Priority-setting in public health research funding organisations: an exploratory qualitative study among five high-profile funders.

PubMed

Cartier, Yuri; Creatore, Maria I; Hoffman, Steven J; Potvin, Louise

2018-06-22

Priority-driven funding streams for population and public health are an important part of the health research landscape and contribute to orienting future scholarship in the field. While research priorities are often made public through targeted calls for research, less is known about how research funding organisations arrive at said priorities. Our objective was to explore how public health research funding organisations develop priorities for strategic extramural research funding programmes. Content analysis of published academic and grey literature and key informant interviews for five public and private funders of public health research in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and France were performed. We found important distinctions in how funding organisations processed potential research priorities through four non-sequential phases, namely idea generation, idea analysis, idea socialisation and idea selection. Funders generally involved the public health research community and public health decision-makers in idea generation and socialisation, but other groups of stakeholders (e.g. the public, advocacy organisations) were not as frequently included. Priority-setting for strategic funding programmes in public health research involves consultation mainly with researchers in the early phase of the process. There is an opportunity for greater breadth of participation and more transparency in priority-setting mechanisms for strategic funding programmes in population and public health research.

Investigating Teachers' and Students' Beliefs and Assumptions about CALL Programme at Caledonian College of Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Holi Ibrahim Holi

2012-01-01

This study is set to investigate students' and teachers' perceptions and assumptions about newly implemented CALL Programme at the School of Foundation Studies, Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman. Two versions of questionnaire were administered to 24 teachers and 90 students to collect their beliefs and assumption about CALL programame. The…

The European initiative on low-dose risk research: from the HLEG to MELODI.

PubMed

Belli, Mauro; Tabocchini, Maria Antonella; Jourdain, Jean-René; Salomaa, Sisko; Repussard, Jacques

2015-09-01

The importance of low-dose risk research for radiation protection is now widely recognised. The European Commission (EC) and five European Union (EU) Member States involved in the Euratom Programme set up in 2008 a 'High Level and Expert Group on European Low Dose Risk Research' (HLEG) aimed at identifying research needs and proposing a better integration of European efforts in the field. The HLEG revised the research challenges and proposed a European research strategy based on a 'Multidisciplinary European LOw Dose Initiative' (MELODI). In April 2009, five national organisations, with the support of the EC, created the initial core of MELODI (http://www.melodi-online.eu) with a view to integrate the EU institutions with significant programmes in the field, while being open to other scientific organisations and stakeholders, and to develop an agreed strategic research agenda (SRA) and roadmap. Since then, open workshops have been organised yearly, exploring ideas for SRA implementation. As of October 2014, 31 institutions have been included as members of MELODI. HLEG recommendations and MELODI SRA have become important reference points in the radiation protection part of the Euratom Research Programme. MELODI has established close interactions through Memorandum of Understanding with other European platforms involved in radiation protection (Alliance, NERIS and EURADOS) and, together with EURADOS, with the relevant medical European Associations. The role of Joint Programming in priority setting, foreseen in the forthcoming EU Horizon 2020, calls for keeping MELODI an open, inclusive and transparent initiative, able to avoid redundancies and possible conflicts of interest, while promoting common initiatives in radiation protection research. An important issue is the establishment of a proper methodology for managing these initiatives, and this includes the set-up of an independent MELODI Scientific Committee recently extended to Alliance, NERIS and EURADOS, with the aim of identifying research priorities to suggest for the forthcoming Euratom research calls. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Professional Educator: Lessons from Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahlberg, Pasi

2011-01-01

Since Finland emerged in 2000 as the top-scoring Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nation on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), researchers have been pouring into the country to study the so-called "Finnish miracle." How did a country with an undistinguished education system in the…

Flight dynamics analysis and simulation of heavy lift airships. Volume 5: Programmer's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringland, R. F.; Tischler, M. B.; Jex, H. R.; Emmen, R. D.; Ashkenas, I. L.

1982-01-01

The Programmer's Manual contains explanations of the logic embodied in the various program modules, a dictionary of program variables, a subroutine listing, subroutine/common block/cross reference listing, and a calling/called subroutine cross reference listing.

Collaborative Learning in Teaching Information Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natho, N.; Knipping, L.; Pfeiffer, O.; Schroder, C.; Zorn, E.; Jeschke, S.

2010-01-01

In this paper, we present the course called "New Media in Education and Research", which employs a blended learning approach. This course is a part of a new bachelor's programme "Natural Sciences in the Information Society" that is in place in TU Berlin. The main goal of this course is to provide the students with the…

European Union Framework Programme 7 Building the Europe of Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akkaş, Nuri

In March 2000, the Lisbon European Council set the goal of becoming by 2010 "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion". This was called the Lisbon Strategy. The project of creating a European Research Area (ERA) was endorsed as a central element of the Lisbon Strategy to achieve this goal. However, EU still invests too little in R & D. In 2003, top 500 private R & D spenders in EU decreased their R & D investment by 2.0%. Top 500 private R & D spenders outside EU increased their R & D investment by 3.9%. Overall R &D investments are as follows: EU: 1.96%; US: 2.59%; S. Korea: 2.91%; Japan: 3.12%. ERA is implemented through so-called Framework Programmes (FP). FP7 is proposed on the basis of a doubling of funds and the duration is 7 years (2007-13). FP7 will fund R& D projects of immediate industrial relevance & needs of industry. Projects will include both public research institutions and private companies (PPP).

A RCT of three training and support strategies to encourage implementation of screening and brief alcohol intervention by general practitioners.

PubMed

Kaner, E F; Lock, C A; McAvoy, B R; Heather, N; Gilvarry, E

1999-09-01

Providing doctors with new research findings or clinical guidelines is rarely sufficient to promote changes in clinical practice. An implementation strategy is required to provide clinicians with the skills and encouragement needed to alter established routines. To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different training and support strategies in promoting implementation of screening and brief alcohol intervention (SBI) by general practitioners (GPs). Subjects were 128 GPs, one per practice, from the former Northern and Yorkshire Regional Health Authority, who agreed to use the 'Drink-Less' SBI programme in an earlier dissemination trial. GPs were stratified by previous marketing conditions and randomly allocated to three intensities of training and support: controls (n = 43) received the programme with written guidelines only, trained GPs (n = 43) received the programme plus practice-based training in programme usage, trained and supported GPs (n = 42) received the programme plus practice-based training and a support telephone call every two weeks. GPs were requested to use the programme for three months. Outcome measures included proportions of GPs implementing the programme and numbers of patients screened and intervened with. Seventy-three (57%) GPs implemented the programme and screened 11,007 patients for risk drinking. Trained and supported GPs were significantly more likely to implement the programme (71%) than controls (44%) or trained GPs (56%); they also screened, and intervened with, significantly more patients. Costs per patient screened were: trained and supported GPs, 1.05 Pounds; trained GPs, 1.08 Pounds; and controls, 1.47 Pounds. Costs per patient intervened with were: trained and supported GPs, 5.43 Pounds; trained GPs, 6.02 Pounds; and controls, 8.19 Pounds. Practice-based training plus support telephone calls was the most effective and cost-effective strategy to encourage implementation of SBI by GPs.

HELIO: The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A.; Aboudarham, J.; Jacquey, C.; Hapgood, M. A.; Bocchialini, K.; Messerotti, M.; Brooke, J.; Gallagher, P.; Fox, P.;

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uihlein, Andreas; Salto Saura, Lourdes; Sigfusson, Bergur; Lichtenvort, Kerstin; Gagliardi, Filippo

2015-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded to 39 projects through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around 70 mEUR funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France (see Annex). The Hungarian geothermal project awarded funding under the first call will enter into operation at the end of 2015 and the rest are expected to start in 2016 (HR) and in 2018 (FR), respectively. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of scaling up technologies and operating them at commercial scale. The knowledge sharing of the NER 300 programme should lead to better planning and faster introduction of low carbon technologies in the future. Content of the presentation The presentation will introduce the geothermal projects that have been awarded funding, including their state-of-play. Insights and knowledge gained from the projects that have entered into operation will be shown and discussed. Furthermore, the presentation will provide an overview of the NER 300 programme.

Improving the performance of community health workers in humanitarian emergencies: a realist evaluation protocol for the PIECES programme

PubMed Central

Gilmore, Brynne; Adams, Ben Jack; Bartoloni, Alex; Alhaydar, Bana; McAuliffe, Eilish; Raven, Joanna; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; Vallières, Frédérique

2016-01-01

Introduction Understanding what enhances the motivation and performance of community health workers (CHWs) in humanitarian emergencies represents a key research gap within the field of human resources for health. This paper presents the research protocol for the Performance ImprovEment of CHWs in Emergency Settings (PIECES) research programme. Enhancing Learning and Research in Humanitarian Action (ELRHA) funded the development of this protocol as part of their Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) call (No.19839). PIECES aims to understand what factors improve the performance of CHWs in level III humanitarian emergencies. Methods and analysis The suggested protocol uses a realist evaluation with multiple cases across the 3 country sites: Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon. Working with International Medical Corps (IMC), an initial programme theory was elicited through literature and document reviews, semistructured interviews and focus groups with IMC programme managers and CHWs. Based on this initial theory, this protocol proposes a combination of semistructured interviews, life histories and critical incident narratives, surveys and latent variable modelling of key constructs to explain how contextual factors work to trigger mechanisms for specific outcomes relating to IMC's 300+ CHWs' performance. Participants will also include programme staff, CHWs and programme beneficiaries. Realist approaches will be used to better understand ‘what works, for whom and under what conditions’ for improving CHW performance within humanitarian contexts. Ethics and dissemination Trinity College Dublin's Health Policy and Management/Centre for Global Health Research Ethics Committee gave ethical approval for the protocol development phase. For the full research project, additional ethical approval will be sought from: Université St. Joseph (Lebanon), the Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health in Baghdad (Iraq) and the Middle East Technical University (Turkey). Dissemination activities will involve a mixture of research feedback, policy briefs, guidelines and recommendations, as well as open source academic articles. PMID:27531730

Improving the performance of community health workers in humanitarian emergencies: a realist evaluation protocol for the PIECES programme.

PubMed

Gilmore, Brynne; Adams, Ben Jack; Bartoloni, Alex; Alhaydar, Bana; McAuliffe, Eilish; Raven, Joanna; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; Vallières, Frédérique

2016-08-16

Understanding what enhances the motivation and performance of community health workers (CHWs) in humanitarian emergencies represents a key research gap within the field of human resources for health. This paper presents the research protocol for the Performance ImprovEment of CHWs in Emergency Settings (PIECES) research programme. Enhancing Learning and Research in Humanitarian Action (ELRHA) funded the development of this protocol as part of their Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) call (No.19839). PIECES aims to understand what factors improve the performance of CHWs in level III humanitarian emergencies. The suggested protocol uses a realist evaluation with multiple cases across the 3 country sites: Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon. Working with International Medical Corps (IMC), an initial programme theory was elicited through literature and document reviews, semistructured interviews and focus groups with IMC programme managers and CHWs. Based on this initial theory, this protocol proposes a combination of semistructured interviews, life histories and critical incident narratives, surveys and latent variable modelling of key constructs to explain how contextual factors work to trigger mechanisms for specific outcomes relating to IMC's 300+ CHWs' performance. Participants will also include programme staff, CHWs and programme beneficiaries. Realist approaches will be used to better understand 'what works, for whom and under what conditions' for improving CHW performance within humanitarian contexts. Trinity College Dublin's Health Policy and Management/Centre for Global Health Research Ethics Committee gave ethical approval for the protocol development phase. For the full research project, additional ethical approval will be sought from: Université St. Joseph (Lebanon), the Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health in Baghdad (Iraq) and the Middle East Technical University (Turkey). Dissemination activities will involve a mixture of research feedback, policy briefs, guidelines and recommendations, as well as open source academic articles. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

How to Apply for and Secure EU Funding for Collaborative IBD Research Projects

PubMed Central

Satsangi, Jack; Kitten, Olivier; Chavez, Marcela; Kalla, Rahul; Prel, Nadege; Meuwis, Marie-Alice; Scott, Stephanie; Bonetti, Illaria; Ventham, Nicholas T.

2016-01-01

The European Union offers opportunities for high-level of funding of collaborative European research. Calls are regularly published: after the end of the FP7 funding programme the new round of Horizon 2020 calls started in 2015. Several topics are relevant to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) challenges, including chronic disease management, biomarker discovery and new treatments developments. The aim of this Viewpoint article is to describe the new Horizon 2020 instrument and the project submission procedures, and to highlight these through the description of tips and tricks, taking advantage of four examples of successful projects in the field of IBD: the SADEL, IBD-BIOM, IBD Character and BIOCYCLE projects. PMID:26744440

Exploring social inclusion strategies for public health research and practice: The use of participatory visual methods to counter stigmas surrounding street-based substance abuse in Colombia.

PubMed

Ritterbusch, Amy E

2016-01-01

This paper presents the participatory visual research design and findings from a qualitative assessment of the social impact of bazuco and inhalant/glue consumption among street youth in Bogotá, Colombia. The paper presents the visual methodologies our participatory action research (PAR) team employed in order to identify and overcome the stigmas and discrimination that street youth experience in society and within state-sponsored drug rehabilitation programmes. I call for critical reflection regarding the broad application of the terms 'participation' and 'participatory' in visual research and urge scholars and public health practitioners to consider the transformative potential of PAR for both the research and practice of global public health in general and rehabilitation programmes for street-based substance abuse in Colombia in particular. The paper concludes with recommendations as to how participatory visual methods can be used to promote social inclusion practices and to work against stigma and discrimination in health-related research and within health institutions.

What Do We Really Learn from PISA? The Sociology of Its Reception in Three European Countries (2001-2008)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pons, Xavier

2011-01-01

This article synthesises some findings of an international research project called "Know&Pol" to question the effects of the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) on the public debate in three European countries (France, Portugal and Scotland). Using a political science approach, it shows that Pisa did not…

Resignification of Educational E-Innovation to Enhance Opportunities for Graduate Employability in the Context of New University Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres Valdés, Rosa María; Santa Soriano, Alba; Lorenzo Álvarez, Carolina

2018-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a training programme based on an Action-Research methodology that has been applied in two subjects of Event Organization, Protocol, and Institutional Relations undergraduate and Master's degrees. Through a teaching methodology called "learning by doing," students are encouraged to understand,…

[Aging in Mexico].

PubMed

Contreras de Lehr, E

1986-01-01

Demographic social and economic aspects of the situation of the elderly in Mexico are described with special emphasis upon education programmes and types of care in nursing homes. Considering the future trends of an increase in Mexico's elderly population, the author calls for more efforts in research and training in the field of gerontology. First results in this area are reported.

Android: Call C Functions with the Native Development Kit (NDK)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

guide is intended to assist programmers with how to attach an NDK plugin to an Android Integrated Development Environment and how to call C functions...written in Java to interact with native C/C++. This guide is intended to take programmers through adding an NDK package into an Android Studio

Improving the health and safety of 911 emergency call centre agents: an evaluability assessment of a knowledge transfer strategy.

PubMed

Dagenais, Christian; Plouffe, Laurence; Gagné, Charles; Toulouse, Georges; Breault, Andrée-Anne; Dupont, Didier

2017-03-01

A knowledge transfer (KT) strategy was implemented by the IRSST, an occupational health and safety research institute established in Québec (Canada), to improve the prevention of psychological and musculoskeletal problems among 911 emergency call centre agents. An evaluability assessment was conducted in which each aspect of the KT approach was documented systematically to determine whether the strategy had the potential to be evaluated in terms of its impact on the targeted population. A review of the literature on KT in occupational health and safety and on the evaluation of such KT programmes, along with the development of a logic model based on documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, indicated that the KT strategy was likely to have had a positive impact in the 911 emergency call centre sector. Implications for future research are discussed.

Security mechanism based on Hospital Authentication Server for secure application of implantable medical devices.

PubMed

Park, Chang-Seop

2014-01-01

After two recent security attacks against implantable medical devices (IMDs) have been reported, the privacy and security risks of IMDs have been widely recognized in the medical device market and research community, since the malfunctioning of IMDs might endanger the patient's life. During the last few years, a lot of researches have been carried out to address the security-related issues of IMDs, including privacy, safety, and accessibility issues. A physician accesses IMD through an external device called a programmer, for diagnosis and treatment. Hence, cryptographic key management between IMD and programmer is important to enforce a strict access control. In this paper, a new security architecture for the security of IMDs is proposed, based on a 3-Tier security model, where the programmer interacts with a Hospital Authentication Server, to get permissions to access IMDs. The proposed security architecture greatly simplifies the key management between IMDs and programmers. Also proposed is a security mechanism to guarantee the authenticity of the patient data collected from IMD and the nonrepudiation of the physician's treatment based on it. The proposed architecture and mechanism are analyzed and compared with several previous works, in terms of security and performance.

Security Mechanism Based on Hospital Authentication Server for Secure Application of Implantable Medical Devices

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

After two recent security attacks against implantable medical devices (IMDs) have been reported, the privacy and security risks of IMDs have been widely recognized in the medical device market and research community, since the malfunctioning of IMDs might endanger the patient's life. During the last few years, a lot of researches have been carried out to address the security-related issues of IMDs, including privacy, safety, and accessibility issues. A physician accesses IMD through an external device called a programmer, for diagnosis and treatment. Hence, cryptographic key management between IMD and programmer is important to enforce a strict access control. In this paper, a new security architecture for the security of IMDs is proposed, based on a 3-Tier security model, where the programmer interacts with a Hospital Authentication Server, to get permissions to access IMDs. The proposed security architecture greatly simplifies the key management between IMDs and programmers. Also proposed is a security mechanism to guarantee the authenticity of the patient data collected from IMD and the nonrepudiation of the physician's treatment based on it. The proposed architecture and mechanism are analyzed and compared with several previous works, in terms of security and performance. PMID:25276797

Acceptability and non-compliance in a family-led weight-management programme for obese Pacific children.

PubMed

Teevale, Tasileta; Taufa, Seini; Percival, Teuila

2015-10-01

To explore factors influencing participation and attrition in a family-led weight-management programme for obese Pacific children. Qualitative study used bilingual in-depth interviews at exit and end of an 8-week weight-management programme. New Zealand. Forty-two parents/primary caregivers of obese children who were randomised in the intervention weight-management programme. Programmatic factors that enhanced retention included: simultaneous delivery to both children and parents as participants; delivery of the programme in small group settings at local community venues; enabling trustworthy and accountable relationships; providing resources for travel to venues and regular telephone/text messaging follow-up calls reinforcing programme goals; and day and time scheduling. Suggested programme improvements included having ethnic-specific Island-language delivery and practical sessions like cooking classes and shopping expeditions at local food stores. The research found that unpredictable external life crises like extended family deaths, a change in job shift, family illnesses (both acute and those requiring chronic management) and long-term family visitations affected participation and momentum. A loss of momentum through managing life crises was often difficult to overcome for participants, leading them to drop out of the weight-management programme. Most drop-out participants preferred to defer their programme participation with hopes of re-committing to future programmes at another time. In order for weight-management programmes to be effective, participants must be able to complete them. Identifying factors that predict participation and attrition may serve as a basis for programme improvement.

Programmable Logic Application Notes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard

1999-01-01

This column will be provided each quarter as a source for reliability, radiation results, NASA capabilities, and other information on programmable logic devices and related applications. This quarter the focus is on some experimental data on low voltage drop out regulators to support mixed 5 and 3.3 volt systems. A discussion of the Small Explorer WIRE spacecraft will also be given. Lastly, we show take a first look at robust state machines in Hardware Description Languages (VHDL) and their use in critical systems. If you have information that you would like to submit or an area you would like discussed or researched, please give me a call or e-mail.

Lessons from Finland: Where the Country's Education System Rose to the Top in Just a Couple Decades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahlberg, Pasi

2011-01-01

Since Finland emerged in 2000 as the top-scoring Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nation on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), researchers have been pouring into the country to study the so-called "Finnish miracle." How did a country with an undistinguished education system in the…

Families Support to Transistion: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Søndergaard, Susanne; Cox, Kate; Silfversten, Erik; Anderson, Brent; Meads, Catherine; Schaefer, Agnes Gereben; Larkin, Jody

2016-01-01

Each year, approximately 17,000 personnel leave the UK Armed Forces and return to civilian life. The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has called for better transition support in order to assist Service leavers and their families in leading successful civilian lives. FiMT conducted a stakeholder engagement programme in 2015 to identify areas where…

Outreach Programmes Using the Triple Helix Model to Encourage Interest in Science and Technology among Underrepresented Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karmokar, Sangeeta; Shekar, Aruna

2018-01-01

Science and Technology entrepreneurship is one of the requirements of the new millennium, an era called digital society and globalization. Entrepreneurship is considered an agent of growth, wealth creation and development of society. Although New Zealand has experienced a rapid growth of education and research in Science and Technology areas, the…

Projecting Images of the "Good" and the "Bad School": Top Scorers in Educational Large-Scale Assessments as Reference Societies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldow, Florian

2017-01-01

Researchers interested in the global flow of educational ideas and programmes have long been interested in the role of so-called "reference societies." The article investigates how top scorers in large-scale assessments are framed as positive or negative reference societies in the education policy-making debate in German mass media and…

Linked symptom monitoring and depression treatment programmes for specialist cancer services: protocol for a mixed-methods implementation study

PubMed Central

Walker, Jane; Burke, Katy; Sevdalis, Nick; Richardson, Alison; Mulick, Amy; Frost, Chris; Sharpe, Michael

2017-01-01

Introduction There is growing awareness that cancer services need to address patients’ well-being as well as treating their cancer. We developed systematic approaches to (1) monitoring patients’ symptoms including depression using a ‘Symptom Monitoring Service’ and (2) providing treatment for those with major depression using a programme called ‘Depression Care for People with Cancer’. Used together, these two programmes were found to be highly effective and cost-effective in clinical trials. The overall aims of this project are to: (1) study the process of introducing these programmes into routine clinical care in a large cancer service, (2) identify the challenges associated with implementation and how these are overcome, (3) determine their effectiveness in a routine non-research setting and (4) describe patients’ and clinicians’ experience of the programmes. Methods and analysis This is a mixed-methods longitudinal implementation study. We will study the process of implementation in three phases (April 2016–December 2018): ‘Pre-implementation’ (setting up of the new programmes), ‘Early Implementation’ (implementation of the programmes in a small number of clinics) and ‘Implementation and Maintenance’ (implementation in the majority of clinics). We will use the following methods of data collection: (1) contemporaneous logs of the implementation process, (2) interviews with healthcare professionals and managers, (3) interviews with patients and (4) routinely collected clinical data. Ethics and dissemination The study has been reviewed by a joint committee of Oxford University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust Research and Development Department and the University of Oxford’s Clinical Trials and Research Governance Department and judged to be service evaluation, not requiring ethics committee approval. The findings of this study will guide the scaling up implementation of the programmes across the UK and will enable us to construct an implementation toolkit. We will disseminate our findings in publications and at relevant national and international conferences. PMID:28674143

Beyond robotics: a new proactive research initiative from the EU IST program.

PubMed

Karp, Pekka

2005-01-01

A research initiative on embodied artificial intelligence has been launched in 2004 by the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) arm of the Information Society Technologies (IST) programme of the European Union. The initiative is called "Beyond Robotics" to emphasize that the research projects funded are required to set ambitious objectives and to aim at breakthroughs going well beyond the state of the art. Four projects worth 20 M E of EC funding were selected for 2004-2008 to address the objectives of the initiative.

Basic nursing care: The most provided, the least evidence based - A discussion paper.

PubMed

Zwakhalen, Sandra M G; Hamers, Jan P H; Metzelthin, Silke F; Ettema, Roelof; Heinen, Maud; de Man-Van Ginkel, Janneke M; Vermeulen, Hester; Huisman-de Waal, Getty; Schuurmans, Marieke J

2018-06-01

To describe and discuss the "Basic Care Revisited" (BCR) research programme, a collaborative initiative that contributes to evidence-based basic nursing care and raises awareness about the importance of basic nursing care activities. While basic nursing care serves nearly all people at some point in their lifetime, it is poorly informed by evidence. There is a need to prioritise and evaluate basic nursing care activities to improve patient outcomes and improve the quality of care. Discussion paper METHOD: The discussion presented in this paper is based on nursing literature and theory and supported by the authors' clinical and research experiences. We present the developmental process and content of a research programme called "Basic Care Revisited" (BCR) as a solution to move forward and improve basic nursing care. To prioritise basic nursing care, we propose a research programme entitled "Basic Care Revisited" that aims to create awareness and expand knowledge on evidence-based basic nursing care by addressing four basic nursing care themes (bathing and dressing, communication, mobility, and nutrition) in different settings. The paper discusses a pathway to create a sustainable and productive research collaborative on basic nursing care and addresses issues to build research capacity. Revaluation of these important nursing activities will not only positively influence patient outcomes, but also have an impact on staff outcomes and organisational outcomes. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Self-imposed evaluation of the Helmholtz Research School MICMoR as a tool for quality assurance and advancement of a structured graduate programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elija Bleher, Bärbel; Schmid, Hans Peter; Scholz, Beate

2015-04-01

The Helmholtz Research School MICMoR (Mechanisms and Interactions of Climate Change in Mountain Regions) offers a structured graduate programme for doctoral students in the field of climate change research. It is hosted by the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (KIT/IMK-IFU) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in collaboration with 7 Bavarian partner universities and research institutions. Hence, MICMoR brings together a considerably large network with currently 20 doctoral students and 55 scientists. MICMoR offers scientific and professional skills training, provides a state-of-the-art supervision concept, and fosters international exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration. In order to develop and advance its programme, MICMoR has committed itself to a self-imposed mid-term review in its third year, to monitor to which extent its original objectives have been reached, and to explore and identify where MICMoR has room for improvement. The evaluation especially focused on recruitment, supervision, training, networking and cooperation. Carried out by an external expert (Beate Scholz from scholz ctc), the evaluation was based on a mixed methods approach, i.e. combining a quantitative survey involving all doctoral candidates as well as their supervisors and focus groups with different MICMoR stakeholders. The evaluation has brought forward some highly interesting results, pinpointing challenges and opportunities of setting up a structured doctoral programme. Overall, the evaluation proved to be a useful tool for evidence-based programme and policy planning, and demonstrated a high level of satisfaction of supervisors and fellows. Supervision, with facets ranging from disciplinary feedback to career advice, is demanding and requires strong commitment and adequate human resources development by all parties involved. Thus, MICMoR plans to offer mentor coaching and calls on supervisors and mentors to form a community of learners with their doctoral students. To realize this vision, a long way lies ahead for all participants. Here, the evaluation provided useful suggestions on how to best use scarce time resources. Due to the fact that MICMoR's fellowships provide only supplemental funding for its fellows to participate in the programme, their base funding (salaries, stipends) needs to be secured independently, e.g. through project funds. However, this created a significant challenge as doctoral topics were determined more by the projects' research questions than by the research school's research focus. To improve this situation, MICMoR introduced some full stipends in its third year. We conclude that, in order to successfully run an interdisciplinary, multi-network research school, sufficient funds for its general framework, but also for doctoral stipends/salaries are needed to obtain a more accurate fit between the programme's research focus and the doctoral topics. Furthermore, a high level of commitment and identification with the programme of both, doctoral students and their supervisors, is required. Finally, regular review and programme assessment are essential for tailored programme development and strategy planning.

Supporting decision-making by a health promotion programme: experiences of persons ageing in the context of migration

PubMed Central

Barenfeld, Emmelie; Gustafsson, Susanne; Wallin, Lars; Dahlin-Ivanoff, Synneve

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT This study is part of the Promoting Aging Migrants’ Capabilities programme that applied person-centred group meetings and one individual home visit to prolong independence in daily activities among people ≥70 years who had migrated to Sweden from Finland or the Western Balkan region. With the purpose to understand programme outcomes, the study aimed to explore the participants’ everyday experiences of using health-promoting messages exchanged during the programme. Using a grounded theory approach, 12 persons aged 70–83 years were interviewed six months to one year after their participation in the programme. The participants experienced how using health-promoting messages was a dynamic process of how to make decisions on taking action to satisfy health-related needs of oneself or others immediately or deferring action. Five sub-processes were also identified: gaining inner strength, meeting challenges in available resources, being attentive to what is worth knowing, approaching health risks, and identifying opportunities to advocate for others. The results suggest that the programme could develop personal skills to support older people who have migrated to overcome health-related challenges. They further demonstrate the importance of supporting their health literacy before personal resources hinder action, and call for research on programmes to overcome environmental barriers to health. PMID:28639481

An integrated Diet Monitoring Solution for nutrigenomic research.

PubMed

Conti, Costanza; Rossi, Elena; Marceglia, Sara; Tauro, Vittorio; Rizzi, Federica; Lazzaroni, Monica; Barlassina, Cristina; Soldati, Laura; Cusi, Daniele

2015-01-01

The emergence of evidence pointing at diet as key risk factor for chronic diseases and at gene-diet interactions as key elements in the interplay between an individual genetic background and his/her lifestyle, pave the way for studies in nutrigenomics. Such studies need an integrated solution to collect, monitor and analyse a large set of data. In the frame of ATHENA, a European Commission FP7 project, we developed an integrated platform, called Dietary Monitoring Solution enabling the collection of phenotypic, genetic and lifestyle information, linked to a mHealth application tool. The data collection solution allows maintaining anonymized information and supports a number of features making it particularly suited for multicentre studies. The mHealth application was designed to translate the knowledge generated from research into a personalised prevention programme and to support the patient adherence to the programme.

What supervisors and universities can do to enhance doctoral student experience (and how they can help themselves).

PubMed

Duke, Dawn C; Denicolo, Pam M

2017-05-01

Over the past two decades, there has been a flurry of government papers and policy reports worldwide calling for increased number and diversity of doctoral researchers and a broadening of the curriculum to meet the developing needs of respective national 'knowledge-driven' economies. This has been followed by position papers and best practice examples of employability skills development in boundary-crossing doctoral programmes, especially in response to these initiatives. However, there is a disassociation between this ample literature expounding the new doctorate with its broader remit, inclusivity and production of 'industry-ready' graduates and the comparatively sparse literature on the doctoral candidates' experiences of their programmes and career readiness. Within this review, we briefly outline international government initiatives and examples of the responses by Life Science and Biomedical doctoral programmes to address these various challenges. Furthermore, we explore the recent literature on the lived experience of doctoral researchers by examining their perception of the recent changes to the research context to make recommendations for universities and supervisors on how to better support an ever more diverse doctoral population for a wide range of career opportunities. Examples of how doctoral researchers themselves can make the best of currently available opportunities are also provided. © FEMS 2017.

What supervisors and universities can do to enhance doctoral student experience (and how they can help themselves)

PubMed Central

Denicolo, Pam M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Over the past two decades, there has been a flurry of government papers and policy reports worldwide calling for increased number and diversity of doctoral researchers and a broadening of the curriculum to meet the developing needs of respective national ‘knowledge-driven’ economies. This has been followed by position papers and best practice examples of employability skills development in boundary-crossing doctoral programmes, especially in response to these initiatives. However, there is a disassociation between this ample literature expounding the new doctorate with its broader remit, inclusivity and production of ‘industry-ready’ graduates and the comparatively sparse literature on the doctoral candidates’ experiences of their programmes and career readiness. Within this review, we briefly outline international government initiatives and examples of the responses by Life Science and Biomedical doctoral programmes to address these various challenges. Furthermore, we explore the recent literature on the lived experience of doctoral researchers by examining their perception of the recent changes to the research context to make recommendations for universities and supervisors on how to better support an ever more diverse doctoral population for a wide range of career opportunities. Examples of how doctoral researchers themselves can make the best of currently available opportunities are also provided. PMID:28472431

Effect of ICT Skills on the Job Satisfaction of Teacher Educators: Evidence from the Universities of the Sindh Province of Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahito, Zafarullah; Vaisanen, Pertti

2017-01-01

This research paper is a reflection of the results of collected data from Teacher Educators (TEs) regarding their skills and expertise in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Seven themes were inductively identified and called, 7Es like as: (a). Expertise in use of windows programmes; (b). Expertise in use of security measures; (c).…

Politics and the Dilemma of Meaningful Access to Education: The Nigerian Story. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 56

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obanya, Pai

2011-01-01

This paper makes a case for "good politics for good education", with special reference to Nigeria. It surveys the impact of good and bad politics on the attainment of Meaningful Access to education with special focus on Nigeria's Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme. Good politics is to be likened to what the French call "la…

Developing Skills for Youth in the 21st Century: The Role of Elite International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Schools in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Ewan; Lee, Moosung

2014-01-01

There is a growing body of research suggesting that schools need to respond to changing social and economic dynamics by prioritising "21st-century skills". Proponents of this view, who have been termed "the 21st century skills movement", have called for greater emphasis on cognitive and non-cognitive skills development,…

Outreach Programmes to Attract Girls into Computing: How the Best Laid Plans Can Sometimes Fail

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Catherine; Fisher, Julie; Craig, Annemieke; Forgasz, Helen

2015-01-01

This article presents a reflective analysis of an outreach programme called the Digital Divas Club. This curriculum-based programme was delivered in Australian schools with the aim of stimulating junior and middle school girls' interest in computing courses and careers. We believed that we had developed a strong intervention programme based on…

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shortall, Ruth; Uihlein, Andreas

2017-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around EUR 70 million funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France. The Croatian geothermal project will enter into operation during 2017 the Hungarian in 2018, and the French in 2020. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of scaling up technologies and operating them at commercial scale. The knowledge sharing of the NER 300 programme should lead to better planning and faster introduction of low carbon technologies in the future. Content of the presentation The presentation will introduce the geothermal projects that have been awarded funding (see Annex), including their state-of-play. Insights and knowledge gained from the projects that have entered into operation will be shown and discussed. Furthermore, the presentation will provide an overview of the NER 300 programme.

Concurrent partnerships and HIV: an inconvenient truth

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The strength of the evidence linking concurrency to HIV epidemic severity in southern and eastern Africa led the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the Southern African Development Community in 2006 to conclude that high rates of concurrent sexual partnerships, combined with low rates of male circumcision and infrequent condom use, are major drivers of the AIDS epidemic in southern Africa. In a recent article in the Journal of the International AIDS Society, Larry Sawers and Eileen Stillwaggon attempt to challenge the evidence for the importance of concurrency and call for an end to research on the topic. However, their "systematic review of the evidence" is not an accurate summary of the research on concurrent partnerships and HIV, and it contains factual errors concerning the measurement and mathematical modelling of concurrency. Practical prevention-oriented research on concurrency is only just beginning. Most interventions to raise awareness about the risks of concurrency are less than two years old; few evaluations and no randomized-controlled trials of these programmes have been conducted. Determining whether these interventions can help people better assess their own risks and take steps to reduce them remains an important task for research. This kind of research is indeed the only way to obtain conclusive evidence on the role of concurrency, the programmes needed for effective prevention, the willingness of people to change behaviour, and the obstacles to change. PMID:21406080

Evaluation of a group based cognitive behavioural therapy programme for menstrual pain management in young women with intellectual disabilities: protocol for a mixed methods controlled clinical trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Menstrual pain which is severe enough to impact on daily activities is very common amongst menstruating females. Research suggests that menstrual pain which impacts on daily functioning may be even more prevalent amongst those with intellectual disabilities. Despite this, little research attention has focused on pain management programmes for those with intellectual disabilities. The aims of this pilot study were to develop and evaluate a theory-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme for menstrual pain management in young women with intellectual disabilities. Methods/Design The study utilised a mixed methods controlled clinical trial to evaluate elements from a CBT programme called Feeling Better (McGuire & McManus, 2010). The Feeling Better programme is a modular, manualised intervention designed for people with an intellectual disability and their carers. The programme was delivered to 36 young women aged 12 – 30 years who have a Mild - Moderate Intellectual Disability, split between two conditions. The treatment group received the Feeling Better intervention and the control group received treatment as usual. To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme, measures were taken of key pain variables including impact, knowledge, self-efficacy and coping. Process evaluation was conducted to examine which elements of the programme were most successful in promoting change. Discussion Participants in the intervention group were expected to report the use of a greater number of coping strategies and have greater knowledge of pain management strategies following participation in the intervention and at three month follow-up, when compared to control group participants. A significant advantage of the study was the use of mixed methods and inclusion of process evaluation to determine which elements of a cognitive behavioural therapy programme work best for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN75567759 PMID:25201648

MetroFission: New high-temperature references and sensors for the nuclear industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadli, M.; del Campo, D.; de Podesta, M.; Deuzé, T.; Failleau, G.; Elliott, C. J.; Fourrez, S.; García, C.; Pearce, J. V.

2013-09-01

The European metrology research programme (EMRP) allows funding for metrology-oriented projects in the frame of targeted calls aimed at improving metrology for important contemporary and future needs in different fields such as energy, environment and industry. A joint research project (JRP), called "MetroFission", was selected for funding in the "Energy" call of 2010. This JRP, led by NPL (UK), aims to anticipate and to start addressing the metrological needs of the next generation of nuclear power plants. The need for improving the accuracy and reliability of temperature measurements at temperatures higher than those currently measured in nuclear power plants is dealt with in the first workpackage of the project. This project started in September 2010 and will last for three years. This paper summarizes the activities of the first half of the project and the expected final achievements, which will be essentially oriented towards new temperature references and new devices, adapted to the high temperature range as well as the particularly harsh working conditions.

There are calls for a national screening programme for prostate cancer: what is the evidence to justify such a national screening programme?

PubMed

Green, A; Tait, C; Aboumarzouk, O; Somani, B K; Cohen, N P

2013-05-01

Prostate cancer is the commonest cancer in men and a major health issue worldwide. Screening for early disease has been available for many years, but there is still no national screening programme established in the United Kingdom. To assess the latest evidence regarding prostate cancer screening and whether it meets the necessary requirements to be established as a national programme for all men. Electronic databases and library catalogues were searched electronically and manual retrieval was performed. Only primary research results were used for the analysis. In recent years, several important randomised controlled trials have produced varied outcomes. In Europe the largest study thus far concluded that screening reduced prostate cancer mortality by 20%. On the contrary, a large American trial found no reduction in mortality after 7-10 years follow-up. Most studies comment on the adverse effects of screening - principally those of overdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment. Further information about the natural history of prostate cancer and accuracy of screening is needed before a screening programme can be truly justified. In the interim, doctors and patients should discuss the risks, benefits and sequelae of taking part in voluntary screening for prostate cancer.

An Outcome-Based Assessment Process for Accrediting Computing Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harmanani, Haidar M.

2017-01-01

The calls for accountability in higher education have made outcome-based assessment a key accreditation component. Accreditation remains a well-regarded seal of approval on college quality, and requires the programme to set clear, appropriate, and measurable goals and courses to attain them. Furthermore, programmes must demonstrate that…

Linked symptom monitoring and depression treatment programmes for specialist cancer services: protocol for a mixed-methods implementation study.

PubMed

Wanat, Marta; Walker, Jane; Burke, Katy; Sevdalis, Nick; Richardson, Alison; Mulick, Amy; Frost, Chris; Sharpe, Michael

2017-07-02

There is growing awareness that cancer services need to address patients' well-being as well as treating their cancer. We developed systematic approaches to (1) monitoring patients' symptoms including depression using a 'Symptom Monitoring Service' and (2) providing treatment for those with major depression using a programme called 'Depression Care for People with Cancer'. Used together, these two programmes were found to be highly effective and cost-effective in clinical trials. The overall aims of this project are to: (1) study the process of introducing these programmes into routine clinical care in a large cancer service, (2) identify the challenges associated with implementation and how these are overcome, (3) determine their effectiveness in a routine non-research setting and (4) describe patients' and clinicians' experience of the programmes. This is a mixed-methods longitudinal implementation study. We will study the process of implementation in three phases (April 2016-December 2018): 'Pre-implementation' (setting up of the new programmes), 'Early Implementation' (implementation of the programmes in a small number of clinics) and 'Implementation and Maintenance' (implementation in the majority of clinics). We will use the following methods of data collection: (1) contemporaneous logs of the implementation process, (2) interviews with healthcare professionals and managers, (3) interviews with patients and (4) routinely collected clinical data. The study has been reviewed by a joint committee of Oxford University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust Research and Development Department and the University of Oxford's Clinical Trials and Research Governance Department and judged to be service evaluation, not requiring ethics committee approval. The findings of this study will guide the scaling up implementation of the programmes across the UK and will enable us to construct an implementation toolkit. We will disseminate our findings in publications and at relevant national and international conferences. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

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

Ouzounian, G.

Year 2006 has been marked in France by the vote in the Parliament of the Planning Act of 28 June, 2006, concerning the sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste. This vote was the achievement of a 15 years research programme performed as required by the previous Research Law of 1991, also known as the Bataille Law, from the name of Christian Bataille, MP, who drafted it and monitored its enforcement as a member of the Parliamentary Office for Scientific and Technological Assessment (Office Parlementaire d'Evaluation des Choix Scientifiques et Techniques - OPECST). At that time a stepwise approach tomore » siting was introduced in the process. It included the study of several alternatives to the geological disposal of long lived high level radioactive waste. Those alternatives have been thoroughly studied and assessed before the Government decided to submit the bill to the Parliament. Experience has been gained not only on the scientific and technical aspects, but also in the field of decision making process, also called now governance. However, not only the results of the research programme were decisive in preparing the bill, but also of major importance were the industrial experience of ANDRA and the rigorous programme management along all those years. Main lessons learnt from the experience are given in this paper. (authors)« less

Setting research priorities by applying the combined approach matrix.

PubMed

Ghaffar, Abdul

2009-04-01

Priority setting in health research is a dynamic process. Different organizations and institutes have been working in the field of research priority setting for many years. In 1999 the Global Forum for Health Research presented a research priority setting tool called the Combined Approach Matrix or CAM. Since its development, the CAM has been successfully applied to set research priorities for diseases, conditions and programmes at global, regional and national levels. This paper briefly explains the CAM methodology and how it could be applied in different settings, giving examples and describing challenges encountered in the process of setting research priorities and providing recommendations for further work in this field. The construct and design of the CAM is explained along with different steps needed, including planning and organization of a priority-setting exercise and how it could be applied in different settings. The application of the CAM are described by using three examples. The first concerns setting research priorities for a global programme, the second describes application at the country level and the third setting research priorities for diseases. Effective application of the CAM in different and diverse environments proves its utility as a tool for setting research priorities. Potential challenges encountered in the process of research priority setting are discussed and some recommendations for further work in this field are provided.

Long-term evaluation of community health promotion: using capacity building as an intermediate outcome measure.

PubMed

Nickel, S; Süß, W; Lorentz, C; Trojan, A

2018-06-18

Between 2001 and 2012, the health authority of Hamburg-Eimsbüttel carried out a health promotion programme for children and their parents in a disadvantaged neighbourhood called Lenzsiedlung. The programme consisted of different action fields aiming at sustainable establishment of community capacities. The research goal was the long-term assessment of community capacities with a newly developed instrument 'KEQ' (KEQ = Kapazitätsentwicklung im Quartier/capacity building in small areas/neighbourhoods). Practitioners and researchers wanted to know whether community capacities could be increased, which changes occurred during the programme and whether processes of capacity building could be maintained. Research results were also used for the continuous adjustment of the programme to community needs. Three surveys on community capacities were conducted (t1: June 2006 [including a retrospective measurement of t0: 2001]; t2: June 2008; and t3: November 2011), each directed to 40-60 stakeholders of the Lenzsiedlung. The instrument consists of five domains (participation, local leadership, available resources, networking and cooperation and health care) with a total of 51 items. For the community capacities, we found a positive trend from 2001 to 2006 supported by data from a documentary analysis over the same period of time. Then, 2006-2011 was a phase of consolidation with only slight improvements (e.g. in the particularly important domain 'health care'). The results show the feasibility of a community health promotion programme and its maintenance over a period of 10 years. However, Lenzgesund was not the sole programme in the neighbourhood during the period of observation, so that not all improvements in capacities are directly assignable to the interventions. The instrument mainly reflects the possibly one-sided perspective of the interviewed experts from the community. Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The concept of social marketing--potential and limitations for health promotion and prevention in Germany].

PubMed

Loss, J; Lang, K; Ultsch, S; Eichhorn, C; Nagel, E

2006-07-01

"Social marketing" is the use of marketing principles to design and implement programmes to promote socially beneficial behaviour changes. In the field of health promotion and prevention, the systematic planning process of social marketing can offer new ideas and perspectives to the traditions of social science. Major characteristics of social marketing encompass continuous market research focussing on attitudes, motives and behavioural patterns of the target group, an integrated mix of strategic key elements, and the perpetual evaluation of all procedures. So far, however, it is unclear in how far social marketing is actually more effective than other concepts of programme planning. Furthermore, it has to be discussed whether the underlying philosophy of social marketing and its implicit understanding of relationships to the public are reconcilable with health promotion principles. In Anglo-Saxon countries, the social marketing concept has achieved widespread application and is subject to controversial scientific discussions, whereas this approach is hardly considered in German health promotion research and practice. Given the increasing call for quality management and evaluation of health promotion interventions, the social marketing concept may contribute useful insights at an operational level and thus add to a discussion on effective approaches for programme planning.

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

Teixeira De Queiroz, F.

There is a game called languages and dreams. It is a game for a programmer alone. The sole objective is to determine which computing resources a programmer would most like to see become part of the language that he uses. Obviously every programmer wants new possibilities, but normally they do not get put down on paper. The author proposes a nesting system for parallel processing. 4 references.

Men's perspectives on fall risk and fall prevention following participation in a group-based programme conducted at Men's Sheds, Australia.

PubMed

Liddle, Jeannine L M; Lovarini, Meryl; Clemson, Lindy M; Jang, Haeyoung; Willis, Karen; Lord, Stephen R; Sherrington, Catherine

2017-05-01

Research on older men's views regarding fall prevention is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences and perspectives of older men regarding fall risk and prevention so that fall prevention programmes can better engage older men. Eleven men who had taken part in a group-based fall prevention programme called Stepping On conducted at Men's Sheds in Sydney, Australia, participated in semi-structured interviews during June and July 2015 which were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were coded and analysed using constant comparative methods. Over-arching theoretical categories were developed into a conceptual framework linking programme context and content with effects of programme participation on men. Men's Sheds facilitated participation in the programme by being inclusive, male-friendly places, where Stepping On was programmed into regular activities and was conducted in an enjoyable, supportive atmosphere. Programme content challenged participants to think differently about themselves and their personal fall risk, and provided practical options to address fall risk. Two major themes were identified: adjusting the mindset where men adopted a more cautious mindset paying greater attention to potential fall risks, being careful, concentrating and slowing down; and changing the ways where men acted purposefully on environmental hazards at home and incorporated fall prevention exercises into their routine schedules. Practitioners can engage and support older men to address falls by better understanding men's perspectives on personal fall risk and motivations for action. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

ESO Public Surveys at VISTA: Lessons learned from Cycle 1 Surveys and the start of Cycle 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnaboldi, M.; Delmotte, N.; Gadotti, D.; Hilker, M.; Hussain, G.; Mascetti, L.; Micol, A.; Petr-Gotzens, M.; Rejkuba, M.; Retzlaff, J.; Ivison, R.; Leibundgut, B.; Romaniello, M.

2017-06-01

The ESO Public Surveys on VISTA serve the science goals of the survey teams while increasing the legacy value of ESO programmes, thanks to their homogeneity and the breadth of their sky coverage in multiple bands. These projects address a variety of research areas: from the detection of planets via microlensing, to stars, the Milky Way and Local Group galaxies, to extragalactic astronomy, galaxy evolution, the high-redshift Universe and cosmology. In 2015, as the first generation of imaging surveys was nearing completion, a second call for Public Surveys was opened to define a coherent scientific programme for VISTA until the commissioning of the wide-field multi-fibre spectrograph, 4MOST, in 2020. This article presents the status of the Cycle 1 surveys as well as an overview of the seven new programmes in Cycle 2, including their science goals, coverage on the sky and observing strategies. We conclude with a forward look at the Cycle 2 data releases and the timelines for their release.

The origins of the bioeconomy in the European Union.

PubMed

Patermann, Christian; Aguilar, Alfredo

2018-01-25

This article outlines the context and circumstances that favoured the development of a Bioeconomy Strategy in the European Union (EU) and the role played by the different Framework programmes for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration. Particular attention is given to the biotechnology related programmes and more specifically to the "Cell Factory" Key Action in the 5th Framework Programme (1998-2002). This, together with the parallel development of a Strategy on Biotechnology in 2002, served as a solid foundation for the creation of the, at the time, so-called Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy (KBBE). The KBBE concept emerged in 2005, a couple of years before the launch of the 7th Framework Programme (2007-2013). The experience accumulated over the years and the new societal expectations triggered the EU to launch a Strategy on Bioeconomy in 2012. This article concludes with a brief analysis of the two most important impacts of the EU Strategy on Bioeconomy. One is the Bioeconomy dedicated activity within the Programme Horizon 2020 (2014-2020), and the other the creation of a public-private partnership of bio-based industries. Both the impact of Horizon 2020 on the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and the bio-based industries public-private partnership are analysed in depth in two articles elsewhere in this volume. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination and Correction of Persistent Biases in Quantum Annealers

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-25

programmable parameters and their user-specified values. We applied the recalibration strategy to two D-Wave Two quantum annealers, one at NASA Ames...The quantum annealers used for this study are of the second generation of D-Wave devices, also called D-Wave Two2: one located at NASA Ames Research...Center in Moffett Field, California, (“ NASA device”), and another located at D-Wave Systems in Burnaby, Canada (“Burnaby device”). These consist of 64

Habits and attitudes of first-year female students at Warmia and Mazury University: a call for implementing health education programme at universities.

PubMed

Podstawski, Robert; Choszcz, Dariusz; Klimczak, Jarosław; Kolankowska, Ewelina; Zurek, Piotr

2014-12-01

Entering university frequently brings about considerable changes in the students' lifestyle, which often affect negatively their health. Therefore, it seems to be of great importance to promote pro-health habits and attitudes particularly among 1st-year-students and thus, it is necessary to accurately assess their lifestyles and needs in this regard. The aim of the study was to assess the habits and attitudes towards healthy lifestyle of 762 first-year female students enrolled at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn so as to detect health risks and ultimately present the need for remedial measures. Female students were randomly selected from all the groups attending obligatory physical education classes. The students filled in an anonymous questionnaire, which contained questions referring to their physical activity, nutrition, tobacco and alcohol use, and stress. The research demonstrated a worrisome picture of the students' habits and attitudes with regard to health. It showed that the female students took keener interest in daily body care than in proper nutrition and an adequate level of physical activity. What is also alarming is the excessive amount of alcohol they consumed on a regular basis. The research findings call for a specially designed pro-health programme to be implemented during the time of the studies in order to raise the female students' awareness of leading a health-conscious lifestyle.

LAMDA programmer's manual

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

Hughes, T.P.; Clark, R.M.; Mostrom, M.A.

This report discusses the following topics on the LAMDA program: General maintenance; CTSS FCL script; DOS batch files; Macintosh MPW scripts; UNICOS FCL script; VAX/MS command file; LINC calling tree; and LAMDA calling tree.

Ethical dilemmas of a large national multi-centre study in Australia: time for some consistency.

PubMed

Driscoll, Andrea; Currey, Judy; Worrall-Carter, Linda; Stewart, Simon

2008-08-01

To examine the impact and obstacles that individual Institutional Research Ethics Committee (IRECs) had on a large-scale national multi-centre clinical audit called the National Benchmarks and Evidence-based National Clinical guidelines for Heart failure management programmes Study. Multi-centre research is commonplace in the health care system. However, IRECs continue to fail to differentiate between research and quality audit projects. The National Benchmarks and Evidence-based National Clinical guidelines for Heart failure management programmes study used an investigator-developed questionnaire concerning a clinical audit for heart failure programmes throughout Australia. Ethical guidelines developed by the National governing body of health and medical research in Australia classified the National Benchmarks and Evidence-based National Clinical guidelines for Heart failure management programmes Study as a low risk clinical audit not requiring ethical approval by IREC. Fifteen of 27 IRECs stipulated that the research proposal undergo full ethical review. None of the IRECs acknowledged: national quality assurance guidelines and recommendations nor ethics approval from other IRECs. Twelve of the 15 IRECs used different ethics application forms. Variability in the type of amendments was prolific. Lack of uniformity in ethical review processes resulted in a six- to eight-month delay in commencing the national study. Development of a national ethics application form with full ethical review by the first IREC and compulsory expedited review by subsequent IRECs would resolve issues raised in this paper. IRECs must change their ethics approval processes to one that enhances facilitation of multi-centre research which is now normative process for health services. The findings of this study highlight inconsistent ethical requirements between different IRECs. Also highlighted are the obstacles and delays that IRECs create when undertaking multi-centre clinical audits. However, in our clinical practice it is vital that clinical audits are undertaken for evaluation purposes. The findings of this study raise awareness of inconsistent ethical processes and highlight the need for expedient ethical review for clinical audits.

Concepts in research capabilities strengthening positive experiences of network approaches by TDR in the People's Republic of China and Eastern Asia.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao-Nong; Wayling, Steven; Bergquist, Robert

2010-01-01

Strengthening human and physical resources for health research is an important function of any sustainable public health approach. The process of successfully embedding research into health systems in developing countries calls for the participation of competent, national scientists, with input and support where appropriate from international research institutions. Without a research-friendly environment, it is not easy for institutions and control programmes to engage and deliver products that can contribute to improving general health status. For example, monitoring is an important component of disease control but this can now be built upon to design surveillance systems capable of reporting activities in real time based on geographical information systems and continuous internet access. Informed surveillance can take on a stronger role than just capturing transmission foci to also become instrumental in directing swift responses in a spatially explicit and cost-effective manner. Further, whenever assessments of impact and control measures for different diseases are similar as they are, for example, with respect to schistosomiasis and food-borne trematode infections, the amalgamation of separate control programmes becomes realistic even if diverse strategies were originally developed for the diseases in question. Developments like this are guiding the expansion of research capabilities to espouse the integration of multidisciplinary research into national disease control programmes. The deployment of public-private partnerships as vehicles for operational progress and the endorsement of regional networks as platforms for driving research, while at the same time supporting and promoting training and dispersion of new knowledge, represent further manifestations of innovation in disease control. Some Asian examples of how this can be accomplished are provided. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost effectiveness of the Oregon quitline "free patch initiative".

PubMed

Fellows, Jeffrey L; Bush, Terry; McAfee, Tim; Dickerson, John

2007-12-01

We estimated the cost effectiveness of the Oregon tobacco quitline's "free patch initiative" compared to the pre-initiative programme. Using quitline utilisation and cost data from the state, intervention providers and patients, we estimated annual programme use and costs for media promotions and intervention services. We also estimated annual quitline registration calls and the number of quitters and life years saved for the pre-initiative and free patch initiative programmes. Service utilisation and 30-day abstinence at six months were obtained from 959 quitline callers. We compared the cost effectiveness of the free patch initiative (media and intervention costs) to the pre-initiative service offered to insured and uninsured callers. We conducted sensitivity analyses on key programme costs and outcomes by estimating a best case and worst case scenario for each intervention strategy. Compared to the pre-intervention programme, the free patch initiative doubled registered calls, increased quitting fourfold and reduced total costs per quit by $2688. We estimated annual paid media costs were $215 per registered tobacco user for the pre-initiative programme and less than $4 per caller during the free patch initiative. Compared to the pre-initiative programme, incremental quitline promotion and intervention costs for the free patch initiative were $86 (range $22-$353) per life year saved. Compared to the pre-initiative programme, the free patch initiative was a highly cost effective strategy for increasing quitting in the population.

Expanding Global Language Education in Public Primary Schools: The National English Programme in Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sayer, Peter

2015-01-01

The paper examines the recent national programme of English language instruction in the Mexican public primary schools, called the "Programa Nacional de Inglés en Educación Básica" (PNIEB). The programme, initiated in 2009 by the Ministry of Education as part of the national curriculum, represents the largest expansion of English…

Barriers to student success in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boles, Wageeh; Whelan, Karen

2017-07-01

In the UK, the USA and Australia, there have been calls for an increase in the number of engineering graduates to meet the needs of current global challenges. Universities around the world have been grappling with how to both attract more engineering students and to then retain them. Attrition from engineering programmes is disturbingly high. This paper reports on an element of research undertaken through an Australian Learning and Teaching Council-funded Fellowship that investigated the factors leading to student attrition in engineering programmes, by identifying barriers to student success. Here, we contrast a review of the literature related to student barriers and success with student perceptions, gathered through a series of focus groups and interviews at three Australian universities. We also present recommendations for action to try to remove barriers to student success.

Transputer parallel processing at NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Graham K.

1989-01-01

The transputer parallel processing lab at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) consists of 69 processors (transputers) that can be connected into various networks for use in general purpose concurrent processing applications. The main goal of the lab is to develop concurrent scientific and engineering application programs that will take advantage of the computational speed increases available on a parallel processor over the traditional sequential processor. Current research involves the development of basic programming tools. These tools will help standardize program interfaces to specific hardware by providing a set of common libraries for applications programmers. The thrust of the current effort is in developing a set of tools for graphics rendering/animation. The applications programmer currently has two options for on-screen plotting. One option can be used for static graphics displays and the other can be used for animated motion. The option for static display involves the use of 2-D graphics primitives that can be called from within an application program. These routines perform the standard 2-D geometric graphics operations in real-coordinate space as well as allowing multiple windows on a single screen.

Program For A Pushbutton Display

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busquets, Anthony M.; Luck, William S., Jr.

1989-01-01

Programmable Display Pushbutton (PDP) is pushbutton device available from Micro Switch having programmable 16X35 matrix of light-emitting diodes on pushbutton surface. Any desired legends display on PDP's, producing user-friendly applications reducing need for dedicated manual controls. Interacts with operator, calls for correct response before transmitting next message. Both simple manual control and sophisticated programmable link between operator and host system. Programmable Display Pushbutton Legend Editor (PDPE) computer program used to create light-emitting-diode (LED) displays for pushbuttons. Written in FORTRAN.

Parents' Reports of Their Involvement in an Iranian Parent-Based Early Intervention Programme for Children with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samadi, Sayyed Ali; Mahmoodizadeh, Ameneh

2013-01-01

Based on the findings of several preliminary studies on support and services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents in Iran, an early intervention programme called Omid was established. This programme is based on the social model of disability. To promote the Omid resource kit, which is a component of the "Omid…

Krachtvoer: Process Evaluation of a Dutch Programme for Lower Vocational Schools to Promote Healthful Diet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martens, Marloes; van Assema, Patricia; Paulussen, Theo; Schaalma, Herman; Brug, Johannes

2006-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the fidelity and completeness of the implementation of a school-based healthful diet promotion programme called "Krachtvoer" (we use the Dutch title of the programme throughout this article. A possible translation is Power Food, but this does not reflect the play on words in the Dutch title), aimed at…

Prioritising prevention: implementation of IGT Care Call, a telephone based service for people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Savas, Linda Ann; Grady, Katherine; Cotterill, Sarah; Summers, Lucinda; Boaden, Ruth; Gibson, J Martin

2015-02-01

To design, deliver and evaluate IGT Care Call, a telephone service providing a 6 month lifestyle education programme for people with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). An observational study of IGT Care Call, a programme providing motivational support and education using electronic scripts. The service was delivered to 55 participants, all of whom completed the course (an information pack and at least five telephone calls over 6 months). Clinical measurements were undertaken in General Practice at baseline, on completion of the programme and one year later. Among the 40 participants for whom we have complete data available, one year after discharge, participants showed improvements in fasting plasma glucose (0.29 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.51), weight (2.81 kg, 95% CI 1.20 to 4.42) and BMI (1.06 kg/m(2), 95% CI 0.49 to 1.63). All differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Whilst an uncontrolled observational study with a small sample size, this pilot suggests IGT Care Call may be effective in promoting positive and sustained lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes, which warrants further investigation. A telephone method of service delivery was acceptable, convenient and may have improved self confidence in how to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2014 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The popularity of neurology in Spain: An analysis of specialty selection.

PubMed

Curbelo, J; Romeo, J M; Galván-Román, J M; Vega-Villar, J; Martinez-Lapiscina, E H; Jiménez-Fonseca, P; Villacampa, T; Sánchez-Lasheras, F; Fernández-Somoano, A; Baladrón, J

2017-12-23

Neurology is one of the medical specialties offered each year to residency training candidates. This project analyses the data associated with candidates choosing neurology residency programmes in recent years. Data related to specialty selection were obtained from official reports by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services, and Equality. Information was collected on several characteristics of teaching centres: availability of stroke units, endovascular intervention, national reference clinics for neurology, specific on-call shifts for neurology residents, and links with medical schools or national research networks. The median selection list position of candidates selecting neurology training has been higher year on year; neurology was among the 4 most popular residency programmes in 2016. Potential residents were mainly female, Spanish, and had good academic results. The median number of hospitals with higher numbers of beds, endovascular intervention, stroke units, and national reference clinics for neurology is significantly lower. This is also true when centers are analysed by presence of specific on-call shifts for neurology residents and association with medical schools or national research networks. The centres selected by candidates with the highest median selection list position in 2012-2016 were the Clínico San Carlos, 12 de Octubre, and Vall d'Hebron university hospitals. Neurology has gradually improved in residency selection choices and is now one of the 4 most popular options. Potential residents prefer larger centres which are more demanding in terms of patient care and which perform more research activity. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Rationale and methods of a multicentre randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of a Community Health Assessment Programme with Emergency Medical Services (CHAP-EMS) implemented on residents aged 55 years and older in subsidised seniors' housing buildings in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Agarwal, Gina; McDonough, Beatrice; Angeles, Ricardo; Pirrie, Melissa; Marzanek, Francine; McLeod, Brent; Dolovich, Lisa

2015-06-11

Chronic diseases and falls substantially contribute to morbidity/mortality among seniors, causing this population to frequently seek emergency medical care. Research suggests the paramedic role can be successfully expanded to include community-based health promotion and prevention. This study implements a community paramedicine programme targeting seniors in subsidised housing, a high-risk population and frequent users of emergency medical services (EMS). The aims are to reduce EMS calls, improve health outcomes and healthcare utilisation. This is a pragmatic clustered randomised control trial in four communities across Ontario, Canada. Within each, four to eight seniors' apartment buildings will be paired and within each pair one building will be randomly assigned to receive the Community Health Assessment Programme through EMS (CHAP-EMS) intervention, while the other building receives no intervention. During the 1-year intervention, paramedics will run weekly sessions in a common area of the building, assessing risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and falls; providing health education and referrals to community programmes; and communicating results to the participant's primary physician. The primary outcomes are rate of emergency calls per 100 residents, change in blood pressure and change in Canadian Diabetes Risk (CANRISK) score, as collected by the local EMS and study databases. The secondary outcomes are change in health behaviours, measured using a preintervention and postintervention survey and healthcare utilisation, available through administrative databases. Analysis will mainly consist of descriptive statistics and generalised estimating equations, including subgroup cluster analysis. This study is approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board and will follow the Tri-Council Policy Statement. Findings will be disseminated through reports to local stakeholders, publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. NCT02152891. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Justifying all the fuss about false belief.

PubMed

Russell, James

2005-07-01

The classic study by Wimmer and Perner showed that children below the age of about 4 years of age fail to appreciate others' false beliefs. This opened the floodgates to the theory-of-mind research programme. Recently, a study by Riggs and Simpson has called the central challenge of false belief into question, reporting similar difficulties with true belief. I would argue, however, that not only should the acquisition of false belief remain a central concern but that we should think harder about it and its earlier manifestations.

Towards computer-assisted surgery in shoulder joint replacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valstar, Edward R.; Botha, Charl P.; van der Glas, Marjolein; Rozing, Piet M.; van der Helm, Frans C. T.; Post, Frits H.; Vossepoel, Albert M.

A research programme that aims to improve the state of the art in shoulder joint replacement surgery has been initiated at the Delft University of Technology. Development of improved endoprostheses for the upper extremities (DIPEX), as this effort is called, is a clinically driven multidisciplinary programme consisting of many contributory aspects. A part of this research programme focuses on the pre-operative planning and per-operative guidance issues. The ultimate goal of this part of the DIPEX project is to create a surgical support infrastructure that can be used to predict the optimal surgical protocol and can assist with the selection of the most suitable endoprosthesis for a particular patient. In the pre-operative planning phase, advanced biomechanical models of the endoprosthesis fixation and the musculo-skeletal system of the shoulder will be incorporated, which are adjusted to the individual's morphology. Subsequently, the support infrastructure must assist the surgeon during the operation in executing his surgical plan. In the per-operative phase, the chosen optimal position of the endoprosthesis can be realised using camera-assisted tools or mechanical guidance tools. In this article, the pathway towards the desired surgical support infrastructure is described. Furthermore, we discuss the pre-operative planning phase and the per-operative guidance phase, the initial work performed, and finally, possible approaches for improving prosthesis placement.

Developing Reading Comprehension through Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojas-Drummond, Sylvia; Mazón, Nancy; Littleton, Karen; Vélez, Maricela

2014-01-01

The present study explores the development and promotion of reading comprehension in primary school students, in the context of the implementation of an educational programme called "Learning Together" (LT). The programme, which centred on collaborative learning activities, was designed to promote oral and written communication in…

Academic Work on a Back-Burner: Habituating Students in the Upper-Secondary School towards Marginality and a Life in the Precariat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dovemark, Marianne; Beach, Dennis

2015-01-01

This article takes its point of departure in ethnographic data from what in Sweden is called the Individual Programme (IP). This programme was for upper-secondary school pupils who were not eligible for one of the country's academic or vocational programme. Its main formally expressed goal was to enable students to become eligible for these…

Does the Company Programme Have the Same Impact on Young Women and Men? A Study of Entrepreneurship Education in Norwegian Upper Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johansen, Vegard

2017-01-01

This paper asks whether a European entrepreneurship programme called the "Company Programme" (CP) has an impact on young women and men with regard to career preferences, and perceptions of business skills and the likelihood of having a company. CP is taught to 270,000 students in 39 European countries, and approximately 15% of Norwegian…

Proceedings of the DRG Seminar on The Defence of Small Ships against Missile Attacks (30th) Held in Ottawa, Canada on 12-14 September 1990. Volume 1 (Actes de 30ieme Seminaire sur la Defense de Petits Navires Contre les Attaques de Missiles)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-12

LONG TERM 14. Abstract: The paper gives an overview of US Navy programme and objectives of anti-ship missile defence. Both evolutionary near term ...Integration of ESM with radar and IR sensors has Impli- cations with respect to ESM performance in terms of bearing accuracy, sensitivity and robustness in...defence budgets. The Terms of Reference of the Defence Research Group call for exchange of information, and the development of co-operative research

Major health service transformation and the public voice: conflict, challenge or complicity?

PubMed

Martin, Graham P; Carter, Pam; Dent, Mike

2018-01-01

Objectives Calls for major reconfigurations of health services have been accompanied by recommendations that wide ranging stakeholders be involved. In particular, patients and the wider public are seen as critical contributors as both funders and beneficiaries of public health care. But public involvement is fraught with challenges, and little research has focused on involvement in the health service transformation initiatives. This paper examines the design and function of public involvement in reconfiguration of health services within the English NHS. Methods Qualitative data including interviews, observation and documents were collected in two health service 'transformation' programmes; interviews include involved public and professional participants. Data were analysed using parallel deductive and inductive approaches. Results Public involvement in the programmes was extensive but its terms of reference, and the individuals involved, were restricted by policy pressures and programme objectives. The degree to which participants descriptively or substantively represented the wider public was limited; participants sought to 'speak for' this public but their views on what was 'acceptable' and likely to influence decision-making led them to constrain their contributions. Conclusions Public involvement in two major service reconfiguration programmes in England was seen as important and functional, and could not be characterized as tokenistic. Yet involvement in these programmes fell short of normative ideals, and could inadvertently reduce, rather than enlarge, public influence on health service reconfiguration decisions.

Access to antiretroviral drugs and AIDS management in Senegal.

PubMed

Desclaux, Alice; Ciss, Mounirou; Taverne, Bernard; Sow, Papa S; Egrot, Marc; Faye, Mame A; Lanièce, Isabelle; Sylla, Omar; Delaporte, Eric; Ndoye, Ibrahima

2003-07-01

Description and analysis of the Senegalese Antiretroviral Drug Access Initiative (ISAARV), the first governmental highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment programme in Africa, launched in 1998. ISAARV was initially an experimental project designed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and acceptability of HAART in an African context. It was based on four principles: collective definition of the strategy, with involvement of the health professionals who would be called on to execute the programme; matching the objectives to available means (gradual enrollment according to drug availability); monitoring by several research programmes; and ongoing adaptation of treatment and follow-up according to the latest international recommendations. Persons qualifying for antiretroviral (ARV) therapy are selected on the basis of immunological and clinical criteria, regardless of economic and social considerations. A system of subsidies was created to favor access to ARV. Following the ARV price reductions that occurred in November 2000, 100% subsidies were created for the poorest participants. Optimal adherence was ensured by monthly follow-up by pharmacists and support groups held by social workers and patient associations. The chosen supply and distribution system allowed drug dispensing to be strictly controlled. The ISAARV programme demonstrates that HAART can be successfully prescribed in Africa. This experience has served as the basis for the creation of a national treatment programme in Senegal planned to treat 7000 patients by 2006.

The urgent need for clinical, diagnostic, and operational research for management of Buruli ulcer in Africa.

PubMed

O'Brien, Daniel P; Comte, Eric; Serafini, Micaela; Ehounou, Geneviève; Antierens, Annick; Vuagnat, Hubert; Christinet, Vanessa; Hamani, Mitima D; du Cros, Philipp

2014-05-01

Despite great advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Buruli ulcer, it is one of the least studied major neglected tropical diseases. In Africa, major constraints in the management of Buruli ulcer relate to diagnosis and treatment, and accessibility, feasibility, and delivery of services. In this Personal View, we outline key areas for clinical, diagnostic, and operational research on this disease in Africa and propose a research agenda that aims to advance the management of Buruli ulcer in Africa. A model of care is needed to increase early case detection, to diagnose the disease accurately, to simplify and improve treatment, to reduce side-effects of treatment, to deal with populations with HIV and tuberculosis appropriately, to decentralise care, and to scale up coverage in populations at risk. This approach will require commitment and support to strategically implement research by national Buruli ulcer programmes and international technical and donor organisations, combined with adaptations in programme design and advocacy. A critical next step is to build consensus for a research agenda with WHO and relevant groups experienced in Buruli ulcer care or related diseases, and we call on on them to help to turn this agenda into reality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social connectedness and mobile phone use among refugee women in Australia.

PubMed

Walker, Rae; Koh, Lee; Wollersheim, Dennis; Liamputtong, Pranee

2015-05-01

The aim of this research was to inform the development of mobile phone-assisted health promotion programmes that support social connectedness among refuge women to enhance their mental, physical and social health. For refugees, relationship development during the early stages of resettlement is often difficult. Enhancing personal skills, and resources, can enhance relationships that provide social support. It can also contribute to the development of social relationships in communities and thence acculturation. Communication technologies can assist refugees, if their particular needs and capacities are taken into account. This paper reports a study of refugee women's experience of an intervention based on principles of empowerment and using peer support training and the provision of free mobile phones, and free calls, for at least 1 year. Potential participants were invited by the Afghan, Burmese and Sudanese community leaders to an information session, where the study was explained and invitations to participate extended. A snowball sampling technique was also used, where the first group of participants invited people they had relationships with to join the programme. One hundred and eleven participants were recruited from the three groups. All were from refugee backgrounds. Data collection consisted of: a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire; a log of outgoing phone calls; and in-depth interviews with a subgroup of the study population. The call logs described the patterns of interpersonal relationships facilitated by the mobile phones. In the interviews, characteristics of interpersonal social support, and relationships with heritage and host communities, were described. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data using thematic analysis. By describing the conditions under which mobile phone technology can enhance interpersonal and community connectedness, we strengthen the evidence base for the use of mobile phone technology in health promotion programmes with refugee groups. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is operational research delivering the goods? The journey to success in low-income countries.

PubMed

Zachariah, Rony; Ford, Nathan; Maher, Dermot; Bissell, Karen; Van den Bergh, Rafael; van den Boogaard, Wilma; Reid, Tony; Castro, Kenneth G; Draguez, Bertrand; von Schreeb, Johan; Chakaya, Jeremiah; Atun, Rifat; Lienhardt, Christian; Enarson, Don A; Harries, Anthony D

2012-05-01

Operational research in low-income countries has a key role in filling the gap between what we know from research and what we do with that knowledge-the so-called know-do gap, or implementation gap. Planned research that does not tangibly affect policies and practices is ineffective and wasteful, especially in settings where resources are scarce and disease burden is high. Clear parameters are urgently needed to measure and judge the success of operational research. We define operational research and its relation with policy and practice, identify why operational research might fail to affect policy and practice, and offer possible solutions to address these shortcomings. We also propose measures of success for operational research. Adoption and use of these measures could help to ensure that operational research better changes policy and practice and improves health-care delivery and disease programmes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed

Eisenman, David P; Flavahan, Louise

2017-08-01

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

Development of a Thinking Programme for Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Oon-Seng

2006-01-01

The challenge of preparing engineering graduates for a fast-changing work environment calls for the development of thinking programmes. A psychological basis was used to develop the tenets of the approach. The Cognitive Modifiability Intervention (CMI) was rationalized and conceived as a corollary of observations of learning scenarios and an…

Health-social partnership intervention programme for community-dwelling older adults: a research protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Wong, Kwan Ching; Wong, Frances Kam Yuet; Chang, Katherine Ka Pik

2015-11-01

This paper aims to describe the research protocol that will be used to determine the effectiveness of a health-social partnership intervention programme among community-dwelling older adults. Ageing in place is a preferred option for overcoming challenges of the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the risk for hospitalization associated with the ageing population. Nevertheless, our knowledge of how to implement this concept is limited. The integrated efforts of health and social services may help to enable older adults to live with a sense of control over their daily life and to be independent to the fullest extent possible in the community. This is a randomized, controlled trial. Participants are community-dwelling older adults referred from a community centre. Sample size calculation was based on power analysis. The intervention group will receive the programme with the standard protocols guided by a comprehensive assessment-intervention-evaluation framework. Home visits and telephones follow-up will be employed as means of conducting the interventions and monitoring their progress. The customary care group will receive placebo social calls. The duration of the interventions will be 3 months. The study was funded by the School of Nursing in Hong Kong. Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained in September 2014. The results of this research are expected to enable older adults to stay in the community with optimal health and well-being. Health and social sciences are integrated into the practice in this research protocol. The scarce literature on this topic means that this study can also provide an opportunity to bridge the caring gap among older adults. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

"G.P.S Matrices" programme: A method to improve the mastery level of social science students in matrices operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ken Voon

2013-04-01

The purpose of this action research was to increase the mastery level of Form Five Social Science students in Tawau II National Secondary School in the operations of addition, subtraction and multiplication of matrices in Mathematics. A total of 30 students were involved. Preliminary findings through the analysis of pre-test results and questionnaire had identified the main problem faced in which the students felt confused with the application of principles of the operations of matrices when performing these operations. Therefore, an action research was conducted using an intervention programme called "G.P.S Matrices" to overcome the problem. This programme was divided into three phases. 'Gift of Matrices' phase aimed at forming matrix teaching aids. The second and third phases were 'Positioning the Elements of Matrices' and 'Strenghtening the Concept of Matrices'. These two phases were aimed at increasing the level of understanding and memory of the students towards the principles of matrix operations. Besides, this third phase was also aimed at creating an interesting learning environment. A comparison between the results of pre-test and post-test had shown a remarkable improvement in students' performances after implementing the programme. In addition, the analysis of interview findings also indicated a positive feedback on the changes in students' attitude, particularly in the aspect of students' understanding level. Moreover, the level of students' memory also increased following the use of the concrete matrix teaching aids created in phase one. Besides, teachers felt encouraging when conducive learning environment was created through students' presentation activity held in third phase. Furthermore, students were voluntarily involved in these student-centred activities. In conclusion, this research findings showed an increase in the mastery level of students in these three matrix operations and thus the objective of the research had been achieved.

Criminal thinking shifts among male prisoners participating in a cognitive-based education programme.

PubMed

Warner, Cody; Conley, Timothy; Murphy, Riley

2018-04-01

Many prisoners rationalise criminal behaviour, and this type of thinking has been linked to recidivism. Correctional programmes for modifying criminal thinking can reshape how offenders view themselves and their circumstances. Our aim was to test whether participation in a cognitive-based curriculum called Steps to Economic and Personal Success (STEPS) was associated with changes in criminal thinking. The STEPS curriculum is delivered in 15 video-based facilitated classes. A pre-intervention/post-intervention survey design was applied to 128 adult male prisoners who completed the programme. Criminal thinking was measured by the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scale, a self-report instrument with the six domains: entitlement, justification, power orientation, cold heartedness, criminal rationalisation and personal irresponsibility. Participants had lower scores in most of the criminal thinking domains after the intervention than before, with largest reductions in justification and power orientation. Findings provide evidence that attitudes to crime can be changed in a correctional setting, and the programme under study shows promise as an effective intervention for changing these attitudes among prisoners. Future research should build on these findings to examine whether and how such changes are related to desistance from offending behaviours. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improving student learning in calculus through applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, C. Y.; Georgiopoulos, M.; Hagen, S. C.; Geiger, C. L.; Dagley-Falls, M. A.; Islas, A. L.; Ramsey, P. J.; Lancey, P. M.; Straney, R. A.; Forde, D. S.; Bradbury, E. E.

2011-07-01

Nationally only 40% of the incoming freshmen Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors are successful in earning a STEM degree. The University of Central Florida (UCF) EXCEL programme is a National Science Foundation funded STEM Talent Expansion Programme whose goal is to increase the number of UCF STEM graduates. One of the key requirements for STEM majors is a strong foundation in Calculus. To improve student learning in calculus, the EXCEL programme developed two special courses at the freshman level called Applications of Calculus I (Apps I) and Applications of Calculus II (Apps II). Apps I and II are one-credit classes that are co-requisites for Calculus I and II. These classes are teams taught by science and engineering professors whose goal is to demonstrate to students where the calculus topics they are learning appear in upper level science and engineering classes as well as how faculty use calculus in their STEM research programmes. This article outlines the process used in producing the educational materials for the Apps I and II courses, and it also discusses the assessment results pertaining to this specific EXCEL activity. Pre- and post-tests conducted with experimental and control groups indicate significant improvement in student learning in Calculus II as a direct result of the application courses.

The so-called "Spanish model" - tobacco industry strategies and its impact in Europe and Latin America.

PubMed

Schneider, Nick K; Sebrié, Ernesto M; Fernández, Esteve

2011-12-07

To demonstrate the tobacco industry rationale behind the "Spanish model" on non-smokers' protection in hospitality venues and the impact it had on some European and Latin American countries between 2006 and 2011. Tobacco industry documents research triangulated against news and media reports. As an alternative to the successful implementation of 100% smoke-free policies, several European and Latin American countries introduced partial smoking bans based on the so-called "Spanish model", a legal framework widely advocated by parts of the hospitality industry with striking similarities to "accommodation programmes" promoted by the tobacco industry in the late 1990s. These developments started with the implementation of the Spanish tobacco control law (Ley 28/2005) in 2006 and have increased since then. The Spanish experience demonstrates that partial smoking bans often resemble tobacco industry strategies and are used to spread a failed approach on international level. Researchers, advocates and policy makers should be aware of this ineffective policy.

The so-called "Spanish model" - Tobacco industry strategies and its impact in Europe and Latin America

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background To demonstrate the tobacco industry rationale behind the "Spanish model" on non-smokers' protection in hospitality venues and the impact it had on some European and Latin American countries between 2006 and 2011. Methods Tobacco industry documents research triangulated against news and media reports. Results As an alternative to the successful implementation of 100% smoke-free policies, several European and Latin American countries introduced partial smoking bans based on the so-called "Spanish model", a legal framework widely advocated by parts of the hospitality industry with striking similarities to "accommodation programmes" promoted by the tobacco industry in the late 1990s. These developments started with the implementation of the Spanish tobacco control law (Ley 28/2005) in 2006 and have increased since then. Conclusion The Spanish experience demonstrates that partial smoking bans often resemble tobacco industry strategies and are used to spread a failed approach on international level. Researchers, advocates and policy makers should be aware of this ineffective policy. PMID:22151884

DengueTools: innovative tools and strategies for the surveillance and control of dengue

PubMed Central

Wilder-Smith, Annelies; Renhorn, Karl-Erik; Tissera, Hasitha; Abu Bakar, Sazaly; Alphey, Luke; Kittayapong, Pattamaporn; Lindsay, Steve; Logan, James; Hatz, Christoph; Reiter, Paul; Rocklöv, Joacim; Byass, Peter; Louis, Valérie R.; Tozan, Yesim; Massad, Eduardo; Tenorio, Antonio; Lagneau, Christophe; L'Ambert, Grégory; Brooks, David; Wegerdt, Johannah; Gubler, Duane

2012-01-01

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease estimated to cause about 230 million infections worldwide every year, of which 25,000 are fatal. Global incidence has risen rapidly in recent decades with some 3.6 billion people, over half of the world's population, now at risk, mainly in urban centres of the tropics and subtropics. Demographic and societal changes, in particular urbanization, globalization, and increased international travel, are major contributors to the rise in incidence and geographic expansion of dengue infections. Major research gaps continue to hamper the control of dengue. The European Commission launched a call under the 7th Framework Programme with the title of ‘Comprehensive control of Dengue fever under changing climatic conditions’. Fourteen partners from several countries in Europe, Asia, and South America formed a consortium named ‘DengueTools’ to respond to the call to achieve better diagnosis, surveillance, prevention, and predictive models and improve our understanding of the spread of dengue to previously uninfected regions (including Europe) in the context of globalization and climate change. The consortium comprises 12 work packages to address a set of research questions in three areas: Research area 1: Develop a comprehensive early warning and surveillance system that has predictive capability for epidemic dengue and benefits from novel tools for laboratory diagnosis and vector monitoring. Research area 2: Develop novel strategies to prevent dengue in children. Research area 3: Understand and predict the risk of global spread of dengue, in particular the risk of introduction and establishment in Europe, within the context of parameters of vectorial capacity, global mobility, and climate change. In this paper, we report on the rationale and specific study objectives of ‘DengueTools’. DengueTools is funded under the Health theme of the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community, Grant Agreement Number: 282589 Dengue Tools. PMID:22451836

DengueTools: innovative tools and strategies for the surveillance and control of dengue.

PubMed

Wilder-Smith, Annelies; Renhorn, Karl-Erik; Tissera, Hasitha; Abu Bakar, Sazaly; Alphey, Luke; Kittayapong, Pattamaporn; Lindsay, Steve; Logan, James; Hatz, Christoph; Reiter, Paul; Rocklöv, Joacim; Byass, Peter; Louis, Valérie R; Tozan, Yesim; Massad, Eduardo; Tenorio, Antonio; Lagneau, Christophe; L'Ambert, Grégory; Brooks, David; Wegerdt, Johannah; Gubler, Duane

2012-01-01

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease estimated to cause about 230 million infections worldwide every year, of which 25,000 are fatal. Global incidence has risen rapidly in recent decades with some 3.6 billion people, over half of the world's population, now at risk, mainly in urban centres of the tropics and subtropics. Demographic and societal changes, in particular urbanization, globalization, and increased international travel, are major contributors to the rise in incidence and geographic expansion of dengue infections. Major research gaps continue to hamper the control of dengue. The European Commission launched a call under the 7th Framework Programme with the title of 'Comprehensive control of Dengue fever under changing climatic conditions'. Fourteen partners from several countries in Europe, Asia, and South America formed a consortium named 'DengueTools' to respond to the call to achieve better diagnosis, surveillance, prevention, and predictive models and improve our understanding of the spread of dengue to previously uninfected regions (including Europe) in the context of globalization and climate change.The consortium comprises 12 work packages to address a set of research questions in three areas:Research area 1: Develop a comprehensive early warning and surveillance system that has predictive capability for epidemic dengue and benefits from novel tools for laboratory diagnosis and vector monitoring.Research area 2: Develop novel strategies to prevent dengue in children.Research area 3: Understand and predict the risk of global spread of dengue, in particular the risk of introduction and establishment in Europe, within the context of parameters of vectorial capacity, global mobility, and climate change.In this paper, we report on the rationale and specific study objectives of 'DengueTools'. DengueTools is funded under the Health theme of the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community, Grant Agreement Number: 282589 Dengue Tools.

Sustainability and integration of radioecology-position paper.

PubMed

Muikku, M; Beresford, N A; Garnier-Laplace, J; Real, A; Sirkka, L; Thorne, M; Vandenhove, H; Willrodt, C

2018-03-01

This position paper gives an overview of how the COMET project (COordination and iMplementation of a pan-European instrumenT for radioecology, a combined Collaborative Project and Coordination and Support Action under the EC/Euratom 7th Framework Programme) contributed to the integration and sustainability of radioecology in Europe via its support to and interaction with the European Radioecology ALLIANCE. COMET built upon the foundations laid by the FP7 project STAR (Strategic Network for Integrating Radioecology) Network of Excellence in radioecology. In close association with the ALLIANCE, and based on the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), COMET developed innovative mechanisms for joint programming and implementation of radioecological research. To facilitate and foster future integration under a common federating structure, research activities developed within COMET were targeted at radioecological research needs identified in the SRA. Furthermore, COMET maintained and developed strong mechanisms for knowledge exchange, dissemination and training to enhance and maintain European capacity, competence and skills in radioecology. In the short term the work to promote radioecology will continue under the H2020 project EJP-CONCERT (European Joint Programme for the Integration of Radiation Protection Research). The EJP-CONCERT project (2015-2020) aims to develop a sustainable structure for promoting and administering joint programming and open research calls in the field of radiation protection research for Europe. In the longer term, radioecological research will be facilitated by the ALLIANCE. External funding is, however, required in order to be able to answer emerging research needs.

Advanced European Network of E-Infrastructures for Astronomy with the SKA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massardi, Marcella

2017-11-01

Here, I present the AENEAS (Advanced European Network of E-infrastructures for Astronomy with the SKA) project has been funded in the Horizon 2020 Work Programme call "Research and Innovation Actions for International Co-operation on high-end e-infrastructure requirements" supporting the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). INAF is contributing to all the AENEAS working packages and leading the WP5 - Access and Knowledge Creation (WP leader M. Massardi IRA-ARC), participants from IRA (Brand, Nanni, Venturi) ,OACT(Becciani, Costa, Umana), OATS (Smareglia, Knapic, Taffoni)

Developing skills for youth in the 21st century: The role of elite International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme schools in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Ewan; Lee, Moosung

2014-04-01

There is a growing body of research suggesting that schools need to respond to changing social and economic dynamics by prioritising "21st-century skills". Proponents of this view, who have been termed "the 21st century skills movement", have called for greater emphasis on cognitive and non-cognitive skills development, alongside the learning of subject content and technical skills. This paper explores the potential of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) schools to respond to this mandate in China, one of the fastest-growing markets for International Baccalaureate® (IB) schools globally. The authors' research team undertook a multi-site case study of five elite IBDP schools in China. Their findings revealed confidence among interviewees that the IB educational philosophy was conducive to 21st-century skills development, especially through the provision of the three IBDP "Core Requirements", which are Creativity, Action, Service (CAS), Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK). Despite this confidence, concerns remain about the implementation of the IB educational philosophy in the context of IBDP schools in China.

Preparing engineers for the challenges of community engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harsh, Matthew; Bernstein, Michael J.; Wetmore, Jameson; Cozzens, Susan; Woodson, Thomas; Castillo, Rafael

2017-11-01

Despite calls to address global challenges through community engagement, engineers are not formally prepared to engage with communities. Little research has been done on means to address this 'engagement gap' in engineering education. We examine the efficacy of an intensive, two-day Community Engagement Workshop for engineers, designed to help engineers better look beyond technology, listen to and learn from people, and empower communities. We assessed the efficacy of the workshop in a non-experimental pre-post design using a questionnaire and a concept map. Questionnaire results indicate participants came away better able to ask questions more broadly inclusive of non-technological dimensions of engineering projects. Concept map results indicate participants have a greater understanding of ways social factors shape complex material systems after completing the programme. Based on the workshop's strengths and weaknesses, we discuss the potential of expanding and supplementing the programme to help engineers account for social aspects central to engineered systems.

Perspectives on a Whole Class Mindfulness Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, George; Atkinson, Cathy

2017-01-01

This study sought to establish pupil and teacher views about a six-hour, whole-class mindfulness programme called Paws.b. Pupil post-intervention focus groups and teacher semi-structured interviews were used to ascertain what was interesting and useful about Paws.b, and how it could be developed. Audio recordings were transcribed and thematically…

Protocols and participatory democracy in a 'North-South' product development partnership.

PubMed

Montgomery, Catherine M

2012-09-01

Global product development partnerships (PDPs) for new health technologies have become an increasingly important part of the science and development landscape over the past two decades. Polarised positions are adopted by those scrutinising the power and governance of these public-private formations; on the one hand, they are seen as successful social technology innovations, on the other as regressive and imperialistic regimes of neo-colonialism. Answering recent calls for research to examine the actors, governance, context and dynamics of PDPs, this article presents a sociological case study of one particular partnership, the Microbicides Development Programme (MDP). Interviews were conducted with a cross-section of programme staff in the UK and Zambia, and discourses analysed through a Foucauldian lens of governmentality. This article suggests that two tools of government were central to MDP's cohesiveness: institutional discourses of participatory democracy and capacity building and scientific protocols. Through these material-semiotic tools, the scientific community, junior operational researchers and the funder were successfully enrolled into the programme and governed by a central body based in the UK. This article draws on Nikolas Rose's work to discuss these socio-scientific discourses as technologies of government, and provides a non-dualistic account of power and governance in a North-South PDP. © 2012 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2012 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Convolutional Neural Network on Embedded Linux(trademark) System-on-Chip: A Methodology and Performance Benchmark

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

A9 CPU and 15 W for the i7 CPU. A method of accelerating this computation is by using a customized hardware unit called a field- programmable gate...implementation of custom logic to accelerate com- putational workloads. This FPGA fabric, in addition to the standard programmable logic, contains 220...chip; field- programmable gate array Daniel Gebhardt U U U U 18 (619) 553-2786 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION 84300 Library (2) 85300 Archive/Stock (1

Convolutional Neural Network on Embedded Linux System-on-Chip: A Methodology and Performance Benchmark

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

A9 CPU and 15 W for the i7 CPU. A method of accelerating this computation is by using a customized hardware unit called a field- programmable gate...implementation of custom logic to accelerate com- putational workloads. This FPGA fabric, in addition to the standard programmable logic, contains 220...chip; field- programmable gate array Daniel Gebhardt U U U U 18 (619) 553-2786 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION 84300 Library (2) 85300 Archive/Stock (1

Are scientific research outputs aligned with national policy makers' priorities? A case study of tuberculosis in Cambodia.

PubMed

Boudarene, Lydia; James, Richard; Coker, Richard; Khan, Mishal S

2017-10-01

With funding for tuberculosis (TB) research decreasing, and the high global disease burden persisting, there are calls for increased investment in TB research. However, justification of such investments is questionable, when translation of research outputs into policy and health care improvements remains a challenge for TB and other diseases. Using TB in Cambodia as a case study, we investigate how evidence needs of national policy makers are addressed by topics covered in research publications. We first conducted a systematic review to compile all studies on TB in Cambodia published since 2000. We then identified priority areas in which evidence for policy and programme planning are required from the perspective of key national TB control stakeholders. Finally, results from the literature review were analysed in relation to the priority research areas for national policy makers to assess overlap and highlight gaps in evidence. Priority research areas were: TB-HIV co-infection; childhood TB; multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB); and universal and equitable access to quality diagnosis and treatment. On screening 1687 unique papers retrieved from our literature search, 253 were eligible publications focusing on TB in Cambodia. Of these, only 73 (29%) addressed one of the four priority research areas. Overall, 30 (11%), five (2%), seven (2%) and 37 (14%) studies reported findings relevant to TB-HIV, childhood TB, MDR-TB and access to quality diagnosis and treatment respectively. Our analysis shows that a small proportion of the research outputs in Cambodia address priority areas for informing policy and programme planning. This case study illustrates that there is substantial room for improvement in alignment between research outputs and evidence gaps that national policy makers would like to see addressed; better coordination between researchers, funders and policy makers' on identifying priority research topics may increase the relevance of research findings to health policies and programmes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) and treatment outcomes: epistemological assumptions and controversies.

PubMed

Williams, C H J

2015-06-01

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is recommended as a primary treatment choice in England, for anxiety and depression, by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). It has been argued that CBT has enjoyed political and cultural dominance and this has arguably led to maintained government investment in England for the cognitive and behavioural treatment of mental health problems. The government programme 'Improving Access to Psychological Therapies' (IAPT) aims to improve the availability of CBT. The criticism of the NICE evidence-based guidelines supporting the IAPT programme, has been the dominance of the gold standard randomized controlled trial methodology, with a focus on numerical outcome data, rather than a focus on a recovery narrative. RCT-based research is influenced by a philosophical paradigm called positivism. The IAPT culture is arguably influenced by one research paradigm and such an influence can skew services only towards numerical outcome data as the only truth of 'recovery'. An interpretative paradigm could assist in shaping service-based cultures, alter how services are evaluated and improve the richness of CBT research. This paper explores the theory of knowledge (epistemology) that underpins the evidence-based perspective of CBT and how this influences service delivery. The paper argues that the inclusion of service user narrative (qualitative data) can assist the evaluation of CBT from the user's perspective and can understand the context in which people live and how they access services. A qualitative perspective is discussed as a research strategy, capturing the lived experience of under-represented groups, such as sexual, gender and ethnic minorities. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has enjoyed political and cultural dominance within mental healthcare, with renewed government investment in England for the'Improving Access to Psychological Therapies' (IAPT) programme. The criticism of the evidence-based guidelines, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which supports the IAPT programme has been the dominance of the gold standard randomized controlled trial methodology. The definition of 'recovery' used by IAPT is based on a positivist position, with a focus on numerical outcome data garnered through psychometric measures. An interpretative perspective of recovery, which would include a subjective individual patient/service user narrative and would include a collaborative qualitative dialogue, is arguably absent from the IAPT programme. The challenge inherent in the IAPT programme is the high demand/high turnover culture, and psychometric measures are quick to administer; however, this culture is driven from one research paradigm. An interpretative paradigm may assist in shaping service-based cultures, alter how services are evaluated, and improve the richness of CBT research. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What strategy should France implement for H2020?

PubMed

Dhainaut, Jean-François; Diebolt, Vincent; Pouletty-Lefèbvre, Brigitte; Baker, Angela; Bassompierre, François; Borel, Thomas; Braunstein, David; Demotes, Jacques; François, Bruno; Huet, Stéphane; Micallef, Joëlle; Misse, Christophe; Molon, Annamaria; Rascol, Olivier; Ravoire, Sophie; Schwartz, Bertrand; Donne, Nathalie; Donne, Nathalie; Fusaï, Guillaume; Pouletty, Philippe; Vicaut, Eric

2015-01-01

The initiation of Horizon 2020--the European Union's 8th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, allotted a budget of 79 billion euros--provides an opportunity to review France's participation in previous Framework Programmes. Indeed, French participation does not match either its scientific importance or its financial investment. While France contributed 16.5 to 17% of the EU's 7th Framework Programme research budget, its return through the funding of coordinated projects in which French teams are participating stands at around 12.5 to 13%, a shortfall of 600 million euros. Although the situation depends on the type of activity, French participation in clinical research appears to be smaller than that of its neighbours, with fewer responses to European calls for proposals. While France has many assets, which include the assured funding of clinical research, structured thematic networks and the initiation of major national programmes, it suffers from the dilution of resources due to France's regional development policy, the lack of multidisciplinarity and the ignorance of both the medical and scientific community and the institutions to which they belong as to how Horizon 2020 actually works. We propose three types of strategy to encourage proposals for coordinated clinical research projects or projects involving French teams, and to help in the drawing up of applications: Broaden the vision of our children, students and colleagues, helping them to adapt to the globalisation of knowledge throughout their educational and professional lives. Recognise the value of European actions to influence the European landscape and change mentalities. Help and support project initiators by pooling skills within a limited number of expert centres designed to assist them in their funding application. • Broaden the vision of our children, students and colleagues, helping them to adapt to the globalisation of knowledge throughout their educational and professional lives. • Recognise the value of European actions to influence the European landscape and change mentalities. • Help and support project initiators by pooling skills within a limited number of expert centres designed to assist them in their funding application. © 2015 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

Innovative community-based ecosystem management for dengue and Chagas disease prevention in low and middle income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

PubMed

Finkelman, Jacobo

2015-02-01

In 2009, the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) launched a call for innovative community-based ecosystem management research projects for dengue and Chagas disease prevention in low and middle income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Eight research institutions were selected. The outputs of these projects led to a better understanding of the interaction between ecological, biological, social and economic (eco-bio-social) determinants of dengue and Chagas disease in Latin America and the Caribbean. Both diseases are considered highly relevant in the regional health agendas. © World Health Organization 2015. The World Health Organization has granted Oxford University Press permission for the reproduction of this article.

The Effects of Cluster-Based Mentoring Programme on Classroom Teaching Practices: Lessons from Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizvi, Meher; Nagy, Philip

2016-01-01

This paper presents and evaluates a teacher training approach called the cluster-based mentoring programme (CBMP) for the professional development of government primary school teachers in Pakistan. The study sought to find differences in the teaching practices between districts where the CBMP was used (intervention) and control districts where it…

The Efficacy of a Low-Level Program Visualization Tool for Teaching Programming Concepts to Novice C Programmers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Philip A.; Webb, Geoffrey I.

2000-01-01

Describes "Glass-box Interpreter" a low-level program visualization tool called Bradman designed to provide a conceptual model of C program execution for novice programmers and makes visible aspects of the programming process normally hidden from the user. Presents an experiment that tests the efficacy of Bradman, and provides…

What's in It for Me? An Analysis of the Need for Credit-Bearing Professional Development Modules on the Topic of e-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tlhoaele, M.; van Ryneveld, L.

2008-01-01

Worldwide, institutions offer various professional development programmes that empower lecturers (or "faculty", as they are called elsewhere) to use technology properly in the classrooms. Once lecturers have completed these development programmes, they are typically awarded a certificate that serves to indicate their successful…

Practical Skills in Laptop Computer Repairs for Curriculum Innovation in Technical Education Programmes in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chukwuedo, Samson O.; Omofonmwan, Godwin O.

2015-01-01

The increase in the use of laptop computer in Nigeria with their corresponding incessant breakdown calls for the preparation of competent technicians/technologists to carry out such repairs at the downtime of the appliance. This is one of the responsibilities of technology education programmes. This study therefore determined the practical skills…

E-Reflections: Comparative Exploration of the Role of e-learning in Training Higher Education Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churchill, Tony

2005-01-01

This paper provides an initial evaluation of data gathered by running versions of a five-week online programme called "e-Reflections". This includes comparisons with a course specifically for academics from (or working in) the Gulf and the wider Middle East Region. "e-Reflections" is an online programme developed at University…

Evaluating the impact of a national naloxone programme on ambulance attendance at overdose incidents: a controlled time-series analysis.

PubMed

McAuley, Andrew; Bouttell, Janet; Barnsdale, Lee; Mackay, Daniel; Lewsey, Jim; Hunter, Carole; Robinson, Mark

2017-02-01

It has been suggested that distributing naloxone to people who inject drugs (PWID) will lead to fewer attendances by emergency medical services at opioid-related overdose incidents if peer administration of naloxone was perceived to have resuscitated the overdose victim successfully. This study evaluated the impact of a national naloxone programme (NNP) on ambulance attendance at opioid-related overdose incidents throughout Scotland. Specifically, we aimed to answer the following research questions: is there evidence of an association between ambulance call-outs to opioid-related overdose incidents and the cumulative number of 'take-home naloxone' (THN) kits in issue; and is there evidence of an association between ambulance call-outs to opioid-related overdose incidents in early adopter (pilot) or later adopting (non-pilot) regions and the cumulative number of THN kits issued in those areas? Controlled time-series analysis. Scotland, UK, 2008-15. Pre-NNP implementation period for the evaluation was defined as 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011 and the post-implementation period as 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2015. In total, 3721 ambulance attendances at opioid-related overdose were recorded for the pre-NNP implementation period across 158 weeks (mean 23.6 attendances per week) and 5258 attendances across 212 weeks in the post-implementation period (mean 24.8 attendances per week). Scotland's NNP; formally implemented on 1 April 2011. Primary outcome measure was weekly incidence (counts) of call-outs to opioid-related overdoses at national and regional Health Board level. Data were acquired from the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). Models were adjusted for opioid replacement therapy using data acquired from the Information Services Division on monthly sums of all dispensed methadone and buprenorphine in the study period. Models were adjusted further for a control group: weekly incidence (counts) of call-outs to heroin-related overdose in the London Borough area acquired from the London Ambulance Service. There was no significant association between SAS call-outs to opioid-related overdose incidents and THN kits in issue for Scotland as a whole (coefficient 0.009, 95% confidence intervals = -0.01, 0.03, P = 0.39). In addition, the magnitude of association between THN kits and SAS call-outs did not differ significantly between pilot and non-pilot regions (interaction test, P = 0.62). The supply of take-home naloxone kits through a National Naloxone Programme in Scotland was not associated clearly with a decrease in ambulance attendance at opioid-related overdose incidents in the 4-year period after it was implemented in April 2011. © 2016 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

DIVWAG Model Documentation. Volume II. Programmer/Analyst Manual. Part 3. Chapter 9 Through 12.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

entered through a routine, NAM2, that calls the segment controlling routine NBARAS. (4) Segment 3, controlled by the routine NFIRE , simulates round...nuclear fire, NAM calls in sequence the routines NFIRE (segment 3), ASUNIT (segment 2), SASSMT (segment 4), and NFIRE (segment 3). These calls simulate...this is a call to NFIRE (ISEG equals one or two), control goes to block L2. (2) Block 2. If this is to assess a unit passing through a nuclear barrier

An outcome-based assessment process for accrediting computing programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmanani, Haidar M.

2017-11-01

The calls for accountability in higher education have made outcome-based assessment a key accreditation component. Accreditation remains a well-regarded seal of approval on college quality, and requires the programme to set clear, appropriate, and measurable goals and courses to attain them. Furthermore, programmes must demonstrate that responsibilities associated with the goals are being carried out. Assessment leaders face various challenges including process design and implementation, faculty buy-in, and resources availability. This paper presents an outcome-based assessment approach that facilitates faculty participation while simplifying the assessment and reporting processes through effective and meaningful visualisation. The proposed approach has been implemented and used for the successful ABET accreditation of a computer science programme, and can be easily adapted to any higher education programme.

Prospective observational study protocol to investigate long-term adverse effects of methylphenidate in children and adolescents with ADHD: the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs Use Chronic Effects (ADDUCE) study

PubMed Central

Inglis, S K; Carucci, S; Garas, P; Häge, A; Banaschewski, T; Buitelaar, J K; Dittmann, R W; Falissard, B; Hollis, C; Kovshoff, H; Liddle, E; McCarthy, S; Nagy, P; Neubert, A; Rosenthal, E; Sonuga-Barke, E; Wong, I; Zuddas, A; Coghill, D C

2016-01-01

Introduction Methylphenidate is the most frequently used medication for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Europe. Following concerns about its safety, the European Commission called for research into the long-term effects of methylphenidate on children and adolescents with ADHD. The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs Use Chronic Effects (ADDUCE) research programme was designed to address this call. At the heart of this programme is a 2-year longitudinal naturalistic pharmacovigilance study being conducted in 27 European sites. Methods and analysis 3 cohorts of children and adolescents (aged 6–17) living in the UK, Germany, Italy and Hungary are being recruited: Group 1 (Medicated ADHD): 800 ADHD medication-naive children and adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD about to start methylphenidate treatment for the first time. Group 2 (Unmedicated ADHD): 400 children and adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD who have never been treated with ADHD medication and have no intention of beginning medication. Group 3 (Non-ADHD): 400 children and adolescents without ADHD who are siblings of individuals in either group 1 or 2. All participants will be assessed 5 times during their 2-year follow-up period for growth and development, psychiatric, neurological and cardiovascular health. The primary outcome measure will be the height velocity SD score. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval for the study has been granted by the East of Scotland Research Ethics Service. Following this approval, patient information leaflets and consent forms were translated as necessary and submissions made by lead sites in each of the other 3 countries to their own ethics committees. Following ethical approval in each country, local ethical permissions at each site were sought and obtained as needed. The study's website (http://www.adhd-adduce.org/page/view/2/Home) provides information for researchers, participants and the general public. Trial registration number NCT01470261. PMID:27118284

Promoting social inclusion through Unified Sports for youth with intellectual disabilities: a five-nation study.

PubMed

McConkey, R; Dowling, S; Hassan, D; Menke, S

2013-10-01

Although the promotion of social inclusion through sports has received increased attention with other disadvantaged groups, this is not the case for children and adults with intellectual disability who experience marked social isolation. The study evaluated the outcomes from one sports programme with particular reference to the processes that were perceived to enhance social inclusion. The Youth Unified Sports programme of Special Olympics combines players with intellectual disabilities (called athletes) and those without intellectual disabilities (called partners) of similar skill level in the same sports teams for training and competition. Alongside the development of sporting skills, the programme offers athletes a platform to socialise with peers and to take part in the life of their community. Unified football and basketball teams from five countries--Germany, Hungary, Poland, Serbia and Ukraine--participated. Individual and group interviews were held with athletes, partners, coaches, parents and community leaders: totalling around 40 informants per country. Qualitative data analysis identified four thematic processes that were perceived by informants across all countries and the two sports to facilitate social inclusion of athletes. These were: (1) the personal development of athletes and partners; (2) the creation of inclusive and equal bonds; (3) the promotion of positive perceptions of athletes; and (4) building alliances within local communities. Unified Sports does provide a vehicle for promoting the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities that is theoretically credible in terms of social capital scholarship and which contains lessons for advancing social inclusion in other contexts. Nonetheless, certain limitations are identified that require further consideration to enhance athletes' social inclusion in the wider community. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSID.

VESPA: Developing the Planetary Science Virtual Observatory in H2020

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erard, S.; Cecconi, B.; Le Sidaner, P.; Capria, T.; Rossi, A. P.; Schmitt, B.; André, N.; Vandaele, A.-C.; Scherf, M.; Hueso, R.; Maattanen, A.; Thuillot, W.; Achilleos, N.; Marmo, C.; Santolik, O.; Benson, K.; Bollard, Ph.

2015-10-01

The Europlanet H2020 programme will develop a research infrastructure in Horizon 2020. The programme includes a follow-on to the FP7 activity aimed at developing the Planetary Science Virtual Observatory (VO). This activity is called VESPA, which stands for Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access. Building on the IDIS activity of Europlanet FP7, VESPA will distribute more data, will improve the connected tools and infrastructure, and will help developing a community of both users and data providers. One goal of the Europlanet FP7 programme was to set the basis for a European Virtual Observatory in Planetary Science. A prototype has been set up during FP7, most of the activity being dedicated to the definition of standards to handle data in this field. The aim was to facilitate searches in big archives as well as sparse databases, to make on-line data access and visualization possible, and to allow small data providers to make their data available in an interoperable environment with minimum effort. This system makes intensive use of studies and developments led in Astronomy (IVOA), Solar Science (HELIO), plasma physics (SPASE), and space archive services (IPDA). It remains consistent with extensions of IVOA standards.

VESPA: developing the planetary science Virtual Observatory in H2020

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erard, Stéphane; Cecconi, Baptiste; Le Sidaner, Pierre; Capria, Teresa; Rossi, Angelo Pio

2016-04-01

The Europlanet H2020 programme will develop a research infrastructure in Horizon 2020. The programme includes a follow-on to the FP7 activity aimed at developing the Planetary Science Virtual Observatory (VO). This activity is called VESPA, which stands for Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access. Building on the IDIS activity of Europlanet FP7, VESPA will distribute more data, will improve the connected tools and infrastructure, and will help developing a community of both users and data providers. One goal of the Europlanet FP7 programme was to set the basis for a European Virtual Observatory in Planetary Science. A prototype has been set up during FP7, most of the activity being dedicated to the definition of standards to handle data in this field. The aim was to facilitate searches in big archives as well as sparse databases, to make on-line data access and visualization possible, and to allow small data providers to make their data available in an interoperable environment with minimum effort. This system makes intensive use of studies and developments led in Astronomy (IVOA), Solar Science (HELIO), plasma physics (SPASE), and space archive services (IPDA). It remains consistent with extensions of IVOA standards.

What is the value of Values Based Recruitment for nurse education programmes?

PubMed

Groothuizen, Johanna E; Callwood, Alison; Gallagher, Ann

2018-05-01

A discussion of issues associated with Values Based Recruitment (VBR) for nurse education programmes. Values Based Recruitment is a mandatory element in selection processes of students for Higher Education healthcare courses in England, including all programmes across nursing. Students are selected on the basis that their individual values align with those presented in the Constitution of the National Health Service. However, there are issues associated with the use of values as selection criteria that have been insufficiently addressed. These are discussed. Discussion paper. This article is based on documents published on the website of the executive body responsible for the implementation of a policy regarding VBR in Higher Education Institutions up until June 2017 and our evaluation of the conceptualisation of VBR, underpinned by contemporary theory and literature. Values Based Recruitment influences who is accepted onto a nurse education programme, but there has been limited critical evaluation regarding the effectiveness of employing values as selection criteria. Values are subject to interpretation and evidence regarding whether or how VBR will improve practice and care is lacking. The issues discussed in this article show that Higher Education Institutions offering nursing courses, whether in England or in other countries, should be critical and reflective regarding the implementation of VBR methods. We call for a debate regarding the meaning and implications of VBR and further research regarding its validity and effectiveness. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Voices of disability on the radio.

PubMed

O'Malley, Mary Pat

2008-01-01

While much commentary exists in relation to the portrayal of disabled people in the media, very little research examines the talk itself in any detail. This paper examines the how people with communication disabilities and disabled people are dealt with in the talk of a radio programme about disability. To show how the voices of disabled people, and in particular people with communication difficulties, are dealt with on a radio programme titled For and About People with Disability (http://www.rte.ie). Analysis of 15 episodes of an Irish radio programme for and about people with disability called Outside the Box to identify frames governing the discourse. Three frames are identified: radio programme frame; presenter frame; and interview frame. Communication disability never appears as a topic in the radio programme frame. In the presenter and interview frames the presenter foregrounds medical aspects of experiences, asks questions that only seek factual information, and fails to respond to subjective aspects of disabled people's experiences. Analysis of the interviewees' responses show how they hold the floor and introduce subjective accounts of living with disability. Frame analysis reveals how disability (including communication disability) is dealt with in the talk of a radio programme for and about people with disability. There is an overemphasis on medical aspects of disability and a view of disability as a primarily physical phenomenon is broadcast. In spite of mainly medical/factual questions, interviewees manage to include rich accounts of their experience. People with communication disability are not included, possibly due to issues of intelligibility or lack of awareness. Speech and language therapists have a valuable role to play in terms of 'learning to listen' and 'helping to tell'.

A qualitative evaluation of a comprehensive self-management programme for COPD patients: effectiveness from the patients' perspective.

PubMed

Monninkhof, Evelyn; van der Aa, Maaike; van der Valk, Paul; van der Palen, Job; Zielhuis, Gerhard; Koning, Karen; Pieterse, Marcel

2004-11-01

The COPE self-management programme, including a self-management education course, self-treatment of exacerbations and a fitness programme, appeared to have no significant effect on health related quality of life (HRQoL) as measured by the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). This is in contrast to our hypothesis and despite expressions of satisfaction of patients to healthcare workers. To understand this discrepancy, a qualitative study was performed. A purposive sample of 20 participants of the COPE self-management programme were interviewed at home using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim and analysed according grounded theory. The fitness programme was most positively evaluated by patients due to the perceived increase of exercise capacity and the social aspect of the group training. Major effects gained by the self-management education course reported by patients were the skills to evenly distribute their energy and to listen to their body signals. Most patients thought favourable about self-treatment of exacerbations. The possibility to start early, not having to call a doctor and autonomy were raised as important advantages. Furthermore, several patients reported increased self-confidence and coping behaviour as important effects of the COPE programme. Finally, many patients reported feeling safe due to the frequent follow-up visits and 24h access to the hospital, and this aspect elicited to be very important. In this study, the qualitative interviews suggest that the SGRQ and possibly other existing HRQoL instruments might fail to capture the full experience of patients in self-management studies. The need for more elaborate qualitative research on this subject is indicated.

Version 1.00 programmer`s tools used in constructing the INEL RML/analytical radiochemistry sample tracking database and its user interface

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

Femec, D.A.

This report describes two code-generating tools used to speed design and implementation of relational databases and user interfaces: CREATE-SCHEMA and BUILD-SCREEN. CREATE-SCHEMA produces the SQL commands that actually create and define the database. BUILD-SCREEN takes templates for data entry screens and generates the screen management system routine calls to display the desired screen. Both tools also generate the related FORTRAN declaration statements and precompiled SQL calls. Included with this report is the source code for a number of FORTRAN routines and functions used by the user interface. This code is broadly applicable to a number of different databases.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in U.S. Catholic High Schools: An Answer to the Church's Call to Global Solidarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, John

2012-01-01

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme provides an academically challenging curriculum that when combined with moral and religious formation prepares graduates of Catholic secondary schools to succeed in college and to live as Christian citizens in an interconnected global society. Although the financial cost of the program is high,…

Accelerated Reader as a Literacy Catch-Up Intervention during Primary to Secondary School Transition Phase

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siddiqui, Nadia; Gorard, Stephen; See, Beng Huat

2016-01-01

This paper describes an evaluation of an internet-based reading programme called Accelerated Reader (AR), which is widely used in UK schools and worldwide. AR is a whole-group reading management and monitoring programme that aims to stimulate the habit of independent reading among primary and secondary age pupils. The evaluation involved 349…

Development of "Long Live Love+," a School-Based Online Sexual Health Programme for Young Adults. An Intervention Mapping Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mevissen, Fraukje E. F.; van Empelen, Pepijn; Watzeels, Anita; van Duin, Gee; Meijer, Suzanne; van Lieshout, Sanne; Kok, Gerjo

2018-01-01

This paper describes the development of a Dutch online programme called "Long Live Love+" focusing on positive, coercion-free relationships, contraception use, and the prevention of STIs, using the Intervention Mapping (IM) approach. All six steps of the approach were followed. Step 1 confirmed the need for a sexual health programme…

"I'm* Two Rabbits" / "J'ai un Rouge Pullover*". How Corrective Feedback Is Handled in Collaborative Exchange Programmes between Early Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choffat-Durr, Anne; Macaire, Dominique

2012-01-01

This article presents how, in the social dynamics of two classrooms involved in an exchange programme, young learners provide their peers with asynchronous feedback taking place in the digital medium. Within two Call Triangles that interact thanks to Computer Mediated Communication tools, teachers sharing the same methodological precept on…

Proposing a Master's Programme on Participatory Integrated Assessment of Energy Systems to Promote Energy Access and Energy Efficiency in Southern Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiravu, Cheddi; Diaz-Maurin, François; Giampietro, Mario; Brent, Alan C.; Bukkens, Sandra G.F.; Chiguvare, Zivayi; Gasennelwe-Jeffrey, Mandu A.; Gope, Gideon; Kovacic, Zora; Magole, Lapologang; Musango, Josephine Kaviti; Ruiz-Rivas Hernando, Ulpiano; Smit, Suzanne; Vázquez Barquero, Antonio; Yunta Mezquita, Felipe

2018-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to present a new master's programme for promoting energy access and energy efficiency in Southern Africa. Design/methodology/approach: A transdisciplinary approach called "participatory integrated assessment of energy systems" (PARTICIPIA) was used for the development of the curriculum. This approach is based on…

Præventis, the immunisation register of the Netherlands: a tool to evaluate the National Immunisation Programme.

PubMed

van Lier, A; Oomen, P; de Hoogh, P; Drijfhout, I; Elsinghorst, B; Kemmeren, J; Conyn-van Spaendonck, M; de Melker, H

2012-04-26

Vaccination coverage is an important performance indicator of any national immunisation programme (NIP). To monitor the vaccination coverage in the Netherlands, an electronic national immunisation register called ‘Præventis’ was implemented in 2005. Præventis has a link with the population register and can produce letters of invitation for the NIP, register and validate administered vaccinations. The database is used to monitor the vaccination process, produce reminder letters, control the stock of vaccines and provides information used for paying the fees to the different executive organisations involved. Præventis provides a crucial tool for the evaluation of the NIP by producing (sub)national vaccination coverage estimates with high accuracy and allowing additional research: identifying populations at high risk for low coverage based on existing data, conducting specific studies where individuals included in the immunisation register are approached for further research, using vaccination coverage data for the interpretation of (sero)surveillance data, and linking the immunisation register with disease registers to address vaccine safety or vaccine effectiveness. The ability to combine Præventis data with data from other databases or disease registers and the ability to approach individuals with additional research questions offers opportunities to identify areas of priority for improving the Dutch NIP.

Evaluating a Research Training Programme for People with Intellectual Disabilities Participating in Inclusive Research: The Views of Participants.

PubMed

Fullana, Judit; Pallisera, Maria; Català, Elena; Puyalto, Carolina

2017-07-01

This article presents the results of evaluating a research training programme aimed at developing the skills of people with intellectual disabilities to actively participate in inclusive research. The present authors opted for a responsive approach to evaluation, using a combination of interviews, questionnaires and focus groups to gather information on the views of students, trainers and members of the research team regarding how the programme progressed, the learning achieved and participants' satisfaction with the programme. The evaluation showed that most of the participants were satisfied with the programme and provided guidelines for planning contents and materials, demonstrating the usefulness of these types of programme in constructing the research group and empowering people with intellectual disabilities to participate in research. The evaluation revealed that the programme had been a positive social experience that fostered interest in lifelong learning for people with intellectual disabilities. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Implementation research: towards universal health coverage with more doctors in Brazil

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Aimê; Trindade, Josélia Souza; Barreto, Ivana CHC; Palmeira, Poliana Araújo; Comes, Yamila; Santos, Felipe OS; Santos, Wallace; Oliveira, João Paulo Alves; Pessoa, Vanira Matos; Shimizu, Helena Eri

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To evaluate the implementation of a programme to provide primary care physicians for remote and deprived populations in Brazil. Methods The Mais Médicos (More Doctors) programme was launched in July 2013 with public calls to recruit physicians for priority areas. Other strategies were to increase primary care infrastructure investments and to provide more places at medical schools. We conducted a quasi-experimental, before-and-after evaluation of the implementation of the programme in 1708 municipalities with populations living in extreme poverty and in remote border areas. We compared physician density, primary care coverage and avoidable hospitalizations in municipalities enrolled (n = 1450) and not enrolled (n = 258) in the programme. Data extracted from health information systems and Ministry of Health publications were analysed. Findings By September 2015, 4917 physicians had been added to the 16 524 physicians already in place in municipalities with remote and deprived populations. The number of municipalities with ≥ 1.0 physician per 1000 inhabitants doubled from 163 in 2013 to 348 in 2015. Primary care coverage in enrolled municipalities (based on 3000 inhabitants per primary care team) increased from 77.9% in 2012 to 86.3% in 2015. Avoidable hospitalizations in enrolled municipalities decreased from 44.9% in 2012 to 41.2% in 2015, but remained unchanged in control municipalities. We also documented higher infrastructure investments in enrolled municipalities and an increase in the number of medical school places over the study period. Conclusion Other countries having shortages of physicians could benefit from the lessons of Brazil’s programme towards achieving universal right to health. PMID:28250510

The use of the Model of Occupational Self Efficacy in improving the cognitive functioning of individuals with brain injury: A pre- and post-intervention study.

PubMed

Soeker, Shaheed

2017-09-14

Individuals diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) often experience major limitations in returning to work despite participating in rehabilitation programmes. The aim of the study was to determine whether individuals who sustained a traumatic brain injury experienced improved cognitive functioning after participating in an intervention programme that utilizes the Model of Occupational Self-Efficacy (MOOSE). Ten (10) individuals who were diagnosed with a mild to moderate brain injury participated in the study. The research study was positioned within the quantitative paradigm specifically utilizing a pre and post intervention research design. In order to gather data from the participants, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) was used to determine whether the individual with brain injury's cognitive functioning improved after participating in a vocational rehabilitation model called the Model of Occupational Self Efficacy (MOOSE). All the participants in this study presented with an improvement in MOCA test scores. The results of the study revealed a statistically significant effect of the intervention (i.e. MOOSE) on cognitive functioning measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, F(4, 6) = 15.95, p = 0.002. The findings of this study indicated that MOOSE is a useful model to facilitate the return of individuals living with a TBI back to work. It is also suggested that cognitive rehabilitative activities be included as part of the vocational rehabilitation programme.

"SP.ACE" 2013-2015: ASGARD Balloon and BIFROST Parabolic Flights: Latest Developments in Hands-On Space Education Projects for Secondary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Schrijver, E.; Chameleva, H.; Degroote, C.; D'Haese, Z.; Paice, C.; Plas, H.; Van den Bossche, A.; Vander Donckt, L.; Vander Vost, J.

2015-09-01

Flight opportunities on high-altitude ASGARD balloons offered to secondary schools worldwide since 20 1 1 have led to an ever more rapidly increasing number of project proposals. The introduction of beginners' and ‘advanced classes of experiments is hoped to draw in even larger numbers of interested school teams. Furthermore, and in cooperation with ESERO (European Space Education Resources Office), workshops and documentation are being prepared to introduce teachers and students alike to the world of microcontrollers and sensors. A student parabolic flight programme called BIFROST (Brussels' Initiative to provide Flight Research Opportunities to STudents) was initiated to meet the rising demand for hands-on space education projects and the desire to cover the widest possible range of scientific and/or technical domains, which essentially calls for a variety of flight platforms: cansats, balloons and parabolic flight.

Field programmable gate arrays: Evaluation report for space-flight application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandoe, Mike; Davarpanah, Mike; Soliman, Kamal; Suszko, Steven; Mackey, Susan

1992-01-01

Field Programmable Gate Arrays commonly called FPGA's are the newer generation of field programmable devices and offer more flexibility in the logic modules they incorporate and in how they are interconnected. The flexibility, the number of logic building blocks available, and the high gate densities achievable are why users find FPGA's attractive. These attributes are important in reducing product development costs and shortening the development cycle. The aerospace community is interested in incorporating this new generation of field programmable technology in space applications. To this end, a consortium was formed to evaluate the quality, reliability, and radiation performance of FPGA's. This report presents the test results on FPGA parts provided by ACTEL Corporation.

Automated discovery systems and the inductivist controversy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giza, Piotr

2017-09-01

The paper explores possible influences that some developments in the field of branches of AI, called automated discovery and machine learning systems, might have upon some aspects of the old debate between Francis Bacon's inductivism and Karl Popper's falsificationism. Donald Gillies facetiously calls this controversy 'the duel of two English knights', and claims, after some analysis of historical cases of discovery, that Baconian induction had been used in science very rarely, or not at all, although he argues that the situation has changed with the advent of machine learning systems. (Some clarification of terms machine learning and automated discovery is required here. The key idea of machine learning is that, given data with associated outcomes, software can be trained to make those associations in future cases which typically amounts to inducing some rules from individual cases classified by the experts. Automated discovery (also called machine discovery) deals with uncovering new knowledge that is valuable for human beings, and its key idea is that discovery is like other intellectual tasks and that the general idea of heuristic search in problem spaces applies also to discovery tasks. However, since machine learning systems discover (very low-level) regularities in data, throughout this paper I use the generic term automated discovery for both kinds of systems. I will elaborate on this later on). Gillies's line of argument can be generalised: thanks to automated discovery systems, philosophers of science have at their disposal a new tool for empirically testing their philosophical hypotheses. Accordingly, in the paper, I will address the question, which of the two philosophical conceptions of scientific method is better vindicated in view of the successes and failures of systems developed within three major research programmes in the field: machine learning systems in the Turing tradition, normative theory of scientific discovery formulated by Herbert Simon's group and the programme called HHNT, proposed by J. Holland, K. Holyoak, R. Nisbett and P. Thagard.

Expanded serial communication capability for the transport systems research vehicle laptop computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Easley, Wesley C.

1991-01-01

A recent upgrade of the Transport Systems Research Vehicle (TSRV) operated by the Advanced Transport Operating Systems Program Office at the NASA Langley Research Center included installation of a number of Grid 1500 series laptop computers. Each unit is a 80386-based IBM PC clone. RS-232 data busses are needed for TSRV flight research programs, and it has been advantageous to extend the application of the Grids in this area. Use was made of the expansion features of the Grid internal bus to add a user programmable serial communication channel. Software to allow use of the Grid bus expansion has been written and placed in a Turbo C library for incorporation into applications programs in a transparent manner via function calls. Port setup; interrupt-driven, two-way data transfer; and software flow control are built into the library functions.

Developing Researching Managers and Relevant Research--The "Executive Research Programme"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werr, Andreas; Strannegård, Lars

2014-01-01

The current paper argues for bridging the "relevance gap" in management research and education by creating educational programmes that bring together experienced managers and management researchers. In the "Executive Research Programme" discussed in this paper, managers were paired up with researchers to conduct a collaborative…

Stories from the Arctic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cain, Michelle

2016-04-01

I will discuss my experience co-ordinating a range of communication activities for a multi-university research programme called Methane in the Arctic: Measurements and Modelling. The project included ground- and aircraft-based fieldwork in the European Arctic, as well as computer modelling. Our communication activities included: our own field blog (www.arcticmethane.wordpress.com), which was syndicated to the Scientific American Expeditions blog; writing articles for other blogs with a wider audience than our own; use of twitter; and podcasting our field work. The grand finale to our communications work was a live event at a science festival, in which we took the audience along with us on a recreated research flight, complete with a life-size mock up of a section of our research aircraft. I will discuss my experiences of these forms of communication, and give an evaluation of their successes and failures.

Alta Scuola Politecnica: An Ongoing Experiment in the Multidisciplinary Education of Top Students towards Innovation in Engineering, Architecture and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benedetto, S.; Bernelli Zazzera, F.; Bertola, P.; Cantamessa, M.; Ceri, S.; Ranci, C.; Spaziante, A.; Zanino, R.

2010-01-01

Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino, the top technical universities in Italy, united their efforts in 2004 by launching a unique excellence programme called Alta Scuola Politecnica (ASP). The ASP programme is devoted to 150 students, selected each year from among the top 5-10% of those enrolled in the Engineering, Architecture and…

Effects of a Six-Session Introductory Psychology Programme on Year 9 Pupils' Interest in Psychology and Approaches to Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Emma; Chaves, Tahirah De Aguiar; Dunsmuir, Sandra

2015-01-01

Psychology is a popular UK A-level, despite many pupils having no previous taught experience of it. Prior introduction to psychology teaching could help pupils make more informed choices to study it. This study evaluates a six-session introduction to psychology programme for 20 Year 9 pupils called "Myth-Busting the Brain." A…

Learning Our Way into Communication: The Making of the Communication and Information Strategy "with" the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme in Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Ricardo

2005-01-01

This paper reports on the making of the Communication and Information Strategy with the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme (NAADS) in Uganda. The NAADS is a new organization in government responsible for the implementation of a demand-driven agricultural extension approach. The new extension approach calls for fundamental changes in…

Bookbabies, Their Parents and the Library: An Evaluation of a Flemish Reading Programme in Families with Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanobbergen, Bruno; Daems, Marie; Van Tilburg, Sarah

2009-01-01

Bookbabies, an initiative from the Flemish Reading Association and the Flemish Centre for Public Libraries, is a pilot project organised in 10 Flemish cities where local public libraries worked together with 82 couples with young babies for two years to set up a programme called "having fun with books". The objectives of the research…

The role of chief executive officers in a quality improvement initiative: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Parand, Anam; Dopson, Sue; Vincent, Charles

2013-01-01

Objectives To identify the critical dimensions of hospital Chief Executive Officers’ (CEOs) involvement in a quality and safety initiative and to offer practical guidance to assist CEOs to fulfil their leadership role in quality improvement (QI). Design Qualitative interview study. Setting 20 organisations participating in the main phase of the Safer Patients Initiative (SPI) programme across the UK. Participants 17 CEOs overseeing 19 organisations participating in the main phase of the SPI programme and 36 staff (20 workstream leads, 10 coordinators and 6 managers) involved in SPI across all 20 participating organisations. Main outcome measure Self-reported perceptions of CEOs on their contribution and involvement within the SPI programme, supplemented by staff peer-reports. Results The CEOs recognised the importance of their part in the SPI programme and gave detailed accounts of the perceived value that their involvement had brought at all stages of the process. In exploring the parts played by the CEOs, five dimensions were identified: (1) resource provision; (2) staff motivation and engagement; (3) commitment and support; (4) monitoring progress and (5) embedding programme elements. Staff reports confirmed these dimensions; however, the weighting of the dimensions differed. The findings stress the importance of particular actions of support and monitoring such as constant communication through leadership walk rounds and reviewing programme progress and its related clinical outcomes at Board meetings. Conclusions This study addressed the call for more research-informed practical guidance on the role of senior management in QI initiatives. The findings show that the CEOs provided key participation considered to significantly contribute towards the SPI programme. CEOs and staff identified a number of clear and consistent themes essential to organisation safety improvement. Queries raised include the tangible benefits of executive involvement in changing structures and embedding for sustainability and the practical steps to creating the ‘right’ environment for QI. PMID:23293245

Support for EU fundraising in the field of Environment & Energy - BayFOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammerl, Thomas; Baumann, Cornelia; Reiter, Andrea; Blume, Andreas; Just, Jana; Franke, Jan

2013-04-01

The Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR, http://www.bayfor.org) is a private company for the support of Bavaria (Free State in the South East of Germany) as a centre for science and innovation within the European Research Area. It was set up on the initiative of the Bavarian universities to strengthen their networking at regional, national and international level while helping them to prepare to meet the requirements for European research funding. The focus is directed at the current EU Framework Programme (FP7) and the forthcoming Framework Programme for Research and Innovation "Horizon 2020", but also comprises the wide range of European programmes (e.g. FP7, LIFE+, Interreg, COST, EUREKA, ERA-Nets, IEE (CIP), LLP, Calls for tender). BayFOR is also a partner institution in the Bavarian "Haus der Forschung" (www.hausderforschung.bayern.de/en). BayFORs overall aim is to strengthen and permanently anchor the science and innovation location of Bavaria in the European Research Area through: a) Initiation of national and in particular European innovation and science partnerships from academia and business b) Improvement of innovation potential of Bavarian universities and SME c) Support in acquisition, management and dissemination of results of European and international projects in the field of research and technological development The service portfolio of the EU Funding Advisory Service reaches from the first project idea to project implementation. The minimum condition for BayFOR support is at least one partner from Bavaria (Germany) must be part of the applying consortium: a) Recommendation of funding programmes/instruments (incl. integration of relevant EU policies & directives) b) Partner search c) Project development and proposal elaboration (Online platform, Creation of consortium, Attendance at meetings, Preparation of documents, Proposal structure elaboration, Provision of templates, Editorial support: Gantt, PERT, Impact, EU added value) d) Support in the Contract negotiations with the European Commission e) Project implementation (Project management, dissemination, Science-Policy-Interface) BayFOR staff has profound R&D background, as well as knowledge and experience in disseminating project outcomes, in particular with regard to the adaptation of results to the needs of relevant target groups like science, industry/SMEs, policy makers and the public. Furthermore, BayFOR can draw on distinct experience in the management of European research projects (e.g. CLIMB, Largecells, AlpBC, GeoMol, WE-EEN, WINALP). As a partner in the network for SMEs "Enterprise Europe Network" (EEN), BayFOR offers advice and support on topics such as funding, research programs, public procurement, market penetration and the promotion of innovation at European level. Beyond, BayFOR will make use of its regional networks to promote uptake and exploitation of project results. BayFOR is also commissioned by Bavaria's State Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts to look after the Bavarian University Funding Programme for the Initiation of International Projects (BayIntAn). Our efforts are aimed at initiating or strengthening transnational collaborative research involving Bavarian universities and universities of applied sciences.

Successful private-public funding of paediatric medicines research: lessons from the EU programme to fund research into off-patent medicines.

PubMed

Ruggieri, L; Giannuzzi, V; Baiardi, P; Bonifazi, F; Davies, E H; Giaquinto, C; Bonifazi, D; Felisi, M; Chiron, C; Pressler, R; Rabe, H; Whitaker, M J; Neubert, A; Jacqz-Aigrain, E; Eichler, I; Turner, M A; Ceci, A

2015-04-01

The European Paediatric Regulation mandated the European Commission to fund research on off-patent medicines with demonstrated therapeutic interest for children. Responding to this mandate, five FP7 project calls were launched and 20 projects were granted. This paper aims to detail the funded projects and their preliminary results. Publicly available sources have been consulted and a descriptive analysis has been performed. Twenty Research Consortia including 246 partners in 29 European and non-European countries were created (involving 129 universities or public-funded research organisations, 51 private companies with 40 SMEs, 7 patient associations). The funded projects investigate 24 medicines, covering 10 therapeutic areas in all paediatric age groups. In response to the Paediatric Regulation and to apply for a Paediatric Use Marketing Authorisation, 15 Paediatric Investigation Plans have been granted by the EMA-Paediatric Committee, including 71 studies of whom 29 paediatric clinical trials, leading to a total of 7,300 children to be recruited in more than 380 investigational centres. Notwithstanding the EU contribution for each study is lower than similar publicly funded projects, and also considering the complexity of paediatric research, these projects are performing high-quality research and are progressing towards the increase of new paediatric medicines on the market. Private-public partnerships have been effectively implemented, providing a good example for future collaborative actions. Since these projects cover a limited number of off-patent drugs and many unmet therapeutic needs in paediatrics remain, it is crucial foreseeing new similar initiatives in forthcoming European funding programmes.

Between Worlds: Poetry, Ethnicity and Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolan, Jim

2010-01-01

The world of contemporary poetry can be extremely polarised, most obviously between the so-called page poets, who are often academically trained in creative writing programmes, and the so-called stage poets, who are performers as well as poets and, even if they were so inclined, would be hard pressed to find a college or university where they…

Expanded newborn metabolic screening programme in Hong Kong: a three-year journey.

PubMed

Chong, S C; Law, L K; Hui, J; Lai, C Y; Leung, T Y; Yuen, Y P

2017-10-01

No universal expanded newborn screening service for inborn errors of metabolism is available in Hong Kong despite its long history in developed western countries and rapid development in neighbouring Asian countries. To increase the local awareness and preparedness, the Centre of Inborn Errors of Metabolism of the Chinese University of Hong Kong started a private inborn errors of metabolism screening programme in July 2013. This study aimed to describe the results and implementation of this screening programme. We retrieved the demographics of the screened newborns and the screening results from July 2013 to July 2016. These data were used to calculate quality metrics such as call-back rate and false-positive rate. Clinical details of true-positive and false-negative cases and their outcomes were described. Finally, the call-back logistics for newborns with positive screening results were reviewed. During the study period, 30 448 newborns referred from 13 private and public units were screened. Of the samples, 98.3% were collected within 7 days of life. The overall call-back rate was 0.128% (39/30 448) and the false-positive rate was 0.105% (32/30 448). Six neonates were confirmed to have inborn errors of metabolism, including two cases of medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency, one case of carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase deficiency, and three milder conditions. One case of maternal carnitine uptake defect was diagnosed. All patients remained asymptomatic at their last follow-up. The Centre of Inborn Errors of Metabolism has established a comprehensive expanded newborn screening programme for selected inborn errors of metabolism. It sets a standard against which the performance of other private newborn screening tests can be compared. Our experience can also serve as a reference for policymakers when they contemplate establishing a government-funded universal expanded newborn screening programme in the future.

Testing Bonner sphere spectrometers in the JRC-IRMM mono-energetic neutron beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedogni, R.; Domingo, C.; Esposito, A.; Chiti, M.; García-Fusté, M. J.; Lovestam, G.

2010-08-01

Within the framework of the Euratom Transnational Access programme, a specific sub-programme, called NUDAME (neutron data measurements at IRMM), was dedicated to support neutron measurement experiments at the accelerator-based facilities of the JRC-IRMM Geel, Belgium. In this context, the INFN-LNF and UAB groups undertook two separate experiments at the 7 MV Van de Graaff facility, aimed at testing their Bonner sphere spectrometers (BSS) with mono-energetic neutron beams. Both research groups routinely employ the BSS in neutron spectra measurements for radiation protection dosimetry purposes, where accurate knowledge of the BSS response is a mandatory condition for correct dose evaluations. This paper presents the results obtained by both groups, focusing on: (1) the comparison between the value of neutron fluence provided as reference data and that obtained by applying the FRUIT unfolding code to the measured BSS data and (2) the experimental validation of the response matrices of the BSSs, previously derived with Monte Carlo simulations.

Preventing men's violence against women.

PubMed

Leander, K

2002-01-01

The treatment and prevention of men's violence against women has increasingly been recognized as an issue not only for the criminal justice but also for the health and public health sectors. It is necessary to determine how health care can avoid accelerating women's 'entrapment' in a violent situation and to contribute to empowering them to take proactive steps. Research and experience reveal how the nature of domestic violence can lead to health care playing a preventive role. The responsible body for health care in Stockholm, the Stockholm County Council, is one of several public authorities involved in a county-wide initiative called Operation Kvinnofrid, which has focused on internal training programmes as well as public poster campaigns. Public awareness campaigns in combination with internal training programmes do have an impact, especially where political and management will is clear. Heightened awareness among the public, enhanced skills among health workers, and multiagency coordination of the response to men's violence against women are essential elements of the long-term prevention of this violence.

Research capacity building in midwifery: Case study of an Australian Graduate Midwifery Research Intern Programme.

PubMed

Hauck, Yvonne L; Lewis, Lucy; Bayes, Sara; Keyes, Louise

2015-09-01

Having the research capacity to identify problems, create new knowledge and most importantly translate this knowledge into practice is essential within health care. Midwifery, as well as other health professions in Australia, is challenged in building its research capacity to contribute evidence to inform clinical practice. The aim of this project was to evaluate an innovative Graduate Midwifery Research Intern Programme offered at a tertiary obstetric hospital in Western Australia, to determine what was working well and how the programme could be improved. A case study approach was used to gain feedback from graduate midwives within a Graduate Research Intern (GRI) Programme. In addition outcomes were compiled of all projects the GRI midwives contributed to. Six GRI midwives participated in a survey comprising of four open ended questions to provide feedback about the programme. Findings confirm that the GRI programme increased the graduates understanding of how research works, its capacity to define a problem, generate new knowledge and inform clinical practice. The GRI midwives' feedback suggested the programme opened their thinking to future study and gave them enhanced insight into women's experiences around childbirth. To grow our knowledge as a professional group, midwives must develop and promote programmes to build our pool of research capable midwives. By sharing our programme evaluation we hope to entice other clinical settings to consider the value in replicating such a programme within their context. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The uninsured and Medicaid Oregon tobacco user experience in a real world, phone based cessation programme.

PubMed

El-Bastawissi, Ay; McAfee, T; Zbikowski, S M; Hollis, J; Stark, M; Wassum, K; Clark, N; Barwinski, R; Broughton, E

2003-03-01

To describe the experience of uninsured and Medicaid Oregon tobacco users who registered in Free & Clear (F&C), a telephone based cessation programme including five scheduled outbound calls. Using a retrospective cohort design, 1334 (423 uninsured, 806 Medicaid, and 105 commercially insured) Oregon tobacco users who registered in F&C between 18 November 1998 and 28 February 2000 were identified and followed for 12 months post-registration; 648 (48.6%) were successfully contacted at 12 months. Information was collected from the F&C database. Unconditional logistic regression, adjusted for race and education, was used. The seven day quit rate at 12 months, assuming non-respondents were smokers, was 14.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.0 to 16.9). This rate was significantly higher among commercially insured participants (v Medicaid but not uninsured) and among participants who completed > or = 5 calls (v < 5 calls). The quit rate for those contacted at 12 months was 30.6% (95% CI 27.0% to 34.3%) and varied, however not significantly, by insurance and number of calls. After adjustment, respondents who completed > or = 5 calls were 60% more likely to quit tobacco (odds ratio (OR) 1.6, 95% CI 0.9 to 3.1), and uninsured respondents who completed > or = 5 calls were 70% more likely to quit tobacco (OR 1.7, 95% CI 0.9 to 3.5), relative to those who completed < 5 calls, but the difference was not significant. The quit rates are similar to those reported in efficacy trials. The observed variation in quitting tobacco for respondents by number of calls completed and by insurance merits further investigation concentrating on increasing compliance with the call schedule, particularly for the uninsured.

The uninsured and Medicaid Oregon tobacco user experience in a real world, phone based cessation programme

PubMed Central

El-Bastawissi, A.; McAfee, T; Zbikowski, S; Hollis, J; Stark, M; Wassum, K; Clark, N; Barwinski, R; Broughton, E

2003-01-01

Objective: To describe the experience of uninsured and Medicaid Oregon tobacco users who registered in Free & Clear (F&C), a telephone based cessation programme including five scheduled outbound calls. Design and setting: Using a retrospective cohort design, 1334 (423 uninsured, 806 Medicaid, and 105 commercially insured) Oregon tobacco users who registered in F&C between 18 November 1998 and 28 February 2000 were identified and followed for 12 months post-registration; 648 (48.6%) were successfully contacted at 12 months. Information was collected from the F&C database. Unconditional logistic regression, adjusted for race and education, was used. Results: The seven day quit rate at 12 months, assuming non-respondents were smokers, was 14.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.0 to 16.9). This rate was significantly higher among commercially insured participants (v Medicaid but not uninsured) and among participants who completed ⩾ 5 calls (v < 5 calls). The quit rate for those contacted at 12 months was 30.6% (95% CI 27.0% to 34.3%) and varied, however not significantly, by insurance and number of calls. After adjustment, respondents who completed ⩾ 5 calls were 60% more likely to quit tobacco (odds ratio (OR) 1.6, 95% CI 0.9 to 3.1), and uninsured respondents who completed ⩾ 5 calls were 70% more likely to quit tobacco (OR 1.7, 95% CI 0.9 to 3.5), relative to those who completed < 5 calls, but the difference was not significant. Conclusions: The quit rates are similar to those reported in efficacy trials. The observed variation in quitting tobacco for respondents by number of calls completed and by insurance merits further investigation concentrating on increasing compliance with the call schedule, particularly for the uninsured. PMID:12612361

The impact of the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme, 2003-13: a multimethod evaluation.

PubMed

Guthrie, Susan; Bienkowska-Gibbs, Teresa; Manville, Catriona; Pollitt, Alexandra; Kirtley, Anne; Wooding, Steven

2015-08-01

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme supports research tailored to the needs of NHS decision-makers, patients and clinicians. This study reviewed the impact of the programme, from 2003 to 2013, on health, clinical practice, health policy, the economy and academia. It also considered how HTA could maintain and increase its impact. Interviews (n = 20): senior stakeholders from academia, policy-making organisations and the HTA programme. Bibliometric analysis: citation analysis of publications arising from HTA programme-funded research. Researchfish survey: electronic survey of all HTA grant holders. Payback case studies (n = 12): in-depth case studies of HTA programme-funded research. We make the following observations about the impact, and routes to impact, of the HTA programme: it has had an impact on patients, primarily through changes in guidelines, but also directly (e.g. changing clinical practice); it has had an impact on UK health policy, through providing high-quality scientific evidence - its close relationships with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the National Screening Committee (NSC) contributed to the observed impact on health policy, although in some instances other organisations may better facilitate impact; HTA research is used outside the UK by other HTA organisations and systematic reviewers - the programme has an impact on HTA practice internationally as a leader in HTA research methods and the funding of HTA research; the work of the programme is of high academic quality - the Health Technology Assessment journal ensures that the vast majority of HTA programme-funded research is published in full, while the HTA programme still encourages publication in other peer-reviewed journals; academics agree that the programme has played an important role in building and retaining HTA research capacity in the UK; the HTA programme has played a role in increasing the focus on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in medicine - it has also contributed to increasingly positive attitudes towards HTA research both within the research community and the NHS; and the HTA focuses resources on research that is of value to patients and the UK NHS, which would not otherwise be funded (e.g. where there is no commercial incentive to undertake research). The programme should consider the following to maintain and increase its impact: providing targeted support for dissemination, focusing resources when important results are unlikely to be implemented by other stakeholders, particularly when findings challenge vested interests; maintaining close relationships with NICE and the NSC, but also considering other potential users of HTA research; maintaining flexibility and good relationships with researchers, giving particular consideration to the Technology Assessment Report (TAR) programme and the potential for learning between TAR centres; maintaining the academic quality of the work and the focus on NHS need; considering funding research on the short-term costs of the implementation of new health technologies; improving the monitoring and evaluation of whether or not patient and public involvement influences research; improve the transparency of the priority-setting process; and continuing to monitor the impact and value of the programme to inform its future scientific and administrative development.

Strategies used to guide the design and implementation of a national river monitoring programme in South Africa.

PubMed

Roux, D J

2001-06-01

This article explores the strategies that were, and are being, used to facilitate the transition from scientific development to operational application of the South African River Health Programme (RHP). Theoretical models from the field of the management of technology are used to provide insight into the dynamics that influence the relationship between the creation and application of environmental programmes, and the RHP in particular. Four key components of the RHP design are analysed, namely the (a) guiding team, (b) concepts, tools and methods, (c) infra-structural innovations and (d) communication. These key components evolved over three broad life stages of the programme, which are called the design, growth and anchoring stages.

Building mental health workforce capacity through training and retention of psychiatrists in Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Abas, Melanie A; Nhiwatiwa, Sekai M; Mangezi, Walter; Jack, Helen; Piette, Angharad; Cowan, Frances M; Barley, Elizabeth; Chingono, Alfred; Iversen, Amy; Chibanda, Dixon

2014-08-01

Despite the need to improve the quantity and quality of psychiatry training in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), very little is known about the experiences of psychiatric trainees in the region. This is the first study examining psychiatric trainees in a low-income country in SSA. It was carried out as part of the needs assessment for a unique Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) programme to find African solutions for medical shortages in Africa. We approached all doctors who had trained in post-graduate psychiatry in Zimbabwe in 2010 and conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with all except one (n = 6). We analysed the data using constant comparison and thematic analysis. Trainees described the apprenticeship model as the programme's primary strength, through providing clinical exposure and role models. Programme weaknesses included shortages in information sources, trainee salaries, trainers, public health education, and in the mental health service. Most respondents were, however, eager to continue practising psychiatry in Zimbabwe, motivated by family ties, national commitment and helping vulnerable, stigmatized individuals. Respondents called for sub-speciality training and for infrastructure and training to do research. Resources need to be made available for psychiatric trainees in more SSA settings to develop public health competencies. However, investment in psychiatry training programmes must balance service provision with trainees' educational needs. Directing investment towards needs identified by trainees may be a cost-effective, context-sensitive way to increase retention and learning outcomes.

Kansas nurse leader residency programme: advancing leader knowledge and skills.

PubMed

Shen, Qiuhua; Peltzer, Jill; Teel, Cynthia; Pierce, Janet

2018-03-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Kansas Nurse Leader Residency (KNLR) programme in improving nurses' leadership knowledge and skills and its acceptability, feasibility and fidelity. The Future of Nursing Report (Institute of Medicine, 2011) calls for nurses to lead change and advance health. The 6-month KNLR programme was developed by the Kansas Action Coalition to support nurses' leadership development. Nurses (n = 36) from four nursing specialties (acute care, long-term care, public health and school health) participated in the programme. The adapted Leader Knowledge and Skill Inventory was used to assess leadership knowledge and skills. Programme acceptability, feasibility and implementation fidelity also were evaluated. The programme completion rate was 67.7% (n = 24). Programme completers had significantly improved self-assessed and mentor-assessed leadership knowledge and skills (p < .05). These post-programme gains were maintained 3 months after programme completion. The KNLR programme effectively improved leadership knowledge and skills and was positively evaluated by participants. The implementation of the KNLR programme using a hybrid format of in-person sessions and online modules was feasible across four specialty areas in both rural and urban regions. The next steps include the development of an advanced programme. Residency programmes for new nurse leaders are critical for successful transition into management positions. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A User’s/Programmer’s Manual for TWAKE.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-06

subroutines sorted according to primary function Inout OutDut Utjiitv Ean. Solve LDDOEL CALORD GETBAT ASSMAT EDATA COMOC LINKI ASMSQ BDINPT DRVBUG LINK2 BANCHO...beginning at the left most node (no. 1) and continuing to the last node in that row (no. 19). IBORD LEFT 2 BOTTOM 2 RIGHT 2 TOP 2 DONE LINKI 2 T call...LINK1 3 T GEOMFL Call SUBROUTINE NODELM again to compute element thickness and area from data calculated in GEOMFL. LINKI 2 T NODELM Call SUBROUTINE

Ammunition Resupply Model. Volume II. Programmers Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

pointer tables. If the placement is successful the flag ( ICHECK ) is set equal to 1. COMMON BLOCKS: EVENTS CALLS: NONE IS CALLED BY: SCHED CALLING PARAMETERS...decimal portion of the event time multiplied by 3600. ICHECK - 0 if no room on the file, I if there is room on the file. LOCAL ARRAYS: JFORE (1024...8217EVT, ITH, I-IS, !CHECK) C PUTEVT PLACES AN EVENT RECORD IN -THE QUEUE IN CHRONOLOGICAL C ORDER A,1D UPDATES THE QUEUE DIRECTORY. ICHECK FLAG SET C IF

The World Health Organization and public health research and practice in tuberculosis in India.

PubMed

Banerji, Debabar

2012-01-01

Two major research studies carried out in India fundamentally affected tuberculosis treatment practices worldwide. One study demonstrated that home treatment of the disease is as efficacious as sanatorium treatment. The other showed that BCG vaccination is of little protective value from a public health viewpoint. India had brought together an interdisciplinary team at the National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI) with a mandate to formulate a nationally applicable, socially acceptable, and epidemiologically sound National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP). Work at the NTI laid the foundation for developing an operational research approach to dealing with tuberculosis as a public health problem. The starting point for this was not operational research as enunciated by experts in this field; rather, the NTI achieved operational research by starting from the people. This approach was enthusiastically welcomed by the World Health Organization's Expert Committee on Tuberculosis of 1964. The NTP was designed to "sink or sail with the general health services of the country." The program was dealt a major blow when, starting in 1967, a virtual hysteria was worked up to mobilize most of the health services for imposing birth control on the people. Another blow to the general health services occurred when the WHO joined the rich countries in instituting a number of vertical programs called "Global Initiatives". An ill-conceived, ill-designed, and ill-managed Global Programme for Tuberculosis was one outcome. The WHO has shown rank public health incompetence in taking a very casual approach to operational research and has been downright quixotic in its thinking on controlling tuberculosis worldwide.

Intellectual disability in Africa: implications for research and service development.

PubMed

McKenzie, Judith Anne; McConkey, Roy; Adnams, Colleen

2013-09-01

Although intellectual disability (ID) is probably the largest impairment grouping on the African continent, few indigenous research and evaluation studies have been undertaken. This article is an initial attempt to relate service delivery issues to an African research agenda. We critically analysed the available literature, drawing on academic publications and those of non-governmental agencies. In this process we identified several key issues for further investigation, namely: understanding ID in African contexts, access to education and health care, the provision of appropriate assistance and support, and income generation. We relate our analysis to the recommendations made in the World Report on Disability but with a specific focus on ID in Africa. The need for mainstreaming and prioritising ID in non-disability related and across impairment programmes is highlighted. We note the importance of families and emphasise the need to draw on informal and traditional forms of care and participation. The need for reliable research evidence to support practice is highlighted. We conclude with a call to action by and on behalf of individuals with ID to be included in the development priorities of the continent. Implications for Rehabilitation Service provision for people with intellectual disabilities in Africa is not always well served by insights obtained from western research agendas. Appropriate and effective rehabilitation requires an understanding of the context and the environment in which the disabled person operates. Indigenous research into the provision of support to families and the inclusion of persons with intellectual disability into mainstream programmes as well as disability specific provision is recommended.

Rehabilitation for patients with rheumatic diseases: Patient experiences of a structured goal planning and tailored follow-up programme

PubMed Central

Dager, Turid Nygaard; Kjeken, Ingvild; Berdal, Gunnhild; Sand-Svartrud, Anne-Lene; Bø, Ingvild; Dingsør, Anne; Eppeland, Siv Grødal; Hagfors, Jon; Hamnes, Bente; Nielsen, Merete; Slungaard, Bente; Wigers, Sigrid Hørven; Hauge, Mona-Iren

2017-01-01

Objective: To explore the significance of the content of rehabilitation in terms of achieving a personal outcome, and to understand the significance of tailored follow-up interventions for individual efforts to prolong health behaviour change after rehabilitation. Design: Semi-structured interviews with patients who had received an extended rehabilitation programme. All interviews were transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was applied. Subjects: A purposeful sample of 18 patients with rheumatic diseases who had attended specialized multidisciplinary rehabilitation with an extended programme consisting of a self-help booklet, structured goal-setting talks and tailored follow-up calls based on motivational interviewing. Results: Four overarching and interrelated themes were identified. Experienced Person-centred interventions represented a basis for the patients’ motivation and personal outcomes. Confident self-management describes a new confident approach to exercise and illness management after rehabilitation with person-centred interventions. For many, this included reaching a different mindset, a change of illness perception. Continuity of the personal outcomes describes the importance of follow-up telephone calls to maintain the focus on goals and continued efforts. Building on established relationships and practising person-centred communication were essential. Conclusion: Tailoring of communication and rehabilitation interventions may be a premise for enhancing health behaviour, including a beneficial illness perception. Structured goal setting and follow-up telephone calls using motivational interviewing enhance motivation and may contribute to prolonged goal attainment. PMID:29163943

Language Choices by Teachers in EFL Classrooms in Cyprus: Bidialectism Meets Bilingualism with a Call for Teacher Training Programmes in Linguistic Variation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yiakoumetti, Androula; Mina, Marina

2013-01-01

This study focuses on the interface between bidialectism and bilingualism and provides empirical support for the call for language educators to be trained in issues relating to linguistic variation. Drawing on the sociolinguistic setting of Cyprus, the study investigates the linguistic behaviour of bidialectal teachers in the English…

Naming asteroids for the popularisation of astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naranjo, O. A.

2008-06-01

We give a detailed description of how the naming of asteroids was used as a prize in competitions run by educational institutions and museums. There were two events, one in Venezuela and one in Brazil, which used this as an attractive alternative method for the popularisation of astronomy. The first competition, named Bautizo Espacial (Space Baptism), consisted of scientific stories written by high school students. The second, called Grande Desafio (Big Challenge), was a competition where teams of students were challenged to design and build prototype equipment to fight forest fires. Nationally, both events received wide publicity through newspapers, radio, TV and web pages, reaching many people in both countries. As part of both the events, several activities promoting the public knowledge of astronomy were held. The asteroids that were named in these competitions are just some of the many discovered in a search programme developed by the Group of Theoretical Astrophysics of University of Los Andes in Mérida, Venezuela (Grupo de Astrofisica Teórica de la Universidad de Los Andes) as a mainstream research programme. Finally, Asteroids for the Popularisation of Astronomy has been formally proposed to the IAU as a worldwide programme during the celebration of the International Year of Astronomy in 2009 (IYA2009).

Field-programmable lab-on-a-chip based on microelectrode dot array architecture.

PubMed

Wang, Gary; Teng, Daniel; Lai, Yi-Tse; Lu, Yi-Wen; Ho, Yingchieh; Lee, Chen-Yi

2014-09-01

The fundamentals of electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) digital microfluidics are very strong: advantageous capability in the manipulation of fluids, small test volumes, precise dynamic control and detection, and microscale systems. These advantages are very important for future biochip developments, but the development of EWOD microfluidics has been hindered by the absence of: integrated detector technology, standard commercial components, on-chip sample preparation, standard manufacturing technology and end-to-end system integration. A field-programmable lab-on-a-chip (FPLOC) system based on microelectrode dot array (MEDA) architecture is presented in this research. The MEDA architecture proposes a standard EWOD microfluidic component called 'microelectrode cell', which can be dynamically configured into microfluidic components to perform microfluidic operations of the biochip. A proof-of-concept prototype FPLOC, containing a 30 × 30 MEDA, was developed by using generic integrated circuits computer aided design tools, and it was manufactured with standard low-voltage complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology, which allows smooth on-chip integration of microfluidics and microelectronics. By integrating 900 droplet detection circuits into microelectrode cells, the FPLOC has achieved large-scale integration of microfluidics and microelectronics. Compared to the full-custom and bottom-up design methods, the FPLOC provides hierarchical top-down design approach, field-programmability and dynamic manipulations of droplets for advanced microfluidic operations.

Efficacy and acceptability of a home-based, family-inclusive intervention for veterans with TBI: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Winter, Laraine; Moriarty, Helene J; Robinson, Keith; Piersol, Catherine V; Vause-Earland, Tracey; Newhart, Brian; Iacovone, Delores Blazer; Hodgson, Nancy; Gitlin, Laura N

2016-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often undermines community re-integration, impairs functioning and produces other symptoms. This study tested an innovative programme for veterans with TBI, the Veterans' In-home Programme (VIP), delivered in veterans' homes, involving a family member and targeting the environment (social and physical) to promote community re-integration, mitigate difficulty with the most troubling TBI symptoms and facilitate daily functioning. Interviews and intervention sessions were conducted in homes or by telephone. Eighty-one veterans with TBI at a VA polytrauma programme and a key family member. This was a 2-group randomized controlled trial. Control-group participants received usual-care enhanced by two attention-control telephone calls. Follow-up interviews occurred up to 4 months after baseline interview. VIP's efficacy was evaluated using measures of community re-integration, target outcomes reflecting veterans' self-identified problems and self-rated functional competence. At follow-up, VIP participants had significantly higher community re-integration scores and less difficulty managing targeted outcomes, compared to controls. Self-rated functional competence did not differ between groups. In addition, VIP's acceptability was high. A home-based, family-inclusive service for veterans with TBI shows promise for improving meaningful outcomes and warrants further research and clinical application.

Improving Physics Teaching through Action Research: The Impact of a Nationwide Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grace, Marcus; Rietdijk, Willeke; Garrett, Caro; Griffiths, Janice

2015-01-01

This article presents an independent evaluation of the Action Research for Physics (ARP) programme, a nationwide professional development programme which trains teachers to use action research to increase student interest in physics and encourage them to take post-compulsory physics. The impact of the programme was explored from the perspective of…

Creating an effective physical activity-based health promotion programme for adults with a brain injury.

PubMed

Driver, Simon; Irwin, Kelley; Woolsey, Anne; Pawlowski, Jill

2012-01-01

To describe the processes involved with developing and implementing a physical activity-based health promotion programme for people with a brain injury, summarize previous health promotion research efforts and provide an actual example of a programme entitled P.A.C.E, a 'Physical Activity Centred Education' programme. REASONING BEHIND LITERATURE SELECTION: Brain injury is a serious public health issue due to the incidence, complexity and high healthcare costs. Health promotion programmes that incorporate physical activity have been shown to improve the health of people with a disability. However, if programmes are to be successful they have to be appropriately designed, otherwise individuals will not adopt and maintain the desired health behaviours. Readers will have an understanding of (1) how a theoretical framework drives programme development, (2) the strategies required to facilitate behaviour change, (3) how previous research supports the use of a physical activity-based health promotion programme and (4) how to implement a programme. Future research ideas are provided so as to stimulate research in the area of physical activity-based health promotion programmes for people with a brain injury.

Increasing reach of quitline services in a US state with comprehensive tobacco treatment.

PubMed

Woods, Susan Swartz; Haskins, Amy E

2007-12-01

The population reach of tobacco quitlines is an important measure of treatment seeking and penetration of services. Maine offers an opportunity to examine temporal changes in quitline reach and referral sources in the context of a comprehensive tobacco treatment programme. The impact of a $1.00 cigarette tax increase is also examined. This is a descriptive analysis of Maine Tobacco Helpline call volume September 2001 to December 2006. Annual reach was estimated using a cross sectional state surveillance survey. Weekly call volume was examined during 2005, a year of marked changes in tobacco taxes and quitline resources. Referral patterns were analysed yearly. Maine's Tobacco Helpline observed more than a threefold increase in population reach during a four year interval, from 1.9% to over 6% per year. Calls increased substantially in 2005, concurrent with added hours of operation and a rise in the cigarette tax. Over time, callers increasingly reported hearing about the quitline from health professionals, from 10% in 2001 to 38% in 2006. Tobacco treatment programmes offering free nicotine therapy and professional medical education can drive quitline utilisation over time. Call volume can also be affected by quitline operational and policy changes that promote the reduction of tobacco use.

An automated miniaturized Haploscope for testing binocular visual function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decker, T. A.; Williams, R. E.; Kuether, C. L.; Wyman-Cornsweet, D.

1976-01-01

A computer-controlled binocular vision testing device has been developed as one part of a system designed for NASA to test the vision of astronauts during spaceflight. The device, called the Mark III Haploscope, utilizes semi-automated psychophysical test procedures to measure visual acuity, stereopsis, phorias, fixation disparity and accommodation/convergence relationships. All tests are self-administered, yield quantitative data and may be used repeatedly without subject memorization. Future applications of this programmable, compact device include its use as a clinical instrument to perform routine eye examinations or vision screening, and as a research tool to examine the effects of environment or work-cycle upon visual function.

Drug-related problems at discharge: results on the Spanish pharmacy discharge programme CONSULTENOS.

PubMed

López, Maángeles Pardo; Saliente, Ma Teresa Aznar; Company, Enrique Soler; Monsalve, Ana Garcia; Cueva, Marta Aparício; Domingo, Elena Arroyo; Hernández, Monica Montero; Carrión, Carmen Carrión; Martí, Monica Climente; Querejeta, Nuria Bujaldón; Blasco, Joaquín Borrás; Milá, Amparo Rocher

2010-10-01

The aim of this study was to describe the most common drug-related problems (DRPs) found after discharge, pharmacist interventions and their results for the patients enrolled on the CONSULTENOS programme. An observational, prospective, multicentre study was conducted to evaluate the results of a pharmaceutical care programme at discharge. Patients from 10 hospitals participating in the CONSULTENOS programme were enrolled. Pharmacists conducting this programme were newly graduated and worked under the supervision of a pharmacy staff member; only two pharmacists had previous hospital pharmacy experience. DRPs were identified and classified according to the Iaser methodology. Frequencies, types of DRP, interventions and outcomes were registered prospectively, at discharge and during a follow-up call 7 days after leaving the hospital. A total of 7711 patients were included in the study. DRPs were detected in 23.7% of the patients, with a total of 2120 DRPs (1788 at discharge and 332 in the follow-up). The most common problems identified at discharge were twofold: firstly the need of an additional treatment (34.1%) and secondly an unnecessary treatment (18.1%). In the follow-up phone call the most frequent DRPs were adverse effects (29.2%). Besides the standard educational interventions at discharge, 3313 extra interventions were performed, of which 85% were accepted. The outcomes for the patients were positive in 80% of the cases, although documentation with objective or subjective data was rare. DRPs occur frequently after patient discharge. A pharmaceutical care programme can identify and solve DRPs in this scenario. The clinical impact of the pharmacists' interventions should be better addressed. © 2010 The Authors. IJPP © 2010 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

Adults with mild intellectual disabilities: can their reading comprehension ability be improved?

PubMed

van den Bos, K P; Nakken, H; Nicolay, P G; van Houten, E J

2007-11-01

Adults with a mild intellectual disability (ID) often show poor decoding and reading comprehension skills. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of teaching text comprehension strategies to these adults. Specific research goals were to determine (1) the effects of two instruction conditions, i.e. strategy instruction to individuals and strategy instruction in small groups in a reciprocal teaching context; (2) intervention programme effects on specific strategy tests (so-called direct effects), and possible differences between strategies; (3) (long-term) transfer effects of the programme on general reading comprehension ability; and (4) the regression of general text comprehension by the variables of technical reading, IQ, reading comprehension of sentences (RCS), and pretest and posttest scores on the strategies taught. In total, 38 adults (age range 20-72 years; mean age of 36 years) with ID participated in the study. IQs ranged from 45 to 69 with a mean IQ of 58. The intervention programme involved 15 weekly lessons of 1 h each, taught during 3 months. Blocks of lessons included each of Brown and Palincsar's strategies of summarizing, questioning, clarifying and predicting, as participants read and studied narrative and expository texts. Results indicated no significant difference between group and individual instruction conditions. Second, direct programme effects - as determined by posttest-pretest contrasts for strategy tests - were substantial, except for the questioning strategy. Third, even more substantial was the transfer effect to general text comprehension. Moreover, the results on this test were well maintained at a follow-up test. Finally, the variance of general reading comprehension ability was best explained by the test of RCS, and only moderately by the strategies trained. The presently used intervention programme provides a good starting point for adults with ID to become better readers.

Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Patricia S; Stoddard, Hugh A; Kalishman, Summers

2010-12-01

Medical education researchers are inherently collaborators. This paper presents a discussion of theoretical frameworks, issues and challenges around collaborative research to prepare medical education researchers to enter into successful collaborations. It gives emphasis to the conceptual issues associated with collaborative research and applies these to medical education research. Although not a systematic literature review, the paper provides a rich discussion of issues which medical education researchers might consider when undertaking collaborative studies. Building on the work of others, we have classified collaborative research in three dimensions according to: the number of administrative units represented; the number of academic fields present, and the manner in which knowledge is created. Although some literature on collaboration focuses on the more traditional positivist perspective and emphasises outcomes, other literature comes from the constructivist framework, in which research is not driven by hypotheses and the approaches emphasised, but by the interaction between investigator and subject. Collaborations are more effective when participants overtly clarify their motivations, values, definitions of appropriate data and accepted methodologies. These should be agreed upon prior to commencing a study. The way we currently educate researchers should be restructured if we want them to be able to undertake interdisciplinary research. Despite calls for researchers to be educated differently, most training programmes for developing researchers have demonstrated a limited, if not contrary, response to these calls. Collaborative research in medical education should be driven by the problem being investigated, by the new knowledge gained and by the interpersonal interactions that may be achieved. Success rests on recognising that many of the research problems we, as medical educators, address are fundamentally interdisciplinary in nature. This represents a transition to bridge the dichotomy often presented in medical education between theory building and addressing practical needs. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

Malaria epidemiological research in the Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Koukouikila-Koussounda, Felix; Ntoumi, Francine

2016-12-23

Reliable and comprehensive information on the burden of malaria is critical for guiding national and international efforts in malaria control. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of published data and available information on malaria resulting from field studies/investigations conducted in the Republic of Congo (RoC) from 1992 to 2015, as baseline for assisting public health authorities and researchers to define future research priorities as well as interventions. This review considers data from peer-reviewed articles and information from the National Malaria Control Programme reports, based on field investigations or samples collected from 1992 to 2015. Peer-reviewed papers were searched throughout online bibliographic databases PubMed, HINARI and Google Scholar using the following terms: "malaria", "Congo", "Brazzaville", "prevalence", "antimalarial", "efficacy", "falciparum", "genetic", "diversity". Original articles and reviews were included and selection of relevant papers was made. Twenty-eight published articles were included in this review and two additional records from the National Malaria Control Programme were also considered. The majority of studies were conducted in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. The present systematic review reveals that number of studies have been conducted in the RoC with regard to malaria. However, their results cannot formally be generalized at the country level. This suggests a need for implementing regular multisite investigations and surveys that may be representative of the country, calling for the support and lead of the Ministry of Health.

The National Institute for Health Research Leadership Programme

PubMed Central

Jones, Molly Morgan; Wamae, Watu; Fry, Caroline Viola; Kennie, Tom; Chataway, Joanna

2012-01-01

Abstract RAND Europe evaluated the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leadership Programme in an effort to help the English Department of Health consider the extent to which the programme has helped to foster NIHR's aims, extract lessons for the future, and develop plans for the next phase of the leadership programme. Successful delivery of high-quality health research requires not only an effective research base, but also a system of leadership supporting it. However, research leaders are not often given the opportunity, nor do they have the time, to attend formal leadership or management training programmes. This is unfortunate because research has shown that leadership training can have a hugely beneficial effect on an organisation. Therefore, the evaluation has a particular interest in understanding the role of the programme as a science policy intervention and will use its expertise in science policy analysis to consider this element alongside other, more traditional, measures of evaluation. PMID:28083231

[The SGO Health Research Promotion Program. XIII. Evaluation of the section 'Addiction Research'].

PubMed

van Rees-Wortelboer, M M

1999-01-02

As a part of the SGO Health Research Promotion Programme a research programme on addiction research was realized. Aim of the programme was to strengthen and concentrate the Dutch research into addiction. Within the Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research (AIAR), a structural collaboration between the Jellinek Treatment Centre for Addiction, the University of Amsterdam and the Academic Hospital of the University of Amsterdam, strategic research programmes were developed on the borderland of addiction and psychiatry, notably 'Clinical epidemiology addiction' and 'Developmental disorders, addiction and psychotraumas'. The institution of a co-ordinating platform of research groups conducting socio-epidemiological addiction research improved the co-ordination of research lines in this field.

Competences for enhancing interprofessional collaboration in a paediatrics setting: Enabling and hindering factors.

PubMed

Solevåg, Anne Lee; Karlgren, Klas

2016-01-01

In 2011 an interprofessional educational programme called "Pediatric systematic assessment and communication for preventing emergencies" designed to increase clinical staff's competence in treating sick children was introduced in one paediatrics department in Norway. To elicit an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of clinical staff about the programme and enact adjustments according to identified enabling and hindering factors for learning, nurses and paediatricians were invited to participate in focus group interviews. The interviews were analysed by content analysis. Enabling factors for learning included improved interprofessional collaboration and positive feedback on performance. Hindering factors included perceptions that the programme was redundant and the fact that collaborating departments, such as the surgical departments, were not familiar with the programme. Peer learning, more interprofessional learning activities, and the fostering of a learning organization were suggestions for sustained learning. Based on the results of the study we have now included collaborating departments in the programme.

Monitoring the efficacy of drugs for neglected tropical diseases controlled by preventive chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Albonico, M.; Levecke, B.; LoVerde, P.T.; Montresor, A.; Prichard, R.; Vercruysse, J.; Webster, J.P.

2017-01-01

In the last decade, pharmaceutical companies, governments and global health organisations under the leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) have pledged large-scale donations of anthelmintic drugs, including ivermectin (IVM), praziquantel (PZQ), albendazole (ALB) and mebendazole (MEB). This worldwide scale-up in drug donations calls for strong monitoring systems to detect any changes in anthelmintic drug efficacy. This review reports on the outcome of the WHO Global Working Group on Monitoring of Neglected Tropical Diseases Drug Efficacy, which consists of three subgroups: (i) soil-transmitted helminthiases (ALB and MEB); (ii) onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis (IVM); and (iii) schistosomiasis (PZQ). Progress of ongoing work, challenges and research needs for each of the four main drugs used in helminthic preventive chemotherapy (PC) are reported, laying the ground for appropriate implementation of drug efficacy monitoring programmes under the co-ordination and guidelines of the WHO. Best practices for monitoring drug efficacy should be made available and capacity built as an integral part of neglected tropical disease (NTD) programme monitoring. Development of a disease-specific model to predict the impact of PC programmes, to detect outliers and to solicit responses is essential. Research studies on genetic polymorphisms in relation to low-efficacy phenotypes should be carried out to identify markers of putative resistance against all NTD drugs and ultimately to develop diagnostic assays. Development of combination and co-administration of NTD drugs as well as of new drug entities to boost the armamentarium of the few drugs available for NTD control and elimination should be pursued in parallel. PMID:27842865

Using an emergency response infrastructure to help women who experience gender-based violence in Gujarat, India.

PubMed

Newberry, Jennifer A; Mahadevan, Swaminatha; Gohil, Narendrasinh; Jamshed, Roma; Prajapati, Jashvant; Rao, Gv Ramana; Strehlow, Matthew

2016-05-01

Many women who experience gender-based violence may never seek any formal help because they do not feel safe or confident that they will receive help if they try. A public-private-academic partnership in Gujarat, India, established a toll-free telephone helpline - called 181 Abhayam - for women experiencing gender-based violence. The partnership used existing emergency response service infrastructure to link women to phone counselling, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and government programmes. In India, the lifetime prevalence of gender-based violence is 37.2%, but less than 1% of women will ever seek help beyond their family or friends. Before implementation of the helpline, there were no toll-free helplines or centralized coordinating systems for government programmes, NGOs and emergency response services. In February 2014, the helpline was launched across Gujarat. In the first 10 months, the helpline assisted 9767 individuals, of which 8654 identified themselves as women. Of all calls, 79% (7694) required an intervention by phone or in person on the day they called and 43% (4190) of calls were by or for women experiencing violence. Despite previous data that showed women experiencing gender-based violence rarely sought help from formal sources, women in Gujarat did use the helpline for concerns across the spectrum of gender-based violence. However, for evaluating the impact of the helpline, the operational definitions of concern categories need to be further clarified. The initial triage system for incoming calls was advantageous for handling high call volumes, but may have contributed to dropped calls.

Evaluation of the medical student research programme in Norwegian medical schools. A survey of students and supervisors

PubMed Central

Hunskaar, Steinar; Breivik, Jarle; Siebke, Maje; Tømmerås, Karin; Figenschau, Kristian; Hansen, John-Bjarne

2009-01-01

Background The Medical Student Research Programme is a national education and grant scheme for medical students who wish to carry out research in parallel with their studies. The purpose of the programme is to increase recruitment of people with a standard medical degree to medical research. The Research Programme was established in 2002 and underwent a thorough evaluation during the spring of 2007. The evaluation should investigate if the programme had fulfilled its objectives of increased recruitment to medical research, in addition to the students' and supervisors' satisfaction of the programme, and unwanted differences between the universities. Methods Data was collected from students, supervisors and administrative staff via web-based questionnaires. Information about admission, implementation, results achieved and satisfaction was analysed and compared between the four Norwegian medical schools. In addition, the position of the scheme in relation to the national Quality Reform of Higher Education was analysed. Results At the end of 2006, the Medical Student Research Programme had recruited 265 medical students to research. These consisted of 214 active students, 35 who had completed their studies and only 17 who had dropped out. Both students and supervisors were generally very satisfied with the scheme, including the curriculum, the results achieved and the administrative service. The majority of students wanted to continue their research towards a PhD and, of those who had completed the Medical Student Research Programme, practically all had published one or several scientific papers. The survey showed only small differences between the four medical schools, despite their choice of somewhat different solutions in terms of administration and organisation. The Medical Student Research Programme satisfies the majority of the demands of the Quality Reform, however as an integrated research programme aimed at a PhD it presupposes access to PhD courses before the completion of medical studies, as well as the ability to include undergraduate scientific work in a PhD thesis. Conclusion The Medical Student Research Programme has led to an increase in the recruitment of graduated physicians to medical research in Norway. It will only be possible to evaluate whether this in turn will result in a larger number of PhDs in 3–5 years; this will also depend on the access to grants and fellowships. PMID:19602226

Prospective observational study protocol to investigate long-term adverse effects of methylphenidate in children and adolescents with ADHD: the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs Use Chronic Effects (ADDUCE) study.

PubMed

Inglis, S K; Carucci, S; Garas, P; Häge, A; Banaschewski, T; Buitelaar, J K; Dittmann, R W; Falissard, B; Hollis, C; Kovshoff, H; Liddle, E; McCarthy, S; Nagy, P; Neubert, A; Rosenthal, E; Sonuga-Barke, E; Wong, I; Zuddas, A; Coghill, D C

2016-04-26

Methylphenidate is the most frequently used medication for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Europe. Following concerns about its safety, the European Commission called for research into the long-term effects of methylphenidate on children and adolescents with ADHD. The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs Use Chronic Effects (ADDUCE) research programme was designed to address this call. At the heart of this programme is a 2-year longitudinal naturalistic pharmacovigilance study being conducted in 27 European sites. 3 cohorts of children and adolescents (aged 6-17) living in the UK, Germany, Italy and Hungary are being recruited:Group 1 (Medicated ADHD): 800 ADHD medication-naive children and adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD about to start methylphenidate treatment for the first time.Group 2 (Unmedicated ADHD): 400 children and adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD who have never been treated with ADHD medication and have no intention of beginning medication.Group 3 (Non-ADHD): 400 children and adolescents without ADHD who are siblings of individuals in either group 1 or 2.All participants will be assessed 5 times during their 2-year follow-up period for growth and development, psychiatric, neurological and cardiovascular health. The primary outcome measure will be the height velocity SD score. Ethical approval for the study has been granted by the East of Scotland Research Ethics Service. Following this approval, patient information leaflets and consent forms were translated as necessary and submissions made by lead sites in each of the other 3 countries to their own ethics committees. Following ethical approval in each country, local ethical permissions at each site were sought and obtained as needed. The study's website (http://www.adhd-adduce.org/page/view/2/Home) provides information for researchers, participants and the general public. NCT01470261. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Implementing neural nets with programmable logic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vidal, Jacques J.

1988-01-01

Networks of Boolean programmable logic modules are presented as one purely digital class of artificial neural nets. The approach contrasts with the continuous analog framework usually suggested. Programmable logic networks are capable of handling many neural-net applications. They avoid some of the limitations of threshold logic networks and present distinct opportunities. The network nodes are called dynamically programmable logic modules. They can be implemented with digitally controlled demultiplexers. Each node performs a Boolean function of its inputs which can be dynamically assigned. The overall network is therefore a combinational circuit and its outputs are Boolean global functions of the network's input variables. The approach offers definite advantages for VLSI implementation, namely, a regular architecture with limited connectivity, simplicity of the control machinery, natural modularity, and the support of a mature technology.

Effects of Honours Programme Participation in Higher Education: A Propensity Score Matching Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kool, Ada; Mainhard, Tim; Jaarsma, Debbie; van Beukelen, Peter; Brekelmans, Mieke

2017-01-01

Honours programmes have become part of higher education systems around the globe, and an increasing number of students are enrolled in such programmes. So far, effects of these programmes are largely under-researched. Two gaps in previous research on the effects of such programmes were addressed: (1) most studies lack a comparable control group of…

Preparing the prescription: a review of the aim and measurement of social referral programmes.

PubMed

Rempel, Emily S; Wilson, Emma N; Durrant, Hannah; Barnett, Julie

2017-10-12

Our aim is to review, and qualitatively evaluate, the aims and measures of social referral programmes. Our first objective is to identify the aims of social referral initiatives. Our second objective is to identify the measures used to evaluate whether the aims of social referral were met. Literature review. Social referral programmes, also called social prescribing and emergency case referral, link primary and secondary healthcare with community services, often under the guise of decreasing health system costs. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we undertook a literature review to address that aim. We searched in five academic online databases and in one online non-academic search engine, including both academic and grey literature, for articles referring to 'social prescribing' or 'community referral'. We identified 41 relevant articles and reports. After extracting the aims, measures and type of study, we found that most social referral programmes aimed to address a wide variety of system and individual health problems. This included cost savings, resource reallocation and improved mental, physical and social well-being. Across the 41 studies and reports, there were 154 different kinds of measures or methods of evaluation identified. Of these, the most commonly used individual measure was the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, used in nine studies and reports. These inconsistencies in aims and measures used pose serious problems when social prescribing and other referral programmes are often advertised as a solution to health services-budgeting constraints, as well as a range of chronic mental and physical health conditions. We recommend researchers and local community organisers alike to critically evaluate for whom, where and why their social referral programmes 'work'. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Effects of a museum-based social prescription intervention on quantitative measures of psychological wellbeing in older adults.

PubMed

Thomson, Linda J; Lockyer, Bridget; Camic, Paul M; Chatterjee, Helen J

2018-01-01

To assess psychological wellbeing in a novel social prescription intervention for older adults called Museums on Prescription and to explore the extent of change over time in six self-rated emotions ('absorbed', 'active', 'cheerful', 'encouraged', 'enlightened' and 'inspired'). Participants ( n = 115) aged 65-94 years were referred to museum-based programmes comprising 10 weekly sessions, by healthcare and third sector organisations using inclusion criteria (e.g. socially isolated, able to give informed consent, not in employment, not regularly attending social or cultural activities) and exclusion criteria (e.g. unable to travel to the museum, unable to function in a group situation, unlikely to be able to attend all sessions, unable to take part in interviews and complete questionnaires). In a within-participants' design, the Museum Wellbeing Measure for Older Adults (MWM-OA) was administered pre-post session at start-, mid- and end-programme. A total of 12 programmes, facilitated by museum staff and volunteers, were conducted in seven museums in central London and across Kent. In addition to the quantitative measures, participants, carers where present, museum staff and researchers kept weekly diaries following guideline questions and took part in end-programme in-depth interviews. Multivariate analyses of variance showed significant participant improvements in all six MWM-OA emotions, pre-post session at start-, mid- and end-programme. Two emotions, 'absorbed' and 'enlightened', increased pre-post session disproportionately to the others; 'cheerful' attained the highest pre-post session scores whereas 'active' was consistently lowest. Museums can be instrumental in offering museum-based programmes for older adults to improve psychological wellbeing over time. Participants in the study experienced a sense of privilege, valued the opportunity to liaise with curators, visit parts of the museum closed to the public and handle objects normally behind glass. Participants appreciated opportunities afforded by creative and co-productive activities to acquire learning and skills, and get to know new people in a different context.

ESA SSA Programme in support of Space Weather forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luntama, J.; Glover, A.; Hilgers, A. M.

2010-12-01

In 2009 European Space Agency (ESA) started a new programme called Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Preparatory Programme. The objective of the programme is to support the European independent utilisation of and access to space research or services. This will be performed through providing timely and quality data, information, services and knowledge regarding the environment, the threats and the sustainable exploitation of the outer space surrounding the planet Earth. SSA serves the implementation of the strategic missions of the European Space Policy based on the peaceful uses of the outer space by all states, by supporting the autonomous capacity to securely and safely operate the critical European space infrastructures. The SSA Preparatory Program will establish the initial elements that will eventually lead into the full deployment of the European SSA services. The SWE Segment of the SSA will provide user services related to the monitoring of the Sun, the solar wind, the radiation belts, the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. These services will include near real time information and forecasts about the characteristics of the space environment and predictions of space weather impacts on sensitive spaceborne and ground based infrastructure. The SSA SWE system will also include establishment of a permanent database for analysis, model development and scientific research. These services are will support a wide variety of user domains including spacecraft designers, spacecraft operators, human space flights, users and operators of transionospheric radio links, and space weather research community. The precursor SWE services to be established starting in 2010 will include a selected subset of these services based on pre-existing space weather applications and services in Europe. This paper will present the key characteristics of the SSA SWE system that is currently being designed. The presentation will focus on the system characteristics that support space weather forecasting and the related services. The presentation will show results from the analysis of the existing European assets and the identified development needs in the mid and long term future to ensure forecasting capability for the services requested the by SSA SWE users. The analysis covers the future SSA SWE space segment and the service development needs for the ground segment.

[The progress in the rehabilitation of dysarthria in Parkinson disease using LSVT (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment)].

PubMed

Kamińska, Ilona; Zebryk-Stopa, Anna; Pruszewicz, Antoni; Dziubalska-Kołaczyk, Katarzyna; Połczyńska-Fiszer, Monika; Pietrala, Dawid; Przedpelska-Ober, Elzbieta

2007-01-01

Parkison's disease causes damage to the central nervous system resulting in bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, rest tremor and dysarthric speech. In clinical terms dysarthria denotes the dysfunction of articulation, phonation and respiration. It is brought about by the impairment of neural paths innervating the speech apparatus, thus causing a decreased ability to communicate. The study was conducted by the Center for Speech and Language Processing (CSLP), Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań and the Chair and Department of Phoniatrics and Audiology, the Medical University, Poznań within the interdisciplinary research project grant called "Speech and Language Virtual Therapist for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease". Apart from traditional voice and speech therapies, one of the ways of treating speech disturbances accompanying Parkinson's disease is an innovative Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT). The purpose of this innovative method introduced by dr L. Ramig and colleagues in 1987-1988, is to teach the patient to speak loud. As a result of co-operation between CLSP and the Center for Spoken Language Research (CSLR) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, USA, a Polish version of LSVT Virtual Therapist computer programme was created (LSVTVT). The programme is based on the principles of LSVT. The positive outcomes of the therapy give hope to Parkinson's disease patients with dysarthria, as well as to speech therapists.

Careers and people

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2008-04-01

Nuclear scientists needed The US is heading for a serious shortage of nuclear forensics experts, according to a new report by the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Nuclear forensics involves using sophisticated technology to analyse the nature, use and origin of nuclear materials, and is key to monitoring the illicit trade in and use of nuclear weapons. Currently there are fewer than 50 nuclear forensic scientists working in the US's network of national laboratories - not enough, the report claims, to deal with an emergency - and half of them are expected to retire within the next 15 years. As university programmes in radiochemistry and related subjects have been dwindling, there are not nearly enough young scientists to replenish the expertise pool. The report calls for a new programme to develop nuclear forensic scientists that would involve funding research at universities, launching graduate scholarships and fellowships, as well as setting up internships for young scientists at the labs where this work is carried out. Stimulating industrial support of faculty positions is also deemed important. Indeed, at least three or four new postdocs need to be hired into nuclear forensics every year for the next 10 years, the report says. It also recognizes that more research is needed to develop new lab and field equipment, and to create better numerical-simulation techniques.

PROGRAMMABLE DISPLAY PUSHBUTTON LEGEND EDITOR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busquets, A. M.

1994-01-01

The Programmable Display Pushbutton (PDP) is a pushbutton device available from Micro Switch which has a programmable 16 x 35 matrix of LEDs on the pushbutton surface. Any desired legends can be displayed on the PDPs, producing user-friendly applications which greatly reduce the need for dedicated manual controls. Because the PDP can interact with the operator, it can call for the correct response before transmitting its next message. It is both a simple manual control and a sophisticated programmable link between the operator and the host system. The Programmable Display Pushbutton Legend Editor, PDPE, is used to create the LED displays for the pushbuttons. PDPE encodes PDP control commands and legend data into message byte strings sent to a Logic Refresh and Control Unit (LRCU). The LRCU serves as the driver for a set of four PDPs. The legend editor (PDPE) transmits to the LRCU user specified commands that control what is displayed on the LED face of the individual pushbuttons. Upon receiving a command, the LRCU transmits an acknowledgement that the message was received and executed successfully. The user then observes the effect of the command on the PDP displays and decides whether or not to send the byte code of the message to a data file so that it may be called by an applications program. The PDPE program is written in FORTRAN for interactive execution. It was developed on a DEC VAX 11/780 under VMS. It has a central memory requirement of approximately 12800 bytes. It requires four Micro Switch PDPs and two RS-232 VAX 11/780 terminal ports. The PDPE program was developed in 1985.

Design and implementation of projects with Xilinx Zynq FPGA: a practical case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Travaglini, R.; D'Antone, I.; Meneghini, S.; Rignanese, L.; Zuffa, M.

The main advantage when using FPGAs with embedded processors is the availability of additional several high-performance resources in the same physical device. Moreover, the FPGA programmability allows for connect custom peripherals. Xilinx have designed a programmable device named Zynq-7000 (simply called Zynq in the following), which integrates programmable logic (identical to the other Xilinx "serie 7" devices) with a System on Chip (SOC) based on two embedded ARM processors. Since both parts are deeply connected, the designers benefit from performance of hardware SOC and flexibility of programmability as well. In this paper a design developed by the Electronic Design Department at the Bologna Division of INFN will be presented as a practical case of project based on Zynq device. It is developed by using a commercial board called ZedBoard hosting a FMC mezzanine with a 12-bit 500 MS/s ADC. The Zynq FPGA on the ZedBoard receives digital outputs from the ADC and send them to the acquisition PC, after proper formatting, through a Gigabit Ethernet link. The major focus of the paper will be about the methodology to develop a Zynq-based design with the Xilinx Vivado software, enlightening how to configure the SOC and connect it with the programmable logic. Firmware design techniques will be presented: in particular both VHDL and IP core based strategies will be discussed. Further, the procedure to develop software for the embedded processor will be presented. Finally, some debugging tools, like the embedded Logic Analyzer, will be shown. Advantages and disadvantages with respect to adopting FPGA without embedded processors will be discussed.

Innovative strategies for a successful SLMTA country programme: The Rwanda story

PubMed Central

Sebasirimu, Sabin; Gatabazi, John B.; Ruzindana, Emmanuel; Kayobotsi, Claver; Linde, Mary K.; Mazarati, Jean B.; Ntagwabira, Edouard; Serumondo, Janvier; Dahourou, Georges A.; Gatei, Wangeci; Muvunyi, Claude M.

2014-01-01

Background In 2009, to improve the performance of laboratories and strengthen healthcare systems, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) and partners launched two initiatives: a laboratory quality improvement programme called Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA), and what is now called the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA). Objectives This study describes the achievements of Rwandan laboratories four years after the introduction of SLMTA in the country, using the SLIPTA scoring system to measure laboratory progress. Methods Three cohorts of five laboratories each were enrolled in the SLMTA programme in 2010, 2011 and 2013. The cohorts used SLMTA workshops, improvement projects, mentorship and quarterly performance-based financing incentives to accelerate laboratory quality improvement. Baseline, exit and follow-up audits were conducted over a two-year period from the time of enrolment. Audit scores were used to categorise laboratory quality on a scale of zero (< 55%) to five (95% – 100%) stars. Results At baseline, 14 of the 15 laboratories received zero stars with the remaining laboratory receiving a two-star rating. At exit, five laboratories received one star, six received two stars and four received three stars. At the follow-up audit conducted in the first two cohorts approximately one year after exit, one laboratory scored two stars, five laboratories earned three stars and four laboratories, including the National Reference Laboratory, achieved four stars. Conclusion Rwandan laboratories enrolled in SLMTA showed improvement in quality management systems. Sustaining the gains and further expansion of the SLMTA programme to meet country targets will require continued programme strengthening. PMID:29043189

Minimal intervention delivered by 2-1-1 information and referral specialists promotes smoke-free homes among 2-1-1 callers: a Texas generalisation trial.

PubMed

Mullen, Patricia Dolan; Savas, Lara S; Bundy, Łucja T; Haardörfer, Regine; Hovell, Mel; Fernández, Maria E; Monroy, Jo Ann A; Williams, Rebecca S; Kreuter, Matthew W; Jobe, David; Kegler, Michelle C

2016-10-01

Replication of intervention research is reported infrequently, limiting what we know about external validity and generalisability. The Smoke Free Homes Program, a minimal intervention, increased home smoking bans by United Way 2-1-1 callers in randomised controlled trials in Atlanta, Georgia and North Carolina. Test the programme's generalisability-external validity in a different context. A randomised controlled trial (n=508) of English-speaking callers from smoking-discordant households (≥1 smoker and ≥1 non-smoker). 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE call specialists serving the Texas Gulf Coast recruited callers and delivered three mailings and one coaching call, supported by an online tracking system. Data collectors, blind to study assignment, conducted telephone interviews 3 and 6 months postbaseline. At 3 months, more intervention households reported a smoke-free home (46.6% vs 25.4%, p<0.0001; growth model intent-to-treat OR=1.48, 95% CI 1.241 to 1.772, p<0.0001). At 6 months, self-reported full bans were 62.9% for intervention participants and 38.4% for controls (OR=2.19). Texas trial participants were predominantly women (83%), single-smoker households (76%) and African-American (65%); half had incomes ≤US$10 000/year (50%). Texas recruitment was <50% of the other sites. Fewer callers reported having a smoker in the household. Almost twice the callers with a household smoker declined interest in the programme/study. Our findings in a region with lower smoking rates and more diverse callers, including English-speaking Latinos, support programme generalisability and convey evidence of external validity. Our recruitment experience indicates that site-specific adjustments might improve recruitment efficiency and reach. NCT02097914, Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Minimal intervention delivered by 2-1-1 information and referral specialists promotes smoke-free homes among 2-1-1 callers: a Texas generalisation trial

PubMed Central

Mullen, Patricia Dolan; Savas, Lara S; Bundy, Łucja T; Haardörfer, Regine; Hovell, Mel; Fernández, Maria E; Monroy, Jo Ann A; Williams, Rebecca S; Kreuter, Matthew W; Jobe, David; Kegler, Michelle C

2016-01-01

Background Replication of intervention research is reported infrequently, limiting what we know about external validity and generalisability. The Smoke Free Homes Program, a minimal intervention, increased home smoking bans by United Way 2-1-1 callers in randomised controlled trials in Atlanta, Georgia and North Carolina. Objective Test the programme's generalisability-external validity in a different context. Methods A randomised controlled trial (n=508) of English-speaking callers from smoking-discordant households (≥1 smoker and ≥1 non-smoker). 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE call specialists serving the Texas Gulf Coast recruited callers and delivered three mailings and one coaching call, supported by an online tracking system. Data collectors, blind to study assignment, conducted telephone interviews 3 and 6 months postbaseline. Results At 3 months, more intervention households reported a smoke-free home (46.6% vs 25.4%, p<0.0001; growth model intent-to-treat OR=1.48, 95% CI 1.241 to 1.772, p<0.0001). At 6 months, self-reported full bans were 62.9% for intervention participants and 38.4% for controls (OR=2.19). Texas trial participants were predominantly women (83%), single-smoker households (76%) and African-American (65%); half had incomes ≤US$10 000/year (50%). Texas recruitment was <50% of the other sites. Fewer callers reported having a smoker in the household. Almost twice the callers with a household smoker declined interest in the programme/study. Conclusions Our findings in a region with lower smoking rates and more diverse callers, including English-speaking Latinos, support programme generalisability and convey evidence of external validity. Our recruitment experience indicates that site-specific adjustments might improve recruitment efficiency and reach. Trial registration number NCT02097914, Results. PMID:27697943

ESF EUROCORES Programmes In Geosciences And Environmental Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, I. G.

2007-12-01

In close cooperation with its Member Organisations, the European Science Foundation (ESF) has launched since late 2003 a series of European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) Programmes. Their aim is to enable researchers in different European countries to develop cooperation and scientific synergy in areas where European scale and scope are required in a global context. The EUROCORES Scheme provides an open, flexible and transparent framework that allows national science funding and science performing agencies to join forces to support excellent European-led research, following a selection among many science-driven suggestions for new Programmes themes submitted by the scientific community. The EUROCORES instrument represents the first large scale attempt of national research (funding) agencies to act together against fragmentation, asynchronicity and duplication of research (funding) within Europe. There are presently 7 EUROCORES Programmes specifically dealing with cutting edge science in the fields of Earth, Climate and Environmental Sciences. The EUROCORES Programmes consist of a number of international, multidisciplinary collaborative research projects running for 3-4 years, selected through independent peer review. Under the overall responsibility of the participating funding agencies, those projects are coordinated and networked together through the scientific guidance of a Scientific Committee, with the support of a Programme Coordinator, responsible at ESF for providing planning, logistics, and the integration and dissemination of science. Strong links are aimed for with other major international programmes and initiatives worldwide. In this framework, linkage to IYPE would be of major interest for the scientific communities involved. Each Programme mobilises 5 to 13 million Euros in direct science funding from 9 to 27 national agencies from 8 to 20 countries. Additional funding for coordination, networking and dissemination is allocated by the ESF through these distinctive research initiatives, to build on the national research efforts and contribute to the capacity building, in relation with typically about 15-20 post-doc positions and/or PhD studentships supported nationally within each Programme. Typical networking activities are topical workshops, open sessions in a larger conference, Programme conference, (summer / winter) schools, exchange visits across projects or programmes. Overall, EUROCORES Programmes are supported by more than 60 national agencies from 30 countries and by the European Science Foundation (ESF) with support by the European Commission, DG Research (Sixth Framework Programme, contract ERAS-CT-2003-980409). In the framework of AGU, a series of present EUROCORES Programmes in the field of Geosciences and Environmental Sciences are presented (e.g., EuroDIVERSITY, EuroDEEP, EUROMARGINS, EuroCLIMATE, and EuroMinScI).

Careers and people

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-05-01

UK grants for 'world's best' students Up to 100 research students will have their fees and expenses part-funded by the UK government as part of a £2.5m scheme to attract talented students from around the world to UK universities. The Newton Scholarship programme will provide £25 000 each to 100 highly skilled candidates who wish to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK. With median annual tuition fees reaching £11 900 for overseas students on laboratory-based research courses in 2009, the new scholarships will not, however, cover the full cost of a PhD. Nevertheless, the director of the Russell Group of elite universities, Wendy Piatt, praised the scheme, calling it a "welcome initiative" in the face of "increasingly fierce global competition" for top students. The first Newton Scholars are expected to begin their studies in the autumn.

Bridging barriers to health promotion: a feasibility pilot study of the 'Promoting Aging Migrants' Capabilities study'.

PubMed

Lood, Qarin; Gustafsson, Susanne; Dahlin Ivanoff, Synneve

2015-08-01

Improving the possibilities for ageing persons to take control over their health is an increasingly important public health issue. Health promotion has previously been visualized to succeed with this goal, but research has primarily focused on ageing persons who are native-born, leaving the generalizability to persons who are foreign-born unexplored. Therefore, as part of the development of a larger health promotion initiative for ageing persons who have experienced migration, this study aimed to assess the feasibility of an adapted protocol. The specific feasibility objectives were to assess recruitment procedure, retention rates, study questionnaire administration and variability of collected data. Forty persons who were ≥70 years, and who had migrated from Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro or Serbia to Sweden were randomly allocated to a health promotion programme or a control group. The programme was linguistically adapted with regard to translated information material, bilingual health professionals and evaluators, and a person-centred approach was applied to both programme development and provision. The data analysis was explorative and descriptive. The results visualized structural and linguistic barriers to recruitment and study questionnaire administration, and describe strategies for how to bridge them. Retention rates and data variability were satisfying. Calling for iterative and pragmatic programme design, the findings describe how to move towards a more inclusive health care environment. Person-centred and bilingual approaches with attention to the possibilities for building authentic relationships between participants and providers are emphasized, and a structured methodology for developing study questionnaires is suggested. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Factors that Influence Students in Choosing Physics Programmes at University Level: the Case of Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meli, Kalliopi; Lavidas, Konstantinos; Koliopoulos, Dimitrios

2018-04-01

Low enrolment in undergraduate level physics programmes has drawn the attention of the relevant disciplines, education policy-makers, and researchers worldwide. Many reports released during the previous decades attempt to identify the factors that attract young people to study science, but only few of them focus explicitly on physics. In Greece, in contrast to many other countries, physics departments are overflowing with young students. However, there are two categories of students: those for whom physics was the optimal choice of a programme ("choosers") and those for whom physics was an alternative choice that they had to settle for. We suggest that the latter category be called "nearly-choosers," in order to be differentiated from choosers as well as from "non-choosers," namely those candidates that did not apply to a physics programme at all. We are interested in the factors that attract high school students to study physics and the differences (if any) between choosers and nearly-choosers. A newly formed questionnaire was distributed within a Greek physics department (University of Patras), and the students' responses (n = 105) were analysed with exploratory factor analysis and specifically principal component analysis so as to extract broad factors. Three broad factors have arisen: school-based, career, and informal learning. The first two factors proved to be motivating for pursuing a degree in physics, while the third factor appeared to have a rather indifferent association. t tests and Pearson correlations indicated mild differentiations between choosers and nearly-choosers that pertain to school-based influences and informal learning.

Knowledge and utilization of computer-software for statistics among Nigerian dentists.

PubMed

Chukwuneke, F N; Anyanechi, C E; Obiakor, A O; Amobi, O; Onyejiaka, N; Alamba, I

2013-01-01

The use of computer soft ware for generation of statistic analysis has transformed health information and data to simplest form in the areas of access, storage, retrieval and analysis in the field of research. This survey therefore was carried out to assess the level of knowledge and utilization of computer software for statistical analysis among dental researchers in eastern Nigeria. Questionnaires on the use of computer software for statistical analysis were randomly distributed to 65 practicing dental surgeons of above 5 years experience in the tertiary academic hospitals in eastern Nigeria. The focus was on: years of clinical experience; research work experience; knowledge and application of computer generated software for data processing and stastistical analysis. Sixty-two (62/65; 95.4%) of these questionnaires were returned anonymously, which were used in our data analysis. Twenty-nine (29/62; 46.8%) respondents fall within those with 5-10 years of clinical experience out of which none has completed the specialist training programme. Practitioners with above 10 years clinical experiences were 33 (33/62; 53.2%) out of which 15 (15/33; 45.5%) are specialists representing 24.2% (15/62) of the total number of respondents. All the 15 specialists are actively involved in research activities and only five (5/15; 33.3%) can utilize software statistical analysis unaided. This study has i dentified poor utilization of computer software for statistic analysis among dental researchers in eastern Nigeria. This is strongly associated with lack of exposure on the use of these software early enough especially during the undergraduate training. This call for introduction of computer training programme in dental curriculum to enable practitioners develops the attitude of using computer software for their research.

The maximum drag reduction asymptote

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choueiri, George H.; Hof, Bjorn

2015-11-01

Addition of long chain polymers is one of the most efficient ways to reduce the drag of turbulent flows. Already very low concentration of polymers can lead to a substantial drag and upon further increase of the concentration the drag reduces until it reaches an empirically found limit, the so called maximum drag reduction (MDR) asymptote, which is independent of the type of polymer used. We here carry out a detailed experimental study of the approach to this asymptote for pipe flow. Particular attention is paid to the recently observed state of elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT) which has been reported to occur in polymer solutions at sufficiently high shear. Our results show that upon the approach to MDR Newtonian turbulence becomes marginalized (hibernation) and eventually completely disappears and is replaced by EIT. In particular, spectra of high Reynolds number MDR flows are compared to flows at high shear rates in small diameter tubes where EIT is found at Re < 100. The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA grant agreement n° [291734].

A Discussion of Issues in Integrity Constraint Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fernandez, Francisco G.; Gates, Ann Q.; Cooke, Daniel E.

1998-01-01

In the development of large-scale software systems, analysts, designers, and programmers identify properties of data objects in the system. The ability to check those assertions during runtime is desirable as a means of verifying the integrity of the program. Typically, programmers ensure the satisfaction of such properties through the use of some form of manually embedded assertion check. The disadvantage to this approach is that these assertions become entangled within the program code. The goal of the research is to develop an integrity constraint monitoring mechanism whereby a repository of software system properties (called integrity constraints) are automatically inserted into the program by the mechanism to check for incorrect program behaviors. Such a mechanism would overcome many of the deficiencies of manually embedded assertion checks. This paper gives an overview of the preliminary work performed toward this goal. The manual instrumentation of constraint checking on a series of test programs is discussed, This review then is used as the basis for a discussion of issues to be considered in developing an automated integrity constraint monitor.

Measuring interdisciplinary research and education outcomes in the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2015-04-01

The interdisciplinary postgraduate research and education programme - the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems - was initiated in 2009. To date, 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members have been engaged in the Programme, from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). The Programme aims to develop research students with the capacity to work across the disciplines, to conduct cutting edge research and foster an international perspective. To do this, a variety of mechanisms are adopted that include research cluster groups, joint study sites, joint supervision, a basic study programme and a research semester abroad. The Programme offers a unique case study to explore if and how these mechanisms lead to research and education outcomes. Outcomes are grouped according to whether they are tangible (publications with co-authors from more than one research field, analysis of graduate profiles and career destinations) or non-tangible (interaction between researchers, networks and trust). A mixed methods approach that includes bibliometric analysis combined with interviews with students is applied. Bibliometric analysis shows that as the Programme has evolved the amount of multi-disciplinary work has increased (32% of the 203 full papers produced by the programme's researchers have authors from more than one research field). Network analysis to explore which research fields collaborate most frequently show that hydrology plays a significant role and has collaborated with seven of the ten research fields. Hydrology researchers seem to interact the most strongly with other research fields as they contribute understanding on water system processes. Network analysis to explore which individuals collaborate shows that much joint work takes place through the five research cluster groups (water resource management, land-surface processes, Hydrological Open Air Laboratory, water and health, modelling and risk). Student interviews highlight that trust between colleagues and supervisors, and the role of spaces for interaction (joint study sites, cluster group meetings, shared offices etc.) are important for joint work. Graduate analysis shows that students develop skills and confidence to work across disciplines through collaborating on their doctoral research. Working collaboratively during the doctorate appears to be strongly correlated with continuing to work in this way after graduation.

Wine biotechnology in South Africa: towards a systems approach to wine science.

PubMed

Moore, John P; Divol, Benoit; Young, Philip R; Nieuwoudt, Hélène H; Ramburan, Viresh; du Toit, Maret; Bauer, Florian F; Vivier, Melané A

2008-11-01

The wine industry in South Africa is over three centuries old and over the last decade has reemerged as a significant competitor in world wine markets. The Institute for Wine Biotechnology (IWBT) was established in partnership with the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University to foster basic fundamental research in the wine sciences leading to applications in the broader wine and grapevine industries. This review focuses on the different research programmes of the Institute (grapevine, yeast and bacteria biotechnology programmes, and chemical-analytical research), commercialisation activities (SunBio) and new initiatives to integrate the various research disciplines. An important focus of future research is the Wine Science Research Niche Area programme, which connects the different research thrusts of the IWBT and of several research partners in viticulture, oenology, food science and chemistry. This 'Functional Wine-omics' programme uses a systems biology approach to wine-related organisms. The data generated within the programme will be integrated with other data sets from viticulture, oenology, analytical chemistry and the sensory sciences through chemometrics and other statistical tools. The aim of the programme is to model aspects of the wine making process, from the vineyard to the finished product.

DNA "nano-claw": logic-based autonomous cancer targeting and therapy.

PubMed

You, Mingxu; Peng, Lu; Shao, Na; Zhang, Liqin; Qiu, Liping; Cui, Cheng; Tan, Weihong

2014-01-29

Cell types, both healthy and diseased, can be classified by inventories of their cell-surface markers. Programmable analysis of multiple markers would enable clinicians to develop a comprehensive disease profile, leading to more accurate diagnosis and intervention. As a first step to accomplish this, we have designed a DNA-based device, called "Nano-Claw". Combining the special structure-switching properties of DNA aptamers with toehold-mediated strand displacement reactions, this claw is capable of performing autonomous logic-based analysis of multiple cancer cell-surface markers and, in response, producing a diagnostic signal and/or targeted photodynamic therapy. We anticipate that this design can be widely applied in facilitating basic biomedical research, accurate disease diagnosis, and effective therapy.

Preventing deaths and injuries from house fires: an outcome evaluation of a community-based smoke alarm installation programme.

PubMed

Istre, Gregory R; McCoy, Mary A; Moore, Billy J; Roper, Carey; Stephens-Stidham, Shelli; Barnard, Jeffrey J; Carlin, Debra K; Stowe, Martha; Anderson, Ron J

2014-04-01

Few studies have examined the impact of community-based smoke alarm (SA) distribution programmes on the occurrence of house fire-related deaths and injuries (HF-D/I). To determine whether the rate of HF-D/I differed for programme houses that had a SA installed through a community-based programme called Operation Installation, versus non-programme houses in the same census tracts that had not received such a SA. Teams of volunteers and firefighters canvassed houses in 36 high-risk target census tracts in Dallas, TX, between April 2001 and April 2011, and installed lithium-powered SAs in houses where residents were present and gave permission. We then followed incidence of HF-D/I among residents of the 8134 programme houses versus the 24 346 non-programme houses. After a mean of 5.2 years of follow-up, the unadjusted HF-D/I rate was 68% lower among residents of programme houses versus non-programme houses (3.1 vs 9.6 per 100 000 population, respectively; rate ratio, 0.32; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.84). Multivariate analysis including several demographic variables showed that the adjusted HF-D/I rate in programme houses was 63% lower than non-programme houses. The programme was most effective in the first 5 years after SA installation, with declining difference in rates after the 6th year, probably due to SAs becoming non-functional during that time. This collaborative, community-based SA installation programme was effective at preventing deaths and injuries from house fires, but the duration of effectiveness was less than 10 years.

[How can institutional structures make clinical research in France more operational?].

PubMed

Funck-Brentano, C; Brouard, R

The laws regulating the practice of clinical research in France, in particular the law of 20 December 1988, the so-called Huriet's law, constitute a major advance for medical progress. However, their implementation by administrative offices generates practical difficulties which impair the development of applied research in human beings. Beyond the laws themselves, it appears that our institutions are unprepared to optimize the conduct of such research. This round table sought to list the existing problems and to propose constructive solutions or objectives to be reached to optimize clinical research in France, with a view to improving French participation in international collaborative programmes, notably European ones. Evaluation of projects and practices, financial support and accounting, and some aspects of existing laws have been identified as the major sources of our difficulties. Harmonization and clarification of our procedures as well as improvement of training should be our primary objectives to achieve a higher level of medical, scientific, financial and administrative quality in the conduct of clinical research. Creation of a referential Web site, designed and updated by a central public organization, is an imperative step towards reaching these objectives.

The Night Sky, The Forgotten Nature: Uncovering the Impact of One Television Programme on Astronomy Communication in Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazemi, P.

2017-09-01

In 2001, two brothers known as the Saffarianpour brothers started a television programme on Iranian state television called Aseman-e-shab (The Night Sky). The programme, which explores astronomy and space science, became one of the longest-running television shows in the history of Iranian television and played a major role in the public communication of science and astronomy. It inspired many of the next generation of Iranian scientists and astronomers and played a key role in the advancement of science journalism and science communication in Iranian media. This article outlines a brief history of the show and its producer and describes the role they played in Iranian society.

The role of small satellites in the development of the South African space programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Peter

In the 1990s a team of scientists and engineers at Stellenbosch University built the first South African satellite to fly in space, the 64-kg Sunsat. This university-based satellite programme took advantage of the skills and facilities developed in the previous South African space programme of the 1980s and early 1990s, which had developed a much larger satellite (Greensat), but was cancelled in the mid-1990s prior to launch. Sunsat incorporated a number of novel capabilities for a microsatellite platform, and interest was shown in these technologies by other groups developing similar satellites. As the University was not the ideal environment to develop the commercial potential of these microsatellite technologies, a company called Sunspace was later established, thus creating industrial capacity in South Africa in a niche area of space technology. This new industrial capability, together with the infrastructure from the previous space programme, have created a foundation upon which to build the new South African space programme. This paper discusses the historical, current and possible future roles of small satellites in the development of the South African space programme.

16 CFR 1211.8 - Secondary entrapment protection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... device shall comply with the Standard for Safety for Software in Programmable Components, UL 1998, Second... on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov...

16 CFR 1211.8 - Secondary entrapment protection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... device shall comply with the Standard for Safety for Software in Programmable Components, UL 1998, Second... on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov...

16 CFR 1211.8 - Secondary entrapment protection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... device shall comply with the Standard for Safety for Software in Programmable Components, UL 1998, Second... on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov...

16 CFR 1211.8 - Secondary entrapment protection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... device shall comply with the Standard for Safety for Software in Programmable Components, UL 1998, Second... on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov...

Evaluating the Success of a Science Academic Development Programme at a Research-Intensive University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelbrecht, Johann; Harding, Ansie; Potgieter, Marietjie

2014-01-01

Academic development (AD) programmes for students not complying with the entrance requirements of mainstream programmes in science have been running at a number of universities in South Africa. In this study we contribute to the debate on criteria for the success of AD programmes, specifically in the context of research-intensive universities in…

Pre-market version of a commercially available hearing instrument with a tinnitus sound generator: feasibility of evaluation in a clinical trial.

PubMed

Sereda, Magdalena; Davies, Jeff; Hall, Deborah A

2017-04-01

This report considers feasibility of conducting a UK trial of combination devices for tinnitus, using data from the study which evaluated different listener programmes available within the pre-market version of Oticon Alta with Tinnitus Sound Generator. Open and closed questions addressed the following feasibility issues: (1) Participant recruitment; (2) Device acceptability; (3) Programme preferences in different self-nominated listening situations; (4) Usability; (5) Compliance; (6) Adverse events. Eight current combination hearing aid users (all males) aged between 62-72 years (mean age 67.25 years, SD = 3.8). All eight participants reported the physical aspects and noise options on the experimental device to be acceptable. Programmes with amplification and masking features were equally preferred over the basic amplification-only programme. Individual preferences for the different programme options varied widely, both across participants and across listening situations. A set of recommendations for future trials were formulated which calls for more "real world" trial design rather than tightly controlling the fitting procedure.

Co-producing public involvement training with members of the public and research organisations in the East Midlands: creating, delivering and evaluating the lay assessor training programme.

PubMed

Horobin, Adele; Brown, George; Higton, Fred; Vanhegan, Stevie; Wragg, Andrew; Wray, Paula; Walker, Dawn-Marie

2017-01-01

Members of the public share their views with researchers to improve health and social care research. Lay assessing is one way of doing this. This is where people, drawing upon personal and general life experience, comment on material, such as grant applications and patient information, to highlight strengths and weaknesses and to suggest improvements. This paper reports on setting up a training programme for lay assessors. Meetings were held between interested public and staff from research organisations. People discussed what lay assessing is, why they want to do it, skills and support needed and if training was wanted. They were invited to form a group to develop the training together. Training was delivered in the East Midlands. People who attended gave their thoughts about it by completing questionnaires and joining a feedback event. The group developed the structure of the training programme together and it oversaw the development of the training content by individual members. People who attended training reported feeling more confident about lay assessing. This was particularly so for those who had not done lay assessing before. They indicated how valuable it was to talk with others at the training. Our findings support the National Institute for Health Research recommendations for improving learning and development for public involvement in research. This project has created a solid base for local research organisations to work together in public involvement training. Lay assessor training is now part of a wider programme of shared resources called the Sharebank. Background Involving members of the public in research can improve its quality and incorporate the needs and views of patients. One method for doing this is lay assessing, where members of the public are consulted to improve research materials. This paper documents the establishment of a pilot training programme for lay assessors. It describes a way of working that embodies a regional, cross-organisational approach to co-producing training with members of the public. Methods Open meetings, led by AH, were held for existing and aspiring lay assessors to define lay assessing, motivations for doing it, skills required, associated learning and development needs, and to gauge interest for training. Those who attended meetings, including members of the public and staff, were invited to form a working group to co-produce the training programme. Training was delivered in modules at two centres in the East Midlands and evaluated through participant feedback at the end of each module and at an evaluation event. Feedback was through a mix of Likert scale scoring, open text and verbal responses. Results Discussions from the open meetings informed the development of the training by the working group. Led by AH, the working group, as a whole, co-produced the structure and format of the training and oversaw training content development by individuals within the group. Training was well-received by participants. Feedback through Likert scoring ( n  = 14) indicated higher feelings of confidence in knowledge of relevant subject matter and in fulfilling the lay assessor role, particularly amongst those who had not done lay assessing before. Opportunities that the training afforded for interaction between participants - sharing of varied experiences and knowledge - and a 'learn by doing' approach was of particular value, as indicated by 10 responses to open-ended questions. Conclusions This project has created a solid foundation for collaboration between research organisations in the East Midlands in devising and delivering training in public involvement together. Our evaluation provides evidence in support of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) recommendations on principles for learning and development for public involvement in research.

Costs and outcomes of an intervention programme for offenders with personality disorders.

PubMed

Barrett, Barbara; Byford, Sarah

2012-04-01

The dangerous severe personality disorder programme was developed in high secure prisons and hospitals at great expense to identify and treat the most dangerous offenders with personality disorders. To evaluate whether the long-term costs of the programme are greater or less than the long-term outcomes. We used a Markov decision model with a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the incremental cost of the programme per serious offence prevented and a cost-offset analysis to consider whether monetary benefits were greater than costs. Costs were consistently higher for the intervention programme and the cost per serious offence prevented was over £2 million, although there was some evidence that adjustments to the programme could lead to similar interventions becoming cost-effective. Little evidence was found to support the cost-effectiveness of the intervention programme for offenders with personality disorders, although delivery of the programme in a lower-cost prison would probably yield greater benefits than costs. There are frequent calls for mentally disordered offenders to be detained in secure hospitals rather than prisons; however, if reoffending remains the outcome of interest for policy makers, it is likely that the costs of detention in hospital will remain greater than the benefits for dangerous offenders with a personality disorder.

Building capacity for medical education research in family medicine: the Program for Innovation in Medical Education (PIME).

PubMed

Archibald, Douglas; Hogg, William; Lemelin, Jacques; Dahrouge, Simone; St Jean, Mireille; Boucher, François

2017-10-23

Despite the apparent benefits to teaching, many faculty members are reluctant to participate in medical education research (MER) for a variety of reasons. In addition to the further demand on their time, physicians often lack the confidence to initiate MER projects and require more support in the form of funding, structure and guidance. These obstacles have contributed to a decline in physician participation in MER as well as to a perceived decay in its quality. As a countermeasure to encourage physicians to undertake research, the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa implemented a programme in which physicians receive the funding, coaching and support staff necessary to complete a 2-year research project. The programme is intended primarily for first-time researchers and is meant to serve as a gateway to a research career funded by external grants. Since its inception in 2010, the Program for Innovation in Medical Education (PIME) has supported 16 new clinician investigators across 14 projects. We performed a programme evaluation 3 years after the programme launched to assess its utility to participants. This evaluation employed semi-structured interviews with physicians who performed a research project within the programme. Programme participants stated that their confidence in conducting research had improved and that they felt well supported throughout their project. They appreciated the collaborative nature of the programme and remarked that it had improved their willingness to solicit the expertise of others. Finally, the programme allowed participants to develop in the scholarly role expected by family physicians in Canada. The PIME may serve as a helpful model for institutions seeking to engage faculty physicians in Medical Education Research and to thereby enhance the teaching received by their medical learners.

Monitoring the efficacy of drugs for neglected tropical diseases controlled by preventive chemotherapy.

PubMed

Albonico, M; Levecke, B; LoVerde, P T; Montresor, A; Prichard, R; Vercruysse, J; Webster, J P

2015-12-01

In the last decade, pharmaceutical companies, governments and global health organisations under the leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) have pledged large-scale donations of anthelmintic drugs, including ivermectin (IVM), praziquantel (PZQ), albendazole (ALB) and mebendazole (MEB). This worldwide scale-up in drug donations calls for strong monitoring systems to detect any changes in anthelmintic drug efficacy. This review reports on the outcome of the WHO Global Working Group on Monitoring of Neglected Tropical Diseases Drug Efficacy, which consists of three subgroups: (i) soil-transmitted helminthiases (ALB and MEB); (ii) onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis (IVM); and (iii) schistosomiasis (PZQ). Progress of ongoing work, challenges and research needs for each of the four main drugs used in helminthic preventive chemotherapy (PC) are reported, laying the ground for appropriate implementation of drug efficacy monitoring programmes under the co-ordination and guidelines of the WHO. Best practices for monitoring drug efficacy should be made available and capacity built as an integral part of neglected tropical disease (NTD) programme monitoring. Development of a disease-specific model to predict the impact of PC programmes, to detect outliers and to solicit responses is essential. Research studies on genetic polymorphisms in relation to low-efficacy phenotypes should be carried out to identify markers of putative resistance against all NTD drugs and ultimately to develop diagnostic assays. Development of combination and co-administration of NTD drugs as well as of new drug entities to boost the armamentarium of the few drugs available for NTD control and elimination should be pursued in parallel. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Countering the demand for, and supply of, illicit tobacco: an assessment of the 'North of England Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health' Programme.

PubMed

McNeill, Ann; Iringe-Koko, Belinda; Bains, Manpreet; Bauld, Linda; Siggens, Geoffrey; Russell, Andrew

2014-05-01

Illicit tobacco (IT) undermines the effectiveness of tobacco control strategies. We assessed the implementation and impact of a new programme designed to reduce demand for, as well as supply of, IT, in the north of England, where IT was prevalent. 'Mixed methods' research was undertaken. Qualitative methods included stakeholder interviews (at outset and 1 year later) and ethnographic research. Indicators reflecting those supply and demand issues for which data were available were identified and monitored, including relevant items on two cross-sectional surveys carried out in 2009 and 2011 with over 4000 individuals from which a social marketing campaign was also developed. IT reports to two existing hotlines, promoted through the programme, were assessed. Initially, concerns abounded about the different philosophies and ways of working of local and national enforcement and health agencies, but these were much reduced at follow-up. A protocol was developed which greatly facilitated the flow of intelligence about IT supply. A social marketing campaign was developed highlighting two messages: IT makes it easier for children to start smoking and brings crime into the community, thereby avoiding misleading messages about relative harms of illicit and licit tobacco. Public and stakeholder awareness of IT increased as did calls to both hotlines. A partnership of agencies, with competing values, was established to tackle IT, a complex public health issue and, inter alia, implemented a social marketing campaign using novel messages. This improved the flow of intelligence about the supply of IT and increased awareness of IT. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A systematic narrative review of consumer-directed care for older people: implications for model development.

PubMed

Ottmann, Goetz; Allen, Jacqui; Feldman, Peter

2013-11-01

Consumer-directed care is increasingly becoming a mainstream option in community-based aged care. However, a systematic review describing how the current evaluation research translates into practise has not been published to date. This review aimed to systematically establish an evidence base of user preferences for and satisfaction with services associated with consumer-directed care programmes for older people. Twelve databases were searched, including MedLine, BioMed Central, Cinahl, Expanded Academic ASAP, PsychInfo, ProQuest, Age Line, Science Direct, Social Citation Index, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Google Scholar and Google were also searched. Eligible studies were those reporting on choice, user preferences and service satisfaction outcomes regarding a programme or model of home-based care in the United States or United Kingdom. This systematic narrative review retrieved literature published from January 1992 to August 2011. A total of 277 references were identified. Of these 17 met the selection criteria and were reviewed. Findings indicate that older people report varying preferences for consumer-directed care with some demonstrating limited interest. Clients and carers reported good service satisfaction. However, research comparing user preferences across countries or investigating how ecological factors shape user preferences has received limited attention. Policy-makers and practitioners need to carefully consider the diverse contexts, needs and preferences of older adults in adopting consumer-directed care approaches in community aged care. The review calls for the development of consumer-directed care programmes offering a broad range of options that allow for personalisation and greater control over services without necessarily transferring the responsibility for administrative responsibilities to service users. Review findings suggest that consumer-directed care approaches have the potential to empower older people. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Countering the demand for, and supply of, illicit tobacco: an assessment of the ‘North of England Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health’ Programme

PubMed Central

McNeill, Ann; Iringe-Koko, Belinda; Bains, Manpreet; Bauld, Linda; Siggens, Geoffrey; Russell, Andrew

2014-01-01

Background Illicit tobacco (IT) undermines the effectiveness of tobacco control strategies. We assessed the implementation and impact of a new programme designed to reduce demand for, as well as supply of, IT, in the north of England, where IT was prevalent. Methods ‘Mixed methods’ research was undertaken. Qualitative methods included stakeholder interviews (at outset and 1 year later) and ethnographic research. Indicators reflecting those supply and demand issues for which data were available were identified and monitored, including relevant items on two cross-sectional surveys carried out in 2009 and 2011 with over 4000 individuals from which a social marketing campaign was also developed. IT reports to two existing hotlines, promoted through the programme, were assessed. Results Initially, concerns abounded about the different philosophies and ways of working of local and national enforcement and health agencies, but these were much reduced at follow-up. A protocol was developed which greatly facilitated the flow of intelligence about IT supply. A social marketing campaign was developed highlighting two messages: IT makes it easier for children to start smoking and brings crime into the community, thereby avoiding misleading messages about relative harms of illicit and licit tobacco. Public and stakeholder awareness of IT increased as did calls to both hotlines. Conclusions A partnership of agencies, with competing values, was established to tackle IT, a complex public health issue and, inter alia, implemented a social marketing campaign using novel messages. This improved the flow of intelligence about the supply of IT and increased awareness of IT. PMID:23958644

Transforming research for food and health in Europe.

PubMed

McCarthy, M

2012-10-01

Eating causes up to a quarter of premature deaths from chronic diseases in Europe through poor diet and excess consumption. FAHRE (Food and Health Research in Europe) was funded to determine needs and gaps in research structures and programmes. Most food research links towards agriculture and the environmental sciences, whereas most health research links towards clinical diseases, biochemical pathways and biology. Research on food and health together includes food safety research addressing biological and chemical contaminants, and biotechnology research supporting clinical nutrition. Research for healthy eating must draw on social and behavioural sciences for studies of policy, regulation and interventions. The food industry, across production, retail and catering, must be part of the research programme, and civil society. Better coordination and improved levels of funding are needed in the coming European research programme 'Horizon 2020', and national programmes linked in the Joint Programming Initiative. Transforming the research agenda can give great benefits to Europe's citizens.

RACER: Effective Race Detection Using AspectJ

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodden, Eric; Havelund, Klaus

2008-01-01

The limits of coding with joint constraints on detected and undetected error rates Programming errors occur frequently in large software systems, and even more so if these systems are concurrent. In the past, researchers have developed specialized programs to aid programmers detecting concurrent programming errors such as deadlocks, livelocks, starvation and data races. In this work we propose a language extension to the aspect-oriented programming language AspectJ, in the form of three new built-in pointcuts, lock(), unlock() and may be Shared(), which allow programmers to monitor program events where locks are granted or handed back, and where values are accessed that may be shared amongst multiple Java threads. We decide thread-locality using a static thread-local objects analysis developed by others. Using the three new primitive pointcuts, researchers can directly implement efficient monitoring algorithms to detect concurrent programming errors online. As an example, we expose a new algorithm which we call RACER, an adoption of the well-known ERASER algorithm to the memory model of Java. We implemented the new pointcuts as an extension to the Aspect Bench Compiler, implemented the RACER algorithm using this language extension and then applied the algorithm to the NASA K9 Rover Executive. Our experiments proved our implementation very effective. In the Rover Executive RACER finds 70 data races. Only one of these races was previously known.We further applied the algorithm to two other multi-threaded programs written by Computer Science researchers, in which we found races as well.

Hydrogel research in Germany: the priority programme, Intelligent Hydrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallmersperger, Thomas; Sadowski, Gabriele

2009-03-01

The priority programme "Intelligent Hydrogels" was established by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in 2006 in order to strengthen the hydrogel-related research in Germany. The programme is being coordinated by Gabriele Sadowski, Technische Universität Dortmund. The aim of this priority programme is to develop new methods for the synthesis and characterization of smart hydrogels and to develop new modelling strategies in order to a) prepare the hydrogels for special applications and/or b) to develop and extend their capabilities for any desired use. In this programme, 73 scientists (36 professors and 37 scientific assistants/PhD students) from all over Germany are involved, working in 23 projects.

East Europe Report, Science and Technology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-02

modules. The form of network call-up which the programmer can use depends on the source language. These can be actual calls, stored segments or systemic...view of the ever increasing problems, shortages and prices of paper, some Japanese specialists predict that books of the future will not be printed on...Key: 1. Material being measured 2. Radiation source The use of nucleonics in medicine refers to a wide field of applications for diagnosis and

Exploring the experience of an enhanced recovery programme for gynaecological cancer patients: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Archer, Stephanie; Montague, Jane; Bali, Anish

2014-04-04

Perioperative enhanced recovery programmes (ERPs), identified as initiatives that improve care and save money, have been adopted by NHS Improvement and are currently being rolled out across many surgical departments within the NHS. To date, five papers have specifically explored patients' experiences of ERPs; none, however, has explored the gynaecological cancer patient experience. In total, 14 women (mean age, 66 years) participated in an audio-recorded face-to-face or telephone interview in which they discussed their experience of taking part in an ERP. The resulting data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Two main themes emerged from the analysis. The first, 'Taking part in the programme', highlights two important aspects of the ERP: being given an opportunity to receive information and, following this, to build knowledge about the programme. The theme also explores the challenges associated with the programme, particularly around getting mobile and complying with its demands - the women report experiencing a constant battle between intuition and instruction. The second theme, 'Home', focuses on the role home plays in motivating the patients to aim for an early discharge from hospital. Patients describe their need to return to a suitable home and the need for support from others. They also discuss the importance of the follow-up phone call. Overall, the patients in this study positively assessed the individual aspects of the ERP, in particular, information resources, the availability of the physiotherapist and the delivery of follow-up phone calls. These findings highlight the importance of developing and maintaining individual aspects of ERPs over time, to ensure their sensitivity and responsiveness to patient needs.

Outreach programmes to attract girls into computing: how the best laid plans can sometimes fail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Catherine; Fisher, Julie; Craig, Annemieke; Forgasz, Helen

2015-07-01

This article presents a reflective analysis of an outreach programme called the Digital Divas Club. This curriculum-based programme was delivered in Australian schools with the aim of stimulating junior and middle school girls' interest in computing courses and careers. We believed that we had developed a strong intervention programme based on previous literature and our collective knowledge and experiences. While it was coordinated by university academics, the programme content was jointly created and modified by practicing school teachers. After four years, when the final data were compiled, it showed that our programme produced significant change to student confidence in computing, but the ability to influence a desire to pursue a career path in computing did not fully eventuate. To gain a deeper insight in to why this may be the case, data collected from two of the schools are interrogated in more detail as described in this article. These schools were at the end of the expected programme outcomes. We found that despite designing a programme that delivered a multi-layered positive computing experience, factors beyond our control such as school culture and teacher technical self-efficacy help account for the unanticipated results. Despite our best laid plans, the expectations that this semester long programme would influence students' longer term career outcomes may have been aspirational at best.

Research Capacity Strengthening in Low and Middle Income Countries - An Evaluation of the WHO/TDR Career Development Fellowship Programme.

PubMed

Käser, Michael; Maure, Christine; Halpaap, Beatrice M M; Vahedi, Mahnaz; Yamaka, Sara; Launois, Pascal; Casamitjana, Núria

2016-05-01

Between August 2012 and April 2013 the Career Development Fellowship programme of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (World Health Organization) underwent an external evaluation to assess its past performance and determine recommendations for future programme development and continuous performance improvement. The programme provides a year-long training experience for qualified researchers from low and middle income countries at pharmaceutical companies or product development partnerships. Independent evaluators from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health used a results-based methodology to review the programme. Data were gathered through document review, surveys, and interviews with a range of programme participants. The final evaluation report found the Career Development Fellowship to be relevant to organizers' and programme objectives, efficient in its operations, and effective in its training scheme, which was found to address needs and gaps for both fellows and their home institutions. Evaluators found that the programme has the potential for impact and sustainability beyond the programme period, especially with the successful reintegration of fellows into their home institutions, through which newly-developed skills can be shared at the institutional level. Recommendations included the development of a scheme to support the re-integration of fellows into their home institutions post-fellowship and to seek partnerships to facilitate the scaling-up of the programme. The impact of the Professional Membership Scheme, an online professional development tool launched through the programme, beyond the scope of the Career Development Fellowship programme itself to other applications, has been identified as a positive unintended outcome. The results of this evaluation may be of interest for other efforts in the field of research capacity strengthening in LMICs or, generally, to other professional development schemes of a similar structure.

Evaluation of a structured goal planning and tailored follow-up programme in rehabilitation for patients with rheumatic diseases: protocol for a pragmatic, stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Comprehensive rehabilitation, involving health professionals from various disciplines, is widely used as an adjunct to pharmacological and surgical treatment in people with rheumatic diseases. However, the evidence for the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of such interventions is limited, and the majority of those who receive rehabilitation are back to their initial health status six to 12 months after discharge. Methods/design To evaluate the goal attainment, health effects and cost-effectiveness of a new rehabilitation programme compared to current traditional rehabilitation programmes for people with rheumatic diseases, a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial will be performed. Patients admitted for rehabilitation at six centres in the south-eastern part of Norway will be invited to participate. In the trial, six participating centres will switch from a control (current rehabilitation programme) to an intervention phase (the new rehabilitation programme) in a randomized order. Supported by recent research, the new programme will be a supplement to the existing programme at each centre, and will comprise four elements designed to enhance and support lifestyle changes introduced in the rehabilitation period: structured goal-planning, motivational interviewing, a self-help booklet and four follow-up telephone calls during the first five months following discharge. The primary outcome will be health-related quality of life and goal attainment, as measured by the Patient Generated Index directly before and after the rehabilitation stay, as well as after six and 12 months. Secondary outcomes will include self-reported pain, fatigue, a global assessment of disease activity and motivation for change (measured on 11-point numeric ratings scales), health-related quality of life as measured by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and utility assessed by the SF6D utility index. The main analysis will be on an intention to treat basis and will assess the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the structured goal planning and tailored follow-up rehabilitation programme for patients with rheumatic diseases. Discussion The findings will constitute an important contribution to more cost-effective- and evidence-based rehabilitation services for people with rheumatic diseases. Trial registration ISRCTN91433175. PMID:24886382

An international survey of cerebral palsy registers and surveillance systems

PubMed Central

Goldsmith, Shona; McIntyre, Sarah; Smithers-Sheedy, Hayley; Blair, Eve; Cans, Christine; Watson, Linda; Yeargin-Allsopp, Marshalyn

2016-01-01

AIM To describe cerebral palsy (CP) surveillance programmes and identify similarities and differences in governance and funding, aims and scope, definition, inclusion/exclusion criteria, ascertainment and data collection, to enhance the potential for research collaboration. METHOD Representatives from 38 CP surveillance programmes were invited to participate in an online survey and submit their data collection forms. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize information submitted. RESULTS Twenty-seven surveillance programmes participated (25 functioning registers, two closed owing to lack of funding). Their aims spanned five domains: resource for CP research, surveillance, aetiology/prevention, service planning, and information provision (in descending order of frequency). Published definitions guided decision making for the definition of CP and case eligibility for most programmes. Consent, case identification, and data collection methods varied widely. Ten key data items were collected by all programmes and a further seven by at least 80% of programmes. All programmes reported an interest in research collaboration. INTERPRETATION Despite variability in methodologies, similarities exist across programmes in terms of their aims, definitions, and data collected. These findings will facilitate harmonization of data and collaborative research efforts, which are so necessary on account of the heterogeneity and relatively low prevalence of CP. PMID:26781543

16 CFR § 1211.8 - Secondary entrapment protection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... device shall comply with the Standard for Safety for Software in Programmable Components, UL 1998, Second... on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov...

A new framework for designing programmes of assessment

PubMed Central

Van der Vleuten, C. P. M.; Schuwirth, L. W. T.

2009-01-01

Research on assessment in medical education has strongly focused on individual measurement instruments and their psychometric quality. Without detracting from the value of this research, such an approach is not sufficient to high quality assessment of competence as a whole. A programmatic approach is advocated which presupposes criteria for designing comprehensive assessment programmes and for assuring their quality. The paucity of research with relevance to programmatic assessment, and especially its development, prompted us to embark on a research project to develop design principles for programmes of assessment. We conducted focus group interviews to explore the experiences and views of nine assessment experts concerning good practices and new ideas about theoretical and practical issues in programmes of assessment. The discussion was analysed, mapping all aspects relevant for design onto a framework, which was iteratively adjusted to fit the data until saturation was reached. The overarching framework for designing programmes of assessment consists of six assessment programme dimensions: Goals, Programme in Action, Support, Documenting, Improving and Accounting. The model described in this paper can help to frame programmes of assessment; it not only provides a common language, but also a comprehensive picture of the dimensions to be covered when formulating design principles. It helps identifying areas concerning assessment in which ample research and development has been done. But, more importantly, it also helps to detect underserved areas. A guiding principle in design of assessment programmes is fitness for purpose. High quality assessment can only be defined in terms of its goals. PMID:19821042

A new framework for designing programmes of assessment.

PubMed

Dijkstra, J; Van der Vleuten, C P M; Schuwirth, L W T

2010-08-01

Research on assessment in medical education has strongly focused on individual measurement instruments and their psychometric quality. Without detracting from the value of this research, such an approach is not sufficient to high quality assessment of competence as a whole. A programmatic approach is advocated which presupposes criteria for designing comprehensive assessment programmes and for assuring their quality. The paucity of research with relevance to programmatic assessment, and especially its development, prompted us to embark on a research project to develop design principles for programmes of assessment. We conducted focus group interviews to explore the experiences and views of nine assessment experts concerning good practices and new ideas about theoretical and practical issues in programmes of assessment. The discussion was analysed, mapping all aspects relevant for design onto a framework, which was iteratively adjusted to fit the data until saturation was reached. The overarching framework for designing programmes of assessment consists of six assessment programme dimensions: Goals, Programme in Action, Support, Documenting, Improving and Accounting. The model described in this paper can help to frame programmes of assessment; it not only provides a common language, but also a comprehensive picture of the dimensions to be covered when formulating design principles. It helps identifying areas concerning assessment in which ample research and development has been done. But, more importantly, it also helps to detect underserved areas. A guiding principle in design of assessment programmes is fitness for purpose. High quality assessment can only be defined in terms of its goals.

Initiating an Action Research Programme for University EFL Teachers: Early Experiences and Responses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Anne; Westmacott, Anne; Ferrer, Antonieta Hidalgo

2016-01-01

Accounts of how teacher educators begin to plan, develop, and support action research programmes for language teachers are rare, as are descriptions of the responses of the teachers who participate. This article documents and analyses the initial processes of introducing and supporting a new programme of action research for language teachers at…

Researching the Impact of Teacher Professional Development Programmes Based on Action Research, Constructivism, and Systems Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zehetmeier, Stefan; Andreitz, Irina; Erlacher, Willibald; Rauch, Franz

2015-01-01

This paper deals with the topic of professional development programmes' impact. Concepts and ideas of action research, constructivism, and systems theory are used as a theoretical framework and are combined to describe and analyse an exemplary professional development programme in Austria. Empirical findings from both quantitative and qualitative…

Redeveloping a Business Undergraduate Honours Research Degree to Improve Educational Outcomes: Implications for PhD Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitsis, Ann

2015-01-01

There are many challenges that undergraduate students face when studying an honours research degree. Honours programmes though traditionally considered within the business discipline as a loss leader, nevertheless, form a direct entry requirement for PhD programmes. The honours degree can be considered a formative research programme for student…

Public health research systems in the European union

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Strengthening health research is an important objective for international health organisations, but there has been less attention to support for health research in Europe. We describe the public-health (population and organisational level) research systems in the 27 European Union countries. Methods We developed a typology for describing health research structures based on funding streams and strategies. We drew data from internet sources and asked country informants to review these for consistency and completeness. The structures were described as organograms and narratives in country profiles for each of the 27 EU member states. National public-health research structures included public and independent funding organisations, 'mixed' institutions (which receive funds, and both use and allocate them) and provider institutions. Results Most health research is funded through ministries of science or science councils (and sometimes foundations), while parliaments and regions may also contribute. National institutes of public health are usually funded by ministries of health. Many national research organisations both determine research programmes and undertake health research, but there is a move towards public-health sciences within the universities, and a transition from internal grants to competitive funding. Of 27 national research strategies, 17 referred to health and 11 to public health themes. Although all countries had strategies for public health itself, we found little coherence in public-health research programmes. The European Commission has country contact points for both EU research and health programmes, but they do not coordinate with national health-research programmes. Conclusions Public-health research is broadly distributed across programmes in EU countries. Better understanding of research structures, programmes and results would improve recognition for public health in Europe, and contribute to practice. EU ministries of health should give greater attention to national public-health research strategies and programmes, and the European Union and the World Health Organisation can provide coordination and support. PMID:21970897

The effects of placing an operational research fellow within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Programme.

PubMed

Hoa, N B; Nhung, N V; Kumar, A M V; Harries, A D

2016-12-21

In April 2009, an operational research fellow was placed within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP). Over the 6 years from 2010 to 2015, the OR fellow co-authored 21 tuberculosis research papers (as principal author in 15 [71%]). This constituted 23% of the 91 tuberculosis papers published in Viet Nam during this period. Of the 21 published papers, 16 (76%) contributed to changes in policy ( n = 8) and practice ( n = 8), and these in turn improved programme performance. Many papers also contributed important evidence for better programme planning. Highly motivated OR fellows embedded within NTPs can facilitate high-quality research and research uptake.

Preparing dental students for careers as independent dental professionals: clinical audit and community-based clinical teaching.

PubMed

Lynch, C D; Llewelyn, J; Ash, P J; Chadwick, B L

2011-05-28

Community-based clinical teaching programmes are now an established feature of most UK dental school training programmes. Appropriately implemented, they enhance the educational achievements and competences achieved by dental students within the earlier part of their developing careers, while helping students to traverse the often-difficult transition between dental school and vocational/foundation training and independent practice. Dental school programmes have often been criticised for 'lagging behind' developments in general dental practice - an important example being the so-called 'business of dentistry', including clinical audit. As readers will be aware, clinical audit is an essential component of UK dental practice, with the aims of improving the quality of clinical care and optimising patient safety. The aim of this paper is to highlight how training in clinical audit has been successfully embedded in the community-based clinical teaching programme at Cardiff.

[Disease management programs from a health insurer's point of view].

PubMed

Szymkowiak, Christof; Walkenhorst, Karen; Straub, Christoph

2003-06-01

Disease Management Programmes represent a great challenge to the German statutory health insurance system. According to politicians, disease management programmes are an appropriate tool for increasing the level of care for chronically ill patients significantly, while at the same time they can slow down the cost explosion in health care. The statutory health insurers' point of view yields a more refined picture of the chances and risks involved. The chances are that a medical guideline-based, evidence-based, co-operative care of the chronically ill could be established. But also, there are the risks of misuse of disease management programmes and of misallocation of funds due to the ill-advised linkage with the so-called risk compensation scheme (RSA) balancing the sickness funds' structural deficits through redistribution. The nation-wide introduction of disease management programmes appears to be a gigantic experiment whose aim is to change the care of chronically ill patients and whose outcome is unpredictable.

Leadership as a Health Research Policy Intervention: An Evaluation of the NIHR Leadership Programme (Phase 2).

PubMed

Marjanovic, Sonja; Cochrane, Gavin; Manville, Catriona; Harte, Emma; Chataway, Joanna; Jones, Molly Morgan

2016-01-29

In early 2012, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) leadership programme was re-commissioned for a further three years following an evaluation by RAND Europe. During this new phase of the programme, we conducted a real-time evaluation, the aim of which was to allow for reflection on and adjustment of the programme on an on-going basis as events unfold. This approach also allowed for participants on the programme to contribute to and positively engage in the evaluation. The study aimed to understand the outputs and impacts from the programme, and to test the underlying assumptions behind the NIHR Leadership Programme as a science policy intervention. Evidence on outputs and impacts of the programme were collected around the motivations and expectations of participants, programme design and individual-, institutional- and system-level impacts.

The impact on healthcare, policy and practice from 36 multi-project research programmes: findings from two reviews.

PubMed

Hanney, Steve; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Blatch-Jones, Amanda; Glover, Matthew; Raftery, James

2017-03-28

We sought to analyse the impacts found, and the methods used, in a series of assessments of programmes and portfolios of health research consisting of multiple projects. We analysed a sample of 36 impact studies of multi-project research programmes, selected from a wider sample of impact studies included in two narrative systematic reviews published in 2007 and 2016. We included impact studies in which the individual projects in a programme had been assessed for wider impact, especially on policy or practice, and where findings had been described in such a way that allowed them to be collated and compared. Included programmes were highly diverse in terms of location (11 different countries plus two multi-country ones), number of component projects (8 to 178), nature of the programme, research field, mode of funding, time between completion and impact assessment, methods used to assess impact, and level of impact identified. Thirty-one studies reported on policy impact, 17 on clinician behaviour or informing clinical practice, three on a combined category such as policy and clinician impact, and 12 on wider elements of impact (health gain, patient benefit, improved care or other benefits to the healthcare system). In those multi-programme projects that assessed the respective categories, the percentage of projects that reported some impact was policy 35% (range 5-100%), practice 32% (10-69%), combined category 64% (60-67%), and health gain/health services 27% (6-48%). Variations in levels of impact achieved partly reflected differences in the types of programme, levels of collaboration with users, and methods and timing of impact assessment. Most commonly, principal investigators were surveyed; some studies involved desk research and some interviews with investigators and/or stakeholders. Most studies used a conceptual framework such as the Payback Framework. One study attempted to assess the monetary value of a research programme's health gain. The widespread impact reported for some multi-project programmes, including needs-led and collaborative ones, could potentially be used to promote further research funding. Moves towards greater standardisation of assessment methods could address existing inconsistencies and better inform strategic decisions about research investment; however, unresolved issues about such moves remain.

Enhancing quality and integrity in biomedical research in Africa: an international call for greater focus, investment and standardisation in capacity strengthening for frontline staff.

PubMed

Kombe, Francis

2015-11-13

The integrity of biomedical research depends heavily on the quality of research data collected. In turn, data quality depends on processes of data collection, a task undertaken by frontline research staff in many research programmes in Africa and elsewhere. These frontline research staff often have additional responsibilities including translating and communicating research in local languages, seeking informed consent for study participation and maintaining supportive relationships between research institutions and study participants and wider communities. The level of skills that fieldworkers need to undertake these responsibilities clearly affects the quality of data collected, the ethics of research 'on the ground' and the short and long term acceptability of research.We organised an international workshop in Kenya in July 2014 to discuss the role of frontline staff in scientific research. A total of 25 field managers from 9 African countries and the UK met for 2.5 days to discuss the relationship between data quality and institutional performance management systems and how they affect career progression and supportive supervision policies of research frontline staff.From this workshop, and supporting an expanding literature on the role of fieldworkers in international health research, participants agreed that fieldworkers' roles present them with practical and ethical challenges that their routine training does not adequately prepare them for. We argue that the common and complex challenges facing fieldworkers should in part be addressed through increased investment and collaborative agreements across types of research institutions in Africa. We call for standardization of core elements of training for this critically important cadre of research staff who perform similar roles and encounter similar challenges in many African settings. Although many valuable training elements are offered in institutions, there is a need to develop broader, more grounded and innovative strategies to address complex realities for fieldworkers, and support the integrity and ethics of health research in these settings.

Evaluation of quality improvement programmes

PubMed Central

Ovretveit, J; Gustafson, D

2002-01-01



 In response to increasing concerns about quality, many countries are carrying out large scale programmes which include national quality strategies, hospital programmes, and quality accreditation, assessment and review processes. Increasing amounts of resources are being devoted to these interventions, but do they ensure or improve quality of care? There is little research evidence as to their effectiveness or the conditions for maximum effectiveness. Reasons for the lack of evaluation research include the methodological challenges of measuring outcomes and attributing causality to these complex, changing, long term social interventions to organisations or health systems, which themselves are complex and changing. However, methods are available which can be used to evaluate these programmes and which can provide decision makers with research based guidance on how to plan and implement them. This paper describes the research challenges, the methods which can be used, and gives examples and guidance for future research. It emphasises the important contribution which such research can make to improving the effectiveness of these programmes and to developing the science of quality improvement. PMID:12486994

Side effects of problem-solving strategies in large-scale nutrition science: towards a diversification of health.

PubMed

Penders, Bart; Vos, Rein; Horstman, Klasien

2009-11-01

Solving complex problems in large-scale research programmes requires cooperation and division of labour. Simultaneously, large-scale problem solving also gives rise to unintended side effects. Based upon 5 years of researching two large-scale nutrigenomic research programmes, we argue that problems are fragmented in order to be solved. These sub-problems are given priority for practical reasons and in the process of solving them, various changes are introduced in each sub-problem. Combined with additional diversity as a result of interdisciplinarity, this makes reassembling the original and overall goal of the research programme less likely. In the case of nutrigenomics and health, this produces a diversification of health. As a result, the public health goal of contemporary nutrition science is not reached in the large-scale research programmes we studied. Large-scale research programmes are very successful in producing scientific publications and new knowledge; however, in reaching their political goals they often are less successful.

Programme Recruitment and Evaluation: The Effect of an Employability Enhancement Programme on the General Self-Efficacy Levels of Unemployed Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hazenberg, R.; Seddon, F.; Denny, S.

2015-01-01

This paper reports research that engaged in the evaluation of an intervention programme designed to enhance the employability of a group of unemployed graduates. The evaluation adopted a quasi-experimental intervention research method employing a general self-efficacy scale, which had been validated in prior research. Results revealed that…

Insider Research as Part of a Master's Programme: Opportunities Lost and Found within Action Learning Sets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milano, Chloe; Lawless, Aileen; Eades, Elaine

2015-01-01

This account explores the role of action learning during and after an educational programme. We focus on the final stage of a master's programme and the insider research that is a key feature in many UK universities. Researching within one's own organization should lead to individual and organizational learning. However, there is relatively little…

Mentoring health researchers globally: Diverse experiences, programmes, challenges and responses.

PubMed

Cole, Donald C; Johnson, Nancy; Mejia, Raul; McCullough, Hazel; Turcotte-Tremblay, Anne-Marie; Barnoya, Joaquin; Falabella Luco, María Soledad

2016-10-01

Mentoring experiences and programmes are becoming increasingly recognised as important by those engaged in capacity strengthening in global health research. Using a primarily qualitative study design, we studied three experiences of mentorship and eight mentorship programmes for early career global health researchers based in high-income and low- and middle-income countries. For the latter, we drew upon programme materials, existing unpublished data and more formal mixed-method evaluations, supplemented by individual email questionnaire responses. Research team members wrote stories, and the team assembled and analysed them for key themes. Across the diverse experiences and programmes, key emergent themes included: great mentors inspire others in an inter-generational cascade, mentorship is transformative in personal and professional development and involves reciprocity, and finding the right balance in mentoring relationships and programmes includes responding creatively to failure. Among the challenges encountered were: struggling for more level playing fields for new health researchers globally, changing mindsets in institutions that do not have a culture of mentorship and building collaboration not competition. Mentoring networks spanning institutions and countries using multiple virtual and face-to-face methods are a potential avenue for fostering organisational cultures supporting quality mentorship in global health research.

Mentoring health researchers globally: Diverse experiences, programmes, challenges and responses

PubMed Central

Cole, Donald C.; Johnson, Nancy; Mejia, Raul; McCullough, Hazel; Turcotte-Tremblay, Anne-Marie; Barnoya, Joaquin; Falabella Luco, (María) Soledad

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Mentoring experiences and programmes are becoming increasingly recognised as important by those engaged in capacity strengthening in global health research. Using a primarily qualitative study design, we studied three experiences of mentorship and eight mentorship programmes for early career global health researchers based in high-income and low- and middle-income countries. For the latter, we drew upon programme materials, existing unpublished data and more formal mixed-method evaluations, supplemented by individual email questionnaire responses. Research team members wrote stories, and the team assembled and analysed them for key themes. Across the diverse experiences and programmes, key emergent themes included: great mentors inspire others in an inter-generational cascade, mentorship is transformative in personal and professional development and involves reciprocity, and finding the right balance in mentoring relationships and programmes includes responding creatively to failure. Among the challenges encountered were: struggling for more level playing fields for new health researchers globally, changing mindsets in institutions that do not have a culture of mentorship and building collaboration not competition. Mentoring networks spanning institutions and countries using multiple virtual and face-to-face methods are a potential avenue for fostering organisational cultures supporting quality mentorship in global health research. PMID:26234691

ACSYNT - A standards-based system for parametric, computer aided conceptual design of aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jayaram, S.; Myklebust, A.; Gelhausen, P.

1992-01-01

A group of eight US aerospace companies together with several NASA and NAVY centers, led by NASA Ames Systems Analysis Branch, and Virginia Tech's CAD Laboratory agreed, through the assistance of Americal Technology Initiative, in 1990 to form the ACSYNT (Aircraft Synthesis) Institute. The Institute is supported by a Joint Sponsored Research Agreement to continue the research and development in computer aided conceptual design of aircraft initiated by NASA Ames Research Center and Virginia Tech's CAD Laboratory. The result of this collaboration, a feature-based, parametric computer aided aircraft conceptual design code called ACSYNT, is described. The code is based on analysis routines begun at NASA Ames in the early 1970's. ACSYNT's CAD system is based entirely on the ISO standard Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System and is graphics-device independent. The code includes a highly interactive graphical user interface, automatically generated Hermite and B-Spline surface models, and shaded image displays. Numerous features to enhance aircraft conceptual design are described.

Proceedings of the Systems Reengineering Technology Workshop (4th) held in Monterey, California on February 8 - 10, 1994

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

report for the Properties of User Interface Software Architetures ", draft DISCUS Working Group, Programmers Tutorial, MITRE paper, SEI. Carnegie...execution that we have defined called asynchronous remote procedure call (ARPC) [15], which allows concurrency in amounts proportional to the amount of...demonstration project to use STARS DoD software budget and the proportion concepts. IBM is one of the prime is expected to be increased during the contractors

Impact of faculty development programs for positive behavioural changes among teachers: a case study

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Purpose Faculty development (FD) is essential to prepare faculty members to become effective teachers to meet the challenges in medical education. Despite the growth of FD programmes, most evaluations were often conducted using short questionnaires to assess participants’ satisfaction immediately after they attended a programme. Consequently, there were calls for more rigorous evaluations based on observed changes in participants’ behaviours. Hence, this study aims to explore how the FD workshops run by the Centre for Medical Education, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore have impacted behavioural changes in the educators. Methods We followed up with the educators at least half a year after they have attended the workshops. With limited literature as reference, we initiated a small-scale case-study research design involving semi-structured interviews with six educators which was triangulated with three focus group discussions with their students. This allowed us to explore behavioural changes among the educators as well as evaluate the feasibility of this research methodology. Results We identified three emerging categories among the educators: ignorance to awareness, from intuition to confirmation and expansion, and from individualism to community of practice. Conclusion Although FD have placed much emphasis on teaching and learning approaches, we found that the teacher-student interaction or human character components (passionate, willing to sacrifice, are open to feedback) in becoming a good educator are lacking in our FD workshops. PMID:29510604

Programmable control of bacterial gene expression with the combined CRISPR and antisense RNA system.

PubMed

Lee, Young Je; Hoynes-O'Connor, Allison; Leong, Matthew C; Moon, Tae Seok

2016-03-18

A central goal of synthetic biology is to implement diverse cellular functions by predictably controlling gene expression. Though research has focused more on protein regulators than RNA regulators, recent advances in our understanding of RNA folding and functions have motivated the use of RNA regulators. RNA regulators provide an advantage because they are easier to design and engineer than protein regulators, potentially have a lower burden on the cell and are highly orthogonal. Here, we combine the CRISPR system from Streptococcus pyogenes and synthetic antisense RNAs (asRNAs) in Escherichia coli strains to repress or derepress a target gene in a programmable manner. Specifically, we demonstrate for the first time that the gene target repressed by the CRISPR system can be derepressed by expressing an asRNA that sequesters a small guide RNA (sgRNA). Furthermore, we demonstrate that tunable levels of derepression can be achieved (up to 95%) by designing asRNAs that target different regions of a sgRNA and by altering the hybridization free energy of the sgRNA-asRNA complex. This new system, which we call the combined CRISPR and asRNA system, can be used to reversibly repress or derepress multiple target genes simultaneously, allowing for rational reprogramming of cellular functions. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

The impact of programmatic assessment on student learning: theory versus practice.

PubMed

Heeneman, Sylvia; Oudkerk Pool, Andrea; Schuwirth, Lambert W T; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; Driessen, Erik W

2015-05-01

It is widely acknowledged that assessment can affect student learning. In recent years, attention has been called to 'programmatic assessment', which is intended to optimise both learning functions and decision functions at the programme level of assessment, rather than according to individual methods of assessment. Although the concept is attractive, little research into its intended effects on students and their learning has been conducted. This study investigated the elements of programmatic assessment that students perceived as supporting or inhibiting learning, and the factors that influenced the active construction of their learning. The study was conducted in a graduate-entry medical school that implemented programmatic assessment. Thus, all assessment information, feedback and reflective activities were combined into a comprehensive, holistic programme of assessment. We used a qualitative approach and interviewed students (n = 17) in the pre-clinical phase of the programme about their perceptions of programmatic assessment and learning approaches. Data were scrutinised using theory-based thematic analysis. Elements from the comprehensive programme of assessment, such as feedback, portfolios, assessments and assignments, were found to have both supporting and inhibiting effects on learning. These supporting and inhibiting elements influenced students' construction of learning. Findings showed that: (i) students perceived formative assessment as summative; (ii) programmatic assessment was an important trigger for learning, and (iii) the portfolio's reflective activities were appreciated for their generation of knowledge, the lessons drawn from feedback, and the opportunities for follow-up. Some students, however, were less appreciative of reflective activities. For these students, the elements perceived as inhibiting seemed to dominate the learning response. The active participation of learners in their own learning is possible when learning is supported by programmatic assessment. Certain features of the comprehensive programme of assessment were found to influence student learning, and this influence can either support or inhibit students' learning responses. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The teaching of medicine at the University Centre for Health Sciences Yaounde, Cameroon: its concordance with the Edinburgh Declaration on medical education.

PubMed

Monekosso, G L

1993-07-01

The University Centre for Health Sciences (UCHS) or as it is referred to in French 'Centre Universitaire des Sciences de la Santé' (CUSS), became functional in 1969 with the enrollment of the first group of students. The objective of this training programme was to produce a scientifically sound, multipurpose doctor who would be fully operational in a rural setting with minimal equipment and supplies (Monekosso 1970, 1972). The graduate had to be able to adapt readily to new situations and improvise whenever possible, calling for a high degree of competence and initiative. The training strategies adopted by UCHS in 1969 which met this requirement were later found to be in close concordance with the tenets of the World Conference on Medical Education held in Edinburgh in 1988, the Edinburgh Declaration. While some of the terminology may not have been worked out at the time, the programme developed embraced some new concepts hitherto untried or undeveloped: the problem-solving approach in the first to the sixth year; an integrated teaching approach during the first to sixth year of medical training; an integrated medicine internship in district hospitals in the sixth year; a community-based training approach throughout the training; team training of three different health professionals; competency-based training; health services linked research; health services linked training (Monekosso & Quenum 1978). The concordance of this programme to the Edinburgh Declaration is of great interest in realizing the World Federation for Medical Education programme and implementing the Edinburgh Declaration. The involvement of the three innovative medical schools in the planning stage of the curriculum explains this concordance.

Bridging Policy Implementation Gaps in Nigerian Education System: A Case Study of Universal Basic Education Programme in Cross River State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogbiji, Joseph Etiongbie; Ogbiji, Sylvanus Achua

2016-01-01

This research focuses on identifying policy gaps in the implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in Nigeria, with Cross River State being the study area. The three research questions used for the research center on the extent of the freeness of the UBE, the extent to which the programme has stimulated educational consciousness…

Embedding operational research into national disease control programme: lessons from 10 years of experience in Indonesia

PubMed Central

Mahendradhata, Yodi; Probandari, Ari; Widjanarko, Bagoes; Riono, Pandu; Mustikawati, Dyah; Tiemersma, Edine W.; Alisjahbana, Bachti

2014-01-01

There is growing recognition that operational research (OR) should be embedded into national disease control programmes. However, much of the current OR capacity building schemes are still predominantly driven by international agencies with limited integration into national disease control programmes. We demonstrated that it is possible to achieve a more sustainable capacity building effort across the country by establishing an OR group within the national tuberculosis (TB) control programme in Indonesia. Key challenges identified include long-term financial support, limited number of scientific publications, and difficulties in documenting impact on programmatic performance. External evaluation has expressed concerns in regard to utilisation of OR in policy making. Efforts to address this concern have been introduced recently and led to indications of increased utilisation of research evidence in policy making by the national TB control programme. Embedding OR in national disease control programmes is key in establishing an evidence-based disease control programme. PMID:25361728

Unidirectional Quantum Remote Control: Teleportation of Control-State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yi-Zhuang; Gu, Yong-Jian; Wu, Gui-Chu; Guo, Guang-Can

2003-08-01

We investigate the problem of teleportation of unitary operations by unidirectional control-state teleportation and propose a scheme called unidirectional quantum remote control. The scheme is based on the isomorphism between operation and state. It allows us to store a unitary operation in a control state, thereby teleportation of the unitary operation can be implemented by unidirectional teleportation of the control-state. We find that the probability of success for implementing an arbitrary unitary operation on arbitrary M-qubit state by unidirectional control-state teleportation is 4-M, and 2M ebits and 4M cbits are consumed in each teleportation. The project supported by the National Fundamental Research Programme (2001CB309300) and the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 102068

EPANET Multi-Species Extension Software and User's Manual ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Software and User's Manual EPANET is used in homeland security research to model contamination threats to water systems. Historically, EPANET has been limited to tracking the dynamics of a single chemical transported through a network of pipes and storage tanks, such as a fluoride used in a tracer study or free chlorine used in a disinfection decay study. Recently, the NHSRC released a new extension to EPANET called EPANET-MSX (Multi-Species eXtension) that allows for the consideration of multiple interacting species in the bulk flow and on the pipe walls. This capability has been incorporated into both a stand-alone executable program as well as a toolkit library of functions that programmers can use to build customized applications.

A falls prevention programme to improve quality of life, physical function and falls efficacy in older people receiving home help services: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Bjerk, Maria; Brovold, Therese; Skelton, Dawn A; Bergland, Astrid

2017-08-14

Falls and fall-related injuries in older adults are associated with great burdens, both for the individuals, the health care system and the society. Previous research has shown evidence for the efficiency of exercise as falls prevention. An understudied group are older adults receiving home help services, and the effect of a falls prevention programme on health-related quality of life is unclear. The primary aim of this randomised controlled trial is to examine the effect of a falls prevention programme on quality of life, physical function and falls efficacy in older adults receiving home help services. A secondary aim is to explore the mediating factors between falls prevention and health-related quality of life. The study is a single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Participants are older adults, aged 67 or older, receiving home help services, who are able to walk with or without walking aids, who have experienced at least one fall during the last 12 months and who have a Mini Mental State Examination of 23 or above. The intervention group receives a programme, based on the Otago Exercise Programme, lasting 12 weeks including home visits and motivational telephone calls. The control group receives usual care. The primary outcome is health-related quality of life (SF-36). Secondary outcomes are leg strength, balance, walking speed, walking habits, activities of daily living, nutritional status and falls efficacy. All measurements are performed at baseline, following intervention at 3 months and at 6 months' follow-up. Sample size, based on the primary outcome, is set to 150 participants randomised into the two arms, including an estimated 15-20% drop out. Participants are recruited from six municipalities in Norway. This trial will generate new knowledge on the effects of an exercise falls prevention programme among older fallers receiving home help services. This knowledge will be useful for clinicians, for health managers in the primary health care service and for policy makers. ClinicalTrials.gov . NCT02374307 . First registration, 16/02/2015.

System Operations Studies for Automated Guideway Transit Systems : Discrete Event Simulation Model Programmer's Manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-07-01

In order to examine specific automated guideway transit (AGT) developments and concepts, UMTA undertook a program of studies and technology investigations called Automated Guideway Transit Technology (AGTT) Program. The objectives of one segment of t...

Systems Operations Studies for Automated Guideway Transit Systems : System Availability Model Programmer's Manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-07-01

In order to examine specific automated guideway transit (AGT) developments and concepts, UMTA undertook a program of studies and technology investigations called Automated Guideway Transit Technology (AGTT) Program. The objectives of one segment of t...

The Scottish Government's Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services Strategic Research Progamme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Lorna; Bestwick, Charles

2013-04-01

The Strategic Research Programme focuses on the delivery of outputs and outcomes within the major policy agenda areas of climate change, land use and food security, and to impact on the 'Wealthier', 'Healthier' and 'Greener' strategic objectives of the Scottish Government. The research is delivered through two programmes: 'Environmental Change' and 'Food, Land and People'; the core strength of which is the collaboration between the Scottish Government's Main Research Providers-The James Hutton Institute, the Moredun Research Institute, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health University of Aberdeen, Scotland's Rural College, Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland and The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh. The research actively seeks to inform and be informed by stakeholders from policy, farming, land use, water and energy supply, food production and manufacturing, non-governmental organisations, voluntary organisations, community groups and general public. This presentation will provide an overview of the programme's interdisciplinary research, through examples from across the programme's themes. Examples will exemplify impact within the Strategic Programme's priorities of supporting policy and practice, contributing to economic growth and innovation, enhancing collaborative and multidisciplinary research, growing scientific resilience and delivering scientific excellence. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/About/EBAR/StrategicResearch/future-research-strategy/Themes/ http://www.knowledgescotland.org/news.php?article_id=295

Dragon 2 Programme Achievements and Cooperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desnos, Yves-Louis; Li, Zengyuan; Zmuda, Andy; Gao, Zhihai

2013-01-01

The cooperation between ESA and National Remote Sensing Center of China (NRSCC) / Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) in the development of Earth Observation (EO) applications started 17 years ago. In 2004, a new phase in cooperation began with the start of the Dragon Programme which focused on science and application using ESA ERS and Envisat satellite data. The programme was completed in 2008. Following on, the cooperation took on greater momentum with the start of a four-year EO science and exploitation programme called “Dragon 2”. The programme formally closed in June at the 2012 Beijing Symposium. The programme brought together joint Sino-European teams to investigate land, ocean and atmospheric applications in P.R. China using EO data from ESA, Third Party Mission (TPM) and Chinese satellites. The teams were led by principal EO scientists. Young European and Chinese scientists were also engaged on the projects. Advanced training courses in land, ocean and atmospheric applications were held in each year of the programme in China. Altogether, two courses on land, one course on atmospheric applications and one course on oceanographic applications were held. Here-in provided is an overview of the achievements, cooperation, reporting and training activities at the completion of the programme. The Sino-European teams have delivered world-class scientific results across a wide range of disciplines. The programme provided a platform for the joint exploitation of ESA, TPM and Chinese EO data from optical, thermal and microwave sensors for geo-science application and development in China.

Teaching and Learning National Transformation Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne, Liz

2006-01-01

This article reports on a research project undertaken on behalf of the Standards Unit to research the impact of the Teaching and Learning National Transformation Programme for the Learning and Skills sector. The transformational programme is best described as having three enablers, namely teaching and learning resources to support practitioners,…

Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, A.; Cerezo, F.; Fernandez, M.; Lomba, J.; Lopez, M.; Moreno, J.; Neira, A.; Quintana, C.; Torres, J.; Trigo, R.; Urena, J.; Vega, E.; Vez, E.

2010-12-01

The Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade (MITyC) and the Ministry of Defense (MoD) signed an agreement in 2007 for the development of a "Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System" based, in first instance, on two satellites: a high resolution optical satellite, called SEOSAT/Ingenio, and a radar satellite based on SAR technology, called SEOSAR/Paz. SEOSAT/Ingenio is managed by MITyC through the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), with technical and contractual support from the European Space Agency (ESA). HISDESA T together with the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA, National Institute for Aerospace Technology) will be responsible for the in-orbit operation and the commercial operation of both satellites, and for the technical management of SEOSAR/Paz on behalf of the MoD. In both cases EADS CASA Espacio (ECE) is the prime contractor leading the industrial consortia. The ground segment development will be assigned to a Spanish consortium. This system is the most important contribution of Spain to the European Programme Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, GMES. This paper presents the Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System focusing on SEOSA T/Ingenio Programme and with special emphasis in the potential contribution to the ESA Third Party Missions Programme and to the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security initiative (GMES) Data Access.

Medical monitoring of asbestos-exposed workers: experience from Poland

PubMed Central

Szeszenia-Dąbrowska, Neonila; Wilczyńska, Urszula

2016-01-01

Abstract In Poland, the use of asbestos was banned in 1997 and asbestos plants have been closed since then. Despite their closure, cases of asbestos-related occupational diseases among former asbestos workers are still being recorded in the Central Register of Occupational Diseases. Between 2001 and 2014, there were 2726 asbestos-related illnesses, classified and reported as diseases associated with occupational exposure to asbestos. In 2000, Poland introduced a programme called Amiantus, targeted at former asbestos-processing plant workers. The programme provided periodic medical examinations to workers and free access to medications for treatment of asbestos-related illnesses. Introduction of the programme provided additional data to generate a reliable estimation of the number of asbestos-related occupational diseases, including cancer. The average latency period for asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma is about 40 years so there may still be some health impact to former workers necessitating follow-up. We present the Polish experience of implementing a medical examination programme for asbestos-exposed workers and provide a list of activities to consider when planning for such a programme. PMID:27516637

Medical monitoring of asbestos-exposed workers: experience from Poland.

PubMed

Świątkowska, Beata; Szeszenia-Dąbrowska, Neonila; Wilczyńska, Urszula

2016-08-01

In Poland, the use of asbestos was banned in 1997 and asbestos plants have been closed since then. Despite their closure, cases of asbestos-related occupational diseases among former asbestos workers are still being recorded in the Central Register of Occupational Diseases. Between 2001 and 2014, there were 2726 asbestos-related illnesses, classified and reported as diseases associated with occupational exposure to asbestos. In 2000, Poland introduced a programme called Amiantus, targeted at former asbestos-processing plant workers. The programme provided periodic medical examinations to workers and free access to medications for treatment of asbestos-related illnesses. Introduction of the programme provided additional data to generate a reliable estimation of the number of asbestos-related occupational diseases, including cancer. The average latency period for asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma is about 40 years so there may still be some health impact to former workers necessitating follow-up. We present the Polish experience of implementing a medical examination programme for asbestos-exposed workers and provide a list of activities to consider when planning for such a programme.

HIV-Stigma in Nigeria: Review of Research Studies, Policies, and Programmes

PubMed Central

Odimegwu, Clifford O.; Alabi, Olatunji O.

2017-01-01

Nigeria has about 3.8 million people living with HIV, the second largest globally. Stigma and discrimination are major barriers to testing, treatment uptake, and adherence. In this review, we synthesized information on research studies, policies, and programmes related to HIV-stigma in Nigeria. This was with a view to identify critical areas that research and programmes must address in order to accelerate the progress towards zero (new infections, discrimination, and death) target by year 2030. Existing studies were mostly devoted to stigma assessment using varieties of measures. Research, policies, and programmes in the past two decades have made very useful contributions to stigma reduction. We identified the need for a consistent, valid, and objective measure of stigma at different levels of the HIV response. Nigeria does not lack relevant policies; what needs to be strengthened are design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of context-specific stigma reduction programmes. PMID:29445545

Research monitoring by US medical institutions to protect human subjects: compliance or quality improvement?

PubMed

de Jong, Jean Philippe; van Zwieten, Myra C B; Willems, Dick L

2013-04-01

In recent years, to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects, institutions in the USA have begun to set up programmes to monitor ongoing medical research. These programmes provide routine, onsite oversight, and thus go beyond existing oversight such as investigating suspected misconduct or reviewing paperwork provided by investigators. However, because of a lack of guidelines and evidence, institutions have had little guidance in setting up their programmes. To help institutions make the right choices, we used interviews and document analysis to study how and why 11 US institutions have set up their monitoring programmes. Although these programmes varied considerably, we were able to distinguish two general types. 'Compliance' programmes on the one hand were part of the institutional review board office and set up to ensure compliance with regulations. Investigators' participation was mandatory. Monitors focused on documentation. Investigators could be disciplined, and could be obliged to take corrective actions. 'Quality-improvement' programmes on the other hand were part of a separate office. Investigators requested to be monitored. Monitors focused more on actual research conduct. Investigators and other parties received feedback on how to improve the research process. Although both types of programmes have their drawbacks and advantages, we argue that if institutions want to set up monitoring programmes, quality improvement is the better choice: it can help foster an atmosphere of trust between investigators and the institutional review board, and can help raise the standards for the protection of human subjects.

Building capacity in Clinical Epidemiology in Africa: experiences from Masters programmes.

PubMed

Young, Taryn; Naude, Celeste; Brodovcky, Tania; Esterhuizen, Tonya

2017-02-27

To describe and contrast programmatic offering of Clinical Epidemiology Masters programmes in Africa, to evaluate experiences of graduates and faculty, and assess if graduates are playing roles in research, practice and teaching of Clinical Epidemiology. We searched and identified relevant programmes, reviewed programmatic documentation, interviewed convenors and surveyed graduates. Participants provided informed consent, interviews with faculty were recorded and transcribed for analysis purposes, and graduates participated in an online survey. Five structured Masters programmes requiring health science professionals to complete modules and research projects were assessed. Demand for programmes was high. Graduates enjoyed the variety of modules, preferred blended teaching, and regarded assessments as fair. Graduates felt that career paths were not obvious after graduating. Despite this, some have gone on to promote and teach evidence-based health care, and conduct and disseminate research. Areas of concern raised by faculty were quality assurance; research project initiation, implementation and supervisory capacity; staff availability; funding to support implementation and lack of experiential learning. Although faced with challenges, these programmes build capacity of health professionals to practice in an evidence-informed way, and conduct rigorous research, which are central to advancing the practice of Clinical Epidemiology in Africa.

Programmable spectral engine design of hyperspectral image projectors based on digital micro-mirror device (DMD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xicheng; Gao, Jiaobo; Wu, Jianghui; Li, Jianjun; Cheng, Hongliang

2017-02-01

Recently, hyperspectral image projectors (HIP) have been developed in the field of remote sensing. For the advanced performance of system-level validation, target detection and hyperspectral image calibration, HIP has great possibility of development in military, medicine, commercial and so on. HIP is based on the digital micro-mirror device (DMD) and projection technology, which is capable to project arbitrary programmable spectra (controlled by PC) into the each pixel of the IUT1 (instrument under test), such that the projected image could simulate realistic scenes that hyperspectral image could be measured during its use and enable system-level performance testing and validation. In this paper, we built a visible hyperspectral image projector also called the visible target simulator with double DMDs, which the first DMD is used to product the selected monochromatic light from the wavelength of 410 to 720 um, and the light come to the other one. Then we use computer to load image of realistic scenes to the second DMD, so that the target condition and background could be project by the second DMD with the selected monochromatic light. The target condition can be simulated and the experiment could be controlled and repeated in the lab, making the detector instrument could be tested in the lab. For the moment, we make the focus on the spectral engine design include the optical system, research of DMD programmable spectrum and the spectral resolution of the selected spectrum. The detail is shown.

The EuroDIVERSITY Programme: Challenges of Biodiversity Science in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, I.

2009-04-01

In close cooperation with its Member Organisations, the European Science Foundation (ESF) has launched since late 2003 a series of European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) Programmes. Their aim is to enable researchers in different European countries to develop cooperation and scientific synergy in areas where European scale and scope are required in a global context. The EUROCORES instrument represents the first large scale attempt of national research (funding) agencies to act together against fragmentation, asynchronicity and duplication of research (funding) within Europe. Although covering all scientific fields, there are presently 13 EUROCORES Programmes dealing with cutting edge science in the fields of Earth, Climate and Environmental Sciences. The aim of the EuroDIVERSITY Programme is to support the emergence of an integrated biodiversity science based on an understanding of fundamental ecological and social processes that drive biodiversity changes and their impacts on ecosystem functioning and society. Ecological systems across the globe are being threatened or transformed at unprecedented rates from local to global scales due to the ever-increasing human domination of natural ecosystems. In particular, massive biodiversity changes are currently taking place, and this trend is expected to continue over the coming decades, driven by the increasing extension and globalisation of human affairs. The EuroDIVERSITY Programme meets the research need triggered by the increasing human footprint worldwide with a focus on generalisations across particular systems and on the generation and validation of theory relevant to experimental and empirical data. The EURODIVERSITY Programme tries to bridge the gaps between the natural and social sciences, between research work on terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, and between research work on plants, animals and micro-organisms. The Programme was launched in April 2006 and includes 10 international, multidisciplinary collaborative research projects, which are expected to contribute to this goal by initiating or strengthening major collaborative research efforts. Some projects are dealing primarily with microbial diversity (COMIX, METHECO, MiCROSYSTEMS), others try to investigate the biogeochemistry in grassland and forest ecosystems (BEGIN, BioCycle), the landscape and community ecology of biodiversity changes (ASSEMBLE, AGRIPOPES, EcoTRADE), and others focus on the diversity in freshwater (BIOPOOL, MOLARCH). In 2009, the EuroDIVERSITY Programme will integrate the different European research teams involved with collaborative field work campaigns over Europe, international workshops and conferences, as well as joint peer-review publications. For more information about the Programme and its activities, please check the Programme website: www.esf.org/eurodiversity

ASTROS Enhancements. Volume 2. ASTRO Programmer’s Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

MMGETB ( ’ BMAT ’, ’RSP’, N*M, ’MAXT’, IB, ISTAT ) CALL MMGETB ( ’CMAT’, ’RSP’, N*M, ’MAXT’, IC, ISTAT ) DO 100 I = 1, N*M II =I - 1 Z ( IC + II ) = Z

A framework for evaluating community-based physical activity promotion programmes in Latin America.

PubMed

Schmid, Thomas L; Librett, John; Neiman, Andrea; Pratt, Michael; Salmon, Art

2006-01-01

A growing interest in promoting physical activity through multi-sectoral community-based programmes has highlighted the need for effective programme evaluation. Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, an international workgroup of behavioural, medical, public health and other scientists and practitioners endorsed the principle of careful evaluation of all programmes and in a consensus process developed the Rio de Janeiro Recommendations for Evaluation of Physical Activity Interventions". Among these recommendations and principles were that when possible, evaluation should 'built into' the programme from the beginning. The workgroup also called for adequate funding for evaluation, setting a goal of about 10% of programme resources for evaluation. The group also determined that evaluations should be developed in conjunction with and the results shared with all appropriate stakeholders in the programme; evaluations should be guided by ethical standards such as those proposed by the American Evaluation Association and should assess programme processes as well as outcomes; evaluation outcomes should be used to revise and refine ongoing programmes and guide decisions about programme continuation or expansion. It was also recognised that additional training in programme evaluation is needed and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Physical Activity Evaluation Handbook could be easily adapted for use in culturally diverse communities, especially in Latin America. This paper describes a 6-step evaluation process and provides the full set of recommendations from the Rio de Janeiro Workgroup. The handbook has been translated and additional case studies from Colombia and Brazil have been added. Spanish and Portuguese language editions of the Evaluation Handbook are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Physical Activity and Health Branch.

Assessing the role of prevention partnerships in STD prevention: a review of comprehensive STD prevention systems progress reports.

PubMed

Hogben, Matthew; Hood, Julia; Collins, Dayne; McFarlane, Mary

2013-11-01

Systematic analysis of STD programme data contributes to a national portrait of sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention activities, including research and evaluation specifically designed to optimise programme efficiency and impact. We analysed the narrative of the 2009 annual progress reports of the US Comprehensive STD Prevention Systems cooperative agreement for 58 STD programmes, concentrating on programme characteristics and partnerships. Programmes described 516 unique partnerships with a median of seven organisations cited per STD programme. Non-profit organisations (including service providers) were most frequently cited. Higher gonorrhoea morbidity was associated with reporting more partnerships; budget problems were associated with reporting fewer. Challenges to engaging in partnerships included budget constraints, staff turnover and low interest. Data provide a source of information for judging progress in programme collaboration and for informing a sustained programme-focused research and evaluation agenda.

Lessons learnt on implementing an interdisciplinary doctoral programme in water sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2015-04-01

Using the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems as a case study, this work describes how the characteristics of the programme can be evaluated to identify which process features are important for developing interdisciplinary research at the doctoral level. The Programme has been running since 2009, and to date has engaged 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). Collaborative, multi-disciplinary research is encouraged and supported through various mechanisms - shared offices, study programme, research cluster groups that hold regular meetings, joint study sites, annual and six-month symposia that bring all members of the programme together, seminar series, joint supervision, and social events. Interviews were conducted with 12 students and recent graduates to explore individual experiences of doing interdisciplinary research within the Programme, and to identify which mechanisms are perceived to be of the greatest benefit for collaborative work. Analysis revealed four important process features. Firstly, students noted that joint supervision and supervisors who are motivated to collaborate are essential for multi-disciplinary collaborative work. Secondly, interviewees described that they work with the people they sit close to or see most regularly. Physical places for collaboration between different discipline researchers such as shared offices and shared study sites are therefore important. Thirdly, the costs and benefits to doing interdisciplinary work were highlighted. Students make a trade-off when deciding if their time investment to develop their understanding of a new research field will support them in addressing their research question. The personal characteristics of the researcher seem to be particularly relevant to this decision making process and need to be considered during student selection. Finally, communication skills are critical. Students noted that they need to be able to understand what each other are doing in order to work together and the symposia and research cluster meetings are good places for developing these skills.

Mentees' Views of a Structured Mentoring Programme at Unisa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulze, S.

2010-01-01

The Management of one college at Unisa initiated a structured mentoring programme to develop researchers, among others. This article reports the views of 43 mentees of the programme one year after implementation. The research design was a survey. The items in a questionnaire were influenced by the self-efficacy theory and the constructivist views…

Making mental health an integral part of sustainable development: the contribution of a social determinants framework.

PubMed

De Silva, M J

2015-04-01

There have been repeated calls to include mental health in the sustainable development goals (SDGs), arguing that progress in development will not be made without improvements in mental health. Although these calls are starting to gain political traction, currently only a tiny fraction of international development work includes mental health. A social determinants framework may be useful in incorporating mental health into sustainable development because it promotes a multi-sectorial and multi-disciplinary approach which is the corner stone of good development practice. Two approaches are suggested to make mental health a part of sustainable development: (1) integrate mental health into existing development programmes to promote social and economic environments that prevent mental health problems developing; (2) ensure that mental health programmes are better at promoting sustainable development by preventing the negative social and economic consequences of mental illness. Real-world examples of these approaches are provided. To achieve this, the mental health impact of wider development programmes, and the social and economic consequences of mental health interventions, must be evaluated. Development agencies should ensure that they have equity for mental health in all their policies, and investment must be increased for those mental health prevention, promotion and treatment programmes which have the greatest impact on sustainable development. The SDGs bring the promise of a more holistic approach to development. It is now the task of global mental health to demonstrate not just that mental health is an integral part of sustainable development, but that affordable and effective solutions exist which can improve mental health and development more broadly.

[Can a mobile phone short message increase participation in breast cancer screening programmes?].

PubMed

Arcas, M M; Buron, A; Ramis, O; Esturi, M; Hernández, C; Macià, F

2014-01-01

To evaluate the impact of a mobile phone short message on women's uptake in a breast cancer screening programme. A total of 703 women from a Basic Health Area of Barcelona, and with a mobile phone number registered, were invited to participate in a breast cancer screening programme between 25 January 2011 and 22 March 2011. The control group (n=470) followed the usual appointment track, and the intervention group (n=233) received, after the first letter of invitation, a mobile phone short message reminder. The differences between the two groups were analysed, comparing the uptake rates according to age, educational level, and participation in previous round, as well as the number of re-invitation calls to non-attenders according to uptake, age and level of education;and the percentages of exclusions of both groups. The intervention group had a greater uptake than the control group (78.1% vs. 72.3%), with a significant trend observed in the 55-59 years age group (P=.036) and the low secondary educational level (P=.014).The intervention group mean of re-invitation calls of non-attenders lower than the control group (.41 vs. .65, P<.05), a pattern observed in all the categories of the independent variables, and among younger age groups, lower and middle educational levels, and previously participating women (.09 vs. .19, P=.012). The inclusion of a mobile phone short message in a breast cancer screening programme may increase uptake rates and lead to a management improvement. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Building leadership capacity and future leaders in operational research in low-income countries: why and how?

PubMed

Zachariah, R; Reid, T; Srinath, S; Chakaya, J; Legins, K; Karunakara, U; Harries, A D

2011-11-01

Very limited operational research (OR) emerges from programme settings in low-income countries where the greatest burden of disease lies. The price paid for this void includes a lack of understanding of how health systems are actually functioning, not knowing what works and what does not, and an inability to propose adapted and innovative solutions to programme problems. We use the National Tuberculosis Control Programme as an example to advocate for strong programme-level leadership to steer OR and build viable relationships between programme managers, researchers and policy makers. We highlight the need to create a stimulating environment for conducting OR and identify some of the main practical challenges and enabling factors at programme level. We focus on the important role of an OR focal point within programmes and practical approaches to training that can deliver timely and quantifiable outputs. Finally, we emphasise the need to measure successful OR leadership development at programme level and we propose parameters by which this can be assessed. This paper 1) provides reasons why programmes should take the lead in coordinating and directing OR, 2) identifies the practical challenges and enabling factors for implementing, managing and sustaining OR and 3) proposes parameters for measuring successful leadership capacity development in OR.

Antibiotic research and development: business as usual?

PubMed

Harbarth, S; Theuretzbacher, U; Hackett, J

2015-01-01

The global burden of antibiotic resistance is tremendous and, without new anti-infective strategies, will continue to increase in the coming decades. Despite the growing need for new antibiotics, few pharmaceutical companies today retain active antibacterial drug discovery programmes. One reason is that it is scientifically challenging to discover new antibiotics that are active against the antibiotic-resistant bacteria of current clinical concern. However, the main hurdle is diminishing economic incentives. Increased global calls to minimize the overuse of antibiotics, the cost of meeting regulatory requirements and the low prices of currently marketed antibiotics are strong deterrents to antibacterial drug development programmes. New economic models that create incentives for the discovery of new antibiotics and yet reconcile these incentives with responsible antibiotic use are long overdue. DRIVE-AB is a €9.4 million public-private consortium, funded by the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative, that aims to define a standard for the responsible use of antibiotics and to develop, test and recommend new economic models to incentivize investment in producing new anti-infective agents. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Developing a data dictionary for the irish nursing minimum dataset.

PubMed

Henry, Pamela; Mac Neela, Pádraig; Clinton, Gerard; Scott, Anne; Treacy, Pearl; Butler, Michelle; Hyde, Abbey; Morris, Roisin; Irving, Kate; Byrne, Anne

2006-01-01

One of the challenges in health care in Ireland is the relatively slow acceptance of standardised clinical information systems. Yet the national Irish health reform programme indicates that an Electronic Health Care Record (EHCR) will be implemented on a phased basis. [3-5]. While nursing has a key role in ensuring the quality and comparability of health information, the so- called 'invisibility' of some nursing activities makes this a challenging aim to achieve [3-5]. Any integrated health care system requires the adoption of uniform standards for electronic data exchange [1-2]. One of the pre-requisites for uniform standards is the composition of a data dictionary. Inadequate definition of data elements in a particular dataset hinders the development of an integrated data depository or electronic health care record (EHCR). This paper outlines how work on the data dictionary for the Irish Nursing Minimum Dataset (INMDS) has addressed this issue. Data set elements were devised on the basis of a large scale empirical research programme. ISO 18104, the reference terminology for nursing [6], was used to cross-map the data set elements with semantic domains, categories and links and data set items were dissected.

Contextualizing mental health: gendered experiences in a Mumbai slum.

PubMed

Parkar, Shubhangi R; Fernandes, Johnson; Weiss, Mitchell G

2003-12-01

Urban mental health programmes in developing countries remain in their infancy. To serve low-income communities, research needs to consider the impact of common life experience in slums, including poverty, bad living conditions, unemployment, and crowding. Our study in the Malavani slum of Mumbai examines afflictions of the city affecting the emotional well-being and mental health of women and men with respect to gender. This is a topic for which mental health studies have been lacking, and for which psychiatric assumptions based on middle-class clinical experience may be most tenuous. This study employs ethnographic methods to show how environmental and social contexts interact in shaping local experience with reference to common mental health problems. Focusing on the social and environmental context of the mental health of communities, rather than psychiatric disorders affecting individuals, findings are broadly applicable and sorely needed to guide the development of locally appropriate community mental health programmes. Identified afflictions affecting mental health include not only access to health care, but also sanitation, addictions, criminality, domestic violence, and the so-called bar-girl culture. Although effective clinical interventions are required for mental health services to treat psychiatric disorders, they cannot directly affect the conditions of urban slums that impair mental health.

The next 5 years of global HIV/AIDS policy: critical gaps and strategies for effective responses.

PubMed

Szekeres, Greg

2008-08-01

The University of California, Los Angeles Program in Global Health performed a landscape analysis based on interviews conducted between November 2006 and February 2007 with 35 key informants from major international organizations conducting HIV/AIDS work. Institutions represented included multilateral organizations, foundations, and governmental and non-governmental organizations. The purpose of this analysis is to assist major foundations and other institutions to understand better the international HIV/AIDS policy landscape and to formulate research and development programmes that can make a significant contribution to moving important issues forward in the HIV/AIDS policy arena. Topics identified during the interviews were organized around the four major themes of the Ford Foundation's Global HIV/AIDS Initiative: leadership and leadership development; equity; accountability; and global partnerships. Key informants focused on the need for a visionary response to the HIV pandemic, the need to maintain momentum, ways to improve the scope of leadership development programmes, ideas for improving gender equity and addressing regional disparities and the needs of vulnerable populations, recommendations for strengthening accountability mechanisms among governments, foundations, and civil society and on calling for increased collaboration and partnership among key players in the global HIV/AIDS response.

Studying policy implementation using a macro, meso and micro frame analysis: the case of the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research & Care (CLAHRC) programme nationally and in North West London.

PubMed

Caldwell, Sarah E M; Mays, Nicholas

2012-10-15

The publication of Best research for best health in 2006 and the "ring-fencing" of health research funding in England marked the start of a period of change for health research governance and the structure of research funding in England. One response to bridging the 'second translational gap' between research knowledge and clinical practice was the establishment of nine Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs). The goal of this paper is to assess how national-level understanding of the aims and objectives of the CLAHRCs translated into local implementation and practice in North West London. This study uses a variation of Goffman's frame analysis to trace the development of the initial national CLAHRC policy to its implementation at three levels. Data collection and analysis were qualitative through interviews, document analysis and embedded research. Analysis at the macro (national policy), meso (national programme) and micro (North West London) levels shows a significant common understanding of the aims and objectives of the policy and programme. Local level implementation in North West London was also consistent with these. The macro-meso-micro frame analysis is a useful way of studying the transition of a policy from high-level idea to programme in action. It could be used to identify differences at a local (micro) level in the implementation of multi-site programmes that would help understand differences in programme effectiveness.

An examination of concussion education programmes: a scoping review methodology.

PubMed

Caron, Jeffrey G; Bloom, Gordon A; Falcão, William R; Sweet, Shane N

2015-10-01

The primary purpose was to review the literature on concussion education programmes. The secondary purpose was to inform knowledge translation strategies for concussion researchers and practitioners. Research on concussion education programmes is relatively new. As a result, the current study implemented a scoping review methodology, which is a type of literary search used to provide a preliminary assessment of the size and scope of a body of literature, as well as identify strengths, weaknesses and gaps in the research. A five-stage process for conducting a scoping review was followed for this study: (a) identifying the research questions, (b) identifying relevant studies, (c) identifying the study selection criteria, (d) charting the data and (e) reporting the results. Concussion education programmes have been developed and implemented with populations ranging in age from 9 to 49 years and have used interactive oral presentations, educational videos and computer-based learning programmes. Although the content of these programmes varied, the topics generally addressed salient aspects of concussion injury and recovery. Quantitative instruments have been the preferred methods for assessment. Education programmes aimed at improving participants' long-term concussion knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of concussions are needed. Researchers must consider using a knowledge translation framework to enhance concussion education programmes. The application of such a framework can lead to novel and interesting ways of disseminating information about concussive injury and recovery. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Process evaluation improves delivery of a nutrition-sensitive agriculture programme in Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Nielsen, Jennifer N; Olney, Deanna K; Ouedraogo, Marcellin; Pedehombga, Abdoulaye; Rouamba, Hippolyte; Yago-Wienne, Fanny

2017-12-26

Evidence is emerging from rigorous evaluations about the effectiveness of nutrition-sensitive agriculture programmes in improving nutritional outcomes. Additional evidence can elucidate how different programme components and pathways contribute and can be optimized for impact. The International Food Policy Research Institute, with Helen Keller International, designed a comprehensive framework to evaluate the delivery, utilization, and impact of Helen Keller International's enhanced homestead food production programme in Burkina Faso. After 18 months of implementation, a process evaluation was conducted to examine programme impact pathways, using key informant and semistructured interviews with implementing agents and beneficiaries, and with residents of control communities. Data were analyzed by International Food Policy Research Institute and reviewed with project managers and partners through multiple workshops to identify opportunities to strengthen implementation. Findings illuminated gaps between intended and actual delivery schemes, including input constraints, knowledge gaps among community agents in agriculture and young child nutrition practices, and lower than expected activity by community volunteers. In response, staff developed measures to overcome water constraints and expand vegetable and poultry production, retrained volunteers in certain techniques of food production and counselling for nutrition behaviour change, added small incentives to motivate volunteers, and shaped both immediate and long-term changes to the programme model. Working closely with International Food Policy Research Institute on the evaluation activities also expanded the repertoire of research methods and skills of Helen Keller International staff. Process evaluation can strengthen programme delivery, utilization, and design. Collaboration between researchers and implementers can improve programme effectiveness, project staff capacity, and advance delivery science. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Threats to patient safety in telenursing as revealed in Swedish telenurses' reflections on their dialogues.

PubMed

Röing, Marta; Rosenqvist, Urban; Holmström, Inger K

2013-12-01

Telenursing is a rapidly expanding actor in the Swedish healthcare system, as in other Western nations. Although rare, tragic events occur within this context, and are reminders of the importance of giving patient safety the highest priority. As telenurses' main sources of information are their dialogues with the callers, the provision of safe care can depend on the quality of this dialogue. The aim of this study was to identify issues that could threaten patient safety in telenurses' dialogues with callers. As part of an educational intervention, a researcher visited a sample of six telenurses five to six times at their workplace to listen to and discuss, together with the telenurses, their dialogues with callers in stimulated recall sessions. Each call and the following discussion between researcher and telenurse was tape-recorded and transcribed as text, resulting in a total of 121 calls. Qualitative content analysis of the reflections and following discussions revealed that threats to patient safety could be related to the surrounding society, to the organisation of telenursing, to the telenurse and to the caller. This study gives insight into significant problem areas that can affect patient safety in telenursing in Sweden. Issues that need to be focused on in telenursing educational programmes and future research are suggested, as well as the need for organisational development. © 2012 The Authors Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

A Computational Architecture for Programmable Automation Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Russell H.; Korein, James U.; Maier, Georg E.; Durfee, Lawrence F.

1987-03-01

This short paper describes recent work at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center directed at developing a highly flexible computational architecture for research on sensor-based programmable automation. The system described here has been designed with a focus on dynamic configurability, layered user inter-faces and incorporation of sensor-based real time operations into new commands. It is these features which distinguish it from earlier work. The system is cur-rently being implemented at IBM for research purposes and internal use and is an outgrowth of programmable automation research which has been ongoing since 1972 [e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] .

Structured Doctoral Education in Hannover - Joint Programme IMPRS-GW and geo-Q RTG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawazoe, Fumiko; Bruns, Sandra

2018-02-01

Two structured doctoral programmes that we have in Hannover, the IMPRS on Gravitational Wave Astronomy and SFB on relativistic geodesy and gravimetry with quantum sensors geo-Q, have not only become major resources for education in each field but have also started to provide substantial synergy to members of both programmes. Our strong crossdisciplinary approach to create a joint programme has received excellent feedback not only from researchers inside the programme but also from various external committee. Building on experience that we have acquired over the last decade, we propose to set up a common doctoral programme within the international gravitational wave astronomy and physics. We envisage that with a common doctoral programme we will create a strong team of young researchers who will carry on building a strong network of third generation gravitational wave detectors and observatories.

Strengthening integrated research and capacity development within the Caribbean region

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Caribbean region, like other developing regions of the world, faces significant challenges in conducting research, especially in the context of limited resource capacities and capabilities. Further, due to its diverse and multiple island states, research capacity is scattered and unevenly spread within the region. The Caribbean EcoHealth Programme (CEHP) is a research program that is structured to improve the capacity and capability of health professionals in the Caribbean region to respond in integrative and innovative ways to on-going and emerging environmental health challenges by means of multi-sectoral interventions. Methods Core parts of the CEHP’s mission are to (1) conduct collaborative research in areas that the region has identified as critical; (2) build and strengthening integrated approaches to research; and (3) develop and enhance basic research capacity within the Caribbean region. Fundamental to the success of the CEHP’s human and resource development mission has been its use of the Atlantis Mobile Laboratory (AML). The AML has allowed the CEHP program to move throughout the Caribbean and be able to respond to calls for specific research and capacity building opportunities. Results The CEHP’s five main research projects have generated the following results: (1) the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) study has evaluated human exposures to POPs, heavy metals, pesticides, and zoonotic infections; (2) the Burden of Illness (BOI) studies have developed protocols for the testing of foodborne microorganisms, strengthen laboratory analytical capabilities, and determined the prevalence and incidence of food-borne illness; (3) the Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) study has evaluated the microbial and chemical quality of rainwater harvesting systems; (4) the Ecotoxicology Water (ETW) studies have provided much needed data on the quality of recreational and drinking water supplies, and (5) the Food Safety Training Program has developed Diploma and M.Sc Agri-Food Safety and Quality Assurance programmes. Conclusions The CEHP program provides a successful example of how a collaborative instead of researcher driven research agenda can lead to not only the generation of needed information, but also leave within the region where the research has been carried out the capacity and capabilities to continue to do so independent of outside interventions. PMID:22166013

The Catch-up Education Programme in Turkey: Opportunities and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Börkan, Bengü; Ünlühisarcıklı, Özlem; Caner, H. Ayşe; Sart, Z. Hande

2015-02-01

Turkish children between the ages of 10-14 who either never enrolled in primary education, dropped out of school, or were at least three years behind their peers had the opportunity of joining an accelerated learning programme. It was developed by the Turkish Ministry of National Education General Directorate of Primary Education as a response to the urgent need to secure these children's right to education. The programme, called "Catch-up Education Programme" (CEP), was implemented between September 2008 and 2013 in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to enable those children to complete several grades in a short time and then to continue their education with their peers. This paper presents the findings of a study, conducted in 2010, reviewing the challenges and opportunities experienced during the implementation process from the points of view of beneficiaries (pupils and parents) and implementers. The results are discussed in relation to educational policy and its implementation in general.

[Financial incentives for quality improvement].

PubMed

Belicza, Eva; Evetovits, Tamás

2010-05-01

Policy makers and payers of health care services devote increasing attention to improve quality of services by incentivising health care providers. These--so called--pay for performance (P4P) programmes have so far been introduced in few countries only and evidence on their effectiveness is still scarce. Therefore we do not know yet which instruments of these programmes are most effective and efficient in improving quality. The P4P systems implemented so far in primary care and in integrated delivery systems use indicators for measurement of performance and the basis for rewards. These indicators are mostly process indicators, but there are some outcome indicators as well. The desired quality improvement effects are most likely to be achieved with programmes that provide seizable financial rewards and cover the extra cost of quality improvement efforts as well. Administration of the programme has to be fully transparent and clear to all involved. It has to be based on scientific evidence and supported with sufficient dedicated funding. Conducting pilot studies is a precondition for large scale implementation.

Encouraging Undergraduate Engineering Students towards Civic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallen, Matthew R.; Pandit, Abhay S.

2009-01-01

Responding to the calls for teaching "soft skills" within the undergraduate engineering curriculum and for the university to address a perceived decrease in social capital, a programme titled Community Awareness Initiatives Responsibly Directed by Engineers (CAIRDE, an Irish language word meaning "friends") was instituted at…

A Research-Informed, School-Based Professional Development Workshop Programme to Promote Dialogic Teaching with Interactive Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennessy, Sara; Dragovic, Tatjana; Warwick, Paul

2018-01-01

The study reported in this article investigated the influence of a research-informed, school-based, professional development workshop programme on the quality of classroom dialogue using the interactive whiteboard (IWB). The programme aimed to develop a dialogic approach to teaching and learning mediated through more interactive uses of the IWB,…

Community Capacity Development in Universities: Empowering Communities through Education Management Programmes in Strathmore University (A Pilot Study)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitawi, Alfred Kirigha

2014-01-01

This research examined the issue of community capacity development in a university. The main way communities were empowered was through the education management programmes offered at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya. The research is among the first to examine the issue of community capacity development through university programmes. The…

The Evidence Base for Early Childhood Education and Care Programme Investment: What We Know, What We Don't Know

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Linda A.; Prentice, Susan; Perlman, Michal

2015-01-01

An expanding body of research demonstrates that high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) programmes generate positive outcomes for children; in response, policy makers in a number of countries are making significant programme investments. No research consensus, however, has emerged around the specific types of policy intervention…

Foreign Language Teachers' Professional Development through Peer Observation Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dos Santos, Luis Miguel

2016-01-01

The purpose of the research is to explore the development of peer-observation programme for the use of an extension language school in Hong Kong. The research objectives were to explore teachers' perceptions on a peer observation programme as a means to improve teaching practice, examine how teachers make sense of the peer observation programme…

The Incredible Years Parent Training Programme in Tauranga: A Research Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Michelle; Litterick-Biggs, Angela

2008-01-01

The Incredible Years parent training programme is a research-based therapy which aims to help families improve the behaviour of children with conduct difficulties in the early years, while the behaviour is malleable (Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2003). The short-term goals of the programme are to reduce conduct problems in children by increasing…

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

Spires, S.

This code provides an application programming interface to the Macintosh OSX Carbon Databrowser from Macintosh Common Lisp. The Databrowser API is made available to Lisp via high level native CLOS classes and methods, obviating the need to write low-level Carbon code. This code is primarily ‘glue’ in that its job is to provide an interface between two extant software tools: Macintosh Common Lisp and the OSX Databrowser, both of which are COTS products from private vendors. The Databrowser is an extremely useful user interface widget that is provided with Apple’s OSX (and to some extent, OS9) operating systems. One Apple-sanctionedmore » method for using the Databrowser is via an API called Carbon, which is designed for C and C++ programmers. We have translated the low-level Carbon programming interface to the Databrowser into high-level object-oriented Common Lisp calls, functions, methods. and classes to enable MCL programmers to more readily take advantage of the Databrowser from Lisp programs.« less

Progress and Achievements At the Mid Term Stage of the Dragon 2 Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desnos, Yves-Louis; Li, Zhengyuan; Zmuda, Andy; Gao, Zhihai

2010-10-01

The cooperation between ESA and National Remote Sensing Center of China (NRSCC) / Ministry Of Science and Technology of China (MOST) in the development of Earth Observation (EO) applications started 15 years ago. In 2004, a new phase in cooperation began with the start of the Dragon Programme which focused on science and application using ESA satellite data. The programme was completed in 2008. Following on, the cooperation took on greater momentum with the start of a four-year EO science and exploitation programme called 'Dragon 2'. This programme brings together joint Sino-European teams to investigate land, ocean and atmospheric applications in P.R. China using data from ESA, Third Party Mission and Chinese Earth Observation satellites. The teams are led by leading EO scientists and young scientists are also engaged on the projects. Advanced training in land, ocean and atmospheric applications is a feature of the programme and after 2 years, two courses on land and one course on atmospheric applications have been successfully held in 2008, 2009 and 2010 in China. Here-in provided is an overview of the results, reporting and training activities at the mid term stage of the programme. The Sino-European teams continue to deliver world-class scientific results across a wide range of disciplines. The programme provides a platform for the joint exploitation of ESA, TPM and Chinese EO data from optical, infrared, thermal and microwave sensors for science and application development.

Undergraduate training in palliative medicine: is more necessarily better?

PubMed

Mason, Stephen R; Ellershaw, John E

2010-04-01

The General Medical Council's call to modernize medical education prompted the University of Liverpool Medical School to develop a new undergraduate programme, integrating palliative medicine as 'core' curricula. Following successful piloting, the palliative medicine training programme was further developed and expanded. This paper examines whether the additional investment produces improved outcomes. In 1999, fourth year undergraduate medical students (Cohort 1, n = 217) undertook a 2-week pilot education programme in palliative medicine. Subsequently, the training programme was refined and extended, incorporating advanced communication skills training, an ethics project and individual case presentations (Cohort 2, n = 443). Congruent with the study's theoretical driver of self-efficacy, both cohorts were surveyed pre- and post-programme with validated measures of: (i) self-efficacy in palliative care scale; (ii) thanatophobia scale. No significant differences between cohorts' pre-programme scores were identified. Within each cohort, statistically and educationally significant post-education improvements were recorded in both scales. Further post-education analysis indicated that the extended programme produces significantly greater improvements in all domains of the self-efficacy in palliative care scale (communication, t =-7.28, patient management, t =-5.96, multidisciplinary team-working t =-3.77 at p < 0.000), but not thanatophobia. Although improvements were recorded in both cohorts, participation in the extended education programme resulted in further statistically significant gains. Interpreted through the theoretical model employed, improved self-efficacy and outcome expectancies will result in behavioural change that leads to improved practice and better patient care.

Perspectives for food research and European collaboration in the European Research Area and the new Framework Programme.

PubMed

Breslin, L

2001-08-01

Since 1987, successive framework programmes have contributed to strengthen European food research through the establishment of networks between research institutions, universities and companies from various European countries. In the FAIR programme (1994-1998), 118 research projects comprising nearly 1,000 participants from the European Union and Associated States have been supported in the food area with a European funding of about [symbol: see text] 108 million. Within the Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources programme (1998-2002), food research is mostly supported within the key action 'food, nutrition and health' with a budget of [symbol: see text] 290 million. After the first four deadlines, 735 eligible research proposals have already been received. Further to their evaluation by a panel of independent experts, 108 proposals have been funded or selected for funding representing a total contribution of about [symbol: see text] 168 million. Among those, several clusters of projects are now running on important topics such as probiotics, coeliac diseases, mycotoxins, GMO, safety and food for the elderly. In addition, technology stimulation measures are largely benefiting SMEs to foster their innovation potential. In January 2000, the European Commission adopted a Communication entitled "Towards the European Research Area (ERA)" with the objective to contribute to developing better framework conditions for research in Europe. On 21 February 2001, the Commission adopted proposals to be submitted to the European Parliament and Council for the next framework programme for research and innovation (2002-2006). The new framework programme that is becoming one of the financial instruments of the ERA aims at catalysing the integration of European research by: strengthening of links between the Community research effort and national and regional research policies; concentrating on a limited number of priority fields or research to which activities at the Union level can add real value. One of the seven priority areas, entitled 'food safety and health risks', is intended to help establish the integrated scientific and technological bases needed to develop a system of production and distribution of safe and healthy food and control food-related risks, relying in particular on biotechnology tools, as well as health risks associated with environmental changes. A total budget of [symbol: see text] 600 million is proposed for this priority. In the priority areas, the new framework programme will work mainly by supporting the development of cooperation within networks of excellence bringing together the best research capabilities in Europe's regions to conduct common research programmes and integrated projects involving public and private partners, with clearly stated scientific and technological objectives.

Selection of magister learners in nursing science at the Rand Afrikaans University.

PubMed

Botes, A

2001-05-01

Selection of learners implies that candidates are assessed according to criteria with the purpose of selecting the most suitable learners for the course. A magister qualification is on level 8A of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The purpose of a magister qualification in Nursing is the development of advanced research, clinical, professional, managerial, educational, leadership and consultative abilities (knowledge, skills, values and attitudes) for the promotion of individual, family, group and community health. From the above introduction it becomes clear that there is a high expectations of a person with a magister qualification. Such a person should be a specialist, scientist, leader and role model in the profession. A magister programme is human-power intensive as well as capital intensive for both the learner and higher education institutions. It is therefore important to select learners with the ability to achieve the outcomes of the programme. Limited research has been conducted on the selection of post graduate learners. This leads to the question whether the current selection criteria (undergraduate mark and the mark in Research Methodology) are reasonable predictors of success for the magister programmes. In order to answer this question, hypotheses with the following variables were formulated. Achievement/success in the magister programme as reflected by The mark for the dissertation or mini-dissertation. The level of input by the supervisor during the magister programme. The quality of the research article reflecting the research in the magister programme. Undergraduate mark Mark for Research Methodology In order to test the hypotheses a quantitative correlation design was used incorporating documented data of 74 magister graduates. Descriptive and inferential data analysis (Pearson's correlation coefficient, ANOVA and multivariate test) were used. The findings showed Research Methodology to be the best indicator of success in the magister programmes.

Feasibility and acceptability of a midwife-led intervention programme called 'Eat Well Keep Active' to encourage a healthy lifestyle in pregnancy.

PubMed

Warren, Lucie; Rance, Jaynie; Hunter, Billie

2012-04-11

Eating a diet that is high in fat and sugar and having a sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy is understood to increase the risk of excessive gestational weight gain and obesity following the birth of the baby. However, there are no clinical guidelines in the UK on what is considered to be appropriate gestational weight gain. Indeed, clinical recommendations discourage the routine re-weighing of pregnant women, stating instead that women should be advised regarding their diet and activity levels, in order to prevent excessive weight gain. Pregnancy is seen as a time when many women may have an increased motivation to improve their lifestyle behaviours for the benefit of the fetus. However, it is evident that many women have difficulty in both maintaining a healthy balanced diet and remaining active through pregnancy. It would seem that midwives may be ideally placed to assist women to make and maintain healthier lifestyle choices during pregnancy. This study will look at the feasibility and acceptability of a newly devised intervention programme called 'Eat Well Keep Active'. Participants will complete a questionnaire prior to the programme to obtain baseline data on food frequency, physical activity and to gauge their perception of personal ability to improve/maintain healthy lifestyle. The programme comprises client centred techniques; motivational interviewing and goal setting delivered early in pregnancy (12-16 weeks) with the aim of supporting a healthy well balanced diet and either continuing or commencing appropriate levels of physical activity. Participants will then be followed up six weeks following the intervention with a one-to-one interview, and a further brief questionnaire. The interview will provide preliminary data regarding perceived effectiveness and acceptability of the 'Eat Well Keep Active' programme whilst the questionnaire will provide data regarding changes in the confidence of participants to lead a healthy lifestyle. There is an identified need for effective interventions that assist pregnant women in managing their diet and activity levels. Results from this study will demonstrate whether women find this programme of intervention, designed to elicit healthy behaviours in pregnancy, acceptable and whether they perceive it to be effective.

Beyond Constructivism: The Progressive Research Programme into Learning Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taber, Keith S.

2006-01-01

In this paper, it is suggested that while there are a variety of frames or perspectives that guide research into learning science, a pre-paradigmatic field need not be a "free-for-all". Lakatos suggested that academic research fields were characterised by research programmes (RP), which offered heuristic guidance to researchers, and which…

Lessons from the evaluation of the UK's NHS R&D Implementation Methods Programme

PubMed Central

Soper, Bryony; Hanney, Stephen R

2007-01-01

Background Concern about the effective use of research was a major factor behind the creation of the NHS R&D Programme in 1991. In 1994, an advisory group was established to identify research priorities in research implementation. The Implementation Methods Programme (IMP) flowed from this, and its commissioning group funded 36 projects. In 2000 responsibility for the programme passed to the National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D, which asked the Health Economics Research Group (HERG), Brunel University, to conduct an evaluation in 2002. By then most projects had been completed. This evaluation was intended to cover: the quality of outputs, lessons to be learnt about the communication strategy and the commissioning process, and the benefits from the projects. Methods We adopted a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods. They included: documentary analysis, interviews with key actors, questionnaires to the funded lead researchers, questionnaires to potential users, and desk analysis. Results Quantitative assessment of outputs and dissemination revealed that the IMP funded useful research projects, some of which had considerable impact against the various categories in the HERG payback model, such as publications, further research, research training, impact on health policy, and clinical practice. Qualitative findings from interviews with advisory and commissioning group members indicated that when the IMP was established, implementation research was a relatively unexplored field. This was reflected in the understanding brought to their roles by members of the advisory and commissioning groups, in the way priorities for research were chosen and developed, and in how the research projects were commissioned. The ideological and methodological debates associated with these decisions have continued among those working in this field. The need for an effective communication strategy for the programme as a whole was particularly important. However, such a strategy was never developed, making it difficult to establish the general influence of the IMP as a programme. Conclusion Our findings about the impact of the work funded, and the difficulties faced by those developing the IMP, have implications for the development of strategic programmes of research in general, as well as for the development of more effective research in this field. PMID:17309803

Public engagement in Malawi through a health-talk radio programme ' Umoyo nkukambirana': A mixed-methods evaluation.

PubMed

Nyirenda, Deborah; Makawa, Tamara Chipasula; Chapita, Greyson; Mdalla, Chisomo; Nkolokosa, Mzati; O'byrne, Thomasena; Heyderman, Robert; Desmond, Nicola

2018-02-01

Radio is an effective source of health information in many resource poor countries. In Malawi, 53% of households own radios however few radio programmes in Malawi focus on health issues in the context of medical research. An interactive health-talk radio programme ' Umoyo nkukambirana' was introduced by Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme on a national radio station. The aim was to increase awareness of health and medical research, and improve engagement between researchers, healthcare workers and the public. The content and presentation were developed through participatory community consultations. Focus Group Discussions were conducted with established Radio Listening Clubs whilst quantitative data was collected using toll free FrontlineSMS to explore national response. A total of 277 to 695 SMS (Median: 477) were received per theme. The majority of SMS were received from men (64%) and mainly from rural areas (54%). The programme improved knowledge of medical research, health and dispelled misconceptions. This study suggests that the radio may be an effective means of increasing the exposure of men to health information in resource poor settings.

Public engagement in Malawi through a health-talk radio programme ‘Umoyo nkukambirana’: A mixed-methods evaluation

PubMed Central

Nyirenda, Deborah; Makawa, Tamara Chipasula; Chapita, Greyson; Mdalla, Chisomo; Nkolokosa, Mzati; O’byrne, Thomasena; Heyderman, Robert; Desmond, Nicola

2016-01-01

Radio is an effective source of health information in many resource poor countries. In Malawi, 53% of households own radios however few radio programmes in Malawi focus on health issues in the context of medical research. An interactive health-talk radio programme ‘Umoyo nkukambirana’ was introduced by Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme on a national radio station. The aim was to increase awareness of health and medical research, and improve engagement between researchers, healthcare workers and the public. The content and presentation were developed through participatory community consultations. Focus Group Discussions were conducted with established Radio Listening Clubs whilst quantitative data was collected using toll free FrontlineSMS to explore national response. A total of 277 to 695 SMS (Median: 477) were received per theme. The majority of SMS were received from men (64%) and mainly from rural areas (54%). The programme improved knowledge of medical research, health and dispelled misconceptions. This study suggests that the radio may be an effective means of increasing the exposure of men to health information in resource poor settings. PMID:27365364

Happy software developers solve problems better: psychological measurements in empirical software engineering

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaofeng; Abrahamsson, Pekka

2014-01-01

For more than thirty years, it has been claimed that a way to improve software developers’ productivity and software quality is to focus on people and to provide incentives to make developers satisfied and happy. This claim has rarely been verified in software engineering research, which faces an additional challenge in comparison to more traditional engineering fields: software development is an intellectual activity and is dominated by often-neglected human factors (called human aspects in software engineering research). Among the many skills required for software development, developers must possess high analytical problem-solving skills and creativity for the software construction process. According to psychology research, affective states—emotions and moods—deeply influence the cognitive processing abilities and performance of workers, including creativity and analytical problem solving. Nonetheless, little research has investigated the correlation between the affective states, creativity, and analytical problem-solving performance of programmers. This article echoes the call to employ psychological measurements in software engineering research. We report a study with 42 participants to investigate the relationship between the affective states, creativity, and analytical problem-solving skills of software developers. The results offer support for the claim that happy developers are indeed better problem solvers in terms of their analytical abilities. The following contributions are made by this study: (1) providing a better understanding of the impact of affective states on the creativity and analytical problem-solving capacities of developers, (2) introducing and validating psychological measurements, theories, and concepts of affective states, creativity, and analytical-problem-solving skills in empirical software engineering, and (3) raising the need for studying the human factors of software engineering by employing a multidisciplinary viewpoint. PMID:24688866

Happy software developers solve problems better: psychological measurements in empirical software engineering.

PubMed

Graziotin, Daniel; Wang, Xiaofeng; Abrahamsson, Pekka

2014-01-01

For more than thirty years, it has been claimed that a way to improve software developers' productivity and software quality is to focus on people and to provide incentives to make developers satisfied and happy. This claim has rarely been verified in software engineering research, which faces an additional challenge in comparison to more traditional engineering fields: software development is an intellectual activity and is dominated by often-neglected human factors (called human aspects in software engineering research). Among the many skills required for software development, developers must possess high analytical problem-solving skills and creativity for the software construction process. According to psychology research, affective states-emotions and moods-deeply influence the cognitive processing abilities and performance of workers, including creativity and analytical problem solving. Nonetheless, little research has investigated the correlation between the affective states, creativity, and analytical problem-solving performance of programmers. This article echoes the call to employ psychological measurements in software engineering research. We report a study with 42 participants to investigate the relationship between the affective states, creativity, and analytical problem-solving skills of software developers. The results offer support for the claim that happy developers are indeed better problem solvers in terms of their analytical abilities. The following contributions are made by this study: (1) providing a better understanding of the impact of affective states on the creativity and analytical problem-solving capacities of developers, (2) introducing and validating psychological measurements, theories, and concepts of affective states, creativity, and analytical-problem-solving skills in empirical software engineering, and (3) raising the need for studying the human factors of software engineering by employing a multidisciplinary viewpoint.

Feasibility, safety and preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of a home-based exercise programme for older people with Alzheimer's disease: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Suttanon, Plaiwan; Hill, Keith D; Said, Catherine M; Williams, Susan B; Byrne, Karin N; LoGiudice, Dina; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; Dodd, Karen J

2013-05-01

To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a home-based exercise programme for people with Alzheimer's disease, and to provide preliminary evidence of programme effectiveness in improving balance and mobility and reducing falls risk. A randomized controlled trial. Community. Forty people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (mean age 81.9, SD 5.72; 62.5% female). Participants were randomized to a six-month home-based individually tailored balance, strengthening and walking exercise programme (physiotherapist) or a six-month home-based education programme (control) (occupational therapist). Both programmes provided six home-visits and five follow-up phone calls. Balance, mobility, falls and falls risk were measured at baseline and programme completion. Intention-to-treat analysis using a generalized linear model with group allocation as a predictor variable was performed to evaluate programme effectiveness. Feasibility and adverse events were systematically recorded at each contact. Fifty-eight per cent of the exercise group finished the programme, completing an average of 83% of prescribed sessions, with no adverse events reported. Functional Reach improved significantly (P = 0.002) in the exercise group (mean (SD), 2.28 (4.36)) compared to the control group (-2.99 (4.87)). Significant improvement was also observed for the Falls Risk for Older People - Community score (P = 0.008) and trends for improvement on several other balance, mobility, falls and falls risk measures for the exercise group compared to the control group. The exercise programme was feasible and safe and may help improve balance and mobility performance and reduce falls risk in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Supporting Policy In health with Research: an Intervention Trial (SPIRIT)—protocol for a stepped wedge trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Governments in different countries have committed to better use of evidence from research in policy. Although many programmes are directed at assisting agencies to better use research, there have been few tests of the effectiveness of such programmes. This paper describes the protocol for SPIRIT (Supporting Policy In health with Research: an Intervention Trial), a trial designed to test the effectiveness of a multifaceted programme to build organisational capacity for the use of research evidence in policy and programme development. The primary aim is to determine whether SPIRIT results in an increase in the extent to which research and research expertise is sought, appraised, generated and used in the development of specific policy products produced by health policy agencies. Methods and analysis A stepped wedge cluster randomised trial involving six health policy agencies located in Sydney, Australia. Policy agencies are the unit of randomisation and intervention. Agencies were randomly allocated to one of three start dates (steps) to receive the 1-year intervention programme, underpinned by an action framework. The SPIRIT intervention is tailored to suit the interests and needs of each agency and includes audit, feedback and goal setting; a leadership programme; staff training; the opportunity to test systems to assist in the use of research in policies; and exchange with researchers. Outcome measures will be collected at each agency every 6 months for 30 months (starting at the beginning of step 1). Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval was granted by the University of Western Sydney Human Research and Ethics Committee HREC Approval H8855. The findings of this study will be disseminated broadly through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences and used to inform future strategies. PMID:24989620

Future Marine Polar Research Capacities - Science Planning and Research Services for a Multi-National Research Icebreaker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biebow, N.; Lembke-Jene, L.; Wolff-Boenisch, B.; Bergamasco, A.; De Santis, L.; Eldholm, O.; Mevel, C.; Willmott, V.; Thiede, J.

2011-12-01

Despite significant advances in Arctic and Antarctic marine science over the past years, the polar Southern Ocean remains a formidable frontier due to challenging technical and operational requirements. Thus, key data and observations from this important region are still missing or lack adequate lateral and temporal coverage, especially from time slots outside optimal weather seasons and ice conditions. These barriers combined with the obligation to efficiently use financial resources and funding for expeditions call for new approaches to create optimally equipped, but cost-effective infrastructures. These must serve the international science community in a dedicated long-term mode and enable participation in multi-disciplinary expeditions, with secured access to optimally equipped marine platforms for world-class research in a wide range of Antarctic science topics. The high operational and technical performance capacity of a future joint European Research Icebreaker and Deep-sea Drilling Vessel (the AURORA BOREALIS concept) aims at integrating still separately operating national science programmes with different strategic priorities into joint development of long-term research missions with international cooperation both in Arctic and Antarctica. The icebreaker is planned to enable, as a worldwide first, autonomous year-round operations in the central Arctic and polar Southern Ocean, including severest ice conditions in winter, and serving all polar marine disciplines. It will facilitate the implementation of atmospheric, oceanographic, cryospheric or geophysical observatories for long-term monitoring of the polar environment. Access to the biosphere and hydrosphere e.g. beneath ice shelves or in remote regions is made possible by acting as advanced deployment platform for instruments, robotic and autonomous vehicles and ship-based air operations. In addition to a report on the long-term strategic science and operational planning objectives, we describe foreseen on- and offshore science support infrastructure, recommended operational and scientific support structures and the relevance of AURORA BOREALIS for other present and future Antarctic science programmes and initiatives.

Evidence-based Practice Intentions and Long-term Behaviours of Physiotherapy Graduates Following an Intensive Education Programme.

PubMed

Perraton, L; Machotka, Z; Gibbs, C; Mahar, C; Kennedy, K; Grimmer, K

2017-07-01

Assisting physiotherapists to implement research evidence into clinical practice is essential to ensure the quality of practice and encourage lifelong learning and professional progression. However, many physiotherapists report barriers to implementing research, and there is little evidence regarding the sustainability of intended evidence-based practice (EBP) behaviours following EBP education programmes. This paper reports on intended and actual long-term EBP behaviours of physiotherapy students who completed an intensive EBP training programme embedded within a post-graduate coursework programme. An intensive 3-week course in quantitative health research methods and EBP was delivered annually from 2007 to 2014 as part of the programme to national and international students. Following the course, students were asked about their intention of using evidence to inform their future clinical practice. An online survey was used to evaluate EBP behaviours of graduates. Of a possible total of 202 students, contact details for 193 students were sourced, and 65 students responded to the survey (34% response rate). At course completion, 174 students (86%) indicated that they intended to use research to guide their clinical decisions at least once a week. At follow-up, most graduates reported frequently using research to inform their clinical practice; indicated by a mean score of 6.5 (±1.9) from a possible range of 0 (not at all) to 10 (all the time). On average, students reported spending 2.2 (±2.2) hours accessing and reading research evidence per week. The most common barriers to implementing evidence were lack of time, limited access to evidence sources and a perceived lack of generalizability of research findings to specific patient groups. Graduates of an intensive EBP training programme embedded within an existing post-graduate physiotherapy programme regularly implemented EBP in clinical practice. Barriers to evidence implementation were time, access to research and perceived lack of generalizability of research findings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Time to publication for NIHR HTA programme-funded research: a cohort study

PubMed Central

Chinnery, Fay; Young, Amanda; Goodman, Jennie; Ashton-Key, Martin; Milne, Ruairidh

2013-01-01

Objective To assess the time to publication of primary research and evidence syntheses funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme published as a monograph in Health Technology Assessment and as a journal article in the wider biomedical literature. Study design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Primary research and evidence synthesis projects funded by the HTA Programme were included in the cohort if they were registered in the NIHR research programmes database and was planned to submit the draft final report for publication in Health Technology Assessment on or before 9 December 2011. Main outcome measures The median time to publication and publication at 30 months in Health Technology Assessment and in an external journal were determined by searching the NIHR research programmes database and HTA Programme website. Results Of 458 included projects, 184 (40.2%) were primary research projects and 274 (59.8%) were evidence syntheses. A total of 155 primary research projects had a completion date; the median time to publication was 23 months (26.5 and 35.5 months to publish a monograph and to publish in an external journal, respectively) and 69% were published within 30 months. The median time to publication of HTA-funded trials (n=126) was 24 months and 67.5% were published within 30 months. Among the evidence syntheses with a protocol online date (n=223), the median time to publication was 25.5 months (28 months to publication as a monograph), but only 44.4% of evidence synthesis projects were published in an external journal. 65% of evidence synthesis studies had been published within 30.0 months. Conclusions Research funded by the HTA Programme publishes promptly. The importance of Health Technology Assessment was highlighted as the median time to publication was 9 months shorter for a monograph than an external journal article. PMID:24285634

Towards an Ethics of "Research Programmes" in Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hausstatter, Rune Sarromaa; Connolley, Steven

2007-01-01

This article presents an analysis of the different perspectives and ideologies within the evolving field of special education research. This examination has claimed that Imre Lakatos' notion of "research programmes", which allows for a plurality of directions of research, provides a valuable guide for understanding the development and current…

Vocabulary Knowledge and Growth in Immersion and Regular Language-Learning Programmes in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Yuen Yi; Murphy, Victoria A.

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate vocabulary knowledge and growth across two different language-learning programmes in Hong Kong. The two programmes compared were English immersion programmes (IM) and regular English second-language programmes (RL2). While previous research has identified an overall advantage to IM with respect to language…

Studying policy implementation using a macro, meso and micro frame analysis: the case of the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research & Care (CLAHRC) programme nationally and in North West London

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The publication of Best research for best health in 2006 and the “ring-fencing” of health research funding in England marked the start of a period of change for health research governance and the structure of research funding in England. One response to bridging the ‘second translational gap’ between research knowledge and clinical practice was the establishment of nine Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs). The goal of this paper is to assess how national-level understanding of the aims and objectives of the CLAHRCs translated into local implementation and practice in North West London. Methods This study uses a variation of Goffman’s frame analysis to trace the development of the initial national CLAHRC policy to its implementation at three levels. Data collection and analysis were qualitative through interviews, document analysis and embedded research. Results Analysis at the macro (national policy), meso (national programme) and micro (North West London) levels shows a significant common understanding of the aims and objectives of the policy and programme. Local level implementation in North West London was also consistent with these. Conclusions The macro-meso-micro frame analysis is a useful way of studying the transition of a policy from high-level idea to programme in action. It could be used to identify differences at a local (micro) level in the implementation of multi-site programmes that would help understand differences in programme effectiveness. PMID:23067208

The W(h)ine Club: Women Finding Joy in Academic Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selepe, Mosa; Grobler, Christa; Dicks, Emsie; Oldewage-Theron, Wilna

2012-01-01

The W(h)ine Club is a multidisciplinary women's research team which has been working together for the past 10 years. The idea for this Viewpoint piece grew as we participated in a Women in Research programme. The aim of the programme was to improve academic publications among women. A group of us in the programme found ourselves repeatedly…

Law and Ethics: Problematising the Role of the Foundation Degree and Paralegal Education in English Post-Compulsory Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingleby, Ewan; Gibby, Caroline

2016-01-01

This article is based on research on a foundation degree programme in paralegal education in England. The content explores the pedagogical benefits of this academic programme with its work-related focus. The research has been completed with academic tutors and students who are associated with a foundation degree programme in paralegal education in…

The HexSim Model

EPA Science Inventory

HexSim version 2.0 is soon to be released by EPA's Western Ecology Division (WED). More than three years of work have gone into the development of this tool, which grew out of an EPA model called PATCH. HexSim makes it possible for non-programmers to develop sophisticated simula...

Work and Programmable Automation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVore, Paul W.

A new industrial era based on electronics and the microprocessor has arrived, an era that is being called intelligent automation. Intelligent automation, in the form of robots, replaces workers, and the new products, using microelectronic devices, require significantly less labor to produce than the goods they replace. The microprocessor thus…

An Autonomous Autopilot Control System Design for Small-Scale UAVs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ippolito, Corey; Pai, Ganeshmadhav J.; Denney, Ewen W.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the design and implementation of a fully autonomous and programmable autopilot system for small scale autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aircraft. This system was implemented in Reflection and has flown on the Exploration Aerial Vehicle (EAV) platform at NASA Ames Research Center, currently only as a safety backup for an experimental autopilot. The EAV and ground station are built on a component-based architecture called the Reflection Architecture. The Reflection Architecture is a prototype for a real-time embedded plug-and-play avionics system architecture which provides a transport layer for real-time communications between hardware and software components, allowing each component to focus solely on its implementation. The autopilot module described here, although developed in Reflection, contains no design elements dependent on this architecture.

In defence of andragogy.

PubMed

Milligan, F

1995-02-01

This paper supports the continued use of the term andragogy in Project 2000 nurse education programmes. It is argued that the theory of andragogy, and its supporting philosophy, methods, and research, are consistent with both the means and ends of contemporary nurse education. Some of the recent pressure felt in relation to use of alternative terms, such as critical pedagogy, are linked to wider socio-political influences and it is argued that it is essentially a sign of the times that andragogy has now come under threat. The call, from some, for a return to pedagogy is also seen as an attempt to reassert an increased degree of control over the student by those educationalists. This article is also a response to the article by Philip Darbyshire (1993) which questions the viability and relevance of the term andragogy.

Task Description Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simmons, Reid; Apfelbaum, David

2005-01-01

Task Description Language (TDL) is an extension of the C++ programming language that enables programmers to quickly and easily write complex, concurrent computer programs for controlling real-time autonomous systems, including robots and spacecraft. TDL is based on earlier work (circa 1984 through 1989) on the Task Control Architecture (TCA). TDL provides syntactic support for hierarchical task-level control functions, including task decomposition, synchronization, execution monitoring, and exception handling. A Java-language-based compiler transforms TDL programs into pure C++ code that includes calls to a platform-independent task-control-management (TCM) library. TDL has been used to control and coordinate multiple heterogeneous robots in projects sponsored by NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). It has also been used in Brazil to control an autonomous airship and in Canada to control a robotic manipulator.

The role of music therapy in paediatric rehabilitation.

PubMed

Kennelly, J; Brien-Elliott, K

2001-01-01

Meeting the needs of the child in rehabilitation requires an interdisciplinary approach, whereby a variety of health care professionals are called upon to work together in planning and coordinating each patient's programme. The Registered music therapist is one of the allied health professionals who plays an integral role in this team approach. Music therapy is a recognized allied health profession, which is becoming acknowledged in the expanding world of health care as a therapy able to meet the expansive needs of the patient in rehabilitation. This article will present a literature review which advocates the role of music therapy in rehabilitation, with particular focus on the needs of the paediatric patient. Case vignettes will be used as further evidence to support the role of music therapy in this context, together with considerations for future research.

Can Work-Based Learning Add to the Research Inventory of Higher Education? The Case of Collaborative Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portwood, Derek

2007-01-01

Work-based learning's preoccupation with developing award-bearing programmes has affected the scope and style of work-based research. While offering development opportunities for work-based research, the emphasis of work-based learning programmes on the individual learner has curtailed the use of collaborative research. This article explores how…

Mentoring the Next Researcher Generation: Reflections on Three Years of Building VET Research Capacity and Infrastructure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barratt-Pugh, Llandis Gareth

2012-01-01

During 2008-2011, the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) funded a programme to build Australian VET research capacity and rejuvenate what has been seen as the existing "greying" researcher pool. This paper is a reflective narrative about experiences of constructing the programme with a specific focus on the…

Promoting EFL Teacher Research Engagement through a Research Support Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Maamari, Faisal; Al-Aamri, Kamla; Khammash, Samar; Al-Wahaibi, Munira

2017-01-01

Existing initiatives purporting to promote teacher research are often found to be inadequate to encourage EFL teachers to engage in research due to the fact that they impose a top down, expert model approach to research engagement. This study reports on a pioneering programme at Sultan Qaboos University Language Centre in the Sultanate of Oman…

Problematisations of Complexity: On the Notion and Production of Diverse Complexities in Healthcare Interventions and Evaluations

PubMed Central

Broer, Tineke; Bal, Roland; Pickersgill, Martyn

2017-01-01

Abstract Within the literature on the evaluation of health (policy) interventions, complexity is a much-debated issue. In particular, many claim that so-called ‘complex interventions’ pose different challenges to evaluation studies than apparently ‘simple interventions’ do. Distinct ways of doing evaluation entail particular ontologies and epistemologies of complexity. They differ in terms of whether they define complexity as a quantitative trait of interventions, whether they see evaluation as part of or outside the intervention, and whether complexity can be regarded as an emergent property of the intervention and its evaluation. In practice, evaluators and commissioners of large health care improvement programmes rely on different, sometimes contradictory, repertoires about what it means to conduct a ‘good’ evaluation. This is an ongoing matter negotiated between and among commissioners, researchers, and—sometimes—programme managers. In particular, notions of evaluability, usefulness and distance/independence are problematised in different ways and with diverse consequences, which, in turn, produce other notions and layers of complexity such as temporal, institutional and affective complexities. When (social science) researchers claim that one method or another is better able to grasp complexity, they elide the issue that any methodological choice emphasises some complexities and lets others fade into the background. Analysing the practicalities and emotions involved in evaluation studies opens up the notion of complexity to analytical scrutiny, and suggests a basis for co-theorising between biomedical, public health and social scientists (including Science and Technology Studies scholars). PMID:28515573

Oral health needs assessment world-wide in relation to HIV. Themes: Oral health needs and inequalities, oral health promotion, co-ordinating research and enhancing dissemination in relation to HIV- a workshop report.

PubMed

Koyio, L; Ranganathan, K; Kattappagari, K K; Williams, D M; Robinson, P G

2016-04-01

Review the meaning of 'health need', consider oral health inequalities and oral health promotion among people with HIV and outline methods to enhance coordination, standardization and dissemination of research efforts. This workshop involved a brief introduction of each topic by an invited speaker followed by participant discussion. Participants were dentists and dental students attending the 7th World Workshop on Oral Health & Disease in AIDS RESULTS: A health need was regarded as a population's ability to benefit from care. Oral health inequalities called for both downstream and upstream health promotion. A community health programme to reach people with HIV infection in the community was described. Despite deploying community health workers to reduce costs, the programme required additional resources for comprehensive implementation. The Indian National AIDS Control Program exemplified coordinated efforts. Knowledge transfer can be achieved via educational, linkage and exchange and organizational interventions. Stakeholder engagement in a combination of all three types of intervention is the most effective. The discussion centred on the difficulties of Indian dentists who felt they did not receive sufficient revenue to treat patients with HIV. An opposing view approach treated all patients using universal standards of infection control. Dental regulatory bodies, professional organizations and governments may need to demonstrate leadership and advocacy for the oral health of people with HIV infection. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gender equity programmes in academic medicine: a realist evaluation approach to Athena SWAN processes

PubMed Central

Caffrey, Louise; Mattingley, Helena; Williamson, Catherine; McKevitt, Christopher

2016-01-01

Objectives Gender inequity has persisted in academic medicine. Yet equity is vital for countries to achieve their full potential in terms of translational research and patient benefit. This study sought to understand how the gender equity programme, Athena SWAN, can be enabled and constrained by interactions between the programme and the context it is implemented into, and whether these interactions might produce unintended consequences. Design Multimethod qualitative case studies using a realist evaluation approach. Setting 5 departments from a university medical school hosting a Translational Research Organisation. Participants 25 hours of observations of gender equality committee meetings, 16 in-depth interviews with Heads of Departments, Committee Leads and key personnel involved in the initiative. 4 focus groups with 15 postdoctoral researchers, lecturers and senior lecturers. Results The implementation of Athena SWAN principles was reported to have created social space to address gender inequity and to have highlighted problematic practices to staff. However, a number of factors reduced the programme's potential to impact gender inequity. Gender inequity was reproduced in the programme's enactment as female staff was undertaking a disproportionate amount of Athena SWAN work, with potential negative impacts on individual women's career progression. Early career researchers experienced problems accessing Athena SWAN initiatives. Furthermore, the impact of the programme was perceived to be undermined by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms, which are beyond the programme's remit. Conclusions Gender equity programmes have the potential to address inequity. However, paradoxically, they can also unintentionally reproduce and reinforce gender inequity through their enactment. Potential programme impacts may be undermined by barriers to staff availing of career development and training initiatives, and by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms. PMID:27609850

A Rationale for Mixed Methods (Integrative) Research Programmes in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niaz, Mansoor

2008-01-01

Recent research shows that research programmes (quantitative, qualitative and mixed) in education are not displaced (as suggested by Kuhn) but rather lead to integration. The objective of this study is to present a rationale for mixed methods (integrative) research programs based on contemporary philosophy of science (Lakatos, Giere, Cartwright,…

Lessons learnt from promising practices in community engagement for the elimination of new HIV infections in children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive: summary of a desk review.

PubMed

Ackerman Gulaid, Laurie; Kiragu, Karusa

2012-07-11

Through the Global Plan Towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections Among Children by 2015 and Keeping their Mothers Alive, leaders have called for broader action to strengthen the involvement of communities. The Global Plan aspires to reduce new HIV infections among children by 90 percent, and to reduce AIDS-related maternal mortality by half. This article summarizes the results of a review commissioned by UNAIDS to help inform stakeholders on promising practices in community engagement to accelerate progress towards these ambitious goals. This research involved extensive literature review and key informant interviews. Community engagement was defined to include participation, mobilization and empowerment while excluding activities that involve communities solely as service recipients. A promising practice was defined as one for which there is documented evidence of its effectiveness in achieving intended results and some indication of replicability, scale up and/or sustainability. Promising practices that increased the supply of preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services included extending community cadres, strengthening linkages with community- and faith-based organizations and civic participation in programme monitoring. Practices to improve demand for PMTCT included community-led social and behaviour change communication, peer support and participative approaches to generate local solutions. Practices to create an enabling environment included community activism and government leadership for greater involvement of communities. Committed leadership at all levels, facility, community, district and national, is crucial to success. Genuine community engagement requires a rights-based, capacity-building approach and sustained financial and technical investment. Participative formative research is a first step in building community capacity and helps to ensure programme relevance. Building on existing structures, rather than working in parallel to them, improves programme efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. Monitoring, innovation and information sharing are critical to scale up. Ten recommendations on community engagement are offered for ending vertical transmission and enhancing the health of mothers and families: (1) expand the frontline health workforce, (2) increase engagement with community- and faith-based organizations, (3) engage communities in programme monitoring and accountability, (4) promote community-driven social and behaviour change communication including grassroots campaigns and dialogues, (5) expand peer support, (6) empower communities to address programme barriers, (7) support community activism for political commitment, (8) share tools for community engagement, (9) develop better indicators for community involvement and (10) conduct cost analyses of various community engagement strategies. As programmes expand, care should be taken to support and not to undermine work that communities are already doing, but rather to actively identify and build on such efforts.

Women's human rights at the World Summit for Social Development.

PubMed

Fried, S

1995-01-01

The Copenhagen Hearing on Economic Justice and Women's Human Rights was held on March 7, 1995 in conjunction with the NGO (nongovernmental organization) Forum during the UN World Summit on Social Development (the Social Summit). During the Copenhagen Hearing, 10 women from around the world testified on a wide range of topics connected with the issue of providing tangible meaning to the indivisibility of women's human rights. Also emphasized was the complexity of the US government in perpetrating abuses against women's human rights, either directly or indirectly. The NGO Forum resulted in several hundred NGOs signing The Quality Benchmark for the Social Summit and The Copenhagen Alternative Declaration, which pointed out the need to critique conventional economic and social policies. While many of the concerns raised at the NGO Forum were not reflected in the Summit's Programme of Action, one of the Programme's 10 commitments called for the promotion of gender equality and improvement in the status of women. The Programme also recognized the burden placed on women by poverty and social disintegration; accepted a broad definition of "family"; called for a quantitative consideration of the value of unremunerated work; and advanced the rights of workers in general, migrant workers, and indigenous people. The capacity of NGOs and other grassroots groups to demand implementation of international agreements and adherence to international human rights standards was also strengthened. Specifically, such groups may urge governments to 1) meet with women's NGOs to discuss implementation of the Social Summit Declaration and Programme of Action; 2) make a national commitment to implement the Platform of Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women; and 3) commit to the Pledge to Gender Justice, particularly to the implementation of international agreements in local and national laws and policies.

A Summary of Research on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: Perspectives of Students, Teachers, and University Admissions Offices in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culross, Rita; Tarver, Emily

2011-01-01

This is the summary of a series of research studies into the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) in the USA, beginning with the investigation of how the first class of IB DP graduates in an individual school perceived the impacts and benefits of the programme, through further investigations of teacher perceptions of the…

Software Engineering Basics: A Primer for the Project Manager.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

computer software (45, 46]. It is named after Ada Augusta who is generally credited as having been the first programmer as an assistant to Charles ... Babbage , and is called, appropriately enough, ADA. The development of one common programming language for tactical software clearly has the p-.tential for

A Call for Computational Thinking in Undergraduate Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Nicole D.

2016-01-01

Computational thinking is an approach to problem solving that is typically employed by computer programmers. The advantage of this approach is that solutions can be generated through algorithms that can be implemented as computer code. Although computational thinking has historically been a skill that is exclusively taught within computer science,…

The Xmath Integration Algorithm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bringslid, Odd

2009-01-01

The projects Xmath (Bringslid and Canessa, 2002) and dMath (Bringslid, de la Villa and Rodriguez, 2007) were supported by the European Commission in the so called Minerva Action (Xmath) and The Leonardo da Vinci programme (dMath). The Xmath eBook (Bringslid, 2006) includes algorithms into a wide range of undergraduate mathematical issues embedded…

Action Learning: Towards a Framework in Inter-Organisational Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coughlan, Paul; Coghlan, David

2004-01-01

While much of the literature on action learning focuses on managers developing their capacity to learn and transform their own organizations, this article explores how action learning has been used in inter-organisational settings. Two settings are presented: the first an EU-funded management development programme called the National Action…

Informationist programme in support of biomedical research: a programme description and preliminary findings of an evaluation

PubMed Central

Whitmore, Susan C.; Grefsheim, Suzanne F.; Rankin, Jocelyn A.

2008-01-01

Background The informationist programme at the Library of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, USA has grown to 14 informationists working with 40 clinical and basic science research teams. Purpose This case report, intended to contribute to the literature on informationist programmes, describes the NIH informationist programme including implementation experiences, the informationists' training programme, their job responsibilities and programme outcomes. Brief description The NIH informationist programme was designed to enhance the library's service capacity. Over time, the steps for introducing the service to new groups were formalized to ensure support by leadership, the team being served and the library. Job responsibilities also evolved from traditional library roles to a wide range of knowledge management activities. The commitment by the informationist, the team and the library to continuous learning is critical to the programme's success. Results/outcomes NIH scientists reported that informationists saved them time and contributed to teamwork with expert searching and point-of-need instruction. Process evaluation helped refine the programme. Evaluation method High-level, preliminary outcomes were identified from a survey of scientists receiving informationist services, along with key informant interviews. Process evaluation examined service implementation, informationists' training, and service components. Anecdotal evidence has also indicated a favorable response to the programme. PMID:18494648

Informationist programme in support of biomedical research: a programme description and preliminary findings of an evaluation.

PubMed

Whitmore, Susan C; Grefsheim, Suzanne F; Rankin, Jocelyn A

2008-06-01

The informationist programme at the Library of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, USA has grown to 14 informationists working with 40 clinical and basic science research teams. This case report, intended to contribute to the literature on informationist programmes, describes the NIH informationist programme, including implementation experiences, the informationists' training programme, their job responsibilities and programme outcomes. The NIH informationist programme was designed to enhance the library's service capacity. Over time, the steps for introducing the service to new groups were formalized to ensure support by leadership, the team being served and the library. Job responsibilities also evolved from traditional library roles to a wide range of knowledge management activities. The commitment by the informationist, the team and the library to continuous learning is critical to the programme's success. RESULTS / OUTCOMES: NIH scientists reported that informationists saved them time and contributed to teamwork with expert searching and point-of-need instruction. Process evaluation helped refine the programme. High-level, preliminary outcomes were identified from a survey of scientists receiving informationist services, along with key informant interviews. Process evaluation examined service implementation, informationists' training and service components. Anecdotal evidence has also indicated a favourable response to the programme.

Paths to nursing leadership.

PubMed

Bondas, Terese

2006-07-01

The aim was to explore why nurses enter nursing leadership and apply for a management position in health care. The study is part of a research programme in nursing leadership and evidence-based care. Nursing has not invested enough in the development of nursing leadership for the development of patient care. There is scarce research on nurses' motives and reasons for committing themselves to a career in nursing leadership. A strategic sample of 68 Finnish nurse leaders completed a semistructured questionnaire. Analytic induction was applied in an attempt to generate a theory. A theory, Paths to Nursing Leadership, is proposed for further research. Four different paths were found according to variations between the nurse leaders' education, primary commitment and situational factors. They are called the Path of Ideals, the Path of Chance, the Career Path and the Temporary Path. Situational factors and role models of good but also bad nursing leadership besides motivational and educational factors have played a significant role when Finnish nurses have entered nursing leadership. The educational requirements for nurse leaders and recruitment to nursing management positions need serious attention in order to develop a competent nursing leadership.

Piecing the puzzle together: case studies of international research in health-promoting sports clubs.

PubMed

Kokko, Sami; Donaldson, Alex; Geidne, Susanna; Seghers, Jan; Scheerder, Jeroen; Meganck, Jeroen; Lane, Aoife; Kelly, Bridget; Casey, Meghan; Eime, Rochelle; Villberg, Jari; Kannas, Lasse

2016-03-01

This paper seeks to review the current international health-promoting sports club (HPSC) research, drawing together findings based on case studies from various countries to illustrate the status of HPSCs. In addition, future challenges for HPSC research and implementation are considered. The review includes six case studies from five countries. In summary, there are two major research themes in this area, namely 'research into HPSC activity' and 'research into HPSC networks'. The first theme investigates the extent to which sports clubs and/or national sports organisations invest in health promotion (HP) - both in policy and practice. The latter theme is driven by an intention to widen the scope of HPSCs to reach novel internal actors, like parents, siblings, etc., and/or external non-sporting bodies, like communities, schools, etc. The future challenges for HPSC research require a better understanding of the motives, barriers and capacities of sports clubs and coaches. Sports organisations, clubs and coaches generally support the intent of the HPSC concept, but even with the best evidence- or theory-based HP programmes/guidelines/standards, nothing will happen in practice if the nature and capacities of sports clubs are not better acknowledged. Therefore, a call for embracing implementation science is finally made to enhance implementation. © The Author(s) 2015.

A Teacher Competence Development Programme for Supporting Students' Reflection Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dekker-Groen, Agaath M.; van der Schaaf, Marieke F.; Stokking, Karel M.

2013-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate a training programme for Dutch teachers in six institutes for nursing education to support students' reflection skills. The research question was: what are the feasibility, quality and effects of the programme? The training programme focused on four competences of teachers regarding instructing, guiding, giving…

REBOUND: A Media-Based Life Skills and Risk Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kröninger-Jungaberle, Henrik; Nagy, Ede; von Heyden, Maximilian; DuBois, Fletcher

2015-01-01

Background: REBOUND is a novel media-based life skills and risk education programme developed for 14- to 25-year olds in school, university or youth group settings. This paper outlines the programme's rationale, curriculum and implementation. It provides information of relevance to researchers, programme developers and policymakers. Methods/design…

Stakeholder Perspectives: CLIL Programme Management in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehisto, Peeter; Asser, Hiie

2007-01-01

In 2000, Estonia launched a voluntary Estonian language CLIL programme for seven year-olds in four Russian-medium schools. The programme has expanded rapidly to a total of 48 kindergartens and schools. This paper reports on research into stakeholder perspectives on programme management. In addition to surveying parents, teachers, vice-principals…

Using Bullying Incident Density to Evaluate the Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Sally A.; Jackson, Ericka

2007-01-01

Bullying negatively impacts the mental and physical health of student victims, bullies and bystanders. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme is an internationally recognized school based programme demonstrated effective in research. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Bullying Prevention Programme was effective for urban youth…

Silos to Symphonies? Hopes and Challenges Implementing Multicultural Programme Infusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Laura B.; Milman, Natalie B.

2013-01-01

The need to infuse multicultural education (ME) across teacher preparation programmes is well documented by research, yet institutions are at very different stages in this endeavour. While most programmes demonstrate a segregated approach to ME, confining diversity to specialty courses, ME programme infusion places diversity, equity and social…

Sustainable Schools Programmes: What Influence on Schools and How Do We Know?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickinson, Mark; Hall, Matthew; Reid, Alan

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on our experience of researching the influence of ResourceSmart Schools, a sustainable schools programme in Victoria, Australia. Drawing on ideas from programme theory and realist synthesis, we illustrate and reflect upon our approach to conceptualising, investigating and generating evidence about the programme's…

The Gates Malaria Partnership: a consortium approach to malaria research and capacity development.

PubMed

Greenwood, Brian; Bhasin, Amit; Targett, Geoffrey

2012-05-01

Recently, there has been a major increase in financial support for malaria control. Most of these funds have, appropriately, been spent on the tools needed for effective prevention and treatment of malaria such as insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying and artemisinin combination therapy. There has been less investment in the training of the scientists from malaria-endemic countries needed to support these large and increasingly complex malaria control programmes, especially in Africa. In 2000, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Malaria Partnership was established to support postgraduate training of African scientists wishing to pursue a career in malaria research. The programme had three research capacity development components: a PhD fellowship programme, a postdoctoral fellowship programme and a laboratory infrastructure programme. During an 8-year period, 36 African PhD students and six postdoctoral fellows were supported, and two research laboratories were built in Tanzania. Some of the lessons learnt during this project--such as the need to improve PhD supervision in African universities and to provide better support for postdoctoral fellows--are now being applied to a successor malaria research capacity development programme, the Malaria Capacity Development Consortium, and may be of interest to other groups involved in improving postgraduate training in health sciences in African universities. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Borehole model for simulation transport geothermal heat with heat pipe system and with forced circulation of heat carrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakubský, Michal; Lenhard, Richard; Vantúch, Martin; Malcho, Milan

2012-04-01

In the call OPVaV-2008/2.2/01-SORO Operational Programme Research and Development - knowledge and technology transfer from research and development into practice (ITMS-26220220057), whose strategic goal is "Device to use low-potential geothermal heat without forced circulation of heat carrier deep in the well "in the Department of Energy laboratory techniques to construct a simulator of transport low potential of geothermal energy in comparative test-drilling in the laboratory. The article describes a device that was designed as a scale model of two deep boreholes each of which withdraws the earth's heat by heat transfer technology and heat carrier. Device using forced circulation of heat carrier will respond in the construction of equipment currently used to transport heat from deep borehole. As the heat carrier will be used CO2. Facilities without using forced circulation of heat carrier, the new technology, which will be used as heat carrier ammonia (NH3).

Influenza Vaccine Research funded by the European Commission FP7-Health-2013-Innovation-1 project.

PubMed

Liu, Heng; Frijlink, Henderik W; Huckriede, Anke; van Doorn, Eva; Schmidt, Ed; Leroy, Odile; Rimmelzwaan, Guus; McCullough, Keneth; Whelan, Mike; Hak, Eelko

2016-11-21

Due to influenza viruses continuously displaying antigenic variation, current seasonal influenza vaccines must be updated annually to include the latest predicted strains. Despite all the efforts put into vaccine strain selection, vaccine production, testing, and administration, the protective efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccines is greatly reduced when predicted vaccine strains antigenically mismatch with the actual circulating strains. Moreover, preparing for a pandemic outbreak is a challenge, because it is unpredictable which strain will cause the next pandemic. The European Commission has funded five consortia on influenza vaccine development under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) in 2013. The call of the EU aimed at developing broadly protective influenza vaccines. Here we review the scientific strategies used by the different consortia with respect to antigen selection, vaccine delivery system, and formulation. The issues related to the development of novel influenza vaccines are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Memorandum prevention research - research areas and methods].

PubMed

Walter, U; Nöcker, G; Plaumann, M; Linden, S; Pott, E; Koch, U; Pawils, S; Altgeld, T; Dierks, M L; Frahsa, A; Jahn, I; Krauth, C; Pomp, M; Rehaag, R; Robra, B P; Süß, W; Töppich, J; Trojan, A; von Unger, H; Wildner, M; Wright, M

2012-10-01

From 2004 to 2012, the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) established its first funding programme for the promotion of prevention research. 60 projects on primary prevention and health promotion and the meta-project entitled "Cooperation for Sustainable Prevention Research" (KNP) received BMBF grants under this programme during this period. The experience and knowledge gained and recommendations arising from the research funded under this programme are compiled in memorandum format. The "Memorandum on Prevention Research - Research Areas and Methods" highlights 5 research areas that are considered to be especially relevant from the perspective of the involved scientists and practice partners.The promotion of structural development and sustainability enhancement in disease prevention and health promotion are central areas that should branch out from existing nuclei of crystallization. Improving the health competence of the population and of specific subpopulations is another major area. Research in these areas should contribute to the development of theoretical concepts and to the empirical testing of these concepts. The transfer of knowledge for effective use of developed disease prevention and health promotion programmes and measures is still a scarcely researched area. Among other things, studies of the transfer of programmes from one context to another, analyses of the coop-eration between politics and science, and the continued theoretical and conceptual development of transfer research are needed. Long-term data on the effects of intervention studies are also needed for proper evaluation of sustainability. The latter dem-onstrates the importance of method development in disease prevention and health promotion research as an area that should receive separate funding and support. This research should include, in particular, studies of the efficacy of complex interventions, health economic analyses, and participative health research. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Identifying the Research Process to Analyse the Adoption of the International Baccalaureate's Diploma Programme in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Outhwaite, Deborah

2018-01-01

This article analyses the flow-line around the methodology used inside an educational research process that was originally established to examine the expansion of the International Baccalaureate's Diploma Programme (IBDP) in England. This article analyses the research question, then assesses the research focus, aims and objectives. The article…

The International School Effectiveness Research Programme ISERP. First Results of the Quantitative Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creemers, Bert P. M.; And Others

The International School Effectiveness Research Programme (ISERP) is an example of the exchange of research and research results in the field of educational effectiveness. It aims to build on existing models of good practice and to avoid the variations in approach that limit the transferability of data within and between countries. A number of…

Evaluating a Research Training Programme for People with Intellectual Disabilities Participating in Inclusive Research: The Views of Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullana, Judit; Pallisera, Maria; Català, Elena; Puyalto, Carolina

2017-01-01

Background: This article presents the results of evaluating a research training programme aimed at developing the skills of people with intellectual disabilities to actively participate in inclusive research. Methods: The present authors opted for a responsive approach to evaluation, using a combination of interviews, questionnaires and focus…

How Europe Shapes Academic Research: Insights from Participation in European Union Framework Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Primeri, Emilia; Reale, Emanuela

2012-01-01

This article describes the effects of participating in European Union Framework Programmes (EUFPs) at the level of research units and researchers. We consider EUFPs as policy instruments that contribute to the Europeanisation of academic research and study the changes they produce with respect to: 1) the organisation and activities of Departments,…

The Climate Variability & Predictability (CVP) Program at NOAA - DYNAMO Recent Project Advancements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, S. E.; Todd, J. F.; Higgins, W.

2013-12-01

The Climate Variability & Predictability (CVP) Program supports research aimed at providing process-level understanding of the climate system through observation, modeling, analysis, and field studies. This vital knowledge is needed to improve climate models and predictions so that scientists can better anticipate the impacts of future climate variability and change. To achieve its mission, the CVP Program supports research carried out at NOAA and other federal laboratories, NOAA Cooperative Institutes, and academic institutions. The Program also coordinates its sponsored projects with major national and international scientific bodies including the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), and the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). The CVP program sits within the Earth System Science (ESS) Division at NOAA's Climate Program Office. Dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO): The Indian Ocean is one of Earth's most sensitive regions because the interactions between ocean and atmosphere there have a discernable effect on global climate patterns. The tropical weather that brews in that region can move eastward along the equator and reverberate around the globe, shaping weather and climate in far-off places. The vehicle for this variability is a phenomenon called the Madden-Julian Oscillation, or MJO. The MJO, which originates over the Indian Ocean roughly every 30 to 90 days, is known to influence the Asian and Australian monsoons. It can also enhance hurricane activity in the northeast Pacific and Gulf of Mexico, trigger torrential rainfall along the west coast of North America, and affect the onset of El Niño. CVP-funded scientists participated in the DYNAMO field campaign in 2011-12. Results from this international campaign are expected to improve researcher's insights into this influential phenomenon. A better understanding of the processes governing MJO is an essential step toward improving their representations in numerical models and improving MJO simulation and prediction. Recent results from CVP-funded projects will be summarized in this poster.

Behaviour change strategies for reducing blood pressure-related disease burden: findings from a global implementation research programme.

PubMed

Peiris, David; Thompson, Simon R; Beratarrechea, Andrea; Cárdenas, María Kathia; Diez-Canseco, Francisco; Goudge, Jane; Gyamfi, Joyce; Kamano, Jemima Hoine; Irazola, Vilma; Johnson, Claire; Kengne, Andre P; Keat, Ng Kien; Miranda, J Jaime; Mohan, Sailesh; Mukasa, Barbara; Ng, Eleanor; Nieuwlaat, Robby; Ogedegbe, Olugbenga; Ovbiagele, Bruce; Plange-Rhule, Jacob; Praveen, Devarsetty; Salam, Abdul; Thorogood, Margaret; Thrift, Amanda G; Vedanthan, Rajesh; Waddy, Salina P; Webster, Jacqui; Webster, Ruth; Yeates, Karen; Yusoff, Khalid

2015-11-09

The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases comprises the majority of the world's public research funding agencies. It is focussed on implementation research to tackle the burden of chronic diseases in low- and middle-income countries and amongst vulnerable populations in high-income countries. In its inaugural research call, 15 projects were funded, focussing on lowering blood pressure-related disease burden. In this study, we describe a reflexive mapping exercise to identify the behaviour change strategies undertaken in each of these projects. Using the Behaviour Change Wheel framework, each team rated the capability, opportunity and motivation of the various actors who were integral to each project (e.g. community members, non-physician health workers and doctors in projects focussed on service delivery). Teams then mapped the interventions they were implementing and determined the principal policy categories in which those interventions were operating. Guidance was provided on the use of Behaviour Change Wheel to support consistency in responses across teams. Ratings were iteratively discussed and refined at several group meetings. There was marked variation in the perceived capabilities, opportunities and motivation of the various actors who were being targeted for behaviour change strategies. Despite this variation, there was a high degree of synergy in interventions functions with most teams utilising complex interventions involving education, training, enablement, environmental restructuring and persuasion oriented strategies. Similar policy categories were also targeted across teams particularly in the areas of guidelines, communication/marketing and service provision with few teams focussing on fiscal measures, regulation and legislation. The large variation in preparedness to change behaviour amongst the principal actors across these projects suggests that the interventions themselves will be variably taken up, despite the similarity in approaches taken. The findings highlight the importance of contextual factors in driving success and failure of research programmes. Forthcoming outcome and process evaluations from each project will build on this exploratory work and provide a greater understanding of factors that might influence scale-up of intervention strategies.

Teaching advanced science concepts through Freshman Research Immersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahila, M. J.; Amey-Proper, J.; Jones, W. E.; Stamp, N.; Piper, L. F. J.

2017-03-01

We have developed a new introductory physics/chemistry programme that teaches advanced science topics and practical laboratory skills to freshmen undergraduate students through the use of student-led, bona fide research activities. While many recent attempts to improve college-level physics education have focused on integrating interactive demonstrations and activities into traditional passive lectures, we have taken the idea of active-learning several steps further. Working in conjunction with several research faculty at Binghamton University, we have created a programme that puts undergraduate students on an accelerated path towards working in real research laboratories performing publishable research. Herein, we describe in detail the programme goals, structure, and educational content, and report on our promising initial student outcomes.

The Effects of Two Different Instructional Programmes on Literacy Skills of Kindergarten Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gahwaji, Nahla M.

2016-01-01

Lately, research exploring the effects of tutorial instructional programmes and educational games on literacy skills of kindergarten children has attracted large number of educational technology researchers and practitioners. Even though overwhelming research literature on the subject is available, the majority of this existing work is designed…

Graduate Attribute Development and Employment Outcomes: Tracking PhD Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manathunga, Catherine; Pitt, Rachael; Critchley, Christa

2009-01-01

The provision of diversified research training is regarded as one of the most significant contributions made by the Australian Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) programme [Howard Partners 2003, Evaluation of the cooperative research centres programme, Department of Education, Science and Training, Canberra, ACT]. Yet, a systematic evaluation of…

Re-Situation Challenges for International Students "Becoming" Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franken, Margaret

2012-01-01

This paper presents data generated during a semester-long programme to support international students from countries in Melanesia and Asia embarking on masters research in education in a New Zealand university. All were scholarship recipients. The researcher-and facilitator-of the programme, was interested in documenting and understanding the…

Mentoring Beginning Teachers in Primary Schools: Research Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spooner-Lane, Rebecca

2017-01-01

While mentoring programmes have proven to be successful in reducing attrition and improving teaching ability in beginning teachers, there remains a lack of research delineating the key components of effective mentoring programmes in primary education. This integrative research review examines empirical studies conducted since 2000 on the nature…

Education for Disability Equality through Disabled People's Life Stories and Narratives: Working and Learning Together in a School-Based Professional Development Programme for Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chrysostomou, Marianna; Symeonidou, Simoni

2017-01-01

This paper reports on the findings of an action research project that took place in a primary school in Cyprus. A professional development programme was devised with contributions from teachers involved in the research. The programme was aimed at helping teachers to map the difficulties they encounter when working with their students on…

Learning in and beyond Small Business Advisory Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Rachel Louise; Hine, Damian

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how participants learn in small business advisory programmes and to explore the impact of these learning programmes on the development of reflective learning dispositions in participants. The research involves two case studies of small business advisory programmes in Queensland, a state of Australia. One…

Introducing a quality improvement programme to primary healthcare teams

PubMed Central

Hearnshaw, H.; Reddish, S.; Carlyle, D.; Baker, R.; Robertson, N.

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a programme in which quality improvement was facilitated, based on principles of total quality management, in primary healthcare teams, and to determine its feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and the duration of its effect. METHOD: Primary healthcare teams in Leicestershire (n = 147) were invited to take part in the facilitated programme. The programme comprised seven team meetings, led by a researcher, plus up to two facilitated meetings of quality improvement subgroups, appointed by each team to consider specific quality issues. OUTCOME MEASURES: To assess the effect and feasibility of the programme on improving the quality of care provided, the individual quality improvement projects undertaken by the teams were documented and opportunities for improvement were noted at each session by the facilitator. The programme's acceptability was assessed with questionnaires issued in the final session to each participant. To assess the long term impact on teams, interviews with team members were conducted 3 years after the programme ended. RESULTS: 10 of the 27 teams that initially expressed interest in the programme agreed to take part, and six started the programme. Of these, five completed their quality improvement projects and used several different quality tools, and three completed all seven sessions of the programme. The programme was assessed as appropriate and acceptable by the participants. Three years later, the changes made during the programme were still in place in three of the six teams. Four teams had decided to undertake the local quality monitoring programme, resourced and supported by the Health Authority. CONCLUSIONS: The facilitated programme was feasible, acceptable, and effective for a few primary healthcare teams. The outcomes of the programme can be sustained. Research is needed on the characteristics of teams likely to be successful in the introduction and maintenance of quality improvement programmes. PMID:10339022

Aeroacoustics research in Europe: The CEAS-ASC report on 2012 highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodén, H.; Efraimsson, G.

2013-12-01

The Council of European Aerospace Societies (CEAS) Aeroacoustics Specialists Committee (ASC) supports and promotes the interests of the scientific and industrial aeroacoustics community on an European scale and European aeronautics activities internationally. In this context, "aeroacoustics" encompasses all aerospace acoustics and related areas. Each year the committee highlights some of the research and development projects in Europe. This paper is a report on highlights of aeroacoustics research in Europe in 2012, compiled from information provided to the ASC of the CEAS. During 2012, a number of research programmes involving aeroacoustics were funded by the European Commission. Some of the highlights from these programmes are summarized in this paper, as well as highlights from other programmes funded by national programmes or by industry. Enquiries concerning all contributions should be addressed to the authors who are given at the end of each subsection.

Ethical evaluation of research proposals by ethics panels advising the European Commission.

PubMed

Kolar, Roman

2004-06-01

Ethical principles with regard to animal experimentation are referred to in European Union (EU) legislation and other official documents. Therefore, applications for funding of research under the EU's research programme may undergo an ethical review that is carried out by so-called ethics panels, consisting of experts chosen by the European Commission. The work of these panels differs substantially from that of other ethical committees, as they exist on the institutional, local, regional or national level. Their main purpose is not to decide whether a proposed research can be regarded legal, and therefore should be endorsed or licensed; instead, it is to help the Commission in prioritising its funding. The panels may examine other ethical aspects than those of animal experimentation or animal welfare alone, such as the use of human volunteers. This is reflected by the composition of the panels. Their decisions are normally based on consensus. Even though these decisions may refer to EU legislation, the criteria applied are not restricted to those provided by this legislation. Nevertheless, the various aspects of the Commission's ethical evaluation system (e.g. formal and practical basic conditions, information content of applications, type of decisions taken, lacking of any quality control) offers opportunities for improvement.

Subjective experiences of transient ischaemic attack: a repertory grid approach.

PubMed

Spurgeon, Laura; James, Gill; Sackley, Cath

2013-01-01

Research on the psychosocial reactions to stroke has been used to inform rehabilitation programmes. Yet much less research has been conducted into experiences of, and reactions to, transient ischaemic attack (TIA), despite its link with secondary stroke. This study aimed to investigate the subjective psychological experiences of TIA. Repertory grid technique was used because of its capacity to make individual implicit experiences explicit. Using the standard repertory grid protocol, 12 post-TIA patients were asked to consider how five everyday activities had been affected by TIA. Each participant generated six constructs or personal perspectives, which were analysed using proprietary (RepGrid IV) software. Despite the individualised nature of the responses, six themes emerged from the constructs. These included deep-seated anxiety about future uncertainties/disruption to normality, loss of confidence, frustration, TIA as a wake-up call, a sense of loss and sadness, and embarrassment. Research has shown that the patient's subjective experience and perspective are important to the rehabilitation process post-stroke. Relatively little research has been conducted into the subjective experiences of TIA patients. This study has revealed a range of subjective reactions to TIA, which could be used to inform individualised post-TIA management, adaptation and rehabilitation.

Secondary prevention at 360°: the important role of diagnostic imaging.

PubMed

Ciarrapico, Anna Micaela; Manenti, Guglielmo; Pistolese, Chiara; Fabiano, Sebastiano; Fiori, Roberto; Romagnoli, Andrea; Sergiacomi, Gianluigi; Stefanini, Matteo; Simonetti, Giovanni

2015-06-01

The aim of this paper is to underline the importance of the role of general practitioners (GPs) in distributing vital information about prevention to citizens, to highlight the importance of the so-called voluntary prevention programmes, both for conditions for which no organised screening programmes exist and for those for which they do exist but may well be obsolete or inefficient. Nowadays, voluntary prevention is made more effective thanks to the new sophisticated diagnostic technologies applied worldwide by diagnostic imaging. Epidemiological data about the incidence and causes of death among the Italian population have shown that screening programmes should be aimed first at fighting the following diseases: prostatic carcinoma, lung cancer, colorectal carcinoma, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, aortic and peripheral vascular disease. GPs do not generally give good or adequate instructions concerning voluntary prevention programmes; GPs may not even be aware of this type of prevention which could represent a valuable option together with the existing mass screening programmes. Therefore, in the following analysis, we aim to outline the correct diagnostic pathway for the prevention of diseases having the highest incidence in our country and which represent the most frequent causes of death. If used correctly, these screening programmes may contribute to the success of secondary prevention, limiting the use of tertiary prevention and thus producing savings for the Italian National Health System.

Tobacco point‐of‐purchase promotion: examining tobacco industry documents

PubMed Central

Lavack, Anne M; Toth, Graham

2006-01-01

In the face of increasing media restrictions around the world, point‐of‐purchase promotion (also called point‐of‐sale merchandising, and frequently abbreviated as POP or POS) is now one of the most important tools that tobacco companies have for promoting tobacco products. Using tobacco industry documents, this paper demonstrates that tobacco companies have used point‐of‐purchase promotion in response to real or anticipated advertising restrictions. Their goal was to secure dominance in the retail setting, and this was achieved through well‐trained sales representatives who offered contracts for promotional incentive programmes to retailers, which included the use of point‐of‐sale displays and merchandising fixtures. Audit programmes played an important role in ensuring contract enforcement and compliance with a variety of tobacco company incentive programmes. Tobacco companies celebrated their merchandising successes, in recognition of the stiff competition that existed among tobacco companies for valuable retail display space. PMID:16998172

Tobacco point-of-purchase promotion: examining tobacco industry documents.

PubMed

Lavack, Anne M; Toth, Graham

2006-10-01

In the face of increasing media restrictions around the world, point-of-purchase promotion (also called point-of-sale merchandising, and frequently abbreviated as POP or POS) is now one of the most important tools that tobacco companies have for promoting tobacco products. Using tobacco industry documents, this paper demonstrates that tobacco companies have used point-of-purchase promotion in response to real or anticipated advertising restrictions. Their goal was to secure dominance in the retail setting, and this was achieved through well-trained sales representatives who offered contracts for promotional incentive programmes to retailers, which included the use of point-of-sale displays and merchandising fixtures. Audit programmes played an important role in ensuring contract enforcement and compliance with a variety of tobacco company incentive programmes. Tobacco companies celebrated their merchandising successes, in recognition of the stiff competition that existed among tobacco companies for valuable retail display space.

Centre for Research Infrastructure of Polish GNSS Data - response and possible contribution to EPOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araszkiewicz, Andrzej; Rohm, Witold; Bosy, Jaroslaw; Szolucha, Marcin; Kaplon, Jan; Kroszczynski, Krzysztof

2017-04-01

In the frame of the first call under Action 4.2: Development of modern research infrastructure of the science sector in the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020 in the late of 2016 the "EPOS-PL" project has launched. Following institutes are responsible for the implementation of this project: Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences - Project Leader, Academic Computer Centre Cyfronet AGH University of Science and Technology, Central Mining Institute, the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Military University of Technology. In addition, resources constituting entrepreneur's own contribution will come from the Polish Mining Group. Research Infrastructure EPOS-PL will integrate both existing and newly built National Research Infrastructures (Theme Centre for Research Infrastructures), which, under the premise of the program EPOS, are financed exclusively by the national founds. In addition, the e-science platform will be developed. The Centre for Research Infrastructure of GNSS Data (CIBDG - Task 5) will be built based on the experience and facilities of two institutions: Military University of Technology and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The project includes the construction of the National GNNS Repository with data QC procedures and adaptation of two Regional GNNS Analysis Centres for rapid and long-term geodynamical monitoring.

A training programme to build cancer research capacity in low- and middle-income countries: findings from Guatemala.

PubMed

Arnold, Lauren D; Barnoya, Joaquin; Gharzouzi, Eduardo N; Benson, Peter; Colditz, Graham A

2014-04-01

Guatemala is experiencing an increasing burden of cancer but lacks capacity for cancer prevention, control and research. In partnership with a medical school in the United States of America, a multidisciplinary Cancer Control Research Training Institute was developed at the Instituto de Cancerología (INCAN) in Guatemala City. This institute provided a year-long training programme for clinicians that focused on research methods in population health and sociocultural anthropology. The programme included didactic experiences in Guatemala and the United States as well as applied training in which participants developed research protocols responsive to Guatemala's cancer needs. Although INCAN is the point of referral and service for Guatemala's cancer patients, the institute's administration is also interested in increasing cancer research - with a focus on population health. INCAN is thus a resource for capacity building within the context of cancer prevention and control. Trainees increased their self-efficacy for the design and conduct of research. Value-added benefits included establishment of an annual cancer seminar and workshops in cancer pathology and qualitative analysis. INCAN has recently incorporated some of the programme's components into its residency training and established a research department. A training programme for clinicians can build cancer research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. Training in population-based research methods will enable countries such as Guatemala to gather country-specific data. Once collected, such data can be used to assess the burden of cancer-related disease, guide policy for reducing it and identify priority areas for cancer prevention and treatment.

Programmable matter by folding

PubMed Central

Hawkes, E.; An, B.; Benbernou, N. M.; Tanaka, H.; Kim, S.; Demaine, E. D.; Rus, D.; Wood, R. J.

2010-01-01

Programmable matter is a material whose properties can be programmed to achieve specific shapes or stiffnesses upon command. This concept requires constituent elements to interact and rearrange intelligently in order to meet the goal. This paper considers achieving programmable sheets that can form themselves in different shapes autonomously by folding. Past approaches to creating transforming machines have been limited by the small feature sizes, the large number of components, and the associated complexity of communication among the units. We seek to mitigate these difficulties through the unique concept of self-folding origami with universal crease patterns. This approach exploits a single sheet composed of interconnected triangular sections. The sheet is able to fold into a set of predetermined shapes using embedded actuation. To implement this self-folding origami concept, we have developed a scalable end-to-end planning and fabrication process. Given a set of desired objects, the system computes an optimized design for a single sheet and multiple controllers to achieve each of the desired objects. The material, called programmable matter by folding, is an example of a system capable of achieving multiple shapes for multiple functions. PMID:20616049

Programmable matter by folding.

PubMed

Hawkes, E; An, B; Benbernou, N M; Tanaka, H; Kim, S; Demaine, E D; Rus, D; Wood, R J

2010-07-13

Programmable matter is a material whose properties can be programmed to achieve specific shapes or stiffnesses upon command. This concept requires constituent elements to interact and rearrange intelligently in order to meet the goal. This paper considers achieving programmable sheets that can form themselves in different shapes autonomously by folding. Past approaches to creating transforming machines have been limited by the small feature sizes, the large number of components, and the associated complexity of communication among the units. We seek to mitigate these difficulties through the unique concept of self-folding origami with universal crease patterns. This approach exploits a single sheet composed of interconnected triangular sections. The sheet is able to fold into a set of predetermined shapes using embedded actuation. To implement this self-folding origami concept, we have developed a scalable end-to-end planning and fabrication process. Given a set of desired objects, the system computes an optimized design for a single sheet and multiple controllers to achieve each of the desired objects. The material, called programmable matter by folding, is an example of a system capable of achieving multiple shapes for multiple functions.

Support of Herschel Key Programme Teams at the NASA Herschel Science Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shupe, David L.; Appleton, P. N.; Ardila, D.; Bhattacharya, B.; Mei, Y.; Morris, P.; Rector, J.; NHSC Team

2010-01-01

The first science data from the Herschel Space Observatory were distributed to Key Programme teams in September 2009. This poster describes a number of resources that have been developed by the NASA Herschel Science Center (NHSC) to support the first users of the observatory. The NHSC webpages and Helpdesk serve as the starting point for information and queries from the US community. Details about the use of the Herschel Common Science Software can be looked up in the Helpdesk Knowledgebase. The capability of real-time remote support through desktop sharing has been implemented. The NHSC continues to host workshops on data analysis and observation planning. Key Programme teams have been provided Wiki sites upon request for their team's private use and for sharing information with other teams. A secure data storage area is in place for troubleshooting purposes and for use by visitors. The NHSC draws upon close working relationships with Instrument Control Centers and the Herschel Science Center in Madrid in order to have the necessary expertise on hand to assist Herschel observers, including both Key Programme teams and respondents to upcoming open time proposal calls.

An Illustrative Guide to the Minerva Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flom, Erik; Leonard, Patrick; Hoeffel, Udo; Kwak, Sehyun; Pavone, Andrea; Svensson, Jakob; Krychowiak, Maciej; Wendelstein 7-X Team Collaboration

2017-10-01

Modern phsyics experiments require tracking and modelling data and their associated uncertainties on a large scale, as well as the combined implementation of multiple independent data streams for sophisticated modelling and analysis. The Minerva Framework offers a centralized, user-friendly method of large-scale physics modelling and scientific inference. Currently used by teams at multiple large-scale fusion experiments including the Joint European Torus (JET) and Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X), the Minerva framework provides a forward-model friendly architecture for developing and implementing models for large-scale experiments. One aspect of the framework involves so-called data sources, which are nodes in the graphical model. These nodes are supplied with engineering and physics parameters. When end-user level code calls a node, it is checked network-wide against its dependent nodes for changes since its last implementation and returns version-specific data. Here, a filterscope data node is used as an illustrative example of the Minerva Framework's data management structure and its further application to Bayesian modelling of complex systems. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under Grant Agreement No. 633053.

Rubus: A compiler for seamless and extensible parallelism.

PubMed

Adnan, Muhammad; Aslam, Faisal; Nawaz, Zubair; Sarwar, Syed Mansoor

2017-01-01

Nowadays, a typical processor may have multiple processing cores on a single chip. Furthermore, a special purpose processing unit called Graphic Processing Unit (GPU), originally designed for 2D/3D games, is now available for general purpose use in computers and mobile devices. However, the traditional programming languages which were designed to work with machines having single core CPUs, cannot utilize the parallelism available on multi-core processors efficiently. Therefore, to exploit the extraordinary processing power of multi-core processors, researchers are working on new tools and techniques to facilitate parallel programming. To this end, languages like CUDA and OpenCL have been introduced, which can be used to write code with parallelism. The main shortcoming of these languages is that programmer needs to specify all the complex details manually in order to parallelize the code across multiple cores. Therefore, the code written in these languages is difficult to understand, debug and maintain. Furthermore, to parallelize legacy code can require rewriting a significant portion of code in CUDA or OpenCL, which can consume significant time and resources. Thus, the amount of parallelism achieved is proportional to the skills of the programmer and the time spent in code optimizations. This paper proposes a new open source compiler, Rubus, to achieve seamless parallelism. The Rubus compiler relieves the programmer from manually specifying the low-level details. It analyses and transforms a sequential program into a parallel program automatically, without any user intervention. This achieves massive speedup and better utilization of the underlying hardware without a programmer's expertise in parallel programming. For five different benchmarks, on average a speedup of 34.54 times has been achieved by Rubus as compared to Java on a basic GPU having only 96 cores. Whereas, for a matrix multiplication benchmark the average execution speedup of 84 times has been achieved by Rubus on the same GPU. Moreover, Rubus achieves this performance without drastically increasing the memory footprint of a program.

Youth in the New South Africa. Towards Policy Formulation. Main Report of the Co-operative Research Programme: South African Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Zyl Slabbert, F., Ed.; And Others

In view of the sweeping political and social changes in South Africa, the Human Sciences Research Council and other agencies established the Co-operative Research Programme: South African Youth, a program to undertake research on the problems, challenges, and opportunities facing South African youth. This report presents the information base of…

Shovelling Smoke? The Experience of Being a Philosopher on an Educational Research Training Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suissa; Judith

2006-01-01

This paper is a reflective account of the experience of designing and teaching a philosophy module as part of a research training programme for students studying for research degrees in education. In the course of the discussion, I address various problems and questions to do with the relationship between philosophy and educational research, the…

Educating for ethical leadership through web-based coaching.

PubMed

Eide, Tom; Dulmen, Sandra van; Eide, Hilde

2016-12-01

Ethical leadership is important for developing ethical healthcare practice. However, there is little research-based knowledge on how to stimulate and educate for ethical leadership. The aim was to develop and investigate the feasibility of a 6-week web-based, ethical leadership educational programme and learn from participants' experience. Training programme and research design: A training programme was developed consisting of (1) a practice part, where the participating middle managers developed and ran an ethics project in their own departments aiming at enhancing the ethical mindfulness of the organizational culture, and (2) a web-based reflection part, including online reflections and coaching while executing the ethics project. Focus group interviews were used to explore the participants' experiences with and the feasibility of the training. Participants and research context: Nine middle managers were recruited from a part-time master's programme in leadership in Oslo, Norway. The research context was the participating leaders' work situation during the 6 weeks of training. Ethical considerations: Participation was voluntary, data anonymized and the confidentiality of the participating leaders/students and their institutions maintained. No patient or medical information was involved. Eight of the nine recruited leaders completed the programme. They evaluated the training programme as efficient and supportive, with the written, situational feedback/coaching as the most important element, enhancing reflection and motivation, counteracting a feeling of loneliness and promoting the execution of change. The findings seem consistent with the basic assumptions behind the educational design, based partly on e-health research, feedback studies and organizational ethics methodology, partly on theories on workplace learning, reflection, recognition and motivation. The training programme seems feasible. It should be adjusted according to participants' proposals and tested further in a large-scale study.

Why students leave in the UK: an integrative review of the international research literature.

PubMed

Cameron, Joan; Roxburgh, Michelle; Taylor, Julie; Lauder, William

2011-04-01

The purpose of this integrative review of the literature was to find and review international research studies that explored student attrition to determine what is known about the topic and to identify gaps in the research with a view to addressing the situation in the UK. Attrition from nursing programmes is a serious problem in the UK. It is recognised as a complex phenomenon, not attributable to a single cause. Regardless of actual attrition rates and trends, departments of nursing are challenged to perform in a business-like manner. Consequently, every student lost to a programme of study equates to a financial penalty for the department and to the future workforce and community.   Integrative review of the literature. Using electronic databases and specific search terms, 18 articles were identified and reviewed. Findings from the identified international research literature were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Four broad themes that accounted for factors of relevance to attrition were identified: Social, Prediction, Programme and Personal. Retention studies are fraught with methodological problems. These include incomplete or inaccurate data and low response rates. Attrition early in programmes may be attributed to a failure to understand the roles of nurses in contemporary societies. This has led to dissatisfaction with programmes and academic failure, as students may underestimate the intellectual demands of their programmes. Attrition later in the programme may be attributed to a combination of personal factors that culminate in a personal crisis. The research literature suggests that stereotyping of nurses is a major factor in attrition. Both professions need to find ways of communicating contemporary roles to wider society. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Clinical leadership and pre-registration nursing programmes: A model for clinical leadership and a prospective curriculum implementation and evaluation research strategy.

PubMed

Brown, Angela; Dewing, Jan; Crookes, Patrick

2016-07-01

To present for wider debate a conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a proposed implementation plan. Globally, leadership in nursing has become a significant issue. Whilst there is continued support for leadership preparation in pre-registration nursing programmes, there have been very few published accounts of curriculum content and/or pedagogical approaches that foster clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing. A doctoral research study has resulted in the creation of an overarching model for clinical leadership. A multi-method research study using theoretical and empirical literature 1974-2015, a focus group, expert opinion and a national on-line survey. A conceptual model of clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programme is presented, including the infinity loop of clinical leadership, an integral curriculum thread and a conceptual model: a curriculum-pedagogy nexus for clinical leadership. In order to test out usability and evaluate effectiveness, a multi method programme of research in one school of nursing in Australia is outlined. Implementation of the proposed conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a programme of (post-doctoral) research will contribute to what is known about curriculum content and pedagogy for nurse academics. Importantly, for nursing students and the profession as a whole, there is a clearer expectation of what clinical leadership might look like in the novice registered nurse. For nurse academics a model is offered for consideration in curriculum design and implementation with an evaluation strategy that could be replicated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Training the next generation of psychotraumatologists: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology (CONTEXT)

PubMed Central

Vallières, Frédérique; Hyland, Philip; Murphy, Jamie; Hansen, Maj; Shevlin, Mark; Elklit, Ask; Ceannt, Ruth; Armour, Cherie; Wiedemann, Nana; Munk, Mette; Dinesen, Cecilie; O’Hare, Geraldine; Cunningham, Twylla; Askerod, Ditte; Spitz, Pernille; Blackwell, Noeline; McCarthy, Angela; O’Dowd, Leonie; Scott, Shirley; Reid, Tracey; Mokake, Andreas; Halpin, Rory; Perera, Camila; Gleeson, Christina; Frost, Rachel; Flanagan, Natalie; Aldamman, Kinan; Tamrakar, Trina; Louison Vang, Maria; Sherwood, Larissa; Travers, Áine; Haahr-Pedersen, Ida; Walshe, Catherine; McDonagh, Tracey; Bramsen, Rikke Holm

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT In this paper we present a description of the Horizon2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action funded, research and training programme CONTEXT: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology. The three objectives of the programme are put forward, each of which refers to a key component of the CONTEXT programme. First, we summarize the 12 individual research projects that will take place across three priority populations: (i) refugees and asylum seekers, (ii) first responders, and (iii) perpetrators and survivors of childhood and gender-based violence. Second, we detail the mentoring and training programme central to CONTEXT. Finally, we describe how the research, together with the training, will contribute towards better policy, guidelines, and practice within the field of psychotraumatology. PMID:29372015

Training the next generation of psychotraumatologists: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology (CONTEXT).

PubMed

Vallières, Frédérique; Hyland, Philip; Murphy, Jamie; Hansen, Maj; Shevlin, Mark; Elklit, Ask; Ceannt, Ruth; Armour, Cherie; Wiedemann, Nana; Munk, Mette; Dinesen, Cecilie; O'Hare, Geraldine; Cunningham, Twylla; Askerod, Ditte; Spitz, Pernille; Blackwell, Noeline; McCarthy, Angela; O'Dowd, Leonie; Scott, Shirley; Reid, Tracey; Mokake, Andreas; Halpin, Rory; Perera, Camila; Gleeson, Christina; Frost, Rachel; Flanagan, Natalie; Aldamman, Kinan; Tamrakar, Trina; Louison Vang, Maria; Sherwood, Larissa; Travers, Áine; Haahr-Pedersen, Ida; Walshe, Catherine; McDonagh, Tracey; Bramsen, Rikke Holm

2018-01-01

In this paper we present a description of the Horizon2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action funded, research and training programme CONTEXT: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology. The three objectives of the programme are put forward, each of which refers to a key component of the CONTEXT programme. First, we summarize the 12 individual research projects that will take place across three priority populations: (i) refugees and asylum seekers, (ii) first responders, and (iii) perpetrators and survivors of childhood and gender-based violence. Second, we detail the mentoring and training programme central to CONTEXT. Finally, we describe how the research, together with the training, will contribute towards better policy, guidelines, and practice within the field of psychotraumatology.

Should healthy eating programmes incorporate interaction with foods in different sensory modalities? A review of the evidence.

PubMed

Dazeley, Paul; Houston-Price, Carmel; Hill, Claire

2012-09-01

Commercial interventions seeking to promote fruit and vegetable consumption by encouraging preschool- and school-aged children to engage with foods with 'all their senses' are increasing in number. We review the efficacy of such sensory interaction programmes and consider the components of these that are likely to encourage food acceptance. Repeated exposure to a food's flavour has robust empirical support in terms of its potential to increase food intake. However, children are naturally reluctant to taste new or disliked foods, and parents often struggle to provide sufficient taste opportunities for these foods to be adopted into the child's diet. We therefore explore whether prior exposure to a new food's non-taste sensory properties, such as its smell, sound, appearance or texture, might facilitate the food's introduction into the child's diet, by providing the child with an opportunity to become partially familiar with the food without invoking the distress associated with tasting it. We review the literature pertaining to the benefits associated with exposure to foods through each of the five sensory modalities in turn. We conclude by calling for further research into the potential for familiarisation with the visual, olfactory, somaesthetic and auditory properties of foods to enhance children's willingness to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables.

(Not) getting political: indigenous women and preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in West Papua.

PubMed

Munro, Jenny; McIntyre, Lynn

2016-01-01

This paper builds on critiques that call for a more nuanced and contextualised understanding of conditions that affect HIV prevention by looking at West Papuan women's experiences of prevention of mother-to-child transmission services. Drawing on qualitative, ethnographic research with indigenous women and health workers, the paper demonstrates that women experience poor-quality HIV education and counselling, and that indigenous practices and concerns are largely not addressed by HIV services. We attribute this to a combination of national anti-indigenous and anti-separatist political concerns with donor-led interventions that result in limited localisation and reduced effectiveness of HIV prevention measures. In West Papua, services are needed that enhance cooperation and shared commitment, and that acknowledge and work to overcome existing inequalities, ethnic tensions and discrimination in the health system. Beyond Indonesia, donor-led HIV programmes and interventions need to balance avoidance of politically sensitive issues with complicity in perpetuating health inequalities. Translating global health interventions and donor priorities into locally compelling HIV prevention activities involves more than navigating local cultural and religious beliefs. Programme development and implementation strategies that entail confronting structural questions as well as social hierarchies, cleavages and silences are needed to render more effective services; strategies that are inherently political.

Intrinsic limits to gene regulation by global crosstalk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedlander, Tamar; Prizak, Roshan; Guet, Calin; Barton, Nicholas H.; Tkacik, Gasper

Gene activity is mediated by the specificity of binding interactions between special proteins, called transcription factors, and short regulatory sequences on the DNA, where different protein species preferentially bind different DNA targets. Limited interaction specificity may lead to crosstalk: a regulatory state in which a gene is either incorrectly activated due to spurious interactions or remains erroneously inactive. Since each protein can potentially interact with numerous DNA targets, crosstalk is inherently a global problem, yet has previously not been studied as such. We construct a theoretical framework to analyze the effects of global crosstalk on gene regulation, using statistical mechanics. We find that crosstalk in regulatory interactions puts fundamental limits on the reliability of gene regulation that are not easily mitigated by tuning proteins concentrations or by complex regulatory schemes proposed in the literature. Our results suggest that crosstalk imposes a previously unexplored global constraint on the functioning and evolution of regulatory networks, which is qualitatively distinct from the known constraints that act at the level of individual gene regulatory elements. The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA Grant agreement Nr. 291734 (T.F.) and ERC Grant Nr. 250152 (N.B.).

Programmable control of bacterial gene expression with the combined CRISPR and antisense RNA system

PubMed Central

Lee, Young Je; Hoynes-O'Connor, Allison; Leong, Matthew C.; Moon, Tae Seok

2016-01-01

A central goal of synthetic biology is to implement diverse cellular functions by predictably controlling gene expression. Though research has focused more on protein regulators than RNA regulators, recent advances in our understanding of RNA folding and functions have motivated the use of RNA regulators. RNA regulators provide an advantage because they are easier to design and engineer than protein regulators, potentially have a lower burden on the cell and are highly orthogonal. Here, we combine the CRISPR system from Streptococcus pyogenes and synthetic antisense RNAs (asRNAs) in Escherichia coli strains to repress or derepress a target gene in a programmable manner. Specifically, we demonstrate for the first time that the gene target repressed by the CRISPR system can be derepressed by expressing an asRNA that sequesters a small guide RNA (sgRNA). Furthermore, we demonstrate that tunable levels of derepression can be achieved (up to 95%) by designing asRNAs that target different regions of a sgRNA and by altering the hybridization free energy of the sgRNA–asRNA complex. This new system, which we call the combined CRISPR and asRNA system, can be used to reversibly repress or derepress multiple target genes simultaneously, allowing for rational reprogramming of cellular functions. PMID:26837577

Do Computerised Training Programmes Designed to Improve Working Memory Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apter, Brian J. B.

2012-01-01

A critical review of working memory training research during the last 10 years is provided. Particular attention is given to research that has attempted to investigate the efficacy of commercially marketed computerised training programmes such as "Cogmed" and "Jungle Memory". Claimed benefits are questioned on the basis that research methodologies…

Ashford Teaching Alliance Research Champion: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griggs, Julia; Speight, Svetlana; Farias, Javiera Cartagena

2016-01-01

The Ashford Teaching Alliance (ATA) Research Champion project ("the programme") was a pilot intervention aimed at developing teaching expertise and practice by promoting the use of educational research in decision-making and teacher practice. The programme ran for one academic year (2014/2015) in five schools within the ATA. Delivery was…

The ''Complex Reality'' of Research Capacity Development in Mathematics Education in Southern African Development Community Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Julie, Cyril; Mikalsen, Oyvind; Persens, Jan

2005-01-01

This paper explores how an aid-funded Ph.D.-programme in mathematics education instituted in some Southern African Development Community countries measures up to issues related to research capacity development projects. The research capacity development programme is described and reflected against mutual benefit, relevance, sustainability and…

Matryoshka Project: lessons learned about early intervention in psychosis programme development.

PubMed

Cheng, Chiachen; Dewa, Carolyn S; Goering, Paula

2011-02-01

This part of the Matryoshka project sought to understand the processes with which early intervention in psychosis (EIP) programmes were implemented and developed. The goals were to understand the key influences of programme implementation in the context of rapid EIP service growth and lack of specific provincial guidelines. Sampling was purposive and data were collected with semi-structured interviews. Five Matryoshka Project programmes were successfully contacted. All interviews were conducted by phone, recorded and transcribed verbatim. Emerging themes were analysed iteratively and discussed among authors. Key themes were validated with participants. The new EIP services were significantly influenced by the provincial EIP network, advocacy groups and clinical mentors. EIP programme decision makers often relied on each other for guidance. Although the research evidence assisted programme decision makers to develop an effective EIP model for their region, implementation was often shaped by funding constraints. Programmes adapted their EIP models according to funding and local service characteristics. The lack of specific guidelines may have allowed innovation; programme creativity and diversity is consistent with EIP values. Despite the challenges related to geography and staffing, programmes experienced important successes such as partnerships across sectors, quality clinical service and the ability to engage hard-to-serve clientele. Although important, research evidence played only a secondary role. Relationships among providers and services, coupled with the dedication of front-line staff, were more critical to knowledge exchange than written documents alone. These findings stress the importance of researcher-front-line relationships to the adoption of evidence-informed practice. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Development and evaluation of a dietary self-management programme for older adults with low literacy and heart disease: pilot study of feasibility and acceptability.

PubMed

Shao, Jung-Hua; Chen, Su-Hui

2016-12-01

To develop a dietary self-management programme for salt-, fluid-, fat- and cholesterol-intake behaviours for older adults with low literacy and heart disease and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the programme. Eating behaviours such as fluid, salt, fat and cholesterol intake are an important factor related to heart disease outcomes. People with low literacy have difficulty following recommended health behaviours, but limited research has investigated intervention programmes for this population. Programme development and pilot testing its feasibility and acceptability. Recommendations were also collected from participants and the research assistant for future large-scale interventions. The study had two phases. Phase I consisted of programme development based on previous qualitative findings, a systematic review of the literature, clinical practice experience and expert opinion. In Phase II, we pilot tested the programme from January - June 2014 in a convenience sample of 10 older adults with low literacy, heart disease and recruited from a medical centre in northern Taiwan. Pilot testing showed that our programme was feasible and acceptable to older adults with low literacy and heart disease. Moreover, the final version of the programme was revised based on participants' and the research assistant's recommendations. Our study results suggest that with guidance and assistance, older adults with low literacy and heart disease can be motivated to take action for their health and are empowered by learning how to self-manage their heart-healthy eating behaviours. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

English for Specific Purposes and Academic Literacies: Eclecticism in Academic Writing Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Lisa; Kaufhold, Kathrin

2016-01-01

Academic Literacies and English for Specific Purposes perspectives on the teaching of academic writing tend to be positioned as dichotomous and ideologically incompatible. Nonetheless, recent studies have called for the integration of these two perspectives in the design of writing programmes in order to meet the needs of students in the…

Door of Hope or Despair: Students' Perception of Distance Education at University of Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oteng-Ababio, M.

2011-01-01

Distance Education has globally become one of the important solutions for increasing admission into the universities, decongesting campuses and efficient utilization of time and space. To ensure the sustainability of the programmes' noble objectives calls for periodic re-evaluation of its modus operandi including the assessment of the perception…

A Call for a More Measured Approach to Reporting and Interpreting PISA Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutkowski, Leslie; Rutkowski, David

2016-01-01

In the current article, we consider the influential position of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and discuss several methodological areas that demonstrate the need for caution when using and interpreting PISA results. We motivate our argument by briefly describing the program's increased influence in educational policy…

English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Benny P. H.

2010-01-01

The National Institute of Education in Singapore (which is part of the Nanyang Technological University) is the leading national pre-service and in-service teacher training tertiary institution. It offers diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The academic departments are called Academic Groups (AGs). The English Language and…

Emergent Literacy as Sociocultural Practice: How Well Do New Zealand Parents Fit with "Te Whariki?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Qilong

2017-01-01

A sociocultural approach to emergent literacy and growing concerns over the de-emphasis on literacy of the New Zealand early childhood education curriculum "Te Whariki" call for locally situated emergent literacy programmes co-constructed by teachers, parents and children. While teachers' approach to emergent literacy takes centre stage…

Seeking Richer Descriptions of Learners' Sustainability Attributes and Learning Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, S.; Harraway, J.; Broughton-Ansin, F.; Deaker, L.; Shephard, K.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to respond to calls for higher education institutions to address sustainability within the curriculum. Institutions that aim to graduate citizens with prescribed attributes relevant to sustainability may need to develop teaching and learning support-programmes appropriate to the varied nature of students'…

An Initial Study of the Diagnostic Utility of the Emotional and Behavioural Screener in Lithuania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sointu, Erkko; Lambert, Matthew C.; Nordness, Philip D.; Geležiniene, Renata; Epstein, Michael H.

2018-01-01

In schools, screening is an effective method to identify students at-risk for emotional and behavioural disorders. Several intervention programmes such as Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports, Response to Intervention, and Multi-tiered Systems of Supports call for the use of psychometrically sound screening instruments. This study…

Students in Possession of the Issues of Tomorrow: An Innovative Student-Led Course Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almlov, Maria; Moberg, Emilie

2008-01-01

This article describes an educational experiment, a student-led course called "Learning in Sustainable Development" offered at the teacher training programme at Stockholm University, Sweden. Its purpose was to foster empowerment and action competence among teacher-students in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD). The…

Programmers manual for static and dynamic reusable surface insulation stresses (resist)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogilvie, P. L.; Levy, A.; Austin, F.; Ojalvo, I. U.

1974-01-01

Programming information for the RESIST program for the dynamic and thermal stress analysis of the space shuttle surface insulation is presented. The overall flow chart of the program, overlay chart, data set allocation, and subprogram calling sequence are given along with a brief description of the individual subprograms and typical subprogram output.

Working through Whiteness, Race and (Anti) Racism in Physical Education Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flintoff, Anne; Dowling, Fiona; Fitzgerald, Hayley

2015-01-01

Background: The persistent gaps between a largely white profession and ethnically diverse school populations have brought renewed calls to support teachers' critical engagement with race. Programmes examining the effects of racism have had limited impact on practice, with student teachers responding with either denial, guilt or fear; they also…

Transformative Teaching and Learning by Developing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallioinen, Outi

2011-01-01

The scholarship of teaching at Laurea University of Applied Sciences is undergoing a great change. The purpose of this article is to reflect the SWOT-analysis produced by 13 teachers at the end of the 2-year PD programme for Transformative Teaching concerning the implementation of the new pedagogical model of Laurea called Learning by Developing…

Improving Work Processes by Making the Invisible Visible

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakker, Arthur; Hoyles, Celia; Kent, Phillip; Noss, Richard

2006-01-01

Increasingly, companies are taking part in process improvement programmes, which brings about a growing need for employees to interpret and act on data representations. We have carried out case studies in a range of companies to identify the existence and need of what we call "techno-mathematical literacies" (TmL): functional mathematical…

Learning to Fly? First Experiences on Team Learning of Icaros Cooperative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juvonen, Pasi

2013-01-01

Icaros is an information technology (IT) cooperative that was originally owned by 11 IT degree programme students of Saimaa University of Applied Sciences. This article describes experiences and challenges of team building of these students who are called "teampreneurs" during their first year as team entrepreneurs. The findings provided…

An Academic Development Model for Fostering Innovation and Sharing in Curriculum Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempster, Jacqueline A.; Benfield, Greg; Francis, Richard

2012-01-01

This paper outlines an academic development process based around a two- or three-day workshop programme called a Course Design Intensive (CDI). The CDI process aims to foster collaboration and peer support in curriculum development and bring about pedagogic innovation and positive experiences for both tutors and learners. Bringing participants…

78 FR 12807 - Call for Expert Reviewers to the U.S. Government Review of the Working Group III Contribution to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-25

... on Climate Change (IPCC), Mitigation of Climate Change SUMMARY: The United States Global Change... Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Mitigation of Climate Change. The United Nations Environment Programme...-economic information for understanding the scientific basis of climate change, potential impacts, and...

Social Accountability of Medical Schools: Do Accreditation Standards Help Promote the Concept?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdalla, Mohamed Elhassan

2014-01-01

The social accountability of medical schools is an emerging concept in medical education. This issue calls for the consideration of societal needs in all aspects of medical programmes, including the values of relevance, quality, cost-effectiveness and equity. Most importantly, these needs must be defined collaboratively with people themselves.…

Embedding Community Engagement in South African Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarus, Josef; Erasmus, Mabel; Hendricks, Denver; Nduna, Joyce; Slamat, Jerome

2008-01-01

Community engagement was a relatively unknown concept in South African higher education until the late 1990s. In response to the call of the White Paper on the Transformation of Higher Education (1997) for "feasibility studies and pilot programmes which explore the potential of community service in higher education" the Joint Education…

Barriers to Student Success in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boles, Wageeh; Whelan, Karen

2017-01-01

In the UK, the USA and Australia, there have been calls for an increase in the number of engineering graduates to meet the needs of current global challenges. Universities around the world have been grappling with how to both attract more engineering students and to then retain them. Attrition from engineering programmes is disturbingly high. This…

Affordable Online Maths Tuition: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torgerson, Carole; Ainsworth, Hannah; Buckley, Hannah; Hampden-Thompson, Gillen; Hewitt, Catherine; Humphry, Deborah; Jefferson, Laura; Mitchell, Natasha; Torgerson, David

2016-01-01

"Affordable Online Maths Tuition" is a one-to-one tutoring programme where pupils receive maths tuition over the internet from trained maths graduates in India and Sri Lanka. It is delivered by the organisation Third Space Learning (TSL). Tutors and pupils communicate using video calling and a secure virtual classroom. Before each…

Are Extra Classes the Success behind High Performance and Marks?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santhi, N.

2011-01-01

Extra classes have been a fixture in the educational system in India. They pre-date all existing educational programmes and examinations. Yet more recently the justification and reasons for the maintenance of these classes have been called into question. There have been unsubstantiated claims that in some cases the classes have been…

Emotion Work in Time-Out Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brüggen, Susanne; Labhart, Carmen Kosorok

2013-01-01

From a sociological perspective, the topic of emotion in schools has been a rather neglected issue. In this article, we present two types of "emotion work", namely degradation work and rectification work. We describe how teachers in a special education programme called Time-out class employ feelings to get the work done efficiently.…

External Peer Review of Assessment: An Effective Approach to Verifying Standards?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloxham, Sue; Hudson, Jane; den Outer, Birgit; Price, Margaret

2015-01-01

There is growing international concern to regulate and assure standards in higher education. External peer review of assessment, often called external examining, is a well-established approach to assuring standards. Australian higher education is one of several systems without a history of external examining for undergraduate programmes that is…

"X"--Realism, Fantasy and Heroism in the National Youth Theatre's "The Block"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beswick, Katie

2015-01-01

In 2010, as part of the National Youth Theatre's social inclusion educational outreach programme "Playing Up 2," young people identified as "NEETS" (Not in Education, Employment or Training) performed a new-writing play called "The Block," by first time playwright Tarkan Cetinkaya. This play is set on an unnamed…

Education Sector Reform: The Ugandan Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penny, Alan; Ward, Michael; Read, Tony; Bines, Hazel

2008-01-01

In 1998 the Government of Uganda (GoU) began implementing an ambitious reform programme called the Education Strategic Investment Plan (ESIP) in order to effect Universal Primary Education (UPE). This paper offers a perspective on how the GoU has met the challenge of financing education reform, addressed the need to improve the quality of basic…

Postcolonial Teacher Education Reform in Namibia: Travelling of Policies and Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arreman, Inger Erixon; Erixon, Per-Olof; Rehn, Karl-Gunnar

2016-01-01

Long before Namibia's independence in 1990, Sweden initiated a policy dialogue with Namibia's future political leadership. This article reviews the impact of an educational reform in Namibia in the early 1990s called the Integrated Teacher Training Programme (ITTP), which was an outcome of collaboration between the South West African People's…

Is Interdisciplinarity Old News? A Disciplined Consideration of Interdisciplinarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Brian D.

2012-01-01

This paper draws on the theory of Basil Bernstein and on more recent applications of it by Rob Moore, John Beck and Michael Young to respond to recent calls for the replacement of discipline-based university faculties and departments with "problem-based" curricula and programmes of study. It considers, particularly, the potential…

European Association of Echocardiography: Research Grant Programme.

PubMed

Gargani, Luna; Muraru, Denisa; Badano, Luigi P; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Sicari, Rosa

2012-01-01

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) offers a variety of grants/fellowships to help young professionals in the field of cardiological training or research activities throughout Europe. The number of grants has significantly increased in recent years with contributions from the Associations, Working Groups and Councils of the ESC. The European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) is a registered branch of the ESC and actively takes part in this initiative. One of the aims of EAE is to promote excellence in research in cardiovascular ultrasound and other imaging modalities in Europe. Therefore, since 2008, the EAE offers a Research Grant Programme to help young doctors to obtain research experience in a high standard academic centre (or similar institution oriented to clinical or pre-clinical research) in an ESC member country other than their own. This programme can be considered as a valorization of the geographical mobility as well as cultural exchanges and professional practice in the field of cardiovascular imaging. The programme has been very successful so far, therefore in 2012 the EAE has increased its offer to two grants of 25,000 euros per annum each.

The UK Academic Foundation Programmes: are the objectives being met?

PubMed

Ologunde, R; Sismey, G; Kelley, T

2018-03-01

Background Since the Academic Foundation Programme was established in the UK in 2005 a number of trainees have participated in this programme; however, there are few published national data on the experiences of these academic trainees. We aimed to assess the perceived value and challenges of training on the AFP. Methods In March 2017, an anonymous electronic questionnaire was distributed to all Academic Foundation Programme trainees in the UK, via their local foundation school administrators. Fifty-six respondents completed the survey from 9 out of the 15 Academic Units of Application. Of these, 82% were undertaking a research based Academic Foundation Programme; however, 41% reported not having access to any training on research methods and governance. Sixty-six percent reported they were aware of the aims and expected outcomes of the Academic Foundation Programme, but the self-reported achievement of academic compendium outcomes was relatively low. Sixty-three percent rated the quality of their experience on the Academic Foundation Programme as excellent or good and 75% reported that they intended to continue in academia. Most trainees (64%) reported that the completion of a postgraduate qualification as part of their Academic Foundation Programme would improve the programme. Conclusion The Academic Foundation Programme plays a valuable role in trainees' development and preparing them for a career in academia. However, the objectives of the programme are currently not being uniformly achieved. Furthermore, trainees feel there remains room for improvement in the design of the programme.

Improving Latino Children's Early Language and Literacy Development: Key Features of Early Childhood Education within Family Literacy Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Youngok; Zuniga, Stephen; Howes, Carollee; Jeon, Hyun-Joo; Parrish, Deborah; Quick, Heather; Manship, Karen; Hauser, Alison

2016-01-01

Noting the lack of research on how early childhood education (ECE) programmes within family literacy programmes influence Latino children's early language and literacy development, this study examined key features of ECE programmes, specifically teacher-child interactions and child engagement in language and literacy activities and how these…

Student Experience and Academic Success: Comparing a Student-Centred and a Lecture-Based Course Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severiens, Sabine; Meeuwisse, Marieke; Born, Marise

2015-01-01

Past research has shown that, under certain conditions, student-centred and small-scale course programmes result in more academic success. The present study investigates these conditions in further detail. It is examined whether, in comparison to a course programme that is relatively more lecture-based, a student-centred course programme promotes…

The G4R GMES Academy - linking research, academia, service providers and local authorities.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeil, Peter; Tramutoli, Valerio

2013-04-01

The GMES Academy intends to enhance the role of the academic and R&D communities in the evolution of EO & GI services. The GMES4Regions G4R initiative, aiming to strengthen the link between GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) and European regions, inaugurated the GMES Academy at the University Mozarteum of Salzburg (Austria) on 13th - 14th September 2012. This academy has been created with the objective of fostering a dialogue among the private sector, Local and Regional Administration (LRA) and the academic and research community, in order to improve the development of Earth Observation (EO) and Geographic Information (GI) services. On this occasion, Z_GIS, the Interfaculty Department of Geoinformatics of Salzburg University, hosted the round table "Fostering Downstream Services for the Regions - contributions from Research & Academia," during which the participants had the opportunity to discuss with representatives of the European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA) the future role of the academic community in this domain. Stakeholders from the academic and R&D world adopted the 'Salzburg Declaration on GMES related Research', calling for strengthening connections between research activities and educational programmes to improve GMES services. The Declaration calls mainly for: • fostering education and training on GMES • ensuring cooperation among the academic and research community through the GMES Academy • maintaining a political commitment towards the implementation of such academic initiatives. The GMES Academy is established as a platform with six components: GATEWAY - the directory of Universities and Research Centres BRIDGE - an inventory of research briefs documenting the latest offerings from research to effective applications FACILITATOR - a portal to seek or propose internships or contract research across Europe and addressing outreach and advocacy: LINK - Access to the repository of on-going GMES related research projects in the EU EDUCATION - a compendium of courses offered by universities in the field of GMES LECTURES - G4R offers to arrange lectures on GMES at interested universities and institutions The initiative by G4R invites collaboration to strengthen the role of research and education for the evolution of GMES services.

Health research improves healthcare: now we have the evidence and the chance to help the WHO spread such benefits globally.

PubMed

Hanney, Stephen R; González-Block, Miguel A

2015-03-03

There has been a dramatic increase in the body of evidence demonstrating the benefits that come from health research. In 2014, the funding bodies for higher education in the UK conducted an assessment of research using an approach termed the Research Excellence Framework (REF). As one element of the REF, universities and medical schools in the UK submitted 1,621 case studies claiming to show the impact of their health and other life sciences research conducted over the last 20 years. The recently published results show many case studies were judged positively as providing examples of the wide range and extensive nature of the benefits from such research, including the development of new treatments and screening programmes that resulted in considerable reductions in mortality and morbidity.Analysis of specific case studies yet again illustrates the international dimension of progress in health research; however, as has also long been argued, not all populations fully share the benefits. In recognition of this, in May 2013 the World Health Assembly requested the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish a Global Observatory on Health Research and Development (R&D) as part of a strategic work-plan to promote innovation, build capacity, improve access, and mobilise resources to address diseases that disproportionately affect the world's poorest countries.As editors of Health Research Policy and Systems (HARPS), we are delighted that our journal has been invited to help inform the establishment of the WHO Global Observatory through a Call for Papers covering a range of topics relevant to the Observatory, including topics on which HARPS has published articles over the last few months, such as approaches to assessing research results, measuring expenditure data with a focus on R&D, and landscape analyses of platforms for implementing R&D. Topics related to research capacity building may also be considered. The task of establishing a Global Observatory on Health R&D to achieve the specified objectives will not be easy; nevertheless, this Call for Papers is well timed - it comes just at the point where the evidence of the benefits from health research has been considerably strengthened.

Southern African Office of Astronomy for Development: A New Hub for Astronomy for Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutondo, Moola S.; Simpemba, Prospery

2016-10-01

A new Astronomy for Development hub needs innovative tools and programs. SAROAD is developing exciting tools integrating Raspberry Pi technology to bring cost-effective astronomy content to learning centres. SAROAD would also like to report achievements in realizing the IAU's strategic plan. In order to manage, evaluate and coordinate regional IAU (International Astronomical Union) capacity building programmes, including the recruitment and mobilization of volunteers, SAROAD has built an intranet that is accessible to regional members upon request. Using this resource, regional members can see and participate in regional activities. SAROAD has commenced with projects in the three Task Force areas of Universities and Research, Children and Schools and Public Outreach. Under the three Task Force areas, a total of seven projects have commenced in Zambia (some supported by funds from IAU Annual Call for proposals).

The new Italian mandatory vaccine Law as a health policy instrument against the anti-vaccination movement.

PubMed

Chirico, F

2018-01-01

In Italy, the Parliament granted recently the final approval to a law introducing a long list of childhood vaccinations mandatory for preschool and school-age children. Before the approval, a vibrant public debate took place on the traditional media, in the social networks and among policymakers because of the so called "anti-vaccination movement". In this paper, we discuss about ethical aspects and relationship between individual rights and public health. The role of social networks and the Internet is also essential to disseminate correct informations, influencing health behaviours and contributing to educating people about this major public health issue in a right way. Finally, new and specific educational programmes are needed in order to transmit the young generation the means to correctly understand scientific research about this controversial issue.

Gender equity programmes in academic medicine: a realist evaluation approach to Athena SWAN processes.

PubMed

Caffrey, Louise; Wyatt, David; Fudge, Nina; Mattingley, Helena; Williamson, Catherine; McKevitt, Christopher

2016-09-08

Gender inequity has persisted in academic medicine. Yet equity is vital for countries to achieve their full potential in terms of translational research and patient benefit. This study sought to understand how the gender equity programme, Athena SWAN, can be enabled and constrained by interactions between the programme and the context it is implemented into, and whether these interactions might produce unintended consequences. Multimethod qualitative case studies using a realist evaluation approach. 5 departments from a university medical school hosting a Translational Research Organisation. 25 hours of observations of gender equality committee meetings, 16 in-depth interviews with Heads of Departments, Committee Leads and key personnel involved in the initiative. 4 focus groups with 15 postdoctoral researchers, lecturers and senior lecturers. The implementation of Athena SWAN principles was reported to have created social space to address gender inequity and to have highlighted problematic practices to staff. However, a number of factors reduced the programme's potential to impact gender inequity. Gender inequity was reproduced in the programme's enactment as female staff was undertaking a disproportionate amount of Athena SWAN work, with potential negative impacts on individual women's career progression. Early career researchers experienced problems accessing Athena SWAN initiatives. Furthermore, the impact of the programme was perceived to be undermined by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms, which are beyond the programme's remit. Gender equity programmes have the potential to address inequity. However, paradoxically, they can also unintentionally reproduce and reinforce gender inequity through their enactment. Potential programme impacts may be undermined by barriers to staff availing of career development and training initiatives, and by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Improving capacity in ethnicity and health research: report of a tailored programme for NHS Public Health practitioners.

PubMed

Salway, Sarah; Piercy, Hilary; Chowbey, Punita; Brewins, Louise; Dhoot, Permjeet

2013-10-01

To determine whether an intervention designed to enhance research capacity among commissioners in the area of ethnicity and health was feasible and impactful, and to identify programme elements that might usefully be replicated elsewhere. How healthcare commissioners should be equipped to understand and address multiethnic needs has received little attention to-date. Being able to mobilise and apply evidence is a central element of the commissioning process that requires development. Researching ethnicity and health is widely recognised as challenging and several prior interventions have aimed to enhance competence in this area. These have, however, predominantly taken place in North America and have not been evaluated in detail. An innovative research capacity development programme was delivered to public health staff within a large healthcare commissioning organisation in England. Evaluation methodology drew on 'pluralistic' evaluation principles and included formative and summative elements. Participant evaluation forms gave immediate feedback during the programme. Participants also provided feedback at two weeks and 12 months after the programme ended. In addition, one participant and one facilitator provided reflective accounts of the programme's strengths and weaknesses, and programme impact was traced through ongoing partnership work. The programme was well received and had a tangible impact on knowledge, confidence and practice for most participants. Factors important to success included: embedding learning within the participants' work context; ensuring a balance between theory and practical tips to enhance confidence; and having sustained interaction between trainers and participants. Despite positive signs, the challenging nature of the topic was highlighted, as were wider structural and cultural factors that impede progress in this area. Although it is unrealistic to expect such programmes to have a major impact on commissioning practices, they may well make an important contribution to raising the confidence and competence of staff to undertake work in this area.

Investing in African research training institutions creates sustainable capacity for Africa: the case of the University of the Witwatersrand School of Public Health masters programme in epidemiology and biostatistics

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Improving health in Africa is a high priority internationally. Inadequate research capacity to produce local, relevant research has been identified as a limitation to improved population health. Increasing attention is being paid to the higher education sector in Africa as a method of addressing this; evidence that such investment is having the desired impact is required. A 1998 3-year investment by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) in research training at the School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa was reviewed to assess its' impact. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional survey of the 70 students registered for the masters programme in epidemiology & biostatistics from 2000-2005 was conducted. Data were collected from self-administered questionnaires. Results Sixty percent (42/70) of students responded. At the time of the survey 19% of respondents changed their country of residence after completion of the masters course, 14% migrated within Africa and 5% migrated out of Africa. Approximately half (47%) were employed as researchers and 38% worked in research institutions. Sixty percent reported research output, and four graduates were pursuing PhD studies. Government subsidy to higher education institutions, investments of the University of the Witwatersrand in successful programmes and ongoing bursaries for students to cover tuition fees were important for sustainability. Conclusions Investing in African institutions to improve research training capacity resulted in the retention of graduates in Africa in research positions and produced research output. Training programmes can be sustained when national governments invest in higher education and where that funding is judiciously applied. Challenges remain if funding for students bursaries is not available. PMID:22475629

Current status of medical and veterinary entomology in France: endangered discipline or promising science?

PubMed

Cuisance, Dominique; Antoine Rioux, Jean

2004-09-01

Following alarming statements (French Senate, Académie des Sciences) on the present situation concerning entomology and systematics in France, the Conseil Général Vétérinaire designated one of us (D.C.) to carry out a survey on the status of medical and veterinary entomology (MVE) with respect to research orientations and university curricula. Around 100 participants, including scientists, teachers and several directors of research and educational bodies, were interviewed and filled in questionnaires for this survey. On the basis of the results, it was concluded that the deterioration of MVE in France is associated with: (1) the hasty reorganisation of training and research in the life sciences, leading to the disappearance of several disciplines. Hence, the postgraduate DEA degree in entomology was eliminated, and even the name 'entomology' no longer appears in teaching programmes or on research contracts; (2) France's withdrawal from action research programmes in developing countries. Although these programmes were efficient in controlling outbreaks of major endemic diseases, integrated pest and vector management programmes have been replaced by basic health care ('Health for everyone in 2000') and vaccination programmes; (3) the general shift from field to laboratory research, focused mainly on molecular mechanisms. The survey results confirmed generally acknowledged trends concerning many points and highlighted several specific problems, such as the disappearance of systematics experts. Several potential solutions are proposed.

School nurses' experiences of delivering the UK HPV vaccination programme in its first year

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the United Kingdom (UK) in September 2008, school nurses began delivering the HPV immunisation programme for girls aged 12 and 13 years old. This study offers insights from school nurses' perspectives and experiences of delivering this new vaccination programme. Methods Thirty in-depth telephone interviews were conducted with school nurses working across the UK between September 2008 and May 2009. This time period covers the first year of the HPV vaccination programme in schools. School nurses were recruited via GP practices, the internet and posters targeted at school nurse practitioners. Results All the school nurses spoke of readying themselves for a deluge of phone calls from concerned parents, but found that in fact few parents telephoned to ask for more information or express their concerns about the HPV vaccine. Several school nurses mentioned a lack of planning by policy makers and stated that at its introduction they felt ill prepared. The impact on school nurses' workload was spoken about at length by all the school nurses. They believed that the programme had vastly increased their workload leading them to cut back on their core activities and the time they could dedicate to offering support to vulnerable pupils. Conclusion Overall the first year of the implementation of the HPV vaccination programme in the UK has exceeded school nurses' expectations and some of its success may be attributed to the school nurses' commitment to the programme. It is also the case that other factors, including positive newsprint media reporting that accompanied the introduction of the HPV vaccination programme may have played a role. Nevertheless, school nurses also believed that the programme had vastly increased their workload leading them to cut back on their core activities and as such they could no longer dedicate time to offer support to vulnerable pupils. This unintentional aspect of the programme may be worthy of further exploration. PMID:21864404

Optics outreach in Irish context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McHugh, Emer; Smith, Arlene

2009-06-01

The Applied Optics Group, National University of Ireland Galway is a research centre involved in programmes that cover a wide variety of topics in applied optics and imaging science, including smart optics, adaptive optics, optical scattering and propagation, and engineering optics. The Group have also developed significant outreach programmes both in Primary and Post-Primary schools. It is recognised that there is a need for innovation in Science Education in Ireland and we are committed to working extensively with schools. The main aim of these outreach programmes is to increase awareness and interest in science with students and enhance the communication skills of the researchers working in the Group. The education outreach team works closely with the relevant teachers in both Primary and Post-Primary schools to design and develop learning initiatives to match the needs of the target group of students. The learning programmes are usually delivered in the participating schools during normal class time by a team of Applied Optics specialists. We are involved in running these programmes in both Primary and Post-Primary schools where the programmes are tailored to the curriculum and concentrating on optics and light. The students may also visit the Groups research centre where presentations and laboratory tours are arranged.

[Preventing cardiovascular diseases through a screening modelling applicable to wide population groups: results from the first phase of the project].

PubMed

Ferro, Antonio; Cinquetti, Sandro; Moro, Alessandro; Siddu, Andrea; Trimarchi, Antonino; Penon, Maria Gabriella; Pavan, Pierpaolo; Camillotto, Raffaella; Rossetto, Luca; Volpe, Valter; Zevrain, Simone; Brusaferro, Silvio

2014-01-01

evaluate, through active call, lifestyles of an asymptomatic population in order to identify hyperglycaemic subjects and/or high-blood pressure sufferers to dispatch to their GP to perform suitable checking, and subjects to invite to a cardiovascular disease prevention programme because of their lifestyles. between January 2009 and July 2012, all healthy residents in the Local Health Authority of Este (ULSS 17 Este) aged 45-59 years were invited to join a cardiovascular disease prevention programme. all participants were evaluated through an administered lifestyle questionnaire. Parameters such as blood pressure (BP), glycaemia, waist circumference and body mass index were collected and recorded. Participants also received counseling, informational materials on lifestyle and were invited to individual or group health promotion initiatives in relation to personal risk factors. among the invited, 55.5% (3,922/7,071) adhered. Women (58.8%) responded significantly better than men (51.9%) (p <0,01). Subjects without risks factors were 16.7%. Subjects with lifestyle risk factors but normal BP and glycaemia were 49.4%, while those adding altered values for BP and glycaemia were 25.2%. The 8.6% of the respondents were not eligible for the study. the preliminary results suggest that a preventive programme based on the citizens active call by the Department of Prevention could be an effective tool to identify asymptomatic individuals with unknown hypertension and/or hyperglycaemia and to offer lifestyle interventions to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Hip and pelvic fracture patients with fear of falling: development and description of the "Step by Step" treatment protocol.

PubMed

Kampe, Karin; Kohler, Michaela; Albrecht, Diana; Becker, Clemens; Hautzinger, Martin; Lindemann, Ulrich; Pfeiffer, Klaus

2017-05-01

Based on a theoretical framework and sound evidence, this article describes a rehabilitation programme for patients with fear of falling after hip and pelvic fracture. Based on exercise science principles, current knowledge from fall prevention, emotion regulation, and the Health Action Process Approach we developed a theoretical framework, from which the components of the intervention were derived. Description of the intervention: The intervention consists of 6 components: (1) relaxation, (2) meaningful activities and mobility-based goals, (3) falls related cognitions and emotions, coping with high risk tasks and situations, (4) individual exercise programme, (5) planning and implementing exercises and activities, and (6) fall risks and hazards. The intervention comprises of 8 individual sessions during 3 to 5 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation and 4 telephone calls and 1 home visit over a 2-month post-discharge period. Each session or telephone call takes about 30-60 minutes. It is provided to geriatric hip and pelvic fracture patients with concerns about falling and no cognitive impairment. To ensure completeness of reporting, the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDierR) is used. Fifty-seven patients were assigned to the intervention group. All 46 completers met all pre-defined criteria for an intervention per protocol. The programme is feasible to administer. We have completed a randomised controlled trial, which will be submitted in due time (for trial protocol: www.isrctn.org ; ISRCTN79191813).

IAEA activities related to radiation biology and health effects of radiation.

PubMed

Wondergem, Jan; Rosenblatt, Eduardo

2012-03-01

The IAEA is involved in capacity building with regard to the radiobiological sciences in its member states through its technical cooperation programme. Research projects/programmes are normally carried out within the framework of coordinated research projects (CRPs). Under this programme, two CRPs have been approved which are relevant to nuclear/radiation accidents: (1) stem cell therapeutics to modify radiation-induced damage to normal tissue, and (2) strengthening biological dosimetry in IAEA member states.

Open Virtual Worlds as Pedagogical Research Tools: Learning from the Schome Park Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Twining, Peter; Peachey, Anna

This paper introduces the term Open Virtual Worlds and argues that they are ‘unclaimed educational spaces’, which provide a valuable tool for researching pedagogy. Having explored these claims the way in which Teen Second Life® virtual world was used for pedagogical experimentation in the initial phases of the Schome Park Programme is described. Four sets of pedagogical dimensions that emerged are presented and illustrated with examples from the Schome Park Programme.

How can systems engineering inform the methods of programme evaluation in health professions education?

PubMed

Rojas, David; Grierson, Lawrence; Mylopoulos, Maria; Trbovich, Patricia; Bagli, Darius; Brydges, Ryan

2018-04-01

We evaluate programmes in health professions education (HPE) to determine their effectiveness and value. Programme evaluation has evolved from use of reductionist frameworks to those addressing the complex interactions between programme factors. Researchers in HPE have recently suggested a 'holistic programme evaluation' aiming to better describe and understand the implications of 'emergent processes and outcomes'. We propose a programme evaluation framework informed by principles and tools from systems engineering. Systems engineers conceptualise complexity and emergent elements in unique ways that may complement and extend contemporary programme evaluations in HPE. We demonstrate how the abstract decomposition space (ADS), an engineering knowledge elicitation tool, provides the foundation for a systems engineering informed programme evaluation designed to capture both planned and emergent programme elements. We translate the ADS tool to use education-oriented language, and describe how evaluators can use it to create a programme-specific ADS through iterative refinement. We provide a conceptualisation of emergent elements and an equation that evaluators can use to identify the emergent elements in their programme. Using our framework, evaluators can analyse programmes not as isolated units with planned processes and planned outcomes, but as unfolding, complex interactive systems that will exhibit emergent processes and emergent outcomes. Subsequent analysis of these emergent elements will inform the evaluator as they seek to optimise and improve the programme. Our proposed systems engineering informed programme evaluation framework provides principles and tools for analysing the implications of planned and emergent elements, as well as their potential interactions. We acknowledge that our framework is preliminary and will require application and constant refinement. We suggest that our framework will also advance our understanding of the construct of 'emergence' in HPE research. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Promoting Interdisciplinary Education: The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blöschl, Günter; Bucher, Christian; Carr, Gemma; Farnleitner, Andreas; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias

2010-05-01

An interdisciplinary approach is often described as a valuable strategy to assist in overcoming the existing and emerging challenges to water resource management. The development of educational approaches to instil a culture of interdisciplinarity in the future generation of water resource professionals will help to meet this strategic need. The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems demonstrates how the adoption of an interdisciplinary education framework has been applied to a graduate programme in the water sciences. The interdisciplinary approach aims to provide doctoral research students with an understanding of the wide spectrum of processes relevant to water resource systems. This will enable them to bring together a range of ideas, strategies and methods to their current research and future careers. The education programme also aims to teach the softer skills required for successful interdisciplinary work such as the ability to communicate clearly with non-specialist professionals and the capacity to listen to and accommodate suggestions from experts in different disciplines, which have often not traditionally been grouped together. The Vienna Doctoral Programme achieves these aims through teaching an appreciation for a wide variety of approaches including laboratory analysis, field studies and numerical methods across the fields of hydrology, remote sensing, hydrogeology, structural mechanics, microbiology, water quality and resource management. Teaching takes the form of a detailed study programme on topics such as socio-economic concepts, resource and river basin management, modelling and simulation methods, health related water quality targets, urban water management, spatial data from remote sensing and basics for stochastic mechanics. Courses are also held by internationally recognised top scientists, and a guest scientist seminar series allows doctoral researchers to profit from the expertise of senior researchers from around the world. Through a structured one-on-one mentoring programme close interaction is ensured between the students and the internationally reputed staff of the programme. This gives the opportunity for the encouragement of interdisciplinary thinking at the individual level. Interdisciplinarity also evolves passively through interactions between the doctoral students in their daily research work, during journal clubs, meetings, workshops and courses. A total of 22 doctoral students are enrolled in the programme at any time which allows for cross-fertilisation across the wide range of research projects. Finally, the programme is holistic, incorporating all aspects of the hydrological system at the catchment and multi-catchment scale. The ultimate aim is to provide an education programme which not only equips the students with an understanding of the need for interdisciplinarity, but also with the skills required to deliver interdisciplinary work in keeping with the holistic catchment management paradigm adopted by the hydrological science community.

Research capacity for childhood obesity prevention in Latin America: an area for growth.

PubMed

Parra, Diana C; Vorkoper, Susan; Kohl, Harold W; Caballero, Benjamin; Batis, Carolina; Jauregui, Alejandra; Mason, Jessica; Pratt, Michael

2017-07-01

The rise of childhood obesity in Latin America calls for research capacity to understand, monitor and implement strategies, policies and programmes to address it. The objective of the study was to assess current research capacity in Latin America related to childhood obesity, nutrition and physical activity. We conducted a search of peer-reviewed articles on childhood obesity in Latin America with at least one Latin American author from 2010 to May 2015. We coded 484 published articles for author affiliation, study subjects' nationality, research topic and study design and extracted a series of networks per research topic, study design and collaborating country for each of the countries. Obesity is the most frequently explored topic. Nutrition and obesity are somewhat better developed compared with physical activity and sedentary behaviour. There are numerous observational and cross-sectional studies, indicating either a lack of capacity required for more complex research or the extent of the problem and associated factors is still unknown. The low number of intervention studies and the near absence of policy articles suggest a void in research capacity. For childhood obesity, there is a clear need to build research capacity that documents the current state of the problem and design evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts. © 2017 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.

Transforming a municipal school sports programme through a critical communicative methodology: The role of the of advisory committee.

PubMed

Jiménez-Herranz, Borja; Manrique-Arribas, Juan C; López-Pastor, Víctor M; García-Bengoechea, Enrique

2016-10-01

This research applies a communicative methodology (CM) to the transformation and improvement of the Municipal Comprehensive School Sports Programme in Segovia, Spain (MCSSP), using egalitarian dialogue, based on validity rather than power claims to achieve intersubjectivity and arrive at consensus between all of the Programme's stakeholders through the intervention of an advisory committee (AC). The AC is a body comprising representatives of all stakeholder groups involved in the programme. During the 2013-2014 academic year the programme's AC met four times, operating as a communicative focus group (CFG). The meetings focused on: (1) excluding dimensions (barriers preventing transformation) and transforming dimensions (ways of overcoming barriers), (2) the programme's strengths, (3) the programme's weaknesses and specific actions to remedy them, and (4) the resulting conclusions which were then incorporated into the subsequent programme contract signed between the University and the Segovia Local Authority for 2014-2018. The key conclusions were: (1) the recommendations of the AC widen the range of perspectives and help the research team to make key decisions and (2) the use of CM to fully evaluate the programme and to reach a consensus on how to improve it proved very valuable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postgraduate Work-Based Learning Programmes in English Higher Education: Exploring Case Studies of Organizational Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Paul; Preece, David

2009-01-01

The first part of the paper outlines and discusses the nature of work-based learning (WBL) and WBL programmes, and the overall direction of government strategy towards WBL programmes in Higher Education (HE) in England, with particular reference to postgraduate programmes, policy documents, and the WBL literature. Drawing upon case study research,…

Medical research--a comparative study of the situation in the RSA and in certain other countries.

PubMed

Brink, A J

1983-02-05

Research as a whole, with medical research as part thereof, is supported by organizational systems which differ in different countries. The basis for research support is nearly always one of two types: projects (short-term research) conducted by individuals, or programme research (a more extended form) carried out by a number of people in a defined field and under the direction of a person uniquely suited to lead the research. The other important form of research undertaking is one of national importance which assumes dimensions necessitating the creation of specific facilities in the form of buildings, research equipment and a staffing establishment (usually termed an 'institute'). Certain aspects relating to medical research as seen in other countries could well be adapted to our own needs, such as the introduction of research work communities (as found in Holland), and the establishment of priority research programmes in order to develop areas of neglect (as done in Germany). Adjustments can also be made to our training programmes and bursary schemes. In particular, attention can be paid to the re-employment of active research workers who have reached retirement age, and to the creation of full-time research posts in different categories at universities. In whatever manner our available research funds are calculated for comparison with those available elsewhere, whether based on money available per capita, size in relation to other research programmes or percentage of gross national product, the position of South Africa appears to be embarrassingly inferior.

What Can the Work of Habermas Offer Educational Researcher Development Programmes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garland, Paul

2014-01-01

Although certain aspects of the work of Habermas have had much influence on emancipatory and action research, this article draws on a wider range of his thinking in order to explore how his ideas can inform the content and process of educational researcher development programmes. Habermas's theory of communicative action, his discourse ethics…

Mathematics as Social: Understanding Relationships between Home and School Numeracy Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Dave; Street, Brian; Tomlin, Alison

2003-01-01

This article offers a way of viewing mathematics as social, drawing upon research on numeracy practices at home and at school carried out by the School and Community numeracies team in the Leverhulme Numeracy Research Programme, a five-year research programme (1997-2002) at King's College London. Within the school and community focus of the…

Challenging Teachers' Practice through Learning: Reflections on the Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education Programme of Research and Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Roseanna

2006-01-01

When teachers participate in professional development and learning opportunities it enables them to reconceptualise their assessment and teaching practices with the support of facilitators and researchers. National programmes of professional development and research, such as the three year Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education (EEPiSE)…

Increasing Capacity in STEM Education Research: A Study Exploring the Potential for a Fellowship Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halsey, Karen; Harland, Jennie; Springate, Iain

2007-01-01

The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the Royal Society to complete a study exploring the potential of a Fellowship programme for early- to mid-career education researchers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The study was set within the broader context of increasing capacity in STEM …

What Works to Increase the Use of Research in Population Health Policy and Programmes: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Gabriel; Redman, Sally; Haines, Mary; Todd, Angela

2011-01-01

Policy agencies are implementing strategies to increase the use of research in policy decisions. This paper examines the evidence about the effectiveness of these strategies. We conducted an extensive search focused on population health policy and programmes. We classified 106 papers meeting study criteria into research type (conceptual,…

Conversations about Research Supervision--Enabling and Accrediting a Community of Practice Model for Research Degree Supervisor Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Geof; Vaughan, Sian

2018-01-01

The authors' lived experience of devising a professional development programme for research supervisors and securing SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association) accreditation informs this paper. Our first purpose is to outline the programme and discuss its uniqueness in using a community of practice model in conjunction with practitioner…

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

Uhle, Maria

These funds were transferred from DOE to NSF as DOE's contribution to the U.S. Global Change Research Program in support of 4 internationalnactivities/programs as approved by the U.S. Global Change Research Program on 14 March 2014. The programs are the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, the DIVERSITAS programme, and the World Climate Research Program. All program awards ended as of 09-23-2015.

Leveraging the Relationship: Knowledge Processes in School-University Research Networks of Master's Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelissen, Frank; Daly, Alan J.; Liou, Yi-Hwa; Van Swet, Jacqueline; Beijaard, Douwe; Bergen, Theo C. M.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the way developing, sharing and using of research-based knowledge occurred in the school-university research network of a master's programme for in-service teachers in the Netherlands. Over a 10-month period, a combination of quantitative and qualitative network data was collected. Data were analysed at three network…

New Wine in Old Bottles? A Critique of Sweden's New National Training Programme for Head Teachers: Does It Strengthen or Undermine School Equality and Students' Educational Rights and Guarantees?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapp, Stephan

2012-01-01

This research seeks to look at the effect of the new Swedish training programme for head teachers by comparing it with the previous national training programme and does so primarily through an analysis of documents and texts that served to underpin the two different programmes. To put the Swedish teacher-training programme in an international…

An assessment of the effect of an experimental environmental education programme (Man and Nutrition) on Kuwaiti primary school pupils (Grade Four)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esmaeel, Yaqoub Y. R.

The educational system in Kuwait is undergoing some fundamental changes, and the need for reform of environmental education has become urgent as a result of the concerns of both the government and the public over environmental issues. It is in such a context that this research was conducted. The research was intended to develop, implement, and evaluate an experimental programme Man and Nutrition for Kuwaiti primary school pupils, aimed at developing a positive environmental achievement, Information about the present status of environmental concepts and environmental education in Kuwait was obtained from preliminary study such as interviews and curriculum analysis. Interviews were conducted in ten different primary schools in four districts in Kuwait, which involved 31 pupils in total, hi addition, information was obtained by analysis of the science curriculum for fourth grade primary schools. The preliminary study was carried out during the period April to October 1998. The results of the preliminary study served to aid the development of an experimental teaching programme. The experimental programme Man and Nutrition consisted of eight lessons printed in two booklets, a teacher's guide and pupil's textbook. The research included a review of the relevant literature examining the development of environmental programmes and activities in a number of countries, which were selected because of their environmental education approaches, and the variety of their environmental conditions. Pilot testing of the teaching programmes was carried out to ascertain the appropriateness of the materials and the data collecting instruments used for the evaluation of the main experimental study. The main study group included 115 pupils in four primary schools and four teachers selected in Kuwait. Data collecting included pre and post-tests and the course evaluation by teachers using semi-structured interviews. Statistical analysis of data obtained was carried out using the SPSS/PC+ computer programme. The major results of this study indicated that: (1) The present science programme of the fourth grade does not sufficiently cover the concepts identified as environmental concepts. (2) The experimental programme was significantly effective in increasing the pupils' knowledge regarding the environmental programme Man and Nutrition. (3) A significant difference in the mean scores was found between boys and girls in the post-achievement test. (4) There was a significant difference in the pupils' mean scores between the educational districts in the post-achievement test. (5) The experimental programme had similar influences on pupils' overall achievement by parents' education. Based upon the above major research results, the study puts forward some practical recommendations regarding the development of a school environmental education programme. Since the study is one of the first of its kind in Kuwait, it also suggests a few possible areas for future research. It is hoped that the research will lead to a worthwhile primary school environmental education.

The CATCH Kids Club: a pilot after-school study for improving elementary students' nutrition and physical activity.

PubMed

Kelder, Steve; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Barroso, Cristina S; Walker, Joey L; Cribb, Peter; Hu, Shaohua

2005-04-01

Although many school-based diet and physical activity interventions have been designed and evaluated, relatively few have been tested for the after-school setting. After-school day-care programmes at either elementary schools or private locations provide a ready-made opportunity for health programmes that may be difficult to incorporate into an already-full school day. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot study of an after-school adaptation of the CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) elementary school programme called the CATCH Kids Club (CKC). The CKC was pilot-tested and formatively evaluated in 16 Texas after-school programmes: eight in El Paso and eight in Austin (four intervention and four reference sites each). Evaluation consisted of direct observation of moderate to vigorous physical activity during play time, self-reported food intake and physical activity, and focus group interviews with after-school programme staff. Students responded well to the physical activity and snack components and were less interested in the five-module education component. Routine staff training was a key variable in achieving proper implementation; the ideal would be a full day with repeated follow-up model teaching visits. Staff turnover was a logistic issue, as was programme leader readiness and interest in conducting the programme. Strong and significant effects were observed for the physical activity but not for the education component. The results of the physical education component suggest it is feasible, effective and ready for larger-scale evaluation or dissemination.

Applying a propensity score-based weighting model to interrupted time series data: improving causal inference in programme evaluation.

PubMed

Linden, Ariel; Adams, John L

2011-12-01

Often, when conducting programme evaluations or studying the effects of policy changes, researchers may only have access to aggregated time series data, presented as observations spanning both the pre- and post-intervention periods. The most basic analytic model using these data requires only a single group and models the intervention effect using repeated measurements of the dependent variable. This model controls for regression to the mean and is likely to detect a treatment effect if it is sufficiently large. However, many potential sources of bias still remain. Adding one or more control groups to this model could strengthen causal inference if the groups are comparable on pre-intervention covariates and level and trend of the dependent variable. If this condition is not met, the validity of the study findings could be called into question. In this paper we describe a propensity score-based weighted regression model, which overcomes these limitations by weighting the control groups to represent the average outcome that the treatment group would have exhibited in the absence of the intervention. We illustrate this technique studying cigarette sales in California before and after the passage of Proposition 99 in California in 1989. While our results were similar to those of the Synthetic Control method, the weighting approach has the advantage of being technically less complicated, rooted in regression techniques familiar to most researchers, easy to implement using any basic statistical software, may accommodate any number of treatment units, and allows for greater flexibility in the choice of treatment effect estimators. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Impacts of e-health on the outcomes of care in low- and middle-income countries: where do we go from here?

PubMed

Piette, John D; Lun, K C; Moura, Lincoln A; Fraser, Hamish S F; Mechael, Patricia N; Powell, John; Khoja, Shariq R

2012-05-01

E-health encompasses a diverse set of informatics tools that have been designed to improve public health and health care. Little information is available on the impacts of e-health programmes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We therefore conducted a scoping review of the published and non-published literature to identify data on the effects of e-health on health outcomes and costs. The emphasis was on the identification of unanswered questions for future research, particularly on topics relevant to low- and middle-income countries. Although e-health tools supporting clinical practice have growing penetration globally, there is more evidence of benefits for tools that support clinical decisions and laboratory information systems than for those that support picture archiving and communication systems. Community information systems for disease surveillance have been implemented successfully in several low- and middle-income countries. Although information on outcomes is generally lacking, a large project in Brazil has documented notable impacts on health-system efficiency. Meta-analyses and rigorous trials have documented the benefits of text messaging for improving outcomes such as patients' self-care. Automated telephone monitoring and self-care support calls have been shown to improve some outcomes of chronic disease management, such as glycaemia and blood pressure control, in low- and middle-income countries. Although large programmes for e-health implementation and research are being conducted in many low- and middle-income countries, more information on the impacts of e-health on outcomes and costs in these settings is still needed.

Impacts of e-health on the outcomes of care in low- and middle-income countries: where do we go from here?

PubMed Central

Lun, KC; Moura, Lincoln A; Fraser, Hamish SF; Mechael, Patricia N; Powell, John; Khoja, Shariq R

2012-01-01

Abstract E-health encompasses a diverse set of informatics tools that have been designed to improve public health and health care. Little information is available on the impacts of e-health programmes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We therefore conducted a scoping review of the published and non-published literature to identify data on the effects of e-health on health outcomes and costs. The emphasis was on the identification of unanswered questions for future research, particularly on topics relevant to low- and middle-income countries. Although e-health tools supporting clinical practice have growing penetration globally, there is more evidence of benefits for tools that support clinical decisions and laboratory information systems than for those that support picture archiving and communication systems. Community information systems for disease surveillance have been implemented successfully in several low- and middle-income countries. Although information on outcomes is generally lacking, a large project in Brazil has documented notable impacts on health-system efficiency. Meta-analyses and rigorous trials have documented the benefits of text messaging for improving outcomes such as patients’ self-care. Automated telephone monitoring and self-care support calls have been shown to improve some outcomes of chronic disease management, such as glycaemia and blood pressure control, in low- and middle-income countries. Although large programmes for e-health implementation and research are being conducted in many low- and middle-income countries, more information on the impacts of e-health on outcomes and costs in these settings is still needed. PMID:22589570

Models and applications for measuring the impact of health research: update of a systematic review for the Health Technology Assessment programme.

PubMed

Raftery, James; Hanney, Steve; Greenhalgh, Trish; Glover, Matthew; Blatch-Jones, Amanda

2016-10-01

This report reviews approaches and tools for measuring the impact of research programmes, building on, and extending, a 2007 review. (1) To identify the range of theoretical models and empirical approaches for measuring the impact of health research programmes; (2) to develop a taxonomy of models and approaches; (3) to summarise the evidence on the application and use of these models; and (4) to evaluate the different options for the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme. We searched databases including Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and The Cochrane Library from January 2005 to August 2014. This narrative systematic literature review comprised an update, extension and analysis/discussion. We systematically searched eight databases, supplemented by personal knowledge, in August 2014 through to March 2015. The literature on impact assessment has much expanded. The Payback Framework, with adaptations, remains the most widely used approach. It draws on different philosophical traditions, enhancing an underlying logic model with an interpretative case study element and attention to context. Besides the logic model, other ideal type approaches included constructionist, realist, critical and performative. Most models in practice drew pragmatically on elements of several ideal types. Monetisation of impact, an increasingly popular approach, shows a high return from research but relies heavily on assumptions about the extent to which health gains depend on research. Despite usually requiring systematic reviews before funding trials, the HTA programme does not routinely examine the impact of those trials on subsequent systematic reviews. The York/Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation toolkits provide ways of assessing such impact, but need to be evaluated. The literature, as reviewed here, provides very few instances of a randomised trial playing a major role in stopping the use of a new technology. The few trials funded by the HTA programme that may have played such a role were outliers. The findings of this review support the continued use of the Payback Framework by the HTA programme. Changes in the structure of the NHS, the development of NHS England and changes in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's remit pose new challenges for identifying and meeting current and future research needs. Future assessments of the impact of the HTA programme will have to take account of wider changes, especially as the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which assesses the quality of universities' research, seems likely to continue to rely on case studies to measure impact. The HTA programme should consider how the format and selection of case studies might be improved to aid more systematic assessment. The selection of case studies, such as in the REF, but also more generally, tends to be biased towards high-impact rather than low-impact stories. Experience for other industries indicate that much can be learnt from the latter. The adoption of researchfish ® (researchfish Ltd, Cambridge, UK) by most major UK research funders has implications for future assessments of impact. Although the routine capture of indexed research publications has merit, the degree to which researchfish will succeed in collecting other, non-indexed outputs and activities remains to be established. There were limitations in how far we could address challenges that faced us as we extended the focus beyond that of the 2007 review, and well beyond a narrow focus just on the HTA programme. Research funders can benefit from continuing to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the studies they fund. They should also review the contribution of case studies and expand work on linking trials to meta-analyses and to guidelines. The National Institute for Health Research HTA programme.

The Development and Evaluation of a Life Skills Programme for Young Adult Offenders.

PubMed

Jordaan, Jacques; Beukes, Roelf; Esterhuyse, Karel

2017-10-01

The purpose of this research project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a Life Skills programme for young adult male long-term offenders with the aim of improving their life skills that, in turn, could enable them to adjust more effectively in the correctional environment. Experimental research was used to investigate the effectiveness of the programme. In this study, 96 literate young adult male offenders between the ages of 21 and 25 years, with long sentences, were selected randomly. The participants were assigned randomly into an experimental and a control group. The Solomon four-group design was utilized to control for the effect of pretest sensitization. The measurements of the effectiveness of the programme were conducted before the programme commenced, directly (short term) after, 3 months (medium term) after, and 6 months (long term) after. The findings indicated that the programme had limited success in equipping the offenders with the necessary skills crucial to their survival in a correctional centre. The programme did, however, have significant effects, especially on problem solving and anger management in the short and medium term. These improvements were not long lived.

An evaluation of the problem-solving ability of diplomates from a comprehensive nursing programme.

PubMed

Makhathini, J T; Uys, L R

1996-10-01

The aim of this South African study was to obtain a measurement of the problem-solving ability of diplomates from a basic nursing programme with this skill included in its programme objectives. The problem-solving skills of diplomates from this programme were compared with those of first years to determine if there is an improvement in the problem-solving skills. A comparison was also made with a different basic programmes not claiming to teach problem-solving. The research design selected for this study was the ex post facto design. Data were collected using the Triple Jump Method which is an interview technique. The findings suggested that the level of the problem-solving skills of the comprehensive nursing programme diplomate is not satisfactory. There was, however, some improvement in the problem-solving ability from the first to the fourth year. The level of performance of the fourth years was slightly higher than that of the third years of the three-year nursing programme, who were used as the control group. Recommendations on selection teaching and evaluation of students, as well as further research, were made.

Content and Language Integrated Learning and the inclusion of immigrant minority language students: A research review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somers, Thomas

2017-08-01

This article addresses the inclusion of immigrant minority language students in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) bilingual education programmes. It reviews results of research on (1) the reasons, beliefs and attitudes underlying immigrant minority language parents' and students' choice for CLIL programmes; (2) these students' proficiency in the languages of instruction and their academic achievement; and (3) the effects of first language typology on their second and third language proficiency. The author explores conditions and reasons for the effectiveness of CLIL pedagogy, as well as the comparative suitability of CLIL programmes for immigrant minority language students. The review shows that CLIL programmes provide a means to acquire important linguistic, economic and symbolic capital in order to effect upward social mobility. Findings demonstrate that immigrant minority language students enrolled in CLIL programmes are able to develop equal or superior levels of proficiency in both languages of instruction compared to majority language students; with previous development of first language literacy positively impacting academic language development. CLIL programmes are found to offer immigrant minority language students educational opportunities and effective pedagogical support which existing mainstream monolingual and minority bilingual education programmes may not always be able to provide. In light of these findings, the author discusses shortcomings in current educational policy. The article concludes with recommendations for further research.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

European commission research on stratospheric ozone depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amanatidis, G. T.; Ott, H.

1995-02-01

The research policy of the European Commission (EC) on the stratospheric ozone depletion, which is implemented through the ENVIRONMENT Programme is described. The strategy of this stratospheric ozone research, which is developed to address the open scientific questions, requires a coordinated and balanced programme which is based on long term measurements, process studies at regional or global scale, laboratory studies, continuous and accurate measurements of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and development of instrumentation. These research activities, whenever necessary, take form of extensive and coordinated experiments (EASOE 1991/92, SESAME 1994-95), while the overall objective is to provide a firm scientific basis for future European Union (EU) policy actions in this area. Finally, priorities which have been identified for future research in the ENVIRONMENT and CLIMATE Programme (1994-1998) are also detailed.

Moving from trust to trustworthiness: Experiences of public engagement in the Scottish Health Informatics Programme

PubMed Central

Aitken, Mhairi; Cunningham-Burley, Sarah; Pagliari, Claudia

2016-01-01

The Scottish Health Informatics Programme (SHIP) was a Scotland-wide research programme exploring ways of collecting, managing and analysing electronic patient records for health research. As part of the SHIP public engagement work stream, a series of eight focus groups and a stakeholder workshop were conducted to explore perceptions of the role, relevance and functions of trust (or trustworthiness) in relation to research practices. The findings demonstrate that the public’s relationships of trust and/or mistrust in science and research are not straightforward. This paper aims to move beyond simple descriptions of whether publics trust researchers, or in whom members of the public place their trust, and to explore more fully the bases of public trust/mistrust in science, what trust implies and equally what it means for research/researchers to be trustworthy. This has important implications for public engagement in interdisciplinary projects. PMID:28066123

The Bremen International Graduate School for Marine Sciences (GLOMAR) - Postgraduate education with an interdisciplinary focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, Christina

2013-04-01

The Bremen International Graduate School for Marine Sciences (GLOMAR) provides a dedicated research training programme for PhD students in all fields related the marine realm combined with an exceptional supervision and support programme in a stimulating research environment. The graduate school is part of MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences which is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) within the frame of the Excellence Initiative by the German federal and state governments to promote top-level research at German universities. GLOMAR hosts approx. 75 PhD students from different research institutions in Bremen and Bremerhaven. 50% of them are German, 50% have an international background. All students are a member of one of the four GLOMAR research areas: (A) Ocean & Climate, (B) Ocean & Seafloor, (C) Ocean & Life and (D) Ocean & Society. Their academic background ranges from the classical natural sciences to law, social and political sciences. The research areas are supervised by research associates who share their experience and offer advice for their younger colleagues. GLOMAR students work in an interdisciplinary and international context. They spend several months at a foreign research institution and are encouraged to actively participate in international conferences and publish their research results in international scientific journals. The services GLOMAR offers for its PhD students include team supervision by a thesis committee, a comprehensive course programme, research seminars and retreats, a family support programme, a mentoring programme for women in science, an ombudsperson and a funding system for conference trips, research residencies and publication costs. The graduate school offers different formats for interdisciplinary exchange within the PhD student community. Monthly research seminars, which are conducted by the GLOMAR research associates, provide an opportunity to discuss research results, practice oral and poster presentations and learn about methods in research fields other than their own. In the framework of two annual young scientist conferences, PhD students can learn how to organize a conference and practice their skills in presenting, discussing, chairing sessions and building their own network within the community of young scientists. Introductory and expert training courses cover a wide range of topics from different disciplines. More information about the graduate school and its programme can be found on the GLOMAR web page: http://www.marum.de/en/GLOMAR.html

Educating new graduate nurses in their first year of practice: The perspective and experiences of the new graduate nurses and the director of nursing.

PubMed

Doughty, Lesley; McKillop, Ann; Dixon, Robyn; Sinnema, Claire

2018-05-01

New graduate nurses are the future of nursing and the education they receive as they transition into the workforce as a newly registered nurse is critical for building a suitably qualified nursing workforce that will adequately serve the future population. Variation exists in education programmes for new graduate nurses in their first year of practice which is known to impact on transition experience. A qualitative study using focus groups and semi-structured interviews was undertaken to explore the experiences and perceptions of New Graduate Nurses undertaking a new graduate programme and Directors of Nursing supporting them to complete the programme which may or may not have been inclusive of a postgraduate course (Masters Level). The findings of this study are in line with previous research and support the value of new graduate programmes but did reveal a lack of consensus in regards to the structure and content of such programmes. This study revealed some commonalities and challenges between the differing programmes but has identified the need for further research to establish the impact of postgraduate education in the first year of practice and how this impacts on nursing practice and patient care. There are numerous terms in the literature with reference to new graduate programmes; transition to practice programme, nurse entry to practice programme, first year of clinical practice programme, new graduate programme and early career nursing programme. For the purpose of this article the term Nurse Entry to Practice (NETP) will be used in reference to any form of new graduate programme. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thirty years of European biotechnology programmes: from biomolecular engineering to the bioeconomy.

PubMed

Aguilar, Alfredo; Magnien, Etienne; Thomas, Daniel

2013-06-25

This article traces back thirty years of biotechnology research sponsored by the European Union (EU). It outlines the crucial role played by De Nettancourt, Goffeau and Van Hoeck to promote and prepare the first European programme on biotechnology (1982-1986) run by the European Commission. Following this first biotechnology programme, others followed until the current one, part of the seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration (2007-2013) (FP7). Particular attention is given to the statutory role of the European institutions in the design and orientation of the successive biotechnology programmes, compared to the more informal-yet visionary-role of key individuals upstream to any legislative decision. Examples of success stories and of the role of the biotechnology programmes in addressing societal issues and industrial competitiveness are also presented. Finally, an outline of Horizon 2020, the successor of FP7, is described, together with the role of biotechnology in building the bioeconomy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Community-based preparedness programmes and the 2009 Australian bushfires: policy implications derived from applying theory.

PubMed

MacDougall, Colin; Gibbs, Lisa; Clark, Rachel

2014-04-01

The Victorian Country Fire Authority in Australia runs the Community Fireguard (CFG) programme to assist individuals and communities in preparing for fire. The objective of this qualitative research was to understand the impact of CFG groups on their members' fire preparedness and response during the 2009 Australian bushfires. Social connectedness emerged as a strong theme, leading to an analysis of data using social capital theory. The main strength of the CFG programme was that it was driven by innovative community members; however, concerns arose regarding the extent to which the programme covered all vulnerable areas, which led the research team to explore the theory of diffusion of innovation. The article concludes by stepping back from the evaluation and using both applied theories to reflect on broad options for community fire preparedness programmes in general. The exercise produced two contrasting options for principles underlying community fire preparedness programmes. © 2014 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2014.

"Don't We Have a Storyline?" Negotiating Devising Strategy in a Nordic-Baltic Teacher Education Programme's Artistic Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauge, Torunn Bakken; Paulsen, Anne Synnøve; Ødemotland, Siv

2016-01-01

This article investigates the process of devising strategy in an intercultural Baltic-Nordic setting. Sixty teacher education participants collaborated on an interdisciplinary artistic production based on Norwegian folk beliefs and wights through an intensive, week-long program called Nordplus. Using this as a case study, we explored how the…

Going for Goals: An Evaluation of a Short, Social-Emotional Intervention for Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Neil; Kalambouka, Afroditi; Wigelsworth, Michael; Lendrum, Ann

2010-01-01

We report on an effectiveness trial of a short, social-emotional intervention called "Going for Goals", developed as part of the primary social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programme in England. Our aim was to investigate the impact of Going for Goals on childrens' social and emotional skills, behaviour and emotional…

Preparing Teachers to Deliver Gender-Focused Sexuality/HIV Education: A Case Study from Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Susan Y.; Rogow, Deborah; Stines, Frederica

2015-01-01

Evidence shows that a focus on gender and power in sexuality/HIV education increases the likelihood of achieving positive sexual health outcomes, and international agencies have called for a shift to a gender-focused approach. However, questions remain about the implementation of such programmes, including how best to prepare teachers to deliver…

Does Assessment in Open Learning Support Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Graham

2010-01-01

In England there is a national survey of all students just before they graduate from bachelor's programmes called the National Student Survey (NSS). This produces a very influential ranking of all universities and colleges in England in terms of how the education they provide is perceived by their students. Top of this ranking every year is the…

Metaphors of Teacher Candidates' Regarding the Concept of "Non-Governmental Organizations" (NGOs)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selanik-Ay, Tugba

2016-01-01

In this study, a learning area in social studies curriculum called "Groups, institutions and social organizations" was used. It can be seen that an important role for teachers in a social studies programme is to benefit from non-governmental organizations. The aim of this study is to investigate primary school teacher candidates' social…

Using Digital Technologies to Support Self-Directed Learning for Preservice Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullock, Shawn Michael

2013-01-01

This article begins with the perspective that teacher education programmes are cultural institutions and are thus compelled to respond to the societal push for teachers to be conversant in so-called twenty-first-century skills, grounded primarily in the ability to use digital technologies for pedagogical purposes. The results of an attempt to…

Implementing a University-Wide Credit-Bearing English Language Enhancement Programme: Issues Emerging from Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton-Smith, Ben; Humphreys, Pamela; Walkinshaw, Ian; Michael, Rowan; Lobo, Ana

2017-01-01

Many nations now enrol large numbers of tertiary students with English as an additional language, raising concerns over academic literacy standards. As a result, calls for whole-institution approaches to enhance language proficiency have grown. This paper describes the issues faced by one university that attempted such an approach. We first…

Challenges and Prospects of Staff Development Programmes in Nigeria's Secondary School System: An Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asaya, Samuel Adetunji

2011-01-01

The vices rampant now among students in Nigeria secondary schools, such as acts of indiscipline, stealing, cheating, truancy, rioting, cultism, and raping, together with population explosion, call for special skills on the part of the school administrators to be able to cope with these challenges. Consequently, this paper examines the uniqueness…

75 FR 11439 - Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 Series Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-11

... the erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) (for certain configurations) in addition to... A320-31-1286, dated January 22, 2008; for related information. Material Incorporated by Reference (i.... For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221 or 425-227-1152. (4...

Climate Change Education as an Integral Part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 2012

2012-01-01

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), through its Article 6, and the Convention's Kyoto Protocol, through its Article 10 (e), call on governments to develop and implement educational programmes on climate change and its effects. In particular, Article 6 of the Convention, which addresses the issue of climate…

The Politics of Desire and Possibility in Urban Playwriting: (Re)reading and (Re)writing the Script

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winn, Maisha T.

2012-01-01

In this article, the author analyses scripts written by incarcerated girls in playwriting and performance workshops conducted in regional youth detention centres and performed by formerly incarcerated girls in a programme called "Girl Time" in an urban American southeastern city. Through a close reading and analysis of characters, plots…

Continuing Vocational Training in the Space Industry: A Siberian Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churlyaeva, Natalya; Kukushkin, Sergey

2013-01-01

The development of a continuing vocational training programme at the Information Satellite Systems Joint-Stock Company (ISS JSC) during the transition from the planned Soviet economy to what is now called the Russian market economy is briefly outlined. How the collapse of a planned economy led to the degradation of engineering higher education…

Developing School-Scientist Partnerships: Lessons for Scientists from Forests-of-Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falloon, Garry; Trewern, Ann

2013-01-01

The concept of partnerships between schools and practicing scientists came to prominence in the United States in the mid 1980s. The call by government for greater private sector involvement in education to raise standards in science achievement saw a variety of programmes developed, ranging from short-term sponsorships through to longer-term,…

The Impact of International Large-Scale Assessments on Work-Related Educational Monitoring and Policy-Making in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seeber, Susan; Lehmann, Rainer

2013-01-01

Germany has relied on its well-established tradition of preparing the workforce through the so-called dual system of practical in-firm training (apprenticeships) and theoretical foundations conveyed by vocational schools. Believing in the high quality of academic school programmes that prepare a small elite for university studies, the German…