Sample records for research design utilizing

  1. Utilization of Design Principles for Hybrid Learning Configurations by Interprofessional Design Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cremers, Petra H. M.; Wals, Arjen E. J.; Wesselink, Renate; Mulder, Martin

    2017-01-01

    Educational design research yields design knowledge, often in the form of design principles or guidelines that provide the rationale or "know-why" for the design of educational interventions. As such, design principles can be utilized by designers in contexts other than the research context in which they were generated. Although research…

  2. Individual determinants of research utilization: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Estabrooks, Carole A; Floyd, Judith A; Scott-Findlay, Shannon; O'Leary, Katherine A; Gushta, Matthew

    2003-09-01

    In order to design interventions that increase research use in nursing, it is necessary to have an understanding of what influences research use. To report findings on a systematic review of studies that examine individual characteristics of nurses and how they influence the utilization of research. A survey of published articles in English that examine the influence of individual factors on the research utilization behaviour of nurses, without restriction of the study design, from selected computerized databases and hand searches. Articles had to measure one or more individual determinants of research utilization, measure the dependent variable (research utilization), and evaluate the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The studies also had to indicate the direction of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables, report a P-value and the statistic used, and indicate the magnitude of the relationship. Six categories of potential individual determinants were identified: beliefs and attitudes, involvement in research activities, information seeking, professional characteristics, education and other socio-economic factors. Research design, sampling, measurement, and statistical analysis were examined to evaluate methodological quality. Methodological problems surfaced in all of the studies and, apart from attitude to research, there was little to suggest that any potential individual determinant influences research use. Important conceptual and measurement issues with regard to research utilization could be better addressed if research in the area were undertaken longitudinally by multi-disciplinary teams of researchers.

  3. Load research manual. Volume 2: Fundamentals of implementing load research procedures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1980-11-01

    This manual will assist electric utilities and state regulatory authorities in investigating customer electricity demand as part of cost-of-service studies, rate design, marketing research, system design, load forecasting, rate reform analysis, and load management research. Load research procedures are described in detail. Research programs at three utilities are compared: Carolina Power and Light Company, Long Island Lighting Company, and Southern California Edison Company. A load research bibliography and glossaries of load research and statistical terms are also included.

  4. Brainstorming Design for Health: Helping Patients Utilize Patient-Generated Information on the Web

    PubMed Central

    Huh, Jina; Hartzler, Andrea; Munson, Sean; Anderson, Nick; Edwards, Kelly; Gore, John L.; McDonald, David; O’Leary, Jim; Parker, Andrea; Streat, Derek; Yetisgen-Yildiz, Meliha; Pratt, Wanda; Ackerman, Mark S.

    2013-01-01

    Researchers and practitioners show increasing sinterest in utilizing patient-generated information on the Web. Although the HCI and CSCW communities have provided many exciting opportunities for exploring new ideas and building broad agenda in health, few venues offer a platform for interdisciplinary and collaborative brainstorming about design challenges and opportunities in this space. The goal of this workshop is to provide participants with opportunities to interact with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and practices—researchers, practitioners, designers, programmers, and ethnographers—and together generate tangible design outcomes that utilize patient-generated information on the Web. Through small multidisciplinary group work, we will provide participants with new collaboration opportunities, understanding of the state of the art, inspiration for future work, and ideally avenues for continuing to develop research and design ideas generated at the workshop. PMID:24499843

  5. Conceptual and empirical themes regarding the design of technology transfer programs : a review of wood utilization research in the United States

    Treesearch

    Paul V. Ellefson; Michael A. Kilgore; Kenneth E. Skog; Christopher D. Risbrudt

    2011-01-01

    Transfer of technologies produced by research is critical to innovation within all organizations. The intent of this paper is to take stock of the conceptual underpinnings of technology transfer processes as they relate to wood utilization research and to identify conditions that promote the successful transfer of research results. Conceptually, research utilization...

  6. Estimating Health-State Utility for Economic Models in Clinical Studies: An ISPOR Good Research Practices Task Force Report.

    PubMed

    Wolowacz, Sorrel E; Briggs, Andrew; Belozeroff, Vasily; Clarke, Philip; Doward, Lynda; Goeree, Ron; Lloyd, Andrew; Norman, Richard

    Cost-utility models are increasingly used in many countries to establish whether the cost of a new intervention can be justified in terms of health benefits. Health-state utility (HSU) estimates (the preference for a given state of health on a cardinal scale where 0 represents dead and 1 represents full health) are typically among the most important and uncertain data inputs in cost-utility models. Clinical trials represent an important opportunity for the collection of health-utility data. However, trials designed primarily to evaluate efficacy and safety often present challenges to the optimal collection of HSU estimates for economic models. Careful planning is needed to determine which of the HSU estimates may be measured in planned trials; to establish the optimal methodology; and to plan any additional studies needed. This report aimed to provide a framework for researchers to plan the collection of health-utility data in clinical studies to provide high-quality HSU estimates for economic modeling. Recommendations are made for early planning of health-utility data collection within a research and development program; design of health-utility data collection during protocol development for a planned clinical trial; design of prospective and cross-sectional observational studies and alternative study types; and statistical analyses and reporting. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Individual determinants of research utilization by nurses: a systematic review update.

    PubMed

    Squires, Janet E; Estabrooks, Carole A; Gustavsson, Petter; Wallin, Lars

    2011-01-05

    Interventions that have a better than random chance of increasing nurses' use of research are important to the delivery of quality patient care. However, few reports exist of successful research utilization in nursing interventions. Systematic identification and evaluation of individual characteristics associated with and predicting research utilization may inform the development of research utilization interventions. To update the evidence published in a previous systematic review on individual characteristics influencing research utilization by nurses. As part of a larger systematic review on research utilization instruments, 12 online bibliographic databases were searched. Hand searching of specialized journals and an ancestry search was also conducted. Randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, and observational study designs examining the association between individual characteristics and nurses' use of research were eligible for inclusion. Studies were limited to those published in the English, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian languages. A vote counting approach to data synthesis was taken. A total of 42,770 titles were identified, of which 501 were retrieved. Of these 501 articles, 45 satisfied our inclusion criteria. Articles assessed research utilization in general (n = 39) or kinds of research utilization (n = 6) using self-report survey measures. Individual nurse characteristics were classified according to six categories: beliefs and attitudes, involvement in research activities, information seeking, education, professional characteristics, and socio-demographic/socio-economic characteristics. A seventh category, critical thinking, emerged in studies examining kinds of research utilization. Positive relationships, at statistically significant levels, for general research utilization were found in four categories: beliefs and attitudes, information seeking, education, and professional characteristics. The only characteristic assessed in a sufficient number of studies and with consistent findings for the kinds of research utilization was attitude towards research; this characteristic had a positive association with instrumental and overall research utilization. This review reinforced conclusions in the previous review with respect to positive relationships between general research utilization and: beliefs and attitudes, and current role. Furthermore, attending conferences/in-services, having a graduate degree in nursing, working in a specialty area, and job satisfaction were also identified as individual characteristics important to research utilization. While these findings hold promise as potential targets of future research utilization interventions, there were methodological problems inherent in many of the studies that necessitate their findings be replicated in further research using more robust study designs and multivariate assessment methods.

  8. Individual determinants of research utilization by nurses: a systematic review update

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Interventions that have a better than random chance of increasing nurses' use of research are important to the delivery of quality patient care. However, few reports exist of successful research utilization in nursing interventions. Systematic identification and evaluation of individual characteristics associated with and predicting research utilization may inform the development of research utilization interventions. Objective To update the evidence published in a previous systematic review on individual characteristics influencing research utilization by nurses. Methods As part of a larger systematic review on research utilization instruments, 12 online bibliographic databases were searched. Hand searching of specialized journals and an ancestry search was also conducted. Randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, and observational study designs examining the association between individual characteristics and nurses' use of research were eligible for inclusion. Studies were limited to those published in the English, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian languages. A vote counting approach to data synthesis was taken. Results A total of 42,770 titles were identified, of which 501 were retrieved. Of these 501 articles, 45 satisfied our inclusion criteria. Articles assessed research utilization in general (n = 39) or kinds of research utilization (n = 6) using self-report survey measures. Individual nurse characteristics were classified according to six categories: beliefs and attitudes, involvement in research activities, information seeking, education, professional characteristics, and socio-demographic/socio-economic characteristics. A seventh category, critical thinking, emerged in studies examining kinds of research utilization. Positive relationships, at statistically significant levels, for general research utilization were found in four categories: beliefs and attitudes, information seeking, education, and professional characteristics. The only characteristic assessed in a sufficient number of studies and with consistent findings for the kinds of research utilization was attitude towards research; this characteristic had a positive association with instrumental and overall research utilization. Conclusions This review reinforced conclusions in the previous review with respect to positive relationships between general research utilization and: beliefs and attitudes, and current role. Furthermore, attending conferences/in-services, having a graduate degree in nursing, working in a specialty area, and job satisfaction were also identified as individual characteristics important to research utilization. While these findings hold promise as potential targets of future research utilization interventions, there were methodological problems inherent in many of the studies that necessitate their findings be replicated in further research using more robust study designs and multivariate assessment methods. PMID:21208425

  9. Extent of Utilizing Electrical Equipment in Poultry Production in Ebonyi State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ogba, E. I.; Ogbu, J. E.

    2016-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate the extent of utilizing electrical equipment in poultry production in the rural areas of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted for the study. Three research questions guided the study. The population for the study was 46 respondents comprising 16 Extension agents and 30 Poultry farmers.…

  10. Applications of microcomputers in bridge design.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1986-01-01

    The utilization of microcomputers in bridge design activities in state transportation departments was evaluated through contacts with 32 state agencies. While the present utilization of microcomputers was found to be limited, subsequent research show...

  11. Utilization of Lesson Analysis as Teacher Self Reflection to Improve the Lesson Design on Chemical Equation Topic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edyani, E. A.; Supriatna, A.; Kurnia; Komalasari, L.

    2017-02-01

    The research is aimed to investigate how lesson analysis as teacher’s self-reflection changes the teacher’s lesson design on chemical equation topic. Lesson Analysis has been used as part of teacher training programs to improve teacher’s ability in analyzing their own lesson. The method used in this research is a qualitative method. The research starts from build lesson design, implementation lesson design to senior high school student, utilize lesson analysis to get information about the lesson, and revise lesson design. The revised lesson design from the first implementation applied to the second implementation, resulting in better design. This research use lesson analysis Hendayana&Hidayat framework. Video tapped and transcript are employed on each lesson. After first implementation, lesson analysis result shows that teacher-centered still dominating the learning because students are less active in discussion, so the part of lesson design must be revised. After second implementation, lesson analysis result shows that the learning already student-centered. Students are very active in discussion. But some part of learning design still must be revised. In general, lesson analysis was effective for teacher to reflect the lessons. Teacher can utilize lesson analysis any time to improve the next lesson design.

  12. On the utility of within-participant research design when working with patients with neurocognitive disorders

    PubMed Central

    Steingrimsdottir, Hanna Steinunn; Arntzen, Erik

    2015-01-01

    Within-participant research designs are frequently used within the field of behavior analysis to document changes in behavior before, during, and after treatment. The purpose of the present article is to show the utility of within-participant research designs when working with older adults with neurocognitive disorders. The reason for advocating for these types of experimental designs is that they provide valid information about whether the changes that are observed in the dependent variable are caused by manipulations of the independent variable, or whether the change may be due to other variables. We provide examples from published papers where within-participant research design has been used with patients with neurocognitive disorders. The examples vary somewhat, demonstrating possible applications. It is our suggestion that the within-participant research design may be used more often with the targeted client group than is documented in the literature at the current date. PMID:26229453

  13. On the utility of within-participant research design when working with patients with neurocognitive disorders.

    PubMed

    Steingrimsdottir, Hanna Steinunn; Arntzen, Erik

    2015-01-01

    Within-participant research designs are frequently used within the field of behavior analysis to document changes in behavior before, during, and after treatment. The purpose of the present article is to show the utility of within-participant research designs when working with older adults with neurocognitive disorders. The reason for advocating for these types of experimental designs is that they provide valid information about whether the changes that are observed in the dependent variable are caused by manipulations of the independent variable, or whether the change may be due to other variables. We provide examples from published papers where within-participant research design has been used with patients with neurocognitive disorders. The examples vary somewhat, demonstrating possible applications. It is our suggestion that the within-participant research design may be used more often with the targeted client group than is documented in the literature at the current date.

  14. Demystifying Mixed Methods Research Design: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caruth, Gail D.

    2013-01-01

    Mixed methods research evolved in response to the observed limitations of both quantitative and qualitative designs and is a more complex method. The purpose of this paper was to examine mixed methods research in an attempt to demystify the design thereby allowing those less familiar with its design an opportunity to utilize it in future research.…

  15. Bridging the Gap between User Experience Research and Design in Industry: An Analysis of Two Common Communication Tools--Personas and Scenarios

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Putnam, Cynthia

    2010-01-01

    User experience (UX) research in the design of technology products utilizes human-centered design (HCD) methods to summarize and explain pertinent information about end users to designers. However, UX researchers cannot effectively communicate the needs and goals of users if designers do not find UX research (a) easy to integrate into design…

  16. MCST Research Operations | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Readiness. Laboratory Utilization. Custom Research Equipment Design-Build Capabilities. Add short description Concept and Design Design Requirements Assessment Controls and Automation Design-Build Services International (SEMI) S2 standard assessment Computer-Aided Design (CAD)/Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P

  17. Evaluation of Psychological Hardiness and Coping Style as Risk/Resilience Factors for Health Risk Behaviour

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-04-01

    205 RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS Objective/Hypothesis: The objective of the study is to evaluate the utility of a short hardiness-resilience...problems. Study Design & Methods : This research will evaluate the utility of hardiness, as measured by the DRS-15R, as a screening tool for...may take a toll on defense workers. This research points the way to new approaches for early identification of military workers at risk for stress

  18. A need for an augmented review when reviewing rehabilitation research.

    PubMed

    Gerber, Lynn H; Nava, Andrew; Garfinkel, Steven; Goel, Divya; Weinstein, Ali A; Cai, Cindy

    2016-10-01

    There is a need for additional strategies for performing systematic reviews (SRs) to improve translation of findings into practice and to influence health policy. SRs critically appraise research methodology and determine level of evidence of research findings. The standard type of SR identifies randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as providing the most valid data and highest level of evidence. RCTs are not among the most frequently used research design in disability and health research. RCTs usually measure impairments for the primary research outcome rather than improved function, participation or societal integration. It forces a choice between "validity" and "utility/relevance." Other approaches have effectively been used to assess the validity of alternative research designs, whose outcomes focus on function and patient-reported outcomes. We propose that utilizing existing evaluation tools that measure knowledge, dissemination and utility of findings, may help improve the translation of findings into practice and health policy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Telework and the Manager Employee Relationship

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-06

    Research Design This research project utilized the results of published studies, surveys , and theories to examine the impact of telework on the manager...13 Research Design ...paper were based on the results of studies and surveys that were not designed nor conducted by the author of this study. Nor were those studies

  20. Research Exchange. Quarterly Newsletter of the National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR), 1999.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Research Exchange, 1999

    1999-01-01

    The four issues of this newsletters are designed to promote the effective dissemination and utilization of disability research outcomes. The first two newsletters include parts 1 and 2 of "Disability, Diversity and Dissemination: A Review of the Literature on Topics Related to Increasing the Utilization of Rehabilitation Research Outcomes among…

  1. Guidelines for Initiating a Research Agenda: Research Design and Dissemination of Results.

    PubMed

    Delost, Maria E; Nadder, Teresa S

    2014-01-01

    Successful research outcomes require selection and implementation of the appropriate research design. A realistic sampling plan appropriate for the design is essential. Qualitative or quantitative methodology may be utilized, depending on the research question and goals. Quantitative research may be experimental where there is an intervention, or nonexperimental, if no intervention is included in the design. Causation can only be established with experimental research. Popular types of nonexperimental research include descriptive and survey research. Research findings may be disseminated via presentations, posters, and publications, such as abstracts and manuscripts.

  2. Evolutionary Design of a Robotic Material Defect Detection System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ballard, Gary; Howsman, Tom; Craft, Mike; ONeil, Daniel; Steincamp, Jim; Howell, Joe T. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    During the post-flight inspection of SSME engines, several inaccessible regions must be disassembled to inspect for defects such as cracks, scratches, gouges, etc. An improvement to the inspection process would be the design and development of very small robots capable of penetrating these inaccessible regions and detecting the defects. The goal of this research was to utilize an evolutionary design approach for the robotic detection of these types of defects. A simulation and visualization tool was developed prior to receiving the hardware as a development test bed. A small, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) robot was selected from several candidates as the proof of concept robot. The basic approach to detect the defects was to utilize Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) sensors to detect changes in contrast of an illuminated surface. A neural network, optimally designed utilizing a genetic algorithm, was employed to detect the presence of the defects (cracks). By utilization of the COTS robot and US sensors, the research successfully demonstrated that an evolutionarily designed neural network can detect the presence of surface defects.

  3. Mentoring Graduate Students in Research and Teaching by Utilizing Research as a Template

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knutson, Christopher C.; Jackson, Milton N., Jr.; Beekman, Matt; Carnes, Matthew E.; Johnson, Darren W.; Johnson, David C.; Keszler, Douglas A.

    2014-01-01

    We have designed a unique guided-inquiry-inspired course for entry-level graduate students using chemical research as a mechanism to teach research-oriented problem-solving skills. The course has been designed for flexibility around a shared research experience. The curriculum can be modified each year by incorporating a new research project into…

  4. Impact of Instructional Design on Virtual Teamwork

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rawlings, Melody

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this participatory action research study was to answer the following research question: How does online instructional design impact students' virtual teamwork performance? Through the lens of social constructivism, a qualitative, in-depth multi-case study design was utilized to conduct document analyses, observations, and student…

  5. Single-Case Research Design: An Alternative Strategy for Evidence-Based Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stapleton, Drue; Hawkins, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The trend of utilizing evidence-based practice (EBP) in athletic training is now requiring clinicians, researchers, educators, and students to be equipped to both engage in and make judgments about research evidence. Single-case design (SCD) research may provide an alternative approach to develop such skills and inform clinical and…

  6. Daily Migraine Prevention and Its Influence on Resource Utilization in the Military Health System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-08-01

    Database and employed a one group pretest - posttest design of patients exposed to prevention. Each patient was followed over 18 months (6 months prior to...Framework ..............................................37 Chapter IV: Research Design and Methodology.............................38 Overview of Design...39 Data Collection ................................................................................41 Research Hypotheses

  7. Combining Anderson's Model in the Teaching of Art Appreciation for Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Subramaniam, Maithreyi; Basaree, Ruzaika Omar; Hanafi, Jaffri; Putih, Abu Talib

    2016-01-01

    This study utilized 33 students taking creative communication design 3 in the third year of the graphic design and multimedia program, using an Anderson's model in teaching art appreciation. The quantitative research design and procedures were employed in this study. An experimental research using the quasi-experimental design, a single-group…

  8. Instructional Design Models and Research on Teacher Thinking: Toward a New Conceptual Model for Research and Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moallem, Mahnaz

    Instructional designers believe that it is important to expose pre-service and in-service teachers to Instructional Systems Design (ISD) procedures and products so teachers can utilize them. Educational literature, however, reveals few attempts to relate instructional design theory and methods to teaching practice. This paper proposes a new…

  9. ETV Programmes: Review of Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chaudhary, Sohanvir; Panda, Santosh

    1997-01-01

    Reviews research on educational television (ETV), focusing on teacher and student attitudes; impact on children and teachers and in-service education in media; and utilization. Also reviews a few studies on the impact and utilization of educational radio broadcasts. Draws broad conclusions about the use, design, and learning process of ETV. (PEN)

  10. ADVANCED UTILITY SIMULATION MODEL, MULTI-PERIOD MULTI-STATE MODULE DESIGN DOCUMENTATION (VERSION 1.0)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report is one of 11 in a series describing the initial development of the Advanced Utility Simulation Model (AUSM) by the Universities Research Group on Energy (URGE) and its continued development by the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) research team. The...

  11. ADVANCED UTILITY SIMULATION MODEL DOCUMENTATION OF SYSTEM DESIGN STATE LEVEL MODEL (VERSION 1.0)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report is one of 11 in a series describing the initial development of the Advanced Utility Simulation Model (AUSM) by the Universities Research Group on Energy (URGE) and its continued development by the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) research team. The...

  12. Appendix M. Research Utilization and Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Charles

    The Research Utilization and Problem Solving (RUPS) Model--an instructional system designed to provide the needed competencies for an entire staff to engage in systems analysis and systems synthesis procedures prior to assessing educational needs and developing curriculum to meet the needs identified--is intended to facilitate the development of…

  13. The Utility of Single Subject Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Kyle D.

    2016-01-01

    Single subject design (SSD) research is a quantitative approach used to investigate basic and applied research questions. It has been used for decades to examine issues of social importance such as those related to general and special education strategies, therapeutic approaches in mental health, community health practices, safety, and business…

  14. An Examination of Self-Directed Learning Readiness in Executive-Level Fire Officers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knight, Steven G.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the self-directed learning readiness in executive fire officers in relation to the independent variables of personality type, educational attainment, and professional designation. This research utilized a quantitative design. This study utilized the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Self-Directed…

  15. Music therapists' research activity and utilization barriers: a survey of the membership.

    PubMed

    Waldon, Eric G

    2015-01-01

    Music therapists have access to a rapidly expanding body of research supporting the use of music-based interventions. What is not known is the extent to which music therapists access these resources and what factors may prevent them from incorporating research findings into clinical work. After constructing the Music Therapists' Research Activity and Utilization Barrier (MTRAUB) database, the purposes of this study involved: assessing the extent to which American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) members engage in certain research-related activities; and identifying respondents' perceived barriers to integrating research into clinical practice. This study employed a quantitative, non-experimental approach using an online survey. Respondents included professional, associate, student/graduate student, retired, inactive, and honorary life members of AMTA. Instrumentation involved a researcher-designed Background Questionnaire as well as the Barriers to Research Utilization Scale (BARRIERS; Funk, Champagne, Wiese, & Tornquist, 1991), a tool designed to assess perceived barriers to incorporating research into practice. Of the 3,194 survey invitations distributed, 974 AMTA members replied (a response rate of 30%). Regarding research-related activities, descriptive findings indicate that journal reading is the most frequently reported research-related activity while conducting research is the least frequently reported activity. Results from the BARRIERS Scale indicated that Organizational and Communication factors are perceived as interfering most prominently with the ability to utilize research in clinical practice. Findings suggest that research-related activity and perceived barriers vary as a function of educational attainment, work setting, and occupational role. The author discusses these differential findings in detail, suggests supportive mechanisms to encourage increased research activity and utilization, and offers recommendations for further analysis of the MTRAUB data. © the American Music Therapy Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Planned Missing Data Designs with Small Sample Sizes: How Small Is Too Small?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jia, Fan; Moore, E. Whitney G.; Kinai, Richard; Crowe, Kelly S.; Schoemann, Alexander M.; Little, Todd D.

    2014-01-01

    Utilizing planned missing data (PMD) designs (ex. 3-form surveys) enables researchers to ask participants fewer questions during the data collection process. An important question, however, is just how few participants are needed to effectively employ planned missing data designs in research studies. This article explores this question by using…

  17. A knowledge-based system design/information tool

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allen, James G.; Sikora, Scott E.

    1990-01-01

    The objective of this effort was to develop a Knowledge Capture System (KCS) for the Integrated Test Facility (ITF) at the Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF). The DFRF is a NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) facility. This system was used to capture the design and implementation information for NASA's high angle-of-attack research vehicle (HARV), a modified F/A-18A. In particular, the KCS was used to capture specific characteristics of the design of the HARV fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system (FCS). The KCS utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge-based system (KBS) technology. The KCS enables the user to capture the following characteristics of automated systems: the system design; the hardware (H/W) design and implementation; the software (S/W) design and implementation; and the utilities (electrical and hydraulic) design and implementation. A generic version of the KCS was developed which can be used to capture the design information for any automated system. The deliverable items for this project consist of the prototype generic KCS and an application, which captures selected design characteristics of the HARV FCS.

  18. Robust Network Design - Connectivity and Beyond

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-01-15

    utilize a heterogeneous set of physical links (RF, Optical/Laser and SATCOM), for interconnecting a set of terrestrial, space and highly mobile airborne...design of mobility patterns of airborne platforms to provide stable operating conditions,  the design of networks that enable graceful performance...research effort, Airborne Network research was primarily directed towards Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANET). From our experience in design and

  19. A Critical Examination of Senior Executive Leadership Succession Planning and Management with Implications for Underrepresented Minorities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, LeKeisha D.

    2017-01-01

    Guided by the research questions, this study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design to examine senior executive leadership succession planning at four-year, predominately white, doctoral universities in the state of Georgia. Utilizing the Representative Bureaucracy theory and the Mateso SPM conceptual model, this study…

  20. RUPS: Research Utilizing Problem Solving. Classroom Version. Leader's Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Charles; And Others

    This training manual is for teachers participating in the Research Utilizing Problem Solving (RUPS) workshops. The workshops last for four and one-half days and are designed to improve the school setting and to increase teamwork skills. The teachers participate in simulation exercises in which they help a fictitious teacher or principal solve a…

  1. Reconsidering the Utility of Case Study Designs for Researching School Reform in a Neo-Scientific Era: Insights from a Multiyear, Mixed-Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donmoyer, Robert; Galloway, Fred

    2010-01-01

    In recent years, policy makers and researchers once again have embraced the traditional idea that quasi-experimental research designs (or reasonable facsimiles) can provide the sort of valid and generalizable knowledge about "what works" that educational researchers had promised--but never really produced--during the previous century. Although…

  2. A research program in magnetogasdynamics utilizing hypervelocity coaxial plasma generators

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spight, C.

    1976-01-01

    A broadly-gauged research program in magnetogasdynamics utilizing hypervelocity coaxial plasma generators is presented. A complete hypervelocity coaxial plasma generator facility was assembled and tested. Significant progress was made in the direction of understanding the important processes in the interaction of hypervelocity MGD flow with transverse applied fields. It is now proposed to utilize the accumulated experimental capability and theoretical analysis in application to the analysis and design parameterization of pulsed magnetogasdynamic direct energy convertor configurations.

  3. 7 CFR 2.20 - Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... several surveying and monitoring activities related to environmental improvement. All are designed to... to: renewable resource management research, renewable resource environmental research; renewable resource protection research; renewable resource utilization research, and renewable resource assessment...

  4. 7 CFR 2.20 - Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... several surveying and monitoring activities related to environmental improvement. All are designed to... to: renewable resource management research, renewable resource environmental research; renewable resource protection research; renewable resource utilization research, and renewable resource assessment...

  5. Study Designs and Statistical Analyses for Biomarker Research

    PubMed Central

    Gosho, Masahiko; Nagashima, Kengo; Sato, Yasunori

    2012-01-01

    Biomarkers are becoming increasingly important for streamlining drug discovery and development. In addition, biomarkers are widely expected to be used as a tool for disease diagnosis, personalized medication, and surrogate endpoints in clinical research. In this paper, we highlight several important aspects related to study design and statistical analysis for clinical research incorporating biomarkers. We describe the typical and current study designs for exploring, detecting, and utilizing biomarkers. Furthermore, we introduce statistical issues such as confounding and multiplicity for statistical tests in biomarker research. PMID:23012528

  6. A Literature Review: Website Design and User Engagement.

    PubMed

    Garett, Renee; Chiu, Jason; Zhang, Ly; Young, Sean D

    2016-07-01

    Proper design has become a critical element needed to engage website and mobile application users. However, little research has been conducted to define the specific elements used in effective website and mobile application design. We attempt to review and consolidate research on effective design and to define a short list of elements frequently used in research. The design elements mentioned most frequently in the reviewed literature were navigation, graphical representation, organization, content utility, purpose, simplicity, and readability. We discuss how previous studies define and evaluate these seven elements. This review and the resulting short list of design elements may be used to help designers and researchers to operationalize best practices for facilitating and predicting user engagement.

  7. A Literature Review: Website Design and User Engagement

    PubMed Central

    Garett, Renee; Chiu, Jason; Zhang, Ly; Young, Sean D.

    2015-01-01

    Proper design has become a critical element needed to engage website and mobile application users. However, little research has been conducted to define the specific elements used in effective website and mobile application design. We attempt to review and consolidate research on effective design and to define a short list of elements frequently used in research. The design elements mentioned most frequently in the reviewed literature were navigation, graphical representation, organization, content utility, purpose, simplicity, and readability. We discuss how previous studies define and evaluate these seven elements. This review and the resulting short list of design elements may be used to help designers and researchers to operationalize best practices for facilitating and predicting user engagement. PMID:27499833

  8. Longitudinal Research with Sexual Assault Survivors: A Methodological Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Rebecca; Sprague, Heather Brown; Cottrill, Sara; Sullivan, Cris M.

    2011-01-01

    Longitudinal research designs are relatively rare in the academic literature on rape and sexual assault despite their tremendous methodological rigor and scientific utility. In the interest of promoting wider use of such methods, we conducted a methodological review of projects that have used prospective longitudinal designs to study the…

  9. Ivory Tower and Mud Hut: Researcher and Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Richard T.

    1976-01-01

    Causes of the increasing gap between the educational researcher and the classroom teacher are investigated. As a possible solution, the author suggests involving the teacher in the research process as a teacher-researcher. Research designs that could be utilized are detailed. (BT)

  10. Assessment of Utilization of ICT Resources in Teaching among Tertiary Institution Business Educators in South Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okolocha, Chimezie Comfort; Nwadiani, Comfort Onaigho

    2015-01-01

    This study assessed the utilization of ICT resources in teaching among business educators in tertiary institutions in south Nigeria. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population and sample for the study comprised all 240 business educators in colleges…

  11. A summary of NASA/Air Force full scale engine research programs using the F100 engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deskin, W. J.; Hurrell, H. G.

    1979-01-01

    A full scale engine research (FSER) program conducted with the F100 engine is presented. The program mechanism is described and the F100 test vehicles utilized are illustrated. Technology items were addressed in the areas of swirl augmentation, flutter phenomenon, advanced electronic control logic theory, strain gage technology and distortion sensitivity. The associated test programs are described. The FSER approach utilizes existing state of the art engine hardware to evaluate advanced technology concepts and problem areas. Aerodynamic phenomenon previously not considered by design systems were identified and incorporated into industry design tools.

  12. The utilization of mind map painting on 3D shapes with curved faces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nur Sholikhah, Ayuk; Usodo, Budi; Pramudya, Ikrar

    2017-12-01

    This paper aims to study on the use of mind map painting media on material with 3D shapes with curved faces and its effect on student’s interest. Observation and literature studies were applied as the research method with the sake design of utilization of mind map painting. The result of this research is the design of mind map painting media can improve students' ability to solve problems, improve the ability to think, and maximize brain power. In relation, mind map painting in learning activities is considered to improve student interest.

  13. Design of an autonomous Lunar construction utility vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ash, Robert L.; Chew, Mason; Dixon, Iain (Editor)

    1990-01-01

    In order to prepare a site for a manned lunar base, an autonomously operated construction vehicle is necessary. A Lunar Construction Utility Vehicle (LCUV), which utilizes interchangeable construction implements, was designed conceptually. Some elements of the machine were studied in greater detail. Design of an elastic loop track system has advanced to the testing stage. A standard coupling device was designed to insure a proper connection between the different construction tools and the LCUV. Autonomous control of the track drive motors was simulated successfully through the use of a joystick and computer interface. A study of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells has produced estimates of reactant and product size requirements and identified multi-layer insulation techniques. Research on a 100 kW heat rejection system has determined that it is necessary to house a radiator panel on a utility trailer. The impact of a 720 hr use cycle has produced a very large logistical support lien which requires further study.

  14. The Utilization of Navy People-Related RDT&E (Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation): Fiscal Year 1983.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-06-01

    emostraion. Tese eserch ool wee deignted and experimental demonstrations wre successfully con- for demonstrations. These research tools wre designated ...Topics 4.02 Instructional Systems Design Methodology Instructional Systems Development and Effectiveness Evaluation .................................... 1...6 53 0 0 67w Report Page 10.07 Human Performance Variables/Factors 10.08 Man-Machine Design Methodology Computer Assisted Methods for Human

  15. Mathematical Practices in a Technological Setting: A Design Research Experiment for Teaching Circle Properties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akyuz, Didem

    2016-01-01

    This article documents the classroom mathematical practices observed in a collegiate level teacher education course related to the circle topic. The course, which was prepared as design research, utilized a dynamic geometry environment which influenced the type and nature of the evolved mathematical practices. The study uses emergent perspective…

  16. Accounting Training Module Development to Boost Agriculture Financial Literacy on Palm Farmers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasibuan, Henny Triyana; Murwani, Danardana; Widjaja, Sri Umi Mientarti; Witjaksono, Mit

    2017-01-01

    This research aims to develop agriculture accounting training module in order to increase palm oil farmer financial literacy, in this case farmers in Donomulyo, Malang Regency, Indonesia. The method utilized in model development is Design Based Research using the following progression: problem identification, explanation of goals, design and…

  17. Schooling as a Knowledge System: Lessons from Cramim Experimental School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, David

    2010-01-01

    This article describes an experiment utilizing a research and development strategy to design and implement an innovative school for the future. The development of Cramim Elementary School was a joint effort of researchers from Tel-Aviv University and the staff of the school. The design stage involved constructing a new theoretical framework that…

  18. Hierarchical Linear Modeling Meta-Analysis of Single-Subject Design Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gage, Nicholas A.; Lewis, Timothy J.

    2014-01-01

    The identification of evidence-based practices continues to provoke issues of disagreement across multiple fields. One area of contention is the role of single-subject design (SSD) research in providing scientific evidence. The debate about SSD's utility centers on three issues: sample size, effect size, and serial dependence. One potential…

  19. A Systematic Review of Training Programs for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Single Subject Contributions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Stephanie Y.; Smith, Veronica; Mirenda, Pat

    2012-01-01

    Aim: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine research utilizing single subject research designs (SSRD) to explore the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase parents' ability to support communication and social development in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Method: Included studies were systematically…

  20. WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ANALYSIS: FIELD STUDIES, MODELING AND MANAGEMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The user‘s guide entitled “Water Distribution System Analysis: Field Studies, Modeling and Management” is a reference guide for water utilities and an extensive summarization of information designed to provide drinking water utility personnel (and related consultants and research...

  1. An Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hergenrather, Kenneth C.; Geishecker, Steve; McGuire-Kuletz, Maureen; Gitlin, David J.; Rhodes, Scott D.

    2010-01-01

    Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has emerged as an approach designed to promote community health and well-being through the establishment and maintenance of research partnerships between communities and academic researchers. Rather than the academic researcher assuming what is best for a community, CBPR utilizes community partnerships…

  2. The Blooming Anatomy Tool (BAT): A Discipline-Specific Rubric for Utilizing Bloom's Taxonomy in the Design and Evaluation of Assessments in the Anatomical Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, Andrew R.; O'Loughlin, Valerie D.

    2015-01-01

    Bloom's taxonomy is a resource commonly used to assess the cognitive level associated with course assignments and examination questions. Although widely utilized in educational research, Bloom's taxonomy has received limited attention as an analytical tool in the anatomical sciences. Building on previous research, the Blooming Anatomy Tool (BAT)…

  3. Competency Capacity Building Needs of Agricultural Science Teachers in Utilization of School Farm for Skill Acquisition among Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawal, O. I.; Onipede, Omoleye; Oketoobo, E. A.; Famiwole, Remigius O.

    2014-01-01

    This study sought to identify the competency capacity building needs of teachers of agricultural science in the utilization of school farm for skill acquisition among secondary school students in Ondo State, Nigeria). Four research questions guided the study. The study adopted the survey research design. The population used was 422, made up of…

  4. Assessment of the Availability, Utilization and Management of ICT Facilities in Teaching English Language in Secondary Schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yusuf, Hanna Onyi; Maina, Bashir; Dare, Michael Omotayo

    2013-01-01

    The study investigated the availability, utilization and management of ICT facilities in teaching English language in secondary schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A questionnaire titled "Availability, Utilization and Management of Information and Communication Technology in teaching…

  5. 76 FR 10900 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-28

    ... activity is designed to raise awareness of and utility of comparative effectiveness research by providing... proposed information collection project: ``Comparative Effectiveness Research--Continuing Education.'' In... Comparative Effectiveness Research--Continuing Education Previous dissemination efforts in health care...

  6. Geotechnical design manual : research project capsule.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-11-01

    The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), through its Pavement : and Geotechnical Design section, has developed policies and procedures over the years utilizing its own methods and those incorporated from others (AASHTO, FHWA...

  7. A More Rigorous Quasi-Experimental Alternative to the One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Craig W.

    1986-01-01

    A simple quasi-experimental design is described which may have utility in a variety of applied and laboratory research settings where ordinarily the one-group pretest-posttest pre-experimental design might otherwise be the procedure of choice. The design approaches the internal validity of true experimental designs while optimizing external…

  8. 7 CFR 906.37 - Research and development.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... promotion and advertising of fruit may utilize an identifying mark which shall be made available for use by... establishment of marketing research and development projects, including paid advertising, designed to assist...

  9. 15 CFR 734.8 - Information resulting from fundamental research.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... applied research in science and engineering, where the resulting information is ordinarily published and... research and from industrial development, design, production, and product utilization, the results of which... the university or its researchers accept (at the request, for example, of an industrial sponsor) other...

  10. Vortex Flow Aerodynamics, volume 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Campbell, J. F. (Editor); Osborn, R. F. (Editor); Foughner, J. T., Jr. (Editor)

    1986-01-01

    Vortex modeling techniques and experimental studies of research configurations utilizing vortex flows are discussed. Also discussed are vortex flap investigations using generic and airplane research models and vortex flap theoretical analysis and design studies.

  11. Biomarker-Guided Adaptive Trial Designs in Phase II and Phase III: A Methodological Review

    PubMed Central

    Antoniou, Miranta; Jorgensen, Andrea L; Kolamunnage-Dona, Ruwanthi

    2016-01-01

    Background Personalized medicine is a growing area of research which aims to tailor the treatment given to a patient according to one or more personal characteristics. These characteristics can be demographic such as age or gender, or biological such as a genetic or other biomarker. Prior to utilizing a patient’s biomarker information in clinical practice, robust testing in terms of analytical validity, clinical validity and clinical utility is necessary. A number of clinical trial designs have been proposed for testing a biomarker’s clinical utility, including Phase II and Phase III clinical trials which aim to test the effectiveness of a biomarker-guided approach to treatment; these designs can be broadly classified into adaptive and non-adaptive. While adaptive designs allow planned modifications based on accumulating information during a trial, non-adaptive designs are typically simpler but less flexible. Methods and Findings We have undertaken a comprehensive review of biomarker-guided adaptive trial designs proposed in the past decade. We have identified eight distinct biomarker-guided adaptive designs and nine variations from 107 studies. Substantial variability has been observed in terms of how trial designs are described and particularly in the terminology used by different authors. We have graphically displayed the current biomarker-guided adaptive trial designs and summarised the characteristics of each design. Conclusions Our in-depth overview provides future researchers with clarity in definition, methodology and terminology for biomarker-guided adaptive trial designs. PMID:26910238

  12. DCL System Research Using Advanced Approaches for Land-based or Ship-based Real-Time Recognition and Localization of Marine Mammals

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-30

    recognition. Algorithm design and statistical analysis and feature analysis. Post -Doctoral Associate, Cornell University, Bioacoustics Research...short. The HPC-ADA was designed based on fielded systems [1-4, 6] that offer a variety of desirable attributes, specifically dynamic resource...The software package was designed to utilize parallel and distributed processing for running recognition and other advanced algorithms. DeLMA

  13. Aircraft flight test trajectory control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Menon, P. K. A.; Walker, R. A.

    1988-01-01

    Two control law design techniques are compared and the performance of the resulting controllers evaluated. The design requirement is for a flight test trajectory controller (FTTC) capable of closed-loop, outer-loop control of an F-15 aircraft performing high-quality research flight test maneuvers. The maneuver modeling, linearization, and design methodologies utilized in this research, are detailed. The results of applying these FTTCs to a nonlinear F-15 simulation are presented.

  14. 76 FR 30364 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-25

    ... professionals, and other clinicians. This activity is designed to raise awareness of and utility of comparative... proposed information collection project: ``Comparative Effectiveness Research-Continuing Education.'' In... Comparative Effectiveness Research-Continuing Education Previous dissemination efforts in health care research...

  15. Utilizing Instructional Media for Teaching Infrastructure Administration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fajriah, Ulfah Nur; Churiyah, Madziatul

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to produce instructional media Corel VideoStudio Pro X7-based on teaching infrastructure administration at class XI of APK in SMKN 1 Ngawi, East Java, Indonesia. This study uses Research and Development research design (R & D) through 10 steps, namely: (1) the potential and problems, (2) data collection, (3) the design of the…

  16. Case Method Instruction: 25 Minutes of Discussion Can Make a Difference

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-07-01

    discussion was facilitated by computer rather than an instructor. In a comparison of pretest and posttest scores, students performed better on a...that the research design utilized a within-subjects design without a control group. Thus, the pretest might have primed students to focus on the... Research Institute Jason M. Brunner and Christopher L. Vowels Kansas State University Consortium Research Fellows Program Julia M. Kim

  17. Digital Divide in the Utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Counsellor Education in Nigerian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eyo, Mfon

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated digital divide in the utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in counsellor education in Nigerian universities. It had two research questions and two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. It adopted a survey design and used ICT Utilization Questionnaire (IUQ) in gathering data from the…

  18. Aircraft Maneuvers for the Evaluation of Flying Qualities and Agility. Volume 2. Maneuver Descriptions and Section Guide

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-08-01

    Requirements to Design 2 Several of these maneuvers may be suitable for the development of design criteria or tactical utility studies . However, this...research was not intended to be a criteria development effort or a tactical ufiflity study . Instead, a sensitivity between each maneuver and various...utility studies because it contains measure of merit data and pilot comments for numerous desigp parameter variations. The Standard Evaluation

  19. User-centered design and evaluation of a next generation fixed-split ergonomic keyboard.

    PubMed

    McLoone, Hugh E; Jacobson, Melissa; Hegg, Chau; Johnson, Peter W

    2010-01-01

    Research has shown that fixed-split, ergonomic keyboards lessen the pain and functional status in symptomatic individuals as well as reduce the likelihood of developing musculoskeletal disorders in asymptomatic typists over extended use. The goal of this study was to evaluate design features to determine whether the current fixed-split ergonomic keyboard design could be improved. Thirty-nine, adult-aged, fixed-split ergonomic keyboard users were recruited to participate in one of three studies. First utilizing non-functional models and later a functional prototype, three studies evaluated keyboard design features including: 1) keyboard lateral inclination, 2) wrist rest height, 3) keyboard slope, and 4) curved "gull-wing" key layouts. The findings indicated that keyboard lateral inclination could be increased from 8° to 14°; wrist rest height could be increased up to 10 mm from current setting; positive, flat, and negative slope settings were equally preferred and facilitated greater postural variation; and participants preferred a new gull-wing key layout. The design changes reduced forearm pronation and wrist extension while not adversely affecting typing performance. This research demonstrated how iterative-evaluative, user-centered research methods can be utilized to improve a product's design such as a fixed-split ergonomic keyboard.

  20. A Novel Approach for a Low-Cost Deployable Antenna

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Amend, Chris; Nurnberger, Michael; Oppenheimer, Paul; Koss, Steve; Purdy, Bill

    2010-01-01

    The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has designed, built, and fully qualified a low cost, low Passive Intermodulation (PIM) 12-foot (3.66-m) diameter deployable ultra high frequency (UHF) antenna for the Tacsat-4 program. The design utilized novel approaches in reflector material and capacitive coupling techniques. This paper discusses major design trades, unique design characteristics, and lessons learned from the development of the Tacsat 4 deployable antenna. This antenna development was sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.

  1. Current and Future Research in Active Control of Lightweight, Flexible Structures Using the X-56 Aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ryan, John J.; Bosworth, John T.; Burken, John J.; Suh, Peter M.

    2014-01-01

    The X-56 Multi-Utility Technology Testbed aircraft system is a versatile experimental research flight platform. The system was primarily designed to investigate active control of lightweight flexible structures, but is reconfigurable and capable of hosting a wide breadth of research. Current research includes flight experimentation of a Lockheed Martin designed active control flutter suppression system. Future research plans continue experimentation with alternative control systems, explore the use of novel sensor systems, and experiments with the use of novel control effectors. This paper describes the aircraft system, current research efforts designed around the system, and future planned research efforts that will be hosted on the aircraft system.

  2. A Top-Down Approach to Designing the Computerized Adaptive Multistage Test

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luo, Xiao; Kim, Doyoung

    2018-01-01

    The top-down approach to designing a multistage test is relatively understudied in the literature and underused in research and practice. This study introduced a route-based top-down design approach that directly sets design parameters at the test level and utilizes the advanced automated test assembly algorithm seeking global optimality. The…

  3. Communicative Elements of Action Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Thomas G.

    2013-01-01

    This review considers human communications as utilized within a research design; in this case collaborative action research (CAR), a derivative of action research (AR), to achieve outcomes that change, and move participants forward. The association between AR and CAR is a deliberate attempt by the author to draw attention to communicative actions…

  4. A Fiber-Optic Probe Design for Combustion Chamber Flame Detection Applications-Design Criteria, Performance Specifications, and Fabrication Technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Borg, Stephen E.; Harper, Samuel E.

    2001-01-01

    This paper documents the design and development of the fiber-optic probes utilized in the flame detection systems used in NASA Langley Research Center's 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel (8-ft HTT). Two independent flame detection systems are utilized to monitor the presence and stability of the main-burner and pilot-level flames during facility operation. Due to the harsh environment within the combustor, the successful development of a rugged and efficient fiber-optic probe was a critical milestone in the development of these flame detection systems. The final optical probe design for the two flame detection systems resulted from research that was conducted in Langley's 7-in High Temperature Pilot Tunnel (7-in HTT). A detailed description of the manufacturing process behind the optical probes used in the 8-ft HTT is provided in Appendix A of this report.

  5. Solar thermal storage applications program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peila, W. C.

    1982-12-01

    The efforts of the Storage Applications Program are reviewed. The program concentrated on the investigation of storage media and evaluation of storage methods. Extensive effort was given to experimental and analytical investigations of nitrate salts. Two tasks are the preliminary design of a 1200 MW/sub th/ system and the design, construction, operation, and evaluation of a subsystem research experiment, which utilized the same design. Some preliminary conclusions drawn from the subsystem research experiment are given.

  6. Research and Exploration for Operational Research Education in Industry and Engineering Subject

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Yu-hua; Wang, Feng-ming; Du, Gang

    2007-01-01

    On the basic of exploring the relationship of industry engineering and operational research technique, the thesis analyzes the location and utility of the operational research education in the whole industry engineering subject education. It brings forward the system design about operational research and relative class among industry engineering…

  7. South Dakota | Solar Research | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    South Dakota. Utilities and developers may offer community solar programs. State Incentive Programs Program Administrator Incentive Renewable Energy System Exemption South Dakota Department of Revenue and more than $2 million. The incentive was designed for wind, but solar PV is also eligible. Utility

  8. Computer-Assisted Telephone Screening: A New System for Patient Evaluation and Recruitment

    PubMed Central

    Radcliffe, Jeanne M.; Latham, Georgia S.; Sunderland, Trey; Lawlor, Brian A.

    1990-01-01

    Recruitment of subjects for research studies is a time consuming process for any research coordinator. This paper introduces three computerized databases designed to help screen potential research candidates by telephone. The three programs discussed are designed to evaluate specific populations: geriatric patients (i.e. Alzheimer's patients), patients with affective disorders and normal volunteers. The interview content, software development, and the utility of these programs is discussed with particular focus on how they can be helpful in the research setting.

  9. An Investigation of GeoBase Mission Data Set Design, Implementation, and Usage Within Air Force Civil Engineer Electrical and Utilities Work Centers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-03-01

    ethnography , grounded theory , phenomenological , case study , and content analysis. As ethnography is based upon a longitudinal study in...a qualitative methodology consisting of a case study strategy is warranted for this research project. Yin (2003) lists five components of research ...systems. Journal of End User Computing, 12(3), 14. Yin, R. K. (2003). Case Study Research : Design and

  10. 15 CFR 734.8 - Information resulting from fundamental research.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... applied research in science and engineering, where the resulting information is ordinarily published and... research and from industrial development, design, production, and product utilization, the results of which... accept (at the request, for example, of an industrial sponsor) other restrictions on publication of...

  11. Barriers to Research Utilization Scale: psychometric properties of the Turkish version.

    PubMed

    Temel, Ayla Bayik; Uysal, Aynur; Ardahan, Melek; Ozkahraman, Sukran

    2010-02-01

    This paper is report of a study designed to assess the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Barriers to Research Utilization Scale. The original Barriers to Research Utilization Scale was developed by Funk et al. in the United States of America. Many researchers in various countries have used this scale to identify barriers to research utilization. A methodological study was carried out at four hospitals. The sample consisted of 300 nurses. Data were collected in 2005 using a socio-demographic form (12 questions) and the Turkish version of the Barriers to Research Utilization Scale. A Likert-type scale composed of four sub-factors and 29 items was used. Means and standard deviations were calculated for interval level data. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Language equivalence and content validity were assessed by eight experts. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the Turkish version was made up of four subscales. Internal consistency reliability coefficient was 0.92 for the total scale and ranged from 0.73 to 0.80 for the subscales. Total-item correlation coefficients ranged from 0.37 to 0.60. The Turkish version of the scale is similar in structure to the original English language scale.

  12. Endangered Mangroves in Segara Anakan, Indonesia: Effective and Failed Problem-Solving Policy Advice.

    PubMed

    Dharmawan, Budi; Böcher, Michael; Krott, Max

    2017-09-01

    The success of scientific knowledge transfer depends on if the decision maker can transform the scientific advice into a policy that can be accepted by all involved actors. We use a science-policy interactions model called research-integration-utilization to observe the process of scientific knowledge transfer in the case of endangered mangroves in Segara Anakan, Indonesia. Scientific knowledge is produced within the scientific system (research), science-based solutions to problems are practically utilized by political actors (utilization), and important links between research and utilization must be made (integration). We looked for empirical evidence to test hypotheses about the research-integration-utilization model based on document analysis and expert interviews. Our study finds that the failures in knowledge transfer are caused by the inappropriate use of scientific findings. The district government is expected by presidential decree to only used scientifically sound recommendations as a prerequisite for designing the regulation. However, the district government prefers to implement their own solutions because they believe that they understand the solutions better than the researcher. In the process of integration, the researcher cannot be involved, since the selection of scientific recommendations here fully depends on the interests of the district government as the powerful ally.

  13. Endangered Mangroves in Segara Anakan, Indonesia: Effective and Failed Problem-Solving Policy Advice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dharmawan, Budi; Böcher, Michael; Krott, Max

    2017-09-01

    The success of scientific knowledge transfer depends on if the decision maker can transform the scientific advice into a policy that can be accepted by all involved actors. We use a science-policy interactions model called research-integration-utilization to observe the process of scientific knowledge transfer in the case of endangered mangroves in Segara Anakan, Indonesia. Scientific knowledge is produced within the scientific system (research), science-based solutions to problems are practically utilized by political actors (utilization), and important links between research and utilization must be made (integration). We looked for empirical evidence to test hypotheses about the research-integration-utilization model based on document analysis and expert interviews. Our study finds that the failures in knowledge transfer are caused by the inappropriate use of scientific findings. The district government is expected by presidential decree to only used scientifically sound recommendations as a prerequisite for designing the regulation. However, the district government prefers to implement their own solutions because they believe that they understand the solutions better than the researcher. In the process of integration, the researcher cannot be involved, since the selection of scientific recommendations here fully depends on the interests of the district government as the powerful ally.

  14. Possibilities-within-Constraints: Implementing the Funds of Knowledge Concept in the People's Republic of China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Poole, Adam

    2016-01-01

    This article is designed as the starting point for future research into the implementation of the funds of knowledge concept in the People's Republic of China. Utilizing an exploratory research design, I sketch how the funds of knowledge concept could be used by teachers to empower ethnic minority and city-born migrant children disadvantaged by…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Angela W.

    2013-01-01

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

  16. Emergent Aerospace Designs Using Negotiating Autonomous Agents

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deshmukh, Abhijit; Middelkoop, Timothy; Krothapalli, Anjaneyulu; Smith, Charles

    2000-01-01

    This paper presents a distributed design methodology where designs emerge as a result of the negotiations between different stake holders in the process, such as cost, performance, reliability, etc. The proposed methodology uses autonomous agents to represent design decision makers. Each agent influences specific design parameters in order to maximize their utility. Since the design parameters depend on the aggregate demand of all the agents in the system, design agents need to negotiate with others in the market economy in order to reach an acceptable utility value. This paper addresses several interesting research issues related to distributed design architectures. First, we present a flexible framework which facilitates decomposition of the design problem. Second, we present overview of a market mechanism for generating acceptable design configurations. Finally, we integrate learning mechanisms in the design process to reduce the computational overhead.

  17. Application of Three Quasi-Experimental Designs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cordray, David S.

    Presented as part of a symposium on evaluation on juvenile diversion programs, this brief paper describes several specific research procedures which have been utilized to help decide which type of diversion approach is best for specific types of clients. Procedures discussed are the regression discontinuity design, the tie-breaker design, and the…

  18. Research on natural lighting in reading spaces of university libraries in Jinan under the perspective of energy-efficiency

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Zengzhang

    2017-11-01

    The natural lighting design in the reading spaces of university libraries not only influences physical and mental health of readers but also concerns the energy consumption of the libraries. The scientific and rational design of natural lighting is the key to the design of energy saving for physical environment of the reading space. The paper elaborates the present situation and existed problems of natural lighting in reading spaces of university libraries across Jinan region based on characteristics of light climate of Jinan region and concrete utilization of reading spaces in university libraries, and combining field measurement, survey, research and data analysis of reading spaces in Shandong Women’s University’s library. The paper, under the perspective of energy-efficiency, puts forward proposals to improve natural lighting in the reading spaces of university libraries from five aspects, such as adjustment of interior layout, optimization of outer windows design, employment of the reflector panel, design lighting windows on inner walls and utilization of adjustable sun shading facilities.

  19. Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) and Concepts That Support Near-Term Space Fission Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    VanDyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Godfroy, Thomas; Martin, James

    2003-01-01

    Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. If fusion propulsion systems are to be developed to their full potential; however, near-term customers must be identified and initial fission systems successfully developed, launched, and utilized. Successful utilization will most likely occur if frequent, significant hardware-based milestones can be achieved throughout the program. If the system is designed to operate within established radiation damage and fuel burn up limits while simultaneously being designed to allow close simulation of heat from fission using resistance heaters, high confidence in fission system pe$ormance and lifetime can be attained through non-nuclear testing. Through demonstration of systems concepts (designed by DOE National Laboratories) in relevant environments, this philosophy has been demonstrated through hardware testing in the Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The EFF-TF is designed to enable very realistic non-nuclear testing of space fission systems. Ongoing research at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating research, development, system integration, and system utilization via cooperative efforts with DOE labs, industry, universities, and other NASA centers.

  20. Making Connections: Replicating and Extending the Utility Value Intervention in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hulleman, Chris S.; Kosovich, Jeff J.; Barron, Kenneth E.; Daniel, David B.

    2017-01-01

    We replicated and extended prior research investigating a theoretically guided intervention based on expectancy-value theory designed to enhance student learning outcomes (e.g., Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2009). First, we replicated prior work by demonstrating that the utility value intervention, which manipulated whether students made…

  1. Frost-Shielding Methodology and Demonstration for Shallow Burial of Water and Sewer Utility Lines.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-06-01

    Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), and the Owens - Corning Specialty and Foam Products Division as partners. Test sites utilizing shielded pipes...predictions and provided valuable guidance for the frost shield design. The industry partner participant in the CPAR project, Owens - Corning Specialty and Foam

  2. Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol Process Design and Economics Utilizing Co-Current Dilute Acid Prehydrolysis and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Corn Stover

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

    Aden, A.; Ruth, M.; Ibsen, K.

    This report is an update of NREL's ongoing process design and economic analyses of processes related to developing ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstocks. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is promoting the development of ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstocks as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based transportation fuels. DOE funds both fundamental and applied research in this area and needs a method for predicting cost benefits of many research proposals. To that end, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has modeled many potential process designs and estimated the economics of each process during the last 20 years. This report is an update ofmore » the ongoing process design and economic analyses at NREL. We envision updating this process design report at regular intervals; the purpose being to ensure that the process design incorporates all new data from NREL research, DOE funded research and other sources, and that the equipment costs are reasonable and consistent with good engineering practice for plants of this type. For the non-research areas this means using equipment and process approaches as they are currently used in industrial applications. For the last report, published in 1999, NREL performed a complete review and update of the process design and economic model for the biomass-to-ethanol process utilizing co-current dilute acid prehydrolysis with simultaneous saccharification (enzymatic) and co-fermentation. The process design included the core technologies being researched by the DOE: prehydrolysis, simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation, and cellulase enzyme production. In addition, all ancillary areas--feed handling, product recovery and purification, wastewater treatment (WWT), lignin combustor and boiler-turbogenerator, and utilities--were included. NREL engaged Delta-T Corporation (Delta-T) to assist in the process design evaluation, the process equipment costing, and overall plant integration. The process design and costing for the lignin combustor and boiler turbogenerator was reviewed by Reaction Engineering Inc. (REI) and Merrick & Company reviewed the wastewater treatment. Since then, NREL has engaged Harris Group (Harris) to perform vendor testing, process design, and costing of critical equipment identified during earlier work. This included solid/liquid separation and pretreatment reactor design and costing. Corn stover handling was also investigated to support DOE's decision to focus on corn stover as a feedstock for lignocellulosic ethanol. Working with Harris, process design and costing for these areas were improved through vendor designs, costing, and vendor testing in some cases. In addition to this work, enzyme costs were adjusted to reflect collaborative work between NREL and enzyme manufacturers (Genencor International and Novozymes Biotech) to provide a delivered enzyme for lignocellulosic feedstocks. This report is the culmination of our work and represents an updated process design and cost basis for the process using a corn stover feedstock. The process design and economic model are useful for predicting the cost benefits of proposed research. Proposed research results can be translated into modifications of the process design, and the economic impact can be assessed. This allows DOE, NREL, and other researchers to set priorities on future research with an understanding of potential reductions to the ethanol production cost. To be economically viable, ethanol production costs must be below market values for ethanol. DOE has chosen a target ethanol selling price of $1.07 per gallon as a goal for 2010. The conceptual design and costs presented here are based on a 2010 plant start-up date. The key research targets required to achieve this design and the $1.07 value are discussed in the report.« less

  3. Coal gasifier cogeneration powerplant project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shure, L. I.; Bloomfield, H. S.

    1980-01-01

    Industrial cogeneration and utility pr systems were analyzed and a conceptual design study was conducted to evaluate the economic feasibility of a coal gasifier power plant for NASA Lewis Research Center. Site location, plant size, and electric power demand were considered in criteria developed for screening and selecting candidates that could use a wide variety of coals, including that from Ohio. A fluidized bed gasifier concept was chosen as the baseline design and key components of the powerplant were technically assessed. No barriers to environmental acceptability are foreseen. If funded, the powerplant will not only meet the needs of the research center, but will reduce the commercial risk for utilities and industries by fully verifying and demonstrating the technology, thus accelerating commercialization.

  4. A system level model for preliminary design of a space propulsion solid rocket motor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schumacher, Daniel M.

    Preliminary design of space propulsion solid rocket motors entails a combination of components and subsystems. Expert design tools exist to find near optimal performance of subsystems and components. Conversely, there is no system level preliminary design process for space propulsion solid rocket motors that is capable of synthesizing customer requirements into a high utility design for the customer. The preliminary design process for space propulsion solid rocket motors typically builds on existing designs and pursues feasible rather than the most favorable design. Classical optimization is an extremely challenging method when dealing with the complex behavior of an integrated system. The complexity and combinations of system configurations make the number of the design parameters that are traded off unreasonable when manual techniques are used. Existing multi-disciplinary optimization approaches generally address estimating ratios and correlations rather than utilizing mathematical models. The developed system level model utilizes the Genetic Algorithm to perform the necessary population searches to efficiently replace the human iterations required during a typical solid rocket motor preliminary design. This research augments, automates, and increases the fidelity of the existing preliminary design process for space propulsion solid rocket motors. The system level aspect of this preliminary design process, and the ability to synthesize space propulsion solid rocket motor requirements into a near optimal design, is achievable. The process of developing the motor performance estimate and the system level model of a space propulsion solid rocket motor is described in detail. The results of this research indicate that the model is valid for use and able to manage a very large number of variable inputs and constraints towards the pursuit of the best possible design.

  5. Relationships between Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Style, and School Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Segredo, Mirta R.; Cistone, Peter J.; Reio, Thomas G.

    2017-01-01

    Research regarding the association between emotional intelligence, leadership style and organizational culture has been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to explore these relationships in elementary school settings. A non-experimental ex post facto research design was utilized to investigate four research hypotheses. Fifty-seven…

  6. Graduate Student Needs in Relation to Library Research Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Shawna; Jacobs, Warren

    2013-01-01

    Traditionally, graduate study includes a research component, requiring library skills to locate relevant literature. Upon matriculation into graduate programs, many students are underprepared in library research skills, making library instruction a priority for the success of graduate students. This qualitative study, utilizing emergent design,…

  7. Researching in Classrooms: Getting beyond "What Works"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dudley-Marling, Curt

    2011-01-01

    The dominant approach to research in learning disabilities utilizes experimental and quasi-experimental designs to identify the most effective instructional strategies for students with learning disabilities. Research is always undertaken from a point of view, yet the discourse on "what works?" is generally silent on how theoretical frameworks…

  8. Space Station Human Factors: Designing a Human-Robot Interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rochlis, Jennifer L.; Clarke, John Paul; Goza, S. Michael

    2001-01-01

    The experiments described in this paper are part of a larger joint MIT/NASA research effort and focus on the development of a methodology for designing and evaluating integrated interfaces for highly dexterous and multifunctional telerobot. Specifically, a telerobotic workstation is being designed for an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) anthropomorphic space station telerobot called Robonaut. Previous researchers have designed telerobotic workstations based upon performance of discrete subsets of tasks (for example, peg-in-hole, tracking, etc.) without regard for transitions that operators go through between tasks performed sequentially in the context of larger integrated tasks. The experiments presented here took an integrated approach to describing teleoperator performance and assessed how subjects operating a full-immersion telerobot perform during fine position and gross position tasks. In addition, a Robonaut simulation was also developed as part of this research effort, and experimentally tested against Robonaut itself to determine its utility. Results show that subject performance of teleoperated tasks using both Robonaut and the simulation are virtually identical, with no significant difference between the two. These results indicate that the simulation can be utilized as both a Robonaut training tool, and as a powerful design platform for telepresence displays and aids.

  9. 78 FR 50399 - Spectrum Monitoring Pilot Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-19

    ... National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to design and conduct a pilot program to... to Congress for fiscal year (FY) 2014 seeks an initial $7.5 million research and development... design, features, deployment options, operational parameters, expected utility, potential benefits, and...

  10. External Payload Carrier (XPC) - A Novel Platform for Suborbital Research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schallhorn, Paul; Groves, Curtis; Tatro, Charles; Kutter, Bernard; Szatkowski, Gerald; Bulk, Tim; Pitchford, Brian

    2010-01-01

    ULA, SAS, and NASA LSP are examining a new platform for suborbital research utilizing the Atlas V Launch Vehicle. The new platform, XPC, fills a new niche within the suborbital realm Large Heavy Lift (approximately 1200 cubic feet, 5000 lb payload). It will not compete with the commercial suborbital launch sector. The XPC will utilize excess performance on Atlas V missions. The Preliminary Design phase is recently underway. The XPC team is soliciting input from potential users.

  11. State Performance-Based Regulation Using Multiyear Rate Plans for U.S. Electric Utilities

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

    Lowry, Mark Newton; Makos, Matt; Deason, Jeff

    Electric utilities today must contain costs at a time when many need to modernize aging systems and all face major changes in technologies, customer preferences and competitive pressures.Most U.S. electric utility facilities are investor-owned, subject to rate and service regulation by state public utility commissions. Regulatory systems under which these utilities operate affect their performance and ability to meet these challenges. In this business environment, multiyear rate plans have some advantages over traditional rate regulation.The report focuses on key design issues and provides case studies of the multiyear rate plan approach, applicable to both vertically integrated and restructured states. Markmore » Newton Lowry and Matt Makos of Pacific Energy Group Research and Jeff Deason of Berkeley Lab authored the report; Lisa Schwartz, Berkeley Lab, was project manager and technical editor.The report is aimed primarily at state utility regulators and stakeholders in the state regulatory process. The multiyear rate approach also provides ideas on how to streamline oversight of public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives for their governing boards.Two key provisions of multiyear rate plans strengthen cost containment incentives and streamline regulation: 1. Reducing frequency of rate cases, typically to every four or five years 2. Using an attrition relief mechanism to escalate rates or revenue between rate cases to address cost pressures such as inflation and growth in number of customers, independently of the utility’s own cost Better utility performance can be achieved under well-designed multiyear rate plans while achieving lower regulatory costs. Benefits can be shared between utilities and their customers. But plans can be complex and involve significant changes in the regulatory system. Designing plans that stimulate utility performance without undue risk and share benefits fairly can be challenging.This report discusses the rationale for multiyear rate plans and their usefulness under modern business conditions. It then explains critical plan design issues and challenges and presents results from numerical research that considers the extra incentive power achieved under different plan provisions. Next, the report presents several case studies of utilities that have operated under formal multiyear rate plans or, for various reasons, have stayed out of rate cases for more than a decade. These studies consider the effect of multiyear rate plans and rate case frequency on utility cost, reliability and other performance dimensions.« less

  12. Flight Test Results of an Axisymmetric Channeled Center Body Supersonic Inlet at Off-Design Conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    St. John, Clinton W.; Frederick, Michael Alan

    2013-01-01

    Flight-testing of a channeled center-body axisymmetric supersonic inlet design concept was conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center in collaboration with the NASA Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, Ohio) and TechLand Research, Inc. (North Olmsted, Ohio). This testing utilized the Propulsion Flight Test Fixture, flown on the NASA F-15B research test bed airplane (NASA tail number 836) at local experiment Mach numbers up to 1.50. The translating channeled center-body inlet was designed by TechLand Research, Inc. (U.S. Patent No. 6,276,632 B1) to allow for a novel method of off-design flow matching, with original test planning conducted under a NASA Small Business Innovative Research study. Data were collected in flight at various off-design Mach numbers for fixed-geometry representations of both the channeled center-body design and an equivalent area smooth center-body design for direct comparison of total pressure recovery and limited distortion measurements.

  13. Electric utility market research monograph series, Monograph 3: Market segmentation research: Volume 1 (Concept) and Volume 2 (Application)

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

    Chakravarti, D.; Hendrix, P.E.; Wilkie, W.L.

    1987-01-01

    Maturing markets and the accompanying increase in competition, sophistication of customers, and differentiation of products and services have forced companies to focus their marketing efforts on segments in which they can prosper. The experience in these companies has revealed that market segmentation, although simple in concept, is not so easily implemented. It is reasonable to anticipate substantial benefits from additional market segmentation within each of the classes traditionally distinguished in the industry - residential, commercial, and industrial. Segmentation is also likely to prove useful for utilities facing quite different marketing environments, e.g., in terms of demand patterns (number of customers,more » winter- and summer-peaking, etc.), capacity, and degree of regulatory and competitive pressures. Within utilities, those charged with developing and implementing segmentation strategies face some difficult issues. The primary objective of this monograph is to provide some answers to these questions. This monograph is intended to provide utility researchers with a guide to the design and execution of market segmentation research in utility markets. Several composite cases, drawn from actual studies conducted by electric utilities, are used to illustrate the discussion.« less

  14. Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words? Using Mind Maps to Facilitate Participant Recall in Qualitative Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wheeldon, Johannes

    2011-01-01

    Mind maps may provide a new means to gather unsolicited data through qualitative research designs. In this paper, I explore the utility of mind maps through a project designed to uncover the experiences of Latvians involved in a legal technical assistance project. Based on a sample of 19 respondents, the depth and detail of the responses between…

  15. Afro-Caribbean and African American Students, Family Factors, and the Influence on Science Performance in the United States: The Untold Story

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinder, Patrice Juliet

    2012-01-01

    The primary objectives of this research were to explore achievement pattern differences and the influence of family factors on the achievement patterns of Afro-Caribbean and African American students within the United States (U.S.). The study utilized two research designs; a causal-comparative and a correlational design. A student family…

  16. Examination of the Relation between TEOG Score of Turkish Revolution History and Kemalism Course and Reading Comprehension Skill (An Example of Explanatory Sequential Mixed Design)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuvaci, Ibrahim; Demir, Selçuk Besir

    2016-01-01

    This paper is aimed to determine the relation between reading comprehension skill and TEOG success. In this research, a mixed research method, sequential explanatory mixed design, is utilized to examine the relation between reading comprehension skills and TEOG success of 8th grade students throughly. In explanatory sequential mixed design…

  17. A summary of NASA/Air Force Full Scale Engine Research programs using the F100 engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deskin, W. J.; Hurrell, H. G.

    1979-01-01

    This paper summarizes a joint NASA/Air Force Full Scale Engine Research (FSER) program conducted with the F100 engine during the period 1974 through 1979. The program mechanism is described and the F100 test vehicles utilized are illustrated. Technology items which have been addressed in the areas of swirl augmentation, flutter phenomenon, advanced electronic control logic theory, strain gage technology, and distortion sensitivity are identified and the associated test programs conducted at the NASA-Lewis Research Center are described. Results presented show that the FSER approach, which utilizes existing state-of-the-art engine hardware to evaluate advanced technology concepts and problem areas, can contribute a significant data base for future system applications. Aerodynamic phenomenon previously not considered by current design systems have been identified and incorporated into current industry design tools.

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

    Albis, A.H.A.

    This research effort is concerned with the identification and utilization of practical design guidelines to meet the demand for guidance in innovative planning and building design for Egyptian desert conditions. An energy-conscious design can be realized with a minimum expenditure of exhaustible energy resources and maximum utilization of the natural energies for cooling and heating. The energy design guidelines developed will be applied to an Urban Center, on a site selected to alleviate the stress on Cairo, which has been suffering for over two decades from housing shortages due to overpopulation. Design criteria to meet the challenges of this researchmore » include: neighborhood planning; orientation; building details; shading; colors of walls and roofs; materials; and massing configuration. In this research, desert construction and its aspects, use of building materials, approaches to energy conservation, and architectural principles for neighborhood planning are identified. The human requirement for thermal comfort specific to desert environments are analyzed and related to diurnal and annual patterns of outdoor conditions, and to the potential for modifying indoor thermal conditions by designs suitable to prevailing climatic conditions.« less

  19. The characterization of the antibacterial efficacy of an electrically activated silver ion-based surface system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirwaiker, Rohan A.

    There have been growing concerns in the global healthcare system about the eradication of pathogens in hospitals and other health-critical environments. The problem has been aggravated by the overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobial agents leading to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) which are difficult to kill. Lower immunity of sick patients coupled with the escalating concurrent problem of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has resulted in increasing incidences of hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections. There is an immediate need to control the transmission of such infections, primarily in healthcare environments, by creating touch-contact and work surfaces (e.g., door knobs, push plates, countertops) that utilize alternative antibacterial materials like the heavy metal, silver. Recent research has shown that it is silver in its ionic (Ag+ ) and not elemental form that is antibacterial. Thus, silver-based antibacterial surfaces have to release silver ions directly into the pathogenic environment (generally, an aqueous media) in order to be effective. This dissertation presents the study and analysis of a new silver-based surface system that utilizes low intensity direct electric current (LIDC) for generation of silver ions to primarily inhibit indirect contact transmission of infections. The broader objective of this research is to understand the design, and characterization of the electrically activated silver ion-based antibacterial surface system. The specific objectives of this dissertation include: (1) Developing a comprehensive system design, and identifying and studying its critical design parameters and functional mechanisms. (2) Evaluating effects of the critical design parameters on the antibacterial efficacy of the proposed surface system. (3) Developing a response surface model for the surface system performance. These objectives are achieved by formulating the system design, fabricating prototypes with appropriate design parameters, evaluating the prototypes using various physical and electrical characterization techniques, and characterizing the antibacterial efficacy of the prototypes using statistical experiments. The major contributions of this dissertation include: (1) Design of a systems focused approach that quantifies the potential effectiveness of silver ions under various configurations of the surface system design. (2) Development of meso and micro-scale fabrication methodologies for prototype fabrication. (3) Development of microbiological testing protocols utilizing variance reduction techniques to test the antibacterial efficacy of system prototypes. (4) Development of empirical models for the surface system using factorial design of experiments (DOE). Basic results from the research demonstrate significant antibacterial efficacy of the surface system against four dangerous bacteria including Staph aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis which are together responsible for more than 80% of nosocomial infections. Results of the DOE characterization study indicate the statistically significant contributions of three system parameters -- size of features, electric current, and type of bacteria -- to the antibacterial performance of the system. This dissertation synergistically utilizes knowledge and principles from three broader areas of research -- industrial engineering, materials science and microbiology -- to model, design, fabricate and characterize an electrically activated silver-ion based antibacterial surface system with practical applications in improving human health and healthcare systems. The research is aimed at promoting novel integrative research and development of technologies utilizing antibacterial properties of silver and other heavy metals.

  20. Utilizing ego-centric video to conduct naturalistic bicycling studies.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-10-01

    Existing data collection methods are mostly designed for videos captured by stationary cameras and are not designed to follow cyclists along a : route or to integrate other sensor data. The goals of this research are: a) to develop a platform to coll...

  1. Effective utilization of disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) in alternative delivery projects: strategies and resources to support the achievement of DBE goals : Georgia DOT research project 14-42 : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-04-01

    This synthesis is a comprehensive review of the best knowledge and practices for stimulating effective : utilization of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) in the procurement and execution of : transportation projects, using design-build and oth...

  2. Utilization of Mammography Services among Elderly Rural and Urban African American Women

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agho, Augustine O; Mosley, Barbara W; Rivers, Patrick A; Parker, Shandowyn

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: This study was a two-year educational intervention and research project aimed at increasing the awareness of breast cancer and the utilization of Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) services and Self-Breast Examination (SBE) among elderly rural and urban African American women who are Medicare beneficiaries. Design: The study was…

  3. Entrepreneurial Decision Making Styles and Learning Strategies Preferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hestand, Yana

    2012-01-01

    Scope and Method of Study: The scope of this study was the decision making styles and the learning strategies preferences among entrepreneurs. The study utilized a descriptive research design. Internet was utilized as a data collection tool, Participant in the study were 240 entrepreneurs from the Oklahoma state, Tulsa county members of the SBA.…

  4. Case-Cohort Studies: Design and Applicability to Hand Surgery.

    PubMed

    Vojvodic, Miliana; Shafarenko, Mark; McCabe, Steven J

    2018-04-24

    Observational studies are common research strategies in hand surgery. The case-cohort design offers an efficient and resource-friendly method for risk assessment and outcomes analysis. Case-cohorts remain underrepresented in upper extremity research despite several practical and economic advantages over case-control studies. This report outlines the purpose, utility, and structure of the case-cohort design and offers a sample research question to demonstrate its value to risk estimation for adverse surgical outcomes. The application of well-designed case-cohort studies is advocated in an effort to improve the quality and quantity of observational research evidence in hand and upper extremity surgery. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. The design of a solar energy collection system to augment heating and cooling for a commercial office building

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Basford, R. C.

    1977-01-01

    Analytical studies supported by experimental testing indicate that solar energy can be utilized to heat and cool commercial buildings. In a 50,000 square foot one-story office building at the Langley Research Center, 15,000 square feet of solar collectors are designed to provide the energy required to supply 79 percent of the building heating needs and 52 percent of its cooling needs. The experience gained from the space program is providing the technology base for this project. Included are some of the analytical studies made to make the building design changes necessary to utilize solar energy, the basic solar collector design, collector efficiencies, and the integrated system design.

  6. Grid-Enabled Quantitative Analysis of Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-10-01

    large-scale, multi-modality computerized image analysis . The central hypothesis of this research is that large-scale image analysis for breast cancer...research, we designed a pilot study utilizing large scale parallel Grid computing harnessing nationwide infrastructure for medical image analysis . Also

  7. Research, development, and demonstration of lead-acid batteries for electric vehicle propulsion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1984-06-01

    Research on electric motor vehicles is reported in the areas of active material utilization and active material integrity; design and fabrication of components, advanced cells, and modules; cell testing; and battery thermal management and electrolyte circulation subsystems.

  8. Barriers to and Facilitators of Research Utilization: A Survey of Registered Nurses in China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Li-Ping; Jiang, Xiao-Lian; Wang, Lei; Wang, Guo-Rong; Bai, Yang-Jing

    2013-01-01

    Aims This survey aims to describe the perception of barriers to and facilitators of research utilization by registered nurses in Sichuan province, China, and to explore the factors influencing the perceptions of the barriers to and facilitators of research utilization. Methods A cross sectional survey design and a double cluster sampling method were adopted. A total of 590 registered nurses from 3 tertiary level hospitals in Sichuan province, China, were recruited in a period from September 2006 to January 2007. A modified BARRUERS Scale and a Facilitators Scale were used. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, rank transformation test, and multiple linear regression. Results Barriers related to the setting subscale were more influential than barriers related to other subscales. The lack of authority was ranked as the top greatest barrier (15.7%), followed by the lack of time (13.4%) and language barrier (15.0%). Additional barriers identified were the reluctance of patients to research utilization, the lack of funding, and the lack of legal protection. The top three greatest facilitators were enhancing managerial support (36.9%), advancing education to increase knowledge base (21.1%), and increasing time for reviewing and implementing (17.5%), while cooperation of patients to research utilization, establishing a panel to evaluate researches, and funding were listed as additional facilitators. Hospital, educational background, research experience, and knowledge on evidence-based nursing were the factors influencing perceptions of the barriers and facilitators. Conclusions Nurses in China are facing a number of significant barriers in research utilization. Enhancing managerial support might be the most promising facilitator, given Chinese traditional culture and existing health care system. Hospital, educational background, research experience and knowledge on evidence-based nursing should be taken into account to promote research utilization. The BARRIERS Scale should consider funding and involvement of patients in research utilization. PMID:24312380

  9. Baseband-processed SS-TDMA communication system architecture and design concepts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Attwood, S.; Sabourin, D.

    1982-01-01

    The architecture and system design for a commercial satellite communications system planned for the 1990's was developed by Motorola for NASA's Lewis Research Center. The system provides data communications between individual users via trunking and customer premises service terminals utilizing a central switching satellite operating in a time-division multiple-access (TDMA) mode. The major elements of the design incorporating baseband processing include: demand-assigned multiple access reservation protocol, spectral utilization, system synchronization, modulation technique and forward error control implementation. Motorola's baseband processor design, which is being proven in a proof-of-concept advanced technology development, will perform data regeneration and message routing for individual users on-board the spacecraft.

  10. An overview of large wind turbine tests by electric utilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vachon, W. A.; Schiff, D.

    1982-01-01

    A summary of recent plants and experiences on current large wind turbine (WT) tests being conducted by electric utilities is provided. The test programs discussed do not include federal research and development (R&D) programs, many of which are also being conducted in conjunction with electric utilities. The information presented is being assembled in a project, funded by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the objective of which is to provide electric utilities with timely summaries of test performance on key large wind turbines. A summary of key tests, test instrumentation, and recent results and plans is given. During the past year, many of the utility test programs initiated have encountered test difficulties that required specific WT design changes. However, test results to date continue to indicate that long-term machine performance and cost-effectiveness are achievable.

  11. What Value Can Qualitative Research Add to Quantitative Research Design? An Example From an Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial Feasibility Study.

    PubMed

    Toye, Francine; Williamson, Esther; Williams, Mark A; Fairbank, Jeremy; Lamb, Sarah E

    2016-08-09

    Using an example of qualitative research embedded in a non-surgical feasibility trial, we explore the benefits of including qualitative research in trial design and reflect on epistemological challenges. We interviewed 18 trial participants and used methods of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Our findings demonstrate that qualitative research can make a valuable contribution by allowing trial stakeholders to see things from alternative perspectives. Specifically, it can help to make specific recommendations for improved trial design, generate questions which contextualize findings, and also explore disease experience beyond the trial. To make the most out of qualitative research embedded in quantitative design it would be useful to (a) agree specific qualitative study aims that underpin research design, (b) understand the impact of differences in epistemological truth claims, (c) provide clear thematic interpretations for trial researchers to utilize, and (d) include qualitative findings that explore experience beyond the trial setting within the impact plan. © The Author(s) 2016.

  12. Utility operational experience on the NASA/DOE Mod-OA 200 kW Wind Turbine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Glasgow, J. C.; Robbins, W. H.

    1979-01-01

    The Mod-OA 200 kW Wind Turbine was designed and fabricated by the Lewis Research Center of the NASA under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy. The project is a part of the Federal Wind Energy Program and is designed to obtain early wind turbine operation and performance data while gaining initial experience in the operation of large, horizontal axis wind turbines in typical utility environments. On March 6, 1978, the Mod-OA wind turbine was turned over to the Town of Clayton Light and Water Plant, Clayton, NM, for utility operation and on December 31, 1978 the machine had completed ten months of utility operation. This paper describes the machine and documents the recent operational experience at Clayton, NM.

  13. International Space Station Evolution Data Book. Volume 1; Baseline Design; Revised

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jorgensen, Catherine A. (Editor); Antol, Jeffrey (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    The International Space Station (ISS) will provide an Earth-orbiting facility that will accommodate engineering experiments as well as research in a microgravity environment for life and natural sciences. The ISS will distribute resource utilities and support permanent human habitation for conducting this research and experimentation in a safe and habitable environment. The objectives of the ISS program are to develop a world-class, international orbiting laboratory for conducting high-value scientific research for the benefit of humans on Earth; to provide access to the microgravity environment; to develop the ability to live and work in space for extended periods; and to provide a research test bed for developing advanced technology for human and robotic exploration of space. The current design and development of the ISS has been achieved through the outstanding efforts of many talented engineers, designers, technicians, and support personnel who have dedicated their time and hard work to producing a state-of-the-art Space Station. Despite these efforts, the current design of the ISS has limitations that have resulted from cost and technology issues. Regardless, the ISS must evolve during its operational lifetime to respond to changing user needs and long-term national and international goals. As technologies develop and user needs change, the ISS will be modified to meet these demands. The design and development of these modifications should begin now to prevent a significant lapse in time between the baseline design and the realization of future opportunities. For this effort to begin, an understanding of the baseline systems and current available opportunities for utilization needs to be achieved. Volume I of this document provides the consolidated overview of the ISS baseline systems. It also provides information on the current facilities available for pressurized and unpressurized payloads. Information on current plans for crew availability and utilization; resource timelines and margin summaries including power, thermal, and storage volumes; and an overview of the ISS cargo traffic and the vehicle traffic model is also included.

  14. World Workshop on Oral Medicine VI: Utilization of Oral Medicine-specific software for support of clinical care, research, and education: current status and strategy for broader implementation.

    PubMed

    Brailo, Vlaho; Firriolo, Francis John; Tanaka, Takako Imai; Varoni, Elena; Sykes, Rosemary; McCullough, Michael; Hua, Hong; Sklavounou, Alexandra; Jensen, Siri Beier; Lockhart, Peter B; Mattsson, Ulf; Jontell, Mats

    2015-08-01

    To assess the current scope and status of Oral Medicine-specific software (OMSS) utilized to support clinical care, research, and education in Oral Medicine and to propose a strategy for broader implementation of OMSS within the global Oral Medicine community. An invitation letter explaining the objectives was sent to the global Oral Medicine community. Respondents were interviewed to obtain information about different aspects of OMSS functionality. Ten OMSS tools were identified. Four were being used for clinical care, one was being used for research, two were being used for education, and three were multipurpose. Clinical software was being utilized as databases developed to integrate of different type of clinical information. Research software was designed to facilitate multicenter research. Educational software represented interactive, case-orientated technology designed for clinical training in Oral Medicine. Easy access to patient data was the most commonly reported advantage. Difficulty of use and poor integration with other software was the most commonly reported disadvantage. The OMSS presented in this paper demonstrate how information technology (IT) can have an impact on the quality of patient care, research, and education in the field of Oral Medicine. A strategy for broader implementation of OMSS is proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. NREL/SCE High Penetration PV Integration Project: FY13 Annual Report

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

    Mather, B. A.; Shah, S.; Norris, B. L.

    2014-06-01

    In 2010, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Southern California Edison (SCE), Quanta Technology, Satcon Technology Corporation, Electrical Distribution Design (EDD), and Clean Power Research (CPR) teamed to analyze the impacts of high penetration levels of photovoltaic (PV) systems interconnected onto the SCE distribution system. This project was designed specifically to benefit from the experience that SCE and the project team would gain during the installation of 500 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale PV systems (with 1-5 MW typical ratings) starting in 2010 and completing in 2015 within SCE's service territory through a program approved by the California Public Utility Commissionmore » (CPUC). This report provides the findings of the research completed under the project to date.« less

  16. Department of Clinical Investigation Annual Research Progress Report, Fiscal Year 1993. Volume 1

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-10-01

    monocytes, total periphernuclear cells, and alveolar macrophages from four study groups : patients with concurrent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTBI and...research design, similar to the Solomon Four Group design will be utilized to determine if the educational intervention provided has an impact on nurses...members with approved protocols: 173 Number of approved protocols held by this group : 230 Drug evaluation/comparison studies : 94 (Does not include

  17. Ethnographic/Qualitative Research: Theoretical Perspectives and Methodological Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, E. Dean

    This paper examines the metatheoretical concepts associated with ethnographic/qualitative educational inquiry and overviews the more commonly utilized research designs, data collection methods, and analytical approaches. The epistemological and ontological assumptions of this newer approach differ greatly from those of the traditional educational…

  18. An Incremental High-Utility Mining Algorithm with Transaction Insertion

    PubMed Central

    Gan, Wensheng; Zhang, Binbin

    2015-01-01

    Association-rule mining is commonly used to discover useful and meaningful patterns from a very large database. It only considers the occurrence frequencies of items to reveal the relationships among itemsets. Traditional association-rule mining is, however, not suitable in real-world applications since the purchased items from a customer may have various factors, such as profit or quantity. High-utility mining was designed to solve the limitations of association-rule mining by considering both the quantity and profit measures. Most algorithms of high-utility mining are designed to handle the static database. Fewer researches handle the dynamic high-utility mining with transaction insertion, thus requiring the computations of database rescan and combination explosion of pattern-growth mechanism. In this paper, an efficient incremental algorithm with transaction insertion is designed to reduce computations without candidate generation based on the utility-list structures. The enumeration tree and the relationships between 2-itemsets are also adopted in the proposed algorithm to speed up the computations. Several experiments are conducted to show the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of runtime, memory consumption, and number of generated patterns. PMID:25811038

  19. Design concepts for pressurized lunar shelters utilizing indigenous materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Happel, John Amin; Willam, Kaspar; Shing, Benson

    1991-01-01

    The objective is to design a pressurized shelter build of indigenous lunar material. The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: lunar conditions which impact design; secondary factors; review of previously proposed concepts; cross section of assembly facility; rationale for indigenous materials; indigenous material choices; cast basalt properties; design variables; design 1, cylindrical segments; construction sequence; design 2, arch-slabs with post-tensioned ring girders; and future research.

  20. Component Exchange Community: A Model of Utilizing Research Components to Foster International Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deng, Yi-Chan; Lin, Taiyu; Kinshuk; Chan, Tak-Wai

    2006-01-01

    "One-to-one" technology enhanced learning research refers to the design and investigation of learning environments and learning activities where every learner is equipped with at least one portable computing device enabled by wireless capability. G1:1 is an international research community coordinated by a network of laboratories conducting…

  1. Developing Automated Feedback Materials for a Training Simulator: An Interaction between Users and Researchers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shlechter, Theodore M.; And Others

    This paper focuses upon the research and development (R&D) process associated with developing automated feedback materials for the SIMulation NETworking (SIMNET) training system. This R&D process involved a partnership among instructional developers, practitioners, and researchers. Users' input has been utilized to help: (1) design the…

  2. Science and Technology Teachers' Attitudes towards Educational Research in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sekerci, Ali Riza; Ilhan, Nail; Mustafa, Sozbilir; Yildirim, Ali

    2017-01-01

    This study reports on the attitudes of science and technology teachers' towards educational research that were investigated and analyzed with respect to certain demographic variables. The survey method was utilized as the research design. The study group consisted of 918 science and technology teachers working in middle schools in the Eastern…

  3. Undergraduate Students' Resistance to Study Skills Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuksel, Sedat

    2006-01-01

    Research indicate that students generally fail to benefit from study skills courses and show resistance to this course in higher education level. The purpose of this research is to investigate reasons why students show resistance to the course of study skills and habits. In this research, a qualitative design utilizing retrospective interviews was…

  4. 77 FR 12597 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-01

    ... survey tools, and the research methodology to test content, format, and design of labeling is based on... information will have practical utility. (Response) The survey is designed to elicit responses on the... do so. This survey is designed for the health care provider and their feedback. (Comment 2) Comment 2...

  5. A Mixed Methods Investigation of Mixed Methods Sampling Designs in Social and Health Science Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collins, Kathleen M. T.; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Jiao, Qun G.

    2007-01-01

    A sequential design utilizing identical samples was used to classify mixed methods studies via a two-dimensional model, wherein sampling designs were grouped according to the time orientation of each study's components and the relationship of the qualitative and quantitative samples. A quantitative analysis of 121 studies representing nine fields…

  6. Design of an autonomous lunar construction utility vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    In order to prepare a site for a lunar base, an autonomously operated construction vehicle is necessary. Discussed here is a Lunar Construction Utility Vehicle (LCUV), which uses interchangeable construction implements. Design of an elastic loop track system has advanced to the testing stage. A standard coupling device has been designed to insure a proper connection between the different construction tools and the LCUV. Autonomous control of the track drive motors was simulated successfully through the use of a joystick and a computer interface. A study of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells produced estimates of reactant and product requirements and identified multilayer insulation needs. Research on the 100-kW heat rejection system determined that it is necessary to transport the radiator panel on a utility trailer. Extensive logistical support for the 720 hour use cycle requires further study.

  7. Identifying and managing inappropriate hospital utilization: a policy synthesis.

    PubMed Central

    Payne, S M

    1987-01-01

    Utilization review, the assessment of the appropriateness and efficiency of hospital care through review of the medical record, and utilization management, deliberate action by payers or hospital administrators to influence providers of hospital services to increase the efficiency and effectiveness with which services are provided, are valuable but relatively unfamiliar strategies for containing hospital costs. The purpose of this synthesis is to increase awareness of the scope of and potential for these approaches among health services managers and administrators, third-party payers, policy analysts, and health services researchers. The synthesis will assist the reader to trace the conceptual context and the historical development of utilization review from unstructured methods using individual physicians' professional judgment to structured methods using explicit criteria; to establish the context of utilization review and clarify its uses; to understand the concepts and tools used in assessing the efficiency of hospital use; and to select, design, and evaluate utilization review and utilization management programs. The extent of inappropriate (medical unnecessary) hospital utilization and the factors associated with it are described. Implications for managers, providers, and third-party payers in targeting utilization review and in designing and evaluating utilization management programs are discussed. PMID:3121538

  8. Characterizing Design Learning through the Use of Language: A Mixed-Methods Study of Engineering Designers. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atman, Cindy; Kilgore, Deborah; McKenna, Ann

    2009-01-01

    This analysis, that utilizes data from part of the Academic Pathways Study (APS) of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE), found that as a result of taking a course in engineering design and/or studying engineering for four years, students acquire engineering design language that is common to a larger community of practice…

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

    PubMed

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

    2003-01-01

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

  10. Examining the Relationship between Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and Student Achievement Utilizing the Florida Value-Added Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farrell, Ivan K.; Hamed, Kastro M.

    2017-01-01

    Utilizing a correlational research design, we sought to examine the relationship between the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of in-service teachers and student achievement measured with each individual teacher's Value-Added Model (VAM) score. The TPACK survey results and a teacher's VAM score were also examined, separately,…

  11. Distance Learning as a Viable Staff Development Alternative for Behavioral Healthcare Direct Support Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gill, James G., Jr.

    2011-01-01

    This quasi-experiment utilized three groups of direct service staff to explore the effectiveness of three methods of training and an optional survey was offered after the study. The researcher used a counterbalance design. Three courses developed by an independent distance learning company were utilized to provide the learning experience. Each…

  12. Principals' Personal Variables and Information and Communication Technology Utilization in Federal Capital Territory Senior Secondary Schools, Abuja, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ogunshola, Roseline Folashade; Adeniyi, Abiodun

    2017-01-01

    The study investigated principals' personal variables and information and communication technology utilization in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senior secondary schools, Abuja, Nigeria. The study adopted the correlational research design. The study used a sample of 94 senior secondary schools (including public and private) in FCT. Stratified…

  13. Extent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Utilization for Students' Learning in Tertiary Institutions in Ondo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Victor, Akinfolarin Akinwale; Bolanle, Rufai Rukayat

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the extent of information and communication technology (ICT) utilization for students' learning in Ondo State tertiary institutions. The research design was descriptive survey. The target population comprises of all students in tertiary institutions of learning in Ondo State. A sample of two hundred (200) undergraduate…

  14. The Resource Utilization of Women Who Use Violence in Intimate Relationships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swan, Suzanne C.; Sullivan, Tami P.

    2009-01-01

    Studies have found high rates of help seeking among domestic violence victims. However, little research has investigated the help-seeking patterns of women who use violence (many of whom are also abused). Understanding the resources utilized by women who are violent toward their partners may aid in designing interventions that will reduce the…

  15. The Sound-to-Speech Translations Utilizing Graphics Mediation Interface for Students with Severe Handicaps. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Carrie; And Others

    This final report describes activities and outcomes of a research project on a sound-to-speech translation system utilizing a graphic mediation interface for students with severe disabilities. The STS/Graphics system is a voice recognition, computer-based system designed to allow individuals with mental retardation and/or severe physical…

  16. Assessment of Social Media Utilization and Study Habit of Students of Tertiary Institutions in Katsina State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olutola, Adekunle Thomas; Olatoye, Olufunke Omotoke; Olatoye, Rafiu Ademola

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated assessment of social media utilization and study habits of students of tertiary institutions in Katsina State. The descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. Three hundred and eighty-one (381) students' of tertiary institutions in Katsina State were randomly selected for the study. Researchers'-designed…

  17. Electric Utility Rate Design Study: reference manual and procedures for implementing PURPA

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

    Not Available

    State regulatory commissions will be assisted by using this manual in carrying out their responsibilities under the National Energy Act, specifically under the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). The research and materials of the Rate Design Study are basically applicable to Title I of PURPA, and the Manual covers only that part of the Act. The Rate Design Study covers a wide scope of research and professional opinions and are a major reference source for data, information, and divergent views on practically every aspect of electric utility rate design. The introductory part calls attention to particularly important aspects ofmore » responsibilities, authority, and procedures. The second part outlines the specific responsibilities placed by Title I of PURPA on the State commissions. Part 3 discusses some of the procedural and substantive requirements and options of PURPA with particular emphasis on their relation to the Rate Design Study, State law, and State regulatory policies. Part 4 is an independent analysis that includes cross-indexed references to the more than 60 reports prepared by the Rate Design Study and also to other pertinent sources of information and data. Part 5 summarizes a survey conducted in January 1979 of State commission actions related to the matters contained in Title I of PURPA. Part 6 presents the text of the law. Part 7 is the request from NARUC that prompted the preparation of the Manual. (MCW)« less

  18. A TRAINING MODEL FOR THE JOBLESS ADULT.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ULRICH, BERNARD

    THE TRAINING SYSTEMS DESIGN, AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH UTILIZING KNOWLEDGE OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, NEW INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, AND SYSTEMS DESIGN, HAS BEEN APPLIED TO DEVELOP A MODEL FOR RE-EDUCATING AND TRAINING THE AGING UNEMPLOYED. RESEARCH INTO EXISTING MDTA DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS BY THE COOPERATIVE EFFORTS OF MCGRAW-HILL AND THE…

  19. A decision-making tool for incorporating sustainability measures into pavement design : research project capsule.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-10-01

    The objective of the proposed study is to conceive and develop a decision-making tool : for evaluating sustainability of pavement designs based on a cradle-to-grave analysis. : This tool will utilize EPDs to enhance the reliability of the assessment ...

  20. The utilization of websites for fundraising by NCI-designated cancer centers: Examining the capacity for dialogic communication with prospective donors.

    PubMed

    Erwin, Cathleen O; Dias, Ashley M

    2016-01-01

    The study employs a dialogic public relations framework to explore the utilization of the Internet for fundraising by nonprofit health care organizations-specifically, NCI-designated cancer centers. Cancer centers have been noted for effective websites and for being highly engaged in fundraising, which is characterized as relationship marketing. Results indicate all but one cancer center use websites and social media for fundraising but are limited in capacity for two-way symmetrical dialogue. Results are discussed and recommendations are made for future research.

  1. Nurses' perceptions of research utilization in a corporate health care system.

    PubMed

    McCloskey, Donna Jo

    2008-01-01

    To explore selected characteristics of nurses based upon educational level (masters, baccalaureate, associate degree/diploma), years of experience, and hospital position (management, advanced practice, staff nurse) that might affect perceived availability of research resources, attitude towards research, support, and research use in practice. A descriptive nonexperimental mailed survey design was used for this study. Nurses in five hospitals within a corporate hospital system were surveyed using the Research Utilization Questionnaire (RUQ). The RUQ was used to measure nurses' perceptions of research utilization in the four dimensions of perceived use of research, attitude toward research, availability of research resources, and perceived support for research activities. ANOVA was used to analyze the data. Statistically significant differences (p<.001) were found in the perceived use of research, attitude toward research, availability of research resources, and perceived support for research activities based on educational level and organizational position. No significant differences were found in the perception of nurses based on years of experience. The results of this study have implications for staff nurses, administrators, advanced practice nurses, and educators working in hospital systems. The different perceptions based upon educational level and hospital position can be integrated and used at all levels of nursing practice to promote research utilization and evidence-based practice initiatives within the organizational structure. The results of this study have nursing implications within administration and for nursing practice. The different perceptions that were found based upon educational level and hospital position can be positively integrated and used by administrators and by nurses all levels of nursing practice to promote research utilization and evidence based practice initiatives within the organizational structure.

  2. Development of Designer Diamond Technology for High Pressure High Temperature Experiments in Support of Stockpile Stewardship Program

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

    Vohra, Yogesh, K.

    The role of nitrogen in the fabrication of designer diamond was systematically investigated by adding controlled amount of nitrogen in hydrogen/methane/oxygen plasma. This has led to a successful recipe for reproducible fabrication of designer diamond anvils for high-pressure high-temperature research in support of stockpile stewardship program. In the three-year support period, several designer diamonds fabricated with this new growth chemistry were utilized in high-pressure experiments at UAB and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The designer diamond anvils were utilized in high-pressure studies on heavy rare earth metals, high pressure melting studies on metals, and electrical resistance measurements on iron-based layered superconductorsmore » under high pressures. The growth chemistry developed under NNSA support can be adapted for commercial production of designer diamonds.« less

  3. Hand controller study of force and control mode

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morris, A. Terry

    1992-01-01

    The objectives are to compare and evaluate the utility and effectiveness of various input control devices, e.g., hand controllers, with respect to the relative importance of force and operation control mode (rate or position) for Space Station Freedom (SSF) related tasks. The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the: Intelligent Research Systems Lab (ISRL) experimental design; Telerobotic Systems Research Laboratory (TSRL) final experimental design; and factor analysis summary of results.

  4. The Perils of Ignoring Design Effects in Experimental Studies: Lessons from a Mammography Screening Trial

    PubMed Central

    Glenn, Beth A.; Bastani, Roshan; Maxwell, Annette E.

    2013-01-01

    Objective Threats to external validity including pretest sensitization and the interaction of selection and an intervention are frequently overlooked by researchers despite their potential to significantly influence study outcomes. The purpose of this investigation was to conduct secondary data analyses to assess the presence of external validity threats in the setting of a randomized trial designed to promote mammography use in a high risk sample of women. Design During the trial, recruitment and intervention implementation took place in three cohorts (with different ethnic composition), utilizing two different designs (pretest-posttest control group design; posttest only control group design). Results Results reveal that the intervention produced different outcomes across cohorts, dependent upon the research design used and the characteristics of the sample. Conclusion These results illustrate the importance of weighing the pros and cons of potential research designs before making a selection and attending more closely to issues of external validity. PMID:23289517

  5. Geology team

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1982-01-01

    Evaluating of the combined utility of narrowband and multispectral imaging in both the infrared and visible for the lithologic identification of geologic materials, and of the combined utility of multispectral imaging in the visible and infrared for lithologic mapping on a global bases are near term recommendations for future imaging capabilities. Long term recommendations include laboratory research into methods of field sampling and theoretical models of microscale mixing. The utility of improved spatial and spectral resolutions and radiometric sensitivity is also suggested for the long term. Geobotanical remote sensing research should be conducted to (1) separate geological and botanical spectral signatures in individual picture elements; (2) study geobotanical correlations that more fully simulate natural conditions; and use test sites designed to test specific geobotanical hypotheses.

  6. Interview with Charles M. Reigeluth: Applying Instructional Design to Educational Reform

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simsek, Ali

    2013-01-01

    Professor Reigeluth emphasizes that the work of educational technology researchers should focus on advancing instructional design theories rather than investigating some trendy aspects of utilizing educational media in schools. He makes the point that such an orientation will provide a comprehensive framework for efforts toward improving education…

  7. Evaluation of a program to increase evidence-based practice change.

    PubMed

    Larrabee, June H; Sions, Jacqueline; Fanning, Mary; Withrow, Mary Lynne; Ferretti, Andrea

    2007-06-01

    The study evaluated a nursing research program designed to achieve systematic evidence-based practice change. Specifically, change in nurse attitudes about use of research and research conduct, practice change projects, and nurse participation in research-related activities were evaluated. Evidence indicates that successful evidence-based practice change in an organization requires senior leadership support and a systematic program for practice change. Evaluation of program effectiveness provides evidence about opportunities for further improvement. Quantitative evaluation used a pretest-posttest design. The site was an academic medical center in rural West Virginia. Participants were registered nurses from all inpatients units, perioperative services, and emergency departments. Surveys used Alcock et al's Staff Nurses and Research Activities scale. Descriptive evaluation included the number of nurses who attended the workshop, practice change projects, scholarly products disseminated, and outcome of a Magnet review. First, knowledge about the availability of support services increased between 1999 and 2002 and was associated with higher attitude scores about research and research utilization. Second, registered nurses who reported participating in research-related activities had more positive scores on all attitudes than registered nurses who reported not participating. Nurse leaders may improve participation and attitudes about research and research utilization by internally marketing the support available for research-related activities.

  8. Design and utilization of a Flight Test Engineering Database Management System at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Knighton, Donna L.

    1992-01-01

    A Flight Test Engineering Database Management System (FTE DBMS) was designed and implemented at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility. The X-29 Forward Swept Wing Advanced Technology Demonstrator flight research program was chosen for the initial system development and implementation. The FTE DBMS greatly assisted in planning and 'mass production' card preparation for an accelerated X-29 research program. Improved Test Plan tracking and maneuver management for a high flight-rate program were proven, and flight rates of up to three flights per day, two times per week were maintained.

  9. Higher Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Yen-Chun Jim; Shen, Ju-Peng

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to provide a complete understanding of academic research into higher education for sustainable development (HESD). Design/methodology/approach: This study utilizes a systematic review of four scientific literature databases to outline topics of research during the UN's Decade of Education for Sustainable Development…

  10. Traveler Information Services in Rural Tourism Areas. Appendix C: Observations at Tourist Interactions with Kiosks

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-06-30

    In originally designing the qualitative research, the researchers had expected to find well-utilized kiosks in highly visible locations. They expected that travelers would understand the uses of the kiosks and would be using them for practical trip p...

  11. How to Conduct Clinical Qualitative Research on the Patient's Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chenail, Ronald J.

    2011-01-01

    From a perspective of patient-centered healthcare, exploring patients' (a) preconceptions, (b) treatment experiences, (c) quality of life, (d) satisfaction, (e) illness understandings, and (f) design are all critical components in improving primary health care and research. Utilizing qualitative approaches to discover patients' experiences can…

  12. 7 CFR 958.47 - Research and development.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... development projects, and marketing promotion including paid advertising, designed to assist, improve, or... the promotion and advertising of onions may utilize an identifying mark which shall be made available... § 958.46; (2) Its recommendation as to any research projects; and (3) Its recommendation as to promotion...

  13. Maximizing Employment through Research. Proceedings of the Annual Research Utilization Conference (1st, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 1984).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bagley, Martha, Ed.

    These proceedings consist of seven papers and four reaction papers that were presented at a conference designed for administrative and management personnel from agencies and programs providing education and rehabilitation services to blind persons. Included in the volume are the following papers: "Introduction to Rehabilitation Research," by…

  14. THE IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHING THROUGH THE UTILIZATION OF CLASSROOM RESEARCH IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, REPORT OF A STUDY.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    RIOUX, J. WILLIAM

    THE PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE AND DIRECT TEACHERS IN THE USE OF UNCOMPLICATED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, RELATED TO CLASSWORK, FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING INSTRUCTION. TEACHERS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY SECONDARY SCHOOLS WERE SELECTED AT RANDOM TO CONSTITUTE AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. THEY PLANNED INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH THE AID OF THE…

  15. The Educational Validity and Utility of Single-Case Design Research in Building Evidence-Based Practices in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourea, Lefki; Lo, Ya-yu

    2016-01-01

    Improving academic, behavioural, and social outcomes of students through empirical research has been a firm commitment among researchers, policy-makers, and other professionals in education across Europe and the United States (U.S.). To assist in building scientific evidences, executive bodies such as the European Commission and the Institute for…

  16. An Action Research Study on the Effect of Interactive Technology and Active Learning on Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bear, Teresa J.

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative action science research study utilized a causal-comparative experimental research design in order to determine if the use of student response systems (clickers), as an active learning strategy in a community college course, improved student performance in the course. Students in the experimental group (n = 26) used clickers to…

  17. Defense Utility of Commercial Vessels and Craft.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-01-01

    competence represented on this Committee include: ship design (naval architecture and marine engineering); marine transportation systems analysis; port...entire maritime industry, * including operators, designers , shipbuilders, suppliers, regulators, and researchers. This report was developed by a...larger commercial vessels now included in military contingency planning or the specially designed ships of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. 0 The

  18. A Standardized Rubric for Evaluating Webquest Design: Reliability Analysis of ZUNAL Webquest Design Rubric

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unal, Zafer; Bodur, Yasar; Unal, Aslihan

    2012-01-01

    Current literature provides many examples of rubrics that are used to evaluate the quality of web-quest designs. However, reliability of these rubrics has not yet been researched. This is the first study to fully characterize and assess the reliability of a webquest evaluation rubric. The ZUNAL rubric was created to utilize the strengths of the…

  19. Participatory Action Research on Help-Seeking Behaviors of Self-Defined Ritual Abuse Survivors: A Brief Report.

    PubMed

    Matthew, Laurie; Barron, Ian G

    2015-01-01

    The existence of ritual abuse is the subject of much debate. Ritual abuse survivor perceptions of seeking help have not been explored, and studies have yet to utilize self-defined survivors as collaborative researchers. This study addresses both issues. Participatory action research was utilized to design a survey and semistructured interview to investigate ritual abuse survivor experience of seeking help. Sixty-eight participants completed the survey, and 22 were interviewed. A group approach to thematic analysis aided validity and reliability. Participants reported experiencing disbelief and a lack of ritual abuse awareness and help from support services. In contrast, participatory action research was reported by participants as educative and emancipatory. Future research should explore the benefits of participatory action research for survivors of different forms of oppression.

  20. Training Students’ Science Process Skills through Didactic Design on Work and Energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramayanti, S.; Utari, S.; Saepuzaman, D.

    2017-09-01

    Science Process Skills (SPS) has not been optimally trained to the students in the learning activity. The aim of this research is finding the ways to train SPS on the subject of Work and Energy. One shot case study design is utilized in this research that conducted on 32 students in one of the High Schools in Bandung. The students’ SPS responses were analyzed by the development SPS based assessment portfolios. The results of this research showed the didactic design that had been designed to training the identifying variables skills, formulating hypotheses, and the experiment activity shows the development. But the didactic design to improve the students’ predicting skills shows that the development is still not optimal. Therefore, in the future studies need to be developed the didactic design on the subject Work and Energy that exercising these skills.

  1. Analytic methods for questions pertaining to a randomized pretest, posttest, follow-up design.

    PubMed

    Rausch, Joseph R; Maxwell, Scott E; Kelley, Ken

    2003-09-01

    Delineates 5 questions regarding group differences that are likely to be of interest to researchers within the framework of a randomized pretest, posttest, follow-up (PPF) design. These 5 questions are examined from a methodological perspective by comparing and discussing analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) methods and briefly discussing hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) for these questions. This article demonstrates that the pretest should be utilized as a covariate in the model rather than as a level of the time factor or as part of the dependent variable within the analysis of group differences. It is also demonstrated that how the posttest and the follow-up are utilized in the analysis of group differences is determined by the specific question asked by the researcher.

  2. Window Observational Research Facility (WORF)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pelfrey, Joseph; Sledd, Annette

    2007-01-01

    This viewgraph document concerns the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF) Rack, a unique facility designed for use with the US Lab Destiny Module window. WORF will provide valuable resources for Earth Science payloads along with serving the purpose of protecting the lab window. The facility can be used for remote sensing instrumentation test and validation in a shirt sleeve environment. WORF will also provide a training platform for crewmembers to do orbital observations of other planetary bodies. WORF payloads will be able to conduct terrestrial studies utilizing the data collected from utilizing WORF and the lab window.

  3. The Influence of Rural Location on Utilization of Formal Home Care: The Role of Medicaid

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McAuley, William J.; Spector, William D.; Van Nostrand, Joan; Shaffer, Tom

    2004-01-01

    Purpose: This research examines the impact of rural-urban residence on formal home-care utilization among older people and determines whether and how Medicaid coverage influences the association between, rural-urban location and risk of formal home-care use. Design and Methods: We combined data from the 1998 consolidated file of the Medical…

  4. A Dynamic Human Health Risk Assessment System

    PubMed Central

    Prasad, Umesh; Singh, Gurmit; Pant, A. B.

    2012-01-01

    An online human health risk assessment system (OHHRAS) has been designed and developed in the form of a prototype database-driven system and made available for the population of India through a website – www.healthriskindia.in. OHHRAS provide the three utilities, that is, health survey, health status, and bio-calculators. The first utility health survey is functional on the basis of database being developed dynamically and gives the desired output to the user on the basis of input criteria entered into the system; the second utility health status is providing the output on the basis of dynamic questionnaire and ticked (selected) answers and generates the health status reports based on multiple matches set as per advise of medical experts and the third utility bio-calculators are very useful for the scientists/researchers as online statistical analysis tool that gives more accuracy and save the time of user. The whole system and database-driven website has been designed and developed by using the software (mainly are PHP, My-SQL, Deamweaver, C++ etc.) and made available publically through a database-driven website (www.healthriskindia.in), which are very useful for researchers, academia, students, and general masses of all sectors. PMID:22778520

  5. Exploration-Related Research on the International Space Station: Connecting Science Results to the Design of Future Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rhatigan, Jennifer L.; Robinson, Julie A.; Sawin, Charles F.; Ahlf, Peter R.

    2005-01-01

    In January, 2004, the US President announced a vision for space exploration, and charged NASA with utilizing the International Space Station (ISS) for research and technology targeted at supporting the US space exploration goals. This paper describes: 1) what we have learned from the first four years of research on ISS relative to the exploration mission, 2) the on-going research being conducted in this regard, 3) our current understanding of the major exploration mission risks that the ISS can be used to address, and 4) current progress in realigning NASA s research portfolio for ISS to support exploration missions. Specifically, we discuss the focus of research on solving the perplexing problems of maintaining human health on long-duration missions, and the development of countermeasures to protect humans from the space environment, enabling long duration exploration missions. The interchange between mission design and research needs is dynamic, where design decisions influence the type of research needed, and results of research influence design decisions. The fundamental challenge to science on ISS is completing experiments that answer key questions in time to shape design decisions for future exploration. In this context, exploration-relevant research must do more than be conceptually connected to design decisions-it must become a part of the mission design process.

  6. The Relative Acceptability of the Multimedia Teaching Format

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cunningham, William H.; And Others

    1976-01-01

    This research was designed to measure how students enrolled in introductory marketing courses perceived mass section multimedia lecture classes in comparison with other commonly utilized teaching formats. (Author/RK)

  7. Design of a Glenn Research Center Solar Field Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Power System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Eichenberg, Dennis J.

    2009-01-01

    The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) designed, developed, and installed, a 37.5 kW DC photovoltaic (PV) Solar Field in the GRC West Area in the 1970s for the purpose of testing PV panels for various space and terrestrial applications. The PV panels are arranged to provide a nominal 120 VDC. The GRC Solar Field has been extremely successful in meeting its mission. The PV panels and the supporting electrical systems are all near their end of life. GRC has designed a 72 kW DC grid-tied PV power system to replace the existing GRC West Area Solar Field. The 72 kW DC grid-tied PV power system will provide DC solar power for GRC PV testing applications, and provide AC facility power for all times that research power is not required. A grid-tied system is connected directly to the utility distribution grid. Facility power can be obtained from the utility system as normal. The PV system is synchronized with the utility system to provide power for the facility, and excess power is provided to the utility for use by all. The project transfers space technology to terrestrial use via nontraditional partners. GRC personnel glean valuable experience with PV power systems that are directly applicable to various space power systems, and provide valuable space program test data. PV power systems help to reduce harmful emissions and reduce the Nation s dependence on fossil fuels. Power generated by the PV system reduces the GRC utility demand, and the surplus power aids the community. Present global energy concerns reinforce the need for the development of alternative energy systems. Modern PV panels are readily available, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Modern electronics has been the enabling technology behind grid-tied power systems, making them safe, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. The report concludes that the GRC West Area grid-tied PV power system design is viable for a reliable, maintenance free, long life power system that is of significant value to NASA and the community.

  8. Set. Research Information for Teachers. Number Two. 1991.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Llyn, Ed.; And Others

    This packet of educational research information is designed for everyone interested in education and may be utilized for a quick read, private study, staff meetings, inservice courses or small group discussions. The leaflets and brief reports are listed on a contents sheet as follows: "Twin Studies of Spelling"; "Moment-by-moment…

  9. Student Participation in Dual Enrollment and College Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Stephanie J.

    2014-01-01

    The study investigated the impact of dual enrollment participation on the academic preparation of first-year full-time college students at a large comprehensive community college and a large research university. The research design was causal-comparative and utilized descriptive and inferential statistics. Multivariate analysis of variances were…

  10. Science and Technology Data Book, 1989.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Div. of Science Resources Studies.

    Designed to provide easy access to information pertaining to science and technology, this data book provides indicators on: (1) funding for research and development; (2) human resources utilization and supply; and (3) international science and technology indicators. Graphs and charts are used to note research and development efforts from a…

  11. Science and Technology Data Book. 1987.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Div. of Science Resources Studies.

    Designed to provide easy access to information pertaining to science and technology, this data book provides indicators on: (1) funding for research and development; (2) human resources utilization and supply; and (3) international science and technology efforts. Graphs and charts are used to note research and development efforts from a nationwide…

  12. Science and Technology Data Book, 1988.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Div. of Science Resources Studies.

    Designed to provide easy access to information pertaining to science and technology, this data book provides indicators on: (1) funding for research and development; (2) human resources utilization and supply; and (3) international science and technology efforts. Graphs and charts are used to note research and development efforts from a nationwide…

  13. Differential Language Influence on Math Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Fang

    2010-01-01

    New models are commonly designed to solve certain limitations of other ones. Quantile regression is introduced in this paper because it can provide information that a regular mean regression misses. This research aims to demonstrate its utility in the educational research and measurement field for questions that may not be detected otherwise.…

  14. Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine, modification no. 6

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anderson, P. J.; Johnson, R. L.

    1984-01-01

    Research concerning the utilization of silicon piezoresistive strain sensing technology for space shuttle main engine applications is reported. The following specific topics were addressed: (1) transducer design and materials, (2) silicon piezoresistor characterization at cryogenic temperatures, (3) chip mounting characterization, and (4) frequency response optimization.

  15. Telefax Library Information Network. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Denver Univ., CO. Graduate School of Librarianship and Information Management.

    A demonstration project was undertaken to determine whether 1978 telefacsimile technology could address the needs of rural public libraries in a cost-effective manner. The TALINET design utilized local public library staff and a research/resource information staff at the University of Denver to research questions and deliver information to five…

  16. Sail Training: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manu Schijf; Allison, Pete; Von Wald, Kris

    2017-01-01

    Starting around 2000, research activity about sail training increased such that there is now sufficient research on the subject to constitute a foundation upon which an emerging body of literature can be identified. The literature has the potential to be utilized to influence program design, policy, theory, and practice--a growing area of youth…

  17. Utilizing various data sources for surface transportation human factors research : workshop summary report, November 6-7, 2013

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-07-01

    The report summarizes a 2-day workshop held on November 6-7, 2013, to discuss data sources for surface transportation human factors research. The workshop was designed to assess the increasing number of different datasets and multiple ways of collect...

  18. Evaluating Three Allied Health Training Programs: Exploratory Research into Curriculum Relevance and Labor Market Conditions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appel, Gary L.; And Others

    1977-01-01

    Presents results of a research effort designed to develop a methodology for assisting dietetic technicians, physical therapist assistants, and medical record technicians curriculum relevance, and to better understand labor market conditions affecting the utilization and distribution of midlevel technicians. (Author/LAS)

  19. Examination of Student Outcomes in Play Therapy: A Qualitative Case Study Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dillman Taylor, Dalena L.; Blount, Ashley J.; Bloom, Zachary

    2017-01-01

    Outcome research examining the effectiveness of teaching methods in counselor education is sparse. The researchers conducted a qualitative investigation utilizing an instrumental case study to examine the influence of a constructivist-developmental format on a play therapy counseling course in a large CACREP accredited university in the…

  20. A Quest for Website Accessibility in Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harper, Kelly A.; DeWaters, Jamie

    2008-01-01

    Researchers increasingly suggest that accessibility remains a prominent issue across the World Wide Web (www). This study raises awareness about issues of access in higher education. This qualitative research design utilized a listserv that invited university based webmasters to use freeware to evaluate the overall accessibility of their…

  1. DIRECT DOSING OF PRE-WEANING RODENTS IN TOXICITY TESTING AND RESEARCH: DELIBERATIONS OF AN ILSI RSI EXPERT WORKING GROUP.

    EPA Science Inventory

    Laboratory animal studies that are designed to assess the effects of exposure of a test substance during postnatal development are commonly utilized in basic research and to evaluate potential hazard to children for chemical and pharmaceutical regulation. Direct dosing, defined ...

  2. System Transformation in Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH): Variable Impact on Chronically Ill Patients' Utilization.

    PubMed

    Carlin, Caroline S; Flottemesch, Thomas J; Solberg, Leif I; Werner, Ann M

    2016-01-01

    Research connecting patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) with improved quality and reduced utilization is inconsistent, possibly because individual domains of change, and the stage of change, are not incorporated in the research design. The objective of this study was to examine the association between stage and domain of change and patterns of health care utilization. This was a cross-sectional observational study that including 87 Minnesota clinics certified as medical homes. Patients included those receiving management for diabetes or cardiovascular disease with insurance coverage by payers participating in the study. PCMH transformation stage was defined by practice systems in place, with measurements summarized in 5 domains. Health care utilization was measured by total utilization, frequency of outpatient visits and prescriptions, and occurrence of inpatient and emergency department visits. PCMH transformation was associated with few changes in utilization, but there were important differences by the underlying domains of change. We demonstrate meaningful differences in the impact of PCMH transformation by diagnosis cohort and comorbidity status of the patient. Because the association of health care utilization with PCMH transformation varied by transformation domain and patient diagnosis, practice leaders need to be supported by research incorporating detailed measures of PCMH transformation. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

  3. Evaluation of Visual Analytics Environments: The Road to the Visual Analytics Science and Technology Challenge Evaluation Methodology

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

    Scholtz, Jean; Plaisant, Catherine; Whiting, Mark A.

    The evaluation of visual analytics environments was a topic in Illuminating the Path [Thomas 2005] as a critical aspect of moving research into practice. For a thorough understanding of the utility of the systems available, evaluation not only involves assessing the visualizations, interactions or data processing algorithms themselves, but also the complex processes that a tool is meant to support (such as exploratory data analysis and reasoning, communication through visualization, or collaborative data analysis [Lam 2012; Carpendale 2007]). Researchers and practitioners in the field have long identified many of the challenges faced when planning, conducting, and executing an evaluation ofmore » a visualization tool or system [Plaisant 2004]. Evaluation is needed to verify that algorithms and software systems work correctly and that they represent improvements over the current infrastructure. Additionally to effectively transfer new software into a working environment, it is necessary to ensure that the software has utility for the end-users and that the software can be incorporated into the end-user’s infrastructure and work practices. Evaluation test beds require datasets, tasks, metrics and evaluation methodologies. As noted in [Thomas 2005] it is difficult and expensive for any one researcher to setup an evaluation test bed so in many cases evaluation is setup for communities of researchers or for various research projects or programs. Examples of successful community evaluations can be found [Chinchor 1993; Voorhees 2007; FRGC 2012]. As visual analytics environments are intended to facilitate the work of human analysts, one aspect of evaluation needs to focus on the utility of the software to the end-user. This requires representative users, representative tasks, and metrics that measure the utility to the end-user. This is even more difficult as now one aspect of the test methodology is access to representative end-users to participate in the evaluation. In many cases the sensitive nature of data and tasks and difficult access to busy analysts puts even more of a burden on researchers to complete this type of evaluation. User-centered design goes beyond evaluation and starts with the user [Beyer 1997, Shneiderman 2009]. Having some knowledge of the type of data, tasks, and work practices helps researchers and developers know the correct paths to pursue in their work. When access to the end-users is problematic at best and impossible at worst, user-centered design becomes difficult. Researchers are unlikely to go to work on the type of problems faced by inaccessible users. Commercial vendors have difficulties evaluating and improving their products when they cannot observe real users working with their products. In well-established fields such as web site design or office software design, user-interface guidelines have been developed based on the results of empirical studies or the experience of experts. Guidelines can speed up the design process and replace some of the need for observation of actual users [heuristics review references]. In 2006 when the visual analytics community was initially getting organized, no such guidelines existed. Therefore, we were faced with the problem of developing an evaluation framework for the field of visual analytics that would provide representative situations and datasets, representative tasks and utility metrics, and finally a test methodology which would include a surrogate for representative users, increase interest in conducting research in the field, and provide sufficient feedback to the researchers so that they could improve their systems.« less

  4. Making the Case for Practice-Based Research and the Imperative Role of Design Practitioners.

    PubMed

    Freihoefer, Kara; Zborowsky, Terri

    2017-04-01

    The purpose of this article is to justify the need for evidence-based design (EBD) in a research-based architecture and design practice. This article examines the current state of practice-based research (PBR), supports the need for EBD, illustrates PBR methods that can be applied to design work, and explores how findings can be used as a decision-making tool during design and as a validation tool during postoccupancy. As a result, design professions' body of knowledge will advance and practitioners will be better informed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the society. Furthermore, characteristics of Friedman's progressive research program are used as a framework to examine the current state of PBR in design practice. A modified EBD approach is proposed and showcased with a case study of a renovated inpatient unit. The modified approach demonstrates how a highly integrated project team, especially the role of design practitioners, contributed to the success of utilizing baseline findings and evidence in decision-making throughout the design process. Lastly, recommendations and resources for learning research concepts are provided for practitioners. It is the role of practitioners to pave the way for the next generation of design professionals, as the request and expectation for research become more prevalent in design practice.

  5. Schematic representation of case study research designs.

    PubMed

    Rosenberg, John P; Yates, Patsy M

    2007-11-01

    The paper is a report of a study to demonstrate how the use of schematics can provide procedural clarity and promote rigour in the conduct of case study research. Case study research is a methodologically flexible approach to research design that focuses on a particular case - whether an individual, a collective or a phenomenon of interest. It is known as the 'study of the particular' for its thorough investigation of particular, real-life situations and is gaining increased attention in nursing and social research. However, the methodological flexibility it offers can leave the novice researcher uncertain of suitable procedural steps required to ensure methodological rigour. This article provides a real example of a case study research design that utilizes schematic representation drawn from a doctoral study of the integration of health promotion principles and practices into a palliative care organization. The issues discussed are: (1) the definition and application of case study research design; (2) the application of schematics in research; (3) the procedural steps and their contribution to the maintenance of rigour; and (4) the benefits and risks of schematics in case study research. The inclusion of visual representations of design with accompanying explanatory text is recommended in reporting case study research methods.

  6. TREATABILITY DATABASE DESCRIPTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Drinking Water Treatability Database (TDB) presents referenced information on the control of contaminants in drinking water. It allows drinking water utilities, first responders to spills or emergencies, treatment process designers, research organizations, academics, regulato...

  7. PFERD Mission: Pluto Flyby Exploration/Research Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lemke, Gary; Zayed, Husni; Herring, Jason; Fuehne, Doug; Sutton, Kevin; Sharkey, Mike

    1990-01-01

    The Pluto Flyby Exploration/Research Design (PFERD) mission will consist of a flyby spacecraft to Pluto and its satellite, Charon. The mission lifetime is expected to be 18 years. The Titan 4 with a Centaur upper stage will be utilized to launch the craft into the transfer orbit. The proposal was divided into six main subsystems: (1) scientific instrumentation; (2) command, communications, and control: (3) altitude and articulation control; (4) power and propulsion; (5) structures and thermal control; and (6) mission management and costing. Tradeoff studies were performed to optimize all factors of design, including survivability, performance, cost, and weight. Problems encountered in the design are also presented.

  8. Dual-Spool Turbine Facility Design Overview

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giel, Paul; Pachlhofer, Pete

    2003-01-01

    The next generation of aircraft engines, both commercial and military, will attempt to capitalize on the benefits of close-coupled, vaneless, counter-rotating turbine systems. Experience has shown that significant risks and challenges are present with close-coupled systems in terms of efficiency and durability. The UEET program needs to demonstrate aerodynamic loading and efficiency goals for close-coupled, reduced-stage HP/LP turbine systems as a Level 1 Milestone for FY05. No research facility exists in the U.S. to provide risk reduction for successful development of close-coupled, high and low pressure turbine systems for the next generations of engines. To meet these objectives, the design, construction, and integrated systems testing of a Dual-Spool Turbine Facility (DSTF) facility has been initiated at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The facility will be a warm (-IOOO'F), continuous flow facility for overall aerodynamic performance and detailed flow field measurement acquisition. The facility will have state-of-the-art instrumentation to capture flow physics details. Accurate and reliable speed control will be achieved by utilizing the existing Variable Frequency Drive System. Utilization of this and other existing GRC centralized utilities will reduce the overall construction costs. The design allows for future installation of a turbine inlet combustor profile simulator. This presentation details the objectives of the facility and the concepts used in specifying its capabilities. Some preliminary design results will be presented along with a discussion of plans and schedules.

  9. Danish research-active clinical nurses overcome barriers in research utilization.

    PubMed

    Adamsen, Lis; Larsen, Kristian; Bjerregaard, Lene; Madsen, Jan K

    2003-03-01

    The aim of this study was to examine whether there was a difference between clinical nurses who were research-active, and clinical nurses who were nonresearch-active in utilization of research. A further aim was to identify the most significant barriers faced by a group of Danish clinical nurses in their use of research. Discrepancy between the improved quality of research results and the lack of implementing them was the starting point for a series of studies which showed the types of barriers clinical nurses found especially cumbersome when applying the research results of other researchers. This study investigates whether the clinical nurses' own engagement in research had any impact on their perception of research utilization. The study had an exploratory and descriptive design. Seventy-nine Danish clinical nurses participated and semi-structured interviewing was used as the research method. There was a statistically significant difference between the research-active and nonresearch-active nurses on various variables. The study showed that, to a larger extent, research-active nurses used evidence-based knowledge and were generally more internationally orientated. Furthermore, two important barriers for research utilization were identified by all 79 clinical nurses included in the study, i.e. 90% of the nurses explained that the quantity of research results was overwhelming, and 75% of them found that they were unable to evaluate the quality of the research. Clinical nurses, who were research-active themselves, experienced more success in overcoming some of the barriers, which existed in applying research to practice. The research potential found amongst clinical nurses in Denmark needed to be further supported through training and guidance in research methodology, establishing introductory stipends and part-time research positions. By doing so, some of the barriers affecting research utilization and the so-called theory-practice gap might be reduced. Further empirical studies, based on Giddens theory of sociological reflectivity, might see clinical nurses in a more serious light and simultaneously perceive them as producers of knowledge.

  10. Radioisotope Electric Propulsion Missions Utilizing a Common Spacecraft Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fiehler, Douglas; Oleson, Steven

    2004-01-01

    A study was conducted that shows how a single Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) spacecraft design could be used for various missions throughout the solar system. This spacecraft design is based on a REP feasibility design from a study performed by NASA Glenn Research Center and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The study also identifies technologies that need development to enable these missions. The mission baseline for the REP feasibility design study is a Trojan asteroid orbiter. This mission sends an REP spacecraft to Jupiter s leading Lagrange point where it would orbit and examine several Trojan asteroids. The spacecraft design from the REP feasibility study would also be applicable to missions to the Centaurs, and through some change of payload configuration, could accommodate a comet sample-return mission. Missions to small bodies throughout the outer solar system are also within reach of this spacecraft design. This set of missions, utilizing the common REP spacecraft design, is examined and required design modifications for specific missions are outlined.

  11. Focus Group Evidence: Implications for Design and Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Katherine E.; Gandha, Tysza; Culbertson, Michael J.; Carlson, Crystal

    2014-01-01

    In evaluation and applied social research, focus groups may be used to gather different kinds of evidence (e.g., opinion, tacit knowledge). In this article, we argue that making focus group design choices explicitly in relation to the type of evidence required would enhance the empirical value and rigor associated with focus group utilization. We…

  12. Facilitating Real-Time Observation of, and Peer Discussion and Feedback about, Practice in Writing Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parr, Judy M.; Hawe, Eleanor

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates conditions designed to optimize learning where professionals utilize the expertise and support of one another. It describes a research--practice collaboration to enhance teacher knowledge and practice through peer observation of, and feedback about, classroom practice in writing. A collaboratively designed observation…

  13. Designing a Supply Chain Management Academic Curriculum Using QFD and Benchmarking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Marvin E.; Quesada, Gioconda; Gourdin, Kent; Hartley, Mark

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to utilize quality function deployment (QFD), Benchmarking analyses and other innovative quality tools to develop a new customer-centered undergraduate curriculum in supply chain management (SCM). Design/methodology/approach: The researchers used potential employers as the source for data collection. Then,…

  14. Glass sealing

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

    Brow, R.K.; Kovacic, L.; Chambers, R.S.

    1996-04-01

    Hernetic glass sealing technologies developed for weapons component applications can be utilized for the design and manufacture of fuel cells. Design and processing of of a seal are optimized through an integrated approach based on glass composition research, finite element analysis, and sealing process definition. Glass sealing procedures are selected to accommodate the limits imposed by glass composition and predicted calculations.

  15. 75 FR 79982 - Authority To Designate Financial Market Utilities as Systemically Important

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-21

    ....regulations.gov . Electronic submission of comments allows the commenter maximum time to prepare and submit a... Research; the Director of the Federal Insurance Office; and a State insurance commissioner, a State banking... Designation 1. What quantitative and qualitative information should the Council use to measure the factors it...

  16. Comparing the Effects of Home versus Clinic-Based Parent Training for Children with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crone, Regina M.

    2010-01-01

    Research with parents on managing child problem behavior typically measures either child or parent behavior. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of training parents to implement a function-based behavior intervention plan (BIP) in a non-trained natural environment utilizing a Multiple Probe Design across Participants.…

  17. Improving the K-12 Online Course Design Review Process: Experts Weigh in on iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adelstein, David; Barbour, Michael K.

    2017-01-01

    Within the K-12 online learning environment there are a variety of standards that designers can utilize when creating online courses. To date, the only research-based standards available are proprietary in manner. As such, many jurisdictions have begun adopting online course design standards from the leading advocacy organization, which that have…

  18. Human-centred design in global health: A scoping review of applications and contexts.

    PubMed

    Bazzano, Alessandra N; Martin, Jane; Hicks, Elaine; Faughnan, Maille; Murphy, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Health and wellbeing are determined by a number of complex, interrelated factors. The application of design thinking to questions around health may prove valuable and complement existing approaches. A number of public health projects utilizing human centered design (HCD), or design thinking, have recently emerged, but no synthesis of the literature around these exists. The results of a scoping review of current research on human centered design for health outcomes are presented. The review aimed to understand why and how HCD can be valuable in the contexts of health related research. Results identified pertinent literature as well as gaps in information on the use of HCD for public health research, design, implementation and evaluation. A variety of contexts were identified in which design has been used for health. Global health and design thinking have different underlying conceptual models and terminology, creating some inherent tensions, which could be overcome through clear communication and documentation in collaborative projects. The review concludes with lessons learned from the review on how future projects can better integrate design thinking with global health research.

  19. Human-centred design in global health: A scoping review of applications and contexts

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Jane; Hicks, Elaine; Faughnan, Maille; Murphy, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Health and wellbeing are determined by a number of complex, interrelated factors. The application of design thinking to questions around health may prove valuable and complement existing approaches. A number of public health projects utilizing human centered design (HCD), or design thinking, have recently emerged, but no synthesis of the literature around these exists. The results of a scoping review of current research on human centered design for health outcomes are presented. The review aimed to understand why and how HCD can be valuable in the contexts of health related research. Results identified pertinent literature as well as gaps in information on the use of HCD for public health research, design, implementation and evaluation. A variety of contexts were identified in which design has been used for health. Global health and design thinking have different underlying conceptual models and terminology, creating some inherent tensions, which could be overcome through clear communication and documentation in collaborative projects. The review concludes with lessons learned from the review on how future projects can better integrate design thinking with global health research. PMID:29091935

  20. Advanced in-duct sorbent injection for SO{sub 2} control. Topical report No. 2, Subtask 2.2: Design optimization

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

    Rosenhoover, W.A.; Stouffer, M.R.; Withum, J.A.

    1994-12-01

    The objective of this research project is to develop second-generation duct injection technology as a cost-effective SO{sub 2} control option for the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Research is focused on the Advanced Coolside process, which has shown the potential for achieving the performance targets of 90% SO{sub 2} removal and 60% sorbent utilization. In Subtask 2.2, Design Optimization, process improvement was sought by optimizing sorbent recycle and by optimizing process equipment for reduced cost. The pilot plant recycle testing showed that 90% SO{sub 2} removal could be achieved at sorbent utilizations up to 75%. This testing also showed thatmore » the Advanced Coolside process has the potential to achieve very high removal efficiency (90 to greater than 99%). Two alternative contactor designs were developed, tested and optimized through pilot plant testing; the improved designs will reduce process costs significantly, while maintaining operability and performance essential to the process. Also, sorbent recycle handling equipment was optimized to reduce cost.« less

  1. Closing the Professional Development, Learning Outcome and Budget Proposal Gap at a Two-Year Eduational Institution: An Action Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mason, Eric L.

    2014-01-01

    Two-year community colleges are commissioned to close the assessment-outcome loop, which includes the research site for this study. This action research study, which utilized quantitative and qualitative data sets, was designed to close the assessments, learning outcomes and the professional development budget proposal process gap. The developed…

  2. Teacher Candidates' Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Possible Selves throughout the Teaching Practice Period in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dalioglu, Seray Tatli; Adiguzel, Oktay Cem

    2016-01-01

    This research aims to study the change observed in self-efficacy beliefs and possible selves of teacher candidates regarding their first year in the profession after the completion of teaching practice. The research has a mix design method utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools. The quantitative part of the research has…

  3. An Examination of Pre-Service History Teachers' Metaphors Regarding the Concept of "Freedom"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guven, Aydin

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this research study is to examine the metaphors generated by pre-service history teachers regarding the concept of freedom. Qualitative method is used in the research study and phenomenology is utilized as a research design. Semi-structured forms are used as a data collection tool in the study. Each pre-service history teacher is…

  4. Examining Researcher Needs and Barriers for using Electronic Health Data for Translational Research

    PubMed Central

    Stephens, Kari A.; Lee, E. Sally; Estiri, Hossein; Jung, Hyunggu

    2015-01-01

    To achieve the Learning Health Care System, we must harness electronic health data (EHD) by providing effective tools for researchers to access data efficiently. EHD is proliferating and researchers are relying on these data to pioneer discovery. Tools must be user-centric to ensure their utility. To this end, we conducted a qualitative study to assess researcher needs and barriers to using EHD. Researchers expressed the need to be confident about the data and have easy access, a clear process for exploration and access, and adequate resources, while barriers included difficulties in finding datasets, usability of the data, cumbersome processes, and lack of resources. These needs and barriers can inform the design process for innovating tools to increase utility of EHD. Understanding researcher needs is key to building effective user-centered EHD tools to support translational research. PMID:26306262

  5. Efficient hiding of confidential high-utility itemsets with minimal side effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Jerry Chun-Wei; Hong, Tzung-Pei; Fournier-Viger, Philippe; Liu, Qiankun; Wong, Jia-Wei; Zhan, Justin

    2017-11-01

    Privacy preserving data mining (PPDM) is an emerging research problem that has become critical in the last decades. PPDM consists of hiding sensitive information to ensure that it cannot be discovered by data mining algorithms. Several PPDM algorithms have been developed. Most of them are designed for hiding sensitive frequent itemsets or association rules. Hiding sensitive information in a database can have several side effects such as hiding other non-sensitive information and introducing redundant information. Finding the set of itemsets or transactions to be sanitised that minimises side effects is an NP-hard problem. In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA) using transaction deletion is designed to hide sensitive high-utility itemsets for PPUM. A flexible fitness function with three adjustable weights is used to evaluate the goodness of each chromosome for hiding sensitive high-utility itemsets. To speed up the evolution process, the pre-large concept is adopted in the designed algorithm. It reduces the number of database scans required for verifying the goodness of an evaluated chromosome. Substantial experiments are conducted to compare the performance of the designed GA approach (with/without the pre-large concept), with a GA-based approach relying on transaction insertion and a non-evolutionary algorithm, in terms of execution time, side effects, database integrity and utility integrity. Results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm hides sensitive high-utility itemsets with fewer side effects than previous studies, while preserving high database and utility integrity.

  6. Research design: the methodology for interdisciplinary research framework.

    PubMed

    Tobi, Hilde; Kampen, Jarl K

    2018-01-01

    Many of today's global scientific challenges require the joint involvement of researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds (social sciences, environmental sciences, climatology, medicine, etc.). Such interdisciplinary research teams face many challenges resulting from differences in training and scientific culture. Interdisciplinary education programs are required to train truly interdisciplinary scientists with respect to the critical factor skills and competences. For that purpose this paper presents the Methodology for Interdisciplinary Research (MIR) framework. The MIR framework was developed to help cross disciplinary borders, especially those between the natural sciences and the social sciences. The framework has been specifically constructed to facilitate the design of interdisciplinary scientific research, and can be applied in an educational program, as a reference for monitoring the phases of interdisciplinary research, and as a tool to design such research in a process approach. It is suitable for research projects of different sizes and levels of complexity, and it allows for a range of methods' combinations (case study, mixed methods, etc.). The different phases of designing interdisciplinary research in the MIR framework are described and illustrated by real-life applications in teaching and research. We further discuss the framework's utility in research design in landscape architecture, mixed methods research, and provide an outlook to the framework's potential in inclusive interdisciplinary research, and last but not least, research integrity.

  7. Should "standard gamble" and "'time trade off" utility measurement be used more in mental health research?

    PubMed

    Flood, Chris

    2010-06-01

    This review and discussion paper demonstrates that utility and preference measurement in mental health research is increasing. However there is still a general reluctance around using the methods due to methodological challenges and concerns around the capacity of users to understand utility methods during the research process. This paper sets out to describe and review some of the previously documented difficulties of using utility measurements in mental health services research and to highlight where they have been used successfully as measures. Additionally the paper aims to discuss a means of improving the methods used to capture service user utility and preference measurement and why decision making would be better informed as a result. International literature on utility measurement is reviewed, specifically examining the use of standard gamble and time trade off methods in mental health. Utility measurement in mental health is increasing though as the review demonstrates, concerns still exist over its application. A number of methods can be used to improve the approach overall and these are discussed as well as specific areas worthy of utility measurement including 'disutility' of admission, medication and medication side effects. Overall this paper argues that it is necessary to persist with efforts to conduct utility measurement calculation albeit with a critical eye on the methods in an attempt to ensure improvements are continually made. Utility and preference scores may be limited in that they only provide a rough score but they are defended as a means of providing some form of strength of preference for health states. The review is limited to English only texts. The debate on whether to use standard gamble and time trade off has implications for health services resource allocations, decision making, health economics research, policy making and health services research generally involving psychiatric service users. The paper argues that the absence of utility measurement in mental health runs the risk of mental health being disadvantaged in decisions around resource allocation. Institutions involved in decision making like the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, would be better served in their decision making and calculation of Quality Adjusted Life Years if more utility measurement in psychiatric research was carried out. Other arguments for using utility measurement include the desirability of using utility measurement to elicit a patient dimension of risk. Future utility research should aim for better involvement of service users in the design stage, the changing of time frames offered to users in health state scenarios used, a greater need for comparative work of utilities scoring across illness and between standard gamble and time trade off and more staff training in the use of utility methodology with mental health service users.

  8. Safe Life Propulsion Design Technologies (3rd Generation Propulsion Research and Technology)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ellis, Rod

    2000-01-01

    The tasks outlined in this viewgraph presentation on safe life propulsion design technologies (third generation propulsion research and technology) include the following: (1) Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) life prediction methods; (2) Life prediction methods for ultra high temperature polymer matrix composites for reusable launch vehicle (RLV) airframe and engine application; (3) Enabling design and life prediction technology for cost effective large-scale utilization of MMCs and innovative metallic material concepts; (4) Probabilistic analysis methods for brittle materials and structures; (5) Damage assessment in CMC propulsion components using nondestructive characterization techniques; and (6) High temperature structural seals for RLV applications.

  9. Activities pattern of planned settlement’s residence and its influence toward settlement design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nirfalini Aulia, Dwira

    2018-03-01

    Everyday activity of residents in a housing area will create activities pattern. Utilization of public spaces in a housing area with repeating activities pattern will affect the design of public spaces. Changes in public space usage in a housing area happen as a result of residents’ activities pattern. The goal of this paper is to identify residents’ activity pattern and connect its influence towards public spaces utilization in planned housing in micro and urban area in macro. Housing residents classified into four respondent groups based on marriage status which is unmarried, single parents, the family without child and family with a child. The method used in this research is the qualitative descriptive approach. Research finding showed that housing area with housing facilities capable of creating happiness and convenience for its residents doing their activities in public spaces.

  10. A programing system for research and applications in structural optimization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.; Rogers, J. L., Jr.

    1981-01-01

    The paper describes a computer programming system designed to be used for methodology research as well as applications in structural optimization. The flexibility necessary for such diverse utilizations is achieved by combining, in a modular manner, a state-of-the-art optimization program, a production level structural analysis program, and user supplied and problem dependent interface programs. Standard utility capabilities existing in modern computer operating systems are used to integrate these programs. This approach results in flexibility of the optimization procedure organization and versatility in the formulation of contraints and design variables. Features shown in numerical examples include: (1) variability of structural layout and overall shape geometry, (2) static strength and stiffness constraints, (3) local buckling failure, and (4) vibration constraints. The paper concludes with a review of the further development trends of this programing system.

  11. Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Volume 2. Navy Projects, Abstracts of Phase 1 Awards from FY 1989 SBIR Solicitation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-04-01

    DECISION AIDS HAVE CREATED A VAST NEW POTENTIAL FOR SUPPORT OF STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL OPERATIONS. THE NON-MONOTONIC PROBABILIST (NMP), DEVELOPED BY...QUALITY OF THE NEW DESIGN WILL BE EVALUATED BY CREATING A VIDEO TAPE USING A VIDEO ANIMATION SYSTEM, AND A SOFTWARE SIMULATION OF THE NEW DESIGN. THE...FAULT TOLERANT, SECURE SHIPBOARD COMMUNICATIONS. THE LAN WILL UTILIZE PHOENIX DIGITAL’S FAULT TOLERANT, " SELF - HEALING " SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1993-01-01

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

  13. Administrative History of the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development from 1952 through 1975

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-01

    concluding an "agonizing reappraisal" of the future role of research and develop- ment with the issuance of a General Order creating the post of Deputy...utilization of European science. The Command held to the view that any program designed to make use of European science must be directed by an...Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), provided formal notification on 4 February 1952 that the United States Air Force had been designated the executive

  14. Control Law-Control Allocation Interaction: F/A-18 PA Simulation Test - Bed

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Durham, Wayne; Nelson, Mark

    2001-01-01

    This report documents the first stage of research into Control Law - Control Allocation Interactions. A three-year research effort was originally proposed: 1. Create a desktop flight simulation environment under which experiments related to the open questions may be conducted. 2. Conduct research to determine which aspects of control allocation have impact upon control law design that merits further research. 3. Conduct research into those aspects of control allocation identified above, and their impacts upon control law design. Simulation code was written utilizing the F/A-18 airframe in the power approach (PA) configuration. A dynamic inversion control law was implemented and used to drive a state-of-the-art control allocation subroutine.

  15. Integrating evidence-based practice into RN-to-BSN clinical nursing education.

    PubMed

    Oh, Eui Geum; Kim, Sunah; Kim, So Sun; Kim, Sue; Cho, Eun Yong; Yoo, Ji-Soo; Kim, Hee Soon; Lee, Ju Hee; You, Mi Ae; Lee, Hyejung

    2010-07-01

    This study examines the effects of integrating evidence-based practice (EBP) into clinical practicum on EBP efficacy and barriers to research utilization among Korean RN-to-BSN students. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Eighty-one students were recruited from a school of nursing in Korea. Evidence-based practice clinical practicum was composed of two consecutive programs during one semester. Lectures, individual mentoring on EBP practicum, small group, and wrap-up conferences were provided. Outcomes of EBP efficacy and barriers to research utilization were analyzed using paired t tests for 74 final participants. Evidence-based practice efficacy scores increased significantly (p < 0.05), and the barriers to research utilization scores decreased significantly after the EBP clinical practicum. The results highlight the effectiveness of EBP education among RN-to-BSN students. These results may help health educators develop effective educational strategies to integrate EBP concepts into a clinical practicum. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

  16. Ionic Liquids for Utilization of Waste Heat from Distributed Power Generation Systems

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

    Joan F. Brennecke; Mihir Sen; Edward J. Maginn

    2009-01-11

    The objective of this research project was the development of ionic liquids to capture and utilize waste heat from distributed power generation systems. Ionic Liquids (ILs) are organic salts that are liquid at room temperature and they have the potential to make fundamental and far-reaching changes in the way we use energy. In particular, the focus of this project was fundamental research on the potential use of IL/CO2 mixtures in absorption-refrigeration systems. Such systems can provide cooling by utilizing waste heat from various sources, including distributed power generation. The basic objectives of the research were to design and synthesize ILsmore » appropriate for the task, to measure and model thermophysical properties and phase behavior of ILs and IL/CO2 mixtures, and to model the performance of IL/CO2 absorption-refrigeration systems.« less

  17. Conscious Engagement in Undergraduate Male Nursing Students: Facilitating Voice through an Action Research Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maykut, Colleen A.; Lee, Andrew; Argueta, Nelson Garcia; Grant, Sean; Miller, Cole

    2016-01-01

    Although women have made significant progress into traditionally male-dominated professions, such as medicine and engineering, the same cannot be said of men in the nursing profession. Utilizing a critical social theory perspective, an action research project was designed to encourage participants, current male nursing students and alumni of…

  18. Forest products issue.

    Treesearch

    Thornton T. Munger

    1935-01-01

    This issue of Forest Research Notes is devoted to abstracts of projects under way or recently completed by the Section of Forest Products. This section conducts research designed to contribute to better and more economic utilization of the products of the forest. As shown by the variety of subjects presented in these notes, the projects range from the statistics of...

  19. Examining Success Factors Related to ERP Implementations in Higher Education Shared Services Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoyanoff, Dawn Galadriel Pfeiffer

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations that utilized a shared services model in higher education. The purpose of this research was to examine the critical success factors which were perceived to contribute to project success. This research employed a quantitative non-experimental correlational design and the…

  20. Cartoon Hypnotherapy: An Innovative Treatment Approach for Childhood Emotional Disturbances.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crowley, Richard J.; Mills, Joyce C.

    Cartoon research includes the areas of experimental designs carried out in school classroom environments to determine the effects of cartoon viewing on children's behavior and the medical utilization of cartoons as part of an overall treatment program. This study differs from previous research by accepting the reality of cartoon viewing and…

  1. Teaching Assistant Development through a Fresh Lens: A Self-Determination Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardre, Patricia L.

    2013-01-01

    Self-determination Theory (SDT) presents critical constructs and processes for understanding and improving human learning and development. Though actively utilized as a theoretical framework for K-12 and adult training research, it has been virtually ignored in TA professional development design and research. Self-determination and the process of…

  2. Heuristic Task Analysis on E-Learning Course Development: A Formative Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Ji-Yeon; Reigeluth, Charles M.

    2009-01-01

    Utilizing heuristic task analysis (HTA), a method developed for eliciting, analyzing, and representing expertise in complex cognitive tasks, a formative research study was conducted on the task of e-learning course development to further improve the HTA process. Three instructional designers from three different post-secondary institutions in the…

  3. Putting Institutional Research to Work in the Smaller College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stivers, Earl R.

    The aims of institutional research should be to: (1) provide a basis for future planning, e.g., enrollment projections and criteria for accepting applications, (2) determine the effectiveness of space utilization, such as use of each instructional room, free hours of each, comparisons of class sizes with designed room capacities, discovery of…

  4. Interpersonal Consulting Skills for Instructional Technology Consultants: A Multiple Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Leusen, Peter; Ottenbreit-Lefwich, Anne T.; Brush, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Building a trust-based relationship with faculty is one of the most important attributes of effective Instructional Technology Consultants (ITC) in order to integrate emerging technologies into higher education. Utilizing a multiple case study research design, four experienced ITCs at a large urban research university located in the Midwest showed…

  5. Treatment Fidelity among Family Health Promoters Delivering a Physical Activity and Nutrition Intervention to Immigrant and Refugee Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bronars, Carrie A.; Hanza, Marcelo M.; Meiers, Sonja J.; Patten, Christi A.; Clark, Matthew M.; Nigon, Julie A.; Weis, Jennifer A.; Wieland, Mark L.; Sia, Irene G.

    2017-01-01

    Lack of treatment fidelity can be an important source of variation affecting the credibility and utility of outcomes from behavioral intervention research. Development and implementation of a well-designed treatment fidelity plan, especially with research involving underserved populations, requires careful conceptualization of study needs in…

  6. Effects of a Research-Infused Botanical Curriculum on Undergraduates' Content Knowledge, STEM Competencies, and Attitudes toward Plant Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ward, Jennifer Rhode; Clarke, H. David; Horton, Jonathan L.

    2014-01-01

    In response to the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education initiative, we infused authentic, plant-based research into majors' courses at a public liberal arts university. Faculty members designed a financially sustainable pedagogical approach, utilizing vertically integrated…

  7. Connected Learning in Co-Operative Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Jeela

    2007-01-01

    This qualitative research study explored the experiences of students who had attended a co operative (co-op) education program, with a focus on what makes the experience meaningful to them. Utilizing a basic interpretive research design, students who graduated from a co-op program were interviewed using an open-ended interview protocol. Both male…

  8. Urban Indian Voices: A Community-Based Participatory Research Health and Needs Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Chad V.; Bartgis, Jami; Worley, Jody A.; Hellman, Chan M.; Burkhart, Russell

    2010-01-01

    This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project utilized a mixed-methods survey design to identify urban (Tulsa, OK) American Indian (AI) strengths and needs. Six hundred fifty AIs (550 adults and 100 youth) were surveyed regarding their attitudes and beliefs about their community. These results were used in conjunction with other…

  9. Research Utilizing Problem Solving (RUPS) - Classroom Version. Description of Teacher Inservice Education Materials.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Education Association, Washington, DC. Project on Utilization of Inservice Education R & D Outcomes.

    The workshop instructional materials described here are designed to try out a systematic problem solving process as a way of working toward improvements in the school setting. Topics include diagnosis using force field technique, small group dynamics, planning for action, and planning a RUPS (Research Using Problem Solving) project. This…

  10. Instructional Leadership of High School Assistant Principals in Northern California

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garrard, John Christian Timothy

    2013-01-01

    To identify how high school assistant principals in large suburban schools serve as instructional leaders and how they develop these skills, this research utilized a multiple-case study design, followed by a cross-case analysis of the data. This research explores the instructional leadership of three female comprehensive high school assistant…

  11. Impact of Hands-On Research Experience on Students' Learning in an Introductory Management Information System Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Yun; Sankar, Chetan S.

    2013-01-01

    Although students in Introductory Information Systems courses are taught new technology concepts, the complexity and constantly changing nature of these technologies makes it challenging to deliver the concepts effectively. Aiming to improve students' learning experiences, this research utilized the five phases of design science methodology to…

  12. Teacher Research in South Korean Early Childhood Education: New Initiative as Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Mina; Kang, Bokyung

    2012-01-01

    This study was designed to explore how Korean preschool and kindergarten teachers understand teacher research and utilize it in professional development. Two teachers, two site directors, and one district supervisor were interviewed in South Korea. Data were collected in multiple ways: (1) open-ended individual interviews; (2) participants'…

  13. Design and testing of a mesocosm-scale habitat for culturing the endangered Devils Hole Pupfish

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Feuerbacher, Olin; Bonar, Scott A.; Barrett, Paul J.

    2016-01-01

    aptive propagation of desert spring fishes, whether for conservation or research, is often difficult, given the unique and often challenging environments these fish utilize in nature. High temperatures, low dissolved oxygen, minimal water flow, and highly variable lighting are some conditions a researcher might need to recreate to simulate their natural environments. Here we describe a mesocosm-scale habitat created to maintain hybrid Devils Hole × Ash Meadows Amargosa Pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis × C. nevadensis mionectes) under conditions similar to those found in Devils Hole, Nevada. This 13,000-L system utilized flow control and natural processes to maintain these conditions rather than utilizing complex and expensive automation. We designed a rotating solar collector to control natural sunlight, a biological reactor to consume oxygen while buffering water quality, and a reverse-daylight photosynthesis sump system to stabilize nighttime pH and swings in dissolved oxygen levels. This system successfully controlled many desired parameters and helped inform development of a larger, more permanent desert fish conservation facility at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada. For others who need to raise fish from unique habitats, many components of the scalable and modular design of this system can be adapted at reasonable cost.

  14. Factors Affecting the Use of Human Tissues in Biomedical Research: Implications in the Design and Operation of a Biorepository.

    PubMed

    Atherton, Daniel S; Sexton, Katherine C; Otali, Dennis; Bell, Walter C; Grizzle, William E

    2016-01-01

    The availability of high-quality human tissues is necessary to advance medical research. Although there are inherent and induced limitations on the use of human tissues in research, biorepositories play critical roles in minimizing the effects of such limitations. Specifically, the optimal utilization of tissues in research requires tissues to be diagnosed accurately, and the actual specimens provided to investigators must be carefully described (i.e., there must be quality control of each aliquot of the tissue provided for research, including a description of any damage to tissues). Tissues also should be collected, processed, stored, and distributed (i.e., handled) uniformly under a rigorous quality management system (QMS). Frequently, tissues are distributed to investigators by tissue banks which have collected, processed, and stored them by standard operating procedures (SOPs). Alternatively, tissues for research may be handled via SOPs that are modified to the specific requirements of investigators (i.e., using a prospective biorepository model). The primary goal of any type of biorepository should be to ensure its specimens are of high quality and are utilized appropriately in research; however, approaches may vary based on the tissues available and requested. For example, extraction of specific molecules (e.g., microRNA) to study molecular characteristics of a tissue may require less clinical annotation than tissues that are utilized to identify how the molecular expression might be used to clarify a clinical outcome of a disease or the response to a specific therapy. This review focuses on the limitations of the use of tissues in research and how the design and operations of a tissue biorepository can minimize some of these limitations.

  15. National Combustion Code, a Multidisciplinary Combustor Design System, Will Be Transferred to the Commercial Sector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Steele, Gynelle C.

    1999-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center and Flow Parametrics will enter into an agreement to commercialize the National Combustion Code (NCC). This multidisciplinary combustor design system utilizes computer-aided design (CAD) tools for geometry creation, advanced mesh generators for creating solid model representations, a common framework for fluid flow and structural analyses, modern postprocessing tools, and parallel processing. This integrated system can facilitate and enhance various phases of the design and analysis process.

  16. What we call what we do affects how we do it: a new nomenclature for simulation research in medical education.

    PubMed

    Haji, Faizal A; Hoppe, Daniel J; Morin, Marie-Paule; Giannoulakis, Konstantine; Koh, Jansen; Rojas, David; Cheung, Jeffrey J H

    2014-05-01

    Rapid technological advances and concern for patient safety have increased the focus on simulation as a pedagogical tool for educating health care providers. To date, simulation research scholarship has focused on two areas; evaluating instructional designs of simulation programs, and the integration of simulation into a broader educational context. However, these two categories of research currently exist under a single label-Simulation-Based Medical Education. In this paper we argue that introducing a more refined nomenclature within which to frame simulation research is necessary for researchers, to appropriately design research studies and describe their findings, and for end-point users (such as program directors and educators), to more appropriately understand and utilize this evidence.

  17. The Multi-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Educational Research. Final Report, Part IV; The Utilization of Sociological Ideas in Organizational Planning: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazarsfeld, Paul F., Ed.

    This document, the fourth in the final report on the Multi-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Educational Research, is a qualitative case study designed to show the form of sociological contributions to and the role of sociologists in policy formulation at an American Educational Research Association (AERA) colloquium. Discussions at the conference…

  18. Effects of Cloze Instructional Approach on Senior Secondary School Students' Achievement in Igbo Language Reading Comprehension

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eze, Nneka Justina

    2015-01-01

    This study assessed the effects of cloze instructional approach on senior secondary school students' achievement in Igbo language reading comprehension. The study utilized a quasi experimental research design of the pretest posttest non-equivalent control group design. The study was conducted in Abakaliki education zone of Ebonyi State of Nigeria.…

  19. RNA Nanostructures – Methods and Protocols | Center for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    RNA nanotechnology is a young field with many potential applications. The goal is to utilize designed RNA strands, such that the obtained constructs have specific properties in terms of shape and functionality. RNA has potential functionalities that are comparable to that of proteins, but possesses (compared to proteins) simpler design principles akin to DNA. The promise is

  20. Under What Circumstances Does External Knowledge about the Correlation Structure Improve Power in Cluster Randomized Designs?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhoads, Christopher

    2014-01-01

    Recent publications have drawn attention to the idea of utilizing prior information about the correlation structure to improve statistical power in cluster randomized experiments. Because power in cluster randomized designs is a function of many different parameters, it has been difficult for applied researchers to discern a simple rule explaining…

  1. Challenging Thoughts, Changing Minds: Preservice Teachers' Reflections on Their Experience Working in an Alternative School Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blevins, Brooke; Moore, Brandon; Dexter Torti, Cameron

    2017-01-01

    This study was designed to use critical reflective journaling practices to explore the experiences of preservice teachers working in a juvenile justice education program called the Reach Academy. Using a qualitative case study design, the researchers explored how 48 preservice teachers utilized critical reflective journaling to examine their own…

  2. Perception of Teachers and Administrators on the Teaching Methods That Influence the Acquisition of Generic Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Audu, R.; Bin Kamin, Yusri; Bin Musta'amal, Aede Hatib; Bin Saud, Muhammad Sukri; Hamid, Mohd. Zolkifli Abd.

    2014-01-01

    This study is designed to identify the most significant teaching methods that influence the acquisition of generic skills of mechanical engineering trades students at technical college level. Descriptive survey research design was utilized in carrying out the study. One hundred and ninety (190) respondents comprised of mechanical engineering…

  3. Utilization of Smartphones in Science Teaching and Learning in Selected Universities in Ghana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Twum, Rosemary

    2017-01-01

    This study was designed to examine the use of mobile phone, a widespread technology, and determined how this technology influences science students' learning. The study intended to examine the use of smartphones in science teaching and learning and propose of model in the use of smartphones for teaching and learning. The research design employed…

  4. The Design and Development of a Multimedia Case-Based Environment on Parental Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roushias, Christos; Barton, Angela Calabrese; Drake, Corey

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to present the rationale and principles that guided the design and development of PARENTS, a multimedia case-based environment. Following a development research approach, the tenets of constructivist learning, and the advantages of case-based instruction, we developed a multimedia program in which we utilized and…

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

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

  6. Application of Regression-Discontinuity Analysis in Pharmaceutical Health Services Research

    PubMed Central

    Zuckerman, Ilene H; Lee, Euni; Wutoh, Anthony K; Xue, Zhenyi; Stuart, Bruce

    2006-01-01

    Objective To demonstrate how a relatively underused design, regression-discontinuity (RD), can provide robust estimates of intervention effects when stronger designs are impossible to implement. Data Sources/Study Setting Administrative claims from a Mid-Atlantic state Medicaid program were used to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational drug utilization review intervention. Study Design Quasi-experimental design. Data Collection/Extraction Methods A drug utilization review study was conducted to evaluate a letter intervention to physicians treating Medicaid children with potentially excessive use of short-acting β2-agonist inhalers (SAB). The outcome measure is change in seasonally-adjusted SAB use 5 months pre- and postintervention. To determine if the intervention reduced monthly SAB utilization, results from an RD analysis are compared to findings from a pretest–posttest design using repeated-measure ANOVA. Principal Findings Both analyses indicated that the intervention significantly reduced SAB use among the high users. Average monthly SAB use declined by 0.9 canisters per month (p<.001) according to the repeated-measure ANOVA and by 0.2 canisters per month (p<.001) from RD analysis. Conclusions Regression-discontinuity design is a useful quasi-experimental methodology that has significant advantages in internal validity compared to other pre–post designs when assessing interventions in which subjects' assignment is based on cutoff scores for a critical variable. PMID:16584464

  7. Evaluation of safety belt education program for employees

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1980-06-01

    This research was designed to determine the effectiveness of a nine-month safety belt educational program, utilizing various informational materials developed by NHTSA, in increasing safety belt usage among corporate employees. The materials used inc...

  8. APPLICATION OF THE 3D MODEL OF RAILWAY VIADUCTS TO COST ESTIMATION AND CONSTRUCTION

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujisawa, Yasuo; Yabuki, Nobuyoshi; Igarashi, Zenichi; Yoshino, Hiroyuki

    Three dimensional models of civil engineering structures are only partially used in either design or construction but not both. Research on integration of design, cost estimation and construction by 3Dmodels has not been heard in civil engineering domain yet. Using continuously a 3D product model of a structure from design to construction through estimation should improve the efficiency and decrease the occurrence of mistakes, hence enhancing the quality. In this research, we investigated the current practices of flow from design to construction, particularly focusing on cost estimation. Then, we identified advantages and issues on utilization of 3D design models to estimation and construction by applying 3D models to an actual railway construction project.

  9. Ergonomic Work Station Design to Improve Workload Quality and Productivity of the Craffsmen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widana, IK; Wayan Sumetri, Ni; Ketut Sutapa, I.

    2018-01-01

    This study is a research on ergonomics field, especially for ergonomics work station. This research begins with direct observation on the work process of carving craft. In addition to the aspect of occupational health, the stages of the process are also subject matter in the effort to solve the research problem. In accordance with the master plan of research of Bali State Polytechnic, problem solving will be focused on human aspect and utilization of appropriate technology, so that will get the work process ENASEP (effective, convenient, safe, healthy, efficient and productive) Technical easy to work, economical, ergonomic, energy saving, environmentally friendly and in accordance with the trend of the era. The method to be used in this research is experimental with the same subject design. Involves 9 samples who perform activities on conditions before and after treatment. Data on environmental conditions were analyzed by Mann-Whitney test. Data on work productivity and workload were tested with two pair sample t-test at a significance level of 5%. The results showed that by utilizing ergonomic work stations, occupational health indicators such as workload showed better signs, indicated by decreased the workload. In addition to occupational health, productivity indicators also increased significantly.

  10. Integrating utilization-focused evaluation with business process modeling for clinical research improvement.

    PubMed

    Kagan, Jonathan M; Rosas, Scott; Trochim, William M K

    2010-10-01

    New discoveries in basic science are creating extraordinary opportunities to design novel biomedical preventions and therapeutics for human disease. But the clinical evaluation of these new interventions is, in many instances, being hindered by a variety of legal, regulatory, policy and operational factors, few of which enhance research quality, the safety of study participants or research ethics. With the goal of helping increase the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical research, we have examined how the integration of utilization-focused evaluation with elements of business process modeling can reveal opportunities for systematic improvements in clinical research. Using data from the NIH global HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks, we analyzed the absolute and relative times required to traverse defined phases associated with specific activities within the clinical protocol lifecycle. Using simple median duration and Kaplan-Meyer survival analysis, we show how such time-based analyses can provide a rationale for the prioritization of research process analysis and re-engineering, as well as a means for statistically assessing the impact of policy modifications, resource utilization, re-engineered processes and best practices. Successfully applied, this approach can help researchers be more efficient in capitalizing on new science to speed the development of improved interventions for human disease.

  11. Utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Resources and Job Effectiveness among Library Staff in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ntui, Aniebiet Inyang; Inyang, Comfort Linus

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and job effectiveness among library staff in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted…

  12. Teachers' Utilization of School Facilities and Academic Achievement of Student Nurses in Human Biology in Schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Usen, Onodiong Mfreke

    2016-01-01

    The study examined the relationship between teachers' utilization of school facilities and academic achievement of student nurses in Human Biology in schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State. Four (4) specific objectives, four (4) research questions and four (4) null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto survey design was…

  13. The national- and international-wide prospects of future improvements of position location and time synchronization systems and aids

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gouzhva, Yuri G.; Balyasnikov, Boris N.; Korniyenko, Vladimir V.; Pushkina, Irina G.; Shebshayevich, Valentin S.; Denisov, Vladimir I.; Reutov, Alexander P.

    1990-01-01

    The concept being designed by the Leningrad Scientific Research Radio Technical Institute (LSRRI) of united positioning and timing service on the basis of the utilization of long-range and global radionavigation and common time systems and aids for different users is described. The estimate of its utilization on the national as well as on international scale is given.

  14. More Useful, or Not So Bad? Evaluating the Effects of Interventions to Reduce Perceived Cost and Increase Utility Value with College Physics Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosenzweig, Emily Quinn

    In the present study I developed and evaluated the effects of two interventions designed to target students' motivation to learn in an introductory college physics course. One intervention was designed to improve students' perceptions of utility value and the other was designed to reduce students' perceptions of cost. Utility value and cost both are central constructs from Eccles and colleagues' expectancy-value theory of motivation (Eccles-Parsons et al., 1983). Students (N = 148) were randomly assigned to receive the cost intervention, the utility value intervention, or one of two control conditions. Compared to a survey control condition, neither intervention impacted overall students' motivation, measured at 3 time points over the semester, or their course outcomes. In moderation analyses, neither intervention impacted any students' perceptions of utility value. However, both interventions impacted some students' perceptions of cost, competence-related beliefs, and course outcomes positively while impacting these variables for other students negatively. The cost intervention benefitted consistently and in different ways students who had low baseline competence-related beliefs, low prior achievement, strong malleable beliefs about intelligence, or who were female. However, the intervention showed consistent undermining effects on motivation and/or achievement for students with strong fixed beliefs about intelligence. The utility value intervention benefitted consistently the course outcomes of students who had low baseline competence-related beliefs, low prior achievement, or who were female. The intervention showed less consistent undermining effects on motivation for students with strong fixed beliefs about intelligence, high baseline competence-related beliefs, or high prior achievement. Prior researchers have shown that utility value interventions improve course outcomes for some students who are at risk for underachievement. The present study extends prior work by showing that utility value interventions benefit similar students in college physics courses. It also demonstrates that a cost intervention is a viable way to impact at-risk students' physics course outcomes. Future researchers should consider carefully moderating variables and how to mitigate potential undermining effects for some students when implementing future expectancy-value-theory-based interventions in college physics courses.

  15. Why do multi-attribute utility instruments produce different utilities: the relative importance of the descriptive systems, scale and 'micro-utility' effects.

    PubMed

    Richardson, Jeff; Iezzi, Angelo; Khan, Munir A

    2015-08-01

    Health state utilities measured by the major multi-attribute utility instruments differ. Understanding the reasons for this is important for the choice of instrument and for research designed to reconcile these differences. This paper investigates these reasons by explaining pairwise differences between utilities derived from six multi-attribute utility instruments in terms of (1) their implicit measurement scales; (2) the structure of their descriptive systems; and (3) 'micro-utility effects', scale-adjusted differences attributable to their utility formula. The EQ-5D-5L, SF-6D, HUI 3, 15D and AQoL-8D were administered to 8,019 individuals. Utilities and unweighted values were calculated using each instrument. Scale effects were determined by the linear relationship between utilities, the effect of the descriptive system by comparison of scale-adjusted values and 'micro-utility effects' by the unexplained difference between utilities and values. Overall, 66 % of the differences between utilities was attributable to the descriptive systems, 30.3 % to scale effects and 3.7 % to micro-utility effects. Results imply that the revision of utility algorithms will not reconcile differences between instruments. The dominating importance of the descriptive system highlights the need for researchers to select the instrument most capable of describing the health states relevant for a study. Reconciliation of inconsistent utilities produced by different instruments must focus primarily upon the content of the descriptive system. Utility weights primarily determine the measurement scale. Other differences, attributable to utility formula, are comparatively unimportant.

  16. Establishing Equivalence: Methodological Progress in Group-Matching Design and Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Kover, Sara T.; Atwood, Amy K.

    2017-01-01

    This methodological review draws attention to the challenges faced by intellectual and developmental disabilities researchers in the appropriate design and analysis of group comparison studies. We provide a brief overview of matching methodologies in the field, emphasizing group-matching designs utilized in behavioral research on cognition and language in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and Williams syndrome. The limitations of relying on p-values to establish group equivalence are discussed in the context of other existing methods: equivalence tests, propensity scores, and regression-based analyses. Our primary recommendation for advancing research on intellectual and developmental disabilities is the use of descriptive indices of adequate group matching: effect sizes (i.e., standardized mean differences) and variance ratios. PMID:23301899

  17. Combustion Research Aboard the ISS Utilizing the Combustion Integrated Rack and Microgravity Science Glovebox

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sutliff, Thomas J.; Otero, Angel M.; Urban, David L.

    2002-01-01

    The Physical Sciences Research Program of NASA sponsors a broad suite of peer-reviewed research investigating fundamental combustion phenomena and applied combustion research topics. This research is performed through both ground-based and on-orbit research capabilities. The International Space Station (ISS) and two facilities, the Combustion Integrated Rack and the Microgravity Science Glovebox, are key elements in the execution of microgravity combustion flight research planned for the foreseeable future. This paper reviews the Microgravity Combustion Science research planned for the International Space Station implemented from 2003 through 2012. Examples of selected research topics, expected outcomes, and potential benefits will be provided. This paper also summarizes a multi-user hardware development approach, recapping the progress made in preparing these research hardware systems. Within the description of this approach, an operational strategy is presented that illustrates how utilization of constrained ISS resources may be maximized dynamically to increase science through design decisions made during hardware development.

  18. Innovations for Evaluation Research: Multiform Protocols, Visual Analog Scaling, and the Retrospective Pretest-Posttest Design.

    PubMed

    Chang, Rong; Little, Todd D

    2018-06-01

    In this article, we review three innovative methods: multiform protocols, visual analog scaling, and the retrospective pretest-posttest design that can be used in evaluation research. These three techniques have been proposed for decades, but unfortunately, they are still not utilized readily in evaluation research. Our goal is to familiarize researchers with these underutilized research techniques that could reduce personnel effort and costs for data collection while producing better inferences for a study. We begin by discussing their applications and special unique features. We then discuss each technique's strengths and limitations and offer practical tips on how to better implement these methods in evaluation research. We then showcase two recent empirical studies that implement these methods in real-world evaluation research applications.

  19. Utilization of Space Station for industrial thermophysical property measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Overfelt, Tony; Watkins, John

    1996-03-01

    The International Space Station represents the largest cooperative space project in history and will be industry's only reasonable access to the low-g environment for long duration R&D. Such access will provide unique and competitive capabilities to industry if private sector entities can commercially utilize the Space Station for their industrial research programs. The metal casting industry has identified the need for accurate thermophysical properties of molten alloys as a priority need. Research over the last decade has demonstrated that experimental techniques exist to containerlessly measure critical thermophysical and related properties of molten metals for improved process design. This paper describes the ``VULCAN'' concept, a proposed commercial instrument for thermophysical properties measurements on the Space Station. Finally, several issues regarding private sector utilization of the Space Station are also discussed.

  20. Integrated Campaign Probabilistic Cost, Schedule, Performance, and Value for Program Office Support

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cornelius, David; Sasamoto, Washito; Daugherty, Kevin; Deacon, Shaun

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes an integrated assessment tool developed at NASA Langley Research Center that incorporates probabilistic analysis of life cycle cost, schedule, launch performance, on-orbit performance, and value across a series of planned space-based missions, or campaign. Originally designed as an aid in planning the execution of missions to accomplish the National Research Council 2007 Earth Science Decadal Survey, it utilizes Monte Carlo simulation of a series of space missions for assessment of resource requirements and expected return on investment. Interactions between simulated missions are incorporated, such as competition for launch site manifest, to capture unexpected and non-linear system behaviors. A novel value model is utilized to provide an assessment of the probabilistic return on investment. A demonstration case is discussed to illustrate the tool utility.

  1. A review of materials for spectral design coatings in signature management applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andersson, Kent E.; Škerlind, Christina

    2014-10-01

    The current focus in Swedish policy towards national security and high-end technical systems, together with a rapid development in multispectral sensor technology, adds to the utility of developing advanced materials for spectral design in signature management applications. A literature study was performed probing research databases for advancements. Qualitative text analysis was performed using a six-indicator instrument: spectrally selective reflectance; low gloss; low degree of polarization; low infrared emissivity; non-destructive properties in radar and in general controllability of optical properties. Trends are identified and the most interesting materials and coating designs are presented with relevant performance metrics. They are sorted into categories in the order of increasing complexity: pigments and paints, one-dimensional structures, multidimensional structures (including photonic crystals), and lastly biomimic and metamaterials. The military utility of the coatings is assessed qualitatively. The need for developing a framework for assessing the military utility of incrementally increasing the performance of spectrally selective coatings is identified.

  2. Experimental Methodology for Measuring Combustion and Injection-Coupled Responses

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cavitt, Ryan C.; Frederick, Robert A.; Bazarov, Vladimir G.

    2006-01-01

    A Russian scaling methodology for liquid rocket engines utilizing a single, full scale element is reviewed. The scaling methodology exploits the supercritical phase of the full scale propellants to simplify scaling requirements. Many assumptions are utilized in the derivation of the scaling criteria. A test apparatus design is presented to implement the Russian methodology and consequently verify the assumptions. This test apparatus will allow researchers to assess the usefulness of the scaling procedures and possibly enhance the methodology. A matrix of the apparatus capabilities for a RD-170 injector is also presented. Several methods to enhance the methodology have been generated through the design process.

  3. Changes in One Teacher's Proportional Reasoning Instruction after Participating in a CGI Professional Development Workshop

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de la Cruz, Jessica A.

    2016-01-01

    This study examined how one teacher used research-based knowledge of how adolescents think about proportions. Observations, interviews, document collection, and a workshop intervention were utilized. The design of the workshop was inspired by the cognitively guided instruction studies and its purpose was to explore the research findings on…

  4. High School Learning Environments: Hybrid versus Traditional Formats

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clifton, Mary Beth

    2017-01-01

    This research study examined the effects of hybrid course format as compared to face-to-face instruction format in a high school setting. At this time, there is little research on hybrid courses in the secondary schools. The quantitative portion of this ex post facto study utilized causal comparative design. Student data was collected from teacher…

  5. Doctoral Students' Perceived Barriers That Slow the Progress toward Completing a Doctoral Dissertation: A Mixed Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Eunjin; Smith, Rachel N.; Byers, Valerie Tharp; Dickerson, Shirley; McAlister-Shields, Leah; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Benge, Cindy

    2015-01-01

    The non-completion of doctoral degrees has been a concern due to its economic, social, and personal consequences. In the current study, the researchers investigated perceived barriers of select doctoral students in completing their doctoral degrees by utilizing a fully mixed sequential mixed research design. The quantitative and qualitative data…

  6. The Perception of Public Secondary Education through the Lens of African American Male Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dandridge, Janae' K.

    2012-01-01

    This study examines the perspective of public secondary education through the lived experiences and voices of 10 African American male students. The study was qualitative in nature and utilized an action research case study design. The researcher conducted semi structured interviews with a randomly selected group of African American male students…

  7. Hindering Factors of Beginning Teachers' High Performance in Higher Education Pakistan: Case Study of IUB

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarwar, Shakeel; Aslam, Hassan Danyal; Rasheed, Muhammad Imran

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The aim of the researchers in this endeavor is to identify the challenges and obstacles faced by beginning teachers in higher education. This study also explores practical implications and what adaptation can be utilized in order to have high performance of the beginning teachers. Design/methodology/approach: Researchers have applied…

  8. Improving Responsiveness to Intervention in a Virtual Publically Supported Program: An Action Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kerr, Rachel A.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this action research study was to design, implement, analyze, and evaluate a series of interventions to increase the elementary teachers' utilization of the RtI process. Another purpose of the study was to determine the teachers' background knowledge and perceptions about the Responsiveness to Intervention (RtI) process at the…

  9. Emotional and Narrative Responses of Students to Targeted Educational Experiences: An Exploratory Study Employing the Use of Emotional Measurement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mudge, Suzanne D.; Grinnan, Cullen T.; Priesmeyer, H. Richard

    2006-01-01

    Current educational research suggests that emotions can either enhance or inhibit the ability to learn, with social and cultural influences causing changes in behavior and altering biological processes. In this exploratory study researchers utilized a qualitative design to seek insight into student emotions associated with school attitude and…

  10. Multiculturalism and FYC Teacher Training: An Examination of GTA Perspectives on Being Trained to Teach in a Multicultural, College Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Recasner, Chantae C.

    2010-01-01

    This research study was designed to determine graduate teaching assistants' (GTAs) perspective on their preparation to teach First Year Composition (FYC) in a multicultural teaching context and to determine the relevance of culturally responsive teaching to this experience. The study utilized the qualitative research methodology Portraiture and…

  11. A Needs Assessment for the Introduction of a Food Science Program at the Univ. of Guyana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morrison, Donna

    2012-01-01

    This research describes the outcome of a needs assessment to determine whether the Univ. of Guyana should introduce a Food Science program. The research design utilized interviews and questionnaires to large manufacturing organizations and agroprocessors to determine if the required skills are available for the manufacturing process. Results…

  12. Gathering Evidence on an After-School Supplemental Instruction Program: Design Challenges and Early Findings in Light of NCLB

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chatterji, Madhabi; Kwon, Young Ae; Sng, Clarice

    2006-01-01

    The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires that public schools adopt research-supported programs and practices, with a strong recommendation for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as the "gold standard" for scientific rigor in empirical research. Within that policy framework, this paper compares the relative utility of…

  13. Getting Medieval on American History Research: A Method to Help Students Think Historically

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burkholder, Peter

    2010-01-01

    In an attempt to increase college history majors' ability to analyze primary sources, the author set up a unique research project designed to tap into his students' personal interests, and which would utilize a specific method requiring them to grapple with primary source materials in an unfamiliar, though hopefully more profitable fashion. The…

  14. Toward the Integration of Meditation into Higher Education: A Review of Research Evidence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shapiro, Shauna L.; Brown, Kirk Warren; Astin, John A.

    2011-01-01

    Context: There is growing interest in the integration of meditation in higher education. Purpose: Here, we review evidence bearing on the utility of meditation to facilitate the achievement of traditional educational goals and to enhance education of the "whole person." Research Design: We examine how meditation practices may help foster important…

  15. The UCLA Design Diversity Experiment (DEDIX) system: A distributed testbed for multiple-version software

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Avizienis, A.; Gunningberg, P.; Kelly, J. P. J.; Strigini, L.; Traverse, P. J.; Tso, K. S.; Voges, U.

    1986-01-01

    To establish a long-term research facility for experimental investigations of design diversity as a means of achieving fault-tolerant systems, a distributed testbed for multiple-version software was designed. It is part of a local network, which utilizes the Locus distributed operating system to operate a set of 20 VAX 11/750 computers. It is used in experiments to measure the efficacy of design diversity and to investigate reliability increases under large-scale, controlled experimental conditions.

  16. Development of NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly: Summary of GEDS Design, Development Testing, and Thermal Analyses

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    O'Connor, Brian; Hernandez, Deborah; Hornsby, Linda; Brown, Maria; Horton-Mullins, Kathryn

    2017-01-01

    NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly (SCA) project is responsible for designing and validating a payload that contains materials research samples in a sealed environment. The SCA will be heated in the European Space Agency's (ESA) Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) that is housed inside the Material Science Research Rack (MSRR) located on the International Space Station (ISS). The first Principle Investigator (PI) to utilize the SCA will focus on Gravitational Effects on Distortion in Sintering (GEDS) research. This paper will give a summary of the design and development test effort for the GEDS SCA and will discuss the role of thermal analysis in developing test profiles to meet the science and engineering requirements. Lessons learned will be reviewed and salient design features that may differ for each PI will be discussed.

  17. Asset management aided through vegetation management/zoysiagrass along NC roadsides.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-08-30

    Research experiments were designed and initiated to evaluate plant growth regulators and recently registered herbicides : for vegetation management along North Carolina roadsides, as well as warm-season turfgrass seed and sod practices to utilize : l...

  18. Proceedings of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project Research Forum on the Design of Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Arrays for Central Stations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    The Flat Plate Solar Array Project, focuses on advancing technologies relevant to the design and construction of megawatt level central station systems. Photovoltaic modules and arrays for flat plate central station or other large scale electric power production facilities require the establishment of a technical base that resolves design issues and results in practical and cost effective configurations. Design, qualification and maintenance issues related to central station arrays derived from the engineering and operating experiences of early applications and parallel laboratory reserch activities are investigated. Technical issues are examined from the viewpoint of the utility engineer, architect/engineer and laboratory researcher. Topics on optimum source circuit designs, module insulation design for high system voltages, array safety, structural interface design, measurements, and array operation and maintenance are discussed.

  19. Nonlinear force feedback control of piezoelectric-hydraulic pump actuator for automotive transmission shift control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Gi-Woo; Wang, K. W.

    2008-03-01

    In recent years, researchers have investigated the feasibility of utilizing piezoelectric-hydraulic pump based actuation systems for automotive transmission controls. This new concept could eventually reduce the complexity, weight, and fuel consumption of the current transmissions. In this research, we focus on how to utilize this new approach on the shift control of automatic transmissions (AT), which generally requires pressure profiling for friction elements during the operation. To illustrate the concept, we will consider the 1--> 2 up shift control using band brake friction elements. In order to perform the actuation force tracking for AT shift control, nonlinear force feedback control laws are designed based on the sliding mode theory for the given nonlinear system. This paper will describe the modeling of the band brake actuation system, the design of the nonlinear force feedback controller, and simulation and experimental results for demonstration of the new concept.

  20. Attracting underrepresented minority students to the sciences with an interest and utility value intervention: Catching and holding interest in recruitment materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stribling, Tracy M.

    In order to explore recruitment methods for attracting undergraduate underrepresented minority (URM) students to the sciences, an applied intervention involving the manipulation of the construct of interest was implemented. Using Bridges to the Baccalaureate--a scientific research program available to community college URM students--as the context for the intervention, I redesigned the original recruitment brochure into two new brochures: one designed to catch interest and one designed to catch interest as well as hold it. Largely attributable to inherent limitations of applied research, no differences were found between the number of applications submitted the year the intervention was implemented compared to the previous baseline year, nor were any differences found between the number of applications submitted by students who received the interest brochure compared to those who received the utility value brochure.

  1. Zero Gravity Research Facility User's Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thompson, Dennis M.

    1999-01-01

    The Zero Gravity Research Facility (ZGF) is operated by the Space Experiments Division of the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center (GRC) for investigators sponsored by the Microgravity Science and Applications Division of NASA Headquarters. This unique facility has been utilized by scientists and engineers for reduced gravity experimentation since 1966. The ZGF has provided fundamental scientific information, has been used as an important test facility in the space flight hardware design, development, and test process, and has also been a valuable source of data in the flight experiment definition process. The purpose of this document is to provide information and guidance to prospective researchers regarding the design, buildup, and testing of microgravity experiments.

  2. Comptational Design Of Functional CA-S-H and Oxide Doped Alloy Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Shizhong; Chilla, Lokeshwar; Yang, Yan; Li, Kuo; Wicker, Scott; Zhao, Guang-Lin; Khosravi, Ebrahim; Bai, Shuju; Zhang, Boliang; Guo, Shengmin

    Computer aided functional materials design accelerates the discovery of novel materials. This presentation will cover our recent research advance on the Ca-S-H system properties prediction and oxide doped high entropy alloy property simulation and experiment validation. Several recent developed computational materials design methods were utilized to the two systems physical and chemical properties prediction. A comparison of simulation results to the corresponding experiment data will be introduced. This research is partially supported by NSF CIMM project (OIA-15410795 and the Louisiana BoR), NSF HBCU Supplement climate change and ecosystem sustainability subproject 3, and LONI high performance computing time allocation loni mat bio7.

  3. Cognitive Foundry v. 3.0 (OSS)

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

    Basilico, Justin; Dixon, Kevin; McClain, Jonathan

    2009-11-18

    The Cognitive Foundry is a unified collection of tools designed for research and applications that use cognitive modeling, machine learning, or pattern recognition. The software library contains design patterns, interface definitions, and default implementations of reusable software components and algorithms designed to support a wide variety of research and development needs. The library contains three main software packages: the Common package that contains basic utilities and linear algebraic methods, the Cognitive Framework package that contains tools to assist in implementing and analyzing theories of cognition, and the Machine Learning package that provides general algorithms and methods for populating Cognitive Frameworkmore » components from domain-relevant data.« less

  4. Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine, modification no. 5

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

    1984-01-01

    The objective of the research project described is to define and demonstrate methods to advance the state of the art of pressure sensors for the space shuttle main engine (SSME). Silicon piezoresistive technology was utilized in completing tasks: generation and testing of three transducer design concepts for solid state applications; silicon resistor characterization at cryogenic temperatures; experimental chip mounting characterization; frequency response optimization and prototype design and fabrication. Excellent silicon sensor performance was demonstrated at liquid nitrogen temperature. A silicon resistor ion implant dose was customized for SSME temperature requirements. A basic acoustic modeling software program was developed as a design tool to evaluate frequency response characteristics.

  5. Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) To Support Near-Term Space Fission Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Dyke, Melissa

    2004-02-01

    Through hardware based design and testing, the EFF-TF investigates fission power and propulsion component, subsystems, and integrated system design and performance. Through demonstration of systems concepts (designed by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories) in relevant environments, previous non-nuclear tests in the EFF-TF have proven to be a highly effective method (from both cost and performance standpoint) to identify and resolve integration issues. Ongoing research at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating research, development, system integration, and system utilization via cooperative efforts with DOE labs, industry, universities, and other NASA centers. This paper describes the current efforts for 2003.

  6. Collision management utilizing CCD and remote sensing technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcdaniel, Harvey E., Jr.

    1995-01-01

    With the threat of damage to aerospace systems (space station, shuttle, hypersonic a/c, solar power satellites, loss of life, etc.) from collision with debris (manmade/artificial), there exists an opportunity for the design of a novel system (collision avoidance) to be incorporated into the overall design. While incorporating techniques from ccd and remote sensing technologies, an integrated system utilized in the infrared/visible spectrum for detection, tracking, localization, and maneuvering from doppler shift measurements is achievable. Other analysis such as impact assessment, station keeping, chemical, and optical tracking/fire control solutions are possible through this system. Utilizing modified field programmable gated arrays (software reconfiguring the hardware) the mission and mission effectiveness can be varied. This paper outlines the theoretical operation of a prototype system as it applies to collision avoidance (to be followed up by research).

  7. Advances on the constitutive characterization of composites via multiaxial robotic testing and design optimization

    Treesearch

    John G. Michopoulos; John Hermanson; Athanasios Iliopoulos

    2014-01-01

    The research areas of mutiaxial robotic testing and design optimization have been recently utilized for the purpose of data-driven constitutive characterization of anisotropic material systems. This effort has been enabled by both the progress in the areas of computers and information in engineering as well as the progress in computational automation. Although our...

  8. Experimental Effects of Word Generation on Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Perspective Taking in High Poverty Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Stephanie M.; Kim, James; LaRusso, Maria; Kim, Ha Yeon; Selman, Robert; Uccelli, Paola; Barnes, Sophie; Donovan, Suzanne; Snow, Catherine

    2016-01-01

    Word Generation (WG) is a research-based vocabulary program for middle school students designed to teach words through language arts, math, science, and social studies classes. The program consists of weekly units that introduce 5 high-utility target words through brief passages designed to spark active examination and discussion of contemporary…

  9. Building Bridges between Knowledge and Practice: A University-School District Leadership Preparation Program Partnership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanzo, Karen L.; Myran, Steve; Clayton, Jennifer K.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a Year 1 account of a partnership between a university and rural school district focusing specifically on how the project has helped to bridge the theory to practice divide and strengthen university-district ties. Design/methodology/approach: A design-based research paradigm was utilized to…

  10. Student Achievement in High Performing, Suburban Middle Schools and Low Performing, Urban Middle Schools: Plausible Explanations for the Differences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Kathleen M.; Anfara, Vincent A., Jr.; Roney, Kathleen

    2004-01-01

    Utilizing a qualitative, multisite case study design and the theoretical framework of Hoy and Hannum (1997), the design and execution of this research investigates plausible explanations for the difference in student achievement between high performing (HPS) suburban middle schools and low performing (LPS) urban middle schools. Aside from the…

  11. Design and Development of Rubrics to Improve Assessment Outcomes: A Pilot Study in a Master's Level Business Program in India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reddy, Malini Y.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This paper seeks to discuss the characteristics that describe a rubric. It aims to propose a systematic method for developing curriculum wide rubrics and to discuss their potential utility for program quality assessment. Design/methodology/approach: Implementation of rubrics is a recent phenomenon in higher education. Prior research and…

  12. Errors Made by Elementary Fourth Grade Students When Modelling Word Problems and the Elimination of Those Errors through Scaffolding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ulu, Mustafa

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to identify errors made by primary school students when modelling word problems and to eliminate those errors through scaffolding. A 10-question problem-solving achievement test was used in the research. The qualitative and quantitative designs were utilized together. The study group of the quantitative design comprises 248…

  13. Exploring Customization in Higher Education: An Experiment in Leveraging Computer Spreadsheet Technology to Deliver Highly Individualized Online Instruction to Undergraduate Business Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kunzler, Jayson S.

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation describes a research study designed to explore whether customization of online instruction results in improved learning in a college business statistics course. The study involved utilizing computer spreadsheet technology to develop an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) designed to: a) collect and monitor individual real-time…

  14. Field resonance propulsion concept

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holt, A. C.

    1979-01-01

    A propulsion concept was developed based on a proposed resonance between coherent, pulsed electromagnetic wave forms, and gravitational wave forms (or space-time metrics). Using this concept a spacecraft propulsion system potentially capable of galactic and intergalactic travel without prohibitive travel times was designed. The propulsion system utilizes recent research associated with magnetic field line merging, hydromagnetic wave effects, free-electron lasers, laser generation of megagauss fields, and special structural and containment metals. The research required to determine potential, field resonance characteristics and to evaluate various aspects of the spacecraft propulsion design is described.

  15. LTA structures and materials technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mayer, N. J.

    1975-01-01

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

  16. Research requirements to reduce empty weight of helicopters by use of advanced materials

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

    Hoffstedt, D.J.

    1976-12-01

    Utilization of the new, lightweight, high-strength, aerospace structural-composite (filament/matrix) materials, when specifically designed into a new aircraft, promises reductions in structural empty weight of 12% at recurring costs competetive with metals. A program of basic and applied research and demonstration is identified with the objective of advancing the state of the art to the point where civil helicopters are confidently designed, produced, certified, and marketed by 1985. A structural empty-weight reduction of 12% was shown to significantly reduce energy consumption in modern high-performance helicopters.

  17. Design, engineering and utility of biotic games.

    PubMed

    Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar H; Chung, Alice M; Dura, Burak; Hamilton, Andrea L; Lee, Byung C

    2011-01-07

    Games are a significant and defining part of human culture, and their utility beyond pure entertainment has been demonstrated with so-called 'serious games'. Biotechnology--despite its recent advancements--has had no impact on gaming yet. Here we propose the concept of 'biotic games', i.e., games that operate on biological processes. Utilizing a variety of biological processes we designed and tested a collection of games: 'Enlightenment', 'Ciliaball', 'PAC-mecium', 'Microbash', 'Biotic Pinball', 'POND PONG', 'PolymerRace', and 'The Prisoner's Smellemma'. We found that biotic games exhibit unique features compared to existing game modalities, such as utilizing biological noise, providing a real-life experience rather than virtual reality, and integrating the chemical senses into play. Analogous to video games, biotic games could have significant conceptual and cost-reducing effects on biotechnology and eventually healthcare; enable volunteers to participate in crowd-sourcing to support medical research; and educate society at large to support personal medical decisions and the public discourse on bio-related issues.

  18. Southeast Regional Experiment Station

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1994-08-01

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

  19. Evaluation of warm mix asphalt technology in flexible pavements.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    The primary goal of this research project is to quantify the performance of field produced and placed mixtures that utilize WMA technology and develop a framework for design, construction, and implementation of this technology in Louisiana. This rese...

  20. UTILITY DATA ARCHIVING FOR RISK MANAGEMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA let a contract for a consultant to collect information about historical changes in operations and maintenance, design and construction, and planning and siting for water and wastewater infrastructure. The goal of this research study is to determine risk management alternativ...

  1. Optimized aggregates gradations for portland cement concrete mix designs evaluation.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-01-01

    This research main purpose was to optimize aggregate blends utilizing more locally available materials. With the industry collaboration and partnership, the Department embraced a change that impacts a specification implemented in the 1947 for Class o...

  2. Life sciences flight hardware development for the International Space Station

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kern, V. D.; Bhattacharya, S.; Bowman, R. N.; Donovan, F. M.; Elland, C.; Fahlen, T. F.; Girten, B.; Kirven-Brooks, M.; Lagel, K.; Meeker, G. B.; Santos, O.

    During the construction phase of the International Space Station (ISS), early flight opportunities have been identified (including designated Utilization Flights, UF) on which early science experiments may be performed. The focus of NASA's and other agencies' biological studies on the early flight opportunities is cell and molecular biology; with UF-1 scheduled to fly in fall 2001, followed by flights 8A and UF-3. Specific hardware is being developed to verify design concepts, e.g., the Avian Development Facility for incubation of small eggs and the Biomass Production System for plant cultivation. Other hardware concepts will utilize those early research opportunities onboard the ISS, e.g., an Incubator for sample cultivation, the European Modular Cultivation System for research with small plant systems, an Insect Habitat for support of insect species. Following the first Utilization Flights, additional equipment will be transported to the ISS to expand research opportunities and capabilities, e.g., a Cell Culture Unit, the Advanced Animal Habitat for rodents, an Aquatic Facility to support small fish and aquatic specimens, a Plant Research Unit for plant cultivation, and a specialized Egg Incubator for developmental biology studies. Host systems (Figure 1A, B), e.g., a 2.5 m Centrifuge Rotor (g-levels from 0.01-g to 2-g) for direct comparisons between μg and selectable g levels, the Life Sciences Glove☐ for contained manipulations, and Habitat Holding Racks (Figure 1B) will provide electrical power, communication links, and cooling to the habitats. Habitats will provide food, water, light, air and waste management as well as humidity and temperature control for a variety of research organisms. Operators on Earth and the crew on the ISS will be able to send commands to the laboratory equipment to monitor and control the environmental and experimental parameters inside specific habitats. Common laboratory equipment such as microscopes, cryo freezers, radiation dosimeters, and mass measurement devices are also currently in design stages by NASA and the ISS international partners.

  3. NASA LaRC Strain Gage Balance Design Concepts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rhew, Ray D.

    1999-01-01

    The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has been designing strain-gage balances for more than fifty years. These balances have been utilized in Langley's wind tunnels, which span over a wide variety of aerodynamic test regimes, as well as other ground based test facilities and in space flight applications. As a result, the designs encompass a large array of sizes, loads, and environmental effects. Currently Langley has more than 300 balances available for its researchers. This paper will focus on the design concepts for internal sting mounted strain-gage balances. However, these techniques can be applied to all force measurement design applications. Strain-gage balance concepts that have been developed over the years including material selection, sting, model interfaces, measuring, sections, fabrication, strain-gaging and calibration will be discussed.

  4. Area-Specific Marginal Costing for Electric Utilities: a Case Study of Transmission and Distribution Costs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Orans, Ren

    1990-10-01

    Existing procedures used to develop marginal costs for electric utilities were not designed for applications in an increasingly competitive market for electric power. The utility's value of receiving power, or the costs of selling power, however, depend on the exact location of the buyer or seller, the magnitude of the power and the period of time over which the power is used. Yet no electric utility in the United States has disaggregate marginal costs that reflect differences in costs due to the time, size or location of the load associated with their power or energy transactions. The existing marginal costing methods used by electric utilities were developed in response to the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) in 1978. The "ratemaking standards" (Title 1) established by PURPA were primarily concerned with the appropriate segmentation of total revenues to various classes-of-service, designing time-of-use rating periods, and the promotion of efficient long-term resource planning. By design, the methods were very simple and inexpensive to implement. Now, more than a decade later, the costing issues facing electric utilities are becoming increasingly complex, and the benefits of developing more specific marginal costs will outweigh the costs of developing this information in many cases. This research develops a framework for estimating total marginal costs that vary by the size, timing, and the location of changes in loads within an electric distribution system. To complement the existing work at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGandE) on estimating disaggregate generation and transmission capacity costs, this dissertation focuses on the estimation of distribution capacity costs. While the costing procedure is suitable for the estimation of total (generation, transmission and distribution) marginal costs, the empirical work focuses on the geographic disaggregation of marginal costs related to electric utility distribution investment. The study makes use of data from an actual distribution planning area, located within PGandE's service territory, to demonstrate the important characteristics of this new costing approach. The most significant result of this empirical work is that geographic differences in the cost of capacity in distribution systems can be as much as four times larger than the current system average utility estimates. Furthermore, lumpy capital investment patterns can lead to significant cost differences over time.

  5. Quiet Clean Short Haul Experimental Engine

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1973-02-21

    Program manager Carl Ciepluch poses with a model of the Quiet Clean Short Haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) conceived by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. The QCSEE engine was designed to power future short-distance transport aircraft without generating significant levels of noise or pollution and without hindering performance. The engines were designed to be utilized on aircraft operating from small airports with short runways. Lewis researchers investigated two powered-lift designs and an array of new technologies to deal with the shorter runways. Lewis contracted General Electric to design the two QCSEE engines—one with over-the-wing power-lift and one with an under-the-wing design. A scale model of the over-the-wing engine was tested in the Full Scale Tunnel at the Langley Research Center in 1975 and 1976. Lewis researchers investigated both versions in a specially-designed test stand, the Engine Noise Test Facility, on the hangar apron. The QCSEE engines met the goals set out by the NASA researchers. The aircraft industry, however, never built the short-distance transport aircraft for which the engines were intended. Different technological elements of the engine, however, were applied to some future General Electric engines.

  6. Novel solutions to low-frequency problems with geometrically designed beam-waveguide systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Imbriale, W. A.; Esquivel, M. S.; Manshadi, F.

    1995-01-01

    The poor low-frequency performance of geometrically designed beam-waveguide (BWG) antennas is shown to be caused by the diffraction phase centers being far from the geometrical optics mirror focus, resulting in substantial spillover and defocusing loss. Two novel solutions are proposed: (1) reposition the mirrors to focus low frequencies and redesign the high frequencies to utilize the new mirror positions, and (2) redesign the input feed system to provide an optimum solution for the low frequency. A novel use of the conjugate phase-matching technique is utilized to design the optimum low-frequency feed system, and the new feed system has been implemented in the JPL research and development BWG as part of a dual S-/X-band (2.3 GHz/8.45 GHz) feed system. The new S-band feed system is shown to perform significantly better than the original geometrically designed system.

  7. Development of an advanced anaerobic digester design and a kinetic model for biogasification of water hyacinth/sludge blends

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

    Srivastava, V.; Fannin, K.F.; Biljetina, R.

    1986-07-01

    The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) conducted a comprehensive laboratory-scale research program to develop and optimize the anaerobic digestion process for producing methane from water hyacinth and sludge blends. This study focused on digester design and operating techniques, which gave improved methane yields and production rates over those observed using conventional digesters. The final digester concept and the operating experience was utilized to design and operate a large-scale experimentla test unit (ETU) at Walt Disney World, Florida. This paper describes the novel digester design, operating techniques, and the results obtained in the laboratory. The paper also discusses a kinetic modelmore » which predicts methane yield, methane production rate, and digester effluent solids as a function of retention time. This model was successfully utilized to predict the performance of the ETU. 15 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.« less

  8. Proceedings: 1989 electric utility franchise conference

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

    Romo, R.G.

    The primary purpose of the Conference was to present and discuss strategic issues related to franchising electric service. The theme for the conference was to both improve the management of existing franchises and the negotiation of new franchises. To promote a better understanding of the planning issues related to this theme, the following sessions were designed: (1) public utility franchising, (2) investor owned utility and community perspectives on franchising, (3) franchise case study presentations, (4) alternatives to franchise renewal: the public acquisition option, and (5) special franchise issues. The Conference combined results from research coupled with actual franchise negotiating experiences,more » and concepts and ideas considered or implemented by utilities, government agencies, consultants and others.« less

  9. Some historical trends in the research and development of aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spearman, M. L.

    1983-01-01

    A survey of some trends in aircraft design was made in an effort to determine the relation between research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT and E) and aircraft mission capability, requirements, and objectives. Driving forces in the history of aircraft include the quest for speed which involved design concepts incorporating jet propulsion systems and low drag features. The study of high speed design concepts promoted new experimental and analytical research techniques. These research techniques, in turn, have lead to concepts offering new performance potential. Design trends were directed toward increased speed, efficiency, productivity, and safety. Generally speaking, the research and development effort has been evolutionary in nature and, with the exception of the transition to supersonic flight, little has occurred since the origin of flight that has drastically changed the basic design fundamentals of aircraft. However, this does not preclude the possibility of dramatic changes in the future since the products of research are frequently unpredictable. Advances should be expected and sought in improved aerodynamics (reduced drag, enhanced lift, flow field exploitation); propulsion (improved engine cycles, multimode engines, alternate fuels, alternate power sources); structures (new materials, manufacturing techniques); all with a view toward increased efficiency and utility.

  10. Exploratory procedures with carbon nanotube-based sensors for propellant degradation determinations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruffin, Paul B.; Edwards, Eugene; Brantley, Christina; McDonald, Brian

    2010-04-01

    Exploratory research is conducted at the US Army Aviation & Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) in order to perform assessments of the degradation of solid propellant used in rocket motors. Efforts are made to discontinue and/or minimize destructive methods and utilize nondestructive techniques to assure the quality and reliability of the weaponry's propulsion system. Collaborative efforts were successfully made between AMRDEC and NASA-Ames for potential add-on configurations to a previously designed sensor that AMRDEC plan to use for preliminary detection of off-gassing. Evaluations were made in order to use the design as the introductory component for the determination of shelf-life degradation rate of rocket motors. Previous and subsequent sensor designs utilize functionalized single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNTs) as the key sensing element. On-going research is conducted to consider key changes that can be implemented (for the existing sensor design) such that a complete wireless sensor system design can be realized. Results should be a cost-saving and timely approach to enhance the Army's ability to develop methodologies for measuring weaponry off-gassing and simultaneously detecting explosives. Expectations are for the resulting sensors to enhance the warfighters' ability to simultaneously detect a greater variety of analytes. Outlined in this paper are the preliminary results that have been accomplished for this research. The behavior of the SWCNT sensor at storage temperatures is outlined, along with the initial sensor response to propellant related analytes. Preparatory computer-based programming routines and computer controlled instrumentation scenarios have been developed in order to subsequently minimize subjective interpretation of test results and provide a means for obtaining data that is reasonable and repetitively quantitative. Typical laboratory evaluation methods are likewise presented, and program limitations/barriers are outlined.

  11. Integrated Knowledge Translation: illustrated with outcome research in mental health.

    PubMed

    Preyde, Michele; Carter, Jeff; Penney, Randy; Lazure, Kelly; Vanderkooy, John; Chevalier, Pat

    2015-01-01

    Through this article the authors present a case summary of the early phases of research conducted with an Integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT) approach utilizing four factors: research question, research approach, feasibility, and outcome. iKT refers to an approach for conducting research in which community partners, referred to as knowledge users, are engaged in the entire research process. In this collaborative approach, knowledge users and researchers jointly devise the entire research agenda beginning with the development of the research question(s), determination of a feasible research design and feasible methods, interpretation of the results, dissemination of the findings, and the translation of knowledge into practice or policy decisions. Engaging clinical or community partners in the research enterprise can enhance the utility of the research results and facilitate its uptake. This collaboration can be a complex arrangement and flexibility may be required to accommodate the various configurations that the collaboration can take. For example, the research question can be jointly determined and refined; however, one person must take the responsibility for orchestrating the project, including preparing the proposal and application to the Research Ethics Board. This collaborative effort also requires the simultaneous navigation of barriers and facilitators to the research enterprise. Navigating these elements becomes part of the conduct of research with the potential for rewarding results, including an enriched work experience for clinical partners and investigators. One practice implication is that iKT may be considered of great utility to service providers due to its field friendly nature.

  12. Utilization of the developed cell story eBook through storytelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tecson, Christine Mae B.; Soleria, Honey Joy B.; Taranza, Victoria; Tabudlong, Josefina M.; Salic-Hairulla, Monera

    2018-01-01

    The main objective of this research was to develop a Cell story eBook and utilize it through storytelling and find out how it impacts the conceptual knowledge of Grade 7 students about the Cell organelles and their functions. A total of one hundred twenty-nine respondents (129) were involved in the study, one hundred twenty-four (124) of the respondents were Grade 7 students, two (2) biology in-service teachers from Integrated Developmental School, MSUIIT, two (2) ICT experts from MSU-IIT, and one in-service biology teacher from Iligan City National High School. The study employed was a Quasi-experimental design with two-group (experimental and control groups) pre-test-post-test design. The instruments used were a 20-item multiple choice tests for the pre-test and post-test and a rubric for the evaluation of the Cell Story eBook. The researchers developed the Cell story eBook through a pre-assessment, identification of the topic, formulation of objectives, making of the story, making of the storyboard, designing of the Cell story eBook, evaluation of the Cell story eBook, final revision and publication in PDF format. During the utilization stage, the experimental group was presented with the Cell story eBook through storytelling while the control group was taught using traditional lecture method. Findings show that the developed Cell story eBook was rated Excellent by the panel of experts. Moreover, there is a statistically significant difference between the post-tests of the two groups. Results signifies that there is a distinction between the performances of the two groups which means that there is an existing impact after the utilization of the developed Cell story eBook through storytelling inside the classroom. The said developed instructional material and the way it was utilized therefore, affects the conceptual knowledge of the learners. The developed Cell story eBook can also be utilized even in the absence of technology due to its flexibility. It can be printed as a hard copy for further utilization especially for those schools that still lacks appropriate learning facilities which is a common situation in the Philippines.

  13. Design and Evaluation of a Turbojet Exhaust Simulator, Utilizing a Solid-Propellant Rocket Motor, for use in Free-Flight Aerodynamic Research Models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    deMoraes, Carlos A.; Hagginbothom, William K., Jr.; Falanga, Ralph A.

    1954-01-01

    A method has been developed for modifying a rocket motor so that its exhaust characteristics simulate those of a turbojet engine. The analysis necessary to the design is presented along with tests from which the designs are evaluated. Simulation was found to be best if the exhaust characteristics to be duplicated were those of a turbojet engine at high altitudes and with the afterburner operative.

  14. NASA Space Engineering Research Center for VLSI System Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1993-01-01

    This annual report outlines the activities of the past year at the NASA SERC on VLSI Design. Highlights for this year include the following: a significant breakthrough was achieved in utilizing commercial IC foundries for producing flight electronics; the first two flight qualified chips were designed, fabricated, and tested and are now being delivered into NASA flight systems; and a new technology transfer mechanism has been established to transfer VLSI advances into NASA and commercial systems.

  15. Sister to Sister: Dynamics of Mentoring Relationships among African American Women in Leadership and Nonleadership Positions within Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stiff, MaNesha M.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the dynamics of mentoring relationships among African American women within the higher education profession. Utilizing a phenomenological research design, this researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 10 African American women who are mentors and/or mentees of an African American woman in the higher…

  16. Best Practices in Using Large, Complex Samples: The Importance of Using Appropriate Weights and Design Effect Compensation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osborne, Jason W.

    2011-01-01

    Large surveys often use probability sampling in order to obtain representative samples, and these data sets are valuable tools for researchers in all areas of science. Yet many researchers are not formally prepared to appropriately utilize these resources. Indeed, users of one popular dataset were generally found "not" to have modeled…

  17. Dyadic Collaboration among Preschool-Age Children and the Benefits of Working with a More Socially Advanced Peer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Jeongeon; Lee, Jeonghwa

    2015-01-01

    Research Findings: This study examined the learning effects of collaborative group work under heterogeneous group composition among 5-year-old children, especially in terms of their social skills. To this end, the study utilized an experimental research design wherein 3 groups of differently composed dyads and a group of students who worked alone…

  18. The Impact of Library Resource Utilization on Undergraduate Students' Academic Performance: A Propensity Score Matching Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kot, Felly Chiteng; Jones, Jennifer L.

    2015-01-01

    This study uses three cohorts of first-time, full-time undergraduate students (N = 8,652) at a large, metropolitan, public research university to examine the impact of student use of three library resources (workstations, study rooms, and research clinics) on academic performance. To deal with self-selection bias and estimate this impact more…

  19. Research, development and demonstration of lead-acid batteries for electric vehicle propulsion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowman, D. E.

    1983-08-01

    Research programs on lead-acid batteries are reported that cover active materials utilization, active material integrity, and some technical support projects. Processing problems were encountered and corrected. Components and materials, a lead-plastic composite grid, cell designs, and deliverables are described. Cell testing is discussed, as well as battery subsystems, including fuel gage, thermal management, and electrolyte circulation.

  20. Information Security Analysis: A Study to Analyze the Extent to Which Information Security Systems Can Be Utilized to Prevent Intoxicated Individuals from Driving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pierre, Joseph D.

    2011-01-01

    Information security systems (ISS) have been designed to protect assets from damages and from unauthorized access internally as well as externally. This research is promising similar protection from ISS methods that could prevent intoxicated individuals under the influence of alcohol from driving. However, previous research has shown significant…

  1. Dissonance-Based Interventions for Substance Using Alternative High-School Youth

    PubMed Central

    Steiker, Lori Holleran; Powell, Tara

    2011-01-01

    This article describes an innovative new intervention tailored to older youth who are already abusing drugs, but who are not diagnostically ready for treatment. The basic tenet of this intervention is to utilize adolescents engaged in drug use as “experts” in the prevention curriculum adaptation activity. This activity then serves as a mechanism for their dissonance-based change. This process is designed to intervene with drug abusing youth prior to their development of substance dependence. The community-based design grew from a United States federally funded NIDA project (National Institute of Drug Abuse Mentored Research Scientist Award) which found that the youth who conduct program adaptations were effectively engaged, animatedly discussing the payoffs and downsides of drug and alcohol abuse. It is maintained through this research that dissonance between their role of “Preventionist” and their own substance abuse behaviors lead to shifts in attitudes and behaviors. Dissonance-based interventions (DBIs) have been successfully utilized for positive behavioral change with a variety of disorders, but have not yet been implemented with substance abusing youth. Findings of pilot research are shared along with implications for future research and interventions. PMID:22611306

  2. Issues in the design of an executive controller shell for Space Station automation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Erickson, William K.; Cheeseman, Peter C.

    1986-01-01

    A major goal of NASA's Systems Autonomy Demonstration Project is to focus research in artificial intelligence, human factors, and dynamic control systems in support of Space Station automation. Another goal is to demonstrate the use of these technologies in real space systems, for both round-based mission support and on-board operations. The design, construction, and evaluation of an intelligent autonomous system shell is recognized as an important part of the Systems Autonomy research program. His paper describes autonomous systems and executive controllers, outlines how these intelligent systems can be utilized within the Space Station, and discusses a number of key design issues that have been raised during some preliminary work to develop an autonomous executive controller shell at NASA Ames Research Center.

  3. Distributed health data networks: a practical and preferred approach to multi-institutional evaluations of comparative effectiveness, safety, and quality of care.

    PubMed

    Brown, Jeffrey S; Holmes, John H; Shah, Kiran; Hall, Ken; Lazarus, Ross; Platt, Richard

    2010-06-01

    Comparative effectiveness research, medical product safety evaluation, and quality measurement will require the ability to use electronic health data held by multiple organizations. There is no consensus about whether to create regional or national combined (eg, "all payer") databases for these purposes, or distributed data networks that leave most Protected Health Information and proprietary data in the possession of the original data holders. Demonstrate functions of a distributed research network that supports research needs and also address data holders concerns about participation. Key design functions included strong local control of data uses and a centralized web-based querying interface. We implemented a pilot distributed research network and evaluated the design considerations, utility for research, and the acceptability to data holders of methods for menu-driven querying. We developed and tested a central, web-based interface with supporting network software. Specific functions assessed include query formation and distribution, query execution and review, and aggregation of results. This pilot successfully evaluated temporal trends in medication use and diagnoses at 5 separate sites, demonstrating some of the possibilities of using a distributed research network. The pilot demonstrated the potential utility of the design, which addressed the major concerns of both users and data holders. No serious obstacles were identified that would prevent development of a fully functional, scalable network. Distributed networks are capable of addressing nearly all anticipated uses of routinely collected electronic healthcare data. Distributed networks would obviate the need for centralized databases, thus avoiding numerous obstacles.

  4. Community Solar Value Project

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

    Powers, John T.; Cliburn, Jill

    The Community Solar Value Project (CSVP) is designed to assist electric utilities in designing better community solar programs. Better programs seek new sources of value to promote “win-win” solutions between utilities and their customers. The CSVP focused on five “challenge areas” in identifying new sources of value: - Strategic solar design for community solar projects (including technology choices, siting, orientation, and related issues) - Market research and targeted marketing approaches (for program design and for customer recruitment) - Procurement and financing (for establishing best practices that can bring economies of scale and economies of expertise) - Integration of “companion measures”more » (such as storage and demand-response options that can benefit customer and utility net load shapes) - Pricing in program design (including best practices for integration of identified value in program prices or credits) The CSVP directly engaged the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), and more than a dozen other utilities to develop improved community solar program designs. The outcomes include a plan at SMUD for over 100 MW or more of community and shared solar and support for new or expanded programs at 15 other utilities so far. Resulting best-practice solutions have not only informed program applications, but also have generated discussion among experts and industry associations about the new opportunities and challenges CSVP has brought forth. In these ways, the CSVP has impacted community solar programs and DER plans, competitive innovations and policies nationwide. The CSVP team has been led by Extensible Energy under John Powers, President and CEO. Jill Cliburn, of Santa Fe, NM-based Cliburn and Associates, has served as Principal Investigator. The team also benefitted from expertise from Navigant, Olivine Inc. and Millennium Energy, LLC, in addition to the collaborative and cost-sharing contributions of its utility partners. The CSVP team participated fully in the Solar Market Pathways Program, which was initiated under the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot program and reports to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. This report summarizes a multi-disciplinary project that took place over 33 months from January, 2015 through September, 2017.« less

  5. Academic Research Equipment in the Physical and Computer Sciences and Engineering. An Analysis of Findings from Phase I of the National Science Foundation's National Survey of Academic Research Instruments and Instrumentation Needs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burgdorf, Kenneth; White, Kristine

    This report presents information from phase I of a survey designed to develop quantitative indicators of the current national stock, cost/investment, condition, obsolescence, utilization, and need for major research instruments in academic settings. Data for phase I (which focused on the physical and computer sciences and engineering) were…

  6. Politics, Work and Daily Life in the USSR: A Survey of Former Soviet Citizens

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-01-01

    the validity of the various methods. Disagreement over the relative merits of quantitative and qualitative research and over various survey...archive that needed utilization as soon as possible. A design phase proposal was funded by the National Council for Soviet and East European Research in...the NORC staff and by appropriate members of the research team. Substantive and measurement equivalences were treated as controlling where conflicts

  7. An analysis of the influence of framework aspects on the study design of health economic modeling evaluations.

    PubMed

    Gurtner, Sebastian

    2013-04-01

    Research and practical guidelines have many implications for how to structure a health economic study. A major focus in recent decades has been the quality of health economic research. In practice, the factors influencing a study design are not limited to the quest for quality. Moreover, the framework of the study is important. This research addresses three major questions related to these framework aspects. First, we want to know whether the design of health economic studies has changed over time. Second, we want to know how the subject of a study, whether it is a process or product innovation, influences the parameters of the study design. Third, one of the most important questions we will answer is whether and how the study's source of funding has an impact on the design of the research. To answer these questions, a total of 234 health economic studies were analyzed using a correspondence analysis and a logistic regression analysis. All three categories of framework factors have an influence on the aspects of the study design. Health economic studies have evolved over time, leading to the use of more advanced methods like complex sensitivity analyses. Additionally, the patient's point of view has increased in importance. The evaluation of product innovations has focused more on utility concepts. On the other hand, the source of funding may influence only a few aspects of the study design, such as the use of evaluation methods, the source of data, and the use of certain utility measures. The most important trends in health care, such as the emphasis on the patients' point of view, become increasingly established in health economic evaluations with the passage of time. Although methodological challenges remain, modern information and communication technologies provide a basis for increasing the complexity and quality of health economic studies if used frequently.

  8. LaRC local area networks to support distributed computing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Riddle, E. P.

    1984-01-01

    The Langley Research Center's (LaRC) Local Area Network (LAN) effort is discussed. LaRC initiated the development of a LAN to support a growing distributed computing environment at the Center. The purpose of the network is to provide an improved capability (over inteactive and RJE terminal access) for sharing multivendor computer resources. Specifically, the network will provide a data highway for the transfer of files between mainframe computers, minicomputers, work stations, and personal computers. An important influence on the overall network design was the vital need of LaRC researchers to efficiently utilize the large CDC mainframe computers in the central scientific computing facility. Although there was a steady migration from a centralized to a distributed computing environment at LaRC in recent years, the work load on the central resources increased. Major emphasis in the network design was on communication with the central resources within the distributed environment. The network to be implemented will allow researchers to utilize the central resources, distributed minicomputers, work stations, and personal computers to obtain the proper level of computing power to efficiently perform their jobs.

  9. A computer-aided design system geared toward conceptual design in a research environment. [for hypersonic vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    STACK S. H.

    1981-01-01

    A computer-aided design system has recently been developed specifically for the small research group environment. The system is implemented on a Prime 400 minicomputer linked with a CDC 6600 computer. The goal was to assign the minicomputer specific tasks, such as data input and graphics, thereby reserving the large mainframe computer for time-consuming analysis codes. The basic structure of the design system consists of GEMPAK, a computer code that generates detailed configuration geometry from a minimum of input; interface programs that reformat GEMPAK geometry for input to the analysis codes; and utility programs that simplify computer access and data interpretation. The working system has had a large positive impact on the quantity and quality of research performed by the originating group. This paper describes the system, the major factors that contributed to its particular form, and presents examples of its application.

  10. Shaping the Future of Nanomedicine: Anisotropy in Polymeric Nanoparticle Design

    PubMed Central

    Meyer, Randall A.; Green, Jordan J.

    2015-01-01

    Nanofabrication and biomedical applications of polymeric nanoparticles have become important areas of research. Biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles have been investigated for their use as delivery vehicles for therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Although polymeric nanoconstructs have traditionally been fabricated as isotropic spheres, anisotropic, non-spherical nanoparticles have gained interest in the biomaterials community due to their unique interactions with biological systems. Polymeric nanoparticles with different forms of anisotropy have been manufactured utilizing a variety of novel methods in recent years. In addition, they have enhanced physical, chemical, and biological properties compared to spherical nanoparticles, including increased targeting avidity and decreased non-specific in vivo clearance. With these desirable properties, anisotropic nanoparticles have been successfully utilized in many biomedical settings and have performed superiorly to analogous spherical nanoparticles. We summarize the current state-of-the-art fabrication methods for anisotropic polymeric nanoparticles including top-down, bottom-up, and microfluidic design approaches. We also summarize the current and potential future applications of these nanoparticles, including drug delivery, biological targeting, immunoengineering, and tissue engineering. Ongoing research into the properties and utility of anisotropic polymeric nanoparticles will prove critical to realizing their potential in nanomedicine. PMID:25981390

  11. Power system modeling and optimization methods vis-a-vis integrated resource planning (IRP)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arsali, Mohammad H.

    1998-12-01

    The state-of-the-art restructuring of power industries is changing the fundamental nature of retail electricity business. As a result, the so-called Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) strategies implemented on electric utilities are also undergoing modifications. Such modifications evolve from the imminent considerations to minimize the revenue requirements and maximize electrical system reliability vis-a-vis capacity-additions (viewed as potential investments). IRP modifications also provide service-design bases to meet the customer needs towards profitability. The purpose of this research as deliberated in this dissertation is to propose procedures for optimal IRP intended to expand generation facilities of a power system over a stretched period of time. Relevant topics addressed in this research towards IRP optimization are as follows: (1) Historical prospective and evolutionary aspects of power system production-costing models and optimization techniques; (2) A survey of major U.S. electric utilities adopting IRP under changing socioeconomic environment; (3) A new technique designated as the Segmentation Method for production-costing via IRP optimization; (4) Construction of a fuzzy relational database of a typical electric power utility system for IRP purposes; (5) A genetic algorithm based approach for IRP optimization using the fuzzy relational database.

  12. A holistic framework for design of cost-effective minimum water utilization network.

    PubMed

    Wan Alwi, S R; Manan, Z A; Samingin, M H; Misran, N

    2008-07-01

    Water pinch analysis (WPA) is a well-established tool for the design of a maximum water recovery (MWR) network. MWR, which is primarily concerned with water recovery and regeneration, only partly addresses water minimization problem. Strictly speaking, WPA can only lead to maximum water recovery targets as opposed to the minimum water targets as widely claimed by researchers over the years. The minimum water targets can be achieved when all water minimization options including elimination, reduction, reuse/recycling, outsourcing and regeneration have been holistically applied. Even though WPA has been well established for synthesis of MWR network, research towards holistic water minimization has lagged behind. This paper describes a new holistic framework for designing a cost-effective minimum water network (CEMWN) for industry and urban systems. The framework consists of five key steps, i.e. (1) Specify the limiting water data, (2) Determine MWR targets, (3) Screen process changes using water management hierarchy (WMH), (4) Apply Systematic Hierarchical Approach for Resilient Process Screening (SHARPS) strategy, and (5) Design water network. Three key contributions have emerged from this work. First is a hierarchical approach for systematic screening of process changes guided by the WMH. Second is a set of four new heuristics for implementing process changes that considers the interactions among process changes options as well as among equipment and the implications of applying each process change on utility targets. Third is the SHARPS cost-screening technique to customize process changes and ultimately generate a minimum water utilization network that is cost-effective and affordable. The CEMWN holistic framework has been successfully implemented on semiconductor and mosque case studies and yielded results within the designer payback period criterion.

  13. NASA's Plans for Materials Science on ISS: Cooperative Utilization of the MSRR-MSL

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chiaramonte, Francis; Szofran, Frank

    2008-01-01

    The ISS Research Project draws Life (non-human) and Physical Sciences investigations on the ISS, free flyer and ground-based into one coordinated project. The project has two categories: I. Exploration Research Program: a) Utilizes the ISS as a low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) test bed for technology development, demonstration and problem resolution in the areas of life support, fire safety, power, propulsion, thermal management, materials technology, habitat design, etc.; b) Will include endorsement letters from other ETDP projects to show relevancy. II. Non-Exploration Research Program; a) Not directly related to supporting the human exploration program. Research conducted in the life (non-human) and physical sciences; b) The program will sustain, to the maximum extent practicable, the United States scientific expertise and research capability in fundamental microgravity research. Physical Sciences has about 44 grants, and Life Sciences has approximately 32 grants, mostly with universities, to conduct low TRL research; this includes grants to be awarded from the 2008 Fluid Physics and Life Science NRA's.

  14. Handbook of Reading Interventions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connor, Rollanda E., Ed.; Vadasy, Patricia F., Ed.

    2011-01-01

    Comprehensive, authoritative, and designed for practical utility, this handbook presents evidence-based approaches for helping struggling readers and those at risk for literacy difficulties or delays. Leading experts explain how current research on all aspects of literacy translates into innovative classroom practices. Chapters include clear…

  15. GIS-Based System of Hydrologic and Hydraulic Applications for Highway Engineering

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-10-01

    In this research project, a GIS has been developed to assist in the design of highway drainage facilities by utilizing hydrologic spatial data to calculate the input parameters for standard hydrologic software packages. This GIS reduces the analysis ...

  16. BIBLIO: A Reprint File Management Algorithm

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zelnio, Robert N.; And Others

    1977-01-01

    The development of a simple computer algorithm designed for use by the individual educator or researcher in maintaining and searching reprint files is reported. Called BIBLIO, the system is inexpensive and easy to operate and maintain without sacrificing flexibility and utility. (LBH)

  17. Nuclear Weapons R&D Organiziations in Nine Nations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-16

    Sorek (alternative transliteration: Soreq) south of Tel Aviv and at the larger Center for Nuclear Research in the Negev south of Dimona. According to...Utilization Institute; (7) Neutron Physics Institute; (8) Reactor Design Institute; (9) Nuclear Electromagnetics Institute; (10) Radiation Protection

  18. Nuclear Weapons R&D Organizations in Nine Nations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-16

    Sorek (alternative transliteration: Soreq) south of Tel Aviv and at the larger Center for Nuclear Research in the Negev south of Dimona. According to...Utilization Institute; (7) Neutron Physics Institute; (8) Reactor Design Institute; (9) Nuclear Electromagnetics Institute; (10) Radiation Protection

  19. Lime utilization in the laboratory, field, and design of pavement layers : [research project capsule].

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-05-01

    Nearly two-thirds of highways in the United States are constructed on in-place soils : with poor or undesirable characteristics. These materials demonstrate undesirable : engineering behavior, such as low bearing capacity, high shrink/swell potential...

  20. Vibration isolation/suppression: research experience for undergraduates in mechatronics and smart structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fonda, James; Rao, Vittal S.; Sana, Sridhar

    2001-08-01

    This paper provides an account of a student research project conducted under the sponsoring of the National Science Foundation (NSF) program on Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Mechatronics and Smart Strictures in the summer of 2000. The objective of the research is to design and test a stand-alone controller for a vibration isolation/suppression system. The design specification for the control system is to suppress the vibrations induced by the external disturbances by at least fiver times and hence to achieve vibration isolation. Piezo-electric sensors and actuators are utilized for suppression of unwanted vibrations. Various steps such as modeling of the system, controller design, simulation, closed-loop testing using d- Space rapid prototyping system, and analog control implementation are discussed in the paper. Procedures for data collection, the trade-offs carried out in the design, and analog controller implementation issues are also presented in the paper. The performances of various controllers are compared. The experiences of an undergraduate student are summarized in the conclusion of the paper.

  1. Rationale, Timeline, Study Design, and Protocol Overview of the Therapeutic Hypothermia After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Trials

    PubMed Central

    Moler, Frank W.; Silverstein, Faye S.; Meert, Kathleen L.; Clark, Amy E.; Holubkov, Richard; Browning, Brittan; Slomine, Beth S.; Christensen, James R.; Dean, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Objective To describe the rationale, timeline, study design, and protocol overview of the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest trials. Design Multicenter randomized controlled trials. Setting Pediatric intensive care and cardiac ICUs in the United States and Canada. Patients Children from 48 hours to 18 years old, who have return of circulation after cardiac arrest, who meet trial eligibility criteria, and whose guardians provide written consent. Interventions Therapeutic hypothermia or therapeutic normothermia. Measurements and Main Results From concept inception in 2002 until trial initiation in 2009, 7 years were required to plan and operationalize the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest trials. Two National Institute of Child Health and Human Development clinical trial planning grants (R21 and R34) supported feasibility assessment and protocol development. Two clinical research networks, Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network and Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network, provided infrastructure resources. Two National Heart Lung Blood Institute U01 awards provided funding to conduct separate trials of in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. A pilot vanguard phase that included half the clinical sites began on March 9, 2009, and this was followed by full trial funding through 2015. Conclusions Over a decade will have been required to plan, design, operationalize, and conduct the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest trials. Details described in this report, such as participation of clinical research networks and clinical trial planning grants utilization, may be of utility for individuals who are planning investigator-initiated, federally supported clinical trials. PMID:23842585

  2. Engineering-Based Problem Solving Strategies in AP Calculus: An Investigation into High School Student Performance on Related Rate Free-Response Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thieken, John

    2012-01-01

    A sample of 127 high school Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus students from two schools was utilized to study the effects of an engineering design-based problem solving strategy on student performance with AP style Related Rate questions and changes in conceptions, beliefs, and influences. The research design followed a treatment-control multiple…

  3. Conceptual and Preliminary Design of a Low-Cost Precision Aerial Delivery System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-01

    test results. It includes an analysis of the failure modes encountered during flight experimentation , methodology used for conducting coordinate...and experimentation . Additionally, the current and desired end state of the research is addressed. Finally, this chapter outlines the methodology ...preliminary design phases are utilized to investigate and develop a potentially low-cost alternative to existing systems. Using an Agile methodology

  4. The Technological Impact of the E-Rate Program on a School District of the Texas Coastal Bend Region

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vazquez-Cruz, Juan Diego

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of the E-Rate program on students, teachers, administrators, and the technology environment of a public school district in the Texas Gulf Coast Region. The study was conducted through a mixed methods design, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data collection; the research design was a…

  5. The need for a dedicated public service helicopter design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morrison, R.

    1984-01-01

    The need to provide the necessary funding to research, design and contract the building of an advanced technology rotorcraft that will meet the mission demands of public service (fire, police, paramedics and rescue) operators is discussed. Noise and cost factors, the greatest objections on the part of many police and public adminstrators are addressed. The growth of helicopter utilization in public service is documented.

  6. The Software Management Environment (SME)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Valett, Jon D.; Decker, William; Buell, John

    1988-01-01

    The Software Management Environment (SME) is a research effort designed to utilize the past experiences and results of the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) and to incorporate this knowledge into a tool for managing projects. SME provides the software development manager with the ability to observe, compare, predict, analyze, and control key software development parameters such as effort, reliability, and resource utilization. The major components of the SME, the architecture of the system, and examples of the functionality of the tool are discussed.

  7. Galvanizers, guides, champions, and shields: the many ways that policymakers use public health researchers.

    PubMed

    Haynes, Abby S; Gillespie, James A; Derrick, Gemma E; Hall, Wayne D; Redman, Sally; Chapman, Simon; Sturk, Heidi

    2011-12-01

    Public health researchers make a limited but important contribution to policy development. Some engage with policy directly through committees, advisory boards, advocacy coalitions, ministerial briefings, intervention design consultation, and research partnerships with government, as well as by championing research-informed policy in the media. Nevertheless, the research utilization literature has paid little attention to these diverse roles and the ways that policymakers use them. This article describes how policymakers use researchers in policymaking and examines how these activities relate to models of research utilization. It also explores the extent to which policymakers' accounts of using researchers concur with the experiences of "policy-engaged" public health researchers. We conducted semi-structured interviews with thirty-two Australian civil servants, parliamentary ministers, and ministerial advisers identified as "research-engaged" by public health researchers. We used structured and inductive coding to generate categories that we then compared with some of the major research utilization models. Policymakers were sophisticated and multifaceted users of researchers for purposes that we describe as Galvanizing Ideas, Clarification and Advice, Persuasion, and Defense. These categories overlapped but did not wholly fit with research utilization models. Despite the negative connotation, "being used" was reported as reciprocal and uncompromising, although researchers and policymakers were likely to categorize these uses differently. Policymakers countered views expressed by some researchers. That is, they sought robust dialogue and creative thinking rather than compliance, and they valued expert opinion when research was insufficient for decision making. The technical/political character of policy development shaped the ways in which researchers were used. Elucidating the diverse roles that public health researchers play in policymaking, and the multiple ways that policymakers use these roles, provides researchers and policymakers with a framework for negotiating and reflecting on activities that may advance the public health goals shared by both. © 2011 Milbank Memorial Fund.

  8. Galvanizers, Guides, Champions, and Shields: The Many Ways That Policymakers Use Public Health Researchers

    PubMed Central

    Haynes, Abby S; Gillespie, James A; Derrick, Gemma E; Hall, Wayne D; Redman, Sally; Chapman, Simon; Sturk, Heidi

    2011-01-01

    Context Public health researchers make a limited but important contribution to policy development. Some engage with policy directly through committees, advisory boards, advocacy coalitions, ministerial briefings, intervention design consultation, and research partnerships with government, as well as by championing research-informed policy in the media. Nevertheless, the research utilization literature has paid little attention to these diverse roles and the ways that policymakers use them. This article describes how policymakers use researchers in policymaking and examines how these activities relate to models of research utilization. It also explores the extent to which policymakers’ accounts of using researchers concur with the experiences of “policy-engaged” public health researchers. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with thirty-two Australian civil servants, parliamentary ministers, and ministerial advisers identified as “research-engaged” by public health researchers. We used structured and inductive coding to generate categories that we then compared with some of the major research utilization models. Findings Policymakers were sophisticated and multifaceted users of researchers for purposes that we describe as Galvanizing Ideas, Clarification and Advice, Persuasion, and Defense. These categories overlapped but did not wholly fit with research utilization models. Despite the negative connotation, “being used” was reported as reciprocal and uncompromising, although researchers and policymakers were likely to categorize these uses differently. Policymakers countered views expressed by some researchers. That is, they sought robust dialogue and creative thinking rather than compliance, and they valued expert opinion when research was insufficient for decision making. The technical/political character of policy development shaped the ways in which researchers were used. Conclusions Elucidating the diverse roles that public health researchers play in policymaking, and the multiple ways that policymakers use these roles, provides researchers and policymakers with a framework for negotiating and reflecting on activities that may advance the public health goals shared by both. PMID:22188348

  9. Man-vehicle systems research facility: Design and operating characteristics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    The Man-Vehicle Systems Research Facility (MVSRF) provides the capability of simulating aircraft (two with full crews), en route and terminal air traffic control and aircrew interactions, and advanced cockpit (1995) display representative of future generations of aircraft, all within the full mission context. The characteristics of this facility derive from research, addressing critical human factors issues that pertain to: (1) information requirements for the utilization and integration of advanced electronic display systems, (2) the interaction and distribution of responsibilities between aircrews and ground controllers, and (3) the automation of aircrew functions. This research has emphasized the need for high fidelity in simulations and for the capability to conduct full mission simulations of relevant aircraft operations. This report briefly describes the MVSRF design and operating characteristics.

  10. Toward an electrical power utility for space exploration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bercaw, Robert W.

    1989-01-01

    Plans for space exploration depend on today's technology programs addressing the novel requirements of space-based enterprise. The requirements for electrical power will be formidable: megawatts in magnitude, reliability for multi-year missions and the flexibility to adapt to needs unanticipated at design time. The reasons for considering the power management and distribution in the various systems from a total mission perspective, rather than simply extrapolating current spacecraft design practice, are discussed. A utility approach to electric power being developed at the Lewis Research Center is described. It integrates requirements from a broad selection of current development programs with studies in which both space and terrestrial technologies are conceptually applied to exploration mission scenarios.

  11. The utility of rural and underserved designations in geospatial assessments of distance traveled to healthcare services: implications for public health research and practice.

    PubMed

    Smith, Matthew Lee; Dickerson, Justin B; Wendel, Monica L; Ahn, Sangnam; Pulczinski, Jairus C; Drake, Kelly N; Ory, Marcia G

    2013-01-01

    Health disparities research in rural populations is based on several common taxonomies identified by geography and population density. However, little is known about the implications of different rurality definitions on public health outcomes. To help illuminate the meaning of different rural designations often used in research, service delivery, or policy reports, this study will (1) review the different definitions of rurality and their purposes; (2) identify the overlap of various rural designations in an eight-county Brazos Valley region in Central Texas; (3) describe participant characteristic profiles based on distances traveled to obtain healthcare services; and (4) examine common profile characteristics associated with each designation. Data were analyzed from a random sample from 1,958 Texas adults participating in a community assessment. K-means cluster analysis was used to identify natural groupings of individuals based on distance traveled to obtain three healthcare services: medical care, dental care, and prescription medication pick-up. Significant variation in cluster representation and resident characteristics was observed by rural designation. Given widely used taxonomies for designating areas as rural (or provider shortage) in health-related research, this study highlights differences that could influence research results and subsequent program and policy development based on rural designation.

  12. The utilization of microbes as a fermentation agent to reduce saponin in Trembesi leaves (Sammanea saman)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sariri, A. K.; Mulyono, A. M. W.; Tari, A. I. N.

    2018-03-01

    This objective of this research was to observe the utilization of microbes as a fermentation agent of trembesi leaves that can increase the quality of trembesi leaves as ruminants feed. Before fermentation, trembesi leaves were divided into three treatments. They were control = non-agentic in fermentation, D-An = the addition of Aspergillus niger as fermentation agent, and D-Lp = the addition of Lactobacillus plantarum as fermentation agent. Each treatment experienced five repetitions. The experimental design used a randomized direct pattern group design. The analysis included proximate analysis consisting of water content, crude protein content, crude fiber content, lipid content, mineral content (ash) and saponin content after fermentation. It could be concluded that the utilization of Aspergillus niger and Lactobacillus plantarum in fermentation could decrease saponin content and could increase the nutrient content of trembesi leaves by increasing crude protein content otherwise by decreasing crude fiber content of trembesi leaves.

  13. Leadership skills for the California electric utility industry: A qualitative study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hubbell, Michael

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the skills and knowledge necessary for leaders in the California electric utility industry in 2020. With rapid industry changes, skills to effectively lead and stay competitive are undetermined. Leaders must manage an increasingly hostile social and political environment, incorporate new technology, and deal with an aging workforce and infrastructure. Methodology. This study utilized a qualitative case study design to determine the factors that influence the skills leaders will require in 2020. It incorporated the perspectives of current electric utility leaders while looking with a future lens. Findings. Interviews were conducted with transmission and distribution (T&D) directors at 3 investor-owned public electric utilities headquartered in California. The questions followed an open-ended format to gather responses as perceived by electric utility leaders for each research question category: overall skills, aging workforce, regulation, technology, and leading younger generations. The research resulted in 18 major themes: 5 for overall skills, 3 for aging workforce, 4 for regulation, 3 for technology, and 3 for leading younger generations. Conclusions. The study identified leadership skills including the ability to embrace, leverage, and stay current with technology; understand and provide a clear vision for the future; increase creativity; manage the next set of workers; motivate during a time of great change; prepare for knowledge transfer and change in workforce culture; manage regulatory expectations; expand potential utility opportunities; leverage "big data"; allow worker collaboration; and understand what drives younger generations. Recommendations. California-based electric utility leaders can remain effective by implementing key strategies identified herein. Further research could examine perspectives of additional utility leaders who lead in organizational units outside of T&D, expand the research to include additional states, and/or demonstrate how to acquire the identified skills. It is also recommended that a replication of this study be undertaken to include a perspective and analysis of union or "field" workers.

  14. NASA Tech House: An early evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1977-01-01

    An architect-engineering firm, as well as university participants, performed system studies, evaluated construction methods, performed cost effectiveness studies, and prepared construction drawings which incorporated the selected technology features into a final design. A Technology Utilization House (Tech House) based on this design was constructed at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Tech House is instrumented so that the performance of the design features and energy systems can be evaluated during a planned family live-in period. As such, the house is both a demonstration unit and a research laboratory. The Tech House is to demonstrate the kind of single-family residence that will probably be available within the next five years.

  15. Activities of the National Institutes of Health relating to energy efficiency and pollution prevention.

    PubMed Central

    Ficca, S A; Chyun, Y D; Ebrahimi, M; Kutlak, F; Memarzadeh, F

    2000-01-01

    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one of the world's premier biomedical research centers. Although NIH owns and operates more than 1,300 acres and 197 buildings across the country, the main campus is in Bethesda, Maryland. This campus consists of over 312 acres and 75 laboratories and other buildings, which consume vast amounts of energy. Aware of the NIH role in setting biomedical research agendas and priorities, its administrators strive to set good examples in energy efficiency and pollution prevention. Three current projects are presented as "best practices" examples of meeting the stated commitment of NIH to leadership in environmental stewardship: a) design and current construction of a 250-bed clinical research hospital designed to allow conversion of patient care units to research laboratories and vice-versa; b) design and construction of a six-story research laboratory that combines energy-saving innovations with breakthroughs in research technologies; and c) a massive, $200-million modernization of the campus utility infrastructure that involves generation systems for steam and chilled water and distribution systems for chilled water, steam, potable water, electricity, communications and computer networking, compressed air, and natural gas. Based on introduction of energy-efficiency measures, millions of dollars in savings for energy needs are projected; already the local electric utility has granted several million dollars in rebates. The guiding principles of NIH environmental stewardship help to ensure that energy conservation measures maximize benefits versus cost and also balance expediency with efficiency within available funding resources. This is a committee report for the Leadership Conference: Biomedical Research and the Environment held 1--2 November 1999 at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. PMID:11121359

  16. Making genomic medicine evidence-based and patient-centered: a structured review and landscape analysis of comparative effectiveness research.

    PubMed

    Phillips, Kathryn A; Deverka, Patricia A; Sox, Harold C; Khoury, Muin J; Sandy, Lewis G; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Tunis, Sean R; Orlando, Lori A; Douglas, Michael P

    2017-10-01

    Comparative effectiveness research (CER) in genomic medicine (GM) measures the clinical utility of using genomic information to guide clinical care in comparison to appropriate alternatives. We summarized findings of high-quality systematic reviews that compared the analytic and clinical validity and clinical utility of GM tests. We focused on clinical utility findings to summarize CER-derived evidence about GM and identify evidence gaps and future research needs. We abstracted key elements of study design, GM interventions, results, and study quality ratings from 21 systematic reviews published in 2010 through 2015. More than half (N = 13) of the reviews were of cancer-related tests. All reviews identified potentially important clinical applications of the GM interventions, but most had significant methodological weaknesses that largely precluded any conclusions about clinical utility. Twelve reviews discussed the importance of patient-centered outcomes, although few described evidence about the impact of genomic medicine on these outcomes. In summary, we found a very limited body of evidence about the effect of using genomic tests on health outcomes and many evidence gaps for CER to address.Genet Med advance online publication 13 April 2017.

  17. Making genomic medicine evidence-based and patient-centered: a structured review and landscape analysis of comparative effectiveness research

    PubMed Central

    Phillips, Kathryn A.; Deverka, Patricia A.; Sox, Harold C.; Khoury, Muin J.; Sandy, Lewis G.; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S.; Tunis, Sean R.; Orlando, Lori A.; Douglas, Michael P.

    2017-01-01

    Comparative effectiveness research (CER) in genomic medicine (GM) measures the clinical utility of using genomic information to guide clinical care in comparison to appropriate alternatives. We summarized findings of high-quality systematic reviews that compared the analytic and clinical validity and clinical utility of GM tests. We focused on clinical utility findings to summarize CER-derived evidence about GM and identify evidence gaps and future research needs. We abstracted key elements of study design, GM interventions, results, and study quality ratings from 21 systematic reviews published in 2010 through 2015. More than half (N = 13) of the reviews were of cancer-related tests. All reviews identified potentially important clinical applications of the GM interventions, but most had significant methodological weaknesses that largely precluded any conclusions about clinical utility. Twelve reviews discussed the importance of patient-centered outcomes, although few described evidence about the impact of genomic medicine on these outcomes. In summary, we found a very limited body of evidence about the effect of using genomic tests on health outcomes and many evidence gaps for CER to address. Genet Med advance online publication 13 April 2017 PMID:28406488

  18. Survey design research: a tool for answering nursing research questions.

    PubMed

    Siedlecki, Sandra L; Butler, Robert S; Burchill, Christian N

    2015-01-01

    The clinical nurse specialist is in a unique position to identify and study clinical problems in need of answers, but lack of time and resources may discourage nurses from conducting research. However, some research methods can be used by the clinical nurse specialist that are not time-intensive or cost prohibitive. The purpose of this article is to explain the utility of survey methodology for answering a number of nursing research questions. The article covers survey content, reliability and validity issues, sample size considerations, and methods of survey delivery.

  19. Weather Prediction Improvement Using Advanced Satellite Technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Einaudi, Franco; Uccellini, L.; Purdom, J.; Rogers, D.; Gelaro, R.; Dodge, J.; Atlas, R.; Lord, S.

    2001-01-01

    We discuss in this paper some of the problems that exist today in the fall utilization of satellite data to improve weather forecasts and we propose specific recommendations to solve them. This discussion can be viewed as an aspect of the general debate on how best to organize the transition from research to operational satellites and how to evaluate the impact of a research instrument on numerical weather predictions. A method for providing this transition is offered by the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP). This mission will bridge the time between the present NOAA and Department of Defense (DOD) polar orbiting missions and the initiation of the converged NPOESS series and will evaluate some of the Earth Observing System (EOS) instruments as appropriate for operational missions. Thus, this mission can be viewed as an effort to meet the operational requirements of NOAA and DOD and the research requirements of NASA. More generally, however, it can be said that the process of going from the conception of new, more advanced instruments to their operational implementation and full utilization by the weather forecast communities is not optimal. Instruments developed for research purposes may have insufficient funding to explore their potential operational capabilities. Furthermore, instrument development programs designed for operational satellites typically have insufficient funding for assimilation algorithms needed to transform the satellite observations into data that can be used by sophisticated global weather forecast models. As a result, years often go by before satellite data are efficiently used for operational forecasts. NASA and NOAA each have unique expertise in the design of satellite instruments, their use for basic and applied research and their utilization in weather and climate research. At a time of limited resources, the two agencies must combine their efforts to work toward common goals of full utilization of satellite data. This is a challenge that requires the assimilation of myriad new data into increasingly sophisticated numerical forecast models that run on increasingly sophisticated computer systems. In section II, we briefly outline the impact of satellite data on the quality of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) forecasts. In section III, we describe the present status of the utilization of satellite data in NCEP models and the challenges that lie ahead. In section IV, we propose solutions whose goals are summarized in section V.

  20. A Bayesian approach to estimating variance components within a multivariate generalizability theory framework.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Zhehan; Skorupski, William

    2017-12-12

    In many behavioral research areas, multivariate generalizability theory (mG theory) has been typically used to investigate the reliability of certain multidimensional assessments. However, traditional mG-theory estimation-namely, using frequentist approaches-has limits, leading researchers to fail to take full advantage of the information that mG theory can offer regarding the reliability of measurements. Alternatively, Bayesian methods provide more information than frequentist approaches can offer. This article presents instructional guidelines on how to implement mG-theory analyses in a Bayesian framework; in particular, BUGS code is presented to fit commonly seen designs from mG theory, including single-facet designs, two-facet crossed designs, and two-facet nested designs. In addition to concrete examples that are closely related to the selected designs and the corresponding BUGS code, a simulated dataset is provided to demonstrate the utility and advantages of the Bayesian approach. This article is intended to serve as a tutorial reference for applied researchers and methodologists conducting mG-theory studies.

  1. The utilization of forward osmosis for coal tailings dewatering

    EPA Science Inventory

    The feasibility of dewatering coal tailings slurry by forward osmosis (FO) membrane process was investigated in this research. A prototype cell was designed and used for the dewatering tests. A cellulosic FO membrane (Hydration Technology Innovations, LLC, Albany, OR) was used fo...

  2. Mycelium reinforced agricultural fiber bio-composites: Summary of research

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Industry and the public sector have a growing interest in utilizing natural fibers, such as agricultural substrates, in the manufacture of components and products currently manufactured from fossil fuels. A patented process, developed by Ecovative Design, LLC (Ecovative), for growing fungal species ...

  3. Large Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thresher, R. W. (Editor)

    1982-01-01

    The proceedings of a workshop held in Cleveland, July 28-30, 1981 are described. The workshop emphasized recent experience in building and testing large propeller-type wind turbines, expanding upon the proceedings of three previous DOE/NASA workshops at which design and analysis topics were considered. A total of 41 papers were presented on the following subjects: current and advanced large wind turbine systems, rotor blade design and manufacture, electric utility activities, research and supporting technology, meteorological characteristics for design and operation, and wind resources assessments for siting.

  4. GLIMMPSE Lite: Calculating Power and Sample Size on Smartphone Devices

    PubMed Central

    Munjal, Aarti; Sakhadeo, Uttara R.; Muller, Keith E.; Glueck, Deborah H.; Kreidler, Sarah M.

    2014-01-01

    Researchers seeking to develop complex statistical applications for mobile devices face a common set of difficult implementation issues. In this work, we discuss general solutions to the design challenges. We demonstrate the utility of the solutions for a free mobile application designed to provide power and sample size calculations for univariate, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), GLIMMPSE Lite. Our design decisions provide a guide for other scientists seeking to produce statistical software for mobile platforms. PMID:25541688

  5. Improving the Selection, Classification, and Utilization of Army Enlisted Personnel: Annual Report, 1987 Fiscal Year

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-10-01

    unles so designated by other authrized documena. ’V FOREWORD This document is a descrition of the research effort of the fifth year (Fiscal Year 1987...criterion measures. This part of the effort included the design of job performance measures for the noncommissioned officers in their second tour who were...phase. In Chapter 2 the Project A analysis group reports on their efforts to use the Concurrent Validation sample results to design optimal ASVAB

  6. Structural DNA Nanotechnology: Artificial Nanostructures for Biomedical Research.

    PubMed

    Ke, Yonggang; Castro, Carlos; Choi, Jong Hyun

    2018-06-04

    Structural DNA nanotechnology utilizes synthetic or biologic DNA as designer molecules for the self-assembly of artificial nanostructures. The field is founded upon the specific interactions between DNA molecules, known as Watson-Crick base pairing. After decades of active pursuit, DNA has demonstrated unprecedented versatility in constructing artificial nanostructures with significant complexity and programmability. The nanostructures could be either static, with well-controlled physicochemical properties, or dynamic, with the ability to reconfigure upon external stimuli. Researchers have devoted considerable effort to exploring the usability of DNA nanostructures in biomedical research. We review the basic design methods for fabricating both static and dynamic DNA nanostructures, along with their biomedical applications in fields such as biosensing, bioimaging, and drug delivery.

  7. Space Station Freedom Toxic and Reactive Materials Handling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baugher, Charles R. (Editor)

    1990-01-01

    Viable research in materials processing in space requires the utilization of a wide variety of chemicals and materials, many of which are considered toxic and/or highly reactive with other substances. A realistic view of the experiments which are most likely to be accomplished in the early Space Station phases are examined and design issues addressed which are related to their safe implementation. Included are discussions of materials research on Skylab, Spacelab, and the Shuttle mid-deck; overviews of early concepts for specialized Space Station systems designed to help contain potential problems; descriptions of industrial experience with ground-based research; and an overview of the state-of-the-art in contamination detection systems.

  8. Computer-assisted design of organic synthesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaminaka, H.

    1986-01-01

    The computer programs to design synthetic pathways of organic compounds have been utilized throughout the world since the first system was reported by Corey in 1969, and the LHASA was reported in1972 to become the predominant system. Many programs have been reported mainly in the United States and Europe, and groups of corporations, especially chemical companies, have been trying to improve programs and increase the efficiency of research. In Japan, unfortunately, no concrete movement in this area has been seen. Of course, it goes without saying that these kinds of programs are effective for efficient research, but the remarkable aspect is that these can present unexpected data to the researchers to stimulate them to develop new ideas.

  9. Utilizing the National Research Council's (NRC) Conceptual Framework for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): A Self-Study in My Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Corvo, Arthur Francis

    Given the reality that active and competitive participation in the 21 st century requires American students to deepen their scientific and mathematical knowledge base, the National Research Council (NRC) proposed a new conceptual framework for K--12 science education. The framework consists of an integration of what the NRC report refers to as the three dimensions: scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas in four disciplinary areas (physical, life and earth/spaces sciences, and engineering/technology). The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS ), which are derived from this new framework, were released in April 2013 and have implications on teacher learning and development in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Given the NGSS's recent introduction, there is little research on how teachers can prepare for its release. To meet this research need, I implemented a self-study aimed at examining my teaching practices and classroom outcomes through the lens of the NRC's conceptual framework and the NGSS. The self-study employed design-based research (DBR) methods to investigate what happened in my secondary classroom when I designed, enacted, and reflected on units of study for my science, engineering, and mathematics classes. I utilized various best practices including Learning for Use (LfU) and Understanding by Design (UbD) models for instructional design, talk moves as a tool for promoting discourse, and modeling instruction for these designed units of study. The DBR strategy was chosen to promote reflective cycles, which are consistent with and in support of the self-study framework. A multiple case, mixed-methods approach was used for data collection and analysis. The findings in the study are reported by study phase in terms of unit planning, unit enactment, and unit reflection. The findings have implications for science teaching, teacher professional development, and teacher education.

  10. Design of a bioresorbable polymeric scaffold for osteoblast culture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ditaranto, Vincent M., Jr.

    Bioresorbable polymeric scaffolds were designed for the purpose of growing rat osteosarcoma cells (ROS 17/2.8) using the compression molding method. The material used in the construction of the scaffolds was a mixture of polycaprolactone (PCL), Hydroxyapatite (HA), Glycerin (GL) and salt (NaCl) for porosity. The concentration of the several materials utilized, was determined by volume. Past research at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) has successfully utilized the compression molding method for the construction of scaffolds, but was unable to accomplish the goal of long term cell survival and complete cellular proliferation throughout a three dimensional scaffold. This research investigated various concentrations of the materials and molding temperatures used for the manufacture of scaffolds in order to improve the scaffold design and address those issues. The design of the scaffold using the compression molding process is detailed in the Method and Materials section of this thesis. The porogen (salt) used for porosity was suspected as a possible source of contamination causing cell apoptosis in past studies. This research addressed the issues for cell survival and proliferation throughout a three dimensional scaffold. The leaching of the salt was one major design modification. This research successfully used ultrasonic leaching in addition to the passive method. Prior to cell culture, the scaffolds were irradiated to 2.75 Mrad, with cobalt-60 gamma radionuclide. The tissue culture consisted of two trials: (1) cell culture in scaffolds cleaned with passive leaching; (2) cell culture with scaffolds cleaned with ultrasonic leaching. Cell survival and proliferation was accomplished only with the addition of ultrasonic leaching of the scaffolds. Analysis of the scaffolds included Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Nikon light microscopy and x-ray mapping of the calcium, sodium and chloride ion distribution. The cells were analyzed by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) and Nikon light microscopy. The high magnification of ESEM up to 60,000 x revealed an unexpected discovery. The osteoblasts appeared to be remodeling the PCL scaffold shown in the last two figures of this research.

  11. Research possibilities? No! Needs for research to make PV solar energy utilization broadly competitive

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wolf, M.

    1982-01-01

    The historical progression of efficiency improvements, cost reductions, and performance improvements in modules and photovoltaic systems are described. The potential for future improvements in photovoltaic device efficiencies and cost reductions continues as device concepts, designs, processes, and automated production capabilities mature. Additional step-function improvements can be made as today's simpler devices are replaced by more sophisticated devices.

  12. Summer Workshop in Metagenomics: One Week Plus Eight Students Equals Gigabases of Cloned DNA †

    PubMed Central

    Rios-Velazquez, Carlos; Williamson, Lynn L.; Cloud-Hansen, Karen A.; Allen, Heather K.; McMahon, Mathew D.; Sabree, Zakee L.; Donato, Justin J.; Handelsman, Jo

    2011-01-01

    We designed a week-long laboratory workshop in metagenomics for a cohort of undergraduate student researchers. During this course, students learned and utilized molecular biology and microbiology techniques to construct a metagenomic library from Puerto Rican soil. Pre-and postworkshop assessments indicated student learning gains in technical knowledge, skills, and confidence in a research environment. Postworkshop construction of additional libraries demonstrated retention of research techniques by the students. PMID:23653755

  13. Situating and Constructing Diversity in Semi-Structured Interviews

    PubMed Central

    McIntosh, Michele J.; Morse, Janice M.

    2015-01-01

    Although semi-structured interviews (SSIs) are used extensively in research, scant attention is given to their diversity, underlying assumptions, construction, and broad applications to qualitative and mixed-method research. In this three-part article, we discuss the following: (a) how the SSI is situated historically including its evolution and diversification, (b) the principles of constructing SSIs, and (c) how SSIs are utilized as a stand-alone research method, and as strategy within a mixed-method design. PMID:28462313

  14. Combustion Research aboard the ISS Utilizing the Combustion Integrated Rack and Microgravity Science Glovebox

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sutliff, T. J.; Otero, A. M.; Urban, D. L.

    2002-01-01

    The Physical Sciences Research Program of NASA has chartered a broad suite of peer-reviewed research investigating both fundamental combustion phenomena and applied combustion research topics. Fundamental research provides insights to develop accurate simulations of complex combustion processes and allows developers to improve the efficiency of combustion devices, to reduce the production of harmful emissions, and to reduce the incidence of accidental uncontrolled combustion (fires, explosions). The applied research benefit humans living and working in space through its fire safety program. The Combustion Science Discipline is implementing a structured flight research program utilizing the International Space Station (ISS) and two of its premier facilities, the Combustion Integrated Rack of the Fluids and Combustion Facility and the Microgravity Science Glovebox to conduct this space-based research. This paper reviews the current vision of Combustion Science research planned for International Space Station implementation from 2003 through 2012. A variety of research efforts in droplets and sprays, solid-fuels combustion, and gaseous combustion have been independently selected and critiqued through a series of peer-review processes. During this period, while both the ISS carrier and its research facilities are under development, the Combustion Science Discipline has synergistically combined research efforts into sub-topical areas. To conduct this research aboard ISS in the most cost effective and resource efficient manner, the sub-topic research areas are implemented via a multi-user hardware approach. This paper also summarizes the multi-user hardware approach and recaps the progress made in developing these research hardware systems. A balanced program content has been developed to maximize the production of fundamental and applied combustion research results within the current budgetary and ISS operational resource constraints. Decisions on utilizing the Combustion Integrated Rack and the Microgravity Science Glovebox are made based on facility capabilities and research requirements. To maximize research potential, additional research objectives are specified as desires a priori during the research design phase. These expanded research goals, which are designed to be achievable even with late addition of operational resources, allow additional research of a known, peer-endorsed scope to be conducted at marginal cost. Additional operational resources such as upmass, crewtime, data downlink bandwidth, and stowage volume may be presented by the ISS planners late in the research mission planning process. The Combustion Discipline has put in place plans to be prepared to take full advantage of such opportunities.

  15. Utilization of Minor Actinides as a Fuel Component for Ultra-Long Life Bhr Configurations: Designs, Advantages and Limitations

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

    Dr. Pavel V. Tsvetkov

    2009-05-20

    This project assessed the advantages and limitations of using minor actinides as a fuel component to achieve ultra-long life Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) configurations. Researchers considered and compared the capabilities of pebble-bed and prismatic core designs with advanced actinide fuels to achieve ultra-long operation without refueling. Since both core designs permit flexibility in component configuration, fuel utilization, and fuel management, it is possible to improve fissile properties of minor actinides by neutron spectrum shifting through configuration adjustments. The project studied advanced actinide fuels, which could reduce the long-term radio-toxicity and heat load of high-level waste sent to a geologicmore » repository and enable recovery of the energy contained in spent fuel. The ultra-long core life autonomous approach may reduce the technical need for additional repositories and is capable to improve marketability of the Generation IV VHTR by allowing worldwide deployment, including remote regions and regions with limited industrial resources. Utilization of minor actinides in nuclear reactors facilitates developments of new fuel cycles towards sustainable nuclear energy scenarios.« less

  16. Brief motivational intervention with homeless adolescents: evaluating effects on substance use and service utilization.

    PubMed

    Baer, John S; Garrett, Sharon B; Beadnell, Blair; Wells, Elizabeth A; Peterson, Peggy L

    2007-12-01

    A brief motivational intervention with 117 homeless adolescents was evaluated using a randomized design and 3-month follow-up. The intervention was designed to raise youths' concerns about their substance use, support harm reduction, and encourage greater service utilization at a collaborating agency. The study was designed to strengthen initial promising results of an earlier study (P. L. Peterson, J. S. Baer, E. A. Wells, J. A. Ginzler, & S. B. Garrett, 2006). Several modifications in the clinical protocol were included to enhance engagement with the intervention. Analyses revealed no significant benefits for intervention participants when homeless youths' substance use rates were compared with those of control participants. Service utilization during the intervention period increased for those receiving the intervention but returned to baseline levels at follow-up. Participants reported overall reductions in substance use over time. Differences between sampling methods for the current and previous study are discussed, as are the limitations of brief interventions with this population. Future research needs to elucidate mechanisms of change and service engagement for highly vulnerable youth.

  17. Research requirements to reduce empty weight of helicopters by use of advanced materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hoffstedt, D. J.

    1976-01-01

    Utilization of the new, lightweight, high-strength, aerospace structural-composite (filament/matrix) materials, when specifically designed into a new aircraft, promises reductions in structural empty weight of 12 percent at recurring costs competive with metals. A program of basic and applied research and demonstration is identified with the objective of advancing the state of the art to the point where civil helicopters are confidently designed, produced, certified, and marketed by 1985. A structural empty-weight reduction of 12 percent was shown to significantly reduce energy consumption in modern high-performance helicopters.

  18. Experimental research of flow servo-valve

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takosoglu, Jakub

    Positional control of pneumatic drives is particularly important in pneumatic systems. Some methods of positioning pneumatic cylinders for changeover and tracking control are known. Choking method is the most development-oriented and has the greatest potential. An optimal and effective method, particularly when applied to pneumatic drives, has been searched for a long time. Sophisticated control systems with algorithms utilizing artificial intelligence methods are designed therefor. In order to design the control algorithm, knowledge about real parameters of servo-valves used in control systems of electro-pneumatic servo-drives is required. The paper presents the experimental research of flow servo-valve.

  19. Design Features and Capabilities of the First Materials Science Research Rack

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pettigrew, P. J.; Lehoczky, S. L.; Cobb, S. D.; Holloway, T.; Kitchens, L.

    2003-01-01

    The First Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will offer many unique capabilities and design features to facilitate a wide range of materials science investigations. The initial configuration of MSRR-1 will accommodate two independent Experiment Modules (EMS) and provide the capability for simultaneous on-orbit processing. The facility will provide the common subsystems and interfaces required for the operation of experiment hardware and accommodate telescience capabilities. MSRR1 will utilize an International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) equipped with an Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS) for vibration isolation of the facility.

  20. First Lunar Outpost support study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bartz, Christopher; Cook, John; Rusingizandekwe, Jean-Luc

    1993-01-01

    The First Lunar Outpost (FLO) is the first manned step in the accomplishment of the Space Exploration Initiative, the Vice President's directive to NASA on the 20th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing. FLO's broad objectives are the establishment of a permanent human presence on the moon, supporting the utilization of extraterrestrial resources in a long-term, sustained program. The primary objective is to emplace and validate the first elements of a man tended outpost on the lunar surface to provide the basis for: (1) establishing, maintaining and expanding human activities and influence across the surface; (2) establishing, maintaining and enhancing human safety and productivity; (3) accommodating space transportation operations to and from the surface; (4) accommodating production of scientific information; (5) exploiting in-situ resources. Secondary objectives are: (1) to conduct local, small scale science (including life science); (2) In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) demonstrations; (3) engineering and operations tests; (4) to characterize the local environment; and (5) to explore locally. The current work is part of ongoing research at the Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture supporting NASA's First Lunar Outpost initiative. Research at SICSA supporting the First Lunar Outpost initiative has been funded through the Space Exploration Initiatives office at Johnson Space Center. The objectives of the current study are to further develop a module concept from an evaluation of volumetric and programmatic requirements, and pursue a high fidelity design of this concept, with the intention of providing a high fidelity design mockup to research planetary design issues and evaluate future design concepts.

  1. Employing a Qualitative Description Approach in Health Care Research.

    PubMed

    Bradshaw, Carmel; Atkinson, Sandra; Doody, Owen

    2017-01-01

    A qualitative description design is particularly relevant where information is required directly from those experiencing the phenomenon under investigation and where time and resources are limited. Nurses and midwives often have clinical questions suitable to a qualitative approach but little time to develop an exhaustive comprehension of qualitative methodological approaches. Qualitative description research is sometimes considered a less sophisticated approach for epistemological reasons. Another challenge when considering qualitative description design is differentiating qualitative description from other qualitative approaches. This article provides a systematic and robust journey through the philosophical, ontological, and epistemological perspectives, which evidences the purpose of qualitative description research. Methods and rigor issues underpinning qualitative description research are also appraised to provide the researcher with a systematic approach to conduct research utilizing this approach. The key attributes and value of qualitative description research in the health care professions will be highlighted with the aim of extending its usage.

  2. Employing a Qualitative Description Approach in Health Care Research

    PubMed Central

    Bradshaw, Carmel; Atkinson, Sandra; Doody, Owen

    2017-01-01

    A qualitative description design is particularly relevant where information is required directly from those experiencing the phenomenon under investigation and where time and resources are limited. Nurses and midwives often have clinical questions suitable to a qualitative approach but little time to develop an exhaustive comprehension of qualitative methodological approaches. Qualitative description research is sometimes considered a less sophisticated approach for epistemological reasons. Another challenge when considering qualitative description design is differentiating qualitative description from other qualitative approaches. This article provides a systematic and robust journey through the philosophical, ontological, and epistemological perspectives, which evidences the purpose of qualitative description research. Methods and rigor issues underpinning qualitative description research are also appraised to provide the researcher with a systematic approach to conduct research utilizing this approach. The key attributes and value of qualitative description research in the health care professions will be highlighted with the aim of extending its usage. PMID:29204457

  3. The clinical application of research utilization: amphotericin B.

    PubMed

    Reedy, A M; Shivnan, J C; Hanson, J L; Haisfield, M E; Gregory, R E

    1994-05-01

    To describe the first application of the research utilization process by clinical nurses using the Stetler-Marram Model of Research Utilization to the practice of amphotericin B administration; to share the findings; and to discuss issues encountered in the process and their solutions. Published articles identified through computerized literature searches, published abstracts and books, personal communication with one author, and an informal survey of other cancer centers' amphotericin B infusion practices; research articles were selected for review if studies included settings and patient populations similar to those of the authors and if they used experimental designs. Studies were reviewed for scientific merit and clinical applicability according to the Stetler-Marram model; findings were used to develop a specific nursing protocol for infusion times of amphotericin B based on clinical criteria. The Stetler-Marram model helped staff nurses decide how to apply research findings to practice, although using it was difficult and required mentorship. A research base exists for amphotericin B administration time but not for test doses or premedications to prevent or minimize side effects. Staff nurses can use the Stetler-Marram model but need resources and support from individuals, committees, and administration. A specific protocol representing a practice change was implemented and may be applicable to other settings.

  4. Trade Studies for a Manned High-Power Nuclear Electric Propulsion Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    SanSoucie, Michael; Hull, Patrick V.; Irwin, Ryan W.; TInker, Michael L.; Patton, Bruce W.

    2005-01-01

    Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicles will be needed for future manned missions to Mars and beyond. Candidate vehicles must be identified through trade studies for further detailed design from a large array of possibilities. Genetic algorithms have proven their utility in conceptual design studies by effectively searching a large design space to pinpoint unique optimal designs. This research combines analysis codes for NEP subsystems with genetic algorithm-based optimization. Trade studies for a NEP reference mission to the asteroids were conducted to identify important trends, and to determine the effects of various technologies and subsystems on vehicle performance. It was found that the electric thruster type and thruster performance have a major impact on the achievable system performance, and that significant effort in thruster research and development is merited.

  5. American BRCA Outcomes and Utilization of Testing (ABOUT) study: a pragmatic research model that incorporates personalized medicine/patient-centered outcomes in a real world setting.

    PubMed

    Armstrong, Joanne; Toscano, Michele; Kotchko, Nancy; Friedman, Sue; Schwartz, Marc D; Virgo, Katherine S; Lynch, Kristian; Andrews, James E; Aguado Loi, Claudia X; Bauer, Joseph E; Casares, Carolina; Teten, Rachel Threet; Kondoff, Matthew R; Molina, Ashley D; Abdollahian, Mehrnaz; Brand, Lana; Walker, Gregory S; Sutphen, Rebecca

    2015-02-01

    Research to date regarding identification and management of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) in the U.S. has been confined primarily to academic center-based studies with limited patient engagement. To begin to understand and address the current gaps and disparities in delivery of services for the appropriate identification and optimal risk management of individuals with HBOC, we designed and have initiated the American BRCA Outcomes and Utilization of Testing (ABOUT) Study. ABOUT relies on a collaborative patient advocacy, academic and industry partnership to recruit and engage U.S. individuals who are at increased risk for HBOC and investigate their experiences, decisions and outcomes. It utilizes an extensive research infrastructure, including an interactive web-based data system and electronic interfaces for secure online participation and automated data exchange. We describe the novel recruitment approach that was designed for collaboration with a national commercial health plan partner to identify all individuals for whom a healthcare provider orders a BRCA test and mail to each individual an invitation to participate and study packet. The study packet contains detailed information about the study, a baseline questionnaire and informed consent for participation in the study, for release of relevant medical and health plan records and for ongoing research engagement. This approach employs patient-reported, laboratory-reported and health plan-reported outcomes and facilitates longitudinal engagement. We believe that the type of innovative methodology and collaborative framework we have developed for ABOUT is an ideal foundation for a patient-powered research network. This approach can make substantial contributions to identifying current and best practices in HBOC, leading to improved strategies for clinical care and optimal health outcomes among individuals with high inherited risk for cancer.

  6. Ground-Based Gas-Liquid Flow Research in Microgravity Conditions: State of Knowledge

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McQuillen, J.; Colin, C.; Fabre, J.

    1999-01-01

    During the last decade, ground-based microgravity facilities have been utilized in order to obtain predictions for spacecraft system designers and further the fundamental understanding of two-phase flow. Although flow regime, pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient data has been obtained for straight tubes and a limited number of fittings, measurements of the void fraction, film thickness, wall shear stress, local velocity and void information are also required in order to develop general mechanistic models that can be utilized to ascertain the effects of fluid properties, tube geometry and acceleration levels. A review of this research is presented and includes both empirical data and mechanistic models of the flow behavior.

  7. Modeling the Dynamic Interrelations between Mobility, Utility, and Land Asking Price

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hidayat, E.; Rudiarto, I.; Siegert, F.; Vries, W. D.

    2018-02-01

    Limited and insufficient information about the dynamic interrelation among mobility, utility, and land price is the main reason to conduct this research. Several studies, with several approaches, and several variables have been conducted so far in order to model the land price. However, most of these models appear to generate primarily static land prices. Thus, a research is required to compare, design, and validate different models which calculate and/or compare the inter-relational changes of mobility, utility, and land price. The applied method is a combination of analysis of literature review, expert interview, and statistical analysis. The result is newly improved mathematical model which have been validated and is suitable for the case study location. This improved model consists of 12 appropriate variables. This model can be implemented in the Salatiga city as the case study location in order to arrange better land use planning to mitigate the uncontrolled urban growth.

  8. Information-seeking behavior and the use of online resources: a snapshot of current health sciences faculty.

    PubMed

    De Groote, Sandra L; Shultz, Mary; Blecic, Deborah D

    2014-07-01

    The research assesses the information-seeking behaviors of health sciences faculty, including their use of online databases, journals, and social media. A survey was designed and distributed via email to 754 health sciences faculty at a large urban research university with 6 health sciences colleges. Twenty-six percent (198) of faculty responded. MEDLINE was the primary database utilized, with 78.5% respondents indicating they use the database at least once a week. Compared to MEDLINE, Google was utilized more often on a daily basis. Other databases showed much lower usage. Low use of online databases other than MEDLINE, link-out tools to online journals, and online social media and collaboration tools demonstrates a need for meaningful promotion of online resources and informatics literacy instruction for faculty. Library resources are plentiful and perhaps somewhat overwhelming. Librarians need to help faculty discover and utilize the resources and tools that libraries have to offer.

  9. The Effects of Trait-Factor Theory Based Career Counseling Sessions on the Levels of Career Maturity and Indecision of High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atli, Abdullah

    2016-01-01

    The study aimed to research the effect of career counseling sessions based on trait-factor theory on the career maturity and career indecision levels of high school students. "Single group pretest-posttest test design", one of the weaker test designs, was utilized in the study. The study was conducted with 57 students in Malatya city…

  10. High School Student Perceptions of the Utility of the Engineering Design Process: Creating Opportunities to Engage in Engineering Practices and Apply Math and Science Content

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berland, Leema; Steingut, Rebecca; Ko, Pat

    2014-01-01

    Research and policy documents increasingly advocate for incorporating engineering design into K-12 classrooms in order to accomplish two goals: (1) provide an opportunity to engage with science content in a motivating real-world context; and (2) introduce students to the field of engineering. The present study uses multiple qualitative data…

  11. School-Based Service-Learning for Promoting Citizenship in Young People: A Systematic Review

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-09-06

    nonequivalent pre- and post-test design with control group was utilized but participants were not randomized to groups . The sample...other methodology. She notes the limitations of the research chosen for the review (i.e., most studies lack a control group , do not track effects over...experimental and control groups Pre- and post- test design Surveys “Service-learning”12 Intervention groups : Service-learning

  12. An integrated approach to system design, reliability, and diagnosis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Patterson-Hine, F. A.; Iverson, David L.

    1990-01-01

    The requirement for ultradependability of computer systems in future avionics and space applications necessitates a top-down, integrated systems engineering approach for design, implementation, testing, and operation. The functional analyses of hardware and software systems must be combined by models that are flexible enough to represent their interactions and behavior. The information contained in these models must be accessible throughout all phases of the system life cycle in order to maintain consistency and accuracy in design and operational decisions. One approach being taken by researchers at Ames Research Center is the creation of an object-oriented environment that integrates information about system components required in the reliability evaluation with behavioral information useful for diagnostic algorithms. Procedures have been developed at Ames that perform reliability evaluations during design and failure diagnoses during system operation. These procedures utilize information from a central source, structured as object-oriented fault trees. Fault trees were selected because they are a flexible model widely used in aerospace applications and because they give a concise, structured representation of system behavior. The utility of this integrated environment for aerospace applications in light of our experiences during its development and use is described. The techniques for reliability evaluation and failure diagnosis are discussed, and current extensions of the environment and areas requiring further development are summarized.

  13. An integrated approach to system design, reliability, and diagnosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patterson-Hine, F. A.; Iverson, David L.

    1990-12-01

    The requirement for ultradependability of computer systems in future avionics and space applications necessitates a top-down, integrated systems engineering approach for design, implementation, testing, and operation. The functional analyses of hardware and software systems must be combined by models that are flexible enough to represent their interactions and behavior. The information contained in these models must be accessible throughout all phases of the system life cycle in order to maintain consistency and accuracy in design and operational decisions. One approach being taken by researchers at Ames Research Center is the creation of an object-oriented environment that integrates information about system components required in the reliability evaluation with behavioral information useful for diagnostic algorithms. Procedures have been developed at Ames that perform reliability evaluations during design and failure diagnoses during system operation. These procedures utilize information from a central source, structured as object-oriented fault trees. Fault trees were selected because they are a flexible model widely used in aerospace applications and because they give a concise, structured representation of system behavior. The utility of this integrated environment for aerospace applications in light of our experiences during its development and use is described. The techniques for reliability evaluation and failure diagnosis are discussed, and current extensions of the environment and areas requiring further development are summarized.

  14. Rationale, timeline, study design, and protocol overview of the therapeutic hypothermia after pediatric cardiac arrest trials.

    PubMed

    Moler, Frank W; Silverstein, Faye S; Meert, Kathleen L; Clark, Amy E; Holubkov, Richard; Browning, Brittan; Slomine, Beth S; Christensen, James R; Dean, J Michael

    2013-09-01

    To describe the rationale, timeline, study design, and protocol overview of the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest trials. Multicenter randomized controlled trials. Pediatric intensive care and cardiac ICUs in the United States and Canada. Children from 48 hours to 18 years old, who have return of circulation after cardiac arrest, who meet trial eligibility criteria, and whose guardians provide written consent. Therapeutic hypothermia or therapeutic normothermia. From concept inception in 2002 until trial initiation in 2009, 7 years were required to plan and operationalize the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest trials. Two National Institute of Child Health and Human Development clinical trial planning grants (R21 and R34) supported feasibility assessment and protocol development. Two clinical research networks, Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network and Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network, provided infrastructure resources. Two National Heart Lung Blood Institute U01 awards provided funding to conduct separate trials of in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. A pilot vanguard phase that included half the clinical sites began on March 9, 2009, and this was followed by full trial funding through 2015. Over a decade will have been required to plan, design, operationalize, and conduct the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest trials. Details described in this report, such as participation of clinical research networks and clinical trial planning grants utilization, may be of utility for individuals who are planning investigator-initiated, federally supported clinical trials.

  15. Considerations of study design.

    PubMed

    Koretz, Ronald L

    2007-12-01

    Research projects attempt to answer specific questions. The particular study design that is selected will depend in large measure on the nature of the question and the time and resources available. There are 5 common categories of clinical questions; they relate to etiology, prognosis, utility of diagnostic tests, efficacy of proposed interventions, and cost of treatment in specific disease states. A number of study designs can be used. Case reports serve to memorialize unusual or novel aspects of diseases. Retrospective case series are useful for defining natural history. Case-control studies are used by epidemiologists to elucidate potential etiologies of diseases. Prospective cohort studies can be used to assess natural history or to assess potential disease etiologies. Controlled trials are designed to assess the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Studies that define the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests can be used to assess the utility of those tests. Economic analyses estimate the costs that particular diseases or therapies will require. Each of these study designs has limitations; with the exception of high-quality randomized trials, none of these study designs can establish a causative relationship between putative etiologic (or therapeutic) factors and disease (outcomes).

  16. Interactive Video.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyce, Carol

    1992-01-01

    A workshop on interactive video was designed for fourth and fifth grade students, with the goals of familiarizing students with laser disc technology, developing a cadre of trained students to train other students and staff, and challenging able learners to utilize higher level thinking skills while conducting a research project. (JDD)

  17. The Problem of Biased Data and Potential Solutions for Environmental Assessments

    EPA Science Inventory

    The utility and credibility of environmental assessments depend on the use of unbiased data. However, it is increasingly clear that, despite peer review, much of the scientific literature is biased. Sources of bias include fraud, publication bias, research designs, funding bias...

  18. Towards a Cyber-Constructivist Perspective (CCP) of Educational Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luppicini, Rocci

    2003-01-01

    This theoretical paper utilizes cybernetic-­based approaches (Bopry, 1999; Wiener, 1954) and communications theory (Habermas, 1984, 1990; Krippendorff, 1994) to advance knowledge of constructivist learning. I argue that past educational research literature on constructivist learning is partly responsible for limiting how educational designers…

  19. Pile/shaft designs using artificial neural networks (i.e., genetic programming) with spatial variability considerations : [summary].

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-03-01

    In this project, University of Florida researchers : sought to improve the unit skin friction and tip : resistance correlations embedded in the FB-Deep : software algorithm for estimating driven pile and : drilled shaft resistance. They utilized an a...

  20. 7 CFR 955.50 - Research and development.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... development and marketing promotion projects, including paid advertising, designed to assist, improve, or... project for the promotion and advertising of Vidalia onions may utilize an identifying mark which shall be... projects; and (3) Its recommendations as to promotion activity and paid advertising. (d) Upon conclusion of...

  1. The Power and Pitfalls of Big Data Research in Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Consumer's Guide.

    PubMed

    Goodin, Amie; Delcher, Chris; Valenzuela, Chelsea; Wang, Xi; Zhu, Yanmin; Roussos-Ross, Dikea; Brown, Joshua D

    2017-11-01

    Research in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) increasingly relies on "big data" and observational study designs. There is a gap in practitioner-relevant guides to interpret and critique such research. This guide is an introduction to interpreting research using observational data and provides explanations and context for related terminology. In addition, it serves as a guide for critiquing OB/GYN studies that use observational data by outlining how to assess common pitfalls of experimental and observational study designs. Lastly, the piece provides a compendium of observational data resources commonly used within OB/GYN research. Review of literature was conducted for the collection of definitions and examples of terminology related to observational data research. Data resources were collected via Web search and researcher recommendations. Next, each data resource was reviewed and analyzed for content and accessibility. Contents of data resources were organized into summary tables and matched to relevant literature examples. We identified 26 observational data resources frequently used in secondary analysis for OB/GYN research. Cost, accessibility considerations for software/hardware capabilities, and contents of each data resource varied substantially. Observational data sources can provide researchers with a variety of options in tackling their research questions related to OB/GYN practice, patient health outcomes, trends in utilization of medications/procedures, or prevalence estimates of disease states. Insurance claims data resources are useful for population-level prevalence estimates and utilization trends, whereas electronic health record-derived data and patient survey data may be more useful for exploring patient behaviors and trends in practice.

  2. A robust rotorcraft flight control system design methodology utilizing quantitative feedback theory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gorder, Peter James

    1993-01-01

    Rotorcraft flight control systems present design challenges which often exceed those associated with fixed-wing aircraft. First, large variations in the response characteristics of the rotorcraft result from the wide range of airspeeds of typical operation (hover to over 100 kts). Second, the assumption of vehicle rigidity often employed in the design of fixed-wing flight control systems is rarely justified in rotorcraft where rotor degrees of freedom can have a significant impact on the system performance and stability. This research was intended to develop a methodology for the design of robust rotorcraft flight control systems. Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) was chosen as the basis for the investigation. Quantitative Feedback Theory is a technique which accounts for variability in the dynamic response of the controlled element in the design robust control systems. It was developed to address a Multiple-Input Single-Output (MISO) design problem, and utilizes two degrees of freedom to satisfy the design criteria. Two techniques were examined for extending the QFT MISO technique to the design of a Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) flight control system (FCS) for a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter. In the first, a set of MISO systems, mathematically equivalent to the MIMO system, was determined. QFT was applied to each member of the set simultaneously. In the second, the same set of equivalent MISO systems were analyzed sequentially, with closed loop response information from each loop utilized in subsequent MISO designs. The results of each technique were compared, and the advantages of the second, termed Sequential Loop Closure, were clearly evident.

  3. An i2b2-based, generalizable, open source, self-scaling chronic disease registry

    PubMed Central

    Quan, Justin; Ortiz, David M; Bousvaros, Athos; Ilowite, Norman T; Inman, Christi J; Marsolo, Keith; McMurry, Andrew J; Sandborg, Christy I; Schanberg, Laura E; Wallace, Carol A; Warren, Robert W; Weber, Griffin M; Mandl, Kenneth D

    2013-01-01

    Objective Registries are a well-established mechanism for obtaining high quality, disease-specific data, but are often highly project-specific in their design, implementation, and policies for data use. In contrast to the conventional model of centralized data contribution, warehousing, and control, we design a self-scaling registry technology for collaborative data sharing, based upon the widely adopted Integrating Biology & the Bedside (i2b2) data warehousing framework and the Shared Health Research Information Network (SHRINE) peer-to-peer networking software. Materials and methods Focusing our design around creation of a scalable solution for collaboration within multi-site disease registries, we leverage the i2b2 and SHRINE open source software to create a modular, ontology-based, federated infrastructure that provides research investigators full ownership and access to their contributed data while supporting permissioned yet robust data sharing. We accomplish these objectives via web services supporting peer-group overlays, group-aware data aggregation, and administrative functions. Results The 56-site Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry and 3-site Harvard Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Longitudinal Data Repository now utilize i2b2 self-scaling registry technology (i2b2-SSR). This platform, extensible to federation of multiple projects within and between research networks, encompasses >6000 subjects at sites throughout the USA. Discussion We utilize the i2b2-SSR platform to minimize technical barriers to collaboration while enabling fine-grained control over data sharing. Conclusions The implementation of i2b2-SSR for the multi-site, multi-stakeholder CARRA Registry has established a digital infrastructure for community-driven research data sharing in pediatric rheumatology in the USA. We envision i2b2-SSR as a scalable, reusable solution facilitating interdisciplinary research across diseases. PMID:22733975

  4. An i2b2-based, generalizable, open source, self-scaling chronic disease registry.

    PubMed

    Natter, Marc D; Quan, Justin; Ortiz, David M; Bousvaros, Athos; Ilowite, Norman T; Inman, Christi J; Marsolo, Keith; McMurry, Andrew J; Sandborg, Christy I; Schanberg, Laura E; Wallace, Carol A; Warren, Robert W; Weber, Griffin M; Mandl, Kenneth D

    2013-01-01

    Registries are a well-established mechanism for obtaining high quality, disease-specific data, but are often highly project-specific in their design, implementation, and policies for data use. In contrast to the conventional model of centralized data contribution, warehousing, and control, we design a self-scaling registry technology for collaborative data sharing, based upon the widely adopted Integrating Biology & the Bedside (i2b2) data warehousing framework and the Shared Health Research Information Network (SHRINE) peer-to-peer networking software. Focusing our design around creation of a scalable solution for collaboration within multi-site disease registries, we leverage the i2b2 and SHRINE open source software to create a modular, ontology-based, federated infrastructure that provides research investigators full ownership and access to their contributed data while supporting permissioned yet robust data sharing. We accomplish these objectives via web services supporting peer-group overlays, group-aware data aggregation, and administrative functions. The 56-site Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry and 3-site Harvard Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Longitudinal Data Repository now utilize i2b2 self-scaling registry technology (i2b2-SSR). This platform, extensible to federation of multiple projects within and between research networks, encompasses >6000 subjects at sites throughout the USA. We utilize the i2b2-SSR platform to minimize technical barriers to collaboration while enabling fine-grained control over data sharing. The implementation of i2b2-SSR for the multi-site, multi-stakeholder CARRA Registry has established a digital infrastructure for community-driven research data sharing in pediatric rheumatology in the USA. We envision i2b2-SSR as a scalable, reusable solution facilitating interdisciplinary research across diseases.

  5. How good is "evidence" from clinical studies of drug effects and why might such evidence fail in the prediction of the clinical utility of drugs?

    PubMed

    Naci, Huseyin; Ioannidis, John P A

    2015-01-01

    Promising evidence from clinical studies of drug effects does not always translate to improvements in patient outcomes. In this review, we discuss why early evidence is often ill suited to the task of predicting the clinical utility of drugs. The current gap between initially described drug effects and their subsequent clinical utility results from deficits in the design, conduct, analysis, reporting, and synthesis of clinical studies-often creating conditions that generate favorable, but ultimately incorrect, conclusions regarding drug effects. There are potential solutions that could improve the relevance of clinical evidence in predicting the real-world effectiveness of drugs. What is needed is a new emphasis on clinical utility, with nonconflicted entities playing a greater role in the generation, synthesis, and interpretation of clinical evidence. Clinical studies should adopt strong design features, reflect clinical practice, and evaluate outcomes and comparisons that are meaningful to patients. Transformative changes to the research agenda may generate more meaningful and accurate evidence on drug effects to guide clinical decision making.

  6. A Consideration of the Perspectives of Healing Practitioners on Research Into Energy Healing

    PubMed Central

    Bruyere, Rosalyn L.; Weintrub, Ken; Dieppe, Paul

    2015-01-01

    Energy healing is a complex intervention with the purpose of enhancing wholeness within the client. Approaches to complex interventions require thoughtful utilization of a wide range of research methods. In order to advance the research in this field, we sought to understand the healing practitioners' point of view by reviewing qualitative literature, research reviews, and commentary written by and about practitioners. Further, we conducted a brief survey among healers, asking their opinions on types and topics of research in this field. Emerging from this inquiry is an overview of the healers' state required for successful healing, the importance of the clients' contribution, the heterogeneity of the process of healing, and the importance of choosing appropriate outcomes to reflect the goal of wholeness. Beyond attending to measurement of these nuanced aspects, we propose utilization of research designs appropriate for complex interventions, more use of qualitative research techniques, consideration of large data registries, and adoption of the perspectives of realist research. An important gap identified was the overall lack of understanding of the clients' experience and contribution to the healing encounter. PMID:26665045

  7. Protecting count queries in study design

    PubMed Central

    Sarwate, Anand D; Boxwala, Aziz A

    2012-01-01

    Objective Today's clinical research institutions provide tools for researchers to query their data warehouses for counts of patients. To protect patient privacy, counts are perturbed before reporting; this compromises their utility for increased privacy. The goal of this study is to extend current query answer systems to guarantee a quantifiable level of privacy and allow users to tailor perturbations to maximize the usefulness according to their needs. Methods A perturbation mechanism was designed in which users are given options with respect to scale and direction of the perturbation. The mechanism translates the true count, user preferences, and a privacy level within administrator-specified bounds into a probability distribution from which the perturbed count is drawn. Results Users can significantly impact the scale and direction of the count perturbation and can receive more accurate final cohort estimates. Strong and semantically meaningful differential privacy is guaranteed, providing for a unified privacy accounting system that can support role-based trust levels. This study provides an open source web-enabled tool to investigate visually and numerically the interaction between system parameters, including required privacy level and user preference settings. Conclusions Quantifying privacy allows system administrators to provide users with a privacy budget and to monitor its expenditure, enabling users to control the inevitable loss of utility. While current measures of privacy are conservative, this system can take advantage of future advances in privacy measurement. The system provides new ways of trading off privacy and utility that are not provided in current study design systems. PMID:22511018

  8. Protecting count queries in study design.

    PubMed

    Vinterbo, Staal A; Sarwate, Anand D; Boxwala, Aziz A

    2012-01-01

    Today's clinical research institutions provide tools for researchers to query their data warehouses for counts of patients. To protect patient privacy, counts are perturbed before reporting; this compromises their utility for increased privacy. The goal of this study is to extend current query answer systems to guarantee a quantifiable level of privacy and allow users to tailor perturbations to maximize the usefulness according to their needs. A perturbation mechanism was designed in which users are given options with respect to scale and direction of the perturbation. The mechanism translates the true count, user preferences, and a privacy level within administrator-specified bounds into a probability distribution from which the perturbed count is drawn. Users can significantly impact the scale and direction of the count perturbation and can receive more accurate final cohort estimates. Strong and semantically meaningful differential privacy is guaranteed, providing for a unified privacy accounting system that can support role-based trust levels. This study provides an open source web-enabled tool to investigate visually and numerically the interaction between system parameters, including required privacy level and user preference settings. Quantifying privacy allows system administrators to provide users with a privacy budget and to monitor its expenditure, enabling users to control the inevitable loss of utility. While current measures of privacy are conservative, this system can take advantage of future advances in privacy measurement. The system provides new ways of trading off privacy and utility that are not provided in current study design systems.

  9. Merits and limitations of optimality criteria method for structural optimization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Patnaik, Surya N.; Guptill, James D.; Berke, Laszlo

    1993-01-01

    The merits and limitations of the optimality criteria (OC) method for the minimum weight design of structures subjected to multiple load conditions under stress, displacement, and frequency constraints were investigated by examining several numerical examples. The examples were solved utilizing the Optimality Criteria Design Code that was developed for this purpose at NASA Lewis Research Center. This OC code incorporates OC methods available in the literature with generalizations for stress constraints, fully utilized design concepts, and hybrid methods that combine both techniques. Salient features of the code include multiple choices for Lagrange multiplier and design variable update methods, design strategies for several constraint types, variable linking, displacement and integrated force method analyzers, and analytical and numerical sensitivities. The performance of the OC method, on the basis of the examples solved, was found to be satisfactory for problems with few active constraints or with small numbers of design variables. For problems with large numbers of behavior constraints and design variables, the OC method appears to follow a subset of active constraints that can result in a heavier design. The computational efficiency of OC methods appears to be similar to some mathematical programming techniques.

  10. Swamp Works- Multiple Projects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carelli, Jonathan M.; Schuler, Jason M.; Chandler, Meredith L.

    2013-01-01

    My Surface Systems internship over the summer 2013 session covered a broad range of projects that utilized multiple fields of engineering and technology. This internship included a project to create a command center for a 120 ton regolith bin, for the design and assembly of a blast shield to add further protection for the Surface Systems engineers, for the design and assembly of a portable four monitor hyper wall strip that could extend as large as needed, research and programming a nano drill that could be utilized on a next generation robot or rover, and social media tasks including the making of videos, posting to social networking websites and creation of a new outreach program to help spread the word about the Swamp Works laboratory.

  11. Tailored composite wings with elastically produced chordwise camber

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rehfield, Lawrence W.; Chang, Stephen; Zischka, Peter J.; Pickings, Richard D.; Holl, Michael W.

    1991-01-01

    Four structural concepts were created which produce chordwise camber deformation that results in enhanced lift. A wing box can be tailored to utilize each of these with composites. In attempting to optimize the aerodynamic benefits, researchers found that there are two optimum designs that are of interest. There is a weight optimum which corresponds to the maximum lift per unit structural weight. There is also a lift optimum that corresponds to maximum absolute lift. Experience indicates that a large weight penalty accompanies the transition from weight to lift optimum designs. New structural models, the basic deformation mechanisms that are utilized, and typical analytical results are presented. It appears that lift enhancements of sufficient magnitude can be produced to render this type of wing tailoring of practical interest.

  12. Investigation of current university research concerning energy conversion and conservation in small single-family dwellings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grossman, G. R.; Roberts, A. S., Jr.

    1975-01-01

    An investigation was made of university research concerning energy conversion and conservation techniques which may be applied in small single-family residences. Information was accumulated through published papers, progress reports, telephone conversations, and personal interviews. A synopsis of each pertinent investigation is given. Finally, a discussion of the synopses is presented and recommendations are made concerning the applicability of concepts for the design and construction of NASA-Langley Research Center's proposed Technology Utilization House in Hampton, Virginia.

  13. Peer review in design: Understanding the impact of collaboration on the review process and student perception

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mandala, Mahender Arjun

    A cornerstone of design and design education is frequent situated feedback. With increasing class sizes, and shrinking financial and human resources, providing rich feedback to students becomes increasingly difficult. In the field of writing, web-based peer review--the process of utilizing equal status learners within a class to provide feedback to each other on their work using networked computing systems--has been shown to be a reliable and valid source of feedback in addition to improving student learning. Designers communicate in myriad ways, using the many languages of design and combining visual and descriptive information. This complex discourse of design intent makes peer reviews by design students ambiguous and often not helpful to the receivers of this feedback. Furthermore, engaging students in the review process itself is often difficult. Teams can complement individual diversity and may assist novice designers collectively resolve complex task. However, teams often incur production losses and may be impacted by individual biases. In the current work, we look at utilizing a collaborative team of reviewers, working collectively and synchronously, in generating web based peer reviews in a sophomore engineering design class. Students participated in a cross-over design, conducting peer reviews as individuals and collaborative teams in parallel sequences. Raters coded the feedback generated on the basis of their appropriateness and accuracy. Self-report surveys and passive observation of teams conducting reviews captured student opinion on the process, its value, and the contrasting experience they had conducting team and individual reviews. We found team reviews generated better quality feedback in comparison to individual reviews. Furthermore, students preferred conducting reviews in teams, finding the process 'fun' and engaging. We observed several learning benefits of using collaboration in reviewing including improved understanding of the assessment criteria, roles, expectations, and increased team reflection. These results provide insight into how to improve the review process for instructors and researchers, and forms a basis for future research work in this area. With respect to facilitating peer review process in design based classrooms, we also present recommendations for creating effective review system design and implementation in classroom supported by research and practical experience.

  14. Design optimization of aircraft landing gear assembly under dynamic loading

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wong, Jonathan Y. B.

    As development cycles and prototyping iterations begin to decrease in the aerospace industry, it is important to develop and improve practical methodologies to meet all design metrics. This research presents an efficient methodology that applies high-fidelity multi-disciplinary design optimization techniques to commercial landing gear assemblies, for weight reduction, cost savings, and structural performance dynamic loading. Specifically, a slave link subassembly was selected as the candidate to explore the feasibility of this methodology. The design optimization process utilized in this research was sectioned into three main stages: setup, optimization, and redesign. The first stage involved the creation and characterization of the models used throughout this research. The slave link assembly was modelled with a simplified landing gear test, replicating the behavior of the physical system. Through extensive review of the literature and collaboration with Safran Landing Systems, dynamic and structural behavior for the system were characterized and defined mathematically. Once defined, the characterized behaviors for the slave link assembly were then used to conduct a Multi-Body Dynamic (MBD) analysis to determine the dynamic and structural response of the system. These responses were then utilized in a topology optimization through the use of the Equivalent Static Load Method (ESLM). The results of the optimization were interpreted and later used to generate improved designs in terms of weight, cost, and structural performance under dynamic loading in stage three. The optimized designs were then validated using the model created for the MBD analysis of the baseline design. The design generation process employed two different approaches for post-processing the topology results produced. The first approach implemented a close replication of the topology results, resulting in a design with an overall peak stress increase of 74%, weight savings of 67%, and no apparent cost savings due to complex features present in the design. The second design approach focused on realizing reciprocating benefits for cost and weight savings. As a result, this design was able to achieve an overall peak stress increase of 6%, weight and cost savings of 36%, and 60%, respectively.

  15. The Unified Behavior Framework for the Simulation of Autonomous Agents

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-03-01

    1980s, researchers have designed a variety of robot control architectures intending to imbue robots with some degree of autonomy. A recently developed ...Identification Friend or Foe viii THE UNIFIED BEHAVIOR FRAMEWORK FOR THE SIMULATION OF AUTONOMOUS AGENTS I. Introduction The development of autonomy has...room for research by utilizing methods like simulation and modeling that consume less time and fewer monetary resources. A recently developed reactive

  16. Functional Behavioral Assessment-Based Interventions for Students with or at Risk for Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders in School: A Hierarchical Linear Modeling Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gage, Nicholas A.; Lewis, Timothy J.; Stichter, Janine P.

    2012-01-01

    Of the myriad practices currently utilized for students with disabilities, particularly students with or at risk for emotional and/or behavioral disorder (EBD), functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a practice with an emerging solid research base. However, the FBA research base relies on single-subject design (SSD) and synthesis has relied on…

  17. Design Specification for a Thrust-Vectoring, Actuated-Nose-Strake Flight Control Law for the High-Alpha Research Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bacon, Barton J.; Carzoo, Susan W.; Davidson, John B.; Hoffler, Keith D.; Lallman, Frederick J.; Messina, Michael D.; Murphy, Patrick C.; Ostroff, Aaron J.; Proffitt, Melissa S.; Yeager, Jessie C.; hide

    1996-01-01

    Specifications for a flight control law are delineated in sufficient detail to support coding the control law in flight software. This control law was designed for implementation and flight test on the High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV), which is an F/A-18 aircraft modified to include an experimental multi-axis thrust-vectoring system and actuated nose strakes for enhanced rolling (ANSER). The control law, known as the HARV ANSER Control Law, was designed to utilize a blend of conventional aerodynamic control effectors, thrust vectoring, and actuated nose strakes to provide increased agility and good handling qualities throughout the HARV flight envelope, including angles of attack up to 70 degrees.

  18. Fingerprints of Life?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pittman, Cheryl

    Pioneered by NASA-JSC scientists, Marilyn Lindstorm and Jaclyn Allen, the partnering of teachers with scientists has ventured into the realms of the extreme... extreme life, that is. In 1998, two years after the announcement that possible evidence of life had been discovered within a Martian rock, teachers from region served by JSC were brought together with the Mars Meteorite research team. The goal was to familiarize the teachers with research being done in the search for evidence of extra-terrestrial life and Earth analogues. The teachers would then design curriculum to translate the research into a format that could be utilized in the classroom. "Fingerprints of Life", a work-in-progress, is a CD-rom /web-based curriculum derived from that collaboration. Modeling the actual science being done, the CD contains laboratory and classroom activities utilizing Astrobiology as the 'hook' to teach basic science skills of observation, description, communication of ideas and laboratory techniques. In addition, electron microscopy images and video clips give background information for the uninitiated. From "Wold Trap", which is based upon an actual experiment designed for the Mars Viking missions, to "Creature Feature", which deals with observation and communication, the labs and activities are appropriate for multiple grade levels. Designed to be user-friendly and tested in the classroom, "Fingerprints" uses materials that can be purchased inexpensively at the grocery store, or recycled from other sources.

  19. Designing Appropriate Scaffolding for Student Science Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Marie; Smith, Mark

    2008-01-01

    The authors have developed a successful approach to teaching and inspiring undergraduate science and nonscience majors to complete creditable, semester-long, hands-on science research projects. This approach utilizes a carefully developed scaffolding consisting of in-class exercises and discussions, preparatory homework and lab events, and three…

  20. State Higher Education Performance Funding: Data, Outcomes, and Policy Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tandberg, David A.; Hillman, Nicholas W.

    2014-01-01

    As states explore strategies for increasing educational attainment levels, attention is being paid to performance funding. This study asks, "Does the introduction of performance funding programs affect degree completion among participating states?" Utilizing a quasi-experimental research design we find limited evidence that performance…

  1. Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems Research and Their Possible Impact on Information Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borko, Harold

    1985-01-01

    Defines artificial intelligence (AI) and expert systems; describes library applications utilizing AI to automate creation of document representations, request formulations, and design and modify search strategies for information retrieval systems; discusses expert system development for information services; and reviews impact of these…

  2. Synthesis of Sustainable Energy Supply Chain by the P-Graph Framework

    EPA Science Inventory

    The present work proposes a computer-aided methodology for designing sustainable supply chains in terms of sustainability metrics by utilizing the P-graph framework. The methodology is an outcome of the collaboration between the Office of Research and Development (ORD) of the U.S...

  3. 75 FR 60405 - Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico, Integrated Non-Native Invasive Plant Project

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-30

    .... The proposal utilizes several management tools, including registered herbicides, biological agents... project that propose herbicide treatment of NNIP species within congressionally designated wilderness and... portions of the LNF and non- herbicide treatment within wilderness and research natural areas. Nature of...

  4. The 1987 Ground Vortex Workshop

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Margason, Richard J. (Editor)

    1988-01-01

    The purpose of this workshop was to discuss the current understanding of the ground vortex phenomena and their effects on aircraft, and to establish directions for further research on advanced, high-performance aircraft designs, particularly those concepts utilizing powered-lift systems; e.g., V/STOL. ASTOVL, and STOL aircraft.

  5. Exploring Parental Involvement Strategies Utilized by Middle School Interdisciplinary Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robbins, Chris; Searby, Linda

    2013-01-01

    Adolescents present a unique collection of characteristics and challenges which middle school interdisciplinary teams were designed to address. This article describes a research study which explored parental involvement strategies employed by interdisciplinary teaching teams from three very different middle schools: an affluent suburban school, a…

  6. For operation of the Computer Software Management and Information Center (COSMIC)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carmon, J. L.

    1983-01-01

    During the month of June, the Survey Research Center (SRC) at the University of Georgia designed new benefits questionnaires for computer software management and information center (COSMIC). As a test of their utility, these questionnaires are now used in the benefits identification process.

  7. Automated Writing Evaluation Program's Effect on Student Writing Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holman, Lester Donnie

    2011-01-01

    In an ex post facto causal-comparative research design, this study investigated the effectiveness of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) programs on raising the student writing achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) writing achievement scores from the 2010 administration were utilized for this study. The independent variable…

  8. Cognitive Approaches to Automated Instruction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regian, J. Wesley, Ed.; Shute, Valerie J., Ed.

    This book contains a snapshot of state-of-the-art research on the design of automated instructional systems. Selected cognitive psychologists were asked to describe their approach to instruction and cognitive diagnosis, the theoretical basis of the approach, its utility and applicability, and the knowledge engineering or task analysis methods…

  9. Geometric modeling for computer aided design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schwing, James L.

    1992-01-01

    The goal was the design and implementation of software to be used in the conceptual design of aerospace vehicles. Several packages and design studies were completed, including two software tools currently used in the conceptual level design of aerospace vehicles. These tools are the Solid Modeling Aerospace Research Tool (SMART) and the Environment for Software Integration and Execution (EASIE). SMART provides conceptual designers with a rapid prototyping capability and additionally provides initial mass property analysis. EASIE provides a set of interactive utilities that simplify the task of building and executing computer aided design systems consisting of diverse, stand alone analysis codes that result in the streamlining of the exchange of data between programs, reducing errors and improving efficiency.

  10. Map design and production issues for the Utah Gap Analysis Project

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hutchinson, John A.; Wittmann, J.H.

    1997-01-01

    The cartographic preparation and printing of four maps for the Utah GAP Project presented a wide range of challenges in cartographic design and production. In meeting these challenges, the map designers had to balance the purpose of the maps together with their legibility and utility against both the researchers' desire to show as much detail as possible and the technical limitations inherent in the printing process. This article describes seven design and production issues in order to illustrate the challenges of making maps from a merger of satellite data and GIS databases, and to point toward future investigation and development.

  11. Executive control systems in the engineering design environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hurst, P. W.; Pratt, T. W.

    1985-01-01

    Executive Control Systems (ECSs) are software structures for the unification of various engineering design application programs into comprehensive systems with a central user interface (uniform access) method and a data management facility. Attention is presently given to the most significant determinations of a research program conducted for 24 ECSs, used in government and industry engineering design environments to integrate CAD/CAE applications programs. Characterizations are given for the systems' major architectural components and the alternative design approaches considered in their development. Attention is given to ECS development prospects in the areas of interdisciplinary usage, standardization, knowledge utilization, and computer science technology transfer.

  12. Development of KSTAR Thomson scattering system.

    PubMed

    Lee, J H; Oh, S T; Wi, H M

    2010-10-01

    To measure the electron temperature (T(e)) and electron density (n(e)) profiles in the Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device for the KSTAR third campaign (September 2010), we designed and installed a Thomson scattering system. The KSTAR Thomson scattering system is designed as a tangential Thomson scattering system and utilizes the N-, L-, and B-ports. The N-port is designed for the collection optics with a cassette system, the L-port is the laser input port, and the B-port is the location of the beam dump. In this paper, we will describe the final design of the KSTAR Thomson scattering system.

  13. A Quantitative Human Spacecraft Design Evaluation Model for Assessing Crew Accommodation and Utilization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fanchiang, Christine

    Crew performance, including both accommodation and utilization factors, is an integral part of every human spaceflight mission from commercial space tourism, to the demanding journey to Mars and beyond. Spacecraft were historically built by engineers and technologists trying to adapt the vehicle into cutting edge rocketry with the assumption that the astronauts could be trained and will adapt to the design. By and large, that is still the current state of the art. It is recognized, however, that poor human-machine design integration can lead to catastrophic and deadly mishaps. The premise of this work relies on the idea that if an accurate predictive model exists to forecast crew performance issues as a result of spacecraft design and operations, it can help designers and managers make better decisions throughout the design process, and ensure that the crewmembers are well-integrated with the system from the very start. The result should be a high-quality, user-friendly spacecraft that optimizes the utilization of the crew while keeping them alive, healthy, and happy during the course of the mission. Therefore, the goal of this work was to develop an integrative framework to quantitatively evaluate a spacecraft design from the crew performance perspective. The approach presented here is done at a very fundamental level starting with identifying and defining basic terminology, and then builds up important axioms of human spaceflight that lay the foundation for how such a framework can be developed. With the framework established, a methodology for characterizing the outcome using a mathematical model was developed by pulling from existing metrics and data collected on human performance in space. Representative test scenarios were run to show what information could be garnered and how it could be applied as a useful, understandable metric for future spacecraft design. While the model is the primary tangible product from this research, the more interesting outcome of this work is the structure of the framework and what it tells future researchers in terms of where the gaps and limitations exist for developing a better framework. It also identifies metrics that can now be collected as part of future validation efforts for the model.

  14. Use of Comparative Case Study Methodology for US Public Health Policy Analysis: A Review.

    PubMed

    Dinour, Lauren M; Kwan, Amy; Freudenberg, Nicholas

    There is growing recognition that policies influence population health, highlighting the need for evidence to inform future policy development and reform. This review describes how comparative case study methodology has been applied to public health policy research and discusses the methodology's potential to contribute to this evidence. English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 1995 and 2012 were sought from 4 databases. Articles were included if they described comparative case studies addressing US public health policy. Two researchers independently assessed the 20 articles meeting review criteria. Case-related characteristics and research design tactics utilized to minimize threats to reliability and validity, such as the use of multiple sources of evidence and a case study protocol, were extracted from each article. Although comparative case study methodology has been used to analyze a range of public health policies at all stages and levels, articles reported an average use of only 3.65 (out of 10) research design tactics. By expanding the use of accepted research design tactics, public health policy researchers can contribute to expanding the evidence needed to advance health-promoting policies.

  15. Counterbalancing in smoking cue research: a critical analysis.

    PubMed

    Sayette, Michael A; Griffin, Kasey M; Sayers, W Michael

    2010-11-01

    Cue exposure research has been used to examine key issues in smoking research, such as predicting relapse, testing new medications, investigating the neurobiology of nicotine dependence, and examining reactivity among smokers with comorbid psychopathologies. Determining the order that cues are presented is one of the most critical steps in the design of these investigations. It is widely assumed that cue exposure studies should counterbalance the order in which smoking and control (neutral) cues are presented. This article examines the premises underlying the use of counterbalancing in experimental research, and it evaluates the degree to which counterbalancing is appropriate in smoking cue exposure studies. We reviewed the available literature on the use of counterbalancing techniques in human smoking cue exposure research. Many studies counterbalancing order of cues have not provided critical analyses to determine whether this approach was appropriate. Studies that have reported relevant data, however, suggest that order of cue presentation interacts with type of cue (smoking vs. control), which raises concerns about the utility of counterbalancing. Primarily, this concern arises from potential carryover effects, in which exposure to smoking cues affects subsequent responding to neutral cues. Cue type by order of cue interactions may compromise the utility of counterbalancing. Unfortunately, there is no obvious alternative that is optimal across studies. Strengths and limitations of several alternative designs are considered, and key questions are identified to advance understanding of the optimal conditions for conducting smoking cue exposure studies.

  16. Cooling System Design for PEM Fuel Cell Powered Air Vehicles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-18

    Research Laboratory (NRL) has developed a proton exchange membrane fuel cell ( PEMFC ) powered unmanned air vehicle (UAV) called the Ion Tiger. The Ion Tiger...to design a cooling system for the Ion Tiger and investigate cooling approaches that may be suitable for future PEMFC powered air vehicles. The...modifications) to other PEMFC systems utilizing a CHE for cooling. 18-06-2010 Memorandum Report Unmanned Air Vehicle UAV Fuel cell PEM Cooling Radiator January

  17. Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Abstracts of Phase I Awards 1984.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-04-16

    PROTECTION OF SATELLITES FROM DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS, IS THE UTILIZATION OF HEAT PIPES WITHIN A SHIELD STRUCTURE. HEAT PIPES COULD BE DESIGNED TO...780 EDEN ROAD LANCASTER, PA 17601 ROBERT M. SHAUBACK TITLE: ANALYSIS AND PERFORMNCE EVALUATION OF HEAT PIPES WITH MULTIPLE HEAT SOURCES TOPIC: 97... PIPES CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING HEAT FROM MULTIPLE HEAT SOURCES. THERE IS NO THOROUGH ANALYTICAL OR EXPERIMENTAL BASIS FOR THE DESIGN OF HEAT PIPES OF

  18. Robust, synergistic regulation of human gene expression using TALE activators.

    PubMed

    Maeder, Morgan L; Linder, Samantha J; Reyon, Deepak; Angstman, James F; Fu, Yanfang; Sander, Jeffry D; Joung, J Keith

    2013-03-01

    Artificial activators designed using transcription activator-like effector (TALE) technology have broad utility, but previous studies suggest that these monomeric proteins often exhibit low activities. Here we demonstrate that TALE activators can robustly function individually or in synergistic combinations to increase expression of endogenous human genes over wide dynamic ranges. These findings will encourage applications of TALE activators for research and therapy, and guide design of monomeric TALE-based fusion proteins.

  19. Identifying core habitat and connectivity for focal species in the interior cedar-hemlock forest of North America to complete a conservation area design

    Treesearch

    Lance Craighead; Baden Cross

    2007-01-01

    To identify the remaining areas of the Interior Cedar- Hemlock Forest of North America and prioritize them for conservation planning, the Craighead Environmental Research Institute has developed a 2-scale method for mapping critical habitat utilizing 1) a broad-scale model to identify important regional locations as the basis for a Conservation Area Design (CAD), and 2...

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

    P-Mart was designed specifically to allow cancer researchers to perform robust statistical processing of publicly available cancer proteomic datasets. To date an online statistical processing suite for proteomics does not exist. The P-Mart software is designed to allow statistical programmers to utilize these algorithms through packages in the R programming language as well as offering a web-based interface using the Azure cloud technology. The Azure cloud technology also allows the release of the software via Docker containers.

  1. Statistical Evaluation of Utilization of the ISS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Andrews, Ross; Andrews, Alida

    2006-01-01

    PayLoad Utilization Modeler (PLUM) is a statistical-modeling computer program used to evaluate the effectiveness of utilization of the International Space Station (ISS) in terms of the number of research facilities that can be operated within a specified interval of time. PLUM is designed to balance the requirements of research facilities aboard the ISS against the resources available on the ISS. PLUM comprises three parts: an interface for the entry of data on constraints and on required and available resources, a database that stores these data as well as the program output, and a modeler. The modeler comprises two subparts: one that generates tens of thousands of random combinations of research facilities and another that calculates the usage of resources for each of those combinations. The results of these calculations are used to generate graphical and tabular reports to determine which facilities are most likely to be operable on the ISS, to identify which ISS resources are inadequate to satisfy the demands upon them, and to generate other data useful in allocation of and planning of resources.

  2. An exploration of neuromorphic systems and related design issues/challenges in dark silicon era

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandaliya, Mudit; Chaturvedi, Nitin; Gurunarayanan, S.

    2018-03-01

    The current microprocessors has shown a remarkable performance and memory capacity improvement since its innovation. However, due to power and thermal limitations, only a fraction of cores can operate at full frequency at any instant of time irrespective of the advantages of new technology generation. This phenomenon of under-utilization of microprocessor is called as dark silicon which leads to distraction in innovative computing. To overcome the limitation of utilization wall, IBM technologies explored and invented neurosynaptic system chips. It has opened a wide scope of research in the field of innovative computing, technology, material sciences, machine learning etc. In this paper, we first reviewed the diverse stages of research that have been influential in the innovation of neurosynaptic architectures. These, architectures focuses on the development of brain-like framework which is efficient enough to execute a broad set of computations in real time while maintaining ultra-low power consumption as well as area considerations in mind. We also reveal the inadvertent challenges and the opportunities of designing neuromorphic systems as presented by the existing technologies in the dark silicon era, which constitute the utmost area of research in future.

  3. The utilization of knowledge of and interest in research and development among primary care staff by means of strategic communication - a staff cohort study.

    PubMed

    Morténius, Helena; Marklund, Bertil; Palm, Lars; Fridlund, Bengt; Baigi, Amir

    2012-08-01

    The obvious gap between evidence and practice in health care is unfavourable for patient care and requires the promotion of a scientific attitude among health care professionals. The aim of the present study was to determine the utilization of knowledge of and interest in research and development among primary care staff by means of a strategic communication process. A cohort consisting of primary care staff (n = 1276) was designed and strategic communication was utilized as a platform over a 7-year period. Quantitative and qualitative methods were taken in account. We found that 97% of the staff had gained knowledge of research and development, 60% of whom remained interested in the subject. The oral communication channel was the most powerful for creating research interest. Organizational culture was a barrier to interest in science. The study demonstrates a significant increase in knowledge and interest among primary care staff as a result of a strategic communication process. Strategic communication should lead to a more evenly distributed research commitment among all health care professionals, thus facilitating communication between them and patients in order to clarify, for example, the causes of disease. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  4. Preliminary Design of a Manned Nuclear Electric Propulsion Vehicle Using Genetic Algorithms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Irwin, Ryan W.; Tinker, Michael L.

    2005-01-01

    Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicles will be needed for future manned missions to Mars and beyond. Candidate designs must be identified for further detailed design from a large array of possibilities. Genetic algorithms have proven their utility in conceptual design studies by effectively searching a large design space to pinpoint unique optimal designs. This research combined analysis codes for NEP subsystems with a genetic algorithm. The use of penalty functions with scaling ratios was investigated to increase computational efficiency. Also, the selection of design variables for optimization was considered to reduce computation time without losing beneficial design search space. Finally, trend analysis of a reference mission to the asteroids yielded a group of candidate designs for further analysis.

  5. A design thinking framework for healthcare management and innovation.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Jess P; Fisher, Thomas R; Trowbridge, Matthew J; Bent, Christine

    2016-03-01

    The business community has learned the value of design thinking as a way to innovate in addressing people's needs--and health systems could benefit enormously from doing the same. This paper lays out how design thinking applies to healthcare challenges and how systems might utilize this proven and accessible problem-solving process. We show how design thinking can foster new approaches to complex and persistent healthcare problems through human-centered research, collective and diverse teamwork and rapid prototyping. We introduce the core elements of design thinking for a healthcare audience and show how it can supplement current healthcare management, innovation and practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. HOST turbine heat transfer program summary

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gladden, Herbert J.; Simoneau, Robert J.

    1988-01-01

    The objectives of the HOST Turbine Heat Transfer subproject were to obtain a better understanding of the physics of the aerothermodynamic phenomena and to assess and improve the analytical methods used to predict the flow and heat transfer in high temperature gas turbines. At the time the HOST project was initiated, an across-the-board improvement in turbine design technology was needed. A building-block approach was utilized and the research ranged from the study of fundamental phenomena and modeling to experiments in simulated real engine environments. Experimental research accounted for approximately 75 percent of the funding with the remainder going to analytical efforts. A healthy government/industry/university partnership, with industry providing almost half of the research, was created to advance the turbine heat transfer design technology base.

  7. NASA's hypersonic propulsion program: History and direction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wander, Steve

    1992-01-01

    Research into hypersonic propulsion; i.e., supersonic combustion, was seriously initiated at the Langley Research Center in the 1960's with the Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE) project. This project was designed to demonstrate supersonic combustion within the context of an engine module consisting of an inlet, combustor, and nozzle. In addition, the HRE utilized both subsonic and supersonic combustion (dual-mode) to demonstrate smooth operation over a Mach 4 to 7 speed range. The propulsion program thus concentrated on fundamental supersonic combustion studies and free jet propulsion tests for the three dimensional fixed geometry engine design to demonstrate inlet and combustor integration and installed performance potential. The developmental history of the program is presented. Additionally, the HRE program's effect on the current state of hypersonic propulsion is discussed.

  8. Application of Taguchi methods to infrared window design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osmer, Kurt A.; Pruszynski, Charles J.

    1990-10-01

    Dr. Genichi Taguchi, a prominent quality consultant, reduced a branch of statistics known as "Design of Experiments" to a cookbook methodology that can be employed by any competent engineer. This technique has been extensively employed by Japanese manufacturers, and is widely credited with helping them attain their current level of success in low cost, high quality product design and fabrication. Although this technique was originally put forth as a tool to streamline the determination of improved production processes, it can also be applied to a wide range of engineering problems. As part of an internal research project, this method of experimental design has been adapted to window trade studies and materials research. Two of these analyses are presented herein, and have been chosen to illustrate the breadth of applications to which the Taguchi method can be utilized.

  9. Stockpiling and Comprehensive Utilization of Red Mud Research Progress

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Dong-Yan; Wu, Chuan-Sheng

    2012-01-01

    With increasing production of red mud, the environmental problems caused by it are increasingly serious, and thus the integrated treatment of red mud is imminent. This article provides an overview of the composition and the basic characteristics of red mud. The research progress of safe stockpiling and comprehensive utilization of red mud is summarized. The safe stockpiling of red mud can be divided into two aspects: the design and safe operation of the stocking yard. The comprehensive utilization of red mud can be further divided into three aspects: the effective recycling of components, resource utilization and application in the field of environmental protection. This paper points out that the main focus of previous studies on red mud stockpiling is cost reproduction and land tenure. The recovery of resources from red mud has a high value-added, but low level industrialization. The use of red mud as a building material and filler material is the most effective way to reduce the stockpiling of red mud. Red mud used for environmental remediation materials is a new hotspot and worth promoting for its simple processing and low cost.

  10. Comparison of photovoltaic energy systems for the solar village

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piercefrench, Eric C.

    1988-08-01

    Three different solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems are compared to determine if the electrical needs of a solar village could be supplied more economically by electricity generated by the sun than by existing utility companies. The solar village, a one square mile community of 900 homes and 50 businesses, would be located in a semi-remote area of the Arizona desert. A load survey is conducted and information on the solar PV industry is reviewed for equipment specifications, availability, and cost. Three specific PV designs, designated as Stand-Alone, Stand-Alone with interconnection, and Central Solar Plant, were created and then economically compared through present worth analysis against utility supplied electrical costs. A variety of technical issues, such as array protection, system configuration and operation, and practicability, are discussed for each design. The present worth analysis conclusively shows none of the solar PV designs could supply electricity to the solar village for less cost than utility supplied electricity, all other factors being equal. No construction on a solar village should begin until the cost of solar generated electricity is more competitive with electricity generated by coal, oil, and nuclear energy. However, research on ways to reduce solar PV equipment costs and on ways to complement solar PV energy, such as the use of solar thermal ponds for heating and cooling, should continue.

  11. Fabrication and characterization of shape memory polymers at small-scales

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wornyo, Edem

    The objective of this research is to thoroughly investigate the shape memory effect in polymers, characterize, and optimize these polymers for applications in information storage systems. Previous research effort in this field concentrated on shape memory metals for biomedical applications such as stents. Minimal work has been done on shape memory polymers; and the available work on shape memory polymers has not characterized the behaviors of this category of polymers fully. Copolymer shape memory materials based on diethylene glycol dimethacrylate (DEGDMA) crosslinker, and tert butyl acrylate (tBA) monomer are designed. The design encompasses a careful control of the backbone chemistry of the materials. Characterization methods such as dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); and novel nanoscale techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), and nanoindentation are applied to this system of materials. Designed experiments are conducted on the materials to optimize spin coating conditions for thin films. Furthermore, the recovery, a key for the use of these polymeric materials for information storage, is examined in detail with respect to temperature. In sum, the overarching objectives of the proposed research are to: (i) Design shape memory polymers based on polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) and diethylene glycol dimethacrylate (DEGDMA) crosslinkers, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and tert-butyl acrylate monomer (tBA). (ii) Utilize dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) to comprehend the thermomechanical properties of shape memory polymers based on DEGDMA and tBA. (iii) Utilize nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to understand the nanoscale behavior of these SMPs, and explore the strain storage and recovery of the polymers from a deformed state. (iv) Study spin coating conditions on thin film quality with designed experiments. (iv) Apply neural networks and genetic algorithms to optimize these systems.

  12. Distributed photovoltaic systems: Utility interface issues and their present status

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hassan, M.; Klein, J.

    1981-01-01

    Major technical issues involving the integration of distributed photovoltaics (PV) into electric utility systems are defined and their impacts are described quantitatively. An extensive literature search, interviews, and analysis yielded information about the work in progress and highlighted problem areas in which additional work and research are needed. The findings from the literature search were used to determine whether satisfactory solutions to the problems exist or whether satisfactory approaches to a solution are underway. It was discovered that very few standards, specifications, or guidelines currently exist that will aid industry in integrating PV into the utility system. Specific areas of concern identified are: (1) protection, (2) stability, (3) system unbalance, (4) voltage regulation and reactive power requirements, (5) harmonics, (6) utility operations, (7) safety, (8) metering, and (9) distribution system planning and design.

  13. Development of superconductor magnetic suspension and balance prototype facility for studying the feasibility of applying this technique to large scale aerodynamic testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zapata, R. N.; Humphris, R. R.; Henderson, K. C.

    1975-01-01

    The unique design and operational characteristics of a prototype magnetic suspension and balance facility which utilizes superconductor technology are described and discussed from the point of view of scalability to large sizes. The successful experimental demonstration of the feasibility of this new magnetic suspension concept of the University of Virginia, together with the success of the cryogenic wind-tunnel concept developed at Langley Research Center, appear to have finally opened the way to clean-tunnel, high-Re aerodynamic testing. Results of calculations corresponding to a two-step design extrapolation from the observed performance of the prototype magnetic suspension system to a system compatible with the projected cryogenic transonic research tunnel are presented to give an order-of-magnitude estimate of expected performance characteristics. Research areas where progress should lead to improved design and performance of large facilities are discussed.

  14. Design and Development of a Real-Time Model Attitude Measurement System for Hypersonic Facilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, Thomas W.; Lunsford, Charles B.

    2005-01-01

    A series of wind tunnel tests have been conducted to evaluate a multi-camera videogrammetric system designed to measure model attitude in hypersonic facilities. The technique utilizes processed video data and applies photogrammetric principles for point tracking to compute model position including pitch, roll and yaw variables. A discussion of the constraints encountered during the design, development, and testing process, including lighting, vibration, operational range and optical access is included. Initial measurement results from the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) 31-Inch Mach 10 tunnel are presented.

  15. Design and Development of a Real-Time Model Attitude Measurement System for Hypersonic Facilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, Thomas W.; Lunsford, Charles B.

    2004-01-01

    A series of wind tunnel tests have been conducted to evaluate a multi-camera videogrammetric system designed to measure model attitude in hypersonic facilities. The technique utilizes processed video data and applies photogrammetric principles for point tracking to compute model position including pitch, roll and yaw variables. A discussion of the constraints encountered during the design, development, and testing process, including lighting, vibration, operational range and optical access is included. Initial measurement results from the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) 31-Inch Mach 10 tunnel are presented.

  16. Design of fire detection equipment based on ultraviolet detection technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Zhenji; Liu, Jin; Chu, Sheng; Ping, Chao; Yuan, Xiaobing

    2015-03-01

    Utilized the feature of wide bandgap semiconductor of MgZnO, researched and developed a kind of Mid-Ultraviolet-Band(MUV) ultraviolet detector which has passed the simulation experiment in the sun circumstance. Based on the ultraviolet detector, it gives out a design scheme of gun-shot detection device, which is composed of twelve ultraviolet detectors, signal amplifier, processor, annunciator , azimuth indicator and the bracket. Through Analysing the feature of solar blind, ultraviolet responsivity, fire feature of gunshots and detection distance, the feasibility of this design scheme is proved.

  17. Social norms of "good" design: Interdisciplinary perspectives from a survey of engineers and clinicians in bioengineering.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Angela N

    2016-08-01

    In bioengineering training for new researchers and engineers, a great deal of time is spent discussing what constitutes "good" design. Conceptualization of good design, however, varies widely across interdisciplinary team members, with potential to both foster innovation or lead to unproductive conflict. To explore how groups central to bioengineering teams (physicians/clinicians and engineers/physicists) conceptualize good design, we asked 176 professionals in bioengineering to complete a comprehensive online survey including items designed to assess cognitive and moral foundations (validated MFQ30 tool) and custom items assessing perceptions on good design in three areas (good design characteristics, reputation of design approvers, and perceived design patient/consumer suitability). Of those that responded, 82 completed all quantitative survey sections and were included in this preliminary analysis. Correlations between response areas were examined to explore the possible links between cognitive and moral biases and perspectives on good design. The survey results indicated that both groups were more conservative than average Americans based on previous reports, and clinicians scored higher on average for all MFQ30 domains. Numerous significant correlations with good design were observed among clinicians, while engineers/physicists most closely correlated good design with prescriber approval and scientific/technical literature. The exploratory analysis demonstrated the potential utility of sociological frameworks to explore relationships in design thinking with potential utility to stimulate thriving conversation on team-based design thinking in bioengineering education and practice.

  18. Exploring Virtual Mental Practice in Maintenance Task Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bauerle, Tim; Brnich, Michael J.; Navoyski, Jason

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to a general understanding of mental practice by investigating the utility of and participant reaction to a virtual reality maintenance training among underground coal mine first responders. Design/Methodology/Approach: Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Office of Mine…

  19. Incidental Becomes Visible: A Comparison of School- and Community-Based Field Experience Narratives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holder, K. C.; Downey, Jayne A.

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe and compare student learning documented using written field experience summary narratives and occurring in community-based or school-based locations. Utilizing a hybrid portraiture--instrumental case study design, two researchers selected participants from undergraduate educational psychology courses using…

  20. Design and analysis procedures for asphalt mixtures containing high RAP contents and/or RAS : [research project capsule].

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-07-01

    Asphalt recycling has become an important instrument used to minimize production : costs of new pavements as well as to mitigate its impacts of the environment. Some of : the bene ts of utilizing recycled materials include the conservation of nonr...

  1. Structure, Impact, and Deficiencies of Beginning Counselor Educators' Doctoral Teaching Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waalkes, Phillip L.; Benshoff, James M.; Stickl, Jaimie; Swindle, Paula J.; Umstead, Lindsey K.

    2018-01-01

    The authors utilized the consensual qualitative research method (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, [Hill, C. E., 1997]) to explore beginning counselor educators' (N = 9) experiences of doctoral teaching preparation, including helpful and missing components. Emerging themes included a lack of intentionality in teaching-related program design and a…

  2. Understanding the Epistemological Development of Substance Abusing College Students: A Construct Exploration Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Lisa A.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to delve into the epistemological constructs of substance abusing college students and explore whether consistencies with Baxter Magolda's (1992) epistemic constructs were indicated. The study utilized a qualitative, narrative inquiry research design framed by Baxter Magolda's interview outline. Interviews were…

  3. Assessment of School Principals' Reassignment Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sezgin-Nartgün, Senay; Ekinci, Serkan

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to identify administrators' views related to the assessment of school principals' reassignment in educational organizations. The study utilized qualitative research design and the study group composed of 8 school administrators selected via simple sampling who were employed in the Bolu central district in 2014-2015 academic year.…

  4. Appalachian National Scenic Trail pilot survey

    Treesearch

    Stan Zarnoch; Michael Bowker; Ken Cordell; Matt Owens; Gary T. Green; Allison Ginn

    2011-01-01

    Visitation statistics on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT) are important for management and Federal Government reporting purposes. However, no survey methodology has been developed to obtain accurate trailwide estimates over linear trails that traverse many hundreds of back-country miles. This research develops a stratified random survey design which utilizes...

  5. Residential Treatment for Sexually Abusive Youth: An Assessment of Treatment Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Christopher D.; Chancey, Roy; Lowe, Laura A.; Risler, Edwin A.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: This research study assesses the effectiveness of participation in a multimodal/holistic residential treatment program on changing deviant sexual interests and functional impairment among sexually abusive youth. Method: A one-group pretest posttest design was utilized to examine pretest (intake) and posttest (discharge) scores for 58…

  6. New Superintendents: Trust, Networking, and Social Capital

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ripley, Joan; Mitchell, Roxanne M.; Richman, John A.

    2013-01-01

    This instrumental case study explored how five newly appointed superintendents identified key stakeholders and built trust and social capital with stakeholders in their districts. Stakeholder, trust, and social capital theory were the lenses that guided this study. We utilized a pragmatic research design and thematic data analysis to interpret our…

  7. The Perceived Importance of Youth Educator's Confidence in Delivering Leadership Development Programming

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brumbaugh, Laura; Cater, Melissa

    2016-01-01

    A successful component of programs designed to deliver youth leadership develop programs are youth educators who understand the importance of utilizing research-based information and seeking professional development opportunities. The purpose of this study was to determine youth educator's perceived confidence in leading youth leadership…

  8. Shyness and Emotion-Processing Skills in Preschoolers: A 6-Month Longitudinal Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strand, Paul S.; Cerna, Sandra; Downs, Andrew

    2008-01-01

    The present study utilized a short-term longitudinal research design to examine the hypothesis that shyness in preschoolers is differentially related to different aspects of emotion processing. Using teacher reports of shyness and performance measures of emotion processing, including (1) facial emotion recognition, (2) non-facial emotion…

  9. Helping Students to Think Like Scientists in Socratic Dialogue-Inducing Labs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hake, Richard

    2012-01-01

    Socratic dialogue-inducing (SDI) labs are based on Arnold Arons' half-century of ethnographic research, listening carefully to students' responses to probing Socratic questions on physics, science, and ways of thinking, and culminating in his landmark "Teaching Introductory Physics." They utilize "interactive engagement" methods and are designed,…

  10. Designing Opportunities for Transformation with Emerging Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Veletsianos, George

    2011-01-01

    In this article, the author argues that technology use in education has focused on combating instructional problems and inefficiencies. While technology use for such purposes is viable and important, the author proposes that practitioners and researchers in this field utilize emerging technologies as a means to provide opportunities for personally…

  11. 77 FR 28853 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Usability Data Collections

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-16

    ... the Department of Commerce, proposes to conduct a number of data collection efforts--both quantitative and qualitative. The data collections will be designed to determine requirement and evaluate the usability and utility of NIST research for measurement and standardization work. These data collections...

  12. Laboratory-Based and Autobiographical Retrieval Tasks Differ Substantially in Their Neural Substrates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDermott, Kathleen B.; Szpunar, Karl K.; Christ, Shawn E.

    2009-01-01

    In designing experiments to investigate retrieval of event memory, researchers choose between utilizing laboratory-based methods (in which to-be-remembered materials are presented to participants) and autobiographical approaches (in which the to-be-remembered materials are events from the participant's pre-experimental life). In practice, most…

  13. Dimensions of Social Capital among High School Mathematics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koebley, Sarah Cotton

    2013-01-01

    This study sought to uncover teacher perceptions of social capital within a high school mathematics department utilizing a research design that acknowledged the complex environment faced by high school teachers and their subsequent interpretations of how and from whom they sought access to professional resources. Through an analysis of narratives…

  14. Design and Evaluation of a Dynamic Dilemma Zone System for a High Speed Rural Intersection

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-08-01

    The goal of this research was to develop a system that utilizes the dynamic detection technology and : to evaluate the performance of this system. The first step of this study was to select an intersection : experiencing a high frequency of crashes t...

  15. Building TPACK in Preservice Teachers through Explicit Course Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvey, Douglas M.; Caro, Ronald

    2017-01-01

    The authors of this study utilized the TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge) framework in developing and assessing these skills within an advanced technology integration course for preservice teachers. The research contributes to the use of TPACK as a metric for measuring technology integration of pre-service teachers. Two…

  16. The New Southern FIA Data Compilation System

    Treesearch

    V. Clark Baldwin; Larry Royer

    2001-01-01

    In general, the major national Forest Inventory and Analysis annual inventory emphasis has been on data-base design and not on data processing and calculation of various new attributes. Two key programming techniques required for efficient data processing are indexing and modularization. The Southern Research Station Compilation System utilizes modular and indexing...

  17. Educators' Perceived Importance of Web 2.0 Technology Applications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pritchett, Christal C.; Wohleb, Elisha C.; Pritchett, Christopher G.

    2013-01-01

    This research study was designed to examine the degree of perceived importance of interactive technology applications among various groups of certified educators; the degree to which education professionals utilized interactive online technology applications and to determine if there was a significant difference between the different groups based…

  18. Incremental and Predictive Utility of Formative Assessment Methods of Reading Comprehension

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marcotte, Amanda M.; Hintze, John M.

    2009-01-01

    Formative assessment measures are commonly used in schools to assess reading and to design instruction accordingly. The purpose of this research was to investigate the incremental and concurrent validity of formative assessment measures of reading comprehension. It was hypothesized that formative measures of reading comprehension would contribute…

  19. Supporting Effective Collaboration: Using a Rearview Mirror to Look Forward

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McManus, Margaret M.; Aiken, Robert M.

    2016-01-01

    Our original research, to design and develop an Intelligent Collaborative Learning System (ICLS), yielded the creation of a Group Leader Tutor software system which utilizes a Collaborative Skills Network to monitor students working collaboratively in a networked environment. The Collaborative Skills Network was a conceptualization of…

  20. Ethical Reasoning Instruction in Non-Ethics Business Courses: A Non-Intrusive Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilhelm, William J.

    2010-01-01

    This article discusses four confirmatory studies designed to corroborate findings from prior developmental research which yielded statistically significant improvements in student moral reasoning when specific instructional strategies and content materials were utilized in non-ethics business courses by instructors not formally trained in business…

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