The International Negotiation Seminars Project. Project ICONS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkenfeld, Jonathan; Kaufman, Joyce; Starkey, Brigid

This report of a study at the University of Maryland describes an international, interactive, and interdisciplinary project for first- and second-year students, which combines a large lecture format with small-group, seminar-type sessions organized around a computer-assisted simulation model, the International Communication and Negotiation…

Student-Authored Hypermedia in Veterinary Anatomy: Teaching and Learning Outcomes of Group Project Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garvin, Anthony; Carrington, Stephen

1997-01-01

Describes the Directed-Self Education program at the University of Bristol (England) for undergraduate small-group project work in veterinary science that was designed to support students in developing personal study and information technology skills. It also produced student-authored hypermedia tools which could be repurposed by staff as teaching…

Ten Percenters Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-07-01

This project focuses on small groups of persistent traffic violators who are responsible for a significant portion of the serious injury and fatal collisions on the highways. The primary goal of the project is to identify effective means for addressi...

Forming a Professional Identity: Conversations between English Method Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doecke, Brenton; McKnight, Lucinda

This paper aims to show how its author/researchers were brought to reconsider some of the assumptions behind a small arc project that was being conducted on the professional development of student teachers in Australia. A small group of English Method students were invited to participate in three focus group interviews: before their first teaching…

Software engineering risk factors in the implementation of a small electronic medical record system: the problem of scalability.

PubMed

Chiang, Michael F; Starren, Justin B

2002-01-01

The successful implementation of clinical information systems is difficult. In examining the reasons and potential solutions for this problem, the medical informatics community may benefit from the lessons of a rich body of software engineering and management literature about the failure of software projects. Based on previous studies, we present a conceptual framework for understanding the risk factors associated with large-scale projects. However, the vast majority of existing literature is based on large, enterprise-wide systems, and it unclear whether those results may be scaled down and applied to smaller projects such as departmental medical information systems. To examine this issue, we discuss the case study of a delayed electronic medical record implementation project in a small specialty practice at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. While the factors contributing to the delay of this small project share some attributes with those found in larger organizations, there are important differences. The significance of these differences for groups implementing small medical information systems is discussed.

Using Cooperative Small Groups in Introductory Accounting Classes: A Practical Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miglietti, Cynthia

2002-01-01

Effective use of cooperative learning groups requires the following: attention to group formation, orientation that sets clear expectations and guidelines, activities to develop teamwork skills, peer evaluation, and other assessments that recognize and measure individual effort on group projects. (SK)

Small-Town Rock Trade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robarge, Thomas J.

1977-01-01

Describes an eighth grade rock exchange project in which small groups of students researched, then wrote letters to schools throughout the United States requesting samples of local rocks and minerals. Provides experience in use of the atlas and letter writing. (CS)

Reflections on Beliefs and Practices from a Group of New Zealand Outdoor Educators: Consistencies and Conflicts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Allen

2010-01-01

This article draws from a research project in 2007 with a small group of New Zealand outdoor educators. The purpose of the project was to examine teacher beliefs about outdoor education and explore the complex relationships between beliefs, values, and self-perceptions of pedagogical practice. Of specific interest was how theories of consistency…

Increasing Higher Level Thinking Skills in Science of Gifted Students in Grades 1-4 through "Hands-On" Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dindial, Myrna J.

This practicum was designed to increase higher level thinking skills of gifted students in primary school. The project sought to retrain students from recalling science information from the textbook to a more challenging and active form of learning through individual projects and small group and large group activities. Students were given…

The Development of a Small-World Network of Higher Education Students, Using a Large-Group Problem-Solving Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousa, Fernando Cardoso; Monteiro, Ileana Pardal; Pellissier, René

2014-01-01

This article presents the development of a small-world network using an adapted version of the large-group problem-solving method "Future Search." Two management classes in a higher education setting were selected and required to plan a project. The students completed a survey focused on the frequency of communications before and after…

Effects of Communication Apprehension on Perceptions of Leadership and Intragroup Attraction in Small Task-Oriented Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Katherine; Stewart, Robert A.

1991-01-01

Examines the impact of communication apprehension (CA) on perceptions of leadership and intragroup attraction in small task-oriented groups, using 68 undergraduates working on a class project. Finds high CA students were rated by themselves (and by others) to be lower in emerged leadership and social and task attraction than those with lower CA.…

General chemistry: expanding the learning outcomes and promoting interdisciplinary connections through the use of a semester-long project.

PubMed

Wenzel, Thomas J

2006-01-01

The laboratory component of a first-semester general chemistry course for science majors is described. The laboratory involves a semester-long project undertaken in a small-group format. Students are asked to examine whether plants grown in soil contaminated with lead take up more lead than those grown in uncontaminated soil. They are also asked to examine whether the acidity of the rainwater affects the amount of lead taken up by the plants. Groups are then given considerable independence in the design and implementation of the experiment. Once the seeds are planted, which takes about 4 wk into the term, several shorter experiments are integrated in before it is time to harvest and analyze the plants. The use of a project and small working groups allows for the development of a broader range of learning outcomes than occurs in a "traditional" general chemistry laboratory. The nature of these outcomes and some of the student responses to the laboratory experience are described. This particular project also works well at demonstrating the connections among chemistry, biology, geology, and environmental studies.

General Chemistry: Expanding the Learning Outcomes and Promoting Interdisciplinary Connections through the Use of a Semester-long Project

PubMed Central

Wenzel, Thomas J.

2006-01-01

The laboratory component of a first-semester general chemistry course for science majors is described. The laboratory involves a semester-long project undertaken in a small-group format. Students are asked to examine whether plants grown in soil contaminated with lead take up more lead than those grown in uncontaminated soil. They are also asked to examine whether the acidity of the rainwater affects the amount of lead taken up by the plants. Groups are then given considerable independence in the design and implementation of the experiment. Once the seeds are planted, which takes about 4 wk into the term, several shorter experiments are integrated in before it is time to harvest and analyze the plants. The use of a project and small working groups allows for the development of a broader range of learning outcomes than occurs in a “traditional” general chemistry laboratory. The nature of these outcomes and some of the student responses to the laboratory experience are described. This particular project also works well at demonstrating the connections among chemistry, biology, geology, and environmental studies. PMID:17012193

Growing up and Growing out: Emerging Adults Learn Management through Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairfield, Kent D.

2010-01-01

This article describes a journey introducing service-learning based on large-scale projects in an undergraduate management curriculum, leading to supplementing this approach with more conventional small-group projects. It outlines some of the foundation for service-learning. Having students undertake a single class-wide project offers distinctive…

A Discussion Project on High School Adolescents' Perceptions of the Relationship between Students and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Ronald J.

1976-01-01

Describes a small group discussion project involving students and teachers in two large white suburban high schools. The project's intention was to focus discussion on the social quality of the relationship between students and teachers, and to assess the impact of the discussions on student perceptions. (Author/RK)

Communicating Risk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Joyce

1993-01-01

Communicating the environmental risk involved in projects like public incinerators is part of the education of the community. Presents an outline for communicating with the community that includes communication within the project office; solicitation of public input; development of small group informational activities; shared responsibilities;…

Illuminating and Improving National Curriculum Development: Students' Perceptions and Suggestions. A Pilot Study in a State Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakefield, Peter; Pumfrey, D.

2009-01-01

In curriculum evaluation and development, the views of students are important--but often overlooked. We report findings from a small innovative project involving 60 male (M) and female (F) students in two successive age groups: UK National Curriculum Year Groups (NCYG) 8 and 9 (aged 12-13 years and 13-14 years, respectively). The project was…

A Typology for Finite Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tou, Erik R

2013-01-01

This project classifies groups of small order using a group's center as the key feature. Groups of a given order "n" are typed based on the order of each group's center. Students are led through a sequence of exercises that combine proof-writing, independent research, and an analysis of specific classes of finite groups…

Living in the Community: A Comparative Study of Foster Homes and Small Group Homes for People with Mental Retardation. Project Report 28.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Bradley K.; And Others

The study surveyed 181 specialized foster care homes or small (with 6 or fewer residents) group homes providing residential care for persons (N=336) with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities. The study found that the community residential facility sample was generally much less well integrated into the life of the community…

Small group experience for socially withdrawn girls.

PubMed

Houck, Gail M; Stember, Lisa

2002-08-01

Social competence is the effectiveness of social interaction behavior. Given its link to mental health outcomes, it is an important consideration in child and adolescent development. Social withdrawal is associated with depression. Socially withdrawn children make few social initiations and tend to be isolated in their play, further limiting their social involvement. To develop effective social behavior, experiences must be provided to learn relationship skills. This practice improvement project provided a small group experience for five socially withdrawn school-age girls. Weekly group meetings provided a social situation in which conversations could occur around a shared snack and craft project. The school nurse facilitated self-assertion and the expression of prosocial behavior in a socially safe (nonrejecting) environment and promoted social problem solving. On completion of the program, the participants not only showed more effective social reasoning and social skills, but developed friendships with each other that lasted beyond the life of the group.

SCIP in Action in Bury.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Bob

1986-01-01

Gives an example of a class project dealing with pollution developed by one school involved in the School Curriculum Industry Project. Discusses investigations covering a three-week period in which chemistry students were involved in audiovisual productions, field trips to pollution treatment centers, and small group presentations. (TW)

CFIRP: What we learned in the first ten years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chambers, C.L.; McComb, W.C.; Tappeiner, J. C.; Kellogg, L.D.; Johnson, R.L.; Spycher, G.

1999-01-01

In response to public dissatisfaction with forest management methods, we initiated the College of Forestry Integrated Research Project (CFIRP) to test alternative silvicultural systems in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii stands in western Oregon. We compared costs and biological and human responses among a control and three replicated silvicultural alternatives to clearcutting that retained structural features found in old Douglas-fir forests. Treatments were applied within 8- to 15-ha stands and attempted to mimic crown fires (modified clearcut), windthrow (green tree retention), and small-scale impacts such as root rot diseases (small patch group selection). We also compared costs in three unreplicated treatments (large patch group selection, wedge cut, and strip cut). Each treatment included differences in the pattern of retained dead trees (snags), as either scattered individuals or as clumps. Good communication among researchers and managers, a long-term commitment to the project, and careful documentation of research sites and data are important to the success of long-term silvicultural research projects. To date, over 30 publications have resulted from the project.

Treating Radiation Induced Skin Injury and Fibrosis Using Small Molecule Thiol Modifying Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

experimental groups were designed as follows: i) Radiation/RTA408 (6 mg/kg) administered on days 1,2,3,4,5 post-radiation; ii) Radiation/DMSO...Collaborating Organizations: Name: Adam Luginbuhl Project role: PI Contribution to Project Design , experimental support, analysis Funding Support...Clinical and DOD grant Name: Ulrich Rodeck Project role: Co-PI Contribution to Project Design , experimental support, analysis Funding Support DOD

Are Interpersonal Relationships Necessary for Developing Trust in Online Group Projects?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wade, Christine E.; Cameron, Bruce A.; Morgan, Kari; Williams, Karen C.

2011-01-01

Trust between group members has been suggested as an important part of small group work in online classrooms. Developing interpersonal relationships with group members may promote a sense of trust among them; however, research shows mixed results. The current study explored how students' perceptions of the importance of interpersonal relationships…

Social projection to ingroups and outgroups: a review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Robbins, Jordan M; Krueger, Joachim I

2005-01-01

Social projection is the tendency to expect similarities between oneself and others. A review of the literature and a meta-analysis reveal that projection is stronger when people make judgments about ingroups than when they make judgments about outgroups. Analysis of moderator variables further reveals that ingroup projection is stronger for laboratory groups than for real social categories. The mode of analysis (i.e., nomothetic vs. idiographic) and the order of judgments (i.e., self or group judged first) have no discernable effects. Outgroup projection is positive, but small in size. Together, these findings support the view that projection can serve as an egocentric heuristic for inductive reasoning. The greater strength of ingroup projection can contribute to ingroup-favoritism, perceptions of ingroup homogeneity, and cooperation with ingroup members.

Sol-Gel Application for Consolidating Stone: An Example of Project-Based Learning in a Physical Chemistry Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de los Santos, Desiree´ M.; Montes, Antonio; Sa´nchez-Coronilla, Antonio; Navas, Javier

2014-01-01

A Project Based Learning (PBL) methodology was used in the practical laboratories of the Advanced Physical Chemistry department. The project type proposed simulates "real research" focusing on sol-gel synthesis and the application of the obtained sol as a stone consolidant. Students were divided into small groups (2 to 3 students) to…

Passport Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worthey, Glen; Bourgoin, Stella, Ed.

This project introduces second-grade students to international studies by having them create a passport. Once the students have their passports, the teacher can then present lessons to small groups, discussing one foreign country per session. The teacher should begin with a traditional lecture giving pertinent facts about a country followed by…

Effects of group-selection timber harvest in bottomland hardwoods on fall migrant birds

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; Karl V. Miller; Winston P. Smith

1999-01-01

Due to projected demands for hardwood timber, development of silvicultural practices that provide for adequate regeneration in southeastern bottomland hardwoods without causing undue harm to wildlife resources is critical. Group-selection silviculture involves harvesting a small group of trees, which creates a canopy gap (usually

American History Laboratory Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, William R.

The results of an experimental project in American history which introduced to students the methods of historical investigation in specific historical areas through small group research rather than through the college survey course are described in this report. Discussed are (1) the course organization, consisting of two semester units in which…

Tertiary EE Student Projects: What the Academics Learnt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meehan, Barry; Thomas, Ian

2006-01-01

Problem solving and teamwork abilities are important skills for graduates entering the environment profession. Through a problem based learning approach small groups of students from the environmental courses at RMIT University have been gaining these professional skills by undertaking projects in Vietnam. With three years experience in running…

Group Supervision in Psychotherapy. Main Findings from a Swedish Research Project on Psychotherapy Supervision in a Group Format

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogren, Marie-Louise; Sundin, Eva C.

2009-01-01

Psychotherapy supervision is considered crucial for psychotherapists in training. During the last decades, group supervision has been a frequently used format in many countries. Until recently, very few studies had evaluated the small-group format for training of beginner psychotherapists and psychotherapy supervisors. This article aims to…

A leadership-management training curriculum for pathology residents.

PubMed

Sims, K L; Darcy, T P

1997-07-01

Leadership and management skills are increasingly critical to the success of pathologists in and outside of academic centers. We describe a leadership and management curriculum in a combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency program. The mentor-based approach incorporates leadership and management skills throughout the residency with a dedicated 2-month rotation during the final year of training. This 2-month rotation is led by a senior faculty pathologist mentor and includes active participation in management activities, small group discussions, reading, and a management process project. The topics for the small group discussions, reading list, mentor-based activities, and completed management process projects are described. Outcomes and evaluations are reported for residents who have completed this curriculum in leadership and management.

Teaching Sociology Students to Become Qualitative-Researchers Using an Internship Model of Learner-Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolich, Martin; Scarth, Bonnie; Shephard, Kerry

2015-01-01

This article examines the experiences of final year undergraduate sociology students enrolled in an internship course where they researched a local community project, mostly in small groups, for a client. A sociology lecturer supervised their projects. Course-related outcomes were assessed using conventional university procedures but a research…

Outsourcing Cataloging, Authority Work, and Physical Processing: A Checklist of Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kascus, Marie A., Ed.; Hale, Dawn, Ed.

Due to automation technology, financial restrictions, and resultant downsizing, library managers have increasingly relied on the services of contractors, rather than in-house staff, to accomplish different technical services operations. Contracted services may range from a small project for a selected group of materials to a large project for…

Who Are the Teachers? Who Are the Learners?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Terri; Krechevsky, Mara

2003-01-01

In Reggio Emilia classrooms, working in small groups and documenting the learning process brings to light new understandings of teaching and learning for both children and adults. The classroom example is part of the Making Learning Visible Project, between Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Municipal Infant-Toddler…

Evolution of Project-Based Learning in Small Groups in Environmental Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Requies, Jesús M.; Agirre, Ion; Barrio, V. Laura; Graells, Moisès

2018-01-01

This work presents the assessment of the development and evolution of an active methodology (Project-Based Learning--PBL) implemented on the course "Unit Operations in Environmental Engineering", within the bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering, with the purpose of decreasing the dropout rate in this course. After the initial…

Women's empowerment and micro-finance programmes: strategies for increasing impact.

PubMed

Mayoux, L

1998-05-01

This study summarizes findings from a pilot project that distributed information and ran workshops in Ethiopia, Ghana, and India, on women's empowerment and microfinance. The project was funded by the British Small Enterprise Development Fund of the Department of International Development. Links between microfinance and women's empowerment are viewed as optimistic, limited by design, cost effective in eliminating poverty, and a misplaced diversion of resources. Microfinance programs range from small scale self-help groups to large poverty-targeted banks. One model may vary in delivery, group functions and structures, and complementary services. This project identified 3 contrasting approaches to microfinance and women's empowerment: the financial sustainability approach, the integrated community development approach, and the feminist empowerment approach. However, program evaluations revealed the need to question the assumptions underlying all 3 approaches. In most programs, women benefited to a limited degree. Many women did not control the loan use. Most women were engaged in low paid, traditionally female activities, and increases in income were small. Resources and time invested in economic activity were limited by responsibility for household consumption and unpaid domestic work. Microfinance programs sometimes created domestic tension between spouses and loss of spousal income and support. Group repayment pressures sometimes created pressures between women. Many women focused on personal rather than social objectives. The author proposes a gender strategy for microfinance and sets priorities for further research.

Byers Auto Group: A Case Study Into The Economics, Zoning, and Overall Process of Installing Small Wind Turbines at Two Automotive Dealerships in Ohio

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

Oteri, F.; Sinclair, K.

This paper provides the talking points about a case study on the installation of a $600,000 small wind project, the installation process, estimated annual energy production and percentage of energy needs met by the turbines.

Byers Auto Group: A Case Study Into The Economics, Zoning, and Overall Process of Installing Small Wind Turbines at Two Automotive Dealerships in Ohio (Presentation)

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

Sinclair, K.; Oteri, F.

This presentation provides the talking points about a case study on the installation of a $600,000 small wind project, the installation process, estimated annual energy production and percentage of energy needs met by the turbines.

Results of a Pilot Study to Ameliorate Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Minority Stress Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men.

PubMed

Smith, Nathan Grant; Hart, Trevor A; Kidwai, Ammaar; Vernon, Julia R G; Blais, Martin; Adam, Barry

2017-09-01

Project PRIDE (Promoting Resilience In Discriminatory Environments) is an 8-session small group intervention aimed at reducing negative mental and behavioral health outcomes resulting from minority stress. This study reports the results of a one-armed pilot test of Project PRIDE, which aimed to examine the feasibility and potential for efficacy of the intervention in a sample of 33 gay and bisexual men aged 18 to 25. The intervention appeared feasible to administer in two different sites and all participants who completed posttreatment (n = 22) or follow-up (n = 19) assessments reported high satisfaction with the intervention. Small to large effect sizes were observed for increases in self-esteem; small effect sizes were found for decreases in loneliness and decreases in minority stress variables; and small and medium effect sizes were found for reductions in alcohol use and number of sex partners, respectively. Overall, Project PRIDE appears to be a feasible intervention with promise of efficacy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

An affine projection algorithm using grouping selection of input vectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, JaeWook; Kong, NamWoong; Park, PooGyeon

2011-10-01

This paper present an affine projection algorithm (APA) using grouping selection of input vectors. To improve the performance of conventional APA, the proposed algorithm adjusts the number of the input vectors using two procedures: grouping procedure and selection procedure. In grouping procedure, the some input vectors that have overlapping information for update is grouped using normalized inner product. Then, few input vectors that have enough information for for coefficient update is selected using steady-state mean square error (MSE) in selection procedure. Finally, the filter coefficients update using selected input vectors. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has small steady-state estimation errors comparing with the existing algorithms.

Networking: Addressing Urban Students' Self-Esteem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Randolf; Turner, Thomas M.

1997-01-01

Describes Network in the Schools (NIS), a project to enhance teens' academic achievement and self-esteem, which uses small group classroom discussions regarding self-affirmation, social concerns, self-improvement, and reflection, and meetings for group sharing and self-expression. Presents findings that the program results in enhanced parent…

Ranking of small scale proposals for water system repair using the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM)

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

Shakib-Manesh, T.E.; Hirvonen, K.O.; Jalava, K.J.

2014-11-15

Environmental impacts of small scale projects are often assessed poorly, or not assessed at all. This paper examines the usability of the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) as a tool to prioritize project proposals for small scale water restoration projects in relation to proposals' potential to improve the environment. The RIAM scoring system was used to assess and rank the proposals based on their environmental impacts, the costs of the projects to repair the harmful impacts, and the size of human population living around the sites. A four-member assessment group (The expert panel) gave the RIAM-scores to the proposals. Themore » assumed impacts of the studied projects at the Eastern Finland water systems were divided into the ecological and social impacts. The more detailed assessment categories of the ecological impacts in this study were impacts on landscape, natural state, and limnology. The social impact categories were impacts to recreational use of the area, fishing, industry, population, and economy. These impacts were scored according to their geographical and social significance, their magnitude of change, their character, permanence, reversibility, and cumulativeness. The RIAM method proved to be an appropriate and recommendable method for the small-scale assessment and prioritizing of project proposals. If the assessments are well documented, the RIAM can be a method for easy assessing and comparison of the various kinds of projects. In the studied project proposals there were no big surprises in the results: the best ranks were received by the projects, which were assumed to return watersheds toward their original state.« less

Learning about Foodborne Pathogens: Evaluation of Student Perceptions of Group Project Work in a Food Microbiology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Mark S.

2009-01-01

This study examined the experiences of students in an active learning group work exercise in an introductory food microbiology course involving the study of foodborne pathogens. Small groups were required to access, analyze, and present information regarding a single food poisoning bacterium. The presentations contained features and…

High Bypass Turbofan Component Development. Amendment I. Small Fan Redesign.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-01

A0A89 67 BENRAL EECTRIC CO LYNN MA AIRCRAFT ENGINE GROUP P’S 21 5 HIGH BYPASS TURBOFAN COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT. AMENDMENT I. SMALL -ETC(U) FEB 80 H...Weldon Aircraft Engine Group S General Electric Co. Lynn, Massachusetts 01910 0 February 1980 DTC Technical Report AF.AL-TR-80-2011 Final Report for...LARRY W.4ILL, CAPT, USAF ERIK W. LINDNER, TAM Project Engineer Special Engines Performance Branch Performance Branch Turbine Engine Division FOR THE

Effects of muscle atrophy on motor control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuart, D. G.

1985-01-01

As a biological tissue, muscle adapts to the demands of usage. One traditional way of assessing the extent of this adaptation has been to examine the effects of an altered-activity protocol on the physiological properties of muscles. However, in order to accurately interpret the changes associated with an activity pattern, it is necessary to employ an appropriate control model. A substantial literature exists which reports altered-use effects by comparing experimental observations with those from animals raised in small laboratory cages. Some evidence suggests that small-cage-reared animals actually represent a model of reduced use. For example, laboratory animals subjected to limited physical activity have shown resistance to insulin-induced glucose uptake which can be altered by exercise training. This project concerned itself with the basic mechanisms underlying muscle atrophy. Specifically, the project addressed the issue of the appropriateness of rats raised in conventional-sized cages as experimental models to examine this phenomenon. The project hypothesis was that rats raised in small cages are inappropriate models for the study of muscle atrophy. The experimental protocol involved: 1) raising two populations of rats, one group in conventional (small)-sized cages and the other group in a much larger (133x) cage, from weanling age (21 days) through to young adulthood (125 days); 2) comparison of size- and force-related characteristics of selected test muscles in an acute terminal paradigm.

Spreading the Load: Mobile Information and Communications Technologies and Their Effect on Information Overload

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, David K.; Shoard, M.

2005-01-01

Introduction: We report on a small-scale research project which examined the impact of mobile technologies on the users' experience of information overload. The project focused on a group of worker who have had relatively little attention in both the mobile technology and information overload literatures: senior managers. Method: The case study…

An Evaluation of a Course That Introduces Undergraduate Students to Authentic Aerospace Engineering Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena, Irene B.; Schmitz, Sven; McLaughlin, Dennis

2015-01-01

This paper describes the implementation and assessment of an aerospace engineering course in which undergraduate students worked on research projects with graduate research mentors. The course was created using the principles from cooperative learning and project-based learning, and consisted of students working in small groups on a complex,…

What's Growing on Here? Garden-Based Pedagogy in a Concrete Jungle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jagger, Susan; Sperling, Erin; Inwood, Hilary

2016-01-01

This study explores experiences of a learning garden project at an urban faculty of education. The project opens a space for the theoretical and practical consideration of garden-based pedagogies and their influence on university students, educators, and the community as a whole. The learning garden was created by a small group of initial teacher…

Examining the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Group Cohesion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Amanda; Mamiseishvili, Ketevan

2012-01-01

Collaborative learning experiences increase student learning, but what happens when students fail to collaborate? The authors investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and group cohesion by studying 44 undergraduate teams who were completing semester-long projects in their business classes at a small private university in the…

An Exploration of Design Students' Inspiration Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dazkir, Sibel S.; Mower, Jennifer M.; Reddy-Best, Kelly L.; Pedersen, Elaine L.

2013-01-01

Our purpose was to explore how different sources of inspiration influenced two groups of students' inspiration process and their attitudes toward their design projects. Assigned sources of inspiration and instructor's assistance in the search for inspiration varied for two groups of students completing a small culture inspired product design…

Why Don't You Ask Comprehension Questions? (When the Principal Asks).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harp, Bill

1989-01-01

Discusses literature and research concerning comprehension questions, particularly in the context of the Whole Language Movement. Notes that there are other ways for students to demonstrate their text comprehension, such as literature logs, small group discussion, and individual or group projects. Suggests several implications for the classroom.…

Directions for new developments on statistical design and analysis of small population group trials.

PubMed

Hilgers, Ralf-Dieter; Roes, Kit; Stallard, Nigel

2016-06-14

Most statistical design and analysis methods for clinical trials have been developed and evaluated where at least several hundreds of patients could be recruited. These methods may not be suitable to evaluate therapies if the sample size is unavoidably small, which is usually termed by small populations. The specific sample size cut off, where the standard methods fail, needs to be investigated. In this paper, the authors present their view on new developments for design and analysis of clinical trials in small population groups, where conventional statistical methods may be inappropriate, e.g., because of lack of power or poor adherence to asymptotic approximations due to sample size restrictions. Following the EMA/CHMP guideline on clinical trials in small populations, we consider directions for new developments in the area of statistical methodology for design and analysis of small population clinical trials. We relate the findings to the research activities of three projects, Asterix, IDeAl, and InSPiRe, which have received funding since 2013 within the FP7-HEALTH-2013-INNOVATION-1 framework of the EU. As not all aspects of the wide research area of small population clinical trials can be addressed, we focus on areas where we feel advances are needed and feasible. The general framework of the EMA/CHMP guideline on small population clinical trials stimulates a number of research areas. These serve as the basis for the three projects, Asterix, IDeAl, and InSPiRe, which use various approaches to develop new statistical methodology for design and analysis of small population clinical trials. Small population clinical trials refer to trials with a limited number of patients. Small populations may result form rare diseases or specific subtypes of more common diseases. New statistical methodology needs to be tailored to these specific situations. The main results from the three projects will constitute a useful toolbox for improved design and analysis of small population clinical trials. They address various challenges presented by the EMA/CHMP guideline as well as recent discussions about extrapolation. There is a need for involvement of the patients' perspective in the planning and conduct of small population clinical trials for a successful therapy evaluation.

Deciding for themselves.

PubMed

Mccormack, J; Nelson, C

1985-11-01

World Education, in a collaboration with PfP/International and with funding from US AID, has begun comprehensive program in Kenya that offers non-governmental organizations non-formal training, technical assistance in organization and business management, and financial assistance in the form of loans for revolving credit funds. The approach emphasizes Kenyans deciding for themselves about the directions projects should take. This article discusses the Tototo Home Industries' rural economic development program. After receiving a loan from Tototo, the women of Bofu village planned to stock their small village shop with matches, kerosene, soap, salt, and cooking oil. The remainder of the loan was saved to purchase future stock. For this project, bookkeeping and management skills were necessary. To meet this need, the Tototo small business advisor designed a simple cash boom system to be used by all the groups. Sessions in accounting were included in the annual training of trainers workshop. Currently, accounts advisor visit the groups monthly to provide follow-up training and assistance to ensure the women understand how to record project transactions accurately. The lesson to be drawn from these projects is simple. It is not unrealistic to set high expectations for project participants, but it is important to remain aware of the difficulty of the new concepts presented to these groups. In order for them to adequately master both concept and practice, the participants must be given sufficient time and support. In fact, consistent follow-up and close contact with the villages is the key to Tototo's success.

SSP Plus at 36 Months: Effects of Adding Employment Services to Financial Work Incentives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lei, Ying; Michalopoulos, Charles

A study examined effects of the Self-Sufficiency Project (SSP) Plus program. A small group of long-term income assistance (IA) recipients in New Brunswick was offered an earnings supplement and employment services (SSP Plus); a second group was offered the regular SSP earnings supplement only; and a third group was offered neither supplement nor…

Outline of Infrared Space Astrometry missions:JASMINE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouda, N.

2018-04-01

Japanese group is promoting infrared space astrometry missions, JASMINE project series, in international collaboration with Gaia DPAC team. In this paper, the outline of Nano-JASMINE and Small-JASMINE missions is shown.

"We Know What We're Talking About, Don't We?" An Examination of Girls' Classroom-Based Learning Allegiances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Julia

2004-01-01

This paper presents data collected from small discussion groups in English classrooms. The project from which this research is taken examines the processes of pupils' learning through talk-related activities and contributes to debates about boys' relative under-achievement in comparison to girls. Although the project as a whole looked at the…

A Brave New World: Students Debate Ethics of Biotechnology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barksdale, Francia

1996-01-01

This article describes an interdisciplinary classroom project in which ninth graders simulate a "World Council on Genetic Technology." Students in small groups take on the persona and interests of individuals from specific countries in the group effort to develop a covenant for regulating the use of biotechnology. The benefits of having gifted…

Independent Study Workbooks for Proofs in Group Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alcock, Lara; Brown, Gavin; Dunning, Clare

2015-01-01

This paper describes a small-scale research project based on workbooks designed to support independent study of proofs in a first course on abstract algebra. We discuss the lecturers' aims in designing the workbooks, and set these against a background of research on students' learning of group theory and on epistemological beliefs and study habits…

Research Projects for Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troncalli, Andra

2010-03-01

Physics majors, by enrolling in our research experience in physics course, have the opportunity to work in small groups on independent research projects. Over the last few years, I have directed a few of these research projects; some were closely related to my own research in the field of high temperature superconductivity, and students participated in growing and characterizing samples. Other projects involved nanotechnology, Hall probes, and programming in LabVIEW. For some students, this was their very first research project, while others had more experience. I will talk about the projects and about the particular type of challenges and benefits this type of course brings to both students and instructors.

Small and Shaping the Future Energy Eco-house System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furukawa, Ryuzo; Takahashi, Hideyuki; Sato, Yoshinori; Sasaki, Hiroshi; Isu, Norifumi; Ohtsuka, Masuo; Tohji, Kazuyuki

2010-11-01

The objective of this research is to develop the elemental technology of the small and thin energy collection system from water, wind, and others in the house, and examine them at the eco-house which will be built at Tohoku University on March 2010. This small energy storage system will contribute to reduce 10% of greenhouse gas emission from household electricity. This project is done by three following groups. 1st group (NEC-Tokin Co. Ltd.) will develop the technologies on the accumulation of electric power pressured from low electric power in which electricity is generated and on the cooperation with AC power supply used for domestic use for this eco-house system. 2nd group (INAX Co. Ltd.) will develop the elemental technology of the slight energy collection system from tap water in the home using a small hydroelectric generator for this eco-house system. 3rd group (Shoei Co. Ltd.) will develop the technologies on existent magnetic gear device, health appliances (Exercise bike), wind power generator, for this eco-house system. Tokoku University compiles these groups. Furthermore, I develop a search of unused small energy and the use technology, and propose a new energy supply system using solar cell and Li ion secondary battery.

A cloud, precipitation and electrification modeling effort for COHMEX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orville, Harold D.; Helsdon, John H.; Farley, Richard D.

1991-01-01

In mid-1987, the Modeling Group of the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences (IAS) began to simulate and analyze cloud runs that were made during the Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment (COHMEX) Project and later. The cloud model was run nearly every day during the summer 1986 COHMEX Project. The Modeling Group was then funded to analyze the results, make further modeling tests, and help explain the precipitation processes in the Southeastern United States. The main science objectives of COHMEX were: (1) to observe the prestorm environment and understand the physical mechanisms leading to the formation of small convective systems and processes controlling the production of precipitation; (2) to describe the structure of small convective systems producing precipitation including the large and small scale events in the environment surrounding the developing and mature convective system; (3) to understand the interrelationships between electrical activity within the convective system and the process of precipitation; and (4) to develop and test numerical models describing the boundary layer, tropospheric, and cloud scale thermodynamics and dynamics associated with small convective systems. The latter three of these objectives were addressed by the modeling activities of the IAS. A series of cloud modes were used to simulate the clouds that formed during the operational project. The primary models used to date on the project were a two dimensional bulk water model, a two dimensional electrical model, and to a lesser extent, a two dimensional detailed microphysical cloud model. All of the models are based on fully interacting microphysics, dynamics, thermodynamics, and electrical equations. Only the 20 July 1986 case was analyzed in detail, although all of the cases run during the summer were analyzed as to how well they did in predicting the characteristics of the convection for that day.

Sewing machines and bank loans, farming and family planning.

PubMed

Sai, F A; Nsarkoh, J D

1980-03-01

Half of a $10,000 grant was given by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) to finance the rural development project activities of Danfa, a village of about 835 people in Ghana. In this community the women are hard working but doubly disadvantaged. Along with a high illiteracy rate, the women are limited by inadequate income due to underemployment, under productivity, unfavorable farming conditions, and a lack of resources. Large families, frequent pregnancies, poor mother and child health, and high infant mortality all make matters worse for both the rural farm wife and her family. The project began with a nucleus of women that soon grew to between 24-30. Members soon formed small groups according to their occupational interests. The women grasped the self-help idea immediately. Once or twice a month there were demonstrations and the group worked together in such activities as making soap and pomade, preparing meals, and sewing. Meetings generally ended with a general group brainstorming and then members gathered in smaller groups to review their activities and plan for the future. During the 1st year of the project the men in the group rarely attended meetings. The group gave priority attention to their community's urgent need for working capital. 15 women farmers who met the criteria determined by the group received loans in the 1st round; only 8 satisfied the criteria in the 2nd round. At the beginning of the small loans scheme, the group decided to seek bigger loans from the bank if members proved credit worthy. This requirement was satisfied, and the group began negotiations for a loan with the Agricultural Development Bank. The group received the total group loan. The Ghana Home Science Association considers the project to be successful in several respects. Team spirit has developed the group, and the women play important and respected roles. Family planning problems are regularly presented for discussion, but it is difficult to correlate these ideas with practice. The ability of members to discuss these problems comfortably is an indication of their acceptance of family planning as an important topic in their lives.

General Chemistry: Expanding the Learning Outcomes and Promoting Interdisciplinary Connections through the Use of a Semester-Long Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenzel, Thomas J.

2006-01-01

The laboratory component of a first-semester general chemistry course for science majors is described. The laboratory involves a semester-long project undertaken in a small-group format. Students are asked to examine whether plants grown in soil contaminated with lead take up more lead than those grown in uncontaminated soil. They are also asked…

The Contribution of Email Exchanges to Second Language Acquisition: A Case of Cross-Cultural Communication between Africa and North America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndemanu, Michael Takafor

2012-01-01

An online epistolary project was conducted with Cameroonian French-speaking students in order to boost English language learning. The project involved email exchanges (in English) between a small group of students from Cameroon and Canada, and it was coordinated by their teachers in both countries. At the end of the study, student emails were…

School Gardening with a Twist Using Fish: Encouraging Educators to Adopt Aquaponics in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayborn, Jaeson; Medina, Miles; O'Brien, George

2017-01-01

To evaluate the willingness of teachers to incorporate aquaponics in the classroom, we engaged teachers in a 6-week project. Participants in the experimental group maintained small-scale aquaponic systems. All teachers completed pretests and posttests, and exit surveys. Both groups (experimental and control) scored significantly higher on the…

Where Are the Foundation Phase Teachers for Our Children? Black Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steyn, M. G.; Harris, T.; Hartell, C. G.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this research project was to explore how Black students perceive the reasons for the low enrolment of Black students in the Foundation Phase teacher education and training programmes at universities. Focus groups and follow up small group interviews were conducted to explore the reasons why Black students choose Foundation Phase and…

Incorporating Active Learning Techniques into a Genetics Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, W. Theodore; Jabot, Michael E.

2011-01-01

We revised a sophomore-level genetics class to more actively engage the students in their learning. The students worked in groups on quizzes using the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT) and active-learning projects. The IF-AT quizzes allowed students to discuss key concepts in small groups and learn the correct answers in class. The…

Grouping Students at the Computer To Enhance the Study of British Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marr, Paula M.

2000-01-01

Describes a three-week project in an English classroom in which students in small, mixed-ability groups used PowerPoint to enhance a unit on British literature. Outlines the lesson itself and discusses its positive results, including peer-teaching and learning, improved student motivation to understand themes in poetry, positive socialization, and…

Grandfathered, Grandmothered, And ACA-Compliant Health Plans Have Equivalent Premiums.

PubMed

Whitmore, Heidi; Gabel, Jon R; Satorius, Jennifer L; Green, Matthew

2017-02-01

Many small employers offer employees health plans that are not fully compliant with Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions such as covering preventive services without cost sharing. These "grandfathered" and "grandmothered" plans accounted for about 65 percent of enrollment in the small-group market in 2014. Premium costs for these and ACA-compliant plans were equivalent. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Building and critiquing qualitative research websites: a cyberspace project to connect undergraduate nursing students in Canada and the United States.

PubMed

Teel, Cynthia S; Shaw, Judith A

2005-01-01

This project had a dual purpose: 1) to facilitate student learning about qualitative research methods, and 2) to promote collegiality and professional development among senior nursing students in Canada and the United States through the use of distance technology. In each of three project years, students at St. Francis Xavier University (STFX) in Nova Scotia initiated the experience by working in small groups to develop websites about different methodological approaches in qualitative research. Site information included an overview of the selected approach, discussion of trustworthiness issues, citation of journal articles in which authors used the approach, additional references, and some personal information about the student developers. Also working in small groups, University of Kansas students identified and read related research articles, reviewed website information, and responded to the STFX groups about the usefulness of site information in increasing understanding of qualitative methods and using the information for evaluation of research. The experience promoted active use of qualitative research concepts and facilitated the development of skills in evaluating research article content and website content. Participation in the activity fostered positive perceptions about the value and use of research and helped students appreciate the similarities in courses, programs, and professional requirements and values among international peers.

Flattening the organization: implementing self-directed work groups.

PubMed

Brandon, G M

1996-01-01

In response to tremendous growth of managed care and threats to financial stability and job security, the Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) restructured itself into independent business units. The radiology department at GBMC resolved to reduce cost per unit-of-service, improve service, determine optimal staffing levels and reduce the number of layers of organization. It was decided to achieve those goals by implementing self-directed work groups. Staff buy-in was critical to success of the project. To begin, the staff was educated intensively about current trends in healthcare, managed care and potential changes in the job market. The radiology department was allowed to reduce the size of its staff through attrition and worked hard to focus staff concern on the impact each individual could have on the bottom line and the resultant effect on job security. Self-directed work groups were designed on a matrix that used small "service teams" in combinations to form larger "work groups." Actual work and daily activities occur at the service team level; information exchange and major decisions occue at the work group level. Seventeen months after beginning the project and 10 months after implementation, the organization has flattened, staff members have adjusted well to new roles, there have been no lay-offs, and the matrix system of small and large groups have proved particularly valuable.

CCD detector development projects by the Beamline Technical Support Group at the Advanced Photon Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, John H.; Fernandez, Patricia; Madden, Tim; Molitsky, Michael; Weizeorick, John

2007-11-01

This paper will describe two ongoing detector projects being developed by the Beamline Technical Support Group at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The first project is the design and construction of two detectors: a single-CCD system and a two-by-two Mosaic CCD camera for Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). Both of these systems utilize the Kodak KAF-4320E CCD coupled to fiber optic tapers, custom mechanical hardware, electronics, and software developed at ANL. The second project is a Fast-CCD (FCCD) detector being developed in a collaboration between ANL and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). This detector will use ANL-designed readout electronics and a custom LBNL-designed CCD, with 480×480 pixels and 96 outputs, giving very fast readout.

The efficacy of World Wide Web-mediated microcomputer-based laboratory activities in the high school physics classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slykhuis, David A.

This research project examined the efficacy of an online microcomputer-based laboratory based (MBL) physics unit. One hundred and fifty physics students from five high schools in North Carolina were divided into online and classroom groups. The classroom group completed the MBL unit in small groups with assistance from their teachers. The online groups completed the MBL unit in small groups using a website designed for this project for guidance. Pre- and post-unit content specific tests and surveys were given. Statistical analysis of the content tests showed significant development of conceptual understanding by the online group over the course of the unit. There was not a significant difference between the classroom and online group with relation to the amount of conceptual understanding developed. Correlations with post-test achievement showed that pre-test scores and math background were the most significant correlates with success. Computer related variables, such as computer comfort and online access, were only mildly correlated with the online group. Students' views about the nature of physics were not well developed prior to the unit and did not significantly change over the course of the unit. Examination of the students' physics conceptions after instruction revealed common alternative conceptions such as confusing position and velocity variables and incorrect interpretations of graphical features such as slope.

Technology Applications Group Multimedia CD-ROM Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McRacken, Kristi D.

1995-01-01

To produce a multimedia CD-ROM for the Technology Applications Group which would present the Technology Opportunity Showcase (TOPS) exhibits and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) projects to interested companies. The CD-ROM format is being used and developed especially for those companies who do not have Internet access, and cannot directly visit Langley through the World Wide Web. The CD-ROM will include text, pictures, sound, and movies. The information for the CD-ROM will be stored in a database from which the users can query and browse the information, and future CD's can be maintained and updated.

We Don't Need Any Stinking AFSRB!

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henwood, Barton

2008-01-01

Flight Test supports four needs: a) Management approval to proceed; b) Establish a record of accountability; c) Inject expert insight into the risk management process; and d) Mitigate the human factors vulnerabilities associated with small group teaming and project ownership.

A Framework for Calculating Indirect Costs and Earned Value for IT Infrastructure Modernization Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-01

Standish Group 1995a; 1995b). In general , the risk of failure for large software projects is significantly greater than for small projects (Humphrey...learning, geographical dispersion, and team experience. Various weighting schemes can be developed and applied to these parameters for various...Fadtool DbCAS/ WebCAS ObligationsFunding data COPS MDMS Committments Obligations Committments PADDS Obligations EDA Contracts CAPS Contracts Document

A Process Research Framework: The International Process Research Consortium

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

projects ? 52 Theme P | IPRC Framework 5 P-30 How should a process for collaborative development be formulated? The development at different companies...requires some process for the actual collaboration . How should it be handled? P-31 How do we handle change? Requirements change during development ...source projects employ a single-site development model in which there is no large community of testers but rather a single-site small group

Innovative architectures for dense multi-microprocessor computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donaldson, Thomas; Doty, Karl; Engle, Steven W.; Larson, Robert E.; O'Reilly, John G.

1988-01-01

The results of a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) project performed for the NASA Langley Computational Structural Mechanics Group are described. The project resulted in the identification of a family of chordal-ring interconnection architectures with excellent potential to serve as the basis for new multimicroprocessor (MMP) computers. The paper presents examples of how computational algorithms from structural mechanics can be efficiently implemented on the chordal-ring architecture.

Woody vegetation following even-aged, uneven-aged, and no-harvest treatments on the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Sites

Treesearch

John M. Kabrick; Randy G. Jensen; Stephen R. Shifley; David R. Larsen

2002-01-01

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) experimentally tests forest ecosystem response to (a) even-aged management with clearcutting, (b) uneven-aged management with single-tree and group selection, and (c) no-harvesting. The nine MOFEP experimental sites in the southeast Missouri Ozarks are small landscapes ranging from 772 ac (312 ha) to 1,271 ac (514 ha...

Unheard Voices: The Views of Traveller and Non-Traveller Mothers and Children with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Colette; Donnelly, Joanne

2013-01-01

This article reports findings from a small-scale project that employs a two-stage approach. Informed by the rights of minority ethnic groups to self-determination, the first aspect of the study focuses on the experiences of mothers of children with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) from two ethnically diverse groups: Irish Traveller and…

Adapting the Survivor Game to Create a Group Learning Term Project in Business Finance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Robert D.

2017-01-01

A large and growing body of research supports the view that the small-group learning structure can be an effective tool to enhance student performance and encourage innovative problem solving. This paper explains in detail how the framework of the popular television reality show Survivor has been adapted to form a vehicle for a college level group…

Small Group Teaching in Undergraduate Science. Higher Education Learning Project (h.e.l.p.) - Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogborn, Jon, Ed.; And Others

While this book is focused primarily on the tutorials held in the British universities, it offers many insights that can improve the teaching in the discussion sections so common in our large universities. Introductions to analyses of group processes of technical language, and of questions are given. Lesson plans for skill building sessions are…

Supporting Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at Secondary School: A Parent and Student Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Adele

2009-01-01

This paper describes a small-scale research project undertaken in July 2007, which focused on a group of students with a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) currently attending a mainstream secondary school. Three focus groups were held with students in Years 9 and 11 and with their parents in order to explore current practice on…

Facilitating Democracy in a Testing Culture: Challenges and Opportunities for School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergmark, Ulrika; Salopek, Michelle; Kawai, Roi; Lane-Myler, Jennifer

2014-01-01

In 2010, Principal Kirk introduced Small Group Meeting (SGM) at Hillcrest Elementary. SGMs are multiage student groupings who meet with school faculty once a month to work on community building, service-learning projects, and advising. Many teachers liked the SGMs, some felt they needed more time to prepare, and others felt it was a waste of time.…

Reflective teaching practices: an approach to teaching communication skills in a small-group setting.

PubMed

Fryer-Edwards, Kelly; Arnold, Robert M; Baile, Walter; Tulsky, James A; Petracca, Frances; Back, Anthony

2006-07-01

Small-group teaching is particularly suited for complex skills such as communication. Existing work has identified the basic elements of small-group teaching, but few descriptions of higher-order teaching practices exist in the medical literature. Thus the authors developed an empirically driven and theoretically grounded model for small-group communication-skills teaching. Between 2002 and 2005, teaching observations were collected over 100 hours of direct contact time between four expert facilitators and 120 medical oncology fellows participating in Oncotalk, a semiannual, four-day retreat focused on end-of-life communication skills. The authors conducted small-group teaching observations, semistructured interviews with faculty participants, video or audio recording with transcript review, and evaluation of results by faculty participants. Teaching skills observed during the retreats included a linked set of reflective, process-oriented teaching practices: identifying a learning edge, proposing and testing hypotheses, and calibrating learner self-assessments. Based on observations and debriefings with facilitators, the authors developed a conceptual model of teaching that illustrates an iterative loop of teaching practices aimed at enhancing learners' engagement and self-efficacy. Through longitudinal, empirical observations, this project identified a set of specific teaching skills for small-group settings with applicability to other clinical teaching settings. This study extends current theory and teaching practice prescriptions by describing specific teaching practices required for effective teaching. These reflective teaching practices, while developed for communication skills training, may be useful for teaching other challenging topics such as ethics and professionalism.

Enabling drug discovery project decisions with integrated computational chemistry and informatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsui, Vickie; Ortwine, Daniel F.; Blaney, Jeffrey M.

2017-03-01

Computational chemistry/informatics scientists and software engineers in Genentech Small Molecule Drug Discovery collaborate with experimental scientists in a therapeutic project-centric environment. Our mission is to enable and improve pre-clinical drug discovery design and decisions. Our goal is to deliver timely data, analysis, and modeling to our therapeutic project teams using best-in-class software tools. We describe our strategy, the organization of our group, and our approaches to reach this goal. We conclude with a summary of the interdisciplinary skills required for computational scientists and recommendations for their training.

Interactional instruction in the teaching of driver education.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-01-01

This project was designed to test both the short-term (through the use of standardized tests) and long-term (by an analysis of subsequent driving records) effects of small group interaction sessions on the driving attitudes and behavior of high schoo...

When high achievers and low achievers work in the same group: the roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning.

PubMed

Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Lam, Shui-fong; Chan, Joanne Chung-yan

2008-06-01

There has been an ongoing debate about the inconsistent effects of heterogeneous ability grouping on students in small group work such as project-based learning. The present research investigated the roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning. At the student level, we examined the interaction effect between students' within-group achievement and group processes on their self- and collective efficacy. At the group level, we examined how group heterogeneity was associated with the average self- and collective efficacy reported by the groups. The participants were 1,921 Hong Kong secondary students in 367 project-based learning groups. Student achievement was determined by school examination marks. Group processes, self-efficacy and collective efficacy were measured by a student-report questionnaire. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to analyse the nested data. When individual students in each group were taken as the unit of analysis, results indicated an interaction effect of group processes and students' within-group achievement on the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy. When compared with low achievers, high achievers reported lower collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of low quality. However, both low and high achievers reported higher collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of high quality. With 367 groups taken as the unit of analysis, the results showed that group heterogeneity, group gender composition and group size were not related to the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy reported by the students. Group heterogeneity was not a determinant factor in students' learning efficacy. Instead, the quality of group processes played a pivotal role because both high and low achievers were able to benefit when group processes were of high quality.

Responses to different types of inquiry prompts: college students' discourse, performance, and perceptions of group work in an engineering class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balgopal, Meena M.; Casper, Anne Marie A.; Atadero, Rebecca A.; Rambo-Hernandez, Karen E.

2017-08-01

Working in small groups to solve problems is an instructional strategy that allows university students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines the opportunity to practice interpersonal and professional skills while gaining and applying discipline-specific content knowledge. Previous research indicates that not all group work prompts result in the same experiences for students. In this study we posed two types of prompts (guided and open) to undergraduate engineering students in a statics course as they participated in group work projects. We measured student discourse, student performance, and perceptions of group work. We found that guided prompts were associated with higher-level discourse and higher performance (project scores) than open prompts. Students engaged in guided prompts were more likely to discuss distribution of labour and design/calculation details of their projects than when students responded to open prompts. We posit that guided prompts, which more clearly articulate expectations of students, help students determine how to divide tasks amongst themselves and, subsequently, jump to higher levels of discourse.

A Model Mentor/Advisor Program Supporting Secondary School Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Challenges and Their Families within Rural Vermont (October 1, 1996-September 30, 2000). Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welkowitz, Julie; Fox, Wayne L.

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of the Mentor/Advisor Project, a program designed to promote positive self-concept and school success for high school students at risk of or experiencing emotional and behavioral disabilities in rural Vermont. The Project involved small groups of heterogeneous students (i.e., those with and…

Interprofessional practice in health care: an educational project with four learning sequences for students from six study programs.

PubMed

Nowak, Anna Christina; Klimke-Jung, Kathrin; Schäfer, Thorsten; Reif, Karl

2016-01-01

In response to demographic changes and the growing complexity of healthcare demands, national and international organizations are requiring greater cooperation among the health professions. Implementation of interprofessional learning programs within study programs in medicine, midwifery, nursing, and therapy is still rare. The first projects are currently underway in Germany. This paper presents the experience gathered by the organizers as interprofessional courses for six study programs were implemented. As part of the collaborative project "Interprofessional Practice in Health Care" between the Medical School at the Ruhr University in Bochum and the Department for Applied Health Sciences at the Hochschule für Gesundheit, interprofessional curricular units were developed, taught and evaluated with the aim of establishing permanent and joint curricular structures at the two German universities. Imparting communication skills, knowledge of and appreciation for the work performed by the other health professions, as well as having students reflect on their own professional roles and responsibilities, were the focus of four curricular units. Students worked together in small interprofessional groups. A total of 220 students enrolled in occupational therapy, midwifery, speech therapy, medicine, nursing, and physiotherapy participated in small-group seminars. When conducting and implementing the seminars, administrative and methodological challenges became apparent, and this should be taken into consideration in regard to any future development of interprofessional courses. Integration into existing curricula, along with finding time in the various schedules and appropriate classroom space for small groups, were among the challenges faced. For over 86% of the students it was important that students from all six of the degree programs involved participated in the project. A detailed analysis of the content and evaluation will follow. The value of the project's aim to include as many study programs in the health professions and medicine as possible was confirmed by the participating students. However, accomplishing this requires a substantial amount of organizational effort in terms of scheduling, finding classroom space and integration into existing curricula. Careful attention must be given specifically to the coordination of monoprofessional and interprofessional teaching units.

An Appropriate Culminating Mathematics Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haver, Bill; Turbeville, Gwen

1995-01-01

Describes a freshman level mathematics course designed as an alternate to algebra for non-science majors. Mathematical content is based on real-world situations, student activities include small and large projects done in groups or individually, and lecture time is held to a minimum. (MKR)

Having Friends--They Help You when You Are Stuck from Money, Friends and Making Ends Meet Research Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2012

2012-01-01

This article is about the lived experiences and friendships of a small group of people with a learning disability who live without support in one of the most deprived areas in the UK. The findings are from an inclusive research project, that was named "Money, Friends and Making Ends Meet" and the participants who researched their own…

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

Huskey, A.; Bowen, A.; Jager, D.

This test was conducted as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Independent Testing project. This project was established to help reduce the barriers to wind energy expansion by providing independent testing results for small wind turbines (SWT). In total, five turbines were tested at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) as a part of this project. Safety and function testing is one of up to five tests performed on the turbines, including power performance, duration, noise, and power-quality tests. NWTC testing results provide manufacturers with reports that may be used to meet part of small wind turbine certificationmore » requirements. The test equipment includes a Mariah Windspire wind turbine mounted on a monopole tower. L&E Machine manufactured the turbine in the United States. The inverter was manufactured separately by Technology Driven Products in the United States. The system was installed by the NWTC site operations group with guidance and assistance from Mariah Power.« less

Understanding the local food environment: A participatory photovoice project in a low-income area in Madrid, Spain.

PubMed

Díez, Julia; Conde, Paloma; Sandin, María; Urtasun, María; López, Remedios; Carrero, José Luis; Gittelsohn, Joel; Franco, Manuel

2017-01-01

There is a need to partner between researchers, practitioners and residents to increase our understanding of environmental influences on dietary behaviors. We used the participatory method of Photovoice to understand key determinants of the local food environment influencing residents' diets. This project was conducted in Villaverde, a low-income area located in Madrid, Spain. From February to May 2015, 24 residents working in four Photovoice groups, took photographs related to their local food environment. Each group analyzed and critically discussed their photographs in small group sessions. Through a consensus-building process, participants identified 30 emerging categories, which followed five conceptual themes related to their food environment: 1) eating in moderation, 2) cultural diversity, 3) food stores, 4) social relationships and 5) economic crisis and poverty. Participants, researchers and practitioners successfully collaborated in analyzing, writing, disseminating the project results, and directly informing local policy-makers, media, and other residents. The project results may guide community-generated interventions for promoting a healthier food environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Failure to Collaborate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Martin

2008-01-01

Based on a successful scholarly collaboration experience, the writer assigned a group project in a graduate seminar that confronted a wave of resentment. Small clusters of students were to tackle a multi-layered research assignment requiring textual decisions, bibliographic work, critical theory, historical research, and editorial design. As the…

Engaged Service Learning--Implications for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Tony; Burgin, Shelley

2009-01-01

Dwindling resources for tertiary education, has resulted in reduced emphasis on intensive, small group, staff-student collaborative project-based service learning. However, training scientists to manage significant issues, such as sustainable water use, requires an ability to engage both industry and community stakeholders. This paper describes…

Contributions of Academic Labs to the Discovery and Development of Chemical Biology Tools

PubMed Central

Huryn, Donna M.; Resnick, Lynn O.; Wipf, Peter

2013-01-01

The academic setting provides an environment that may foster success in the discovery of certain types of small molecule tools, while proving less suitable in others. For example, small molecule probes for poorly understood systems, those that exploit a specific resident expertise, and those whose commercial return is not apparent are ideally suited to be pursued in a university setting. In this perspective, we highlight five projects that emanated from academic research groups and generated valuable tool compounds that have been used to interrogate biological phenomena: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensors, GPR30 agonists and antagonists, selective CB2 agonists, Hsp70 modulators and beta-amyloid PET imaging agents. By continuing to take advantage of the unique expertise resident in university settings, and the ability to pursue novel projects that may have great scientific value, but limited or no immediate commercial value, probes from academic research groups continue to provide useful tools and generate a long-term resource for biomedical researchers. PMID:23672690

Contributions of academic laboratories to the discovery and development of chemical biology tools.

PubMed

Huryn, Donna M; Resnick, Lynn O; Wipf, Peter

2013-09-26

The academic setting provides an environment that may foster success in the discovery of certain types of small molecule tools while proving less suitable in others. For example, small molecule probes for poorly understood systems, those that exploit a specific resident expertise, and those whose commercial return is not apparent are ideally suited to be pursued in a university setting. In this review, we highlight five projects that emanated from academic research groups and generated valuable tool compounds that have been used to interrogate biological phenomena: reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensors, GPR30 agonists and antagonists, selective CB2 agonists, Hsp70 modulators, and β-amyloid PET imaging agents. By taking advantage of the unique expertise resident in university settings and the ability to pursue novel projects that may have great scientific value but with limited or no immediate commercial value, probes from academic research groups continue to provide useful tools and generate a long-term resource for biomedical researchers.

An REU Project on the Precambrian Rocks of Yellowstone National Park: Some lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, D.; Mogk, D. W.; Mueller, P. A.; Foster, D. A.

2014-12-01

An NSF-funded REU project (2011-2013), based in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), was designed to characterize the geology, geochemistry and geochronology of Precambrian rocks in northern YNP. Over two field seasons two cadres of 12 students (12 women and 12 men) were chosen from small-to-large state universities and private colleges. REU students participated in three major activities constituting a complete research experience: Field studies involved geologic mapping and sampling of Precambrian basement; formulation of testable research questions by smaller working groups; and mapping and sampling projects to address research questions; Analytical studies, sample preparation immediately followed field work with petrographic analysis at students' home institutions and a week-long visit to analytical laboratories to conduct follow-up studies by small research groups during the academic year (Univ. Florida - geochemistry and geochronology; Univ. Minnesota - EMPA analysis); Communicating results, each working group submitted an abstract and collectively presented 13 posters at the 2011 and 2012 GSA Rocky Mountain sectional meetings. We used directed discovery to engage students in a community of practice in the field and found that a long apprenticeship (2-3 weeks) is optimal for novice-master interactions in exploring natural setting. Initial group hikes were used to normalize methods and language of the discipline. Students developed a sense of ownership of the overall project and assumed personal responsibility for directed research projects. Training was provided to: guide students in selection and appropriate use of tools; develop sampling strategies; discuss communal ethics, values, and expectations; develop efficient work habits; stimulate independent thinking; and engage decision-making. It was important to scaffold the field experience to students' level of development to lead to mastery. Analytical activities were designed from rock to analysis so that each group mastered all preparation steps and instrumental techniques under supervision of graduate mentors and lab managers leading to a clearer understanding of data interpretation. Students were communally engaged in abstract and poster preparation to ensure proper focus, scientific breadth, and style of presentation.

Wireless Sensor Needs Defined by SBIR Topics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Studor, George F.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the needs for wireless sensor technology from various U.S. government agencies as exhibited by an analysis of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitations. It would appear that a multi-agency group looking at overlapping wireless sensor needs and technology projects is desired. Included in this presentation is a review of the NASA SBIR process, and an examination of some of the SBIR projects from NASA, and other agencies that involve wireless sensor development

A Time to Kill: When is Leadership Targeting an Effective Counterterrorism Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2...personal ties, a leader can provide required financial support, acquire new recruits, and arrange the underground transportation of individuals. Thus... managing an evolving group of individuals. As long as the group remains relatively small, the leader can directly supervise all aspects of the

ANAMOL: A Creative Experience Using Communications Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marr, Beth

1999-01-01

The Adult Numeracy and Mathematics On-Line (ANAMOL) project investigated the use of online technology as a medium for professional discussion, networking, and collaboration among a small group of isolated adult numeracy practitioners in Australia. After investigation of several methods of online communication, freeware was selected because, in…

Cooperative Learning in the College Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barratt, Leslie B.

1992-01-01

A college teacher used cooperative learning in English as a Second Language and linguistics classrooms. She discovered international students enjoyed working and writing in small groups and getting to know other students. Linguistics students enjoyed whole-class cooperative projects and papers. All students gained experience in being colleagues.…

Negative "Marking"? University Research Administrators and the Contestation of Moral Exclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen-Collinson, Jacquelyn

2009-01-01

With the exception of academics, occupational groups within universities remain relatively under-researched. Based upon qualitative interviews with 27 research administrators in 19 UK universities, this article reports on a small-scale qualitative project to investigate the workday worlds of these "boundary-crossing" and…

The Human Genome Diversity (HGD) Project. Summary document

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

NONE

1993-12-31

In 1991 a group of human geneticists and molecular biologists proposed to the scientific community that a world wide survey be undertaken of variation in the human genome. To aid their considerations, the committee therefore decided to hold a small series of international workshops to explore the major scientific issues involved. The intention was to define a framework for the project which could provide a basis for much wider and more detailed discussion and planning--it was recognized that the successful implementation of the proposed project, which has come to be known as the Human Genome Diversity (HGD) Project, would notmore » only involve scientists but also various national and international non-scientific groups all of which should contribute to the project`s development. The international HGD workshop held in Sardinia in September 1993 was the last in the initial series of planning workshops. As such it not only explored new ground but also pulled together into a more coherent form much of the formal and informal discussion that had taken place in the preceding two years. This report presents the deliberations of the Sardinia workshop within a consideration of the overall development of the HGD Project to date.« less

Open-ended projects in undergraduate optics and lasers courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyt, Chad

This talk will describe the format and experience of undergraduate Lasers and Optics courses at Bethel University. The courses, which include a rigorous lecture portion, are built on open-ended research projects that have a novel aspect. They begin with four weeks of small student groups rotating between several standard laser and optics laboratory exercises. These may include, for example, alignment and characterization of a helium neon laser and measurements with a Michelson interferometer or a scanning Fabry-Pérot optical cavity. During the following seven weeks of the course, student groups (2-4 people) choose and pursue research questions in the lab. Their work culminates in a group manuscript typeset in and a twenty-minute presentation to the class. Projects in the spring, 2014 Optics course included experiments with ultracold lithium atoms in a magneto-optical trap, optical tweezers, digital holography and adaptive optics. Projects in the spring, 2015 Lasers course included ultrafast optics with a mode-locked erbium fiber laser, quantum optics, surface plasmon lasers (led by Nathan Lindquist) and a low-cost, near-infrared spectrometer. Several of these projects are related to larger scale, funded research in the physics department. The format and experience in Lasers and Optics is representative of other upper-level courses at Bethel, including Fluid Mechanics and Computer Methods. A physics education research group from the University of Colorado evaluated the spring, 2015 Lasers course. They focused on student experimental attitudes and measurements of student project ownership.

Outdoor Activities for Environmental Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Clifford E.

This booklet is a compilation of field-tested outdoor activities introducing basic projects for small group or individualized study in monitoring certain aspects of the environment. Its purpose is to provide teachers with new ways to involve children directly in meaningful and developmental learning activities and to help students become more…

Does Active Learning Improve Students' Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Research Methods?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campisi, Jay; Finn, Kevin E.

2011-01-01

We incorporated an active, collaborative-based research project in our undergraduate Research Methods course for first-year sports medicine majors. Working in small groups, students identified a research question, generated a hypothesis to be tested, designed an experiment, implemented the experiment, analyzed the data, and presented their…

Student Teachers' Collaborative Research: Small-Scale Research Projects during Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dobber, Marjolein; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Verloop, Nico; Vermunt, Jan D.

2012-01-01

Teacher research is increasingly described as an important aspect of professional development. In response, teacher education programs incorporate teacher research in their curricula. We report on the collaborative research processes of two groups of student teachers in a university teacher education program, focussing on elaboration and decision…

First Aid for Media-Aides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cramer, Mary McCart

This document was developed as part of a Research and Innovation Project by a Department of Defense Dependents School (DoDDS) Media Task Group in West Germany. Designed to provide a ready reference for noncertified personnel working in small school media centers, the monthly calendars (August through June) are intended to encourage an active…

Allied Health Dictionary 1. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C..; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this first of three picture dictionary booklets in the Allied Health series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

Allied Health Dictionary 3. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C.; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this third of three picture dictionary booklets in the Allied Health series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

Allied Health Dictionary 2. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C.; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this second of three picture dictionary booklets in the Allied Health series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

Arc Welding Dictionary 2. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C.; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this second of three picture dictionary booklets in the Arc Welding series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

Culinary Arts Dictionary 1. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C.; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this first of three picture dictionary booklets in the Culinary Arts series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

Culinary Arts Dictionary 2. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C.; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this second of three picture dictionary booklets in the Culinary Arts series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

Culinary Arts Dictionary 3. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C.; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this third of three picture dictionary booklets in the Culinary Arts series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

Social Literacies across Communities, Cultures and Contexts. Adult Literacy Research Network.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Searle, Jean, Ed.

This document contains eight papers on social literacies across communities, cultures, and contexts in Australia. "Social Literacies" (Jean Searle) is an introduction to the other papers, which each report on small action research projects examining how particular groups of people use literacy. "Recognising Shifting Delivery Modes:…

Bringing Out Head Start Talents (BOHST). Talent Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amundsen, Jane; And Others

Designed for preschoolers identified as talented by the Bringing Out Head Start Talents (BOHST) project, the small-group lessons contained in this manual focus on nine areas of talent programming and are presented in color-coded sections: creative, intellectual, leadership, art, music, reading, math, science, and psychomotor talent development.…

Upholstery Dictionary 1. Project HIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, David C.; And Others

Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this first of three picture dictionary booklets in the Upholstery series is intended to assist the learning handicapped student to master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Intended for individual or small group instruction with minimal supervision, this…

INNOVATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CUSHMAN, M.L.; STURGES, A.W.

THE CATSKILL AREA PROJECT IN SMALL SCHOOL DESIGN, THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN AREA PROJECT FOR SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS, THE WESTERN STATES SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT, AND THE TEXAS SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT ARE DESCRIBED AND COMPARED. FINANCIAL SUPPORT COMPARISONS ARE MADE. METHODS OF IMPROVING INSTRUCTION ARE DIVIDED INTO TEACHER-CENTERED AND ADMINISTRATOR-CENTERED…

TAG CD-ROM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Myrna Syamara

1995-01-01

The purpose of this project was to produce a CD-ROM for the Technology Applications Group. The CD was being developed to allow interested people, organizations, or companies to view the technologies available to them that were developed by NASA research. The CD's main audience however, is any small business. The CD will give the small business an opportunity to see what technologies are available in an inexpensive manner. Most companies probably have a CD-ROM drive on their computers but may not have access to the internet. By using only the internet to inform on the technologies, NASA was not considering a large segment of the population. The CD-ROM can now cover that group of the population.

Physically detached 'compact groups'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hernquist, Lars; Katz, Neal; Weinberg, David H.

1995-01-01

A small fraction of galaxies appear to reside in dense compact groups, whose inferred crossing times are much shorter than a Hubble time. These short crossing times have led to considerable disagreement among researchers attempting to deduce the dynamical state of these systems. In this paper, we suggest that many of the observed groups are not physically bound but are chance projections of galaxies well separated along the line of sight. Unlike earlier similar proposals, ours does not require that the galaxies in the compact group be members of a more diffuse, but physically bound entity. The probability of physically separated galaxies projecting into an apparent compact group is nonnegligible if most galaxies are distributed in thin filaments. We illustrate this general point with a specific example: a simulation of a cold dark matter universe, in which hydrodynamic effects are included to identify galaxies. The simulated galaxy distribution is filamentary and end-on views of these filaments produce apparent galaxy associations that have sizes and velocity dispersions similar to those of observed compact groups. The frequency of such projections is sufficient, in principle, to explain the observed space density of groups in the Hickson catalog. We discuss the implications of our proposal for the formation and evolution of groups and elliptical galaxies. The proposal can be tested by using redshift-independent distance estimators to measure the line-of-sight spatial extent of nearby compact groups.

Star Formation Histories of Dwarf Irregular Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skillman, Evan

1995-07-01

We propose to obtain deep WFPC2 `BVI' color-magnitude diagrams {CMDs} for the dwarf irregular {dI} Local Group galaxies GR 8, Leo A, Pegasus, and Sextans A. In addition to resolved stars, we will use star clusters, and especially any globulars, to probe the history of intense star formation. These data will allow us to map the Pop I and Pop II stellar components, and thereby construct the first detailed star formation histories for non-interacting dI galaxies. Our results will bear on a variety of astrophysical problems, including the evolution of small galaxies, distances in the Local Group, age-metallicity distributions in small galaxies, ages of dIs, and the physics of star formation. The four target galaxies are typical dI systems in terms of luminosity, gas content, and H II region abundance, and represent a range in current star forming activity. They are sufficiently near to allow us to reach to stars at M_V = 0, have 0.1 of the luminosity of the SMC and 0.25 of its oxygen abundance. Unlike the SMC, these dIs are not near giant galaxies. This project will allow the extension of our knowledge of stellar populations in star forming galaxies from the spirals in the Local Group down to its smallest members. We plan to take maximum advantage of the unique data which this project will provide. Our investigator team brings extensive and varied experience in studies of dwarf galaxies, stellar populations, imaging photometry, and stellar evolution to this project.

Children at Risk and Community Response. Notes, Comments... No. 187 = L'action des populations locales face au probleme de l'enfance en danger.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Oudenhoven, Nico

Begun in 1978 by a small group of Colombians who were affiliated with a private organization and who were interested in children's upbringing, education, and development, the Promesa Project began by organizing discussion groups among about 20 mothers and their children between 3 and 7 years of age in four remote villages on the shores of the…

Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): Impact of the Group Environment on Galaxy Star Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barsanti, S.; Owers, M. S.; Brough, S.; Davies, L. J. M.; Driver, S. P.; Gunawardhana, M. L. P.; Holwerda, B. W.; Liske, J.; Loveday, J.; Pimbblet, K. A.; Robotham, A. S. G.; Taylor, E. N.

2018-04-01

We explore how the group environment may affect the evolution of star-forming galaxies. We select 1197 Galaxy And Mass Assembly groups at 0.05 ≤ z ≤ 0.2 and analyze the projected phase space (PPS) diagram, i.e., the galaxy velocity as a function of projected group-centric radius, as a local environmental metric in the low-mass halo regime 1012 ≤ (M 200/M ⊙) < 1014. We study the properties of star-forming group galaxies, exploring the correlation of star formation rate (SFR) with radial distance and stellar mass. We find that the fraction of star-forming group members is higher in the PPS regions dominated by recently accreted galaxies, whereas passive galaxies dominate the virialized regions. We observe a small decline in specific SFR of star-forming galaxies toward the group center by a factor ∼1.2 with respect to field galaxies. Similar to cluster studies, we conclude for low-mass halos that star-forming group galaxies represent an infalling population from the field to the halo and show suppressed star formation.

Draft genome of the medaka fish: a comprehensive resource for medaka developmental genetics and vertebrate evolutionary biology.

PubMed

Takeda, Hiroyuki

2008-06-01

The medaka Oryzias latipes is a small egg-laying freshwater teleost, and has become an excellent model system for developmental genetics and evolutionary biology. The medaka genome is relatively small in size, approximately 800 Mb, and the genome sequencing project was recently completed by Japanese research groups, providing a high-quality draft genome sequence of the inbred Hd-rR strain of medaka. In this review, I present an overview of the medaka genome project including genome resources, followed by specific findings obtained with the medaka draft genome. In particular, I focus on the analysis that was done by taking advantage of the medaka system, such as the sex chromosome differentiation and the regional history of medaka species using single nucleotide polymorphisms as genomic markers.

Teaching Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Science Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hager, Paul; Sleet, Ray; Logan, Peter; Hooper, Mal

This paper reports on the design and evaluation of a project aimed at fostering the critical thinking abilities and dispositions of first year students at an Australian university. Novel paper and pencil problems were designed to foster the range of critical thinking abilities identified by Ennis (1991). Most of these critical thinking tasks relate to applications of chemistry and physics in everyday life. Some of the tasks were developed from information and/or ideas obtained from critical incident interviews with scientists in private and government organisations. The first year university students were required to attempt the tasks in co-operative groups and to interact in these groups in ways aimed at fostering the dispositions of Ennis' ideal critical thinker (Ennis 1996).The project was evaluated from discussions with groups of students, from comments of tutors who observed the students working in groups and from a questionnaire. Evidence obtained from these data indicated that many students considered their thinking skills were enhanced by their experience of attempting the tasks in small co-operative groups.

Capitalizing on Community: the Small College Environment and the Development of Researchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoneking, M. R.

2014-03-01

Liberal arts colleges constitute an important source of and training ground for future scientists. At Lawrence University, we take advantage of our small college environment to prepare physics students for research careers by complementing content acquisition with skill development and project experience distributed throughout the curriculum and with co-curricular elements that are tied to our close-knit supportive physics community. Small classes and frequent contact between physics majors and faculty members offer opportunities for regular and detailed feedback on the development of research relevant skills such as laboratory record-keeping, data analysis, electronic circuit design, computational programming, experimental design and modification, and scientific communication. Part of our approach is to balance collaborative group work on small projects (such as Arduino-based electronics projects and optical design challenges) with independent work (on, for example, advanced laboratory experimental extensions and senior capstone projects). Communal spaces and specialized facilities (experimental and computational) and active on-campus research programs attract eager students to the program, establish a community-based atmosphere, provide unique opportunities for the development of research aptitude, and offer opportunities for genuine contribution to a research program. Recently, we have also been encouraging innovativetendencies in physics majors through intentional efforts to develop personal characteristics, encouraging students to become more tolerant of ambiguity, risk-taking, initiative-seeking, and articulate. Indicators of the success of our approach include the roughly ten physics majors who graduate each year and our program's high ranking among institutions whose graduates go on to receive the Ph.D. in physics. Work supported in part by the National Science Foundation.

Socioeconomic impact of photovoltaic power at Schuchulik, Arizona. Final report

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

Bahr, D.; Garrett, B.G.; Chrisman, C.

1980-10-01

Schuchuli, a small remote village on the Papago Indian Reservation in southwest Arizona, is 27 kilometers (17 miles) from the nearest available utility power. In some respects, Schuchuli resembles many of the rural villages in other parts of the world. For example, it's relatively small in size (about 60 residents), composed of a number of extended family groupings, and remotely situated relative to major population centers (190 km, or 120 miles, from Tucson). Its lack of conventional power is due to the prohibitive cost of supplying a small electrical load with a long-distance distribution line. Furthermore, alternate energy sources aremore » expensive and place a burden on the resources of the villagers. On December 16, 1978, as part of a federally funded project, a solar cell power system was put into operation at Schuchuli. The system powers the village water pump, lighting for homes ad other village buildings, family refrigerators and a communal washing machine and sewing machine. The project, managed for the US Department of Energy by the NASA Lewis Research Center, provided for a one-year socio-economic study to assess the impact of a relatively small amount of electricity on the basic living environment of the villagers. The results of that study are presented, including village history, group life, energy use in general and the use of the photovoltaic-powered appliances. No significant impacts due to the photovoltaic power system were observed.« less

FINAL REPORT: DOE CONTRACT NUMBER FG0205ER64026 Biological Neutron Scattering: A Collaboration with the Oak Ridge Center for Structural Molecular Biology

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

Trewhella, Jill

2011-01-12

The overarching goal of this project was to promote applications of small-angle scattering in structural molecular biology by providing model examples of cutting edge applications that demonstrate the unique capabilities and potential of the DOE national user facilities at Oak Ridge, especially the newly commissioned BioSANS. The approach taken was three-fold: (1) to engage in high impact collaborative research projects that would benefit from small-angle neutron scattering to both demonstrate the power of the technique while expanding the potential user community; (2) to provide access to scattering facilities established at the University of Utah to as broad a set ofmore » researchers as possible to increase the expertise in small-angle scattering generally; and (3) to develop new methods and tools for small-angle scattering. To these ends, three major research collaborations were pursued that resulted in a significant body of published work where neutron scattering and contrast variation played a major role. These major collaborations involved studies of protein complexes involved in (1) bacterial transcription regulation and adaptive response (a DOE/BER priority area); (2) regulation of cardiac muscle; and (3) neuronal disorders. In addition, to broaden the impact of the project, smaller collaborative efforts were supported that used either small-angle X-ray or neutron scattering. Finally, the DOE supported facilities at the University of Utah were made available to researchers on a service basis and a number of independent groups took advantage of this opportunity. In all of this work, there was an emphasis on the training of students and post docs in scattering techniques, and a set of publications (a book chapter, a review, and an encyclopedia article) were produced to guide the non-specialist potential user of scattering techniques in successful applications of the techniques. We also developed a suite of user friendly web-based computational tools currently being accessed world-wide by researchers as an aid in neutron scattering data interpretation. In all, these collaborative projects and resulted in 29 original refereed journal articles published between 2005 and 2010 and engaged groups from at least 14 Universities (10 US, 4 international) and 3 National Laboratories (2 US, 1 international). An important final initiative from this project was to begin a process for international community agreement on a set of standards for the publication of biomolecular small-angle scattering data. This initiative is being championed with the International Union of Crystallography and has engaged a number of Journal Editors and is a very important step in the maturing of this now burgeoning field.« less

Word Study Instruction in the K-2 Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Cheri; Phillips-Birdsong, Colleen; Hufnagel, Krissy; Hungler, Diane; Lundstrom, Ruth P.

2009-01-01

This article describes nine tips for implementing a word study program in the K-2 classroom. These tips are based on the results of four classroom-based qualitative research projects collaboratively conducted by a university professor and four primary-grade teacher-researchers. The article suggests that through small-group word study instruction…

Feeling "Secrety": Children's Views on Involvement in Landscape Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roe, Maggie

2007-01-01

This paper focuses on a case study pilot project working with a small group of children aged 6- to 10-years-old in a village in the northeast of England. The study was established to examine children's attitudes to environmental issues, particularly their involvement in environmental decisions and their feelings about planning, design and…

Skills Development Training in the Consultancy Mode: An Experience in Ecuador.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhola, H. S.

A group of instructional planners from the United States was invited to help establish a vocational skills development project to help meet the need for adequately trained workers in Ecuador's small- and medium-sized enterprises in the industrial, service, commercial and agricultural sectors of the economy. A logicodialetical model called the CLER…

Fairy Tales from Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulze, Patricia

With the help of the teacher, students will read fairy tales and identify common elements. Choosing common situations and working in small groups, students will draw storyboards of their fairy tale and then write the fairy tale. Project will conclude with class presentations. During ten 50-minute lessons, grade 3-5 students will: listen and read…

Scaffolding Wiki-Supported Collaborative Learning for Small-Group Projects and Whole-Class Collaborative Knowledge Building

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, C-Y.; Reigeluth, C. M.

2016-01-01

While educators value wikis' potential, wikis may fail to support collaborative constructive learning without careful scaffolding. This article proposes literature-based instructional methods, revised based on two expert instructors' input, presents the collected empirical evidence on the effects of these methods and proposes directions for future…

Promotional Video Production in a Foreign Language Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fukushima, Tatsuya

2002-01-01

Discusses a technology-based project as a requirement for a traditional intermediate Japanese course at the University of Arkansas in which students worked in a small group to produce the university's promotional video in the target language, thus enhancing their Japanese language skills and promoting the program to the public. (Author/VWL)

Retooling the Reading Lesson: Matching the Right Tools to the Job.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Short, Ruth A.; Kane, Mary; Peeling, Tammy

2000-01-01

Describes a year long literacy improvement project in two third-grade classrooms that focused on struggling readers. Describes small-group reading instruction in the classrooms that focused on 3 components: rereading familiar texts; shared and guided reading, incorporating strategy use in decoding unfamiliar words; and shared and guided writing.…

The Quality of Talk in Children's Joint Activity at the Computer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, Neil

1994-01-01

Describes findings of the Spoken Language and New Technology (SLANT) research project which studied the talk of primary school children in the United Kingdom who were working in small groups at computers with various kinds of software. Improvements in the quality of talk and collaboration during computer-based activities are suggested. (Contains…

Bring the Zoo to You!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Dawn Renee; Sterling, Donna R.

2008-01-01

This hands-on, minds-on zoo project provides a fun and safe opportunity for students to experience the world of animals and nature right in their own classroom. Students have the chance to work individually or in small groups to explore, observe, and discover answers to their questions about the natural world. In addition, it provides numerous…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

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

Boys' Talk: Television, Masculinity and Media Education. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckingham, David

Drawn from a much more extensive research project about children and television, this study examined the social processes through which the meanings of television are established and negotiated. A series of small group interviews with boys aged between 8 and 12 years were conducted. Two series of interviews focused on the cartoon television series…

Nursery Annexes and Parent Involvement in Hillfields, Coventry, England.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dermy, Janet M.

This paper tells the story of the implementation of the first inner city Community Education Project in the disadvantaged Hillfields area of Coventry, England. The population of the "ghetto-like" Hillfields, numbering 20,000, was made up largely of families from Asia with small groups from the West Indies, Ireland and Europe. A survey…

Unit: Sticking Together, Inspection Pack.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Science Education Project, Toorak, Victoria.

As a part of the unit materials in the series produced by the Australian Science Education Project, this teachers' guide is composed of four parts: introductory remarks, a core relating to bubbles and drops, options, and diagnostic tests. Materials are designed for students working at their own pace, either individually or in small groups.…

Easy-to-Implement Project Integrates Basic Electronics and Computer Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Richard; Shackelford, Ray

2008-01-01

The activities described in this article give students excellent experience with both computer programming and basic electronics. During the activities, students will work in small groups, using a BASIC Stamp development board to fabricate digital circuits and PBASIC to write program code that will control the circuits they have built. The…

Performance of the first Japanese large-scale facility for radon inhalation experiments with small animals.

PubMed

Ishimori, Yuu; Mitsunobu, Fumihiro; Yamaoka, Kiyonori; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Kataoka, Takahiro; Sakoda, Akihiro

2011-07-01

A radon test facility for small animals was developed in order to increase the statistical validity of differences of the biological response in various radon environments. This paper illustrates the performances of that facility, the first large-scale facility of its kind in Japan. The facility has a capability to conduct approximately 150 mouse-scale tests at the same time. The apparatus for exposing small animals to radon has six animal chamber groups with five independent cages each. Different radon concentrations in each animal chamber group are available. Because the first target of this study is to examine the in vivo behaviour of radon and its effects, the major functions to control radon and to eliminate thoron were examined experimentally. Additionally, radon progeny concentrations and their particle size distributions in the cages were also examined experimentally to be considered in future projects.

Experimental AMO physics in undergraduate optics and lasers courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyt, Chad

2017-04-01

This talk will describe experimental AMO research projects in undergraduate Lasers and Optics courses at Bethel University. The courses, which include a comprehensive lecture portion, are built on open-ended projects that have a novel aspect. Classes begin with four weeks of small student groups rotating between several standard laser and optics laboratory exercises. These may include, for example, alignment and characterization of a helium neon laser and measurements with a Michelson interferometer or a scanning Fabry-Pérot optical cavity. During the following seven weeks of the course, student groups (2-4 people) choose and pursue research questions in the lab. Their work culminates in a group manuscript and a twenty-minute presentation to the class. Projects in the spring, 2016 Optics course included experiments with ultracold lithium atoms in a magneto-optical trap, a prototype, portable, mode-locked erbium fiber laser, a home-built fiber laser frequency comb, double-slit imaging with single photons, and digital holographic tweezers (led by Nathan Lindquist). Projects in the spring, 2015 Lasers course included ultrafast optics with a mode-locked erbium fiber laser, quantum optics, surface plasmon lasers (led by Nathan Lindquist) and a low-cost, near-infrared spectrometer. Several of these projects are related to larger scale, funded research in the physics department. The format and experience in Lasers and Optics is representative of other upper-level courses at Bethel, including Fluid Mechanics and Computer Methods. A physics education research group from the University of Colorado evaluated the spring, 2015 Lasers and 2016 Optics courses. They focused on student experimental attitudes and measurements of student project ownership.

Teaching Cell Biology to Dental Students with a Project-Based Learning Approach.

PubMed

Costa-Silva, Daniela; Côrtes, Juliana A; Bachinski, Rober F; Spiegel, Carolina N; Alves, Gutemberg G

2018-03-01

Although the discipline of cell biology (CB) is part of the curricula of predoctoral dental schools, students often fail to recognize its practical relevance. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a practical-theoretical project-based course in closing the gaps among CB, scientific research, and dentistry for dental students. A project-based learning course was developed with nine sequential lessons to evaluate 108 undergraduate dental students enrolled in CB classes of a Brazilian school of dentistry during 2013-16. To highlight the relevance of in vitro studies in the preclinical evaluation of dental materials at the cellular level, the students were challenged to complete the process of drafting a protocol and performing a cytocompatibility assay for a bone substitute used in dentistry. Class activities included small group discussions, scientific database search and article presentations, protocol development, lab experimentation, and writing of a final scientific report. A control group of 31 students attended only one laboratory class on the same theme, and the final reports were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the project-based learning students had superior outcomes in acknowledging the relevance of in vitro methods during biocompatibility testing. Moreover, they produced scientifically sound reports with more content on methodological issues, the relationship with dentistry, and the scientific literature than the control group (p<0.05). The project-based learning students also recognized a higher relevance of scientific research and CB to dental practice. These results suggest that a project-based approach can help contextualize scientific research in dental curricula.

Behavioral and biological interactions with confined microsocieties in a programmed environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emurian, H. H.; Brady, J. V.; Meyerhoff, J. L.; Mougey, E. H.

1981-01-01

This paper presents a summary of the background, objectives, and methodological approach of an ongoing research project devoted to the analysis of individual and small group performance effectiveness under conditions of isolation and confinement during extended residences in a continuously programmed environment. A more detailed description is provided of the results of a recent series of experiments designed and conducted to assess hormonal and behavioral effects of a change in group membership and size.

The Effects of Expert Systems Training versus Content-Based Training on the Troubleshooting Achievement of Onan Corporation Service Personnel. Training and Development Research Center, Project Number Forty-Eight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westerdahl, Edward John

This study compared the effectiveness and efficiency of trainees in the Onan small products gasoline course under two training curricula: (1) the control group curriculum was the in-place course on the Emerald generator set; and (2) the experimental group curriculum was essentially the same with the addition of one lesson based on methods used by…

Antarctic Space Analog Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palinkas, Lawrence A; Gunderson, E. K. Eric; Johnson, Jeffrey C.; Holland, Albert W.

1998-01-01

The primary aim of this project was to examine group dynamics and individual performance in extreme, isolated environments and identify human factors requirements for long-duration space missions using data collected in an analog environment. Specifically, we wished to determine: 1) the characteristics of social relations in small groups of individuals living and working together in extreme, isolated environments, and 2) the environmental, social and psychological determinants of performance effectiveness in such groups. These two issues were examined in six interrelated studies using data collected in small, isolated research stations in Antarctica from 1963 to the present. Results from these six studies indicated that behavior and performance on long-duration space flights is likely to be seasonal or cyclical, situational, social, and salutogenic in nature. The project responded to two NASA program emphases for FY 1997 as described in the NRA: 1) the primary emphasis of the Behavior and Performance Program on determining long-term individual and group performance responses to space, identifying critical factors affecting those responses and understanding underlying mechanisms involved in behavior and performance, and developing and using ground-based models and analogs for studying space-related behavior and performance; and 2) the emphasis of the Data Analysis Program on extended data analysis. Results from the study were used to develop recommendations for the design and development of pre-flight crew training and in-flight psychological countermeasures for long-duration manned space missions.

Autonomy, competence, and social relatedness in task interest within project-based education.

PubMed

Minnaert, Alexander; Boekaerts, Monique; de Brabander, Cornelis

2007-10-01

To prepare students for instructive collaboration, it is necessary to have insight into students' psychological needs and interest development. The framework of self-determination theory was used to conduct a field experiment involving 114 students in vocational education. These students followed a practical business course which required they work in small learning groups. During the course, students were asked to complete the Quality of Working in Groups Instrument, an online measure of how strong autonomy, competence, social relatedness, and task interest are fulfilled. SEM showed that students' psychological needs were jointly and uniquely related to task interest over time. The significance of this on-line test for the assessment of interest within project-based education is discussed.

Empowered women from rural areas of Bolivia promote community development.

PubMed

Ríos, Roxana; Olmedo, Catón; Fernández, Luis

2007-01-01

Abstract: The United States Agency for Development in Bolivia (USAID/Bolivia) created in 2002 PROSALUD- Partners for Development Project (PfD) with the aim of improving the population's well-being. The project used three components: small grant scheme, technical assistance and database system management. Through the small grants scheme, the PfD supported a Community Participation Strategy (CPS) project over a three year period. The project involved the rural areas of six Bolivian departments and suburban areas of three Bolivian cities. The main objective was to increase health service utilization with a particular emphasis on empowerment of women, strengthening of local organizations and increasing the demand for health services. Women from both the urban and rural areas, and from different indigenous groups, were trained in project management, health promotion, reproductive health and family planning, advocacy and community participation. Participatory methodologies have allowed empowering women in decision making and capacity building throughout the entire project process. The experience shows that it is important to work with formally established grass-root community organizations and strengthen leadership within them. Additionally, the sub-projects demonstrated that interventions are more successful when promoters speak and write native languages, women are more motivated and empowered, projects are designed to be responsive to daily necessities identified by the communities and health services are culturally suitable. A preliminary evaluation, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, shows an overall improvement in health knowledge and practice, and utilization of health services.

Micro enterprise initiative in water sector and poverty reduction .

PubMed

Jose, T K

2003-01-01

The author reports on the Kerala model for water sector development, broadly adopted as a role model for poverty reduction and build up of social capital. It is a community based organisation with its focus on facilitating a stable income to the poor, and composed of a People's Plan Campaign, the Kudumbashree (women-based poverty eradication programme), with grassroot level neighbourhood groups, federated into an area development society. It promotes savings and credit channelling, capacity building and entrepreneurship development. Activities include awareness raising on water conservation and hygiene, utilization of student power, promotion of small, cheap and low technology projects that people can understand and undertake (small reservoirs, tanks, rainwater harvesting structures, water meters), as well as microenterprises, and training of women-based repair groups.

The Teacher-Scholar Project: how to help faculty groups develop scholarly skills.

PubMed

Heinrich, Kathleen T; Hurst, Helen; Leigh, Gwen; Oberleitner, Melinda Granger; Poirrier, Gail P

2009-01-01

Nursing education's challenge in the new millennium is to prepare all nurses as scholars. With many nurse educators feeling like impostors when it comes to scholarship, this is no small task. Turning the millenial challenge into an opportunity, this article describes how a collaborative faculty development initiative is turning a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence school's "scholar-impostors" into teacher-scholars. This Teacher-Scholar Project will interest those in teaching intensive schools of nursing or in teaching tracks in research-intensive institutions.

Undergraduate-driven interventions to increase representation in science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freilich, M.; Aluthge, D.; Bryant, R. M.; Knox, B.; McAdams, J.; Plummer, A.; Schlottman, N.; Stanley, Z.; Suglia, E.; Watson-Daniels, J.

2014-12-01

Recognizing that racial, ethnic, and gender underrepresentation in science classrooms persists despite intervention programs and institutional commitments to diversity, a group of undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds and academic disciplines came together for a group independent study to (a) study the theoretical foundations of the current practice of science and of programs meant to increase diversity, (b) utilize the experiences of course participants and our peers to better understand the drivers of underrepresentation, and (c) design and implement interventions at Brown University. We will present on individual and small group projects designed by course members in collaboration with faculty. The projects emerged from an exploration of literature in history, philosophy, and sociology of science, as well as an examination of anthropological and psychological studies. We also evaluated the effectiveness of top-down and bottom-up approaches that have already been attempted in developing our projects. They focus on the specific problems faced by underrepresented minorities, women, LGBTQ+ people, and well-represented minorities. We will share experiences of faculty-student collaboration and engaged scholarship focused on representation in science and discuss student-designed interventions.

Improving coding accuracy in an academic practice.

PubMed

Nguyen, Dana; O'Mara, Heather; Powell, Robert

2017-01-01

Practice management has become an increasingly important component of graduate medical education. This applies to every practice environment; private, academic, and military. One of the most critical aspects of practice management is documentation and coding for physician services, as they directly affect the financial success of any practice. Our quality improvement project aimed to implement a new and innovative method for teaching billing and coding in a longitudinal fashion in a family medicine residency. We hypothesized that implementation of a new teaching strategy would increase coding accuracy rates among residents and faculty. Design: single group, pretest-posttest. military family medicine residency clinic. Study populations: 7 faculty physicians and 18 resident physicians participated as learners in the project. Educational intervention: monthly structured coding learning sessions in the academic curriculum that involved learner-presented cases, small group case review, and large group discussion. overall coding accuracy (compliance) percentage and coding accuracy per year group for the subjects that were able to participate longitudinally. Statistical tests used: average coding accuracy for population; paired t test to assess improvement between 2 intervention periods, both aggregate and by year group. Overall coding accuracy rates remained stable over the course of time regardless of the modality of the educational intervention. A paired t test was conducted to compare coding accuracy rates at baseline (mean (M)=26.4%, SD=10%) to accuracy rates after all educational interventions were complete (M=26.8%, SD=12%); t24=-0.127, P=.90. Didactic teaching and small group discussion sessions did not improve overall coding accuracy in a residency practice. Future interventions could focus on educating providers at the individual level.

Decontamination systems information and research programs. Quarterly report, July 1--August 31, 1996

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

NONE

1997-07-01

The US contains numerous hazardous waste sites. Many sites are on private land near operating units of various companies. An effort is being made to determine the conditions under which such sites can be remediated voluntarily. The objective of the project will be to first assess the interest and willingness of industry in the Kanawha River Valley, WV to participate in discussions that would lead toward voluntary cleanup activities. The second will be to implement the activities agreed upon by the interested parties. The project will first involve individual discussions with the industrial, government, and other organized groups in themore » area. These discussions will help determine the feasibility of organizing voluntary efforts. If the discussions indicate that conditions may be favorable for developing individual or group voluntary cleanup projects, a working group will be convened to establish the environmental goals of the project as well as the technical approach for achieving those goals. The projects for the 1996 WVU Cooperative Agreement are categorized into three task focus areas: Task 1.0 Contaminant Plume Containment and Remediation, Task 2.0 Cross Cutting Innovative Technologies, and Task 3.0 Small Business Support Program. Summaries of the accomplishments for the subtasks reporting under these categories during the third quarter, 1 July 96 through 30 September 96, are presented.« less

Requirements management for Gemini Observatory: a small organization with big development projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Close, Madeline; Serio, Andrew; Cordova, Martin; Hardie, Kayla

2016-08-01

Gemini Observatory is an astronomical observatory operating two premier 8m-class telescopes, one in each hemisphere. As an operational facility, a majority of Gemini's resources are spent on operations however the observatory undertakes major development projects as well. Current projects include new facility science instruments, an operational paradigm shift to full remote operations, and new operations tools for planning, configuration and change control. Three years ago, Gemini determined that a specialized requirements management tool was needed. Over the next year, the Gemini Systems Engineering Group investigated several tools, selected one for a trial period and configured it for use. Configuration activities including definition of systems engineering processes, development of a requirements framework, and assignment of project roles to tool roles. Test projects were implemented in the tool. At the conclusion of the trial, the group determined that the Gemini could meet its requirements management needs without use of a specialized requirements management tool, and the group identified a number of lessons learned which are described in the last major section of this paper. These lessons learned include how to conduct an organizational needs analysis prior to pursuing a tool; caveats concerning tool criteria and the selection process; the prerequisites and sequence of activities necessary to achieve an optimum configuration of the tool; the need for adequate staff resources and staff training; and a special note regarding organizations in transition and archiving of requirements.

Profiling Adult Literacy Facilitators in Development Contexts: An Ethnographic Study in Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warkineh, Turuwark Zalalam; Rogers, Alan; Danki, Tolera Negassa

2018-01-01

Teachers/facilitators in adult literacy learning programmes are recognised as being vital to successful learning outcomes. But little is known about them as a group. This small-scale research project comprising ethnographic-style case studies of five adult literacy facilitators (ALFs) in Ethiopia seeks to throw some light on these teachers, their…

The Sand Yacht Challenge...Inspires Lots of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Robin

2018-01-01

In this article, Robin James describes the Sand Yacht Challenge. The race took place on sand between small, wind-powered land yachts made by groups of children from four local schools. The project provided a term of collaborative opportunities at the designing and testing stage, followed by a competition when the students raced them. It was…

The Dream, the Proposal, the First Two Years of the Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falk, Darrel R.

Point Loma Nazarene College in San Diego, California, provides special academic support for a small group of its provisionally admitted students through its Program Quick Start, a collaborative, cross-disciplinary project involving the fields of literature and biology. Students meet for up to 5 or 6 hours daily for 5 weeks during the summer as…

Motivations of Educators for Participating in an Authentic Astronomy Research Experience Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rebull, L. M.; Roberts, T.; Laurence, W.; Fitzgerald, M. T.; French, D. A.; Gorjian, V.; Squires, G. K.

2018-01-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Astronomy Education Research.] The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) partners small groups of educators with a research astronomer for a year-long authentic research project. This program aligns well with the characteristics of high-quality professional development (PD) programs…

What Motivates Biology Instructors to Engage and Persist in Teaching Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCourt, Jill S.; Andrews, Tessa C.; Knight, Jennifer K.; Merrill, John E.; Nehm, Ross H.; Pelletreau, Karen N.; Prevost, Luanna B.; Smith, Michelle K.; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Lemons, Paula P.

2017-01-01

We conducted a study of 19 biology instructors participating in small, local groups at six research-intensive universities connected to the Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) project (www.msu.edu/~aacr). Our aim was to uncover participants' motivation to persist in a long-term teaching professional development effort, a topic that…

The Day-to-Day Work of Primary School Teachers: A Source of Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambler, Trudy Belinda

2016-01-01

Teachers are an important influence on students' learning, and therefore the opportunity for teachers to learn and develop is something of interest to educators internationally. This article reports on a research project involving six primary school teachers who participated in one-on-one and small group interviews to explore the opportunities for…

Effective Online Lectures: Improving Practice through Design and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bese, Terry Lane

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research project was to improve the practice of using online lectures at a small private university. Using action research methodology, the researcher worked with a group of five university instructors to refine the use of online lectures through design and pedagogical practice. Beginning with a template or guide based on the…

The Use of Technology in a Model of Formative Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García López, Alfonsa; García Mazarío, Francisco

2016-01-01

This work describes a formative assessment model for a Mathematical Analysis course taken by engineering students. It includes online quizzes with feedback, a portfolio with weekly assignments, exams involving the use of mathematical software and a project to be completed in small groups of two or three students. The model has been perfected since…

The Role of Live Video Capture Production in the Development of Student Communication Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donoghue, Michael; Cochrane, Tom A.

2010-01-01

Civil and natural resources engineering students at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, take specific courses requiring small group research projects and the presentation of findings to staff and peers. Although one of the aims of these presentations is to assist in the development of the students' communication skills, staff have raised…

Finnish Upper Secondary Students' Collaborative Processes in Learning Statistics in a CSCL Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oikarinen, Juho Kaleva; Järvelä, Sanna; Kaasila, Raimo

2014-01-01

This design-based research project focuses on documenting statistical learning among 16-17-year-old Finnish upper secondary school students (N = 78) in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. One novel value of this study is in reporting the shift from teacher-led mathematical teaching to autonomous small-group learning in…

Enhancing target variance in personality impressions: highlighting the person in person perception.

PubMed

Paulhus, D L; Reynolds, S

1995-12-01

D. A. Kenny (1994) estimated the components of personality rating variance to be 15, 20, and 20% for target, rater, and relationship, respectively. To enhance trait variance and minimize rater variance, we designed a series of studies of personality perception in discussion groups (N = 79, 58, and 59). After completing a Big Five questionnaire, participants met 7 times in small groups. After Meetings 1 and 7, group members rated each other. By applying the Social Relations Model (D. A. Kenny and L. La Voie, 1984) to each Big Five dimension at each point in time, we were able to evaluate 6 rating effects as well as rating validity. Among the findings were that (a) target variance was the largest component (almost 30%), whereas rater variance was small (less than 11%); (b) rating validity improved significantly with acquaintance, although target variance did not; and (c) no reciprocity was found, but projection was significant for Agreeableness.

Visualization of Atmospheric Water Vapor Data for SAGE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kung, Mou-Liang; Chu, W. P. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The goal of this project was to develop visualization tools to study the water vapor dynamics using the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment 11 (SAGE 11) water vapor data. During the past years, we completed the development of a visualization tool called EZSAGE, and various Gridded Water Vapor plots, tools deployed on the web to provide users with new insight into the water vapor dynamics. Results and experiences from this project, including papers, tutorials and reviews were published on the main Web page. Additional publishing effort has been initiated to package EZSAGE software for CD production and distribution. There have been some major personnel changes since Fall, 1998. Dr. Mou-Liang Kung, a Professor of Computer Science assumed the PI position vacated by Dr. Waldo Rodriguez who was on leave. However, former PI, Dr. Rodriguez continued to serve as a research adviser to this project to assure smooth transition and project completion. Typically in each semester, five student research assistants were hired and trained. Weekly group meetings were held to discuss problems, progress, new research direction, and activity planning. Other small group meetings were also held regularly for different objectives of this project. All student research assistants were required to submit reports for conference submission.

Project-based faculty development for e-learning.

PubMed

Vyas, Rashmi; Faith, Minnie; Selvakumar, Dhayakani; Pulimood, Anna; Lee, Mary

2016-12-01

The Christian Medical College, Vellore, in collaboration with Tufts University, Boston, conducted an advanced workshop in e-learning for medical faculty members in India. E-learning can enhance educational reforms for today's computer-literate generation, and keep faculty members up to speed in a rapidly changing world. The purpose of this paper is to report on the design and evaluation of a project-based faculty member development programme focused on developing faculty members as educators and as peer trainers who can use e-learning for educational reforms. During a 2-day workshop, 29 participants in groups of two or three developed 13 e-learning projects for implementation in their institutions. Evaluation of the workshop was through written feedback from the participants at the end of the workshop and by telephone interview with one participant from each project group at the end of one year. Content analysis of qualitative data was perfomed. The participants reported that they were motivated to implement e-learning projects and recognised the need for and usefulness of e-learning. The majority of projects (10 out of 13) that were implemented 'to some extent' or 'to a great extent' faced challenges with a lack of resources and administrative support, but faculty members were able to overcome them. E-learning can enhance educational reforms for today's computer-literate generation IMPLICATIONS: Designing feasible e-learning projects in small groups and obtaining hands-on experience with e-learning tools enhance the effectiveness of subsequent implementation. To successfully incorporate e-learning when designing educational reforms, faculty member training, continuing support and infrastructure facilities are essential. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analysis of pastoralists' perception on challenges and opportunities for sheep and goat production in Northern Kenya.

PubMed

Abdilatif, Mohamed Haji; Onono, Joshua Orungo; Mutua, Florence Kanini

2018-05-16

Small ruminants' production contributes to livelihood of pastoral communities, but this faces myriad constraints. This study aimed at identifying challenges facing producers of small ruminants, prioritizing diseases and their control measures and documenting opportunities for improvement. Sixteen focus group discussions with livestock owners and 13 key informant interviews were done in selected areas in Mandera County, Northern Kenya, and both quantitative and qualitative data collected using a questionnaire guide. Occurrences of diseases (27.4%) and drought (25%) were consistently ranked high in all groups. Other production challenges included increased predation of livestock, inadequate delivery of veterinary services, and increased livestock mortalities. Peste des Petit ruminants was ranked high with a median rank of 21.5%, while contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and sheep and goat pox were ranked second and third, respectively. Other diseases included tick-borne diseases, helminthosis, and pneumonia. Vaccination was ranked as the most effective control strategy for infectious diseases. Other control measures included recitation of Quran and cauterization. However, several opportunities exist for support of small ruminants' production: increased budgetary allocation for disease control by government, initiation of projects that enhance livestock production in the region by government and its development partners. These findings are useful for policy makers for disease control and organizations that are working on projects that focuses on enhancement of pastoralists' resilience, while future research could also identify appropriate technologies that reduces these impacts.

The APOSTLE project: Local Group kinematic mass constraints and simulation candidate selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fattahi, Azadeh; Navarro, Julio F.; Sawala, Till; Frenk, Carlos S.; Oman, Kyle A.; Crain, Robert A.; Furlong, Michelle; Schaller, Matthieu; Schaye, Joop; Theuns, Tom; Jenkins, Adrian

2016-03-01

We use a large sample of isolated dark matter halo pairs drawn from cosmological N-body simulations to identify candidate systems whose kinematics match that of the Local Group (LG) of galaxies. We find, in agreement with the `timing argument' and earlier work, that the separation and approach velocity of the Milky Way (MW) and Andromeda (M31) galaxies favour a total mass for the pair of ˜5 × 1012 M⊙. A mass this large, however, is difficult to reconcile with the small relative tangential velocity of the pair, as well as with the small deceleration from the Hubble flow observed for the most distant LG members. Halo pairs that match these three criteria have average masses a factor of ˜2 times smaller than suggested by the timing argument, but with large dispersion. Guided by these results, we have selected 12 halo pairs with total mass in the range 1.6-3.6 × 1012 M⊙ for the APOSTLE project (A Project Of Simulating The Local Environment), a suite of hydrodynamical resimulations at various numerical resolution levels (reaching up to ˜104 M⊙ per gas particle) that use the subgrid physics developed for the EAGLE project. These simulations reproduce, by construction, the main kinematics of the MW-M31 pair, and produce satellite populations whose overall number, luminosities, and kinematics are in good agreement with observations of the MW and M31 companions. The APOSTLE candidate systems thus provide an excellent testbed to confront directly many of the predictions of the Λ cold dark matter cosmology with observations of our local Universe.

Managing Small Spacecraft Projects: Less is Not Easier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barley, Bryan; Newhouse, Marilyn

2012-01-01

Managing small, low cost missions (class C or D) is not necessarily easier than managing a full flagship mission. Yet, small missions are typically considered easier to manage and used as a training ground for developing the next generation of project managers. While limited resources can be a problem for small missions, in reality most of the issues inherent in managing small projects are not the direct result of limited resources. Instead, problems encountered by managers of small spacecraft missions often derive from 1) the perception that managing small projects is easier if something is easier it needs less rigor and formality in execution, 2) the perception that limited resources necessitate or validate omitting standard management practices, 3) less stringent or unclear guidelines or policies for small projects, and 4) stakeholder expectations that are not consistent with the size and nature of the project. For example, the size of a project is sometimes used to justify not building a full, detailed integrated master schedule. However, while a small schedule slip may not be a problem for a large mission, it can indicate a serious problem for a small mission with a short development phase, highlighting the importance of the schedule for early identification of potential issues. Likewise, stakeholders may accept a higher risk posture early in the definition of a low-cost mission, but as launch approaches this acceptance may change. This presentation discusses these common misconceptions about managing small, low cost missions, the problems that can result, and possible solutions.

More robust regional precipitation projection from selected CMIP5 models based on multiple-dimensional metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Y.; Wang, L.; Leung, L. R.; Lin, G.; Lu, J.; Gao, Y.; Zhang, Y.

2017-12-01

Projecting precipitation changes is challenging because of incomplete understanding of the climate system and biases and uncertainty in climate models. In East Asia where summer precipitation is dominantly influenced by the monsoon circulation and the global models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), however, give various projection of precipitation change for 21th century. It is critical for community to know which models' projection are more reliable in response to natural and anthropogenic forcings. In this study we defined multiple-dimensional metrics, measuring the model performance in simulating the present-day of large-scale circulation, regional precipitation and relationship between them. The large-scale circulation features examined in this study include the lower tropospheric southwesterly winds, the western North Pacific subtropical high, the South China Sea Subtropical High, and the East Asian westerly jet in the upper troposphere. Each of these circulation features transport moisture to East Asia, enhancing the moist static energy and strengthening the Meiyu moisture front that is the primary mechanism for precipitation generation in eastern China. Based on these metrics, 30 models in CMIP5 ensemble are classified into three groups. Models in the top performing group projected regional precipitation patterns that are more similar to each other than the bottom or middle performing group and consistently projected statistically significant increasing trends in two of the large-scale circulation indices and precipitation. In contrast, models in the bottom or middle performing group projected small drying or no trends in precipitation. We also find the models that only reasonably reproduce the observed precipitation climatology does not guarantee more reliable projection of future precipitation because good simulation skill could be achieved through compensating errors from multiple sources. Herein the potential for more robust projections of precipitation changes at regional scale is demonstrated through the use of discriminating metric to subsample the multi-model ensemble. The results from this study provides insights for how to select models from CMIP ensemble to project regional climate and hydrological cycle changes.

Measuring the payback of research activities: a feasible ex-post evaluation methodology in epidemiology and public health.

PubMed

Aymerich, Marta; Carrion, Carme; Gallo, Pedro; Garcia, Maria; López-Bermejo, Abel; Quesada, Miquel; Ramos, Rafel

2012-08-01

Most ex-post evaluations of research funding programs are based on bibliometric methods and, although this approach has been widely used, it only examines one facet of the project's impact, that is, scientific productivity. More comprehensive models of payback assessment of research activities are designed for large-scale projects with extensive funding. The purpose of this study was to design and implement a methodology for the ex-post evaluation of small-scale projects that would take into account both the fulfillment of projects' stated objectives as well as other wider benefits to society as payback measures. We used a two-phase ex-post approach to appraise impact for 173 small-scale projects funded in 2007 and 2008 by a Spanish network center for research in epidemiology and public health. In the internal phase we used a questionnaire to query the principal investigator (PI) on the outcomes as well as actual and potential impact of each project; in the external phase we sent a second questionnaire to external reviewers with the aim of assessing (by peer-review) the performance of each individual project. Overall, 43% of the projects were rated as having completed their objectives "totally", and 40% "considerably". The research activities funded were reported by PIs as socially beneficial their greatest impact being on research capacity (50% of payback to society) and on knowledge translation (above 11%). The method proposed showed a good discriminating ability that makes it possible to measure, reliably, the extent to which a project's objectives were met as well as the degree to which the project contributed to enhance the group's scientific performance and of its social payback. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Programs and Projects for 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2016-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR)/(STTR) technologies into NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) projects. Other Government and commercial projects managers can also find this useful.

Characterization of Simulium (Simulium) hackeri Edwards (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Malaysia: Morphological description of the pupa and larva, and DNA barcoding.

PubMed

Ya'cob, Zubaidah; Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Low, Van Lun; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2018-04-27

Simulium (Simulium) hackeri Edwards, 1928 of the Simulium variegatum species-group from Malaysia was described initially based on the female specimen from Cameron Highlands, Pahang. In the present study, the pupa and larva of this species are described for the first time. Their morphological characters resemble those of the Simulium variegatum species-group by having six gill filaments per side, abdomen with dorsal spine-combs at least on segments 7 and 8, cocoon with wall-pocket shaped and with or without an anterodorsal projection. Postgenal cleft of the larva medium-sized, rarely small, ventral papillae small or absent. The DNA barcode of this species is also reported herein. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Discrete tomography in an in vivo small animal bone study.

PubMed

Van de Casteele, Elke; Perilli, Egon; Van Aarle, Wim; Reynolds, Karen J; Sijbers, Jan

2018-01-01

This study aimed at assessing the feasibility of a discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART) to be used in in vivo small animal bone studies. The advantage of discrete tomography is the possibility to reduce the amount of X-ray projection images, which makes scans faster and implies also a significant reduction of radiation dose, without compromising the reconstruction results. Bone studies are ideal for being performed with discrete tomography, due to the relatively small number of attenuation coefficients contained in the image [namely three: background (air), soft tissue and bone]. In this paper, a validation is made by comparing trabecular bone morphometric parameters calculated from images obtained by using DART and the commonly used standard filtered back-projection (FBP). Female rats were divided into an ovariectomized (OVX) and a sham-operated group. In vivo micro-CT scanning of the tibia was done at baseline and at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery. The cross-section images were reconstructed using first the full set of projection images and afterwards reducing them in number to a quarter and one-sixth (248, 62, 42 projection images, respectively). For both reconstruction methods, similar changes in morphometric parameters were observed over time: bone loss for OVX and bone growth for sham-operated rats, although for DART the actual values were systematically higher (bone volume fraction) or lower (structure model index) compared to FBP, depending on the morphometric parameter. The DART algorithm was, however, more robust when using fewer projection images, where the standard FBP reconstruction was more prone to noise, showing a significantly bigger deviation from the morphometric parameters obtained using all projection images. This study supports the use of DART as a potential alternative method to FBP in X-ray micro-CT animal studies, in particular, when the number of projections has to be drastically minimized, which directly reduces scanning time and dose.

Elementary Particle Physics Experiment at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst

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

Brau, Benjamin; Dallapiccola, Carlo; Willocq, Stephane

2013-07-30

In this progress report we summarize the activities of the University of Massachusetts- Amherst group for the three years of this research project. We are fully engaged in research at the energy frontier with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. We have made leading contributions in software development and performance studies for the ATLAS Muon Spectrometer, as well as on physics analysis with an emphasis on Standard Model measurements and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. In addition, we have increased our contributions to the Muon Spectrometer New Small Wheel upgrade project.

Exploring the Unknown: Levinas and International Students in English Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coate, Kelly

2009-01-01

This article will start with a description of a small, pedagogic event: a snippet of conversation recorded in a classroom as part of a research project on working in groups with postgraduate students. I will use these few minutes of data to illustrate several of the arguments I wish to make about the policy of increased international student…

Vygotsky from ZPD to ZCD in Moral Education: Reshaping Western Theory and Practices in Local Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balakrishnan, Vishalache; Claiborne, Lise Bird

2012-01-01

This article explores Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in the Malaysian context to support local reform of the Moral Education (ME) classroom. Small groups of students in three different types of school were involved in a participant action research (PAR) project. Such classrooms in Malaysia bring together students from…

Small Unit Decision Making (SUDM) Assessment Battery

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-21

largest contribution towards differentiating between the performance level of the NCO and Lt groups participating in the project. Two additional...Situational Judgment Test, made the largest contribution towards differentiating between the performance level of NCOs and Lts. Additionally, two other...basic perceptual skills. For the construct of cognitive flexibility we suggest the development of a performance instrument in line with our definition

Learning Environment: An Architectural Interpretation of a New Designs Archetype High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jilk, Bruce A.; And Others

The New Designs for the Comprehensive High School project used the break-the-mold design-down process to develop a prototype high school. The basic building block of this design is the personal workstation, not the classroom. Combining the personal workstation with the desire for teaming leads to the idea of a small, flexible group space that…

Continuum of eLearning: 2012 Project Summary Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Taylor, Emilie Reitz, Kathleen Bartlett, and John Killilea DSCI MESH Solutions General Dynamics Information Technology 12601...goes on to write , “Joint Knowledge Online ( JKO) provides a Joint Indi- vidual Training Toolkit of web enabled individual and small group training...the interviews, we compiled relevant best practices from the academic literature. We call these “practical” limitations be- cause the technology and

Elaborating the Teacher's Role--Towards a Professional Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siemon, Dianne; Virgona, Jo; Lasso, Maria; Parsons, Vanessa; Cathcart, Juli

2004-01-01

As part of a larger project on effective numeracy teaching practice a number of teachers took turns to teach a small group of students in front of their peers who were located on the other side of a one-way window. Observing teachers were asked to comment on what they noticed "in-the-moment" and suggest labels or metaphors that captured the…

A Community of Practice Model for Introducing Mobile Tablets to University Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drouin, Michelle; Vartanian, Lesa Rae; Birk, Samantha

2014-01-01

We examined the effectiveness of a community of practice (CoP) model for introducing tablets to 139 faculty members at a higher education institution. Using a CoP within a systems model, we used large- and small-group mentorship to foster collaboration among faculty members. Most faculty members agreed that the project was well organized and…

A Computer-Assisted Instruction Course on Laboratory Detection of Malarial Parasites in Human Blood. Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitzel, Harold E.

In cooperation with the United States Navy, this project was undertaken to examine the feasibility of computer assisted instruction in clinical malaria recognition, to train a small group of Naval personnel in techniques of creating and presenting such material, and to evaluate the course by giving it to a representative sample of Naval medical…

"I Just Have These Ideas": Being and Becoming at a Performing Arts School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loch, Sarah

2012-01-01

This paper explores ways that a small group of young adolescents talk about their futures within the context of their schooling at a performing arts secondary school. The data gathered for this project stem from pictures participants drew when asked to "draw themselves in the future" and was enhanced by interviews in which participants spoke about…

Volunteer English as a Second Language Instructional Program for Non-English Speaking Adults. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catholic Social Services, Harrisburg, PA.

The primary goal of a multi-purpose project was to utilize both Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and Laubach Literacy Action (LLA) in training volunteers to teach English to refugees. Catholic Social Services trained 163 volunteers who were placed in adult basic education (ABE) classes, small group instruction settings, and one-to-one tutoring…

"It's Not about Me, It's about the Community:" Culturally Relevant Health Career Promotion for Indigenous Students in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Heather; Robinson, Anske; Drysdale, Marlene; Chesters, Janice; Faulkner, Susan; Ellender, Isabel; Turnbull, Leanne

2009-01-01

The numbers of Indigenous students studying in health career courses at the tertiary level is low. This paper describes a forum conducted as part of a project of national significance which examines the solutions and barriers for Indigenous student entry to medical and other health science education. Small group discussions and observations were…

Peer-Led Team Learning: A Prospective Method for Increasing Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Science Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quitadamo, Ian J.; Brahler, C. Jayne; Crouch, Gregory J.

2009-01-01

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a specific form of small group learning recognized by Project Kaleidoscope as best practice pedagogy (Varma-Nelson, 2004). PLTL was first developed by Woodward, Gosser, and Weiner (1993) as an integrated method that promoted discourse and creative problem solving in chemistry at the City College of New York. It is…

Young Travellers and the Children's Fund: Some Practical Notes on an Experimental Image-Based Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dean, Charlotte

2007-01-01

The paper reflects on how photography was used during a small piece of mixed methods qualitative research with some young Travellers and their families. The context for the study was "Every Child Matters" and the accompanying push aimed to include groups considered as marginalised, such as young Travellers, in mainstream educational provision, as…

Supported Employment for Young People with Intellectual Disabilities Facilitated through Peer Support: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaehne, Axel; Beyer, Stephen

2013-01-01

The article reports the evaluation of a small-scale-supported employment project in a local authority in England. The study examined whether or not the peer support model could be used to deliver supported employment to a group of young people with intellectual disabilities. We utilised a mixed-method approach involving activity data, family…

Biotechnology Apprenticeship for Secondary-Level Students: Teaching Advanced Cell Culture Techniques for Research

PubMed Central

Lewis, Jennifer R.; Kotur, Mark S.; Butt, Omar; Kulcarni, Sumant; Riley, Alyssa A.; Ferrell, Nick; Sullivan, Kathryn D.; Ferrari, Mauro

2002-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss small-group apprenticeships (SGAs) as a method to instruct cell culture techniques to high school participants. The study aimed to teach cell culture practices and to introduce advanced imaging techniques to solve various biomedical engineering problems. Participants designed and completed experiments using both flow cytometry and laser scanning cytometry during the 1-month summer apprenticeship. In addition to effectively and efficiently teaching cell biology laboratory techniques, this course design provided an opportunity for research training, career exploration, and mentoring. Students participated in active research projects, working with a skilled interdisciplinary team of researchers in a large research institution with access to state-of-the-art instrumentation. The instructors, composed of graduate students, laboratory managers, and principal investigators, worked well together to present a real and worthwhile research experience. The students enjoyed learning cell culture techniques while contributing to active research projects. The institution's researchers were equally enthusiastic to instruct and serve as mentors. In this article, we clarify and illuminate the value of small-group laboratory apprenticeships to the institution and the students by presenting the results and experiences of seven middle and high school participants and their instructors. PMID:12587031

Biotechnology apprenticeship for secondary-level students: teaching advanced cell culture techniques for research.

PubMed

Lewis, Jennifer R; Kotur, Mark S; Butt, Omar; Kulcarni, Sumant; Riley, Alyssa A; Ferrell, Nick; Sullivan, Kathryn D; Ferrari, Mauro

2002-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss small-group apprenticeships (SGAs) as a method to instruct cell culture techniques to high school participants. The study aimed to teach cell culture practices and to introduce advanced imaging techniques to solve various biomedical engineering problems. Participants designed and completed experiments using both flow cytometry and laser scanning cytometry during the 1-month summer apprenticeship. In addition to effectively and efficiently teaching cell biology laboratory techniques, this course design provided an opportunity for research training, career exploration, and mentoring. Students participated in active research projects, working with a skilled interdisciplinary team of researchers in a large research institution with access to state-of-the-art instrumentation. The instructors, composed of graduate students, laboratory managers, and principal investigators, worked well together to present a real and worthwhile research experience. The students enjoyed learning cell culture techniques while contributing to active research projects. The institution's researchers were equally enthusiastic to instruct and serve as mentors. In this article, we clarify and illuminate the value of small-group laboratory apprenticeships to the institution and the students by presenting the results and experiences of seven middle and high school participants and their instructors.

A better living. A small farmer development project benefits farmers and landless laborers.

PubMed

Molitor, C

1992-12-01

Nepal suffers from massive poverty. The efforts of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (AFAD) are directed to providing loans to small farmers for poverty alleviation. The 1st project between 1981 and 1987 and the 2nd project with closing loans in 1991 has assisted 88,000 rural poor in 41 districts, which is considerably more than the target of 58,000. A 3rd Loan Project funded just by ADB will benefit another 138,000 rural poor or 17% of eligible beneficiaries by 1995. Requirements for loans are income Rs2000, landless laborers, and farmers with .5 hectares of land. The credit limit is Rs30,000. An example of the improvement in standard of living of a mother and her 4 children is given; not only has her income increased form Rs2000/year to a potential Rs1800/month but her children are able to receive an education. She was 1 of 1550 participants in the subproject at Mahendra Nagar in the Dhanusa district. Another landless farmer joined an 8-person farmer group and the loan helped him establish a fishery which yields gross income of Rs7500/year. With an additional loan for expansion, he might be able to gross Rs15,000/year. The interest charge is 13% with repayment over 5 years compared with private moneylender charges of 60-100%. Support from the group organizer was needed, however, to encourage the fishery business, because the farmer's intentions were originally to buy a buffalo which other group members had done and then consumed, thus not providing for repayment of the loan. Organizers must not only direct farmers activities, but initially select suitable candidates, motivate them, and provide guidance. Organizers must have a certificate in science, social science, or agriculture. Loans can be obtained for agriculture, livestock and fish enterprises, cottage industries, and agricultural and retail trading. Group savings is encouraged through special meetings, as needed. 15% of the graduates have been women; the 3rd project included a special allocation just for women. The final example is of another woman who opened a tea stall and can now provide more than just subsistence for her 3 children.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Science Mission Directorate Projects at Glenn Research Center for 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2016-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Glenn ResearchCenter Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR)/(STTR)technologies into NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) programs/projects. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this useful.

Small and medium power reactors 1987

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1987-12-01

This TECDOC follows the publication of TECDOC-347: Small and Medium Power Reactors (SMPR) Project Initiation Study, Phase 1, published in 1985 and TECDOC-376: Small and Medium Power Reactors 1985 published in 1986. It is mainly intended for decision makers in Developing Member States interested in embarking on a nuclear power program. It consists of two parts: (1) guidelines for the introduction of small and medium power reactors in developing countries. These Guidelines were established during the Advisory Group Meeting held in Vienna from 11 to 15 May 1987. Their purpose is to review key aspects relating to the introduction of small and medium power reactors in developing countries; (2) up-dated information on SMPR Concepts Contributed by Supplier Industries. According to the recommendations of the Second Technical Committee Meeting on SMPRs held in Vienna in March 1985, this part contains the up-dated information formerly published in Annex 1 of the above mentioned TECDOC-347.

A capstone research experience for physics majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, David

2013-03-01

Dickinson College is a small liberal arts college with a thriving physics program. For years, one of the key features of our program has been a year-long senior research project that was required for each student. Unfortunately, as our number of majors increased, it became more and more difficult to supervise such a large number of senior research projects. To deal with this growing challenge, we developed a capstone research experience that involves a larger number of students working together on an independent group project. In this talk I will give a broad overview of our new senior research model and provide a few examples of projects that have been carried out over the past few years. I will also briefly describe the positive and negative aspects of this model from the perspective of faculty and students.

Redshift differences of galaxies in nearby groups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, E. R.

1975-01-01

It is reported that galaxies in nearby groups exhibit anomalous nonvelocity redshifts. In this discussion, (1) four classes of nearby groups of galacies are analyzed, and no significant nonvelocity redshift effect is found; and (2) it is pointed out that transverse velocities (i.e., velocities transverse to the line of sight of the main galaxy, or center of mass) contribute components to the redshift measurements of companion galaxies. The redshifts of galaxies in nearby groups of appreciable angular size are considerably affected by these velocity projection effects. The transverse velocity contributions average out in rich, isotropic groups, and also in large samples of irregular groups of low membership, as in the four classes referred to in (1), but can introduce apparent discrepancies in small samples (as studied by Arp) of nearby groups of low membership.

Morphology, classification, and distribution of the projection neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the rat.

PubMed

Ling, Changying; Hendrickson, Michael L; Kalil, Ronald E

2012-01-01

The morphology of confirmed projection neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the rat was examined by filling these cells retrogradely with biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) injected into the visual cortex. BDA-labeled projection neurons varied widely in the shape and size of their cell somas, with mean cross-sectional areas ranging from 60-340 µm(2). Labeled projection neurons supported 7-55 dendrites that spanned up to 300 µm in length and formed dendritic arbors with cross-sectional areas of up to 7.0 × 10(4) µm(2). Primary dendrites emerged from cell somas in three broad patterns. In some dLGN projection neurons, primary dendrites arise from the cell soma at two poles spaced approximately 180° apart. In other projection neurons, dendrites emerge principally from one side of the cell soma, while in a third group of projection neurons primary dendrites emerge from the entire perimeter of the cell soma. Based on these three distinct patterns in the distribution of primary dendrites from cell somas, we have grouped dLGN projection neurons into three classes: bipolar cells, basket cells and radial cells, respectively. The appendages seen on dendrites also can be grouped into three classes according to differences in their structure. Short "tufted" appendages arise mainly from the distal branches of dendrites; "spine-like" appendages, fine stalks with ovoid heads, typically are seen along the middle segments of dendrites; and "grape-like" appendages, short stalks that terminate in a cluster of ovoid bulbs, appear most often along the proximal segments of secondary dendrites of neurons with medium or large cell somas. While morphologically diverse dLGN projection neurons are intermingled uniformly throughout the nucleus, the caudal pole of the dLGN contains more small projection neurons of all classes than the rostral pole.

Combined Use of Automatic Tube Voltage Selection and Current Modulation with Iterative Reconstruction for CT Evaluation of Small Hypervascular Hepatocellular Carcinomas: Effect on Lesion Conspicuity and Image Quality

PubMed Central

Lv, Peijie; Liu, Jie; Zhang, Rui; Jia, Yan

2015-01-01

Objective To assess the lesion conspicuity and image quality in CT evaluation of small (≤ 3 cm) hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) using automatic tube voltage selection (ATVS) and automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) with or without iterative reconstruction. Materials and Methods One hundred and five patients with 123 HCC lesions were included. Fifty-seven patients were scanned using both ATVS and ATCM and images were reconstructed using either filtered back-projection (FBP) (group A1) or sinogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) (group A2). Forty-eight patients were imaged using only ATCM, with a fixed tube potential of 120 kVp and FBP reconstruction (group B). Quantitative parameters (image noise in Hounsfield unit and contrast-to-noise ratio of the aorta, the liver, and the hepatic tumors) and qualitative visual parameters (image noise, overall image quality, and lesion conspicuity as graded on a 5-point scale) were compared among the groups. Results Group A2 scanned with the automatically chosen 80 kVp and 100 kVp tube voltages ranked the best in lesion conspicuity and subjective and objective image quality (p values ranging from < 0.001 to 0.004) among the three groups, except for overall image quality between group A2 and group B (p = 0.022). Group A1 showed higher image noise (p = 0.005) but similar lesion conspicuity and overall image quality as compared with group B. The radiation dose in group A was 19% lower than that in group B (p = 0.022). Conclusion CT scanning with combined use of ATVS and ATCM and image reconstruction with SAFIRE algorithm provides higher lesion conspicuity and better image quality for evaluating small hepatic HCCs with radiation dose reduction. PMID:25995682

NASA's Software Bank (Signal Group)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

A COSMIC program helped the Signal Group to provide a communications system linking a desert area without communications facilities to civilization. The system was developed for a hunting party of wealthy Middle Eastern men. The latest in two-way radio technology was incorporated into a portable system with a small inflatable tethered blimp, which served as a solar-powered relay station. The program, Transverse Mercator Map Projection of the Spheroid Using Transformation of the Elliptic Integral, enabled the company to develop the system without the aid of accurate satellite derived terrain data.

76 FR 50813 - Major Capital Investment Projects; Guidance on News Starts/Small Starts Policies and Procedures

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-16

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Transit Administration Major Capital Investment Projects; Guidance on News Starts/Small Starts Policies and Procedures AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA... Administration (FTA) to publish policy guidance on the New and Small Starts capital project review and evaluation...

Involving High School Students in Computational Physics University Research: Theory Calculations of Toluene Adsorbed on Graphene

PubMed Central

Borck, Øyvind; Gunnarsson, Linda; Lydmark, Pär

2016-01-01

To increase public awareness of theoretical materials physics, a small group of high school students is invited to participate actively in a current research projects at Chalmers University of Technology. The Chalmers research group explores methods for filtrating hazardous and otherwise unwanted molecules from drinking water, for example by adsorption in active carbon filters. In this project, the students use graphene as an idealized model for active carbon, and estimate the energy of adsorption of the methylbenzene toluene on graphene with the help of the atomic-scale calculational method density functional theory. In this process the students develop an insight into applied quantum physics, a topic usually not taught at this educational level, and gain some experience with a couple of state-of-the-art calculational tools in materials research. PMID:27505418

Involving High School Students in Computational Physics University Research: Theory Calculations of Toluene Adsorbed on Graphene.

PubMed

Ericsson, Jonas; Husmark, Teodor; Mathiesen, Christoffer; Sepahvand, Benjamin; Borck, Øyvind; Gunnarsson, Linda; Lydmark, Pär; Schröder, Elsebeth

2016-01-01

To increase public awareness of theoretical materials physics, a small group of high school students is invited to participate actively in a current research projects at Chalmers University of Technology. The Chalmers research group explores methods for filtrating hazardous and otherwise unwanted molecules from drinking water, for example by adsorption in active carbon filters. In this project, the students use graphene as an idealized model for active carbon, and estimate the energy of adsorption of the methylbenzene toluene on graphene with the help of the atomic-scale calculational method density functional theory. In this process the students develop an insight into applied quantum physics, a topic usually not taught at this educational level, and gain some experience with a couple of state-of-the-art calculational tools in materials research.

Small Groups, Big Change: Preliminary Findings from the Sparks for Change Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirsch, R.; Batchelor, R. L.; Habtes, S. Y.; King, B.; Crockett, J.

2017-12-01

The geoscience professoriate continues to under represent women and minorities, yet the value of diversity, both for science as well as recruiting and retaining diverse students, is well known. While there are growing numbers of early career tenure-track minority faculty, low retention rates pose a challenge for sustained diversity in the professoriate. Part of this challenge is the lack of institutional support and recognition in tenure and promotion pathways for faculty who undertake broadening participation efforts. Sparks for Change is a NSF Geoscience Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity (GOLD)-funded project that aims to change departmental culture to better value and reward inclusion and broadening participation efforts. By encouraging, recognizing, and rewarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at the department level, we aim to support and retain underrepresented minority (URM) faculty, who often disproportionately undertake these efforts, and to build more inclusive environments for faculty, staff and students alike. Sparks for Change utilizes a small group theory of change, arguing that the effort of a small group of committed individuals inside the organization is the best way to overcome the institutional inertia of academic departments that makes them resistant to change. For this effort, we propose that the ideal composition of these small groups is a junior faculty URM who is interested in DEI in the geosciences, a senior member of that same department who can lend weight to efforts and is positioned to help enact department policy, and an external broadening participation expert who can share best practices and provide accountability for the group. Eleven of these small groups, representing a range of institutions, will be brought together at the Sparks for Change Institute in Boulder, CO, in September. There they will receive leadership training on adaptive, transformative, and solidarity practices, share DEI experiences and best practices, build a community of "change agents", and develop department-specific action plans for their own institution. In this talk we will discuss our findings from the institute and highlight some of the action plans the small groups developed for changing their department.

JPL - Small Power Systems Applications Project. [for solar thermal power plant development and commercialization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferber, R. R.; Marriott, A. T.; Truscello, V.

1978-01-01

The Small Power Systems Applications (SPSA) Project has been established to develop and commercialize small solar thermal power plants. The technologies of interest include all distributed and central receiver technologies which are potentially economically viable in power plant sizes of one to 10 MWe. The paper presents an overview of the SPSA Project and briefly discusses electric utility involvement in the Project.

What Motivates Biology Instructors to Engage and Persist in Teaching Professional Development?

PubMed Central

McCourt, Jill S.; Andrews, Tessa C.; Knight, Jennifer K.; Merrill, John E.; Nehm, Ross H.; Pelletreau, Karen N.; Prevost, Luanna B.; Smith, Michelle K.; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Lemons, Paula P.

2017-01-01

We conducted a study of 19 biology instructors participating in small, local groups at six research-intensive universities connected to the Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) project (www.msu.edu/∼aacr). Our aim was to uncover participants’ motivation to persist in a long-term teaching professional development effort, a topic that is understudied in discipline-based educational research. We interviewed each participant twice over a 2-year period and conducted qualitative analyses on the data, using expectancy-value theory as a framework for considering motivation. Our analyses revealed that motivation among instructors was high due to their enjoyment of the AACR groups. The high level of motivation is further explained by the fact that AACR groups facilitated instructor involvement with the larger AACR project. We also found that group dynamics encouraged persistence; instructors thought they might never talk with colleagues about teaching in the absence of AACR groups; and groups were perceived to have a low-enough time requirement to warrant sustained involvement. We conclude that instructors have persisted in AACR groups because the groups provided great value with limited cost. The characterization of instructor experiences described here can contribute to a better understanding of faculty needs in teaching professional development. PMID:28821539

Renewable energy projects in the Dominican Republic

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

Viani, B.

1997-12-01

This paper describes a US/Dominican Republic program to develop renewable energy projects in the country. The objective is to demonstrate the commercial viability of renewable energy generation projects, primarily small-scale wind and hydropower. Preliminary studies are completed for three micro-hydro projects with a total capacity of 262 kWe, and two small wind power projects for water pumping. In addition wind resource assessment is ongoing, and professional training and technical assistance to potential investors is ongoing. Projects goals include not less than ten small firms actively involved in installation of such systems by September 1998.

Telling It like It Is: Developing Social Stories[TM] for Children in Mainstream Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehead, Jo

2007-01-01

In this article, the author reports on a practical strategy originally developed for use with pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). Based on a small-scale research project, the article focuses on the use of Social Stories to promote pro-social behaviour with a group of non-ASC pupils. The topic was chosen for systematic enquiry by the…

What the Discourse Tells Us: Talk and Indicators of High-Level Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soter, Anna O.; Wilkinson, Ian A.; Murphy, P. Karen; Rudge, Lucila; Reninger, Kristin; Edwards, Margaret

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to validate and extend the findings of an exhaustive literature search in Year 1 and a meta-analysis in Year 2 of a 3-year project in which nine (9) small-group discussion approaches were identified. Having identified parameters of discussion that were, to a greater or lesser extent, present in these nine discussion…

Educational Policy and Children's Experience: Running Records in the Lower Primary Singaporean English Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Sally Ann

2011-01-01

In this article, I report on a small project involving the use of guided reading groups, levelled texts and running records in a multilingual primary school in Singapore. I focus on running records and ask whether their use is suitable pedagogically and practically for the Singaporean context. The analysis of 22 records of primary one and primary…

Tailoring Systems Engineering Projects for Small Satellite Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horan, Stephen; Belvin, Keith

2013-01-01

NASA maintains excellence in its spaceflight systems by utilizing rigorous engineering processes based on over 50 years of experience. The NASA systems engineering process for flight projects described in NPR 7120.5E was initially developed for major flight projects. The design and development of low-cost small satellite systems does not entail the financial and risk consequences traditionally associated with spaceflight projects. Consequently, an approach is offered to tailoring of the processes such that the small satellite missions will benefit from the engineering rigor without overly burdensome overhead. In this paper we will outline the approaches to tailoring the standard processes for these small missions and describe how it will be applied in a proposed small satellite mission.

18 CFR 4.101 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.101 Applicability... the Federal Power Act (Act), including licensing, for small hydroelectric power projects as defined in...

18 CFR 4.101 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.101 Applicability... the Federal Power Act (Act), including licensing, for small hydroelectric power projects as defined in...

18 CFR 4.101 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.101 Applicability... the Federal Power Act (Act), including licensing, for small hydroelectric power projects as defined in...

18 CFR 4.101 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.101 Applicability... the Federal Power Act (Act), including licensing, for small hydroelectric power projects as defined in...

18 CFR 4.101 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.101 Applicability... the Federal Power Act (Act), including licensing, for small hydroelectric power projects as defined in...

Found in Translation: Exporting Patient-Centered Communication and Small Group Teaching Skills to China

PubMed Central

Blatt, Benjamin; Kallenberg, Gene; Lang, Forrest; Mahoney, Patrick; Patterson, JoEllen; Dugan, Beverly; Sun, Shaobang

2009-01-01

The Chinese Medical Doctor's Association asked us to develop a train-the-trainers program in doctor-patient communication and in teaching skills for a select group of Chinese health care professionals, who would then serve as trainers for practicing physicians throughout China. The request came in the context of increasing doctor-patient friction related, in part, to the dissolution of the socialist health care safety net in China. In this article we recount the implementation of our 5-day training program in Beijing. We explore cross-cultural issues that arose in presenting the program's two principal training domains: small group teaching and patient-centered doctor-patient communication. We also explore the linguistic challenges we encountered as non-Chinese speaking teachers. Finally, we reflect on the lessons learned from this project that may be of value to others called upon to export Western doctor-patient communications training to other cultures. In this age of increasing globalization, cross-cultural sharing of medical education represents a growing trend. PMID:20165520

Advertising Citizen Science: A Trailer for the Citizen Sky Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyatt, Ryan; Price, A.

2012-01-01

Citizen Sky is a multi-year, NSF funded citizen science project involving the bright and mysterious variable star epsilon Aurigae. The project was conceived by the IYA 2009 working group on Research Experiences for Students, Teachers, and Citizen-Scientists. Citizen Sky goes beyond simple observing to include a major data analysis component, introducing participants to the full scientific process from background research to paper writing for a peer-reviewed journal. As a means of generating interest in the project, the California Academy of Sciences produced a six-minute "trailer” formatted for both traditional and fulldome planetariums as well as HD and web applications. This talk will review the production process for the trailer as well as the methods of distribution via planetariums, social media, and other venues_along with an update on the Citizen Sky Project as a whole. We will show how to use a small, professionally-produced planetarium trailer to help spread word on a citizen science project. We will also show preliminary results on a study about how participation level/type in the project affects science learning.

International Arctic Seas Assessment Project.

PubMed

Sjöblom, K L; Salo, A; Bewers, J M; Cooper, J; Dyer, R S; Lynn, N M; Mount, M E; Povinec, P P; Sazykina, T G; Schwarz, J; Scott, E M; Sivintsev, Y V; Tanner, J E; Warden, J M; Woodhead, D

1999-09-30

The International Atomic Energy Agency responded to the news that the former Soviet Union had dumped radioactive wastes in the shallow waters of the Arctic Seas, by launching the International Arctic Seas Assessment Project in 1993. The project had two objectives: to assess the risks to human health and to the environment associated with the radioactive wastes dumped in the Kara and Barents Seas; and to examine possible remedial actions related to the dumped wastes and to advise on whether they are necessary and justified. The current radiological situation in the Arctic waters was examined to assess whether there is any evidence for releases from the dumped waste. Potential future releases from the dumped wastes were predicted, concentrating on the high-level waste objects containing the major part of the radionuclide inventory of the wastes. Environmental transport of released radionuclides was modelled and the associated radiological impact on humans and the biota was assessed. The feasibility, costs and benefits of possible remedial measures applied to a selected high-level waste object were examined. Releases from identified dumped objects were found to be small and localised to the immediate vicinity of the dumping sites. Projected future annual doses to members of the public in typical local population groups were very small, less than 1 microSv--corresponding to a trivial risk. Projected future doses to a hypothetical group of military personnel patrolling the foreshore of the fjords in which wastes have been dumped were higher, up to 4 mSv/year, which still is of the same order as the average annual natural background dose. Moreover, since any of the proposed remedial actions were estimated to cost several million US$ to implement, remediation was not considered justified on the basis of potentially removing a collective dose of 10 man Sv. Doses calculated to marine fauna were insignificant, orders of magnitude below those at which detrimental effects on fauna populations might be expected to occur. Remediation was thus concluded not to be warranted on radiological grounds.

The Milky Way Project: A Census of Small Bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arvidsson, Kim; Wolf-Chase, G. A.; Way Project, Milky

2013-01-01

The first data release (DR1) from the Milky Way Project (MWP) contains 1362 visually identified small bubbles drawn by users. These small infrared bubbles typically have diameters <0.5' and can be found throughout the Galactic plane. This project seeks to determine what classes of objects make up the small bubble catalog by comparing their positions to a wide variety of existing data sets. The most successful match was with the MSX6C point source catalog; >90% of all small bubbles are MSX point sources.

Children linking science and technology in the primary classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jane, Beverley L.

1995-06-01

This research project exemplifies how technology can facilitate scientific investigations. It also highlights how enthusiastic children can be when they are encouraged to pose their own questions and take responsibility for finding the answers. Year 5 children, working in groups, were involved in designing, making and appraising catchers and enclosures used to investigate small animals found within their school's grounds. A videotape of this project was made and should be a valuable resource for the professional development of both trainee and practising teachers. Included in the tape are children's spontaneous comments, their concern for animal welfare, and reflection on the various aspects of their investigations.

Status Update Report for the Peregrine 100km Sounding Rocket Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyer, Jonny; Zilliac, Greg; Doran, Eric; Marzona, Mark Thadeus; Lohner, Kevin; Karlik, Evan; Cantwell, Brian; Karabeyoglu, Arif

2008-01-01

The Peregrine Sounding Rocket Program is a joint basic research program of NASA Ames Research Center, NASA Wallops, Stanford University and the Space Propulsion Group, Inc. (SPG). The goal is to determine the applicability of liquifying hybrid technology to a small launch system. The approach is to design, build, test and y a stable, efficient liquefying fuel hybrid rocket vehicle to an altitude of 100 km. The program was kicked o in October of 2006 and has seen considerable progress in the subsequent 18 months. Two virtually identical vehicles will be constructed and own out of the NASA Sounding Rocket Facility at Wallops Island. This paper presents the current status of the project as of June 2008. For background on the project, the reader is referred to last year's paper.

The Union RAP: Industry-Wide Research-Action Projects to Win Health and Safety Improvements

PubMed Central

McQuiston, Thomas H.; Lippin, Tobi Mae; Anderson, Leeann G.; Beach, M. Josie; Frederick, James; Seymour, Thomas A.

2009-01-01

Unions are ripe to engage in community-based participatory research (CBPR). We briefly profile 3 United Steelworker CBPR projects aimed at uncovering often-undocumented, industry-wide health and safety conditions in which US industrial workers toil. The results are to be used to advocate improvements at workplace, industry, and national policy levels. We offer details of our CBPR approach (Research-Action Project [RAP]) that engages workers and others in all research stages. Elements of RAPs include strategically constructed teams with knowledge of the industry and health and safety and with skills in research, participatory facilitation, and training; reciprocal training on these knowledge and skill areas; iterative processes of large and small group work; use of technology; and facilitator-developed tools and intermediate products. PMID:19890145

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Livestock Projects. Guidelines for Planning Series Number 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Linda

This document was developed in response to the need for simplified technical information for planning environmentally sound small-scale projects in third world countries. It is aimed specifically at those who are planning or managing small-scale livestock projects in less-developed areas of the tropics and sub-tropics. The guidelines included in…

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Projects for 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2017-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) technologies into NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) projects. Other Government and commercial projects managers can also find this useful. Space Transportation; Life Support and Habitation Systems; Extra-Vehicular Activity; High EfficiencySpace Power; Human Exploration and Operations Mission,

Majority Group Members' Negative Reactions to Future Demographic Shifts Depend on the Perceived Legitimacy of Their Status: Findings from the United States and Portugal.

PubMed

Outten, H Robert; Lee, Timothy; Costa-Lopes, Rui; Schmitt, Michael T; Vala, Jorge

2018-01-01

Using concepts from social identity theory (Tajfel and Turner, 1979), we examined whether racial/ethnic majority group members' reactions to future demographic shifts is a function of the degree to which they perceive their ingroup's higher-status in society to be legitimate. In two studies, participants who varied in the degree to which they perceived their group's status to be legitimate were either exposed to real projections for 2060 (i.e., large decline in proportion of population that is the "majority" group), or fake projections for 2060-that resembled current figures (i.e., small decline). In Study 1, White Americans who perceived their status to be highly legitimate expressed greater intergroup threat, and negative feelings (anger and fear) toward minorities after exposure to projections with a large decline in the relative size of the White American population. In contrast, demographic shift condition had no effect on intergroup threat and negative feelings toward minorities among White Americans who perceived their status to be relatively illegitimate; negative feelings and threat remained low across both conditions. Similarly, in Study 2, ethnic Portuguese people in Portugal exposed to projections in which there was a large decline in the relative size of the ethnic Portuguese population experienced more intergroup threat and expressed a greater desire to engage in anti-immigration behaviors. The effect of demographic shift condition on intergroup threat and anti-immigration behaviors was stronger among ethnic Portuguese who perceived their status to be legitimate compared to ethnic Portuguese people who perceived their status to be relatively illegitimate. These results highlight that across different cultural contexts, majority group members' beliefs about the legitimacy of intergroup relations can affect their reactions to the prospect of increased diversity.

Opportunities for Small Geothermal Projects: Rural Power for Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Philippines

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

Vimmerstedt, L.

1998-11-30

The objective of this report is to provide information on small geothermal project (less than 5 MW) opportunities in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Philippines. This overview of issues facing small geothermal projects is intended especially for those who are not already familiar with small geothermal opportunities. This is a summary of issues and opportunities and serves as a starting point in determining next steps to develop this market.

Group protocol to mitigate disaster stress and enhance social support in adolescents exposed to Hurricane Hugo.

PubMed

Stewart, J B; Hardin, S B; Weinrich, S; McGeorge, S; Lopez, J; Pesut, D

1992-01-01

Literature reports that cognitive understanding and social support can mitigate stress in both adults and adolescents. As a subcomponent of the Carolina Adolescent Health Project (CAHP), this research evaluated the efficacy of a Cognitive Social Support (CSS) group protocol designed to mitigate the disaster stress of adolescents who had been exposed seriously to Hurricane Hugo. A purposive sample of 259 students participated in and evaluated the CSS. This article reports the specific structure, content, process, rationale, and cost of the CSS. Evaluations indicated that 82% of the students evaluated the small-group component of the CSS as "very good" or "excellent," while 70% rated the large-group component as "very good" or "excellent."

Observations on the biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 7. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: grass and bamboo feeders.

PubMed

Cock, Matthew J W; Congdon, T Colin E

2014-10-10

Partial life histories for 17 Hesperiinae incertae sedis that feed on grasses or bamboos (Poaceae) are described and illustrated. The genera dealt with are: Astictopterus (from Evans' (1937) Astictopterus group), Prosopalpus, Kedestes (from Evans' (1937) Ampittia group), Ceratrichia, Pardaleodes, Ankola (From Evans' (1937) Ceratrichia and Acleros groups), Perrotia (part), Chondrolepis, and Monza (part) (all from Evans' Ploetzia genera group). The Poaceae-feeders comprise a relatively small proportion of the Afrotropical Hesperiinae fauna, particularly the mainland Afrotropical fauna. The caterpillars shown here are fairly homogeneous, with the head wider nearer the base, and lacking obvious setae on the body. Wax glands have been noted over most of the ventral surface A1-A8 in the final instar of Ceratrichia, Pardaleodes and Monza, but are absent in Chondrolepis, and either absent or not documented for other genera. The short double frontal projection of Tsitana uitenhaga is unusual, but pupae of the congeneric species have not been documented. The pupae of Kedestes spp. generally have extensive black or dark areas. The pupae of Pardaleodes and Ankola are very flimsy and collapse after emergence. All known pupae of Chondrolepis spp. have a short, blunt downturned frontal projection, not seen for any other Afrotropical genera, although Semalea spp. may have a short blunt projection. The remaining pupae are all generally similar and undistinguished. These are not substantial differences, but suggest that pupal characters may be useful in grouping some of the genera of Afrotropical Hesperiinae incertae sedis.

Chow groups of intersections of quadrics via homological projective duality and (Jacobians of) non-commutative motives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernardara, M.; Tabuada, G.

2016-06-01

Conjectures of Beilinson-Bloch type predict that the low-degree rational Chow groups of intersections of quadrics are one-dimensional. This conjecture was proved by Otwinowska in [20]. By making use of homological projective duality and the recent theory of (Jacobians of) non-commutative motives, we give an alternative proof of this conjecture in the case of a complete intersection of either two quadrics or three odd-dimensional quadrics. Moreover, we prove that in these cases the unique non-trivial algebraic Jacobian is the middle one. As an application, we make use of Vial's work [26], [27] to describe the rational Chow motives of these complete intersections and show that smooth fibrations into such complete intersections over bases S of small dimension satisfy Murre's conjecture (when \\dim (S)≤ 1), Grothendieck's standard conjecture of Lefschetz type (when \\dim (S)≤ 2), and Hodge's conjecture (when \\dim(S)≤ 3).

Microgravity Combustion Diagnostics Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santoro, Gilbert J. (Editor); Greenberg, Paul S. (Editor); Piltch, Nancy D. (Editor)

1988-01-01

Through the Microgravity Science and Applications Division (MSAD) of the Office of Space Science and Applications (OSSA) at NASA Headquarters, a program entitled, Advanced Technology Development (ATD) was promulgated with the objective of providing advanced technologies that will enable the development of future microgravity science and applications experimental flight hardware. Among the ATD projects one, Microgravity Combustion Diagnostics (MCD), has the objective of developing advanced diagnostic techniques and technologies to provide nonperturbing measurements of combustion characteristics and parameters that will enhance the scientific integrity and quality of microgravity combustion experiments. As part of the approach to this project, a workshop was held on July 28 and 29, 1987, at the NASA Lewis Research Center. A small group of laser combustion diagnosticians met with a group of microgravity combustion experimenters to discuss the science requirements, the state-of-the-art of laser diagnostic technology, and plan the direction for near-, intermediate-, and long-term programs. This publication describes the proceedings of that workshop.

7 CFR 3403.7 - Proposal format for phase I applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... economically disadvantaged small business concerns, or women-owned small business concerns. (2) Project Summary/Abstract. The technical abstract should include a brief description of the problem or opportunity, project... important aspects of the project. The project summary of successful proposals may be published by USDA and...

7 CFR 3403.7 - Proposal format for phase I applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... economically disadvantaged small business concerns, or women-owned small business concerns. (2) Project Summary/Abstract. The technical abstract should include a brief description of the problem or opportunity, project... important aspects of the project. The project summary of successful proposals may be published by USDA and...

7 CFR 3403.7 - Proposal format for phase I applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... economically disadvantaged small business concerns, or women-owned small business concerns. (2) Project Summary/Abstract. The technical abstract should include a brief description of the problem or opportunity, project... important aspects of the project. The project summary of successful proposals may be published by USDA and...

7 CFR 3403.7 - Proposal format for phase I applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... economically disadvantaged small business concerns, or women-owned small business concerns. (2) Project Summary/Abstract. The technical abstract should include a brief description of the problem or opportunity, project... important aspects of the project. The project summary of successful proposals may be published by USDA and...

Update on Healthy Aging: Reading Material on Health Topics for the New Reader and Tutor. Literacy Education for the Elderly Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Bella; Ventura-Merkel, Catherine

Fifteen lessons contain low-vocabulary, high interest reading materials on health issues to enhance the learning of the new older reader. Each lesson is preceded by tutor guidelines with specific goals and objectives and review exercises. The materials are useful in either one-to-one or small-group tutoring. Reading selections in the lessons,…

Evaluation of Manual Spelling, Observational and Incidental Learning Using Computer-Based Instruction with a Tablet PC, Large Screen Projection, and a Forward Chaining Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purrazzella, Kimberly; Mechling, Linda C.

2013-01-01

The study employed a multiple probe design to investigate the effects of computer-based instruction (CBI) and a forward chaining procedure to teach manual spelling of words to three young adults with moderate intellectual disability in a small group arrangement. The computer-based program included a tablet PC whereby students wrote words directly…

An Impact Evaluation of Two Versions of a Brief Intervention Targeting Alcohol Use and Physical Activity among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathews, Anna E.; Werch, Chudley (CHAD); Michniewicz, Mara; Bian, Hui

2007-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the immediate impact of two new versions of the Project SPORT program, a brief one-on-one tailored consult addressing alcohol use and physical activity for adolescents. One new version was a brief interactive CD-ROM (Study one) and a second was a brief small group consultation (Study two). In study one,…

Disaffected Boys and the Achievement Gap: "The Wallpaper Effect" and What Is Hidden by a Focus on School Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuttall, Amanda; Doherty, Jonathan

2014-01-01

This article reports on a teacher inquiry project in a primary school that serves disadvantaged communities on the outskirts of a de-industrialised city in the north of England. Of particular concern is a small group of white British boys in receipt of free school meals, who are identified by the school as disaffected and as a consequence…

76 FR 37200 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-24

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project Committee AGENCY... Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project... Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self...

76 FR 10942 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-28

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project Committee AGENCY... Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project... Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self...

76 FR 46897 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-03

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project Committee AGENCY... Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project... Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small...

76 FR 6189 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-03

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project Committee AGENCY... Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project... Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self...

76 FR 22170 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-20

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project Committee AGENCY... Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project... Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self...

76 FR 56879 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-14

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project Committee AGENCY... Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project... Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small...

76 FR 63715 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-13

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project Committee AGENCY... Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Practitioner Engagement Project... Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small...

Thermal power systems small power systems application project: Siting issues for solar thermal power plants with small community applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holbeck, H. J.; Ireland, S. J.

1979-01-01

The siting issues associated with small, dispersed solar thermal power plants for utility/small community applications of less than 10 MWe are reported. Some specific requirements are refered to the first engineering experiment for the Small Power Systems Applications (SPSA) Project. The background for the subsequent issue discussions is provided. The SPSA Project and the requirements for the first engineering experiment are described, and the objectives and scope for the report as a whole. A overview of solar thermal technologies and some technology options are discussed.

18 CFR 4.105 - Action on exemption applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.105... exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from provisions of Part I of the Act other than the...

18 CFR 4.105 - Action on exemption applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.105... exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from provisions of Part I of the Act other than the...

18 CFR 4.105 - Action on exemption applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.105... exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from provisions of Part I of the Act other than the...

The social essentials of learning: an experimental investigation of collaborative problem solving and knowledge construction in mathematics classrooms in Australia and China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Man Ching Esther; Clarke, David; Cao, Yiming

2018-03-01

Interactive problem solving and learning are priorities in contemporary education, but these complex processes have proved difficult to research. This project addresses the question "How do we optimise social interaction for the promotion of learning in a mathematics classroom?" Employing the logic of multi-theoretic research design, this project uses the newly built Science of Learning Research Classroom (ARC-SR120300015) at The University of Melbourne and equivalent facilities in China to investigate classroom learning and social interactions, focusing on collaborative small group problem solving as a way to make the social aspects of learning visible. In Australia and China, intact classes of local year 7 students with their usual teacher will be brought into the research classroom facilities with built-in video cameras and audio recording equipment to participate in purposefully designed activities in mathematics. The students will undertake a sequence of tasks in the social units of individual, pair, small group (typically four students) and whole class. The conditions for student collaborative problem solving and learning will be manipulated so that student and teacher contributions to that learning process can be distinguished. Parallel and comparative analyses will identify culture-specific interactive patterns and provide the basis for hypotheses about the learning characteristics underlying collaborative problem solving performance documented in the research classrooms in each country. The ultimate goals of the project are to generate, develop and test more sophisticated hypotheses for the optimisation of social interaction in the mathematics classroom in the interest of improving learning and, particularly, student collaborative problem solving.

Workplace ESL Literacy in Diverse Small Business Contexts: Final Evaluation Report on Project EXCEL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemphill, David F.

Project EXCEL, a workplace literacy project involving four small business enterprises in San Francisco, is evaluated. The project focused on literacy and basic skills training for limited-English-proficient (LEP) workers. The businesses included the following: a communications and mass mailing firm; a dessert wholesale company; a Mexican…

18 CFR 4.103 - General provisions for case-specific exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.103 General provisions for case-specific exemption. (a) Exemptible projects. Subject to... exempt on a case-specific basis any small hydroelectric power project from all or part of Part I of the...

18 CFR 4.103 - General provisions for case-specific exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.103 General provisions for case-specific exemption. (a) Exemptible projects. Subject to... exempt on a case-specific basis any small hydroelectric power project from all or part of Part I of the...

18 CFR 4.103 - General provisions for case-specific exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.103 General provisions for case-specific exemption. (a) Exemptible projects. Subject to... exempt on a case-specific basis any small hydroelectric power project from all or part of Part I of the...

18 CFR 4.103 - General provisions for case-specific exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.103 General provisions for case-specific exemption. (a) Exemptible projects. Subject to... exempt on a case-specific basis any small hydroelectric power project from all or part of Part I of the...

18 CFR 4.103 - General provisions for case-specific exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.103 General provisions for case-specific exemption. (a) Exemptible projects. Subject to... exempt on a case-specific basis any small hydroelectric power project from all or part of Part I of the...

Small Business Learning through Mentoring: Evaluating a Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Rowena

2006-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a small business-mentoring project, which was delivered in regional Australia. Design/methodology/approach: This paper contains a case study of the mentoring project and focuses on the process and the outcomes of that project from different perspectives. Data collected in semi structured telephone…

Express Payload Project - A new method for rapid access to Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uhran, Mark L.; Timm, Marc G.

1993-01-01

The deployment and permanent operation of Space Station Freedom will enable researchers to enter a new era in the 21st century, in which continuous on-orbit experimentation and observation become routine. In support of this objective, the Space Station Freedom Program Office has initiated the Express Payload Project. The fundamental project goal is to reduce the marginal cost associated with small payload development, integration, and operation. This is to be accomplished by developing small payload accommodations hardware and a new streamlined small payload integration process. Standardization of small payload interfaces, certification of small payload containers, and increased payload developer responsibility for mission success are key aspects of the Express Payload Project. As the project progresses, the principles will be applied to both pressurized payloads flown inside the station laboratories and unpressurized payloads attached to the station external structures. The increased access to space afforded by Space Station Freedom and the Express Payload Project has the potential to significantly expand the scope, magnitude, and success of future research in the microgravity environment.

High School Students' Reasons for Their Science Dispositions: Community-Based Innovative Technology-Embedded Environmental Research Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebenezer, Jazlin; Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Kasab, Dimma

2018-05-01

The purpose of this investigation was to qualitatively describe high school students' reasons for their science dispositions (attitude, perception, and self-confidence) based on their long-term experience with innovative technology-embedded environmental research projects. Students in small groups conducted research projects in and out of school with the help of their teachers and community experts (scientists and engineers). During the 3-year period of this nationally funded project, a total of 135 students from five schools in a mid-west State participated in research activities. Of the 135 students, 53 students were individually interviewed to explore reasons for their science dispositions. Students' reasons for each disposition were grouped into categories, and corresponding frequency was converted to a percentage. The categories of reasons were not only attributed to the use of innovative technologies in environmental research but also the contexts and events that surrounded it. The reasons that influenced students' science dispositions positively were because engaging in environmental research projects with technology contributed to easing fear and difficulty, building a research team, disseminating findings, communicating with the community, researching with scientists, training by teachers, and acknowledging teachers' knowledge. These results advanced how and why students develop science dispositions in the positive direction, which are as follows: building science teacher capacity, developing a community of inquirers, and committing to improve pedagogical practices.

NASA Sounding Rocket Program educational outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberspeaker, P. J.

2005-08-01

Educational and public outreach is a major focus area for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The NASA Sounding Rocket Program (NSRP) shares in the belief that NASA plays a unique and vital role in inspiring future generations to pursue careers in science, mathematics, and technology. To fulfill this vision, the NASA Sounding Rocket Program engages in a host of student flight projects providing unique and exciting hands-on student space flight experiences. These projects include single stage Orion missions carrying "active" high school experiments and "passive" Explorer School modules, university level Orion and Terrier-Orion flights, and small hybrid rocket flights as part of the Small-scale Educational Rocketry Initiative (SERI) currently under development. Efforts also include educational programs conducted as part of major campaigns. The student flight projects are designed to reach students ranging from Kindergarteners to university undergraduates. The programs are also designed to accommodate student teams with varying levels of technical capabilities - from teams that can fabricate their own payloads to groups that are barely capable of drilling and tapping their own holes. The program also conducts a hands-on student flight project for blind students in collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind. The NASA Sounding Rocket Program is proud of its role in inspiring the "next generation of explorers" and is working to expand its reach to all regions of the United States and the international community as well.

49 CFR 611.301 - Small Starts eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... extension to a fixed guideway, or a corridor-based bus rapid transit system, a project must: (1) Be a Small... extension to a fixed guideway, or a corridor-based bus rapid system, a project must: (1) Be a Small Starts...

49 CFR 611.301 - Small Starts eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... extension to a fixed guideway, or a corridor-based bus rapid transit system, a project must: (1) Be a Small... extension to a fixed guideway, or a corridor-based bus rapid system, a project must: (1) Be a Small Starts...

76 FR 46897 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-03

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue... Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee will be conducted....C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed...

76 FR 37893 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue... Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee will be conducted....C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed...

76 FR 17996 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-31

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue... Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee will be conducted. The... Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self...

76 FR 6190 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-03

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue... Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee will be conducted....C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed...

76 FR 10942 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-28

... Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue... Panel Small Business/ Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll Free Project Committee will be conducted....C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed...

Lessons learned from IDeAl - 33 recommendations from the IDeAl-net about design and analysis of small population clinical trials.

PubMed

Hilgers, Ralf-Dieter; Bogdan, Malgorzata; Burman, Carl-Fredrik; Dette, Holger; Karlsson, Mats; König, Franz; Male, Christoph; Mentré, France; Molenberghs, Geert; Senn, Stephen

2018-05-11

IDeAl (Integrated designs and analysis of small population clinical trials) is an EU funded project developing new statistical design and analysis methodologies for clinical trials in small population groups. Here we provide an overview of IDeAl findings and give recommendations to applied researchers. The description of the findings is broken down by the nine scientific IDeAl work packages and summarizes results from the project's more than 60 publications to date in peer reviewed journals. In addition, we applied text mining to evaluate the publications and the IDeAl work packages' output in relation to the design and analysis terms derived from in the IRDiRC task force report on small population clinical trials. The results are summarized, describing the developments from an applied viewpoint. The main result presented here are 33 practical recommendations drawn from the work, giving researchers a comprehensive guidance to the improved methodology. In particular, the findings will help design and analyse efficient clinical trials in rare diseases with limited number of patients available. We developed a network representation relating the hot topics developed by the IRDiRC task force on small population clinical trials to IDeAl's work as well as relating important methodologies by IDeAl's definition necessary to consider in design and analysis of small-population clinical trials. These network representation establish a new perspective on design and analysis of small-population clinical trials. IDeAl has provided a huge number of options to refine the statistical methodology for small-population clinical trials from various perspectives. A total of 33 recommendations developed and related to the work packages help the researcher to design small population clinical trial. The route to improvements is displayed in IDeAl-network representing important statistical methodological skills necessary to design and analysis of small-population clinical trials. The methods are ready for use.

Single Electron Tunneling

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

Ruggiero, Steven T.

Financial support for this project has led to advances in the science of single-electron phenomena. Our group reported the first observation of the so-called ''Coulomb Staircase'', which was produced by tunneling into ultra-small metal particles. This work showed well-defined tunneling voltage steps of width e/C and height e/RC, demonstrating tunneling quantized on the single-electron level. This work was published in a now well-cited Physical Review Letter. Single-electron physics is now a major sub-field of condensed-matter physics, and fundamental work in the area continues to be conducted by tunneling in ultra-small metal particles. In addition, there are now single-electron transistors thatmore » add a controlling gate to modulate the charge on ultra-small photolithographically defined capacitive elements. Single-electron transistors are now at the heart of at least one experimental quantum-computer element, and single-electron transistor pumps may soon be used to define fundamental quantities such as the farad (capacitance) and the ampere (current). Novel computer technology based on single-electron quantum dots is also being developed. In related work, our group played the leading role in the explanation of experimental results observed during the initial phases of tunneling experiments with the high-temperature superconductors. When so-called ''multiple-gap'' tunneling was reported, the phenomenon was correctly identified by our group as single-electron tunneling in small grains in the material. The main focus throughout this project has been to explore single electron phenomena both in traditional tunneling formats of the type metal/insulator/particles/insulator/metal and using scanning tunneling microscopy to probe few-particle systems. This has been done under varying conditions of temperature, applied magnetic field, and with different materials systems. These have included metals, semi-metals, and superconductors. Amongst a number of results, we have verified that clusters of down to one, two, and three metal atoms can be identified with single-electron techniques. We have also, extended the regime of single-electron phenomenology through the observation of single-electron effects in metal droplets in the high-conductance regime.« less

Teaching Sustainable Water Resources and Low Impact Development: A Project Centered Course for First-Year Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cianfrani, C. M.

2009-12-01

Teaching Sustainable Water Resources and Low Impact Development: A Project Centered Course for First-Year Undergraduates Christina M. Cianfrani Assistant Professor, School of Natural Science, Hampshire College, 893 West Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002 Sustainable water resources and low impact development principles are taught to first-year undergraduate students using an applied design project sited on campus. All students at Hampshire College are required to take at least one natural science course during their first year as part of their liberal arts education. This requirement is often met with resistance from non-science students. However, ‘sustainability’ has shown to be a popular topic on campus and ‘Sustainable Water Resources’ typically attracts ~25 students (a large class size for Hampshire College). Five second- or third-year students are accepted in the class as advanced students and serve as project leaders. The first-year students often enter the class with only basic high school science background. The class begins with an introduction to global water resources issues to provide a broad perspective. The students then analyze water budgets, both on a watershed basis and a personal daily-use basis. The students form groups of 4 to complete their semester project. Lectures on low impact design principles are combined with group work sessions for the second half of the semester. Students tour the physical site located across the street from campus and begin their project with a site analysis including soils, landcover and topography. They then develop a building plan and identify preventative and mitigative measures for dealing with stormwater. Each group completes TR-55 stormwater calculations for their design (pre- and post-development) to show the state regulations for quantity will be met with their design. Finally, they present their projects to the class and prepare a formal written report. The students have produced a wide variety of creative, mostly practical designs. Student feedback about the course has included high praise for the applied nature of the project as well as the use of advanced students to lead the groups and help provide guidance throughout the project. Example of low impact development using clustered housing, rain gardens (small dots), green roofs (circles on house sites), vegetated swales along roadways, infiltration area, and a reforested buffer (along right edge).

Structural Reform: The Experience of Ten Schools Driving the Development of an All-Age Hard Federation across a Market Town in Northern England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howland, Gill

2015-01-01

This article provides a narrative which illustrates the experiences of one group of UK schools as they have attempted to introduce innovation in order to achieve their collective vision of improving educational opportunity for all pupils in their care. It considers the findings of a small-scale research project which follows, over a 3-year period,…

Small Class Size and Its Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biddle, Bruce J.; Berliner, David C.

2002-01-01

Describes several prominent early grades small-class-size projects and their effects on student achievement: Indiana's Project Prime Time, Tennessee's Project STAR (Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio), Wisconsin's SAGE (Student Achievement Guarantee in Education) Program, and the California class-size-reduction program. Lists several conclusions,…

Geothermal Financing Workbook

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

Battocletti, E.C.

1998-02-01

This report was prepared to help small firm search for financing for geothermal energy projects. There are various financial and economics formulas. Costs of some small overseas geothermal power projects are shown. There is much discussion of possible sources of financing, especially for overseas projects. (DJE-2005)

Consumer participation and organizational development in health care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Tempfer, Clemens B; Nowak, Peter

2011-07-01

To provide an overview of published data on user participation in Health Care. Active and passive involvement of consumers into agendas associated with Health Care is still an exception. Data on the success of user participation projects in various areas of Health Care are lacking. Systematic literature review using public databases. We identified 467 studies including five systematic reviews describing various participation projects, among them workshops, citizens' panels, focus groups, citizens' juries, and consultation meetings. A general trend favoring a specific method was not observed. The categorization of evaluable studies according to Health Care area (n = 331) yielded the following results: general medicine/preventive medicine (n = 5), internal medicine/oncology (n = 132), obstetrics and gynecology (n = 2), surgery (n = 1), neurology/psychiatry (n = 2), social medicine (n = 16), health worker training (n = 38), and research agenda setting (n = 135). Predefined qualitative parameters were extracted from 69/467 (15%) studies. Sixty one of 69 studies (88%) were retrospective analyses without control groups and without outcome assessment. Six studies had outcome assessment, three judged the outcome as successful, two as negative, and one multi-project study reported 'very successful' project assessments in 24% of the projects. In 18 studies, the level of consumer participation was described as 'informed' in 2/18, 'advisory' in 14/18, and 'decision-making' in 2/18. The following factors associated with project success were identified: adequate financing, partnerships with well institutionalized consumer organizations, advanced project logistics, small-scale projects, and adequate internal and external communication. Most consumer participation projects were performed in research agenda setting, internal medicine/oncology, and health worker training. Various methods have been used in the projects, the level of consumer participation was low, and the success rate of the investigated projects was moderate. Potential factors associated with project success and future areas of research are discussed.

Excursions in technology policy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Archibald, Robert B.

1995-01-01

This technical report presents a summary of three distinct projects: (1) Measuring economic benefits; (2) Evaluating the SBIR program; and (3) A model for evaluating changes in support for science and technology. the first project deals with the Technology Applications Group (TAG) at NASA Langley Research Center. The mission of TAG is to assist firms interested in commercializing technologies. TAG is a relatively new group as is the emphasis on technology commercialization for NASA. One problem faced by TAG and similar groups at other centers is measuring their effectiveness. The first project this summer, a paper entitled, 'Measuring the Economic Benefits of Technology Transfer from a National Laboratory: A Primer,' focused on this measurement problem. We found that the existing studies of the impact of technology transfer on the economy were conceptually flawed. The 'primer' outlines the appropriate theoretical framework for measuring the economic benefits of technology transfer. The second project discusses, one of the programs of TAG, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. This program has led to over 400 contracts with Small Business since its inception in 1985. The program has never been evaluated. Crucial questions such as those about the extent of commercial successes from the contracts need to be answered. This summer we designed and implemented a performance evaluation survey instrument. The analysis of the data will take place in the fall. The discussion of the third project focuses on a model for evaluating changes in support for science and technology. At present several powerful forces are combining to change the environment for science and technology policy. The end of the cold war eliminated the rationale for federal support for many projects. The new- found Congressional conviction to balance the budget without tax increases combined with demographic changes which automatically increase spending for some politically popular programs will make it difficult to find funding for science and technology. Also, the two political parties have very different conceptions of the appropriate future for research and development spending. All these changes create the potential for serious, perhaps unintended, consequences for the economic future of the country. In a paper entitled, 'A Conceptual Framework for Evaluating the Impact of Changes in Federal Support for Science and Technology,' we introduce a model to evaluate the effects of changes in federal spending for science and technology. This paper both provides a way of organizing informed discussions and points out important research topics for science and technology policy.

Becoming successful entrepreneurs. Bangladesh. ADB supports pioneering family-based approach to provide micro-credit and skills training.

PubMed

Molitor, C

1996-01-01

The Thana Resource Development and Employment Project (TRDEP), built upon the successful experience of the Grameen Bank and other nongovernmental organizations, is a comprehensive poverty alleviation scheme implemented by the government of Bangladesh and targeted to the poorest segment of Bangladeshi society. The project provides soft loans to landless poor for income-generating activities involving non-crop livelihoods and trades. The loans are granted at an 18% interest rate including a 2% charge which goes into a risk fund. The poorest of poor are eligible to receive loans as long as each borrowing unit is a self-help group comprised of five members of one family and each member of the group assumes the responsibility of paying each other member's loan. Each member of a borrowing group may receive loans in the amount of Taka 3000-5000 (US$75-125). The loans are then repayable in 50 equal installments over the course of 1 year. One member's default disqualifies all other group members from receiving future credit until the default is cleared. TRDEP borrowers have started small, successful entrepreneurial activities with their loans as capital.

Fast Track Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The NASA Fast Track Study supports the efforts of a Special Study Group (SSG) made up of members of the Advanced Project Management Class number 23 (APM-23) that met at the Wallops Island Management Education Center from April 28 - May 8, 1996. Members of the Class expressed interest to Mr. Vem Weyers in having an input to the NASA Policy Document (NPD) 7120.4, that will replace NASA Management Institute (NMI) 7120.4, and the NASA Program/Project Management Guide. The APM-23 SSG was tasked with assisting in development of NASA policy on managing Fast Track Projects, defined as small projects under $150 million and completed within three years. 'Me approach of the APM-23 SSG was to gather data on successful projects working in a 'Better, Faster, Cheaper' environment, within and outside of NASA and develop the Fast Track Project section of the NASA Program/Project Management Guide. Fourteen interviews and four other data gathering efforts were conducted by the SSG, and 16 were conducted by Strategic Resources, Inc. (SRI), including five interviews at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and one at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). The interviews were compiled and analyzed for techniques and approaches commonly used to meet severe cost and schedule constraints.

DeLucca named project director in Guatemala.

PubMed

1984-01-01

Mike Delucca, a social marketing specialist since 1978, has been named director of a new contraceptive social marketing effort in Guatemala. The project is sponsored by Importadora de Productos Farmaceuticos (IPROFA), S.A., a group of private-sector community leaders who came together specifically to set up the project. IPROFA plan to being marketing 1 brand of oral contraceptive, condom, and foaming tablet in early 1985. Efforts will first be targeted at economically and socially disadvantaged fertile couples between the ages of 18-44 in large urban areas. By the end of 1985 marketing will begin in rural and small urban areas. DeLucca is on assignment IPROFA from Juarez and Associates, a marketing and research firm in Los Angeles. He was formerly with Development Associates of Arlington, Virginia, and served as project director for the social marketing project in El Salvador. He joined the Guatemala project in May 1984, overseeing prelaunch activities that included development of the marketing plan. After the product launch he will coordinate sales and follow-up marketing studies. The project is the result of a cooperative agreement between IPROFA and US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed in April 1982. full text

Prologue: 2011 Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA).

PubMed

Mease, Philip J; Gladman, Dafna D

2012-11-01

The 2011 Annual Meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) was held in July 2011 in Naples, Italy, and attended by rheumatologists, dermatologists, and representatives of biopharmaceutical companies and patient groups from around the world. The meeting began with a trainee symposium, where 25 rheumatology fellows and dermatology residents presented their original research work. Presentations and discussions by GRAPPA members during the remaining 2-day meeting included a 2-part discussion of the status of psoriatic disease biomarker research, summaries of the GRAPPA Composite Exercise and the GRAPPA video projects, a contribution from Italian members on their psoriasis and PsA projects, a lengthy discussion of research and collaborative initiatives from GRAPPA dermatologists, updates on ultrasound imaging in psoriatic disease and on plans to define inflammatory musculoskeletal disease, a presentation of the results of a small study of psoriasis and PsA in aboriginal people of Peru, and a review of global education and partnering opportunities. Introductions to these discussions are included in this prologue.

Predicting future conflict between team-members with parameter-free models of social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rovira-Asenjo, Núria; Gumí, Tània; Sales-Pardo, Marta; Guimerà, Roger

2013-06-01

Despite the well-documented benefits of working in teams, teamwork also results in communication, coordination and management costs, and may lead to personal conflict between team members. In a context where teams play an increasingly important role, it is of major importance to understand conflict and to develop diagnostic tools to avert it. Here, we investigate empirically whether it is possible to quantitatively predict future conflict in small teams using parameter-free models of social network structure. We analyze data of conflict appearance and resolution between 86 team members in 16 small teams, all working in a real project for nine consecutive months. We find that group-based models of complex networks successfully anticipate conflict in small teams whereas micro-based models of structural balance, which have been traditionally used to model conflict, do not.

A project optimization for small watercourses restoration in the northern part of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain by the geoinformation and hydrodynamic modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronin, Alexander; Vasilchenko, Ann; Khoperskov, Alexander

2018-03-01

The project of small watercourses restoration in the northern part of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain is considered together with the aim of increasing the watering of the territory during small and medium floods. The topography irregularity, the complex structure of the floodplain valley consisting of large number of small watercourses, the presence of urbanized and agricultural areas require careful preliminary analysis of the hydrological safety and efficiency of geographically distributed project activities. Using the digital terrain and watercourses structure models of the floodplain, the hydrodynamic flood model, the analysis of the hydrological safety and efficiency of several project implementation strategies has been conducted. The objective function values have been obtained from the hydrodynamic calculations of the floodplain territory flooding for virtual digital terrain models simulating alternatives for the geographically distributed project activities. The comparative efficiency of several empirical strategies for the geographically distributed project activities, as well as a two-stage exact solution method for the optimization problem has been studied.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology into Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Projects for 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2017-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) technologies into NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) projects. Other Government and commercial project managers interested in ARMD funding opportunities through NASA's SBIR program will find this report useful as well.

[Effects of small hydropower substitute fuel project on forest ecosystem services].

PubMed

Yu, Hai Yan; Zha, Tong Gang; Nie, Li Shui; Lyu, Zhi Yuan

2016-10-01

Based on the Forest Ecosystem Services Assessment Standards (LY/T 1721－2008) issued by the State Forestry Administration, this paper evaluated four key functions of forest ecosystems, i.e., water conservation, soil conservation, carbon fixation and oxygen release, and nutrient accumulation. Focusing on the project area of Majiang County in Guizhou Province, this study provided some quantitative evidence that the implementation of the small hydropower substituting fuel project had positive effects on the values and material quantities of ecosystem service functions. The results showed that the small hydropower substituting fuel project had a significant effect on the increase of forest ecosystem services. Water conservation quantity of Pinus massoniana and Cupressus funebris plantations inside project area was 20662.04 m 3 ·hm -2 ·a -1 , 20.5% higher than outside project area, with soil conservation quantity of 119.1 t·hm -2 ·a -1 , 29.7% higher than outside project area, carbon fixation and oxygen release of 220.49 t·hm -2 ·a -1 , 40.2% higher than outside project area, and forest tree nutrition accumulation of 3.49 t·hm -2 ·a -1 , 48.5% higher than outside project area. Small hydropower substituting fuel project for increasing the quota of forest ecosystem service function value was in the order of carbon fixation and oxygen release function (71400 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ) > water conservation function (60100 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ) > tree nutrition accumulation function (13800 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ) > soil conservation function (8100 yuan·hm -2 ·a -1 ). Small hydropower substituting fuel project played an important role for improving the forest ecological service function value and realizing the sustainable development of forest.

Integration and Test of Shuttle Small Payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Michael R.

2003-01-01

Recommended approaches for space shuttle small payload integration and test (I&T) are presented. The paper is intended for consideration by developers of shuttle small payloads, including I&T managers, project managers, and system engineers. Examples and lessons learned are presented based on the extensive history of NASA's Hitchhiker project. All aspects of I&T are presented, including: (1) I&T team responsibilities, coordination, and communication; (2) Flight hardware handling practices; (3) Documentation and configuration management; (4) I&T considerations for payload development; (5) I&T at the development facility; (6) Prelaunch operations, transfer, orbiter integration and interface testing; (7) Postflight operations. This paper is of special interest to those payload projects that have small budgets and few resources: that is, the truly faster, cheaper, better projects. All shuttle small payload developers are strongly encouraged to apply these guidelines during I&T planning and ground operations to take full advantage of today's limited resources and to help ensure mission success.

UPGRADING ISOLATED SMALL SCHOOL PROGRAMS, THE WESTERN STATES SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GANN, ELBIE L.

THE HISTORY OF SMALL SCHOOLS REVEALS THAT EVEN AFTER MASSIVE REDISTRICTING IN THE 1950'S THERE WERE OVER 5000 SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH COULD NOT BE REDISTRICTED. MOST OF THESE SCHOOLS WERE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THEIR PROGRAMS, AND AS A RESULT MANY BECAME INVOLVED IN PROJECTS (10 ARE DESCRIBED HERE) WHICH…

Child welfare caseworkers as service brokers for youth in foster care: findings from project focus.

PubMed

Dorsey, Shannon; Kerns, Suzanne E U; Trupin, Eric W; Conover, Kate L; Berliner, Lucy

2012-02-01

Youth in the foster care system have substantially higher rates of mental health needs compared to the general population, yet they rarely receive targeted, evidence-based practices (EBPs). Increasingly emerging in the literature on mental health services is the importance of "brokers" or "gateway providers" of services. For youth in foster care, child welfare caseworkers often play this role. This study examines caseworker-level outcomes of Project Focus, a caseworker training and consultation model designed to improve emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth in foster care through increased linkages with EBPs. Project Focus was tested through a small, randomized trial involving four child welfare offices. Caseworkers in the Project Focus intervention group demonstrated an increased awareness of EBPs and a trend toward increased ability to identify appropriate EBP referrals for particular mental health problems but did not have significantly different rates of actual referral to EBPs. Dose of consultation was associated with general awareness of EBPs. Implications for practice and outcomes for youth are discussed.

Prescribing Data in General Practice Demonstration (PDGPD) project--a cluster randomised controlled trial of a quality improvement intervention to achieve better prescribing for chronic heart failure and hypertension.

PubMed

Williamson, Margaret; Cardona-Morrell, Magnolia; Elliott, Jeffrey D; Reeve, James F; Stocks, Nigel P; Emery, Jon; Mackson, Judith M; Gunn, Jane M

2012-08-23

Research literature consistently documents that scientifically based therapeutic recommendations are not always followed in the hospital or in the primary care setting. Currently, there is evidence that some general practitioners in Australia are not prescribing appropriately for patients diagnosed with 1) hypertension (HT) and 2) chronic heart failure (CHF). The objectives of this study were to improve general practitioner's drug treatment management of these patients through feedback on their own prescribing and small group discussions with peers and a trained group facilitator. The impact evaluation includes quantitative assessment of prescribing changes at 6, 9, 12 and 18 months after the intervention. A pragmatic multi site cluster RCT began recruiting practices in October 2009 to evaluate the effects of a multi-faceted quality improvement (QI) intervention on prescribing practice among Australian general practitioners (GP) in relation to patients with CHF and HT. General practices were recruited nationally through General Practice Networks across Australia. Participating practices were randomly allocated to one of three groups: two groups received the QI intervention (the prescribing indicator feedback reports and small group discussion) with each group undertaking the clinical topics (CHF and HT) in reverse order to the other. The third group was waitlisted to receive the intervention 6 months later and acted as a "control" for the other two groups.De-identified data on practice, doctor and patient characteristics and their treatment for CHF and HT are extracted at six-monthly intervals before and after the intervention. Post-test comparisons will be conducted between the intervention and control arms using intention to treat analysis and models that account for clustering of practices in a Network and clustering of patients within practices and GPs. This paper describes the study protocol for a project that will contribute to the development of acceptable and sustainable methods to promote QI activities within routine general practice, enhance prescribing practices and improve patient outcomes in the context of CHF and HT. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), Trial # 320870.

Prescribing Data in General Practice Demonstration (PDGPD) project - a cluster randomised controlled trial of a quality improvement intervention to achieve better prescribing for chronic heart failure and hypertension

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Research literature consistently documents that scientifically based therapeutic recommendations are not always followed in the hospital or in the primary care setting. Currently, there is evidence that some general practitioners in Australia are not prescribing appropriately for patients diagnosed with 1) hypertension (HT) and 2) chronic heart failure (CHF). The objectives of this study were to improve general practitioner’s drug treatment management of these patients through feedback on their own prescribing and small group discussions with peers and a trained group facilitator. The impact evaluation includes quantitative assessment of prescribing changes at 6, 9, 12 and 18 months after the intervention. Methods A pragmatic multi site cluster RCT began recruiting practices in October 2009 to evaluate the effects of a multi-faceted quality improvement (QI) intervention on prescribing practice among Australian general practitioners (GP) in relation to patients with CHF and HT. General practices were recruited nationally through General Practice Networks across Australia. Participating practices were randomly allocated to one of three groups: two groups received the QI intervention (the prescribing indicator feedback reports and small group discussion) with each group undertaking the clinical topics (CHF and HT) in reverse order to the other. The third group was waitlisted to receive the intervention 6 months later and acted as a “control” for the other two groups. De-identified data on practice, doctor and patient characteristics and their treatment for CHF and HT are extracted at six-monthly intervals before and after the intervention. Post-test comparisons will be conducted between the intervention and control arms using intention to treat analysis and models that account for clustering of practices in a Network and clustering of patients within practices and GPs. Discussion This paper describes the study protocol for a project that will contribute to the development of acceptable and sustainable methods to promote QI activities within routine general practice, enhance prescribing practices and improve patient outcomes in the context of CHF and HT. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), Trial # 320870. PMID:22913571

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Water Projects. Guidelines for Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillman, Gus

This manual is the second volume in a series of publications on community development programs. Guidelines are suggested for small-scale water projects that would benefit segments of the world's urban or rural poor. Strategies in project planning, implementation and evaluation are presented that emphasize environmental conservation and promote…

7 CFR 1783.12 - What are eligible uses of grant proceeds?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) REVOLVING FUNDS FOR FINANCING WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS... projects or with existing water and wastewater systems, and (2) Short-term costs incurred for replacement equipment, small-scale extension of services, or other small capital projects that are not part of the...

18 CFR 4.108 - Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... POWER ACT LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.108 Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing. An application for exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from...

18 CFR 4.108 - Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... POWER ACT LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.108 Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing. An application for exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from...

18 CFR 4.108 - Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... POWER ACT LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.108 Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing. An application for exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from...

18 CFR 4.108 - Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... POWER ACT LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.108 Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing. An application for exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from...

18 CFR 4.108 - Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... POWER ACT LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.108 Contents of application for exemption from provisions other than licensing. An application for exemption of a small hydroelectric power project from...

Participatory Training to Improve Safety and Health in Small Construction Sites in Some Countries in Asia: Development and Application of the WISCON Training Program.

PubMed

Kawakami, Tsuyoshi

2016-08-01

A participatory training program, Work Improvement in Small Construction Sites, was developed to provide practical support measures to the small construction sector. Managers and workers from selected small sites were interviewed about their occupational safety and health risks. The Work Improvement in Small Construction Sites training program comprised a 45-item action checklist, photos, and illustrations showing local examples and group work methods. Pilot training workshops were carried out with workers and employers in Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Participants subsequently planned, and using locally available low-cost materials, implemented their own improvements such as hand-made hand trucks to carry heavy materials, removal of projecting nails from timber materials, and fences to protect roof workers from falling. Local Work Improvement in Small Construction Sites trainers consisting of government officials, workers, employers, and nongovernment organization representatives were then trained to implement the Work Improvement in Small Construction Sites training widely. Keys to success were easy-to-apply training tools aiming at immediate, low-cost improvements, and collaboration with various local people's networks. © The Author(s) 2016.

Small School Design in Practice. Central Ideas -- Focus on The Catskill Area Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tremlett, Willard L.; And Others

Describing major features of the New York Catskill Area Project in Small School Design (CAPSSD) begun in 1957, this pamphlet addresses: (1) Basic Concepts in Small School Design (flexible scheduling, multiple classes, organizational interdependency, teacher versatility, student planning, technological communications, and interagency cooperation);…

77 FR 8329 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self-Employed Decreasing Non-Filers...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-14

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77 FR 55527 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self-Employed Decreasing Non-Filers...

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2012-09-10

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77 FR 30591 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self-Employed Decreasing Non-Filers...

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2012-05-23

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2012-08-07

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2012-10-05

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2011-12-14

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-04

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77 FR 20488 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self-Employed Decreasing Non-Filers...

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2012-04-04

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Young Pupils', Their Teacher's and Classroom Assistants' Experiences of iPads in a Northern Ireland School: "Four and Five Years Old, Who Would Have Thought They Could Do That?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Linda; Abbott, Lesley

2016-01-01

This paper describes an iPad project in a Northern Ireland primary school. It evaluates how the technology impacted on learning in literacy, numeracy and in pupil skills. The youngest pupils were asked about their iPad experiences using small-group interviews based on the circle time approach. Their teacher and two classroom assistants were…

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

MacAllister, D.J.; Day, R.; McCormack, M.D.

This paper gives an overview of a major integrated oil company`s experience with artificial intelligence (AI) over the last 5 years, with an emphasis on expert systems. The authors chronicle the development of an AI group, including details on development tool selection, project selection strategies, potential pitfalls, and descriptions of several completed expert systems. Small expert systems produced by teams of petroleum technology experts and experienced expert system developers that are focused in well-defined technical areas have produced substantial benefits and accelerated petroleum technology transfer.

@OceanSeaIceNPI: Positive Practice of Science Outreach via Social Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, A.; Pavlov, A.; Rösel, A.; Granskog, M. A.; Gerland, S.; Hudson, S. R.; King, J.; Itkin, P.; Negrel, J.; Cohen, L.; Dodd, P. A.; de Steur, L.

2016-12-01

As researchers, we are keen to share our passion for science with the general public. We are encouraged to do so by colleagues, journalists, policy-makers and funding agencies. How can we best achieve this in a small research group without having specific resources and skills such as funding, dedicated staff, and training? How do we sustain communication on a regular basis as opposed to the limited lifetime of a specific project? The emerging platforms of social media have become powerful and inexpensive tools to communicate science for various audiences. Many research institutions and individual researchers are already advanced users of social media, but small research groups and labs remain underrepresented. A small group of oceanographers, sea ice, and atmospheric scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute have been running their social media science outreach for two years @OceanSeaIceNPI. Here we share our successful experience of developing and maintaining a researcher-driven outreach through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We present our framework for sharing responsibilities within the group to maximize effectiveness. Each media channel has a target audience for which the posts are tailored. Collaboration with other online organizations and institutes is key for the growth of the channels. The @OceanSeaIceNPI posts reach more than 4000 followers on a weekly basis. If you have questions about our @OceanSeaIceNPI initiative, you can tweet them with a #ask_oceanseaicenpi hashtag anytime.

Screensaver: an open source lab information management system (LIMS) for high throughput screening facilities

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Shared-usage high throughput screening (HTS) facilities are becoming more common in academe as large-scale small molecule and genome-scale RNAi screening strategies are adopted for basic research purposes. These shared facilities require a unique informatics infrastructure that must not only provide access to and analysis of screening data, but must also manage the administrative and technical challenges associated with conducting numerous, interleaved screening efforts run by multiple independent research groups. Results We have developed Screensaver, a free, open source, web-based lab information management system (LIMS), to address the informatics needs of our small molecule and RNAi screening facility. Screensaver supports the storage and comparison of screening data sets, as well as the management of information about screens, screeners, libraries, and laboratory work requests. To our knowledge, Screensaver is one of the first applications to support the storage and analysis of data from both genome-scale RNAi screening projects and small molecule screening projects. Conclusions The informatics and administrative needs of an HTS facility may be best managed by a single, integrated, web-accessible application such as Screensaver. Screensaver has proven useful in meeting the requirements of the ICCB-Longwood/NSRB Screening Facility at Harvard Medical School, and has provided similar benefits to other HTS facilities. PMID:20482787

Screensaver: an open source lab information management system (LIMS) for high throughput screening facilities.

PubMed

Tolopko, Andrew N; Sullivan, John P; Erickson, Sean D; Wrobel, David; Chiang, Su L; Rudnicki, Katrina; Rudnicki, Stewart; Nale, Jennifer; Selfors, Laura M; Greenhouse, Dara; Muhlich, Jeremy L; Shamu, Caroline E

2010-05-18

Shared-usage high throughput screening (HTS) facilities are becoming more common in academe as large-scale small molecule and genome-scale RNAi screening strategies are adopted for basic research purposes. These shared facilities require a unique informatics infrastructure that must not only provide access to and analysis of screening data, but must also manage the administrative and technical challenges associated with conducting numerous, interleaved screening efforts run by multiple independent research groups. We have developed Screensaver, a free, open source, web-based lab information management system (LIMS), to address the informatics needs of our small molecule and RNAi screening facility. Screensaver supports the storage and comparison of screening data sets, as well as the management of information about screens, screeners, libraries, and laboratory work requests. To our knowledge, Screensaver is one of the first applications to support the storage and analysis of data from both genome-scale RNAi screening projects and small molecule screening projects. The informatics and administrative needs of an HTS facility may be best managed by a single, integrated, web-accessible application such as Screensaver. Screensaver has proven useful in meeting the requirements of the ICCB-Longwood/NSRB Screening Facility at Harvard Medical School, and has provided similar benefits to other HTS facilities.

Quality assurance in the determination of metals in clinical chemistry and toxicology: the METOS project. Metalli Tossici.

PubMed

Patriarca, M; Menditto, A; Morisi, G

1995-01-01

National external quality assessment schemes (EQAS) for the determination of trace elements in blood (Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) have been promoted in Italy since 1983. They were organized by a working group of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and known as "METOS (Metalli Tossici, toxic metals) project". The organization of the schemes included the preparation of suitable control materials by the promoting centre and the elaboration of valuable strategies of sample distribution, treatment of data and evaluation of results, that could be applied even to a small number of participants. The procedures used and the results obtained in ten years of activity of the METOS project are reported. Within the framework of the programme some information has been obtained, confirming the validity of the procedures used for sample preparation, sample distribution and evaluation of laboratories performance.

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

Jurisson, Silvia S.; Lever, Susan Z.; Robertson, J. David

This grant was situated at the University of Missouri to train Ph.D. scientists in radiochemistry and synthetic chemistry in conjunction with Faculty from the Interdisciplinary Plant Group, Division of Biological Sciences, the MU Research Reactor Center, Molecular Biology and the Radiopharmaceutical Sciences Institute. This project was collaborative with Brookhaven National Laboratory (Richard Ferrieri, PI). Projects for the Ph.D. candidates included novel probe development for peptides, nucleosides, small molecules or radiometals, the direct use of radiometals as probes, or nuclear techniques for analysis. The projects for the postdoctoral fellow involved synthetic chemistry for the preparation of precursors for novel tracers thatmore » will be radiolabeled with 18F or other appropriate radionuclides. The skill sets of our team members allowed us to prepare probes with positron or single photon emitters, as well as ones that are dual-labeled (fluorescent and radiolabeled). We focused our technical advances to those that will be broadly applicable to any research field.« less

Learning cell biology as a team: a project-based approach to upper-division cell biology.

PubMed

Wright, Robin; Boggs, James

2002-01-01

To help students develop successful strategies for learning how to learn and communicate complex information in cell biology, we developed a quarter-long cell biology class based on team projects. Each team researches a particular human disease and presents information about the cellular structure or process affected by the disease, the cellular and molecular biology of the disease, and recent research focused on understanding the cellular mechanisms of the disease process. To support effective teamwork and to help students develop collaboration skills useful for their future careers, we provide training in working in small groups. A final poster presentation, held in a public forum, summarizes what students have learned throughout the quarter. Although student satisfaction with the course is similar to that of standard lecture-based classes, a project-based class offers unique benefits to both the student and the instructor.

Teaching Technical Competencies for Fluid Mechanics Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tagg, Randall

2014-11-01

We are developing an ``on demand'' framework for students to learn techniques used in fluid mechanics research. The site for this work is a university-grade laboratory situated next to Gateway High School in Aurora, Colorado. Undergraduate university students work with K-12 students on research and technical innovation projects. Both groups need customized training as their projects proceed. A modular approach allows particular competencies such as pump selection, construction of flow piping and channels, flow visualization, and specific flow measurement methods to be acquired through focused lessons. These lessons can be learned in either a stand-alone fashion or assembled into units for formal courses. A research example was a student project on diffusion of infectious material in micro-gravity in the event of an intestinal puncture wound. A curriculum example is a 9-week quarter of high-school instruction on instrumentation that uses small-scale water treatment systems as a case study.

Approximating local observables on projected entangled pair states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, M.; Buerschaper, O.; Eisert, J.

2017-06-01

Tensor network states are for good reasons believed to capture ground states of gapped local Hamiltonians arising in the condensed matter context, states which are in turn expected to satisfy an entanglement area law. However, the computational hardness of contracting projected entangled pair states in two- and higher-dimensional systems is often seen as a significant obstacle when devising higher-dimensional variants of the density-matrix renormalization group method. In this work, we show that for those projected entangled pair states that are expected to provide good approximations of such ground states of local Hamiltonians, one can compute local expectation values in quasipolynomial time. We therefore provide a complexity-theoretic justification of why state-of-the-art numerical tools work so well in practice. We finally turn to the computation of local expectation values on quantum computers, providing a meaningful application for a small-scale quantum computer.

Preparing the Production of a New Product in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises by Using the Method of Projects Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bijańska, Jolanta; Wodarski, Krzysztof; Wójcik, Janusz

2016-06-01

Efficient and effective preparation the production of new products is important requirement for a functioning and development of small and medium-sized enterprises. One of the methods, which support the fulfilment of this condition is project management. This publication presents the results of considerations, which are aimed at developing a project management model of preparation the production of a new product, adopted to specificity of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Experimental Systems-Biology Approaches for Clostridia-Based Bioenergy Production

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

Papoutsakis, Elefterios

This is the final project report for project "Experimental Systems-Biology Approaches for Clostridia-Based Bioenergy Production" for the funding period of 9/1/12 to 2/28/2015 (three years with a 6-month no-cost extension) OVERVIEW AND PROJECT GOALS The bottleneck of achieving higher rates and titers of toxic metabolites (such as solvents and carboxylic acids that can used as biofuels or biofuel precursors) can be overcome by engineering the stress response system. Thus, understanding and modeling the response of cells to toxic metabolites is a problem of great fundamental and practical significance. In this project, our goal is to dissect at the molecular systemsmore » level and build models (conceptual and quantitative) for the stress response of C. acetobutylicum (Cac) to its two toxic metabolites: butanol (BuOH) and butyrate (BA). Transcriptional (RNAseq and microarray based), proteomic and fluxomic data and their analysis are key requirements for this goal. Transcriptional data from mid-exponential cultures of Cac under 4 different levels of BuOH and BA stress was obtained using both microarrays (Papoutsakis group) and deep sequencing (RNAseq; Meyers and Papoutsakis groups). These two sets of data do not only serve to validate each other, but are also used for identification of stress-induced changes in transcript levels, small regulatory RNAs, & in transcriptional start sites. Quantitative proteomic data (Lee group), collected using the iTRAQ technology, are essential for understanding of protein levels and turnover under stress and the various protein-protein interactions that orchestrate the stress response. Metabolic flux changes (Antoniewicz group) of core pathways, which provide important information on the re-allocation of energy and carbon resources under metabolite stress, were examined using 13C-labelled chemicals. Omics data are integrated at different levels and scales. At the metabolic-pathway level, omics data are integrated into a 2nd generation genome-scale model (GSM) (Maranas group). Omics data are also integrated using bioinformatics (Wu and Huang group), whereby regulatory details of gene and protein expression, protein-protein interactions and metabolic flux regulation are incorporated. The PI (Papoutsakis) facilitated project integration through monthly meeting and reports, conference calls, and collaborative manuscript preparation. The five groups collaborated extensively and made a large number of presentations in national and international meetings. It has also published several papers, with several more in the preparation stage. Several PhD, MS and postdoctoral students were trained as part of this collaborative and interdisciplinary project.« less

Integrating Public Health and Health Promotion Practice in the Medical Curriculum: A Self-Directed Team-Based Project Approach

PubMed Central

Kershaw, Geraldine; Grivna, Michal; Elbarazi, Iffat; AliHassan, Souheila; Aziz, Faisal; Al Dhaheri, Aysha Ibrahim

2017-01-01

Preparing health professionals in health promotion (HP) and disease prevention is essential for improvement of population health, community HP, and better health care for individuals. The aim of this article is to describe an HP project in the form of a major self-directed project-based learning task integrated within the curriculum in the second year of the medical degree program at United Arab Emirates University. The project introduces students to public health and HP practice and develops students’ literature searching, writing, presentation skills, and team work. Students learn the principles underlying behavioral change, and the design of HP programs and materials, through a lecture format. Small groups of students each choose a specific health topic for their project. Over 11 weeks, students obtain information about their topic from appropriate sources (library, PubMed, Google Scholar, credible health sources such as World Health Organization). Using the principles learned in the lectures, they develop appropriate materials for their target audience: for example, posters, a pamphlet, social media content, or a video or radio message. Students seek advice from specialist faculty as needed. In week 12, each team presents their project background, rationale, and materials to their colleagues in a seminar format open to all faculty. They then submit the materials they developed for assessment. Group marks are assigned for presentations and materials. Key concepts are assessed by multiple choice questions in comprehensive course examinations. By participation in the HP project, many students develop a solid background in prevention. The information retrieval, writing, and presentation skills, as well as experience of team work, are valuable both for the remaining years of their training and their future careers. PMID:28879173

Integrating Public Health and Health Promotion Practice in the Medical Curriculum: A Self-Directed Team-Based Project Approach.

PubMed

Kershaw, Geraldine; Grivna, Michal; Elbarazi, Iffat; AliHassan, Souheila; Aziz, Faisal; Al Dhaheri, Aysha Ibrahim

2017-01-01

Preparing health professionals in health promotion (HP) and disease prevention is essential for improvement of population health, community HP, and better health care for individuals. The aim of this article is to describe an HP project in the form of a major self-directed project-based learning task integrated within the curriculum in the second year of the medical degree program at United Arab Emirates University. The project introduces students to public health and HP practice and develops students' literature searching, writing, presentation skills, and team work. Students learn the principles underlying behavioral change, and the design of HP programs and materials, through a lecture format. Small groups of students each choose a specific health topic for their project. Over 11 weeks, students obtain information about their topic from appropriate sources (library, PubMed, Google Scholar, credible health sources such as World Health Organization). Using the principles learned in the lectures, they develop appropriate materials for their target audience: for example, posters, a pamphlet, social media content, or a video or radio message. Students seek advice from specialist faculty as needed. In week 12, each team presents their project background, rationale, and materials to their colleagues in a seminar format open to all faculty. They then submit the materials they developed for assessment. Group marks are assigned for presentations and materials. Key concepts are assessed by multiple choice questions in comprehensive course examinations. By participation in the HP project, many students develop a solid background in prevention. The information retrieval, writing, and presentation skills, as well as experience of team work, are valuable both for the remaining years of their training and their future careers.

CALLISTO: scientific projects performed by high school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boer, Michel

The Callisto project was initiated in 2002 by the "Lyće de l'Arc" (High School in Orange, e France) and the "Observatoire de Haute Provence". Its goal is to give the students motivation for scientific and technical studies: they have the possibility to perform scientific projects together with professional astronomers. The pupils work in groups of 3 to 4, each having a specific theme: geophysics, variable stars, small bodies of the solar system, mechanical and optical instrumentation. They follow a whole scientific approach, from the question to answer, the instrumental setup, acquisition, data reduction, and publication. During a week they are invited to observe using the OHP 1.20m and 0.80m, with the support of a professional astronomer. Some projects have been in fact derived from actual proposal accepted at OHP (e.g. rotation curves of binary asteroids). The best projects are considered for some competitions like ESO "catch a star", "Olympiade de Physique", etc. Since 2005 three high-schools participate to this project. The Callisto initiative has also produced the basis of a teacher training course. Callisto is an example of a succesful collaboration between an interdisciplinary team of teachers (physics, maths, philosophy, English...), a research institution (the OHP), and researchers.

Code Sharing and Collaboration: Experiences from the Scientist's Expert Assistant Project and their Relevance to the Virtual Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jeremy; Grosvenor, Sandy; Wolf, Karl; Li, Connie; Koratkar, Anuradha; Powers, Edward I. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In the Virtual Observatory (VO), software tools will perform the functions that have traditionally been performed by physical observatories and their instruments. These tools will not be adjuncts to VO functionality but will make up the very core of the VO. Consequently, the tradition of observatory and system independent tools serving a small user base is not valid for the VO. For the VO to succeed, we must improve software collaboration and code sharing between projects and groups. A significant goal of the Scientist's Expert Assistant (SEA) project has been promoting effective collaboration and code sharing between groups. During the past three years, the SEA project has been developing prototypes for new observation planning software tools and strategies. Initially funded by the Next Generation Space Telescope, parts of the SEA code have since been adopted by the Space Telescope Science Institute. SEA has also supplied code for SOFIA, the SIRTF planning tools, and the JSky Open Source Java library. The potential benefits of sharing code are clear. The recipient gains functionality for considerably less cost. The provider gains additional developers working with their code. If enough users groups adopt a set of common code and tools, defacto standards can emerge (as demonstrated by the success of the FITS standard). Code sharing also raises a number of challenges related to the management of the code. In this talk, we will review our experiences with SEA - both successes and failures - and offer some lessons learned that may promote further successes in collaboration and re-use.

Code Sharing and Collaboration: Experiences From the Scientist's Expert Assistant Project and Their Relevance to the Virtual Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korathkar, Anuradha; Grosvenor, Sandy; Jones, Jeremy; Li, Connie; Mackey, Jennifer; Neher, Ken; Obenschain, Arthur F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In the Virtual Observatory (VO), software tools will perform the functions that have traditionally been performed by physical observatories and their instruments. These tools will not be adjuncts to VO functionality but will make up the very core of the VO. Consequently, the tradition of observatory and system independent tools serving a small user base is not valid for the VO. For the VO to succeed, we must improve software collaboration and code sharing between projects and groups. A significant goal of the Scientist's Expert Assistant (SEA) project has been promoting effective collaboration and code sharing among groups. During the past three years, the SEA project has been developing prototypes for new observation planning software tools and strategies. Initially funded by the Next Generation Space Telescope, parts of the SEA code have since been adopted by the Space Telescope Science Institute. SEA has also supplied code for the SIRTF (Space Infrared Telescope Facility) planning tools, and the JSky Open Source Java library. The potential benefits of sharing code are clear. The recipient gains functionality for considerably less cost. The provider gains additional developers working with their code. If enough users groups adopt a set of common code and tools, de facto standards can emerge (as demonstrated by the success of the FITS standard). Code sharing also raises a number of challenges related to the management of the code. In this talk, we will review our experiences with SEA--both successes and failures, and offer some lessons learned that might promote further successes in collaboration and re-use.

The use of quality circles as a support tool in the taking over of practices by young general practitioners

PubMed Central

Král, Norbert; Seifert, Bohumil; Kovář, Jan; Mucha, Cyril; Vojtíšková, Jana; Bednár, Jáchym; Martin, Seifert

2018-01-01

Introduction: Although informal meetings of healthcare professionals in smaller groups are common in the area of primary care in the Czech Republic, the method of quality circles is not in wide use. The aim of our project is to use this method to help new general practitioners (GPs) when they take over a medical practice and to suggest measures to improve the organization and overall attractiveness of new practices, as well as patient satisfaction. Materials and Methods: For the purposes of this observation, an already existing informal group formed by healthcare professionals and their trainees was used. The group met a total of four times in a 6-month period. In the first meeting, problematic areas were identified. In the second, specific issues of newly starting to practice were discussed, with time to consider suggestions for improvements. The third meeting consisted of an analysis of the suggested measures and their implementation, and in the fourth, these measures and their effects were evaluated. Results: On the basis of the discussion in the first and second meetings, suggestions were made, and then, during the third meeting, structured into three dimensions: (1) The organization of work, including clinical activities, (2) the attractiveness of the practice and the satisfaction levels of the patients, (3) the satisfaction levels of the employees. In each area, specific measures were proposed. The new doctors' feedback in the fourth phase of the project was positive. The main problems the new doctors faced were related to their lack of knowledge and experience with buying or starting their own practice, as well as being an effective team leader. Conclusion: Despite the application of small groups being significantly larger, it was demonstrated that if GPs are given direction and clear goals in their meetings, these meetings can be very constructive. Small groups thus offer a good platform for young GPs in starting their own practice, giving them the capacity to do so.

Implementing Small Scale ICT Projects in Developing Countries--How Challenging Is It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karunaratne, Thashmee; Peiris, Colombage; Hansson, Henrik

2018-01-01

This paper summarises experiences of efforts made by twenty individuals when implementing small-scale ICT development projects in their organizations located in seven developing countries. The main focus of these projects was the use of ICT in educational settings. Challenges encountered and the contributing factors for implementation success of…

18 CFR 4.106 - Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.106 Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing. Any case-specific exemption from licensing granted for a small hydroelectric power project is...

18 CFR 4.106 - Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.106 Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing. Any case-specific exemption from licensing granted for a small hydroelectric power project is...

18 CFR 4.106 - Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... LICENSES, PERMITS, EXEMPTIONS, AND DETERMINATION OF PROJECT COSTS Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 5 Megawatts or Less § 4.106 Standard terms and conditions of case-specific exemption from licensing. Any case-specific exemption from licensing granted for a small hydroelectric power project is...

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

Walker, Iain; Regnier, Cindy

Science at the Theater: Berkeley Lab scientists reveal the latest research on how to reduce your carbon footprint at home, work, and when you shop. Learn how even small choices can have a big impact. Iain Walker's research focuses on optimizing the energy use and comfort of buildings. He's a staff scientist in the Energy Performance of Buildings Group, which is part of Berkeley Lab's Environmen...tal Energy Technologies Division. He's also executive editor of Home Energy Magazine. Cindy Regnier is a Project Manager in the Environmental Energy Technologies Division at Berkeley Lab. She has over 13 years of mechanical engineeringmore » design experience, with a focus on low-energy buildings. Her projects have included several LEED Platinum buildings and the design of a 200,000 sf carbon neutral, net-zero energy science museum in San Francisco. Eric Masanet is Acting Deputy Leader of the International Energy Studies Group at Berkeley Lab. His research focuses on life-cycle assessments and energy efficiency analysis. He holds a joint research appointment in the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Berkeley.« less

Communicating polar science to the general public: sharing the social media experience of @OceanSeaIceNPI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rösel, Anja; Pavlov, Alexey K.; Granskog, Mats A.; Gerland, Sebastian; Meyer, Amelie; Hudson, Stephen R.; King, Jennifer; Itkin, Polona; Cohen, Lana; Dodd, Paul; de Steur, Laura

2016-04-01

The findings of climate science need to be communicated to the general public. Researchers are encouraged to do so by journalists, policy-makers and funding agencies and many of us want to become better science communicators. But how can we do this at the lab or small research group level without specifically allocated resources in terms of funds and communication officers? And how do we sustain communication on a regular basis and not just during the limited lifetime of a specific project? One of the solutions is to use the emerging platform of social media, which has become a powerful and inexpensive tool for communicating science to different target audiences. Many research institutions and individual researchers are already advanced users of social media, but small research groups and labs remain underrepresented. The group of oceanographers, sea ice and atmospheric scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute (@OceanSeaIceNPI( will share our experiences developing and maintaining researcher-driven outreach for over a year through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We will present our solutions to some of the practical considerations such as identifying key target groups, defining the framework for sharing responsibilities and interactions within the research group, and choosing an up-to-date and appropriate social medium. By sharing this information, we aim to inspire and assist other research groups and labs in conducting their own effective science communication.

Innovative approach for increasing physical activity among breast cancer survivors: protocol for Project MOVE, a quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Caperchione, Cristina M; Sabiston, Catherine M; Clark, Marianne I; Bottorff, Joan L; Toxopeus, Renee; Campbell, Kristin L; Eves, Neil D; Ellard, Susan L; Gotay, Carolyn

2016-08-16

Physical activity is a cost-effective and non-pharmaceutical strategy that can help mitigate the physical and psychological health challenges associated with breast cancer survivorship. However, up to 70% of women breast cancer survivors are not meeting minimum recommended physical activity guidelines. Project MOVE is an innovative approach to increase physical activity among breast cancer survivors through the use of Action Grants, a combination of microgrants (small amounts of money awarded to groups of individuals to support a physical activity initiative) and financial incentives. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rationale and protocol of Project MOVE. A quasi-experimental pre-post design will be used. Twelve groups of 8-12 adult women who are breast cancer survivors (N=132) were recruited for the study via face-to-face meetings with breast cancer-related stakeholders, local print and radio media, social media, and pamphlets and posters at community organisations and medical clinics. Each group submitted a microgrant application outlining their proposed physical activity initiative. Successful applicants were determined by a grant review panel and informed of a financial incentive on meeting their physical activity goals. An evaluation of feasibility will be guided by the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and assessed through focus groups, interviews and project-related reports. Physical activity will be assessed through accelerometry and by self-report. Quality of life, motivation to exercise and social connection will also be assessed through self-report. Assessments will occur at baseline, 6 months and 1 year. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of British Columbia's Behavioural Research Ethics Board (#H14-02502) and has been funded by the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (project number #702913). Study findings will be disseminated widely through peer-reviewed publications, academic conferences, local community-based presentations, as well as partner organisations, including the Canadian Cancer Society. 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/

A finer view of the conditional galaxy luminosity function and magnitude-gap statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trevisan, M.; Mamon, G. A.

2017-10-01

The gap between first- and second-ranked galaxy magnitudes in groups is often considered a tracer of their merger histories, which in turn may affect galaxy properties, and also serves to test galaxy luminosity functions (LFs). We remeasure the conditional luminosity function (CLF) of the Main Galaxy Sample of the SDSS in an appropriately cleaned subsample of groups from the Yang catalogue. We find that, at low group masses, our best-fitting CLF has steeper satellite high ends, yet higher ratios of characteristic satellite to central luminosities in comparison with the CLF of Yang et al. The observed fractions of groups with large and small magnitude gaps as well as the Tremaine & Richstone statistics are not compatible with either a single Schechter LF or with a Schechter-like satellite plus lognormal central LF. These gap statistics, which naturally depend on the size of the subsamples, and also on the maximum projected radius, Rmax, for defining the second brightest galaxy, can only be reproduced with two-component CLFs if we allow small gap groups to preferentially have two central galaxies, as expected when groups merge. Finally, we find that the trend of higher gap for higher group velocity dispersion, σv, at a given richness, discovered by Hearin et al., is strongly reduced when we consider σv in bins of richness, and virtually disappears when we use group mass instead of σv. This limits the applicability of gaps in refining cosmographic studies based on cluster counts.

76 FR 17995 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

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Using "EC-Assess" to Assess a Small Biofuels Project in Honduras

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngassa, Franklin Chamda

2010-01-01

Biofuels may contribute to both rural economic development and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Gota Verde Project in Yoro, Honduras, attempts to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of small-scale biofuel production for local use by implementing a distinctive approach to feedstock production that encourages small farm…

75 FR 55405 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Project Committee

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75 FR 18957 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Project Committee

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75 FR 39331 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Project Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-08

... Small Business/Self Employed Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self Employed... suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service. DATES: The meeting will be held...

'Think Baby': online learning for student health visitors.

PubMed

Appleton, Jane V; Harris, Margaret; Kelly, Cat; Huppe, Irmgard

2014-06-01

'Think Baby' is an innovative online learning resource which has been developed to help student health visitors (and other specialist community public health nurses) build their skills in observing and assessing mother-infant interactions. The project's development and pilot work was funded by a small grant from the Higher Education Academy. It builds on the findings of the team's previous research, which found health visitors' initial training had left them ill-prepared to assess the intricacies of mother-infant relationships. The 'Think Baby' project sought to develop online training resources for student health visitors using video footage of mothers and babies to illustrate different types of interactions. A small group of student health visitors were engaged in reviewing and evaluating the materials and considering their acceptability. Once developed, the materials were piloted with student health visitors from three universities, community practice teachers and a health visitor academic, and they were then adapted for wider roll out. 'Think Baby' enables student health visitors to develop their core skills in assessment, which is really important in identifying when early help and support are needed for mothers and infants.

The Iodine Satellite (iSat) Project Development Towards Critical Design Review (CDR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankanich, John W.; Selby, Michael; Polzin, Kurt A.; Kamhawi, Hani; Hickman, Tyler; Byrne, Larry

2016-01-01

Despite the prevalence of Small Satellites in recent years, the systems flown to date have very limited propulsion capability. SmallSats are typically secondary payloads and have significant constraints for volume, mass, and power in addition to limitations on the use of hazardous propellants or stored energy (i.e. high pressure vessels). These constraints limit the options for SmallSat maneuverability. NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate approved the iodine Satellite flight project for a rapid demonstration of iodine Hall thruster technology in a 12U configuration under the Small Spacecraft Technology Program. The project formally began in FY15 as a partnership between NASA MSFC, NASA GRC, and Busek Co, Inc., with the Air Force supporting the propulsion technology maturation. The team is in final preparation of the Critical Design Review prior to initiating the fabrication and integration phase of the project. The iSat project is on schedule for a launch opportunity in November 2017.

Small Projects Rapid Integration and Test Environment (SPRITE): Application for Increasing Robustness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rakoczy, John; Heater, Daniel; Lee, Ashley

2013-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Small Projects Rapid Integration and Test Environment (SPRITE) is a Hardware-In-The-Loop (HWIL) facility that provides rapid development, integration, and testing capabilities for small projects (CubeSats, payloads, spacecraft, and launch vehicles). This facility environment focuses on efficient processes and modular design to support rapid prototyping, integration, testing and verification of small projects at an affordable cost, especially compared to larger type HWIL facilities. SPRITE (Figure 1) consists of a "core" capability or "plant" simulation platform utilizing a graphical programming environment capable of being rapidly re-configured for any potential test article's space environments, as well as a standard set of interfaces (i.e. Mil-Std 1553, Serial, Analog, Digital, etc.). SPRITE also allows this level of interface testing of components and subsystems very early in a program, thereby reducing program risk.

Integration and Test for Small Shuttle Payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Michael R.; Day, John H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Recommended approaches for shuttle small payload integration and test (I&T) are presented. The paper is intended for consideration by developers of small shuttle payloads, including I&T managers, project managers, and system engineers. Examples and lessons learned are presented based on the extensive history of the NASA's Hitchhiker project. All aspects of I&T are presented, including: (1) I&T team responsibilities, coordination, and communication; (2) Flight hardware handling practices; (3) Documentation and configuration management; (4) I&T considerations for payload development; (5) I&T at the development facility; (6) Prelaunch operations, transfer, orbiter integration, and interface testing; and (7) Postflight operations. This paper is of special interest to those payload projects which have small budgets and few resources: That is, the truly 'faster, cheaper, better' projects. All shuttle small payload developers are strongly encouraged to apply these guidelines during I&T planning and ground operations to take full advantage of today's limited resources and to help ensure mission success.

Evaluation and Uncertainty of a New Method to Detect Suspected Nuclear and WMD Activity: Project Report

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

Kurzeja, R.; Werth, D.; Buckley, R.

The Atmospheric Technology Group at SRNL developed a new method to detect signals from Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) activities in a time series of chemical measurements at a downwind location. This method was tested with radioxenon measured in Russia and Japan after the 2013 underground test in North Korea. This LDRD calculated the uncertainty in the method with the measured data and also for a case with the signal reduced to 1/10 its measured value. The research showed that the uncertainty in the calculated probability of origin from the NK test site was small enough to confirm the test.more » The method was also wellbehaved for small signal strengths.« less

Standard Modular Hydropower Technology Acceleration Workshop: Summary Report

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

Smith, Brennan T.; DeNeale, Scott T.; Witt, Adam M.

In support of the Department of Energy (DOE) funded Standard Modular Hydropower (SMH) Technology Acceleration project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) staff convened with five small hydropower technology entrepreneurs on June 14 and 15, 2017 to discuss gaps, challenges, and opportunities for small modular hydropower development. The workshop was designed to walk through SMH concepts, discuss the SMH research vision, assess how each participant’s technology aligns with SMH concepts and research, and identify future pathways for mutually beneficial collaboration that leverages ORNL expertise and entrepreneurial industry experience. The goal coming out of the workshop is to advance standardized, scalable, modularmore » hydropower technologies and development approaches with sustained and open dialogue among diverse stakeholder groups.« less

Development of the New Educational Content "small Uas in Civil Engineering Application Scenarios"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levin, E.; Vach, K.; Shults, R.

2017-12-01

The key point of this paper is presentation of the main idea and some results of the project "Small UAS in civil engineering application scenarios" (SUAS-CAS). This project was proposed by newly established in 2016 ISPRS WG V/7: "Innovative Technologies in Training Civil Engineers and Architects". Here we are presenting our experience in using low-cost UAS in training architects at Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, which was chosen as basic for this project. In the first part of paper, the project outline is presented. Then the first and possible follow project outcomes were described. In some details is described the training module "Small UAS in architecture" which was developed and included as a part of the subject "Architectural photogrammetry".

The effectiveness of individual placement and support for people with mental illness new on social benefits: a study protocol

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In Switzerland, people with a severe mental illness and unable to work receive disability benefits (‘IV-pension’). Once they are granted these benefits, the chances to regain competitive employment are usually small. However, previous studies have shown that individual placement and support (IPS) supports a successful reintegration into competitive employment. This study focuses on the integration of newly appointed IV-pensioners, who have received an IV-pension for less than a year. Method/design The present pilot project ZHEPP (Zürcher Eingliederungs-Pilot Projekt; engl.: Zurich integration pilot project) is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The 250 participants will be randomized to either the intervention or the control group. The intervention group receives support of a job coach according to the approach of IPS. Participants in the control group do not receive IPS support. Participation takes a total of two years for each participant. Each group is interviewed every six months (T0-T4). A two-factor analysis of variance will be conducted with the two factors group (intervention versus control group) and outcome (employment yes/no). The main criterion of the two-factor analysis will be the number of competitive employment contracts in each group. Discussion This study will focus on the impact of IPS on new IV-pensioners and aims to identify predictors for a successful integration. Furthermore, we will examine the effect of IPS on stigma variables and recovery orientation. Trial registration ISRCTN54951166 PMID:23883137

GREAT II (Upper Mississippi River. Guttenberg, Iowa to Saverton, Missouri). Side Channel Work Group Appendix

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

is current during normal river stage. The graduations in this category are wide- spread, ranging frcm fast flowing watercourses with high banks to...channel category on the other. They may be former side channels that have been cut off, or that have only intermittent flows in them. They may be...navigation project certainly is a contributor by providing a deep channel and an abundance of beaches. Karaki and Van Hoften noted that small, fast

"It's Really Making a Difference": How Small-Scale Research Projects Can Enhance Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dexter, Barbara; Seden, Roy

2012-01-01

Following an internal evaluation exercise, using Action Research, this paper identifies the positive impact of small-scale research projects on teaching and learning at a single case study UK University. Clear evidence is given of how the projects benefited students and staff, and enhanced institutional culture. Barriers to better practice are…

Small Business Policy for California. Report of the Urban Small Business Employment Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Human Resources Development, Sacramento.

This report contains findings and recommendations of a project to identify problems in California's policies and in the administration of its laws regarding small businesses and to examine alternative solutions to those problems. Part 1 consists of the findings of five statewide Task Forces that concentrated on these aspects of operating a small…

76 FR 56880 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Correspondence Exam Toll...

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2011-09-14

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33 CFR 263.26 - Small beach erosion control project authority (Section 103).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Small beach erosion control....26 Small beach erosion control project authority (Section 103). (a) Legislative authority. Section 103(a) of the River and Harbor Act of 1962, as amended by section 310 of the River and Harbor Act of...

Marginalised social groups in contemporary weee management within social enterprises investments: A study in Greece.

PubMed

Papaoikonomou, K; Kipouros, S; Kungolos, A; Somakos, L; Aravossis, K; Antonopoulos, I; Karagiannidis, A

2009-05-01

This paper deals with the creation of appropriate conditions aimed at developing social services for reuse and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), by the inclusion of handicapped and Roma people in the workforce. Application areas for the project are the Hellenic (Greek) regions of Thessaly and North Aegean, where these groups suffer from professional and social exclusion. The efforts to reduce unemployment in the two aforementioned groups, together with the efforts to implement related Greek and European legislation for sustainable WEEE management, are examined here. Furthermore, networking and cooperation at local, regional and central levels between small enterprises, entrepreneurships and local authorities are examined, so that these social enterprises and their corresponding investments may support the development of the Greek alternative WEEE recycling system.

Tapping rocks for Terror Lake hydro project

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

Sieber, O.V.

The Terror Lake hydro project in Alaska is described. Terror Lake is a small alpine lake surrounded by barren glacier-scoured, rocky mountain tops and plateaus that do not retain moisture. The method for obtaining more water for the hydro project in Kodiak is unique. The basic program was to dam up the outlet of Terror Lake and raise the water level 170 ft. from approximately 1250 ft. above sea level to 1420 ft. Although the megawatt output of the project is small, the concept of the Terror Lake Project has an epic scale to it.

Renal function and size at young adult age after intrauterine growth restriction and very premature birth.

PubMed

Keijzer-Veen, Mandy G; Kleinveld, Hilda A; Lequin, Maarten H; Dekker, Friedo W; Nauta, Jeroen; de Rijke, Yolanda B; van der Heijden, Bert J

2007-10-01

Premature birth and intrauterine growth restriction may increase the risk of developing renal disease at adult age. Renal function may already be impaired at young adult age. Cross-sectional study. Very premature individuals (gestational age < 32 weeks) recruited from Project on Premature and Small for Gestational Age Infants and full-term-born controls (37 to 42 weeks) recruited from a children's hospital in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. All individuals were 20 years of age at the time of study. Gestational age and birth weight: premature and small for gestational age (SGA; n = 23), premature and appropriate for gestational age (n = 29), and controls (n = 30). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), and filtration fraction before and after renal stimulation with low-dose dopamine infusion and oral amino-acid intake. Urine albumin and renal ultrasound. Height, weight, kidney length and volume, GFR, and ERPF were significantly lower in the SGA group than in controls. After adjustment for body surface area, GFR did not differ significantly among groups. Mean ERPF was 71 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (95% confidence interval [CI], 3 to 139) less, but filtration fraction was only 1.3% (95% CI, -0.3 to 3.0) greater, in the SGA group than controls. Renal stimulation significantly increased GFR and ERPF and decreased filtration fraction in all groups. After renal stimulation, ERPF was 130 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (95% CI, 21 to 238) greater in the SGA group than controls, but GFR and filtration fraction did not differ significantly among groups. Microalbuminuria was present in 2 patients (8.7%) in the SGA group, but none in the appropriate-for-gestational-age group or controls. Renal function correlated with renal size. Small sample size. Our findings do not fully support the hypothesis that preterm birth in combination with intrauterine growth restriction contributes to renal function alterations at young adult age. Larger studies are needed to evaluate this hypothesis.

Small Project Rapid Integration and Test Environment (SPRITE) An Innovation Space for Small Projects Design, Development, Integration, and Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Ashley; Rackoczy, John; Heater, Daniel; Sanders, Devon; Tashakkor, Scott

2013-01-01

Over the past few years interest in the development and use of small satellites has rapidly gained momentum with universities, commercial, and government organizations. In a few years we may see networked clusters of dozens or even hundreds of small, cheap, easily replaceable satellites working together in place of the large, expensive and difficult-to-replace satellites now in orbit. Standards based satellite buses and deployment mechanisms, such as the CubeSat and Poly Pico-satellite Orbital Deployer (P-POD), have stimulated growth in this area. The use of small satellites is also proving to be a cost effective capability in many areas traditionally dominated by large satellites, though many challenges remain. Currently many of these small satellites undergo very little testing prior to flight. As these small satellites move from technology demonstration and student projects toward more complex operational assets, it is expected that the standards for verification and validation will increase.

Small planetary mission plan: Report to Congress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

This document outlines NASA's small planetary projects plan within the context of overall agency planning. In particular, this plan is consistent with Vision 21: The NASA Strategic Plan, and the Office of Space Science and Applications (OSSA) Strategic Plan. Small planetary projects address focused scientific objectives using a limited number of mature instruments, and are designed to require little or no new technology development. Small missions can be implemented by university and industry partnerships in coordination with a NASA Center to use the unique services the agency provides. The timeframe for small missions is consistent with academic degree programs, which makes them an excellent training ground for graduate students and post-doctoral candidates. Because small missions can be conducted relatively quickly and inexpensively, they provide greater opportunity for increased access to space. In addition, small missions contribute to sustaining a vital scientific community by increasing the available opportunities for direct investigator involvement from just a few projects in a career to many.

All for the Planet, the Planet for everyone!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drndarski, Marina

2014-05-01

The Eco-Musketeers are unique voluntary group of students. They have been established in Belgrade, in Primary school 'Drinka Pavlović'. Since the founding in year 2000, Eco-Musketeers have been involved in peer and citizens education guided by motto: All for the planet, the planet for all! Main goals of this group are spreading and popularization of environmental approach as well as gaining knowledge through collaborative projects and research. A great number of students from other schools in Serbia have joined Eco-Musketeers in observations aiming to better understand the problem of global climate change. In the past several years Eco-Musketeers have also participated in many national and international projects related to the active citizenship and rising the awareness of the importance of biodiversity and environment for sustainable development of society. In this presentation we will show some of the main activities, eco-performances and actions of our organization related to the environment, biodiversity, conservation and recycling, such as: spring cleaning the streets of Belgrade, cleaning the Sava and the Danube river banks, removing insect moth pupae in the area of Lipovica forest near Belgrade. Also, Eco-Musketeers worked on education of employees of Coca-Cola HBC Serbia about energy efficiency. All the time, we have working on raising public awareness of the harmful effects of plastic bags on the environment, too. In order to draw attention on rare and endangered species in Serbia and around the globe, there were several performing street-plays about biodiversity and also the plays about the water ecological footprint. Eco-Musketeers also participated in international projects Greenwave-signs of spring (Fibonacci project), European Schools For A Living Planet (WWF Austria and Erste stiftung) and Eco Schools. The eco dream of Eco-Musketeers is to influence the Government of the Republic of Serbia to determine and declare a 'green habits week'. This should be a one week in a year during which all the citizens will act with a minimum negative impact on the environment. All previous activities of the Eco-Musketeers are the only a small step in a persevering process of conservation of the living world, but we strongly believe that though the activities of small group as we are, we can change the way of thinking of our fellows and citizens, so that they learn to love and protect nature for future generations.

The Iodine Satellite (iSat) Project Development Towards Critical Design Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankanich, John W.; Calvert, Derek; Kamhawi, Hani; Hickman, Tyler; Szabo, James; Byrne, Lawrence

2015-01-01

Despite the prevalence of small satellites in recent years, the systems flown to date have very limited propulsion capability. SmallSats are typically secondary payloads and have significant constraints for volume, mass, and power in addition to limitations on the use of hazardous propellants or stored energy. These constraints limit the options for SmallSat maneuverability. NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate approved the iodine Satellite flight project for a rapid demonstration of iodine Hall thruster technology in a 12U (cubesat units) configuration under the Small Spacecraft Technology Program. The mission is a partnership between NASA MSFC, NASA GRC, and Busek Co, Inc., with the Air Force supporting the propulsion technology maturation. The team is working towards the critical design review in the final design and fabrication phase of the project. The current design shows positive technical performance margins in all areas. The iSat project is planned for launch readiness in the spring of 2017.

SmallSat Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petropulos, Dolores; Bittner, David; Murawski, Robert; Golden, Bert

2015-01-01

The SmallSat has an unrealized potential in both the private industry and in the federal government. Currently over 70 companies, 50 universities and 17 governmental agencies are involved in SmallSat research and development. In 1994, the U.S. Army Missile and Defense mapped the moon using smallSat imagery. Since then Smart Phones have introduced this imagery to the people of the world as diverse industries watched this trend. The deployment cost of smallSats is also greatly reduced compared to traditional satellites due to the fact that multiple units can be deployed in a single mission. Imaging payloads have become more sophisticated, smaller and lighter. In addition, the growth of small technology obtained from private industries has led to the more widespread use of smallSats. This includes greater revisit rates in imagery, significantly lower costs, the ability to update technology more frequently and the ability to decrease vulnerability of enemy attacks. The popularity of smallSats show a changing mentality in this fast paced world of tomorrow. What impact has this created on the NASA communication networks now and in future years? In this project, we are developing the SmallSat Relational Database which can support a simulation of smallSats within the NASA SCaN Compatability Environment for Networks and Integrated Communications (SCENIC) Modeling and Simulation Lab. The NASA Space Communications and Networks (SCaN) Program can use this modeling to project required network support needs in the next 10 to 15 years. The SmallSat Rational Database could model smallSats just as the other SCaN databases model the more traditional larger satellites, with a few exceptions. One being that the smallSat Database is designed to be built-to-order. The SmallSat database holds various hardware configurations that can be used to model a smallSat. It will require significant effort to develop as the research material can only be populated by hand to obtain the unique data required. When completed it will interface with the SCENIC environment to allow modeling of smallSats. The SmallSat Relational Database can also be integrated with the SCENIC Simulation modeling system that is currently in development. The SmallSat Relational Database simulation will be of great significance in assisting the NASA SCaN group to understand the impact the smallSats have made which have populated the lower orbit around our mother earth. What I have created and worked on this summer session 2015, is the basis for a tool that will be of value to the NASA SCaN SCENIC Simulation Environment for years to come.

STRATEGIES TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN OLDER FILIPINO–AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS FOR A CANCER SCREENING STUDY

PubMed Central

Maxwell, Annette E.; Bastani, Roshan; Vida, Perlaminda; Warda, Umme S.

2006-01-01

Recruitment and retention of subjects in cancer prevention, screening, and treatment trials is challenging, especially if subjects are low-income, from minority groups or immigrants with limited English fluency. This article describes our experiences in recruiting 530 female Filipino–American immigrants at community based organizations and churches for a randomized trial that assessed the effect of a small group educational session on breast and cervical cancer screening. We found that a personal invitation from either a female project liaison, a friend, or the Filipino project director were all successful strategies that resulted in over 80% attendance at an educational session that was offered as part of the study. Although non-attendees did not differ from attendees in demographic characteristics, they expressed significantly more barriers to participating in a health study. Attendance at the group session was a significant predictor of retention in the study. We were able to conduct telephone follow-up surveys among 88% of enrollees at 12 month follow-up and 76% at 24 month follow-up. Results and implications are discussed in the hope that they may facilitate future participation of Filipinos and other Asian immigrants in research. PMID:15847243

Strategies for interprofessional education: the Interprofessional Team Objective Structured Clinical Examination for midwifery and medical students.

PubMed

Cullen, Lindsay; Fraser, Diane; Symonds, Ian

2003-08-01

This paper provides an overview of the processes involved in implementing an interprofessional education (IPE) strategy in a recently established School of Human Development at the University of Nottingham. The merger of the academic divisions of child health, midwifery, obstetrics and gynaecology was a deliberate initiative to create an organisational infrastructure intended to enhance opportunities for interprofessional collaborations in research and education. As a first step, a small group of academic midwives and obstetricians formed a project group to find the best way of facilitating IPE for medical and midwifery students at undergraduate level. A discussion is provided of the work the project group undertook to: determine an agreed definition of IPE; decide an action research approach was needed; determine the ways in which teaching and learning strategies were to be implemented, evaluated and compared; and identify the factors inhibiting and enhancing developments. Evaluations have demonstrated that the Interprofessional Team Objective Structured Clinical Examination (ITOSCE) focusing on intrapartum scenarios is effective in promoting interprofessional learning. Both medical and midwifery students and facilitators agree that team working and understanding each other's roles has been enhanced and that although resource intensive, IPE is worth the time and effort involved.

Small launchers (current and future projects in the world)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naumann, W. G.

1993-01-01

Small satellites need launching services using small launchers capable of injecting 100 to 1000 kg into a polar orbit at an altitude of 1000 km. Operational small launchers are reviewed as well as developing and planned ones. Launcher characteristics, constraints, performance, and status are detailed. Few technical problems are encountered, as most launcher projects call for existing components and well known technologies. Most of the difficulties have come from launch site availability and from financial considerations.

What Motivates Biology Instructors to Engage and Persist in Teaching Professional Development?

PubMed

McCourt, Jill S; Andrews, Tessa C; Knight, Jennifer K; Merrill, John E; Nehm, Ross H; Pelletreau, Karen N; Prevost, Luanna B; Smith, Michelle K; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Lemons, Paula P

2017-01-01

We conducted a study of 19 biology instructors participating in small, local groups at six research-intensive universities connected to the Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) project (www.msu.edu/∼aacr). Our aim was to uncover participants' motivation to persist in a long-term teaching professional development effort, a topic that is understudied in discipline-based educational research. We interviewed each participant twice over a 2-year period and conducted qualitative analyses on the data, using expectancy-value theory as a framework for considering motivation. Our analyses revealed that motivation among instructors was high due to their enjoyment of the AACR groups. The high level of motivation is further explained by the fact that AACR groups facilitated instructor involvement with the larger AACR project. We also found that group dynamics encouraged persistence; instructors thought they might never talk with colleagues about teaching in the absence of AACR groups; and groups were perceived to have a low-enough time requirement to warrant sustained involvement . We conclude that instructors have persisted in AACR groups because the groups provided great value with limited cost. The characterization of instructor experiences described here can contribute to a better understanding of faculty needs in teaching professional development. © 2017 J. S. McCourt et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Voting strategy for artifact reduction in digital breast tomosynthesis.

PubMed

Wu, Tao; Moore, Richard H; Kopans, Daniel B

2006-07-01

Artifacts are observed in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) reconstructions due to the small number of projections and the narrow angular range that are typically employed in tomosynthesis imaging. In this work, we investigate the reconstruction artifacts that are caused by high-attenuation features in breast and develop several artifact reduction methods based on a "voting strategy." The voting strategy identifies the projection(s) that would introduce artifacts to a voxel and rejects the projection(s) when reconstructing the voxel. Four approaches to the voting strategy were compared, including projection segmentation, maximum contribution deduction, one-step classification, and iterative classification. The projection segmentation method, based on segmentation of high-attenuation features from the projections, effectively reduces artifacts caused by metal and large calcifications that can be reliably detected and segmented from projections. The other three methods are based on the observation that contributions from artifact-inducing projections have higher value than those from normal projections. These methods attempt to identify the projection(s) that would cause artifacts by comparing contributions from different projections. Among the three methods, the iterative classification method provides the best artifact reduction; however, it can generate many false positive classifications that degrade the image quality. The maximum contribution deduction method and one-step classification method both reduce artifacts well from small calcifications, although the performance of artifact reduction is slightly better with the one-step classification. The combination of one-step classification and projection segmentation removes artifacts from both large and small calcifications.

Project Ares 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raymer, Dan; Russell, Phyllis; Fox, Tim; Meyers, Doug; Lovric, Steven; Grabow, Robert; Epp, Manfred; Wynn, Warren, Jr.; Mako, Zoltan; Linzner, Gunther

1992-01-01

The mission of Project Ares is to design and fabricate an Earth prototype, autonomous flying rover capable of flying on the Martian surface. The project was awarded to California State University, Northridge (CSUN) in 1989 where an in-depth paper study was completed. The second year's group, Project Ares 2, designed and fabricated a full-scale flight demonstration aircraft. Project Ares 3, the third and final group, is responsible for propulsion system design and installation, controls and instrumentation, and high altitude testing. The propulsion system consists of a motor and its power supply, geartrain, and propeller. The motor is a four-brush DC motor powered by a 50-V NiCd battery supply. A pulley and belt arrangement is used for the geartrain and includes light weight, low temperature materials. The propeller is constructed from composite materials which ensures high strength and light weight, and is specifically developed to provide thrust at extremely high altitudes. The aircraft is controlled with a ground-based radio control system and an autopilot which will activate in the event that the control signal is lost. A transponder is used to maintain radar contact for ground tracking purposes. The aircraft possesses a small, onboard computer for collecting and storing flight data. To safeguard the possibility of computer failure, all flight data is transmitted to a ground station via a telemetry system. An initial, unpowered, low-level test flight was completed in August of 1991. Testing of systems integration in the second low-level test flight resulted in loss of elevator control which caused considerable damage on landing. Complete failure analysis and repairs are scheduled for September of 1992.

[Active ageing and quality of life--Results of a WHO demonstration project].

PubMed

von dem Knesebeck, O; David, K; Bill, P; Hikl, R

2006-04-01

Based on the Active Ageing Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO), a demonstration project was conducted in a city in North-Rhine Westphalia between October 2002 and December 2004. The aim of the study was to promote an active ageing process, to maintain autonomy and independence among older people, and thereby to promote health and quality of life. The target group included people aged 55 to 80 years. The aim was to include older persons in a critical period of life due to loss of partner within the last five years and people undergoing a status change due to retirement within the last two years. 344 participants were visited at home to assess their health and psychosocial situation and to identify opportunities for activities. Participants were supported in their efforts to realise the agreed-upon activities. In this article results of the external evaluation are presented. It is analysed whether quality of life according to the WHOQOL Bref improves among participants in the course of the project. Results of non-parametric tests show small differences in quality of life between the three waves of interviews (at the beginning of the project, after one year, at the end of the project). This holds true when only those participants are analysed who retired within the last two years. However, quality of life significantly improves among older persons who lost their partner within the last five years. In terms of implementation of the WHO Active Ageing Programme results suggest application of a risk group strategy.

TANK OPERATIONS CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY UTILIZING THE AGENCY METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

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

LESKO KF; BERRIOCHOA MV

2010-02-26

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business constructioin subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the WRPS contract, construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipment and structures and installationmore » of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper descirbes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method (John E Schaufelberger, Len Holm, "Management of Construction Projects, A Constructor's Perspective", University of Washington, Prentice Hall 2002). This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2009 (FY2009), where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are subcontracted directly by WRPS to small or disadvantaged contractors that are mentored and supported by URS personnel. Each small contractor is mentored and supported utilizing the principles of the Construction Industry Institute (CII) Partnering process. Some of the key mentoring and partnering areas that are explored in this paper are, internal and external safety professional support, subcontractor safety teams and the interface with project and site safety teams, quality assurance program support to facilitate compliance with NQA-1, construction, team roles and responsibilities, work definition for successful fixed price contracts, scheduling and interface with project schedules and cost projection/accruals. The practical application of the CII Partnering principles, with the Construction Management expertise of URS, has led to a highly successful construction model that also meets small business contracting goals.« less

Food and survival in Lusaka's self-help townships.

PubMed

Ledogar, R J

1978-01-01

Zambia, formerly 1 of the more prosperous of developing nations, has fallen on hard times due to political problems of its neighbors and the depressed market price of copper, its main export product and largely the basis for its prosperity. The country is currently (1978) trying to shift its economic base to agriculture -- meaning that surplus crops go to export rather than to the crowded urban areas of Zambia itself (35 to 40% of the population). Zambian squatter settlements, traditionally self-reliant, are the target of a pilot project planned by UNICEF and The American Friends Service Committee, which hopes to encourage this self reliant tradition by expanding the practice of urban agriculture. The project hopes to develop ways to raise the productivity of urban agricultural areas by finding the most suitable crops and creating irrigation so that agriculture can be practised year round. This is the start of a planned "Urban Agriculture and Nutrition Service" to be funded by the above groups, with the Zambian government and, hopefully, other agencies, aimed at providing: 1) Kitchen gardens on residential plots. 2) Cultivation of road reserves, green belts, and other reserved areas throughout the city and on its outskirts. 3) Rainy season cultivation of all idle land in the urban area. 4) Raising of poultry, rabbits and other small livestock on residential and communal plots. 5) Cultivation of small holdings in the urban periphery by low income residents on a cooperative basis. 6) Eventual resettlement of some urban residents on farms in the urban periphery. There will be, in addition, a small-loan fund, 1st for individuals and later for cooperative ventures, and a program to improve technical skills. It is hoped that by 1980, when the pilot project is completed, the service will be self-supporting.

FAF-Drugs2: free ADME/tox filtering tool to assist drug discovery and chemical biology projects.

PubMed

Lagorce, David; Sperandio, Olivier; Galons, Hervé; Miteva, Maria A; Villoutreix, Bruno O

2008-09-24

Drug discovery and chemical biology are exceedingly complex and demanding enterprises. In recent years there are been increasing awareness about the importance of predicting/optimizing the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) properties of small chemical compounds along the search process rather than at the final stages. Fast methods for evaluating ADMET properties of small molecules often involve applying a set of simple empirical rules (educated guesses) and as such, compound collections' property profiling can be performed in silico. Clearly, these rules cannot assess the full complexity of the human body but can provide valuable information and assist decision-making. This paper presents FAF-Drugs2, a free adaptable tool for ADMET filtering of electronic compound collections. FAF-Drugs2 is a command line utility program (e.g., written in Python) based on the open source chemistry toolkit OpenBabel, which performs various physicochemical calculations, identifies key functional groups, some toxic and unstable molecules/functional groups. In addition to filtered collections, FAF-Drugs2 can provide, via Gnuplot, several distribution diagrams of major physicochemical properties of the screened compound libraries. We have developed FAF-Drugs2 to facilitate compound collection preparation, prior to (or after) experimental screening or virtual screening computations. Users can select to apply various filtering thresholds and add rules as needed for a given project. As it stands, FAF-Drugs2 implements numerous filtering rules (23 physicochemical rules and 204 substructure searching rules) that can be easily tuned.

Leadership Training in Graduate Medical Education: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Sadowski, Brett; Cantrell, Sarah; Barelski, Adam; O'Malley, Patrick G; Hartzell, Joshua D

2018-04-01

Leadership is a critical component of physician competence, yet the best approaches for developing leadership skills for physicians in training remain undefined. We systematically reviewed the literature on existing leadership curricula in graduate medical education (GME) to inform leadership program development. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, ERIC, EMBASE, and MedEdPORTAL through October 2015 using search terms to capture GME leadership curricula. Abstracts were reviewed for relevance, and included studies were retrieved for full-text analysis. Article quality was assessed using the Best Evidence in Medical Education (BEME) index. A total of 3413 articles met the search criteria, and 52 were included in the analysis. Article quality was low, with 21% (11 of 52) having a BEME score of 4 or 5. Primary care specialties were the most represented (58%, 30 of 52). The majority of programs were open to all residents (81%, 42 of 52). Projects and use of mentors or coaches were components of 46% and 48% of curricula, respectively. Only 40% (21 of 52) were longitudinal throughout training. The most frequent pedagogic methods were lectures, small group activities, and cases. Common topics included teamwork, leadership models, and change management. Evaluation focused on learner satisfaction and self-assessed knowledge. Longitudinal programs were more likely to be successful. GME leadership curricula are heterogeneous and limited in effectiveness. Small group teaching, project-based learning, mentoring, and coaching were more frequently used in higher-quality studies.

A Study of Learning Curve Impact on Three Identical Small Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Guangming; McLennan, Douglas D.

2003-01-01

With an eye to the future strategic needs of NASA, the New Millennium Program is funding the Space Technology 5 (ST-5) project to address the future needs in the area of small satellites in constellation missions. The ST-5 project, being developed at Goddard Space Flight Center, involves the development and simultaneous launch of three small, 20-kilogram-class spacecraft. ST-5 is only a test drive and future NASA science missions may call for fleets of spacecraft containing tens of smart and capable satellites in an intelligent constellation. The objective of ST-5 project is to develop three such pioneering small spacecraft for flight validation of several critical new technologies. The ST-5 project team at Goddard Space Flight Center has completed the spacecraft design, is now building and testing the three flight units. The launch readiness date (LRD) is in December 2005. A critical part of ST-5 mission is to prove that it is possible to build these small but capable spacecraft with recurring cost low enough to make future NASA s multi- spacecraft constellation missions viable from a cost standpoint.

Mindfulness-based intervention for teenagers with cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Malboeuf-Hurtubise, Catherine; Achille, Marie; Sultan, Serge; Vadnais, Majorie

2013-05-10

Individuals living with cancer must learn to face not only the physical symptoms of their condition, but also the anxiety and uncertainty related to the progression of the disease, the anticipation of physical and emotional pain related to illness and treatment, the significant changes implied in living with cancer, as well as the fear of recurrence after remission. Mindfulness-based meditation constitutes a promising option to alleviate these manifestations. This article presents the rationale and protocol development for a research project aimed at evaluating the effects of a mindfulness-based meditation intervention on quality of life, sleep, and mood in adolescents with cancer compared to a control group. A prospective, longitudinal, experimental design involving three time points (baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up) and two groups (experimental and control) was developed for this project. Participants will be assigned randomly to either group. Eligible participants are adolescents aged 11 to 18 years with a diagnosis of cancer, with no specific selection/exclusion based on type, stage, or trajectory of cancer. A final sample size of 28 participants is targeted. Adolescents in the experimental group will be completing the mindfulness meditation intervention, taught by two trained therapists. The intervention will comprise of eight weekly sessions, lasting 90 min each. Once the follow-up assessment is completed by the experimental group, wait-list controls will be offered to complete the mindfulness-based program. Intra-group analyses will serve to evaluate the impact of the mindfulness-based meditation intervention on quality of life, sleep, and mood pre-post intervention, as well as follow-up. Analyses will also be used to carry out inter-group comparisons between the experimental group and the wait-list controls. Voluntary participation, risk of attrition, and the small sample size are potential limitations of this project. In spite of possible limitations, this project will be one among very few aimed at improving quality of life, sleep, and mood in adolescents living with cancer, will evaluate the potential benefits of such a practice on both psychological and physical health of youth with cancer, and help in creating mindfulness-based intervention programs, in order to provide the necessary psychological help to adolescents living with cancer. NCT01783418.

Mindfulness-based intervention for teenagers with cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Individuals living with cancer must learn to face not only the physical symptoms of their condition, but also the anxiety and uncertainty related to the progression of the disease, the anticipation of physical and emotional pain related to illness and treatment, the significant changes implied in living with cancer, as well as the fear of recurrence after remission. Mindfulness-based meditation constitutes a promising option to alleviate these manifestations. Methods/Design This article presents the rationale and protocol development for a research project aimed at evaluating the effects of a mindfulness-based meditation intervention on quality of life, sleep, and mood in adolescents with cancer compared to a control group. A prospective, longitudinal, experimental design involving three time points (baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up) and two groups (experimental and control) was developed for this project. Participants will be assigned randomly to either group. Eligible participants are adolescents aged 11 to 18 years with a diagnosis of cancer, with no specific selection/exclusion based on type, stage, or trajectory of cancer. A final sample size of 28 participants is targeted. Adolescents in the experimental group will be completing the mindfulness meditation intervention, taught by two trained therapists. The intervention will comprise of eight weekly sessions, lasting 90 min each. Once the follow-up assessment is completed by the experimental group, wait-list controls will be offered to complete the mindfulness-based program. Intra-group analyses will serve to evaluate the impact of the mindfulness-based meditation intervention on quality of life, sleep, and mood pre-post intervention, as well as follow-up. Analyses will also be used to carry out inter-group comparisons between the experimental group and the wait-list controls. Voluntary participation, risk of attrition, and the small sample size are potential limitations of this project. In spite of possible limitations, this project will be one among very few aimed at improving quality of life, sleep, and mood in adolescents living with cancer, will evaluate the potential benefits of such a practice on both psychological and physical health of youth with cancer, and help in creating mindfulness-based intervention programs, in order to provide the necessary psychological help to adolescents living with cancer. Trial registration Trial registration number: NCT01783418 PMID:23663534

Requirements for future development of small scale rainfall simulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iserloh, Thomas; Ries, Johannes B.; Seeger, Manuel

2013-04-01

Rainfall simulation with small scale simulators is a method used worldwide to assess the generation of overland flow, soil erosion, infiltration and interrelated processes such as soil sealing, crusting, splash and redistribution of solids and solutes. Following the outcomes of the project "Comparability of simulation results of different rainfall simulators as input data for soil erosion modelling (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG, Project No. Ri 835/6-1)" and the "International Rainfall Simulator Workshop 2011" in Trier, the necessity for further technical improvements of simulators and strategies towards an adaption of designs and methods becomes obvious. Uniform measurements of artificially generated rainfall and comparative measurements on a prepared bare fallow with rainfall simulators used by European research groups showed limitations of the comparability of the results. The following requirements, essential for small portable rainfall simulators, were identified: (I) Low and efficient water consumption for use in areas with water shortage, (II) easy handling and control of test conditions, (III) homogeneous spatial rainfall distribution, (IV) best possible drop spectrum (physically), (V) reproducibility and knowledge of spatial distribution and drop spectrum, (VI) easy and fast training of operators to obtain reproducible experiments and (VII) good mobility and easy installation for use in remote areas and in regions where highly erosive rainfall events are rare or irregular. The presentation discusses possibilities for a common use of identical plot designs, rainfall intensities and nozzles.

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Collaborative Research Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cannon, John M.; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Undergraduate ALFALFA Team, ALFALFA Team

2016-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) has allowed faculty and students from a wide range of public and private colleges and especially those with small astronomy programs to learn how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a legacy radio astronomy survey. The UAT has achieved this through close collaboration with ALFALFA PIs to identify research areas accessible to undergraduates. In this talk we will summarize the main research efforts of the UAT, including multiwavelength followup observations of ALFALFA sources, the UAT Collaborative Groups Project, the Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD), and the Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, and AST-1211005.

Fostering of Creative Engineers Who Can Devise and Implement Imaginative Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobita, Hidetaka

A new educational program was introduced in Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, aiming at producing students with full of creativity and positive attitude. In this program, the students across the engineering departments and academic years form small groups, and each team works on an interdisciplinary and integrated project. The professors and academic staff participate in each project as an advisor/facilitator. A student can join the program at any academic year when he or she thinks it necessary. The effectiveness of the program was assessed through the inquiry and hearing from the students, alumni, teachers, business organizations for which the alumni are employed. According to the survey, the program is effective to develop various important human skills, such as independent mind-set, accountability and creativity.

Small car exposure data project. Phase 1 : methodology

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-10-01

The Small Car Exposure Data Project represents the first phase of an effort to build a data : base of exposure variables for crash-avoidance studies. Among these are: (1) vehicle make, : model, year, body style, wheel base, weight, and horsepower; (2...

Attitudes about OCLC in Small and Medium-Sized Libraries. Illinois Valley Library System OCLC Experimental Project. Report No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bills, Linda G.; Wilford, Valerie

A project was conducted from 1980 to 1982 to determine the costs and benefits of OCLC use in 29 small and medium-sized member libraries of the Illinois Valley Library System (IVLS). Academic, school, public, and special libraries participated in the project. Based on written attitude surveys of and interviews with library directors, staff,…

NASA Small Business Innovation Research Program. Composite List of Projects, 1983 to 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The NASA SBIR Composite List of Projects, 1983 to 1989, includes all projects that have been selected for support by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program of NASA. The list describes 1232 Phase 1 and 510 Phase 2 contracts that had been awarded or were in negotiation for award in August 1990. The main body is organized alphabetically by name of the small businesses. Four indexes cross-reference the list. The objective of this listing is to provide information about the SBIR program to anyone concerned with NASA research and development activities.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology into NASA Programs Associated with the Science Mission Directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2015-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) technologies that have gone through Phase II of the SBIR program into NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) programs. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this information useful.

Project SMART: Preliminary Results From a Test of the Efficacy of a Swedish Internet-Based HIV Risk-Reduction Intervention for Men Who Have Sex With Men.

PubMed

Schonnesson, Lena Nilsson; Bowen, Anne M; Williams, Mark L

2016-08-01

In Sweden, 57 % of HIV transmission occurs among MSM, and other sexually transmitted infections are increasing, supporting the need for innovative interventions. The Internet is a potentially useful HIV-prevention platform, but there is a lack of such programs in Sweden. The purpose of this exploratory study was to test the efficacy of the Internet-based SMART intervention to decrease HIV sexual risks in Swedish MSM. The intervention was adapted from the Wyoming Rural AIDS Prevention Project to the Swedish context, which was guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) skills model and consisted of six sessions. A total of 112 men responded to a pretest questionnaire and were randomly assigned to the SMART intervention or to a waitlist group. Fifty-four men dropped out, leaving a final sample of 58 participants. Twenty-five were assigned to the SMART intervention and 33 to a waitlist group. One month post intervention, the number of casual anal sex partners significantly decreased (t = 2.19, p = .04). Compared with the waitlist group, men in the intervention group increased their HIV knowledge (β = 0.70, p = .01), their belief of condom use as an act of responsibility (β = 1.19, p = .04), their willingness to use a condom with every new partner all the time (β = 1.39, p = .03), and their confidence in using condoms in challenging situations (β = 1.65, p = .02). Condom use was not analyzed due to the small sample size. Despite the small sample, high drop-out, and short follow-up, the study provides support for the efficacy of the Internet interventions, the SMART intervention specifically, for reducing the proportion of casual anal sex partners and improving the three cognitive components of the IMB model for Swedish MSM.

Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Project Descriptions for 2009

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project Descriptions for the 2009 award recipients of the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program which is designed to assist recipients in building collaborative partnerships that will help them understand and address the environmental and/or public health issues in their communities.

Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Project Descriptions for 2007

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project Descriptions for the 2007 award recipients of the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program which is designed to assist recipients in building collaborative partnerships that will help them understand and address the environmental and/or public health issues in their communities.

Core Cutting Test with Vertical Rock Cutting Rig (VRCR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasar, Serdar; Osman Yilmaz, Ali

2017-12-01

Roadheaders are frequently used machines in mining and tunnelling, and performance prediction of roadheaders is important for project economics and stability. Several methods were proposed so far for this purpose and, rock cutting tests are the best choice. Rock cutting tests are generally divided into two groups which are namely, full scale rock cutting tests and small scale rock cutting tests. These two tests have some superiorities and deficiencies over themselves. However, in many cases, where rock sampling becomes problematic, small scale rock cutting test (core cutting test) is preferred for performance prediction, since small block samples and core samples can be conducted to rock cutting testing. Common problem for rock cutting tests are that they can be found in very limited research centres. In this study, a new mobile rock cutting testing equipment, vertical rock cutting rig (VRCR) was introduced. Standard testing procedure was conducted on seven rock samples which were the part of a former study on cutting rocks with another small scale rock cutting test. Results showed that core cutting test can be realized successfully with VRCR with the validation of paired samples t-test.

Results of a NASA Kennedy Space Center Earned Value Management Pilot Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Hector N.; Rhodeside, Glenn R.

2004-01-01

The Earn Value Management Pilot provided a tremendous amount of data on the strengths and weaknesses of the new financial system, the ability to support EVM from many viewpoints, the lack of tools for small to medium projects implementing EVM, and the training and environment necessary to successfully deploy EVM to all projects. This data along with other pilots will prove invaluable. Deploying EVM should not be taken lightly - a full assessment of capabilities and supporting infrastructure should be done prior to any deployment, and some very basic questions should be asked. For instance, will sufficient training be provided? Can the project managers readily and easily obtain all the necessary data? If EVM is to thrive in all projects regardless of cost, the transition should be as seamless as possible, minimizing cost and effort, and with the end user in mind. In setting up an EVM implementation, the question, "How does the project manager benefit from this process?" must remain at the forefront. Further research in this area is needed to answer the question,"Is EVM cost effective in small projects?" The authors welcome knowledge sharing with other organizations that are striving to gain the benefits of EVM on small projects.

Thresholds and Glass Ceilings: Career Pattern of Women Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonnert, Gerhard

2004-05-01

The Project Access study examined the careers of men and women who had received prestigious postdoctoral fellowships and thus were presumably of about equal promise at the start of their professional careers. Had the women scientists in this elite group overcome a threshold beyond which they proceeded on equal footing with their male counterparts; or did a glass ceiling impede their careers? We found gender differences in career outcomes in the group we studied (699 questionnaires, 200 interviews), but these differences varied considerably by scientific discipline. Moreover, the career disparities for women, as a group, appear now to result chiefly from a series of subtle but identifiable and sometimes counterintuitive impediments as well as from slight gender differences in socialization. Each disadvantage by itself may be small, but in their accumulation they significantly influence women's careers.

Gender Differences in the Careers of Former Postdoctoral Fellows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonnert, Gerhard

2004-03-01

The Project Access study examined the careers of men and women who had received prestigious postdoctoral fellowships and thus were presumably of about equal promise at the start of their professional careers. Had the women scientists in this elite group overcome a threshold beyond which they proceeded on equal footing with their male counterparts; or did a glass ceiling impede their careers? We found gender differences in career outcomes in the group we studied (699 questionnaires, 200 interviews), but these differences varied considerably by scientific discipline. Moreover, the career disparities for women, as a group, appear now to result chiefly from a series of subtle but identifiable and sometimes counterintuitive impediments as well as from slight gender differences in socialization. Each disadvantage by itself may be small, but in their accumulation they significantly influence women's careers.

Linear equations and rap battles: how students in a wired classroom utilized the computer as a resource to coordinate personal and mathematical positional identities in hybrid spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer-Osuna, Jennifer

2015-03-01

This paper draws on the constructs of hybridity, figured worlds, and cultural capital to examine how a group of African-American students in a technology-driven, project-based algebra classroom utilized the computer as a resource to coordinate personal and mathematical positional identities during group work. Analyses of several vignettes of small group dynamics highlight how hybridity was established as the students engaged in multiple on-task and off-task computer-based activities, each of which drew on different lived experiences and forms of cultural capital. The paper ends with a discussion on how classrooms that make use of student-led collaborative work, and where students are afforded autonomy, have the potential to support the academic engagement of students from historically marginalized communities.

7 CFR Appendix A to Part 4280 - Technical Reports for Projects With Total Eligible Project Costs of $200,000 or Less

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of the wind turbine is 100kW or smaller and with a generator hub height of 120 feet or less. Small... demonstrate the amount of local wind resource where the small wind turbine is to be installed. Indicate the... of the individual wind turbine(s) is larger than 100kW. (a) Qualifications of key project service...

7 CFR Appendix A to Part 4280 - Technical Reports for Projects With Total Eligible Project Costs of $200,000 or Less

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of the wind turbine is 100kW or smaller and with a generator hub height of 120 feet or less. Small... demonstrate the amount of local wind resource where the small wind turbine is to be installed. Indicate the... of the individual wind turbine(s) is larger than 100kW. (a) Qualifications of key project service...

Students Apply Research Methods to Consumer Decisions About Cognitive Enhancing Drinks

PubMed Central

Walters, Charles B.; Hill, Katherine G.; Zavilla, Anastasia R.; Erickson, Cynthia A.

2014-01-01

The goal of this class project was to provide students with a hands-on research experience that allowed autonomy, but eliminated duplication of effort and could be completed within one semester. Our resources were limited to a small supply budget and an introductory psychology subject pool. Six students from a behavioral neuroscience class tested claims made by a drink company that their product improves cognitive function. The students each chose a cognitive task for their part of the project. The tasks included the Donders Reaction Time Task, the Stroop Task, the Raven’s Progressive Matrices, a short-term memory span test, the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test and a simple measure of prefrontal EEG activity. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental or control drink. The experimental group received the putative cognitive enhancing drink and the control group received a placebo drink that was very similar in color and taste. The two drinks shared no active ingredients. Results suggest that the putative cognitive enhancing drink did not improve performance on any of the tasks and decreased performance on the short-term memory task. These findings are discussed in regard to implications for consumers as well as further research into supplements and their ability to improve cognitive performance. Each student presented his/her results at a university-wide research conference. This project provided a rich experience in which students had the opportunity to carry out a research project from conception to presentation. PMID:25565916

Exploring ecology in Alaska: Reflective storytelling as a model for environmental education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoemaker, Kay Warren

This professional project is formatted as a book that was written as a part of a qualitativeparticipatory action research study exploring best practices for diverse communities in Alaska to access reflective storytelling method as environmental education. Non-invasive assessment was utilized with participants in the form of talking circles, where program leaders and educators met in small groups with youth to practice sharing and reflecting on their experiential education activity. Youth voice and educator opinions were gathered in structured and unstructured interviews. Along with interviews, standard practice methods for a qualitative research project were utilized, including: participant observation, non-participant observation, field notes, reflexive journals, and analysis of documents and materials. The current book project was designed as a tool to assist with the implementation of the Alaska Natural Resource and Environmental Literacy Plan. Through place-based curriculum and experiential learning techniques, it shares examples of a unique method of teaching outdoor environmental education through storytelling.

The Influence of Modern Instrumentation on the Analytical and General Chemistry Curriculum at Bates College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenzel, Thomas J.

2001-09-01

The availability of state-of-the-art instruments such as high performance liquid chromatograph, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer, capillary electrophoresis system, and ion chromatograph obtained through four Instructional Laboratory Improvement and one Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement grants from the National Science Foundation has led to a profound change in the structure of the analytical and general chemistry courses at Bates College. Students in both sets of courses now undertake ambitious, semester-long, small-group projects. The general chemistry course, which fulfills the prerequisite requirement for all upper-level chemistry courses, focuses on the connection between chemistry and the study of the environment. The projects provide students with an opportunity to conduct a real scientific investigation. The projects emphasize problem solving, team work, and communication, while still fostering the development of important laboratory skills. Cooperative learning is also used extensively in the classroom portion of these courses.

Village-based primary health care in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

PubMed

Barrett, B; Ladinsky, J; Volk, N

2001-02-01

This paper describes the first year of an ongoing village health care and economic development project in the Krong Buk district of Dak Lak province in Vietnam's Central Highlands. The project serves 21 villages with a total population of just over 15,000. Most belong to ethnic minority groups. Physicians from the province capital of Boun Me Thuot were trained by a multi-disciplinary team of American health care workers to be trainers and supervisors of 21 village health care workers (VHWs). Two months later, a VHW from each village was trained in primary and preventive health care by the physician-supervisors. Since this initial training, each VHW has been provided with materials, medicines and monthly supervision by the physician-supervisors. The health care component has been complemented by an economic development project based on a system of small loans. Data from the first year of monthly reports and from a baseline survey are presented in this paper.

Case studies of the legal and institutional obstacles and incentives to the development of small-scale hydroelectric power: Bull Run, Portland, Oregon

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

None

1980-05-01

The National Conference of State Legislatures' Small-Scale Hydroelectric Policy Project is designed to assist selected state legislatures in looking at the benefits that a state can derive from the development of small-scale hydro, and in carrying out a review of state laws and regulations that affect the development of the state's small-scale hydro resources. The successful completion of the project should help establish state statutes and regulations that are consistent with the efficient development of small-scale hydro. As part of the project's work with state legislatures, seven case studies of small-scale hydro sites were conducted to provide a general analysismore » and overview of the significant problems and opportunities for the development of this energy resource. The case study approach was selected to expose the actual difficulties and advantages involved in developing a specific site. Such an examination of real development efforts will clearly reveal the important aspects about small-scale hydro development which could be improved by statutory or regulatory revision. Moreover, the case study format enables the formulation of generalized opportunities for promoting small-scale hydro based on specific development experiences. The case study for small-scale hydro power development at the City of Portland's water reserve in the Bull Run Forest is presented with information included on the Bull Run hydro power potential, current water usage, hydro power regulations and plant licensing, technical and economic aspects of Bull Run project, and the environmental impact. (LCL)« less

34 CFR 664.3 - Who is eligible to participate in projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program? 664.3 Section 664.3 Education Regulations of the... EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM General § 664.3 Who is eligible to participate in projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program? An individual is eligible to...

34 CFR 664.3 - Who is eligible to participate in projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program? 664.3 Section 664.3 Education Regulations of the... EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM General § 664.3 Who is eligible to participate in projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program? An individual is eligible to...

34 CFR 664.3 - Who is eligible to participate in projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program? 664.3 Section 664.3 Education Regulations of the... EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM General § 664.3 Who is eligible to participate in projects funded under the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program? An individual is eligible to...

Introducing students to patient safety through an online interprofessional course.

PubMed

Blue, Amy V; Charles, Laurine; Howell, David; Koutalos, Yiannis; Mitcham, Maralynne; Nappi, Jean; Zoller, James

2010-01-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) is increasingly called upon to improve health care systems and patient safety. Our institution is engaged in a campus-wide IPE initiative. As a component of this initiative, a required online interprofessional patient-safety-focused course for a large group (300) of first-year medical, dental, and nursing students was developed and implemented. We describe our efforts with developing the course, including the use of constructivist and adult learning theories and IPE competencies to structure students' learning in a meaningful fashion. The course was conducted online to address obstacles of academic calendars and provide flexibility for faculty participation. Students worked in small groups online with a faculty facilitator. Thematic modules were created with associated objectives, online learning materials, and assignments. Students posted completed assignments online and responded to group members' assignments for purposes of group discussion. Students worked in interprofessional groups on a project requiring them to complete a root cause analysis and develop recommendations based on a fictional sentinel event case. Through project work, students applied concepts learned in the course related to improving patient safety and demonstrated interprofessional collaboration skills. Projects were presented during a final in-class session. Student course evaluation results suggest that learning objectives and content goals were achieved. Faculty course evaluation results indicate that the course was perceived to be a worthwhile learning experience for students. We offer the following recommendations to others interested in developing an in-depth interprofessional learning experience for a large group of learners: 1) consider a hybrid format (inclusion of some face-to-face sessions), 2) address IPE and broader curricular needs, 3) create interactive opportunities for shared learning and working together, 4) provide support to faculty facilitators, and 5) recognize your learners' educational level. The course has expanded to include students from additional programs for the current academic year.

Introducing students to patient safety through an online interprofessional course

PubMed Central

Blue, Amy V; Charles, Laurine; Howell, David; Koutalos, Yiannis; Mitcham, Maralynne; Nappi, Jean; Zoller, James

2010-01-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) is increasingly called upon to improve health care systems and patient safety. Our institution is engaged in a campus-wide IPE initiative. As a component of this initiative, a required online interprofessional patient-safety-focused course for a large group (300) of first-year medical, dental, and nursing students was developed and implemented. We describe our efforts with developing the course, including the use of constructivist and adult learning theories and IPE competencies to structure students’ learning in a meaningful fashion. The course was conducted online to address obstacles of academic calendars and provide flexibility for faculty participation. Students worked in small groups online with a faculty facilitator. Thematic modules were created with associated objectives, online learning materials, and assignments. Students posted completed assignments online and responded to group members’ assignments for purposes of group discussion. Students worked in interprofessional groups on a project requiring them to complete a root cause analysis and develop recommendations based on a fictional sentinel event case. Through project work, students applied concepts learned in the course related to improving patient safety and demonstrated interprofessional collaboration skills. Projects were presented during a final in-class session. Student course evaluation results suggest that learning objectives and content goals were achieved. Faculty course evaluation results indicate that the course was perceived to be a worthwhile learning experience for students. We offer the following recommendations to others interested in developing an in-depth interprofessional learning experience for a large group of learners: 1) consider a hybrid format (inclusion of some face-to-face sessions), 2) address IPE and broader curricular needs, 3) create interactive opportunities for shared learning and working together, 4) provide support to faculty facilitators, and 5) recognize your learners’ educational level. The course has expanded to include students from additional programs for the current academic year. PMID:23745069

Sino-American cooperation for rural electrification in China

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

Wallace, W.L.; Tsuo, Y.S.; Taylor, R.

1997-12-01

This paper discusses primarily two different renewable energy programs which are in progress in China. One is in Gansu province, based on a solar home system project. This project is stressing a sustainable market development, provision of small lighting systems for residential and small schools, and water pumping and telecommunications support. It seeks involvement of 600 households as a minimum over 18 months. The second project is a very aggressive renewable energy project in Inner Mongolia, where there are excellent wind and solar resources, and where there are already 110,000 small wind turbines installed, in addition to more than 9more » hybrid power systems for villages. These programs have major involvement from the Chinese government and industry, with some guidance and support from the USA.« less

Environmental testing philosophy for a Sandia National Laboratories small satellite project

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

Cap, J.S.; Rackley, N.G.

1996-03-01

Sandia National Laboratories is the system integrator on a small satellite project. Following the intent of the NASA GEVS document, an integrated test philosophy was formulated to certify the satellite for flight. The purpose of this paper is to present that philosophy.

A framework for assessment and monitoring of small mammals in a lowland tropical forest.

PubMed

Solari, Sergio; Rodriguez, Juan José; Vivar, Elena; Velazco, Paul M

2002-05-01

Development projects in tropical forests can impact biodiversity. Assessment and monitoring programs based on the principles of adaptive management assist managers to identify and reduce such impacts. The small mammal community is one important component of a forest ecosystem that may be impacted by development projects. In 1996, a natural gas exploration project was initiated in a Peruvian rainforest. The Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity program cooperated with Shell Prospecting and Development Peru to establish an adaptive management program to protect the region's biodiversity. In this article, we discuss the role of assessing and monitoring small mammals in relation to the natural gas project. We outline the conceptual issues involved in establishing an assessment and monitoring program, including setting objectives, evaluating the results and making appropriate decisions. We also summarize the steps taken to implement the small mammal assessment, provide results from the assessment and discuss protocols to identify appropriate species for monitoring.

Analysis of Requirements of On-Line Network Cataloging Services for Small, Academic, Public, School and Other Libraries: A Demonstration Project using the OCLC System. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markuson, Barbara Evans

This report results from a project using the OCLC system to provide catalog services to small libraries. Alternatives described include: centralized cataloging, centralized book processing, sharing of OCLC terminals, and use of dial-up terminals. The OCLC data base was found useful for all types of small libraries. It is recommended that network…

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into NASA Programs Associated With the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2015-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) technologies that have gone through Phase II of the SBIR program into NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) programs. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this information useful.

Technology transfer program of Microlabsat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Y.; Hashimoto, H.

2004-11-01

A 50kg-class small satellite developed by JAXA called "MicroLabSat" was launched piggyback by H-IIA rocket No. 4 on 14 December 2002. This satellite will demonstrate small satellite bus technology and conduct experiments on a new separator feasibility and remote inspection technology. All missions were completed successfully on 25 May 2003. Furthermore, the hand-construction by young JAXA engineers motivated these engineers to higher performance in learning design, assembly and testing technology. Small and medium-sized Japanese companies have recently joined together and initiated a project to develop a small satellite. The goal of the project is to commercialise small satellites, which will require low- cost development. Therefore, they have started with a satellite incorporating the components and bus technologies of MicroLabSat and have been technically supported by universities and JAXA since 2004. This satellite project, in which industry, universities and a space agency are collaborating, seeks to meet the technical challenge of launching a low-cost satellite. This paper reports JAX's strategies for developing a small satellite for demonstrating space technology as well as the development and operation results of MicroLabSat. It also describes the project status of an industry-based satellite, developed through collaboration among industries, universities and the space agency, and how the technologies of MicroLabSat are applied.

Overview of demonstrator program of Japanese Smart Materials and Structure System project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajima, Naoyuki; Sakurai, Tateo; Sasajima, Mikio; Takeda, Nobuo; Kishi, Teruo

2003-08-01

The Japanese Smart Material and Structure System Project started in 1998 as five years' program that funded by METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and supported by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). Total budget of five years was finally about 3.8 billion Japanese yen. This project has been conducted as the Academic Institutions Centered Program, namely, one of collaborated research and development among seven universities (include one foreign university), seventeen Industries (include two foreign companies), and three national laboratories. At first, this project consisted of four research groups that were structural health monitoring, smart manufacturing, active/adaptive structures, and actuator material/devices. Two years later, we decided that two demonstrator programs should be added in order to integrate the developed sensor and actuator element into the smart structure system and verify the research and development results of above four research groups. The application target of these demonstrators was focused to the airplane, and two demonstrators that these shapes simulate to the fuselage of small commercial airplane (for example, Boeing B737) had been established. Both demonstrators are cylindrical structures with 1.5 m in diameter and 3 m in length that the first demonstrator has CFRP skin-stringer and the second one has CFRP skin. The first demonstrator integrates the following six innovative techniques: (1) impact monitoring using embedded small diameter optical fiber sensors newly developed in this program, (2) impact monitoring using the integrated acoustic emission (AE) systems, (3) whole-field strain mapping using the BOTDR/FBG integrated system, (4) damage suppression using embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) films, (5) maximum and cyclic strain sensing using smart composite patches, and (6) smart manufacturing using the integrated sensing system. The second one is for demonstrating the suppression of vibration and acoustic noise generated in the composite cylindrical structure. In this program, High-performance PZT actuators/sensors developed in this program are also installed. The whole tests and evaluations have now been finished. This paper presents the outline of demonstrator programs, followed by six presentations that show the detail verification results of industrial demonstration themes.

Putting Carbon in its Place: What You Can Do (LBNL Science at the Theater)

ScienceCinema

Walker, Iain; Regnier, Cindy [LBNL, Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Miller, Jeff; Masanet, Eric

2018-06-28

Science at the Theater: Berkeley Lab scientists reveal the latest research on how to reduce your carbon footprint at home, work, and when you shop. Learn how even small choices can have a big impact. Iain Walker's research focuses on optimizing the energy use and comfort of buildings. He's a staff scientist in the Energy Performance of Buildings Group, which is part of Berkeley Lab's Environmen...tal Energy Technologies Division. He's also executive editor of Home Energy Magazine. Cindy Regnier is a Project Manager in the Environmental Energy Technologies Division at Berkeley Lab. She has over 13 years of mechanical engineering design experience, with a focus on low-energy buildings. Her projects have included several LEED Platinum buildings and the design of a 200,000 sf carbon neutral, net-zero energy science museum in San Francisco. Eric Masanet is Acting Deputy Leader of the International Energy Studies Group at Berkeley Lab. His research focuses on life-cycle assessments and energy efficiency analysis. He holds a joint research appointment in the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Berkeley.

The WAGGS project - I. The WiFeS Atlas of Galactic Globular cluster Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usher, Christopher; Pastorello, Nicola; Bellstedt, Sabine; Alabi, Adebusola; Cerulo, Pierluigi; Chevalier, Leonie; Fraser-McKelvie, Amelia; Penny, Samantha; Foster, Caroline; McDermid, Richard M.; Schiavon, Ricardo P.; Villaume, Alexa

2017-07-01

We present the WiFeS Atlas of Galactic Globular cluster Spectra, a library of integrated spectra of Milky Way and Local Group globular clusters. We used the WiFeS integral field spectrograph on the Australian National University 2.3 m telescope to observe the central regions of 64 Milky Way globular clusters and 22 globular clusters hosted by the Milky Way's low-mass satellite galaxies. The spectra have wider wavelength coverage (3300-9050 Å) and higher spectral resolution (R = 6800) than existing spectral libraries of Milky Way globular clusters. By including Large and Small Magellanic Cloud star clusters, we extend the coverage of parameter space of existing libraries towards young and intermediate ages. While testing stellar population synthesis models and analysis techniques is the main aim of this library, the observations may also further our understanding of the stellar populations of Local Group globular clusters and make possible the direct comparison of extragalactic globular cluster integrated light observations with well-understood globular clusters in the Milky Way. The integrated spectra are publicly available via the project website.

Taking the Pulse of the University of Tennessee Medical Center's Health Literacy Knowledge.

PubMed

Grabeel, Kelsey Leonard; Beeler, Cynthia J

2018-01-01

Low health literacy is well documented in East Tennessee. Before addressing the issue, librarians at the Preston Medical Library, University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, conducted a needs assessment of hospital staff to determine their knowledge of health literacy and the need for training. As a follow-up, library staff conducted training sessions for nurses through classes, small group meetings, and staff huddles. The result is an increased dialogue of health literacy at the hospital, along with new research projects, a forum, and a summit meeting.

AD-venture program: therapeutic biking for the treatment of depression in long-term care residents with dementia.

PubMed

Buettner, Linda L; Fitzsimmons, Suzanne

2002-01-01

This project tested an innovative intervention in a controlled clinical investigation of a nonpharmacological treatment of depression in long-term care residents with dementia. This treatment utilized a wheelchair bicycle in a recreation therapy protocol, which combined small group activity therapy and one-to-one bike rides with a staff member. Depression levels were significantly reduced in the two-week portion of the study with levels maintained in the 10-week maintenance period. Improvements were also found in sleep and levels of activity engagement.

Lightweight Material Patches Allow for Quick Repairs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

Cornerstone Research Group Inc., of Dayton, Ohio, has been the recipient of 16 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with NASA with a variety of different focuses, including projects like creating inflatable structures for radio frequency antennas and, most recently, healable polymer matrix composites for future space vehicles. One of its earlier SBIR contracts, with Kennedy Space Center, led to the development of a new type of structural patch for a variety of consumer uses: Rubbn Repair, for automotive uses; and Rec Repair for the outdoors and adventure market. Both are flexible, heat-activated structural patches.

Improved Use of Small Reference Panels for Conditional and Joint Analysis with GWAS Summary Statistics.

PubMed

Deng, Yangqing; Pan, Wei

2018-06-01

Due to issues of practicality and confidentiality of genomic data sharing on a large scale, typically only meta- or mega-analyzed genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data, not individual-level data, are publicly available. Reanalyses of such GWAS summary data for a wide range of applications have become more and more common and useful, which often require the use of an external reference panel with individual-level genotypic data to infer linkage disequilibrium (LD) among genetic variants. However, with a small sample size in only hundreds, as for the most popular 1000 Genomes Project European sample, estimation errors for LD are not negligible, leading to often dramatically increased numbers of false positives in subsequent analyses of GWAS summary data. To alleviate the problem in the context of association testing for a group of SNPs, we propose an alternative estimator of the covariance matrix with an idea similar to multiple imputation. We use numerical examples based on both simulated and real data to demonstrate the severe problem with the use of the 1000 Genomes Project reference panels, and the improved performance of our new approach. Copyright © 2018 by the Genetics Society of America.

Pairs of galaxies in low density regions of a combined redshift catalog

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charlton, Jane C.; Salpeter, Edwin E.

1990-01-01

The distributions of projected separations and radial velocity differences of pairs of galaxies in the CfA and Southern Sky Redshift Survey (SSRS) redshift catalogs are examined. The authors focus on pairs that fall in low density environments rather than in clusters or large groups. The projected separation distribution is nearly flat, while uncorrelated galaxies would have given one linearly rising with r sub p. There is no break in this curve even below 50 kpc, the minimum halo size consistent with measured galaxy rotation curves. The significant number of pairs at small separations is inconsistent with the N-body result that galaxies with overlapping halos will rapidly merge, unless there are significant amounts of matter distributed out to a few hundred kpc of the galaxies. This dark matter may either be in distinct halos or more loosely distributed. Large halos would allow pairs at initially large separations to head toward merger, replenishing the distribution at small separations. In the context of this model, the authors estimate that roughly 10 to 25 percent of these low density galaxies are the product of a merger, compared with the elliptical/SO fraction of 18 percent, observed in low density regions of the sample.

THE SMALL ACID SOLUBLE PROTEINS (SASP α and SASP β) OF BACILLUS WEIHENSTEPHANENSIS AND B. MYCOIDES GROUP 2 ARE THE MOST DISTINCT AMONG THE B. CEREUS GROUP

PubMed Central

Callahan, Courtney; Fox, Karen; Fox, Alvin

2009-01-01

The Bacillus cereus group includes Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus mycoides and Bacillus weihenstephanensis. The small acid-soluble spore protein (SASP) β has been previously demonstrated to be among the biomarkers differentiating B. anthracis and B. cereus; SASP β of B. cereus most commonly exhibits one or two amino acid substitutions when compared to B. anthracis. SASP α is conserved in sequence among these two species. Neither SASP α nor β for B. thuringiensis, B. mycoides and B. weihenstephanensis have been previously characterized as taxonomic discriminators. In the current work molecular weight (MW) variation of these SASPs were determined by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) for representative strains of the 5 species within the B. cereus group. The measured MWs also correlate with calculated MWs of translated amino acid sequences generated from whole genome sequencing projects. SASP α and β demonstrated consistent MW among B. cereus, B. thuringiensis, and B. mycoides strains (group 1). However B. mycoides (group 2) and B. weihenstephanensis SASP α and β were quite distinct making them unique among the B. cereus group. Limited sequence changes were observed in SASP α (at most 3 substitutions and 2 deletions) indicating it is a more conserved protein than SASP β (up to 6 substitutions and a deletion). Another even more conserved SASP, SASP α-β type, was described here for the first time. PMID:19616612

The impact of maths support tutorials on mathematics confidence and academic performance in a cohort of HE Animal Science students

PubMed Central

Amory, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Students embarking on a bioscience degree course, such as Animal Science, often do not have sufficient experience in mathematics. However, mathematics forms an essential and integral part of any bioscience degree and is essential to enhance employability. This paper presents the findings of a project looking at the effect of mathematics tutorials on a cohort of first year animal science and management students. The results of a questionnaire, focus group discussions and academic performance analysis indicate that small group tutorials enhance students’ confidence in maths and improve students’ academic performance. Furthermore, student feedback on the tutorial programme provides a deeper insight into student experiences and the value students assign to the tutorials. PMID:25024925

The impact of maths support tutorials on mathematics confidence and academic performance in a cohort of HE Animal Science students.

PubMed

van Veggel, Nieky; Amory, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Students embarking on a bioscience degree course, such as Animal Science, often do not have sufficient experience in mathematics. However, mathematics forms an essential and integral part of any bioscience degree and is essential to enhance employability. This paper presents the findings of a project looking at the effect of mathematics tutorials on a cohort of first year animal science and management students. The results of a questionnaire, focus group discussions and academic performance analysis indicate that small group tutorials enhance students' confidence in maths and improve students' academic performance. Furthermore, student feedback on the tutorial programme provides a deeper insight into student experiences and the value students assign to the tutorials.

Automated Detection of Small Bodies by Space Based Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bidstrup, P. R.; Grillmayer, G.; Andersen, A. C.; Haack, H.; Jorgensen, J. L.

The number of known comets and asteroids is increasing every year. Up till now this number is including approximately 250,000 of the largest minor planets, as they are usually referred. These discoveries are due to the Earth-based observation which has intensified over the previous decades. Additionally larger telescopes and arrays of telescopes are being used for exploring our Solar System. It is believed that all near- Earth and Main-Belt asteroids of diameters above 10 to 30 km have been discovered, leaving these groups of objects as observationally complete. However, the cataloguing of smaller bodies is incomplete as only a very small fraction of the expected number has been discovered. It is estimated that approximately 1010 main belt asteroids in the size range 1 m to 1 km are too faint to be observed using Earth-based telescopes. In order to observe these small bodies, space-based search must be initiated to remove atmospheric disturbances and to minimize the distance to the asteroids and thereby minimising the requirement for long camera integration times. A new method of space-based detection of moving non-stellar objects is currently being developed utilising the Advanced Stellar Compass (ASC) built for spacecraft attitude determination by Ørsted, Danish Technical University. The ASC serves as a backbone technology in the project as it is capable of fully automated distinction of known and unknown celestial objects. By only processing objects of particular interest, i.e. moving objects, it will be possible to discover small bodies with a minimum of ground control, with the ultimate ambition of a fully automated space search probe. Currently, the ASC is being mounted on the Flying Laptop satellite of the Institute of Space Systems, Universität Stuttgart. It will, after a launch into a low Earth polar orbit in 2008, test the detection method with the ASC equipment that already had significant in-flight experience. A future use of the ASC based automated detection of small bodies is currently on a preliminary stage and known as the Bering project - a deep space survey to the asteroid Main-Belt. With a successful detection method, the Bering mission is expected to discover approximately 6 new small objects per day and 1 will thus during the course of a few years discover 5,000-10,000 new sub-kilometer asteroids. Discovery of new small bodies can: 1) Provide further links between groups of meteorites. 2) Constrain the cratering rate at planetary surfaces and thus allow significantly improved cratering ages for terrains on Mars and other planets. 3) Help determine processes that transfer small asteroids from orbits in the asteroid Main-Belt to the inner Solar System. 2

TANK OPERATIONS CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY UTILIZING THE AGENCY METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TO SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY COMPLETE NUCLEAR CONSTRUCTION WORK

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

LESO KF; HAMILTON HM; FARNER M

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business construction subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC contract, Construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipmentmore » and structures and installation of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper describes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method. This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are subcontracted directly by WRPS to small or disadvantaged contractors that are mentored and supported by DRS personnel. Each small contractor is mentored and supported utilizing the principles of the Construction Industry Institute (CII) Partnering process. Some of the key mentoring and partnering areas that are explored in this paper are, internal and external safety professional support, subcontractor safety teams and the interface with project and site safety teams, quality assurance program support to facilitate compliance with NQA-1, construction, team roles and responsibilities, work definition for successful fixed price contracts, scheduling and interface with project schedules and cost projection/accruals. The practical application of the CII Partnering principles, with the Construction Management expertise of URS, has led to a highly successful construction model that also meets small business contracting goals.« less

Dynamic system simulation of small satellite projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raif, Matthias; Walter, Ulrich; Bouwmeester, Jasper

2010-11-01

A prerequisite to accomplish a system simulation is to have a system model holding all necessary project information in a centralized repository that can be accessed and edited by all parties involved. At the Institute of Astronautics of the Technische Universitaet Muenchen a modular approach for modeling and dynamic simulation of satellite systems has been developed called dynamic system simulation (DySyS). DySyS is based on the platform independent description language SysML to model a small satellite project with respect to the system composition and dynamic behavior. A library of specific building blocks and possible relations between these blocks have been developed. From this library a system model of the satellite of interest can be created. A mapping into a C++ simulation allows the creation of an executable system model with which simulations are performed to observe the dynamic behavior of the satellite. In this paper DySyS is used to model and simulate the dynamic behavior of small satellites, because small satellite projects can act as a precursor to demonstrate the feasibility of a system model since they are less complex compared to a large scale satellite project.

7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - Technical Reports for Projects With Total Eligible Project Costs of $200,000 or Less

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of the wind turbine is 100kW or smaller and with a generator hub height of 120 feet or less. Small... demonstrate the amount of local wind resource where the small wind turbine is to be installed. Indicate the... of the individual wind turbine(s) is larger than 100kW. (a) Qualifications of key project service...

7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - Technical Reports for Projects With Total Eligible Project Costs of $200,000 or Less

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of the wind turbine is 100kW or smaller and with a generator hub height of 120 feet or less. Small... demonstrate the amount of local wind resource where the small wind turbine is to be installed. Indicate the... of the individual wind turbine(s) is larger than 100kW. (a) Qualifications of key project service...

7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - Technical Reports for Projects With Total Eligible Project Costs of $200,000 or Less

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of the wind turbine is 100kW or smaller and with a generator hub height of 120 feet or less. Small... demonstrate the amount of local wind resource where the small wind turbine is to be installed. Indicate the... of the individual wind turbine(s) is larger than 100kW. (a) Qualifications of key project service...

Lamont-Doherty's Secondary School Field Research Program: Using Goal-Oriented Applied Research as a Means of Building Comprehensive and Integrated Scientific Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostick, B. C.; Newton, R.; Vincent, S.; Peteet, D. M.; Sambrotto, R.; Schlosser, P.; Corbett, E.

2015-12-01

Conventional instruction in science often proceeds from the general to the specific and from text to action. Fundamental terminologies, concepts, and ideas that are often abstract are taught first and only after such introductory processes can a student engage in research. Many students struggle to find relevance when presented information without context specific to their own experiences. This challenge is exacerbated for students whose social circles do not include adults who can validate scientific learning from their own experiences. Lamont-Doherty's Secondary School Field Research Program inverts the standard paradigm and places small groups of students in research projects where they begin by performing manageable tasks on complex applied research projects. These tasks are supplemented with informal mentoring and relevant articles (~1 per week). Quantitative metrics suggest the approach is highly successful—most participants report a dramatic increase in their enthusiasm for science, 100% attend college, and approximately 50% declare majors in science or technology. We use one project, the construction of a microbial battery, to illustrate this novel model of science learning and argue that it should be considered a best practice for project-based science education. The goal of this project was to build a rechargeable battery for a mobile phone based on a geochemical cycle, to generate and store electricity. The students, mostly from ethnic groups under-represented in the STEM fields, combined concepts and laboratory methods from biology, chemistry and physics to isolate photosynthetic bacteria from a natural salt marsh, and made an in situ device capable of powering a light bulb. The younger participants had been exposed to neither high school chemistry nor physics at the start of the project, yet they were able to use the project as a platform to deepen their science knowledge and their desire for increased participation in formal science education.

Spectrum-Malaria: a user-friendly projection tool for health impact assessment and strategic planning by malaria control programmes in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Hamilton, Matthew; Mahiane, Guy; Werst, Elric; Sanders, Rachel; Briët, Olivier; Smith, Thomas; Cibulskis, Richard; Cameron, Ewan; Bhatt, Samir; Weiss, Daniel J; Gething, Peter W; Pretorius, Carel; Korenromp, Eline L

2017-02-10

Scale-up of malaria prevention and treatment needs to continue but national strategies and budget allocations are not always evidence-based. This article presents a new modelling tool projecting malaria infection, cases and deaths to support impact evaluation, target setting and strategic planning. Nested in the Spectrum suite of programme planning tools, the model includes historic estimates of case incidence and deaths in groups aged up to 4, 5-14, and 15+ years, and prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection (PfPR) among children 2-9 years, for 43 sub-Saharan African countries and their 602 provinces, from the WHO and malaria atlas project. Impacts over 2016-2030 are projected for insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), and effective management of uncomplicated cases (CMU) and severe cases (CMS), using statistical functions fitted to proportional burden reductions simulated in the P. falciparum dynamic transmission model OpenMalaria. In projections for Nigeria, ITNs, IRS, CMU, and CMS scale-up reduced health burdens in all age groups, with largest proportional and especially absolute reductions in children up to 4 years old. Impacts increased from 8 to 10 years following scale-up, reflecting dynamic effects. For scale-up of each intervention to 80% effective coverage, CMU had the largest impacts across all health outcomes, followed by ITNs and IRS; CMS and SMC conferred additional small but rapid mortality impacts. Spectrum-Malaria's user-friendly interface and intuitive display of baseline data and scenario projections holds promise to facilitate capacity building and policy dialogue in malaria programme prioritization. The module's linking to the OneHealth Tool for costing will support use of the software for strategic budget allocation. In settings with moderately low coverage levels, such as Nigeria, improving case management and achieving universal coverage with ITNs could achieve considerable burden reductions. Projections remain to be refined and validated with local expert input data and actual policy scenarios.

Multipoint molecular recognition within a calix[6]arene funnel complex

PubMed Central

Coquière, David; de la Lande, Aurélien; Martí, Sergio; Parisel, Olivier; Prangé, Thierry; Reinaud, Olivia

2009-01-01

A multipoint recognition system based on a calix[6]arene is described. The calixarene core is decorated on alternating aromatic subunits by 3 imidazole arms at the small rim and 3 aniline groups at the large rim. This substitution pattern projects the aniline nitrogens toward each other when Zn(II) binds at the Tris-imidazole site or when a proton binds at an aniline. The XRD structure of the monoprotonated complex having an acetonitrile molecule bound to Zn(II) in the cavity revealed a constrained geometry at the metal center reminiscent of an entatic state. Computer modeling suggests that the aniline groups behave as a tritopic monobasic site in which only 1 aniline unit is protonated and interacts with the other 2 through strong hydrogen bonding. The metal complex selectively binds a monoprotonated diamine vs. a monoamine through multipoint recognition: coordination to the metal ion at the small rim, hydrogen bonding to the calix-oxygen core, CH/π interaction within the cavity's aromatic walls, and H-bonding to the anilines at the large rim. PMID:19237564

Study on recent execution of overall evaluation bidding method in small and medium-sized regional local governments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujishima, Hirohide; Yanase, Norihiko

About 70% of local governments in Japan, endeavored to introduce overall evaluation bidding method for their public works in 2011 and each authority ordered one or some projects in according to the new bidding process. That is, their enforcement was an only trial level and they say that the reason why is long-term procedure and heavily administrative load of the system. The author think that such burden has relationship of human affairs of local govern ments, practical problems on kinds and price of constructions and the officers' experience on the new bidding method. The aim of this study is to analyze such problems among the officers' profession, posts and experience of administrative matter by statistical data, questionnaire and hearing to the officers. The result could indicate that a group of small local governments uses the method appropriately and that another group of medium-sized rejects to increase more contracts in according to the new bidding system because of unbalance between the stuffs' ability and order quantity of public works.

Current information technology needs of small to medium sized apparel manufacturers and contractors

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

Wipple, C.; Vosti, E.

1997-11-01

This report documents recent efforts of the American Textile Partnership (AMTEX) Demand Activated Manufacturing Architecture (DAMA) Project to address needs that are characterized of small to medium sized apparel manufactures and contractors. Background on the AMTEX/DAMA project and objectives for this specific efforts are discussed.

Pacific Elementary Science: A Case Study of Educational Planning for Small Developing Nations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Neil; Vlaardingerbroek, Barand

2000-01-01

Evaluates Science Education in Pacific Schools (SEPS), a project addressing science-education deficiencies in 12 small Pacific Island countries. The assessment revealed inadequate, outdated, and unattractive science teaching resources in some countries; badly sequenced and duplicative curriculum projects across the region; and lack of teacher…

77 FR 61423 - Notice of Adjustment of Disaster Grant Amounts

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-09

... any Small Project Grant made to the State, local government, or to the owner or operator of an... Disaster Grant Amounts AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: FEMA gives notice of an increase of the maximum amount for Small Project Grants to State and local...

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Forestry Projects. Guidelines for Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ffolliott, Peter F.; Thames, John L.

This manual, the third in a series of publications that address community development possibilities in developing nations, provides guidelines for small-scale forestry projects that are integrative and conservation-oriented. Chapters focus on: (1) users and uses (specifying targeted audience and general objectives); (2) planning process (including…

75 FR 4140 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Project Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-26

... suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service. DATES: The meeting will be held... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/Self Employed Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Treasury. ACTION...

CATSKILL AREA PROJECT IN SMALL SCHOOL DESIGN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catskill Area Project in Small School Design, Oneonta, NY.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SMALL SCHOOL, AS PROPOSED BY THE PROJECT, ARE LISTED. FIVE AREAS OF SCHOOL OPERATION ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL--(1) MULTIPLE CLASSES, INCLUDING SUPERVISED CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, (2) FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES, (3) USE OF SCHOOL AIDES, (4) USES OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, AND (5) SHARED SERVICES AND TALENTED YOUTH. A MAP LOCATING THE…

Survival of rats bearing advanced intracerebral F 98 tumors after glutathione depletion and microbeam radiation therapy: conclusions from a pilot project.

PubMed

Schültke, E; Bräuer-Krisch, E; Blattmann, H; Requardt, H; Laissue, J A; Hildebrandt, G

2018-05-10

Resistance to radiotherapy is frequently encountered in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. It is caused at least partially by the high glutathione content in the tumour tissue. Therefore, the administration of the glutathione synthesis inhibitor Buthionine-SR-Sulfoximine (BSO) should increase survival time. BSO was tested in combination with an experimental synchrotron-based treatment, microbeam radiation therapy (MRT), characterized by spatially and periodically alternating microscopic dose distribution. One hundred thousand F98 glioma cells were injected into the right cerebral hemisphere of adult male Fischer rats to generate an orthotopic small animal model of a highly malignant brain tumour in a very advanced stage. Therapy was scheduled for day 13 after tumour cell implantation. At this time, 12.5% of the animals had already died from their disease. The surviving 24 tumour-bearing animals were randomly distributed in three experimental groups: subjected to MRT alone (Group A), to MRT plus BSO (Group B) and tumour-bearing untreated controls (Group C). Thus, half of the irradiated animals received an injection of 100 μM BSO into the tumour two hours before radiotherapy. Additional tumour-free animals, mirroring the treatment of the tumour-bearing animals, were included in the experiment. MRT was administered in bi-directional mode with arrays of quasi-parallel beams crossing at the tumour location. The width of the microbeams was ≈28 μm with a center-to-center distance of ≈400 μm, a peak dose of 350 Gy, and a valley dose of 9 Gy in the normal tissue and 18 Gy at the tumour location; thus, the peak to valley dose ratio (PVDR) was 31. After tumour-cell implantation, otherwise untreated rats had a mean survival time of 15 days. Twenty days after implantation, 62.5% of the animals receiving MRT alone (group A) and 75% of the rats given MRT + BSO (group B) were still alive. Thirty days after implantation, survival was 12.5% in Group A and 62.5% in Group B. There were no survivors on or beyond day 35 in Group A, but 25% were still alive in Group B. Thus, rats which underwent MRT with adjuvant BSO injection experienced the largest survival gain. In this pilot project using an orthotopic small animal model of advanced malignant brain tumour, the injection of the glutathione inhibitor BSO with MRT significantly increased mean survival time.

The Use of Case Studies in an Undergraduate Biochemistry Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cornely, Kathleen

1998-04-01

Most college biochemistry courses are taught in a format in which the professor lectures and the student memorizes. Although this is the best method for conveying large amounts of material, it puts the student in the position of passive learner. The lecture-based format has not been abandoned, but has been supplemented with case study projects assigned to the students upon completion of the intermediary metabolism unit. The case study assignment is modeled on similar exercises carried out in medical school biochemistry courses in the US and around the world. A description of the assignment follows: a group of 4-5 students is given a case study which gives the medical history of a patient with an inherited metabolic disease. The group is asked to provide biochemical explanations for the patient's symptoms and to suggest an effective course of treatment. The evaluation consists of a short paper that the students write as a group. The assignment provides the opportunity for small group interaction within a larger class and emphasizes cooperative-collaborative learning. Students learn by researching the topic on their own and debating it in small group discussions, and in so doing, gain a sense of confidence in themselves and the material they have learned over the course of the semester. Solving a "real-life" problem helps develop analytical and higher-order thinking skills and allows the students to see how biochemical concepts they have learned apply to a clinical situation.

Development of functional requirements for electronic health communication: preliminary results from the ELIN project.

PubMed

Christensen, Tom; Grimsmo, Anders

2005-01-01

User participation is important for developing a functional requirements specification for electronic communication. General practitioners and practising specialists, however, often work in small practices without the resources to develop and present their requirements. It was necessary to find a method that could engage practising doctors in order to promote their needs related to electronic communication. Qualitative research methods were used, starting a process to develop and study documents and collect data from meetings in project groups. Triangulation was used, in that the participants were organised into a panel of experts, a user group, a supplier group and an editorial committee. The panel of experts created a list of functional requirements for electronic communication in health care, consisting of 197 requirements, in addition to 67 requirements selected from an existing Norwegian standard for electronic patient records (EPRs). Elimination of paper copies sent in parallel with electronic messages, optimal workflow, a common electronic 'envelope' with directory services for units and end-users, and defined requirements for content with the possibility of decision support were the most important requirements. The results indicate that we have found a method of developing functional requirements which provides valid results both for practising doctors and for suppliers of EPR systems.

Grassroots projects aimed at the built environment: Association with neighbourhood deprivation, land-use mix and injury risk to road users.

PubMed

Dubé, Anne Sophie; Beausoleil, Maude; Gosselin, Céline; Beaulme, Ginette; Paquin, Sophie; Pelletier, Anne; Goudreau, Sophie; Poirier, Marie-Hélène; Drouin, Louis; Gauvin, Lise

2014-07-09

1) To describe grassroots projects aimed at the built environment and associated with active transportation on the Island of Montreal; and 2) to examine associations between the number of projects and indicators of neighbourhood material and social deprivation and the built environment. We identified funding agencies and community groups conducting projects on built environments throughout the Island of Montreal. Through website consultation and a snowballing procedure, we inventoried projects that aimed at transforming built environments and that were carried out by community organizations between January 1, 2006, and November 1, 2010. We coded and validated information about project activities and created an interactive map using Geoclip software. Correlational analyses quantified associations between number of projects, neighbourhood characteristics and deprivation. A total of 134 community organizations were identified, and 183 grassroots projects were inventoried. A large number of projects were aimed at increasing awareness of/improving active or public transportation (n=95), improving road safety (n=84) and enhancing neighbourhood beautification and greening (n=69). The correlation between the presence of projects and the extent of neighbourhood material deprivation was small (Kendall's t=0.26, p<0.001), but in areas with greater social deprivation there were more projects (Kendall's t=0.38, p<0.001). Larger numbers of projects were also associated with the presence of more extensive land-use mix (Kendall's t=0.23, p<0.001) and a greater proportion of road intersections with injured pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicle users (Kendall's t=0.43, p<0.001). There is significant community mobilization around built environments and active transportation. Investigations of the implementation processes and impacts are warranted.

Overview of the Small Aircraft Transportation System Project Four Enabling Operating Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viken, Sally A.; Brooks, Frederick M.; Johnson, Sally C.

2005-01-01

It has become evident that our commercial air transportation system is reaching its peak in terms of capacity, with numerous delays in the system and the demand still steadily increasing. NASA, FAA, and the National Consortium for Aviation Mobility (NCAM) have partnered to aid in increasing the mobility throughout the United States through the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) project. The SATS project has been a five-year effort to provide the technical and economic basis for further national investment and policy decisions to support a small aircraft transportation system. The SATS vision is to enable people and goods to have the convenience of on-demand point-to-point travel, anywhere, anytime for both personal and business travel. This vision can be obtained by expanding near all-weather access to more than 3,400 small community airports that are currently under-utilized throughout the United States. SATS has focused its efforts on four key operating capabilities that have addressed new emerging technologies, procedures, and concepts to pave the way for small aircraft to operate in nearly all weather conditions at virtually any runway in the United States. These four key operating capabilities are: Higher Volume Operations at Non-Towered/Non-Radar Airports, En Route Procedures and Systems for Integrated Fleet Operations, Lower Landing Minimums at Minimally Equipped Landing Facilities, and Increased Single Pilot Performance. The SATS project culminated with the 2005 SATS Public Demonstration in Danville, Virginia on June 5th-7th, by showcasing the accomplishments achieved throughout the project and demonstrating that a small aircraft transportation system could be viable. The technologies, procedures, and concepts were successfully demonstrated to show that they were safe, effective, and affordable for small aircraft in near all weather conditions. The focus of this paper is to provide an overview of the technical and operational feasibility of the four operating capabilities, and explain how they can enable a small aircraft transportation system.

34 CFR 664.13 - What is a group research or study project?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What is a group research or study project? 664.13... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM What Kinds of Projects Does the Secretary Assist Under This Program? § 664.13 What is a group research or study project...

34 CFR 664.13 - What is a group research or study project?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What is a group research or study project? 664.13... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM What Kinds of Projects Does the Secretary Assist Under This Program? § 664.13 What is a group research or study project...

34 CFR 664.13 - What is a group research or study project?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What is a group research or study project? 664.13... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM What Kinds of Projects Does the Secretary Assist Under This Program? § 664.13 What is a group research or study project...

34 CFR 664.13 - What is a group research or study project?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What is a group research or study project? 664.13... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM What Kinds of Projects Does the Secretary Assist Under This Program? § 664.13 What is a group research or study project...

34 CFR 664.13 - What is a group research or study project?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is a group research or study project? 664.13... POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD PROGRAM What Kinds of Projects Does the Secretary Assist Under This Program? § 664.13 What is a group research or study project...

New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) September 2016 Advisory Council Update

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

Larkin, Ariana Kayla

This is an update on two projects headed by Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. The two projects are: The Electrochemical Based Gas Analyzer for Automotive Diagnostic and Maximizing the Production of High Value and High Demand Guar Gum on Marginal Lands in New Mexico. The Electrochemical Based Gas Analyzer for Automotive Diagnostic NMSBA leveraged project is made up of Albuquerque companies, Automotive Test Solutions, Inc. (ATS), ATS Mobile Diagnostics and Thoma Technologies and Los Alamos small business, VI Control Systems, to develop a new sensor system for the automotive industry. The Guar Gum NMSBA Leveraged Project beganmore » in January 2016 with the goal to develop biotechnology to enable a genetic modification of prairie cordgrass, a renewable feedstock for bioenergy and bio-manufacturing. In the long term, the companies hope to use the technology to bio-manufacture high value products in the stem of the plant. This document describes the laboratories' cooperation with small businesses on these projects.« less

Implementation of a new algorithm for Density Equalizing Map Projections (DEMP)

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

Close, E.R.; Merrill, D.W.; Holmes, H.H.

The purpose of the PAREP (Populations at Risk to Environmental Pollution) Project at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), an ongoing Department of Energy (DOE) project since 1978, is to develop resources (data, computing techniques, and biostatistical methodology) applicable to DOE`s needs. Specifically, the PAREP project has developed techniques for statistically analyzing disease distributions in the vicinity of supposed environmental hazards. Such techniques can be applied to assess the health risks in populations residing near DOE installations, provided adequate small-area health data are available. The FY 1994 task descriptions for the PAREP project were determined in discussions at LBNL on 11/2/93.more » The FY94 PAREP Work Authorization specified three major tasks: a prototype small area study, a feasibility study for obtaining small-area data, and preservation of the PAREP data archive. The complete FY94 work plan, and the subtasks accomplished to date, were included in the Cumulative FY94 progress report.« less

Effective Use of Group Projects in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekblaw, Robert

2016-01-01

Group projects have long been used in face-to-face instruction to improve cognitive learning among its students. Group projects not only provide practical experience and allow students to practice the concepts they have learned, but also teach the students creative construction and group dynamics. As important as group projects have proven in…

Suitable Site Selection of Small Dams Using Geo-Spatial Technique: a Case Study of Dadu Tehsil, Sindh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalil, Zahid

2016-07-01

Decision making about identifying suitable sites for any project by considering different parameters, is difficult. Using GIS and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) can make it easy for those projects. This technology has proved to be an efficient and adequate in acquiring the desired information. In this study, GIS and MCA were employed to identify the suitable sites for small dams in Dadu Tehsil, Sindh. The GIS software is used to create all the spatial parameters for the analysis. The parameters that derived are slope, drainage density, rainfall, land use / land cover, soil groups, Curve Number (CN) and runoff index with a spatial resolution of 30m. The data used for deriving above layers include 30 meter resolution SRTM DEM, Landsat 8 imagery, and rainfall from National Centre of Environment Prediction (NCEP) and soil data from World Harmonized Soil Data (WHSD). Land use/Land cover map is derived from Landsat 8 using supervised classification. Slope, drainage network and watershed are delineated by terrain processing of DEM. The Soil Conservation Services (SCS) method is implemented to estimate the surface runoff from the rainfall. Prior to this, SCS-CN grid is developed by integrating the soil and land use/land cover raster. These layers with some technical and ecological constraints are assigned weights on the basis of suitability criteria. The pair wise comparison method, also known as Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is took into account as MCA for assigning weights on each decision element. All the parameters and group of parameters are integrated using weighted overlay in GIS environment to produce suitable sites for the Dams. The resultant layer is then classified into four classes namely, best suitable, suitable, moderate and less suitable. This study reveals a contribution to decision making about suitable sites analysis for small dams using geo-spatial data with minimal amount of ground data. This suitability maps can be helpful for water resource management organizations in determination of feasible rainwater harvesting structures (RWH).

Managing Astronomy Research Data: Case Studies of Big and Small Research Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sands, Ashley E.

2015-01-01

Astronomy data management refers to all actions taken upon data over the course of the entire research process. It includes activities involving the collection, organization, analysis, release, storage, archiving, preservation, and curation of research data. Astronomers have cultivated data management tools, infrastructures, and local practices to ensure the use and future reuse of their data. However, new sky surveys will soon amass petabytes of data requiring new data management strategies.The goal of this dissertation, to be completed in 2015, is to identify and understand data management practices and the infrastructure and expertise required to support best practices. This will benefit the astronomy community in efforts toward an integrated scholarly communication framework.This dissertation employs qualitative, social science research methods (including interviews, observations, and document analysis) to conduct case studies of data management practices, covering the entire data lifecycle, amongst three populations: Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) collaboration team members; Individual and small-group users of SDSS data; and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) collaboration team members. I have been observing the collection, release, and archiving of data by the SDSS collaboration, the data practices of individuals and small groups using SDSS data in journal articles, and the LSST collaboration's planning and building of infrastructure to produce data.Preliminary results demonstrate that current data management practices in astronomy are complex, situational, and heterogeneous. Astronomers often have different management repertoires for working on sky surveys and for their own data collections, varying their data practices as they move between projects. The multitude of practices complicates coordinated efforts to maintain data.While astronomy expertise proves critical to managing astronomy data in the short, medium, and long term, the larger astronomy data workforce encompasses a greater breadth of educational backgrounds. Results show that teams of individuals with distinct expertise are key to ensuring the long-term preservation and usability of astronomy datasets.

Information theoretic partitioning and confidence based weight assignment for multi-classifier decision level fusion in hyperspectral target recognition applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, S.; Bruce, L. M.

2007-04-01

There is a growing interest in using multiple sources for automatic target recognition (ATR) applications. One approach is to take multiple, independent observations of a phenomenon and perform a feature level or a decision level fusion for ATR. This paper proposes a method to utilize these types of multi-source fusion techniques to exploit hyperspectral data when only a small number of training pixels are available. Conventional hyperspectral image based ATR techniques project the high dimensional reflectance signature onto a lower dimensional subspace using techniques such as Principal Components Analysis (PCA), Fisher's linear discriminant analysis (LDA), subspace LDA and stepwise LDA. While some of these techniques attempt to solve the curse of dimensionality, or small sample size problem, these are not necessarily optimal projections. In this paper, we present a divide and conquer approach to address the small sample size problem. The hyperspectral space is partitioned into contiguous subspaces such that the discriminative information within each subspace is maximized, and the statistical dependence between subspaces is minimized. We then treat each subspace as a separate source in a multi-source multi-classifier setup and test various decision fusion schemes to determine their efficacy. Unlike previous approaches which use correlation between variables for band grouping, we study the efficacy of higher order statistical information (using average mutual information) for a bottom up band grouping. We also propose a confidence measure based decision fusion technique, where the weights associated with various classifiers are based on their confidence in recognizing the training data. To this end, training accuracies of all classifiers are used for weight assignment in the fusion process of test pixels. The proposed methods are tested using hyperspectral data with known ground truth, such that the efficacy can be quantitatively measured in terms of target recognition accuracies.

H0LiCOW – II. Spectroscopic survey and galaxy-group identification of the strong gravitational lens system HE 0435-1223

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

Sluse, D.; Sonnenfeld, A.; Rumbaugh, N.

Galaxies located in the environment or on the line of sight towards gravitational lenses can significantly affect lensing observables, and can lead to systematic errors on the measurement of H 0 from the time-delay technique. We present the results of a systematic spectroscopic identi cation of the galaxies in the field of view of the lensed quasar HE0435-1223 using the W. M. Keck, Gemini and ESO-Very Large telescopes. Our new catalog triples the number of known galaxy redshifts in the direct vicinity of the lens, expanding to 102 the number of measured redshifts for galaxies separated by less than 30more » from the lens. We complement our catalog with literature data to gather redshifts up to 150 from the lens, and search for galaxy groups or clusters projected towards HE0435-1223. We con rm that the lens is a member of a small group that includes at least 12 galaxies, and nd 8 other group candidates near the line of sight of the lens. The flexion shift, namely the shift of lensed images produced by high order perturbation of the lens potential, is calculated for each galaxy/group and used to identify which objects produce the largest perturbation of the lens potential. This analysis demonstrates that i) at most three of the five brightest galaxies projected within 1200 of the lens need to be explicitly used in the lens models, and ii) the groups can be treated in the lens model as an external tidal field (shear) contribution.« less

H0LiCOW – II. Spectroscopic survey and galaxy-group identification of the strong gravitational lens system HE 0435-1223

DOE PAGES

Sluse, D.; Sonnenfeld, A.; Rumbaugh, N.; ...

2017-06-15

Galaxies located in the environment or on the line of sight towards gravitational lenses can significantly affect lensing observables, and can lead to systematic errors on the measurement of H 0 from the time-delay technique. We present the results of a systematic spectroscopic identi cation of the galaxies in the field of view of the lensed quasar HE0435-1223 using the W. M. Keck, Gemini and ESO-Very Large telescopes. Our new catalog triples the number of known galaxy redshifts in the direct vicinity of the lens, expanding to 102 the number of measured redshifts for galaxies separated by less than 30more » from the lens. We complement our catalog with literature data to gather redshifts up to 150 from the lens, and search for galaxy groups or clusters projected towards HE0435-1223. We con rm that the lens is a member of a small group that includes at least 12 galaxies, and nd 8 other group candidates near the line of sight of the lens. The flexion shift, namely the shift of lensed images produced by high order perturbation of the lens potential, is calculated for each galaxy/group and used to identify which objects produce the largest perturbation of the lens potential. This analysis demonstrates that i) at most three of the five brightest galaxies projected within 1200 of the lens need to be explicitly used in the lens models, and ii) the groups can be treated in the lens model as an external tidal field (shear) contribution.« less

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Projects at Glenn Research Center for 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2016-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Glenn Research Center Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR)/(STTR) technologies into NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) programs and projects. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this useful. Introduction Incorporating Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)-developed technology into NASA projects is important, especially given the Agency's limited resources for technology development. The SBIR program's original intention was for technologies that had completed Phase II to be ready for integration into NASA programs, however, in many cases there is a gap between Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 5 and 6 that needs to be closed. After SBIR Phase II projects are completed, the technology is evaluated against various parameters and a TRL rating is assigned. Most programs tend to adopt more mature technologies-at least TRL 6 to reduce the risk to the mission rather than adopt TRLs between 3 and 5 because those technologies are perceived as too risky. The gap between TRLs 5 and 6 is often called the "Valley of Death" (Figure 1), and historically it has been difficult to close because of a lack of funding support from programs. Several papers have already suggested remedies on how to close the gap (Refs. 1 to 4).

Bantam: A Cautionary Tale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McNeal, Curtis I., Jr.

2004-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the history of the Bantam program that was cancelled in 1999 due to the decision that the focus on the small payloads was unsustainable and that there would be no return on investment. The comparison is made between NASA's Bantam program, and DARPA's (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) two similar projects (Falcon and Rascal). The Bantam Program was to be a small launch vehicle, aimed at launching small payloads (i.e., of 150-300 kg) into space.

Developing community networks to deliver HIV prevention interventions.

PubMed Central

Guenther-Grey, C; Noroian, D; Fonseka, J; Higgins, D

1996-01-01

Outreach has a long history in health and social service programs as an important method for reaching at-risk persons within their communities. One method of "outreach" is based on the recruitment of networks of community members (or "networkers") to deliver HIV prevention messages and materials in the context of their social networks and everyday lives. This paper documents the experiences of the AIDS Community Demonstration Projects in recruiting networkers to deliver HIV prevention interventions to high-risk populations, including injecting drug users not in treatment; female sex partners of injecting drug users; female sex traders; men who have sex with men but do not self-identify as gay; and youth in high-risk situations. The authors interviewed project staff and reviewed project records of the implementation of community networks in five cities. Across cities, the projects successfully recruited persons into one or more community networks to distribute small media materials, condoms, and bleach kits, and encourage risk-reduction behaviors among community members. Networkers' continuing participation was enlisted through a variety of monetary and nonmonetary incentives. While continuous recruitment of networkers was necessary due to attrition, most interventions reported maintaining a core group of networkers. In addition, the projects appeared to serve as a starting point for some networkers to become more active in other community events and issues. PMID:8862156

A dynamic landscape model for fish in the Everglades and its application to restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gaff, H.D.; DeAngelis, D.L.; Gross, L.J.; Salinas, R.; Shorrosh, M.

2000-01-01

A model (ALFISH) for fish functional groups in freshwater marshes of the greater Everglades area of southern Florida has been developed. Its main objective is to assess the spatial pattern of fish densities through time across freshwater marshes. This model has the capability of providing a dynamic measure of the spatially-explicit food resources available to wading birds. ALFISH simulates two functional groups, large and small fish, where the larger ones can prey on the small fish type. Both functional groups are size-structured. The marsh landscape is modeled as 500×500 m spatial cells on a grid across southern Florida. A hydrology model predicts water levels in the spatial cells on 5-day time steps. Fish populations spread across the marsh during flooded conditions and either retreat into refugia (alligator ponds), move to other spatial cells, or die if their cell dries out. ALFISH has been applied to the evaluation of alternative water regulation scenarios under the Central and South Florida Comprehensive Project Review Study. The objective of this Review Study is to compare alternative methods for restoring historical ecological conditions in southern Florida. ALFISH has provided information on which plans are most are likely to increase fish biomass and its availability to wading bird populations.

A new species of in the Rhyacophila vagrita group (Trichoptera: Rhyacophilidae) from Olympic National Park, Washington, USA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Jonathan J; Giersch, J. Joseph

2014-01-01

Rhyacophila vagrita Milne, 1936 was described from specimens collected in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Ross (1950), while examining R. vagrita paratypes from Alberta, discovered four males that did not fi t the R. vagrita description. These he described and named R. milnei Ross, 1950. Ross (1956) established the R. vagrita group for R. vagrita and R. milnei based primarily on the synapomorphies of the “curious dorsal projections of both ninth and tenth tergites”, a very small simple aedeagus, and “a curious development of the apical band and anal sclerite”. Schmid (1970) indicated that males of the vagrita group have genitalia that are among the most unique in all of the species of Rhyacophila. While collecting in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, we discovered an undescribed Rhyacophila species, most similar to R. milnei, with structures as remarkable as those described for R. vagrita and R. milnei

Recommendations on vaccination for Asian small animal practitioners: a report of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group.

PubMed

Day, M J; Karkare, U; Schultz, R D; Squires, R; Tsujimoto, H

2015-02-01

In 2012 and 2013, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Vaccination Guidelines Group (VGG) undertook fact-finding visits to several Asian countries, with a view to developing advice for small companion animal practitioners in Asia related to the administration of vaccines to dogs and cats. The VGG met with numerous first opinion practitioners, small animal association leaders, academic veterinarians, government regulators and industry representatives and gathered further information from a survey of almost 700 veterinarians in India, China, Japan and Thailand. Although there were substantial differences in the nature and magnitude of the challenges faced by veterinarians in each country, and also differences in the resources available to meet those challenges, overall, the VGG identified insufficient undergraduate and postgraduate training in small companion animal microbiology, immunology and vaccinology. In most of the countries, there has been little academic research into small animal infectious diseases. This, coupled with insufficient laboratory diagnostic support, has limited the growth of knowledge concerning the prevalence and circulating strains of key infectious agents in most of the countries visited. Asian practitioners continue to recognise clinical infections that are now considered uncommon or rare in western countries. In particular, canine rabies virus infection poses a continuing threat to animal and human health in this region. Both nationally manufactured and international dog and cat vaccines are variably available in the Asian countries, but the product ranges are small and dominated by multi-component vaccines with a licensed duration of immunity (DOI) of only 1 year, or no description of DOI. Asian practitioners are largely unaware of current global trends in small animal vaccinology or of the WSAVA vaccination guidelines. Consequently, most practitioners continue to deliver annual revaccination with both core and non-core vaccines to adult animals, with little understanding that "herd immunity" is more important than frequent revaccination of individual animals within the population. In this paper, the VGG presents the findings of this project and makes key recommendations for the Asian countries. The VGG recommends that (1) Asian veterinary schools review and increase as needed the amount of instruction in small animal vaccinology within their undergraduate curriculum and increase the availability of pertinent postgraduate education for practitioners; (2) national small animal veterinary associations, industry veterinarians and academic experts work together to improve the scientific evidence base concerning small animal infectious diseases and vaccination in their countries; (3) national small animal veterinary associations take leadership in providing advice to practitioners based on improved local knowledge and global vaccination guidelines; (4) licensing authorities use this enhanced evidence base to inform and support the registration of improved vaccine product ranges for use in their countries, ideally with DOI for core vaccines similar or equal to those of equivalent products available in western countries (i.e. 3 or 4 years). The VGG also endorses the efforts made by Asian governments, non-governmental organisations and veterinary practitioners in working towards the goal of global elimination of canine rabies virus infection. In this paper, the VGG offers both a current pragmatic and future aspirational approach to small animal vaccination in Asia. As part of this project, the VGG delivered continuing education to over 800 Asian practitioners at seven events in four countries. Accompanying this document is a list of 80 frequently asked questions (with answers) that arose during these discussions. The VGG believes that this information will be of particular value to Asian veterinarians as they move towards implementing global trends in small companion animal vaccinology. © 2014 WSAVA.

Introduction to Small Group Discussion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millar, Dan Pyle

To bring educational research into focus with tested classroom practice, this booklet provides an introduction to small group discussion. The theory and research section discusses the importance of small group discussion, characteristics of small group discussions, group attraction based on Maslow's hierarchy of basic human needs, group decision…

Resource efficiency and culture--workplace training for small and medium-sized enterprises.

PubMed

Bliesner, Anna; Liedtke, Christa; Rohn, Holger

2014-05-15

Although there are already some qualification offers available for enterprises to support resource efficiency innovations, the high potentials that can be identified especially for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have not been activated until now. As successful change lies in the hands of humans, the main aim of vocational education has to be the promotion of organisational and cultural changes in the enterprises. As there is already a small but increasing number of enterprises that perform very well in resource efficiency innovations one question arises: What are typical characteristics of those enterprises? Leaning on a good-practice approach, the project "ResourceCulture" is going to prove or falsify the hypothesis that enterprises being successful with resource efficiency innovations have a specific culture of trust, which substantially contributes to innovation processes, or even initially enables them. Detailed empirical field research will light up which correlations between resource efficiency, innovation and cultures of trust can be found and will offer important aspects for the improvement of management instruments and qualification concepts for workplace training. The project seizes qualification needs that were likewise mentioned by enterprises and consultants, regarding the implementation of resource efficiency. This article - based on first empirical field research results - derives preliminary indications for the design of the qualification module for the target groups resource efficiency consultants and managers. On this basis and in order to implement "ResourceCulture" conceptual and methodological starting points for workplace training are outlined. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The "small" NEA population: results of a spectroscopic survey in the framework of the NEOShield-2 project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perna, D.

2017-09-01

One of the main aims of the NEOShield-2 project, financed in 2015-2017 by the European Commission in the framework of the H2020 program, is to undertake a comprehensive investigation of the physical properties of the "small" near-Earth asteroid (NEA) population. Here we report the results of a visible spectroscopic survey of 137 small (H>20) NEAs, performed in the framework of NEOShield-2. These data significantly increase the available literature in this size range, and show a peculiar distribution of spectral types for such small NEAs.

Perceived Communication Skill Needs for Small Work Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Katherine; Fillion, Bryant

A study examined communication skills essential for small work groups and whether the quality of small group teaching and research is in decline. The study reviewed small group research done previously by others and the problem of existing pedagogy and research in small group communication which does not provide practical solutions to real life…

The net effects of the Project NetWork return-to-work case management experiment on participant earnings, benefit receipt, and other outcomes.

PubMed

Kornfeld, R; Rupp, K

2000-01-01

The Social Security Administration (SSA) initiated Project NetWork in 1991 to test case management as a means of promoting employment among persons with disabilities. The demonstration, which targeted Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicants and recipients, offered intensive outreach, work-incentive waivers, and case management/referral services. Participation in Project NetWork was voluntary. Volunteers were randomly assigned to the "treatment" group or the "control" group. Those assigned to the treatment group met individually with a case or referral manager who arranged for rehabilitation and employment services, helped clients develop an individual employment plan, and provided direct employment counseling services. Volunteers assigned to the control group could not receive services from Project NetWork but remained eligible for any employment assistance already available in their communities. For both treatment and control groups, the demonstration waived specific DI and SSI program rules considered to be work disincentives. The experimental impact study thus measures the incremental effects of case and referral management services. The eight demonstration sites were successful in implementing the experimental design roughly as planned. Project NetWork staff were able to recruit large numbers of participants and to provide rehabilitation and employment services on a substantial scale. Most of the sites easily reached their enrollment targets and were able to attract volunteers with demographic characteristics similar to those of the entire SSI and DI caseload and a broad range of moderate and severe disabilities. However, by many measures, volunteers were generally more "work-ready" than project eligible in the demonstration areas who did not volunteer to receive NetWork services. Project NetWork case management increased average annual earnings by $220 per year over the first 2 years following random assignment. This statistically significant impact, an approximate 11-percent increase in earnings, is based on administrative data on earnings. For about 70 percent of sample members, a third year of followup data was available. For this limited sample, the estimated effect of Project NetWork on annual earnings declined to roughly zero in the third followup year. The findings suggest that the increase in earnings may have been short-lived and may have disappeared by the time Project NetWork services ended. Project NetWork did not reduce reliance on SSI or DI benefits by statistically significant amounts over the 30-42 month followup period. The services provided by Project NetWork thus did not reduce overall SSI and DI caseloads or benefits by substantial amounts, especially given that only about 5 percent of the eligible caseload volunteered to participate in Project NetWork. Project NetWork produced modest net benefits to persons with disabilities and net costs to taxpayers. Persons with disabilities gained mainly because the increases in their earnings easily outweighed the small (if any) reduction in average SSI and DI benefits. For SSA and the federal government as a whole, the costs of Project NetWork were not sufficiently offset by increases in tax receipts resulting from increased earnings or reductions in average SSI and DI benefits. The modest net benefits of Project NetWork to persons with disabilities are encouraging. How such benefits of an experimental intervention should be weighed against costs of taxpayers depends on value judgments of policymakers. Because different case management projects involve different kinds of services, these results cannot be directly generalized to other case management interventions. They are nevertheless instructive for planning new initiatives. Combining case and referral management services with various other interventions, such as longer term financial support for work or altered provider incentives, could produc

78 FR 64232 - Notice of Adjustment of Disaster Grant Amounts

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-28

... maximum amount of any Small Project Grant made to State, Tribal, and local governments or to the owner or... Disaster Grant Amounts AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: FEMA gives notice of an increase of the maximum amount for Small Project Grants made to State, Tribal, and...

75 FR 62135 - Notice of Adjustment of Disaster Grant Amounts

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-07

... amount of any Small Project Grant made to the State, local government, or to the owner or operator of an... Disaster Grant Amounts AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: FEMA gives notice of an increase of the maximum amount for Small Project Grants to State and local...

Small business innovation research. Abstracts of 1988 phase 1 awards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Non-proprietary proposal abstracts of Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects supported by NASA are presented. Projects in the fields of aeronautical propulsion, aerodynamics, acoustics, aircraft systems, materials and structures, teleoperators and robots, computer sciences, information systems, data processing, spacecraft propulsion, bioastronautics, satellite communication, and space processing are covered.