive diagnosis allows measuring current levels of learner domain-specific knowledge in online learning environments. Such measures are required for individualizing instructional support in real time, as students progress through a learning session. This article describes 2 experiments designed to validate a rapid online diagnostic…

The Development of a Visual-Perceptual Chemistry Specific (VPCS) Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver-Hoyo, Maria; Sloan, Caroline

2014-01-01

The development of the Visual-Perceptual Chemistry Specific (VPCS) assessment tool is based on items that align to eight visual-perceptual skills considered as needed by chemistry students. This tool includes a comprehensive range of visual operations and presents items within a chemistry context without requiring content knowledge to solve…

5 CFR 610.121 - Establishment of work schedules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... determined that the head of the agency: (i) Had knowledge of the specific days and hours of the work... employee had to be scheduled, or rescheduled, to meet the specific days and hours of that work requirement... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Establishment of work schedules. 610.121...

Early Domain-Specific Knowledge? Nonlinear Developmental Trajectories Further Erode a House of Sand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deak, Gedeon O.

2011-01-01

Rakison and Yermolayeva (this issue) argue that domain specificity is difficult to reconcile with U-, N-, or M-shaped developmental trends. They are justified because: (1) There is no compelling evidence that nonlinear trends require mechanisms beyond general, well-known cognitive processes; and (2) epigenetic neuroscience provides no clear…

Using Niche-Market Magazines to Teach Audience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tichenor, Stuart

2006-01-01

In technical writing classes, audience is one of the most important concepts. Technical writing is typically written to a specific audience for a specific purpose. In addition, as audiences change, so must the way a document is written. An audience's lack of knowledge in a technical area, for example, would require more background information or…

Cognitive Models of Scientific Work and Their Implications for the Design of Knowledge Delivery Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mavor, A. S.; And Others

Part of a sustained program that has involved the design of personally tailored information systems responsive to the needs of scientists performing common research and teaching tasks, this project focuses on the procedural and content requirements for accomplishing need diagnosis and presents these requirements as specifications for an…

Possible Brain Mechanisms of Creativity.

PubMed

Heilman, Kenneth M

2016-06-01

Creativity is the new discovery, understanding, development and expression of orderly and meaningful relationships. Creativity has three major stages: preparation, the development (nature and nurture) of critical knowledge and skills; innovation, the development of a creative solution; and creative production. Successful preparation requires a basic level of general intelligence and domain specific knowledge and skills and highly creative people may have anatomic alterations of specific neocortical regions. Innovation requires disengagement and divergent thinking primarily mediated by frontal networks. Creative people are often risk-takers and novelty seekers, behaviors that activate their ventral striatal reward system. Innovation also requires associative and convergent thinking, activities that are dependent on the integration of highly distributed networks. People are often most creative when they are in mental states associated with reduced levels of brain norepinephrine, which may enhance the communication between distributed networks. We, however, need to learn more about the brain mechanisms of creativity. Published by Oxford University Press 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Design and Implementation of an Operational Database for the Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, NAS North Island, San Diego, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

deficiencies of the present system. Specific objectives critical in de,’cloping an under- standing of the system are: " Identify all knowledge workers who use...to be negligible. The limited training require- ments are primarily due to the users existing knowledge of tK2 Oracle database system, the Users

Technical Skill, Industry Knowledge and Experience, and Interpersonal Skill Competencies for Fashion Design Careers: A Comparison of Perspectives between Fashion Industry Professionals and Fashion Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Eunyoung

2010-01-01

In updating fashion and apparel related design programs, many educators are striving to address the perspective of the fashion industry to obtain the career-specific skill and knowledge requirements sought by employers when hiring college or university graduates. Identifying such competencies from the view of fashion industry professionals as well…

Assessment of disease-specific knowledge in Australian children with inflammatory bowel disease and their parents.

PubMed

Day, Andrew S; Mylvaganam, Gaithri; Shalloo, Nollaig; Clarkson, Cathy; Leach, Steven T; Lemberg, Daniel A

2017-08-01

Disease-specific knowledge may influence disease outcome and quality of life in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This prospective study aimed to define IBD-related knowledge in a group of Australian children with IBD and their parents using a validated measure of disease-specific knowledge, the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Knowledge Inventory Device (IBD-KID). Children (less than 18 years) diagnosed with IBD who were members of the Australian patient support organisation were identified. Each family was sent copies of the IBD-KID. Children aged 10-18 years and all parents were asked to complete the IBD-KID and to also provide demographic details and disease characteristics. Replies were received from 196 families: 262 parents and 128 children completed questionnaires. Most children had a diagnosis of Crohn disease (65%) and 51% were male. Children diagnosed in the preceding 6 years scored higher than those with longer time since diagnosis. Parents had better scores in the IBD-KID than the children (P < 0.0001). Overall, parents and children had poor understanding of key management issues for IBD (such as side effects of steroids), important outcomes (e.g. growth) and the use of complementary therapies. Consistent patterns of IBD-related knowledge were noted in this large group of Australian children with IBD and their parents. Measurement of disease-related knowledge with the IBD-KID can identify gaps in understanding, thereby permitting focused educational activities. Although these knowledge gaps may impact upon outcomes, further prospective studies are now required to elucidate the relationships between enhanced knowledge and specific outcomes. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Key issues concerning environmental enrichment for laboratory-held fish species.

PubMed

Williams, T D; Readman, G D; Owen, S F

2009-04-01

An improved knowledge and understanding of the fundamental biological requirements is needed for many of the species of fish held in captivity and, without this knowledge it is difficult to determine the optimal conditions for laboratory culture. The aim of this paper is to review the key issues concerning environmental enrichment for laboratory-held fish species and identify where improvements are required. It provides background information on environmental enrichment, describes enrichment techniques currently used in aquatic ecotoxicology studies, identifies potential restrictions in their use and discusses why more detailed and species-specific guidance is needed.

Analysis, Simulation, and Verification of Knowledge-Based, Rule-Based, and Expert Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Mike; Rash, James; Erickson, John; Gracanin, Denis; Rouff, Chris

2010-01-01

Mathematically sound techniques are used to view a knowledge-based system (KBS) as a set of processes executing in parallel and being enabled in response to specific rules being fired. The set of processes can be manipulated, examined, analyzed, and used in a simulation. The tool that embodies this technology may warn developers of errors in their rules, but may also highlight rules (or sets of rules) in the system that are underspecified (or overspecified) and need to be corrected for the KBS to operate as intended. The rules embodied in a KBS specify the allowed situations, events, and/or results of the system they describe. In that sense, they provide a very abstract specification of a system. The system is implemented through the combination of the system specification together with an appropriate inference engine, independent of the algorithm used in that inference engine. Viewing the rule base as a major component of the specification, and choosing an appropriate specification notation to represent it, reveals how additional power can be derived from an approach to the knowledge-base system that involves analysis, simulation, and verification. This innovative approach requires no special knowledge of the rules, and allows a general approach where standardized analysis, verification, simulation, and model checking techniques can be applied to the KBS.

Key tasks in healthcare marketing: assessing importance and current level of knowledge.

PubMed

Kennett, Pamela A; Henson, Steve W; Crow, Stephen M; Hartman, Sandra J

2005-01-01

When examining the healthcare industry, the need for continuing education in internal functions (i.e., HR management) has been documented. However, equally important to success in the healthcare industry are external functions such as marketing. In an expansion of research on internally focused functions, we report findings from an exploratory study designed to examine the perceptions of executives about managerial skill needs in the externally focused area of marketing. Specifically, we examine eight key tasks in marketing and ask executives to rate the level of knowledge required for each and then to assess current, or actual, levels of knowledge in the field. Findings suggest that pricing strategy, product strategy, and segmentation and targeting were the tasks that require the most knowledge for healthcare marketers, and that they do, in fact, perceive various gaps in all of the areas examined. Implications and suggestions for future research are provided.

Knowledge mobilization in bridging patient-practitioner-researcher boundaries: A systematic integrative review protocol.

PubMed

Cowdell, Fiona; Booth, Andrew; Appleby, Ben

2017-11-01

To review published literature to identify when and how patients and healthcare practitioners have been involved in knowledge mobilization activity and the impact this may have had on their care. Improving patient outcomes, satisfaction and quality of care is increasingly reliant on shared decision-making between health professionals and patients. Knowledge mobilization, at its simplest: "moving knowledge to where it can be most useful" is a growing field of academic study. To date, it appears that much effort has focused on moving knowledge from researchers to healthcare practitioners. Knowledge mobilization to patients is currently under-researched. Integrative review. Methods of integrative review will be used to address the review problem. PRISMA guidelines were used as a general framework to guide structuring and reporting the review. Elements of method-specific reporting guidelines for specific streams of evidence will be used as required. This review will aim to provide a broad and deep understanding of patient-practitioner-researcher engagement in knowledge mobilization activity. This synthesis of the extant literature should offer insights into the optimum characteristics of methods for bridging patient-practitioner-researcher boundaries in knowledge mobilization action. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tool for Constructing Data Albums for Significant Weather Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, A.; Ramachandran, R.; Conover, H.; McEniry, M.; Goodman, H.; Zavodsky, B. T.; Braun, S. A.; Wilson, B. D.

2012-12-01

Case study analysis and climatology studies are common approaches used in Atmospheric Science research. Research based on case studies involves a detailed description of specific weather events using data from different sources, to characterize physical processes in play for a given event. Climatology-based research tends to focus on the representativeness of a given event, by studying the characteristics and distribution of a large number of events. To gather relevant data and information for case studies and climatology analysis is tedious and time consuming; current Earth Science data systems are not suited to assemble multi-instrument, multi mission datasets around specific events. For example, in hurricane science, finding airborne or satellite data relevant to a given storm requires searching through web pages and data archives. Background information related to damages, deaths, and injuries requires extensive online searches for news reports and official storm summaries. We will present a knowledge synthesis engine to create curated "Data Albums" to support case study analysis and climatology studies. The technological challenges in building such a reusable and scalable knowledge synthesis engine are several. First, how to encode domain knowledge in a machine usable form? This knowledge must capture what information and data resources are relevant and the semantic relationships between the various fragments of information and data. Second, how to extract semantic information from various heterogeneous sources including unstructured texts using the encoded knowledge? Finally, how to design a structured database from the encoded knowledge to store all information and to support querying? The structured database must allow both knowledge overviews of an event as well as drill down capability needed for detailed analysis. An application ontology driven framework is being used to design the knowledge synthesis engine. The knowledge synthesis engine is being applied to build a portal for hurricane case studies at the Global Hydrology and Resource Center (GHRC), a NASA Data Center. This portal will auto-generate Data Albums for specific hurricane events, compiling information from distributed resources such as NASA field campaign collections, relevant data sets, storm reports, pictures, videos and other useful sources.

Specification of select hypothalamic circuits and innate behaviors by the embryonic patterning gene Dbx1

PubMed Central

Sokolowski, Katie; Esumi, Shigeyuki; Hirata, Tsutomu; Kamal, Yasman; Tran, Tuyen; Lam, Andrew; Oboti, Livio; Brighthaupt, Sherri-Chanelle; Zaghlula, Manar; Martinez, Jennifer; Ghimbovschi, Svetlana; Knoblach, Susan; Pierani, Alessandra; Tamamaki, Nobuaki; Shah, Nirao M; Jones, Kevin S; Corbin, Joshua G

2015-01-01

SUMMARY The hypothalamus integrates information required for the production of a variety of innate behaviors such as feeding, mating, aggression and predator avoidance. Despite an extensive knowledge of hypothalamic function, how embryonic genetic programs specify circuits that regulate these behaviors remains unknown. Here, we find that in the hypothalamus the developmentally regulated homeodomain-containing transcription factor Dbx1 is required for the generation of specific subclasses of neurons within the lateral hypothalamic area/zona incerta (LH) and the arcuate (Arc) nucleus. Consistent with this specific developmental role, Dbx1 hypothalamic-specific conditional-knockout mice display attenuated responses to predator odor and feeding stressors but do not display deficits in other innate behaviors such as mating or conspecific aggression. Thus, activity of a single developmentally regulated gene, Dbx1, is a shared requirement for the specification of hypothalamic nuclei governing a subset of innate behaviors. PMID:25864637

An expert system prototype for aiding in the development of software functional requirements for NASA Goddard's command management system: A case study and lessons learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liebowitz, Jay

1986-01-01

At NASA Goddard, the role of the command management system (CMS) is to transform general requests for spacecraft opeerations into detailed operational plans to be uplinked to the spacecraft. The CMS is part of the NASA Data System which entails the downlink of science and engineering data from NASA near-earth satellites to the user, and the uplink of command and control data to the spacecraft. Presently, it takes one to three years, with meetings once or twice a week, to determine functional requirements for CMS software design. As an alternative approach to the present technique of developing CMS software functional requirements, an expert system prototype was developed to aid in this function. Specifically, the knowledge base was formulated through interactions with domain experts, and was then linked to an existing expert system application generator called 'Knowledge Engineering System (Version 1.3).' Knowledge base development focused on four major steps: (1) develop the problem-oriented attribute hierachy; (2) determine the knowledge management approach; (3) encode the knowledge base; and (4) validate, test, certify, and evaluate the knowledge base and the expert system prototype as a whole. Backcasting was accomplished for validating and testing the expert system prototype. Knowledge refinement, evaluation, and implementation procedures of the expert system prototype were then transacted.

"Life Stage-Specific" Variations in Performance in Response to Age Stereotypes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hehman, Jessica A.; Bugental, Daphne Blunt

2013-01-01

In a test of life stage-specific responses to age-based stigma, older (n = 54, ages 62-92) and younger (n = 81, ages 17-22) adults were told that a task (Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-III block design) required either (a) speed/contemporary knowledge (YA; "youth advantage") or (b) life experience/wisdom (OA; "age…

Using Popular Text to Develop Inquiry Projects: Supporting Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Disciplinary Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Kristin L.; Dinkins, Elizabeth G.

2015-01-01

Many educators support the idea that science requires a specific set of literacy skills and that all students should be equipped with those skills to become scientifically literate; however, this challenge requires science educators to develop methods to underscore the building of disciplinary literacy. In the presented curriculum for preservice…

Land manager's guide to the birds of the South

Treesearch

Paul B. Hamel

1992-01-01

Forested habitats and their suitability for bird species in the South are described. For each species, a summary of biological knowledge regarding status, distribution, and habitat requirements is presented. General and specific habitat requirements for each species are given in the form of habitat relationship matrices. This information is designed to be used by land...

Knowledge-based system V and V in the Space Station Freedom program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, Keith; Hamilton, David; Culbert, Chris

1992-01-01

Knowledge Based Systems (KBS's) are expected to be heavily used in the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP). Although SSFP Verification and Validation (V&V) requirements are based on the latest state-of-the-practice in software engineering technology, they may be insufficient for Knowledge Based Systems (KBS's); it is widely stated that there are differences in both approach and execution between KBS V&V and conventional software V&V. In order to better understand this issue, we have surveyed and/or interviewed developers from sixty expert system projects in order to understand the differences and difficulties in KBS V&V. We have used this survey results to analyze the SSFP V&V requirements for conventional software in order to determine which specific requirements are inappropriate for KBS V&V and why they are inappropriate. Further work will result in a set of recommendations that can be used either as guidelines for applying conventional software V&V requirements to KBS's or as modifications to extend the existing SSFP conventional software V&V requirements to include KBS requirements. The results of this work are significant to many projects, in addition to SSFP, which will involve KBS's.

Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions: Workshop Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Race, Margaret S. (Editor); Johnson, James E. (Editor); Spry, James A. (Editor); Siegel, Bette; Conley, Catharine A.

2015-01-01

This report on Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions summarizes the presentations, deliberations and findings of a workshop at NASA Ames Research Center, March 24-26, 2015, which was attended by more than 100 participants representing a diverse mix of science, engineering, technology, and policy areas. The main objective of the three-day workshop was to identify specific knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to make incremental progress towards the development of NASA Procedural Requirements (NPRs) for Planetary Protection during human missions to Mars.

Advanced Manufacturing

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

hard -hit to find labor with the required knowledge and skills. For example, owing to the need for specific knowledge and skills, the semiconductor...brightest personnel is hard to prepare for or prevent. The first loss is when project personnel are pulled from their regular jobs to fire up the new...and triple salary hard to resist, and internal resistance and negative feedback make it easy to leave. The ones that stay become truly invaluable

Requirement of scientific documentation for the development of Naturopathy.

PubMed

Rastogi, Rajiv

2006-01-01

Past few decades have witnessed explosion of knowledge in almost every field. This has resulted not only in the advancement of the subjects in particular but also have influenced the growth of various allied subjects. The present paper explains about the advancement of science through efforts made in specific areas and also through discoveries in different allied fields having an indirect influence upon the subject in proper. In Naturopathy this seems that though nothing particular is added to the basic thoughts or fundamental principles of the subject yet the entire treatment understanding is revolutionised under the influence of scientific discoveries of past few decades. Advent of information technology has further added to the boom of knowledge and many times this seems impossible to utilize these informations for the good of human being because these are not logically arranged in our minds. In the above background, the author tries to define documentation stating that we have today ocean of information and knowledge about various things- living or dead, plants, animals or human beings; the geographical conditions or changing weather and environment. What required to be done is to extract the relevant knowledge and information required to enrich the subject. The author compares documentation with churning of milk to extract butter. Documentation, in fact, is churning of ocean of information to extract the specific, most appropriate, relevant and defined information and knowledge related to the particular subject . The paper besides discussing the definition of documentation, highlights the areas of Naturopathy requiring an urgent necessity to make proper documentations. Paper also discusses the present status of Naturopathy in India, proposes short-term and long-term goals to be achieved and plans the strategies for achieving them. The most important aspect of the paper is due understanding of the limitations of Naturopathy but a constant effort to improve the same with the growth made in various discipline of science so far.

A continuum of sociotechnical requirements for patient-centered problem lists.

PubMed

Collins, Sarah; Tsivkin, Kira; Hongsermeier, Tonya; Dubois, David; Nandigam, Hari Krishna; Rocha, Roberto A

2013-01-01

Specific requirements for patient-centered health information technology remain ill-defined. To create operational definitions of patient-centered problem lists, we propose a continuum of sociotechnical requirements with five stages: 1) Intradisciplinary Care Planning: Viewing and searching for problems by discipline; 2) Multi-disciplinary Care Planning: Categorizing problem states to meet discipline-specific needs; 3) Interdisciplinary Care Planning: Sharing and linking problems between disciplines; 4) Integrated and Coordinated Care Planning: Associating problems with assessments, tasks, interventions and outcomes across disciplines for coordination, knowledge development, and reporting; and 5) Patient-Centered Care Planning: Engaging patients in identification of problems and maintenance of their problem list.

49 CFR 380.107 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS SPECIAL TRAINING... and skills necessary to operate an LCV. The specific types of knowledge and skills that a training...

Knowledge is power: how conceptual knowledge transforms visual cognition.

PubMed

Collins, Jessica A; Olson, Ingrid R

2014-08-01

In this review, we synthesize the existing literature demonstrating the dynamic interplay between conceptual knowledge and visual perceptual processing. We consider two theoretical frameworks that demonstrate interactions between processes and brain areas traditionally considered perceptual or conceptual. Specifically, we discuss categorical perception, in which visual objects are represented according to category membership, and highlight studies showing that category knowledge can penetrate early stages of visual analysis. We next discuss the embodied account of conceptual knowledge, which holds that concepts are instantiated in the same neural regions required for specific types of perception and action, and discuss the limitations of this framework. We additionally consider studies showing that gaining abstract semantic knowledge about objects and faces leads to behavioral and electrophysiological changes that are indicative of more efficient stimulus processing. Finally, we consider the role that perceiver goals and motivation may play in shaping the interaction between conceptual and perceptual processing. We hope to demonstrate how pervasive such interactions between motivation, conceptual knowledge, and perceptual processing are in our understanding of the visual environment, and to demonstrate the need for future research aimed at understanding how such interactions arise in the brain.

Knowledge is Power: How Conceptual Knowledge Transforms Visual Cognition

PubMed Central

Collins, Jessica A.; Olson, Ingrid R.

2014-01-01

In this review we synthesize the existing literature demonstrating the dynamic interplay between conceptual knowledge and visual perceptual processing. We consider two theoretical frameworks demonstrating interactions between processes and brain areas traditionally considered perceptual or conceptual. Specifically, we discuss categorical perception, in which visual objects are represented according to category membership, and highlight studies showing that category knowledge can penetrate early stages of visual analysis. We next discuss the embodied account of conceptual knowledge, which holds that concepts are instantiated in the same neural regions required for specific types of perception and action, and discuss the limitations of this framework. We additionally consider studies showing that gaining abstract semantic knowledge about objects and faces leads to behavioral and electrophysiological changes that are indicative of more efficient stimulus processing. Finally, we consider the role that perceiver goals and motivation may play in shaping the interaction between conceptual and perceptual processing. We hope to demonstrate how pervasive such interactions between motivation, conceptual knowledge, and perceptual processing are to our understanding of the visual environment, and demonstrate the need for future research aimed at understanding how such interactions arise in the brain. PMID:24402731

Cultural Literacy and Student Engagement: The Case of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hui, Sammy King Fai; Cheung, Hoi Yan

2015-01-01

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is often seen to be constraining and focused on specific skill development for specific occupations. This goal is at odds with the demands of a knowledge economy that requires more general educational outcomes for an uncertain and unpredictable labour market. For this reason, Hui (2012) has…

ArrayInitiative - a tool that simplifies creating custom Affymetrix CDFs

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Probes on a microarray represent a frozen view of a genome and are quickly outdated when new sequencing studies extend our knowledge, resulting in significant measurement error when analyzing any microarray experiment. There are several bioinformatics approaches to improve probe assignments, but without in-house programming expertise, standardizing these custom array specifications as a usable file (e.g. as Affymetrix CDFs) is difficult, owing mostly to the complexity of the specification file format. However, without correctly standardized files there is a significant barrier for testing competing analysis approaches since this file is one of the required inputs for many commonly used algorithms. The need to test combinations of probe assignments and analysis algorithms led us to develop ArrayInitiative, a tool for creating and managing custom array specifications. Results ArrayInitiative is a standalone, cross-platform, rich client desktop application for creating correctly formatted, custom versions of manufacturer-provided (default) array specifications, requiring only minimal knowledge of the array specification rules and file formats. Users can import default array specifications, import probe sequences for a default array specification, design and import a custom array specification, export any array specification to multiple output formats, export the probe sequences for any array specification and browse high-level information about the microarray, such as version and number of probes. The initial release of ArrayInitiative supports the Affymetrix 3' IVT expression arrays we currently analyze, but as an open source application, we hope that others will contribute modules for other platforms. Conclusions ArrayInitiative allows researchers to create new array specifications, in a standard format, based upon their own requirements. This makes it easier to test competing design and analysis strategies that depend on probe definitions. Since the custom array specifications are easily exported to the manufacturer's standard format, researchers can analyze these customized microarray experiments using established software tools, such as those available in Bioconductor. PMID:21548938

From science to action: Principles for undertaking environmental research that enables knowledge exchange and evidence-based decision-making.

PubMed

Cvitanovic, C; McDonald, J; Hobday, A J

2016-12-01

Effective conservation requires knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers to enable learning and support evidence-based decision-making. Efforts to improve knowledge exchange have been hindered by a paucity of empirically-grounded guidance to help scientists and practitioners design and implement research programs that actively facilitate knowledge exchange. To address this, we evaluated the Ningaloo Research Program (NRP), which was designed to generate new scientific knowledge to support evidence-based decisions about the management of the Ningaloo Marine Park in north-western Australia. Specifically, we evaluated (1) outcomes of the NRP, including the extent to which new knowledge informed management decisions; (2) the barriers that prevented knowledge exchange among scientists and managers; (3) the key requirements for improving knowledge exchange processes in the future; and (4) the core capacities that are required to support knowledge exchange processes. While the NRP generated expansive and multidisciplinary science outputs directly relevant to the management of the Ningaloo Marine Park, decision-makers are largely unaware of this knowledge and little has been integrated into decision-making processes. A range of barriers prevented efficient and effective knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers including cultural differences among the groups, institutional barriers within decision-making agencies, scientific outputs that were not translated for decision-makers and poor alignment between research design and actual knowledge needs. We identify a set of principles to be implemented routinely as part of any applied research program, including; (i) stakeholder mapping prior to the commencement of research programs to identify all stakeholders, (ii) research questions to be co-developed with stakeholders, (iii) implementation of participatory research approaches, (iv) use of a knowledge broker, and (v) tailored knowledge management systems. Finally, we articulate the individual, institutional and financial capacities that must be developed to underpin successful knowledge exchange strategies. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

GATOR: Requirements capturing of telephony features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankel, Douglas D., II; Walker, Wayne; Schmalz, Mark

1992-01-01

We are developing a natural language-based, requirements gathering system called GATOR (for the GATherer Of Requirements). GATOR assists in the development of more accurate and complete specifications of new telephony features. GATOR interacts with a feature designer who describes a new feature, set of features, or capability to be implemented. The system aids this individual in the specification process by asking for clarifications when potential ambiguities are present, by identifying potential conflicts with other existing features, and by presenting its understanding of the feature to the designer. Through user interaction with a model of the existing telephony feature set, GATOR constructs a formal representation of the new, 'to be implemented' feature. Ultimately GATOR will produce a requirements document and will maintain an internal representation of this feature to aid in future design and specification. This paper consists of three sections that describe (1) the structure of GATOR, (2) POND, GATOR's internal knowledge representation language, and (3) current research issues.

The ethics in qualitative health research: special considerations.

PubMed

Peter, Elizabeth

2015-09-01

A sound knowledge of the nature of qualitative research, along with an appreciation of some special ethical considerations, is needed for rigorous reviews to be conducted. The overall character of qualitative research is described with an emphasis on the tendency of qualitative researchers to explore sensitive topics using theoretically informed methods. A number of specific features of qualitative that require additional ethical attention and awareness are also examined including the following: 1) participants are frequently quite vulnerable and require protection because the data collection methods, such as in-depth interviews, can delve into personally and politically charged matters; 2) naturalistic observation can raise concerns regarding privacy and consent; 3) the potential for the identifiability of the results of this research may require extra efforts to maintain confidentiality. Ultimately, Reseach Ethics Committee members must be knowledgeable about qualitative approaches to be able to assess the potential harms and benefits in a protocol carefully. Without this knowledge gaining ethics approval can be overly difficult for researchers and the best practices for protecting human participants can be overlooked.

A Specification for a Godunov-type Eulerian 2-D Hydrocode, Revision 0

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

Nystrom, William D; Robey, Jonathan M

2012-05-01

The purpose of this code specification is to describe an algorithm for solving the Euler equations of hydrodynamics in a 2D rectangular region in sufficient detail to allow a software developer to produce an implementation on their target platform using their programming language of choice without requiring detailed knowledge and experience in the field of computational fluid dynamics. It should be possible for a software developer who is proficient in the programming language of choice and is knowledgable of the target hardware to produce an efficient implementation of this specification if they also possess a thorough working knowledge of parallelmore » programming and have some experience in scientific programming using fields and meshes. On modern architectures, it will be important to focus on issues related to the exploitation of the fine grain parallelism and data locality present in this algorithm. This specification aims to make that task easier by presenting the essential details of the algorithm in a systematic and language neutral manner while also avoiding the inclusion of implementation details that would likely be specific to a particular type of programming paradigm or platform architecture.« less

A study of diverse clinical decision support rule authoring environments and requirements for integration

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Efficient rule authoring tools are critical to allow clinical Knowledge Engineers (KEs), Software Engineers (SEs), and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to convert medical knowledge into machine executable clinical decision support rules. The goal of this analysis was to identify the critical success factors and challenges of a fully functioning Rule Authoring Environment (RAE) in order to define requirements for a scalable, comprehensive tool to manage enterprise level rules. Methods The authors evaluated RAEs in active use across Partners Healthcare, including enterprise wide, ambulatory only, and system specific tools, with a focus on rule editors for reminder and medication rules. We conducted meetings with users of these RAEs to discuss their general experience and perceived advantages and limitations of these tools. Results While the overall rule authoring process is similar across the 10 separate RAEs, the system capabilities and architecture vary widely. Most current RAEs limit the ability of the clinical decision support (CDS) interventions to be standardized, sharable, interoperable, and extensible. No existing system meets all requirements defined by knowledge management users. Conclusions A successful, scalable, integrated rule authoring environment will need to support a number of key requirements and functions in the areas of knowledge representation, metadata, terminology, authoring collaboration, user interface, integration with electronic health record (EHR) systems, testing, and reporting. PMID:23145874

Big data, big knowledge: big data for personalized healthcare.

PubMed

Viceconti, Marco; Hunter, Peter; Hose, Rod

2015-07-01

The idea that the purely phenomenological knowledge that we can extract by analyzing large amounts of data can be useful in healthcare seems to contradict the desire of VPH researchers to build detailed mechanistic models for individual patients. But in practice no model is ever entirely phenomenological or entirely mechanistic. We propose in this position paper that big data analytics can be successfully combined with VPH technologies to produce robust and effective in silico medicine solutions. In order to do this, big data technologies must be further developed to cope with some specific requirements that emerge from this application. Such requirements are: working with sensitive data; analytics of complex and heterogeneous data spaces, including nontextual information; distributed data management under security and performance constraints; specialized analytics to integrate bioinformatics and systems biology information with clinical observations at tissue, organ and organisms scales; and specialized analytics to define the "physiological envelope" during the daily life of each patient. These domain-specific requirements suggest a need for targeted funding, in which big data technologies for in silico medicine becomes the research priority.

Can knowledge exchange support the implementation of a health-promoting schools approach? Perceived outcomes of knowledge exchange in the COMPASS study.

PubMed

Brown, Kristin M; Elliott, Susan J; Robertson-Wilson, Jennifer; Vine, Michelle M; Leatherdale, Scott T

2018-03-13

Despite the potential population-level impact of a health-promoting schools approach, schools face challenges in implementation, indicating a gap between school health research and practice. Knowledge exchange provides an opportunity to reduce this gap; however, there has been limited evaluation of these initiatives. This research explored researchers' and knowledge users' perceptions of outcomes associated with a knowledge exchange initiative within COMPASS, a longitudinal study of Canadian secondary students and schools. Schools received annual tailored summaries of their students' health behaviours and suggestions for action and were linked with knowledge brokers to support them in taking action to improve student health. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with COMPASS researchers (n = 13), school staff (n = 13), and public health stakeholders (n = 4) to explore their experiences with COMPASS knowledge exchange. Key issues included how knowledge users used school-specific findings, perceived outcomes of knowledge exchange, and suggestions for change. Outcomes for both knowledge users and researchers were identified; interestingly, knowledge users attributed more outcomes to using school-specific findings than knowledge brokering. School and public health participants indicated school-specific findings informed their programming and planning. Importantly, knowledge exchange provided a platform for partnerships between researchers, schools, and public health units. Knowledge brokering allowed researchers to gain feedback from knowledge users to enhance the study and a better understanding of the school environment. Interestingly, COMPASS knowledge exchange outcomes aligned with Samdal and Rowling's eight theory-driven implementation components for health-promoting schools. Hence, knowledge exchange may provide a mechanism to help schools implement a health-promoting schools approach. This research contributes to the limited literature regarding outcomes of knowledge brokering in public health and knowledge exchange in school health research. However, since not all schools engaged in knowledge brokering, and not all schools that engaged discussed these outcomes, further research is needed to determine the amount of engagement required for change and examine the process of COMPASS knowledge brokering to consider how to increase school engagement.

Piloting a Sex-Specific, Technology-Enhanced, Active Learning Intervention for Stroke Prevention in Women.

PubMed

Dirickson, Amanda; Stutzman, Sonja E; Alberts, Mark J; Novakovic, Roberta L; Stowe, Ann M; Beal, Claudia C; Goldberg, Mark P; Olson, DaiWai M

2017-12-01

Recent studies reveal deficiencies in stroke awareness and knowledge of risk factors among women. Existing stroke education interventions may not address common and sex-specific risk factors in the population with the highest stroke-related rate of mortality. This pilot study assessed the efficacy of a technology-enhanced, sex-specific educational program ("SISTERS") for women's knowledge of stroke. This was an experimental pretest-posttest design. The sample consisted of 150 women (mean age, 55 years) with at least 1 stroke risk factor. Participants were randomized to either the intervention (n = 75) or control (n = 75) group. Data were collected at baseline and at a 2-week posttest. There was no statistically significant difference in mean knowledge score (P = .67), mean confidence score (P = .77), or mean accuracy score (P = .75) between the intervention and control groups at posttest. Regression analysis revealed that older age was associated with lower knowledge scores (P < .001) and lower confidence scores (P < .001). After controlling for age, the SISTERS program was associated with a statistically significant difference in knowledge (P < .001) and confidence (P < .001). Although no change occurred overall, after controlling for age, there was a statistically significant benefit. Older women may have less comfort with technology and require consideration for cognitive differences.

Knowledge acquisition for case-based reasoning systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riesbeck, Christopher K.

1988-01-01

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is a simple idea: solve new problems by adapting old solutions to similar problems. The CBR approach offers several potential advantages over rule-based reasoning: rules are not combined blindly in a search for solutions, solutions can be explained in terms of concrete examples, and performance can improve automatically as new problems are solved and added to the case library. Moving CBR for the university research environment to the real world requires smooth interfaces for getting knowledge from experts. Described are the basic elements of an interface for acquiring three basic bodies of knowledge that any case-based reasoner requires: the case library of problems and their solutions, the analysis rules that flesh out input problem specifications so that relevant cases can be retrieved, and the adaptation rules that adjust old solutions to fit new problems.

Use of a web-based education program improves nurses' knowledge of breastfeeding.

PubMed

Deloian, Barbara J; Lewin, Linda Orkin; O'Connor, Mary E

2015-01-01

To evaluate the baseline knowledge and knowledge gained of nurses, nursing students, midwives, and nurse practitioners who completed Breastfeeding Basics, an online educational program. This study reports on an anonymous evaluation of an online breastfeeding education program developed and maintained to promote evidence-based breastfeeding practice. Included in the study were 3736 nurses, 728 nurse practitioners/midwives, and 3106 nursing students from the United States who completed ≥ one pretest or posttest on the Breastfeeding Basics website between April 1999 and December 31, 2011. Baseline scores were analyzed to determine if nurses' baseline knowledge varied by selected demographic variables such as age, gender, professional level, personal or partner breastfeeding experience, and whether they were required to complete the website for a job or school requirement and to determine knowledge gaps. Pretest and posttest scores on all modules and in specific questions with low pretest scores were compared as a measure of knowledge gained. Lower median pretest scores were found in student nurses (71%), males (71%), those required to take the course (75%), and those without personal breastfeeding experience (72%). The modules with the lowest median pretest scores were Anatomy/Physiology (67%), Growth and Development of the Breastfed Infant (67%), the Breastfeeding Couple (73%), and the Term Infant with Problems (60%). Posttest scores in all modules increased significantly (p < .001). Breastfeeding Basics was used by a large number of nurses and nursing students. Gaps exist in nurses' breastfeeding knowledge. Knowledge improved in all areas based on comparison of pretest and posttest scores. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Practice innovation: the need for nimble data platforms to implement precision oncology care.

PubMed

Elfiky, Aymen; Zhang, Dongyang; Krishnan Nair, Hari K

2015-01-01

Given the drive toward personalized, value-based, and coordinated cancer care delivery, modern knowledge-based practice is being shaped within the context of an increasingly technology-driven healthcare landscape. The ultimate promise of 'precision medicine' is predicated on taking advantage of the range of new capabilities for integrating disease- and individual-specific data to define new taxonomies as part of a systems-based knowledge network. Specifically, with cancer being a constantly evolving complex disease process, proper care of an individual will require the ability to seamlessly integrate multi-dimensional 'omic' and clinical data. Importantly, however, the challenges of curating knowledge from multiple dynamic data sources and translating to practice at the point-of-care highlight parallel needs. As patients, caregivers, and their environments become more proactive in clinical care and management, practical success of precision medicine is equally dependent on the development of proper infrastructures for evolving data integration, platforms for knowledge representation in a clinically-relevant context, and implementation within a provider's work-life and workflow.

Practical barriers to the implementation of early goal directed therapy in the UK: trainee skills and awareness.

PubMed

McNally, S J; MacKinnon, M; Hawkins, M

2009-08-01

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) recommends Early Goal Directed Therapy (EGDT) in the treatment of septic shock, which requires key critical care skills and knowledge. This study evaluates the availability of these skills in Specialist Registrars in acute hospital specialities in the UK. A questionnaire was sent to Specialist Registrars in Anaesthetics, General Surgery and General Medicine throughout Scotland. One hundred and eighty five responses were obtained. One hundred percent of anaesthetists, 70% of surgeons and 51% of physicians were aware of EGDT Only 62 trainees (6% of surgeons, 79% of anaesthetists, 19% of physicians) had the full complement of skills and knowledge to implement EGDT. This study demonstrates that non-anaesthetic registrars in the UK lack both knowledge and skills required to provide EGDT. The main deficit was in awareness, demonstrating that knowledge of EGDT is not penetrating into specialities beyond anaesthesia. It is now time for the SSC to specifically target non-anaesthetic specialities.

The impact of educational experiences on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease: A mixed method study.

PubMed

Kimzey, Michelle; Mastel-Smith, Beth; Alfred, Danita

2016-11-01

As the population ages, the effects of Alzheimer's disease will be felt by all nurses. Providing proper care for people with Alzheimer's disease is difficult and requires specific skills, attitudes, and knowledge. Limited data exists regarding nursing students' attitudes and knowledge toward people with Alzheimer's disease, whether undergraduate education prepares students to care for this population, or the best methods to support students in learning in an innovative and interactive environment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different educational experiences on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease and to explore nursing students' knowledge and attitudes surrounding the care of people with Alzheimer's disease. A convergent mixed method design. A three group (Alzheimer's disease clinical experience, online learning module, and no dementia-specific intervention), pretest and posttest design served as the quantitative arm of the study. A focus group discussion with themes extracted served as the qualitative piece of the study. College of Nursing in North Texas. Convenience sample of 94 senior level nursing students enrolled in the undergraduate nursing program's Community Health course. Students completed pre and posttest surveys which included Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale, Dementia Attitudes Scale, and demographic questionnaire. Content analysis was conducted on focus group responses to qualitative interview questions. The Alzheimer's disease clinical group experienced increased knowledge and improved attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease compared with students who completed the online module or had no dementia-specific intervention. Four themes emerged from focus group data: Basic Alzheimer's disease knowledge, need for Alzheimer's disease experiential learning, negative feelings related to behaviors, and appropriate responses to behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Experiential learning in the form of clinical placements increased knowledge and improved attitudes about Alzheimer's disease compared with an online module and no dementia-specific intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organization and integration of biomedical knowledge with concept maps for key peroxisomal pathways.

PubMed

Willemsen, A M; Jansen, G A; Komen, J C; van Hooff, S; Waterham, H R; Brites, P M T; Wanders, R J A; van Kampen, A H C

2008-08-15

One important area of clinical genomics research involves the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying (complex) disorders which eventually may lead to new diagnostic or drug targets. To further advance this area of clinical genomics one of the main challenges is the acquisition and integration of data, information and expert knowledge for specific biomedical domains and diseases. Currently the required information is not very well organized but scattered over biological and biomedical databases, basic text books, scientific literature and experts' minds and may be highly specific, heterogeneous, complex and voluminous. We present a new framework to construct knowledge bases with concept maps for presentation of information and the web ontology language OWL for the representation of information. We demonstrate this framework through the construction of a peroxisomal knowledge base, which focuses on four key peroxisomal pathways and several related genetic disorders. All 155 concept maps in our knowledge base are linked to at least one other concept map, which allows the visualization of one big network of related pieces of information. The peroxisome knowledge base is available from www.bioinformaticslaboratory.nl (Support-->Web applications). Supplementary data is available from www.bioinformaticslaboratory.nl (Research-->Output--> Publications--> KB_SuppInfo)

Automatic programming of arc welding robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padmanabhan, Srikanth

Automatic programming of arc welding robots requires the geometric description of a part from a solid modeling system, expert weld process knowledge and the kinematic arrangement of the robot and positioner automatically. Current commercial solid models are incapable of storing explicitly product and process definitions of weld features. This work presents a paradigm to develop a computer-aided engineering environment that supports complete weld feature information in a solid model and to create an automatic programming system for robotic arc welding. In the first part, welding features are treated as properties or attributes of an object, features which are portions of the object surface--the topological boundary. The structure for representing the features and attributes is a graph called the Welding Attribute Graph (WAGRAPH). The method associates appropriate weld features to geometric primitives, adds welding attributes, and checks the validity of welding specifications. A systematic structure is provided to incorporate welding attributes and coordinate system information in a CSG tree. The specific implementation of this structure using a hybrid solid modeler (IDEAS) and an object-oriented programming paradigm is described. The second part provides a comprehensive methodology to acquire and represent weld process knowledge required for the proper selection of welding schedules. A methodology of knowledge acquisition using statistical methods is proposed. It is shown that these procedures did little to capture the private knowledge of experts (heuristics), but helped in determining general dependencies, and trends. A need was established for building the knowledge-based system using handbook knowledge and to allow the experts further to build the system. A methodology to check the consistency and validity for such knowledge addition is proposed. A mapping shell designed to transform the design features to application specific weld process schedules is described. A new approach using fixed path modified continuation methods is proposed in the final section to plan continuously the trajectory of weld seams in an integrated welding robot and positioner environment. The joint displacement, velocity, and acceleration histories all along the path as a function of the path parameter for the best possible welding condition are provided for the robot and the positioner to track various paths normally encountered in arc welding.

Enhancing Users' Participation in Business Process Modeling through Ontology-Based Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macris, A.; Malamateniou, F.; Vassilacopoulos, G.

Successful business process design requires active participation of users who are familiar with organizational activities and business process modelling concepts. Hence, there is a need to provide users with reusable, flexible, agile and adaptable training material in order to enable them instil their knowledge and expertise in business process design and automation activities. Knowledge reusability is of paramount importance in designing training material on process modelling since it enables users participate actively in process design/redesign activities stimulated by the changing business environment. This paper presents a prototype approach for the design and use of training material that provides significant advantages to both the designer (knowledge - content reusability and semantic web enabling) and the user (semantic search, knowledge navigation and knowledge dissemination). The approach is based on externalizing domain knowledge in the form of ontology-based knowledge networks (i.e. training scenarios serving specific training needs) so that it is made reusable.

41 CFR 61-300.10 - What reporting requirements apply to Federal contractors and subcontractors, and what specific...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... variety of ways, including, in response to an invitation to applicants to self-identify in accordance with 41 CFR 60-300.42, voluntary self-disclosures by covered incumbent veterans, or actual knowledge of an...

Teaching Multiplication with Regrouping to Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Margaret M.; Hinton, Vanessa M.; Schweck, Kelly B.

2014-01-01

The Common Core Standards require demonstration of conceptual knowledge of numbers, operations, and relations between mathematical concepts. Supplemental instruction should explicitly guide students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in these skills. In this article, we illustrate implementation of the concrete-representational-abstract…

Literature Mining and Knowledge Discovery Tools for Virtual Tissues

EPA Science Inventory

Virtual Tissues (VTs) are in silico models that simulate the cellular fabric of tissues to analyze complex relationships and predict multicellular behaviors in specific biological systems such as the mature liver (v-Liver™) or developing embryo (v-Embryo™). VT models require inpu...

Constrained optimization of image restoration filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riemer, T. E.; Mcgillem, C. D.

1973-01-01

A linear shift-invariant preprocessing technique is described which requires no specific knowledge of the image parameters and which is sufficiently general to allow the effective radius of the composite imaging system to be minimized while constraining other system parameters to remain within specified limits.

Rational approaches for engineering novel functionalities in carbon-carbon bond forming enzymes

PubMed Central

Baker, Perrin; Seah, Stephen Y. K.

2012-01-01

Enzymes that catalyze carbon-carbon bond formation can be exploited as biocatalyst for synthetic organic chemistry. However, natural enzymes frequently do not possess the required properties or specificities to catalyze industrially useful transformations. This mini-review describes recent work using knowledge-guided site-specific mutagenesis of key active site residues to alter substrate specificity, stereospecificity and reaction specificity of these enzymes. In addition, examples of de novo designed enzymes that catalyze C-C bond reactions not found in nature will be discussed. PMID:24688644

The general/specific breakdown of semantic memory and the nature of superordinate knowledge: insights from superordinate and basic-level feature norms.

PubMed

Marques, J Frederico

2007-12-01

The deterioration of semantic memory usually proceeds from more specific to more general superordinate categories, although rarer cases of superordinate knowledge impairment have also been reported. The nature of superordinate knowledge and the explanation of these two semantic impairments were evaluated from the analysis of superordinate and basic-level feature norms. The results show that, in comparison to basic-level concepts, superordinate concepts are not generally less informative and have similar feature distinctiveness and proportion of individual sensory features, but their features are less shared by their members. Results are in accord with explanations based on feature connection weights and/or concept confusability for the superordinate advantage cases. Results especially support an explanation for superordinate impairments in terms of higher semantic control requirements as related to features being less shared between concept members. Implications for patients with semantic impairments are also discussed.

The smooth (tractor) operator: insights of knowledge engineering.

PubMed

Cullen, Ralph H; Smarr, Cory-Ann; Serrano-Baquero, Daniel; McBride, Sara E; Beer, Jenay M; Rogers, Wendy A

2012-11-01

The design of and training for complex systems requires in-depth understanding of task demands imposed on users. In this project, we used the knowledge engineering approach (Bowles et al., 2004) to assess the task of mowing in a citrus grove. Knowledge engineering is divided into four phases: (1) Establish goals. We defined specific goals based on the stakeholders involved. The main goal was to identify operator demands to support improvement of the system. (2) Create a working model of the system. We reviewed product literature, analyzed the system, and conducted expert interviews. (3) Extract knowledge. We interviewed tractor operators to understand their knowledge base. (4) Structure knowledge. We analyzed and organized operator knowledge to inform project goals. We categorized the information and developed diagrams to display the knowledge effectively. This project illustrates the benefits of knowledge engineering as a qualitative research method to inform technology design and training. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

WE-A-BRD-01: Innovation in Radiation Therapy Planning I: Knowledge Guided Treatment Planning

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

Wu, Q; Olsen, L

2014-06-15

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) offer the capability of normal tissues and organs sparing. However, the exact amount of sparing is often unknown until the plan is complete. This lack of prior guidance has led to the iterative, trial and-error approach in current planning practice. Even with this effort the search for patient-specific optimal organ sparing is still strongly influenced by planner's experience. While experience generally helps in maximizing the dosimetric advantages of IMRT/VMAT, there have been several reports showing unnecessarily high degree of plan quality variability at individual institutions and amongst different institutions,more » even with a large amount of experience and the best available tools. Further, when physician and physicist evaluate a plan, the dosimetric quality of the plan is often compared with a standard protocol that ignores individual patient anatomy and tumor characteristic variations. In recent years, developments of knowledge models for clinical IMRT/VMAT planning guidance have shown promising clinical potentials. These knowledge models extract past expert clinical experience into mathematical models that predict dose sparing references at patient-specific level. For physicians and planners, these references provide objective values that reflect best achievable dosimetric constraints. For quality assurance, applying patient-specific dosimetry requirements will enable more quantitative and objective assessment of protocol compliance for complex IMRT planning. Learning Objectives: Modeling and representation of knowledge for knowledge-guided treatment planning. Demonstrations of knowledge-guided treatment planning with a few clinical caanatomical sites. Validation and evaluation of knowledge models for cost and quality effective standardization of plan optimization.« less

Views of Turkish Teachers on Extracurricular Activities at Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Ömer Tugrul

2016-01-01

Extracurricular activities are educational applications for students outside the school curriculum that require specific knowledge, skills, and behaviors as well as continuity of participation. Because student experiences inside the classroom are organized according to the educator's or institution's instructional goals, which themselves are…

Apprentices' Learning of Occupationally Informed Practical Judgment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Selena

2015-01-01

Learning to become trade workers requires developing the ability to make practical workplace-based judgments, often centred around difficult to articulate trade "know-how" or tacit knowledge. Apprentices learn discipline specific ways of doing, thinking, feeling and being from experts, peers and through interactions with occupational…

Dynamic information processing states revealed through neurocognitive models of object semantics

PubMed Central

Clarke, Alex

2015-01-01

Recognising objects relies on highly dynamic, interactive brain networks to process multiple aspects of object information. To fully understand how different forms of information about objects are represented and processed in the brain requires a neurocognitive account of visual object recognition that combines a detailed cognitive model of semantic knowledge with a neurobiological model of visual object processing. Here we ask how specific cognitive factors are instantiated in our mental processes and how they dynamically evolve over time. We suggest that coarse semantic information, based on generic shared semantic knowledge, is rapidly extracted from visual inputs and is sufficient to drive rapid category decisions. Subsequent recurrent neural activity between the anterior temporal lobe and posterior fusiform supports the formation of object-specific semantic representations – a conjunctive process primarily driven by the perirhinal cortex. These object-specific representations require the integration of shared and distinguishing object properties and support the unique recognition of objects. We conclude that a valuable way of understanding the cognitive activity of the brain is though testing the relationship between specific cognitive measures and dynamic neural activity. This kind of approach allows us to move towards uncovering the information processing states of the brain and how they evolve over time. PMID:25745632

Management Knowledge and Skills Required in the Health Care System of the Federation Bosnia and Herzegovina

PubMed Central

Slipicevic, Osman; Masic, Izet

2012-01-01

Extremely complex health care organizations, by their structure and organization, operate in a constantly changing business environment, and such situation implies and requires complex and demanding health management. Therefore, in order to manage health organizations in a competent manner, health managers must possess various managerial skills and be familiar with problems in health care. Research, identification, analysis, and assessment of health management education and training needs are basic preconditions for the development and implementation of adequate programs to meet those needs. Along with other specific activities, this research helped to determine the nature, profile, and level of top-priority needs for education. The need for knowledge of certain areas in health management, as well as the need for mastering concrete managerial competencies has been recognized as top-priorities requiring additional improvement and upgrading. PMID:23922519

Influence of the Digital Anatomist Foundational Model on traditional representations of anatomical concepts.

PubMed

Agoncillo, A V; Mejino, J L; Rosse, C

1999-01-01

A principled and logical representation of the structure of the human body has led to conflicts with traditional representations of the same knowledge by anatomy textbooks. The examples which illustrate resolution of these conflicts suggest that stricter requirements must be met for semantic consistency, expressivity and specificity by knowledge sources intended to support inference than by textbooks and term lists. These next-generation resources should influence traditional concept representation, rather than be constrained by convention.

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

Arion is a library and tool set that enables researchers to holistically define test system models. To define a complex system for testing an algorithm or control requires expertise across multiple domains. Simulating a complex system requires the integration of multiple simulators and test hardware, each with their own specification languages and concepts. This requires extensive set of knowledge and capabilities. Arion was developed to alleviate this challenge. Arion is a library of Java libraries that abstracts the concepts from supported simulators into a cohesive model language that allows someone to build models to their needed level of fidelity andmore » expertise. Arion is also a software tool that translates the users model back into the specification languages of the simulators and test hardware needed for execution.« less

A knowledge based search tool for performance measures in health care systems.

PubMed

Beyan, Oya D; Baykal, Nazife

2012-02-01

Performance measurement is vital for improving the health care systems. However, we are still far from having accepted performance measurement models. Researchers and developers are seeking comparable performance indicators. We developed an intelligent search tool to identify appropriate measures for specific requirements by matching diverse care settings. We reviewed the literature and analyzed 229 performance measurement studies published after 2000. These studies are evaluated with an original theoretical framework and stored in the database. A semantic network is designed for representing domain knowledge and supporting reasoning. We have applied knowledge based decision support techniques to cope with uncertainty problems. As a result we designed a tool which simplifies the performance indicator search process and provides most relevant indicators by employing knowledge based systems.

Review on the Role of Planetary Factors on Habitability.

PubMed

Kereszturi, A; Noack, L

2016-11-01

In this work various factors on the habitability were considered, focusing on conditions irrespective of the central star's radiation, to see the role of specific planetary body related effects. These so called planetary factors were evaluated to identify those trans-domain issues where important information is missing but good chance exit to be filled by new knowledge that might be gained in the next decade(s). Among these strategic knowledge gaps, specific issues are listed, like occurrence of radioactive nucleides in star forming regions, models to estimate the existence of subsurface liquid water from bulk parameters plus evolutionary context of the given system, estimation on the existence of redox gradient depending on the environment type etc. These issues require substantial improvement of modelling and statistical handling of various cases, as "planetary environment types". Based on our current knowledge it is probable that subsurface habitability is at least as frequent, or more frequent than surface habitability. Unfortunately it is more difficult from observations to infer conditions for subsurface habitability, but specific argumentation might help with indirect ways, which might result in new methods to approach habitability in general.

Job-specific mandatory medical examinations for the police force.

PubMed

Boschman, J S; Hulshof, C T J; Frings-Dresen, M H W; Sluiter, J K

2017-08-01

Mandatory medical examinations (MMEs) of workers should be based on the health and safety requirements that are needed for effectively performing the relevant work. For police personnel in the Netherlands, no job-specific MME exists that takes the specific tasks and duties into account. To provide the Dutch National Police with a knowledge base for job-specific MMEs for police personnel that will lead to equitable decisions from an occupational health perspective about who can perform police duties. We used a stepwise mixed-methods approach in which we included interviews with employees and experts and a review of the national and international literature. We determined the job demands for the various police jobs, determined which were regarded as specific job demands and formulated the matching health requirements as specific as possible for each occupation. A total of 21 specific job demands were considered relevant in different police jobs. These included biomechanical, physiological, physical, emotional, psychological/cognitive and sensory job demands. We formulated both police-generic and job-specific health requirements based on the specific job demands. Two examples are presented: bike patrol and criminal investigation. Our study substantiated the need for job-specific MMEs for police personnel. We found specific job demands that differed substantially for various police jobs. The corresponding health requirements were partly police-generic, and partly job-specific. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

A task-based support architecture for developing point-of-care clinical decision support systems for the emergency department.

PubMed

Wilk, S; Michalowski, W; O'Sullivan, D; Farion, K; Sayyad-Shirabad, J; Kuziemsky, C; Kukawka, B

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to create a task-based support architecture for developing clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) that assist physicians in making decisions at the point-of-care in the emergency department (ED). The backbone of the proposed architecture was established by a task-based emergency workflow model for a patient-physician encounter. The architecture was designed according to an agent-oriented paradigm. Specifically, we used the O-MaSE (Organization-based Multi-agent System Engineering) method that allows for iterative translation of functional requirements into architectural components (e.g., agents). The agent-oriented paradigm was extended with ontology-driven design to implement ontological models representing knowledge required by specific agents to operate. The task-based architecture allows for the creation of a CDSS that is aligned with the task-based emergency workflow model. It facilitates decoupling of executable components (agents) from embedded domain knowledge (ontological models), thus supporting their interoperability, sharing, and reuse. The generic architecture was implemented as a pilot system, MET3-AE--a CDSS to help with the management of pediatric asthma exacerbation in the ED. The system was evaluated in a hospital ED. The architecture allows for the creation of a CDSS that integrates support for all tasks from the task-based emergency workflow model, and interacts with hospital information systems. Proposed architecture also allows for reusing and sharing system components and knowledge across disease-specific CDSSs.

Requirements for the formal representation of pathophysiology mechanisms by clinicians

PubMed Central

Helvensteijn, M.; Kokash, N.; Martorelli, I.; Sarwar, D.; Islam, S.; Grenon, P.; Hunter, P.

2016-01-01

Knowledge of multiscale mechanisms in pathophysiology is the bedrock of clinical practice. If quantitative methods, predicting patient-specific behaviour of these pathophysiology mechanisms, are to be brought to bear on clinical decision-making, the Human Physiome community and Clinical community must share a common computational blueprint for pathophysiology mechanisms. A number of obstacles stand in the way of this sharing—not least the technical and operational challenges that must be overcome to ensure that (i) the explicit biological meanings of the Physiome's quantitative methods to represent mechanisms are open to articulation, verification and study by clinicians, and that (ii) clinicians are given the tools and training to explicitly express disease manifestations in direct contribution to modelling. To this end, the Physiome and Clinical communities must co-develop a common computational toolkit, based on this blueprint, to bridge the representation of knowledge of pathophysiology mechanisms (a) that is implicitly depicted in electronic health records and the literature, with (b) that found in mathematical models explicitly describing mechanisms. In particular, this paper makes use of a step-wise description of a specific disease mechanism as a means to elicit the requirements of representing pathophysiological meaning explicitly. The computational blueprint developed from these requirements addresses the Clinical community goals to (i) organize and manage healthcare resources in terms of relevant disease-related knowledge of mechanisms and (ii) train the next generation of physicians in the application of quantitative methods relevant to their research and practice. PMID:27051514

18 CFR 157.6 - Applications; general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the pamphlet and indicate its availability at the Commission's Internet address; (iii) A description... local or toll-free phone number and a name of a specific person to contact who is knowledgeable about... Internet address and the telephone number for the Commission's Office of External Affairs; and (vi...

Usability of Interactive Computers in Exhibitions: Designing Knowledgeable Information for Visitors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernier, Roxane

2003-01-01

This article investigates three types of content presentation (video documentary, computerized dictionary, and games) within interactive computer use at the Quebec Museum of Civilization. The visitors' viewpoint is particularly relevant for interface designing outcomes, since they argued that terminals require specific content display for…

State-of-Science Approaches to Determine Sensitive Taxa for Water Quality Criteria Derivation

EPA Science Inventory

Current Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) guidelines specify pre-defined taxa diversity requirements, which has limited chemical-specific criteria development in the U.S. to less than 100 chemicals. A priori knowledge of sensitive taxa to toxicologically similar groups of che...

Evaluation of Learning Group Approaches for Fostering Integrated Cropping Systems Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blissett, Hana; Simmons, Steve; Jordan, Nicholas; Nelson, Kristen

2004-01-01

Cropping systems management requires integration of multiple forms of knowledge, practice, and learning by farmers, extension educators, and researchers. We evaluated the outcomes of participation in collaborative learning groups organized to address cropping systems and, specifically, challenges of integrated weed management. Groups were…

The Spacecraft Materials Selector: An Artificial Intelligence System for Preliminary Design Trade Studies, Materials Assessments, and Estimates of Environments Present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, H. G.; Woll, S. L. B.

2000-01-01

Institutions need ways to retain valuable information even as experienced individuals leave an organization. Modern electronic systems have enough capacity to retain large quantities of information that can mitigate the loss of experience. Performance information for long-term space applications is relatively scarce and specific information (typically held by a few individuals within a single project) is often rather narrowly distributed. Spacecraft operate under severe conditions and the consequences of hardware and/or system failures, in terms of cost, loss of information, and time required to replace the loss, are extreme. These risk factors place a premium on appropriate choice of materials and components for space applications. An expert system is a very cost-effective method for sharing valuable and scarce information about spacecraft performance. Boeing has an artificial intelligence software package, called the Boeing Expert System Tool (BEST), to construct and operate knowledge bases to selectively recall and distribute information about specific subjects. A specific knowledge base to evaluate the on-orbit performance of selected materials on spacecraft has been developed under contract to the NASA SEE program. The performance capabilities of the Spacecraft Materials Selector (SMS) knowledge base are described. The knowledge base is a backward-chaining, rule-based system. The user answers a sequence of questions, and the expert system provides estimates of optical and mechanical performance of selected materials under specific environmental conditions. The initial operating capability of the system will include data for Kapton, silverized Teflon, selected paints, silicone-based materials, and certain metals. For situations where a mission profile (launch date, orbital parameters, mission duration, spacecraft orientation) is not precisely defined, the knowledge base still attempts to provide qualitative observations about materials performance and likely exposures. Prior to the NASA contract, a knowledge base, the Spacecraft Environments Assistant (SEA,) was initially developed by Boeing to estimate the environmental factors important for a specific spacecraft mission profile. The NASA SEE program has funded specific enhancements to the capability of this knowledge base. The SEA qualitatively identifies over 25 environmental factors that may influence the performance of a spacecraft during its operational lifetime. For cases where sufficiently detailed answers are provided to questions asked by the knowledge base, atomic oxygen fluence levels, proton and/or electron fluence and dose levels, and solar exposure hours are calculated. The SMS knowledge base incorporates the previously developed SEA knowledge base. A case history for previous flight experiment will be shown as an example, and capabilities and limitations of the system will be discussed.

The knowledge-based framework for a nuclear power plant operator advisor

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

Miller, D.W.; Hajek, B.K.

1989-01-01

An important facet in the design, development, and evaluation of aids for complex systems is the identification of the tasks performed by the operator. Operator aids utilizing artificial intelligence, or more specifically knowledge-based systems, require identification of these tasks in the context of a knowledge-based framework. In this context, the operator responses to the plant behavior are to monitor and comprehend the state of the plant, identify normal and abnormal plant conditions, diagnose abnormal plant conditions, predict plant response to specific control actions, and select the best available control action, implement a feasible control action, monitor system response to themore » control action, and correct for any inappropriate responses. These tasks have been identified to formulate a knowledge-based framework for an operator advisor under development at Ohio State University that utilizes the generic task methodology proposed by Chandrasekaran. The paper lays the foundation to identify the responses as a knowledge-based set of tasks in accordance with the expected human operator responses during an event. Initial evaluation of the expert system indicates the potential for an operator aid that will improve the operator's ability to respond to both anticipated and unanticipated events.« less

The KAPTUR environment: An operations concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

This report presents a high-level specification and operations concept for KAPTUR, a development environment based on knowledge acquisition for preservation of tradeoffs and underlying rationales. KAPTUR is intended to do what its name implies: to capture knowledge that is required or generated during the development process, but that is often lost because it is contextual, i.e., it does not appear directly in the end-products of development. Such knowledge includes issues that were raised during development, alternatives that were considered, and the reasons for choosing one alternative over others. Contextual information is usually only maintained as a memory in a developer's mind. As time passes, the memories become more vague and individuals become unavailable, and eventually the knowledge is lost. KAPTUR seeks to mitigate this process of attrition by recording and organizing contextual knowledge as it is generated.

SU-F-E-16: A Specific Training Package for Medical Physicists in Support to Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Situations

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

Meghzifene, A; Berris, T

Purpose: To provide the professional medical physicists with adequate competencies and skills in order to help them get prepared to support Nuclear or Radiological Emergency (NRE) situations. Methods: Although clinical medical physicists working have in-depth knowledge in radiation dosimetry, including dose reconstruction and dose measurements, they are usually not involved in NRE situations. However, in a few instances where medical physicists were involved in NREs, it appeared that many lacked specific knowledge and skills that are required in such situations. This lack of specific knowledge and skills is probably due to the fact that most current medical physics curricula domore » not include a specific module on this topic. As a response to this finding, the IAEA decided to initiate a project to develop a specific training package to help prepare medical physicists to support NRE situations. The training package was developed with the kind support of the Government of Japan and in collaboration with Fukushima Medical University (FMU) and the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS). Results: The first International Workshop to test the training package was held in Fukushima, Japan in June 2015. It consisted of lectures, demonstrations, simulation, role play, and practical sessions followed by discussions. The training was delivered through 14 modules which were prepared with the support of 12 lecturers. A knowledge assessment test was done before the workshop, followed by the same test done at the end of the Workshop, to assess the knowledge acquired during the training. Conclusion: The Workshop was successfully implemented. The overall rating of the workshop by the participants was excellent and all participants reported that they acquired a good understanding of the main issues that are relevant to medical physics support in case of NRE situations. They are expected to disseminate the knowledge to other medical physicists in their countries.« less

From Data to Knowledge: GEOSS experience and the GEOSS Knowledge Base contribution to the GCI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoro, M.; Nativi, S.; Mazzetti, P., Sr.; Plag, H. P.

2016-12-01

According to systems theory, data is raw, it simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence; while, information is data that has been given meaning by way of relational connection. The appropriate collection of information, such that it contributes to understanding, is a process of knowledge creation.The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) developed by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a set of coordinated, independent Earth observation, information and processing systems that interact and provide access to diverse information for a broad range of users in both public and private sectors. GEOSS links these systems to strengthen the monitoring of the state of the Earth. In the past ten years, the development of GEOSS has taught several lessons dealing with the need to move from (open) data to information and knowledge sharing. Advanced user-focused services require to move from a data-driven framework to a knowledge sharing platform. Such a platform needs to manage information and knowledge, in addition to datasets linked to them. For this scope, GEO has launched a specific task called "GEOSS Knowledge Base", which deals with resources, like user requirements, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), observation and processing ontologies, publications, guidelines, best practices, business processes/algorithms, definition of advanced concepts like Essential Variables (EVs), indicators, strategic goals, etc. In turn, information and knowledge (e.g. guidelines, best practices, user requirements, business processes, algorithms, etc.) can be used to generate additional information and knowledge from shared datasets. To fully utilize and leverage the GEOSS Knowledge Base, the current GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) model will be extended and advanced to consider important concepts and implementation artifacts, such as data processing services and environmental/economic models as well as EVs, Primary Indicators, and SDGs. The new GCI model will link these concepts to the present dataset, observation and sensor concepts, enabling a set of very important new capabilities to be offered to GEOSS users.

Motor skill depends on knowledge of facts.

PubMed

Stanley, Jason; Krakauer, John W

2013-01-01

Those in 20th century philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience who have discussed the nature of skilled action have, for the most part, accepted the view that being skilled at an activity is independent of knowing facts about that activity, i.e., that skill is independent of knowledge of facts. In this paper we question this view of motor skill. We begin by situating the notion of skill in historical and philosophical context. We use the discussion to explain and motivate the view that motor skill depends upon knowledge of facts. This conclusion seemingly contradicts well-known results in cognitive science. It is natural, on the face of it, to take the case of H.M., the seminal case in cognitive neuroscience that led to the discovery of different memory systems, as providing powerful evidence for the independence of knowledge and skill acquisition. After all, H.M. seems to show that motor learning is retained even when previous knowledge about the activity has been lost. Improvements in skill generally require increased precision of selected actions, which we call motor acuity. Motor acuity may indeed not require propositional knowledge and has direct parallels with perceptual acuity. We argue, however, that reflection on the specifics of H.M.'s case, as well as other research on the nature of skill, indicates that learning to become skilled at a motor task, for example tennis, depends also on knowledge-based selection of the right actions. Thus skilled activity requires both acuity and knowledge, with both increasing with practice. The moral of our discussion ranges beyond debates about motor skill; we argue that it undermines any attempt to draw a distinction between practical and theoretical activities. While we will reject the independence of skill and knowledge, our discussion leaves open several different possible relations between knowledge and skill. Deciding between them is a task to be resolved by future research.

Motor skill depends on knowledge of facts

PubMed Central

Stanley, Jason; Krakauer, John W.

2013-01-01

Those in 20th century philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience who have discussed the nature of skilled action have, for the most part, accepted the view that being skilled at an activity is independent of knowing facts about that activity, i.e., that skill is independent of knowledge of facts. In this paper we question this view of motor skill. We begin by situating the notion of skill in historical and philosophical context. We use the discussion to explain and motivate the view that motor skill depends upon knowledge of facts. This conclusion seemingly contradicts well-known results in cognitive science. It is natural, on the face of it, to take the case of H.M., the seminal case in cognitive neuroscience that led to the discovery of different memory systems, as providing powerful evidence for the independence of knowledge and skill acquisition. After all, H.M. seems to show that motor learning is retained even when previous knowledge about the activity has been lost. Improvements in skill generally require increased precision of selected actions, which we call motor acuity. Motor acuity may indeed not require propositional knowledge and has direct parallels with perceptual acuity. We argue, however, that reflection on the specifics of H.M.'s case, as well as other research on the nature of skill, indicates that learning to become skilled at a motor task, for example tennis, depends also on knowledge-based selection of the right actions. Thus skilled activity requires both acuity and knowledge, with both increasing with practice. The moral of our discussion ranges beyond debates about motor skill; we argue that it undermines any attempt to draw a distinction between practical and theoretical activities. While we will reject the independence of skill and knowledge, our discussion leaves open several different possible relations between knowledge and skill. Deciding between them is a task to be resolved by future research. PMID:24009571

Structural analysis consultation using artificial intelligence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melosh, R. J.; Marcal, P. V.; Berke, L.

1978-01-01

The primary goal of consultation is definition of the best strategy to deal with a structural engineering analysis objective. The knowledge base to meet the need is designed to identify the type of numerical analysis, the needed modeling detail, and specific analysis data required. Decisions are constructed on the basis of the data in the knowledge base - material behavior, relations between geometry and structural behavior, measures of the importance of time and temperature changes - and user supplied specifics characteristics of the spectrum of analysis types, the relation between accuracy and model detail on the structure, its mechanical loadings, and its temperature states. Existing software demonstrated the feasibility of the approach, encompassing the 36 analysis classes spanning nonlinear, temperature affected, incremental analyses which track the behavior of structural systems.

Improving Cyber-Security of Smart Grid Systems via Anomaly Detection and Linguistic Domain Knowledge

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

Ondrej Linda; Todd Vollmer; Milos Manic

The planned large scale deployment of smart grid network devices will generate a large amount of information exchanged over various types of communication networks. The implementation of these critical systems will require appropriate cyber-security measures. A network anomaly detection solution is considered in this work. In common network architectures multiple communications streams are simultaneously present, making it difficult to build an anomaly detection solution for the entire system. In addition, common anomaly detection algorithms require specification of a sensitivity threshold, which inevitably leads to a tradeoff between false positives and false negatives rates. In order to alleviate these issues, thismore » paper proposes a novel anomaly detection architecture. The designed system applies the previously developed network security cyber-sensor method to individual selected communication streams allowing for learning accurate normal network behavior models. Furthermore, the developed system dynamically adjusts the sensitivity threshold of each anomaly detection algorithm based on domain knowledge about the specific network system. It is proposed to model this domain knowledge using Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Logic rules, which linguistically describe the relationship between various features of the network communication and the possibility of a cyber attack. The proposed method was tested on experimental smart grid system demonstrating enhanced cyber-security.« less

Systems Maintenance Automated Repair Tasks (SMART)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

SMART is an interactive decision analysis and refinement software system that uses evaluation criteria for discrepant conditions to automatically provide and populate a document/procedure with predefined steps necessary to repair a discrepancy safely, effectively, and efficiently. SMART can store the tacit (corporate) knowledge merging the hardware specification requirements with the actual "how to" repair methods, sequences, and required equipment, all within a user-friendly interface. Besides helping organizations retain repair knowledge in streamlined procedures and sequences, SMART can also help them in saving processing time and expense, increasing productivity, improving quality, and adhering more closely to safety and other guidelines. Though SMART was developed for Space Shuttle applications, its interface is easily adaptable to any hardware that can be broken down by component, subcomponent, discrepancy, and repair.

The Humanbecoming theory as a reinterpretation of the symbolic interactionism: a critique of its specific nature and scientific underpinnings.

PubMed

Tapp, Diane; Lavoie, Mireille

2017-04-01

Discussions about real knowledge contained in grand theories and models seem to remain an active quest in the academic sphere. The most fervent of these defendants is Rosemarie Parse with her Humanbecoming School of Thought (1981, 1998). This article first highlights the similarities between Parse's theory and Blumer's symbolic interactionism (1969). This comparison will act as a counterargument to Parse's assertions that her theory is original 'nursing' material. Standing on the contemporary philosophy of science, the very possibility for discovering specific nursing knowledge will be questioned. Second, Parse's scientific assumptions will be thoroughly addressed and contrasted with Blumer's more moderate view of knowledge. It will lead to recognize that the valorization of the social nature of existence and reality does not necessarily induce requirements and methods such as those proposed by Parse. According to Blumer's point of view, her perspective may not even be desirable. Recommendations will be raised about the necessity for a distanced relationship to knowledge, being the key to the pursuit of its improvement, not its circular contemplation. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Generic Educational Knowledge Representation for Adaptive and Cognitive Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caravantes, Arturo; Galan, Ramon

2011-01-01

The interoperability of educational systems, encouraged by the development of specifications, standards and tools related to the Semantic Web is limited to the exchange of information in domain and student models. High system interoperability requires that a common framework be defined that represents the functional essence of educational systems.…

Criterion-Referenced Exit Examinations: An Institution's Internal Process for Psychometric Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lieneck, Cristian; Morrison, Eileen; Price, Larry

2013-01-01

The Texas State University-San Marcos undergraduate healthcare administration program requires all bachelors of health administration (BHA) students to pass a comprehensive examination to demonstrate their knowledge of specific core competencies. This also demonstrates completion of their didactic coursework in order to enter a practical…

Lithographic Stripping; Printing 2: 9755.03.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course is one of a group which provides 11th grade students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level in printing. The course is 90 hours in length. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, safety in the stripping department, and a stripping…

Automotive Body Fillers; Auto Body Repair and Refinishing 2: 9035.03.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course provides students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level as an auto body repair helper. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, filling with body solder, and plastic filler. A post-test sample is appended. (NH)

Platemaking; Printing 2: 9755.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course is one of a group which provides 11th grade students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level in the printing industry. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, types of lithographic plates, surface plates for offset, wipe-on plates,…

Canada in the 21st Century - Triumph or Tragedy? The Front Line.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgour, David

1996-01-01

Argues that new patterns of trade and production combined with an emphasis on a knowledge-based economy/society make it imperative that Canada upgrade its educational system. Specifically notes that several growing and dominant industries (microelectronics, biotechnology, telecommunications) require a high-tech skilled labor force. (MJP)

Laboratory Animal Facilities. Laboratory Design Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Albert M.

1965-01-01

Design of laboratory animal facilities must be functional. Accordingly, the designer should be aware of the complex nature of animal research and specifically the type of animal research which will be conducted in a new facility. The building of animal-care facilities in research institutions requires special knowledge in laboratory animal…

The Contribution of Domain-Specific Knowledge in Predicting Students' Proportional Word Problem Solving Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Lein, Amy E.; Star, Jon R.; Dupuis, Danielle N.

2013-01-01

Proportional thinking, which requires understanding fractions, ratios, and proportions, is an area of mathematics that is cognitively challenging for many children and adolescents (Fujimura, 2001; Lamon, 2007; Lobato, Ellis, Charles, & Zbiek, 2010; National Mathematics Advisory Panel [NMAP], 2008) and "transcends topical barriers in adult…

Understanding Competence. A Development Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Inst. of Adult Continuing Education, Leicester (England). Unit for the Development of Adult Continuing Education.

Competence is one of the outcomes of learning. Competence embraces both specific task skills and the understanding, knowledge, attitude, and personal skills required to carry out that task effectively. An education and training system built on a broad definition of competence would give greater control to the users of the system (the individuals…

What RTI Means for Content Area Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenski, Susan

2012-01-01

Response to Intervention (RTI) has the potential to have a positive impact on adolescent literacy by requiring content-area teachers to provide Tier 1 literacy instruction. This commentary suggests that content-area teachers can help their students improve their content knowledge and literacy skills by providing discipline-specific strategy…

An Investigation on EFL Teachers' Attitude toward Teaching Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agcam, Reyhan; Babanoglu, Muzaffer Pinar

2016-01-01

Teaching is described as a demanding job that requires in-depth knowledge of subject content, age-specific pedagogy, and many varied skills such as patience, leadership, and creativity. Teaching a foreign language constitutes another challenge for the teachers who are already attached the primary liability in raising generations for contributing…

46 CFR 12.03-1 - Coast Guard-accepted training other than approved courses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Guard-accepted training other than approved courses. (a) When the training and assessment of competence... assessment must meet the following requirements: (1) The training and assessment must have written, clearly defined objectives that emphasize specific knowledge, skills, and abilities, and that include criteria to...

Using a Design-Orientated Project to Attain Graduate Attributes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moalosi, Richie; Molokwane, Shorn; Mothibedi, Gabriel

2012-01-01

Nowadays universities are required not only to impart knowledge of specific disciplines but also generic graduate attributes such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, creative thinking, research and inquiry skills. For students to attain these generic skills, educators are encouraged to use learner-centred approaches in teaching.…

Memory for Context becomes Less Specific with Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiltgen, Brian J.; Silva, Alcino J.

2007-01-01

Context memories initially require the hippocampus, but over time become independent of this structure. This shift reflects a consolidation process whereby memories are gradually stored in distributed regions of the cortex. The function of this process is thought to be the extraction of statistical regularities and general knowledge from specific…

Simulations, Learning and Real World Capabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Robert E.; Beckmann, Jens F.; Birney, Damian P.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider how simulations are increasingly used in training programs for the development of skills such as leadership. However, the requirements of leadership development go beyond the development of task specific procedural knowledge or expertise that simulations have typically been used to develop.…

Exemplary Science Teachers' Use of Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakverdi-Can, Meral; Dana, Thomas M.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine exemplary science teachers' level of computer use, their knowledge/skills in using specific computer applications for science instruction, their use of computer-related applications/tools during their instruction, how often they required their students to use those applications in or for their science class…

Knowledge management for systems biology a general and visually driven framework applied to translational medicine.

PubMed

Maier, Dieter; Kalus, Wenzel; Wolff, Martin; Kalko, Susana G; Roca, Josep; Marin de Mas, Igor; Turan, Nil; Cascante, Marta; Falciani, Francesco; Hernandez, Miguel; Villà-Freixa, Jordi; Losko, Sascha

2011-03-05

To enhance our understanding of complex biological systems like diseases we need to put all of the available data into context and use this to detect relations, pattern and rules which allow predictive hypotheses to be defined. Life science has become a data rich science with information about the behaviour of millions of entities like genes, chemical compounds, diseases, cell types and organs, which are organised in many different databases and/or spread throughout the literature. Existing knowledge such as genotype-phenotype relations or signal transduction pathways must be semantically integrated and dynamically organised into structured networks that are connected with clinical and experimental data. Different approaches to this challenge exist but so far none has proven entirely satisfactory. To address this challenge we previously developed a generic knowledge management framework, BioXM™, which allows the dynamic, graphic generation of domain specific knowledge representation models based on specific objects and their relations supporting annotations and ontologies. Here we demonstrate the utility of BioXM for knowledge management in systems biology as part of the EU FP6 BioBridge project on translational approaches to chronic diseases. From clinical and experimental data, text-mining results and public databases we generate a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) knowledge base and demonstrate its use by mining specific molecular networks together with integrated clinical and experimental data. We generate the first semantically integrated COPD specific public knowledge base and find that for the integration of clinical and experimental data with pre-existing knowledge the configuration based set-up enabled by BioXM reduced implementation time and effort for the knowledge base compared to similar systems implemented as classical software development projects. The knowledgebase enables the retrieval of sub-networks including protein-protein interaction, pathway, gene--disease and gene--compound data which are used for subsequent data analysis, modelling and simulation. Pre-structured queries and reports enhance usability; establishing their use in everyday clinical settings requires further simplification with a browser based interface which is currently under development.

Knowledge management for systems biology a general and visually driven framework applied to translational medicine

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background To enhance our understanding of complex biological systems like diseases we need to put all of the available data into context and use this to detect relations, pattern and rules which allow predictive hypotheses to be defined. Life science has become a data rich science with information about the behaviour of millions of entities like genes, chemical compounds, diseases, cell types and organs, which are organised in many different databases and/or spread throughout the literature. Existing knowledge such as genotype - phenotype relations or signal transduction pathways must be semantically integrated and dynamically organised into structured networks that are connected with clinical and experimental data. Different approaches to this challenge exist but so far none has proven entirely satisfactory. Results To address this challenge we previously developed a generic knowledge management framework, BioXM™, which allows the dynamic, graphic generation of domain specific knowledge representation models based on specific objects and their relations supporting annotations and ontologies. Here we demonstrate the utility of BioXM for knowledge management in systems biology as part of the EU FP6 BioBridge project on translational approaches to chronic diseases. From clinical and experimental data, text-mining results and public databases we generate a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) knowledge base and demonstrate its use by mining specific molecular networks together with integrated clinical and experimental data. Conclusions We generate the first semantically integrated COPD specific public knowledge base and find that for the integration of clinical and experimental data with pre-existing knowledge the configuration based set-up enabled by BioXM reduced implementation time and effort for the knowledge base compared to similar systems implemented as classical software development projects. The knowledgebase enables the retrieval of sub-networks including protein-protein interaction, pathway, gene - disease and gene - compound data which are used for subsequent data analysis, modelling and simulation. Pre-structured queries and reports enhance usability; establishing their use in everyday clinical settings requires further simplification with a browser based interface which is currently under development. PMID:21375767

"What-Where-Which" Episodic Retrieval Requires Conscious Recollection and Is Promoted by Semantic Knowledge

PubMed Central

Saive, Anne-Lise; Royet, Jean-Pierre; Garcia, Samuel; Thévenet, Marc; Plailly, Jane

2015-01-01

Episodic memory is defined as the conscious retrieval of specific past events. Whether accurate episodic retrieval requires a recollective experience or if a feeling of knowing is sufficient remains unresolved. We recently devised an ecological approach to investigate the controlled cued-retrieval of episodes composed of unnamable odors (What) located spatially (Where) within a visual context (Which context). By combining the Remember/Know procedure with our laboratory-ecological approach in an original way, the present study demonstrated that the accurate odor-evoked retrieval of complex and multimodal episodes overwhelmingly required conscious recollection. A feeling of knowing, even when associated with a high level of confidence, was not sufficient to generate accurate episodic retrieval. Interestingly, we demonstrated that the recollection of accurate episodic memories was promoted by odor retrieval-cue familiarity and describability. In conclusion, our study suggested that semantic knowledge about retrieval-cues increased the recollection which is the state of awareness required for the accurate retrieval of complex episodic memories. PMID:26630170

"What-Where-Which" Episodic Retrieval Requires Conscious Recollection and Is Promoted by Semantic Knowledge.

PubMed

Saive, Anne-Lise; Royet, Jean-Pierre; Garcia, Samuel; Thévenet, Marc; Plailly, Jane

2015-01-01

Episodic memory is defined as the conscious retrieval of specific past events. Whether accurate episodic retrieval requires a recollective experience or if a feeling of knowing is sufficient remains unresolved. We recently devised an ecological approach to investigate the controlled cued-retrieval of episodes composed of unnamable odors (What) located spatially (Where) within a visual context (Which context). By combining the Remember/Know procedure with our laboratory-ecological approach in an original way, the present study demonstrated that the accurate odor-evoked retrieval of complex and multimodal episodes overwhelmingly required conscious recollection. A feeling of knowing, even when associated with a high level of confidence, was not sufficient to generate accurate episodic retrieval. Interestingly, we demonstrated that the recollection of accurate episodic memories was promoted by odor retrieval-cue familiarity and describability. In conclusion, our study suggested that semantic knowledge about retrieval-cues increased the recollection which is the state of awareness required for the accurate retrieval of complex episodic memories.

Attitudes of Danish pig farmers towards requirements for hospital pens.

PubMed

Thomsen, Peter T; Klottrup, Anne; Steinmetz, Henriette; Herskin, Mette S

2016-06-01

According to Danish legislation, sick or injured pigs must be housed in hospital pens with specific requirements. During recent years the majority of cases of non-compliance with legislation have been related to management of these animals. Hence, we hypothesized that 1) pig farmers generally find a requirement for hospital pens reasonable, but do not know the specific requirements; 2) pig farmers do not find the specific requirements for hospital pens meaningful compared with their perception of what sick pigs need; and 3) pig farmers often omit to move sick pigs to hospital pens due to lack of time or labour. An on-line questionnaire regarding farmers' attitudes towards and knowledge about legal requirements for hospital pens was constructed and e-mailed to 2348 pig farmers. In total, 508 farmers answered the questionnaire. Overall, 66% of the respondents found that the requirements for hospital pens made good sense, and more than 90% found that it made at least partial sense. Even though almost all respondents thought they knew the legal requirements for specific facilities in hospital pens, in fact 20% of them did not. The majority of respondents found all specific requirements in accordance with the needs of sick pigs, with the exception of cooling (only 17% agreed that cooling was needed). Unexpectedly, lack of time or labour wasn't reported to be a major obstacle to the use of hospital pens. Possibly, different thresholds for defining a pig as 'sick enough' to need housing in a hospital pen may exist between farmers and authorities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Knowledge Base for Teaching Biology Situated in the Context of Genetic Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Zande, Paul; Waarlo, Arend Jan; Brekelmans, Mieke; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Vermunt, Jan D.

2011-10-01

Recent developments in the field of genomics will impact the daily practice of biology teachers who teach genetics in secondary education. This study reports on the first results of a research project aimed at enhancing biology teacher knowledge for teaching genetics in the context of genetic testing. The increasing body of scientific knowledge concerning genetic testing and the related consequences for decision-making indicate the societal relevance of such a situated learning approach. What content knowledge do biology teachers need for teaching genetics in the personal health context of genetic testing? This study describes the required content knowledge by exploring the educational practice and clinical genetic practices. Nine experienced teachers and 12 respondents representing the clinical genetic practices (clients, medical professionals, and medical ethicists) were interviewed about the biological concepts and ethical, legal, and social aspects (ELSA) of testing they considered relevant to empowering students as future health care clients. The ELSA suggested by the respondents were complemented by suggestions found in the literature on genetic counselling. The findings revealed that the required teacher knowledge consists of multiple layers that are embedded in specific genetic test situations: on the one hand, the knowledge of concepts represented by the curricular framework and some additional concepts (e.g. multifactorial and polygenic disorder) and, on the other hand, more knowledge of ELSA and generic characteristics of genetic test practice (uncertainty, complexity, probability, and morality). Suggestions regarding how to translate these characteristics, concepts, and ELSA into context-based genetics education are discussed.

Looking at practice: revealing the knowledge demands of teaching data handling in the primary classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leavy, Aisling

2015-09-01

In the evolving field of mathematics education, there is the need to maintain the relationship between what is presented in college level preparation courses and the skills required to teach mathematics in classrooms. This research examines the knowledge demands placed on 73 pre-service primary teachers as they use lesson study to plan and teach data handling in primary classrooms. Pre-service teachers are observed as they plan, teach and re-teach data lessons in classrooms. Problems of practice are identified and categorized using the Ball, Thames and Phelps (2008) subdomains of common content knowledge (CCK), specialized content knowledge (SCK), knowledge of content and students (KCS) and knowledge of content and teaching (KCT). The results provide insights into the specific knowledge demands placed on early career teachers when teaching data and statistics and identifies foci area that can be addressed in teacher preparation programs. The results illustrate that development of understandings in one knowledge subdomain can motivate and impact learning in another subdomain. These interrelationships were found to exist both within and between the domains of content and pedagogical content knowledge.

Practical interior tomography with radial Hilbert filtering and a priori knowledge in a small round area.

PubMed

Tang, Shaojie; Yang, Yi; Tang, Xiangyang

2012-01-01

Interior tomography problem can be solved using the so-called differentiated backprojection-projection onto convex sets (DBP-POCS) method, which requires a priori knowledge within a small area interior to the region of interest (ROI) to be imaged. In theory, the small area wherein the a priori knowledge is required can be in any shape, but most of the existing implementations carry out the Hilbert filtering either horizontally or vertically, leading to a vertical or horizontal strip that may be across a large area in the object. In this work, we implement a practical DBP-POCS method with radial Hilbert filtering and thus the small area with the a priori knowledge can be roughly round (e.g., a sinus or ventricles among other anatomic cavities in human or animal body). We also conduct an experimental evaluation to verify the performance of this practical implementation. We specifically re-derive the reconstruction formula in the DBP-POCS fashion with radial Hilbert filtering to assure that only a small round area with the a priori knowledge be needed (namely radial DBP-POCS method henceforth). The performance of the practical DBP-POCS method with radial Hilbert filtering and a priori knowledge in a small round area is evaluated with projection data of the standard and modified Shepp-Logan phantoms simulated by computer, followed by a verification using real projection data acquired by a computed tomography (CT) scanner. The preliminary performance study shows that, if a priori knowledge in a small round area is available, the radial DBP-POCS method can solve the interior tomography problem in a more practical way at high accuracy. In comparison to the implementations of DBP-POCS method demanding the a priori knowledge in horizontal or vertical strip, the radial DBP-POCS method requires the a priori knowledge within a small round area only. Such a relaxed requirement on the availability of a priori knowledge can be readily met in practice, because a variety of small round areas (e.g., air-filled sinuses or fluid-filled ventricles among other anatomic cavities) exist in human or animal body. Therefore, the radial DBP-POCS method with a priori knowledge in a small round area is more feasible in clinical and preclinical practice.

49 CFR 383.111 - Required knowledge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Required knowledge. 383.111 Section 383.111... STANDARDS; REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIES Required Knowledge and Skills § 383.111 Required knowledge. (a) All CMV operators must have knowledge of the following 20 general areas: (1) Safe operations regulations...

49 CFR 383.111 - Required knowledge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Required knowledge. 383.111 Section 383.111... STANDARDS; REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIES Required Knowledge and Skills § 383.111 Required knowledge. All commercial motor vehicle operators must have knowledge of the following general areas: (a) Safe operations...

[Open access to academic scholarship as a public policy resource: a study of the Capes database on Brazilian theses and dissertations].

PubMed

da Silva Rosa, Teresa; Carneiro, Maria José

2010-12-01

Access to scientific knowledge is a valuable resource than can inform and validate positions taken in formulating public policy. But access to this knowledge can be challenging, given the diversity and breadth of available scholarship. Communication between the fields of science and of politics requires the dissemination of scholarship and access to it. We conducted a study using an open-access search tool in order to map existent knowledge on a specific topic: agricultural contributions to the preservation of biodiversity. The present article offers a critical view of access to the information available through the Capes database on Brazilian theses and dissertations.

Core competencies for scientific editors of biomedical journals: consensus statement.

PubMed

Moher, David; Galipeau, James; Alam, Sabina; Barbour, Virginia; Bartolomeos, Kidist; Baskin, Patricia; Bell-Syer, Sally; Cobey, Kelly D; Chan, Leighton; Clark, Jocalyn; Deeks, Jonathan; Flanagin, Annette; Garner, Paul; Glenny, Anne-Marie; Groves, Trish; Gurusamy, Kurinchi; Habibzadeh, Farrokh; Jewell-Thomas, Stefanie; Kelsall, Diane; Lapeña, José Florencio; MacLehose, Harriet; Marusic, Ana; McKenzie, Joanne E; Shah, Jay; Shamseer, Larissa; Straus, Sharon; Tugwell, Peter; Wager, Elizabeth; Winker, Margaret; Zhaori, Getu

2017-09-11

Scientific editors are responsible for deciding which articles to publish in their journals. However, we have not found documentation of their required knowledge, skills, and characteristics, or the existence of any formal core competencies for this role. We describe the development of a minimum set of core competencies for scientific editors of biomedical journals. The 14 key core competencies are divided into three major areas, and each competency has a list of associated elements or descriptions of more specific knowledge, skills, and characteristics that contribute to its fulfillment. We believe that these core competencies are a baseline of the knowledge, skills, and characteristics needed to perform competently the duties of a scientific editor at a biomedical journal.

Disorders of representation and control in semantic cognition: Effects of familiarity, typicality, and specificity

PubMed Central

Rogers, Timothy T.; Patterson, Karalyn; Jefferies, Elizabeth; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A.

2015-01-01

We present a case-series comparison of patients with cross-modal semantic impairments consequent on either (a) bilateral anterior temporal lobe atrophy in semantic dementia (SD) or (b) left-hemisphere fronto-parietal and/or posterior temporal stroke in semantic aphasia (SA). Both groups were assessed on a new test battery designed to measure how performance is influenced by concept familiarity, typicality and specificity. In line with previous findings, performance in SD was strongly modulated by all of these factors, with better performance for more familiar items (regardless of typicality), for more typical items (regardless of familiarity) and for tasks that did not require very specific classification, consistent with the gradual degradation of conceptual knowledge in SD. The SA group showed significant impairments on all tasks but their sensitivity to familiarity, typicality and specificity was more variable and governed by task-specific effects of these factors on controlled semantic processing. The results are discussed with reference to theories about the complementary roles of representation and manipulation of semantic knowledge. PMID:25934635

Semantic layers for illustrative volume rendering.

PubMed

Rautek, Peter; Bruckner, Stefan; Gröller, Eduard

2007-01-01

Direct volume rendering techniques map volumetric attributes (e.g., density, gradient magnitude, etc.) to visual styles. Commonly this mapping is specified by a transfer function. The specification of transfer functions is a complex task and requires expert knowledge about the underlying rendering technique. In the case of multiple volumetric attributes and multiple visual styles the specification of the multi-dimensional transfer function becomes more challenging and non-intuitive. We present a novel methodology for the specification of a mapping from several volumetric attributes to multiple illustrative visual styles. We introduce semantic layers that allow a domain expert to specify the mapping in the natural language of the domain. A semantic layer defines the mapping of volumetric attributes to one visual style. Volumetric attributes and visual styles are represented as fuzzy sets. The mapping is specified by rules that are evaluated with fuzzy logic arithmetics. The user specifies the fuzzy sets and the rules without special knowledge about the underlying rendering technique. Semantic layers allow for a linguistic specification of the mapping from attributes to visual styles replacing the traditional transfer function specification.

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

Hess, J.W.

An aircraft battle-damage repair (BDR) program is described that provides for the assessment and repair of battle damage and the return of badly damaged aircraft to their home bases. The program methodology is based on the use of time-saving temporary repairs and associated training and materials provision. BDR is shown to require knowledge of damage mechanisms and specifications for the minimum effective requirements for BDR support, and the method can facilitate the return of 50 percent of damaged aircraft within 24 hours.

Space station needs, attributes and architectural options study. Briefing material, mid-term review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

User mission requirements and their relationship to the current space transportation system are examined as a means of assuring the infusion of corporate ideas and knowledge in the space station program. Specific tasks include developing strategies to develop user consistency; determine DOD implication and requirements; and foster industry involvement in the space station. Mission alternatives; accrued benefits; program options; system attributes and characteristics; and a recommended plan for space station evolution are covered.

Perceptual and associative knowledge in category specific impairment of semantic memory: a study of two cases.

PubMed

Laiacona, M; Barbarotto, R; Capitani, E

1993-12-01

We report two head-injured patients whose knowledge of living things was selectively disrupted. Their semantic knowledge was tested with naming and verbal comprehension tasks and a verbal questionnaire. In all of them there was consistent evidence that knowledge of living things was impaired and that of non-living things was relatively preserved. The living things deficit emerged irrespective of whether the question tapped associative or perceptual knowledge or required visual or non visual information. In all tasks the category effect was still significant after the influence on the performance of the following variables was partialled out: word frequency, concept familiarity, prototypicality, name agreement, image agreement and visual complexity. In the verbal questionnaire dissociations were still significant even after adjustment for the difficulty of questions for normals, that had proven greater for living things. Besides diffuse brain damage, both patients presented with a left posterior temporo-parietal lesion.

Summary of astronaut inputs on automation and robotics for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weeks, David J.

1990-01-01

Astronauts and payload specialists present specific recommendations in the form of an overview that relate to the use of automation and robotics on the Space Station Freedom. The inputs are based on on-orbit operations experience, time requirements for crews, and similar crew-specific knowledge that address the impacts of automation and robotics on productivity. Interview techniques and specific questionnaire results are listed, and the majority of the responses indicate that incorporating automation and robotics to some extent and with human backup can improve productivity. Specific support is found for the use of advanced automation and EVA robotics on the Space Station Freedom and for the use of advanced automation on ground-based stations. Ground-based control of in-flight robotics is required, and Space Station activities and crew tasks should be analyzed to assess the systems engineering approach for incorporating automation and robotics.

Systems Maintenance Automated Repair Tasks (SMART)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuh, Joseph; Mitchell, Brent; Locklear, Louis; Belson, Martin A.; Al-Shihabi, Mary Jo Y.; King, Nadean; Norena, Elkin; Hardin, Derek

2010-01-01

SMART is a uniform automated discrepancy analysis and repair-authoring platform that improves technical accuracy and timely delivery of repair procedures for a given discrepancy (see figure a). SMART will minimize data errors, create uniform repair processes, and enhance the existing knowledge base of engineering repair processes. This innovation is the first tool developed that links the hardware specification requirements with the actual repair methods, sequences, and required equipment. SMART is flexibly designed to be useable by multiple engineering groups requiring decision analysis, and by any work authorization and disposition platform (see figure b). The organizational logic creates the link between specification requirements of the hardware, and specific procedures required to repair discrepancies. The first segment in the SMART process uses a decision analysis tree to define all the permutations between component/ subcomponent/discrepancy/repair on the hardware. The second segment uses a repair matrix to define what the steps and sequences are for any repair defined in the decision tree. This segment also allows for the selection of specific steps from multivariable steps. SMART will also be able to interface with outside databases and to store information from them to be inserted into the repair-procedure document. Some of the steps will be identified as optional, and would only be used based on the location and the current configuration of the hardware. The output from this analysis would be sent to a work authoring system in the form of a predefined sequence of steps containing required actions, tools, parts, materials, certifications, and specific requirements controlling quality, functional requirements, and limitations.

Exploring Tree Age & Diameter to Illustrate Sample Design & Inference in Observational Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casady, Grant M.

2015-01-01

Undergraduate biology labs often explore the techniques of data collection but neglect the statistical framework necessary to express findings. Students can be confused about how to use their statistical knowledge to address specific biological questions. Growth in the area of observational ecology requires that students gain experience in…

Assessment of Mental Health Problems in People with Down Syndrome: Key Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spendelow, Jason S.

2011-01-01

The dual disability literature is marked by a lack of reviews with respect to assessment of specific aetiological groups. The current review summarises the wide body of literature relevant to the assessment of psychiatric and behavioural problems in people with Down syndrome. Adequate assessment within this population requires knowledge, not only…

Chapter 6. Climate and terrain

Treesearch

James N. Davis

2004-01-01

Our knowledge of the physical requirements of cultivated plants is far advanced in contrast to that of the native and introduced species used in range plantings. Cultivated plants are usually grown as single varieties of a species under specific controlled conditions to ensure maximum yields. Native and introduced range plants often grow in species mixtures on sites...

Learning Soft Skills at Work: An Interview with Annalee Luhman

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Barbara D.; Muir, Clive

2004-01-01

Soft skills are attitudes and behaviors displayed in interactions among individuals that affect the outcomes of such encounters. These differ from hard skills, which are the technical knowledge and abilities required to perform specific job-related tasks more formally stated in job descriptions. In the past, it was felt that managers and employees…

Auto Body Repair and Refinishing 2; Automotive Refinishing 1: 9035.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course will provide the student with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes and values required for job entry as an auto body repair helper. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, service tools and bench skills, paint spray equipment, paint materials, and preparation of automobile body…

Project Bibliographies: Tracking the Expansion of Knowledge Using JPL Project Publications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coppin, Ann

2016-01-01

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Library defines a project bibliography as a bibliography of publicly available publications relating to a specific JPL instrument or mission. These bibliographies may be used to share information between distant project team members, as part of the required Education and Public Outreach effort, or as part of…

When Prior Knowledge Interferes, Inhibitory Control Matters for Learning: The Case of Numerical Magnitude Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laski, Elida V.; Dulaney, Alana

2015-01-01

The present study tested the "interference hypothesis"-that learning and using more advanced representations and strategies requires the inhibition of prior, less advanced ones. Specifically, it examined the relation between inhibitory control and number line estimation performance. Experiment 1 compared the accuracy of adults' (N = 53)…

An Inquiry into the Development of Future Speech-Language Pathologists: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plotts, Kimberly P.

2017-01-01

Upon graduating college, many students seek employment within the degree area in which they obtained. Employers are seeking skills in individuals that encompass interpersonal, technical, analytical, personal, and professional abilities. As with many careers, the allied health field requires content specific knowledge and specialized skills, which…

Preparing Home Visitors to Partner with Families of Infants and Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roggman, Lori A.; Peterson, Carla A.; Chazan-Cohen, Rachel; Ispa, Jean; Decker, Kallie B.; Hughes-Belding, Kere; Cook, Gina A.; Vallotton, Claire D.

2016-01-01

Home visitors provide individualized services to families of infants and young children in their homes. Due to their unique role, home visitors must develop a specialized set of critical competencies--specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes. They therefore require preparation that differs in distinct ways from the preparation typically available…

An Experiment in Teaching Invention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Andre

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that invention can be taught to business students who do not have the prior technical knowledge that is assumed to be a requirement for this kind of activity. Design/methodology/approach: This paper contains reflections on the results of introducing a specific course in inventing based on the…

Opinion: An Argument for Archival Research Methods--Thinking beyond Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

L'Eplattenier, Barbara E.

2009-01-01

Historians of rhetoric and composition need to be more explicit and specific about their investigative methods when reporting their research, states this author. This should be done in a systematic and incremental way that both highlights the uniqueness of archival study and creates the depth and breadth of knowledge required to begin…

Building a Conceptual Framework for Data Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gummer, Edith; Mandinach, Ellen

2015-01-01

Background: The increasing focus on education as an evidence-based practice requires that educators can effectively use data to inform their practice. At the level of classroom instructional decision making, the nature of the specific knowledge and skills teachers need to use data effectively is complex and not well characterized. Being able to…

Digital Technology in Teaching International Business: Is a Tradeoff between Richness and Reach Required?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wymbs, Cliff; Kijne, Hugo

2003-01-01

This analysis extends the traditional marketing tradeoffs between richness (depth of knowledge) and reach (geographic area coverage) to the emerging technology-mediated education industry, and then specifically evaluates their effect on the teaching of international business. It asserts that interactive learning, particularly as it applies to team…

Non-Technical Skills in Undergraduate Degrees in Business: Development and Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Denise; Hancock, Phil

2010-01-01

The development of discipline-specific skills and knowledge is no longer considered sufficient in graduates of Bachelor level degrees in Business. Higher education providers are becoming increasingly responsible for the development of a generic skill set deemed essential in undergraduates. This required skill set comprises a broad range of…

Cognitive Arithmetic: Evidence for the Development of Automaticity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeFevre, Jo-Anne; Bisanz, Jeffrey

To determine whether children's knowledge of arithmetic facts becomes increasingly "automatic" with age, 7-year-olds, 11-year-olds, and adults were given a number-matching task for which mental arithmetic should have been irrelevant. Specifically, students were required to verify the presence of a probe number in a previously presented pair (e.g.,…

TOPEX SDR Processing, October 1998. Volume 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jeffrey E.; Lockwood, Dennis W.

2003-01-01

This document is a compendium of the WFF TOPEX Software Development Team's knowledge regarding Sensor Data Record (SDR) Processing. It includes many elements of a requirements document, a software specification document, a software design document, and a user's manual. In the more technical sections, this document assumes the reader is familiar with TOPEX and instrument files.

State Curriculum Mandates and Student Knowledge of Personal Finance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennyson, Sharon; Nguyen, Chau

2001-01-01

A financial literacy test was administered to 1,643 high school students in 31 states. State mandates for generic consumer education were not associated with higher scores. Students in states requiring specific personal finance coursework scored significantly higher than those in generic-mandate or no-mandate states. (Contains 23 references.) (SK)

Application of statistical process control and process capability analysis procedures in orbiter processing activities at the Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safford, Robert R.; Jackson, Andrew E.; Swart, William W.; Barth, Timothy S.

1994-01-01

Successful ground processing at KSC requires that flight hardware and ground support equipment conform to specifications at tens of thousands of checkpoints. Knowledge of conformance is an essential requirement for launch. That knowledge of conformance at every requisite point does not, however, enable identification of past problems with equipment, or potential problem areas. This paper describes how the introduction of Statistical Process Control and Process Capability Analysis identification procedures into existing shuttle processing procedures can enable identification of potential problem areas and candidates for improvements to increase processing performance measures. Results of a case study describing application of the analysis procedures to Thermal Protection System processing are used to illustrate the benefits of the approaches described in the paper.

Classification and treatment of periprosthetic supracondylar femur fractures.

PubMed

Ricci, William

2013-02-01

Locked plating and retrograde nailing are two accepted methods for treatment of periprosthetic distal femur fractures. Each has relative benefits and potential pitfalls. Appropriate patient selection and knowledge of the specific femoral component geometry are required to optimally choose between these two methods. Locked plating may be applied to most periprosthetic distal femur fractures. The fracture pattern, simple or comminuted, will dictate the specific plating technique, compression plating or bridge plating. Nailing requires an open intercondylar box and a distal fragment of enough size to allow interlocking. With proper patient selection and proper techniques, good results can be obtained with either method. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Relationship Between Climate Change Impact, Migration and Socioeconomic Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sann Oo, Kyaw

2016-06-01

Geospatial data are available in raster and vector formats and some of them are available in open data form. The technique and tools to handle those data are also available in open source. Though it is free of charge, the knowledge to utilize those data is limited to non-educated in the specific field. The data and technology should be promoted to those levels to utilize in required fields with priceless in developing countries. Before utilize open data, which are required to verify with local knowledge to become usable information for the local people as priceless data resources. Developing country, which economic is based in agriculture, required more information about precise weather data and weather variation by the climate change impact for their socioeconomic development. This study found that rural to urban migration occurs in the developing countries such agriculture based country likes Myanmar when the agriculture economic are affected by unpredictable impact by the climate change. The knowledge sharing using open data resources to non-educated local people is one of the curable solutions for the agriculture economy development in the country. Moreover, the study will find ways to reduce the rural to urban migration.

AMPHION: Specification-based programming for scientific subroutine libraries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1994-01-01

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

The Emergence of Explicit Knowledge in a Serial Reaction Time Task: The Role of Experienced Fluency and Strength of Representation.

PubMed

Esser, Sarah; Haider, Hilde

2017-01-01

The Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) is an important paradigm to study the properties of unconscious learning processes. One specifically interesting and still controversially discussed topic are the conditions under which unconsciously acquired knowledge becomes conscious knowledge. The different assumptions about the underlying mechanisms can contrastively be separated into two accounts: single system views in which the strengthening of associative weights throughout training gradually turns implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge, and dual system views in which implicit knowledge itself does not become conscious. Rather, it requires a second process which detects changes in performance and is able to acquire conscious knowledge. In a series of three experiments, we manipulated the arrangement of sequential and deviant trials. In an SRTT training, participants either received mini-blocks of sequential trials followed by mini-blocks of deviant trials (22 trials each) or they received sequential and deviant trials mixed randomly. Importantly the number of correct and deviant transitions was the same for both conditions. Experiment 1 showed that both conditions acquired a comparable amount of implicit knowledge, expressed in different test tasks. Experiment 2 further demonstrated that both conditions differed in their subjectively experienced fluency of the task, with more fluency experienced when trained with mini-blocks. Lastly, Experiment 3 revealed that the participants trained with longer mini-blocks of sequential and deviant material developed more explicit knowledge. Results are discussed regarding their compatibility with different assumptions about the emergence of explicit knowledge in an implicit learning situation, especially with respect to the role of metacognitive judgements and more specifically the Unexpected-Event Hypothesis.

The Emergence of Explicit Knowledge in a Serial Reaction Time Task: The Role of Experienced Fluency and Strength of Representation

PubMed Central

Esser, Sarah; Haider, Hilde

2017-01-01

The Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) is an important paradigm to study the properties of unconscious learning processes. One specifically interesting and still controversially discussed topic are the conditions under which unconsciously acquired knowledge becomes conscious knowledge. The different assumptions about the underlying mechanisms can contrastively be separated into two accounts: single system views in which the strengthening of associative weights throughout training gradually turns implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge, and dual system views in which implicit knowledge itself does not become conscious. Rather, it requires a second process which detects changes in performance and is able to acquire conscious knowledge. In a series of three experiments, we manipulated the arrangement of sequential and deviant trials. In an SRTT training, participants either received mini-blocks of sequential trials followed by mini-blocks of deviant trials (22 trials each) or they received sequential and deviant trials mixed randomly. Importantly the number of correct and deviant transitions was the same for both conditions. Experiment 1 showed that both conditions acquired a comparable amount of implicit knowledge, expressed in different test tasks. Experiment 2 further demonstrated that both conditions differed in their subjectively experienced fluency of the task, with more fluency experienced when trained with mini-blocks. Lastly, Experiment 3 revealed that the participants trained with longer mini-blocks of sequential and deviant material developed more explicit knowledge. Results are discussed regarding their compatibility with different assumptions about the emergence of explicit knowledge in an implicit learning situation, especially with respect to the role of metacognitive judgements and more specifically the Unexpected-Event Hypothesis. PMID:28421018

Boundary work for sustainable development: Natural resource management at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

PubMed

Clark, William C; Tomich, Thomas P; van Noordwijk, Meine; Guston, David; Catacutan, Delia; Dickson, Nancy M; McNie, Elizabeth

2016-04-26

Previous research on the determinants of effectiveness in knowledge systems seeking to support sustainable development has highlighted the importance of "boundary work" through which research communities organize their relations with new science, other sources of knowledge, and the worlds of action and policymaking. A growing body of scholarship postulates specific attributes of boundary work that promote used and useful research. These propositions, however, are largely based on the experience of a few industrialized countries. We report here on an effort to evaluate their relevance for efforts to harness science in support of sustainability in the developing world. We carried out a multicountry comparative analysis of natural resource management programs conducted under the auspices of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. We discovered six distinctive kinds of boundary work contributing to the successes of those programs-a greater variety than has been documented in previous studies. We argue that these different kinds of boundary work can be understood as a dual response to the different uses for which the results of specific research programs are intended, and the different sources of knowledge drawn on by those programs. We show that these distinctive kinds of boundary work require distinctive strategies to organize them effectively. Especially important are arrangements regarding participation of stakeholders, accountability in governance, and the use of "boundary objects." We conclude that improving the ability of research programs to produce useful knowledge for sustainable development will require both greater and differentiated support for multiple forms of boundary work.

Boundary work for sustainable development: Natural resource management at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

PubMed Central

Clark, William C.; Tomich, Thomas P.; van Noordwijk, Meine; Guston, David; Catacutan, Delia; Dickson, Nancy M.; McNie, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Previous research on the determinants of effectiveness in knowledge systems seeking to support sustainable development has highlighted the importance of “boundary work” through which research communities organize their relations with new science, other sources of knowledge, and the worlds of action and policymaking. A growing body of scholarship postulates specific attributes of boundary work that promote used and useful research. These propositions, however, are largely based on the experience of a few industrialized countries. We report here on an effort to evaluate their relevance for efforts to harness science in support of sustainability in the developing world. We carried out a multicountry comparative analysis of natural resource management programs conducted under the auspices of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. We discovered six distinctive kinds of boundary work contributing to the successes of those programs—a greater variety than has been documented in previous studies. We argue that these different kinds of boundary work can be understood as a dual response to the different uses for which the results of specific research programs are intended, and the different sources of knowledge drawn on by those programs. We show that these distinctive kinds of boundary work require distinctive strategies to organize them effectively. Especially important are arrangements regarding participation of stakeholders, accountability in governance, and the use of “boundary objects.” We conclude that improving the ability of research programs to produce useful knowledge for sustainable development will require both greater and differentiated support for multiple forms of boundary work. PMID:21844351

Development of a web-based, specialty specific portfolio.

PubMed

Clay, A S; Petrusa, E; Harker, M; Andolsek, K

2007-05-01

This article illustrates the creation of a specialty specific portfolio that can be used by several different residency programs to document resident competence during a given rotation. Three different disciplines (anesthesiology, surgery and medicine) worked together to create a critical care medicine portfolio. We began by reviewing the curriculum requirements for critical care medicine and organized these requirements into the six ACGME core competencies. We then developed learner led exercises in each core competency that were specific to critical care. Each exercise includes assessment of resident knowledge and application, an evaluation of the exercise, a learner self-assessment of skill, and a review of performance by a faculty member. Portfolio entries are highlighted in a multi-disciplinary weekly conference and posted on a critical care web site at our University. Creation of specialty specific portfolio reduces redundancy between disciplines, allows for increased time to be spent on the development of exercises specific to rotation objectives, and aids program directors in the collection of portfolio entries for each resident over the course of a residency.

Does the knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework facilitate physical demands analysis development for firefighter injury management and return-to-work planning?

PubMed

Sinden, Kathryn; MacDermid, Joy C

2014-03-01

Employers are tasked with developing injury management and return-to-work (RTW) programs in response to occupational health and safety policies. Physical demands analyses (PDAs) are the cornerstone of injury management and RTW development. Synthesizing and contextualizing policy knowledge for use in occupational program development, including PDAs, is challenging due to multiple stakeholder involvement. Few studies have used a knowledge translation theoretical framework to facilitate policy-based interventions in occupational contexts. The primary aim of this case study was to identify how constructs of the knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework were reflected in employer stakeholder-researcher collaborations during development of a firefighter PDA. Four stakeholder meetings were conducted with employee participants who had experience using PDAs in their occupational role. Directed content analysis informed analyses of meeting minutes, stakeholder views and personal reflections recorded throughout the case. Existing knowledge sources including local data, stakeholder experiences, policies and priorities were synthesized and tailored to develop a PDA in response to the barriers and facilitators identified by the firefighters. The flexibility of the KTA framework and synthesis of multiple knowledge sources were identified strengths. The KTA Action cycle was useful in directing the overall process but insufficient for directing the specific aspects of PDA development. Integration of specific PDA guidelines into the process provided explicit direction on best practices in tailoring the PDA and knowledge synthesis. Although the themes of the KTA framework were confirmed in our analysis, order modification of the KTA components was required. Despite a complex context with divergent perspectives successful implementation of a draft PDA was achieved. The KTA framework facilitated knowledge synthesis and PDA development but specific standards and modifications to the KTA framework were needed to enhance process structure. Flexibility for modification and integration of PDA practice guidelines were identified as assets of the KTA framework during its application.

Knowledge requirements for automated inference of medical textbook markup.

PubMed Central

Berrios, D. C.; Kehler, A.; Fagan, L. M.

1999-01-01

Indexing medical text in journals or textbooks requires a tremendous amount of resources. We tested two algorithms for automatically indexing nouns, noun-modifiers, and noun phrases, and inferring selected binary relations between UMLS concepts in a textbook of infectious disease. Sixty-six percent of nouns and noun-modifiers and 81% of noun phrases were correctly matched to UMLS concepts. Semantic relations were identified with 100% specificity and 94% sensitivity. For some medical sub-domains, these algorithms could permit expeditious generation of more complex indexing. PMID:10566445

Proceedings of the Strategic Computing Natural Language Workshop Held in Marina del Rey, California on 1-2 May 1986.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

more specific top level goals supporting this single broad objective are to produce technology that will: 1. enable the operation of military systems...the boundary between semantics and pragmatics. These are problems that arise in single sentences, even though one may have to look beyond the single ...instances of metonymy seem to require only type knowledge. (4) At the most abstract level, interpretation requires the constructive proof of a single

Progress in modeling hypersonic turbulent boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeman, Otto

1993-01-01

A good knowledge of the turbulence structure, wall heat transfer, and friction in turbulent boundary layers (TBL) at high speeds is required for the design of hypersonic air breathing airplanes and reentry space vehicles. This work reports on recent progress in the modeling of high speed TBL flows. The specific research goal described here is the development of a second order closure model for zero pressure gradient TBL's for the range of Mach numbers up to hypersonic speeds with arbitrary wall cooling requirements.

Generation of surgical pathology report using a 5,000-word speech recognizer.

PubMed

Tischler, A S; Martin, M R

1989-10-01

Pressures to decrease both turnaround time and operating costs simultaneously have placed conflicting demands on traditional forms of medical transcription. The new technology of voice recognition extends the promise of enabling the pathologist or other medical professional to dictate a correct report and have it printed and/or transmitted to a database immediately. The usefulness of voice recognition systems depends on several factors, including ease of use, reliability, speed, and accuracy. These in turn depend on the general underlying design of the systems and inclusion in the systems of a specific knowledge base appropriate for each application. Development of a good knowledge base requires close collaboration between a domain expert and a knowledge engineer with expertise in voice recognition. The authors have recently completed a knowledge base for surgical pathology using the Kurzweil VoiceReport 5,000-word system.

Nursing, Pharmacy, and Prescriber Knowledge and Perceptions of High-Alert Medications in a Large, Academic Medical Hospital

PubMed Central

Engels, Melanie J.

2015-01-01

Background: High-alert medications pose a greater risk of causing significant harm to patients if used in error. The Joint Commission requires that hospitals define institution-specific high-alert medications and implement processes to ensure safe medication use. Method: Nursing, pharmacy, and prescribers were asked to voluntarily complete a 34-question survey to assess their knowledge, experience, and perceptions regarding high-alert medications in an academic hospital. Results: The majority of respondents identified the organization’s high-alert medications, the consequences of an error involving a high-alert medication, and the reversal agent. Most of the risk-reduction strategies within the institution were viewed as being effective by respondents. Forty-five percent of the respondents utilized a high-alert medication in the previous 24 hours. Only 14.2% had experienced an error with a high-alert medication in the previous 12 months, with 46% being near misses. The survey found the 5 rights for medication administration were not being utilized consistently. Respondents indicated that work experience or hospital orientation is the preferred learning experience for high-alert medications. Conclusions: This study assessed all disciplines involved in the medication use process. Perceptions about high-alert medications differ between disciplines. Ongoing discipline-specific education is required to ensure that individuals accept accountability in the medication use process and to close knowledge gaps on high-alert medications and risk-reduction strategies. PMID:26446747

Uncertainty Quantification Techniques for Population Density Estimates Derived from Sparse Open Source Data

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

Stewart, Robert N; White, Devin A; Urban, Marie L

2013-01-01

The Population Density Tables (PDT) project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (www.ornl.gov) is developing population density estimates for specific human activities under normal patterns of life based largely on information available in open source. Currently, activity based density estimates are based on simple summary data statistics such as range and mean. Researchers are interested in improving activity estimation and uncertainty quantification by adopting a Bayesian framework that considers both data and sociocultural knowledge. Under a Bayesian approach knowledge about population density may be encoded through the process of expert elicitation. Due to the scale of the PDT effort whichmore » considers over 250 countries, spans 40 human activity categories, and includes numerous contributors, an elicitation tool is required that can be operationalized within an enterprise data collection and reporting system. Such a method would ideally require that the contributor have minimal statistical knowledge, require minimal input by a statistician or facilitator, consider human difficulties in expressing qualitative knowledge in a quantitative setting, and provide methods by which the contributor can appraise whether their understanding and associated uncertainty was well captured. This paper introduces an algorithm that transforms answers to simple, non-statistical questions into a bivariate Gaussian distribution as the prior for the Beta distribution. Based on geometric properties of the Beta distribution parameter feasibility space and the bivariate Gaussian distribution, an automated method for encoding is developed that responds to these challenging enterprise requirements. Though created within the context of population density, this approach may be applicable to a wide array of problem domains requiring informative priors for the Beta distribution.« less

Correlates of HIV risk-taking behaviors among African-American college students: the effect of HIV knowledge, motivation, and behavioral skills.

PubMed Central

Bazargan, M.; Kelly, E. M.; Stein, J. A.; Husaini, B. A.; Bazargan, S. H.

2000-01-01

This study identifies theoretically based predictors of condom use in a sample of 253 sexually active African-American college students recruited from two historically African-American colleges. The Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) skills model of AIDS-preventive behavior was employed to delineate the roles of HIV/AIDS knowledge, experiences with and attitudes toward condom use, peer influences, perceived vulnerability, monogamy, and behavioral skills. A predictive structural equation model revealed significant predictors of more condom use including: male gender, more sexual HIV knowledge, positive experiences and attitudes about condom use, nonmonogamy, and greater behavioral skills. Results imply that attention to behavioral skills for negotiating safer sex and training in the proper use of condoms are key elements in reducing high risk behaviors. Increasing the specific knowledge level of college students regarding the subtleties of sexual transmission of HIV is important and should be addressed. Heightening students' awareness of the limited protection of serial monogamy, and the need to address gender-specific training regarding required behavior change to reduce transmission of HIV should be an additional goal of college health professionals. PMID:10992684

Bridging Research and Environmental Regulatory Processes: The Role of Knowledge Brokers

PubMed Central

Pennell, Kelly G.; Thompson, Marcella; Rice, James W.; Senier, Laura; Brown, Phil; Suuberg, Eric

2013-01-01

Federal funding agencies increasingly require research investigators to ensure that federally-sponsored research demonstrates broader societal impact. Specifically, the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Research Program (SRP) requires research centers to include research translation and community engagement cores to achieve broader impacts, with special emphasis on improving environmental health policies through better scientific understanding. This paper draws on theoretical insights from the social sciences to show how incorporating knowledge brokers in research centers can facilitate translation of scientific expertise to influence regulatory processes and thus promote public health. Knowledge brokers connect academic researchers with decision-makers, to facilitate the translation of research findings into policies and programs. In this article, we describe the stages of the regulatory process and highlight the role of the knowledge broker and scientific expert at each stage. We illustrate the cooperation of knowledge brokers, scientific experts and policymakers using a case from the Brown University (Brown) SRP. We show how the Brown SRP incorporated knowledge brokers to engage scientific experts with regulatory officials around the emerging public health problem of vapor intrusion. In the Brown SRP, the knowledge broker brought regulatory officials into the research process, to help scientific experts understand the critical nature of this emerging public health threat, and helped scientific experts develop a research agenda that would inform the development of timely measures to protect public health. Our experience shows that knowledge brokers can enhance the impact of environmental research on public health by connecting policy decision-makers with scientific experts at critical points throughout the regulatory process. PMID:24083557

Clinical professional governance for detailed clinical models.

PubMed

Goossen, William; Goossen-Baremans, Anneke

2013-01-01

This chapter describes the need for Detailed Clinical Models for contemporary Electronic Health Systems, data exchange and data reuse. It starts with an explanation of the components related to Detailed Clinical Models with a brief summary of knowledge representation, including terminologies representing clinic relevant "things" in the real world, and information models that abstract these in order to let computers process data about these things. Next, Detailed Clinical Models are defined and their purpose is described. It builds on existing developments around the world and accumulates in current work to create a technical specification at the level of the International Standards Organization. The core components of properly expressed Detailed Clinical Models are illustrated, including clinical knowledge and context, data element specification, code bindings to terminologies and meta-information about authors, versioning among others. Detailed Clinical Models to date are heavily based on user requirements and specify the conceptual and logical levels of modelling. It is not precise enough for specific implementations, which requires an additional step. However, this allows Detailed Clinical Models to serve as specifications for many different kinds of implementations. Examples of Detailed Clinical Models are presented both in text and in Unified Modelling Language. Detailed Clinical Models can be positioned in health information architectures, where they serve at the most detailed granular level. The chapter ends with examples of projects that create and deploy Detailed Clinical Models. All have in common that they can often reuse materials from earlier projects, and that strict governance of these models is essential to use them safely in health care information and communication technology. Clinical validation is one point of such governance, and model testing another. The Plan Do Check Act cycle can be applied for governance of Detailed Clinical Models. Finally, collections of clinical models do require a repository in which they can be stored, searched, and maintained. Governance of Detailed Clinical Models is required at local, national, and international levels.

Incorporating World Knowledge to Document Clustering via Heterogeneous Information Networks.

PubMed

Wang, Chenguang; Song, Yangqiu; El-Kishky, Ahmed; Roth, Dan; Zhang, Ming; Han, Jiawei

2015-08-01

One of the key obstacles in making learning protocols realistic in applications is the need to supervise them, a costly process that often requires hiring domain experts. We consider the framework to use the world knowledge as indirect supervision. World knowledge is general-purpose knowledge, which is not designed for any specific domain. Then the key challenges are how to adapt the world knowledge to domains and how to represent it for learning. In this paper, we provide an example of using world knowledge for domain dependent document clustering. We provide three ways to specify the world knowledge to domains by resolving the ambiguity of the entities and their types, and represent the data with world knowledge as a heterogeneous information network. Then we propose a clustering algorithm that can cluster multiple types and incorporate the sub-type information as constraints. In the experiments, we use two existing knowledge bases as our sources of world knowledge. One is Freebase, which is collaboratively collected knowledge about entities and their organizations. The other is YAGO2, a knowledge base automatically extracted from Wikipedia and maps knowledge to the linguistic knowledge base, Word-Net. Experimental results on two text benchmark datasets (20newsgroups and RCV1) show that incorporating world knowledge as indirect supervision can significantly outperform the state-of-the-art clustering algorithms as well as clustering algorithms enhanced with world knowledge features.

Incorporating World Knowledge to Document Clustering via Heterogeneous Information Networks

PubMed Central

Wang, Chenguang; Song, Yangqiu; El-Kishky, Ahmed; Roth, Dan; Zhang, Ming; Han, Jiawei

2015-01-01

One of the key obstacles in making learning protocols realistic in applications is the need to supervise them, a costly process that often requires hiring domain experts. We consider the framework to use the world knowledge as indirect supervision. World knowledge is general-purpose knowledge, which is not designed for any specific domain. Then the key challenges are how to adapt the world knowledge to domains and how to represent it for learning. In this paper, we provide an example of using world knowledge for domain dependent document clustering. We provide three ways to specify the world knowledge to domains by resolving the ambiguity of the entities and their types, and represent the data with world knowledge as a heterogeneous information network. Then we propose a clustering algorithm that can cluster multiple types and incorporate the sub-type information as constraints. In the experiments, we use two existing knowledge bases as our sources of world knowledge. One is Freebase, which is collaboratively collected knowledge about entities and their organizations. The other is YAGO2, a knowledge base automatically extracted from Wikipedia and maps knowledge to the linguistic knowledge base, Word-Net. Experimental results on two text benchmark datasets (20newsgroups and RCV1) show that incorporating world knowledge as indirect supervision can significantly outperform the state-of-the-art clustering algorithms as well as clustering algorithms enhanced with world knowledge features. PMID:26705504

Root and Branch Reform: Teaching City Kids about Urban Trees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Mark

2017-01-01

In today's electronic age, suburban and city children are increasingly disconnected with the natural world. Studying trees allows children to learn about the world they live in and can teach a variety of useful topics contained within the National Curriculum in England. Knowledge of trees is specifically required in the science curriculum at key…

Pharmacokinetics of Drug Entry into Cochlear Fluids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salt, Alec N.

2005-01-01

The inner ear is exposed to aminoglycosides or other drugs either intentionally or as a side effect of clinical treatments directed at other regions of the body. An understanding of the effects of drugs on the inner ear requires knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of the drug once it reaches the cochlear fluids, specifically how much of it reaches…

TOPEX Software Document Series. Volume 5; Rev. 1; TOPEX GDR Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jeffrey; Lockwood, Dennis; Hancock, David W., III

2003-01-01

This document is a compendium of the WFF TOPEX Software Development Team's knowledge regarding Geophysical Data Record (GDR) Processing. It includes many elements of a requirements document, a software specification document, a software design document, and a user's manual. In the more technical sections, this document assumes the reader is familiar with TOPEX and instrument files.

Development of Graduates' Attributes in Chemistry within an Open Distance Learning (ODL) Environment: UNISA's Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tafesse, Fikru; Mphahlele, Malose J.

2018-01-01

Discipline-specific knowledge and associated technical skills as well as generic skills have represented distinct and separate aspects of chemical sciences in university studies (linear training). In addition to technical skills gained through laboratory training, employers now require a soft skill set such as strengths in analytical thinking,…

Reasoning about Benefits, Costs, and Risks of Chemical Substances: Mapping Different Levels of Sophistication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullipher, S.; Sevian, H.; Talanquer, V.

2015-01-01

The ability to evaluate options and make informed decisions about problems in relevant contexts is a core competency in science education that requires the use of both domain-general and discipline-specific knowledge and reasoning strategies. In this study we investigated the implicit assumptions and modes of reasoning applied by individuals with…

Resource and Information Maintenance of Foreign Citizens in Russia: Statement of a Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorozhkin, Evgenij M.; Leontyeva, Tatyana V.; Shchetynina, Anna V.; Krivtsov, Artem I.

2016-01-01

The relevance of studied problem is determined by the fact that in a multiethnic country the problem of the ethno-cultural specificity of different groups of people is extremely severe, and the activity of the processes of intercultural communications in the modern world requires knowledge and understanding of other cultures. The aim of the…

Requirements for SPIRES II. An External Specification for the Stanford Public Information Retrieval System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Edwin B.

SPIRES (Stanford Public Information Retrieval System) is a computerized information storage and retrieval system intended for use by students and faculty members who have little knowledge of computers but who need rapid and sophisticated retrieval and analysis. The functions and capabilities of the system from the user's point of view are…

Review Sessions and Results: Competency Testing in the Capstone Business Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parente, Diane H.; Brown, Randy C.; Warner, Alfred G.

2005-01-01

Capstone is defined in the dictionary as "putting the final stone in place." Business Policy or Strategic Management is typically the capstone class in a business management degree program. As such, there are prerequisite requirements in terms of courses and specific knowledge. We have implemented a competency test for the capstone class and…

Inter-specific variation in avian responses to human disturbance

Treesearch

Daniel T. Blumstein; Esteban Fernandez-Juricic; Patrick A. Zollner; Susan C. Garity

2005-01-01

1. Increasing urbanization and recreational activities around and within biodiversity hotspots require an understanding of how to reduce the impacts of human disturbance on more than a single species; however, we lack a general framework to study multiple species. One approach is to expand on knowledge about the theory of anti-predator behaviour to understand and...

Teachers in School Sports: Between the Fields of Education and Sport?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferry, Magnus

2016-01-01

According to the cultural sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, gaining access to a social space or a position within a social space requires a specific capital. For teachers, this is normally indicated by a valid teaching certificate with relevant subject knowledge. However, when no qualified teachers are available, which is the case for the subject of…

40 CFR 725.910 - Persons excluded from reporting significant new uses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... identified in subpart M of this part and who intends to distribute it in commerce is not required to submit a... subpart M of this part and distributes it in commerce has knowledge that a recipient of the microorganism..., of the specific section in subpart M of this part which identifies the microorganism and its...

Virtual Knowledge Brokering: Describing the Roles and Strategies Used by Knowledge Brokers in a Pediatric Physiotherapy Virtual Community of Practice.

PubMed

Hurtubise, Karen; Rivard, Lisa; Héguy, Léa; Berbari, Jade; Camden, Chantal

2016-01-01

Knowledge transfer in pediatric rehabilitation is challenging and requires active, multifaceted strategies. The use of knowledge brokers (KBs) is one such strategy noted to promote clinician behavior change. The success of using KBs to transfer knowledge relies on their ability to adapt to ever-changing clinical contexts. In addition, with the rapid growth of online platforms as knowledge transfer forums, KBs must become effective in virtual environments. Although the role of KBs has been studied in various clinical contexts, their emerging role in specific online environments designed to support evidence-based behavior change has not yet been described. Our objective is to describe the roles of, and strategies used by, four KBs involved in a virtual community of practice to guide and inform future online KB interventions. A descriptive design guided this study and a thematic content analysis process was used to analyze online KB postings. The Promoting Action on Research in Health Sciences knowledge transfer framework and online andragogical learning theories assisted in the coding. A thematic map was created illustrating the links between KBs' strategies and emerging roles in the virtual environment. We analyzed 95 posts and identified three roles: 1) context architect: promoting a respectful learning environment, 2) knowledge sharing promoter: building capacity, and 3) linkage creator: connecting research-to-practice. Strategies used by KBs reflected invitational, constructivism, and connectivism approaches, with roles and strategies changing over time. This study increases our understanding of the actions of KBs in virtual contexts to foster uptake of research evidence in pediatric physiotherapy. Our results provide valuable information about the knowledge and skills required by individuals to fulfill this role in virtual environments.

Assessing the impact of modeling limits on intelligent systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, William B.; Hammer, John M.

1990-01-01

The knowledge bases underlying intelligent systems are validated. A general conceptual framework is provided for considering the roles in intelligent systems of models of physical, behavioral, and operational phenomena. A methodology is described for identifying limits in particular intelligent systems, and the use of the methodology is illustrated via an experimental evaluation of the pilot-vehicle interface within the Pilot's Associate. The requirements and functionality are outlined for a computer based knowledge engineering environment which would embody the approach advocated and illustrated in earlier discussions. Issues considered include the specific benefits of this functionality, the potential breadth of applicability, and technical feasibility.

Blinded study determination of high sensitivity and specificity microchip electrophoresis–SSCP/HA to detect mutations in the p53 gene

PubMed Central

Hestekin, Christa N.; Lin, Jennifer S.; Senderowicz, Lionel; Jakupciak, John P.; O’Connell, Catherine; Rademaker, Alfred; Barron, Annelise E.

2012-01-01

Knowledge of the genetic changes that lead to disease has grown and continues to grow at a rapid pace. However, there is a need for clinical devices that can be used routinely to translate this knowledge into the treatment of patients. Use in a clinical setting requires high sensitivity and specificity (>97%) in order to prevent misdiagnoses. Single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and heteroduplex analysis (HA) are two DNA-based, complementary methods for mutation detection that are inexpensive and relatively easy to implement. However, both methods are most commonly detected by slab gel electrophoresis, which can be labor-intensive, time-consuming, and often the methods are unable to produce high sensitivity and specificity without the use of multiple analysis conditions. Here we demonstrate the first blinded study using microchip electrophoresis-SSCP/HA. We demonstrate the ability of microchip electrophoresis-SSCP/HA to detect with 98% sensitivity and specificity >100 samples from the p53 gene exons 5–9 in a blinded study in an analysis time of less than 10 minutes. PMID:22002021

Unsupervised markerless 3-DOF motion tracking in real time using a single low-budget camera.

PubMed

Quesada, Luis; León, Alejandro J

2012-10-01

Motion tracking is a critical task in many computer vision applications. Existing motion tracking techniques require either a great amount of knowledge on the target object or specific hardware. These requirements discourage the wide spread of commercial applications based on motion tracking. In this paper, we present a novel three degrees of freedom motion tracking system that needs no knowledge on the target object and that only requires a single low-budget camera that can be found installed in most computers and smartphones. Our system estimates, in real time, the three-dimensional position of a nonmodeled unmarked object that may be nonrigid, nonconvex, partially occluded, self-occluded, or motion blurred, given that it is opaque, evenly colored, enough contrasting with the background in each frame, and that it does not rotate. Our system is also able to determine the most relevant object to track in the screen. Our proposal does not impose additional constraints, therefore it allows a market-wide implementation of applications that require the estimation of the three position degrees of freedom of an object.

Five secrets to leveraging maximum buying power with your media project.

PubMed

Hirsch, Lonnie

2010-11-01

Planning and executing a successful media campaign or project requires knowledge and expert execution of specific techniques and skills, including understanding of the requirements for proper media research and competitive intelligence, effective planning of media schedules, negotiation of best rates with media companies, monitoring the campaign, accurately tracking and evaluating results, and making smart adjustments based on tracking data to maximize the profitability and success of the enterprise. Some of the most important knowledge and techniques are not generally known by most advertisers, particularly small businesses like health care practices. This article reveals these tips that are the most effective and includes information on the use of experts and other professional resources that help increase the likelihood of a successful outcome for a well-planned and executed media campaign. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coccidioidomycosis.

PubMed Central

Galgiani, J N

1993-01-01

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic fungal infection endemic to the southwestern United States and other parts of the western hemisphere. Although producing a wide range of disorders in healthy persons, immunosuppression predisposes to especially severe disease. Thus, a knowledge of the pathogenesis of coccidioidal infections and its relation to the normal immune responses is useful to understand the diversity of problems that Coccidioides immitis may cause. Diagnosis usually requires laboratory studies such as fungal culture or specific serologic testing. Fortunately, many patients do not need to be treated for the infection to resolve. Therapy for the more severe forms of coccidioidal infection was once limited to amphotericin B but now includes azole antifungal agents. These expanded alternatives now require physicians to weigh many factors in determining the best management for specific patients. Images PMID:8212681

Hiring for smarts.

PubMed

Menkes, Justin

2005-11-01

Yes, it's nice when a leader is charismatic and confident. And a great resume can tell you a lot about a person's knowledge and experience. But such assets are no substitute for sheer business intelligence, and they reveal very little about a leader's ability to consistently reach the "right" answer. How can hiring managers flag individuals with such smarts? Historically, the only reliable measure of brainpower has been the standard IQ test, which is rarely used in business settings because of the specific subjects it tests for-math, reading, and spatial reasoning-and because of its multiple-choice format. Despite its shortcomings, the standard IQ test is still a better predictor of managerial success than any other assessment tool companies currently use, Justin Menkes argues. It's true that there isn't a version of IQ testing that applies to the corporate world, but in rejecting IQ tests altogether, hiring managers have thwarted their own attempts to identify true business stars. The author defines the specific subjects that make up "executive intelligence"-namely, accomplishing tasks, working with people, and judging oneself. He describes how to formulate questions to test job candidates for their mastery of these subjects, offering several examples based on real situations. Knowledge questions, such as those used in standard behavioral interviews, require people to recite what they have learned or experienced; intelligence questions call for individuals to demonstrate their abilities. Therefore, the questions in an executive intelligence test shouldn't require specific industry expertise or experience; any knowledge they call for must be rudimentary and common to all executives. And the questions should not be designed to ask whether the candidate has a particular skill; they should be configured so that the candidate will have to demonstrate that skill in the course of answering them.

Assessing children's inference generation: what do tests of reading comprehension measure?

PubMed

Bowyer-Crane, Claudine; Snowling, Margaret J

2005-06-01

Previous research suggests that children with specific comprehension difficulties have problems with the generation of inferences. This raises important questions as to whether poor comprehenders have poor comprehension skills generally, or whether their problems are confined to specific inference types. The main aims of the study were (a) using two commonly used tests of reading comprehension to classify the questions requiring the generation of inferences, and (b) to investigate the relative performance of skilled and less-skilled comprehenders on questions tapping different inference types. The performance of 10 poor comprehenders (mean age 110.06 months) was compared with the performance of 10 normal readers (mean age 112.78 months) on two tests of reading comprehension. A qualitative analysis of the NARA II (form 1) and the WORD comprehension subtest was carried out. Participants were then administered the NARA II, WORD comprehension subtest and a test of non-word reading. The NARA II was heavily reliant on the generation of knowledge-based inferences, while the WORD comprehension subtest was biased towards the retention of literal information. Children identified by the NARA II as having comprehension difficulties performed in the normal range on the WORD comprehension subtests. Further, children with comprehension difficulties performed poorly on questions requiring the generation of knowledge-based and elaborative inferences. However, they were able to answer questions requiring attention to literal information or use of cohesive devices at a level comparable to normal readers. Different reading tests tap different types of inferencing skills. Lessskilled comprehenders have particular difficulty applying real-world knowledge to a text during reading, and this has implications for the formulation of effective intervention strategies.

C-Language Integrated Production System, Version 6.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Gary; Donnell, Brian; Ly, Huyen-Anh Bebe; Ortiz, Chris

1995-01-01

C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) computer programs are specifically intended to model human expertise or other knowledge. CLIPS is designed to enable research on, and development and delivery of, artificial intelligence on conventional computers. CLIPS 6.0 provides cohesive software tool for handling wide variety of knowledge with support for three different programming paradigms: rule-based, object-oriented, and procedural. Rule-based programming: representation of knowledge as heuristics - essentially, rules of thumb that specify set of actions performed in given situation. Object-oriented programming: modeling of complex systems comprised of modular components easily reused to model other systems or create new components. Procedural-programming: representation of knowledge in ways similar to those of such languages as C, Pascal, Ada, and LISP. Version of CLIPS 6.0 for IBM PC-compatible computers requires DOS v3.3 or later and/or Windows 3.1 or later.

Remote sensor support requirements for planetary missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weddell, J. B.; Wheeler, A. E.

1971-01-01

The study approach, methods, results, and conclusions of remote sensor support requirements for planetary missions are summarized. Major efforts were made to (1) establish the scientific and engineering knowledge and observation requirements for planetary exploration in the 1975 to 1985 period; (2) define the state of the art and expected development of instrument systems appropriate for sensing planetary environments; (3) establish scaling laws relating performance and support requirements of candidate remote sensor systems; (4) establish fundamental remote sensor system capabilities, limitations, and support requirements during encounter and other dynamical conditions for specific missions; and (5) construct families of candidate remote sensors compatible with selected missions. It was recommended that these data be integrated with earlier results to enhance utility, and that more restrictions be placed on the system.

Status quo of German-speaking medical students' attitudes toward and knowledge about central aspects of forensic psychiatry across four European countries.

PubMed

Warnke, Ingeborg; Gamma, Alex; Buadze, Anna; Schleifer, Roman; Canela, Carlos; Rüsch, Nicolas; Rössler, Wulf; Strebel, Bernd; Tényi, Tamás; Liebrenz, Michael

While forensic psychiatry is of increasing importance in mental health care, limited available evidence shows that attitudes toward the discipline are contradictory and that knowledge about it seems to be limited in medical students. We aimed to shed light on this subject by analyzing medical students' central attitudes toward and their association with knowledge about forensic psychiatry as well as with socio-demographic and education-specific predictor variables. We recruited N = 1345 medical students from 45 universities with a German language curriculum across four European countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary) by using an innovative approach, namely snowball sampling via Facebook. Students completed an online questionnaire, and data were analyzed descriptively and multivariably by linear mixed effects models and multinomial regression. The results showed overall neutral to positive attitudes toward forensic psychiatry, with indifferent attitudes toward the treatment of sex offenders, and forensic psychiatrists' expertise in the media. Whereas medical students knew about the term 'forensic psychiatry', they showed a lack of specific medico-legal knowledge. Multivariable models on predictor variables revealed statistically significant findings with, however, small estimates and variance explanation. Therefore, further research is required along with the development of a refined assessment instrument for medical students to explore both attitudes and knowledge in forensic psychiatry. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applying an innovative educational program for the education of today's engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kans, M.

2012-05-01

Engineers require a broad spectrum of knowledge and skills: basic skills in mathematics and physics, skills and competencies within the major subject area as well as more general knowledge about business and enterprise contexts, society regulations and understanding of the future professions' characteristics. In addition, social, intercultural, analytical and managing competencies are desired. The CDIO educational program was initiated as a means to come closer to practice and to assure the training of engineering skills that are required of today's engineers. CDIO is short for Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate and describes the full life cycle understanding of a system or asset that engineering students should reach during education. The CDIO initiative is formulated in a program consisting of two important documents: the CDIO standards and the CDIO syllabus. The standards describe a holistic approach on education, from knowledge and skills to be trained, how to train and assess them, to how to develop the teaching staff and the work places for enabling the goals. The specific knowledge and skills to be achieved are accounted for in the syllabus. In this paper we share our more than 15 years of experiences in problem and project based learning from the perspective of the CDIO standards. For each standard, examples of how to set up the education and overcome challenges connected to the standard are given. The paper concludes with recommendations to others wishing to work toward problem and real-life based education without compromising the requirements of a scientific approach.

From specific examples to general knowledge in language learning.

PubMed

Tamminen, Jakke; Davis, Matthew H; Rastle, Kathleen

2015-06-01

The extraction of general knowledge from individual episodes is critical if we are to learn new knowledge or abilities. Here we uncover some of the key cognitive mechanisms that characterise this process in the domain of language learning. In five experiments adult participants learned new morphological units embedded in fictitious words created by attaching new affixes (e.g., -afe) to familiar word stems (e.g., "sleepafe is a participant in a study about the effects of sleep"). Participants' ability to generalise semantic knowledge about the affixes was tested using tasks requiring the comprehension and production of novel words containing a trained affix (e.g., sailafe). We manipulated the delay between training and test (Experiment 1), the number of unique exemplars provided for each affix during training (Experiment 2), and the consistency of the form-to-meaning mapping of the affixes (Experiments 3-5). In a task where speeded online language processing is required (semantic priming), generalisation was achieved only after a memory consolidation opportunity following training, and only if the training included a sufficient number of unique exemplars. Semantic inconsistency disrupted speeded generalisation unless consolidation was allowed to operate on one of the two affix-meanings before introducing inconsistencies. In contrast, in tasks that required slow, deliberate reasoning, generalisation could be achieved largely irrespective of the above constraints. These findings point to two different mechanisms of generalisation that have different cognitive demands and rely on different types of memory representations. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectively engaging stakeholders and the public in developing violence prevention messages.

PubMed

Boyko, Jennifer A; Wathen, C Nadine; Kothari, Anita

2017-05-11

Preventing family violence requires that stakeholders and the broader public be involved in developing evidence-based violence prevention strategies. However, gaps exist in between what we know (knowledge), what we do (action), and the structures supporting practice (policy). We discuss the broad challenge of mobilizing knowledge-for-action in family violence, with a primary focus on the issue of how stakeholders and the public can be effectively engaged when developing and communicating evidence-based violence prevention messages. We suggest that a comprehensive approach to stakeholder and public engagement in developing violence prevention messages includes: 1) clear and consistent messaging; 2) identifying and using, as appropriate, lessons from campaigns that show evidence of reducing specific types of violence; and 3) evidence-informed approaches for communicating to specific groups. Components of a comprehensive approach must take into account the available research evidence, implementation feasibility, and the context-specific nature of family violence. While strategies exist for engaging stakeholders and the public in messaging about family violence prevention, knowledge mobilization must be informed by evidence, dialogue with stakeholders, and proactive media strategies. This paper will be of interest to public health practitioners or others involved in planning and implementing violence prevention programs because it highlights what is known about the issue, potential solutions, and implementation considerations.

Towards building a disease-phenotype knowledge base: extracting disease-manifestation relationship from literature

PubMed Central

Xu, Rong; Li, Li; Wang, QuanQiu

2013-01-01

Motivation: Systems approaches to studying phenotypic relationships among diseases are emerging as an active area of research for both novel disease gene discovery and drug repurposing. Currently, systematic study of disease phenotypic relationships on a phenome-wide scale is limited because large-scale machine-understandable disease–phenotype relationship knowledge bases are often unavailable. Here, we present an automatic approach to extract disease–manifestation (D-M) pairs (one specific type of disease–phenotype relationship) from the wide body of published biomedical literature. Data and Methods: Our method leverages external knowledge and limits the amount of human effort required. For the text corpus, we used 119 085 682 MEDLINE sentences (21 354 075 citations). First, we used D-M pairs from existing biomedical ontologies as prior knowledge to automatically discover D-M–specific syntactic patterns. We then extracted additional pairs from MEDLINE using the learned patterns. Finally, we analysed correlations between disease manifestations and disease-associated genes and drugs to demonstrate the potential of this newly created knowledge base in disease gene discovery and drug repurposing. Results: In total, we extracted 121 359 unique D-M pairs with a high precision of 0.924. Among the extracted pairs, 120 419 (99.2%) have not been captured in existing structured knowledge sources. We have shown that disease manifestations correlate positively with both disease-associated genes and drug treatments. Conclusions: The main contribution of our study is the creation of a large-scale and accurate D-M phenotype relationship knowledge base. This unique knowledge base, when combined with existing phenotypic, genetic and proteomic datasets, can have profound implications in our deeper understanding of disease etiology and in rapid drug repurposing. Availability: http://nlp.case.edu/public/data/DMPatternUMLS/ Contact: rxx@case.edu PMID:23828786

Taking knowledge users' knowledge needs into account in health: an evidence synthesis framework.

PubMed

Wickremasinghe, Deepthi; Kuruvilla, Shyama; Mays, Nicholas; Avan, Bilal Iqbal

2016-05-01

The increased demand for evidence-based practice in health policy in recent years has provoked a parallel increase in diverse evidence-based outputs designed to translate knowledge from researchers to policy makers and practitioners. Such knowledge translation ideally creates user-friendly outputs, tailored to meet information needs in a particular context for a particular audience. Yet matching users' knowledge needs to the most suitable output can be challenging. We have developed an evidence synthesis framework to help knowledge users, brokers, commissioners and producers decide which type of output offers the best 'fit' between 'need' and 'response'. We conducted a four-strand literature search for characteristics and methods of evidence synthesis outputs using databases of peer reviewed literature, specific journals, grey literature and references in relevant documents. Eight experts in synthesis designed to get research into policy and practice were also consulted to hone issues for consideration and ascertain key studies. In all, 24 documents were included in the literature review. From these we identified essential characteristics to consider when planning an output-Readability, Relevance, Rigour and Resources-which we then used to develop a process for matching users' knowledge needs with an appropriate evidence synthesis output. We also identified 10 distinct evidence synthesis outputs, classifying them in the evidence synthesis framework under four domains: key features, utility, technical characteristics and resources, and in relation to six primary audience groups-professionals, practitioners, researchers, academics, advocates and policy makers. Users' knowledge needs vary and meeting them successfully requires collaborative planning. The Framework should facilitate a more systematic assessment of the balance of essential characteristics required to select the best output for the purpose. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Validation of Commercial Fiber Optic Components for Aerospace Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, Melanie N.

2005-01-01

Full qualification for commercial photonic parts as defined by the Military specification system in the past, is not feasible. Due to changes in the photonic components industry and the Military specification system that NASA had relied upon so heavily in the past, an approach to technology validation of commercial off the shelf parts had to be devised. This approach involves knowledge of system requirements, environmental requirements and failure modes of the particular components under consideration. Synthesizing the criteria together with the major known failure modes to formulate a test plan is an effective way of establishing knowledge based "qualification". Although this does not provide the type of reliability assurance that the Military specification system did in the past, it is an approach that allows for increased risk mitigation. The information presented will introduce the audience to the technology validation approach that is currently applied at NASA for the usage of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) fiber optic components for space flight environments. The focus will be on how to establish technology validation criteria for commercial fiber products such that continued reliable performance is assured under the harsh environmental conditions of typical missions. The goal of this presentation is to provide the audience with an approach to formulating a COTS qualification test plan for these devices. Examples from past NASA missions will be discussed.

Competency-Based Framework and Continuing Education for Preparing a Skilled School Health Workforce for Asthma Care: The Colorado Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cicutto, Lisa; Gleason, Melanie; Haas-Howard, Christy; Jenkins-Nygren, Lynn; Labonde, Susan; Patrick, Kathy

2017-01-01

School health teams commonly address the needs of students with asthma, which requires specific knowledge and skills. To develop a skilled school health team, a competency-based framework for managing asthma in schools was developed. A modified Delphi with 31 panelists was completed. Consensus (=80% agreement) was reached for all 148 items…

Automotive Mechanics as Applied to Auto Body; Auto Body Repair and Refinishing 3: 9037.02.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This is a course in which the student will receive the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level as an auto body repair helper. Course content includes general and specific goals, orientation, instruction in service tools and bench skills, and auto mechanics as applied to auto body.…

Not just lumber--Using wood in the sustainable future of materials, chemicals, and fuels

Treesearch

Joseph E. Jakes; Xavier Arzola; Richard Bergman; Peter Ciesielski; Christopher G. Hunt; Nima Rahbar; Mandla Tshabalala; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft; Samuel L. Zelinka

2016-01-01

Forest-derived biomaterials can play an integral role in a sustainable and renewable future. Research across a range of disciplines is required to develop the knowledge necessary to overcome the challenges of incorporating more renewable forest resources in materials, chemicals, and fuels. We focus on wood specifically because in our view, better characterization of...

WFF TOPEX Software Documentation Altimeter Instrument File (AIF) Processing, October 1998. Volume 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jeffrey; Lockwood, Dennis

2003-01-01

This document is a compendium of the WFF TOPEX Software Development Team's knowledge regarding Sensor Data Record (SDR) Processing. It includes many elements of a requirements document, a software specification document, a software design document, and a user's manual. In the more technical sections, this document assumes the reader is familiar with TOPEX and instrument files.

Online Professional Development for High-School Biology Teachers: Effects on Teachers' and Students' Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldenberg, Lauren B.; Culp, Katherine McMillan; Clements, Margaret; Pasquale, Marian; Anderson, Alice

2014-01-01

One chronic challenge facing professional development providers is the need to convene and support groups of role-alike K-12 teachers who require similar kinds of discipline-and grade-level-specific training. Online courses have become an increasingly common way to meet this challenge. This article reports on a randomized control trial that tested…

Researcher perspectives on competencies of return-to-work coordinators.

PubMed

Gardner, Bethany T; Pransky, Glenn; Shaw, William S; Hong, Qua Nha; Loisel, Patrick

2010-01-01

Return-to-work (RTW) coordination programs are successful in reducing long-term work disability, but research reports have not adequately described the role and competencies of the RTW coordinator. This study was conducted to clarify the impact of RTW coordinators, and competencies (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) required to achieve optimal RTW outcomes in injured workers. Studies involving RTW coordination for injured workers were identified through literature review. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 principal investigators to obtain detailed information about the RTW coordinator role and competencies not included in published articles. Interview results were synthesized into principal conceptual groups by affinity mapping. All investigators strongly endorsed the role of RTW coordinator as key to the program's success. Affinity mapping identified 10 groups of essential competencies: (1) individual traits/qualities, (2) relevant knowledge base, (3) RTW focus and attitude, (4) organizational/administrative skills, (5) assessment skills, (6) communication skills, (7) interpersonal relationship skills, (8) conflict resolution skills, (9) problem-solving skills, and (10) RTW facilitation skills. Specific consensus competencies were identified within each affinity group. Most investigators endorsed similar competencies, although there was some variation by setting or scope of RTW intervention. RTW coordinators are essential contributors in RTW facilitation programs. This study identified specific competencies required to achieve success. More emphasis on mentorship and observation will be required to develop and evaluate necessary skills in this area.

A New Wnt1-CRE TomatoRosa Embryonic Stem Cell Line: A Tool for Studying Neural Crest Cell Integration Capacity.

PubMed

Acuna-Mendoza, Soledad; Martin, Sabrina; Kuchler-Bopp, Sabine; Ribes, Sandy; Thalgott, Jérémy; Chaussain, Catherine; Creuzet, Sophie; Lesot, Hervé; Lebrin, Franck; Poliard, Anne

2017-12-01

Neural crest (NC) cells are a migratory, multipotent population giving rise to numerous lineages in the embryo. Their plasticity renders attractive their use in tissue engineering-based therapies, but further knowledge on their in vivo behavior is required before clinical transfer may be envisioned. We here describe the isolation and characterization of a new mouse embryonic stem (ES) line derived from Wnt1-CRE-R26 Rosa TomatoTdv blastocyst and show that it displays the characteristics of typical ES cells. Further, these cells can be efficiently directed toward an NC stem cell-like phenotype as attested by concomitant expression of NC marker genes and Tomato fluorescence. As native NC progenitors, they are capable of differentiating toward typical derivative phenotypes and interacting with embryonic tissues to participate in the formation of neo-structures. Their specific fluorescence allows purification and tracking in vivo. This cellular tool should facilitate a better understanding of the mechanisms driving NC fate specification and help identify the key interactions developed within a tissue after in vivo implantation. Altogether, this novel model may provide important knowledge to optimize NC stem cell graft conditions, which are required for efficient tissue repair.

Plant genotyping using fluorescently tagged inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs): basic principles and methodology.

PubMed

Prince, Linda M

2015-01-01

Inter-simple sequence repeat PCR (ISSR-PCR) is a fast, inexpensive genotyping technique based on length variation in the regions between microsatellites. The method requires no species-specific prior knowledge of microsatellite location or composition. Very small amounts of DNA are required, making this method ideal for organisms of conservation concern, or where the quantity of DNA is extremely limited due to organism size. ISSR-PCR can be highly reproducible but requires careful attention to detail. Optimization of DNA extraction, fragment amplification, and normalization of fragment peak heights during fluorescent detection are critical steps to minimizing the downstream time spent verifying and scoring the data.

The integration of automated knowledge acquisition with computer-aided software engineering for space shuttle expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Modesitt, Kenneth L.

1990-01-01

A prediction was made that the terms expert systems and knowledge acquisition would begin to disappear over the next several years. This is not because they are falling into disuse; it is rather that practitioners are realizing that they are valuable adjuncts to software engineering, in terms of problem domains addressed, user acceptance, and in development methodologies. A specific problem was discussed, that of constructing an automated test analysis system for the Space Shuttle Main Engine. In this domain, knowledge acquisition was part of requirements systems analysis, and was performed with the aid of a powerful inductive ESBT in conjunction with a computer aided software engineering (CASE) tool. The original prediction is not a very risky one -- it has already been accomplished.

Dementia-specific training for nursing home staff : A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Riesch, Julia; Meyer, Lucy; Lehr, Bosco; Severin, Thomas

2017-08-22

For people with dementia high-quality care is vital, since at present dementia cannot be cured. In nursing homes this care is provided by the staff, who therefore require dementia-specific training enabling them to improve the quality of life for people with dementia. This article compares existing dementia-specific training for nursing home staff with recommendations, based on the current state of research, by the Alzheimer's Association and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and discusses the outcome of this training. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify studies addressing dementia-specific training. The electronic databases Embase, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, PsychINFO, PSYNDEX, and ScienceDirect were searched. The training topics most commonly considered were person-centered care, communicating with people affected by dementia, and information about dementia. The roles of different social and healthcare professionals, palliative care of people with dementia, and understanding family dynamics are least featured in the training. There are training concepts which focus not only on the transfer of knowledge but also on practical exercises. In general, the recommended topics were addressed in dementia-specific training concepts, but there is potential for optimization. Further research is needed to identify success criteria in dementia-specific training and identify the successful combination of theoretical knowledge and practical exercise.

Embedding argumentation discourse within elementary inquiry teaching: Implications for professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borger, Laurie Landon

The National Research Council's most recent report Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8, (2007) has suggested a redefinition of science proficiency. "This framework rests on a view of science as both a body of knowledge and an evidence-based, model building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and revises knowledge" (p.2). Therefore embedding argumentation discourse within inquiry teaching includes educating students to voice their own evidence based explanations and justifications for acceptance, refinement, or possible rejection by their peers. This new perspective will require elementary teachers to challenge their own knowledge, beliefs, and practices about science proficiency. It will necessitate the creation of professional development opportunities that are specific to the needs of the teachers who are facilitating the reform during a time period when the NCLB (2001) legislation requires 100% proficiency for all students in reading and math. This intrinsic case study involved the purposive sampling of 30 regular elementary education teachers in one rural school district in Pennsylvania. A grounded theory perspective was used to examine the elementary teachers' beliefs, practices, and barriers as a means to specify the necessary supports needed to accept the challenges associated with the redefinition of science proficiency. Data was collected through a survey, observational inventory, checklist, and interviews. Using constant comparison analysis, this researcher and the district's Science Department Head, identified and refined emerging trends into the following four essential themes: equity and accountability, teacher's beliefs, isolation, and curriculum rigor. Each theme influenced instructional practices. Most notably the implementation of the teacher evaluation plan encouraged teachers to view science as a lower priority and hindered their desire to improve it. Isolation kept teachers' science knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge stagnate, including their beliefs surrounding the ultimate goal of elementary science. The science curriculum did not include explanation or argumentation as a top level goal for instruction consequently instructional practices were limited. Eight specific components for professional development are delineated.

Theory and ontology for sharing temporal knowledge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loganantharaj, Rasiah

1996-01-01

Using current technology, the sharing or re-using of knowledge-bases is very difficult, if not impossible. ARPA has correctly recognized the problem and funded a knowledge sharing initiative. One of the outcomes of this project is a formal language called Knowledge Interchange Format (KIF) for representing knowledge that could be translated into other languages. Capturing and representing design knowledge and reasoning with them have become very important for NASA who is a pioneer of innovative design of unique products. For upgrading an existing design for changing technology, needs, or requirements, it is essential to understand the design rationale, design choices, options and other relevant information associated with the design. Capturing such information and presenting them in the appropriate form are part of the ongoing Design Knowledge Capture project of NASA. The behavior of an object and various other aspects related to time are captured by the appropriate temporal knowledge. The captured design knowledge will be represented in such a way that various groups of NASA who are interested in various aspects of the design cycle should be able to access and use the design knowledge effectively. To facilitate knowledge sharing among these groups, one has to develop a very well defined ontology. Ontology is a specification of conceptualization. In the literature several specific domains were studied and some well defined ontologies were developed for such domains. However, very little, or no work has been done in the area of representing temporal knowledge to facilitate sharing. During the ASEE summer program, I have investigated several temporal models and have proposed a theory for time that is flexible to accommodate the time elements, such as, points and intervals, and is capable of handling the qualitative and quantitative temporal constraints. I have also proposed a primitive temporal ontology using which other relevant temporal ontologies can be built. I have investigated various issues of sharing knowledge and have proposed a formal framework for modeling the concept of knowledge sharing. This work may be implemented and tested in the software environment supplied by Knowledge Based System, Inc.

Bottom-up priority setting revised. A second evaluation of an institutional intervention in a Swedish health care organisation.

PubMed

Waldau, Susanne

2015-09-01

Transparent priority setting in health care based on specific ethical principles is requested by the Swedish Parliament since 1997. Implementation has been limited. In this case, transparent priority setting was performed for a second time round and engaged an entire health care organisation. Objectives were to refine a bottom-up priority setting process, reach a political decision on service limits to make reallocation towards higher prioritised services possible, and raise systems knowledge. An action research approach was chosen. The national model for priority setting was used with addition of dimensions costs, volumes, gender distribution and feasibility. The intervention included a three step process and specific procedures for each step which were created, revised and evaluated regarding factual and functional aspects. Evaluations methods included analyses of documents, recordings and surveys. Vertical and horizontal priority setting occurred and resources were reallocated. Participants' attitudes remained positive, however less so than in the first priority setting round. Identifying low-priority services was perceived difficult, causing resentment and strategic behaviour. The horizontal stage served to raise quality of the knowledge base, level out differences in ranking of services and raise systems knowledge. Existing health care management systems do not meet institutional requirements for transparent priority setting. Introducing transparent priority setting constitutes a complex institutional reform, which needs to be driven by management/administration. Strong managerial commitment is required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Access to finance from different finance provider types: Farmer knowledge of the requirements.

PubMed

Wulandari, Eliana; Meuwissen, Miranda P M; Karmana, Maman H; Oude Lansink, Alfons G J M

2017-01-01

Analysing farmer knowledge of the requirements of finance providers can provide valuable insights to policy makers about ways to improve farmers' access to finance. This study compares farmer knowledge of the requirements to obtain finance with the actual requirements set by different finance provider types, and investigates the relation between demographic and socioeconomic factors and farmer knowledge of finance requirements. We use a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of finance providers and farmers in Java Island, Indonesia. We find that the most important requirements to acquire finance vary among different finance provider types. We also find that farmers generally have little knowledge of the requirements, which are important to each type of finance provider. Awareness campaigns are needed to increase farmer knowledge of the diversity of requirements among the finance provider types.

Access to finance from different finance provider types: Farmer knowledge of the requirements

PubMed Central

Meuwissen, Miranda P. M.; Karmana, Maman H.; Oude Lansink, Alfons G. J. M.

2017-01-01

Analysing farmer knowledge of the requirements of finance providers can provide valuable insights to policy makers about ways to improve farmers’ access to finance. This study compares farmer knowledge of the requirements to obtain finance with the actual requirements set by different finance provider types, and investigates the relation between demographic and socioeconomic factors and farmer knowledge of finance requirements. We use a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of finance providers and farmers in Java Island, Indonesia. We find that the most important requirements to acquire finance vary among different finance provider types. We also find that farmers generally have little knowledge of the requirements, which are important to each type of finance provider. Awareness campaigns are needed to increase farmer knowledge of the diversity of requirements among the finance provider types. PMID:28877174

Domain-Specific Knowledge and Why Teaching Generic Skills Does Not Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tricot, André; Sweller, John

2014-01-01

Domain-general cognitive knowledge has frequently been used to explain skill when domain-specific knowledge held in long-term memory may provide a better explanation. An emphasis on domain-general knowledge may be misplaced if domain-specific knowledge is the primary factor driving acquired intellectual skills. We trace the long history of…

Systems, methods and apparatus for verification of knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rash, James L. (Inventor); Gracinin, Denis (Inventor); Erickson, John D. (Inventor); Rouff, Christopher A. (Inventor); Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments, domain knowledge is translated into a knowledge-based system. In some embodiments, a formal specification is derived from rules of a knowledge-based system, the formal specification is analyzed, and flaws in the formal specification are used to identify and correct errors in the domain knowledge, from which a knowledge-based system is translated.

A randomized controlled trial of a new behavioral home-based nutrition education program, "Eat Well with CF," in adults with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Watson, Helen; Bilton, Diana; Truby, Helen

2008-05-01

Cystic fibrosis (CF) remains the most common genetically inherited disease in the white population and its prognosis is affected by nutritional status. Adults with the disease are now surviving longer and new strategies are required to ensure that they maintain optimal nutrition. This article reports preliminary data from a randomized controlled trial of a 10-week home-based behavioral nutrition intervention, "Eat Well with CF." Outcome measures of weight change over 6 and 12 months and changes in CF-specific nutrition knowledge score, self-efficacy score, reported dietary fat intake and health-related quality-of-life score were compared between the intervention group (n=34) and a standard care control group (n=34). The hypotheses to be tested were that adults with CF completing "Eat Well with CF" would have an improved nutritional status, improvement in specific nutrition knowledge, and an improvement in self-efficacy regarding their ability to cope with a special diet, compared to those receiving standard care. There were substantial improvements in the intervention group's specific CF nutrition knowledge score, self-efficacy score, and reported fat intake compared to control, but no substantial change in body mass index or health-related quality of life over time. Home-based nutrition education incorporating behavioral strategies can be an effective way to support adults with CF, enabling improvement in self-management skills in relation to diet and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. This study revealed gaps in basic nutrition knowledge and skills, inadequate knowledge of diet-disease links and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. These need to be identified when subjects progress from pediatric to adult care, and programs such as "Eat Well with CF" are a useful adjunct for registered dietitians trying to manage this diverse but growing population.

Factors influencing analysis of complex cognitive tasks: a framework and example from industrial process control.

PubMed

Prietula, M J; Feltovich, P J; Marchak, F

2000-01-01

We propose that considering four categories of task factors can facilitate knowledge elicitation efforts in the analysis of complex cognitive tasks: materials, strategies, knowledge characteristics, and goals. A study was conducted to examine the effects of altering aspects of two of these task categories on problem-solving behavior across skill levels: materials and goals. Two versions of an applied engineering problem were presented to expert, intermediate, and novice participants. Participants were to minimize the cost of running a steam generation facility by adjusting steam generation levels and flows. One version was cast in the form of a dynamic, computer-based simulation that provided immediate feedback on flows, costs, and constraint violations, thus incorporating key variable dynamics of the problem context. The other version was cast as a static computer-based model, with no dynamic components, cost feedback, or constraint checking. Experts performed better than the other groups across material conditions, and, when required, the presentation of the goal assisted the experts more than the other groups. The static group generated richer protocols than the dynamic group, but the dynamic group solved the problem in significantly less time. Little effect of feedback was found for intermediates, and none for novices. We conclude that demonstrating differences in performance in this task requires different materials than explicating underlying knowledge that leads to performance. We also conclude that substantial knowledge is required to exploit the information yielded by the dynamic form of the task or the explicit solution goal. This simple model can help to identify the contextual factors that influence elicitation and specification of knowledge, which is essential in the engineering of joint cognitive systems.

Automatic Debugging Support for UML Designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schumann, Johann; Swanson, Keith (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Design of large software systems requires rigorous application of software engineering methods covering all phases of the software process. Debugging during the early design phases is extremely important, because late bug-fixes are expensive. In this paper, we describe an approach which facilitates debugging of UML requirements and designs. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a set of notations for object-orient design of a software system. We have developed an algorithm which translates requirement specifications in the form of annotated sequence diagrams into structured statecharts. This algorithm detects conflicts between sequence diagrams and inconsistencies in the domain knowledge. After synthesizing statecharts from sequence diagrams, these statecharts usually are subject to manual modification and refinement. By using the "backward" direction of our synthesis algorithm. we are able to map modifications made to the statechart back into the requirements (sequence diagrams) and check for conflicts there. Fed back to the user conflicts detected by our algorithm are the basis for deductive-based debugging of requirements and domain theory in very early development stages. Our approach allows to generate explanations oil why there is a conflict and which parts of the specifications are affected.

Decision Support System Requirements Definition for Human Extravehicular Activity Based on Cognitive Work Analysis

PubMed Central

Miller, Matthew James; McGuire, Kerry M.; Feigh, Karen M.

2016-01-01

The design and adoption of decision support systems within complex work domains is a challenge for cognitive systems engineering (CSE) practitioners, particularly at the onset of project development. This article presents an example of applying CSE techniques to derive design requirements compatible with traditional systems engineering to guide decision support system development. Specifically, it demonstrates the requirements derivation process based on cognitive work analysis for a subset of human spaceflight operations known as extravehicular activity. The results are presented in two phases. First, a work domain analysis revealed a comprehensive set of work functions and constraints that exist in the extravehicular activity work domain. Second, a control task analysis was performed on a subset of the work functions identified by the work domain analysis to articulate the translation of subject matter states of knowledge to high-level decision support system requirements. This work emphasizes an incremental requirements specification process as a critical component of CSE analyses to better situate CSE perspectives within the early phases of traditional systems engineering design. PMID:28491008

Decision Support System Requirements Definition for Human Extravehicular Activity Based on Cognitive Work Analysis.

PubMed

Miller, Matthew James; McGuire, Kerry M; Feigh, Karen M

2017-06-01

The design and adoption of decision support systems within complex work domains is a challenge for cognitive systems engineering (CSE) practitioners, particularly at the onset of project development. This article presents an example of applying CSE techniques to derive design requirements compatible with traditional systems engineering to guide decision support system development. Specifically, it demonstrates the requirements derivation process based on cognitive work analysis for a subset of human spaceflight operations known as extravehicular activity . The results are presented in two phases. First, a work domain analysis revealed a comprehensive set of work functions and constraints that exist in the extravehicular activity work domain. Second, a control task analysis was performed on a subset of the work functions identified by the work domain analysis to articulate the translation of subject matter states of knowledge to high-level decision support system requirements. This work emphasizes an incremental requirements specification process as a critical component of CSE analyses to better situate CSE perspectives within the early phases of traditional systems engineering design.

Requirements' Role in Mobilizing and Enabling Design Conversation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergman, Mark

Requirements play a critical role in a design conversation of systems and products. Product and system design exists at the crossroads of problems, solutions and requirements. Requirements contextualize problems and solutions, pointing the way to feasible outcomes. These are captured with models and detailed specifications. Still, stakeholders need to be able to understand one-another using shared design representations in order to mobilize bias and transform knowledge towards legitimized, desired results. Many modern modeling languages, including UML, as well as detailed, logic-based specifications are beyond the comprehension of key stakeholders. Hence, they inhibit, rather than promote design conversation. Improved design boundary objects (DBO), especially design requirements boundary objects (DRBO), need to be created and refined to improve the communications between principals. Four key features of design boundary objects that improve and promote design conversation are discussed in detail. A systems analysis and design case study is presented which demonstrates these features in action. It describes how a small team of analysts worked with key stakeholders to mobilize and guide a complex system design discussion towards an unexpected, yet desired outcome within a short time frame.

The ethical duty to preserve the quality of scientific information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arattano, Massimo; Gatti, Albertina; Eusebio, Elisa

2016-04-01

The commitment to communicate and divulge the knowledge acquired during his/her professional activity is certainly one of the ethical duties of the geologist. However nowadays, in the Internet era, the spreading of knowledge involves potential risks that the geologist should be aware of. These risks require a careful analysis aimed to mitigate their effects. The Internet may in fact contribute to spread (e.g. through websites like Wikipedia) information badly or even incorrectly presented. The final result could be an impediment to the diffusion of knowledge and a reduction of its effectiveness, which is precisely the opposite of the goal that a geologist should pursue. Specific criteria aimed to recognize incorrect or inadequate information would be, therefore, extremely useful. Their development and application might avoid, or at least reduce, the above mentioned risk. Ideally, such criteria could be also used to develop specific algorithms to automatically verify the quality of information available all over the Internet. A possible criterion will be here presented for the quality control of knowledge and scientific information. An example of its application in the field of geology will be provided, to verify and correct a piece of information available on the Internet. The proposed criterion could be also used for the simplification of the scientific information and the increase of its informative efficacy.

Requirements for modeling airborne microbial contamination in space stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Houdt, Rob; Kokkonen, Eero; Lehtimäki, Matti; Pasanen, Pertti; Leys, Natalie; Kulmala, Ilpo

2018-03-01

Exposure to bioaerosols is one of the facets that affect indoor air quality, especially for people living in densely populated or confined habitats, and is associated to a wide range of health effects. Good indoor air quality is thus vital and a prerequisite for fully confined environments such as space habitats. Bioaerosols and microbial contamination in these confined space stations can have significant health impacts, considering the unique prevailing conditions and constraints of such habitats. Therefore, biocontamination in space stations is strictly monitored and controlled to ensure crew and mission safety. However, efficient bioaerosol control measures rely on solid understanding and knowledge on how these bioaerosols are created and dispersed, and which factors affect the survivability of the associated microorganisms. Here we review the current knowledge gained from relevant studies in this wide and multidisciplinary area of bioaerosol dispersion modeling and biological indoor air quality control, specifically taking into account the specific space conditions.

Selecting, adapting, and sustaining programs in health care systems

PubMed Central

Zullig, Leah L; Bosworth, Hayden B

2015-01-01

Practitioners and researchers often design behavioral programs that are effective for a specific population or problem. Despite their success in a controlled setting, relatively few programs are scaled up and implemented in health care systems. Planning for scale-up is a critical, yet often overlooked, element in the process of program design. Equally as important is understanding how to select a program that has already been developed, and adapt and implement the program to meet specific organizational goals. This adaptation and implementation requires attention to organizational goals, available resources, and program cost. We assert that translational behavioral medicine necessitates expanding successful programs beyond a stand-alone research study. This paper describes key factors to consider when selecting, adapting, and sustaining programs for scale-up in large health care systems and applies the Knowledge to Action (KTA) Framework to a case study, illustrating knowledge creation and an action cycle of implementation and evaluation activities. PMID:25931825

Use of a wiki as a radiology departmental knowledge management system.

PubMed

Meenan, Christopher; King, Antoinette; Toland, Christopher; Daly, Mark; Nagy, Paul

2010-04-01

Information technology teams in health care are tasked with maintaining a variety of information systems with complex support requirements. In radiology, this includes picture archive and communication systems, radiology information systems, speech recognition systems, and other ancillary systems. Hospital information technology (IT) departments are required to provide 24 x 7 support for these mission-critical systems that directly support patient care in emergency and other critical care departments. The practical know-how to keep these systems operational and diagnose problems promptly is difficult to maintain around the clock. Specific details on infrequent failure modes or advanced troubleshooting strategies may reside with only a few senior staff members. Our goal was to reduce diagnosis and recovery times for issues with our mission-critical systems. We created a knowledge base for building and quickly disseminating technical expertise to our entire support staff. We used an open source, wiki-based, collaborative authoring system internally within our IT department to improve our ability to deliver a high level of service to our customers. In this paper, we describe our evaluation of the wiki and the ways in which we used it to organize our support knowledge. We found the wiki to be an effective tool for knowledge management and for improving our ability to provide mission-critical support for health care IT systems.

ACES: Space shuttle flight software analysis expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Satterwhite, R. Scott

1990-01-01

The Analysis Criteria Evaluation System (ACES) is a knowledge based expert system that automates the final certification of the Space Shuttle onboard flight software. Guidance, navigation and control of the Space Shuttle through all its flight phases are accomplished by a complex onboard flight software system. This software is reconfigured for each flight to allow thousands of mission-specific parameters to be introduced and must therefore be thoroughly certified prior to each flight. This certification is performed in ground simulations by executing the software in the flight computers. Flight trajectories from liftoff to landing, including abort scenarios, are simulated and the results are stored for analysis. The current methodology of performing this analysis is repetitive and requires many man-hours. The ultimate goals of ACES are to capture the knowledge of the current experts and improve the quality and reduce the manpower required to certify the Space Shuttle onboard flight software.

Biological and communication skills needed for introduced fish biologists

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonar, Scott A.

2016-01-01

What skills and knowledge will a new graduate seeking employment need to work with introduced fishes? Clearly, success in introduced species management—similar to other disciplines in fisheries—requires a mixture of scientific and communication skills. However, specific abilities especially important to a biologist who manages introduced fishes should be highlighted. Unlike most other management strategies, stocking an introduced species can result in unintended and irreversible impacts, so particular care must be employed when stocking is considered. Furthermore, fish populations in areas outside of the introduced species management area might also be affected, usually negatively, if the introduced fish escapes. Therefore, rock-solid knowledge of basic aquatic ecology, including risk management; fish taxonomy (so the wrong fish species is not mistakenly stocked!); familiarity with human values of both the time and the place (which requires communication skills); and a strong understanding of human history are all important.

Enhancing knowledge and awareness of biosecurity practices for control of African swine fever among smallholder pig farmers in four districts along the Kenya-Uganda border.

PubMed

Nantima, Noelina; Davies, Jocelyn; Dione, Michel; Ocaido, Michael; Okoth, Edward; Mugisha, Anthony; Bishop, Richard

2016-04-01

A study was undertaken along the Kenya-Uganda border in four districts of Tororo and Busia (Uganda) and Busia and Teso (Kenya) to understand smallholder farmers' knowledge, practices and awareness of biosecurity measures. Information was collected by administering questionnaires to 645 randomly selected pig households in the study area. In addition, focus group discussions were carried out in 12 villages involving 248 people using a standardized list of questions. The outcome suggested that there was a very low level of awareness of biosecurity practices amongst smallholder farmers. We conclude that adoption of specific biosecurity practices by smallholder farmers is feasible but requires institutional support. There is a clear requirement for government authorities to sensitize farmers using approaches that allow active participation of farmers in the design, planning and implementation of biosecurity practices to enable enhanced adoption.

ECLSS advanced automation preliminary requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lukefahr, Brenda D.; Rochowiak, Daniel M.; Benson, Brian L.; Rogers, John S.; Mckee, James W.

1989-01-01

A description of the total Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is presented. The description of the hardware is given in a top down format, the lowest level of which is a functional description of each candidate implementation. For each candidate implementation, both its advantages and disadvantages are presented. From this knowledge, it was suggested where expert systems could be used in the diagnosis and control of specific portions of the ECLSS. A process to determine if expert systems are applicable and how to select the expert system is also presented. The consideration of possible problems or inconsistencies in the knowledge or workings in the subsystems is described.

Bilateral presence of two root canals in maxillary central incisors: A rare case study.

PubMed

Kavitha, M; Gokul, Kannan; Ramaprabha, B; Lakshmi, Amudha

2014-04-01

Success in root canal treatment is achieved after thorough cleaning and shaping followed by complete obturation of the canal system. Therefore, endodontic therapy requires specific and complete knowledge of the internal and external dental anatomy, and its variations in presentation. The internal anatomy of the maxillary central incisor is well-known and usually presents one root canal system. This case report describes an endodontic treatment of traumatized both maxillary central incisors with two canal systems. Knowledge of dental anatomy is fundamental for proper endodontic practice. When root canal treatment is performed, the clinician should be aware that both external and internal anatomy may be abnormal.

Knowledge, Skills, and Resources for Pharmacy Informatics Education

PubMed Central

Fox, Brent I.; Flynn, Allen J.; Fortier, Christopher R.; Clauson, Kevin A.

2011-01-01

Pharmacy has an established history of technology use to support business processes. Pharmacy informatics education within doctor of pharmacy programs, however, is inconsistent, despite its inclusion as a requirement in the 2007 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standards and Guidelines. This manuscript describes pharmacy informatics knowledge and skills that all graduating pharmacy students should possess, conceptualized within the framework of the medication use process. Additionally, we suggest core source materials and specific learning activities to support pharmacy informatics education. We conclude with a brief discussion of emerging changes in the practice model. These changes are facilitated by pharmacy informatics and will inevitably become commonplace in our graduates’ practice environment. PMID:21829267

Knowledge, skills, and resources for pharmacy informatics education.

PubMed

Fox, Brent I; Flynn, Allen J; Fortier, Christopher R; Clauson, Kevin A

2011-06-10

Pharmacy has an established history of technology use to support business processes. Pharmacy informatics education within doctor of pharmacy programs, however, is inconsistent, despite its inclusion as a requirement in the 2007 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standards and Guidelines. This manuscript describes pharmacy informatics knowledge and skills that all graduating pharmacy students should possess, conceptualized within the framework of the medication use process. Additionally, we suggest core source materials and specific learning activities to support pharmacy informatics education. We conclude with a brief discussion of emerging changes in the practice model. These changes are facilitated by pharmacy informatics and will inevitably become commonplace in our graduates' practice environment.

The Representation of Object-Directed Action and Function Knowledge in the Human Brain

PubMed Central

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E.; Mahon, Bradford Z.

2016-01-01

The appropriate use of everyday objects requires the integration of action and function knowledge. Previous research suggests that action knowledge is represented in frontoparietal areas while function knowledge is represented in temporal lobe regions. Here we used multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representation of object-directed action and function knowledge while participants executed pantomimes of familiar tool actions. A novel approach for decoding object knowledge was used in which classifiers were trained on one pair of objects and then tested on a distinct pair; this permitted a measurement of classification accuracy over and above object-specific information. Region of interest (ROI) analyses showed that object-directed actions could be decoded in tool-preferring regions of both parietal and temporal cortex, while no independently defined tool-preferring ROI showed successful decoding of object function. However, a whole-brain searchlight analysis revealed that while frontoparietal motor and peri-motor regions are engaged in the representation of object-directed actions, medial temporal lobe areas in the left hemisphere are involved in the representation of function knowledge. These results indicate that both action and function knowledge are represented in a topographically coherent manner that is amenable to study with multivariate approaches, and that the left medial temporal cortex represents knowledge of object function. PMID:25595179

Knowledge representation requirements for model sharing between model-based reasoning and simulation in process flow domains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Throop, David R.

1992-01-01

The paper examines the requirements for the reuse of computational models employed in model-based reasoning (MBR) to support automated inference about mechanisms. Areas in which the theory of MBR is not yet completely adequate for using the information that simulations can yield are identified, and recent work in these areas is reviewed. It is argued that using MBR along with simulations forces the use of specific fault models. Fault models are used so that a particular fault can be instantiated into the model and run. This in turn implies that the component specification language needs to be capable of encoding any fault that might need to be sensed or diagnosed. It also means that the simulation code must anticipate all these faults at the component level.

Identification of knowledge gaps in neurosurgery using a validated self-assessment examination: differences between general and spinal neurosurgeons.

PubMed

Sheehan, Jason; Starke, Robert M; Pouratian, Nader; Litvack, Zachary

2013-11-01

The practice of neurosurgery requires fundamental knowledge base. Residency training programs and continuing medical education courses are designed to teach relevant neurosurgical principles. Nevertheless, knowledge gaps exist for neurosurgeons and may be different between cohorts of neurosurgeons. The Self-Assessment in Neurological Surgery (SANS) General Examination and Spine Examination are online educational tools for lifelong learning and maintenance of certification. This study examines the gaps in knowledge of spinal neurosurgeons and general neurosurgeons taking SANS. From 2008 to 2010, a total of 165 spinal neurosurgeons completed the 243 available questions of the SANS Spine Examination. Over that same time frame, 993 general neurosurgeons completed the SANS General Spine Examination. Mean scores were calculated and assessed according to 18 major neurosurgical knowledge disciplines. Statistical analysis was carried out to evaluate for significant knowledge gaps among all users and significant differences in performance between spinal neurosurgeons and their general neurosurgeon counterparts. The mean overall examination score was 87.4% ± 7.5% for spinal neurosurgeons and 71.5% ± 8.9% for general neurosurgeons (P < 0.001). Of the 18 major knowledge categories in SANS, spinal neurosurgeons (n = 165) answered questions incorrectly 15% or greater of the time in five of the categories. The categories of lower performance for spinal neurosurgeons were cerebrovascular, anesthesia and critical care, general clinical, tumor, and trauma. For general neurosurgeons (n = 993), the five knowledge categories with lowest performance were cerebrovascular, epilepsy, peripheral nerve, trauma, and radiosurgery. Although spinal neurosurgeons and general neurosurgeons shared some areas of decreased performance including trauma and cerebrovascular, spine neurosurgeons relatively underperformed in general clinical, anesthesia and critical care, and tumor. The SANS Spine Examination demonstrated knowledge gaps in specific categories for spinal surgeons. The knowledge areas of diminished performance differed between spinal and general neurosurgeons. Identification of specific areas of deficiency could prove useful in the design and implementation of educational programs and maintenance of certification. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sharing Responsibility for Data Stewardship Between Scientists and Curators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedstrom, M. L.

2012-12-01

Data stewardship is becoming increasingly important to support accurate conclusions from new forms of data, integration of and computation across heterogeneous data types, interactions between models and data, replication of results, data governance and long-term archiving. In addition to increasing recognition of the importance of data management, data science, and data curation by US and international scientific agencies, the National Academies of Science Board on Research Data and Information is sponsoring a study on Data Curation Education and Workforce Issues. Effective data stewardship requires a distributed effort among scientists who produce data, IT staff and/or vendors who provide data storage and computational facilities and services, and curators who enhance data quality, manage data governance, provide access to third parties, and assume responsibility for long-term archiving of data. The expertise necessary for scientific data management includes a mix of knowledge of the scientific domain; an understanding of domain data requirements, standards, ontologies and analytical methods; facility with leading edge information technology; and knowledge of data governance, standards, and best practices for long-term preservation and access that rarely are found in a single individual. Rather than developing data science and data curation as new and distinct occupations, this paper examines the set of tasks required for data stewardship. The paper proposes an alternative model that embeds data stewardship in scientific workflows and coordinates hand-offs between instruments, repositories, analytical processing, publishers, distributors, and archives. This model forms the basis for defining knowledge and skill requirements for specific actors in the processes required for data stewardship and the corresponding educational and training needs.

Knowledge-acquisition tools for medical knowledge-based systems.

PubMed

Lanzola, G; Quaglini, S; Stefanelli, M

1995-03-01

Knowledge-based systems (KBS) have been proposed to solve a large variety of medical problems. A strategic issue for KBS development and maintenance are the efforts required for both knowledge engineers and domain experts. The proposed solution is building efficient knowledge acquisition (KA) tools. This paper presents a set of KA tools we are developing within a European Project called GAMES II. They have been designed after the formulation of an epistemological model of medical reasoning. The main goal is that of developing a computational framework which allows knowledge engineers and domain experts to interact cooperatively in developing a medical KBS. To this aim, a set of reusable software components is highly recommended. Their design was facilitated by the development of a methodology for KBS construction. It views this process as comprising two activities: the tailoring of the epistemological model to the specific medical task to be executed and the subsequent translation of this model into a computational architecture so that the connections between computational structures and their knowledge level counterparts are maintained. The KA tools we developed are illustrated taking examples from the behavior of a KBS we are building for the management of children with acute myeloid leukemia.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a practical inquiry-based learning bioinformatics module on undergraduate student engagement and applied skills.

PubMed

Brown, James A L

2016-05-06

A pedagogic intervention, in the form of an inquiry-based peer-assisted learning project (as a practical student-led bioinformatics module), was assessed for its ability to increase students' engagement, practical bioinformatic skills and process-specific knowledge. Elements assessed were process-specific knowledge following module completion, qualitative student-based module evaluation and the novelty, scientific validity and quality of written student reports. Bioinformatics is often the starting point for laboratory-based research projects, therefore high importance was placed on allowing students to individually develop and apply processes and methods of scientific research. Students led a bioinformatic inquiry-based project (within a framework of inquiry), discovering, justifying and exploring individually discovered research targets. Detailed assessable reports were produced, displaying data generated and the resources used. Mimicking research settings, undergraduates were divided into small collaborative groups, with distinctive central themes. The module was evaluated by assessing the quality and originality of the students' targets through reports, reflecting students' use and understanding of concepts and tools required to generate their data. Furthermore, evaluation of the bioinformatic module was assessed semi-quantitatively using pre- and post-module quizzes (a non-assessable activity, not contributing to their grade), which incorporated process- and content-specific questions (indicative of their use of the online tools). Qualitative assessment of the teaching intervention was performed using post-module surveys, exploring student satisfaction and other module specific elements. Overall, a positive experience was found, as was a post module increase in correct process-specific answers. In conclusion, an inquiry-based peer-assisted learning module increased students' engagement, practical bioinformatic skills and process-specific knowledge. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:304-313 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Towards a semantic lexicon for biological language processing

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

Verspoor, K.

It is well understood that natural language processing (NLP) applications require sophisticated lexical resources to support their processing goals. In the biomedical domain, we are privileged to have access to extensive terminological resources in the form of controlled vocabularies and ontologies, which have been integrated into the framework of the National Library of Medicine's Unified Medical Language System's (UMLS) Metathesaurus. However, the existence of such terminological resources does not guarantee their utility for NLP. In particular, we have two core requirements for lexical resources for NLP in addition to the basic enumeration of important domain terms: representation of morphosyntactic informationmore » about those terms, specifically part of speech information and inflectional patterns to support parsing and lemma assignment, and representation of semantic information indicating general categorical information about terms, and significant relations between terms to support text understanding and inference (Hahn et at, 1999). Biomedical vocabularies by and large commonly leave out morphosyntactic information, and where they address semantic considerations, they often do so in an unprincipled manner, for instance by indicating a relation between two concepts without indicating the type of that relation. But all is not lost. The UMLS knowledge sources include two additional resources which are relevant - the SPECIALIST lexicon, a lexicon addressing our morphosyntactic requirements, and the Semantic Network, a representation of core conceptual categories in the biomedical domain. The coverage of these two knowledge sources with respect to the full coverage of the Metathesaurus is, however, not entirely clear. Furthermore, when our goals are specifically to process biological text - and often more specifically, text in the molecular biology domain - it is difficult to say whether the coverage of these resources is meaningful. The utility of the UMLS knowledge sources for medical language processing (MLP) has been explored (Johnson, 1999; Friedman et al 2001); the time has now come to repeat these experiments with respect to biological language processing (BLP). To that end, this paper presents an analysis of ihe UMLS resources, specifically with an eye towards constructing lexical resources suitable for BLP. We follow the paradigm presented in Johnson (1999) for medical language, exploring overlap between the UMLS Metathesaurus and SPECIALIST lexicon to construct a morphosyntactic and semantically-specified lexicon, and then further explore the overlap with a relevant domain corpus for molecular biology.« less

Spaceflight Human System Standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holubec, Keith; Tillman, Barry; Connolly, Jan

2009-01-01

NASA created a new approach for human system integration and human performance standards. NASA created two documents a standard and a reference handbook. The standard is titled NASA Space Flight Human-System Standard (SFHSS) and consists of two-volumes: Volume 1- Crew Health This volume covers standards needed to support astronaut health (medical care, nutrition, sleep, exercise, etc.) Volume 2 Human Factors, Habitability and Environmental Health This volume covers the standards for system design that will maintain astronaut performance (ie., environmental factors, design of facilities, layout of workstations, and lighting requirements). It includes classic human factors requirements. The new standards document is written in terms so that it is applicable to a broad range of present and future NASA systems. The document states that all new programs prepare system-specific requirements that will meet the general standards. For example, the new standard does not specify a design should accommodate specific percentiles of a defined population. Rather, NASA-STD-3001, Volume 2 states that all programs shall prepare program-specific requirements that define the user population and their size ranges. The design shall then accommodate the full size range of those users. The companion reference handbook, Human Integration Design Handbook (HIDH), was developed to capture the design consideration information from NASA-STD-3000, and adds spaceflight lessons learned, gaps in knowledge, example solutions, and suggests research to further mature specific disciplines. The HIDH serves two major purposes: HIDH is the reference document for writing human factors requirements for specific systems. HIDH contains design guidance information that helps insure that designers create systems which safely and effectively accommodate the capabilities and limitations of space flight crews.

Talk, trust and time: a longitudinal study evaluating knowledge translation and exchange processes for research on violence against women

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Violence against women (VAW) is a major public health problem. Translation of VAW research to policy and practice is an area that remains understudied, but provides the opportunity to examine knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) processes in a complex, multi-stakeholder context. In a series of studies including two randomized trials, the McMaster University VAW Research Program studied one key research gap: evidence about the effectiveness of screening women for exposure to intimate partner violence. This project developed and evaluated KTE strategies to share research findings with policymakers, health and community service providers, and women's advocates. Methods A longitudinal cross-sectional design, applying concurrent mixed data collection methods (surveys, interviews, and focus groups), was used to evaluate the utility of specific KTE strategies, including a series of workshops and a day-long Family Violence Knowledge Exchange Forum, on research sharing, uptake, and use. Results Participants valued the opportunity to meet with researchers, provide feedback on key messages, and make personal connections with other stakeholders. A number of factors specific to the knowledge itself, stakeholders' contexts, and the nature of the knowledge gap being addressed influenced the uptake, sharing, and use of the research. The types of knowledge use changed across time, and were specifically related to both the types of decisions being made, and to stage of decision making; most reported use was conceptual or symbolic, with few examples of instrumental use. Participants did report actively sharing the research findings with their own networks. Further examination of these second-order knowledge-sharing processes is required, including development of appropriate methods and measures for its assessment. Some participants reported that they would not use the research evidence in their decision making when it contradicted professional experiences, while others used it to support apparently contradictory positions. The online wiki-based 'community of interest' requested by participants was not used. Conclusions Mobilizing knowledge in the area of VAW practice and policy is complex and resource-intensive, and must acknowledge and respect the values of identified knowledge users, while balancing the objectivity of the research and researchers. This paper provides important lessons learned about these processes, including attending to the potential unintended consequences of knowledge sharing. PMID:21896170

Talk, trust and time: a longitudinal study evaluating knowledge translation and exchange processes for research on violence against women.

PubMed

Wathen, C Nadine; Sibbald, Shannon L; Jack, Susan M; Macmillan, Harriet L

2011-09-06

Violence against women (VAW) is a major public health problem. Translation of VAW research to policy and practice is an area that remains understudied, but provides the opportunity to examine knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) processes in a complex, multi-stakeholder context. In a series of studies including two randomized trials, the McMaster University VAW Research Program studied one key research gap: evidence about the effectiveness of screening women for exposure to intimate partner violence. This project developed and evaluated KTE strategies to share research findings with policymakers, health and community service providers, and women's advocates. A longitudinal cross-sectional design, applying concurrent mixed data collection methods (surveys, interviews, and focus groups), was used to evaluate the utility of specific KTE strategies, including a series of workshops and a day-long Family Violence Knowledge Exchange Forum, on research sharing, uptake, and use. Participants valued the opportunity to meet with researchers, provide feedback on key messages, and make personal connections with other stakeholders. A number of factors specific to the knowledge itself, stakeholders' contexts, and the nature of the knowledge gap being addressed influenced the uptake, sharing, and use of the research. The types of knowledge use changed across time, and were specifically related to both the types of decisions being made, and to stage of decision making; most reported use was conceptual or symbolic, with few examples of instrumental use. Participants did report actively sharing the research findings with their own networks. Further examination of these second-order knowledge-sharing processes is required, including development of appropriate methods and measures for its assessment. Some participants reported that they would not use the research evidence in their decision making when it contradicted professional experiences, while others used it to support apparently contradictory positions. The online wiki-based 'community of interest' requested by participants was not used. Mobilizing knowledge in the area of VAW practice and policy is complex and resource-intensive, and must acknowledge and respect the values of identified knowledge users, while balancing the objectivity of the research and researchers. This paper provides important lessons learned about these processes, including attending to the potential unintended consequences of knowledge sharing.

Recommendations for the user-specific enhancement of flood maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, V.; Kuhlicke, C.; Luther, J.; Fuchs, S.; Priest, S.; Dorner, W.; Serrhini, K.; Pardoe, J.; McCarthy, S.; Seidel, J.; Palka, G.; Unnerstall, H.; Viavattene, C.; Scheuer, S.

2012-05-01

The European Union Floods Directive requires the establishment of flood maps for high risk areas in all European member states by 2013. However, the current practice of flood mapping in Europe still shows some deficits. Firstly, flood maps are frequently seen as an information tool rather than a communication tool. This means that, for example, local stocks of knowledge are not incorporated. Secondly, the contents of flood maps often do not match the requirements of the end-users. Finally, flood maps are often designed and visualised in a way that cannot be easily understood by residents at risk and/or that is not suitable for the respective needs of public authorities in risk and event management. The RISK MAP project examined how end-user participation in the mapping process may be used to overcome these barriers and enhance the communicative power of flood maps, fundamentally increasing their effectiveness. Based on empirical findings from a participatory approach that incorporated interviews, workshops and eye-tracking tests, conducted in five European case studies, this paper outlines recommendations for user-specific enhancements of flood maps. More specific, recommendations are given with regard to (1) appropriate stakeholder participation processes, which allow incorporating local knowledge and preferences, (2) the improvement of the contents of flood maps by considering user-specific needs and (3) the improvement of the visualisation of risk maps in order to produce user-friendly and understandable risk maps for the user groups concerned. Furthermore, "idealised" maps for different user groups are presented: for strategic planning, emergency management and the public.

Development of a practice tool for community-based nurses: the Heart Failure Palliative Approach to Care (HeFPAC).

PubMed

Strachan, Patricia H; Joy, Cathy; Costigan, Jeannine; Carter, Nancy

2014-04-01

Patients living with advanced heart failure (HF) require a palliative approach to reduce suffering. Nurses have described significant knowledge gaps about the disease-specific palliative care (PC) needs of these patients. An intervention is required to facilitate appropriate end-of-life care for HF patients. The purpose of this study was to develop a user-friendly, evidence-informed HF-specific practice tool for community-based nurses to facilitate care and communication regarding a palliative approach to HF care. Guided by the Knowledge to Action framework, we identified key HF-specific issues related to advanced HF care provision within the context of a palliative approach to care. Informed by current evidence and subsequent iterative consultation with community-based and specialist PC and HF nurses, a pocket guide tool for community-based nurses was created. We developed the Heart Failure Palliative Approach to Care (HeFPAC) pocket guide to promote communication and a palliative approach to care for HF patients. The HeFPAC has potential to improve the quality of care and experiences for patients with advanced HF. It will be piloted in community-based practice and in a continuing education program for nurses. The HeFPAC pocket guide offers PC nurses a concise, evidence-informed and practical point-of care tool to communicate with other clinicians and patients about key HF issues that are associated with improving disease-specific HF palliative care and the quality of life of patients and their families. Pilot testing will offer insight as to its utility and potential for modification for national and international use.

Defects in Hardwood Veneer Logs: Their Frequency and Importance

Treesearch

E.S. Harrar

1954-01-01

Most southern hardwood veneer and plywood plants have some method of classifying logs by grade to control the purchase price paid for logs bought on the open market. Such log-grading systems have been developed by experience and are dependent to a large extent upon the ability of the grader and his knowledge of veneer grades and yields required for the specific product...

Wheels and Tires: Understanding the Numbers on the Sides of Tires Might Lead to Longer Life Tires and Improved Driving Safety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritz, John M.

2005-01-01

Automotive wheels and tires require knowledge to understand their specifications and use. While the durability and useful life of tires have increased substantially over the last several decades, in all probability consumers will purchase a number of vehicle tires over their lifetime. Knowing how they are made and what the numbers mean will assist…

Blinded study determination of high sensitivity and specificity microchip electrophoresis-SSCP/HA to detect mutations in the p53 gene.

PubMed

Hestekin, Christa N; Lin, Jennifer S; Senderowicz, Lionel; Jakupciak, John P; O'Connell, Catherine; Rademaker, Alfred; Barron, Annelise E

2011-11-01

Knowledge of the genetic changes that lead to disease has grown and continues to grow at a rapid pace. However, there is a need for clinical devices that can be used routinely to translate this knowledge into the treatment of patients. Use in a clinical setting requires high sensitivity and specificity (>97%) in order to prevent misdiagnoses. Single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and heteroduplex analysis (HA) are two DNA-based, complementary methods for mutation detection that are inexpensive and relatively easy to implement. However, both methods are most commonly detected by slab gel electrophoresis, which can be labor-intensive, time-consuming, and often the methods are unable to produce high sensitivity and specificity without the use of multiple analysis conditions. Here, we demonstrate the first blinded study using microchip electrophoresis (ME)-SSCP/HA. We demonstrate the ability of ME-SSCP/HA to detect with 98% sensitivity and specificity >100 samples from the p53 gene exons 5-9 in a blinded study in an analysis time of <10 min. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Health data and data governance.

PubMed

Hovenga, Evelyn J S; Grain, Heather

2013-01-01

Health is a knowledge industry, based on data collected to support care, service planning, financing and knowledge advancement. Increasingly there is a need to collect, retrieve and use health record information in an electronic format to provide greater flexibility, as this enables retrieval and display of data in multiple locations and formats irrespective of where the data were collected. Electronically maintained records require greater structure and consistency to achieve this. The use of data held in records generated in real time in clinical systems also has the potential to reduce the time it takes to gain knowledge, as there is less need to collect research specific information, this is only possible if data governance principles are applied. Connected devices and information systems are now generating huge amounts of data, as never before seen. An ability to analyse and mine very large amounts of data, "Big Data", provides policy and decision makers with new insights into varied aspects of work and information flow and operational business patterns and trends, and drives greater efficiencies, and safer and more effective health care. This enables decision makers to apply rules and guidance that have been developed based upon knowledge from many individual patient records through recognition of triggers based upon that knowledge. In clinical decision support systems information about the individual is compared to rules based upon knowledge gained from accumulated information of many to provide guidance at appropriate times in the clinical process. To achieve this the data in the individual system, and the knowledge rules must be represented in a compatible and consistent manner. This chapter describes data attributes; explains the difference between data and information; outlines the requirements for quality data; shows the relevance of health data standards; and describes how data governance impacts representation of content in systems and the use of that information.

Standards for hospital libraries 2002

PubMed Central

Gluck, Jeannine Cyr; Hassig, Robin Ackley; Balogh, Leeni; Bandy, Margaret; Doyle, Jacqueline Donaldson; Kronenfeld, Michael R.; Lindner, Katherine Lois; Murray, Kathleen; Petersen, JoAn; Rand, Debra C.

2002-01-01

The Medical Library Association's “Standards for Hospital Libraries 2002” have been developed as a guide for hospital administrators, librarians, and accrediting bodies to ensure that hospitals have the resources and services to effectively meet their needs for knowledge-based information. Specific requirements for knowledge-based information include that the library be a separate department with its own budget. Knowledge-based information in the library should be directed by a qualified librarian who functions as a department head and is a member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals. The standards define the role of the medical librarian and the links between knowledge-based information and other functions such as patient care, patient education, performance improvement, and education. In addition, the standards address the development and implementation of the knowledge-based information needs assessment and plans, the promotion and publicity of the knowledge-based information services, and the physical space and staffing requirements. The role, qualifications, and functions of a hospital library consultant are outlined. The health sciences library is positioned to play a key role in the hospital. The increasing use of the Internet and new information technologies by medical, nursing, and allied health staffs; patients; and the community require new strategies, strategic planning, allocation of adequate resources, and selection and evaluation of appropriate information resources and technologies. The Hospital Library Standards Committee has developed this document as a guideline to be used in facing these challenges. Editor's Note: The “Standards for Hospital Libraries 2002” were approved by the members of the Hospital Library Section during MLA '02 in Dallas, Texas. They were subsequently approved by Section Council and received final approval from the MLA Board of Directors in June 2002. They succeed the Standards for Hospital Libraries published in 1994 and the Minimum Standards for Health Sciences Libraries in Hospitals from 1983. A Frequently Asked Questions document discussing the development of the new standards can be found on the Hospital Library Section Website at http://www.hls.mlanet.org. PMID:12398254

49 CFR 383.117 - Requirements for passenger endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE STANDARDS; REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIES Required Knowledge and Skills § 383.117... following additional knowledge and skills test requirements. (a) Knowledge test. All applicants for the... procedures not otherwise specified. (b) Skills test. To obtain a passenger endorsement applicable to a...

Sequence-specific bias correction for RNA-seq data using recurrent neural networks.

PubMed

Zhang, Yao-Zhong; Yamaguchi, Rui; Imoto, Seiya; Miyano, Satoru

2017-01-25

The recent success of deep learning techniques in machine learning and artificial intelligence has stimulated a great deal of interest among bioinformaticians, who now wish to bring the power of deep learning to bare on a host of bioinformatical problems. Deep learning is ideally suited for biological problems that require automatic or hierarchical feature representation for biological data when prior knowledge is limited. In this work, we address the sequence-specific bias correction problem for RNA-seq data redusing Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) to model nucleotide sequences without pre-determining sequence structures. The sequence-specific bias of a read is then calculated based on the sequence probabilities estimated by RNNs, and used in the estimation of gene abundance. We explore the application of two popular RNN recurrent units for this task and demonstrate that RNN-based approaches provide a flexible way to model nucleotide sequences without knowledge of predetermined sequence structures. Our experiments show that training a RNN-based nucleotide sequence model is efficient and RNN-based bias correction methods compare well with the-state-of-the-art sequence-specific bias correction method on the commonly used MAQC-III data set. RNNs provides an alternative and flexible way to calculate sequence-specific bias without explicitly pre-determining sequence structures.

Development of a web-based and mobile app to support physical activity in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the second step of a co-design process.

PubMed

Revenäs, Åsa; Opava, Christina H; Martin, Cathrin; Demmelmaier, Ingrid; Keller, Christina; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2015-02-09

Long-term adherence to physical activity recommendations remains challenging for most individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite evidence for its health benefits. The aim of this study was to provide basic data on system requirement specifications for a Web-based and mobile app to self-manage physical activity. More specifically, we explored the target user group, features of the future app, and correlations between the system requirements and the established behavior change techniques (BCTs). We used a participatory action research design. Qualitative data were collected using multiple methods in four workshops. Participants were 5 individuals with RA, a clinical physiotherapist, an officer from the Swedish Rheumatism Association, a Web designer, and 2 physiotherapy researchers. A taxonomy was used to determine the degree of correlation between the system requirements and established BCTs. Participants agreed that the future Web-based and mobile app should be based on two major components important for maintaining physical activity: (1) a calendar feature for goal setting, planning, and recording of physical activity performance and progress, and (2) a small community feature for positive feedback and support from peers. All system requirements correlated with established BCTs, which were coded as 24 different BCTs. To our knowledge, this study is the first to involve individuals with RA as co-designers, in collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and Web designers, to produce basic data to generate system requirement specifications for an eHealth service. The system requirements correlated to the BCTs, making specifications of content and future evaluation of effectiveness possible.

Indexing Guidelines: Applications in Use of Pulmonary Artery Catheters and Pressure Ulcer Prevention

PubMed Central

Jenders, Robert A.; Estey, Greg; Martin, Martha; Hamilton, Glenys; Ford-Carleton, Penny; Thompson, B. Taylor; Oliver, Diane E.; Eccles, Randy; Barnett, G. Octo; Zielstorff, Rita D.; Fitzmaurice, Joan B.

1994-01-01

In a busy clinical environment, access to knowledge must be rapid and specific to the clinical query at hand. This requires indices which support easy navigation within a knowledge source. We have developed a computer-based tool for trouble-shooting pulmonary artery waveforms using a graphical index. Preliminary results of domain knowledge tests for a group of clinicians exposed to the system (N=33) show a mean improvement on a 30-point test of 5.33 (p<0.001) compared to a control group (N=19) improvement of 0.47 (p=0.61). Survey of the experimental group (N=25) showed 84% (p=0.001) found the system easy to use. We discuss lessons learned in indexing this domain area to computer-based indexing of guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention. PMID:7950035

Star Identification Without Attitude Knowledge: Testing with X-Ray Timing Experiment Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ketchum, Eleanor

1997-01-01

As the budget for the scientific exploration of space shrinks, the need for more autonomous spacecraft increases. For a spacecraft with a star tracker, the ability to determinate attitude from a lost in space state autonomously requires the capability to identify the stars in the field of view of the tracker. Although there have been efforts to produce autonomous star trackers which perform this function internally, many programs cannot afford these sensors. The author previously presented a method for identifying stars without a priori attitude knowledge specifically targeted for onboard computers as it minimizes the necessary computer storage. The method has previously been tested with simulated data. This paper provides results of star identification without a priori attitude knowledge using flight data from two 8 by 8 degree charge coupled device star trackers onboard the X-Ray Timing Experiment.

Combining rules, background knowledge and change patterns to maintain semantic annotations.

PubMed

Cardoso, Silvio Domingos; Chantal, Reynaud-Delaître; Da Silveira, Marcos; Pruski, Cédric

2017-01-01

Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) play a key role in enriching biomedical information in order to make it machine-understandable and shareable. This is done by annotating medical documents, or more specifically, associating concept labels from KOS with pieces of digital information, e.g., images or texts. However, the dynamic nature of KOS may impact the annotations, thus creating a mismatch between the evolved concept and the associated information. To solve this problem, methods to maintain the quality of the annotations are required. In this paper, we define a framework based on rules, background knowledge and change patterns to drive the annotation adaption process. We evaluate experimentally the proposed approach in realistic cases-studies and demonstrate the overall performance of our approach in different KOS considering the precision, recall, F1-score and AUC value of the system.

Combining rules, background knowledge and change patterns to maintain semantic annotations

PubMed Central

Cardoso, Silvio Domingos; Chantal, Reynaud-Delaître; Da Silveira, Marcos; Pruski, Cédric

2017-01-01

Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) play a key role in enriching biomedical information in order to make it machine-understandable and shareable. This is done by annotating medical documents, or more specifically, associating concept labels from KOS with pieces of digital information, e.g., images or texts. However, the dynamic nature of KOS may impact the annotations, thus creating a mismatch between the evolved concept and the associated information. To solve this problem, methods to maintain the quality of the annotations are required. In this paper, we define a framework based on rules, background knowledge and change patterns to drive the annotation adaption process. We evaluate experimentally the proposed approach in realistic cases-studies and demonstrate the overall performance of our approach in different KOS considering the precision, recall, F1-score and AUC value of the system. PMID:29854115

Image once, print thrice? Three-dimensional printing of replacement parts.

PubMed

Rankin, Timothy M; Wormer, Blair A; Miller, John D; Giovinco, Nicholas A; Al Kassis, Salam; Armstrong, David G

2018-02-01

The last 20 years has seen an exponential increase in 3D printing as it pertains to the medical industry and more specifically surgery. Previous reviews in this domain have chosen to focus on applications within a specific field. To our knowledge, none have evaluated the broad applications of patient-specific or digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) derived applications of this technology. We searched PUBMED and CINAHL from April 2012 to April 2017. 261 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Proportions of articles reviewed: DICOM (5%), CT (38%), MRI (20%), Ultrasonography (28%), and Bio-printing (9%). There is level IV evidence to support the use of 3D printing for education, pre-operative planning, simulation and implantation. In order to make this technology widely applicable, it will require automation of DICOM to standard tessellation language to implant. Advances in knowledge: Recent lapses in intellectual property and greater familiarity with rapid prototyping in medicine has set the stage for the next generation of custom implants, simulators and autografts. Radiologists may be able to help establish reimbursable procedural terminology.

Transcription factors in pancreatic development. Animal models.

PubMed

Martin, Merce; Hauer, Viviane; Messmer, Mélanie; Orvain, Christophe; Gradwohl, Gérard

2007-01-01

Through the analysis of genetically modified mice a hierarchy of transcription factors regulating pancreas specification, endocrine destiny as well as endocrine subtype specification and differentiation has been established. In addition to conventional approaches such as transgenic technologies and gene targeting, recombinase fate mapping in mice has been key in establishing the lineage relationship between progenitor cells and their progeny in understanding pancreas formation. Moreover, the design of specific mouse models to conditionally express transcription factors in different populations of progenitor cells has revealed to what extent transcription factors required for islet cell development are also sufficient to induce endocrine differentiation and the importance of the competence of progenitor cells to respond to the genetic program implemented by these factors. Taking advantage of this basic science knowledge acquired in rodents, immature insulin-producing cells have recently been differentiated in vitro from human embryonic stem cells. Taken together these major advances emphasize the need to gain further in-depth knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling beta-cell differentiation in mice to generate functional beta-cells in the future that could be used for cell therapy in diabetes.

How to become a competent medical writer?

PubMed

Sharma, Suhasini

2010-01-01

Medical writing involves writing scientific documents of different types which include regulatory and research-related documents, disease or drug-related educational and promotional literature, publication articles like journal manuscripts and abstracts, content for healthcare websites, health-related magazines or news articles. The scientific information in these documents needs to be presented to suit the level of understanding of the target audience, namely, patients or general public, physicians or the regulators. Medical writers require an understanding of the medical concepts and terminology, knowledge of relevant guidelines as regards the structure and contents of specific documents, and good writing skills. They also need to be familiar with searching medical literature, understanding and presenting research data, the document review process, and editing and publishing requirements. Many resources are now available for medical writers to get the required training in the science and art of medical writing, and upgrade their knowledge and skills on an ongoing basis. The demand for medical writing is growing steadily in pharmaceutical and healthcare communication market. Medical writers can work independently or be employed as full time professionals. Life sciences graduates can consider medical writing as a valuable career option.

Working with soils: soil science continuing professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannam, Jacqueline; Thompson, Dick

2017-04-01

The British Society of Soil Science launched the Working with Soils professional competency programme in 2011. This was in response to concerns from practitioners and professionals of a significant skills gap in various sectors that require soil science skills. The programme includes one and two day courses that cover the qualifications, knowledge and skills required of a professional scientist or engineer conducting a range of contract work. All courses qualify for continuing professional development points with various professional practice schemes. Three courses cover the foundations of soil science namely; describing a soil profile, soil classification and understanding soil variability in the field and landscape. Other tailored courses relate to specific skills required from consultants particularly in the planning process where land is assessed for agricultural quality (agricultural land classification). New courses this year include soil handling and restoration that provides practitioners with knowledge of the appropriate management of large volumes of soil that are disturbed during development projects. The courses have so far successfully trained over 100 delegates ranging from PhD students, environmental consultants and government policy advisors.

Furthering knowledge of seaweed growth and development to facilitate sustainable aquaculture.

PubMed

Charrier, Bénédicte; Abreu, Maria Helena; Araujo, Rita; Bruhn, Annette; Coates, Juliet C; De Clerck, Olivier; Katsaros, Christos; Robaina, Rafael R; Wichard, Thomas

2017-12-01

Macroalgae (seaweeds) are the subject of increasing interest for their potential as a source of valuable, sustainable biomass in the food, feed, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Compared with microalgae, the pace of knowledge acquisition in seaweeds is slower despite the availability of whole-genome sequences and model organisms for the major seaweed groups. This is partly a consequence of specific hurdles related to the large size of these organisms and their slow growth. As a result, this basic scientific field is falling behind, despite the societal and economic importance of these organisms. Here, we argue that sustainable management of seaweed aquaculture requires fundamental understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms controlling macroalgal life cycles - from the production of germ cells to the growth and fertility of the adult organisms - using diverse approaches requiring a broad range of technological tools. This Viewpoint highlights several examples of basic research on macroalgal developmental biology that could enable the step-changes which are required to adequately meet the demands of the aquaculture sector. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Education and health knowledge: evidence from UK compulsory schooling reform.

PubMed

Johnston, David W; Lordan, Grace; Shields, Michael A; Suziedelyte, Agne

2015-02-01

We investigate if there is a causal link between education and health knowledge using data from the 1984/85 and 1991/92 waves of the UK Health and Lifestyle Survey (HALS). Uniquely, the survey asks respondents what they think are the main causes of ten common health conditions, and we compare these answers to those given by medical professionals to form an index of health knowledge. For causal identification we use increases in the UK minimum school leaving age in 1947 (from 14 to 15) and 1972 (from 15 to 16) to provide exogenous variation in education. These reforms predominantly induced adolescents who would have left school to stay for one additionally mandated year. OLS estimates suggest that education significantly increases health knowledge, with a one-year increase in schooling increasing the health knowledge index by 15% of a standard deviation. In contrast, estimates from instrumental-variable models show that increased schooling due to the education reforms did not significantly affect health knowledge. This main result is robust to numerous specification tests and alternative formulations of the health knowledge index. Further research is required to determine whether there is also no causal link between higher levels of education - such as post-school qualifications - and health knowledge. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acceptable knowledge document for INEEL stored transuranic waste -- Rocky Flats Plant waste. Revision 2

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

NONE

1998-01-23

This document and supporting documentation provide a consistent, defensible, and auditable record of acceptable knowledge for waste generated at the Rocky Flats Plant which is currently in the accessible storage inventory at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The inventory consists of transuranic (TRU) waste generated from 1972 through 1989. Regulations authorize waste generators and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities to use acceptable knowledge in appropriate circumstances to make hazardous waste determinations. Acceptable knowledge includes information relating to plant history, process operations, and waste management, in addition to waste-specific data generated prior to the effective date of the RCRAmore » regulations. This document is organized to provide the reader a comprehensive presentation of the TRU waste inventory ranging from descriptions of the historical plant operations that generated and managed the waste to specific information about the composition of each waste group. Section 2 lists the requirements that dictate and direct TRU waste characterization and authorize the use of the acceptable knowledge approach. In addition to defining the TRU waste inventory, Section 3 summarizes the historical operations, waste management, characterization, and certification activities associated with the inventory. Sections 5.0 through 26.0 describe the waste groups in the inventory including waste generation, waste packaging, and waste characterization. This document includes an expanded discussion for each waste group of potential radionuclide contaminants, in addition to other physical properties and interferences that could potentially impact radioassay systems.« less

Epidemiology of Environmental Exposures and Human Autoimmune Diseases: Findings from a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Expert Panel Workshop

PubMed Central

Alfredsson, Lars; Costenbader, Karen H.; Kamen, Diane L.; Nelson, Lorene; Norris, Jill M.; De Roos, Anneclaire J.

2012-01-01

Autoimmune diseases (AID) are a collection of many complex disorders of unknown etiology resulting in immune responses to self-antigens and are thought to result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Here we review the epidemiologic evidence for the role of environmental factors in the development of human AID, the conclusions that can be drawn from the existing data, critical knowledge gaps, and research needed to fill these gaps and to resolve uncertainties. We specifically summarize the state of knowledge and our levels of confidence in the role of specific agents in the development of autoimmune diseases, and we define the areas of greatest impact for future investigations. Among our consensus findings we are confident that: 1) crystalline silica exposure can contribute to the development of several AID; 2) solvent exposure can contribute to the development of systemic sclerosis; 3) smoking can contribute to the development of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis; and 4) an inverse association exists between ultraviolet radiation exposure and the risk of development of multiple sclerosis. We suggest that more studies of phenotypes, genotypes, and multiple exposures are needed. Additional knowledge gaps needing investigation include: defining important windows in the timing of exposures and latencies relating to age, developmental state, and hormonal changes; understanding dose-response relationships; and elucidating mechanisms for disease development. Addressing these essential issues will require more resources to support research, particularly of rare AID, but knowledge of the risks conferred by environmental factors in specific genetic contexts could pave the way for prevention of AID in the future. PMID:22739348

From consensus to action: knowledge transfer, education and influencing policy on sports concussion.

PubMed

Provvidenza, Christine; Engebretsen, Lars; Tator, Charles; Kissick, Jamie; McCrory, Paul; Sills, Allen; Johnston, Karen M

2013-04-01

To: (1) provide a review of knowledge transfer (KT) and related concepts; (2) look at the impact of traditional and emerging KT strategies on concussion knowledge and education; (3) discuss the value and impact of KT to organisations and concussion-related decision making and (4) make recommendations for the future of concussion education. Qualitative literature review of KT and concussion education literature. PubMed, Medline and Sport Discus databases were reviewed and an internet search was conducted. The literature search was restricted to articles published in the English language, but not restricted to any particular years. Altogether, 67 journal articles, 21 websites, 1 book and 1 report were reviewed. The value of KT as part of concussion education is increasingly becoming recognised. Target audiences benefit from specific learning strategies. Concussion tools exist, but their effectiveness and impact require further evaluation. The media is valuable in drawing attention to concussion, but efforts need to ensure that the public is aware of the right information. Social media as a concussion education tool is becoming more prominent. Implementation of KT models is one approach which organisations can use to assess knowledge gaps; identify, develop and evaluate education strategies and use the outcomes to facilitate decision-making. Implementing KT strategies requires a defined plan. Identifying the needs, learning styles and preferred learning strategies of target audiences, coupled with evaluation, should be a piece of the overall concussion education puzzle to have an impact on enhancing knowledge and awareness.

Planning bioinformatics workflows using an expert system.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoling; Chang, Jeffrey T

2017-04-15

Bioinformatic analyses are becoming formidably more complex due to the increasing number of steps required to process the data, as well as the proliferation of methods that can be used in each step. To alleviate this difficulty, pipelines are commonly employed. However, pipelines are typically implemented to automate a specific analysis, and thus are difficult to use for exploratory analyses requiring systematic changes to the software or parameters used. To automate the development of pipelines, we have investigated expert systems. We created the Bioinformatics ExperT SYstem (BETSY) that includes a knowledge base where the capabilities of bioinformatics software is explicitly and formally encoded. BETSY is a backwards-chaining rule-based expert system comprised of a data model that can capture the richness of biological data, and an inference engine that reasons on the knowledge base to produce workflows. Currently, the knowledge base is populated with rules to analyze microarray and next generation sequencing data. We evaluated BETSY and found that it could generate workflows that reproduce and go beyond previously published bioinformatics results. Finally, a meta-investigation of the workflows generated from the knowledge base produced a quantitative measure of the technical burden imposed by each step of bioinformatics analyses, revealing the large number of steps devoted to the pre-processing of data. In sum, an expert system approach can facilitate exploratory bioinformatic analysis by automating the development of workflows, a task that requires significant domain expertise. https://github.com/jefftc/changlab. jeffrey.t.chang@uth.tmc.edu. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Planning bioinformatics workflows using an expert system

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiaoling; Chang, Jeffrey T.

2017-01-01

Abstract Motivation: Bioinformatic analyses are becoming formidably more complex due to the increasing number of steps required to process the data, as well as the proliferation of methods that can be used in each step. To alleviate this difficulty, pipelines are commonly employed. However, pipelines are typically implemented to automate a specific analysis, and thus are difficult to use for exploratory analyses requiring systematic changes to the software or parameters used. Results: To automate the development of pipelines, we have investigated expert systems. We created the Bioinformatics ExperT SYstem (BETSY) that includes a knowledge base where the capabilities of bioinformatics software is explicitly and formally encoded. BETSY is a backwards-chaining rule-based expert system comprised of a data model that can capture the richness of biological data, and an inference engine that reasons on the knowledge base to produce workflows. Currently, the knowledge base is populated with rules to analyze microarray and next generation sequencing data. We evaluated BETSY and found that it could generate workflows that reproduce and go beyond previously published bioinformatics results. Finally, a meta-investigation of the workflows generated from the knowledge base produced a quantitative measure of the technical burden imposed by each step of bioinformatics analyses, revealing the large number of steps devoted to the pre-processing of data. In sum, an expert system approach can facilitate exploratory bioinformatic analysis by automating the development of workflows, a task that requires significant domain expertise. Availability and Implementation: https://github.com/jefftc/changlab Contact: jeffrey.t.chang@uth.tmc.edu PMID:28052928

Career opportunities in clinical engineering.

PubMed

Morse, W A

1992-01-01

The varied career opportunities open to clinical engineers are described in this paper. Many of these opportunities are within the medical device industry in research, development, manufacturing design, regulatory activities, production, operations, sales, marketing, service, and management. Additional opportunities are available in hospitals, with the Veterans Administration, or working as an entrepreneur or a consultant. Each of these careers requires specific training and skills, and they all require a fundamental scientific knowledge of physical principles and mathematics. Research and management, however, require different educational preparation. The research emphasis should be on theoretical principles and creativity; the management emphasis should be on financial and labor problems. In all clinical engineering careers, the individual is a problem solver.

Vaccine adjuvant technology: from mechanistic concepts to practical applications.

PubMed

Degen, Winfried G J; Jansen, Theo; Schijns, Virgil E J C

2003-04-01

Distinct types of immune responses are required for efficient elimination of different pathogens. Programming of the desired type of immune response by safe nonreplicating vaccines requires suitable vaccine adjuvants. Adjuvants largely determine the magnitude and quality of immune responses specific for the coadministered antigen. Unfortunately, rational vaccine design requiring a rational choice of vaccine adjuvant, is hampered by a lack of knowledge about the mechanism(s) of vaccine adjuvant activity. The current review addresses different critical immunological processes possibly explaining adjuvant functions. In addition, we discuss traditional vaccine adjuvant formulations and their possible mode of action. Finally, we reflect on the latest technologies for the identification of novel adjuvants using molecular analysis of immune activation and functional genomics.

A national curriculum for ophthalmology residency training

PubMed Central

Grover, Ashok Kumar; Honavar, Santosh G; Azad, Rajvardhan; Verma, Lalit

2018-01-01

We present a residency curriculum for Ophthalmology in India. The document derives from a workshop by the All India Ophthalmological Society (AlOS) which adapted the International Council of Ophthalmology residency curriculum and refined and customized it based on inputs by the residency program directors who participated in the work shop. The curriculum describes the course content, lays down the minimum requirements of infrastructure and mandates diagnostic and therapeutic procedures required for optimal training. It emphasises professionalism, management, research methodology, community ophthalmology as integral to the curriculum. The proposed national ophthalmology residency curriculum for India incorporates the required knowledge and skills for effective and safe practice of ophthalmology and takes into account the specific needs of the country. PMID:29785982

Structuring and extracting knowledge for the support of hypothesis generation in molecular biology

PubMed Central

Roos, Marco; Marshall, M Scott; Gibson, Andrew P; Schuemie, Martijn; Meij, Edgar; Katrenko, Sophia; van Hage, Willem Robert; Krommydas, Konstantinos; Adriaans, Pieter W

2009-01-01

Background Hypothesis generation in molecular and cellular biology is an empirical process in which knowledge derived from prior experiments is distilled into a comprehensible model. The requirement of automated support is exemplified by the difficulty of considering all relevant facts that are contained in the millions of documents available from PubMed. Semantic Web provides tools for sharing prior knowledge, while information retrieval and information extraction techniques enable its extraction from literature. Their combination makes prior knowledge available for computational analysis and inference. While some tools provide complete solutions that limit the control over the modeling and extraction processes, we seek a methodology that supports control by the experimenter over these critical processes. Results We describe progress towards automated support for the generation of biomolecular hypotheses. Semantic Web technologies are used to structure and store knowledge, while a workflow extracts knowledge from text. We designed minimal proto-ontologies in OWL for capturing different aspects of a text mining experiment: the biological hypothesis, text and documents, text mining, and workflow provenance. The models fit a methodology that allows focus on the requirements of a single experiment while supporting reuse and posterior analysis of extracted knowledge from multiple experiments. Our workflow is composed of services from the 'Adaptive Information Disclosure Application' (AIDA) toolkit as well as a few others. The output is a semantic model with putative biological relations, with each relation linked to the corresponding evidence. Conclusion We demonstrated a 'do-it-yourself' approach for structuring and extracting knowledge in the context of experimental research on biomolecular mechanisms. The methodology can be used to bootstrap the construction of semantically rich biological models using the results of knowledge extraction processes. Models specific to particular experiments can be constructed that, in turn, link with other semantic models, creating a web of knowledge that spans experiments. Mapping mechanisms can link to other knowledge resources such as OBO ontologies or SKOS vocabularies. AIDA Web Services can be used to design personalized knowledge extraction procedures. In our example experiment, we found three proteins (NF-Kappa B, p21, and Bax) potentially playing a role in the interplay between nutrients and epigenetic gene regulation. PMID:19796406

Nutritional knowledge and habits of adolescents aged 9 to 13 years in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: a crosssectional study.

PubMed

Al-Yateem, Nabeel; Rossiter, Rachel

2017-10-30

Good nutritional knowledge and behaviour among adolescents is important to avoid health problems that can continue into adulthood. This cross-sectional study aimed to provide baseline data on nutritional knowledge and eating habits of adolescents in Sharjah. Data were collected from 300 adolescents aged 9-13 years attending 4 private schools using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Most students (86%) had poor nutritional knowledge, especially in key areas: nutritional terms, what constitutes healthy snacks and foods, daily nutritional requirements and components of food (e.g. fibre, fat, sugar). Only 34% of the students had healthy eating behaviour: 33% had eaten none or 1 vegetable only in the previous week, 25% had eaten unhealthy snacks 3 or more times, 19% had eaten frequently or daily at fast food outlets, and 36% had skipped breakfast frequently or daily. Culturally-specific, school-based educational interventions are warranted to build sound nutritional knowledge among adolescents and motivate the diet and behaviour changes needed to promote health throughout the lifespan.

The Joint Venture Model of Knowledge Utilization: a guide for change in nursing.

PubMed

Edgar, Linda; Herbert, Rosemary; Lambert, Sylvie; MacDonald, Jo-Ann; Dubois, Sylvie; Latimer, Margot

2006-05-01

Knowledge utilization (KU) is an essential component of today's nursing practice and healthcare system. Despite advances in knowledge generation, the gap in knowledge transfer from research to practice continues. KU models have moved beyond factors affecting the individual nurse to a broader perspective that includes the practice environment and the socio-political context. This paper proposes one such theoretical model the Joint Venture Model of Knowledge Utilization (JVMKU). Key components of the JVMKU that emerged from an extensive multidisciplinary review of the literature include leadership, emotional intelligence, person, message, empowered workplace and the socio-political environment. The model has a broad and practical application and is not specific to one type of KU or one population. This paper provides a description of the JVMKU, its development and suggested uses at both local and organizational levels. Nurses in both leadership and point-of-care positions will recognize the concepts identified and will be able to apply this model for KU in their own workplace for assessment of areas requiring strengthening and support.

Infection prevention and control.

PubMed

Pegram, Anne; Bloomfield, Jacqueline

2015-03-18

All newly registered graduate nurses are required to have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to perform the skills required for patient care, specifically the competencies identified in the Nursing and Midwifery Council's essential skills clusters. This article focuses on the third essential skills cluster - infection prevention and control. It provides an overview and discussion of the key skills and behaviours that must be demonstrated to meet the standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. In doing so, it considers the key principles of infection prevention and control, including local and national policies, standard infection control precautions, risk assessment, standard isolation measures and asepsis.

Integrating social science and design inquiry through interdisciplinary design charrettes: an approach to participatory community problem solving.

PubMed

Sutton, Sharon E; Kemp, Susan P

2006-09-01

Interdisciplinary collaborations that aim to facilitate meaningful community outcomes require both the right mix of disciplinary knowledge and effective community participation, which together can deepen collective knowledge and the capacity to take action. This article explores three interdisciplinary design charrettes, intensive participatory workshops that addressed specific community problems and provided a context for integrating design and social science inquiry with local community knowledge. Evaluation data from the charrettes shed light on how students from the design and social science disciplines experienced the charrettes, and on their interactions with community members. Key advantages to this interdisciplinary, community-based collaboration included expanded knowledge derived from the use of multiple modes of inquiry, particularly the resulting visualization tools that helped community members understand local issues and envision novel solutions. Key drawbacks included difficulties in balancing the two disciplines, the tendency for social scientists to feel out of place on designers' turf, and the increased disciplinary and interpersonal conflicts arising from a more diverse pool of participants.

Intelligent Data Granulation on Load: Improving Infobright's Knowledge Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ślęzak, Dominik; Kowalski, Marcin

One of the major aspects of Infobright's relational database technology is automatic decomposition of each of data tables onto Rough Rows, each consisting of 64K of original rows. Rough Rows are automatically annotated by Knowledge Nodes that represent compact information about the rows' values. Query performance depends on the quality of Knowledge Nodes, i.e., their efficiency in minimizing the access to the compressed portions of data stored on disk, according to the specific query optimization procedures. We show how to implement the mechanism of organizing the incoming data into such Rough Rows that maximize the quality of the corresponding Knowledge Nodes. Given clear business-driven requirements, the implemented mechanism needs to be fully integrated with the data load process, causing no decrease in the data load speed. The performance gain resulting from better data organization is illustrated by some tests over our benchmark data. The differences between the proposed mechanism and some well-known procedures of database clustering or partitioning are discussed. The paper is a continuation of our patent application [22].

Informing child welfare policy and practice: using knowledge discovery and data mining technology via a dynamic Web site.

PubMed

Duncan, Dean F; Kum, Hye-Chung; Weigensberg, Elizabeth Caplick; Flair, Kimberly A; Stewart, C Joy

2008-11-01

Proper management and implementation of an effective child welfare agency requires the constant use of information about the experiences and outcomes of children involved in the system, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, timely, and accurate data. In the past 20 years, there have been many advances in technology that can maximize the potential of administrative data to promote better evaluation and management in the field of child welfare. Specifically, this article discusses the use of knowledge discovery and data mining (KDD), which makes it possible to create longitudinal data files from administrative data sources, extract valuable knowledge, and make the information available via a user-friendly public Web site. This article demonstrates a successful project in North Carolina where knowledge discovery and data mining technology was used to develop a comprehensive set of child welfare outcomes available through a public Web site to facilitate information sharing of child welfare data to improve policy and practice.

Biosensors for spatiotemporal detection of reactive oxygen species in cells and tissues.

PubMed

Erard, Marie; Dupré-Crochet, Sophie; Nüße, Oliver

2018-05-01

Redox biology has become a major issue in numerous areas of physiology. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have a broad range of roles from signal transduction to growth control and cell death. To understand the nature of these roles, accurate measurement of the reactive compounds is required. An increasing number of tools for ROS detection is available; however, the specificity and sensitivity of these tools are often insufficient. Furthermore, their specificity has been rarely evaluated in complex physiological conditions. Many ROS probes are sensitive to environmental conditions in particular pH, which may interfere with ROS detection and cause misleading results. Accurate detection of ROS in physiology and pathophysiology faces additional challenges concerning the precise localization of the ROS and the timing of their production and disappearance. Certain ROS are membrane permeable, and certain ROS probes move across cells and organelles. Targetable ROS probes such as fluorescent protein-based biosensors are required for accurate localization. Here we analyze these challenges in more detail, provide indications on the strength and weakness of current tools for ROS detection, and point out developments that will provide improved ROS detection methods in the future. There is no universal method that fits all situations in physiology and cell biology. A detailed knowledge of the ROS probes is required to choose the appropriate method for a given biological problem. The knowledge of the shortcomings of these probes should also guide the development of new sensors.

The KASE approach to domain-specific software systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhansali, Sanjay; Nii, H. Penny

1992-01-01

Designing software systems, like all design activities, is a knowledge-intensive task. Several studies have found that the predominant cause of failures among system designers is lack of knowledge: knowledge about the application domain, knowledge about design schemes, knowledge about design processes, etc. The goal of domain-specific software design systems is to explicitly represent knowledge relevant to a class of applications and use it to partially or completely automate various aspects of the designing systems within that domain. The hope is that this would reduce the intellectual burden on the human designers and lead to more efficient software development. In this paper, we present a domain-specific system built on top of KASE, a knowledge-assisted software engineering environment being developed at the Stanford Knowledge Systems Laboratory. We introduce the main ideas underlying the construction of domain specific systems within KASE, illustrate the application of the idea in the synthesis of a system for tracking aircraft from radar signals, and discuss some of the issues in constructing domain-specific systems.

What nurses involved in a Medical Emergency Teams consider the most vital areas of knowledge and skill when delivering care to the deteriorating ward patient. A nurse-oriented curriculum development project.

PubMed

Currey, Judy; Massey, Debbie; Allen, Josh; Jones, Daryl

2018-08-01

Critical care nurses have been involved in Rapid Response Teams since their inception, particularly in medically led RRTs, known as Medical Emergency Teams. It is assumed that critical care skills are required to escalate care for the deteriorating ward patient. However, evidence to support critical care nurses' involvement in METs is anecdotal. Currently, little is known about the educational requirements for nurses involved in RRT or METs. We aimed to identify and describe what nurses involved in a MET consider the most vital areas of knowledge and skill when delivering care to the deteriorating ward patient. An exploratory descriptive design was used and data was collected at a session of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Rapid Response Team (ANZICS-RRT) Conference held at The Gold Coast, Australia in July 2015. All conference delegates were eligible to take part. Conference delegates totalled 293; 194 nurses, 89 doctors and 10 allied health professionals. Data collection took place in three phases, over a 90-minute period. First, demographic data were collected from all participants at the start of data collection. These data were collected using paper-based surveys. Second, extended response surveys; that is, paper-based surveys that asked open-ended questions to elicit free text responses, were used to collect participants' individual responses to the question: "What are the specific theoretical knowledge, skills and behavioural attributes required in a curricula to prepare nurses to be high functioning members of a MET?" Demographic, educational and work characteristics were descriptively analysed using SPSS (version 22). Participants perceptions of what knowledge, skills and attributes are required for nurses to recognise and respond to clinical deterioration were thematically analysed. Participants were predominantly female (88.3%, n = 91) with 54.4% (n = 56) holding a Bachelor of Nursing. Participants had a median of 20 years (IQR 16) experience as RNs, and a median of 14 years (IQR 13) experience in critical care. Participants formed part of METs frequently, with nearly half the cohort seeing clinically deteriorating patients more than once per day (37.9%, n = 33) or daily (10%, n = 9). Thematic analysis of survey responses revealed four main themes desired in Rapid Response Team Curricula: Clinical Deterioration Theory, Clinical Deterioration Skills, Rapid Response System Governance, and Professionalism and Teamwork. We suggest that a curriculum that educates nurses on the specific requirements of assessing, managing and evaluating all aspects of clinical deterioration is now required. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CFD Vision 2030 Study: A Path to Revolutionary Computational Aerosciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slotnick, Jeffrey; Khodadoust, Abdollah; Alonso, Juan; Darmofal, David; Gropp, William; Lurie, Elizabeth; Mavriplis, Dimitri

2014-01-01

This report documents the results of a study to address the long range, strategic planning required by NASA's Revolutionary Computational Aerosciences (RCA) program in the area of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), including future software and hardware requirements for High Performance Computing (HPC). Specifically, the "Vision 2030" CFD study is to provide a knowledge-based forecast of the future computational capabilities required for turbulent, transitional, and reacting flow simulations across a broad Mach number regime, and to lay the foundation for the development of a future framework and/or environment where physics-based, accurate predictions of complex turbulent flows, including flow separation, can be accomplished routinely and efficiently in cooperation with other physics-based simulations to enable multi-physics analysis and design. Specific technical requirements from the aerospace industrial and scientific communities were obtained to determine critical capability gaps, anticipated technical challenges, and impediments to achieving the target CFD capability in 2030. A preliminary development plan and roadmap were created to help focus investments in technology development to help achieve the CFD vision in 2030.

Technical aspects of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examinations: tips and tricks.

PubMed

Greis, C

2014-01-01

Ultrasound contrast agents have substantially extended the clinical value of ultrasound, allowing the assessment of blood flow and distribution in real-time down to microcapillary level. Selective imaging of contrast agent signals requires a contrast-specific imaging mode on the ultrasound scanner, allowing real-time separation of tissue and contrast agent signals. The creation of a contrast image requires a specific interaction between the insonated ultrasound wave and the contrast agent microbubbles, leading to persistent oscillation of the bubbles. Several technical and procedural parameters have a significant influence on the quality of CEUS images and should be controlled carefully to obtain good image quality and a reliable diagnosis. Achieving the proper balance between the respective parameters is a matter of technical knowledge and experience. Appropriate training and education should be mandatory for every investigator performing CEUS examinations.

GEOSAT Follow-On (GFO) Altimeter Document Series. Volume 5; Version 1; GFO Radar Altimeter Processing at Wallops Flight Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockwood, Dennis W.; Conger, A. M.

2003-01-01

This document is a compendium of the WFF GFO Software Development Team's knowledge regarding of GDO CAL/VAL Data. It includes many elements of a requirements document, a software specification document, a software design document, and a user's guide. In the more technical sections, this document assumes the reader is familiar with GFO and its CAL/VAL Data.

Training in laboratory management and the MBA/MD in laboratory medicine.

PubMed

Weiss, Ronald L

2007-06-01

The business of medicine requires more than just the knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality patient care. A growing number of opportunities are available for physicians to learn how to better manage the business side of their practices. Today's clinical laboratories, particularly those in health care organizations under pressure to efficiently use limited resources, benefit from having management and leadership specifically trained for these roles.

Missing the Mark: Is ICS Training Achieving Its Goal

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

method achieves learning and actually gives students new knowledge, skills, and 281 Ibid. 282 Ibid...designed to be five days (40 hours) long.331 The class assumes that the student already has a general understanding of ICS and completion of at least...35–37. 64 The entire process is time consuming, as the student must complete the in- class time (as required for the specific class ) and

Civil forensic psychiatry - Part 1: an overview.

PubMed

Samuels, Anthony H

2018-06-01

Objectives This paper provides an overview for general and forensic psychiatrists of the complexity and challenge of working in the civil medico-legal arena. It covers expert evidence, ethics, core concepts in civil forensic psychiatry and report writing. Conclusions Civil forensic psychiatry is an important sub-speciality component of forensic psychiatry that requires specific skills, knowledge and the ability to assist legal bodies in determining the significance of psychiatric issues.

A mapping review of the literature on UK-focused health and social care databases.

PubMed

Cooper, Chris; Rogers, Morwenna; Bethel, Alison; Briscoe, Simon; Lowe, Jenny

2015-03-01

Bibliographic databases are a day-to-day tool of the researcher: they offer the researcher easy and organised access to knowledge, but how much is actually known about the databases on offer? The focus of this paper is UK health and social care databases. These databases are often small, specialised by topic, and provide a complementary literature to the large, international databases. There is, however, good evidence that these databases are overlooked in systematic reviews, perhaps because little is known about what they can offer. To systematically locate and map, published and unpublished literature on the key UK health and social care bibliographic databases. Systematic searching and mapping. Two hundred and forty-two items were identified which specifically related to the 24 of the 34 databases under review. There is little published or unpublished literature specifically analysing the key UK health and social care databases. Since several UK databases have closed, others are at risk, and some are overlooked in reviews, better information is required to enhance our knowledge. Further research on UK health and social care databases is required. This paper suggests the need to develop the evidence base through a series of case studies on each of the databases. © 2014 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2014 Health Libraries Journal.

Lightweight Adaptation of Classifiers to Users and Contexts: Trends of the Emerging Domain

PubMed Central

Vildjiounaite, Elena; Gimel'farb, Georgy; Kyllönen, Vesa; Peltola, Johannes

2015-01-01

Intelligent computer applications need to adapt their behaviour to contexts and users, but conventional classifier adaptation methods require long data collection and/or training times. Therefore classifier adaptation is often performed as follows: at design time application developers define typical usage contexts and provide reasoning models for each of these contexts, and then at runtime an appropriate model is selected from available ones. Typically, definition of usage contexts and reasoning models heavily relies on domain knowledge. However, in practice many applications are used in so diverse situations that no developer can predict them all and collect for each situation adequate training and test databases. Such applications have to adapt to a new user or unknown context at runtime just from interaction with the user, preferably in fairly lightweight ways, that is, requiring limited user effort to collect training data and limited time of performing the adaptation. This paper analyses adaptation trends in several emerging domains and outlines promising ideas, proposed for making multimodal classifiers user-specific and context-specific without significant user efforts, detailed domain knowledge, and/or complete retraining of the classifiers. Based on this analysis, this paper identifies important application characteristics and presents guidelines to consider these characteristics in adaptation design. PMID:26473165

Profiles and technological requirements of urogenital probiotics.

PubMed

Nader-Macías, María Elena Fátima; Juárez Tomás, María Silvina

2015-09-15

Probiotics, defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host, are considered a valid and novel alternative for the prevention and treatment of female urogenital tract infections. Lactobacilli, the predominant microorganisms of the healthy human vaginal microbiome, can be included as active pharmaceutical ingredients in probiotics products. Several requirements must be considered or criteria fulfilled during the development of a probiotic product or formula for the female urogenital tract. This review deals with the main selection criteria for urogenital probiotic microorganisms: host specificity, potential beneficial properties, functional specifications, technological characteristics and clinical trials used to test their effect on certain physiological and pathological conditions. Further studies are required to complement the current knowledge and support the clinical applications of probiotics in the urogenital tract. This therapy will allow the restoration of the ecological equilibrium of the urogenital tract microbiome as well as the recovery of the sexual and reproductive health of women. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Managing Complex IT Security Processes with Value Based Measures

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

Abercrombie, Robert K; Sheldon, Frederick T; Mili, Ali

2009-01-01

Current trends indicate that IT security measures will need to greatly expand to counter the ever increasingly sophisticated, well-funded and/or economically motivated threat space. Traditional risk management approaches provide an effective method for guiding courses of action for assessment, and mitigation investments. However, such approaches no matter how popular demand very detailed knowledge about the IT security domain and the enterprise/cyber architectural context. Typically, the critical nature and/or high stakes require careful consideration and adaptation of a balanced approach that provides reliable and consistent methods for rating vulnerabilities. As reported in earlier works, the Cyberspace Security Econometrics System provides amore » comprehensive measure of reliability, security and safety of a system that accounts for the criticality of each requirement as a function of one or more stakeholders interests in that requirement. This paper advocates a dependability measure that acknowledges the aggregate structure of complex system specifications, and accounts for variations by stakeholder, by specification components, and by verification and validation impact.« less

[Teaching and learning the science of qualitative research in the health area].

PubMed

Calderón, Carlos

2012-03-01

Qualitative research constitutes a necessary perspective of knowledge within the field of health services. Healthcare always occurs in complex contexts and its enhancement requires research methodologies that address this complexity. Nevertheless, the knowledge and use of qualitative research in health services is still very limited. Among the different factors that affect its development, the teaching and learning of qualitative research proves to be fundamental, even beyond undergraduate education. Healthcare professionals and health services present certain specific aspects that must be considered in the design and development of the teaching and learning of qualitative research. Based on an eight-year online training experience with Primary Healthcare professionals, the main challenges are indentified and discussed.

The Representation of Object-Directed Action and Function Knowledge in the Human Brain.

PubMed

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E; Mahon, Bradford Z

2016-04-01

The appropriate use of everyday objects requires the integration of action and function knowledge. Previous research suggests that action knowledge is represented in frontoparietal areas while function knowledge is represented in temporal lobe regions. Here we used multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representation of object-directed action and function knowledge while participants executed pantomimes of familiar tool actions. A novel approach for decoding object knowledge was used in which classifiers were trained on one pair of objects and then tested on a distinct pair; this permitted a measurement of classification accuracy over and above object-specific information. Region of interest (ROI) analyses showed that object-directed actions could be decoded in tool-preferring regions of both parietal and temporal cortex, while no independently defined tool-preferring ROI showed successful decoding of object function. However, a whole-brain searchlight analysis revealed that while frontoparietal motor and peri-motor regions are engaged in the representation of object-directed actions, medial temporal lobe areas in the left hemisphere are involved in the representation of function knowledge. These results indicate that both action and function knowledge are represented in a topographically coherent manner that is amenable to study with multivariate approaches, and that the left medial temporal cortex represents knowledge of object function. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

46 CFR 11.713 - Requirements for maintaining current knowledge of waters to be navigated.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Requirements for maintaining current knowledge of waters... § 11.713 Requirements for maintaining current knowledge of waters to be navigated. (a) If a first class... current knowledge of the route. Persons using this method of re-familiarization shall certify, when...

Motion Planning in a Society of Intelligent Mobile Agents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Esterline, Albert C.; Shafto, Michael (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The majority of the work on this grant involved formal modeling of human-computer integration. We conceptualize computer resources as a multiagent system so that these resources and human collaborators may be modeled uniformly. In previous work we had used modal for this uniform modeling, and we had developed a process-algebraic agent abstraction. In this work, we applied this abstraction (using CSP) in uniformly modeling agents and users, which allowed us to use tools for investigating CSP models. This work revealed the power of, process-algebraic handshakes in modeling face-to-face conversation. We also investigated specifications of human-computer systems in the style of algebraic specification. This involved specifying the common knowledge required for coordination and process-algebraic patterns of communication actions intended to establish the common knowledge. We investigated the conditions for agents endowed with perception to gain common knowledge and implemented a prototype neural-network system that allows agents to detect when such conditions hold. The literature on multiagent systems conceptualizes communication actions as speech acts. We implemented a prototype system that infers the deontic effects (obligations, permissions, prohibitions) of speech acts and detects violations of these effects. A prototype distributed system was developed that allows users to collaborate in moving proxy agents; it was designed to exploit handshakes and common knowledge Finally. in work carried over from a previous NASA ARC grant, about fifteen undergraduates developed and presented projects on multiagent motion planning.

How do video-based demonstration assessment tasks affect problem-solving process, test anxiety, chemistry anxiety and achievement in general chemistry students?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrell, Rosalind Stephanie

2001-12-01

Because paper-and-pencil testing provides limited knowledge about what students know about chemical phenomena, we have developed video-based demonstrations to broaden measurement of student learning. For example, students might be shown a video demonstrating equilibrium shifts. Two methods for viewing equilibrium shifts are changing the concentration of the reactants and changing the temperature of the system. The students are required to combine the data collected from the video and their knowledge of chemistry to determine which way the equilibrium shifts. Video-based demonstrations are important techniques for measuring student learning because they require students to apply conceptual knowledge learned in class to a specific chemical problem. This study explores how video-based demonstration assessment tasks affect problem-solving processes, test anxiety, chemistry anxiety and achievement in general chemistry students. Several instruments were used to determine students' knowledge about chemistry, students' test and chemistry anxiety before and after treatment. Think-aloud interviews were conducted to determine students' problem-solving processes after treatment. The treatment group was compared to a control group and a group watching video demonstrations. After treatment students' anxiety increased and achievement decreased. There were also no significant differences found in students' problem-solving processes following treatment. These negative findings may be attributed to several factors that will be explored in this study.

Medicine clerkships and portable computing: a national survey of internal medicine clerkship directors.

PubMed

Ferenchick, Gary; Solomon, David; Durning, Steven J

2010-01-01

Portable computers are widely used by medical trainees, but there is a lack of data on how these devices are used in clinical education programs. The objective is to define the current use of portable computing in internal medicine clerkships and to determine medicine clerkship directors' perceptions of the current value and future importance of portable computing. A 2006 national survey of institutional members of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine. Eighty-three of 110 (75%) of institutional members responded. An institutional requirement for portable computing was reported by 32 schools (39%), whereas only 13 (16%) provided students with a portable computer. Between 10 and 31 institutions (12-37%) reported student use for patient care activities (i.e. order entry, writing patient notes) and only 2 to 4 institutions (2-5%) required such use. The majority of respondents (59-95%) reported portable computer use for educational activities (i.e., tracking patient problems, knowledge resource), however, only in 5 to 19 (6-23%) were such educational uses required. Fifty-six respondents (68%) reported that portable computer's "added value" for teaching and 61 (73%) reported that portable computers would be important in meeting clerkship objectives in the next 3 years. Of interest, even among the institutions requiring portable computers, only 50% recommended or required specific software. Portable computing is required at 39% of allopathic medical schools in the United States. However required portable computing for specific patient care or educational tasks is uncommon. In addition, guidance on specific software exists in only one half of school requiring portable computers, suggesting informal or unstructured uses of required portable computer's in the remaining half. The educational impact of formal institutional requirements for software versus informal "user-defined" applications is unknown.

Developmental Change in the Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Domain-Specific Knowledge on Mathematics Achievement: An Eight-Year Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Geary, David C.; Nicholas, Alan; Li, Yaoran; Sun, Jianguo

2016-01-01

The contributions of domain-general abilities and domain-specific knowledge to subsequent mathematics achievement were longitudinally assessed (n = 167) through 8th grade. First grade intelligence and working memory and prior grade reading achievement indexed domain-general effects and domain-specific effects were indexed by prior grade mathematics achievement and mathematical cognition measures of prior grade number knowledge, addition skills, and fraction knowledge. Use of functional data analysis enabled grade-by-grade estimation of overall domain-general and domain-specific effects on subsequent mathematics achievement, the relative importance of individual domain-general and domain-specific variables on this achievement, and linear and non-linear across-grade estimates of these effects. The overall importance of domain-general abilities for subsequent achievement was stable across grades, with working memory emerging as the most important domain-general ability in later grades. The importance of prior mathematical competencies on subsequent mathematics achievement increased across grades, with number knowledge and arithmetic skills critical in all grades and fraction knowledge in later grades. Overall, domain-general abilities were more important than domain-specific knowledge for mathematics learning in early grades but general abilities and domain-specific knowledge were equally important in later grades. PMID:28781382

Teacher Knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Middle School Students in South Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Fred R., Jr.; Brown, Michelle S.

2012-01-01

This quantitative study examined the knowledge levels middle school teachers in South Texas have in relation to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study specifically compared teacher knowledge levels among three specific ADHD knowledge areas: (a) general knowledge of ADHD, (b) knowledge of symptoms/diagnosis of ADHD, and (c)…

Framing moving and handling as a complex healthcare intervention within the acute care of older people with osteoporosis: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Smith, Margaret Coulter; O'May, Fiona; Tropea, Savina; Berg, Jackie

2016-10-01

To investigate healthcare staff's views and experiences of caring for older hospitalised adults (aged 60+) with osteoporosis focusing on moving and handling. Specific objectives were to explore the composition of manual handling risk assessments and interventions in osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease that reduces bone density and causes increased fracture risk. Incidence rises with age and osteoporotic fractures cause increased morbidity and mortality. It is a major global health problem. In the UK older hospitalised adults are normally screened for falls risk but not necessarily for osteoporosis. As presentation of osteoporosis is normally silent until fractures are evident, it is frequently undiagnosed. Healthcare staff's knowledge of osteoporosis is often suboptimal and specific manual handling implications are under-researched. An exploratory qualitative content analysis research design informed by critical realism. The purposive sample comprised 26 nursing and allied health professionals. Semi-structured interviews addressed topics including knowledge of osteoporosis, implications for acute care, moving and handling and clinical guidelines. Qualitative content data analysis was used. Awareness of osteoporosis prevalence in older populations varies and implications for nursing are indistinct to nonspecialists. In-hospital fractures potentially linked to suboptimal moving and handling seemed rare, but prospective studies are needed. Categories of 'Understanding moving and handling as routine care or as a healthcare intervention', with further categories 'healthcare practitioners' capacities and capabilities for dealing with people with osteoporosis' and 'the structural and organisational context for moving and handling' are reported alongside safety, frailty and dependency dimensions. This study informs moving and handling in higher risk groups such as osteoporosis. Clinical knowledge/expertise is required when adapting generic manual handling guidelines to specific patients/contexts. Patients' experiences of moving and handling have received limited attention. Increased focus on musculoskeletal conditions and moving and handling implications is required. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A scalable architecture for incremental specification and maintenance of procedural and declarative clinical decision-support knowledge.

PubMed

Hatsek, Avner; Shahar, Yuval; Taieb-Maimon, Meirav; Shalom, Erez; Klimov, Denis; Lunenfeld, Eitan

2010-01-01

Clinical guidelines have been shown to improve the quality of medical care and to reduce its costs. However, most guidelines exist in a free-text representation and, without automation, are not sufficiently accessible to clinicians at the point of care. A prerequisite for automated guideline application is a machine-comprehensible representation of the guidelines. In this study, we designed and implemented a scalable architecture to support medical experts and knowledge engineers in specifying and maintaining the procedural and declarative aspects of clinical guideline knowledge, resulting in a machine comprehensible representation. The new framework significantly extends our previous work on the Digital electronic Guidelines Library (DeGeL) The current study designed and implemented a graphical framework for specification of declarative and procedural clinical knowledge, Gesher. We performed three different experiments to evaluate the functionality and usability of the major aspects of the new framework: Specification of procedural clinical knowledge, specification of declarative clinical knowledge, and exploration of a given clinical guideline. The subjects included clinicians and knowledge engineers (overall, 27 participants). The evaluations indicated high levels of completeness and correctness of the guideline specification process by both the clinicians and the knowledge engineers, although the best results, in the case of declarative-knowledge specification, were achieved by teams including a clinician and a knowledge engineer. The usability scores were high as well, although the clinicians' assessment was significantly lower than the assessment of the knowledge engineers.

Bone microarchitecture of the tibial plateau in skeletal health and osteoporosis.

PubMed

Krause, Matthias; Hubert, Jan; Deymann, Simon; Hapfelmeier, Alexander; Wulff, Birgit; Petersik, Andreas; Püschel, Klaus; Amling, Michael; Hawellek, Thelonius; Frosch, Karl-Heinz

2018-05-07

Impaired bone structure poses a challenge for the treatment of osteoporotic tibial plateau fractures. As knowledge of region-specific structural bone alterations is a prerequisite to achieving successful long-term fixation, the aim of the current study was to characterize tibial plateau bone structure in patients with osteoporosis and the elderly. Histomorphometric parameters were assessed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) in 21 proximal tibiae from females with postmenopausal osteoporosis (mean age: 84.3 ± 4.9 years) and eight female healthy controls (45.5 ± 6.9 years). To visualize region-specific structural bony alterations with age, the bone mineral density (Hounsfield units) was additionally analyzed in 168 human proximal tibiae. Statistical analysis was based on evolutionary learning using globally optimal regression trees. Bone structure deterioration of the tibial plateau due to osteoporosis was region-specific. Compared to healthy controls (20.5 ± 4.7%) the greatest decrease in bone volume fraction was found in the medio-medial segments (9.2 ± 3.5%, p < 0.001). The lowest bone volume was found in central segments (tibial spine). Trabecular connectivity was severely reduced. Importantly, in the anterior and posterior 25% of the lateral and medial tibial plateaux, trabecular support and subchondral cortical bone thickness itself were also reduced. Thinning of subchondral cortical bone and marked bone loss in the anterior and posterior 25% of the tibial plateau should require special attention when osteoporotic patients require fracture fixation of the posterior segments. This knowledge may help to improve the long-term, fracture-specific fixation of complex tibial plateau fractures in osteoporosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Initial Design of Culturally Informed Behavioral Intervention Technologies: Developing an mHealth Intervention for Young Sexual Minority Men With Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depression

PubMed Central

Montague, Enid; Mohr, David C

2013-01-01

Background To our knowledge, there is no well-articulated process for the design of culturally informed behavioral intervention technologies. Objective This paper describes the early stages of such a process, illustrated by the methodology for the ongoing development of a behavioral intervention technology targeting generalized anxiety disorder and major depression among young sexual minority men. Methods We integrated instructional design for Internet behavioral intervention technologies with greater detail on information sources that can identify user needs in understudied populations, as well as advances in the understanding of technology-specific behavioral intervention technology dimensions that may need to be culturally tailored. Results General psychological theory describing how to effect change in the clinical target is first integrated with theory describing potentially malleable factors that help explain the clinical problem within the population. Additional information sources are then used to (1) evaluate the theory, (2) identify population-specific factors that may affect users’ ability to relate to and benefit from the behavioral intervention technology, and (3) establish specific skills, attitudes, knowledge, etc, required to change malleable factors posited in the theory. User needs result from synthesis of this information. Product requirements are then generated through application of the user needs to specific behavioral intervention technology dimensions (eg, technology platform). We provide examples of considerations relevant to each stage of this process and how they were applied. Conclusions This process can guide the initial design of other culturally informed behavioral intervention technologies. This first attempt to create a systematic design process can spur development of guidelines for design of behavioral intervention technologies aimed to reduce health disparities. PMID:24311444

E-health internationalization requirements for audit purposes.

PubMed

Ouhbi, Sofia; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Carrillo-de-Gea, Juan Manuel; Toval, Ambrosio; Idri, Ali

2017-06-01

In the 21st century, e-health is proving to be one of the strongest drivers for the global transformation of the health care industry. Health information is currently truly ubiquitous and widespread, but in order to guarantee that everyone can appropriately access and understand this information, regardless of their origin, it is essential to bridge the international gap. The diversity of health information seekers languages and cultures signifies that e-health applications must be adapted to satisfy their needs. In order to achieve this objective, current and future e-health programs should take into account the internationalization aspects. This paper presents an internationalization requirements specification in the form of a reusable requirements catalog, obtained from the principal related standards, and describes the key methodological elements needed to perform an e-health software audit by using the internationalization knowledge previously gathered. S Health, a relevant, well-known Android application that has more than 150 million users in over 130 countries, was selected as a target for the e-health internationalization audit method and requirements specification presented above. This application example helped us to put into practice the proposal and show that the procedure is realistic and effective. The approach presented in this study is subject to continuous improvement through the incorporation of new knowledge originating from additional information sources, such as other standards or stakeholders. The application example is useful for early evaluation and serves to assess the applicability of the internationalization catalog and audit methodology, and to improve them. It would be advisable to develop of an automated tool with which to carry out the audit method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial Knowledge Infrastructures - Creating Value for Policy Makers and Benefits the Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, L. M.

2016-12-01

The spatial data infrastructure is arguably one of the most significant advancements in the spatial sector. It's been a game changer for governments, providing for the coordination and sharing of spatial data across organisations and the provision of accessible information to the broader community of users. Today however, end-users such as policy-makers require far more from these spatial data infrastructures. They want more than just data; they want the knowledge that can be extracted from data and they don't want to have to download, manipulate and process data in order to get the knowledge they seek. It's time for the spatial sector to reduce its focus on data in spatial data infrastructures and take a more proactive step in emphasising and delivering the knowledge value. Nowadays, decision-makers want to be able to query at will the data to meet their immediate need for knowledge. This is a new value proposal for the decision-making consumer and will require a shift in thinking. This paper presents a model for a Spatial Knowledge Infrastructure and underpinning methods that will realise a new real-time approach to delivering knowledge. The methods embrace the new capabilities afforded through the sematic web, domain and process ontologies and natural query language processing. Semantic Web technologies today have the potential to transform the spatial industry into more than just a distribution channel for data. The Semantic Web RDF (Resource Description Framework) enables meaning to be drawn from data automatically. While pushing data out to end-users will remain a central role for data producers, the power of the semantic web is that end-users have the ability to marshal a broad range of spatial resources via a query to extract knowledge from available data. This can be done without actually having to configure systems specifically for the end-user. All data producers need do is make data accessible in RDF and the spatial analytics does the rest.

Rationale and uses of a public HIV drug-resistance database.

PubMed

Shafer, Robert W

2006-09-15

Knowledge regarding the drug resistance of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is critical for surveillance of drug resistance, development of antiretroviral drugs, and management of infections with drug-resistant viruses. Such knowledge is derived from studies that correlate genetic variation in the targets of therapy with the antiretroviral treatments received by persons from whom the variant was obtained (genotype-treatment), with drug-susceptibility data on genetic variants (genotype-phenotype), and with virological and clinical response to a new treatment regimen (genotype-outcome). An HIV drug-resistance database is required to represent, store, and analyze the diverse forms of data underlying our knowledge of drug resistance and to make these data available to the broad community of researchers studying drug resistance in HIV and clinicians using HIV drug-resistance tests. Such genotype-treatment, genotype-phenotype, and genotype-outcome correlations are contained in the Stanford HIV RT and Protease Sequence Database and have specific usefulness.

Use of declarative statements in creating and maintaining computer-interpretable knowledge bases for guideline-based care.

PubMed

Tu, Samson W; Hrabak, Karen M; Campbell, James R; Glasgow, Julie; Nyman, Mark A; McClure, Robert; McClay, James; Abarbanel, Robert; Mansfield, James G; Martins, Susana M; Goldstein, Mary K; Musen, Mark A

2006-01-01

Developing computer-interpretable clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to provide decision support for guideline-based care is an extremely labor-intensive task. In the EON/ATHENA and SAGE projects, we formulated substantial portions of CPGs as computable statements that express declarative relationships between patient conditions and possible interventions. We developed query and expression languages that allow a decision-support system (DSS) to evaluate these statements in specific patient situations. A DSS can use these guideline statements in multiple ways, including: (1) as inputs for determining preferred alternatives in decision-making, and (2) as a way to provide targeted commentaries in the clinical information system. The use of these declarative statements significantly reduces the modeling expertise and effort required to create and maintain computer-interpretable knowledge bases for decision-support purpose. We discuss possible implications for sharing of such knowledge bases.

Human nature, cultural diversity and evolutionary theory

PubMed Central

Plotkin, Henry

2011-01-01

Incorporating culture into an expanded theory of evolution will provide the foundation for a universal account of human diversity. Two requirements must be met. The first is to see learning as an extension of the processes of evolution. The second is to understand that there are specific components of human culture, viz. higher order knowledge structures and social constructions, which give rise to culture as invented knowledge. These components, which are products of psychological processes and mechanisms, make human culture different from the forms of shared knowledge observed in other species. One serious difficulty for such an expanded theory is that social constructions may not add to the fitness of all humans exposed to them. This may be because human culture has existed for only a relatively short time in evolutionary terms. Or it may be that, as some maintain, adaptation is a limited, even a flawed, aspect of evolutionary theory. PMID:21199849

Strategies for implementation of an effective pharmacogenomics program in pharmacy education.

PubMed

Rao, U Subrahmanyeswara; Mayhew, Susan L; Rao, Prema S

2015-07-01

Sequencing of the human genome and the evidence correlating specific genetic variations to diseases have opened up the potential of genomics to more effective and less harmful interventions of human diseases. A wealth of pharmacogenomics knowledge is in place for the practice of precision medicine. However, this knowledge is not fully realized in clinical practice. One reason for this impasse is the lack of in-depth understanding of the potential of pharmacogenomics among the healthcare professionals. Pharmacists are the point-of-care providers and are expected to advise clinicians on matters relating to the implementation of pharmacogenomics in patient care. However, current pharmacogenomics instruction in pharmacy schools fails to produce pharmacists with the required knowledge or practical training in this discipline. In this perspective, we provide several strategies to overcome limitations faced by pharmacy schools. Once implemented, pharmacy schools will produce precision medicine-ready pharmacists.

14 CFR 63.53 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Knowledge requirements. 63.53 Section 63.53 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS OTHER THAN PILOTS Flight Navigators § 63.53 Knowledge requirements. (a) An...

14 CFR 65.75 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Knowledge requirements. 65.75 Section 65.75 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.75 Knowledge requirements. (a) Each applicant...

14 CFR 65.75 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Knowledge requirements. 65.75 Section 65.75 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.75 Knowledge requirements. (a) Each applicant...

14 CFR 65.55 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Knowledge requirements. 65.55 Section 65.55 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Aircraft Dispatchers § 65.55 Knowledge requirements. (a) A...

14 CFR 63.53 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Knowledge requirements. 63.53 Section 63.53 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS OTHER THAN PILOTS Flight Navigators § 63.53 Knowledge requirements. (a) An...

14 CFR 63.35 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Knowledge requirements. 63.35 Section 63.35 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS OTHER THAN PILOTS Flight Engineers § 63.35 Knowledge requirements. (a) An...

Local ecological knowledge among Baka children: a case of “children's culture” ?

PubMed Central

Gallois, Sandrine; Duda, Romain; Reyes-García, Victoria

2016-01-01

Childhood is an extensive life period specific to the human species and a key stage for development. Considering the importance of childhood for cultural transmission, we test the existence of a 'children's culture', or child-specific knowledge and practices not necessarily shared with adults, among the Baka in Southeast Cameroon. Using structured questionnaires, we collected data among 69 children and 175 adults to assess the ability to name, identify, and conceptualize animals and wild edibles. We found that some of the ecological knowledge related to little mammals and birds reported by Baka children was not reported by adults. We also found similarities between children’s and adult’s knowledge, both regarding the content of knowledge and how knowledge is distributed. Thus, middle childhood children hold similar knowledge than adults, especially related to wild edibles. Moreover, as children age, they start shedding child-specific knowledge and holding more adult’s knowledge. Additionally and echoing the gendered knowledge distribution present in adulthood, since middle childhood there are differences in the knowledge hold by boys and girls. We discuss our results highlighting the existence of specific ecological knowledge held by Baka children, the overlap between children’s and adults’ knowledge, and the changes in children’s ecological knowledge as they move into adulthood. PMID:28386157

Symbiotic Navigation in Multi-Robot Systems with Remote Obstacle Knowledge Sharing

PubMed Central

Ravankar, Abhijeet; Ravankar, Ankit A.; Kobayashi, Yukinori; Emaru, Takanori

2017-01-01

Large scale operational areas often require multiple service robots for coverage and task parallelism. In such scenarios, each robot keeps its individual map of the environment and serves specific areas of the map at different times. We propose a knowledge sharing mechanism for multiple robots in which one robot can inform other robots about the changes in map, like path blockage, or new static obstacles, encountered at specific areas of the map. This symbiotic information sharing allows the robots to update remote areas of the map without having to explicitly navigate those areas, and plan efficient paths. A node representation of paths is presented for seamless sharing of blocked path information. The transience of obstacles is modeled to track obstacles which might have been removed. A lazy information update scheme is presented in which only relevant information affecting the current task is updated for efficiency. The advantages of the proposed method for path planning are discussed against traditional method with experimental results in both simulation and real environments. PMID:28678193

A neural basis for category and modality specificity of semantic knowledge.

PubMed

Thompson-Schill, S L; Aguirre, G K; D'Esposito, M; Farah, M J

1999-06-01

Prevalent theories hold that semantic memory is organized by sensorimotor modality (e.g., visual knowledge, motor knowledge). While some neuroimaging studies support this idea, it cannot account for the category specific (e.g., living things) knowledge impairments seen in some brain damaged patients that cut across modalities. In this article we test an alternative model of how damage to interactive, modality-specific neural regions might give rise to these categorical impairments. Functional MRI was used to examine a cortical area with a known modality-specific function during the retrieval of visual and non-visual knowledge about living and non-living things. The specific predictions of our model regarding the signal observed in this area were confirmed, supporting the notion that semantic memory is functionally segregated into anatomically discrete, but highly interactive, modality-specific regions.

Volume and Value of Big Healthcare Data.

PubMed

Dinov, Ivo D

Modern scientific inquiries require significant data-driven evidence and trans-disciplinary expertise to extract valuable information and gain actionable knowledge about natural processes. Effective evidence-based decisions require collection, processing and interpretation of vast amounts of complex data. The Moore's and Kryder's laws of exponential increase of computational power and information storage, respectively, dictate the need rapid trans-disciplinary advances, technological innovation and effective mechanisms for managing and interrogating Big Healthcare Data. In this article, we review important aspects of Big Data analytics and discuss important questions like: What are the challenges and opportunities associated with this biomedical, social, and healthcare data avalanche? Are there innovative statistical computing strategies to represent, model, analyze and interpret Big heterogeneous data? We present the foundation of a new compressive big data analytics (CBDA) framework for representation, modeling and inference of large, complex and heterogeneous datasets. Finally, we consider specific directions likely to impact the process of extracting information from Big healthcare data, translating that information to knowledge, and deriving appropriate actions.

The Benefits of Required Forensic Clinical Experiences in Residency.

PubMed

Wasser, Tobias; Sun, Amanda; Chandra, Saksham; Michaelsen, Katherine

2018-06-01

The growth of forensic psychiatry has spurred efforts to improve forensic psychiatry training in general psychiatry residency. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires that residencies provide an experience that "exposes" residents to forensic issues, but leaves the specifics to individual programs. However, there is growing need for psychiatrists to understand the unique circumstances of individuals with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. The authors developed a new mandatory forensic rotation for general psychiatry residents and conducted a pilot study to assess its impact on residents' interest and comfort working with criminal justice-involved patients, interest in forensic fellowship, and knowledge of available resources for consultation and supervision. Rotation completion was associated with a significantly increased interest in working with forensic populations and pursuing forensic fellowship, but no changes in residents' level of comfort or knowledge of supervisory and consultative resources. This study adds to the growing body of literature describing the benefits of expanding forensic education for residents.

Explicitly searching for useful inventions: dynamic relatedness and the costs of connecting versus synthesizing

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Inventions combine technological features. When features are barely related, burdensomely broad knowledge is required to identify the situations that they share. When features are overly related, burdensomely broad knowledge is required to identify the situations that distinguish them. Thus, according to my first hypothesis, when features are moderately related, the costs of connecting and costs of synthesizing are cumulatively minimized, and the most useful inventions emerge. I also hypothesize that continued experimentation with a specific set of features is likely to lead to the discovery of decreasingly useful inventions; the earlier-identified connections reflect the more common consumer situations. Covering data from all industries, the empirical analysis provides broad support for the first hypothesis. Regressions to test the second hypothesis are inconclusive when examining industry types individually. Yet, this study represents an exploratory investigation, and future research should test refined hypotheses with more sophisticated data, such as that found in literature-based discovery research. PMID:21297855

The use of automatic programming techniques for fault tolerant computing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wild, C.

1985-01-01

It is conjectured that the production of software for ultra-reliable computing systems such as required by Space Station, aircraft, nuclear power plants and the like will require a high degree of automation as well as fault tolerance. In this paper, the relationship between automatic programming techniques and fault tolerant computing systems is explored. Initial efforts in the automatic synthesis of code from assertions to be used for error detection as well as the automatic generation of assertions and test cases from abstract data type specifications is outlined. Speculation on the ability to generate truly diverse designs capable of recovery from errors by exploring alternate paths in the program synthesis tree is discussed. Some initial thoughts on the use of knowledge based systems for the global detection of abnormal behavior using expectations and the goal-directed reconfiguration of resources to meet critical mission objectives are given. One of the sources of information for these systems would be the knowledge captured during the automatic programming process.

Volume and Value of Big Healthcare Data

PubMed Central

Dinov, Ivo D.

2016-01-01

Modern scientific inquiries require significant data-driven evidence and trans-disciplinary expertise to extract valuable information and gain actionable knowledge about natural processes. Effective evidence-based decisions require collection, processing and interpretation of vast amounts of complex data. The Moore's and Kryder's laws of exponential increase of computational power and information storage, respectively, dictate the need rapid trans-disciplinary advances, technological innovation and effective mechanisms for managing and interrogating Big Healthcare Data. In this article, we review important aspects of Big Data analytics and discuss important questions like: What are the challenges and opportunities associated with this biomedical, social, and healthcare data avalanche? Are there innovative statistical computing strategies to represent, model, analyze and interpret Big heterogeneous data? We present the foundation of a new compressive big data analytics (CBDA) framework for representation, modeling and inference of large, complex and heterogeneous datasets. Finally, we consider specific directions likely to impact the process of extracting information from Big healthcare data, translating that information to knowledge, and deriving appropriate actions. PMID:26998309

The education of health practitioners supporting breastfeeding women: time for critical reflection.

PubMed

Dykes, Fiona

2006-10-01

The protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding has now become a major international priority as emphasized in the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. Health practitioners, such as midwives, nurses and doctors, have a key role to play in providing support to breastfeeding women. This paper provides a critical discussion of educational requirements of health practitioners to equip them for their supportive role. The effective integration of embodied, vicarious, practice-based and theoretical knowledge requires opportunities for deep critical reflection. This approach should facilitate personal reflection and critical engagement with broader socio-political issues, thus allowing for collective understandings and change. Practitioners also need to understand breastfeeding as a biopsychosocial process that is dynamic, relational and changes over time. Recommendations are outlined with regards to multidisciplinary undergraduate education; mentorship schemes with knowledgeable role models supporting student practitioners; involvement of voluntary and peer supporters; post-registration education; setting of national standards for breastfeeding education; tailored education for specific groups; designated funding; and involvement of breastfeeding specialists.

Creativity Doesn't Develop in a Vacuum.

PubMed

Baer, John

2016-01-01

The skills, knowledge, attitudes, motivations, and personality traits that lead to creative thinking and creative behavior do not exist-and do not develop-in a vacuum. They are inextricably tied to content, to domains, in particular, and they therefore vary by domains. The more we learn about creativity, the more we discover how domain specific creativity is. This means we cannot nurture creativity, or any of the skills or attributes that contribute to creativity, without thinking about content. One cannot become physically fit by doing just one kind of exercise that trains a single set of muscles; all-around fitness requires diverse exercises that use and train many different sets of muscles. So it is with creativity. Different domains require different creativity-relevant skills, knowledge, attitudes, motivations, and personality traits. If we want to help children and adolescents become more creative, then we need to attend to the domains we use in the development of creativity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Accessing and integrating data and knowledge for biomedical research.

PubMed

Burgun, A; Bodenreider, O

2008-01-01

To review the issues that have arisen with the advent of translational research in terms of integration of data and knowledge, and survey current efforts to address these issues. Using examples form the biomedical literature, we identified new trends in biomedical research and their impact on bioinformatics. We analyzed the requirements for effective knowledge repositories and studied issues in the integration of biomedical knowledge. New diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on gene expression patterns have brought about new issues in the statistical analysis of data, and new workflows are needed are needed to support translational research. Interoperable data repositories based on standard annotations, infrastructures and services are needed to support the pooling and meta-analysis of data, as well as their comparison to earlier experiments. High-quality, integrated ontologies and knowledge bases serve as a source of prior knowledge used in combination with traditional data mining techniques and contribute to the development of more effective data analysis strategies. As biomedical research evolves from traditional clinical and biological investigations towards omics sciences and translational research, specific needs have emerged, including integrating data collected in research studies with patient clinical data, linking omics knowledge with medical knowledge, modeling the molecular basis of diseases, and developing tools that support in-depth analysis of research data. As such, translational research illustrates the need to bridge the gap between bioinformatics and medical informatics, and opens new avenues for biomedical informatics research.

The Effects of Tailoring Knowledge Acquisition on Colorectal Cancer Screening Self-Efficacy

PubMed Central

Jerant, Anthony; To, Patricia; Franks, Peter

2015-01-01

Interventions tailored to psychological factors such as personal and vicarious behavioral experiences can enhance behavioral self-efficacy, but are complex to develop and implement. Information seeking theory suggests tailoring acquisition of health knowledge (without concurrent psychological factor tailoring) could enhance self-efficacy, simplifying the design of tailored behavior change interventions. To begin to examine this issue, the authors conducted exploratory analyses of data from a randomized controlled trial, comparing the effects of an experimental colorectal cancer (CRC) screening intervention tailoring knowledge acquisition with the effects of a non-tailored control on CRC screening knowledge and self-efficacy in 1159 patients comprising three ethnicity/language strata (Hispanic/Spanish 23.4%, Hispanic/English 27.2%, non-Hispanic/English 49.3%) and five recruitment center strata. Adjusted for study strata, the mean post-intervention knowledge score was significantly higher in the experimental group versus control. Adjusted experimental intervention exposure (B = 0.22, 95% CI [0.14, 0.30]), pre-intervention knowledge (B = 0.11, 95% CI [0.05, 0.16]), and post-intervention knowledge (B = 0.03, 95% CI [0.01, 0.05]) were independently associated with subsequent CRC screening self-efficacy (p < .001 all associations). These exploratory findings suggest tailoring knowledge acquisition may enhance self-efficacy, with potential implications for tailored intervention design, but require confirmation in studies specifically designed to examine this issue. PMID:25928315

Symbolic modeling of human anatomy for visualization and simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pommert, Andreas; Schubert, Rainer; Riemer, Martin; Schiemann, Thomas; Tiede, Ulf; Hoehne, Karl H.

1994-09-01

Visualization of human anatomy in a 3D atlas requires both spatial and more abstract symbolic knowledge. Within our 'intelligent volume' model which integrates these two levels, we developed and implemented a semantic network model for describing human anatomy. Concepts for structuring (abstraction levels, domains, views, generic and case-specific modeling, inheritance) are introduced. Model, tools for generation and exploration and applications in our 3D anatomical atlas are presented and discussed.

[The importance of thesis in specialization courses in Medicine].

PubMed

Ramiro-H, Manuel; Cruz-A, Enrique

2016-01-01

The development of a thesis goes far beyond a mere compliance with the methodological requirements and evidence that students have sufficient knowledge that the profession demands. A thesis is usually the first academic and research work that students publish, it is also the result of commitment and dedication to the field of medicine in which they will be developing, which reflects motivations and interests, as well as their reflection to a specific problem.

Previous ISD Program Review.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

report. The detail required for such a review would be unwieldy and would comsume inordinate amounts of time. The result of the document review will...attempts have been made at writing specific behavioral objectives (SBOs). These, however, have proven to be inadequate in that they are not stated in... behavioral terms (e.g., "will understand," "will have a knowledge of," etc.). C. Development of CRO/CRTs? In nearly all cases, ISD teams are just

Transforming Traditional Practices of Teacher Preparation to Meet Changing Needs of Digital Learners: A First Step Intervention by Assessing and Addressing Needs of Pre-Service Teachers in a Dual Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poyo, Susan Ricke

2016-01-01

Changes in the field of education require teachers' acquisition of specific knowledge of technology and the skills of its effective use in the classroom. With the expansion of the traditional classroom to include virtual learning environments, concern still exists regarding characteristics necessary for quality teaching and learning. This research…

A linear shift-invariant image preprocessing technique for multispectral scanner systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgillem, C. D.; Riemer, T. E.

1973-01-01

A linear shift-invariant image preprocessing technique is examined which requires no specific knowledge of any parameter of the original image and which is sufficiently general to allow the effective radius of the composite imaging system to be arbitrarily shaped and reduced, subject primarily to the noise power constraint. In addition, the size of the point-spread function of the preprocessing filter can be arbitrarily controlled, thus minimizing truncation errors.

A time-responsive tool for informing policy making: rapid realist review.

PubMed

Saul, Jessie E; Willis, Cameron D; Bitz, Jennifer; Best, Allan

2013-09-05

A realist synthesis attempts to provide policy makers with a transferable theory that suggests a certain program is more or less likely to work in certain respects, for particular subjects, in specific kinds of situations. Yet realist reviews can require considerable and sustained investment over time, which does not always suit the time-sensitive demands of many policy decisions. 'Rapid Realist Review' methodology (RRR) has been developed as a tool for applying a realist approach to a knowledge synthesis process in order to produce a product that is useful to policy makers in responding to time-sensitive and/or emerging issues, while preserving the core elements of realist methodology. Using examples from completed RRRs, we describe key features of the RRR methodology, the resources required, and the strengths and limitations of the process. All aspects of an RRR are guided by both a local reference group, and a group of content experts. Involvement of knowledge users and external experts ensures both the usability of the review products, as well as their links to current practice. RRRs have proven useful in providing evidence for and making explicit what is known on a given topic, as well as articulating where knowledge gaps may exist. From the RRRs completed to date, findings broadly adhere to four (often overlapping) classifications: guiding rules for policy-making; knowledge quantification (i.e., the amount of literature available that identifies context, mechanisms, and outcomes for a given topic); understanding tensions/paradoxes in the evidence base; and, reinforcing or refuting beliefs and decisions taken. 'Traditional' realist reviews and RRRs have some key differences, which allow policy makers to apply each type of methodology strategically to maximize its utility within a particular local constellation of history, goals, resources, politics and environment. In particular, the RRR methodology is explicitly designed to engage knowledge users and review stakeholders to define the research questions, and to streamline the review process. In addition, results are presented with a focus on context-specific explanations for what works within a particular set of parameters rather than producing explanations that are potentially transferrable across contexts and populations. For policy makers faced with making difficult decisions in short time frames for which there is sufficient (if limited) published/research and practice-based evidence available, RRR provides a practical, outcomes-focused knowledge synthesis method.

Effect of production phase on bottle-fermented sparkling wine quality.

PubMed

Kemp, Belinda; Alexandre, Hervé; Robillard, Bertrand; Marchal, Richard

2015-01-14

This review analyzes bottle-fermented sparkling wine research at each stage of production by evaluating existing knowledge to identify areas that require future investigation. With the growing importance of enological investigation being focused on the needs of the wine production industry, this review examines current research at each stage of bottle-fermented sparkling wine production. Production phases analyzed in this review include pressing, juice adjustments, malolactic fermentation (MLF), stabilization, clarification, tirage, lees aging, disgorging, and dosage. The aim of this review is to identify enological factors that affect bottle-fermented sparkling wine quality, predominantly aroma, flavor, and foaming quality. Future research topics identified include regional specific varieties, plant-based products from vines, grapes, and yeast that can be used in sparkling wine production, gushing at disgorging, and methods to increase the rate of yeast autolysis. An internationally accepted sensory analysis method specifically designed for sparkling wine is required.

Management of Cardiac Involvement Associated With Neuromuscular Diseases: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Feingold, Brian; Mahle, William T; Auerbach, Scott; Clemens, Paula; Domenighetti, Andrea A; Jefferies, John L; Judge, Daniel P; Lal, Ashwin K; Markham, Larry W; Parks, W James; Tsuda, Takeshi; Wang, Paul J; Yoo, Shi-Joon

2017-09-26

For many neuromuscular diseases (NMDs), cardiac disease represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The management of cardiac disease in NMDs is made challenging by the broad clinical heterogeneity that exists among many NMDs and by limited knowledge about disease-specific cardiovascular pathogenesis and course-modifying interventions. The overlay of compromise in peripheral muscle function and other organ systems, such as the lungs, also makes the simple application of endorsed adult or pediatric heart failure guidelines to the NMD population problematic. In this statement, we provide background on several NMDs in which there is cardiac involvement, highlighting unique features of NMD-associated myocardial disease that require clinicians to tailor their approach to prevention and treatment of heart failure. Undoubtedly, further investigations are required to best inform future guidelines on NMD-specific cardiovascular health risks, treatments, and outcomes. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Generating target system specifications from a domain model using CLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sugumaran, Vijayan; Gomaa, Hassan; Kerschberg, Larry

1991-01-01

The quest for reuse in software engineering is still being pursued and researchers are actively investigating the domain modeling approach to software construction. There are several domain modeling efforts reported in the literature and they all agree that the components that are generated from domain modeling are more conducive to reuse. Once a domain model is created, several target systems can be generated by tailoring the domain model or by evolving the domain model and then tailoring it according to the specified requirements. This paper presents the Evolutionary Domain Life Cycle (EDLC) paradigm in which a domain model is created using multiple views, namely, aggregation hierarchy, generalization/specialization hierarchies, object communication diagrams and state transition diagrams. The architecture of the Knowledge Based Requirements Elicitation Tool (KBRET) which is used to generate target system specifications is also presented. The preliminary version of KBRET is implemented in the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS).

Research Issues in Image Registration for Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eastman, Roger D.; LeMoigne, Jacqueline; Netanyahu, Nathan S.

2007-01-01

Image registration is an important element in data processing for remote sensing with many applications and a wide range of solutions. Despite considerable investigation the field has not settled on a definitive solution for most applications and a number of questions remain open. This article looks at selected research issues by surveying the experience of operational satellite teams, application-specific requirements for Earth science, and our experiments in the evaluation of image registration algorithms with emphasis on the comparison of algorithms for subpixel accuracy. We conclude that remote sensing applications put particular demands on image registration algorithms to take into account domain-specific knowledge of geometric transformations and image content.

Attention and driving in traumatic brain injury: a question of coping with time-pressure.

PubMed

Brouwer, Wiebo H; Withaar, Frederiec K; Tant, Mark L M; van Zomeren, Adriaan H

2002-02-01

Diffuse and focal traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in perceptual, cognitive, and motor dysfunction possibly leading to activity limitations in driving. Characteristic dysfunctions for severe diffuse TBI are confronted with function requirements derived from the hierarchical task analysis of driving skill. Specifically, we focus on slow information processing, divided attention, and the development of procedural knowledge. Also the effects of a combination of diffuse and focal dysfunctions, specifically homonymous hemianopia and the dysexecutive syndrome, are discussed. Finally, we turn to problems and challenges with regard to assessment and rehabilitation methods in the areas of driving and fitness to drive.

Domain-Specific Knowledge and General Skills in Reading Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhara-Kojima, Keiko; Hatano, Giyoo

A study examined whether the reading comprehension of students with rich domain-specific knowledge will be better than that of students without it and whether assessed general skills will be correlated significantly with reading comprehension performance for students without specific knowledge, but negligible for the students with much specific…

Beyond the rhetoric: benefits of a baccalaureate education for nursing.

PubMed

Gillis, A

1989-01-01

This article examines the benefits and value of expanding the educational base for nursing. It argues that if nursing is to accept a broader mandate for the promotion of health, the educational preparation of the nurse must focus as much on the development of the nurse as a person, as on the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are specific to the profession. It suggests that to effect the changes required in the health care system nurses require increased levels of autonomy. A professional liberal education will contribute to a strong sense of professional autonomy and self-actualization; both are essential qualities for today's contemporary nurse.

Substance Abuse-Specific Knowledge Transfer or Loss? Treatment Program Turnover versus Professional Turnover among Substance Abuse Clinicians

PubMed Central

Eby, Lillian T.; Curtis, Sara L.

2014-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the extent to which substance abuse (SA) clinician turnover is associated with SA-specific knowledge loss due to change in professions (professional turnover) versus SA-specific knowledge transfer due to movement from one SA clinical setting to another (treatment program turnover). For this study, clinicians had to voluntarily leave their current treatment program. Eligible clinicians completed a quantitative survey while employed and a qualitative post-employment exit interview 1 year later. Compared to those that exited the SA profession (N = 99), clinicians who changed treatment programs (N = 120) had greater SA-specific formal knowledge and were more likely to be personally in recovery. No differences were found between the two groups in terms of SA-specific practical knowledge. PMID:25115318

Specificity of Structural Assessment of Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trumpower, David L.; Sharara, Harold; Goldsmith, Timothy E.

2010-01-01

This study examines the specificity of information provided by structural assessment of knowledge (SAK). SAK is a technique which uses the Pathfinder scaling algorithm to transform ratings of concept relatedness into network representations (PFnets) of individuals' knowledge. Inferences about individuals' overall domain knowledge based on the…

Cancer risks near nuclear facilities: the importance of research design and explicit study hypotheses.

PubMed

Wing, Steve; Richardson, David B; Hoffmann, Wolfgang

2011-04-01

In April 2010, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission asked the National Academy of Sciences to update a 1990 study of cancer risks near nuclear facilities. Prior research on this topic has suffered from problems in hypothesis formulation and research design. We review epidemiologic principles used in studies of generic exposure-response associations and in studies of specific sources of exposure. We then describe logical problems with assumptions, formation of testable hypotheses, and interpretation of evidence in previous research on cancer risks near nuclear facilities. Advancement of knowledge about cancer risks near nuclear facilities depends on testing specific hypotheses grounded in physical and biological mechanisms of exposure and susceptibility while considering sample size and ability to adequately quantify exposure, ascertain cancer cases, and evaluate plausible confounders. Next steps in advancing knowledge about cancer risks near nuclear facilities require studies of childhood cancer incidence, focus on in utero and early childhood exposures, use of specific geographic information, and consideration of pathways for transport and uptake of radionuclides. Studies of cancer mortality among adults, cancers with long latencies, large geographic zones, and populations that reside at large distances from nuclear facilities are better suited for public relations than for scientific purposes.

Design enhancement tools in MSC/NASTRAN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallerstein, D. V.

1984-01-01

Design sensitivity is the calculation of derivatives of constraint functions with respect to design variables. While a knowledge of these derivatives is useful in its own right, the derivatives are required in many efficient optimization methods. Constraint derivatives are also required in some reanalysis methods. It is shown where the sensitivity coefficients fit into the scheme of a basic organization of an optimization procedure. The analyzer is to be taken as MSC/NASTRAN. The terminator program monitors the termination criteria and ends the optimization procedure when the criteria are satisfied. This program can reside in several plances: in the optimizer itself, in a user written code, or as part of the MSC/EOS (Engineering Operating System) MSC/EOS currently under development. Since several excellent optimization codes exist and since they require such very specialized technical knowledge, the optimizer under the new MSC/EOS is considered to be selected and supplied by the user to meet his specific needs and preferences. The one exception to this is a fully stressed design (FSD) based on simple scaling. The gradients are currently supplied by various design sensitivity options now existing in MSC/NASTRAN's design sensitivity analysis (DSA).

Leadership collaboration during health reform: an action learning approach with an interagency group of executives in Tasmania.

PubMed

Harpur, Siobhan

2012-05-01

To use an action learning approach to encourage a group of executive leaders, responsible for the implementation of a state health reform agenda, to consider the leadership required to drive improvement in healthcare services. Based on an assertion that knowledge is co-produced and that deliberative and structured conversation can be a mechanism to drive change, an action learning approach was used to facilitate an interagency group of executive leaders, responsible for the implementation of a state health reform agenda, who were encouraged to consider the leadership required to drive improvement in healthcare services. It was difficult to assert how the group contributed specifically to the implementation of the health reform agenda but individuals gained insights and there was informal resolution of institutional tensions and differences. The method may provide new knowledge to the reform process over time. Getting the participants together was challenging, which may reflect the reality of time-poor executives, or a low commitment to giving time to structured and deliberative informal dialogue. Further work is required to test this thesis and the action learning approach with other parts of healthcare workforce.

Mechanisms and neural basis of object and pattern recognition: a study with chess experts.

PubMed

Bilalić, Merim; Langner, Robert; Erb, Michael; Grodd, Wolfgang

2010-11-01

Comparing experts with novices offers unique insights into the functioning of cognition, based on the maximization of individual differences. Here we used this expertise approach to disentangle the mechanisms and neural basis behind two processes that contribute to everyday expertise: object and pattern recognition. We compared chess experts and novices performing chess-related and -unrelated (visual) search tasks. As expected, the superiority of experts was limited to the chess-specific task, as there were no differences in a control task that used the same chess stimuli but did not require chess-specific recognition. The analysis of eye movements showed that experts immediately and exclusively focused on the relevant aspects in the chess task, whereas novices also examined irrelevant aspects. With random chess positions, when pattern knowledge could not be used to guide perception, experts nevertheless maintained an advantage. Experts' superior domain-specific parafoveal vision, a consequence of their knowledge about individual domain-specific symbols, enabled improved object recognition. Functional magnetic resonance imaging corroborated this differentiation between object and pattern recognition and showed that chess-specific object recognition was accompanied by bilateral activation of the occipitotemporal junction, whereas chess-specific pattern recognition was related to bilateral activations in the middle part of the collateral sulci. Using the expertise approach together with carefully chosen controls and multiple dependent measures, we identified object and pattern recognition as two essential cognitive processes in expert visual cognition, which may also help to explain the mechanisms of everyday perception.

The relationship between chiropractor required and current level of business knowledge.

PubMed

Ciolfi, Michael Anthony; Kasen, Patsy Anne

2017-01-01

Chiropractors frequently practice within health care systems requiring the business acumen of an entrepreneur. However, some chiropractors do not know the relationship between the level of business knowledge required for practice success and their current level of business knowledge. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between chiropractors' perceived level of business knowledge required and their perceived level of current business knowledge. Two hundred and seventy-four participants completed an online survey (Health Care Training and Education Needs Survey) which included eight key business items. Participants rated the level of perceived business knowledge required (Part I) and their current perceived level of knowledge (Part II) for the same eight items. Data was collected from November 27, 2013 to December 18, 2013. Data were analyzed using Spearman's ranked correlation to determine the statistically significant relationships for the perceived level of knowledge required and the perceived current level of knowledge for each of the paired eight items from Parts I and II of the survey. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Tests were performed to determine the statistical difference between the paired items. The results of Spearman's correlation testing indicated a statistically significant ( p < 0.01) positive correlation for the perceived level of knowledge required and perceived current level of knowledge for six variables: (a) organizational behavior, (b) strategic management, (c) marketing, (d) legal and ethical, (e) managerial decisions, and (f) operations. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks testing indicated a significant difference for three paired items: strategic management; marketing and; legal and ethical. The results suggest that relationships exist for the majority of business items (6 of 8) however a statistically difference was demonstrated in only three of the paired business items. The implications of this study for social change include the potential to improve chiropractors' business knowledge and skills, enable practice success, enhance health services delivery and positively influence the profession as a viable career.

Practising alchemy: the transmutation of evidence into best health care.

PubMed

Goodyear-Smith, Felicity

2011-04-01

Alchemy was the synthesis or transmutation of all elements in perfect balance to obtain the philosopher's stone, the key to health. Just as alchemists sought this, so health practitioners always seek the best possible practice for optimal health outcomes for our patients. Best practice requires full knowledge--a little information can be dangerous. We need to serve our apprenticeship before we master our profession. Our profession is about improving health care. While the journey may start at medical school, the learning never ceases. It is not only about practising medicine, it is about the development of the practitioner. Professional practice requires systematic thinking combined with capacity to deal morally and creatively in areas of complexity and uncertainty appropriate to a specific context. It requires exemplary communication skills to interact with patients to facilitate collaborative decision making resulting in best practice. The synthesis of scientific and contextual evidence is a concept which applies to all disciplines where theoretical knowledge needs to be transferred to action to inform best practice. Decisions need to be made which take into account a complex array of factors, such as social and legal issues and resource constraints. Therefore, journey towards best practice involves transmutation of these three elements: scientific knowledge, the context in which it is applied and phronesis, the practical wisdom of the practitioner. All science has its limitations and we can never know all possible contextual information. Hence, like the philosopher's stone, best practice is a goal to which we aspire but never quite attain.

Software Requirements Analysis as Fault Predictor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, Dolores

2003-01-01

Waiting until the integration and system test phase to discover errors leads to more costly rework than resolving those same errors earlier in the lifecycle. Costs increase even more significantly once a software system has become operational. WE can assess the quality of system requirements, but do little to correlate this information either to system assurance activities or long-term reliability projections - both of which remain unclear and anecdotal. Extending earlier work on requirements accomplished by the ARM tool, measuring requirements quality information against code complexity and test data for the same system may be used to predict specific software modules containing high impact or deeply embedded faults now escaping in operational systems. Such knowledge would lead to more effective and efficient test programs. It may enable insight into whether a program should be maintained or started over.

Developing Health Literacy Knowledge and Skills Through Case-Based Learning

PubMed Central

Lopez, Tina

2014-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of case-based learning to teach pharmacy students health literacy concepts and skills in managing patients with limited health literacy. Design. A health literacy patient case was developed and incorporated into a case-based learning laboratory. The case involved a patient with limited health literacy and required students to evaluate and formulate a care plan. Assessment. A comparison of pretest and posttest scores demonstrated that students gained health literacy knowledge and skills through completion of the patient case. Students believed that the case-based exercise was successful in meeting specific learning objectives for the course. Conclusions. Addition of a case-based learning was effective in teaching pharmacy students health literacy concepts and skills. PMID:24558285

A bioinformatics roadmap for the human vaccines project.

PubMed

Scheuermann, Richard H; Sinkovits, Robert S; Schenkelberg, Theodore; Koff, Wayne C

2017-06-01

Biomedical research has become a data intensive science in which high throughput experimentation is producing comprehensive data about biological systems at an ever-increasing pace. The Human Vaccines Project is a new public-private partnership, with the goal of accelerating development of improved vaccines and immunotherapies for global infectious diseases and cancers by decoding the human immune system. To achieve its mission, the Project is developing a Bioinformatics Hub as an open-source, multidisciplinary effort with the overarching goal of providing an enabling infrastructure to support the data processing, analysis and knowledge extraction procedures required to translate high throughput, high complexity human immunology research data into biomedical knowledge, to determine the core principles driving specific and durable protective immune responses.

An intervention aimed at reducing plagiarism in undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Smedley, Alison; Crawford, Tonia; Cloete, Linda

2015-05-01

Plagiarism is a current and developing problem in the tertiary education sector where students access information and reproduce it as their own. It is identified as occurring in many tertiary level degrees including nursing and allied health profession degrees. Nursing specifically, is a profession where standards and ethics are required and honesty is paramount. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in nursing student's knowledge and understanding of plagiarism before and after an educational intervention in their first semester of the Bachelor of nursing degree at a private college of higher education in Sydney, Australia. This study concluded that an educational intervention can increase knowledge and awareness of plagiarism among nursing students. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge of asthma and anaphylaxis among teachers in Spanish schools.

PubMed

Juliá-Benito, J C; Escarrer-Jaume, M; Guerra-Pérez, M T; Contreras-Porta, J; Tauler-Toro, E; Madroñero-Tentor, A; Cerdá-Mir, J C

Allergic diseases affect 15-20% of the paediatric population in the industrialised world. Most educational centres in Spain do not have health professionals among their staff, and the teachers are in charge of child care in school. The advisability of specific training of the teaching staff should be considered, with the introduction of concrete intervention plans in the event of life-threatening emergencies in schools. Evaluation of the training needs constitutes the first step in planning an educational project. In this regard, the Health Education Group of the Spanish Society of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and Paediatric Asthma (Grupo de Educación Sanitaria de la Sociedad Española de Inmunología Clínica, Alergología y Asma Pediátrica [SEICAAP]) assessed the knowledge of teachers in five Spanish Autonomous Communities, using a self-administered questionnaire specifically developed for this study. The data obtained were analysed using the SPSS statistical package. A total of 2479 teachers completed the questionnaire. Most of them claimed to know what asthma is, and almost one half considered that they would know how to act in the event of an asthma attack. This proportion was higher among physical education teachers. Most would not know how to act in the case of anaphylaxis or be able to administer the required medication. In general, the teachers expressed interest in receiving training and in having an interventional protocol applicable to situations of this kind. It is important to know what the training requirements are in order to develop plans for intervention in the event of an emergency in school. Teachers admit a lack of knowledge on how to deal with these disorders, but express a wish to receive training. Copyright © 2017 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Identified research directions for using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle

PubMed Central

Hedberg, Thomas D.; Hartman, Nathan W.; Rosche, Phil; Fischer, Kevin

2016-01-01

Design for Manufacturing (DFM), especially the use of manufacturing knowledge to support design decisions, has received attention in the academic domain. However, industry practice has not been studied enough to provide solutions that are mature for industry. The current state of the art for DFM is often rule-based functionality within Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems that enforce specific design requirements. That rule-based functionality may or may not dynamically affect geometry definition. And, if rule-based functionality exists in the CAD system, it is typically a customization on a case-by-case basis. Manufacturing knowledge is a phrase with vast meanings, which may include knowledge on the effects of material properties decisions, machine and process capabilities, or understanding the unintended consequences of design decisions on manufacturing. One of the DFM questions to answer is how can manufacturing knowledge, depending on its definition, be used earlier in the product lifecycle to enable a more collaborative development environment? This paper will discuss the results of a workshop on manufacturing knowledge that highlights several research questions needing more study. This paper proposes recommendations for investigating the relationship of manufacturing knowledge with shape, behavior, and context characteristics of product to produce a better understanding of what knowledge is most important. In addition, the proposal includes recommendations for investigating the system-level barriers to reusing manufacturing knowledge and how model-based manufacturing may ease the burden of knowledge sharing. Lastly, the proposal addresses the direction of future research for holistic solutions of using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle. PMID:27990027

Identified research directions for using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle.

PubMed

Hedberg, Thomas D; Hartman, Nathan W; Rosche, Phil; Fischer, Kevin

2017-01-01

Design for Manufacturing (DFM), especially the use of manufacturing knowledge to support design decisions, has received attention in the academic domain. However, industry practice has not been studied enough to provide solutions that are mature for industry. The current state of the art for DFM is often rule-based functionality within Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems that enforce specific design requirements. That rule-based functionality may or may not dynamically affect geometry definition. And, if rule-based functionality exists in the CAD system, it is typically a customization on a case-by-case basis. Manufacturing knowledge is a phrase with vast meanings, which may include knowledge on the effects of material properties decisions, machine and process capabilities, or understanding the unintended consequences of design decisions on manufacturing. One of the DFM questions to answer is how can manufacturing knowledge, depending on its definition, be used earlier in the product lifecycle to enable a more collaborative development environment? This paper will discuss the results of a workshop on manufacturing knowledge that highlights several research questions needing more study. This paper proposes recommendations for investigating the relationship of manufacturing knowledge with shape, behavior, and context characteristics of product to produce a better understanding of what knowledge is most important. In addition, the proposal includes recommendations for investigating the system-level barriers to reusing manufacturing knowledge and how model-based manufacturing may ease the burden of knowledge sharing. Lastly, the proposal addresses the direction of future research for holistic solutions of using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle.

Interoperable Data Sharing for Diverse Scientific Disciplines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, John S.; Crichton, Daniel; Martinez, Santa; Law, Emily; Hardman, Sean

2016-04-01

For diverse scientific disciplines to interoperate they must be able to exchange information based on a shared understanding. To capture this shared understanding, we have developed a knowledge representation framework using ontologies and ISO level archive and metadata registry reference models. This framework provides multi-level governance, evolves independent of implementation technologies, and promotes agile development, namely adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, continuous improvement, and rapid and flexible response to change. The knowledge representation framework is populated through knowledge acquisition from discipline experts. It is also extended to meet specific discipline requirements. The result is a formalized and rigorous knowledge base that addresses data representation, integrity, provenance, context, quantity, and their relationships within the community. The contents of the knowledge base is translated and written to files in appropriate formats to configure system software and services, provide user documentation, validate ingested data, and support data analytics. This presentation will provide an overview of the framework, present the Planetary Data System's PDS4 as a use case that has been adopted by the international planetary science community, describe how the framework is being applied to other disciplines, and share some important lessons learned.

[Representation of knowledge in respiratory medicine: ontology should help the coding process].

PubMed

Blanc, F-X; Baneyx, A; Charlet, J; Housset, B

2010-09-01

Access to medical knowledge is a major issue for health professionals and requires the development of terminologies. The objective of the reported work was to construct an ontology of respiratory medicine, i.e. an organized and formalized terminology composed by specific knowledge. The purpose is to help the medico-economical coding process and to represent the relevant knowledge about the patient. Our researches cover the whole life cycle of an ontology, from the development of a methodology, to building it from texts, to its use in an operational system. A computerized tool, based on the ontology, allows both a medico-economical coding and a graphical medical one. This second one will be used to index hospital reports. Our ontology counts 1913 concepts and contains all the knowledge included in the PMSI part of the SPLF thesaurus. Our tool has been evaluated and showed a recall of 80% and an accuracy of 85% regarding the medico-economical coding. The work presented in this paper justifies the approach that has been used. It must be continued on a large scale to validate our coding principles and the possibility of making enquiries on patient reports concerning clinical research. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

[Knowledge and perception about tuberculosis in Habana Vieja municipality].

PubMed

Arroyo Rojas, Lellanis; Sánchez Valdés, C Lizet; Bonne Carcassés, Miriam Albertina; Pérez Pérez, Haydée Roberta; Armas Pérez, Luisa

2012-01-01

the studies on population's knowledge and perceptions of infectious diseases contribute to develop more effective communication processes. to evaluate the knowledge and the perception of the residents in Habana Vieja municipality about tuberculosis, and to identify the ways for obtaining information about aspects of this disease. a cross-sectional study was carried out. A questionnaire was applied on a sample of 86 persons from five health areas of the municipality. A descriptive analysis was made. Odds ratios were calculated to determine association between ways for obtaining information and knowledge on the existence of the disease, symptoms and transmission forms. the respondents know about tuberculosis as a disease, its symptoms, and its presence in Cuba, but the percentages corresponding to the truly significant symptoms are low, including incorrect identifications of towel, comb and mosquitoes as transmission ways of the disease. Television, radio and friends were the most mentioned sources of information. the population from Habana Vieja municipality knows about the existence of TB. However, specific knowledge about symptoms of the disease and ways of transmissions are insufficient. Changing this situation requires the strengthening of the role of the mass media role and the development of local communication strategies suited to local characteristics.

WDS Knowledge Network Architecture in Support of International Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokrane, M.; Minster, J. B. H.; Hugo, W.

2014-12-01

ICSU (International Council for Science) created the World Data System (WDS) as an interdisciplinary body at its General Assembly in Maputo in 2008, and since then the membership of the WDS has grown to include 86 members, of whom 56 are institutions or data centers focused on providing quality-assured data and services to the scientific community, and 10 more are entire networks of such data facilities and services. In addition to its objective of providing universal and equitable access to scientific data and services, WDS is also active in promoting stewardship, standards and conventions, and improved access to products derived from data and services. Whereas WDS is in process of aggregating and harmonizing the metadata collections of its membership, it is clear that additional benefits can be obtained by supplementing such traditional metadata sources with information about members, authors, and the coverages of the data, as well as metrics such as citation indices, quality indicators, and usability. Moreover, the relationships between the actors and systems that populate this metadata landscape can be seen as a knowledge network that describes a subset of global scientific endeavor. Such a knowledge network is useful in many ways, supporting both machine-based and human requests for contextual information related to a specific data set, institution, author, topic, or other entities in the network. Specific use cases that can be realized include decision and policy support for funding agencies, identification of collaborators, ranking of data sources, availability of data for specific coverages, and many more. The paper defines the scope of and conceptual background to such a knowledge network, discusses some initial work done by WDS to establish the network, and proposes an implementation model for rapid operationalization. In this model, established interests such as DataCite, ORCID, and CrossRef have well-defined roles, and the standards, services, and registries required to build a community-maintained, scalable knowledge network is presented. We conclude with a short discussion on feasibility and sustainability of global data infrastructure, the role of the WDS Knowledge Network in this infrastructure, and the necessary conditions for success.

Knowledge Network Architecture in Support of International Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hugo, Wim

2015-04-01

ICSU (The International Council for Science) created the World Data System (WDS) as an interdisciplinary body at its General Assembly in Maputo in 2008, and since then the membership of the WDS has grown to include 86 members, of whom 56 are institutions or data centres focused on providing quality-assured data and services to the scientific community. In addition to its objective of providing universal and equitable access to such data and services, WDS is also active in promoting stewardship, standards and conventions, and improved access to products derived from data and services. Whereas WDS is in process of aggregating and harmonizing the meta-data collections of its membership, it is clear that additional benefits can be obtained by supplementing such traditional meta-data sources with information about members, authors, and the coverages of the data, as well as metrics such as citation indices, quality indicators, and usability. Moreover, the relationships between the actors and systems that populate this meta-data landscape can be seen as a knowledge network that describes a sub-set of global scientific endeavor. Such a knowledge network is useful in many ways, supporting both machine-based and human requests for contextual information related to a specific data set, institution, author, topic, or other entities in the network. Specific use cases that can be realised include decision and policy support for funding agencies, identification of collaborators, ranking of data sources, availability of data for specific coverages, and many more. The paper defines the scope of and conceptual background to such a knowledge network, discusses some initial work done by WDS to establish the network, and proposes an implementation model for rapid operationalisation. In this model, established interests such as DataCITE, ORCID, and CrossRef have well-defined roles, and the standards, services, and registries required to build a community-maintained, scalable knowledge network is presented. We conclude with a short discussion on feasibility and sustainability of global data infrastructure, the role of the WDS Knowledge Network in this infrastructure, and the necessary conditions for success.

Competencies required for nursing telehealth activities: A Delphi-study.

PubMed

van Houwelingen, Cornelis T M; Moerman, Anna H; Ettema, Roelof G A; Kort, Helianthe S M; Ten Cate, Olle

2016-04-01

Telehealth is viewed as a major strategy to address the increasing demand for care and a shrinking care professional population. However, most nurses are not trained or are insufficiently trained to use these technologies effectively. Therefore, the potential of telehealth fails to reach full utilization. A better understanding of nursing telehealth entrustable professional activities (NT-EPAs) and the required competencies can contribute to the development of nursing telehealth education. In a four-round Delphi-study, a panel of experts discussed which NT-EPAs are relevant for nurses and which competencies nurses need to possess to execute these activities effectively. The 51 experts, including nurses, nursing faculty, clients and technicians all familiar with telehealth, were asked to select items from a list of 52 competencies based on the literature and on a previous study. Additionally, the panelists could add competencies based on their experience in practice. The threshold used for consensus was set at 80%. Consensus was achieved on the importance of fourteen NT-EPAs, requiring one or more of the following core competencies; coaching skills, the ability to combine clinical experience with telehealth, communication skills, clinical knowledge, ethical awareness, and a supportive attitude. Each NT-EPA requires a specific set of competencies (at least ten). In total, 52 competencies were identified as essential in telehealth. Many competencies for telehealth, including clinical knowledge and communication skills, are not novel competencies. They are fundamental to nursing care as a whole and therefore are also indispensable for telehealth. Additionally, the fourteen NT-EPAs appeared to require additional subject specific competencies, such as the ability to put patients at ease when they feel insecure about using technology. The NT-EPAs and related competencies presented in this study can be used by nursing schools that are considering including or expanding telehealth education in their curriculum. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Framing of scientific knowledge as a new category of health care research.

PubMed

Salvador-Carulla, Luis; Fernandez, Ana; Madden, Rosamond; Lukersmith, Sue; Colagiuri, Ruth; Torkfar, Ghazal; Sturmberg, Joachim

2014-12-01

The new area of health system research requires a revision of the taxonomy of scientific knowledge that may facilitate a better understanding and representation of complex health phenomena in research discovery, corroboration and implementation. A position paper by an expert group following and iterative approach. 'Scientific evidence' should be differentiated from 'elicited knowledge' of experts and users, and this latter typology should be described beyond the traditional qualitative framework. Within this context 'framing of scientific knowledge' (FSK) is defined as a group of studies of prior expert knowledge specifically aimed at generating formal scientific frames. To be distinguished from other unstructured frames, FSK must be explicit, standardized, based on the available evidence, agreed by a group of experts and subdued to the principles of commensurability, transparency for corroboration and transferability that characterize scientific research. A preliminary typology of scientific framing studies is presented. This typology includes, among others, health declarations, position papers, expert-based clinical guides, conceptual maps, classifications, expert-driven health atlases and expert-driven studies of costs and burden of illness. This grouping of expert-based studies constitutes a different kind of scientific knowledge and should be clearly differentiated from 'evidence' gathered from experimental and observational studies in health system research. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Design and Analysis Techniques for Concurrent Blackboard Systems. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmanus, John William

1992-01-01

Blackboard systems are a natural progression of knowledge-based systems into a more powerful problem solving technique. They provide a way for several highly specialized knowledge sources to cooperate to solve large, complex problems. Blackboard systems incorporate the concepts developed by rule-based and expert systems programmers and include the ability to add conventionally coded knowledge sources. The small and specialized knowledge sources are easier to develop and test, and can be hosted on hardware specifically suited to the task that they are solving. The Formal Model for Blackboard Systems was developed to provide a consistent method for describing a blackboard system. A set of blackboard system design tools has been developed and validated for implementing systems that are expressed using the Formal Model. The tools are used to test and refine a proposed blackboard system design before the design is implemented. My research has shown that the level of independence and specialization of the knowledge sources directly affects the performance of blackboard systems. Using the design, simulation, and analysis tools, I developed a concurrent object-oriented blackboard system that is faster, more efficient, and more powerful than existing systems. The use of the design and analysis tools provided the highly specialized and independent knowledge sources required for my concurrent blackboard system to achieve its design goals.

In search of meta-knowledge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Antonio M., Jr.

1993-01-01

Development of an Intelligent Information System (IIS) involves application of numerous artificial intelligence (AI) paradigms and advanced technologies. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is interested in an IIS that can automatically collect, classify, store and retrieve data, as well as develop, manipulate and restructure knowledge regarding the data and its application (Campbell et al., 1987, p.3). This interest stems in part from a NASA initiative in support of the interagency Global Change Research program. NASA's space data problems are so large and varied that scientific researchers will find it almost impossible to access the most suitable information from a software system if meta-information (metadata and meta-knowledge) is not embedded in that system. Even if more, faster, larger hardware is used, new innovative software systems will be required to organize, link, maintain, and properly archive the Earth Observing System (EOS) data that is to be stored and distributed by the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) (Dozier, 1990). Although efforts are being made to specify the metadata that will be used in EOSDIS, meta-knowledge specification issues are not clear. With the expectation that EOSDIS might evolve into an IIS, this paper presents certain ideas on the concept of meta-knowledge and demonstrates how meta-knowledge might be represented in a pixel classification problem.

Interference in Ballistic Motor Learning: Specificity and Role of Sensory Error Signals

PubMed Central

Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Petersen, Tue Hvass; Rothwell, John C.; Nielsen, Jens Bo

2011-01-01

Humans are capable of learning numerous motor skills, but newly acquired skills may be abolished by subsequent learning. Here we ask what factors determine whether interference occurs in motor learning. We speculated that interference requires competing processes of synaptic plasticity in overlapping circuits and predicted specificity. To test this, subjects learned a ballistic motor task. Interference was observed following subsequent learning of an accuracy-tracking task, but only if the competing task involved the same muscles and movement direction. Interference was not observed from a non-learning task suggesting that interference requires competing learning. Subsequent learning of the competing task 4 h after initial learning did not cause interference suggesting disruption of early motor memory consolidation as one possible mechanism underlying interference. Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of corticospinal motor output at intensities below movement threshold did not cause interference, whereas suprathreshold rTMS evoking motor responses and (re)afferent activation did. Finally, the experiments revealed that suprathreshold repetitive electrical stimulation of the agonist (but not antagonist) peripheral nerve caused interference. The present study is, to our knowledge, the first to demonstrate that peripheral nerve stimulation may cause interference. The finding underscores the importance of sensory feedback as error signals in motor learning. We conclude that interference requires competing plasticity in overlapping circuits. Interference is remarkably specific for circuits involved in a specific movement and it may relate to sensory error signals. PMID:21408054

Allergen manufacturing and quality aspects for allergen immunotherapy in Europe and the United States: An analysis from the EAACI AIT Guidelines Project.

PubMed

Bonertz, A; Roberts, G; Slater, J E; Bridgewater, J; Rabin, R L; Hoefnagel, M; Timon, M; Pini, C; Pfaar, O; Sheikh, A; Ryan, D; Akdis, C; Goldstein, J; Poulsen, L K; van Ree, R; Rhyner, C; Barber, D; Palomares, O; Pawankar, R; Hamerlijnk, D; Klimek, L; Agache, I; Angier, E; Casale, T; Fernandez-Rivas, M; Halken, S; Jutel, M; Lau, S; Pajno, G; Sturm, G; Varga, E M; Gerth van Wijk, R; Bonini, S; Muraro, A; Vieths, S

2018-04-01

Adequate quality is essential for any medicinal product to be eligible for marketing. Quality includes verification of the identity, content and purity of a medicinal product in combination with a specified production process and its control. Allergen products derived from natural sources require particular considerations to ensure adequate quality. Here, we describe key aspects of the documentation on manufacturing and quality aspects for allergen immunotherapy products in the European Union and the United States. In some key parts, requirements in these areas are harmonized while other fields are regulated separately between both regions. Essential differences are found in the use of Reference Preparations, or the requirement to apply standardized assays for potency determination. As the types of products available are different in specific regions, regulatory guidance for such products may also be available in one specific region only, such as for allergoids in the European Union. Region-specific issues and priorities are a result of this. As allergen products derived from natural sources are inherently variable in their qualitative and quantitative composition, these products present special challenges to balance the variability and ensuring batch-to-batch consistency. Advancements in scientific knowledge on specific allergens and their role in allergic disease will consequentially find representation in future regulatory guidelines. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Effectiveness of Organ Donation Information Campaigns in Germany: A Facebook Based Online Survey.

PubMed

Terbonssen, Tobias; Settmacher, Utz; Wurst, Christine; Dirsch, Olaf; Dahmen, Uta

2015-07-28

The German transplantation system is in a crisis due to a lack of donor organs. Information campaigns are one of the main approaches to increase organ donation rates. Since 2012, German health insurance funds are obliged by law to inform their members about organ donation. We raised the hypothesis: The willingness to sign a donor card rises due to the subsequent increase of specific knowledge by receiving the information material of the health insurance funds. The objective of the study was to assess the influence of information campaigns on the specific knowledge and the willingness to donate organs. We conducted an online survey based on recruitment via Facebook groups, advertisements using the snowball effect, and on mailing lists of medical faculties in Germany. Besides the demographic data, the willingness to hold an organ donor card was investigated. Specific knowledge regarding transplantation was explored using five factual questions resulting in a specific knowledge score. We recruited a total of 2484 participants, of which 32.7% (300/917) had received information material. Mean age was 29.9 (SD 11.0, median 26.0). There were 65.81% (1594/2422) of the participants that were female. The mean knowledge score was 3.28 of a possible 5.00 (SD 1.1, median 3.0). Holding a donor card was associated with specific knowledge (P<.001), but not with the general education level (P=.155). Receiving information material was related to holding a donor card (P<.001), but not to a relevant increase in specific knowledge (difference in mean knowledge score 3.20 to 3.48, P=.006). The specific knowledge score and the percentage of organ donor card holders showed a linear association (P<.001). The information campaign was not associated with a relevant increase in specific knowledge, but with an increased rate in organ donor card holders. This effect is most likely related to the feeling of being informed, together with an easy access to the organ donor card.

Project X: competitive intelligence data mining and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, John F.; Pagels, Michael A.; Palk, Justin

2001-03-01

Competitive Intelligence (CI) is a systematic and ethical program for gathering and analyzing information about your competitors' activities and general business trends to further your own company's goals. CI allows companies to gather extensive information on their competitors and to analyze what the competition is doing in order to maintain or gain a competitive edge. In commercial business this potentially translates into millions of dollars in annual savings or losses. The Internet provides an overwhelming portal of information for CI analysis. The problem is how a company can automate the translation of voluminous information into valuable and actionable knowledge. This paper describes Project X, an agent-based data mining system specifically developed for extracting and analyzing competitive information from the Internet. Project X gathers CI information from a variety of sources including online newspapers, corporate websites, industry sector reporting sites, speech archiving sites, video news casts, stock news sites, weather sites, and rumor sites. It uses individual industry specific (e.g., pharmaceutical, financial, aerospace, etc.) commercial sector ontologies to form the knowledge filtering and discovery structures/content required to filter and identify valuable competitive knowledge. Project X is described in detail and an example competitive intelligence case is shown demonstrating the system's performance and utility for business intelligence.

Make Gestures to Learn: Reproducing Gestures Improves the Learning of Anatomical Knowledge More than Just Seeing Gestures

PubMed Central

Cherdieu, Mélaine; Palombi, Olivier; Gerber, Silvain; Troccaz, Jocelyne; Rochet-Capellan, Amélie

2017-01-01

Manual gestures can facilitate problem solving but also language or conceptual learning. Both seeing and making the gestures during learning seem to be beneficial. However, the stronger activation of the motor system in the second case should provide supplementary cues to consolidate and re-enact the mental traces created during learning. We tested this hypothesis in the context of anatomy learning by naïve adult participants. Anatomy is a challenging topic to learn and is of specific interest for research on embodied learning, as the learning content can be directly linked to learners' body. Two groups of participants were asked to look at a video lecture on the forearm anatomy. The video included a model making gestures related to the content of the lecture. Both groups see the gestures but only one also imitate the model. Tests of knowledge were run just after learning and few days later. The results revealed that imitating gestures improves the recall of structures names and their localization on a diagram. This effect was however significant only in long-term assessments. This suggests that: (1) the integration of motor actions and knowledge may require sleep; (2) a specific activation of the motor system during learning may improve the consolidation and/or the retrieval of memories. PMID:29062287

The Role of Oncology Nurses in Discussing Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Flocke, Susan A; Antognoli, Elizabeth; Daly, Barbara J; Jackson, Brigid; Fulton, Sarah E; Liu, Tasnuva M; Surdam, Jessica; Manne, Sharon; Meropol, Neal J

2017-09-01

To describe oncology nurses' experiences discussing clinical trials with their patients, and to assess barriers to these discussions.
. A qualitative study designed to elicit narratives from oncology nurses. 
. Community- and academic-based oncology clinics throughout the United States.
. 33 oncology nurses involved in direct patient care in community-based and large hospital-based settings. The sample was drawn from members of the Oncology Nursing Society. 
. In-depth interviews were conducted and analyzed using a 
immersion/crystallization approach to identify themes and patterns. The analyses highlight specific issues, examples, and contexts that present challenges to clinical trial discussions with patients.
. Oncology nurses view their roles as patient educators and advocates to be inclusive of discussion of clinical trials. Barriers to such discussions include lack of knowledge and strategies for addressing patients' common misconceptions and uncertainty about the timing of discussions.
. These data indicate that enabling nurses to actively engage patients in discussions of clinical trials requires educational interventions to build self-efficacy and close knowledge gaps. 
. Oncology nurses can play a critical role in advancing cancer care by supporting patients in decision making about clinical trial participation. This will require training and education to build their knowledge, reduce barriers, and increase their self-efficacy to fulfill this responsibility in various clinical settings.

Towards a Food Safety Knowledge Base Applicable in Crisis Situations and Beyond

PubMed Central

Falenski, Alexander; Weiser, Armin A.; Thöns, Christian; Appel, Bernd; Käsbohrer, Annemarie; Filter, Matthias

2015-01-01

In case of contamination in the food chain, fast action is required in order to reduce the numbers of affected people. In such situations, being able to predict the fate of agents in foods would help risk assessors and decision makers in assessing the potential effects of a specific contamination event and thus enable them to deduce the appropriate mitigation measures. One efficient strategy supporting this is using model based simulations. However, application in crisis situations requires ready-to-use and easy-to-adapt models to be available from the so-called food safety knowledge bases. Here, we illustrate this concept and its benefits by applying the modular open source software tools PMM-Lab and FoodProcess-Lab. As a fictitious sample scenario, an intentional ricin contamination at a beef salami production facility was modelled. Predictive models describing the inactivation of ricin were reviewed, relevant models were implemented with PMM-Lab, and simulations on residual toxin amounts in the final product were performed with FoodProcess-Lab. Due to the generic and modular modelling concept implemented in these tools, they can be applied to simulate virtually any food safety contamination scenario. Apart from the application in crisis situations, the food safety knowledge base concept will also be useful in food quality and safety investigations. PMID:26247028

Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazanek, Daniel D.; Reeves, David M.; Abell, Paul A.; Asphaug, Erik; Abreu, Neyda M.; Bell, James F.; Bottke, William F.; Britt, Daniel T.; Campins, Humberto; Chodas, Paul W.;

Towards a Food Safety Knowledge Base Applicable in Crisis Situations and Beyond.

PubMed

Falenski, Alexander; Weiser, Armin A; Thöns, Christian; Appel, Bernd; Käsbohrer, Annemarie; Filter, Matthias

2015-01-01

In case of contamination in the food chain, fast action is required in order to reduce the numbers of affected people. In such situations, being able to predict the fate of agents in foods would help risk assessors and decision makers in assessing the potential effects of a specific contamination event and thus enable them to deduce the appropriate mitigation measures. One efficient strategy supporting this is using model based simulations. However, application in crisis situations requires ready-to-use and easy-to-adapt models to be available from the so-called food safety knowledge bases. Here, we illustrate this concept and its benefits by applying the modular open source software tools PMM-Lab and FoodProcess-Lab. As a fictitious sample scenario, an intentional ricin contamination at a beef salami production facility was modelled. Predictive models describing the inactivation of ricin were reviewed, relevant models were implemented with PMM-Lab, and simulations on residual toxin amounts in the final product were performed with FoodProcess-Lab. Due to the generic and modular modelling concept implemented in these tools, they can be applied to simulate virtually any food safety contamination scenario. Apart from the application in crisis situations, the food safety knowledge base concept will also be useful in food quality and safety investigations.

Exploring Teacher Knowledge in Multilingual First-Year Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Racelis, Juval V.

2017-01-01

This project examines how writing teachers of multilingual students conceptualize their pedagogical practices. Specifically, it draws on work in teacher cognition research to examine the nature of teacher knowledge and the unique characteristics of this knowledge specific to the teaching of second language writing. Seeing teacher knowledge as…

The Effects of Vocabulary Knowledge and Dictionary Use on EFL Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Zhifa

2013-01-01

The present study mainly investigated the effects of vocabulary knowledge and dictionary use on EFL reading performance. The results show that scores on vocabulary size, specific vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension are highly and positively correlated. Scores on specific vocabulary knowledge are more closely correlated with reading…

Blackboard architecture for medical image interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Darryl N.; Taylor, Christopher J.

1991-06-01

There is a growing interest in using sophisticated knowledge-based systems for biomedical image interpretation. We present a principled attempt to use artificial intelligence methodologies in interpreting lateral skull x-ray images. Such radiographs are routinely used in cephalometric analysis to provide quantitative measurements useful to clinical orthodontists. Manual and interactive methods of analysis are known to be error prone and previous attempts to automate this analysis typically fail to capture the expertise and adaptability required to cope with the variability in biological structure and image quality. An integrated model-based system has been developed which makes use of a blackboard architecture and multiple knowledge sources. A model definition interface allows quantitative models, of feature appearance and location, to be built from examples as well as more qualitative modelling constructs. Visual task definition and blackboard control modules allow task-specific knowledge sources to act on information available to the blackboard in a hypothesise and test reasoning cycle. Further knowledge-based modules include object selection, location hypothesis, intelligent segmentation, and constraint propagation systems. Alternative solutions to given tasks are permitted.

Undergraduate Nursing Students' Understandings of Mental Health: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Barry, Sinead; Ward, Louise

2017-02-01

The purpose of this literature review was to identify research and current literature surrounding nursing students' understandings of mental health. The aim is to share findings from an extensive international and national literature review exploring undergraduate nurse education specific to mental health content. Data were collected utilising a comprehensive search of electronic databases including CINAHL (EBSCO), MEDLINE, and PsycINFO 1987-(Ovid) from 2008 to 2016. The initial search terms were altered to include undergraduate, mental health, nursing, education, experience, and knowledge. Three content themes emerged which included: 1. Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge has been considered compromised due to concerns relating to the variation and inconsistencies within the comprehensive nursing curriculums representation of mental health, 2. Undergraduate nursing students knowledge of mental health is thought to be compromised due to the quality of mental health theoretical and experiential learning opportunities, and 3. Research indicates that nursing students' knowledge of mental health was influenced by their experience of undertaking mental health content. Based on these findings greater consideration of students' understandings of mental health is required.

Knowledge Discovery/A Collaborative Approach, an Innovative Solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitts, Mary A.

2009-01-01

Collaboration between Medical Informatics and Healthcare Systems (MIHCS) at NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) and the Texas Medical Center (TMC) Library was established to investigate technologies for facilitating knowledge discovery across multiple life sciences research disciplines in multiple repositories. After reviewing 14 potential Enterprise Search System (ESS) solutions, Collexis was determined to best meet the expressed needs. A three month pilot evaluation of Collexis produced positive reports from multiple scientists across 12 research disciplines. The joint venture and a pilot-phased approach achieved the desired results without the high cost of purchasing software, hardware or additional resources to conduct the task. Medical research is highly compartmentalized by discipline, e.g. cardiology, immunology, neurology. The medical research community at large, as well as at JSC, recognizes the need for cross-referencing relevant information to generate best evidence. Cross-discipline collaboration at JSC is specifically required to close knowledge gaps affecting space exploration. To facilitate knowledge discovery across these communities, MIHCS combined expertise with the TMC library and found Collexis to best fit the needs of our researchers including:

Curiosity, forbidden knowledge, and the reformation of natural philosophy in early modern England.

PubMed

Harrison, P

2001-06-01

From the patristic period to the beginning of the seventeenth century curiosity was regarded as an intellectual vice. Curious individuals were considered to be proud and "puffed up," and the objects of their investigations were deemed illicit, dispute engendering, unknowable, or useless. Seventeenth-century projects for the advancement of learning had to distance themselves from curiosity and its dubious fruits or, alternatively, enhance the moral status of the curious sensibility. Francis Bacon's proposals for the instauration of knowledge were an integral part of a process by which curiosity underwent a remarkable transformation from vice to virtue over the course of the seventeenth century. The changing fortunes of this human propensity highlight the morally charged nature of early modern debates over the status of natural philosophy and the particular virtues required of its practitioners. The rehabilitation of curiosity was a crucial element in the objectification of scientific knowledge and led to a gradual shift of focus away from the moral qualities of investigators and the propriety of particular objects of knowledge to specific procedures and methods.

Design, implementation, use, and preliminary evaluation of SEBASTIAN, a standards-based Web service for clinical decision support.

PubMed

Kawamoto, Kensaku; Lobach, David F

2005-01-01

Despite their demonstrated ability to improve care quality, clinical decision support systems are not widely used. In part, this limited use is due to the difficulty of sharing medical knowledge in a machine-executable format. To address this problem, we developed a decision support Web service known as SEBASTIAN. In SEBASTIAN, individual knowledge modules define the data requirements for assessing a patient, the conclusions that can be drawn using that data, and instructions on how to generate those conclusions. Using standards-based XML messages transmitted over HTTP, client decision support applications provide patient data to SEBASTIAN and receive patient-specific assessments and recommendations. SEBASTIAN has been used to implement four distinct decision support systems; an architectural overview is provided for one of these systems. Preliminary assessments indicate that SEBASTIAN fulfills all original design objectives, including the re-use of executable medical knowledge across diverse applications and care settings, the straightforward authoring of knowledge modules, and use of the framework to implement decision support applications with significant clinical utility.

Selective deficit for people's names following left temporal damage: an impairment of domain-specific conceptual knowledge.

PubMed

Miceli, G; Capasso, R; Daniele, A; Esposito, T; Magarelli, M; Tomaiuolo, F

2000-09-01

As a consequence of a head trauma, APA presented with selective anomia for the names of familiar people, in the absence of comparable disorders for common names and other proper names. Face recognition was normal; and naming performance was unaffected by stimulus and response types. Selective proper name anomia was not due to effects of frequency of usage or of age of acquisition, or to selective memory/learning deficits for the names of people. Even though APA was able to provide at least some information on many celebrities whom she failed to name, she was clearly impaired in all tasks that required full conceptual information on the same people (but she performed flawlessly in similar tasks that involved common names). This pattern of performance indicates that in our subject the inability to name familiar persons results from damage to conceptual information. It is argued that detailed analyses of conceptual knowledge are necessary before it is concluded that a subject with proper name anomia suffers from a purely output disorder, as opposed to a conceptual disorder. The behaviour observed in APA is consistent with the domain-specific hypothesis of conceptual organisation (Caramazza & Shelton, 1998), and in this framework can be explained by assuming selective damage to knowledge of conspecifics. The anatomo-clinical correlates of our subject's disorder are discussed with reference to recent hypotheses on the neural structures representing knowledge of familiar people.

Important knowledge for parents of children with heart disease: parent, nurse, and physician views.

PubMed

Daily, Joshua; FitzGerald, Mike; Downing, Kimberly; King, Eileen; del Rey, Javier Gonzalez; Ittenbach, Richard; Marino, Bradley

2016-01-01

Parental understanding of their children's heart disease is inadequate, which may contribute to poor health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine what parental knowledge is important in the care of children with heart disease from the perspective of parents, nurses, and physicians. Focus groups were formed with parents of children with single ventricle congenital heart disease (CHD), biventricular CHD, and heart transplantation, and with nurses and physicians who provide care for these children. A nominal group technique was used to identify and prioritise important parental knowledge items and themes. The voting data for each theme were reported by participant type--parent, nurse, and physician--and patient diagnosis--single ventricle CHD, biventricular CHD, and heart transplantation. The following three themes were identified as important by all groups: recognition of and response to clinical deterioration, medications, and prognosis and plan. Additional themes that were unique to specific groups included the following: medical team members and interactions (parents), tests and labs (parents), neurodevelopmental outcomes and interventions (physicians), lifelong disease requiring lifelong follow-up (physicians and nurses), and diagnosis, physiology, and interventions (single ventricle and biventricular CHD). Parents, nurses, and physicians have both common and unique views regarding what parents should know to effectively care for their children with single ventricle CHD, biventricular CHD, or heart transplantation. Specific targeted parental education that incorporates these findings should be provided to each group. Further development of questionnaires regarding parental knowledge with appropriate content validity is warranted.

The need to know: The information needs of parents of infants with an intellectual disability-a qualitative study.

PubMed

Douglas, Tracy; Redley, Bernice; Ottmann, Goetz

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to explore the information needs of parents of infants with an intellectual disability in the first year of life. Parents whose infant has an intellectual disability need access to information if they are to facilitate optimal care for their child. A lack of timely, accurate information provision by health professionals, particularly nurses and midwives, can increase parental stress and hinder access to the supports they and their infant require. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used for the study. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with parents of 11 children with intellectual disabilities in Victoria, Australia in 2014. Data were analysed using descriptive thematic analysis. Parents experienced challenges accessing quality information during the first year of their child's life. Parents required incremental information provision to build a strong knowledge base to facilitate optimal care for their infants. Three types of knowledge were identified as crucial for parents: knowledge about (1) the infant's condition; (2) the infant's specific needs and (3) available supports and services. Health professionals were the key resource to access this information. Health professionals' responsibilities include providing relevant, timely information to parents of infants with intellectual disabilities. This study conceptualises three types of information parents need to develop a strong knowledge base to guide their infant's care and provides guidance concerning the optimal timing for the delivery of information. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding the Reading Attributes and Their Cognitive Relationships on a High-Stakes Biology Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawlusyk, Kevin James

Test items used to assess learners' knowledge on high-stakes science examinations contain contextualized questions that unintentionally assess reading skill along with conceptual knowledge. Therefore, students who are not proficient readers are unable to comprehend the text within the test item to demonstrate effectively their level of science knowledge. The purpose of this quantitative study was to understand what reading attributes were required to successfully answer the Biology 30 Diploma Exam. Furthermore, the research sought to understand the cognitive relationships among the reading attributes through quantitative analysis structured by the Attribute Hierarchy Model (AHM). The research consisted of two phases: (1) Cognitive development, where the cognitive attributes of the Biology 30 Exam were specified and hierarchy structures were developed; and (2) Psychometric analysis, that statistically tested the attribute hierarchy using the Hierarchy Consistency Index (HCI), and calculate attribute probabilities. Phase one of the research used January 2011, Biology 30 Diploma Exam, while phase two accessed archival data for the 9985 examinees who took the assessment on January 24th, 2011. Phase one identified ten specific reading attributes, of which five were identified as unique subsets of vocabulary, two were identified as reading visual representations, and three corresponded to general reading skills. Four hierarchical cognitive model were proposed then analyzed using the HCI as a mechanism to explain the relationship among the attributes. Model A had the highest HCI value (0.337), indicating an overall poor data fit, yet for the top achieving examinees the model had an excellent model fit with an HCI value of 0.888, and for examinees that scored over 60% there was a moderate model fit (HCI = 0.592). Linear regressions of the attribute probability estimates suggest that there is a cognitive relationship among six of the ten reading attributes (R2 = 0.958 and 0.922). The results conclude that the Biology 30 Diploma Exam requires examinee to understand specific reading attributes to answer test items successfully. Knowing the specific reading attributes associated with the Biology 30 Diploma Exam allows for teachers and test developers to better assess learners and to be aware that there are other cognitive processes that influence test results other than the examinees science knowledge.

14 CFR 121.919 - Certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... shows competence in required technical knowledge and skills (e.g., piloting or other) and crew resource management (e.g., CRM or DRM) knowledge and skills in scenarios (i.e., LOE) that test both types of knowledge... evaluation of required knowledge and skills under the AQP must meet minimum certification and rating criteria...

14 CFR 121.919 - Certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... shows competence in required technical knowledge and skills (e.g., piloting or other) and crew resource management (e.g., CRM or DRM) knowledge and skills in scenarios (i.e., LOE) that test both types of knowledge... evaluation of required knowledge and skills under the AQP must meet minimum certification and rating criteria...

14 CFR 121.919 - Certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... shows competence in required technical knowledge and skills (e.g., piloting or other) and crew resource management (e.g., CRM or DRM) knowledge and skills in scenarios (i.e., LOE) that test both types of knowledge... evaluation of required knowledge and skills under the AQP must meet minimum certification and rating criteria...

What Math Knowledge Does Teaching Require?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thames, Mark Hoover; Ball, Deborah Loewenberg

2010-01-01

No one would argue with the claim that teaching mathematics requires mathematics knowledge. However, a clear description of such knowledge needed for teaching has been surprisingly elusive. To differentiate teachers' levels of mathematical knowledge, numerous studies have examined whether a teacher has a certification in math or a degree as well…

Intelligent tutoring systems for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luckhardt-Redfield, Carol A.

1990-01-01

Artificial Intelligence has been used in many space applications. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) have only recently been developed for assisting training of space operations and skills. An ITS at Southwest Research Institute is described as an example of an ITS application for space operations, specifically, training console operations at mission control. A distinction is made between critical skills and knowledge versus routine skills. Other ITSs for space are also discussed and future training requirements and potential ITS solutions are described.

Learning to Search. From Weak Methods to Domain-Specific Heuristics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

move as undesirable. The remaining productions interact with MARKED-BAD, providing the labeling of states it requires for application. One of these, NOTE...to previously visited states, it did not attempt to learn from this knowledge, and simply abandoned dese undesirable pads. From the two remaining...the search strategy that SAGE employs. Many problems (such as winning a chess game ) are so complex that they can only be solved by breaking the task up

Securing the Borders: Creation of the Border Patrol Auxiliary

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-05

auxiliary members will be the elite members of the BPA who will attend training at the Border Patrol Academy to gain the knowledge and skills required to...recruits and greatly reducing start-up costs for the Border Patrol. It would appeal directly to ideal candidates for the elite tier-two service: new...program, which is a small, elite , and highly selective service. Tier-two members will have to be recruited from specific target populations. Based on the

Understanding the Role of Context in the Interpretation of Complex Battlespace Intelligence

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

Level 2 Fusion)" that there remains a significant need for higher levels of information fusion such as those required for generic situation awareness ... information in a set of reports, 2) general background knowledge e.g., doctrine, techniques, practices) plus 4) known situation-specific information (e.g... aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information

Lunar Human Research Requirements (LHRR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denkins, Pamela

2009-01-01

Biomedical research will be conducted during transit and on the surface of the Moon to prepare for extended stays on the Moon and to prepare for the exploration of Mars. The objective of the Human Research Program (HRP) is to preserve the health and enhance performance of astronaut explorers. Specific objectives of the HRP include developing the knowledge, capabilities, and necessary countermeasures and technologies in support of human space exploration; focusing on mitigating the highest risks to crew health and performance; and defining and improving human spaceflight medical, environmental, behavioral, and human factors standards. This document contains a detailed description of the resource accommodations, interfaces, and environments to be provided by the Constellation Program (CxP) to support the HRP research in transit and on the lunar surface. Covered, specifically, are the requirements for mass and volume transport; crew availability; ground operations, baseline data collection, and payload processing; power, and data. Volumes and mass are given for transport of conditioned samples only. They do not account for the engineering solution that the Constellation Program will implement (refrigerator/freezer volume/mass). This document does not account for requirements on the Orion vehicle for transportation to and from the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS Program has supplied requirements for this mission.

The role of acceptable knowledge in transuranic waste disposal operations - 11117

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

Chancellor, Christopher John; Nelson, Roger

2010-11-08

The Acceptable Knowledge (AK) process plays a key role in the delineation of waste streams destined for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). General Electric's Vallecitos Nuclear Center (GEVNC) provides for an ideal case study of the application of AK in a multiple steward environment. In this review we will elucidate the pivotal role Acceptable Knowledge played in segregating Department of Energy (DOE) responsibilities from a commercial facility. The Acceptable Knowledge process is a necessary component of waste characterization that determines whether or not a waste stream may be considered for disposal at the WIPP site. This process may bemore » thought of as an effort to gain a thorough understanding of the waste origin, chemical content, and physical form gleaned by the collection of documentation that concerns generator/storage site history, mission, and operations; in addition to waste stream specific information which includes the waste generation process, the waste matrix, the quantity of waste concerned, and the radiological and chemical make up of the waste. The collection and dissemination of relevant documentation is the fundamental requirement for the AK process to work. Acceptable Knowledge is the predominant process of characterization and, therefore, a crucial part of WIPP's transuranic waste characterization program. This characterization process, when conducted to the standards set forth in WIPP's operating permit, requires confirmation/verification by physical techniques such as Non-Destructive Examination (NDE), Visual Examination (VE), and Non-Destructive Assay (NDA). These physical characterization techniques may vary in their appropriateness for a given waste stream; however, nothing will allow the substitution or exclusion of AK. Beyond the normal scope of operations, AK may be considered, when appropriate, a surrogate for the physical characterization techniques in a procedure that appeals to concepts such As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) and budgetary savings. This substitution is referred to as an Acceptable Knowledge Sufficiency Determination. With a Sufficiency Determination Request, AK may supplant the need for one or all of the physical analysis methods. This powerful procedure may be used on a scale as small as a single container to that of a vast waste stream. Only under the most stringent requirements will an AK Sufficiency Determination be approved by the regulators and, to date, only six such Sufficiency Determinations have been approved. Although Acceptable Knowledge is legislated into the operational procedures of the WIPP facility there is more to it than compliance. AK is not merely one of a long list of requirements in the characterization and verification of transuranic (TRU) waste destined for the WIPP. Acceptable Knowledge goes beyond the regulatory threshold by offering a way to reduce risk, cost, time, and uncertainty on its own laurels. Therefore, AK alone can be argued superior to any other waste characterization technique.« less

An individual differences approach to semantic cognition: Divergent effects of age on representation, retrieval and selection.

PubMed

Hoffman, Paul

2018-05-25

Semantic cognition refers to the appropriate use of acquired knowledge about the world. This requires representation of knowledge as well as control processes which ensure that currently-relevant aspects of knowledge are retrieved and selected. Although these abilities can be impaired selectively following brain damage, the relationship between them in healthy individuals is unclear. It is also commonly assumed that semantic cognition is preserved in later life, because older people have greater reserves of knowledge. However, this claim overlooks the possibility of decline in semantic control processes. Here, semantic cognition was assessed in 100 young and older adults. Despite having a broader knowledge base, older people showed specific impairments in semantic control, performing more poorly than young people when selecting among competing semantic representations. Conversely, they showed preserved controlled retrieval of less salient information from the semantic store. Breadth of semantic knowledge was positively correlated with controlled retrieval but was unrelated to semantic selection ability, which was instead correlated with non-semantic executive function. These findings indicate that three distinct elements contribute to semantic cognition: semantic representations that accumulate throughout the lifespan, processes for controlled retrieval of less salient semantic information, which appear age-invariant, and mechanisms for selecting task-relevant aspects of semantic knowledge, which decline with age and may relate more closely to domain-general executive control.

Rehabilitation interventions in multiple sclerosis: an overview.

PubMed

Beer, Serafin; Khan, Fary; Kesselring, Jürg

2012-09-01

Multiple sclerosis is a complex, heterogeneous disease associated with long-term disability. Despite the availability of advanced disease-modifying and symptomatic therapies that may decrease activity and progression of disease and alleviate complaints to a certain extent, there is still a need for comprehensive rehabilitation interventions in order to reduce sequels and symptoms of the disease on personal activities and social participation to achieve the highest possible independence and the best quality of life. Timing and setting of rehabilitation interventions should be selected individually depending on disease phase, functional deficits, personal requirements, as well as specific goals. In addition, limitations and disease-specific characteristics that may influence rehabilitation outcome should be noted. Rehabilitation interventions should be considered early for maintaining functional capacity and reducing risk for losing important abilities or independence. Due to gradual failure of adaptive compensatory mechanisms along the course of disease, benefits of rehabilitation interventions are generally higher in earlier phases of MS. Inpatient and outpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation has been shown to be beneficial in improving disability, participation and quality of life despite progression of the disease. Good evidence exists for different specific interventions improving physical and cognitive performance. Other important issues responsible for beneficial effects of comprehensive rehabilitation in MS include education, instruction, and information of patients and caregivers. Comprehensive assessment of health domains in MS patients using standardized framework and common language for describing the impact of disease at different levels, using International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core sets may increase the knowledge of needs of these patients for more efficient and adapted rehabilitation interventions meeting these individual requirements, and promote perception and acceptance of rehabilitation as a valuable treatment option in MS. ICF core sets may increase the knowledge of more efficient and adapted rehabilitation measures meeting more properly individual requirements, and promote perception and acceptance of rehabilitation as a valuable treatment option in MS.

A Mobile Internet Service for Self-Management of Physical Activity in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Challenges in Advancing the Co-Design Process During the Requirements Specification Phase

PubMed Central

Martin, Cathrin; H. Opava, Christina; Brusewitz, Maria; Keller, Christina; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2015-01-01

Background User involvement in the development of health care services is important for the viability, usability, and effectiveness of services. This study reports on the second step of the co-design process. Objective The aim was to explore the significant challenges in advancing the co-design process during the requirements specification phase of a mobile Internet service for the self-management of physical activity (PA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods A participatory action research design was used to involve lead users and stakeholders as co-designers. Lead users (n=5), a clinical physiotherapist (n=1), researchers (n=2) with knowledge in PA in RA and behavioral learning theories, an eHealth strategist (n=1), and an officer from the patient organization (n=1) collaborated in 4 workshops. Data-collection methods included video recordings and naturalistic observations. Results The inductive qualitative video-based analysis resulted in 1 overarching theme, merging perspectives, and 2 subthemes reflecting different aspects of merging: (1) finding a common starting point and (2) deciding on design solutions. Seven categories illustrated the specific challenges: reaching shared understanding of goals, clarifying and handling the complexity of participants’ roles, clarifying terminology related to system development, establishing the rationale for features, negotiating features, transforming ideas into concrete features, and participants’ alignment with the agreed goal and task. Conclusions Co-designing the system requirements of a mobile Internet service including multiple stakeholders was a complex and extensive collaborative decision-making process. Considering, valuing, counterbalancing, and integrating different perspectives into agreements and solutions (ie, the merging of participants’ perspectives) were crucial for moving the process forward and were considered the core challenges of co-design. Further research is needed to replicate the results and to increase knowledge on key factors for a successful co-design of health care services. PMID:26381221

A Mobile Internet Service for Self-Management of Physical Activity in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Challenges in Advancing the Co-Design Process During the Requirements Specification Phase.

PubMed

Revenäs, Åsa; Martin, Cathrin; H Opava, Christina; Brusewitz, Maria; Keller, Christina; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2015-09-17

User involvement in the development of health care services is important for the viability, usability, and effectiveness of services. This study reports on the second step of the co-design process. The aim was to explore the significant challenges in advancing the co-design process during the requirements specification phase of a mobile Internet service for the self-management of physical activity (PA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A participatory action research design was used to involve lead users and stakeholders as co-designers. Lead users (n=5), a clinical physiotherapist (n=1), researchers (n=2) with knowledge in PA in RA and behavioral learning theories, an eHealth strategist (n=1), and an officer from the patient organization (n=1) collaborated in 4 workshops. Data-collection methods included video recordings and naturalistic observations. The inductive qualitative video-based analysis resulted in 1 overarching theme, merging perspectives, and 2 subthemes reflecting different aspects of merging: (1) finding a common starting point and (2) deciding on design solutions. Seven categories illustrated the specific challenges: reaching shared understanding of goals, clarifying and handling the complexity of participants' roles, clarifying terminology related to system development, establishing the rationale for features, negotiating features, transforming ideas into concrete features, and participants' alignment with the agreed goal and task. Co-designing the system requirements of a mobile Internet service including multiple stakeholders was a complex and extensive collaborative decision-making process. Considering, valuing, counterbalancing, and integrating different perspectives into agreements and solutions (ie, the merging of participants' perspectives) were crucial for moving the process forward and were considered the core challenges of co-design. Further research is needed to replicate the results and to increase knowledge on key factors for a successful co-design of health care services.

Preservation of person-specific knowledge in semantic memory disorder: a longitudinal investigation in two cases of dementia.

PubMed

Haslam, Catherine; Sabah, Mazen

2013-03-01

The double dissociation involving person-specific and general semantic knowledge is supported by numerous patient studies, though cases with preservation of the former are few. In this paper, we report longitudinal data from two cases. Their knowledge in both domains was preserved at the start of the investigation, but progressive deterioration was primarily observed on tests of general semantics. These data strengthen the evidence-base for preservation of person-specific knowledge in semantic memory disorder, and support its separate representation from object knowledge. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

14 CFR 65.75 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.75 Knowledge requirements. (a) Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must, after meeting the applicable experience requirements of...

14 CFR 65.75 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.75 Knowledge requirements. (a) Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must, after meeting the applicable experience requirements of...

14 CFR 65.75 - Knowledge requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... CERTIFICATION: AIRMEN OTHER THAN FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS Mechanics § 65.75 Knowledge requirements. (a) Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must, after meeting the applicable experience requirements of...

Cohort-specific imputation of gene expression improves prediction of warfarin dose for African Americans.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Assaf; Daneshjou, Roxana; DeGorter, Marianne; Bourgeois, Stephane; Svensson, Peter J; Wadelius, Mia; Deloukas, Panos; Montgomery, Stephen B; Altman, Russ B

2017-11-24

Genome-wide association studies are useful for discovering genotype-phenotype associations but are limited because they require large cohorts to identify a signal, which can be population-specific. Mapping genetic variation to genes improves power and allows the effects of both protein-coding variation as well as variation in expression to be combined into "gene level" effects. Previous work has shown that warfarin dose can be predicted using information from genetic variation that affects protein-coding regions. Here, we introduce a method that improves dose prediction by integrating tissue-specific gene expression. In particular, we use drug pathways and expression quantitative trait loci knowledge to impute gene expression-on the assumption that differential expression of key pathway genes may impact dose requirement. We focus on 116 genes from the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic pathways of warfarin within training and validation sets comprising both European and African-descent individuals. We build gene-tissue signatures associated with warfarin dose in a cohort-specific manner and identify a signature of 11 gene-tissue pairs that significantly augments the International Warfarin Pharmacogenetics Consortium dosage-prediction algorithm in both populations. Our results demonstrate that imputed expression can improve dose prediction and bridge population-specific compositions. MATLAB code is available at https://github.com/assafgo/warfarin-cohort.

Eliciting Epitope-Specific CD8+ T Cell Response by Immunization with Microbial Protein Antigens Formulated with α-Galactosylceramide: Theory, Practice, and Protocols.

PubMed

Gilchuk, Pavlo; Knight, Frances C; Wilson, John T; Joyce, Sebastian

2017-01-01

CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes confer protection against infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Hence, significant efforts have been invested into devising ways to generate CD8+ T cell-targeted vaccines. Generation of microbe-free protein subunit vaccines requires a thorough knowledge of protective target antigens. Such antigens are proteolytically processed peptides presented by MHC class I molecules. To induce a robust antigen-specific CD8+ T cell response through vaccination, it is essential to formulate the antigen with an effective adjuvant. Here, we describe a versatile method for generating high-frequency antigen-specific CD8+ T cells through immunization of mice using the invariant natural killer T cell agonist α-galactosylceramide as the adjuvant.

REVIEW ARTICLE: Current trends and future requirements for the mass spectrometric investigation of microbial, mammalian and plant metabolomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, Warwick B.

2008-03-01

The functional levels of biological cells or organisms can be separated into the genome, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome. Of these the metabolome offers specific advantages to the investigation of the phenotype of biological systems. The investigation of the metabolome (metabolomics) has only recently appeared as a mainstream scientific discipline and is currently developing rapidly for the study of microbial, plant and mammalian metabolomes. The metabolome pipeline or workflow encompasses the processes of sample collection and preparation, collection of analytical data, raw data pre-processing, data analysis and data storage. Of these processes the collection of analytical data will be discussed in this review with specific interest shown in the application of mass spectrometry in the metabolomics pipeline. The current developments in mass spectrometry platforms (GC-MS, LC-MS, DIMS and imaging MS) and applications of specific interest will be highlighted. The current limitations of these platforms and applications will be discussed with areas requiring further development also highlighted. These include the detectable coverage of the metabolome, the identification of metabolites and the process of converting raw data to biological knowledge.

Inferring difficulty: Flexibility in the real-time processing of disfluency

PubMed Central

Heller, Daphna; Arnold, Jennifer E.; Klein, Natalie M.; Tanenhaus, Michael K.

2015-01-01

Upon hearing a disfluent referring expression, listeners expect the speaker to refer to an object that is previously-unmentioned, an object that does not have a straightforward label, or an object that requires a longer description. Two visual-world eye-tracking experiments examined whether listeners directly associate disfluency with these properties of objects, or whether disfluency attribution is more flexible and involves situation-specific inferences. Since in natural situations reference to objects that do not have a straightforward label or that require a longer description is correlated with both production difficulty and with disfluency, we used a mini artificial lexicon to dissociate difficulty from these properties, building on the fact that recently-learned names take longer to produce than existing words in one’s mental lexicon. The results demonstrate that disfluency attribution involves situation-specific inferences; we propose that in new situations listeners spontaneously infer what may cause production difficulty. However, the results show that these situation-specific inferences are limited in scope: listeners assessed difficulty relative to their own experience with the artificial names, and did not adapt to the assumed knowledge of the speaker. PMID:26677642

Development of a Knowledge Base for Enduser Consultation of AAL-Systems.

PubMed

Röll, Natalie; Stork, Wilhelm; Rosales, Bruno; Stephan, René; Knaup, Petra

2016-01-01

Manufacturer information, user experiences and product availability of assistive living technologies are usually not known to citizens or consultation centers. The different knowledge levels concerning the availability of technology shows the need for building up a knowledge base. The aim of this contribution is the definition of requirements in the development of knowledge bases for AAL consultations. The major requirements, such as a maintainable and easy to use structure were implemented into a web based knowledge base, which went productive in ~3700 consulting interviews of municipal technology information centers. Within this field phase the implementation of the requirements for a knowledge base in the field of AAL consulting was evaluated and further developed.

The nutritional requirements of infants. Towards EU alignment of reference values: the EURRECA network.

PubMed

Hermoso, Maria; Tabacchi, Garden; Iglesia-Altaba, Iris; Bel-Serrat, Silvia; Moreno-Aznar, Luis A; García-Santos, Yurena; García-Luzardo, Ma del Rosario; Santana-Salguero, Beatriz; Peña-Quintana, Luis; Serra-Majem, Lluis; Moran, Victoria Hall; Dykes, Fiona; Decsi, Tamás; Benetou, Vassiliki; Plada, Maria; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Raats, Monique M; Doets, Esmée L; Berti, Cristiana; Cetin, Irene; Koletzko, Berthold

2010-10-01

This paper presents a review of the current knowledge regarding the macro- and micronutrient requirements of infants and discusses issues related to these requirements during the first year of life. The paper also reviews the current reference values used in European countries and the methodological approaches used to derive them by a sample of seven European and international authoritative committees from which background scientific reports are available. Throughout the paper, the main issues contributing to disparities in micronutrient reference values for infants are highlighted. The identification of these issues in relation to the specific physiological aspects of infants is important for informing future initiatives aimed at providing standardized approaches to overcome variability of micronutrient reference values across Europe for this age group. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Course Ontology-Based User's Knowledge Requirement Acquisition from Behaviors within E-Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeng, Qingtian; Zhao, Zhongying; Liang, Yongquan

2009-01-01

User's knowledge requirement acquisition and analysis are very important for a personalized or user-adaptive learning system. Two approaches to capture user's knowledge requirement about course content within an e-learning system are proposed and implemented in this paper. The first approach is based on the historical data accumulated by an…

Transformation of Topic-Specific Professional Knowledge into Personal Pedagogical Content Knowledge through Lesson Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stender, Anita; Brückmann, Maja; Neumann, Knut

2017-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between two different types of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK): the topic-specific professional knowledge (TSPK) and practical routines, so-called teaching scripts. Based on the Transformation Model of Lesson Planning, we assume that teaching scripts originate from a transformation of TSPK during lesson…

Measurement of CO2 diffusivity for carbon sequestration: a microfluidic approach for reservoir-specific analysis.

PubMed

Sell, Andrew; Fadaei, Hossein; Kim, Myeongsub; Sinton, David

2013-01-02

Predicting carbon dioxide (CO(2)) security and capacity in sequestration requires knowledge of CO(2) diffusion into reservoir fluids. In this paper we demonstrate a microfluidic based approach to measuring the mutual diffusion coefficient of carbon dioxide in water and brine. The approach enables formation of fresh CO(2)-liquid interfaces; the resulting diffusion is quantified by imaging fluorescence quenching of a pH-dependent dye, and subsequent analyses. This method was applied to study the effects of site-specific variables--CO(2) pressure and salinity levels--on the diffusion coefficient. In contrast to established, macro-scale pressure-volume-temperature cell methods that require large sample volumes and testing periods of hours/days, this approach requires only microliters of sample, provides results within minutes, and isolates diffusive mass transport from convective effects. The measured diffusion coefficient of CO(2) in water was constant (1.86 [± 0.26] × 10(-9) m(2)/s) over the range of pressures (5-50 bar) tested at 26 °C, in agreement with existing models. The effects of salinity were measured with solutions of 0-5 M NaCl, where the diffusion coefficient varied up to 3 times. These experimental data support existing theory and demonstrate the applicability of this method for reservoir-specific testing.

Is eating science or common sense? Knowledge about "natural foods" among self-identified "natural food" consumers, vendors and producers in rural and urban Mexico.

PubMed

Kooijmans, Anneke; Flores-Palacios, Fátima

2014-10-01

To explore the common sense knowledge that consumers, vendors and producers hold of "natural foods". The focus was on common knowledge because this is infrequently explored in social psychology where most studies focus on the implementation of scientific knowledge. The focus was on natural foods because the naturalness of foods seems to be one of the particular concerns that current consumers have about today's food market and because a specific natural food preference was observed in the contexts of study. Fifty-seven informants in a rural context and 58 informants in an urban context participated in either a free association study or an interview study. Data content were analyzed. In the urban context natural foods obtain their significance in the relationship between food and the self-concept; eating natural (or good) food is a task that requires effort and attitude, and foods obtain a moral value. In the rural context natural foods obtain their significance as an expression of a social and cultural system of interdependence that establishes practices and customs that have a long history in the community. It is suggested that these common knowledge systems are related to practical challenges that are particular to the informants' context and that the structure of their common sense knowledge systems depend on the mediation of the flow of scientific knowledge and technological knowledge in each context. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards an Age-Phenome Knowledge-base

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Currently, data about age-phenotype associations are not systematically organized and cannot be studied methodically. Searching for scientific articles describing phenotypic changes reported as occurring at a given age is not possible for most ages. Results Here we present the Age-Phenome Knowledge-base (APK), in which knowledge about age-related phenotypic patterns and events can be modeled and stored for retrieval. The APK contains evidence connecting specific ages or age groups with phenotypes, such as disease and clinical traits. Using a simple text mining tool developed for this purpose, we extracted instances of age-phenotype associations from journal abstracts related to non-insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus. In addition, links between age and phenotype were extracted from clinical data obtained from the NHANES III survey. The knowledge stored in the APK is made available for the relevant research community in the form of 'Age-Cards', each card holds the collection of all the information stored in the APK about a particular age. These Age-Cards are presented in a wiki, allowing community review, amendment and contribution of additional information. In addition to the wiki interaction, complex searches can also be conducted which require the user to have some knowledge of database query construction. Conclusions The combination of a knowledge model based repository with community participation in the evolution and refinement of the knowledge-base makes the APK a useful and valuable environment for collecting and curating existing knowledge of the connections between age and phenotypes. PMID:21651792

Accessing and Integrating Data and Knowledge for Biomedical Research

PubMed Central

Burgun, A.; Bodenreider, O.

2008-01-01

Summary Objectives To review the issues that have arisen with the advent of translational research in terms of integration of data and knowledge, and survey current efforts to address these issues. Methods Using examples form the biomedical literature, we identified new trends in biomedical research and their impact on bioinformatics. We analyzed the requirements for effective knowledge repositories and studied issues in the integration of biomedical knowledge. Results New diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on gene expression patterns have brought about new issues in the statistical analysis of data, and new workflows are needed are needed to support translational research. Interoperable data repositories based on standard annotations, infrastructures and services are needed to support the pooling and meta-analysis of data, as well as their comparison to earlier experiments. High-quality, integrated ontologies and knowledge bases serve as a source of prior knowledge used in combination with traditional data mining techniques and contribute to the development of more effective data analysis strategies. Conclusion As biomedical research evolves from traditional clinical and biological investigations towards omics sciences and translational research, specific needs have emerged, including integrating data collected in research studies with patient clinical data, linking omics knowledge with medical knowledge, modeling the molecular basis of diseases, and developing tools that support in-depth analysis of research data. As such, translational research illustrates the need to bridge the gap between bioinformatics and medical informatics, and opens new avenues for biomedical informatics research. PMID:18660883

The Evaluation of Undergraduate Nursing Students' Knowledge of Post-op Pain Management after Participation in Simulation.

PubMed

Evans, Cecile B; Mixon, Diana K

2015-12-01

The purpose of this paper was to assess undergraduate nursing students' pain knowledge after participation in a simulation scenario. The Knowledge and Attitudes of Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP) was used to assess pain knowledge. In addition, reflective questions related to the simulation were examined. Student preferences for education method and reactions to the simulation (SIM) were described. Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge of pain management is reported as inadequate. An emerging pedagogy used to educate undergraduate nurses in a safe, controlled environment is simulation. Literature reports of simulation to educate students' about pain management are limited. As part of the undergraduate nursing student clinical coursework, a post-operative pain management simulation, the SIM was developed. Students were required to assess pain levels and then manage the pain for a late adolescent male whose mother's fear of addiction was a barrier to pain management. The students completed an anonymous written survey that included selected questions from the KASRP and an evaluation of the SIM experience. The students' mean KASRP percent correct was 70.4% ± 8.6%. Students scored the best on items specific to pain assessment and worst on items specific to opiate equivalents and decisions on PRN orders. The students' overall KASRP score post simulation was slightly better than previous studies of nursing students. These results suggest that educators should consider simulations to educate about pain assessment and patient/family education. Future pain simulations should include more opportunities for students to choose appropriate pain medications when provided PRN orders. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitude shifts and knowledge gains: Evaluating men who have sex with men sensitisation training for healthcare workers in the Western Cape, South Africa

PubMed Central

Brown, Ben

2017-01-01

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa experience discrimination from healthcare workers (HCWs), impeding health service access. Objectives To evaluate the outcomes of an MSM sensitisation training programme for HCWs implemented in the Western Cape province (South Africa). Methods A training programme was developed to equip HCWs with the knowledge, awareness and skills required to provide non-discriminatory, non-judgemental and appropriate services to MSM. Overall, 592 HCWs were trained between February 2010 and May 2012. Trainees completed self-administered pre- and post-training questionnaires assessing changes in knowledge. Two-sample t-tests for proportion were used to assess changes in specific answers and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for overall knowledge scores. Qualitative data came from anonymous post-training evaluation forms completed by all trainees, in combination with four focus group discussions (n = 28) conducted six months after their training. Results Fourteen per cent of trainees had received previous training to counsel clients around penile–anal intercourse, and 16% had previously received training around sexual health issues affecting MSM. There was a statistically significant improvement in overall knowledge scores (80% – 87%, p < 0.0001), specifically around penile–anal intercourse, substance use and depression after the training. Reductions in negative attitudes towards MSM and increased ability for HCWs to provide non-discriminatory care were reported as a result of the training. Conclusion MSM sensitisation training for HCWs is an effective intervention to increase awareness on issues pertaining to MSM and how to engage around them, reduce discriminatory attitudes and enable the provision of non-judgemental and appropriate services by HCWs. PMID:29568621

Incremental Learning With Selective Memory (ILSM): Towards Fast Prostate Localization for Image Guided Radiotherapy

PubMed Central

Gao, Yaozong; Zhan, Yiqiang

2015-01-01

Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) requires fast and accurate localization of the prostate in 3-D treatment-guided radiotherapy, which is challenging due to low tissue contrast and large anatomical variation across patients. On the other hand, the IGRT workflow involves collecting a series of computed tomography (CT) images from the same patient under treatment. These images contain valuable patient-specific information yet are often neglected by previous works. In this paper, we propose a novel learning framework, namely incremental learning with selective memory (ILSM), to effectively learn the patient-specific appearance characteristics from these patient-specific images. Specifically, starting with a population-based discriminative appearance model, ILSM aims to “personalize” the model to fit patient-specific appearance characteristics. The model is personalized with two steps: backward pruning that discards obsolete population-based knowledge and forward learning that incorporates patient-specific characteristics. By effectively combining the patient-specific characteristics with the general population statistics, the incrementally learned appearance model can localize the prostate of a specific patient much more accurately. This work has three contributions: 1) the proposed incremental learning framework can capture patient-specific characteristics more effectively, compared to traditional learning schemes, such as pure patient-specific learning, population-based learning, and mixture learning with patient-specific and population data; 2) this learning framework does not have any parametric model assumption, hence, allowing the adoption of any discriminative classifier; and 3) using ILSM, we can localize the prostate in treatment CTs accurately (DSC ∼0.89) and fast (∼4 s), which satisfies the real-world clinical requirements of IGRT. PMID:24495983

High Prevalence of Dehydration and Inadequate Nutritional Knowledge Among University and Club Level Athletes.

PubMed

Magee, Pamela Jane; Gallagher, Alison M; McCormack, Jacqueline M

2017-04-01

Although dehydration of ≥ 2% body weight (BW) loss significantly impairs endurance performance, dehydration remains prevalent among athletes and may be owing to a lack of knowledge in relation to fluid requirements. The aim of this study was to assess the hydration status of university/club level athletes (n = 430) from a range of sports/activities (army officer cadet training; bootcamp training; cycling; Gaelic Athletic Association camogie, football and hurling; golf; hockey; netball; rugby; running (sprinting and endurance); Shotokan karate and soccer) immediately before and after training/competition and to assess their nutritional knowledge. Urine specific gravity (USG) was measured immediately before and after exercise and BW loss during exercise was assessed. Nutritional knowledge was assessed using a validated questionnaire. 31.9% of athletes commenced exercise in a dehydrated state (USG >1.020) with 43.6% of participants dehydrated posttraining/competition. Dehydration was particularly prevalent (>40% of cohort) among karateka, female netball players, army officer cadets, and golfers. Golfers that commenced a competitive 18 hole round dehydrated took a significantly higher number of strokes to complete the round in comparison with their euhydrated counterparts (79.5 ± 2.1 vs. 75.7 ± 3.9 strokes, p = .049). Nutritional knowledge was poor among participants (median total score [IQR]; 52.9% [46.0, 59.8]), albeit athletes who were euhydrated at the start of exercise had a higher overall score in comparison with dehydrated athletes (55.2% vs. 50.6%, p = .001). Findings from the current study, therefore, have significant implications for the education of athletes in relation to their individual fluid requirements around exercise.

CardioClassifier: disease- and gene-specific computational decision support for clinical genome interpretation.

PubMed

Whiffin, Nicola; Walsh, Roddy; Govind, Risha; Edwards, Matthew; Ahmad, Mian; Zhang, Xiaolei; Tayal, Upasana; Buchan, Rachel; Midwinter, William; Wilk, Alicja E; Najgebauer, Hanna; Francis, Catherine; Wilkinson, Sam; Monk, Thomas; Brett, Laura; O'Regan, Declan P; Prasad, Sanjay K; Morris-Rosendahl, Deborah J; Barton, Paul J R; Edwards, Elizabeth; Ware, James S; Cook, Stuart A

2018-01-25

PurposeInternationally adopted variant interpretation guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) are generic and require disease-specific refinement. Here we developed CardioClassifier (http://www.cardioclassifier.org), a semiautomated decision-support tool for inherited cardiac conditions (ICCs).MethodsCardioClassifier integrates data retrieved from multiple sources with user-input case-specific information, through an interactive interface, to support variant interpretation. Combining disease- and gene-specific knowledge with variant observations in large cohorts of cases and controls, we refined 14 computational ACMG criteria and created three ICC-specific rules.ResultsWe benchmarked CardioClassifier on 57 expertly curated variants and show full retrieval of all computational data, concordantly activating 87.3% of rules. A generic annotation tool identified fewer than half as many clinically actionable variants (64/219 vs. 156/219, Fisher's P = 1.1  ×  10 -18 ), with important false positives, illustrating the critical importance of disease and gene-specific annotations. CardioClassifier identified putatively disease-causing variants in 33.7% of 327 cardiomyopathy cases, comparable with leading ICC laboratories. Through addition of manually curated data, variants found in over 40% of cardiomyopathy cases are fully annotated, without requiring additional user-input data.ConclusionCardioClassifier is an ICC-specific decision-support tool that integrates expertly curated computational annotations with case-specific data to generate fast, reproducible, and interactive variant pathogenicity reports, according to best practice guidelines.GENETICS in MEDICINE advance online publication, 25 January 2018; doi:10.1038/gim.2017.258.

Secondary Use of Patients’ Electronic Records (SUPER): An Approach for Meeting Specific Data Needs of Clinical and Translational Researchers

PubMed Central

Sholle, Evan T.; Kabariti, Joseph; Johnson, Stephen B.; Leonard, John P.; Pathak, Jyotishman; Varughese, Vinay I.; Cole, Curtis L.; Campion, Thomas R.

2017-01-01

Academic medical centers commonly approach secondary use of electronic health record (EHR) data by implementing centralized clinical data warehouses (CDWs). However, CDWs require extensive resources to model data dimensions and harmonize clinical terminology, which can hinder effective support of the specific and varied data needs of investigators. We hypothesized that an approach that aggregates raw data from source systems, ignores initial modeling typical of CDWs, and transforms raw data for specific research purposes would meet investigator needs. The approach has successfully enabled multiple tools that provide utility to the institutional research enterprise. To our knowledge, this is the first complete description of a methodology for electronic patient data acquisition and provisioning that ignores data harmonization at the time of initial storage in favor of downstream transformation to address specific research questions and applications. PMID:29854228

Revealing the Structural Complexity of Component Interactions of Topic-Specific PCK when Planning to Teach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavhunga, Elizabeth

2018-04-01

Teaching pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) at a topic-specific level requires clarity on the content-specific nature of the components employed, as well as the specific features that bring about the desirable depth in teacher explanations. Such understanding is often hazy; yet, it influences the nature of teacher tasks and learning opportunities afforded to pre-service teachers in a teaching program. The purpose of this study was twofold: firstly, to illuminate the emerging complexity when content-specific components of PCK interact when planning to teach a chemistry topic; and secondly, to identify the kinds of teacher tasks that promote the emergence of such complexity. Data collected were content representations (CoRes) in chemical equilibrium accompanied by expanded lesson outlines from 15 pre-service teachers in their final year of study towards a first degree in teaching (B Ed). The analysis involved extraction of episodes that exhibited component interaction by using a qualitative in-depth analysis method. The results revealed the structure in which the components of PCK in a topic interact among each other to be linear, interwoven, or a combination of the two. The interwoven interactions contained multiple components that connected explanations on different aspects of a concept, all working in a complementary manner. The most sophisticated component interactions emerged from teacher tasks on descriptions of a lesson sequence and a summary of a lesson. Recommendations in this study highlight core practices for making pedagogical transformation of topic content knowledge more accessible.

Approaching Multidimensional Forms of Knowledge through Personal Meaning Mapping in Science Integrating Teaching outside the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartmeyer, Rikke; Bølling, Mads; Bentsen, Peter

2017-01-01

Current research points to Personal Meaning Mapping (PMM) as a method useful in investigating students' prior and current science knowledge. However, studies investigating PMM as a method for exploring specific knowledge dimensions are lacking. Ensuring that students are able to access specific knowledge dimensions is important, especially in…

Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TSPCK) in Redox and Electrochemistry of Experienced Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Stephanie

2017-01-01

Topic specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) is the basis by which knowledge of subject matter of a particular topic is conveyed to students. This includes students' prior knowledge, curricular saliency, what makes a topic easy or difficult to teach, representations, and teaching strategies. The goal of this study is to assess the…

Transfer of innovation, knowledge and competencies on the care service for people with acquired disabilities: the European Project "Care for Work".

PubMed

Barchitta, M; Fragapane, S; Consoli, M T; Pennisi, C; Agodi, A

2012-01-01

The growing needs of people with disabilities require to integrate this issue into public health in order to improve political feasibility and to ensure that disability will not be left off from any strategic table. The main aim of the "Care for Work" project was to provide training contents to help workers and unemployed people to adapt their knowledge, skills and competencies to the care services sector in order to facilitate their insertion in a new employment source. The partners participating in the project are Organizations from 5 European countries. The project has been divided into seven Work Packages (WPs): three transversal WPs and four specific WPs, each addressing specific activities necessary to achieve the final objectives of the project. The "Care for Work" learning environment contains specific information and training on the techniques for caring people with acquired physical disabilities, as text documents and short training films. The project combines e-learning (Web 2.0) and mobile learning providing a flexible training platform for workers of care services sector. The "Care for Work" project offers specific training addressed to meet the new existing needs of workers of the care services sector and/or unemployed people. All the information and results of the project are available on the web page: www.careforwork.eu, and the present article is part of the WP "Valorization".

Management competencies required in ambulatory care settings.

PubMed

Brooke, P P; Hudak, R P; Finstuen, K; Trounson, J

1998-01-01

A study was conducted to identify the most important competencies physician executives in medical groups and other ambulatory settings will need to have in the next five years. The specific job skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKA) that physician executives will need to acquire these competencies were also explored. The Delphi techniques were used to analyze responses from two surveys from members of the American College of Medical Practice Executives. The most important competencies were grouped into 13 management domains, each with specific SKAs. "Managing health care resources to create quality and value" and "fundamentals of business and finance" were rated as the most important competencies. The most frequently rated SKA was the "ability to build and maintain credibility and trust."

Web-based, mobile-device friendly, self-report survey system incorporating avatars and gaming console techniques.

PubMed

Savel, Craig; Mierzwa, Stan; Gorbach, Pamina; Lally, Michelle; Zimet, Gregory; Meyer, Kristin; Souidi, Samir; Interventions, Aids

2014-01-01

We describe building an avatar-based self-report data collection tool to be used for a specific HIV prevention research project that is evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of this novel approach to collect self-reported data among youth. We discuss the gathering of requirements, the process of building a prototype of the envisioned system, and the lessons learned during the development of the solution. Specific knowledge is shared regarding technical experience with software development technologies and possible avenues for changes that could be considered if such a self-report survey system is used again. Examples of other gaming and avatar technology systems are included to provide further background.

Determining organisation-specific factors for developing health interventions in companies by a Delphi procedure: Organisational Mapping.

PubMed

van Scheppingen, Arjella R; ten Have, Kristin C J M; Zwetsloot, Gerard J I M; Kok, Gerjo; van Mechelen, Willem

2015-12-01

Companies, seen as social communities, are major health promotion contexts. However, health promotion in the work setting is often less successful than intended. An optimal adjustment to the organisational context is required. Knowledge of which organisation-specific factors are relevant to health promotion is scarce. A Delphi procedure is used to identify these factors. The aim is to contribute to more effective workplace health promotion. The identified factors are described and embedded into a practical methodology (Intervention Mapping). A systematic use of these factors (called 'Organisational Mapping') is likely to contribute to more effective health promotion in the work setting. © The Author(s) 2014.

Web-based, mobile-device friendly, self-report survey system incorporating avatars and gaming console techniques

PubMed Central

Savel, Craig; Mierzwa, Stan; Gorbach, Pamina; Lally, Michelle; Zimet, Gregory; Meyer, Kristin; Souidi, Samir; Interventions, AIDS

2014-01-01

We describe building an avatar-based self-report data collection tool to be used for a specific HIV prevention research project that is evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of this novel approach to collect self-reported data among youth. We discuss the gathering of requirements, the process of building a prototype of the envisioned system, and the lessons learned during the development of the solution. Specific knowledge is shared regarding technical experience with software development technologies and possible avenues for changes that could be considered if such a self-report survey system is used again. Examples of other gaming and avatar technology systems are included to provide further background. PMID:25422726

From scenarios to domain models: processes and representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddock, Gail; Harbison, Karan

1994-03-01

The domain specific software architectures (DSSA) community has defined a philosophy for the development of complex systems. This philosophy improves productivity and efficiency by increasing the user's role in the definition of requirements, increasing the systems engineer's role in the reuse of components, and decreasing the software engineer's role to the development of new components and component modifications only. The scenario-based engineering process (SEP), the first instantiation of the DSSA philosophy, has been adopted by the next generation controller project. It is also the chosen methodology of the trauma care information management system project, and the surrogate semi-autonomous vehicle project. SEP uses scenarios from the user to create domain models and define the system's requirements. Domain knowledge is obtained from a variety of sources including experts, documents, and videos. This knowledge is analyzed using three techniques: scenario analysis, task analysis, and object-oriented analysis. Scenario analysis results in formal representations of selected scenarios. Task analysis of the scenario representations results in descriptions of tasks necessary for object-oriented analysis and also subtasks necessary for functional system analysis. Object-oriented analysis of task descriptions produces domain models and system requirements. This paper examines the representations that support the DSSA philosophy, including reference requirements, reference architectures, and domain models. The processes used to create and use the representations are explained through use of the scenario-based engineering process. Selected examples are taken from the next generation controller project.

Flavivirus RNA Synthesis in vitro

PubMed Central

Padmanabhan, Radhakrishnan; Takhampunya, Ratree; Teramoto, Tadahisa; Choi, Kyung H.

2015-01-01

Summary Establishment of in vitro systems to study mechanisms of RNA synthesis for positive strand RNA viruses have been very useful in the past and have shed light on the composition of protein and RNA components, optimum conditions, the nature of the products formed, cis-acting RNA elements and trans-acting protein factors required for efficient synthesis. In this review, we summarize our current understanding regarding the requirements for flavivirus RNA synthesis in vitro. We describe details of reaction conditions, the specificity of template used by either the multi-component membrane-bound viral replicase complex or by purified, recombinant RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. We also discuss future perspectives to extend the boundaries of our knowledge. PMID:26272247

Character-level neural network for biomedical named entity recognition.

PubMed

Gridach, Mourad

2017-06-01

Biomedical named entity recognition (BNER), which extracts important named entities such as genes and proteins, is a challenging task in automated systems that mine knowledge in biomedical texts. The previous state-of-the-art systems required large amounts of task-specific knowledge in the form of feature engineering, lexicons and data pre-processing to achieve high performance. In this paper, we introduce a novel neural network architecture that benefits from both word- and character-level representations automatically, by using a combination of bidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM) and conditional random field (CRF) eliminating the need for most feature engineering tasks. We evaluate our system on two datasets: JNLPBA corpus and the BioCreAtIvE II Gene Mention (GM) corpus. We obtained state-of-the-art performance by outperforming the previous systems. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to investigate the combination of deep neural networks, CRF, word embeddings and character-level representation in recognizing biomedical named entities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Competency-Based Framework and Continuing Education for Preparing a Skilled School Health Workforce for Asthma Care: The Colorado Experience.

PubMed

Cicutto, Lisa; Gleason, Melanie; Haas-Howard, Christy; Jenkins-Nygren, Lynn; Labonde, Susan; Patrick, Kathy

2017-08-01

School health teams commonly address the needs of students with asthma, which requires specific knowledge and skills. To develop a skilled school health team, a competency-based framework for managing asthma in schools was developed. A modified Delphi with 31 panelists was completed. Consensus (≥80% agreement) was reached for all 148 items regarding the appropriateness as a minimum competency for asthma care in schools. The resultant Colorado Competency Framework for Asthma Care in Schools guided the development and pilot testing of a continuing education curriculum for school nurses. Pre- and postassessments demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and self-confidence related to asthma care in schools and inhaler technique skills. This work is the first to use a consensus process to identify a framework of minimum competencies for providing asthma care in schools. This framework informed a continuing education curriculum that resulted in improved knowledge, confidence, and skills for school nurses.

Immunosuppression for in vivo research: state-of-the-art protocols and experimental approaches

PubMed Central

Diehl, Rita; Ferrara, Fabienne; Müller, Claudia; Dreyer, Antje Y; McLeod, Damian D; Fricke, Stephan; Boltze, Johannes

2017-01-01

Almost every experimental treatment strategy using non-autologous cell, tissue or organ transplantation is tested in small and large animal models before clinical translation. Because these strategies require immunosuppression in most cases, immunosuppressive protocols are a key element in transplantation experiments. However, standard immunosuppressive protocols are often applied without detailed knowledge regarding their efficacy within the particular experimental setting and in the chosen model species. Optimization of such protocols is pertinent to the translation of experimental results to human patients and thus warrants further investigation. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding immunosuppressive drug classes as well as their dosages and application regimens with consideration of species-specific drug metabolization and side effects. It also summarizes contemporary knowledge of novel immunomodulatory strategies, such as the use of mesenchymal stem cells or antibodies. Thus, this review is intended to serve as a state-of-the-art compendium for researchers to refine applied experimental immunosuppression and immunomodulation strategies to enhance the predictive value of preclinical transplantation studies. PMID:27721455

Parents' knowledge of and opinions about healthcare laws and technology in primary care.

PubMed

Thompson, Lindsay A; Black, Erik W; Saliba, Heidi; Schentrup, Anzeela M

2012-01-01

Historically, parents have demonstrated poor understanding of adolescent healthcare laws. This study assessed US parents' current knowledge and opinions about technology facilitated physician-adolescent communication and applicable laws to enhance transition to adult health care. A brief survey in two low-income academic paediatric clinics asked parents about their knowledge of health care and laws, and their opinions about technology facilitated contact between physicians and adolescents. Almost all parents (96.7%) have internet access at home, work or via a mobile device. Only 44.1% approved of having a physician directly contact their child about annual examinations, immunisations or to discuss issues of sexuality. Half (55.4%) were aware that adolescents could receive confidential sexuality information and treatment without parents' permission. Only one-third (32.2%) approved of a specific technology for direct communication. Parents are divided about direct physician-adolescent contact. Future plans to engage adolescents to understand their health will require parental education and involvement on the value of physician-adolescent communication.

Delegation knowledge and practice among rehabilitation nurses.

PubMed

White, Mary Joe; Gutierrez, Ann; Davis, Kerry; Olson, Rhonda; McLaughlin, Celeste

2011-01-01

Delegation is an essential process that allows nurses to function more effectively and efficiently. The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses' (ARN) Southeast Texas Chapter research committee developed a survey to study registered nurses (RN) practices and knowledge of delegation to unlicensed assistive personnel. State boards of nursing determine delegation practices, so the survey was sent only to Texas ARN members. Benners' Novice to Expert theory was used to study delegation practices based on years of experience, certification, and education. Survey Monkey was used with a questionnaire developed by the research committee. Descriptive statistics analyzed data from the survey's 73 respondents, and chi-square measured significance of differences based on years of experience and certification (yes or no). Data show that delegation knowledge does not necessarily translate to practice, especially when looking at specific tasks performed by certified rehabilitation registered nurses (CRRNs) and non-CRRNs. The data support continued study of this important issue; 93.7% of respondents say delegation requires further discussion.