Top-down guidance in visual search for facial expressions.

PubMed

Hahn, Sowon; Gronlund, Scott D

2007-02-01

Using a visual search paradigm, we investigated how a top-down goal modified attentional bias for threatening facial expressions. In two experiments, participants searched for a facial expression either based on stimulus characteristics or a top-down goal. In Experiment 1 participants searched for a discrepant facial expression in a homogenous crowd of faces. Consistent with previous research, we obtained a shallower response time (RT) slope when the target face was angry than when it was happy. In Experiment 2, participants searched for a specific type of facial expression (allowing a top-down goal). When the display included a target, we found a shallower RT slope for the angry than for the happy face search. However, when an angry or happy face was present in the display in opposition to the task goal, we obtained equivalent RT slopes, suggesting that the mere presence of an angry face in opposition to the task goal did not support the well-known angry face superiority effect. Furthermore, RT distribution analyses supported the special status of an angry face only when it was combined with the top-down goal. On the basis of these results, we suggest that a threatening facial expression may guide attention as a high-priority stimulus in the absence of a specific goal; however, in the presence of a specific goal, the efficiency of facial expression search is dependent on the combined influence of a top-down goal and the stimulus characteristics.

Teaching Standard Deviation by Building from Student Invention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, James; Nakahara, Hiroko; Bonn, Doug

2010-01-01

First-year physics laboratories are often driven by a mix of goals that includes the illustration or discovery of basic physics principles and a myriad of technical skills involving specific equipment, data analysis, and report writing. The sheer number of such goals seems guaranteed to produce cognitive overload, even when highly detailed…

Educating for a Just Society, Grades 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGinnis, Kathleen

This manual examines peace and justice themes with a specific domestic focus on issues rooted in the cultural, political, social, and economic fiber of the U.S. culture and economy. Each unit begins with overall goals for the unit with lessons developed around each goal. The lessons include brief background information for the teacher and…

Health Policy Brief: Global Mental Health and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

PubMed

Cratsley, Kelso; Mackey, Tim K

2018-01-25

Increased awareness of the importance of mental health for global health has led to a number of new initiatives, including influential policy instruments issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN). This policy brief describes two WHO instruments, the Mental Health Action Plan for 2013-2020 (World Health Organization, 2013) and the Mental Health Atlas (World Health Organization, 2015), and presents a comparative analysis with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (United Nations, 2015). The WHO's Action Plan calls for several specific objectives and targets, with a focus on improving global mental health governance and service coverage. In contrast, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals include only one goal specific to mental health, with a single indicator tracking suicide mortality rates. The discrepancy between the WHO and UN frameworks suggests a need for increased policy coherence. Improved global health governance can provide the basis for ensuring and accelerating progress in global mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Planning and setting objectives in field studies: Chapter 2

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Robert N.; Dodd, C. Kenneth

2016-01-01

This chapter enumerates the steps required in designing and planning field studies on the ecology and conservation of reptiles, as these involve a high level of uncertainty and risk. To this end, the chapter differentiates between goals (descriptions of what one intends to accomplish) and objectives (the measurable steps required to achieve the established goals). Thus, meeting a specific goal may require many objectives. It may not be possible to define some of them until certain experiments have been conducted; often evaluations of sampling protocols are needed to increase certainty in the biological results. And if sampling locations are fixed and sampling events are repeated over time, then both study-specific covariates and sampling-specific covariates should exist. Additionally, other critical design considerations for field study include obtaining permits, as well as researching ethics and biosecurity issues.

Improving the Academic Achievement of Third and Fourth Grade Underachievers as a Result of Improved Self-Esteem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coakley, Barbara Fairfax

This study was designed to improve the academic achievement of 35 third- and fourth-grade underachievers through improved self-esteem. Specific goals included focusing on self-concept and learning skills reinforcement, with the ultimate goal of increasing academic performance and motivation. Large group sessions with students focused on…

Agenda for Action: Policy Directions for Children with Disabilities and Families. Children and Family Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bach, Michael

In response to the development of a National Children's Agenda (NCA) to improve the well-being of Canada's children, this document presents specific policy goals to ensure the inclusion of children with disabilities and their families in the NCA. These goals include: (1) establishing inclusive values, rights and approaches for healthy child…

Imitation in Young Children: When Who Gets Copied Is More Important than What Gets Copied

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Mark; Blank, Cornelia

2011-01-01

Unlike other animals, human children will copy all of an adult's goal-directed actions, including ones that are clearly unnecessary for achieving the demonstrated goal. Here we highlight how social affiliation is key to this species-specific behavior. Preschoolers watched 2 adults retrieve a toy from a novel apparatus. One adult included…

Characterizing a psychiatric symptom dimension related to deficits in goal-directed control

PubMed Central

Gillan, Claire M; Kosinski, Michal; Whelan, Robert; Phelps, Elizabeth A; Daw, Nathaniel D

2016-01-01

Prominent theories suggest that compulsive behaviors, characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction, are driven by shared deficits in goal-directed control, which confers vulnerability for developing rigid habits. However, recent studies have shown that deficient goal-directed control accompanies several disorders, including those without an obvious compulsive element. Reasoning that this lack of clinical specificity might reflect broader issues with psychiatric diagnostic categories, we investigated whether a dimensional approach would better delineate the clinical manifestations of goal-directed deficits. Using large-scale online assessment of psychiatric symptoms and neurocognitive performance in two independent general-population samples, we found that deficits in goal-directed control were most strongly associated with a symptom dimension comprising compulsive behavior and intrusive thought. This association was highly specific when compared to other non-compulsive aspects of psychopathology. These data showcase a powerful new methodology and highlight the potential of a dimensional, biologically-grounded approach to psychiatry research. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11305.001 PMID:26928075

Social cost considerations and legal constraints in implementing modular integrated utility systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lede, N. W.; Dixon, H. W.; King, O.; Hill, D. K.

1974-01-01

Social costs associated with the design, demonstration, and implementation of the Modular Integrated Utility System are considered including the social climate of communities, leadership patterns, conflicts and cleavages, specific developmental values, MIUS utility goal assessment, and the suitability of certian alternative options for use in a program of implementation. General considerations are discussed in the field of socio-technological planning. These include guidelines for understanding the conflict and diversity; some relevant goal choices and ideas useful to planners of the MIUS facility.

Goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation for children with motor disabilities: a scoping review.

PubMed

Pritchard-Wiart, Lesley; Phelan, Shanon K

2018-02-01

The three objectives of this scoping review were to (1) identify key conceptual/theoretical frameworks and the extent to which they are used to inform goal setting related to rehabilitation goal setting with children with motor disabilities, (2) describe research that has evaluated goal setting processes and outcomes, and (3) summarize the purposes of goal setting described in paediatric rehabilitation literature. The scoping review process described by Arksey and O'Malley was used to guide article selection and data extraction. A total of 62 articles were included in the final review. While the concept of family-centered care was well represented, theoretical frameworks specific to goal setting (i.e. goal setting theory described by Locke and Latham, mastery motivation, social cognitive, personal construct, and self-determination theories) were rarely addressed. No articles reviewed addressed prominent behavior change theory. With the exception of the description of tools specifically designed for use with children, the role of the child in the goal setting process was generally absent or not well described. Few studies ( n = 6) discussed the linkage between goals and intervention strategies explicitly. Only two studies in the review evaluated outcomes associated with goal setting. The primary purpose for goal setting identified in the literature was to develop goals that are meaningful to families ( n = 49). The results highlight significant gaps in the literature explicating a sound theoretical basis for goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation and research evaluating the effects of goal qualities and goal setting processes on the achievement of meaningful outcomes.

The Goal Specificity Effect on Strategy Use and Instructional Efficiency during Computer-Based Scientific Discovery Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunsting, Josef; Wirth, Joachim; Paas, Fred

2011-01-01

Using a computer-based scientific discovery learning environment on buoyancy in fluids we investigated the "effects of goal specificity" (nonspecific goals vs. specific goals) for two goal types (problem solving goals vs. learning goals) on "strategy use" and "instructional efficiency". Our empirical findings close an important research gap,…

A retrospective analysis of real-world use of the eaTracker® My Goals website by adults from Ontario and Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Lieffers, Jessica R L; Haresign, Helen; Mehling, Christine; Hanning, Rhona M

2016-09-15

Little is known about use of goal setting and tracking tools within online programs to support nutrition and physical activity behaviour change. In 2011, Dietitians of Canada added "My Goals," a nutrition and physical activity behaviour goal setting and tracking tool to their free publicly available self-monitoring website (eaTracker® ( http://www.eaTracker.ca/ )). My Goals allows users to: a) set "ready-made" SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-related) goals (choice of n = 87 goals from n = 13 categories) or "write your own" goals, and b) track progress using the "My Goals Tracker." The purpose of this study was to characterize: a) My Goals user demographics, b) types of goals set, and c) My Goals Tracker use. Anonymous data on all goals set using the My Goals feature from December 6/2012-April 28/2014 by users ≥19y from Ontario and Alberta, Canada were obtained. This dataset contained: anonymous self-reported user demographic data, user set goals, and My Goals Tracker use data. Write your own goals were categorized by topic and specificity. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to determine associations between user demographics and a) goal topic areas and b) My Goals Tracker use. Overall, n = 16,511 goal statements (75.4 % ready-made; 24.6 % write your own) set by n = 8,067 adult users 19-85y (83.3 % female; mean age 41.1 ± 15.0y, mean BMI 28.8 ± 7.6kg/m(2)) were included for analysis. Overall, 33.1 % of ready-made goals were from the "Managing your Weight" category. Of write your own goal entries, 42.3 % were solely distal goals (most related to weight management); 38.6 % addressed nutrition behaviour change (16.6 % had unspecific general eating goals); 18.1 % addressed physical activity behaviour change (47.3 % had goals without information on exercise amount and type). Many write your own goals were poor quality (e.g., non-specific (e.g., missing amounts)), and possibly unrealistic (e.g., no sugar). Few goals were tracked (<10 %). Demographic variables had statistically significant relations with goal topic areas and My Goals Tracker use. eaTracker® users had high interest in goal setting and the My Goals feature, however, self-written goals were often poor quality and goal tracking was rare. Further research is needed to better support users.

Goal importance within planned behaviour theory as 'the' predictor of study behaviour in college.

PubMed

Sideridis, G D; Kaissidis-Rodafinos, A

2001-12-01

The theory of planned behaviour has been rarely used for the explanation of student study behaviour and achievement. Although successful, the theory has been criticised for not including important cognitions, so goal importance was added in the present study. Goal importance refers to the weight-importance an individual assigns towards achieving a specific goal (Hollenbeck & Williams, 1987). The purpose of Study 1 was to explain the study behaviour habits of first year college students, using a) Ajzen and Madden's (1986) theory of planned behaviour, and b) planned behaviour with the addition of goal importance. The purpose of Study 2 was to replicate the findings of Study 1. The sample of Study 1 included 149 first year students of an American College located in northern Greece. Study 2 included 85 first year students of the same institution. The students in Study 1 were given a questionnaire four weeks prior to the end of the spring 1998 semester, and those in Study 2 in the autumn of 1998, including all elements of the theory of planned behaviour and goal importance. The data were modelled using Covariance Structural Modelling (CSM) and EQS 5.7b (Bentler, 1998). The planned behaviour model was not well supported in Study 1 providing a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of.83. However, when goal importance was included in the equation, the resulting structural model produced a CFI of.94. The final structural model of Study 1 was re-tested with the sample of Study 2 and produced a CFI =.95. Findings suggest that goal importance is the causal agent in directing all elements necessary to achieve high levels of study behaviour. Future studies should examine the role of goal importance with other behaviours as well.

Scattering of laser light - more than just smoke and mirrors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Anthony B.; Love, Stephen; Cahalan, Robert

2004-01-01

A short course on off-beam cloud lidar is given. Specific topics addressed include: motivation and goal of off-beam cloud lidar; diffusion physics; numeric amalysis; and validity of the diffusion approximation. A demo of the process is included.

The use and evaluation of self-regulation techniques can predict health goal attainment in adults: an explorative study

PubMed Central

De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Verloigne, Maite; Crombez, Geert

2016-01-01

Background. Self-regulation tools are not always used optimally, and implementation intention plans often lack quality. Therefore, this study explored participants’ use and evaluation of self-regulation techniques and their impact on goal attainment. Methods. Data were obtained from 452 adults in a proof of concept (POC) intervention of ‘MyPlan’, an eHealth intervention using self-regulation techniques to promote three healthy behaviours (physical activity (PA), fruit intake, or vegetable intake). Participants applied self-regulation techniques to a self-selected health behaviour, and evaluated the self-regulation techniques. The quality of implementation intentions was rated by the authors as a function of instrumentality (instrumental and non-instrumental) and specificity (non-specific and medium to highly specific). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to predict goal attainment. Results. Goal attainment was significantly predicted by the motivational value of the personal advice (OR:1.86), by the specificity of the implementation intentions (OR:3.5), by the motivational value of the action plan (OR:1.86), and by making a new action plan at follow-up (OR:4.10). Interaction-effects with behaviour showed that the specificity score of the implementation intention plans (OR:4.59), the motivational value of the personal advice (OR:2.38), selecting hindering factors and solutions(OR:2.00) and making a new action plan at follow-up (OR:7.54) were predictive of goal attainment only for fruit or vegetable intake. Also, when participants in the fruit and vegetable group made more than three plans, they were more likely to attain their goal (OR:1.73), whereas the reverse was the case in the PA group (OR:0.34). Discussion. The chance that adults reach fruit and vegetable goals can be increased by including motivating personal advice, self-formulated action plans, and instructions/strategies to make specific implementation intentions into eHealth interventions. To increase the chance that adults reach short-term PA goals, it is suggested to keep eHealth PA interventions simple and focus only on developing a few implementation intentions. However, more research is needed to identify behaviour change techniques that can increase health goal attainment at long-term. PMID:26966648

Film/chemistry selection for the earth resources technology satellite /ERTS/ ground data handling system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaffer, R. M.

1973-01-01

A detailed description is given of the methods of choose the duplication film and chemistry currently used in the NASA-ERTS Ground Data Handling System. The major ERTS photographic duplication goals are given as background information to justify the specifications for the desirable film/chemistry combination. Once these specifications were defined, a quantitative evaluation program was designed and implemented to determine if any recommended combinations could meet the ERTS laboratory specifications. The specifications include tone reproduction, granularity, MTF and cosmetic effects. A complete description of the techniques used to measure the test response variables is given. It is anticipated that similar quantitative techniques could be used on other programs to determine the optimum film/chemistry consistent with the engineering goals of the program.

Atha Road Elementary School, Monroe, Georgia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Design Cost Data, 2002

2002-01-01

Describes the building design of the library and technology center named in the title, including the educational context and design goals. Includes a general description; information on the architect, construction team, and manufacturers and suppliers; and a case study of costs and specifications. (EV)

Conceptual Model of Climate Change Impacts at LANL

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

Dewart, Jean Marie

Goal 9 of the LANL FY15 Site Sustainability Plan (LANL 2014a) addresses Climate Change Adaptation. As part of Goal 9, the plan reviews many of the individual programs the Laboratory has initiated over the past 20 years to address climate change impacts to LANL (e.g. Wildland Fire Management Plan, Forest Management Plan, etc.). However, at that time, LANL did not yet have a comprehensive approach to climate change adaptation. To fill this gap, the FY15 Work Plan for the LANL Long Term Strategy for Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability (LANL 2015) included a goal of (1) establishing a comprehensive conceptual modelmore » of climate change impacts at LANL and (2) establishing specific climate change indices to measure climate change and impacts at Los Alamos. Establishing a conceptual model of climate change impacts will demonstrate that the Laboratory is addressing climate change impacts in a comprehensive manner. This paper fulfills the requirement of goal 1. The establishment of specific indices of climate change at Los Alamos (goal 2), will improve our ability to determine climate change vulnerabilities and assess risk. Future work will include prioritizing risks, evaluating options/technologies/costs, and where appropriate, taking actions. To develop a comprehensive conceptual model of climate change impacts, we selected the framework provided in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Resilience Toolkit (http://toolkit.climate.gov/).« less

Ahdaf al-ta'lim al-fanni, al-tujari, al-zira'i, wal-sina'i (Vocational Education Objectives: Commercial, Agricultural and Industrial).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Education, Cairo (United Arab Republic).

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of a publication outlining the objectives and problems of vocational education in the United Arab Republic. The data presented include both the general objectives of vocational education and the specific goals of each type. The goal of vocational education is to prepare…

WCSC environmental process improvement study and demonstration program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pawlick, Joseph F., Jr.; Severo, Orlando C.

1993-01-01

CSTAR's objective to develop commercial infrastructure is multi-faceted and includes diverse elements of the orbital and suborbital missions. Goals to this eight-month project with the WCSC are aimed at simplifying the environmental assessment, approval, and licensing process for commercial users. Included in this overarching set of goals are two specific processes: (1) air pollution control, and (2) the environmental assessment mechanism. Resolution of the potentially user unfriendly aspects of these environmentally sensitive criteria are readily transferable to other ranges where commercial space activity will be supported.

Next generation terminology infrastructure to support interprofessional care planning.

PubMed

Collins, Sarah; Klinkenberg-Ramirez, Stephanie; Tsivkin, Kira; Mar, Perry L; Iskhakova, Dina; Nandigam, Hari; Samal, Lipika; Rocha, Roberto A

2017-11-01

Develop a prototype of an interprofessional terminology and information model infrastructure that can enable care planning applications to facilitate patient-centered care, learn care plan linkages and associations, provide decision support, and enable automated, prospective analytics. The study steps included a 3 step approach: (1) Process model and clinical scenario development, and (2) Requirements analysis, and (3) Development and validation of information and terminology models. Components of the terminology model include: Health Concerns, Goals, Decisions, Interventions, Assessments, and Evaluations. A terminology infrastructure should: (A) Include discrete care plan concepts; (B) Include sets of profession-specific concerns, decisions, and interventions; (C) Communicate rationales, anticipatory guidance, and guidelines that inform decisions among the care team; (D) Define semantic linkages across clinical events and professions; (E) Define sets of shared patient goals and sub-goals, including patient stated goals; (F) Capture evaluation toward achievement of goals. These requirements were mapped to AHRQ Care Coordination Measures Framework. This study used a constrained set of clinician-validated clinical scenarios. Terminology models for goals and decisions are unavailable in SNOMED CT, limiting the ability to evaluate these aspects of the proposed infrastructure. Defining and linking subsets of care planning concepts appears to be feasible, but also essential to model interprofessional care planning for common co-occurring conditions and chronic diseases. We recommend the creation of goal dynamics and decision concepts in SNOMED CT to further enable the necessary models. Systems with flexible terminology management infrastructure may enable intelligent decision support to identify conflicting and aligned concerns, goals, decisions, and interventions in shared care plans, ultimately decreasing documentation effort and cognitive burden for clinicians and patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biologically-inspired robust and adaptive multi-sensor fusion and active control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosla, Deepak; Dow, Paul A.; Huber, David J.

2009-04-01

In this paper, we describe a method and system for robust and efficient goal-oriented active control of a machine (e.g., robot) based on processing, hierarchical spatial understanding, representation and memory of multimodal sensory inputs. This work assumes that a high-level plan or goal is known a priori or is provided by an operator interface, which translates into an overall perceptual processing strategy for the machine. Its analogy to the human brain is the download of plans and decisions from the pre-frontal cortex into various perceptual working memories as a perceptual plan that then guides the sensory data collection and processing. For example, a goal might be to look for specific colored objects in a scene while also looking for specific sound sources. This paper combines three key ideas and methods into a single closed-loop active control system. (1) Use high-level plan or goal to determine and prioritize spatial locations or waypoints (targets) in multimodal sensory space; (2) collect/store information about these spatial locations at the appropriate hierarchy and representation in a spatial working memory. This includes invariant learning of these spatial representations and how to convert between them; and (3) execute actions based on ordered retrieval of these spatial locations from hierarchical spatial working memory and using the "right" level of representation that can efficiently translate into motor actions. In its most specific form, the active control is described for a vision system (such as a pantilt- zoom camera system mounted on a robotic head and neck unit) which finds and then fixates on high saliency visual objects. We also describe the approach where the goal is to turn towards and sequentially foveate on salient multimodal cues that include both visual and auditory inputs.

Modeling the Development of Goal-Specificity in Mirror Neurons.

PubMed

Thill, Serge; Svensson, Henrik; Ziemke, Tom

2011-12-01

Neurophysiological studies have shown that parietal mirror neurons encode not only actions but also the goal of these actions. Although some mirror neurons will fire whenever a certain action is perceived (goal-independently), most will only fire if the motion is perceived as part of an action with a specific goal. This result is important for the action-understanding hypothesis as it provides a potential neurological basis for such a cognitive ability. It is also relevant for the design of artificial cognitive systems, in particular robotic systems that rely on computational models of the mirror system in their interaction with other agents. Yet, to date, no computational model has explicitly addressed the mechanisms that give rise to both goal-specific and goal-independent parietal mirror neurons. In the present paper, we present a computational model based on a self-organizing map, which receives artificial inputs representing information about both the observed or executed actions and the context in which they were executed. We show that the map develops a biologically plausible organization in which goal-specific mirror neurons emerge. We further show that the fundamental cause for both the appearance and the number of goal-specific neurons can be found in geometric relationships between the different inputs to the map. The results are important to the action-understanding hypothesis as they provide a mechanism for the emergence of goal-specific parietal mirror neurons and lead to a number of predictions: (1) Learning of new goals may mostly reassign existing goal-specific neurons rather than recruit new ones; (2) input differences between executed and observed actions can explain observed corresponding differences in the number of goal-specific neurons; and (3) the percentage of goal-specific neurons may differ between motion primitives.

The GOAL-to-HAL/S translator specification. [for space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanten, S. F.; Flanders, J. H.

1973-01-01

The specification sets forth a technical framework within which to deal with the transfer of specific GOAL features to HAL/S. Key technical features of the translator are described which communicate with the data bank, handle repeat statements, and deal with software interrupts. GOAL programs, databank information, and GOAL system subroutines are integrated into one GOAL in HAL/S. This output is fully compatible HAL/S source ready for insertion into the HAL/S compiler. The Translator uses a PASS1 to establish all the global data needed for the HAL/S output program. Individual GOAL statements are translated in PASS2. The specification document makes extensive use of flowcharts to specify exactly how each variation of each GOAL statement is to be translated. The specification also deals with definitions and assumptions, executive support structure and implementation. An appendix, entitled GOAL-to-HAL Mapping, provides examples of translated GOAL statements.

Veterans' Pain Management Goals: Changes During the Course of a Peer-led Pain Self-Management Program

PubMed Central

Bauer, Sarah M.; McGuire, Alan B.; Kukla, Marina; McGuire, Shannon; Bair, Matthew J.; Matthias, Marianne S.

2017-01-01

Objective Goal setting is a common element of self-management support programs; however, little is known about the nature of patients' goals or how goals change during pain self-management. The purpose of the current study is to explore how patients' goals and views of goal setting change over the course of a peer-led pain self-management program. Methods Veterans (n = 16) completing a 4-month peer-led pain self-management program completed semi-structured interviews at baseline and follow-up regarding their goals for their pain. Interviews were analyzed using immersion/crystallization. Results Analyses revealed six themes: motivation to do something for their pain, more goal-oriented, actually setting goals, clarity of goal importance, more specific/measurable goal criteria, and more specific/measurable strategies. Conclusion The current analyses illustrate how participants' goals can evolve over the course of a peer-led pain self-management program. Specifically, increased motivation, more openness to using goals, greater clarity of goal importance, more specific and measurable goals and strategies, and the influence of the peer coach relationship were described by participants. Practice implications Pain self-management interventions should emphasize goal setting, and development of specific, measurable goals and plans. Trainings for providers should address the potential for the provider-patient relationship, particularly peer providers, to facilitate motivation and goal setting. PMID:27516437

Veterans' pain management goals: Changes during the course of a peer-led pain self-management program.

PubMed

Bauer, Sarah M; McGuire, Alan B; Kukla, Marina; McGuire, Shannon; Bair, Matthew J; Matthias, Marianne S

2016-12-01

Goal setting is a common element of self-management support programs; however, little is known about the nature of patients' goals or how goals change during pain self-management. The purpose of the current study is to explore how patients' goals and views of goal setting change over the course of a peer-led pain self-management program. Veterans (n=16) completing a 4-month peer-led pain self-management program completed semi-structured interviews at baseline and follow-up regarding their goals for their pain. Interviews were analyzed using immersion/crystallization. Analyses revealed six themes: motivation to do something for their pain, more goal-oriented, actually setting goals, clarity of goal importance, more specific/measurable goal criteria, and more specific/measurable strategies. The current analyses illustrate how participants' goals can evolve over the course of a peer-led pain self-management program. Specifically, increased motivation, more openness to using goals, greater clarity of goal importance, more specific and measurable goals and strategies, and the influence of the peer coach relationship were described by participants. Pain self-management interventions should emphasize goal setting, and development of specific, measurable goals and plans. Trainings for providers should address the potential for the provider-patient relationship, particularly peer providers, to facilitate motivation and goal setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

NASA / Pratt and Whitney Collaborative Partnership Research in Ultra High Bypass Cycle Propulsion Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Chris; Lord, Wed

2008-01-01

Current collaborative research with Pratt & Whitney on Ultra High Bypass Engine Cycle noise, performance and emissions improvements as part of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project Ultra High Bypass Engine Partnership Element is discussed. The Subsonic Fixed Wing Project goals are reviewed, as well as their relative technology level compared to previous NASA noise program goals. Progress toward achieving the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project goals over the 2008 fiscal year by the UHB Partnership in this area of research are reviewed. The current research activity in Ultra High Bypass Engine Cycle technology, specifically the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan, at NASA and Pratt & Whitney are discussed including the contributions each entity bring toward the research project, and technical plans and objectives. Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan current and future technology and business plans are also discussed, including the role the NASA SFW UHB partnership plays toward achieving those goals.

Is an ecosystem services-based approach developed for setting specific protection goals for plant protection products applicable to other chemicals?

PubMed

Maltby, Lorraine; Jackson, Mathew; Whale, Graham; Brown, A Ross; Hamer, Mick; Solga, Andreas; Kabouw, Patrick; Woods, Richard; Marshall, Stuart

2017-02-15

Clearly defined protection goals specifying what to protect, where and when, are required for designing scientifically sound risk assessments and effective risk management of chemicals. Environmental protection goals specified in EU legislation are defined in general terms, resulting in uncertainty in how to achieve them. In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a framework to identify more specific protection goals based on ecosystem services potentially affected by plant protection products. But how applicable is this framework to chemicals with different emission scenarios and receptor ecosystems? Four case studies used to address this question were: (i) oil refinery waste water exposure in estuarine environments; (ii) oil dispersant exposure in aquatic environments; (iii) down the drain chemicals exposure in a wide range of ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic); (iv) persistent organic pollutant exposure in remote (pristine) Arctic environments. A four-step process was followed to identify ecosystems and services potentially impacted by chemical emissions and to define specific protection goals. Case studies demonstrated that, in principle, the ecosystem services concept and the EFSA framework can be applied to derive specific protection goals for a broad range of chemical exposure scenarios. By identifying key habitats and ecosystem services of concern, the approach offers the potential for greater spatial and temporal resolution, together with increased environmental relevance, in chemical risk assessments. With modifications including improved clarity on terminology/definitions and further development/refinement of the key concepts, we believe the principles of the EFSA framework could provide a methodical approach to the identification and prioritization of ecosystems, ecosystem services and the service providing units that are most at risk from chemical exposure. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Analytical and Experimental Investigation of FM-by-Noise Jamming

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

connocted with this research. II Preface This investigation had two major goals. The first goal was to provide a lucid, complete , and au- thoritative...duplicate the experiments and noise quality measurements are included. Complete listings of the programs written for this investigation are contained...writers specifically for a cleared audience in a mutually-undertood, classified setting. This thesis seeks to provide a lucid, complete , and authoritative

Curricular Guidelines in Gross Anatomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Stanton D.; And Others

1981-01-01

An outline of AADS curricular guidelines for gross anatomy in dental education includes primary educational goals, prerequisites, core content, specific course objectives for each section of content, sequencing, faculty requirements, and facility and equipment needs. (MSE)

11. Strategic planning.

PubMed

2014-05-01

There are several types of planning processes and plans, including strategic, operational, tactical, and contingency. For this document, operational planning includes tactical planning. This chapter examines the strategic planning process and includes an introduction into disaster response plans. "A strategic plan is an outline of steps designed with the goals of the entire organisation as a whole in mind, rather than with the goals of specific divisions or departments". Strategic planning includes all measures taken to provide a broad picture of what must be achieved and in which order, including how to organise a system capable of achieving the overall goals. Strategic planning often is done pre-event, based on previous experience and expertise. The strategic planning for disasters converts needs into a strategic plan of action. Strategic plans detail the goals that must be achieved. The process of converting needs into plans has been deconstructed into its components and includes consideration of: (1) disaster response plans; (2) interventions underway or planned; (3) available resources; (4) current status vs. pre-event status; (5) history and experience of the planners; and (6) access to the affected population. These factors are tempered by the local: (a) geography; (b) climate; (c) culture; (d) safety; and (e) practicality. The planning process consumes resources (costs). All plans must be adapted to the actual conditions--things never happen exactly as planned.

Managing Your Reading Program--A Total System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hales, Carma M.; Jones, Maurine E.

This guide provides specific information on designing and implementing a reading program. The guide is divided into the following six parts: (1) "Planning for Instruction," including sections on setting ideal goals, establishing a "reality base," and organizing a work flow; (2) "Content Organization," including sections on the structure of…

Mediation Analysis of Mode Deactivation Therapy (Reanalysis and Interpretation)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bass, Christopher K.; Apsche, Jack A.

2013-01-01

A key component of Mode Deactivation Therapy (MDT) is the development of self-awareness and regulatory skills by the client with the aim of helping adolescent males with conduct disordered behaviors, including sexually inappropriate behaviors and emotional dysregulation. The goal includes altering specific behaviors to fall within socially…

E-Cheating: Combating a 21st Century Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurtry, Kim

2001-01-01

Discusses electronic cheating in higher education made possible by new technologies. Highlights include statistics on plagiarism; using Web search engines and paper mills; and ways to combat cheating, including academic honesty policies, designing writing assignments with specific goals and instructions, being aware of what is available on the…

Parenting goals: predictors of parent involvement in disease management of children with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Robinson, Elizabeth M; Iannotti, Ronald J; Schneider, Stefan; Nansel, Tonja R; Haynie, Denise L; Sobel, Douglas O

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of diabetes-specific parenting goals for parents of children with type 1 diabetes and to examine whether parenting goals predict a change in parenting involvement in disease management. An independent sample of primary caretakers of 87 children aged 10 to 16 years with type 1 diabetes completed the measure of parenting goals (diabetes-specific and general goals); both parent and child completed measures of parent responsibility for diabetes management at baseline and 6 months. Parents ranked diabetes-specific parenting goals as more important than general parenting goals, and rankings were moderately stable over time. Parenting goals were related to parent responsibility for diabetes management. The relative ranking of diabetes-specific parenting goals predicted changes in parent involvement over 6 months, with baseline ranking of goals predicting more parental involvement at follow-up. Parenting goals may play an important role in family management of type 1 diabetes.

Targets of perioperative fluid therapy and their effects on postoperative outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Berger, M M; Gradwohl-Matis, I; Brunauer, A; Ulmer, H; Dünser, M W

2015-07-01

Perioperative fluid management plays a fundamental role in maintaining organ perfusion, and is considered to affect morbidity and mortality. Targets according to which fluid therapy should be administered are poorly defined. This systematic review aimed to identify specific targets for perioperative fluid therapy. The PubMed database (January 1993-December 2013) and reference lists were searched to identify clinical trials which evaluated specific targets of perioperative fluid therapy and reported clinically relevant perioperative endpoints in adult patients. Only studies in which targeted fluid therapy was the sole intervention were included into the main data analysis. A pooled data analysis was used to compare mortality between goal-directed fluid therapy and control interventions. Thirty-six clinical studies were selected. Sixteen studies including 1224 patients specifically evaluated targeted fluid therapy and were included into the main data analysis. Three specific targets for perioperative fluid therapy were identified: a systolic or pulse pressure variation <10-12%, an increase in stroke volume <10%, and a corrected flow time of 0.35-0.4 s in combination with an increase in stroke volume <10%. Targeting any one of these goals resulted in less postoperative complications (pooled data analysis: OR 0.53; CI95, 0.34-0.83; P=0.005) and a shorter length of intensive care unit/hospital stay, but no difference in postoperative mortality (pooled data analysis: OR 0.61; CI95, 0.33-1.11; P=0.12). This systematic review identified three goals for perioperative fluid administration, targeting of which appeared to be associated with less postoperative complications and shorter intensive care unit/hospital lengths of stay. Perioperative mortality remained unaffected.

Working Notes from the 1992 AAAI Workshop on Automating Software Design. Theme: Domain Specific Software Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M. (Editor); Barstow, David; Lowry, Michael R.; Tong, Christopher H.

1992-01-01

The goal of this workshop is to identify different architectural approaches to building domain-specific software design systems and to explore issues unique to domain-specific (vs. general-purpose) software design. Some general issues that cut across the particular software design domain include: (1) knowledge representation, acquisition, and maintenance; (2) specialized software design techniques; and (3) user interaction and user interface.

Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TSPCK) in Redox and Electrochemistry of Experienced Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Stephanie

2017-01-01

Topic specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) is the basis by which knowledge of subject matter of a particular topic is conveyed to students. This includes students' prior knowledge, curricular saliency, what makes a topic easy or difficult to teach, representations, and teaching strategies. The goal of this study is to assess the…

Bike skills training for children with cerebral palsy: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Toovey, Rachel; Harvey, Adrienne R; McGinley, Jennifer L; Lee, Katherine J; Shih, Sophy T F; Spittle, Alicia J

2018-01-01

Introduction Two-wheel bike riding can be a goal for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and a means of participating in physical activity. It is possible for some children with CP to ride a two-wheel bike; however, currently far fewer can ride compared with their typically developing peers. Evidence supports training targeted towards goals of the child with CP and their family; yet there is little evidence to guide best-practice bike skills training. Task-specific training may lead to attainment of two-wheel bike-specific goals. This study aims to determine if a novel task-specific approach to training two-wheel bike skills is more effective than a parent-led home programme for attaining individualised two-wheel bike-specific goals in independently ambulant children with CP aged 6–15 years. Methods and analysis Sixty eligible children with CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I–II) aged 6–15 years with goals relating to riding a two-wheel bike will be randomised to either a novel task-specific centre-based group programme (intervention) or a parent-led home-based programme (comparison), both involving a 1-week intervention period. The primary outcome is goal attainment in the week following the intervention period (T1). Secondary outcomes include: goal attainment and participation in physical activity at 3 months postintervention (T2) and bike skills, attendance and involvement in bike riding, self-perception and functional skills at T1 and T2. Economic appraisal will involve cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses. Adherence of clinicians and parents to the intervention and comparison protocols will be assessed. Linear and logistic regression will be used to assess the effect of the intervention, adjusted for site as used in the randomisation process. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Human Research and Ethics Committees at The Royal Children’s Hospital (#36209). Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Trial registration number NCT03003026; Pre-results. PMID:29431140

Driver workload at higher speeds.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-02-01

The goal of this Texas Department of Transportation project was to gain a better understanding of driver performance : at high speeds. Specific efforts included the following studies: : The Closed-Course Pilot Study consisted of observing and rec...

Underage Drinking

MedlinePlus

... specific to each adolescent; and the various social and cultural environments that surround adolescents, including their families, schools, and ... to Action identifies six goals: Foster changes in society that facilitate ... development and that help prevent and reduce underage drinking. Engage ...

Student views on the role of self-regulated learning in a surgery clerkship.

PubMed

Lyons-Warren, Ariel M; Kirby, John P; Larsen, Douglas P

2016-12-01

Self-regulated learning, including student-generated learning goals and flexibility in the learning structure are increasingly being used to enhance medical education. The role of these practices in surgical education of medical students has not been studied. We administered an 18-question electronic survey to all third-year medical students at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Of the 126 students invited, 64 responded and 56 were included in the analysis. We found that third-year medical students develop learning goals at the beginning of the surgery clerkship. Although these learning goals theoretically can be a mechanism for enhanced student-faculty engagement, students are not aware of formal mechanisms for sharing these goals with faculty members. Furthermore, students report a lack of flexibility within the surgery clerkship and discomfort with requesting specific learning opportunities. Finally, students report that they believe increased flexibility could improve student engagement, learning, and the overall clerkship experience. We therefore propose that a mechanism for students to share their learning goals with faculty and an infrastructure in which student learning experiences can be tailored to fit with these individualized goals would enhance student surgical learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The multidisciplinary treatment plan: a format for enhancing activity therapy department involvement.

PubMed

Lang, E; Mattson, M

1985-01-01

A structured, goal-oriented format for enhancing the involvement of activity therapy disciplines in the multidisciplinary treatment planning process has been developed in a large private psychiatric teaching hospital. The format, an adaptation of the problem-oriented record, encompasses formal procedures for identifying and recording relevant problems, goals, methods, and objectives for activity therapy treatment. The benefits of this approach include the development of specific, measurable, attainable functional goals; increased accountability in treatment planning and delivery; less time spent in documentation; and education of other staff about the role and function of activities therapy. Patients have a better understanding of their goals and the steps needed to achieve them and show increased participation in the therapy process.

FFY 2007 annual report for the Montana Department of Transportation Research Programs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) conducts research to discover, develop, or extend knowledge needed to operate, maintain, and improve the statewide multimodal transportation system. Specific goals include: evaluation and advancement of ...

Energy Efficient Engine Flight Propulsion System Preliminary Analysis and Design Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bisset, J. W.; Howe, D. C.

1983-01-01

The final design and analysis of the flight propulsion system is presented. This system is the conceptual study engine defined to meet the performance, economic and environmental goals established for the Energy Efficient Engine Program. The design effort included a final definition of the engine, major components, internal subsystems, and nacelle. Various analytical representations and results from component technology programs are used to verify aerodynamic and structural design concepts and to predict performance. Specific design goals and specifications, reflecting future commercial aircraft propulsion system requirements for the mid-1980's, are detailed by NASA and used as guidelines during engine definition. Information is also included which details salient results from a separate study to define a turbofan propulsion system, known as the maximum efficiency engine, which reoptimized the advanced fuel saving technologies for improved fuel economy and direct operating costs relative to the flight propulsion system.

Study and Simulation of Enhancements for TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) Performance Over Noisy, High-Latency Links

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepard, Timothy J.; Partridge, Craig; Coulter, Robert

1997-01-01

The designers of the TCP/IP protocol suite explicitly included support of satellites in their design goals. The goal of the Internet Project was to design a protocol which could be layered over different networking technologies to allow them to be concatenated into an internet. The results of this project included two protocols, IP and TCP. IP is the protocol used by all elements in the network and it defines the standard packet format for IP datagrams. TCP is the end-to-end transport protocol commonly used between end systems on the Internet to derive a reliable bi-directional byte-pipe service from the underlying unreliable IP datagram service. Satellite links are explicitly mentioned in Vint Cerf's 2-page article which appeared in 1980 in CCR [2] to introduce the specifications for IP and TCP. In the past fifteen years, TCP has been demonstrated to work over many differing networking technologies, including over paths including satellites links. So if satellite links were in the minds of the designers from the beginning, what is the problem? The problem is that the performance of TCP has in some cases been disappointing. A goal of the authors of the original specification of TCP was to specify only enough behavior to ensure interoperability. The specification left a number of important decisions, in particular how much data is to be sent when, to the implementor. This was deliberately' done. By leaving performance-related decisions to the implementor, this would allow the protocol TCP to be tuned and adapted to different networks and situations in the future without the need to revise the specification of the protocol, or break interoperability. Interoperability would continue while future implementations would be allowed flexibility to adapt to needs which could not be anticipated at the time of the original protocol design.

Do more specific plans help you lose weight? Examining the relationship between plan specificity, weight loss goals, and plan content in the context of a weight management programme.

PubMed

Dombrowski, Stephan U; Endevelt, Ronit; Steinberg, David M; Benyamini, Yael

2016-11-01

The conditions under which planning for behaviour change is most effective are not fully understood. In the context of a weight management programme, we examined the interrelationship between plan specificity, type of behaviour planned (diet vs. exercise), and weight loss goals. Prospective design and content analysis of plans formed by participants of a 10-week weight management programme. Participants (n = 239) formulated two plans, for dietary and exercise behaviours, respectively. Plans were rated for specificity by examining the number of plan components. Weight loss goals were assessed by asking how much weight participants intend to lose. Weight was measured objectively each of the 10 weeks. Changes in body mass index (BMI) over time and the interactions between plan specificity and weight loss goals, for all plans and separately for diet and exercise, were estimated using linear mixed models. Plan specificity was unrelated to weight loss, but interacted with weight loss goals in predicting linear change in BMI (t = -2.48): More specific plans were associated with higher decreases in weight in participants with high weight loss goals. Separate interaction tests for plans formulated for diet and exercise change showed that more specific dietary plans, but not exercise plans, were associated with higher decreases in weight in participants with high weight loss goals (t = -2.21). Within a population that is highly motivated to lose weight, the combination of high weight loss goals and formulating detailed plans for changing dietary behaviours may be most effective in supporting weight loss. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? More specific plans are associated with increased performance of health-related behaviours. More motivated individuals form more specific plans. The interrelationship between plan specificity, plan content and behaviour-related goals in relation intervention effectiveness has not been explored to date. What does this study add? The effectiveness of forming specific plans may depend on the strength of behaviour-related goals as well as the behaviour selected for change. More detailed plans, in particular dietary plans, were related to greater weight loss, but only for participants with higher initial weight loss goals. Detailed exercise plans were not associated with weight loss, regardless of initial weight loss goals. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Planning activity for internally generated reward goals in monkey amygdala neurons

PubMed Central

Schultz, Wolfram

2015-01-01

The best rewards are often distant and can only be achieved by planning and decision-making over several steps. We designed a multi-step choice task in which monkeys followed internal plans to save rewards towards self-defined goals. During this self-controlled behavior, amygdala neurons showed future-oriented activity that reflected the animal’s plan to obtain specific rewards several trials ahead. This prospective activity encoded crucial components of the animal’s plan, including value and length of the planned choice sequence. It began on initial trials when a plan would be formed, reappeared step-by-step until reward receipt, and readily updated with a new sequence. It predicted performance, including errors, and typically disappeared during instructed behavior. Such prospective activity could underlie the formation and pursuit of internal plans characteristic for goal-directed behavior. The existence of neuronal planning activity in the amygdala suggests an important role for this structure in guiding behavior towards internally generated, distant goals. PMID:25622146

Enabling Autonomous Rover Science through Dynamic Planning and Scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estlin, Tara A.; Gaines, Daniel; Chouinard, Caroline; Fisher, Forest; Castano, Rebecca; Judd, Michele; Nesnas, Issa

2005-01-01

This paper describes how dynamic planning and scheduling techniques can be used onboard a rover to autonomously adjust rover activities in support of science goals. These goals could be identified by scientists on the ground or could be identified by onboard data-analysis software. Several different types of dynamic decisions are described, including the handling of opportunistic science goals identified during rover traverses, preserving high priority science targets when resources, such as power, are unexpectedly over-subscribed, and dynamically adding additional, ground-specified science targets when rover actions are executed more quickly than expected. After describing our specific system approach, we discuss some of the particular challenges we have examined to support autonomous rover decision-making. These include interaction with rover navigation and path-planning software and handling large amounts of uncertainty in state and resource estimations.

Software Tools for Formal Specification and Verification of Distributed Real-Time Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-29

time systems and to evaluate the design. The evaluation of the design includes investigation of both the capability and potential usefulness of the toolkit environment and the feasibility of its implementation....The goals of Phase 1 are to design in detail a toolkit environment based on formal methods for the specification and verification of distributed real

Overcoming World Hunger: The Challenge Ahead. Report of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger. An Abridged Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Presidential Commission on World Hunger, Washington, DC.

This U.S. presidential commission report outlines specific recommendations for eliminating world hunger in the 1980's. Following a summarization of world hunger problems, the report addresses specific ways to deal with world hunger. Short-term goals include taking immediate action to ensure that poor people are not hungry, assuring that infants…

Curriculum reform and evolution: Innovative content and processes at one US medical school.

PubMed

Fischel, Janet E; Olvet, Doreen M; Iuli, Richard J; Lu, Wei-Hsin; Chandran, Latha

2018-03-11

Curriculum reform in medical schools continues to be an ever-present and challenging activity in medical education. This paper describes one school's experiences with specific curricular innovations that were developed or adapted and targeted to meet a clear set of curricular goals during the curriculum reform process. Those goals included: (a) promoting active learning and learner engagement; (b) establishing early professional identity; and (c) developing physician competencies in an integrated and contextual manner while allowing for individualized learning experiences for the millennial student. Six specific innovations championed by the school are described in detail. These included Themes in Medical Education, Translational Pillars, Stony Brook Teaching Families, Transition Courses, Educational Continuous Quality Improvement Processes, and our Career Advising Program. Development of the ideas and design of the innovations were done by faculty and student teams. We discuss successes and ongoing challenges with these innovations which are currently in the fourth year of implementation. Our curriculum reform has emphasized the iterative process of curriculum building. Based on our experience, we discuss general and practical guidelines for curriculum innovation in its three phases: setting the stage, implementation, and monitoring for the achievement of intended goals.

78 FR 46374 - Minority Depository Institution Preservation Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-31

... in preserving the economic viability of their institutions. These benefits include facilitating... goals and objectives related to credit union viability and access. Specifically, the program is...) Economic Development Specialist assistance in addressing examination concerns or topics of interest; (3...

Toward zero deaths : a vision for safer roads in America

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

This new goal of TOWARD ZERO DEATHS should be the central focus of the 2009 Reauthorization of the Safe, : Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). We include 38 : specific legislative ...

Therapy Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin Independent School District, TX.

Reviewed are the goals and activities of the therapy services in the Austin Early Childhood Special Education Program. Specific sections detail activities for speech therapy (such as diagnostic assessment, habilitation, consultation, and reporting procedures), occupational therapy (including identification and assessment, and services to children,…

Curriculum Guidelines for Clinical Dental Hygiene.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Dental Education, 1985

1985-01-01

The American Association of Dental Schools curriculum guidelines for clinical dental hygiene include definitions, notes on the interrelationship of courses, an overview of course objectives, and suggested primary educational goals, prerequisites, core content, specific objectives, sequencing, faculty, and facilities. (MSE)

Clinical skills-related learning goals of senior medical students after performance feedback.

PubMed

Chang, Anna; Chou, Calvin L; Teherani, Arianne; Hauer, Karen E

2011-09-01

Lifelong learning is essential for doctors to maintain competence in clinical skills. With performance feedback, learners should be able to formulate specific and achievable learning goals in areas of need. We aimed to determine: (i) the type and specificity of medical student learning goals after a required clinical performance examination; (ii) differences in goal setting among low, average and high performers, and (iii) whether low performers articulate learning goals that are concordant with their learning needs. We conducted a single-site, multi-year, descriptive comparison study. Senior medical students were given performance benchmarks, individual feedback and guidelines on learning goals; each student was subsequently instructed to write two clinical skills learning goals. Investigators coded the learning goals for specificity, categorised the goals, and performed statistical analyses to determine their concordance with student performance level (low, average or high) in data gathering (history taking and physical examination) or communication skills. All 208 students each wrote two learning goals and most (n=200, 96%) wrote two specific learning goals. Nearly two-thirds of low performers in data gathering wrote at least one learning goal that referred to history taking or physical examination; one-third wrote learning goals pertaining to the organisation of the encounter. High performers in data gathering wrote significantly more patient education goals and significantly fewer history-taking goals than average or low performers. Only 50% of low performers in communication wrote learning goals related to communication skills. Low performers in communication were significantly more likely than average or high performers to identify learning goals related to improving performance in future examinations. The provision of performance benchmarking, individual feedback and brief written guidelines helped most senior medical students in our study to write specific clinical skills learning goals. Many low-performing students did not write learning goals concordant with their areas of weakness. Future work might focus on enhancing low performers' continued learning in areas of performance deficits. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Academic Procrastination and Goal Accomplishment: A Combined Experimental and Individual Differences Investigation

PubMed Central

Gustavson, Daniel E.; Miyake, Akira

2017-01-01

This study examined the relationship between academic procrastination and goal accomplishment in two novel ways. First, we experimentally tested whether undergraduate students (N = 177) could reduce their academic procrastination over a course of three weeks after performing goal-related exercises to set so-called SMART goals and/or to prepare those students with specific strategies to resist their temptations (forming implementation intentions). Second, we conducted systematic regression analyses to examine whether academic procrastination at baseline uniquely predicts later goal-related outcomes, controlling for various correlated variables, including personality traits (e.g., impulsivity), motivational factors (e.g., motivation for the generated goals), and situational factors (e.g., memory for the goals). Results indicated that neither the SMART-goal nor implementation-intention intervention significantly reduced academic procrastination in the three-week interval, even when relevant moderating variables were examined. Initial levels of academic procrastination, however, were predictive of the success of accomplishing the goals generated during the initial exercises, above and beyond a wide range of other candidate correlates. These results provided new correlational evidence for the association between academic procrastination and goal accomplishment, but suggest a need for further research to understand what interventions are effective at reducing academic procrastination. PMID:28943742

Academic Procrastination and Goal Accomplishment: A Combined Experimental and Individual Differences Investigation.

PubMed

Gustavson, Daniel E; Miyake, Akira

2017-02-01

This study examined the relationship between academic procrastination and goal accomplishment in two novel ways. First, we experimentally tested whether undergraduate students ( N = 177) could reduce their academic procrastination over a course of three weeks after performing goal-related exercises to set so-called SMART goals and/or to prepare those students with specific strategies to resist their temptations (forming implementation intentions). Second, we conducted systematic regression analyses to examine whether academic procrastination at baseline uniquely predicts later goal-related outcomes, controlling for various correlated variables, including personality traits (e.g., impulsivity), motivational factors (e.g., motivation for the generated goals), and situational factors (e.g., memory for the goals). Results indicated that neither the SMART-goal nor implementation-intention intervention significantly reduced academic procrastination in the three-week interval, even when relevant moderating variables were examined. Initial levels of academic procrastination, however, were predictive of the success of accomplishing the goals generated during the initial exercises, above and beyond a wide range of other candidate correlates. These results provided new correlational evidence for the association between academic procrastination and goal accomplishment, but suggest a need for further research to understand what interventions are effective at reducing academic procrastination.

A meta-analytic examination of the goal orientation nomological net.

PubMed

Payne, Stephanie C; Youngcourt, Satoris S; Beaubien, J Matthew

2007-01-01

The authors present an empirical review of the literature concerning trait and state goal orientation (GO). Three dimensions of GO were examined: learning, prove performance, and avoid performance along with presumed antecedents and proximal and distal consequences of these dimensions. Antecedent variables included cognitive ability, implicit theory of intelligence, need for achievement, self-esteem, general self-efficacy, and the Big Five personality characteristics. Proximal consequences included state GO, task-specific self-efficacy, self-set goal level, learning strategies, feedback seeking, and state anxiety. Distal consequences included learning, academic performance, task performance, and job performance. Generally speaking, learning GO was positively correlated, avoid performance GO was negatively correlated, and prove performance GO was uncorrelated with these variables. Consistent with theory, state GO tended to have stronger relationships with the distal consequences than did trait GO. Finally, using a meta-correlation matrix, the authors found that trait GO predicted job performance above and beyond cognitive ability and personality. These results demonstrate the value of GO to organizational researchers. 2007 APA, all rights reserved

Water use assessments supporting company-specific growth and sustainability goals

Treesearch

John Beebe

2016-01-01

In areas with increasing demand for water, addressing water use objectives has long been a primary environmental objective and key concern among industrial water users including paper mills and other forest product companies. However, in recent years, water use metrics and related information (including population change, climate information, and land use...

Identity-Specific Reward Representations in Orbitofrontal Cortex Are Modulated by Selective Devaluation

PubMed Central

Howard, James D.

2017-01-01

Goal-directed behavior is sensitive to the current value of expected outcomes. This requires independent representations of specific rewards, which have been linked to orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) function. However, the mechanisms by which the human brain updates specific goals on the fly, and translates those updates into choices, have remained unknown. Here we implemented selective devaluation of appetizing food odors in combination with pattern-based neuroimaging and a decision-making task. We found that in a hungry state, participants chose to smell high-intensity versions of two value-matched food odor rewards. After eating a meal corresponding to one of the two odors, participants switched choices toward the low intensity of the sated odor but continued to choose the high intensity of the nonsated odor. This sensory-specific behavioral effect was mirrored by pattern-based changes in fMRI signal in lateral posterior OFC, where specific reward identity representations were altered after the meal for the sated food odor but retained for the nonsated counterpart. In addition, changes in functional connectivity between the OFC and general value coding in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) predicted individual differences in satiety-related choice behavior. These findings demonstrate how flexible representations of specific rewards in the OFC are updated by devaluation, and how functional connections to vmPFC reflect the current value of outcomes and guide goal-directed behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is critical for goal-directed behavior. A recent proposal is that OFC fulfills this function by representing a variety of state and task variables (“cognitive maps”), including a conjunction of expected reward identity and value. Here we tested how identity-specific representations of food odor reward are updated by satiety. We found that fMRI pattern-based signatures of reward identity in lateral posterior OFC were modulated after selective devaluation, and that connectivity between this region and general value coding ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) predicted choice behavior. These results provide evidence for a mechanism by which devaluation modulates a cognitive map of expected reward in OFC and thereby alters general value signals in vmPFC to guide goal-directed behavior. PMID:28159906

Looking to Score: The Dissociation of Goal Influence on Eye Movement and Meta-Attentional Allocation in a Complex Dynamic Natural Scene

PubMed Central

Taya, Shuichiro; Windridge, David; Osman, Magda

2012-01-01

Several studies have reported that task instructions influence eye-movement behavior during static image observation. In contrast, during dynamic scene observation we show that while the specificity of the goal of a task influences observers’ beliefs about where they look, the goal does not in turn influence eye-movement patterns. In our study observers watched short video clips of a single tennis match and were asked to make subjective judgments about the allocation of visual attention to the items presented in the clip (e.g., ball, players, court lines, and umpire). However, before attending to the clips, observers were either told to simply watch clips (non-specific goal), or they were told to watch the clips with a view to judging which of the two tennis players was awarded the point (specific goal). The results of subjective reports suggest that observers believed that they allocated their attention more to goal-related items (e.g. court lines) if they performed the goal-specific task. However, we did not find the effect of goal specificity on major eye-movement parameters (i.e., saccadic amplitudes, inter-saccadic intervals, and gaze coherence). We conclude that the specificity of a task goal can alter observer’s beliefs about their attention allocation strategy, but such task-driven meta-attentional modulation does not necessarily correlate with eye-movement behavior. PMID:22768058

Using social media to assess care coordination goals and plans for leukemia patients and survivors.

PubMed

Strekalova, Yulia A; Hawkins, Kimberly E; Drusbosky, Leylah M; Cogle, Cristopher R

2018-05-23

Care coordination has been shown to have a positive effect on the management of chronic disease. Specific to the management of leukemia, coordination may occur between primary care physician, medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, cardiologists, and genetics specialists. Experiencing gaps in communication and care coordination, many health consumers seek instrumental support in their social circles, including online forums and networks. The goal of this theory-guided study was to provide an in-depth assessment of how individuals use online forums to deliberate about their goals and plans for leukemia care coordination. Guided by the planning theory of communication, the data were collected from the American Cancer Society Cancer Survivors Network and included 125 original posts and 1,248 responses. Thematic analysis and axial coding were applied to analyze the data. Goal-related themes included overcoming the diffusion of care coordination and achieving health management cohesion. Planning themes included social health management, communication self-efficacy, and role deliberation. Online patient forums provide an interactive platform for patients and caregivers to engage in active conversations, which in turn can serve as identifiers of care coordination needs. Communication with those who share similar experiences allows cancer patients and survivors to accumulate functional health literacy, gain communication self-efficacy, and articulate a care coordination role acceptable to them.

Predoctoral Curriculum Guidelines for Biomaterials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Dental Education, 1986

1986-01-01

The American Association of Dental Schools' predoctoral guidelines for biomaterials curricula includes notes on interrelationships between this and other fields, a curriculum overview, primary educational goals, prerequisites, a core content outline, specific behavioral objectives for each content area, and information on sequencing, faculty and…

Patients' perspectives in the management of psoriasis: the Italian results of the Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) survey.

PubMed

Gisondi, Paolo; Girolomoni, Giampiero

2017-08-01

The perspective of patients with psoriasis about medical care treatment goals and strategies is receiving increasing attention. Here, we performed a country-based analysis of the Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) survey, in order to provide specific information on patients' perspective of treatment of psoriasis in Italy. This was a systematic household telephone survey recruiting subjects by random digit dialing. Household members ≥18 years were included if they had ever been diagnosed with psoriasis. About 12,785 households were screened in Italy. 132 patients were ineligible for the analysis, including patients with psoriatic arthritis. 359 patients were surveyed. About half of the patients had very mild disease with less than 1 palm skin involvement, and 38% had 1-10 palm skin disease. It is noteworthy that 48% of patients with widespread disease were not taking any medication. Patients indicated the relief of symptoms, including itching (54.9%), as the main goal for their current therapy, whereas 14.2% reported no specific expectation from their medication. Overall, 70% of patients declared to be satisfied by their therapy, in terms of primary goal reached. Our findings suggest that most psoriasis patients have mild/moderate disease in Italy, and that a portion of patients with severe disease does not receive an adequate treatment.

Rehabilitation of executive functioning in patients with frontal lobe brain damage with goal management training.

PubMed

Levine, Brian; Schweizer, Tom A; O'Connor, Charlene; Turner, Gary; Gillingham, Susan; Stuss, Donald T; Manly, Tom; Robertson, Ian H

2011-01-01

Executive functioning deficits due to brain disease affecting frontal lobe functions cause significant real-life disability, yet solid evidence in support of executive functioning interventions is lacking. Goal Management Training (GMT), an executive functioning intervention that draws upon theories concerning goal processing and sustained attention, has received empirical support in studies of patients with traumatic brain injury, normal aging, and case studies. GMT promotes a mindful approach to complex real-life tasks that pose problems for patients with executive functioning deficits, with a main goal of periodically stopping ongoing behavior to monitor and adjust goals. In this controlled trial, an expanded version of GMT was compared to an alternative intervention, Brain Health Workshop that was matched to GMT on non-specific characteristics that can affect intervention outcome. Participants included 19 individuals in the chronic phase of recovery from brain disease (predominantly stroke) affecting frontal lobe function. Outcome data indicated specific effects of GMT on the Sustained Attention to Response Task as well as the Tower Test, a visuospatial problem-solving measure that reflected far transfer of training effects. There were no significant effects on self-report questionnaires, likely owing to the complexity of these measures in this heterogeneous patient sample. Overall, these data support the efficacy of GMT in the rehabilitation of executive functioning deficits.

From Goal-Oriented Requirements to Event-B Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aziz, Benjamin; Arenas, Alvaro E.; Bicarregui, Juan; Ponsard, Christophe; Massonet, Philippe

2009-01-01

In goal-oriented requirements engineering methodologies, goals are structured into refinement trees from high-level system-wide goals down to fine-grained requirements assigned to specific software/ hardware/human agents that can realise them. Functional goals assigned to software agents need to be operationalised into specification of services that the agent should provide to realise those requirements. In this paper, we propose an approach for operationalising requirements into specifications expressed in the Event-B formalism. Our approach has the benefit of aiding software designers by bridging the gap between declarative requirements and operational system specifications in a rigorous manner, enabling powerful correctness proofs and allowing further refinements down to the implementation level. Our solution is based on verifying that a consistent Event-B machine exhibits properties corresponding to requirements.

Environmental Education and Development Program

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

Not Available

1994-03-01

The Environmental Education and Development Program is a component on the effort to accomplish the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management`s (EM) goal of environmental compliance and cleanup of the 1989 inventory of inactive DOE sites and facilities by the year 2019. Education and Development programs were designed specifically to stimulate the knowledge and workforce capability necessary to achieve EM goals while contributing to DOE`s overall goal of increasing scientific and technical literacy and competency. The primary implementation criterion for E&D activities involved a focus on programs and projects that had both immediate and long-range leveraging effects on infrastructure.more » This focus included programs that yielded short term results (one to five years), as well as long-term results, to ensure a steady supply of appropriately trained and educated human resources, including women and minorities, to meet EM`s demands.« less

Transforming Our World: Implementing the 2030 Agenda Through Sustainable Development Goal Indicators.

PubMed

Lee, Bandy X; Kjaerulf, Finn; Turner, Shannon; Cohen, Larry; Donnelly, Peter D; Muggah, Robert; Davis, Rachel; Realini, Anna; Kieselbach, Berit; MacGregor, Lori Snyder; Waller, Irvin; Gordon, Rebecca; Moloney-Kitts, Michele; Lee, Grace; Gilligan, James

2016-09-01

The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes violence as a threat to sustainability. To serve as a context, we provide an overview of the Sustainable Development Goals as they relate to violence prevention by including a summary of key documents informing violence prevention efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) partners. After consultation with the United Nations (UN) Inter-Agency Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDG), we select specific targets and indicators, featuring them in a summary table. Using the diverse expertise of the authors, we assign attributes that characterize the focus and nature of these indicators. We hope that this will serve as a preliminary framework for understanding these accountability metrics. We include a brief analysis of the target indicators and how they relate to promising practices in violence prevention.

Diagnosis, Prevention, and Management of Statin Adverse Effects and Intolerance: Canadian Consensus Working Group Update (2016).

PubMed

Mancini, G B John; Baker, Steven; Bergeron, Jean; Fitchett, David; Frohlich, Jiri; Genest, Jacques; Gupta, Milan; Hegele, Robert A; Ng, Dominic; Pearson, Glen J; Pope, Janet; Tashakkor, A Yashar

2016-07-01

The Canadian Consensus Working Group has updated its evaluation of the literature pertaining to statin intolerance and adverse effects. This overview introduces a pragmatic definition of statin intolerance (goal-inhibiting statin intolerance) that emphasizes the effects of symptoms on achieving nationally vetted goals in patients fulfilling indications for lipid-lowering therapy and cardiovascular risk reduction. The Canadian Consensus Working Group provides a structured framework for avoiding, evaluating and managing goal-inhibiting statin intolerance. Particularly difficult practice situations are reviewed, including management in young and elderly individuals, and in athletes and labourers. Finally, targeted at specialty practitioners, more detailed analyses of specific but more unusual adverse effects ascribed to statins are updated including evidence regarding new-onset diabetes, cognitive dysfunction, cataracts, and the rare but important immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Image-guided urologic surgery: intraoperative optical imaging and tissue interrogation (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Joseph C.

2017-02-01

Emerging optical imaging technologies can be integrated in the operating room environment during minimally invasive and open urologic surgery, including oncologic surgery of the bladder, prostate, and kidney. These technologies include macroscopic fluorescence imaging that provides contrast enhancement between normal and diseased tissue and microscopic imaging that provides tissue characterization. Optical imaging technologies that have reached the clinical arena in urologic surgery are reviewed, including photodynamic diagnosis, near infrared fluorescence imaging, optical coherence tomography, and confocal laser endomicroscopy. Molecular imaging represents an exciting future arena in conjugating cancer-specific contrast agents to fluorophores to improve the specificity of disease detection. Ongoing efforts are underway to translate optimal targeting agents and imaging modalities, with the goal to improve cancer-specific and functional outcomes.

Healthcare professional versus patient goal setting in intermittent allergic rhinitis.

PubMed

O'Connor, J; Seeto, C; Saini, B; Bosnic-Anticevich, S; Krass, I; Armour, C; Smith, L

2008-01-01

To examine the impact of healthcare professional versus patient goal setting for the self-management of intermittent allergic rhinitis (AR) on symptom severity and quality of life. This was a 6 week, parallel group study. Group A participants, with pharmacist facilitation, nominated personally relevant goals and strategies relating to their AR. Group B participants had their goals and strategies set by the pharmacist. The main outcome measures used included perceived symptom severity and quality of life. In addition, goals and strategies data from participants of both groups were collected and analysed. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in symptom severity and quality of life scores however Group B symptom severity scores improved more. Group B set a greater number of goals and strategies which were better structured and more task specific. This is the first study to investigate the impact of goal setting on patient behaviour in a chronic yet episodic illness. Our results suggest that self-management goals set by the healthcare professional which are clinically indicated but tailored to the patient's nominated symptoms yields better outcomes than goals nominated by the patient. A brief, structured intervention, tailored to patient symptoms, can enhance self-management of intermittent allergic rhinitis.

A systematic review of goal directed fluid therapy: rating of evidence for goals and monitoring methods.

PubMed

Wilms, Heath; Mittal, Anubhav; Haydock, Matthew D; van den Heever, Marc; Devaud, Marcello; Windsor, John A

2014-04-01

To review the literature on goal directed fluid therapy and evaluate the quality of evidence for each combination of goal and monitoring method. A search of major digital databases and hand search of references was conducted. All studies assessing the clinical utility of a specific fluid therapy goal or set of goals using any monitoring method were included. Data was extracted using a pre-determined pro forma and papers were evaluated using GRADE principles to assess evidence quality. Eighty-one papers met the inclusion criteria, investigating 31 goals and 22 methods for monitoring fluid therapy in 13052 patients. In total there were 118 different goal/method combinations. Goals with high evidence quality were central venous lactate and stroke volume index. Goals with moderate quality evidence were sublingual microcirculation flow, the oxygen extraction ratio, cardiac index, cardiac output, and SVC collapsibility index. This review has highlighted the plethora of goals and methods for monitoring fluid therapy. Strikingly, there is scant high quality evidence, in particular for non-invasive G/M combinations in non-operative and non-intensive care settings. There is an urgent need to address this research gap, which will be helped by methodologies to compare utility of G/M combinations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and presentation of a roadway and roadside design course : final report, December 2009.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

The overall goal of this course is to provide training in the elements of geometric highway : design. Specific course objectives are: : To review the geometry of horizontal and vertical alignment including simple circular : curves, compound curve...

High School Science Technology Additions, Midland Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Design Cost Data, 2001

2001-01-01

Discusses design goals, space requirements, and need for mobile furniture and "imagination stations" at Michigan's Midland Public High School science technology addition. Describes the architectural design, costs, and specifications. Includes floor plans, general description, photos and a list of consultants, manufacturers, and suppliers…

Pictorial Conversations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooper, Kristina

1982-01-01

Provides the rationale for considering communication in a graphic domain and suggests a specific goal for designing work stations which provide graphic capabilities in educational settings. The central element of this recommendation is the "pictorial conversation", a highly interactive exchange that includes pictures as the central elements.…

A Description of the Hawthorn Center Early Intervention Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glovinsky, Ira; Keller, Jackie

An early intervention project for preschool handicapped children is described. Specific program goals (including improved functioning in social, emotional, communication, and preacademic areas) are listed, and roles of the interdisciplinary staff members are considered. Among evaluation approaches discussed are psychological measures, family…

Multidimensional outcome considerations in assessing the efficacy of medical educational programs.

PubMed

Blumberg, Phyllis

2003-01-01

To be accredited, schools must evaluate the effectiveness of their programs. Educators are looking for specific indicators beyond the traditional measures. Data from multiple methods, including indicators of student performance and of the institutional environment, can be used to determine if educational program goals are met. This article outlines specific ways to consider three types of efficacy outcomes that are consistent with accreditation guidelines: educational, clinical career, and environmental outcomes. Specific measurable outcomes for each of these categories are derived from higher education literature: for example, learning approaches and information acquisition for education; professional behaviors and interpersonal dimensions for clinical career, and scholarship of teaching and teaching itself as a shared and valued activity for environmental outcomes. These outcomes address student assessment and program evaluation. Data from problem-based learning programs illustrate these outcomes. Educators can determine if educational program innovations have met their goals by collecting efficacy outcome data.

Did the right to health get across the line? Examining the United Nations resolution on the Sustainable Development Goals.

PubMed

Brolan, Claire E; Te, Vannarath; Floden, Nadia; Hill, Peter S; Forman, Lisa

2017-01-01

Since the new global health and development goal, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, and its nine targets and four means of implementation were introduced to the world through a United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution in September 2015, right to health practitioners have queried whether this goal mirrors the content of the human right to health in international law. This study examines the text of the UN SDG resolution, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , from a right to health minimalist and right to health maximalist analytic perspective. When reviewing the UN SDG resolution's text, a right to health minimalist questions whether the content of the right to health is at least implicitly included in this document, specifically focusing on SDG 3 and its metrics framework. A right to health maximalist, on the other hand, queries whether the content of the right to health is explicitly included. This study finds that whether the right to health is contained in the UN SDG resolution, and the SDG metrics therein, ultimately depends on the individual analyst's subjective persuasion in relation to right to health minimalism or maximalism. We conclude that the UN General Assembly's lack of cogency on the right to health's position in the UN SDG resolution will continue to blur if not divest human rights' (and specifically the right to health's) integral relationship to high-level development planning, implementation and SDG monitoring and evaluation efforts.

A fuzzy logic expert system for evaluating policy progress towards sustainability goals.

PubMed

Cisneros-Montemayor, Andrés M; Singh, Gerald G; Cheung, William W L

2017-12-16

Evaluating progress towards environmental sustainability goals can be difficult due to a lack of measurable benchmarks and insufficient or uncertain data. Marine settings are particularly challenging, as stakeholders and objectives tend to be less well defined and ecosystem components have high natural variability and are difficult to observe directly. Fuzzy logic expert systems are useful analytical frameworks to evaluate such systems, and we develop such a model here to formally evaluate progress towards sustainability targets based on diverse sets of indicators. Evaluation criteria include recent (since policy enactment) and historical (from earliest known state) change, type of indicators (state, benefit, pressure, response), time span and spatial scope, and the suitability of an indicator in reflecting progress toward a specific objective. A key aspect of the framework is that all assumptions are transparent and modifiable to fit different social and ecological contexts. We test the method by evaluating progress towards four Aichi Biodiversity Targets in Canadian oceans, including quantitative progress scores, information gaps, and the sensitivity of results to model and data assumptions. For Canadian marine systems, national protection plans and biodiversity awareness show good progress, but species and ecosystem states overall do not show strong improvement. Well-defined goals are vital for successful policy implementation, as ambiguity allows for conflicting potential indicators, which in natural systems increases uncertainty in progress evaluations. Importantly, our framework can be easily adapted to assess progress towards policy goals with different themes, globally or in specific regions.

Impact of integrated upper limb spasticity management including botulinum toxin A on patient-centred goal attainment: rationale and protocol for an international prospective, longitudinal cohort study (ULIS-III)

PubMed Central

Turner-Stokes, Lynne; Ashford, Stephen; Jacinto, Jorge; Maisonobe, Pascal; Balcaitiene, Jovita; Fheodoroff, Klemens

2016-01-01

Objectives Describe the rationale and protocol for the Upper Limb International Spasticity (ULIS)-III study, which aims to evaluate the impact of integrated spasticity management, involving multiple botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injection cycles and concomitant therapies, on patient-centred goal attainment. Outline novel outcome assessment methods for ULIS-III and report initial evaluation data from goal setting in early stages of the study. Design Large international longitudinal cohort study of integrated upper limb spasticity management, including BoNT-A. Participants and setting ULIS-III is a 2-year study expected to enrol >1000 participants at 58 study centres across 14 countries. Interventions The study design is non-interventional and intended to reflect real-life clinical practice. It will describe injection practices and additional treatment strategies, and record clinical decision-making in a serial approach to long-term spasticity management. Outcome measures ULIS-III will use a goal-directed approach to selection of targeted standardised measures to capture the diversity of presentation, goals and outcomes. ULIS-III will implement the Upper Limb Spasticity Index, a battery of assessments including a structured approach to goal attainment scaling (Goal Attainment Scaling—Evaluation of Outcomes for Upper Limb Spasticity tool), alongside a limited set of standardised measures, chosen according to patients' selected goal areas. Concomitant therapy inputs, patient satisfaction with engagement in goal setting, health economic end points and health-related quality of life data will also be captured. Results of initial evaluation of goal quality Recruitment started in January 2015. By June 2015, 58 sites had been identified and initial data collected for 79 patients across 13 sites in 3 countries. Goal setting data were quality-checked and centres rated on the basis of function-related and Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed (SMART) characteristics of goal statements. Overall, 11/13 centres achieved the highest rating (A++). Conclusions ULIS-III will provide valuable information regarding treatment of and outcomes from real-life upper limb spasticity management worldwide. Trial registration number NCT02454803; Pre-results. PMID:27315835

Chapel branch creek TMDL development: integrating TMDL development with implementation

Treesearch

T.M. Williams; D.M. Amatya; D.R. Hitchcock; N. Levine; E.N. Mihalik

2007-01-01

South Carolina assured the USEPA "The State intends to achieve waste load and load allocation reductions in 303(d) listed waters in order to achieve the water quality goals of the Clean Water Act. This includes waters impaired solely or primarily by NPS sources. For each such water, a TMDL will be established that includes specific recommendations for reducing...

Blueprint for a Needs Assessment: Contributing to a System of Care for Children with Special Needs & Their Families. A Technical Resource Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireys, Henry T.

Designed to guide and structure the needs assessment of Pennsylvania children with special health care needs, this document describes six specific steps in planning and conducting a needs assessment. The steps include: (1) stating the goals of the needs assessment, including fulfilling legislative mandates, identifying geographical areas that have…

Poly(A) code analyses reveal key determinants for tissue-specific mRNA alternative polyadenylation

PubMed Central

Weng, Lingjie; Li, Yi; Xie, Xiaohui; Shi, Yongsheng

2016-01-01

mRNA alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a critical mechanism for post-transcriptional gene regulation and is often regulated in a tissue- and/or developmental stage-specific manner. An ultimate goal for the APA field has been to be able to computationally predict APA profiles under different physiological or pathological conditions. As a first step toward this goal, we have assembled a poly(A) code for predicting tissue-specific poly(A) sites (PASs). Based on a compendium of over 600 features that have known or potential roles in PAS selection, we have generated and refined a machine-learning algorithm using multiple high-throughput sequencing-based data sets of tissue-specific and constitutive PASs. This code can predict tissue-specific PASs with >85% accuracy. Importantly, by analyzing the prediction performance based on different RNA features, we found that PAS context, including the distance between alternative PASs and the relative position of a PAS within the gene, is a key feature for determining the susceptibility of a PAS to tissue-specific regulation. Our poly(A) code provides a useful tool for not only predicting tissue-specific APA regulation, but also for studying its underlying molecular mechanisms. PMID:27095026

Curriculum Guidelines for Operative Dentistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Dental Education, 1984

1984-01-01

The American Association of Dental Schools' guidelines for operative dentistry curricula include an overview of the scope and objectives of operative dentistry, notes on the interrelationship of the discipline and the total curriculum, and an outline of primary educational goals, core content, specific behavioral objectives, sequencing, faculty,…

Interplay Between Conceptual Expectations and Movement Predictions Underlies Action Understanding.

PubMed

Ondobaka, Sasha; de Lange, Floris P; Wittmann, Marco; Frith, Chris D; Bekkering, Harold

2015-09-01

Recent accounts of understanding goal-directed action underline the importance of a hierarchical predictive architecture. However, the neural implementation of such an architecture remains elusive. In the present study, we used functional neuroimaging to quantify brain activity associated with predicting physical movements, as they were modulated by conceptual-expectations regarding the purpose of the object involved in the action. Participants observed object-related actions preceded by a cue that generated both conceptual goal expectations and movement goal predictions. In 2 tasks, observers judged whether conceptual or movement goals matched or mismatched the cue. At the conceptual level, expected goals specifically recruited the posterior cingulate cortex, irrespectively of the task and the perceived movement goal. At the movement level, neural activation of the parieto-frontal circuit, including inferior frontal gyrus and the inferior parietal lobe, reflected unpredicted movement goals. Crucially, this movement prediction error was only present when the purpose of the involved object was expected. These findings provide neural evidence that prior conceptual expectations influence processing of physical movement goals and thereby support the hierarchical predictive account of action processing. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Geophysicists' views about public engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besley, J. C.; Dudo, A.; Yuan, S.

2016-12-01

The proposed talk would present the results of 2016 survey of American Geophysical Union members (n = 2040) about public engagement. This survey took place as part of a broader, NSF funded, study of engagement views across eight different U.S.-based scientific societies. The presentation would include data about geophysicists' past engagement behavior and willingness to engage alongside data about engagement attitudes, perceived norms (i.e. beliefs about whether peers engage and value engagement), and perceived efficacy (i.e., scientists' beliefs about their own communication skills and the impact of engagement). The presentation would also include results that describe scientists' overall goals for engagement (e.g., increasing support for specific policy positions, changing citizen behavior, etc.), as well as their communication-specific objectives (e.g., increasing knowledge, increase excitement, etc.). All of the results would be put in the context of equivalent results from scientists from seven other societies across a variety of fields, including chemistry, biology, and the social sciences. Three themes that would be emphasized in the presentation include (1) the fact that there are substantial commonalities in engagement views across scientific fields, (2) the important role that perceived engagement skill (efficacy) appears to play in predicting engagement willingness, and (3) a lack of evidence that scientists are thinking about engagement in strategic ways. Strategic engagement, in this regard, would involve setting clear goals and then choosing activities that the social science of science communication suggests might allow one to achieve those goals. The presentation would conclude with thoughts about what might be done to improve the effectiveness of science communication training.

Management goals for type 1 Gaucher disease: An expert consensus document from the European working group on Gaucher disease.

PubMed

Biegstraaten, M; Cox, T M; Belmatoug, N; Berger, M G; Collin-Histed, T; Vom Dahl, S; Di Rocco, M; Fraga, C; Giona, F; Giraldo, P; Hasanhodzic, M; Hughes, D A; Iversen, P O; Kiewiet, A I; Lukina, E; Machaczka, M; Marinakis, T; Mengel, E; Pastores, G M; Plöckinger, U; Rosenbaum, H; Serratrice, C; Symeonidis, A; Szer, J; Timmerman, J; Tylki-Szymańska, A; Weisz Hubshman, M; Zafeiriou, D I; Zimran, A; Hollak, C E M

2018-02-01

Gaucher Disease type 1 (GD1) is a lysosomal disorder that affects many systems. Therapy improves the principal manifestations of the condition and, as a consequence, many patients show a modified phenotype which reflects manifestations of their disease that are refractory to treatment. More generally, it is increasingly recognised that information as to how a patient feels and functions [obtained by patient- reported outcome measurements (PROMs)] is critical to any comprehensive evaluation of treatment. A new set of management goals for GD1 in which both trends are reflected is needed. To this end, a modified Delphi procedure among 25 experts was performed. Based on a literature review and with input from patients, 65 potential goals were formulated as statements. Consensus was considered to be reached when ≥75% of the participants agreed to include that specific statement in the management goals. There was agreement on 42 statements. In addition to the traditional goals concerning haematological, visceral and bone manifestations, improvement in quality of life, fatigue and social participation, as well as early detection of long-term complications or associated diseases were included. When applying this set of goals in medical practice, the clinical status of the individual patient should be taken into account. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ninth international symposium on radiopharmacology

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

NONE

The goal of this Symposium is to provide a forum for those international scientists involved in applying the principles of pharmacology and radiation biology to the development of agents for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The program will highlight state-of-the-art progress in the development of those agents used in conjunction with some form of radiation such as radiopharmaceuticals, radiopaques, photo- and radiosensitizing drugs, and neutron capture agents. An underlying pharmacokinetic parameter associated with all these agents is the need for site-specific delivery to an organ or tumor. Therefore, a major goal of the symposium will be to address thosemore » pharmacologic principles for targeting molecules to specific tissue sites. Accordingly, session themes will include receptor-mediated processes, membrane transporters, antibody interactions, metabolic trapping, and oligonucleotide-antisense mechanisms.« less

Social marketing: an overview of approach and effects.

PubMed

Smith, W A

2006-06-01

This paper reviews the applicability of commercial and social marketing to teen driving safety. It draws on a wide range of information, including evaluation studies of specific programs as well as standards of practice within these two professions. Social marketing has been widely applied for more than three decades in the fields of public health, environmental protection, and political marketing with significant success. The paper attempts to distinguish between the practice of commercial marketing, whose goal is profit, and the practice of social marketing, whose goal is societal benefit. Issues of sustainability, segmentation, differences in behavioral characteristics, and cultural competence are discussed with specific examples drawn from the transportation safety literature. The paper suggests that social marketing represents a viable companion to control and education approaches to behavior change to promote teen driving safety.

Meeting the Pepsi Challenge: Preparing Evaluation Programs for Scholastic Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Mona S.

This document provides guidelines for preparing evaluation programs for scholastic improvement. The philosophy underlying assessment and accountability is discussed, with specific reference to the positive and negative aspects of assessment. The design of a curriculum evaluation model is presented, including goal identification, data gathering,…

Scientists' Views about Communication Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besley, John C.; Dudo, Anthony; Storksdieck, Martin

2015-01-01

This study assesses how scientists think about science communication training based on the argument that such training represents an important tool in improving the quality of interactions between scientists and the public. It specifically focuses on training related to five goals, including views about training to make science messages…

Resistance and resilience: A conceptual framework for silviculture

Treesearch

Robert J. DeRose; James N. Long

2014-01-01

Increasingly, forest management goals include building or maintaining resistance and/or resilience to disturbances in the face of climate change. Although a multitude of descriptive definitions for resistance and resilience exist, to evaluate whether specific management activities (silviculture) are effective, prescriptive characterizations are necessary. We introduce...

Special Machines; Apparel Manufacturing: 9377.10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course allows students who are interested in careers in apparel manufacturing to learn the techniques for operating the various types of special machines used for finishing garments professionally and for specialty work. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, safety practices, special machines, assembling a child's…

A Maslovian Counseling Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkpatrick, J. Stephen

1979-01-01

With Maslow's hierarchy as a basis, the model provides structure for setting goals in counseling cases and overall programs. Different kinds of client concerns are identified, and suggestions are made for using these 14 categories. The article includes specific suggestions for using the model in diagnosis, evaluation, counselor education, and…

A Syllabus for Biol 242--Human Anatomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Willis H.

This document is the fall and spring semester course syllabus of Biology 242--Human Anatomy at Southern University (Louisiana). Sections include: (1) Descriptive Information; (2) Specification of Course Goals and Objectives; (3) Readings; (4) Description of Instructional Procedures; (5) Course Requirements; (6) Course Schedule; (7) Evaluation of…

Choices and Motivations of Infertile Couples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Balen, Frank; Verdurmen, Jacqueline; Ketting, Evert

1997-01-01

Infertile couples' (N=131) consideration of options for dealing with infertility (medical help, adoption, fostering, alternative medicine, and focusing on other life goals) is studied. Options were related to specific motivations including altruistic motives for adoption or foster care. Results, timing of choices, and motivations are discussed.…

Health Education for Special Children: Intermediate EMR.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodie, Patrick; And Others

Intended for teachers and administrators in special education, the curriculum guide offers information on planning a health education program for educable mentally retarded children in intermediate grades. Sections preceding the actual guide include information on specific goals of and elements necessary for a successful health education program,…

Health Education for Special Children: Primary EMR.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Linda; And Others

Intended for teachers and administrators in special education, the curriculum guide offers information on planning a health education program for primary level educable mentally retarded students. Sections preceding the actual guide include information on specific goals of and elements necessary for a successful health education program, the…

Reconceptualization of the Authoritarian Parenting Style and Parental Control: Some Initial Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chao, Ruth K.

This study compared standard conceptualizations for parenting style, parental involvement in school, and parents' socialization goals with alternative conceptualizations, in relation to children's academic achievement. Specifically, the study asked: (1) whether ethnicity is predictive of achievement scores when included in analyses involving the…

Constructed Wetlands for Treatment of Organic and Engineered Nanomaterial Contaminants of Emerging Concerns (WaterRF Report 4334)

EPA Science Inventory

The goal of this project was to determine hydraulic and carbon loading rates for constructed wetlands required for achieving different levels of organic and nanomaterial contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) removal in constructed wetlands. Specific research objectives included...

Computer Education from a Humanistic Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crist, Mary

1984-01-01

Offers a brief history of humanistic and transpersonal psychology development; includes a brief description of educational goals advocated by these movements, particularly in reference to teacher role; and presents specific examples of how computers make it possible for teachers to satisfy role expectations placed upon them in student-centered…

Waterheaters and Dishwashers; Appliance Repair--Beginning: 9023.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course outline provides major appliance repair students with a fundamental knowledge of waterheaters and dishwashers, and is intended to guide their performance of duties as technicians. Covering the complete electrical and mechanical functions of heaters and dishwashers, the course outline includes goals, specific block objectives,…

Visitor Behavior at Melbourne Zoo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churchman, David

The potential educational impact of the Melbourne Zoo (Australia) for recreational visitors was examined in this study using time as the major dependent variable. Specific goals included: (1) assessment of the potential cognitive and affective educational impact of zoos on recreational visitors; (2) determination of the temporal and spatial…

Increasing Free Throw Accuracy through Behavior Modeling and Goal Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erffmeyer, Elizabeth S.

A two-year behavior-modeling training program focusing on attention processes, retention processes, motor reproduction, and motivation processes was implemented to increase the accuracy of free throw shooting for a varsity intercollegiate women's basketball team. The training included specific learning keys, progressive relaxation, mental…

Social Studies Course of Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, John E.; Murphy, Terrence A.

This K-12 sequential course of study is the result of one school district's efforts to improve continuity in the social studies curriculum. Following an introduction and statement of philosophy, the program is organized around four basic educational areas--knowledge, application, valuing, and participation. Specific program goals include promoting…

The Use of Nanomaterials to Achieve NASA's Exploration Program Power Goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jeevarajan, J.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the power requirements for the space exploration and the lunar surface mobility programs. It includes information about the specifications for high energy batteries and the power requirements for lunar rovers, lunar outposts, lunar ascent module, and the lunar EVA suit.

New Jersey: Libraries and the Information Superhighway.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livingstone, John H.

1996-01-01

Describes New Jersey libraries' specific goals for providing the public with electronic access to bibliographic data and government information as well as electronic interlibrary loan and document delivery. Other highlights include results of a public library survey concerning electronic access to information, dial-in access to online public…

Evaluating Community Engagement in an Academic Medical Center

PubMed Central

Shone, Laura P.; Dozier, Ann M.; Newton, Gail L.; Green, Theresa; Bennett, Nancy M.

2014-01-01

From the perspective of academic medical centers (AMCs), community engagement is a collaborative process of working toward mutually defined goals to improve the community’s health, and involves partnerships between AMCs, individuals, and entities representing the surrounding community. AMCs increasingly recognize the importance of community engagement, and recent programs such as Prevention Research Centers and Clinical and Translational Science Awards have highlighted community engagement activities. However, there is no standard or accepted metric for evaluating AMCs’ performance and impact of community engagement activities. In this article, the authors present a framework for evaluating AMCs’ community engagement activities. The framework includes broad goals and specific activities within each goal, wherein goals and activities are evaluated using a health services research framework consisting of structure, process, and outcome criteria. To illustrate how to use this community engagement evaluation framework, the authors present specific community engagement goals and activities of the University of Rochester Medical Center to (1) improve the health of the community served by the AMC; (2) increase the AMC’s capacity for community engagement; and (3) increase generalizable knowledge and practices in community engagement and public health. Using a structure-process-outcomes framework, a multidisciplinary team should regularly evaluate an AMC’s community engagement program with the purpose of measurably improving the performance of the AMC and the health of its surrounding community. PMID:24556768

Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning in Patients with Frontal Lobe Brain Damage with Goal Management Training

PubMed Central

Levine, Brian; Schweizer, Tom A.; O'Connor, Charlene; Turner, Gary; Gillingham, Susan; Stuss, Donald T.; Manly, Tom; Robertson, Ian H.

2011-01-01

Executive functioning deficits due to brain disease affecting frontal lobe functions cause significant real-life disability, yet solid evidence in support of executive functioning interventions is lacking. Goal Management Training (GMT), an executive functioning intervention that draws upon theories concerning goal processing and sustained attention, has received empirical support in studies of patients with traumatic brain injury, normal aging, and case studies. GMT promotes a mindful approach to complex real-life tasks that pose problems for patients with executive functioning deficits, with a main goal of periodically stopping ongoing behavior to monitor and adjust goals. In this controlled trial, an expanded version of GMT was compared to an alternative intervention, Brain Health Workshop that was matched to GMT on non-specific characteristics that can affect intervention outcome. Participants included 19 individuals in the chronic phase of recovery from brain disease (predominantly stroke) affecting frontal lobe function. Outcome data indicated specific effects of GMT on the Sustained Attention to Response Task as well as the Tower Test, a visuospatial problem-solving measure that reflected far transfer of training effects. There were no significant effects on self-report questionnaires, likely owing to the complexity of these measures in this heterogeneous patient sample. Overall, these data support the efficacy of GMT in the rehabilitation of executive functioning deficits. PMID:21369362

Identity-Specific Reward Representations in Orbitofrontal Cortex Are Modulated by Selective Devaluation.

PubMed

Howard, James D; Kahnt, Thorsten

2017-03-08

Goal-directed behavior is sensitive to the current value of expected outcomes. This requires independent representations of specific rewards, which have been linked to orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) function. However, the mechanisms by which the human brain updates specific goals on the fly, and translates those updates into choices, have remained unknown. Here we implemented selective devaluation of appetizing food odors in combination with pattern-based neuroimaging and a decision-making task. We found that in a hungry state, participants chose to smell high-intensity versions of two value-matched food odor rewards. After eating a meal corresponding to one of the two odors, participants switched choices toward the low intensity of the sated odor but continued to choose the high intensity of the nonsated odor. This sensory-specific behavioral effect was mirrored by pattern-based changes in fMRI signal in lateral posterior OFC, where specific reward identity representations were altered after the meal for the sated food odor but retained for the nonsated counterpart. In addition, changes in functional connectivity between the OFC and general value coding in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) predicted individual differences in satiety-related choice behavior. These findings demonstrate how flexible representations of specific rewards in the OFC are updated by devaluation, and how functional connections to vmPFC reflect the current value of outcomes and guide goal-directed behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is critical for goal-directed behavior. A recent proposal is that OFC fulfills this function by representing a variety of state and task variables ("cognitive maps"), including a conjunction of expected reward identity and value. Here we tested how identity-specific representations of food odor reward are updated by satiety. We found that fMRI pattern-based signatures of reward identity in lateral posterior OFC were modulated after selective devaluation, and that connectivity between this region and general value coding ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) predicted choice behavior. These results provide evidence for a mechanism by which devaluation modulates a cognitive map of expected reward in OFC and thereby alters general value signals in vmPFC to guide goal-directed behavior. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/372627-12$15.00/0.

A High-Throughput Microenvironment for Single-Cell Operations

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

Christian, A T; Buckley, P; Miles, R R

2003-01-07

This project was conducted as a feasibility study, in preparation for including this work in the forthcoming ''Instrumented Cell'' (IC) Strategic Initiative. The goal of the IC is to study individual cells; the goal of this feasibility study was to determine the best method for isolating large numbers of individual cells in a way that facilitates various types of environmental changes and intracellular measurements. We have the capability to do this with one cell, and sought to expand the number of cells that we could study simultaneously. Our specific goal for this feasibility study was to discover a way tomore » isolate individual cells, and impale them on a nanopipette. This would enable samples to be introduced into and removed from a cell.« less

Advances in genetics and genomics: use and limitations in achieving malaria elimination goals

PubMed Central

Gunawardena, Sharmini; Karunaweera, Nadira D.

2015-01-01

Success of the global research agenda towards eradication of malaria will depend on the development of new tools, including drugs, vaccines, insecticides and diagnostics. Genetic and genomic information now available for the malaria parasites, their mosquito vectors and human host, can be harnessed to both develop these tools and monitor their effectiveness. Here we review and provide specific examples of current technological advances and how these genetic and genomic tools have increased our knowledge of host, parasite and vector biology in relation to malaria elimination and in turn enhanced the potential to reach that goal. We then discuss limitations of these tools and future prospects for the successful achievement of global malaria elimination goals. PMID:25943157

Social, economic, and political factors in progress towards improving child survival in developing nations.

PubMed

Lykens, Kristine; Singh, Karan P; Ndukwe, Elewichi; Bae, Sejong

2009-01-01

Child mortality is a persistent health problem faced by developing nations. In 2000 the United Nations (UN) established a set of high priority goals to address global problems of poverty and health, the Millennium Development Goals, which address extreme poverty, hunger, primary education, child mortality, maternal health, infectious diseases, environmental sustainability, and partnerships for development. Goal 4 aims to reduce by two thirds, between 2000 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate in developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa from 2000 to 2006 these rates have only been reduced from 167 per 1,000 live births to 157, and 27 nations in this region have made no progress towards the goal. A country-specific database was developed from the UN Millennium Development Goal tracking project and other international sources which include age distribution, under-nutrition, per capita income, government expenditures on health, external resources for health, civil liberties, and political rights. A multiple regression analysis examined the extent to which these factors explain the variance in child mortality rates in developing countries. Nutrition, external resources, and per capita income were shown to be significant factors in child survivability. Policy options include developed countries' renewed commitment of resources, and developing nations' commitments towards governance, development, equity, and transparency.

The importance of understanding: Model space moderates goal specificity effects.

PubMed

Kistner, Saskia; Burns, Bruce D; Vollmeyer, Regina; Kortenkamp, Ulrich

2016-01-01

The three-space theory of problem solving predicts that the quality of a learner's model and the goal specificity of a task interact on knowledge acquisition. In Experiment 1 participants used a computer simulation of a lever system to learn about torques. They either had to test hypotheses (nonspecific goal), or to produce given values for variables (specific goal). In the good- but not in the poor-model condition they saw torque depicted as an area. Results revealed the predicted interaction. A nonspecific goal only resulted in better learning when a good model of torques was provided. In Experiment 2 participants learned to manipulate the inputs of a system to control its outputs. A nonspecific goal to explore the system helped performance when compared to a specific goal to reach certain values when participants were given a good model, but not when given a poor model that suggested the wrong hypothesis space. Our findings support the three-space theory. They emphasize the importance of understanding for problem solving and stress the need to study underlying processes.

Social inequality, scientific inequality, and the future of mental illness.

PubMed

Dean, Charles E

2017-12-19

Despite five decades of increasingly elegant studies aimed at advancing the pathophysiology and treatment of mental illness, the results have not met expectations. Diagnoses are still based on observation, the clinical history, and an outmoded diagnostic system that stresses the historic goal of disease specificity. Psychotropic drugs are still based on molecular targets developed decades ago, with no increase in efficacy. Numerous biomarkers have been proposed, but none have the requisite degree of sensitivity and specificity, and therefore have no usefulness in the clinic. The obvious lack of progress in psychiatry needs exploration. The historical goals of psychiatry are reviewed, including parity with medicine, a focus on diagnostic reliability rather than validity, and an emphasis on reductionism at the expense of socioeconomic issues. Data are used from Thomas Picketty and others to argue that our failure to advance clinical care may rest in part on the rise in social and economic inequality that began in the 1970s, and in part on our inability to move beyond the medical model of specificity of disease and treatment. It is demonstrated herein that the historical goal of specificity of disease and treatment has not only impeded the advance of diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, but, in combination with a rapid increase in socioeconomic inequality, has led to poorer outcomes and rising mortality rates in a number of disorders, including schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression. It is proposed that Psychiatry should recognize the fact of socioeconomic inequality and its effects on mental disorders. The medical model, with its emphasis on diagnostic and treatment specificity, may not be appropriate for investigation of the brain, given its complexity. The rise of scientific inequality, with billions allocated to connectomics and genetics, may shift attention away from the need for improvements in clinical care. Unfortunately, the future prospects of those suffering from mental illness appear dim.

Encapsulant selection and durability testing experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuddihy, E. F.

1985-01-01

The Flat Plate Solar Array Project (FSA) has established technically challenging cost and service life goals for photovoltaic modules. These goals are a cost of $70 sq m and an expected 30 years of service life in an outdoor weathering environment. out of the cost goal, $14 sq m is allocated for encapsulation materials, which includes the cost of a structural panel. At FSA's inception in 1975, the cumulative cost of encapsulation materials in popular use, such as room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicones, aluminum panels, etc., greatly exceeded $14/sq m. Accordingly, it became necessary to identify and/or develop new materials and new material technologies to achieve the goals. Many of these new materials are low cost polymers that satisfy module engineering and encapsulation processing requirements but unfortunately are not intrinsically weather stable. This necessitates identifying lifetime and/or weathering deficiencies inherent in these low cost materials and developing specific approaches to enhancing weather stability.

Front-of-pack nutrition labels. Their effect on attention and choices when consumers have varying goals and time constraints.

PubMed

van Herpen, Erica; Trijp, Hans C M van

2011-08-01

Although front-of-pack nutrition labeling can help consumers make healthier food choices, lack of attention to these labels limits their effectiveness. This study examines consumer attention to and use of three different nutrition labeling schemes (logo, multiple traffic-light label, and nutrition table) when they face different goals and resource constraints. To understand attention and processing of labels, various measures are used including self-reported use, recognition, and eye-tracking measures. Results of two experiments in different countries show that although consumers evaluate the nutrition table most positively, it receives little attention and does not stimulate healthy choices. Traffic-light labels and especially logos enhance healthy product choice, even when consumers are put under time pressure. Additionally, health goals of consumers increase attention to and use of nutrition labels, especially when these health goals concern specific nutrients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Data Routing Approaches for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Anisi, Mohammad Hossein; Abdullah, Abdul Hanan; Razak, Shukor Abd; Ngadi, Md. Asri

2012-01-01

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in deploying large populations of microsensors that collaborate in a distributed manner to gather and process sensory data and deliver them to a sink node through wireless communications systems. Currently, there is a lot of interest in data routing for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) due to their unique challenges compared to conventional routing in wired networks. In WSNs, each data routing approach follows a specific goal (goals) according to the application. Although the general goal of every data routing approach in WSNs is to extend the network lifetime and every approach should be aware of the energy level of the nodes, data routing approaches may focus on one (or some) specific goal(s) depending on the application. Thus, existing approaches can be categorized according to their routing goals. In this paper, the main goals of data routing approaches in sensor networks are described. Then, the best known and most recent data routing approaches in WSNs are classified and studied according to their specific goals. PMID:23443040

TU-CD-213-00: Administrative Aspects of Medical Physics

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

NONE

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-01: Communication, Negotiation, and Persuasion: Approaches for Better Results

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

Johnson, J.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-03: Communication, Negotiation, and Persuasion: Approaches for Better Results

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

Wells, M.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-04: Panel Discussion

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

Johnson, J.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-02: Communication, Negotiation, and Persuasion: Approaches for Better Results

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

Clements, J.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

Did the right to health get across the line? Examining the United Nations resolution on the Sustainable Development Goals

PubMed Central

Brolan, Claire E; Te, Vannarath; Floden, Nadia; Hill, Peter S; Forman, Lisa

2017-01-01

Since the new global health and development goal, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, and its nine targets and four means of implementation were introduced to the world through a United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution in September 2015, right to health practitioners have queried whether this goal mirrors the content of the human right to health in international law. This study examines the text of the UN SDG resolution, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, from a right to health minimalist and right to health maximalist analytic perspective. When reviewing the UN SDG resolution’s text, a right to health minimalist questions whether the content of the right to health is at least implicitly included in this document, specifically focusing on SDG 3 and its metrics framework. A right to health maximalist, on the other hand, queries whether the content of the right to health is explicitly included. This study finds that whether the right to health is contained in the UN SDG resolution, and the SDG metrics therein, ultimately depends on the individual analyst’s subjective persuasion in relation to right to health minimalism or maximalism. We conclude that the UN General Assembly’s lack of cogency on the right to health’s position in the UN SDG resolution will continue to blur if not divest human rights’ (and specifically the right to health’s) integral relationship to high-level development planning, implementation and SDG monitoring and evaluation efforts. PMID:29225946

NASA space research and technology overview (ITP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reck, Gregory M.

1992-01-01

A series of viewgraphs summarizing NASA space research and technology is presented. Some of the specific topics covered include the organization and goals of the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, technology maturation strategy, integrated technology plan for the Civil Space Program, program selection and investment prioritization, and space technology benefits.

Global Interoperability of Broadband Networks (GIBN): Project Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DePaula, Ramon P.

1998-01-01

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

Lithographic Stripping; Printing 2: 9755.03.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course is one of a group which provides 11th grade students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level in printing. The course is 90 hours in length. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, safety in the stripping department, and a stripping…

Automotive Body Fillers; Auto Body Repair and Refinishing 2: 9035.03.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course provides students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level as an auto body repair helper. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, filling with body solder, and plastic filler. A post-test sample is appended. (NH)

Platemaking; Printing 2: 9755.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course is one of a group which provides 11th grade students with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level in the printing industry. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, types of lithographic plates, surface plates for offset, wipe-on plates,…

New Jersey State Library Technology Plan, 1999-2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breedlove, Elizabeth A., Ed.

This document represents the New Jersey State Library Technology Plan for 1999-2001. Contents include: the mission statement; technology planning process of the Technology Committee (convened by the State Library); specific goals of the Technology Plan 1999-2001; technology assumptions for the operational library and statewide library services;…

Nuclear Physics Research Activity Today in the World and in Brazil

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

Lepine-Szily, Alinka

2009-06-03

The international effort in Nuclear Physics is described, including informations on working force, its evolution, budgets, existing, new and projected facilities. The main goals of this research and its recent achievements are also presented. The specific informations on Brazil are also highlighted in the presentation.

Expanded Outreach at Clemson University. A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, A. Wayne

This paper summarizes recent strategic planning activities at Clemson University, focusing on outreach and extended education goals at the university. Specific benchmarks for outreach and extended education include: (1) by May 1994, each department will develop an operational definition of its public service mission, an action plan to integrate…

STOP Abusive Behavior Syndrome: Developing a Community Response.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holzman, Lois; Rivera, Mary

This paper discusses the social-therapeutic approach to preventing abusive behavior, and describes the implementation of specific STOP Abusive Behavior Syndrome (ABS) projects in New York City, New York. The projects' goal is to empower people to continually develop throughout their lifespans. Basic tenants include the following: (1) emotions are…

Restructuring Nigerian Tertiary (University) Education for Better Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oyebade, Stephen Adebanjo; Dike, Chika

2013-01-01

This study assesses the goals of university level of education, namely, development of high level manpower, scholarship and community service, and found that universities have not been able to achieve close to average. Problems range from social, political, financial as well as personnel issues. Specifically, they include problems of…

Designing Assessment into a Study Abroad Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santanello, Cathy; Wolff, Laura

2008-01-01

One faces several challenges when designing an education abroad program. These include engaging non-traditional majors in study abroad experiences; facilitating learning activities that directly align with the learning goals of the courses; assessing specific learning outcomes; and finding ways to close the circle after the study abroad programs…

Math for Electronics; Industrial Electronics 1: 9323.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This curriculum guide is designed for the student interested in preparing for vocational electronics and related fields of electricity, emphasizing the mathematics necessary for an indepth study of electronics. Included in the course content are goals, specific block objectives, basic algebra, powers of 10, the slide rule, basic trigonometry…

Managerial Occupations; Commercial Cooking and Baking: 9193.24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

Especially designed for students who show management potential, this course is designed to teach effective management and control of the food service area of an establishment. Emphasis is placed on labor control, supplies (other than food), utilities, laundry, and uniforms. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, management, labor…

Comprehensive School Health Programs: Striving for Excellence in an Environment of Competitive Budgeting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofford, Craig W.; Cate, Jean

Health promotion includes those strategies that reinforce the maintenance of healthy lifestyle behaviors and discourage the use of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Health promotion strategies are gaining momentum in the United States. Three of the six "America 2000" education goals have health-related implications, specifically the goals…

Television Sweep Circuits and Picture Signal Path; Radio and Television Service--Advanced: 9787.02.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course outline is designed to give students a working knowledge of radio and television theory and servicing techniques. Course content includes goals, specific block objectives, resistance-capacitance circuit characteristics, sawtooth generators sawtooth generator control and production of scanning waveforms, deflection systems, composite…

Alternate Learning Center. Abstracts of Inservice Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhode Island State Dept. of Education, Providence. Div. of Development and Operations.

This booklet is a collection of abstracts describing the 18 programs offered at the Alternate Learning Center of the Rhode Island Teacher Center which has as its Primary function school based inservice training for local teachers and administrators. Each project is described in detail, including course goals, specific objectives, training…

Mixed Methods in Intervention Research: Theory to Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Hitchcock, John; Sarkar, Sreeroopa; Burkholder, Gary; Varjas, Kristen; Jayasena, Asoka

2007-01-01

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the application of mixed methods research designs to multiyear programmatic research and development projects whose goals include integration of cultural specificity when generating or translating evidence-based practices. The authors propose a set of five mixed methods designs related to different…

LL13-MatModelRadDetect-PD2Jf Final Report: Materials Modeling for High-Performance Radiation Detectors

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

Lordi, Vincenzo

The aims of this project are to enable rational materials design for select high-payoff challenges in radiation detection materials by using state-of-the-art predictive atomistic modeling techniques. Three specific high-impact challenges are addressed: (i) design and optimization of electrical contact stacks for TlBr detectors to stabilize temporal response at room-temperature; (ii) identification of chemical design principles of host glass materials for large-volume, low-cost, highperformance glass scintillators; and (iii) determination of the electrical impacts of dislocation networks in Cd 1-xZn xTe (CZT) that limit its performance and usable single-crystal volume. The specific goals are to establish design and process strategies to achievemore » improved materials for high performance detectors. Each of the major tasks is discussed below in three sections, which include the goals for the task and a summary of the major results, followed by a listing of publications that contain the full details, including details of the methodologies used. The appendix lists 12 conference presentations given for this project, including 1 invited talk and 1 invited poster.« less

Research and Development of Zinc Air Fuel Cell To Achieve Commercialization Final Report CRADA No. TC-1544-98

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

Cooper, J. F.; Haley, H. D.

The specific goal of this project was to advance the development of the zinc air fuel cell (ZAFC) towards commercial readiness in different mobile applications, including motor bikes, passenger cars, vans, buses and off-road vehicles (golf carts, factory equipment), and different stationary applications including generator sets, uninterruptible power systems and electric utility loading leveling and distributive power.

Goal setting frequency and the use of behavioral strategies related to diet and physical activity.

PubMed

Nothwehr, Faryle; Yang, Jingzhen

2007-08-01

Goal setting is an effective way to focus attention on behavior change. Theoretically, frequency of goal setting may indicate the level of commitment to diet and physical activity behavior change. Yet, little is known about the association between goal setting frequency and use of specific diet or physical activity-related strategies. This study examines whether changes in goal setting frequency predict changes in use of behavioral strategies over time, controlling for baseline strategy use, demographics and whether a person was trying to lose weight. Data are from a baseline and 1-year follow-up survey of adults in rural Iowa (n = 385). Overall, goal setting frequency was positively associated with use of the strategies measured, at baseline and overtime. Frequent goal setting that is focused specifically on diet or physical activity was more predictive of using dietary or physical activity strategies, respectively, than goal setting focused on weight loss overall. The study provides empirical support for what has been assumed theoretically, that is, frequent goal setting for weight management is an indicator of use of specific behavioral strategies. Significant challenges remain in regard to maintenance of this activity and attainment of weight loss goals.

Perceived Animacy Influences the Processing of Human-Like Surface Features in the Fusiform Gyrus

PubMed Central

Shultz, Sarah; McCarthya, Gregory

2014-01-01

While decades of research have demonstrated that a region of the right fusiform gyrus (FG) responds selectively to faces, a second line of research suggests that the FG responds to a range of animacy cues, including biological motion and goal-directed actions, even in the absence of faces or other human-like surface features. These findings raise the question of whether the FG is indeed sensitive to faces or to the more abstract category of animate agents. The current study uses fMRI to examine whether the FG responds to all faces in a category-specific way or whether the FG is especially sensitive to the faces of animate agents. Animate agents are defined here as intentional agents with the capacity for rational goal-directed actions. Specifically, we examine how the FG responds to an entity that looks like an animate agent but that lacks the capacity for goal-directed, rational action. Region-of-interest analyses reveal that the FG activates more strongly to the animate compared with the inanimate entity, even though the surface features of both animate and inanimate entities were identical. These results suggest that the FG does not respond to all faces in a category-specific way, and is instead especially sensitive to whether an entity is animate. PMID:24905285

Automated storm water sampling on small watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harmel, R.D.; King, K.W.; Slade, R.M.

2003-01-01

Few guidelines are currently available to assist in designing appropriate automated storm water sampling strategies for small watersheds. Therefore, guidance is needed to develop strategies that achieve an appropriate balance between accurate characterization of storm water quality and loads and limitations of budget, equipment, and personnel. In this article, we explore the important sampling strategy components (minimum flow threshold, sampling interval, and discrete versus composite sampling) and project-specific considerations (sampling goal, sampling and analysis resources, and watershed characteristics) based on personal experiences and pertinent field and analytical studies. These components and considerations are important in achieving the balance between sampling goals and limitations because they determine how and when samples are taken and the potential sampling error. Several general recommendations are made, including: setting low minimum flow thresholds, using flow-interval or variable time-interval sampling, and using composite sampling to limit the number of samples collected. Guidelines are presented to aid in selection of an appropriate sampling strategy based on user's project-specific considerations. Our experiences suggest these recommendations should allow implementation of a successful sampling strategy for most small watershed sampling projects with common sampling goals.

Get a taste of your goals: promoting motive-goal congruence through affect-focus goal fantasy.

PubMed

Job, Veronika; Brandstätter, Veronika

2009-10-01

Studies show that motive-goal congruence is an important predictor of well-being (Baumann, Kaschel, & Kuhl, 2005; Brunstein, Schultheiss, & Grässmann, 1998). However, little is known about the factors that promote congruence between implicit motives and goals. Relying on McClelland's (1985) concept of implicit motives and the theory of fantasy realization (Oettingen, 1999), we postulated that goal fantasies focusing on motive-specific affective incentives promote motive-congruent goal setting. This hypothesis was tested in 3 experimental studies. In Study 1 (n=46) and Study 2 (n=48), participants were asked to select goals in a hypothetical scenario. In Study 3 (n=179), they rated their commitment to personal goals for their actual life situation. The results of all 3 studies supported our hypothesis that participants who focus on motive-specific affective incentives in their goal fantasies set their goals in line with their corresponding implicit motive dispositions.

Ecological assessment of nano-enabled supercapacitors for automotive applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weil, M.; Dura, H.; Shimon, B.; Baumann, M.; Zimmermann, B.; Ziemann, S.; Lei, C.; Markoulidis, F.; Lekakou, T.; Decker, M.

2012-09-01

New materials on nano scale have the potential to overcome existing technical barriers and are one of the most promising key technologies to enable the decoupling of economic growth and resource consumption. Developing these innovative materials for industrial applications means facing a complex quality profile, which includes among others technical, economic, and ecological aspects. So far the two latter aspects are not sufficiently included in technology development, especially from a life cycle point of view. Supercapacitors are considered a promising option for electric energy storage in hybrid and full electric cars. In comparison with presently used lithium based electro chemical storage systems supercapacitors possess a high specific power, but a relatively low specific energy. Therefore, the goal of ongoing research is to develop a new generation of supercapacitors with high specific power and high specific energy. To reach this goal particularly nano materials are developed and tested on cell level. In the presented study the ecological implications (regarding known environmental effects) of carbon based nano materials are analysed using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Major attention is paid to efficiency gains of nano particle production due to scaling up of such processes from laboratory to industrial production scales. Furthermore, a developed approach will be displayed, how to assess the environmental impact of nano materials on an automotive system level over the whole life cycle.

An exploratory analysis of the self-reported goals of individuals with chronic upper-extremity paresis following stroke.

PubMed

Waddell, Kimberly J; Birkenmeier, Rebecca L; Bland, Marghuretta D; Lang, Catherine E

2016-01-01

To classify the self-identified goals of individuals post-stroke with chronic upper extremity (UE) paresis, and determine if age, UE functional capacity and pre-stroke hand dominance influence overall goal selection. Sixty-five subjects participated. Using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) to establish treatment goals, the top five goals were categorized using the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework into five categories: activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), leisure, work and general UE movement. A Chi-square analysis determined if age, UE functional capacity (measured by the Action Research Arm Test) and UE hand dominance influenced individual goal selection. The majority of goals were in the ADL (37%) and IADL (40%) categories. A small percentage (12%) was related to general UE movement. Individuals with moderate UE functional capacity identified more ADL goals than those with higher UE functional capacity. There was not a difference between age and UE dominance across all five goal areas. Individuals with chronic UE paresis had specific goals that were not influenced by age or hand dominance, but partially influenced by severity. General UE movement goals were identified less than goals related to specific activities. Considering the specificity of individual goals following stroke, it is recommended that clinicians regularly utilize a goal setting tool to help establish client goals. It is recommended that clinicians further inquire about general goals in order to link upper extremity deficits to functional activity limitations. Age, upper extremity functional capacity and hand dominance have little influence on the rehabilitation goals for individuals with chronic paresis after stroke.

Social marketing: an overview of approach and effects

PubMed Central

Smith, W A

2006-01-01

This paper reviews the applicability of commercial and social marketing to teen driving safety. It draws on a wide range of information, including evaluation studies of specific programs as well as standards of practice within these two professions. Social marketing has been widely applied for more than three decades in the fields of public health, environmental protection, and political marketing with significant success. The paper attempts to distinguish between the practice of commercial marketing, whose goal is profit, and the practice of social marketing, whose goal is societal benefit. Issues of sustainability, segmentation, differences in behavioral characteristics, and cultural competence are discussed with specific examples drawn from the transportation safety literature. The paper suggests that social marketing represents a viable companion to control and education approaches to behavior change to promote teen driving safety. PMID:16788110

The development of a patient-specific method for physiotherapy goal setting: a user-centered design.

PubMed

Stevens, Anita; Köke, Albère; van der Weijden, Trudy; Beurskens, Anna

2018-08-01

To deliver client-centered care, physiotherapists need to identify the patients' individual treatment goals. However, practical tools for involving patients in goal setting are lacking. The purpose of this study was to improve the frequently used Patient-Specific Complaints instrument in Dutch physiotherapy, and to develop it into a feasible method to improve physiotherapy goal setting. An iterative user-centered design was conducted in co-creation with the physiotherapists and patients, in three phases. Their needs and preferences were identified by means of group meetings and questionnaires. The new method was tested in several field tests in physiotherapy practices. Four main objectives for improvement were formulated: clear instructions for the administration procedure, targeted use across the physiotherapy process, client-activating communication skills, and a client-centered attitude of the physiotherapist. A theoretical goal-setting framework and elements of shared decision making were integrated into the new-called, Patient-Specific Goal-setting method, together with a practical training course. The user-centered approach resulted in a goal-setting method that is fully integrated in the physiotherapy process. The new goal-setting method contributes to a more structured approach to goal setting and enables patient participation and goal-oriented physiotherapy. Before large-scale implementation, its feasibility in physiotherapy practice needs to be investigated. Implications for rehabilitation Involving patients and physiotherapists in the development and testing of a goal-setting method, increases the likelihood of its feasibility in practice. The integration of a goal-setting method into the physiotherapy process offers the opportunity to focus more fully on the patient's goals. Patients should be informed about the aim of every step of the goal-setting process in order to increase their awareness and involvement. Training physiotherapists to use a patient-specific method for goal setting is crucial for a correct application.

The role and challenges of the food industry in addressing chronic disease

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Summary Increasingly, food companies play an important role in stemming the rising burden of nutrition-related chronic diseases. Concrete actions taken by these companies include global public commitments to address food reformulation, consumer information, responsible marketing, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and public-private partnerships. These actions are reviewed together with eleven specific PepsiCo goals and commitments that address products, the marketplace, and communities at large. Interim progress on these goals and commitments are discussed as well as constraints hampering faster progress. Further disease prevention depends on increasing implementation of private-public initiatives. PMID:20509876

Ground Operations Aerospace Language (GOAL). Volume 1: Study overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A series of NASA and Contractor studies sponsored by NASA/KSC resulted in a specification for the Ground Operations Aerospace Language (GOAL). The Cape Kennedy Facility of the IBM Corporation was given the responsibility, under existing contracts, to perform an analysis of the Language Specification, to design and develop a GOAL Compiler, to provide a specification for a data bank, to design and develop an interpretive code translator, and to perform associated application studies.

Big hopes for the children of the world: a review of the Millennium Development Goals.

PubMed

Keating, E M; Chock, M; Fischer, P R

2011-01-01

The Millennium Development Goals are a set of eight goals drafted by the United Nations in 2000 with the aim of improving the health and welfare of people worldwide. The goals provide specific targets to be met by 2015, using the 1990 basis as a standard. This review presents these goals as they relate to children, discussing progress and future aims. Although not all eight goals specifically address children, each has its own impact on global child health. Thus far, much progress has been made, but increased rates of improvement must be achieved in order to meet the goals by 2015 and improve the health of children worldwide.

Psychotraumatology: What researchers and clinicians can learn from an evolutionary perspective.

PubMed

Troisi, Alfonso

2018-05-01

This review outlines the contribution of evolutionary science to experimental and clinical psychotraumatology. From an evolutionary perspective, traumatic and psychosocial stressors are conceived of as events or circumstances that thwart the achievement of biological goals. The more important is the adaptive value of the goal, the more painful is the emotional impact of the life event that endangers goal achievement. Life history theory and sexual selection theory help to explain why goal priorities differ between the sexes and across age groups. Cultural values and social learning interact with evolved inclinations in determining the hierarchy of goals for a specific person in a specific phase of his or her life. To illustrate the applicability of the evolutionary model, epidemiological and clinical data concerning individual differences in stress sensitivity and stress generation are reviewed and discussed. The final part of the review summarizes new hypotheses that explain how early and current psychosocial stressors can activate a series of adaptive mechanisms including developmental plasticity, predictive adaptive responses and differential susceptibility. Ultimately, the contribution of evolutionary science to psychotraumatology is the idea that experimental and clinical studies should shift the focus of research from the external environment (defined as all stressful factors external to the subjects under investigation) to the ecological environment (defined as those stressful factors of the external environment that have a greater potential to threaten the adaptive equilibrium of the subjects under investigation because of their evolved inclinations). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotional suppression during personal goal pursuit impedes goal strivings and achievement.

PubMed

Low, Rachel S T; Overall, Nickola C; Hammond, Matthew D; Girme, Yuthika U

2017-03-01

Prior research indicates that emotional suppression exacerbates distress and reduces cognitive performance and self-control. We extend this prior work in the current studies by examining whether emotional suppression in specific goal-relevant contexts impedes people's goal strivings and progress. In Study 1, participants (N = 146) provided reports every 2 weeks across a 2-month period reporting the degree to which they engaged in emotional suppression during goal pursuit and reported important goal-related outcomes, including depressed mood, perceived support/closeness, goal effort, goal-related competence, and goal success. In Study 2, participants reported on the degree to which they engaged in emotional suppression while discussing a personal goal with their romantic partner (N = 100 heterosexual couples) and reported on the same outcomes as in Study 1 prior to, immediately following, and then 1 month after couples' discussions. In both studies, greater use of emotional suppression predicted increased depressed mood, reduced perceived support/closeness, and reduced goal effort, competence, and success across time. Corroborating individuals' self-reports, participants who engaged in emotional suppression were also perceived by their partners to experience greater depressed mood and lower feelings of support and closeness, and be less competent with regard to their goal (Study 2). The effects of emotional suppression were robust when controlling for a range of alternative explanations. These goal hindering effects are likely one important reason emotional suppression is linked with poorer psychological and health outcomes and extend our understanding of the detrimental impact that emotional suppression can have in people's everyday lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Education Business Plan 2008-11: Ministry Business Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

The Ministry of Education has identified one core business that is an ongoing key responsibility. It is called "Core Business One: Lead and Support the Education System So That All Students Are Successful at Learning." The core business includes three goals with specific outcomes that describe the end results the Ministry wants to…

Auto Body Repair and Refinishing 2; Automotive Refinishing 1: 9035.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course will provide the student with the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes and values required for job entry as an auto body repair helper. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, service tools and bench skills, paint spray equipment, paint materials, and preparation of automobile body…

How Does Sexual Minority Stigma "Get under the Skin"? A Psychological Mediation Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatzenbuehler, Mark L.

2009-01-01

Sexual minorities are at increased risk for multiple mental health burdens compared with heterosexuals. The field has identified 2 distinct determinants of this risk, including group-specific minority stressors and general psychological processes that are common across sexual orientations. The goal of the present article is to develop a…

Computer Education Curriculum. Connecticut Vocational Technical School System. Version 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kittell, Linda; Walczak, Joseph

This computer education curriculum is designed specifically for Connecticut's Regional Vocational Technical Schools' grade 9 computer education course. Each of the 24 lessons is expected to cover at least one class period of 50 minutes. Introductory materials include a listing of course goals and objectives, an outline of sequence and scope via…

Implementation Into Curriculum of Wilderness Adventure Program. Summer of 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonney, James D.

Environmental awareness, one of eleven components of a Wilderness Adventure Program, is the focus of this guide for teachers. Introductory sections put forth the philosophy and goals of the program and list specific objectives for its components, which include first-aid, emergency preparedness, outdoor skills, and the outdoor solo experience. The…

A Community Survey of the "Disadvantaged."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaumburg, Gary F.; Spriggs, Ted

The specific goals of this study were: (1) to develop a survey instrument for both the English and Spanish speaking that would be understood easily and be nonthreatening; (2) through the use of community representatives, select "items" to be included in the questionnaire that would be particularly relevant to the needs and problems of…

25 CFR 20.100 - What definitions clarify the meaning of the provisions of this part?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... progress, advocacy, tracking and evaluating services provided, such as evaluation of child's treatment.... All plans for children in foster care or residential care must include a permanency plan which contains a time specific goal of the return of the child to the natural parents or initiation of a...

25 CFR 20.100 - What definitions clarify the meaning of the provisions of this part?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... progress, advocacy, tracking and evaluating services provided, such as evaluation of child's treatment.... All plans for children in foster care or residential care must include a permanency plan which contains a time specific goal of the return of the child to the natural parents or initiation of a...

25 CFR 20.100 - What definitions clarify the meaning of the provisions of this part?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... progress, advocacy, tracking and evaluating services provided, such as evaluation of child's treatment.... All plans for children in foster care or residential care must include a permanency plan which contains a time specific goal of the return of the child to the natural parents or initiation of a...

25 CFR 20.100 - What definitions clarify the meaning of the provisions of this part?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... progress, advocacy, tracking and evaluating services provided, such as evaluation of child's treatment.... All plans for children in foster care or residential care must include a permanency plan which contains a time specific goal of the return of the child to the natural parents or initiation of a...

The Common Core, English Learners, and Morphology 101: Unpacking LS.4 for ELLs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickey, Pamela J.; Lewis, Tarie

2013-01-01

The Common Core Learning Standards set forth learning goals for all students, including English learners, but this document does not provide information on effective literacy instruction for English learners or unpack the specific resources and challenges that bilingual students bring to the classroom. Language Standard 4 addresses morphological…

Learning in Context: Technology Integration in a Teacher Preparation Program Informed by Situated Learning Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Randy L.; Maeng, Jennifer L.; Binns, Ian C.

2013-01-01

This investigation explores the effectiveness of a teacher preparation program aligned with situated learning theory on preservice science teachers' use of technology during their student teaching experiences. Participants included 26 preservice science teachers enrolled in a 2-year Master of Teaching program. A specific program goal was to…

Effective Communication in Adolescent Group Psychotherapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azima, Fern J.

This paper defines a useful strategy for therapists working with adolescents which includes: (1) a general model of the group leader's responsibilities and (2) a cataloguing of some of the specific impediments for both adolescent peers and the therapist that prevent effective communication. The goal of the group therapy is to identify the specific…

Integrating Basic Skills into Vocational Teacher Education Curricula: Book 5--Challenges for the Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Cathleen T.; Gloeckner, Gene W.

This curriculum guide for vocational teacher education focuses on challenges for the teacher, and more specifically, on what should be done to help teachers accept change as a constant in curricula. Introductory materials include a project overview, mission and goals of the curriculum, belief statements, curriculum format, information on…

Instructor Experiences with a Social Networking Site in a Higher Education Setting: Expectations, Frustrations, Appropriation, and Compartmentalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veletsianos, George; Kimmons, Royce; French, Karen D.

2013-01-01

Researchers and practitioners have suggested that the use of social networking sites in formal education may be a worthwhile endeavor. Toward this goal, emerging learning platforms have included social networking features. Nevertheless, empirical literature examining user experiences, and more specifically instructor experiences, with these tools…

Working as a Plumber; Construction 7-9--Prevocational: 5846.09.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The beginning course involves the student with practices in plumbing, referring to the various systems of pipes and tubes that carry liquids and gases from a source to a building. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, orientation, selecting hardware, tools and equipment, prescription for faulty fixtures, and plumbing installations.…

Standards for Instructional Supervision: Enhancing Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Stephen P., Ed.

2005-01-01

The standards in this book will enhance teaching and learning. The list of the book's contributors reads like a "Who's Who" in the field of instructional supervision. These standards are practical, specific, and flexible, so that schools and districts can adapt them to their own contexts and goals. Each set also includes activities for…

Trustee Quarterly: Volume 5, Numbers 1-4, 1980-1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchins, Sally, Ed.

1981-01-01

These four issues of "Trustee Quarterly" present 31 articles on topics of concern to community college trustees, including finance, administration, and mission. Specific articles cover: (1) the board chair's political role (E. M. Duffy); (2) evaluation and goal setting (M. Hays); (3) collective bargaining (K. L. Hunt and W. Hamilton); (4) long-…

Riparian forest restoration: Conflicting goals, trade-offs, and measures of success

Treesearch

Heather L. Bateman; David M. Merritt; J. Bradley Johnson

2012-01-01

Restoration projects can have varying goals, depending on the specific focus, rationale, and aims for restoration. When restoration projects use project-specific goals to define activities and gauge success without considering broader ecological context, determination of project implications and success can be confounding. We used case studies from the Middle Rio...

The Prevalence, Development and Domain Specificity of Elementary School Students' Achievement Goal Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen in de Wal, Joost; Hornstra, Lisette; Prins, Frans J.; Peetsma, Thea; van der Veen, Ineke

2016-01-01

This study's aim was to examine the prevalence, development and domain specificity of fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students' achievement goal profiles. Achievement goals were measured for language and mathematics among 722 pupils at three points in time. These data were analysed through latent profile analysis and latent transition…

Individuality in harpsichord performance: disentangling performer- and piece-specific influences on interpretive choices

PubMed Central

Gingras, Bruno; Asselin, Pierre-Yves; McAdams, Stephen

2013-01-01

Although a growing body of research has examined issues related to individuality in music performance, few studies have attempted to quantify markers of individuality that transcend pieces and musical styles. This study aims to identify such meta-markers by discriminating between influences linked to specific pieces or interpretive goals and performer-specific playing styles, using two complementary statistical approaches: linear mixed models (LMMs) to estimate fixed (piece and interpretation) and random (performer) effects, and similarity analyses to compare expressive profiles on a note-by-note basis across pieces and expressive parameters. Twelve professional harpsichordists recorded three pieces representative of the Baroque harpsichord repertoire, including three interpretations of one of these pieces, each emphasizing a different melodic line, on an instrument equipped with a MIDI console. Four expressive parameters were analyzed: articulation, note onset asynchrony, timing, and velocity. LMMs showed that piece-specific influences were much larger for articulation than for other parameters, for which performer-specific effects were predominant, and that piece-specific influences were generally larger than effects associated with interpretive goals. Some performers consistently deviated from the mean values for articulation and velocity across pieces and interpretations, suggesting that global measures of expressivity may in some cases constitute valid markers of artistic individuality. Similarity analyses detected significant associations among the magnitudes of the correlations between the expressive profiles of different performers. These associations were found both when comparing across parameters and within the same piece or interpretation, or on the same parameter and across pieces or interpretations. These findings suggest the existence of expressive meta-strategies that can manifest themselves across pieces, interpretive goals, or expressive devices. PMID:24348446

Research and technology goals and objectives for Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) is defined herein as the capability to efficiently perform checkout, testing, and monitoring of space transportation vehicles, subsystems, and components before, during, and after operational This includes the ability to perform timely status determination, diagnostics, and prognostics. IVHM must support fault-tolerant response including system/subsystem reconfiguration to prevent catastrophic failures; and IVHM must support the planning and scheduling of post-operational maintenance. The purpose of this document is to establish the rationale for IVHM and IVHM research and technology planning, and to develop technical goals and objectives. This document is prepared to provide a broad overview of IVHM for technology and advanced development activities and, more specifically, to provide a planning reference from an avionics viewpoint under the OAST Transportation Technology Program Strategic Plan.

Relations between Classroom Goal Structures and Students' Goal Orientations in Mathematics Classes: When Is a Mastery Goal Structure Adaptive?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skaalvik, Einar M.; Federici, Roger A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test possible interactions between mastery and performance goal structures in mathematics classrooms when predicting students' goal orientations. More specifically, we tested if the degree of performance goal structure moderated the associations between mastery goal structure and students' goal orientations.…

Energy Tracking Diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherr, Rachel E.; Harrer, Benedikt W.; Close, Hunter G.; Daane, Abigail R.; DeWater, Lezlie S.; Robertson, Amy D.; Seeley, Lane; Vokos, Stamatis

2016-02-01

Energy is a crosscutting concept in science and features prominently in national science education documents. In the Next Generation Science Standards, the primary conceptual learning goal is for learners to conserve energy as they track the transfers and transformations of energy within, into, or out of the system of interest in complex physical processes. As part of tracking energy transfers among objects, learners should (i) distinguish energy from matter, including recognizing that energy flow does not uniformly align with the movement of matter, and should (ii) identify specific mechanisms by which energy is transferred among objects, such as mechanical work and thermal conduction. As part of tracking energy transformations within objects, learners should (iii) associate specific forms with specific models and indicators (e.g., kinetic energy with speed and/or coordinated motion of molecules, thermal energy with random molecular motion and/or temperature) and (iv) identify specific mechanisms by which energy is converted from one form to another, such as incandescence and metabolism. Eventually, we may hope for learners to be able to optimize systems to maximize some energy transfers and transformations and minimize others, subject to constraints based in both imputed mechanism (e.g., objects must have motion energy in order for gravitational energy to change) and the second law of thermodynamics (e.g., heating is irreversible). We hypothesize that a subsequent goal of energy learning—innovating to meet socially relevant needs—depends crucially on the extent to which these goals have been met.

Autobiographical Planning and the Brain: Activation and Its Modulation by Qualitative Features.

PubMed

Spreng, R Nathan; Gerlach, Kathy D; Turner, Gary R; Schacter, Daniel L

2015-11-01

To engage in purposeful behavior, it is important to make plans, which organize subsequent actions. Most studies of planning involve "look-ahead" puzzle tasks that are unrelated to personal goals. We developed a task to assess autobiographical planning, which involves the formulation of personal plans in response to real-world goals, and examined autobiographical planning in 63 adults during fMRI scanning. Autobiographical planning was found to engage the default network, including medial-temporal lobe and midline structures, and executive control regions in lateral pFC and parietal cortex and caudate. To examine how specific qualitative features of autobiographical plans modulate neural activity, we performed parametric modulation analyses. Ratings of plan detail, novelty, temporal distance, ease of plan formulation, difficulty in goal completion, and confidence in goal accomplishment were used as covariates in six hierarchical linear regression models. This modeling procedure removed shared variance among the ratings, allowing us to determine the independent relationship between ratings of interest and trial-wise BOLD signal. We found that specific autobiographical planning, describing a detailed, achievable, and actionable planning process for attaining a clearly envisioned future, recruited both default and frontoparietal brain regions. In contrast, abstract autobiographical planning, plans that were constructed from more generalized semantic or affective representations of a less tangible and distant future, involved interactions among default, sensory perceptual, and limbic brain structures. Specific qualities of autobiographical plans are important predictors of default and frontoparietal control network engagement during plan formation and reflect the contribution of mnemonic and executive control processes to autobiographical planning.

Effects of practice schedule and task specificity on the adaptive process of motor learning.

PubMed

Barros, João Augusto de Camargo; Tani, Go; Corrêa, Umberto Cesar

2017-10-01

This study investigated the effects of practice schedule and task specificity based on the perspective of adaptive process of motor learning. For this purpose, tasks with temporal and force control learning requirements were manipulated in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Specifically, the task consisted of touching with the dominant hand the three sequential targets with specific movement time or force for each touch. Participants were children (N=120), both boys and girls, with an average age of 11.2years (SD=1.0). The design in both experiments involved four practice groups (constant, random, constant-random, and random-constant) and two phases (stabilisation and adaptation). The dependent variables included measures related to the task goal (accuracy and variability of error of the overall movement and force patterns) and movement pattern (macro- and microstructures). Results revealed a similar error of the overall patterns for all groups in both experiments and that they adapted themselves differently in terms of the macro- and microstructures of movement patterns. The study concludes that the effects of practice schedules on the adaptive process of motor learning were both general and specific to the task. That is, they were general to the task goal performance and specific regarding the movement pattern. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neural mechanisms of planning: A computational analysis using event-related fMRI

PubMed Central

Fincham, Jon M.; Carter, Cameron S.; van Veen, Vincent; Stenger, V. Andrew; Anderson, John R.

2002-01-01

To investigate the neural mechanisms of planning, we used a novel adaptation of the Tower of Hanoi (TOH) task and event-related functional MRI. Participants were trained in applying a specific strategy to an isomorph of the five-disk TOH task. After training, participants solved novel problems during event-related functional MRI. A computational cognitive model of the task was used to generate a reference time series representing the expected blood oxygen level-dependent response in brain areas involved in the manipulation and planning of goals. This time series was used as one term within a general linear modeling framework to identify brain areas in which the time course of activity varied as a function of goal-processing events. Two distinct time courses of activation were identified, one in which activation varied parametrically with goal-processing operations, and the other in which activation became pronounced only during goal-processing intensive trials. Regions showing the parametric relationship comprised a frontoparietal system and include right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [Brodmann's area (BA 9)], bilateral parietal (BA 40/7), and bilateral premotor (BA 6) areas. Regions preferentially engaged only during goal-intensive processing include left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 44). The implications of these results for the current model, as well as for our understanding of the neural mechanisms of planning and functional specialization of the prefrontal cortex, are discussed. PMID:11880658

The Efficacy of Goal Setting in Cardiac Rehabilitation-a Gender-Specific Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Stamm-Balderjahn, Sabine; Brünger, Martin; Michel, Anne; Bongarth, Christa; Spyra, Karla

2016-08-08

Patients with coronary heart disease undergo cardiac rehabilitation in order to reduce their cardiovascular risk factors. Often, however, the benefit of rehabilitation is lost over time. It is unclear whether this happens in the same way to men and women. We studied whether the setting of gender-specific behavior goals with an agreement between the doctor and the patient at the end of rehabilitation can prolong its positive effects. This study was performed with a mixed-method design. It consisted of qualitative interviews and group discussions with patients, doctors and other treating personnel, and researchers, as well as a quantitative, randomized, controlled intervention trial in which data were acquired at four time points (the beginning and end of rehabilitation and then 6 and 12 months later). 545 patients, 262 of them women (48.1%), were included. The patients were assigned to a goal checking group (n = 132), a goal setting group (n = 143), and a control group (n = 270). The primary endpoints were health-related behavior (exercise, diet, tobacco consumption), subjective state of health, and medication adherence. The secondary endpoints included physiological protection and risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol (HDL, LDL, and total), blood sugar, HbA1c, and body-mass index. The intervention had no demonstrable effect on the primary or secondary endpoints. The percentage of smokers declined to a similar extent in all groups from the beginning of rehabilitation to 12 months after its end (overall figures: 12.4% to 8.6%, p <0.05). The patients' exercise behavior, diet, and subjective state of health also improved over the entire course of the study. Women had a healthier diet than men. Subgroup analyses indicated a possible effect of the intervention on exercise behavior in women who were employed and in men who were not (p<0.01). The efficacy of goal setting was not demonstrated. Therefore, no indication for its routine provision can be derived from the study results.

Cognitive regulation alters social and dietary choice by changing attribute representations in domain-general and domain-specific brain circuits

PubMed Central

Hutcherson, Cendri A

2018-01-01

Are some people generally more successful using cognitive regulation or does it depend on the choice domain? Why? We combined behavioral computational modeling and multivariate decoding of fMRI responses to identify neural loci of regulation-related shifts in value representations across goals and domains (dietary or altruistic choice). Surprisingly, regulatory goals did not alter integrative value representations in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which represented all choice-relevant attributes across goals and domains. Instead, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) flexibly encoded goal-consistent values and predicted regulatory success for the majority of choice-relevant attributes, using attribute-specific neural codes. We also identified domain-specific exceptions: goal-dependent encoding of prosocial attributes localized to precuneus and temporo-parietal junction (not DLPFC). Our results suggest that cognitive regulation operated by changing specific attribute representations (not integrated values). Evidence of domain-general and domain-specific neural loci reveals important divisions of labor, explaining when and why regulatory success generalizes (or doesn’t) across contexts and domains. PMID:29813018

Human Research Initiative (HRI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motil, Brian

2003-01-01

A code U initiative starting in the FY04 budget includes specific funding for 'Phase Change' and 'Multiphase Flow Research' on the ISS. NASA GRC developed a concept for two facilities based on funding/schedule constraints: 1) Two Phase Flow Facility (TphiFFy) which assumes integrating into FIR; 2) Contact Line Dynamics Experiment Facility (CLiDE) which assumes integration into MSG. Each facility will accommodate multiple experiments conducted by NRA selected PIs with an overall goal of enabling specific NASA strategic objectives. There may also be a significant ground-based component.

Interoperability for Space Mission Monitor and Control: Applying Technologies from Manufacturing Automation and Process Control Industries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael K.

1998-01-01

Various issues associated with interoperability for space mission monitor and control are presented in viewgraph form. Specific topics include: 1) Space Project Mission Operations Control Architecture (SuperMOCA) goals and methods for achieving them; 2) Specifics on the architecture: open standards ad layering, enhancing interoperability, and promoting commercialization; 3) An advertisement; 4) Status of the task - government/industry cooperation and architecture and technology demonstrations; and 5) Key features of messaging services and virtual devices.

The Behavioral Intervention Technology Model: An Integrated Conceptual and Technological Framework for eHealth and mHealth Interventions

PubMed Central

Schueller, Stephen M; Montague, Enid; Burns, Michelle Nicole; Rashidi, Parisa

2014-01-01

A growing number of investigators have commented on the lack of models to inform the design of behavioral intervention technologies (BITs). BITs, which include a subset of mHealth and eHealth interventions, employ a broad range of technologies, such as mobile phones, the Web, and sensors, to support users in changing behaviors and cognitions related to health, mental health, and wellness. We propose a model that conceptually defines BITs, from the clinical aim to the technological delivery framework. The BIT model defines both the conceptual and technological architecture of a BIT. Conceptually, a BIT model should answer the questions why, what, how (conceptual and technical), and when. While BITs generally have a larger treatment goal, such goals generally consist of smaller intervention aims (the "why") such as promotion or reduction of specific behaviors, and behavior change strategies (the conceptual "how"), such as education, goal setting, and monitoring. Behavior change strategies are instantiated with specific intervention components or “elements” (the "what"). The characteristics of intervention elements may be further defined or modified (the technical "how") to meet the needs, capabilities, and preferences of a user. Finally, many BITs require specification of a workflow that defines when an intervention component will be delivered. The BIT model includes a technological framework (BIT-Tech) that can integrate and implement the intervention elements, characteristics, and workflow to deliver the entire BIT to users over time. This implementation may be either predefined or include adaptive systems that can tailor the intervention based on data from the user and the user’s environment. The BIT model provides a step towards formalizing the translation of developer aims into intervention components, larger treatments, and methods of delivery in a manner that supports research and communication between investigators on how to design, develop, and deploy BITs. PMID:24905070

The behavioral intervention technology model: an integrated conceptual and technological framework for eHealth and mHealth interventions.

PubMed

Mohr, David C; Schueller, Stephen M; Montague, Enid; Burns, Michelle Nicole; Rashidi, Parisa

2014-06-05

A growing number of investigators have commented on the lack of models to inform the design of behavioral intervention technologies (BITs). BITs, which include a subset of mHealth and eHealth interventions, employ a broad range of technologies, such as mobile phones, the Web, and sensors, to support users in changing behaviors and cognitions related to health, mental health, and wellness. We propose a model that conceptually defines BITs, from the clinical aim to the technological delivery framework. The BIT model defines both the conceptual and technological architecture of a BIT. Conceptually, a BIT model should answer the questions why, what, how (conceptual and technical), and when. While BITs generally have a larger treatment goal, such goals generally consist of smaller intervention aims (the "why") such as promotion or reduction of specific behaviors, and behavior change strategies (the conceptual "how"), such as education, goal setting, and monitoring. Behavior change strategies are instantiated with specific intervention components or "elements" (the "what"). The characteristics of intervention elements may be further defined or modified (the technical "how") to meet the needs, capabilities, and preferences of a user. Finally, many BITs require specification of a workflow that defines when an intervention component will be delivered. The BIT model includes a technological framework (BIT-Tech) that can integrate and implement the intervention elements, characteristics, and workflow to deliver the entire BIT to users over time. This implementation may be either predefined or include adaptive systems that can tailor the intervention based on data from the user and the user's environment. The BIT model provides a step towards formalizing the translation of developer aims into intervention components, larger treatments, and methods of delivery in a manner that supports research and communication between investigators on how to design, develop, and deploy BITs.

Screening youth for suicide risk in medical settings: time to ask questions.

PubMed

Horowitz, Lisa M; Bridge, Jeffrey A; Pao, Maryland; Boudreaux, Edwin D

2014-09-01

This paper focuses on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's Research Prioritization Task Force's Aspirational Goal 2 (screening for suicide risk) as it pertains specifically to children, adolescents, and young adults. Two assumptions are forwarded: (1) strategies for screening youth for suicide risk need to be tailored developmentally; and (2) we must use instruments that were created and tested specifically for suicide risk detection and developed specifically for youth. Recommendations for shifting the current paradigm include universal suicide screening for youth in medical settings with validated instruments. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Lesson 7: From Requirements to Specific Solutions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CROMERR requirements set performance goals, they do not dictate specific system functions, operating procedures,system architecture, or technology. The task is to decide on a solution to meet the goals.

When and How Goals Are Contagious in Social Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palomares, Nicholas A.

2013-01-01

Goal contagion occurs when a perceiver interacts with a partner whose behavior implies he/she is pursuing a particular goal and the perceiver accurately infers and subsequently pursues the partner's goal. Goal contagion was assessed in conversations between unacquainted individuals. In 2 experiments, the ways in which goal specificity, inference…

Goal setting: an integral component of effective diabetes care.

PubMed

Miller, Carla K; Bauman, Jennifer

2014-08-01

Goal setting is a widely used behavior change tool in diabetes education and training. Prior research found specific relatively difficult but attainable goals set within a specific timeframe improved performance in sports and at the workplace. However, the impact of goal setting in diabetes self-care has not received extensive attention. This review examined the mechanisms underlying behavioral change according to goal setting theory and evaluated the impact of goal setting in diabetes intervention studies. Eight studies were identified, which incorporated goal setting as the primary strategy to promote behavioral change in individual, group-based, and primary care settings among patients with type 2 diabetes. Improvements in diabetes-related self-efficacy, dietary intake, physical activity, and A1c were observed in some but not all studies. More systematic research is needed to determine the conditions and behaviors for which goal setting is most effective. Initial recommendations for using goal setting in diabetes patient encounters are offered.

Best Practices for Reduction of Uncertainty in CFD Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendenhall, Michael R.; Childs, Robert E.; Morrison, Joseph H.

2003-01-01

This paper describes a proposed best-practices system that will present expert knowledge in the use of CFD. The best-practices system will include specific guidelines to assist the user in problem definition, input preparation, grid generation, code selection, parameter specification, and results interpretation. The goal of the system is to assist all CFD users in obtaining high quality CFD solutions with reduced uncertainty and at lower cost for a wide range of flow problems. The best-practices system will be implemented as a software product which includes an expert system made up of knowledge databases of expert information with specific guidelines for individual codes and algorithms. The process of acquiring expert knowledge is discussed, and help from the CFD community is solicited. Benefits and challenges associated with this project are examined.

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

Kim, Young Jin

The PowerPoint presentation focused on research goals, specific information about the atomic magnetometer, response and resolution factors of the SERF magnetometer, FC+AM systems, tests of field transfer and resolution on FC, gradient cancellation, testing of AM performance, ideas for a multi-channel AM, including preliminary sensitivity testing, and a description of a 6 channel DAQ system. A few ideas for future work ended the presentation.

English Educational Policy for High Schools in Japan: Ideals vs. Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikuchi, Keita; Browne, Charles

2009-01-01

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology issues a document known as the Course of Study Guidelines on average once every ten years. This document states the overall and specific goals for English education in Japanese junior and senior high schools including specifying the contents of ministry approved textbooks.…

Education Business Plan 2010-13. Budget 2010: Striking the Right Balance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Education, 2010

2010-01-01

The ministry has identified one core business that is an ongoing key responsibility. It is called "Core Business One: Lead and Support the Education System So That All Students Are Successful at Learning." The core business includes four goals with specific outcomes that describe the end results the ministry wants to achieve in…

Aircraft Metal Skin Repair and Honeycomb Structure Repair; Sheet Metal Work 3: 9857.02.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course helps students determine types of repairs, compute repair sizes, and complete the repair through surface protection. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, protection of metals, repairs to metal skin, and honeycomb structure repair. A bibliography and post-test are appended. A prerequisite for this course is mastery of the…

The Relationship Between Parental Psychopathology and Adolescent Psychopathology: An Examination of Gender Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCauley Ohannessian, Christine; Hesselbrock, Victor M.; Kramer, John; Kuperman, Samuel; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Schuckit, Mark A.; Nurnberger, John I.

2005-01-01

The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship between parental psychopathology (specifically, alcohol dependence and depression) and adolescent psychopathology, by the gender of the adolescent and the gender of the parent. The sample included 426 13- to 17-year-old adolescents and their parents. All participants were administered…

The Complete Black and White Television Receiver and Introduction to Color; Radio and Television Service--Advanced: 9787.03.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course described in this pamphlet completes the theory of black and white television and introduces the student to basic color. Course content includes goals, specific block objectives, the cathode-ray tube (electrostatic and electromagnetic control), video IF amplifiers and detectors, sound IF amplifiers and audio detectors, colorimetry,…

Productivity Indicators for the Rural Poor in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Jeffrey

2007-01-01

Meeting the Millennium Development Goals will necessarily require a heavy focus on rural areas, where most of the world's poor are to be found. More specifically, policy will need to raise the productivity of this group, which includes farmers, wage labourers and those suffering from disease and malnutrition. Yet, at present, no index exists which…

Adaptation and Validation of the Spanish Version of the Leisure Assessment Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badia, Marta; Orgaz-Baz, M. Begona; Verdugo, Miguel-Angel; Martinez-Aguirre, M. Magdalena; Longo-Araujo-de-Melo, Egmar; Ullan-de-la-Fuente, Ana M.

2012-01-01

"Participation"--defined as engagement in life situations, including leisure and recreational activities--is associated with the improvement of people with disabilities' quality of life. Several specific instruments assess leisure, but none of them has been adapted to the Spanish context. The goal of this study is to adapt and validate the Spanish…

Wapanakamikok Language Relationships: An Introductory Study of Mutual Intelligibility Among the Powhatan, Lenape, Natick, Nanticoke, and Otchipwe Languages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Jack D.

This is an introductory study of the mutual intelligibility among the various dialects and languages in the Manitowinini family. Specific languages considered include Powhatan, Lenape, Natick, Otchipwe, and Nanticoke. The goal of the study is not merely to comprehend inter-tribal relations better, but also to discover the actual…

Can Teachers' Images of Good Writing Conflict with Goals of Process Writing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthey, Sarah J.

This paper explores the nature of a fifth/sixth grade New York City teacher's image of good writing, its effect on teacher-student interactions, and its influence on students. These three aspects are interwoven through a discussion of writing from personal experience, selecting a particular form for a specific audience, and including elements of…

A Study of the Effects of Teaching Avatars on Students' Learning of Surveying Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamo-Villani, Nicoletta; Dib, Hazar Nicholas

2016-01-01

The paper reports a research study aimed at investigating the appeal and pedagogical efficacy of animated teaching avatars. Specifically, the goal of the study was to determine whether animated characters could be effective and engaging teachers in the context of undergraduate surveying mathematics. The study included two forms of evaluation:…

Forging; Heat Treating and Testing; Technically Oriented Industrial Materials and Process 1: 5898.05.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course provides students with advanced and exploratory experience in the area of plastic deformation of metals and in the changing of the physical characteristics of metals by the controlled application and timed removal of heat. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, safety in forge work, forging tools and equipment, industrial…

Goals and Objectives for Computing in the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grupe, Fritz H.

A forecast of the computing requirements of the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley, an analysis of their needs, and specifications for a joint computer system are presented. Problems encountered included the lack of resources and computer sophistication at the member schools and a dearth of experience with long-term computer consortium…

Role of Performance Goals in Prose Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPorte, Ronald E.; Nath, Raghu

1976-01-01

Investigates a subject's internalized goals and the relationship of the goals to test performance as a function of different learning instructions. Stating specific goals was found to produce the most significant results among subjects. (Author/DEP)

Robust set-point regulation for ecological models with multiple management goals.

PubMed

Guiver, Chris; Mueller, Markus; Hodgson, Dave; Townley, Stuart

2016-05-01

Population managers will often have to deal with problems of meeting multiple goals, for example, keeping at specific levels both the total population and population abundances in given stage-classes of a stratified population. In control engineering, such set-point regulation problems are commonly tackled using multi-input, multi-output proportional and integral (PI) feedback controllers. Building on our recent results for population management with single goals, we develop a PI control approach in a context of multi-objective population management. We show that robust set-point regulation is achieved by using a modified PI controller with saturation and anti-windup elements, both described in the paper, and illustrate the theory with examples. Our results apply more generally to linear control systems with positive state variables, including a class of infinite-dimensional systems, and thus have broader appeal.

Directions for a Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Lewis O.

Because desired output goals should be the ruling criteria for the deployment of resources (inputs) and the selection of goal attainment strategies (processes), specific goal expectations and goal achievement evaluative methods must be determined. These output goals may be classified in two categories, quantitative (numbers of graduates, grade…

Maintenance Fluid Therapy: Isotonic Versus Hypotonic Solutions.

PubMed

Hansen, Bernie; Vigani, Alessio

2017-03-01

The goal of maintenance fluid therapy in small animals is to replace normal ongoing losses of water and salts when oral intake is withheld. Hospitalized dogs and cats may have multiple stimuli for antidiuretic hormone release that disrupt normal osmoregulation and predispose to water retention. Severe illness promotes retention of both sodium and water as edema. Commercially available fluids have electrolyte concentrations that are very different from dietary maintenance requirements, and potential consequences include development of hypoosmolality, edema, or both when excesses of water or sodium are administered. Suggestions for tailoring fluid administration toward specific goals are provided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance Characterization of High Energy Commercial Lithium-ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneidegger, Brianne T.

2010-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center Electrochemistry Branch performed characterization of commercial lithium-ion cells to determine the cells' performance against Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Key Performance Parameters (KPP). The goals of the ETDP Energy Storage Project require significant improvements in the specific energy of lithium-ion technology over the state-of-the-art. This work supports the high energy cell development for the Constellation customer Lunar Surface Systems (LSS). In support of these goals, testing was initiated in September 2009 with high energy cylindrical cells obtained from Panasonic and E-One Moli. Both manufacturers indicated the capability of their cells to deliver specific energy of at least 180 Wh/kg or higher. Testing is being performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to evaluate the performance of these cells under temperature, rate, and cycling conditions relevant to the ETDP goals for high energy cells. The cell-level specific energy goal for high energy technology is 180 Wh/kg at a C/10 rate and 0 C. The threshold value is 165 Wh/kg. The goal is to operate for at least 2000 cycles at 100 percent DOD with greater than 80 percent capacity retention. The Panasonic NCR18650 cells were able to deliver nearly 200 Wh/kg at the aforementioned conditions. The E-One Moli ICR18650J cells also met the specific energy goal by delivering 183 Wh/kg. Though both cells met the goal for specific energy, this testing was only one portion of the testing required to determine the suitability of commercial cells for the ETDP. The cells must also meet goals for cycle life and safety. The results of this characterization are summarized in this report.

Neural correlates of apathy in patients with neurodegenerative disorders, acquired brain injury, and psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Kos, Claire; van Tol, Marie-José; Marsman, Jan-Bernard C; Knegtering, Henderikus; Aleman, André

2016-10-01

Apathy can be described as a loss of goal-directed purposeful behavior and is common in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Although previous studies investigated associations between abnormal brain functioning and apathy, it is unclear whether the neural basis of apathy is similar across different pathological conditions. The purpose of this systematic review was to provide an extensive overview of the neuroimaging literature on apathy including studies of various patient populations, and evaluate whether the current state of affairs suggest disorder specific or shared neural correlates of apathy. Results suggest that abnormalities within fronto-striatal circuits are most consistently associated with apathy across the different pathological conditions. Of note, abnormalities within the inferior parietal cortex were also linked to apathy, a region previously not included in neuroanatomical models of apathy. The variance in brain regions implicated in apathy may suggest that different routes towards apathy are possible. Future research should investigate possible alterations in different processes underlying goal-directed behavior, ranging from intention and goal-selection to action planning and execution. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Achievement Goals, Reasons for Goal Pursuit, and Achievement Goal Complexes as Predictors of Beneficial Outcomes: Is the Influence of Goals Reducible to Reasons?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommet, Nicolas; Elliot, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

In the present research, we proposed a systematic approach to disentangling the shared and unique variance explained by achievement goals, reasons for goal pursuit, and specific goal-reason combinations (i.e., achievement goal complexes). Four studies using this approach (involving nearly 1,800 participants) led to 3 basic sets of findings. First,…

Bipolar Nickel-hydrogen Batteries for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koehler, C. W.; Vanommering, G.; Puester, N. H.; Puglisi, V. J.

1984-01-01

A bipolar nickel-hydrogen battery which effectively addresses all key requirements for a spacecraft power system, including long-term reliability and low mass, is discussed. The design of this battery is discussed in the context of system requirements and nickel-hydrogen battery technology in general. To achieve the ultimate goal of an aerospace application of a bipolar Ni-H2 battery several objectives must be met in the design and development of the system. These objectives include: maximization of reliability and life; high specific energy and energy density; reasonable cost of manufacture, test, and integration; and ease in scaling for growth in power requirements. These basic objectives translate into a number of specific design requirements, which are discussed.

How best to structure interdisciplinary primary care teams: the study protocol for a systematic review with narrative framework synthesis.

PubMed

Wranik, W Dominika; Hayden, Jill A; Price, Sheri; Parker, Robin M N; Haydt, Susan M; Edwards, Jeanette M; Suter, Esther; Katz, Alan; Gambold, Liesl L; Levy, Adrian R

2016-10-04

Western publicly funded health care systems increasingly rely on interdisciplinary teams to support primary care delivery and management of chronic conditions. This knowledge synthesis focuses on what is known in the academic and grey literature about optimal structural characteristics of teams. Its goal is to assess which factors contribute to the effective functioning of interdisciplinary primary care teams and improved health system outcomes, with specific focus on (i) team structure contribution to team process, (ii) team process contribution to primary care goals, and (iii) team structure contribution to primary care goals. The systematic search of academic literature focuses on four chronic conditions and co-morbidities. Within this scope, qualitative and quantitative studies that assess the effects of team characteristics (funding, governance, organization) on care process and patient outcomes will be searched. Electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PAIS, Web of Science) will be searched systematically. Online web-based searches will be supported by the Grey Matters Tool. Studies will be included, if they report on interdisciplinary primary care in publicly funded Western health systems, and address the relationships between team structure, process, and/or patient outcomes. Studies will be selected in a three-stage screening process (title/abstract/full text) by two independent reviewers in each stage. Study quality will be assessed using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool. An a priori framework will be applied to data extraction, and a narrative framework approach is used for the synthesis. Using an integrated knowledge translation approach, an electronic decision support tool will be developed for decision makers. It will be searchable along two axes of inquiry: (i) what primary care goals are supported by specific team characteristics and (ii) how should teams be structured to support specific primary care goals? The results of this evidence review will contribute directly to the design of interdisciplinary primary care teams. The optimized design will support the goals of primary care, contributing to the improved health of populations. PROSPERO CRD42016041884.

Integrating PCR theory and bioinformatics into a research-oriented primer design exercise.

PubMed

Robertson, Amber L; Phillips, Allison R

2008-01-01

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a conceptually difficult technique that embodies many fundamental biological processes. Traditionally, students have struggled to analyze PCR results due to an incomplete understanding of the biological concepts (theory) of DNA replication and strand complementarity. Here we describe the design of a novel research-oriented exercise that prepares students to design DNA primers for PCR. Our exercise design includes broad and specific learning goals and assessments of student performance and perceptions. We developed this interactive Primer Design Exercise using the principles of scientific teaching to enhance student understanding of the theory behind PCR and provide practice in designing PCR primers to amplify DNA. In the end, the students were more poised to troubleshoot problems that arose in real experiments using PCR. In addition, students had the opportunity to utilize several bioinformatics tools to gain an increased understanding of primer quality, directionality, and specificity. In the course of this study many misconceptions about DNA replication during PCR and the need for primer specificity were identified and addressed. Students were receptive to the new materials and the majority achieved the learning goals.

Health care reform 2010: a fresh view on tort reform.

PubMed

Stimson, C J; Dmochowski, Roger; Penson, David F

2010-11-01

We reviewed the state of medical malpractice tort reform in the context of a new political climate and the current debate over comprehensive health care reform. Specifically we asked whether medical malpractice tort reform is necessary, and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary reform proposals. The medical, legal and public policy literature related to medical malpractice tort reform was reviewed and synthesized. We include a primer for understanding the current structure of medical malpractice law, identify the goals of the current system and analyze whether these goals are presently being met. Finally, we describe and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the current reform proposals including caps on damages, safe harbors and health care courts. Medical malpractice tort law is designed to improve health care quality and appropriately compensate patients for medical malpractice injuries, but is failing on both fronts. Of the 3 proposed remedies, caps on damages do little to advance the quality and compensatory goals, while safe harbors and health care courts represent important advancements in tort reform. Tort reform should be included in the current health policy debate because the current medical malpractice system is not adequately achieving the basic goals of tort law. While safe harbors and health care courts both represent reasonable remedies, health care courts may be preferred because they do not rely on jury determination in the absence of strong medical evidence. Copyright © 2010 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Central North American prairie management based on species diversity, life form, and individual species metrics.

PubMed

Brudvig, Lars A; Mabry, Catherine M; Miller, James R; Walker, Tracy A

2007-06-01

Reintroduction of fire and grazing, alone or in combination, has increasingly been recognized as central to the restoration of North American mixed-grass and tallgrass prairies. Although ecological studies of these systems are abundant, they have generally been observational, or if experimental, have focused on plant species diversity. Species diversity measures alone are not sufficient to inform management, which often has goals associated with life-form groups and individual species. We examined the effects of prescribed fire, light cattle grazing, and a combination of fire and grazing on three vegetation components: species diversity, groups of species categorized by life-form, and individual species. We evaluated how successful these three treatments were in achieving specific management goals for prairies in the Iowa Loess Hills (U.S.A.). The grazing treatment promoted the greatest overall species richness, whereas grazing and burning and grazing treatments resulted in the lowest cover by woody species. Burning alone best achieved the management goals of increasing the cover and diversity of native species and reducing exotic forb and (predominantly exotic) cool-season grass cover. Species-specific responses to treatments appeared idiosyncratic (i.e., within each treatment there existed a set of species attaining their highest frequency) and nearly half of uncommon species were present in only one treatment. Because all management goals were not achieved by any one treatment, we conclude that management in this region may need refining. We suggest that a mosaic of burning and grazing (alone and in combination) may provide the greatest landscape-level species richness; however, this strategy would also likely promote the persistence of exotic species. Our results support the need to consider multiple measures, including species-specific responses, when planning and evaluating management.

Early Detection of Cancer by Affinity Mass Spectrometry-Set Aside funds — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

A.   RATIONALE The recent introduction of multiple reaction monitoring capabilities offers unprecedented capability to the research arsenal available to protein based biomarker discovery. Specific to the discovery process this technology offers an ability to monitor specific protein changes in concentration and/or post-translational modification. The ability to accurately confirm specific biomarkers in a sensitive and reproducible manner is critical to the confirmation and pre-validation process. We are proposing two collaborative studies that promise to develop Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) work flows for the biomarker scientific community and specifically for EDRN. B.   GOALS The overall goal for this proposal is the identification of protein biomarkers that can be associated with prostate cancer detection. The underlying goal is the application of a novel technological approach aided by MRM toward biomarker discovery. An additional goal will be the dissemination of knowledge gained from these studies EDRN wide.

Update on equine allergies.

PubMed

Fadok, Valerie A

2013-12-01

Horses develop many skin and respiratory disorders that have been attributed to allergy. These disorders include pruritic skin diseases, recurrent urticaria, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and reactive airway disease. Allergen-specific IgE has been detected in these horses, and allergen-specific immunotherapy is used to ameliorate clinical signs. The best understood atopic disease in horses is insect hypersensitivity, but the goal of effective treatment with allergen-specific immunotherapy remains elusive. In this review, updates in pathogenesis of allergic states and a brief mention of the new data on what is known in humans and dogs and how that relates to equine allergic disorders are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

United Nations and nongovernmental organizations. Healthy skin for all.

PubMed

Ryan, T J

1994-10-01

The International League of Dermatologic Societies, the International Foundation for Dermatology, and the International Society of Dermatology: Tropical, Ecological, and Geographic, are the leading nongovernmental dermatology organizations that communicate with United Nations agencies such as the World Health Organization and UNESCO. The common goal of health for all must include healthy skin for all, and it therefore must include concepts such as primary health care, disability, wound healing, and advancement of women as well as the control and elimination of specific diseases such as leprosy.

A legal version of the nanoworld

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacour, Stéphanie

2011-09-01

Nanosciences and nanotechnologies come into a pre-existing legal system. Their arrival, and how they are received are worthy of analysis. Such an effort shall at first include simply lexical considerations, in order to penetrate, via their origins, the traces of these specific objects into the territory of law. The goal of this article is to explore the effects of "nanos" in various legal fields, including their relevance to the principle of precaution, patent law, and the applicable laws for chemical substances.

Integrated Nuclear and Conventional Theater Warfare Simulation (INWARS) Level III Specifications. Volume III. Air Combat Modeling.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-07-24

will include an implicit air function that will perform the air planning and requesting associated with the various headquarters. The decision structure...air headquarters (The ATAF/TAA) will be included in the CIC to perform the implementation of the decisions /goals of the C21 elements, 1-4...realistic fashion. Once the AMPs have been formed, the operational process of launching, mission implementation etc. is no longer keyed to the decision cycle

Content and characteristics of goals created during a self-management intervention for people with epilepsy.

PubMed

Walker, Elizabeth Reisinger; Wexler, Bethany; Dilorio, Colleen; Escoffery, Cam; McCarty, Frances; Yeager, Katherine A

2009-12-01

Goals are presented in the chronic illness literature as effective strategies to help people adopt self-management behaviors; however, not much is known about the types and characteristics of individuals' goals. The purpose of this study was to examine goal setting among people with epilepsy who participated in the WebEase program. WebEase is an Internet-based, theory-driven, self-management program with modules on medication adherence, stress management, and sleep habits. Participants had the opportunity to create and evaluate goals over the course of 6 weeks, with 2 weeks for each module. The goals were analyzed using three dimensions: content, specificity, and proximity. Most participants in the sample wrote goals for each week of the program. Several main content areas emerged within the modules. Goal quality, measured by specificity and proximity, did not differ according to readiness for behavior change. Readiness to change did not differ between those who wrote a goal and those who did not. The diversity of goal content and quality indicates that individuals should be supported in goal development and encouraged to set their own self-management goals, regardless of their readiness for behavior change.

Automotive Mechanics as Applied to Auto Body; Auto Body Repair and Refinishing 3: 9037.02.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This is a course in which the student will receive the general information, technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes, and values required for job entry level as an auto body repair helper. Course content includes general and specific goals, orientation, instruction in service tools and bench skills, and auto mechanics as applied to auto body.…

Helping Your Child Be Healthy and Fit. With Activities for Children Aged 4 through 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katzman, Carol S.; And Others

This amply illustrated booklet for parents presents activities that help children understand their emotions and build self-esteem, eat the right foods, prevent disease, and build strong bodies. Each of the 18 activities presented includes a list of what supplies are needed, a description of the activity, and the goals of the specific activity. The…

Monster Magic: A Reading Activities Idea Book for Use with Children. A Fun with Reading Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Zinita

Intended as a usable resource for librarians and teachers in planning and implementing a program for young library users and students, this book was developed to stimulate children to use the library. The introduction contains opening comments--including an explanation of how the theme of "monster magic" inspires creativity, specific goals, and a…

Speed Accuracy Tradeoffs in Human Speech Production

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

for considering Fitts’ law in the domain of speech production is elucidated. Methodological challenges in applying Fitts-style analysis are addressed...order to assess whether articulatory kinematics conform to Fitts’ law. A second, associated goal is to address the methodological challenges inherent in...performing Fitts-style analysis on rtMRI data of speech production. Methodological challenges include segmenting continuous speech into specific motor

Speed-Accuracy Tradeoffs in Speech Production

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

imaging data of speech production. A theoretical framework for considering Fitts’ law in the domain of speech production is elucidated. Methodological ...articulatory kinematics conform to Fitts’ law. A second, associated goal is to address the methodological challenges inherent in performing Fitts-style...analysis on rtMRI data of speech production. Methodological challenges include segmenting continuous speech into specific motor tasks, defining key

Novel Magnetic Fluids for Breast Cancer Therapy

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

synthesis and characterization efforts concerning nickel-based alloys have been reported previously [5]. Nano-material has been obtained using an inverse...gar gel d ork his task regularly accompanies the synthesis work. Characterization analysis includes size, composition, magnetic pro perties. The...currently available magnetic fluids used in hyperthermia. The specific goals are: 1. Develop a synthesis process to fabricate magnetic nano

Utah's Post-Secondary Participation and Completion Patterns. Issue Brief, No. 2017-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, David; Hartley, Julie

2017-01-01

In 2016, the Utah State Board of Regents adopted a 10-year strategic plan, including two specific goals related to students' participation in and completion of higher education: first, that 75% of Utah's 12th graders would enroll in post-secondary education within five years of high school graduation by the year 2025; and, second, that degree…

Let Me Go: The Influences of Crawling Experience and Temperament on the Development of Anger Expression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pemberton Roben, Caroline K.; Bass, Anneliese J.; Moore, Ginger A.; Murray-Kolb, Laura; Tan, Patricia Z.; Gilmore, Rick O.; Buss, Kristin A.; Cole, Pamela M.; Teti, Laureen O.

2012-01-01

Infants' emerging ability to move independently by crawling is associated with changes in multiple domains, including an increase in expressions of anger in situations that block infants' goals, but it is unknown whether increased anger is specifically because of experience with being able to move autonomously or simply related to age. To examine…

How to Go to College: The College and Career Planning Handbook for Grades 8 and 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2002

2002-01-01

The College and Career Planning Handbook provides five steps and associated activities to help guide high school choices and prepare students for college and beyond. Steps include: (1) Discover Yourself (Who are you, and what do you want?); (2) Explore Your Options (What's the best job in the world?); (3) Set Goals (Specific, Measurable,…

Linking Resources to Results: The Chicago Public Education Fund's Master Teacher Initiative. Principles for Effective Education Grantmaking. Case in Brief Number 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grantmakers for Education, 2012

2012-01-01

"Linking Resources to Results" explores the deliberate approach--including specific goals, a clearly articulated grantmaking strategy and benchmarks for measuring progress--the Chicago Public Education Fund used to help the Chicago Public Schools recognize, reward and deploy high-quality teachers. The case study is intended to help…

Spatial and host-associated variation in prevalence and population density of wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella) cryptic genotypes in agricultural landscapes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The wheat curl mite (WCM), Aceria tosichella Keifer, is a major pest of cereals worldwide that also comprises a complex of at least 16 genetic lineages with divergent physiological traits, including host preference and specificity. The goal of this study was to test the extent to which host-plant sp...

Expanding the Current Definition of Literacy Pertaining to Blind and Visually Impaired Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Said, Sharifa Khalid Qais

2010-01-01

This research explored the notion of what constitutes literacy, particularly as pertaining to people who are blind or visually impaired, specifically those that do not use Braille as their primary way to access and produce text. To achieve this goal, a mixed design was used including a biographical presentation of what it means to be blind and…

Test Review: D. Wechsler "Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale" (4th ed.). San Antonio, TX--Psychological Corporation, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Climie, Emma A.; Rostad, Kristin

2011-01-01

This article presents a review of the "Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition" (WAIS-IV), an individually administered measure of cognitive ability for individuals aged 16 years, 0 months to 90 years, 11 months. The WAIS-IV was designed with a number of specific goals including updated norms, increased user friendliness,…

An Overview of the NASA Aviation Safety Program Propulsion Health Monitoring Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Donald L.

2000-01-01

The NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) has been initiated with aggressive goals to reduce the civil aviation accident rate, To meet these goals, several technology investment areas have been identified including a sub-element in propulsion health monitoring (PHM). Specific AvSP PHM objectives are to develop and validate propulsion system health monitoring technologies designed to prevent engine malfunctions from occurring in flight, and to mitigate detrimental effects in the event an in-flight malfunction does occur. A review of available propulsion system safety information was conducted to help prioritize PHM areas to focus on under the AvSP. It is noted that when a propulsion malfunction is involved in an aviation accident or incident, it is often a contributing factor rather than the sole cause for the event. Challenging aspects of the development and implementation of PHM technology such as cost, weight, robustness, and reliability are discussed. Specific technology plans are overviewed including vibration diagnostics, model-based controls and diagnostics, advanced instrumentation, and general aviation propulsion system health monitoring technology. Propulsion system health monitoring, in addition to engine design, inspection, maintenance, and pilot training and awareness, is intrinsic to enhancing aviation propulsion system safety.

Motivations for conserving urban biodiversity.

PubMed

Dearborn, Donald C; Kark, Salit

2010-04-01

In a time of increasing urbanization, the fundamental value of conserving urban biodiversity remains controversial. How much of a fixed budget should be spent on conservation in urban versus nonurban landscapes? The answer should depend on the goals that drive our conservation actions, yet proponents of urban conservation often fail to specify the motivation for protecting urban biodiversity. This is an important shortcoming on several fronts, including a missed opportunity to make a stronger appeal to those who believe conservation biology should focus exclusively on more natural, wilder landscapes. We argue that urban areas do offer an important venue for conservation biology, but that we must become better at choosing and articulating our goals. We explored seven possible motivations for urban biodiversity conservation: preserving local biodiversity, creating stepping stones to nonurban habitat, understanding and facilitating responses to environmental change, conducting environmental education, providing ecosystem services, fulfilling ethical responsibilities, and improving human well-being. To attain all these goals, challenges must be faced that are common to the urban environment, such as localized pollution, disruption of ecosystem structure, and limited availability of land. There are, however, also challenges specific only to particular goals, meaning that different goals will require different approaches and actions. This highlights the importance of specifying the motivations behind urban biodiversity conservation. If the goals are unknown, progress cannot be assessed.

Goal difficulty and goal commitment affect adoption of a lower glycemic index diet in adults with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Miller, Carla K; Headings, Amy; Peyrot, Mark; Nagaraja, Haikady

2012-01-01

Few studies have examined the effect of goal difficulty on behavioral change even though goal setting is widely used in diabetes education. The effect of a goal to consume either 6 or 8 servings/day of low glycemic index (LGI) foods was evaluated in this study. Adults 40-65 years old with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to the 6 or 8 serving/day treatment group following a 5-week GI intervention. Perceived goal difficulty, commitment, satisfaction, and self-efficacy were evaluated, and four day food records assessed dietary intake. Both groups increased consumption of LGI foods (P<0.001); there were no significant differences in the change in consumption between groups. Participants who were more committed to the goal perceived the goal to be less difficult (P<0.01). Those with greater efficacy beliefs were more committed to their goal, perceived the goal to be less difficult, and were more satisfied with their performance (all P<0.05). A specific goal regarding LGI foods can facilitate the adoption of a lower GI diet. Future research is needed to determine if goal commitment or goal difficulty mediate the process. Clinicians should help clients set specific goals regarding dietary change. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Increasing Antecedent Specificity in Goal Statements on Adherence to Positive Behavior-Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohrs, Corey M.; Shriver, Mark D.; Burke, Raymond V.; Allen, Keith D.

2016-01-01

We evaluated the impact of antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior-management strategies. Teaching staff were recruited from 2 different school settings where there were routine expectations to use behavior-specific praise in the classroom, but adherence was poor. In a concurrent multiple baseline design, the…

Cross-cultural generality and specificity in self-regulation: avoidance personal goals and multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan.

PubMed

Elliot, Andrew J; Sedikides, Constantine; Murayama, Kou; Tanaka, Ayumi; Thrash, Todd M; Mapes, Rachel R

2012-10-01

The authors examined avoidance personal goals as concurrent (Study 1) and longitudinal (Study 2) predictors of multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan. In both studies, participants adopted more avoidance personal goals in Japan relative to the United States. Both studies also demonstrated that avoidance personal goals were significant negative predictors of the most relevant aspects of well-being in each culture. Specifically, avoidance personal goals were negative predictors of intrapersonal and eudaimonic well-being in the United States and were negative predictors of interpersonal and eudaimonic well-being in Japan. The findings clarify and extend puzzling findings from prior empirical work in this area, and raise provocative possibilities about the nature of avoidance goal pursuit.

Student Goals: Psychological Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muirhead, Brent; Little, Jennifer

2008-01-01

The paper will discuss research insights into student academic goals. Cognitive psychologists have found that effective goal setting procedures involves establishing specific and challenging learning objectives. Students who set difficult goals must be persistent while facing the risk of potential failure that could diminish their intrinsic…

Cognitive, behavioral and goal adjustment coping and depressive symptoms in young people with diabetes: a search for intervention targets for coping skills training.

PubMed

Kraaij, Vivian; Garnefski, Nadia

2015-03-01

The aim of the present study was to find relevant coping factors for the development of psychological intervention programs for young people with Type 1 (T1) diabetes. A wide range of coping techniques was studied, including cognitive coping, behavioral coping and goal adjustment coping. A total of 78 young people with T1 diabetes participated. They were contacted through a social networking website, several Internet sites, and flyers. A wide range of coping techniques appeared to be related to depressive symptoms. Especially the cognitive coping strategies self-blame, rumination, refocus positive, and other-blame, together with goal adjustment coping, were of importance. A large proportion of the variance of depressive symptoms could be explained (65 %). These findings suggest that these specific coping strategies should be part of coping skills trainings for young people with T1 diabetes.

Teaching Standard Deviation by Building from Student Invention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, James; Nakahara, Hiroko; Bonn, Doug

2010-11-01

First-year physics laboratories are often driven by a mix of goals that includes the illustration or discovery of basic physics principles and a myriad of technical skills involving specific equipment, data analysis, and report writing. The sheer number of such goals seems guaranteed to produce cognitive overload, even when highly detailed "cookbook" instructions are given. Recent studies indicate that this approach leaves students with a poor conceptual understanding of one of the most important features of laboratory physics and of the real world of science, in general: the development of an understanding of the nature of measurement and its attendant uncertainty . While students might be able to reproduce certain technical manipulations of data, as novice thinkers they lack the mental scaffolding that allows an expert to organize and apply this knowledge.2,3 Our goal is to put novices on the path to expertise, so that they will be able to transfer their knowledge to novel situations.

Do high-risk preschoolers or overweight mothers meet AAP-recommended behavioral goals for reducing obesity?

PubMed

Turer, Christy Boling; Stroo, Marissa; Brouwer, Rebecca J; Krause, Katrina M; Lovelady, Cheryl A; Bastian, Lori A; Peterson, Bercedis; Østbye, Truls

2013-01-01

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued specific behavioral recommendations to prevent obesity. It is unclear how often high-risk preschoolers and overweight mothers meet recommended behavior goals and whether meeting these goals is negatively associated with overweight/obesity. To describe the proportion of preschoolers and mothers that meet AAP-recommended behavior goals and examine the associations of meeting goals with weight-status, and mothers meeting goals and children meeting corresponding goals. Secondary analysis of baseline data (before an intervention) from mother-preschooler dyads in a weight-control study. Mothers were overweight or obese. Preschoolers were 2-5 years old. Dietary and feeding practices were assessed by the use of questionnaires. Activity was measured directly using accelerometry. Outcomes included preschooler overweight and maternal obesity. The respective proportions of children and mothers that met behavior goals were: 17% and 13% for ≥5 fruits/vegetables/day, 46% and 33% for zero sugar-sweetened beverages/day, 41% and 13% for fast-food <1×/week, and 46% and 13% for screentime ≤2 hours/day. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity did not exceed 60 minutes/day in any participant. A total of 49% ate family meals together 7×/week. For each additional goal met, the adjusted odds for preschooler overweight was 0.9 (95% confidence interval 0.8-1.1) and for maternal obesity, 0.8 (95% confidence interval 0.6-0.9). Preschoolers had significantly greater odds of meeting each goal when mothers met the corresponding goal. Few high-risk preschoolers or overweight mothers meet AAP-recommended behavior goals. Meeting a greater number of behavior goals may be particularly important for maternal weight. Preschoolers have greater odds of meeting behavior goals when mothers meet behavior goals. Copyright © 2013 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bernese motive and goal inventory in exercise and sport: Validation of an updated version of the questionnaire.

PubMed

Schmid, Julia; Gut, Vanessa; Conzelmann, Achim; Sudeck, Gorden

2018-01-01

Target group-specific intervention strategies are often called for in order to effectively promote exercise and sport. Currently, motives and goals are rarely included systematically in the design of interventions, despite the key role they play in well-being and adherence to exercise. The Bernese motive and goal inventory (BMZI) allows an individual diagnosis of motives and goals in exercise and sport in people in middle adulthood. The purpose of the present study was to elaborate on the original BMZI and to modify the questionnaire in order to improve its psychometric properties. The study is based on data from two samples (sample A: 448 employees of companies and authorities; sample B: 853 patients of a medical rehabilitation programme). We applied confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modelling. Overall, both the original and the updated BMZI had an acceptable to good validity and a good reliability. However, the revised questionnaire had slightly better reliability. The updated BMZI consists of 23 items and covers the following motives and goals: Body/Appearance, Contact, Competition/Performance, Aesthetics, Distraction/Catharsis, Fitness and Health. It is recommended as an economical inventory for the individual diagnosis of important psychological conditions for exercise and sport.

Urban Latino children's physical activity levels and performance in interactive dance video games: effects of goal difficulty and goal specificity.

PubMed

Gao, Zan; Podlog, Leslie

2012-10-01

To examine the effects of different levels of goal specificity and difficulty on Latino children's performance and physical activity (PA) levels in an after-school program incorporating an interactive dance program (Dance Dance Revolution [DDR]; Konami Corporation). Comparison study. Rose Park Elementary School, Salt Lake City, Utah. Ninety-eight Latino children in the first through sixth grades, aged 7 to 13 years. After the pretest, the participants were randomly assigned into 1 of the following 3 goal-setting conditions: (1) easy, (2) difficult, and (3) best effort (hereinafter referred to as do-your-best goal). Participants' PA levels were measured using piezoelectric pedometers, and steps per minute were used as the outcome variable. Participants' total points for their dance on television screens were retrieved as their performance scores. These outcome variables were assessed again 8 weeks later (posttest score). The multivariate analysis of covariance yielded a significant main effect for the goal-setting condition. Follow-up tests revealed that children who set specific (easy or difficult) goals had significantly greater increased PA levels (mean scores, 10.34 for easy and 22.45 for difficult) and DDR performance (0.011 for easy and 0.67 for difficult) than those in the do-your-best group (0.83 for PA and 0.17 for performance). In addition, children's increased PA levels in the difficult-goal group were significantly higher than those in the easy-goal group. The easy- and difficult-goal groups show a significant improvement on DDR performance. The difficult- goal group also displays the highest improvement on PA levels. Strategies to enhance children's DDR performance and PA levels are discussed in relation to the extant goal-setting literature.

Daily goal progress is facilitated by spousal support and promotes psychological, physical, and relational well-being throughout adulthood

PubMed Central

Jakubiak, Brittany K.; Feeney, Brooke C.

2016-01-01

In two daily-diary studies, we tested the consequences and precursors of daily goal progress throughout the adult lifespan. Attachment theory posits that exploration—including the pursuit of autonomous goals—promotes well-being across the lifespan and is facilitated by support from close others. For both young-adult newlyweds (Study 1) and married couples in late adulthood (Study 2), daily independent goal progress predicted same-day and next-day improvements in psychological, physical, and relational well-being. Specifically, when participants made more progress on their goals than usual on one day, they reported increases in positive affect, sleep quality, and relationship quality, and decreased physical symptoms, the following day (as well as concurrently). Additionally, spousal support (i.e., availability, encouragement, and noninterference) enabled same-day and next-day goal progress. Mediational analyses showed indirect links between spousal support and well-being through goal progress. Some effects were moderated by attachment orientation in the newlywed sample; individuals with greater insecure attachment benefited most from goal progress, and spousal support enabled goal progress most strongly for individuals with less anxious attachment. Overall, these results support and extend attachment theoretical propositions regarding the importance of the exploration system across the adult lifespan. They contribute to existing literature by demonstrating wide-ranging consequences of successful exploration for well-being and by providing evidence for the importance of both exploration and support for exploration into late adulthood. PMID:27560610

The effects of goal setting on rugby performance.

PubMed

Mellalieu, Stephen D; Hanton, Sheldon; O'Brien, Michael

2006-01-01

Goal-setting effects on selected performance behaviors of 5 collegiate rugby players were assessed over an entire competitive season using self-generated targets and goal-attainment scaling. Results suggest that goal setting was effective for enhancing task-specific on-field behavior in rugby union.

Development of control strategies for safe microburst penetration: A progress report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Psiaki, Mark L.

1987-01-01

A single-engine, propeller-driven, general-aviation model was incorporated into the nonlinear simulation and into the linear analysis of root loci and frequency response. Full-scale wind tunnel data provided its aerodynamic model, and the thrust model included the airspeed dependent effects of power and propeller efficiency. Also, the parameters of the Jet Transport model were changed to correspond more closely to the Boeing 727. In order to study their effects on steady-state repsonse to vertical wind inputs, altitude and total specific energy (air-relative and inertial) feedback capabilities were added to the nonlinear and linear models. Multiloop system design goals were defined. Attempts were made to develop controllers which achieved these goals.

Policies of Academic Medical Centers for Disclosing Conflicts of Interest to Potential Research Participants

PubMed Central

Weinfurt, Kevin P.; Dinan, Michaela A.; Allsbrook, Jennifer S.; Friedman, Joëlle Y.; Hall, Mark A.; Schulman, Kevin A.; Sugarman, Jeremy

2007-01-01

Many professional organizations and governmental bodies recommend disclosing financial conflicts of interest to potential research participants. Three possible goals of such disclosures are to inform the decision making of potential research participants, to protect against liability, and to deter conflicts of interest. We reviewed US academic medical centers' policies regarding the disclosure of conflicts of interest in research. Forty-eight percent mentioned disclosing conflicts to potential research participants. Of those, 58% included verbatim language that could be used in informed consent documents. Considerable variability exists concerning the specific information that should be disclosed. Most of the institutions' policies are consistent with the goal of protection from legal liability. PMID:16436571

Tackling the Global Challenge: Humanitarian Catastrophes

PubMed Central

Iserson, Kenneth V.

2014-01-01

“Humanitarian catastrophes,” conflicts and calamities generating both widespread human suffering and destructive events, require a wide range of emergency resources. This paper answers a number of questions that humanitarian catastrophes generate: Why and how do the most-developed countries—those with the resources, capabilities, and willingness to help—intervene in specific types of disasters? What ethical and legal guidelines shape our interventions? How well do we achieve our goals? It then suggests a number of changes to improve humanitarian responses, including better NGO-government cooperation, increased research on the best disaster response methods, clarification of the criteria and roles for humanitarian (military) interventions, and development of post-2015 Millennium Development Goals with more accurate progress measures. PMID:24672618

Assessing Attention Control in Goal Pursuit: A Component of Dispositional Self-Regulation

PubMed Central

Diehl, Manfred; Semegon, Angelenia B.; Schwarzer, Ralf

2008-01-01

We examined the psychometric properties of the Self-Regulation Scale (SRS; Schwarzer, Diehl, & Schmitz, 1999), a measure of attention control in goal pursuit, in 2 independent studies. Study 1 included young adults (N = 443), whereas Study 2 included young, middle-aged, and older adults (N = 330). In both studies, the SRS showed good internal consistency. In Study 1, the SRS also showed satisfactory test–retest reliability over a 6-week period. We found support for the criterion validity of the SRS in terms of positive correlations with measures of general and domain-specific self-efficacy, proactive coping, and positive affect and in terms of negative correlations with depressive symptoms and negative affect. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that attention control accounted for unique portions of variance in relevant outcome variables above and beyond measures of self-efficacy and proactive coping. PMID:16740114

Isotopic And Geochemical Investigations Of Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Richard J.

2005-01-01

The primary goals of our research over the past four years are to constrain the timing of certain early planetary accretion/differentiation events, and to constrain the proportions and provenance of materials involved in these processes. This work was achieved via the analysis and interpretation of long- and short-lived isotope systems, and the study of certain trace elements. Our research targeted these goals primarily via the application of the Re-187, Os-187, Pt-190 Os-186 Tc-98 Ru-99 and Tc-99 Ru-99 isotopic systems, and the determination/modeling of abundances of the highly siderophile elements (HSE; including Re, Os, Ir, Ru, Pd, Pt, and maybe Tc). The specific events we examined include the segregation and crystallization histories of asteroidal cores, the accretion and metamorphic histories of chondrites and chondrite components, and the accretionary and differentiation histories of Mars and the Moon.

From Activity to Transdisciplinarity and Back Again--Preschool Teachers' Reasoning about Pedagogical Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Björklund, Camilla; Ahlskog-Björkman, Eva

2018-01-01

This study presents an analysis of preschool teachers' reasoning about pedagogical goals. Of specific interest is how teachers in a Swedish and a Finnish context describe goals for children's learning and how they describe them implementing these goals into their practice. The research question is thus: How are pedagogical goals perceived and…

Scientific Goals of the Human Genome Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wills, Christopher

1993-01-01

The Human Genome Project, an effort to sequence all the DNA of a human cell, is needed to better understand the behavior of chromosomes during cell division, with the ultimate goal of understanding the specific genes contributing to specific diseases and disabilities. (MSE)

Effects of testosterone administration on threat and escape anticipation in the orbitofrontal cortex.

PubMed

Heany, Sarah J; Bethlehem, Richard A I; van Honk, Jack; Bos, Peter A; Stein, Dan J; Terburg, David

2018-05-30

Recent evidence suggests that the steroid hormone testosterone can decrease the functional coupling between orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and amygdala. Theoretically this decoupling has been linked to a testosterone-driven increase of goal-directed behaviour in case of threat, but this has never been studied directly. Therefore, we placed twenty-two women in dynamically changing situations of escapable and inescapable threat after a within-subject placebo controlled testosterone administration. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we provide evidence that testosterone activates the left lateral OFC (LOFC) in preparation of active goal-directed escape and decouples this OFC area from a subcortical threat system including the central-medial amygdala, hypothalamus and periaqueductal gray. This LOFC decoupling was specific to threatening situations, a point that was further emphasized by an absence of such decoupling in a second experiment focused on resting-state connectivity. These results not only confirm that testosterone administration decouples the LOFC from the subcortical threat system, but also show that this is specifically the case in response to acute threat, and ultimately leads to an increase in LOFC activity when the participant prepares a goal-directed action to escape. Together these results for the first time provide a detailed understanding of functional brain alterations induced by testosterone under threat conditions, and corroborate and extend the view that testosterone prepares the brain for goal-directed action in case of threat. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Pair-Wise Trajectory Management-Oceanic (PTM-O) . [Concept of Operations—Version 3.9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Kenneth M.

2014-01-01

This document describes the Pair-wise Trajectory Management-Oceanic (PTM-O) Concept of Operations (ConOps). Pair-wise Trajectory Management (PTM) is a concept that includes airborne and ground-based capabilities designed to enable and to benefit from, airborne pair-wise distance-monitoring capability. PTM includes the capabilities needed for the controller to issue a PTM clearance that resolves a conflict for a specific pair of aircraft. PTM avionics include the capabilities needed for the flight crew to manage their trajectory relative to specific designated aircraft. Pair-wise Trajectory Management PTM-Oceanic (PTM-O) is a regional specific application of the PTM concept. PTM is sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Concept and Technology Development Project (part of NASA's Airspace Systems Program). The goal of PTM is to use enhanced and distributed communications and surveillance along with airborne tools to permit reduced separation standards for given aircraft pairs, thereby increasing the capacity and efficiency of aircraft operations at a given altitude or volume of airspace.

The Effects of Goal Setting on Rugby Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellalieu, Stephen D.; Hanton, Sheldon; O'Brien, Michael

2006-01-01

Goal-setting effects on selected performance behaviors of 5 collegiate rugby players were assessed over an entire competitive season using self-generated targets and goal-attainment scaling. Results suggest that goal setting was effective for enhancing task-specific on-field behavior in rugby union. (Contains 1 figure.)

Bringing Standardized Processes in Atom-Probe Tomography: I Establishing Standardized Terminology

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

Anderson, Ian M; Danoix, F; Forbes, Richard

2011-01-01

Defining standardized methods requires careful consideration of the entire field and its applications. The International Field Emission Society (IFES) has elected a Standards Committee, whose task is to determine the needed steps to establish atom-probe tomography as an accepted metrology technique. Specific tasks include developing protocols or standards for: terminology and nomenclature; metrology and instrumentation, including specifications for reference materials; test methodologies; modeling and simulations; and science-based health, safety, and environmental practices. The Committee is currently working on defining terminology related to atom-probe tomography with the goal to include terms into a document published by the International Organization for Standardsmore » (ISO). A lot of terms also used in other disciplines have already been defined) and will be discussed for adoption in the context of atom-probe tomography.« less

Creating trauma-informed correctional care: a balance of goals and environment

PubMed Central

Miller, Niki A.; Najavits, Lisa M.

2012-01-01

Background Rates of posttraumatic stress disorder and exposure to violence among incarcerated males and females in the US are exponentially higher than rates among the general population; yet, abrupt detoxification from substances, the pervasive authoritative presence and sensory and environmental trauma triggers can pose a threat to individual and institutional stability during incarceration. Objective The authors explore the unique challenges and promises of trauma-informed correctional care and suggest strategies for administrative support, staff development, programming, and relevant clinical approaches. Method A review of literature includes a comparison of gendered responses, implications for men's facilities, and the compatibility of trauma recovery goals and forensic programming goals. Results Trauma-informed care demonstrates promise in increasing offender responsivity to evidence-based cognitive behavioral programming that reduces criminal risk factors and in supporting integrated programming for offenders with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. Conclusions Incorporating trauma recovery principles into correctional environments requires an understanding of criminal justice priorities, workforce development, and specific approaches to screening, assessment, and programming that unify the goals of clinical and security staff. PMID:22893828

Goal planning: a retrospective audit of rehabilitation process and outcome.

PubMed

Duff, Jane; Evans, Matthew J; Kennedy, Paul

2004-05-01

To consider the effectiveness of a goal planning programme for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and address some of the current evidence gaps in goal setting. Retrospective audit. Consecutive series of 65 newly injured SCI patients. The Needs Assessment Checklist (NAC) has been specifically developed for the SCI population, and is used to assess patient attainment in core rehabilitation areas. A 'Goal Planning Progress' form was also used to specifically detail the goal planning process. Across the 65 patients, 396 goal planning meetings were held with 6176 goals set in total. Seventy-two per cent of the goals set at the first goal planning meeting were achieved by the second meeting. The rate of achievement at subsequent meetings was 68%. Significant differences in the number of planned rehabilitation days, number of goal planning meetings, and goals set were identified between injury categories. Significant positive correlations were found between the number of goals set and achievement, as measured by the NAC, in certain rehabilitation domains. The findings of this study demonstrate that the Needs Assessment and Goal Planning framework is effective in planning SCI rehabilitation. The capacity of this goal planning system to reflect individual need has also been established. Further systematic analyses of this process could potentially lead to more efficient rehabilitation and the identification of care pathways within clinical areas.

United We Stand: Emphasizing Commonalities Across Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies

PubMed Central

Mennin, Douglas S.; Ellard, Kristen K.; Fresco, David M.; Gross, James J.

2016-01-01

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has a rich history of alleviating the suffering associated with mental disorders. Recently, there have been exciting new developments, including multi-component approaches, incorporated alternative therapies (e.g., meditation), targeted and cost-effective technologies, and integrated biological and behavioral frameworks. These field-wide changes have led some to emphasize the differences among variants of CBT. Here, we draw attention to commonalities across cognitive-behavioral therapies, including shared goals, change principles, and therapeutic processes. Specifically, we offer a framework for examining common CBT characteristics that emphasizes behavioral adaptation as a unifying goal and three core change principles, namely (1) context engagement to promote adaptive imagining and enacting of new experiences; (2) attention change to promote adaptive sustaining, shifting, and broadening of attention; and (3) cognitive change to promote adaptive perspective taking on events so as to alter verbal meanings. Further, we argue that specific intervention components including behavioral exposure/activation, attention training, acceptance/tolerance, decentering/defusion, and cognitive reframing may be emphasized to a greater or lesser degree by different treatment packages but are still fundamentally common therapeutic processes that are present across approaches and are best understood by their relationships to these core CBT change principles. We conclude by arguing for shared methodological and design frameworks for investigating unique and common characteristics to advance a unified and strong voice for CBT in a widening, increasingly multimodal and interdisciplinary, intervention science. PMID:23611074

Civionics specifications for fiber optic sensors for structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, Evangeline; Mufti, Aftab A.; Thomson, Douglas J.

2004-07-01

As the design and construction of civil structures continue to evolve, it is becoming imperative that these structures be monitored for their health. In order to meet this need, the discipline of Civionics has emerged. It involves the applications to civil structures and aims to assist engineers in realizing the full benefits of structural health monitoring (SHM). Therefore, the goal of the specification outlined in this work is to ensure that correct installation and operating of fiber optic sensors, such as bridges, will be discussed that motivated the writing of these specifications. The main reason for the failure of FOS based monitoring systems can be traced directly to the installation of the fiber sensor itself. Therefore, by creating a standard procedure for SHM, several ambiguities are eliminated such as fiber sensor specifications and the types of cables required. As a result, these specifications will help ensure that the sensors will survive the installation process and eventually prove their value over years of monitoring the health of the structure. The Civionics FOS specifications include the requirements for fiber sensors, specifically Bragg grating sensors, and their corresponding readout unit. It also includes specifications on the cables, conduits, junction boxes, cable termination and the environmental.

Cancer Education Resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Supplement to Native American Monograph No. 1: Documentation of the Cancer Research Needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burhansstipanov, Linda, Comp.; Barry, Kathleen Cooleen, Comp.

This directory provides information on cancer education materials that have been developed specifically for American Indians and Alaska Natives. The goal is to develop and implement culturally appropriate cancer prevention and control programs for Native Americans. The directory includes a matrix of cancer education materials that identifies…

Prophylaxis and treatment of seasickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yefremenko, M.

1980-01-01

Depending upon the dominant type of symptoms, seasickness is divided into three forms: nervous, gastro-intestinal, and cardiovascular. Various medications are recommended appropriate to these forms. The first goal is normalization of impaired system functions as well as metabolism and the electrolyte and acid-base condition of the organism. Dietary recommendations are made and specific suggestions on the use of physical exercise, including prophylatic vestibular training exercises.

Acting on uncertainty in landscape management—options forestry.

Treesearch

Jonathan Thompson

2005-01-01

In response to the highly uncertain outcomes inherent in forest management, “options forestry” has been introduced as a novel approach that includes an honest appraisal of uncertainties and learning as a specific objective. The strategy is unique in that it uses a variety of management pathways, all designed to reach the same goal, and structures them in a rigorous...

28 CFR Appendix E to Part 61 - United States Marshals Service Procedures Relating to the Implementation of the National...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... disposal of equipment or property, (3) Leases or entitlement for use, including donation or exchange, (4... facility is a site-specific determination based on the extent to which an entire project will be within the... decisions based on it, will or will not achieve the goals of NEPA to prevent damage to the environment and...

Effects of rehabilitative interventions on pain, function and physical impairments in people with hand osteoarthritis: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with pain, reduced grip strength, loss of range of motion and joint stiffness leading to impaired hand function and difficulty with daily activities. The effectiveness of different rehabilitation interventions on specific treatment goals has not yet been fully explored. The objective of this systematic review is to provide evidence based knowledge on the treatment effects of different rehabilitation interventions for specific treatment goals for hand OA. Methods A computerized literature search of Medline, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ISI Web of Science, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and SCOPUS was performed. Studies that had an evidence level of 2b or higher and that compared a rehabilitation intervention with a control group and assessed at least one of the following outcome measures - pain, physical hand function or other measures of hand impairment - were included. The eligibility and methodological quality of trials were systematically assessed by two independent reviewers using the PEDro scale. Treatment effects were calculated using standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals. Results Ten studies, of which six were of higher quality (PEDro score >6), were included. The rehabilitation techniques reviewed included three studies on exercise, two studies each on laser and heat, and one study each on splints, massage and acupuncture. One higher quality trial showed a large positive effect of 12-month use of a night splint on hand pain, function, strength and range of motion. Exercise had no effect on hand pain or function although it may be able to improve hand strength. Low level laser therapy may be useful for improving range of motion. No rehabilitation interventions were found to improve stiffness. Conclusions There is emerging high quality evidence to support that rehabilitation interventions can offer significant benefits to individuals with hand OA. A summary of the higher quality evidence is provided to assist with clinical decision making based on current evidence. Further high-quality research is needed concerning the effects of rehabilitation interventions on specific treatment goals for hand OA. PMID:21332991

Parental Goals and Talk with Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Meredith L.; Casillas, Allison

2011-01-01

Myriad studies support a relation between parental beliefs and behaviours. This study adds to the literature by focusing on the specific relationship between parental goals and their communication with toddlers. Do parents with different goals talk about different topics with their children? Parents' goals for their 30-month olds were gathered…

General Chemistry Students' Goals for Chemistry Laboratory Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeKorver, Brittland K.; Towns, Marcy H.

2015-01-01

Little research exists on college students' learning goals in chemistry, let alone specifically pertaining to laboratory coursework. Because students' learning goals are linked to achievement and dependent on context, research on students' goals in the laboratory context may lead to better understanding about the efficacy of lab curricula. This…

Education as a Moderator of Goal Setting Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivancevich, John M.; McMahon, J. Timothy

1977-01-01

Skilled technicians (N=128) working under an assigned goal setting program were studied to learn about the moderating impact of education on relationships between performance and six goal setting properties. Speculation is advanced as to why education is an important moderator variable for specific types of goal setting properties. (Author)

Motivating Readers: Helping Students Set and Attain Personal Reading Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabral-Márquez, Consuelo

2015-01-01

The motivational, cognitive, and performance benefits associated with setting goals are presented in light of goal-setting theory. These theoretical principles provide a framework that teachers can use to guide students in setting and pursuing personal reading goals that are proximal, specific, and compatible with students' reading abilities…

Quality specification in haematology: the automated blood cell count.

PubMed

Buttarello, Mauro

2004-08-02

Quality specifications for automated blood cell counts include topics that go beyond the traditional analytic stage (imprecision, inaccuracy, quality control) and extend to pre- and post-analytic phases. In this review pre-analytic aspects concerning the choice of anticoagulants, maximum conservation times and differences between storage at room temperature or at 4 degrees C are considered. For the analytic phase, goals for imprecision and bias obtained with various approaches (ratio to biologic variation, state of the art, specific clinical situations) are evaluated. For the post-analytic phase, medical review criteria (algorithm, decision limit and delta check) and the structure of the report (general part and comments), which constitutes the formal act through which a laboratory communicates with clinicians, are considered. K2EDTA is considered the anticoagulant of choice for automated cell counts. Regarding storage, specimens should be analyzed as soon as possible. Storage at 4 degrees C may stabilize specimens from 24 to 72 h when complete blood count (CBC) and differential leucocyte count (DLC) is performed. For precision, analytical goals based on the state of the art are acceptable while for bias this is satisfactory only for some parameters. In haematology quality specifications for pre- and analytical phases are important, but the review criteria and the quality of the report play a central role in assuring a definite clinical value.

Initial guidelines and estimates for a power system with inertial (flywheel) energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slifer, L. W., Jr.

1980-01-01

The starting point for the assessment of a spacecraft power system utilizing inertial (flywheel) energy storage. Both general and specific guidelines are defined for the assessment of a modular flywheel system, operationally similar to but with significantly greater capability than the multimission modular spacecraft (MMS) power system. Goals for the flywheel system are defined in terms of efficiently train estimates and mass estimates for the system components. The inertial storage power system uses a 5 kw-hr flywheel storage component at 50 percent depth of discharge (DOD). It is capable of supporting an average load of 3 kw, including a peak load of 7.5 kw for 10 percent of the duty cycle, in low earth orbit operation. The specific power goal for the system is 10 w/kg, consisting of a 56w/kg (end of life) solar array, a 21.7 w-hr/kg (at 50 percent DOD) flywheel, and 43 w/kg power processing (conditioning, control and distribution).

The Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystems Mission (ACE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoeberl, Mark

2008-01-01

The goals and measurement strategy of the Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystems Mission (ACE) are described. ACE will help to answer fundamental science questions associated with aerosols, clouds, air quality and global ocean ecosystems. Specifically, the goals of ACE are: 1) to quantify aerosol-cloud interactions and to assess the impact of aerosols on the hydrological cycle and 2) determine Ocean Carbon Cycling and other ocean biological processes. It is expected that ACE will: narrow the uncertainty in aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction and quantify the role of aerosols in climate change; measure the ocean ecosystem changes and precisely quantify ocean carbon uptake; and, improve air quality forecasting by determining the height and type of aerosols being transported long distances. Overviews are provided of the aerosol-cloud community measurement strategy, aerosol and cloud observations over South Asia, and ocean biology research goals. Instruments used in the measurement strategy of the ACE mission are also highlighted, including: multi-beam lidar, multiwavelength high spectra resolution lidar, the ocean color instrument (ORCA)--a spectroradiometer for ocean remote sensing, dual frequency cloud radar and high- and low-frequency micron-wave radiometer. Future steps for the ACE mission include refining measurement requirements and carrying out additional instrument and payload studies.

Positive mood enhances reward-related neural activity

PubMed Central

Nusslock, Robin

2016-01-01

Although behavioral research has shown that positive mood leads to desired outcomes in nearly every major life domain, no studies have directly examined the effects of positive mood on the neural processes underlying reward-related affect and goal-directed behavior. To address this gap, participants in the present fMRI study experienced either a positive (n = 20) or neutral (n = 20) mood induction and subsequently completed a monetary incentive delay task that assessed reward and loss processing. Consistent with prediction, positive mood elevated activity specifically during reward anticipation in corticostriatal neural regions that have been implicated in reward processing and goal-directed behavior, including the nucleus accumbens, caudate, lateral orbitofrontal cortex and putamen, as well as related paralimbic regions, including the anterior insula and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These effects were not observed during reward outcome, loss anticipation or loss outcome. Critically, this is the first study to report that positive mood enhances reward-related neural activity. Our findings have implications for uncovering the neural mechanisms by which positive mood enhances goal-directed behavior, understanding the malleability of reward-related neural activity, and developing targeted treatments for psychiatric disorders characterized by deficits in reward processing. PMID:26833919

Evaluation of cardiac auscultation skills in pediatric residents.

PubMed

Kumar, Komal; Thompson, W Reid

2013-01-01

Auscultation skills are in decline, but few studies have shown which specific aspects are most difficult for trainees. We evaluated individual aspects of cardiac auscultation among pediatric residents using recorded heart sounds to determine which elements pose the most difficulty. Auscultation proficiency was assessed among 34 trainees following a pediatric cardiology rotation using an open-set format evaluation module, similar to the actual clinical auscultation description process. Diagnostic accuracy for distinguishing normal from abnormal cases was 73%. Findings most commonly correctly identified included pathological systolic and diastolic murmurs and widely split second heart sounds. Those least likely to be identified included continuous murmurs and clicks. Accuracy was low for identifying specific diagnoses. Given time constraints for clinical skills teaching, this suggests that focusing on distinguishing normal from abnormal heart sounds and murmurs instead of making specific diagnoses may be a more realistic goal for pediatric resident auscultation training.

Generalized platform for antibody detection using the antibody catalyzed water oxidation pathway.

PubMed

Welch, M Elizabeth; Ritzert, Nicole L; Chen, Hongjun; Smith, Norah L; Tague, Michele E; Xu, Youyong; Baird, Barbara A; Abruña, Héctor D; Ober, Christopher K

2014-02-05

Infectious diseases, such as influenza, present a prominent global problem including the constant threat of pandemics that initiate in avian or other species and then pass to humans. We report a new sensor that can be specifically functionalized to detect antibodies associated with a wide range of infectious diseases in multiple species. This biosensor is based on electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide generated through the intrinsic catalytic activity of all antibodies: the antibody catalyzed water oxidation pathway (ACWOP). Our platform includes a polymer brush-modified surface where specific antibodies bind to conjugated haptens with high affinity and specificity. Hydrogen peroxide provides an electrochemical signal that is mediated by Resorufin/Amplex Red. We characterize the biosensor platform, using model anti-DNP antibodies, with the ultimate goal of designing a versatile device that is inexpensive, portable, reliable, and fast. We demonstrate detection of antibodies at concentrations that fall well within clinically relevant levels.

[Situational profile and intervention strategy in the Mesoamerican region in maternal, neonatal and reproductive health area].

PubMed

Hernández-Prado, Bernardo; Kestler, Edgar; Díaz, Juan; Walker, Dilys; Langer, Ana; Lewis, Sarah; De la Vara-Salazar, Elvia; Melo-Zurita, María del Carmen; Iriarte, Emma; Danel, Isabella; Donnay, France; Alemán, Denis; Serrano, Roselyn; Morales, Evelyn; Largaespada, Natalia; González, José Douglas Jarquín; Hernández, Ma Del Carmen; Mejía, Claudia E Quiroz; González, Geneva; Carrera, Yadira; Valverde, Clelia; Luna, Rufino; Valencia-Mendoza, Atanacio; Sosa-Rubí, Sandra G; Hernández-Prado, Bernardo; Kestler, Edgar; Díaz, Juan; Walker, Dilys; Langer, Ana; Lewis, Sarah; De la Vara-Salazar, Elvia; Melo-Zurita, María Del Carmen

2011-01-01

To present the main results of the regional situation diagnosis and intervention plan developed in 2010 as part of the planning activities of the Mesoamerican Health System by the Working Group on Maternal, Reproductive and Neonatal Health. A group of experts and representatives from countries in the region (Central America and nine southern Mexican states) conducted an exhaustive review of available data to construct a situational analysis and a review of effective practices for improving maternal, reproductive and neonatal health. Finally, the group proposed a regional action plan, defining regional goals and specific interventions. The situational diagnosis suggests that, although there has been progress in the last 10 years, maternal and neonatal mortality rates are still unnaceptably high in the region, with a substantial variability across countries. The group proposed as a regional goal the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality in accordance with the Millenium Development Goals. The regional plan recommends specific maternal and neonatal health interventions emphasizing obstetric and neonatal emergency care, skilled birth attendance and family planning. The plan also includes a five year implementation strategy, along with training and evaluation strategies. The regional plan for maternal, neonatal and reproductive health has the potential to be successful, provided it is effectively implemented.

How to Avoid Stereotypes? Evaluation of a Strategy based on Self-Regulatory Processes.

PubMed

Aranda, María; Montes-Berges, Beatriz

2016-06-10

Based on research on the motivational processes involved in preventing and controlling stereotypes, we aimed to assess whether temporary activation of egalitarian goals - by means of a task that gives respondents exposure to a text on gender inequality - can prevent stereotyped answers on the task. The task asks participants to place women and men into a hierarchical organizational structure. Two specific objectives were established: first, to control the effect of prejudice and egalitarian commitment on the dependent variable; and second, to study gender differences in task responses. The study included 474 college students, 153 men and 321 women. Their mean age was 20.04 (SD = 4.43). ANCOVA indicated main effects of condition, F(1) = 4.15, p = .042, η2 = .081 (control condition without goal activation vs. experimental condition with goal activation) and sex, F(1) = 40.46, p < .001, η2 = .081, on the dependent variable (female candidates placed in the chart). Specifically, responses from participants in the experimental condition avoided stereotyped answers more than participants in the control condition. Furthermore, women's performance on the task was more egalitarian than men's. Finally, there was a significant interaction effect of condition and type of organization, F(2) = 3.97, p = .019, η2 = .017; participants assigning candidates to the feminized organization differed the most across conditions.

Groundwater monitoring of hydraulic fracturing in California: Recommendations for permit-required monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esser, B. K.; Beller, H. R.; Carroll, S.; Cherry, J. A.; Jackson, R. B.; Jordan, P. D.; Madrid, V.; Morris, J.; Parker, B. L.; Stringfellow, W. T.; Varadharajan, C.; Vengosh, A.

2015-12-01

California recently passed legislation mandating dedicated groundwater quality monitoring for new well stimulation operations. The authors provided the State with expert advice on the design of such monitoring networks. Factors that must be considered in designing a new and unique groundwater monitoring program include: Program design: The design of a monitoring program is contingent on its purpose, which can range from detection of individual well leakage to demonstration of regional impact. The regulatory goals for permit-required monitoring conducted by operators on a well-by-well basis will differ from the scientific goals of a regional monitoring program conducted by the State. Vulnerability assessment: Identifying factors that increase the probability of transport of fluids from the hydrocarbon target zone to a protected groundwater zone enables the intensity of permit-required monitoring to be tiered by risk and also enables prioritization of regional monitoring of groundwater basins based on vulnerability. Risk factors include well integrity; proximity to existing wellbores and geologic features; wastewater disposal; vertical separation between the hydrocarbon and groundwater zones; and site-specific hydrogeology. Analyte choice: The choice of chemical analytes in a regulatory monitoring program is guided by the goals of detecting impact, assuring public safety, preventing resource degradation, and minimizing cost. Balancing these goals may be best served by tiered approach in which targeted analysis of specific chemical additives is triggered by significant changes in relevant but more easily analyzed constituents. Such an approach requires characterization of baseline conditions, especially in areas with long histories of oil and gas development. Monitoring technology: Monitoring a deep subsurface process or a long wellbore is more challenging than monitoring a surface industrial source. The requirement for monitoring multiple groundwater aquifers across a range of depths and of monitoring at deeper depths than is typical for regulatory monitoring programs requires consideration of monitoring technology, which can range from clusters of wells to multiple wells in a single wellbore to multi-level systems in a single cased wellbore.

[Comparative research into sensitivity and specificity of immune-enzyme analysis with chemiluminescence and colorimetric detection for detecting antigens and antibodies to avian influenza viruses and newcastle disease].

PubMed

Vitkova, O N; Kapustina, T P; Mikhailova, V V; Safonov, G A; Vlasova, N N; Belousova, R V

2015-01-01

The goal of this work was to demonstrate the results of the development of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent tests with chemiluminescence detection and colorimetric detection of specific viral antigens and antibodies for identifying the avian influenza and the Newcastle disease viruses: high sensitivity and specificity of the immuno- chemiluminescence assay, which are 10-50 times higher than those of the ELISA colorimetric method. The high effectiveness of the results and the automation of the process of laboratory testing (using a luminometer) allow these methods to be recommended for including in primary screening tests for these infectious diseases.

Goal disturbance changes pre/post-renal transplantation are related to changes in distress.

PubMed

de Vries, Alicia M; Schulz, Torben; Westerhuis, Ralf; Navis, Gerjan J; Niesing, Jan; Ranchor, Adelita V; Schroevers, Maya J

2017-09-01

Renal transplantation (RTx) is considered the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) given its association with lower mortality, and improved overall quality of life and psychological functioning compared to dialysis. However, much less is known about which factors underlie these psychological improvements across RTx. Goal theory suggests that experienced disturbances in important goals are related to lower psychological functioning. This study aimed to (1) identify the most disturbed and most important goals for patients before RTx, (2) to examine changes in goal disturbance and goal importance pre/post-RTx, and (3) to examine whether changes in goal disturbance are associated with changes in psychological distress over time, and whether this relationship is mediated by changes in perceived control. In this longitudinal study, 220 patients completed questionnaires before and after RTx, including questionnaires to assess goals (GOALS questionnaire), psychological distress (GHQ-12), and perceived control (Mastery scale). End-stage renal disease affected both general and disease-specific goals. Approximately 30% of the patients indicated to experience high or very high disturbance before transplantation. Goal disturbance generally decreased significantly pre- to post-RTx, whereas goal importance did not change significantly pre- to post-RTx. No mediation effect of perceived control was found. Instead, both changes in goal disturbance and perceived control showed independent effects on changes in distress. Intervention strategies targeting attainable and realistic goal setting, and perceived control in RTx recipients who do not benefit optimally from RTx, might enhance psychological functioning in this population. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Kidney transplantation improves patients' psychological functioning. Experienced disturbances in important life goals are related to lower psychological functioning in chronic illness. What does this study add? Goal disturbance decreases after renal transplantation, and this is related to a decrease in distress over time. Perceived control does not mediate the relationship between goal disturbance and distress pre/post-transplantation. Changes in perceived control have an additional main effect on changes in distress. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Gamification for health promotion: systematic review of behaviour change techniques in smartphone apps

PubMed Central

Lumsden, J; Rivas, C; Steed, L; Thiyagarajan, A; Sohanpal, R; Caton, H; Griffiths, C J; Munafò, M R; Taylor, S; Walton, R T

2016-01-01

Objective Smartphone games that aim to alter health behaviours are common, but there is uncertainty about how to achieve this. We systematically reviewed health apps containing gaming elements analysing their embedded behaviour change techniques. Methods Two trained researchers independently coded apps for behaviour change techniques using a standard taxonomy. We explored associations with user ratings and price. Data sources We screened the National Health Service (NHS) Health Apps Library and all top-rated medical, health and wellness and health and fitness apps (defined by Apple and Google Play stores based on revenue and downloads). We included free and paid English language apps using ‘gamification’ (rewards, prizes, avatars, badges, leaderboards, competitions, levelling-up or health-related challenges). We excluded apps targeting health professionals. Results 64 of 1680 (4%) health apps included gamification and met inclusion criteria; only 3 of these were in the NHS Library. Behaviour change categories used were: feedback and monitoring (n=60, 94% of apps), reward and threat (n=52, 81%), and goals and planning (n=52, 81%). Individual techniques were: self-monitoring of behaviour (n=55, 86%), non-specific reward (n=49, 82%), social support unspecified (n=48, 75%), non-specific incentive (n=49, 82%) and focus on past success (n=47, 73%). Median number of techniques per app was 14 (range: 5–22). Common combinations were: goal setting, self-monitoring, non-specific reward and non-specific incentive (n=35, 55%); goal setting, self-monitoring and focus on past success (n=33, 52%). There was no correlation between number of techniques and user ratings (p=0.07; rs=0.23) or price (p=0.45; rs=0.10). Conclusions Few health apps currently employ gamification and there is a wide variation in the use of behaviour change techniques, which may limit potential to improve health outcomes. We found no correlation between user rating (a possible proxy for health benefits) and game content or price. Further research is required to evaluate effective behaviour change techniques and to assess clinical outcomes. Trial registration number CRD42015029841. PMID:27707829

Gamification for health promotion: systematic review of behaviour change techniques in smartphone apps.

PubMed

Edwards, E A; Lumsden, J; Rivas, C; Steed, L; Edwards, L A; Thiyagarajan, A; Sohanpal, R; Caton, H; Griffiths, C J; Munafò, M R; Taylor, S; Walton, R T

2016-10-04

Smartphone games that aim to alter health behaviours are common, but there is uncertainty about how to achieve this. We systematically reviewed health apps containing gaming elements analysing their embedded behaviour change techniques. Two trained researchers independently coded apps for behaviour change techniques using a standard taxonomy. We explored associations with user ratings and price. We screened the National Health Service (NHS) Health Apps Library and all top-rated medical, health and wellness and health and fitness apps (defined by Apple and Google Play stores based on revenue and downloads). We included free and paid English language apps using 'gamification' (rewards, prizes, avatars, badges, leaderboards, competitions, levelling-up or health-related challenges). We excluded apps targeting health professionals. 64 of 1680 (4%) health apps included gamification and met inclusion criteria; only 3 of these were in the NHS Library. Behaviour change categories used were: feedback and monitoring (n=60, 94% of apps), reward and threat (n=52, 81%), and goals and planning (n=52, 81%). Individual techniques were: self-monitoring of behaviour (n=55, 86%), non-specific reward (n=49, 82%), social support unspecified (n=48, 75%), non-specific incentive (n=49, 82%) and focus on past success (n=47, 73%). Median number of techniques per app was 14 (range: 5-22). Common combinations were: goal setting, self-monitoring, non-specific reward and non-specific incentive (n=35, 55%); goal setting, self-monitoring and focus on past success (n=33, 52%). There was no correlation between number of techniques and user ratings (p=0.07; r s =0.23) or price (p=0.45; r s =0.10). Few health apps currently employ gamification and there is a wide variation in the use of behaviour change techniques, which may limit potential to improve health outcomes. We found no correlation between user rating (a possible proxy for health benefits) and game content or price. Further research is required to evaluate effective behaviour change techniques and to assess clinical outcomes. CRD42015029841. 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/.

Technical assistance for law-enforcement communications: Grant summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reilly, N. B.

1979-01-01

A summary overview of project activities and results are presented. The goals and objectives are reviewed and a description of the approaches used to attain them is given. The feedback received from the seminars conducted as part of the project, and results from a questionnaire about the project are included. Significant findings of the project in such areas as radio channel loading, dispatch system design, training and technology transfer are discussed. Several specific problem areas are identified and evaluated. Specific recommendations for future technical assistance efforts are presented along with an inventory of technical-assistance reports generated throughout the project.

Self-Motion Perception: Assessment by Real-Time Computer Generated Animations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Donald E.

1999-01-01

Our overall goal is to develop materials and procedures for assessing vestibular contributions to spatial cognition. The specific objective of the research described in this paper is to evaluate computer-generated animations as potential tools for studying self-orientation and self-motion perception. Specific questions addressed in this study included the following. First, does a non- verbal perceptual reporting procedure using real-time animations improve assessment of spatial orientation? Are reports reliable? Second, do reports confirm expectations based on stimuli to vestibular apparatus? Third, can reliable reports be obtained when self-motion description vocabulary training is omitted?

A goal attainment pain management program for older adults with arthritis.

PubMed

Davis, Gail C; White, Terri L

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study was to test a pain management intervention that integrates goal setting with older adults (age > or =65) living independently in residential settings. This preliminary testing of the Goal Attainment Pain Management Program (GAPMAP) included a sample of 17 adults (mean age 79.29 years) with self-reported pain related to arthritis. Specific study aims were to: 1) explore the use of individual goal setting; 2) determine participants' levels of goal attainment; 3) determine whether changes occurred in the pain management methods used and found to be helpful by GAPMAP participants; and 4) determine whether changes occurred in selected pain-related variables (i.e., experience of living with persistent pain, the expected outcomes of pain management, pain management barriers, and global ratings of perceived pain intensity and success of pain management). Because of the small sample size, both parametric (t test) and nonparametric (Wilcoxon signed rank test) analyses were used to examine differences from pretest to posttest. Results showed that older individuals could successfully participate in setting and attaining individual goals. Thirteen of the 17 participants (76%) met their goals at the expected level or above. Two management methods (exercise and using a heated pool, tub, or shower) were used significantly more often after the intervention, and two methods (exercise and distraction) were identified as significantly more helpful. Two pain-related variables (experience of living with persistent pain and expected outcomes of pain management) revealed significant change, and all of those tested showed overall improvement.

Mentoring Program Enhancements Supporting Effective Mentoring of Children of Incarcerated Parents.

PubMed

Stump, Kathryn N; Kupersmidt, Janis B; Stelter, Rebecca L; Rhodes, Jean E

2018-04-26

Children of incarcerated parents (COIP) are at risk for a range of negative outcomes; however, participating in a mentoring relationship can be a promising intervention for these youth. This study examined the impact of mentoring and mentoring program enhancements on COIP. Secondary data analyses were conducted on an archival database consisting of 70,729 matches from 216 Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) local agencies to establish the differential effects of mentoring on COIP. A subset of 45 BBBS agencies, representing 25,252 matches, participated in a telephone interview about program enhancements for better serving COIP. Results revealed that enhanced program practices, including having specific program goals, providing specialized mentor training, and receiving additional funding resulted in better outcomes for COIP matches. Specifically, specialized mentor training and receiving additional funding for serving matches containing COIP were associated with longer and stronger matches. Having specific goals for serving COIP was associated with higher educational expectations in COIP. Results are discussed in terms of benefits of a relationship-based intervention for addressing the needs of COIP and suggestions for program improvements when mentoring programs are serving this unique population of youth. © Society for Community Research and Action 2018.

Status Report on Institutional Effectiveness, 1993-1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Losak, John

This annual report provides evaluation of specific academic centers at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reflecting specific goals, associated outcome measures, and attainment status relative to the goals. Twelve sections focus on the: (1) Abraham S. Fischler Center for the Advancement of Education; (2) Center for Computer…

The national strategic plan for federal aquaculture research, specific goal #4: Improve production efficiency and well-being

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The 2014-2019 National Strategic Plan for Federal Aquaculture Research identifies a series of specific goals that identify research priorities for Federal agency and interagency research programs. Collectively, these priorities define research activities with the broad outcome of supporting aquacul...

Reconceptualizing the motive/environment link in recreation choice behavior

Treesearch

Richard Schreyer; Richard C. Knopf; Daniel R. Williams

1985-01-01

Effective inventory, management, and planning for recreation resources depend upon knowing why persons choose certain environments to attain specific goals, and what elements in those environments facilitate goal-attainment. Research focused on relating motives for participation to specific components in the environment has had only limited success. This paper proposes...

Corporate Culture and University Goal Achievement in South-West Zone, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdulkareem, Rasaq L.; Sheu, Adaramaja A.; Kayode, David J.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between culture and university goal achievement in South west geo-political zone, Nigeria. Specifically, the purpose was to find out the nature of the corporate culture and university goal achievement as well as to determine the relationship between corporate culture and university goal achievement in South…

The Relationship between Student Teachers' Perception of Intelligence and Their Goal Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beyaztas, Dilek Ilhan; Kapti, Suzan Beyza; Hymer, Barry

2017-01-01

This study examines the views of student teachers in a Turkish university about intelligence (entity theory vs incremental theory) and goal orientation (performance goal orientation vs learning goal orientation) and the relationship between the two. Specifically, it seeks to understand whether there are any differences in participants' perceptions…

The Language Factor in Development Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bamgbose, Ayo

2014-01-01

Although development goals are usually set as targets that must be achieved in a development process, experience with development goals in Africa has tended to underscore underperformance either in terms of a shortfall in the targets attained or in terms of inadequate pursuit of specific goals. To illustrate this syndrome, the African Union's New…

Hybrid Vehicle Program. Final report

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

None

1984-06-01

This report summarizes the activities on the Hybrid Vehicle Program. The program objectives and the vehicle specifications are reviewed. The Hybrid Vehicle has been designed so that maximum use can be made of existing production components with a minimum compromise to program goals. The program status as of the February 9-10 Hardware Test Review is presented, and discussions of the vehicle subsystem, the hybrid propulsion subsystem, the battery subsystem, and the test mule programs are included. Other program aspects included are quality assurance and support equipment. 16 references, 132 figures, 47 tables.

Simple Automatic File Exchange (SAFE) to Support Low-Cost Spacecraft Operation via the Internet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, Paul; Repaci, Max; Sames, David

1998-01-01

Various issues associated with Simple Automatic File Exchange (SAFE) are presented in viewgraph form. Specific topics include: 1) Packet telemetry, Internet IP networks and cost reduction; 2) Basic functions and technical features of SAFE; 3) Project goals, including low-cost satellite transmission to data centers to be distributed via an Internet; 4) Operations with a replicated file protocol; 5) File exchange operation; 6) Ground stations as gateways; 7) Lessons learned from demonstrations and tests with SAFE; and 8) Feedback and future initiatives.

Module Degradation Mechanisms Studied by a Multi-Scale Approach

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

Johnston, Steve; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; Hacke, Peter

2016-11-21

A key pathway to meeting the Department of Energy SunShot 2020 goals is to reduce financing costs by improving investor confidence through improved photovoltaic (PV) module reliability. A comprehensive approach to further understand and improve PV reliability includes characterization techniques and modeling from module to atomic scale. Imaging techniques, which include photoluminescence, electroluminescence, and lock-in thermography, are used to locate localized defects responsible for module degradation. Small area samples containing such defects are prepared using coring techniques and are then suitable and available for microscopic study and specific defect modeling and analysis.

Immune Interventions to Preserve Beta Cell Function in Type 1 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Ehlers, Mario R.

2015-01-01

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to destruction of pancreatic beta cells, lifelong dependence on insulin, and increased morbidity and mortality from diabetes-related complications. Preservation of residual beta cells at diagnosis is a major goal because higher levels of endogenous insulin secretion are associated with better short- and long-term outcomes. Over the past 3 decades, a variety of immune interventions have been evaluated in the setting of new-onset T1D, including nonspecific immunosuppression, pathway-specific immune modulation, antigen-specific therapies, and cellular therapies. To date, no single intervention has produced durable remission off-therapy in the majority of treated patients, but the field has gained valuable insights into disease mechanisms and potential immunologic correlates of success. In particular, T cell-directed therapies, including therapies that lead to partial depletion or modulation of effector T (Teff) cells and preservation or augmentation of regulatory T (Treg) cells, have shown the most success and will likely form the backbone of future approaches. The next phase will see evaluation of rational combinations, comprising one or more of the following: a Teff-depleting or modulating drug, a cytokine-based tolerogenic (Treg-promoting) agent, and an antigen-specific component. The long-term goal is to reestablish immunologic tolerance to beta cells, thereby preserving residual beta cells early after diagnosis or enabling restoration of beta cell mass from autologous stem cells or induced neogenesis in patients with established T1D. PMID:26225763

Hierarchical Brain Networks Active in Approach and Avoidance Goal Pursuit

PubMed Central

Spielberg, Jeffrey M.; Heller, Wendy; Miller, Gregory A.

2013-01-01

Effective approach/avoidance goal pursuit is critical for attaining long-term health and well-being. Research on the neural correlates of key goal-pursuit processes (e.g., motivation) has long been of interest, with lateralization in prefrontal cortex being a particularly fruitful target of investigation. However, this literature has often been limited by a lack of spatial specificity and has not delineated the precise aspects of approach/avoidance motivation involved. Additionally, the relationships among brain regions (i.e., network connectivity) vital to goal-pursuit remain largely unexplored. Specificity in location, process, and network relationship is vital for moving beyond gross characterizations of function and identifying the precise cortical mechanisms involved in motivation. The present paper integrates research using more spatially specific methodologies (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging) with the rich psychological literature on approach/avoidance to propose an integrative network model that takes advantage of the strengths of each of these literatures. PMID:23785328

Hierarchical brain networks active in approach and avoidance goal pursuit.

PubMed

Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Heller, Wendy; Miller, Gregory A

2013-01-01

Effective approach/avoidance goal pursuit is critical for attaining long-term health and well-being. Research on the neural correlates of key goal-pursuit processes (e.g., motivation) has long been of interest, with lateralization in prefrontal cortex being a particularly fruitful target of investigation. However, this literature has often been limited by a lack of spatial specificity and has not delineated the precise aspects of approach/avoidance motivation involved. Additionally, the relationships among brain regions (i.e., network connectivity) vital to goal-pursuit remain largely unexplored. Specificity in location, process, and network relationship is vital for moving beyond gross characterizations of function and identifying the precise cortical mechanisms involved in motivation. The present paper integrates research using more spatially specific methodologies (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging) with the rich psychological literature on approach/avoidance to propose an integrative network model that takes advantage of the strengths of each of these literatures.

Radiologic atlas of rheumatic diseases

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

Dihlmann, W.

1986-01-01

This book is an ''atlas of rheumatic joint disease'' selected from 20 years of personal experience by the author. The author sets a goal of demonstrating the value of soft-tissue imaging in the diagnosis of early joint disease. This goal is achieved with high quality reproductions, many of which are presented in duplicate to illustrate bone and soft-tissue changes. The contents include an introductory overview of the ''Mosaic of Arthritis'' followed by sections on adult rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, classic collagen disease, enthesiopathies, and lastly a section on gout and psuedogout. The subject index is specific and indexes figures withmore » boldface type. Each section is introduced by a brief outline or overview of the radiographic spectrum of the joint disorder to be illustrated.« less

How Effective are Your Mentoring Relationships? Mentoring Quiz for Residents.

PubMed

Wadhwa, Vibhor; Nagy, Paul; Chhabra, Avneesh; Lee, Cindy S

Mentoring is an essential part of a resident's career development. It plays an important role in nurturing, and sustaining success along the career path of a young physician. Mentoring is a long-term goal that is development-driven rather than performance-driven. Although specific learning goals may be used as a basis, the focus of mentoring may also include self-confidence, self-perception, and work-life balance. A number of residency programs have implemented mentoring programs in their institutions. This article discusses the importance of mentoring, illustrates "do's and don'ts" for mentees and demonstrates how to choose the ideal mentor. Finally, a "mentoring quiz" is designed to evaluate your mentoring relationship. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Far-Infrared Heterodyne Spectrometer for Sofia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Betz, A. L.

1998-01-01

The project goal was to evaluate the scientific capabilities and technical requirements for a far-infrared heterodyne spectrometer suitable for the SOFIA Airborne Observatory, which is now being developed by NASA under contract to the Universities Space Research Association (USRA). The conclusions detailed below include our specific recommendations for astronomical observations, as well as our intended technical approach for reaching these scientific goals. These conclusions were presented to USRA in the form of a proposal to build this instrument. USRA subsequently awarded the University of Colorado a 3-year grant to develop the proposed Hot-Electron micro-Bolometer (HEB) mixer concept for high frequencies above 3 THz, as well as other semiconductor mixer technologies suitable for high sensitivity receivers in the 2-6 THz frequency band.

Long-Term Use and Perceived Benefits of Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation Training in Chronic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Loya, Fred; Novakovic-Agopian, Tatjana; Binder, Deborah; Rossi, Annemarie; Rome, Scott; Murphy, Michelle; Chen, Anthony J-W

2017-01-01

Primary Objective. To investigate the long-term use and perceived benefit(s) of strategies included in Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation (GOALS) training (Novakovic-Agopian et al., 2011) by individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) and chronic executive dysfunction. Research Design. Longitudinal follow-up of training. Methods and Procedures. Sixteen participants with chronic ABI participated in structured telephone interviews 20 months (range 11 to 31 months) following completion of GOALS training. Participants responded to questions regarding the range of strategies they continued to utilize, perceived benefit(s) of strategy use, situations in which strategy use was found helpful, and functional changes attributed to training. Results. Nearly all participants (94%) reported continued use of at least one trained strategy in their daily lives, with 75% of participants also reporting improved functioning resulting from training. However, there was considerable variability with respect to the specific strategies individuals found helpful as well as the perceived impact of training on overall functioning. Conclusions. GOALS training shows promising long-term benefits for individuals in the chronic phase of brain injury. Identifying individual- and injury-level factors that account for variability in continued strategy use and the perceived long-term benefits of training will help with ongoing intervention development.

Long-Term Use and Perceived Benefits of Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation Training in Chronic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Novakovic-Agopian, Tatjana; Binder, Deborah; Rossi, Annemarie; Rome, Scott; Murphy, Michelle; Chen, Anthony J.-W.

2017-01-01

Primary Objective. To investigate the long-term use and perceived benefit(s) of strategies included in Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation (GOALS) training (Novakovic-Agopian et al., 2011) by individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) and chronic executive dysfunction. Research Design. Longitudinal follow-up of training. Methods and Procedures. Sixteen participants with chronic ABI participated in structured telephone interviews 20 months (range 11 to 31 months) following completion of GOALS training. Participants responded to questions regarding the range of strategies they continued to utilize, perceived benefit(s) of strategy use, situations in which strategy use was found helpful, and functional changes attributed to training. Results. Nearly all participants (94%) reported continued use of at least one trained strategy in their daily lives, with 75% of participants also reporting improved functioning resulting from training. However, there was considerable variability with respect to the specific strategies individuals found helpful as well as the perceived impact of training on overall functioning. Conclusions. GOALS training shows promising long-term benefits for individuals in the chronic phase of brain injury. Identifying individual- and injury-level factors that account for variability in continued strategy use and the perceived long-term benefits of training will help with ongoing intervention development. PMID:28265472

A Study of the Impacts of Navigational Links, Task Complexity, and Experience with the Older User on Website Usability in a Community College Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Robin Eileen

2014-01-01

Community colleges serve a diverse population of learners including many older students counting on the community college for enhanced skills or personal enrichment. Many of these colleges target this population with programs designed specifically to meet the needs and goals of the older adult but may not consider this population when designing a…

Electric Field Imaging Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcutt, Terrence; Hughitt, Brian; Burke, Eric; Generazio, Edward

2016-01-01

NDE historically has focused technology development in propagating wave phenomena with little attention to the field of electrostatics and emanating electric fields. This work is intended to bring electrostatic imaging to the forefront of new inspection technologies, and new technologies in general. The specific goals are to specify the electric potential and electric field including the electric field spatial components emanating from, to, and throughout volumes containing objects or in free space.

Toward an Evaluation Framework for Doctoral Education in Social Work: A 10-Year Retrospective of One PhD Program's Assessment Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Kia J.

2013-01-01

This article presents a framework for evaluation in social work doctoral education and details 10 years of successes and challenges in one PhD program's use of the framework, including planning and implementing specific assessment activities around student learning outcomes and larger program goals. The article argues that a range of…

Operationally Responsive Space: Creating Responsive Space for America

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-20

programs. Items identified for improvement include: 1 ) Fractured management and accounting , 2 ) Satellite availability, 3) Facilities (Processing...enveloped by our three output tiers. The three tiers: • Tier 1 is an immediate response taking minutes to days. • Tier 2 is a mid term response taking...needs to improve. 2 . Develop a philosophy. 3. Set a direction with specific goals (Fuchs 1 -7). The Department of Space should follow these

Goal specificity: a proxy measure for improvements in environmental outcomes in collaborative governance.

PubMed

Biddle, Jennifer C; Koontz, Tomas M

2014-12-01

Collaborative governance critics continually call for evidence to support its prevalent use. As is often the case in environmental policy, environmental outcomes occur at a rate incompatible with political agendas. In addition, a multitude of possibly confounding variables makes it difficult to correlate collaborative governance processes with environmental outcomes. The findings of this study offer empirical evidence that collaborative processes have a measurable, beneficial effect on environmental outcomes. Through the use of a unique paired-waterbody design, our dataset reduced the potential for confounding variables to impact our environmental outcome measurements. The results of a path analysis indicate that the output of setting specific pollutant reduction goals is significantly related to watershed partnerships' level of attainment of their environmental improvement goals. The action of setting specific goals (e.g. percentage of load reductions in pollutant levels) is fostered by sustained participation from partnership members throughout the lifecycle of the collaborative. In addition, this study demonstrates the utility of logic modeling for environmental planning and management, and suggests that the process of setting specific pollutant reduction goals is a useful proxy measure for reporting progress towards improvements in environmental outcomes when long-term environmental data are not available. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Goal orientation, perceived task outcome and task demands in mathematics tasks: effects on students' attitude in actual task settings.

PubMed

Seegers, Gerard; van Putten, Cornelis M; de Brabander, Cornelis J

2002-09-01

In earlier studies, it has been found that students' domain-specific cognitions and personal learning goals (goal orientation) influence task-specific appraisals of actual learning tasks. The relations between domain-specific and task-specific variables have been specified in the model of adaptive learning. In this study, additional influences, i.e., perceived task outcome on a former occasion and variations in task demands, were investigated. The purpose of this study was to identify personality and situational variables that mediate students' attitude when confronted with a mathematics task. Students worked on a mathematics task in two subsequent sessions. Effects of perceived task outcome at the first session on students' attitude at the second session were investigated. In addition, we investigated how differences in task demands influenced students' attitude. Variations in task demands were provoked by different conditions in task-instruction. In one condition, students were told that the result on the test would add to their mark on mathematics. This outcome orienting condition was contrasted with a task-orienting condition where students were told that the results on the test would not be used to give individual grades. Participants were sixth grade students (N = 345; aged 11-12 years) from 14 primary schools. Multivariate and univariate analyses of (co)variance were applied to the data. Independent variables were goal orientation, task demands, and perceived task outcome, with task-specific variables (estimated competence for the task, task attraction, task relevance, and willingness to invest effort) as the dependent variables. The results showed that previous perceived task outcome had a substantial impact on students' attitude. Additional but smaller effects were found for variation in task demands. Furthermore, effects of previous perceived task outcome and task demands were related to goal orientation. The resulting pattern confirmed that, in general, performance-oriented learning goals emphasised the negative impact of failure experiences, whereas task-oriented learning goals had a strengthening effect on how success experiences influenced students' attitude.

Strategic Environmental Assessment practices in European small islands: Insights from Azores and Orkney islands

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

Polido, Alexandra, E-mail: a.polido@campus.fct.unl.pt; João, Elsa, E-mail: elsa.joao@strath.ac.uk; Ramos, Tomás B., E-mail: tabr@fct.unl.pt

The literature concerning Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) often refers to the importance of context-specific approaches. However, there is a lack of systematised and consistent studies that enhance tailor-made SEA practices and procedures. Small islands are bounded units of study which may help explore SEA theory and practice in special territories. Small islands present particular features and unique values, such as, small size and population, geographic isolation, limited resources and vulnerable ecosystems. Hence, the main goal of this research was to profile SEA practices and procedures in European small islands and provide a background for future research aiming to improve context-specificmore » SEA applications. To achieve this goal, an exploratory case study was developed using Azores (Portugal) and Orkney (Scotland) archipelagos. An analysis of the corresponding mainland was also carried out to contextualise both case studies. The data collection was achieved through a qualitative content analysis of 43 Environmental Reports. The research found that there is not an SEA context-specific approach used within these European small islands, including guidelines, assessment topics, assessment techniques, follow-up and stakeholders engagement. The debate concerning specific approaches to small islands must be re-focused on the enhancement of SEA capacity-building amongst different stakeholders (including decision-makers), on the development and implementation of collaborative approaches, and on the exchange of knowledge and experiences between small islands networks. - Highlights: • Reviewed the differences between the Portuguese and Scottish SEA system • Showed a low integration of SEA specific features in reports of European small islands • Provides background for future SEA research for small islands approaches.« less

Proceedings of the November 2011 Traceability Research Summit: this report is the third in a series on Traceability Summits sponsored by IFT beginning in July 2011.

PubMed

Hickey, Caitlin; Bhatt, Tejas

2013-12-01

Fifty thought leaders in the area of food traceability met for a 3rd time to discuss methodologies and finalize the principles that define their vision for traceability. Participants in the summit included representatives from industry, trade associations, government, academia, consumer groups, and more. One main focus of this summit included a discussion on the current regulations and voluntary initiatives in place regarding traceability. Overall, it was recognized that the recommendations from this summit group would be more specific and stringent in comparison to these current regulations and initiatives. The participants sought to be leaders in the traceability arena, with their recommendations leading the industry to optimal traceability systems and methods. Participants agreed on many principles for their vision of traceability, emphasizing the importance of access to traceability data. They discussed having industry be asked for "basic" tracing data prior to the need for a large-scale investigation, having standards for sharing data, and having the data in electronic form. Participants foresaw the importance of capturing data electronically in the future, although they recognized that many firms do not currently do this. The group also saw a need for a transition period to implement changes, and to provide implementation training and resource aid to small businesses. Summit participants discussed specific definitions and examples for key data elements and critical tracking events that could be used by industry to capture tracing data at specific points within the supply chain. Overall, participants refined the goals of the summit group and started to identify specific ways to achieve those goals. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Specific features of goal setting in road traffic safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesov, V. I.; Danilov, O. F.; Petrov, A. I.

2017-10-01

Road traffic safety (RTS) management is inherently a branch of cybernetics and therefore requires clear formalization of the task. The paper aims at identification of the specific features of goal setting in RTS management under the system approach. The paper presents the results of cybernetic modeling of the cause-to-effect mechanism of a road traffic accident (RTA); in here, the mechanism itself is viewed as a complex system. A designed management goal function is focused on minimizing the difficulty in achieving the target goal. Optimization of the target goal has been performed using the Lagrange principle. The created working algorithms have passed the soft testing. The key role of the obtained solution in the tactical and strategic RTS management is considered. The dynamics of the management effectiveness indicator has been analyzed based on the ten-year statistics for Russia.

13. Operational planning for a specific intervention.

PubMed

2014-05-01

Every intervention must follow an operational plan. Operational plans delineate actions required to meet an objective that is part of the strategic plan (overarching goal). Operational plans dictate the critical pathways for the interventions that will be followed during and following the implementation of the intervention. Operational plans include: (1) an introduction and brief situation report; (2) an overview of the task(s), objectives, and the overarching goal to be addressed; (3) the methods that will be employed; (4) planning factors; (5) the resources that will be required including personnel, equipment, and supplies; (6) timelines, benchmarks, and milestones including their respective indicators, startup time, end point, and estimates of the time required for completion; (7) the administrative structure to be employed; (8) an operating budget; (9) the strategy for acquiring the funding required; (10) roles and responsibilities of the personnel including position descriptions and the competencies required of the personnel (skill sets); (11) mechanisms for monitoring the progress including the indicators that will be employed, (12) safety, including health of the personnel, required immunisations, accommodations, and reporting structure; (13) self-sufficiency; and (14) reporting and accounting. There are many generic items in an operational plan that can be used in successive plans. Without a detailed operational plan, interventions are doomed to probable failure and can profoundly negatively impact other projects operational in the area.

Computer Aided Grid Interface: An Interactive CFD Pre-Processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soni, Bharat K.

1997-01-01

NASA maintains an applications oriented computational fluid dynamics (CFD) efforts complementary to and in support of the aerodynamic-propulsion design and test activities. This is especially true at NASA/MSFC where the goal is to advance and optimize present and future liquid-fueled rocket engines. Numerical grid generation plays a significant role in the fluid flow simulations utilizing CFD. An overall goal of the current project was to develop a geometry-grid generation tool that will help engineers, scientists and CFD practitioners to analyze design problems involving complex geometries in a timely fashion. This goal is accomplished by developing the CAGI: Computer Aided Grid Interface system. The CAGI system is developed by integrating CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) geometric system output and/or Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) files (including all the NASA-IGES entities), geometry manipulations and generations associated with grid constructions, and robust grid generation methodologies. This report describes the development process of the CAGI system.

Computer Aided Grid Interface: An Interactive CFD Pre-Processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soni, Bharat K.

1996-01-01

NASA maintains an applications oriented computational fluid dynamics (CFD) efforts complementary to and in support of the aerodynamic-propulsion design and test activities. This is especially true at NASA/MSFC where the goal is to advance and optimize present and future liquid-fueled rocket engines. Numerical grid generation plays a significant role in the fluid flow simulations utilizing CFD. An overall goal of the current project was to develop a geometry-grid generation tool that will help engineers, scientists and CFD practitioners to analyze design problems involving complex geometries in a timely fashion. This goal is accomplished by developing the Computer Aided Grid Interface system (CAGI). The CAGI system is developed by integrating CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) geometric system output and / or Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) files (including all the NASA-IGES entities), geometry manipulations and generations associated with grid constructions, and robust grid generation methodologies. This report describes the development process of the CAGI system.

Neurolinguistic programming: a systematic approach to change.

PubMed

Steinbach, A M

1984-01-01

Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) integrates advances in cybernetics, psychophysiology, linguistics, and information services. It has been used in business, education, law, medicine and psychotherapy to alter people's responses to stimuli, so they are better able to regulate their environment and themselves. There are five steps to an effective NLP interaction. They include 1. establishing rapport; the therapist must match his verbal and non-verbal behaviors to the patient's, 2. gathering information about the patient's present problem and goals by noting his verbal patterns and non-verbal responses, 3. considering the impact that achieving the patient's goals will have on him, his work, family and friends, and retaining any positive aspects of his current situation, 4. helping the patient achieve his goals by using specific techniques to alter his responses to various stimuli, and 5. ensuring the altered responses achieved in therapy are integrated into the patient's daily life. NLP has been used to help patients with medical problems ranging from purely psychological to complex organic ones.

Associations among Context-Specific Maternal Protective Behavior, Toddler Fearful Temperament, and Maternal Accuracy and Goals

PubMed Central

Kiel, Elizabeth J.; Buss, Kristin A.

2011-01-01

Maternal protective responses to temperamentally fearful toddlers have previously been found to relate to increased risk for children’s development of anxiety-spectrum problems. Not all protective behavior is “overprotective,” and not all mothers respond to toddlers’ fear with protection. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify conditions under which an association between fearful temperament and protective maternal behavior occurs. Participants included 117 toddlers and their mothers, who were observed in a variety of laboratory tasks. Mothers predicted their toddlers’ fear reactions in these tasks and reported the importance of parent-centered goals for their children’s shyness. Protective behavior displayed in low-threat, but not high-threat, contexts related to concurrently observed fearful temperament and to mother-reported shy/inhibited behavior one year later. The relation between fearful temperament and protective behavior in low-threat, but not high-threat, contexts was strengthened by maternal accuracy in anticipating children’s fear and maternal parent-centered goals for children’s shyness. PMID:23226924

Neurolinguistic Programming: A Systematic Approach to Change

PubMed Central

Steinbach, A. M.

1984-01-01

Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) integrates advances in cybernetics, psychophysiology, linguistics, and information services. It has been used in business, education, law, medicine and psychotherapy to alter people's responses to stimuli, so they are better able to regulate their environment and themselves. There are five steps to an effective NLP interaction. They include 1. establishing rapport; the therapist must match his verbal and non-verbal behaviors to the patient's, 2. gathering information about the patient's present problem and goals by noting his verbal patterns and non-verbal responses, 3. considering the impact that achieving the patient's goals will have on him, his work, family and friends, and retaining any positive aspects of his current situation, 4. helping the patient achieve his goals by using specific techniques to alter his responses to various stimuli, and 5. ensuring the altered responses achieved in therapy are integrated into the patient's daily life. NLP has been used to help patients with medical problems ranging from purely psychological to complex organic ones. PMID:21283502

Critical Review of Technical Questions Facing Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure: A Perspective from the Great Plains.

PubMed

Vogel, Jason R; Moore, Trisha L; Coffman, Reid R; Rodie, Steven N; Hutchinson, Stacy L; McDonough, Kelsey R; McLemore, Alex J; McMaine, John T

2015-09-01

Since its inception, Low Impact Development (LID) has become part of urban stormwater management across the United States, marking progress in the gradual transition from centralized to distributed runoff management infrastructure. The ultimate goal of LID is full, cost-effective implementation to maximize watershed-scale ecosystem services and enhance resilience. To reach that goal in the Great Plains, the multi-disciplinary author team presents this critical review based on thirteen technical questions within the context of regional climate and socioeconomics across increasing complexities in scale and function. Although some progress has been made, much remains to be done including continued basic and applied research, development of local LID design specifications, local demonstrations, and identifying funding mechanisms for these solutions. Within the Great Plains and beyond, by addressing these technical questions within a local context, the goal of widespread acceptance of LID can be achieved, resulting in more effective and resilient stormwater management.

Autonomous Satellite Command and Control Through the World Wide Web. Phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cantwell, Brian; Twiggs, Robert

1998-01-01

The Automated Space System Experimental Testbed (ASSET) system is a simple yet comprehensive real-world operations network being developed. Phase 3 of the ASSET Project was January-December 1997 and is the subject of this report. This phase permitted SSDL and its project partners to expand the ASSET system in a variety of ways. These added capabilities included the advancement of ground station capabilities, the adaptation of spacecraft on-board software, and the expansion of capabilities of the ASSET management algorithms. Specific goals of Phase 3 were: (1) Extend Web-based goal-level commanding for both the payload PI and the spacecraft engineer. (2) Support prioritized handling of multiple (PIs) Principle Investigators as well as associated payload experimenters. (3) Expand the number and types of experiments supported by the ASSET system and its associated spacecraft. (4) Implement more advanced resource management, modeling and fault management capabilities that integrate the space and ground segments of the space system hardware. (5) Implement a beacon monitoring test. (6) Implement an experimental blackboard controller for space system management. (7) Further define typical ground station developments required for Internet-based remote control and for full system automation of the PI-to-spacecraft link. Each of those goals are examined. Significant sections of this report were also published as a conference paper. Several publications produced in support of this grant are included as attachments. Titles include: 1) Experimental Initiatives in Space System Operations; 2) The ASSET Client Interface: Balancing High Level Specification with Low Level Control; 3) Specifying Spacecraft Operations At The Product/Service Level; 4) The Design of a Highly Configurable, Reusable Operating System for Testbed Satellites; 5) Automated Health Operations For The Sapphire Spacecraft; 6) Engineering Data Summaries for Space Missions; and 7) Experiments In Automated Health Assessment And Notification For The Sapphire Microsatellite.

Spacecraft optical disk recorder memory buffer control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodson, Robert F.

1992-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for use in the control electronics of the Spacecraft Optical Disk Recorder (SODR). Specifically, this project is to design an extendable memory buffer controller ASIC for rate matching between a system Input/Output port and the SODR's device interface. The aforementioned goal can be partitioned into the following sub-goals: (1) completion of ASIC design and simulation (on-going via ASEE fellowship); (2) ASIC Fabrication (at ASIC manufacturer); and (3) ASIC Testing (NASA/LaRC, Christopher Newport University).

NASA's strategic plan for education. A strategy for change, 1993-1998

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

NASA's education vision is to promote excellence in America's education system through enhancing and expanding scientific and technological competence. In doing so, NASA strives to be recognized by the education community as the premier mission agency in support of the National Education Goals and in the development and implementation of education standards. To realize this vision, NASA has clearly defined and developed three specific goals to promote excellence in education. Specific objectives and milestones are defined for each goal in the body of this strategic plan.

Research to Support California Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croes, B. E.; Charrier-Klobas, J. G.; Chen, Y.; Duren, R. M.; Falk, M.; Franco, G.; Gallagher, G.; Huang, A.; Kuwayama, T.; Motallebi, N.; Vijayan, A.; Whetstone, J. R.

2016-12-01

Since the passage of the California Global Warming Solutions Act in 2006, California state agencies have developed comprehensive programs to reduce both long-lived and short-lived climate pollutants. California is already close to achieving its goal of reducing greenhouse (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, about a 30% reduction from business as usual. In addition, California has developed strategies to reduce GHG emissions another 40% by 2030, which will put the State on a path to meeting its 2050 goal of an 80% reduction. To support these emission reduction goals, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission have partnered with NASA's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) program on a comprehensive research program to identify and quantify the various GHG emission source sectors in the state. These include California-specific emission studies and inventories for carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission sources; a Statewide GHG Monitoring Network for these pollutants integrated with the Los Angeles Megacities Carbon Project funded by several federal agencies; efforts to verify emission inventories using inversion modeling and other techniques; mobile measurement platforms and flux chambers to measure local and source-specific emissions; and a large-scale statewide methane survey using a tiered monitoring and measurement program, which will include satellite, airborne, and ground-level measurements of the various regions and source sectors in the State. In addition, there are parallel activities focused on black carbon (BC) and fluorinated gases (F-gases) by CARB. This presentation will provide an overview of results from inventory, monitoring, data analysis, and other research efforts on Statewide, regional, and local sources of GHG emissions in California.

Chimeric antigen receptor engineering: a right step in the evolution of adoptive cellular immunotherapy.

PubMed

Figueroa, Jose A; Reidy, Adair; Mirandola, Leonardo; Trotter, Kayley; Suvorava, Natallia; Figueroa, Alejandro; Konala, Venu; Aulakh, Amardeep; Littlefield, Lauren; Grizzi, Fabio; Rahman, Rakhshanda Layeequr; Jenkins, Marjorie R; Musgrove, Breeanna; Radhi, Saba; D'Cunha, Nicholas; D'Cunha, Luke N; Hermonat, Paul L; Cobos, Everardo; Chiriva-Internati, Maurizio

2015-03-01

Cancer immunotherapy comprises different therapeutic strategies that exploit the use of distinct components of the immune system, with the common goal of specifically targeting and eradicating neoplastic cells. These varied approaches include the use of specific monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, cytokines, therapeutic cancer vaccines and cellular anticancer strategies such as activated dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and, more recently, genetically engineered T cells. Each one of these approaches has demonstrated promise, but their generalized success has been hindered by the paucity of specific tumor targets resulting in suboptimal tumor responses and unpredictable toxicities. This review will concentrate on recent advances on the use of engineered T cells for adoptive cellular immunotherapy (ACI) in cancer.

Issues in training the female player

PubMed Central

Kirkendall, Donald T

2007-01-01

On the surface, the women's game appears to be similar to the men's game. On closer examination, there are subtle differences in the nature of how each gender plays the game, which are evident in the disparity between skills, tactics and fitness. The technical weaknesses of women include the first touch, dribbling, long passing and goal keeping. These skill limitations have dictated specific tactical approaches towards both attack and defence. Specific biological limitations inherent in the female player affect the pace and total work output in the women's game. Although it is unrealistic to expect the women's game to approach the work output of the men's game, specific training of skills and fitness will influence the tactical approach to the game. PMID:17504787

The psychological context of quality of life: a psychometric analysis of a novel idiographic measure of bladder cancer patients' personal goals and concerns prior to surgery

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing focus on quality of life outcomes in urological diseases. Patient-reported outcomes research has relied on structured assessments that constrain interpretation of the impact of disease and treatments. In this study, we present content analysis and psychometric evaluation of the Quality of Life Appraisal Profile. Our evaluation of this measure is a prelude to a prospective comparison of quality of life outcomes of reconstructive procedures after cystectomy. Methods Fifty patients with bladder cancer were interviewed prior to surgery using the Quality of Life Appraisal Profile. Patients also completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and demographics. Analysis included content coding of personal goal statements generated by the Appraisal Profile, examination of the relationship of goal attainment to content, and association of goal-based measures with QLQ-C30 scales. Results Patients reported an average of 10 personal goals, reflecting motivational themes of achievement, problem solving, avoidance of problems, maintaining desired circumstances, letting go of roles and responsibilities, acceptance of undesirable situations, and attaining milestones. 503 goal statements were coded using 40 different content categories. Progress toward goal attainment was positively correlated with relationships and activities goals, but negatively correlated with health concerns. Associations among goal measures provided evidence for construct validity. Goal content also differed according to age, gender, employment, and marital status, lending further support for construct validity. QLQ-C30 functioning and symptom scales were correlated with goal content, but not with progress toward goal attainment, suggesting that patients may calibrate progress ratings relative to their specific goals. Alternately, progress may reflect a unique aspect of quality of life untapped by more standard scales. Conclusions The Brief Quality of Life Appraisal Profile was associated with measures of motivation, goal content and progress, as well as relationships with demographic and standard quality of life measures. This measure identifies novel concerns and issues in treating patients with bladder cancer, necessary for a more comprehensive evaluations of their health-related quality of life. PMID:21324146

Advanced Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology Research and Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Wayne A.

2004-01-01

NASA's Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology program is developing next generation power conversion technologies that will enable future missions that have requirements that cannot be met by either the ubiquitous photovoltaic systems or by current Radioisotope Power System (RPS) technology. Performance goals of advanced radioisotope power systems include improvement over the state-of-practice General Purpose Heat Source/Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator by providing significantly higher efficiency to reduce the number of radioisotope fuel modules, and increase specific power (watts/kilogram). Other Advanced RPS goals include safety, long-life, reliability, scalability, multi-mission capability, resistance to radiation, and minimal interference with the scientific payload. NASA has awarded ten contracts in the technology areas of Brayton, Stirling, Thermoelectric, and Thermophotovoltaic power conversion including five development contracts that deal with more mature technologies and five research contracts. The Advanced RPS Systems Assessment Team includes members from NASA GRC, JPL, DOE and Orbital Sciences whose function is to review the technologies being developed under the ten Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology contracts and assess their relevance to NASA's future missions. Presented is an overview of the ten radioisotope power conversion technology contracts and NASA's Advanced RPS Systems Assessment Team.

Relationships Among Goal Contents, Exercise Motivations, Physical Activity, and Aerobic Fitness in University Physical Education Courses.

PubMed

Sibley, Benjamin A; Bergman, Shawn M

2016-04-01

The current research examined the relationships among exercise goal contents, behavioral regulation, physical activity, and aerobic fitness within the context of eight-week university physical education courses. Participants were undergraduate students (M age = 20.2 year, SD = 2.3) enrolled in activity courses (N = 461) during the 2010 Fall semester. At pretest, participants completed a demographic survey, Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire and the Goal Contents in Exercise Questionnaire. At eight-week posttest, participants completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adults and the PACER aerobic fitness test. Relative intrinsic goal content was found to predict physical activity indirectly and aerobic fitness via behavioral regulation. Specific goal contents related to health management and skill development were found to predict physical activity and aerobic fitness via a fully mediated path through identified and intrinsic regulation. Results supported the efficacy of goal contents and self-determination theory in describing physical activity behavior and fitness. Examining specific types of goal contents and behavioral regulations revealed relationships that were masked by the utilization of omnibus scoring protocols. © The Author(s) 2016.

Squad management, injury and match performance in a professional soccer team over a championship-winning season.

PubMed

Carling, Christopher; Le Gall, Franck; McCall, Alan; Nédélec, Mathieu; Dupont, Gregory

2015-01-01

Squad management, injury and physical, tactical and technical match performance were investigated in a professional soccer team across five consecutive league seasons (2008-2013, 190 league games) with specific focus on a championship-winning season (2010/11). For each player, match participation and time-loss injuries were recorded, the latter prospectively diagnosed by the team's physician. Defending and attacking tactical and technical performance indicators investigated included ball possession and possession in opponents' half, passes, forward passes, completed passes and forward passes, crosses and completed crosses, goal attempts and goal attempts on target, successful final third entries, free-kicks and 50/50 duels won/lost. Physical performance measures included total distance and distance covered at high-speeds (≥19.1 km/h). Results showed that during the 2010/11 season, squad utilisation was lowest potentially owing to the observed lower match injury occurrence and working days lost to injury thereby increasing player availability. In 2010/11, the team won both its highest number of points and conceded its lowest number of goals especially over the second half of this season. The team also won its highest number of games directly via a goal from a substitute and scored and conceded a goal first on the highest and lowest number of occasions, respectively. While multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) detected a significant difference in some attacking and defensive performance indicators across the five seasons, these were generally not distinguishing factors in 2010/11. Similarly, univariate ANOVAs showed a significant difference in running distances covered across seasons, but the trend was for less activity in 2010/11.

United we stand: emphasizing commonalities across cognitive-behavioral therapies.

PubMed

Mennin, Douglas S; Ellard, Kristen K; Fresco, David M; Gross, James J

2013-06-01

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has a rich history of alleviating the suffering associated with mental disorders. Recently, there have been exciting new developments, including multicomponent approaches, incorporated alternative therapies (e.g., meditation), targeted and cost-effective technologies, and integrated biological and behavioral frameworks. These field-wide changes have led some to emphasize the differences among variants of CBT. Here, we draw attention to commonalities across cognitive-behavioral therapies, including shared goals, change principles, and therapeutic processes. Specifically, we offer a framework for examining common CBT characteristics that emphasizes behavioral adaptation as a unifying goal and three core change principles, namely (a) context engagement to promote adaptive imagining and enacting of new experiences; (b) attention change to promote adaptive sustaining, shifting, and broadening of attention; and (c) cognitive change to promote adaptive perspective taking on events so as to alter verbal meanings. Further, we argue that specific intervention components, including behavioral exposure/activation, attention training, acceptance/tolerance, decentering/defusion, and cognitive reframing, may be emphasized to a greater or lesser degree by different treatment packages but are still fundamentally common therapeutic processes that are present across approaches and are best understood by their relationships to these core CBT change principles. We conclude by arguing for shared methodological and design frameworks for investigating unique and common characteristics to advance a unified and strong voice for CBT in a widening, increasingly multimodal and interdisciplinary, intervention science. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of the Maryland Online Individualized Education Program Goal Wizard on Writing Standards Based Annual Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Kimberly A.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Maryland Online Individualized Education Program Goal Wizard on writing standards based annual goals. Specifically, 100 novice special education teachers form a large urban school system in Maryland were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group received one…

The role of goal representations, cultural identity, and dispositional optimism in the depressive experiences of American Indian youth from a Northern Plains tribe.

PubMed

Tyser, Jason; Scott, Walter D; Readdy, Tucker; McCrea, Sean M

2014-03-01

American Indian researchers and scholars have emphasized the importance of identifying variables that promote resilience and protect against the development of psychopathology in American Indian youth. The present study examined the role of self-regulation, specifically goal characteristics (i.e., goal self-efficacy, goal specificity, intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation, and goal conflict) and dispositional optimism, as well as cultural identity and self-reported academic grades in the depressive experiences of American Indian youth from a North American plains tribe. One hundred and sixty-four participants (53% female) completed measures of goal representations, cultural identity, dispositional optimism, academic performance, and depressive symptoms. Results supported a model in which higher goal self-efficacy, American Indian cultural identity, grade point average, and dispositional optimism each significantly predicted fewer depressive symptoms. Moreover, grade point average and goal self-efficacy had both direct and indirect (through dispositional optimism) relationships with depressive symptoms. Our findings underscore the importance of cognitive self-regulatory processes and cultural identity in the depressive experiences for these American Indian youth and may have implications for youth interventions attempting to increase resiliency and decrease risk for depressive symptoms.

Student Motivation and Program Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Robert C.; Bertoch, Sara Cummings

2010-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between goal instability and participation in a career planning program (course) using the goal instability scale (GIS) and a completed course performance contract. Specifically, this study addressed the following question: What is the relationship between motivation, as measured by goal instability,…

Goal specificity and knowledge acquisition in statistics problem solving: evidence for attentional focus.

PubMed

Trumpower, David L; Goldsmith, Timothy E; Guynn, Melissa J

2004-12-01

Solving training problems with nonspecific goals (NG; i.e., solving for all possible unknown values) often results in better transfer than solving training problems with standard goals (SG; i.e., solving for one particular unknown value). In this study, we evaluated an attentional focus explanation of the goal specificity effect. According to the attentional focus view, solving NG problems causes attention to be directed to local relations among successive problem states, whereas solving SG problems causes attention to be directed to relations between the various problem states and the goal state. Attention to the former is thought to enhance structural knowledge about the problem domain and thus promote transfer. Results supported this view because structurally different transfer problems were solved faster following NG training than following SG training. Moreover, structural knowledge representations revealed more links depicting local relations following NG training and more links to the training goal following SG training. As predicted, these effects were obtained only by domain novices.

Mission Data System Java Edition Version 7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinholtz, William K.; Wagner, David A.

2013-01-01

The Mission Data System framework defines closed-loop control system abstractions from State Analysis including interfaces for state variables, goals, estimators, and controllers that can be adapted to implement a goal-oriented control system. The framework further provides an execution environment that includes a goal scheduler, execution engine, and fault monitor that support the expression of goal network activity plans. Using these frameworks, adapters can build a goal-oriented control system where activity coordination is verified before execution begins (plan time), and continually during execution. Plan failures including violations of safety constraints expressed in the plan can be handled through automatic re-planning. This version optimizes a number of key interfaces and features to minimize dependencies, performance overhead, and improve reliability. Fault diagnosis and real-time projection capabilities are incorporated. This version enhances earlier versions primarily through optimizations and quality improvements that raise the technology readiness level. Goals explicitly constrain system states over explicit time intervals to eliminate ambiguity about intent, as compared to command-oriented control that only implies persistent intent until another command is sent. A goal network scheduling and verification process ensures that all goals in the plan are achievable before starting execution. Goal failures at runtime can be detected (including predicted failures) and handled by adapted response logic. Responses can include plan repairs (try an alternate tactic to achieve the same goal), goal shedding, ignoring the fault, cancelling the plan, or safing the system.

The effects of treatment adherence and treatment-specific therapeutic competencies on outcome and goal attainment in telephone-based therapy with caregivers of people with dementia.

PubMed

Schinköthe, Denise; Altmann, Uwe; Wilz, Gabriele

2015-01-01

Contradictory results have been found for the impact of therapist's adherence and competence on intervention outcomes. Most studies focus on generic aspects of competence and adherence, rather than taking into account treatment-specific aspects or specific challenges of the clientele. Appropriate analyses are lacking for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with caregivers of people with dementia. In a sample of 43 caregivers, we examined adherence and different competence ratings of 80 complete sessions, as predictors of symptom change and goal attainment. Therapist's competence was evaluated by four raters, using an adapted version of the cognitive therapy scale (CTS) on three subscales of competence: General therapeutic (GT), session-structuring (SS), and treatment-specific CBT technique (CT). Therapist's adherence to the manual was also assessed. The results show that GT competencies were associated with lower post-test depression scores and that CT competencies predicted a decrease in caregiver burden and higher goal attainment, while SS competencies predicted higher post-test burden. Therapist's adherence had no relationship to outcome, but the higher application of modifying dysfunctional thoughts was associated with higher goal attainment. The results suggest the importance of treatment-specific competencies for outcome. Future research should identify empirically what kind of therapeutic behavior is appropriate to the challenges of a specific clientele such as caregivers of people with dementia.

Applying an Integrative Framework of Executive Function to Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapa, Leah L.; Plante, Elena; Doubleday, Kevin

2017-01-01

Purpose: The first goal of this research was to compare verbal and nonverbal executive function abilities between preschoolers with and without specific language impairment (SLI). The second goal was to assess the group differences on 4 executive function components in order to determine if the components may be hierarchically related as suggested…

Policies to Support Wind Power Deployment: Key Considerations and Good Practices

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

Cox, Sadie; Tegen, Suzanne; Baring-Gould, Ian

2015-05-19

Policies have played an important role in scaling up wind deployment and increasing its economic viability while also supporting country-specific economic, social, and environmental development goals. Although wind power has become cost-competitive in several contexts, challenges to wind power deployment remain. Within the context of country-specific goals and challenges, policymakers are seeking

The Impact of Goal Achievement Orientation on Student Technology Usage in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGloin, Rory; McGillicuddy, Kara T.; Christensen, John L.

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether students with differing goal achievement orientations were more likely to engage in on-task or off-task mobile device usage, as well as whether particular devices (specifically, laptops and smartphones) have a positive or negative relationship with specific task usage. The results of this study…

Training Grapheme-Colour Associations Produces a Synaesthetic Stroop Effect, but Not a Conditioned Synaesthetic Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meier, Beat; Rothen, Nicolas

2009-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate whether behavioural and physiological consequences of synaesthesia can be elicited by training specific letter-colour associations. Towards this goal 20 non-synaesthetic individuals were trained for 10 min on 7 consecutive days to associate four different letters with four specific colours. After training,…

Sensor technology workshop: Structure and goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Barbara A.

1991-01-01

The Astrotech 21 charter for the second of three workshops is described. The purpose was to identify technology needs in the areas of electromagnetic radiation sensors, and to recommend a plan to develop the required capabilities that are not currently available. The panels chosen for this workshop focused specifically on those technologies needed for the Astrotech 21 Program including: gamma ray and x ray sensors, ultraviolet and visible sensors, direct infrared sensors, and heterodyne submillimeter wave sensors.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Improper Planning of the Administrative Buildings Project at Camp Lejeune, Norlh Carolina

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

the project was for “routine maintenance and repair and improvements to non-historic buildings and structures in the Camp Lejeune Complex...and cost overruns; and (5) program goals are achieved, including specific program outcomes and improved results on broader economic indicators. 1...Department of the Navy received approximately $1.2 billion in Recovery Act funds for Operations and Maintenance ; Military Construction; and Research

MARS: The Viking discoveries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

French, B. M.

1977-01-01

The Viking spacecraft are described as well as the instruments carried to accomplish the combined goal of studying the atmosphere and geology of the entire planet, and to analyze the Martian soil and search for life in two specific locations. Imagery received from the spacecraft illustrate discussions of the planetary surface, composition, and winds. Suggestions for further reading are included along with a list of available NASA film. Experiments and activities for classroom use are described.

The balanced scorecard--measures that drive performance.

PubMed

Kaplan, R S; Norton, D P

1992-01-01

Frustrated by the inadequacies of traditional performance measurement systems, some managers have abandoned financial measures like return on equity and earnings per share. "Make operational improvements and the numbers will follow," the argument goes. But managers do not want to choose between financial and operational measures. Executives want a balanced presentation of measures that allow them to view the company from several perspectives simultaneously. During a year-long research project with 12 companies at the leading edge of performance measurement, the authors developed a "balanced scorecard," a new performance measurement system that gives top managers a fast but comprehensive view of the business. The balanced scorecard includes financial measures that tell the results of actions already taken. And it complements those financial measures with three sets of operational measures having to do with customer satisfaction, internal processes, and the organization's ability to learn and improve--the activities that drive future financial performance. Managers can create a balanced scorecard by translating their company's strategy and mission statements into specific goals and measures. To create the part of the scorecard that focuses on the customer perspective, for example, executives at Electronic Circuits Inc. established general goals for customer performance: get standard products to market sooner, improve customers' time-to-market, become customers' supplier of choice through partnerships, and develop innovative products tailored to customer needs. Managers translated these elements of strategy into four specific goals and identified a measure for each.

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

Malone, Elizabeth L.; Sanquist, Tom; Wolfe, Amy K.

This document is part of a larger, programmatic effort to assist federal agencies in taking action and changing their institutions to achieve and maintain federal sustainability goals, while meeting their mission goals. FEMP is developing guidance for federal agency efforts to enable institutional behavior change for sustainability, and for making sustainability “business as usual.” The driving requirement for this change is Executive Order (EO) 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance. FEMP emphasizes strategies for increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy utilization as critical components of attaining sustainability, and promotes additional non-energy action pathways contained in EO 13514.more » This report contributes to the larger goal by laying out the conceptual and evidentiary underpinnings of guidance to federal agencies. Conceptual frameworks focus and organize the development of guidance. We outline a series of progressively refined conceptual frameworks, including a multi-layer approach, key steps in sustainability implementation, a process view of specific approaches to institutional change, the agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans (SSPPs), and concepts related to context-specific rules, roles and tools for sustainability. Additionally, we tap pertinent bodies of literature in drawing eight evidence-based principles for behavior change. These principles are important foundations upon which to build in selecting strategies to effect change in organizations. Taken together, this report presents a suite of components that inform the training materials, presentations, web site, and other products that provide guidance to federal agencies.« less

5 CFR 451.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... achievement that contributes to meeting organizational goals or improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and..., performance goals, measurement systems, award formulas, or payout schedules. Award program means the specific...

Assessment, development, and testing of glass for blast environments.

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

Glass, Sarah Jill

2003-06-01

Glass can have lethal effects including fatalities and injuries when it breaks and then flies through the air under blast loading (''the glass problem''). One goal of this program was to assess the glass problem and solutions being pursued to mitigate it. One solution to the problem is the development of new glass technology that allows the strength and fragmentation to be controlled or selected depending on the blast performance specifications. For example the glass could be weak and fail, or it could be strong and survive, but it must perform reliably. Also, once it fails it should produce fragmentsmore » of a controlled size. Under certain circumstances it may be beneficial to have very small fragments, in others it may be beneficial to have large fragments that stay together. The second goal of this program was to evaluate the performance (strength, reliability, and fragmentation) of Engineered Stress Profile (ESP) glass under different loading conditions. These included pseudo-static strength and pressure tests and free-field blast tests. The ultimate goal was to provide engineers and architects with a glass whose behavior under blast loading is less lethal. A near-term benefit is a new approach for improving the reliability of glass and modifying its fracture behavior.« less

Goal-Based Domain Modeling as a Basis for Cross-Disciplinary Systems Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarke, Matthias; Nissen, Hans W.; Rose, Thomas; Schmitz, Dominik

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important drivers for innovation. In particular, project-driven SMEs that closely cooperate with their customers have specific needs in regard to information engineering of their development process. They need a fast requirements capture since this is most often included in the (unpaid) offer development phase. At the same time, they need to maintain and reuse the knowledge and experiences they have gathered in previous projects extensively as it is their core asset. The situation is complicated further if the application field crosses disciplinary boundaries. To bridge the gaps and perspectives, we focus on shared goals and dependencies captured in models at a conceptual level. Such a model-based approach also offers a smarter connection to subsequent development stages, including a high share of automated code generation. In the approach presented here, the agent- and goal-oriented formalism i * is therefore extended by domain models to facilitate information organization. This extension permits a domain model-based similarity search, and a model-based transformation towards subsequent development stages. Our approach also addresses the evolution of domain models reflecting the experiences from completed projects. The approach is illustrated with a case study on software-intensive control systems in an SME of the automotive domain.

Questioning Art: Factors Affecting Students' Cognitive Engagement in Responding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Julia E.; Lummis, Geoffrey W.; Lock, Graeme

2017-01-01

The "Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians" (MCEETYA, 2008) cited confident and creative citizens as a key goal for Australian students. This goal aligns with global research on visual arts, specifically visual literacy. Being visually literate means decoding images, understanding the relationship between image…

Current research on parenting styles, dimensions, and beliefs.

PubMed

Smetana, Judith G

2017-06-01

For decades, parenting has been characterized in terms of broad global styles, with authoritative parenting seen as most beneficial for children's development. Concerns with greater sensitivity to cultural and contextual variations have led to greater specificity in defining parenting in terms of different parenting dimensions and greater consideration of the role of parenting beliefs in moderating links between parenting and adjustment. New research includes 'domain-specific' models that describe parents as flexibly deploying different practices depending on their goals, children's needs, and the types of behaviors towards which parenting is directed. These trends are described, and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Capturing structured, pulmonary disease-specific data elements in electronic health records.

PubMed

Gronkiewicz, Cynthia; Diamond, Edward J; French, Kim D; Christodouleas, John; Gabriel, Peter E

2015-04-01

Electronic health records (EHRs) have the potential to improve health-care quality by allowing providers to make better decisions at the point of care based on electronically aggregated data and by facilitating clinical research. These goals are easier to achieve when key, disease-specific clinical information is documented as structured data elements (SDEs) that computers can understand and process, rather than as free-text/natural-language narrative. This article reviews the benefits of capturing disease-specific SDEs. It highlights several design and implementation considerations, including the impact on efficiency and expressivity of clinical documentation and the importance of adhering to data standards when available. Pulmonary disease-specific examples of collection instruments are provided from two commonly used commercial EHRs. Future developments that can leverage SDEs to improve clinical quality and research are discussed.

The nonconscious cessation of goal pursuit: when goals and negative affect are coactivated.

PubMed

Aarts, Henk; Custers, Ruud; Holland, Rob W

2007-02-01

Extending on the recent investigation into the implicit affective processes underlying motivation and decision making, 5 studies examined the role of negative affect in moderating goal priming effects. Specifically, experimental effects on measures that typify motivational qualities of goal systems, such as keeping a goal at a heightened level of mental accessibility and exerting effort to work for a goal and experiencing desire to attain the goal, showed that the motivation and resultant operation of social goals cease when these goals are primed in temporal proximity of negatively valenced information. These goal cessation effects resulting from the mere coactivation of a goal and negative affect are discussed against the background of present research on nonconscious goal pursuit and the role of accessibility and desirability in the regulation of automatic goal-directed behavior. ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Greenhouse Gas Source Detection and Attribution in the San Francisco Bay Area of California Using a Mobile Measurement Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martien, P. T.; Guha, A.; Newman, S.; Young, A.; Bower, J.; Perkins, I.; Randall, S.; Stevenson, E.; Hilken, H.

2017-12-01

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the San Francisco Bay Area's air quality regulatory agency, has set a goal to reduce the region's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, consistent with the State of California's climate goals. Recently, the Air District's governing board adopted a 2017 Clean Air Plan advancing the agency's vision and including actions to put the region on a path to achieving the 2050 goal while also reducing air pollution and related health impacts. The Plan includes GHG rule-making efforts, policy initiatives, local government partnerships, outreach, grants and incentives, encompassing over 250 specific implementation actions across all economic sectors to effect ambitious emission reductions in the region. To support the 2017 Plan, the Air District has built a mobile measurement platform (GHG research van) to perform targeted CH4 emissions hotspot detection and source attribution. Instruments in the van measure CH4, CO2 and N2O in ambient plumes. Coincident measurements of source tracers like isotopic methane (13C - CH4), CO and ethane (C2H6) provide the capability to distinguish between biogenic, combustion-based and fossil-based fugitive methane sources. We report observations of CH4 plumes from source-specific measurements in and around facilities including a wastewater treatment plant, a composting operation, a waste-to-energy anaerobic digestion plant and a few refineries. We performed leak surveys inside several electric utility-operated facilities including a power plant and an underground natural gas storage facility. We sampled exhaust from a roadway tunnel and computed fleet-averaged automobile-related CH4 and N2O emission factors. We used tracer-to-tracer emission ratios to create chemical signatures of emissions from each sampled source category. We compare measurement-based ratios with those used to derive the regional GHG inventory. Data from these and other sources will lead to an improved understanding of GHG emissions from well- and lesser-known CH4 sources in the region, key to resolving the differences between top-down estimates (Fairley and Fischer, 2015; Jeong et al., 2016) and the regional bottom-up inventory.

Implementing a framework for goal setting in community based stroke rehabilitation: a process evaluation.

PubMed

Scobbie, Lesley; McLean, Donald; Dixon, Diane; Duncan, Edward; Wyke, Sally

2013-05-24

Goal setting is considered 'best practice' in stroke rehabilitation; however, there is no consensus regarding the key components of goal setting interventions or how they should be optimally delivered in practice. We developed a theory-based goal setting and action planning framework (G-AP) to guide goal setting practice. G-AP has 4 stages: goal negotiation, goal setting, action planning & coping planning and appraisal & feedback. All stages are recorded in a patient-held record. In this study we examined the implementation, acceptability and perceived benefits of G-AP in one community rehabilitation team with people recovering from stroke. G-AP was implemented for 6 months with 23 stroke patients. In-depth interviews with 8 patients and 8 health professionals were analysed thematically to investigate views of its implementation, acceptability and perceived benefits. Case notes of interviewed patients were analysed descriptively to assess the fidelity of G-AP implementation. G-AP was mostly implemented according to protocol with deviations noted at the planning and appraisal and feedback stages. Each stage was felt to make a useful contribution to the overall process; however, in practice, goal negotiation and goal setting merged into one stage and the appraisal and feedback stage included an explicit decision making component. Only two issues were raised regarding G-APs acceptability: (i) health professionals were concerned about the impact of goal non-attainment on patient's well-being (patients did not share their concerns), and (ii) some patients and health professionals found the patient-held record unhelpful. G-AP was felt to have a positive impact on patient goal attainment and professional goal setting practice. Collaborative partnerships between health professionals and patients were apparent throughout the process. G-AP has been perceived as both beneficial and broadly acceptable in one community rehabilitation team; however, implementation of novel aspects of the framework was inconsistent. The regulatory function of goal non-attainment and the importance of creating flexible partnerships with patients have been highlighted. Further development of the G-AP framework, training package and patient held record is required to address the specific issues highlighted by this process evaluation. Further evaluation of G-AP is required across diverse community rehabilitation settings.

Justice Department Airline Merger Policy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farmer, D. A.

1972-01-01

Justice Department airline merger policy is developed within the context of the Federal Aviation Act, in which there is an unusually explicit reliance on competition as a means of fulfilling statutory goals. The economics of the airline industry appear to indicate that low concentration and vigorous competition are particularly viable and desirable. Several factors, including existing regulatory policy, create incentives for airlines to merge whether or not an individual merger promotes or conflicts with the public interest. Specific benefits to the public should be identified and shown to clearly outweight the detriments, including adverse competitive impact, in order for airline mergers to be approved.

Developing physician pay arrangements: the cash and care equation.

PubMed

Levitch, J H

1998-11-01

Developing physician compensation packages that help a healthcare organization meet its business objectives while satisfying physician pay expectations requires new ways of linking pay to physician performance. Such compensation arrangements specifically should include pay tied to defined performance standards, compensation linked to group performance, performance incentives based on realistic, achievable goals, work performance measured by common criteria, and similar pay ensured for similar work. Final pay arrangements also should include items that are sometimes overlooked, such as fully delineated job responsibilities, performance measures aligned correctly with performance areas, and the value of benefits considered in the cash compensation levels.

Crew collaboration in space: a naturalistic decision-making perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith

2005-01-01

Successful long-duration space missions will depend on the ability of crewmembers to respond promptly and effectively to unanticipated problems that arise under highly stressful conditions. Naturalistic decision making (NDM) exploits the knowledge and experience of decision makers in meaningful work domains, especially complex sociotechnical systems, including aviation and space. Decision making in these ambiguous, dynamic, high-risk environments is a complex task that involves defining the nature of the problem and crafting a response to achieve one's goals. Goal conflicts, time pressures, and uncertain outcomes may further complicate the process. This paper reviews theory and research pertaining to the NDM model and traces some of the implications for space crews and other groups that perform meaningful work in extreme environments. It concludes with specific recommendations for preparing exploration crews to use NDM effectively.

Industry involvement in IPAD through the Industry Technical Advisory Board

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, W. E.

1980-01-01

In 1976 NASA awarded The Boeing Company a contract to develop IPAD (Integrated Programs for Aerospace-Vehicle Design). This contract included a requirement for Boeing to form an Industrial Technical Advisory Board (ITAB), with members representing major aerospace and computer companies. The purpose of this board was to guide the development of IPAD. The specific goal of IPAD is to increase United States aerospace industry productivity through the application of computers to manage engineering data. This goal clearly is attainable; in fact, IPAD's influence can reach beyond the aerospace industry to many businesses where product development is based on the design-building process. An enhanced IPAD, therefore, is a national asset of significance. The role of ITAB in guiding the development of this system is described.

Preliminary design and analysis of an advanced rotorcraft transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Z. S.

1990-01-01

Future rotorcraft transmissions of the 1990s and beyond the year 2000 require the incorporation of key emerging material and component technologies using advanced and innovative design practices in order to meet the requirements for a reduced weight-to-power ratio, a decreased noise level, and a substantially increased reliability. The specific goals for future rotocraft transmissions when compared with current state-of-the-art transmissions are a 25 percent weight reduction, a 10-dB reduction in the transmitted noise level, and a system reliability of 5000 hours mean-time-between-removal for the transmission. This paper presents the results of the design studies conducted to meet the stated goals for an advanced rotorcraft transmission. These design studies include system configuration, planetary gear train selection, and reliability prediction methods.

Assessing Patients’ Experiences with Communication Across the Cancer Care Continuum

PubMed Central

Mazor, Kathleen M.; Street, Richard L.; Sue, Valerie M.; Williams, Andrew E.; Rabin, Borsika A.; Arora, Neeraj K.

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the relevance, performance and potential usefulness of the Patient Assessment of cancer Communication Experiences (PACE) items. Methods Items focusing on specific communication goals related to exchanging information, fostering healing relationships, responding to emotions, making decisions, enabling self-management, and managing uncertainty were tested via a retrospective, cross-sectional survey of adults who had been diagnosed with cancer. Analyses examined response frequencies, inter-item correlations, and coefficient alpha. Results A total of 366 adults were included in the analyses. Relatively few selected “Does Not Apply”, suggesting that items tap relevant communication experiences. Ratings of whether specific communication goals were achieved were strongly correlated with overall ratings of communication, suggesting item content reflects important aspects of communication. Coefficient alpha was ≥.90 for each item set, indicating excellent reliability. Variations in the percentage of respondents selecting the most positive response across items suggest results can identify strengths and weaknesses. Conclusion The PACE items tap relevant, important aspects of communication during cancer care, and may be useful to cancer care teams desiring detailed feedback. PMID:26979476

General presentation including new structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soons, A.

2002-12-01

Electrical, electronic and electro-mechanical components play an essential role in the functional performance, quality, life cycle and costs of space systems. Their standardisation, product specification, development, evaluation, qualification and procurement must be based on a coherent and efficient approach, paying due attention to present and prospective European space policies and must be commensurate with user needs, market developments and technology trends. The European Space Components Coordination (ESCC) is established with the objective of harmonising the efforts concerning the various aspects of EEE space components by ESA. European national and international public space organisations, the component manufacturers and the user industries. The goal of the ESCC is to improve the availability of strategic EEE space components with the required performance and at affordable costs for institutional and commercial space programmes. It is the objective of ESCC to achieve this goal by harmonising the resources and development efforts for space components in the ESA Member States and by providing a single and unified system for the standardisation, product specification, evaluation, qualification and procurement of European EEE space components and for the certification of components and component manufacturers.

Using In-vivo Fluorescence Imaging in Personalized Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy, an Image and Treat Paradigm

PubMed Central

Ardeshirpour, Yasaman; Chernomordik, Victor; Capala, Jacek; Hassan, Moinuddin; Zielinsky, Rafal; Griffiths, Gary; Achilefu, Samuel; Smith, Paul; Gandjbakhckhe, Amir

2013-01-01

The major goal in developing drugs targeting specific tumor receptors, such as Monoclonal AntiBodies (MAB), is to make a drug compound that targets selectively the cancer-causing biomarkers, inhibits their functionality, and/or delivers the toxin specifically to the malignant cells. Recent advances in MABs show that their efficacy depends strongly on characterization of tumor biomarkers. Therefore, one of the main tasks in cancer diagnostics and treatment is to develop non-invasive in-vivo imaging techniques for detection of cancer biomarkers and monitoring their down regulation during the treatment. Such methods can potentially result in a new imaging and treatment paradigm for cancer therapy. In this article we have reviewed fluorescence imaging approaches, including those developed in our group, to detect and monitor Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 (HER2) receptors before and during therapy. Transition of these techniques from the bench to bedside is the ultimate goal of our project. Similar approaches can be used potentially for characterization of other cancer related cell biomarkers. PMID:22066595

Design evaluation in technology assessment: Illustrated by auditory impedance and sound distribution problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halldane, J. F.

1972-01-01

Technology is considered as a culture for changing a physical world and technology assessment questions the inherent cultural capability to modify power and material in support of living organisms. A comprehensive goal-parameter-synthesis-criterion specification is presented as a basis for a rational assessment of technology. The thesis queries the purpose of the assessed problems, the factors considered, the relationships between factors, and the values assigned those factors to accomplish the appropriate purpose. Stationary and sequential evaluation of enviro-organismic systems are delegated to the responsible personalities involved in design; from promoter/designer through contractor to occupant. Discussion includes design goals derived from organismic factors, definitions of human responses which establish viable criteria and relevant correlation models, linking stimulus parameters, and parallel problem-discipline centered design organization. A consistent concept of impedance, as a degradation in the performance of a specified parameter, is introduced to overcome the arbitrary inoperative connotations of terms like noise, discomfort, and glare. Applications of the evaluative specification are illustrated through design problems related to auditory impedance and sound distribution.

How the gastroenterology nurse can establish and meet career goals.

PubMed

Greenwald, Beverly

2006-01-01

A career goal promotes professional growth for the gastroenterology nurse. Short-term goals (achievable in less than one year) focus toward attaining a long-term goal (achievable in 5 to 10 years). The steps to achieving a career goal are self-assessment, career goal development, action plan development, implementation of the action plan, evaluation, and the establishment of a new goal. A career goal must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and have a specified time frame. A tailor-made action plan is a list of interventions to promote goal achievement within the specified time frame. A goal posted in a prominent area is less likely to be forgotten and can guide day-to-day activities. A career goal should be reviewed and revised at least annually. A professional resume documents these career achievements.

Current Status, Goals, and Research Agenda for Outcome Measures Development in Behçet Syndrome: Report from OMERACT 2014.

PubMed

Hatemi, Gulen; Ozguler, Yesim; Direskeneli, Haner; Mahr, Alfred; Gul, Ahmet; Levi, Virna; Aydin, Sibel Z; Mumcu, Gonca; Sertel-Berk, Ozlem; Stevens, Randall M; Yazici, Hasan; Merkel, Peter A

2015-12-01

There is an unmet need for reliable, validated, and widely accepted outcomes and outcome measures for use in clinical trials in Behçet syndrome (BS). Our report summarizes initial steps taken by the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) vasculitis working group toward developing a core set of outcome measures for BS according to the OMERACT methodology, including the OMERACT Filter 2.0, and discussions during the first meeting of the BS working group held during OMERACT 12 (2014). During OMERACT 12, some of the important challenges in developing outcomes for BS were outlined and discussed, and a research agenda was drafted. Among topics discussed were the advantages and disadvantages of a composite measure for BS that evaluates several organs/organ systems; bringing patients and physicians together for discussions about how to assess disease activity; use of organ-specific measures developed for other diseases; and the inclusion of generic, disease-specific, or organ-specific measures. The importance of incorporating patients' perspectives, concerns, and ideas into outcome measure development was emphasized. The planned research agenda includes conducting a Delphi exercise among physicians from different specialties that are involved in the care of patients with BS and among patients with BS, with the aim of identifying candidate domains and subdomains to be assessed in randomized clinical trials of BS, and candidate items for a composite measure. The ultimate goal of the group is to develop a validated and widely accepted core set of outcomes and outcome measures for use in clinical trials in BS.

Current Status, Goals, and Research Agenda for Outcome Measures Development in Behçet Syndrome: Report from OMERACT 2014

PubMed Central

Hatemi, Gulen; Ozguler, Yesim; Direskeneli, Haner; Mahr, Alfred; Gul, Ahmet; Levi, Virna; Aydin, Sibel Z.; Mumcu, Gonca; Sertel-Berk, Ozlem; Stevens, Randall M.; Yazici, Hasan; Merkel, Peter A.

2016-01-01

Objective There is an unmet need for reliable, validated, and widely accepted outcomes and outcome measures for use in clinical trials in Behçet syndrome (BS). Our report summarizes initial steps taken by the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) vasculitis working group toward developing a core set of outcome measures for BS according to the OMERACT methodology, including the OMERACT Filter 2.0, and discussions during the first meeting of the BS working group held during OMERACT 12 (2014). Methods During OMERACT 12, some of the important challenges in developing outcomes for BS were outlined and discussed, and a research agenda was drafted. Results Among topics discussed were the advantages and disadvantages of a composite measure for BS that evaluates several organs/organ systems; bringing patients and physicians together for discussions about how to assess disease activity; use of organ-specific measures developed for other diseases; and the inclusion of generic, disease-specific, or organ-specific measures. The importance of incorporating patients’ perspectives, concerns, and ideas into outcome measure development was emphasized. Conclusion The planned research agenda includes conducting a Delphi exercise among physicians from different specialties that are involved in the care of patients with BS and among patients with BS, with the aim of identifying candidate domains and subdomains to be assessed in randomized clinical trials of BS, and candidate items for a composite measure. The ultimate goal of the group is to develop a validated and widely accepted core set of outcomes and outcome measures for use in clinical trials in BS. PMID:26373563

Quality of Individualised Education Programme Goals and Objectives for Preschool Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rakap, Salih

2015-01-01

Individualised education programmes (IEPs) are the road maps for individualising services for children with disabilities, specifically through the development of high-quality child goals/objectives. High-quality IEP goals/objectives that are developed based on a comprehensive assessment of child functioning and directly connected to intervention…

The Decision Tree: A Tool for Achieving Behavioral Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saren, Dru

1999-01-01

Presents a "Decision Tree" process for structuring team decision making and problem solving about specific student behavioral goals. The Decision Tree involves a sequence of questions/decisions that can be answered in "yes/no" terms. Questions address reasonableness of the goal, time factors, importance of the goal, responsibilities, safety,…

Academic Self-Handicapping and Achievement Goals: A Further Examination.

PubMed

Midgley, Carol; Urdan, Tim

2001-01-01

This study extends previous research on the relations among students' personal achievement goals, perceptions of the classroom goal structure, and reports of the use of self-handicapping strategies. Surveys, specific to the math domain, were given to 484 7th-grade students in nine middle schools. Personal performance-avoid goals positively predicted handicapping, whereas personal performance-approach goals did not. Personal task goals negatively predicted handicapping. Perceptions of a performance goal structure positively predicted handicapping, and perceptions of a task goal structure negatively predicted handicapping, independent of personal goals. Median splits used to examine multiple goal profiles revealed that students high in performance-avoid goals used handicapping more than did those low in performance-avoid goals regardless of the level of task goals. Students low in performance-avoid goals and high in task goals handicapped less than those low in both goals. Level of performance-approach goals had little effect on the relation between task goals and handicapping. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Robotic lunar exploration: Architectures, issues and options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mankins, John C.; Valerani, Ernesto; Della Torre, Alberto

2007-06-01

The US ‘vision for space exploration’ articulated at the beginning of 2004 encompasses a broad range of human and robotic space missions, including missions to the Moon, Mars and destinations beyond. It establishes clear goals and objectives, yet sets equally clear budgetary ‘boundaries’ by stating firm priorities, including ‘tough choices’ regarding current major NASA programs. The new vision establishes as policy the goals of pursuing commercial and international collaboration in realizing future space exploration missions. Also, the policy envisions that advances in human and robotic mission technologies will play a key role—both as enabling and as a major public benefit that will result from implementing that vision. In pursuing future international space exploration goals, the exploration of the Moon during the coming decades represents a particularly appealing objective. The Moon provides a unique venue for exploration and discovery—including the science of the Moon (e.g., geological studies), science from the Moon (e.g., astronomical observatories), and science on the Moon (including both basic research, such as biological laboratory science, and applied research and development, such as the use of the Moon as a test bed for later exploration). The Moon may also offer long-term opportunties for utilization—including Earth observing applications and commercial developments. During the coming decade, robotic lunar exploration missions will play a particularly important role, both in their own right and as precursors to later, more ambitious human and robotic exploration and development efforts. The following paper discusses some of the issues and opportunities that may arise in establishing plans for future robotic lunar exploration. Particular emphasis is placed on four specific elements of future robotic infrastructure: Earth Moon in-space transportation systems; lunar orbiters; lunar descent and landing systems; and systems for long-range transport on the Moon.

Electrostatic Plasma Accelerator (EPA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brophy, John R.; Aston, Graeme

1989-01-01

The Electrostatic Plasma Accelerator (EPA) is a thruster concept which promises specific impulse levels between low power arcjets and those of the ion engine while retaining the relative simplicity of the arcjet. The EPA thruster produces thrust through the electrostatic acceleration of a moderately dense plasma. No accelerating electrodes are used and the specific impulse is a direct function of the applied discharge voltage and the propellant atomic mass. The goal of the present program is to demonstrate feasibility of the EPA thruster concept through experimental and theoretical investigations of the EPA acceleration mechanism and discharge chamber performance. Experimental investigations will include operating the test bed ion (TBI) engine as an EPA thruster and parametrically varying the thruster geometry and operating conditions to quantify the electrostatic plasma acceleration effect. The theoretical investigations will include the development of a discharge chamber model which describes the relationships between the engine size, plasma properties, and overall performance. For the EPA thruster to be a viable propulsion concept, overall thruster efficiencies approaching 30% with specific impulses approaching 1000 s must be achieved.

A leadership initiative to improve communication and enhance safety.

PubMed

Donahue, Moreen; Miller, Matthew; Smith, Lisa; Dykes, Patricia; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

2011-01-01

The EMPOWER project was a collaborative effort to promote a culture of patient safety at Danbury Hospital through an interdisciplinary leadership-driven communication program. The "EMPOWER" component includes Educating and Mentoring Paraprofessionals On Ways to Enhance Reporting of changes in patient status. Specifically, the EMPOWER program was designed to prepare paraprofessional staff (PPS) to communicate changes in patient status using SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendations) structured communication. The specific project goals included (a) translation of SBAR structured communication methods for use with PPS, (b) reduction of cultural and educational barriers to interdisciplinary communication, and (c) examination of the effect of the EMPOWER intervention on the PPS communication practices and perceptions of the patient safety culture. Results of the project indicate a change in the use of SBAR throughout the institution, with particular improvement in communication from PPS to professional staff.

The impact of corporate social responsibility and employees' perception on participating and contributing to charitable programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Belinda A.

The goal for this research was to understand the perceptions of employees regarding a company's corporate social responsibility (CSR). The specific goal was to discover and understand the level of employee giving to corporate CSR initiatives. In this instance, the fund was a corporate fund for community development program. A qualitative, single-case-study was conducted at a specific division of an aerospace corporation. The topic was explored through an analysis of employee perceptions about advertisement, trust, campaigns, and CSR engagement. Data collection included a pilot study, one-on-one private interviews, and a focus group. The results indicated that (a) the corporation can be a model company for CSR programs, and (b) employees at the specific division under study want to become aware and play their part in bringing about social change. However, the findings indicated that the division must become more visible with its CSR activities. It is through CSR commitment and strategies that the corporation seeks to be a good corporate citizen, which is carried out in collaboration with its employees. The results indicated that employees felt that increased awareness through annual campaign drives and advertisement throughout the year would strengthen giving to the CFCD program and would allow employees to be more engaged in CSR activities.

Designing exposure registries for improved tracking of occupational exposure and disease.

PubMed

Arrandale, Victoria H; Bornstein, Stephen; King, Andrew; Takaro, Timothy K; Demers, Paul A

2016-06-27

Registries are one strategy for collecting information on occupational exposure and disease in populations. Recently leaders in the Canadian occupational health and safety community have shown an interest in the use of occupational exposure registries. The primary goal of this study was to review a series of Canadian exposure registries to identify their strengths and weaknesses as a tool for tracking occupational exposure and disease in Canada. A secondary goal was to identify the features of an exposure registry needed to specifically contribute to prevention, including the identification of new exposure-disease relationships. A documentary review of five exposure registries from Canada was completed. Strengths and limitations of the registries were compared and key considerations for designing new registries were identified. The goals and structure of the exposure registries varied considerably. Most of the reviewed registries had voluntary registration, which presents challenges for the use of the data for either surveillance or epidemiology. It is recommended that eight key issues be addressed when planning new registries: clear registry goal(s), a definition of exposure, data to be collected (and how it will be used), whether enrolment will be mandatory, as well as ethical, privacy and logistical considerations. When well constructed, an exposure registry can be a valuable tool for surveillance, epidemiology and ultimately the prevention of occupational disease. However, exposure registries also have a number of actual and potential limitations that need to be considered.

Guideposts and Roadblocks to the Career-Long Scholarly Engagement of Physical Education Teacher Education Faculty.

PubMed

Berei, Catherine P; Pratt, Erica; Parker, Melissa; Shephard, Kevin; Liang, Tanjian; Nampai, Udon; Neamphoka, Guntima

2017-12-01

Scholarship is essential for the growth and development of the physical education field. Over time, scholarship expectations have changed, forcing faculty members to alter time spent for research, teaching, and service. Social-cognitive career theory (SCCT) presents a model for understanding performance and persistence in an occupational environment. The interconnected aspects of SCCT have different emphasis related to self-efficacy, outcome expectations, or personal goals pursuit. This study explored physical education teacher education (PETE) faculty members' continuing engagement in scholarly activity through SCCT. Data collection included interviews with 9 senior PETE faculty members who met the criteria for "productive scholars over time." Curriculum vitae were collected to verify productivity. Data analysis revealed guidepost themes that included collaborating, finding balance, defining a research process, and maintaining a strong work ethic. Roadblocks encountered included other obligations and lack of support for research. Participants demonstrated strong self-efficacy; held high, positive expectations for success; and set very specific, clear, and deliberate goals. Participant behavior was moderated by their personal attributes (capacity to build relationships, set goals, and maintain interest and passion) and was tempered by the environments in which they worked. Fostering similar behaviors has the potential to guide future and current PETE faculty members in creating supportive and encouraging atmospheres for sustained productivity. The lack of literature relating to this topic warrants the need for more research exploring the influential factors and benefits gained from sustained scholarly productivity over time for PETE faculty members.

Vendor management: a model for collaboration and quality improvement.

PubMed

Friedman, M D; Bailit, M H; Michel, J O

1995-11-01

The Massachusetts Medicaid agency, also known as the Division of Medical Assistance, has developed a quality-driven approach for managing its managed care suppliers. Such an approach has, as its foundation, principles of continuous quality improvement (CQI). Suppliers participate in an annual process whereby CQI goals are negotiated between the division and its suppliers. The division then works with suppliers to achieve such goals. A cornerstone of the division's approach is the notion that data can highlight an unlimited number of opportunities for improvement and that pursuit of such opportunities will ultimately result in meaningful improvements in the health status of recipients who are served by the division. The agency's approach involves five key steps: 1) the development of contractual terms and purchasing specifications; 2) the identification of improvement priorities; 3) the negotiation of improvement goals; 4) efforts directed at meeting improvement goals and measurement of success; and 5) collaboration to achieve mutual objectives. Overall, suppliers report many benefits of collaborative participation in CQI activities with the division. Suppliers have enhanced their understanding of the importance of meeting the needs of the customer and have further accrued benefits resulting from discussions with managed care vendors throughout the site regarding benchmarking of efforts and CQI efforts. Conversely, suppliers are challenged by the need to balance and allocate resources to meet increasing demands, which are not always consistent, from various purchasers, including the division. The division has been challenged in the evolution of its contract management strategy by an uneven level of knowledge among managed care vendors regarding CQI; goal setting and measurement issues; the length of time and level of effort required to develop good relationships with suppliers; and the critical importance of comparable, valid, and timely submission of data. Over the last three years, the division has seen a dramatic increase in the responsiveness of managed care suppliers to meet its needs as a purchaser. Specifically, this has been expressed through supplier ability to meet mutually negotiated improvement goals. The division is also pleased that it is beginning to achieve some measurable improvements in outcomes of care.

Objectively Measured Sedentary Time and Cardiovascular Risk Factor Control in US Hispanics/Latinos With Diabetes Mellitus: Results From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

PubMed

Wang, Xueyin; Strizich, Garrett; Hua, Simin; Sotres-Alvarez, Daniela; Buelna, Christina; Gallo, Linda C; Gellman, Marc D; Mossavar-Rahmani, Yasmin; O'Brien, Matthew J; Stoutenberg, Mark; Wang, Tao; Avilés-Santa, M Larissa; Kaplan, Robert C; Qi, Qibin

2017-05-25

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor control is a cornerstone of diabetes mellitus management. Little is known about relationships of objectively measured sedentary time and physical activity with major CVD risk factor control in individuals with diabetes mellitus. We examined associations of objectively measured sedentary time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with reaching major CVD risk factor control goals among US Hispanic/Latino adults with diabetes mellitus. This cross-sectional analysis included 1699 participants with diabetes mellitus from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (2008-2011). Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of meeting the following 5 major CVD risk factor control goals: hemoglobin A 1c <7.0%; systolic/diastolic blood pressure <140/80 mm Hg; triglycerides <150 mg/dL; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL; and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol >40/50 mg/dL for men/women. After adjustment for covariates including moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, less sedentary time was associated with increased odds of reaching hemoglobin A 1c (OR=1.76 [95% CI: 1.10, 2.82]) and triglyceride control goals (OR=2.16 [1.36, 3.46]), and reaching ≥3 CVD risk factor control goals (OR=2.08 [1.34, 3.23]) (all ORs for comparisons of extreme tertiles of sedentary time). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was not associated with reaching any CVD risk factor control goals. Substituting 60-min/day of sedentary time with light-intensity physical activity was associated with increased odds of reaching hemoglobin A 1c (OR=1.18 [1.04, 1.35]), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR=1.17 [1.04, 1.32]), and triglyceride (OR=1.20 [1.05, 1.36]) control goals. Among US Hispanic/Latino adults with diabetes mellitus, less sedentary time, but not moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, was associated with improved CVD risk factor control, specifically in reaching hemoglobin A 1c and triglyceride control goals. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Health-related quality of life questionnaires in lung cancer trials: a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. Treatment goals are the relief of symptoms and the increase of overall survival. With the rising number of treatment alternatives, the need for comparable assessments of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) parameters grows. The aim of this paper was to identify and describe measurement instruments applied in lung cancer patients under drug therapy. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review at the beginning of 2011 using the electronic database Pubmed. Results A total of 43 studies were included in the review. About 17 different measurement instruments were identified, including 5 generic, 5 cancer-specific, 4 lung cancer-specific and 3 symptom-specific questionnaires. In 29 studies at least 2 instruments were used. In most cases these were cancer and lung cancer-specific ones. The most frequently used instruments are the EORTC QLQ-C30 and its lung cancer modules LC13 or LC17. Only 5 studies combined (lung) cancer-specific questionnaires with generic instruments. Conclusions The EORTC-C30 and EORTC-LC13 are the most frequently used health-related quality of life measurement instruments in pharmacological lung cancer trials. PMID:23680096

TRANSDIAGNOSTIC DIMENSIONS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION MODERATE MOTIVATION-RELATED BRAIN NETWORKS DURING GOAL MAINTENANCE

PubMed Central

Spielberg, Jeffrey M.; Miller, Gregory A.; Warren, Stacie L.; Sutton, Bradley P.; Banich, Marie; Heller, Wendy

2015-01-01

Background Advancing research on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of psychopathology requires the field to move beyond modular conceptualizations of neural dysfunction toward understanding disturbance in key brain networks. Although some studies of anxiety and depression have begun doing so, they typically suffer from several drawbacks, including: (1) a categorical approach ignoring transdiagnostic processes, (2) failure to account for substantial anxiety and depression comorbidity, (3) examination of networks at rest, which overlooks disruption manifesting only when networks are challenged. Accordingly, the present study examined relationships between transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression and patterns of functional connectivity while goal maintenance was challenged. Methods Participants (n = 179, unselected community members and undergraduates selected to be high/low on anxiety/depression) performed a task in which goal maintenance was challenged (color-word Stroop) while fMRI data were collected. Analyses examined moderation by anxiety/depression of condition-dependent coupling between regions of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) previously associated with approach and avoidance motivation and amygdala/orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Results Anxious arousal was positively associated with amygdala↔right dlPFC coupling. Depression was positively associated with OFC↔right dlPFC coupling and negatively associated with OFC↔left dlPFC coupling. Conclusions Findings advance the field toward an integrative model of the neural instantiation of anxiety/depression by identifying specific, distinct dysfunctions associated with anxiety and depression in networks important for maintaining approach and avoidance goals. Specifically, findings shed light on potential neural mechanisms involved in attentional biases in anxiety and valuation biases in depression and underscore the importance of examining transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression while networks are challenged. PMID:24753242

Serious Illness Conversations in ESRD

PubMed Central

Bernacki, Rachelle E.; Block, Susan D.

2017-01-01

Dialysis-dependent ESRD is a serious illness with high disease burden, morbidity, and mortality. Mortality in the first year on dialysis for individuals over age 75 years old approaches 40%, and even those with better prognoses face multiple hospitalizations and declining functional status. In the last month of life, patients on dialysis over age 65 years old experience higher rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, procedures, and death in hospital than patients with cancer or heart failure, while using hospice services less. This high intensity of care is often inconsistent with the wishes of patients on dialysis but persists due to failure to explore or discuss patient goals, values, and preferences in the context of their serious illness. Fewer than 10% of patients on dialysis report having had a conversation about goals, values, and preferences with their nephrologist, although nearly 90% report wanting this conversation. Many nephrologists shy away from these conversations, because they do not wish to upset their patients, feel that there is too much uncertainty in their ability to predict prognosis, are insecure in their skills at broaching the topic, or have difficulty incorporating the conversations into their clinical workflow. In multiple studies, timely discussions about serious illness care goals, however, have been associated with enhanced goal-consistent care, improved quality of life, and positive family outcomes without an increase in patient distress or anxiety. In this special feature article, we will (1) identify the barriers to serious illness conversations in the dialysis population, (2) review best practices in and specific approaches to conducting serious illness conversations, and (3) offer solutions to overcome barriers as well as practical advice, including specific language and tools, to implement serious illness conversations in the dialysis population. PMID:28031417

Systems Engineering Approach to Technology Integration for NASA's 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Dale; Smith, Charles; Thomas, Leann; Kittredge, Sheryl

2002-01-01

The overall goal of the 2nd Generation RLV Program is to substantially reduce technical and business risks associated with developing a new class of reusable launch vehicles. NASA's specific goals are to improve the safety of a 2nd-generation system by 2 orders of magnitude - equivalent to a crew risk of 1-in-10,000 missions - and decrease the cost tenfold, to approximately $1,000 per pound of payload launched. Architecture definition is being conducted in parallel with the maturating of key technologies specifically identified to improve safety and reliability, while reducing operational costs. An architecture broadly includes an Earth-to-orbit reusable launch vehicle, on-orbit transfer vehicles and upper stages, mission planning, ground and flight operations, and support infrastructure, both on the ground and in orbit. The systems engineering approach ensures that the technologies developed - such as lightweight structures, long-life rocket engines, reliable crew escape, and robust thermal protection systems - will synergistically integrate into the optimum vehicle. To best direct technology development decisions, analytical models are employed to accurately predict the benefits of each technology toward potential space transportation architectures as well as the risks associated with each technology. Rigorous systems analysis provides the foundation for assessing progress toward safety and cost goals. The systems engineering review process factors in comprehensive budget estimates, detailed project schedules, and business and performance plans, against the goals of safety, reliability, and cost, in addition to overall technical feasibility. This approach forms the basis for investment decisions in the 2nd Generation RLV Program's risk-reduction activities. Through this process, NASA will continually refine its specialized needs and identify where Defense and commercial requirements overlap those of civil missions.

Systems Engineering Approach to Technology Integration for NASA's 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Dale; Smith, Charles; Thomas, Leann; Kittredge, Sheryl

2002-01-01

The overall goal of the 2nd Generation RLV Program is to substantially reduce technical and business risks associated with developing a new class of reusable launch vehicles. NASA's specific goals are to improve the safety of a 2nd generation system by 2 orders of magnitude - equivalent to a crew risk of 1-in-10,000 missions - and decrease the cost tenfold, to approximately $1,000 per pound of payload launched. Architecture definition is being conducted in parallel with the maturating of key technologies specifically identified to improve safety and reliability, while reducing operational costs. An architecture broadly includes an Earth-to-orbit reusable launch vehicle, on-orbit transfer vehicles and upper stages, mission planning, ground and flight operations, and support infrastructure, both on the ground and in orbit. The systems engineering approach ensures that the technologies developed - such as lightweight structures, long-life rocket engines, reliable crew escape, and robust thermal protection systems - will synergistically integrate into the optimum vehicle. To best direct technology development decisions, analytical models are employed to accurately predict the benefits of each technology toward potential space transportation architectures as well as the risks associated with each technology. Rigorous systems analysis provides the foundation for assessing progress toward safety and cost goals. The systems engineering review process factors in comprehensive budget estimates, detailed project schedules, and business and performance plans, against the goals of safety, reliability, and cost, in addition to overall technical feasibility. This approach forms the basis for investment decisions in the 2nd Generation RLV Program's risk-reduction activities. Through this process, NASA will continually refine its specialized needs and identify where Defense and commercial requirements overlap those of civil missions.

Transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety and depression moderate motivation-related brain networks during goal maintenance.

PubMed

Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Miller, Gregory A; Warren, Stacie L; Sutton, Bradley P; Banich, Marie; Heller, Wendy

2014-10-01

Advancing research on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of psychopathology requires the field to move beyond modular conceptualizations of neural dysfunction toward understanding disturbance in key brain networks. Although some studies of anxiety and depression have begun doing so, they typically suffer from several drawbacks, including: (1) a categorical approach ignoring transdiagnostic processes, (2) failure to account for substantial anxiety and depression comorbidity, (3) examination of networks at rest, which overlooks disruption manifesting only when networks are challenged. Accordingly, the present study examined relationships between transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression and patterns of functional connectivity while goal maintenance was challenged. Participants (n = 179, unselected community members and undergraduates selected to be high/low on anxiety/depression) performed a task in which goal maintenance was challenged (color-word Stroop) while fMRI data were collected. Analyses examined moderation by anxiety/depression of condition-dependent coupling between regions of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) previously associated with approach and avoidance motivation and amygdala/orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Anxious arousal was positively associated with amygdala↔right dlPFC coupling. Depression was positively associated with OFC↔right dlPFC coupling and negatively associated with OFC↔left dlPFC coupling. Findings advance the field toward an integrative model of the neural instantiation of anxiety/depression by identifying specific, distinct dysfunctions associated with anxiety and depression in networks important for maintaining approach and avoidance goals. Specifically, findings shed light on potential neural mechanisms involved in attentional biases in anxiety and valuation biases in depression and underscore the importance of examining transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression while networks are challenged. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Overview of space power electronic's technology under the CSTI High Capacity Power Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarze, Gene E.

1994-01-01

The Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) is a NASA Program targeted at the development of specific technologies in the areas of transportation, operations and science. Each of these three areas consists of major elements and one of the operation's elements is the High Capacity Power element. The goal of this element is to develop the technology base needed to meet the long duration, high capacity power requirements for future NASA initiatives. The High Capacity Power element is broken down into several subelements that includes energy conversion in the areas of the free piston Stirling power converter and thermoelectrics, thermal management, power management, system diagnostics, and environmental compatibility and system's lifetime. A recent overview of the CSTI High capacity Power element and a description of each of the program's subelements is given by Winter (1989). The goals of the Power Management subelement are twofold. The first is to develop, test, and demonstrate high temperature, radiation-resistant power and control components and circuits that will be needed in the Power Conditioning, Control and Transmission (PCCT) subsystem of a space nuclear power system. The results obtained under this goal will also be applicable to the instrumentation and control subsystem of a space nuclear reactor. These components and circuits must perform reliably for lifetimes of 7-10 years. The second goal is to develop analytical models for use in computer simulations of candidate PCCT subsystems. Circuits which will be required for a specific PCCT subsystem will be designed and built to demonstrate their performance and, also, to validate the analytical models and simulations. The tasks under the Power Management subelement will now be described in terms of objectives, approach and present status of work.

The role of goal-focused leadership in enabling the expression of conscientiousness.

PubMed

Colbert, Amy E; Witt, L A

2009-05-01

The authors tested the hypothesis that goal-focused leadership enables conscientious workers to perform effectively by helping them to accurately understand organizational goal priorities. Data collected from 162 workers in a private sector document processing organization supported the hypotheses that goal-focused leadership moderates the relationship between conscientiousness and job performance and that person-organization goal congruence mediates this moderated relationship. Specifically, conscientiousness was more strongly positively related to performance among workers who perceived that their supervisors effectively set goals and defined roles, responsibilities, and priorities than among workers who did not perceive this type of goal-focused leadership. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

A World Fit for Children: Millennium Development Goals; Special Session on Children Documents; The Convention on the Rights of the Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY.

In May 2002, participants at the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on Children committed to a set of specific goals for children and youth and a basic framework for meeting these goals. This report compiles the commitments that were part of the Special Session: (1) the Millennium Development Goals, earlier pledged to by all 189…

Anticruelty care: commentary.

PubMed

Braithwaite, Susan S

1991-01-01

The anticruelty policy is a best-interests test for treatment plans including decisions to forgo life-sustaining therapy for certain incompetent patients. In connection with specific proposed therapy, the policy requires no reference to the patient's unknowable values, subjective experiences, or quality of life. The decision to undertake a treatment plan derives from the caregiver's knowledge of burdens and benefits of that treatment when used in caring for the competent or for those incompetents capable of growth or repair. The caregiver should weigh the potentially cruel effects of treatment against the likelihood of reducing suffering or encumbrance with the treatment. The terms "burden" and "benefit," in fact, are replaced by the terms "cruelty" and "beneficence," as the relevant opposing outcomes that must be weighed. Thus, the anticruelty policy shifts our scrutiny from experiences of the patient that we cannot evaluate to the proposed actions of the competent decision makers and caregivers. Notably, it is a protreatment policy when the goals of medicine are attainable; and it is an anticruelty policy when they are not. The policy does evaluate the world of the patient to the extent that it requires a judgment based upon external appearances about patient pleasure or happiness in living. It presumes to universalize larger societal values about cruelty, beneficence, compassionate concern for the helpless, and certain rights of individuals. And it presumes to universalize on the patient's behalf specific medical values about hopeless injury, timely death, the goals of medicine, and cruelty, which should remain open to societal discussion and revision. The presented definition of hopeless injury does not require brain death, coma, or persistent vegetative state. Specifically, the policy holds that death is timely for a patient with hopeless injury, and that prevention of death for such patients is not a goal of medicine but a cruelty.

Literature Survey for Issues in Naval Decision Support: Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

human cognition, the specific goals of Soar ( Congdon & Laird, 1996, cited in Kalus et al., 1996) are to: • Work on a full range of tasks from routine...leadership, and communication (Weaver et al., 1995). 5.5.4.4 Team Performance Assessment Battery (TPAB) TP AB is a more generic scenario...permits multiple tasks, including monitoring tasks, to be imposed on teams to assess factors related to workload. Thus, TP AB is suitable for assessing

Combat-Related Mental Health Disorders: The Case for Resiliency in The Long War

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Upper ranges include suicide costs. Costs were estimated using a model that projected costs incurred during a soldier’s first 2 years after returning...JAOA • Vol 110 • No 9 • September 2010 The stress-CARE personality model describes cognitive, affective, and self-regulatory traits as the precursors...can be either positive or negative. The self-regula- tory traits are self-control and goal orientation. The stress-CARE model makes relatively specific

The Science Behind Surgical Innovations of the Forefoot.

PubMed

Baumhauer, Judith F; Marcolongo, Michele

2016-12-01

One of the areas of foot and ankle surgery that has had particular attention over the last 5 years has been forefoot surgery. Common procedures include correction of the lessor metatarsophalangeal joints and hammertoe deformities, specifically metatarsal shortening osteotomies and proximal interphalangeal joint fusions. The goals of these surgeries are to improve patient function and allow patients to fit into shoes more comfortably in metatarsal shortening and hammertoe. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Agent oriented programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shoham, Yoav

1994-01-01

The goal of our research is a methodology for creating robust software in distributed and dynamic environments. The approach taken is to endow software objects with explicit information about one another, to have them interact through a commitment mechanism, and to equip them with a speech-acty communication language. System-level applications include software interoperation and compositionality. A government application of specific interest is an infrastructure for coordination among multiple planners. Daily activity applications include personal software assistants, such as programmable email, scheduling, and new group agents. Research topics include definition of mental state of agents, design of agent languages as well as interpreters for those languages, and mechanisms for coordination within agent societies such as artificial social laws and conventions.

Advances and Future Directions for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research: Recommendations from the 2015 Strategic Planning Conference

PubMed Central

Sahin, Mustafa; Henske, Elizabeth P.; Manning, Brendan D.; Ess, Kevin C.; Bissler, John J.; Klann, Eric; Kwiatkowski, David J.; Roberds, Steven L.; Silva, Alcino J.; Hillaire-Clarke, Coryse St.; Young, Lisa R.; Zervas, Mark; Mamounas, Laura A.

2016-01-01

On March 10–12, 2015, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance sponsored a workshop in Bethesda, Maryland to assess progress and new opportunities for research in tuberous sclerosis complex with the goal of updating the 2003 Research Plan for Tuberous Sclerosis (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/about_ninds/plans/tscler_research_plan.htm). In addition to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance, participants in the strategic planning effort and workshop included representatives from six other Institutes of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research Program and a broad cross-section of basic scientists and clinicians with expertise in tuberous sclerosis complex along with representatives from the pharmaceutical industry. This review summarizes outcomes from the extensive pre-meeting deliberations and final workshop recommendations, and includes: 1) progress in the field since publication of the initial 2003 research plan for tuberous sclerosis complex; 2) the key gaps, needs and challenges that hinder progress in tuberous sclerosis complex research; and 3) a new set of research priorities along with specific recommendations for addressing the major challenges in each priority area. The new research plan is organized around both short-term and long-term goals with the expectation that progress toward specific objectives can be achieved within a five- to ten-year timeframe. PMID:27267556

Lightweight fiber optic microphones and accelerometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bucaro, J. A.; Lagakos, N.

2001-06-01

We have designed, fabricated, and tested two lightweight fiber optic sensors for the dynamic measurement of acoustic pressure and acceleration. These sensors, one a microphone and the other an accelerometer, are required for active blanket sound control technology under development in our laboratory. The sensors were designed to perform to certain specifications dictated by our active sound control application and to do so without exhibiting sensitivity to the high electrical voltages expected to be present. Furthermore, the devices had to be small (volumes less than 1.5 cm3) and light (less than 2 g). To achieve these design criteria, we modified and extended fiber optic reflection microphone and fiber microbend displacement device designs reported in the literature. After fabrication, the performances of each sensor type were determined from measurements made in a dynamic pressure calibrator and on a shaker table. The fiber optic microbend accelerometer, which weighs less than 1.8 g, was found to meet all performance goals including 1% linearity, 90 dB dynamic range, and a minimum detectable acceleration of 0.2 mg/√Hz . The fiber optic microphone, which weighs less than 1.3 g, also met all goals including 1% linearity, 85 dB dynamic range, and a minimum detectable acoustic pressure level of 0.016 Pa/√Hz . In addition to our specific use in active sound control, these sensors appear to have application in a variety of other areas.

Recovery Act: Advanced Direct Methanol Fuel Cell for Mobile Computing

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

Fletcher, James H.; Cox, Philip; Harrington, William J

2013-09-03

ABSTRACT Project Title: Recovery Act: Advanced Direct Methanol Fuel Cell for Mobile Computing PROJECT OBJECTIVE The objective of the project was to advance portable fuel cell system technology towards the commercial targets of power density, energy density and lifetime. These targets were laid out in the DOE’s R&D roadmap to develop an advanced direct methanol fuel cell power supply that meets commercial entry requirements. Such a power supply will enable mobile computers to operate non-stop, unplugged from the wall power outlet, by using the high energy density of methanol fuel contained in a replaceable fuel cartridge. Specifically this project focusedmore » on balance-of-plant component integration and miniaturization, as well as extensive component, subassembly and integrated system durability and validation testing. This design has resulted in a pre-production power supply design and a prototype that meet the rigorous demands of consumer electronic applications. PROJECT TASKS The proposed work plan was designed to meet the project objectives, which corresponded directly with the objectives outlined in the Funding Opportunity Announcement: To engineer the fuel cell balance-of-plant and packaging to meet the needs of consumer electronic systems, specifically at power levels required for mobile computing. UNF used existing balance-of-plant component technologies developed under its current US Army CERDEC project, as well as a previous DOE project completed by PolyFuel, to further refine them to both miniaturize and integrate their functionality to increase the system power density and energy density. Benefits of UNF’s novel passive water recycling MEA (membrane electrode assembly) and the simplified system architecture it enabled formed the foundation of the design approach. The package design was hardened to address orientation independence, shock, vibration, and environmental requirements. Fuel cartridge and fuel subsystems were improved to ensure effective fuel containment. PROJECT OVERVIEW The University of North Florida (UNF), with project partner the University of Florida, recently completed the Department of Energy (DOE) project entitled “Advanced Direct Methanol Fuel Cell for Mobile Computing”. The primary objective of the project was to advance portable fuel cell system technology towards the commercial targets as laid out in the DOE R&D roadmap by developing a 20-watt, direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), portable power supply based on the UNF innovative “passive water recovery” MEA. Extensive component, sub-system, and system development and testing was undertaken to meet the rigorous demands of the consumer electronic application. Numerous brassboard (nonpackaged) systems were developed to optimize the integration process and facilitating control algorithm development. The culmination of the development effort was a fully-integrated, DMFC, power supply (referred to as DP4). The project goals were 40 W/kg for specific power, 55 W/l for power density, and 575 Whr/l for energy density. It should be noted that the specific power and power density were for the power section only, and did not include the hybrid battery. The energy density is based on three, 200 ml, fuel cartridges, and also did not include the hybrid battery. The results show that the DP4 system configured without the methanol concentration sensor exceeded all performance goals, achieving 41.5 W/kg for specific power, 55.3 W/l for power density, and 623 Whr/l for energy density. During the project, the DOE revised its technical targets, and the definition of many of these targets, for the portable power application. With this revision, specific power, power density, specific energy (Whr/kg), and energy density are based on the total system, including fuel tank, fuel, and hybridization battery. Fuel capacity is not defined, but the same value is required for all calculations. Test data showed that the DP4 exceeded all 2011 Technical Status values; for example, the DP4 energy density was 373 Whr/l versus the DOE 2011 status of 200 Whr/l. For the DOE 2013 Technical Goals, the operation time was increased from 10 hours to 14.3 hours. Under these conditions, the DP4 closely approached or surpassed the technical targets; for example, the DP4 achieved 468 Whr/l versus the goal of 500 Whr/l. Thus, UNF has successfully met the project goals. A fully-operational, 20-watt DMFC power supply was developed based on the UNF passive water recovery MEA. The power supply meets the project performance goals and advances portable power technology towards the commercialization targets set by the DOE.« less

Pro-Social Goals in Achievement Situations: Amity Goal Orientation Enhances the Positive Effects of Mastery Goal Orientation.

PubMed

Levontin, Liat; Bardi, Anat

2018-04-01

Research has neglected the utility of pro-social goals within achievement situations. In this article, four studies demonstrate that amity goal orientation, promoting mutual success of oneself together with others, enhances the utility of mastery goal orientation. We demonstrate this in longitudinally predicting performance (Studies 1 and 2) and in maintaining motivation after a disappointing performance (Studies 3 and 4). The studies demonstrate the same interaction effect in academic and in work achievement contexts. Specifically, whereas amity goal orientation did not predict achievement on its own, it enhanced the positive effect of mastery goal orientation. Together, these studies establish the importance of amity goal orientation while also advancing our understanding of the effects of other achievement goal orientations. We suggest future directions in examining the utility of amity goals in other contexts.

Program Development: Identification and Formulation of Desirable Educational Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodlad, John I.

In this speech, the author suggests that the success of public schools depends heavily on commitment to and large-scale agreement on educational goals. He examines the difficulty in creating rational programs to carry out specific behavioral goals and the more remote ends usually stated for educational systems. The author then discusses the…

An Analysis of Training Focused on Improving SMART Goal Setting for Specific Employee Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worden, Jeannie M.

2014-01-01

This quantitative study examined the proficiency of employee SMART goal setting following the intervention of employee SMART goal setting training. Current challenges in higher education substantiate the need for employees to align their performance with the mission, vision, and strategic directions of the organization. A performance management…

A Process for Developing and Articulating Learning Goals or Competencies for Social and Emotional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Nick; Dusenbury, Linda

2017-01-01

Developing and articulating clear goals for student social and emotional learning (SEL) involves a number of important steps. This document focuses specifically on the articulation of learning goals (sometimes called "competencies" or "standards" in state and district policy) and suggests a process for those state teams that…

Moving Sustainability Forward: Energy Efficient Renovations and Solar Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Bill

2011-01-01

For any goal to be a "smart goal" it needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time sensitive. This is equally true for sustainability goals for educational facilities. Evidence abounds that "green strategies" greatly impact both the academic and operational performance of a school. Agencies from the U.S. Environmental Protection…

The Effects of Drinking Goal on Treatment Outcome for Alcoholism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bujarski, Spencer; O'Malley, Stephanie S.; Lunny, Katy; Ray, Lara A.

2013-01-01

Objective: It is well known to clinicians and researchers in the field of alcoholism that patients vary with respect to drinking goal. The objective in this study was to elucidate the contribution of drinking goal to treatment outcome in the context of specific behavioral and pharmacological interventions. Method: Participants were 1,226…

Life Goals Matter to Happiness: A Revision of Set-Point Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Headey, Bruce

2008-01-01

Using data from the long-running German Socio-Economic Panel Survey (SOEP), this paper provides evidence that life goals matter substantially to subjective well-being (SWB). Non-zero sum goals, which include commitment to family, friends and social and political involvement, promote life satisfaction. Zero sum goals, including commitment to career…

ALARA radiation considerations for the AP600 reactor

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

Lau, F.L.

1995-03-01

The radiation design of the AP600 reactor plant is based on an average annual occupational radiation exposure (ORE) of 100 man-rem. As a design goal we have established a lower value of 70 man-rem per year. And, with our current design process, we expect to achieve annual exposures which are well below this goal. To accomplish our goal we have established a process that provides criteria, guidelines and customer involvement to achieve the desired result. The criteria and guidelines provide the shield designer, as well as the systems and plant layout designers with information that will lead to an integratedmore » plant design that minimizes personnel exposure and yet is not burdened with complicated shielding or unnecessary component access limitations. Customer involvement is provided in the form of utility input, design reviews and information exchange. Cooperative programs with utilities in the development of specific systems or processes also provides for an ALARA design. The results are features which include ALARA radiation considerations as an integral part of the plant design and a lower plant ORE. It is anticipated that a further reduction in plant personnel exposures will result through good radiological practices by the plant operators. The information in place to support and direct the plant designers includes the Utility Requirements Document (URD), Federal Regulations, ALARA guidelines, radiation design information and radiation and shielding design criteria. This information, along with the utility input, design reviews and information feedback, will contribute to the reduction of plant radiation exposure levels such that they will be less than the stated goals.« less

Establishing and sustaining research partnerships in Africa: a case study of the UK-Africa Academic Partnership on Chronic Disease

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

This paper examines the challenges and opportunities in establishing and sustaining north–south research partnerships in Africa through a case study of the UK-Africa Academic Partnership on Chronic Disease. Established in 2006 with seed funding from the British Academy, the partnership aimed to bring together multidisciplinary chronic disease researchers based in the UK and Africa to collaborate on research, inform policymaking, train and support postgraduates and create a platform for research dissemination. We review the partnership’s achievements and challenges, applying established criteria for developing successful partnerships. During the funded period we achieved major success in creating a platform for research dissemination through international meetings and publications. Other goals, such as engaging in collaborative research and training postgraduates, were not as successfully realised. Enabling factors included trust and respect between core working group members, a shared commitment to achieving partnership goals, and the collective ability to develop creative strategies to overcome funding challenges. Barriers included limited funding, administrative support, and framework for monitoring and evaluating some goals. Chronic disease research partnerships in low-income regions operate within health research, practice, funding and policy environments that prioritise infectious diseases and other pressing public health and developmental challenges. Their long-term sustainability will therefore depend on integrated funding systems that provide a crucial capacity building bridge. Beyond the specific challenges of chronic disease research, we identify social capital, measurable goals, administrative support, creativity and innovation and funding as five key ingredients that are essential for sustaining research partnerships. PMID:22897937

Liability of concrete performance-based specification for Georgia DOT projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

Performance-based specifications provide an alternative means of designing concrete to meet : specific performance-related goals. Instead of specifying materials, means, and proportions, as : current prescriptive specifications do, a performance-base...

Do People with Schizophrenia Have Difficulty Anticipating Pleasure, Engaging in Effortful Behavior, or Both?

PubMed Central

Gard, David E.; Sanchez, Amy H.; Cooper, Kathryn; Fisher, Melissa; Garrett, Coleman; Vinogradov, Sophia

2014-01-01

Motivation deficits are common in schizophrenia, but little is known about underlying mechanisms, or the specific goals that people with schizophrenia set in daily life. Using neurobiological heuristics of pleasure anticipation and effort assessment, we examined the quality of activities and goals of 47 people with and 41 people without schizophrenia, utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment. Participants were provided cell phones and called four times a day for seven days, and were asked about their current activities and anticipation of upcoming goals. Activities and goals were later coded by independent raters on pleasure and effort. In line with recent laboratory findings on effort computation deficits in schizophrenia, relative to healthy participants, people with schizophrenia reported engaging in less effortful activities and setting less effortful goals, which were related to patient functioning. In addition, patients showed some inaccuracy in estimating how difficult an effortful goal would be, which in turn was associated with lower neurocognition. In contrast to previous research, people with schizophrenia engaged in activities and set goals that were more pleasure-based, and anticipated goals as being more pleasurable than controls. Thus, this study provided evidence for difficulty with effortful behavior and not anticipation of pleasure. These findings may have psychosocial treatment implications, focusing on effort assessment/effort expenditure. For example, in order to help people with schizophrenia engage in more meaningful goal pursuits, treatment providers may leverage low-effort pleasurable goals by helping patients to break down larger, more complex goals into smaller, lower-effort steps that are associated with specific pleasurable rewards. PMID:25133986

A Task-oriented Approach for Hydrogeological Site Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubin, Y.; Nowak, W.; de Barros, F.

2010-12-01

Hydrogeological site characterization is a challenging task from several reasons: (1) the large spatial variability and scarcity of prior information render the outcome of any planned sampling campaign uncertain; (2) there are no simple tools for comparing between the many alternative measurement techniques and data acquisition strategies, and (3) physical and budgetary constraints associated with data acquisition. This paper presents several ideas on how to plan sampling campaigns in a rational manner while addressing these challenges. The first idea is to recognize that different sites and different problems require different characterization strategies. Hence the idea is to plan data acquisition according to its capability for meeting site-specific goals. For example, the characterization needs at a “research problem” site (e.g., a site intended to investigate the transport of uranium in the subsurface such as in Hanford) are different from those of a “problem” site (e.g., contaminated site associated with a health risk to human such as Camp Lejeune, or determining the safe yield of an aquifer). This distinction requires planners to define the characterization goal(s) in a quantitative manner. The second idea is to define metrics that could link specific data types and data acquisition strategies with the site-specific goals in a way that would allow planners to compare between strongly different, alternatives strategies at the design stage (even prior to data acquisition) and to modify the strategies as more data become available. To meet this goal, we developed the concept of the (comparative) information yield curve. Finally, we propose to look at site characterization from the perspective of statistical hypothesis testing, whereby data acquisition strategies could be evaluated in terms of their ability to support or refute various hypotheses made with regard to the characterization goals, and the strategies could be modified once the test is completed. Accept/reject regions for hypothesis testing can be determined based on goals determined by regulations or by agreement between the stakeholders. Hypothesis-driven design could help in minimizing the chances of making wrong decision (false positives or false negatives) with regard to the site-specific goals.

Setting national health goals and targets in the context of a fiscal crisis: the politics of social choice in New Zealand.

PubMed

Beaglehole, R; Davis, P

1992-01-01

The setting of national health goals and targets in New Zealand has taken place in the context of fiscal crisis. The mandate for State intervention for social goals has also been under a sustained ideological challenge. These circumstances, together with other developments within the New Zealand health service, prepared the way for the development of the first set of health goals and targets. Six criteria were used to identify health problems for which goals and targets could be set. Ten areas were included, and specific, timed and quantified targets were set in each area for the year 2000 with shorter term targets for 1995. The Minister of Health gave priority to three areas: tobacco control, secondary prevention of cervical cancer, and reduction of road accident injury and death. An important aspect of the program is that the goals and targets are to be the focus of the annual contract between the Minister of Health (the primary funder of health care) and the Area Health Boards (the primary providers of health care). A matrix of policy options is presented for resource allocation and public health. The case study described represents one solution to the set of policy choices presented by fiscal and ideological challenge; the "new managerialism" has been allied with the "new public health." The authors argue that a combination of ideological renewal and fiscal probity has preserved a vigorous role for the State in health and health care. This matrix of policy options also underlines the necessity to consider health outcomes, as well as organizational goals, in the evaluation of the performance of health systems.

Using shared goal setting to improve access and equity: a mixed methods study of the Good Goals intervention in children's occupational therapy.

PubMed

Kolehmainen, Niina; MacLennan, Graeme; Ternent, Laura; Duncan, Edward A S; Duncan, Eilidh M; Ryan, Stephen B; McKee, Lorna; Francis, Jill J

2012-08-16

Access and equity in children's therapy services may be improved by directing clinicians' use of resources toward specific goals that are important to patients. A practice-change intervention (titled 'Good Goals') was designed to achieve this. This study investigated uptake, adoption, and possible effects of that intervention in children's occupational therapy services. Mixed methods case studies (n = 3 services, including 46 therapists and 558 children) were conducted. The intervention was delivered over 25 weeks through face-to-face training, team workbooks, and 'tools for change'. Data were collected before, during, and after the intervention on a range of factors using interviews, a focus group, case note analysis, routine data, document analysis, and researchers' observations. Factors related to uptake and adoptions were: mode of intervention delivery, competing demands on therapists' time, and leadership by service manager. Service managers and therapists reported that the intervention: helped therapists establish a shared rationale for clinical decisions; increased clarity in service provision; and improved interactions with families and schools. During the study period, therapists' behaviours changed: identifying goals, odds ratio 2.4 (95% CI 1.5 to 3.8); agreeing goals, 3.5 (2.4 to 5.1); evaluating progress, 2.0 (1.1 to 3.5). Children's LoT decreased by two months [95% CI -8 to +4 months] across the services. Cost per therapist trained ranged from £1,003 to £1,277, depending upon service size and therapists' salary bands. Good Goals is a promising quality improvement intervention that can be delivered and adopted in practice and may have benefits. Further research is required to evaluate its: (i) impact on patient outcomes, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and (ii) transferability to other clinical contexts.

Focus on Pivotal Role of Dietary Intake (Diet and Supplement) and Blood Levels of Tocopherols and Tocotrienols in Obtaining Successful Aging

PubMed Central

Rondanelli, Mariangela; Faliva, Milena Anna; Peroni, Gabriella; Moncaglieri, Francesca; Infantino, Vittoria; Naso, Maurizio; Perna, Simone

2015-01-01

Numerous specific age-related morbidities have been correlated with low intake and serum levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols. We performed a review in order to evaluate the extant evidence regarding: (1) the association between intake and serum levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols and age-related pathologies (osteoporosis, sarcopenia and cognitive impairment); and (2) the optimum diet therapy or supplementation with tocopherols and tocotrienols for the treatment of these abnormalities. This review included 51 eligible studies. The recent literature underlines that, given the detrimental effect of low intake and serum levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols on bone, muscle mass, and cognitive function, a change in the lifestyle must be the cornerstone in the prevention of these specific age-related pathologies related to vitamin E-deficient status. The optimum diet therapy in the elderly for avoiding vitamin E deficiency and its negative correlates, such as high inflammation and oxidation, must aim at achieving specific nutritional goals. These goals must be reached through: accession of the elderly subjects to specific personalized dietary programs aimed at achieving and/or maintaining body weight (avoid malnutrition); increase their intake of food rich in vitamin E, such as derivatives of oily seeds (in particular wheat germ oil), olive oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, and cereals rich in vitamin E (such as specific rice cultivar rich in tocotrienols) or take vitamin E supplements. In this case, vitamin E can be correctly used in a personalized way either for the outcome from the pathology or to achieve healthy aging and longevity without any adverse effects. PMID:26404241

Focus on Pivotal Role of Dietary Intake (Diet and Supplement) and Blood Levels of Tocopherols and Tocotrienols in Obtaining Successful Aging.

PubMed

Rondanelli, Mariangela; Faliva, Milena Anna; Peroni, Gabriella; Moncaglieri, Francesca; Infantino, Vittoria; Naso, Maurizio; Perna, Simone

2015-09-25

Numerous specific age-related morbidities have been correlated with low intake and serum levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols. We performed a review in order to evaluate the extant evidence regarding: (1) the association between intake and serum levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols and age-related pathologies (osteoporosis, sarcopenia and cognitive impairment); and (2) the optimum diet therapy or supplementation with tocopherols and tocotrienols for the treatment of these abnormalities. This review included 51 eligible studies. The recent literature underlines that, given the detrimental effect of low intake and serum levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols on bone, muscle mass, and cognitive function, a change in the lifestyle must be the cornerstone in the prevention of these specific age-related pathologies related to vitamin E-deficient status. The optimum diet therapy in the elderly for avoiding vitamin E deficiency and its negative correlates, such as high inflammation and oxidation, must aim at achieving specific nutritional goals. These goals must be reached through: accession of the elderly subjects to specific personalized dietary programs aimed at achieving and/or maintaining body weight (avoid malnutrition); increase their intake of food rich in vitamin E, such as derivatives of oily seeds (in particular wheat germ oil), olive oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, and cereals rich in vitamin E (such as specific rice cultivar rich in tocotrienols) or take vitamin E supplements. In this case, vitamin E can be correctly used in a personalized way either for the outcome from the pathology or to achieve healthy aging and longevity without any adverse effects.

Ecosystem-Based Management and the Sustainable Delivery of Marine Ecosystem Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogarty, M.; Schwing, F. B.

2016-12-01

Ecosystem-Based Management can provide an essential framework for the sustainable delivery of a broad spectrum of marine Ecosystem Services (ES) essential to human well being. Key elements of the approach involve the specification of clearly articulated goals for EBM; the development of an accompanying Marine Ecosystem Services Assessment (MESA) designed to evaluate the status of delivery of these services; and strategies for the implementation of management options designed to achieve the stated goals of the program. The specification of goals is the purview of managers. In the United States under the provisions of the National Ocean Policy, Regional Planning Bodies are charged with the responsibility of articulating goals and developing strategies to meet these goals. Government agencies, in concert with the broader scientific community, hold the responsibility for assessing the status of the delivery of ecosystem services in relation to designated objectives and advising on appropriate management strategies. In this presentation, I will illustrate the specification of a MESA for the Northwest U.S Continental Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (NES LME). The approach focuses on the evaluation of ES indicators and additional metrics related to threats and impacts to the sustainable delivery of these services. Results are combined into an overall index of status of the NES LME.

Intrinsic motivation, performance, and the mediating role of mastery goal orientation: a test of self-determination theory.

PubMed

Cerasoli, Christopher P; Ford, Michael T

2014-01-01

Although intrinsic motivation has been linked repeatedly to performance and outcomes, the causal relationship between the two has remained unclear. To explain the link, this study considered the focusing influence of mastery goals. Using a three-wave panel study and hypotheses drawn from self-determination theory and achievement goal theory, the current study sought to clarify the relationships between intrinsic motivation, mastery goal orientation, and performance. Specifically, the current study hypothesized and found that mastery goals mediated (explained) the relationship between intrinsic motivation and performance.

Computational reproducibility of "Goal relevance and goal conduciveness appraisals lead to differential autonomic reactivity in emotional responding to performance feedback" (Kreibig, Gendolla, & Scherer, 2012): A guide and new evidence.

PubMed

Kreibig, Sylvia D

2017-09-01

The emerging field of the psychophysiology of motivation bears many new findings, but little replication. Using my own data (Kreibig, Gendolla, & Scherer, 2012), I test the reproducibility of this specific study, provide the necessary materials to make the study reproducible, and instantiate proper reproducibility practices that other researchers can use as a road map toward the same goal. In addition, based on re-analyses of the original data, I report new evidence for the motivational effects of emotional responding to performance feedback. Specifically, greater appraisal of goal relevance amplifies the emotional response to events appraised as conducive (i.e., effort mobilization), but not to those appraised as obstructive to a person's goals (i.e., effort withdrawal). I conclude by providing a ten-step road map of best practices to facilitate computational reproducibility for future studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the Function of Boredom

PubMed Central

Bench, Shane W.; Lench, Heather C.

2013-01-01

Boredom is frequently considered inconsequential and has received relatively little research attention. We argue that boredom has important implications for human functioning, based on emotion theory and empirical evidence. Specifically, we argue that boredom motivates pursuit of new goals when the previous goal is no longer beneficial. Exploring alternate goals and experiences allows the attainment of goals that might be missed if people fail to reengage. Similar to other discrete emotions, we propose that boredom has specific and unique impacts on behavior, cognition, experience and physiology. Consistent with a broader argument that boredom encourages the behavioral pursuit of alternative goals, we argue that, while bored, attention to the current task is reduced, the experience of boredom is negative and aversive, and that boredom increases autonomic arousal to ready the pursuit of alternatives. By motivating desire for change from the current state, boredom increases opportunities to attain social, cognitive, emotional and experiential stimulation that could have been missed. We review the limited extant literature to support these claims, and call for more experimental boredom research. PMID:25379249

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

Doczi, Julian, Dorr, Tobias; Mason, Nathaniel; Scott, Andrew

In this new working paper, the authors focus specifically on what would be necessary to achieve High Level Panel-style goals and targets for water, energy and transport, if these were to be eventually adopted by world leaders. In all three cases, much of the advocacy - and the proposed High Level Panel goals - have emphasized the need to strive for universal and sustainable access to at least basic levels of services from these sectors. Many of the proposals for post-2015 goals and targets appear ambitious, but what would it take to achieve them? This paper assesses what is neededmore » to achieve goals for universal and sustainable access to infrastructure, specifically water, energy and transport. Using illustrative goals and targets, the paper reviews the development challenges in each sector, and what will be necessary to overcome the barriers to universal and sustainable access to water, energy and transport infrastructure services, in the areas of governance, finance, capacity development and environmental protection. The paper ends with general conclusions about infrastructure in the post-2015 development agenda.« less

Choose Your Own Adventure: Designing an Environment that Supports NASA Scientists' Goals in Education, Outreach, and Inreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeWitt, S.

2015-12-01

What is your communication goal? That is the opening question asked in NASA's first agency-wide science communication leadership development program. Many scientists know what they want to communicate, some know to whom they'd like to communicate, but few can clearly express why they want to do it. So what? First, being clear about one's goal is critical in being able to measure success. Second, when asked to think critically about communication goals, some scientists may shift their communication behaviors and practices to better achieve those goals. To that end, NASA has designed a deep learning experience for scientists (and engineers and others) to: critically examine their communication goals; learn techniques for getting to know their intended audience; and develop and apply specific communication skills to a project of their choice. Participants in this program come into the classroom with projects that span a wide spectrum including: formal and informal education, public outreach, media interviews, public speaking, stakeholder briefings, and internal awareness-building. Through expert advisors, professional coaches and peer networks, this program provides a supportive environment for individuals to workshop their project in the classroom and receive feedback before, during, and after the project is complete. This program also provides an opportunity for scientists and other participants to learn more about communication at NASA, and to directly influence the agency's science communication culture through action learning. In this presentation, I will summarize NASA's dual-design science communication leadership development program and present some lessons-learned, participant feedback and evaluation data from the initial course offerings.

A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Motivations, Goals, and Aspirations of Male and Female Academic Medical Faculty.

PubMed

Jones, Rochelle DeCastro; Griffith, Kent A; Ubel, Peter A; Stewart, Abigail; Jagsi, Reshma

2016-08-01

Understanding the goals and aspirations of the physician-scientist workforce can inform policies to promote retention. The authors explored gender differences therein, given women's increasing representation. In 2010-2011, the authors qualitatively analyzed interviews with 100 former recipients of National Institutes of Health career development awards and 28 of their mentors. They also compared survey responses of 1,267 clinician-investigators who received these awards from 2006 to 2009, using logistic regression to evaluate gender differences after adjusting for other characteristics. Interview participants described relatively consistent career goals, including scientific contribution and desire to positively affect lives through research, clinical care, and teaching. For many, the specific ways they sought to achieve and measure goal attainment evolved over time. Survey respondents endorsed a goal of publishing high-quality research with highest frequency (97.3%, no significant gender difference). Women were more likely to endorse the importance of balancing work and other activities (95.5% vs. 90.5%, P < .001). There were no significant gender differences in the importance of patient care (86.6%), teaching (71.6%), or publishing prolifically (64.9%). Men were more likely than women to consider salary (49.4% vs. 41.8%, P < .001), reputation (84.2% vs. 77.6%, P = .004), and leadership positions (38.9% vs. 34.3%, P = .03) important. In an elite research-oriented sample, gender differences in initial aspirations were generally limited. Gender differences in career outcomes in such groups are unlikely to exclusively result from different baseline aspirations. Goals appear to evolve in response to challenges experienced.

Comparative multi-goal tradeoffs in systems engineering of microbial metabolism

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Metabolic engineering design methodology has evolved from using pathway-centric, random and empirical-based methods to using systems-wide, rational and integrated computational and experimental approaches. Persistent during these advances has been the desire to develop design strategies that address multiple simultaneous engineering goals, such as maximizing productivity, while minimizing raw material costs. Results Here, we use constraint-based modeling to systematically design multiple combinations of medium compositions and gene-deletion strains for three microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Shewanella oneidensis) and six industrially important byproducts (acetate, D-lactate, hydrogen, ethanol, formate, and succinate). We evaluated over 435 million simulated conditions and 36 engineering metabolic traits, including product rates, costs, yields and purity. Conclusions The resulting metabolic phenotypes can be classified into dominant clusters (meta-phenotypes) for each organism. These meta-phenotypes illustrate global phenotypic variation and sensitivities, trade-offs associated with multiple engineering goals, and fundamental differences in organism-specific capabilities. Given the increasing number of sequenced genomes and corresponding stoichiometric models, we envisage that the proposed strategy could be extended to address a growing range of biological questions and engineering applications. PMID:23009214

Improving oncology nurses' communication skills for difficult conversations.

PubMed

Baer, Linda; Weinstein, Elizabeth

2013-06-01

When oncology nurses have strong communication skills, they play a pivotal role in influencing patient satisfaction, adherence to plans of care, and overall clinical outcomes. However, research studies indicate that nurses tend to keep communication with patients and families at a superficial, nontherapeutic level. Processes for teaching goals-of-care communication skills and for implementing skills into clinical practice are not clearly defined. Nurses at a large comprehensive cancer center recognized the need for help with this skill set and sought out communication experts to assist in providing the needed education. An educational project was developed to improve therapeutic communication skills in oncology nurses during goals-of-care discussions and giving bad news. The program was tailored to nurses and social workers providing care to patients in a busy, urban, academic, outpatient oncology setting. Program topics included exploring the patient's world, eliciting hopes and concerns, and dealing with conflict about goals. Sharing and discussing specific difficult questions and scenarios were encouraged throughout the program. The program was well attended and well received by oncology nurses and social workers. Participants expressed interest in the continuation of communication programs to further enhance skills.

Incremental planning to control a blackboard-based problem solver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Durfee, E. H.; Lesser, V. R.

1987-01-01

To control problem solving activity, a planner must resolve uncertainty about which specific long-term goals (solutions) to pursue and about which sequences of actions will best achieve those goals. A planner is described that abstracts the problem solving state to recognize possible competing and compatible solutions and to roughly predict the importance and expense of developing these solutions. With this information, the planner plans sequences of problem solving activities that most efficiently resolve its uncertainty about which of the possible solutions to work toward. The planner only details actions for the near future because the results of these actions will influence how (and whether) a plan should be pursued. As problem solving proceeds, the planner adds new details to the plan incrementally, and monitors and repairs the plan to insure it achieves its goals whenever possible. Through experiments, researchers illustrate how these new mechanisms significantly improve problem solving decisions and reduce overall computation. They briefly discuss current research directions, including how these mechanisms can improve a problem solver's real-time response and can enhance cooperation in a distributed problem solving network.

Thermal Optimization of Growth and Quality in Protein Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiencek, John M.

1996-01-01

Experimental evidence suggests that larger and higher quality crystals can be attained in the microgravity of space; however, the effect of growth rate on protein crystal quality is not well documented. This research is the first step towards providing strategies to grow crystals under constant rates of growth. Controlling growth rates at a constant value allows for direct one-to-one comparison of results obtained in microgravity and on earth. The overall goal of the project was to control supersaturation at a constant value during protein crystal growth by varying temperature in a predetermined manner. Applying appropriate theory requires knowledge of specific physicochemical properties of the protein solution including the effect of supersaturation on growth rates and the effect of temperature on protein solubility. Such measurements typically require gram quantities of protein and many months of data acquisition. A second goal of the project applied microcalorimetry for the rapid determination of these physicochemical properties using a minimum amount of protein. These two goals were successfully implemented on hen egg-white lysozyme. Results of these studies are described in the attached reprints.

Scaling of Ion Thrusters to Low Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Michael J.; Grisnik, Stanley P.; Soulas, George C.

1998-01-01

Analyses were conducted to examine ion thruster scaling relationships in detail to determine performance limits, and lifetime expectations for thruster input power levels below 0.5 kW. This was motivated by mission analyses indicating the potential advantages of high performance, high specific impulse systems for small spacecraft. The design and development status of a 0.1-0.3 kW prototype small thruster and its components are discussed. Performance goals include thruster efficiencies on the order of 40% to 54% over a specific impulse range of 2000 to 3000 seconds, with a lifetime in excess of 8000 hours at full power. Thruster technologies required to achieve the performance and lifetime targets are identified.

The psychology behind doping in sport.

PubMed

Ehrnborg, Christer; Rosén, Thord

2009-08-01

Drugs and methods to improve physical performance among athletes have been used since the beginning of sport history, but the use of performance enhancing drugs has not always been regarded as cheating. In short, the motives for doping are improving and maintaining physical functioning, coping with the social/psychological pressures and striving for social and psychological goals, including economic benefits. Factors such as, "doping dilemma", "win at all costs", cost versus benefit, and the specificity of some specific doping agents, also play major roles. It seems that action on the athletes' attitude about the achievement of physical improvement and creating effective methods to reveal the drug abuse, are two main ways in winning the struggle against doping.

Parallel Processing Strategies of the Primate Visual System

PubMed Central

Nassi, Jonathan J.; Callaway, Edward M.

2009-01-01

Preface Incoming sensory information is sent to the brain along modality-specific channels corresponding to the five senses. Each of these channels further parses the incoming signals into parallel streams to provide a compact, efficient input to the brain. Ultimately, these parallel input signals must be elaborated upon and integrated within the cortex to provide a unified and coherent percept. Recent studies in the primate visual cortex have greatly contributed to our understanding of how this goal is accomplished. Multiple strategies including retinal tiling, hierarchical and parallel processing and modularity, defined spatially and by cell type-specific connectivity, are all used by the visual system to recover the rich detail of our visual surroundings. PMID:19352403

Guidelines for Standardized Testing of Broadband Seismometers and Accelerometers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hutt, Charles R.; Evans, John R.; Followill, Fred; Nigbor, Robert L.; Wielandt, Erhard

2010-01-01

Testing and specification of seismic and earthquake-engineering sensors and recorders has been marked by significant variations in procedures and selected parameters. These variations cause difficulty in comparing such specifications and test results. In July 1989, and again in May 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey hosted international pub-lic/private workshops with the goal of defining widely accepted guidelines for the testing of seismological inertial sensors, seismometers, and accelerometers. The Proceedings of the 2005 workshop have been published and include as appendix 6 the report of the 1989 workshop. This document represents a collation and rationalization of a single set of formal guidelines for testing and specifying broadband seismometers and accelerometers.

Systems Level Regulation of Rhythmic Growth Rate and Biomass Accumulation in Grasses

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

Kay, Steve A.; Hazen, Samuel; Mullet, John

Critical to the development of renewable energy sources from biofuels is the improvement of biomass from energy feedstocks, such as sorghum and maize. The specific goals of this project include 1) characterize the growth and gene expression patterns under diurnal and circadian conditions, 2) select transcription factors associated with growth and build a cis-regulatory network in yeast, and 3) perturb these transcription factors in planta using transgenic Brachypodium and sorghum, and characterize the phenotypic outcomes as they relate to biomass accumulation. A better understanding of diurnally regulated growth behavior in grasses may lead to species-specific mechanisms highly relevant to futuremore » strategies to optimize energy crop biomass yield.« less

Heat pipe manufacturing study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelstein, F.

1974-01-01

Heat pipe manufacturing methods are examined with the goal of establishing cost effective procedures that will ultimately result in cheaper more reliable heat pipes. Those methods which are commonly used by all heat pipe manufacturers have been considered, including: (1) envelope and wick cleaning, (2) end closure and welding, (3) mechanical verification, (4) evacuation and charging, (5) working fluid purity, and (6) charge tube pinch off. The study is limited to moderate temperature aluminum and stainless steel heat pipes with ammonia, Freon-21 and methanol working fluids. Review and evaluation of available manufacturers techniques and procedures together with the results of specific manufacturing oriented tests have yielded a set of recommended cost-effective specifications which can be used by all manufacturers.

Energy Landscapes of Folding Chromosomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bin

The genome, the blueprint of life, contains nearly all the information needed to build and maintain an entire organism. A comprehensive understanding of the genome is of paramount interest to human health and will advance progress in many areas, including life sciences, medicine, and biotechnology. The overarching goal of my research is to understand the structure-dynamics-function relationships of the human genome. In this talk, I will be presenting our efforts in moving towards that goal, with a particular emphasis on studying the three-dimensional organization, the structure of the genome with multi-scale approaches. Specifically, I will discuss the reconstruction of genome structures at both interphase and metaphase by making use of data from chromosome conformation capture experiments. Computationally modeling of chromatin fiber at atomistic level from first principles will also be presented as our effort for studying the genome structure from bottom up.

Development of a Method to Implement Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing of cfDNA from Cancer Patients and a Mouse Tumor Model.

PubMed

Maggi, Elaine C; Gravina, Silvia; Cheng, Haiying; Piperdi, Bilal; Yuan, Ziqiang; Dong, Xiao; Libutti, Steven K; Vijg, Jan; Montagna, Cristina

2018-01-01

The goal of this study was to develop a method for whole genome cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation analysis in humans and mice with the ultimate goal to facilitate the identification of tumor derived DNA methylation changes in the blood. Plasma or serum from patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors or lung cancer, and plasma from a murine model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma was used to develop a protocol for cfDNA isolation, library preparation and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of ultra low quantities of cfDNA, including tumor-specific DNA. The protocol developed produced high quality libraries consistently generating a conversion rate >98% that will be applicable for the analysis of human and mouse plasma or serum to detect tumor-derived changes in DNA methylation.

Family Functioning and Adolescent Alcohol Use: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

PubMed Central

Ohannessian, Christine McCauley; Flannery, Kaitlin M.; Simpson, Emily; Russell, Beth S.

2016-01-01

The primary goals of this longitudinal study were to examine the relationship between family functioning and adolescent alcohol use and to examine whether depressed mood mediates this relationship. An additional goal was to explore whether these relations were moderated by gender. The sample included 1,031 high school students from the Mid-Atlantic United States. Participants completed surveys in school during the spring of 2007, 2008, and 2009. Path analysis results indicated that family functioning predicted alcohol use for girls. Moreover, depressed mood mediated this relationship. None of the direct paths between family functioning and adolescent alcohol use were significant for boys. However, similar to girls, depressed mood negatively predicted alcohol use for boys. Taken together, the findings highlight the need for prevention programs targeting adolescent substance use to consider gender-specific trajectories. PMID:26994346

Tailoring a software production environment for a large project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, D. R.

1984-01-01

A software production environment was constructed to meet the specific goals of a particular large programming project. These goals, the specific solutions as implemented, and the experiences on a project of over 100,000 lines of source code are discussed. The base development environment for this project was an ordinary PWB Unix (tm) system. Several important aspects of the development process required support not available in the existing tool set.

Antecedents of Approach-Avoidance Achievement Goal Adoption: An Analysis of Two Physical Education Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warburton, Victoria; Spray, Christopher

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between implicit theories of ability and competence perceptions to changes in approach-avoidance goal adoption in two specific activities in the curriculum. Four hundred and thirty pupils, aged 11-15 years, completed measures of approach-avoidance goals, perceived competence and implicit…

Teaching as Regulation and Dealing with Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boshuizen, H. P. A.

2016-01-01

At an abstract level, teaching a class can be perceived as one big regulation problem. For an optimal result, teachers must continuously (re)align their goals and sub-goals, and need to get timely and valid information on how they are doing in reaching these goals. This discussion describes the specific difficulties due to the time characteristics…

Goals, Components, and Factors Considered in University Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussin, Sufean; Ismail, Aziah

2009-01-01

It is generally known that the general goals of universities are to produce high-quality graduates for the job market, to continuously advance the frontier of knowledge in all the disciplines, and ultimately to advance human civilization. There can, however, be numerous specific goals which differ from one university to the other. Whatever it is,…

Achievement Goals and Achievement Emotions: Testing a Model of Their Joint Relations with Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekrun, Reinhard; Elliot, Andrew J.; Maier, Markus A.

2009-01-01

The authors propose a theoretical model linking achievement goals and achievement emotions to academic performance. This model was tested in a prospective study with undergraduates (N = 213), using exam-specific assessments of both goals and emotions as predictors of exam performance in an introductory-level psychology course. The findings were…

Career Conversations in Small- to Medium-Sized Businesses: A Competitive Advantage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgen, William A.; Butterfield, Lee D.; Lalande, Vivian

2013-01-01

Career conversations are career-related dialogues between managers and employees that are intended to facilitate the development of specific goals and a plan for employee development that is mutually beneficial--to align the career goals of the employee with the organization's goals. The aim of these conversations is to address the turnover,…

Effects of the Protestant Work Ethic and Perceived Challenge on Time Allocated to an Experimental Task.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Thomas Li-Ping

Goal-setting literature has suggested that specific, difficult goals will produce higher performance levels than easy goals. A difficult task or one with negative performance feedback may increase an individual's perceived challenge of the task which may in turn enhance his motivation. Effects of the Protestant work ethic and perceived challenge…

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Promoting Health and Well-Being through Physical Education Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Timothy

2016-01-01

This paper shares a health and wellbeing partnership, modelling implementation of physical education (PE) advocated by the United Nations (UN). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) exemplifies global efforts towards equality, specifically Goal 3 and 4 address health and wellbeing. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into cross…

3A.04: OBJECTIVE FOR 2015: 70% OF TREATED AND CONTROLLED HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. HOW FAR FROM THIS GOAL WAS FRANCE IN 2014?

PubMed

Mourad, J J

2015-06-01

One of the main objectives of the French plan against stroke is to achieve a goal of 70% of treated and controlled hypertensive patients in 2015. Since 2000, very few registries evaluated the rate of BP controlled patients in general practice. The aim of the PASSAGE registry was to evaluate the rate of BP control in outpatient hypertensive patients attending general practitioners offices. A representative sample of 1000 French practitioners was requested to include the first consecutive 20 hypertensive patients. Controlled hypertension was defined as SBP <140 mm Hg and DBP <90 mm Hg in patients <80 yo and SBP<150 mmHg in patients >80 yo. The recruitment period held from november 2013 to february 2014. 21278 patients (mean age 66 ± 12 y; 50.7% of males) were included. 14.2% were >80 yo. 47% had treated dylipidemia and 11.6% were active smokers. Monotherapy, dual therapy were used in 48.7% and 31.8% respectively, whereas 3 treatments and more were prescribed in 16.4% of patients. Mean BP was 140 ± 16 / 80 ± 10 mmHg. Although GP's declared that BP goal was achieved 69.6% of patients, only 54.4% of patients strictly fit BP control definition. 73% of patients >80 yo were at goal. The figure demonstrates that the majority of uncontrolled hypertension was due to SBP not at goal.(Figure is included in full-text article.) : The PASSAGE registry provides updated data on blood pressure control in general practice in France. The percentage of controlled patients seems stable compared to the most recent surveys in the general population. In addition, the application of a specific threshold for octogenarians explains the satisfactory control rate in this subgroup. The percentage of controlled subjects contrasts with the evaluation of practitioners, which can be explained by optimal ambulatory BP measurements, or more probably by an important therapeutic inertia as suggested by the high percentage of patients on monotherapy. The implementation of updated national recommendations as well as the setup of large-scale assessment tools must continue to evaluate the quality of blood pressure control and to identify barriers to the achievement of national goals.

Design and syntheses of MMP inhibitors and photosensitive lipid nanoparticle formulations for drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramaniam, Rajesh

Drug administration without any compromise to the quality of life and lifespan is the ideal goal for disease management. The molecular mechanisms of several pathologies have shown that site-specific delivery of target-specific drugs seems to be a promising avenue to achieve this goal. This thesis describes the initial steps that we have taken toward that goal. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of about 23 isozymes in humans that were actively targeted for treating a multitude of pathologies. Clinical studies carried out on cancer patients have revealed the complexity of the working of this enzyme family and necessitated the development of isozyme-specific MMP inhibitors. Our studies toward the development of isozyme-specific inhibitors have resulted in the development of several inhibitors that seem to be selective toward some MMP isozymes. Our understanding on the molecular mechanism that confers this selectivity is documented in this thesis. Another aspect of discussion in the thesis is the development of photosensitive liposomes for drug delivery that could be triggered to release the drug by irradiation with light of appropriate wavelength. Development of such delivery vehicles, in principle, would confer external spatiotemporal control on drug delivery. This could potentially lead to better disease management by minimizing side effects and enhancing patient compatibility. The thesis discusses our attempts toward the development of photosensitive liposomes. These liposomes incorporated a photosensitive lipid (PSL) that would be cleaved upon irradiation with UV light, causing liposomal destabilization and release of the enclosed drug. The discussion includes: (i) the syntheses of the PSLs, (ii) formulation of the photosensitive liposomes that contained a model drug, (iii) light-mediated release of the drug and (iv) the mechanism of photocleavage of the PSL that leads to content release from liposomes. The thesis concludes with suggestions toward the development of isozyme-specific inhibitors for MMPs and a PSL that could be potentially cleaved with near infrared light by two-photon absorption. Liposomes incorporating such a PSL could, in principle, confer precise spatiotemporally controlled drug delivery at greater tissue depths if the technology could find ways to mitigate light intensity loss due to scattering by tissues.

Immersive Environment Technologies for Mars Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, John R.; Hartman, Frank

2000-01-01

JPL's charter includes the unmanned exploration of the Solar System. One of the tools for exploring other planets is the rover as exemplified by Sojourner on the Mars Pathfinder mission. The light speed turnaround time between Earth and the outer planets precludes the use of teleoperated rovers so autonomous operations are built in to the current and upcoming generation devices. As the level of autonomy increases, the mode of operations shifts from low-level specification of activities to a higher-level specification of goals. To support this higher-level activity, it is necessary to provide the operator with an effective understanding of the in-situ environment and also the tools needed to specify the higher-level goals. Immersive environments provide the needed sense of presence to achieve this goal. Use of immersive environments at JPL has two main thrusts that will be discussed in this talk. One is the generation of 3D models of the in-situ environment, in particular the merging of models from different sensors, different modes (orbital, descent, and lander), and even different missions. The other is the use of various tools to visualize the environment within which the rover will be operating to maximize the understanding by the operator. A suite of tools is under development which provide an integrated view into the environment while providing a variety of modes of visualization. This allows the operator to smoothly switch from one mode to another depending on the information and presentation desired.

Selecting Paradigms From Cognitive Neuroscience for Translation into Use in Clinical Trials: Proceedings of the Third CNTRICS Meeting

PubMed Central

Barch, Deanna M.; Carter, Cameron S.; Arnsten, Amy; Buchanan, Robert W.; Cohen, Jonathan D.; Geyer, Mark; Green, Michael F.; Krystal, John H.; Nuechterlein, Keith; Robbins, Trevor; Silverstein, Steven; Smith, Edward E.; Strauss, Milton; Wykes, Til; Heinssen, Robert

2009-01-01

This overview describes the goals and objectives of the third conference conducted as part of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) initiative. This third conference was focused on selecting specific paradigms from cognitive neuroscience that measured the constructs identified in the first CNTRICS meeting, with the goal of facilitating the translation of these paradigms into use in clinical trials contexts. To identify such paradigms, we had an open nomination process in which the field was asked to nominate potentially relevant paradigms and to provide information on several domains relevant to selecting the most promising tasks for each construct (eg, construct validity, neural bases, psychometrics, availability of animal models). Our goal was to identify 1–2 promising tasks for each of the 11 constructs identified at the first CNTRICS meeting. In this overview article, we describe the on-line survey used to generate nominations for promising tasks, the criteria that were used to select the tasks, the rationale behind the criteria, and the ways in which breakout groups worked together to identify the most promising tasks from among those nominated. This article serves as an introduction to the set of 6 articles included in this special issue that provide information about the specific tasks discussed and selected for the constructs from each of 6 broad domains (working memory, executive control, attention, long-term memory, perception, and social cognition). PMID:19023126

Conceptual design and structural analysis for an 8.4-m telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, Manuel; Farah, Alejandro; Ruiz Schneider, Elfego

2004-09-01

This paper describes the conceptual design of the optics support structures of a telescope with a primary mirror of 8.4 m, the same size as a Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) primary mirror. The design goal is to achieve a structure for supporting the primary and secondary mirrors and keeping them joined as rigid as possible. With this purpose an optimization with several models was done. This iterative design process includes: specifications development, concepts generation and evaluation. Process included Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as well as other analytical calculations. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrix was used to obtain telescope tube and spider specifications. Eight spiders and eleven tubes geometric concepts were proposed. They were compared in decision matrixes using performance indicators and parameters. Tubes and spiders went under an iterative optimization process. The best tubes and spiders concepts were assembled together. All assemblies were compared and ranked according to their performance.

Measuring more than we know? An examination of the motivational and situational influences in science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haydel, Angela Michelle

The purpose of this dissertation was to advance theoretical understanding about fit between the personal resources of individuals and the characteristics of science achievement tasks. Testing continues to be pervasive in schools, yet we know little about how students perceive tests and what they think and feel while they are actually working on test items. This study focused on both the personal (cognitive and motivational) and situational factors that may contribute to individual differences in achievement-related outcomes. 387 eighth grade students first completed a survey including measures of science achievement goals, capability beliefs, efficacy related to multiple-choice items and performance assessments, validity beliefs about multiple-choice items and performance assessments, and other perceptions of these item formats. Students then completed science achievement tests including multiple-choice items and two performance assessments. A sample of students was asked to verbalize both thoughts and feelings as they worked through the test items. These think-alouds were transcribed and coded for evidence of cognitive, metacognitive and motivational engagement. Following each test, all students completed measures of effort, mood, energy level and strategy use during testing. Students reported that performance assessments were more challenging, authentic, interesting and valid than multiple-choice tests. They also believed that comparisons between students were easier using multiple-choice items. Overall, students tried harder, felt better, had higher levels of energy and used more strategies while working on performance assessments. Findings suggested that performance assessments might be more congruent with a mastery achievement goal orientation, while multiple-choice tests might be more congruent with a performance achievement goal orientation. A variable-centered analytic approach including regression analyses provided information about how students, on average, who differed in terms of their teachers' ratings of their science ability, achievement goals, capability beliefs and experiences with science achievement tasks perceived, engaged in, and performed on multiple-choice items and performance assessments. Person-centered analyses provided information about the perceptions, engagement and performance of subgroups of individuals who had different motivational characteristics. Generally, students' personal goals and capability beliefs related more strongly to test perceptions, but not performance, while teacher ratings of ability and test-specific beliefs related to performance.

Trajectory determinations and collection of micrometeoroids on the space station. Report of the Workshop on Micrometeorite Capture Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoerz, F. (Editor)

1986-01-01

Summaries of papers presented at the Workshop on Micrometeorite Capture Experiments are compiled. The goals of the workshop were to define the scientific objectives and the resulting performance requirements of a potential Space Station facility and to identify the major elements of a coherent development program that would generate the desired capabilities within the next decade. Specific topics include cosmic dust and space debris collection techniques, particle trajectory and source determination, and specimen analysis methods.

Announcing the Launch of CPTAC’s Proteogenomics DREAM Challenge | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

This week, we are excited to announce the launch of the National Cancer Institute’s Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) Proteogenomics Computational DREAM Challenge.  The aim of this Challenge is to encourage the generation of computational methods for extracting information from the cancer proteome and for linking those data to genomic and transcriptomic information.  The specific goals are to predict proteomic and phosphoproteomic data from other multiple data types including transcriptomics and genetics.

The Role of a Neuropsychologist on a Movement Disorders Deep Brain Stimulation Team.

PubMed

Kubu, Cynthia S

2018-05-01

The term movement disorders is misleading in the implication that the symptoms are limited to motor problems. Most movement disorders include a variety of neurobehavioral and neurocognitive symptoms that require neuropsychological expertise. The goal of this paper is to provide a rationale and practical roadmap for neuropsychologists' involvement in a Movement Disorders team with a specific focus on pre-operative deep brain stimulation (DBS) evaluations. Pragmatic recommendations regarding requisite skills, clinical practice, recommendations, communication, and benefits are outlined.

X-Ray Spectroscopic Laboratory Experiments in Support of the X-Ray Astronomy Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Steven M.

1997-01-01

Our program is to perform a series of laboratory investigations designed to resolved significant atomic physics uncertainties that limit the interpretation of cosmic X-ray spectra. Specific goals include a quantitative characterization of Fe L-shell spectra; the development of new techniques to simulate Maxwellian plasmas using an Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT); and the measurement of dielectronic recombination rates for photoionized gas. New atomic calculations have also been carried out in parallel with the laboratory investigations.

Development of visual programming techniques to integrate theoretical modeling into the scientific planning and instrument operations environment of ISTP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodrich, Charles C.

1993-01-01

The goal of this project is to investigate the use of visualization software based on the visual programming and data-flow paradigms to meet the needs of the SPOF and through it the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) science community. Specific needs we address include science planning, data interpretation, comparisons of data with simulation and model results, and data acquisition. Our accomplishments during the twelve month grant period are discussed below.

Holographic Rovers: Augmented Reality and the Microsoft HoloLens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toler, Laura

2017-01-01

Augmented Reality is an emerging field in technology, and encompasses Head Mounted Displays, smartphone apps, and even projected images. HMDs include the Meta 2, Magic Leap, Avegant Light Field, and the Microsoft HoloLens, which is evaluated specifically. The Microsoft HoloLens is designed to be used as an AR personal computer, and is being optimized with that goal in mind. Microsoft allied with the Unity3D game engine to create an SDK for interested application developers that can be used in the Unity environment.

Sonic Boom Modeling Technical Challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Brenda M.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the technical challenges in modeling sonic booms. The goal of this program is to develop knowledge, capabilities and technologies to enable overland supersonic flight. The specific objectives of the modeling are: (1) Develop and validate sonic boom propagation model through realistic atmospheres, including effects of turbulence (2) Develop methods enabling prediction of response of and acoustic transmission into structures impacted by sonic booms (3) Develop and validate psychoacoustic model of human response to sonic booms under both indoor and outdoor listening conditions, using simulators.

Center for Coal-Derived Low Energy Materials for Sustainable Construction

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

Jewell, Robert; Robl, Tom; Rathbone, Robert

2012-06-30

The overarching goal of this project was to create a sustained center to support the continued development of new products and industries that manufacture construction materials from coal combustion by-products or CCB’s (e.g., cements, grouts, wallboard, masonry block, fillers, roofing materials, etc). Specific objectives includes the development of a research kiln and associated system and the formulation and production of high performance low-energy, low-CO2 emitting calcium sulfoaluminate (CAS) cement that utilize coal combustion byproducts as raw materials.

Transmission research activities at NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewicki, D. G.

1990-01-01

A joint research program, to advance the technology of rotorcraft transmissions, consists of analytical and experimental efforts to achieve the overall goals of reducing transmission weight and noise, while increasing life and reliability. Recent activities in the areas of transmission and related component research are highlighted. Current areas include specific technologies in support of military rotary wing aviation, gearing technology, transmission noise reduction studies, a recent interest in gearbox diagnostics, and advanced transmission system studies. Results of recent activities are presented along with near term research plans.

Supplementing national menu labeling.

PubMed

Hodge, James G; White, Lexi C

2012-12-01

The US Food and Drug Administration's forthcoming national menu labeling regulations are designed to help curb the national obesity epidemic by requiring calorie counts on restaurants' menus. However, posted calories can be easily ignored or misunderstood by consumers and fail to accurately describe the healthiness of foods. We propose supplemental models that include nutritional information (e.g., fat, salt, sugar) or specific guidance (e.g., "heart-healthy" graphics). The goal is to empower restaurant patrons with better data to make healthier choices, and ultimately to reduce obesity prevalence.

Health goal priming as a situated intervention tool: how to benefit from nonconscious motivational routes to health behaviour.

PubMed

Papies, Esther K

2016-12-01

Recent research has shown the limited effects of intentions on behaviour, so that novel methods to facilitate behaviour change are needed that do not rely on conscious intentions. Here, it is argued that nonintentional effects on health behaviour, such as the effects of habits, impulses, and nonconscious goals, occur through the activation of cognitive structures by specific situations. Interventions should therefore be situated to change these effects, either by changing the critical cognitive structures (training interventions), or by changing which cognitive structures get activated (cueing interventions). The current article presents this framework for situated interventions, as well as examples of interventions of each type. Then, it introduces goal priming as a cueing intervention tool to activate health goals and thus facilitate healthier behaviour, even in tempting situations that typically activate short-term hedonic goals. Following a review of empirical evidence, five principles for the effective application of health goal primes are proposed, namely (1) to target individuals who value the primed goals, (2) by activating their specific motivation, (3) through effective cues (4) that attract attention at the right time. Finally, (5) an effective goal-directed behaviour needs to be known and accessible to the primed individual. These principles are illustrated with examples of different health behaviours in order to facilitate their application for successful behaviour change.

Health goal priming as a situated intervention tool: how to benefit from nonconscious motivational routes to health behaviour

PubMed Central

Papies, Esther K.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Recent research has shown the limited effects of intentions on behaviour, so that novel methods to facilitate behaviour change are needed that do not rely on conscious intentions. Here, it is argued that nonintentional effects on health behaviour, such as the effects of habits, impulses, and nonconscious goals, occur through the activation of cognitive structures by specific situations. Interventions should therefore be situated to change these effects, either by changing the critical cognitive structures (training interventions), or by changing which cognitive structures get activated (cueing interventions). The current article presents this framework for situated interventions, as well as examples of interventions of each type. Then, it introduces goal priming as a cueing intervention tool to activate health goals and thus facilitate healthier behaviour, even in tempting situations that typically activate short-term hedonic goals. Following a review of empirical evidence, five principles for the effective application of health goal primes are proposed, namely (1) to target individuals who value the primed goals, (2) by activating their specific motivation, (3) through effective cues (4) that attract attention at the right time. Finally, (5) an effective goal-directed behaviour needs to be known and accessible to the primed individual. These principles are illustrated with examples of different health behaviours in order to facilitate their application for successful behaviour change. PMID:27144729

Crohn's disease in adolescence: presentation and treatment.

PubMed

Cullen, Mick; Barnes, Claire

2015-05-13

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that affects more than 115,000 people in the UK. This article focuses on Crohn's disease in adolescents. Management of the condition in this group should address adolescent-specific characteristics and treatment goals. Key elements include optimising growth, pubertal development and social functioning, including education. The condition can affect an individual's mental and emotional wellbeing significantly, as well as their physical health. As adolescence is a time of great change, the additional burden of a chronic illness can prove difficult to manage. The authors provide information on the presentation of Crohn's disease in adolescence and insights into the particular issues encountered by this group.

The association between reality-based beliefs and indirectly experienced traumatization.

PubMed

Shiri, Shimon; Wexler, Isaiah D; Schwartz, Isabella; Kadari, Michal; Kreitler, Shulamith

2010-12-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the association between belief types and the magnitude of indirect traumatization. Specific types of beliefs were defined in terms of the cognitive orientation theory, which is a cognitive-motivational approach to the understanding, predicting, and changing of behaviors. Belief types that were analyzed included beliefs about self, general beliefs, beliefs about norms, and goal beliefs as they relate to personal growth. Study participants included 38 rescuers (body handlers), 37 nurses, and 31 rehabilitation workers who treated injured civilians that had been exposed to politically motivated violence. The Cognitive Orientation for Posttraumatic Growth Scale was used to assess beliefs about personal growth. The Revised Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Inventory was administered to evaluate indirect traumatization. The results indicate that three of the four belief types related to personal growth were associated with the level of indirect traumatization. Optimistic and positive beliefs about self and general beliefs were associated with a lower level of indirect traumatization symptomatology, suggesting that these types of beliefs may counteract indirect traumatization. On the other hand, stronger goal beliefs were associated with greater indirect traumatization. The negative association between positive goal beliefs and indirect trauma may be related to the gap the individual perceives between the hoped-for ideals and the trauma-stricken reality. These results indicate the importance of cognitive beliefs and their possible role in determining the response to indirect traumatization.

Practical application of economic well-performance criteria to the optimization of fracturing treatment design

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

Anderson, R.W.; Phillips, A.M.

1988-02-01

Low-permeability reservoirs are currently being propped with sand, resin-coated sand, intermediate-density proppants, and bauxite. This wide range of proppant cost and performance has resulted in a proliferation of proppant selection models. Initially, a rather vague relationship between well depth and proppant strength dictated the choice of proppant. More recently, computerized models of varying complexity have become available that use net-present-value (NPV) calculations. The input is based on the operator's performance goals for each well and on specific reservoir properties. Simpler, noncomputerized approaches also being used include cost/performance comparisons and nomographs. Each type of model, including several of the computerized models,more » will be examined. By use of these models and NPV calculations, optimum fracturing treatment designs have been developed for such low-permeability reservoirs as the Prue in Oklahoma. Typical well conditions are used in each of the selection models and the results are compared. The computerized models allow the operator to determine, before fracturing, how changes in proppant type, size, and quantity will affect postfracture production over time periods ranging from several months to many years. Thus, the operator can choose the fracturing treatment design that best satisfies the economic performance goals for a particular well, regardless of whether those goals are long or short term.« less

An investigation of motivational variables in CrossFit facilities.

PubMed

Partridge, Julie A; Knapp, Bobbi A; Massengale, Brittany D

2014-06-01

CrossFit is a growing fitness trend in the United States; however, little systematic research has addressed specific motivational principles within this unique exercise environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of gender and membership time on perceptions of motivational climate and goals within the CrossFit environment. Specifically, people may set goals related to self-improvement (i.e., mastery) or focus on their performance in comparison to others (i.e., performance). Motivational climate refers to an individual's perception of being encouraged to focus on either mastery or performance goals from CrossFit trainers. A total of 144 members (88 females; 56 males) completed questionnaires to assess participants' perceptions of CrossFit goal structures and perceptions of the motivational climate encouraged by the trainer within their CrossFit box. Results indicated a significant main effect for gender on preferred goals (p ≤ 0.05), with males reporting higher levels of performance approach goals and females reporting higher levels of master avoidance goals. Participants who reported shorter membership times were found to have significantly higher mastery-related goals than individuals who reported longer membership times (p ≤ 0.05). The results from the study suggest that practitioners should consider how perceptions of the motivational climate and goals in group-based exercise settings such as CrossFit may vary based on demographic variables, and that these differences may impact how to most effectively motivate, encourage, and instruct group members, particularly with regard to helping members set goals that most effectively address their approach to the CrossFit regimen.

Monitoring risk: post marketing surveillance and signal detection.

PubMed

Dart, Richard C

2009-12-01

The primary goal of postmarketing surveillance is to provide information for risk assessment of a drug. Drugs affecting the central nervous system form a unique group of products for surveillance because they are often misused, abused, and diverted. These medications include opioid analgesics, stimulants, sedative-hypnotics, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants and other drug classes. Their adverse events are difficult to monitor because the perpetrator often attempts to conceal the misuse, abuse and diversion of the product. A postmarketing surveillance system for prescription drugs of abuse in the U.S. should include product specific information that is accurate, immediately available, geographically specific and includes all areas of the country. Most producers of branded opioid analgesic products have created systems that measure abuse from multiple vantage points: criminal justice, treatment professionals, susceptible patient populations and acute health events. In the past, the U.S. government has not established similar requirements for the same products produced by generic manufacturers. However, the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 includes generic opioid analgesic products by requiring that all products containing potent opioid drugs perform rigorous surveillance and risk management. While general risk management guidance has been developed by FDA, more specific analyses and guidance are needed to improve surveillance methodology for drugs which are misused, abused, diverted.

EDITORIAL: SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING

EPA Science Inventory

A foremost goal in biology is understanding the molecular basis of single cell behavior, as well as cell interactions that result in functioning tissues. Accomplishing this goal requires quantitative analysis of multiple, specific macromolecules (e.g. proteins, ligands and enzyme...

SEARCH: Study of Environmental Arctic Change--A System-scale, Cross-disciplinary Arctic Research Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shnoro, R. S.; Eicken, H.; Francis, J. A.; Scambos, T. A.; Schuur, E. A.; Straneo, F.; Wiggins, H. V.

2013-12-01

SEARCH is an interdisciplinary, interagency program that works with academic and government agency scientists and stakeholders to plan, conduct, and synthesize studies of Arctic change. Over the past three years, SEARCH has developed a new vision and mission, a set of prioritized cross-disciplinary 5-year goals, an integrated set of activities, and an organizational structure. The vision of SEARCH is to provide scientific understanding of arctic environmental change to help society understand and respond to a rapidly changing Arctic. SEARCH's 5-year science goals include: 1. Improve understanding, advance prediction, and explore consequences of changing Arctic sea ice. 2. Document and understand how degradation of near-surface permafrost will affect Arctic and global systems. 3. Improve predictions of future land-ice loss and impacts on sea level. 4. Analyze societal and policy implications of Arctic environmental change. Action Teams organized around each of the 5-year goals will serve as standing groups responsible for implementing specific goal activities. Members will be drawn from academia, different agencies and stakeholders, with a range of disciplinary backgrounds and perspectives. 'Arctic Futures 2050' scenarios tasks will describe plausible future states of the arctic system based on recent trajectories and projected changes. These scenarios will combine a range of data including climate model output, paleo-data, results from data synthesis and systems modeling, as well as expert scientific and traditional knowledge. Current activities include: - Arctic Observing Network (AON) - coordinating a system of atmospheric, land- and ocean-based environmental monitoring capabilities that will significantly advance our observations of arctic environmental conditions. - Arctic Sea Ice Outlook - an international effort that provides monthly summer reports synthesizing community estimates of the expected sea ice minimum. A newly-launched Sea Ice Prediction Network will create a network of scientists and stakeholders to generate, assess and communicate Arctic seasonal sea ice forecasts. - Collaboration with the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) to implement mutual science goals. SEARCH is sponsored by 8 U.S. agencies, including: the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, the Smithsonian Institution, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The U.S. Arctic Research Commission participates as an observer. For more information: http://www.arcus.org/search.

Implementing a framework for goal setting in community based stroke rehabilitation: a process evaluation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Goal setting is considered ‘best practice’ in stroke rehabilitation; however, there is no consensus regarding the key components of goal setting interventions or how they should be optimally delivered in practice. We developed a theory-based goal setting and action planning framework (G-AP) to guide goal setting practice. G-AP has 4 stages: goal negotiation, goal setting, action planning & coping planning and appraisal & feedback. All stages are recorded in a patient-held record. In this study we examined the implementation, acceptability and perceived benefits of G-AP in one community rehabilitation team with people recovering from stroke. Methods G-AP was implemented for 6 months with 23 stroke patients. In-depth interviews with 8 patients and 8 health professionals were analysed thematically to investigate views of its implementation, acceptability and perceived benefits. Case notes of interviewed patients were analysed descriptively to assess the fidelity of G-AP implementation. Results G-AP was mostly implemented according to protocol with deviations noted at the planning and appraisal and feedback stages. Each stage was felt to make a useful contribution to the overall process; however, in practice, goal negotiation and goal setting merged into one stage and the appraisal and feedback stage included an explicit decision making component. Only two issues were raised regarding G-APs acceptability: (i) health professionals were concerned about the impact of goal non-attainment on patient’s well-being (patients did not share their concerns), and (ii) some patients and health professionals found the patient-held record unhelpful. G-AP was felt to have a positive impact on patient goal attainment and professional goal setting practice. Collaborative partnerships between health professionals and patients were apparent throughout the process. Conclusions G-AP has been perceived as both beneficial and broadly acceptable in one community rehabilitation team; however, implementation of novel aspects of the framework was inconsistent. The regulatory function of goal non-attainment and the importance of creating flexible partnerships with patients have been highlighted. Further development of the G-AP framework, training package and patient held record is required to address the specific issues highlighted by this process evaluation. Further evaluation of G-AP is required across diverse community rehabilitation settings. PMID:23705824

Growth goals, maturity, and well-being.

PubMed

Bauer, Jack J; McAdams, Dan P

2004-01-01

In 2 studies (125 college students and 51 adults), 2 forms of growth goals (exploratory and intrinsic) were compared with 2 forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being). Participants whose narratives of major life goals emphasized conceptual exploration were especially likely to have high levels of maturity (measured as ego development; J. Loevinger, 1976), whereas those whose goals emphasized intrinsic interests (K. M. Sheldon & T. Kasser, 1995) were especially likely to have high levels of well-being. Participants who had coherent hierarchies of growth goals on the levels of major life goals and everyday goals were especially likely to have high levels of personality development. Finally, growth goals accounted for some relationships between age and personality development. Growth goals are discussed in terms of intentional self-development and specific developmental paths. (c) 2003 APA

Exercise adherence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an exploration of motivation and goals.

PubMed

Davis, Amy H T

2007-01-01

Adherence to an exercise regimen is challenging. Motivation is an important factor that can enhance exercise adherence. A key component of motivation is the setting and accomplishment of specified goals. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between patients' motivation and goals. Motivation and goal orientation in 14 participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were assessed. Participants were also interviewed to explore their exercise and activity goals. Motivation was significantly associated with goal orientation. In addition, participants reported many explicit activity goals, but few participants had set specific exercise goals. The inconsistency between activity and exercise goals has not been reported previously. Findings from this preliminary study provide novel and relevant information that may help care providers understand factors that may influence exercise adherence in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Goal-oriented networks and capacity building for natural hazards - examples in the Dresden region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutter, G.

2013-04-01

Networks and networking are important to build social capacities for natural hazards. However, up to now, it is an open question which types of networks contribute to capacity building under certain circumstances. The paper focuses on the type of a goal-oriented network. The distinction between goal orientation and goal directedness is used to show the following: goal directedness of networks to build capacities for natural hazards involves intensive and continuous processes of sensemaking (Weick, 1995) to specify the network goal. This process of specifying an initial goal statement is important in small and large networks. The governance form of a lead organization network facilitates goal specification. The paper illustrates these findings through evidence from two case studies conducted in the Dresden region in Germany.

Wide variations in blood product transfusion practices among providers who care for patients with acute leukemia in the United States.

PubMed

Pine, Alexander B; Lee, Eun-Ju; Sekeres, Mikkael; Steensma, David P; Zelterman, Daniel; Prebet, Thomas; DeZern, Amy; Komrokji, Rami; Litzow, Mark; Luger, Selina; Stone, Richard; Erba, Harry P; Garcia-Manero, Guillermo; Lee, Alfred I; Podoltsev, Nikolai A; Barbarotta, Lisa; Kasberg, Stephanie; Hendrickson, Jeanne E; Gore, Steven D; Zeidan, Amer M

2017-02-01

Transfusion of blood products is a key component of the supportive management in patients with acute leukemia (AL). However high-quality trial evidence and clinical outcome data to support specific transfusion goals for blood products for patients with AL remain limited leading to diverse transfusion practices. The primary objective of this study was to determine the spectrum of transfusion patterns in a variety of care settings among providers who treat AL patients. A 31-question survey queried providers caring for AL patients about the existence of institutional guidelines for transfusion of blood products, transfusion triggers for hemoglobin (Hb), platelets (PLTs), and fibrinogen in various settings including inpatient and outpatient and before procedures. We analyzed 130 responses and identified divergent transfusion Hb goals in hospitalized and ambulatory patients, fibrinogen goals for cryoprecipitate transfusions, and variation in practice for use of certain PLTs and red blood cell products. The least variable transfusion patterns were reported for PLT goals in thrombocytopenia and in the setting of invasive procedures such as bone marrow biopsy and lumbar punctures. This survey confirmed wide variations in blood product transfusion practices across several clinical scenarios in patients with AL. The findings emphasized the need for large prospective randomized trials to develop standardized evidence-based guidelines for blood product transfusions in patients with AL with the goal of limiting unnecessary transfusions without compromising outcomes. © 2016 AABB.

Analogical and category-based inference: a theoretical integration with Bayesian causal models.

PubMed

Holyoak, Keith J; Lee, Hee Seung; Lu, Hongjing

2010-11-01

A fundamental issue for theories of human induction is to specify constraints on potential inferences. For inferences based on shared category membership, an analogy, and/or a relational schema, it appears that the basic goal of induction is to make accurate and goal-relevant inferences that are sensitive to uncertainty. People can use source information at various levels of abstraction (including both specific instances and more general categories), coupled with prior causal knowledge, to build a causal model for a target situation, which in turn constrains inferences about the target. We propose a computational theory in the framework of Bayesian inference and test its predictions (parameter-free for the cases we consider) in a series of experiments in which people were asked to assess the probabilities of various causal predictions and attributions about a target on the basis of source knowledge about generative and preventive causes. The theory proved successful in accounting for systematic patterns of judgments about interrelated types of causal inferences, including evidence that analogical inferences are partially dissociable from overall mapping quality.

Decision Neuroscience: Neuroeconomics

PubMed Central

Smith, David V.; Huettel, Scott A.

2012-01-01

Few aspects of human cognition are more personal than the choices we make. Our decisions – from the mundane to the impossibly complex – continually shape the courses of our lives. In recent years, researchers have applied the tools of neuroscience to understand the mechanisms that underlie decision making, as part of the new discipline of decision neuroscience. A primary goal of this emerging field has been to identify the processes that underlie specific decision variables, including the value of rewards, the uncertainty associated with particular outcomes, and the consequences of social interactions. Recent work suggests potential neural substrates that integrate these variables, potentially reflecting a common neural currency for value, to facilitate value comparisons. Despite the successes of decision neuroscience research for elucidating brain mechanisms, significant challenges remain. These include building new conceptual frameworks for decision making, integrating research findings across disparate techniques and species, and extending results from neuroscience to shape economic theory. To overcome these challenges, future research will likely focus on interpersonal variability in decision making, with the eventual goal of creating biologically plausible models for individual choice. PMID:22754602

Rational Design and Nanoscale Integration of Multi-Heterostructures as Highly Efficient Photocatalysts

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

Duan, Xiangfeng

2017-11-03

The central goal of this project is to design and synthesize complex multi-hetero-nanostructures and fundamental investigation of their potential as efficient and robust photocatalysts. Specifically, the project aims to develop a nanoscale light-harvesting antenna that can efficiently convert solar photon energy into excited electrons and holes, and integrate such antenna with efficient redox nanocatalysts that can harness the photo-generated carriers for productive electrochemical processes. Focusing on this central goal, we have investigated several potential light-harvesting antennas including: silicon nanowires, nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanowires and the emerging perovskite materials. We also devoted considerable effort in developing electrocatalysts including: hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)more » catalysts, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts and oxygen reduction reaction catalysts (ORR). In previous annual reports, we have described our effort in the synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties of silicon, TiO2, perovskite-based materials and heterostructures. Here, we focus our discussion on the recent effort in investigating charge transport dynamics in organolead halide perovskites, as well as carbon nanostructure and platinum nanostructure-based electrocatalysts for energy conversion and storage.« less