Sample records for selection criteria include

  1. Resin selection criteria for tough composite structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chamis, C. C.; Smith, G. T.

    1983-01-01

    Resin selection criteria are derived using a structured methodology consisting of an upward integrated mechanistic theory and its inverse (top-down structured theory). These criteria are expressed in a "criteria selection space" which are used to identify resin bulk properties for improved composite "toughness". The resin selection criteria correlate with a variety of experimental data including laminate strength, elevated temperature effects and impact resistance.

  2. 48 CFR 1436.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 1436.602-1 Section 1436.602-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL...-1 Selection criteria. (a) The CO may include specific evaluation criteria to be used in the...

  3. Multi-Criteria Decision Making For Determining A Simple Model of Supplier Selection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harwati

    2017-06-01

    Supplier selection is a decision with many criteria. Supplier selection model usually involves more than five main criteria and more than 10 sub-criteria. In fact many model includes more than 20 criteria. Too many criteria involved in supplier selection models sometimes make it difficult to apply in many companies. This research focuses on designing supplier selection that easy and simple to be applied in the company. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to weighting criteria. The analysis results there are four criteria that are easy and simple can be used to select suppliers: Price (weight 0.4) shipment (weight 0.3), quality (weight 0.2) and services (weight 0.1). A real case simulation shows that simple model provides the same decision with a more complex model.

  4. The NCAT process

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Milburn, George

    1992-01-01

    The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) history; technologies selection criteria; strategic plan status; implementation framework; forum composition; NCAT role as integrator; government/industry coordination; identification and selection process for demonstrations; criteria for demonstrations; criteria for non-selection; and future actions.

  5. [The research protocol III. Study population].

    PubMed

    Arias-Gómez, Jesús; Villasís-Keever, Miguel Ángel; Miranda-Novales, María Guadalupe

    2016-01-01

    The study population is defined as a set of cases, determined, limited, and accessible, that will constitute the subjects for the selection of the sample, and must fulfill several characteristics and distinct criteria. The objectives of this manuscript are focused on specifying each one of the elements required to make the selection of the participants of a research project, during the elaboration of the protocol, including the concepts of study population, sample, selection criteria and sampling methods. After delineating the study population, the researcher must specify the criteria that each participant has to comply. The criteria that include the specific characteristics are denominated selection or eligibility criteria. These criteria are inclusion, exclusion and elimination, and will delineate the eligible population. The sampling methods are divided in two large groups: 1) probabilistic or random sampling and 2) non-probabilistic sampling. The difference lies in the employment of statistical methods to select the subjects. In every research, it is necessary to establish at the beginning the specific number of participants to be included to achieve the objectives of the study. This number is the sample size, and can be calculated or estimated with mathematical formulas and statistic software.

  6. Criteria for selecting implementation science theories and frameworks: results from an international survey.

    PubMed

    Birken, Sarah A; Powell, Byron J; Shea, Christopher M; Haines, Emily R; Alexis Kirk, M; Leeman, Jennifer; Rohweder, Catherine; Damschroder, Laura; Presseau, Justin

    2017-10-30

    Theories provide a synthesizing architecture for implementation science. The underuse, superficial use, and misuse of theories pose a substantial scientific challenge for implementation science and may relate to challenges in selecting from the many theories in the field. Implementation scientists may benefit from guidance for selecting a theory for a specific study or project. Understanding how implementation scientists select theories will help inform efforts to develop such guidance. Our objective was to identify which theories implementation scientists use, how they use theories, and the criteria used to select theories. We identified initial lists of uses and criteria for selecting implementation theories based on seminal articles and an iterative consensus process. We incorporated these lists into a self-administered survey for completion by self-identified implementation scientists. We recruited potential respondents at the 8th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health and via several international email lists. We used frequencies and percentages to report results. Two hundred twenty-three implementation scientists from 12 countries responded to the survey. They reported using more than 100 different theories spanning several disciplines. Respondents reported using theories primarily to identify implementation determinants, inform data collection, enhance conceptual clarity, and guide implementation planning. Of the 19 criteria presented in the survey, the criteria used by the most respondents to select theory included analytic level (58%), logical consistency/plausibility (56%), empirical support (53%), and description of a change process (54%). The criteria used by the fewest respondents included fecundity (10%), uniqueness (12%), and falsifiability (15%). Implementation scientists use a large number of criteria to select theories, but there is little consensus on which are most important. Our results suggest that the selection of implementation theories is often haphazard or driven by convenience or prior exposure. Variation in approaches to selecting theory warn against prescriptive guidance for theory selection. Instead, implementation scientists may benefit from considering the criteria that we propose in this paper and using them to justify their theory selection. Future research should seek to refine the criteria for theory selection to promote more consistent and appropriate use of theory in implementation science.

  7. Selecting public relations personnel of hospitals by analytic network process.

    PubMed

    Liao, Sen-Kuei; Chang, Kuei-Lun

    2009-01-01

    This study describes the use of analytic network process (ANP) in the Taiwanese hospital public relations personnel selection process. Starting with interviewing 48 practitioners and executives in north Taiwan, we collected selection criteria. Then, we retained the 12 critical criteria that were mentioned above 40 times by theses respondents, including: interpersonal skill, experience, negotiation, language, ability to follow orders, cognitive ability, adaptation to environment, adaptation to company, emotion, loyalty, attitude, and Response. Finally, we discussed with the 20 executives to take these important criteria into three perspectives to structure the hierarchy for hospital public relations personnel selection. After discussing with practitioners and executives, we find that selecting criteria are interrelated. The ANP, which incorporates interdependence relationships, is a new approach for multi-criteria decision-making. Thus, we apply ANP to select the most optimal public relations personnel of hospitals. An empirical study of public relations personnel selection problems in Taiwan hospitals is conducted to illustrate how the selection procedure works.

  8. Development of Selection Criteria and Their Application in Evaluation of CELSS Candidate Species

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hoff, J. E.; Howe, J. M.; Mitchell, C. A.

    1982-01-01

    A total of 21 criteria were considered; nine of them fall into the realm of human nutrition and convenience (the "use' criteria), and the remaining 12 are predominantly cultural considerations. Five criteria were considered to be of great importance in the selection of plant species and were given double eight relative to the remaining criteria. "Use' criteria include the following: energy concentration, nutritional composition, palatability, serving size and frequency, processing requirements, use flexibility, toxicity, and human experience. "Cultural' criteria include the following: proportion of edible biomass, yield of edible plant biomass, continuous vs. determinate harvestability, growth habit and morphology, environmental tolerance, photoperiodic and temperature requirements, symbiotic requirements and restrictions, carbon dioxide-light intensity response, suitability for soilless culture, disease resistance, familarity with species, and pollination and propagation. A total of 115 species were evaluated and scored according to suitability for a CELSS.

  9. Decision-making patterns for dietary supplement purchases among women aged 25 to 45 years.

    PubMed

    Miller, Carla K; Russell, Teri; Kissling, Grace

    2003-11-01

    Women frequently consume dietary supplements but the criteria used to select supplements have received little investigation. This research identified the decision-making criteria used for dietary supplements among women aged 25 to 45 years who consumed a supplement at least four times per week. Participants (N=51) completed an in-store shopping interview that was audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed qualitatively for the criteria used to make supplement selections. Qualitative analysis revealed 10 key criteria and the number of times each person used each criterion was quantified. Cluster analysis identified five homogeneous subgroups of participants based on the criteria used. These included brand shopper, bargain shopper, quality shopper, convenience shopper, and information gatherer. Supplement users vary in the criteria used to make point-of-purchase supplement selections. Dietetics professionals can classify supplement users according to the criteria used to tailor their nutrition counseling and better meet the educational needs of consumers.

  10. 49 CFR 240.105 - Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... of locomotive engineers. 240.105 Section 240.105 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... CERTIFICATION OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS Component Elements of the Certification Process § 240.105 Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers. (a) Each railroad's program shall include...

  11. 49 CFR 240.105 - Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... of locomotive engineers. 240.105 Section 240.105 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... CERTIFICATION OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS Component Elements of the Certification Process § 240.105 Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers. (a) Each railroad's program shall include...

  12. 49 CFR 240.105 - Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... of locomotive engineers. 240.105 Section 240.105 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... CERTIFICATION OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS Component Elements of the Certification Process § 240.105 Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers. (a) Each railroad's program shall include...

  13. 49 CFR 240.105 - Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... of locomotive engineers. 240.105 Section 240.105 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... CERTIFICATION OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS Component Elements of the Certification Process § 240.105 Criteria for selection of designated supervisors of locomotive engineers. (a) Each railroad's program shall include...

  14. 48 CFR 536.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Selection criteria. (a) FAR 36.602-1 requires that agencies include “location in the general geographical... services (based on the total contract price) will be accomplished within the geographical boundaries... not apply to projects that the Chief Architect of GSA determines have national significance. (b) The...

  15. 48 CFR 536.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Selection criteria. (a) FAR 36.602-1 requires that agencies include “location in the general geographical... services (based on the total contract price) will be accomplished within the geographical boundaries... not apply to projects that the Chief Architect of GSA determines have national significance. (b) The...

  16. 48 CFR 536.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Selection criteria. (a) FAR 36.602-1 requires that agencies include “location in the general geographical... services (based on the total contract price) will be accomplished within the geographical boundaries... not apply to projects that the Chief Architect of GSA determines have national significance. (b) The...

  17. 48 CFR 536.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Selection criteria. (a) FAR 36.602-1 requires that agencies include “location in the general geographical... services (based on the total contract price) will be accomplished within the geographical boundaries... not apply to projects that the Chief Architect of GSA determines have national significance. (b) The...

  18. Fuzzy approaches to supplier selection problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ozkok, Beyza Ahlatcioglu; Kocken, Hale Gonce

    2013-09-01

    Supplier selection problem is a multi-criteria decision making problem which includes both qualitative and quantitative factors. In the selection process many criteria may conflict with each other, therefore decision-making process becomes complicated. In this study, we handled the supplier selection problem under uncertainty. In this context; we used minimum criterion, arithmetic mean criterion, regret criterion, optimistic criterion, geometric mean and harmonic mean. The membership functions created with the help of the characteristics of used criteria, and we tried to provide consistent supplier selection decisions by using these memberships for evaluating alternative suppliers. During the analysis, no need to use expert opinion is a strong aspect of the methodology used in the decision-making.

  19. Remarks on Height-Diameter Modeling

    Treesearch

    Lei Yuancai; Bernard R. Parresol

    2001-01-01

    Height-diameter model forms in earlier published papers are examined. The selection criteria used in height-diameter model forms are not reasonable when considering tree biological growth pattern. During model selection, forms for height-diameter relationships should include consideration of both data-related and reasonable biological criteria, not just data-related...

  20. Selection for Surgical Training: An Evidence-Based Review.

    PubMed

    Schaverien, Mark V

    2016-01-01

    The predictive relationship between candidate selection criteria for surgical training programs and future performance during and at the completion of training has been investigated for several surgical specialties, however there is no interspecialty agreement regarding which selection criteria should be used. Better understanding the predictive reliability between factors at selection and future performance may help to optimize the process and lead to greater standardization of the surgical selection process. PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE databases were searched. Over 560 potentially relevant publications were identified using the search strategy and screened using the Cochrane Collaboration Data Extraction and Assessment Template. 57 studies met the inclusion criteria. Several selection criteria used in the traditional selection demonstrated inconsistent correlation with subsequent performance during and at the end of surgical training. The following selection criteria, however, demonstrated good predictive relationships with subsequent resident performance: USMLE examination scores, Letters of Recommendation (LOR) including the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), academic performance during clinical clerkships, the interview process, displaying excellence in extracurricular activities, and the use of unadjusted rank lists. This systematic review supports that the current selection process needs to be further evaluated and improved. Multicenter studies using standardized outcome measures of success are now required to improve the reliability of the selection process to select the best trainees. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. An overview of international issues in astronaut psychological selection.

    PubMed

    Santy, P A; Jones, D R

    1994-10-01

    The NASA Johnson Space Center Medical Sciences Division convened an In-House Working Group on Psychiatric and Psychological Selection of Astronauts in 1988. Working with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) of Japan, psychiatrists and psychologists experienced in selecting individuals for training as astronauts or analogous duties studied the development of appropriate criteria. Psychiatric criteria generally concern the detection of pathological conditions, and thus "select-out" applicants by disqualification. Psychological criteria may be used to identify specific affirmative criteria that make an individual particularly well-qualified for such duties, and thus concern "select-in" processes for operational crews. As space missions grow longer, and as crews become larger and more demographically diversified, the long-ignored questions, "What sort of healthy individuals should be selected for such missions," and "How do we know this?" will become more critical to the success of space exploration. The papers included in this Panel concern the results of these investigations, and represent long-needed quantification of these two selection processes, select-out and select-in, in several cultures.

  2. 34 CFR 472.22 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What selection criteria does the Secretary use? 472.22... productivity; (3) Includes support services, based on cooperative relationships within the partnership and from... the applicant's documentation of the needs to be addressed by the project; (3) How those needs will be...

  3. 34 CFR 472.22 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What selection criteria does the Secretary use? 472.22... productivity; (3) Includes support services, based on cooperative relationships within the partnership and from... the applicant's documentation of the needs to be addressed by the project; (3) How those needs will be...

  4. 34 CFR 472.22 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What selection criteria does the Secretary use? 472.22... productivity; (3) Includes support services, based on cooperative relationships within the partnership and from... the applicant's documentation of the needs to be addressed by the project; (3) How those needs will be...

  5. 34 CFR 472.22 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What selection criteria does the Secretary use? 472.22... productivity; (3) Includes support services, based on cooperative relationships within the partnership and from... the applicant's documentation of the needs to be addressed by the project; (3) How those needs will be...

  6. 34 CFR 472.22 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What selection criteria does the Secretary use? 472.22... productivity; (3) Includes support services, based on cooperative relationships within the partnership and from... the applicant's documentation of the needs to be addressed by the project; (3) How those needs will be...

  7. Optimal Contractor Selection in Construction Industry: The Fuzzy Way

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krishna Rao, M. V.; Kumar, V. S. S.; Rathish Kumar, P.

    2018-02-01

    A purely price-based approach to contractor selection has been identified as the root cause for many serious project delivery problems. Therefore, the capability of the contractor to execute the project should be evaluated using a multiple set of selection criteria including reputation, past performance, performance potential, financial soundness and other project specific criteria. An industry-wide questionnaire survey was conducted with the objective of identifying the important criteria for adoption in the selection process. In this work, a fuzzy set based model was developed for contractor prequalification/evaluation, by using effective criteria obtained from the percept of construction professionals, taking subjective judgments of decision makers also into consideration. A case study consisting of four alternatives (contractors in the present case) solicited from a public works department of Pondicherry in India, is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The final selection of contractor is made based on the integrated score or Overall Evaluation Score of the decision alternative in prequalification as well as bid evaluation stages.

  8. Landfill site selection using combination of GIS and fuzzy AHP, a case study: Iranshahr, Iran.

    PubMed

    Torabi-Kaveh, M; Babazadeh, R; Mohammadi, S D; Zaresefat, M

    2016-03-09

    One of the most important recent challenges in solid waste management throughout the world is site selection of sanitary landfill. Commonly, because of simultaneous effects of social, environmental, and technical parameters on suitability of a landfill site, landfill site selection is a complex process and depends on several criteria and regulations. This study develops a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) process, which combines geographic information system (GIS) analysis with a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), to determine suitable sites for landfill construction in Iranshahr County, Iran. The GIS was used to calculate and classify selected criteria and FAHP was used to assess the criteria weights based on their effectiveness on selection of potential landfill sites. Finally, a suitability map was prepared by overlay analyses and suitable areas were identified. Four suitability classes within the study area were separated, including high, medium, low, and very low suitability areas, which represented 18%, 15%, 55%, and 12% of the study area, respectively. © The Author(s) 2016.

  9. Model For Marketing Strategy Decision Based On Multicriteria Decicion Making: A Case Study In Batik Madura Industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anna, I. D.; Cahyadi, I.; Yakin, A.

    2018-01-01

    Selection of marketing strategy is a prominent competitive advantage for small and medium enterprises business development. The selection process is is a multiple criteria decision-making problem, which includes evaluation of various attributes or criteria in a process of strategy formulation. The objective of this paper is to develop a model for the selection of a marketing strategy in Batik Madura industry. The current study proposes an integrated approach based on analytic network process (ANP) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) to determine the best strategy for Batik Madura marketing problems. Based on the results of group decision-making technique, this study selected fourteen criteria, including consistency, cost, trend following, customer loyalty, business volume, uniqueness manpower, customer numbers, promotion, branding, bussiness network, outlet location, credibility and the inovation as Batik Madura marketing strategy evaluation criteria. A survey questionnaire developed from literature review was distributed to a sample frame of Batik Madura SMEs in Pamekasan. In the decision procedure step, expert evaluators were asked to establish the decision matrix by comparing the marketing strategy alternatives under each of the individual criteria. Then, considerations obtained from ANP and TOPSIS methods were applied to build the specific criteria constraints and range of the launch strategy in the model. The model in this study demonstrates that, under current business situation, Straight-focus marketing strategy is the best marketing strategy for Batik Madura SMEs in Pamekasan.

  10. Selecting the Right Courseware for Your Online Learning Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Mara, Heather

    2000-01-01

    Presents criteria for selecting courseware for online classes. Highlights include ease of use, including navigation; assessment tools; advantages of Java-enabled courseware; advantages of Oracle databases, including scalability; future possibilities for multimedia technology; and open architecture that will integrate with other systems. (LRW)

  11. Thread selection according to power characteristics during context switching on compute nodes

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

    Archer, Charles J.; Blocksome, Michael A.; Randles, Amanda E.

    Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for thread selection during context switching on a plurality of compute nodes that includes: executing, by a compute node, an application using a plurality of threads of execution, including executing one or more of the threads of execution; selecting, by the compute node from a plurality of available threads of execution for the application, a next thread of execution in dependence upon power characteristics for each of the available threads; determining, by the compute node, whether criteria for a thread context switch are satisfied; and performing, by the compute node, the thread context switchmore » if the criteria for a thread context switch are satisfied, including executing the next thread of execution.« less

  12. Thread selection according to predefined power characteristics during context switching on compute nodes

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

    None, None

    Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for thread selection during context switching on a plurality of compute nodes that includes: executing, by a compute node, an application using a plurality of threads of execution, including executing one or more of the threads of execution; selecting, by the compute node from a plurality of available threads of execution for the application, a next thread of execution in dependence upon power characteristics for each of the available threads; determining, by the compute node, whether criteria for a thread context switch are satisfied; and performing, by the compute node, the thread context switchmore » if the criteria for a thread context switch are satisfied, including executing the next thread of execution.« less

  13. Selecting Patients for Intra-arterial Therapy in the Context of a Clinical Trial for Neuroprotection

    PubMed Central

    Lyden, Patrick; Weymer, Sara; Coffey, Chris; Cudkowicz, Merit; Berg, Samantha; O’Brien, Sarah; Fisher, Marc; Haley, E. Clarke; Khatri, Pooja; Saver, Jeff; Levine, Steven; Levy, Howard; Rymer, Marilyn; Wechsler, Lawrence; Jadhav, Ashutosh; McNeil, Elizabeth; Waddy, Salina; Pryor, Kent

    2016-01-01

    Background and Purpose The advent of intra-arterial neurothrombectomy (IAT) for acute ischemic stroke opens a potentially transformative opportunity to improve neuroprotection studies. Combining a putative neuroprotectant with recanalization could produce more powerful trials but could introduce heterogeneity and adverse event possibilities. We sought to demonstrate feasibility of IAT in neuroprotectant trials by defining IAT selection criteria for an ongoing neuroprotectant clinical trial. Methods The study drug, 3K3A-APC, is a pleiotropic cytoprotectant and may reduce thrombolysis associated hemorrhage. The NeuroNEXT trial NN104 (RHAPSODY) is designed to establish a maximally tolerated dose of 3K3A-APC. Each trial site provided their IAT selection criteria. An expert panel reviewed site criteria and published evidence. Finally, the trial leadership designed IAT selection criteria. Results Derived selection criteria reflected consistency among the sites and comparability to published IAT trials. A protocol amendment allowing IAT (and relaxed age, NIHSS, and time limits) in the RHAPSODY trial was implemented on June 15, 2015. Recruitment before and after the amendment improved from 8 enrolled patients (601 screened, 1.3%) to 51 patients (821 screened, 6.2%), OR [95%CL] of 4.9 [2.3,10.4], p<0.001). Gross recruitment was 0.11 patients/site/month vs. 0.43 patients/site/month, respectively, before and after the amendment. Conclusions It is feasible to include IAT in a neuroprotectant trial for acute ischemic stroke. Criteria are presented for including such patients in a manner that is consistent with published evidence for IAT while still preserving the ability to test the role of the putative neuroprotectant. Clinical Trial Registration Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02222714. PMID:27803392

  14. Selecting Patients for Intra-Arterial Therapy in the Context of a Clinical Trial for Neuroprotection.

    PubMed

    Lyden, Patrick; Weymer, Sara; Coffey, Chris; Cudkowicz, Merit; Berg, Samantha; O'Brien, Sarah; Fisher, Marc; Haley, E Clarke; Khatri, Pooja; Saver, Jeff; Levine, Steven; Levy, Howard; Rymer, Marilyn; Wechsler, Lawrence; Jadhav, Ashutosh; McNeil, Elizabeth; Waddy, Salina; Pryor, Kent

    2016-12-01

    The advent of intra-arterial neurothrombectomy (IAT) for acute ischemic stroke opens a potentially transformative opportunity to improve neuroprotection studies. Combining a putative neuroprotectant with recanalization could produce more powerful trials but could introduce heterogeneity and adverse event possibilities. We sought to demonstrate feasibility of IAT in neuroprotectant trials by defining IAT selection criteria for an ongoing neuroprotectant clinical trial. The study drug, 3K3A-APC, is a pleiotropic cytoprotectant and may reduce thrombolysis-associated hemorrhage. The NeuroNEXT trial NN104 (RHAPSODY) is designed to establish a maximally tolerated dose of 3K3A-APC. Each trial site provided their IAT selection criteria. An expert panel reviewed site criteria and published evidence. Finally, the trial leadership designed IAT selection criteria. Derived selection criteria reflected consistency among the sites and comparability to published IAT trials. A protocol amendment allowing IAT (and relaxed age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and time limits) in the RHAPSODY trial was implemented on June 15, 2015. Recruitment before and after the amendment improved from 8 enrolled patients (601 screened, 1.3%) to 51 patients (821 screened, 6.2%; odds ratio [95% confidence limit] of 4.9 [2.3-10.4]; P<0.001). Gross recruitment was 0.11 patients per site month versus 0.43 patients per site per month, respectively, before and after the amendment. It is feasible to include IAT in a neuroprotectant trial for acute ischemic stroke. Criteria are presented for including such patients in a manner that is consistent with published evidence for IAT while still preserving the ability to test the role of the putative neuroprotectant. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02222714. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  15. Determining the Best-Fit FPGA for a Space Mission: An Analysis of Cost, SEU Sensitivity,and Reliability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Berg, Melanie; LaBel, Ken

    2007-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation reviews the selection of the optimum Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) for space missions. Included in this review is a discussion on differentiating amongst various FPGAs, cost analysis of the various options, the investigation of radiation effects, an expansion of the evaluation criteria, and the application of the evaluation criteria to the selection process.

  16. Using multi-criteria risk ranking methodology to select case studies for a generic risk assessment framework for exotic disease incursion and spread through Europe.

    PubMed

    Horigan, V; De Nardi, M; Simons, R R L; Bertolini, S; Crescio, M I; Estrada-Peña, A; Léger, A; Maurella, C; Ru, G; Schuppers, M; Stärk, K D C; Adkin, A

    2018-05-01

    We present a novel approach of using the multi-criteria pathogen prioritisation methodology as a basis for selecting the most appropriate case studies for a generic risk assessment framework. The approach uses selective criteria to rank exotic animal health pathogens according to the likelihood of introduction and the impact of an outbreak if it occurred in the European Union (EU). Pathogens were evaluated based on their impact on production at the EU level and international trade. A subsequent analysis included criteria of relevance to quantitative risk assessment case study selection, such as the availability of data for parameterisation, the need for further research and the desire for the case studies to cover different routes of transmission. The framework demonstrated is flexible with the ability to adjust both the criteria and their weightings to the user's requirements. A web based tool has been developed using the RStudio shiny apps software, to facilitate this. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Advanced Chemical Propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bai, S. Don

    2000-01-01

    Design, propellant selection, and launch assistance for advanced chemical propulsion system is discussed. Topics discussed include: rocket design, advance fuel and high energy density materials, launch assist, and criteria for fuel selection.

  18. Selecting an Architecture for a Safety-Critical Distributed Computer System with Power, Weight and Cost Considerations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

    2014-01-01

    This report presents an example of the application of multi-criteria decision analysis to the selection of an architecture for a safety-critical distributed computer system. The design problem includes constraints on minimum system availability and integrity, and the decision is based on the optimal balance of power, weight and cost. The analysis process includes the generation of alternative architectures, evaluation of individual decision criteria, and the selection of an alternative based on overall value. In this example presented here, iterative application of the quantitative evaluation process made it possible to deliberately generate an alternative architecture that is superior to all others regardless of the relative importance of cost.

  19. Guidelines as rationing tools: a qualitative analysis of psychosocial patient selection criteria for cardiac procedures

    PubMed Central

    Giacomini, Mita K.; Cook, Deborah J.; Streiner, David L.; Anand, Sonia S.

    2001-01-01

    Background Cardiac procedure guidelines often include psychosocial criteria for selecting patients that potentially introduce social value judgements into clinical decisions and decisions about the rationing of care. The aim of this study was to investigate the terms and justifications for and the meanings of psychosocial patient characteristics used in cardiac procedure guidelines. Methods We selected English-language guidelines published since 1990 and chapters in textbooks published since 1989. These guidelines amalgamated multiple sources of evidence and expertise and made recommendations regarding patient selection for specific procedures. A multidisciplinary team of physicians and social scientists extracted passages regarding psychosocial criteria and developed categories and conceptual relationships to describe and interpret their content. Results Sixty-five papers met the criteria for inclusion in the study. Forty-five (69%) mentioned psychosocial criteria as procedure indications or contraindications. The latter fell into several categories, including behavioural and psychological issues, relationships with significant others, financial resources, social roles and environmental circumstances. Interpretation Psychosocial characteristics are portrayed as having 2 roles in patient selection: as risk factors intrinsic to the candidate or as indicators of need for special intervention. Guidelines typically simply list psychosocial contraindications without clarifying their specific nature or providing any justification for their use. Psychosocial considerations can help in the evaluation of patients for cardiac procedures, but they become ethically controversial when used to restrict access. The use of psychosocial indications and contraindications could be improved by more precise descriptions of the psychosocial problem at issue, explanations regarding why the criterion matters and justification of the characteristic using a biological rationale or research evidence. PMID:11258209

  20. Mining method selection by integrated AHP and PROMETHEE method.

    PubMed

    Bogdanovic, Dejan; Nikolic, Djordje; Ilic, Ivana

    2012-03-01

    Selecting the best mining method among many alternatives is a multicriteria decision making problem. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the implementation of an integrated approach that employs AHP and PROMETHEE together for selecting the most suitable mining method for the "Coka Marin" underground mine in Serbia. The related problem includes five possible mining methods and eleven criteria to evaluate them. Criteria are accurately chosen in order to cover the most important parameters that impact on the mining method selection, such as geological and geotechnical properties, economic parameters and geographical factors. The AHP is used to analyze the structure of the mining method selection problem and to determine weights of the criteria, and PROMETHEE method is used to obtain the final ranking and to make a sensitivity analysis by changing the weights. The results have shown that the proposed integrated method can be successfully used in solving mining engineering problems.

  1. Report of the Paris consensus meeting on expanded criteria donors in liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Durand, François; Renz, John F; Alkofer, Barbara; Burra, Patrizia; Clavien, Pierre-Alain; Porte, Robert J; Freeman, Richard B; Belghiti, Jacques

    2008-12-01

    Because of organ shortage and a constant imbalance between available organs and candidates for liver transplantation, expanded criteria donors are needed. Experience shows that there are wide variations in the definitions, selection criteria, and use of expanded criteria donors according to different geographic areas and different centers. Overall, selection criteria for donors have tended to be relaxed in recent years. Consensus recommendations are needed. This article reports the conclusions of a consensus meeting held in Paris in March 2007 with the contribution of experts from Europe, the United States, and Asia. Definitions of expanded criteria donors with respect to donor variables (including age, liver function tests, steatosis, infections, malignancies, and heart-beating versus non-heart-beating, among others) are proposed. It is emphasized that donor quality represents a continuum of risk rather than "good or bad." A distinction is made between donor factors that generate increased risk of graft failure and factors independent of graft function, such as transmissible infectious disease or donor-derived malignancy, that may preclude a good outcome. Updated data concerning the risks associated with different donor variables in different recipient populations are given. Recommendations on how to safely expand donor selection criteria are proposed.

  2. 48 CFR 6.102 - Use of competitive procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... procedure (see subpart 36.6 for procedures). (2) Competitive selection of basic and applied research and... nature identifying areas of research interest, including criteria for selecting proposals, and soliciting...

  3. Standardizing the evaluation criteria on treatment outcomes of mandibular implant overdentures: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Ha-Young; Shin, Sang-Wan

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE The aim of this review was to analyze the evaluation criteria on mandibular implant overdentures through a systematic review and suggest standardized evaluation criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted by PubMed search strategy and hand-searching of relevant journals from included studies considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Randomized clinical trials (RCT) and clinical trial studies comparing attachment systems on mandibular implant overdentures until December, 2011 were selected. Twenty nine studies were finally selected and the data about evaluation methods were collected. RESULTS Evaluation criteria could be classified into 4 groups (implant survival, peri-implant tissue evaluation, prosthetic evaluation, and patient satisfaction). Among 29 studies, 21 studies presented implant survival rate, while any studies reporting implant failure did not present cumulative implant survival rate. Seventeen studies evaluating peri-implant tissue status presented following items as evaluation criteria; marginal bone level (14), plaque Index (13), probing depth (8), bleeding index (8), attachment gingiva level (8), gingival index (6), amount of keratinized gingiva (1). Eighteen studies evaluating prosthetic maintenance and complication also presented following items as evaluation criteria; loose matrix (17), female detachment (15), denture fracture (15), denture relining (14), abutment fracture (14), abutment screw loosening (11), and occlusal adjustment (9). Atypical questionnaire (9), Visual analog scales (VAS) (4), and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) (1) were used as the format of criteria to evaluate patients satisfaction in 14 studies. CONCLUSION For evaluation of implant overdenture, it is necessary to include cumulative survival rate for implant evaluation. It is suggested that peri-implant tissue evaluation criteria include marginal bone level, plaque index, bleeding index, probing depth, and attached gingiva level. It is also suggested that prosthetic evaluation criteria include loose matrix, female detachment, denture fracture, denture relining, abutment fracture, abutment screw loosening, and occlusal adjustment. Finally standardized criteria like OHIP-EDENT or VAS are required for patient satisfaction. PMID:25352954

  4. Guidelines for Gifted/Talented Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Genelle

    Presented are guidelines for planning, establishing, and operating gifted/talented programs for exceptional children in Idaho. Topics are outlined which include definitions of terms related to gifted/talented education; general and specific program criteria; criteria for student selection (identification, comprehensive evaluation/assessment,…

  5. The application of fuzzy Delphi and fuzzy inference system in supplier ranking and selection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tahriri, Farzad; Mousavi, Maryam; Hozhabri Haghighi, Siamak; Zawiah Md Dawal, Siti

    2014-06-01

    In today's highly rival market, an effective supplier selection process is vital to the success of any manufacturing system. Selecting the appropriate supplier is always a difficult task because suppliers posses varied strengths and weaknesses that necessitate careful evaluations prior to suppliers' ranking. This is a complex process with many subjective and objective factors to consider before the benefits of supplier selection are achieved. This paper identifies six extremely critical criteria and thirteen sub-criteria based on the literature. A new methodology employing those criteria and sub-criteria is proposed for the assessment and ranking of a given set of suppliers. To handle the subjectivity of the decision maker's assessment, an integration of fuzzy Delphi with fuzzy inference system has been applied and a new ranking method is proposed for supplier selection problem. This supplier selection model enables decision makers to rank the suppliers based on three classifications including "extremely preferred", "moderately preferred", and "weakly preferred". In addition, in each classification, suppliers are put in order from highest final score to the lowest. Finally, the methodology is verified and validated through an example of a numerical test bed.

  6. Videodiscs in Schools: Selecting Essential Players and Videodiscs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Priscilla

    1995-01-01

    Discusses the use of videodiscs in schools and suggests criteria for the selection of videodiscs and videodisc players. Topics include different videodisc formats, including CLV (constant linear velocity) and CAV (constant angular velocity); mapping; repurposing; content and age suitability; documentation; vendors; and Level I and Level II…

  7. School Site Selection and Approval Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento. Div. of School Facilities Planning.

    This guide is designed to assist school districts in selecting school sites that provide both a safe and supportive environment for the instructional program and the learning process, and gain state approval for the selected sites. The guide includes a set of selection criteria that have proven helpful to site selection teams, information about…

  8. 45 CFR 2522.415 - How does the grant selection process work?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false How does the grant selection process work? 2522... Programs § 2522.415 How does the grant selection process work? The selection process includes: (a... eligibility requirements; (b) Applying the basic selection criteria to assess the quality of your proposal; (c...

  9. Application Of Decision Tree Approach To Student Selection Model- A Case Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harwati; Sudiya, Amby

    2016-01-01

    The main purpose of the institution is to provide quality education to the students and to improve the quality of managerial decisions. One of the ways to improve the quality of students is to arrange the selection of new students with a more selective. This research takes the case in the selection of new students at Islamic University of Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. One of the university's selection is through filtering administrative selection based on the records of prospective students at the high school without paper testing. Currently, that kind of selection does not yet has a standard model and criteria. Selection is only done by comparing candidate application file, so the subjectivity of assessment is very possible to happen because of the lack standard criteria that can differentiate the quality of students from one another. By applying data mining techniques classification, can be built a model selection for new students which includes criteria to certain standards such as the area of origin, the status of the school, the average value and so on. These criteria are determined by using rules that appear based on the classification of the academic achievement (GPA) of the students in previous years who entered the university through the same way. The decision tree method with C4.5 algorithm is used here. The results show that students are given priority for admission is that meet the following criteria: came from the island of Java, public school, majoring in science, an average value above 75, and have at least one achievement during their study in high school.

  10. Space Tethers: Design Criteria

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tomlin, D. D.; Faile, G. C.; Hayashida, K. B.; Frost, C. L.; Wagner, C. Y.; Mitchell, M. L.; Vaughn, J. A.; Galuska, M. J.

    1997-01-01

    This document is prepared to provide a systematic process for the selection of tethers for space applications. Criteria arc provided for determining the strength requirement for tether missions and for mission success from tether severing due to micrometeoroids and orbital debris particle impacts. Background information of materials for use in space tethers is provided, including electricity-conducting tethers. Dynamic considerations for tether selection is also provided. Safety, quality, and reliability considerations are provided for a tether project.

  11. METHODS FOR DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AQUATIC LIFE CRITERIA

    EPA Science Inventory

    New experiments and studies are being conducted on selected criteria uncertainties that cannot be addressed with current knowledge, including the importance of dietary metal exposure to toxic response and the significance of increased toxicity from photo-activation of PAHs in nat...

  12. Selection of suitable alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of road traffic noise using a fuzzy multi-criteria decision model

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

    Ruiz-Padillo, Alejandro, E-mail: aruizp@correo.ugr.es; Civil Engineering Department, University of Granada, Av. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada; Ruiz, Diego P., E-mail: druiz@ugr.es

    Road traffic noise is one of the most significant environmental impacts generated by transport systems. To this regard, the recent implementation of the European Environmental Noise Directive by Public Administrations of the European Union member countries has led to various noise action plans (NAPs) for reducing the noise exposure of EU inhabitants. Every country or administration is responsible for applying criteria based on their own experience or expert knowledge, but there is no regulated process for the prioritization of technical measures within these plans. This paper proposes a multi-criteria decision methodology for the selection of suitable alternatives against traffic noisemore » in each of the road stretches included in the NAPs. The methodology first defines the main criteria and alternatives to be considered. Secondly, it determines the relative weights for the criteria and sub-criteria using the fuzzy extended analytical hierarchy process as applied to the results from an expert panel, thereby allowing expert knowledge to be captured in an automated way. A final step comprises the use of discrete multi-criteria analysis methods such as weighted sum, ELECTRE and TOPSIS, to rank the alternatives by suitability. To illustrate an application of the proposed methodology, this paper describes its implementation in a complex real case study: the selection of optimal technical solutions against traffic noise in the top priority road stretch included in the revision of the NAP of the regional road network in the province of Almeria (Spain).« less

  13. Guidelines and standard procedures for studies of ground-water quality; selection and installation of wells, and supporting documentation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lapham, W.W.; Wilde, F.D.; Koterba, M.T.

    1997-01-01

    This is the first of a two-part report to document guidelines and standard procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey for the acquisition of data in ground-water-quality studies. This report provides guidelines and procedures for the selection and installation of wells for water-quality studies/*, and the required or recommended supporting documentation of these activities. Topics include (1) documentation needed for well files, field folders, and electronic files; (2) criteria and information needed for the selection of water-supply and observation wells, including site inventory and data collection during field reconnaissance; and (3) criteria and preparation for installation of monitoring wells, including the effects of equipment and materials on the chemistry of ground-water samples, a summary of drilling and coring methods, and information concerning well completion, development, and disposition.

  14. 77 FR 5243 - Proposed Priority, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Arts in Education National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-02

    ... professional development, partnerships, educational programming, and supporting systemic school reform. Child... alternative regulatory approaches, select those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential... benefits justify their costs. In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, we selected those...

  15. A Review on influencing criteria for selecting supplier of information technology services in the hospital

    PubMed Central

    Ajami, Sima; Rajabzadeh, Ahmad; Ketabi, Saeedeh

    2014-01-01

    Organizations try to outsource their activities as much as possible in order to prevent the problems and use organizational capabilities in Information Technology (IT) field. The purpose of this paper was first, to express the effective criteria for selecting suppliers of IT services, second, to explain the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing IT in hospitals. This study was narrative review, which search was conducted with the help of libraries, books, conference proceedings, and databases of Science Direct, PubMed, Proquest, Springer, and SID (Scientific Information Database). In our searches, we employed the following keywords and their combinations: Outsourcing, information technology, hospital, decision making, and criteria. The preliminary search resulted in 120 articles, which were published between 2000 and 2013 during July 2013. After a careful analysis of the content of each paper, a total of 46 papers were selected based on their relevancy. The criteria and sub-criteria influencing outsourcing decisions in Iranian hospitals were identified in six major categories including administrative issues, issues related to the service/product, technology factors, environmental factors, risks, and economic factors associated with 15 sub-criteria containing business integration, dependence on suppliers, human resources, focus on core competencies, facilities and physical capital, innovation, quality, speed of service delivery, flexibility, market capabilities, geographical location, security, management control, cost, and financial capability. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and effective criteria in IT services supplier selection causes the managers be able to take the most appropriate decision to select supplier of IT services. This is a general review on influencing criteria for electing of supplier of information technology services in hospitals. PMID:25540781

  16. A Review on influencing criteria for selecting supplier of information technology services in the hospital.

    PubMed

    Ajami, Sima; Rajabzadeh, Ahmad; Ketabi, Saeedeh

    2014-01-01

    Organizations try to outsource their activities as much as possible in order to prevent the problems and use organizational capabilities in Information Technology (IT) field. The purpose of this paper was first, to express the effective criteria for selecting suppliers of IT services, second, to explain the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing IT in hospitals. This study was narrative review, which search was conducted with the help of libraries, books, conference proceedings, and databases of Science Direct, PubMed, Proquest, Springer, and SID (Scientific Information Database). In our searches, we employed the following keywords and their combinations: Outsourcing, information technology, hospital, decision making, and criteria. The preliminary search resulted in 120 articles, which were published between 2000 and 2013 during July 2013. After a careful analysis of the content of each paper, a total of 46 papers were selected based on their relevancy. The criteria and sub-criteria influencing outsourcing decisions in Iranian hospitals were identified in six major categories including administrative issues, issues related to the service/product, technology factors, environmental factors, risks, and economic factors associated with 15 sub-criteria containing business integration, dependence on suppliers, human resources, focus on core competencies, facilities and physical capital, innovation, quality, speed of service delivery, flexibility, market capabilities, geographical location, security, management control, cost, and financial capability. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and effective criteria in IT services supplier selection causes the managers be able to take the most appropriate decision to select supplier of IT services. This is a general review on influencing criteria for electing of supplier of information technology services in hospitals.

  17. ARBA Guide to Biographical Resources 1986-1997.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wick, Robert L., Ed.; Mood, Terry Ann, Ed.

    This guide provides a representative selection of biographical dictionaries and related works useful to the reference and collection development processes in all types of libraries. Three criteria were used in selection: (1) each item included was published within the past 12 years; (2) each item has been included in American Reference Books…

  18. Study for the selection of optimal site in northeastern, Mexico for wind power generation using genetic algorithms.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonzalez, T.; Ruvalcaba, A.; Oliver, L.

    2016-12-01

    The electricity generation from renewable resources has acquired a leading role. Mexico particularrly it has great interest in renewable natural resources for power generation, especially wind energy. Therefore, the country is rapidly entering in the development of wind power generators sites. The development of a wind places as an energy project, does not have a standardized methodology. Techniques vary according to the developer to select the best place to install a wind turbine system. Generally to install the system the developers consider three key factors: 1) the characteristics of the wind, 2) the potential distribution of electricity and 3) transport access to the site. This paper presents a study with a different methodology which is carried out in two stages: the first at regional scale uses "space" and "natural" criteria in order to select a region based on its cartographic features such as politics and physiographic division, location of conservation natural areas, water bodies, urban criteria; and natural criteria such as the amount and direction of the wind, the type and land use, vegetation, topography and biodiversity of the site. The result of the application of these criteria, gives a first optimal selection area. The second part of the methodology includes criteria and variables on detail scale. The analysis of all data information collected will provide new parameters (decision variables) for the site. The overall analysis of the information, based in these criteria, indicates that the best location that the best location of the field would be the southern Coahuila and the central part of Nuevo Leon. The wind power site will contribute to the economy grow of important cities including Monterrey. Finally, computational model of genetic algorithm will be used as a tool to determine the best site selection depending on the parameters considered.

  19. Psychiatric diagnoses in a group of astronaut applicants

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Santy, Patricia A.; Faulk, Dean M.; Holland, Al W.

    1991-01-01

    Between 1959 and 1987, the psychiatric evaluation of astronaut candidates evolved from a 30-h intensive examination evaluating applicants for psychopathology, and studying their performance under stress, to a 2-h clinical interview whose structure and contents were determined by the individual examiner. Evaluations done during these years applied both psychiatric (or, 'select-out') criteria and psychological (or, 'select-in') criteria. In an attempt to more rigorously define the psychiatric, 'select-out' component, a standardized, semistructured clinical interview was developed to identify the presence or history of psychiatric disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Ed. ('DSM-III'). A total of 117 astronaut applicants underwent this clinical interview as part of a comprehensive medical evaluation during a recent astronaut selection. Of the 117 applicants, 9 (7.7 percent) met DSM-III criteria for a variety of Axis I and Axis II diagnoses, including V-code diagnoses.

  20. Practical Guide for the Selection of Audio Visual Media. General Criteria System and Evaluation Procedure for Educational Media Decisions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klepzig, H. J.; Weiss, M.

    Designed to aid in making concrete decisions on the acquisition and use of media, the criteria system and evaluation procedure described is a multiphase, objective-based decision making process. This report includes guidelines for setting up goal systems and developing criteria for the evaluation of media based on a goal system; an outline of…

  1. Including Children with Selective Mutism in Mainstream Schools and Kindergartens: Problems and Possibilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omdal, Heidi

    2008-01-01

    There is little research on inclusion of children with selective mutism in school/kindergarten. Moreover, few studies have tried to understand selectively mute children's interactions in the natural surroundings of their home and school/kindergarten. Five children meeting the DSM-IV criteria for selective mutism were video-observed in social…

  2. Evaluating model structure adequacy: The case of the Maggia Valley groundwater system, southern Switzerland

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hill, Mary C.; L. Foglia,; S. W. Mehl,; P. Burlando,

    2013-01-01

    Model adequacy is evaluated with alternative models rated using model selection criteria (AICc, BIC, and KIC) and three other statistics. Model selection criteria are tested with cross-validation experiments and insights for using alternative models to evaluate model structural adequacy are provided. The study is conducted using the computer codes UCODE_2005 and MMA (MultiModel Analysis). One recharge alternative is simulated using the TOPKAPI hydrological model. The predictions evaluated include eight heads and three flows located where ecological consequences and model precision are of concern. Cross-validation is used to obtain measures of prediction accuracy. Sixty-four models were designed deterministically and differ in representation of river, recharge, bedrock topography, and hydraulic conductivity. Results include: (1) What may seem like inconsequential choices in model construction may be important to predictions. Analysis of predictions from alternative models is advised. (2) None of the model selection criteria consistently identified models with more accurate predictions. This is a disturbing result that suggests to reconsider the utility of model selection criteria, and/or the cross-validation measures used in this work to measure model accuracy. (3) KIC displayed poor performance for the present regression problems; theoretical considerations suggest that difficulties are associated with wide variations in the sensitivity term of KIC resulting from the models being nonlinear and the problems being ill-posed due to parameter correlations and insensitivity. The other criteria performed somewhat better, and similarly to each other. (4) Quantities with high leverage are more difficult to predict. The results are expected to be generally applicable to models of environmental systems.

  3. Criteria for the assessment of analyser practicability

    PubMed Central

    Biosca, C.; Galimany, R.

    1993-01-01

    This article lists the theoretical criteria that need to be considered to assess the practicability of an automatic analyser. Two essential sets of criteria should be taken into account when selecting an automatic analyser: ‘reliability’ and ‘practicability’. Practibility covers the features that provide information about the suitability of an analyser for specific working conditions. These practibility criteria are classsified in this article and include the environment; work organization; versatility and flexibility; safely controls; staff training; maintenance and operational costs. PMID:18924972

  4. Satellite Power System (SPS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edler, H. G.

    1978-01-01

    Potential organizational options for a solar power satellite system (SPS) were investigated. Selection and evaluation criteria were determined to include timeliness, reliability, and adequacy to contribute meaningfully to the U.S. supply; political feasibility (both national and international); and cost effectiveness (including environmental and other external costs). Based on these criteria, four organizational alternatives appeared to offer reasonable promise as potential options for SPS. A large number of key issues emerged as being factors which would influence the final selection process. Among these issues were a variety having to do with international law, international institutions, environmental controls, economics, operational flexibility, congressional policies, commercial-vs-governmental ownership, national dedication, and national and operational stategic issues.

  5. Implementing AORN recommended practices for product selection.

    PubMed

    Conrardy, Julie A

    2012-06-01

    This article focuses on the revised AORN "Recommended practices for product selection in perioperative practice settings." Hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities should have protocols in place for product evaluation that includes a multidisciplinary team approach. The process for product evaluation and selection includes gathering information; establishing consistent requirements for product evaluation; performing a financial impact analysis; investigating a plan to standardize products; conducting an environmental impact analysis; determining whether to purchase single-use, reposable, or reusable products or reprocess single-use devices; developing an evaluation process based on objective criteria; and developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to introduce and use new products. Use of an evaluation tool that is based on objective criteria is one way to obtain valuable input during product evaluations. Because of varied roles and experiences, the perioperative RN is an integral member of the product selection committee. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. Photovoltaic module electrical termination design requirement study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mosna, F. J., Jr.; Donlinger, J.

    1980-01-01

    Pertinent electrical termination attributes were identified and used in the development of selection criteria which included function, environmental durability, utility, manufacturing, code, and cost. Significant aspects of each criteria are discussed, and eight different types of terminations are ranked according to their performance in remote, residential, intermediate, and industrial applications.

  7. SCHOOL LUNCH DESIGN CRITERIA, 1965.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    BAILEY, THOMAS D.

    IN ORDER TO SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR ARCHITECTS, COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS, AND SCHOOL LUNCH SUPERVISORS, THIS REPORT SPECIFIES CRITERIA FOR SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS. AREAS DISCUSSED INCLUDE--(1) SELECTION, PROCUREMENT, AND INSTALLATION OF EQUIPMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE NUMBER OF MEALS TO BE SERVED, (2) REQUIREMENTS FOR FUTURE EXPANSION, (3) SANITATION AND…

  8. Selection of suitable e-learning approach using TOPSIS technique with best ranked criteria weights

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohammed, Husam Jasim; Kasim, Maznah Mat; Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd

    2017-11-01

    This paper compares the performances of four rank-based weighting assessment techniques, Rank Sum (RS), Rank Reciprocal (RR), Rank Exponent (RE), and Rank Order Centroid (ROC) on five identified e-learning criteria to select the best weights method. A total of 35 experts in a public university in Malaysia were asked to rank the criteria and to evaluate five e-learning approaches which include blended learning, flipped classroom, ICT supported face to face learning, synchronous learning, and asynchronous learning. The best ranked criteria weights are defined as weights that have the least total absolute differences with the geometric mean of all weights, were then used to select the most suitable e-learning approach by using TOPSIS method. The results show that RR weights are the best, while flipped classroom approach implementation is the most suitable approach. This paper has developed a decision framework to aid decision makers (DMs) in choosing the most suitable weighting method for solving MCDM problems.

  9. Fastener Design Manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barrett, Richard T.

    1990-01-01

    This manual was written for design engineers to enable them to choose appropriate fasteners for their designs. Subject matter includes fastener material selection, platings, lubricants, corrosion, locking methods, washers, inserts, thread types and classes, fatigue loading, and fastener torque. A section on design criteria covers the derivation of torque formulas, loads on a fastener group, combining simultaneous shear and tension loads, pullout load for tapped holes, grip length, head styles, and fastener strengths. The second half of this manual presents general guidelines and selection criteria for rivets and lockbolts.

  10. Selection. ERIC Processing Manual, Section III.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brandhorst, Ted, Ed.

    Rules and guidelines are provided governing the selection of documents and journal articles to be included in the ERIC database. Selection criteria are described under the five headings: (1) Appropriateness of content/subject matter; (2) Suitability of format, medium, document type; (3) Quality of content; (4) Legibility and reproducibility; (5)…

  11. Drug Dependence and Abuse: A Selected Bibliography.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Inst. on Drug Abuse (DHEW/PHS), Rockville, MD. National Clearinghouse for Drug Abuse Information.

    This selected list of references is designed to provide an introduction to both scientific and popular drug abuse literature. Criteria for selection are presented and include: (1) 1969 or 1970 books by recognized and authoritative writers, (2) current and responsible research, (3) classic books, articles and studies, and (4) factual popular…

  12. 49 CFR 80.15 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 80.15 Section 80.15... § 80.15 Selection criteria. (a) The Secretary shall assign weights as indicated to the following eight selection criteria in evaluating and selecting among eligible projects to receive credit assistance: (1) The...

  13. Translating government policy into recipes for success! Nutrition criteria promoting fruits and vegetables.

    PubMed

    Pollard, Christina M; Nicolson, Clemency; Pulker, Claire E; Binns, Colin W

    2009-01-01

    To develop nutrition criteria consistent with Australian dietary guidelines encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption for branding recipes with the Go for 2&5 campaign message. Dietary policies, guidelines, food selection guides, nutrient targets, existing consumer education programs' nutrition criteria, food habits, and eating styles were reviewed to develop nutrition criteria, which were then used to assess 128 recipes. Perth, Australia. Recipes were analyzed then assessed against criteria for fat, sodium, fiber, energy, added sugar, fruit, vegetables, cereal, and dairy content/per serving. Recipe nutrition criteria were devised, and 128 contemporary industry recipes were evaluated according to developed nutrition criteria. Recipe categories included main meals; light meals (includes breakfast); soups; salads; side dishes; snacks (includes drinks); desserts; bakery; and basic ingredients (eg, stocks, dips, and sauces). Nearly three quarters failed. Excess fat (45%) and sodium (30%) and inadequate cereal (24%) were the main reasons. Only minor modifications were required to meet criteria. "Healthful" recipes promoting fruits and vegetables were often high in fat and sodium and low in cereal content. Nutrition criteria developed for this study provided a practical way of assessing specific meals and snacks according to the dietary guidelines, making them suitable for nutrition promotions.

  14. Genetic improvement of total milk yield and total lactation persistency of the first three lactations in dairy cattle.

    PubMed

    Togashi, K; Lin, C Y

    2008-07-01

    The objective of this study was to compare 6 selection criteria in terms of 3-parity total milk yield and 9 selection criteria in terms of total net merit (H) comprising 3-parity total milk yield and total lactation persistency. The 6 selection criteria compared were as follows: first-parity milk estimated breeding value (EBV; M1), first 2-parity milk EBV (M2), first 3-parity milk EBV (M3), first-parity eigen index (EI(1)), first 2-parity eigen index (EI(2)), and first 3-parity eigen index (EI(3)). The 9 selection criteria compared in terms of H were M1, M2, M3, EI(1), EI(2), EI(3), and first-parity, first 2-parity, and first 3-parity selection indices (I(1), I(2), and I(3), respectively). In terms of total milk yield, selection on M3 or EI(3) achieved the greatest genetic response, whereas selection on EI(1) produced the largest genetic progress per day. In terms of total net merit, selection on I(3) brought the largest response, whereas selection EI(1) yielded the greatest genetic progress per day. A multiple-lactation random regression test-day model simultaneously yields the EBV of the 3 lactations for all animals included in the analysis even though the younger animals do not have the opportunity to complete the first 3 lactations. It is important to use the first 3 lactation EBV for selection decision rather than only the first lactation EBV in spite of the fact that the first-parity selection criteria achieved a faster genetic progress per day than the 3-parity selection criteria. Under a multiple-lactation random regression animal model analysis, the use of the first 3 lactation EBV for selection decision does not prolong the generation interval as compared with the use of only the first lactation EBV. Thus, it is justified to compare genetic response on a lifetime basis rather than on a per-day basis. The results suggest the use of M3 or EI(3) for genetic improvement of total milk yield and the use of I(3) for genetic improvement of total net merit H. Although this study deals with selection for 3-parity milk production, the same principle applies to selection for lifetime milk production.

  15. Ecological criteria for evaluating candidate sites for marine reserves

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Roberts, Callum M.; Andelman, Sandy; Branch, George; Bustamante, Rodrigo H.; Castilla, Juan Carlos; Dugan, Jenifer; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Leslie, Heather; Lubchenco, Jane; McArdle, Deborah; Possingham, Hugh P.; Ruckelshaus, Mary; Warner, Robert R.

    2003-01-01

    Several schemes have been developed to help select the locations of marine reserves. All of them combine social, economic, and biological criteria, and few offer any guidance as to how to prioritize among the criteria identified. This can imply that the relative weights given to different criteria are unimportant. Where two sites are of equal value ecologically, then socioeconomic criteria should dominate the choice of which should be protected. However, in many cases, socioeconomic criteria are given equal or greater weight than ecological considerations in the choice of sites. This can lead to selection of reserves with little biological value that fail to meet many of the desired objectives. To avoid such a possibility, we develop a series of criteria that allow preliminary evaluation of candidate sites according to their relative biological values in advance of the application of socioeconomic criteria. We include criteria that, while not strictly biological, have a strong influence on the species present or ecological processes. Our scheme enables sites to be assessed according to their biodiversity, the processes which underpin that diversity, and the processes that support fisheries and provide a spectrum of other services important to people. Criteria that capture biodiversity values include biogeographic representation, habitat representation and heterogeneity, and presence of species or populations of special interest (e.g., threatened species). Criteria that capture sustainability of biodiversity and fishery values include the size of reserves necessary to protect viable habitats, presence of exploitable species, vulnerable life stages, connectivity among reserves, links among ecosystems, and provision of ecosystem services to people. Criteria measuring human and natural threats enable candidate sites to be eliminated from consideration if risks are too great, but also help prioritize among sites where threats can be mitigated by protection. While our criteria can be applied to the design of reserve networks, they also enable choice of single reserves to be made in the context of the attributes of existing protected areas. The overall goal of our scheme is to promote the development of reserve networks that will maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functioning at large scales. The values of ecosystem goods and services for people ultimately depend on meeting this objective.

  16. GIS analysis of the siting criteria for the Mixed and Low-Level Waste Treatment Facility and the Idaho Waste Processing Facility

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

    Hoskinson, R.L.

    1994-01-01

    This report summarizes a study conducted using the Arc/Info{reg_sign} geographic information system (GIS) to analyze the criteria used for site selection for the Mixed and Low-Level Waste Treatment Facility (MLLWTF) and the Idaho Waste Processing Facility (IWPF). The purpose of the analyses was to determine, based on predefined criteria, the areas on the INEL that best satisfied the criteria. The coverages used in this study were produced by importing the AutoCAD files that produced the maps for a pre site selection draft report into the GIS. The files were then converted to Arc/Info{reg_sign} GIS format. The initial analysis was mademore » by considering all of the criteria as having equal importance in determining the areas of the INEL that would best satisfy the requirements. Another analysis emphasized four of the criteria as ``must`` criteria which had to be satisfied. Additional analyses considered other criteria that were considered for, but not included in the predefined criteria. This GIS analysis of the siting criteria for the IWPF and MLLWTF provides a logical, repeatable, and defensible approach to the determination of candidate locations for the facilities. The results of the analyses support the location of the Candidate Locations.« less

  17. Multi-indication Pharmacotherapeutic Multicriteria Decision Analytic Model for the Comparative Formulary Inclusion of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Qatar.

    PubMed

    Al-Badriyeh, Daoud; Alabbadi, Ibrahim; Fahey, Michael; Al-Khal, Abdullatif; Zaidan, Manal

    2016-05-01

    The formulary inclusion of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the government hospital health services in Qatar is not comparative or restricted. Requests to include a PPI in the formulary are typically accepted if evidence of efficacy and tolerability is presented. There are no literature reports of a PPI scoring model that is based on comparatively weighted multiple indications and no reports of PPI selection in Qatar or the Middle East. This study aims to compare first-line use of the PPIs that exist in Qatar. The economic effect of the study recommendations was also quantified. A comparative, evidence-based multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) model was constructed to follow the multiple indications and pharmacotherapeutic criteria of PPIs. Literature and an expert panel informed the selection criteria of PPIs. Input from the relevant local clinician population steered the relative weighting of selection criteria. Comparatively scored PPIs, exceeding a defined score threshold, were recommended for selection. Weighted model scores were successfully developed, with 95% CI and 5% margin of error. The model comprised 7 main criteria and 38 subcriteria. Main criteria are indication, dosage frequency, treatment duration, best published evidence, available formulations, drug interactions, and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Most weight was achieved for the indications selection criteria. Esomeprazole and rabeprazole were suggested as formulary options, followed by lansoprazole for nonformulary use. The estimated effect of the study recommendations was up to a 15.3% reduction in the annual PPI expenditure. Robustness of study conclusions against variabilities in study inputs was confirmed via sensitivity analyses. The implementation of a locally developed PPI-specific comparative MCDA scoring model, which is multiweighted indication and criteria based, into the Qatari formulary selection practices is a successful evidence-based cost-cutting exercise. Esomeprazole and rabeprazole should be the first-line choice from among the PPIs available at the Qatari government hospital health services. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Selective Mutism: Causes and Interventions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hultquist, Alan M.

    1995-01-01

    This article reviews the literature regarding the diagnostic criteria, causes, assessment, and treatment of selective mutism in school-age children. The most successful treatments have included various forms or combinations of behavior modification, though these may not address the underlying problem. (Author/DB)

  19. Document Delivery: Evaluating the Options.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ward, Suzanne M.

    1997-01-01

    Discusses options available to libraries for document delivery. Topics include users' needs; cost; copyright compliance; traditional interlibrary loan; types of suppliers; selection criteria, including customer service; new developments in interlibrary loan, including outsourcing arrangements; and the need to evaluate suppliers. (LRW)

  20. 78 FR 42099 - Announcement of Requirements and Registration for the “Stay Covered Challenge” and the “Churn...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-15

    ... criteria Analytic design plan includes: selecting sample based on criteria and running descriptive... to behavioral health treatment and recovery. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates... ``Stay Covered Challenge'' calls for the development of a marketing/outreach campaign designed for use by...

  1. Selecting Stories for Multicultural Art Lessons (Kindergarten-2nd Grade Emphasis).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DiSiena, Julie

    Storytelling has cultural roots and this can be employed to teach a culturally pluralistic curriculum. Stories can be selected from a variety of sources and used to match lesson objectives. Criteria for selecting stories should include the authenticity of cultural representation, the amount of cultural information, appropriateness, and the…

  2. What are the qualifications and selection criteria for women to be appointed to society journal editorial boards?

    PubMed

    Tomizawa, Yasuko

    2014-02-01

    Japan ranks extremely low in global ranking of gender equality. It is not easy for female doctors to acquire leadership positions in member societies of the Japanese Association of Medical Science (JAMS). Very few women are included on editorial boards of English medical journals in Japan. Furthermore, until last year, there had been no female editors in English language journals of surgical societies. The qualifications and criteria for selecting editorial board members of medical journals should be clarified. Medical journals in Japan would gain diversity by including women on editorial boards in the same proportion as women membership in the corresponding medical societies.

  3. A Critical Review of Search Strategies Used in Recent Systematic Reviews Published in Selected Prosthodontic and Implant-Related Journals: Are Systematic Reviews Actually Systematic?

    PubMed

    Layton, Danielle

    The aim of this study was to outline how search strategies can be systematic, to examine how the searches in recent systematic reviews in prosthodontic and implant-related journals were structured, and to determine whether the search strategies used in those articles were systematic. A total of 103 articles published as systematic reviews and indexed in Medline between January 2013 and May 2016 were identified from eight prosthodontic and implant journals and reviewed. The search strategies were considered systematic when they met the following criteria: (1) more than one electronic database was searched, (2) more than one searcher was clearly involved, (3) both text words and indexing terms were clearly included in the search strategy, (4) a hand search of selected journals or reference lists was undertaken, (5) gray research was specifically sought, and (6) the articles were published in English and at least one other language. The data were tallied and qualitatively assessed. The majority of articles reported on implants (54%), followed by tooth-supported fixed prosthodontics (13%). A total of 23 different electronic resources were consulted, including Medline (by 100% of articles), the Cochrane Library (52%), and Embase (37%). The majority consulted more than one electronic resource (71%), clearly included more than one searcher (73%), and employed a hand search of either selected journals or reference lists (86%). Less than half used both text words and indexing terms to identify articles (42%), while 15% actively sought gray research. Articles published in languages other than English were considered in 63 reviews, but only 14 had no language restrictions. Of the 103 articles, 5 completed search strategies that met all 6 criteria, and a further 12 met 5 criteria. Two articles did not fulfill any of the criteria. More than 95% of recent prosthodontic and implant review articles published in the selected journals failed to use search strategies that were systematic, and this undermines the conclusions. Many resources are available to help investigators design search strategies for systematic reviews that minimize the risk of omitting important data, including the simple criteria presented in this paper.

  4. The System of Objectified Judgement Analysis (SOJA). A tool in rational drug selection for formulary inclusion.

    PubMed

    Janknegt, R; Steenhoek, A

    1997-04-01

    Rational drug selection for formulary purposes is important. Besides rational selection criteria, other factors play a role in drug decision making, such as emotional, personal financial and even unconscious criteria. It is agreed that these factors should be excluded as much as possible in the decision making process. A model for drug decision making for formulary purposes is described, the System of Objectified Judgement Analysis (SOJA). In the SOJA method, selection criteria for a given group of drugs are prospectively defined and the extent to which each drug fulfils the requirements for each criterion is determined. Each criterion is given a relative weight, i.e. the more important a given selection criterion is considered, the higher the relative weight. Both the relative scores for each drug per selection criterion and the relative weight of each criterion are determined by a panel of experts in this field. The following selection criteria are applied in all SOJA scores: clinical efficacy, incidence and severity of adverse effects, dosage frequency, drug interactions, acquisition cost, documentation, pharmacokinetics and pharmaceutical aspects. Besides these criteria, group specific criteria are also used, such as development of resistance when a SOJA score was made for antimicrobial agents. The relative weight that is assigned to each criterion will always be a subject of discussion. Therefore, interactive software programs for use on a personal computer have been developed, in which the user of the system may enter their own personal relative weight to each selection criterion and make their own personal SOJA score. The main advantage of the SOJA method is that all nonrational selection criteria are excluded and that drug decision making is based solely on rational criteria. The use of the interactive SOJA discs makes the decision process fully transparent as it becomes clear on which criteria and weighting decisions are based. We have seen that the use of this method for drug decision making greatly aids the discussion in the formulary committee, as discussion becomes much more concrete. The SOJA method is time dependent. Documentation on most products is still increasing and the score for this criterion will therefore change continuously. New products are introduced and prices are also subject to change. To overcome the time-dependence of the SOJA method, regular updates of interactive software programs are being made, in which changes in acquisition cost, documentation or a different weighting of criteria are included, as well as newly introduced products. The possibility of changing the official acquisition cost into the actual purchasing costs for the hospital in question provides a tailor-made interactive program.

  5. What criteria do decision makers in Thailand use to set priorities for vaccine introduction?

    PubMed

    Pooripussarakul, Siriporn; Riewpaiboon, Arthorn; Bishai, David; Muangchana, Charung; Tantivess, Sripen

    2016-08-02

    There is a need to identify rational criteria and set priorities for vaccines. In Thailand, many licensed vaccines are being considering for introduction into the Expanded Program on Immunization; thus, the government has to make decisions about which vaccines should be adopted. This study aimed to set priorities for new vaccines and to facilitate decision analysis. We used a best-worst scaling study for rank-ordering of vaccines. The candidate vaccines were determined by a set of criteria, including burden of disease, target age group, budget impact, side effect, effectiveness, severity of disease, and cost of vaccine. The criteria were identified from a literature review and by in-depth, open-ended interviews with experts. The priority-setting model was conducted among three groups of stakeholders, including policy makers, healthcare professionals and healthcare administrators. The vaccine data were mapped and then calculated for the probability of selection. From the candidate vaccines, the probability of hepatitis B vaccine being selected by all respondents (96.67 %) was ranked first. This was followed, respectively, by pneumococcal conjugate vaccine-13 (95.09 %) and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (90.87 %). The three groups of stakeholders (policy makers, healthcare professionals and healthcare administrators) showed the same ranking trends. Most severe disease, high fever rate and high disease burden showed the highest coefficients for criterion levels being selected by all respondents. This result can be implied that a vaccine which can prevent most severe disease with high disease burden and has low safety has a greater chance of being selected by respondents in this study. The priority setting of vaccines through a multiple-criteria approach could contribute to transparency and accountability in the decision-making process. This is a step forward in the development of an evidence-based approach that meets the need of developing country. The methodology is generalizable but its application to another country would require the criteria as relevant to that country.

  6. Blood donor selection in European Union directives: room for improvement

    PubMed Central

    de Kort, Wim; Mayr, Wolfgang; Jungbauer, Christof; Vuk, Tomislav; Kullaste, Riin; Seifried, Erhard; Grazzini, Giuliano; de Wit, Jeroen; Folléa, Gilles

    2016-01-01

    Background Transfusion-transmissible infections have made both blood bankers and health authorities overly cautious. The general public expects and hence reinforces this policy. To obtain a high level of blood product safety, blood and plasma donors have to meet increasingly stringent eligibility criteria; however, it is not known whether this policy translates into improved outcomes for patients. There is a risk that the management of donors does not match the ambition of greater safety for patients. European directives related to the collection process and donor selection will probably be reconsidered in the next few years. Material and methods The development of European directives on donor selection and their basis in the literature were reviewed with an emphasis on the background and considerations for eligibility criteria to be included in the directives. Results The precautionary principle appears to be the predominant reason behind the set of eligibility criteria. However, the formal eligibility criteria, put into force in 2004, do not balance with the developments of the past decade in laboratory tests and measures that have substantially reduced actual infection risks. In no cases were the effects of eligibility criteria on the donor pool and donor well-being quantified. Regional differences in the epidemiology of transfusion-transmissible infections were not taken into consideration either. Discussion First, the Authors promote the collection of epidemiological data on the incidence and prevalence of conditions in the general population and in blood and plasma donors which could pose a risk for transfused patients, in order to use these data as a basis for decision-making in donor-selection policies. Second, the Authors suggest including allowance for differential deferral criteria throughout Europe, based on factual risk levels. There should be an accepted balance between donor and patient welfare, and also between risk to transfusion safety and risk of compromising the blood supply. PMID:26509824

  7. 45 CFR 1634.9 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 1634.9 Section 1634.9 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS § 1634.9 Selection criteria. (a) The criteria to be used to select among...

  8. Alternative microbial methods: An overview and selection criteria.

    PubMed

    Jasson, Vicky; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Luning, Pieternel; Rajkovic, Andreja; Uyttendaele, Mieke

    2010-09-01

    This study provides an overview and criteria for the selection of a method, other than the reference method, for microbial analysis of foods. In a first part an overview of the general characteristics of rapid methods available, both for enumeration and detection, is given with reference to relevant bibliography. Perspectives on future development and the potential of the rapid method for routine application in food diagnostics are discussed. As various alternative "rapid" methods in different formats are available on the market, it can be very difficult for a food business operator or for a control authority to select the most appropriate method which fits its purpose. Validation of a method by a third party, according to international accepted protocol based upon ISO 16140, may increase the confidence in the performance of a method. A list of at the moment validated methods for enumeration of both utility indicators (aerobic plate count) and hygiene indicators (Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase positive Staphylococcus) as well as for detection of the four major pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157 and Campylobacter spp.) is included with reference to relevant websites to check for updates. In a second part of this study, selection criteria are introduced to underpin the choice of the appropriate method(s) for a defined application. The selection criteria link the definition of the context in which the user of the method functions - and thus the prospective use of the microbial test results - with the technical information on the method and its operational requirements and sustainability. The selection criteria can help the end user of the method to obtain a systematic insight into all relevant factors to be taken into account for selection of a method for microbial analysis. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Green supplier selection: a new genetic/immune strategy with industrial application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Amit; Jain, Vipul; Kumar, Sameer; Chandra, Charu

    2016-10-01

    With the onset of the 'climate change movement', organisations are striving to include environmental criteria into the supplier selection process. This article hybridises a Green Data Envelopment Analysis (GDEA)-based approach with a new Genetic/Immune Strategy for Data Envelopment Analysis (GIS-DEA). A GIS-DEA approach provides a different view to solving multi-criteria decision making problems using data envelopment analysis (DEA) by considering DEA as a multi-objective optimisation problem with efficiency as one objective and proximity of solution to decision makers' preferences as the other objective. The hybrid approach called GIS-GDEA is applied here to a well-known automobile spare parts manufacturer in India and the results presented. User validation developed based on specific set of criteria suggests that the supplier selection process with GIS-GDEA is more practical than other approaches in a current industrial scenario with multiple decision makers.

  10. 23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

  11. 23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

  12. 23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

  13. 23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

  14. 23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

  15. Site Selection for the Disposal of LLW in Taiwan

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

    Chuang, W.S.; Chi, L.M.; Tien, N.C.

    2006-07-01

    This paper presents the implementation status of the low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal program in Taiwan, including the disposal facility regulations, status of waste management, final disposal program, licensing procedures, waste acceptance criteria, site selection criteria and processes and preliminary disposal concepts. The first phase of site selection for low-level radioactive waste final disposal in Taiwan was implemented between 1992 and 2002. The site selection process adopted a Geographic Information System (GIS), Hierarchical Analysis System, Expert Evaluation System, and site reconnaissance. An incentive program for voluntary sites was also initiated. After a series of evaluations and discussion of 30 potentialmore » candidate sites, including 8 recommended sites, 5 qualified voluntary townships, and several remote uninhabited small islets, Hsiao-chiou islet was selected as the first priority candidate site in February 1998. The geological investigation work in Hsiao-chiou was conducted from March 1999 through October 2000. An Environmental Impact Statement Report (EIS) and the Investment Feasibility Study Report (IFS) were submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in November 2000 and to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in June 2001, respectively. Unfortunately, the site investigation was discontinued in 2002 due to political and public acceptance consideration. After years of planning, the second phase of the site selection process was launched in August 2004 and will be conducted through 2008. It is planned that a repository will be constructed in early 2009 and start to operate in 2014. The site selection process for the second phase is based on the earlier work and four potential candidate sites were selected for evaluation until 2005. A near surface disposal concept is proposed for a site located in the Taiwan strait, and cavern disposal concepts are proposed for three other sites located on the main island. This paper presents the implementation status of the LLW disposal program in Taiwan, including the disposal facility regulations, status of waste management, final disposal program, licensing procedures, waste acceptance criteria, site selection criteria and processes, and preliminary disposal concepts 'NIMBY' (Not in my backyard) is a critical problem for implementation of the final disposal project. Resistance from local communities has been continuously received during site characterization. To overcome this, an incentive program to encourage community acceptance has been approved by the Government. Programs for community promotion are being proposed and negotiations are also underway. (authors)« less

  16. Race to the Top District Competition: The Data Quality Campaign's Comments on ED's Proposed Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Data Quality Campaign, 2012

    2012-01-01

    The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) submits these comments in response to the US Department of Education's (ED) draft requirements, priorities, selection criteria, and definitions for the Race to the Top District (RTT-D) competition. DQC applauds ED for including the following components of the proposal: (1) Data is acknowledged throughout the…

  17. A Parameter Subset Selection Algorithm for Mixed-Effects Models

    DOE PAGES

    Schmidt, Kathleen L.; Smith, Ralph C.

    2016-01-01

    Mixed-effects models are commonly used to statistically model phenomena that include attributes associated with a population or general underlying mechanism as well as effects specific to individuals or components of the general mechanism. This can include individual effects associated with data from multiple experiments. However, the parameterizations used to incorporate the population and individual effects are often unidentifiable in the sense that parameters are not uniquely specified by the data. As a result, the current literature focuses on model selection, by which insensitive parameters are fixed or removed from the model. Model selection methods that employ information criteria are applicablemore » to both linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models, but such techniques are limited in that they are computationally prohibitive for large problems due to the number of possible models that must be tested. To limit the scope of possible models for model selection via information criteria, we introduce a parameter subset selection (PSS) algorithm for mixed-effects models, which orders the parameters by their significance. In conclusion, we provide examples to verify the effectiveness of the PSS algorithm and to test the performance of mixed-effects model selection that makes use of parameter subset selection.« less

  18. The relevance of "non-criteria" clinical manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome: 14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies Technical Task Force Report on Antiphospholipid Syndrome Clinical Features.

    PubMed

    Abreu, Mirhelen M; Danowski, Adriana; Wahl, Denis G; Amigo, Mary-Carmen; Tektonidou, Maria; Pacheco, Marcelo S; Fleming, Norma; Domingues, Vinicius; Sciascia, Savino; Lyra, Julia O; Petri, Michelle; Khamashta, Munther; Levy, Roger A

    2015-05-01

    The purpose of this task force was to critically analyze nine non-criteria manifestations of APS to support their inclusion as APS classification criteria. The Task Force Members selected the non-criteria clinical manifestations according to their clinical relevance, that is, the patient-important outcome from clinician perspective. They included superficial vein thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, renal microangiopathy, heart valve disease, livedo reticularis, migraine, chorea, seizures and myelitis, which were reviewed by this International Task Force collaboration, in addition to the seronegative APS (SN-APS). GRADE system was used to evaluate the quality of evidence of medical literature of each selected item. This critical appraisal exercise aimed to support the debate regarding the clinical picture of APS. We found that the overall GRADE analysis was very low for migraine and seizures, low for superficial venous thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, chorea, longitudinal myelitis and the so-called seronegative APS and moderate for APS nephropathy, heart valve lesions and livedo reticularis. The next step can be a critical redefinition of an APS gold standard, for instance derived from the APS ACTION registry that will include not only current APS patients but also those with antiphospholipid antibodies not meeting current classification criteria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Development and Exchange of Instructional Resources in Water Quality Control Programs, III: Selecting Audio-Visual Equipment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moon, Donald K.

    This document is one in a series of reports which reviews instructional materials and equipment and offers suggestions about how to select equipment. Topics discussed include: (1) the general criteria for audio-visual equipment selection such as performance, safety, comparability, sturdiness and repairability; and (2) specific equipment criteria…

  20. Identification of multi-criteria for supplier selection in IT project outsourcing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fusiripong, Prashaya; Baharom, Fauziah; Yusof, Yuhanis

    2017-10-01

    In the increasing global business competitiveness, most organizations have attempted to determine the suitable external parties to support their core and non-core competency, particularly, in IT project outsourcing. The IT supplier selection is required to apply multi-criteria which comprised tangible criteria and intangible criteria in consider optimal IT supplier. Most researches attempted to identify optimal criteria for selecting IT supplier, however, the criteria cannot be the considered common criteria support the variety of IT outsourcing. Therefore, the study aimed to identify a common set of criteria being used in the various types of IT outsourcing. The common criteria are constructed by multi-criteria and success criteria, which were collected by literature review with comprehensive and comparative approach. Consequently, the researchers are able to identify a common set of criteria adopted in the variety of selection problem IT outsourcing supplier.

  1. 48 CFR 236.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 236.602-1 Section 236.602-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM... Architect-Engineer Services 236.602-1 Selection criteria. (a) Establish the evaluation criteria before...

  2. Photovoltaic system criteria documents. Volume 2: Quality assurance criteria for photovoltaic applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    1979-01-01

    Quality assurance criteria are described for manufacturers and installers of solar photovoltaic tests and applications. Quality oriented activities are outlined to be pursued by the contractor/subcontractor to assure the physical and operational quality of equipment produced is included. In the broad sense, guidelines are provided for establishing a QA organization if none exists. Mainly, criteria is provided to be considered in any PV quality assurance plan selected as appropriate by the responsible Field Center. A framework is established for a systematic approach to ensure that photovoltaic tests and applications are constructed in a timely and cost effective manner.

  3. 40 CFR 64.3 - Monitoring design criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... indicators of emission control performance for the control device, any associated capture system and, if.... Indicators of performance may include, but are not limited to, direct or predicted emissions (including...(s) or designated condition(s) for the selected indicator(s) such that operation within the ranges...

  4. Endovascular treatment of thoracic disease: patient selection and a proposal of a risk score.

    PubMed

    Rodrigues Alves, Claudia Maria; da Fonseca, José Honório Palma; de Souza, José Augusto Marcondes; Camargo Carvalho, Antonio Carlos; Buffolo, Enio

    2002-04-01

    Although selection criteria and subgroup analysis are still in the early developmental stages, endovascular treatment of aortic disease has become an alternative to surgery for many patients. From November 1996 to November 1999, 49 patients were treated with a self-expandable endoprosthesis at our institution. Most patients had acute aortic dissections. Thirteen of these patients did not follow the anatomic selection protocol. We retrospectively analyzed these patients to compare our numerical risk score (which includes clinical and anatomic criteria) between groups with or without success and between groups that followed the anatomic protocol (P) or did not follow the anatomic protocol (E [exception]). Success rates were similar in groups P and E, although mortality rates were higher in group E. Patients from group E had longer procedures and required multiple stents more frequently. The proposed risk score was able to differentiate between groups with or without success, as well as between groups P and E. In order to reduce mortality and morbidity rates, careful selection criteria must be followed when treating patients endovascularly. Although it is time-consuming, using objective criteria can help select patients for endovascular treatment. We propose that patients with a risk score higher than 11 should only undergo percutaneous treatment when they have an unacceptably high surgical risk, and even so only after a detailed discussion of the risks.

  5. Commercial Sensory Survey Radiation Testing Progress Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Becker, Heidi N.; Dolphic, Michael D.; Thorbourn, Dennis O.; Alexander, James W.; Salomon, Phil M.

    2008-01-01

    The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program Sensor Technology Commercial Sensor Survey task is geared toward benefiting future NASA space missions with low-cost, short-duty-cycle, visible imaging needs. Such applications could include imaging for educational outreach purposes or short surveys of spacecraft, planetary, or lunar surfaces. Under the task, inexpensive commercial grade CMOS sensors were surveyed in fiscal year 2007 (FY07) and three sensors were selected for total ionizing dose (TID) and displacement damage dose (DDD) tolerance testing. The selected sensors had to meet selection criteria chosen to support small, low-mass cameras that produce good resolution color images. These criteria are discussed in detail in [1]. This document discusses the progress of radiation testing on the Micron and OmniVision sensors selected in FY07 for radiation tolerance testing.

  6. DESIGN CRITERIA FOR FUEL DISSOLUTION SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED SERVICE FACILITIES. PLANT MODIFICATIONS FOR REPROCESSING NON-PRODUCTION REACTOR FUELS. PROJECT CGC-830

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

    Bierman, S.R.; Graf, W.A.; Kass, M.

    1960-07-29

    Design panameters are presented for phases of the facility to reprocess low-enrichment fuels from nonproduction reactors. Included are plant flowsheets and equipment layouts for fuel element dissolution, centrifugation, solution adjustment, and waste handling. Also included are the basic design criteria for the supporting facilities which service these phases and all other facilites located in the vicinity of the selected building (Bldg. 221-U). (J.R.D.)

  7. Robustness. [in space systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ryan, Robert

    1993-01-01

    The concept of rubustness includes design simplicity, component and path redundancy, desensitization to the parameter and environment variations, control of parameter variations, and punctual operations. These characteristics must be traded with functional concepts, materials, and fabrication approach against the criteria of performance, cost, and reliability. The paper describes the robustness design process, which includes the following seven major coherent steps: translation of vision into requirements, definition of the robustness characteristics desired, criteria formulation of required robustness, concept selection, detail design, manufacturing and verification, operations.

  8. Planning Ahead by Thinking Backwards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmer, Lesley S. J.

    1996-01-01

    Suggests evaluation criteria for selecting CD-ROMs and describes some typical titles along with examples of learning activities. Highlights include reference titles, including encyclopedias, magazine indexes, newspaper databases, subject-specific indexes, timetables and almanacs, and atlases; and curriculum-specific titles. (LRW)

  9. 34 CFR 75.210 - General selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... for research activities, and the use of appropriate theoretical and methodological tools, including... project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement...

  10. 34 CFR 75.210 - General selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... for research activities, and the use of appropriate theoretical and methodological tools, including... project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement...

  11. 34 CFR 75.210 - General selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... for research activities, and the use of appropriate theoretical and methodological tools, including... project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement...

  12. 34 CFR 75.210 - General selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... for research activities, and the use of appropriate theoretical and methodological tools, including... project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement...

  13. 34 CFR 75.210 - General selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... for research activities, and the use of appropriate theoretical and methodological tools, including... project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement...

  14. 15 CFR 295.6 - Criteria for selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... innovation, the technical approach, major technical hurdles, the attendant risks, and clearly establish... project and project's organizational structure and management plan, including the extent to which...

  15. [Development of a consented set of criteria to evaluate post-rehabilitation support services].

    PubMed

    Parzanka, Susanne; Himstedt, Christian; Deck, Ruth

    2015-01-01

    Existing rehabilitation aftercare offers in Germany are heterogeneous, and there is a lack of transparency in terms of indications and methods as well as of (nationwide) availability and financial coverage. Also, there is no systematic and transparent synopsis. To close this gap a systematic review was conducted and a web-based database created for post-rehabilitation support. To allow a consistent assessment of the included aftercare offers, a quality profile of universally valid criteria was developed. This paper aims to outline the scientific approach. The procedure adapts the RAND/UCLA method, with the participation of the advisory board of the ReNa project. Preparations for the set included systematic searches in order to find possible criteria to assess the quality of aftercare offers. These criteria first were collected without any pre-selection involved. Every item of the adjusted collection was evaluated by every single member of the advisory board considering the topics "relevance", "feasibility" and "suitability for public coverage". Interpersonal analysis was conducted by relating the median and classification into consensus and dissent. All items that were considered to be "relevant" and "feasible" in the three stages of consensus building and deemed "suitable for public coverage" were transferred into the final set of criteria (ReNa set). A total of 82 publications were selected out of the 656 findings taken into account, which delivered 3,603 criteria of possible initial relevance. After a further removal of 2,598 redundant criteria, the panel needed to assess a set of 1,005 items. Finally we performed a quality assessment of aftercare offers using a set of 35 descriptive criteria merged into 8 conceptual clusters. The consented ReNa set of 35 items delivers a first generally valid tool to describe quality of structures, standards and processes of aftercare offers. So finally, the project developed into a complete collection of profiles characterizing each post-rehabilitation support service included in the database. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  16. Fuzzy weighted average based on left and right scores in Malaysia tourism industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamis, Nor Hanimah; Abdullah, Kamilah; Zulkifli, Muhammad Hazim; Sahlan, Shahrazali; Mohd Yunus, Syaizzal

    2013-04-01

    Tourism is known as an important sector to the Malaysian economy including economic generator, creating business and job offers. It is reported to bring in almost RM30 billion of the national income, thanks to intense worldwide promotion by Tourism Malaysia. One of the well-known attractions in Malaysia is our beautiful islands. The islands continue to be developed into tourist spots and attracting a continuous number of tourists. Chalets, luxury bungalows and resorts quickly develop along the coastlines of popular islands like Tioman, Redang, Pangkor, Perhentian, Sibu and so many others. In this study, we applied Fuzzy Weighted Average (FWA) method based on left and right scores in order to determine the criteria weights and to select the best island in Malaysia. Cost, safety, attractive activities, accommodation and scenery are five main criteria to be considered and five selected islands in Malaysia are taken into accounts as alternatives. The most important criteria that have been considered by the tourist are defined based on criteria weights ranking order and the best island in Malaysia is then determined in terms of FWA values. This pilot study can be used as a reference to evaluate performances or solving any selection problems, where more criteria, alternatives and decision makers will be considered in the future.

  17. 7 CFR 1948.80 - Planning grant selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... financial resources available for such planning; (d) The planning priorities and recommended funding level... 7 Agriculture 13 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Planning grant selection criteria. 1948.80 Section... Development Assistance Program § 1948.80 Planning grant selection criteria. The following criteria will be...

  18. Criteria for Developing a Successful Privatization Project

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-05-01

    conceptualization and planning are required when pursuing privatization projects. In fact, privatization project proponents need to know how to...selection of projects for analysis, methods of acquiring information about these projects, and the analysis framwork . Chapter IV includes the analysis. A...performed an analysis to determine cormion conceptual and creative approaches and lessons learned. This analysis was then used to develop criteria for

  19. Selection of Children for the KEEP Demonstration School: Criteria, Procedures, and Results. Technical Report #13.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mays, Violet; And Others

    This brief report describes the selection of the pupil population of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) Demonstration School. The pupil population must be representative of the Kalihi community (an urban area of Honolulu) from which it is drawn. An attempt was made to include 75% Hawaiian and 25 % Non-Hawaiian children, to select equal…

  20. 34 CFR 421.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    .... (c) Plan of operation. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including the extent to which— (1) The plan of management will... are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (d...

  1. 34 CFR 421.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    .... (c) Plan of operation. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including the extent to which— (1) The plan of management will... are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (d...

  2. 34 CFR 421.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    .... (c) Plan of operation. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including the extent to which— (1) The plan of management will... are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (d...

  3. The Efficacy of Shared Reading with Teens.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hicks, Karen; Wadlington, Beth

    An instructional strategy adapted the Big Book reading experience to the adolescent student to increase enthusiasm for reading, vocabulary development, and sound word attack and comprehension strategies. Criteria for choosing books to read aloud with teenagers include: (1) select well written books; (2) select books that reflect students'…

  4. Promoting Educational Equity through School Libraries. Module 3: Sex-Fair Instructional Materials.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nilsen, Alleen Pace; Tyler, Karen Beyard

    The sex-fair characteristics which school librarians and media specialists should look for in the content, language, and illustrations when selecting instructional materials are described in this third learning module of an inservice continuing education program. Recommended criteria for selection include the portrayal of approximately equal…

  5. Methods Used in a Recent Computer Selection Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Botten, LeRoy H.

    A study was conducted at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan to determine selection of a computer for both academic and administrative purposes. The university has a total enrollment of 2,100 students and includes a college, graduate school and seminary. An initial feasibility study delineated criteria and desirable components of the…

  6. The Performance of IRT Model Selection Methods with Mixed-Format Tests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittaker, Tiffany A.; Chang, Wanchen; Dodd, Barbara G.

    2012-01-01

    When tests consist of multiple-choice and constructed-response items, researchers are confronted with the question of which item response theory (IRT) model combination will appropriately represent the data collected from these mixed-format tests. This simulation study examined the performance of six model selection criteria, including the…

  7. Does Residency Selection Criteria Predict Performance in Orthopaedic Surgery Residency?

    PubMed

    Raman, Tina; Alrabaa, Rami George; Sood, Amit; Maloof, Paul; Benevenia, Joseph; Berberian, Wayne

    2016-04-01

    More than 1000 candidates applied for orthopaedic residency positions in 2014, and the competition is intense; approximately one-third of the candidates failed to secure a position in the match. However, the criteria used in the selection process often are subjective and studies have differed in terms of which criteria predict either objective measures or subjective ratings of resident performance by faculty. Do preresidency selection factors serve as predictors of success in residency? Specifically, we asked which preresidency selection factors are associated or correlated with (1) objective measures of resident knowledge and performance; and (2) subjective ratings by faculty. Charts of 60 orthopaedic residents from our institution were reviewed. Preresidency selection criteria examined included United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 scores, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, number of clinical clerkship honors, number of letters of recommendation, number of away rotations, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) honor medical society membership, fourth-year subinternship at our institution, and number of publications. Resident performance was assessed using objective measures including American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Part I scores and Orthopaedics In-Training Exam (OITE) scores and subjective ratings by faculty including global evaluation scores and faculty rankings of residents. We tested associations between preresidency criteria and the subsequent objective and subjective metrics using linear correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney tests when appropriate. Objective measures of resident performance namely, ABOS Part I scores, had a moderate linear correlation with the USMLE Step 2 scores (r = 0.55, p < 0.001) and number of clinical honors received in medical school (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). OITE scores had a weak linear correlation with the number of clinical honors (r = 0.35, p = 0.009) and USMLE Step 2 scores (r = 0.29, p = 0.02). With regards to subjective outcomes, AOA membership was associated with higher scores on the global evaluation (p = 0.005). AOA membership also correlated with higher global evaluation scores (r = 0.60, p = 0.005) with the strongest correlation existing between AOA membership and the "interpersonal and communication skills" subsection of the global evaluations. We found that USMLE Step 2, number of honors in medical school clerkships, and AOA membership demonstrated the strongest correlations with resident performance. Our goal in analyzing these data was to provide residency programs at large a sense of which criteria may be "high yield" in ranking applicants by analyzing data from within our own pool of residents. Similar studies across a broader scope of programs are warranted to confirm applicability of our findings. The continually emerging complexities of the field of orthopaedic surgery lend increasing importance to future work on the appropriate selection and training of orthopaedic residents.

  8. Optimized probability sampling of study sites to improve generalizability in a multisite intervention trial.

    PubMed

    Kraschnewski, Jennifer L; Keyserling, Thomas C; Bangdiwala, Shrikant I; Gizlice, Ziya; Garcia, Beverly A; Johnston, Larry F; Gustafson, Alison; Petrovic, Lindsay; Glasgow, Russell E; Samuel-Hodge, Carmen D

    2010-01-01

    Studies of type 2 translation, the adaption of evidence-based interventions to real-world settings, should include representative study sites and staff to improve external validity. Sites for such studies are, however, often selected by convenience sampling, which limits generalizability. We used an optimized probability sampling protocol to select an unbiased, representative sample of study sites to prepare for a randomized trial of a weight loss intervention. We invited North Carolina health departments within 200 miles of the research center to participate (N = 81). Of the 43 health departments that were eligible, 30 were interested in participating. To select a representative and feasible sample of 6 health departments that met inclusion criteria, we generated all combinations of 6 from the 30 health departments that were eligible and interested. From the subset of combinations that met inclusion criteria, we selected 1 at random. Of 593,775 possible combinations of 6 counties, 15,177 (3%) met inclusion criteria. Sites in the selected subset were similar to all eligible sites in terms of health department characteristics and county demographics. Optimized probability sampling improved generalizability by ensuring an unbiased and representative sample of study sites.

  9. Selection of oleaginous yeasts for fatty acid production.

    PubMed

    Lamers, Dennis; van Biezen, Nick; Martens, Dirk; Peters, Linda; van de Zilver, Eric; Jacobs-van Dreumel, Nicole; Wijffels, René H; Lokman, Christien

    2016-05-27

    Oleaginous yeast species are an alternative for the production of lipids or triacylglycerides (TAGs). These yeasts are usually non-pathogenic and able to store TAGs ranging from 20 % to 70 % of their cell mass depending on culture conditions. TAGs originating from oleaginous yeasts can be used as the so-called second generation biofuels, which are based on non-food competing "waste carbon sources". In this study the selection of potentially new interesting oleaginous yeast strains is described. Important selection criteria were: a broad maximum temperature and pH range for growth (robustness of the strain), a broad spectrum of carbon sources that can be metabolized (preferably including C-5 sugars), a high total fatty acid content in combination with a low glycogen content and genetic accessibility. Based on these selection criteria, among 24 screened species, Schwanniomyces occidentalis (Debaromyces occidentalis) CBS2864 was selected as a promising strain for the production of high amounts of lipids.

  10. Methodology of functionality selection for water management software and examples of its application.

    PubMed

    Vasilyev, K N

    2013-01-01

    When developing new software products and adapting existing software, project leaders have to decide which functionalities to keep, adapt or develop. They have to consider that the cost of making errors during the specification phase is extremely high. In this paper a formalised approach is proposed that considers the main criteria for selecting new software functions. The application of this approach minimises the chances of making errors in selecting the functions to apply. Based on the work on software development and support projects in the area of water resources and flood damage evaluation in economic terms at CH2M HILL (the developers of the flood modelling package ISIS), the author has defined seven criteria for selecting functions to be included in a software product. The approach is based on the evaluation of the relative significance of the functions to be included into the software product. Evaluation is achieved by considering each criterion and the weighting coefficients of each criterion in turn and applying the method of normalisation. This paper includes a description of this new approach and examples of its application in the development of new software products in the are of the water resources management.

  11. Review: Towards the agroecological management of ruminants, pigs and poultry through the development of sustainable breeding programmes: I-selection goals and criteria.

    PubMed

    Phocas, F; Belloc, C; Bidanel, J; Delaby, L; Dourmad, J Y; Dumont, B; Ezanno, P; Fortun-Lamothe, L; Foucras, G; Frappat, B; González-García, E; Hazard, D; Larzul, C; Lubac, S; Mignon-Grasteau, S; Moreno, C R; Tixier-Boichard, M; Brochard, M

    2016-11-01

    Agroecology uses natural processes and local resources rather than chemical inputs to ensure production while limiting the environmental footprint of livestock and crop production systems. Selecting to achieve a maximization of target production criteria has long proved detrimental to fitness traits. However, since the 1990s, developments in animal breeding have also focussed on animal robustness by balancing production and functional traits within overall breeding goals. We discuss here how an agroecological perspective should further shift breeding goals towards functional traits rather than production traits. Breeding for robustness aims to promote individual adaptive capacities by considering diverse selection criteria which include reproduction, animal health and welfare, and adaptation to rough feed resources, a warm climate or fluctuating environmental conditions. It requires the consideration of genotype×environment interactions in the prediction of breeding values. Animal performance must be evaluated in low-input systems in order to select those animals that are adapted to limiting conditions, including feed and water availability, climate variations and diseases. Finally, we argue that there is no single agroecological animal type, but animals with a variety of profiles that can meet the expectations of agroecology. The standardization of both animals and breeding conditions indeed appears contradictory to the agroecological paradigm that calls for an adaptation of animals to local opportunities and constraints in weakly artificialized systems tied to their physical environment.

  12. 78 FR 54588 - Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria: Race to the Top-District...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-05

    ..., and the following three paragraphs: These final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection... Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria: Race to the Top--District Program; Correction..., requirements, definitions, and selection criteria; correction. SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education is...

  13. POPI (Pediatrics: Omission of Prescriptions and Inappropriate Prescriptions): Development of a Tool to Identify Inappropriate Prescribing

    PubMed Central

    Prot-Labarthe, Sonia; Weil, Thomas; Angoulvant, François; Boulkedid, Rym; Alberti, Corinne; Bourdon, Olivier

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Rational prescribing for children is an issue for all countries and has been inadequately studied. Inappropriate prescriptions, including drug omissions, are one of the main causes of medication errors in this population. Our aim is to develop a screening tool to identify omissions and inappropriate prescriptions in pediatrics based on French and international guidelines. Methods A selection of diseases was included in the tool using data from social security and hospital statistics. A literature review was done to obtain criteria which could be included in the tool called POPI. A 2-round-Delphi consensus technique was used to establish the content validity of POPI; panelists were asked to rate their level of agreement with each proposition on a 9-point Likert scale and add suggestions if necessary. Results 108 explicit criteria (80 inappropriate prescriptions and 28 omissions) were obtained and submitted to a 16-member expert panel (8 pharmacists, 8 pediatricians hospital-based −50%- or working in community −50%-). Criteria were categorized according to the main physiological systems (gastroenterology, respiratory infections, pain, neurology, dermatology and miscellaneous). Each criterion was accompanied by a concise explanation as to why the practice is potentially inappropriate in pediatrics (including references). Two round of Delphi process were completed via an online questionnaire. 104 out of the 108 criteria submitted to experts were selected after 2 Delphi rounds (79 inappropriate prescriptions and 25 omissions). Discussion Conclusion POPI is the first screening-tool develop to detect inappropriate prescriptions and omissions in pediatrics based on explicit criteria. Inter-user reliability study is necessary before using the tool, and prospective study to assess the effectiveness of POPI is also necessary. PMID:24978045

  14. 36 CFR 230.5 - Ranking criteria and proposal selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., and wildlife habitat; (iii) Benefits from forest-based experiential learning, including K-12... from serving as replicable models of effective forest stewardship for private landowners; and (v...

  15. 36 CFR 230.5 - Ranking criteria and proposal selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., and wildlife habitat; (iii) Benefits from forest-based experiential learning, including K-12... from serving as replicable models of effective forest stewardship for private landowners; and (v...

  16. 36 CFR 230.5 - Ranking criteria and proposal selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., and wildlife habitat; (iii) Benefits from forest-based experiential learning, including K-12... from serving as replicable models of effective forest stewardship for private landowners; and (v...

  17. Communicating ecological importance in a risk-based world: linking numeric nutrient criteria to waterbody expectations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaufman, G.; Crawford, T. N.

    2016-12-01

    To protect the integrity of US waters, the Clean Water Act calls for the development of water quality standards. One key component of standards is limits for pollutants, known as water quality criteria. A cornerstone of deriving water quality criteria is determining how nutrients and other chemicals affect the goals for a waterbody set by a state or tribe, known as designated uses. By establishing a quantifiable and predictable relationship between nutrients and nutrient sensitive organisms and processes, known as assessment endpoints, researchers can help policy makers to address the consequences of pollution in a risk-based, understandable way tied to the goals for a waterbody. Furthermore, public buy-in and effectiveness of criteria can be enhanced by using endpoints to show the connection between nutrient pollution and the uses of waters that are important to the public. This talk will communicate the work done by the US Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with state, federal, and academic partners to explore the connections between biological and ecological responses and nutrient pollution to derive numeric nutrient criteria in estuarine and coastal waters. The presentation will examine the variety of endpoints that have been used in the work of various research efforts and assessment frameworks. Examples will also be given of numeric nutrient criteria development using assessment endpoints and some of the key decisions that were made during endpoint selection and criteria development will be discussed. Aspects of those decisions that will be presented include development of selection factors for endpoints, data considerations when selecting endpoints, and spatial and temporal representation of endpoints for criteria development. Promising endpoints and future research needs will also be highlighted.

  18. Communicating ecological importance in a risk-based world: linking numeric nutrient criteria to waterbody expectations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaufman, G.; Crawford, T. N.

    2016-02-01

    To protect the integrity of US waters, the Clean Water Act calls for the development of water quality standards. One key component of standards is limits for pollutants, known as water quality criteria. A cornerstone of deriving water quality criteria is determining how nutrients and other chemicals affect the goals for a waterbody set by a state or tribe, known as designated uses. By establishing a quantifiable and predictable relationship between nutrients and nutrient sensitive organisms and processes, known as assessment endpoints, researchers can help policy makers to address the consequences of pollution in a risk-based, understandable way tied to the goals for a waterbody. Furthermore, public buy-in and effectiveness of criteria can be enhanced by using endpoints to show the connection between nutrient pollution and the uses of waters that are important to the public. This talk will communicate the work done by the US Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with state, federal, and academic partners to explore the connections between biological and ecological responses and nutrient pollution to derive numeric nutrient criteria in estuarine and coastal waters. The presentation will examine the variety of endpoints that have been used in the work of various research efforts and assessment frameworks. Examples will also be given of numeric nutrient criteria development using assessment endpoints and some of the key decisions that were made during endpoint selection and criteria development will be discussed. Aspects of those decisions that will be presented include development of selection factors for endpoints, data considerations when selecting endpoints, and spatial and temporal representation of endpoints for criteria development. Promising endpoints and future research needs will also be highlighted.

  19. Minimizing impacts of land use change on ecosystem services using multi-criteria heuristic analysis.

    PubMed

    Keller, Arturo A; Fournier, Eric; Fox, Jessica

    2015-06-01

    Development of natural landscapes to support human activities impacts the capacity of the landscape to provide ecosystem services. Typically, several ecosystem services are impacted at a single development site and various footprint scenarios are possible, thus a multi-criteria analysis is needed. Restoration potential should also be considered for the area surrounding the permanent impact site. The primary objective of this research was to develop a heuristic approach to analyze multiple criteria (e.g. impacts to various ecosystem services) in a spatial configuration with many potential development sites. The approach was to: (1) quantify the magnitude of terrestrial ecosystem service (biodiversity, carbon sequestration, nutrient and sediment retention, and pollination) impacts associated with a suite of land use change scenarios using the InVEST model; (2) normalize results across categories of ecosystem services to allow cross-service comparison; (3) apply the multi-criteria heuristic algorithm to select sites with the least impact to ecosystem services, including a spatial criterion (separation between sites). As a case study, the multi-criteria impact minimization algorithm was applied to InVEST output to select 25 potential development sites out of 204 possible locations (selected by other criteria) within a 24,000 ha property. This study advanced a generally applicable spatial multi-criteria approach for 1) considering many land use footprint scenarios, 2) balancing impact decisions across a suite of ecosystem services, and 3) determining the restoration potential of ecosystem services after impacts. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  20. Choosing plants to be grown in a Controlled Environment Life Support System (CELSS) based upon attractive vegetarian diets.

    PubMed

    Salisbury, F B; Clark, M A

    1996-01-01

    Space explorers on the Moon, Mars, or even in a space craft might grow plants in a CELSS to remove CO2 and provide O2 and food. Selection of crops to be studied has been rather arbitrary but should be based on plants that can provide a balanced and attractive, mostly vegetarian diet. Additional selection criteria include ease of growth in artificial environments and sufficient variety provided over long intervals. This article is based on a workshop convened to study vegetarian diets for use in a CELSS. Participants included nutritional scientists, practicing vegetarians, and interested employees of the Johnson Space Center. It was concluded that diets meeting the criteria could be formulated, and a list of suitable crops was compiled.

  1. 29 CFR 1926.1414 - Wire rope-selection and installation criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 8 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Wire rope-selection and installation criteria. 1926.1414... Derricks in Construction § 1926.1414 Wire rope—selection and installation criteria. (a) Original equipment wire rope and replacement wire rope must be selected and installed in accordance with the requirements...

  2. 34 CFR 75.211 - Selection criteria for unsolicited applications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Selection criteria for unsolicited applications. 75.211 Section 75.211 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education DIRECT GRANT PROGRAMS How Grants Are Made Selection of New Projects § 75.211 Selection criteria for unsolicited applications. (a) If...

  3. Proposal for new selection criteria considering pre-transplant muscularity and visceral adiposity in living donor liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Hamaguchi, Yuhei; Kaido, Toshimi; Okumura, Shinya; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Shirai, Hisaya; Yao, Siyuan; Yagi, Shintaro; Kamo, Naoko; Okajima, Hideaki; Uemoto, Shinji

    2018-04-01

    The significance of pre-operative body composition has recently attracted much attention in various diseases. However, cut-off values for these parameters remain undetermined, and these factors are not currently included in selection criteria for recipients of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Using computed tomography of 657 donors for LDLT, skeletal muscle mass, muscle quality, and visceral adiposity were evaluated by using skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC), and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR). Sex-specific cut-offs for SMI, IMAC, and VSR were determined, and correlations with outcomes after LDLT in 277 recipients were examined with the aim of establishing new selection criteria for LDLT. On the basis of younger donor data, we determined sex-specific cut-off values for low SMI, high IMAC, and high VSR (mean ± 2 standard deviations). Patients with all three factors showed the lowest survival rate after LDLT (1 year survival rate, 41.2%; P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, low SMI (P = 0.002), high IMAC (P = 0.002), and high VSR (P = 0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for mortality after LDLT. Based on these findings, we have excluded patients showing all three factors (low SMI, high IMAC, and high VSR) as candidates for LDLT since October 2016. Using cut-off values determined from healthy donors, we have established new selection criteria for LDLT including body composition, which should improve post-transplant outcomes. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders.

  4. Choices, choices: the application of multi-criteria decision analysis to a food safety decision-making problem.

    PubMed

    Fazil, A; Rajic, A; Sanchez, J; McEwen, S

    2008-11-01

    In the food safety arena, the decision-making process can be especially difficult. Decision makers are often faced with social and fiscal pressures when attempting to identify an appropriate balance among several choices. Concurrently, policy and decision makers in microbial food safety are under increasing pressure to demonstrate that their policies and decisions are made using transparent and accountable processes. In this article, we present a multi-criteria decision analysis approach that can be used to address the problem of trying to select a food safety intervention while balancing various criteria. Criteria that are important when selecting an intervention were determined, as a result of an expert consultation, to include effectiveness, cost, weight of evidence, and practicality associated with the interventions. The multi-criteria decision analysis approach we present is able to consider these criteria and arrive at a ranking of interventions. It can also provide a clear justification for the ranking as well as demonstrate to stakeholders, through a scenario analysis approach, how to potentially converge toward common ground. While this article focuses on the problem of selecting food safety interventions, the range of applications in the food safety arena is truly diverse and can be a significant tool in assisting decisions that need to be coherent, transparent, and justifiable. Most importantly, it is a significant contributor when there is a need to strike a fine balance between various potentially competing alternatives and/or stakeholder groups.

  5. 48 CFR 936.602-70 - DOE selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... the firm and its principal members; (2) Experience and technical competence of the firm in comparable... organizations, consulting firms etc.) including key personnel and a competent supervising representative. (c...

  6. 48 CFR 936.602-70 - DOE selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... the firm and its principal members; (2) Experience and technical competence of the firm in comparable... organizations, consulting firms etc.) including key personnel and a competent supervising representative. (c...

  7. 48 CFR 936.602-70 - DOE selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... the firm and its principal members; (2) Experience and technical competence of the firm in comparable... organizations, consulting firms etc.) including key personnel and a competent supervising representative. (c...

  8. 48 CFR 936.602-70 - DOE selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... the firm and its principal members; (2) Experience and technical competence of the firm in comparable... organizations, consulting firms etc.) including key personnel and a competent supervising representative. (c...

  9. 48 CFR 936.602-70 - DOE selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... the firm and its principal members; (2) Experience and technical competence of the firm in comparable... organizations, consulting firms etc.) including key personnel and a competent supervising representative. (c...

  10. The Processes that Promote Learning in Adult Mentoring and Coaching Dyadic Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marx, Michael J.

    2009-01-01

    This is a study of 10 adults participating in one-to-one mentoring and/or coaching. Participants were selected for interviewing through a purposive sampling process from leading international mentoring and coaching organizations. Selection criteria included (a) being an adult, (b) participating in a dyadic learning, and (c) regarding that…

  11. The Distance Education and Training Council Salutes the 1997 Outstanding Graduates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council, Washington, DC.

    This booklet recognizes the achievements of 23 exceptional distance study graduates who were selected by the distance education institutions they attended. Selection criteria include the graduates' academic records and the level and quality of their contribution to society and to their chosen profession. Brief biographies are provided for the 23…

  12. 34 CFR 377.11 - What is the content of an application for an award?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., including assisting the Department's contractor in selecting and obtaining data for a control group established through random assignment or by the selection of a matched comparison group; and (5) Individuals... any quality assurance and cost-control criteria established by the State; (5) The manner in which the...

  13. 34 CFR 377.11 - What is the content of an application for an award?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., including assisting the Department's contractor in selecting and obtaining data for a control group established through random assignment or by the selection of a matched comparison group; and (5) Individuals... any quality assurance and cost-control criteria established by the State; (5) The manner in which the...

  14. 34 CFR 377.11 - What is the content of an application for an award?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ..., including assisting the Department's contractor in selecting and obtaining data for a control group established through random assignment or by the selection of a matched comparison group; and (5) Individuals... any quality assurance and cost-control criteria established by the State; (5) The manner in which the...

  15. 34 CFR 377.11 - What is the content of an application for an award?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., including assisting the Department's contractor in selecting and obtaining data for a control group established through random assignment or by the selection of a matched comparison group; and (5) Individuals... any quality assurance and cost-control criteria established by the State; (5) The manner in which the...

  16. 34 CFR 377.11 - What is the content of an application for an award?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., including assisting the Department's contractor in selecting and obtaining data for a control group established through random assignment or by the selection of a matched comparison group; and (5) Individuals... any quality assurance and cost-control criteria established by the State; (5) The manner in which the...

  17. Selection of Malaysia School Youth Cadet Corps leader by using analytical hierarchy process: A case study at SMK Ahmad Boestamam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohamed, Nurul Huda; Ahmat, Norhayati; Mohamed, Nurul Akmal; Razmi, Syazwani Che; Mohamed, Nurul Farihan

    2017-05-01

    This research is a case study to identify the best criteria that a person should have as the leader of Malaysia School Youth Cadet Corps (Kadet Remaja Sekolah (KRS)) at SMK Ahmad Boestamam, Sitiawan in order to select the most appropriate person to hold the position. The approach used in this study is Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) which include pairwise comparison to compare the criteria and also the candidates. There are four criteria namely charisma, interpersonal communication, personality and physical. Four candidates (1, 2, 3 and 4) are being considered in this study. Purposive sampling and questionnaires are used as instruments to obtain the data which are then analyzed by using the AHP method. The final output indicates that Candidate 1 has the highest score, followed by Candidate 2, Candidate 4 and Candidate 3. It shows that this method is very helpful in the multi-criteria decision making when there are several options available.

  18. Decision Support Model for Introduction of Gamification Solution Using AHP

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Gamification means the use of various elements of game design in nongame contexts including workplace collaboration, marketing, education, military, and medical services. Gamification is effective for both improving workplace productivity and motivating employees. However, introduction of gamification is not easy because the planning and implementation processes of gamification are very complicated and it needs interdisciplinary knowledge such as information systems, organization behavior, and human psychology. Providing a systematic decision making method for gamification process is the purpose of this paper. This paper suggests the decision criteria for selection of gamification platform to support a systematic decision making process for managements. The criteria are derived from previous works on gamification, introduction of information systems, and analytic hierarchy process. The weights of decision criteria are calculated through a survey by the professionals on game, information systems, and business administration. The analytic hierarchy process is used to derive the weights. The decision criteria and weights provided in this paper could support the managements to make a systematic decision for selection of gamification platform. PMID:24892075

  19. Decision support model for introduction of gamification solution using AHP.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sangkyun

    2014-01-01

    Gamification means the use of various elements of game design in nongame contexts including workplace collaboration, marketing, education, military, and medical services. Gamification is effective for both improving workplace productivity and motivating employees. However, introduction of gamification is not easy because the planning and implementation processes of gamification are very complicated and it needs interdisciplinary knowledge such as information systems, organization behavior, and human psychology. Providing a systematic decision making method for gamification process is the purpose of this paper. This paper suggests the decision criteria for selection of gamification platform to support a systematic decision making process for managements. The criteria are derived from previous works on gamification, introduction of information systems, and analytic hierarchy process. The weights of decision criteria are calculated through a survey by the professionals on game, information systems, and business administration. The analytic hierarchy process is used to derive the weights. The decision criteria and weights provided in this paper could support the managements to make a systematic decision for selection of gamification platform.

  20. Traditional livestock breeding practices of men and women Somali pastoralists: trait preferences and selection of breeding animals.

    PubMed

    Marshall, K; Mtimet, N; Wanyoike, F; Ndiwa, N; Ghebremariam, H; Mugunieri, L; Costagli, R

    2016-12-01

    Somalia, one of the world's poorest countries, has livestock as the mainstay of the economy, with an estimated 65% of the population engaged in the livestock sector. This paper presents a gendered study on the traditional livestock breeding practices of Somali pastoralists for camels, cattle, sheep and goats, with a focus on documenting livestock traits of importance, the criteria used to select male breeding animals and the criteria used to cull female breeding animals. Data for the study were obtained by performing participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) with separate male and female pastoral groups from 20 settlements of the Tog-Dheer region of Somaliland (in north-western Somalia). In total, more than 500 pastoralists were involved. In terms of livestock ownership, goats were the most common species kept (97% of all households), followed by sheep (64%), camels (37%) and cattle (9%), with considerable herd size variation across households. Traits of key importance to the pastoralists varied by species and gender of the PRA group, but included adaptedness to harsh environmental conditions, high market value/high meat production and high milk production. The pastoralists practised sensible criteria for the selection of male breeding animals for all species, capturing aspects of productivity (milk yield, reproduction), adaptedness (good hardiness) and marketability (body size and conformation). Similarly, they practised sensible criteria for culling of female breeding animals, with females removed from the herd primarily for poor performance, but also to meet the livelihood needs of the family. Differences in the selection and culling criteria were noted by species, as well as gender of the pastoralists. On the whole, there was strong alignment between the livestock selection criteria used by the Somali pastoralists, their reasons for keeping livestock and the market requirements. This is not surprising given the intimate and long-standing relationship between Somali pastoralists and their livestock. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  1. Hybrid maize breeding with doubled haploids: I. One-stage versus two-stage selection for testcross performance.

    PubMed

    Longin, C Friedrich H; Utz, H Friedrich; Reif, Jochen C; Schipprack, Wolfgang; Melchinger, Albrecht E

    2006-03-01

    Optimum allocation of resources is of fundamental importance for the efficiency of breeding programs. The objectives of our study were to (1) determine the optimum allocation for the number of lines and test locations in hybrid maize breeding with doubled haploids (DHs) regarding two optimization criteria, the selection gain deltaG(k) and the probability P(k) of identifying superior genotypes, (2) compare both optimization criteria including their standard deviations (SDs), and (3) investigate the influence of production costs of DHs on the optimum allocation. For different budgets, number of finally selected lines, ratios of variance components, and production costs of DHs, the optimum allocation of test resources under one- and two-stage selection for testcross performance with a given tester was determined by using Monte Carlo simulations. In one-stage selection, lines are tested in field trials in a single year. In two-stage selection, optimum allocation of resources involves evaluation of (1) a large number of lines in a small number of test locations in the first year and (2) a small number of the selected superior lines in a large number of test locations in the second year, thereby maximizing both optimization criteria. Furthermore, to have a realistic chance of identifying a superior genotype, the probability P(k) of identifying superior genotypes should be greater than 75%. For budgets between 200 and 5,000 field plot equivalents, P(k) > 75% was reached only for genotypes belonging to the best 5% of the population. As the optimum allocation for P(k)(5%) was similar to that for deltaG(k), the choice of the optimization criterion was not crucial. The production costs of DHs had only a minor effect on the optimum number of locations and on values of the optimization criteria.

  2. 77 FR 71780 - U.S. Trade Mission to Asia in Conjunction With Trade Winds-Asia, The Philippines, Hong Kong...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-04

    ..., environmental technologies and services, financial services, franchising, healthcare & medical, hotel/restaurant... selection criteria as outlined below. A minimum of 65 companies and/or trade associations will be selected.... content. Selection Criteria for Participation Selection will be based on the following criteria...

  3. Associations between Otolaryngology Applicant Characteristics and Future Performance in Residency or Practice: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Bowe, Sarah N; Laury, Adrienne M; Gray, Stacey T

    2017-06-01

    Objective This systematic review aims to evaluate which applicant characteristics available to an otolaryngology selection committee are associated with future performance in residency or practice. Data Sources PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, Health Business, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and SocINDEX. Review Methods Study eligibility was performed by 2 independent investigators in accordance with the PRISMA protocol (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses). Data obtained from each article included research questions, study design, predictors, outcomes, statistical analysis, and results/findings. Study bias was assessed with the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. Results The initial search identified 439 abstracts. Six articles fulfilled all inclusion and exclusion criteria. All studies were retrospective cohort studies (level 4). Overall, the studies yielded relatively few criteria that correlated with residency success, with generally conflicting results. Most studies were found to have a high risk of bias. Conclusion Previous resident selection research has lacked a theoretical background, thus predisposing this work to inconsistent results and high risk of bias. The included studies provide historical insight into the predictors and criteria (eg, outcomes) previously deemed pertinent by the otolaryngology field. Additional research is needed, possibly integrating aspects of personnel selection, to engage in an evidence-based approach to identify highly qualified candidates who will succeed as future otolaryngologists.

  4. Contrasting and not-so-contrasting perspectives between local stakeholders and scientists and across dryland sites in participatory assessment of land management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bautista, Susana; Zucca, Claudio; Urghege, Anna M.; Ramón Vallejo, V.

    2015-04-01

    The participation of stakeholders and the integration of scientific and local knowledge in the assessment of environmental problems and potential solutions have been increasingly demanded by international institutions. Participatory assessment has the potential to engender social learning among all stakeholders, including scientists, which then has the potential to increase collaboration and the probability for adoption of good practices. Using PRACTICE participatory assessment tool, IAPro, a number of assessment criteria were identified, selected and weighted by local stakeholder platforms (SHPs) and scientists in 18 dryland sites distributed across 11 countries. These criteria were then applied to the assessment of a variety of local land management actions. In total, around 50 criteria were proposed by the SHPs, ranging from 6 to 14 per platform. The proposed criteria represented a wide variety of social, economic, cultural, and environmental aspects. Many of them were proposed by many of the SHPs, stressing their potential as universal assessment criteria across drylands. In most cases, these repeatedly proposed criteria were the same criteria proposed by the scientific panel. The relative importance given to the variety of criteria by each SHP was evenly distributed among the economic wealth criterion and each of the main categories of ecosystem services (provisioning, supporting & regulating, and cultural). In general, African and American sites where local people economies heavily rely on natural lands gave higher weights than European sites to "economic-wealth", "provision of goods", and "supporting and regulating services" criteria, and also to "socio-cultural services". All European SHPs selected and gave great importance to criteria that are related to security, such hydrogeological hazard, flood prevention, and fire risk. The participatory assessment process in IAPro facilitated social learning among the stakeholders, including scientists, and promoted knowledge exchange at multiple levels. The change between the initial and final perspectives on the assessment criteria and the quality of the management actions assessed was considered to be a metric of the learning gained through the IAPro process. A decrease in the variability of weights and rates given by the stakeholders to each criteria and management action reflects the consensus building process that takes place during the discussion sessions.

  5. Selection for inpatient rehabilitation after acute stroke: a systematic review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Hakkennes, Sharon J; Brock, Kim; Hill, Keith D

    2011-12-01

    To identify patient-related factors that have been found to correlate with functional outcomes post acute stroke to guide clinical decision making with regard to rehabilitation admission after acute stroke. We systematically searched the scientific literature between 1966 and January 2010. The primary source of studies was the electronic databases Medline, CINAHL, and Embase. The search was supplemented with citation tracking. Two reviewers independently applied the inclusion criteria to identify relevant articles from the citations obtained through the literature search. Eligible studies included systematic reviews of prognostic indicators, studies of prognostic indicators of acute discharge disposition, and studies of rehabilitation admission criteria after acute stroke. Of the 8895 studies identified, 83 articles, representing 79 studies, were included in the review. One reviewer extracted the data relating to the participants, prognostic indicators, and outcomes. A second reviewer independently checked data extracted with disagreement resolved by a third reviewer. Quality of included studies was assessed for internal and external validity. Of the 79 studies, 26 were systematic reviews of prognostic indicators of functional level and/or discharge disposition, 48 were studies of prognostic indicators of acute discharge disposition, and 6 were studies of rehabilitation selection criteria. The methodologic quality of the included studies was generally poor. Age, cognition, functional level after stroke, and, to a lesser extent, continence were found to have a consistent association with outcome across all 3 research areas. In addition, stroke severity was also associated with acute discharge disposition, final discharge disposition, and functional level. Sex and side of stroke appeared to have no association across all 3 of the research areas. This review highlights a number of important prognostic indicators and rehabilitation selection criteria that may assist clinicians in improving selection procedures and standardizing access to inpatient rehabilitation after stroke, although the quality of many studies is low. Further high quality studies and reviews of prognostic indicators and clinician decision making with regards to rehabilitation acceptance are required. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. 34 CFR 225.11 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use in evaluating an application for a Credit...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What selection criteria does the Secretary use in... Secretary Award a Grant? § 225.11 What selection criteria does the Secretary use in evaluating an... criteria to evaluate an application for a Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities grant: (a...

  7. Selection Criteria, Skill Sets and Competencies: What Is Their Role in the Appointment of Vice-Chancellors in Australian Universities?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Meara, Bernard; Petzall, Stanley

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The research presented here attempts to identify and analyse the reported selection criteria used in the appointment of Australian vice-chancellors (VCs) and to contrast this with the selection criteria actually used. Design/methodology/approach: Contemporary research into the nature, role and purpose of section criteria in appointment…

  8. Pick and Eat Crop Testing: Dwarf Tomato and Pepper as Candidate Space Crops

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wheeler, R. M.; Massa, G. D.; Stutte, G. W.; Spencer, L. E.; Hummerick, M. E.; Sirmons, T.; Douglas, G. L.

    2016-01-01

    Dwarf tomato and pepper plants were grown in controlled environment chambers to assess their potential as space crops for supplementing the crew's diet. Six cultivars of each species were compared in initial tests and then down-selected to three cultivars of each. Initial selection criteria included fruit yield, growth height, and nutritional value. Following completion of a second production test with the three best performing cultivars, sample fruits of both tomato and peppers were then assessed for acceptance using tasting panels. Based on the criteria considered in these studies, Red Robin tomato and Pompeii pepper were recommended for consideration for use in space.

  9. 50 CFR 86.60 - What are the criteria used to select projects for grants?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... vessels (includes education/information) 0-15 points. (4) Include private, local, or other State funds in..., for a maximum of 15 points (8) Provide significant positive economic impacts to a community. For... year in the community 1-5 points. (9) Include multi-State efforts that result in coordinating location...

  10. GCM work order status

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-12-31

    The GCM Corridor is one of four "Priority Corridors" throughout the country. These corridors have been selected for special federal transportation funding based on very specific transportation and environmental criteria. The corridor includes the gre...

  11. Ultrasound transducer selection in clinical imaging practice.

    PubMed

    Szabo, Thomas L; Lewin, Peter A

    2013-04-01

    Many types of medical ultrasound transducers are used in clinical practice. They operate at different center frequencies, have different physical dimensions, footprints, and shapes, and provide different image formats. However, little information is available about which transducers are most appropriate for a given application, and the purpose of this article is to address this deficiency. Specifically, the relationship between the transducer, imaging format, and clinical applications is discussed, and systematic selection criteria that allow matching of transducers to specific clinical needs are presented. These criteria include access to and coverage of the region of interest, maximum scan depth, and coverage of essential diagnostic modes required to optimize a patient's diagnosis. Three comprehensive figures organize and summarize the imaging planes, scanning modes, and types of diagnostic transducers to facilitate their selection in clinical diagnosis.

  12. Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children in 1987.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Science and Children, 1988

    1988-01-01

    Contains the annotated bibliographies of 78 trade books from 1987. Includes an explanation of the criteria for selection of books. Categories include animals, biography, space science and astronomy, earth science, environment and conservation, life sciences, medical and health sciences, physics, technology and engineering, and others. (CW)

  13. Pet Therapy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kavanagh, Kim

    1994-01-01

    This resource guide presents information on a variety of ways that animals can be used as a therapeutic modality with people having disabilities. Aspects addressed include: pet ownership and selection criteria; dogs (including service dogs, hearing/signal dogs, seeing leader dogs, and social/specialty dogs); horseriding for both therapy and fun;…

  14. 75 FR 37754 - Nominations for Membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-30

    ... epidemiology, food technology, microbiology (food, clinical, and predictive), risk assessment, infectious... pages and should include educational background, expertise, and a select list of publications. For...

  15. 40 CFR 228.6 - Specific criteria for site selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., and proposed methods of release, including methods of packing the waste, if any; (5) Feasibility of... of special scientific importance and other legitimate uses of the ocean; (9) The existing water...

  16. 40 CFR 228.6 - Specific criteria for site selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., and proposed methods of release, including methods of packing the waste, if any; (5) Feasibility of... of special scientific importance and other legitimate uses of the ocean; (9) The existing water...

  17. 34 CFR 611.32 - What are the program's general selection criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... provided by the school of arts and sciences; (iii) Includes well-designed academic and student support... those who would implement the project have important roles in project design, implementation, governance...

  18. 34 CFR 611.32 - What are the program's general selection criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... provided by the school of arts and sciences; (iii) Includes well-designed academic and student support... those who would implement the project have important roles in project design, implementation, governance...

  19. 34 CFR 611.32 - What are the program's general selection criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... provided by the school of arts and sciences; (iii) Includes well-designed academic and student support... those who would implement the project have important roles in project design, implementation, governance...

  20. 48 CFR 36.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 36.602-1 Section 36.602-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SPECIAL... Selection criteria. (a) Agencies shall evaluate each potential contractor in terms of its— (1) Professional...

  1. Selection criteria for wet-nurses: Ancient recommendations that survived across time.

    PubMed

    Thorley, Virginia; Sioda, Tomasz

    2016-11-01

    This article will describe the content of the key criteria for the selection of wet nurses that persisted across time and the authors who transmitted this advice. Where relevant, it will include variations, such as additional recommendations or a different weighting being given to one or other criterion by a particular author. The focus is on the selection of a wet nurse for the employer's baby. The factors that led a woman to enter this employment and the consequences for her own baby will not be addressed here as they will be discussed elsewhere. The article is an historical one, drawing on primary sources, where possible, and important secondary sources. Guidelines for the selection of wet-nurses have existed from antiquity to the early 20th century. The key recommendations managed to survive across the centuries because they were considered useful by influential ancient and Early Modern and later authors who passed them on through copying and translations. It is tempting to assume that the prescriptive advice was followed by physicians and mothers. However, the discussion will raise doubts about whether the criteria were adhered to by physicians and parents, particularly when wet nurses were in scarce supply.

  2. Siting a municipal solid waste disposal facility, part II: the effects of external criteria on the final decision.

    PubMed

    Korucu, M Kemal; Karademir, Aykan

    2014-02-01

    The procedure of a multi-criteria decision analysis supported by the geographic information systems was applied to the site selection process of a planning municipal solid waste management practice based on twelve different scenarios. The scenarios included two different decision tree modes and two different weighting models for three different area requirements. The suitability rankings of the suitable sites obtained from the application of the decision procedure for the scenarios were assessed by a factorial experimental design concerning the effect of some external criteria on the final decision of the site selection process. The external criteria used in the factorial experimental design were defined as "Risk perception and approval of stakeholders" and "Visibility". The effects of the presence of these criteria in the decision trees were evaluated in detail. For a quantitative expression of the differentiations observed in the suitability rankings, the ranking data were subjected to ANOVA test after a normalization process. Then the results of these tests were evaluated by Tukey test to measure the effects of external criteria on the final decision. The results of Tukey tests indicated that the involvement of the external criteria into the decision trees produced statistically meaningful differentiations in the suitability rankings. Since the external criteria could cause considerable external costs during the operation of the disposal facilities, the presence of these criteria in the decision tree in addition to the other criteria related to environmental and legislative requisites could prevent subsequent external costs in the first place.

  3. How to Select CD-ROM Storybooks for Young Children: The Teacher's Role

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shamir, Adina; Korat, Ofra

    2006-01-01

    This article addresses some key criteria for educators as they choose CD-ROM storybooks for young children's literacy development. The article includes: (1) A review of the pertinent literature on the quality and appropriateness of CD-ROM storybooks for literacy development; (2) An evaluation questionnaire to guide teachers in selecting CD-ROM…

  4. Evaluating and Selecting Online Magazines for Children. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lu, Mei-Yu

    This Digest provides an overview of children's online magazines, also known as e-zines. It begins with a brief review of factors that contribute to the popularity of these publications, followed by a list of criteria for selecting high-quality online magazines for children. Samples of high-quality children's e-zines are also included in this…

  5. Selecting a Z39.50 Client or Web Gateway.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turner, Fay

    1998-01-01

    Provides a brief description of the Z39.50 information retrieval standard and reviews evaluation criteria and questions that should be asked when selecting a Z39.50 client. Areas for consideration include whether to buy or build a Z39.50 client, the end-user's requirements, connecting to a remote server, searching, managing the search response,…

  6. Use of Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus atrophaeus as surrogates to establish and maintain laboratory proficiency for concentration of water samples using ultrafiltration.

    PubMed

    Mapp, Latisha; Klonicki, Patricia; Takundwa, Prisca; Hill, Vincent R; Schneeberger, Chandra; Knee, Jackie; Raynor, Malik; Hwang, Nina; Chambers, Yildiz; Miller, Kenneth; Pope, Misty

    2015-11-01

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA) currently uses ultrafiltration (UF) for concentration of biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) agents from large volumes (up to 100-L) of drinking water prior to analysis. Most UF procedures require comprehensive training and practice to achieve and maintain proficiency. As a result, there was a critical need to develop quality control (QC) criteria. Because select agents are difficult to work with and pose a significant safety hazard, QC criteria were developed using surrogates, including Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus atrophaeus. This article presents the results from the QC criteria development study and results from a subsequent demonstration exercise in which E. faecalis was used to evaluate proficiency using UF to concentrate large volume drinking water samples. Based on preliminary testing EPA Method 1600 and Standard Methods 9218, for E. faecalis and B. atrophaeus respectively, were selected for use during the QC criteria development study. The QC criteria established for Method 1600 were used to assess laboratory performance during the demonstration exercise. Based on the results of the QC criteria study E. faecalis and B. atrophaeus can be used effectively to demonstrate and maintain proficiency using ultrafiltration. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. 77 FR 12234 - Changes in Hydric Soils Database Selection Criteria

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-29

    ... Conservation Service [Docket No. NRCS-2011-0026] Changes in Hydric Soils Database Selection Criteria AGENCY... Changes to the National Soil Information System (NASIS) Database Selection Criteria for Hydric Soils of the United States. SUMMARY: The National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (NTCHS) has updated the...

  8. 48 CFR 2936.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 2936.602-1 Section 2936.602-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GENERAL... Selection criteria. HCAs are authorized to approve the use of design competition under the conditions in FAR...

  9. 48 CFR 436.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 436.602-1 Section 436.602-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SPECIAL... Selection criteria. The HCA is authorized to approve the use of design competition under the conditions in...

  10. 48 CFR 636.602-1 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Selection criteria. 636.602-1 Section 636.602-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE SPECIAL CATEGORIES... Selection criteria. (b) The head of the contracting activity is the agency head's designee for the purpose...

  11. 38 CFR 77.5 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAMS FOR DISABLED VETERANS AND DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES § 77.5 Selection criteria. (a) VA will review all applications for adaptive sports grants using the following selection criteria: (1) The adaptive sports activities to be provided by the program are clearly stated; (2) The...

  12. Vascular invasion and survival after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a study from the European Liver Transplant Registry.

    PubMed

    Pommergaard, Hans-Christian; Rostved, Andreas A; Adam, René; Thygesen, Lau C; Salizzoni, Mauro; Gómez Bravo, Miguel A; Cherqui, Daniel; Filipponi, Franco; Boudjema, Karim; Mazzaferro, Vincenzo; Soubrane, Olivier; García-Valdecasas, Juan C; Prous, Joan F; Pinna, Antonio D; O'Grady, John; Karam, Vincent; Duvoux, Christophe; Rasmussen, Allan

    2018-04-02

    Studies suggest that vascular invasion may be a superior prognostic marker compared with traditional selection criteria, e.g. Milan criteria. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of micro and macrovascular invasion in a large database material. Patients liver transplanted for HCC and cirrhosis registered in the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR) database were included. The association between the Milan criteria, Up-to-seven criteria and vascular invasion with overall survival and HCC specific survival was investigated with univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Of 23,124 patients transplanted for HCC, 9324 had cirrhosis and data on explant pathology. Patients without microvascular invasion, regardless of number and size of HCC nodules, had a five-year overall survival of 73.2%, which was comparable with patients inside both Milan and Up-to-seven criteria. Patients without macrovascular invasion had an only marginally reduced survival of 70.7% after five years. Patients outside both Milan and Up-to-seven criteria without micro or macrovascular invasion still had a five-year overall survival of 65.8%. Vascular invasion as a prognostic indicator remains superior to criteria based on size and number of nodules. With continuously improving imaging studies, microvascular invasion may be used for selecting patients for transplantation in the future. Copyright © 2018 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A Pilot Study on Modeling of Diagnostic Criteria Using OWL and SWRL.

    PubMed

    Hong, Na; Jiang, Guoqian; Pathak, Jyotishiman; Chute, Christopher G

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study is to describe our efforts in a pilot study on modeling diagnostic criteria using a Semantic Web-based approach. We reused the basic framework of the ICD-11 content model and refined it into an operational model in the Web Ontology Language (OWL). The refinement is based on a bottom-up analysis method, in which we analyzed data elements (including value sets) in a collection (n=20) of randomly selected diagnostic criteria. We also performed a case study to formalize rule logic in the diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome using the Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL). The results demonstrated that it is feasible to use OWL and SWRL to formalize the diagnostic criteria knowledge, and to execute the rules through reasoning.

  14. First International Public Health Film Competition 2016-reflections on the development and use of competition judging criteria.

    PubMed

    Hoang, U; Luna, P; Russell, P; Bergonzi-King, L; Ashton, J; McCarthy, C; Donovan, H; Inman, P; Seminog, O; Botchway, S

    2018-03-01

    Film competitions can be a helpful method to understand issues of quality in health films. In this paper, we describe the development and use of explicit quality criteria to identify the 'best' films for the first ever international public health film competition. A film selection committee encompassing a range of stakeholders was compiled. The committee drew up 10 explicit quality criteria to judge films drawing upon other film festival's selection criteria. These criteria were then applied to a broad range of health-related films entered into a film competition to select the 'best' film to screen. Eighty-four films from 20 different countries were submitted to the public health film competition. The originality of the subject covered by the film, the public health importance of the issue and story-telling approach in the film were found to be the most discriminatory criteria to select films. Selection of health films for festivals can be undertaken using explicit quality criteria. There are a number of advantages to such an approach; however, explicit selection involves a large commitment of resources from film festival organizers and there is further research required to test the validity of the quality criteria applied to health-related films.

  15. DETERMINANTS OF SPECIALTY CHOICE OF RESIDENT DOCTORS; CASE STUDY--AMONG RESIDENT DOCTORS IN NIGERIA.

    PubMed

    Osuoji, Roland I; Adebanji, Atinuke; Abdulsalam, Moruf A; Oludara, Mobolaji A; Abolarinwa, Abimbola A

    2015-01-01

    This study examined medical specialty selection by Nigerian resident doctors using a marketing research approach to determine the selection criteria and the role of perceptions, expected remuneration, and job placement prospects of various specialties in the selection process. Data were from the Community of residents from April 2014 to July 2014. The cohort included 200 residents, but only 171 had complete information. Data were obtained from a cross section of resident doctors in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and at the 2014 Ordinary General Meeting of the National Association of Resident Doctors(NARD) where representatives from over 50 Teaching hospitals in Nigeria attended. Using a client behaviour model as a framework, a tripartite questionnaire was designed and administered to residents to deduce information on their knowledge about and interests in various specialties, their opinions of sixteen specialties, and the criteria they used in specialty selection. A total of 171 (85.5%) questionnaires were returned. ln many instances, consistency between selection criteria and perceptions of a specialty were accompanied by interest in pursuing the specialty. Job security, job availability on completion of programme, duration of training and qualifying examinations were highly correlated with p value < 0.05. Results of the Principal Component Analysis show two components (with Eigen values greater than one) explaining 65.3% of the total variance. The first component had placement and training and practice related variables loaded on it while the second component was loaded with job security and financial remuneration related variables. Using marketing research concepts for medical specialty selection (Weissmanet al 2012) stipulates that choice of speciality is influenced by criteria and perception. This study shows that job security expected financial remuneration, and examination requirements for qualification are major determinants of the choice of speciality for residents.

  16. Electronic Document Delivery: New Options for Libraries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leach, Ronald G.; Tribble, Judith E.

    1993-01-01

    Examines commercial electronic document delivery services that are available to academic libraries. Highlights include collection development issues; criteria for selection and evaluation; remote access systems, including CARL UnCover 2, Faxon Finder and Faxon Xpress, ContentsFirst and ArticleFirst, and CitaDel; and on-site access systems,…

  17. Pre-Service and Beginning Teachers Rate the Utility of Virtual Museum Exhibits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iding, Marie; Nordbotten, Joan

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated criteria that 91 pre-service teachers used to evaluate award-winning virtual museum exhibits for future use in teaching. Individual differences affected ratings, including teaching experience, age and gender. A categorization of participants' reasons for selection included audience level, site design and information…

  18. Guide to Reference Materials for School Library Media Centers. Fifth Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Safford, Barbara Ripp

    This publication lists current reference sources that serve the information needs of school library users, including books, CD-ROMs, and World Wide Web sources in all curricular and some extracurricular areas. Criteria for selection include usefulness for curricular applications by elementary and secondary students and teachers, interest for…

  19. Patient Selection in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction Clinical Trials

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, Jacob P.; Mentz, Robert J.; Mebazaa, Alexandre; Voors, Adriaan A.; Butler, Javed; Roessig, Lothar; Fiuzat, Mona; Zannad, Faiez; Pitt, Bertram; O’Connor, Christopher M.; Lam, Carolyn S.P.

    2015-01-01

    Recent clinical trials in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have provided important insights into participant selection strategies. Historically, HFpEF trials have included patients with relatively preserved left ventricular ejection fraction ranging from 40% to 55% and a clinical history of heart failure. Contemporary HFpEF trials have also incorporated inclusion criteria such as hospitalization for HFpEF, altered functional capacity, cardiac structural and functional abnormalities, and abnormalities in neurohormonal status (e.g., elevated natriuretic peptide levels). Careful analyses of the impact of these patient selection criteria on outcomes in prior trials provide valuable lessons for future trial design. We review recent and ongoing HFpEF clinical trials from a patient selection perspective and appraise trial patient selection methodologies in relation to outcomes. This review reflects discussions between clinicians, scientists, trialists, regulators, and regulatory representatives at the 10th Global CardioVascular Clinical Trialists Forum in Paris, France on December 6, 2013. PMID:25908073

  20. Advanced Platform Systems Technology study. Volume 2: Trade study and technology selection

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    Three primary tasks were identified which include task 1-trade studies, task 2-trade study comparison and technology selection, and task 3-technology definition. Task 1 general objectives were to identify candidate technology trade areas, determine which areas have the highest potential payoff, define specific trades within the high payoff areas, and perform the trade studies. In order to satisfy these objectives, a structured, organized approach was employed. Candidate technology areas and specific trades were screened using consistent selection criteria and considering possible interrelationships. A data base comprising both manned and unmanned space platform documentation was used as a source of system and subsystem requirements. When requirements were not stated in the data base documentation, assumptions were made and recorded where necessary to characterize a particular spacecraft system. The requirements and assumptions were used together with the selection criteria to establish technology advancement goals and select trade studies. While both manned and unmanned platform data were used, the study was focused on the concept of an early manned space station.

  1. 76 FR 17384 - Applications for New Awards; Carol M. White Physical Education Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-29

    ... school food or child nutrition director), grocery stores, supermarkets, restaurants, corner stores... where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application.... Application Review Information 1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR...

  2. 7 CFR 400.303 - Initial selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Initial selection criteria. 400.303 Section 400.303... Regulations for the 1991 and Succeeding Crop Years § 400.303 Initial selection criteria. (a) Nonstandard... .30 or greater; and (4) Either of the following apply: (i) The natural logarithm of the cumulative...

  3. 7 CFR 246.18 - Administrative review of State agency actions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... actions: (A) Denial of authorization based on the application of the vendor selection criteria for minimum...) Denial of authorization based on the vendor selection criteria for business integrity or for a current...)(iii)); (B) Denial of authorization based on the application of the vendor selection criteria for...

  4. Application of three different sets of explicit criteria for assessing inappropriate prescribing in older patients: a nationwide prevalence study of ambulatory care visits in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chang, Chirn-Bin; Yang, Shu-Yu; Lai, Hsiu-Yun; Wu, Ru-Shu; Liu, Hsing-Cheng; Hsu, Hsiu-Ying; Hwang, Shinn-Jang; Chan, Ding-Cheng

    2015-11-06

    To investigate the national prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribed in ambulatory care clinics in Taiwan according to three different sets of regional criteria and the correlates of PIM use. Cross-sectional study. This analysis included older patients who visited ambulatory care clinics in 2009 and represented half of the older population included on the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified 1,164,701 subjects who visited ambulatory care clinics and were over 65 years old in 2009. PIM prevalence according to the 2012 Beers criteria, the PIM-Taiwan criteria and the PRISCUS criteria was estimated separately, and characteristics of PIM users were explored. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine patient factors associated with the use of at least one PIM. Leading PIMs for each set of criteria were also listed. The prevalence of having at least one PIM at the patient level was highest with the Beers criteria (86.2%), followed by the PIM-Taiwan criteria (73.3%) and the PRISCUS criteria (66.9%). Polypharmacy and younger age were associated with PIM use for all three sets of criteria. The leading PIMs detected by the PIM-Taiwan and PRISCUS criteria were all included in the 2012 Beers criteria. Non-COX-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the Beers criteria and benzodiazepines in the PIM-Taiwan and PRISCUS criteria accounted for most leading PIMs. The prevalence of PIMs was high among older Taiwanese patients receiving ambulatory care visits. The prevalence of PIM and its associated factors varied according to three sets of criteria at the population level. 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/

  5. 34 CFR 606.22 - What are the selection criteria for development grants?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... achieved, will contribute to the growth and self-sufficiency of the institution; and (4) The plan clearly... practice and improvements developed under the proposed project, including, in particular, how operational...

  6. 34 CFR 606.22 - What are the selection criteria for development grants?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... achieved, will contribute to the growth and self-sufficiency of the institution; and (4) The plan clearly... practice and improvements developed under the proposed project, including, in particular, how operational...

  7. Impetus of composite mechanics on test methods for fiber composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chamis, C. C.

    1978-01-01

    The impetus of composite mechanics on composite test methods and/or on interpreting test results is described by using examples from composite micromechanics, composite macromechanics and laminate theory. The specific examples included contributions such as criteria for selecting resin matrices for improved composite strength, the 10 deg off-axis tensile test, criteria for configuring hybrids and superhybrids for improved impact resistance and the reduced bending rigidities concept for buckling and vibration analyses.

  8. Liquid rocket engine centrifugal flow turbopumps. [design criteria

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1973-01-01

    Design criteria and recommended practices are discussed for the following configurations selected from the design sequence of a liquid rocket engine centrifugal flow turbopump: (1) pump performance including speed, efficiency, and flow range; (2) impeller; (3) housing; and (4) thrust balance system. Hydrodynamic, structural, and mechanical problems are addressed for the achievement of required pump performance within the constraints imposed by the engine/turbopump system. Materials and fabrication specifications are also discussed.

  9. Strategies for crew selection for long duration missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Helmreich, Robert L.; Holland, Albert W.; Santy, Patricia A.; Rose, Robert M.; Mcfadden, Terry J.

    1990-01-01

    Issues surrounding psychological reactions to long duration spaceflight are discussed with respect to the definition of criteria for selecting crewmembers for such expeditions. Two broad dimensions of personality and behavior are defined - Instrumentality including achievement orientation, leadership, and ability to perform under pressure and Expressivity encompassing interpersonal sensitivity and competence. A strategy for validating techniques to select in candidates with the optimum psychological profile to perform successfully on long duration missions is described.

  10. Selecting the Acceptance Criteria of Medicines in the Reimbursement List of Public Health Insurance of Iran, Using the "Borda" Method: a Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Viyanchi, Amir; Rasekh, Hamid Reza; Rajabzadeh Ghatari, Ali; SafiKhani, Hamid Reza

    2015-01-01

    Decision-making for medicines to be accepted in Iran's public health insurance reimbursement list is a complex process and involves factors, which should be considered in applying a coverage for medicine costs. These processes and factors are not wholly assessed, while assessment of these factors is an essential need for getting a transparent and evidence-based approach toward medicine reimbursement in Iran. This paper aims to show an evidence-based approach toward medicine selection criteria to inform the medical reimbursement decision makers in Iranian health insurance organizations. To explore an adaptable decision-making framework while incorporating a method called "Borda" in medicine reimbursement assessment, we used the help of an expert group including decision makers and clinical researchers who are also policy makers to appraise the five chief criteria that have three sub criteria (Precision, Interpretability, and Cost). Also software "Math-lab"7, "SPSS" 17 and Excel 2007 were used in this study. "Borda" estimates the amount of perceived values from different criteria and creates a range from one to five while providing a comprehensive measurement of a large spectrum of criteria. Participants reported that the framework provided an efficient approach to systematic consideration in a pragmatic format consisting of many parts to guide decision-makings, including criteria and value (a model with the core of Borda) and evidences (medicine reimbursement based on criteria). The most important criterion for medicine acceptance in health insurance companies, in Iran, is the "life-threatening" factor and "evidence quality" is accounted as the fifth important factor. This pilot study showed the usefulness of incorporating Borda in medicine reimbursement decisions to support a transparent and systematic appraisal of health insurance companies' deeds. Further research is needed to advance Borda-based approaches that are effective on health insurance decision making.

  11. Selecting the Acceptance Criteria of Medicines in the Reimbursement List of Public Health Insurance of Iran, Using the “Borda” Method: a Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Viyanchi, Amir; Rasekh, Hamid Reza; Rajabzadeh Ghatari, Ali; SafiKhani, Hamid Reza

    2015-01-01

    Decision-making for medicines to be accepted in Iran’s public health insurance reimbursement list is a complex process and involves factors, which should be considered in applying a coverage for medicine costs. These processes and factors are not wholly assessed, while assessment of these factors is an essential need for getting a transparent and evidence-based approach toward medicine reimbursement in Iran. This paper aims to show an evidence-based approach toward medicine selection criteria to inform the medical reimbursement decision makers in Iranian health insurance organizations. To explore an adaptable decision-making framework while incorporating a method called “Borda” in medicine reimbursement assessment, we used the help of an expert group including decision makers and clinical researchers who are also policy makers to appraise the five chief criteria that have three sub criteria (Precision, Interpretability, and Cost). Also software “Math-lab”7, “SPSS” 17 and Excel 2007 were used in this study. “Borda” estimates the amount of perceived values from different criteria and creates a range from one to five while providing a comprehensive measurement of a large spectrum of criteria. Participants reported that the framework provided an efficient approach to systematic consideration in a pragmatic format consisting of many parts to guide decision-makings, including criteria and value (a model with the core of Borda) and evidences (medicine reimbursement based on criteria). The most important criterion for medicine acceptance in health insurance companies, in Iran, is the "life-threatening" factor and "evidence quality" is accounted as the fifth important factor. This pilot study showed the usefulness of incorporating Borda in medicine reimbursement decisions to support a transparent and systematic appraisal of health insurance companies' deeds. Further research is needed to advance Borda-based approaches that are effective on health insurance decision making. PMID:26664402

  12. Evaluation and selection of 3PL provider using fuzzy AHP and grey TOPSIS in group decision making

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garside, Annisa Kesy; Saputro, Thomy Eko

    2017-11-01

    Selection of a 3PL provider is a problem of multi criteria decision making, where the decision maker has to select several 3PL provider alternatives based on several evaluation criteria. A decision maker will have difficulty to express judgments in exact numerical values due to the fact that information is often incomplete and the decision environment is uncertain. This paper presents an integrated fuzzy AHP and Grey TOPSIS for the evaluation and selection of 3PL provider method. Fuzzy AHP is used to determine the importance weight of evaluation criteria. For final selection, grey TOPSIS is used to evaluate the alternatives and obtain the overall performance which is measured as closeness coefficient. This method is applied to solve the selection of 3PL provider at PT. X. Five criterias and twelve sub-criterias were determined and then the best alternative among four 3PL providers was selected by proposed method.

  13. 40 CFR 91.608 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 91.608 Section 91.608... with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final test...

  14. 40 CFR 89.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 89.510 Section 89.510... Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final...

  15. 40 CFR 89.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 89.510 Section 89.510... Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final...

  16. 40 CFR 91.608 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 91.608 Section 91.608... with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final test...

  17. 40 CFR 91.608 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 91.608 Section 91.608... with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final test...

  18. 48 CFR 1836.602-1 - Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a))

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Selection criteria. (NASA... CONTRACTS Architect-Engineer Services 1836.602-1 Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a)) (a)(2... the volume of work previously awarded to the firm by NASA, with the object of effecting an equitable...

  19. 48 CFR 1836.602-1 - Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a))

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Selection criteria. (NASA... CONTRACTS Architect-Engineer Services 1836.602-1 Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a)) (a)(2... the volume of work previously awarded to the firm by NASA, with the object of effecting an equitable...

  20. 48 CFR 1836.602-1 - Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a))

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Selection criteria. (NASA... CONTRACTS Architect-Engineer Services 1836.602-1 Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a)) (a)(2... the volume of work previously awarded to the firm by NASA, with the object of effecting an equitable...

  1. 48 CFR 1836.602-1 - Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a))

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Selection criteria. (NASA... CONTRACTS Architect-Engineer Services 1836.602-1 Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a)) (a)(2... the volume of work previously awarded to the firm by NASA, with the object of effecting an equitable...

  2. 48 CFR 1836.602-1 - Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a))

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Selection criteria. (NASA... CONTRACTS Architect-Engineer Services 1836.602-1 Selection criteria. (NASA supplements paragraph (a)) (a)(2... the volume of work previously awarded to the firm by NASA, with the object of effecting an equitable...

  3. 40 CFR 90.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 90.510 Section 90.510....510 Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

  4. Grade and Gender Differences in Adolescents' Friendship Selection Criteria.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zook, Joan M.; Repinski, Daniel J.

    Noting that when adolescents select friends, they are creating a relationship context that will be an important source of influence, this study examined the criteria adolescents use when choosing friends. Adolescents in grades 7 and 10 were interviewed about the criteria they used when selecting friends, particularly the importance they placed…

  5. 75 FR 8854 - Teacher Incentive Fund Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-26

    ...The Secretary of Education (Secretary) proposes priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria under the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) program. These proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria are designed to be used in two separate and distinct TIF grant competitions: The Main TIF competition, which will provide TIF funding to eligible entities to support their implementation of performance-based compensation systems (PBCSs) in accordance with the priorities, the Main TIF requirements, the definitions, and the selection criteria proposed in this document, and the TIF Evaluation competition, which will provide, in accordance with the priorities, the Main TIF requirements, the definitions, and the selection criteria as well as the Evaluation requirements proposed in this document, TIF funding to help pay for the costs of implementing these eligible entities' PBCS in exchange for an agreement to participate in the national evaluation. The Secretary may use these proposed TIF priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria in fiscal year (FY) 2010 and subsequent years. We intend the proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria to improve student achievement in high-need schools by creating incentives for effective teachers and principals in these schools.

  6. Path analysis and multi-criteria decision making: an approach for multivariate model selection and analysis in health.

    PubMed

    Vasconcelos, A G; Almeida, R M; Nobre, F F

    2001-08-01

    This paper introduces an approach that includes non-quantitative factors for the selection and assessment of multivariate complex models in health. A goodness-of-fit based methodology combined with fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach is proposed for model selection. Models were obtained using the Path Analysis (PA) methodology in order to explain the interrelationship between health determinants and the post-neonatal component of infant mortality in 59 municipalities of Brazil in the year 1991. Socioeconomic and demographic factors were used as exogenous variables, and environmental, health service and agglomeration as endogenous variables. Five PA models were developed and accepted by statistical criteria of goodness-of fit. These models were then submitted to a group of experts, seeking to characterize their preferences, according to predefined criteria that tried to evaluate model relevance and plausibility. Fuzzy set techniques were used to rank the alternative models according to the number of times a model was superior to ("dominated") the others. The best-ranked model explained above 90% of the endogenous variables variation, and showed the favorable influences of income and education levels on post-neonatal mortality. It also showed the unfavorable effect on mortality of fast population growth, through precarious dwelling conditions and decreased access to sanitation. It was possible to aggregate expert opinions in model evaluation. The proposed procedure for model selection allowed the inclusion of subjective information in a clear and systematic manner.

  7. Prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma biological behavior in patient selection for liver transplantation

    PubMed Central

    Cillo, Umberto; Giuliani, Tommaso; Polacco, Marina; Herrero Manley, Luz Maria; Crivellari, Gino; Vitale, Alessandro

    2016-01-01

    Morphological criteria have always been considered the benchmark for selecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients for liver transplantation (LT). These criteria, which are often inappropriate to express the tumor’s biological behavior and aggressiveness, offer only a static view of the disease burden and are frequently unable to correctly stratify the tumor recurrence risk after LT. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and its progression as well as AFP-mRNA, AFP-L3%, des-γ-carboxyprothrombin, inflammatory markers and other serological tests appear to be correlated with post-transplant outcomes. Several other markers for patient selection including functional imaging studies such as 18F-FDG-PET imaging, histological evaluation of tumor grade, tissue-specific biomarkers, and molecular signatures have been outlined in the literature. HCC growth rate and response to pre-transplant therapies can further contribute to the transplant evaluation process of HCC patients. While AFP, its progression, and HCC response to pre-transplant therapy have already been used as a part of an integrated prognostic model for selecting patients, the utility of other markers in the transplant setting is still under investigation. This article intends to review the data in the literature concerning predictors that could be included in an integrated LT selection model and to evaluate the importance of biological aggressiveness in the evaluation process of these patients. PMID:26755873

  8. Schizoaffective disorder diagnosed according to different diagnostic criteria--systematic literature search and meta-analysis of key clinical characteristics and heterogeneity.

    PubMed

    Pagel, Tobias; Franklin, Jeremy; Baethge, Christopher

    2014-03-01

    Schizoaffective disorder is viewed as a heterogeneous diagnosis among psychotic illnesses. Different diagnostic systems differ in their definition with DSM (-IIIR, -IV, and -V) providing a narrower definition than RDC and ICD-10. It is unclear whether this difference is reflected in patient samples diagnosed according to different diagnostic systems. Exploratory study based on a systematic review of studies of schizoaffective disorder samples diagnosed by either RDC and ICD-10 (group of "broad criteria") or DSM-IIIR and -IV ("narrow criteria"); comparison (by Mann-Whitney-U-tests) of key characteristics, such as age, number of hospitalizations, or scores in psychometric tests, between more broadly and more narrowly defined schizoaffective disorder samples using standard deviations as a measurement of heterogeneity as well as weighted means and percentages. To reduce selection bias only studies including schizoaffective patient samples together with affective disorder and schizophrenia samples were selected. 55 studies were included, 14 employing RDC, 4 ICD-10, 20 DSM-IIIR, and 17 DSM-IV. Thirteen characteristics were compared: patients diagnosed according to broader criteria had fewer previous hospitalizations (2.2 vs. 5.4) and were both less often male (42 vs. 51%) and married (21 vs. 40%). Heterogeneity was similar in both groups but slightly higher in RDC and ICD-10 samples than in DSM-IIIR and -IV-samples: +4% regarding demographic and clinical course data and +13% regarding psychometric tests (pooled SD). Secular trends and different designs may have confounded the results and limit generalizability. Some comparisons were underpowered. Differences in diagnostic criteria are reflected in key characteristics of samples. The association of larger heterogeneity with wider diagnostic criteria supports employing standard deviations as a measurement of heterogeneity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Endoscopic Criteria for Evaluating Tumor Stage after Preoperative Chemoradiation Therapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

    PubMed

    Han, Kyung Su; Sohn, Dae Kyung; Kim, Dae Yong; Kim, Byung Chang; Hong, Chang Won; Chang, Hee Jin; Kim, Sun Young; Baek, Ji Yeon; Park, Sung Chan; Kim, Min Ju; Oh, Jae Hwan

    2016-04-01

    Local excision may be an another option for selected patients with markedly down-staged rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT), and proper evaluation of post-CRT tumor stage (ypT) is essential prior to local excision of these tumors. This study was designed to determine the correlations between endoscopic findings and ypT of rectal cancer. In this study, 481 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent preoperative CRT followed by surgical resection between 2004 and 2013 at a single institution were evaluated retrospectively. Pathological good response (p-GR) was defined as ypT ≤ 1, and pathological minimal or no response (p-MR) as ypT ≥ 2. The patients were randomly classified according to two groups, a testing (n=193) and a validation (n=288) group. Endoscopic criteria were determined from endoscopic findings and ypT in the testing group and used in classifying patients in the validation group as achieving or not achieving p-GR. Based on findings in the testing group, the endoscopic criteria for p-GR included scarring, telangiectasia, and erythema, whereas criteria for p-MR included nodules, ulcers, strictures, and remnant tumors. In the validation group, the kappa statistic was 0.965 (p < 0.001), and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 0.362, 0.963, 0.654, and 0.885, respectively. The endoscopic criteria presented are easily applicable for evaluation of ypT after preoperative CRT for rectal cancer. These criteria may be used for selection of patients for local excision of down-staged rectal tumors, because patients with p-MR could be easily ruled out.

  10. 75 FR 39201 - Nominations for Membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-08

    ... fields of epidemiology, food technology, microbiology (food, clinical, and predictive), toxicology... limited to five one-sided pages and should include educational background, expertise, and a select list of...

  11. Selected topics in pediatric gastroenterology.

    PubMed

    Magne, Michael L

    2006-05-01

    This article discusses some of the more common gastrointestinal problems encountered in pediatric patients. Topics include infectious and endoparasitic disorders, congenital esophageal and hepatic disorders, and acute or chronic intestinal diseases. Diagnostic criteria as well as treatment guidelines are presented.

  12. Employee Compensation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osif, Bonnie A.; Harwood, Richard L.

    1995-01-01

    Presents an overview of selected literature about employee compensation. Highlights include the foundations of reward and recognition systems, incentive plans, problems with merit pay, a historical perspective on performance pay, evaluation criteria and processes, self-rating, job motivation and satisfaction, employee attitudes, collective…

  13. RESRAD model presentation

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

    Yu, C.; Faillace, E.; Chen, S.Y.

    RESRAD was one of the multimedia models selected by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to include in its workshop on radiation dose modeling and demonstration of compliance with the radiological criteria for license termination. This paper is a summary of the presentation made at the workshop and focuses on the 10 questions the NRC distributed to all participants prior to the workshop. The code selection criteria, which were solicited by the NRC, for demonstrating compliance with the license termination rule are also included. Among the RESRAD family of codes, RESRAD and RESRAD-BUILD are designed for evaluating radiological contamination inmore » soils and in buildings. Many documents have been published to support the use of these codes. This paper focuses on these two codes. The pathways considered, the databases and parameters used, quality control and quality assurance, benchmarking, verification and validation of these codes, and capabilities as well as limitations of these codes are discussed in detail.« less

  14. Using benefit-cost ratio to select Universal Newborn Hearing Screening test criteria.

    PubMed

    Porter, Heather L; Neely, Stephen T; Gorga, Michael P

    2009-08-01

    Current protocols presumably use criteria that are chosen on the basis of the sensitivity and specificity rates they produce. Such an approach emphasizes test performance but does not include societal implications of the benefit of early identification. The purpose of the present analysis was to evaluate an approach to selecting criteria for use in Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) programs that uses benefit-cost ratio (BCR) to demonstrate an alternative method to audiologists, administrators, and others involved in UNHS protocol decisions. Existing data from more than 1200 ears were used to analyze BCR as a function of Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) level. These data were selected because both audiometric and DPOAE data were available on every ear. Although these data were not obtained in newborns, this compromise was necessary because audiometric outcomes (especially in infants with congenital hearing loss) in neonates are either lacking or limited in number. As such, it is important to note that the characteristics of responses from the group of subjects that formed the bases of the present analyses are different from those for neonates. This limits the extent to which actual criterion levels can be selected but should not affect the general approach of using BCR as a framework for considering UNHS criteria. Estimates of the prevalence of congenital hearing loss identified through UNHS in 37 states and U.S. territories in 2004 were used to calculate BCR. A range of estimates for the lifetime monetary benefits and yearly costs for UNHS were used, based on data available in the literature. Still, exact benefits and costs are difficult to know. Both one-step (DPOAE alone) and two-step (DPOAE followed by automated auditory brainstem response, AABR) screening paradigms were considered in the calculation of BCR. The influence of middle ear effusion was simulated by incorporating a range of expected DPOAE level reductions into an additional BCR analyses Our calculations indicate that for a range of proposed benefit and cost estimates, the monetary benefits of both one-step (DPOAE alone) and two-step (DPOAE followed by AABR) NHS programs outweigh programmatic costs. Our calculations indicate that BCR is robust in that it can be applied regardless of the values that are assigned to benefit and cost. Maximum BCR was identified and remained stable regardless of these values; however, it was recognized that the use of maximum BCR could result in reduced test sensitivity and may not be optimal for use in UNHS programs. The inclusion of secondary AABR screening increases BCR but does not alter the DPOAE criterion level at which maximum BCR occurs. The model of middle ear effusion reduces overall DPOAE level, subsequently lowering the DPOAE criterion level at which maximum BCR was obtained BCR is one of several alternative methods for choosing UNHS criteria, in which the evaluation of costs and benefits allows clinical and societal considerations to be incorporated into the pass/refer decision in a meaningful way. Although some of the benefits of early identification of hearing impairment cannot be estimated through a monetary analysis, such as improved psychosocial development and quality of life, this article provides an alternative to audiologists and administrators for selecting UNHS protocols that includes consideration of societal implications of UNHS screening criteria. BCR suggests that UNHS is a worthwhile investment for society as benefits always outweigh costs, at least for the estimations included in this article. Although the use of screening criteria that maximize BCR results in lower test sensitivity compared with other criteria, BCR may be used to select criteria that result in increased test sensitivity and still provide a high, although not maximal, BCR. Using BCR analysis provides a framework in which the societal implications of NHS protocols are considered and emphasizes the value of UNHS.

  15. South African medical schools: Current state of selection criteria and medical students' demographic profile.

    PubMed

    van der Merwe, L J; van Zyl, G J; St Clair Gibson, A; Viljoen, M; Iputo, J E; Mammen, M; Chitha, W; Perez, A M; Hartman, N; Fonn, S; Green-Thompson, L; Ayo-Ysuf, O A; Botha, G C; Manning, D; Botha, S J; Hift, R; Retief, P; van Heerden, B B; Volmink, J

    2015-12-16

    Selection of medical students at South African (SA) medical schools must promote equitable and fair access to students from all population groups, while ensuring optimal student throughput and success, and training future healthcare practitioners who will fulfil the needs of the local society. In keeping with international practices, a variety of academic and non-academic measures are used to select applicants for medical training programmes in SA medical schools. To provide an overview of the selection procedures used by all eight medical schools in SA, and the student demographics (race and gender) at these medical schools, and to determine to what extent collective practices are achieving the goals of student diversity and inclusivity. A retrospective, quantitative, descriptive study design was used. All eight medical schools in SA provided information regarding selection criteria, selection procedures, and student demographics (race and gender). Descriptive analysis of data was done by calculating frequencies and percentages of the variables measured. Medical schools in SA make use of academic and non-academic criteria in their selection processes. The latter include indices of socioeconomic disadvantage. Most undergraduate medical students in SA are black (38.7%), followed by white (33.0%), coloured (13.4%) and Indian/Asian (13.6%). The majority of students are female (62.2%). The number of black students is still proportionately lower than in the general population, while other groups are overrepresented. Selection policies for undergraduate medical programmes aimed at redress should be continued and further refined, along with the provision of support to ensure student success.

  16. Genetic improvement in mastitis resistance: comparison of selection criteria from cross-sectional and random regression sire models for somatic cell score.

    PubMed

    Odegård, J; Klemetsdal, G; Heringstad, B

    2005-04-01

    Several selection criteria for reducing incidence of mastitis were developed from a random regression sire model for test-day somatic cell score (SCS). For comparison, sire transmitting abilities were also predicted based on a cross-sectional model for lactation mean SCS. Only first-crop daughters were used in genetic evaluation of SCS, and the different selection criteria were compared based on their correlation with incidence of clinical mastitis in second-crop daughters (measured as mean daughter deviations). Selection criteria were predicted based on both complete and reduced first-crop daughter groups (261 or 65 daughters per sire, respectively). For complete daughter groups, predicted transmitting abilities at around 30 d in milk showed the best predictive ability for incidence of clinical mastitis, closely followed by average predicted transmitting abilities over the entire lactation. Both of these criteria were derived from the random regression model. These selection criteria improved accuracy of selection by approximately 2% relative to a cross-sectional model. However, for reduced daughter groups, the cross-sectional model yielded increased predictive ability compared with the selection criteria based on the random regression model. This result may be explained by the cross-sectional model being more robust, i.e., less sensitive to precision of (co)variance components estimates and effects of data structure.

  17. Satellite Power System (SPS): an Overview of Prospective Organizational Structures in the Solar Satellite Field

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edler, H. G.

    1978-01-01

    A literature survey, interviews with acknowledged experts in the fields of organizational entities, space, solar energy, and the SPS concept, and an analysis of these inputs to identify the organizational alternatives and make judgments as to their feasibility to serve as patterns for a future SPS entity are presented. Selection and evaluation criteria were determined to include timeliness, reliability, and adequacy to contribute meaningfully to the U.S. supply; political feasibility (both national and international) and cost-effectiveness (including environmental and other external costs). Based on these criteria, four organizational alternatives are discussed which offer reasonable promise as potential options for SPS. These included three domestic alternatives and one international alternative.

  18. Optimizing drilling performance using a selected drilling fluid

    DOEpatents

    Judzis, Arnis [Salt Lake City, UT; Black, Alan D [Coral Springs, FL; Green, Sidney J [Salt Lake City, UT; Robertson, Homer A [West Jordan, UT; Bland, Ronald G [Houston, TX; Curry, David Alexander [The Woodlands, TX; Ledgerwood, III, Leroy W.

    2011-04-19

    To improve drilling performance, a drilling fluid is selected based on one or more criteria and to have at least one target characteristic. Drilling equipment is used to drill a wellbore, and the selected drilling fluid is provided into the wellbore during drilling with the drilling equipment. The at least one target characteristic of the drilling fluid includes an ability of the drilling fluid to penetrate into formation cuttings during drilling to weaken the formation cuttings.

  19. 40 CFR 90.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 90.510 Section 90.510....510 Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective... failed engine is an engine whose final test results pursuant to § 90.509(b), for one or more of the...

  20. 40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

  1. 40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

  2. 40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

  3. 40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results pursuant to...

  4. 40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

  5. 40 CFR 90.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 90.510 Section 90.510....510 Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective... failed engine is an engine whose final test results pursuant to § 90.509(b), for one or more of the...

  6. 25 CFR 1001.9 - Selection criteria for tribes/consortia seeking advance planning grant funding.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Selection criteria for tribes/consortia seeking advance..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SELF-GOVERNANCE PROGRAM § 1001.9 Selection criteria for tribes/consortia seeking... before a tribe/consortium is admitted into the applicant pool? Any tribe/consortium that is not a self...

  7. 7 CFR Exhibit D to Subpart N of... - Project Selection Criteria-Outline Rating Form

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 13 2011-01-01 2009-01-01 true Project Selection Criteria-Outline Rating Form D Exhibit D to Subpart N of Part 1944 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued... Preservation Grants Pt. 1944, Subpt. N, Exh. D Exhibit D to Subpart N of Part 1944—Project Selection Criteria...

  8. 75 FR 34094 - Re-Opening of Solicitation Period for the Opportunity To Serve on the Board of Directors of the...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-16

    ... opportunity to express interest and submit information. The selection criteria contained in the April 19, 2010... consider this opportunity. The selection criteria contained in the April 19, 2010 notice continue to apply... United States. Selection Criteria The TPA directs the Secretary of Commerce (after consultation with the...

  9. 7 CFR Exhibit D to Subpart N of... - Project Selection Criteria-Outline Rating Form

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 13 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Project Selection Criteria-Outline Rating Form D Exhibit D to Subpart N of Part 1944 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued... Preservation Grants Pt. 1944, Subpt. N, Exh. D Exhibit D to Subpart N of Part 1944—Project Selection Criteria...

  10. Decision Making on Regional Landfill Site Selection in Hormozgan Province Using Smce

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Majedi, A. S.; Kamali, B. M.; Maghsoudi, R.

    2015-12-01

    Landfill site selection and suitable conditions to bury hazardous wastes are among the most critical issues in modern societies. Taking several factors and limitations into account along with true decision making requires application of different decision techniques. To this end, current paper aims to make decisions about regional landfill site selection in Hormozgan province and utilizes SMCE technique combined with qualitative and quantitative criteria to select the final alternatives. To this respect, we first will describe the existing environmental situation in our study area and set the goals of our study in the framework of SMCE and will analyze the effective factors in regional landfill site selection. Then, methodological procedure of research was conducted using Delphi approach and questionnaires (in order to determine research validity, Chronbach Alpha (0.94) method was used). Spatial multi-criteria analysis model was designed in the form of criteria tree in SMCE using IL WIS software. Prioritization of respective spatial alternatives included: Bandar Abbas city with total 4 spatial alternatives (one zone with 1st priority, one zone with 3rd priority and two zones with 4thpriority) was considered the first priority, Bastak city with total 3 spatial alternatives (one zone with 2nd priority, one zone with 3rdpriorit and one zone with 4th priority) was the second priority and Bandar Abbas, Minab, Jask and Haji Abad cities were considered as the third priority.

  11. 7 CFR 1465.20 - Applications for participation and selecting applications for contracting.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Conservationist will develop ranking criteria and a ranking process to select applications, taking into account... State-developed ranking criteria and ranking process. (e) The State Conservationist, or designated... using the ranking criteria. ...

  12. A Methodology for Evaluating and Ranking Water Quantity Indicators in Support of Ecosystem-Based Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    James, C. Andrew; Kershner, Jessi; Samhouri, Jameal; O'Neill, Sandra; Levin, Phillip S.

    2012-03-01

    Ecosystem-based Management (EBM) is an approach that includes different management priorities and requires a balance between anthropogenic and ecological resource demands. Indicators can be used to monitor ecosystem status and trends, and assess whether projects and/or programs are leading to the achievement of management goals. As such, the careful selection of a suite of indicators is a crucial exercise. In this paper we describe an indicator evaluation and selection process designed to support the EBM approach in Puget Sound. The first step in this process was the development of a general framework for selecting indicators. The framework, designed to transparently include both scientific and policy considerations into the selection and evaluation process, was developed and then utilized in the organization and determination of a preliminary set of indicators. Next, the indicators were assessed against a set of nineteen distinct criteria that describe the model characteristics of an indicator. A literature review was performed for each indicator to determine the extent to which it satisfied each of the evaluation criteria. The result of each literature review was summarized in a numerical matrix, allowing comparison, and demonstrating the extent of scientific reliability. Finally, an approach for ranking indicators was developed to explore the effects of intended purpose on indicator selection. We identified several sets of scientifically valid and policy-relevant indicators that included metrics such as annual-7 day low flow and water system reliability, which are supportive of the EBM approach in the Puget Sound.

  13. Planning for CD-ROM in the Reference Department.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graves, Gail T.; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Outlines the evaluation criteria used by the reference department at the Williams Library at the University of Mississippi in selecting databases and hardware used in CD-ROM workstations. The factors discussed include database coverage, costs, and security. (CLB)

  14. Who'll Help My Disabled Child When I'm Gone?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Apolloni, Tony

    1984-01-01

    Information is provided for parents regarding planning for their disabled child's future. Aspects considered include guardianship of the estate, trusts, transfer of property, power of attorney, joint bank accounts, and criteria for selecting a successor. (CL)

  15. 34 CFR 606.24 - How does the Secretary use an applicant's performance under a previous development grant when...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... awarding a development grant? (a)(1) In addition to evaluating an application under the selection criteria..., including, but not limited to, the applicant's success in institutionalizing practices developed and...

  16. 40 CFR 86.098-30 - Certification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ..., and for 1985 and Later Model Year New Gasoline Fueled, Natural Gas-Fueled, Liquefied Petroleum Gas... with the selection criteria employed in selecting the failed vehicle, a new emission data vehicle which... selected in accordance with the selection criteria employed in selecting the failed vehicle, then two or...

  17. 40 CFR 86.098-30 - Certification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., and for 1985 and Later Model Year New Gasoline Fueled, Natural Gas-Fueled, Liquefied Petroleum Gas... with the selection criteria employed in selecting the failed vehicle, a new emission data vehicle which... selected in accordance with the selection criteria employed in selecting the failed vehicle, then two or...

  18. Assessing Organizational Readiness for a Participatory Occupational Health/Health Promotion Intervention in Skilled Nursing Facilities

    PubMed Central

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

    2018-01-01

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

  19. Selecting Anatomy and Physiology Textbooks for Nursing Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harder, Annie K.; Carline, Jan D.

    1988-01-01

    Describes the criteria used for textbook selection or rejection, how the criteria differ depending on the level of students, and how the criteria differ according to the instructor's training. Discusses results and implications for students, instructors, and publishers. (CW)

  20. Toward a Framework for Benefit-Risk Assessment in Diagnostic Imaging: Identifying Scenario-specific Criteria.

    PubMed

    Agapova, Maria; Bresnahan, Brian W; Linnau, Ken F; Garrison, Louis P; Higashi, Mitchell; Kessler, Larry; Devine, Beth

    2017-05-01

    Diagnostic imaging has many effects and there is no common definition of value in diagnostic radiology. As benefit-risk trade-offs are rarely made explicit, it is not clear which framework is used in clinical guideline development. We describe initial steps toward the creation of a benefit-risk framework for diagnostic radiology. We performed a literature search and an online survey of physicians to identify and collect benefit-risk criteria (BRC) relevant to diagnostic imaging tests. We operationalized a process for selection of BRC with the use of four clinical use case scenarios that vary by diagnostic alternatives and clinical indication. Respondent BRC selections were compared across clinical scenarios and between radiologists and nonradiologists. Thirty-six BRC were identified and organized into three domains: (1) those that account for differences attributable only to the test or device (n = 17); (2) those that account for clinical management and provider experiences (n = 12); and (3) those that capture patient experience (n = 7). Forty-eight survey participants selected 22 criteria from the initial list in the survey (9-11 per case). Engaging ordering physicians increased the number of criteria selected in each of the four clinical scenarios presented. We developed a process for standardizing selection of BRC in guideline development. These results suggest that a process relying on elements of comparative effectiveness and the use of standardized BRC may ensure consistent examination of differences among alternatives by way of making explicit implicit trade-offs that otherwise enter the decision-making space and detract from consistency and transparency. These findings also highlight the need for multidisciplinary teams that include input from ordering physicians. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Criteria for Selecting Types of Foreign-Language Laboratory Systems. ERIC Focus Reports on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Number 20.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutchinson, Joseph C.; Hutchinson, June O.

    Focusing on the current status of the language laboratory in instructional use, this report stresses the need to employ a systems approach in the selection and operation of laboratory equipment. The author points out the interrelatedness of the key factors in any system, including: (1) people, (2) method, (3) instructional materials, (4)…

  2. Visual Literacy in the Digital Age: Selected Readings from the Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy Association (25th, Rochester, New York, October 13-17, 1993).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beauchamp, Darrel G.; And Others

    This document contains selected papers from the 25th annual conference of the International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA). Topics addressed in the papers include the following: visual literacy; graphic information in research and education; evaluation criteria for instructional media; understanding symbols in business presentations;…

  3. 30 CFR 260.130 - What criteria does MMS use for selecting bidding systems and bidding system components?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What criteria does MMS use for selecting bidding systems and bidding system components? 260.130 Section 260.130 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF OIL AND GAS LEASING Bidding Systems Bidding System Selection Criteria §...

  4. The Effect of Hidden Curriculum on the Criteria Parents Use to Select Schools and Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahan, Hasan Hüseyin

    2014-01-01

    A framework of school and teacher qualities has been established by research. The need to identify families' school and teacher selection criteria, in particular, is the main motive behind the present study. It mainly aims to identify the criteria parents use when selecting schools and teachers, or the influence of hidden curriculum on school and…

  5. A new model of selection in women's handball.

    PubMed

    Srhoj, Vatromir; Rogulj, Nenad; Zagorac, Nebojsa; Katić, Ratko

    2006-09-01

    The aim of the study was to assess the basic motor abilities that determine top performance in women's handball, and to identify test panel for primary selection at handball school. The study included 155 female attendants of the Split Handball School, mean age 12.5 years. Differences in the basic motor abilities between the subjects that developed into elite handball players after 7-year training process and those that abandoned handball for being unable to meet the competition criteria were evaluated by use of discriminative analysis. The former were found to have also been superior initially in all variables analyzed, and in arm coordination, overall body coordination, throw and jump explosive strength, arm movement frequency and repetitive trunk strength in particular. Motor superiority based on the abilities of coordination, explosive strength and speed determines performance in women's handball, qualifying these abilities as reliable selection criteria. Based on this study results, a new model of selection in women's handball, with fine arm coordination as the major limiting factor of performance, has been proposed.

  6. Qualification testing and electrical measurement experience: A manufacturer's view

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arnett, J. C.; Cooley, J. E.; Wingert, T. L.

    1983-11-01

    ARCO Solar's experiences as a participant in an industry-utility-government environmental qualification team examining photovoltaic devices are discussed. Included is an assessment of the applicability, completeness and appropriateness of the testing procedures and of the acceptance criteria for megawatt-sized procurements for utilities. Like the stand-alone users, the utility industry is interested in obtaining low costs, but additional concerns exist related to reliability and durability, safety, grounding and overall system criteria including performance prediction (related to output power acceptance testing), power quality and dispatchability. For purposes of this first major purchase of photovoltaic modules and panels by the utility industry, there was a carry-over of the JPL specifications. The need exists for futher development, assessement, and selection of qualification and testing standards and evaluation criteria specifically addressing these additional concerns for utility-connected PV power-plant applications.

  7. Qualification testing and electrical measurement experience: A manufacturer's view

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arnett, J. C.; Cooley, J. E.; Wingert, T. L.

    1983-01-01

    ARCO Solar's experiences as a participant in an industry-utility-government environmental qualification team examining photovoltaic devices are discussed. Included is an assessment of the applicability, completeness and appropriateness of the testing procedures and of the acceptance criteria for megawatt-sized procurements for utilities. Like the stand-alone users, the utility industry is interested in obtaining low costs, but additional concerns exist related to reliability and durability, safety, grounding and overall system criteria including performance prediction (related to output power acceptance testing), power quality and dispatchability. For purposes of this first major purchase of photovoltaic modules and panels by the utility industry, there was a carry-over of the JPL specifications. The need exists for futher development, assessement, and selection of qualification and testing standards and evaluation criteria specifically addressing these additional concerns for utility-connected PV power-plant applications.

  8. A systematic review of diagnostic criteria for psoriasis in adults and children: evidence from studies with a primary aim to develop or validate diagnostic criteria.

    PubMed

    Burden-Teh, E; Phillips, R C; Thomas, K S; Ratib, S; Grindlay, D; Murphy, R

    2017-11-06

    The diagnosis of psoriasis in adults and children is made clinically, for both patient management and the selection of participants in research. Diagnostic criteria provide a structure for clinical assessment, which in turn helps standardize patient recruitment into clinical trials and case definitions in observational studies. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and critically appraise the published studies to date that had a primary research aim to develop or validate diagnostic criteria for psoriasis. A search of Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid Embase was conducted in October 2016. The primary objective was to record the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic criteria for psoriasis. Secondary objectives included diagnostic recommendations, applicability to children and study characteristics. Diagnostic accuracy studies were critically appraised for risk of bias using the QUADAS-2 tool. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. None detailed clinical examination-based diagnostic criteria. The included criteria varied from genetic and molecular diagnostic models to skin imaging, histopathology, and questionnaire-based, computer-aided and traditional Chinese medicine criteria. High sensitivity and specificity (> 90%) were reported in many studies. However, the study authors often did not specify how the criteria would be used clinically or in research. This review identified studies with varying risk of bias, and due to each study developing separate criteria meta-analysis was not possible. Clinical examination-based diagnostic criteria are currently lacking for psoriasis. Future research could follow an international collaborative approach and employ study designs allowing high-quality diagnostic accuracy testing. Existing and newly developed criteria require validation. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

  9. Tilted seat position for non-ambulant individuals with neurological and neuromuscular impairment: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Michael, S M; Porter, D; Pountney, T E

    2007-12-01

    To determine the effects of tilt-in-space seating on outcomes for people with neurological or neuromuscular impairment who cannot walk. Search through electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED). Discussions with researchers who are active in field. Selection criteria included interventional studies that investigated the effects of seat tilt on outcome or observational studies that identified outcomes for those who had used tilt-in-space seating in populations with neurological or neuromuscular impairments. Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed quality and extracted data. Nineteen studies were identified which fulfilled the selection criteria. Seventeen of these were essentially before-after studies investigating the immediate effects of tilting the seating. All studies looked at populations with neurological impairment, and most were on children with cerebral palsy (n=8) or adults with spinal cord injury (n=8). REVIEWER'S CONCLUSION: Posterior tilt can reduce pressures at the interface under the pelvis.

  10. Identification and selection of cases and controls in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health project.

    PubMed

    Deloria-Knoll, Maria; Feikin, Daniel R; Scott, J Anthony G; O'Brien, Katherine L; DeLuca, Andrea N; Driscoll, Amanda J; Levine, Orin S

    2012-04-01

    Methods for the identification and selection of patients (cases) with severe or very severe pneumonia and controls for the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) project were needed. Issues considered include eligibility criteria and sampling strategies, whether to enroll hospital or community controls, whether to exclude controls with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) or nonsevere pneumonia, and matching criteria, among others. PERCH ultimately decided to enroll community controls and an additional human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected control group at high HIV-prevalence sites matched on age and enrollment date of cases; controls with symptoms of URTI or nonsevere pneumonia will not be excluded. Systematic sampling of cases (when necessary) and random sampling of controls will be implemented. For each issue, we present the options that were considered, the advantages and disadvantages of each, the rationale for the methods selected for PERCH, and remaining implications and limitations.

  11. Criteria for Evaluating Alternative Network and Link Layer Protocols for the NASA Constellation Program Communication Architecture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Benbenek, Daniel; Soloff, Jason; Lieb, Erica

    2010-01-01

    Selecting a communications and network architecture for future manned space flight requires an evaluation of the varying goals and objectives of the program, development of communications and network architecture evaluation criteria, and assessment of critical architecture trades. This paper uses Cx Program proposed exploration activities as a guideline; lunar sortie, outpost, Mars, and flexible path options are described. A set of proposed communications network architecture criteria are proposed and described. They include: interoperability, security, reliability, and ease of automating topology changes. Finally a key set of architecture options are traded including (1) multiplexing data at a common network layer vs. at the data link layer, (2) implementing multiple network layers vs. a single network layer, and (3) the use of a particular network layer protocol, primarily IPv6 vs. Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN). In summary, the protocol options are evaluated against the proposed exploration activities and their relative performance with respect to the criteria are assessed. An architectural approach which includes (a) the capability of multiplexing at both the network layer and the data link layer and (b) a single network layer for operations at each program phase, as these solutions are best suited to respond to the widest array of program needs and meet each of the evaluation criteria.

  12. 78 FR 29499 - Proposed Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Race to the Top-Early...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-20

    ... social development. Teachers College Record, 112(3), 579-620. \\5\\ Reynolds, A.J., Temple, J.A., Ou, S... and family engagement, including in the early grades; (d) Increasing the percentage of children who...

  13. A Proactive Approach to Building Security.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winters, Sharon

    1994-01-01

    Describes building security procedures developed at the Hampton Public Library (Virginia) to deal with problem patrons. Highlights include need for the library monitor program; staffing patterns; monitor selection criteria; training procedures; library behavior guidelines; library policy statements; theft detection systems; and sample job…

  14. WATER QUALITY IN SOURCE WATER, TREATMENT, AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Most drinking water utilities practice the multiple-barrier concept as the guiding principle for providing safe water. This chapter discusses multiple barriers as they relate to the basic criteria for selecting and protecting source waters, including known and potential sources ...

  15. Comparative analyses of basal rate of metabolism in mammals: data selection does matter.

    PubMed

    Genoud, Michel; Isler, Karin; Martin, Robert D

    2018-02-01

    Basal rate of metabolism (BMR) is a physiological parameter that should be measured under strictly defined experimental conditions. In comparative analyses among mammals BMR is widely used as an index of the intensity of the metabolic machinery or as a proxy for energy expenditure. Many databases with BMR values for mammals are available, but the criteria used to select metabolic data as BMR estimates have often varied and the potential effect of this variability has rarely been questioned. We provide a new, expanded BMR database reflecting compliance with standard criteria (resting, postabsorptive state; thermal neutrality; adult, non-reproductive status for females) and examine potential effects of differential selectivity on the results of comparative analyses. The database includes 1739 different entries for 817 species of mammals, compiled from the original sources. It provides information permitting assessment of the validity of each estimate and presents the value closest to a proper BMR for each entry. Using different selection criteria, several alternative data sets were extracted and used in comparative analyses of (i) the scaling of BMR to body mass and (ii) the relationship between brain mass and BMR. It was expected that results would be especially dependent on selection criteria with small sample sizes and with relatively weak relationships. Phylogenetically informed regression (phylogenetic generalized least squares, PGLS) was applied to the alternative data sets for several different clades (Mammalia, Eutheria, Metatheria, or individual orders). For Mammalia, a 'subsampling procedure' was also applied, in which random subsamples of different sample sizes were taken from each original data set and successively analysed. In each case, two data sets with identical sample size and species, but comprising BMR data with different degrees of reliability, were compared. Selection criteria had minor effects on scaling equations computed for large clades (Mammalia, Eutheria, Metatheria), although less-reliable estimates of BMR were generally about 12-20% larger than more-reliable ones. Larger effects were found with more-limited clades, such as sciuromorph rodents. For the relationship between BMR and brain mass the results of comparative analyses were found to depend strongly on the data set used, especially with more-limited, order-level clades. In fact, with small sample sizes (e.g. <100) results often appeared erratic. Subsampling revealed that sample size has a non-linear effect on the probability of a zero slope for a given relationship. Depending on the species included, results could differ dramatically, especially with small sample sizes. Overall, our findings indicate a need for due diligence when selecting BMR estimates and caution regarding results (even if seemingly significant) with small sample sizes. © 2017 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

  16. An improved hybrid multi-criteria/multidimensional model for strategic industrial location selection: Casablanca industrial zones as a case study.

    PubMed

    Boutkhoum, Omar; Hanine, Mohamed; Agouti, Tarik; Tikniouine, Abdessadek

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we examine the issue of strategic industrial location selection in uncertain decision making environments for implanting new industrial corporation. In fact, the industrial location issue is typically considered as a crucial factor in business research field which is related to many calculations about natural resources, distributors, suppliers, customers, and most other things. Based on the integration of environmental, economic and social decisive elements of sustainable development, this paper presents a hybrid decision making model combining fuzzy multi-criteria analysis with analytical capabilities that OLAP systems can provide for successful and optimal industrial location selection. The proposed model mainly consists in three stages. In the first stage, a decision-making committee has been established to identify the evaluation criteria impacting the location selection process. In the second stage, we develop fuzzy AHP software based on the extent analysis method to assign the importance weights to the selected criteria, which allows us to model the linguistic vagueness, ambiguity, and incomplete knowledge. In the last stage, OLAP analysis integrated with multi-criteria analysis employs these weighted criteria as inputs to evaluate, rank and select the strategic industrial location for implanting new business corporation in the region of Casablanca, Morocco. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate the impact of criteria weights and the preferences given by decision makers on the final rankings of strategic industrial locations.

  17. 49 CFR Appendix C to Part 541 - Criteria for Selecting Light Duty Truck Lines Likely To Have High Theft Rates

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 6 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Criteria for Selecting Light Duty Truck Lines Likely To Have High Theft Rates C Appendix C to Part 541 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT PREVENTION STANDARD Pt. 541, App. C Appendix C to Part 541—Criteria for Selecting...

  18. 49 CFR Appendix C to Part 541 - Criteria for Selecting Light Duty Truck Lines Likely To Have High Theft Rates

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 6 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Criteria for Selecting Light Duty Truck Lines Likely To Have High Theft Rates C Appendix C to Part 541 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT PREVENTION STANDARD Pt. 541, App. C Appendix C to Part 541—Criteria for Selecting...

  19. 49 CFR Appendix C to Part 541 - Criteria for Selecting Light Duty Truck Lines Likely To Have High Theft Rates

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Criteria for Selecting Light Duty Truck Lines Likely To Have High Theft Rates C Appendix C to Part 541 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT PREVENTION STANDARD Pt. 541, App. C Appendix C to Part 541—Criteria for Selecting...

  20. A PROCESS OF PRIORITIZING TOPICS FOR HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN KAZAKHSTAN.

    PubMed

    Kosherbayeva, Lyazzat; Hailey, David; Kurakbaev, Kural; Tabarov, Adlet; Kumar, Ainur; Gutzskaya, Gulnara; Stepkina, Elena

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop criteria for the prioritization of topics for health technology assessment (HTA) in the healthcare system of Kazakhstan. Initial proposals for criteria were suggested through consultation with Ministry of Health (MoH) policy areas. These were refined through a workshop attended by HTA department staff, persons from medical universities and research institutes, and MoH policy makers. The workshop included discussion on methods used in international HTA practice. Opinions of participants on selection of criteria from those specified in a review of prioritization processes were used to define a list for inclusion in an instrument for routine use. A scoring system was established in later discussion. Selected criteria for HTA prioritization were burden of disease, availability of alternative technology, clinical effectiveness, economic efficiency, budget impact, and ethical, legal, and/or psychosocial aspects. For each criterion, a health technology under consideration is given a score from 3 (High) to 1 (Low). The total score determines whether the technology is of high to medium priority or of low priority. Determination of priorities for assessment, using the instrument, should be carried out by an expert group appointed by the MoH. The process was applied in 2014 to a selection of topics, and three health technologies were chosen for full assessments. Criteria for prioritization have evolved with development of the HTA program in Kazakhstan. A method for HTA prioritization has been developed that is easy to apply, requires comparatively few resources, and is compatible with processes required by the MoH.

  1. The influence of expert opinions on the selection of wastewater treatment alternatives: a group decision-making approach.

    PubMed

    Kalbar, Pradip P; Karmakar, Subhankar; Asolekar, Shyam R

    2013-10-15

    The application of multiple-attribute decision-making (MADM) to real life decision problems suggests that avoiding the loss of information through scenario-based approaches and including expert opinions in the decision-making process are two major challenges that require more research efforts. Recently, a wastewater treatment technology selection effort has been made with a 'scenario-based' method of MADM. This paper focuses on a novel approach to incorporate expert opinions into the scenario-based decision-making process, as expert opinions play a major role in the selection of treatment technologies. The sets of criteria and the indicators that are used consist of both qualitative and quantitative criteria. The group decision-making (GDM) approach that is implemented for aggregating expert opinions is based on an analytical hierarchy process (AHP), which is the most widely used MADM method. The pairwise comparison matrices (PCMs) for qualitative criteria are formed based on expert opinions, whereas, a novel approach is proposed for generating PCMs for quantitative criteria. It has been determined that the experts largely prefer natural treatment systems because they are more sustainable in any scenario. However, PCMs based on expert opinions suggest that advanced technologies such as the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) can also be appropriate for a given decision scenario. The proposed GDM approach is a rationalized process that will be more appropriate in realistic scenarios where multiple stakeholders with local and regional societal priorities are involved in the selection of treatment technology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Group decision making with the analytic hierarchy process in benefit-risk assessment: a tutorial.

    PubMed

    Hummel, J Marjan; Bridges, John F P; IJzerman, Maarten J

    2014-01-01

    The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been increasingly applied as a technique for multi-criteria decision analysis in healthcare. The AHP can aid decision makers in selecting the most valuable technology for patients, while taking into account multiple, and even conflicting, decision criteria. This tutorial illustrates the procedural steps of the AHP in supporting group decision making about new healthcare technology, including (1) identifying the decision goal, decision criteria, and alternative healthcare technologies to compare, (2) structuring the decision criteria, (3) judging the value of the alternative technologies on each decision criterion, (4) judging the importance of the decision criteria, (5) calculating group judgments, (6) analyzing the inconsistency in judgments, (7) calculating the overall value of the technologies, and (8) conducting sensitivity analyses. The AHP is illustrated via a hypothetical example, adapted from an empirical AHP analysis on the benefits and risks of tissue regeneration to repair small cartilage lesions in the knee.

  3. The Problem of Multiple Criteria Selection of the Surface Mining Haul Trucks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bodziony, Przemysław; Kasztelewicz, Zbigniew; Sawicki, Piotr

    2016-06-01

    Vehicle transport is a dominant type of technological processes in rock mines, and its profit ability is strictly dependent on overall cost of its exploitation, especially on diesel oil consumption. Thus, a rational design of transportation system based on haul trucks should result from thorough analysis of technical and economic issues, including both cost of purchase and its further exploitation, having a crucial impact on the cost of minerals extraction. Moreover, off-highway trucks should be selected with respect to all specific exploitation conditions and even the user's preferences and experience. In this paper a development of universal family of evaluation criteria as well as application of evaluation method for haul truck selection process for a specific exploitation conditions in surface mining have been carried out. The methodology presented in the paper is based on the principles of multiple criteria decision aiding (MCDA) using one of the ranking method, i.e. ELECTRE III. The applied methodology has been allowed for ranking of alternative solution (variants), on the considered set of haul trucks. The result of the research is a universal methodology, and it consequently may be applied in other surface mines with similar exploitation parametres.

  4. Do Current Recommendations for Upper Instrumented Vertebra Predict Shoulder Imbalance? An Attempted Validation of Level Selection for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

    PubMed

    Bjerke, Benjamin T; Cheung, Zoe B; Shifflett, Grant D; Iyer, Sravisht; Derman, Peter B; Cunningham, Matthew E

    2015-10-01

    Shoulder balance for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients is associated with patient satisfaction and self-image. However, few validated systems exist for selecting the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) post-surgical shoulder balance. The purpose is to examine the existing UIV selection criteria and correlate with post-surgical shoulder balance in AIS patients. Patients who underwent spinal fusion at age 10-18 years for AIS over a 6-year period were reviewed. All patients with a minimum of 1-year radiographic follow-up were included. Imbalance was determined to be radiographic shoulder height |RSH| ≥ 15 mm at latest follow-up. Three UIV selection methods were considered: Lenke, Ilharreborde, and Trobisch. A recommended UIV was determined using each method from pre-surgical radiographs. The recommended UIV for each method was compared to the actual UIV instrumented for all three methods; concordance between these levels was defined as "Correct" UIV selection, and discordance was defined as "Incorrect" selection. One hundred seventy-one patients were included with 2.3 ± 1.1 year follow-up. For all methods, "Correct" UIV selection resulted in more shoulder imbalance than "Incorrect" UIV selection. Overall shoulder imbalance incidence was improved from 31.0% (53/171) to 15.2% (26/171). New shoulder imbalance incidence for patients with previously level shoulders was 8.8%. We could not identify a set of UIV selection criteria that accurately predicted post-surgical shoulder balance. Further validated measures are needed in this area. The complexity of proximal thoracic curve correction is underscored in a case example, where shoulder imbalance occurred despite "Correct" UIV selection by all methods.

  5. Selection of remedial alternatives for mine sites: a multicriteria decision analysis approach.

    PubMed

    Betrie, Getnet D; Sadiq, Rehan; Morin, Kevin A; Tesfamariam, Solomon

    2013-04-15

    The selection of remedial alternatives for mine sites is a complex task because it involves multiple criteria and often with conflicting objectives. However, an existing framework used to select remedial alternatives lacks multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) aids and does not consider uncertainty in the selection of alternatives. The objective of this paper is to improve the existing framework by introducing deterministic and probabilistic MCDA methods. The Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) methods have been implemented in this study. The MCDA analysis involves processing inputs to the PROMETHEE methods that are identifying the alternatives, defining the criteria, defining the criteria weights using analytical hierarchical process (AHP), defining the probability distribution of criteria weights, and conducting Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS); running the PROMETHEE methods using these inputs; and conducting a sensitivity analysis. A case study was presented to demonstrate the improved framework at a mine site. The results showed that the improved framework provides a reliable way of selecting remedial alternatives as well as quantifying the impact of different criteria on selecting alternatives. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Safety approach to the selection of design criteria for the CRBRP reactor refueling system

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

    Meisl, C J; Berg, G E; Sharkey, N F

    1979-01-01

    The selection of safety design criteria for Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) refueling systems required the extrapolation of regulations and guidelines intended for Light Water Reactor refueling systems and was encumbered by the lack of benefit from a commercially licensed predecessor other than Fermi. The overall approach and underlying logic are described for developing safety design criteria for the reactor refueling system (RRS) of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP). The complete selection process used to establish the criteria is presented, from the definition of safety functions to the finalization of safety design criteria in the appropriate documents.more » The process steps are illustrated by examples.« less

  7. Guide for Indoor Air Quality Surveys

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-05-01

    investigations, but is most useful as a tool for the Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning ( HVAC ) experts. The standard describes two procedures for...providing acceptable air quality and includes design criteria for HVAC systems. Perhaps the most important contribution from ASHRAE 62-1989 is its...Selected Selected Cause Subcauses Subrates(%) Overall Rate(%) A. Inadequate Design or Maintenance of HVAC 70 (32/46) Al. Mold 47 (15/32) 33 (15/46) A2

  8. An Examination of Graduate Theses Related with Guitar in Terms of Methodology and Content: A Case of Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yöndem, Sadik

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine post-graduate thesis completed on guitar in Turkey. For this purpose, a total of 89 theses were investigated in terms of selected research topics, study participants, and methods for analysis. For the selection of the thesis included in this study three criteria were used; first, theses from 1990 (beginning time…

  9. Selecting Really Excellent Software for Young Adults.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Polly, Jean Armour

    1985-01-01

    This article discusses criteria of a good computer software package to aid the public librarian in the building, weeding, and maintenance of a software collection for young adults. Highlights include manuals or documentation; bells, whistles, and color; and the true test of time. (EJS)

  10. Appropriate Technology--A Selected, Annotated Bibliography No. 8.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andree, Carolyn

    Presented is an annotated bibliography of "appropriate technology" (AT) publications. The bibliography is divided into the following sections. Philosophy and overview section includes works describing the interrelationship of technology with other facets of development; place of technology in international relations; criteria for…

  11. 32 CFR 903.3 - Selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... pass a medical evaluation administered through the Department of Defense Medical Evaluation Review.... (4) Take the Candidate Fitness Assessment. (b) HQ USAFA/RR oversees the holistic review of each viable candidate's record by a panel. This holistic review may include consideration of factors that...

  12. On-board multispectral classification study. Volume 2: Supplementary tasks. [adaptive control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ewalt, D.

    1979-01-01

    The operational tasks of the onboard multispectral classification study were defined. These tasks include: sensing characteristics for future space applications; information adaptive systems architectural approaches; data set selection criteria; and onboard functional requirements for interfacing with global positioning satellites.

  13. Disappointing performance of literature-derived selective screening criteria for asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis infection in an inner-city population.

    PubMed

    van Valkengoed, I G; Boeke, A J; Morré, S A; van den Brule, A J; Meijer, C J; Devillé, W; Bouter, L M

    2000-10-01

    In an inner-city population with a low prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection, selective screening may be indicated to increase the efficiency of screening. To evaluate the performance of sets of selective screening criteria for asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis infection in an inner-city population. The criteria were derived from reports of studies carried out in various settings. A total of 5714 women age 15 to 40 years living in Amsterdam were invited for a screening based on home-obtained urine specimens. Criteria identified from the literature were applied to the screening population. A calculated area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC) of greater than 0.75 was considered a good measure of diagnostic accuracy. Of the four sets of criteria, selection based on the following determinants showed the highest diagnostic accuracy: younger than 25 years, being unmarried, number of partners during the previous 6 months, Surinam or Antillean origin (black), and vaginal douching (AUC, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.65-0.69). Selection based on age alone showed an AUC of 0.57 (95% CI, 0.55-0.69). The performance of selective screening criteria for asymptomatic C trachomatis infection in an inner-city population in Amsterdam was insufficient to recommend its implementation in practice.

  14. A multi-criteria decision-making approach to rank supplier selection criteria for hospital waste management: A case from Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Ishtiaq, Palvisha; Khan, Sharfuddin Ahmed; Haq, Moiz-Ul

    2018-04-01

    To address environmental issues and cost effectiveness, waste management is necessary for healthcare facilities. Most importantly, segregation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste must be done as in many developing countries; disposal of both types of healthcare waste is done together, which is an unsafe practice. Waste generated in hospitals needs proper management to minimise hazards for patient and healthcare workers. At the same time, it is quite difficult for hospitals to find a systematic way to select appropriate suppliers for hospital waste management. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to identify, validate, and rank criteria that are essential for hospital waste management suppliers' selection. The analytical hierarchal process approach has been used and a survey from Pakistan's largest city (Karachi) has been considered to rank the most appropriate criteria that is necessary to select the supplier, especially in a developing country like Pakistan. Results show that waste management cost (45.5%) and suppliers' details (31.5%) are the top two main criteria for supplier selection; and storage cost (15.7%), waste handling cost (14.7%), and qualification of the suppliers (10.9%) are the top three most important overall sub-criteria for supplier selection for hospital waste management.

  15. Advances in Psychiatric Diagnosis: Past, Present, and Future.

    PubMed

    North, Carol S; Surís, Alina M

    2017-04-26

    This editorial examines controversies identified by the articles in this special issue, which explore psychopathology in the broad history of the classification of selected psychiatric disorders and syndromes over time through current American criteria. Psychiatric diagnosis has a long history of scientific investigation and application, with periods of rapid change, instability, and heated controversy associated with it. The articles in this issue examine the history of psychiatric nomenclature and explore current and future directions in psychiatric diagnosis through the various versions of accepted diagnostic criteria and accompanying research literature addressing the criteria. The articles seek to guide readers in appreciating the complexities of psychiatric diagnosis as the field of psychiatry pushes forward toward future advancements in diagnosis. Despite efforts of many scientists to advance a diagnostic classification system that incorporates neuroscience and genetics, it has been argued that it may be premature to attempt to move to a biologically-based classification system, because psychiatric disorders cannot yet be fully distinguished by any specific biological markers. For now, the symptom-based criteria that the field has been using continue to serve many essential purposes, including selection of the most effective treatment, communication about disease with colleagues, education about psychiatric illness, and support for ongoing research.

  16. 7 CFR 1944.529 - Project selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 13 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Project selection. 1944.529 Section 1944.529... selection. (a) Projects must meet the following criteria: (1) Provide a program of supervisory assistance as... section, the following criteria will be considered in the selection of grant recipients: (1) The extent to...

  17. Reconsidering vocational interests for personnel selection: the validity of an interest-based selection test in relation to job knowledge, job performance, and continuance intentions.

    PubMed

    Van Iddekinge, Chad H; Putka, Dan J; Campbell, John P

    2011-01-01

    Although vocational interests have a long history in vocational psychology, they have received extremely limited attention within the recent personnel selection literature. We reconsider some widely held beliefs concerning the (low) validity of interests for predicting criteria important to selection researchers, and we review theory and empirical evidence that challenge such beliefs. We then describe the development and validation of an interests-based selection measure. Results of a large validation study (N = 418) reveal that interests predicted a diverse set of criteria—including measures of job knowledge, job performance, and continuance intentions—with corrected, cross-validated Rs that ranged from .25 to .46 across the criteria (mean R = .31). Interests also provided incremental validity beyond measures of general cognitive aptitude and facets of the Big Five personality dimensions in relation to each criterion. Furthermore, with a couple exceptions, the interest scales were associated with small to medium subgroup differences, which in most cases favored women and racial minorities. Taken as a whole, these results appear to call into question the prevailing thought that vocational interests have limited usefulness for selection.

  18. Identifying Luminous AGN in Deep Surveys: Revised IRAC Selection Criteria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donley, Jennifer; Koekemoer, A. M.; Brusa, M.; Capak, P.; Cardamone, C. N.; Civano, F.; Ilbert, O.; Impey, C. D.; Kartaltepe, J.; Miyaji, T.; Salvato, M.; Sanders, D. B.; Trump, J. R.; Zamorani, G.

    2012-01-01

    Spitzer IRAC selection is a powerful tool for identifying luminous AGN. The AGN selection wedges currently in use, however, are heavily contaminated by star-forming galaxies, especially at high redshift. Using the large samples of luminous AGN and high-redshift star-forming galaxies in COSMOS, we redefine the AGN selection criteria for use in deep IRAC surveys. The new IRAC criteria are designed to be both highly complete and reliable, and incorporate the best aspects of the current AGN selection wedges and of infrared power-law selection while excluding high redshift star-forming galaxies selected via the BzK, DRG, LBG, and SMG criteria. At QSO-luminosities of log L(2-10 keV)>44, the new IRAC criteria recover 75% of the hard X-ray and IRAC-detected XMM-COSMOS sample, yet only 37% of the IRAC AGN candidates have X-ray counterparts, a fraction that rises to 51% in regions with Chandra exposures of 50-160 ks. X-ray stacking of the individually X-ray non-detected AGN candidates leads to a hard X-ray signal indicative of heavily obscured to mildly Compton-thick obscuration (log NH >= 23.7). While IRAC selection recovers a substantial fraction of luminous unobscured and obscured AGN, it is incomplete to low-luminosity and host-dominated AGN.

  19. Plant selection for ethnobotanical uses on the Amalfi Coast (Southern Italy).

    PubMed

    Savo, V; Joy, R; Caneva, G; McClatchey, W C

    2015-07-15

    Many ethnobotanical studies have investigated selection criteria for medicinal and non-medicinal plants. In this paper we test several statistical methods using different ethnobotanical datasets in order to 1) define to which extent the nature of the datasets can affect the interpretation of results; 2) determine if the selection for different plant uses is based on phylogeny, or other selection criteria. We considered three different ethnobotanical datasets: two datasets of medicinal plants and a dataset of non-medicinal plants (handicraft production, domestic and agro-pastoral practices) and two floras of the Amalfi Coast. We performed residual analysis from linear regression, the binomial test and the Bayesian approach for calculating under-used and over-used plant families within ethnobotanical datasets. Percentages of agreement were calculated to compare the results of the analyses. We also analyzed the relationship between plant selection and phylogeny, chorology, life form and habitat using the chi-square test. Pearson's residuals for each of the significant chi-square analyses were examined for investigating alternative hypotheses of plant selection criteria. The three statistical analysis methods differed within the same dataset, and between different datasets and floras, but with some similarities. In the two medicinal datasets, only Lamiaceae was identified in both floras as an over-used family by all three statistical methods. All statistical methods in one flora agreed that Malvaceae was over-used and Poaceae under-used, but this was not found to be consistent with results of the second flora in which one statistical result was non-significant. All other families had some discrepancy in significance across methods, or floras. Significant over- or under-use was observed in only a minority of cases. The chi-square analyses were significant for phylogeny, life form and habitat. Pearson's residuals indicated a non-random selection of woody species for non-medicinal uses and an under-use of plants of temperate forests for medicinal uses. Our study showed that selection criteria for plant uses (including medicinal) are not always based on phylogeny. The comparison of different statistical methods (regression, binomial and Bayesian) under different conditions led to the conclusion that the most conservative results are obtained using regression analysis.

  20. Green supply chain management strategy selection using analytic network process: case study at PT XYZ

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adelina, W.; Kusumastuti, R. D.

    2017-01-01

    This study is about business strategy selection for green supply chain management (GSCM) for PT XYZ by using Analytic Network Process (ANP). GSCM is initiated as a response to reduce environmental impacts from industrial activities. The purposes of this study are identifying criteria and sub criteria in selecting GSCM Strategy, and analysing a suitable GSCM strategy for PT XYZ. This study proposes ANP network with 6 criteria and 29 sub criteria, which are obtained from the literature and experts’ judgements. One of the six criteria contains GSCM strategy options, namely risk-based strategy, efficiency-based strategy, innovation-based strategy, and closed loop strategy. ANP solves complex GSCM strategy-selection by using a more structured process and considering green perspectives from experts. The result indicates that innovation-based strategy is the most suitable green supply chain management strategy for PT XYZ.

  1. Comparison of fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TODIM methods for landfill location selection.

    PubMed

    Hanine, Mohamed; Boutkhoum, Omar; Tikniouine, Abdessadek; Agouti, Tarik

    2016-01-01

    Landfill location selection is a multi-criteria decision problem and has a strategic importance for many regions. The conventional methods for landfill location selection are insufficient in dealing with the vague or imprecise nature of linguistic assessment. To resolve this problem, fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods are proposed. The aim of this paper is to use fuzzy TODIM (the acronym for Interactive and Multi-criteria Decision Making in Portuguese) and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methods for the selection of landfill location. The proposed methods have been applied to a landfill location selection problem in the region of Casablanca, Morocco. After determining the criteria affecting the landfill location decisions, fuzzy TODIM and fuzzy AHP methods are applied to the problem and results are presented. The comparisons of these two methods are also discussed.

  2. FlexPepDock lessons from CAPRI peptide-protein rounds and suggested new criteria for assessment of model quality and utility.

    PubMed

    Marcu, Orly; Dodson, Emma-Joy; Alam, Nawsad; Sperber, Michal; Kozakov, Dima; Lensink, Marc F; Schueler-Furman, Ora

    2017-03-01

    CAPRI rounds 28 and 29 included, for the first time, peptide-receptor targets of three different systems, reflecting increased appreciation of the importance of peptide-protein interactions. The CAPRI rounds allowed us to objectively assess the performance of Rosetta FlexPepDock, one of the first protocols to explicitly include peptide flexibility in docking, accounting for peptide conformational changes upon binding. We discuss here successes and challenges in modeling these targets: we obtain top-performing, high-resolution models of the peptide motif for cases with known binding sites but there is a need for better modeling of flanking regions, as well as better selection criteria, in particular for unknown binding sites. These rounds have also provided us the opportunity to reassess the success criteria, to better reflect the quality of a peptide-protein complex model. Using all models submitted to CAPRI, we analyze the correlation between current classification criteria and the ability to retrieve critical interface features, such as hydrogen bonds and hotspots. We find that loosening the backbone (and ligand) RMSD threshold, together with a restriction on the side chain RMSD measure, allows us to improve the selection of high-accuracy models. We also suggest a new measure to assess interface hydrogen bond recovery, which is not assessed by the current CAPRI criteria. Finally, we find that surprisingly much can be learned from rather inaccurate models about binding hotspots, suggesting that the current status of peptide-protein docking methods, as reflected by the submitted CAPRI models, can already have a significant impact on our understanding of protein interactions. Proteins 2017; 85:445-462. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. 34 CFR 366.15 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Training and Technical Assistance § 366.15 What selection criteria does the Secretary use? The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate applications for new awards for training and technical... project; and (2) How the objectives further training and technical assistance with respect to planning...

  4. ModelTest Server: a web-based tool for the statistical selection of models of nucleotide substitution online

    PubMed Central

    Posada, David

    2006-01-01

    ModelTest server is a web-based application for the selection of models of nucleotide substitution using the program ModelTest. The server takes as input a text file with likelihood scores for the set of candidate models. Models can be selected with hierarchical likelihood ratio tests, or with the Akaike or Bayesian information criteria. The output includes several statistics for the assessment of model selection uncertainty, for model averaging or to estimate the relative importance of model parameters. The server can be accessed at . PMID:16845102

  5. Assessing Organizational Readiness for a Participatory Occupational Health/Health Promotion Intervention in Skilled Nursing Facilities.

    PubMed

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

    2015-09-01

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

  6. Can living donor liver transplantation offer similar outcomes to deceased donor liver transplantation using expanded selection criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma?

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Li-Ping; Li, Chuan; Wen, Tian-Fu; Yan, Lu-Nan; Li, Bo; Yang, Jia-Yin

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To compare the outcomes of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) versus deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in different selection criteria. Methods: Data of patients with HCC who underwent liver transplantation between 2005 and 2013 at our center were reviewed. Clinical data of LDLT recipients and DDLT recipients were compared. The postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate after LDLT versus DDLT were compared in the Milan recipients, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recipients, the up-to-seven recipients, the Hangzhou recipients and the Chengdu recipients. Results: Data of 255 patients were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Seventeen DDLT recipient and 9 LDLT recipients died during the perioperative period. Among the remaining 229 recipients (NLDLT=66, NDDLT=163), 96 patients met the Milan criteria, 123 recipients met the UCSF criteria, 135 patients met the up-to-seven criteria, 216 patients met the Hangzhou criteria, and 229 recipients met the Chengdu criteria. The overall RFS and OS rates of the Milan recipients, the UCSF recipients, the up-to-seven recipients, the Hangzhou recipients and the Chengdu recipients after LDLT and DDLT were all similar. Conclusion: Using well-studied selection criteria, LDLT offers similar outcomes to DDLT for patient with HCC, even using expanded selection criteria. PMID:26430399

  7. Can living donor liver transplantation offer similar outcomes to deceased donor liver transplantation using expanded selection criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma?

    PubMed

    Chen, Li-Ping; Li, Chuan; Wen, Tian-Fu; Yan, Lu-Nan; Li, Bo; Yang, Jia-Yin

    2015-01-01

    To compare the outcomes of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) versus deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in different selection criteria. Data of patients with HCC who underwent liver transplantation between 2005 and 2013 at our center were reviewed. Clinical data of LDLT recipients and DDLT recipients were compared. The postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate after LDLT versus DDLT were compared in the Milan recipients, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recipients, the up-to-seven recipients, the Hangzhou recipients and the Chengdu recipients. Data of 255 patients were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Seventeen DDLT recipient and 9 LDLT recipients died during the perioperative period. Among the remaining 229 recipients (NLDLT=66, NDDLT=163), 96 patients met the Milan criteria, 123 recipients met the UCSF criteria, 135 patients met the up-to-seven criteria, 216 patients met the Hangzhou criteria, and 229 recipients met the Chengdu criteria. The overall RFS and OS rates of the Milan recipients, the UCSF recipients, the up-to-seven recipients, the Hangzhou recipients and the Chengdu recipients after LDLT and DDLT were all similar. Using well-studied selection criteria, LDLT offers similar outcomes to DDLT for patient with HCC, even using expanded selection criteria.

  8. 7 CFR 3565.5 - Ranking and selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ..., management, and ownership responsibilities, and the owner and development team must not be under...) Demonstrate market and financial feasibility; and (5) Include evidence that the credit risk is reasonable, taking into account conventional lending practices, and factors related to concentration of risk in a...

  9. 7 CFR 3565.5 - Ranking and selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ..., management, and ownership responsibilities, and the owner and development team must not be under...) Demonstrate market and financial feasibility; and (5) Include evidence that the credit risk is reasonable, taking into account conventional lending practices, and factors related to concentration of risk in a...

  10. Building the Minority Faculty Development Pipeline.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gates, Paul E.; Ganey, James H.; Brown, Marc D.

    2003-01-01

    Describes efforts toward minority faculty development in dentistry, including those of Harlem Hospital-Columbia University School of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, the National Dental Association Foundation, and Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center. Explains that critical elements in the success of these programs are environment, selection criteria,…

  11. 29 CFR 30.4 - Affirmative action plans.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... nondiscrimination. It includes procedures, methods, and programs for the identification, positive recruitment... to develop programs for preparing students to meet the standards and criteria required to qualify for... the above requirements. (d) Goals and timetables. (1) A sponsor adopting a selection method under § 30...

  12. 42 CFR 65.5 - How will applications be evaluated?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., INTERNSHIPS, TRAINING NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES HAZARDOUS WASTE WORKER TRAINING § 65... pertinent factors, the significance of the project, the qualifications and competency of the project... selection criteria for trainees for the project, the adequacy of the detailed training plan including...

  13. 42 CFR 65.5 - How will applications be evaluated?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., INTERNSHIPS, TRAINING NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES HAZARDOUS WASTE WORKER TRAINING § 65... pertinent factors, the significance of the project, the qualifications and competency of the project... selection criteria for trainees for the project, the adequacy of the detailed training plan including...

  14. Evaluation of coal feed systems being developed by the Energy Research and Development administration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Phen, R. L.; Luckow, W. K.; Mattson, L.; Otth, D.; Tsou, P.

    1977-01-01

    Development criteria and recommendations for coal feed system selections that include supporting data are presented. Considered are the areas of coal feed coasts, coal feed system reliability, and the interaction of the feed system with the conversion process.

  15. Molecular biomarkers to guide precision medicine in localized prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Smits, Minke; Mehra, Niven; Sedelaar, Michiel; Gerritsen, Winald; Schalken, Jack A

    2017-08-01

    Major advances through tumor profiling technologies, that include next-generation sequencing, epigenetic, proteomic and transcriptomic methods, have been made in primary prostate cancer, providing novel biomarkers that may guide precision medicine in the near future. Areas covered: The authors provided an overview of novel molecular biomarkers in tissue, blood and urine that may be used as clinical tools to assess prognosis, improve selection criteria for active surveillance programs, and detect disease relapse early in localized prostate cancer. Expert commentary: Active surveillance (AS) in localized prostate cancer is an accepted strategy in patients with very low-risk prostate cancer. Many more patients may benefit from watchful waiting, and include patients of higher clinical stage and grade, however selection criteria have to be optimized and early recognition of transformation from localized to lethal disease has to be improved by addition of molecular biomarkers. The role of non-invasive biomarkers is challenging the need for repeat biopsies, commonly performed at 1 and 4 years in men under AS programs.

  16. The Impact of Varied Discrimination Parameters on Mixed-Format Item Response Theory Model Selection

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittaker, Tiffany A.; Chang, Wanchen; Dodd, Barbara G.

    2013-01-01

    Whittaker, Chang, and Dodd compared the performance of model selection criteria when selecting among mixed-format IRT models and found that the criteria did not perform adequately when selecting the more parameterized models. It was suggested by M. S. Johnson that the problems when selecting the more parameterized models may be because of the low…

  17. An index with improved diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of Crohn's disease derived from the Lennard-Jones criteria.

    PubMed

    Reinisch, S; Schweiger, K; Pablik, E; Collet-Fenetrier, B; Peyrin-Biroulet, L; Alfaro, I; Panés, J; Moayyedi, P; Reinisch, W

    2016-09-01

    The Lennard-Jones criteria are considered the gold standard for diagnosing Crohn's disease (CD) and include the items granuloma, macroscopic discontinuity, transmural inflammation, fibrosis, lymphoid aggregates and discontinuous inflammation on histology. The criteria have never been subjected to a formal validation process. To develop a validated and improved diagnostic index based on the items of Lennard-Jones criteria. Included were 328 adult patients with long-standing CD (median disease duration 10 years) from three centres and classified as 'established', 'probable' or 'non-CD' by Lennard-Jones criteria at time of diagnosis. Controls were patients with ulcerative colitis (n = 170). The performance of each of the six diagnostic items of Lennard-Jones criteria was modelled by logistic regression and a new index based on stepwise backward selection and cut-offs was developed. The diagnostic value of the new index was analysed by comparing sensitivity, specificity and accuracy vs. Lennard-Jones criteria. By Lennard-Jones criteria 49% (n = 162) of CD patients would have been diagnosed as 'non-CD' at time of diagnosis (sensitivity/specificity/accuracy, 'established' CD: 0.34/0.99/0.67; 'probable' CD: 0.51/0.95/0.73). A new index was derived from granuloma, fibrosis, transmural inflammation and macroscopic discontinuity, but excluded lymphoid aggregates and discontinuous inflammation on histology. Our index provided improved diagnostic accuracy for 'established' and 'probable' CD (sensitivity/specificity/accuracy, 'established' CD: 0.45/1/0.72; 'probable' CD: 0.8/0.85/0.82), including the subgroup isolated colonic CD ('probable' CD, new index: 0.73/0.85/0.79; Lennard-Jones criteria: 0.43/0.95/0.69). We developed an index based on items of Lennard-Jones criteria providing improved diagnostic accuracy for the differential diagnosis between CD and UC. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. 40 CFR 228.6 - Specific criteria for site selection.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Specific criteria for site selection... selection. (a) In the selection of disposal sites, in addition to other necessary or appropriate factors...) Existence at or in close proximity to the site of any significant natural or cultural features of historical...

  19. Refugees and antimicrobial resistance: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    de Smalen, Allard Willem; Ghorab, Hatem; Abd El Ghany, Moataz; Hill-Cawthorne, Grant A

    There is a large increase in the numbers of refugees and asylum seekers worldwide and a lack of data on the carriage of antimicrobial resistance in refugee/asylum seeking groups. This article aims to identify the impact of refugees and asylum seekers on the acquisition and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a literature search. The databases Embase, Medline, Pubmed, and Web of Science Core Collection were utilised and covered all articles before the 1st of October 2016. In total, 577 articles were identified, and studies were eligible if they met the selection criteria, including observational study design, English language, and AMR strains reported in absolute numbers. In total, 17 articles met the criteria, the majority were from the European region. Articles fitting the selection criteria exclusively reported AMR in bacterial species including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, K. oxytoca, Shigella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The analyses indicated that a high percentage of AMR strains, have been circulating among refugees and asylum seekers. The displacement of refugees and asylum seekers seem to play a key role in the transmission of AMR. Therefore, improved AMR control measures are essential. A knowledge gap was identified; further research is strongly recommended. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Joint Effects of Ambient Air Pollutants on Pediatric Asthma ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Background: Because ambient air pollution exposure occurs in the form of mixtures, consideration of joint effects of multiple pollutants may advance our understanding of air pollution health effects. Methods: We assessed the joint effect of selected ambient air pollutant combinations (groups of oxidant, secondary, traffic, power plant, and criteria pollutants constructed using combinations of criteria gases, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and PM2.5 components) on warm season pediatric asthma emergency department (ED) visits in Atlanta during 1998-2004. Joint effects were assessed using multi-pollutant Poisson generalized linear models controlling for time trends, meteorology and daily non-asthma respiratory ED visit counts. Rate ratios (RR) were calculated for the combined effect of an interquartile-range increment in the concentration of each pollutant. Results: Increases in all of the selected pollutant combinations were associated with increases in pediatric asthma ED visits [e.g., joint effect rate ratio=1.13 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.21) for criteria pollutants (including ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and PM2.5)]. Joint effect estimates were smaller than estimates calculated based on summing results from single-pollutant models, due to control for confounding. Compared with models without interactions, joint effect estimates from models including first-order pollutant interactions were similar for oxidant a

  1. Is speckle tracking actually helpful for cardiac resynchronization therapy?

    PubMed

    Tanaka, Hidekazu; Hirata, Ken-Ichi

    2016-06-01

    What is the specific role of echocardiography in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)? CRT has proven to be highly effective for improving symptoms and survival of patients with advanced heart failure (HF) and wide QRS. However, a significant minority of patients do not respond favorably to CRT on the basis of standard clinical selection criteria, including the electrocardiographic QRS width. Subsequently, echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony has been considered useful for CRT for selected responders, but findings by multicenter studies suggest that its predictive value was not sufficiently robust to replace routine selection criteria for CRT. A more recent approach, however, using speckle-tracking echocardiography yields more accurate quantification of regional wall contraction. Speckle-tracking approaches have therefore generated a great deal of interest about their clinical applications for CRT. Although reports on speckle tracking have not been included in any recommendations as to whether patients should undergo CRT based on the current guidelines, speckle tracking can play an important supplementary part in CRT on the basis of a case-by-case clinical decision for challenging cases. Here, we review the strengths of speckle-tracking methods, and their current potential for clinical use in CRT.

  2. Nutritional and cultural aspects of plant species selection for a controlled ecological life support system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hoff, J. E.; Howe, J. M.; Mitchell, C. A.

    1982-01-01

    The feasibility of using higher plants in a controlled ecological life support system is discussed. Aspects of this system considered important in the use of higher plants include: limited energy, space, and mass, and problems relating to cultivation and management of plants, food processing, the psychological impact of vegetarian diets, and plant propagation. A total of 115 higher plant species are compared based on 21 selection criteria.

  3. Controlled Ecological Life Support System: Use of Higher Plants

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tibbits, T. W.; Alford, D. K.

    1982-01-01

    Results of two workshops concerning the use of higher plants in Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) are summarized. Criteria for plant selection were identified from these categories: food production, nutrition, oxygen production and carbon dioxide utilization, water recycling, waste recycling, and other morphological and physiological considerations. Types of plant species suitable for use in CELSS, growing procedures, and research priorities were recommended. Also included are productivity values for selected plant species.

  4. Detection methods and performance criteria for genetically modified organisms.

    PubMed

    Bertheau, Yves; Diolez, Annick; Kobilinsky, André; Magin, Kimberly

    2002-01-01

    Detection methods for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are necessary for many applications, from seed purity assessment to compliance of food labeling in several countries. Numerous analytical methods are currently used or under development to support these needs. The currently used methods are bioassays and protein- and DNA-based detection protocols. To avoid discrepancy of results between such largely different methods and, for instance, the potential resulting legal actions, compatibility of the methods is urgently needed. Performance criteria of methods allow evaluation against a common standard. The more-common performance criteria for detection methods are precision, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, which together specifically address other terms used to describe the performance of a method, such as applicability, selectivity, calibration, trueness, precision, recovery, operating range, limit of quantitation, limit of detection, and ruggedness. Performance criteria should provide objective tools to accept or reject specific methods, to validate them, to ensure compatibility between validated methods, and be used on a routine basis to reject data outside an acceptable range of variability. When selecting a method of detection, it is also important to consider its applicability, its field of applications, and its limitations, by including factors such as its ability to detect the target analyte in a given matrix, the duration of the analyses, its cost effectiveness, and the necessary sample sizes for testing. Thus, the current GMO detection methods should be evaluated against a common set of performance criteria.

  5. Eligibility of real-life patients with COPD for inclusion in trials of inhaled long-acting bronchodilator therapy.

    PubMed

    Halpin, David M G; Kerkhof, Marjan; Soriano, Joan B; Mikkelsen, Helga; Price, David B

    2016-09-23

    Management guidelines of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are mainly based on results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), but some authors have suggested limited representativeness of patients included in these trials. No previous studies have applied the full range of selection criteria to a broad COPD patient population in a real-life setting. We identified all RCTs of inhaled long-acting bronchodilator therapy, during 1999-2013, at ClinicalTrials.gov and translated trial selection criteria into definitions compatible with electronic medical records. Eligibility was calculated for each RCT by applying these criteria to a uniquely representative, well-characterised population of patients with COPD from the Optimum Patient Care Research Database (OPCRD). Median eligibility of 36 893 patients with COPD for participation in 31 RCTs was 23 % (interquartile range 12-38). Two studies of olodaterol showed the highest eligibility of 55 and 58 %. Conversely, the lowest eligibility was observed in two studies that required a history of exacerbations in the past year (3.5 and 3.9 %). For the patient subgroup with modified Medical Research Council score ≥2, the overall median eligibility was 27 %. By applying an extensive range of RCT selection criteria to a large, representative COPD patient population, this study highlights that the interpretation of results from RCTs must take into account that RCT participants are variably, but generally more representative of patients in the community than previously believed.

  6. An Intelligent Ensemble Neural Network Model for Wind Speed Prediction in Renewable Energy Systems.

    PubMed

    Ranganayaki, V; Deepa, S N

    2016-01-01

    Various criteria are proposed to select the number of hidden neurons in artificial neural network (ANN) models and based on the criterion evolved an intelligent ensemble neural network model is proposed to predict wind speed in renewable energy applications. The intelligent ensemble neural model based wind speed forecasting is designed by averaging the forecasted values from multiple neural network models which includes multilayer perceptron (MLP), multilayer adaptive linear neuron (Madaline), back propagation neural network (BPN), and probabilistic neural network (PNN) so as to obtain better accuracy in wind speed prediction with minimum error. The random selection of hidden neurons numbers in artificial neural network results in overfitting or underfitting problem. This paper aims to avoid the occurrence of overfitting and underfitting problems. The selection of number of hidden neurons is done in this paper employing 102 criteria; these evolved criteria are verified by the computed various error values. The proposed criteria for fixing hidden neurons are validated employing the convergence theorem. The proposed intelligent ensemble neural model is applied for wind speed prediction application considering the real time wind data collected from the nearby locations. The obtained simulation results substantiate that the proposed ensemble model reduces the error value to minimum and enhances the accuracy. The computed results prove the effectiveness of the proposed ensemble neural network (ENN) model with respect to the considered error factors in comparison with that of the earlier models available in the literature.

  7. An Intelligent Ensemble Neural Network Model for Wind Speed Prediction in Renewable Energy Systems

    PubMed Central

    Ranganayaki, V.; Deepa, S. N.

    2016-01-01

    Various criteria are proposed to select the number of hidden neurons in artificial neural network (ANN) models and based on the criterion evolved an intelligent ensemble neural network model is proposed to predict wind speed in renewable energy applications. The intelligent ensemble neural model based wind speed forecasting is designed by averaging the forecasted values from multiple neural network models which includes multilayer perceptron (MLP), multilayer adaptive linear neuron (Madaline), back propagation neural network (BPN), and probabilistic neural network (PNN) so as to obtain better accuracy in wind speed prediction with minimum error. The random selection of hidden neurons numbers in artificial neural network results in overfitting or underfitting problem. This paper aims to avoid the occurrence of overfitting and underfitting problems. The selection of number of hidden neurons is done in this paper employing 102 criteria; these evolved criteria are verified by the computed various error values. The proposed criteria for fixing hidden neurons are validated employing the convergence theorem. The proposed intelligent ensemble neural model is applied for wind speed prediction application considering the real time wind data collected from the nearby locations. The obtained simulation results substantiate that the proposed ensemble model reduces the error value to minimum and enhances the accuracy. The computed results prove the effectiveness of the proposed ensemble neural network (ENN) model with respect to the considered error factors in comparison with that of the earlier models available in the literature. PMID:27034973

  8. The Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC): Deep Near-Infrared Imaging and the Selection of Distant Galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quadri, Ryan; Marchesini, Danilo; van Dokkum, Pieter; Gawiser, Eric; Franx, Marijn; Lira, Paulina; Rudnick, Gregory; Urry, C. Megan; Maza, José; Kriek, Mariska; Barrientos, L. Felipe; Blanc, Guillermo A.; Castander, Francisco J.; Christlein, Daniel; Coppi, Paolo S.; Hall, Patrick B.; Herrera, David; Infante, Leopoldo; Taylor, Edward N.; Treister, Ezequiel; Willis, Jon P.

    2007-09-01

    We present deep near-infrared JHK imaging of four 10' × 10' fields. The observations were carried out as part of the Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC) with ISPI on the CTIO 4 m telescope. The typical point-source limiting depths are J ~ 22.5, H ~ 21.5, and K ~ 21 (5 σ Vega). The effective seeing in the final images is ~1.0″. We combine these data with MUSYC UBVRIz imaging to create K-selected catalogs that are unique for their uniform size, depth, filter coverage, and image quality. We investigate the rest-frame optical colors and photometric redshifts of galaxies that are selected using common color selection techniques, including distant red galaxies (DRGs), star-forming and passive BzKs, and the rest-frame UV-selected BM, BX, and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs). These techniques are effective at isolating large samples of high-redshift galaxies, but none provide complete or uniform samples across the targeted redshift ranges. The DRG and BM/BX/LBG criteria identify populations of red and blue galaxies, respectively, as they were designed to do. The star-forming BzKs have a very wide redshift distribution, extending down to z ~ 1, a wide range of colors, and may include galaxies with very low specific star formation rates. In comparison, the passive BzKs are fewer in number, have a different distribution of K magnitudes, and have a somewhat different redshift distribution. By combining either the DRG and BM/BX/LBG criteria, or the star-forming and passive BzK criteria, it appears possible to define a reasonably complete sample of galaxies to our flux limit over specific redshift ranges. However, the redshift dependence of both the completeness and sampled range of rest-frame colors poses an ultimate limit to the usefulness of these techniques.

  9. Lean Information Management: Criteria For Selecting Key Performance Indicators At Shop Floor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iuga, Maria Virginia; Kifor, Claudiu Vasile; Rosca, Liviu-Ion

    2015-07-01

    Most successful organizations worldwide use key performance indicators as an important part of their corporate strategy in order to forecast, measure and plan their businesses. Performance metrics vary in their purpose, definition and content. Therefore, the way organizations select what they think are the optimal indicators for their businesses varies from company to company, sometimes even from department to department. This study aims to answer the question of what is the most suitable way to define and select key performance indicators. More than that, it identifies the right criteria to select key performance indicators at shop floor level. This paper contributes to prior research by analysing and comparing previously researched selection criteria and proposes an original six-criteria-model, which caters towards choosing the most adequate KPIs. Furthermore, the authors take the research a step further by further steps to closed research gaps within this field of study.

  10. 34 CFR 427.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... measurable goals for student enrollment, completion, and placement and describes how the applicant sets the... have the greatest need for bilingual vocational training; (v) Assessment procedures that evaluate the... proficiency, for each occupation for which training is provided; (4) Includes activities during the formative...

  11. 34 CFR 415.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... occupational needs; (3) Provide trainees with appropriate vocational evaluation, assessment, and counseling... program, as evidenced by empirical data from those programs, in such factors as— (i) Student performance... students in jobs, including military service; and (iv) Successful transfer of students to a variety of...

  12. 34 CFR 415.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... occupational needs; (3) Provide trainees with appropriate vocational evaluation, assessment, and counseling... program, as evidenced by empirical data from those programs, in such factors as— (i) Student performance... students in jobs, including military service; and (iv) Successful transfer of students to a variety of...

  13. 34 CFR 427.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... measurable goals for student enrollment, completion, and placement and describes how the applicant sets the... have the greatest need for bilingual vocational training; (v) Assessment procedures that evaluate the... proficiency, for each occupation for which training is provided; (4) Includes activities during the formative...

  14. Core ADHD Symptom Improvement with Atomoxetine versus Methylphenidate: A Direct Comparison Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hazell, Philip L.; Kohn, Michael R.; Dickson, Ruth; Walton, Richard J.; Granger, Renee E.; van Wyk, Gregory W.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Previous studies comparing atomoxetine and methylphenidate to treat ADHD symptoms have been equivocal. This noninferiority meta-analysis compared core ADHD symptom response between atomoxetine and methylphenidate in children and adolescents. Method: Selection criteria included randomized, controlled design; duration 6 weeks; and…

  15. 34 CFR 648.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... capacity for teaching and research at the institution and at State, regional, or national levels; (3) The... faculty, including education, research interest, publications, teaching ability, and accessibility to... appropriate to demonstrate the quality of its academic program. (d) Quality of the supervised teaching...

  16. 34 CFR 648.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... capacity for teaching and research at the institution and at State, regional, or national levels; (3) The... faculty, including education, research interest, publications, teaching ability, and accessibility to... appropriate to demonstrate the quality of its academic program. (d) Quality of the supervised teaching...

  17. 34 CFR 648.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... capacity for teaching and research at the institution and at State, regional, or national levels; (3) The... faculty, including education, research interest, publications, teaching ability, and accessibility to... appropriate to demonstrate the quality of its academic program. (d) Quality of the supervised teaching...

  18. 34 CFR 648.31 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... capacity for teaching and research at the institution and at State, regional, or national levels; (3) The... faculty, including education, research interest, publications, teaching ability, and accessibility to... appropriate to demonstrate the quality of its academic program. (d) Quality of the supervised teaching...

  19. Considerations in Selecting Instructional Programs. Professional Paper 30.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niedermeyer, Fred C.; Moncrief, Michael H.

    Effective instruction on a national scale is dependent on supplying competent teachers with comprehensive instructional materials and procedures that meet some kind of minimum criteria for accountability. Considerations included in a complete instructional system are: (1) outcomes; (2) assessment; (3) user experience data; (4) materials; (5)…

  20. Which family physician should I choose? The analytic hierarchy process approach for ranking of criteria in the selection of a family physician.

    PubMed

    Kuruoglu, Emel; Guldal, Dilek; Mevsim, Vildan; Gunvar, Tolga

    2015-08-05

    Choosing the most appropriate family physician (FP) for the individual, plays a fundamental role in primary care. The aim of this study is to determine the selection criteria for the patients in choosing their family doctors and priority ranking of these criteria by using the multi-criteria decision-making method of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model. The study was planned and conducted in two phases. In the first phase, factors affecting the patients' decisions were revealed with a qualitative research. In the next phase, the priorities of FP selection criteria were determined by using AHP model. Criteria were compared in pairs. 96 patient were asked to fill the information forms which contains comparison scores in the Family Health Centres. According to the analysis of focus group discussions FP selection criteria were congregated in to five groups: Individual Characteristics, Patient-Doctor relationship, Professional characteristics, the Setting, and Ethical Characteristics. For each of the 96 participants, comparison matrixes were formed based on the scores of their information forms. Of these, models of only 5 (5.2 %) of the participants were consistent, in other words, they have been able to score consistent ranking. The consistency ratios (CR) were found to be smaller than 0.10. Therefore the comparison matrix of this new model, which was formed based on the medians of scores only given by these 5 participants, was consistent (CR = 0.06 < 0.10). According to comparison results; with a 0.467 value-weight, the most important criterion for choosing a family physician is his/her 'Professional characteristics'. Selection criteria for choosing a FP were put in a priority order by using AHP model. These criteria can be used as measures for selecting alternative FPs in further researches.

  1. Ground Vibration Test Planning and Pre-Test Analysis for the X-33 Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bedrossian, Herand; Tinker, Michael L.; Hidalgo, Homero

    2000-01-01

    This paper describes the results of the modal test planning and the pre-test analysis for the X-33 vehicle. The pre-test analysis included the selection of the target modes, selection of the sensor and shaker locations and the development of an accurate Test Analysis Model (TAM). For target mode selection, four techniques were considered, one based on the Modal Cost technique, one based on Balanced Singular Value technique, a technique known as the Root Sum Squared (RSS) method, and a Modal Kinetic Energy (MKE) approach. For selecting sensor locations, four techniques were also considered; one based on the Weighted Average Kinetic Energy (WAKE), one based on Guyan Reduction (GR), one emphasizing engineering judgment, and one based on an optimum sensor selection technique using Genetic Algorithm (GA) search technique combined with a criteria based on Hankel Singular Values (HSV's). For selecting shaker locations, four techniques were also considered; one based on the Weighted Average Driving Point Residue (WADPR), one based on engineering judgment and accessibility considerations, a frequency response method, and an optimum shaker location selection based on a GA search technique combined with a criteria based on HSV's. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed sensor and shaker locations for exciting the target modes, extensive numerical simulations were performed. Multivariate Mode Indicator Function (MMIF) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of each sensor & shaker set with respect to modal parameter identification. Several TAM reduction techniques were considered including, Guyan, IRS, Modal, and Hybrid. Based on a pre-test cross-orthogonality checks using various reduction techniques, a Hybrid TAM reduction technique was selected and was used for all three vehicle fuel level configurations.

  2. 77 FR 74407 - Proposed Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Investing in Innovation Fund

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-14

    ...The Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement proposes priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria under the Investing in Innovation Fund (i3). The Assistant Deputy Secretary may use these priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2013 and later years. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) has conducted three competitions under the i3 program and awarded 92 i3 grants since the program was established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). These proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria maintain the overall purpose and structure of the i3 program, which is discussed later in this document, and incorporate changes based on specific lessons learned from the first three competitions.

  3. An Examination of Program Selection Criteria for Part-Time MBA Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colburn, Michael; Fox, Daniel E.; Westerfelt, Debra Kay

    2011-01-01

    Prospective graduate students select a graduate program as a result of a multifaceted decision-making process. This study examines the selection criteria that part-time MBA students used in selecting a program at a private university. Further, it analyzes the methods by which the students first learned of the MBA program. The authors posed the…

  4. Evaluation of Portable Multi-Gas Analyzers for use by Safety Personnel

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lueck, D. E.; Meneghelli, B. J.; Bardel, D. N.

    1998-01-01

    During confined space entry operations as well as Shuttle-safing operations, United Space Alliance (USA)/National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) safety personnel use a variety of portable instrumentation to monitor for hazardous levels of compounds such as nitrogen dioxide (N%), monomethylhydrazine (NMM), FREON 21, ammonia (NH3), oxygen (O2), and combustibles (as hydrogen (H2)). Except for O2 and H2, each compound is monitored using a single analyzer. In many cases these analyzers are 5 to 10 years old and require frequent maintenance. In addition, they are cumbersome to carry and tend to make the job of personnel monitoring physically taxing. As part of an effort to upgrade the sensor technology background information was requested from a total of 27 manufacturers of portable multi-gas instruments. A set of criteria was established to determine which vendors would be selected for laboratory evaluation. These criteria were based on requests made by USA/NASA Safety personnel in order to meet requirements within their respective areas for confined-space and Shuttle-safing operations. Each of the 27 manufacturers of multi-gas analyzers was sent a copy of the criteria and asked to fill in the appropriate information pertaining to their instrumentation. Based on the results of the sensor criteria worksheets, a total of 9 vendors out of 27 surveyed manufacturers were chosen for evaluation. Each vendor included in the final evaluation process was requested to configure each of two analyzers with NO2, NH3, O2, and combustible sensors. A set of lab tests was designed in order to determine which of the multi-gas instruments under evaluation was best suited for use in both shuttle and confined space operations. These tests included linearity/repeatability, zero/span drift response/recovery, humidity, interference, and maintenance. At the conclusion of lab testing three vendors were selected for additional field testing. Based on the results of both the lab and field evaluations a single vendor was recommended for use by NASA/IJSA Safety personnel. Vendor selection criteria, as well as the results from both laboratory and field testing of the multi-gas analyzers, are presented as part of this paper.

  5. Design of a Vehicle Based Intervention System to Prevent Ozone Loss

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cole, Robin; Fisher, Daniel; Meade, Matt; Neel, James; Olson, Kristin; Pittman, Andrew; Valdivia, Anne; Wibisono, Aria; Mason, William H.; Kirschbaum, Nathan

    1995-01-01

    This project was designed to be completed over a period of three years. Overall project goals were: (1) To understand the processes that contribute to stratospheric ozone loss; (2) To determine the best prevention scheme for loss; (3) To design a delivery vehicle to accomplish the prevention scheme. The 1994-1995 design objectives included: (1) To review the results of the 1993-1994 design team, including a reevaluation of the major assumptions and criteria selected to choose a vehicle; (2) To evaluate preliminary vehicle concepts and perform quantitative trade studies to select the optimal vehicle concept.

  6. Selection signatures in Shetland ponies.

    PubMed

    Frischknecht, M; Flury, C; Leeb, T; Rieder, S; Neuditschko, M

    2016-06-01

    Shetland ponies were selected for numerous traits including small stature, strength, hardiness and longevity. Despite the different selection criteria, Shetland ponies are well known for their small stature. We performed a selection signature analysis including genome-wide SNPs of 75 Shetland ponies and 76 large-sized horses. Based upon this dataset, we identified a selection signature on equine chromosome (ECA) 1 between 103.8 Mb and 108.5 Mb. A total of 33 annotated genes are located within this interval including the IGF1R gene at 104.2 Mb and the ADAMTS17 gene at 105.4 Mb. These two genes are well known to have a major impact on body height in numerous species including humans. Homozygosity mapping in the Shetland ponies identified a region with increased homozygosity between 107.4 Mb and 108.5 Mb. None of the annotated genes in this region have so far been associated with height. Thus, we cannot exclude the possibility that the identified selection signature on ECA1 is associated with some trait other than height, for which Shetland ponies were selected. © 2016 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

  7. American College of Rheumatology provisional criteria for defining clinical inactive disease in select categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

    PubMed

    Wallace, Carol A; Giannini, Edward H; Huang, Bin; Itert, Lukasz; Ruperto, Nicolino

    2011-07-01

    To prospectively validate the preliminary criteria for clinical inactive disease (CID) in patients with select categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We used the process for development of classification and response criteria recommended by the American College of Rheumatology Quality of Care Committee. Patient-visit profiles were extracted from the phase III randomized controlled trial of infliximab in polyarticular-course JIA (i.e., patients considered to resemble those with select categories of JIA) and sent to an international group of expert physician raters. Using the physician ratings as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity were calculated using the preliminary criteria. Modifications to the criteria were made, and these were sent to a larger group of pediatric rheumatologists to determine quantitative, face, and content validity. Variables weighted heaviest by physicians when making their judgment were the number of joints with active arthritis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), physician's global assessment, and duration of morning stiffness. Three modifications were made: the definition of uveitis, the definition of abnormal ESR, and the addition of morning stiffness. These changes did not alter the accuracy of the preliminary set. The modified criteria, termed the "criteria for CID in select categories of JIA," have excellent feasibility and face, content, criterion, and discriminant validity to detect CID in select categories of JIA. The small changes made to the preliminary criteria set did not alter the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.954) or accuracy (91%), but have increased face and content validity. Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology.

  8. National Estimates of Genetic Testing in Women With a History of Breast or Ovarian Cancer.

    PubMed

    Childers, Christopher P; Childers, Kimberly K; Maggard-Gibbons, Melinda; Macinko, James

    2017-12-01

    Purpose In the United States, 3.8 million women have a history of breast (BC) or ovarian cancer (OC). Up to 15% of cases are attributable to heritable mutations, which, if identified, provide critical knowledge for treatment and preventive care. It is unknown how many patients who are at high risk for these mutations have not been tested and how rates vary by risk criteria. Methods We used pooled cross-sectional data from three Cancer Control Modules (2005, 2010, 2015) of the National Health Interview Survey, a national in-person household interview survey. Eligible patients were adult females with a history of BC and/or OC meeting select 2017 National Comprehensive Cancer Network eligibility criteria on the basis of age of diagnosis and family history. Outcomes included the proportion of individuals reporting a history of discussing genetic testing with a health professional, being advised to undergo genetic testing, or undergoing genetic testing for BC or OC. Results Of 47,218 women, 2.7% had a BC history and 0.4% had an OC history. For BC, 35.6% met one or more select eligibility criteria; of those, 29.0% discussed, 20.2% were advised to undergo, and 15.3% underwent genetic testing. Testing rates for individual eligibility criteria ranged from 6.2% (relative with OC) to 18.2% (diagnosis ≤ 45 years of age). For OC, 15.1% discussed, 13.1% were advised to undergo, and 10.5% underwent testing. Using only four BC eligibility criteria and all patients with OC, an estimated 1.2 to 1.3 million individuals failed to receive testing. Conclusion Fewer than one in five individuals with a history of BC or OC meeting select National Cancer Comprehensive Network criteria have undergone genetic testing. Most have never discussed testing with a health care provider. Large national efforts are warranted to address this unmet need.

  9. How are normal sleeping controls selected? A systematic review of cross-sectional insomnia studies and a standardized method to select healthy controls for sleep research.

    PubMed

    Beattie, Louise; Espie, Colin A; Kyle, Simon D; Biello, Stephany M

    2015-06-01

    There appears to be some inconsistency in how normal sleepers (controls) are selected and screened for participation in research studies for comparison with insomnia patients. The purpose of the current study is to assess and compare methods of identifying normal sleepers in insomnia studies, with reference to published standards. We systematically reviewed the literature on insomnia patients, which included control subjects. The resulting 37 articles were systematically reviewed with reference to the five criteria for normal sleep specified by Edinger et al. In summary, these criteria are as follows: evidence of sleep disruption, sleep scheduling, general health, substance/medication use, and other sleep disorders. We found sleep diaries, polysomnography (PSG), and clinical screening examinations to be widely used with both control subjects and insomnia participants. However, there are differences between research groups in the precise definitions applied to the components of normal sleep. We found that none of the reviewed studies applied all of the Edinger et al. criteria, and 16% met four criteria. In general, screening is applied most rigorously at the level of a clinical disorder, whether physical, psychiatric, or sleep. While the Edinger et al. criteria seem to be applied in some form by most researchers, there is scope to improve standards and definitions in this area. Ideally, different methods such as sleep diaries and questionnaires would be used concurrently with objective measures to ensure normal sleepers are identified, and descriptive information for control subjects would be reported. Here, we have devised working criteria and methods to be used for the assessment of normal sleepers. This would help clarify the nature of the control group, in contrast to insomnia subjects and other patient groups. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. 78 FR 13041 - Applications for New Awards; Carol M. White Physical Education Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-26

    ... child nutrition director), grocery stores, supermarkets, restaurants, corner stores, farmers' markets... this program. Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection.... Application Review Information 1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR...

  11. Patient-reported outcomes in neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis clinical trials.

    PubMed

    Wolters, Pamela L; Martin, Staci; Merker, Vanessa L; Gardner, Kathy L; Hingtgen, Cynthia M; Tonsgard, James H; Schorry, Elizabeth K; Baldwin, Andrea

    2013-11-19

    Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disease with multiple clinical manifestations that can significantly impact quality of life (QOL). Clinical trials should include patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as endpoints to assess treatment effects on various aspects of QOL, but there is no consensus on the selection and use of such measures in NF. This article describes the PRO Working Group of the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) Collaboration, its main goals, methods for identifying appropriate PRO measures for NF clinical trials, and recommendations for assessing pain intensity. The REiNS PRO group selected core endpoint domains important to assess in NF. The members developed criteria to rate PRO measures, including patient characteristics, psychometric properties, and feasibility, and utilized a systematic process to evaluate PROs for NF clinical trials. Within the subdomain of pain intensity, the group reviewed the Numerical Rating Scale-11 (NRS-11), the Visual Analogue Scale, and the Faces Pain Scale-Revised using this process. Based on the review criteria, each of these pain intensity scales is brief, reliable, valid, and widely used. However, the NRS-11 was given the highest rating for use in NF clinical trials due to recommendations from pain experts and other consensus groups, its extensive use in research, strong psychometric data including sensitivity to change, and excellent feasibility in ages ≥ 8 years. The systematic review criteria and process are effective for identifying appropriate PRO measures and provide information utilized by the REiNS Collaboration to achieve consensus regarding PROs in NF clinical trials.

  12. Mechanical properties of provisional dental materials: A systematic review and meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Bellot-Arcís, Carlos; Pascual-Moscardó, Agustín; Almerich-Silla, José Manuel

    2018-01-01

    Provisional restorations represent an important phase during the rehabilitation process, knowledge of the mechanical properties of the available materials allows us to predict their clinical performance. At present, there is no systematic review, which supports the clinicians’ criteria, in the selection of a specific material over another for a particular clinical situation. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess and compare the mechanical properties of dimethacrylates and monomethacrylates used in fabricating direct provisional restorations, in terms of flexural strength, fracture toughness and hardness. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines. The searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, the New York Academy of Medicine Grey Literature Report and were complemented by hand-searching, with no limitation of time or language up to January 10, 2017. Studies that assess and compare the mechanical properties of dimethacrylate- and monomethacrylate-based provisional restoration materials were selected. A quality assessment of full-text articles were performed according to modified ARRIVE and CONSORT criteria and modified Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for in vitro studies. Initially, 256 articles were identified. After removing the duplicates and applying the selection criteria, 24 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis and 7 were included in the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). It may be concluded that dimethacrylate-based provisional restorations presented better mechanical behavior than monomethacrylate-based ones in terms of flexural strength and hardness. Fracture toughness showed no significant differences. Within the monomethacrylate group, polymethylmethacrylate showed greater flexural strength than polyethylmethacrylate. PMID:29489883

  13. The association between head and cervical posture and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Olivo, Susan Armijo; Bravo, Jaime; Magee, David J; Thie, Norman M R; Major, Paul W; Flores-Mir, Carlos

    2006-01-01

    To carry out a systematic review to assess the evidence concerning the association between head and cervical posture and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). A search of Medline, Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Lilacs, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted in all languages with the help of a health sciences librarian. Key words used in the search were posture, head posture, cervical spine or neck, vertebrae, cervical lordosis, craniomandibular disorders or temporomandibular disorders, temporomandibular disorders, and orofacial pain or facial pain. Abstracts which appeared to fulfill the initial selection criteria were selected by consensus. The original articles were retrieved and evaluated to ensure they met the inclusion criteria. A methodological checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the selected articles and their references were hand-searched for possible missing articles. Twelve studies met all inclusion criteria and were analyzed in detail for their methodology and information quality. Nine articles that analyzed the association between head posture and TMD included patients with mixed TMD diagnosis; 1 article differentiated among muscular, articular, and mixed symptomatology; and 3 articles analyzed information from patients with only articular problems. Finally, 2 studies evaluated the association between head posture and TMD in patients with muscular TMD. Several methodological defects were noted in the 12 studies. Since most of the studies included in this systematic review were of poor methodological quality, the findings of the studies should be interpreted with caution. The association between intra-articular and muscular TMD and head and cervical posture is still unclear, and better controlled studies with comprehensive TMD diagnoses, greater sample sizes, and objective posture evaluation are necessary.

  14. Assessment of five different guideline indication criteria for spirometry, including modified GOLD criteria, in order to detect COPD: data from 5,315 subjects in the PLATINO study.

    PubMed

    Luize, Ana P; Menezes, Ana Maria B; Perez-Padilla, Rogelio; Muiño, Adriana; López, Maria Victorina; Valdivia, Gonzalo; Lisboa, Carmem; Montes de Oca, Maria; Tálamo, Carlos; Celli, Bartolomé; Nascimento, Oliver A; Gazzotti, Mariana R; Jardim, José R

    2014-10-30

    Spirometry is the gold standard for diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although there are a number of different guideline criteria for deciding who should be selected for spirometric screening, to date it is not known which criteria are the best based on sensitivity and specificity. Firstly, to evaluate the proportion of subjects in the PLATINO Study that would be recommended for spirometry testing according to Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)-modified, American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), National Lung Health Education Program (NLHEP), GOLD and American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) criteria. Secondly, we aimed to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive and negative predictive values, of these five different criteria. Data from the PLATINO study included information on respiratory symptoms, smoking and previous spirometry testing. The GOLD-modified spirometry indication criteria are based on three positive answers out of five questions: the presence of cough, phlegm in the morning, dyspnoea, age over 40 years and smoking status. Data from 5,315 subjects were reviewed. Fewer people had an indication for spirometry (41.3%) according to the GOLD-modified criteria, and more people had an indication for spirometry (80.4%) by the GOLD and ATS/ERS criteria. A low percentage had previously had spirometry performed: GOLD-modified (14.5%); ACCP (13.2%); NLHEP (12.6%); and GOLD and ATS/ERS (12.3%). The GOLD-modified criteria showed the least sensitivity (54.9) and the highest specificity (61.0) for detecting COPD, whereas GOLD and ATS/ERS criteria showed the highest sensitivity (87.9) and the least specificity (20.8). There is a considerable difference in the indication for spirometry according to the five different guideline criteria. The GOLD-modified criteria recruit less people with the greatest sum of sensitivity and specificity.

  15. Assessment of five different guideline indication criteria for spirometry, including modified GOLD criteria, in order to detect COPD: data from 5,315 subjects in the PLATINO study

    PubMed Central

    Luize, Ana P; Menezes, Ana Maria B; Perez-Padilla, Rogelio; Muiño, Adriana; López, Maria Victorina; Valdivia, Gonzalo; Lisboa, Carmem; Montes de Oca, Maria; Tálamo, Carlos; Celli, Bartolomé; Nascimento, Oliver A; Gazzotti, Mariana R; Jardim, José R

    2014-01-01

    Background: Spirometry is the gold standard for diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although there are a number of different guideline criteria for deciding who should be selected for spirometric screening, to date it is not known which criteria are the best based on sensitivity and specificity. Aims: Firstly, to evaluate the proportion of subjects in the PLATINO Study that would be recommended for spirometry testing according to Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)-modified, American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), National Lung Health Education Program (NLHEP), GOLD and American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) criteria. Secondly, we aimed to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive and negative predictive values, of these five different criteria. Methods: Data from the PLATINO study included information on respiratory symptoms, smoking and previous spirometry testing. The GOLD-modified spirometry indication criteria are based on three positive answers out of five questions: the presence of cough, phlegm in the morning, dyspnoea, age over 40 years and smoking status. Results: Data from 5,315 subjects were reviewed. Fewer people had an indication for spirometry (41.3%) according to the GOLD-modified criteria, and more people had an indication for spirometry (80.4%) by the GOLD and ATS/ERS criteria. A low percentage had previously had spirometry performed: GOLD-modified (14.5%); ACCP (13.2%); NLHEP (12.6%); and GOLD and ATS/ERS (12.3%). The GOLD-modified criteria showed the least sensitivity (54.9) and the highest specificity (61.0) for detecting COPD, whereas GOLD and ATS/ERS criteria showed the highest sensitivity (87.9) and the least specificity (20.8). Conclusion: There is a considerable difference in the indication for spirometry according to the five different guideline criteria. The GOLD-modified criteria recruit less people with the greatest sum of sensitivity and specificity. PMID:25358021

  16. Criteria for Selection and Rejection of Social Relationships among Children in Urban and Rural Kindergartens in Greece

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rekalidou, Galini; Petrogiannis, Konstantinos

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on preschool children's social relationships developed in urban and rural kindergarten classes in Greece. We investigated the selection and rejection criteria children use and examined potential criteria differences as a function of a number of socio-demographic variables (children's age group, gender, parental job status,…

  17. Evidence-Based Practice in Liposuction.

    PubMed

    Collins, Patrick S; Moyer, Kurtis E

    2018-06-01

    The goal of this study is to examine the existing peer reviewed literature comparing modern adjunctive techniques in liposuction including laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) and ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) to standard suction-assisted liposuction (SAL). We intend to interpret these findings into a literature-based clinical application to influence practice patterns. A literature review was conducted using a keyword search in PubMed. Keyword search items included liposuction, lipoplasty, suction assisted liposuction, ultrasound assisted liposuction, laser assisted liposuction, tumescent, liposuction comparison, liposuction review, and combinations therein. Exclusion criteria included articles with a primary focus on histologic effects of energy devices, primary animal models, primary opinion papers with no reference to available data, and industry-sponsored publications. Inclusion criteria included articles with direct comparison of liposuction modalities, randomized or blinded studies, and studies with objective outcomes. Twenty-five articles that met the inclusion criteria comparing SAL to UAL or LAL out of 9972 articles identified were obtained. The selected literature was assigned into 3 categories: evidence demonstrating an advantage of 1 modality (SAL, UAL, or LAL) over another, evidence that showed no benefit of 1 modality over another, and evidence that demonstrated risks of complications of 1 modality over another. The benefits of UAL and LAL over SAL include the following: (1) UAL over SAL in the treatment of gynecomastia, (2) LAL and UAL over SAL with decreased hemoglobin/hematocrit in high-volume lipoaspirates, and (3) LAL over SAL with skin tightening in select areas specifically the submental area. Otherwise, the literature demonstrates equivocal results among the described techniques with no clear benefit to set one apart from the other. There appears to be no demonstrable added benefit to the addition of either UAL or LAL that would urge a change in practice patterns outside the exceptions listed.

  18. A general framework for optimization of probes for gene expression microarray and its application to the fungus Podospora anserina.

    PubMed

    Bidard, Frédérique; Imbeaud, Sandrine; Reymond, Nancie; Lespinet, Olivier; Silar, Philippe; Clavé, Corinne; Delacroix, Hervé; Berteaux-Lecellier, Véronique; Debuchy, Robert

    2010-06-18

    The development of new microarray technologies makes custom long oligonucleotide arrays affordable for many experimental applications, notably gene expression analyses. Reliable results depend on probe design quality and selection. Probe design strategy should cope with the limited accuracy of de novo gene prediction programs, and annotation up-dating. We present a novel in silico procedure which addresses these issues and includes experimental screening, as an empirical approach is the best strategy to identify optimal probes in the in silico outcome. We used four criteria for in silico probe selection: cross-hybridization, hairpin stability, probe location relative to coding sequence end and intron position. This latter criterion is critical when exon-intron gene structure predictions for intron-rich genes are inaccurate. For each coding sequence (CDS), we selected a sub-set of four probes. These probes were included in a test microarray, which was used to evaluate the hybridization behavior of each probe. The best probe for each CDS was selected according to three experimental criteria: signal-to-noise ratio, signal reproducibility, and representative signal intensities. This procedure was applied for the development of a gene expression Agilent platform for the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina and the selection of a single 60-mer probe for each of the 10,556 P. anserina CDS. A reliable gene expression microarray version based on the Agilent 44K platform was developed with four spot replicates of each probe to increase statistical significance of analysis.

  19. Tilted seat position for non-ambulant individuals with neurological and neuromuscular impairment: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Porter, D; Pountney, TE

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To determine the effects of tilt-in-space seating on outcomes for people with neurological or neuromuscular impairment who cannot walk. Data sources: Search through electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED). Discussions with researchers who are active in field. Review methods: Selection criteria included interventional studies that investigated the effects of seat tilt on outcome or observational studies that identified outcomes for those who had used tilt-in-space seating in populations with neurological or neuromuscular impairments. Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed quality and extracted data. Results: Nineteen studies were identified which fulfilled the selection criteria. Seventeen of these were essentially before–after studies investigating the immediate effects of tilting the seating. All studies looked at populations with neurological impairment, and most were on children with cerebral palsy (n = 8) or adults with spinal cord injury (n = 8). Reviewer's conclusion: Posterior tilt can reduce pressures at the interface under the pelvis. PMID:18042602

  20. An audit of inpatient case records and suggestions for improvements.

    PubMed

    Arshad, A R; Ganesananthan, S; Ajik, S

    2000-09-01

    A study was carried out in Kuala Lumpur Hospital to review the adequacy of documentation of bio-data and clinical data including clinical examination, progress review, discharge process and doctor's identification in ten of our clinical departments. Twenty criteria were assessed in a retrospective manner to scrutinize the contents of medical notes and subsequently two prospective evaluations were conducted to see improvement in case notes documentation. Deficiencies were revealed in all the criteria selected. However there was a statistically significant improvement in the eleven clinical data criteria in the subsequent two evaluations. Illegibility of case note entries and an excessive usage of abbreviations were noted during this audit. All clinical departments and hospitals should carry out detailed studies into the contents of their medical notes.

  1. Impact of Modified System of Objectified Judgement Analysis (SOJA) methodology on prescribing costs of ACE inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Alabbadi, Ibrahim; Crealey, Grainne; Scott, Michael; Baird, Simon; Trouton, Tom; Mairs, Jill; McElnay, James

    2006-01-01

    System of Objectified Judgement Analysis (SOJA) is a structured approach to the selection of drugs for formulary inclusion. How- ever, while SOJA is a very important advance in drug selection for formulary purposes, it is hospital based and can only be applied to one indication at a time. In SOJA, cost has been given a primary role in the selection process as it has been included as a selection criterion from the start. Cost may therefore drive the selection of a particular drug product at the expense of other basic criteria such as safety or efficacy. The aims of this study were to use a modified SOJA approach in the selection of ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) for use in a joint formulary that bridges primary and secondary care within a health board in Northern Ireland, and to investigate the potential impact of the joint formulary on prescribing costs of ACEIs in that health board. The modified SOJA approach involved four phases in sequence: an evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic evaluation of all available ACEI drug entities, a separate safety/risk assessment analysis of products containing agents that exceeded the pharmacotherapeutic threshold, a budget-impact analysis and, finally, the selection of product lines. A comprehensive literature review and expert panel judgement informed the selection of criteria (and their relative weighting) for the pharmacotherapeutic evaluation. The resultant criteria/scoring system was circulated (in questionnaire format) to prescribers and stakeholders for comment. Based on statistical analysis of the latter survey results, the final scoring system was developed. Drug entities that exceeded the evidence threshold were sequentially entered into the second and third phases of the process. Five drug entities (11 currently available in the UK) exceeded the evidence threshold and 22 of 26 submitted product lines containing these drug entities satisfied the safety/risk assessment criteria. Three product lines, each containing a different drug entity, were selected for formulary inclusion after budget impact analysis was performed. The estimated potential annual cost savings for ACEIs (based on estimated annual usage in defined daily doses) for this particular health board was 42%. The modified SOJA approach has a significant contribution to make in containing the costs of ACEIs. Applying modified SOJA as a practical method for all indications will allow the development of a unified formulary that bridges secondary and primary care.

  2. The prioritisation of invasive alien plant control projects using a multi-criteria decision model informed by stakeholder input and spatial data.

    PubMed

    Forsyth, G G; Le Maitre, D C; O'Farrell, P J; van Wilgen, B W

    2012-07-30

    Invasions by alien plants are a significant threat to the biodiversity and functioning of ecosystems and the services they provide. The South African Working for Water program was established to address this problem. It needs to formulate objective and transparent priorities for clearing in the face of multiple and sometimes conflicting demands. This study used the analytic hierarchy process (a multi-criteria decision support technique) to develop and rank criteria for prioritising alien plant control operations in the Western Cape, South Africa. Stakeholder workshops were held to identify a goal and criteria and to conduct pair-wise comparisons to weight the criteria with respect to invasive alien plant control. The combination of stakeholder input (to develop decision models) with data-driven model solutions enabled us to include many alternatives (water catchments), that would otherwise not have been feasible. The most important criteria included the capacity to maintain gains made through control operations, the potential to enhance water resources and conserve biodiversity, and threats from priority invasive alien plant species. We selected spatial datasets and used them to generate weights that could be used to objectively compare alternatives with respect to agreed criteria. The analysis showed that there are many high priority catchments which are not receiving any funding and low priority catchments which are receiving substantial allocations. Clearly, there is a need for realigning priorities, including directing sufficient funds to the highest priority catchments to provide effective control. This approach provided a tractable, consensus-based solution that can be used to direct clearing operations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Global Interoperability of Broadband Networks (GIBN): Project Overview

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DePaula, Ramon P.

    1998-01-01

    Various issues associated with the Global Interoperability of Broadband Networks (GIBN) are presented in viewgraph form. Specific topics include GIBN principles, objectives and goals, and background. GIBN/NASA status, the Transpacific High Definition Video experiment, GIBN experiment selection criteria, satellite industry involvement, and current experiments associated with GIBN are also discussed.

  4. Beyond Advertising: How to Choose Materials for Review and Purchase.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singer, Marc G.; Pass, Barbara H.

    1982-01-01

    The article points out ways in which special education teachers can use advertising techniques to select curriculum materials. Suggested criteria include the product's design and image, testimonials, promise and benefits, newness and novelty, headlines, brand names and companies, and pricing. A checklist of nine questions for material evaluation…

  5. Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    This document summarizes the activities of the Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST), a consortium of scientists and engineers led by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), during the contract reporting period. Topics covered include: new programs, eligibility and selection criteria, Goddard Coastal Research Graduate Fellowship Program and staffing changes.

  6. Key Problems in Science and Technology in Thailand.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuthavong, Yongyuth; And Others

    1985-01-01

    Cites the need for promoting science/technology management and policy formation in Thailand, viewing contributions of science/technology to the socioeconomic development of the country as high priorities. Criteria for selecting priority areas and key problems are noted; they include relevance to development, availability of human resources, and…

  7. 77 FR 53819 - Proposed Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Supporting Effective...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-04

    ... the Secretary to reserve up to 1.5 percent of the funds for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act... professional development opportunities to teachers, including special education teachers, in schools with high...)(II) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA) (i.e., economically...

  8. 40 CFR 799.9420 - TSCA carcinogenicity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... inhalation equipment designed to sustain a minimum air flow of 10 air changes per hr, an adequate oxygen... sufficient. If pretest measurements are not within 10% of each other, three to four measurements should be... methods including significance criteria shall be selected during the design of the study. (2) Evaluation...

  9. 40 CFR 799.9420 - TSCA carcinogenicity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... inhalation equipment designed to sustain a minimum air flow of 10 air changes per hr, an adequate oxygen... sufficient. If pretest measurements are not within 10% of each other, three to four measurements should be... methods including significance criteria shall be selected during the design of the study. (2) Evaluation...

  10. 40 CFR 799.9420 - TSCA carcinogenicity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... inhalation equipment designed to sustain a minimum air flow of 10 air changes per hr, an adequate oxygen... sufficient. If pretest measurements are not within 10% of each other, three to four measurements should be... methods including significance criteria shall be selected during the design of the study. (2) Evaluation...

  11. 40 CFR 799.9420 - TSCA carcinogenicity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... inhalation equipment designed to sustain a minimum air flow of 10 air changes per hr, an adequate oxygen... sufficient. If pretest measurements are not within 10% of each other, three to four measurements should be... methods including significance criteria shall be selected during the design of the study. (2) Evaluation...

  12. 40 CFR 799.9420 - TSCA carcinogenicity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... inhalation equipment designed to sustain a minimum air flow of 10 air changes per hr, an adequate oxygen... sufficient. If pretest measurements are not within 10% of each other, three to four measurements should be... methods including significance criteria shall be selected during the design of the study. (2) Evaluation...

  13. 78 FR 9815 - Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Supporting Effective Educator...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-12

    ... that can demonstrate impact through other methodological approaches such as a quasi-experimental design... definition of ``relevant outcome.'' Lastly, quasi-experimental designs are already included in the definition... paragraph (b) of this definition, provided they are rigorous and comparable across schools. (b) For non...

  14. 14 CFR 1274.203 - Solicitations/cooperative agreement notices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... other criteria that will be evaluated during the selection process. (c) For its research projects, NASA may publish the expected project goals and objectives in terms of “What” the commercial recipient is... to the success of the project, for some projects the recipient's statement of work may be included as...

  15. 14 CFR 1274.203 - Solicitations/cooperative agreement notices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... other criteria that will be evaluated during the selection process. (c) For its research projects, NASA may publish the expected project goals and objectives in terms of “What” the commercial recipient is... to the success of the project, for some projects the recipient's statement of work may be included as...

  16. 14 CFR 1274.203 - Solicitations/cooperative agreement notices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... other criteria that will be evaluated during the selection process. (c) For its research projects, NASA may publish the expected project goals and objectives in terms of “What” the commercial recipient is... to the success of the project, for some projects the recipient's statement of work may be included as...

  17. 48 CFR 1852.217-72 - Phased acquisition using progressive competition down-selection procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Regulations System NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION CLAUSES AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND... Phase 2 proposals, including the final evaluation criteria and factors, will be provided at that time... award. (g) The following draft Phase 2 evaluation factors are provided for your information. Please note...

  18. Determination of selection criteria for spray drift reduction from atomization data

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    When testing and evaluating drift reduction technologies (DRT), there are different metrics that can be used to determine if the technology reduces drift as compared to a reference system. These metrics can include reduction in percent of fine drops, measured spray drift from a field trial, or comp...

  19. College Textbook Publishing: Patterns of Corporate Diversification and the Rationalization of the Publishing Process.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suarez, Jacinto E.

    1994-01-01

    Examines the impact of publishing industry diversification on the college textbook publishing process. Topics discussed include characteristics and trends of the college publishing industry; corporate ownership and managerial practices; the rationalization of editorial and marketing processes; evaluative criteria; author selection; and suggestions…

  20. Chemistry. Focus on Excellence, Volume 3, Number 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penick, John E., Ed.; Krajcik, Joseph, Ed.

    Eight examples of innovative and outstanding chemistry programs are described. These programs were selected using state criteria and at least four independent reviewers. While Project Synthesis offered a desired state, these examples of excellence provided views of what is already a reality. Included are the goals of an exemplary science program…

  1. 34 CFR 367.22 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... eligible project participants who are members of groups that have been traditionally under-represented, including members of racial or ethnic minority groups; and (7) The extent to which the plan of operation and... who are members of groups that have been traditionally under-represented, including— (A) Members of...

  2. Desktop Publishing: A Brave New World and Publishing from the Desktop.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lormand, Robert; Rowe, Jane J.

    1988-01-01

    The first of two articles presents basic selection criteria for desktop publishing software packages, including discussion of expectations, required equipment, training costs, publication size, desired software features, additional equipment needed, and quality control. The second provides a brief description of desktop publishing using the Apple…

  3. Factors that Affect Emergent Literacy Development When Engaging with Electronic Books

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salmon, Lynda G.

    2014-01-01

    This article reviews extant literature with the purpose of identifying factors that affect the potential efficacy of electronic books to support literacy development during early childhood. Selection criteria include experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies from peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2013 with a target population…

  4. Preadmission Academic Achievement Criteria as Predictors of Nursing Program Completion and NCLEX-RN Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, Tanya L.

    2009-01-01

    Admission policies and practices in higher education, including those in nursing programs, are diverse; yet administrators have traditionally relied upon preadmission academic achievement for selection of qualified students. Higher education administrators have the responsibility to serve the institution and all of its constituents, ensuring that…

  5. American Indian Literature. A Selected Bibliography for Iowa Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bataille, Gretchen Mueller

    Avoidance of stereotypes and realistic portrayal of American Indian life are among the criteria used for the references included in this annotated bibliography. The volume is intended to assist Iowa teachers, particularly of language arts and social studies, in correcting misconceptions about American Indians by identifying materials and resources…

  6. 39 CFR 551.4 - Submission requirements and selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    .... Interested persons submitting proposals are also encouraged to submit an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file saved on a... agencies and causes must satisfy the following requirements: (1) Interested persons must timely submit an original and 20 copies of the proposal. For purposes of this section, interested persons include, but are...

  7. 39 CFR 551.4 - Submission requirements and selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    .... Interested persons submitting proposals are also encouraged to submit an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file saved on a... agencies and causes must satisfy the following requirements: (1) Interested persons must timely submit an original and 20 copies of the proposal. For purposes of this section, interested persons include, but are...

  8. 39 CFR 551.4 - Submission requirements and selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    .... Interested persons submitting proposals are also encouraged to submit an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file saved on a... agencies and causes must satisfy the following requirements: (1) Interested persons must timely submit an original and 20 copies of the proposal. For purposes of this section, interested persons include, but are...

  9. 39 CFR 551.4 - Submission requirements and selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    .... Interested persons submitting proposals are also encouraged to submit an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file saved on a... agencies and causes must satisfy the following requirements: (1) Interested persons must timely submit an original and 20 copies of the proposal. For purposes of this section, interested persons include, but are...

  10. Adherence to Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy in Emergency Medicine Research.

    PubMed

    Gallo, Lucas; Hua, Nadia; Mercuri, Mathew; Silveira, Angela; Worster, Andrew

    2017-08-01

    Diagnostic tests are used frequently in the emergency department (ED) to guide clinical decision making and, hence, influence clinical outcomes. The Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) criteria were developed to ensure that diagnostic test studies are performed and reported to best inform clinical decision making in the ED. The objective was to determine the extent to which diagnostic studies published in emergency medicine journals adhered to STARD 2003 criteria. Diagnostic studies published in eight MEDLINE-listed, peer-reviewed, emergency medicine journals over a 5-year period were reviewed for compliance to STARD criteria. A total of 12,649 articles were screened and 114 studies were included in our study. Twenty percent of these were randomly selected for assessment using STARD 2003 criteria. Adherence to STARD 2003 reporting standards for each criteria ranged from 8.7% adherence (criteria-reporting adverse events from performing index test or reference standard) to 100% (multiple criteria). Just over half of STARD criteria are reported in more than 80% studies. As poorly reported studies may negatively impact their clinical usefulness, it is essential that studies of diagnostic test accuracy be performed and reported adequately. Future studies should assess whether studies have improved compliance with the STARD 2015 criteria amendment. © 2017 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  11. 34 CFR 1100.20 - How is a fellow selected?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... LITERACY NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY: LITERACY LEADER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM How Does the Director Award a... literacy field to rank applications according to the selection criteria in § 1100.21, and then provide the... order, recommendations by the board, and any other information relevant to any of the selection criteria...

  12. 49 CFR 268.17 - Project selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... criteria will govern FRA's selection of projects to receive funding under the Maglev Deployment Program. (a... are to be expected in the United States. (4) The degree to which the project will augment a Maglev... development status of the Maglev technology selected by the applicant for the project. (c) Benefits for the...

  13. 49 CFR 268.17 - Project selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... criteria will govern FRA's selection of projects to receive funding under the Maglev Deployment Program. (a... are to be expected in the United States. (4) The degree to which the project will augment a Maglev... development status of the Maglev technology selected by the applicant for the project. (c) Benefits for the...

  14. 34 CFR 1100.20 - How is a fellow selected?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... LITERACY NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY: LITERACY LEADER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM How Does the Director Award a... literacy field to rank applications according to the selection criteria in § 1100.21, and then provide the... order, recommendations by the board, and any other information relevant to any of the selection criteria...

  15. Dynamic Educational e-Content Selection Using Multiple Criteria in Web-Based Personalized Learning Environments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manouselis, Nikos; Sampson, Demetrios

    This paper focuses on the way a multi-criteria decision making methodology is applied in the case of agent-based selection of offered learning objects. The problem of selection is modeled as a decision making one, with the decision variables being the learner model and the learning objects' educational description. In this way, selection of…

  16. Tomorrow's Teachers--Selecting the Best: An Exploration of the Quality Rationale behind Academic and Experiential Selection Criteria for Initial Teacher Education Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heinz, Manuela

    2013-01-01

    Using Ireland as an example, this paper explores the rationale behind various selection criteria currently used to select suitable candidates for initial teacher education courses. It investigates and discusses patterns of association between second-level student teachers' background characteristics on entry to their teacher education programme…

  17. Developing criteria to establish Trusted Digital Repositories

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Faundeen, John L.

    2017-01-01

    This paper details the drivers, methods, and outcomes of the U.S. Geological Survey’s quest to establish criteria by which to judge its own digital preservation resources as Trusted Digital Repositories. Drivers included recent U.S. legislation focused on data and asset management conducted by federal agencies spending $100M USD or more annually on research activities. The methods entailed seeking existing evaluation criteria from national and international organizations such as International Standards Organization (ISO), U.S. Library of Congress, and Data Seal of Approval upon which to model USGS repository evaluations. Certification, complexity, cost, and usability of existing evaluation models were key considerations. The selected evaluation method was derived to allow the repository evaluation process to be transparent, understandable, and defensible; factors that are critical for judging competing, internal units. Implementing the chosen evaluation criteria involved establishing a cross-agency, multi-disciplinary team that interfaced across the organization. 

  18. A new web-based framework development for fuzzy multi-criteria group decision-making.

    PubMed

    Hanine, Mohamed; Boutkhoum, Omar; Tikniouine, Abdessadek; Agouti, Tarik

    2016-01-01

    Fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making (FMCGDM) process is usually used when a group of decision-makers faces imprecise data or linguistic variables to solve the problems. However, this process contains many methods that require many time-consuming calculations depending on the number of criteria, alternatives and decision-makers in order to reach the optimal solution. In this study, a web-based FMCGDM framework that offers decision-makers a fast and reliable response service is proposed. The proposed framework includes commonly used tools for multi-criteria decision-making problems such as fuzzy Delphi, fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS methods. The integration of these methods enables taking advantages of the strengths and complements each method's weakness. Finally, a case study of location selection for landfill waste in Morocco is performed to demonstrate how this framework can facilitate decision-making process. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework can successfully accomplish the goal of this study.

  19. The design of low cost structures for extensive ground arrays

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Franklin, H. A.; Leonard, R. S.

    1980-01-01

    The development of conceptual designs of solar array support structures and their foundations including considerations of the use of concrete, steel, aluminum, or timber are reported. Some cost trends were examined by varying selected parameters to determine optimum configurations. Detailed civil/structural design criteria were developed. Using these criteria, eight detailed designs for support structures and foundations were developed and cost estimates were made. As a result of the study wind was identified as the major loading experienced by these low height structures, whose arrays are likely to extend over large tracts of land. Proper wind load estimating is considered essential to developing realistic structural designs and achieving minimum cost support structures. Wind tunnel testing of a conceptual array field was undertaken and some of the resulting wind design criteria are presented. The SPS rectenna system designs may be less sensitive to wind load estimates, but consistent design criteria remain important.

  20. Revisiting negative selection algorithms.

    PubMed

    Ji, Zhou; Dasgupta, Dipankar

    2007-01-01

    This paper reviews the progress of negative selection algorithms, an anomaly/change detection approach in Artificial Immune Systems (AIS). Following its initial model, we try to identify the fundamental characteristics of this family of algorithms and summarize their diversities. There exist various elements in this method, including data representation, coverage estimate, affinity measure, and matching rules, which are discussed for different variations. The various negative selection algorithms are categorized by different criteria as well. The relationship and possible combinations with other AIS or other machine learning methods are discussed. Prospective development and applicability of negative selection algorithms and their influence on related areas are then speculated based on the discussion.

  1. Selection of alternative central-station technologies for the Satellite Power System (SPS) comparative assessment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Samsa, M.

    1980-01-01

    An important effort is the Satellite Power System (SPS) comparative Assessment is the selection and characterization of alternative technologies to be compared with the SPS concept. The ground rules, criteria, and screening procedure applied in the selection of those alternative technologies are summarized. The final set of central station alternatives selected for comparison with the SPS concept includes: (1) light water reactor with improved fuel utilization, (2) conventional coal combustion with improved environmental controls, (3) open cycle gas turbine with integral low Btu gasifier, (4) terrestrial photovoltaic, (5) liquid metal fast breeder reactor, and (6) magnetic confinement fusion.

  2. Multi-Criteria Analysis for Solar Farm Location Suitability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mierzwiak, Michal; Calka, Beata

    2017-12-01

    Currently the number of solar farms, as a type of renewable sources of energy, is growing rapidly. Photovoltaic power stations have many advantages, which is an incentive for their building and development. Solar energy is readily available and inexhaustible, and its production is environmentally friendly. In the present study multiple environmental and economic criteria were taken into account to select a potential photovoltaic farm location, with particular emphasis on: protected areas, land cover, solar radiation, slope angle, proximity to roads, built-up areas, and power lines. Advanced data analysis were used because of the multiplicity of criteria and their diverse influence on the choice of a potential location. They included the spatial analysis, the Weighted Linear Combination Technique (WLC), and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a decisionmaking method. The analysis was divided into two stages. In the first one, the areas where the location of solar farms was not possible were excluded. In the second one, the best locations meeting all environmental and economic criteria were selected. The research was conducted for the Legionowo District, using data from national surveying and mapping resources such as: BDOT10k (Database of Topographic Objects), NMT (Numerical Terrain Model), and lands and buildings register. Finally, several areas meeting the criteria were chosen. The research deals with solar farms with up to 40 kW power. The results of the study are presented as thematic maps. The advantage of the method is its versatility. It can be used not only for any area, but with little modification of the criteria, it can also be applied to choose a location for wind farms.

  3. Multi-criteria, personalized route planning using quantifier-guided ordered weighted averaging operators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nadi, S.; Delavar, M. R.

    2011-06-01

    This paper presents a generic model for using different decision strategies in multi-criteria, personalized route planning. Some researchers have considered user preferences in navigation systems. However, these prior studies typically employed a high tradeoff decision strategy, which used a weighted linear aggregation rule, and neglected other decision strategies. The proposed model integrates a pairwise comparison method and quantifier-guided ordered weighted averaging (OWA) aggregation operators to form a personalized route planning method that incorporates different decision strategies. The model can be used to calculate the impedance of each link regarding user preferences in terms of the route criteria, criteria importance and the selected decision strategy. Regarding the decision strategy, the calculated impedance lies between aggregations that use a logical "and" (which requires all the criteria to be satisfied) and a logical "or" (which requires at least one criterion to be satisfied). The calculated impedance also includes taking the average of the criteria scores. The model results in multiple alternative routes, which apply different decision strategies and provide users with the flexibility to select one of them en-route based on the real world situation. The model also defines the robust personalized route under different decision strategies. The influence of different decision strategies on the results are investigated in an illustrative example. This model is implemented in a web-based geographical information system (GIS) for Isfahan in Iran and verified in a tourist routing scenario. The results demonstrated, in real world situations, the validity of the route planning carried out in the model.

  4. Gene selection with multiple ordering criteria.

    PubMed

    Chen, James J; Tsai, Chen-An; Tzeng, Shengli; Chen, Chun-Houh

    2007-03-05

    A microarray study may select different differentially expressed gene sets because of different selection criteria. For example, the fold-change and p-value are two commonly known criteria to select differentially expressed genes under two experimental conditions. These two selection criteria often result in incompatible selected gene sets. Also, in a two-factor, say, treatment by time experiment, the investigator may be interested in one gene list that responds to both treatment and time effects. We propose three layer ranking algorithms, point-admissible, line-admissible (convex), and Pareto, to provide a preference gene list from multiple gene lists generated by different ranking criteria. Using the public colon data as an example, the layer ranking algorithms are applied to the three univariate ranking criteria, fold-change, p-value, and frequency of selections by the SVM-RFE classifier. A simulation experiment shows that for experiments with small or moderate sample sizes (less than 20 per group) and detecting a 4-fold change or less, the two-dimensional (p-value and fold-change) convex layer ranking selects differentially expressed genes with generally lower FDR and higher power than the standard p-value ranking. Three applications are presented. The first application illustrates a use of the layer rankings to potentially improve predictive accuracy. The second application illustrates an application to a two-factor experiment involving two dose levels and two time points. The layer rankings are applied to selecting differentially expressed genes relating to the dose and time effects. In the third application, the layer rankings are applied to a benchmark data set consisting of three dilution concentrations to provide a ranking system from a long list of differentially expressed genes generated from the three dilution concentrations. The layer ranking algorithms are useful to help investigators in selecting the most promising genes from multiple gene lists generated by different filter, normalization, or analysis methods for various objectives.

  5. Designated Airworthiness Representatives Qualification Criteria, Selection, and Appointment Procedures -- FAA Order 8000.62

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1985-10-01

    This order contains qualification criteria and procedures for the selection and appointment of Designated Airworthiness Representatives (DAR's) to perform certain certification functions as representatives of the Administrator.

  6. Get SET: aligning anatomy demonstrator programmes with Surgical Education and Training selection criteria.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, Danielle; Fogg, Quentin A; Lazarus, Michelle D

    2018-05-01

    Prevocational doctors aspiring to surgical careers are commonly recruited as anatomy demonstrators for undergraduate and graduate medical programmes. Entry into Surgical Education and Training (SET) is highly competitive and a unique opportunity exists to align anatomy demonstrator programmes with the selection criteria and core competencies of SET programmes. This study used a qualitative approach to (i) determine what criteria applicants for SET are assessed on and (ii) identify criteria that could be aligned with and enhanced by an anatomy demonstrator programme. The selection guidelines of all nine surgical specialties for the 2017 intake of SET trainees were analysed using qualitative content analysis methodology. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons adopted a holistic approach to trainee selection that assessed both discipline-specific and discipline-independent skills. Qualitative content analysis identified eight categories of key selection criteria: medical expertise, scholarly activity, professional identity, interpersonal skills, integrity, self-management, insight and self-awareness and community involvement. The structured curriculum vitae was heavily weighted towards discipline-specific skills, such as medical expertise and scholarly activity. Insufficient information was available to determine the weighting of selection criteria assessed by the structured referee reports or interviews. Anatomy demonstrator programmes provide prevocational doctors with unique opportunities to develop surgical skills and competencies in a non-clinical setting. Constructively aligned anatomy demonstrator programmes may be particularly beneficial for prevocational doctors seeking to improve their anatomical knowledge, teaching skills or scholarly activity. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  7. [Selection criteria of mobile lifters in the hospital setting].

    PubMed

    Ferriero, G; Ottonello, M; Franchignoni, F

    2002-01-01

    The manual handling of patients with limited mobility represents the major cause of musculoskeletal injury to the spine in paramedical health care workers. Within the hospital, the more complex procedures of patient transfer often require the use of mobile hoists. The aim of this paper is to describe the basic criteria for the selection of such hoists. The main characteristics of a hoist are its stability, the sling attachment, the speed of operation, range of movement of the spreader bar, safety of the operation being performed, patient comfort, the physical effort required on the part of the health care worker, manoeuvrability and simplicity of use. Important organizational-structural features to evaluate include: the type of patient normally present in the unit concerned, the specific movement to be performed, the structural characteristics of the environment, and the work organization of the personnel.

  8. Wear of seal materials used in aircraft propulsion systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bill, R. C.; Ludwig, L. P.

    1978-01-01

    The various types of seal locations in a gas turbine engine are described, and the significance of wear to each type is reviewed. Starting with positive contact shaft seals, existing material selection guidelines are reviewed, and the existing PV (contact pressure X sliding velocity) criteria for selecting seal materials are discussed, along with the theoretical background for these criteria. Examples of wear mechanisms observed to operate in positive contact seals are shown. Design features that can extend the operating capabilities of positive contact seals, including pressure balancing and incorporation of hydrodynamic lift are briefly discussed. It is concluded that, despite the benefits arising from these design features, improved positive contact seal materials from the standpoint of wear, erosion and oxidation resistance will be necessary for further improvements in seal performance and durability, and to meet stringent future challenges.

  9. Guide for Identifying and Converting High-Potential Petroleum Brownfield Sites to Alternative Fuel Stations

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

    Johnson, C.; Hettinger, D.; Mosey, G.

    Former gasoline stations that are now classified as brownfields can be good sites to sell alternative fuels because they are in locations that are convenient to vehicles and they may be seeking a new source of income. However, their success as alternative fueling stations is highly dependent on location-specific criteria. First, this report outlines what these criteria are, how to prioritize them, and then applies that assessment framework to five of the most popular alternative fuels--electricity, natural gas, hydrogen, ethanol, and biodiesel. The second part of this report delves into the criteria and tools used to assess an alternative fuelmore » retail site at the local level. It does this through two case studies of converting former gasoline stations in the Seattle-Eugene area into electric charge stations. The third part of this report addresses steps to be taken after the specific site has been selected. This includes choosing and installing the recharging equipment, which includes steps to take in the permitting process and key players to include.« less

  10. Building Winning Teams in the 21st Century Operating Environment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-02-28

    react to critical incidents and organizational crisis, (3) deliberate role modeling and coaching, (4) criteria for the allocation of rewards and...status, and (5) operational criteria for recruitment, selection and promotion.39 Leaders use reinforcing mechanisms as secondary means to assist...pay attention to, deliberate role modeling, and most importantly, operational criteria for selection and promotion, the Army will not achieve

  11. Selecting an E-(Text)Book: Evaluation Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marczak, Mariusz

    2013-01-01

    This paper aims to propose a repository of pre-use evaluation criteria for language teachers who wish to introduce e-books or e-textbooks to their own teaching practices. By selectively using a set of such criteria, they will be able to evaluate to what extent a given e-book/e-textbook lends itself to utilisation within their own teaching context.…

  12. Upweighting rare favourable alleles increases long-term genetic gain in genomic selection programs.

    PubMed

    Liu, Huiming; Meuwissen, Theo H E; Sørensen, Anders C; Berg, Peer

    2015-03-21

    The short-term impact of using different genomic prediction (GP) models in genomic selection has been intensively studied, but their long-term impact is poorly understood. Furthermore, long-term genetic gain of genomic selection is expected to improve by using Jannink's weighting (JW) method, in which rare favourable marker alleles are upweighted in the selection criterion. In this paper, we extend the JW method by including an additional parameter to decrease the emphasis on rare favourable alleles over the time horizon, with the purpose of further improving the long-term genetic gain. We call this new method dynamic weighting (DW). The paper explores the long-term impact of different GP models with or without weighting methods. Different selection criteria were tested by simulating a population of 500 animals with truncation selection of five males and 50 females. Selection criteria included unweighted and weighted genomic estimated breeding values using the JW or DW methods, for which ridge regression (RR) and Bayesian lasso (BL) were used to estimate marker effects. The impacts of these selection criteria were compared under three genetic architectures, i.e. varying numbers of QTL for the trait and for two time horizons of 15 (TH15) or 40 (TH40) generations. For unweighted GP, BL resulted in up to 21.4% higher long-term genetic gain and 23.5% lower rate of inbreeding under TH40 than RR. For weighted GP, DW resulted in 1.3 to 5.5% higher long-term gain compared to unweighted GP. JW, however, showed a 6.8% lower long-term genetic gain relative to unweighted GP when BL was used to estimate the marker effects. Under TH40, both DW and JW obtained significantly higher genetic gain than unweighted GP. With DW, the long-term genetic gain was increased by up to 30.8% relative to unweighted GP, and also increased by 8% relative to JW, although at the expense of a lower short-term gain. Irrespective of the number of QTL simulated, BL is superior to RR in maintaining genetic variance and therefore results in higher long-term genetic gain. Moreover, DW is a promising method with which high long-term genetic gain can be expected within a fixed time frame.

  13. Clinical Outcomes of Zirconium-Oxide Posts: Up-to-Date Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Al-Thobity, Ahmad M

    2016-06-01

    The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the clinical outcomes of the use of zirconium-oxide posts in the past 20 years. The addressed question was: Do zirconium-oxide posts maintain the long-term survival rate of endodontically treated teeth? A database search was made of articles from January 1995 to December 2014; it included combinations of the following keywords: "zirconia," "zirconium oxide," "dowel/dowels," "post/posts," and "post and core." Exclusion criteria included review articles, experimental studies, case reports, commentaries, and articles published in a language other than English. Articles were reviewed by the titles, followed by the abstracts, and, finally, the full text of the selected studies. Four studies were included after filtering the selected studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In one study, the prefabricated zirconia posts with indirect glass-ceramic cores had significantly higher failure rates than other posts with direct composite cores. In two studies, no failure of the cemented posts was observed throughout the follow-up period. Due to the limited number of clinical studies, it can be concluded that the long-term success rate of prefabricated zirconium-oxide posts is unclear.

  14. Multi-criteria decision aid approach for the selection of the best compromise management scheme for ELVs: the case of Cyprus.

    PubMed

    Mergias, I; Moustakas, K; Papadopoulos, A; Loizidou, M

    2007-08-25

    Each alternative scheme for treating a vehicle at its end of life has its own consequences from a social, environmental, economic and technical point of view. Furthermore, the criteria used to determine these consequences are often contradictory and not equally important. In the presence of multiple conflicting criteria, an optimal alternative scheme never exists. A multiple-criteria decision aid (MCDA) method to aid the Decision Maker (DM) in selecting the best compromise scheme for the management of End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) is presented in this paper. The constitution of a set of alternatives schemes, the selection of a list of relevant criteria to evaluate these alternative schemes and the choice of an appropriate management system are also analyzed in this framework. The proposed procedure relies on the PROMETHEE method which belongs to the well-known family of multiple criteria outranking methods. For this purpose, level, linear and Gaussian functions are used as preference functions.

  15. Statin Selection in Qatar Based on Multi-indication Pharmacotherapeutic Multi-criteria Scoring Model, and Clinician Preference.

    PubMed

    Al-Badriyeh, Daoud; Fahey, Michael; Alabbadi, Ibrahim; Al-Khal, Abdullatif; Zaidan, Manal

    2015-12-01

    Statin selection for the largest hospital formulary in Qatar is not systematic, not comparative, and does not consider the multi-indication nature of statins. There are no reports in the literature of multi-indication-based comparative scoring models of statins or of statin selection criteria weights that are based primarily on local clinicians' preferences and experiences. This study sought to comparatively evaluate statins for first-line therapy in Qatar, and to quantify the economic impact of this. An evidence-based, multi-indication, multi-criteria pharmacotherapeutic model was developed for the scoring of statins from the perspective of the main health care provider in Qatar. The literature and an expert panel informed the selection criteria of statins. Relative weighting of selection criteria was based on the input of the relevant local clinician population. Statins were comparatively scored based on literature evidence, with those exceeding a defined scoring threshold being recommended for use. With 95% CI and 5% margin of error, the scoring model was successfully developed. Selection criteria comprised 28 subcriteria under the following main criteria: clinical efficacy, best publish evidence and experience, adverse effects, drug interaction, dosing time, and fixed dose combination availability. Outcome measures for multiple indications were related to effects on LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and C-reactive protein. Atorvastatin, pravastatin, and rosuvastatin exceeded defined pharmacotherapeutic thresholds. Atorvastatin and pravastatin were recommended as first-line use and rosuvastatin as a nonformulary alternative. It was estimated that this would produce a 17.6% cost savings in statins expenditure. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the evaluation's outcomes against input uncertainties. Incorporating a comparative evaluation of statins in Qatari practices based on a locally developed, transparent, multi-indication, multi-criteria scoring model has the potential to considerably reduce expenditures on statins. Atorvastatin and pravastatin should be the first-line statin therapies in the main Qatari health care provider, with rosuvastatin as an alternative. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Bayesian Item Selection in Constrained Adaptive Testing Using Shadow Tests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Veldkamp, Bernard P.

    2010-01-01

    Application of Bayesian item selection criteria in computerized adaptive testing might result in improvement of bias and MSE of the ability estimates. The question remains how to apply Bayesian item selection criteria in the context of constrained adaptive testing, where large numbers of specifications have to be taken into account in the item…

  17. 76 FR 21985 - Notice of Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-19

    ... only after a research base has been established to support the use of the assessments for such purposes..., research-based assessment practices. Discussion: We agree that the selection criteria should address the... selection criterion, which addresses methods of scoring, to allow for self-scoring of student performance on...

  18. 40 CFR 89.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 89.510 Section 89.510... EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Selective Enforcement Auditing § 89.510...

  19. 34 CFR 611.12 - What additional selection criteria are used for an application proposing teacher recruitment...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM State Grants Program § 611.12 What additional selection... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What additional selection criteria are used for an application proposing teacher recruitment activities? 611.12 Section 611.12 Education Regulations of the...

  20. Transparency in Canadian public drug advisory committees.

    PubMed

    Rosenberg-Yunger, Zahava R S; Bayoumi, Ahmed M

    2014-11-01

    Transparency in health care resource allocation decisions is a criterion of a fair process. We used qualitative methods to explore transparency across 11 Canadian drug advisory committees. We developed seven criteria to assess transparency (disclosure of members' names, disclosure of membership selection criteria, disclosure of conflict of interest guidelines and members' conflicts, public posting of decisions not to fund drugs, public posting of rationales for decisions, stakeholder input, and presence of an appeals mechanism) and two sub-criteria for when rationales were posted (direct website link and readability). We interviewed a purposeful sample of key informants who were conversant in English and a current or past member of either a committee or a stakeholder group. We analyzed data using a thematic approach. Interviewing continued until saturation was reached. We examined documents from 10 committees and conducted 27 interviews. The median number of criteria addressed by committees was 2 (range 0-6). Major interview themes included addressing: (1) accessibility issues, including stakeholders' degree of access to the decision making process and appeal mechanisms; (2) communication issues, including improving internal and external communication and public access to information; and (3) confidentiality issues, including the use of proprietary evidence. Most committees have some mechanisms to address transparency but none had a fully transparent process. The most important ways to improve transparency include creating formal appeal mechanisms, improving communication, and establishing consistent rules about the use of, and public access to, proprietary evidence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. [Prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents from an urban district of Lima, Peru 2012].

    PubMed

    Lozano-Rojas, Gaudi; Cabello-Morales, Emilio; Hernádez-Diaz, Herminio; Loza-Munarriz, Cesar

    2014-01-01

    To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity according to the criteria of the WHO and CDC in adolescents from an urban district of Lima, Peru 2012. This cross-sectional study included 1,743 school children of 12 to 17 years of age selected from ten public and private educational institutions, using a randomized and stratified sample of "conglomerados" (neighborhoods). In the selected schools, weight and height were measured. For the diagnosis of overweight and obesity, criteria from the WHO and CDC were used. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. According to the WHO criteria, the prevalence of overweight was 33.7% (95% CI 31.5-36.0) and obesity was 14.4% (95% CI 12.8-16.1). According to CDC criteria, the prevalence of overweight was 26.5% (95% CI 24.4-28.6) and obesity was 13.9% (95% CI 12.3-15.6). The prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher in males aged 12 and 13 years old and private educational institutions (p<0.05). We found very good agreement between the WHO and CDC criteria for the diagnosis of overweight and obesity. A high prevalence of overweight and obesity was found, predominantly in male students between 12 and 13 years and private educational institutions. It is necessary to initiate intervention measures that can contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases in adulthood, secondary to obesity in adolescence.

  2. Impact of radiotherapy in atypical meningioma recurrence: literature review.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Benedito Jamilson Araújo; de Almeida, Antônio Nogueira; Paiva, Wellingson Silva; Teixeira, Manoel Jacobsen; Marie, Suely Kazue Nagahashi

    2018-03-19

    Evaluate whether radiotherapy (RT) after the neurosurgical treatment of atypical meningiomas (AM) has an impact on the reduction rate of recurrence. A Medline search through October 2017 using "atypical meningioma" returned 1277 papers for initial review. Inclusion criteria were as follows. We analyzed the database and included articles in which the anatomic pathological classification of atypical meningiomas was in accordance with WHO 2007 or WHO 2016 criteria, patients > 18 years of age, and there was postoperative external beam radiation to the tumor bed. Exclusion criteria were WHO grade I or III meningioma, patients who underwent whole-brain radiation, RT used as salvage therapy for recurrence, palliative dose of RT (< 45 Gy), recurrent AMs, and multiple AMs. Papers reporting outcomes in which atypical and anaplastic meningiomas were analyzed together were rejected, as were papers with small samples that may compromise evaluation. After filtering our initial selection, only 17 papers were selected. After reviewing the seventeen articles including a total of 1761 patients (972 female and 799 male; 1.21 female/1.0 male), the difference in proportion of tumor recurrence between patients with and without radiotherapy after neurosurgical procedure was 1.0448, 95% CI [0.8318 to 1.3125], p value = 0.7062. On the basis of this review, there is no evidence to suggest that RT decreases the rate of recurrence in patients with atypical meningiomas.

  3. Using marketing research concepts to investigate specialty selection by medical students.

    PubMed

    Weissman, Charles; Schroeder, Josh; Elchalal, Uriel; Weiss, Yoram; Tandeter, Howard; Zisk-Rony, Rachel Y

    2012-10-01

    This study was intended to examine whether a marketing research approach improves understanding of medical specialty selection by medical students. This approach likens students to consumers who are deciding whether or not to purchase a product (specialty). This approach proposes that when consumers' criteria match their perceptions of a product's features, the likelihood that they will purchase it (select the specialty) increases. This study examines whether exploring students' selection criteria and perceptions of various specialties provides additional insights into the selection process. Using a consumer behaviour model as a framework, a questionnaire was designed and administered to Year 6 (final-year) students in 2008 and 2009 to elicit information on their knowledge about and interests in various specialties, the criteria they used in specialty selection, and their perceptions of six specialties. A total of 132 (67%) questionnaires were returned. In many instances, consistency between selection criteria and perceptions of a specialty was accompanied by interest in pursuing the specialty. Exceptions were noted and pointed to areas requiring additional research. For example, although > 70% of female students replied that the affordance of a controllable lifestyle was an important selection criterion, many were interested in obstetrics and gynaecology despite the fact that it was not perceived as providing a controllable lifestyle. Minimal overlap among students reporting interest in primary specialties that possess similar characteristics (e.g. paediatrics and family medicine) demonstrated the need to target marketing (recruitment) efforts for each specialty individually. Using marketing research concepts to examine medical specialty selection may precipitate a conceptual shift among health care leaders which acknowledges that, to attract students, specialties must meet students' selection criteria. Moreover, if consumers (students) deem a product (specialty) unattractive, it may need to be examined further to improve its appeal. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

  4. Extended Criteria Donors in Liver Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Vodkin, Irine; Kuo, Alexander

    2017-05-01

    Mortality rates on the liver transplant waiting list are increasing. The shortage of organs has resulted in higher utilization of extended criteria donors (ECDs), with centers pushing the limits of what is acceptable for transplantation. Donor quality is more appropriately represented as a continuum of risk, and careful selection and matching of ECD grafts with recipients may lead to excellent outcomes. Although there is no precise definition for what constitutes an ECD liver, this review focuses on frequently cited characteristics, including donor age, steatosis, donation after cardiac death, and donors with increased risk of disease transmission. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

    PubMed Central

    Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

    1991-01-01

    A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas. PMID:1909197

  6. Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

    PubMed

    Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

    1991-07-01

    A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas.

  7. B-spline parameterization of the dielectric function and information criteria: the craft of non-overfitting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Likhachev, Dmitriy V.

    2017-06-01

    Johs and Hale developed the Kramers-Kronig consistent B-spline formulation for the dielectric function modeling in spectroscopic ellipsometry data analysis. In this article we use popular Akaike, corrected Akaike and Bayesian Information Criteria (AIC, AICc and BIC, respectively) to determine an optimal number of knots for B-spline model. These criteria allow finding a compromise between under- and overfitting of experimental data since they penalize for increasing number of knots and select representation which achieves the best fit with minimal number of knots. Proposed approach provides objective and practical guidance, as opposite to empirically driven or "gut feeling" decisions, for selecting the right number of knots for B-spline models in spectroscopic ellipsometry. AIC, AICc and BIC selection criteria work remarkably well as we demonstrated in several real-data applications. This approach formalizes selection of the optimal knot number and may be useful in practical perspective of spectroscopic ellipsometry data analysis.

  8. Fuzzy decision-making framework for treatment selection based on the combined QUALIFLEX-TODIM method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ji, Pu; Zhang, Hong-yu; Wang, Jian-qiang

    2017-10-01

    Treatment selection is a multi-criteria decision-making problem of significant concern in the medical field. In this study, a fuzzy decision-making framework is established for treatment selection. The framework mitigates information loss by introducing single-valued trapezoidal neutrosophic numbers to denote evaluation information. Treatment selection has multiple criteria that remarkably exceed the alternatives. In consideration of this characteristic, the framework utilises the idea of the qualitative flexible multiple criteria method. Furthermore, it considers the risk-averse behaviour of a decision maker by employing a concordance index based on TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese of interactive and multi-criteria decision-making) method. A sensitivity analysis is performed to illustrate the robustness of the framework. Finally, a comparative analysis is conducted to compare the framework with several extant methods. Results indicate the advantages of the framework and its better performance compared with the extant methods.

  9. Integrated orbital servicing study follow-on. Volume 2: Technical analysis and system design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1978-01-01

    In-orbit service functional and physical requirements to support both low and high Earth orbit servicing/maintenance operations were defined, an optimum servicing system configuration was developed and mockups and early prototype hardware were fabricated to demonstrate and validate the concepts selected. Significant issues addressed include criteria for concept selection; representative mission equipment and approaches to their design for serviceability; significant serviceable spacecraft design aspects; servicer mechanism operation in one-g; approaches for the demonstration/simulation; and service mechanism structure design approach.

  10. A new spatial multi-criteria decision support tool for site selection for implementation of managed aquifer recharge.

    PubMed

    Rahman, M Azizur; Rusteberg, Bernd; Gogu, R C; Lobo Ferreira, J P; Sauter, Martin

    2012-05-30

    This study reports the development of a new spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (SMCDA) software tool for selecting suitable sites for Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) systems. The new SMCDA software tool functions based on the combination of existing multi-criteria evaluation methods with modern decision analysis techniques. More specifically, non-compensatory screening, criteria standardization and weighting, and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) have been combined with Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) and Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA). This SMCDA tool may be implemented with a wide range of decision maker's preferences. The tool's user-friendly interface helps guide the decision maker through the sequential steps for site selection, those steps namely being constraint mapping, criteria hierarchy, criteria standardization and weighting, and criteria overlay. The tool offers some predetermined default criteria and standard methods to increase the trade-off between ease-of-use and efficiency. Integrated into ArcGIS, the tool has the advantage of using GIS tools for spatial analysis, and herein data may be processed and displayed. The tool is non-site specific, adaptive, and comprehensive, and may be applied to any type of site-selection problem. For demonstrating the robustness of the new tool, a case study was planned and executed at Algarve Region, Portugal. The efficiency of the SMCDA tool in the decision making process for selecting suitable sites for MAR was also demonstrated. Specific aspects of the tool such as built-in default criteria, explicit decision steps, and flexibility in choosing different options were key features, which benefited the study. The new SMCDA tool can be augmented by groundwater flow and transport modeling so as to achieve a more comprehensive approach to the selection process for the best locations of the MAR infiltration basins, as well as the locations of recovery wells and areas of groundwater protection. The new spatial multicriteria analysis tool has already been implemented within the GIS based Gabardine decision support system as an innovative MAR planning tool. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Criteria for the evaluation of a cloud-based hospital information system outsourcing provider.

    PubMed

    Low, Chinyao; Hsueh Chen, Ya

    2012-12-01

    As cloud computing technology has proliferated rapidly worldwide, there has been a trend toward adopting cloud-based hospital information systems (CHISs). This study examines the critical criteria for selecting the CHISs outsourcing provider. The fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) is used to evaluate the primary indicator collected from 188 useable responses at a working hospital in Taiwan. Moreover, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) is employed to calculate the weights of these criteria and establish a fuzzy multi-criteria model of CHISs outsourcing provider selection from 42 experts. The results indicate that the five most critical criteria related to CHISs outsourcing provider selection are (1) system function, (2) service quality, (3) integration, (4) professionalism, and (5) economics. This study may contribute to understanding how cloud-based hospital systems can reinforce content design and offer a way to compete in the field by developing more appropriate systems.

  12. A Model of Expertise: A Case Study of a Second Language Teacher Educator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asaba, Mayumi

    2018-01-01

    This study investigates the characteristics of an L2 expert teacher educator. The expert participant was selected based on the criteria suggested by educational expertise studies: years of teaching experience, high reputation among multiple constituencies, and evidence of impact on student performance. The data collection included observations,…

  13. Health Careers Film Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Institutes of Health (DHEW), Bethesda, MD. Bureau of Health Manpower Education.

    This document, which represents a survey of the entire health career film field, was designed to provide information for people interested in a health career. The guide indicates that a major criteria for film selection was recency; however, some older films that give a fairly accurate image of a profession were included, with some emphasis given…

  14. Attitudes and Actions That Adoptive Parents Perceive as Helpful in the Process of Raising Their Internationally Adopted Adolescent

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuzmina, Marina V.

    2017-01-01

    This phenomenological dissertation study explored the lived experiences of adoptive parents in the process of raising their internationally adopted adolescents. The researcher interviewed 9 participants. Criteria for selection of the research sample included having personal experience with parenting one or more international adolescents adopted at…

  15. 34 CFR 643.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TALENT SEARCH How Does the Secretary Make a Grant? § 643.21... need for a Talent Search project in the proposed target area on the basis of the extent to which the... a Talent Search project, including the presence of unaddressed academic or socio-economic problems...

  16. 34 CFR 490.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LIFE SKILLS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PRISONERS PROGRAM How... Secretary reviews the application to determine the quality of the proposed project, including the extent to which the application includes— (1) A clear description of the services to be offered; and (2) Life...

  17. 34 CFR 490.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LIFE SKILLS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PRISONERS PROGRAM How... Secretary reviews the application to determine the quality of the proposed project, including the extent to which the application includes— (1) A clear description of the services to be offered; and (2) Life...

  18. 34 CFR 490.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LIFE SKILLS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PRISONERS PROGRAM How... Secretary reviews the application to determine the quality of the proposed project, including the extent to which the application includes— (1) A clear description of the services to be offered; and (2) Life...

  19. 34 CFR 490.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LIFE SKILLS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PRISONERS PROGRAM How... Secretary reviews the application to determine the quality of the proposed project, including the extent to which the application includes— (1) A clear description of the services to be offered; and (2) Life...

  20. 34 CFR 490.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LIFE SKILLS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PRISONERS PROGRAM How... Secretary reviews the application to determine the quality of the proposed project, including the extent to which the application includes— (1) A clear description of the services to be offered; and (2) Life...

  1. Novels for Class Study in Junior High School: Some Recommendations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flanigan, Jean Culp

    This thesis examines opinions of recognized authorities in the teaching of literature regarding the goals of the literature curriculum in achieving the end of producing students who continue to read for pleasure and enrichment once their formal education is completed. Criteria for selecting novels for adolescents include: (1) readability,…

  2. 34 CFR 421.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... application to assess the quality and effectiveness of the applicant's approach to developing national... the plan of operation for the project, including the extent to which— (1) The plan of management will... within the occupations the applicant proposes to study; (iii) The minimum hours of study needed to be...

  3. The Use of Tests in Admissions to Higher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fruen, Mary

    1978-01-01

    There are both strengths and weaknesses of using standardized test scores as a criterion for admission to institutions of higher education. The relative importance of scores is dependent on the institution's degree of selectivity. In general, decision processes and admissions criteria are not well defined. Advantages of test scores include: use of…

  4. Workpapers in English as a Second Language, [Volume II].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rand, Earl, Ed.

    This volume presents the 1968 collection of working papers in the field of teaching English as a second language (TESL). It includes discussions of several practicalities in the field of English language teaching such as choosing literature and short stories for non-native speakers, criteria for selecting textbooks, educational problems involved…

  5. Implications and Strategies in Collection Development for Multicultural Education at Tennessee State University.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kenerson, Murle E.

    This document profiles the role of Tennessee State University's Brown-Daniel Library in its collection development activities for a culturally diverse student body. It recommends that a series of goals and objectives be maintained in the selection criteria of library materials for students having diverse backgrounds. Topics include a brief…

  6. 34 CFR 421.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BUSINESS AND EDUCATION STANDARDS PROGRAM How Does the... those needs, including the need of business for competent entry-level workers in the occupations to be studied; and (4) The benefits to business, labor, and education that will result from meeting those needs...

  7. Flammability, Offgassing, and Compatibility Requirements and Test Procedures. Interim NASA Technical Standard

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2009-01-01

    This Interim Standard establishes requirements for evaluation, testing, and selection of materials that are intended for use in space vehicles, associated Ground Support Equipment (GSE), and facilities used during assembly, test, and flight operations. Included are requirements, criteria, and test methods for evaluating the flammability, offgassing, and compatibility of materials.

  8. Composite load spectra for select space propulsion structural components

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Newell, James F.; Ho, Hing W.

    1991-01-01

    This report summarizes the development for: (1) correlation fields; (2) applications to liquid oxygen post; (3) models for pressure fluctuatios and vibration loads fluctuations; (4) additions to expert systems; and (5) scaling criteria. Implementation to computer code is also described. Demonstration sample cases are included with additional applications to engine duct and pipe bend.

  9. 14 CFR § 1274.203 - Solicitations/cooperative agreement notices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... other criteria that will be evaluated during the selection process. (c) For its research projects, NASA may publish the expected project goals and objectives in terms of “What” the commercial recipient is... to the success of the project, for some projects the recipient's statement of work may be included as...

  10. Selection Criteria and Prioritization of Resuscitation Fluid Adjuvants

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-12-01

    metabolism (e.g., ethyl pyruvate); favorably alter rheology and coagulation (e.g., lyophilized platelets); promote cardiovascular stability; and...include one or more of the following strategies: improve oxygen delivery (e.g., hemoglobin- based oxygen carriers); support metabolism (e.g., ethyl...distribution, half-life, metabolism , clearance/excretion): ADMINISTRATION (route, preparation, volume per unit dose): SAFETY DATA

  11. 34 CFR 611.11 - What are the program's general selection criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... systemic change in the way that all new teachers are prepared, and includes partners from all levels of the... initiate or enhance and supplement systemic State reforms in one or more of the following areas: teacher... strategies or exceptional approaches in the way new teachers are recruited, prepared, certified, and licensed...

  12. Phenomenological Behavior-Exchange Models of Marital Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gottman, John; And Others

    The objective of two studies was to devise an assessment procedure for the evaluation of therapy with distressed marriages. An extension of behavior exchange theory was proposed to include phenomenological ratings by the couple of the intent of messages sent and the impact of messages received. Convergent criteria were used to select 14…

  13. 25 CFR 1000.45 - How many grants will the Department make each year and what funding will be available?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND EDUCATION ACT Section 402(d) Planning and Negotiation Grants..., including the funds available, timeframes, and requirements for negotiation grants, advance planning grants, and financial assistance as described in subpart D of this part. Selection Criteria ...

  14. Transformational Leadership in a High School Choral Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Owen Brian

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine a high school choral program to discover how the leadership behaviors of the teacher contributed to the success of the program. The teacher's leadership behaviors were examined through the framework of Transformational Leadership. Criteria for the selection of this program included a recent performance at a…

  15. Effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety Training: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ricci, Federico; Chiesi, Andrea; Bisio, Carlo; Panari, Chiara; Pelosi, Annalisa

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This meta-analysis aims to verify the efficacy of occupational health and safety (OHS) training in terms of knowledge, attitude and beliefs, behavior and health. Design/methodology/approach: The authors included studies published in English (2007-2014) selected from ten databases. Eligibility criteria were studies concerned with the…

  16. 34 CFR 636.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use to evaluate an application?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... of the evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of... part: (a) Determination of need for the project. (10 points). The Secretary reviews each application to assess the effectiveness of the procedures used by the applicant in determining need for the project...

  17. Solar probe shield developmental testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miyake, Robert N.

    1991-01-01

    The objectives of the Solar Probe mission and the current status of the Solar Probe thermal shield subsystem development are described. In particular, the discussion includes a brief description of the mission concepts, spacecraft configuration and shield concept, material selection criteria, and the required material testing to provide a database to support the development of the shield system.

  18. Knowing and Caring Toward an Effective Social Studies Reading Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hubbard, Russ

    Hundreds of suitable books are available to include in a reading program to supplement the prescribed social studies curriculum. Gordon Parks's book "The Learning Tree" reflects three criteria teachers should consider when selecting books for use in a supplementary reading program. First, the story has what one reader called "cool…

  19. Effective Marketing Strategies Flow from Sound Segmentation Data.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Henry C. K.; And Others

    The paper investigates the potential market segments of an upper division university in transition to 4-year status, and explores selection criteria and the influence of various information sources on the choice of university by the potential target students. Data sources for the study included a survey of 142 freshmen students of whom 120…

  20. 75 FR 22147 - Tobacco Product Constituents Subcommittee of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-27

    ... discussion will include the criteria for selection of the constituents, developing a proposed list of harmful... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001... Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. This notice announces a forthcoming...

  1. Success with High School Allotment: Three High Schools' Rise to Exemplary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bevers, James Walter

    2012-01-01

    This study was implemented to investigate how three Texas high school campuses improved their campus accountability ratings using the High School Allotment (HSA) funding. Three high schools were selected based on criteria, including campus size, ethnic breakdown of student population, use of HSA finding, and improvement in the campus…

  2. 34 CFR 356.30 - What selection criteria are used for this program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...— (a) Quality and level of formal education, previous work experience, and recommendations of present or former supervisors or colleagues that include an indication of the applicant's ability to work creatively in scientific research; and (b) The quality of a research proposal of no more than 12 pages...

  3. An Exploratory Analysis for the Selection and Implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technology by Fuzzy Multi-criteria Decision Making Methods: A Comparative Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nath, Surajit; Sarkar, Bijan

    2017-08-01

    Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMTs) offer opportunities for the manufacturing organizations to excel their competitiveness and in turn their effectiveness in manufacturing. Proper selection and evaluation of AMTs is the most significant task in today's modern world. But this involves a lot of uncertainty and vagueness as it requires many conflicting criteria to deal with. So the task of selection and evaluation of AMTs becomes very tedious for the evaluators as they are not able to provide crisp data for the criteria. Different Fuzzy Multi-criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods help greatly in dealing with this problem. This paper focuses on the application of two very much potential Fuzzy MCDM methods namely COPRAS-G, EVAMIX and a comparative study between them on some rarely mentioned criteria. Each of the two methods is very powerful evaluation tool and has beauty in its own. Although, performance wise these two methods are almost at same level, but, the approach of each one of them are quite unique. This uniqueness is revealed by introducing a numerical example of selection of AMT.

  4. You're Hired! A Study Investigating Selection Practices for High School Teachers and the High School Principals' Role in Decision-Making

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulieri, Vincent K.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher selection practices in public high schools on Long Island, New York. More specifically, this study sought to identify criteria used to guide teacher selection, how the criteria are developed and used within the process, and the role of the principal in teacher selection. This research was…

  5. [Principles and Methods for Formulating National Standards of "Regulations of Acupuncture-nee- dle Manipulating techniques"].

    PubMed

    Gang, Wei-juan; Wang, Xin; Wang, Fang; Dong, Guo-feng; Wu, Xiao-dong

    2015-08-01

    The national standard of "Regulations of Acupuncture-needle Manipulating Techniques" is one of the national Criteria of Acupuncturology for which a total of 22 items have been already established. In the process of formulation, a series of common and specific problems have been met. In the present paper, the authors expound these problems from 3 aspects, namely principles for formulation, methods for formulating criteria, and considerations about some problems. The formulating principles include selection and regulations of principles for technique classification and technique-related key factors. The main methods for formulating criteria are 1) taking the literature as the theoretical foundation, 2) taking the clinical practice as the supporting evidence, and 3) taking the expounded suggestions or conclusions through peer review.

  6. Criteria Utilized by College-Educated Women to Select Newspaper Science News.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunwoody, Sharon

    In an attempt to identify criteria used by readers to select science news, a homogeneous group of women in the Philadelphia area was asked to indicate which of 48 science-news statements they would be interested in reading in their newspapers. The statements were condensed from stories selected from Philadelphia newspapers over a…

  7. Image Analyzed by Mars Rover for Selection of Target

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2010-03-23

    NASA Opportunity used newly developed and uploaded software called AEGIS, to analyze images to identify features that best matched criteria for selecting an observation target; the criteria in this image -- rocks that are larger and darker than others.

  8. 75 FR 9574 - Caribbean Trade Mission

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-03

    ...; Hotel & Restaurant Equipment; Medical Equipment & Supplies; Automotive Parts & Accessories; and... apply to the program, and once accepted (see `Criteria for Participant Selection') will work with the... conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. Target recruitment for the Trade...

  9. Diffusion of Educational Knowledge Through Journals: Gatekeepers' Selection Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silverman, Robert J.

    1978-01-01

    Report is made of a survey of 248 editors representing scholarly, professional, association, and research journals in regard to their editorial role, criteria for accepting or rejecting manuscripts, and selection of editorial boards and reviewers. (Author/MJB)

  10. 45 CFR 1232.11 - Employment and volunteer selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Employment and volunteer selection criteria. 1232.11 Section 1232.11 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) CORPORATION FOR... that impair sensory, manual, or speaking skills. ...

  11. 45 CFR 1232.11 - Employment and volunteer selection criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Employment and volunteer selection criteria. 1232.11 Section 1232.11 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) CORPORATION FOR... that impair sensory, manual, or speaking skills. ...

  12. Improved exposure estimation in soil screening and cleanup criteria for volatile organic chemicals.

    PubMed

    DeVaull, George E

    2017-09-01

    Soil cleanup criteria define acceptable concentrations of organic chemical constituents for exposed humans. These criteria sum the estimated soil exposure over multiple pathways. Assumptions for ingestion, dermal contact, and dust exposure generally presume a chemical persists in surface soils at a constant concentration level for the entire exposure duration. For volatile chemicals, this is an unrealistic assumption. A calculation method is presented for surficial soil criteria that include volatile depletion of chemical for these uptake pathways. The depletion estimates compare favorably with measured concentration profiles and with field measurements of soil concentration. Corresponding volatilization estimates compare favorably with measured data for a wide range of volatile and semivolatile chemicals, including instances with and without the presence of a mixed-chemical residual phase. Selected examples show application of the revised factors in estimating screening levels for benzene in surficial soils. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:861-869. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

  13. DSM-V diagnostic criteria for bereavement-related disorders in children and adolescents: developmental considerations.

    PubMed

    Kaplow, Julie B; Layne, Christopher M; Pynoos, Robert S; Cohen, Judith A; Lieberman, Alicia

    2012-01-01

    Two bereavement-related disorders are proposed for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V): Adjustment Disorder Related to Bereavement, to be located in the main body of the text as an official diagnostic entity; and Bereavement-Related Disorder, including a Traumatic Death Specifier, to be located in the Appendix as an invitation for further research. These diagnoses currently do not include developmentally informed criteria, despite the importance of developmental processes in the ways children and adolescents grieve. In this article, we draw upon a selective review of the empirical literature and expert clinical knowledge to recommend developmentally informed modifications and specifiers of the proposed criteria for both bereavement disorders and strategies to improve future research. This article is derived from an invited report submitted to the DSM-V Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma, and Dissociative Disorders Sub-Work Group, and suggested modifications have received preliminary approval to be incorporated into the DSM-V at the time of this writing. Adoption of these proposals will have far-reaching consequences, given that DSM-V criteria will influence both critical treatment choices for bereaved youth and the next generation of research studies.

  14. Dermatology Residency Selection Criteria with an Emphasis on Program Characteristics: A National Program Director Survey

    PubMed Central

    Gorouhi, Farzam; Alikhan, Ali; Rezaei, Arash; Fazel, Nasim

    2014-01-01

    Background. Dermatology residency programs are relatively diverse in their resident selection process. The authors investigated the importance of 25 dermatology residency selection criteria focusing on differences in program directors' (PDs') perception based on specific program demographics. Methods. This cross-sectional nationwide observational survey utilized a 41-item questionnaire that was developed by literature search, brainstorming sessions, and online expert reviews. The data were analyzed utilizing the reliability test, two-step clustering, and K-means methods as well as other methods. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in PDs' perception regarding the importance of the selection criteria based on program demographics. Results. Ninety-five out of 114 PDs (83.3%) responded to the survey. The top five criteria for dermatology residency selection were interview, letters of recommendation, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step I scores, medical school transcripts, and clinical rotations. The following criteria were preferentially ranked based on different program characteristics: “advanced degrees,” “interest in academics,” “reputation of undergraduate and medical school,” “prior unsuccessful attempts to match,” and “number of publications.” Conclusions. Our survey provides up-to-date factual data on dermatology PDs' perception in this regard. Dermatology residency programs may find the reported data useful in further optimizing their residency selection process. PMID:24772165

  15. Open versus closed reduction: diacapitular fractures of the mandibular condyle.

    PubMed

    Chrcanovic, Bruno Ramos

    2012-09-01

    The purpose of the study was to review the literature regarding the evolution of current thoughts on management of diacapitular fractures (DFs) of the mandibular condyle. An electronic search in PubMed was undertaken in March 2012. The titles and abstracts from these results were read to identify studies within the selection criteria. Eligibility criteria included studies reporting clinical series of DFs, including both animal and human studies, without date or language restrictions. The search strategy initially yielded 108 references. Twenty-eight studies were identified without repetition within the selection criteria. Additional hand-searching of the reference lists of selected studies yielded three additional papers. The current indications for open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of DFs described in the literature are: (a) fractures affecting the lateral condyle with reduction of mandibular height; (b) fractures in which the proximal fragment dislocates laterally out of the glenoid fossa, which cannot be reduced by closed or open treatment of another part of the mandibular fracture. The indications for conservative treatment are: (a) fractures that do not shorten the condylar height (a fracture with displacement of the medial parts of the condyle); (b) undisplaced fractures; (c) comminution of the condylar head, when the bony fragments are too small for stable fixation; and (d) fractures in children. As the temporomandibular joint disk plays an important role as a barrier preventing ankylosis, it is important to reposition the disk (if displaced/dislocated) during the surgical treatment of DFs. The lateral pterygoid muscle should never be stripped from the medially displaced fragment because its desinsertion disrupts circulation to the medial bony fragment, and also because this muscle helps to restore the muscle function after surgery. ORIF of selected DFs improves prognosis by anatomical bone and soft tissue recovery when combined with physical therapy. If conducted properly, surgical treatment of DFs is a safe and predictable procedure and yields good results.

  16. Measurement properties of outcome measures for vitiligo. A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Vrijman, Charlotte; Linthorst Homan, May W; Limpens, Jacqueline; van der Veen, Wietze; Wolkerstorfer, Albert; Terwee, Caroline B; Spuls, Phyllis I

    2012-11-01

    OBJECTIVE To summarize and critically appraise the evidence on the measurement properties of clinician-, patient-, and observer-reported outcomes, measuring any construct of interest in patients with all types of vitiligo. DATA SOURCES Electronic databases including PubMed (1948 to July 2011), OVID EMBASE (1980 to July 2011), and CINAHL (EBSCOhost) (1982 to July 2011) were searched. STUDY SELECTION Two authors independently screened all records for eligibility. For inclusion, the study population had to include patients with vitiligo, for which outcome measures were developed or evaluated on their measurement properties. The initial search retrieved 1249 records, of which 14 articles met the inclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION Characteristics of the included instruments, study population, and results of the measurement properties were extracted. The Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) 4-point checklist, combined with quality criteria for measurement properties, was used to calculate the overall level of evidence per measurement property of each instrument. Independent extraction and assessment was performed by 2 authors. DATA SYNTHESIS Eleven different measurement instruments were identified. Strong evidence was found for a positive internal consistency of the Dermatology Life Quality Index. For other instruments, the evidence of measurement properties was limited or unknown. CONCLUSIONS Recommendations on the use of specific outcome measures for vitiligo should be formulated with caution because current evidence is insufficient owing to a low number of studies with poor methodological quality and unclear clinical relevance. To recommend outcome measures for vitiligo, further research on measurement properties of clinical relevant outcome measures for vitiligo according to COSMIN quality criteria is needed.

  17. Patient-reported outcomes in neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis clinical trials

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Staci; Merker, Vanessa L.; Gardner, Kathy L.; Hingtgen, Cynthia M.; Tonsgard, James H.; Schorry, Elizabeth K.; Baldwin, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disease with multiple clinical manifestations that can significantly impact quality of life (QOL). Clinical trials should include patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as endpoints to assess treatment effects on various aspects of QOL, but there is no consensus on the selection and use of such measures in NF. This article describes the PRO Working Group of the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) Collaboration, its main goals, methods for identifying appropriate PRO measures for NF clinical trials, and recommendations for assessing pain intensity. Methods: The REiNS PRO group selected core endpoint domains important to assess in NF. The members developed criteria to rate PRO measures, including patient characteristics, psychometric properties, and feasibility, and utilized a systematic process to evaluate PROs for NF clinical trials. Within the subdomain of pain intensity, the group reviewed the Numerical Rating Scale-11 (NRS-11), the Visual Analogue Scale, and the Faces Pain Scale-Revised using this process. Results: Based on the review criteria, each of these pain intensity scales is brief, reliable, valid, and widely used. However, the NRS-11 was given the highest rating for use in NF clinical trials due to recommendations from pain experts and other consensus groups, its extensive use in research, strong psychometric data including sensitivity to change, and excellent feasibility in ages ≥8 years. Conclusions: The systematic review criteria and process are effective for identifying appropriate PRO measures and provide information utilized by the REiNS Collaboration to achieve consensus regarding PROs in NF clinical trials. PMID:24249806

  18. Beyond space and time: advanced selection for seismological data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trabant, C. M.; Van Fossen, M.; Ahern, T. K.; Casey, R. E.; Weertman, B.; Sharer, G.; Benson, R. B.

    2017-12-01

    Separating the available raw data from that useful for any given study is often a tedious step in a research project, particularly for first-order data quality problems such as broken sensors, incorrect response information, and non-continuous time series. With the ever increasing amounts of data available to researchers, this chore becomes more and more time consuming. To assist users in this pre-processing of data, the IRIS Data Management Center (DMC) has created a system called Research Ready Data Sets (RRDS). The RRDS system allows researchers to apply filters that constrain their data request using criteria related to signal quality, response correctness, and high resolution data availability. In addition to the traditional selection methods of stations at a geographic location for given time spans, RRDS will provide enhanced criteria for data selection based on many of the measurements available in the DMC's MUSTANG quality control system. This means that data may be selected based on background noise (tolerance relative to high and low noise Earth models), signal-to-noise ratio for earthquake arrivals, signal RMS, instrument response corrected signal correlation with Earth tides, time tear (gaps/overlaps) counts, timing quality (when reported in the raw data by the datalogger) and more. The new RRDS system is available as a web service designed to operate as a request filter. A request is submitted containing the traditional station and time constraints as well as data quality constraints. The request is then filtered and a report is returned that indicates 1) the request that would subsequently be submitted to a data access service, 2) a record of the quality criteria specified and 3) a record of the data rejected based on those criteria, including the relevant values. This service can be used to either filter a request prior to requesting the actual data or to explore which data match a set of enhanced criteria without downloading the data. We are optimistic this capability will reduce the initial data culling steps most researchers go through. Additionally, use of this service should reduce the amount of data transmitted from the DMC, easing the workload for our finite shared resources.

  19. A Comparative Study of the Employee Skills/Training Acceptable to Employers Under Varying Degrees of Labor Market Stringencies. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, W. Halder; And Others

    The purposes of this stud y were to test the dependability of stated employee selection criteria, to ascertain the degree of congruence between stated and actual selection criteria, and to determine the degree of change in criteria due to "looseness" or "tightness" of the local labor market. Seven test labor market areas representing a variety of…

  20. A general framework for optimization of probes for gene expression microarray and its application to the fungus Podospora anserina

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background The development of new microarray technologies makes custom long oligonucleotide arrays affordable for many experimental applications, notably gene expression analyses. Reliable results depend on probe design quality and selection. Probe design strategy should cope with the limited accuracy of de novo gene prediction programs, and annotation up-dating. We present a novel in silico procedure which addresses these issues and includes experimental screening, as an empirical approach is the best strategy to identify optimal probes in the in silico outcome. Findings We used four criteria for in silico probe selection: cross-hybridization, hairpin stability, probe location relative to coding sequence end and intron position. This latter criterion is critical when exon-intron gene structure predictions for intron-rich genes are inaccurate. For each coding sequence (CDS), we selected a sub-set of four probes. These probes were included in a test microarray, which was used to evaluate the hybridization behavior of each probe. The best probe for each CDS was selected according to three experimental criteria: signal-to-noise ratio, signal reproducibility, and representative signal intensities. This procedure was applied for the development of a gene expression Agilent platform for the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina and the selection of a single 60-mer probe for each of the 10,556 P. anserina CDS. Conclusions A reliable gene expression microarray version based on the Agilent 44K platform was developed with four spot replicates of each probe to increase statistical significance of analysis. PMID:20565839

  1. A PCT-wide collaborative clinical audit selecting recall intervals for patients according to risk.

    PubMed

    Cannell, P J

    2011-03-26

    This audit was carried out to assess the level to which recall intervals were individually and appropriately selected for patients attending dental practices across a primary care trust (PCT) area in Essex. A retrospective audit was carried out by reference to patient records to assess various criteria, including whether patients were categorised according to risk of oral disease, whether an appropriate recall had been selected and whether a discussion regarding a recall interval had been undertaken. An educational event highlighting the issue of recall intervals was held. Subsequent to this a prospective audit was undertaken to assess relevant criteria. Prospective audit data showed a marked increase in the use of patient risk assessments for caries, periodontal disease, oral cancer and non-carious tooth surface loss (NCTSL). Recall intervals were also more often selected based on a patient's risk status and discussed with the patient compared to that observed in the retrospective audit data. This audit was successful as a tool to bring about change in the behaviour of dentists regarding their determination of appropriate recall intervals for patients. Whether that change in behaviour is long-term or transient requires further investigation.

  2. Long-Term Variations of the EOP and ICRF2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zharov, Vladimir; Sazhin, Mikhail; Sementsov, Valerian; Sazhina, Olga

    2010-01-01

    We analyzed the time series of the coordinates of the ICRF radio sources. We show that part of the radio sources, including the defining sources, shows a significant apparent motion. The stability of the celestial reference frame is provided by a no-net-rotation condition applied to the defining sources. In our case this condition leads to a rotation of the frame axes with time. We calculated the effect of this rotation on the Earth orientation parameters (EOP). In order to improve the stability of the celestial reference frame we suggest a new method for the selection of the defining sources. The method consists of two criteria: the first one we call cosmological and the second one kinematical. It is shown that a subset of the ICRF sources selected according to cosmological criteria provides the most stable reference frame for the next decade.

  3. Dairy propionibacteria as probiotics: recent evidences.

    PubMed

    Altieri, Clelia

    2016-10-01

    Nowdays there is evidence that dairy propionibacteria display probiotic properties, which as yet have been underestimated. The aim of this paper is to review the recent highlights of data representing the probiotic potential of dairy propionibacteria, studied both by general selection criteria (useful for all probiotic potentials), and by more specific and innovative approach. Dairy propionibacteria show a robust nature, that makes them able to overcome technological hurdles, allowing their future use in various fermented probiotic foods. In addition to the general selection criteria for probiotics in areas such as food safety, technological and digestive stress tolerance, many potential health benefits have been recently described for dairy propionibacteria, including, production of several active molecules and adhesion capability, that can mean a steady action in modulation of microbiota and of metabolic activity in the gut; their impact on intestinal inflammation, modulation of the immune system, potential modulation of risk factors for cancer development modulation of intestinal absorption.

  4. Establishment of design criteria for acceptable failure modes and fail safe considerations for the space shuttle structural system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Westrup, R. W.

    1972-01-01

    Investigations of fatigue life, and safe-life and fail-safe design concepts as applied to space shuttle structure are summarized. The results are evaluated to select recommended structural design criteria to provide assurance that premature failure due to propagation of undetected crack-like defects will not occur during shuttle operational service. The space shuttle booster, GDC configuration B-9U, is selected as the reference vehicle. Structural elements used as basis of detail analyses include wing spar caps, vertical stabilizer skins, crew compartment skin, orbiter support frame, and propellant tank shell structure. Fatigue life analyses of structural elements are performed to define potential problem areas and establish upper limits of operating stresses. Flaw growth analyses are summarized in parametric form over a range of initial flaw types and sizes, operating stresses and service life requirements. Service life of 100 to 500 missions is considered.

  5. Fuzzy Logic Approaches to Multi-Objective Decision-Making in Aerospace Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hardy, Terry L.

    1994-01-01

    Fuzzy logic allows for the quantitative representation of multi-objective decision-making problems which have vague or fuzzy objectives and parameters. As such, fuzzy logic approaches are well-suited to situations where alternatives must be assessed by using criteria that are subjective and of unequal importance. This paper presents an overview of fuzzy logic and provides sample applications from the aerospace industry. Applications include an evaluation of vendor proposals, an analysis of future space vehicle options, and the selection of a future space propulsion system. On the basis of the results provided in this study, fuzzy logic provides a unique perspective on the decision-making process, allowing the evaluator to assess the degree to which each option meets the evaluation criteria. Future decision-making should take full advantage of fuzzy logic methods to complement existing approaches in the selection of alternatives.

  6. A GIS-BASED MULTI-CRITERIA EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR SELECTION OF LANDFILL SITES: a case study from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Issa, S. M.; Shehhi, B. Al

    2012-07-01

    Landfill sites receive 92% of total annual solid waste produced by municipalities in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. In this study, candidate sites for an appropriate landfill location for the Abu Dhabi municipal area are determined by integrating geographic information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) analysis. To identify appropriate landfill sites, eight input map layers including proximity to urban areas, proximity to wells and water table depth, geology and topography, proximity to touristic and archeological sites, distance from roads network, distance from drainage networks, and land slope are used in constraint mapping. A final map was generated which identified potential areas showing suitability for the location of the landfill site. Results revealed that 30% of the study area was identified as highly suitable, 25% as suitable, and 45% as unsuitable. The selection of the final landfill site, however, requires further field research.

  7. Habitat suitability criteria via parametric distributions: estimation, model selection and uncertainty

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Som, Nicholas A.; Goodman, Damon H.; Perry, Russell W.; Hardy, Thomas B.

    2016-01-01

    Previous methods for constructing univariate habitat suitability criteria (HSC) curves have ranged from professional judgement to kernel-smoothed density functions or combinations thereof. We present a new method of generating HSC curves that applies probability density functions as the mathematical representation of the curves. Compared with previous approaches, benefits of our method include (1) estimation of probability density function parameters directly from raw data, (2) quantitative methods for selecting among several candidate probability density functions, and (3) concise methods for expressing estimation uncertainty in the HSC curves. We demonstrate our method with a thorough example using data collected on the depth of water used by juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) in the Klamath River of northern California and southern Oregon. All R code needed to implement our example is provided in the appendix. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  8. Sewage sludge disposal strategies for sustainable development.

    PubMed

    Kacprzak, Małgorzata; Neczaj, Ewa; Fijałkowski, Krzysztof; Grobelak, Anna; Grosser, Anna; Worwag, Małgorzata; Rorat, Agnieszka; Brattebo, Helge; Almås, Åsgeir; Singh, Bal Ram

    2017-07-01

    The main objective of the present review is to compare the existing sewage sludge management solutions in terms of their environmental sustainability. The most commonly used strategies, that include treatment and disposal has been favored within the present state-of-art, considering existing legislation (at European and national level), characterization, ecotoxicology, waste management and actual routs used currently in particular European countries. Selected decision making tools, namely End-of-waste criteria and Life Cycle Assessment has been proposed in order to appropriately assess the possible environmental, economic and technical evaluation of different systems. Therefore, some basic criteria for the best suitable option selection has been described, in the circular economy "from waste to resources" sense. The importance of sewage sludge as a valuable source of matter and energy has been appreciated, as well as a potential risk related to the application of those strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Land suitability assessment for wind power plant site selection using ANP-DEMATEL in a GIS environment: case study of Ardabil province, Iran.

    PubMed

    Azizi, Ali; Malekmohammadi, Bahram; Jafari, Hamid Reza; Nasiri, Hossein; Amini Parsa, Vahid

    2014-10-01

    Wind energy is a renewable energy resource that has increased in usage in most countries. Site selection for the establishment of large wind turbines, called wind farms, like any other engineering project, requires basic information and careful planning. This study assessed the possibility of establishing wind farms in Ardabil province in northwestern Iran by using a combination of analytic network process (ANP) and decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) methods in a geographical information system (GIS) environment. DEMATEL was used to determine the criteria relationships. The weights of the criteria were determined using ANP and the overlaying process was done on GIS. Using 13 information layers in three main criteria including environmental, technical and economical, the land suitability map was produced and reclassified into 5 equally scored divisions from least suitable to most suitable areas. The results showed that about 6.68% of the area of Ardabil province is most suitable for establishment of wind turbines. Sensitivity analysis shows that significant portions of these most suitable zones coincide with suitable divisions of the input layers. The efficiency and accuracy of the hybrid model (ANP-DEMATEL) was evaluated and the results were compared to the ANP model. The sensitivity analysis, map classification, and factor weights for the two methods showed satisfactory results for the ANP-DEMATEL model in wind power plant site selection.

  10. Species-specific variation in nesting and postfledging resource selection for two forest breeding migrant songbirds.

    PubMed

    Jenkins, Julianna M A; Thompson, Frank R; Faaborg, John

    2017-01-01

    Habitat selection is a fundamental component of community ecology, population ecology, and evolutionary biology and can be especially important to species with complex annual habitat requirements, such as migratory birds. Resource preferences on the breeding grounds may change during the postfledging period for migrant songbirds, however, the degree to which selection changes, timing of change, and whether all or only a few species alter their resource use is unclear. We compared resource selection for nest sites and resource selection by postfledging juvenile ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) and Acadian flycatchers (Empidonax virescens) followed with radio telemetry in Missouri mature forest fragments from 2012-2015. We used Bayesian discrete choice modeling to evaluate support for local vegetation characteristics on the probability of selection for nest sites and locations utilized by different ages of postfledging juveniles. Patterns of resource selection variation were species-specific. Resource selection models indicated that Acadian flycatcher habitat selection criteria were similar for nesting and dependent postfledging juveniles and selection criteria diverged when juveniles became independent from adults. After independence, flycatcher resource selection was more associated with understory foliage density. Ovenbirds differed in selection criteria between the nesting and postfledging periods. Fledgling ovenbirds selected areas with higher densities of understory structure compared to nest sites, and the effect of foliage density on selection increased as juveniles aged and gained independence. The differences observed between two sympatric forest nesting species, in both the timing and degree of change in resource selection criteria over the course of the breeding season, illustrates the importance of considering species-specific traits and postfledging requirements when developing conservation efforts, especially when foraging guilds or prey bases differ. We recommend that postfledging habitat selection be considered in future conservation efforts dealing with Neotropical migrants and other forest breeding songbirds.

  11. Clinical Criteria Versus a Possible Research Case Definition in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

    PubMed

    Jason, Leonard A; McManimen, Stephanie; Sunnquist, Madison; Newton, Julia L; Strand, Elin Bolle

    2017-01-01

    The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently developed clinical criteria for what had been known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Given the broad nature of the clinical IOM criteria, there is a need for a research definition that would select a more homogenous and impaired group of patients than the IOM clinical criteria. At the present time, it is unclear what will serve as the research definition. The current study focused on a research definition which selected homebound individuals who met the four IOM criteria, excluding medical and psychiatric co-morbidities. Our research criteria were compared to those participants meeting the IOM criteria. Those not meeting either of these criteria sets were placed in a separate group defined by 6 or more months of fatigue. Data analyzed were from the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire and the SF-36. Due to unequal sample sizes and variances, Welch's F tests and Games-Howell post hoc tests were conducted. Using a large database of over 1,000 patients from several countries, we found that those meeting a more restrictive research definition were even more impaired and more symptomatic than those meeting criteria for the other two groups. Deciding on a particular research case definition would allow researchers to select more comparable patient samples across settings, and this would represent one of the most significant methodologic advances for this field of study.

  12. A critical review of "Internet addiction" criteria with suggestions for the future.

    PubMed

    Van Rooij, Antonius J; Prause, Nicole

    2014-12-01

    In the last 5 years a deluge of articles on the topic of Internet addiction (IA) has proposed many candidate symptoms as evidence of this proposed disease. We critically reviewed the current approach to the measurement and identification of this new excessive behavior syndrome. Three popular models of IA were discussed: Griffith’s components model; Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT); and the criteria by Tao et al. (2010). We selected these models because they are widely cited and propose specific criteria for IA disorder. Our approach is not meant to provide an exhaustive review, but to discuss and critique the most salient trends in the field. The models of Internet addiction share some criteria, including feeling a loss of control over Internet use; ensuing psychological, social, or professional conflict or problems; and preoccupation when not using the Internet. Other criteria inconsistently mentioned include: mood management, tolerance, withdrawal, and craving/anticipation. The models studied here share the assumption that the Internet can produce a qualitative shift to a diseased state in humans. We critically discussed the above criteria and concluded that the evidence base is currently not strong enough to provide support for an Internet addiction disorder. Future research areas are suggested: (1) Focusing on common impaired dimensions, (2) exploring neuroimaging as a model building tool, and (3) identifying shifts in the rewarding aspects of Internet use. Given the lack of consensus on the subject of Internet addiction, a focus on problem behaviors appears warranted.

  13. Informing efficient randomised controlled trials: exploration of challenges in developing progression criteria for internal pilot studies.

    PubMed

    Avery, Kerry N L; Williamson, Paula R; Gamble, Carrol; O'Connell Francischetto, Elaine; Metcalfe, Chris; Davidson, Peter; Williams, Hywel; Blazeby, Jane M

    2017-02-17

    Designing studies with an internal pilot phase may optimise the use of pilot work to inform more efficient randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Careful selection of preagreed decision or 'progression' criteria at the juncture between the internal pilot and main trial phases provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate the likely success of the main trial and optimise its design or, if necessary, to make the decision not to proceed with the main trial. Guidance on the appropriate selection and application of progression criteria is, however, lacking. This paper outlines the key issues to consider in the optimal development and review of operational progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase. A structured literature review and exploration of stakeholders' opinions at a Medical Research Council (MRC) Hubs for Trials Methodology Research workshop. Key stakeholders included triallists, methodologists, statisticians and funders. There is considerable variation in the use of progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase, although 3 common issues predominate: trial recruitment, protocol adherence and outcome data. Detailed and systematic reporting around the decision-making process for stopping, amending or proceeding to a main trial is uncommon, which may hamper understanding in the research community about the appropriate and optimal use of RCTs with an internal pilot phase. 10 top tips for the development, use and reporting of progression criteria for internal pilot studies are presented. Systematic and transparent reporting of the design, results and evaluation of internal pilot trials in the literature should be encouraged in order to facilitate understanding in the research community and to inform future trials. 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/.

  14. Informing efficient randomised controlled trials: exploration of challenges in developing progression criteria for internal pilot studies

    PubMed Central

    Williamson, Paula R; Gamble, Carrol; O'Connell Francischetto, Elaine; Metcalfe, Chris; Davidson, Peter; Williams, Hywel; Blazeby, Jane M

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Designing studies with an internal pilot phase may optimise the use of pilot work to inform more efficient randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Careful selection of preagreed decision or ‘progression’ criteria at the juncture between the internal pilot and main trial phases provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate the likely success of the main trial and optimise its design or, if necessary, to make the decision not to proceed with the main trial. Guidance on the appropriate selection and application of progression criteria is, however, lacking. This paper outlines the key issues to consider in the optimal development and review of operational progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase. Design A structured literature review and exploration of stakeholders' opinions at a Medical Research Council (MRC) Hubs for Trials Methodology Research workshop. Key stakeholders included triallists, methodologists, statisticians and funders. Results There is considerable variation in the use of progression criteria for RCTs with an internal pilot phase, although 3 common issues predominate: trial recruitment, protocol adherence and outcome data. Detailed and systematic reporting around the decision-making process for stopping, amending or proceeding to a main trial is uncommon, which may hamper understanding in the research community about the appropriate and optimal use of RCTs with an internal pilot phase. 10 top tips for the development, use and reporting of progression criteria for internal pilot studies are presented. Conclusions Systematic and transparent reporting of the design, results and evaluation of internal pilot trials in the literature should be encouraged in order to facilitate understanding in the research community and to inform future trials. PMID:28213598

  15. Assessing electronic health record phenotypes against gold-standard diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Spratt, Susan E; Pereira, Katherine; Granger, Bradi B; Batch, Bryan C; Phelan, Matthew; Pencina, Michael; Miranda, Marie Lynn; Boulware, Ebony; Lucas, Joseph E; Nelson, Charlotte L; Neely, Benjamin; Goldstein, Benjamin A; Barth, Pamela; Richesson, Rachel L; Riley, Isaretta L; Corsino, Leonor; McPeek Hinz, Eugenia R; Rusincovitch, Shelley; Green, Jennifer; Barton, Anna Beth; Kelley, Carly; Hyland, Kristen; Tang, Monica; Elliott, Amanda; Ruel, Ewa; Clark, Alexander; Mabrey, Melanie; Morrissey, Kay Lyn; Rao, Jyothi; Hong, Beatrice; Pierre-Louis, Marjorie; Kelly, Katherine; Jelesoff, Nicole

    2017-04-01

    We assessed the sensitivity and specificity of 8 electronic health record (EHR)-based phenotypes for diabetes mellitus against gold-standard American Diabetes Association (ADA) diagnostic criteria via chart review by clinical experts. We identified EHR-based diabetes phenotype definitions that were developed for various purposes by a variety of users, including academic medical centers, Medicare, the New York City Health Department, and pharmacy benefit managers. We applied these definitions to a sample of 173 503 patients with records in the Duke Health System Enterprise Data Warehouse and at least 1 visit over a 5-year period (2007-2011). Of these patients, 22 679 (13%) met the criteria of 1 or more of the selected diabetes phenotype definitions. A statistically balanced sample of these patients was selected for chart review by clinical experts to determine the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes in the sample. The sensitivity (62-94%) and specificity (95-99%) of EHR-based type 2 diabetes phenotypes (compared with the gold standard ADA criteria via chart review) varied depending on the component criteria and timing of observations and measurements. Researchers using EHR-based phenotype definitions should clearly specify the characteristics that comprise the definition, variations of ADA criteria, and how different phenotype definitions and components impact the patient populations retrieved and the intended application. Careful attention to phenotype definitions is critical if the promise of leveraging EHR data to improve individual and population health is to be fulfilled. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  16. Clustering and group selection of multiple criteria alternatives with application to space-based networks.

    PubMed

    Malakooti, Behnam; Yang, Ziyong

    2004-02-01

    In many real-world problems, the range of consequences of different alternatives are considerably different. In addition, sometimes, selection of a group of alternatives (instead of only one best alternative) is necessary. Traditional decision making approaches treat the set of alternatives with the same method of analysis and selection. In this paper, we propose clustering alternatives into different groups so that different methods of analysis, selection, and implementation for each group can be applied. As an example, consider the selection of a group of functions (or tasks) to be processed by a group of processors. The set of tasks can be grouped according to their similar criteria, and hence, each cluster of tasks to be processed by a processor. The selection of the best alternative for each clustered group can be performed using existing methods; however, the process of selecting groups is different than the process of selecting alternatives within a group. We develop theories and procedures for clustering discrete multiple criteria alternatives. We also demonstrate how the set of alternatives is clustered into mutually exclusive groups based on 1) similar features among alternatives; 2) ideal (or most representative) alternatives given by the decision maker; and 3) other preferential information of the decision maker. The clustering of multiple criteria alternatives also has the following advantages. 1) It decreases the set of alternatives to be considered by the decision maker (for example, different decision makers are assigned to different groups of alternatives). 2) It decreases the number of criteria. 3) It may provide a different approach for analyzing multiple decision makers problems. Each decision maker may cluster alternatives differently, and hence, clustering of alternatives may provide a basis for negotiation. The developed approach is applicable for solving a class of telecommunication networks problems where a set of objects (such as routers, processors, or intelligent autonomous vehicles) are to be clustered into similar groups. Objects are clustered based on several criteria and the decision maker's preferences.

  17. Evaluation of selection criteria for graduate students in radiation therapy.

    PubMed

    Schneider-Kolsky, Michal; Wright, Caroline; Baird, Marilyn

    2006-12-01

    Selection of suitable students into graduate medical and specialist health professional courses can be difficult. Historically, selection of students was primarily based on prior academic performance. Recently, however, more emphasis has been placed on considering broader academic backgrounds and personal characteristics and attitudes of students, but no reliable measurement tool is available to predict student success and satisfaction with their choice of profession. The aim of this study was to survey practising radiation therapists in Australia to seek their opinions regarding suitable selection criteria for graduate entry radiation therapy (RT) students in order to optimize selection procedures for future applicants. Four hundred questionnaires were sent to nine RT centres in three states within Australia. All nine clinics participated in the survey and 189 questionnaires were returned. Results show that the majority of radiation therapists place a high level of importance upon a sound knowledge of physics and mathematics, as well as life experience, and agree that a visit to an RT clinic plus an interview comprise important components of the selection process. Humanities, psychology and a psychometric test were not viewed as essential entry requirements. Experienced radiation therapists placed less value on academic performance in the primary degree and were more likely to include an interview as a selection criterion than junior practitioners. Empathy for patients was identified as the most important personal attribute. It is thus recommended that not only cognitive but also personal skills be evaluated during the selection of prospective radiation therapists.

  18. Review of potential EGS sites and possible EGS demonstration scenarios

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

    None

    1999-09-01

    Review of potential sites for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and development of reference scenarios for EGS demonstration projects are two sub-tasks included in the FY 1999 EGS Research and Development (R&D) Management Task (DOE Task Order Number DE-AT07-99ID60365, included in the Appendix of this report). These sub-tasks are consistent with the EGS Strategic Plan, which includes milestones relating to EGS site selection (Milestone 4, to be completed in 2004) and development of a cost-shared, pilot-scale demonstration project (Milestone 5, to be completed in 2008). The purpose of the present work is to provide some reference points for discussing what typemore » of EGS projects might be undertaken, where they might be located, and what the associated benefits are likely to be. The review of potential EGS sites is presented in Chapter 2 of this report. It draws upon site-selection criteria (and potential project sites that were identified using those criteria) developed at a mini-workshop held at the April 1998 DOE Geothermal Program Review to discuss EGS R&D issues. The criteria and the sites were the focus of a paper presented at the 4th International Hot Dry Rock Forum in Strasbourg in September 1998 (Sass and Robertson-Tait, 1998). The selection criteria, project sites and possible EGS developments discussed in the workshop and paper are described in more detail herein. Input from geothermal operators is incorporated, and water availability and transmission-line access are emphasized. The reference scenarios for EGS demonstration projects are presented in Chapter 3. Three alternative scenarios are discussed: (1) a stand-alone demonstration plant in an area with no existing geothermal development; (2) a separate generating facility adjacent to an existing geothermal development; and (3) an EGS project that supplies an existing geothermal power plant with additional generating capacity. Furthermore, information potentially useful to DOE in framing solicitations and selecting projects for funding is discussed objectively. Although defined as separate sub-tasks, the EGS site review and reference scenarios are closely related. The incremental approach to EGS development that has recently been adopted could logically be expected to yield proposals for studies that lead up to and include production-enhancement experiments in producing geothermal fields in the very near future. However, the strategic plan clearly calls for the development of a more comprehensive demonstration project that can generate up to perhaps 10 MW (gross). It is anticipated that a series of small-scale experiments will define what realistically may be achieved in the near future, thus setting the stage for a successful pilot demonstration. This report continues the process of presenting information on EGS sites and experiments, and begins the process of defining what a demonstration project might be.« less

  19. Selecting a digital camera for telemedicine.

    PubMed

    Patricoski, Chris; Ferguson, A Stewart

    2009-06-01

    The digital camera is an essential component of store-and-forward telemedicine (electronic consultation). There are numerous makes and models of digital cameras on the market, and selecting a suitable consumer-grade camera can be complicated. Evaluation of digital cameras includes investigating the features and analyzing image quality. Important features include the camera settings, ease of use, macro capabilities, method of image transfer, and power recharging. Consideration needs to be given to image quality, especially as it relates to color (skin tones) and detail. It is important to know the level of the photographer and the intended application. The goal is to match the characteristics of the camera with the telemedicine program requirements. In the end, selecting a digital camera is a combination of qualitative (subjective) and quantitative (objective) analysis. For the telemedicine program in Alaska in 2008, the camera evaluation and decision process resulted in a specific selection based on the criteria developed for our environment.

  20. Selection of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for liver transplantation: Past and future.

    PubMed

    Soriano, Arturo; Varona, Aranzazu; Gianchandani, Rajesh; Moneva, Modesto Enrique; Arranz, Javier; Gonzalez, Antonio; Barrera, Manuel

    2016-01-08

    The aim of liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is to ensure a rate of disease-free survival similar to that of patients transplanted due to benign disease. Therefore, we are forced to adopt strict criteria when selecting candidates for LT and prioritizing patients on the waiting list (WL), to have clarified indications for bridging therapy for groups at risk for progression or recurrence, and to establish certain limits for downstaging therapies. Although the Milan criteria (MC) remain the standard and most employed criteria for indication of HCC patients for LT by far, in the coming years, criteria will be consolidated that take into account not only data regarding the size/volume and number of tumors but also their biology. This criteria will mainly include the alpha fetoprotein (AFP) values and, in view of their wide variability, any of the published logarithmic models for the selection of candidates for LT. Bridging therapy is necessary for HCC patients on the WL who meet the MC and have the possibility of experiencing a delay for LT greater than 6 mo or any of the known risk factors for recurrence. It is difficult to define single AFP values that would indicate bridging therapy (200, 300 or 400 ng/mL); therefore, it is preferable to rely on the criteria of a French AFP model score > 2. Other single indications for bridging therapy include a tumor diameter greater than 3 cm, more than one tumor, and having an AFP slope greater than 15 ng/mL per month or > 50 ng/mL for three months during strict monitoring while on the WL. When considering the inclusion of patients on the WL who do not meet the MC, it is mandatory to determine their eligibility for downstaging therapy prior to inclusion. The upper limit for this therapy could be one lesion up to 8 cm, 2-3 lesions with a total tumor diameter up to 8 cm, or a total tumor volume of 115 cm(3). Lastly, liver allocation and the prioritization of patients with HCC on the WL should take into account the recently described HCC model for end-stage liver disease, which considers hepatic function, HCC size and the number and the log of AFP values. This formula has been calibrated with the survival data of non-HCC patients and produces a dynamic and more accurate assessment model.

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