The full spectrum of climate change adaptation: testing an analytical framework in Tyrolean mountain agriculture (Austria).

PubMed

Grüneis, Heidelinde; Penker, Marianne; Höferl, Karl-Michael

2016-01-01

Our scientific view on climate change adaptation (CCA) is unsatisfying in many ways: It is often dominated by a modernistic perspective of planned pro-active adaptation, with a selective focus on measures directly responding to climate change impacts and thus it is far from real-life conditions of those who are actually affected by climate change. Farmers have to simultaneously adapt to multiple changes. Therefore, also empirical climate change adaptation research needs a more integrative perspective on real-life climate change adaptations. This also has to consider "hidden" adaptations, which are not explicitly and directly motivated by CCA but actually contribute to the sector's adaptability to climate change. The aim of the present study is to develop and test an analytic framework that contributes to a broader understanding of CCA and to bridge the gap between scientific expertise and practical action. The framework distinguishes three types of CCA according to their climate related motivations: explicit adaptations, multi-purpose adaptations, and hidden adaptations. Although agriculture is among the sectors that are most affected by climate change, results from the case study of Tyrolean mountain agriculture show that climate change is ranked behind other more pressing "real-life-challenges" such as changing agricultural policies or market conditions. We identified numerous hidden adaptations which make a valuable contribution when dealing with climate change impacts. We conclude that these hidden adaptations have not only to be considered to get an integrative und more realistic view on CCA; they also provide a great opportunity for linking adaptation strategies to farmers' realities.

Understanding the competitive advantage of TPP-related nations from an econophysics perspective: Influence caused by China and the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Lizhi; Guan, Jun; Dong, Xianlei; Wu, Shan

2018-07-01

A new analytical framework of relatively competitive advantages of economies is established in this paper, which involves distinguishing functions of industrial sectors on the global value chain with bipartite graph theory and extracting inter-sector competitive relations through resource allocation process. Furthermore, it introduces network-based quantitative indices to measure the competitive advantage on the level of industrial sector and country respectively, taking scarcity of industrial resources into consideration. Finally, it carries out scenario simulation to analyze impacts on 13 TPP-related countries' competitiveness under four kinds of scenarios. Results show that a TPP without both the United States and China will undermine the two countries' competitiveness, and China's impact on GVC will be truly weaken if a TPP agreement led by the United States is reached and vice versa. Anyway, A TPP including both these two countries would serve the mutual interests

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

Wallace Tyner

The project had three main objectives: to build and incorporate an explicit biomass energy sector within the GTAP analytical framework and data base; to provide an analysis of the impact of renewable fuel standards and other policies in the U.S. and E.U, as well as alternative biofuel policies in other parts of the world, on changes in production, prices, consumption, trade and poverty; and to evaluate environmental impacts of alternative policies for bioenergy development. Progress and outputs related to each objective are reported.

An Analytical Impact Assessment Framework for Wildlife to Inform the Siting and Permitting of Wind Energy Facilities

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

Schwartz, Jesse D.M.

In the United States overall electrical generation capacity is expected to increase by 10-25 gigawatts (GW) per year to meet increases in demand. Wind energy is a key component of state and federal renewable energy standards, and central to the Department of Energy’s 20% by 2030 wind production goals. Increased wind energy development may present increased resource conflict with avian wildlife, and environmental permitting has been identified as a potential obstacle to expansion in the sector. ICF developed an analytical framework to help applicants and agencies examine potential impacts in support of facility siting and permitting. A key objective ofmore » our work was to develop a framework that is scalable from the local to the national level, and one that is generalizable across the different scales at which biological communities operate – from local influences to meta-populations. The intent was to allow natural resource managers to estimate the cumulative impacts of turbine strikes and habitat changes on long-term population performance in the context of a species demography, genetic potential, and life history. We developed three types of models based on our literature review and participation in the scientific review processes. First, the conceptual model was developed as a general description of the analytical framework. Second, we developed the analytical framework based on the relationships between concepts, and the functions presented in the scientific literature. Third, we constructed an application of the model by parameterizing the framework using data from and relevant to the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (APWRA), and an existing golden eagle population model. We developed managed source code, database create statements, and written documentation to allow for the reproduction of each phase of the analysis. ICF identified a potential template adaptive management system in the form of the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) program, and developed recommendations for the structure and function of a similar wind-facility related program. We provided a straw-man implementation of the analytical framework based on assumptions for APWRA-wide golden eagle fatalities, and presented a statistical examination of the model performance. APWRA-wide fatality rates appear substantial at all scales examined from the local APWRA population to the Bird Conservation Region. Documented fatality rates significantly influenced population performance in terms of non-territorial non-breeding birds. Breeder, Juvenile, Subadult, and Adult abundance were mostly unaffected by Baseline APWRA-wide fatality rates. However, increased variability in fatality rates would likely have impacts on long-term population performance, and would result in a substantially larger loss of resources. We developed four recommendations for future study. First, we recommend establishment of concept experts through the existing system of non-profits, regulatory agencies, academia, and industry in the wind energy sector. Second, we recommend the development of a central or distributed shared data repository, and establish guidelines for data sharing and transparency. Third, we recommend development a forum and process for model selection at the local and national level. Last, we recommend experimental implementation of the prescribed system at broader scales, and refinement the expectations for modeling and adaptive management.« less

Many-Objective Reservoir Policy Identification and Refinement to Reduce Institutional Myopia in Water Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliani, M.; Herman, J. D.; Castelletti, A.; Reed, P. M.

2013-12-01

Institutional inertia strongly limits our ability to adapt water reservoir operations to better manage growing water demands as well as their associated uncertainties in a changing climate. Although it has long been recognized that these systems are generally framed in heterogeneous socio-economic contexts involving a myriad of conflicting, non-commensurable operating objectives, our broader understanding of the multiobjective consequences of current operating rules as well as their vulnerability to hydroclimatic uncertainties is severely limited. This study proposes a decision analytic framework to overcome policy inertia and myopia in complex river basin management contexts. The framework combines reservoir policy identification and many-objective optimization under uncertainty to characterize current operations and discover key tradeoffs between alternative policies for balancing evolving demands and system uncertainties. The approach is demonstrated on the Conowingo Dam, located within the Lower Susquehanna River, USA. The Lower Susquehanna River is an interstate water body that has been subject to intensive water management efforts due to the system's competing demands from urban water supply, atomic power plant cooling, hydropower production, and federally regulated environmental flows. Initially our proposed framework uses available streamflow observations to implicitly identify the Conowingo Dam's current but unknown operating policy. This baseline policy is identified by fitting radial basis functions to existing system dynamics. Our assumption in the baseline policy is that the dam operator is represented as a rational agent seeking to maximize primary operational objectives (i.e., guaranteeing the public water supply and maximizing the hydropower revenue). The quality of the identified baseline policy is evaluated by its ability to replicate historical release dynamics. Once identified, the historical baseline policy then provides a means of representing the decision preferences guiding current operations. Our results show that the estimated policy closely captures the dynamics of current releases and flows for the Lower Susquehanna. After identifying the historical baseline policy, our proposed decision analytic framework then combines evolutionary many-objective optimization with visual analytics to discover improved operating policies. Our Lower Susquehanna results confirm that the system's current history-based operations are negatively biased to overestimate the reliability of the reservoir's multi-sector services. Moreover, our proposed framework has successfully identified alternative reservoir policies that are more robust to hydroclimatic uncertainties while being capable of better addressing the tradeoffs across the Conowingo Dam's multi-sector services.

Impact of climate change on electricity systems and markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandramowli, Shankar N.

Climate change poses a serious threat to human welfare. There is now unequivocal scientific evidence that human actions are the primary cause of climate change. The principal climate forcing factor is the increasing accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) due to combustion of fossil fuels for transportation and electricity generation. Generation of electricity account for nearly one-third of the greenhouse (GHG) emissions globally (on a CO2-equivalent basis). Any kind of economy-wide mitigation or adaptation effort to climate change must have a prominent focus on the electric power sector. I have developed a capacity expansion model for the power sector called LP-CEM (Linear Programming based Capacity Expansion Model). LP-CEM incorporates both the long-term climate change effects and the state/regional-level macroeconomic trends. This modeling framework is demonstrated for the electric power system in the Northeast region of United States. Some of the methodological advances introduced in this research are: the use of high-resolution temperature projections in a power sector capacity expansion model; the incorporation of changes in sectoral composition of electricity demand over time; the incorporation of the effects of climate change and variability on both the demand and supply-side of power sector using parameters estimated in the literature; and an inter-model coupling link with a macroeconomic model to account for price elasticity of demand and other effects on the broader macro-economy. LP-CEM-type models can be of use to state/regional level policymakers to plan for future mitigation and adaptation measures for the electric power sector. From the simulation runs, it is shown that scenarios with climate change effects and with high economic growth rates have resulted in higher capacity addition, optimal supply costs, wholesale/retail prices and total ratepayers' costs. LP-CEM is also adapted to model the implications of the proposed Clean Power Plan (Section 111 (d)) rules for the U.S. Northeast region. This dissertation applies an analytical model and an optimization model to investigate the implications of co-implementing an emission cap and an RPS policy for this region. A simplified analytical model of LP-CEM is specified and the first order optimality conditions are derived. The results from this analytical model are corroborated by running LP-CEM simulations under different carbon cap and RPS policy assumptions. A combination of these policies is shown to have a long-term beneficial effect for the final ratepayers in the region. This research conceptually explores the future implications of climate change and extreme weather events on the regional electricity market framework. The significant findings from this research and future policy considerations are discussed in the conclusion chapter.

A one health framework for estimating the economic costs of zoonotic diseases on society.

PubMed

Narrod, Clare; Zinsstag, Jakob; Tiongco, Marites

2012-06-01

This article presents an integrated epidemiological and economic framework for assessing zoonoses using a "one health" concept. The framework allows for an understanding of the cross-sector economic impact of zoonoses using modified risk analysis and detailing a range of analytical tools. The goal of the framework is to link the analysis outputs of animal and human disease transmission models, economic impact models and evaluation of risk management options to gain improved understanding of factors affecting the adoption of risk management strategies so that investment planning includes the most promising interventions (or sets of interventions) in an integrated fashion. A more complete understanding of the costs of the disease and the costs and benefits of control measures would promote broader implementation of the most efficient and effective control measures, contributing to improved animal and human health, better livelihood outcomes for the poor and macroeconomic growth.

A socio-technical analytical framework on the EHR-organizational innovation interplay: Insights from a public hospital in Greece.

PubMed

Emmanouilidou, Maria

2015-01-01

The healthcare sector globally is confronted with increasing internal and external pressures that urge for a radical reform of health systems' status quo. The role of technological innovations such as Electronic Health Records (EHR) is recognized as instrumental in this transition process as it is expected to accelerate organizational innovations. This is why the widespread uptake of EHR systems is a top priority in the global healthcare agenda. The successful co-deployment though of EHR systems and organizational innovations within the context of secondary healthcare institutions is a complex and multifaceted issue. Existing research in the field has made little progress thus emphasizing the need for further research contribution that will incorporate a holistic perspective. This paper presents insights about the EHR-organizational innovation interplay from a public hospital in Greece into a socio-technical analytical framework providing a multilevel set of action points for the eHealth roadmap with worldwide relevance.

Applying a systems approach to assess carbon emission reductions from climate change mitigation in Mexico’s forest sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olguin, Marcela; Wayson, Craig; Fellows, Max; Birdsey, Richard; Smyth, Carolyn E.; Magnan, Michael; Dugan, Alexa J.; Mascorro, Vanessa S.; Alanís, Armando; Serrano, Enrique; Kurz, Werner A.

2018-03-01

The Paris Agreement of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change calls for a balance of anthropogenic greenhouse emissions and removals in the latter part of this century. Mexico indicated in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution and its Climate Change Mid-Century Strategy that the land sector will contribute to meeting GHG emission reduction goals. Since 2012, the Mexican government through its National Forestry Commission, with international financial and technical support, has been developing carbon dynamics models to explore climate change mitigation options in the forest sector. Following a systems approach, here we assess the biophysical mitigation potential of forest ecosystems, harvested wood products and their substitution benefits (i.e. the change in emissions resulting from substitution of wood for more emissions-intensive products and fossil fuels), for policy alternatives considered by the Mexican government, such as a net zero deforestation rate and sustainable forest management. We used available analytical frameworks (Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector and a harvested wood products model), parameterized with local input data in two contrasting Mexican states. Using information from the National Forest Monitoring System (e.g. forest inventories, remote sensing, disturbance data), we demonstrate that activities aimed at reaching a net-zero deforestation rate can yield significant CO2e mitigation benefits by 2030 and 2050 relative to a baseline scenario (‘business as usual’), but if combined with increasing forest harvest to produce long-lived products and substitute more energy-intensive materials, emissions reductions could also provide other co-benefits (e.g. jobs, illegal logging reduction). We concluded that the relative impact of mitigation activities is locally dependent, suggesting that mitigation strategies should be designed and implemented at sub-national scales. We were also encouraged about the ability of the modeling framework to effectively use Mexico’s data, and showed the need to include multiple sectors and types of collaborators (scientific and policy-maker communities) to design more comprehensive portfolios for climate change mitigation.

Policy implications of medical tourism development in destination countries: revisiting and revising an existing framework by examining the case of Jamaica.

PubMed

Johnston, Rory; Crooks, Valorie A; Ormond, Meghann

2015-07-04

Medical tourism is now targeted by many hospitals and governments worldwide for further growth and investment. Southeast Asia provides what is perhaps the best documented example of medical tourism development and promotion on a regional scale, but interest in the practice is growing in locations where it is not yet established. Numerous governments and private hospitals in the Caribbean have recently identified medical tourism as a priority for economic development. We explore here the projects, activities, and outlooks surrounding medical tourism and their anticipated economic and health sector policy implications in the Caribbean country of Jamaica. Specifically, we apply Pocock and Phua's previously-published conceptual framework of policy implications raised by medical tourism to explore its relevance in this new context and to identify additional considerations raised by the Jamaican context. Employing case study methodology, we conducted six weeks of qualitative fieldwork in Jamaica between October 2012 and July 2013. Semi-structured interviews with health, tourism, and trade sector stakeholders, on-site visits to health and tourism infrastructure, and reflexive journaling were all used to collect a comprehensive dataset of how medical tourism in Jamaica is being developed. Our analytic strategy involved organizing our data within Pocock and Phua's framework to identify overlapping and divergent issues. Many of the issues identified in Pocock and Phua's policy implications framework are echoed in the planning and development of medical tourism in Jamaica. However, a number of additional implications, such as the involvement of international development agencies in facilitating interest in the sector, cyclical mobility of international health human resources, and the significance of health insurance portability in driving the growth of international hospital accreditation, arise from this new context and further enrich the original framework. The framework developed by Pocock and Phua is a flexible common reference point with which to document issues raised by medical tourism in established and emerging destinations. However, the framework's design does not lend itself to explaining how the underlying health system factors it identifies work to facilitate medical tourism's development or how the specific impacts of the practice are likely to unfold.

‘More health for the money’: an analytical framework for access to health care through microfinance and savings groups

PubMed Central

Saha, Somen

2014-01-01

The main contributors to inequities in health relates to widespread poverty. Health cannot be achieved without addressing the social determinants of health, and the answer does not lie in the health sector alone. One of the potential pathways to address vulnerabilities linked to poverty, social exclusion, and empowerment of women is aligning health programmes with empowerment interventions linked to access to capital through microfinance and self-help groups. This paper presents a framework to analyse combined health and financial interventions through microfinance programmes in reducing barriers to access health care. If properly designed and ethically managed such integrated programmes can provide more health for the money spent on health care. PMID:25364028

'More health for the money': an analytical framework for access to health care through microfinance and savings groups.

PubMed

Saha, Somen

2014-10-01

The main contributors to inequities in health relates to widespread poverty. Health cannot be achieved without addressing the social determinants of health, and the answer does not lie in the health sector alone. One of the potential pathways to address vulnerabilities linked to poverty, social exclusion, and empowerment of women is aligning health programmes with empowerment interventions linked to access to capital through microfinance and self-help groups. This paper presents a framework to analyse combined health and financial interventions through microfinance programmes in reducing barriers to access health care. If properly designed and ethically managed such integrated programmes can provide more health for the money spent on health care.

Trade brokerage property of industrial sectors on the global value chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Lizhi; Xu, Xiaoyu; Guan, Jun; Dong, Xianlei

2017-08-01

ICIO data have proven itself to be a reliable source for the analysis of economic globalization, with which sectors all over the world could be constructed into a sophisticated GVC, bringing the advantages of simultaneous study on international and domestic economies in detail as a holistic network. This paper uses OECD-WTO TiVA data to set up GIVCN-TiVA networks as the general analytical framework, depicting the transferring process of intermediate goods among sectors of various countries/regions. Secondly, the conception of brokerage roles in SNA has been adopted to redefine sector’s function while linkage exists between its upstream providers and downstream consumers, referred to as “Trade Brokerage Property”, as well as to quantify the ratio of each types of the roles. Thirdly, a set of simulations have been defined to testify the contribution that different TBPs incur to the robustness of global economic system. Finally, analyses on TBPs and NTBPs have been carried out in the levels of industry and country/region, respectively.

Measurement and simulation of the relatively competitive advantages and weaknesses between economies based on bipartite graph theory.

PubMed

Guan, Jun; Xu, Xiaoyu; Wu, Shan; Xing, Lizhi

2018-01-01

The input-output table is very comprehensive and detailed in describing the national economic systems with abundant economic relationships, which contain supply and demand information among various industrial sectors. The complex network, a theory, and method for measuring the structure of a complex system can depict the structural characteristics of the internal structure of the researched object by measuring the structural indicators of the social and economic systems, revealing the complex relationships between the inner hierarchies and the external economic functions. In this paper, functions of industrial sectors on the global value chain are to be distinguished with bipartite graph theory, and inter-sector competitive relationships are to be extracted through resource allocation process. Furthermore, quantitative analysis indices will be proposed under the perspective of a complex network, which will be used to bring about simulations on the variation tendencies of economies' status in different situations of commercial intercourses. Finally, a new econophysics analytical framework of international trade is to be established.

Measurement and simulation of the relatively competitive advantages and weaknesses between economies based on bipartite graph theory

PubMed Central

Guan, Jun; Xu, Xiaoyu; Wu, Shan

2018-01-01

The input-output table is very comprehensive and detailed in describing the national economic systems with abundant economic relationships, which contain supply and demand information among various industrial sectors. The complex network, a theory, and method for measuring the structure of a complex system can depict the structural characteristics of the internal structure of the researched object by measuring the structural indicators of the social and economic systems, revealing the complex relationships between the inner hierarchies and the external economic functions. In this paper, functions of industrial sectors on the global value chain are to be distinguished with bipartite graph theory, and inter-sector competitive relationships are to be extracted through resource allocation process. Furthermore, quantitative analysis indices will be proposed under the perspective of a complex network, which will be used to bring about simulations on the variation tendencies of economies’ status in different situations of commercial intercourses. Finally, a new econophysics analytical framework of international trade is to be established. PMID:29813083

Informing the NCA: EPA's Climate Change Impact and Risk Analysis Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarofim, M. C.; Martinich, J.; Kolian, M.; Crimmins, A. R.

2017-12-01

The Climate Change Impact and Risk Analysis (CIRA) framework is designed to quantify the physical impacts and economic damages in the United States under future climate change scenarios. To date, the framework has been applied to 25 sectors, using scenarios and projections developed for the Fourth National Climate Assessment. The strength of this framework has been in the use of consistent climatic, socioeconomic, and technological assumptions and inputs across the impact sectors to maximize the ease of cross-sector comparison. The results of the underlying CIRA sectoral analyses are informing the sustained assessment process by helping to address key gaps related to economic valuation and risk. Advancing capacity and scientific literature in this area has created opportunity to consider future applications and strengthening of the framework. This presentation will describe the CIRA framework, present results for various sectors such as heat mortality, air & water quality, winter recreation, and sea level rise, and introduce potential enhancements that can improve the utility of the framework for decision analysis.

The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Advancing Innovative, Policy-Relevant Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crootof, A.; Albrecht, T.; Scott, C. A.

2017-12-01

The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus is rapidly expanding in scholarly literature and policy settings as a novel way to address complex Anthropocene challenges. The nexus approach aims to identify tradeoffs and synergies of water, energy, and food systems, internalize social and environmental impacts, and guide development of cross-sectoral policies. However, a primary limitation of the nexus approach is the absence - or gaps and inconsistent use - of adequate methods to advance an innovative and policy-relevant nexus approach. This paper presents an analytical framework to identify robust nexus methods that align with nexus thinking and highlights innovative nexus methods at the frontier. The current state of nexus methods was assessed with a systematic review of 245 journal articles and book chapters. This review revealed (a) use of specific and reproducible methods for nexus assessment is uncommon - less than one-third of the reviewed studies present explicit methods; (b) nexus methods frequently fall short of capturing interactions among water, energy, and food - the very concept they purport to address; (c) assessments strongly favor quantitative approaches - 70% use primarily quantitative tools; (d) use of social science methods is limited (26%); and (e) many nexus methods are confined to disciplinary silos - only about one-quarter combine methods from diverse disciplines and less than one-fifth utilize both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Despite some pitfalls of current nexus methods, there are a host of studies that offer innovative approaches to help quantify nexus linkages and interactions among sectors, conceptualize dynamic feedbacks, and support mixed method approaches to better understand WEF systems. Applying our analytical framework to all 245 studies, we identify, and analyze herein, seventeen studies that implement innovative multi-method and cross-scalar tools to demonstrate promising advances toward improved nexus assessment. This paper finds that, to make the WEF nexus effective as a policy-relevant analytical tool, methods are needed that incorporate social and political dimensions of water, energy, and food; utilize multiple and interdisciplinary approaches; and engage stakeholders and policy-makers.

Evaluating Public Spending: A Framework of Public Expenditure Reviews. World Bank Discussion Papers No. 323.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pradhan, Sanjay

This paper presents a framework for evaluating the level and composition of public expenditures, illustrated by sectoral and country examples. The paper illustrates how this framework can be applied to analyzing broad allocations of spending within and across sectors, drawing upon some key findings and country examples from major sectors (health,…

The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI–MIP): Project framework

PubMed Central

Warszawski, Lila; Frieler, Katja; Huber, Veronika; Piontek, Franziska; Serdeczny, Olivia; Schewe, Jacob

2014-01-01

The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project offers a framework to compare climate impact projections in different sectors and at different scales. Consistent climate and socio-economic input data provide the basis for a cross-sectoral integration of impact projections. The project is designed to enable quantitative synthesis of climate change impacts at different levels of global warming. This report briefly outlines the objectives and framework of the first, fast-tracked phase of Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project, based on global impact models, and provides an overview of the participating models, input data, and scenario set-up. PMID:24344316

Development of a competency framework for the nutrition in emergencies sector.

PubMed

Meeker, Jessica; Perry, Abigail; Dolan, Carmel; Emary, Colleen; Golden, Kate; Abla, Caroline; Walsh, Anne; Maclaine, Ali; Seal, Andrew

2014-03-01

There is a recognised need to strengthen capacity in the nutrition in emergencies sector and for greater clarity on the role of emergency nutritionists and the skills they require. Competency frameworks are an important tool for human resource development and have been developed for several other humanitarian sectors. We therefore developed a technical competency framework for practitioners in nutrition in emergencies. Existing competency frameworks were reviewed and interviews conducted to explore methods used in developing competency frameworks for other sectors. Competencies were identified through interviews with field experts, feedback from course trainees, academic course content and job specifications. Competencies were then categorised and behavioural indicators developed for each. The draft framework was then reviewed by members of the Global Nutrition Cluster and modified in an iterative process. Global. Not applicable. A wide range of competencies were identified as essential for nutritionists working in emergencies, covering technical skills and general core competencies. The proposed framework contains twenty competency areas with 161 behavioural indicators categorised into three levels, corresponding to the requirements of progressively more senior roles. Many of the competencies are common across development and emergency nutrition. The proposed technical competency framework should prove to be a valuable tool in creating standards within the sector and promoting effective capacity strengthening and professionalisation. Continued research is needed to validate the framework, optimise methods for assessment, develop approaches to integrate it within the sector and measure its impact on performance.

Using Dynamic Time Warping and Data Forensics to Examine Tradeoffs among Land-Energy-Water Networks Across the Conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McManamay, R.; Allen, M. R.; Piburn, J.; Sanyal, J.; Stewart, R.; Bhaduri, B. L.

2017-12-01

Characterizing interdependencies among land-energy-water sectors, their vulnerabilities, and tipping points, is challenging, especially if all sectors are simultaneously considered. Because such holistic system behavior is uncertain, largely unmodeled, and in need of testable hypotheses of system drivers, these dynamics are conducive to exploratory analytics of spatiotemporal patterns, powered by tools, such as Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). Here, we conduct a retrospective analysis (1950 - 2010) of temporal trends in land use, energy use, and water use within US counties to identify commonalities in resource consumption and adaptation strategies to resource limitations. We combine existing and derived data from statistical downscaling to synthesize a temporally comprehensive land-energy-water dataset at the US county level and apply DTW and subsequent hierarchical clustering to examine similar temporal trends in resource typologies for land, energy, and water sectors. As expected, we observed tradeoffs among water uses (e.g., public supply vs irrigation) and land uses (e.g., urban vs ag). Strong associations between clusters amongst sectors reveal tight system interdependencies, whereas weak associations suggest unique behaviors and potential for human adaptations towards disruptive technologies and less resource-dependent population growth. Our framework is useful for exploring complex human-environmental system dynamics and generating hypotheses to guide subsequent energy-water-nexus research.

The sweet tooth of biopharmaceuticals: importance of recombinant protein glycosylation analysis.

PubMed

Lingg, Nico; Zhang, Peiqing; Song, Zhiwei; Bardor, Muriel

2012-12-01

Biopharmaceuticals currently represent the fastest growing sector of the pharmaceutical industry, mainly driven by a rapid expansion in the manufacture of recombinant protein-based drugs. Glycosylation is the most prominent post-translational modification occurring on these protein drugs. It constitutes one of the critical quality attributes that requires thorough analysis for optimal efficacy and safety. This review examines the functional importance of glycosylation of recombinant protein drugs, illustrated using three examples of protein biopharmaceuticals: IgG antibodies, erythropoietin and glucocerebrosidase. Current analytical methods are reviewed as solutions for qualitative and quantitative measurements of glycosylation to monitor quality target product profiles of recombinant glycoprotein drugs. Finally, we propose a framework for designing the quality target product profile of recombinant glycoproteins and planning workflow for glycosylation analysis with the selection of available analytical methods and tools. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enabling Analytics on Sensitive Medical Data with Secure Multi-Party Computation.

PubMed

Veeningen, Meilof; Chatterjea, Supriyo; Horváth, Anna Zsófia; Spindler, Gerald; Boersma, Eric; van der Spek, Peter; van der Galiën, Onno; Gutteling, Job; Kraaij, Wessel; Veugen, Thijs

2018-01-01

While there is a clear need to apply data analytics in the healthcare sector, this is often difficult because it requires combining sensitive data from multiple data sources. In this paper, we show how the cryptographic technique of secure multi-party computation can enable such data analytics by performing analytics without the need to share the underlying data. We discuss the issue of compliance to European privacy legislation; report on three pilots bringing these techniques closer to practice; and discuss the main challenges ahead to make fully privacy-preserving data analytics in the medical sector commonplace.

Developing a monitoring and evaluation framework to integrate and formalize the informal waste and recycling sector: the case of the Philippine National Framework Plan.

PubMed

Serrona, Kevin Roy B; Yu, Jeongsoo; Aguinaldo, Emelita; Florece, Leonardo M

2014-09-01

The Philippines has been making inroads in solid waste management with the enactment and implementation of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Waste Management Act of 2000. Said legislation has had tremendous influence in terms of how the national and local government units confront the challenges of waste management in urban and rural areas using the reduce, reuse, recycle and recovery framework or 4Rs. One of the sectors needing assistance is the informal waste sector whose aspiration is legal recognition of their rank and integration of their waste recovery activities in mainstream waste management. To realize this, the Philippine National Solid Waste Management Commission initiated the formulation of the National Framework Plan for the Informal Waste Sector, which stipulates approaches, strategies and methodologies to concretely involve the said sector in different spheres of local waste management, such as collection, recycling and disposal. What needs to be fleshed out is the monitoring and evaluation component in order to gauge qualitative and quantitative achievements vis-a-vis the Framework Plan. In the process of providing an enabling environment for the informal waste sector, progress has to be monitored and verified qualitatively and quantitatively and measured against activities, outputs, objectives and goals. Using the Framework Plan as the reference, this article developed monitoring and evaluation indicators using the logical framework approach in project management. The primary objective is to institutionalize monitoring and evaluation, not just in informal waste sector plans, but in any waste management initiatives to ensure that envisaged goals are achieved. © The Author(s) 2014.

Diffusion Dynamics and Creative Destruction in a Simple Classical Model

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The article explores the impact of the diffusion of new methods of production on output and employment growth and income distribution within a Classical one‐sector framework. Disequilibrium paths are studied analytically and in terms of simulations. Diffusion by differential growth affects aggregate dynamics through several channels. The analysis reveals the non‐steady nature of economic change and shows that the adaptation pattern depends both on the innovation's factor‐saving bias and on the extent of the bias, which determines the strength of the selection pressure on non‐innovators. The typology of different cases developed shows various aspects of Schumpeter's concept of creative destruction. PMID:27642192

[Health privacy in the age of digital networks].

PubMed

Weichert, Thilo

2018-03-01

Digitization in the health sector embodies opportunities and risks. These consist of patient and data confidentiality. Vulnerability of data concerning integrity and availability can lead to financial losses and to damage of the health of data subjects. Those risks must be tackled by privacy or data protection law. For this purpose we have the European Data Protection Regulation as a comprehensive legal framework and a harmonizing bracket.This framework contains regulations on consent, purpose binding and data transfer, on rights of the data subject, technical and organizational measures and procedural arrangements. Recently, codes of conduct and certification schemes have been added as instruments. The frame of privacy law is completed by the law on medical products and information security regulations.Unfortunately, German legislation did not grip the opportunity of the European regulation to modernize, tighten and harmonize national privacy law in the health sector. This led to a lack of clarity, particularly because of the parallel applicability of privacy law and professional law. Central issues - for instance concerning transparency for data subjects, official supervision, analytics and processing for research purposes - remain dysfunctional. The German legislation should adjust those deficits. Corporations and the chambers for health professionals could and should also be active for this concern.

Institutional and Regulatory Economics of Electricity Market Reforms: the Evidence from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Bipulendu

Five South Asian countries-- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka -- embarked on electricity market reforms in the 1990's. The dissertation uses the framework of New Institutional Economics to assess the effects on electricity sector performance of both observables elements of reform (i.e. privatization, unbundling, establishment of independent regulatory agencies etc.) as well as the unobservable elements (informal beliefs, habit, norms and culture of the actors involved in reforms). The first part of the dissertation -- econometric analysis of the relationship between observable electricity market reform measures and performance indicators -- finds that for the most part electricity market reforms in South Asia are having a positive impact on the performance of the sector. This is particularly the case for reforms that have increased private sector participation in generation and distribution and have vertically unbundled utilities into generation, transmission and distribution entities. Many of the reforms are positively correlated with higher tariffs, indicating a cost to the consumers from the reforms. The relationship between independent regulation and performance indicators , however, is not established. The second part of the dissertation - analytical narrative of the reform experiences of Gujarat and Nepal -- examines the informal elements (such as beliefs, norms, culture) that motivate behavior and explains how and why reform outcomes differed in these two places. The dissertation finds that the strength of formal institutions rules and the nature of social norms and customs have a significant influence on the outcome of reforms. Aided by the strength of its formal institutional framework and more evolved social norms and customs that encouraged people to follow formal rules, reforms in the Indian state of Gujarat were a success. The weakness of the formal institutional framework and the predominance of relation-based norms and customs in Nepal that led to limited compliance with formal rules, by contrast, limited the success of power sector reforms there. Efforts to reform the electricity sector in South Asia undertaken by governments with the assistance of development agencies such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have focused to a large extent on getting the content of electricity market reform measures such as unbundling, privatization, and establishment of a power market right. The analysis in this dissertation suggests that such measures will be more successful in places with relatively robust formal rule based systems. Countries that are planning to carry out significant reforms in the electricity sector will benefit from the explicit consideration of the informal norms, habits and customs of the actors that will be affected by the reforms.

Strategic implementation of integrated water resources management in Mozambique: An A’WOT analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallego-Ayala, Jordi; Juízo, Dinis

The Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) paradigm has become an important framework in development and management of water resources. Many countries in the Southern Africa region have begun water sector reforms to align the sector with the IWRM concepts. In 2007 the Mozambican Government started to update the policy and the legal framework of the water sector to foster the application of IWRM concept as a basis for achieving sustainable development. However the steps towards the implementation of this national framework are still in preparation. This research aims to identify and establish a priority ranking of the fundamental factors likely to affect the outcome of the IWRM reforms in Mozambique. This study uses the hybrid multi-criteria decision method A’WOT, a methodology coined by Kurttila et al. (2000). This method relies on the combination of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) technique and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. Using this procedure it is possible to identify and rank the factors affecting the functioning of a system. The key factors affecting the implementation of the IWRM, analysed in this study, were identified through an expert group discussion. These factors have been grouped into different categories of SWOT. Subsequently, the AHP methodology was applied to obtain the relative importance of each factor captured in the SWOT analysis; to this end the authors interviewed a panel of water resources management experts and practitioners. As a result, of this study and the application of the A’WOT methodology, the research identified and ranked the fundamental factors for the success of the IWRM strategy in Mozambique. The results of this study suggest that in Mozambique a planning strategy for the implementation of the IWRM should be guided mainly by combination of interventions in factors falling under opportunity and weakness SWOT groups.

Better by design: business preferences for environmental regulatory reform.

PubMed

Taylor, Christopher M; Pollard, Simon J T; Rocks, Sophie A; Angus, Andrew J

2015-04-15

We present the preferences for environmental regulatory reform expressed by 30 UK businesses and industry bodies from 5 sectors. While five strongly preferred voluntary regulation, seven expressed doubts about its effectiveness, and 18 expressed no general preference between instrument types. Voluntary approaches were valued for flexibility and lower burdens, but direct regulation offered stability and a level playing field. Respondents sought regulatory frameworks that: are coherent; balance clarity, prescription and flexibility; are enabled by positive regulatory relationships; administratively efficient; targeted according to risk magnitude and character; evidence-based and that deliver long-term market stability for regulatees. Anticipated differences in performance between types of instrument can be undermined by poor implementation. Results underline the need for policy makers and regulators to tailor an effective mix of instruments for a given sector, and to overcome analytical, institutional and political barriers to greater coherence, to better coordinate existing instruments and tackle new environmental challenges as they emerge. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Valuing public sector risk exposure in transportation public-private partnerships.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-10-01

This report presents a methodological framework to evaluate public sector financial risk exposure when : delivering transportation infrastructure through public-private partnership (PPP) agreements in the United : States (U.S.). The framework is base...

Developing Competence Frameworks in UK Healthcare: Lessons from Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Lindsay; Boak, George

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to review the use of competence frameworks in the UK healthcare sector and to explore characteristics of the sector that may influence the success of projects to develop new frameworks. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on project reports and evaluations of practice in a range of recent projects…

The commercial development of space: is an international regulatory framework needed?

PubMed

Contant, Corinne M; Logsdon, John M

2004-04-01

The commercial space sector to date has failed to develop comprehensive regulations--"rules of the road"--for its international activities. Within the next 5 years, conflicts with respect to international trade in satellite sales and launch services could emerge, highlighting the need for such a regulatory framework. If the commercial space sector is to continue to develop, it is important to begin discussions now, before these conflicts become significant, on the elements of an appropriate international regulatory framework. The existing framework for space activities was developed when government, not commercial, space activities were dominant, or was adapted from regulations in other sectors such as terrestrial telecommunications. c2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Untangling Consequential Futures: Discovering Self-Consistent Regional and Global Multi-Sector Change Scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamontagne, J. R.; Reed, P. M.

2017-12-01

Impacts and adaptations to global change largely occur at regional scales, yet they are shaped globally through the interdependent evolution of the climate, energy, agriculture, and industrial systems. It is important for regional actors to account for the impacts of global changes on their systems in a globally consistent but regionally relevant way. This can be challenging because emerging global reference scenarios may not reflect regional challenges. Likewise, regionally specific scenarios may miss important global feedbacks. In this work, we contribute a scenario discovery framework to identify regionally-specific decision relevant scenarios from an ensemble of scenarios of global change. To this end, we generated a large ensemble of time evolving regional, multi-sector global change scenarios by a full factorial sampling of the underlying assumptions in the emerging shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs), using the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM). Statistical and visual analytics were then used to discover which SSP assumptions are particularly consequential for various regions, considering a broad range of time-evolving metrics that encompass multiple spatial scales and sectors. In an illustrative examples, we identify the most important global change narratives to inform water resource scenarios for several geographic regions using the proposed scenario discovery framework. Our results highlight the importance of demographic and agricultural evolution compared to technical improvements in the energy sector. We show that narrowly sampling a few canonical reference scenarios provides a very narrow view of the consequence space, increasing the risk of tacitly ignoring major impacts. Even optimistic scenarios contain unintended, disproportionate regional impacts and intergenerational transfers of consequence. Formulating consequential scenarios of deeply and broadly uncertain futures requires a better exploration of which quantitative measures of consequences are important, for whom are they important, where, and when. To this end, we have contributed a large database of climate change futures that can support `backwards' scenario generation techniques, that capture a broader array of consequences than those that emerge from limited sampling of a few reference scenarios.

A theory of how rural health services contribute to community sustainability.

PubMed

Farmer, Jane; Prior, Maria; Taylor, Judy

2012-11-01

Study and opinion suggest that health services play a significant role in supporting the social fabric of fragile rural communities. We draw on empirical evidence about the added-value contributions of health services to communities and unite it with theory of capitals to propose a theoretical model depicting how rural health services contribute to community sustainability. While providing an analytical framework, the paper also points to construction of a measurement tool for enabling planners to measure the contributions of diverse sectors to community sustainability and predict or measure the impact of changes to models of service delivery on the future of rural communities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-time analysis of healthcare using big data analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basco, J. Antony; Senthilkumar, N. C.

2017-11-01

Big Data Analytics (BDA) provides a tremendous advantage where there is a need of revolutionary performance in handling large amount of data that covers 4 characteristics such as Volume Velocity Variety Veracity. BDA has the ability to handle such dynamic data providing functioning effectiveness and exceptionally beneficial output in several day to day applications for various organizations. Healthcare is one of the sectors which generate data constantly covering all four characteristics with outstanding growth. There are several challenges in processing patient records which deals with variety of structured and unstructured format. Inducing BDA in to Healthcare (HBDA) will deal with sensitive patient driven information mostly in unstructured format comprising of prescriptions, reports, data from imaging system, etc., the challenges will be overcome by big data with enhanced efficiency in fetching and storing of data. In this project, dataset alike Electronic Medical Records (EMR) produced from numerous medical devices and mobile applications will be induced into MongoDB using Hadoop framework with Improvised processing technique to improve outcome of processing patient records.

Understanding and Improving Multi-Sectoral Partnerships for Chronic Disease Prevention: Blending Conceptual and Practical Insights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Cameron; Greene, Julie; Riley, Barbara

2017-01-01

Inter-organisational partnerships are widely used approaches in public health and chronic disease prevention (CDP), and may include organisations from different sectors, such as research-policy-practice sectors, inter-governmental sectors, or public and private sectors. While multiple conceptual frameworks related to multi-sectoral partnerships…

Using a service sector segmented approach to identify community stakeholders who can improve access to suicide prevention services for veterans.

PubMed

Matthieu, Monica M; Gardiner, Giovanina; Ziegemeier, Ellen; Buxton, Miranda

2014-04-01

Veterans in need of social services may access many different community agencies within the public and private sectors. Each of these settings has the potential to be a pipeline for attaining needed health, mental health, and benefits services; however, many service providers lack information on how to conceptualize where Veterans go for services within their local community. This article describes a conceptual framework for outreach that uses a service sector segmented approach. This framework was developed to aid recruitment of a provider-based sample of stakeholders (N = 70) for a study on improving access to the Department of Veterans Affairs and community-based suicide prevention services. Results indicate that although there are statistically significant differences in the percent of Veterans served by the different service sectors (F(9, 55) = 2.71, p = 0.04), exposure to suicidal Veterans and providers' referral behavior is consistent across the sectors. Challenges to using this framework include isolating the appropriate sectors for targeted outreach efforts. The service sector segmented approach holds promise for identifying and referring at-risk Veterans in need of services. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Cost-effectiveness modelling in diagnostic imaging: a stepwise approach.

PubMed

Sailer, Anna M; van Zwam, Wim H; Wildberger, Joachim E; Grutters, Janneke P C

2015-12-01

Diagnostic imaging (DI) is the fastest growing sector in medical expenditures and takes a central role in medical decision-making. The increasing number of various and new imaging technologies induces a growing demand for cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) in imaging technology assessment. In this article we provide a comprehensive framework of direct and indirect effects that should be considered for CEA in DI, suitable for all imaging modalities. We describe and explain the methodology of decision analytic modelling in six steps aiming to transfer theory of CEA to clinical research by demonstrating key principles of CEA in a practical approach. We thereby provide radiologists with an introduction to the tools necessary to perform and interpret CEA as part of their research and clinical practice. • DI influences medical decision making, affecting both costs and health outcome. • This article provides a comprehensive framework for CEA in DI. • A six-step methodology for conducting and interpreting cost-effectiveness modelling is proposed.

Analytics4Action Evaluation Framework: A Review of Evidence-Based Learning Analytics Interventions at the Open University UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienties, Bart; Boroowa, Avinash; Cross, Simon; Kubiak, Chris; Mayles, Kevin; Murphy, Sam

2016-01-01

There is an urgent need to develop an evidence-based framework for learning analytics whereby stakeholders can manage, evaluate, and make decisions about which types of interventions work well and under which conditions. In this article, we will work towards developing a foundation of an Analytics4Action Evaluation Framework (A4AEF) that is…

78 FR 53363 - Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-29

... Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 48, Framework Adjustment 50; 2013 Sector Operations Plans, Contracts, and Allocation... (FW) 48, FW 50, and in the 2013 Sector Operations Plan rulemakings; respond to public comments...

Lorentz Symmetry Violations from Matter-Gravity Couplings with Lunar Laser Ranging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourgoin, A.; Le Poncin-Lafitte, C.; Hees, A.; Bouquillon, S.; Francou, G.; Angonin, M.-C.

2017-11-01

The standard-model extension (SME) is an effective field theory framework aiming at parametrizing any violation to the Lorentz symmetry (LS) in all sectors of physics. In this Letter, we report the first direct experimental measurement of SME coefficients performed simultaneously within two sectors of the SME framework using lunar laser ranging observations. We consider the pure gravitational sector and the classical point-mass limit in the matter sector of the minimal SME. We report no deviation from general relativity and put new realistic stringent constraints on LS violations improving up to 3 orders of magnitude previous estimations.

Industrial Sector Energy Efficiency Modeling (ISEEM) Framework Documentation

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

Karali, Nihan; Xu, Tengfang; Sathaye, Jayant

2012-12-12

The goal of this study is to develop a new bottom-up industry sector energy-modeling framework with an agenda of addressing least cost regional and global carbon reduction strategies, improving the capabilities and limitations of the existing models that allows trading across regions and countries as an alternative.

Assessing Inter-Sectoral Climate Change Risks: The Role of ISIMIP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Arnell, Nigel W.; Ebi, Kristie L.; Lotze-Campen, Hermann; Raes, Frank; Rapley, Chris; Smith, Mark Stafford; Cramer, Wolfgang; Frieler, Katja; Reyer, Christopher P. O.;

New method for probabilistic traffic demand predictions for en route sectors based on uncertain predictions of individual flight events.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-14

This paper presents a novel analytical approach to and techniques for translating characteristics of uncertainty in predicting sector entry times and times in sector for individual flights into characteristics of uncertainty in predicting one-minute ...

Engaging policy makers in road safety research in Malaysia: a theoretical and contextual analysis.

PubMed

Tran, Nhan T; Hyder, Adnan A; Kulanthayan, Subramaniam; Singh, Suret; Umar, R S Radin

2009-04-01

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a growing public health problem that must be addressed through evidence-based interventions including policy-level changes such as the enactment of legislation to mandate specific behaviors and practices. Policy makers need to be engaged in road safety research to ensure that road safety policies are grounded in scientific evidence. This paper examines the strategies used to engage policy makers and other stakeholder groups and discusses the challenges that result from a multi-disciplinary, inter-sectoral collaboration. A framework for engaging policy makers in research was developed and applied to describe an example of collective road safety research in Malaysia. Key components of this framework include readiness, assessment, planning, implementation/evaluation, and policy development/sustainability. The case study of a collaborative intervention trial for the prevention of motorcycle crashes and deaths in Malaysia serves as a model for policy engagement by road safety and injury researchers. The analytic description of this research process in Malaysia demonstrates that the framework, through its five stages, can be used as a tool to guide the integration of needed research evidence into policy for road safety and injury prevention.

77 FR 47767 - Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-10

... Protection, DHS/CBP--017 Analytical Framework for Intelligence (AFI) System of Records AGENCY: Privacy Office... Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection, DHS/CBP--017 Analytical Framework for Intelligence... Analytical Framework for Intelligence (AFI) System of Records'' from one or more provisions of the Privacy...

Enabling Big Geoscience Data Analytics with a Cloud-Based, MapReduce-Enabled and Service-Oriented Workflow Framework

PubMed Central

Li, Zhenlong; Yang, Chaowei; Jin, Baoxuan; Yu, Manzhu; Liu, Kai; Sun, Min; Zhan, Matthew

2015-01-01

Geoscience observations and model simulations are generating vast amounts of multi-dimensional data. Effectively analyzing these data are essential for geoscience studies. However, the tasks are challenging for geoscientists because processing the massive amount of data is both computing and data intensive in that data analytics requires complex procedures and multiple tools. To tackle these challenges, a scientific workflow framework is proposed for big geoscience data analytics. In this framework techniques are proposed by leveraging cloud computing, MapReduce, and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Specifically, HBase is adopted for storing and managing big geoscience data across distributed computers. MapReduce-based algorithm framework is developed to support parallel processing of geoscience data. And service-oriented workflow architecture is built for supporting on-demand complex data analytics in the cloud environment. A proof-of-concept prototype tests the performance of the framework. Results show that this innovative framework significantly improves the efficiency of big geoscience data analytics by reducing the data processing time as well as simplifying data analytical procedures for geoscientists. PMID:25742012

Enabling big geoscience data analytics with a cloud-based, MapReduce-enabled and service-oriented workflow framework.

PubMed

Li, Zhenlong; Yang, Chaowei; Jin, Baoxuan; Yu, Manzhu; Liu, Kai; Sun, Min; Zhan, Matthew

2015-01-01

Geoscience observations and model simulations are generating vast amounts of multi-dimensional data. Effectively analyzing these data are essential for geoscience studies. However, the tasks are challenging for geoscientists because processing the massive amount of data is both computing and data intensive in that data analytics requires complex procedures and multiple tools. To tackle these challenges, a scientific workflow framework is proposed for big geoscience data analytics. In this framework techniques are proposed by leveraging cloud computing, MapReduce, and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Specifically, HBase is adopted for storing and managing big geoscience data across distributed computers. MapReduce-based algorithm framework is developed to support parallel processing of geoscience data. And service-oriented workflow architecture is built for supporting on-demand complex data analytics in the cloud environment. A proof-of-concept prototype tests the performance of the framework. Results show that this innovative framework significantly improves the efficiency of big geoscience data analytics by reducing the data processing time as well as simplifying data analytical procedures for geoscientists.

Intrinsic character of Stokes matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagnon, Jean-François; Rousseau, Christiane

2017-02-01

Two germs of linear analytic differential systems x k + 1Y‧ = A (x) Y with a non-resonant irregular singularity are analytically equivalent if and only if they have the same eigenvalues and equivalent collections of Stokes matrices. The Stokes matrices are the transition matrices between sectors on which the system is analytically equivalent to its formal normal form. Each sector contains exactly one separating ray for each pair of eigenvalues. A rotation in S allows supposing that R+ lies in the intersection of two sectors. Reordering of the coordinates of Y allows ordering the real parts of the eigenvalues, thus yielding triangular Stokes matrices. However, the choice of the rotation in x is not canonical. In this paper we establish how the collection of Stokes matrices depends on this rotation, and hence on a chosen order of the projection of the eigenvalues on a line through the origin.

Development and Implementation of a Telecommuting Evaluation Framework, and Modeling the Executive Telecommuting Adoption Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vora, V. P.; Mahmassani, H. S.

2002-02-01

This work proposes and implements a comprehensive evaluation framework to document the telecommuter, organizational, and societal impacts of telecommuting through telecommuting programs. Evaluation processes and materials within the outlined framework are also proposed and implemented. As the first component of the evaluation process, the executive survey is administered within a public sector agency. The survey data is examined through exploratory analysis and is compared to a previous survey of private sector executives. The ordinal probit, dynamic probit, and dynamic generalized ordinal probit (DGOP) models of telecommuting adoption are calibrated to identify factors which significantly influence executive adoption preferences and to test the robustness of such factors. The public sector DGOP model of executive willingness to support telecommuting under different program scenarios is compared with an equivalent private sector DGOP model. Through the telecommuting program, a case study of telecommuting travel impacts is performed to further substantiate research.

Towards Developing a Theoretical Framework for Measuring Public Sector Managers' Career Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasdi, Roziah Mohd; Ismail, Maimunah; Uli, Jegak; Noah, Sidek Mohd

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework for measuring public sector managers' career success. Design/methodology/approach: The theoretical foundation used in this study is social cognitive career theory. To conduct a literature search, several keywords were identified, i.e. career success, objective and subjective…

Peer Review of Assessment Network: Supporting Comparability of Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth, Sara; Beckett, Jeff; Saunders, Cassandra

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to test the need in the Australian higher education (HE) sector for a national network for the peer review of assessment in response to the proposed HE standards framework and propose a sector-wide framework for calibrating and assuring achievement standards, both within and across disciplines, through the establishment of…

The socio-economic landscape of biotechnology in Spain. A comparative study using the innovation system concept.

PubMed

Díaz, V; Muñoz, E; de los Monteros, J Espinosa; Senker, Jacqueline

2002-09-11

Biotechnology is becoming a crucial factor for the innovation strategies of the industrialised countries. Thus, the analysis of the sector is gaining relevance for the identification of the technological strength and potential of a country (or region) in a context of globalisation. A specific national case study may serve for more general comparative analyses. We have selected the case of Spain as illustrative of the complexity and differences existing in Europe. By using the analytical framework of the "national systems of innovation" concept, we have performed a multistep analysis of the biotechnology sector in Spain, focussing first on regions of Madrid and Cataluña which together account for more than 50% of the sector in Spain. The firms in both regions have followed a common strategy based on diversification and investment in R&D and innovation, so as to be able to compete in an international and competitive environment. There are, however, some interesting differences between the two subsectors; the one from Cataluña being more based on industrial traditions, and the one from Madrid characterised by the emergence of more specialised firms. The study has been extended to the remainder of Spanish firms for comparative purposes. The case of Spain is illustrative of the divergences existing in the biotechnology sector in Europe. A comparison is made with the structural and organisational characteristics of the biotechnology sector in several European countries. It shows that there is diversity in the pattern of commercialisation between countries and within regions of countries. Understanding these differences may assist the design of appropriate policies to promote the development of biotechnology in Europe.

76 FR 34903 - Revisions to Framework Adjustment 45 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-15

... Management Plan and Sector Annual Catch Entitlements; Updated Annual Catch Limits for Sectors and the Common... (ACLs) for common pool vessels (common pool sub-ACLs), ACLs for sector vessels (sector sub-ACLs), and... number of participants electing to fish in either sectors or the common pool fishery in FY 2011. DATES...

Big data analysis framework for healthcare and social sectors in Korea.

PubMed

Song, Tae-Min; Ryu, Seewon

2015-01-01

We reviewed applications of big data analysis of healthcare and social services in developed countries, and subsequently devised a framework for such an analysis in Korea. We reviewed the status of implementing big data analysis of health care and social services in developed countries, and strategies used by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea (Government 3.0). We formulated a conceptual framework of big data in the healthcare and social service sectors at the national level. As a specific case, we designed a process and method of social big data analysis on suicide buzz. Developed countries (e.g., the United States, the UK, Singapore, Australia, and even OECD and EU) are emphasizing the potential of big data, and using it as a tool to solve their long-standing problems. Big data strategies for the healthcare and social service sectors were formulated based on an ICT-based policy of current government and the strategic goals of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We suggest a framework of big data analysis in the healthcare and welfare service sectors separately and assigned them tentative names: 'health risk analysis center' and 'integrated social welfare service network'. A framework of social big data analysis is presented by applying it to the prevention and proactive detection of suicide in Korea. There are some concerns with the utilization of big data in the healthcare and social welfare sectors. Thus, research on these issues must be conducted so that sophisticated and practical solutions can be reached.

A big data approach for climate change indicators processing in the CLIP-C project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Anca, Alessandro; Conte, Laura; Palazzo, Cosimo; Fiore, Sandro; Aloisio, Giovanni

2016-04-01

Defining and implementing processing chains with multiple (e.g. tens or hundreds of) data analytics operators can be a real challenge in many practical scientific use cases such as climate change indicators. This is usually done via scripts (e.g. bash) on the client side and requires climate scientists to take care of, implement and replicate workflow-like control logic aspects (which may be error-prone too) in their scripts, along with the expected application-level part. Moreover, the big amount of data and the strong I/O demand pose additional challenges related to the performance. In this regard, production-level tools for climate data analysis are mostly sequential and there is a lack of big data analytics solutions implementing fine-grain data parallelism or adopting stronger parallel I/O strategies, data locality, workflow optimization, etc. High-level solutions leveraging on workflow-enabled big data analytics frameworks for eScience could help scientists in defining and implementing the workflows related to their experiments by exploiting a more declarative, efficient and powerful approach. This talk will start introducing the main needs and challenges regarding big data analytics workflow management for eScience and will then provide some insights about the implementation of some real use cases related to some climate change indicators on large datasets produced in the context of the CLIP-C project - a EU FP7 project aiming at providing access to climate information of direct relevance to a wide variety of users, from scientists to policy makers and private sector decision makers. All the proposed use cases have been implemented exploiting the Ophidia big data analytics framework. The software stack includes an internal workflow management system, which coordinates, orchestrates, and optimises the execution of multiple scientific data analytics and visualization tasks. Real-time workflow monitoring execution is also supported through a graphical user interface. In order to address the challenges of the use cases, the implemented data analytics workflows include parallel data analysis, metadata management, virtual file system tasks, maps generation, rolling of datasets, and import/export of datasets in NetCDF format. The use cases have been implemented on a HPC cluster of 8-nodes (16-cores/node) of the Athena Cluster available at the CMCC Supercomputing Centre. Benchmark results will be also presented during the talk.

A Big Data Analytics Methodology Program in the Health Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawler, James; Joseph, Anthony; Howell-Barber, H.

2016-01-01

The benefits of Big Data Analytics are cited frequently in the literature. However, the difficulties of implementing Big Data Analytics can limit the number of organizational projects. In this study, the authors evaluate business, procedural and technical factors in the implementation of Big Data Analytics, applying a methodology program. Focusing…

Healthcare predictive analytics: An overview with a focus on Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alharthi, Hana

2018-03-08

Despite a newfound wealth of data and information, the healthcare sector is lacking in actionable knowledge. This is largely because healthcare data, though plentiful, tends to be inherently complex and fragmented. Health data analytics, with an emphasis on predictive analytics, is emerging as a transformative tool that can enable more proactive and preventative treatment options. This review considers the ways in which predictive analytics has been applied in the for-profit business sector to generate well-timed and accurate predictions of key outcomes, with a focus on key features that may be applicable to healthcare-specific applications. Published medical research presenting assessments of predictive analytics technology in medical applications are reviewed, with particular emphasis on how hospitals have integrated predictive analytics into their day-to-day healthcare services to improve quality of care. This review also highlights the numerous challenges of implementing predictive analytics in healthcare settings and concludes with a discussion of current efforts to implement healthcare data analytics in the developing country, Saudi Arabia. Copyright © 2018 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Quality Indicators for Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheffel, Maren; Drachsler, Hendrik; Stoyanov, Slavi; Specht, Marcus

2014-01-01

This article proposes a framework of quality indicators for learning analytics that aims to standardise the evaluation of learning analytics tools and to provide a mean to capture evidence for the impact of learning analytics on educational practices in a standardised manner. The criteria of the framework and its quality indicators are based on…

Pay Premiums for Economic Sector and Race: A Decomposition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daymont, Thomas N.

Using data from the older men's file of the National Longitudinal Surveys, two issues related to the labor market implications of dual economy theory were examined: variations in rates of pay among economic sectors (competitive, monopoly, and public) and variation in relative opportunities for blacks across sectors. The primary analytical problem…

Multiaxis sensing using metal organic frameworks

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

Talin, Albert Alec; Allendorf, Mark D.; Leonard, Francois

2017-01-17

A sensor device including a sensor substrate; and a thin film comprising a porous metal organic framework (MOF) on the substrate that presents more than one transduction mechanism when exposed to an analyte. A method including exposing a porous metal organic framework (MOF) on a substrate to an analyte; and identifying more than one transduction mechanism in response to the exposure to the analyte.

The MOOC and Learning Analytics Innovation Cycle (MOLAC): A Reflective Summary of Ongoing Research and Its Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drachsler, H.; Kalz, M.

2016-01-01

The article deals with the interplay between learning analytics and massive open online courses (MOOCs) and provides a conceptual framework to situate ongoing research in the MOOC and learning analytics innovation cycle (MOLAC framework). The MOLAC framework is organized on three levels: On the micro-level, the data collection and analytics…

Designing a Teaching Excellence Framework: Lessons from Other Sectors. Occasional Paper 13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darian, Louisa

2016-01-01

The Government is committed to introducing a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) to assess the quality of teaching and learning in higher education. Designing the right solution is challenging. There is no off-the-shelf solution from other countries that we can lift. But we can learn lessons from other sectors. This pamphlet explores rating…

Singular eigenstates in the even(odd) length Heisenberg spin chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranjan Giri, Pulak; Deguchi, Tetsuo

2015-05-01

We study the implications of the regularization for the singular solutions on the even(odd) length spin-1/2 XXX chains in some specific down-spin sectors. In particular, the analytic expressions of the Bethe eigenstates for three down-spin sector have been obtained along with their numerical forms in some fixed length chains. For an even-length chain if the singular solutions \\{{{λ }α }\\} are invariant under the sign changes of their rapidities \\{{{λ }α }\\}=\\{-{{λ }α }\\}, then the Bethe ansatz equations are reduced to a system of (M-2)/2((M-3)/2) equations in an even (odd) down-spin sector. For an odd N length chain in the three down-spin sector, it has been analytically shown that there exist singular solutions in any finite length of the spin chain of the form N=3(2k+1) with k=1,2,3,\\cdots . It is also shown that there exist no singular solutions in the four down-spin sector for some odd-length spin-1/2 XXX chains.

Ecosystem service tradeoff analysis reveals the value of marine spatial planning for multiple ocean uses

PubMed Central

White, Crow; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Kappel, Carrie V.

2012-01-01

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is an emerging responsibility of resource managers around the United States and elsewhere. A key proposed advantage of MSP is that it makes tradeoffs in resource use and sector (stakeholder group) values explicit, but doing so requires tools to assess tradeoffs. We extended tradeoff analyses from economics to simultaneously assess multiple ecosystem services and the values they provide to sectors using a robust, quantitative, and transparent framework. We used the framework to assess potential conflicts among offshore wind energy, commercial fishing, and whale-watching sectors in Massachusetts and identify and quantify the value from choosing optimal wind farm designs that minimize conflicts among these sectors. Most notably, we show that using MSP over conventional planning could prevent >$1 million dollars in losses to the incumbent fishery and whale-watching sectors and could generate >$10 billion in extra value to the energy sector. The value of MSP increased with the greater the number of sectors considered and the larger the area under management. Importantly, the framework can be applied even when sectors are not measured in dollars (e.g., conservation). Making tradeoffs explicit improves transparency in decision-making, helps avoid unnecessary conflicts attributable to perceived but weak tradeoffs, and focuses debate on finding the most efficient solutions to mitigate real tradeoffs and maximize sector values. Our analysis demonstrates the utility, feasibility, and value of MSP and provides timely support for the management transitions needed for society to address the challenges of an increasingly crowded ocean environment. PMID:22392996

Incorporating Multifaceted Mental Health Prevention Services in Community Sectors-of-Care

PubMed Central

Gewirtz, Abigail H.; August, Gerald J.

2017-01-01

This article proposes a framework for embedding prevention services into community sectors-of-care. Community sectors-of-care include both formal and grassroots organizations distributed throughout a community that provide various resources and services to at-risk children and their families. Though the child population served by these organizations is often at elevated risk for mental health problems by virtue of children's exposure to difficult life circumstances (poverty, maltreatment, homelessness, domestic violence, etc) these children face many barriers to accessing evidence-based prevention or treatment services. We review evidence and propose a framework for integrating prevention services into community sectors-of-care that serve high-risk children and families. PMID:18196457

Big Data Analysis Framework for Healthcare and Social Sectors in Korea

PubMed Central

Song, Tae-Min

2015-01-01

Objectives We reviewed applications of big data analysis of healthcare and social services in developed countries, and subsequently devised a framework for such an analysis in Korea. Methods We reviewed the status of implementing big data analysis of health care and social services in developed countries, and strategies used by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea (Government 3.0). We formulated a conceptual framework of big data in the healthcare and social service sectors at the national level. As a specific case, we designed a process and method of social big data analysis on suicide buzz. Results Developed countries (e.g., the United States, the UK, Singapore, Australia, and even OECD and EU) are emphasizing the potential of big data, and using it as a tool to solve their long-standing problems. Big data strategies for the healthcare and social service sectors were formulated based on an ICT-based policy of current government and the strategic goals of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We suggest a framework of big data analysis in the healthcare and welfare service sectors separately and assigned them tentative names: 'health risk analysis center' and 'integrated social welfare service network'. A framework of social big data analysis is presented by applying it to the prevention and proactive detection of suicide in Korea. Conclusions There are some concerns with the utilization of big data in the healthcare and social welfare sectors. Thus, research on these issues must be conducted so that sophisticated and practical solutions can be reached. PMID:25705552

Review of Building Data Frameworks across Countries: Lessons for India

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

Iyer, Maithili; Stratton, Hannah; Mathew, Sangeeta

The report outlines the initial explorations carried out by LBNL on available examples of energy data collection frameworks for buildings. Specifically, this monograph deals with European experience in the buildings sector, the US experience in the commercial buildings sector, and examples of data collection effort in Singapore and China to capture the Asian experience in the commercial sector. The review also provides a summary of the past efforts in India to collect and use commercial building energy data and its strengths and weaknesses. The overall aim of this activity is to help understand the use cases that drive the granularitymore » of data being collected and the range of methodologies adopted for the data collection effort. This review is a key input and reference for developing a data collection framework for India, and also clarifies general thinking on the institutional structure that may be amenable for data collection effort to match the needs and requirements of commercial building sector in India.« less

Taking stock of decentralized disaster risk reduction in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grady, Anthony; Gersonius, Berry; Makarigakis, Alexandros

2016-09-01

The Sendai Framework, which outlines the global course on disaster risk reduction until 2030, places strong importance on the role of local government in disaster risk reduction. An aim of decentralization is to increase the influence and authority of local government in decision making. Yet, there is limited empirical evidence of the extent, character and effects of decentralization in current disaster risk reduction implementation, and of the barriers that are most critical to this. This paper evaluates decentralization in relation to disaster risk reduction in Indonesia, chosen for its recent actions to decentralize governance of DRR coupled with a high level of disaster risk. An analytical framework was developed to evaluate the various dimensions of decentralized disaster risk reduction, which necessitated the use of a desk study, semi-structured interviews and a gap analysis. Key barriers to implementation in Indonesia included: capacity gaps at lower institutional levels, low compliance with legislation, disconnected policies, issues in communication and coordination and inadequate resourcing. However, any of these barriers are not unique to disaster risk reduction, and similar barriers have been observed for decentralization in other developing countries in other public sectors.

What can we learn from international comparisons of health systems and health system reform?

PubMed Central

McPake, B.; Mills, A.

2000-01-01

Most commonly, lessons derived from comparisons of international health sector reform can only be generalized in a limited way to similar countries. However, there is little guidance as to what constitutes "similarity" in this respect. We propose that a framework for assessing similarity could be derived from the performance of individual policies in different contexts, and from the cause and effect processes related to the policies. We demonstrate this process by considering research evidence in the "public-private mix", and propose variables for an initial framework that we believe determine private involvement in the public health sector. The most influential model of public leadership places the private role in a contracting framework. Research in countries that have adopted this model suggests an additional list of variables to add to the framework. The variables can be grouped under the headings "demand factors", "supply factors", and "strength of the public sector". These illustrate the nature of a framework that could emerge, and which would help countries aiming to learn from international experience. PMID:10916918

78 FR 34928 - Revisions to Framework Adjustment 50 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-11

... Management Plan and Sector Annual Catch Entitlements; Updated Annual Catch Limits for Sectors and the Common... either sectors or the common pool fishery. DATES: Effective June 10, 2013, through April 30, 2014. FOR... to vessels not enrolled in a sector (referred to as the common pool). This allocation is also...

Many-objective reservoir policy identification and refinement to reduce institutional myopia in water management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliani, Matteo; Herman, Jonathan D.; Castelletti, Andrea; Reed, Patrick M.

2014-05-01

Current water reservoir operating policies are facing growing water demands as well as increasing uncertainties associated with a changing climate. However, policy inertia and myopia strongly limit the possibility of adapting current water reservoir operations to the undergoing change. Historical agreements and regulatory constraints limit the rate that reservoir operations are innovated and creates policy inertia, where water institutions are unlikely to change their current practices in absence of dramatic failures. Yet, no guarantee exists that historical management policies will not fail in coming years. In reference to policy myopia, although it has long been recognized that water reservoir systems are generally framed in heterogeneous socio-economic contexts involving a myriad of conflicting, non-commensurable operating objectives, the broader understanding of the multi-objective consequences of current operating rules as well as their vulnerability to hydroclimatic uncertainties is severely limited. This study proposes a decision analytic framework to overcome both policy inertia and myopia in complex river basin management contexts. The framework combines reservoir policy identification, many-objective optimization under uncertainty, and visual analytics to characterize current operations and discover key tradeoffs between alternative policies for balancing evolving demands and system uncertainties. The approach is demonstrated on the Conowingo Dam, located within the Lower Susquehanna River, USA. The Lower Susquehanna River is an interstate water body that has been subject to intensive water management efforts due to the system's competing demands from urban water supply, atomic power plant cooling, hydropower production, and federally regulated environmental flows. The proposed framework initially uses available streamflow observations to implicitly identify the current but unknown operating policy of Conowingo Dam. The quality of the identified baseline policy was validated by its ability to replicate historical release dynamics. Starting from this baseline policy, we then combine evolutionary many-objective optimization with visual analytics to discover new operating policies that better balance the tradeoffs within the Lower Susquehanna. Results confirm that the baseline operating policy, which only considers deterministic historical inflows, significantly overestimates the reliability of the reservoir's competing demands. The proposed framework removes this bias by successfully identifying alternative reservoir policies that are more robust to hydroclimatic uncertainties, while also better addressing the tradeoffs across the Conowingo Dam's multi-sector services.

Substance misuse prevention as corporate social responsibility.

PubMed

Radacsi, Gergely; Hardi, Peter

2014-03-01

All sectors of society should be involved in reducing substance misuse, including businesses. However, the business sector is typically involved only to the extent that their products compel them to be (e.g., alcohol producers promoting responsible alcohol consumption). This article examines why business participation has been limited and how embedding prevention within a framework of health promotion could increase participation. It reviews both Hungarian and international cases, concluding that although corporate social responsibility (CSR) offers a framework to approach substance misuse reduction, a different perception of the role of the business sector is necessary to make it viable.

Application of life cycle thinking in multidisciplinary multistakeholder contexts for cross-sectoral planning and implementation of sustainable development projects.

PubMed

Thabrew, Lanka; Ries, Robert

2009-07-01

Development planning and implementation is a multifaceted and multiscale task mainly because of the involvement of multiple stakeholders across sectors and disciplines. Even though top-down sectoral planning is commonly practiced, bottom-up cross-sectoral planning involving all relevant stakeholders in a transdisciplinary learning environment has been recognized as a better option, especially if the goal is to drive development projects toward sustainable implementation (Rowe and Fudge 2003; Müller et al. 2005; Global Development Research Center 2008). Even though many planning approaches have this goal, there are limited decision frameworks that are suitable for achieving consensus among stakeholders from multiple disciplines with sectoral objectives and priorities. In most instances, the upstream and downstream effects of development decisions are not thoroughly investigated or communicated with the relevant stakeholders, strongly affecting cross-sectoral integration in the real world (Wiek, Brundiers, et al. 2006). This article presents methodological aspects of developing a stakeholder based life cycle assessment framework (SBLCA) for upstream-downstream decision analysis in a multistakeholder development planning context. The applicability of the framework is demonstrated using simple examples extracted from a pilot case study conducted in Sri Lanka for sustainable posttsunami reconstruction at a village scale. The applicability of SBLCA in specific planning stages, how it promotes transdisciplinary learning and cross-sectoral stakeholder integration in phases of project cycles, and how local stakeholders can practice life cycle thinking in their village development planning and implementation are discussed.

Promoting mental wellbeing: developing a theoretically and empirically sound complex intervention.

PubMed

Millar, S L; Donnelly, M

2014-06-01

This paper describes the development of a complex intervention to promote mental wellbeing using the revised framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions produced by the UK Medical Research Council (UKMRC). Application of the first two phases of the framework is described--development and feasibility and piloting. The theoretical case and evidence base were examined analytically to explicate the theoretical and empirical foundations of the intervention. These findings informed the design of a 12-week mental wellbeing promotion programme providing early intervention for people showing signs of mental health difficulties. The programme is based on the theoretical constructs of self-efficacy, self-esteem, purpose in life, resilience and social support and comprises 10 steps. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct a feasibility study with community and voluntary sector service users and in primary care. A significant increase in mental wellbeing was observed following participation in the intervention. Qualitative data corroborated this finding and suggested that the intervention was feasible to deliver and acceptable to participants, facilitators and health professionals. The revised UKMRC framework can be successfully applied to the development of public health interventions. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Developing an Analytical Framework: Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Decision Making - Proceedings of a Workshop

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hogan, Dianna; Arthaud, Greg; Pattison, Malka; Sayre, Roger G.; Shapiro, Carl

2010-01-01

The analytical framework for understanding ecosystem services in conservation, resource management, and development decisions is multidisciplinary, encompassing a combination of the natural and social sciences. This report summarizes a workshop on 'Developing an Analytical Framework: Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Decision Making,' which focused on the analytical process and on identifying research priorities for assessing ecosystem services, their production and use, their spatial and temporal characteristics, their relationship with natural systems, and their interdependencies. Attendees discussed research directions and solutions to key challenges in developing the analytical framework. The discussion was divided into two sessions: (1) the measurement framework: quantities and values, and (2) the spatial framework: mapping and spatial relationships. This workshop was the second of three preconference workshops associated with ACES 2008 (A Conference on Ecosystem Services): Using Science for Decision Making in Dynamic Systems. These three workshops were designed to explore the ACES 2008 theme on decision making and how the concept of ecosystem services can be more effectively incorporated into conservation, restoration, resource management, and development decisions. Preconference workshop 1, 'Developing a Vision: Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Decision Making,' was held on April 15, 2008, in Cambridge, MA. In preconference workshop 1, participants addressed what would have to happen to make ecosystem services be used more routinely and effectively in conservation, restoration, resource management, and development decisions, and they identified some key challenges in developing the analytical framework. Preconference workshop 3, 'Developing an Institutional Framework: Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Decision Making,' was held on October 30, 2008, in Albuquerque, NM; participants examined the relationship between the institutional framework and the use of ecosystem services in decision making.

A Delphi-matrix approach to SEA and its application within the tourism sector in Taiwan

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

Kuo, N.-W.; Hsiao, T.-Y.; Yu, Y.-H.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a procedural tool and within the framework of SEA, several different types of analytical methods can be used in the assessment. However, the impact matrix used currently in Taiwan has some disadvantages. Hence, a Delphi-matrix approach to SEA is proposed here to improve the performance of Taiwan's SEA. This new approach is based on the impact matrix combination with indicators of sustainability, and then the Delphi method is employed to collect experts' opinions. In addition, the assessment of National Floriculture Park Plan and Taiwan Flora 2008 Program is taken as an example to examine thismore » new method. Although international exhibition is one of the important tourism (economic) activities, SEA is seldom about tourism sector. Finally, the Delphi-matrix approach to SEA for tourism development plan is established containing eight assessment topics and 26 corresponding categories. In summary, three major types of impacts: resources' usages, pollution emissions, and local cultures change are found. Resources' usages, such as water, electricity, and natural gas demand, are calculated on a per capita basis. Various forms of pollution resulting from this plan, such as air, water, soil, waste, and noise, are also identified.« less

Evaluation of partnership working in cities in phase IV of the WHO Healthy Cities Network.

PubMed

Lipp, Alistair; Winters, Tim; de Leeuw, Evelyne

2013-10-01

An intersectoral partnership for health improvement is a requirement of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network of municipalities. A review was undertaken in 59 cities based on responses to a structured questionnaire covering phase IV of the network (2003-2008). Cities usually combined formal and informal working partnerships in a pattern seen in previous phases. However, these encompassed more sectors than previously and achieved greater degrees of collaborative planning and implementation. Additional WHO technical support and networking in phase IV significantly enhanced collaboration with the urban planning sector. Critical success factors were high-level political commitment and a well-organized Healthy City office. Partnerships remain a successful component of Healthy City working. The core principles, purpose and intellectual rationale for intersectoral partnerships remain valid and fit for purpose. This applied to long-established phase III cities as well as newcomers to phase IV. The network, and in particular the WHO brand, is well regarded and encourages political and organizational engagement and is a source of support and technical expertise. A key challenge is to apply a more rigorous analytical framework and theory-informed approach to reviewing partnership and collaboration parameters.

The Role of a Reference Synthetic Data Generator within the Field of Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, Alan\tM.; Mol, Stefan T.; Kismihók, Gábor; Sclater, Niall

2016-01-01

This paper details the anticipated impact of synthetic "big" data on learning analytics (LA) infrastructures, with a particular focus on data governance, the acceleration of service development, and the benchmarking of predictive models. By reviewing two cases, one at the sector-wide level (the Jisc learning analytics architecture) and…

Paradigm shifts and the interplay between state, business and civil sectors.

PubMed

Encarnação, Sara; Santos, Fernando P; Santos, Francisco C; Blass, Vered; Pacheco, Jorge M; Portugali, Juval

2016-12-01

The recent rise of the civil sector as a main player of socio-political actions, next to public and private sectors, has largely increased the complexity underlying the interplay between different sectors of our society. From urban planning to global governance, analysis of these complex interactions requires new mathematical and computational approaches. Here, we develop a novel framework, grounded on evolutionary game theory, to envisage situations in which each of these sectors is confronted with the dilemma of deciding between maintaining a status quo scenario or shifting towards a new paradigm. We consider multisector conflicts regarding environmentally friendly policies as an example of application, but the framework developed here has a considerably broader scope. We show that the public sector is crucial in initiating the shift, and determine explicitly under which conditions the civil sector-reflecting the emergent reality of civil society organizations playing an active role in modern societies-may influence the decision-making processes accruing to other sectors, while fostering new routes towards a paradigm shift of the society as a whole. Our results are shown to be robust to a wide variety of assumptions and model parametrizations.

Paradigm shifts and the interplay between state, business and civil sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Encarnação, Sara; Santos, Fernando P.; Santos, Francisco C.; Blass, Vered; Pacheco, Jorge M.; Portugali, Juval

2016-12-01

The recent rise of the civil sector as a main player of socio-political actions, next to public and private sectors, has largely increased the complexity underlying the interplay between different sectors of our society. From urban planning to global governance, analysis of these complex interactions requires new mathematical and computational approaches. Here, we develop a novel framework, grounded on evolutionary game theory, to envisage situations in which each of these sectors is confronted with the dilemma of deciding between maintaining a status quo scenario or shifting towards a new paradigm. We consider multisector conflicts regarding environmentally friendly policies as an example of application, but the framework developed here has a considerably broader scope. We show that the public sector is crucial in initiating the shift, and determine explicitly under which conditions the civil sector-reflecting the emergent reality of civil society organizations playing an active role in modern societies-may influence the decision-making processes accruing to other sectors, while fostering new routes towards a paradigm shift of the society as a whole. Our results are shown to be robust to a wide variety of assumptions and model parametrizations.

Preparing for the introduction of hospital autonomy in Laos: an assessment of current situation and suggestions for policy-making.

PubMed

Geng, Jinsong; Yu, Hao; Chen, Yingyao

2016-04-01

The National Assembly of Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) approved the Health Sector Reform Strategy in 2012, which called for an assessment as to whether Laos should introduce hospital autonomy, and if so, in which ways. The purpose of this study is to assess the status quo of hospital governance in Laos and propose policy suggestions for hospital autonomy in the country. We formulated an analytic framework for hospital autonomy based on previous work by other researchers, collected qualitative data through key informant interviews and focus group discussions, and also performed secondary data analysis. Public hospitals in Laos enjoyed some informal autonomy with little accountability and Laos is facing key challenges of hospital governance. As a result, introducing hospital autonomy in Laos could bring risks, benefits and debates. Before Laos decides on granting autonomy to its public hospitals, we strongly suggest that the government do pilot in selected public hospitals with well-regulated governance framework first and conduct rigorous evaluations to examine whether the granted autonomy leads to the intended social goals of equity, quality, efficiency and sustainability. We recommend residual claimants should be monitored by the government and by the society with open and transparent approach, and active measures should be taken to improve performance and ensure social functions. The study findings may also provide some suggestions for low- and middle-income countries, which are contemplating the introduction of hospital autonomy in the public sector. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

78 FR 34112 - Review and Revision of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-06

... consider sector dependencies on energy and communications systems, and identify pre-event and mitigation... development efforts; Review of the risk management approach; Sector dependencies on energy and communications... framework going forward. Sector Dependencies on Energy and Communications Systems PPD-21 acknowledges the...

Analysis of System-Wide Investment in the National Airspace System: A Portfolio Analytical Framework and an Example

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhadra, Dipasis; Morser, Frederick R.

2006-01-01

In this paper, the authors review the FAA s current program investments and lay out a preliminary analytical framework to undertake projects that may address some of the noted deficiencies. By drawing upon the well developed theories from corporate finance, an analytical framework is offered that can be used for choosing FAA s investments taking into account risk, expected returns and inherent dependencies across NAS programs. The framework can be expanded into taking multiple assets and realistic values for parameters in drawing an efficient risk-return frontier for the entire FAA investment programs.

A qualitative study of governance of evolving response to non-communicable diseases in low-and middle- income countries: current status, risks and options.

PubMed

Rani, Manju; Nusrat, Sharmin; Hawken, Laura H

2012-10-16

Segmented service delivery with consequent inefficiencies in health systems was one of the main concerns raised during scaling up of disease-specific programs in the last two decades. The organized response to NCD is in infancy in most LMICs with little evidence on how the response is evolving in terms of institutional arrangements and policy development processes. Drawing on qualitative review of policy and program documents from five LMICs and data from global key-informant surveys conducted in 2004 and 2010, we examine current status of governance of response to NCDs at national level along three dimensions- institutional arrangements for stewardship and program management and implementation; policies/plans; and multisectoral coordination and partnerships. Several positive trends were noted in the organization and governance of response to NCDs: shift from specific NCD-based programs to integrated NCD programs, increasing inclusion of NCDs in sector-wide health plans, and establishment of high-level multisectoral coordination mechanisms.Several areas of concern were identified. The evolving NCD-specific institutional structures are being treated as 'program management and implementation' entities rather than as lead 'technical advisory' bodies, with unclear division of roles and responsibilities between NCD-specific and sector-wide structures. NCD-specific and sector-wide plans are poorly aligned and lack prioritization, costing, and appropriate targets. Finally, the effectiveness of existing multisectoral coordination mechanisms remains questionable. The 'technical functions' and 'implementation and management functions' should be clearly separated between NCD-specific units and sector-wide institutional structures to avoid duplicative segmented service delivery systems. Institutional capacity building efforts for NCDs should target both NCD-specific units (for building technical and analytical capacity) and sector-wide organizational units (for building program management and implementation capacity) in MOH.The sector-wide health plans should reflect NCDs in proportion to their public health importance. NCD specific plans should be developed in close consultation with sector-wide health- and non-health stakeholders. These plans should expand on the directions provided by sector-wide health plans specifying strategically prioritized, fully costed activities, and realistic quantifiable targets for NCD control linked with sector-wide expenditure framework. Multisectoral coordination mechanisms need to be strengthened with optimal decision-making powers and resource commitment and monitoring of their outputs.

A qualitative study of governance of evolving response to non-communicable diseases in low-and middle- income countries: current status, risks and options

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Segmented service delivery with consequent inefficiencies in health systems was one of the main concerns raised during scaling up of disease-specific programs in the last two decades. The organized response to NCD is in infancy in most LMICs with little evidence on how the response is evolving in terms of institutional arrangements and policy development processes. Methods Drawing on qualitative review of policy and program documents from five LMICs and data from global key-informant surveys conducted in 2004 and 2010, we examine current status of governance of response to NCDs at national level along three dimensions— institutional arrangements for stewardship and program management and implementation; policies/plans; and multisectoral coordination and partnerships. Results Several positive trends were noted in the organization and governance of response to NCDs: shift from specific NCD-based programs to integrated NCD programs, increasing inclusion of NCDs in sector-wide health plans, and establishment of high-level multisectoral coordination mechanisms. Several areas of concern were identified. The evolving NCD-specific institutional structures are being treated as ‘program management and implementation’ entities rather than as lead ‘technical advisory’ bodies, with unclear division of roles and responsibilities between NCD-specific and sector-wide structures. NCD-specific and sector-wide plans are poorly aligned and lack prioritization, costing, and appropriate targets. Finally, the effectiveness of existing multisectoral coordination mechanisms remains questionable. Conclusions The ‘technical functions’ and ‘implementation and management functions’ should be clearly separated between NCD-specific units and sector-wide institutional structures to avoid duplicative segmented service delivery systems. Institutional capacity building efforts for NCDs should target both NCD-specific units (for building technical and analytical capacity) and sector-wide organizational units (for building program management and implementation capacity) in MOH. The sector-wide health plans should reflect NCDs in proportion to their public health importance. NCD specific plans should be developed in close consultation with sector-wide health- and non-health stakeholders. These plans should expand on the directions provided by sector-wide health plans specifying strategically prioritized, fully costed activities, and realistic quantifiable targets for NCD control linked with sector-wide expenditure framework. Multisectoral coordination mechanisms need to be strengthened with optimal decision-making powers and resource commitment and monitoring of their outputs. PMID:23067232

Incorporating Multifaceted Mental Health Prevention Services in Community Sectors-of-Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gewirtz, Abigail H.; August, Gerald J.

2008-01-01

This article proposes a framework for embedding prevention services into community sectors-of-care. Community sectors-of-care include both formal and grassroot organizations distributed throughout a community that provide various resources and services to at-risk children and their families. Though the child population served by these…

Developing Sustainable Urban Water-Energy Infrastructures: Applying a Multi-Sectoral Social-Ecological-Infrastructural Systems (SEIS) Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramaswami, A.

2016-12-01

Urban infrastructure - broadly defined to include the systems that provide water, energy, food, shelter, transportation-communication, sanitation and green/public spaces in cities - have tremendous impact on the environment and on human well-being (Ramaswami et al., 2016; Ramaswami et al., 2012). Aggregated globally, these sectors contribute 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 96% of global water withdrawals. Urban infrastructure contributions to such impacts are beginning to dominate. Cities are therefore becoming the action arena for infrastructure transformations that can achieve high levels of service delivery while reducing environmental impacts and enhancing human well-being. Achieving sustainable urban infrastructure transitions requires: information about the engineered infrastructure, and its interaction with the natural (ecological-environmental) and the social sub-systems In this paper, we apply a multi-sector, multi-scalar Social-Ecological-Infrastructural Systems framework that describes the interactions among biophysical engineered infrastructures, the natural environment and the social system in a systems-approach to inform urban infrastructure transformations. We apply the SEIS framework to inform water and energy sector transformations in cities to achieve environmental and human health benefits realized at multiple scales - local, regional and global. Local scales address pollution, health, wellbeing and inequity within the city; regional scales address regional pollution, scarcity, as well as supply risks in the water-energy sectors; global impacts include greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts. Different actors shape infrastructure transitions including households, businesses, and policy actors. We describe the development of novel cross-sectoral strategies at the water-energy nexus in cities, focusing on water, waste and energy sectors, in a case study of Delhi, India. Ramaswami, A.; Russell, A.G.; Culligan, P.J.; Sharma, K.R.; Kumar, E. (2016). Meta-Principles for developing smart, sustainable, and healthy cities, Science, 352(6288), 940-3. Ramaswami, A., et al. A Social-Ecological Infrastructural Systems Framework for Inter-Disciplinary Study of Sustainable City-Systems. J. Ind Ecol, 16(6): 801-813, 2012.

Conceptualizing and assessing improvement capability: a review

PubMed Central

Boaden, Ruth; Walshe, Kieran

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose The literature is reviewed to examine how ‘improvement capability’ is conceptualized and assessed and to identify future areas for research. Data sources An iterative and systematic search of the literature was carried out across all sectors including healthcare. The search was limited to literature written in English. Data extraction The study identifies and analyses 70 instruments and frameworks for assessing or measuring improvement capability. Information about the source of the instruments, the sectors in which they were developed or used, the measurement constructs or domains they employ, and how they were tested was extracted. Results of data synthesis The instruments and framework constructs are very heterogeneous, demonstrating the ambiguity of improvement capability as a concept, and the difficulties involved in its operationalisation. Two-thirds of the instruments and frameworks have been subject to tests of reliability and half to tests of validity. Many instruments have little apparent theoretical basis and do not seem to have been used widely. Conclusion The assessment and development of improvement capability needs clearer and more consistent conceptual and terminological definition, used consistently across disciplines and sectors. There is scope to learn from existing instruments and frameworks, and this study proposes a synthetic framework of eight dimensions of improvement capability. Future instruments need robust testing for reliability and validity. This study contributes to practice and research by presenting the first review of the literature on improvement capability across all sectors including healthcare. PMID:28992146

Dark matter freeze-out in a nonrelativistic sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pappadopulo, Duccio; Ruderman, Joshua T.; Trevisan, Gabriele

2016-08-01

A thermally decoupled hidden sector of particles, with a mass gap, generically enters a phase of cannibalism in the early Universe. The Standard Model sector becomes exponentially colder than the hidden sector. We propose the cannibal dark matter framework, where dark matter resides in a cannibalizing sector with a relic density set by 2-to-2 annihilations. Observable signals of cannibal dark matter include a boosted rate for indirect detection, new relativistic degrees of freedom, and warm dark matter.

Neutrino and C P -even Higgs boson masses in a nonuniversal U (1 )' extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantilla, S. F.; Martinez, R.; Ochoa, F.

2017-05-01

We propose a new anomaly-free and family nonuniversal U (1 )' extension of the standard model with the addition of two scalar singlets and a new scalar doublet. The quark sector is extended by adding three exotic quark singlets, while the lepton sector includes two exotic charged lepton singlets, three right-handed neutrinos, and three sterile Majorana leptons to obtain the fermionic mass spectrum of the standard model. The lepton sector also reproduces the elements of the Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata (PMNS) matrix and the squared-mass differences data from neutrino oscillation experiments. Also, analytical relations of the PMNS matrix are derived via the inverse seesaw mechanism, and numerical predictions of the parameters in both normal and inverse order scheme for the mass of the phenomenological neutrinos are obtained. We employed a simple seesawlike method to obtain analytical mass eigenstates of the C P -even 3 ×3 mass matrix of the scalar sector.

FIMP dark matter freeze-in gauge mediation and hidden sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsao, Kuo-Hsing

2018-07-01

We explore the dark matter freeze-in mechanism within the gauge mediation framework, which involves a hidden feebly interacting massive particle (FIMP) coupling feebly with the messenger fields while the messengers are still in the thermal bath. The FIMP is the fermionic component of the pseudo-moduli in a generic metastable supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking model and resides in the hidden sector. The relic abundance and the mass of the FIMP are determined by the SUSY breaking scale and the feeble coupling. The gravitino, which is the canonical dark matter candidate in the gauge mediation framework, contributes to the dark matter relic abundance along with the freeze-in of the FIMP. The hidden sector thus becomes two-component with both the FIMP and gravitino lodging in the SUSY breaking hidden sector. We point out that the ratio between the FIMP and the gravitino is determined by how SUSY breaking is communicated to the messengers. In particular when the FIMP dominates the hidden sector, the gravitino becomes the minor contributor in the hidden sector. Meanwhile, the neutralino is assumed to be both the weakly interacting massive particle dark matter candidate in the freeze-out mechanism and the lightest observable SUSY particle. We further find out the neutralino has the sub-leading contribution to the current dark matter relic density in the parameter space of our freeze-in gauge mediation model. Our result links the SUSY breaking scale in the gauge mediation framework with the FIMP freeze-in production rate leading to a natural and predicting scenario for the studies of the dark matter in the hidden sector.

Framework for integration of informal waste management sector with the formal sector in Pakistan.

PubMed

Masood, Maryam; Barlow, Claire Y

2013-10-01

Historically, waste pickers around the globe have utilised urban solid waste as a principal source of livelihood. Formal waste management sectors usually perceive the informal waste collection/recycling networks as backward, unhygienic and generally incompatible with modern waste management systems. It is proposed here that through careful planning and administration, these seemingly troublesome informal networks can be integrated into formal waste management systems in developing countries, providing mutual benefits. A theoretical framework for integration based on a case study in Lahore, Pakistan, is presented. The proposed solution suggests that the municipal authority should draw up and agree on a formal work contract with the group of waste pickers already operating in the area. The proposed system is assessed using the integration radar framework to classify and analyse possible intervention points between the sectors. The integration of the informal waste workers with the formal waste management sector is not a one dimensional or single step process. An ideal solution might aim for a balanced focus on all four categories of intervention, although this may be influenced by local conditions. Not all the positive benefits will be immediately apparent, but it is expected that as the acceptance of such projects increases over time, the informal recycling economy will financially supplement the formal system in many ways.

77 FR 33683 - Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

... Border Protection, DHS/CBP--017 Analytical Framework for Intelligence (AFI) System of Records AGENCY... Framework for Intelligence (AFI) System of Records'' and this proposed rulemaking. In this proposed... Protection, DHS/CBP--017 Analytical Framework for Intelligence (AFI) System of Records.'' AFI enhances DHS's...

Analytical Overview of the European and Russian Qualifications Frameworks with a Focus on Doctoral Degree Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chigisheva, Oksana; Bondarenko, Anna; Soltovets, Elena

2017-01-01

The paper provides analytical insights into highly acute issues concerning preparation and adoption of Qualifications Frameworks being an adequate response to the growing interactions at the global labor market and flourishing of knowledge economy. Special attention is paid to the analyses of transnational Meta Qualifications Frameworks (A…

Degrees of School Democracy: A Holistic Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Philip A.; Woods, Glenys J.

2012-01-01

This article outlines an analytical framework that enables analysis of degrees of democracy in a school or other organizational setting. It is founded in a holistic conception of democracy, which is a model of working together that aspires to truth, goodness, and meaning and the participation of all. We suggest that the analytical framework can be…

Frameworks for Understanding Challenging Behaviour in Out-of-Home Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Sara; Kettler, Lisa; Delfabbro, Paul; Riggs, Damien

2012-01-01

Background: Challenging and disruptive behaviour is commonly reported among children placed in the out-of-home care sector. Little is known about how stakeholders in this sector understand or manage challenging behaviour. Method: Ninety-two stakeholders in the South Australian out-of-home care sector were interviewed about their approach to…

Visual Analytics for Law Enforcement: Deploying a Service-Oriented Analytic Framework for Web-based Visualization

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

Dowson, Scott T.; Bruce, Joseph R.; Best, Daniel M.

2009-04-14

This paper presents key components of the Law Enforcement Information Framework (LEIF) that provides communications, situational awareness, and visual analytics tools in a service-oriented architecture supporting web-based desktop and handheld device users. LEIF simplifies interfaces and visualizations of well-established visual analytical techniques to improve usability. Advanced analytics capability is maintained by enhancing the underlying processing to support the new interface. LEIF development is driven by real-world user feedback gathered through deployments at three operational law enforcement organizations in the US. LEIF incorporates a robust information ingest pipeline supporting a wide variety of information formats. LEIF also insulates interface and analyticalmore » components from information sources making it easier to adapt the framework for many different data repositories.« less

Creating a framework for the prioritization of biosecurity risks to the New Zealand dairy industry.

PubMed

Muellner, P; Hodges, D; Ahlstrom, C; Newman, M; Davidson, R; Pfeiffer, D; Marshall, J; Morley, C

2018-03-25

The New Zealand dairy sector relies on robust biosecurity measures to control and mitigate a wide range of threats to the industry. To optimize the prioritization of organisms and manage the risk they pose to the sector in a transparent and credible way, the Dairy Biosecurity Risk Evaluation Framework (D-BRiEF) was developed. This comprehensive framework was specifically designed for decision support, using a standardized approach to address the full spectrum of biosecurity threats to the sector, including exotic and endemic animal disease organisms, pest plants and insects. D-BRiEF is underpinned by three main processes, namely (i) hazard identification; (ii) multicriteria risk assessment; and (iii) communication for risk management. Expert knowledge and empirical data, including associated uncertainty, are harnessed in a standardized format. Results feed into a probability-impact model that was developed in close collaboration with dairy sector economists to provide overall comparative 10-year quantitative economic impact estimates for each assessed risk organism. A description of the overarching framework, which applies to diverse organism groups, is presented with detailed methodology on both endemic and exotic animal disease risk organisms. Examples of visual outputs are included, although actual ranking results are not reported due to industry confidentiality. D-BRiEF can provide a decision advantage to DairyNZ biosecurity risk managers and sector stakeholders by creating a transparent process that can be interrogated and updated at multiple levels to fully understand the layers of risk posed by different organisms. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Environmental performance policy indicators for the public sector: the case of the defence sector.

PubMed

Ramos, Tomás B; Alves, Inês; Subtil, Rui; Joanaz de Melo, João

2007-03-01

The development of environmental performance policy indicators for public services, and in particular for the defence sector, is an emerging issue. Despite a number of recent initiatives there has been little work done in this area, since the other sectors usually focused on are agriculture, transport, industry, tourism and energy. This type of tool can be an important component for environmental performance evaluation at policy level, when integrated in the general performance assessment system of public missions and activities. The main objective of this research was to develop environmental performance policy indicators for the public sector, specifically applied to the defence sector. Previous research included an assessment of the environmental profile, through the evaluation of how environmental management practices have been adopted in this sector and an assessment of environmental aspects and impacts. This paper builds upon that previous research, developing an indicator framework--SEPI--supported by the selection and construction of environmental performance indicators. Another aim is to discuss how the current environmental indicator framework can be integrated into overall performance management. The Portuguese defence sector is presented and the usefulness of this methodology demonstrated. Feasibility and relevancy criteria are applied to evaluate the set of indicators proposed, allowing indicators to be scored and indicators for the policy level to be obtained.

New High in Engineering Degree Production. Facts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut Department of Higher Education (NJ1), 2010

2010-01-01

Several of the state's key industry sectors depend heavily on employees with advanced scientific, analytic and technical knowledge. Among the fields closely related to these sectors, engineering degrees have posted the largest gain. This paper presents details on the following facts: (1) 2009 represented a record high for engineering degrees; (2)…

Illustrated study of the semiholographic nonperturbative framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Souvik; Gaddam, Nava; Mukhopadhyay, Ayan

2017-03-01

Semiholography has been proposed as an effective nonperturbative framework which can consistently combine perturbative and nonperturbative effects for theories like QCD. It is postulated that the strongly coupled nonperturbative sector has a holographic dual in the form of a classical gravity theory in the large N limit, and the perturbative fields determine the gravitational boundary conditions. In this work, we pursue a fundamental derivation of this framework particularly showing how perturbative physics by itself can determine the holographic dual of the infrared, and also the interactions between the perturbative and the holographic sectors. We firstly demonstrate that the interactions between the two sectors can be constrained through the existence of a conserved local energy-momentum tensor for the full system up to hard-soft coupling constants. As an illustration, we set up a biholographic toy theory where both the UV and IR sectors are strongly coupled and holographic with distinct classical gravity duals. In this construction, the requirement that an appropriate gluing can cure the singularities (geodetic incompleteness) of the respective geometries leads us to determine the parameters of the IR theory and the hard-soft couplings in terms of those of the UV theory. The high energy scale behavior of the hard-soft couplings is state-independent but their runnings turn out to be state-dependent. We discuss how our approach can be adapted to the construction of the semiholographic framework for QCD.

Towards sustainable transport infrastructure : a sectoral approach in practice

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-07-01

These guidelines provide a comprehensive overview of the issues in moving towards more sustainable transport infrastructure in developing countries. They provide a sectoral framework in which project proposals and requests for European Union assistan...

A framework to analyze emissions implications of ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Future year emissions depend highly on the evolution of the economy, technology and current and future regulatory drivers. A scenario framework was adopted to analyze various technology development pathways and societal change while considering existing regulations and future uncertainty in regulations and evaluate resulting emissions growth patterns. The framework integrates EPA’s energy systems model with an economic Input-Output (I/O) Life Cycle Assessment model. The EPAUS9r MARKAL database is assembled from a set of technologies to represent the U.S. energy system within MARKAL bottom-up technology rich energy modeling framework. The general state of the economy and consequent demands for goods and services from these sectors are taken exogenously in MARKAL. It is important to characterize exogenous inputs about the economy to appropriately represent the industrial sector outlook for each of the scenarios and case studies evaluated. An economic input-output (I/O) model of the US economy is constructed to link up with MARKAL. The I/O model enables user to change input requirements (e.g. energy intensity) for different sectors or the share of consumer income expended on a given good. This gives end-users a mechanism for modeling change in the two dimensions of technological progress and consumer preferences that define the future scenarios. The framework will then be extended to include environmental I/O framework to track life cycle emissions associated

Implementing Accountable Care Organizations: Lessons From a Qualitative Analysis of Four Private Sector Organizations.

PubMed

Walker, Daniel M; Hefner, Jennifer L; Sova, Lindsey N; Hilligoss, Brian; Song, Paula H; McAlearney, Ann Scheck

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are emerging across the healthcare marketplace and now include Medicare, Medicaid, and private sector payers covering more than 24 million lives. However, little is known about the process of organizational change required to achieve cost savings and quality improvements from the ACO model. This study applies the complex innovation implementation framework to understand the challenges and facilitators associated with the ACO implementation process. We conducted four case studies of private sector ACOs, selected to achieve variation in terms of geography and organizational maturity. Across sites, we used semistructured interviews with 68 key informants to elicit information regarding ACO implementation. Our analysis found challenges and facilitators across all domains in the conceptual framework. Notably, our findings deviated from the framework in two ways. First, findings from the financial resource availability domain revealed both financial and nonfinancial (i.e., labor) resources that contributed to implementation effectiveness. Second, a new domain, patient engagement, emerged as an important factor in implementation effectiveness. We present these deviations in an adapted framework. As the ACO model proliferates, these findings can support implementation efforts, and they highlight the importance of focusing on patients throughout the process. Importantly, this study extends the complex innovation implementation framework to incorporate consumers into the implementation framework, making it more patient centered and aiding future efforts.

A Conceptual Development Framework for Management and Leadership Learning in the UK Incubator Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D. Hannon, Paul

2003-01-01

Focuses attention upon a recent phenomenon promoted by public sector policy and government funding and adopted within the private sector as a vehicle for wealth creation, where wealth can mean the development of different forms of capital such as financial, intellectual and social. Incubators and incubation programmes have established themselves…

Distributed Leadership: A Collaborative Framework for Academics, Executives and Professionals in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Sandra; Lefoe, Geraldine; Harvey, Marina; Ryland, Kevin

2012-01-01

New models of leadership are needed for the higher education sector to continue to graduate students with leading edge capabilities. While multiple theories of leadership exist, the higher education sector requires a less hierarchical approach that takes account of its specialised and professional context. Over the last decade the sector has…

A framework for evaluating national space activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Danielle; Weigel, Annalisa

2012-04-01

Space technology and resources are used around the world to address societal challenges. Space provides valuable satellite services, unique scientific discoveries, surprising technology applications and new economic opportunities. Many developing countries formally recognize the advantages of space resources and pursue national level activity to harness them. There is limited data or documentation on the space activities of developing countries. Meanwhile, traditional approaches to summarize national space activity do not necessarily capture the types of activity that developing countries pursue in space. This is especially true if they do not have a formal national space program or office. Developing countries pursue national space activity through activities of many types—from national satellite programs to commercial use of satellite services to involvement with international space institutions. This research aims to understand and analyze these trends. This paper introduces two analytical frameworks for evaluating space activity at the national level. The frameworks are specifically designed to capture the activity of countries that have traditionally been less involved in space. They take a broad view of space related activity across multiple societal sectors and disciplines. The discussion explains the approach for using the frameworks as well as illustrative examples of how they can be applied as part of a research process. The first framework is called the Mission and Management Ladders. This framework considers specific space projects within countries and ranks them on "Ladders" that measure technical challenge and managerial autonomy. This first method is at a micro level of analysis. The second framework is called the Space Participation Metric (SPM). The SPM can be used to assign a Space Participation score to countries based on their involvement in various space related activities. This second method uses a macro level of analysis. The authors developed both frameworks as part of a long term research program about the space activities of developing countries. This aspect of the research focuses on harnessing multiple techniques to summarize complex, multi-disciplinary information about global space activity.

Evolving Norms at the Intersection of Health and Trade

PubMed Central

Drope, Jeffrey; Lencucha, Raphael

2014-01-01

There has been growing tension at the intersection of health and economic policymaking as global governance has increased across sectors. This tension has been particularly evident between tobacco control and trade policy, as the international norms that frame them – particularly the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the World Trade Organization (WTO) – have continued to institutionalize. Using five case studies of major tobacco-related trade disputes from the principal multilateral system of trade governance – the WTO/General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade – we trace the evolution of these interacting norms over nearly 25 years. Our analytic framework particularly focuses on the actors that advance, defend and challenge these norms. We find that an increasingly broad network, which includes governments, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and members of the epistemic community, is playing a more active role in seeking to resolve these tensions. Moreover, key economic actors are beginning to incorporate health more actively in their messaging and activities. We also demonstrate that the most recent resonant messages reflect a more nuanced integration of the two norms. The tobacco control example has direct relevance to related policy areas, including environment, safety, access to medicines, diet, and alcohol. PMID:24603086

Basic needs, rural financial markets, and appropriate technology: Toward a solution of analytical and policy issues

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

Farooq, M.O.

1988-01-01

The failure of the standard Growth Approach to economic development to solve the problems of underdevelopment in LDCs has caused an alternative approach, Basic Needs Approach (BNA), to attain prominence in development thought. BNA emphasizes poverty-minimizing growth. Its strategy of direct attack on poverty has better potential for LDCs' development and fulfillment of their populations' basic needs than the trickle-down mechanism of the Growth Approach. BNA requires, among other things, (a) suitable rural financial markets (RFMs) as parts of the overall financial system, and (b) indigenous technological capabilities. The financial system, if it functions as a central element in anmore » institutionalized technology policy, can link technology-related institutions that generate, evaluate, and promote appropriate technologies (ATs) with RFMs that can support adoption and diffusion of ATs in the agro-rural sector. The above argument uses Bangladesh as a case for illustration. In the light of an institutional framework presented, examined, and extended in this dissertation, it is found that Bangladesh currently does not have an institutionalized technology policy. The current organizational framework and policies related to technological development are not conducive to BNA.« less

Successful Business Intelligence System for SME: An Analytical Study in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qushem, Umar Bin; Zeki, Akram M.; Abubakar, Adamu

2017-08-01

While many larger organizations is adhering to a new level of competence by adoption of advanced Business Intelligence (BI) systems, in the same time there are other small-medium companies who are left behind in terms of updating them for better success in the industry. Thus the aim of the research is to identify Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) specific determinants for Business Intelligence efficiency which will lead those organizations a better understanding of development and testing of BI framework in the business world. In this study, it is therefore considered extensive literature reviews to measure the efficiently factors and proposed a holistic conceptual framework. In the same time, feedbacks of the Business Intelligent experts were taken into consideration to provide new insights for SME companies to ensure where to focus and which type of sector is crucial for an SME organization in order to be successful in parallel with Big organizations. Thus in this regard, Quantitative Survey research method is used and Statistical analysis were used for analyzing the data. The results revealed that SME Companies should focus on Environmental factor (EF) as it is the most identified factor lead BI efficiency in Business Organization.

A protocol for developing an evaluation framework for an academic and private-sector partnership to assess the impact of major food and beverage companies' investments in community health in the United States.

PubMed

Huang, Terry T-K; Ferris, Emily; Crossley, Rachel; Guillermin, Michelle; Costa, Sergio; Cawley, John

2015-01-01

Public health leaders increasingly recognize the importance of multi-sector partnerships and systems approaches to address obesity. Public-private partnerships (PPP), which are joint ventures between government agencies and private sector entities, may help facilitate this process, but need to be delivered through comprehensive, transparent frameworks to maximize potential benefits and minimize potential risks for all partners. The City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health and the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) propose to engage in a unique academic-private-sector research partnership to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the food and beverage industry's investment in obesity and hunger prevention and reduction through community-level healthful eating and active living programs. The CUNY-HWCF academic-private partnership protocol described here incorporates best practices from the literature on PPP into the partnership's design. The CUNY-HWCF partnership design demonstrates how established guidelines for partnership components will actively incorporate and promote the principles of successful PPPs identified in various research papers. These identified principles of successful PPP, including mutuality (a reciprocal relationship between entities), and equality among partners, recognition of partners' unique strengths and roles, alignment of resources and expertise toward a common cause, and coordination and delegation of responsibilities, will be embedded throughout the design of governance, management, funding, intellectual property and accountability structures. The CUNY-HWCF partnership responds to the call for increased multi-sector work in obesity prevention and control. This framework aims to promote transparency and the shared benefits of complementary expertise while minimizing shared risks and conflicts of interest. This framework serves as a template for future academic-private research partnerships.

Late-time structure of the Bunch-Davies de Sitter wavefunction

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

Anninos, Dionysios; Anous, Tarek; Freedman, Daniel Z.

2015-11-30

We examine the late time behavior of the Bunch-Davies wavefunction for interacting light fields in a de Sitter background. We use perturbative techniques developed in the framework of AdS/CFT, and analytically continue to compute tree and loop level contributions to the Bunch-Davies wavefunction. We consider self-interacting scalars of general mass, but focus especially on the massless and conformally coupled cases. We show that certain contributions grow logarithmically in conformal time both at tree and loop level. We also consider gauge fields and gravitons. The four-dimensional Fefferman-Graham expansion of classical asymptotically de Sitter solutions is used to show that the wavefunctionmore » contains no logarithmic growth in the pure graviton sector at tree level. Finally, assuming a holographic relation between the wavefunction and the partition function of a conformal field theory, we interpret the logarithmic growths in the language of conformal field theory.« less

A Bright Future: Innovation Transforming Public Health in Chicago

PubMed Central

Choucair, Bechara; Bhatt, Jay; Mansour, Raed

2015-01-01

Big cities continue to be centers for innovative solutions and services. Governments are quickly identifying opportunities to take advantage of this energy and revolutionize the means by which they deliver services to the public. The governmental public health sector is rapidly evolving in this respect, and Chicago is an emerging example of some of the changes to come. Governments are gradually adopting innovative informatics and big data tools and strategies, led by pioneering jurisdictions that are piecing together the standards, policy frameworks, and leadership structures fundamental to effective analytics use. They give an enticing glimpse of the technology's potential and a sense of the challenges that stand in the way. This is a rapidly evolving environment, and cities can work with partners to capitalize on the innovative energies of civic tech communities, health care systems, and emerging markets to introduce new methods to solve old problems. PMID:25423057

A bright future: innovation transforming public health in Chicago.

PubMed

Choucair, Bechara; Bhatt, Jay; Mansour, Raed

2015-01-01

Big cities continue to be centers for innovative solutions and services. Governments are quickly identifying opportunities to take advantage of this energy and revolutionize the means by which they deliver services to the public. The governmental public health sector is rapidly evolving in this respect, and Chicago is an emerging example of some of the changes to come. Governments are gradually adopting innovative informatics and big data tools and strategies, led by pioneering jurisdictions that are piecing together the standards, policy frameworks, and leadership structures fundamental to effective analytics use. They give an enticing glimpse of the technology's potential and a sense of the challenges that stand in the way. This is a rapidly evolving environment, and cities can work with partners to capitalize on the innovative energies of civic tech communities, health care systems, and emerging markets to introduce new methods to solve old problems.

Proliferation of Observables and Measurement in Quantum-Classical Hybrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elze, Hans-Thomas

2012-01-01

Following a review of quantum-classical hybrid dynamics, we discuss the ensuing proliferation of observables and relate it to measurements of (would-be) quantum mechanical degrees of freedom performed by (would-be) classical ones (if they were separable). Hybrids consist in coupled classical (CL) and quantum mechanical (QM) objects. Numerous consistency requirements for their description have been discussed and are fulfilled here. We summarize a representation of quantum mechanics in terms of classical analytical mechanics which is naturally extended to QM-CL hybrids. This framework allows for superposition, separable, and entangled states originating in the QM sector, admits experimenter's "Free Will", and is local and nonsignaling. Presently, we study the set of hybrid observables, which is larger than the Cartesian product of QM and CL observables of its components; yet it is smaller than a corresponding product of all-classical observables. Thus, quantumness and classicality infect each other.

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

Bidstrup, Morten, E-mail: bidstrup@plan.aau.dk; Kørnøv, Lone, E-mail: lonek@plan.aau.dk; Partidário, Maria Rosário, E-mail: mariapartidario@tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Cumulative effects (CE) assessment is lacking quality in impact assessment (IA) worldwide. It has been argued that the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) provides a suitable IA framework for addressing CE because it is applied to developments with broad boundaries, but few have tested this claim. Through a case study on the Danish mining sector, this article explores how plan boundaries influence the analytical boundaries applied for assessing CE in SEA. The case was studied through document analysis in combination with semi-structured group interviews of the responsible planners, who also serve as SEA practitioners. It was found that CE are tomore » some extent assessed and managed implicitly throughout the planning process. However, this is through a focus on lowering the cumulative stress of mining rather than the cumulative stress on and capacity of the receiving environment. Plan boundaries do influence CE assessment, though all boundaries are not equally influential. The geographical and time boundaries of the Danish mining plans are broad or flexible enough to accommodate a meaningful assessment of CE, but the topical boundary is restrictive. The study indicates that collaboration among planning authorities and legally appointed CE leadership may facilitate better practice on CE assessment in sector-specific SEA contexts. However, most pressing is the need for relating assessment to the receiving environment as opposed to solely the stress of a proposed plan.« less

Understanding growers' decisions to manage invasive pathogens at the farm level.

PubMed

Breukers, Annemarie; van Asseldonk, Marcel; Bremmer, Johan; Beekman, Volkert

2012-06-01

Globalization causes plant production systems to be increasingly threatened by invasive pests and pathogens. Much research is devoted to support management of these risks. Yet, the role of growers' perceptions and behavior in risk management has remained insufficiently analyzed. This article aims to fill this gap by addressing risk management of invasive pathogens from a sociopsychological perspective. An analytical framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior was used to explain growers' decisions on voluntary risk management measures. Survey information from 303 Dutch horticultural growers was statistically analyzed, including regression and cluster analysis. It appeared that growers were generally willing to apply risk management measures, and that poor risk management was mainly due to perceived barriers, such as high costs and doubts regarding efficacy of management measures. The management measures applied varied considerably among growers, depending on production sector and farm-specific circumstances. Growers' risk perception was found to play a role in their risk management, although the causal relation remained unclear. These results underscore the need to apply a holistic perspective to farm level management of invasive pathogen risk, considering the entire package of management measures and accounting for sector- and farm-specific circumstances. Moreover, they demonstrate that invasive pathogen risk management can benefit from a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates growers' perceptions and behavior.

Authentic Oral Language Production and Interaction in CALL: An Evolving Conceptual Framework for the Use of Learning Analytics within the SpeakApps Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nic Giolla Mhichíl, Mairéad; van Engen, Jeroen; Ó Ciardúbháin, Colm; Ó Cléircín, Gearóid; Appel, Christine

2014-01-01

This paper sets out to construct and present the evolving conceptual framework of the SpeakApps projects to consider the application of learning analytics to facilitate synchronous and asynchronous oral language skills within this CALL context. Drawing from both the CALL and wider theoretical and empirical literature of learner analytics, the…

Harnessing private sector expertise to improve complementary feeding within a regulatory framework: Where is the evidence?

PubMed

van Liere, Marti J; Tarlton, Dessie; Menon, Ravi; Yellamanda, M; Reerink, Ietje

2017-10-01

Global recognition that the complex and multicausal problems of malnutrition require all players to collaborate and to invest towards the same objective has led to increased private sector engagement as exemplified through the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network and mechanisms for blended financing and matched funding, such as the Global Nutrition for Growth Compact. The careful steps made over the past 5 to 10 years have however not taken away or reduced the hesitation and scepticism of the public sector actors towards commercial or even social businesses. Evidence of impact or even a positive contribution of a private sector approach to intermediate nutrition outcomes is still lacking. This commentary aims to discuss the multiple ways in which private sector can leverage its expertise to improve nutrition in general, and complementary feeding in particular. It draws on specific lessons learned in Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, India, Indonesia, and Madagascar on how private sector expertise has contributed, within the boundaries of a regulatory framework, to improve availability, accessibility, affordability, and adequate use of nutritious foods. It concludes that a solid evidence base regarding the contribution of private sector to complementary feeding is still lacking and that the development of a systematic learning agenda is essential to make progress in the area of private sector engagement in nutrition. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evidence for a nonplanar amplituhedron

DOE PAGES

Bern, Zvi; Herrmann, Enrico; Litsey, Sean; ...

2016-06-17

The scattering amplitudes of planar N = 4 super-Yang-Mills exhibit a number of remarkable analytic structures, including dual conformal symmetry and logarithmic singularities of integrands. The amplituhedron is a geometric construction of the integrand that incorporates these structures. This geometric construction further implies the amplitude is fully specified by constraining it to vanish on spurious residues. By writing the amplitude in a dlog basis, we provide nontrivial evidence that these analytic properties and “zero conditions” carry over into the nonplanar sector. Finally, this suggests that the concept of the amplituhedron can be extended to the nonplanar sector of N =more » 4 super-Yang-Mills theory.« less

77 FR 37816 - Revisions to Framework Adjustment 47 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-25

... Management Plan and Sector Annual Catch Entitlements; Updated Annual Catch Limits for Sectors and the Common... either sectors or the common pool fishery. DATES: Effective June 22, 2012, through April 30, 2013. FOR... for GOM cod on May 1, 2012 (77 FR 25623), consistent with the Council's request. The common pool and...

Meat Processing Company Staff as Innovation Intermediaries: Developing a Framework from New Zealand's Red Meat Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westbrooke, Victoria; Guenther, Meike; Bewsell, Denise; Greer, Glen

2018-01-01

Purpose: Meat processing companies have the potential to raise farm and sector productivity by directly working with farmers. This study assesses how commercial companies can undertake the roles of innovation intermediaries to increase productivity in New Zealand's sheep and beef sector. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a case study…

Real-Time Analytics for the Healthcare Industry: Arrhythmia Detection.

PubMed

Agneeswaran, Vijay Srinivas; Mukherjee, Joydeb; Gupta, Ashutosh; Tonpay, Pranay; Tiwari, Jayati; Agarwal, Nitin

2013-09-01

It is time for the healthcare industry to move from the era of "analyzing our health history" to the age of "managing the future of our health." In this article, we illustrate the importance of real-time analytics across the healthcare industry by providing a generic mechanism to reengineer traditional analytics expressed in the R programming language into Storm-based real-time analytics code. This is a powerful abstraction, since most data scientists use R to write the analytics and are not clear on how to make the data work in real-time and on high-velocity data. Our paper focuses on the applications necessary to a healthcare analytics scenario, specifically focusing on the importance of electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. A physician can use our framework to compare ECG reports by categorization and consequently detect Arrhythmia. The framework can read the ECG signals and uses a machine learning-based categorizer that runs within a Storm environment to compare different ECG signals. The paper also presents some performance studies of the framework to illustrate the throughput and accuracy trade-off in real-time analytics.

Moving Towards Multi - Air Pollutant Strategies in Major U.S. Industry Sectors, 2011

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report presents a summary of the Work Group’s discussions, a Framework for evaluating new approaches, and a set of recommendations for moving toward sector based, multi-pollutant strategies for air pollution reduction.

How to engage across sectors: lessons from agriculture and nutrition in the Brazilian School Feeding Program.

PubMed

Hawkes, Corinna; Brazil, Bettina Gerken; Castro, Inês Rugani Ribeiro de; Jaime, Patricia Constante

2016-08-11

To provide insights for nutrition and public health practitioners on how to engage with other sectors to achieve public health goals. Specifically, this study provides lessons from the example of integrating family farming and a nutrition into a legal framework in Brazil on how to successfully shift other sectors toward nutrition goals. The study analyzed policy processes that led to a Brazilian law linking family farming with the National School Feeding Program. Main actors involved with the development of the law were interviewed and their narratives were analyzed using a well-established theoretical framework. The study provides five key lessons for promoting intersectorality. First, nutrition and health practitioners can afford to embrace bold ideas when working with other sectors. Second, they should engage with more powerful sectors (or subsectors) and position nutrition goals as providing solutions that meet the interests of these sector. Third is the need to focus on a common goal - which may not be explicitly nutrition-related - as the focus of the intersectoral action. Fourth, philosophical, political, and governance spaces are needed to bring together different sectors. Fifth, evidence on the success of the intersectoral approach increases the acceptance of the process. This study on policy processes shows how a convergence of factors enabled a link between family farming and school feeding in Brazil. It highlights that there are strategies to engage other sectors toward nutrition goals which provides benefits for all sectors involved.

How to engage across sectors: lessons from agriculture and nutrition in the Brazilian School Feeding Program

PubMed Central

Hawkes, Corinna; Brazil, Bettina Gerken; de Castro, Inês Rugani Ribeiro; Jaime, Patricia Constante

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To provide insights for nutrition and public health practitioners on how to engage with other sectors to achieve public health goals. Specifically, this study provides lessons from the example of integrating family farming and a nutrition into a legal framework in Brazil on how to successfully shift other sectors toward nutrition goals. METHODS The study analyzed policy processes that led to a Brazilian law linking family farming with the National School Feeding Program. Main actors involved with the development of the law were interviewed and their narratives were analyzed using a well-established theoretical framework. RESULTS The study provides five key lessons for promoting intersectorality. First, nutrition and health practitioners can afford to embrace bold ideas when working with other sectors. Second, they should engage with more powerful sectors (or subsectors) and position nutrition goals as providing solutions that meet the interests of these sector. Third is the need to focus on a common goal – which may not be explicitly nutrition-related – as the focus of the intersectoral action. Fourth, philosophical, political, and governance spaces are needed to bring together different sectors. Fifth, evidence on the success of the intersectoral approach increases the acceptance of the process. CONCLUSIONS This study on policy processes shows how a convergence of factors enabled a link between family farming and school feeding in Brazil. It highlights that there are strategies to engage other sectors toward nutrition goals which provides benefits for all sectors involved. PMID:27533363

Framework for assessing key variable dependencies in loose-abrasive grinding and polishing

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

Taylor, J.S.; Aikens, D.M.; Brown, N.J.

1995-12-01

This memo describes a framework for identifying all key variables that determine the figuring performance of loose-abrasive lapping and polishing machines. This framework is intended as a tool for prioritizing R&D issues, assessing the completeness of process models and experimental data, and for providing a mechanism to identify any assumptions in analytical models or experimental procedures. Future plans for preparing analytical models or performing experiments can refer to this framework in establishing the context of the work.

The Parallel System for Integrating Impact Models and Sectors (pSIMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elliott, Joshua; Kelly, David; Chryssanthacopoulos, James; Glotter, Michael; Jhunjhnuwala, Kanika; Best, Neil; Wilde, Michael; Foster, Ian

2014-01-01

We present a framework for massively parallel climate impact simulations: the parallel System for Integrating Impact Models and Sectors (pSIMS). This framework comprises a) tools for ingesting and converting large amounts of data to a versatile datatype based on a common geospatial grid; b) tools for translating this datatype into custom formats for site-based models; c) a scalable parallel framework for performing large ensemble simulations, using any one of a number of different impacts models, on clusters, supercomputers, distributed grids, or clouds; d) tools and data standards for reformatting outputs to common datatypes for analysis and visualization; and e) methodologies for aggregating these datatypes to arbitrary spatial scales such as administrative and environmental demarcations. By automating many time-consuming and error-prone aspects of large-scale climate impacts studies, pSIMS accelerates computational research, encourages model intercomparison, and enhances reproducibility of simulation results. We present the pSIMS design and use example assessments to demonstrate its multi-model, multi-scale, and multi-sector versatility.

Banning shisha smoking in public places in Iran: an advocacy coalition framework perspective on policy process and change.

PubMed

Khayatzadeh-Mahani, Akram; Breton, Eric; Ruckert, Arne; Labonté, Ronald

2017-07-01

Shisha smoking is a widespread custom in Iran with a rapidly growing prevalence especially among the youth. In this article, we analyze the policy process of enforcing a federal/state ban on shisha smoking in all public places in Kerman Province, Iran. Guided by the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), we investigate how a shisha smoking ban reached the political agenda in 2011, how it was framed by different policy actors, and why no significant breakthrough took place despite its inclusion on the agenda. We conducted a qualitative study using a case study approach. Two main sources of data were employed: face-to-face in-depth interviews and document analysis of key policy texts. We interviewed 24 policy actors from diverse sectors. A qualitative thematic framework, incorporating both inductive and deductive analyses, was employed to analyze our data. We found that the health sector was the main actor pushing the issue of shisha smoking onto the political agenda by framing it as a public health risk. The health sector and its allies advocated enforcement of a federal law to ban shisha smoking in all public places including teahouses and traditional restaurants whereas another group of actors opposed the ban. The pro-ban group was unable to neutralize the strategies of the anti-ban group and to steer the debate towards the health harms of shisha smoking. Our analysis uncovers three main reasons behind the policy stasis: lack of policy learning due to lack of agreement over evidence and related analytical conflicts between the two groups linked to differences in core and policy beliefs; the inability of the pro-ban group to exploit opportunities in the external policy subsystem through generating stronger public support for enforcement of the shisha smoking ban; and the nature of the institutional setting, in particular the autocratic governance of CHFS which contributed to a lack of policy learning within the policy subsystem. Our research demonstrated the utility of ACF as a theoretical framework for analyzing the policy process and policy change to promote tobacco control. It shows the importance of accounting for policy actors' belief systems and issue-framing in understanding how some issues get more prominence in the policy-making process than others. Our findings further indicate a need for significant resources employed by the state through public awareness campaigns to change public perceptions of shisha smoking in Iran which is a deeply anchored cultural practice. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2017; all rights reserved.

Role of Knowledge Management and Analytical CRM in Business: Data Mining Based Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranjan, Jayanthi; Bhatnagar, Vishal

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to provide a thorough analysis of the concepts of business intelligence (BI), knowledge management (KM) and analytical CRM (aCRM) and to establish a framework for integrating all the three to each other. The paper also seeks to establish a KM and aCRM based framework using data mining (DM) techniques, which…

RT-18: Value of Flexibility. Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-25

an analytical framework based on sound mathematical constructs. A review of the current state-of-the-art showed that there is little unifying theory...framework that is mathematically consistent, domain independent and applicable under varying information levels. This report presents our advances in...During this period, we also explored the development of an analytical framework based on sound mathematical constructs. A review of the current state

A Framework for Assessing the Performance of Nonprofit Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chongmyoung; Nowell, Branda

2015-01-01

Performance measurement has gained increased importance in the nonprofit sector, and contemporary literature is populated with numerous performance measurement frameworks. In this article, we seek to accomplish two goals. First, we review contemporary models of nonprofit performance measurement to develop an integrated framework in order to…

De-Identification in Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalila, Mohammad; Ebner, Martin

2016-01-01

Learning analytics has reserved its position as an important field in the educational sector. However, the large-scale collection, processing, and analyzing of data has steered the wheel beyond the borders to face an abundance of ethical breaches and constraints. Revealing learners' personal information and attitudes, as well as their activities,…

Impacts of High Variable Renewable Energy Futures on Wholesale Electricity Prices, and on Electric-Sector Decision Making

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

Seel, Joachim; Mills, Andrew D.; Wiser, Ryan H.

Increasing penetrations of variable renewable energy (VRE) can affect wholesale electricity price patterns and make them meaningfully different from past, traditional price patterns. Many long-lasting decisions for supply- and demand-side electricity infrastructure and programs are based on historical observations or assume a business-as-usual future with low shares of VRE. Our motivating question is whether certain electric-sector decisions that are made based on assumptions reflecting low VRE levels will still achieve their intended objective in a high VRE future. We qualitatively describe how various decisions may change with higher shares of VRE and outline an analytical framework for quantitatively evaluating themore » impacts of VRE on long-lasting decisions. We then present results from detailed electricity market simulations with capacity expansion and unit commitment models for multiple regions of the U.S. for low and high VRE futures. We find a general decrease in average annual hourly wholesale energy prices with more VRE penetration, increased price volatility and frequency of very low-priced hours, and changing diurnal price patterns. Ancillary service prices rise substantially and peak net-load hours with high capacity value are shifted increasingly into the evening, particularly for high solar futures. While in this report we only highlight qualitatively the possible impact of these altered price patterns on other demand- and supply-side electric sector decisions, the core set of electricity market prices derived here provides a foundation for later planned quantitative evaluations of these decisions in low and high VRE futures.« less

Economic evaluation of occupational health and safety programmes in health care.

PubMed

Guzman, J; Tompa, E; Koehoorn, M; de Boer, H; Macdonald, S; Alamgir, H

2015-10-01

Evidence-based resource allocation in the public health care sector requires reliable economic evaluations that are different from those needed in the commercial sector. To describe a framework for conducting economic evaluations of occupational health and safety (OHS) programmes in health care developed with sector stakeholders. To define key resources and outcomes to be considered in economic evaluations of OHS programmes and to integrate these into a comprehensive framework. Participatory action research supported by mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, including a multi-stakeholder working group, 25 key informant interviews, a 41-member Delphi panel and structured nominal group discussions. We found three resources had top priority: OHS staff time, training the workers and programme planning, promotion and evaluation. Similarly, five outcomes had top priority: number of injuries, safety climate, job satisfaction, quality of care and work days lost. The resulting framework was built around seven principles of good practice that stakeholders can use to assist them in conducting economic evaluations of OHS programmes. Use of a framework resulting from this participatory action research approach may increase the quality of economic evaluations of OHS programmes and facilitate programme comparisons for evidence-based resource allocation decisions. The principles may be applicable to other service sectors funded from general taxes and more broadly to economic evaluations of OHS programmes in general. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A proposed framework of big data readiness in public sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Raja Haslinda Raja Mohd; Mohamad, Rosli; Sudin, Suhizaz

2016-08-01

Growing interest over big data mainly linked to its great potential to unveil unforeseen pattern or profiles that support organisation's key business decisions. Following private sector moves to embrace big data, the government sector has now getting into the bandwagon. Big data has been considered as one of the potential tools to enhance service delivery of the public sector within its financial resources constraints. Malaysian government, particularly, has considered big data as one of the main national agenda. Regardless of government commitment to promote big data amongst government agencies, degrees of readiness of the government agencies as well as their employees are crucial in ensuring successful deployment of big data. This paper, therefore, proposes a conceptual framework to investigate perceived readiness of big data potentials amongst Malaysian government agencies. Perceived readiness of 28 ministries and their respective employees will be assessed using both qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey) approaches. The outcome of the study is expected to offer meaningful insight on factors affecting change readiness among public agencies on big data potentials and the expected outcome from greater/lower change readiness among the public sectors.

Constructions of Volunteerism in Third Sector Organisations: Some Comparisons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenny, Sue

2003-01-01

Volunteerism in third-sector charitable/volunteer organizations takes different forms and involves different practices depending on contexts. Four operating frameworks--charity, activist, welfare state, and market--facilitate, co-opt, or impede volunteer practices in different settings. (Contains 18 references.) (JOW)

Sandplay therapy with couples within the framework of analytical psychology.

PubMed

Albert, Susan Carol

2015-02-01

Sandplay therapy with couples is discussed within an analytical framework. Guidelines are proposed as a means of developing this relatively new area within sandplay therapy, and as a platform to open a wider discussion to bring together sandplay therapy and couple therapy. Examples of sand trays created during couple therapy are also presented to illustrate the transformations during the therapeutic process. © 2015, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Early Days for the Differentiation Policy Framework in Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sianos, Helen

2017-01-01

The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in Canada released "Ontario's Differentiation Policy Framework for Postsecondary Education" in 2013. This chapter examines the mandate as it pertains to the college sector.

Vocational Qualification Frameworks in Asia-Pacific: A Cresting Wave of Educational Reform?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comyn, Paul

2009-01-01

The introduction of national qualification frameworks (NQFs), including frameworks specifically for the vocational sector (NVQFs), are policy initiatives that have far reaching implications for the management and delivery of education and training. Despite the caution called for by researchers and the challenging reality of implementation in both…

A conceptual framework toward identifying and analyzing challenges to the advancement of pharmacy.

PubMed

Bader, Lina R; McGrath, Simon; Rouse, Michael J; Anderson, Claire

Pharmacists and health care professionals are faced with increasing and changing health care needs around the world. To meet these demands, they are required to continuously upgrade and develop their professions. Reprofessionalization is therefore crucial to the successful delivery of health services, but traditional theories might provide little practical guidance to evaluating the overall status of a profession. This study proposes a new conceptual framework of three interrelated professional sectors: education, regulation and practice, and uses it to identify and analyze challenges facing the pharmacy profession in Jordan. A multiple-method qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews and focus groups was conducted in Amman, Jordan. To explore and identify the challenges, a purposively recruited cross-sector sample of 53 key informants, stakeholders and pharmacists were interviewed. Interview transcripts were translated and analyzed using QSR NVivo 10. Thematic analysis identified eight main challenges facing pharmacy in Jordan. The original participants were then invited to participate in focus groups, the purpose of which was to validate the interview findings, map them against the conceptual framework and discuss recommendations for development. The eight validated challenges span the following areas: graduates preparedness for practice, pharmacy education accreditation and quality assurance, pre-registration requirements, workforce development, workforce planning, remuneration and wage rate, pharmacy assistants, and Pharm.D. pharmacists. Focus group participants used the framework to map each of the challenges to the primary sector-to-sector disconnect that they perceived to explain it. A list of recommendations addressing each of the challenges was also devised. The framework was found to offer valuable insight as an explanatory and diagnostic tool in policy-relevant research. By emphasizing the processual and contextual nature of reprofessionalization, the framework presents an alternative approach to traditional theories. This study also raises important questions regarding the status of pharmacy in Jordan and aims to provide guidance for local development and much-needed reprofessionalization drives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategy for Addressing the Retail Sector under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act's Regulatory Framework

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Retail Strategy lays out a cohesive and effective plan to address the unique challenges the retail sector has with complying with the hazardous waste regulations while reducing burden and protecting human health and the environment.

An alternative to the neoliberal model in health: the case of Venezuela.

PubMed

Feo, Oscar; Siqueira, Carlos Eduardo

2004-01-01

The authors present a synthesis of the proposals put forth by the health sector of Venezuela during the framing of the new Venezuelan Constitution. They summarize the background to the National Constituent Assembly and the legal framework typical of the health sector at that time, identify the methodological aspects that substantiated the health topics included in the new Constitution, and analyze the articles that shape the current constitutional health framework in Venezuela, summarizing their most important features and comparing them with neoliberal health proposals.

Analytic Frameworks for Assessing Dialogic Argumentation in Online Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Douglas B; Sampson, Victor; Weinberger, Armin; Erkens, Gijsbert

2007-01-01

Over the last decade, researchers have developed sophisticated online learning environments to support students engaging in dialogic argumentation. This review examines five categories of analytic frameworks for measuring participant interactions within these environments focusing on (1) formal argumentation structure, (2) conceptual quality, (3)…

Banking for health: opportunities in cooperation between banking and health applying innovation from other sectors.

PubMed

Kickbusch, Ilona; Krech, Rüdiger; Franz, Christian; Wells, Nadya

2018-01-01

The annual funding need for global health SDG targets is estimated by WHO at US$134 billion per year, rising to US$274-$371bn by 2030. This paper examines the challenge of making sustainable investment structures in global health more attractive for mainstream financial markets. The objective is a framework for targeted future debate with financial sector actors. Four case studies of innovative sustainable investment mechanisms are analysed, elaborating potential transfer of green and impact investment models in order to channel additional private sector funds to health. To increase private sector involvement, profit must accrue to providers of finance. The paper shows how health criteria can be incorporated into structures, which create triple bottom line return opportunities. Health infrastructure projects based on risk sharing models with governments or multilateral agencies could use long-term funding, with better credit ratings and lower cost of capital. Outcomes based investment, similar to green or social impact bonds, with third-party certification of measurable health impact, satisfy the private sector need for return with social interest objectives. Responsible investment could expand by adding a 'health' (H) criterion to the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework, implementing ESG+H for mainstream investment screening. These models are scalable, satisfy the need to dedicate funds to health and incorporate consistent critical success metrics. The conclusion finds that strong legal frameworks and exploration of fiscal incentives will be critical next steps to facilitate scaling up and broadening of interest from private sector financial actors. The impact these investments have on overall population health is a positive externality of sustainable global health investment.

Banking for health: opportunities in cooperation between banking and health applying innovation from other sectors

PubMed Central

Kickbusch, Ilona; Franz, Christian; Wells, Nadya

2018-01-01

The annual funding need for global health SDG targets is estimated by WHO at US$134 billion per year, rising to US$274-$371bn by 2030. This paper examines the challenge of making sustainable investment structures in global health more attractive for mainstream financial markets. The objective is a framework for targeted future debate with financial sector actors. Four case studies of innovative sustainable investment mechanisms are analysed, elaborating potential transfer of green and impact investment models in order to channel additional private sector funds to health. To increase private sector involvement, profit must accrue to providers of finance. The paper shows how health criteria can be incorporated into structures, which create triple bottom line return opportunities. Health infrastructure projects based on risk sharing models with governments or multilateral agencies could use long-term funding, with better credit ratings and lower cost of capital. Outcomes based investment, similar to green or social impact bonds, with third-party certification of measurable health impact, satisfy the private sector need for return with social interest objectives. Responsible investment could expand by adding a ‘health’ (H) criterion to the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework, implementing ESG+H for mainstream investment screening. These models are scalable, satisfy the need to dedicate funds to health and incorporate consistent critical success metrics. The conclusion finds that strong legal frameworks and exploration of fiscal incentives will be critical next steps to facilitate scaling up and broadening of interest from private sector financial actors. The impact these investments have on overall population health is a positive externality of sustainable global health investment. PMID:29915672

Analytic Result for the Two-loop Six-point NMHV Amplitude in N = 4 Super Yang-Mills Theory

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

Dixon, Lance J.; /SLAC; Drummond, James M.

2012-02-15

We provide a simple analytic formula for the two-loop six-point ratio function of planar N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory. This result extends the analytic knowledge of multi-loop six-point amplitudes beyond those with maximal helicity violation. We make a natural ansatz for the symbols of the relevant functions appearing in the two-loop amplitude, and impose various consistency conditions, including symmetry, the absence of spurious poles, the correct collinear behavior, and agreement with the operator product expansion for light-like (super) Wilson loops. This information reduces the ansatz to a small number of relatively simple functions. In order to fix these parametersmore » uniquely, we utilize an explicit representation of the amplitude in terms of loop integrals that can be evaluated analytically in various kinematic limits. The final compact analytic result is expressed in terms of classical polylogarithms, whose arguments are rational functions of the dual conformal cross-ratios, plus precisely two functions that are not of this type. One of the functions, the loop integral {Omega}{sup (2)}, also plays a key role in a new representation of the remainder function R{sub 6}{sup (2)} in the maximally helicity violating sector. Another interesting feature at two loops is the appearance of a new (parity odd) x (parity odd) sector of the amplitude, which is absent at one loop, and which is uniquely determined in a natural way in terms of the more familiar (parity even) x (parity even) part. The second non-polylogarithmic function, the loop integral {tilde {Omega}}{sup (2)}, characterizes this sector. Both {Omega}{sup (2)} and {tilde {Omega}}{sup (2)} can be expressed as one-dimensional integrals over classical polylogarithms with rational arguments.« less

Beyond privacy and exposure: ethical issues within citizen-facing analytics.

PubMed

Grindrod, Peter

2016-12-28

We discuss the governing forces for analytics, especially concerning citizens' behaviours and their transactions, that depend on which of three spheres of operation an institution is in (corporate, public sector/government and academic). We argue that aspirations and missions also differ by sphere even as digital spaces have drawn these spheres ever closer together. We propose that citizens' expectations and implicit permissions for any exploitation of their data require the perception of a fair balance of benefits, which should be transparent (accessible to citizens) and justifiable. We point out that within the corporate sphere most analytics does not concern identity, targeted marketing nor any direct interference with individual citizens; but instead it supports strategic decision-making, where the data are effectively anonymous. With the three spheres we discuss the nature of models deployed in analytics, including 'black-box' modelling uncheckable by a human mind, and the need to track the provenance and workings or models. We also examine the recent evolution of personal data, where some behaviours, or tokens, identifying individuals (unique and yet non-random) are partially and jointly owned by other individuals that are themselves connected. We consider the ability of heavily and lightly regulated sectors to increase access or to stifle innovation. We also call for clear and inclusive definitions of 'data science and analytics', avoiding the narrow claims of those in technical sub-sectors or sub-themes. Finally, we examine some examples of unethical and abusive practices. We argue for an ethical responsibility to be placed upon professional data scientists to avoid abuses in the future.This article is part of the themed issue 'The ethical impact of data science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Institutional Analytics: A Response to the Pressures of Academic Capitalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keefe, Molly Eleanor

2017-01-01

The higher education sector today faces an environment unlike any it has seen before. Serving a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders and facing diverse and fast-changing economic, social, and political pressures, universities can benefit from corporate-like approaches such as the use of analytics to inform strategic decision-making…

Integrated framework to capture the interdependencies between transportation and energy sectors due to policy decisions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

Currently, transportation and energy sectors are developed, managed, and operated independently of : one another. Due to the non-renewable nature of fossil fuels, energy security has evolved into a : strategic goal for the United States. The transpor...

An Analytical Framework for Evaluating E-Commerce Business Models and Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chung-Shing

2001-01-01

Considers electronic commerce as a paradigm shift, or a disruptive innovation, and presents an analytical framework based on the theories of transaction costs and switching costs. Topics include business transformation process; scale effect; scope effect; new sources of revenue; and e-commerce value creation model and strategy. (LRW)

Reasoning across Ontologically Distinct Levels: Students' Understandings of Molecular Genetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Ravit Golan; Reiser, Brian J.

2007-01-01

In this article we apply a novel analytical framework to explore students' difficulties in understanding molecular genetics--a domain that is particularly challenging to learn. Our analytical framework posits that reasoning in molecular genetics entails mapping across ontologically distinct levels--an information level containing the genetic…

The Illness Narratives of Health Managers: Developing an Analytical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exworthy, Mark

2011-01-01

This paper examines the personal experience of illness and healthcare by health managers through their illness narratives. By synthesising a wider literature of illness narratives and health management, an analytical framework is presented, which considers the impact of illness narratives, comprising the logic of illness narratives, the actors…

A Data Protection Framework for Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cormack, Andrew

2016-01-01

Most studies on the use of digital student data adopt an ethical framework derived from human-subject research, based on the informed consent of the experimental subject. However, consent gives universities little guidance on using learning analytics as a routine part of educational provision: which purposes are legitimate and which analyses…

Twenty-first century macro-trends in the institutional fabric of science: bibliometric monitoring and analysis.

PubMed

Tijssen, Robert J W; Winnink, Jos

Some say that world science has become more 'applied', or at least more 'application-oriented', in recent years. Replacing the ill-defined distinction between 'basic research' and 'applied research', we introduce 'research application orientation' domains as an alternative conceptual and analytical framework for examining research output growth patterns. To distinguish possible developmental trajectories we define three institutional domains: 'university', 'industry', 'hospitals'. Our macro-level bibliometric analysis takes a closer look at general trends within and across some 750 of the world's largest research-intensive universities. To correct for database changes, our time-series analysis was applied to both a fixed journal set (same research journals and conference proceedings over time) and a dynamic journal set (changing set of publication outlets). We find that output growth in the 'hospital research orientation' has significantly outpaced the other two application domains, especially since 2006/2007. This happened mainly because of the introduction of new publication outlets in the WoS, but also partially because some universities-especially in China-seem to have become more visible in this domain. Our analytical approach needs further broadening and deepening to provide a more definitive answer whether hospitals and the medical sector are becoming increasingly dominant as a domain of scientific knowledge production and an environment for research applications.

Framework legislation for non-communicable diseases: and for the Sustainable Development Goals?

PubMed Central

Magnusson, Roger S

2017-01-01

‘Framework legislation’ refers to legislation that sets out structures for governance and accountability or other processes for guiding the decisions and actions taken by government or the executive. Framework legislation for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) provides the opportunity for countries to focus their political commitment, to set national targets, and a time-frame for achieving them, and to create cross-sectoral governance structures for the development and implementation of innovative policies. Although they extend well beyond NCDs, the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) create similar demands for effective national governance. A similar case might, therefore, be made for framework legislation for the health-related SDGs or for legislation to govern particular aspects, such as managing commercial relationships with the private sector or managing conflicts of interest. This article considers the possible benefits of framework legislation, including what issues might be appropriate for inclusion in a framework law. The absence of framework legislation should neither be seen as an excuse for inaction, nor is framework legislation a substitute for detailed regulation of areas such as sanitation and water quality, tobacco and alcohol control, food safety, essential medicines or poisons. The ultimate test for framework legislation will be its capacity to provide a catalyst for action and to accelerate progress towards national and global health goals. PMID:29082017

Access to Basic Education in Ghana: The Evidence and the Issues. Country Analytic Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akyeampong, Kwame; Djangmah, Jerome; Oduro, Abena; Seidu, Alhassan; Hunt, Frances

2007-01-01

The analysis of access to education in Ghana builds on the Ministry of Education Sector Performance Report and the World Bank sector studies. Though access has improved it remains uneven and has not grown as fast enough to reach universal levels of participation in primary school and JSS [Junior Secondary School] by 2015. More needs to be…

Sectoral Patterns of Interactive Learning: An Empirical Exploration of a Case in a Dutch Region.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meeus, Marius T. H.; Oerlemans, Leon A. G.; Hage, Jerald

2001-01-01

Pursues the development of a theoretical framework that explains interactive learning between innovator firms and external actors in both the knowledge infrastructure and the production chain. Analyzes models in four sectors with distinct technological dynamics as distinguished by Pavitt. (DDR)

Development cooperation in water and sanitation: is it based on the human rights framework?

PubMed

Brown, Colin; Heller, Léo

2017-07-01

The water and sanitation sector is verifiably receiving increased attention and funding through international development cooperation. Not least because of the way that it affects incentives and institutions in partner countries, development cooperation can have either positive or negative effects on human rights though. The consolidated frameworks for the human rights to water and sanitation is becoming linked to the international community's coordinated development efforts, as evidenced notably in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, a review of major funders' official policies for development cooperation in the sector suggests that many only partially endorse the frameworks for the human rights to water and sanitation. An observation of development cooperation flows to the sector allows the hypothesis to be advanced that worldwide inequalities in access to these services may be reduced through a full and clear application of the human rights framework in development cooperation activities. The article presents findings of this research and explores key stakes for development cooperation in the water and sanitation sector that are relevant for their ability to either negatively or positively contribute to the realization of human rights. Resumen El sector de agua y saneamiento ha recibido creciente atención y financiación a través de la cooperación internacional para el desarrollo. La cooperación para el desarrollo puede tener efectos tanto positivos cuanto negativos sobre los derechos humanos. El hito que consolida los derechos humanos al agua y al saneamiento están articulados a esfuerzos de cooperación para el desarrollo promovidos por la comunidad internacional, como se evidencia en la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible. Sin embargo, una revisión de las políticas oficiales de los principales financiadores del sector sugiere que muchos de ellos aprueban solo parcialmente los hitos de los derechos humanos al agua y el saneamiento. La observación de los flujos de esta cooperación para el sector permite formular la hipótesis de que las desigualdades en el acceso a estos servicios en diferentes partes del mundo pueden reducirse con la aplicación completa y clara del marco de los derechos humanos en las actividades de cooperación para el desarrollo. El artículo presenta los resultados de esta investigación y explora los desafíos de la cooperación para el desarrollo del sector de agua y aguas residuales que son relevantes para impactar tanto negativamente cuanto positivamente a los derechos humanos.

Integrated and Sustainable Water Management of Red-Thai Binh Rivers System Under Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliani, M.; Anghileri, D.; Castelletti, A.; Mason, E.; Micotti, M.; Soncini-Sessa, R.; Weber, E.

2014-12-01

Vietnam is currently undergoing a rapid economic and demographic development, characterized by internal migrations from the rural areas to the main cities with increasing water demands to guarantee adequate energy and food productions. Hydropower is the primary renewable energy resource in the country, accounting for 33% of the total electric power production, while agriculture contributes for 18% of the national GDP and employs 70% of the population. To cope with this heterogeneous and fast-evolving context, water resources development and management have to be reconsidered by enlarging their scope across sectors and by adopting effective tools to analyze the potential of current and projected infrastructure along with their operating strategies. This work contributes a novel decision-analytic framework based on Multi-Objective Evolutionary Direct Policy Search (MOE-DPS) to support the design of integrated and sustainable water resources management strategies in the Red-Thai Binh River system. The Red River Basin is the second largest basin of Vietnam, with a total area of about 169,000 km2, and comprises three main tributaries and several reservoirs, namely SonLa and HoaBinh on the Da River, ThacBa and TuyenQuang on the Lo River. These reservoirs are regulated for maximizing hydropower production, mitigating flood primarily in Hanoi, and guaranteeing irrigation water supply to the agricultural districts in the delta. The dimensionality of the system and the number of objectives involved increase the complexity of the problem. We address these challenges by combining the MOE-DPS framework with Gaussian radial basis functions policy approximation and the Borg MOEA, which have been demonstrated to guarantee good solutions quality in such many objective policy design problems. Results show that the proposed framework successfully identified alternative management strategies for the system, which explore different tradeoffs among the multi-sector services involved. These solutions are then evaluated under various scenarios of climate change and projected socio-economic conditions to identify their vulnerabilities and, possibly, to design improved operating policies, which are more robust to the future uncertainties.

Assessing Proposals for New Global Health Treaties: An Analytic Framework.

PubMed

Hoffman, Steven J; Røttingen, John-Arne; Frenk, Julio

2015-08-01

We have presented an analytic framework and 4 criteria for assessing when global health treaties have reasonable prospects of yielding net positive effects. First, there must be a significant transnational dimension to the problem being addressed. Second, the goals should justify the coercive nature of treaties. Third, proposed global health treaties should have a reasonable chance of achieving benefits. Fourth, treaties should be the best commitment mechanism among the many competing alternatives. Applying this analytic framework to 9 recent calls for new global health treaties revealed that none fully meet the 4 criteria. Efforts aiming to better use or revise existing international instruments may be more productive than is advocating new treaties.

Assessing Proposals for New Global Health Treaties: An Analytic Framework

PubMed Central

Røttingen, John-Arne; Frenk, Julio

2015-01-01

We have presented an analytic framework and 4 criteria for assessing when global health treaties have reasonable prospects of yielding net positive effects. First, there must be a significant transnational dimension to the problem being addressed. Second, the goals should justify the coercive nature of treaties. Third, proposed global health treaties should have a reasonable chance of achieving benefits. Fourth, treaties should be the best commitment mechanism among the many competing alternatives. Applying this analytic framework to 9 recent calls for new global health treaties revealed that none fully meet the 4 criteria. Efforts aiming to better use or revise existing international instruments may be more productive than is advocating new treaties. PMID:26066926

Public sector energy management: A strategy for catalyzing energy efficiency in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Anish Kumar

To date the public sector role in facilitating the transition to a sustainable energy future has been envisaged mainly from a regulatory perspective. In such a role, the public sector provides the push factors---enforcing regulations and providing incentives---to correct market imperfections that impede energy transitions. An alternative and complementary role of the public sector that is now gaining increasing attention is that of catalyzing energy transitions through public sector energy management initiatives. This dissertation offers a conceptual framework to rationalize such a role for the public sector by combining recent theories of sustainable energy transition and public management. In particular, the framework identifies innovative public management strategies (such as performance contracting and procurement) for effectively implementing sustainable energy projects in government facilities. The dissertation evaluates a model of sustainable public sector energy management for promoting energy efficiency in Malaysia. The public sector in Malaysia can be a major player in leading and catalyzing energy efficiency efforts as it is not only the largest and one of the most influential energy consumers, but it also plays a central role in setting national development strategy. The dissertation makes several recommendations on how a public sector energy management strategy can be implemented in Malaysia. The US Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is used as a practical model. The analysis, however, shows that in applying the FEMP model to the Malaysian context, there are a number of limitations that will have to be taken into consideration to enable a public sector energy management strategy to be effectively implemented. Overall the analysis of this dissertation contributes to a rethinking of the public sector role in sustainable energy development that can strengthen the sector's credibility both in terms of governance and institutional performance. In addition, it links theory with practice by offering a strategy that can effectively address critical issues arising from the energy-development-policy nexus of the sustainable energy development debate.

Supporting the development of a health benefits package in Malawi

PubMed Central

Revill, Paul; Manthalu, Gerald; McGuire, Finn; Nkhoma, Dominic; Rollinger, Alexandra; Sculpher, Mark; Claxton, Karl

2018-01-01

Malawi, like many low-income and middle-income countries, has used health benefits packages (HBPs) to allocate scarce resources to key healthcare interventions. With no widely accepted method for their development, HBPs often promise more than can be delivered, given available resources. An analytical framework is developed to guide the design of HBPs that can identify the potential value of including and implementing different interventions. It provides a basis for informing meaningful discussions between governments, donors and other stakeholders around the trade-offs implicit in package design. Metrics of value, founded on an understanding of the health opportunity costs of the choices faced, are used to quantify the scale of the potential net health impact (net disability adjusted life years averted) or the amount of additional healthcare resources that would be required to deliver similar net health impacts with existing interventions (the financial value to the healthcare system). The framework can be applied to answer key questions around, for example: the appropriate scale of the HBP; which interventions represent ‘best buys’ and should be prioritised; where investments in scaling up interventions and health system strengthening should be made; whether the package should be expanded; costs of the conditionalities of donor funding and how objectives beyond improving population health can be considered. This is illustrated using data from Malawi. The framework was successfully applied to inform the HBP in Malawi, as a core component of the country’s Health Sector Strategic Plan II 2017–2022. PMID:29662689

Agents' beliefs and economic regimes polarization in interacting markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavalli, F.; Naimzada, A. K.; Pecora, N.; Pireddu, M.

2018-05-01

In the present paper, a model of a market consisting of real and financial interacting sectors is studied. Agents populating the stock market are assumed to be not able to observe the true underlying fundamental, and their beliefs are biased by either optimism or pessimism. Depending on the relevance they give to beliefs, they select the best performing strategy in an evolutionary perspective. The real side of the economy is described within a multiplier-accelerator framework with a nonlinear, bounded investment function. We study the effect of market integration, in particular, of the financialization of the real market. We show that strongly polarized beliefs in an evolutionary framework can introduce multiplicity of steady states, which, consisting in enhanced or depressed levels of income, reflect and reproduce the optimistic or pessimistic nature of the agents' beliefs. The polarization of these steady states, which coexist with an unbiased steady state, positively depends on that of the beliefs and on their relevance. Moreover, with a mixture of analytical and numerical tools, we show that such static characterization is inherited also at the dynamical level, with possibly complex attractors that are characterized by endogenously fluctuating pessimistic and optimistic prices and levels of national income, with the effect of having several coexisting business cycles. This framework, when stochastic perturbations are included, is able to account for stylized facts commonly observed in real financial markets, such as fat tails and excess volatility in the returns distributions, as well as bubbles and crashes for stock prices.

Agents' beliefs and economic regimes polarization in interacting markets.

PubMed

Cavalli, F; Naimzada, A K; Pecora, N; Pireddu, M

2018-05-01

In the present paper, a model of a market consisting of real and financial interacting sectors is studied. Agents populating the stock market are assumed to be not able to observe the true underlying fundamental, and their beliefs are biased by either optimism or pessimism. Depending on the relevance they give to beliefs, they select the best performing strategy in an evolutionary perspective. The real side of the economy is described within a multiplier-accelerator framework with a nonlinear, bounded investment function. We study the effect of market integration, in particular, of the financialization of the real market. We show that strongly polarized beliefs in an evolutionary framework can introduce multiplicity of steady states, which, consisting in enhanced or depressed levels of income, reflect and reproduce the optimistic or pessimistic nature of the agents' beliefs. The polarization of these steady states, which coexist with an unbiased steady state, positively depends on that of the beliefs and on their relevance. Moreover, with a mixture of analytical and numerical tools, we show that such static characterization is inherited also at the dynamical level, with possibly complex attractors that are characterized by endogenously fluctuating pessimistic and optimistic prices and levels of national income, with the effect of having several coexisting business cycles. This framework, when stochastic perturbations are included, is able to account for stylized facts commonly observed in real financial markets, such as fat tails and excess volatility in the returns distributions, as well as bubbles and crashes for stock prices.

Private sector response to improving oral health care access.

PubMed

Robinson, Lindsey A

2009-07-01

Despite vast improvements in the oral health status of the United States population over the past 50 years, disparities in oral health status continue, with certain segments of the population carrying a disproportionate disease burden. This article attempts to describe the problem, discuss various frameworks for action, illustrate some solutions developed by the private sector, and present a vision for collaborative action to improve the health of the nation. No one sector of the health care system can resolve the problem. The private sector, the public sector, and the not-for-profit community must collaborate to improve the oral health of the nation.

Methods for integrating moderation and mediation: a general analytical framework using moderated path analysis.

PubMed

Edwards, Jeffrey R; Lambert, Lisa Schurer

2007-03-01

Studies that combine moderation and mediation are prevalent in basic and applied psychology research. Typically, these studies are framed in terms of moderated mediation or mediated moderation, both of which involve similar analytical approaches. Unfortunately, these approaches have important shortcomings that conceal the nature of the moderated and the mediated effects under investigation. This article presents a general analytical framework for combining moderation and mediation that integrates moderated regression analysis and path analysis. This framework clarifies how moderator variables influence the paths that constitute the direct, indirect, and total effects of mediated models. The authors empirically illustrate this framework and give step-by-step instructions for estimation and interpretation. They summarize the advantages of their framework over current approaches, explain how it subsumes moderated mediation and mediated moderation, and describe how it can accommodate additional moderator and mediator variables, curvilinear relationships, and structural equation models with latent variables. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

Network analysis of Bogotá's Ciclovía Recreativa, a self-organized multisectorial community program to promote physical activity in a middle-income country.

PubMed

Meisel, Jose D; Sarmiento, Olga L; Montes, Felipe; Martinez, Edwin O; Lemoine, Pablo D; Valdivia, Juan A; Brownson, Ross C; Zarama, Roberto

2014-01-01

Conduct a social network analysis of the health and non-health related organizations that participate in Bogotá's Ciclovía Recreativa (Ciclovía). Cross-sectional study. Ciclovía is a multisectoral community-based mass program in which streets are temporarily closed to motorized transport, allowing exclusive access to individuals for leisure activities and physical activity. Twenty-five organizations that participate in the Ciclovía. Seven variables were examined by using network analytic methods: relationship, link attributes (integration, contact, and importance), and node attributes (leadership, years in the program, and the sector of the organization). The network analytic methods were based on a visual descriptive analysis and an exponential random graph model. Analysis shows that the most central organizations in the network were outside of the Health sector and include Sports and Recreation, Government, and Security sectors. The organizations work in clusters formed by organizations of different sectors. Organization importance and structural predictors were positively related to integration, while the number of years working with Ciclovía was negatively associated with integration. Ciclovía is a network whose structure emerged as a self-organized complex system. Ciclovía of Bogotá is an example of a program with public health potential formed by organizations of multiple sectors with Sports and Recreation as the most central.

Intersectorial health-related policies: the use of a legal and theoretical framework to propose a typology to a case study in a Brazilian municipality.

PubMed

Tess, Beatriz Helena; Aith, Fernando Mussa Abujamra

2014-11-01

This article analyzes intersectorial health-related policies (IHRP) based on a case study performed in 2008-2009 that mapped the social policies of the city of Piracicaba, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The research strategy comprised quantitative and qualitative methodologies and converging information sources. Legal and theoretical conceptual frameworks were applied to the Piracicaba study results and served as the basis for proposing a typology of IHRP. Three types of IHRP were identified: health policies where the health sector is coordinator but needs non-health sectors to succeed; policies with a sector other than health as coordinator, but which needs health sector collaboration to succeed; and thirdly, genuine intersectorial policies, not led by any one sector but by a specifically-appointed intersectorial coordinator. The authors contend that political commitment of local authorities alone may not be enough to promote efficient intersectorial social policies. Comprehension of different types of IHRP and their interface mechanisms may contribute to greater efficiency and coverage of social policies that affect health equity and its social determinants positively. In the final analysis,, this will lead to more equitable health outcomes.

Let's Talk Learning Analytics: A Framework for Implementation in Relation to Student Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Deborah; Heath, David; Huijser, Henk

2016-01-01

This paper presents a dialogical tool for the advancement of learning analytics implementation for student retention in Higher Education institutions. The framework was developed as an outcome of a project commissioned and funded by the Australian Government's "Office for Learning and Teaching". The project took a mixed-method approach…

Organizational Culture and Organizational Effectiveness: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Competing Values Framework's Theoretical Suppositions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartnell, Chad A.; Ou, Amy Yi; Kinicki, Angelo

2011-01-01

We apply Quinn and Rohrbaugh's (1983) competing values framework (CVF) as an organizing taxonomy to meta-analytically test hypotheses about the relationship between 3 culture types and 3 major indices of organizational effectiveness (employee attitudes, operational performance [i.e., innovation and product and service quality], and financial…

Unintended Revelations in History Textbooks: The Precarious Authenticity and Historical Continuity of the Slovak Nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Šulíková, Jana

2016-01-01

Purpose: This article proposes an analytical framework that helps to identify and challenge misconceptions of ethnocentrism found in pre-tertiary teaching resources for history and the social sciences in numerous countries. Design: Drawing on nationalism studies, the analytical framework employs ideas known under the umbrella terms of…

Projection of U.S. forest sector carbon sequestration under U.S. and global timber market and wood energy consumption scenarios, 2010-2060

Treesearch

Prakash Nepal; Peter J. Ince; Kenneth E. Skog; Sun J. Chang

2012-01-01

This study provides a modeling framework to examine change over time in U.S. forest sector carbon inventory (in U.S. timberland tree biomass and harvested wood products) for alternative projections of U.S. and global timber markets, including wood energy consumption, based on established IPCC/RPA scenarios. Results indicated that the U.S. forest sector’s projected...

Web-based Visual Analytics for Extreme Scale Climate Science

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

Steed, Chad A; Evans, Katherine J; Harney, John F

In this paper, we introduce a Web-based visual analytics framework for democratizing advanced visualization and analysis capabilities pertinent to large-scale earth system simulations. We address significant limitations of present climate data analysis tools such as tightly coupled dependencies, ineffi- cient data movements, complex user interfaces, and static visualizations. Our Web-based visual analytics framework removes critical barriers to the widespread accessibility and adoption of advanced scientific techniques. Using distributed connections to back-end diagnostics, we minimize data movements and leverage HPC platforms. We also mitigate system dependency issues by employing a RESTful interface. Our framework embraces the visual analytics paradigm via newmore » visual navigation techniques for hierarchical parameter spaces, multi-scale representations, and interactive spatio-temporal data mining methods that retain details. Although generalizable to other science domains, the current work focuses on improving exploratory analysis of large-scale Community Land Model (CLM) and Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) simulations.« less

Quality Assurance in Ontario's Postsecondary Education Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klassen, Tim

2012-01-01

It is generally accepted that Canadian postsecondary education enjoys an international reputation for quality. However, Canada does not have an accepted, national framework to understand, measure, or clearly define the actual quality of the postsecondary education sector. In this, Canada is seen as unique when compared with other developed…

Leadership Strategies of Performance Measures Impacts in Public Sector Management: A National Content Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubala, James Joseph

A quantitative and qualitative study examined three leadership strategies found in performance-based management (human resource, scientific management and political strategies used in public sector management); a framework by which performance measurement (PM) supports leadership strategies; and how the strategies impact PM. It examined leadership…

The Australian Way: Competency-Based Training in the Corporate Sector.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellie, Deborah

1999-01-01

Examples from road construction, mining, and other Australian industries show that the corporate sector has responded slowly to the introduction of a national framework for competency-based training. As industry bears more of the costs of training, it has yet to see returns in terms of productivity gains. (SK)

Persistence as the path from motivation to performance in the Papua New Guinea health sector.

PubMed

Elich, Luke

2009-01-01

This paper considers how the individual capacity states of motivation, confidence, skill and ability relate to performance, and identifies a crucial role for the discretionary behaviour of individuals: specifically, employee persistence and innovation. The study Understanding the people and performance link: unlocking the black box undertaken by Purcell and colleagues is relied upon in constructing a theoretical framework for the conceptual interrelationships between performance and the human-resource-mediating variables, which is then applied within the Papua New Guinea (PNG) health sector context. The study by Purcell and colleagues, which was informed by organizations with well-developed and functioning human resource policies and practices, is distinguished from the PNG health sector, where human resource frameworks are largely ineffective--yet it is determined that the importance of 'discretionary behaviour' relative to performance, whilst varied, is undiminished.

Evolving norms at the intersection of health and trade.

PubMed

Drope, Jeffrey; Lencucha, Raphael

2014-06-01

There has been growing tension at the intersection of health and economic policy making as global governance has increased across sectors. This tension has been particularly evident between tobacco control and trade policy, as the international norms that frame them -- particularly the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the World Trade Organization (WTO) -- have continued to institutionalize. Using five case studies of major tobacco-related trade disputes from the principal multilateral system of trade governance -- the WTO/General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade -- we trace the evolution of these interacting norms over nearly twenty-five years. Our analytic framework focuses on the actors that advance, defend, and challenge these norms. We find that an increasingly broad network, which includes governments, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and members of the epistemic community, is playing a more active role in seeking to resolve these tensions. Moreover, key economic actors are beginning to incorporate health more actively into their messaging and activities. We also demonstrate that the most recent resonant messages reflect a more nuanced integration of the two norms. The tobacco control example has direct relevance to related policy areas, including environment, safety, access to medicines, diet, and alcohol. Copyright © 2014 by Duke University Press.

The Earth Data Analytic Services (EDAS) Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxwell, T. P.; Duffy, D.

2017-12-01

Faced with unprecedented growth in earth data volume and demand, NASA has developed the Earth Data Analytic Services (EDAS) framework, a high performance big data analytics framework built on Apache Spark. This framework enables scientists to execute data processing workflows combining common analysis operations close to the massive data stores at NASA. The data is accessed in standard (NetCDF, HDF, etc.) formats in a POSIX file system and processed using vetted earth data analysis tools (ESMF, CDAT, NCO, etc.). EDAS utilizes a dynamic caching architecture, a custom distributed array framework, and a streaming parallel in-memory workflow for efficiently processing huge datasets within limited memory spaces with interactive response times. EDAS services are accessed via a WPS API being developed in collaboration with the ESGF Compute Working Team to support server-side analytics for ESGF. The API can be accessed using direct web service calls, a Python script, a Unix-like shell client, or a JavaScript-based web application. New analytic operations can be developed in Python, Java, or Scala (with support for other languages planned). Client packages in Python, Java/Scala, or JavaScript contain everything needed to build and submit EDAS requests. The EDAS architecture brings together the tools, data storage, and high-performance computing required for timely analysis of large-scale data sets, where the data resides, to ultimately produce societal benefits. It is is currently deployed at NASA in support of the Collaborative REAnalysis Technical Environment (CREATE) project, which centralizes numerous global reanalysis datasets onto a single advanced data analytics platform. This service enables decision makers to compare multiple reanalysis datasets and investigate trends, variability, and anomalies in earth system dynamics around the globe.

Overview of the Special Issue: A Multi-Model Framework to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Climate Change Impacts and Risk Analysis (CIRA) project establishes a new multi-model framework to systematically assess the impacts, economic damages, and risks from climate change in the United States. The primary goal of this framework to estimate how climate change impacts and damages in the United States are avoided or reduced due to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation scenarios. Scenarios are designed to explore key uncertainties around the measurement of these changes. The modeling exercise presented in this Special Issue includes two integrated assessment models and 15 sectoral models encompassing six broad impacts sectors - water resources, electric power, infrastructure, human health, ecosystems, and forests. Three consistent emissions scenarios are used to analyze the benefits of global GHG mitigation targets: a reference and two policy scenarios, with total radiative forcing in 2100 of 10.0W/m2, 4.5W/m2, and 3.7W/m2. A range of climate sensitivities, climate models, natural variability measures, and structural uncertainties of sectoral models are examined to explore the implications of key uncertainties. This overview paper describes the motivations, goals, design, and academic contribution of the CIRA modeling exercise and briefly summarizes the subsequent papers in this Special Issue. A summary of results across impact sectors is provided showing that: GHG mitigation provides benefits to the United States that increase over

Bi-scalar modified gravity and cosmology with conformal invariance

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

Saridakis, Emmanuel N.; Tsoukalas, Minas, E-mail: Emmanuel_Saridakis@baylor.edu, E-mail: minasts@central.ntua.gr

2016-04-01

We investigate the cosmological applications of a bi-scalar modified gravity that exhibits partial conformal invariance, which could become full conformal invariance in the absence of the usual Einstein-Hilbert term and introducing additionally either the Weyl derivative or properly rescaled fields. Such a theory is constructed by considering the action of a non-minimally conformally-coupled scalar field, and adding a second scalar allowing for a nonminimal derivative coupling with the Einstein tensor and the energy-momentum tensor of the first field. At a cosmological framework we obtain an effective dark-energy sector constituted from both scalars. In the absence of an explicit matter sectormore » we extract analytical solutions, which for some parameter regions correspond to an effective matter era and/or to an effective radiation era, thus the two scalars give rise to 'mimetic dark matter' or to 'dark radiation' respectively. In the case where an explicit matter sector is included we obtain a cosmological evolution in agreement with observations, that is a transition from matter to dark energy era, with the onset of cosmic acceleration. Furthermore, for particular parameter regions, the effective dark-energy equation of state can transit to the phantom regime at late times. These behaviors reveal the capabilities of the theory, since they arise purely from the novel, bi-scalar construction and the involved couplings between the two fields.« less

SEADS 3.0 Sectoral Energy/Employment Analysis and Data System

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

Roop, Joseph M.; Anderson, David A.; Schultz, Robert W.

2007-12-17

SEADS 3.0, the Sectoral Energy/Employment Analysis and Data System, is a revision and upgrading of SEADS--PC, a software package designed for the analysis of policy that could be described by modifying final demands of consumer, businesses, or governments (Roop, et al., 1995). If a question can be formulated so that implications can be translated into changes in final demands for goods and services, then SEADS 3.0 provides a quick and easy tool to assess preliminary impacts. And SEADS 3.0 should be considered just that: a quick and easy way to get preliminary results. Often a thorough answer, even to suchmore » a simple question as, “What would be the effect on U. S. energy use and employment if the Federal Government doubled R&D expenditures?” requires a more sophisticated analytical framework than the input-output structure embedded in SEADS 3.0. This tool uses a static, input-output model to assess the impacts of changes in final demands on first industry output, then employment and energy use. The employment and energy impacts are derived by multiplying the industry outputs (derived from the changed final demands) by industry-specific energy and employment coefficients. The tool also allows for the specification of regional or state employment impacts, though this option is not available for energy impacts.« less

Big data and high-performance analytics in structural health monitoring for bridge management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alampalli, Sharada; Alampalli, Sandeep; Ettouney, Mohammed

2016-04-01

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can be a vital tool for effective bridge management. Combining large data sets from multiple sources to create a data-driven decision-making framework is crucial for the success of SHM. This paper presents a big data analytics framework that combines multiple data sets correlated with functional relatedness to convert data into actionable information that empowers risk-based decision-making. The integrated data environment incorporates near real-time streams of semi-structured data from remote sensors, historical visual inspection data, and observations from structural analysis models to monitor, assess, and manage risks associated with the aging bridge inventories. Accelerated processing of dataset is made possible by four technologies: cloud computing, relational database processing, support from NOSQL database, and in-memory analytics. The framework is being validated on a railroad corridor that can be subjected to multiple hazards. The framework enables to compute reliability indices for critical bridge components and individual bridge spans. In addition, framework includes a risk-based decision-making process that enumerate costs and consequences of poor bridge performance at span- and network-levels when rail networks are exposed to natural hazard events such as floods and earthquakes. Big data and high-performance analytics enable insights to assist bridge owners to address problems faster.

Characterization of a turbomolecular-pumped magnetic sector mass spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, Narinder K.

1988-01-01

A Perkin Elmer MGA-1200, turbomolecular-pumped, magnetic sector, multiple gas analyzer mass spectrometer with modified inlet for fast response was characterized for the analysis of hydrogen, helium, oxygen and argon in nitrogen and helium background gases. This instrument was specially modified for the Vanderberg AFB SLC-6 Hydrogen Disposal Test Program, as a part of the Hydrogen Sampling System (H2S2). Linearity, precision, drift, detection limits and accuracy among other analytical parameters for each of the background gas were studied to evaluate the performance of the instrument. The result demonstrates that H2S2 mass spectrometer is a stable instrument and can be utilized for the quantitative analytical determination of hydrogen, helium, oxygen and argon in nitrogen and helium background gases.

Determination of rare earth elements in environmental matrices by sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Riondato, J; Vanhaecke, F; Moens, L; Dams, R

2001-07-01

In the framework of an international certification campaign, sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sector-field ICP-MS) was used for the accurate determination of the rare earth elements in five candidate reference materials: aquatic plant, calcareous soil, mussel tissue, river sediment, and tuna muscle. All samples were taken into solution by use of microwave-assisted or mixed microwave-assisted / open beaker acid digestion. Subsequently, the samples were appropriately diluted and subjected to ICP-MS analysis. Except for Sc, all the elements involved were determined at low mass resolution (R = 300). For Sc, application of a higher resolution setting (R = 3,000) was required to separate the analyte signal from those of several molecular ions which gave rise to spectral overlap at low mass resolution. Some of the heavier REE can also suffer from spectral overlap attributed to the occurrence of oxide ions (MO+) of the lighter REE and Ba. This spectral overlap could be successfully overcome by mathematical correction. Matrix effects were overcome by use of two carefully selected internal standards, such that external calibration could be used. On each occasion, a geological reference material was analyzed as a quality-control sample and the reliability of all results obtained was additionally checked by means of chondrite normalization. For tuna muscle the content of all REE was below the limit of detection. For calcareous soil and river sediment, low to sub microg g(-1) values were observed, whereas the REE content of aquatic plant and mussel tissue was considerably lower (low to sub ng g(-1)). Overall, the results obtained were in excellent agreement with the average values, calculated on the basis of all "accepted" values, obtained in different laboratories using different techniques.

Analytical framework and tool kit for SEA follow-up

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

Nilsson, Mans; Wiklund, Hans; Finnveden, Goeran

2009-04-15

Most Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) research and applications have so far neglected the ex post stages of the process, also called SEA follow-up. Tool kits and methodological frameworks for engaging effectively with SEA follow-up have been conspicuously missing. In particular, little has so far been learned from the much more mature evaluation literature although many aspects are similar. This paper provides an analytical framework and tool kit for SEA follow-up. It is based on insights and tools developed within programme evaluation and environmental systems analysis. It is also grounded in empirical studies into real planning and programming practices at themore » regional level, but should have relevance for SEA processes at all levels. The purpose of the framework is to promote a learning-oriented and integrated use of SEA follow-up in strategic decision making. It helps to identify appropriate tools and their use in the process, and to systematise the use of available data and knowledge across the planning organization and process. It distinguishes three stages in follow-up: scoping, analysis and learning, identifies the key functions and demonstrates the informational linkages to the strategic decision-making process. The associated tool kit includes specific analytical and deliberative tools. Many of these are applicable also ex ante, but are then used in a predictive mode rather than on the basis of real data. The analytical element of the framework is organized on the basis of programme theory and 'DPSIR' tools. The paper discusses three issues in the application of the framework: understanding the integration of organizations and knowledge; understanding planners' questions and analytical requirements; and understanding interests, incentives and reluctance to evaluate.« less

Expanding Students' Analytical Frameworks through the Study of Graphic Novels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors, Sean P.

2015-01-01

When teachers work with students to construct a metalanguage that they can draw on to describe and analyze graphic novels, and then invite students to apply that metalanguage in the service of composing multimodal texts of their own, teachers broaden students' analytical frameworks. In the process of doing so, teachers empower students. In this…

PISA 2015 Assessment and Analytical Framework: Science, Reading, Mathematic, Financial Literacy and Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

What is important for citizens to know and be able to do? The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) seeks to answer that question through the most comprehensive and rigorous international assessment of student knowledge and skills. The PISA 2015 Assessment and Analytical Framework presents the conceptual foundations of the…

Drinking Water and Wastewater Laboratory Networks

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This website provides the drinking water sector with an integrated nationwide network of laboratories with the analytical capability to respond to intentional and unintentional drinking water incidents.

Xpey' Relational Environments: an analytic framework for conceptualizing Indigenous health equity.

PubMed

Kent, Alexandra; Loppie, Charlotte; Carriere, Jeannine; MacDonald, Marjorie; Pauly, Bernie

2017-12-01

Both health equity research and Indigenous health research are driven by the goal of promoting equitable health outcomes among marginalized and underserved populations. However, the two fields often operate independently, without collaboration. As a result, Indigenous populations are underrepresented in health equity research relative to the disproportionate burden of health inequities they experience. In this methodological article, we present Xpey' Relational Environments, an analytic framework that maps some of the barriers and facilitators to health equity for Indigenous peoples. Health equity research needs to include a focus on Indigenous populations and Indigenized methodologies, a shift that could fill gaps in knowledge with the potential to contribute to 'closing the gap' in Indigenous health. With this in mind, the Equity Lens in Public Health (ELPH) research program adopted the Xpey' Relational Environments framework to add a focus on Indigenous populations to our research on the prioritization and implementation of health equity. The analytic framework introduced an Indigenized health equity lens to our methodology, which facilitated the identification of social, structural and systemic determinants of Indigenous health. To test the framework, we conducted a pilot case study of one of British Columbia's regional health authorities, which included a review of core policies and plans as well as interviews and focus groups with frontline staff, managers and senior executives. ELPH's application of Xpey' Relational Environments serves as an example of the analytic framework's utility for exploring and conceptualizing Indigenous health equity in BC's public health system. Future applications of the framework should be embedded in Indigenous research methodologies.

Applying air pollution modelling within a multi-criteria decision analysis framework to evaluate UK air quality policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chalabi, Zaid; Milojevic, Ai; Doherty, Ruth M.; Stevenson, David S.; MacKenzie, Ian A.; Milner, James; Vieno, Massimo; Williams, Martin; Wilkinson, Paul

2017-10-01

A decision support system for evaluating UK air quality policies is presented. It combines the output from a chemistry transport model, a health impact model and other impact models within a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework. As a proof-of-concept, the MCDA framework is used to evaluate and compare idealized emission reduction policies in four sectors (combustion in energy and transformation industries, non-industrial combustion plants, road transport and agriculture) and across six outcomes or criteria (mortality, health inequality, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, crop yield and air quality legal compliance). To illustrate a realistic use of the MCDA framework, the relative importance of the criteria were elicited from a number of stakeholders acting as proxy policy makers. In the prototype decision problem, we show that reducing emissions from industrial combustion (followed very closely by road transport and agriculture) is more advantageous than equivalent reductions from the other sectors when all the criteria are taken into account. Extensions of the MCDA framework to support policy makers in practice are discussed.

Development of an integrated economic and ecological framework for ecosystem-based fisheries management in New England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, D.; Hoagland, P.; Dalton, T. M.; Thunberg, E. M.

2012-09-01

We present an integrated economic-ecological framework designed to help assess the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) in New England. We develop the framework by linking a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of a coastal economy to an end-to-end (E2E) model of a marine food web for Georges Bank. We focus on the New England region using coastal county economic data for a restricted set of industry sectors and marine ecological data for three top level trophic feeding guilds: planktivores, benthivores, and piscivores. We undertake numerical simulations to model the welfare effects of changes in alternative combinations of yields from feeding guilds and alternative manifestations of biological productivity. We estimate the economic and distributional effects of these alternative simulations across a range of consumer income levels. This framework could be used to extend existing methodologies for assessing the impacts on human communities of groundfish stock rebuilding strategies, such as those expected through the implementation of the sector management program in the US northeast fishery. We discuss other possible applications of and modifications and limitations to the framework.

Dark matter cosmic string in the gravitational field of a black hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakonieczny, Łukasz; Nakonieczna, Anna; Rogatko, Marek

2018-03-01

We examined analytically and proposed a numerical model of an Abelian Higgs dark matter vortex in the spacetime of a stationary axisymmetric Kerr black hole. In analytical calculations the dark matter sector was modeled by an addition of a U(1)-gauge field coupled to the visible sector. The backreaction analysis revealed that the impact of the dark vortex presence is far more complicated than causing only a deficit angle. The vortex causes an ergosphere shift and the event horizon velocity is also influenced by its presence. These phenomena are more significant than in the case of a visible vortex sector. The area of the event horizon of a black hole is diminished and this decline is larger in comparison to the Kerr black hole with an Abelian Higgs vortex case. After analyzing the gravitational properties for the general setup, we focused on the subset of models that are motivated by particle physics. We retained the Abelian Higgs model as a description of the dark matter sector (this sector contained a heavy dark photon and an additional complex scalar) and added a real scalar representing the real component of the Higgs doublet in the unitary gauge, as well as an additional U(1)-gauge field representing an ordinary electromagnetic field. Moreover, we considered two coupling channels between the visible and dark sectors, which were the kinetic mixing between the gauge fields and a quartic coupling between the scalar fields. After solving the equations of motion for the matter fields numerically we analyzed properties of the cosmic string in the dark matter sector and its influence on the visible sector fields that are directly coupled to it. We found out that the presence of the cosmic string induced spatial variation in the vacuum expectation value of the Higgs field and a nonzero electromagnetic field around the black hole.

How Existing Business Management Concepts Become School Leadership Fashions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peck, Craig; Reitzug, Ulrich C.

2012-01-01

Purpose: This article examines the history of three management concepts that originated in the business sector and progressed to the K-12 education sector. Framework: We propose a new conceptual model intended to help illuminate how ideas and strategies originally created for business leadership gain influence in the realm of K-12 school…

Professional Development for E-Learning: Researching a Strategy for New Zealand's Tertiary Education Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shephard, Kerry; Mansvelt, Juliana; Stein, Sarah; Suddaby, Gordon; Harris, Irene; O'Hara, Duncan

2011-01-01

This collaborative research project devised a framework to support professional development for e-learning within New Zealand's diverse and integrated tertiary education sector. The research was supported by New Zealand's Ministry of Education. The research included reviews of developments in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and a…

Ecosystem services: foundations, opportunities, and challenges for the forest products sector

Treesearch

Trista M. Patterson; Dana L. Coelho

2009-01-01

The ecosystem service concept has been proposed as a meaningful framework for natural resource management. In theory, it holds concomitant benefit and consequence for the forest product sector. However, numerous barriers impede practitioners from developing concrete and enduring responses to emerging ecosystem service markets, policies, and initiatives. Principal among...

Insurance Sector Dynamics: Towards Transformation into Learning Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barkur, Gopalakrishna; Varambally, K. V. M.; Rodrigues, Lewlyn L. R.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to study the influence of five critical factors on service quality in the insurance sector. Having studied the influence of these critical factors, an attempt has been made to obtain a generic solution to enhance the quality of service by proposing a holistic framework of learning organization. As…

Staff Turnover in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mavuso Mda, Adele

2010-01-01

This dissertation presents two frameworks of what drives the ICT workers' decisions to terminate their employment with their employers, using in-depth interviewing of 38 ICT participants in different industry sectors in South Africa. The findings show external labor markets (ELMs) and internal labor markets (ILM) turnover factor across information…

How to evaluate population management? Transforming the Care Continuum Alliance population health guide toward a broadly applicable analytical framework.

PubMed

Struijs, Jeroen N; Drewes, Hanneke W; Heijink, Richard; Baan, Caroline A

2015-04-01

Many countries face the persistent twin challenge of providing high-quality care while keeping health systems affordable and accessible. As a result, the interest for more efficient strategies to stimulate population health is increasing. A possible successful strategy is population management (PM). PM strives to address health needs for the population at-risk and the chronically ill at all points along the health continuum by integrating services across health care, prevention, social care and welfare. The Care Continuum Alliance (CCA) population health guide, which recently changed their name in Population Health Alliance (PHA) provides a useful instrument for implementing and evaluating such innovative approaches. This framework is developed for PM specifically and describes the core elements of the PM-concept on the basis of six subsequent interrelated steps. The aim of this article is to transform the CCA framework into an analytical framework. Quantitative methods are refined and we operationalized a set of indicators to measure the impact of PM in terms of the Triple Aim (population health, quality of care and cost per capita). Additionally, we added a qualitative part to gain insight into the implementation process of PM. This resulted in a broadly applicable analytical framework based on a mixed-methods approach. In the coming years, the analytical framework will be applied within the Dutch Monitor Population Management to derive transferable 'lessons learned' and to methodologically underpin the concept of PM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Van Aalst, M.

Climate change is already taking place, and further changes are inevitable. Developing countries, and particularly the poorest people in these countries, are most at risk. The impacts result not only from gradual changes in temperature and sea level but also, in particular, from increased climate variability and extremes, including more intense floods, droughts, and storms. These changes are already having major impacts on the economic performance of developing countries and on the lives and livelihoods of millions of poor people around the world. Climate change thus directly affects the World Bank Group's mission of eradicating poverty. It also puts atmore » risk many projects in a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, human health, water resources, and environment. The risks include physical threats to the investments, potential underperformance, and the possibility that projects will indirectly contribute to rising vulnerability by, for example, triggering investment and settlement in high-risk areas. The way to address these concerns is not to separate climate change adaptation from other priorities but to integrate comprehensive climate risk management into development planning, programs, and projects. While there is a great need to heighten awareness of climate risk in Bank work, a large body of experience on climate risk management is already available, in analytical work, in country dialogues, and in a growing number of investment projects. This operational experience highlights the general ingredients for successful integration of climate risk management into the mainstream development agenda: getting the right sectoral departments and senior policy makers involved; incorporating risk management into economic planning; engaging a wide range of nongovernmental actors (businesses, nongovernmental organizations, communities, and so on); giving attention to regulatory issues; and choosing strategies that will pay off immediately under current climate conditions. There are several ways in which the World Bank Group can continue helping its clients better manage climate risks to poverty reduction and sustainable development: Integrating climate risk management into the project cycle, by adopting early risk identification (for instance by applying a quick and simple risk-screening tool) and following up throughout the design process if necessary. Integrating climate risk management into country and sector dialogues, especially in countries and sectors that are particularly vulnerable. Enhancing internal support for and coordination of climate risk management by, for example, expanding analytical work and capacity for cross-support by the Global Climate Change Team and the Hazard Management Unit of the World Bank and by actively developing climate risk management activities within regional departments. Supporting the establishment of proper financing mechanisms for adaptation, using, for example, the Investment Framework for Clean Energy and Development. New funding mechanisms created under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and being made operational by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), as well as the Kyoto Protocol, should be used to leverage maximum adaptation results within the Bank's broad range of development activities and investments. By enhancing climate risk management, the World Bank Group will be able to address the growing risks from climate change and, at the same time, make current development investments more resilient to climate variability and extreme weather events. In that way, climate risk management will not only guard the Bank's investments in a changing climate but will also improve the impact of development efforts right now.« less

Transforming State-of-the-Art into Best Practice: A Guide for High-Performance Energy Efficient Buildings in India

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

Singh, Reshma; Ravache, Baptiste; Sartor, Dale

India launched the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) in 2007, and a revised version in 2017 as ambitious first steps towards promoting energy efficiency in the building sector. Pioneering early adopters—building owners, A&E firms, and energy consultants—have taken the lead to design customized solutions for their energy-efficient buildings. This Guide offers a synthesizing framework, critical lessons, and guidance to meet and exceed ECBC. Its whole-building lifecycle assurance framework provides a user-friendly methodology to achieve high performance in terms of energy, environmental, and societal impact. Class A offices are selected as a target typology, being a high-growth sector, with significant opportunitiesmore » for energy savings. The practices may be extrapolated to other commercial building sectors, as well as extended to other regions with similar cultural, climatic, construction, and developmental contexts« less

Generating community-built tools for data sharing and analysis in environmental networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Read, Jordan S.; Gries, Corinna; Read, Emily K.; Klug, Jennifer; Hanson, Paul C.; Hipsey, Matthew R.; Jennings, Eleanor; O'Reilley, Catherine; Winslow, Luke A.; Pierson, Don; McBride, Christopher G.; Hamilton, David

2016-01-01

Rapid data growth in many environmental sectors has necessitated tools to manage and analyze these data. The development of tools often lags behind the proliferation of data, however, which may slow exploratory opportunities and scientific progress. The Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) collaborative model supports an efficient and comprehensive data–analysis–insight life cycle, including implementations of data quality control checks, statistical calculations/derivations, models, and data visualizations. These tools are community-built and openly shared. We discuss the network structure that enables tool development and a culture of sharing, leading to optimized output from limited resources. Specifically, data sharing and a flat collaborative structure encourage the development of tools that enable scientific insights from these data. Here we provide a cross-section of scientific advances derived from global-scale analyses in GLEON. We document enhancements to science capabilities made possible by the development of analytical tools and highlight opportunities to expand this framework to benefit other environmental networks.

Improving sustainability by technology assessment and systems analysis: the case of IWRM Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayono, S.; Lehmann, A.; Kopfmüller, J.; Lehn, H.

2016-09-01

To support the implementation of the IWRM-Indonesia process in a water scarce and sanitation poor region of Central Java (Indonesia), sustainability assessments of several technology options of water supply and sanitation were carried out based on the conceptual framework of the integrative sustainability concept of the German Helmholtz association. In the case of water supply, the assessment was based on the life-cycle analysis and life-cycle-costing approach. In the sanitation sector, the focus was set on developing an analytical tool to improve planning procedures in the area of investigation, which can be applied in general to developing and newly emerging countries. Because sanitation systems in particular can be regarded as socio-technical systems, their permanent operability is closely related to cultural or religious preferences which influence acceptability. Therefore, the design of the tool and the assessment of sanitation technologies took into account the views of relevant stakeholders. The key results of the analyses are presented in this article.

Water-Food Nexus in Citarum Watershed, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubis, R. F.; Delinom, R.; Martosuparno, S.; Bakti, H.

2018-02-01

The water-food nexus is promoted as an approach to look at the linkages between water and food. The articles of Water’s Special Issue “Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Large Asian River Basins” look at the applicability of the nexus approach in different regions and rivers basins in Asia. Citarum River was selected for the case of Indonesia study site of RIHN Water-food Nexus Project with a focus on the Juanda/Jatiluhur dam as the downstream of the three large cascaded reservoirs and river estuary at the Jakarta Bay. As a result, there are a variety of interpretations for the nexus. These include three complementary perspectives that perceive nexus as an analytical approach, governance framework and emerging discourse. Secondly, nexus is a predominantly water-sector driven and water-centered concept. Evaluation of water quality of Citarum River and the increasing demands for water-food nexus revealed the critical status even at present condition that requires strategic decision to modify the water allocation policy to ensure human-environmental sustainability water security.

Real and financial market interactions in a multiplier-accelerator model: Nonlinear dynamics, multistability and stylized facts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavalli, F.; Naimzada, A.; Pecora, N.

2017-10-01

In the present paper, we investigate the dynamics of a model in which the real part of the economy, described within a multiplier-accelerator framework, interacts with a financial market with heterogeneous speculators, in order to study the channels through which the two sectors influence each other. Employing analytical and numerical tools, we investigate stability conditions as well as bifurcations and possible periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic dynamics, enlightening how the degree of market interaction, together with the accelerator parameter and the intervention of the fiscal authority, may affect the business cycle and the course of the financial market. In particular, we show that even if the steady state is locally stable, multistability phenomena can occur, with several and complex dynamic structures coexisting with the steady state. Finally, simulations reveal that the proposed model is able to explain several statistical properties and stylized facts observed in real financial markets, including persistent high volatility, fat-tailed return distributions, volatility clustering, and positive autocorrelation of absolute returns.

Installed Base as a Facilitator for User-Driven Innovation: How Can User Innovation Challenge Existing Institutional Barriers?

PubMed Central

Andersen, Synnøve Thomassen; Jansen, Arild

2012-01-01

The paper addresses an ICT-based, user-driven innovation process in the health sector in rural areas in Norway. The empirical base is the introduction of a new model for psychiatric health provision. This model is supported by a technical solution based on mobile phones that is aimed to help the communication between professional health personnel and patients. This innovation was made possible through the use of standard mobile technology rather than more sophisticated systems. The users were heavily involved in the development work. Our analysis shows that by thinking simple and small-scale solutions, including to take the user's needs and premises as a point of departure rather than focusing on advanced technology, the implementation process was made possible. We show that by combining theory on information infrastructures, user-oriented system development, and innovation in a three-layered analytical framework, we can explain the interrelationship between technical, organizational, and health professional factors that made this innovation a success. PMID:23304134

Real and financial market interactions in a multiplier-accelerator model: Nonlinear dynamics, multistability and stylized facts.

PubMed

Cavalli, F; Naimzada, A; Pecora, N

2017-10-01

In the present paper, we investigate the dynamics of a model in which the real part of the economy, described within a multiplier-accelerator framework, interacts with a financial market with heterogeneous speculators, in order to study the channels through which the two sectors influence each other. Employing analytical and numerical tools, we investigate stability conditions as well as bifurcations and possible periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic dynamics, enlightening how the degree of market interaction, together with the accelerator parameter and the intervention of the fiscal authority, may affect the business cycle and the course of the financial market. In particular, we show that even if the steady state is locally stable, multistability phenomena can occur, with several and complex dynamic structures coexisting with the steady state. Finally, simulations reveal that the proposed model is able to explain several statistical properties and stylized facts observed in real financial markets, including persistent high volatility, fat-tailed return distributions, volatility clustering, and positive autocorrelation of absolute returns.

Clockwork for neutrino masses and lepton flavor violation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibarra, Alejandro; Kushwaha, Ashwani; Vempati, Sudhir K.

2018-05-01

We investigate the generation of small neutrino masses in a clockwork framework which includes Dirac mass terms as well as Majorana mass terms for the new fermions. We derive analytic formulas for the masses of the new particles and for their Yukawa couplings to the lepton doublets, in the scenario where the clockwork parameters are universal. When the universal Majorana mass vanishes, the zero mode of the clockwork sector forms a Dirac pair with the active neutrino, with a mass which is in agreement with oscillations experiments for a sufficiently large number of clockwork gears. On the other hand, when it does not vanish, neutrino masses are generated via the seesaw mechanism. In this case, and due to the fact that the effective Yukawa couplings of the higher modes can be sizable, neutrino masses can only be suppressed by postulating a large Majorana mass scale. Finally, we discuss the constraints on the mass scale of the clockwork fermions from the non-observation of the rare leptonic decay μ → eγ.

Toward a consistent modeling framework to assess multi-sectoral climate impacts.

PubMed

Monier, Erwan; Paltsev, Sergey; Sokolov, Andrei; Chen, Y-H Henry; Gao, Xiang; Ejaz, Qudsia; Couzo, Evan; Schlosser, C Adam; Dutkiewicz, Stephanie; Fant, Charles; Scott, Jeffery; Kicklighter, David; Morris, Jennifer; Jacoby, Henry; Prinn, Ronald; Haigh, Martin

2018-02-13

Efforts to estimate the physical and economic impacts of future climate change face substantial challenges. To enrich the currently popular approaches to impact analysis-which involve evaluation of a damage function or multi-model comparisons based on a limited number of standardized scenarios-we propose integrating a geospatially resolved physical representation of impacts into a coupled human-Earth system modeling framework. Large internationally coordinated exercises cannot easily respond to new policy targets and the implementation of standard scenarios across models, institutions and research communities can yield inconsistent estimates. Here, we argue for a shift toward the use of a self-consistent integrated modeling framework to assess climate impacts, and discuss ways the integrated assessment modeling community can move in this direction. We then demonstrate the capabilities of such a modeling framework by conducting a multi-sectoral assessment of climate impacts under a range of consistent and integrated economic and climate scenarios that are responsive to new policies and business expectations.

Barriers to Building Energy Efficiency (BEE) promotion: A transaction costs perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian Kun, Queena

Worldwide, buildings account for a surprisingly high 40% of global energy consumption, and the resulting carbon footprint significantly exceeds that of all forms of transportation combined. Large and attractive opportunities exist to reduce buildings' energy use at lower costs and higher returns than in other sectors. This thesis analyzes the concerns of the market stakeholders, mainly real estate developers and end-users, in terms of transaction costs as they make decisions about investing in Building Energy Efficiency (BEE). It provides a detailed analysis of the current situation and future prospects for BEE adoption by the market's stakeholders. It delineates the market and lays out the economic and institutional barriers to the large-scale deployment of energy-efficient building techniques. The aim of this research is to investigate the barriers raised by transaction costs that hinder market stakeholders from investing in BEES. It explains interactions among stakeholders in general and in the specific case of Hong Kong as they consider transaction costs. It focuses on the influence of transaction costs on the decision-making of the stakeholders during the entire process of real estate development. The objectives are: 1) To establish an analytical framework for understanding the barriers to BEE investment with consideration of transaction costs; 2) To build a theoretical game model of decision making among the BEE market stakeholders; 3) To study the empirical data from questionnaire surveys of building designers and from focused interviews with real estate developers in Hong Kong; 4) To triangulate the study's empirical findings with those of the theoretical model and analytical framework. The study shows that a coherent institutional framework needs to be established to ensure that the design and implementation of BEE policies acknowledge the concerns of market stakeholders by taking transaction costs into consideration. Regulatory and incentive options should be integrated into BEE policies to minimize efficiency gaps and to realize a sizeable increase in the number of energy-efficient buildings in the next decades. Specifically, the analysis shows that a thorough understanding of the transaction costs borne by particular stakeholders could improve the energy efficiency of buildings, even without improvements in currently available technology.

Adapting the balanced scorecard for mental health and addictions: an inpatient example.

PubMed

Lin, Elizabeth; Durbin, Janet

2008-05-01

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a performance-monitoring framework that originated in the business sector but has more recently been applied to health services. The province of Ontario is using the BSC approach to monitor quality of inpatient care in five service areas. Feasibility of the scorecard framework for each area has been assessed using a standard approach. This paper reports results of the feasibility study for the mental health sector, focusing on three issues: framework relevance, underlying strategic goals and indicator selection. Based on a literature review and extensive stakeholder input, the BSC quadrant structure was recommended with some modifications, and indicators were selected that aligned with provincial mental health reform policy goals. The mental health report has completed two cycles of reporting, and has received good support from the field. Copyright © 2008 Longwoods Publishing.

Integration and collaboration in public health--a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Axelsson, Runo; Axelsson, Susanna Bihari

2006-01-01

With the increasing differentiation of organisations involved in the pursuit of public health, there is also a growing need for inter-organisational integration. Starting from the concepts of differentiation and integration, this article is attempting a theoretical reconstruction based on published research on inter-organisational integration in public health and related welfare services. Different forms of integration are defined and related to each other in a conceptual framework, which is in itself an integration of different theoretical perspectives. According to this framework, integration in the field of public health requires inter-organisational collaboration across different sectors of the society. Such intersectoral collaboration can be organised mainly in the form of multidisciplinary teams across the boundaries of different organisations and sectors. Such an organisation is fragile and volatile, however, which means that it needs a lot of management support in order to survive.

Towards an Analytical Framework for Understanding the Development of a Quality Assurance System in an International Joint Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Gaoming; Cai, Yuzhuo; Ma, Shaozhuang

2017-01-01

This paper intends to construct an analytical framework for understanding quality assurance in international joint programmes and to test it in a case analysis of a European--Chinese joint doctoral degree programme. The development of a quality assurance system for an international joint programme is understood as an institutionalization process…

Network analysis of Bogotá’s Ciclovía Recreativa, a self-organized multisectoral community program to promote physical activity in a middle-income country

PubMed Central

Meisel, Jose D; Sarmiento, Olga; Montes, Felipe; Martinez, Edwin O.; Lemoine, Pablo D; Valdivia, Juan A; Brownson, RC; Zarama, Robert

2016-01-01

Purpose Conduct a social network analysis of the health and non-health related organizations that participate in the Bogotá’s Ciclovía Recreativa (Ciclovía). Design Cross sectional study. Setting Ciclovía is a multisectoral community-based mass program in which streets are temporarily closed to motorized transport, allowing exclusive access to individuals for leisure activities and PA. Subjects 25 organizations that participate in the Ciclovía. Measures Seven variables were examined using network analytic methods: relationship, link attributes (integration, contact, and importance), and node attributes (leadership, years in the program, and the sector of the organization). Analysis The network analytic methods were based on a visual descriptive analysis and an exponential random graph model. Results Analysis shows that the most central organizations in the network were outside of the health sector and includes Sports and Recreation, Government, and Security sectors. The organizations work in clusters formed by organizations of different sectors. Organization importance and structural predictors were positively related to integration, while the number of years working with Ciclovía was negatively associated with integration. Conclusion Ciclovía is a network whose structure emerged as a self-organized complex system. Ciclovía of Bogotá is an example of a program with public health potential formed by organizations of multiple sectors with Sports and Recreation as the most central. PMID:23971523

The Framework of Intervention Engine Based on Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Muhittin; Yurdugül, Halil

2017-01-01

Learning analytics primarily deals with the optimization of learning environments and the ultimate goal of learning analytics is to improve learning and teaching efficiency. Studies on learning analytics seem to have been made in the form of adaptation engine and intervention engine. Adaptation engine studies are quite widespread, but intervention…

Public-Private Cooperation in the Department of Defense: A Framework for Analysis and Recommendations for Action (Defense Horizons, October 2012)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

requirements de - fined by the public sector. CRADAs leverage private sector resources and knowledge to meet the needs of government agencies at no financial...situations helps resolve barriers to cooperation. The evolution of CRA- DAs offers insight into how DOD can interact with multiple partners in a mutually...actions among multiple private power companies, the public sector (at Federal, state, local, and tribal levels), and third parties (hos- pitals

Summary of the SWOT panel's evaluation of the organisation and financing of the Danish health care system.

PubMed

Christiansen, Terkel

2002-02-01

The organisation and financing of the Danish health care system was evaluated within a framework of a SWOT analysis (analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) by a panel of five members with a background in health economics. This paper systematically summarises the panel's assessments, within the framework of the triangular model of health care. The members of the panel are in agreement on a number of aspects, while their views on other aspects differ. In general they find many strength in the way the system is organised and financed more so in the primary sector than in the hospital sector.

Enhancing the usability of seasonal to decadal (S2D) climate information - an evidence-based framework for the identification and assessment of sector-specific vulnerabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Funk, Daniel

2016-04-01

The successful provision of from seasonal to decadal (S2D) climate service products to sector-specific users is dependent on specific problem characteristics and individual user needs and decision-making processes. Climate information requires an impact on decision making to have any value (Rodwell and Doblas-Reyes, 2006). For that reason the knowledge of sector-specific vulnerabilities to S2D climate variability is very valuable information for both, climate service producers and users. In this context a concept for a vulnerability assessment framework was developed to (i) identify climate events (and especially their temporal scales) critical for sector-specific problems to assess the basic requirements for an appropriate climate-service product development; and to (ii) assess the potential impact or value of related climate information for decision-makers. The concept was developed within the EUPORIAS project (European Provision of Regional Impacts Assessments on Seasonal and Decadal Timescales) based on ten project-related case-studies from different sectors all over Europe. In the prevalent stage the framework may be useful as preliminary assessment or 'quick-scan' of the vulnerability of specific systems to climate variability in the context of S2D climate service provision. The assessment strategy of the framework is user-focused, using predominantly a bottom-up approach (vulnerability as state) but also a top-down approach (vulnerability as outcome) generally based on qualitative data (surveys, interviews, etc.) and literature research for system understanding. The starting point of analysis is a climate-sensitive 'critical situation' of the considered system which requires a decision and is defined by the user. From this basis the related 'critical climate conditions' are assessed and 'climate information needs' are derived. This mainly refers to the critical period of time of the climate event or sequence of events. The relevant period of time of problem-specific critical climate conditions may be assessed by the resilience of the system of concern, the response time of an interconnected system (i.e. top-down approach using a bottom-up methodology) or alternatively, by the critical time-frame of decision-making processes (bottom-up approach). This approach counters the challenges for a vulnerability assessment of economic sectors to S2D climate events which originate from the inherent role of climate for economic sectors: climate may affect economic sectors as hazard, resource, production- or regulation factor. This implies, that climate dependencies are often indirect and nonlinear. Consequently, climate events which are critical for affected systems do not necessarily correlate with common climatological extremes. One important output of the framework is a classification system of 'climate-impact types' which classifies sector-specific problems in a systemic way. This system proves to be promising because (i) it reflects and thus differentiates the cause for the climate relevance of a specific problem (compositions of buffer factors); (ii) it integrates decision-making processes which proved to be a significant factor; (iii) it indicates a potential usability of S2D climate service products and thus integrates coping options, and (vi) it is a systemic approach which goes beyond the established 'snap-shot' of vulnerability assessments.

Dynamic airspace configuration algorithms for next generation air transportation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Jian

The National Airspace System (NAS) is under great pressure to safely and efficiently handle the record-high air traffic volume nowadays, and will face even greater challenge to keep pace with the steady increase of future air travel demand, since the air travel demand is projected to increase to two to three times the current level by 2025. The inefficiency of traffic flow management initiatives causes severe airspace congestion and frequent flight delays, which cost billions of economic losses every year. To address the increasingly severe airspace congestion and delays, the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is proposed to transform the current static and rigid radar based system to a dynamic and flexible satellite based system. New operational concepts such as Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) have been under development to allow more flexibility required to mitigate the demand-capacity imbalances in order to increase the throughput of the entire NAS. In this dissertation, we address the DAC problem in the en route and terminal airspace under the framework of NextGen. We develop a series of algorithms to facilitate the implementation of innovative concepts relevant with DAC in both the en route and terminal airspace. We also develop a performance evaluation framework for comprehensive benefit analyses on different aspects of future sector design algorithms. First, we complete a graph based sectorization algorithm for DAC in the en route airspace, which models the underlying air route network with a weighted graph, converts the sectorization problem into the graph partition problem, partitions the weighted graph with an iterative spectral bipartition method, and constructs the sectors from the partitioned graph. The algorithm uses a graph model to accurately capture the complex traffic patterns of the real flights, and generates sectors with high efficiency while evenly distributing the workload among the generated sectors. We further improve the robustness and efficiency of the graph based DAC algorithm by incorporating the Multilevel Graph Partitioning (MGP) method into the graph model, and develop a MGP based sectorization algorithm for DAC in the en route airspace. In a comprehensive benefit analysis, the performance of the proposed algorithms are tested in numerical simulations with Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS) data. Simulation results demonstrate that the algorithmically generated sectorizations outperform the current sectorizations in different sectors for different time periods. Secondly, based on our experience with DAC in the en route airspace, we further study the sectorization problem for DAC in the terminal airspace. The differences between the en route and terminal airspace are identified, and their influence on the terminal sectorization is analyzed. After adjusting the graph model to better capture the unique characteristics of the terminal airspace and the requirements of terminal sectorization, we develop a graph based geometric sectorization algorithm for DAC in the terminal airspace. Moreover, the graph based model is combined with the region based sector design method to better handle the complicated geometric and operational constraints in the terminal sectorization problem. In the benefit analysis, we identify the contributing factors to terminal controller workload, define evaluation metrics, and develop a bebefit analysis framework for terminal sectorization evaluation. With the evaluation framework developed, we demonstrate the improvements on the current sectorizations with real traffic data collected from several major international airports in the U.S., and conduct a detailed analysis on the potential benefits of dynamic reconfiguration in the terminal airspace. Finally, in addition to the research on the macroscopic behavior of a large number of aircraft, we also study the dynamical behavior of individual aircraft from the perspective of traffic flow management. We formulate the mode-confusion problem as hybrid estimation problem, and develop a state estimation algorithm for the linear hybrid system with continuous-state-dependent transitions based on sparse observations. We also develop an estimated time of arrival prediction algorithm based on the state-dependent transition hybrid estimation algorithm, whose performance is demonstrated with simulations on the landing procedure following the Continuous Descend Approach (CDA) profile.

Explaining the VET Applied Research Developmental Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Linda; Beddie, Francesca M.

2017-01-01

This document explains the VET Applied Research Developmental Framework, created as part of a project that explored how the vocational education and training (VET) sector could broaden its engagement in Australia's research and development (R&D) and innovation systems. Achieving this engagement will rely significantly on building the…

The Defense Science Board Task Force on Tactical Battlefield Communications

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-12-01

impact of the system is clearly under appreciated. It could be the foundation for a common- user , QoS, Internet and could integrate legacy systems...into a common- user framework as is occurring in the private sector. Unfortunately, the networking aspects of the system are being lost; the focus...system-centric framework to a common- user , internetwork framework . Recommendation V—Information Security

Solar Data and Tools: Resources for Researchers, Industry, and Developers

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

2016-04-01

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has created a suite of analytical tools and data that can inform decisions about implementing solar and that are increasingly forming the basis of private-sector tools and services to solar consumers. The following solar energy data sets and analytical tools are available free to the public.

Child Health Supervision: Analytical Studies in the Financing, Delivery, and Cost-Effectiveness of Preventive and Health Promotion Services for Infants, Children, and Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solloway, Michele R., Ed.; Budetti, Peter P., Ed.

This report presents findings of a George Washington University Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) multi-year project to conduct analytical studies on the financing, delivery, and cost effectiveness of child health supervision services. Against a backdrop of decline in private sector coverage for children, a growing number of children living…

Curriculum Documents and Practice in the NZ Polytechnic Sector: Consensus and Dissensus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melles, Gavin

2008-01-01

In New Zealand the polytechnic sector embraces a range of post-compulsory education fields. Fields as diverse as nursing, business, social work and English as a Second Language (ESL) may co-exist on polytechnic campuses and are subject to similar curriculum documentation processes. The common competency-based framework and discourse of such…

"Strategic Repositioning of Institutional Frameworks": Balancing Competing Demands within the Modular UK Higher Education Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turnbull, Wayne; Burton, Diana; Mullins, Pat

2008-01-01

The UK higher education sector is grounded in an academic culture protective of its autonomy in the exercise of academic judgement within a flexible and internally validated tradition. However, the socio-political demands placed upon this sector articulate an outcomes-based, transparent and consistent model of higher education provision, as…

Leadership Provided by Non-Academic Middle-Level Managers in the Australian Higher Education Sector: The Enablers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vilkinas, Tricia

2014-01-01

This study seeks to identify the leadership behaviours displayed by non-academic middle-level managers in the Australian higher education sector. The study also identifies the importance of these leadership behaviours and the leadership effectiveness of these managers. The integrated competing values framework was used to measure leadership…

Effective communication of public health guidance to emergency department clinicians in the setting of emerging incidents: a qualitative study and framework.

PubMed

Khan, Yasmin; Sanford, Sarah; Sider, Doug; Moore, Kieran; Garber, Gary; de Villa, Eileen; Schwartz, Brian

2017-04-28

Evidence to inform communication between emergency department clinicians and public health agencies is limited. In the context of diverse, emerging public health incidents, communication is urgent, as emergency department clinicians must implement recommendations to protect themselves and the public. The objectives of this study were to: explore current practices, barriers and facilitators at the local level for communicating public health guidance to emergency department clinicians in emerging public health incidents; and develop a framework that promotes effective communication of public health guidance to clinicians during emerging incidents. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 26 key informants from emergency departments and public health agencies in Ontario, Canada. Data were analyzed inductively and the analytic approach was guided by concepts of complexity theory. Emergent themes corresponded to challenges and strategies for effective communication of public health guidance. Important challenges related to the coordination of communication across institutions and jurisdictions, and differences in work environments across sectors. Strategies for effective communication were identified as the development of partnerships and collaboration, attention to specific methods of communication used, and the importance of roles and relationship-building prior to an emerging public health incident. Following descriptive analysis, a framework was developed that consists of the following elements: 1) Anticipate; 2) Invest in building relationships and networks; 3) Establish liaison roles and redundancy; 4) Active communication; 5) Consider and respond to the target audience; 6) Leverage networks for coordination; and 7) Acknowledge and address uncertainty. The qualities inherent in local relationships cut across framework elements. This research indicates that relationships are central to effective communication between public health agencies and emergency department clinicians at the local level. Our framework which is grounded in qualitative evidence focuses on strategies to promote effective communication in the emerging public health incident setting and may be useful in informing practice.

Policy-Making Theory as an Analytical Framework in Policy Analysis: Implications for Research Design and Professional Advocacy.

PubMed

Sheldon, Michael R

2016-01-01

Policy studies are a recent addition to the American Physical Therapy Association's Research Agenda and are critical to our understanding of various federal, state, local, and organizational policies on the provision of physical therapist services across the continuum of care. Policy analyses that help to advance the profession's various policy agendas will require relevant theoretical frameworks to be credible. The purpose of this perspective article is to: (1) demonstrate the use of a policy-making theory as an analytical framework in a policy analysis and (2) discuss how sound policy analysis can assist physical therapists in becoming more effective change agents, policy advocates, and partners with other relevant stakeholder groups. An exploratory study of state agency policy responses to address work-related musculoskeletal disorders is provided as a contemporary example to illustrate key points and to demonstrate the importance of selecting a relevant analytical framework based on the context of the policy issue under investigation. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Leasing instruments of high-rise construction financing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleksandrova, Olga; Ivleva, Elena; Sukhacheva, Viktoria; Rumyantseva, Anna

2018-03-01

The leasing sector of the business economics is expanding. Leasing instruments for high-rise construction financing allow to determine the best business behaviour in the leasing economy sector, not only in the sphere of transactions with equipment and vehicles. Investments in high-rise construction have a multiplicative effect. It initiates an active search and leasing instruments use in the economic behaviour of construction organizations. The study of the high-rise construction sector in the structure of the leasing market participants significantly expands the leasing system framework. The scheme of internal and external leasing process factors influence on the result formation in the leasing sector of economy is offered.

Assessment of Children's Psychological Development and Data Analytic Framework in New York City Infant Day Care Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Mark

This report briefly describes the procedures for assessing children's psychological development and the data analytic framework used in the New York City Infant Day Care Study. This study is a 5-year, longitudinal investigation in which infants in group and family day care programs and infants reared at home are compared. Children in the study are…

Value of Flexibility - Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-25

weaknesses of each approach. During this period, we also explored the development of an analytical framework based on sound mathematical constructs... mathematical constructs. A review of the current state-of-the-art showed that there is little unifying theory or guidance on best approaches to...research activities is in developing a coherent value based definition of flexibility that is based on an analytical framework that is mathematically

A New Analytic Framework for Moderation Analysis --- Moving Beyond Analytic Interactions

PubMed Central

Tang, Wan; Yu, Qin; Crits-Christoph, Paul; Tu, Xin M.

2009-01-01

Conceptually, a moderator is a variable that modifies the effect of a predictor on a response. Analytically, a common approach as used in most moderation analyses is to add analytic interactions involving the predictor and moderator in the form of cross-variable products and test the significance of such terms. The narrow scope of such a procedure is inconsistent with the broader conceptual definition of moderation, leading to confusion in interpretation of study findings. In this paper, we develop a new approach to the analytic procedure that is consistent with the concept of moderation. The proposed framework defines moderation as a process that modifies an existing relationship between the predictor and the outcome, rather than simply a test of a predictor by moderator interaction. The approach is illustrated with data from a real study. PMID:20161453

An analytical procedure to assist decision-making in a government research organization

Treesearch

H. Dean Claxton; Giuseppe Rensi

1972-01-01

An analytical procedure to help management decision-making in planning government research is described. The objectives, activities, and restrictions of a government research organization are modeled in a consistent analytical framework. Theory and methodology is drawn from economics and mathe-matical programing. The major analytical aspects distinguishing research...

TU-H-CAMPUS-IeP1-05: A Framework for the Analytic Calculation of Patient-Specific Dose Distribution Due to CBCT Scan for IGRT

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

Youn, H; Jeon, H; Nam, J

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of an analytic framework to estimate patients’ absorbed dose distribution owing to daily cone-beam CT scan for image-guided radiation treatment. Methods: To compute total absorbed dose distribution, we separated the framework into primary and scattered dose calculations. Using the source parameters such as voltage, current, and bowtie filtration, for the primary dose calculation, we simulated the forward projection from the source to each voxel of an imaging object including some inhomogeneous inserts. Then we calculated the primary absorbed dose at each voxel based on the absorption probability deduced from the HU values and Beer’s law.more » In sequence, all voxels constructing the phantom were regarded as secondary sources to radiate scattered photons for scattered dose calculation. Details of forward projection were identical to that of the previous step. The secondary source intensities were given by using scatter-to- primary ratios provided by NIST. In addition, we compared the analytically calculated dose distribution with their Monte Carlo simulation results. Results: The suggested framework for absorbed dose estimation successfully provided the primary and secondary dose distributions of the phantom. Moreover, our analytic dose calculations and Monte Carlo calculations were well agreed each other even near the inhomogeneous inserts. Conclusion: This work indicated that our framework can be an effective monitor to estimate a patient’s exposure owing to cone-beam CT scan for image-guided radiation treatment. Therefore, we expected that the patient’s over-exposure during IGRT might be prevented by our framework.« less

Performance of community health workers: situating their intermediary position within complex adaptive health systems.

PubMed

Kok, Maryse C; Broerse, Jacqueline E W; Theobald, Sally; Ormel, Hermen; Dieleman, Marjolein; Taegtmeyer, Miriam

2017-09-02

Health systems are social institutions, in which health worker performance is shaped by transactional processes between different actors.This analytical assessment unravels the complex web of factors that influence the performance of community health workers (CHWs) in low- and middle-income countries. It examines their unique intermediary position between the communities they serve and actors in the health sector, and the complexity of the health systems in which they operate. The assessment combines evidence from the international literature on CHW programmes with research outcomes from the 5-year REACHOUT consortium, undertaking implementation research to improve CHW performance in six contexts (two in Asia and four in Africa). A conceptual framework on CHW performance, which explicitly conceptualizes the interface role of CHWs, is presented. Various categories of factors influencing CHW performance are distinguished in the framework: the context, the health system and intervention hardware and the health system and intervention software. Hardware elements of CHW interventions comprise the supervision systems, training, accountability and communication structures, incentives, supplies and logistics. Software elements relate to the ideas, interests, relationships, power, values and norms of the health system actors. They influence CHWs' feelings of connectedness, familiarity, self-fulfilment and serving the same goals and CHWs' perceptions of support received, respect, competence, honesty, fairness and recognition.The framework shines a spotlight on the need for programmes to pay more attention to ideas, interests, relationships, power, values and norms of CHWs, communities, health professionals and other actors in the health system, if CHW performance is to improve.

Health worker experiences of and movement between public and private not-for-profit sectors-findings from post-conflict Northern Uganda.

PubMed

Namakula, Justine; Witter, Sophie; Ssengooba, Freddie

2016-05-05

Northern Uganda suffered 20 years of conflict which devastated lives and the health system. Since 2006, there has been investment in reconstruction, which includes efforts to rebuild the health workforce. This article has two objectives: first, to understand health workers' experiences of working in public and private not-for-profit (PNFP) sectors during and after the conflict in Northern Uganda, and second, to understand the factors that influenced health workers' movement between public and PNFP sectors during and after the conflict. A life history approach was used with 26 health staff purposively selected from public and PNFP facilities in four districts of Northern Uganda. Staff with at least 10 years' experience were selected, which resulted in a sample which was largely female and mid-level. Two thirds were currently employed in the public sector and just over a third in the PNFP sector. A thematic data analysis was guided by the framework analysis approach, analysis framework stages and ATLAS.ti software version 7.0. Analysis reveals that most of the current staff were trained in the PNFP sector, which appears to offer higher quality training experiences. During the conflict period, the PNFP sector also functioned more effectively and was relatively better able to support its staff. However, since the end of the conflict, the public sector has been reconstructed and is now viewed as offering a better overall package for staff. Most reported movement has been in that direction, and many in the PNFP sector state intention to move to the public sector. While there is sectoral loyalty on both sides and some bonds created through training, the PNFP sector needs to become more competitive to retain staff so as to continue delivering services to deprived communities in Northern Uganda. There has been limited previous longitudinal analysis of how health staff perceive different sectors and why they move between them, particularly in conflict-affected contexts. This article adds to our understanding, particularly for mid-level cadres, and highlights the need to ensure balanced health labour market incentives which take into account not only the changing context but also needs at different points in individuals' life cycles and across all core service delivery sectors.

Hazardous Waste Test Methods / SW-846

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste: Physical/Chemical Methods (SW-846) provide guidance to analytical scientists, enforcement officers and method developers across a variety of sectors.

Developing a Qualifications Structure for the Finance Services Industry in Malaysia and Beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manshor, Amat Taap; Chong, Siong Choy; Cameron, Roslyn

2014-01-01

The development of qualifications systems and frameworks assists in promoting lifelong learning and work-based recognition systems. Several nations in the Asian Pacific region have established national qualifications frameworks across their respective educational sectors (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Philippines),…

Benchmarking with the BLASST Sessional Staff Standards Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luzia, Karina; Harvey, Marina; Parker, Nicola; McCormack, Coralie; Brown, Natalie R.

2013-01-01

Benchmarking as a type of knowledge-sharing around good practice within and between institutions is increasingly common in the higher education sector. More recently, benchmarking as a process that can contribute to quality enhancement has been deployed across numerous institutions with a view to systematising frameworks to assure and enhance the…

Estimating Aquifer Properties Using Sinusoidal Pumping Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, T. C.; Haborak, K. G.; Young, M. H.

2001-12-01

We develop the theoretical and applied framework for using sinusoidal pumping tests to estimate aquifer properties for confined, leaky, and partially penetrating conditions. The framework 1) derives analytical solutions for three boundary conditions suitable for many practical applications, 2) validates the analytical solutions against a finite element model, 3) establishes a protocol for conducting sinusoidal pumping tests, and 4) estimates aquifer hydraulic parameters based on the analytical solutions. The analytical solutions to sinusoidal stimuli in radial coordinates are derived for boundary value problems that are analogous to the Theis (1935) confined aquifer solution, the Hantush and Jacob (1955) leaky aquifer solution, and the Hantush (1964) partially penetrated confined aquifer solution. The analytical solutions compare favorably to a finite-element solution of a simulated flow domain, except in the region immediately adjacent to the pumping well where the implicit assumption of zero borehole radius is violated. The procedure is demonstrated in one unconfined and two confined aquifer units near the General Separations Area at the Savannah River Site, a federal nuclear facility located in South Carolina. Aquifer hydraulic parameters estimated using this framework provide independent confirmation of parameters obtained from conventional aquifer tests. The sinusoidal approach also resulted in the elimination of investigation-derived wastes.

Food safety - the roles and responsibilities of different sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karabasil, N.; Bošković, T.; Dimitrijević, M.; Vasilev, D.; Đorđević, V.; Lakićević, B.; Teodorović, V.

2017-09-01

Serbia is a relatively small country but with a long tradition in food production, especially meat and meat products. Serbia, as part of its open negotiation process as a candidate country with the European Union (EU), started to harmonise its legislation with the EU, and has published a set of laws and regulations relating to the hygiene of food production and food safety, the official control of production and the welfare of animals. Therefore, the food safety system in Serbia is based on principles established in the EU. There is a need for cooperation of different sectors (government, food business operators and consumers) in the management of food safety, and every sector has its role and responsibility. This paper aims to provide analytical support for the process of upgrading safety and quality in Serbia’s food sector and explains the roles and responsibilities of different sectors in the food chain.

Tool for simplifying the complex interactions within resilient communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stwertka, C.; Albert, M. R.; White, K. D.

2016-12-01

In recent decades, scientists have observed and documented impacts from climate change that will impact multiple sectors, will be impacted by decisions from multiple sectors, and will change over time. This complex human-engineered system has a large number of moving, interacting parts, which are interdependent and evolve over time towards their purpose. Many of the existing resilience frameworks and vulnerability frameworks focus on interactions between the domains, but do not include the structure of the interactions. We present an engineering systems approach to investigate the structural elements that influence a community's ability to be resilient. In this presentation we will present and analyze four common methods for building community resilience, utilizing our common framework. For several existing case studies we examine the stress points in the system and identify the impacts on the outcomes from the case studies. In ongoing research we will apply our system tool to a new case in the field.

Analytical method of waste allocation in waste management systems: Concept, method and case study

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

Bergeron, Francis C., E-mail: francis.b.c@videotron.ca

Waste is not a rejected item to dispose anymore but increasingly a secondary resource to exploit, influencing waste allocation among treatment operations in a waste management (WM) system. The aim of this methodological paper is to present a new method for the assessment of the WM system, the “analytical method of the waste allocation process” (AMWAP), based on the concept of the “waste allocation process” defined as the aggregation of all processes of apportioning waste among alternative waste treatment operations inside or outside the spatial borders of a WM system. AMWAP contains a conceptual framework and an analytical approach. Themore » conceptual framework includes, firstly, a descriptive model that focuses on the description and classification of the WM system. It includes, secondly, an explanatory model that serves to explain and to predict the operation of the WM system. The analytical approach consists of a step-by-step analysis for the empirical implementation of the conceptual framework. With its multiple purposes, AMWAP provides an innovative and objective modular method to analyse a WM system which may be integrated in the framework of impact assessment methods and environmental systems analysis tools. Its originality comes from the interdisciplinary analysis of the WAP and to develop the conceptual framework. AMWAP is applied in the framework of an illustrative case study on the household WM system of Geneva (Switzerland). It demonstrates that this method provides an in-depth and contextual knowledge of WM. - Highlights: • The study presents a new analytical method based on the waste allocation process. • The method provides an in-depth and contextual knowledge of the waste management system. • The paper provides a reproducible procedure for professionals, experts and academics. • It may be integrated into impact assessment or environmental system analysis tools. • An illustrative case study is provided based on household waste management in Geneva.« less

Developing Learning Analytics Design Knowledge in the "Middle Space": The Student Tuning Model and Align Design Framework for Learning Analytics Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, Alyssa Friend; Vytasek, Jovita Maria; Hausknecht, Simone; Zhao, Yuting

2016-01-01

This paper addresses a relatively unexplored area in the field of learning analytics: how analytics are taken up and used as part of teaching and learning processes. Initial steps are taken towards developing design knowledge for this "middle space," with a focus on students as analytics users. First, a core set of challenges for…

Spatially Enabling the Health Sector

PubMed Central

Weeramanthri, Tarun Stephen; Woodgate, Peter

2016-01-01

Spatial information describes the physical location of either people or objects, and the measured relationships between them. In this article, we offer the view that greater utilization of spatial information and its related technology, as part of a broader redesign of the architecture of health information at local and national levels, could assist and speed up the process of health reform, which is taking place across the globe in richer and poorer countries alike. In making this point, we describe the impetus for health sector reform, recent developments in spatial information and analytics, and current Australasian spatial health research. We highlight examples of uptake of spatial information by the health sector, as well as missed opportunities. Our recommendations to spatially enable the health sector are applicable to high- and low-resource settings. PMID:27867933

Spatially Enabling the Health Sector.

PubMed

Weeramanthri, Tarun Stephen; Woodgate, Peter

2016-01-01

Spatial information describes the physical location of either people or objects, and the measured relationships between them. In this article, we offer the view that greater utilization of spatial information and its related technology, as part of a broader redesign of the architecture of health information at local and national levels, could assist and speed up the process of health reform, which is taking place across the globe in richer and poorer countries alike. In making this point, we describe the impetus for health sector reform, recent developments in spatial information and analytics, and current Australasian spatial health research. We highlight examples of uptake of spatial information by the health sector, as well as missed opportunities. Our recommendations to spatially enable the health sector are applicable to high- and low-resource settings.

Model documentation report: Residential sector demand module of the national energy modeling system

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

NONE

This report documents the objectives, analytical approach, and development of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) Residential Sector Demand Module. The report catalogues and describes the model assumptions, computational methodology, parameter estimation techniques, and FORTRAN source code. This reference document provides a detailed description for energy analysts, other users, and the public. The NEMS Residential Sector Demand Module is currently used for mid-term forecasting purposes and energy policy analysis over the forecast horizon of 1993 through 2020. The model generates forecasts of energy demand for the residential sector by service, fuel, and Census Division. Policy impacts resulting from new technologies,more » market incentives, and regulatory changes can be estimated using the module. 26 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.« less

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY DIVISION ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1961

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

None

1962-02-01

Research and development progress is reported on analytlcal instrumentation, dlssolver-solution analyses, special research problems, reactor projects analyses, x-ray and spectrochemical analyses, mass spectrometry, optical and electron microscopy, radiochemical analyses, nuclear analyses, inorganic preparations, organic preparations, ionic analyses, infrared spectral studies, anodization of sector coils for the Analog II Cyclotron, quality control, process analyses, and the Thermal Breeder Reactor Projects Analytical Chemistry Laboratory. (M.C.G.)

A strategic framework for the development and enhancement of safety culture in the artificial tanning sector in Greece.

PubMed

Petri, Aspasia; Karabetsos, Efthymios

2018-06-08

Herein, the strategic framework for the development and enhancement of safety culture in the artificial tanning sector in Greece is presented. This framework has been designed and promoted by the competent national regulatory authority, which is the Greek Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE). The aim is to ensure a common understanding regarding ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and artificial tanning among the artificial tanning professionals, the stakeholders and the general public. The strategic framework is founded on the international organizations' recommendations, the EU requirements and the relevant technical standards. It is comprised of three autonomous but interconnected components: A) A sunbed operators' e-training course and certification process, B) A code of practice addressed individually to the business owners, the sunbeds operators and the sunbeds users, C) Communication strategies aiming to raise awareness regarding UVR and artificial tanning to all the interested parties. The artificial tanning safety culture framework presented here is the policy option that EEAE undertook and it is embedded in the upcoming legislation and regulations for the provision of artificial tanning services in Greece. EEAE considers that the structure of the artificial tanning safety culture strategic framework will serve as the guide for the development and promotion of relevant safety culture strategic frameworks for the provision of aesthetic/wellness services that utilize other non-ionizing radiation sources, which currently don't exist. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Economic Assessment of Zoonoses Surveillance in a 'One Health' Context: A Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Babo Martins, S; Rushton, J; Stärk, K D C

2016-08-01

Collaboration between animal and public health sectors has been highlighted as a means to improve the management of zoonotic threats. This includes surveillance systems for zoonoses, where enhanced cross-sectoral integration and sharing of information are seen as key to improved public health outcomes. Yet, there is a lack of evidence on the economic returns of such collaboration, particularly in the development and implementation of surveillance programmes. The economic assessment of surveillance in this context needs to be underpinned by the understanding of the links between zoonotic disease surveillance in animal populations and the wider public health disease mitigation process and how these relations impact on the costs and benefits of the surveillance activities. This study presents a conceptual framework of these links as a basis for the economic assessment of cross-sectoral zoonoses surveillance with the aim of supporting the prioritization of resource allocation to surveillance. In the proposed framework, monetary, non-monetary and intermediate or intangible cost components and benefit streams of three conceptually distinct stages of zoonotic disease mitigation are identified. In each stage, as the final disease mitigation objective varies so does the use of surveillance information generated in the animal populations for public health decision-making. Consequently, the associated cost components and benefit streams also change. Building on the proposed framework and taking into account these links, practical steps for its application are presented and future challenges are discussed. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Development of Sustainability Assessment Framework in Hydropower sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soliha Sahimi, Nur; Turan, Faiz Mohd; Johan, Kartina

2017-08-01

Nowadays, Malaysian demand in energy sector was drastically increase due to technological developments. Since, hydropower is one of potential renewable energy source in Malaysia. The largest electricity utility company, Tenaga Nasional Berhad was provide an electricity to more than seven million people via independent suppliers in peninsular Malaysia and Sabah by intended a potential sustainable hydropower system. In order to increasingly the power capacity from current use, 1882 MW to more than 3000 MW by years 2020. In this study, the environmental issues and also the penalty to the responsible company especially on Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) towards their project or business are one of the problems. Other than that, every project or business has to prepare a sustainability statement or sustainability report as vital to Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad under their listing requirements. Next, the sustainability performance on their project cannot be determined to achieve the key performance indicators (KPI) satisfaction from Government, stakeholder or any responsible agencies. This study presents an exhaustive review of these studies and suggests a direction for future developments. Sustainability Assessment framework or self-assessment is decidedly as a significant framework to assist towards sustainability reporting and to produce a Sustainability index for Hydropower sector using a mathematical model study. The results reveal that, the quantitative measurement from Sustainability Assessment framework to Systematic Sustainability Asssesment tool can be produce. In doing so, it is possible to improve the performance of the project especially in hydropower planner.

Developing a Defense Sector Assessment Rating Tool

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

JUSTICE EDUCATION ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS NATIONAL SECURITY POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY SCIENCE AND...Cathryn Quantic Thurston, and Gregory F. Treverton (MG-863-OSD). • Making Liberia Safe: Transformation of the National Security Sector, by David C...Cathryn Quantic Thurston, and Gregory F. Treverton, A Framework to Assess Programs for Building Partnerships, Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation

"Table Top Theory" as a Policy Framework for Gauging the Confluence of Teaching and Private Sector Interests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Bruce A.

2007-01-01

Without question, the role of business, philanthropy, and other private sector interests in the day-to-day operation of public education has increased significantly over the past 25 years. Pundits of this phenomenon contend that a number of factors have contributed to the increase, such as (1) public dissatisfaction with the performance of school…

Education Exclusion in a Social-Class Framework: An Inquiry into the Major Sub-Sectors of the Professional Self-Financing Sector in Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajasenan, D.; Bijith, G. A.; Rajeev, B.

2016-01-01

Education and education exclusion are two mammoth social and political challenges in a society characterized by diverse social groups. Although "self-financing regime" helped to barricade the outflow of money from the state, it also hampered the "social equity" in education and hence germinated the seed of education exclusion…

78 FR 33259 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-04

... Council (Council). This final rule establishes a closure date for the 2013 recreational sector for the... February 21, 2013, NMFS published a proposed rule for the framework action and requested public comments.... This final rule: (1) Establishes a closure date for the recreational sector for the harvest of gag...

Influences of Formal Learning, Personal Characteristics, and Work Environment Characteristics on Informal Learning among Middle Managers in the Korean Banking Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Woojae

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of formal learning, personal characteristics, and work environment characteristics on informal learning among middle managers in the Korean banking sector. The conceptual framework identified three factors influencing informal learning. For this study, data collection was conducted in the…

Creating Good Employment Opportunities for the Rural Sector

PubMed Central

Foster, Andrew D.

2013-01-01

This paper examines the potential for sector-specific productivity growth, human capital, credit markets, and infrastructure to contribute to the development of stable, well-paid employment in rural areas of low-income countries. Particular emphasis is placed on the way that different sectors of the rural economy interact with each other and with local and regional product markets. A simple theoretical framework and descriptive analysis of panel data from India suggests that more emphasis should be placed on increasing the production of goods that incorporate local agricultural products as inputs. PMID:25883938

Default Trends in Major Postsecondary Education Sectors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merisotis, Jamie P.

1988-01-01

Information on GSL defaults in five states is reviewed: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Default rates are defined and levels of default are examined using a variety of analytical methods. (Author/MLW)

Options for Department of Defense Total Workforce Supply and Demand Analysis: Potential Approaches and Available Data Sources

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

objectives. This report reviews the approaches used in the private sector and in government organizations for tackling Steps 2a and 2b of the work- force... unemployment rate). Separation rates may also reflect early retirement incentive packages offered by the company because of reduced staffing needs...depending on their objectives. Purpose This report provides a review of analytical approaches used in the pri- vate sector and in government organizations

Investment Incentives and the Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Evidence from Zambia

PubMed Central

Drope, Jeffrey; Labonte, Ronald; Zulu, Richard; Goma, Fastone

2016-01-01

Purpose Policy misalignment across different sectors of government serves as one of the pivotal barriers to WHO Framework convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) implementation. This paper examines the logic used by government officials to justify providing investment incentives to increase tobacco processing and manufacturing in the context of FCTC implementation in Zambia. Methods We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with key informants from government, civil society and intergovernmental economic organizations (n=23). We supplemented the interview data with an analysis of public documents pertaining to economic development policy in Zambia. Results We found gross misalignments between the policies of the economic sector and efforts to implement the provisions of the FCTC. Our interviews uncovered the rationale used by officials in the economic sector to justify providing economic incentives to bolster tobacco processing and manufacturing in Zambia: 1) tobacco is not consumed by Zambians/tobacco is an export commodity, 2) economic benefits outweigh health costs, and 3) tobacco consumption is a personal choice. Conclusions Much of the struggle Zambia has experienced implementing the FCTC can be attributed to misalignments between the economic and health sectors. Zambia’s development agenda seeks to bolster agricultural processing and manufacturing. Tobacco control proponents must understand and work within this context of economic development in order to foster productive strategies with those working on tobacco supply issues. These findings are broadly applicable to the global analysis on the barriers and facilitators of FCTC implementation. It is important that the Ministry of Health monitors the tobacco policy of other sectors and engages with these sectors to find ways of harmonizing FCTC implementation across sectors. PMID:26135987

[Sex/Gender, Violence and Human Rights: Conceptual Perspectives for Approaching Gender-Based Violence against Women from the Health Sector].

PubMed

Bello-Urrego, Alejandra Del Rocío

2013-03-01

Based upon the public health sector perspective, this article explores conceptual approaches to address the issue of gender violence against women. To consider the election of an analysis framework regarding the phenomenon of violence against women in the health sector, in the light of the political implications of becoming a woman in the midst of a specific social order. Expert review of scientific literature published on free-access data bases so as to identify the most commonly used interpretation frameworks with regard to the phenomenon of violence against women in order to explain its political implications according to a specific social order. Becoming woman implies participation in social aspects from an inequity stemming from structural power. This is the reason why violence against women can never be considered away from its roots. i.e., a society that assigns to women social roles that imply diminished possibilities of access to the use of power through a sex/gender system which is binary, hierarchic and exclusive. In public health areas, the selection of interpretation frameworks that do not take into account the structural origin of violence against women contribute to their invisibilization and even to perpetuate it, independently from the conscience of the researcher on the basis of the political burden arising from the use of such frameworks to the detriment of others, or the intention of objectivity regarding frameworks with a heavy political burden that contribute to the maintenance of a sex/gender binary, hierarchic and excluding structure. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Ethics and Justice in Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jeffrey Alan

2017-01-01

The many complex challenges posed by learning analytics can best be understood within a framework of structural justice, which focuses on the ways in which the informational, operational, and organizational structures of learning analytics influence students' capacities for self-development and self-determination. This places primary…

Reading Multimodal Texts: Perceptual, Structural and Ideological Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serafini, Frank

2010-01-01

This article presents a tripartite framework for analyzing multimodal texts. The three analytical perspectives presented include: (1) perceptual, (2) structural, and (3) ideological analytical processes. Using Anthony Browne's picturebook "Piggybook" as an example, assertions are made regarding what each analytical perspective brings to the…

HIV/AIDS, growth and poverty in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa: an integrated survey, demographic and economy-wide analysis

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background This paper estimates the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on the KwaZulu-Natal province and the rest of South Africa. Methods We extended previous studies by employing: an integrated analytical framework that combined firm surveys of workers' HIV prevalence by sector and occupation; a demographic model that produced both population and workforce projections; and a regionalized economy-wide model linked to a survey-based micro-simulation module. This framework permits a full macro-microeconomic assessment. Results Results indicate that HIV/AIDS greatly reduces annual economic growth, mainly by lowering the long-run rate of technical change. However, impacts on income poverty are small, and inequality is reduced by HIV/AIDS. This is because high unemployment among low-income households minimises the economic costs of increased mortality. By contrast, slower economic growth hurts higher income households despite lower HIV prevalence. Conclusion We conclude that the increase in economic growth that results from addressing HIV/AIDS is sufficient to offset the population pressure placed on income poverty. Moreover, incentives to mitigate HIV/AIDS lie not only with poorer infected households, but also with uninfected higher income households. Our findings reveal the substantial burden that HIV/AIDS places on future economic development in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, and confirms the need for policies to curb the economic costs of the pandemic. PMID:19758444

Establishing a Commercial Buildings Energy Data Framework for India: A Comprehensive Look at Data Collection Approaches, Use Cases and Institutions

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

Iyer, Maithili; Kumar, Satish; Mathew, Sangeeta

Enhancing energy efficiency of the commercial building stock is an important aspect of any national energy policy. Understanding how buildings use energy is critical to formulating any new policy that may impact energy use, underscoring the importance of credible data. Data enables informed decision making and good quality data is essential for policy makers to prioritize energy saving strategies and track implementation. Given the uniqueness of the buildings sector and challenges to collecting relevant energy data, this study characterizes various elements involved in pertinent data collection and management, with the specific focus on well-defined data requirements, appropriate methodologies and processes,more » feasible data collection mechanisms, and approaches to institutionalizing the collection process. This report starts with a comprehensive review of available examples of energy data collection frameworks for buildings across different countries. The review covers the U.S. experience in the commercial buildings sector, the European experience in the buildings sector and other data collection initiatives in Singapore and China to capture the more systematic efforts in Asia in the commercial sector. To provide context, the review includes a summary and status of disparate efforts in India to collect and use commercial building energy data. Using this review as a key input, the study developed a data collection framework for India with specific consideration to relevant use cases. Continuing with the framework for data collection, this study outlines the key performance indicators applicable to the use cases and their collection feasibility, as well as immediate priorities of the participating stakeholders. It also discusses potential considerations for data collection and the possible approaches for survey design. With the specific purpose of laying out the possible ways to structure and organize data collection institutionally, the study collates existing mechanisms to analyze building energy performance in India and opportunities for standardizing data collection. This report describes the existing capacities and resources for establishing an institutional framework for data collection, the legislation and mandates that support such activity, and identifies roles and responsibilities of the relevant ministries and organizations. Finally, the study presents conclusions and identifies two major data collection strategies within the existing legal framework.« less

Analytic TOF PET reconstruction algorithm within DIRECT data partitioning framework

PubMed Central

Matej, Samuel; Daube-Witherspoon, Margaret E.; Karp, Joel S.

2016-01-01

Iterative reconstruction algorithms are routinely used for clinical practice; however, analytic algorithms are relevant candidates for quantitative research studies due to their linear behavior. While iterative algorithms also benefit from the inclusion of accurate data and noise models the widespread use of TOF scanners with less sensitivity to noise and data imperfections make analytic algorithms even more promising. In our previous work we have developed a novel iterative reconstruction approach (Direct Image Reconstruction for TOF) providing convenient TOF data partitioning framework and leading to very efficient reconstructions. In this work we have expanded DIRECT to include an analytic TOF algorithm with confidence weighting incorporating models of both TOF and spatial resolution kernels. Feasibility studies using simulated and measured data demonstrate that analytic-DIRECT with appropriate resolution and regularization filters is able to provide matched bias vs. variance performance to iterative TOF reconstruction with a matched resolution model. PMID:27032968

Analytic TOF PET reconstruction algorithm within DIRECT data partitioning framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matej, Samuel; Daube-Witherspoon, Margaret E.; Karp, Joel S.

2016-05-01

Iterative reconstruction algorithms are routinely used for clinical practice; however, analytic algorithms are relevant candidates for quantitative research studies due to their linear behavior. While iterative algorithms also benefit from the inclusion of accurate data and noise models the widespread use of time-of-flight (TOF) scanners with less sensitivity to noise and data imperfections make analytic algorithms even more promising. In our previous work we have developed a novel iterative reconstruction approach (DIRECT: direct image reconstruction for TOF) providing convenient TOF data partitioning framework and leading to very efficient reconstructions. In this work we have expanded DIRECT to include an analytic TOF algorithm with confidence weighting incorporating models of both TOF and spatial resolution kernels. Feasibility studies using simulated and measured data demonstrate that analytic-DIRECT with appropriate resolution and regularization filters is able to provide matched bias versus variance performance to iterative TOF reconstruction with a matched resolution model.

Promoting Financial Success in the United States: National Strategy for Financial Literacy, 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Financial Literacy and Education Commission, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper describes a framework developed by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) to provide the foundation for an overarching financial literacy strategy. This framework establishes concrete goals that the non-profit, government, and private sectors can and should work together to increase financial literacy and improve…

Competences in Romanian Higher Education--An Empirical Investigation for the Business Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deaconu, Adela; Nistor, Cristina Silvia

2017-01-01

This research study particularizes the general descriptions of the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning, as compiled and developed within the Romanian qualification framework, to the business and economics field in general and to the property economic analysis and valuation field in particular. By means of an empirical analysis,…

Developing and Managing University-Industry Research Collaborations through a Process Methodology/Industrial Sector Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philbin, Simon P.

2010-01-01

A management framework has been successfully utilized at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom to improve the process for developing and managing university-industry research collaborations. The framework has been part of a systematic approach to increase the level of research contracts from industrial sources, to strengthen the…

Children Learning to Use Technologies through Play: A Digital Play Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bird, Jo; Edwards, Susan

2015-01-01

Digital technologies are increasingly acknowledged as an important aspect of early childhood education. A significant problem for early childhood education has been how to understand the pedagogical use of technologies in a sector that values play-based learning. This paper presents a new framework to understand how children learn to use…

State Energy Resilience Framework

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

Phillips, J.; Finster, M.; Pillon, J.

2016-12-01

The energy sector infrastructure’s high degree of interconnectedness with other critical infrastructure systems can lead to cascading and escalating failures that can strongly affect both economic and social activities.The operational goal is to maintain energy availability for customers and consumers. For this body of work, a State Energy Resilience Framework in five steps is proposed.

Internal Audit: Does it Enhance Governance in the Australian Public University Sector?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christopher, Joe

2015-01-01

This study seeks to confirm if internal audit, a corporate control process, is functioning effectively in Australian public universities. The study draws on agency theory, published literature and best-practice guidelines to develop an internal audit evaluation framework. A survey instrument is thereafter developed from the framework and used as a…

Controlling Methane Emissions in the Natural Gas Sector. A Review of Federal and State Regulatory Frameworks Governing Production, Gathering, Processing, Transmission, and Distribution

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

Paranhos, Elizabeth; Kozak, Tracy G.; Boyd, William

This report provides an overview of the regulatory frameworks governing natural gas supply chain infrastructure siting, construction, operation, and maintenance. Information was drawn from a number of sources, including published analyses, government reports, in addition to relevant statutes, court decisions and regulatory language, as needed. The scope includes all onshore facilities that contribute to methane emissions from the natural gas sector, focusing on three areas of state and federal regulations: (1) natural gas pipeline infrastructure siting and transportation service (including gathering, transmission, and distribution pipelines), (2) natural gas pipeline safety, and (3) air emissions associated with the natural gas supplymore » chain. In addition, the report identifies the incentives under current regulatory frameworks to invest in measures to reduce leakage, as well as the barriers facing investment in infrastructure improvement to reduce leakage. Policy recommendations regarding how federal or state authorities could regulate methane emissions are not provided; rather, existing frameworks are identified and some of the options for modifying existing regulations or adopting new regulations to reduce methane leakage are discussed.« less

Incorporating environmental concerns into power sector decision-making: A case study of Sri Lanka. World Bank Environment Paper 6

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

Meier, P.; Munasinghe, M.; Team, S.L.S.

1994-04-01

Weighs Sri Lanka`s options for addressing environmental concerns during the planning stages of energy policymaking. Here is a holistic approach to analyzing the environmental impact of various power systems. Unlike standard impact studies that begin at the project level, this method calls for environmental assessments that start at the planning stage of a national framework for energy policymaking. The framework would take into account the energy needs of Sri Lanka`s total economy. It also would make it easier to incorporate environmental goals into power sector decisionmaking at the critical investment stage. Sri Lanka`s development options for the power sector aremore » reviewed in detail. Topics include alternative ways to assess the economic value of a power plant`s impact on biodiversity, human health, and air and water pollution. The study also assesses which energy planning options work best and recommends ways in which the Ceylon Electricity Board can improve its environmental policies.« less

The for-profit sector in humanitarian response: integrating ethical considerations in public policy decision making.

PubMed

Huckel Schneider, Carmen; Negin, Joel

2016-01-01

The engagement of the for-profit private sector in health, social and humanitarian services has become a topic of keen interest. It is particularly contentious in those instances where for-profit organizations have become recipients of public funds, and where they become key decision-makers in terms of how, and to whom, services are provided. We put forward a framework for identifying and organizing the ethical questions to be considered when contracting government services to the for-profit sector, specifically in those areas that have traditionally remained in the public or not-for-profit spheres. The framework is designed to inform both academic debate and practical decision-making regarding the acceptability, feasibility and legitimacy of for-profit organizations carrying out humanitarian work. First, we outline the importance of posing ethical questions in government contracting for-profit vs. not-for-profit organizations. We then outline five key areas to be considered before then examining the extent to which ethics concerns are warranted and how they may be safeguarded.

The Strategic Management of Accountability in Nonprofit Organizations: An Analytical Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearns, Kevin P.

1994-01-01

Offers a framework stressing the strategic and tactical choices facing nonprofit organizations and discusses policy and management implications. Claims framework is a useful tool for conducting accountability audits and conceptual foundation for discussions of public policy. (Author/JOW)

Environmental and economic development consequences of forest and agricultural sector policies in Latin America (a synthesis of case studies of Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Bolivia)

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

Stewart, R.; Gibson, D.

This paper draws heavily on the results of case studies in Bolivia, Costa Rica, and Ecuador to explain how sectoral policies have tilted land use decisions against forestry and in favor of agriculture, and to present estimates of the economic development effects of those decisions. The paper summarizes information on forests and forest industries of the three countries, and it describes the framework within which policies are designed. It presents the effects of sectoral policies on land use and forest management, and then quantifies and discusses economic costs of relevant sectoral policies. Conclusions and recommendations for policy reform are offered.

'More of a leg to stand on': views and usage of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 among staff of local Alzheimer's Society and carer organisations.

PubMed

Manthorpe, Jill; Samsi, Kritika; Rapaport, Joan

2012-01-01

The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 was implemented in 2007 in England and Wales. It offers new opportunities for people to plan for any future loss of capacity and provides a framework for decision-making on behalf of people lacking capacity. This article explores the challenges staff in local voluntary organisations focusing on dementia and carers face when they offer information and advice connected to possible loss of decision-making capacity to people with dementia and carers. A set of 17 qualitative interviews were undertaken with a purposively sampled voluntary sector staff in London in 2008-09. Framework analysis was used to delineate themes in the transcripts and identified themes were included in the iteratively developed coding framework. Interviews revealed that voluntary sector staff generally perceived the Act as largely benefiting people with dementia in the exercise of their rights. They also thought that carers would benefit from the Act's provisions, whilst their own involvement in advice, information-giving and referral to other sources of expertise in relation to the MCA differed according to their role and confidence. Voluntary sector staff's capability and interest in using the MCA vary; there should be no presumption of detailed knowledge, and resources relevant to the MCA might be need to be coordinated more effectively by this sector. Ongoing training, local coordination and auditing seem warranted. These could encompass the new safeguarding provisions of the MCA which may need to be highlighted as part of the welcome extension of rights conferred by the MCA.

RBioCloud: A Light-Weight Framework for Bioconductor and R-based Jobs on the Cloud.

PubMed

Varghese, Blesson; Patel, Ishan; Barker, Adam

2015-01-01

Large-scale ad hoc analytics of genomic data is popular using the R-programming language supported by over 700 software packages provided by Bioconductor. More recently, analytical jobs are benefitting from on-demand computing and storage, their scalability and their low maintenance cost, all of which are offered by the cloud. While biologists and bioinformaticists can take an analytical job and execute it on their personal workstations, it remains challenging to seamlessly execute the job on the cloud infrastructure without extensive knowledge of the cloud dashboard. How analytical jobs can not only with minimum effort be executed on the cloud, but also how both the resources and data required by the job can be managed is explored in this paper. An open-source light-weight framework for executing R-scripts using Bioconductor packages, referred to as `RBioCloud', is designed and developed. RBioCloud offers a set of simple command-line tools for managing the cloud resources, the data and the execution of the job. Three biological test cases validate the feasibility of RBioCloud. The framework is available from http://www.rbiocloud.com.

Curriculum Innovation for Marketing Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Elizabeth J.; McCabe, Catherine; Smith, Robert S.

2018-01-01

College graduates need better preparation for and experience in data analytics for higher-quality problem solving. Using the curriculum innovation framework of Borin, Metcalf, and Tietje (2007) and case study research methods, we offer rich insights about one higher education institution's work to address the marketing analytics skills gap.…

A Comparison of Iron and Steel Production Energy Use and Energy Intensity in China and the U.S.

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

Hasanbeigi, Ali; Price, Lynn; Aden, Nathaniel

Production of iron and steel is an energy-intensive manufacturing process. In 2006, the iron and steel industry accounted for 13.6% and 1.4% of primary energy consumption in China and the U.S., respectively (U.S. DOE/EIA, 2010a; Zhang et al., 2010). The energy efficiency of steel production has a direct impact on overall energy consumption and related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The goal of this study is to develop a methodology for making an accurate comparison of the energy intensity (energy use per unit of steel produced) of steel production. The methodology is applied to the steel industry in China and themore » U.S. The methodology addresses issues related to boundary definitions, conversion factors, and indicators in order to develop a common framework for comparing steel industry energy use. This study uses a bottom-up, physical-based method to compare the energy intensity of China and U.S. crude steel production in 2006. This year was chosen in order to maximize the availability of comparable steel-sector data. However, data published in China and the U.S. are not always consistent in terms of analytical scope, conversion factors, and information on adoption of energy-saving technologies. This study is primarily based on published annual data from the China Iron & Steel Association and National Bureau of Statistics in China and the Energy Information Agency in the U.S. This report found that the energy intensity of steel production is lower in the United States than China primarily due to structural differences in the steel industry in these two countries. In order to understand the differences in energy intensity of steel production in both countries, this report identified key determinants of sector energy use in both countries. Five determinants analyzed in this report include: share of electric arc furnaces in total steel production, sector penetration of energy-efficiency technologies, scale of production equipment, fuel shares in the iron and steel industry, and final steel product mix in both countries. The share of lower energy intensity electric arc furnace production in each country was a key determinant of total steel sector energy efficiency. Overall steel sector structure, in terms of average plant vintage and production capacity, is also an important variable though data were not available to quantify this in a scenario. The methodology developed in this report, along with the accompanying quantitative and qualitative analyses, provides a foundation for comparative international assessment of steel sector energy intensity.« less

The RISE Framework: Using Learning Analytics to Automatically Identify Open Educational Resources for Continuous Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodily, Robert; Nyland, Rob; Wiley, David

2017-01-01

The RISE (Resource Inspection, Selection, and Enhancement) Framework is a framework supporting the continuous improvement of open educational resources (OER). The framework is an automated process that identifies learning resources that should be evaluated and either eliminated or improved. This is particularly useful in OER contexts where the…

Institutional and socioeconomic aspects of water supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauchenschwandtner, H.; Pachel, M.

2012-04-01

Institutional and socioeconomic aspects of water supply Within the project CC-WaterS the participating researchers of the Vienna University of Economics and B.A. have been responsible for the analysis of the socioeconomic aspects related to water supply and climate change, the assessment of future water demands in the City of Vienna, as well as an estimation of economic consequences of possible water shortages and possible scope for the introduction of new legal guidelines. The institutional and socioeconomic dimensions of drinking water and sanitation systems are being examined by utilisation of different prognostic scenarios in order to assess future costs of water provisioning and future demands of main water users, thus providing an information basis and recommendations for policy and decision makers in the water sector. These dimensions, for example, include EU legislation - especially the Water Framework Directive -, national legislations and strategies targeted at achieving sustainability in water usage, best practices and different forms of regulating water markets, and an analysis of the implications of demographic change. As a basis this task encompasses research of given institutional, social, and legal-political structures in the area of water supply. In this course we provide an analysis of the structural characteristics of water markets, the role of water prices, the increasing perception of water as an economic good as well as implications thereof, the public awareness in regard to climate change and water resources, as well as related legal aspects and involved actors from regional to international level; and show how water resources and the different systems of water provisioning are affected by (ideological) conflicts on various levels. Furthermore, and in order to provide a solid basis for management recommendations related to climate change and water supply, an analytical risk-assessment framework based on the concepts of new institutional economics is being developed, which provides a different analytical perspective for examining the linkages between institutions, economic processes, and societal factors.

Quantifying risks with exact analytical solutions of derivative pricing distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Kun; Liu, Jing; Wang, Erkang; Wang, Jin

2017-04-01

Derivative (i.e. option) pricing is essential for modern financial instrumentations. Despite of the previous efforts, the exact analytical forms of the derivative pricing distributions are still challenging to obtain. In this study, we established a quantitative framework using path integrals to obtain the exact analytical solutions of the statistical distribution for bond and bond option pricing for the Vasicek model. We discuss the importance of statistical fluctuations away from the expected option pricing characterized by the distribution tail and their associations to value at risk (VaR). The framework established here is general and can be applied to other financial derivatives for quantifying the underlying statistical distributions.

Residential Demand Module - NEMS Documentation

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

Model Documentation - Documents the objectives, analytical approach, and development of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) Residential Sector Demand Module. The report catalogues and describes the model assumptions, computational methodology, parameter estimation techniques, and FORTRAN source code.

Climate change impact modelling needs to include cross-sectoral interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, Paula A.; Dunford, Robert W.; Holman, Ian P.; Rounsevell, Mark D. A.

2016-09-01

Climate change impact assessments often apply models of individual sectors such as agriculture, forestry and water use without considering interactions between these sectors. This is likely to lead to misrepresentation of impacts, and consequently to poor decisions about climate adaptation. However, no published research assesses the differences between impacts simulated by single-sector and integrated models. Here we compare 14 indicators derived from a set of impact models run within single-sector and integrated frameworks across a range of climate and socio-economic scenarios in Europe. We show that single-sector studies misrepresent the spatial pattern, direction and magnitude of most impacts because they omit the complex interdependencies within human and environmental systems. The discrepancies are particularly pronounced for indicators such as food production and water exploitation, which are highly influenced by other sectors through changes in demand, land suitability and resource competition. Furthermore, the discrepancies are greater under different socio-economic scenarios than different climate scenarios, and at the sub-regional rather than Europe-wide scale.

A multi-layered governance framework for incorporating social science insights into adapting to the health impacts of climate change.

PubMed

Bowen, Kathryn J; Ebi, Kristie; Friel, Sharon; McMichael, Anthony J

2013-09-10

Addressing climate change and its associated effects is a multi-dimensional and ongoing challenge. This includes recognizing that climate change will affect the health and wellbeing of all populations over short and longer terms, albeit in varied ways and intensities. That recognition has drawn attention to the need to take adaptive actions to lessen adverse impacts over the next few decades from unavoidable climate change, particularly in developing country settings. A range of sectors is responsible for appropriate adaptive policies and measures to address the health risks of climate change, including health services, water and sanitation, trade, agriculture, disaster management, and development. To broaden the framing of governance and decision-making processes by using innovative methods and assessments to illustrate the multi-sectoral nature of health-related adaptation to climate change. This is a shift from sector-specific to multi-level systems encompassing sectors and actors, across temporal and spatial scales. A review and synthesis of the current knowledge in the areas of health and climate change adaptation governance and decision-making processes. A novel framework is presented that incorporates social science insights into the formulation and implementation of adaptation activities and policies to lessen the health risks posed by climate change. Clarification of the roles that different sectors, organizations, and individuals occupy in relation to the development of health-related adaptation strategies will facilitate the inclusion of health and wellbeing within multi-sector adaptation policies, thereby strengthening the overall set of responses to minimize the adverse health effects of climate change.

A multi-layered governance framework for incorporating social science insights into adapting to the health impacts of climate change

PubMed Central

Bowen, Kathryn J.; Ebi, Kristie; Friel, Sharon; McMichael, Anthony J.

2013-01-01

Background Addressing climate change and its associated effects is a multi-dimensional and ongoing challenge. This includes recognizing that climate change will affect the health and wellbeing of all populations over short and longer terms, albeit in varied ways and intensities. That recognition has drawn attention to the need to take adaptive actions to lessen adverse impacts over the next few decades from unavoidable climate change, particularly in developing country settings. A range of sectors is responsible for appropriate adaptive policies and measures to address the health risks of climate change, including health services, water and sanitation, trade, agriculture, disaster management, and development. Objectives To broaden the framing of governance and decision-making processes by using innovative methods and assessments to illustrate the multi-sectoral nature of health-related adaptation to climate change. This is a shift from sector-specific to multi-level systems encompassing sectors and actors, across temporal and spatial scales. Design A review and synthesis of the current knowledge in the areas of health and climate change adaptation governance and decision-making processes. Results A novel framework is presented that incorporates social science insights into the formulation and implementation of adaptation activities and policies to lessen the health risks posed by climate change. Conclusion Clarification of the roles that different sectors, organizations, and individuals occupy in relation to the development of health-related adaptation strategies will facilitate the inclusion of health and wellbeing within multi-sector adaptation policies, thereby strengthening the overall set of responses to minimize the adverse health effects of climate change. PMID:24028938

Evaluation of the Non-Formal Forest Education Sector in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: Organisations, Programmes and Framework Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grimm, Anne; Mrosek, Thorsten; Martinsohn, Anna; Schulte, Andreas

2011-01-01

Although a large number of different organisations offer various forest education programmes within Germany, specific information (i.e., sectoral and programme content and provision at a state level) is lacking. This study used a survey of all 61 forest education organisations (43 respondents) in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, to…

Identifying Complex Cultural Interactions in the Instructional Design Process: A Case Study of a Cross-Border, Cross-Sector Training for Innovation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, L. Roxanne; Kinuthia, Wanjira L.; Lokey-Vega, Anissa; Tsang-Kosma, Winnie; Madathany, Reeny

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research is to identify complex cultural dynamics in the instructional design process of a cross-sector, cross-border training environment by applying Young's (2009) Culture-Based Model (CBM) as a theoretical framework and taxonomy for description of the instructional design process under the conditions of one case. This…

Theory of precipitation effects on dead cylindrical fuels

Treesearch

Michael A. Fosberg

1972-01-01

Numerical and analytical solutions of the Fickian diffusion equation were used to determine the effects of precipitation on dead cylindrical forest fuels. The analytical solution provided a physical framework. The numerical solutions were then used to refine the analytical solution through a similarity argument. The theoretical solutions predicted realistic rates of...

Exhaust turbine and jet propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leist, Karl; Knornschild, Eugen

1951-01-01

DVL experimental and analytical work on the cooling of turbine blades by using ram air as the working fluid over a sector or sectors of the turbine annulus area is summarized. The subsonic performance of ram-jet, turbo-jet, and turbine-propeller engines with both constant pressure and pulsating-flow combustion is investigated. Comparison is made with the performance of a reciprocating engine and the advantages of the gas turbine and jet-propulsion engines are analyzed. Nacelle installation methods and power-level control are discussed.

China Macroeconomic Model. Specification Report, User’s Guide, Scenario Report, Trade Data Sources Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-11-01

model, all linked to input-output flows from the relevant sector to all of the eleven sectors. They form an important analytical tool for gauging the...with very little in the way of intermediate inputs. However, most of coal is used up in intermediate inputs, as fuel for steel and other industrial...machine tools be developed even more rapidly as a domestic resource, rather than being imported? What about agricultural chemicals? China is unlikely

A framework for linking cybersecurity metrics to the modeling of macroeconomic interdependencies.

PubMed

Santos, Joost R; Haimes, Yacov Y; Lian, Chenyang

2007-10-01

Hierarchical decision making is a multidimensional process involving management of multiple objectives (with associated metrics and tradeoffs in terms of costs, benefits, and risks), which span various levels of a large-scale system. The nation is a hierarchical system as it consists multiple classes of decisionmakers and stakeholders ranging from national policymakers to operators of specific critical infrastructure subsystems. Critical infrastructures (e.g., transportation, telecommunications, power, banking, etc.) are highly complex and interconnected. These interconnections take the form of flows of information, shared security, and physical flows of commodities, among others. In recent years, economic and infrastructure sectors have become increasingly dependent on networked information systems for efficient operations and timely delivery of products and services. In order to ensure the stability, sustainability, and operability of our critical economic and infrastructure sectors, it is imperative to understand their inherent physical and economic linkages, in addition to their cyber interdependencies. An interdependency model based on a transformation of the Leontief input-output (I-O) model can be used for modeling: (1) the steady-state economic effects triggered by a consumption shift in a given sector (or set of sectors); and (2) the resulting ripple effects to other sectors. The inoperability metric is calculated for each sector; this is achieved by converting the economic impact (typically in monetary units) into a percentage value relative to the size of the sector. Disruptive events such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and large-scale accidents have historically shown cascading effects on both consumption and production. Hence, a dynamic model extension is necessary to demonstrate the interplay between combined demand and supply effects. The result is a foundational framework for modeling cybersecurity scenarios for the oil and gas sector. A hypothetical case study examines a cyber attack that causes a 5-week shortfall in the crude oil supply in the Gulf Coast area.

Toward an Analytic Framework of Interdisciplinary Reasoning and Communication (IRC) Processes in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Ji; Sung, Shannon; Zhang, Dongmei

2015-11-01

Students need to think and work across disciplinary boundaries in the twenty-first century. However, it is unclear what interdisciplinary thinking means and how to analyze interdisciplinary interactions in teamwork. In this paper, drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives and empirical analysis of discourse contents, we formulate a theoretical framework that helps analyze interdisciplinary reasoning and communication (IRC) processes in interdisciplinary collaboration. Specifically, we propose four interrelated IRC processes-integration, translation, transfer, and transformation, and develop a corresponding analytic framework. We apply the framework to analyze two meetings of a project that aims to develop interdisciplinary science assessment items. The results illustrate that the framework can help interpret the interdisciplinary meeting dynamics and patterns. Our coding process and results also suggest that these IRC processes can be further examined in terms of interconnected sub-processes. We also discuss the implications of using the framework in conceptualizing, practicing, and researching interdisciplinary learning and teaching in science education.

Open-source Framework for Storing and Manipulation of Plasma Chemical Reaction Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkins, T. G.; Averkin, S. N.; Cary, J. R.; Kruger, S. E.

2017-10-01

We present a new open-source framework for storage and manipulation of plasma chemical reaction data that has emerged from our in-house project MUNCHKIN. This framework consists of python scripts and C + + programs. It stores data in an SQL data base for fast retrieval and manipulation. For example, it is possible to fit cross-section data into most widely used analytical expressions, calculate reaction rates for Maxwellian distribution functions of colliding particles, and fit them into different analytical expressions. Another important feature of this framework is the ability to calculate transport properties based on the cross-section data and supplied distribution functions. In addition, this framework allows the export of chemical reaction descriptions in LaTeX format for ease of inclusion in scientific papers. With the help of this framework it is possible to generate corresponding VSim (Particle-In-Cell simulation code) and USim (unstructured multi-fluid code) input blocks with appropriate cross-sections.

Transportation Sector Module - NEMS Documentation

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

Documents the objectives, analytical approach and development of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) Transportation Model (TRAN). The report catalogues and describes the model assumptions, computational methodology, parameter estimation techniques, model source code, and forecast results generated by the model.

"Analytic continuation" of = 2 minimal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugawara, Yuji

2014-04-01

In this paper we discuss what theory should be identified as the "analytic continuation" with N rArr -N of the {mathcal N}=2 minimal model with the central charge hat {c} = 1 - frac {2}{N}. We clarify how the elliptic genus of the expected model is written in terms of holomorphic linear combinations of the "modular completions" introduced in [T. Eguchi and Y. Sugawara, JHEP 1103, 107 (2011)] in the SL(2)_{N+2}/U(1) supercoset theory. We further discuss how this model could be interpreted as a kind of model of the SL(2)_{N+2}/U(1) supercoset in the (widetilde {{R}},widetilde {R}) sector, in which only the discrete spectrum appears in the torus partition function and the potential IR divergence due to the non-compactness of the target space is removed. We also briefly discuss possible definitions of the sectors with other spin structures.

A Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Attrition in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laing, C. Linda; Laing, Gregory K.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework that considers the role that the sense of isolation and alienation play in contributing to attrition in online courses in the higher education sector. The approach adopted in this paper is a theoretical study aimed at synthesizing existing theories. The ultimate contribution of this…

A framework to analyze emissions implications of manufacturing shifts in the industrial sector through integrating bottom-up energy models and economic input-output environmental life cycle assessment models

EPA Science Inventory

Future year emissions depend highly on the evolution of the economy, technology and current and future regulatory drivers. A scenario framework was adopted to analyze various technology development pathways and societal change while considering existing regulations and future unc...

Awards in Early Education, Childcare and Playwork: A Qualifications Framework for the Future. Insight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Carolyn; Wallace, Jennifer; Bell, Andrew

This study examined the extent to which existing awards and qualifications for the paraprofessional workforce in Scottish early education and care are appropriate to the needs of the sector as it responds to increasing regulation and concerns about quality. The study considered whether the qualifications provided a clear framework, how the…

Synthesizing Frameworks of Higher Education Student Learning Outcomes. Research Report. ETS RR-13-22

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markle, Ross; Brenneman, Meghan; Jackson, Teresa; Burrus, Jeremy; Robbins, Steven

2013-01-01

The public, education, and workforce sectors all have expressed interest regarding the key knowledge, skills, and abilities that enable individuals to be productive members of society. Although past efforts have attempted to create frameworks of student learning outcomes, the results have varied due to different perspectives and goals. Thus, the…

Faculty Development in Teaching and Learning: The UK Framework and Current Debates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hibbert, Paul; Semler, Mirko

2016-01-01

Following the publication of a recent report, commissioned by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and conducted by Staff and Educational Developers Association, this short paper considers the HEA UK Professional Standards Framework in the UK Higher Education Sector, in the context of recent and continuing debates about how best to support faculty…

A framework to analyze emissions implications of manufacturing shifts in the industrial sector through integrating bottom-up energy models and economic input/output environmental life cycle assessment models

EPA Science Inventory

Future year emissions depend highly on economic, technological, societal and regulatory drivers. A scenario framework was adopted to analyze technology development pathways and changes in consumer preferences, and evaluate resulting emissions growth patterns while considering fut...

Leading Change, Adding Value.

PubMed

Evans, Nick

2016-07-01

Essential facts Leading Change, Adding Value is NHS England's new nursing and midwifery framework. It builds on Compassion in Practice (CiP), which set out the 6Cs. While CiP established the values of nursing and midwifery, the new framework explains how staff can help transform the health and care sectors to meet the aims of NHS England's Five Year Forward View.

Professional Development Framework for e-Learning: A Guide for Advisers and Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Ros

2007-01-01

In January 2006 the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) launched its draft publication, "A Professional Development Framework for e-Learning" (ePD) for consultation with the post-16 education and training sector. In March 2006 the Learning and Skills Council funded the Learning and Skills Network (LSN) to run a pilot to…

Electrocardiographic interpretation skills of cardiology residents: are they competent?

PubMed

Sibbald, Matthew; Davies, Edward G; Dorian, Paul; Yu, Eric H C

2014-12-01

Achieving competency at electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation among cardiology subspecialty residents has traditionally focused on interpreting a target number of ECGs during training. However, there is little evidence to support this approach. Further, there are no data documenting the competency of ECG interpretation skills among cardiology residents, who become de facto the gold standard in their practice communities. We tested 29 Cardiology residents from all 3 years in a large training program using a set of 20 ECGs collected from a community cardiology practice over a 1-month period. Residents interpreted half of the ECGs using a standard analytic framework, and half using their own approach. Residents were scored on the number of correct and incorrect diagnoses listed. Overall diagnostic accuracy was 58%. Of 6 potentially life-threatening diagnoses, residents missed 36% (123 of 348) including hyperkalemia (81%), long QT (52%), complete heart block (35%), and ventricular tachycardia (19%). Residents provided additional inappropriate diagnoses on 238 ECGs (41%). Diagnostic accuracy was similar between ECGs interpreted using an analytic framework vs ECGs interpreted without an analytic framework (59% vs 58%; F(1,1333) = 0.26; P = 0.61). Cardiology resident proficiency at ECG interpretation is suboptimal. Despite the use of an analytic framework, there remain significant deficiencies in ECG interpretation among Cardiology residents. A more systematic method of addressing these important learning gaps is urgently needed. Copyright © 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data for development in health: a case study and monitoring framework from Kazakhstan

PubMed Central

Obermann, Konrad; Chanturidze, Tata; Richardson, Erica; Tanirbergenov, Serik; Shoranov, Marat; Nurgozhaev, Ali

2016-01-01

Healthcare reforms are often not coupled with a relevant and appropriate monitoring framework, leaving policymakers and the public without evidence about the implications of such reforms. Kazakhstan has embarked on a large-scale reform of its healthcare system in order to achieve Universal Health Coverage. The health-related 2020 Strategic Development Goals reflect this political ambition. In a case-study approach and on the basis of published and unpublished evidence as well as personal involvement and experience (A) the indicators in the 2020 Strategic Development Goals were assessed and (B) a ‘data-mapping’ exercise was conducted, where the WHO health system framework was used to describe the data available at present in Kazakhstan and comment on the different indicators regarding their usefulness for monitoring the current health-related 2020 Strategic Development Goals in Kazakhstan. It was concluded that the country’s current monitoring framework needs further development to track the progress and outcomes of policy implementation. The application of a modified WHO/World Bank/Global Fund health system monitoring framework was suggested to examine the implications of recent health sector reforms. Lessons drawn from the Kazakhstan experience on tailoring the suggested framework, collecting the data, and using the generated intelligence in policy development and decision-making can serve as a useful example for other middle-income countries, potentially enabling them to fast-track developments in the health sector. PMID:28588905

Pharmaceutical laws and regulations in Iran: An overview

PubMed Central

Zaboli, Pardis; Hashemi-Meshkini, Amir; Varmaghani, Mehdi; Gholami, Hadi; Vazirian, Iman; Zekri, Hedieh-Sadat; Eslamitabar, Shahriar; Kebriaeezadeh, Abbas

2016-01-01

The pharmaceutical legal framework is a very important infrastructure in achieving predefined goals in pharmaceutical sector: Accessibility, quality, and rational use of medicine. This study aims to review the current pharmaceutical sector-related legal provisions in Iran where the Food and Drug Organization (FDO) is in charge of regulating all issues related to the pharmaceutical sector. The main laws and regulations enacted by parliament and cabinet and even internal regulations enacted by the Ministry of Health or Iran FDO are reviewed. Different laws and regulations are categorized according to the main goals of Iran national drug policy. PMID:27512704

Sectoral linkage analysis of three main air pollutants in China's industry: Comparing 2010 with 2002.

PubMed

He, Weiwei; Wang, Yuan; Zuo, Jian; Luo, Yincheng

2017-11-01

To investigate the driving forces of air pollution in China, the changes in linkages amongst inter-industrial air pollutant emissions were analyzed by hypothetical extraction method under the input-output framework. Results showed that the emissions of SO 2 , soot and dust from industrial sources increased by 56.46%, 36.95% and 11.69% respectively in 2010, compared with 2002. As major contributors to emissions, the power and gas sectors were responsible for the growing SO 2 emissions, the nonmetal products sector for soot emissions, and the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors for dust emissions. The increasing volume of emissions was mainly driven by the growing demand in the transport equipment and electrical equipment sectors. In addition, the expansion in the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors could result in even more severe air pollution. Therefore, potential effective strategies to control air pollution in China are: (1) reducing the demand of major import sectors in the equipment manufacturing industry; (2) promoting R&D in low-emissions-production technologies to the power and gas sectors, the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors, and the nonmetal products sector, and (3) auditing the considerable industrial scale expansion in the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors and optimizing the industrial structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SurF: an innovative framework in biosecurity and animal health surveillance evaluation.

PubMed

Muellner, Petra; Watts, Jonathan; Bingham, Paul; Bullians, Mark; Gould, Brendan; Pande, Anjali; Riding, Tim; Stevens, Paul; Vink, Daan; Stärk, Katharina Dc

2018-05-16

Surveillance for biosecurity hazards is being conducted by the New Zealand Competent Authority, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to support New Zealand's biosecurity system. Surveillance evaluation should be an integral part of the surveillance life cycle, as it provides a means to identify and correct problems and to sustain and enhance the existing strengths of a surveillance system. The surveillance evaluation Framework (SurF) presented here was developed to provide a generic framework within which the MPI biosecurity surveillance portfolio, and all of its components, can be consistently assessed. SurF is an innovative, cross-sectoral effort that aims to provide a common umbrella for surveillance evaluation in the animal, plant, environment and aquatic sectors. It supports the conduct of the following four distinct components of an evaluation project: (i) motivation for the evaluation, (ii) scope of the evaluation, (iii) evaluation design and implementation and (iv) reporting and communication of evaluation outputs. Case studies, prepared by MPI subject matter experts, are included in the framework to guide users in their assessment. Three case studies were used in the development of SurF in order to assure practical utility and to confirm usability of SurF across all included sectors. It is anticipated that the structured approach and information provided by SurF will not only be of benefit to MPI but also to other New Zealand stakeholders. Although SurF was developed for internal use by MPI, it could be applied to any surveillance system in New Zealand or elsewhere. © 2018 2018 The Authors. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The NIH analytical methods and reference materials program for dietary supplements.

PubMed

Betz, Joseph M; Fisher, Kenneth D; Saldanha, Leila G; Coates, Paul M

2007-09-01

Quality of botanical products is a great uncertainty that consumers, clinicians, regulators, and researchers face. Definitions of quality abound, and include specifications for sanitation, adventitious agents (pesticides, metals, weeds), and content of natural chemicals. Because dietary supplements (DS) are often complex mixtures, they pose analytical challenges and method validation may be difficult. In response to product quality concerns and the need for validated and publicly available methods for DS analysis, the US Congress directed the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to accelerate an ongoing methods validation process, and the Dietary Supplements Methods and Reference Materials Program was created. The program was constructed from stakeholder input and incorporates several federal procurement and granting mechanisms in a coordinated and interlocking framework. The framework facilitates validation of analytical methods, analytical standards, and reference materials.

Synergising Public Health Concepts with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Conceptual Glossary

PubMed Central

Phibbs, Suzanne; Kenney, Christine; Severinsen, Christina; Mitchell, Jon; Hughes, Roger

2016-01-01

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015) is a global strategy for addressing disaster risk and resilience that has been ratified by member countries of the United Nations. Its guiding principles emphasise building resilience through inter-sectoral collaboration, as well as partnerships that facilitate community empowerment and address underlying risk factors. Both public health and the emergency management sector face similar challenges related to developing and implementing strategies that involve structural change, facilitating community resilience and addressing individual risk factors. Familiarity with public health principles enables an understanding of the holistic approach to risk reduction that is outlined within the Sendai Framework. We present seven concepts that resonate with contemporary public health practice, namely: the social determinants of health; inequality and inequity; the inverse care law; community-based and community development approaches; hard to reach communities and services; the prevention paradox; and the inverse prevention law. These ideas from public health provide a useful conceptual base for the ”new” agenda in disaster risk management that underpins the 2015 Sendai Framework. The relevance of these ideas to disaster risk management and research is illustrated through drawing on the Sendai Framework, disaster literature and exemplars from the 2010–2011 earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand. PMID:27983666

Synergising Public Health Concepts with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Conceptual Glossary.

PubMed

Phibbs, Suzanne; Kenney, Christine; Severinsen, Christina; Mitchell, Jon; Hughes, Roger

2016-12-14

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015) is a global strategy for addressing disaster risk and resilience that has been ratified by member countries of the United Nations. Its guiding principles emphasise building resilience through inter-sectoral collaboration, as well as partnerships that facilitate community empowerment and address underlying risk factors. Both public health and the emergency management sector face similar challenges related to developing and implementing strategies that involve structural change, facilitating community resilience and addressing individual risk factors. Familiarity with public health principles enables an understanding of the holistic approach to risk reduction that is outlined within the Sendai Framework. We present seven concepts that resonate with contemporary public health practice, namely: the social determinants of health; inequality and inequity; the inverse care law; community-based and community development approaches; hard to reach communities and services; the prevention paradox; and the inverse prevention law. These ideas from public health provide a useful conceptual base for the "new" agenda in disaster risk management that underpins the 2015 Sendai Framework. The relevance of these ideas to disaster risk management and research is illustrated through drawing on the Sendai Framework, disaster literature and exemplars from the 2010-2011 earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Further analyses of laminar flow heat transfer in circular sector ducts

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

Lei, Q.M.; Trupp, A.C.

1989-11-01

Heat transfer in circular sector ducts is often encountered in multipassage tubes. Certain flow characteristics of circular sector ducts for apex angles up to {pi} have been determined as documented by Shah and London (1978). Recently, Lei and Trupp (1989) have more completely analyzed the flow characteristics of fully developed laminar flow for apex angles up to 2{pi}, including the location of the maximum velocity. Heat transfer results of fully developed laminar flow in circular sector ducts are also available for certain boundary conditions. Trupp and Lau (1984) numerically determined the average Nusselt number (Nu{sub T}) for isothermal walls. Eckertmore » et al. (1958) initially derived an analytical expression for the temperature profile for the case of H1. Sparrow and Haji-angles up to {pi}. However, the above work required numerical integration (or equivalent) to obtain a value for Nu{sub H1}. Regarding the H1{sub ad} boundary condition, Date (1974) numerically obtained a limiting value of Nu{sub H1}{sub ad} for the semicircular duct from the prediction of circular tubes containing a twisted tape (straight and nonconducting tape). Hong and Bergles (1976) also reported an asymptotic value of Nu{sub H1}{sub ad} for the semicircular duct from their entrance region solution. Otherwise it appears that there are no published analytical results of Nu{sub H1}{sub ad} for circular sector ducts. The purpose of this technical note is to communicate these results. In addition, a novel series expression for Nu{sub H1} is presented together with results for apex angles up to 2{pi}.« less

Policy and ethical concerns in nanotechnology safety: case of Indian health sector.

PubMed

Anand, Manish; Srivastava, Nidhi; Sarma, Shilpanjali

2011-02-01

The governance of nanotechnology in the health sector in India poses certain challenges on the front of capability and innovation, risks and regulation. Devising and adhering to the voluntary standards at a stage of regulatory uncertainty, collation and provision of knowledge on impacts, occupational hazards, waste disposal etc. for further risk research and policy design are the issues industry can address in shaping the nanotechnology governance framework.

Child survival in England: Strengthening governance for health.

PubMed

Wolfe, Ingrid; Mandeville, Kate; Harrison, Katherine; Lingam, Raghu

2017-11-01

The United Kingdom, like all European countries, is struggling to strengthen health systems and improve conditions for child health and survival. Child mortality in the UK has failed to improve in line with other countries. Securing optimal conditions for child health requires a healthy society, strong health system, and effective health care. We examine inter-sectoral and intra-sectoral policy and governance for child health and survival in England. Literature reviews and universally applicable clinical scenarios were used to examine child health problems and English policy and governance responses for improving child health through integrating care and strengthening health systems, over the past 15 years. We applied the TAPIC framework for analysing policy governance: transparency, accountability, participation, integrity, and capacity. We identified strengths and weaknesses in child health governance in all the five domains. However there remain policy failures that are not fully explained by the TAPIC framework. Other problems with successfully translating policy to improved health that we identified include policy flux; policies insufficiently supported by delivery mechanisms, measurable targets, and sufficient budgets; and policies with unintended or contradictory aspects. We make recommendations for inter-sectoral and intra-sectoral child health governance, policy, and action to improve child health in England with relevant lessons for other countries. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A spatial assessment framework for evaluating flood risk under extreme climates.

PubMed

Chen, Yun; Liu, Rui; Barrett, Damian; Gao, Lei; Zhou, Mingwei; Renzullo, Luigi; Emelyanova, Irina

2015-12-15

Australian coal mines have been facing a major challenge of increasing risk of flooding caused by intensive rainfall events in recent years. In light of growing climate change concerns and the predicted escalation of flooding, estimating flood inundation risk becomes essential for understanding sustainable mine water management in the Australian mining sector. This research develops a spatial multi-criteria decision making prototype for the evaluation of flooding risk at a regional scale using the Bowen Basin and its surroundings in Queensland as a case study. Spatial gridded data, including climate, hydrology, topography, vegetation and soils, were collected and processed in ArcGIS. Several indices were derived based on time series of observations and spatial modeling taking account of extreme rainfall, evapotranspiration, stream flow, potential soil water retention, elevation and slope generated from a digital elevation model (DEM), as well as drainage density and proximity extracted from a river network. These spatial indices were weighted using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and integrated in an AHP-based suitability assessment (AHP-SA) model under the spatial risk evaluation framework. A regional flooding risk map was delineated to represent likely impacts of criterion indices at different risk levels, which was verified using the maximum inundation extent detectable by a time series of remote sensing imagery. The result provides baseline information to help Bowen Basin coal mines identify and assess flooding risk when making adaptation strategies and implementing mitigation measures in future. The framework and methodology developed in this research offers the Australian mining industry, and social and environmental studies around the world, an effective way to produce reliable assessment on flood risk for managing uncertainty in water availability under climate change. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

On parametric Gevrey asymptotics for some nonlinear initial value Cauchy problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lastra, A.; Malek, S.

2015-11-01

We study a nonlinear initial value Cauchy problem depending upon a complex perturbation parameter ɛ with vanishing initial data at complex time t = 0 and whose coefficients depend analytically on (ɛ, t) near the origin in C2 and are bounded holomorphic on some horizontal strip in C w.r.t. the space variable. This problem is assumed to be non-Kowalevskian in time t, therefore analytic solutions at t = 0 cannot be expected in general. Nevertheless, we are able to construct a family of actual holomorphic solutions defined on a common bounded open sector with vertex at 0 in time and on the given strip above in space, when the complex parameter ɛ belongs to a suitably chosen set of open bounded sectors whose union form a covering of some neighborhood Ω of 0 in C*. These solutions are achieved by means of Laplace and Fourier inverse transforms of some common ɛ-depending function on C × R, analytic near the origin and with exponential growth on some unbounded sectors with appropriate bisecting directions in the first variable and exponential decay in the second, when the perturbation parameter belongs to Ω. Moreover, these solutions satisfy the remarkable property that the difference between any two of them is exponentially flat for some integer order w.r.t. ɛ. With the help of the classical Ramis-Sibuya theorem, we obtain the existence of a formal series (generally divergent) in ɛ which is the common Gevrey asymptotic expansion of the built up actual solutions considered above.

Developing a methodological framework for estimating water productivity indicators in water scarce regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mubako, S. T.; Fullerton, T. M.; Walke, A.; Collins, T.; Mubako, G.; Walker, W. S.

2014-12-01

Water productivity is an area of growing interest in assessing the impact of human economic activities on water resources, especially in arid regions. Indicators of water productivity can assist water users in evaluating sectoral water use efficiency, identifying sources of pressure on water resources, and in supporting water allocation rationale under scarcity conditions. This case study for the water-scarce Middle Rio Grande River Basin aims to develop an environmental-economic accounting approach for water use in arid river basins through a methodological framework that relates water use to human economic activities impacting regional water resources. Water uses are coupled to economic transactions, and the complex but mutual relations between various water using sectors estimated. A comparison is made between the calculated water productivity indicators and representative cost/price per unit volume of water for the main water use sectors. Although it contributes very little to regional economic output, preliminary results confirm that Irrigation is among the sectors with the largest direct water use intensities. High economic value and low water use intensity economic sectors in the study region include Manufacturing, Mining, and Steam Electric Power. Water accounting challenges revealed by the study include differences in water management regimes between jurisdictions, and little understanding of the impact of major economic activities on the interaction between surface and groundwater systems in this region. A more comprehensive assessment would require the incorporation of environmental and social sustainability indicators to the calculated water productivity indicators.

Model-independent indirect detection constraints on hidden sector dark matter

DOE PAGES

Elor, Gilly; Rodd, Nicholas L.; Slatyer, Tracy R.; ...

2016-06-10

If dark matter inhabits an expanded ``hidden sector'', annihilations may proceed through sequential decays or multi-body final states. We map out the potential signals and current constraints on such a framework in indirect searches, using a model-independent setup based on multi-step hierarchical cascade decays. While remaining agnostic to the details of the hidden sector model, our framework captures the generic broadening of the spectrum of secondary particles (photons, neutrinos, e +e - andmore » $$\\overline{p}$$ p) relative to the case of direct annihilation to Standard Model particles. We explore how indirect constraints on dark matter annihilation limit the parameter space for such cascade/multi-particle decays. We investigate limits from the cosmic microwave background by Planck, the Fermi measurement of photons from the dwarf galaxies, and positron data from AMS-02. The presence of a hidden sector can change the constraints on the dark matter by up to an order of magnitude in either direction (although the effect can be much smaller). We find that generally the bound from the Fermi dwarfs is most constraining for annihilations to photon-rich final states, while AMS-02 is most constraining for electron and muon final states; however in certain instances the CMB bounds overtake both, due to their approximate independence on the details of the hidden sector cascade. We provide the full set of cascade spectra considered here as publicly available code with examples at http://web.mit.edu/lns/research/CascadeSpectra.html.« less

An Analytic Hierarchy Process for School Quality and Inspection: Model Development and Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Qubaisi, Amal; Badri, Masood; Mohaidat, Jihad; Al Dhaheri, Hamad; Yang, Guang; Al Rashedi, Asma; Greer, Kenneth

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop an analytic hierarchy planning-based framework to establish criteria weights and to develop a school performance system commonly called school inspections. Design/methodology/approach: The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model uses pairwise comparisons and a measurement scale to generate the…

LEA in Private: A Privacy and Data Protection Framework for a Learning Analytics Toolbox

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Christina M.; Kickmeier-Rust, Michael D.; Albert, Dietrich

2016-01-01

To find a balance between learning analytics research and individual privacy, learning analytics initiatives need to appropriately address ethical, privacy, and data protection issues. A range of general guidelines, model codes, and principles for handling ethical issues and for appropriate data and privacy protection are available, which may…

A graph algebra for scalable visual analytics.

PubMed

Shaverdian, Anna A; Zhou, Hao; Michailidis, George; Jagadish, Hosagrahar V

2012-01-01

Visual analytics (VA), which combines analytical techniques with advanced visualization features, is fast becoming a standard tool for extracting information from graph data. Researchers have developed many tools for this purpose, suggesting a need for formal methods to guide these tools' creation. Increased data demands on computing requires redesigning VA tools to consider performance and reliability in the context of analysis of exascale datasets. Furthermore, visual analysts need a way to document their analyses for reuse and results justification. A VA graph framework encapsulated in a graph algebra helps address these needs. Its atomic operators include selection and aggregation. The framework employs a visual operator and supports dynamic attributes of data to enable scalable visual exploration of data.

Conceptualizations of postpartum depression by public-sector health care providers in Mexico.

PubMed

Place, Jean Marie S; Billings, Deborah L; Blake, Christine E; Frongillo, Edward A; Mann, Joshua R; deCastro, Filipa

2015-04-01

In this article we describe the knowledge frameworks that 61 physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists from five public-sector health care facilities in Mexico used to conceptualize postpartum depression. We also demonstrate how providers applied social and behavioral antecedents in their conceptualizations of postpartum depression. Using grounded theory, we identify two frameworks that providers used to conceptualize postpartum depression: biochemical and adjustment. We highlight an emerging model of the function of social and behavioral antecedents within the frameworks, as well as the representation of postpartum depression by symptoms of distress and the perception among providers that these symptoms affected responsibilities associated with motherhood. The results provide a foundation for future study of how providers' conceptualizations of postpartum depression might affect detection and treatment practices and might be useful in the development of training materials to enhance the quality of care for women who experience any form of distress in the postpartum period. © The Author(s) 2014.

Governance and networks for health co-benefits of climate change mitigation: Lessons from two Indian cities.

PubMed

Puppim de Oliveira, Jose A; Doll, Christopher N H

2016-12-01

Health has been the main driver for many urban environmental interventions, particularly in cases of significant health problems linked to poor urban environmental conditions. This paper examines empirically the links between climate change mitigation and health in urban areas, when health is the main driver for improvements. The paper aims to understand how systems of urban governance can enable or prevent the creation of health outcomes via continuous improvements in the environmental conditions in a city. The research draws on cases from two Indian cities where initiatives were undertaken in different sectors: Surat (waste) and Delhi (transportation). Using the literature on network effectiveness as an analytical framework, the paper compares the cases to identify the possible ways to strengthen the governance and policy making process in the urban system so that each intervention can intentionally realize multiple impacts for both local health and climate change mitigation in the long term as well as factors that may pose a threat to long-term progress and revert back to the previous situation after initial achievements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Framework for Prioritizing NOAA's Climate Data Portfolio to Improve Relevance and Value

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Privette, J. L.; Hutchins, C.; McPherson, T.; Wunder, D.

2016-12-01

NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) is the largest civilian environmental data archive in the world. NCEI operationally provides hundreds of long term homogeneous climate data records and assessments that describe Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land surface. For decades, these data have underpinned leading climate research and modeling efforts and provided key insights into weather and climate changes. Recently, NCEI has increased support for economic and societal sectors beyond climate research by emphasizing use-inspired product development and services. Accordingly, NCEI has begun comprehensively assessing customer needs and user applications. In parallel, NCEI is analyzing and adjusting its full product portfolio to best address those needs and applications. In this presentation, we will describe NCEI's new approaches to capturing needs, performing use analytics, and molding a more responsive portfolio. We will summarize the findings of a quantitative relevance- and cost-scoring analysis that suggests the relative effectiveness of NCEI science and service investments. Finally, we will describe NCEI's effort to review, document and validate customer-driven product requirements. Results will help guide future prioritization of measurements, research and development, and product services.

Criteria for selecting a CO/sub 2//climate change region of study

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

Edmonds, J.; Cushman, R.; Easterling, W.

One of the most important research issues active today is the greenhouse issue. Progress has been made in exploring the relationship between human activities and the accumulation of CO/sub 2/ and other radiatively important gases in the atmosphere. While significant research remains in refining our understanding of the timing of possible CO/sub 2//climate change, the examination of the nature and magnitude of consequences of CO/sub 2//climate change remains in a relatively early stage of development. While the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may be a global problem, the consequences of CO/sub 2//climate change will be experienced regionally. Itmore » is therefore critical that methods be developed to address the regional examination of CO/sub 2//climate change. An analytical framework is described and a ''cookie cutter'' technique is utilized to deal with multiple resource sectors in selecting a Region of Study. The result leads to the selection of the four midwestern states of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. The role of information systems, uncertainty analysis, and knowledge transfer is discussed. 19 refs., 2 figs.« less

[Deregulation and equity: the Obras Sociales reconversion process in Argentina].

PubMed

Findling, Liliana; Arrunada, María; Klimovsky, Ezequiel

2002-01-01

The health care services managed by trade unions and known as "Obras Sociales" form the groundwork for Argentina's Social Security and Health system. However, far from taking an equitable approach, these institutions highlight the country's prevailing income disparities, which in turn lead to major differences in access to care. The main focus of this study was the reformulation of social security health policies within the framework of deregulation from 1998 to 2000, analyzing the effects on availability of health care services from an equity perspective. The methodology used two related analytical levels: (1) a macro level viewing the process from the various players' strategies and (2) a micro level featuring the changes within a well-known trade union social security organization during its reconversion process, emphasizing its institutional scope and the opinions of its membership. The results thus pointed to the slow implementation of reforms initiated by the public sector, hindered by constant negotiations among the main corporate actors seeking to serve their particular interests, along with increased inequity and fragmentation due to the limited opening of free choice by members.

Analytical close-form solutions to the elastic fields of solids with dislocations and surface stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Wei; Paliwal, Bhasker; Ougazzaden, Abdallah; Cherkaoui, Mohammed

2013-07-01

The concept of eigenstrain is adopted to derive a general analytical framework to solve the elastic field for 3D anisotropic solids with general defects by considering the surface stress. The formulation shows the elastic constants and geometrical features of the surface play an important role in determining the elastic fields of the solid. As an application, the analytical close-form solutions to the stress fields of an infinite isotropic circular nanowire are obtained. The stress fields are compared with the classical solutions and those of complex variable method. The stress fields from this work demonstrate the impact from the surface stress when the size of the nanowire shrinks but becomes negligible in macroscopic scale. Compared with the power series solutions of complex variable method, the analytical solutions in this work provide a better platform and they are more flexible in various applications. More importantly, the proposed analytical framework profoundly improves the studies of general 3D anisotropic materials with surface effects.

Geovisualization applications to examine and explore high-density and hierarchical critical infrastructure data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edsall, Robert; Hembree, Harvey

2018-05-01

The geospatial research and development team in the National and Homeland Security Division at Idaho National Laboratory was tasked with providing tools to derive insight from the substantial amount of data currently available - and continuously being produced - associated with the critical infrastructure of the US. This effort is in support of the Department of Homeland Security, whose mission includes the protection of this infrastructure and the enhancement of its resilience to hazards, both natural and human. We present geovisual-analytics-based approaches for analysis of vulnerabilities and resilience of critical infrastructure, designed so that decision makers, analysts, and infrastructure owners and managers can manage risk, prepare for hazards, and direct resources before and after an incident that might result in an interruption in service. Our designs are based on iterative discussions with DHS leadership and analysts, who in turn will use these tools to explore and communicate data in partnership with utility providers, law enforcement, and emergency response and recovery organizations, among others. In most cases these partners desire summaries of large amounts of data, but increasingly, our users seek the additional capability of focusing on, for example, a specific infrastructure sector, a particular geographic region, or time period, or of examining data in a variety of generalization or aggregation levels. These needs align well with tenets of in-formation-visualization design; in this paper, selected applications among those that we have designed are described and positioned within geovisualization, geovisual analytical, and information visualization frameworks.

Market Impact of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control Strategies: A UK Case Study

PubMed Central

Feng, Siyi; Patton, Myles; Davis, John

2017-01-01

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) poses a serious threat to the agricultural sector due to its highly contagious nature. Outbreaks of FMD can lead to substantial disruptions to livestock markets due to loss of production and access to international markets. In a previously FMD-free country, the use of vaccination to augment control of an FMD outbreak is increasingly being recognized as an alternative control strategy to direct slaughtering [stamping-out (SO)]. The choice of control strategy has implications on production, trade, and hence prices of the sector. Specific choice of eradication strategies depends on their costs and benefits. Economic impact assessments are often based on benefit–cost framework, which provide detailed information on the changes in profit for a farm or budget implications for a government (1). However, this framework cannot capture price effects caused by changes in production due to culling of animals; access to international markets; and consumers’ reaction. These three impacts combine to affect equilibrium within commodity markets (2). This paper provides assessment of sectoral level impacts of the eradication choices of FMD outbreaks, which are typically not available from benefit–cost framework, in the context of the UK. The FAPRI-UK model, a partial equilibrium model of the agricultural sector, is utilized to investigate market outcomes of different control strategies (namely SO and vaccinate-to-die) in the case of FMD outbreaks. The outputs from the simulations of the EXODIS epidemiological model (number of animals culled/vaccinated and duration of outbreak) are used as inputs within the economic model to capture the overall price impact of the animal destruction, export ban, and consumers’ response. PMID:28920059

A framework to promote collective action within the One Health community of practice: Using participatory modelling to enable interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral and multi-level integration.

PubMed

Binot, Aurelie; Duboz, Raphaël; Promburom, Panomsak; Phimpraphai, Waraphon; Cappelle, Julien; Lajaunie, Claire; Goutard, Flavie Luce; Pinyopummintr, Tanu; Figuié, Muriel; Roger, François Louis

2015-12-01

As Southeast Asia (SEA) is characterized by high human and domestic animal densities, growing intensification of trade, drastic land use changes and biodiversity erosion, this region appears to be a hotspot to study complex dynamics of zoonoses emergence and health issues at the Animal-Human-Environment interface. Zoonotic diseases and environmental health issues can have devastating socioeconomic and wellbeing impacts. Assessing and managing the related risks implies to take into account ecological and social dynamics at play, in link with epidemiological patterns. The implementation of a One Health ( OH ) approach in this context calls for improved integration among disciplines and improved cross-sectoral collaboration, involving stakeholders at different levels. For sure, such integration is not achieved spontaneously, implies methodological guidelines and has transaction costs. We explore pathways for implementing such collaboration in SEA context, highlighting the main challenges to be faced by researchers and other target groups involved in OH actions. On this basis, we propose a conceptual framework of OH integration. Throughout 3 components (field-based data management, professional training workshops and higher education), we suggest to develop a new culture of networking involving actors from various disciplines, sectors and levels (from the municipality to the Ministries) through a participatory modelling process, fostering synergies and cooperation. This framework could stimulate long-term dialogue process, based on the combination of case studies implementation and capacity building. It aims for implementing both institutional OH dynamics (multi-stakeholders and cross-sectoral) and research approaches promoting systems thinking and involving social sciences to follow-up and strengthen collective action.

Development of a framework towards successful implementation of e-governance initiatives in health sector in India.

PubMed

Ray, Subhasis; Mukherjee, Amitava

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore the route map for employing efficient e-governance so that at least existing resource and infrastructure are better utilized and deficiencies are tracked for future planning. National health is one of the most important factors in a country's economic growth. India seems to be a victim of the vicious cycle around poor economy and poor health conditions. A detailed study was carried out to find out India's healthcare infrastructure and its standing in e-governance initiatives. After consolidating the fact that effective e-governance can enhance the quality of healthcare service even within limited resources, authors explored success and failure factors of many e-governance initiatives in India and abroad. Finally, an e-governance framework is suggested based on the above factors together with the authors' own experience of implementing e-governance projects in India and abroad. The suggested framework is based on a phased implementation approach. The first phase "Information Dissemination" is more geared towards breaking the "digital divide" across three dimensions: G2Business; G2Citizen; and G2Agent. The most advanced stage is aimed towards joining up healthcare information across the above three dimensions and drawing meaningful analytics out of it. The recommendations also include management of Policies, Scope, Process Reform, Infrastructure, Technology, Finance, Partnership and People for efficient implementation of such e-governance initiatives. The paper provides measures for continuous evaluation of systems as one passes through various stages of implementation. However, the framework can be tested on real or simulated environment to prove its worthiness. This paper can be a potential frame of reference for nation-wide e-healthcare projects not only in India but also in other developing countries. The paper also describes challenges that are most likely to be faced during implementation. Since the paper is practical in nature, the real appeal will be to practitioners who are responsible for implementation of large e-governance initiatives for improving healthcare services.

A Graphics Design Framework to Visualize Multi-Dimensional Economic Datasets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandramouli, Magesh; Narayanan, Badri; Bertoline, Gary R.

2013-01-01

This study implements a prototype graphics visualization framework to visualize multidimensional data. This graphics design framework serves as a "visual analytical database" for visualization and simulation of economic models. One of the primary goals of any kind of visualization is to extract useful information from colossal volumes of…

Relationships among Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory Frameworks via Factor Analytic Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohli, Nidhi; Koran, Jennifer; Henn, Lisa

2015-01-01

There are well-defined theoretical differences between the classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) frameworks. It is understood that in the CTT framework, person and item statistics are test- and sample-dependent. This is not the perception with IRT. For this reason, the IRT framework is considered to be theoretically superior…

System integration of wind and solar power in integrated assessment models: A cross-model evaluation of new approaches

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

Pietzcker, Robert C.; Ueckerdt, Falko; Carrara, Samuel

Mitigation-Process Integrated Assessment Models (MP-IAMs) are used to analyze long-term transformation pathways of the energy system required to achieve stringent climate change mitigation targets. Due to their substantial temporal and spatial aggregation, IAMs cannot explicitly represent all detailed challenges of integrating the variable renewable energies (VRE) wind and solar in power systems, but rather rely on parameterized modeling approaches. In the ADVANCE project, six international modeling teams have developed new approaches to improve the representation of power sector dynamics and VRE integration in IAMs. In this study, we qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the last years' modeling progress and study themore » impact of VRE integration modeling on VRE deployment in IAM scenarios. For a comprehensive and transparent qualitative evaluation, we first develop a framework of 18 features of power sector dynamics and VRE integration. We then apply this framework to the newly-developed modeling approaches to derive a detailed map of strengths and limitations of the different approaches. For the quantitative evaluation, we compare the IAMs to the detailed hourly-resolution power sector model REMIX. We find that the new modeling approaches manage to represent a large number of features of the power sector, and the numerical results are in reasonable agreement with those derived from the detailed power sector model. Updating the power sector representation and the cost and resources of wind and solar substantially increased wind and solar shares across models: Under a carbon price of 30$/tCO2 in 2020 (increasing by 5% per year), the model-average cost-minimizing VRE share over the period 2050-2100 is 62% of electricity generation, 24%-points higher than with the old model version.« less

Exploring SWAp's contribution to the efficient allocation and use of resources in the health sector in Zambia.

PubMed

Chansa, Collins; Sundewall, Jesper; McIntyre, Di; Tomson, Göran; Forsberg, Birger C

2008-07-01

Zambia introduced a sector-wide approach (SWAp) in the health sector in 1993. The goal was to improve efficiency in the use of domestic funds and externally sourced development assistance by integrating these into a joint sectoral framework. Over a decade into its existence, however, the SWAp remains largely unevaluated. This study explores whether the envisaged improvements have been achieved by studying developments in administrative, technical and allocative efficiency in the Zambian health sector from 1990-2006. A case study was conducted using interviews and analysis of secondary data. Respondents represented a cross-section of stakeholders in the Zambian health sector. Secondary data from 1990-2006 were collected for six indicators related to administrative, technical and allocative efficiency. The results showed small improvements in administrative efficiency. Transaction costs still appeared to be high despite the introduction of the SWAp. Indicators for technical efficiency showed a drop in hospital bed utilization rates and government share of funding for drugs. As for allocative efficiency, budget execution did not improve with the SWAp, although there were large variations between both donors and year. Funding levels had apparently improved at district level but declined for hospitals. Finally, the SWAp had not succeeded in bringing all external assistance together under a common framework. Despite strong commitment to implement the SWAp in Zambia, the envisaged efficiency improvements do not seem to have been attained. Possible explanations could be that the SWAp has not been fully developed or that not all parties have completely embraced it. SWAp is not ruled out as a coordination model, but the current setup in Zambia has not proved to be fully effective.

A Blueprint to Evaluate One Health

PubMed Central

Rüegg, Simon R.; McMahon, Barry J.; Häsler, Barbara; Esposito, Roberto; Nielsen, Liza Rosenbaum; Ifejika Speranza, Chinwe; Ehlinger, Timothy; Peyre, Marisa; Aragrande, Maurizio; Zinsstag, Jakob; Davies, Philip; Mihalca, Andrei Daniel; Buttigieg, Sandra C.; Rushton, Jonathan; Carmo, Luís P.; De Meneghi, Daniele; Canali, Massimo; Filippitzi, Maria E.; Goutard, Flavie Luce; Ilieski, Vlatko; Milićević, Dragan; O’Shea, Helen; Radeski, Miroslav; Kock, Richard; Staines, Anthony; Lindberg, Ann

2017-01-01

One Health (OH) positions health professionals as agents for change and provides a platform to manage determinants of health that are often not comprehensively captured in medicine or public health alone. However, due to the organization of societies and disciplines, and the sectoral allocation of resources, the development of transdisciplinary approaches requires effort and perseverance. Therefore, there is a need to provide evidence on the added value of OH for governments, researchers, funding bodies, and stakeholders. This paper outlines a conceptual framework of what OH approaches can encompass and the added values they can provide. The framework was developed during a workshop conducted by the “Network for Evaluation of One Health,” an Action funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology. By systematically describing the various aspects of OH, we provide the basis for measuring and monitoring the integration of disciplines, sectors, and stakeholders in health initiatives. The framework identifies the social, economic, and environmental drivers leading to integrated approaches to health and illustrates how these evoke characteristic OH operations, i.e., thinking, planning, and working, and require supporting infrastructures to allow learning, sharing, and systemic organization. It also describes the OH outcomes (i.e., sustainability, health and welfare, interspecies equity and stewardship, effectiveness, and efficiency), which are not possible to obtain through sectoral approaches alone, and their alignment with aspects of sustainable development based on society, environment, and economy. PMID:28261580

Democratic superstring field theory: gauge fixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kroyter, Michael

2011-03-01

We show that a partial gauge fixing of the NS sector of the democratic-picture superstring field theory leads to the non-polynomial theory. Moreover, by partially gauge fixing the Ramond sector we obtain a non-polynomial fully RNS theory at pictures 0 and 1/2 . Within the democratic theory and in the partially gauge fixed theory the equations of motion of both sectors are derived from an action. We also discuss a representation of the non-polynomial theory analogous to a manifestly two-dimensional representation of WZW theory and the action of bosonic pure-gauge solutions. We further demonstrate that one can consistently gauge fix the NS sector of the democratic theory at picture number -1. The resulting theory is new. It is a {mathbb{Z}_2} dual of the modified cubic theory. We construct analytical solutions of this theory and show that they possess the desired properties.

Influenza antiviral therapeutics.

PubMed

Mayburd, Anatoly L

2010-01-01

In this review we conducted a landscaping study of the therapeutic anti-influenza agents, limiting the scope by exclusion of vaccines. The resulting 2800 patent publications were classified into 23 distinct technological sectors. The mechanism of action, the promise and drawbacks of the corresponding technological sectors were explored on comparative basis. A set of quantitative parameters was defined based on landscaping procedure that appears to correlate with the practical success of a given class of therapeutics. Thus, the sectors not considered promising from the mechanistic side were also displaying low value of the classifying parameters. The parameters were combined into a probabilistic Marketing Prediction Score, assessing a likelihood of a given sector to produce a marketable product. The proposed analytical methodology may be useful for automatic search and assessment of technologies for the goals of acquisition, investment and competitive bidding. While not being a substitute for an expert evaluation, it provides an initial assessment suitable for implementation with large-scale automated landscaping.

Gender Mainstreaming in Education at the Level of Field Operations: The Case of CARE USA's Indicator Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miske, Shirley; Meagher, Margaret; DeJaeghere, Joan

2010-01-01

Following the adoption of gender mainstreaming at the Beijing Conference for Women in 1995 as a major strategy to promote gender equality and the recognition of gender analysis as central to this process, Gender and Development (GAD) frameworks have provided tools for gender analysis in various sectors. Gender mainstreaming in basic education has…

FREIDA (framework of resources for modeling energy/environmental/economic impacts of development and advancements) in ports”: A portfolio of interactive information resources, and an illustrative energy sector analysis

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents preliminary results from our ongoing work on the development of “FREIDA in Ports”: an interactive information resource and modeling framework for port communities, that may be used to enhance resilience to climate change and enable sustainable deve...

Leading Change, Adding Value.

PubMed

Evans, Nick

2016-07-06

Essential facts Leading Change, Adding Value is NHS England's new nursing and midwifery framework. It builds on Compassion in Practice (CiP), which set out the 6Cs. While CiP established the values of nursing and midwifery, the new framework explains how staff can help transform the health and care sectors to meet the aims of the NHS England's Five Year Forward View.

Strategies for the Emerging Global Higher Education Market in East Asia: A Comparative Study of Singapore, Malaysia and Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yonezawa, Akiyoshi

2007-01-01

In this paper, the author tries to set up the framework for understanding the qualitative change of the nature of national policies for higher education through the increasing aspects as "industry" in universities and other higher education sector. Based on this framework, the author analyses, comparatively, the national policies for…

The U.S. forest carbon accounting framework: stocks and stock change, 1990-2016

Treesearch

Christopher W. Woodall; John W. Coulston; Grant M. Domke; Brian F. Walters; David N. Wear; James E. Smith; Hans-Erik Andersen; Brian J. Clough; Warren B. Cohen; Douglas M. Griffith; Stephen C. Hagen; Ian S. Hanou; Michael C. Nichols; Charles H. (Hobie) Perry; Matthew B. Russell; Jim Westfall; Barry T. (Ty) Wilson

2015-01-01

As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States annually prepares an inventory of carbon that has been emitted and sequestered among sectors (e.g., energy, agriculture, and forests). For many years, the United States developed an inventory of forest carbon by comparing contemporary forest inventories to inventories that...

The dual economy in long-run development

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

A salient feature of developing economies is the coexistence of a modern commercial sector alongside a traditional subsistence sector—the dual economy. The apparent differences in productivity between sectors imply substantial losses in aggregate productivity. Existing theories of the dual economy rely on exogenous price distortions, and cannot explain why or if these distortions evolve over the course of development. This paper provides a model of the dual economy in which the productivity differences arise endogenously because of a non-separability between the value of market and non-market time in the traditional sector. Incorporating endogenous fertility, the model then demonstrates how a dual economy will originate, persist, and eventually disappear within a unified growth framework. An implication is that traditional sector productivity growth will exacerbate the inefficiencies of a dual economy and produce slower overall growth than will modern sector productivity improvements. PMID:23946556

Elements affecting food waste in the food service sector.

PubMed

Heikkilä, Lotta; Reinikainen, Anu; Katajajuuri, Juha-Matti; Silvennoinen, Kirsi; Hartikainen, Hanna

2016-10-01

Avoidable food waste is produced in the food service sector, with significant ecological and economical impacts. In order to understand and explain better the complex issue of food waste a qualitative study was conducted on the reasons for its generation in restaurants and catering businesses. Research data were collected during three participatory workshops for personnel from three different catering sector companies in Finland. Based on synthesized qualitative content analysis, eight elements influencing production and reduction of food waste were identified. Results revealed the diversity of managing food waste in the food service sector and how a holistic approach is required to prevent and reduce it. It is crucial to understand that food waste is manageable and should be an integral component of the management system. The model of eight factors provides a framework for recognition and management of food waste in the food service sector. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Capacity of the legal framework of public health institutions in Mexico to support their functional integration].

PubMed

Ibarra, Ignacio; Martínez, Gabriel; Aguilera, Nelly; Orozco, Emanuel; Fajardo-Dolci, Germán E; González-Block, Miguel A

2013-01-01

Evaluate the capacity of the federal legal framework to govern financing of health institutions in the public sector through innovative schemes--otherwise known as functional integration--, enabling them to purchase and sell health services to and from other public providers as a strategy to improve their performance. Based on indicators of normative alignment with respect to functional integration across public health provider and governance institutions, content analysis was undertaken of national health programs and relevant laws and guidelines for financial coordination. Significant progress was identified in the implementation of agreements for the coordination of public institutions. While the legal framework provides for a National Health System and a health sector, gaps and contradictions limit their scope. The General Register of Health is also moving forward, yet it lacks the necessary legal foundation to become a comprehensive tool for integration. The medical service exchange agreements are also moving forward based on tariffs and shared guidelines. However, there is a lack of incentives to promote the expansion of these agreements. It is recommended to update the legal framework for the coordination of the National Health System, ensuring a more harmonious and general focus to provide functional integration with the needed impulse.

Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework.

PubMed

Bennett, Nathan J; Whitty, Tara S; Finkbeiner, Elena; Pittman, Jeremy; Bassett, Hannah; Gelcich, Stefan; Allison, Edward H

2018-04-01

There has been increasing attention to and investment in local environmental stewardship in conservation and environmental management policies and programs globally. Yet environmental stewardship has not received adequate conceptual attention. Establishing a clear definition and comprehensive analytical framework could strengthen our ability to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of environmental stewardship in different contexts and how to most effectively support and enable local efforts. Here we propose such a definition and framework. First, we define local environmental stewardship as the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social-ecological contexts. Next, drawing from a review of the environmental stewardship, management and governance literatures, we unpack the elements of this definition to develop an analytical framework that can facilitate research on local environmental stewardship. Finally, we discuss potential interventions and leverage points for promoting or supporting local stewardship and future applications of the framework to guide descriptive, evaluative, prescriptive or systematic analysis of environmental stewardship. Further application of this framework in diverse environmental and social contexts is recommended to refine the elements and develop insights that will guide and improve the outcomes of environmental stewardship initiatives and investments. Ultimately, our aim is to raise the profile of environmental stewardship as a valuable and holistic concept for guiding productive and sustained relationships with the environment.

Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Nathan J.; Whitty, Tara S.; Finkbeiner, Elena; Pittman, Jeremy; Bassett, Hannah; Gelcich, Stefan; Allison, Edward H.

2018-04-01

There has been increasing attention to and investment in local environmental stewardship in conservation and environmental management policies and programs globally. Yet environmental stewardship has not received adequate conceptual attention. Establishing a clear definition and comprehensive analytical framework could strengthen our ability to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of environmental stewardship in different contexts and how to most effectively support and enable local efforts. Here we propose such a definition and framework. First, we define local environmental stewardship as the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social-ecological contexts. Next, drawing from a review of the environmental stewardship, management and governance literatures, we unpack the elements of this definition to develop an analytical framework that can facilitate research on local environmental stewardship. Finally, we discuss potential interventions and leverage points for promoting or supporting local stewardship and future applications of the framework to guide descriptive, evaluative, prescriptive or systematic analysis of environmental stewardship. Further application of this framework in diverse environmental and social contexts is recommended to refine the elements and develop insights that will guide and improve the outcomes of environmental stewardship initiatives and investments. Ultimately, our aim is to raise the profile of environmental stewardship as a valuable and holistic concept for guiding productive and sustained relationships with the environment.

Technology Prioritization: Transforming the U.S. Building Stock to Embrace Energy Efficiency

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

Abdelaziz, Omar; Farese, Philip; Abramson, Alexis

2013-01-01

The U.S. Buildings sector is responsible for about 40% of the national energy expenditures. This is due in part to wasteful use of resources and limited considerations made for energy efficiency during the design and retrofit phases. Recent studies have indicated the potential for up to 30-50% energy savings in the U.S. buildings sector using currently available technologies. This paper discusses efforts to accelerate the transformation in the U.S. building energy efficiency sector using a new technology prioritization framework. The underlying analysis examines building energy use micro segments using the Energy Information Administration Annual Energy Outlook and other publically availablemore » information. The tool includes a stock-and-flow model to track stock vintage and efficiency levels with time. The tool can be used to investigate energy efficiency measures under a variety of scenarios and has a built-in energy accounting framework to prevent double counting of energy savings within any given portfolio. This tool is developed to inform decision making and estimate long term potential energy savings for different market adoption scenarios.« less

Comparing private sector family planning services to government and NGO services in Ethiopia and Pakistan: how do social franchises compare across quality, equity and cost?

PubMed Central

Shah, Nirali M; Wang, Wenjuan; Bishai, David M

2011-01-01

Policy makers in developing countries need to assess how public health programmes function across both public and private sectors. We propose an evaluation framework to assist in simultaneously tracking performance on efficiency, quality and access by the poor in family planning services. We apply this framework to field data from family planning programmes in Ethiopia and Pakistan, comparing (1) independent private sector providers; (2) social franchises of private providers; (3) non-government organization (NGO) providers; and (4) government providers on these three factors. Franchised private clinics have higher quality than non-franchised private clinics in both countries. In Pakistan, the costs per client and the proportion of poorest clients showed no differences between franchised and non-franchised private clinics, whereas in Ethiopia, franchised clinics had higher costs and fewer clients from the poorest quintile. Our results highlight that there are trade-offs between access, cost and quality of care that must be balanced as competing priorities. The relative programme performance of various service arrangements on each metric will be context specific. PMID:21729919

Comparing private sector family planning services to government and NGO services in Ethiopia and Pakistan: how do social franchises compare across quality, equity and cost?

PubMed

Shah, Nirali M; Wang, Wenjuan; Bishai, David M

2011-07-01

Policy makers in developing countries need to assess how public health programmes function across both public and private sectors. We propose an evaluation framework to assist in simultaneously tracking performance on efficiency, quality and access by the poor in family planning services. We apply this framework to field data from family planning programmes in Ethiopia and Pakistan, comparing (1) independent private sector providers; (2) social franchises of private providers; (3) non-government organization (NGO) providers; and (4) government providers on these three factors. Franchised private clinics have higher quality than non-franchised private clinics in both countries. In Pakistan, the costs per client and the proportion of poorest clients showed no differences between franchised and non-franchised private clinics, whereas in Ethiopia, franchised clinics had higher costs and fewer clients from the poorest quintile. Our results highlight that there are trade-offs between access, cost and quality of care that must be balanced as competing priorities. The relative programme performance of various service arrangements on each metric will be context specific.

Information Tailoring Enhancements for Large Scale Social Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-15

i.com) 1 Work Performed within This Reporting Period .................................................... 2 1.1 Implemented Temporal Analytics ...following tasks.  Implemented Temporal Analysis Algorithms for Advanced Analytics in Scraawl. We implemented our backend web service design for the...temporal analysis and we created a prototyope GUI web service of Scraawl analytics dashboard.  Upgraded Scraawl computational framework to increase

Development and Validation of a Learning Analytics Framework: Two Case Studies Using Support Vector Machines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ifenthaler, Dirk; Widanapathirana, Chathuranga

2014-01-01

Interest in collecting and mining large sets of educational data on student background and performance to conduct research on learning and instruction has developed as an area generally referred to as learning analytics. Higher education leaders are recognizing the value of learning analytics for improving not only learning and teaching but also…

A Multi-Sector Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change at the Energy-Water-Land Nexus in the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McFarland, J.; Sarofim, M. C.; Martinich, J.

2017-12-01

Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns due to climate change are projected to alter many sectors of the US economy. A growing body of research has examined these effects in the energy, water, and agricultural sectors. Rising summer temperatures increase the demand for electricity. Changing precipitation patterns effect the availability of water for hydropower generation, thermo-electric cooling, irrigation, and municipal and industrial consumption. A combination of changes to temperature and precipitation alter crop yields and cost-effective farming practices. Although a significant body of research exists on analyzing impacts to individual sectors, fewer studies examine the effects using a common set of assumptions (e.g., climatic and socio-economic) within a coupled modeling framework. The present analysis uses a multi-sector, multi-model framework with common input assumptions to assess the projected effects of climate change on energy, water, and land-use in the United States. The analysis assesses the climate impacts for across 5 global circulation models for representative concentration pathways (RCP) of 8.5 and 4.5 W/m2. The energy sector models - Pacific Northwest National Lab's Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) - show the effects of rising temperature on energy and electricity demand. Electricity supply in ReEDS is also affected by the availability of water for hydropower and thermo-electric cooling. Water availability is calculated from the GCM's precipitation using the US Basins model. The effects on agriculture are estimated using both a process-based crop model (EPIC) and an agricultural economic model (FASOM-GHG), which adjusts water supply curves based on information from US Basins. The sectoral models show higher economic costs of climate change under RCP 8.5 than RCP 4.5 averaged across the country and across GCM's.

Many-objective reservoir policy identification and refinement to reduce policy inertia and myopia in water management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliani, M.; Herman, J. D.; Castelletti, A.; Reed, P.

2014-04-01

This study contributes a decision analytic framework to overcome policy inertia and myopia in complex river basin management contexts. The framework combines reservoir policy identification, many-objective optimization under uncertainty, and visual analytics to characterize current operations and discover key trade-offs between alternative policies for balancing competing demands and system uncertainties. The approach is demonstrated on the Conowingo Dam, located within the Lower Susquehanna River, USA. The Lower Susquehanna River is an interstate water body that has been subject to intensive water management efforts due to competing demands from urban water supply, atomic power plant cooling, hydropower production, and federally regulated environmental flows. We have identified a baseline operating policy for the Conowingo Dam that closely reproduces the dynamics of current releases and flows for the Lower Susquehanna and thus can be used to represent the preferences structure guiding current operations. Starting from this baseline policy, our proposed decision analytic framework then combines evolutionary many-objective optimization with visual analytics to discover new operating policies that better balance the trade-offs within the Lower Susquehanna. Our results confirm that the baseline operating policy, which only considers deterministic historical inflows, significantly overestimates the system's reliability in meeting the reservoir's competing demands. Our proposed framework removes this bias by successfully identifying alternative reservoir policies that are more robust to hydroclimatic uncertainties while also better addressing the trade-offs across the Conowingo Dam's multisector services.

The Climate Data Analytic Services (CDAS) Framework.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxwell, T. P.; Duffy, D.

2016-12-01

Faced with unprecedented growth in climate data volume and demand, NASA has developed the Climate Data Analytic Services (CDAS) framework. This framework enables scientists to execute data processing workflows combining common analysis operations in a high performance environment close to the massive data stores at NASA. The data is accessed in standard (NetCDF, HDF, etc.) formats in a POSIX file system and processed using vetted climate data analysis tools (ESMF, CDAT, NCO, etc.). A dynamic caching architecture enables interactive response times. CDAS utilizes Apache Spark for parallelization and a custom array framework for processing huge datasets within limited memory spaces. CDAS services are accessed via a WPS API being developed in collaboration with the ESGF Compute Working Team to support server-side analytics for ESGF. The API can be accessed using either direct web service calls, a python script, a unix-like shell client, or a javascript-based web application. Client packages in python, scala, or javascript contain everything needed to make CDAS requests. The CDAS architecture brings together the tools, data storage, and high-performance computing required for timely analysis of large-scale data sets, where the data resides, to ultimately produce societal benefits. It is is currently deployed at NASA in support of the Collaborative REAnalysis Technical Environment (CREATE) project, which centralizes numerous global reanalysis datasets onto a single advanced data analytics platform. This service permits decision makers to investigate climate changes around the globe, inspect model trends and variability, and compare multiple reanalysis datasets.

Impact of a regional distributed medical education program on an underserved community: perceptions of community leaders.

PubMed

Toomey, Patricia; Lovato, Chris Y; Hanlon, Neil; Poole, Gary; Bates, Joanna

2013-06-01

To describe community leaders' perceptions regarding the impact of a fully distributed undergraduate medical education program on a small, medically underserved host community. The authors conducted semistructured interviews in 2007 with 23 community leaders representing, collectively, the education, health, economic, media, and political sectors. They reinterviewed six participants from a pilot study (2005) and recruited new participants using purposeful and snowball sampling. The authors employed analytic induction to organize content thematically, using the sectors as a framework, and they used open coding to identify new themes. The authors reanalyzed transcripts to identify program outcomes (e.g., increased research capacity) and construct a list of quantifiable indicators (e.g., number of grants and publications). Participants reported their perspectives on the current and anticipated impact of the program on education, health services, the economy, media, and politics. Perceptions of impact were overwhelmingly positive (e.g., increased physician recruitment), though some were negative (e.g., strains on health resources). The authors identified new outcomes and confirmed outcomes described in 2005. They identified 16 quantifiable indicators of impact, which they judged to be plausible and measureable. Participants perceive that the regional undergraduate medical education program in their community has broad, local impacts. Findings suggest that early observed outcomes have been maintained and may be expanding. Results may be applicable to medical education programs with distributed or regional sites in similar rural, remote, and/or underserved regions. The areas of impact, outcomes, and quantifiable indicators identified will be of interest to future researchers and evaluators.

Understanding business intelligence in the context of healthcare.

PubMed

Mettler, Tobias; Vimarlund, Vivian

2009-09-01

In today's fast changing healthcare sector, decision makers are facing a growing demand for both clinical and administrative information in order to comply with legal and customer-specific requirements. The use of business intelligence (BI) is seen as a possible solution to this actual challenge. As the existing research about BI is primarily focused on the industrial sector, it is the aim of this contribution to translate and adapt the current findings for the healthcare context. For this purpose, different definitions of BI are examined and condensed in a framework. Furthermore, the sector-specific preconditions for the effective use and future role of BI are discussed.

a Web-Based Framework for Visualizing Industrial Spatiotemporal Distribution Using Standard Deviational Ellipse and Shifting Routes of Gravity Centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Y.; Gui, Z.; Wu, H.; Wei, Y.

2017-09-01

Analysing spatiotemporal distribution patterns and its dynamics of different industries can help us learn the macro-level developing trends of those industries, and in turn provides references for industrial spatial planning. However, the analysis process is challenging task which requires an easy-to-understand information presentation mechanism and a powerful computational technology to support the visual analytics of big data on the fly. Due to this reason, this research proposes a web-based framework to enable such a visual analytics requirement. The framework uses standard deviational ellipse (SDE) and shifting route of gravity centers to show the spatial distribution and yearly developing trends of different enterprise types according to their industry categories. The calculation of gravity centers and ellipses is paralleled using Apache Spark to accelerate the processing. In the experiments, we use the enterprise registration dataset in Mainland China from year 1960 to 2015 that contains fine-grain location information (i.e., coordinates of each individual enterprise) to demonstrate the feasibility of this framework. The experiment result shows that the developed visual analytics method is helpful to understand the multi-level patterns and developing trends of different industries in China. Moreover, the proposed framework can be used to analyse any nature and social spatiotemporal point process with large data volume, such as crime and disease.

An Analytical Framework for the Steady State Impact of Carbonate Compensation on Atmospheric CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omta, Anne Willem; Ferrari, Raffaele; McGee, David

2018-04-01

The deep-ocean carbonate ion concentration impacts the fraction of the marine calcium carbonate production that is buried in sediments. This gives rise to the carbonate compensation feedback, which is thought to restore the deep-ocean carbonate ion concentration on multimillennial timescales. We formulate an analytical framework to investigate the impact of carbonate compensation under various changes in the carbon cycle relevant for anthropogenic change and glacial cycles. Using this framework, we show that carbonate compensation amplifies by 15-20% changes in atmospheric CO2 resulting from a redistribution of carbon between the atmosphere and ocean (e.g., due to changes in temperature, salinity, or nutrient utilization). A counterintuitive result emerges when the impact of organic matter burial in the ocean is examined. The organic matter burial first leads to a slight decrease in atmospheric CO2 and an increase in the deep-ocean carbonate ion concentration. Subsequently, enhanced calcium carbonate burial leads to outgassing of carbon from the ocean to the atmosphere, which is quantified by our framework. Results from simulations with a multibox model including the minor acids and bases important for the ocean-atmosphere exchange of carbon are consistent with our analytical predictions. We discuss the potential role of carbonate compensation in glacial-interglacial cycles as an example of how our theoretical framework may be applied.

Research governance: implications for health library and information professionals.

PubMed

Sen, Barbara A

2003-03-01

The Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care published by the Department of Health in 2001 provides a model of best practice and a framework for research in the health and social care sector. This article reviews the Department of Health Research Governance Framework, discusses the implications of research governance for library and information professionals undertaking research in the health- and social-care sector and recommends strategies for best practice within the information profession relating to research governance. The scope of the Framework document that covers both clinical and non-clinical research is outlined. Any research involving, amongst other issues, patients, NHS staff and use or access to NHS premises may require ethics committee approval. Particular reference is made to the roles, responsibilities and professional conduct and the systems needed to support effective research practice. Issues such as these combine to encourage the development of a quality research culture which supports best practice. Questions arise regarding the training and experience of researchers, and access to the necessary information and support. The use of the Framework to guide research practice complements the quality issues within the evidence-based practice movement and supports the ongoing development of a quality research culture. Recommendations are given in relation to the document's five domains of ethics, science, information, health and safety and finance and intellectual property. Practical recommendations are offered for incorporating research governance into research practice in ways which conform to the Framework's standards and which are particularly relevant for research practitioners in information science. Concluding comments support the use of the Research Governance Framework as a model for best practice.

Stakeholder influence in public sector information systems strategy implementation-The case of public hospitals in South Africa.

PubMed

Hwabamungu, Boroto; Brown, Irwin; Williams, Quentin

2018-01-01

Recent literature on organisational strategy has called for greater emphasis on individuals (stakeholders) and what they do in the process of strategizing. Public sector organisations have to engage with an array of heterogeneous stakeholders in fulfilling their mandate. The public health sector in particular needs to engage with a diversity of stakeholders at local, regional and national levels when strategising. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of stakeholder relations on the implementation of Information Systems (IS) strategy in public hospitals in South Africa. An interpretive approach using two provinces was employed. The Activity Analysis and Development (ActAD) framework, an enhanced form of activity theory, was used as the theoretical framework. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, meetings, documents analysis, physical artefacts and observation. The collected data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal that IS strategy implementation in public hospitals involves a large and complex network of stakeholder groups at different levels, and over different time periods. These stakeholder groups act in accordance with formal and informal roles, rules and modalities. Various contextual conditions together with the actions of, and interactions between stakeholder groups give rise to the situationality of stakeholder relations dynamics and strategy implementation. The multiple actions and interactions over time lead to the realisation of some aspects of the IS strategy in public hospitals. Given the complexity and dynamism of the context there are also certain unplanned implementations as well. These relationships are captured in a Stakeholder Relations Influence (SRI) framework. The SRI framework can be assistive in the assessment and mapping of stakeholders and stakeholder relations, and the assessment of the implications of these relations for effective IS strategy implementation in public hospitals. The framework can also provide the basis for the development of appropriate corrective measures in the implementation of strategies and policies in public institutions such as public hospitals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Closed-form solutions and scaling laws for Kerr frequency combs

PubMed Central

Renninger, William H.; Rakich, Peter T.

2016-01-01

A single closed-form analytical solution of the driven nonlinear Schrödinger equation is developed, reproducing a large class of the behaviors in Kerr-comb systems, including bright-solitons, dark-solitons, and a large class of periodic wavetrains. From this analytical framework, a Kerr-comb area theorem and a pump-detuning relation are developed, providing new insights into soliton- and wavetrain-based combs along with concrete design guidelines for both. This new area theorem reveals significant deviation from the conventional soliton area theorem, which is crucial to understanding cavity solitons in certain limits. Moreover, these closed-form solutions represent the first step towards an analytical framework for wavetrain formation, and reveal new parameter regimes for enhanced Kerr-comb performance. PMID:27108810

On Connectivity of Wireless Sensor Networks with Directional Antennas

PubMed Central

Wang, Qiu; Dai, Hong-Ning; Zheng, Zibin; Imran, Muhammad; Vasilakos, Athanasios V.

2017-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the network connectivity of wireless sensor networks with directional antennas. In particular, we establish a general framework to analyze the network connectivity while considering various antenna models and the channel randomness. Since existing directional antenna models have their pros and cons in the accuracy of reflecting realistic antennas and the computational complexity, we propose a new analytical directional antenna model called the iris model to balance the accuracy against the complexity. We conduct extensive simulations to evaluate the analytical framework. Our results show that our proposed analytical model on the network connectivity is accurate, and our iris antenna model can provide a better approximation to realistic directional antennas than other existing antenna models. PMID:28085081

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options in the Canadian Agricultural Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noble, Bram F.; Christmas, Lisa M.

2008-01-01

This article presents a methodological framework for strategic environmental assessment (SEA) application. The overall objective is to demonstrate SEA as a systematic and structured policy, plan, and program (PPP) decision support tool. In order to accomplish this objective, a stakeholder-based SEA application to greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation policy options in Canadian agriculture is presented. Using a mail-out impact assessment exercise, agricultural producers and nonproducers from across the Canadian prairie region were asked to evaluate five competing GHG mitigation options against 13 valued environmental components (VECs). Data were analyzed using multi-criteria and exploratory analytical techniques. The results suggest considerable variation in perceived impacts and GHG mitigation policy preferences, suggesting that a blanket policy approach to GHG mitigation will create gainers and losers based on soil type and associate cropping and on-farm management practices. It is possible to identify a series of regional greenhouse gas mitigation programs that are robust, socially meaningful, and operationally relevant to both agricultural producers and policy decision makers. The assessment demonstrates the ability of SEA to address, in an operational sense, environmental problems that are characterized by conflicting interests and competing objectives and alternatives. A structured and systematic SEA methodology provides the necessary decision support framework for the consideration of impacts, and allows for PPPs to be assessed based on a much broader set of properties, objectives, criteria, and constraints whereas maintaining rigor and accountability in the assessment process.

Business waste prevention: a review of the evidence.

PubMed

Wilson, David C; Parker, David; Cox, Jayne; Strange, Kit; Willis, Peter; Blakey, Nick; Raw, Lynn

2012-09-01

Waste prevention is a policy priority in many countries. For example, European Union member states are currently required to prepare a national Waste Prevention Programme. This article reports on a major international review of the evidence base for business waste prevention to underpin such policy-making. A strict definition of waste prevention is used, including waste avoidance, waste reduction at source or in process, and product reuse-recycling is outside the scope of this article. The review was organised with two key dimensions. Eight types of policy intervention were identified: standards, labelling, procurement, commitments and voluntary agreements, communication, incentives, waste minimisation clubs and other business support. Six illustrative sectors were selected: construction and demolition, food and drink, hospitality, retail, automotive and office-based services. Four broad approaches to business waste prevention have been distinguished and used as part of the analytical framework, classified into a two by two matrix, using supply- and demand-side drivers as one axis, and incremental versus radical change as the other. A fundamental focus was on attitudes and behaviours. A conceptual framework is presented to navigate the various behavioural influences on businesses, and to discuss those motivations and barriers for which the evidence is relatively robust. The results suggest that the (financial) benefits to business of waste prevention are potentially huge, and that some progress is being made, but measurement is a challenge. A taster of some of the learnings on the effectiveness of the different policy interventions to promote waste prevention is also presented.

Developing an Analytical Framework for Argumentation on Energy Consumption Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jin, Hui; Mehl, Cathy E.; Lan, Deborah H.

2015-01-01

In this study, we aimed to develop a framework for analyzing the argumentation practice of high school students and high school graduates. We developed the framework in a specific context--how energy consumption activities such as changing diet, converting forests into farmlands, and choosing transportation modes affect the carbon cycle. The…

A Theoretical Framework of the Relation between Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Gigi

2014-01-01

A socio-psychological analytical framework will be adopted to illuminate the relation between socioeconomic status and academic achievement. The framework puts the emphasis to incorporate micro familial factors into macro factor of the tracking system. Initially, children of the poor families always lack major prerequisite: diminution of cognitive…

European Qualifications Framework: Weighing Some Pros and Cons out of a French Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouder, Annie

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to question the appropriateness of a proposal for a new European Qualifications Framework. The framework has three perspectives: historical; analytical; and national. Design/methodology/approach: The approaches are diverse since the first insists on the institutional and decision-making processes at European…

An approach to addressing governance from a health system framework perspective

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

As countries strive to strengthen their health systems in resource constrained contexts, policy makers need to know how best to improve the performance of their health systems. To aid these decisions, health system stewards should have a good understanding of how health systems operate in order to govern them appropriately. While a number of frameworks for assessing governance in the health sector have been proposed, their application is often hindered by unrealistic indicators or they are overly complex resulting in limited empirical work on governance in health systems. This paper reviews contemporary health sector frameworks which have focused on defining and developing indicators to assess governance in the health sector. Based on these, we propose a simplified approach to look at governance within a common health system framework which encourages stewards to take a systematic perspective when assessing governance. Although systems thinking is not unique to health, examples of its application within health systems has been limited. We also provide an example of how this approach could be applied to illuminate areas of governance weaknesses which are potentially addressable by targeted interventions and policies. This approach is built largely on prior literature, but is original in that it is problem-driven and promotes an outward application taking into consideration the major health system building blocks at various levels in order to ensure a more complete assessment of a governance issue rather than a simple input-output approach. Based on an assessment of contemporary literature we propose a practical approach which we believe will facilitate a more comprehensive assessment of governance in health systems leading to the development of governance interventions to strengthen system performance and improve health as a basic human right. PMID:22136318

Analytic derivation of bacterial growth laws from a simple model of intracellular chemical dynamics.

PubMed

Pandey, Parth Pratim; Jain, Sanjay

2016-09-01

Experiments have found that the growth rate and certain other macroscopic properties of bacterial cells in steady-state cultures depend upon the medium in a surprisingly simple manner; these dependencies are referred to as 'growth laws'. Here we construct a dynamical model of interacting intracellular populations to understand some of the growth laws. The model has only three population variables: an amino acid pool, a pool of enzymes that transport an external nutrient and produce the amino acids, and ribosomes that catalyze their own and the enzymes' production from the amino acids. We assume that the cell allocates its resources between the enzyme sector and the ribosomal sector to maximize its growth rate. We show that the empirical growth laws follow from this assumption and derive analytic expressions for the phenomenological parameters in terms of the more basic model parameters. Interestingly, the maximization of the growth rate of the cell as a whole implies that the cell allocates resources to the enzyme and ribosomal sectors in inverse proportion to their respective 'efficiencies'. The work introduces a mathematical scheme in which the cellular growth rate can be explicitly determined and shows that two large parameters, the number of amino acid residues per enzyme and per ribosome, are useful for making approximations.

Characterization of urban waste management practices in developing Asian countries: A new analytical framework based on waste characteristics and urban dimension.

PubMed

Aleluia, João; Ferrão, Paulo

2016-12-01

This paper characterizes municipal solid waste (MSW) management practices in developing Asia, with a focus on low and middle-income countries. The analysis that is conducted supports a proposed framework that maps out the trends observed in the region in relation to two parameters, waste compositions and urban dimension, which was prepared based on a set of national and urban case studies. The management of MSW in developing Asian countries is driven, first and foremost, by a public health imperative: the collection and disposal of waste in order to avoid the spread of disease vectors from uncollected waste. This comes, however, at a high cost, with local government authorities in these countries spending up to 50% of their budgets in the provision of these services. Little or no value is derived from waste, which is typically seen as a liability and not as a resource that can be harnessed. On the other hand, in many cities in developing Asia there is an informal sector that ekes out a living from the recovery of recyclable materials found in waste. Members of this "informal waste sector" are especially active in areas that are not served by formal waste collection systems, such as slums or squatter areas. A distinctive element shared among many cities in developing Asian countries concerns the composition of the municipal solid waste. MSW in those countries tends to be richer in biodegradable organic matter, which usually accounts for more than 50% of the total waste composition, suggesting that biological methods are more appropriate for treating this organic fraction. Conversely, thermal combustion technologies, which are extensively applied in high-income countries, are technically and economically challenging to deploy in light of the lower calorific value of waste streams which are rich in organics and moisture. Specific approaches and methods are therefore required for designing adequate waste management systems in developing Asian countries. In addition, despite some common characteristics shared among cities in developing Asia, their specific circumstances can significantly vary, even within the same country, calling for the need for context-specific waste management approaches. Set against this background, this paper proposes a guiding framework in the form of a matrix that maps out approaches observed in the management of municipal solid waste in cities of developing Asian countries as a function of the city dimension, share of organics on waste streams, and wealth generated by the city. The cities of Surabaya (Indonesia), Bangalore (India), Quy Nhon (Viet Nam), and Matale (Sri Lanka) are showcased as good practices in the region in the management of solid waste, with their experiences used to illustrate the framework laid out in the matrix. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecosystem objectives to support the UK vision for the marine environment.

PubMed

Rogers, S I; Tasker, M L; Earll, R; Gubbay, S

2007-02-01

European Maritime States already have commitments to protect species and habitats and maintain quality standards in coastal and offshore waters. These are a direct response to environmental legislation in Europe and commitments made to biodiversity conservation in OSPAR and at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. An integrated approach to management requires that these are consistent with the requirements for sustainable development, and include wider social considerations and active stakeholder participation. This review describes a hierarchical framework that incorporates the marine objectives and delivery statements of ecological, social and economic sectors. The framework leads from the UK's guiding principles for sustainable development, through visionary statements and strategic goals for high level delivery, to operational objectives and statements of action which deliver management. Parts of this hierarchy can already be populated for the UK, especially those at the higher levels. At the operational level, however, there is less clarity. The review shows that, despite some gaps, existing commitments for ecological components of the ecosystem are transparent and generally conform to this framework, due largely to high profile government funding of environmental protection and science and a single national vision for the marine environment. Specific objectives for six components of the ecosystem were developed; benthic habitats, seabirds and mammals, phytoplankton and zooplankton, fish, and physical/chemical quality of the water and atmosphere. The objectives included some that avoided limits and others that aimed to achieve targets, and for management to be effective it will be important to have a common understanding of how these can together be interpreted and made operational. In a review of 13 social and economic sectors, few provided a clear breakdown of objectives leading from a high level vision or a sustainable development principle. Six sectors did not have high level government targets for production or other measures of sectoral performance. Such commercial operations generally determine their own operational delivery targets based on market forces. Recent proposals in Europe to create an integrated framework for social, economic and environmental activities will need to carefully balance the development of a strong and competitive marine economy with existing international obligations to environmental protection.

Healthcare performance turned into decision support.

PubMed

Sørup, Christian Michel; Jacobsen, Peter

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to first create an overview of relevant factors directly influencing employee absence in the healthcare sector. The overview is used to further investigate the factors identified using employee satisfaction survey scores exclusively. The result of the overall objective is a management framework that allows managers to gain insight into the current status of risk factors with high influence on employee absence levels. The research consists of a quantitative literature study supported by formal and semi-formal interviews conducted at the case organisations. Employee satisfaction surveys were applied to analyse the development over time of selected factors correlated with concurrent employee absence rates. Checking for causal results, comparisons with the included published literature findings were also carried out. Four major clustered factors, three of which constitute the term "social capital", showed a high degree of connection with employee absence rates. The factors are general satisfaction, fairness, reliance and co-operation. Integrating the four elements in a management framework will provide valuable and holistic information about the determinants with regard to current levels of employee absence. The framework will be a valuable support for leaders with the authority to alter the determinants of employee absence. Since a great part of the empirical material is supplied from the healthcare sector, the results obtained could be restricted to this sector. Inclusion of data from Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegspension (ATP) showed no deviation from the results in the healthcare sector. The product of the study is a decision support tool for leaders to cope with levels of employee absence. The framework is holistic and can prove to be a valuable tool to take a bearing of where to focus future initiatives. Gathering former observational studies in a complete overview embracing many relevant factors that influence sickness absence has not yet been attempted. Hospital management is provided with valuable information when given insight into the factors that control employee absence behaviour. Having this insight will enable the managers to promote a healthy working environment, thus lowering employee absence rates to a minimum.

Strengthening health disaster risk management in Africa: multi-sectoral and people-centred approaches are required in the post-Hyogo Framework of Action era.

PubMed

Olu, Olushayo; Usman, Abdulmumini; Manga, Lucien; Anyangwe, Stella; Kalambay, Kalula; Nsenga, Ngoy; Woldetsadik, Solomon; Hampton, Craig; Nguessan, Francois; Benson, Angela

2016-08-02

In November 2012, the 62nd session of the Regional Committee for Africa adopted a comprehensive 10-year regional strategy for health disaster risk management (DRM). This was intended to operationalize the World Health Organization's core commitments to health DRM and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 in the health sectors of the 47 African member states. This study reported the formative evaluation of the strategy, including evaluation of the progress in achieving nine targets (expected to be achieved incrementally by 2014, 2017, and 2022). We proposed recommendations for accelerating the strategy's implementation within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. This study used a mixed methods design. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted along with a review of available reports and information on the implementation of the strategy. A review meeting to discuss and finalize the study findings was also conducted. In total, 58 % of the countries assessed had established DRM coordination units within their Ministry of Health (MOH). Most had dedicated MOH DRM staff (88 %) and national-level DRM committees (71 %). Only 14 (58 %) of the countries had health DRM subcommittees using a multi-sectoral disaster risk reduction platform. Less than 40 % had conducted surveys such as disaster risk analysis, hospital safety index, and mapping of health resources availability. Key challenges in implementing the strategy were inadequate political will and commitment resulting in poor funding for health DRM, weak health systems, and a dearth of scientific evidence on mainstreaming DRM and disaster risk reduction in longer-term health system development programs. Implementation of the strategy was behind anticipated targets despite some positive outcomes, such as an increase in the number of countries with health DRM incorporated in their national health legislation, MOH DRM units, and functional health sub-committees within national DRM committees. Health system-based, multi-sectoral, and people-centred approaches are proposed to accelerate implementation of the strategy in the post-Hyogo Framework of Action era.

Urban Partnership Agreement and Congestion Reduction Demonstration : National Evaluation Framework

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-11-21

This report provides an analytical framework for evaluating six deployments under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) and Congestion Reduction Demonstration (CRD) Programs. The six UPA/CRD sites...

Scaling Student Success with Predictive Analytics: Reflections after Four Years in the Data Trenches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Ellen; Longanecker, David

2016-01-01

The metrics used in the US to track students do not include adults and part-time students. This has led to the development of a massive data initiative--the Predictive Analytics Reporting (PAR) framework--that uses predictive analytics to trace the progress of all types of students in the system. This development has allowed actionable,…

Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the Water Sector

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

solutions for ICS security. The purposes of this roadmap are as follows: • Define a consensus-based framework that articulates strategies of owners and...each failure is manageable in itself • Be used as ransomware 400,000 persons, and was estimated by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to cost a total...and focused efforts. The water sector has developed and will pursue a set of strategic goals articulating these ambitions. These goals will help

Private Sector Engagement: An Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjamin, G.

2016-12-01

Public health organizations serve as scientific societies as a major part of their core mission. In addition, mobilizing partners to identify health threats and to work collaboratively to improve community health involves engagement of a variety of partners including those in the private sector. Increased concerns about conflicts of interest, transparency and undue influence are emerging as a major concern. This presentation will explore one framework for decision making to minimize risks and enhancing independence in scientific inquiry and public health programming.

The Ins and Outs of Keeping US Service Jobs at Work

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-14

out of the US and into Mexico, Honduras, and eventually Asia. Gregory Mankiw , former Economic Advisor to the President, in 2004 said, “More things are...Background 12 1.2 History of Economic Evolution 16 1.3 Dealing with Change 21 1.4 Preparing the Framework 22 Chapter 2...16 1-4 Economic Development 17 1-5 Service Sector Growth in Dollars 18 1-6 Service Sector Growth in Percent of GDP 19 1-7

Assessment of Critical-Analytic Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Nathaniel J.; Afflerbach, Peter P.; Croninger, Robert G.

2014-01-01

National policy and standards documents, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress frameworks, the "Common Core State Standards" and the "Next Generation Science Standards," assert the need to assess critical-analytic thinking (CAT) across subject areas. However, assessment of CAT poses several challenges for…

Earthdata Cloud Analytics Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Lynnes, Chris

2018-01-01

This presentation describes a nascent project in NASA to develop a framework to support end-user analytics of NASA's Earth science data in the cloud. The chief benefit of migrating EOSDIS (Earth Observation System Data and Information Systems) data to the cloud is to position the data next to enormous computing capacity to allow end users to process data at scale. The Earthdata Cloud Analytics project will user a service-based approach to facilitate the infusion of evolving analytics technology and the integration with non-NASA analytics or other complementary functionality at other agencies and in other nations.

Branch length estimation and divergence dating: estimates of error in Bayesian and maximum likelihood frameworks.

PubMed

Schwartz, Rachel S; Mueller, Rachel L

2010-01-11

Estimates of divergence dates between species improve our understanding of processes ranging from nucleotide substitution to speciation. Such estimates are frequently based on molecular genetic differences between species; therefore, they rely on accurate estimates of the number of such differences (i.e. substitutions per site, measured as branch length on phylogenies). We used simulations to determine the effects of dataset size, branch length heterogeneity, branch depth, and analytical framework on branch length estimation across a range of branch lengths. We then reanalyzed an empirical dataset for plethodontid salamanders to determine how inaccurate branch length estimation can affect estimates of divergence dates. The accuracy of branch length estimation varied with branch length, dataset size (both number of taxa and sites), branch length heterogeneity, branch depth, dataset complexity, and analytical framework. For simple phylogenies analyzed in a Bayesian framework, branches were increasingly underestimated as branch length increased; in a maximum likelihood framework, longer branch lengths were somewhat overestimated. Longer datasets improved estimates in both frameworks; however, when the number of taxa was increased, estimation accuracy for deeper branches was less than for tip branches. Increasing the complexity of the dataset produced more misestimated branches in a Bayesian framework; however, in an ML framework, more branches were estimated more accurately. Using ML branch length estimates to re-estimate plethodontid salamander divergence dates generally resulted in an increase in the estimated age of older nodes and a decrease in the estimated age of younger nodes. Branch lengths are misestimated in both statistical frameworks for simulations of simple datasets. However, for complex datasets, length estimates are quite accurate in ML (even for short datasets), whereas few branches are estimated accurately in a Bayesian framework. Our reanalysis of empirical data demonstrates the magnitude of effects of Bayesian branch length misestimation on divergence date estimates. Because the length of branches for empirical datasets can be estimated most reliably in an ML framework when branches are <1 substitution/site and datasets are > or =1 kb, we suggest that divergence date estimates using datasets, branch lengths, and/or analytical techniques that fall outside of these parameters should be interpreted with caution.

Designing effective power sector reform: A road map for the republic of Georgia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurdgelashvili, Lado

Around the world, network utilities (i.e., electricity, natural gas, railway, telecommunications, and water supply industries) are undergoing major structural transformation. A new wave of market liberalization, together with rapid technological changes, has challenged the previously dominant monopoly organization of these industries. A global trend toward deregulation and restructuring is evident in countries at different levels of social and economic development. The challenges of transition from a monopolistic to an open market competitive structure are numerous. Understanding these problems and finding solutions are essential to successful restructuring. In developing countries and economies in transition (i.e., the Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union), government-owned utilities are often considered to be highly inefficient. The dominant power sector restructuring strategies seek to promote economic efficiency through a gradual introduction of competition into the power sector. Five components of power sector reform are commonly proposed by the World Bank and others for these countries: commercialization, privatization, establishment of an independent regulatory agency, unbundling and gradual introduction of competition in generation and retail markets. The Republic of Georgia, like many economies in transition (e.g., Hungary, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan) has followed this reform model. However, outcomes of the reform have not been as promised. The acute economic problems facing Georgia after it regained independence have compounded problems in the power sector. A review of Georgia's utility reforms reveals that the country has undertaken electricity industry restructuring without giving substantial consideration to the problems that these reforms might have created within the industry or society. The main task of this dissertation is to find the restructuring model, which can best serve economic, social and environmental goals under circumstances similar to those in economies of transition. The dissertation provides a guide for policy makers in the energy sector for implementing power sector reform. At first the dissertation offers a general overview of different models of power sector organization, regulatory frameworks and market arrangements, and the potential impact of reform on social welfare. This knowledge is then applied for analysis of power sector reform in the Republic of Georgia. Social welfare analysis (SWA) is a major analytical tool used in the research for assessing the potential impacts of different power sector organization models on various stakeholders. Through the research it was identified that power industry arrangements in different countries have their particularities; however, after some level of simplification, power sector organization models can fit into one of three broad categories: (1) Government control and regulation of generation and retail segments of the power industry. (2) Full scale competition in the generation segment and retail choice. (3) Partial government control of the generation segment and limited retail choice. For SWA of different power market arrangement scenarios, electricity supply and demand curves had to be derived; for this purpose electricity demand forecasting and power supply evaluation methodologies were developed. This dissertation combines SWA, accepted demand forecasting methods and established power supply evaluation techniques to assess power sector performance under specified policy scenarios relevant to the circumstances of economies in transition such as the Republic of Georgia. Detailed analyses are performed for understanding possible outcomes with the introduction of different reform models. In addition, specific options for incorporating sustainable energy alternatives in the energy planning process are identified and assessed in economic, environmental and social terms. Special attention is given to market-based instruments for promoting sustainable energy options (e.g., renewable portfolio standards, energy conservation and energy efficiency programs) and social policies (e.g., lifeline rates, local employment). Results obtained from the detailed analysis of policy options for Georgia guide recommendations for a reform of the power sector.

Evaluation of Copper-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate Metal-organic Framework (Cu-MOF) as a Selective Sorbent for Lewis-base Analytes

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

Harvey, Scott D.; Eckberg, Alison D.; Thallapally, Praveen K.

2011-09-01

The metal-organic framework Cu-BTC was evaluated for its ability to selectively interact with Lewis-base analytes, including explosives, by examining retention on GC columns packed with Chromosorb W HP that contained 3.0% SE-30 along with various loadings of Cu-BTC. SEM images of the support material showed the characteristic Cu-BTC crystals embedded in the SE-30 coating on the diatomaceous support. Results indicated that the Cu-BTC-containing stationary phase had limited thermal stability (220°C) and strong general retention for analytes. Kováts index calculations showed selective retention (amounting to about 300 Kováts units) relative to n-alkanes for many small Lewis-base analytes on a column thatmore » contained 0.75% Cu-BTC compared to an SE-30 control. Short columns that contained lower loadings of Cu-BTC (0.10%) were necessary to elute explosives and related analytes; however, selectivity was not observed for aromatic compounds (including nitroaromatics) or nitroalkanes. Observed retention characteristics are discussed.« less

Analyzing Electronic Question/Answer Services: Framework and Evaluations of Selected Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Marilyn Domas, Ed.

This report develops an analytical framework based on systems analysis for evaluating electronic question/answer or AskA services operated by a wide range of types of organizations, including libraries. Version 1.0 of this framework was applied in June 1999 to a selective sample of 11 electronic question/answer services, which cover a range of…

Rainbow: A Framework for Analysing Computer-Mediated Pedagogical Debates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Michael; Andriessen, Jerry; Lund, Kristine; van Amelsvoort, Marie; Quignard, Matthieu

2007-01-01

In this paper we present a framework for analysing when and how students engage in a specific form of interactive knowledge elaboration in CSCL environments: broadening and deepening understanding of a space of debate. The framework is termed "Rainbow," as it comprises seven principal analytical categories, to each of which a colour is assigned,…

Analysis of Naval NETWAR FORCEnet Enterprise: Implications for Capabilities Based Budgeting

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

of this background information and projecting how ADNS is likely to succeed in the NNFE framework , two fundamental research questions were addressed...background information and projecting how ADNS is likely to succeed in the NNFE framework , two fundamental research questions were addressed. The...Business Approach ......................................................26 Figure 8. Critical Assumption for Common Analytical Framework

Teacher Identity and Numeracy: Developing an Analytic Lens for Understanding Numeracy Teacher Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennison, Anne; Goos, Merrilyn

2013-01-01

This paper reviews recent literature on teacher identity in order to propose an operational framework that can be used to investigate the formation and development of numeracy teacher identities. The proposed framework is based on Van Zoest and Bohl's (2005) framework for mathematics teacher identity with a focus on those characteristics thought…

Green Framework and Its Role in Sustainable City Development (by Example of Yekaterinburg)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maltseva, A.

2017-11-01

The article focuses on the destruction of the city green framework in Yekaterinburg. The strategy of its recovery by means of a bioactive core represented by a botanic garden has been proposed. The analytical framework for modification in the proportion of green territories and the total city area has been described.

Commercial Demand Module - NEMS Documentation

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

Documents the objectives, analytical approach and development of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) Commercial Sector Demand Module. The report catalogues and describes the model assumptions, computational methodology, parameter estimation techniques, model source code, and forecast results generated through the synthesis and scenario development based on these components.

Integrated corridor management initiative : demonstration phase evaluation - final national evaluation framework.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-05-01

This report provides an analytical framework for evaluating the two field deployments under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Initiative Demonstration Phase. The San Diego Interstate 15 cor...

Single-color laser ranging with a cube-corner-retroreflector array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, G. Hugh

1987-01-01

Lidar cross section of some typical types of cube-corner retroreflectors (CCRs) having a three corner mirror system is investigated for the case that the CCR is tilted from the normal illumination axis. Analytic expressions for the effective aperture area for the two typical window types (circular and hexagonal) of CCRs are obtained for the case that the CCR is tilted. The range of incidence angle in which only the total reflection occurs at all three uncoated corner mirrors has been found to vary considerably with the orientation of CCR and the refractive index of the CCR prism. The analytical expression for the far-field diffraction pattern of a tilted CCR is obtained by taking different polarization transformation of the six sectors of the effective reflecting aperture into account. This expression is essential when evaluating the lidar cross section of a moving CCR which is tilted in general. Formulas for the angles defining the six sectors have also been obtained.

Real-Time and Retrospective Health-Analytics-as-a-Service: A Novel Framework.

PubMed

Khazaei, Hamzeh; McGregor, Carolyn; Eklund, J Mikael; El-Khatib, Khalil

2015-11-18

Analytics-as-a-service (AaaS) is one of the latest provisions emerging from the cloud services family. Utilizing this paradigm of computing in health informatics will benefit patients, care providers, and governments significantly. This work is a novel approach to realize health analytics as services in critical care units in particular. To design, implement, evaluate, and deploy an extendable big-data compatible framework for health-analytics-as-a-service that offers both real-time and retrospective analysis. We present a novel framework that can realize health data analytics-as-a-service. The framework is flexible and configurable for different scenarios by utilizing the latest technologies and best practices for data acquisition, transformation, storage, analytics, knowledge extraction, and visualization. We have instantiated the proposed method, through the Artemis project, that is, a customization of the framework for live monitoring and retrospective research on premature babies and ill term infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). We demonstrated the proposed framework in this paper for monitoring NICUs and refer to it as the Artemis-In-Cloud (Artemis-IC) project. A pilot of Artemis has been deployed in the SickKids hospital NICU. By infusing the output of this pilot set up to an analytical model, we predict important performance measures for the final deployment of Artemis-IC. This process can be carried out for other hospitals following the same steps with minimal effort. SickKids' NICU has 36 beds and can classify the patients generally into 5 different types including surgical and premature babies. The arrival rate is estimated as 4.5 patients per day, and the average length of stay was calculated as 16 days. Mean number of medical monitoring algorithms per patient is 9, which renders 311 live algorithms for the whole NICU running on the framework. The memory and computation power required for Artemis-IC to handle the SickKids NICU will be 32 GB and 16 CPU cores, respectively. The required amount of storage was estimated as 8.6 TB per year. There will always be 34.9 patients in SickKids NICU on average. Currently, 46% of patients cannot get admitted to SickKids NICU due to lack of resources. By increasing the capacity to 90 beds, all patients can be accommodated. For such a provisioning, Artemis-IC will need 16 TB of storage per year, 55 GB of memory, and 28 CPU cores. Our contributions in this work relate to a cloud architecture for the analysis of physiological data for clinical decisions support for tertiary care use. We demonstrate how to size the equipment needed in the cloud for that architecture based on a very realistic assessment of the patient characteristics and the associated clinical decision support algorithms that would be required to run for those patients. We show the principle of how this could be performed and furthermore that it can be replicated for any critical care setting within a tertiary institution.

Real-Time and Retrospective Health-Analytics-as-a-Service: A Novel Framework

PubMed Central

McGregor, Carolyn; Eklund, J Mikael; El-Khatib, Khalil

2015-01-01

Background Analytics-as-a-service (AaaS) is one of the latest provisions emerging from the cloud services family. Utilizing this paradigm of computing in health informatics will benefit patients, care providers, and governments significantly. This work is a novel approach to realize health analytics as services in critical care units in particular. Objective To design, implement, evaluate, and deploy an extendable big-data compatible framework for health-analytics-as-a-service that offers both real-time and retrospective analysis. Methods We present a novel framework that can realize health data analytics-as-a-service. The framework is flexible and configurable for different scenarios by utilizing the latest technologies and best practices for data acquisition, transformation, storage, analytics, knowledge extraction, and visualization. We have instantiated the proposed method, through the Artemis project, that is, a customization of the framework for live monitoring and retrospective research on premature babies and ill term infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Results We demonstrated the proposed framework in this paper for monitoring NICUs and refer to it as the Artemis-In-Cloud (Artemis-IC) project. A pilot of Artemis has been deployed in the SickKids hospital NICU. By infusing the output of this pilot set up to an analytical model, we predict important performance measures for the final deployment of Artemis-IC. This process can be carried out for other hospitals following the same steps with minimal effort. SickKids’ NICU has 36 beds and can classify the patients generally into 5 different types including surgical and premature babies. The arrival rate is estimated as 4.5 patients per day, and the average length of stay was calculated as 16 days. Mean number of medical monitoring algorithms per patient is 9, which renders 311 live algorithms for the whole NICU running on the framework. The memory and computation power required for Artemis-IC to handle the SickKids NICU will be 32 GB and 16 CPU cores, respectively. The required amount of storage was estimated as 8.6 TB per year. There will always be 34.9 patients in SickKids NICU on average. Currently, 46% of patients cannot get admitted to SickKids NICU due to lack of resources. By increasing the capacity to 90 beds, all patients can be accommodated. For such a provisioning, Artemis-IC will need 16 TB of storage per year, 55 GB of memory, and 28 CPU cores. Conclusions Our contributions in this work relate to a cloud architecture for the analysis of physiological data for clinical decisions support for tertiary care use. We demonstrate how to size the equipment needed in the cloud for that architecture based on a very realistic assessment of the patient characteristics and the associated clinical decision support algorithms that would be required to run for those patients. We show the principle of how this could be performed and furthermore that it can be replicated for any critical care setting within a tertiary institution. PMID:26582268

Electroweak baryogenesis and the standard model effective field theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Vries, Jordy; Postma, Marieke; van de Vis, Jorinde; White, Graham

2018-01-01

We investigate electroweak baryogenesis within the framework of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory. The Standard Model Lagrangian is supplemented by dimension-six operators that facilitate a strong first-order electroweak phase transition and provide sufficient CP violation. Two explicit scenarios are studied that are related via the classical equations of motion and are therefore identical at leading order in the effective field theory expansion. We demonstrate that formally higher-order dimension-eight corrections lead to large modifications of the matter-antimatter asymmetry. The effective field theory expansion breaks down in the modified Higgs sector due to the requirement of a first-order phase transition. We investigate the source of the breakdown in detail and show how it is transferred to the CP-violating sector. We briefly discuss possible modifications of the effective field theory framework.

Institutional frameworks for management of epizoonotic emergencies in six countries in the Eastern Africa region: a situational analysis.

PubMed

Bazeyo, W; Mayega, Roy W; Nabukenya, I; Keyyu, J; Mamuya, S; Tabu, S J; Senna, L; Mohammad, M; Rugigana, E; Alingi, A; Mapatano, M; Kiguli, J; Orach, C G; Burnham, G; Killewo, J

2013-06-01

The Eastern Africa region is a hot-spot for epidemics of emerging zoonotic diseases ('epizoonotics'). However, the region's capacity for response to epidemics of zoonotic origin has not been documented. This paper presents a multi-country situational analysis on the institutional frameworks for management of zoonotic epidemics in the Eastern Africa region. A multi-country assessment of 6 country teams was conducted (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, DRC and Rwanda). It involved a review of records and interviews with key informants from agencies with a stake in the management of zoonotic and disasters in general in the respective countries. Qualitative data were analyzed for key emerging themes. There are many socio-cultural risk factors to epidemic prone zoonotic diseases in the region. Countries have varying levels of preparedness for zoonotic emergencies. All 6 countries have a framework for disaster management. However, technical response to epidemics is managed by the line sectors, with limited Inter-sectoral collaboration. Some sectors were disproportionately more prepared than others. Surveillance systems are mostly passive and inadequate for early detection. All 6 countries have built reasonable capacity to respond to avian influenza, but not other zoonotic emergencies. Most countries lack personnel at the operational levels, and veterinary public health services are ill-facilitated. There is need to strengthen veterinary public health services at all levels, but with a 'one health' approach. There is also need to establish 'risk-based surveillance' hot spots for zoonotic epidemics and to build community resilience 'epizoonotic' diseases.

Framework of Sustainability Assessment (FSA) method for manufacturing industry in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soliha Sahimi, Nur; Turan, Faiz Mohd; Johan, Kartina

2018-04-01

In recent years, our planet faced massive social, environmental and economic challenges. Moreover, Environmental Democracy Index (EDI) published that Malaysia has been ranked as the second worst environmental democracy among 70 countries in May 2015. This is due to lack of participation in sustainability compliance and less awareness on sustainability by Malaysia’s business partners. By combating and achieving these, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defines global priorities and inspirations through Agenda 2030 that recognize by United Nation. This paper attempts to propose Framework Sustainability Assessment (FSA) to assess sustainability for the various sector in Malaysia. This framework will give an overview to reduce the noise from wide data collection to a single element. Lastly, it will integrate the current performance with the linkage of the SDGs and the sustainability elements by dividing into three phase which is baselining, clustering and correlation. Now it is time for business to take action especially every sector or industry in Malaysia and it will improve the awareness and enhance Environmental Democracy Index to a better rank in future.

Public project success as seen in a broad perspective.: Lessons from a meta-evaluation of 20 infrastructure projects in Norway.

PubMed

Volden, Gro Holst

2018-08-01

Infrastructure projects in developed countries are rarely evaluated ex-post. Despite their number and scope, our knowledge about their various impacts is surprisingly limited. The paper argues that such projects must be assessed in a broad perspective that includes both operational, tactical and strategic aspects, and unintended as well as intended effects. A generic six-criteria evaluation framework is suggested, inspired by a framework frequently used to evaluate development assistance projects. It is tested on 20 Norwegian projects from various sectors (transport, defence, ICT, buildings). The results indicate that the majority of projects were successful, especially in operational terms, possibly because they underwent external quality assurance up-front. It is argued that applying this type of standardized framework provides a good basis for comparison and learning across sectors. It is suggested that evaluations should be conducted with the aim of promoting accountability, building knowledge about infrastructure projects, and continuously improve the tools, methods and governance arrangements used in the front-end of project development. Copyright © 2018 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Nanotechnology in food processing sector-An assessment of emerging trends.

PubMed

Kalpana Sastry, R; Anshul, Shrivastava; Rao, N H

2013-10-01

Use of nanoscience based technology in the food industry is fast emerging as new area for research and development. Several research groups including private companies in the industry have initiated research programmes for exploring the wide scope of nanotechnology into the value chain of food processing and manufacturing. This paper discusses the current focus of research in this area and assesses its potential impacts. Using the developed relational database framework with R&D indicators like literature and patent documents for assessment of the potential of nanotechnology in food sector, a model to organize and map nanoresearch areas to the food processing sector was developed. The study indicates that the about five basic categories of nanotechnology applications and functionalities currently in the development of food sector, include food processing, packaging, nutraceuticals delivery, food safety and functional foods.

Decomposition of toxicity emission changes on the demand and supply sides: empirical study of the US industrial sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Hidemichi; Okamoto, Shunsuke; Kagawa, Shigemi; Managi, Shunsuke

2017-12-01

This study investigated the changes in the toxicity of chemical emissions from the US industrial sector over the 1998-2009 period. Specifically, we employed a multiregional input-output analysis framework and integrated a supply-side index decomposition analysis (IDA) with a demand-side structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to clarify the main drivers of changes in the toxicity of production- and consumption-based chemical emissions. The results showed that toxic emissions from the US industrial sector decreased by 83% over the studied period because of pollution abatement efforts adopted by US industries. A variety of pollution abatement efforts were used by different industries, and cleaner production in the mining sector and the use of alternative materials in the manufacture of transportation equipment represented the most important efforts.

Distinctive aspects of the evolution of galactic magnetic fields

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

Yar-Mukhamedov, D., E-mail: danial.su@gmail.com

2016-11-15

We perform an in-depth analysis of the evolution of galactic magnetic fields within a semi-analytic galaxy formation and evolution framework, determine various distinctive aspects of the evolution process, and obtain analytic solutions for a wide range of possible evolution scenarios.

Strategic, Analytic and Operational Domains of Information Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diener, Richard AV

1992-01-01

Discussion of information management focuses on three main areas of activities and their interrelationship: (1) strategic, including establishing frameworks and principles of operations; (2) analytic, or research elements, including user needs assessment, data gathering, and data analysis; and (3) operational activities, including reference…

Combining analytical frameworks to assess livelihood vulnerability to climate change and analyse adaptation options.

PubMed

Reed, M S; Podesta, G; Fazey, I; Geeson, N; Hessel, R; Hubacek, K; Letson, D; Nainggolan, D; Prell, C; Rickenbach, M G; Ritsema, C; Schwilch, G; Stringer, L C; Thomas, A D

2013-10-01

Experts working on behalf of international development organisations need better tools to assist land managers in developing countries maintain their livelihoods, as climate change puts pressure on the ecosystem services that they depend upon. However, current understanding of livelihood vulnerability to climate change is based on a fractured and disparate set of theories and methods. This review therefore combines theoretical insights from sustainable livelihoods analysis with other analytical frameworks (including the ecosystem services framework, diffusion theory, social learning, adaptive management and transitions management) to assess the vulnerability of rural livelihoods to climate change. This integrated analytical framework helps diagnose vulnerability to climate change, whilst identifying and comparing adaptation options that could reduce vulnerability, following four broad steps: i) determine likely level of exposure to climate change, and how climate change might interact with existing stresses and other future drivers of change; ii) determine the sensitivity of stocks of capital assets and flows of ecosystem services to climate change; iii) identify factors influencing decisions to develop and/or adopt different adaptation strategies, based on innovation or the use/substitution of existing assets; and iv) identify and evaluate potential trade-offs between adaptation options. The paper concludes by identifying interdisciplinary research needs for assessing the vulnerability of livelihoods to climate change.

Combining analytical frameworks to assess livelihood vulnerability to climate change and analyse adaptation options☆

PubMed Central

Reed, M.S.; Podesta, G.; Fazey, I.; Geeson, N.; Hessel, R.; Hubacek, K.; Letson, D.; Nainggolan, D.; Prell, C.; Rickenbach, M.G.; Ritsema, C.; Schwilch, G.; Stringer, L.C.; Thomas, A.D.

2013-01-01

Experts working on behalf of international development organisations need better tools to assist land managers in developing countries maintain their livelihoods, as climate change puts pressure on the ecosystem services that they depend upon. However, current understanding of livelihood vulnerability to climate change is based on a fractured and disparate set of theories and methods. This review therefore combines theoretical insights from sustainable livelihoods analysis with other analytical frameworks (including the ecosystem services framework, diffusion theory, social learning, adaptive management and transitions management) to assess the vulnerability of rural livelihoods to climate change. This integrated analytical framework helps diagnose vulnerability to climate change, whilst identifying and comparing adaptation options that could reduce vulnerability, following four broad steps: i) determine likely level of exposure to climate change, and how climate change might interact with existing stresses and other future drivers of change; ii) determine the sensitivity of stocks of capital assets and flows of ecosystem services to climate change; iii) identify factors influencing decisions to develop and/or adopt different adaptation strategies, based on innovation or the use/substitution of existing assets; and iv) identify and evaluate potential trade-offs between adaptation options. The paper concludes by identifying interdisciplinary research needs for assessing the vulnerability of livelihoods to climate change. PMID:25844020

Towards a climate service for the Tunisian tourism industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henia, Latifa; Hlaoui, Zouhaier

2013-04-01

Until today's Tunisia, there is little communication between generators of meteorological or climatological data and stakeholders in the tourism sector. However: - A recent survey shows that professionals in the tourism sector are aware of the importance of integrating relevant climate information in their tourism management and development strategies. - Tunisia has expertise in the field of meteorology and climatology which meets the demand of the tourism sector in relevant climate information. The program CLIM RUN has created a framework allowing the introduction of a climate service in the Tunisian tourism sector. It identified the needs of the sector in climate information as well as examined together with specialized services and trained researchers the possibility of responding to these needs. The "GREVACHOT" research unit based at the University of Tunis and partner of the CLIM RUN program has developed one of the products for which great demand was formulated by tourism stakeholders: this is climate-tourism comfort indices (ICT) at regional and local scales. We here present: - The Tunisian experience in identifying climate information needs of the tourism sector, - The approach method to the development, study, mapping of ICT and results.

PRIVATE SECTOR IN HEALTH CARE DELIVERY: A REALITY AND A CHALLENGE IN PAKISTAN.

PubMed

Shaikh, Babar Tasneem

2015-01-01

Under performance of the public sector health care system in Pakistan has created a room for private sector to grow and become popular in health service delivery, despite its questionable quality, high cost and dubious ethics of medical practice. Private sector is no doubt a reality; and is functioning to plug many weaknesses and gaps in health care delivery to the poor people of Pakistan. Yet, it is largely unregulated and unchecked due to the absence of writ of the state. In spite of its inherent trait of profit making, the private sector has played a significant and innovative role both in preventive and curative service provision. Private sector has demonstrated great deal of responsiveness, hence creating a relation of trust with the consumers of health in Pakistan, majority of who spend out of their pocket to buy 'health'. There is definitely a potential to engage and involve private and non-state entities in the health care system building their capacities and instituting regulatory frameworks, to protect the poor's access to health care system.

The Commercial Energy Consumer: About Whom Are We Speaking?

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

Payne, Christopher

2006-05-12

Who are commercial sector customers, and how do they make decisions about energy consumption and energy efficiency investment? The energy policy field has not done a thorough job of describing energy consumption in the commercial sector. First, the discussion of the commercial sector itself is dominated by discussion of large businesses/buildings. Second, discussion of this portion of the commercial sectors consumption behavior is driven primarily by theory, with very little field data collected on the way commercial sector decision-makers describe their own options, choices, and reasons for taking action. These limitations artificially constrain energy policy options. This paper reviews themore » extant literature on commercial sector energy consumption behavior and identifies gaps in our knowledge. In particular, it argues that the primary energy policy model of commercial sector energy consumption is a top-down model that uses macro-level investment data to make conclusions about commercial behavior. Missing from the discussion is a model of consumption behavior that builds up to a theoretical framework informed by the micro-level data provided by commercial decision-makers themselves. Such a bottom-up model could enhance the effectiveness of commercial sector energy policy. In particular, translation of some behavioral models from the residential sector to the commercial sector may offer new opportunities for policies to change commercial energy consumption behavior. Utility bill consumption feedback is considered as one example of a policy option that may be applicable to both the residential and small commercial sector.« less

Public sector hospitals and organizational change: an agenda for policy analysis.

PubMed

Collins, C; Green, A

1999-01-01

An important feature of health care systems in recent years is the change in the organizational position and relations of public sector hospitals. Health sector reforms have led to increasing heterogeneity in the organizational location and status of public sector hospitals and new organizational forms of public-private relations are being developed by and for hospitals. These changes can have important implications for health and health care. They raise issues around equity, control, accountability and performance of health care. Yet the policy process in practice may be failing to develop and implement appropriate forms of policy formulation on health sector reform. This paper focuses on the organizational position and relations of hospitals within public sector health services. It firstly outlines key elements of health sector reform and relates these to two dimensions of organizational change for hospitals: increasing heterogeneity and forms of public-private relations. The paper provides a descriptive format for classifying forms of hospital organizational change and proposes a framework of six questions for analysing these organizational forms. This may be used to assess the appropriateness of specific policies to particular country situations and to develop more open debate around hospital organizational forms.

Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector?

PubMed

Bustreo, Flavia; Harding, April; Axelsson, Henrik

2003-01-01

The private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sector's influence on child health outcomes. This influence goes beyond service provision by private providers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Pharmacies, drug sellers, private suppliers, and food producers also have an impact on the health of children. Many governments are experimenting with strategies to engage the private sector to improve child health. The article analyses some of the most promising strategies, and suggests that a number of constraints make it hard for policy-makers to emulate these approaches. Few experiences are clearly described, monitored, and evaluated. The article suggests that improving the impact of child health programmes in developing countries requires a more systematic analysis of how to engage the private sector most effectively. The starting point should include the evaluation of the presence and potential of the private sector, including actors such as professional associations, producer organizations, community groups, and patients' organizations.

Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector?

PubMed Central

Bustreo, Flavia; Harding, April; Axelsson, Henrik

2003-01-01

The private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sector's influence on child health outcomes. This influence goes beyond service provision by private providers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Pharmacies, drug sellers, private suppliers, and food producers also have an impact on the health of children. Many governments are experimenting with strategies to engage the private sector to improve child health. The article analyses some of the most promising strategies, and suggests that a number of constraints make it hard for policy-makers to emulate these approaches. Few experiences are clearly described, monitored, and evaluated. The article suggests that improving the impact of child health programmes in developing countries requires a more systematic analysis of how to engage the private sector most effectively. The starting point should include the evaluation of the presence and potential of the private sector, including actors such as professional associations, producer organizations, community groups, and patients' organizations. PMID:14997241

One Health: a perspective from the human health sector.

PubMed

Kakkar, M; Hossain, S S; Abbas, S S

2014-08-01

Despite emerging consensus that the One Health concept involves multiple stakeholders, the human health sector has continued to view it from a predominantly human health security perspective. It has often ignored the concerns of other sectors, e.g. concerns that relate to trade, commerce, livelihoods and sustainable development, all of which are important contributors to societal well-being. In the absence of a culture of collaboration, clear One Health goals, conceptual clarity and operating frameworks, this disconnect between human health and One Health efforts has often impeded the translation of One Health from concept to reality, other than during emergency situations. If there are to be effective and sustainable One Health partnerships we must identify clear operating principles that allow flexible approaches to intersectoral collaborations. To convince technical experts and political leaders in the human health sector of the importance of intersectoral cooperation, and to make the necessary structural adjustments, we need examples of best practice models and trans-sectoral methods for measuring the risks, burden and costs across sectors. Informal collaborations between researchers and technical experts will play a decisive role in developing these methods and models and instilling societal well-being into the human health sector's view of One Health.

Non-linear analytic and coanalytic problems ( L_p-theory, Clifford analysis, examples)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubinskii, Yu A.; Osipenko, A. S.

2000-02-01

Two kinds of new mathematical model of variational type are put forward: non-linear analytic and coanalytic problems. The formulation of these non-linear boundary-value problems is based on a decomposition of the complete scale of Sobolev spaces into the "orthogonal" sum of analytic and coanalytic subspaces. A similar decomposition is considered in the framework of Clifford analysis. Explicit examples are presented.

University Knowledge Exchange (KE) Framework: Good Practice in Technology Transfer. Report to the UK Higher Education Sector and HEFCE by the McMillan Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higher Education Funding Council for England, 2016

2016-01-01

As part of its commitment to keeping the UK at the leading edge as a global knowledge-based economy, the last Government asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in 2014 to develop a knowledge exchange (KE) performance framework that would secure effective practice in universities on key productive elements in the…

e-Science Partnerships: Towards a Sustainable Framework for School-Scientist Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falloon, Garry

2013-08-01

In late 2006, the New Zealand Government embarked on a series of initiatives to explore how the resources and expertise of eight, small, state-owned science research institutes could be combined efficiently to support science teaching in schools. Programmes were developed to enable students and teachers to access and become involved in local science research and innovation, with the aim being to broaden their awareness of New Zealand science research contexts, adding authenticity and relevance to their school studies. One of these initiatives, known as Science-for-Life, partnered scientists with teachers and students in primary and secondary schools (K-12). A key output from the trial phase of Science-for-Life was the generation of a framework for guiding and coordinating the activities of the eight institutes within the education sector, to improve efficiency, effectiveness and promote sustainability. The framework, based on data gathered from a series of interviews with each institute's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an online questionnaire, and informed by findings from trial partnership case studies published as institute technical reports and published articles, is presented in this paper. While the framework is developed from New Zealand data, it is suggested that it may be useful for coordinating interactions between multiple small science organisations and the school sector in other small-nation or state contexts.

An Algebraic Formulation of Level One Wess-Zumino Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böckenhauer, Jens

The highest weight modules of the chiral algebra of orthogonal WZW models at level one possess a realization in fermionic representation spaces; the Kac-Moody and Virasoro generators are represented as unbounded limits of even CAR algebras. It is shown that the representation theory of the underlying even CAR algebras reproduces precisely the sectors of the chiral algebra. This fact allows to develop a theory of local von Neumann algebras on the punctured circle, fitting nicely in the Doplicher-Haag-Roberts framework. The relevant localized endomorphisms which generate the charged sectors are explicitly constructed by means of Bogoliubov transformations. Using CAR theory, the fusion rules in terms of sector equivalence classes are proven.

A system for environmental model coupling and code reuse: The Great Rivers Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckman, B.; Rice, J.; Treinish, L.; Barford, C.

2008-12-01

As part of the Great Rivers Project, IBM is collaborating with The Nature Conservancy and the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison to build a Modeling Framework and Decision Support System (DSS) designed to help policy makers and a variety of stakeholders (farmers, fish & wildlife managers, hydropower operators, et al.) to assess, come to consensus, and act on land use decisions representing effective compromises between human use and ecosystem preservation/restoration. Initially focused on Brazil's Paraguay-Parana, China's Yangtze, and the Mississippi Basin in the US, the DSS integrates data and models from a wide variety of environmental sectors, including water balance, water quality, carbon balance, crop production, hydropower, and biodiversity. In this presentation we focus on the modeling framework aspect of this project. In our approach to these and other environmental modeling projects, we see a flexible, extensible modeling framework infrastructure for defining and running multi-step analytic simulations as critical. In this framework, we divide monolithic models into atomic components with clearly defined semantics encoded via rich metadata representation. Once models and their semantics and composition rules have been registered with the system by their authors or other experts, non-expert users may construct simulations as workflows of these atomic model components. A model composition engine enforces rules/constraints for composing model components into simulations, to avoid the creation of Frankenmodels, models that execute but produce scientifically invalid results. A common software environment and common representations of data and models are required, as well as an adapter strategy for code written in e.g., Fortran or python, that still enables efficient simulation runs, including parallelization. Since each new simulation, as a new composition of model components, requires calibration of parameters (fudge factors) to produce scientifically valid results, we are also developing an autocalibration engine. Finally, visualization is a key element of this modeling framework strategy, both to convey complex scientific data effectively, and also to enable non-expert users to make full use of the relevant features of the framework. We are developing a visualization environment with a strong data model, to enable visualizations, model results, and data all to be handled similarly.

COMMENTARY: GLOBALIZATION, HEALTH SECTOR REFORM, AND THE HUMAN RIGHT TO HEALTH: IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE HEALTH POLICY.

PubMed

Schuftan, Claudio

2015-01-01

The author here distills his long-time personal experience with the deleterious effects of globalization on health and on the health sector reforms embarked on in many of the more than 50 countries where he has worked in the last 25 years. He highlights the role that the "human right to health" framework can and should play in countering globalization's negative effects on health and in shaping future health policy. This is a testimonial article.

Public health finance: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Moulton, Anthony D; Halverson, Paul K; Honoré, Peggy A; Berkowitz, Bobbie

2004-01-01

In an attempt to stimulate development of public health finance as a field of practice, policy, and scholarship, this article proposes a working definition of the term "public health finance," embeds it in the context of the maturing literature on the public health system and its infrastructure, and proposes a four-part typology that spans both public-sector and private-sector contributions to the financing of prevention and health promotion. A developmental strategy for the field--in applied research, training and education, and performance standards--is outlined as well.

A Proposal for Public and Private Partnership in Extension.

PubMed

Krell, Rayda K; Fisher, Marc L; Steffey, Kevin L

2016-01-01

Public funding for Extension in the United States has been decreasing for many years, but farmers' need for robust information on which to make management decisions has not diminished. The current Extension funding challenges provide motivation to explore a different model for developing and delivering extension. The private sector has partnered with the public sector to fund and conduct agricultural research, but partnering on extension delivery has occurred far less frequently. The fundamental academic strength and established Extension network of the public sector combined with the ability of the private sector to encourage and deliver practical, implementable solutions has the potential to provide measurable benefits to farmers. This paper describes the current Extension climate, presents data from a survey about Extension and industry relationships, presents case studies of successful public- and private-sector extension partnerships, and proposes a framework for evaluating the state of effective partnerships. Synergistic public-private extension efforts could ensure that farmers receive the most current and balanced information available to help with their management decisions.

A Proposal for Public and Private Partnership in Extension

PubMed Central

Krell, Rayda K.; Fisher, Marc L.; Steffey, Kevin L.

2016-01-01

Public funding for Extension in the United States has been decreasing for many years, but farmers’ need for robust information on which to make management decisions has not diminished. The current Extension funding challenges provide motivation to explore a different model for developing and delivering extension. The private sector has partnered with the public sector to fund and conduct agricultural research, but partnering on extension delivery has occurred far less frequently. The fundamental academic strength and established Extension network of the public sector combined with the ability of the private sector to encourage and deliver practical, implementable solutions has the potential to provide measurable benefits to farmers. This paper describes the current Extension climate, presents data from a survey about Extension and industry relationships, presents case studies of successful public- and private-sector extension partnerships, and proposes a framework for evaluating the state of effective partnerships. Synergistic public–private extension efforts could ensure that farmers receive the most current and balanced information available to help with their management decisions. PMID:26949567

e-Justice Implementation at a National Scale: The Ugandan Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitoogo, Fredrick Edward; Bitwayiki, Constantine

The use of information and communications technologies has been identified as one of the means suitable for supplementing the various reforms in convalescing the performance of the justice sector. The Government of Uganda has made strides in the implementation of e-Government to effectively utilize information and communications technologies in governance. The justice players are manifested in a justice, law and order sector which is based on the the Sector Wide Approach whose basic principle is that communication, cooperation and coordination between institutions can greatly add value to service delivery within a sector. Although a subset of e-Government, e-Justice aims at improving service delivery and collaboration between all justice players through the use of ICTs and needs to be spear-headed at a sector level. This work proposes ways of harnessing the existing opportunities and methods to implement e-Justice in Uganda that will culminate into a generic framework that can be applied in similar countries.

The DECIDE evidence to recommendation framework adapted to the public health field in Sweden.

PubMed

Guldbrandsson, Karin; Stenström, Nils; Winzer, Regina

2016-12-01

Organizations worldwide compile results from scientific studies, and grade the evidence of interventions, in order to assist policy makers. However, quality of evidence alone is seldom sufficient to make a recommendation. The Developing and Evaluating Communication Strategies to Support Informed Decisions and Practice Based on Evidence (DECIDE) framework aims to facilitate decision making and to improve dissemination and implementation of recommendations in the healthcare and public health sector. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the DECIDE framework is applicable in the public health field in Sweden. The DECIDE framework was presented and discussed in interviews with stakeholders and governmental organizations and tested in panels. Content analyses were performed. In general, the informants were positive to the DECIDE framework. However, two questions, the first regarding individual autonomy and the second regarding method sustainability, were by the stakeholders felt to be missing in the framework. The importance of the composition of the DECIDE stakeholder panel was lifted by the informants, as was the significant role of the chair. Further, the informants raised concerns about the general lack of research evidence based on RCT design regarding universal methods in the public health sector. Finally, the local, regional and national levels' responsibility for dissemination and implementation of recommendations were lifted by the informants. The DECIDE framework might be useful as a tool for dissemination and implementation of recommendations in the public health field in Sweden. Important questions for further research are whether these findings are suitable for other public health topics and in other public health settings. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Veronese geometry and the electroweak vacuum moduli space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yang-Hui; Jejjala, Vishnu; Matti, Cyril; Nelson, Brent D.

2014-09-01

We explain the origin of the Veronese surface in the vacuum moduli space geometry of the MSSM electroweak sector. While this result appeared many years ago using techniques of computational algebraic geometry, it has never been demonstrated analytically. Here, we present an analytical derivation of the vacuum geometry of the electroweak theory by understanding how the F- and D-term relations lead to the Veronese surface. We moreover give a detailed description of this geometry, realising an extra branch as a zero-dimensional point when quadratic Higgs lifting deformations are incorporated into the superpotential.

The Ins and Outs of USDA Nutrient Composition

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) is the major source of food composition data in the United States, providing the foundation for most food composition databases in the public and private sectors. Sources of data used in SR include analytical studies, food manufacturer...

Transforming the Enterprise of Acquiring Public Sector Complex Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-30

analytic equation that determines the value of a compound call option (see Geske , 1979; Cassimon et al., 2004). Another approach that is more...Park, MD: University of Maryland, Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise. Geske , R. (1979). The valuation of compound options. Journal of

Pilot testing of SHRP 2 reliability data and analytical products: Florida. [supporting datasets

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

SHRP 2 initiated the L38 project to pilot test products from five of the programs completed projects. The products support reliability estimation and use based on data analyses, analytical techniques, and decision-making framework. The L38 project...

Joseph v. Brady: Synthesis Reunites What Analysis Has Divided

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Travis

2012-01-01

Joseph V. Brady (1922-2011) created behavior-analytic neuroscience and the analytic framework for understanding how the external and internal neurobiological environments and mechanisms interact. Brady's approach offered synthesis as well as analysis. He embraced Findley's approach to constructing multioperant behavioral repertoires that found…

Energy from waste in Europe: an analysis and comparison of the EU 27.

PubMed

Sommer, Manuel; Ragossnig, Arne

2011-10-01

This article focuses on analysing the development of waste-generated energy in the countries of the European Union (EU 27). Besides elaborating the relevant legal and political framework in the waste and energy sector as well as climate protection, the results from correlation analyses based on the databases of the energy statistics from Eurostat are discussed. The share of energy from waste is correlated with macro-economic, waste- and energy-sector-related data, which have been defined as potentially relevant for energy recovery from waste in the countries of the European Union. The results show that a single factor influencing the extent of waste-generated energy could not be isolated as it is being influenced not only by the state of economic development and the state of development of waste management systems in the respective countries but also by energy-sector-related factors and the individual priority settings in those countries. Nevertheless the main driving force for an increase in the utilization of waste for energy generation can be seen in the legal and political framework of the European Union leading to the consequence that market conditions influence the realization of waste management infrastructure for waste-generated energy.

Marketing activity in the community pharmacy sector - A scoping review.

PubMed

Mirzaei, Ardalan; Carter, Stephen R; Schneider, Carl R

2018-02-01

Community pharmacy ownership requires engaging with marketing strategies to influence consumer behaviour. There is a plethora of information from trade journals, expert opinion, and published discussion surrounding this issue. Despite this, evidence relating to the efficacy of marketing activity within the pharmacy sector is scant. To review how marketing activity has been conceptualised in the community pharmacy sector and to determine the evidence for the effect of marketing activity. Seven databases were systematically searched using a scoping review framework with the reporting protocol of PRISMA-P. The search yielded 33 studies that were analysed for year of publication, journal, country of focus, and framework of marketing. The majority of marketing research papers focused on the United States and were published in healthcare journals. These were various marketing strategy elements, including; segmentation, targeting, differentiation, and positioning. Also evident was research regarding marketing mix, which predominately involved the "4Ps" model. Actual marketing activity comprised little of the research. Research into marketing activity in community pharmacy is limited, and little evidence is available to show the effects of such activities. Future research needs to demonstrate the causality for the effect of marketing activities on consumer behaviour and economic outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A multi-assets artificial stock market with zero-intelligence traders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponta, L.; Raberto, M.; Cincotti, S.

2011-01-01

In this paper, a multi-assets artificial financial market populated by zero-intelligence traders with finite financial resources is presented. The market is characterized by different types of stocks representing firms operating in different sectors of the economy. Zero-intelligence traders follow a random allocation strategy which is constrained by finite resources, past market volatility and allocation universe. Within this framework, stock price processes exhibit volatility clustering, fat-tailed distribution of returns and reversion to the mean. Moreover, the cross-correlations between returns of different stocks are studied using methods of random matrix theory. The probability distribution of eigenvalues of the cross-correlation matrix shows the presence of outliers, similar to those recently observed on real data for business sectors. It is worth noting that business sectors have been recovered in our framework without dividends as only consequence of random restrictions on the allocation universe of zero-intelligence traders. Furthermore, in the presence of dividend-paying stocks and in the case of cash inflow added to the market, the artificial stock market points out the same structural results obtained in the simulation without dividends. These results suggest a significative structural influence on statistical properties of multi-assets stock market.

Estimating the Economic Potential of Offshore Wind in the United States

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

Beiter, P.; Musial, W.; Smith, A.

The potential for cost reduction and market deployment for offshore wind varies considerably within the United States. This analysis estimates the future economic viability of offshore wind at more than 7,000 sites under a variety of electric sector and cost reduction scenarios. Identifying the economic potential of offshore wind at a high geospatial resolution can capture the significant variation in local offshore resource quality, costs, and revenue potential. In estimating economic potential, this article applies a method initially developed in Brown et al. (2015) to offshore wind and estimates the sensitivity of results under a variety of most likely electricmore » sector scenarios. For the purposes of this analysis, a theoretical framework is developed introducing a novel offshore resource classification system that is analogous to established resource classifications from the oil and gas sector. Analyzing economic potential within this framework can help establish a refined understanding across industries of the technology and site-specific risks and opportunities associated with future offshore wind development. The results of this analysis are intended to inform the development of the U.S. Department of Energy's offshore wind strategy.« less

Content analysis to locate assistive technology in Queensland's motor injury insurance rehabilitation legislation and guidelines.

PubMed

Steel, Emily J

2018-06-08

Reforms to Australia's disability and rehabilitation sectors have espoused the potential of assistive technology as an enabler. As new insurance systems are being developed it is timely to examine the structure of existing systems. This exploratory study examined the policies guiding assistive technology provision in the motor accident insurance sector of one Australian state. Policy documents were analyzed iteratively with set of qualitative questions to understand the intent and interpretation of policies guiding assistive technology provision. Content analysis identified relevant sections and meaningful terminology, and context analysis explored the dominant perspectives informing policy. The concepts and language of assistive technology are not part of the policy frameworks guiding rehabilitation practice in Queensland's motor accident insurance sector. The definition of rehabilitation in the legislation is consistent contemporary international interpretations that focus on optimizing functioning in interaction with the environment. However, the supporting documents are focused on recovery from injuries where decisions are guided by clinical need and affordability. The policies frame rehabilitation in a medical model that assistive technology provision from the rehabilitation plan. The legislative framework provides opportunities to develop and improve assistive technology provision as part of an integrated approach to rehabilitation.

A framework for performing workplace hazard and risk analysis: a participative ergonomics approach.

PubMed

Morag, Ido; Luria, Gil

2013-01-01

Despite the unanimity among researchers about the centrality of workplace analysis based on participatory ergonomics (PE) as a basis for preventive interventions, there is still little agreement about the necessary of a theoretical framework for providing practical guidance. In an effort to develop a conceptual PE framework, the authors, focusing on 20 studies, found five primary dimensions for characterising an analytical structure: (1) extent of workforce involvement; (2) analysis duration; (3) diversity of reporter role types; (4) scope of analysis and (5) supportive information system for analysis management. An ergonomics analysis carried out in a chemical manufacturing plant serves as a case study for evaluating the proposed framework. The study simultaneously demonstrates the five dimensions and evaluates their feasibility. The study showed that managerial leadership was fundamental to the successful implementation of the analysis; that all job holders should participate in analysing their own workplace and simplified reporting methods contributed to a desirable outcome. This paper seeks to clarify the scope of workplace ergonomics analysis by offering a theoretical and structured framework for providing practical advice and guidance. Essential to successfully implementing the analytical framework are managerial involvement, participation of all job holders and simplified reporting methods.

X-ray beam-shaping via deformable mirrors: surface profile and point spread function computation for Gaussian beams using physical optics.

PubMed

Spiga, D

2018-01-01

X-ray mirrors with high focusing performances are commonly used in different sectors of science, such as X-ray astronomy, medical imaging and synchrotron/free-electron laser beamlines. While deformations of the mirror profile may cause degradation of the focus sharpness, a deliberate deformation of the mirror can be made to endow the focus with a desired size and distribution, via piezo actuators. The resulting profile can be characterized with suitable metrology tools and correlated with the expected optical quality via a wavefront propagation code or, sometimes, predicted using geometric optics. In the latter case and for the special class of profile deformations with monotonically increasing derivative, i.e. concave upwards, the point spread function (PSF) can even be predicted analytically. Moreover, under these assumptions, the relation can also be reversed: from the desired PSF the required profile deformation can be computed analytically, avoiding the use of trial-and-error search codes. However, the computation has been so far limited to geometric optics, which entailed some limitations: for example, mirror diffraction effects and the size of the coherent X-ray source were not considered. In this paper, the beam-shaping formalism in the framework of physical optics is reviewed, in the limit of small light wavelengths and in the case of Gaussian intensity wavefronts. Some examples of shaped profiles are also shown, aiming at turning a Gaussian intensity distribution into a top-hat one, and checks of the shaping performances computing the at-wavelength PSF by means of the WISE code are made.

Medication information leaflets for patients: the further validation of an analytic linguistic framework.

PubMed

Clerehan, Rosemary; Hirsh, Di; Buchbinder, Rachelle

2009-01-01

While clinicians may routinely use patient information leaflets about drug therapy, a poorly conceived leaflet has the potential to do harm. We previously developed a novel approach to analysing leaflets about a rheumatoid arthritis drug, using an analytic approach based on systemic functional linguistics. The aim of the present study was to verify the validity of the linguistic framework by applying it to two further arthritis drug leaflets. The findings confirmed the applicability of the framework and were used to refine it. A new stage or 'move' in the genre was identified. While the function of many of the moves appeared to be 'to instruct' the patient, the instruction was often unclear. The role relationships expressed in the text were critical to the meaning. As with our previous study, judged on their lexical density, the leaflets resembled academic text. The framework can provide specific tools to assess and produce medication information leaflets to support readers in taking medication. Future work could utilize the framework to evaluate information on other treatments and procedures or on healthcare information more widely.

The Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD): Facilitating the use of epidemiological models for infectious disease surveillance

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

Margevicius, Kristen J.; Generous, Nicholas; Abeyta, Esteban

Epidemiological modeling for infectious disease is important for disease management and its routine implementation needs to be facilitated through better description of models in an operational context. A standardized model characterization process that allows selection or making manual comparisons of available models and their results is currently lacking. A key need is a universal framework to facilitate model description and understanding of its features. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has developed a comprehensive framework that can be used to characterize an infectious disease model in an operational context. The framework was developed through a consensus among a panel of subjectmore » matter experts. In this paper, we describe the framework, its application to model characterization, and the development of the Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD; http://brd.bsvgateway.org/brd/), to facilitate the rapid selection of operational models for specific infectious/communicable diseases. We offer this framework and associated database to stakeholders of the infectious disease modeling field as a tool for standardizing model description and facilitating the use of epidemiological models.« less

The Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD): Facilitating the Use of Epidemiological Models for Infectious Disease Surveillance

PubMed Central

Margevicius, Kristen J; Generous, Nicholas; Abeyta, Esteban; Althouse, Ben; Burkom, Howard; Castro, Lauren; Daughton, Ashlynn; Del Valle, Sara Y.; Fairchild, Geoffrey; Hyman, James M.; Kiang, Richard; Morse, Andrew P.; Pancerella, Carmen M.; Pullum, Laura; Ramanathan, Arvind; Schlegelmilch, Jeffrey; Scott, Aaron; Taylor-McCabe, Kirsten J; Vespignani, Alessandro; Deshpande, Alina

2016-01-01

Epidemiological modeling for infectious disease is important for disease management and its routine implementation needs to be facilitated through better description of models in an operational context. A standardized model characterization process that allows selection or making manual comparisons of available models and their results is currently lacking. A key need is a universal framework to facilitate model description and understanding of its features. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has developed a comprehensive framework that can be used to characterize an infectious disease model in an operational context. The framework was developed through a consensus among a panel of subject matter experts. In this paper, we describe the framework, its application to model characterization, and the development of the Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD; http://brd.bsvgateway.org/brd/), to facilitate the rapid selection of operational models for specific infectious/communicable diseases. We offer this framework and associated database to stakeholders of the infectious disease modeling field as a tool for standardizing model description and facilitating the use of epidemiological models. PMID:26820405

The Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD): Facilitating the Use of Epidemiological Models for Infectious Disease Surveillance.

PubMed

Margevicius, Kristen J; Generous, Nicholas; Abeyta, Esteban; Althouse, Ben; Burkom, Howard; Castro, Lauren; Daughton, Ashlynn; Del Valle, Sara Y; Fairchild, Geoffrey; Hyman, James M; Kiang, Richard; Morse, Andrew P; Pancerella, Carmen M; Pullum, Laura; Ramanathan, Arvind; Schlegelmilch, Jeffrey; Scott, Aaron; Taylor-McCabe, Kirsten J; Vespignani, Alessandro; Deshpande, Alina

2016-01-01

Epidemiological modeling for infectious disease is important for disease management and its routine implementation needs to be facilitated through better description of models in an operational context. A standardized model characterization process that allows selection or making manual comparisons of available models and their results is currently lacking. A key need is a universal framework to facilitate model description and understanding of its features. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has developed a comprehensive framework that can be used to characterize an infectious disease model in an operational context. The framework was developed through a consensus among a panel of subject matter experts. In this paper, we describe the framework, its application to model characterization, and the development of the Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD; http://brd.bsvgateway.org/brd/), to facilitate the rapid selection of operational models for specific infectious/communicable diseases. We offer this framework and associated database to stakeholders of the infectious disease modeling field as a tool for standardizing model description and facilitating the use of epidemiological models.

The Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD): Facilitating the use of epidemiological models for infectious disease surveillance

DOE PAGES

Margevicius, Kristen J.; Generous, Nicholas; Abeyta, Esteban; ...

2016-01-28

Epidemiological modeling for infectious disease is important for disease management and its routine implementation needs to be facilitated through better description of models in an operational context. A standardized model characterization process that allows selection or making manual comparisons of available models and their results is currently lacking. A key need is a universal framework to facilitate model description and understanding of its features. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has developed a comprehensive framework that can be used to characterize an infectious disease model in an operational context. The framework was developed through a consensus among a panel of subjectmore » matter experts. In this paper, we describe the framework, its application to model characterization, and the development of the Biosurveillance Analytics Resource Directory (BARD; http://brd.bsvgateway.org/brd/), to facilitate the rapid selection of operational models for specific infectious/communicable diseases. We offer this framework and associated database to stakeholders of the infectious disease modeling field as a tool for standardizing model description and facilitating the use of epidemiological models.« less

Big data analytics in healthcare: promise and potential.

PubMed

Raghupathi, Wullianallur; Raghupathi, Viju

2014-01-01

To describe the promise and potential of big data analytics in healthcare. The paper describes the nascent field of big data analytics in healthcare, discusses the benefits, outlines an architectural framework and methodology, describes examples reported in the literature, briefly discusses the challenges, and offers conclusions. The paper provides a broad overview of big data analytics for healthcare researchers and practitioners. Big data analytics in healthcare is evolving into a promising field for providing insight from very large data sets and improving outcomes while reducing costs. Its potential is great; however there remain challenges to overcome.

The Ophidia framework: toward cloud-based data analytics for climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiore, Sandro; D'Anca, Alessandro; Elia, Donatello; Mancini, Marco; Mariello, Andrea; Mirto, Maria; Palazzo, Cosimo; Aloisio, Giovanni

2015-04-01

The Ophidia project is a research effort on big data analytics facing scientific data analysis challenges in the climate change domain. It provides parallel (server-side) data analysis, an internal storage model and a hierarchical data organization to manage large amount of multidimensional scientific data. The Ophidia analytics platform provides several MPI-based parallel operators to manipulate large datasets (data cubes) and array-based primitives to perform data analysis on large arrays of scientific data. The most relevant data analytics use cases implemented in national and international projects target fire danger prevention (OFIDIA), interactions between climate change and biodiversity (EUBrazilCC), climate indicators and remote data analysis (CLIP-C), sea situational awareness (TESSA), large scale data analytics on CMIP5 data in NetCDF format, Climate and Forecast (CF) convention compliant (ExArch). Two use cases regarding the EU FP7 EUBrazil Cloud Connect and the INTERREG OFIDIA projects will be presented during the talk. In the former case (EUBrazilCC) the Ophidia framework is being extended to integrate scalable VM-based solutions for the management of large volumes of scientific data (both climate and satellite data) in a cloud-based environment to study how climate change affects biodiversity. In the latter one (OFIDIA) the data analytics framework is being exploited to provide operational support regarding processing chains devoted to fire danger prevention. To tackle the project challenges, data analytics workflows consisting of about 130 operators perform, among the others, parallel data analysis, metadata management, virtual file system tasks, maps generation, rolling of datasets, import/export of datasets in NetCDF format. Finally, the entire Ophidia software stack has been deployed at CMCC on 24-nodes (16-cores/node) of the Athena HPC cluster. Moreover, a cloud-based release tested with OpenNebula is also available and running in the private cloud infrastructure of the CMCC Supercomputing Centre.

The Matsu Wheel: A Cloud-Based Framework for Efficient Analysis and Reanalysis of Earth Satellite Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Maria T.; Anderson, Nicholas; Bennett, Collin; Bruggemann, Jacob; Grossman, Robert L.; Handy, Matthew; Ly, Vuong; Mandl, Daniel J.; Pederson, Shane; Pivarski, James;

X-framework: Space system failure analysis framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, John Steven

Space program and space systems failures result in financial losses in the multi-hundred million dollar range every year. In addition to financial loss, space system failures may also represent the loss of opportunity, loss of critical scientific, commercial and/or national defense capabilities, as well as loss of public confidence. The need exists to improve learning and expand the scope of lessons documented and offered to the space industry project team. One of the barriers to incorporating lessons learned include the way in which space system failures are documented. Multiple classes of space system failure information are identified, ranging from "sound bite" summaries in space insurance compendia, to articles in journals, lengthy data-oriented (what happened) reports, and in some rare cases, reports that treat not only the what, but also the why. In addition there are periodically published "corporate crisis" reports, typically issued after multiple or highly visible failures that explore management roles in the failure, often within a politically oriented context. Given the general lack of consistency, it is clear that a good multi-level space system/program failure framework with analytical and predictive capability is needed. This research effort set out to develop such a model. The X-Framework (x-fw) is proposed as an innovative forensic failure analysis approach, providing a multi-level understanding of the space system failure event beginning with the proximate cause, extending to the directly related work or operational processes and upward through successive management layers. The x-fw focus is on capability and control at the process level and examines: (1) management accountability and control, (2) resource and requirement allocation, and (3) planning, analysis, and risk management at each level of management. The x-fw model provides an innovative failure analysis approach for acquiring a multi-level perspective, direct and indirect causation of failures, and generating better and more consistent reports. Through this approach failures can be more fully understood, existing programs can be evaluated and future failures avoided. The x-fw development involved a review of the historical failure analysis and prevention literature, coupled with examination of numerous failure case studies. Analytical approaches included use of a relational failure "knowledge base" for classification and sorting of x-fw elements and attributes for each case. In addition a novel "management mapping" technique was developed as a means of displaying an integrated snapshot of indirect causes within the management chain. Further research opportunities will extend the depth of knowledge available for many of the component level cases. In addition, the x-fw has the potential to expand the scope of space sector lessons learned, and contribute to knowledge management and organizational learning.

Investment incentives and the implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: evidence from Zambia.

PubMed

Lencucha, Raphael; Drope, Jeffrey; Labonte, Ronald; Zulu, Richard; Goma, Fastone

2016-07-01

Policy misalignment across different sectors of government serves as one of the pivotal barriers to WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) implementation. This paper examines the logic used by government officials to justify investment incentives to increase tobacco processing and manufacturing in the context of FCTC implementation in Zambia. We conducted qualitative semistructured interviews with key informants from government, civil society and intergovernmental economic organisations (n=23). We supplemented the interview data with an analysis of public documents pertaining to the policy of economic development in Zambia. We found gross misalignments between the policies of the economic sector and efforts to implement the provisions of the FCTC. Our interviews uncovered the rationale used by officials in the economic sector to justify providing economic incentives to bolster tobacco processing and manufacturing in Zambia: (1) tobacco is not consumed by Zambians/tobacco is an export commodity, (2) economic benefits outweigh health costs and (3) tobacco consumption is a personal choice. Much of the struggle Zambia has experienced in implementing the FCTC can be attributed to misalignments between the economic and health sectors. Zambia's development agenda seeks to bolster agricultural processing and manufacturing. Tobacco control proponents must recognise and work within this context in order to foster productive strategies with those working on tobacco supply issues. These findings are broadly applicable to the global context. It is important that the Ministry of Health monitors the tobacco policy of and engages with these sectors to find ways of harmonising FCTC implementation. 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/

Government stewardship of the for-profit private health sector in Afghanistan

PubMed Central

Sayedi, Omarzaman; Irani, Laili; Archer, Lauren C.; Sears, Kathleen; Sharma, Suneeta

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Since 2003, Afghanistan's largely unregulated for-profit private health sector has grown at a rapid pace. In 2008, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) launched a long-term stewardship initiative to oversee and regulate private providers and align the sector with national health goals. Aim: We examine the progress the MoPH has made towards more effective stewardship, consider the challenges and assess the early impacts on for-profit performance. Methods: We reviewed publicly available documents, publications and the grey literature to analyse the development, adoption and implementation of strategies, policies and regulations. We carried out a series of key informant/participant interviews, organizational capacity assessments and analyses of hospital standards checklists. Using a literature review of health systems strengthening, we proposed an Afghan-specific definition of six key stewardship functions to assess progress towards MoPH stewardship objectives. Results: The MoPH and its partners have achieved positive results in strengthening its private sector stewardship functions especially in generating actionable intelligence and establishing strategic policy directions, administrative structures and a legal and regulatory framework. Progress has also been made on improving accountability and transparency, building partnerships and applying minimum required standards to private hospitals. Procedural and operational issues still need resolution and the MoPH is establishing mechanisms for resolving them. Conclusions: The MoPH stewardship initiative is notable for its achievements to date under challenging circumstances. Its success is due to the focus on developing a solid policy framework and building institutions and systems aimed at ensuring higher quality private services, and a rational long-term and sustainable role for the private sector. Although the MoPH stewardship initiative is still at an early stage, the evidence suggests that enhanced stewardship functions in the MoPH are leading to a more efficient and effective for-profit private sector. These successful early efforts offer high-leverage potential to rapidly scale up going forward. PMID:27683341

Government stewardship of the for-profit private health sector in Afghanistan.

PubMed

Cross, Harry E; Sayedi, Omarzaman; Irani, Laili; Archer, Lauren C; Sears, Kathleen; Sharma, Suneeta

2017-04-01

Since 2003, Afghanistan's largely unregulated for-profit private health sector has grown at a rapid pace. In 2008, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) launched a long-term stewardship initiative to oversee and regulate private providers and align the sector with national health goals. We examine the progress the MoPH has made towards more effective stewardship, consider the challenges and assess the early impacts on for-profit performance. We reviewed publicly available documents, publications and the grey literature to analyse the development, adoption and implementation of strategies, policies and regulations. We carried out a series of key informant/participant interviews, organizational capacity assessments and analyses of hospital standards checklists. Using a literature review of health systems strengthening, we proposed an Afghan-specific definition of six key stewardship functions to assess progress towards MoPH stewardship objectives. The MoPH and its partners have achieved positive results in strengthening its private sector stewardship functions especially in generating actionable intelligence and establishing strategic policy directions, administrative structures and a legal and regulatory framework. Progress has also been made on improving accountability and transparency, building partnerships and applying minimum required standards to private hospitals. Procedural and operational issues still need resolution and the MoPH is establishing mechanisms for resolving them. The MoPH stewardship initiative is notable for its achievements to date under challenging circumstances. Its success is due to the focus on developing a solid policy framework and building institutions and systems aimed at ensuring higher quality private services, and a rational long-term and sustainable role for the private sector. Although the MoPH stewardship initiative is still at an early stage, the evidence suggests that enhanced stewardship functions in the MoPH are leading to a more efficient and effective for-profit private sector. These successful early efforts offer high-leverage potential to rapidly scale up going forward. © VC The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

IMPACT2C: Quantifying projected impacts under 2°C warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob, D.; Kotova, L.; Impact2C Team

2012-04-01

Political discussions on the European goal to limit global warming to 2°C demand, that information is provided to society by the best available science on projected impacts and possible benefits. The new project IMPACT2C is supported by the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme as a 4 year large-scale integrating project. IMPACT2C is coordinated by the Climate Service Center, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. IMPACT2C enhances knowledge, quantifies climate change impacts, and adopts a clear and logical structure, with climate and impacts modelling, vulnerabilities, risks and economic costs, as well as potential responses, within a pan-European sector based analysis. The project utilises a range of models within a multi-disciplinary international expert team and assesses effects on water, energy, infrastructure, coasts, tourism, forestry, agriculture, ecosystems services, and health and air quality-climate interactions. IMPACT2C introduces key innovations. First, harmonised socio-economic assumptions/scenarios will be used, to ensure that both individual and cross-sector assessments are aligned to the 2°C (1.5°C) scenario for both impacts and adaptation, e.g. in relation to land-use pressures between agriculture and forestry. Second, it has a core theme of uncertainty, and will develop a methodological framework integrating the uncertainties within and across the different sectors, in a consistent way. In so doing, analysis of adaptation responses under uncertainty will be enhanced. Finally, a cross-sectoral perspective is adopted to complement the sector analysis. A number of case studies will be developed for particularly vulnerable areas, subject to multiple impacts (e.g. the Mediterranean), with the focus being on cross-sectoral interactions (e.g. land use competition) and cross-cutting themes (e.g. cities). The project also assesses climate change impacts in some of the world's most vulnerable regions: Bangladesh, Africa (Nile and Niger basins), and the Maldives. An overview about the scientific goals and the structure of IMPACT2C will be presented.

A Marginal Cost Based "Social Cost of Carbon" Provides Inappropriate Guidance in a World That Needs Rapid and Deep Decarbonization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, M. G.; Vaishnav, P.; Azevedo, I. L.; Dowlatabadi, H.

2016-12-01

Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns due to climate change are projected to alter many sectors of the US economy. A growing body of research has examined these effects in the energy, water, and agricultural sectors. Rising summer temperatures increase the demand for electricity. Changing precipitation patterns effect the availability of water for hydropower generation, thermo-electric cooling, irrigation, and municipal and industrial consumption. A combination of changes to temperature and precipitation alter crop yields and cost-effective farming practices. Although a significant body of research exists on analyzing impacts to individual sectors, fewer studies examine the effects using a common set of assumptions (e.g., climatic and socio-economic) within a coupled modeling framework. The present analysis uses a multi-sector, multi-model framework with common input assumptions to assess the projected effects of climate change on energy, water, and land-use in the United States. The analysis assesses the climate impacts for across 5 global circulation models for representative concentration pathways (RCP) of 8.5 and 4.5 W/m2. The energy sector models - Pacific Northwest National Lab's Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) - show the effects of rising temperature on energy and electricity demand. Electricity supply in ReEDS is also affected by the availability of water for hydropower and thermo-electric cooling. Water availability is calculated from the GCM's precipitation using the US Basins model. The effects on agriculture are estimated using both a process-based crop model (EPIC) and an agricultural economic model (FASOM-GHG), which adjusts water supply curves based on information from US Basins. The sectoral models show higher economic costs of climate change under RCP 8.5 than RCP 4.5 averaged across the country and across GCM's.

Facilitating Multiple Intelligences through Multimodal Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perveen, Ayesha

2018-01-01

This paper develops a theoretical framework for employing learning analytics in online education to trace multiple learning variations of online students by considering their potential of being multiple intelligences based on Howard Gardner's 1983 theory of multiple intelligences. The study first emphasizes the need to facilitate students as…

High Pressure Low NOx Emissions Research: Recent Progress at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chi-Ming, Lee; Tacina, Kathleen M.; Wey, Changlie

2007-01-01

In collaboration with U.S. aircraft engine companies, NASA Glenn Research Center has contributed to the advancement of low emissions combustion systems. For the High Speed Research Program (HSR), a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions (relative to the then-current state of the art) has been demonstrated in sector rig testing at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE). For the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST), a 50% reduction in NOx emissions relative to the 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards has been at demonstrated in sector rigs at both GEAE and Pratt & Whitney (P&W). During the Ultra Efficient Engine Technology Program (UEET), a 70% reduction in NOx emissions, relative to the 1996 ICAO standards, was achieved in sector rig testing at Glenn in the world class Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR) and at contractor facilities. Low NOx combustor development continues under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. To achieve these reductions, experimental and analytical research has been conducted to advance the understanding of emissions formation in combustion processes. Lean direct injection (LDI) concept development uses advanced laser-based non-intrusive diagnostics and analytical work to complement the emissions measurements and to provide guidance for concept improvement. This paper describes emissions results from flametube tests of a 9- injection-point LDI fuel/air mixer tested at inlet pressures up to 5500 kPa. Sample results from CFD and laser diagnostics are also discussed.

NASA Glenn High Pressure Low NOx Emissions Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tacina, Kathleen M.; Wey, Changlie

2008-01-01

In collaboration with U.S. aircraft engine companies, NASA Glenn Research Center has contributed to the advancement of low emissions combustion systems. For the High Speed Research Program (HSR), a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions (relative to the then-current state of the art) has been demonstrated in sector rig testing at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE). For the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST), a 50% reduction in NOx emissions relative to the 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards has been demonstrated in sector rigs at both GEAE and Pratt & Whitney (P&W). During the Ultra Efficient Engine Technology Program (UEET), a 70% reduction in NOx emissions, relative to the 1996 ICAO standards, was achieved in sector rig testing at Glenn in the world class Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR) and at contractor facilities. Low NOx combustor development continues under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. To achieve these reductions, experimental and analytical research has been conducted to advance the understanding of emissions formation in combustion processes. Lean direct injection (LDI) concept development uses advanced laser-based non-intrusive diagnostics and analytical work to complement the emissions measurements and to provide guidance for concept improvement. This paper describes emissions results from flametube tests of a 9-injection-point LDI fuel/air mixer tested at inlet pressures up to 5500 kPa. Sample results from CFD and laser diagnostics are also discussed.

A public health framework to translate risk factors related to political violence and war into multi-level preventive interventions.

PubMed

De Jong, Joop T V M

2010-01-01

Political violence, armed conflicts and human rights violations are produced by a variety of political, economic and socio-cultural factors. Conflicts can be analyzed with an interdisciplinary approach to obtain a global understanding of the relative contribution of risk and protective factors. A public health framework was designed to address these risk factors and protective factors. The framework resulted in a matrix that combined primary, secondary and tertiary interventions with their implementation on the levels of the society-at-large, the community, and the family and individual. Subsequently, the risk and protective factors were translated into multi-sectoral, multi-modal and multi-level preventive interventions involving the economy, governance, diplomacy, the military, human rights, agriculture, health, and education. Then the interventions were slotted in their appropriate place in the matrix. The interventions can be applied in an integrative form by international agencies, governments and non-governmental organizations, and molded to meet the requirements of the historic, political-economic and socio-cultural context. The framework maps the complementary fit among the different actors while engaging themselves in preventive, rehabilitative and reconstructive interventions. The framework shows how the economic, diplomatic, political, criminal justice, human rights, military, health and rural development sectors can collaborate to promote peace or prevent the aggravation or continuation of violence. A deeper understanding of the association between risk and protective factors and the developmental pathways of generic, country-specific and culture-specific factors leading to political violence is needed.

"Hottest Brand, Coolest Pedagogy": Approaches to Corporate Branding in Singapore's Higher Education Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Carl Jon Way

2016-01-01

This article examines the corporate branding efforts of Singapore's publicly funded higher education institutions within a context of neoliberal marketization. Adopting a discourse-analytic perspective, it examines the kind of branding approaches employed by Singapore's universities and polytechnics, and how these approaches are realized…

Applications of the MapReduce programming framework to clinical big data analysis: current landscape and future trends

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The emergence of massive datasets in a clinical setting presents both challenges and opportunities in data storage and analysis. This so called “big data” challenges traditional analytic tools and will increasingly require novel solutions adapted from other fields. Advances in information and communication technology present the most viable solutions to big data analysis in terms of efficiency and scalability. It is vital those big data solutions are multithreaded and that data access approaches be precisely tailored to large volumes of semi-structured/unstructured data. The MapReduce programming framework uses two tasks common in functional programming: Map and Reduce. MapReduce is a new parallel processing framework and Hadoop is its open-source implementation on a single computing node or on clusters. Compared with existing parallel processing paradigms (e.g. grid computing and graphical processing unit (GPU)), MapReduce and Hadoop have two advantages: 1) fault-tolerant storage resulting in reliable data processing by replicating the computing tasks, and cloning the data chunks on different computing nodes across the computing cluster; 2) high-throughput data processing via a batch processing framework and the Hadoop distributed file system (HDFS). Data are stored in the HDFS and made available to the slave nodes for computation. In this paper, we review the existing applications of the MapReduce programming framework and its implementation platform Hadoop in clinical big data and related medical health informatics fields. The usage of MapReduce and Hadoop on a distributed system represents a significant advance in clinical big data processing and utilization, and opens up new opportunities in the emerging era of big data analytics. The objective of this paper is to summarize the state-of-the-art efforts in clinical big data analytics and highlight what might be needed to enhance the outcomes of clinical big data analytics tools. This paper is concluded by summarizing the potential usage of the MapReduce programming framework and Hadoop platform to process huge volumes of clinical data in medical health informatics related fields. PMID:25383096

Applications of the MapReduce programming framework to clinical big data analysis: current landscape and future trends.

PubMed

Mohammed, Emad A; Far, Behrouz H; Naugler, Christopher

2014-01-01

The emergence of massive datasets in a clinical setting presents both challenges and opportunities in data storage and analysis. This so called "big data" challenges traditional analytic tools and will increasingly require novel solutions adapted from other fields. Advances in information and communication technology present the most viable solutions to big data analysis in terms of efficiency and scalability. It is vital those big data solutions are multithreaded and that data access approaches be precisely tailored to large volumes of semi-structured/unstructured data. THE MAPREDUCE PROGRAMMING FRAMEWORK USES TWO TASKS COMMON IN FUNCTIONAL PROGRAMMING: Map and Reduce. MapReduce is a new parallel processing framework and Hadoop is its open-source implementation on a single computing node or on clusters. Compared with existing parallel processing paradigms (e.g. grid computing and graphical processing unit (GPU)), MapReduce and Hadoop have two advantages: 1) fault-tolerant storage resulting in reliable data processing by replicating the computing tasks, and cloning the data chunks on different computing nodes across the computing cluster; 2) high-throughput data processing via a batch processing framework and the Hadoop distributed file system (HDFS). Data are stored in the HDFS and made available to the slave nodes for computation. In this paper, we review the existing applications of the MapReduce programming framework and its implementation platform Hadoop in clinical big data and related medical health informatics fields. The usage of MapReduce and Hadoop on a distributed system represents a significant advance in clinical big data processing and utilization, and opens up new opportunities in the emerging era of big data analytics. The objective of this paper is to summarize the state-of-the-art efforts in clinical big data analytics and highlight what might be needed to enhance the outcomes of clinical big data analytics tools. This paper is concluded by summarizing the potential usage of the MapReduce programming framework and Hadoop platform to process huge volumes of clinical data in medical health informatics related fields.

India Commercial Buildings Data Framework: A Summary of Potential Use Cases

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

Mathew, Paul; Mathew, Sangeeta; Kumar, Satish

This report details a potential set of use cases for India’s Commercial Buildings Data Framework. The use cases are aimed at enabling data-driven, evidence-based policy making and at transforming the market for energy efficiency in the building sector by facilitating the adoption of (1) superior energy-efficient building design and operation and maintenance practices, and (2) better specification and procurement of end-use equipment and systems.

Measurement in Service Businesses: Challenges and Future Directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyagi, Rajesh Kumar

This chapter presents challenges faced by service businesses while implementing a measurement system. A review of existing frameworks is presented and a new framework, the Service Scorecard, is introduced. The Service Scorecard is an adaptation of the Six Sigma Business Scorecard for the service sector. The framework has also been influenced by existing frameworks such as the Malcom Baldrige award criteria, the Balanced Scorecard, the European Quality award and the Service Profit Chain model. The seven elements of the Service Scorecard are Growth, Leadership, Acceleration, Collaboration, Innovation, Execution, and Retention. The examples of measurement systems are presented with concrete real-world case examples. Final thoughts and the challenges faced are also presented.

Can Population Levels of Physical Activity be Increased? Global Evidence and Experience

PubMed Central

Pratt, Michael; Perez, Lilian G.; Goenka, Shifalika; Brownson, Ross C.; Bauman, Adrian; Sarmiento, Olga Lucia; Hallal, Pedro C.

2016-01-01

Physical inactivity is one of the most important contributors to the global burden of disease and has become a global public health priority. We review the evidence on physical activity (PA) interventions, actions, and strategies that have the greatest potential to increase PA at the population level. Using the socio-ecological framework to conceptualize PA interventions, we show that PA can be targeted at multiple levels of influence and by multiple sectors outside the health system. Examples of promoting PA on a national scale are presented from Finland, Canada, Brazil, and Colombia. A strong policy framework, consistent investment in public health programs, multi-sectoral support and actions, and good surveillance characterize each of these success stories. Increasing PA globally will depend on successfully applying and adapting these lessons around the world taking into account country, culture, and context. PMID:25304047

Cooperation, integration, and long-term commitment: what Solomon Islanders and development workers say about health sector aid.

PubMed

Martiniuk, Alexandra L C; Millar, Heather C; Malefoasi, George; Vergeer, Petra; Garland, Trevor; Knight, Simon

2008-01-01

The Solomon Islands is experiencing instability and insecurity and also a concomitant increase in aid. This article aims to address the need for theoretical coordination frameworks to be further informed by the actual experiences, requirements, and views of the recipients of aid. Qualitative research techniques were used to better understand governmental and nongovernmental leaders' views of health sector aid in the Solomon Islands. Data were collected using previously published literature, government and nongovernmental documents, and in-person interviews. Two key themes emerged from the interviews: the need for coordination and integration of aid and the need for this integration to occur over the long-term. These themes are presented using quotations from key informants. Themes and quotations arising from the analyses may assist in understanding theoretical frameworks for coordination, particularly in postconflict states. Future needs regarding mechanisms of collaboration in the Solomons are also discussed.

A climate stress-test of the financial system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battiston, Stefano; Mandel, Antoine; Monasterolo, Irene; Schütze, Franziska; Visentin, Gabriele

2017-03-01

The urgency of estimating the impact of climate risks on the financial system is increasingly recognized among scholars and practitioners. By adopting a network approach to financial dependencies, we look at how climate policy risk might propagate through the financial system. We develop a network-based climate stress-test methodology and apply it to large Euro Area banks in a `green' and a `brown' scenario. We find that direct and indirect exposures to climate-policy-relevant sectors represent a large portion of investors' equity portfolios, especially for investment and pension funds. Additionally, the portion of banks' loan portfolios exposed to these sectors is comparable to banks' capital. Our results suggest that climate policy timing matters. An early and stable policy framework would allow for smooth asset value adjustments and lead to potential net winners and losers. In contrast, a late and abrupt policy framework could have adverse systemic consequences.

The Flexible Care Service: a third-sector service for older people with mental health needs.

PubMed

Ryder, Elaine

2015-01-01

Demographic patterns indicate that by 2030, one in five people in England will be over 65. Together with the fact that as people age they are more likely to suffer from comorbidities, it is of paramount importance that local services are designed to meet the needs of individual older people. The Flexible Care Service is a resource for older people with mental health problems. Through the use of client case studies, the Department of Health's 'six Cs' (care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment) are used as a framework to demonstrate how a third-sector service such as Flexible Care can offer a person-centred approach in order to meet the diverse needs of individual clients. The framework is also used to demonstrate the high level of skills needed by flexible carers in order to provide this support.

Can population levels of physical activity be increased? Global evidence and experience.

PubMed

Pratt, Michael; Perez, Lilian G; Goenka, Shifalika; Brownson, Ross C; Bauman, Adrian; Sarmiento, Olga Lucia; Hallal, Pedro C

2015-01-01

Physical inactivity is one of the most important contributors to the global burden of disease and has become a global public health priority. We review the evidence on physical activity (PA) interventions, actions, and strategies that have the greatest potential to increase PA at the population level. Using the socio-ecological framework to conceptualize PA interventions, we show that PA can be targeted at multiple levels of influence and by multiple sectors outside the health system. Examples of promoting PA on a national scale are presented from Finland, Canada, Brazil, and Colombia. A strong policy framework, consistent investment in public health programs, multi-sectoral support and actions, and good surveillance characterize each of these success stories. Increasing PA globally will depend on successfully applying and adapting these lessons around the world taking into account country, culture, and context. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Metal-Organic Framework Modified Glass Substrate for Analysis of Highly Volatile Chemical Warfare Agents by Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Dhummakupt, Elizabeth S; Carmany, Daniel O; Mach, Phillip M; Tovar, Trenton M; Ploskonka, Ann M; Demond, Paul S; DeCoste, Jared B; Glaros, Trevor

2018-03-07

Paper spray mass spectrometry has been shown to successfully analyze chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants. However, due to the volatility differences between the simulants and real G-series (i.e., sarin, soman) CWAs, analysis from an untreated paper substrate proved difficult. To extend the analytical lifetime of these G-agents, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were successfully integrated onto the paper spray substrates to increase adsorption and desorption. In this study, several MOFs and nanoparticles were tested to extend the analytical lifetimes of sarin, soman, and cyclosarin on paper spray substrates. It was found that the addition of either UiO-66 or HKUST-1 to the paper substrate increased the analytical lifetime of the G-agents from less than 5 min detectability to at least 50 min.

Model-independent indirect detection constraints on hidden sector dark matter

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

Elor, Gilly; Rodd, Nicholas L.; Slatyer, Tracy R.

2016-06-10

If dark matter inhabits an expanded “hidden sector”, annihilations may proceed through sequential decays or multi-body final states. We map out the potential signals and current constraints on such a framework in indirect searches, using a model-independent setup based on multi-step hierarchical cascade decays. While remaining agnostic to the details of the hidden sector model, our framework captures the generic broadening of the spectrum of secondary particles (photons, neutrinos, e{sup +}e{sup −} and p-barp) relative to the case of direct annihilation to Standard Model particles. We explore how indirect constraints on dark matter annihilation limit the parameter space for suchmore » cascade/multi-particle decays. We investigate limits from the cosmic microwave background by Planck, the Fermi measurement of photons from the dwarf galaxies, and positron data from AMS-02. The presence of a hidden sector can change the constraints on the dark matter by up to an order of magnitude in either direction (although the effect can be much smaller). We find that generally the bound from the Fermi dwarfs is most constraining for annihilations to photon-rich final states, while AMS-02 is most constraining for electron and muon final states; however in certain instances the CMB bounds overtake both, due to their approximate independence on the details of the hidden sector cascade. We provide the full set of cascade spectra considered here as publicly available code with examples at http://web.mit.edu/lns/research/CascadeSpectra.html.« less

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

NONE

This paper responds to the Development Committee Communique of April 2006 requesting the World Bank to review existing financial instruments and explore the potential value of new financial instruments to accelerate investment in clean energy. It builds on the report 'Clean Energy and Development: Towards an Investment Framework' that was presented to the Development Committee at the April 2006 Spring Meeting and concludes: The major financing gap for the energy for development and energy access agendas can be met by deepening and broadening energy sector policy reform to attract private sector investments and additional public sector financing. A long-term stablemore » global regulatory framework, with differentiated responsibilities, is needed to stimulate private investments and provide predictability. The Bank proposes the development of a number of options to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy. Risks of weather-related disasters need to be integrated into poverty and sustainable development strategies with a combination of public and private sector resources. Clean energy will address the following issues that affect poor people and undermine progress on many of the Millennium Development Goals: Pollution at the household level, especially indoor air pollution, which adversely affects human health; Environmental impacts at the local, national and regional level, including urban air pollution and acid deposition, which affects human health and ecological systems; and The adverse impacts of greenhouse gas emissions from the production of energy on agricultural productivity, water resources, human health, human settlements and ecological systems. 11 figs., 2 tabs., 2 annexes.« less

Development of an analytical model for estimating global terrestrial carbon assimilation using a rate-limitation framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donohue, Randall; Yang, Yuting; McVicar, Tim; Roderick, Michael

2016-04-01

A fundamental question in climate and ecosystem science is "how does climate regulate the land surface carbon budget?" To better answer that question, here we develop an analytical model for estimating mean annual terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP), which is the largest carbon flux over land, based on a rate-limitation framework. Actual GPP (climatological mean from 1982 to 2010) is calculated as a function of the balance between two GPP potentials defined by the climate (i.e., precipitation and solar radiation) and a third parameter that encodes other environmental variables and modifies the GPP-climate relationship. The developed model was tested at three spatial scales using different GPP sources, i.e., (1) observed GPP from 94 flux-sites, (2) modelled GPP (using the model-tree-ensemble approach) at 48654 (0.5 degree) grid-cells and (3) at 32 large catchments across the globe. Results show that the proposed model could account for the spatial GPP patterns, with a root-mean-square error of 0.70, 0.65 and 0.3 g C m-2 d-1 and R2 of 0.79, 0.92 and 0.97 for the flux-site, grid-cell and catchment scales, respectively. This analytical GPP model shares a similar form with the Budyko hydroclimatological model, which opens the possibility of a general analytical framework to analyze the linked carbon-water-energy cycles.

Cultural Cleavage and Criminal Justice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheingold, Stuart A.

1978-01-01

Reviews major theories of criminal justice, proposes an alternative analytic framework which focuses on cultural factors, applies this framework to several cases, and discusses implications of a cultural perspective for rule of law values. Journal available from Office of Publication, Department of Political Science, University of Florida,…

Institutional Racist Melancholia: A Structural Understanding of Grief and Power in Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaught, Sabina E.

2012-01-01

In this article, Sabina Vaught undertakes the theoretical and analytical project of conceptually integrating "Whiteness as property", a key structural framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT), and "melancholia", a framework originally emerging from psychoanalysis. Specifically, Vaught engages "Whiteness as property" as…

Video-Based Analyses of Motivation and Interaction in Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moeller Andersen, Hanne; Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

2013-04-01

An analytical framework for examining students' motivation was developed and used for analyses of video excerpts from science classrooms. The framework was developed in an iterative process involving theories on motivation and video excerpts from a 'motivational event' where students worked in groups. Subsequently, the framework was used for an analysis of students' motivation in the whole class situation. A cross-case analysis was carried out illustrating characteristics of students' motivation dependent on the context. This research showed that students' motivation to learn science is stimulated by a range of different factors, with autonomy, relatedness and belonging apparently being the main sources of motivation. The teacher's combined use of questions, uptake and high level evaluation was very important for students' learning processes and motivation, especially students' self-efficacy. By coding and analysing video excerpts from science classrooms, we were able to demonstrate that the analytical framework helped us gain new insights into the effect of teachers' communication and other elements on students' motivation.

The Air Transportation Policy of Small States: Meeting the Challenges of Globalization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antoniou, Andreas

2001-01-01

The air transport policies of small states are currently at a crossroad. Policy makers in these countries are facing a difficult dilemma: either follow the general trend of liberalization and pay the high cost of the resulting restructuring or maintain the existing regulatory and ownership structures at the risk of isolation thus undermining the viability and sustainability of their air transport sector and their economies in general. This paper proposes to explore the broad issues raised by this difficult dilemma, to outline its special significance in the context of small states and to delineate the options opened to the economic policymakers; in these states. After a brief note on the method of research, we sketch the main elements of the international air transport industry in which the airlines of small states are called upon to act. We then propose to review the main features of the analytical framework of this debate as it pertains to the special circumstances of these states. Then we focus on the challenges facing the airlines of Small States, while the next section proposes a number of the alternative policy options open to the policy makers in these states. The main conclusions are drawn in the final section.

Review of health safety aspects of nanotechnologies in food production.

PubMed

Bouwmeester, Hans; Dekkers, Susan; Noordam, Maryvon Y; Hagens, Werner I; Bulder, Astrid S; de Heer, Cees; ten Voorde, Sandra E C G; Wijnhoven, Susan W P; Marvin, Hans J P; Sips, Adriënne J A M

2009-02-01

Due to new, previously unknown, properties attributed to engineered nanoparticles many new products are introduced in the agro-food area. Nanotechnologies cover many aspects, such as disease treatment, food security, new materials for pathogen detection, packaging materials and delivery systems. As with most new and evolving technologies, potential benefits are emphasized, while little is known on safety of the application of nanotechnologies in the agro-food sector. This review gives an overview of scientific issues that need to be addressed with priority in order to improve the risk assessment for nanoparticles in food. The following research topics are considered to contribute pivotally to risk assessment of nanotechnologies and nanoparticles in food products. Set a definition for NPs to facilitate regulatory discussions, prioritization of research and exchange of study results. Develop analytical tools for the characterization of nanoparticles in complex biological matrices like food. Establish relevant dose metrics for nanoparticles used for both interpretation of scientific studies as well as regulatory frameworks. Search for deviant behavior (kinetics) and novel effects (toxicity) of nanoparticles and assess the validity of currently used test systems following oral exposure. Estimate the consumer exposure to nanoparticles.

The state and the development of an information society: Greek policy and experience.

PubMed

Boucas, Dimitris

2017-09-01

The paper looks into the dynamics of information society policy and its implementation in the Greek context. It argues that information society development is a contested process, influenced by pre-existing state, economy and society relations. Based on this, it looks into the different aspects of the idiosyncratic path which the evolution of the Greek information society has followed, particularly after 2000. Using Bob Jessop's strategic-relational approach (SRA) to the state as an analytical framework and drawing on a number of in-depth interviews with relevant political actors, it provides insights into policy implementation by examining: the public management of information technology projects, how such projects were received in bureaucratic structures and practices, as well as the relationship between the state and the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in public procurement processes. The emphasis is on the period 2000-2008, during which a major operational programme on the information society in Greece was put into effect. The paper also touches upon the post-2008 experience, suggesting that information society developments might include dynamics operating independently and even in contradiction to the state agenda. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.